Rewilding Gardens
You might want to turn some of your lawn into a new wildflower meadow.
Rewilding & Ecological Restoration in Totnes
Bring the buzz back to your garden.
Rewilding is not about abandoning your garden; it is about managing it differently. It is the skilled process of restoring natural rhythms to creating a sanctuary that looks beautiful and teems with life.
In Totnes, we are lucky to be surrounded by incredible biodiversity. My goal is to connect your garden to that wider landscape, creating "corridors" for our local hedgehogs, bees, and birds.
🦋 Why Rewild with Totnes Gardening?
I take a practical, science-based approach to rewilding.
The "Quiet" Promise: If we want to invite wildlife, we shouldn't scare it away. I use 100% Battery-Powered Equipment. My quiet tools mean I can manage your meadow or hedge without disturbing nesting birds or hibernating hedgehogs.
Managed Succession: Simply stopping mowing often leads to scrub and brambles. I use expert timing and selective pruning to encourage wildflowers (like Yellow Rattle and Oxeye Daisy) while keeping the space usable for you.
Dartington Heritage: Drawing on the ecological principles I learned at Dartington Hall, I create habitats that balance human needs with nature's needs.
🌿 Our Restoration Services
We offer specific interventions to boost biodiversity in gardens of all sizes.
1. Wildflower Meadows Whether you have a large paddock or a small lawn, I can convert it into a wildflower haven.
Establishment: Stripping nutrients and sowing native Totnes mixes.
Maintenance: The "Hay Cut." I manage meadows traditionally, cutting and collecting the hay late in the season to ensure flowers return year after year.
2. Wildlife Ponds Water is the single fastest way to bring life to a garden. I design:
Natural Ponds: Clay or liner ponds with shallow "beaches" for birds and hedgehogs to drink safely.
Dragonfly Habitats: Planting native rushes and marginals to encourage larvae and frogs.
3. Habitat Creation I turn "waste" into life.
Log Piles: Using garden clippings to build homes for beetles and fungi.
Native Hedging: Planting mixed native hedges (Hawthorn, Hazel, Blackthorn) to provide berries for birds and corridors for dormice.
🐝 Myth-Busting: "Does it look messy?"
It shouldn't. A good rewilding project looks intentional. By mowing "clean edges" around a wildflower patch or maintaining clear paths through long grass, we frame the wildness. This "Cues to Care" approach shows that the garden is loved, not neglected.
Ready to embrace the wild?
You don't need 100 acres to make a difference. Even a 4x6m courtyard can support a stunning array of life if designed correctly.
