Mow & edge the lawn.

For many UK homeowners, keeping up with the "little and often" approach required by our temperate climate can be a challenge. Professional gardeners bring commercial-grade equipment and horticultural expertise to ensure your lawn remains a lush, functional space throughout the growing season.

What Does the Work Involve?

• Site Assessment: Checking for hazards such as stones, hidden drainage covers, pet waste, or debris that could damage machinery.
• Mowing: Cutting the grass to a height suited to the season and grass type (typically 2.5cm to 5cm) using professional rotary or cylinder mowers.
• Strimming: Trimming grass in hard-to-reach areas around fence posts, trees, garden furniture, and wall bases.
• Edging: Creating clean, sharp lines along borders, paths, and driveways using a half-moon edger or a vertical power trimmer.
• Debris Clearing: Blowing or sweeping clippings off patios, decking, and driveways to leave the property tidy.
• Health Check: Identifying issues such as moss build-up, leatherjacket infestations, or fungal diseases that may require separate treatment.

Typical Costs

Prices are influenced primarily by the size of the lawn and the complexity of the edges. A simple rectangular lawn is significantly cheaper to maintain than a garden with multiple curved beds, steep slopes, or numerous obstacles that require intensive strimming.

Pro Tip: Most gardeners offer a discounted rate for "contract" bookings, such as fortnightly visits throughout the growing season (March to October).

How Long Does It Take?

• Small Urban Lawn (up to 50m²): 30 to 45 minutes, including basic edging and blowing.
• Medium Suburban Lawn (50m² – 200m²): 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the number of borders.
• Large Garden or Paddock (200m²+): 2 to 4 hours; may require a ride-on mower for efficiency.
• First Cut of the Season: Add 50% to the standard time to account for slower mowing and heavier clippings.

DIY or Professional?

Mowing is the most common DIY garden task, but achieving a professional finish requires high-end equipment and significant time. Professional mowers have sharper blades and better suction, which results in a cleaner cut that prevents the grass tips from turning brown.

If your gardener applies professional-grade weedkillers or fertilisers, they should ideally hold a PA1/PA6 pesticide certificate. For standard mowing and edging, no specific licenses are required, though a Waste Carrier Licence is mandatory if they remove your green waste.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

• Check Equipment: Ask if they use professional petrol or high-end cordless mowers, as these provide a better finish than budget domestic models.
• Insurance: Ensure they have Public Liability Insurance (minimum £1 million) to cover damage to your property or windows from flying debris.
• Waste Policy: Confirm if they include green waste removal or if they expect to use your local authority brown bin.
• Red Flags: Be wary of "gardeners" who turn up with blunt blades or those who suggest cutting the grass extremely short (scalping) to "save time" between visits.

Questions to ask:

• Do you offer a mulching service or do you always collect clippings?
• Are you able to create striped patterns using a rear-roller mower?
• What is your policy if the weather is too wet to mow on our scheduled day?
• Do you provide your own fuel and consumables?

UK Regulations

• Waste Duty of Care: If a gardener takes green waste away, they must be a registered Waste Carrier with the Environment Agency.
• Noise Ordinances: Most local councils prohibit the use of noisy power tools before 8:00 am on weekdays and 9:00 am on weekends.
• Wildlife Protection: Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, gardeners must avoid disturbing nesting birds if they are also trimming hedges adjacent to the lawn.

Common Problems

• Scalping: Cutting the grass too short, which weakens the roots and allows moss and weeds to flourish in the bare patches.
• Blunt Blades: Tearing the grass rather than cutting it, leading to a white or silvery sheen on the lawn and increased disease risk.
• Mowing Wet Grass: This leads to soil compaction and "clumping," which can smother the turf and create an uneven finish.
• Ignoring Pet Waste: This is a health hazard for the gardener and can damage mower blades or foul the underside of the deck.

Frequently Asked Questions