Where do you get inspiration for the garden?

Direct inspiration comes from George Browne’s garden diary, a copy of which is held in the Townend archive. George and his gardening passions – some might say obsessions – shaped the layout and character of the garden in its present form, albeit changed by time, change of use of the property and practical considerations when a private garden becomes a public space. 

He loved pansies, phlox, roses and sweet peas, many of which we grow in the garden today. I’m inspired by the agricultural heritage of Townend, so I try to honour its origins as a farmhouse and working barn despite its later gentrification. The setting within the conservation village of Troutbeck and the majestic views along the valley are deeply connected to the spirit of the place.

Which flowers do you like best in the garden?

Gosh you could ask this question every day and I’d give a different answer. It depends so much on time of year, seasonal highlights and the weather. In Autumn when the blowsy summer showstoppers have gone over, the garden becomes calm and sleepy and it’s time for the muted colours of sedum and helenium to steal the show.

It’s gratifying to observe late foraging bees and butterflies settle on flowerheads to feed in late autumn sunshine. Japanese anemones are a must have for their elegance and long flowering season.

What tips do you have for other gardeners?

In autumn spend a little time close looking with a different eye. We can see the ‘bones’ of the garden better to think about what’s working well, what could be improved, and there’s physically more space to get into the borders to edit and refresh planting plans. 

No matter how busy you are in summer, take lots of photos and make notes of what you want to tweak so there’s an aide-mémoire when it’s time to make changes. Visiting other gardens is a great way to get ideas about what’s looking good and attracting insects at this time of year. Gardeners are creative folk, so you’ll always see a planting combination that inspires you to try something new - but always choose plants that are appropriate to your conditions and soil type.

Which is your favourite part of the garden?

I love the wildflower meadow. When it’s at full height it’s a joy to sit at the picnic table at eyelevel with flowers and grass seedheads gently moving in the breeze. It’s a great place to spot butterflies, bees and day flying moths. 

On warm days crickets are the soundtrack whereas in autumn and winter the friendly robins – all called George – join us at the table for crumbs and offer a song in return. The Townend robins are part of the team!

What wildlife do you get currently?

We see lots of bees, butterflies and moths. It’s been a good year for ladybirds, and we’re gentle when moving stones as we have a healthy ground beetle population. A pair of buzzards often patrol overhead while finches and nuthatches frequent the bird table. Nosy jackdaws like to watch us from their perch on Townend’s magnificent conical chimneys, chattering and broadcasting gossip from the rooftops. I’m very fond of our resident tawny owls, although the owlets do have a habit of ‘branching out’ on the wettest days and resisting all attempts to place them safely back in the boughs of the ancient yews.

How do you attract/look after the wildlife?

We garden using organic principles, so harmful chemicals or artificial fertilisers are never used. We use homemade compost to feed roses and shrubs and mulch the beds with composted sheep wool and bracken, a nod to the agricultural heritage of the place. Soil care is so important and is the cornerstone of healthy plants and a thriving balanced eco system. 

We feed the birds and leave seedheads on standing plants so there’s a natural food source as we approach the dark half of the year. As well avoiding disturbing natural habitats by leaving quiet corners untouched, we create additional intentional habitat for winter shelter - nature in the nooks and crannies.

What steps do you take to keep it 'tidy' whilst being wildlife friendly?

We keep paths and edges neat, mowing a strip alongside the meadow and areas of longer grass so that it looks intentional and cared for. We take part in No Mow May and Let it bloom June to allow native wildflowers to thrive. We avoid too much close mowing except on the house lawn so that we can maintain a mosaic of different grass lengths throughout the season.

We cut our meadow & orchard grass by scything which matches nature’s pace and allows creatures time to scuttle to safety. It also pays homage to the history of Townend – it’s important to keep these heritage land management skills alive and being passed on to the next generation.

We leave herbaceous material standing as long as possible to provide habitat for overwintering creatures. An autumn tidy of plants flopping onto paths and a light touch trim here and there keeps things looking spruce.

What are your future plans for helping wildlife?

This winter our ranger James will be laying our native hedge, creating a healthy stock proof natural barrier that provides food and shelter for a host of creatures. We’ll be plugging gaps with native species to increase the biodiversity value. Arisings from hedge laying will be used to build a dead hedge in the meadow – an attractive, wildlife friendly and ‘tidy’ solution to dealing with branches and twiggy material.

We’re planting early flowering bulbs and adding autumn flowering pollinator friendly herbaceous plants to provide early and late season sources of pollen, nectar & seedheads. Sustainability and biodiversity are at the heart of everything we do at Townend, but there’s always more we can do, for example tapping into a natural spring to create a mini wildlife pond in the back garden.

For opening times see National Trust - Townend www.nationaltrust.org.uk/townend