Services

A beautiful, thriving garden needs regular care, which can range from routine upkeep to more specialised tasks. For homeowners and businesses alike, professional garden maintenance services make it easy to keep outdoor spaces vibrant and healthy without the time-consuming effort. 

Beyond the basics of weeding and pruning, professional services can offer everything from lawn care to complex pest management, tailored to meet the unique needs of any garden.

In this guide, BZ Gardens’ team will explain the various types of garden maintenance and horticultural services available from professionals, from routine to specialised, and how these services can benefit your garden, no matter its size or style.

What Are Garden Maintenance Services?

Defining Garden Maintenance Services

Garden maintenance services encompass all the tasks needed to keep gardens in top condition throughout the year. Services that ensure plants and greenery are well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing typically include lawn mowing, weeding, trimming, pruning, seasonal planting, and mulching. 

As noted by Fantastic Gardeners, professional landscaping and garden maintenance services go beyond what most homeowners might manage on their own. For anyone with limited time, strength, or inclination for gardening, hiring professionals offers a convenient way to sustain your garden’s long-term health and beauty.

Benefits of Professional Garden Maintenance

Professionals in garden maintenance services not only save you time and effort, but also bring expertise in the best, most sustainable ways to boost plant health and garden appeal. 

Experienced gardeners know exactly what each plant needs, from specific pruning techniques to the best timing for seasonal changes. By regularly attending to your garden, they can help it to stay healthy and look its best, while preventing common issues such as plant overgrowth or nutrient deficiencies.

In the longer term, a professionally-maintained garden can add significant value to your property, making it more appealing to guests or potential buyers.

Explaining Routine Care vs. Specialised Tasks

While routine garden care includes tasks that need frequent attention, like mowing and weeding, specialised tasks are those that are typically more complex or require specific expertise, such as pest control or irrigation system repairs. 

Both routine and specialised garden maintenance services play a role in keeping a garden at its peak, as we’ll explore in detail below.

Routine Garden Maintenance Services

Lawn Care and Grass Cutting

A healthy, green lawn is often the centrepiece of a well-maintained garden, but keeping it lush requires more than just occasional mowing. Comprehensive lawn care includes regular mowing, edging, and trimming, which keep the grass at an ideal height and prevent it from spreading into other areas. 

Professional garden maintenance services often include additional tasks like aeration, scarification, and fertilisation, to keep the lawn vibrant throughout the growing season.

Weeding and Mulching

Weeds can quickly take over if they are not controlled, competing with plants for nutrients and water. Routine tasks like weeding and mulching are essential to control these unwanted plants before they cause damage to your other plants. 

Mulching during autumn and winter has additional benefits, such as helping soil retain moisture, preventing roots from extreme temperatures, supporting overall soil health, deterring some pests, and giving garden beds a neat, polished appearance. 

Pruning and Hedge Trimming

Pruning and hedge trimming are necessary to shape plants, prevent overgrowth, remove dead or diseased growth, and encourage healthy flowering and fruiting. These routine garden maintenance services also help improve a garden’s overall structure and design, giving it a tidy and balanced appearance, for example with neat hedges and shrubs.

Seasonal Planting and Deadheading

Keeping a garden vibrant through all seasons often means rotating seasonal plants and regularly deadheading (removing fading or spent flowers) to direct the plant’s energy towards a prolonged bloom. These maintenance activities ensure that your garden looks fresh and engaging, regardless of the season.

Specialised Garden Maintenance Services

Soil Health Analysis and Improvement

Healthy soil is the foundation of any thriving garden, and services like soil testing, organic fertilisation, and aeration can make all the difference. 

Soil analysis determines nutrient levels, pH, and soil organic matter, all of which guide the selection of soil treatments and/or fertilisers to suit specific plants. Regular aeration improves soil structure and helps roots access oxygen and nutrients, leading to stronger plant growth. 

In addition to supporting healthy plant growth over time, investing in soil health can make your garden more resilient to drought.

Pest and Disease Management

Pest and disease control can be complex, particularly when balancing effective solutions with eco-friendly practices. 

Professionals use targeted pest management techniques to address infestations while protecting beneficial insects and nearby wildlife. Disease management - which involves identifying and treating issues like fungal infections or bacterial diseases before they spread - is equally important. 

Professional garden maintenance services can help manage these threats without compromising the overall health of your garden.

Irrigation and Drainage Systems

For larger gardens, an efficient irrigation system is essential for balancing water conservation and plant health. Drip irrigation, for instance, delivers water directly to the plant roots, making it both water-efficient and beneficial for growth.

With the amount of rain the UK receives, effective drainage systems can also be a must, to prevent water accumulation and manage water flow.

At BZ Gardens, our groundwork experts can design, install, repair, and optimise both irrigation and drainage systems, so that your garden can always receive the optimal amount of water, whatever the weather. 

Tree and Stump Care

Specialised garden maintenance services like tree care require professional arboricultural expertise (in addition to the ability to manage overgrowth, trim branches, and prune). 

Tree surgeons have the training and equipment needed to provide professional tree care services such as transplanting trees, managing tree health with Airspade technology, clearing tree cavities, or removing stumps that could become safety hazards. 

These tree surgery solutions help maintain your garden’s well-kept appearance and support the long-term health of your trees.

Tailoring Garden Maintenance Services to Your Needs

Customised Service Plans

Garden maintenance providers offer tailored plans that fit the specific requirements of each garden, taking into account factors like size, plant types, and necessary frequency of maintenance. 

For instance, as part of our horticultural services, BZ Gardens provide personalised care plans to fit the specific needs of your garden. These can include any tasks your garden needs to flourish throughout the year, from regular pruning and mowing to more intricate tasks like soil improvement or seasonal planting.

