In conjunction with our main gardens we have made a conscious effort whilst creating the garden to improve the surrounding land by planting more trees and sowing areas of wildflower meadow which are so important for mammals, birds and insects and improving the environment around us.
Over the past 12 years wildflower seeding has been carried out in parts of the garden and at the burial meadow. The introduction of yellow rattle has greatly reduced the vigour of the grass and we cut and lead of the hay each year allowing wildflowers to increase. We have introduced bee, common, pyramid and southern marsh orchids to the garden and after 10 years these are starting to seed around in other wildflower areas. In some of our garden wildflower areas we have introduced native and non-native bulbs including camassias, fritillaria, numerous species narcissi, crocus and have recently started planting other bulbs to add interest to the garden meadows. In areas beyond the garden boundaries and at the burial meadow we have a strictly native policy.
In 2006 we planted 700 native trees and 50 specimen trees to create a woodland walk from the garden to another wildlife pond which was created 25 years ago. The woodland has flourished and has since been underplanted with snowdrops, native narcissi, bluebells, aconites and in more open areas we have created some wildflower areas.We have planted about 700 metres of hedge in the past 10 years. In addition, we have improved several overgrown hedges and started laying some of the newer hedge planting. In 2017 we planted a further 550 trees at the burial meadow.
We are conscious of our environmental footprint and our solar panels now produce half the electricity we use. We run battery powered mowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws and strimmers where possible. We compost 95 % of our garden weeds, grass cuttings, plant and woody arisings. The Haybarn is heated by a woodburning stove fed from logs provided from sustainable woodland on the farm.
