Some pictures of groups of people learning to use Austrian scythes. A gallery of past scythe courses Just a few pictures from training courses I've ran over the years. From National Trust properties & Wildlife Trust reserves across the country to local community groups and garden associations. The above photos are kindly provided by Paul Fuller (@pf_photgrapher) Taken during a recent training and meet and mow session on behalf of the Borders Forest Trust at Drygrange near Melrose in the Scottish Borders. Training the group Getting in the swing of it. A term derived from scything. Teaching the group In full swing at Drygrange Keeping a watchful eye on the trainees. Borders Forest trust staff keen to learn. Me in full swing. You missed a bit! Slim Reaper Andi Rickard. Cutting a swaith or swath. A term derived from scything. Mowing the meadow at Drygrange. Enjoying lunch in the shade of the woods. A formidable rack! Enjoying lunch in the shade of the woods. Honing the blade. Getting the hang of it. Another scythe derived term. A formidable collection. Learning to peen the blades. Peening workshop. A rack of scythes. Gentlemen testing scythes. Scything in Slaidburn. Competitions at the Scottish scythe festival. New scythers mowing in Yorkshire.

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Learn to mow with our scythe course egift card full days training. Gift a unique experience with our scythe course egift card today! Beginners Scything Course eGift Card Choose the gift card that suits you best. £65 Individual day training course. Supply your own scythe. £85 Individual day training course with scythe supplied by Wilderness Tamed. £110 Discounted couples day training course. Supply your own scythes. £160 Discounted couples day training course with scythes supplied by Wilderness Tamed Scythe Course £65 Amount £65 £85 £110 £160 Quantity Buy Now Please note the vouchers are valid for 6 months after purchase or, for that calendar year, if purchased within less than six months of the last advertised course of the year. If you miss a course you will lose the money and be required to purchase another course for next year.

See what is involved on our Reptile & Amphibian Surveys training day Reptile Surveys On the training day you will learn How to spot the specific habitat features, within a wider landscape, that are suitable for reptiles. The techniques used to search for these animals without causing stress or disturbance. Gain knowledge of these little understood animals. Their life cycles, activity throughout the year, and ecology. Gain a respect of the importance of reptiles within a habitat and ecosystem. Important note There is no guarantee of seeing any reptiles on a survey, so attendees are encouraged not to build up their hopes of seeing some. But armed with the experience gained on the training day, they should be more confident of being able to spot them when out in the countryside. Book now to arrange your training Understanding Reptile Habitat When confronted with a large landscape scale area to survey for reptiles, an understanding of the key features they utilise greatly increases your chances of finding them. Survey Techniques Learning how reptiles function and using that knowledge to locate them in a visual search takes time and experience to learn. I will teach you how to approach an area in a way that helps you spot the animals before they become aware of you. Ecology Learn about the life cycles and ecology of our native herpetofauna. Gain an understanding of how these little understood animals function and go about their daily lives. Learn specific skills Survey techniques for reptiles are very specific. Join me for an intensive training day to learn the skills I have gained over 50 years of field work, studying these animals both in the Uk and abroad. Book now to arrange your training

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. 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 talk

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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? How do I plant my new wild flower plug plants? How do I care for my wild flowers in Autumn and Winter? How do I plant my new pond plants? How do I care for my pond plants in Autumn and Winter? What is the best way to water new seeds and plug plants? Why is my pond murky? How do I get rid of blanket weed and algae in my pond? How do I keep my kids safe around a garden pond? I have amphibians in my garden, what do I do?" Do I need to control pests in a wild flower garden? How do I disguise the liner around my pond edge? Answering the questions, most landscapers can't, about wildlife friendly gardening.

Check out some of our previous projects. Projects of Old My own pond When it was first put in it was full of exotic plants. That's all changed. Stone edge disguising pond liner Nothing worse than a visible pond liner. Streams My own pond When it was first put in it was full of exotic plants. That's all changed. 1/41

Talks & Training Talks to groups and training for professionals and individuals. Reptile Surveys Book now to arrange your talk I am available to travel to your own venue to give a range of training based around: Reptile & Amphibian Identification Survey techniques Habitat management. Reptile and amphibian ecology Gardening Talks Book now to arrange your training I am available to travel to your venue and present a range of talks based around Creating and managing a wildlife pond Creating and managing a wild flower garden. Formal lawns v's wild flower lawns or meadows. Replacing exotic species of flowering plant with natives. Gardening Talks Reptiles

Everybody needs it these days and scythe instructors are no different to any other tutor, instructor, guide, guru, or teacher. Insurances 1 Policy Bee Describe your service here. What makes it great? Use short catchy text to tell people what you offer, and the benefits they will receive. A great description gets readers in the mood, and makes them more likely to go ahead and book. 2 Pole Lathe turners and Green Woodworkers Describe your service here. What makes it great? Use short catchy text to tell people what you offer, and the benefits they will receive. A great description gets readers in the mood, and makes them more likely to go ahead and book. 3 Describe your service here. What makes it great? Use short catchy text to tell people what you offer, and the benefits they will receive. A great description gets readers in the mood, and makes them more likely to go ahead and book.

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.

See a variety of ways to hide your pond liner for a more natural look. How to disguise pond liner Nobody likes VPL! Visible Pond Liner. The common idea of pond construction is to use flat 'crazy paving' slabs on the top edge of the pond. You've seen them, with their slightly overlapping edges, desperately trying to hide any signs of liner. Fail! There are several easy and effective ways to disguise an ugly pond liner. Either using rock and cobbles or plants and even upturned turf. This series of videos will show you how. Creating a series of stepped shelves within the pond allows you to layer stone work up and out of the water. If you start from deep enough in the pond, any uncovered liner will be almost unnoticeable at depth. You can of course cover the entire bottom of the pond with gravel, cobbles and stone. If that's the sort of effect you are trying to achieve. I think of this type of pond as more a stream bed or quarry pond. In a garden situation this style of pond can work well. It is a rare thing to find a natural pond that is rock lined. If you think about it, most ponds are the result of poorly drained land and are therefore not much more than depressions in a saturated soil. As shown in the How to build a wildlife pond page, returning soil into the pond and adding plants at all depths within the substrate will disguise the liner more than adequately. As well as that it looks much more natural than a paved or rock surrounded pond. This style of natural planted pond edge allows you to blend the margins of the pond seamlessly with surrounding borders and lawns.