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Discover the difference between a wildflower/formal style lawn and which would be right for you. Wildflower lawns verses formal lawns How easy are they? As a landscape gardener it often puzzles me when people ask for low maintenance gardens, in which they want huge expanses of grass with few beds and borders. It can take some convincing to make them think that actually the reverse would be much less work for them. Or me come to that. Lets think seriously about how much time is spent on keeping a formal lawn looking good. Then think about how much time is spent on a wild flower lawn. On a formal lawn the grass will require mowing at least once a week during the summer months. What about extra lawn care tasks during the Spring and Autumn? Aerating Scarifying Top dressing and seasonal Weed and feed routines. This all adds up to many hours of your life spent looking after a formal lawn. And what do you get in return? Stripes, an endless battle with moss, broadleaved weeds and pests, an ever increasing burden on your wallet and unnatural levels of fertiliser in the soil. Take a deep breath So lets look at the amount of work required to maintain a wild flower lawn or meadow. How often will it require mowing for example? Usually only once or twice a year. This involves a cut, followed by removal of the cut material. This can be done a day or two after mowing to allow seeds to drop back into the soil. What seasonal management does it need? See above. No pest or weed control. No additional chemical or granular fertilisers. No aerating. No scarifying. No top dressing. This adds up to a lot less of your time and money being spent on managing the same area of your garden. And what do you get in return? A long season of colour. Interest from the variety of flowers. An increase in insect life and other wildlife coming to visit the garden. Less stress. More time to relax. A fatter wallet. Fewer machines cluttering the shed. A more natural healthy soil. Less pollution in the atmosphere. An overwhelming sense of wellbeing and superiority when you sit in your garden listening to the neighbours wrestling with their mowers and strimmers.

