lawnmower man wrote:
Can anyone advise me as to how much a good gardener should cost to tidy
a small garden as it is a bit overgrown, and then routinely cut it and
keep it generally tidy, weeding etc.

(snip)

Councils salary for 37 hours/ week working gardeners you can expect
£200/£335 per week depending on experience. That gives you an idea of
the average for a gardener, £9 per hour is the norm. My friend charges
£8/hour and he is doing small gardens like yours. He uses all his own
tools and doesn't drink tea... He offers an annual timetable to his
customers and decide as a contract the work needed in advance. Some
people want nothing to do with it, others would like to 'learn' - he's
a flexible gardener.

Use: http://www.ufindus.com to find a gardener in your area.