
Landscaping & Biodiversity
The landscaping of the gardens and grounds has a strong commitment to sustainability, including the use of stone quarried on-site for dry stone walls and coppiced timber from our own woods for creating garden structures whenever possible. Significant tree planting is undertaken seasonally with the focus being on native broadleaved trees for beneficial for wildlife.
Within the Nectar Gardens we are constantly taking steps towards greater sustainability and aim to showcase this to our visitors. Some of these measures include harvesting rainwater from the building roofs, using only peat-free compost and re-using plastics and cardboard including those from other areas of our business such as the Nectary Restaurant. With climate change in the forefront of our minds we are carefully considering all planting to ensure the gardens evolve to be resilient and able to withstand future environmental challenges.
The range of workshops held within the gardens and grounds further promote sustainable techniques, with stone walling classes using local stone and willow weaving and floristry workshops using natural materials grown right here.
We are constantly reviewing published research and endeavour to employ the very best practices to maximise biodiversity and to provide beneficial habitats for pollinators and other wildlife. By visiting us you are contributing directly to this work.
Green Energy
The environment is an integral part of the business, where supporting nature and pollinators is a key part of what we do. Harnessing renewable and home-grown energy and becoming a greener business has been a natural next step for us and fits perfectly within our ethos.
In January 2025 we achieved our first step towards this with the installation of a 50kw solar energy system on the restaurant and shop building. This was made possible by a grant received from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which part funded this project and enabled its implementation. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund: prospectus – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
We are keen to continue our renewable energy journey and enhance our environmentally-friendly practices. Our next ambition is to increase the size of the solar energy installation with additional solar panels and to look at installing EV charging points for our customers, also powered by solar. Watch this space!







