Category: Gardener Blogs

Snapshots of spring are constantly being sent to the Ed’s Office at the moment. The temperatures are certainly climbing this week and the Ed’s gardeners’ cameras are clicking away. There is also a bright yellow ball in the sky that we haven’t seen for quite some time and it adds to the beauty of everything we behold.

As spring arrives once again, we are out there observing up close the freshly blooming flowers, feeling the spring sun on our faces and witnessing up close all the signs of nature’s rebirth. It doesn’t matter how many years we are gardeners, the beauty of spring always astounds us.

Snapshots of spring – Out and about with Ed’s gardeners…

Ed’s gardeners love snapping photos from our travels and sharing them…

Magnolia season is here. We caught this beauty earlier today. So magnificent against a perfect spring sky.

There are daffodils, crocuses and other early spring flowers all around. So wonderful to behold after the gloomy winter months. We never tire of snapping daffodils. Here are two hosts from our travels today.

The blossom is also starting to billow. Another beauty we caught on camera earlier today.

Even the later blooming trees are starting to bud and leaf out, signalling the return of warmer weather.

One of our customer’s acers is just getting started…

Birdsong is most definitely in the air with harmonious choruses from all types of birds from goldfinches to coal tits. It can be quite a cacophony at certain times of day but we are not complaining. We always have our ear defenders to fall back on!

We wouldn’t rather be anywhere else than in the depths of nature at this wonderful time of year.

The sprouting of spring is a gentle reminder that summer is just around the corner. Thoughts wander to al fresco meals like these sitting in lovely outdoor spaces.

Spring is a call to action to get plans in order so we can all enjoy our gardens to the maximum in the warmer months ahead.

If we can help you with any of your plans to get your garden ship shape and make it a space you love, please do get in touch.

Investing in the future – Community Commitment

Investing in the future is at the very core of Ed’s. Our Ed’s gardeners love underpinning the longevity of gardens as part of serving their local communities. However, some of our gardeners also take active roles in community service beyond their gardening. Andrew, who runs his gardening business in Chertsey has also had a prominent volunteering role in his community for over 20 years as an active member and leader of Runnymede Scouts District.

It is Andrew’s Scouts District’s 50th anniversary this year. This September, as part of a weekend of outdoor scouting fun, Cub Scouts from Runnymede District helped Andrew plant a commemorative copper beech tree. Ed’s was very happy to sponsor this project.

Did you know that a beech tree was considered a symbol of knowledge and wisdom by Ancient Greeks? Furthermore, beech trees can live for 250 – 400 years.

Over to Andrew…

This is what Andrew has to say about the project…

“I have an outdoor job as well as being a Scout leader. Therefore, I know how much we all benefit from time spent outdoors in nature. So, I was delighted when Ed’s HQ offered to cover the cost for the tree. Ed’s turned our hopes for a living reminder of the 50th anniversary into reality.“

“Around 200 young people and adults attended Runnymede District Cub Camp for the District’s 50th Anniversary this year (20-22nd September 2024) and to mark the occasion in an environmentally conscious way, the Cubs planted the commemorative tree.”

“The tree planting event, which took place at Birchmere Campsite on September
21st, was part of a weekend of outdoor scouting fun. Cubs of all ages took
part in a wide range of woodland themed activities, followed by a traditional campfire on Saturday evening.”

“Our new tree will contribute to the environment and be enjoyed by current and future Scouts for many years to come.”

Hedges Galore at Ed’s – Can we help?

The word on the street in Ed’s is that there are lots (and lots) of hedge cutting jobs being booked in for the coming weeks. The time of year determines when you can cut hedges as you should only cut them outside of bird-nesting months. Nesting months are typically between March and August every year. And so we are just getting into prime hedge cutting time in September. Hence the Ed’s gardeners’ diaries have hedges galore booked in for the coming weeks.

The Ed’s gardening team have lots of experience in this area. and work across many locations. We can do everything from light trims to taking hedges down quite significantly and can work with a wide range of hedge types.

If you would like some help with your hedges, please do get in touch.

Ed’s technicolour summer is underway

We are delighted to see Ed’s technicolour summer unfold before our eyes. Such beautiful flowers in the gardens we look after. Our business is of course garden maintenance. We focus on lawn mowing, hedge cutting, garden clearances and tidy-ups as well as jet-washing patios and drives. However, we are far from immune to the beauty of plants. We love to see all the beautiful flowers flourishing in our customers’ gardens. And there is no better time for fantastic flower spotting than now.

