| … and Why It Still Shapes Earthly Comforts |
| People still ask me how Earthly Comforts began and what pushed me into gardening beyond just practical outdoor work. The short answer is that it didn’t start with lawns, borders, or tools. It started with time, walking, and paying attention. After the first COVID lockdown in 2020, I spent a lot of time in Sandwich. Like many people, I was walking more—partly for sanity, partly for something to do. One place I kept returning to was the Gazen Salts Nature Reserve. It wasn’t polished or showy, but it felt alive, even in its rougher state. In early 2021, I noticed activity there—repairs, painting, digging, people clearly working with purpose. Curiosity got the better of me. After seeing the same faces a few times, I introduced myself to the warden and started asking questions. I learned that Gazen Salts had suffered severe flooding back in 2013 and had been largely dormant for years. The reserve had only recently reopened, relying heavily on volunteers to restore it. By May 2021, I’d signed up. What began as one day a week quickly became several. Once you’re involved in land restoration, it has a way of pulling you back. I volunteered there for two years, right through to June 2023, helping with practical conservation work and learning far more than I expected—not just about wildlife, but about land, resilience, and patience. That experience changed how I thought about outdoor spaces. Conservation isn’t about perfection. It’s about balance, timing, and understanding what a place actually needs rather than forcing it into shape. That mindset stayed with me. In October 2022, I launched Earthly Comforts. At the time, I was still volunteering and saw the two paths as complementary. When the warden role became vacant in 2023, I applied—not because I wanted a title, but because the work mattered and I needed a stable income. Financial pressures for the charity meant the role couldn’t continue at all, and that chapter quietly closed. By late summer 2023, Earthly Comforts had found its footing. The business needed my full attention, and I had to step back from volunteering. That wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the right one. The influence of Gazen Salts runs through everything I do now. It gave me confidence to back myself and clarity about the kind of gardening service I wanted to offer. Earthly Comforts was never meant to be about fast fixes or cosmetic results alone. It’s about gardens that work with nature, not against it—spaces that support wildlife, soil health, and long-term resilience, while still looking cared for. Today, I sponsor Gazen Salts with a monthly contribution toward its running costs. I do it because I believe in what local nature reserves offer to their communities and because it feels right to give something back. Without that time spent volunteering, Earthly Comforts would not exist in the form it does today. Gardening, for me, isn’t separate from conservation. It’s simply conservation brought closer to home. |
Earthly Comforts 