The meadow MAKER

Julia Hailes was an early pioneer for sustainability, writing The Green Consumer Guide in the 1980s. Her book has since sold more than a million copies. When she arrived at Hooke Farm, a nine-acre plot in Dorset, ten years ago, it was all overgrazed fields and barbed wire fences – so, with her husband Jamie, she planned a transformation. The pair have since created wetland, woodlands and wild-flower meadows, as well as building bird boxes and bat caves.

Today, grass pathways meander through the meadows, once-neat boundaries burst with brambles and thickets, ponds vibrate with frogs and toads, and barn owls swoop overhead. Eager to show off their progress, this summer they will throw open the farm gates for a Wilding Weekend. Visitors can attend talks and tours to learn more about weed control and peat-free gardening. Julia hopes visitors will apply their newly acquired knowledge to their own plots: “I can’t wait to show people what we’re doing. We hope to encourage others to join in.”

Find out more about Julia’s approach at juliahailes.com. Or visit Hooke Farm’s Wilding Weekend, part of the National Open Garden Scheme (11-12 June, ngs.org.uk). Admission £8, children £4.