Pensthorpe News

Our Inspiration

It is easy to fall in love with Pensthorpe and as artists, over many visits in the past, we  have been inspired by the diversity of wildlife habitats, the successful bird breeding programmes and wide range of plant species in both formal and informal settings.

The Sporting Car Club of Norfolk turned up in style today.  The day started grey and murky but the arrival of a myriad of stunning cars brought the sun out for the participants of the rally and the onlookers.

Out on the ditch the black-necked swans are doing a good job of protecting their clutch with the female sitting tight and the male keeping very close guard and preventing any further unwanted attention.

Our Hooded Merganser eggs have surrogate mothers in the form of our flock of broody chickens who have taken over incubation duties.

Fantastic vibrant tulips welcome you on the mound at the entrance to the Wave Garden, followed by a flush of meandering green hues as you walk through.   The garden is full of song as the birds start to pair and nest.

The Wymondham Old Timers braved the showers to put on a fine show of classic cars at Pensthorpe.

Automobiles ranged from grand Roll's Royce to the cheeky Hillman imp, a wide range of cars to suit all tastes.  The 'Best in Show' trophy awarded by Deb Jordan went to Colin Watson for his superbly turned out Morris Cowley 1930.

Our pair of Bewick's swans in the wader pen have developed a strong pairing over the last couple of weeks with lots of calling as well as attacking any wardens foolish enough to enter the pen! Hopes are high for cygnets this year.

 Award-winning wildlife hotspot Pensthorpe Nature Reserve, near Fakenham, is gearing up for the return of the popular BBC2 natural history series BBC Springwatch.  The three-week celebration of UK wildlife, which begins on the 31st May from Mondays to Thursdays at 8pm on BBC2, has become essential viewing for all those who appreciate nature in all its glory.

The long winter of abysmal weather has not deterred our pair of Hawaiian geese from their breeding.  Always the first species of the collection birds to lay, the female is sitting tight on a clutch of eggs amongst the straw laid down to help the storks keep warm.  She is under the trees in the wader pen at the Pensthorpe Conservation Centre, and looking very cosy! 

 Five pairs of Shelduck have dropped in, these are often seen at the wader scrape

 A pair of Marsh Harrier's were seen at the wader scrape within the last week

 A barn owl was seen hunting around the 5 cottages on the 31st Jan

It is a time to celebrate for our Head Gardener as she has now completed the last patch of digging up and dividing of the Millennium Garden.  Imogen has been working very hard, along with the help of some Pensthorpe staff and loyal volunteers, systematically working through all the flower beds in the garden.

The end is in sight! Our Millennium Garden update is almost complete, with just the last few blocks in the last bed, to dig out.   Most of the replanting had been done before the frosts came so as soon as the sun comes back out for more than a day we can finish. Everything should be done around the end of February, just in time for the Dwarf Iris to appear.