Frequency of Services

Depending on your garden needs, you can schedule garden maintenance services as one-off visits, seasonal tasks, or regular maintenance. 

Many homeowners choose regular weekly or monthly contract services to keep their gardens at their best, while others may only need gardening help at specific times, such as during spring planting or at the end of tenancy in a rented home.

Choosing the Right Provider

Selecting a qualified, reputable provider is essential for quality garden maintenance. The Royal Horticultural Society recommends checking gardener credentials, reading reviews, and ensuring the provider has experience with both routine and specialised tasks. 

By choosing an experienced team, you’ll be assured that your garden will receive expert care tailored to its unique characteristics.

Frequently Asked Questions About Garden Maintenance Services

Q: What’s the difference between routine and specialised garden maintenance?

A: Routine maintenance includes frequent tasks like mowing and weeding, while specialised services cover more complex work, such as pest management, soil improvement, and tree care, which require additional skills and equipment.

Q: How often should I schedule professional garden maintenance services?

A: The frequency depends on your garden’s needs. Some gardens benefit from weekly care, while others may only need seasonal or one-off services to stay in good shape.

Q: Can I request a tailored maintenance plan for my unique garden needs?

A: Yes, professional providers like BZ Gardens offer personalised horticultural plans that cater to your specific garden features, current plant types, and individual preferences. These help provide your garden with the care it needs.

Q: What should I look for in a reputable garden maintenance provider?

A: Look for experience, positive reviews, and qualifications. It’s also helpful to ask about their specific services and approach to sustainability to confirm that their practices align with your garden goals.

Elevate Your Outdoor Space with Professional Garden Maintenance Services

Through a combination of routine care and more specialised horticultural tasks, professional garden maintenance ensures that your garden remains vibrant, functional, healthy, and aligned with your unique needs year-round. 

Whether you require lawn care, regular pruning, tailored soil treatments, arboricultural services, advanced pest management, or any other horticultural services, experts can provide sustainable garden care solutions.

For tailored garden maintenance services that meet your unique needs, consider working with the team at BZ Gardens. Our professionals offer a full range of services designed to keep your garden at its most healthy and beautiful. Contact us today for help creating and maintaining an outdoor space that adds lasting value and joy to your home or business.

With summer officially here, it’s vital to keep an eye on our garden’s health. The heat this season can cause our lawns to suffer long-term if proper precautionary steps are not taken. In this article, we will be giving you tips on how to keep your lawn green and healthy amongst the changes in weather, from an expert surrey lawn care specialist.

Tip 1: How To Mow Your Lawn In Summer

When it comes to mowing your lawn, it’s important to get it right. Not only does mowing a lawn improperly look bad, but it can also be detrimental to your lawn’s health. One of our top tips would be to keep the blades of your mower set to a higher setting. This will promote deeper root growth and shade to the soil. In turn, this will reduce water loss and keep the grass hydrated in the hot months. We would also recommend mowing your lawn regularly, but still avoid cutting more than one-third of the grass height at a time. This prevents stress on the lawn and encourages it to thrive long until summer. 

To give your lawn a better chance of growing, you can also leave grass clippings. Mulching your grass clippings rather than bagging them can help to return essential nutrients to the soil and continue to promote a healthier lawn. These clippings also provide a natural and easy to make  mulch that helps retain soil moisture.

Tip 2: Professional Advice For Watering Your Lawn In Summer

As well as mowing your lawn in the summer, it’s important to change up your watering schedule. Homes & Gardens recommend providing your ‘lawn with between 1-1.5 inches of water per week for cool season grasses and 0.5-1 inch of water per week for warm season grasses’. 

However, when is the best time to water your lawn? When the sun is high in the sky, we would recommend staying clear of watering your grass. Always water your grass in the early morning or in the evening, after the sun has set. This will minimise evaporation and allow the grass to dry before the next day comes. Wet grass is an open invitation for weeds to thrive and it will also encourage grass and fungal diseases to spread. It’s also important to note that 

watering the grass too regularly can actually cause long term damage.

Tip 3: How To Control Weeds From Ruining Your Lawn

In summer, your plants and lawn will thrive, as they are in their prime growing season. Your lawn will look lush and full of life - with the right care. However, alongside plants growing well, so will weeds. It’s vital to keep garden maintenance up during summer, as weeds and other unwelcome visitors also love the vitamin D from the sun. 

Your professional gardening team will regularly inspect your lawn for weeds and remove them promptly, preventing them from spreading amongst your outdoor space. ‘The dreaded garden weed will steal root space, light, water and nutrients from your fruit and vegetable gardens’, but not only that, they can also harbour pests, diseases and viruses.

Tip 4: The Importance of Lawn Aeration In Summer

Lawn aeration is a crucial maintenance process that involves creating small holes in the soil to enhance air, water, and nutrient penetration to the grassroots. Lawn aeration helps to facilitate deeper root growth, leading to a more robust and resilient lawn.  By improving air exchange, aeration helps the soil breathe better, promoting a healthier root system. Lawn aeration can also be great for encouraging water uptake, as it helps to reduce runoff and puddling - both of which, can lead to root rot, even in summer. Improved water uptake can allow for essential nutrients to reach the roots more quickly. This contributes to a greener, lusher lawn and addresses soil compaction. 

Your soil, underneath the grass can also clump together. This can prevent your lawn from growing as the pore spaces are reduced, preventing air and water from moving freely and plant roots cannot grow easily into the surrounding soil. To break up the soil, your surrey lawn care specialist team  will use a spike aerator. This can loosen the soil up short term and involves using solid spikes to create holes in the lawn. This gardening tool will create a couple of millimetres in width and several centimetres deep, to help relieve compacted soil.

