Lumpy Ground
What?
Smooth, level ground may be convenient for people, but it’s poor for wildlife. Flat, uniform surfaces offer little variety in soil, moisture or micro-climate — the diversity that nature thrives on. By creating lumpy, uneven terrain, you multiply the number of niches for plants and animals to colonise, turning ordinary ground into a mini-landscape full of life.
Where?
Everywhere: gardens, field margins, school grounds, business sites, brownfields and restoration areas. On the Isle of Wight, this can mean reshaping spoil heaps from coastal works, using brash from hedge cutting, or recycling soil and rubble from construction sites. Even small mounds beside paths or car parks can make a difference.
How?
Reuse what you already have. Pile up soil, rubble, sand or timber rather than removing it — create hummocks, dips, hollows and banks.
Mix materials. Blend earth with stones, logs or branches to form strong, varied structures that support different species.
Include wet and dry zones. Incorporate shallow basins that hold seasonal water and raised areas that dry quickly — this variation attracts amphibians, reptiles, and a wide range of plants.
Value slopes. Sloping ground naturally generates moisture and soil gradients — thin and dry at the top, deep and damp below — perfect for increasing plant diversity.
Sow a meadow mix or allow natural colonisation; local wildflowers and grasses will quickly settle into the micro-habitats.
Let it evolve. Resist tidying or levelling. Nature will shape and stabilise the contours over time.
When?
Lumpy ground can be created at any time, though autumn and winter are easiest for earth-moving and planting. Allow at least a full growing season for natural colonisation to begin.
Why?
Varied topography increases biodiversity, supports drainage, and reduces maintenance costs — no mowing or carting spoil away. Mounds and slopes also buffer noise and wind, capture rainwater, and store carbon in vegetation and soil. On the Isle of Wight, where small sites and steep landforms are common, embracing “lumpy” terrain reconnects built spaces with the island’s natural character of chines, cliffs and downland.
Actions for Isle of Wight Species
Slow worms, common lizards and grass snakes use sun-warmed slopes and rubble piles for basking and egg-laying.
Mining bees and wasps nest in south-facing sandy banks.
Amphibians such as frogs and toads use temporary pools in hollows for breeding and feeding.
Butterflies including small blues and browns favour sheltered banks rich in wildflowers.
Ground beetles and other invertebrates thrive in the varied moisture and shade of uneven soil.