Seasonal garden maintenance in Dorking

The right jobs in the right month, timed for a town of sandy hills and wet clay.

Seasonal garden maintenance in Dorking runs on two clocks. Gardens on sandy greensand warm up and dry out early, so they’re ready for the first cut and the spring tidy before the clay gardens are. Lawns on the Gault clay lag behind in March and stay wet into April, then hold their colour longer in a dry summer. We plan the visits around which clock your garden keeps.

You can book seasonal jobs one at a time or have them built into a regular visit at no extra charge. Most people prefer the second, because then they don’t have to remember any of it. We simply turn up and do what the month calls for.

Seasonal garden maintenance in spring and summer

Spring starts with cutting back grasses and perennials left standing over winter, a high first cut on the lawn, and mulch on the borders while the soil is still damp. By May it’s mostly keeping up: mowing, edging, deadheading and weeding before anything seeds. Summer brings the dry-spell question. On sandy soil we raise the mowing height early and don’t push the lawn. Hedges may get a light shaping trim in late summer, but only once we’ve checked thoroughly for nests.

Autumn garden tidy up and leaf clearance

Autumn is the busy one here. With Glory Woods, Devil’s Den and the Nower all close to town, the leaf fall is heavy and long, and wet leaves left on a lawn will yellow it within weeks. Through October and November we clear lawns, paths and borders on every visit. It’s also the window for main hedge cuts, planting bulbs and splitting tired perennials.

Winter is quieter. Rose pruning, dormant hedge renovation and a mulch on bare borders keep things ticking over, and we stay off frozen grass.

Seasonal Services in Dorking: your questions

Anything else, just ring. You’ll speak to the people who do the work.

When should I book an autumn garden tidy up?

Late October or November, once most leaves are down, is usually best. Go too early and you’ll need another clear a fortnight later. On regular visits we just keep clearing as they fall.

Can you do a one-off spring tidy?

Yes. A single visit in March or April to cut back, weed, edge and mulch sets the garden up well for the year. It’s a common way for people to start with us.

Do you do leaf clearance on its own?

Yes. We’ll clear leaves off lawns, paths and drives, pick them out of borders and take the lot away. The lawn matters most, as grass under a wet layer of leaves soon starts to die back.