[Sue Deacon]

I called over to see a friend of mine today. I used give her a hand in the garden. But lately I have less time and she is losing her sight and can't do her garden anymore. (but she has more 'go' about her at 93 than I ever had!)

She gets a team of 'Gardeners' in now to cut the hedges and do the heavy stuff. I still go over to sort out pots and prune special plants.

While I was there I tidied up a couple of rose bushes so any winter winds would not damage them. I noticed some ground cover roses had been 'pruned' and found this mess. There was a mass of crossing branches ragged cuts, dieback and a third of each plant was dead (probably the result of last years 'pruning'. And why do it now, at this time of year?

I couldn't leave it and did a bit of a tidy up that should see them through to Spring. Then I can see what has survived and go from there. Honestly I wouldn't have paid them in washers!

[Good guy]

I see this form of plant abuse a lot, passing gardens on my walks. There is a character in a Marx Bros movie (Duck Soup?) called Doctor Hackenabush. I think he has something to do with it.
But seriously, people with such lack of respect and lack of knowledge of plants should never be let near a decent plant.
Thing is, a lot of garden-owners haven’t a clue and just say “I want them cut back” as though they are scared of being consumed by encroaching vegetation!

[Greengage]

if you visit St Annes park Dublin you could watch students take their practical in rose pruning all enthusiastic then when they leave out come the heavy equipment tractors with hedge cutters and Long pole saws effect on roses nil all grow well. Ok if you were paying somebody you would expect a better job. But how much was she/paying for the service and how much did she expect to get done for the time allowed. We always get commissioned to do a job say prune a hedge, price agreed job done cup of tea and then , Could you remove that branch for me, could you add a bit of spray to that any chance you could take this bit of green waste way time is money removal and dumping also costs time and money.

[Sue Deacon]

Hackenabush, must remember that!

Greengage - my friend is not like that. I have known her persue people to pay them! She always tells their boss just what she wants BEFORE they startand lets them get on with it.

I have seen these guys work before - they are good at putting up fences, cutting grass and hedges, but know bugger all about any other part of gardening. They cut shrubs and trees so they all look like the ones next to the famous Ballygawley roundabout.

[Good guy]

I think you must have met my mil Greengage - no one ever get away from her without a few extra jobs added on!
However I agree with Sue about the chancers who can operate a lawnmower but shouldn’t be let near a lopper or secateurs.