About

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The Imperfect Garden is situated on the English-Welsh border, high on a hill, shaped by wind, weather, and the realities of gardening in more challenging conditions.

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This is not a sheltered plot, and it’s certainly not a perfect one. The soil is heavy clay, the weather is often unforgiving with high levels of rainfall and winter temperatures dropping to -10C and plans regularly have to change. But it is a place where things grow, sometimes slowly, sometimes unexpectedly, and where wildlife and the wider environment is always part of the picture.

 

I started this garden with the aim of working with the conditions rather than fighting them. That means choosing plants that can cope, accepting losses as part of the process, and allowing the garden to be a little rough around the edges. Over time, this approach has shaped not just what grows here, but how I think about gardening more broadly.

 

A Wildlife-Friendly Approach

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Wildlife isn’t something I try to “add” to the garden, it’s something I make room for.

Sprawling hedges, untidy corners, seed heads left standing and fallen leaves all provide shelter and food for birds, insects, and small mammals. I garden with the understanding that a healthy garden is not a neat one, and that diversity often comes from letting go of control. This means avoiding chemicals, disturbing the soil as little as possible, and accepting that the garden belongs to more than just me.

 

Low-Impact, Low-Pressure Gardening

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The Imperfect Garden is about low-impact methods and realistic expectations.

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I’m interested in:

• Gardening that works on a budget

• Using tools and materials thoughtfully, not excessively

• Growing what makes sense for the place, rather than chasing trends

• Learning slowly, through observation and experience

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I don’t believe gardens need to be constantly improved or optimised to be worthwhile. Sometimes the most important thing you can do is leave things alone and see what happens. That’s where I find joy in gardening.

 

Why “Imperfect”?

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Because imperfection is where life happens.

 

An imperfect garden is resilient, adaptable, and generous. It allows space for mistakes, for wildlife, and for change. This blog is a place to share what I’m learning, what works, what doesn’t, and what I’m still figuring out, from a garden that will never be finished.

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If you’re gardening in a difficult place, on a limited budget, or simply trying to tread more lightly, you’re very welcome here.