English Country Garden

[jennyb]

I have only just noticed this new section in WAB. It's a great idea because I love to look at other people's web sites. We all have a similar passion for wildlife, but our web sites are all so different.

I started my web site, A catalogue of English birds, animals, flowers and trees found in an English Country Garden., a few years ago when I was counting the number of different birds that I had seen in my garden. At the time I had identified 28 different species of bird (it is now 45). Then I thought why stop with birds, so I started to make a note of the animals, then wild flowers, then insects - butterflies, dragonflies, bees and wasps, and even fungi, etc, etc.

Since I am a web developer by profession, I thought the best way to catalogue everything would be on a web site. I also research everything I find and add notes about them on the web site. So, my web site has turned out to be quite a useful resource about flora, fauna and fungi in the UK.

When I started I just had a little point and shoot camera, so the early photos are not particularly good. I have since developed a passion for photography and have bought some decent kit. I think my photographs are improving and slowly I am replacing the older photographs with better ones.

I joined WAB 3 years ago when I was trying to identify some fungi, but I have found everyone to be so helpful with other IDs too. I really struggle with insect ID (and fungus). So a big thank you WAB and it's members.

I am now completely obsessed with everything in my garden and notice anything new immediately. This is an on-going project and I have really only scraped the surface of the insect population, and really must also turn my attention to ferns, rushes and reeds, etc.

My biggest surprise has been with the nocturnal wildlife and it is only in the last year or so that I have been able to find out what goes on in my garden after dark. I started with a stealthcam which was triggered by a motion detector and then I got a web cam. It is a hive of activity. The garden really only comes to life after dark! You can see some video clips and some picture from the stealthcam on the web site.

Above all the web site has allowed me to share my passion with others. I get emails from people all over the world and I am really pleased that it has turned out to be such a valuable source information for them.

It is, of course, still work in progress. I still find new things every week and I have a backlog of information to add.

I hope you enjoy it.

Jenny

[deer boy]

Your garden is hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Great website, loved the videos & pics especially the baby muntjac

[Hedge Witch]

I realise that I've visited your site before during searches. It's wonderful. You must be very proud of it.

[jennyb]

Thanks, DB and HW. It is a labour of love and I keep marvelling at the diversity of British wildlife. There is always something new to add to the site.

One thing that I have tried to do is show things in all their different stages. For example, with trees, I photograph the whole tree, the leaves, the flowers, the fruit and the bark. I have learned so much in the process.

I guess the web site will never be complete!

Jenny

[Pete Collins]

Lovely garden, and a lovely web site! Very impressed with the variety of wildlife you've seen in your garden.

[ron1863]

Just visited your site and realised I have visited it many times while researching material, lovely and you are very lucky to have a park for a garden

[shei111]

You have a super garden and it certaintly attracts the wildlife, brilliant web page. sheila

[ellen h]

Lovely site that I have looked in on often.
Well done Jenny what a garden!!!
ellen

[Kayleigh]

Yep, I too have had a peek in the past at your estate and those deer are so cheeky thinking its a deer park..

Lovely site..