A small garden with brick-edged flower beds containing purple and pink flowers, along with green and red foliage. There is a brick pathway in the center and stone steps at the front.

Totnes Gardening Jobs

Skilled Horticulture for Totnes & The South Hams.

At Totnes Gardening, I don't just "tidy up." I practice horticulture. My work is based on the principles of plant health, soil biology, and aesthetic balance—skills I honed during my training at Dartington Hall Gardens.

Here is a breakdown of the specific jobs I undertake in your garden.

Specialist Pruning & Training

Pruning is an art form. Done correctly, it encourages fruit, flowers, and health. Done poorly, it invites disease.

  • Niwaki (Cloud Pruning): Sculpting Pines, Yews, and Maples into organic, Japanese-inspired shapes.

  • Fruit Tree Pruning: Winter restorative pruning for Apples and Pears to maximize yield.

  • Wisteria & Climbers: Correct seasonal pruning to ensure cascading blooms and tidy framework.

  • Hedge Reduction: Hand-finished reduction of formal hedges (Box, Yew, Beech) for crisp, architectural lines.

  • Topiary: Clipping and shaping Box balls and cones.

🌿 Soil Management & Borders

A healthy garden starts in the soil. I avoid chemical shortcuts in favour of long-term biological health.

  • Hand Weeding: Careful removal of perennial weeds (like Bindweed and Ground Elder) from the root, without damaging your plants.

  • Mulching: Improving soil structure and moisture retention using organic compost and leaf mould.

  • Planting: Sourcing and installing high-quality shrubs, perennials, and trees suited to the heavy Totnes clay.

  • Division & Moving: Splitting overgrown perennials in Autumn/Spring to rejuvenate them and fill gaps in your borders for free.

Quiet Lawn Care

Using my 100% Battery-Powered professional equipment, I treat your lawn as a key feature of the garden.

  • Precision Mowing: Creating classic stripes using rear-roller mowers.

  • Edging: Creating sharp, distinct boundaries between lawn and border.

  • Aeration & Scarifying: Removing thatch and moss mechanically to allow the grass roots to breathe.

  • Meadow Management: Seasonal "Hay Cuts" for wildflower patches to encourage biodiversity.

♻️ Ecological & Hard Landscaping

I focus on "Soft" landscaping—using natural materials that age beautifully.

  • Wildlife Ponds: Digging and planting biological ponds for frogs, newts, and dragonflies.

  • Log Piles & Hibernacula: Building habitats for hedgehogs and beetles using garden waste.

  • Gravel Gardens: Installing "Devon Zen" style gravel areas (Karesansui) for low-maintenance beauty.

  • Timber Work: Sleeper beds and rustic steps.

What I DON'T Do

To maintain my high standards and ecological promise, there are certain jobs I do not undertake.

  • No Artificial Grass: I do not install plastic lawns.

  • No Heavy Construction: I do not build brick walls, pour concrete driveways, or install heavy paving.

  • No Chemical Nuke: I do not blanket-spray glyphosate on lawns.

Ready to book a skilled gardener?

If you need any of the specific tasks above handled with care and quiet professionalism, please get in touch.