How to manage the garden in your block

Shared gardens always have their special issues. Each resident will have a different idea about how the garden is maintained and managed and some have different requirements, one may want a patch for the children to play on another will want a perfect lawn. A professional contractor should be able to talk residents through a range of options and services as well as help you avoid expensive mistake and wasted effort.

Different styles and types of property have varying standards and differing quality requirements. Rates for gardeners vary hugely. At the most expensive you have the top city garden centre services and at the cheapest the one man band operators. Prices range from £15 to £45.00 per man hour. But it is not just the basic price that will get you what you need. A small gardening outfit maybe inexperienced and lack the necessary tools for the job, so therefore less effective than a professional contractor.

Selecting the right contractor is vital in terms of obtaining best value. A specification helps to narrow down your requirements and helps each contractor price the service that you require. Talk to a number of contractors and get an idea of how much time is needed, making sure you know how much time you will be paying for, then evaluate how much expertise you need. If the work is essentially leaf blowing and grass cutting you don’t need a head gardener from Kew.  But more importantly you don’t want to trust your intricate and often high value city gardens to a mow, blow and go outfit. There are many horror stories! 

Some larger properties employ in house gardeners who work on a full time basis. Lone gardeners can offer a friendly face, continuity, full time cover and improved security to help prevent vandalism. But equally contractors offer higher work out put. For example lone gardeners often potter and sometimes achieve little with their day, on the other hand a group of gardeners from a specialist company are often much more productive; they are motivated by a team leader and should have good supervision. The expertise that these gardeners have gained from working in other gardens will add to yours and work to your benefit.. A company also can offer specialised expertise on technical issues such as biological controls, tree surgery, specialist lawn care, irrigation, plant supply, etc.

Communal gardens are often small, especially in relation to the buildings that they surround; therefore it is important to make the right choices. In small gardens every plant needs to earn its keep for much of the year. Planting a beautiful Daphne that flowers for three weeks and then disappears into a mass of scrappy foliage is not so sensible. Structure and planning are key, and a good maintenance programme that works throughout the year, adapting to the demands of the seasons is very important.

Well laid out good quality plants will give the impact required. Spend a little extra on the plants and see the immediate rewards, an established plant will have a much greater chance of success against its established neighbours and will provide immediate impact.

So while you are looking out of your window at your dormant garden this month, think about planning, ask yourself is the garden a success? And are the gardeners giving me the best value for my money? And avoid anyone who tells you that there is nothing to do in the garden in the winter.