Knightshayes Court Wildlife

The 'walking group' went to Knightshayes, a National Trust property,  today. I put walking group - a group of six who've been meeting up for over 26 years at least twice a year. 
Originally we met to do the Devon Award which was like an adult DoE so had to plan walks of 15km, stay somewhere overnight  and walk more the following day. An expedition!  It has been huge fun, but over the years the walks got shorter and the tea breaks longer! Still great fun, however.
Knightshayes, like many places, is suffering with lack of volunteers to keep the gardens tip top. The formal garden by the house was in reasonably weed free condition, but the kitchen garden was looking a bit sad.
I was delighted to see so many bees, butterflies and other insects both the kitchen garden and the formal one. I got a shot of a dragon on the formal pond. Yeah!
There were many ladybirds enjoying the many aphids in the kitchen garden - one of whom is now my blip.