Really enjoyed reading this, it’s so interesting to read your thoughts plans and methods along with assessments of the way the plants you choose respond. Thank you - gets my mind whirring!
Thanks Pam, yes it's a bit counterintuitive to what we are all taught! But I'm finding it works. I could speed up the process by really going for it with lots more plants but I'm enjoying this one step at a time approach and observing what happens before making another step.
I feel that what we are ‘all taught’ can be very rigid and nature very often responds quite differently from the way our human brains believe it will or should! Your method is getting intuitively into your plot and the plants and responding with them, I think. I look forward to seeing it develop
I wouldn't common hogweed myself. Too invasive. It can dominate a sward and affect plant diversity. Leave the odd plant to the margins. Once established in a field it's very difficut to deal with.
I haven’t found that myself across our farm. But importantly this isn’t a field it is a shaded semi woodland area. Common hogweed is a really important indigenous wildflower.
Any suggestions for diversifying ivy-covered ground under mature elm and beech? I'm experimenting with wild garlic, rushes, and other seeds collected from local woods but it's too early to see which if any succeed. The ivy is very vigorous and the soil is largely sand so it's quite a challenge. This is a great thread, thanks!
Just had a few more thoughts. Plants that grow tall rapidly each year, so they grow through the ivy but it can't climb up them. Cow parsley, campanulas, Angelica, that sort of thing. Plus wild hellebores seem happy among ivy.
Thanks, I've got several of those (though I had to watch an angelica plant for weeks before it set seed) so they're in the pipeline. The spring drought this year was a seedling killer on light soil, so fingers crossed for 2026.
What you are doing is the right approach, try different plants and see what works and what doesn't - but try everything a few times as we're dealing with living things, it doesn't always work on the first go. You're going to want vigorous plants that can attempt to outcompete the ivy. Or just enjoy the ivy! :)
Agree strongly with Pam, very inspiring reading your newsletters.
Just one question, I am completely conflicted about cutting nettles - on the one hand vital butterfly habitat, on the other terrible old hoary nettles dominating various areas driving my other half mad ... what's your advice? Thanks!
I cut some back where I want other wildflowers to grow and leave others. It depends how many you have I guess, we have absolutely loads. If you don't have that many, just leave them, they are really good for moths and butterflies.
Really enjoyed reading this, it’s so interesting to read your thoughts plans and methods along with assessments of the way the plants you choose respond. Thank you - gets my mind whirring!
Thanks Pam, yes it's a bit counterintuitive to what we are all taught! But I'm finding it works. I could speed up the process by really going for it with lots more plants but I'm enjoying this one step at a time approach and observing what happens before making another step.
I feel that what we are ‘all taught’ can be very rigid and nature very often responds quite differently from the way our human brains believe it will or should! Your method is getting intuitively into your plot and the plants and responding with them, I think. I look forward to seeing it develop
Thanks Pam, I'm really excited about it - I guess it's not as social media worthy until it's full of flowers but I really enjoy sharing progress.
The method thought and the process are the most interesting and useful parts. Just seeing flowers gives little away!
I wouldn't common hogweed myself. Too invasive. It can dominate a sward and affect plant diversity. Leave the odd plant to the margins. Once established in a field it's very difficut to deal with.
I haven’t found that myself across our farm. But importantly this isn’t a field it is a shaded semi woodland area. Common hogweed is a really important indigenous wildflower.
Any suggestions for diversifying ivy-covered ground under mature elm and beech? I'm experimenting with wild garlic, rushes, and other seeds collected from local woods but it's too early to see which if any succeed. The ivy is very vigorous and the soil is largely sand so it's quite a challenge. This is a great thread, thanks!
Just had a few more thoughts. Plants that grow tall rapidly each year, so they grow through the ivy but it can't climb up them. Cow parsley, campanulas, Angelica, that sort of thing. Plus wild hellebores seem happy among ivy.
Thanks, I've got several of those (though I had to watch an angelica plant for weeks before it set seed) so they're in the pipeline. The spring drought this year was a seedling killer on light soil, so fingers crossed for 2026.
What you are doing is the right approach, try different plants and see what works and what doesn't - but try everything a few times as we're dealing with living things, it doesn't always work on the first go. You're going to want vigorous plants that can attempt to outcompete the ivy. Or just enjoy the ivy! :)
Agree strongly with Pam, very inspiring reading your newsletters.
Just one question, I am completely conflicted about cutting nettles - on the one hand vital butterfly habitat, on the other terrible old hoary nettles dominating various areas driving my other half mad ... what's your advice? Thanks!
I cut some back where I want other wildflowers to grow and leave others. It depends how many you have I guess, we have absolutely loads. If you don't have that many, just leave them, they are really good for moths and butterflies.
Thanks! That's helpful.