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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.

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 Wilderness Tamed is leading the way in wildlife pond installation in the North East. Instaling ponds for schools and private gardens across Northumberland, County Durham, Gateshead and North Tyneside. 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'll find everything from a small wildlife pond for frogs and newts in Newcastle to larger natural looking ponds in the Northumberland countryside. 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

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 metres 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 metres 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.

Please check our cookie policy. For more information please contact us. Cookie Policy for Wilderness Tamed Effective Date: May 28, 2024 1. Introduction Welcome to www.wildernesstamed.com (the "Website"). This Cookie Policy explains how Wilderness Tamed ("we," "our," or "us") uses cookies and similar technologies to recognize you when you visit our Website. It explains what these technologies are and why we use them, as well as your rights to control our use of them. 2. What are cookies? Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners to make their websites work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information. Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, Wilderness Tamed) are called "first-party cookies." Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called "third-party cookies." Third-party cookies enable third-party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g., advertising, interactive content, and analytics). 3. Why do we use cookies? We use first-party and third-party cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons for our Website to operate, and we refer to these as "essential" or "strictly necessary" cookies. Other cookies enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our Website. Third parties serve cookies through our Website for advertising, analytics, and other purposes. 4. Cookies used by Wix As the Website is hosted on Wix, it utilizes various cookies provided by Wix to ensure optimal functionality and user experience. Below are the types of cookies Wix may place on your device when you visit our Website: XSRF-TOKEN: Used for security reasons. hs: Used for security reasons. svSession: Used in connection with user login. SSR-caching: Used to indicate the system from which the site was rendered. _wixCIDX: Used for system monitoring/debugging. _wix_browser_sess: Used for system monitoring/debugging. consent-policy: Used for cookie banner parameters. smSession: Used to identify logged-in site members. TS*: Used for security and anti-fraud reasons. bSession: Used for system effectiveness measurement. fedops.logger.sessionId: Used for stability/effectiveness measurement. 5. Your choices regarding cookies You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can exercise your cookie preferences by adjusting the settings in your browser. Each browser is different, so check the "Help" menu of your particular browser to learn how to change your cookie preferences. 6. Updating this Cookie Policy We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Please revisit this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies. 7. Contact us If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other technologies, please email us at contact@wildernesstamed.com .

A range of training & talks covering wildlife friendly gardening, reptile & amphibian ecology & scything. Scything Courses 2026 Dates Ditch the strimmer, come along and enjoy learning this traditional skill in some wonderful settings across the North East region. Experienced scythe instructor John Grundy has been teaching across the region and nationally since 2012.. John has attended a masterclass at the Green Scythe Fair. This course sets a high standard in proficiency and has long been regarded as the goal for those wishing to become future instructors. The scythe is fast becoming a popular tool of choice for many gardeners, conservation charities and community garden groups. Wondering if a scythe is a better option than a strimmer for managing your land? Check here for a comparison of the two. I have been hosting courses in the use of Austrian Scythes since 2012 nationally. 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 Learn to mow with an Austrian scythe Scythe courses A full day course learning this traditional skill. Starting at 9am until 4pm. Venue Oaklands Garden Centre A694 Swalwell Newcastle Upon Tyne NE21 6RB Beginners course 4th July Beginners course 15th August Improvers course 29th August Beginners Course 5th September Beginners Course 25th September Cost: £65 Full day learn-to-scythe training £20 Scythe hire (or you can bring your own scythe for free) Book Now

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..

Learn the easiest ways to keep your pond clear and clean with this simple set of instructions. 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.

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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 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

Returns & Refunds Policy We want you to love your purchase. If you’re not completely satisfied, we’re here to help. This Returns & Refunds Policy explains how returns, exchanges, and refunds work at our store. Overview 30-Day Return Window You may request a return within 30 days of receiving your order. To be eligible for a return: The item must be unused, in its original condition, and in its original packaging. Proof of purchase (order number or receipt) is required. Certain items such as gift cards, downloadable products, and final-sale items are not returnable. How to Start a Return To initiate a return, please contact us at contact@wildernesstamed.comwith : Your order number The item(s) you’d like to return The reason for the return We’ll provide step-by-step instructions and a return authorization. Return Shipping If the return is due to our error (defective, damaged, wrong item): we cover return shipping costs. If the return is for other reasons (e.g., changed your mind, wrong size), return shipping is the customer’s responsibility. Refunds Once we receive and inspect your returned item, we’ll notify you of approval or rejection. If approved: Refunds are issued to your original payment method. Allow 5–10 business days for the refund to appear on your account. Please note: Shipping costs are non-refundable unless the fault was ours. If the item shows signs of use or damage not caused by us, a partial refund may apply. Exchanges If you need an exchange for the same item (e.g., different size or color), contact us at contact@wildernesstamed.com We’ll help you arrange the exchange based on availability. Damaged or Faulty Items If your order arrives damaged or defective, contact us within 7 days with photos of the issue. We’ll replace the item or issue a full refund at no cost to you. Non-Returnable Items Gift cards Digital/downloadable products Personalized or custom-made items Final sale or clearance items Late or Missing Refunds If you haven’t received your refund: Check your bank account again. Contact your payment provider; processing times vary. Contact us at contact@wildernesstamed.com if you still need help.

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