The orchard was established, and already pretty, but previously led from the main lawn with no delineation between the areas.  We are now, at a small scale, "rewilding" the space. 

The long grasses create a sense of separation; the gently meandering routes make for a longer journey through, (there is no need to hurry), and as a result the whole space feels larger.   The orchard is managed organically, so we did not spray herbicide or remove the grass, instead allowing it to grow, and monitoring the species which appeared.  There were a wide variety of grasses, and also, immediately, flowers appeared in the mix.  The time is right in the evolution of this space to introduce yellow rattle, and swell the numbers of already present wildflowers: fragrant orchids, common spotted orchids and ox eye daisies, amongst others.

The hedgerow around the orchard is now managed  for wildlife too - thickened with new flowering shrubs and climbers and cut later in the year after the blackberries have fed the wild (and human) inhabitants of the garden, but before hibernation begins. Two new bird species have appeared since the orchard rewilding began.  Fieldfares feast on fallen apples, now left below the trees instead of being tidied away.  The orchard supports a greater diversity of insect life and as a result, (we like to think), treecreepers have moved in.