NATURE ACROSS THE DOWNS
THE DOWNS JOURNAL
Discover the wildlife, plants and seasons shaping our Wiltshire landscape.
LIFE ON THE DOWNS
The Wiltshire Downs form part of a globally rare chalk landscape, supporting an exceptional variety of plants, birds, insects and other wildlife. More than 70% of Britain’s chalk grassland has disappeared, making the habitat that remains increasingly important.
Nearby Salisbury Plain contains the largest surviving area of semi-natural dry grassland in the European Union. Through The Downs Journal, we record the wildlife found around the distillery, follow the changing seasons and explore the plants growing across the Downs and within our botanical garden.
Some of these plants flavour our spirits. Others provide food and shelter for pollinators, birds and other wildlife. Together, they reveal the close relationship between the distillery, this ancient landscape and the conservation work helping to protect it.
THE DOWNS JOURNAL | DOWNTON DISTILLERY
DISTILLERY GARDEN | BERGAMOT
Discover bergamot, Monarda didyma, in the Downton Distillery garden. Grown beside our juniper and salvia, its scarlet flowers attract bees and hawk moths, while its aromatic leaves have a traditional...
Distillery Plants | Marshmallow and Herbal Medicine
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis). Soft pink blooms, rich mucilage, pollinator friendly, resilient, and quietly one of the garden’s most useful plants.
Distillery Plants | Lemon Verbena Wonderfully Aromatic.
At Downton Distillery, we grow lemon verbena in our garden for use in Explorer’s Gin. Thriving in the sunshine and chalky soil of the Downs, it fills the air with...
