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Crocus bulbs spring into Autumn

Crocus bulbs spring into Autumn

Friday, 7th November 2008

Our newly planted crocus (Crocus speciosus) are now out.  Volunteers and office staff helped Imogen our Gardener plant over 10,000 Spring & Autumn bulbs in the Wave Garden.


Springwatch Garden Latest

Springwatch Garden Latest

Friday, 7th November 2008

Work continues on our exciting new Garden.  The ha ha at the front of the Viewing Gallery has been planted up with a mixture of grasses and lavender creating a gentle foreground for the 4.00pm floodlit bird feed talk.


Pensthorpe Top Pics

Pensthorpe Top Pics

Tuesday, 28th October 2008

The Millennium Garden is simply gorgeous in the autumn, with stunning reds and oranges adding rich highlights to this perennial garden.  Autumn is a wonderful time to see the gardens here at Pensthorpe, as the vistas really open up through the trees and across the lakes to the woodland beyond.


Autumn days at Pensthorpe

Autumn days at Pensthorpe

Tuesday, 28th October 2008

Enjoy the beautiful colours and views that autumn brings.  This is one of the best times of the year to enjoy walks in our beautiful reserve and gardens.  The Millennium Garden is simply heavenly with rich terracotta, burnt ochre and golden yellow saffron infusing the Garden with their intense colours.  The vistas on show are full of the skeletal forms of bare trees and&nb
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Piet Oudolf Visit

Piet Oudolf Visit

Thursday, 23rd October 2008

World renowned Piet Oudolf designed the Millennium Garden which was planted in 1999 to mark the Millennium.

Eight years later Piet returned to Pensthorpe, this time to immerse himself in the Garden with Pensthorpe's Head Gardener Imogen Checketts.  Plans were made to rejuvinate and replenish the garden, removing and splitting some plants and bringing new ideas and plants into the gar
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So what has happened since Springwatch?

So what has happened since Springwatch?

Monday, 20th October 2008

 After a fantastic spring and summer at Pensthorpe the Springwatch stars have all moved on.

Visitors are still asking about Toilet Duck and her youngsters. Mrs TD is probably enjoying a little peace and quiet on one of Pensthope's many lakes.  Her youngsters have dispersed and probably have not strayed too far as there are still easy pickings to be had at Penthorpe.

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Lost Corncrake Finds Safe Haven

Lost Corncrake Finds Safe Haven

Thursday, 16th October 2008

A corncrake found wandering around a restaurant car park in Manchester on 27 September, has been given a safe haven at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve near Fakenham. The corncrake is the only globally threatened bird to breed in the UK.

Dave Cottingham a Manchester RSPCA Animal Collection Officer (ACO) rescued the disorientated little bird, which should have flown its full migration route fro
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Picture of the Week

Picture of the Week

Friday, 19th September 2008

Millennium Garden

During the late summer and early autumn the Garden looks simply breathtaking with rich reds and burnt orange highlighting the grasses as they enter their seed head phase.

Discover Pensthorpe's Gardens here


Picture of the Week

Picture of the Week

Monday, 25th August 2008

Millennium Garden
A great time and Garden for our native butterflies

Discover Pensthorpe's Gardens here


Things are Hotting up in the Millennium Garden

Things are Hotting up in the Millennium Garden

Tuesday, 5th August 2008

 

Don't miss the vibrant displays of colour as the Garden starts to reach full bloom.


Picture of the Week

Picture of the Week

Tuesday, 29th July 2008

Butterfly Garden
Looking down the stream into the reserve

Discover Pensthorpe's Gardens here


Even more Little ringed plover!

Even more Little ringed plover!

Thursday, 24th July 2008

Little ringed plover - Yet more Little ringed plovers have successfully bred at the scrape.  In addition to those in the last report there has been a further breeding pair.

I think that this is the pair that were unsuccessful earlier due to the terrible wet and windy weather.  You will be pleased to hear that three young hatched last week (see picture above
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Picture of the Week

Picture of the Week

Tuesday, 22nd July 2008

Millennium Garden

Persicaria polymorpha, Salvia nemerosa 'Caradonna' , Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate' and Foeniculum vulgare 'Giant Bronze'

Discover Pensthorpe's Gardens here


Picture of the Week

Picture of the Week

Tuesday, 15th July 2008

Wave Garden
Telekia speciosa

Discover Pensthorpe's Gardens here


What's the news on the Swallows? Have they hatched? Find out in this weeks Springwatch update

What's the news on the Swallows? Have they hatched? Find out in this weeks Springwatch update

Thursday, 10th July 2008

Toilet Duck - As you saw from my image last week Toilet Duck and family are as at home in the Pensthorpe shop as they are around the courtyard and the moat.  In the picture the youngsters seem not to notice Paul the shop manager (who supplied the food) standing behind the counter - mum however is not so sure and as you can see is very alert.

We are all ver
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Pensthorpe Springwatch Photograph Challenge Exhibition

Pensthorpe Springwatch Photograph Challenge Exhibition

Tuesday, 8th July 2008

An exhibition of photographs taken at Pensthorpe by Norfolk photographer Gemma Keys during a BBC Norfolk Springwatch challenge, opens at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve near Fakenham, on 8th July. The exhibition runs until 3rd August.

