The Land

The Wood

I own Ancient woodland on the Kent, Sussex and Surrey borders. Some parts have been woodland for at least four hundred years. I am respecting this and as caretaker, will manage and bring in native plants, shrubs and trees. This will encourage more wildlife. I see deer regularly, also owls and bats at evening time.

The Land has been divided into three parts if we go back to the middle part of 1800.
One hundred fifty years ago one area of meadow land was left and is now Woodland. This area was excavated at that time and left two large holes in the ground which for 10 months of the year is flooded with water.

The next area of about half acre was a much smaller part of a meadow or field, being neglected for the last 15 or so years. This area before then was a part of a very much larger field back to at least 1813. Over the years it become overgrown with scrub, including blackthorn, brambles, willow and some small alder.

This area I have cleared by hand and digging the bramble roots out, I have fenced part of it to keep the deer out. The deer had already chewed some of my fruit trees before the fence. This area I have 28 different fruit trees, many fruit bushes and vegetables.

From this to something different a garden to eat from.

Entrance

The third part is over eight acres is ancient wood land. There are many Oaks around the boundaries with the fields. Only a few young ones within the wood, I feel they were harvested some when between the great wars. The main trees are in the wet areas Alder and dry areas are Ash with an age, to relate to this theory; the area is covered with Hazel and some large Silver Birch. Also a few Maples and Thorn growing in the wood and the hedge around the boundary.

Purple Spotted Orchid

Bluebells 2011

To follow Under construction

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