Press Releases - March/April 2005

Item 3

8th March 2005

The BTO Nunnery Gardens
Gardening with wildlife in mind

Work has started on an exciting series of gardens being developed at the British Trust for Ornithology’s headquarters in Thetford, Norfolk. These gardens have been designed to illustrate how features that benefit wildlife, particularly birds, can be integrated into existing gardens alongside more traditional planting schemes.

Until recently, a typical wildlife garden would have contained too much ‘wildlife’ and not enough ‘garden’ for many peoples’ tastes. A series of new gardens, being developed by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in Norfolk, sets out to address this problem by showing how gardeners can incorporate some of the features of natural habitats into more conventional gardens.

As Mike Toms, organiser of the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch scheme, notes; ‘We asked the design team at Natural Gardens to come up with a series of different types of garden, to which we could add elements that would benefit wildlife. The ‘traditional garden’, for example, has both formal and flowery lawns, illustrating how different planting and mowing regimes can be employed to create habitat good for wildlife. Other elements, like a small wildlife pond, native planting and chalk butterfly mound also enhance the wildlife value of what is otherwise quite a traditional garden.’

‘Other areas include a shady courtyard garden, an informal garden and orchard and a woodland garden. The backdrop to the site is the 12th Century ruin of St. George’s Nunnery and this provides a central theme, using the history of the site to ensure that the various components are not seen as just a series of show gardens.’

Mike Toms plans to use the BTO Nunnery Gardens to inform people about wildlife-friendly gardening. ‘We hope that visitors, together with the 17,500 people who participate in the BTO’s Garden BirdWatch Scheme, will discover how they can enhance the wildlife value of their own gardens without the need for wholesale change. The introduction of simple elements should significantly improve the whole garden for wildlife, without reducing its beauty or function.’

Garden designers Ian and Barley Wilson, of Natural Gardens, say ‘We are delighted to be involved in this inspiring project as it demonstrates our belief that gardens can be attractive both to people and to a wide variety of wildlife. Our aim has been to show a range of wildlife-friendly ideas, tied to sound ecological principles, that can be translated into any garden situation, small or large, urban or rural.’

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The BTO Nunnery Gardens project is receiving significant support from the European Regional Development Fund (Objective Two) and is part of the Norfolk Museums and Heritage Partnership (part funded by Norfolk County Council and Breckland Council). Additional support has been received from CJ WildBird Foods Ltd and Emorsgate Seeds.

2. The BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch is the largest year round survey of garden birds anywhere in the World and provides important information on how birds use gardens, and how this use changes over time. See www.bto.org/gbw for more information.

3. Garden birdwatchers can discover which birds are likely to be found in their gardens by visiting www.postcodebirds.bto.org and entering their postcode.

4. Colour photographs, such as those shown below, of work being carried out on the new garden are freely available from the BTO Image Library for use in association with this press release. Please contact to request electronic versions of a range of image.

5. Natural Gardens was formed by the husband and wife team of ecologist Ian Wilson and garden designer Barley Wilson in order to bring a fresh approach to garden design and care. By working with nature rather than against it, we can produce a natural form to a garden, which is pleasing and beautiful to people and provides much-needed living space for wildlife. Please see www.naturalgardens.co.uk for further information.

Contacts

Mike Toms (Garden BirdWatch Organiser)
Phone: Office – 01842-750050

Email:

BTO Digital Image Library
Phone: Office – 01842-750050
Email: (also available evenings and weekends)

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