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An ambitious permaculture inspired project at Bamff,
in north-east Perthshire

(for latest blog updates please visit here)

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Springing forth from the pioneering Bamff Wildland project is the Bamff Walled Garden, a project inspired by aspects of permaculture. It seeks to revitalize a large walled garden, established between the Georgian and Victorian periods, which was primarily used for cattle and sheep farming from the 1970s to the start of the 2020s. Its overarching purpose moving forward is to explore the bridge between rewilding and resilient food production.

This roughly 2/3 hectare (approximately 1.6 acres) space is now largely abandoned, with cattle sheds standing empty and three large zones awaiting restoration. These areas will be transformed into spaces for growing edible and medicinal produce, following principles that aim to replicate natural habitats as closely as possible, minimizing waste, pollution, and imbalanced inputs/outputs.

The garden retains many echoes of its past, such as the ruins of heated greenhouses and potting sheds. While much of it is currently abandoned and neglected, there is a latent magical force lying dormant, ready to be reawakened.

Since the end of 2021, the northwest quadrant has been the primary focus, with the gradual establishment of a “forest garden.” The northeast area takes a slightly different approach, more akin to a market garden, featuring a polytunnel and raised beds that were first constructed in 2022.

The cattle sheds will need to be dismantled and dramatically repurposed into spaces for growing, storing, creating, educating, and collaborating. Additionally, a modest new domestic residence is planned for the cattle shed area. In the southeast quadrant, a large area of rubble and topsoil – deposited during previous shed construction – will be repurposed to create another zone for regeneration and experimentation.

The garden is located at the base of the foothills that lead to the Cairngorms. Its altitude and latitude present unique challenges.

We are fortunate to have access to the wisdom of numerous experienced growers and researchers, including local educator and permaculturist Kate Everett, who initially convinced us to pursue this new direction, as well as soil scientists who will assist us in developing experiments in innovative forms of agriculture that extend beyond the garden walls.

Future Plans

The Bamff Walled Garden aspires to be a resource for:

• Producing high quality, chemical free food, for local events and community food projects whenever possible.
• Strengthening regional connections through hosting regular events – linking with other like-minded food-growing and rewilding projects and resilient rural initiatives across the region.
• Nurturing soil and ecosystem health – protecting and enhancing soil ecology within the garden and its surrounding landscape, ensuring long-term fertility and biodiversity.
• Exploring climate-resilient cultivation – developing forest gardening, agroforestry, and perennial planting for sustainable food foraging and wildlife-rich habitats.
• Expanding into multi-faceted agriculture – growing not only food but also plant-based textiles, natural dyes, fibres, and other materials for sustainable crafts and local enterprise and education.
• Cultivating resources for rewilding and creativity – producing willow coppice and other species for our own and others’ rewilding projects, as well as for artistic and structural uses.
• Hosting educational, cultural, and therapeutic programmes – providing workshops, talks, and immersive experiences that inspire and educate people of all ages and abilities, including those with special needs.
• Creating a children’s discovery and play space – offering safe, engaging areas where young people can explore, learn about growing, nature, and develop skills through hands-on activities.
• Trialling heritage and innovative cropping systems – experimenting with stock-free heritage grain growing and other agricultural approaches that create biodiverse habitats while supporting rural livelihoods.
• Demonstrating how new agricultural systems can enhance biodiversity, and crucially can contribute to rural re-peopling, offering a hopeful vision for sustainable living and addressing the history of land injustice in Scotland.

For all the walled garden blog updates on its progress please visit here.

About the garden personnel

The garden is being worked on primarily by myself, Dave Maric, a composer, musician, and photographer. Since the end of 2018, I have been living at Bamff with my partner, Sophie Ramsay – Bamff Wildland’s manager – and our daughter, Flora (born in 2019). From this remote vantage point, we have witnessed dramatic changes in the world, welcomed a child into a troubled era, and embraced the incredible opportunity to provide a symbol and sense of hope for future generations. Each year has been a learning experience, driving us to create a platform for inspiration, sharing, and collaboration. Together, we are joining forces with an ever-growing community of enlightened rewilders, growers, and thinkers across Scotland – and beyond.