Grounds maintenance

CHS Group delivers a grounds maintenance service to over one hundred sites that we manage. Each site is very different in many aspects.

The site could be a residential property with a small garden or a large care home that has many different types of garden areas to maintain.

We create and manage gardens to help residents enjoy being outside for part of their day, where scent and touch are important for their well-being.

We have created children’s play areas where a safe environment is most important.

We maintain sites that have large meadows that have been planted to encourage insects and flowers to aid the environment – our ecosystem.

Mainly the gardens we maintain are within sites for General Needs customers. Usually small cul-de-sacs where we have different shrubs and hedges we help to conserve.

The garden plans below show the communal areas our contractors are responsible for maintaining

Delivery of grounds maintenance services is dependent on the weather, and so there has to be some flexibility in the agreed dates as well as the agreed works. We will let you know the agreed schedule – though this may be subject to change. You can see the up to date schedule by visiting our designated CHS page on their website Welcome…. — Mark Walker (markwalkergm.co.uk) – or you can call our Customer Services team on 0300 311555. You can also see what to expect from the gardening team when they do visit your neighbourhood.

You can report any issues with the delivery of this service directly to MWGM:

Via phone to 0333 220 5485
Via e-mail to a shared in-box –   office@markwalkergm.co.uk
Via live chat – www.markwalkergm.co.uk

MWGM will respond to queries they receive within 24 hours of receipt either with a proposed resolution or a timescale to provide an update. Any issues or complaints reported to the grounds maintenance team while they are working onsite will be reported to their Contracts Manager by mobile phone. The Contracts Manager will assess the situation and issue instructions on the best course of action and update CHS accordingly.

CHS Group – Grounds Maintenance Contractor

Mark Walker Grounds Maintenance Ltd (MWGM) have been in contract with CHS since 1st November 2021. This contract will remain in place until November 2025.

MWGM has been established since 1984 and are based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. They have extensive experience of managing multi-site contracts and currently deliver to other Housing Associations, Essex & Kent Police, The NHS Foundation Trust, and other large organisations in the East of England.

The company is a member of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) and has won a National Principal Award in Grounds Maintenance.

MWGM are committed to continual improvement and have highly experienced grounds maintenance teams who will deliver these services to CHS sites. The schedule of site visits is available on their website www.markwalkergm.co.uk. This schedule will be regularly updated by MWGM to reflect any changes.

CHS and MWGM have feedback mechanisms remain in place, so that we can monitor satisfaction with the service.

For this month’s grounds maintenance schedule as well the annual programme visit MWGM’s dedicated CHS page

Grounds Maintenance Information

Grass Cutting

Before the gardeners cut the grass they will remove litter, debris, stones, dog faeces and heavy falls of leaves prior to cutting.

We expect grass to be cut evenly and cleanly without damage to the existing surface.

Flower spikes of grasses, which may occur during periods of extended drought, are removed.

All grass is mown in parallel straight lines, where practicable, so that lawns are left with a neat and tidy appearance

Areas of grass containing naturalised bulbs will not be cut until the leaves form the bulbs have started to die down following flowering. The debris will then be collected and removed for disposal, usually by hand rakes, using the appropriate method of disposal

Cutting shall be deferred whenever weather conditions are such that it is not possible to cut the grass or gain access to it without damaging the grass or the ground surface.

Grass clippings will be removed from the surface after the grass cutting has been completed.

Hedge Maintenance

Our grounds maintenance team is responsible for all hedging in communal areas of the site – the hedges to be maintained will be shown on the plan of the site. Trimming will take place a minimum of 3 times per year, usually in May, July and September, depending on weather conditions.

Hedges will have a neat and tidy appearance following cutting and be clipped in such a way as to achieve a straight level appearance along the tops, sides and end.

All clippings will be removed from the hedge and the hedge base cleared of weed growth and raked free of all clippings, litter, leaves and debris.

Litter

Once every four weeks our ground maintenance team will remove litter and debris from all external communal areas, including grassed areas, flowerbeds, shrub beds, hedges, car parks, paths and rainwater gullies. At the end of the visit, the areas will be left litter and debris free.

Shrubs

Pruning of shrubs will take place three times a year, usually in May, July and September. All shrubs other than those in flower, will be trimmed to ensure that windows, roadways, footways, entrances, notice boards and numbering systems are not obstructed and that there is no encroachment out of the bed. Sufficient growth will be removed to ensure that the above obstructions do not reoccur before the next scheduled pruning operation. Major pruning of shrubs will take place three times a year, usually in June, August and October to ensure that there is no overall increase in width/height over any 12-month period. Care will be taken to ensure that shrubs in flower or about to come into flower are not pruned until flowering is completed. Each shrub or hedge will be pruned in accordance with good horticultural practice for that species with dead wood pruned out and dead plants removed. This may mean that for specific types of shrubs or hedges, there will need to be less pruning to avoid long term damage to the plant. The finished appearance of the bed should be visually attractive.

Pruning of Climbing Shrubs or Ivy

Pruning of climbing shrubs and ivy on walls will l be carried out three times a year, usually in March, June and October. Any new growth onto walls will be removed.

All climbing plants will be kept clear of roofs.

From March until September any weed growth present in shrub beds and on hard surfaces will be spot treated with weed killer. Where this could result in weed killer coming into contact with desirable plants and shrubs , the weed growth will be removed by hand, forking out deeper rooted weeds, saplings etc. where necessary.

Hard Communal Surfaces – Sweeping

Once every four weeks the grounds maintenance team will sweep all communal car parks, all communal paths that lead to block entrances to the front and rear of buildings garage areas, drying areas, store shed areas etc. ensuring that all loose material and debris is removed.

Weed and Moss Control on Hard Surfaces

In April, June and September, all weed growth on hard surfaces will be treated with an appropriate weed killer and areas of moss treated to keep such areas clear of moss.

The grounds maintenance team will return approximately three weeks after application of the moss treatment to remove and dispose of the dead moss using methods that will not damage the hard surface.

Leaf Clearance

Accumulation of leaves will be removed from paths and steps at every visit. Between September and December inclusive the grass and perimeters will be cleared of all leaves.

Powered leaf clearing and leaf blowing equipment may be used. Heaps of leaves will be cleared on the same day that they are collected and not left on site.

Trees

Tree maintenance is not currently part of the grounds maintenance contract.

CHS Group – Grounds Maintenance Contractor

Grounds Maintenance Information

Grounds Maintenance Plans by Address

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