Guinness is good for you

Just spent all afternoon digging someones garden (Preparation for getting some turf down) who needs the gym? Phew what a work-out!! I find a nice pint of guinness eases the aches and pains away. This patch (5 metres by two metres) is right in front of a row of leylandii- not good re shade and roots sucking up water, oh well Ill give it a bash.

 

Like the change of avatar! Personally, I prefer a nice glass of red wine... but each to their own!

I get it even better, B, since people actually pay me to do this sort of thing! Makes it a lot better than the gym..... :D

 

Do you make a good living out of it Dend?

 

Not really, but I enjoy it! :D

 

You should move to Aberdeen we cant get enough gandeners here
Pay rough only about 10 to 15 per hour but hey the company is great once you get the hang of the lingo.

 

I did garden for folk full time the year before last, but cut it down to 2 days a week, continuing for the folk who employed me over the winter, I am cutting down another half day this year. I opened my own little plant business last year, from the drive, selling plants and produce, all home grown, and i much prefer selling than labouring for others. But the work is out there and the ability to earn a good living can be made from it. But i'm knocking on a bit and want to do my own plot. I got 2 acres to keep on top of, flower borders, shrubbery, veg plots, orchard, polyt, fruit cage and knot garden to keep tidy and productive. That's without hubby's 3 acres, inc an acre of woodland. So i only work for folk that can no longer do it for themselves. I charge �£10 ph, and i use all my own equip. It keeps me fit, no need for a gym, and i only drink real ales. But i'm really happy and content with my lot. :D

 

Compostee that sounds really nice!! You've got loads of land there by the sound of it..what's the local ale called?

 

I get that sort of rate here, Gardenermannie - but I can't say I'd be doing that well if I had to rely on the income to live on..... fortunately I just have to make it cover my expenses and give us extras. :rolleyes: And that's working all the hours there are through the season - I have to turn down people.... can't take on any more work!!

I get a bit more for landscaping, design, planting plans, hanging baskets, and stuff, but then every so often you get a customer who just doesn't pay - and that REALLY annoys me

 

Allsorts are sold here. and the landlords change the varieties regularly. Don't go to the pub too often tho'

 

I used to be localto a wonderful supplier of compost, bark, fencing etc, and got it at a very good price. but alas where i am now, no suppliers, no good prices. I did have one cust, where i used to live, that refused to pay or return my calls. He was a business man who lived in a prominant place in our local town. I left him a note to say if i heard nothing from him, I would Print Bankrupt on his very much prized front lawn, that sloped towards the road, with weedkiller. I got the cash thru my door the next day and a request to leave his lawn alone. After that all custs had to pay a deposit to cover materials. I must admit tho' i'm very lucky that was the only incident i ever had, unless you include the lady who insisted i try her home baking every day, with coffee, then deducted the cost of coffee and baked goods from the final price. Phew harrods have a competitor in pricing for coffee.

 

I have been very tempted to sow seeds in her grass to say something very similar - like "I don't pay my gardener" - but haven't suggested it yet. 3 reminders now.... it's not goods, just my time, or I would have had a deposit first - but it really does annoy me!!

 

Dendro, you sound too nice to be hard, but hard you must be with some custs. They think time is not worth paying for. Knock on the door and confront. Make sure you have a spade to hand, just incase a) you need to defend yourself and b) you can hide the body...... I found it easier to nickname all my custs with a name of a weed. Easier to deal with........ :D

 

What a lovely idea! The weed name bit, I mean! :D

Problem with the alternative use of the spade is that it's a bit open, this place - someone might just notice....

Extra little problem arose this weekend - had ordered a load of grass seed ready to do a new customer's grass last autumn, but various things cropped up to make it impossible to do then, so it was put off until spring - and now the job isn't going to happen! So I have loads of this grass seed, trying to make sure the mice don't get it, it's paid for, by me, and I have no use for it!! Help!!!!

Since this is all off thread, let me bring it back, by saying I could do with a nice glass of wine right now!! :rolleyes: :D

 

Interesting reading about the trials of working as gardeners, maybe you should start a separate thread as I'm sure others have had similar problems.
That's awful being lumbered with a load of grass seed Dendy, I would go and have that glass of wine if I were you. :D

 

What do you think I've just been doing, Blackthorn? :D

Actually, I've just been checking on my invalid - Mr D has had a rather unpleasant lurgy over the last couple of days..... And I've done some ironing, one of my favourite activities :rolleyes: