What we do, and what it costs

The recurring work. Most people on a maintenance round have us every week from April to October, then fortnightly at the shoulders. No contract — tell us to stop and we stop.

• MowingCut, edged along all hard surfaces, clippings mulched or bagged — your choice.
• String trimming & blow-downFence lines, posts and beds trimmed; paths, drives and steps blown clear before we leave.
• Spring cleanupWinter debris out, beds cut back, first cut, edges re-defined.
• Leaf clearanceTwo or three visits through the autumn rather than one big one at the end.
• MulchTwo to three inches of hardwood mulch, beds edged first so the line stays crisp.
• Aeration & overseedingCore aeration in early autumn, overseeded and starter-fed the same day.
• FertilisationA four-visit programme timed to the season, not the calendar.
• Hedge & shrub trimmingShaped twice a year; flowering shrubs cut at the right point in their cycle.

Planting that suits the site rather than the catalogue. We'd rather put in fewer, bigger plants that will still be there in ten years than fill a bed with things that need replacing every other spring.

• Planting plansA drawn plan with plant names, sizes and spacing, so you can see it before it's in the ground.
• Bed creation & edgingNew beds cut, soil amended, spade-edged or steel-edged.
• Shrubs & ornamental treesSourced from growers within a day's drive, so they're already acclimatised.
• Foundation plantingThe strip round the front of the house — usually the highest-return job on this list.
• Perennial bordersChosen so something is in flower from April through to the first frost.
• Lawn renovationFull strip-and-reseed, or sod where you need it usable quickly.
• Low-water plantingFor hot south-facing strips and anywhere the hose doesn't reach.
• Plant health checkA walk round to work out what's struggling and why, before you replace it.

The built work — and the part where cutting corners shows up three winters later. Every patio and wall we lay goes on a properly excavated and compacted base, because that is the whole job.

• Paver patiosExcavated, compacted base, polymeric-sand joints, edge-restrained on all open sides.
• Flagstone paths & walkwaysDry-laid or mortared depending on where it runs and how much it'll be used.
• Front steps & stoopsRebuilt to an even rise so nobody catches a toe on the way up.
• Retaining wallsSegmental block or natural stone, with the drainage stone and filter fabric behind it that stops it bowing.
• Garden & seat wallsLow walls to define a terrace or add seating without adding furniture.
• DrainageFrench drains, dry wells, downspout extensions, and catch basins where water collects.
• RegradingReshaping the ground so water runs away from the house rather than towards it.
• Fire pits & sitting areasBuilt into the patio rather than dropped on top of it.