Darren

I love listening to the sound of birdsong and enjoy watching birds feed and go about their daily lives. I have bird feeders and bird baths outside my office, and I find it incredibly therapeutic watching the wonderful array of birds that visit them. In fact, the sheer numbers of different bird species we now have living on the estate is astonishing! Each year we build new bird boxes, which can be found across the estate and carry out work to create habitat and shelter for them to nest so that they can continue to flourish in our gardens.

What you can do at home

One simple way you can attract birds into your garden, shared space or balcony is to feed them! Read our guide on what and how to feed garden birds and watch them come flocking. With natural nesting sites sadly in decline, adding a nestbox in your garden or the side of your dwelling will help local birds. Providing a shallow bird bath gives birds the opportunity to drink, bathe and remove parasites. But providing a source of water in your garden can invite a whole host of species. From digging a pond in your back garden, to creating a butterfly puddling station on your balcony, there are many ways you can use water to help wildlife in your area.

Darren

I am very proud to have been involved in the development and expansion of the estate over the last 30 years. I look in awe and admiration at the large, mature trees I planted back in 1989. The orchards we planned and planted ten years ago are now established orchards offering wonderful produce and supporting a variety of birds and insects. It gives you an incredible sense of loyalty and achievement knowing that you have created or planted something that is maturing and growing under your stewardship.

What you can do at home

Trees provide a source of food, shelter, and space to breed for a vast array of creatures – and can also protect people and green spaces from the elements. Watching your tree grow and knowing it will be supporting wildlife for generations to come is a truly rewarding experience. Even the smallest of gardens and green spaces can accommodate a tree – read our guide to planting trees for tips on what trees to choose, where to place and how to plant them. As well as growing food, orchards can be havens for wildlife, but so can growing a wildlife-friendly vegetable patch. Don’t have space for a vegetable patch? Growing wildlife-friendly herbs in your front garden or window box will attract pollinators like bees and butterflies – and allow you free seasoning for your food.

Darren

I love the fact that we have our own nursery on site that we can grow plants in. For example, we plant and grow acorns to give us the next crop of oak trees. We can also use it to take cuttings and experiment with crops on a smaller scale before trying them around the hotel.  For years we purchased externally, but having the right facilities means we can now manage the estate in a more sustainable way long term. 

What you can do at home

If you want a variety of different plants that help each other grow in your garden or green space then you should try companion planting. This technique will allow you to maximise your garden sustainably and benefit local wildlife. If you already have access to a thriving abundance of plants and flowers, try making a seed bomb! Sowing wildflowers in a plant pot, flower bed or lawn will attract a variety of insects, providing food for predators such as dragonflies and garden birds. 

Darren

I am extremely proud of our Apprentice Gardener Programme which we run in conjunction with Sparsholt College. We have three apprentices in my team at any given time, which allows us to grow and develop our gardeners. I feel that this is important, as staff who are well educated and equipped in understanding the best gardening practices are vital for the long-term development of the grounds. It also means that my entire team has the same vision, purpose and values which is hugely beneficial in achieving the end goal. Quite simply, without a good team of people, I would not be able to do my job.

What you can do at home

Though the vast majority of us don’t have the means or needs to hire a team of gardening apprentices, you can still encourage those around you to act for nature! There are countless ways in which you can help wildlife at work. From creating wildlife areas on site filled with bee hotels and hedgehog homes, to simply making sure your office properly recycles – it all has a positive impact on the environment!

Another great way to involve those around you whilst to acting for wildlife is through wild fundraising. From a bake sale at work to an arts and crafts stand at your local community fair, there are plenty of ways you can raise money and support Dorset Wildlife Trust. Get creative and go wild – request your fundraising pack today!

Darren

I am fortunate enough to be given the freedom, space, and trust to get creative and try new ideas and concepts in the grounds at Chewton Glen. This means I can make sure everything works in harmony, that shrub borders work in conjunction with bedding schemes and we can grow foliage and branches for the florists to use on beautiful displays inside the hotel - creating an indoor, outdoor feel.

What you can do at home

Nature can be truly inspiring – so why not get creative?

Treat your garden like a blank canvas and start a wildlife garden from scratch. Brand new gardens can be particularly void of plants and wildlife, but starting from scratch means that you have the freedom to improve on this! Transform that ‘always waterlogged’ patch of lawn into a bog garden to attract amphibians, or try your hand at building a mini stone wall to support stoats and voles. Try something new and see what happens!

Don’t have the outdoor space to transform? Start small! Build a simple bat box and give bats a safe place to roost. Build ‘upwards’. Bring your walls to life with a homemade vertical garden with pallets, pots and baskets and attract butterflies and bees to your space. Have a flair for festive decorations? Make a Christmas wreath for birds full of edible treats to see them through the harsh winter months.