Hidden behind houses in Long Lane, Finchley, between the train tracks and the North Circular is a strangely peaceful sculptured wildlife garden.

It sounds like something that campaigners for Long Lane Pasture would love to see there instead of the proposed 97 flats but it is in fact already there, right next to the wild pasture.

In 1998, the far end of the Pointalls and District Allotments behind Long Lane was a dumping ground, with a three-foot high pile of earth, rubbish and broken glass.

Around the same time, Wayne Armsby, a 52-year-old self-confessed 'old hippie', inherited a house next to the pasture. After hearing about the proposed development, Wayne set to work and four years later he has single-handedly transformed the site from an overgrown wasteland to one of the most tranquil places in Finchley.

"It was severely abused and neglected. The development was very much the impetus to create something that was a microcosm of the field so it could act as a catchment if all the wildlife in that field would be evicted," said Wayne, who would jump at the chance to similarly transform the adjoining pasture if planning permission is not given for the development.

He has transformed the pile of rubbish into a moon-shaped sculptured mound, which is growing wild flowers and strawberries, created a pond filled with frogs and newts, a round crop-circle-like lawn surrounded by angled beds of earth growing a host of vegetables.

The acoustics of the area mean that noise from the neighbouring traffic and Tube line actually sounds more like the gentle lapping of the sea than an urban soundtrack.

The site became derelict after the allotments' society could not find tenants for plots at the far end of their field. So when Wayne asked about transforming the area, they agreed.

"Without Frank Derrett, the secretary of Pointalls and District Allotment Society approving and encouraging me I would have never got anywhere," said Wayne. "In many ways it's unconventional and not something some allotment societies would necessarily have approved of.

"If I'd known how much effort it would take I would have decided I couldn't do it myself. Looking at some of the stuff I have done I wonder how I did."

Allotment holder Allan Crawford said he has been inspired by Wayne and has consequently redesigned his own patch. "The days of planting cabbages in rows is over, it's the way to go I reckon," he said. "It's tremendous. It was just a waste land, bits of old iron, the grass was so high, weeds all over the place."

Wayne said that although he has been influenced by gardening programmes he does not aspire to their 'instant gardening'.

"My enjoyment comes from refining it and moving things around and looking forward to next year. Barely a week goes by when it doesn't look better.

"I've surprised myself because I usually lose interest in these things. I can't imagine ever losing interest in this," he added.

Go green and win £1,000

If you have been inspired by Wayne's garden, you could enter a new competition and win £1,000 for your efforts.

The Bin It For Barnet competition, organised by the Barnet Voluntary Services Council (BVSC) has a prize fund of £2,250 for groups that undertake an environmentally-friendly project that will improve their area.

Projects could include anything from collecting rubbish or removing graffiti to creating a garden like Wayne has.

For an information pack call the BVSC on 020 8446 6624.

Closing date for entries is July 31.

June 14, 2002 10:30