Our garden in the sweeping hills of the North Downs overlooking Guildford and its surrounding countryside are home to many species. In the past we have worked together with the Wildlife Trust planting hedges and trees and digging a pond to attract wildlife. In the food garden we grow a variety of flowers to attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects, we also leave some areas wild which allows the wildflowers and grasses to undergo their natural life cycles and provide homes for the bugs, beetles and spiders that are the natural predators to many of the pest of cultivated food crops. As every animal has some effect on other animals, we also encourage bigger animals, for example frogs which eat the slugs, helping to control their numbers. Where appropriate we follow the example of nature and its ecological balance and refrain from a policy of extermination. We have incorporated permaculture principles into our garden to preserve the balance of nature and often use companion planting so we can manage pests without the need for the pesticides which are so commonly used elsewhere. In the meadows outside the food garden there are over 100 different species of plant like wild orchids. Many animals like Skylarks and other birds also live their lives and breed in the sky, ground, hedges, trees and meadows around the food garden.