Tip 5: Lawn Traffic Management in Summer

In the dry months of summer, it’s vital to protect your lawn. One of the main ways you can do this is by minimising foot traffic on grass which is still trying to grow. Summer makes the soil dry, which means it’s a lot more prone to compaction under pressure. As mentioned earlier, compacted soil can restrict the air, water and nutrient flow. 

All of these factors can lead to poor root development and a weakened lawn. Not to mention, your grass will already be under stress from the heat and the lack of moisture - even if you are following a thorough watering schedule. With an excessive amount of foot traffic, your lawn can be in danger of suffering from significant damage, making it less resilient in the long run and more susceptible to wear and tear. 

BZ Gardens - Surrey Lawn Care

In the summer, we understand that you are going to want to enjoy your outdoor space more than normal. Let us help you with all of the monotonous maintenance tasks, so you can get back to spending time indulging in the warm weather. Here at BZ Gardens, we have a team of experts who are extremely knowledgeable in everything about lawn care. We will be sure to have your grass lush and green throughout the whole of the summer season. Contact our team now to find out more about garden maintenance services.

Let’s talk about summer garden maintenance! In the summer, we are usually blessed with good weather and optimal time to enjoy our outdoor spaces. However, with the bouts of good weather, our plants are much more likely to grow and need maintaining on a more regular basis. To ensure our gardens remain lush and in good shape, we have put together this list of the most essential maintenance tips that you should consider this summer season.

Watering Wisely For A Thriving Summer Garden

The summer is all about enjoying the summer sun - and the same goes for our plants! In hotter months, your garden will see an increase in heat and sunlight, meaning your greenery may need more water to remain hydrated. In the summer, your professional gardening team may recommend changing your watering schedule, increasinging it to quench your plant’s thirst. However, it’s important to not overwater your garden or at the wrong time of day. 

Watering your plant’s deeply but less frequently is great for encouraging deep root growth and drought tolerance. It’s also important to monitor the heat throughout the day. In the early morning, before the sun is high in the sky, is one of the best times to water your garden. Alternatively, you can wait until the sun has set in the evenings. This will massively reduce the chance of water loss due to evaporation.

Why Mulching Matters

Mulching your plants is important all year round - especially in summer. Mulch can be applied around plants to conserve water and regulate the soil temperature. Mulch is also known for keeping weeds at bay and ensuring your plants thrive, no matter the season. Before applying mulch to your garden, we would suggest speaking to your professional gardening team. Mulching too early can present dangers such as the spreading of mildew and fungus.

Pruning and Deadheading Your Plants

One of the top ways to prepare your garden for a new season of growth is to stay ahead of maintenance tasks. Pruning and deadheading your plants can help in removing old blooms or spent flowers. 

This will encourage new blooms to form throughout the summer season. Here at BZ Gardens, we understand how daunting garden maintenance can be. Our team of friendly experts can assist in pruning back any overgrown plants and removing damaged branches. This will not only assist in getting your healthy plants ready for summer, but it also allow you to get back to enjoying your garden in the sun. 

Fertilising Your Garden Appropriately

‘Great soil health is a combination of structure, water retention and availability of nutrients” and that is where fertilisation comes in. Feeding plants with a balanced fertiliser provides them with all the necessary nutrients that will be required for healthy growth. Fertiliser is typically separated into two different types; organic feed and inorganic feed. Organic fertilisers are made from all natural plant sources or animal origins such as compost, manure or plant-based fertilisers. 

These are great for offering slow-release nutrients, over a long period of time. Whereas inorganic feed is more synthetic.These give a much quicker hit of nutrients, but will need to be applied to your plants more regularly - particularly with the growth of summer. No matter what fertiliser you choose, it's important to not over-fertilise your plants. An excessive amount of fertiliser can actually harm your greenery and even contribute to environmental pollution. 

Pest and Disease Management

Let’s talk about summer pests. In summer, slugs and snails will appear more often. As it gets hotter, these unwanted visitors will look for moist environments in which they can hide out in. Snails and slugs tend to chew through stems, leaves and flowers which can hinder your plants growth massively. But, what is the best way to get rid of these pests? Create a healthy ecosystem, which invites their natural predators in - birds! This can be ‘hedges, shrubs (especially those with berries) and trees will all attract birds such as blackbirds and thrushes, which eat slugs and snails’.

It’s important to keep a close eye on your garden space and regularly check for signs of pests and diseases. If you happen to find any disease ridden plants, we would recommend removing them straight away. By practising good sanitation, you can prevent the spread amongst your other plants.

Provide Shade and Shelter To Your Delicate Plants

‘Having shaded spots throughout your garden is a must – particularly when you are trying to escape the summer heat’ and the same goes for our plants. Much like us, our more delicate plants may require solace from the warmth. Shade can protect sensitive plants from receiving too much intense sunlight. This can reduce the changes of heat stress and provide that much needed slice of shade. 

But, how can you spot heat stress in plants? Keep an eye out for any leaf rolling, cupping, wilting, blossom or fruit drops, sunscalds or bolting. If you need help identifying these telltale signs, you can always contact our team today for more gardening advice. 

To protect your plants, we would recommend adding some spots of shade throughout your garden. This can be easily done by using shade clothes, umbrellas or planting taller species of plants or trees nearby to create a natural shade. 

BZ Gardens - Maintaining Your Summer Garden

If you are looking to sit back and enjoy your garden this summer, our team of friendly professionals are on standby to assist you in all your maintenance needs. With the summer providing an optimal time for growth, we understand that staying on top of gardening tasks can be time consuming. Whether you are looking for general maintenance, green waste disposal or even a redesign of your garden space for the new season, we are here to help. Contact our team today to speak to one of our experts.

