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Useful Tips
full range of tree and garden services

We've packed this part of the website with useful information for you.

Below are the six questions we get asked most frequently and the answers we give, and hopefully this information should save you some time.

You'll also find useful links for related services such as local garden centres and the local council's information on preserved trees. Finally, we have included some seasonal garden to help you keep the garden in shape. These tips will be updated four times per year to reflect the changing requirements of your garden throughout the year.

   
 
       
Frequently Asked Questions
1. I have a tree in my garden, what are my responsibilities?
Normally the owner of a tree is responsible for its health and safety.
That means you need to take all reasonable and practicable steps to avoid the tree causing damage to property and people. The owner of the tree may be held liable if the tree causes damage to a third party. Also, if the owner of a tree is aware of a defect which they fail to address then they may be held liable if any damage caused resulting from that defect.

2. Can I cut down my tree?
If your tree is covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) you need consent from your local authority before any work is carried out – even for minor pruning. Usually this takes around 8 weeks. You may live in a Conservation Area in which case you will have to seek consent from your local authority before work can commence, unless the tree stem diameter is less than 7.5 centimetres. Any tree in a Conservation Area requires a 6 week notice of intent. If you haven’t received written confirmation after 6 weeks then work can be carried out. Any dead or dangerous tree may not require permission to make safe or cut down.

3. What is a Tree Preservation Order?
A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is made by a local authority to protect trees and woodlands of special importance from deliberate damage and destruction. TPOs can prevent the lopping, felling, topping, uprooting or otherwise willful damaging of trees without the permission of the local authority. To find out more see below for the links to the relevant department in your local authority.

4. How can I kill-off a tree stump?
The best way to do this is to grind the stump. The process involves removing the stump with a grinder,
a specialist piece of equipment designed specifically to remove stumps, leaving no mess or ugly stump.

5. What about nesting animals in my trees?
Trees can be pruned at any time as long as there are no nesting animals, such as bats. Some birds and
all bats are protected species. Seek advice.

6. How soon can you do the job?

We like to complete all jobs as soon as is practically possible, depending on our availability.


Tree Felling / Surgery Crown Lifting Crown Thinning Deadwood Removal
Stump Removal Conifer Removal Hedge Cutting Garden Maintenance
Fire Wood Why hire an Arborist? Tree Pruning Dangerous Trees

 
       
Seasonal Gardening Tips
Spring
Don't be tempted to buy your summer bedding yet, unless you have a greenhouse, conservatory or cold frame that you can store them in. A late April / early May frost is not uncommon in the UK.

Tidy up any remaining leaves and general garden rubbish. It's home to slugs, snails, vine weevil and woodlice and can introduce disease and infection into your garden.

Put out feeders for birds, not forgetting fresh water. Encouraging birds into the garden will help reduce the number of insects and slugs.

After a frost try to stay off the grass. Treading on the lawn in frosty conditions can damage the grass.
Re-firm the roots of any shrubs that may have been lifted by frost.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast. Cover shrubs that are likely to be damaged by frost with garden fleece, sacking or an old light blanket.

Listen to the weather forecasts, if frost is due cover sensitive plants with sacking or netting.
Plant or move roses. They like plenty of sun and a clay soil. Leave 60cm (24in) between plants to allow air circulation, which will reduce the chance of infection.

Source: http://www.ukgardening.co.uk/


Summer

As summer peaks large-flowered clematis can be used to scramble over spring-flowering shrubs, such as forsythia. Later on annuals such as Nicotiana and Cosmos are ideal for filling gaps between shrubs, and tender or half-hardy perennials, such as penstemons and diascias, are guaranteed to brighten any bed or border colour schemes.

As the summer starts to kick in your garden should erupt in an explosion of colour! To help perfect the colour palette, the Royal Horticultural Society recommend planting peonies, delphiniums, campanulas and lupins. They also suggest planting roses alongside deutzias, and mallows (Lavatera) and philadelphus in the shrub border to create a truly spectacular display.

For extra splashes of colour in your garden you may consider Container Planting or Hanging Baskets. Remember to regularly turn your pots though so the plants get equal exposure, otherwise the side facing the wall will perform poorly in comparison to the side in direct sunshine. Remember, as a general rule, the larger the container, the happier the plant.

Source: http://www.srgardendesign.co.uk/toptips.htm



Autumn

For a lovely lawn next spring, start to mow less frequently and raise the height of the grass as the growth rate slows down.Encourage birds into the garden by providing extra food. Place the feeder near a tall shrub, fence or mature tree to provide protection from predators.

This is a good time of year to plant spring bulbs, such as daffodils and tulips, and new perennials - the soil is still warm but moisture levels are increasing. Deciduous trees, such as acers, will provide lovely autumn colours from foliage, bark and berries. Autumn flowers such as crocus and amaryllis add colour, too. Remove plant debris and diseased leaves from flowers and vegetable patches. Dig up the annuals - plants that last only a season - and put them on the compost heap.

Flowering perennials - plants that spring up year after year from their roots - should be cut back. Winter gives cuttings and leaves a chance to break down and produce nutrient-rich compost, which will be ready for boosting the garden in the new year. Now is also a really good time to turn your compost heap. It will heat up nicely and then gently rot over winter.

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk



Winter

During the dormant winter period, less hardy plants may succumb to frost, or to cold excessively wet soil. Leaves may become frost-bitten and roots can rot. So it's important to protect your plants before first frosts strike to ensure the continued health of your plant. The level of winter protection required depends on where you live and how exposed the planting area is.

In sheltered suburban areas you may get away with not protecting tender plants at all. However, if you are going to experiment, do pay attention to weather forecasts - don't get caught out by a s udden hard frost.Plants trained against walls or tender plants growing in the open can be protected with simple fleece-covered frames.

Alternatively, sandwich a layer of bracken leaves or straw between two large sections of chicken wire and use this to cover plants during frosty evenings. Tender bulbs, corms and tender herbaceous plants (that die back) should be covered with a thick mulch of manure, straw or old leaves to prevent the soil from freezing. In the spring, new shoots can be protected with a loose layer of straw or a bell-cloche.

Protect the crowns of tree ferns and insulate their trunks by wrapping them in layers of fleece or hessian stuffed with straw.

Source: http://www.athelasplants.co.uk




 
 
 
Tree Felling / Surgery Crown Lifting Crown Thinning Deadwood Removal
Stump Removal Conifer Removal Hedge Cutting Garden Maintenance
 
 

Useful links

Tree Preservation Orders - Find out from the local authority whether there are any Tree Preservation Orders which may affect the work you plan to have undertaken on your trees. City & County of Swansea -http://www.swansea.gov.uk/
Carmarthenshire County Council – http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Neath-Port Talbot Council – http://www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk/

Garden Advice Website - http://www.gardenadvice.co.uk/index.html 
A comprehensive resource for advice about gardens and gardening.             

Weather Forecast from the Met Office - http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/             
Wondering if it’s going to rain tomorrow?

D Williams & Son Gardening Machinery - http://www.dwilliamsandson.com/                
For all your gardening machinery needs.

Aboricultural Association - http://www.trees.org.uk/index.php 
The leading body in the UK for the amenity tree care professional  in either civic or commercial employment 
at craft, technical, supervisory, managerial or consultancy level.
 
     
     
  If you need tree surgery, tree felling, stump removal, hedge trimming or
garden maintenance work why not call on Swansea 01792 21 87 25 or
email us?
 
 
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AWS Tree Surgery Castell Ddu Farm, Pontarddulais, Swansea, SA4 8DH Telephone: 01792 218725 | 07967 502 218