Rewilding Your Garden: 6 Ways to Bring Nature Home with Totnes Gardening
At Totnes Gardening, we believe gardens can be more than just pretty spaces—they can be thriving ecosystems that support wildlife, reduce maintenance, and connect us to the natural world. Our rewilding service, led by Kevin with over 20 years of experience (including time at Dartington Hall Gardens), is all about increasing biodiversity and restoring natural processes, one garden at a time. Curious about what rewilding looks like in practice? Here are six inspiring examples you can bring to your Totnes plot—each blending wild beauty with a touch of gardening artistry.
1. Transform Your Lawn into a Wildflower Meadow
Say goodbye to the monotony of a manicured lawn and hello to a buzzing wildflower meadow! We can replace patches of turf with native Devon beauties like oxeye daisies, red campion, and meadow buttercup. By sowing seeds or planting plugs and mowing just once or twice a year (late summer or autumn), your garden becomes a haven for bees, butterflies, and seed-eating birds. Worried about neatness? We’ll frame it with a tidy border, proving wild can still be wonderful. Less mowing, more life—what’s not to love?
2. Add a Pond for Frogs and Dragonflies
Nothing says “rewilding” like a pond teeming with life. We’ll dig a small water feature and plant it with natives like marsh marigold or water mint, letting rainwater fill it naturally. Skip the fish (they eat the good stuff!), and soon frogs, newts, and damselflies will call it home. A few stones or logs around the edge offer shelter, while birds and hedgehogs drop by for a drink. With our design know-how, your pond will blend seamlessly into your garden—nature’s masterpiece, Totnes-style.
3. Create a Dead Wood Habitat
Next time we prune, don’t toss those branches—let’s rewild with them! A stack of logs or a quirky “stumpery” in a shady corner becomes a hotspot for beetles, fungi, and decomposers. Over time, it’ll enrich your soil, while hedgehogs or toads might snuggle in for a nap. We can arrange it artfully, maybe pairing it with ferns, so it’s as gorgeous as it is good for the planet. It’s rewilding that turns “waste” into wonder.
4. Embrace No-Mow Zones
Why mow every week when you can let nature take the wheel? We’ll designate a no-mow zone where clover, selfheal, and dandelions can flourish—perfect for early-season pollinators like bees. We might sprinkle in some native seeds to boost the mix, keeping pathways neat for easy access. It’s low-effort, high-impact rewilding that mimics a natural grassland. For that Totnes touch, we’ll edge it with stones or a low hedge—wild, but with a wink of order.
5. Install Wildlife Features
Want to roll out the welcome mat for nature? We’ll add a bee hotel (think bundled stems or drilled wood) in a sunny spot for solitary bees, plus a bird box on a tree or post for tits and robins. Using natural or reclaimed materials, these simple additions bring your garden to life—literally. With Kevin’s eye for detail, we’ll make them blend into your space, turning your plot into a wildlife B&B. It’s rewilding that’s small in scale but big in heart.
6. Rewild Your Hedge
Hedges aren’t just boundaries—they’re rewilding opportunities! We can diversify an existing hedge (say, privet) with native stars like hawthorn, blackthorn, or hazel, then ease up on the pruning to let it grow thick and free. Birds will nest in the tangle, and berries will feed thrushes come winter. Drawing on decades of experience, we’ll shape it to feel natural yet intentional—a living wall that’s pure Devon delight.
Why Rewild with Totnes Gardening?
Totnes is a town that loves green living, and our rewilding service fits right in. Devon’s mild, wet climate makes it perfect for ponds, meadows, and damp-loving plants like meadowsweet. Whether you want a fully wild corner or a subtle nod to nature, we tailor every project to your vision. Plus, with Kevin’s roots at Dartington Hall Gardens, you’re getting expertise that’s both local and legendary.
Rewilding isn’t about abandoning your garden—it’s about designing with nature in mind. From meadows to dead wood, these examples show how we can boost biodiversity while keeping your space beautiful and usable. Ready to bring a bit of the wild to your Totnes home? Contact us today, and let’s start restoring nature, one garden at a time.