Finding time to prioritise our mental health can be tricky. On top of everyday work-life balance, maintaining a social life, and ensuring we keep up with household chores, the juggling act can become difficult. But what if we told you that a household chore, such as gardening, can also be beneficial to your mental health? Horticultural therapy is a great way to ground yourself and reconnect with nature once more. In this article, we will be exploring how gardening can help your mental and physical well-being. 

How Connecting with Nature Benefits Mental Wellbeing 

You don't need to be a horticulture specialist to go outside and reconnect with nature to provide a much-needed boost to your mental well-being. However, Gardening can provide a golden opportunity for you to get outside, breathe fresh air, and soak up some vitamin D. 

Spending time in your garden ‘has been found to help with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression’, as well as bring a sense of peace to an otherwise busy day. Not only that but regular access to green spaces has been linked to improved concentration and attention. Remembering to get up, leave your sofa, and spend some quality time with nature is extremely beneficial for your mind and well-being. 

Gardening For Mindfulness and Stress Reduction

Speaking of good for the mind, gardening is also great for stress reduction. As well as taking place outside and in the fresh air, gardening offers an engaging task that encourages a sense of mindfulness. As you focus on the present moment and getting the job done, you will find that your mind is a lot less likely to wander. Also, gardening can be an interesting sensory experience.

Did you know that ‘in 2021, the RHS released research that revealed those who garden every day have wellbeing scores 6.6% higher and stress levels 4.2% lower than people who don’t garden at all’? Gardening encourages mindfulness and can reduce stress levels whilst also promoting relaxation. 

Whilst the act of gardening alone can be beneficial for stress, there are also studies to suggest that scientifically, it can be the answer to feeling down. According to Canopia by Palram, ‘getting your hands in the soil and contact with a specific soil bacteria called Mycobacterium Vaccae triggers the release of serotonin in our brain’. So, on top of gardening being a physical way to fight stress, there is also evidence that it can make you happier. 

Gardening For a Sense of Accomplishment

Do you ever have those days where you feel like nothing is going right? Gardening allows us all to feel a sense of accomplishment. Whether you are weeding, creating new flower beds, or pruning trees - even garden maintenance can boost your mood. 

With gardening being a more fun home chore, it can bring a sense of accomplishment and enhance our self-esteem. Regardless of age, when we see our plants and flowers grow and thrive, we can all feel an emotion of achievement. On top of vitamin D and being outside, this can be the perfect recipe for no longer feeling low.

The Physical Health Benefits of Gardening

Gardening can be a labour of love - literally. In addition to mental health benefits, gardening can also be beneficial for our physical health. As we all know, gardening can be an extremely physical task. Think about it - mowing the lawn, digging, and raking are all forms of aerobic exercise. Depending on the activity, ‘gardening can use up to 250-500 calories an hour’. 

Getting regular exercise is one of the most important parts of remaining active and keeping mentally healthy. Exercise helps us release serotonin and ensures we continue to feel happy. Gardening is known to improve our cardiovascular health, increase mobility and strength, and better our sleeping patterns. 

The Environmental Benefits of Gardening

As well as being personally beneficial for you, gardening is also great for the environment, which means you can do good whilst you feel good. There is an increasing push in ‘health professionals to encourage their patients to make use of green space and to work in gardens, and pressure on local authorities to increase open spaces and the number of trees, thus also helping to counteract air pollution and climate change’. There is an understanding that the more plants the better. Whether you are living in a highly polluted urban area, where more trees are needed, or simply planting indoor herbs to improve the air quality in your home - all plants are welcome. 

Not only are our gardens a hub for much-needed trees, shrubs, and plants, but any vegetables we can grow ourselves are also considered eco-friendly. By being able to eat from our own gardens, we can cut down on the air pollution caused by planes, ships, trucks, and cars, which all transport our food to us. Also, homegrown vegetables come with a lot less waste. Think about it - when was the last time you purchased potatoes not in a plastic bag? By growing veggies in your outdoor space, you can make your lifestyle a lot more enjoyable and sustainable. 

BZ Gardens - Horticulture Specialist In Surrey

Here at BZ Gardens, we understand that your garden is your safe haven. Whilst many of us love the fun bits of gardening like designing the space, planting new flowers, and enjoying the outdoor time, we also know that maintaining a large space can be daunting. Our team of friendly horticulture specialists will allow you to still enjoy these gardening endeavours, whilst taking the less enthralling maintenance tasks off your hands. We can assist with pruning your plants, garden waste management, groundwork services, and many other long-term maintenance tasks. Get in contact with our team today to find out more. 

With the hotter months on the horizon, we all want to be able to sit out in our gardens and enjoy that weather. However, without taking care to maintain your lawn, plants and shrubbery, this dream may not come true. It’s important to not ignore the horticultural needs of your garden, as it can prevent the growth and long-term well-being of your land. As part of our services, here at BZ Gardens, we offer a range of horticultural assistance. 

What Are Horticultural Services?

So, what are horticultural services? Horticultural services can encompass many different maintenance tasks around the garden, including but not limited to, weeding, herbaceous border management, lifting, dividing, rearranging and soil cultivation. Horticultural services can also include everything to do with hedges, like trimming, cutting, shrub reshaping and pruning. 

Our Horticulture Services

We want to keep your outdoor space perfect, so you are able to enjoy it year round. In order for your garden to be healthy, maintenance is vital. As well as offering services in green waste management and hard landscaping, we also have a range of horticulture services. 

Landscape Design and Planning

Here at BZ Gardens, we are experts in everything garden-related, including horticultural services. Our expertise in landscape, design and planning can help you create a garden that not only reflects your personal style but also maximises your outdoor space to its full potential. Horticultural services also include maintenance of your garden and ensuring everything is in tip top shape, no matter the weather, no matter the season. 

