With some management, trees and shrubs are more likely to survive and grow quicker, as also are many of our native wild flowers, mosses, lichens, grasses, fungi, and with them the birds, butterflies, insects and reptiles that rely on woodlands and verges. Even a few square metres can support some trees and shrubs and with them an astonishing variety of wild flowers and wildlife.
The first part of the book illustrates and discusses all the native trees and shrubs that once covered most of Britain. The second part gives guidance on planning both large and small woodlands, with a look at the importance of rides, glades and ponds. Advice is given on how to plant, maintain and manage your woodland with minimal intervention and yet cope with weeds, pests, diseases and the effects of drought. Finally there is a section devoted to augmenting existing wild plants to the forest floor.