Chad the gardener

This would have been where I inserted a pic of Chad if he weren’t so camera shy.

Chad is the awesome gardener who’s been caring for the Owens Estate (too much for a property less than 300 square meters?!) for the past couple of years.

He’s the owner and operator of Chad Does Chores and has been running this biz for 7 years now, around his duties as Domestic Dad #thejuggleisreal. He’s a horticulture and small landscape expert wants to help those in the West that don’t have the time or knowledge to have their gardens propagated and maintained.

Chad came highly recommended by our handyman, Marcus – who BTW we can’t live without. Chad couldn’t be any nicer and easier to deal with, and he’s provided some great advice to us to help us reinvigorate our diminishing garden and make some cost efficient but effective improvements that will really enhance the value and street appeal of our house.

So, when I come across an awesome find like Chad I have to share it. Chad’s details are below as well as some simple hints and tips to pass on including some of the biggest issues he encounters with home gardens, the plant to steer well clear of and where to go for your garden supplies in the West.

What is the biggest ‘no no’ you see in people managing their gardens well?

Not watering the plants. It seems so simple but once plants begin to die because of a lack of water, it’s impossible or incredibly time consuming for plants to come back to life. It’s costly in the long run if you are having to replace often because they are beyond saving.

What 3 tips do you have for someone wanting to improve their garden for resale?

It needs to be neat and tidy. It’s a big turn off for buyers seeing a messy garden which makes them think there is a lot of work involved to maintain
Put in some new plants to fill bare spots
ALWAYS mulch the garden It provides such a clean finish and low maintenance appearance for the garden.

What’s your favourite go to in the West for garden supplies?

I always go to Plantmark (Werribee) wholesale nursery for plants and get most materials from All Green in Werribee and some from Newport Premix.

What common plant or flower do you wish a customer had never bought?

Definitely Date palms. They grow massive needles that pierce anything, including people. When the tip of the needle breaks off into the skin it can lead to an infection. I despise them!