When I heard of the higgledy-piggledy cottage nestled deep in the secluded Dedham Vale countryside that had recently been taken on by the Essex Wildlife Trust, my ears pricked up. As the home of artist John Nash and his wife Christine, and later Ronnie Blythe, one of the founders of contemporary nature writing, Bottengoms is steeped in history, creativity and literary heritage. To my delight, Ronnie left the estate to the Wildlife Trust with the wish to create a nature reserve that would inspire future creatives – an intertwining of artists, gardens, history and biodiversity.

I am inspired by gardens that have an intimate connection to the people who gardened them. Bottengoms has been nurtured and built by its inhabitants, creating a wholly authentic and personal space. Like Derek Jarman's unique Prospect Cottage or Sissinghurst, these gardens are full of spirit, ever evolving and becoming richer for it. I was lucky enough to spend time with Jonathan the gardener and Jess the WRAGS trainee in May, discovering how to embark on a project of this nature and bring it back to life.

While it's important to capture the existing spirit of place, gardens can become stagnant and rigid if they are bound too tightly to their previous owners. Ensuring a garden's future is not just about restoration; it's about cultivating care within local gardening and creative communities, creating resilient planting for a changing climate and making space for the ecology of the garden.

Jonathan understands this entirely. He is clearing the garden for new plantings inspired by Nash and Blythe, both keen plantsmen that regularly engaged in the generosity of gardening by swapping plants with and learning from Cedric Morris at Benton End and Beth Chatto among many others. One of my first tasks was helping create a stock bed of distinctive plants, striving to bring to life a true plantsman's paradise. Alongside this, an area has been cleared for community events, strengthening the garden's connection with the local area.

What drew me most to Bottengoms was seeing the project at its very beginning. It was fascinating to understand how decisions are made, from practical challenges like restoring the spring water supply to deciding which treasured plants and artefacts should remain. Carex pendula, a thug in most gardens, has kept its place here because it contributes so much to the atmosphere, while even Equisetum arvense has earned its place through its long association with Bottengoms. 

Seeking funding is also central to the project, with months of observation informing applications. Early work included clearing overgrown areas, restoring views to the surrounding farmland seen in many of Nash's paintings, and managing mature ash and hazel trees. At the same time, every opportunity has been taken to enhance wildlife. Tree stumps are becoming hoverfly lagoons, cut timber is being reused as standing deadwood, and sunny banks created through coppicing now provide nesting sites for solitary bees. 

One highlight was joining ecologist Chris Gibson, whose walk revealed the wildlife value already present before restoration is complete. This means biodiversity can shape the garden from the outset rathe than being added later. I also helped build a solitary bee habitat from terracotta wine racks, bamboo and clay from the garden, before planting the stone trough outside the front door; one of those small details that gives a garden its character. 

I learned so much about approaching such a unique project with sensitivity and, in true plantsman's spirit, I was sent home with a tray of plants to share with fellow gardeners at Wisley. Bottengoms captures so much of what makes gardens meaningful today, and I look forward to seeing it deepen its identity and renew its place within the horticultural and artistic communities.

Chloe Hayes 

Essex Wildlife Trust Volunteer