Creating a WILDLIFE HAVEN

WHEN FERGUS GARRETT COMMISSIONED A BIODIVERSITY AUDIT OF GREAT DIXTER’S SURROUNDING WOODLAND, PASTURES AND MEADOWS, THE RESULTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE GARDEN, WERE ASTONISHING. EVEN THE ECOLOGISTS WHO CARRIED IT OUT WERE SURPRISED. THEIR REPORT REVEALED THAT THE SITE SUPPORTS MORE THAN 2,300 SPECIES OF WILDLIFE, INCLUDING 120 DIFFERENT BEES (MORE THAN 40 PER CENT OF THE UK’S BEE SPECIES), HUNDREDS OF MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES AND AN ABUNDANCE OF OTHER SIGNIFICANT POLLINATORS. FERGUS PUTS THIS DOWN TO A COMBINATION OF FACTORS: DIVERSITY OF HABITATS AND OF FLOWERS GROWN, LENGTH OF FLOWERING SEASON, PLUS THE FACT THAT THEY PHASED OUT CHEMICAL SPRAYS 12 YEARS AGO.