GETTY Take a walk on the wild side and create a nature reserve in your back yard

Stately homes are quick to launch new attractions to keep the visitors coming. First it was restored kitchens, then came walled vegetable gardens and now it is nature reserves. It is certainly a lot cheaper and easier to create a nature reserve than to restore historic features. Grass left to grow in meadows saves cutting and attracts butterflies, whose caterpillars feed on the grass, and you’ll often find woodland walks, shallow, watery “scrapes” and nature trails at great gardens to encourage birds and other wildlife. We have already done the themes – seaside gardens, white gardens and Mediterranean gardens – so why not make your own private nature reserve? If you have a conventional family garden you could leave a small patch of lawn and beds around the patio and return the rest to nature. Or if you need more real gardening space, just convert the far end of the garden and leave the rest as it is.

GETTY A wild-flower garden attracts ladybirds and other wildlife

Making the conversion is cheap and easy, and the result is very low maintenance. First, stop feeding the lawn and a range of wild flowers will gradually start appearing. I’ve even known wild orchids to pop up unannounced. Stop the weekly mowing and allow the lawn to grow long – even posh grass will happily turn back to meadow in a single season. Mow a few paths to allow access through your nature reserve without flattening the long grass. Allow them to meander, rather than taking straight lines, and start cutting them in spring while the meadow is short. Cut the tracks every couple of weeks throughout the summer. If you prefer a neater look, cut your lawn as usual, leaving an island of uncut wild meadow in the centre. Replace formal beds of cultivated shrubs with drifts of species roses and instead of ornamental trees go for bird-friendly berry species, such as mountain ash, a wayfaring tree (Viburnum Iantana) or the guelder rose (Viburnum opulus). Blackberry bushes are very underrated as wildlife plants, but many species of caterpillars feed on their leaves and birds and mammals love the berries. To keep control I’d suggest cheating and planting a compact domestic variety, such as “Veronique”, which grows to six feet and has beautiful pink flowers.