Finding a professional company offering gardening services in your local area has become a lot easier since the rise in popularity of the internet. A quick search of google with a few chosen keywords will bring up a multitude of results, some relevant, others not so relevant. However, the old fashioned ways of finding someone to care for your garden are still as valid as they ever were. Some of these might be
Observing someone working in your area is a good way of assessing a gardeners work. Make sure you get their details before they leave if they have no sign writing on their vehicle as they may not be back in the area for weeks at a time. Most reputable companies will have a business card or other literature that you can take away with you. Also, a tidy vehicle which is attractively sign written can instill confidence as they are proud to advertise their name and reputation to all that take an interest. Gardening is a messy business and so people working in this profession can be dirty especially at the end of a long rainy day. Despite this you can usually get a valid impression of the way they run their business just by looking and talking to them. Tidy work clothes can portray a good image, unlike ripped jeans and jumpers with holes in ! Talking to prospective gardeners is a reliable way of helping you come to a decision on whether to hire them or not. Things we would be looking for are friendliness, politeness, confidence, willingness to converse, good grasp of the English language and interest in their chosen profession. If you still cannot find a suitable gardener by these methods then the internet can bring results. Things we would try would be
Some gardeners have a website and others don't. Although anyone can have a website, they do give you an idea of what the company is all about and will probably show examples of their work and give an impression of how passionate they are about their chosen profession. Networks such as the Landscape Juice Network are well worth having a look at as they contain masses of information about gardeners, landscapers and garden designers some of whom may be local to you. Looking for trades people can be a process fraught with danger and unfortunately the gardening industry has it's fair share of rogues. Using the advice above will go a long way to help minimise this risk and hopefully you will find a reliable, knowledgeable and trustworthy gardener who you can rely on for years to come. |