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If you have a question about wildlife friendly gardening, Wilderness Tamed has the answer. Most other landscapers can't help. FAQ's Frequently asked questions How do I sow my new wild flower seeds? Sowing native wild flower seeds is easy. Prepare the area by taking up existing turf or plants. Lightly dig to about 10cm deep to loosen the soil. Rake the area over to level it off. Sow the seed at a rate of about 4grams per square meter. Lightly firm over the soil to make sure the seed is in good contact with the soil. Keep well watered in dry conditions. We recommend a sprinkler attachment on a hose. How do I plant my new wild flower plug plants? Simply choose the site and dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root ball with a little space round the sides. Firm the plant into the hole. Loosen the soil around the plant beyond the root ball so the gaps are filled. Keep well watered in dry conditions until established. ie new leaves begin to emerge. How do I care for my wild flowers in Autumn and Winter? Simply cut the plants down to ground level each Autumn once the flowers have faded and often before they go to seed. Remove all cut material from the site. That's it. Watch how to in these videos How do I plant my new pond plants? This depends on what part of the pond they want to be in. Deep water plants like lilies need to be anchored into the mud at the bottom of the pond. You might have to wade in if it's a large pond. Emergent plants that grow below the water level but send up leaves and flowers above the water can be planted into the mud around the pond edge. Marginals that grow around the wet edges of the pond, usually above water level, are easily planted in the same way as your plug plants. Take care not to pop your pond liner with your planting trowel. Another option, though far less natural is to fill pond baskets with well washed course grit. Anchor the plants into this then lower the basket into place at a depth to suit the plants. How do I care for my pond plants in Autumn and Winter? In much the same way as your wild flowers. Cut the stems and flower stalks of all pond plants to as close to the base of the plant as possible. Remove all growth to reduce the risk of rotting plant matter in the pond. Watch our pond videos . Too much decomposing material can cause gasses to build up in the water. If the pond freezes over in Winter these gasses can build up and affect the invertebrates and any hibernating amphibians. What is the best way to water new seeds and plug plants? We always recommend using a sprinkler attachment on a hose. This allows you to set it away and go and do something else, like have your dinner, enjoy a bath or go and watch a couple of Wilderness Tamed Youtube videos. Anything that lasts about an hour. Essentially you should water in such a way as to encourage seeds and new plants to send their roots as deeply as possible. This will help them survive long dry spells. Early evening when the sun has gone off the area is best. The water wont evaporate off the soil as quickly and there is less chance of leaf scorch. Where bright sun light shines through water droplets onto the leaves like a magnifying glass. If you want to stand for an hour with a hose in your hand get a fine spray nozzle so as not to wash out small seeds. An hour should mean the water penetrates the soil to a decent depth. Why is my pond murky? If it's a young or new pond you need to allow time for the plants and invertebrate population to establish. A pond, like any ecosystem, needs to find it's balance. Once a pond is balanced and all the life forms in it are working well the water will begin to clear. Natural ponds don't have pumps and filters running 24-7 and are generally happy, healthy and crystal clear. How do I get rid of blanket weed and algae in my pond? Both are a result of the same thing. High nutrient levels and sun light in the pond. Again balance is the key. Plenty of plants filtering nutrients through their roots will reduce algae. And surface cover from floating leaves like frogsbit, lilies and broad leaved pond weed will cut down on UV light which can cause blanketweed blooms. We also sell reusable Barley Straw pouches that can accelerate the demise of blanketweed. How do I keep my kids safe around a garden pond? This is a common question with several possible options. This usually occurs with families who are moving into new homes, where there is an established pond. While I worked at a local National Trust property and for the local Wildlife Trust I would host family activities which included pond dipping sessions. These were always, without doubt, the most popular events we hosted. Kids love water and ponds and bugs and beasties! Fact! I have installed ponds at several schools in Durham and Northumberland as they all realise how important outdoor education is for kids. So how do you keep your kids safe when there is a pond in the garden? You need to consider a few things. Is this pond home to a population of amphibians? If so, are you really going to add to their problems, of extinctioin due to habitat loss, by filling it in? NO!! Especially when they are in there breeding.........Trust me I know it happens. The most simple way to protect both your precious little ones and the kids is to have a small picket fence put up around the pond. Or across the garden to divide the play areas from the wildlife areas. As you'll see from my videos, the area around a pond should be a little wild to provide shelter for foraging amphibians. Put in a small gate so your children can access the pond whilst you are there to supervise. Which you will be at all times when your kids are playing around water. Wont you? Of Course! This ROSPA page highlights how many children, between 0 and 5 years of age, die from drowning in an average year. Notice how many drown in the bath at home and ask 'Where were the parents?' Are you going to get rid of your car? Many more children die in fatal car crashes per year then drown in ponds. Are you going to have the family dog destroyed because, once again, many more children are mauled to death by the family pet each year. What about your oven, fridge, washing machine or tumble dryer? Going to get rid of all of those as well as the pond??? I have amphibians in my garden, what do I do?" Enjoy the company! Amphibians, like frogs, toads and newts offer hours of entertainment while they are courting and breeding in a garden pond. But you may find them in your garden even if you have no pond. Remember amphibians only need water to breed in, it isn't where they spend their entire lives. Once they have metamorphosed from the tadpole stage into the adult stage, they will leave the water and spend the next few years foraging and feeding on land. They wont need to return to a pond until they are ready to breed. This can take three to four years. If you find a wandering amphibian in your garden leave it be to go about it's business. It's business can also be of benefit to you, as they feed on slugs and other insect pests in the garden. If you find an amphibian on land then do not assume it needs to be moved to the nearest body of water. Again, leave it be unless it is in immediate danger from you doing some gardening work or a cat. Do I need to control pests in a wild flower garden? No. I could literally leave it at that. A wild flower lawn or meadow is a self contained ecosystem. Yes there will be slugs and snails and caterpillars munching their merry way through the plants. But there will also be, predatory insects, spiders, amphibians, birds and small mammals all helping to keep things in check. I used to be at war with slugs and snails in my garden. Not any more. Changing from exotic plants to native has saved me so much time money and effort in trying to battle with nature. How do I disguise the liner around my pond edge? Visible pond liner (VPL) No one likes VPL and I never have any on the ponds I have built or re profiled. It is a simple thing to disguise liner with overlapping turf, sub soil or stone. While I don't particularly think stone surrounds look that natural, especially paved edges. You don't come across natural wildlife ponds with paved edges that's for sure. Paved edges....Urgh! I do enjoy working with stone and attempt to make ponds look as much a part of the landscape as possible. Below the top edge of the pond, have a second lower lying shelf on which to position the first layer of stones. These will sit in the water and help diguise the liner. The top layer of stone can be built above this first layer. This means that as the water level rises and falls through rain or evaporation, no liner will show. As you will see in several of my videos I always emphasise how important the spirit level is. It doesn't matter what you use to dig out a pond, from a teaspoon to an excavator, as long as your top edge has been profiled using a spirit level. So many of the ponds I see have liner showing at some point where the edge is higher than at other points. Shoddy workmanship! Answering the questions, most landscapers can't, about wildlife friendly gardening.

