To the Ladies that dig it

Lady gardeners, plants women, girlie designers and female landscapers, what is the most difficult thing working in gardens that you have to deal with?

Could it be digging a border whilst planting and finding that it is full of rubble which you specifically asked for it to be removed ‘the planting beds dug over and good quality soil conditioner incorporated’, (i.e. made ready for planting’) but still find yourself spending hours throwing bricks out of hard to dig holes for each and every plant?

Maybe it’s the lack of ‘facilities’ on site, and what arrangements do you make so that ‘squatting’ is not an option?

If planting all day and you need to go to the supermarket on the way home, what kind of reception do you get from the security staff and checkout ladies when you’re covered in mud, hands and nails filthy. Do you find yourself apologising/explaining?

Perhaps you have arranged an initial visit to a potential client on the way home after a day in the garden (covered in dirt, glowing from toil and feeling a bit dazed) what ‘bag of tricks’ do you carry around in the car (other than a clean top, deodorant, wet wipes, mascara, eye shadow, foundation, eyelash curlers, hair brush and lipstick)?!!

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Permalink Reply by pete on June 16, 2009 at 6:40pm: Niall, when we have time off we like to go somewhere beside a river with the tent and have a proper fire - Dolgamedd campsite near Dolgellau is a very nice one --- We first saw that shewee in a camping shop, and as me and my mrs work in the gardens together I wanted her to try it, naturally, save her a lot of trouble I thought --- she's thinking about it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by niall gibb on June 16, 2009 at 8:22pm: cool. cheered me up no end today! :-] wonder if you get a hewee. i remember getting a £50 fine for it years ago when i was about 18. (had had a few right enough and thought no one saw me going into some fine bushes.

pete said:
Niall, when we have time off we like to go somewhere beside a river with the tent and have a proper fire - Dolgamedd campsite near Dolgellau is a very nice one --- We first saw that shewee in a camping shop, and as me and my mrs work in the gardens together I wanted her to try it, naturally, save her a lot of trouble I thought --- she's thinking about it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kerrie John-The garden design Co on June 16, 2009 at 9:00pm: Guess you could desing a "HeWee' if you require something extra!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jill Le Claire on June 21, 2009 at 4:30pm: Hi Kerrie
First rule of a new gardening job is where to pee-compost heaps are great as usually hidden!!! The most difficult aspect of gardening is usually the owner as they often want to "be in control" as they are used to it but have no idea of what is needed to create a garden or what is possible in their north facing rubble filled, badly drained spot!! However a well placed infill plant can change minds overnight-love it. I adore gardening and have made many friends through bringing gardens to life. The joy of this job is that the gardens get better each year!! The many glasses of wine to celebrate a first blooming etc. can become a bit much but l am blessed in that l live in the country and can use back lanes. I love going to the shops looking like a wild woman-guess because l am older and "except me as l am" has always been my motto. I love just smiling at people and seeing their reactions-the real people just smile back and the others well forget them. The hardest job l have at the moment is an elderly lady who has just lost her husband and cannot manage the garden but hasn't much cash-however recently got a rch bitch job-so it all balances out. Girls-we re blessed-may have dreadful nails and dry hair but the suntan is not out of a bottle and apparently my "muscle definition" (didn't even know the term) is excellent-swings and roundabouts.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kirsty Blair on November 21, 2009 at 9:27pm: I'm a garden designer/landscaper and get a lot of my business because I'm a woman - the most difficult bit is getting the right people to work with. Some men have a real problem with me checking on their work, some don't do what I ask and some start off ok and then totally f it up. I've gone through a few staff over the last few years but its getting there now.

I'm now a proud white van- just been logo'd up and getting a lot of looks which is good in a way but feeling a little self conscious! Was at sainsbury's late one night and was asked for a card and a quick chat about drainage so it does pay to be obvious.

Regularily leave a trail of mud on the way through tesco's for lunch but nobody chases me out the shop - thankgod.

I do apologise when I turn up a bit dirty to see a new client - not been a problem just shows how willing I am for a bit of hard graft. I do try to take a change of clothes if I can't get home first, I don't bother with makeup/hairbrush but do have deodorant and babywipes in the van.

Has anyone tried the shewee's - am tempted to get one at least you don't have to bear all, would be a bit less embarrassing if caught out - well maybe not - it could be a little difficult to explain why your standing up!

I've managed to find pink safety boots - ebay if anyones looking - quite glad I can wear something girlie while building walls etc - I've run out of my pink gloves onto purple now unfortunately.

I'm setting up an all female maintenance company at the beginning of next year and will be wearing pink sweatshirts as well - I'm embrasing the girlieness! I had thought about pink vans but it might be going a step too far.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kirsty Blair on November 21, 2009 at 9:30pm: they've got a whole website dedicated to sheewee's hewee's etc etc lots of options whatever your preference!

niall gibb said:
cool. cheered me up no end today! :-] wonder if you get a hewee. i remember getting a £50 fine for it years ago when i was about 18. (had had a few right enough and thought no one saw me going into some fine bushes.

pete said:
Niall, when we have time off we like to go somewhere beside a river with the tent and have a proper fire - Dolgamedd campsite near Dolgellau is a very nice one --- We first saw that shewee in a camping shop, and as me and my mrs work in the gardens together I wanted her to try it, naturally, save her a lot of trouble I thought --- she's thinking about it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tree on November 22, 2009 at 11:17am: Before we had the van we went through several old cheap cars including FIAT TIPO, VAUXHALL ASTRA GTE CONVERIBLE, FORD MONDEO 1.6 LITRE, CITROEN BX, FORD MONDEO 2 LITRE. On one journey we had full size wheelbarrow standing on its end in front footwell, mower and grassbox in boot, and hedgecutter/strimmer/chainsaw on back seats, 4 full size rugby holdalls full of kit, x10 bags of ballast etc

Kerrie said:
I don't have a van or an estate car, I drive a VW Beetle.

Usually all the plants are delivered on site in a great big lorry from the nursery with the plants on tall, portable shelves and cling wrapped. Today, however, I had a small planting job so sourced and collected the plants yesterday, including a 7mt long hedge of Buxus.
My car was taken up with plants, in the boot with seats down, foot wells behind front seats and also the tools for the day (spade, fork, broom, handbag etc) in front foot well resting on seat.

I have filled every centimeter of this baby many times and am always amazed by what you can carry in a small car with careful packing.

Just wondered, what can you fit in to a small car?

p.s. who needs air freshener with a car full of lovelies!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by pete on November 22, 2009 at 12:24pm: Dan said: On one journey we had full size wheelbarrow standing on its end in front footwell, mower and grassbox in boot, and hedgecutter/strimmer/chainsaw on back seats, 4 full size rugby holdalls full of kit, x10 bags of ballast etc

that's nothin :-) we got a 12' caravan in the back of a corolla hatchback once, including the chassis; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by ARTNOIRE on November 23, 2009 at 11:14am: We have a camping type portaloo which goes everywhere with us in the back of Daisy our van! We also have a travel kit of various 'essential' items - wetwipes, handwash, mascara, brush, change of clothes , bar of chocolate etc. In the festive season, we have a little Christmas tree which we erect on site and wear tinsel around our hats!

Our local supermarket is used to us now but we get lots of funny looks and are regularly asked what we do. The worst things are that people tend to call us Rosenmary & Thyme and we can never find comfortable work trousers!

We'd love to meet up with other Ladies who Landcsape in the North West!!; ▶ Reply to This