Garden Makeover – Fantastic Gardeners in London

Summer seems to have arrived at last. It’s time for a garden makeover! Flip flops are out and we have the obligatory bare-chested, British male sunning himself in every park. If you are lucky enough, you don’t need to worry about him!

I feel very privileged to have what is considered to be a pretty large garden for close to central London. It has played host to many a summer BBQ and now we have added a sense of ‘park’; with a big trampoline and a climbing frame – neither an eyesore somehow. However, up until a few weeks ago, said garden looked more like a huge field of weeds. We haven’t had a regular gardener for years and my fingers are furthest from green that you could imagine,(changing though after this experience).

So, with summer approaching I decided to find a company to give the garden the makeover it needed. A lot of work I was to find out and boy did they work hard! It’s not so easy finding a gardener either, unless you have a recommendation. some are lazy, some just don’t turn up to even quote; it’s their busy period now, you see.

I was recommended Fantastic Services by a friend. It’s one of those businesses that started up on the internet first offering cleaners but then branching out in to all types of home helps; from handymen to removals to pet care and including gardeners. It all could have been a bit naff and unprofessional – jack of all trades, master of none – but there’s a reason that these guys have succeeded in building a thriving business from their sofas in 2009, where so many have tried and failed and it’s pure hard work and professionalism. Not such a complicated combination but so hard to find.

One call to Fantastic Gardeners (there’s a 10% discount for booking online) and I was convinced that I made a good choice. They work on Sundays too, none of this faint-hearted weekday-only nonsense. I was able to get two men for 5 hours for that very Sunday.

Turning up in their van, – I seem to be seeing them everywhere around London now!- on time and with all the necessary tools, they set to work immediately.

Both in uniform and so polite, I was impressed before they had even started. Below you can see the state of the garden – just a load of weeds!

Slowly starting to see some earth! Very hard at work..

They cleared everything as they went and had to be coaxed into stopping for a cup of tea!

The garden starts to take shape as they worked tirelessly…

As the afternoon drew to a close, our gracious gardeners had managed to clear the entire garden.

All the flower beds meticulously turned over ready for planting and the trees and bushes cut back too.

So, get your garden in order now, a few days of rain will just make it greener for the next hot weekend and Bank Holiday to come. A huge thumbs-up to Fantastic Gardeners. They even have an App! Now, I’m off to the garden centre to buy some seeds and turn my fingers green!