Wilderness Tamed offer a range of niche services to benefit wildlife and enhance your garden. From adding small features to complete overhauls and redesigns. Landscape design with a difference in the North East. Full Or Partial Garden Transformations Design, Consultation & Jungle Busting Renovations. Partial transformations Wilderness Tamed can add a wildlife friendly feature to an existing garden helping to enhance your space for the benefit of birds, insects small mammals and amphibians. Bug hotel in a nature reserve. Call Now Full Garden Transformations Let Wilderness Tamed transform your garden into a wildlife friendly haven. From initial site visit to final design and construction. Complete transformation Blackhall Mill Call Now Garden Design Consultation Wilderness Tamed offer a range of consultation services to help you self design your own garden, if that is what you would like to attempt. Or I can offer a full design service Call Now Jungle Busting Jungle Busting for those who require a jolly good clearance session to rediscover a lost garden. Hedge restoration in Stocksfield Call Now

Creating & maintaining wildlife friendly garden ponds across the North East is our main aim. Increasing valuable habitats for wildlife. Creating relaxing gardens for you and interesting educational gardens for kids in homes and schools. Wildlife Ponds These are just a few of the many wildlife friendly garden ponds I have created, improved or managed over the years. I believe ponds are one of the best wildlife friendly features you can have in a garden. You can buy a selection of native pond plants as plugs or seeds from our store Click on any of the images or text to find out more about each topic.. Learn how to build a natural looking wildlife friendly pond in your garden. Learn how to use native plants in your wildlife friendly pond. Learn how to disguise pond liner using stone, cobbles or plants. Learn how to maintain the plants around your pond. Check out the pond videos on my YouTube channel. For Pond safety information check the FAQ's page below

learn all you need to know about prepping for your new wildflower lawn. Preparing the soil for wild flowers This might come as a surprise, but you might have been spending the last few years preparing the soil for wild flowers. If you watch some of my videos about lawns and grass cutting you will hear me mention how 'cut and remove' is the perfect way to manage a wild flower lawn or meadow. Cut and remove? I hear you ask...Thats what most people do when they mow their lawns with a grass box. All the nutrient the grass has taken from the soil in order to grow, is collected in the grass box and dumped in a compost bin. Or worse still a local authority garden waste bin. This constant depletion of nutrients in the soil is just what wild flowers want. It's the opposite of what a lush grass lawn wants. Yet this is how people have been conditioned to mow their lawns. Then they wonder why the grass is struggling to compete with moss and broad leaved weeds. Either that or they combat the nutrient loss from their mowing regime by introducing chemical or granular fertilisers. More cost! This video below shows me sowing seeds in my own small front garden. The ground was previously planted with a mix of perennials and shrubs. If you have a lawn that you are considering removing or changing the simplest way to get it ready for wild flowers is to remove the turf. Hire a turf lifter for this, it makes the job so much quicker. While you're on, hire a cultivator. You'll want to use this to turn the soil. It doesn't have to be deep. Rake the area level once it has been dug over. Firm the soil with a roller. Also easy to hire. Then either follow the video above or lay your rolls of wildflower turf. Make sure you get a full plant list for the seed mix and the turf. Insist that a native species mix is included. None native plants serve no purpose other than colour and some pollen. When should you do all this? Ideally in Spring between March and April but the best time is Autumn between September and November. Whether seeding or turfing, it's a good idea to plant some native bulbs in the soil first. These will provide an extension to the season of interest. Snakehead fritillary, snowdrops, bluebells and old English narcissus are great for adding a splash of colour early in the year.

