Transforming an abandoned magical walled garden into a thriving multidimensional growing and cultural project.
This year marks the third anniversary of the walled garden project, and it will also be a pivotal one as we fine-tune its purpose for the future. Some conclusions are already becoming clear. Can it serve as the site for a viable commercial market garden business? Unfortunately, no - not really, at least not presently.… Continue reading The Land Beyond
I’ve been compiling a database of all the plant species growing in the walled garden, whether resident or introduced (not including vegetable growing beds). So far, the total number is approaching 200, though it’s unlikely to be completely exhaustive. No doubt, there are still a fair number of weeds or other resident perennials that haven’t… Continue reading A List of Plants
While the bad weather and a plethora of extra pests saw some setbacks, the further unravelling of the garden in multiple areas did inevitably bring some extras layers of beauty from spring through to late autumn. 2025 will hopefully expand upon this, at the very least. The Forest Garden in 2024 The Polytunnel area in… Continue reading Beauty in 2024
The basic structure of the old Victorian greenhouse, situated by the north wall and equipped with chimneys to provide heated assistance during the winter, appeared to remain intact at least until the 1980s. An old aerial photograph from around 1980 shows it seemingly in good condition. Sometime between then and the 2010s, however, something caused… Continue reading On the Med
Whilst foraging began earlier than last year, with self-seeded greens appearing in the polytunnel during March, the cold and wet spring, followed by severely cold spells in June, resulted in major setbacks for certain produce, especially winter squash and tomatoes. The pest problem also contributed significantly to these issues. Overall, it felt like the harvest… Continue reading Harvesting in 2024
An unexpected email arrived on the 14th of June from a researcher who works on BBC's The Beechgrove Garden. It transpired that someone had pulled out of appearing on the show, and they needed to fill a slot. They had come across the Walled Garden project online via Instagram and this blog and thought the… Continue reading On the Telly (Beechgrove Garden)
One of the aims of the Walled Garden is to provide a space that brings people together—whether from the local community, similar projects, or the worlds of agriculture, permaculture, rewilding, and all related endeavors. This is all intended as a means of inspiration, education, and connection. It felt like the right time, in July 2024,… Continue reading Party
"Invasion" was a dominant theme of the polytunnel area this spring and early summer. Baby voles outside the polytunnel, September 2022 In 2022, I discovered a very cute clutch of baby voles outside the newly made polytunnel. After spending ages photographing, stroking, and holding them, I placed them back where I found them, feeling the… Continue reading Invasion (in the polytunnel)
As the pathways developed in the forest garden, a new generation of plants was introduced, with many of last year’s perennials returning. However, a new wave of low-growing weeds, particularly creeping buttercup, has exploded forth from ancient seeds, making the return of self-seeding annual wildflowers less likely. Newly uncovered sections of the garden are being… Continue reading Emergence
The sun's activity has been increasing significantly over the last two years, resulting in frequent displays of aurora over Bamff. On one or two occasions, these displays have been so powerful that even the south coast of England has managed to enjoy them. Whenever possible, I try to capture these beautiful displays photographically. I often… Continue reading Northern Lights
The Bamff Walled Garden. 