Rooted in a place, they are designed to transport you there, a source of constant inspiration. Habitats such as woodland and water meadow thread through to create collections that celebrate the nature we cherish – from the rolling Cotswold hills that envelop Thyme, situated in the heart of an area of outstanding natural beauty, to wild spaces in far-flung corners of the world.
The Golden Thread
Sitting in the summer water meadows at Thyme, you can hear the call of the reed warbler. Small, buff-coloured birds, and weighing about 13 grams, they are easily missed unless you are looking for them. Migrating from sub-Saharan Africa, reed warblers form monogamous pairs building their nests rather like hammocks between the reeds that flourish on the banks of the River Leach.
Having lived here for years, we had never noticed our feathery visitors in such detail until we became involved with the British Trust for Ornithology’s bird ringing project. This revealed an astonishing diversity of wildlife and so clearly demonstrated just how important our wild spaces are for nature. The fact that these birds had flown many thousands of miles to spend the summer and breed here in our water meadow enthralled us.
And they are not the only ones: the hobby (one of Britain’s smallest raptors), martins, swallows, swifts, and cuckoos join them on their long journey.
It was a moment when we realised that in conserving wild spaces for nature to thrive at Thyme, we are in turn helping wildlife in far-flung wild lands. There is a golden thread that joins us to Sub-Saharan Africa, the wetlands of the Okavango or the grasslands of South Africa. How wonderful is that?
Caryn Bertioli Hibbert
Founder of Thyme