I HATE that mower!

Well, our ride on mower broke so we hired a company to come and do it. We're not ones to pay some one else to do what we can do ourselves. Being a die hard gardener, I'd prefer no lawn at all. Just plants!

The first time they came it was okay, only three or four of my plants were mowed over. I'm not happy about any but it happens.... I guess.... The next time they came today they cut into the flower beds, lopping off flowers, shredding vines and deleafing my bulbs and perennials. They mowed over a bush! I'm hoping it takes it like a pruning. They went past staked plants and mowed those over!

I can't believe I'm saying this but I want my dad and his detructive mowing back. Even he never mowed over this many plants.

How do you guys deal with your lawn care people? Build trenches around your plants?

if there are a actual company mawing lawns for a business i would make them
replace the damaged plants or make amends.

I'm not good at that kind of thing. I should be more assertive. I think the mower'll be fixed any time now.

The first year in our new house we had a lawn service that got weed killer on my hostas. I called and politely explained that if they ever did that again, they would need to pay workmen's comp to the employee because I was going to cause him permanent physical disabilities. The second year, we opted not to use them, and last year, we passed on it again.

This year, we decided we needed professional dethatching and aerating, so DH called them When they left the usual "bill and commentary" at the door, there was a little notation on it that said, "We hooded the hostas so that no weed killer would get on them". Guess they took me seriously. LOL

Lol. You sure got the message through!

I think you should talk to the head of the company and ask for compensation. If they are professionals they should know better. I would insist that they replace the plants not just waive their fee. They should be insured for stuff like this. Also take pictures so you can prove what happened. Insist upon a settlement. because they should know better! You have to fight for yourself. No one else will do it. This has cost you more in the long run.

Mobi

We have the same problem here. Just because someone works in the lawn and landscaping field doesn't mean they have a *clue* about plants in general. They aren't *gardeners*. We are. They're low wage cheap hourly labor is all, and all these guys know how to do is butcher and destroy. It's downright foolish to allow them onto your property unless you're there in person to supervise. Our last yard guy whacked off half the branches of my blooming cestrum nocturnum, then became belligerent with me and argued that "that isn't a good place to put plants anyway!". The nerve. I'm still fuming. He doesn't work here anymore. I fired him on the spot for his rudeness and scared him pretty good when he saw me coming at him with my gardening shears....

You're right about the unskilled labor. I try to be home to play watch dog when they come...but I like the idea of waving the gardening shears....Liila Scissorhands!!!

I had to put up those silly little wire 1' tall fences all over the place to keep my NEIGHBORS yard guys from weedeating/mowing all my stuff over! They hit them a couple times and they don't do it again. lol

I'm going to give them one more chance. A third time would really be ridicules.

The nerve of that guy Liila! You can put plants anywhere you darn please in your own darn yard!

I have a bunch of silly little fences too. They look hideous!

On a high note, my passion flower, that was chopped, is looking pretty good! It's branching out nice and pretty..... But it was so tall before!!!!!!!!! :(

Liila scissorhands...Enough to strike terror into the heart of any unskilled laborer (or future boyfriend ) in south Florida! How would *they* feel if they had *their* limbs chopped off willy nilly by some uncaring bumhole? I wouldn't have been as upset if this poor plant hadn't been a leafless, bug-eaten mess when I originally brought it home. Another pathetic rescue on the verge of death. It was only really starting to rebound and bravely send forth blooms after 2 months of daily care and babying. Believe me, I'm not shy with the gardening shears when it comes to my plants. They love the pruning, but not in such a careless, haphazard manner.

One would wish that anyone who does this kinda work cares and knows as much as we do, but *they don't*. It's just $6.50 an hour or whatever they get paid. I sometimes think they get paid by the pound for the hacked off plant materials they haul out of every yard. I have heard this same horror story countless times and find it inexcusable. Makes me think that there should be more like *us* out there doing this kinda work. "Landscapers with a heart" or "Landscapers who actually know plants" or something like that... Not a bad idea!

Ya'll should just do what I did--dig up all the lazy, non-impressive grass and replace it with bloomers and exotic foliage and water gardens that make people say, OH WOW! I sold my lawnmower about 3 years ago. My whole yard is a tropical paradise. And I'm starting on my brother's yard next door. He's been begging for years, "Do mine next!!"

If you can't do your entire yard, then do as much as you can up around your house, patio, etc and put edgining or landscape timbers all around it. Then leave all the rest to be mowed. I don't do anything with the vacant lot next which my brother also owns. I've landscaped a huge chunk of it where it meets my property and lined it with timbers. And Terry mows all the rest.

Your passiflora will grow out fuller now. Each whacking produces more and more stems. I know this because for years I tried to kill mine. And that sucker wouldn't die! Since I discovered gulf frittilaries, I've grown to appreciate passiflora vines now.

Good luck with all your plants.

NancyAnn

I wish I could do what you're doing NancyAnn. I'm a member of the dead lawn society! Lol.

Egad CaptMicha, I would be highly upset if I had someone do that. You do need to ask for reinbursement. My father runs his own landscaping business, and he takes great care to avoid any plants because he knows how much work goes into them. I wouldn't give them a third chance to finish wiping out your yard. I would look around to other landscaping companies. And definately take pictures of the poor plants that have been demolished. IMHO.