Late May brought a slow morning and a day trip to Nantclwyd y Dre in Ruthin, the oldest timber-framed house in Wales and one of our favourite historic places to wander. We arrived just in time for a wildflower sale in the garden, where we picked up native species like oxeye daisy, red campion, and bird’s-foot trefoil to try back at the farm. Since going no-input (no chemicals, no fertilisers), we’ve watched wildflowers return.

Tucked beneath the hillside at Plas Uchaf lies our once-forgotten "ghost pond" a silted-over spring-fed basin brought back to life through careful restoration. What was once a swamp beneath a fallen chestnut tree is now a thriving wildlife sanctuary, rich with frogs, reeds, and even wild ducks. This hidden gem reveals the ingenuity of 17th-century farm design and offers a peaceful retreat beside our shepherd’s hut, where heritage and rewilding meet.