The lengthening days herald the impending start of the exterior landscape maintenance season. With that in mind we asked Jimmy Gilchrist, managing director, the most frequently asked questions GP Plantscape comes up against when delivering exterior maintenance contracts.

When does the grass cutting season begin and end?

Generally, our summer season begins in early April when grass cutting commences and continues until September. However, we are guided by the weather conditions, so these dates may vary by a week or two either end.  

How often will the team attend?

Contracts are based on either weekly, fortnightly or monthly (where there is no grass) visits, largely dependent on the size of your site and the exterior maintenance specification you choose.

Will it be the same team who attend at every visit?

Teams are allocated to each site at the beginning of the summer season and remain the same throughout the year. If we must review our schedules or teams are switched for any reason we will communicate any changes with you in advance.

What happens if it’s raining on the day your team is due to attend?

Our teams operate in most weather conditions, however if inclement conditions prevent certain operations we will attend to other tasks and reschedule missed operations to the next visit.

Do you treat lawns?

Treatment of grass areas is a great way to enhance your sites visual appearance and we can advise on feeding the grass and weed control. Treatment however is not part of our exterior landscape maintenance service for all customers, but we have team members certified to carry out these tasks and this can be added to your contract at an additional cost.

What happens to the green waste you remove from my site?

All green waste is taken to a recycling centre and made into organic compost. This organic compost is then used in our landscaping operation.

Will you cut the branches on my trees?

As part of the standard exterior maintenance specification, we maintain trees up to a height of three meters. Any tree works above this height would require to be costed separately.

Are your staff certified and trained?

Each staff member is certified and trained in the tasks they are required to perform, and all teams travel in livered vehicles, wear uniform and carry GP Plantscape ID.

Can you provide risk and COSHH assessments?

GP Plantscape is accredited to the ISO45001:2018 standard and can provide the relevant risk assessments and COSHH for all exterior landscape maintenance operations.

What is the contract length?

Generally, contracts are provided annually, covering one summer and one winter season, however long-term contracts can also be arranged.