The Established Garden

Most of our clients have mature, established gardens that simply require good quality maintenance, with seasonal variations and occasional new planting. In these cases we focus on agreeing a regular maintenance programme across the full twelve months of the year, addressing seasonal needs as they arise and focussing on planned and preventative activities rather than reactive and remedial measures.

The number and regularity of our visits is dependent upon two main factors: the size of the garden in question and the amount of work the owner wishes to carry out themselves. Usually a weekly visit is sufficient to complete most planned tasks, although this is likely to reduce in the winter and or during inclement weather. Equally, additional work may be required during the Spring, the peak growing period, and the Summer, especially for the consistent grass cutting that produces fine quality lawns.

Flexibility remains the key at all times, allowing us to react to specific needs, weather changes and special circumstances. At all times we offer reliable service, attention to detail and a high standard of work that reflects our ongoing commitment to quality.

The Neglected Garden

'Neglect' comes in many forms and ranges from long abandoned gardens to those in need of an upgrade or re-vamp. As such, the important point is to assess each project based on (a) its individual needs, (b) the preferences of the owner and (c) the options available. While some aspects of gardening are standard and require similar activities, creating the best gardens relies on unique evaluation and detailed action.

‘Tired’ gardens also come under this heading and require two basic categories of action: preparation and planting. Preparation relates to clearing, soil improvement and identifying which plants to retain. Although these activities produce more limited visual improvement they are essential in laying the foundations for a thriving garden. Planting is the exciting part of the process and we work closely with clients who wish to be involved with the decision-making process, offering suggestions and recommendations but allowing the client’s personal preference to come through. For those preferring less involvement we simply complete the entire project quietly and let the result speak for themselves.

Having planned, cleared, prepared and planted we also consider the benefits of specific features such as new flower and shrub beds, specimen trees, water features and ornamental pieces such as statues and pergolas. Sometimes a few small changes are enough to radically change and improve the entire character of a garden and we enjoy the opportunity to use our experience to make limited but dramatic modifications that both transform and impress.

The New Garden

The most dramatic transformation comes with new gardens, empty plots of land awaiting their first gardening input and these provide a great and rewarding challenge. In such examples the client plays a central role, either by contributing personal ideas and preferences or by offering a clean slate and allowing us a free hand in design and planning.

Occasionally a client will ask us to clear their existing garden completely and then start from scratch but most ‘new’ gardens of course come with new build homes, and the opportunity to create an entirely new garden is a wonderful prospect.

Key decisions initially relate to soil preparation – often an issue on what was recently a building site – and basic planning about the core layout. Grass or patio? Lawn or ornamental beds? Water feature, pergola, rockery? Herb garden, fruit and vegetable plot? The options are limitless and we always try to accommodate a client’s wishes, while maintaining a professional approach and ensuring the resulting garden is practical and manageable.