Think of me as your gardening 'guardian angel'.
We don't undertake the actual work ourselves but we give you the insider tips and essential information to help you either do the work yourself, or clearly instruct and monitor your gardener or contractor.
I come to see your garden or proposed project, make a careful assessment of all its features and give you my impartial professional opinion. For many of our clients it's just a case of showing us round the garden and asking our advice on the most effective way to deal with a range of problems, from the best way to repair a fence to planting up that troublesome shaded area.
Here are a few examples of when people find our services particularly useful and some of the advantages that might apply to you ...
- You may want to undertake a one off project like a patio or terrace.
With large projects there are a multitude of factors to consider and some really crucial decisions to make right at the outset - of course your choices will be governed among other things by your budget but, with my advice, you will have a clear idea of what sort of options you have regarding different materials and design elements and what is realisticaly achievable for your money.
Taking into account your unique site conditions I will explain why it would be better if your patio was constructed a certain way and positioned in a certain place - I can even give you a fair idea of what you should be paying for the construction of a properly built patio.
Once you know what is involved in a project you may decide you would like to undertake the work yourself, or you may feel it would be better to choose a tradesman or contractor to undertake the work.
- We can help you keep the cowboys at bay.
If you decide to invite someone to do the work for you then, armed with our information, you are in a much better position to make an informed selection from the contractors quotes you receive. You can sort out which of the contractors intend to do the job correctly so your patio is fit for purpose and you can spot if someone's cutting corners, quoting a low 'cowboy' price that undercuts the genuine quotes. You can brief your chosen contractor clearly and confidently and with your enhanced understanding of just what's involved in the project, monitor the quality of work, how long it is taking and what it is costing.
Its reassuring to know that you have the insight and knowledge to oversee your project and get better results.
- Many of our clients also appreciate advice when buying tools and garden machinery.
It is perfectly possible to spend thousands of pounds on equipment when a considerably less expensive and equally effective alternative exists. I can tell you which machines in our opinion (backed up by years of experience) perform well and which ones you should avoid. From secateurs to lawnmowers we have the experience to impartially advise you which brand or type is suitable for your gardening needs and we may save you a deal of money (and frustration) in the long run.
When we do recommend the expensive equipment you can be sure it's because it is an essential 'piece of kit' when only the best will do.
- We can also work out a schedule of work for your particular garden.
Our advice and tricks of the trade will keep your garden looking at its best all year round and we can identify the tasks you could undertake and the ones which are best left to a professional gardener or contractor (under certain circumstances it can actually save time & money to get a professional contractor to do the work!).
- Choosing plants can be fun but mistakes can be very expensive.
Plants don't always perform the way you expect. It's a great idea to get some advice regarding planting position and condition preferences. I can tell you what to look for in a healthy plant and which plants are most likely to give you a reliable and long lasting display in local Herefordshire conditions.
We really are here for all gardening questions large or small from investigating why your roses don't flower (and suggesting remedies) to helping you plan a planting scheme for year round display.
How you use our services is up to you but I'm sure you can see the potential savings and benefits you gain by applying our advice and experience.
For value for money our introductory two hour assessment and advice session is hard to beat and that, coupled with an outline typed report, represents an outstanding combination as you can see from our charges schedule. What you get is a two hour visit so I can assess your garden, answer some of your gardening questions, give verbal advice and make recommendations. If you would like a typed outline report following the visit we are happy to do that for an additional charge.
Bear in mind it is quite possible to more than recoup the cost of our visit and report from the savings you make by following our advice.
For detailed information check out our Services and Charges pages.
