Cotswolds &
Buscot
Virtually every globetrotting
tourist to the UK aims to explore the Cotswolds at some stage. And this
is certainly not irrational for the region has calm flowing hills,
beautiful villages with thatched roofs above their mellow stone walls
and the aura of wealth that adds seduction. For in the grassy hillsides,
that grew wool so well, gave enormous wealth to the landowners that in
turn ensured that each and every town or village oozes with
characterfull merchant houses and fine churches.
Annette and I recently spent a day exploring the Cotswolds to the
immediate west of Oxford, about an hour from Forest Edge, our home in
the countryside near to Andover, Central Southern England. Even for
ourselves, familiar with most parts of our land, we were stunned by the
area. We explored some of the miniscule hamlets whose chocolate box
cottages boasted fabulously rich terra-rosa soiled gardens just alive
with flower-power.
The towering churches, dominating the valley
settlements, were themselves bedecked in cut flowers from the numerous
services and weddings that punctuate the season. With lilies being ‘in
season’ the vast churches were rich in the exotic aromas so generously
donated by the showy blooms.
We entered the area at the small town of Witney, before squeezing along
the narrow lanes to the diminutive Minster Lovell with its romantic ruin
of Minster Lovell Hall (Free entrance). Buford, only a stone’s throw
away, is a classic Cotswold town – a tourist’s delight; only slightly
spoiled by us tourists! But the object of our tour was to encounter the
National Trust’s Buscot Park that lies between Burford and Swindon.
Buscot Park is a 1780s style large country house set down in delightful
countryside. As houses go the frontage is not amongst the best, but the
collection of paintings hung in the palatial rooms must be world class
with Rembrandts and Rubens rubbing shoulders with Robert Adam’s
furniture. The gardens, however, generated a far greater ‘wow factor’
for us – some of the June views were stunning. Probably the best medium
sized herbaceous borders I have ever seen. Additionally the high
maintenance borders were perfectly controlled, alive with bumblebees and
the scent from the flowers punctuated the warm day. The only slight
snag, for me, was that the garden is only open to the public from 2pm so
the light was really too intense for quality photography. Images taken
just after dawn or just before sunset are generally more characterful;
so my next visit will be just before the garden closes for the day at
6pm.
With so many acres of garden to be maintained inevitably much has to be
set down to parkland, with its grassy avenues and statuesque trees. In
one section there is, however, a Harold Peto-designed classical water
garden that was also worth the journey. (
http://www.buscot-park.com )
Within easy reach of Buscot are several must-do locations: Oxford, with
its gleaming spires, Hidcote, and Lacock Abbey and village.
UK Squirrels
Until the mid-1800s we only had one squirrel species in the UK. The red
squirrel, a tree-dwelling rodent that feeds off nuts, berries and soft
buds, is totally cute. Our second, and now much more numerous, species
was introduced by a rich landowner to beautify his estate. [How many
times have we heard that disastrous statement from our rich ‘betters’?]
This grey squirrel originates from the Eastern USA, is larger and more
tolerant of the common plant toxin, tannin, so ensuring they have a
wider food source for more of the year.
After World War 2 a bounty encouraged country folk to kill the
introduced rodent, but still the squirrel increased its population size
and distribution.
Slowly endemic diseases and competition by the grey cousins has
eliminated the native species from the vast majority of the UK. Relic
populations occur on isolated islands or forested areas but, even here,
it is often only selective killing that maintains modest red squirrel
numbers.
So what’s the problem? Well there isn’t too much of a fuss, but
conservationists obviously wish to keep our native beast and foresters
dislike the damage the greys cause to growing timber. My main grump is
that they steal all my bird food! Which I do admit is not the worst
crime available. But the game of reducing grey squirrel consumption is
all part of the fun of being a gardener and bird-watcher.
So let battle commence.
Round 1.
Put up any old feeder filled with delicious peanuts and sunflower seeds.
Score: Squirrels - happy, David - frustrated.
Round 2.
Buy cheap ‘squirrel-proof’ metal feeders.
Score: Squirrels – quite content, David – still frustrated. For they can
chew through some feeders that have plastic bits and just gnaw away and
steal some food anyway. Birds are frightened away.
Round 3.
Buy another ‘squirrel proof’ feeder fitted with a large metal ball all
around it. Expensive!
Score: Squirrels - hungry, David – less unhappy but birds, especially
the woodpeckers, are inhibited and go elsewhere, so feeders do not feed
the birds and are not very useful!
Round 4.
See innovative new product called a ‘Squirrel Slinky’. This metal tube,
with inner spring, fits over the bird feeder pole. As squirrels climb
the pole the internal spring scares them to near death as they are
rapidly returned to ground level and, when they release their grip, it
shoots back up to render them totally clueless. Seller claims 100%
success. I buy regardless of cost convinced of total victory.
Score: well here I’ll include the letter I wrote to the suppliers ….
Dear X
I write a monthly column for a UK wildlife magazine / Australian site
and recently purchased a Squirrel Slinky ... you'll know how it is
advertised. Well the said device was fitted on an eight foot pole with
food at the top. No trees were adjacent and I left it to the local,
healthy, grey squirrel population to try it out.
To give your product some credit the young (grey) squirrel that first
encountered it failed to climb and went off with its bushy tail at a sad
angle. The resident alpha-male climbed it within half an hour.
I then added lashings of engine grease to both pole, above and below
your device, and the exterior of the slinky itself. Again giving credit
where it is due, the squirrel did not access the food in the first half
morning ..... but every morning we now see it perfectly happily feeding
from the food. Indeed I've now watched it shoot up the pole with hardly
a thought.
Naturally I await your comments on the £ that I have invested in the
product.
Yours sincerely
David Beeson
Well, I think that’s Squirrel victory, David – beaten and £poorer.
Round 5
Add chicken wire above Slinky.
David – total victory (for the moment at least). Squirrel looses lots of
fur on greased pole and remains half-starved! Squirrel departs garden
for easier food in the forest.
Round 6
Helpful supplier engages in ‘Squirrel Slinky’ discussion and, after the
exchange of photographs, suggest that our 22mm pole is too thin for
efficient working of Slinky.
Slinky refitted to new 25mm pole. All grease removed.
Sit back and wait …… but squirrels refuse to play and are now feeding
elsewhere … so I temp them back with free, easily accessible peanuts.
Result?
Ah, well it’s now the end of the month and I need to send my article off
… so, as in the best TV dramas, you’ll have to wait until next month!
Can I get one of these? Well worth a watch!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NocRG3r2zBw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8YZIhlWpS0
Next month: The Abbey Gardens, Malmsbury.
Recommended as a great garden by Global Garden readers & Forest Edge
guests Steve & Janet Tennant of NSW.
david@forest-edge.co.uk
David would love to get an email from you
© David Beeson
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