Every year without fail, the rapid spring growth serves as a reminder of who really is boss in this garden, and it's not me. It's Mother nature and she has big plans for our garden. She wants to turn it into a meadow. Then, she'll leave it as a meadow until the trees have self seeded, grown tall and established, then it will be a forest, just like it was 150 years ago. If it wasn't for my endless mowing, weeding, mulching and trimming edges, this garden would turn into a meadow in about a year I reckon.
This never ending battle to fight off the meadow requires an armoury of garden tools that clutter and spill out of the potting shed and garage: lawn mower, brush cutter; hedge clippers and an assortment of hand tools. And while the big petrol guzzling machines may be the most effective, they need constant petrol, oil, servicing and replacement parts. Usually one of them is broken or at the mower shop at any given time.
Interestingly enough, a small but growing army of gardeners in the next village down the road have turned to the age old tool of the scythe. They've taken to cutting each others' meadows for hay. Much to the bemusement of the local petrol heads. Beautiful to look at, and with a bit of practice, just as effective as its modern counterparts, it's quiet without any moving parts to break. A friend kindly lent me their scythe this week so I could see for myself how it faired in the meadow fighting stakes. I need some practice for sure, but the gentle side to side movement and the irresistible sound of the steel cutting the grass makes this option very appealing. Working outdoors, listening to the sound of the birds, with no ear muffs, no stinky petrol fumes and finishing the job with neat pile of cut grass, what's not to love. It's a winner. Have a look here at how effective these scythes can be.
Yep, I think I'll be adding one of these to my Christmas wish list. I'm sure Mother nature would approve.
It is a bit menacing in the photo, but souns fantastic. Will keep it in mind for controlling the paddock in the property we are hoping to buy. How wonderful that your have such like minded people in your local community :)
ReplyDeleteHow lovely. There's an ad in the back of Organic Gardener magazine that invites you to 'join the worldwide scythe renaissance', and now I see it's true! I hope Father Christmas is a fan :)
ReplyDeletei love this. 'the slow garden movement,' sure to be the next big thing. brooms in favour of blower vacs, hand saws to replace chainsaws. i'll sign up right now!! xo
ReplyDeleteYes! Love your new grim reaper look....! And how can you go wrong with a 'Schroeckenfux'??!!? x
ReplyDelete(We had a scythe when I was little, I remember it hanging up in the shed. No one got sliced, and the grass was tamed...)
Sounds like a really great environmentally-friendly alternative (but very labour intensive!). There's something very 'grim reaper' about them though!
ReplyDeleteRe video;Does it come with a hunky man with no shirt on?
ReplyDeleteWe payed rent on an auberge (rat infested hovel!) in Cannes by gardening. Using the scythe was my respite from the hard bits of the trip. Easier, lighter and more tranquil than petrol. I'd love one in my stocking too!
ReplyDeleteVery nice, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love it, and I am jealous: wish we had a meadow to call our own.
ReplyDeleteRob is so jealous and has it on his wish list too. I'm afraid our brushcutter is at the doctor and we hired one for the weekend. the grass is getting so long, apart from my scorpion phobia I really don't want to share the hut with a snake either!!!
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