January 2025
January always ends up a quieter month. The weather has been anything but quiet and brought with it snowy, icy and frosty conditions with temperatures dropping to minus five at times, so prevented much work from continuing.
Still, in between the usual Winter weather systems, managed to
- clip back native hedgerow planted two years ago, and tidying base
- started clearing out overgrown shrub border
- Winter clean ups and tidy ups in 3no. gardens
- clearing fallen leaves from lawn in 1no. garden
February 2025
February was a kind of weather continuation from January, really cold 5 degree to freezing temperatures and dry throughout only for temperatures to lift at the end of the month.
Through February only managed to visit nine gardens
- cleared out overgrown side garden ready to prepare lawn in Spring
- continued to clear out overgrown shrub bed area
- cut back tall ivy hedge, removing large brambles and cleared out front garden area in 1no. garden
- removed rotting wooden trellis, pruned back Clematis, weeded through all shrub beds in 1no. garden
- hard prune large Buddleia in rear garden, pruning large rose in front garden
- general tidy up in 1no. garden
- Weeding through front garden borders for new customer
March 2025
March weather temperatures ranged from 15 degrees daytime to minus 2 overnight with fluctuating daily temperatures, and apart from a couple of rainy occasions, the month generally remained dry.
The first week of March managed
- Mowing, edging and brushing up in 8no. gardens
- hoeing and hand weeding through planted areas in 8no. gardens
- Weeding through front garden borders for new customer
- Hoeing gravel path removing all weed growth, hoeing borders and deep dig removal of Spanish Bluebells in 1no. garden
- pruning large Hypericum, cut back large Ceanothus, planting 9no Astrantias and disposing of 2x Eucalyptus plants in 1no. garden
- hard pruning shrubs in 1no. garden
- planting pots of daffodils into containers in 1no. garden
- pruning and shaping old Apple trees in 1no. garden
The second week of March, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 7no. gardens
- pruning Perovskia to encourage new growth lower down the plant in 1no. garden
- hoeing and weeding through planted areas in 5no. gardens
- pruning and shaping old Apple trees in 1no garden
- pruned and clipped back 6no. established Flamingo trees in raised border
- creating a soiled tree base area removing weeds in 1no. garden
The third week of March, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 13no. gardens
- hoeing and weeding through planted areas in 11no. gardens
- pruning and dead heading plants in 6no. gardens
- hard Spring prune roses in 1no. garden
April 2025
The weather through April has again remained dry, a couple of misty mornings and slight rain but nothing of any significance. Temperatures through the month at mid teens rising at the end of the month
The first week of April, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 13no. gardens
- hoeing and weeding through 8no. gardens
- Spring pruning various plants in 8no. gardens
- removing Spanish Bluebells to prevent spread in 1no. garden
- tying up large flowering Hyacinths in 1no. garden
The second week of April, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 6no. gardens
- hoeing , weeding and spring pruning plants in 9no. gardens
- strim naturalistic hedge base to prevent weed competition in 1no. garden
- applying rose fertiliser to bases of 13no. roses in 1no. garden
The third week of April, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 8no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding, dead heading and Spring pruning in 9no. gardens
- strimming and clearing areas ahead of wildflower sowing in 1no. garden
The fourth week of April, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 7no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding, dead heading and Spring pruning in 8no. gardens
- clipping back Ivy bushes at front of house in 1no. garden
- strimmed 60 metres of field edge to prevent garden encroachment in 1no. garden
The last week of April into first week of May, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 16no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding, dead heading and Spring pruning in 11no. gardens
- weedkilling perennial weeds in proposed wildflower areas ahead of sowing in 1no. garden
- clearing overgrown area in 1no. garden
- spot spray weed killing to gravel driveway and hard surfaces throughout 1no. garden
- trial of applying white vinegar to weeds hard surfaces in 2no. gardens
May 2025
The weather through May has again remained dry, a couple of misty mornings and slight rain but nothing of any significance with temperatures through the month at mid teens rising at the end of the month.
