“Britain is becoming incredibly nature-depleted,” says Richard Bunting, a spokesperson for the nonprofit organization Rewilding Britain. “We’re being outpaced by a biodiversity crisis. Large scale nature recovery and rewilding projects are hugely important to try and turn this around.”

Ball says the impact is already visible: a recent flowering plant survey has revealed several more species than there were last year, with the gardens now teaming with flowers, long grasses and butterflies.