Complete Lawn Care

Horticultural services is more than simply maintaining your garden - it’s about getting the most out of it. That’s why we include complete lawn care in our practices. We offer a variety of lawn care services for commercial properties, domestic or public spaces.

This includes, lawn mowing, fertilising, strimming, weed control, moss control, aerating your lawn and scarification. We understand that every good garden starts with the lawn and we want to help you increase the value of your home in the future. 

Plant Selection and Installation

Our horticultural services also include plant selection and installation. In addition to having a stunning lawn, what plants you choose are also important. We offer flower bed installation and border maintenance alongside helping you design your space to your desires.

To truly get the most out of your flower beds and garden border, would take the time to weed and prep your soil, including edging and compost or mulch application too. Whether you are looking for flowering perennials, shrubs or ornamental trees, our team of professionals can help you curate a diverse, yet harmonious plant palette. 

Pest Disease & Management 

In order to properly maintain a garden’s beauty, it’s vital to protect it from pests and diseases that can find their way into your outdoor space. Keeping unhelpful insects, vermin and other unwelcome visitors at bay can be a tricky job. 

However, identifying common garden pests and implementing preventive measures with organic treatments, is one of our specialties. Our team of professionals are here to help you safeguard your plants without compromising their safety or sustainability. 

End-of-Tenancy Garden Maintenance 

If you are living in a rented property, you may be required to do an end-of-tenancy clean, which could include the garden. Renting a property often requires keeping the outdoor space in good condition, throughout your stay and to be perfected upon your leaving. Our team understand how a garden will need to be maintained in order to be acceptable to a letting agency. 

Surrey-Based Gardeners - Horticultural Services Near You

BZ Gardens can help throughout your entire garden maintenance journey. Whether you are designing your garden space or simply looking to keep it in good shape throughout the year, we are the team for you! Our horticultural services will allow you to continue enjoying your outdoor space, without having to worry about the general maintenance work. Our team will handle all of the necessary jobs that go into keeping your garden thriving. If you would like to know more, contact our team at 44 1483 299797.

Spring offers the perfect conditions for maximum growth in your garden - including your lawn. However, if you are looking to truly increase your grass’ potential, then we would suggest looking into a fertiliser which will help you achieve this goal. In this article, we will be looking at the world of fertilisation and how it can benefit your garden this season. 

Choose the Right Fertiliser

When choosing a fertiliser, it’s important to pick one that is right for spring application. In spring, the weather can be slightly less predictable, but with a good amount of sunshine and rainfall, your plants should thrive. For spring, we would recommend a slow-release fertiliser. These provide all the nutrients your plants will need, but will release them gradually over an extended period of time. 

This will ensure that your plants have everything they need throughout their growing season. Also, we would suggest checking to see if your chosen fertiliser includes micronutrients. Iron, zinc and manganese are all important for consistent growth in plants. If you have a large piece of land with lawn, we would recommend speaking with your team of gardeners for professional advice during this season. 

Additionally, you can try out a variety of different variations of fertiliser to see what works for your garden. For example, incorporating compost with manure into your fertiliser can enhance the quality this spring. As compost with manure is made from organic matter, there are plenty of beneficial microorganisms. This can improve structure, water retention and nutrient-holding capacity.

How To Time Fertilising Your Lawn

In addition to knowing what fertiliser is best, timing is also imperative. Applying fertiliser in early spring will ensure that the soil temperature is correct.  For most fertilisers, the soil temperature should be around 12-15 degrees for optimal results. In terms of the weather, ‘a cloudy day or in the evening is the best time to fertilise a lawn’.  

The perfect timing allows for grass to utilise all the nutrients effectively and will help ease your plants from their winter slumber. Not to mention, ‘fertilising a lawn regularly can ensure it's less likely to suffer from disease, pests and weeds.’ As well as spring being a prime growth season, pests and weeds will also be coming back in full force. Fertilisation can help keep these issues at bay. 

The Importance of Soil Testing

Soil testing should also be top priority this season. A professional team of gardeners will often conduct a soil test before applying fertiliser. This will ultimately determine what your lawn or plants need more accurately, and then their fertiliser can be adjusted accordingly. 

Soil testing will evaluate what the nutrient content is of your soil, what the pH level is and how fertility it can be. As well as informing you about what fertiliser will be beneficial, it can also prevent what plants will work well in your garden and what will not survive. 

Proper Fertiliser Application Technique

Your professional gardening team will be able to accurately tell you what would work best for your outdoor space when it comes to application technique. One of the main concerns is whether you spread your fertiliser uniformly. 

Whether you are planning to do this by hand or using equipment, your fertiliser will need to be spread evenly throughout your garden. We would recommend only overlapping on each pass, as this will ensure coverage and prevent uneven distribution. It's also a good idea to speak to your professional gardening team about the frequency of application. Too much fertiliser can severely damage your grass and even the surrounding areas. 

Watering After Fertiliser Application

Fertiliser can benefit from being water immediately after application. This will allow the nutrients to be activated and will ensure that they penetrate the soil in the most effective way. Be careful during this period not to overwater your lawn. Overwatering can result in water logging, which will have negative effects on your growing grass.

Monitor and Adjust Your Fertiliser

After your gardening team has applied the fertiliser, they will be monitoring and adjusting their process over the next few weeks. Keeping an eye on a lawn’s response to fertilisation is extremely important, as they may need to adjust their maintenance practices accordingly. During this time, they will be looking for any signs of nutrient deficiencies or excess. This can present as yellowing, discolouration of grass, slow or streaky growth patterns, thin grass coverage or a weak root system. 

