Well I must be on the ball this month. Its been less than a month and I am already starting to write this blog. Thankfully the rain has stopped and the sun has come out. What a weird start to 2018 it has been. +++ amounts of rain followed by temperatures of 31. We ended up with a waterfall in the lower grounds which was a first. In fact it was that beautiful we have decided to develop the lower grounds into a wildlife pond surrounded by a butterfly meadow. It is so nice to have the flexibility of the gardens and let them speak for themselves. Every year our vision changes as we watch the grounds develop. We allow the gardens the opportunity tell us what they want, watch how they behave and see what we feel they are missing. We love the grounds come rain or shine. Due to the amount of water we have received and the spots of very hot sun the grounds have never looked so good and the animals are loving it. We have decided to join the Open Gardens/Jardins Ouverts for 2019. This will allow visitors the opportunity to view the gardens 2-3 times a year and the money raised will go to charity. Why not share what we have. I just hope the visitors love it as much as we do.
The gardens at Finders Keepers France are a very important part of the retreat not just for human visitors but also for animals. Over the past 2 years Darren has cleared many areas of brambles to allow the plants and trees room to flourish and grow. The results so far have been phenomenal. 13 acres however is a lot to complete all on your lonesome so it is a very slow process. We take very small steps at a time and focus on one area of the garden at one time. Darren is currently developing a fabulous Bug/Insect garden which is going to be located up around the higher grounds. It has taken us 2 years to clear the ground and prepare it ready for the various homes it will accommodate. The area has been home to many toads so we knew it was a perfect location for our vision.
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For those of you who are already thinking 'it was better before for the animals'. It is not finished. There are going to be many small trees, shrubs and bushes added to the mulch to provide shade, safety and moisture. This is just the start of an on going project. It still requires lots of work to be the finished product. Darren has been busy building little homes for the animals that already live there prior to adding more plants and bushes to make it cosy and safe for them. This alone takes time and money.
Here are just a few of his deigns. We hope both you and them like them.
The garden is slowly developing over time. Currently Darren is building a very large Bug Hotel which will be positioned in the space opposite the bug garden due to its size but will hopefully link both areas together.
Well that is it for now. I will be completing an addition blog this month which will belong to our beautiful red squirrels. Darren has been busy building a fun area for them that they share with budding photographers or just those who love to see the fabulous creatures in action. More on this to follow.
Thank you once again for your support. Please feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions otherwise Merci et a bientot.
Paula