{"id":41349,"date":"2026-01-25T14:59:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T14:59:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/?p=41349"},"modified":"2026-01-26T10:18:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T10:18:39","slug":"snowdrops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/susan\/snowdrops\/","title":{"rendered":"Snowdrops"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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At the beginning of last week, we were treated to murky, misty, and, to be frank, absolutely miserable weather \u2014 the sort that makes staying indoors feel like the only sensible option.<\/p>

Of course, with Ruby around, that really isn\u2019t an option. She has a lot of energy that needs using up, otherwise we\u2019re faced with full-blown doggy sulks. So we wrapped up warmly and headed over to Temple Newsam. As usual, Ruby likes to kick things off with a game of chase, and Martyn had to keep adjusting his throws so they didn\u2019t go so far that she vanished from sight altogether.<\/p>

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As we continued our walk, it looked like one of those properly gloomy days.<\/p>

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The trees stood in long, bare lines, their branches all tangled together like dark sketches against the grey sky.<\/p>

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A thick mist hung over everything, softening the distance so the far trees fade gently away rather than ending sharply.<\/p>

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The whole scene has a quiet, muted feel. There\u2019s something very still and monotone about it all.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In my last post, I mentioned that the resident swan was nowhere to be seen. Sadly, we\u2019ve since found out that it died after contracting avian flu. There also seemed to be fewer moorhens around, so it may not have been the only casualty.<\/p>

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On a brighter note, at the far side of the lake we spotted a small egret. Fingers crossed it \u2014 and the remaining birds \u2014 stay safe.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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On Saturday morning, we headed for Beningbrough Hall. After we had Ruby\u2019s Pooch Passport stamped and she had been offered a treat by the reception staff \u2014 she more often than not manages to be given a treat when we arrive \u2014 we were advised not to miss the snowdrops.<\/p>

In\u00a02016, to celebrate the\u00a0300th anniversary of the construction of Beningbrough Hall, the National Trust and volunteers \u2014 including visitors to the property \u2014\u00a0planted around 300,000 bulbs, including\u00a0snowdrops and aconites. These now create a\u00a0carpet of white in late winter, followed by\u00a0daffodils and crocuses\u00a0as spring progresses.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"<\/p>

Just like us, they have had so much rain that the trees are standing in lakes.<\/p>

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Since our last visit, there have been lots of changes. The whole site is undergoing a refresh by the National Trust in conjunction with Andy Sturgeon.<\/p>\n

The newest major garden space at Beningbrough is the Mediterranean Garden, created in 2024, transforming what was previously a lawn into a planted garden.<\/p>\n

It was designed with dry summers and wet winters in mind so it should have been ecstatically happy this year.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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After lunch, we set off for Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens, where Ruby could enjoy a longer walk and her favourite game of chase.<\/p>

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After another stamp on her passport and yet another treat we set off on our walk.<\/p>

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Here there were yet more snowdrops.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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After seeing the flooding at Beningbrough and passing other severely flooded areas, we were struck by the thundering sound of water rushing over the system of weirs through the abbey grounds. Yet, to our surprise, the weir beneath the footbridge at Studley Royal was completely dry. The lakes had been drawn down, leaving the area just above the footbridge exposed\u2014mud, stone, and the hidden construction revealed.<\/p>

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At first, it seemed as though something had gone wrong. Closer inspection, however, showed that the sluices had been opened deliberately.<\/p>

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The water management system at Fountains Abbey was designed by the Cistercian monks and refined in the 18th-century water gardens, always with an understanding of water in difficult conditions. In times of heavy rain, sluices are opened to lower the lake, creating space upstream and easing pressure where the River Skell winds through the fragile abbey ruins.<\/p>

This ingenious system is one reason the site is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/p>

There was certainly plenty of water flowing into the system upstream so the sluice system was doing a good job.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Finally, look what arrived this week.<\/p>

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I guess we are soon going to be busy!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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That’s all for this week so as always stay well, stay safe, stay warm and stay dry.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the beginning of last week, we were treated to murky, misty, and, to be frank, absolutely miserable weather \u2014 the sort that makes staying indoors feel like the only sensible option. Of course, with Ruby around, that really isn\u2019t an option. She has a lot of energy that needs using up, otherwise we\u2019re faced 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