London Garden Calendar

Frost changes the decision about using the lawn: the RHS advises avoiding walking on it when frosty. RHS January lawn guidance.

Draw the routes your household actually uses, including the journey to storage and the collection point for bins. Mark places where you normally take a shortcut. This is a record of use, not an instruction to install a path immediately. Keep the sketch with the questions you want assessed before deciding on permanent changes.

The RHS flags bulbs emerging in lawns and says those areas should be left unmown and not walked on. RHS February lawn guidance.

Put temporary labels on your private garden map where planting is easily missed. If somebody else arranges the gardening, pass the same map to the person attending. Record what the label identifies rather than relying on a colour that has no explanation. That small preparation can prevent a disagreement about a patch deliberately left untouched.

For established lawns, the RHS describes a light first cut when mild weather and visible growth make it appropriate. RHS March lawn guidance.

Before requesting help, state whether the grass has been cut recently and identify the part you use most. Include the route into the garden rather than only its outline. If the first task is a catch-up appointment, keep it distinct from the repeat routine you may discuss afterwards. This makes the intended result easier to describe.

The RHS April lawn guidance suggests the option of leaving an area longer, with a cut margin or route to define it. RHS April lawn guidance.

Discuss that choice with everyone using the space before giving instructions. On your sketch, distinguish a deliberate longer section from grass awaiting attention. Keep enough information for the plan to make sense when a different person is present. A written boundary is more useful than expecting somebody to infer the intention from appearance alone.

The RHS May page presents both conventional lawn mowing and the choice to pause cutting for lawn flowers. RHS May lawn guidance.

Record the result your household wants before arranging another visit. A photograph from a distance cannot explain whether longer growth is intentional. If you want a change, describe the area and discuss the transition rather than asking for every part to be treated alike. Keep the agreed choice with the task list so it can be reviewed consistently.

The RHS June advice explains that a little more grass length can help during dry weather. RHS June lawn guidance.

When discussing a visit, separate the result you prefer from an instruction about equipment settings. Ask what makes sense for the current condition and record any decision to defer a task. If you are away, name a contact for that conversation. Do not assume that a diary entry supplies the missing judgement about the actual garden.

In July, the RHS advises postponing mowing in hot and dry conditions rather than cutting simply to keep an interval. RHS July lawn guidance.

Take an observational photograph if you need to explain a change, but do not turn it into a diagnosis. Tell the team about earlier work or products applied and ask what is relevant to the proposed task. A record of what happened is a better starting point than a request for several treatments chosen only from their names.

The RHS August lawn page recommends raising mowing height, especially for fine lawns, in hot and dry weather. RHS August lawn guidance.

Look back at which parts of the garden needed the most attention. Decide whether a later change in layout or planting would make your routine more manageable. Keep these ideas on a separate list from the immediate visit request. That way an interesting improvement remains a proposal until its scope and materials have been discussed.

The RHS September instructions link mowing to need and dry weather, with a relatively high cut. RHS September lawn guidance.

Review worn areas and note the journeys that cross them. Ask what information an assessment would need rather than ordering a repair based only on the visible outline. You can measure the patch and record how it is used. Keep a separate decision about whether a repaired area could realistically be left out of everyday traffic afterwards.

The RHS October lawn guidance excludes waterlogged soil and very wet, very dry or frosty conditions from autumn maintenance work. RHS October lawn guidance.

If you want a particular task assessed, ask which problem it addresses and what aftercare it involves. A list of treatment names does not itself explain the need. Write the proposed sequence down before arranging materials. Include the period when the garden can be used differently, so the work is planned around real household access.

The RHS December pages cover remaining lawn leaves and the option of retaining faded herbaceous perennials until spring. RHS December lawn guidance. RHS December flower guidance.

Finish the year with a record of completed tasks and deliberate decisions to leave an area alone. Include the reason so it is not lost when somebody different discusses the next visit. Separate requests needing an assessment from ordinary upkeep. A clear handover is more useful than passing every unfinished idea into a new list without explanation.