Country diary: A little love at Larkrise has worked wonders for wildlife | Virginia Spiers

St Dominic, Tamar valley: After just a few years, this rewilded plot of soggy land is home to voles and shrews and vigorously growing indigenous plants

At last, proper rain has greened the scorched pastures and washed shrivelled leaves and nut husks along the narrow lanes. Springs dribble and streams remain low; inspection of our well, dug more than a century ago by the legendary “Diver/Diviner” Cullas of Metherell, reveals a water level better than feared, but we remain cautious in our use.

On the exposed northern edge of the parish, overlooked by Kit Hill and the distant blue haze of Dartmoor, Larkrise’s rewilded 10 acres of poorly drained land shows ever more growth. The thorny boundary hedge, with purple sloes, blackberries, scarlet hips and masses of haws, encroaches on planted trees – extra protection from predatory deer. The mix of guarded trees are tall and vigorous, interspersed with open patches of seeding knapweed, grasses, plantains and rattle. The guelder rose, spindle, holly and buckthorn already produce berries, less than seven years after this project began.