What Is A Professional Gardener?
A professional gardener is somebody who can make your life easier by maintaining your garden to the highest possible standards.
Why would you hire a professional gardener as opposed to a keen amateur? Read on to find out.
A Professional Gardener Knows How To Keep Plants Healthy
“Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh how beautiful’ and sitting in the shade.” Wise words indeed from the well known author, Rudyard Kipling.
Gardens are dynamic, living things that are subjected to everything the climate and the environment throws at them. Frost, drought, floods, airborne seeds from unwanted plant species, pests - the list goes on. If our gardens are to stay beautiful, they need human intervention to maintain that delicate balance between the expectations of garden visitors and the actions of Mother Nature.
It matters not what style the garden is. Both wildflower meadows and manicured lawns are vulnerable to weed ingress, even though they need very different management styles. Trimming is just as important for a native species hedgerow as it is for a formal yew hedge. Perennial flower borders need careful management to keep them looking beautiful for season after season.
So who is the best person to keep your garden looking it’s best all year round?
If you are a keen gardener and you have the time, patience and the knowledge to nurture your outdoor space then you will probably find enormous pleasure in nurturing the plants and the soil and seeing the results of your hard work. You may make mistakes along the way but that will not take away the joy.
However, if you struggle to find time due to other commitments, or if you are not confident with the complexities of caring for an array of different plants. Then you will probably want to consider hiring a professional gardener.
What Does A Professional Gardener Do?
A professional gardener is somebody who dedicates their life to maintaining beautiful spaces. Gardeners do not normally get involved with building patios or erecting sheds. Their role is to nurture plants, lawns, hedges, trees, and ponds so that they just keep on looking better and better.
Professional gardeners have extensive knowledge about plants, pests, lawns, soil and ecology. They can instantly spot the difference between a plant and a weed. They know what to prune, how to prune it and when to prune it. Most professional gardeners will have all of the necessary training and certification for using chemicals in the garden, but they will find eco-friendly alternatives whenever possible. Some professional gardeners will also hold arboricultural qualifications so that they can do basic tree maintenance. ALL genuine professional gardeners are properly insured.
Don’t be put off by the thought of huge bills. Unless your garden is enormous or particularly complex, you may only need the services of a professional gardener a few times a year. Frequent gardening jobs such as mowing the lawn or watering can often be automated. That’s if you can resist the urge to do them yourself. There’s something quite satisfactory in learning to mow stripes into your own lawn.
Is There A Difference Between A Professional Gardener And A Keen Gardener?
Every professional gardener is a keen gardener. They love their work. However, not every keen gardener is a professional. Gardening is a wide subject and whilst ‘Old Jack’ from the pub may be able to grow the best tomatoes in town, he might be less proficient at maintaining a weed free lawn or knowing when to prune a summer flowering clematis.
If you are hiring a gardener to help maintain your plot, it’s crucial that you check their credentials. Gardening mistakes can be costly and it may take a very long time to repair damage to mature lawns and plants.
How Do I Find A Professional Gardener?
The best starting point for finding a professional gardener is to check out the APL Member’s directory. Every single member of the Association of Professional Landscapers, whether they be a garden designer, a landscaper or a professional gardener, is rigorously vetted before their membership is approved.
The APL looks in depth at a candidate’s experience, knowledge, client testimonials, insurance, health and safety and business practices. And they don’t just look once, inspections take place annually to make sure that standards have not slipped.
From the client’s point of view, hiring an APL member means peace of mind. It means that their garden is in safe hands and that they WILL be able to sit in the shade and sing “Oh how beautiful”
Click here to find a professional gardener near you. https://www.landscaper.org.uk/find-a-landscaping-professional/landscaper-directory
Tips for maintaining your garden. https://www.landscaper.org.uk/landscaping-guidance/how-to-maintain-your-garden
