Matthew’s Winter Makeover

A bit about Matthew…

Matthew May joined Ed’s Garden Services in March 2012 to be an Ed’s Operator in the Folkestone and Canterbury areas.

Garden work is never truly done and Matthew always keeps himself busy in the Winter months. The following garden makeover is an example of ways he keeps active all year round as he completed this job before Spring had sprung earlier this year.

Matthew tells us more about the work involved with this garden makeover…

“As you can see from the pictures shown below, the house was very new and only had a small patio. My customer asked for a larger patio area to enjoy in the Summer for BBQ’s and entertaining friends.”

“Firstly, we lifted the existing patio and path and used these slabs to create a new shed base.”

“We then fixed the issue of water running in the direction of the house due to the garden sloping. To do this, we dug out the new patio area so it tilted away from the house and used this soil to flatten the upper level of the garden.”

“We top soiled and turfed the top level of the garden. Then we laid down grey Indian Sandstone for the new patio and path. Lastly, we built a wall with sleepers and installed drains to tackle the problem of surface water.”

“I am very happy with the outcome of this garden makeover and so is my customer.”

Why not get in touch with Matthew who would love to help with your gardening needs?

 

 

 

RHS Wisley

Taking inspiration from nature

The Ed’s team had an early start (even by gardener standards!) last week.   We got up with the lark and  were out in force for our seasonal visit to RHS Wisley, Surrey.  Our spring training session is an important event in the Ed’s calendar.  

The Classroom 

On arrival, we kicked off the morning with an expert-led classroom session.  You can’t help being impressed by our expert’s encyclopaedic knowledge of all things garden-related. It is great to hear about all the  new products and developments in the world of gardening.  We know how important that is to provide the best possible gardening services to our lovely customers.  We continued with a  full briefing  on recent changes in gardening regulations and wound up our session with an open-floor question and answer session.  

The Gardens

We can’t visit RHS Wisley without taking a tour of the beautiful gardens. We are always bowled over by their stunning displays and spring is very special indeed. It is so inspiring to seeing gardening creativity at work in this very special place. The gardens are even more magical in the early morning light, before all the visitors arrive. 

We were lucky to be visiting while it felt like spring (before the snow hit Surrey again!)  

Back to business

Our training was all done and dusted by 9.30 am.  We had time for a quick chat after the session before we headed back home to get on with  the very important business of keeping our customers happy.

The Apprentice Ed’s Garden Operator Style

Ed’s Garden Operators’ Canine Helpers

This is a really busy time of year for an Ed’s Garden Operator. With the milder weather we’ve been having, the grass is still growing.  This means that  there is still mowing to be done. However, the challenges of Autumn (lots of clearing leaves!) and getting all our lovely customers’ gardens in shape for the winter ahead are there too.

We’re not complaining though.  We love it.  Especially when the weather is kind, with bright, crisp Autumn days.

With limited daylight hours, our Garden Operators can do with a bit of help to get on top of their workloads. Indeed, some of their own canine apprentices have been providing an extra set of paws to get the job done.

As everyone knows, we love reviewing performance at Ed’s so we just had to ask our guys how the new recruits are measuring up…

Baloo’s Review!

This is Baloo, a lovely and loyal German Shepherd. She has recently started helping Bob, our Garden Operator in Horsham, to deliver his gardening services.

Bob says, “Well, I’m probably a little bit biased as I’m very fond of Baloo. However,  she is really getting to grips with the challenges of being a sidekick . Nothing is too much trouble for her and she is very versatile in helping out with whatever I need.  She is just great at multi-tasking.”

“Whether it be guarding the van or helping me uproot a somewhat stubborn tree, she is on it. Her focus is amazing and even a rogue squirrel in a garden won’t distract her from the task in hand.  However,   I can see it takes every ounce of her willpower to ignore them!  What can I say apart from I’m really lucky to have her on board.  If she can keep her current level of motivation, she will go very far indeed!”

Monty’s moment of truth!

Another recent recruit is a rather dashing Hungarian Vizsla called Monty. He  lives with Stuart, our Ed’s Garden Operator in rural Norfolk.  Clearly a handsome and delightful chap but we asked Stuart if he could sum up how Monty is cutting the mustard.

Looking thoughtful, Stuart says “ Well, it all started off brilliantly in the summer when Monty was very keen to spring out of bed and get to work. Sadly, since the cooler days have kicked in, it has all changed. Monty does a quick weather check before he decides whether he is going to grace us with his company or just stay at home snuggling beside the Aga. It really isn’t good enough.”

“Monty is still a very young fellow but I feel that his current commitment level could be better. I am out in all weathers but Monty…well, he just doesn’t seem to be made of the same stuff.  In all honesty,  he seems to be a bit of a fair weather gardener.”

“If only he could get his work ethic right, he would go far in this business.  His  interpersonal skills are second to none and everyone who meets him tends to think he is wonderful. It’s not fair really. I toil away, day in, day out, without as much as a grumble and yet Monty is always the one who wins the popularity vote hands down with my customers!”

