So not too long ago I was facing eviction for my undone gardens ...

BallistixOnZ490 · 20 Jul 2021 at 08:39

But now the government is saying to stop mowing your gardens and leave them to grow wild to help bees?

While I was able to get them cut once, the gardener replied to my second request of a trim down offering to do it for £20, then proceeded to ghost me.

I contacted two further gardeners working on my street, one was fully booked until next year, the other not taking on new customers.

It initially took the council and support workers combined over 14 months to find me a gardener during the lockdown, and I personally dont care about leaving them to grow into wild hedgerow stuff, but all the neighbors went complaining to the HA.

So government now says to leave gardens to grow wild, but also you get kicked out of government housing if you do that?

Armageus · 20 Jul 2021 at 08:43

Why would you need a gardener to mow your lawn?

Mason- · 20 Jul 2021 at 08:48

No thanks. I like a lovely cut lawn. We have lots of borders with loads of plants for bees and butterflies. We have trees, bushes and shrubs. Wildlife love our garden. Even with a mown lawn.

bJN · 20 Jul 2021 at 09:16

Thought it was shared ownership? And surely in that case you can't just be evicted. If the neighbours have that much of an issue then propose to them that as you're medically / physically unable to do so, perhaps they could offer to cut it for you as it bothers them that much. Otherwise they should mind their own business!

I wonder if you could lobby for funding if a robot lawnmower on disability grounds...

mid_gen · 20 Jul 2021 at 09:27

It is a pain in the arse getting gardeners at the moment...old dear next door said her gardener had stopped responding...so I've been mowing her lawn all summer....otherwise it would just get out of control.

Rannoch · 20 Jul 2021 at 09:28

Have you no mates that can help? Or are you just leaving it to get out of control to annoy your neighbours?

Thekwango · 20 Jul 2021 at 09:29

Armageus said:
Why would you need a gardener to mow your lawn?

OP has some mental and physical disabilities (by his own admission, I’m not taking the pee per)

Rroff · 20 Jul 2021 at 09:31

mid_gen said:
It is a pain in the arse getting gardeners at the moment...old dear next door said her gardener had stopped responding...so I've been mowing her lawn all summer....otherwise it would just get out of control.

Hopefully that isn't a euphemism.

BallistixOnZ490 · 20 Jul 2021 at 09:45

bJN said:
Thought it was shared ownership? And surely in that case you can't just be evicted. If the neighbours have that much of an issue then propose to them that as you're medically / physically unable to do so, perhaps they could offer to cut it for you as it bothers them that much. Otherwise they should mind their own business!

I wonder if you could lobby for funding if a robot lawnmower on disability grounds...

Yes its shared ownership, and I had multiple angry phonecalls from the HA saying I was 'risking my tenancy' by not getting the gardening done based on all my neighbors complaining. Hence 14 months constantly chasing to get a gardener, and now he or others won't come anymore.

I put a full complaint in with the HA, and they investigated and claimed they were right by quoting the tiniest line in my lease that says I have to keep the property in a 'good state of repair'?

The gardens are in a good state of repair. They just have body high weeds again, but thats not exactly broken?

Idgaf about that or all the weeds, all the neighbors do and they keep complaining to the HA manager who then yells at me and tells me I'm risking my tenancy by not maintaining the gardens.

bJN said:
Thought it was shared ownership? And surely in that case you can't just be evicted. If the neighbours have that much of an issue then propose to them that as you're medically / physically unable to do so, perhaps they could offer to cut it for you as it bothers them that much. Otherwise they should mind their own business!

I wonder if you could lobby for funding if a robot lawnmower on disability grounds...

No neighbor has spoken to me about it, they just go crying to the manager, who has claimed to me he keeps getting multiple complaints all the time. I would simply ask 'can you give me your gardeners info or ask them to come and see me if they refuse?'.

Because their gardeners are refusing to do mine when I ask them.

Telling them to do it themselves would cause far too much tension.

dave28 · 20 Jul 2021 at 09:53

Any noticeboards in your area. Put a notice saying grass cutting wanted once a month and leave your mobile number so they can phone you

BallistixOnZ490 · 20 Jul 2021 at 09:54

dave28 said:
Any noticeboards in your area. Put a notice saying grass cutting wanted once a month and leave your mobile number so they can phone you

No notice boards, and I would want every 2 months.

Online check a trade type sites don't get any interest either.

I put up needing a gardener, electrician and window cleaning, emailed at least 5 for each, no replies.

dave28 · 20 Jul 2021 at 10:10

BallistixOnZ490 said:
No notice boards, and I would want every 2 months.

Online check a trade type sites don't get any interest either.

I put up needing a gardener, electrician and window cleaning, emailed at least 5 for each, no replies.

Try your local citizens advice, they may know what to do or who to talk to in the Council about the garden bit anyway.

Gav_r26 · 20 Jul 2021 at 10:17

BallistixOnZ490 said:
and I would want every 2 months.

This is probably why no gardener wants to touch it Leaving it 2 months makes it a nightmare of a job. Keeping a garden tidy is a little and often job.

ci_newman · 20 Jul 2021 at 10:23

gav_172 said:
This is probably why no gardener wants to touch it Leaving it 2 months makes it a nightmare of a job. Keeping a garden tidy is a little and often job.

Yeah, summer months is once-a-week for keeping on top of a lawn. No gardener is going to bother taking on a customer for £10/month (average).

If your weeds are body height I can see why your neighbours and the HA are complaining. A wild garden intended to be full of wild flowers is very different from a messy / unkept garden. Wild gardens still need to be tended

BallistixOnZ490 · 20 Jul 2021 at 11:00

gav_172 said:
This is probably why no gardener wants to touch it Leaving it 2 months makes it a nightmare of a job. Keeping a garden tidy is a little and often job.

I see, I didn't realize as such, but still they wont come monthly, I only requested a one off as required for now.

ci_newman said:
Yeah, summer months is once-a-week for keeping on top of a lawn. No gardener is going to bother taking on a customer for £10/month (average).

I dont actually have 'lawns' you see, they died a long time ago. Never got around to putting down grass seed and mow its all covered in wild growth again.

bJN · 20 Jul 2021 at 11:18

I'd just be on to the housing association saying they need to provide assistance. You're physically incapable of doing the manual labour and you are seeking their assistance to appease their requirements. This is assuming they know about your disability?

ttaskmaster · 20 Jul 2021 at 13:02

Convert it to a big patio, or maybe a Japanese rock garden?

j.col · 20 Jul 2021 at 14:54

If its just waste ground, why not spray the entire area with glyphosate weed killer?

robfosters · 20 Jul 2021 at 15:00

I know where you can get a goat

Martynt74 · 20 Jul 2021 at 15:04

mid_gen said:
It is a pain in the arse getting gardeners at the moment...old dear next door said her gardener had stopped responding...so I've been mowing her lawn all summer....otherwise it would just get out of control.

We have a gardener, i **** you not. He won't come in the rain! Then if he doesn't come it's another 2 weeks until the next slot rather than making up that hour when he can. It's incredibly annoying!

We don't even get him to cut grass etc, just tidying up of weeds/trying to control plants etc in the raised beds.