Managing an acre to be wildlife friendly and low mainainance

Flowers, Trees, Lawns, Infrastructures, Maintenance & anything else!
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Mo
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Managing an acre to be wildlife friendly and low mainainance

Post by Mo »

I am now on my own with an acre of garden. Maybe I'll move, but not yet (can't face the thought)
At the moment about half of the 'garden' is grass. Some in sensible stretches, some under fruit trees, with some wild flowers and drifts of daffs.

In the shed are 3 mowers but I've no idea which, if any, work. I know they all had problems. I've never handled a mower since the Qualcast push mower in my childhood garden in the suburbs.

I know how quickly 'wildlife' becomes nettles brambles and rabbits. But I'm not sure I want to cut down the fruit trees and bushes or grass over the veg plot that I'm busy planting spuds in. Though that is about the limit of my veg growing these days - I planted peas and beans last year without much success.

What should I be looking for in a gardener - how much is it all going to cost me - can anyone suggest what I should ask him to do.
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lancashire lass
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Re: Managing an acre to be wildlife friendly and low mainain

Post by lancashire lass »

It might seem strange, but gardeners may not have any clue about how much it would cost unless they had a gardening business LOL

A couple of doors away, an elderly gentleman used to have 2 lads (their own business) come round once a week to mow the lawn in the summer and they brought their own tools and lawn mower in a van, and charged £10 a visit (that could have been OAP charges) About twice a year they trimmed the privet hedge. He used to do his own flower bed planting so I don't know what else they did.

As for what you can expect from a gardener might depend on their experience, and you can always ask them what they do and how much they charge. A proper gardener would list the sort of things they are willing to do, but if you are just putting a card in the window for a gardener, you could end up with someone willing to give it a go. You could always give them a "trial" rather than sign up to a contract and see how it goes.
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Richard
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Re: Managing an acre to be wildlife friendly and low mainain

Post by Richard »

Hi Mo

First, having visited your home I must say it's a beautiful very rural position with lovely shape and space.

There are two different types of Gardener; the proper Gardener as Lassie says, one who plans, advises, talks things over and knows his or her stuff - then there's the type who just generally cuts grass, does basic weeding, tidying up. When I did it, I fell under the latter.

Kent is obviously different to your parts. I get £10 per hour for my oddjobbing, casual labour so to speak. That's what they want to pay me though!
A proper Gardener around here would be £15 per hour minimum.

Hopefully there may the old boy who lives down the Lane type around, someone who can fix mowers, keep it under control and maybe be available for any other bits and bobs which need doing.

I think I would tend to just keep it tidy for now, short grass Lawn and strim the surrounds, a bit like a Golf Course if you like. Maybe just have a small flower area which you can maintain yourself.

I'd imagine that where you live, Rabbits are part and parcel!
Not being silly, but a couple of rescued Feral Cats would keep the numbers down. My Big Ron gets two or three a week Spring to Autumn.

As always, it's what one can afford.

Another option is to let off some of it to someone who wants an Allotment. In return, they either pay you or maintain your area.

Wishing you well Mo.

Richard
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p.penn
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Re: Managing an acre to be wildlife friendly and low mainain

Post by p.penn »

I have recently had an odd job guy to dig my garden and he charges £10 per hour (he was a present!) but a friend's son has his own gardening business and last time I asked he was about £150 a day.
Helen xx

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tosca100
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Re: Managing an acre to be wildlife friendly and low mainain

Post by tosca100 »

Without knowing your garden, is there any way that you could put most of it to wild flower meadow? I can't remember how often it needs cutting, but I'm sure it's once a year after the seeds have dropped. (Can a tractor get in? there might be someone who would give their right arm for natural hay and they could have it for keeping it tidy)Then keep your veggie patch and close garden tidy.

Although the idea that someone would have it for an allotment is good if you intend to stay long term, if you decide to move in a couple of years some poor soul will have just got it producing then have to leave.

I will ask a friend who knows lots of people in the gardening world if he knows a jobbing gardener and how much they are likely to charge in your area for maintenance work if you like.
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