The border is a 3m x 3m space within which we have selected the key elements and plants that are found growing naturally and abundantly on the Sunart Fields rewilding land. Included are species of plants such as ragwort, gorse, dock and thistle, often classified as invasive species or weeds, and banished from any garden space. We embrace the beauty and ecological importance of these species and show how they can work within a garden environment. Also included is a dead wood pile (important for many kinds of insects and fungi), native hedging and a bird tower designed by Peak Boxes.

The lead designer of the border is Sandra Nock. Sandra is a trained horticulturalist who has worked for the National Trust and Kew Gardens, London. She has single handedly risen to the challenge of producing the design and managing the execution of our RHS Tatton Flower Show 2021 border ‘Weed Thriller’, firmly putting her in the category of progressive.

We have selected plants that are found growing naturally in the rewilding landscape at Sunart Fields. Some of the plants have been brought on in pots, whilst many have been transplanted days earlier from the land for the border - as the picture shows! Plants include: common gorse, hawthorn, hazel, teasel, meadow cranesbill, juniper, creeping thistle, spear thistle, ragwort, yarrow, lady fern, greater knapweed, honeysuckle, foxglove, rosebay willow herb, broad-leaved and curled dock, buttercup, chamomile, evening primrose, bilberry, and oxe-eye daisy. We also have turf from our own wildflower meadow and a native meadow grass mix. The central tree is a rowan (otherwise known as mountain ash), which is considered to be a pioneer tree within a rewilding landscape.

For a pictoral plant list please see the section below.

Rewilding isn’t about land abandonment and often, even with improved habitats, help is needed to bring back lost or declining species. The bird tower within our border is an example of this in practice, and would provide a home for house martins and bats. The tower is designed and made by Lester at Peak Boxes and is made with entirely natural materials. Migratory birds such as house martins have a strong sense of home, and would most likely nest near to or within nests that they had fledged from. Usually a bird calling system is fitted so that the house martins (as with other birds) are lured into what they think is an existing, active, and therefore safe, nesting site. The tower would be at home in a garden setting as in a rewilding landscape, and several models of this design have been very successful in becoming homes for house martins (and similar versions can be made for swifts and swallows).

The dry stone wall in our border is typical of those found in the High Peak landscape, where Sunart Fields is located, and this one has been transplanted stone by stone from our land to be included in our border. The wall was skillfully built by Connor Lomax, a qualified professional waller.

Connor leads dry stone walling courses on our land and is by testiment a wonderful teacher. To find out about future courses check out our events page and to register interest in future courses please email us.

The build has taken place over five days, and involved moving two tonnes of stone, two vans worth of plants, a large tree and of course the bird tower, with a team of eight people. It’s incredible how many plants a small show border requires to create the expected density of planting, and how much a stone wall ‘eats’ stone. Not all of the plants were used, we picked the best, as some had wilted in the time between being potted up and being moved. Some of the plants we’d have liked to have used would not move successfully (amazingly brambles and dog rose sulked a great deal when dug up, even with plenty of turf). Given the heat during this week, many of us were turning up early in the morning and late at night to keep the plants hydrated with regular watering. On Monday we’ll be taking it all down again and moving the parts back to the land.

Hats off to all the participants in the show this year - we now appreciate just how much work is involve to create the spectacle that is RHS Tatton!

We encourage gardeners and horticuluralists to embrace the natural beauty and importance of all species, including those traditionally thought of as weeds. By shifting our thinking to let nature take the lead within our gardens, or at least part of our gardens, we can do our part to tackle the biodiversity crisis. Let the ragwort bloom (the cinnabar moth will thank you, and as long as you don’t put it into animal feed it’s perfectly safe), make space for long grass and the flowers that spring up within (benefits all kinds of pollinators and provides cover for small animals) and give space for a patch of nettles (sit back and watch the peacock butterflies flutter) - all it takes is a shift in mindset.

We’re advocating making some space for a wild patch within every garden. You can curate the size and design of your wilding space to acheive rewarding results.

Clockwise from top left

• Chamomile

• Ragwort

• Teasel

• Evening primrose

• Quaking grass

• Hedge groundwort

• Greater/hairy willowherb

• Wild carrot

• Wild chicory

Clockwise from top left

• Rosebay willowherb

• Yarrow

• Quickthorn (we also included hawthorn, which has a darker leaf)

• Honesty

• Gorse

• Yellow hawkbit

• Meadow cranesbill

• Juniper

• Hazel