The Essential Role of Garden Maintenance

Creating a stunning garden is not an easy task, but one that is incredibly satisfying when successfully completed.

Many of our clients employ us to maintain their gardens after we have provided them with our design and build services. But we are also able to offer after care and maintenance to anyone with a garden or outdoor space, however large or small it is.

If you are having a new garden built or have inherited a mature garden that is well established it should look fabulous at all times and complement your property. All surfaces should be immaculate, every plant a picture and each garden ornament or feature should be beautiful and as the designer intended. However, within an alarmingly short period of time; if a garden is neglected or ignored, flowers can fade, leaves wilt and that which was once perfect is negatively affected by the weather and wear and tear. Gardens are living things that are prey to a host of external influences, all of which can, and should, be planned for, but are too often neglected.

Nothing causes greater detriment to a building that is looked after well, than a garden that is not cared for correctly, plants that are struggling to survive or features that are not working correctly. All aspects of a garden need care, as a house requires care, the difference being that a garden is exposed to all the elements that nature, and man can throw at it.

There is a perception that garden maintenance is simple, straightforward, and able to be performed by almost anyone. Whilst some of our clients are very knowledgeable and enjoy gardening themselves and just require assistance occasionally others do not want to get their hands dirty and demand weekly visits to ensure that their garden is looking fabulous all year round. Quality maintenance by qualified staff is so important when a significant investment has been made in a property and its garden. Detailed knowledge of plants and their requirements, care and cleaning of hard surfaces, green walls and water features, knowledge of irrigation, lighting and all the other items in a garden are essential for the modern maintenance gardener. Good maintenance cannot now be regarded as a job that entails sweeping up some leaves, mowing the lawn and picking out a few weeds for a few hours per month.

Every client’s requirements; needs or demands are different and good maintenance comes from precise organisation, dedicated staff and a passion for gardens. The task that needs to be talked of first and foremost is ensuring that you have a maintenance schedule that has been prepared to suit the needs of you and your friends / family and how your garden will be used. This can take many forms, but is a considered list of tasks and jobs that are given weekly, monthly or seasonal attention, and should include such items as fertilising, pruning, deadheading, planting of seasonal bedding and frequency of cleaning. The size and complexity of the garden dictates the detail of the schedule, but no garden can be kept pristine without all these tasks being scheduled for the correct time of the year.

One of the greatest justifications for investing in high quality maintenance is the ongoing ability to make small changes that enhance and update the garden each year and enable your outdoor space to be enjoyed and used more frequently.

Every garden is planted for immediate effect, but as it matures, the plants within have to be managed to achieve their ultimate role, herbaceous plants require lifting and splitting to preserve vigour, shrubs can require thinning and shaping, specialist pruning such as pollarding or stooling needs completing at the optimum time of the year and lawns require a range of treatments to keep them green and verdant.

A garden is a thing of beauty, a place of tranquillity and a haven for the soul, so a little professional care will go a long way to preserving peace of mind.

Our teams are extremely skilled, experienced and qualified and have won numerous awards for the outdoor spaces that they have created and maintain. To view some of our fabulous projects ranging from small balconies and roof terraces to fabulous estates and communal gardens. Please visit our website: www.bartholomewlandscaping.com. You will also be able to find out more about all of the services we can offer.