The inspiration for this article came when Claire was working in the office listening to gardening horror stories.
The one that really caught her attention was a man who had been cutting a hedge. He was using shears and, because of the height of the hedge, had a set of steps so he could cut the top. All was going swimmingly as he made his way along the hedge, until he moved the steps and, unbeknown to him, put one of the legs of the steps in a mole hill. For anyone who hasn't already guessed, as he climbed the steps, it sank into the mole hill and the shears went through his eye as he fell.
Simply horrifying we are sure you will agree!
But the purpose of this article isn't simply to tell blood-curdling tales.
The purpose of this article is to share with you ten reasons why it really does pay to leave gardening to the professionals.
It's spring, Easter is on the way, the clocks are about to go forward and the UK is entering the annual flurry of bank holidays. Combine this with the weather warming up and March & April really do hail the start of the UK gardening season.
Unfortunately, Easter also traditionally sees a sharp increase in people heading to A&E after injuring themselves tackling DIY projects at home. In fact, according to ROSPA, around 300,000 garden accidents happen each year. Falls are the most common cause with cuts in second place.
But it's not just accidents that can cause you a gardening headache.
Most garden projects will generate waste that you will need to get rid of. Do you really want to spend your precious spare time loading that into your car and queuing for the local tip?
Our clients love the fact that we take all the waste away with us. In fact, if you have a big garden clearance task to tackle, we are likely to be more cost-effective than a skip as well as saving you lots of hard work!
As mentioned above, falls are the most common cause of gardening accidents. Plus if you don't have a head for heights in the first place, do you really fancy adding sharp tools into the equation?
Our fully-trained and insued gardeners know how to work at height safely and will leave you with a lovely tidy (and level) hedge.
Whether it's lugging tools around, shifting big bags of garden waste, moving pots or lifting bags of compost, gardening can be a physically demanding days work.
Why not focus on the fun stuff like planting up the pots and leave the tough stuff to the professionals?
You'd be surprised how many accidents we hear about as a result of people tackling the garden wearing flip flops or wellies!
Wearing the right clothing is an essential part of keeping yourself safe and something a good professional team (like ours) will always have.
It might sound like something from a cartoon, but you won't be laughing if one of your family stands on the wrong end of the rake you laid down in the grass!
It's important that tools are stood somewhere safe - propped against a fence or wall - where they can't trip or otherwise injure you or your loved ones.
More than 9,000 garden accidents in the UK involve a mower or electric hedgetrimmers!
If you are using any electric tools, make sure you have a power breaker to cut the circuit if you accidentally sever the cord.
Our gardeners use petrol powered tools so there's no risk of trailing cables causing electric shocks.
Each time you get your tools out it's a good idea to give them a quick visual inspection, but it's especially important to do this at the start of the season.
You might be surprised at the condition of something you put away at the end of last summer!
Better still, choose a professional team who regularly maintain and service their equipment.
If you have a tool storage container that allows you to store tools standing up, make sure that shears or other bladed tools are stored lying down.
More than 6,000 accidents a year involve bladed tools!
Don't forget eye protection if you are cutting hedges and shrubs. Even the smallest pieces of hedge cuttings can be very sharp and do some serious damage to your eyes.
All of our teams are equipped with full PPE to ensure they are safe while working in your garden.
Even seemingly innocuous things like hoses and sprinklers can be an accident waiting to happen. Slips, trips and falls can lead to strains, sprains and even broken bones.
There's no fun in spending your downtime waiting at A&E, or suffering with sore muscles after tackling heavy tasks.
Choosing a trusted professional to take care of tidying and maintaining your garden leaves you free to have fun with your family.
If you'd like to know more about how we can get your garden ready for spring and summer so you don't have to, get in touch now by emailing info@cjgs.uk or call 023 8063 2600.