Gemma Keys (19), a former winner of the RSPCA Young Photographer Awards, spent a day with the BBC Springwatch team, and was challenged to take fiv
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Picture of the Week

Picture of the Week

Monday, 7th July 2008

Millennium Garden

Festuca mairei and Salvia 'Purple Rain'

Discover Pensthorpe's Gardens here


Pensthorpe opens for National Gardens Scheme Friday 11th July 2008

Pensthorpe opens for National Gardens Scheme Friday 11th July 2008

Monday, 7th July 2008

Pensthorpe opens on Friday 11th July to help raise money for National Garden Scheme's nominated charities.  Enjoy the summer evening and the extended hours for a special low price of  £4 adults, £3 concessions and £1.50 for children.  Head Gardener Imogen will be on hand to answer your garden questions.  Entrance is from 4:30pm til 7:30pm.

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Have the Swallows or Little Ringed Plovers hatched? Find out in this weeks update from Pensthorpe

Have the Swallows or Little Ringed Plovers hatched? Find out in this weeks update from Pensthorpe

Thursday, 26th June 2008

Mike Powles updates on this weeks action with the Springwatch characters out on the Reserve. 

Toilet Duck - No longer happy getting food from passing fans she now takes the family into the Pensthorpe shop to be fed!  Unsuspecting visito
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Spring into Summer in Pensthorpe's Gardens

Spring into Summer in Pensthorpe's Gardens

Tuesday, 24th June 2008

Stroll through the serene Wave Garden which is a delight on a hot summers day and see the Millennium Garden majestically rise over the coming months.  This is a great time to see Pensthorpe's Gardens, the Woodland Garden has recently been extended and is looking fantastic as is the emerging Butterfly Garden.  We are also open for charity for the National Garden Scheme on 11th J
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What happened to Springwatch's Oystercatchers Oscar and Emi?

What happened to Springwatch's Oystercatchers Oscar and Emi?

Friday, 20th June 2008

This is the first of regular weekly updates from local camera man Mike Powles on the Springwatch characters we all become so attached to over the last few weeks.

Toilet Duck - The family are doing well spending most of their time together in and around the moat , car park and the courtyard.  Mum and the ten ducklings are prospering from the TLC and food provided by
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White Stork Chick

White Stork Chick

Friday, 6th June 2008

Our one week old white stork chick is being hand-reared due to his young parents inexperience in chick rearing.  Hopefully the adult pair will be able to parent rear chicks successfully next year.  The chick meanwhile is being introduced to the adult white storks so it does not become imprinted on humans, this is an ongoing process, so we will keep you informed of his or her progres
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HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Patron, Pensthorpe Conservation Trust visits Pensthorpe Nature Reserve

HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Patron, Pensthorpe Conservation Trust visits Pensthorpe Nature Reserve

Sunday, 13th April 2008

HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is visiting Pensthorpe Nature Reserve as Patron of the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, on Sunday 13 April at 3pm, to mark the reserve's 20th anniversary. The Duke of Edinburgh departs at 4.20pm.

Professor David Bellamy OBE, Chairman of the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust with fellow trustees, Bill Jordan MBE, Deb Jordan and Tim
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The Wave Garden

The Wave Garden

Monday, 31st March 2008

Stroll through the serene Wave Garden and discover its woodland charms, this beautiful lakeside Garden is a haven for wildlife.  Hellebores and Euphorbias complement the cherry blossom and fiery cornus stems.  A visit to the Millennium Garden will show you the new growth which gives a hint of the majesty of the growing season ahead.


Park Update 14th March

Park Update 14th March

Friday, 14th March 2008

Our Ne Ne geese are now sitting on 4 eggs, so in a couple of weeks we should hopefully have some good news.  We had 3 tons of clay delivered which hopefully the flamingos will use to start building their own nests, as they weren't impressed with our attempts! 


Norfolk becomes 'Home of Springwatch 2008' BBC Springwatch relocates to Pensthorpe, North Norfolk from May 26th

Norfolk becomes 'Home of Springwatch 2008' BBC Springwatch relocates to Pensthorpe, North Norfolk from May 26th

Saturday, 1st March 2008

BBC Springwatch, the BBC's popular TV programme celebrating UK wildlife and wildlife people, presented by Bill Oddie, Kate Humble, Simon King and Gordon Buchanan, returns to TV screens from 26 May to 12 June at a new location, Pensthorpe Nature Reserve near Fakenham, Norfolk, http://www.pensthorpe.com/.

The 200-acre nature reserve, which is celebrating i
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Park Update 22nd Feb

Park Update 22nd Feb

Friday, 22nd February 2008

The flamingos are enjoying their transformed environment and visitors can now see the improvements as we have re-opened this area.  As we near the breeding season, last minute preparations are underway including replacing the reeds for the bearded tits to nest in.


Park Update 8th Feb

Park Update 8th Feb

Friday, 8th February 2008

This week we created a kingfisher bank so hopefully it will be used this year.  We have been doing our annual upkeep of the tern rafts you can see floating on the lakes.  We have also been doing willow coppicing and the yew hedging in the Wave Garden has had its first cut of the year.


Park Update 1st Feb

Park Update 1st Feb

Friday, 1st February 2008

Welcome to the first of our weekly park updates.
This week the flamingo pen in the Pensthorpe Conservation Centre was centre of attention as it received a mammoth makeover.  It was a week of digging and planting for our staff and volunteers but the results are amazing.  Also keep a look out in the near future for our latest arrivals - 10 bald ibis (6males and 4 fema
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Winter work

Winter work

Monday, 14th January 2008

Its not just the birds at Pensthorpe that have been preparing for the breeding season, the staff have also been hard at work.  New nest boxes have been put up and old ones have been repaired and cleaned up, nesting platforms have been made more stable in the hope that the white storks, black storks and marabou storks all successfully breed this year.  We will keep you posted.