What Happens During My First Visit?
- Marcus Bergin
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
If you've never employed a professional gardener before, it's perfectly natural to wonder what happens during the first visit. Will I arrive and start working immediately? Do I simply provide a quotation? Do you need to be there? These are all questions I'm regularly asked, and the process is usually much simpler than people expect.
The first visit is really about getting to know both you and your garden. Every garden has its own character, its own challenges and, most importantly, its own owner's priorities. Before I recommend any maintenance programme, I want to understand what you're hoping to achieve and how you use your garden throughout the year.
Walking Around the Garden
The first thing I like to do is walk around the garden with you. This gives us an opportunity to discuss what you enjoy about the space and anything that's causing concern. You may have shrubs that have become too large, borders that are difficult to manage, or a lawn that's never quite looked as healthy as you'd hoped.
Equally, there may be areas of the garden you particularly enjoy and simply want to keep looking their best. Understanding your priorities helps me tailor my recommendations to suit your garden rather than offering a one-size-fits-all service.
Assessing the Garden
As we walk around, I'll assess the overall condition of the garden. I'm looking at the health of the lawn, the condition of shrubs and hedges, the state of the borders and any seasonal work that may need planning. I also consider practical matters such as access, waste removal and how long different areas are likely to take to maintain.
Many of the gardens I work in around Cheltenham and Bishops Cleeve have mature planting and heavy clay soils, so every assessment is slightly different. Experience allows me to recognise potential issues before they become larger problems and to suggest realistic ways of managing them.
Talking About Maintenance
Once we've looked around the garden, we'll talk about how you'd like it to be cared for. Some customers want weekly visits to keep everything looking immaculate throughout the growing season. Others prefer fortnightly maintenance, while some simply need help with particular tasks such as pruning or seasonal tidying.
This conversation is important because the maintenance schedule should fit your lifestyle as well as your garden. My aim is always to recommend the level of care that will keep the garden healthy and enjoyable without carrying out unnecessary work.
Providing a Quotation
After I've assessed the garden and understood what you're looking for, I'll prepare a quotation based on the work involved. Every garden is different, so I don't believe in offering standard prices without first seeing the property.
The quotation will explain what is included, how often I recommend visiting and any additional work that may be beneficial at different times of the year. I want you to have a clear understanding of what you're receiving, with no surprises later on.
Do You Need to Be at Home?
For the initial visit, it's helpful if you're available so we can walk around the garden together and discuss your priorities. Once regular maintenance begins, many customers are out at work while I carry out the agreed programme.
As long as I have suitable access to the garden, there's usually no need for you to change your routine. I'll simply get on with the work, leaving the garden tidy and ready for you to enjoy when you return home.
Building a Long-Term Relationship
The first visit isn't simply about providing a quotation. It's the beginning of what I hope will become a long-term relationship with both you and your garden.
The longer I care for a garden, the better I understand how it changes throughout the seasons. I learn which plants thrive, which areas need a little more attention and what improvements can be made over time. That ongoing knowledge allows me to provide increasingly tailored care as the years go by.
From Marcus
I never see the first visit as a sales appointment. It's an opportunity for us to decide whether we're a good fit for one another. I'll always be honest about what I think your garden needs, and equally honest if I don't believe I'm the right person for a particular project. My business has always been built on long-term relationships, and I think that starts with straightforward conversations and realistic advice.
Ready to Arrange a Visit?
If you're looking for regular garden maintenance in Cheltenham, Bishops Cleeve or the surrounding Gloucestershire villages, I'd be delighted to visit your garden. Together we can discuss what you'd like to achieve, assess your garden's needs and create a maintenance plan that's tailored to you.
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