As nature intended

Customer Bob Dockray has poured a lifelong passion for the environment into creating a vibrant wildlife garden for his Northumberland neighbourhood. He tells us how it all began… 

“I suppose you’d call me a naturalistic gardener. I’ve always approached the earth with a deep respect.  

I was passionate about conservation even when it wasn’t a particularly fashionable thing to be. I’ve always used the stuff that others throw away. I’m pleased to see the world seems to be waking up to the need to be less greedy with the earth.  

I was born and bred a farmer so I grew up with an affinity to nature.  

My grandad started a small farm near Haydon Bridge and my father followed in his footsteps. I joined the forces at the age of 17 and when I came back, I built up my own 30-acre farm, overlooking Otterburn, Elsdon and the Cheviots. I created a wildlife area there, making fox earths (or dens) and a pond. I planted more than 10,000 trees at the farm and I did a bit of forestry too. 

Later in life I exported my somewhat unusual farming methods to Cyprus where I became something of a novelty!  

The lifestyle and environment there is obviously totally different to Northumberland and it was commonplace for farmers to focus on just one speciality. So, when I began collecting pigs, goats, sheep, poultry and growing corn all on the same farm people just couldn’t understand it!  

I became the talk of the island when I managed to get mushrooms growing in 40-degree heat. I used my neighbour’s pig dirt as fertiliser and suddenly a dusty piece of land was covered in mushrooms. People came from miles around to pick them! I was very proud of that farm and lived there for 15 years. 

I’ve been in my Karbon bungalow in Newbrough, near Hexham, for ten years. A few years ago, I started caring for the communal lawn shared by our four properties.  

I worked with my dear friend and neighbour called Belle Forster, using her creativity and our joint knowledge of nature to transform the garden from a blank canvas.  

Now, after lots of love and attention it’s a totally different scene. It’s a thriving wildlife garden that’s very low maintenance because nature looks after itself when the conditions are right.  

Belle passed away last year and is a big miss to those who knew her but this beautiful garden is her legacy and helps us to remember her. 

There’s a wild flowerbed area and rockery that’s perfect for insects, a wooded bush area for birds to hide and nest in, a hedgehog house, and raised tubs and pots everywhere. I’ve created ponds – one filled with fish and the other left to nature. There are feeders all over and a bamboo area that the wrens love. We get visiting squirrels and pheasants, woodpeckers, blackcaps, goldfinches, treecreepers, nuthatches and pied wagtails. 

I’ve planted fruit and vegetables which we eat every day including strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants.  

I’m currently making wine and looking out onto the lawn which is covered in delicate pink blossom petals from three cherry trees – it looks like there’s been a huge wedding and there’s confetti everywhere.  

The garden and lawn changes with the seasons and there’s always something to marvel at. People walking along the road stop in their tracks when they see it. It’s lovely to see people’s reactions. I'd like to think that when I'm gone, new residents here will continue what’s been created.  

I’d love more people to take an interest in the earth and create their own little bit of nature. Even just planting a few pots outside your front door helps to support the environment.” 

As told to At Home with Karbon