Our Wellington Client – Today’s Assignment

Our client has been away since December 10th and today  we are making preparation for her arrival back home from Tennessee. Her back yards common area had never been cleared since she bought the property five years ago. So yesterday and today we finally completed this task. She had hired a contractor to build a lovely brick patio, which due to covenant rules in our  condo association, had to be removed. The center of the yard is now just dirt after a demo crew came and tore the patio out. So in anticipation of her being approved for a new “regulation” patio, we completed a serious clean up of her entire open area in the back. She has a number of patio pieces and we clustered them at one corner of her back wall area. When she returns we plan to tarp them and leave them there until the new patio construction is approved by our Condominium Board.

So while there today we cleaned up all her beds, deadheaded all her Pansies and hauled away four bags of debris including a good bit of the crumbled cement foundation of the first patio structure. It was quite a mess but it’s taking shape. Her small wooded common area has a rich and dense undergrowth that’s actually kind of native woodlands, so even though we cleaned up a goid bit of it, she still has some perimeter growth at the back of the property offering her location some very nice privacy.

We had secured permission to take care of this clean up and we think she is going to be very pleased with our progress.

Once cleaned up it provided an opportunity to see lots of  new spring flowering shoots coming up, which you couldn’t even see prior to our work. It’s looking very promising now.

Happily today it was 67 degrees here and quite lovely day outdoors for doing a yard work project like this one. We had a good time and feel accomplished. Gradually it will all come together we are certain.

We completed and billed our client for four (4) hours of work today.

“Contessa” says….. it’s all a very good thing!

Latest Fall Bookings Still Available!!’

Happy Monday…….

Today we wanted to give a shout out to everyone that this is an excellent time to book your latest “fall” Contessa Signature Bed Clean Up. We are taking bookings now. Please give us a call. We want to make sure you all are on our calendar. The weather is chilly, but when sun prevails we will provide our services to you. Do not hesitant to call us. We are used to working up to the end of December, because our coldest temps don’t usually roll into Virginia until January.

If you are a current client and someone you know can use our service….. we will appreciate all referrals of business. Thank you. And if you refer a booking to us, we will give you a $25 credit on your next ”Contessa Signature Service.”

Do think about booking NOW. We don’t want anyone to have to wait to be served. We are preparing wreaths but still have time to tidy up your areas. Yes….this is a very busy season for us, but we love it and your yard is just as important to us as it is to you.

Just Saturday we were called to visit one of our ongoing and “maintenance” subscribers. He wanted a final tidy. We spent  1.5 hours…. and what a difference it makes. He is “hooked” on what we do for him…. And his yard is completely ready for winter.  And to top it all off, even though all his plants have now been cut back his garden beds and his property still looks fantastic.  Bravo!

“Contessa” says…it’s a very good thing’

Valley Drive our Ongoing Client

BEFORE

The plan. English Boxwood trimming prior to winter. And so yes….. we accomplished a light trimming yesterday. They have been neglected and so with time we can square them up. But we did not do an aggressive trim. First off it would freak out our customer, and second we want to allow the bushes a small window to grow before we start trimming deeper.

Before we arrived on the scene, the other plantings in the beds were crowding the Boxwoods. We’ve opened up their space to allow air circulation, better exposure to sun and we’ve tidied and created cuttings on lower branches to stimulate some new growth, and we cleaned  up the bed floor to help with new growth. So now, with this small trim yesterday to the tops and sides, we are hopeful the bushes will begin a new growth pattern. Small corrections at first  so that we can encourage them to fill in.

AFTER

”Contessa” says…. It’s all good!

 

Our Preston Road Client

BEFORE

This video shows an early fall clean up of three weeks ago when we were asked to remove the eight Hosta that filled in the back area of the flower garden bed. So we took them down, anticipating their eventual return in the spring. When we finished this clean up we covered the area with mulch to make the project clean up look finished.

During this past week our client made a decision to look at new perennial bushes for the Hosta location.

So we made a date to visit the nursery on Sunday. While there she found a lovely bush that she really liked. We purchased five (5) bushes.

Today  we dug up all the Hosta root balls and prepared the soil and the pretty deep holes as these were 3 gallon containers. We purchased two, 1 Cu Ft bags of organic garden soil to place in the holes, we loosened all the root balls and planted the bushes. It was quite a trick, as there were plenty of larger tree roots in that location. But we think we picked good locations for all five bushes. We think they are nicely appointed to “show off”  their beautiful flowers and variegated foliage. We think they look lovely. 

We purchased one bag of mulch to finalize and spread Blood Meal around all the bushes to keep the squirrels at bay from  digging….,to bury their nuts. ha!

To wrap up we watered using a Miracle Grow Plant Food water wand.

Everything is looking just great. 

It was a lot of fun and while there we had several passers-by who had comments. A nice weather afternoon. 69 degrees and cloudy. GREAT gardening weather.

AFTER VIDEO

“Contessa” says….. it’s all good.

Wellington Additions

Last week we completed a perennial bed transformation for our two year client. And today we added 42 Tulip bulbs in pink and white, at our clients request. We had about a 20 inch wide by 20 ft long strip of bed available to plant the bulbs. They will make for a lovely backdrop to the plants already placed in the bed. We are very excited for spring to arrive so we can see how it will all bloom together. It’s a small bed but fairly full and various colors are represented. We have left enough room to plant two or three more perennials. So our client has a few new selections to make.

