Landscape and horticulture expert

Gardening is a very fluid pastime

"Doesn't anyone point out to their clients that gardens continue growing, needing maintenance, and it's not like having a new kitchen or bathroom?"

Part of a message that new member Andrew Faraday has just left on the thread titled "New landscaping design companies" - started by Richard Boyd - Juice Garden Network and is Andrew absolutely spot on.

Many a garden or planting scheme have we provided and presented to our clients that is a 'polaroid' image at handover.

Creating a good a brand

Very early on, I decided that I would ditch my scruffy T shirt look and replace my ex army olive green lightweight trousers with a proper corporate uniform. The result was astounding and it quickly set me out from the rest.

I went on to employ sixteen people at one point and by then, a proper company image was essential but you do not need to employ people to take pride in how you look.

Preparing tree planting holes but let the worms do the hard part

The best of the planting season has already passed and it would be ill advised to plant any new trees or shrubs en mass unless you are able to give them your closest attention to avoid wind damage or lack of water.

You may be interested in this little tip, that can be planned now, to ensure your trees establish themselves so much faster and stronger in their early development.

Creating 'desire lines' in your garden business model

Landscapers, gardeners and garden designers will be more than familiar with desire lines and the impact they have on planning a garden or managing an existing scheme that may suffer with the adverse effects of a desire line.

I want to take this theory forward a little and apply the same thinking to how we conduct our own business and how, with a little thought, we can create desire lines that allow you to sell your products and services without using a metaphorical battering ram to channel a potential customer into a direction that they do not want to go.

Lawn weed and feed applications

I hope you don't mind, but I am digging into the archives again to bring you one of my lawn advice tips that could save you a lot of time and maybe even prevent you killing your lawn.

This time of year, lawn owners will be scurrying to the garden center, intent on coming away with bags of weed and feed to create lawns that resemble Wimbledon.

Expert paving advice

I have been noticing a lot of activity on a post - Laying paving slabs - I did back in June 2006.

It must be because the fine weather is here and previously soggy house owners, who could not get the BBQ area finished in the winter, are desperate to have their paving laid before the rains return.

How to balance your rotary lawn mower blade when sharpening

If you are like me you try and do as much of your own machinery maintenance as you can.

I do concede and get in an expert if the job is a major one because it is usually my luck to put something back together and find that I have five screws left without five holes visible meaning they were supposed to be inside somewhere.

Gardening business advice

From time to time, you may have noticed that I have posted advice on running your gardening business.

Being brutally honest, there are not many gardeners that make great business men or women. I have found over the years that those who are good with plants and soil or grass and trees tend not to want - nor get much time - to get involved with numbers and cash flow and as businesses grow, advisers are called in to keep the burgeoning enterprise on track.

United Kingdom Gardening and Landscaping Rates

Whilst we have the momentum, I thought I would try and compile the data as it comes in, in the form of a spreadsheet, that can be used by business and consumers alike for the determination of charge out rates for the horticulture trades.

I have set up a Google spreadsheet that is viewable by everyone. The aim is to build a framework and industry type of standard that anyone who has an interest in the UK landscaping of gardening scene can make a judgement before setting their charge out rates.

Record oil price makes your hourly rate more expensive to sell.

I would like to draw your attention to oil prices and the difference it makes to selling an hour of your time.

In February 2007 I went into great detail about how to calculate your fuel costs if you run a vehicle for your gardening business.

With the steep rise in oil prices, you need to make an adjustment if you are going to retain the same level of profitability.

Gardeners charge out rates

I am very pleased that the post I did recently entitled "What does a gardener charge?" is receiving a great deal of attention. It is one of the hottest search terms and the search engines send a lot of traffic to Landscape Juice because of it.

That is why I would urge gardeners and landscapers to get involved in the debate and try and add your comments and labour rates where you can.

I realise that this is subjective and there are many reasons why labour rates cannot be set exactly the same but I believe there are a number of reason why there should be a minimum type of charge for a particular category of gardener or landscape contractor.

Farm pesticides, your garden and the 'Good Neighbour Initiative'

Have you ever experienced over spray or drift entering your garden or allotment from a neighbouring farm?

If you have been unfortunate enough to experience this then you may be interested to note that the National Association of Agricultural Contractors have produced good neighbour ini