From Water Meters to Wonderful Lawns: Meet Gary Hammond

If you have a Greengrass lawn treatment programme, there is every chance you have already met Gary. As one of Greengrass’s dedicated Lawn Treatment Operatives, he visits customers across Essex and Suffolk every quarter, covering Colchester, Ipswich, Braintree and beyond. He even makes the occasional trip to Epping for one loyal customer who would not trust anyone else.

Gary has been with Greengrass for four years, and his warmth and easy way with people make him exactly the kind of person you want turning up at your door.

How he ended up here

Before Greengrass, Gary worked alongside his close friend and colleague Martin at another lawn care company. Martin joined Greengrass first and recommended it highly, so Gary followed a year later. The two now form Greengrass’s specialist lawn treatment team and remain firm friends outside work, often heading to watch Ipswich Town together, a passion shared by quite a few on the wider team.

Before lawn care, Gary spent time as an engineer at Anglia Water, focusing on water meter maintenance. It was practical work, but something was missing. “This is a lot more engaging. I still work with my hands, but I get to meet people and build proper relationships with them. No two days are the same.”

Following the seasons

Gary visits each customer four times a year, following a treatment programme that moves with the seasons. Winter means seaweed and iron to tackle moss. Spring brings scarification and aeration, then weed and feed products to give the grass the energy it needs as growth gets under way. Customers often notice the difference quickly.

Gary was initially uncertain whether the treatments really worked, so he tried them on his own lawn at home. That settled it. He is now his own best case study, and his family and friends know it. “Once people know what you do, everyone wants to talk to you about their lawn.”

The people behind the gardens

Returning to the same gardens every quarter, Gary gets to know customers well and is a genuinely welcome sight, particularly in spring when gardens have been crying out for attention.

Some customers want a long chat before he even gets started. Others are working from home with their heads down and just give him a wave. Gary reads the room and adapts instinctively. One customer, Andy, shares his enthusiasm for Star Wars, and the two have been known to spend half an hour putting the world to rights before Gary picks up a single piece of equipment. There has already been talk of scheduling a visit on the 4th of May with Gary’s lawn treatment equipment making the perfect beginning of a great Boba Fett outfit!

More than just lawn care

Lawn treatment is Gary’s specialism, but he is part of the wider Greengrass team and helps out on larger soft landscaping projects when the treatment calendar allows. One job that has stayed with him was a major garden clearance in Newmarket. After an elderly lady passed away, her son commissioned Greengrass to clear the badly overgrown garden. The team had to cut a path through the vegetation just to reach the space they needed to work on. A tough job, but a meaningful one.

“You do all sorts in this job. But the lawn side is what I really love.”

Whether he is chatting about Star Wars on a doorstep in Ipswich or carefully aerating a lawn in Colchester, Gary brings the same enthusiasm and care to every visit. If you would like to find out more about Greengrass lawn treatment programmes, get in touch with the team.

Tel. 01206 392813 / 01473 846164

info@greengrassltd.com