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Scything Scything is an excellent, economical and environmentally friendly way to manage your lawns or meadows. ​ Scything is rapidly becoming more popular as a way to maintain lawns and meadows. Conservation charities and gardening groups, as well as individuals, are all getting on board with this traditional tool. With their light weight and ease of use, many people find scythes are an ideal substitute for powered machines. To find out if I'm all legit & can be trusted Cheaper to buy than strimmers/brushcutters and mowers. Costs nothing to use each time you mow. You aren't using fuel or electricity regularly. No other ongoing costs, like oil ,grease, cord etc. You can maintain a scythe yourself, so there are no servicing costs. No atmospheric pollution from petrol fumes. No noise pollution from engines. No environmental pollution from bits of plastic cord being spread across the landscape. No need for ear, eye or face protection. You can get away without gloves or steel capped boots if you want. More pleasant to work as a team. Safe mowing distance between scythes is 3 meters. Safe mowing distance between strimmer operators 15 meters. Regular scything is a great cardio exercise and core strength builder. Many of the people I have trained are on my mailing list the North East Cereal Killers . A volunteer group who help each other out with mowing large areas (usually in return for tea and cake) You might like to join also and get involved.

Newt Identification Training. Among the many things I do, training people to identify our native amphibians and reptiles, is one. Those involved in conservation and ecology need to know how to identify the species they encounter, in order to help them manage habitats. Several of our native reptiles and amphibians are on the endangered species list. Learning how to identify different amphibian species, survey for them effectively and manage their habitats, is crucial in helping protect these vulnerable animals. This male great crested newt Triturus cristatus is from one of my own ponds in the garden. He was caught in a bottle trap which was placed in the pond overnight. Early the next morning, the traps were emptied and the newts counted and photographed. The two trainees were able to see the newts close up, in order to spot the differences between species and sexes. The belly markings of newts are unique to each animal, and a great way to help tell individuals apart. There are distinct characteristics between males and females of each species of newt. Knowing all of these key differences takes time to learn. These trainees are employed by a local wildlife trust and are training towards gaining a specific Natural England licence for great crested newts (GCN). In order to legally survey for any endangered animal, you must be licensed for the specific species. Any form of disturbance , even down to photography, needs to be covered by the licence. This leucitic female palmate newt Lissotriton helvetica , was from another of my garden ponds. These colour morphs occur naturally and can be quite common in some populations. They can cause confusion when trying to identify them, as the lack of pigment means none of the usual colours or markings are present. ​ If you would like to learn how to identify our native amphibians and reptiles, look for them and help protect them, please contact me.

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

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..

How to maintain Pond plants. Essentially pond plants are herbaceous perennials and require only one cut in a season. This is usually done in Autumn, once they have all finished flowering. October to November are the best months for this. ​ Some prolific seeders like Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris, can be cut as soon as they have finished flowering. Usually April to May. This reduces the amount of seed they produce. ​ They often send up a second show of flowers after being cut. They are very decorative plants but can be a bit of a thug around a smaller pond, overpowering smaller more delicate plants like Ragged Robin Silene flos cucculi. By the end of the year many of the plants in a pond will have spread an incredible amount. They are prolific growers. ​ Marginals are best cut to ground level around the pond edge. I use a scythe for this. working around the pond edge anti clockwise so that the cut vegetation is drawn away from the water by the scythe. ​ Emergent and deep water plants can also be trimmed (carefully) using a scythe or shears to as close to their base as possible. ​ In large ponds, where amphibians breed, it is best to only clear one third of the vegetation each year. As many amphibians (Adult male frogs and un metamorphosed juveniles) will hibernate in the mud at the bottom of ponds it is best practice to avoid too much disturbance. Make sure as much of the cut vegetation as possible is removed and composted. As mentioned, many pond plants are fast growers and need to be kept in check, otherwise they can smother the other plants and take over the pond. ​ Steer clear of exotic species if you can, as many have proved to be very invasive. Some, once available for sale, are now notifiable invasive plants, recognised as ecologically disastrous in UK waterways. ​ Native pond plants to watch out for are Yellow Flag Iris, Marsh Marigold, Pendulous Sedge, Hornwort, Purple Loosestrife, Water Mint and Rush. ​ In this video I demonstrate how to clear dense mats of overgrown pond plants. In this video you can see how thick some pond plants can become. Their stems and roots forming dense mats on the surface as well as deep into the water. ​ With regular maintenance, as described above, this can be avoided. Regular work is easier and lighter to carry out. Rather than waiting several years and it becoming a hard heavy job. ​ In this video I demonstrate how to clear vegetation using a scythe. Both in and around the pond. Careful use of the scythe allows for quick work around the pond edge. ​ Once in the water I can use the scythe to snip water lilies and oxygenating plants at their base. ​ Once everything is cut, I can rake it out and compost it. ​ Pond plants compost incredibly well. ​ Sludge from the pond bottom is very nutrient rich and makes excellent fertiliser.

