When asked if I had room for a new client, I explained that regretfully I was “full up”. When I was told that the garden was situated in Exmoor National Park and hadn’t been touched except by chainsaw and strimmer for 6 years, I conceded that it would do no harm to take a look, with the intention of putting it on my reserve list. When I visited on a clearest blue day, driving past black-eyed sheep ducking under gates, across a shamelessly idyllic ford, up snowdrop edged hills ominously signed “check your brakes”, down skinny lanes to a place just past “the back of beyond”, I began to wonder if with a little juggling I could perhaps fit them in once a month. When I was shown around the neglected site, eyes darting from mature magnolias to fragrant Viburnum bodnantense, Japanese acers and ancient fruit trees, extra oil had been liberally applied to the already slippery slope. When I was told that the cherry tree shown above is known as The Magic Tree, I took out my diary and booked them in. When I learned that this is because it is the only place you can get a phone signal, the dye was well and truly cast.
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Off The Edge Gardening 
I hate having to say no, instead i took on a couple of people but always determine that i go to every job. Now I find that we are on the point of saying no again, but I say a polite no with the offer I can make it in a couple of weeks. One can take on too many jobs, then other regular jobs can suffer.
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This is such a beauty, you would love it. They are really nice people too which is very important and we are going to tackle it together. You had a wet week?
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This sounds quite wonderful and right up your street or rather ,wiggly lane.Look forward to the photos.
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About 25 years ago on a much much smaller scale I had a job like this. I eventually found paths and borders that had been lost since Noah were a lad… and I had to put up with him wanting a formal garden and her wanting a wildlife garden, it did make the job all that more interesting though, also because at 9-00 on arriving I would always be offered an alcoholic drink, which I also always declined…and I also declined the tea….!! Good luck with this one you may find a handsome prince in the undergrowth….!!!
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They haven’t offered me a G&T yet but did get lots of nice fresh coffee and a cheese sandwich! As for Prince, well you never know ……
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Ah, the mark of a true gardener–you can’t say no. Nice people, wonderful setting–why would you say no?
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You summed that up perfectly!
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I would have felt the same as you and would want to make it work, good luck, this job sounds heavenly. 🙂
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So far so positive, glad the gang approve!
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