A few months ago there was of course the usual spate of slow news day journalism, when many of the usual Newsagent shelf papers name some weather front and roll the dice on it causing a day or two of snow and hard ice in a few months.
A few words carefully edited, though essentially the same piece; year after year to ease the idea of fuel price hikes just when you are thinking of turning the electric heating or gas central heating on. Or worse still endure Storage heating or hot air circulation…
I digress, the thaw after a few days of snow in February isn’t lulling me into a false sense of anything, oh no.
Nor is the allure of knowing it’s only a few weeks till the BBC and TV Flagship gardening show starts, the return of Monty Don and Gardener’s World.
So to perhaps preempt some of the wisdom or misery coming…
I still think we have some serious weather yet to come, I can remember being out on Easter weekend before now and there was 3 – 4 foot of good week or so old snow drifts still covering most of the side roads and still on the main roads. That said I’ve had a full cyclists and Gardeners tan by Easter weekend.
Locally speaking of course as Rutland has a somewhat unique approach to localised weather and what happens here. The volume of Rutland Water altering weather patterns around the area. Causing some unique views and scenery and stunning odd weather or deviations from surrounding areas.
This always comes into play when judging the weather and my clients job lists and timing to do them. More so this week having met with a few clients and discussed their annual needs as I prepare to start work on some clients gardens “opening for the season” while there are a few days when things can be done after the snap frost and snow and just as fast thaw and back to near 10 degrees in the daytime.
Not all my clients have work done on their garden spaces for a full 12 months constantly through each year.
Some close down when the gardening season comes to an end; usually a 4 month break or when the weather makes it viable and usually at the point the grass stops growing and slows down to prepare for the harsher weather. Some years the grass will still grow through a full winter if the weather is mild enough. Though a healthy clip as late in the year till the first good dry day you can collect the clean cut clippings it might need that early or extra late trim, or at least a mulch with a careful strimming.
There are plenty of jobs to be done in that rough Nov- March period. A lot of it is essential work prior to buds forming after leaf shed and during dormancy. This being only the start of a long list. One heavily at the fore of all conversations this week as I do the rounds after a few weeks break.
It’s nice to see Clients again when the season allows or there is a need. I don’t often get called out for an emergency due to regular visits and risk assessing job sites, as well as spending time on garden spaces and seeing the seasonal shift across the garden through it’s full set of seasons. Those I don’t see for a few months are missed and Shadow and I do look forward to seeing them again, as well as the progression or change in the garden after it has had a quick tidy up and detritus removed as well as leaves blown away to clear the ground. Also to allow pruning work and tying back or training of Shrubs, trees and other growing materials that can be trained or worked to produce beneficial effects.
It’s nice to have a start of season catch up, and odd as it sounds have a quick chat about Christmas or families before the casual chat turns to the changes in the garden space since I last visited and the overall change a few seasons efforts has reaped and brought into fruition.
Also seeing their garden coming into life as the Snowdrops (Galanthus) start to flower out and the cascades of white Bombshells suddenly develop to break up the now faded and jaded darker Green of the winter trodden muddy lawns and edges or if you were lucky enough; bursting through Frosts for that once in a lifetime picture perfect shot. A stunning sight to behold.
One of my clients is lucky enough it have a very organic but prolific swathe of Snowdrops in a long sweeping arc from front through side and into rear garden spaces. It’s sporadic patching in the choice places is very appealing and as utterly random as only Snowdrops and other early bulbs seem to be. It’s one of the things I look forward to catching every early spring much the same as when my early flowering Fuji Cherry Tree comes into bloom; just at the break of spring here in Rutland.
Was also very nice to get positive feedback on the new van from the few clients I have seen this first week back out; actually getting some Gardening done after the loss of the old van. It was lovely to see them and catch up and get in the early job list for what needed doing over the next few months till actual Spring Weather has set in and the Spring Agenda can be tackled after the ground works are laid when the weather permits till then. Also nice to see all machines used today fired up without issue and no downtime was lost due to equipment having over winter issues. The extra space in the new van allowing a much wider range of kit to be transported to and from job sites and removing Green Waste; which SOTG is a Registered Green Waste Carrier.
Speaking of which, that will be part of the new van signage; something which is being brainstormed currently.
Early version here though. 🙂
Much more playing around with different versions, also with wording and such to be done while I start discussions with the company that did the last Graphics for Shadow of the Gardener; www.pumpkinsd.co.uk.
Either way, for the next few weeks and months, it will be hard work and several gardening forks, maybe a spade or two will be broken or bent and sent to be used at the RBT allotment project when they are not fit for professional use! 🙂
A new list of tools and toys has been added over the Winter Season, and a whole new list of Tools and Equipment is already being worked on and through. Adding Power and Performance to the same standards you are used to from the range of services provided by SOTG.
Last year’s early season was a thorough mind and body workout, and one I enjoyed and set me up mentally and physically for the hard work ahead. Last year was a long hard hot summer after all; and the seasons ran very late.
This year looks to be more of the same ahead and Shadow and I welcome it!
(Yes, I will post pics of Shadow soon in the new van, honest!)
Just don’t be fooled by early spring sign when Winter signs haven’t passed yet!
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