BZ Gardens – Surrey-Based Lawn Fertilisation Experts 

With the season of growth finally here, it’s important to stay on top of our lawn’s needs. If you are looking for a helping hand in the garden, our team of friendly professionals are here to help. With many years of experience, we can be sure to have your lawn long and luscious, ready for summer. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at  01483 967160.

Many of our common garden plants love the springtime. With an adequate amount of rainfall and sun, our herbaceous plants truly thrive. In this article, we will be offering you a comprehensive guide to herbaceous plants and how you can care for them this season. 

What Are Herbaceous Plants?

Firstly, what are herbaceous plants? Herbaceous plants are a type of annual, biennial or perennial plant with leaves and a stem, think: dandelions and tulips, amongst many others. The special thing about herbaceous plants is that they die back every year without leaving any evidence on the surface. With some careful and well thought-out planting, ‘you can fill your borders up with relatively inexpensive herbaceous perennials and have a beautiful display of colour in a few short months.’

There are many different types of these plants, from delicate and beautiful perennials to hardy annuals that spring back up every year. Some of the most notable being lavender, sedum, lupins and foxgloves - however, there are so many more! These plants are extremely versatile and will thrive in a number of different weathers, soils and environments. 

How To Plan Your Herbaceous Garden

When it comes to planning where and when to plant your herbaceous garden there are a few factors to take into account. These include sunlight, as a southern facing garden can promote massive plant growth, as well as soil quality and how suitable the drainage conditions are. Through the great variety of herbaceous plants, they can truly benefit from companion planting. Certain species of herbaceous plants will be much healthier and happier when grown side by side.

We can help you design a garden that not only has the visual and sensual aesthetics you require but also maximises the environmental conditions available, incorporating what you would look for in the colour, texture and form of your desired plants. 

Cultivation and Care

Depending on the type of herbaceous plant, you will want to seek professional advice regarding correct cultivation techniques and care. Different species require specific spacing, watering routines and soil preparation. For example, ‘most daffodil bulbs should be planted about 10cm deep, roughly twice the depth of the bulb itself’. They prefer to be in open ground and we would recommend not planting more than six daffodil bulbs together, otherwise, they will become too crowded.

Garden maintenance in extensive gardens is important all year round- especially when it comes to planting herbaceous plants. It’s vital to keep an eye on your more delicate herbaceous plants as they will require regular pest control. We would also recommend researching or asking your professional gardening team for more information about fertilisation and pruning. Your horticulture team can give the best advice on plants that will do well, depending on the season, and what their specific requirements will be. 

Herbaceous Plants in Landscaping

Did you know that ‘technically, all annual plants are herbaceous, because an annual is a non-woody plant’? This includes herbs such as basil, mint and thyme. In the world of extensive gardens, we have seen a rise in outdoor kitchens becoming popular. Picture this: you’re cooking outside, enjoying the spring sunshine and all you have to do is reach down to grab your favourite herb to enhance the dish you are cooking. Herbaceous plants, including herbs, can be used in any garden design. 

Another way that we often see people opting to use herbaceous plants, is through raised garden planters. As many herbaceous plants can be deemed as hardy, there can be a number of different ways to display them. As horticulture experts, we would suggest having fun when it comes to designing around these bright and colourful variations of plants. 

If, in your extensive garden, you are looking to frame the pathways, why not plant your herbaceous flowers alongside the highly trafficked areas? Flowers can make your outdoor space more interesting and inviting to guests. Not to mention, our friendly pollinators will also love to pay a visit to your herbaceous garden. 

BZ Gardens- Your Horticulture Experts

Herbaceous plants have the ability to be beautiful all year round. With successional planting combined with an adequate watering schedule and the correct soil requirements, you can have a garden ready for summer. If you need further advice or are simply seeking a professional to help provide the garden of your dreams, contact us now on  

As we approach spring, our gardens are on the brink of becoming greener and more vibrant. However, what steps should we be taking to prepare? In this article, we will be speaking about garden nutrition and how you can choose between compost and manure to enhance your outdoor space.

Compost: Nature's Black Gold

Compost, otherwise known as ‘black gold’, is a nutrient-rich organic matter which can play a pivotal role in gardening practices. According to RHS.com, ‘organic matter is sometimes referred to as 'soil improver' or 'soil conditioner'- and compost can do just that.  If you are looking for your garden to thrive this spring, compost can be a great addition. Compost is created through the decomposition of plant or kitchen waste.  

Benefits of Compost

By adding finished compost to your soil, it can improve the overall structure and health of your plants. Compost can promote much better aeration and water retention. This can avoid certain plant killers, such as dehydration and root rot. 

Another key benefit, and as mentioned above, is the nutrients that compost can provide to your growing seedlings. Containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, compost allows your plants to foster a healthy amount of growth as we enter this new season. 

Compost can also enhance the microbial activity present in the soil. This will allow your plants to be able to uptake the extra nutrients that the compost is providing. With this additional microbial activity, your plants will also have a better chance of suppressing diseases. 

Manure: A Natural Fertiliser

Manure stands out as another widely embraced option, with certain individuals choosing to utilise it in lieu of compost. Manure is created slightly differently from compost, but is still considered a great, organic alternative for garden health. Manure is derived directly from animal waste, and serves as an ideal natural fertiliser. 

Benefits Of Manure

Similar to compost, manure is nutrient-rich. Containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, these elements can all be crucial elements to plants development. Along with these additional nutrients, manure can also improve the soil’s texture. This allows for much conducive root growth. 

