Phil.H

Hi ,Thanks Ty. That was really interesting stuff,so ive taken the liberty to print off your advice and to digest the info. It really does seem daunting so i may go down the road of trying to work as a Gardener for a company (council type ).Regular (ish) wages does seem more realistic. Thanks again for your time  Best Wishes          Phil  .

I am wondering if i could carry on my trade as a gardener when i move to Normandie this Year.? Indeed grass does stop growing in Winter, but i was hoping to carry on Cutting back,Pollarding ect. Is there much work like this available in France ,or is it really a French pursuit ??

Help..........Myself and my family are very seriously looking to move from Kent to Normandie in 2006 .We intend to sell our UK home first and then whilst staying with Parents concentrate fully on viewing properties.However we do not wish to commit ourselves until i have gained full time employment in the area. As a gardener by trade i was wondering what if any options are available to me in my said trade. I would ideally like to work in a role similar to that as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, However they very rarely have vacant posts, so i was wondering if the French Goverment or the Americans have similar posts as both also (unfortunetly) have large war grave sites and monuments.  Failing this could Normandie support yet another Gardener ?.  Thanking you all in advance.Phil.H.

Hi, Beleive it or not E-bay offer these devices, they are fairly cheap around £20 and effective. I Have also heard from a very reliable source that if you buy one of those birthday cards that play a tune when you open them, remove the "music box" and put two or three of these in the holes this also works !!!!!!!!! it does sound bizare but it does seem to have the same effect and is a considerably cheaper......think about it         happy B,day 24 hrs a day!!!!enough to move your neighbours too .

Hi .  Im suprised your Hypericum failed to grow as these are THE plant for banks, and they are  also normally an excellent weed suppressor.Perhaps you could change variety. I would suggest Hypericum.calycinum , a low growin plant approx 1-1 1/2 ft. Failing this try Cotoneaster.dammeri  a lot more expensive than Hypericums but then it is the Rolls Royce of ground cover plants. Once this plant is established not even sycamores find their way through......Good luck  Phil.H.

Hi just a quick, line about your roses. If your roses have been neglected, say over 4 ft, it would be beneficial to cut them right down though Not into the old wood. !Simply cut down to the "live" wood usually about 8 to 12 inches above ground level.As long as you can see fresh buds appearing this is fine. You can use the more traditonal method of pruning using sacateurs but i would personnaly be more brutal. I Work with roses in the UK and beleive it or not we use a Hedge Cutter !! it saves on time and has Exactally the same effect as the more traditonal method......i think better.It would also be beneficial to use some rose feed this time of year, Its inexpensive and readily avalable. Enjoy your roses..