Nature-first gardening in the Tanat Valley

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Ethos

I believe that gardens can be the perfect habitat for humans and a whole host of other species. They should be places of beauty and safe haven, humming with life of all kinds, and spaces that provide a healthy, nutritious harvest: physically, emotionally and spiritually.

I think that all humans are natural gardeners in one way or another, and that we should all have the confidence to get stuck in, gently and kindly shaping the spaces around us to be as rich and bountiful for ourselves, and all the other life we share them with.

I prefer to use native plants wherever I can. Theyʼre beautiful, easy to grow (since theyʼve evolved for the local environment), and perfect for local wildlife (since theyʼve envolved in step with other local species). While we might see many of these plants as weeds, thatʼs often just because theyʼre so successful and grow in places weʼd prefer they didnʼt. But weeds are often just native wildflowers looking for a home. With care, patience, and understanding, we can create beautiul, resilient spaces that are perfectly adapted for the local area.

I try to use manual hand-tools wherever possible, because the physical effort, the slower pace, and the closer proximity help us think hard about what weʼre doing and why, minimising the damage we might cause inadvertdently. When manual tools arenʼt appropriate for some reason, I use electric tools, charged from renewable energy. As a last resort, I might use the ocassional combustion engine, but I try to be mindful of the changing climate and the need to avoid fossil fuels wherever possible.

Similarly, I donʼt use any artificial pesticides or fertlisers. I think that these only serve to exacerbate the problems they seek to solve, while causing damage to the water, soil, and atmosphere that we need to protect. I think that home-made, natural feeds (for example from nettles and comfrey), and good management (through, for example, mulching, companion planting, and strong biodiversity) provide the best outcomes in a way that protects and enhances the garden.

Gardening

I can help with general garden maintenance, including weeding, planting, propagation, harvesting, pruning, and tidying up.

I can also help with other projects such as constructing raised beds, digging wildlife ponds, and creating living structures from willow.

Hedgelaying

I have several yearsʼ experience now laying hedges in a Welsh-border style, traditional in the Tanat Valley, and in a looser conservation style. Hedgelaying creates beautiful structures that define our countryside, as well as ensuring that hedges are thick and long-lived, perfect for a range of wildlife. The brash from laying hedges can be cut up to provide firewood, and woven into dead hedges, which can help separate areas of the garden and also provide an excellent home for insects, mammals and birds.

I can also help with hedge trimming, using battery-powered tools to manage these sensitively on a multi-year rotation.

Hand mowing & meadow management

I have been mowing by hand using a scythe for several years now, and using it to manage meadows at my home. This amazing tool is quiet, sustainable, and wonderfully effective at cutting grass and other vegetation.

I can help you mow your spaces with a scythe, and work towards more meadow-like spaces that replicate the thousands or acres of meadow that we have lost across the UK over the last hundred years.

About me

Hello, I’m Alan. I have a long and varied experience in independent book publishing and software development, living around the UK. I now call the Tanat Valley home, where I grow fruit, vegetables and mushrooms, lay hedges and do everything I can to enhance the beautiful local landscape for wildlife.