Again, similar to compost, manure offers soil conditioning, meaning that these extra nutrients will be absorbed more effectively. Both manure and compost are ideal if you are looking to embrace more sustainable gardening practices in 2024. As mature is made from recycling animal waste, this minimises the environmental impact of keeping your garden or estate green and lush.

Best Practices for Application

So, now we’ve explained the difference between manure and compost, how do you apply them to your garden? Your professional gardening team will bring their expertises to your outdoor space when it comes to using fertiliser, as getting the blend correct can be slightly challenging. For example, when blending either compost or manure into the soil, it’s important to mix a ratio of 1:1. Some professionals may also opt to do a soil test. A soil test will  assess several key parameters such as pH level, nutrient levels, organic matter content, soil texture, and presence of any contaminants like heavy metals.

When applying your organic fertiliser, timing will also need to be considered. Applying manure or compost now would be ideal, as we move into spring and growth begins. We would also recommend not using these organic fertilisers in late summer or autumn. Colder temperatures suppress any biological activity within the compost. The repeated freezing and thawing that the UK weather puts our plants through may destroy the tough plant tissues. This could up the potential for root rot and prevent your plants from thriving come spring. 

Another consideration is what manure to use. If you have your heart set on using manure as your organic fertiliser of choice, your professional gardening team will not avoid using it when it’s fresh. The Spruce details how fresh manure is ‘high in nitrogen and ammonia’ and can actually scorch your plant’s roots, which can introduce harmful pathogens. Before use, your professional garden team would recommend allowing the manure to compost for several months before using it. 

Considerations and Precautions

Along with the application of your natural fertiliser, there are a few other considerations and precautions for manure and compost. 

Contact a Professional Gardening Team

Firstly, we would always suggest getting in contact with a local gardening service for professional advice ahead of deciding what fertiliser to use in your outdoor space. A professional will be able to offer a new layer of insight into what will make your plants thrive this spring. 

Sourcing Your Natural Fertiliser

Secondly, it is important to consider where to source your manure or compost from. Again, a team of professionals will be able to advise on where would be the best place to get your product. Where your compost or manure comes from can truly affect the quality of. We would suggest choosing compost or manure from a selection of reputable sources to ensure quality and minimise the risk of contaminants.

Temperature Concerns With Natural Fertiliser 

To decompose correctly, your piles of compost will need to reach a certain temperature. But, how do you monitor compost temperature? Well, your professional gardening team can do this for you. They will insert a temperature probe into the centre of the pile to get the most accurate reading. They can then monitor and adjust the temperature regularly based on these readings. The optimal temperature range for composting is between 54°C and 71°C. 

BZ Gardens - Surrey Garden Specialists 

As spring approaches, now is the perfect time to start preparing your garden for the season ahead! At BZ Gardens, we understand the significance of garden upkeep all year-round.  Whether you're aiming to enhance the vibrancy of your outdoor area in anticipation of hosting gatherings this spring or simply want to revitalise your garden, our team of experts are here to help. Get in touch with us today at 01483 967160 to discuss how we can assist you.

Raised beds are a popular choice for gardeners looking to improve their outdoor spaces. They make it easy to garden in practically any circumstance. Forget the trouble of heavy or compacted soil. This guide will serve to help beginners know everything they need regarding raised beds. 

What are Raised Beds?

A raised bed is soil contained within a structure that is lifted above ground level. You can use a wooden box, stone sides and even scaffold boards. These allow planting on top of an existing soil level. 

You may plant these on top of a current garden border or paving terrace. Raised beds allow you to choose the height of your gardening area. Thus, you can save yourself a lot of back pain when gardening. It also means you can avoid having to carry out hard landscaping. For instance, with raised beds, you don’t need to excavate huge amounts of soil and debris. 

Main Benefits

There is a range of benefits to having a raised bed in your garden. This can include: 

• Greater ease of access
• Less soil compaction
• Less erosion of soil and spill
• Better temperature control during spring and less likely to be in frost-pockets
• Easier to maintain than a traditional bed

What Can You Grow in Raised Beds?

What’s great about raised beds is that you can grow practically anything in them depending on their size. Here are a few ideas to get you started. 

Vegetables

Nearly any vegetable can be grown in a raised bed, making them very popular in allotments. 

Soft Fruits 

Fruits such as raspberries, strawberries and currents can all be grown easily within a raised bed. 

Herbaceous Perennials

Especially for cut flower gardens, herbaceous perennials can be easily grown within your raised beds. 

Ericaceous or Lime-hating Plants

Filling beds with acidic soil or top dressing with pine needles lime-hating plants such as blueberries, heathers or rhododendrons can be grown in alkaline areas and chalky soil. 

Summary

As providers of landscape design services, we believe that raised beds offer a simple, beginner-friendly way to start gardening. There is a range of benefits to using this method. This includes greater ease of access as well as better temperature control during spring and easy maintenance. 

Contact Us - Landscape Design Services

As specialists in providing landscape design services, we have a wealth of experience and specialist knowledge in our industry. BZ Gardens has fast become a well-established and well-regarded business. We create and care for unique gardens and open spaces for residential, commercial and public clients across London, Greater London and more. Should you have any questions regarding our landscape design services or anything else, feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you. 

One issue that many keen gardeners will come up against from time to time is the issue of pests. As specialists in landscape design services, we know just how irritating it can be when all your beautiful garden plants are being eaten away. For this reason, we have written this guide to provide insight on some of the most common pests and how to deal with them. 

Slugs and Snails

One of the most common pests you will encounter in UK gardens are slugs and snails. Both widespread and persistent, these can cause considerable damage to your garden. Often they will eat holes in leaves as well as flowers, bulbs and stems. Most at risk are new spring herbaceous plants and seedlings. Yet, both slugs and snails can be problematic in the garden annually.

