Environmental Stewardship
"This garden is in a different league"
What we do not do or have:
- No pesticides or herbicides used. Weeds are hand removed or mowed.
- No inorganic fertilisers.
- No artificial garden structures (such as greenhouses or cold frames).
- No green surplus is removed from the garden. It is all composted on site.
- No bonfire since 1995. All organic matter is composted.
- No hedges cut before August to allow birds plenty of time to use them safely for nesting.
- No cats are owned. This allows birds (especially blackbirds and thrushes) to harvest the garden 'floor' in relative safety. Thanks to the safe feeding by these birds (and other creatures) the garden has no slug or snail problem.
- No fruit protection netting which birds could get caught in.
- No hosepipe watering to minimise water use.
- No leaf blowing machine to save energy and noise..
- No peat - to save the peat bogs.
- No restrictions on wildlife access to the garden, except the vegetable patch.
- No unnecessary grass cutting and never on a Sunday - to save energy, noise and neighbours.
What we do, or have:
- Use natural planting methods following natural seasonal cycles.
- All compost used is garden-made except very small quantity of seed compost bought in.
- All household vegetable and fruit food surplus is composted.
- Leaves are raked and composted to make leaf mould.
- Woody surplus (from hedge and shrub trimming) is added to a “wildlife heap” to slowly decompose. It also provides a wildlife habit.
Gradual decomposition is creating a mound of earth. - Organic vegetable garden – with pest management help from ladybirds, blackbirds and thrushes - provides a small contribution to household food requirement.
- Five water butts harvesting up to 1,000 litres of rainwater of which four are gravity networked. Plant watering is by watering can only.
- Plastic plant pots recycled at the local Garden Centre.