The hedges are getting taller each year, despite the fierce Atlantic gales. Untidy clumps of nettles and brambles at the foot of the hedges are generally left undisturbed to help insects, birds and mammals. During March and April, the hedges burst into life with wonderful clumps of primroses and violets, followed in May by bluebells, cow parsley and red campions. Summer brings Elderflowers, foxgloves, wild dog roses and meadowsweet. Each autumn sloes, haws, hazel nuts and blackberries follow the drifts of fragrant blossom in the spring. Our field hedges are only trimmed lightly every three or four years. This gives the small birds and mammals plenty of shelter and food.

The pastures are not sprayed with herbicides, so a wider variety of plants appear. Quite a lot of these are enjoyed by the cows as a change from grass! They are also food sources for birds, small mammals and insects through the year. Deep rooting plants often are able to bring minerals up from the lower levels of the soil. We use a flail topper to try and keep the thistles under control, and our four legged strimmer (Gilbert the goat) is kept busy eating weeds around the farm buildings.