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• PRO

  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd June 20, 2015 at 9:40am

  Is the customer always right?

  I would try and steer them into planting the variegated version of the same plant which is much less vigorous...or preferably something else entirely!
  • PRO

    Harry@VWGS > Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd June 20, 2015 at 9:54am

    Nick the customer is seldom ever right.... Haha, we are here to save them from themselves and their ludicrous ideas, only joking..;-)
    
    On a serious note I have offered her some ideas but she has her mind set on common ground elder, I know from previous experiences how rapid this spreads and how hard it is to get rid of once you have it, it will spread to neighbouring gardens because of the areas she wishes to plant up are on borders with neighbouring gardens... Horrid stuff
    • PRO

      Phil Voice > Harry@VWGS June 20, 2015 at 9:59am

      Do as you are asked...unless you feel it's unethical...then you should tell your client.

      Otherwise lay out all of your concerns in writing and inform them, as you have us, the likely scenarios of what will happen in the future.

      I actually like ground elder too. It's got a lovely nutty odour.....not sure I'd plant it though.
      • PRO

        Harry@VWGS > Phil Voice June 20, 2015 at 10:04am

        Letter already written Phil, also I have a meeting with them this afternoon to discuss my concerns, I think the biggest problem I have is the fact of introducing it into an area where at this moment there is none, will see how it pans out this arvo, either way I'm not planting it out, if I lose the client then so be it...
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  Peter Davis June 20, 2015 at 10:25am

  I would insist that she signs a disclaimer/letter making it clear that you cannot be held responsible for the consequences.  You could also look at containing the roots with membrane to stop them spreading to other areas.
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    Geoff Norfolk > Peter Davis June 20, 2015 at 12:26pm

    As Phil says, do as you are asked but put your concerns down in writing.   If you won't do it for her, I'm sure she'll find someone who will, so you might as well keep her happy and keep her as a client.
• PRO

  Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd June 20, 2015 at 2:05pm

  One other question - do you know of any nurseries which would sell you ground elder?
• PRO

  Harry@VWGS June 20, 2015 at 3:16pm

  Meeting finished, a compromise has been met, out of the 7 sites she wished to have planted up , 3 of the sites have been cancelled, these sites were on border lines with neighbours , the remaining 4 sites are in excess off 250m from the boundaries of neighbours gardens and to keep the peice I have said I will plant up these areas, Nick the clumps have been donated from a friends garden, its a pretty large scale planting with over 100 clumps to be planted out, I don't know maybe I'm becoming a push over the older I get... ;-)
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  Graeme @ BGS June 20, 2015 at 3:23pm

  I have seen a fair bit of this before however if used, it must be Aegopodium podagraria 'Variegata' (Variegated Ground Elder)  whilst this is not as invasive as the normal we hate it plain green elder it does cover the ground and happy to live along side other plants.  However I would only really suggest planting this in a wild / woodland garden setting and not a formal border.

   
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  Derek Conway June 21, 2015 at 9:21pm

  Why not pop in some Himalayan balsam, rhododendron ponticum, and maybe a bit of giant hogweed?