Garden clearance question

Wolfsbayne

Im trying to help my parents turn their back yard back into a garden. As we've changed sheds, etc there is a sizeable amount of timber and garden waste that needs to be cleared (at least one large van's worth). Unfortunately, neither myself or my parents have transport and my parents are disabled and not able to do a great deal.

I have emailed several local gardeners offering clearance services and a few men with vans for quotes and nobody has got back to me, I know its a busy time gardening wise but I thought I might have had a 'sorry im too busy right now' email.

Anyway, unless any of you clever people have any other suggestions I think we might have to hire a van and shift it ourselves (not going to be easy with a petite woman and ageing father with arthritis). Can we dump this at a normal domestic waste site or does it need to go somewhere else? Anyone got any other suggestions (bonfires are a definite no).

jaxx46

try your local freecycle you'd be amazed what other people need. could you not use some of the timber for raised beds, much less effort required which would be good for your parents

Wolfsbayne

jaxx46 wrote: »

try your local freecycle you'd be amazed what other people need. could you not use some of the timber for raised beds, much less effort required which would be good for your parents

Thanks but I don't think its even worthy of freecycle. The timber is rotting after being in the garden for 15+ plus years plus its broken into pretty useless bits and pieces now.

angelavdavis

It might be worth giving the local council a ring as sometimes they offer a collection service for rubbish.

You can get hold of Hippo bags that you fill and phone to get collected. This might be a better option for you. Info is here

Be careful hiring a van - many council tips don't allow entry for vans in case you are a commercial organisation.

Wolfsbayne

Thanks, our council is pretty useless, their website is down at the moment due to a virus so i'll have to check that later.

I looked into the hippo bag thing but it said you have to leave the bag at least 4 metres away from fencing/trees/buildings, etc but you can't leave it on a pavement or road. This means there would be nowhere we could actually leave it and I don't think their big articulated lorry would get down our little speed bumped cul-de-sac very well! It's a shame because that was the best option.

I hadn't thought about the van thing, a car wouldn't do it in a day so that means we're stuck then. I don't really want to place a wanted ad

Lotus-eater

What about a small skip? You might have to fill it quick though, before the locals decide to fill it overnight for you.

Wolfsbayne

Lotus-eater wrote: »

What about a small skip? You might have to fill it quick though, before the locals decide to fill it overnight for you.

I think we would have the same problem as the hippo bag - access for them to deliver/collect it. It's a very built up area, no drive or anything and there is a lot of rubbish, would easily fill one if not two large skips.

Zazen999

Freecycle it for wood for burning...we had to have an old rotten apple tree cut down on a friday evening as it was about to topple over [remember the rain 2 years ago], I advertised it on freecycle and by lunchtime on the saturday it was gone. By the evening so had 100 + rotten apples.

Seriously, it's worth a try before paying to have it taken away.

Wolfsbayne

Zazen999 wrote: »

Freecycle it for wood for burning...we had to have an old rotten apple tree cut down on a friday evening as it was about to topple over [remember the rain 2 years ago], I advertised it on freecycle and by lunchtime on the saturday it was gone. By the evening so had 100 + rotten apples.

Seriously, it's worth a try before paying to have it taken away.

ok, will give it a go, thanks.

annie123

Rotten wood has lots of uses, burning, putting at the bottom of a log pile to add height before adding attractive logs, putting at the bottom of large containers for drainage and less soil needed, art projects, these are just some of the reasons I had old wood from my local freecycle.
and the garden waste is the start of good compost for someone!

always try freecycle before you pay to take something away.....I might need it

Wolfsbayne

annie123 wrote: »

Rotten wood has lots of uses, burning, putting at the bottom of a log pile to add height before adding attractive logs, putting at the bottom of large containers for drainage and less soil needed, art projects, these are just some of the reasons I had old wood from my local freecycle.
and the garden waste is the start of good compost for someone!

always try freecycle before you pay to take something away.....I might need it

Have posted on freecycle.

Sorry, garden waste was a bit misleading - it's waste that is in the garden but not really old plants or whatever. Its mainly an old shed and its shelves, etc and some other various bits of junk amassed over the years.

If we could get rid of the wood that would be a massive help and let us see some of the garden!

Thanks for the replies so far.