Early summer is most definitely the time of year when everything bursts into glorious technicolour. We are always amazed how the bright clashing colours of flowers side by side only seem to make each plant more glorious in its juxtaposition. Nature just works.

Here are just a few snaps of some very pretty summer flowers taken by the Ed’s team whilst out on their travels. Hopefully they will brighten your day….

First of all, some decadent Dahlias….

Heavenly Hidcote English Lavender….

A beautiful Blue Delphinium….

Let’s not forget some good old fashioned Geraniums…

One variety…

And another…

And yet another!

And then there’s Oh-so-starbursty Osteospermum…

And finally, some resplendent Roses…

And so there we have it. All the colours of the rainbow. Summer is here in all its glory ,folks!

Is your garden ready for summer gatherings?


If Ed’s can help you with any of your summer garden needs, please do get in touch.

Turning our thoughts to the season ahead…

Spring alert! On chilly days such as these spring can feel a very long way off. However, it is just round the corner. The signs are there already with snowdrops and new shoots starting to peek through. Ed’s gardeners are a hardy lot and you spot them out and about, here, there and everywhere, in all seasons!

It is never to early to think about gardening plans for the season ahead. The loveliest summer gardens are always the reward of early preparation.

If you would like to discuss your garden’s needs going forward, please do get in touch.

Festive Cheer is all around. Christmas is almost upon us and the end of 2023 is fast approaching. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our lovely customers for your ongoing support this year. We have enjoyed helping you to meet the needs of your garden through the seasons of the year.

We very much look forward to continuing to support you to keep your gardens looking beautiful in 2024.

Festive cheer to all, far and near

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

May your days be merry and green.

With very best wishes from everyone in the Ed’s team

Hedgehogs Alert – Remember, Remember…

Let’s talk about hedgehogs…

We love hedgehogs. There, we said it. Hedgehogs are indeed very close to the hearts of Ed’s gardeners. They really are fantastic little garden buddies. Quietly going about their business of eating many plant destroying insects and snails. Aside from doing this very important job, they look very cute as well. Well, quietly isn’t strictly true though. They are very good at minding their own business but they can be fairly vocal, with a variety of grunts, snuffles and squeals. Quite the little characters they are. We consider it our privilege to be so close to nature on a daily basis and to share the garden with them.

How can we help?

We do our best to help our spiky little friends whenever we can. We were able to help this very little guy in the photo get back to safety. Dan, our Ed’s gardener in Great Bookham, found him wandering by the side of the road and was able to escort him out of the danger’s way.

Of course we all love this spectacular crunchy time of year when the beautiful autumnal leaves come tumbling down in swirls. All glorious but thoughts quickly turn to getting them cleared away when it all turns a bit messy. Actually, we can help with that, but that’s a topic for another day. Hedgehogs are predominantly nocturnal and like nothing better than dozing away for significant parts of the day. They particularly enjoy curling up in a cosy pile of leaves and other garden waste to have a nice long nap. Please do keep this in mind when moving piles of leaves and garden rubbish that have been left, even for a little while. That way no harm will come to any hedgehogs. Our gardeners always have a thorough check through any piles that have been sitting before we move anything.

Remember, remember the 5th of November

Finally, and very importantly for hedgehogs, Bonfire Night is almost here. In particular, please do check thoroughly that there are no little sleeping beauties inside before you set alight any bonfires.

To sum up

Happy hedgehogs, happy Ed’s gardeners

Ed’s gardener training is taken very seriously in Ed’s Garden Services. This goes far beyond initial training in competently and confidently delivering our range of gardening services. Initial training is really important. However, it is just as important to continuously build on this knowledge with the provision of ongoing training in a wide range of topics. We learn from the very best in the horticultural business. We cover developments in products and equipment. Furthermore, we concentrate on topical areas relating to lawns and plants. Finally we keep abreast of any important regulation changes. This is all part and parcel of our gardeners having all the tools (actual and metaphorical!) to deliver really good customer service.

Ed’s Gardener Training – Hot off the press…

Just last week we ran an Ed’s training session at our office. We invited along our go to horticultural expert who put us through our paces on all that is new in the world of gardening. We really enjoy these interactive sessions which often include quizzes etc. to test our gardening knowledge and to keep our knowledge current.

