With the recent warm temperatures and beautiful winter sun it hardly seems like a ‘proper English winter’.
We have been busy clearing up wind fallen trees and fences for the last couple of weeks and there seems to be no shortage of it to be done!
The phone has been ringing steadily all of this, usually, the quietest of months for us as landscapers. Just when I thought a nice little holiday was in order the wind blew and hop to it..we were all going great guns again.
Now as the days start to get longer we all start to think about the coming season in the garden. What to plant, where to put such and such, and how much will it all cost if the weekend is to be kept for enjoyment and not propping up leaning fence panels that we all know need to be replaced…. just not now!
The thing to remember is that although it may not seem the best time to be working out in the garden you are preparing the framework that all the planting will be able to show off later in the year. The amount of times I hear “we want to start in March/April for the summer”. Well I have news for you… If you want to start your project then, when all the other people who have been waiting for the glimmer of light to signal summer will also want theirs done at the same time. Guess what??? “well I Am very busy now but I can do it after May for you!” That is not the answer you want to hear when the first signs of summer are upon you and you’ve just been to the garden centre and ordered your new summer house hot tub and bespoke arbour!!
Start working your ideas out now and plan ahead. It will save you money and having to make those last minute decisions that you are not entirely happy with later. If you intend to spend a serious amount of money make sure that you are getting value and what you actually want, not what the local ‘trendy’ landscape gardener wants to sell you. There are so many contractors out there that do about 3-4 different garden styles and that’s what they are good at. I know ..I used to be one of them. We had our style and that was great for the time when everyone wanted that but I soon realised that I may have been building gardens for myself and not so much my clients.. bad man!
If you are not sure about what you want then fine ask questions and think about the answers rather than losing yourself to the first idea that you see. (although I have to confess that some of my best work may have happened like this). Its all about having the time to plan for the coming months and getting the right result from your garden.
And remember if its instant then you haven’t given it time to GROW!!
Enjoy the coming season, its going to be fun…
Jon Lee ND Arb.
Arbworx