A meadow on a mound

Tucked into a corner of Sticky Wicket, by a hedge, is a flower-festooned, 1.8m mound of chalk. “Chalk is the soil type that so many plants favour,” Pam says. “Some of the best nectar plants grow in chalky conditions.” Pam doesn’t have naturally very chalky soil, so she obtained it from a nearby disused quarry, from which it arrived with a supply of its own dormant seeds. “That’s what makes this special,” Pam says. “It brought along elements of its own provenance, which are local to this area.”

Little creations like the chalk mound present an enormous benefit to wildlife. “For anyone wanting to have a small wildflower patch in their garden without a struggle, chalk isn’t the only option,” says Pam. “You can use any limestone substrate or gravel or brick, as long as it’s starved of nutrients.” When crushed