Fairy Garden
Firstly, please could you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about the group?
Hi, I'm Margaret Milner, Chair of Friends of Hill House Gardens in Heswall on the Wirral.
I moved back to the Wirral with my husband in August 2015. We had both retired in February 2008. At that time, we lived in Maidstone, Kent. We decided it was time to move closer to my family, who were still living on the Wirral. It was an easy decision to make.
What prompted you to start this project?
When I came back to the Wirral one of the first things I did was buy a Chester Zoo annual membership. During my early life on Merseyside, I was a regular visitor, and this continued when I came back on family visits. I have always been a supporter of animals and an enthusiastic bird watcher.
On one such visit, I saw a poster at the zoo advertising an upcoming wildlife conservation course and decided to put my name down. To my surprise, I was accepted, and at the end of the six-week course, I was made a Community Wildlife Champion. My task was to find a local area that could, with a little help from my friends, benefit from some attention to make it more wildlife-friendly.
Flower beds at Hill House Gardens
Volunteers of the Friends of Hill House Garden.
Flower beds at the bottom of the hill.
Margaret Milner
Where did you focus your efforts?
What better area could I choose than a former Wirral Borough Council putting green in the heart of Heswall? It had become a shortcut from Lower Heswall to the main thoroughfare and bus station. The council had suffered harsh funding cuts and had to decide where money was most needed, with many larger parks on the Wirral taking priority. Parks & Countryside still maintained the grassed area of the former putting green and carried out general maintenance.
I arranged several meetings with the council, who own the land, as well as Wirral & Cheshire Wildlife Trust, my conservationist contact at Chester Zoo, the local Parks & Countryside team leader, the ranger, and, in fact, anyone who would listen to me.
Trees in the park.
What did they say?
I was thrilled when Wirral Borough Council granted permission for a small group to take charge, working in consultation with them, to plan and develop the land into a more suitable habitat for wildlife, flora, and fauna.
Our journey officially began in June 2016, with a small but passionate group ready to transform the space! We rolled up our sleeves to clear overgrown areas and breathe new life into the space by creating pollinator-friendly flower beds and wildlife habitats. We turned a flood-prone spot in the park into a thriving bog garden!
Along the way, we also found ourselves responsible for a small (now our secret) garden—a former council office garden. The paths were re-laid in this garden area, and a disabled entrance was created. Chester Zoo were a great help, generously loaning us essential tools, and we also secured a small National Lottery grant to purchase everything we needed to make our vision a reality.
Flooding at the bottom of the path.
New bog garden created to solve the flooding issue.
Margaret Milner
Margaret Milner
Margaret Milner
What happened next?
Unfortunately, not long after this, Chester Zoo's funding for a Community Wildlife and Environmental Officer came to an end. While I missed the support, we as a group have gone from strength to strength, raising funds for various projects.
In October 2017, we became an officially constituted Friends Group. There are many benefits to having a Friends Group—one in particular is that it assists in obtaining funding.
What are your aims for the group?
To be a responsible body that protects and improves the area's value as a wildlife habitat.
To maintain and improve facilities for the residents of Heswall, the wider community, and visitors.
To help educate the public about the area's use, history, and value in protecting local wildlife.
To work in partnership with our neighbours and other bodies to promote the benefits of the area to all.
New flower bed with red Crocosmia and shrubs.
What kind of impact do you think your group has made over the years?
Over the past few years, we have achieved an enormous amount, and we will continue to do so. We have created a calm, relaxing area that we are all proud of. None of this would have been possible without our hardworking volunteers, who are fundamental to our success, and a great planning and funding committee.
Some of our favourite wildlife spotted includes hedgehogs, weasels, treecreepers, and even a woodpecker that has taken up residence.
What advice could you give to others?
Do your research and make sure you have the relevant permissions in place. It’s not just a case of choosing a piece of land and improving it.
Look at risk assessments and ensure you have insurance in place. Ours is provided by the local authority as temporary council workers.
Build a good working relationship with other local groups and your local councillors. They, as well as offering invaluable advice, have great respect within the local borough council (we are lucky in that respect) and can point you in the right direction for help. They can also sometimes offer financial support.
Finally, value your volunteers!
We have achieved so much over the years, and I'm very proud to be doing my bit for wildlife in my community.
A guided bat walk through the park.
Is there somewhere in your area that you'd like to transform? Why not join the Wild Network mailing list for advice on how to get started.
Or join the Facebook group to connect with like-minded people who may want to help.
