Visiting a gorgeous wild garden recently, sheep were vilified. However, I am conflicted when I consider sheep; there is both good and bad. The bad arose at the garden, that for the past 300 years, sheep have destroyed the environment. Firstly, that is misrepresentation because it was people who destroyed the environment. Secondly, those people were, in the hill country, God fearing and damned hard workers. Just look in the churchyards to see how many children died. However, the farmers, often also miners, ruined the land. They did this by building walls and creating fields as they crept up the hillsides. Often called the intake, sheep were put into the fields and the native vegetation was destroyed. In church, or chapel, these people thanked God for giving them dominion. None of their prayers mentioned sheep- land maggots.

Protein

The good side of sheep is their phenominal ability to feed us. Lamb, mutton pies and cheese, all made from grass. That is a remarkable conversion but not quite truthful. When we see green, we assume it is grass. However, hiding in that sward is a multitude of other plants, none of which will ever grow to flower and seed. Consequently, the land is severely diminished. Should a tree or shrub attempt to grow, they will nibble it off. The plants have no chance. Consequently, we are surrounded by a green desert, devoid of insects and birds. It is that bad yet we don’t want to accept this truth.

Sheep – land maggots

The owner of the wild garden was pretty upset at all the loss. However, having created a rhododendron and azalea garden, he found that the native flora returned. We saw those plants and the bumble bees thay attracted. Whatever, beyond the boundary fence there was nothing, just grass. You looked out onto a landscape which was as dead as a dodo, the typical Peak District. What to do? I suppose the only answer is to reduce sheep numbers and allowing more land to revert to wild. Somewhere in there is a balance, beyond which insect numbers will rebound. However, we are a long way from that point. I don’t think I will see that happen before I die.