SHIPPING POLICY We aim to dispatch your items within 3 working days of receiving your order. Small seed orders are sent in small envelopes inside postage envelopes 2nd class. Larger seed orders are sent 2nd class signed for. This means we have a tracking number. You can request the tracking number by contacting us directly. Plug plants and pond plants are posted either in padded envelopes or small parcels. We post live plants from Monday to Wednesday. Posting later in the week may mean the plants are held in sorting offices over the weekend and as a result may suffer. All prices shown in item descriptions include the postage costs for mainland UK. RETURN & EXCHANGE POLICY We hope that you will be fully satisfied with the seeds that we supply. If for any reason you have a problem with our products please contact us and let us know at the earliest opportunity so that we can seek to resolve the issue. We offer a 14 day guarantee on all our native wildlflower seeds. If we have made a mistake or our seeds are defective we will of course replace or refund the items concerned without delay. Depending on the nature of the complaint we may ask for the return of the goods in question. If you are returning an item because of an error on our part or because it is damaged or defective, we will refund the delivery charges incurred in sending the item to you and arrange collection or refund the cost of returning it to us. Before returning seed or other products to us please first contact us to notify us so we can advise you on the best course of action.

Scythe Risk Assessment Below is the link to the actual risk assessment document. This includes all possible hazards you may encounter while out in the field learning to mow with an Austrian scythe. Also covered are environmental hazards such as reactions to vegetation and insects. Scratches, stings, bites etc. Not many people will have seen a risk assessment for scything before. Pretty sure back in the day, I was the first person to write one for the National Trust. It has been refined since then to encompass different venue types and groups. Risk Assessment Insurance Everybody needs it these days and scythe instructors are no different to any other tutor, instructor, guide, guru, or teacher. Thanks to the Pole-lathe turners & Green woodworkers for their dedicated public liability insurance cover up to £5.000.000. ​ ​ insurance document

Scything Courses As a registered SABI* trainer in the use of Austrian Scythes a number of courses are offered throughout the year. ​ A days training includes Anatomy of the scythe Setting up the scythe Mowing techniques Blade honing with a whet stone Meadow management Peening the blade using a jig Maintenance of the scythe and blade through the year Community groups, charities and local interest groups can book scythe training days at discounted rates. ​ I can also offer one to one courses for individuals. ​ You might like to join the North East Cereal Killers ​ ​ * SABI Scything Association of Brita in & Ireland ​ Go to my risk assessment and insurance documents page . Book now to arrange your scythe course Mail Upcoming scything courses Free Peening Refresher Get your blade ready for the mowing season on international peening day. An everywhere event ran country wide. I will be attending the event t o assist people with sharpening their scythe blades. Starting at 10 am on Sunday 7th April. Meet under Byker bridge opposite the city farm down in the Ouseburn valley. Free Peening Refresher Cormorant Garamond is a classic font with a modern twist. It's easy to read on screens of every shape and size, and perfect for long blocks of text. Gardening Talks 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. ​ ​ Book now to arrange your talk Wildlife Survey Training I am available to travel to your own venue to give a range of training based around: ​ Identification Survey techniques Habitat management. Reptile and amphibian ecology ​ ​ Book now to arrange your training Gardening Talks Widlife Survey Training

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. 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.

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

​ Cr eatin g and maintaining wildlife friendly ponds. ​ Creating and managing wildflower lawns and meadows using only native UK wildflower seeds and plants. ​ Regional trainer for the Scything Association of Britain & Ireland (SABI ) ​ Let Wilderness Tamed create a space for you to enjoy. Designing low maintenance, relaxing gardens for people and wildlife. ​ ​ Phone now to arrange your consultation. Phone Putting nature before neat. Mail Email now to arrange your consultation. John Robson Grundy ​ The first step in planning a garden is to understand what you the customer want to get from the garden. Once that has been established then the planning can begin. It's then my job to look at how to take your ideas and make them wildlife friendly. An obvious way is to introduce native plants. The aim is to replicate a little section of a natural eco system, with a full food web. ​ The image opposite shows a fully stocked border which hosts a wide range of native plants amongst the exotic stuff. I transformed this garden from having a few dominant perennials and an odd mix of shrubs, into a stunning, colourful, year long garden of interest for the client as well as offering plenty of habitat and foraging opportunities for wildlife. ​ ​ A classic garden mistake I see is the butterfly border. Planted up with buddliea, and all kinds of exotic plants. Fine if all you want to do is get the local insects addicted to a high nectar source. But, none of our native butterflies or moths will use any of these plants to lay their eggs on. ​ They have adapted to spending their larval stage (caterpillars) on very specific food plants. So if you want to see plenty of butterflies, you really need to think about plenty of native goodies for their offspring to nibble on. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Ponds are without doubt the best feature a garden can have. They attract masses of wildlife. Offer fascinating, educational opportunities for children. ​ Provide cooling, tranquil places to relax. ​ Allow for creating a completely different habitat in your garden with a wide array of plants you often can't grow elsewhere. ​ Wilderness Tamed don't do formal ponds with crazy paving around the edges, gnomes on toadstools, fountains and fish. We create natural looking ponds with gently sloping, planted edges. Balanced populations of aquatic plants, invertebrates and amphibians. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ What can I do for you?