Wildlife
Buzzards
See buzzards circling majestically above
© National Trust
Look out for buzzards circling overhead. You can get great views of them hunting from our visitor car park. Despite their size, crows love to attack them.
Bird boxes
Tawny Owls can find a home in the bird boxes we've been putting up
© NTPL
Look up into the trees and you might see one of many bird boxes we've been putting up. They come in different shapes and sizes, to attract different birds, including owls and kestrels. Sadly, the squirrels like them too.
Insect pyramid
The insect pyramid is a winter shelter for insects like this beetle
Pick up fallen leaves, twigs and feathers as you wander the garden. Take them along to the orchard, where you can pop them in a willow pyramid. It will provide a cosy shelter for insects, like ladybirds, over winter.
Wildlife to watch for
- Green woodpeckers feeding off the Theatre Lawn
- Grass snakes swimming in the lily pool during the summer
- The occasional Red Kite flying overhead
- Foxes in and around the garden at evening time
- Garden birds pecking crumbs off the floor by the Barn Café
- Swallows nesting in the eaves in the thatched barn in the courtyard
- Great crested newts in the Bathing Pool during the summer
- The elusive Hummingbird hawk-moth near jasmine in the plant house
Uninvited wildlife guests
Bats
Late summer, when the light's fading, is the time to spot Lesser Horseshoe bats as they emerge from the cellar below the kitchen. And you might also see a Daubenton's bat skimming over the Bathing Pool. Join one of our wildlife events and get your hands on a bat detector, to track them down in the garden.
Newts
We can't quite explain why Great Crested newts love our Bathing Pool so much. But every summer, they come here to breed. It's not the perfect habitat, with no weeds to hide in, but they keep coming back for more. So, take a look during the summer and you might see them swimming about.
Moles
We doubt you'll see them, but you'll see their calling card: you'll notice a molehill or two here and there at Hidcote. Like for most gardens, they're unwelcome guests but they seem to like the open space of the Theatre Lawn.
Bee closer to nature
Tithonia Torch keeping a bee happy
Bees are really important to us. They help to pollinate the flowers and provide our chef with delicious honey to use in the restaurant. Over the past few years we've been trying to encourage more bees into the garden. You may have spotted our hives near the Long Walk. Our Careership gardener, John, has recently taken over the care of the hives, and he's been learning how to look after our bees. He's quickly becoming a bit of an expert.
Give birds a helping hand
Homemade bird cakes are a great way to keep your garden birds healthy, no matter what the time of year. Follow our recipe and you'll be giving your feathered friends a tasty treat while having fun at the same time.