NEWS & CURRENT TOPICS
Spring 2011
Hello Gardeners
Well, December really woke us up! We had at least 9 inches of snow in one day. My 4x4 proved itself over and over again, a vehicle which is an invaluable addition to the fleet.
Moving on to my vegetable patch – I had a very good crop of runner beans, tomatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage and brussel sprouts. Last year’s Swedes were pretty good too, certainly better than 2009. Spring onions were ok and I think I just about got a crop of sweetcorn! I’m not sure whether they are worth the space, (if anything I must plant these earlier), but we will discuss this prior to deciding what vegetables to grow for this year.
Potatoes again, I got a better crop form the old left over potatoes than I did from the seed potatoes. So I don’t need to think twice about whether to use the chats again. I am now beginning to have trouble with rabbits, so my vegetables must be good. I have had to build another netted vegetable enclosure so that makes three now. I can see a benefit with these rabbits, a nice stew or pie, but I just need to convince my wife that they are not cuddly bunnies.
Landscape News
I will mention the recession again – three years of it. Is this what we have to accept? Still, must carry on and here is the good news;
Following on from my notes for the spring and summer of 2010 regarding our wild-life garden in London, the design work was finished but the implementation is on hold – down to cost savings I am afraid, but we have completed an approximately 200sq. Metre lawn in the city, replacing a worn out existing lawn, this is quite a large area for the city of London. Our new-build landscape scheme is slowly moving forward. As you know trees were planted last winter but one of these trees didn’t make it. I am putting the blame for the loss with the builders! We had to find new sites within the garden for five of the trees because of building alterations, namely a large summer house. Hopefully they will survive the move. This winter the boundary hedge is being planted, to date we have planted 180 semi-mature Laurels. The rest of the landscape scheme should go ahead in the late spring and early summer. I will keep you informed!
Click here to see the photos of our natural stream and pond, we are very pleased with this and so is the wild-life!
Staff Report
Mick, who has worked for us for over 30 years retired in November, so there are big changes ahead for Mick and for ourselves. Thanks for all your hard work Mick – we learnt a lot together and have plenty of memories from our beginnings to mid-life and mature life. Well Mick’s mature life that is, I am still in the mid-life! Well, onwards and upwards, Mick’s replacement is Dave whom we have know for many years. Dave worked for us in his early days in landscaping. He trained with us before going his own way and is now returning to the fold, older and wiser. He has a tall order to follow but I am sure he is up for the challenge. All other staff remains unchanged and we can’t wait for the spring to get cracking again.
Hopefully if you are looking for garden work or landscaping or dare I say artificial lawn to reduce your maintenance times, then please do not hesitate to contact us. Remember, if you are doing the garden works yourselves we can supply all your soft landscape materials.
Click here for our price lists
I look forward to speaking to you all again soon.
Colin
