Chesworth Farm Wildlife Garden

A plan for a wildlife garden next to the Volunteer Centre was presented to the volunteer committee in early 2022 by Tony Cook, a conservation volunteer with a passion for wildlife.  Work to create the garden was largely completed six months later, thanks to over 500 hours of hard but rewarding graft by a volunteer team.  The previously neglected, bramble-filled, space had transformed into  a mini wildlife haven.

The garden was officially opened in summer 2023 by the group’s honorary president, Baroness Kate Parminter, and work continues to maintain and enhance the space for both visitors and wildlife.

The aspirations of the wildlife garden remain the same as when it was first proposed.

  • Public engagement
  • Reconnecting children with nature
  • Provide ideas to attract wildlife
  • Encourage family/educational visits

The area includes a range of features designed for insects, reptiles and small mammals. These have been created from recycled materials wherever possible.  Amongst the features are two ponds, a bog garden, a bug hotel, two hibernacula (safe sites in which animals can shelter and hibernate) and a rocket beehive!  Wildflowers, Sussex heritage fruit trees and pollinator-friendly plants have been included too.   A sign by the entrance describes the features you can find.

“Sadly, the UK is still one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth, but we can all do something to help address this crisis in our gardens, allotments and other green spaces,” says Tony. “We hope visitors to the garden continue to be inspired to support wildlife by creating habitat, food, water and nectar sources in their gardens. Areas of all sizes have the potential to support wildlife and provide corridors for their movement.  There are half a million hectares of gardens in the UK, greater than the total area of all our nature reserves.” 

We encourage you to visit the wildlife garden to see if you could include some of these features in your garden, allotment or community open space to help our wildlife. Further advice on creating these can be found on the Wildlife Trusts’ website.  

If you have any questions about the garden, or would like to volunteer, please contact us.