However, there are a few natural deterrents you can use to limit the damage. For slugs, consider lining your borders with upturned eggshells or creating a rough area of sand around your plants. Both will work to deter these pesky creatures. 

Ants 

Prevalent in many gardens, ants although not official pests, can be irritating for many gardeners. Ant nests can cause damage to flower pots and lawns as little heaps of soil appear above the surface. Often, these pests are best left alone, but you can brush away the aforementioned soil heaps on dry days. 

Glasshouse Thrips 

Small insects such as this can be problematic for a range of greenhouse plants. Thrips will suck sap from plants causing pale mottling and brown marks to appear on the surface of leaves. 

They are active all year round within greenhouses and cause a lot of damage between April and September. In order to remove these, hand sticky blue sheets among plants that can trap insects. 

Summary

Don’t let the damage caused by these garden pests deter you from maintaining your garden spaces. With a few of these handy tips pests such as slugs, snails, glasshouse thrips and ants can be controlled. A few additional pests you may want to be aware of include; Box tree moths, Tortrix moths, Rosemary beetle larvae and Viburnum beetles. 

Contact Us - Landscape Design Services

As specialists in providing  landscape design services, we have a wealth of experience and specialist knowledge in our industry. BZ Gardens has fast become a well-established and well-regarded business. We create and care for unique gardens and open spaces for residential, commercial and public clients across London, Greater London and more. Should you have any questions regarding our landscape design services or anything else, feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Horticulture is the science of breeding, nurturing and cultivating plants. In this field, professionals are knowledgeable in the methods and techniques used to prepare soil in order to ensure better crop yield. As part of our garden maintenance service, BZ Gardens can provide you with year-round comprehensive horticultural services. But what is included in this service? 

Complete Lawn Care 

More than just lawn mowing and weed control, BZ Gardens offer a variety of lawn care services for commercial, domestic and public spaces. These include: 

• Lawn mowing 
• Strimming
• Fertilising
• Weed control 
• Moss control 
• Aerating 
• Scarification

There are a range of benefits to seeking out our lawn care services. For example, it can help increase the value of your home in the future as your lawns will be well maintained. Additionally, it will save you a lot of time and stress with the physical labour involved in lawn maintenance. 

Complete Plant Work 

Especially as we enter the warmer spring and summer months, it is important to make sure your flowers and plants are well maintained. This can be a tall task, with many different aspects including; pruning, spraying, feeding and trailing. With help from our professional team, you can be sure that all your plants get the care they need. 

Flower Bed and Border Maintenance

To get the most out of your flower beds and garden borders, our expert team is here to help. Save yourself the time trouble of weeding and soil preparation with our flower bed and border maintenance service. This includes: 

• Weeding
• Edging
• Soil Preparation 
• Compost/ Mulch Application 

How Else Can We Help? - Horticultural Services 

On top of all this, we also have a range of other services that we provide to help with your horticultural needs. For example, we can help with hedge trimming, leaf clearance, plant health protection and meadow and grassland management. 

Furthermore, preparing a property at the end of a tenancy can be extremely stressful. This is why we offer an end of tenancy garden maintenance service for rental properties. We can also help prepare garden and open spaces for events such as parties and weddings. 

Contact Us - Garden Maintenance Service

With years of experience, BZ Gardens are professionals in the field of landscaping. We offer a wide range of services for unique gardens and open spaces for residential, commercial and public clients. If you have any questions surrounding our horticultural services or anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01483299797. Alternatively you can email us at info@bzgardens.co.uk. 

BZ Gardens can provide you with year-round comprehensive horticultural and local gardening services. Our regular maintenance usually occurs on a weekly or fortnightly basis with jobs tailored to seasonal changes. What are horticultural services? What’s included? This guide will help cover these questions and more. 

What Are Horticultural Services?

Horticulture refers to the science of breeding, nurturing and cultivating plants. Workers in this field are trained and knowledgeable in the methods and techniques used to prepare soil in order to ensure thriving plants, better crop yield and well maintained green spaces. 

What’s included In Our Horticultural Services?

Our horticultural services cover many different areas. For example: 

Regular Garden Maintenance

We offer regular garden maintenance services. These include lawnmowing, strimming, fertilising, weed control and scarification. 

Complete Plant Work

Our complete plant work services include things such as pruning, spraying and trailing. It may also include dividing and cutting back herbaceous plants. 

Flower Bed and Border Maintenance 

Additionally, our horticultural services also include a range of flower bed and border maintenance. For example, we can help with any weeding, edging, soil preparation and compost/mulch application. 

Other additional Horticultural services we provide include:

• Hedge trimming
• Leaf clearance 
• Planting 
• Garden Party Preparations 
• End of tenancy garden maintenance

Why Choose BZ Gardens For Your Horticultural Needs? 

As an experienced team of gardening experts, we have been able to establish a well -regarded business, working at the top of our industry. We constantly challenge ourselves to conceive, create and care for unique gardens and open spaces. No matter whether it be for a residential, commercial or public garden space, we are confident in our ability to provide you with a top quality service. 

The Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Landscape Gardener For Your Horticultural Needs 

One benefit of hiring a professional landscape gardener for your horticultural needs is that they know what they are doing. When you pay for this service you gain an advantage from the experience of a professional as well as their expertise, time, equipment and materials. Additionally, by hiring a professional landscaper, you add value to your property as your garden or open space becomes more attractive to future buyers. 

Contact Us - Local Gardening Services

Established in 2010, BZ Gardens are experienced professionals in the field of gardening. We offer a wide range of local gardening services and are able to care for unique gardens and open spaces for residential, commercial and public clients. For any questions surrounding our horticultural services or anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01483299797. Alternatively you can email us at info@bzgardens.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.