Home & Garden

40 The West Dorset Magazine, June 3, 2022 Homes & Gardens Horticulture...

...with botanist Dr Dave Aplin

Born and bred in West Dorset, Dave has worked in horticulture and botany locally and internationally, notably in Belgium, Jordan and the UAE. He brings a wealth of practical knowledge with its underlying principles to his writing

Top tips for the prickliest customers

If you’re seeking quality plants and fantastic advice on their care, a specialist independent nursery is the place to go. The owners

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First fluffy cygnets swanning around

The first fluffy cygnets have hatched at Abbotsbury Swannery. And with more than 100 nesting pairs of swans, the coming weeks will see scores of new arrivals at the swannery, which is the only place in the world where visitors can walk alongside the nests through the colony of mute swans and have the chance to see the cygnets hatching from their eggs this month and next. Swannery manager Charlie Wheeler says: “It is always such a thrill when the first eggs hatch and now it’s all systems go for the next couple of months, as hundreds of cygnets make their debut. Our visitors get a wonderful close-up view of the young birds and can see how attentive the swan parents are, as their youngsters grow and venture out of the nest. Visitors can also take part in the mass feeding sessions twice a day, which is quite a spectacle when the swans gather en masse for their lunch and tea!” The swannery is open every day 10am to 5pm.

FEATHERED FRIENDS: The first cygnets recently started to hatch at Abbotsbury Swannery

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