On 12/12/05 22:24, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote after "Bob Hobden"
answered
"lawnmower man"
snip

Any ideas of cost would be really appreciated so i can help her get
somebody good.

The one around here charged £15 per hour min £45 two years ago and he
wasn't
a trained gardener just an odd job man.

That's about the same here now, too. Our chap brings his own machinery,
too. But he doesn't garden, as such - he cuts the lawns, does the hedges
in
autumn, things like that.

This guy did painting and decorating as well as tidying up gardens but
couldn't prune my neighbours apple trees etc.
He now concentrates on the painting and decorating side and there is another
"gardener" about now and he appears more professional, unfortunately I have
no idea how much he charges.

I think that a 'real' gardener would probably be twice the price but does
anyone with the average sized garden need such a person? I'm talking about
someone who would run a garden as a housekeeper would run a house, and both
are few and far between these days in private houses. Such a gardener would
do absolutely *everything* including taking cuttings from his or her
employer's plants, raising plants from seed, bringing on veg or fruit for
the family's table etc. etc. What most people mean by a gardener nowadays,
is someone who cuts the grass, does a bit of weeding as directed and
generally keeps things tidy.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)