Aside from the obvious benefit of having a colourful mix of native plants, grasses and flowers that will spend all summer attracting a host of pollinating insects to your garden... Benefits of wildflower lawns & meadows. Aside from the obvious benefit of having a colourful mix of native plants, grasses and flowers that will spend all summer attracting a host of pollinating insects to your garden... . ..the fact that you don't need to be wasting precious time and effort mowing them every weekend which saves you money on fuel costs. When you take into consideration the increase in biodiversity in and around your garden... ...then add to that the improvement in the soil structure and health of the microbial life in it... Top it off with a reduction in artificial inputs from herbicides, like moss and weed killers.... Bird life, attracted by the increase in insects and seed variety. Amphibians who enjoy the extended foraging possibilities in this food rich habitat. Small mammals like hedgehogs, voles and shrews, excited by the expanded living quarters and food supply. With specific plants and grasses that provide food for the caterpillar stages of a wide variety of moths and butterflies. You don't get that in a lawn! From April to November the average formal lawn requires mowing at least once a week in order to keep it looking neat. Add all those hours up over the year and ask yourself if you couldn't be doing something more relaxing with your time than pushing a mower back and forth. Soil is allowed to behave naturally when it isn't beneath a lawn. A more natural cycle of plant growth with less artificial irrigation and feeding lets the invertebrates and microbes within the soil develop to sustainable and balanced levels. Their behaviour, uninhibited by man made additions to the chemical or structural nature of the soil, contributes to healthy plant growth. As gardeners we should be embracing nature, not throwing punches at it. Chemical lawn treatments, in the form of 'weed and feed' or pesticides for getting rid of turf pests all alter the soils balance as well as killing plants and moss. Additional nitrogen based fertilisers contribute to imbalance. It's difficult to think of any real benefits to having wildflowers instead of a neat and tidy stripy lawn .........Oh no! Hang on..

As mentioned on the formal lawns verses wildflowers page, this is an easy process carried out no more than twice in a year. Managing your wildflowers As mentioned on the formal lawns verses wildflowers page, this is an easy process carried out no more than twice in a year. As you will probably guess from other pages on this site my preferred method of mowing is with a scythe. Honestly, they're so much easier and eco friendly than people imagine. So simply mow the wildflower lawn and either immediately rake off the cuttings or leave for a few days to allow seeds to drop into the soil. Wondering if a scythe is a better option than a strimmer for managing your land? Check here for a comparison of the two. That's it! It really is as easy as that. I could end this page here, but I like to waffle on a bit, so there'll be more. You're wondering what to do with all the stuff you remove, aren't you? why not donate it to someone else who wants what you've got. They can spread it over a prepared area of their own garden. Allow the seeds to drop over a few days, then remove the vegetation. It's how many large scale meadows are created, with cuttings from an already established meadow. Failing that, perhaps some locals would like it to feed their pet guinea pigs or rabbits. I know some folk bale their wildflowers and sell the bales for a few quid. In other news, keeping the nutrient level low also means keeping the lawn free from too many Autumn leaves. Here's a quick video all about it.

Learn how to build a vibrant self sustaining wildlife pond in your garden. An easy to follow guide for beginners. How to build a wildlife pond On this page you will learn the basic principles to help you build a vibrant, self sustaining wildlife pond. People think ponds are high maintenance.....wrong! People think they need expensive pump and filter systems to keep the water clear......wrong! How many naturally occurring ponds have you seen in the wild with pumps and filters?.........None! People think ponds are dangerous for children. If you leave you're children unattended when they're playing around a pond then it isn't the pond that's the problem. This is one of the larger ponds I've created over the years. The hole was dug using a mini digger. I used underlay felt to protect the liner both underneath and on top. Some of the subsoil was kept from the excavation, to use back in the pond for planting. A native seed mix was sown around the edge. It was allowed to fill naturally with rain water and planted up in stages as if filled. Originally a contractor was employed to dig out the pond with a large excavator. The result was a soil profile that resembled a bomb crater. Despite being given a sketch showing how it should be dug. I then hired a mini digger myself to re profile the pond edges. This shot shows the underlay just beneath the butyl liner. Then overlay on top to protect the liner from the soil as it is filled back on top. The sub soil, that was dug out from the pond, is used to plant back into as the pond fills with water. Once the liner is covered with sub soil the pond is ready for the water. Allowing the pond to fill naturally and gradually with rain water prevents the soil from clouding the water too rapidly. The rain will soak the soil and allow particles to become waterlogged so they remain on the bottom rather than float in the water. As the pond fills you can begin adding the plants. Start with oxygenators and deep water plants like lilies. Then as the water level rises you can add in emergent plants. Those are plants that like to be beneath the water but will send up leaves and flower stems above the water. As with all ponds a spirit level was used to create the top edge The top edge of the liner was covered with some of the turf that was removed prior to excavating the hole. A mix of native marginal plants was sown around the edges early on before the pond filled. This meant a good selection of plants would develop below the maximum water level as well as above it. This guarantees the pond edge is as natural looking as possible with a striking mix of plants flowering almost throughout the year. During natural seasonal changes in water level from rain fall and evaporation the pond will always have that natural vegetated look. This is so much better than having a paved edge where the liner is visible from all angles regardless of the water level. The pond two years on with seating on either side to relax on and enjoy the view. Birds come to bathe and drink as well as regular visits in the summer from dragon and damsel flies. Newts have also been seen.

