Graham Burnett on the joys of letting nature take its course in the garden. Plus his top rewilding tips

One evening in late spring I spent a while on the allotment, sitting quietly watching a very young fox use its paws and muzzle to scratch at the soil on a neighbouring plot as it uncovered a large earthworm or some other tasty delicacy. It was totally oblivious to my presence, and obviously very pleased with both itself and its find. I felt privileged to share this moment as the fox cavorted and played with its prize for a while, throwing it into the air and catching it several times before finally spotting me and gobbling it down as it darted off into the brambles.

After this interlude I continued with the task in hand, hoeing a bed of broccoli seedlings I’d planted a few weeks earlier. As I worked I caught a movement in the corner of my eye. A frog that had been sheltering in the adjacent grass had been disturbed by my activity, and quickly hopped off in the direction of the pond. Gathering up the bundle of cleared weeds, I took them over to the compost bin.

Lifting the lid, I saw a colony of slow worms – legless lizards warming themselves up in readiness for a night’s hunting. With a variety of sizes ranging from babies to fully grown adults, all intertwined into a silvery knot of bodies and tails, it was impossible to count how many there were. Startled by the disruption, at least eight or nine of them instantly untangled as they disappeared beneath the compost surface, down into the safety of the depths of the bin. Meanwhile, an opportunistic robin had commandeered the upright handle of my hoe as a vantage point, fixing me with a cheeky eye, and scanning the freshly disturbed ground for any exposed insects or grubs.

I continued to work until dusk, when the coppiced stems of the willow trees at the southern end of the plot became silhouetted against a gorgeous orange, pink and purple sunset to the west. As the light faded a blackbird perched at the highest point in the still-leafless branches, serenading me from a safe vantage point as I packed away my tools and readied my bike for cycling home…

Reflecting on these comings and goings reminded me of the importance of sometimes just being (rather than “doing”) on the allotment, as well as the hubris of attempting to impose order and boundaries around “our” plots, for these human constructs are unlikely to be recognised or respected by the host of wild creatures constantly passing through or making their homes in those spaces. The regenerative allotment or garden is a living ecosystem, and you will inevitably be sharing it with a huge variety of other birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, insects, molluscs and arthropods, as well as the billions of bacterial and fungal micro-organisms to be found in every teaspoon of healthy soil.

It would be impossible to fence out these visitors, and why ever would we wish to? As well as providing interest and contributing to local biodiversity, they carry out a whole host of useful functions: earthworms build soil and maintain fertility; bees pollinate our fruit trees and vegetables; ladybirds, frogs, toads and dragonflies feed on less desirable visitors such as aphids and slugs. In fact, even the perennially unpopular slug has a part to play in the healthy garden ecosystem, with a vital role in breaking down dead plant matter, beginning the process of turning it back into humus, the very stuff of fertility. Thus the regenerative gardener will always be mindful of the place of wild nature, aiming to create a holistic environment in which a balanced natural community is maintained, welcoming and encouraging such visitors by providing habitat and feeding grounds.

Five Ways to Rewild your Plot

1 Develop a more tolerant attitude towards “volunteer” plants (aka weeds) that might arrive uninvited on your plot. Although they can compete with our food crops, and given half a chance would quickly return cultivated land to a state of wilderness, allow them to grow between productive areas in order to provide food and habitat for all manner of wildlife.

2 Build log piles and rockeries using stones or bricks to create niches for insects, amphibians, and small mammals. Densely planted shrubs or hedges provide nesting sites for birds and cover for other wildlife. Consider installing birdhouses, bat boxes, and insect hotels to offer additional shelter.

3 Provide water sources. Even a small pond made from an old bath or sink can attract frogs, toads, dragonflies, and birds. Be sure to add a gentle slope or some stones to allow animals to enter and exit safely. Make birdbaths by placing shallow dishes of water at various heights to cater for different species. Always locate them out of reach of cats.

4 Adopt wildlife-friendly gardening practices. For example avoid pesticides by using natural pest-control methods, such as companion planting and encouraging beneficial insects. Create a compost heap to recycle organic waste and attract decomposers like worms, beetles, and fungi, which are essential for soil health.

5 Let some areas do their own thing. Allow a section of your allotment to grow wild with native wildflowers, grasses, and herbs to create a natural habitat, or leave some corners undisturbed with tall grass or leaf litter to provide shelter and food for a variety of creatures.

This article is from Idler #98.

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