Conservation

Managed by the High Beeches Gardens Conservation Trust, Reg Charity 299134, (HBGCT) was formed to care for these important gardens, and all the plants, birds and animals within them. Some of the plants in our collection are very rare - indeed some are rare within their native countries. A booklet listing the native flowers can be obtained from the Gate Lodge.

The gardens continue to evolve and new projects are always underway. Most recent has been the enclosure of the main garden with a deer fence. We are finding that the local deer population is expanding and they love to graze on our plants!

Historically, one of the most important recent projects has been the cataloguing of all the plants – no small achievement when you consider that there are thousands of specimens within the garden.

We also have a particularly fine natural wildflower meadow and the Botanical Society of the British Isles has recorded more than 200 native species throughout the gardens.

From time to time we add to our collection of plants, while remaining true to our guiding principles of seeking out the best forms and preferably the species or ‘wild form'. For example, recently we have added a Wollemia Pine to our collection. This tree received much publicity as a dinosaur tree when living specimens were found in Australia recently. Previously it had only been known in fossilised form.

The gardens are experiencing climate change, with milder winters and the earlier greening of shrubs and trees. We monitor the health of our collection most carefully and will continue to keep a close watch on the garden.

During the autumn and winter months, we mulch heavily to retain as much moisture as possible in the soil. We also compost and recycle all garden waste.