We started 2011 with the biggest tree and hedge planting project to date. Four hundred native trees were planted, along with fifteen hundred hedging plants. An AONB grant helped to fund this. Everything had to be in the ground by the end of March and it was a very busy time. The weather didn't help, as much of the planting was done in freezing, wet and windy conditions. And then we had what was, I think, the driest spring on record, which was a worrying time as irrigating that amount of planting was virtually impossible. A check later on in the year showed that nearly everything had come through, if a little slower growing than we would have liked.

In the autumn of 2010 we also planted 800 Allium 'Purple Sensation' in the Orchard, along with more Narcissi and Camassias. The Alliums were a gamble, I wasn't sure how they would flourish being planted directly into the existing grass, but May was a picture, despite the attentions of a few annoying rabbits, but they did amazingly well. We have added another 200 this year, and hope that last years will come back again.

We have also put many Ox- Eye Daisies into the Orchard, to follow on from the Alliums, along with Cornflowers and Vipers Bugloss. Previous years we have kept the grass fairly short, but this year it has been left longer with paths mown through and it has worked very well.

Our NGS day was not good weather wise; after an extremely dry and warm spring, everything was approximately 2 weeks ahead of an average year, and then when the big day arrrived, the heavens opened from dawn till dusk. We have always been lucky on Open Days with good weather. This year was extremely challenging in terms of car parking, and seating people for teas in the dry. We had a turnout of about 80, so Thank You to those people who braved the appalling weather!

We also opened for the Hampshire and Wight Wildlife Trust for the first time this year; again, we were not blessed with brilliant weather. It was cold and windy for the time of year, but the day went really well and we had a great time and met lots of lovely people.

Another major project for this year has been the preparation of ground for a Wildflower Meadow in the South Field. We started preparing last Autumn after a consultation with Charles Flower, who has done a wonderful plan to increase diversity across our land. The ground work has been ongoing throughout the summer with constant harrowing to remove all the germinating seedlings of unwanted thugs such as creeping thistle and docks. In October we finally sowed a mixture suited to our soil, to include Betony, Bird's Foot Trefoil, Field Scabious, Meadow Buttercup to name a few. We hope that by the Summer of 2012 things will have taken off, but it will be an ongoing project.

The only other change in the Garden has been the removal of the Rose Beds near the Greenhouse. We have replaced with Peonies and Lilies to facilitate easier wheelbarrow access to the Compost Heaps. I was starting to feel like the Prince in 'Sleeping Beauty' doing battle with the Sweet Briars every time I went down the path

Wildlife has been a constant source of excitement. This year the Barn Owls in the Owl Box have had two broods, which is a first here. We have finally got around to installing a camera in the Box and over the winter have been enjoying watching the two remaining Owls coming and going. We are looking forward with anticipation to watching as they produce future broods. Ravens too, have been frequent visitors to the Scots Pines at the top of the field which has been really exciting; they are the most enigmatic of creatures. And Great Spotted Woodpeckers seem to have done better that ever. We counted 6 at one time (adults with their young) on or near the nut feeders. This is a record number here! Long Tailed Tits built a beautiful nest in the Yew Hedge, lined with soft hen feathers, but sadly did not use it - too close to the path I think. The swallows returned to the Barn and also had two broods, we can only hope that they were strong enough to complete the long journey to their wintering grounds, and for the Barn Owls that the winter ahead isn't too harsh for the babies that fledged so late.