By using plants and materials found locally, our roots stay undercover and we limit the growth of invasive plants. Anyone who likes nature will understand why we allow nature to grow alongside the more cultivated plant species we grow.

Every plant plays its part and though we always curse at the number of thistles, nettles, creeping buttercup and dandelion we grow, nothing is presently dominating the garden to such an extent that we deem it a total nuisance.

We compost the weed roots collected, so they eventually end up nourishing the trees, bushes and grasses and we have been given some useful ground cover plants – these are gradually working through the beds and features but , ‘at their own pace’ till they find their balance.

I designed and commissioned a rotary sieve which works faster than one operator can feed it. This can separate out stone from soil, tumble earth from weed plants and will eventually, with some modification, grade soils.

The stones it sieves go to make up paths and also soil cover to dissuade seeds and confuse slugs and snails. Although I read that their slime trails are ‘seeded’ with chemicals that accurately communicate to slugs that cross, where the best local eating places can be found. In all seriousness, if such a system for recording information can be developed for super computers, its goodbye Mr (Silicon) chips. However, I seem to remember some scientist suggesting the possibility of massive biological computers and being the only one to have consistently positive results from his own experiments – I hope the media wait for corroborated evidence this time before going gaga about slug slime.

If any research wants to come to HoBB Real and collect slugs, they are most welcome