Highlighting the pros and cons between strimmers and scythes for those wanting to budget for their grassland management. Scythe V Strimmer If you're wondering about the advantages of a scythe over a strimmer then perhaps this page will help you make the right decision for your grass management plans. If your work is in conservation, land management, community groups or as a small holder, then it's well worth taking the time to seriously consider which tool will be best for you. Scythe V Strimmer Cost Servicing costs Spare parts Fuel Full kit £226 None. Can be done in house by trained staff & vols. Optional. Additions to kit if required. None Cost Annual Servicing costs Spare parts Fuel FS 361 PETROL CLEARING SAW £1039 Plus PPE and harness £120 per machine by professional mechanics. Approx £30 per cord spool approx £3.50 Per tank full 0.75lt per hour approximately. Plus oil and grease Pollution Noise. None Environmental. None Atmospheric. None Noise. 100 dB(A) 2) Environmental. Littering of plastic cord. Atmospheric. Unregulated emissions. Engagement & Safety As an engagement tool within conservation the scythe wins hands down. Visitors are naturally drawn to watching a scythe in action. Due to it’s silent operation users can engage with visitors while mowing. Teams can chat with each other while working. The prescribed safe mowing distance between scythers is 3 meters. No PPE is required, so awareness of others and wildlife is greatly increased. The lack of vibration means no risk of inducing finger or hand related issues. The mowers fitness levels are the only limiting factor in scythe mowing. As an engagement tool within conservation the strimmer is a repellent. Visitors are naturally annoyed by strimmers and will avoid close contact at all costs. The noise from strimmers makes it impossible to engage with visitors. Strimmer operators can not chat with colleagues. The prescribed safe mowing distance between strimmer operators is 15 meters PPE and harnesses are uncomfortable and reduce awareness of others and wildlife. Vibration from the machine can induce carpel tunnel syndrome, vibration white finger and Raynauds, reducing the time allowed to safely operate strimmers.

Gardening service in Durham & Northumberland GB | wildlife friendly ponds | wildflower lawns | Learn to mow with a scythe | wildernesstamed.com Putting nature before neat. With my background in horticulture and conservation I can provide a niche selection of wildlife friendly gardening offers. Wilderness Tamed provide a unique range of services aimed at you the customer and the wildlife you share your outdoor space with. Working with nature, not against it, to create relaxing spaces for our customers to enjoy. Phone Call to arrange consultation Mail Email to arrange consultation John Robson Grundy What can wilderness Tamed do for you? Full Or Part Garden Transformations Wilderness Tamed will design a wildlife-friendly, relaxing haven using native plants, scented flowers, and sensitive design techniques for easy maintenance. Services Wildlife Lawns & Meadows Wildlife lawns can be created using either bespoke seed or turf mixes to suit your garden soil, location and your personal preference. Lawns & Meadows Wildlife Ponds We create natural looking ponds with gently sloping, planted edges. Balanced populations of aquatic plants, invertebrates and amphibians. Ponds Learn To Scythe Learn to mow with an Austrian scythe. The perfect tool for managing lawns meadows and weeds. Buy one of our eGift cards for yourself or someone who you think would love to learn how to mow with an Austrian scythe. Scythe eGift Card Contract Mowing & Meadow Management Consultations I am available to mow wildlife lawns and meadows and offer consultation on meadow management. For businesses, schools and landowners looking to manage grasslands in a more sympathetic traditional manner. Call to arrange consultation Email to arrange consultation Talks & Training Offering a wide range of training and talks to local interest groups, colleges, ecologists and wildlife trusts. Audience at a recent talk given at Kirkly Hall college in Northumberland. Email to arrange consultation Call to arrange consultation

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