The Farm
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Whippet & Willow is being created on a piece of land that has already become a very special part of our family life. We have lots of plans for the future but they are still a work in progress. At the moment we have our ideas, a growing collection of trees and plants, a polytunnel and a very long list of jobs to do. We're learning as we go and we're building it slowly.
But the pieces are beginning to come together.
The Flower Field 🌸
At the heart of Whippet & Willow will be our flower field, where we will grow seasonal flowers for bouquets, florists and eventually other floral projects.
We're taking a thoughtful approach to growing, working with the seasons and choosing flowers that bring beauty, character and plenty of life to the field.
The flower beds will sit alongside grass paths and areas of wildflowers, so the field won't just be a place for flowers to be grown- it will also be a place for insects, birds and other wildlife.
Growing for the Future 🌳
We're gradually adding layers of habitat across the land.
Fifty new trees will eventually become part of the landscape, alongside a new native hedge, areas of wildflower meadow and a wildlife pond.
These things won't transform the land overnight. Most of it will look unimpressive at first but we are thinking beyond the first few seasons. We want to create a landscape that becomes richer and more wildlife friendly with every passing year.
Photo: Dave_S. / Wikimedia commons (CC BY 2.0)
A Farm for Wildlife 🐝
We don't want to grow flowers in isolation from the natural world around them. The birds, bees, butterflies, beetles, frogs and everything else that lives here are part of the farm too.
From the wildflower areas and hedgerows to the pond and the trees, we are trying to create a patchwork of habitats that work together and encourage biodiverity.
There will be plenty of things we will need to manage as flower growers- including our rabbit population- but wherever we can make room for nature and work with it, we will.
🌱 We are only at the beginning.
One day we hope to look across the field and see mature trees, established hedgerows, wildlfowers buzzing with insects and a pond full of life, with the flower beds changing with the seasons.
We'd love this to become somewhere our children have grown up- somewhere they can run, play, explore, pick flowers, find frogs and insects and hopefully feel as connected to the natural world as we did growing up.
And perhaps, eventually, somewhere we can share with other people too.
For now though, we're taking it one bed, one tree and one season at a time.
Want to follow along?
Notes from the Field is where we share the real story — the things we're learning, the things that go wrong, the flowers we're growing and the little moments that make this place special.
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