A New Landscaper

It reminded me of going to a new hair stylist.  I know it will grow back, but I am damn nervous, even before they start.

I've struck out three times this year, trying to hire someone to tend to the major tasks while I tackle the minor pruning and planting.  When the Arizona Daily Star ran this quote

“My guys work hard for their money,” she said. “I couldn’t in good conscience not pay my employees at least enough to get by on,”

 I made a mental note of the business.  When I read further, and saw this:

“If it becomes a problem where I have to raise prices, then I’ll raise prices,” McBride said. “If some customers don’t want to pay me more for the great work we do, then I don’t need those customers, frankly.”

I knew I had to call her.  She was delighted to hear my story, delighted to send the estimator (her husband) and delighted to have a crew at my house three days later.  Yesterday was the day, and my heart was in my throat.  They unloaded chain saws and rakes and hoes and containers with curious coloration.  I tried to stay out of their way; they knew what they were doing and they wanted to go about doing it without interference from the lady of the house.

The lady was having a hard time staying quiet.  No one has every pruned my trees without my direct supervision; imagine my surprise when my Texas Ranger went from a bush to a tree without my consent.  It looks fine with the lower branches trimmed off so that the agave it was hiding is now exposed to view, but I wish someone had asked me before they went to work.

There's no mistletoe in the trees and there are no wildflower/weeds/detritus on the ground.  The prairie dog holes and the bunny holes and the snake holes and the spider holes and the various other beastie holes took one man 2 hours to rake smooth.  They'll be holes again in no time, but for now, they are covered with gravel and the yard is pristine.

It's odd to write about the garden without taking pictures, but it doesn't feel like mine right now.  I have to go out and get used to it before I can capture it in pixels.  Like with a new haircut, it's going to take some getting used to.  The bones are good, it's all just a little too short right now.