Why do we need gardeners?
A beautiful, thoughtfully planned and well looked-after garden provides not only pleasure to the homeowner, but also an invaluable surround to any house. A well-designed garden complements the style of the house and, through the inclusion of features such as patios, decks, lapas, gazebos and braai areas, expands the living areas for the homeowner. Professional landscape designers are often employed to create such gardens, but the subsequent ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the garden is the work of a gardener.
Duties of a gardener
A gardener or garden service is employed to carry out the routine maintenance of a garden. This work involves jobs such as cutting the grass, trimming the edges of paths and flower beds, weeding the flower beds, turning the soil and digging in fertiliser or compost, mulching to prevent weed growth and help preserve moisture levels in the soil, trimming shrubs and hedges, collecting and disposing of dead leaves and twigs, cleaning patios, creating new flower beds under supervision and planting of plants and shrubs. Gardeners may also be required to manually water the gardens and lawns or assist in laying automatic watering systems. Those who perform garden services may have access to their own machinery and tools, or will use the implements provided by the homeowner or organisation.
Types of gardener
Gardeners are employed by individual homeowners, organisations or companies which oversee the maintenance of larger areas such as the open areas around hospitals, office blocks, shopping centres and residential complexes.
Cultivated public spaces such as parks, nature reserves, even golf courses, are quietly and continuously cleaned and maintained by experienced garden companies or their own gardening staff.
Gardeners who work for such organisations or companies are generally knowledgeable about planting and maintenance, and are not individually supervised as they often work in small teams. A home gardener usually works directly with the homeowner and is given specific tasks to carry out under guidance or supervision, or required to carry out routine maintenance.
The work that gardeners carry out should never be underestimated. They are the silent, often unseen, workers who tend to the ongoing upkeep and beautification of one of the homeowners' most important assets, and keep our cultivated open spaces pristine and able to be enjoyed by all.
Choosing the right gardener
Check their ratings and reviews
Word of mouth and personal recommendation can never be underestimated when choosing the right worker for any type of job, but this is not always possible. In cases where the gardener or garden service is unknown, it is advisable to check their reputation and reliability, or preferably check their online reviews. When it comes to your garden, choose your gardener wisely, and you will have a living space which will give you many years of pleasure.
