The composition of the plot
The garden is a one acre plot situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty in South Shropshire in a little hamlet called Twitchen which comprises of a small number of properties.
This garden has been carefully cultivated with native plants, pollinating flowers, wildflowers and natural habitats to provide food, shelter and nesting spaces for pollinators and other beneficial creatures.
It is split into different areas, each with it's own characteristics and layout. The orchard comprises of Apple and Damson trees along with other medium height bushes and shrubs, this area contains a number of bird boxes and bee hotels with log piles under sheltered trees.
The veg garden has raised beds and growing plots throughout where we grow enough produce to last around 9 months of the year. Then there is the rockery and other patches of garden which are allowed to go largely untouched, making it a haven for all sorts of bugs, bees and all manor of other insects.
There are two ponds, one large and one smaller pond with Pond Skaters, Dragonflies, Common, Smooth and Great Crested Newts resident along with Frogs and Toads which spend the summer and winter months around the garden and gather at the large pond for spawning in Spring.
A home for wildlife
Throughout the plot there has been careful consideration to creating havens and shelter for wildlife both large and small.
There are in total, 26 bird boxes spread around the trees at varying heights and designs. These annually attract species such as Robins, Sparrows, Blackbirds, Long Tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Spotted Flycatchers, Blackcaps and Wrens.
During the summer months, the trees are home to Great Spotted Woodpeckers, House Martins, Pigeons, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush. Photos below show these species which were all taken in the garden in the past few years.
For the smaller animals and insects there are log piles, a Hedgehog House and a number of Bee and Bug Hotels with varying sized holes from 4mm to 10mm.
Some of the bird species found in the garden
