Welcome to
Hedera Cottage
A modest home with wild neighbours and clever tricks
On the edge of the North York Moors, Hedera Cottage is a simple timber-frame with a slate roof and a stream for company. Rabbits, hedgehogs and owls wander through as freely as the two spaniels inside.
Bit by bit, she’s being coaxed into the future – solar panels, battery storage, underfloor heating and a few smart sensors (when they behave) – while the garden slowly turns wilder, with plans for a pond and plenty of scruffy corners left for the locals.
Some days she fancies herself “Shedera,” but really, she’s happiest just being a cosy cottage with muddy boots at the door.
A Hedera Cottage perspective on the North Yorkshire & York Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS)
A dry-witted take from Hedera Cottage on the North Yorkshire & York Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). A cottage’s-eye view of nature recovery, habitat protection, and the realities of restoring wildlife across the county. Part commentary, part humour, and entirely rooted in the landscapes the strategy hopes to protect.
How to Teach Your Mac to Spot Rabbits (and Other Garden Visitors)
At Hedera Cottage we taught a Mac to be a “robot librarian” for our wildlife cameras. Instead of wading through thousands of clips, the sorter script files hedgehogs, rabbits and birds into neat folders while you put the kettle on.
The Rabbits, the Hedgehogs, and the Robot Librarian
At Hedera Cottage, the trail-cams churn out thousands of clips a day. Instead of drowning in footage, we built a “robot librarian” using AI: MegaDetector to spot movement, CLIP to guess the species, and a scrapbook of reference images to keep it honest. Now rabbits, pigeons, and hedgehogs get filed neatly into their own folders while the system learns a little more every night.
When Ivy Whispers to a Cottage
Ivy’s been clinging to my walls for as long as I can remember — but she’s more than just a green coat. From love charms and drunken gods to Christmas rivalries and door-guarding magic, here are the old tales my ivy’s been whispering to me for decades.
Ash to Ash, Spuds to Scab – 20 Things to Do with Wood Ash
At Hedera Cottage, nothing goes to waste — not even the ash from a garden bonfire. From feeding fruit trees to keeping slugs off the cabbages, and even a few old Yorkshire tricks you probably shouldn’t try at home, here’s our complete guide to putting wood ash to work.
The Pond That Wasn’t: A Surprise Beneath the Sod at Hedera Cottage
We thought we’d found a charming little wildlife pond in the garden. Turns out it was our mains water pipe auditioning for the River Derwent. Also, we lost power today – because why not?
Wildlife Invades Hedera: Now Starring on YouTube
Hedera’s turning into a wildlife hotspot – rabbits, hedgehogs, a cheeky rat, and even an adder have been caught on our wildlife camera this week (yes, they’re all on YouTube). Meanwhile, indoors, things are getting serious – we’ve started speaking to architects about Shedera and hope to begin tours and drawings soon.
It’s Been a While – But We’ve Finally Got the Keys!
Our first proper wander round Hedera Cottage’s garden – overgrown, full of little surprises, and full of spaniel-sized excitement. There’s even a glimpse of the old rifle range the previous owner used for target practice. We finish with a good look at the south side of the house (yes, the white PVC conservatory in all its glory!) and your first peek at what we’re dreaming up for the place.
The Calm Before the Chainsaw: Last Thoughts Before We Own the Chaos
We’re teetering on the edge of ownership, keys just out of reach, and our heads full of wildly inaccurate renovation plans. A fond farewell to estate agent fantasy, a toast to spiders yet unmet, and a list of things we probably won’t get done on Day One. Next stop: actual chaos.