because we love Castle Howard so much.....

We are very excited as Castle Howard opens its doors again today for the 2016 season.

Last year we were featured in the Guardians top 12 places to stay for wild flower gardens,orchards and meadows.
 This year we are basing our offers on gardens too.  We are offering guests who come to stay with us for 2 nights entrance tickets to the house and gardens a saving of £7.50pp a ticket. This will mean you pay only £10 instead of £17.50pp. Any guests staying for 4 nights weekday stays or more will receive complimentary tickets as a thank you for choosing to come to stay with us and for returning guests for their loyalty.

I went along yesterday and everyone is hard at work getting ready for the 2016 opening. There were people walking in the grounds but today ,Saturday now the house is open.  The daffodils are flowering to order as carpets of yellow glow around the estate.

I also spied something with my little eye at Castle Howard yesterday beginning with O. I wonder if you can find him too

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Jack brought me Daffodils

For one who is well known for saying "I never buy flowers" Jack occasionally brings me flowers into the house. I suppose if I got them every week it wouldn't be special . Today I found a bunch of daffodils plonked in a jam jar on the table for me. There are the most amazing daffodils so I took this photo to show you . They are like double ones but with tissue paper like middles rather than trumpets. A bit like a carnation in the middle. I never knew Daffodils smelt but these do. Wanting to know their meaning in flower language I looked it up.I was glad to know that there was a bunch rather than one. One means misfortune but a bunch mean joy and happiness.Thanks Jack.
The Daffodils are out in Farndale too. My visitors had been there yesterday and had a nice walk on the daffodil walk. With the brilliant weather we are having I guess they wont be around for much longer