 

Dave’s Stars and Stripes

Dave Laing Lawn Mowing Expert Andover

Dave Laing joined Ed’s Garden Services earlier this year  as our  Garden Operator in Andover.

Before joining Ed’s, Dave had wanted to run a Garden Operator business for quite some time. He loves being physically active and enjoys both gardening and meeting people. A perfect fit for him!

Dave’s friendly approach, hard work and high standards are paying off and he already has a number of regular customers who are very appreciative of his work.

Dave has been getting a number excellent five star customer reviews. Here’s what Dave has to say about that:-

“ I genuinely love getting great reviews. I know that I try hard to please my customers and pride myself in doing the best job that I possibly can. Whether it’s lawns, hedges, big garden clearances or autumn leaf clearing, I try to make my gardens look their best. When I’ve finished a garden visit, I always hope my customer is as satisfied with it as I am. Over the summer and autumn, I’ve particularly enjoyed perfecting my lawn stripes.”

This is one of Dave’s gardens…

“When I get appreciative reviews, I feel like it’s a real validation of what I strive to achieve. That’s satisfied customers. I’ve got some great customers and making them happy is without a doubt the best part of my job.”

If you think Dave can help you with your garden requirements, please do get in touch.

Ed’s Garden Maintenance Welcomes Bob

Bob Dulieu Garden Maintenance Services in Horsham

Bob Dulieu has recently joined Ed’s Garden Maintenance to service customers in the Horsham area. Bob was previously Managing Director of a risk management consultancy and is excited to be running his own Ed’s Garden Maintenance.

Bob is now fully up and running and delivering our core Garden Services of Lawn Mowing, Hedge Trimming, Jet Washing, Garden Tidy Ups and Garden Clearances. Please get in touch if you think Bob can help you get your garden in shape to make the most of Summer.

Paul is on the Ball

Paul Wellington's Gardening Services in Thurrock

Here at Ed’s Garden Maintenance, we are delighted to announce that we can now service customers in the Thurrock area. Paul Wellington has recently joined Ed’s to set up his garden maintenance business in the Thurrock area. Paul knows the turf (excuse the pun!) very well already, having previously been a black cab driver in the area.

Paul is now fully operational and is delivering a full range of Gardening Services including Hedge Trimming, Grass Cutting, Lawn Turfing, Pressure Washing and Garden Tidy Ups.

Paul is rearing to go with his new business. Here is what he has to say about embarking on his new venture:-

“I have a lot of customer service experience from working as a cabbie and I know how important it is to go the extra mile to make your customers really happy. For me this is all about delivering excellent garden services and building a strong reputation in the community.

I’ve spent time learning the ropes with other Ed’s Operators and the training I have had has been second to none. I feel very well prepared to take on the challenges of running an efficient business.

Prompt, reliable and efficient is our mantra and it is at the core of our business. It is a bonus that I really love the outdoors and am thrilled to be behind a lawn mower rather than a steering wheel.”

Please get in touch if you think Paul can help you with your garden maintenance needs.

From Wilderness to a Tamed Garden in The Hemingfords, St Ives

Back in September 2015, Richard and his colleague Roy, were called in to help an elderly couple out who were now unable to tend their  garden in The Hemingfords, St Ives. They were scared to go in their beloved garden as the risk of tripping had become too great and they couldn’t even hang washing out anymore as the garden had got too out of hand.

It was quite a daunting task, but Richard and Roy hired a skip, removed all the items which had built up over the years and then set to work on rotavating the whole area, removing the roots and other green waste. The old pond was next on the list for total removal. The area was then levelled, and finally seeded with grass seed. The photos show the transformation, the best part of the job being that the home owners are now not scared of venturing outside. They are able to walk to the end of their garden, sit on the bench and look out over the sheep in the field beyond and love being outdoors once again.

Richard enjoys regularly mowing the new lawn which as you will see in the after photos is growing well. If you require help with your garden, please get in touch.

Preparing a Wild Garden for Hedge TrimmingPreparing a garden for our Tidy Up from Ed's Garden Maintenance
Clearing the Garden Lawn by Ed's Garden Maintenance
Mowing the Lawns to remove the wilderness by Ed's Garden MaintenanceGarden Clearance Job done by Ed's Garden Maintenance

Getting in a Tractor to Mow the Grass

Paul Brunton, who operates his Ed’s Garden Maintenance business in Bristol, is responsible for looking after the grounds of a new eco friendly housing development

Paul Brunton, from Ed's Garden Maintenance, mows the grass with a Tractor

Given the size of the site Paul has organised for a mower slightly larger than the one he pushes in peoples gardens

Using a Tractor to Mow the Grass by Paul Brunton from Ed's Garden Maintenance

Paul Brunton, from Ed's Garden Maintenance, uses a tractor to mow the grass in Bristol