Our client had also purchased outdoor lighting and so today we rigged it up for her. It’s solar and so we did the sun prep with the lights and then left for the day. 3 hours time here today.

Tonight we phoned to see if the lights were working at sundown. Sure enough they did come on.

Tomorrow we will swing by to water and to make sure that squirrels have not been digging up our newly planted bulbs. We used “blood meal” as a deterrent. It’s a huge help with pests digging up new plantings and bulbs. They don’t lie the aroma of the compound that has the appearance of dried coffee grounds.

We are pleased with how it has all come together. We think it’s a nice start for a small but rather sweet garden spot. Our homeowner seems thrilled.

“Contessa” says….. it’s all good!

Preston Repeat Client

We are getting our client ready for fall/winter. Today she elected to cut back the Hostas in the back part of the bed up against the wall. We are looking for some talker backdrop bushes or grasses that will add some dimension to her very pretty bed. And in the spring we will add a few more Astilbe near the Hydrangea,  and two or three new blooming perennials. Shade is a big factor in this bed so we want to purchase things that will thrive

So today we populated the bed around each planting with rich organic soil, and trimmed back any dead growth from summer. A couple things will still die back but we put down three, 3 cu ft bags or shredded hardwood bark mulch. A tidy look and super protection for the winter chill. Her plants established very well this year and so everything should come back nicely.

Together we are still hoping to make it to the nursery to select bushes. We can plant up to the end of October safely. In tte meantime she has a very “ready” and cleaned up flower bed. It’s a pleasure to work for this wonderful client.

“Contessa” says….. it’s all good!

END OF DAY VIDEO

Mt Eagle Repeat Client

Our great client txtd us yesterday afternoon asking if we could suggest something colorful to plant in her entirely summer blooming perennial bed. Everything has bloomed all summer and now that fall has arrived, she has no color.

So this morning we met at the nursery and she selected yellow and white Pansies to plant. They are cheerful, they love the chill, can survive winter, and the best part is that her $50 investment will bloom from now all the way up to next May. We recommend to everyone. And in fact, last Saturday we completed four client Pansy installs. We completed a bed clean up while we were there. And we’ve sprinkled “blood meal” around the pansies to keep the squirrels at bay. They love to dig at new plantings where they can find moist soil to bury their nuts. But with the blood meal treatment they pretty much are defeated.

In a few weeks at the beginning of November we will complete a final bed tidy and lay mulch for winter protection. At that time we will cut down any plants that are going to begin soon to die back.

This is a great client and for three ears we have really worked on her beds to amend and bring the soil up to superior planting medium. And the best part is that we have rid her beds of all weeds. Her beds are in fantastic shape.

We are pleased to encourage our client and to work in her very mature garden. It’s been a work in progress and we are still adding new things each spring season.

“Contessa” says….. it’s all good!

Our Newest Wellington Property

We started this new client on Friday  last week putting in 3.5 hours. Cleaning up the side:front yard. Trimmed back the tree in the front creating some new light and space. It was a way overgrown and had many dead limbs  it opened up the front door area and created open light space.

And we weeded and edged all the garden beds. Very simple cleanup work but it needed attention. Trimmed back a Rose bush and an Azalea in the bed leading down the front steps.  Our homeowner was pretty pleased so she invited us back today/Monday to provide a cleanup for the back yard. Way more work, but certainly it is coming together. We worked five hours today. Again lots of overgrowth and debris. We departed about 3:30 pm. And we are invited back one more time to prune some of the bushes and complete a tidy on the side/back yard. We now invite you to take a look at todays progress. Enjoy!

Do stay with us for a “final project video.

”Contessa” says….. it’s all good!

A Garden Contessa Week

We had a good week after five days of rain. So good to be planting flowers and doing some tidying. We’ve added one new property on Friday which we will serve once again on Monday next.

Two properties we served today….. we will take pics of tomorrow morning when we complete our customer “rounds.”  We offered continuous service during our summer months and the clients are carrying over into fall. Folks are busy and so they rely on us to “take good care.”  It helps us tremendously because we can keep up on their work so that their places are continuously in good shape. It was a quite busy summer,  and we think carrying our “maintenance service” over to fall is great as well.  It just makes sense. They all asked to continue so we are happy to bridge over to our new season. It just goes to show that folks are busy and they still need us. We love serving

More pics coming tomorrow so please stay tuned

“Contessa” says …. It’s all good! 

Beverley Drive….Early Fall Cleanup

Contessa’s completes fall clean up for every one of our clients. But this year, we are offering early fall cleanup. It’s just necessary because we have had such a dry summer and a slightly early fall. Leaves and debris, branches and limbs are falling from the trees and our lawns are bone dry. We rake your whole yard removing the spent grass that’s been laying there after the lawnmowers have come round. Frankly that dead grass just mats down your grass growth. Raking it brings new life to your grass and if it’s watered during our early fall, in just a few days it green’s up. It’s so exciting to see.

Today we worked 2.5 hours at this property tending the beds and the grass. We are about half way to completion. And we worked one hour on the patio cleaning up all the leaves. Two tress, one in the front and one in the back are so prolific. They are huge and dropping a ton of leaves this year because of our drought. They are Pin Oaks.

This property is an end unit and has come a long way. We’ve transformed the beds and planted all new bushes. It’s been a work in progress but it’s looking better and better each year.

We are pleased to be this clients gardener. It’s great work,  a very congenial relationship and we think our client is very happy. We are here to help. Our pleasure. Please stay tuned for a final completion video.

“Contessa” says…it’s all good.