Furthermore, we structure our training sessions so our gardeners get a chance to share their gardening challenges and successes. This is really valuable as we learn from each other’s experiences and we can build this in to our day to day customer service.

The after party…

Ed’s gardeners are most definitely a sociable bunch. They join us partly because they thrive on the social interaction aspect of running a good gardening business. It’s Ed’s tradition to put on a barbecue after our training sessions. This gives everyone a chance to catch up socially and our gardeners really enjoy it.

As luck would have it last week, just as we were winding up our classroom session and were getting ready to fire up the barbecue, the heavens well and truly opened. However, no one was fazed by a spot of rain – we are gardeners after all!

Ed himself started off on the barbecue, another Ed’s tradition. His burgers topped with stilton are truly legendary!

However, on this occasion, David, our Tunbridge Wells gardener offered to lend a helping hand at the helm of the barbecue. David is originally from South Africa and joked that barbecue cooking is in his DNA! His barbecuing skills were indeed pretty impressive – almost as good as his gardening ones! As always, Wellington the Ed’s labrador, was on hand to pick up any dropped pieces of, well anything really.

A well spent afternoon and evening before our gardeners headed home, well fed and with lots of food for thought to keep themselves at the very top of their gardening game.

Lawn stripes showcase

Lawn stripes are a really big thing for Kevin, our Ed’s gardener in Raynes Park. Kevin takes a lot of pride in getting them just perfect. They can be the crowning glory of a lush and wonderful lawn. We are sure that you will agree that this lovely specimen is most definitely Wimbledon-worthy! Kevin prides himself on having a whole range of customers with beautiful lawns just like the one in his photo.

And so, we caught up with Kevin and asked him what his secret ingredient was for such spectacular lawns. This is what he had to say …

“The secret is continuity of care. Lawns need a lot of care to get them looking their very best. Therefore, I work with my customers and look at the job holistically. That is to say, providing care and attention all year round to make sure that lawns can flourish to be the best that they can be. When customers see the results of this, they are very keen to keep the process going so that they can enjoy their beautiful gardens to the fullest. Each lawn is different and it is all about coming up with the best care plan for treatments and mowing, taking into account all the external factors affecting the lawn in question.”

” I really enjoy all my gardening jobs but I get a special sense of satisfaction from nurturing lawns and bringing them forth to be quite splendid specimens. I’ve been doing this job for quite a while now and yet a perfect lawn still never fails to thrill.”

If you need any help with getting your lawn looking glorious, please get in touch. Ed’s can most certainly help to turn your dream lawn into reality.

Ed’s Gardeners going the extra mile – Mark saves the day

Ed’s gardeners going the extra mile is a common theme in our business. Here is a recent example…

Ed’s gardeners going the extra mile – The background

Mark runs his Ed’s gardening business in Ramsgate, Kent. He recently got an unusual request from a customer. Their young children are obsessed with pirates and were besides themselves at the idea of having their own pirate ship to play on in their garden. The customer had been able to find a wonderful wooden galleon pirate ship. However, the garden wasn’t totally flat and the ship needed full assembly and to be installed properly to make it safe for the children. The customer asked Mark if he would be prepared to do the job. They recognised that it was outside his usual remit and also at a busy time of year.

Ed’s gardeners going the extra mile – The job in hand

Mark tells us ” I thought about the scope of the project and was confident that I could complete the job to a high standard. Now, who would dare disappoint apprentice pirates! And so, it was a yes from me, one very relieved customer and some very excited junior pirates.”

“I planned the various stages of the job. There were three parts to it. First of all, I had to level the ground so that the structure would be on a flat surface. Next, I had to insert pins into the ground sunk in concrete to make sure that the structure would be secured properly. Finally, I had to build the actual pirate ship and get it in place.”

Ed’s gardeners going the extra mile – The end result

“The job ran very smoothly and each phase was quite straightforward. I was able to complete the job in good time. Just as well as my mini customers were waiting patiently in the wings in extreme anticipation of the final result. No pressure!”

“Chatting with my customer afterwards, they mentioned that the junior pirates have already set their sights on a garden climbing frame for essential pirate training. They wondered if I might lend a steady hand once again. Of course, was my reply.”

” I love the challenge of types of unusual jobs. This was a particularly nice one as there is something very special about sharing children’s excitement in a project.”

Our Ed’s gardeners can help you fulfil a whole range of your garden’s requirements. Please just get in touch.