Treading Softly - Environmentally considerate living in a rural english home and garden

In 2016 we assigned 40% (about 1,700 sq metres) of our land to go 'wild' leaving it to nature to determine what best suited the area. Subsequent inspiration from the rewilding of the Knepp Estate in Sussex as detailed in the 2018 publication of "Wilding", the book by Isabella Tree, has encouraged us with this mini-project.

The "Wild West"

Sited at the western end of the plot, the Wild West has 140 metres of mixed hedging on three sides, mature oaks, beech, yew, maple and a squirrel topped red beech as the primary features alongside the nettle-covered "Wildlife Heap" where we compost all our non-soft vegetation as a substitute for bonfires since 1995.

The grass grows tall in summer and engulfs a large stand of spearmint which in turn protects a 10-year old hawthorn and a pair of 12-year old oaks. There are now 36 oak saplings ranging from 8 inches to 12 feet in height, offspring of the two mature oaks close by, one of which we planted ourselves in 1995. A stand of 15 blackthorn provide a strong bright white display in spring and need some curtailment to ensure they don't totally engulf the area. Dead wood abounds.

The metre-wide footpaths which access the 'heap' are kept mowed, Annually the hedging alongside the public footpath has to be cut or the footpath would have been impassable years ago. The northern mixed hedge planted in 1995 provides hawthorn berries, Guelder Rose berries, rose hips, two types of crab apples and Spindle berries. Acorns and Beech mast abound in Autumn. The 'heap' itself gathers in all kinds of seeds from the garden along with the rest of the vegetation disposal.

Several Onduline wildlife cover sheets provide warmth and cover for field mice, frogs, toads, common shrew and slow worms. The wildlife heap itself provides shelter and food for rabbits, birds and an untold number of others that can't be seen.

The longer it is left wild, the better it will evolve its most appropriate vegetation and inhabitants. It is peaceful and uplifting to walk through it, settle on a renovated bench and admire the view, listen to the many sounds of nature and breathe in the fresh air.