Nature Breaks at Horton View Farm, Kent

Constructing a 'dead hedge' for wildlife

One of our main aims for our camp site, as well as making it a place where humans want to be, is to increase biological diversity. Research has shown that spending time in nature is a vital part of maintaining good mental health, and we want Horton View Farm to be a place where our guests can experience the native wildlife and feel really connected to the natural world.

Habitat loss and climate change have lead to a serious decline in wildlife in Britain. The latest State of Nature report found that UK species studies had declined by 19% since 1970 with nearly 1 in 6 species threatened with extinction. It makes worrying reading, however the report also demonstrates that positive conservation action works, so just about anything we can do to help is valuable.

We are planting trees and hedges around the site, but that's quite a slow process as it's much more economical to buy young plants that will take a few years to mature. While we wait for these to grow we are looking at other, faster ways to create a range wildlife habitats.

If you've visited us in the spring and summer you will know that we leave the grass to grow and do it's own thing which creates shelter and food for wildlife. It's so joyful to watch the meadow progress from a lush green carpet in March through to the golden sea of seed heads in August. We have noticed an abundance of butterflies, insect and bird life (for more about the wildlife we get here take a look at our previous blog post.)

Our bell tent meadow in July 2025 photo by @poppyhollis

We get a lot of woody prunings from around the site that are too chunky to compost, so we decided to have a go at making a dead hedge. A dead hedge consists of some stakes in the ground which act as a holder for the pruned branches. The branches are heaped between the posts and woven into each other and the idea is that, as they slowly rot and compost down, you can just add more prunings on top. It's quite densely packed in order to provide spaces where small birds and mammals can find protection from predators.

The newly-constructed dead hedge

Although it's constructed with 'dead' material, a dead hedge is far from dead. The insects love the decaying wood and the larger mammals - birds, mice, hedgehogs - love the insects. As the wood and leaves decay, they provide a breeding ground for microorganisms and fungii, which provide a rich food source for invertebrates.

We've also planted an area in the car park with wildflower seeds to provide food for pollinators and hopefully add some colour over the summer. Wildflowers can be quite tricky to grow, but we will report on progress in the blog.

Take a Nature Break in Kent

We're an adult only site in Stowting, Kent, a stones's throw from the North Downs Way, with a focus on peace and relaxation. There are great pubs and vineyards within walking distance. Contact us to book your peaceful nature break in a fully furnished bell tent, with everything you need for a comfortable stay. Alternatively, bring your own kit and book an unfurnished bell tent or book a pitch and bring your own tent.