If you have ever wondered what a forest garden is or dreamed of a wild flower meadow then do go along to Dolydd Gobaith on Saturday where you will find Will and Bridget Denne whose cottage sits opposite the community farm and nature reserve that is Bridget’s brainchild and is far reaching in its ambition.
I went along earlier to be taken on the first of two walks that Will has organised for the open day. With their black cocker spaniel racing ahead we climbed up through a thin strip of woodland that circles a wildflower meadow that crowns the hill. This is ancient, unimproved meadow that was cut by hand over the centuries. It’s a window into the past hazed over with blue field scabious, dotted with the green seed-pods of some 710 butterfly orchids and yes, Will did count them all. Young oak trees mingle with birch and rowan to surround the meadow and Will couldn’t resist reaching up to a cluster of red rowan berries which are destined to become rowan berry gin.
I wanted to see the couples vegetable garden pictured for, like everything else here, there are lessons…