Due to there being very little rain falling for several months now, lawns are certainly not doing their usual rapid growth as they normally do at this time of year. Hopefully, following sufficient rainfall, they will put on a spurt of growth that we usually see around this time of year!
The third week of May, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 18no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding and dead heading in 10no. gardens
- spot spray weedkiller to paths in 2no. gardens and rockery area in 1no. garden
- removing Spring flowering bulbs from various pots and replanting with Summer bedding plants in 1no. garden
- cutting back drifts of Daffodils within lawn area in 1no. garden
The fourth week of May, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 3no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding and dead heading in 6no. gardens
- tying up wind blown large rose back onto stake in 1no. garden
- planting Summer flowering bedding plants and watering in 1no. garden
- cutting back drifts of Daffodils within lawn area in 1no. garden
June 2025
A few cloudy and rainy/drizzly periods in June yet again, predominantly dry throughout the month and with temperatures rising from mid teens at the start of the month to top 20’s by the end of June, just added to the dryness and more pressing need for rain for gardens.
The first week of June, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 9no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding and dead heading in 10no. gardens
- sowing wildflower seeds within areas in 1no. garden
- existing raised bed weeded and soiled up to create a Summer bedding display area in 1no. garden
- cutting back overgrown thorn bush and digging out 6′ high nettles from back of fruit growing area in 1no. garden
- planting Summer bedding plants and watering in 1no. garden
- pruning back to fence line of overhanging vegetation at three locations within 1no. garden
- hoeing and weeding through five tree bases, 40 metre long Beech hedge base ( both sides) and clipping back unwanted growth from Pear espalier
The second week of June, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 14no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding and dead heading in 11no. gardens
- planting perennial plants in 1no. garden
- weeded and leaf cleared front Lavender hedge set within gravel area in 1no. garden
- cut up old 10′ high Christmas tree returning soil in pot to border nearby in 1no. garden
- spot spray weedkiller to hard surfaces in 1no. garden
- plant Summer bedding plants to front garden and watered, in 1no. garden
- plant specific pink and white Geranium plants to rear garden and watered, in 1no. garden
- planting Summer bedding plants in pots and watering in 1no. garden
- cutting back to shape large conifer to allow garage door opening in 1no. garden
The third week of June, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 11no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding, dead heading and pruning in 6no. gardens
- watering various plants, areas and pots in 4no. gardens
- watering wildflowers seeded areas in 1no. garden
- spot spray weedkiller to hard surfaces and gravel driveway in 1no. garden
- adding compost to raised bed and digging in and watering ready for Summer bedding plants in 1no. garden
The fourth week of June, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 5no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding, dead heading and pruning in 11no. gardens
- planting Summer bedding plants in raised bed and watering
- planting Summer bedding plants in new compost in pots in 1no. garden
- pruning back to shape 1no. large unruly Viburnum tinus and cutting away dead from old Potentilla
July 2025
The dry, very hot weather has continued well into July and finally by mid month a spell of well needed and well received rainfall. This being the first rainfall in significant quantity for many months.
Notably, that many lawns have now dried up and are in resting mode. They look brown/yellow in nature and although may look ‘dead’ they will, once sufficient rain has fallen, burst back into life and regrow.
The first week of July, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 10no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding, dead heading and pruning in 7no. gardens
- cutting back plants to keep in shape in 2no. gardens
- watering pots and plants in 6no. gardens
The second week of July, managed
- mowing, edging and brushing in 8no. gardens
- hoeing, weeding, dead heading and pruning in 13no. gardens
- pruning back overhanging vegetation in 1no. garden
- watering pots and plants in 6no. gardens
- thinning out Tomato leaves from greenhouse growing Tomato plants in 1no. garden
- applying weedkiller to stubborn regrowth of Ivy in 1no. garden
- applying paint stain to fencing after pruning back large Buddleia in 1no. garden
