## Australian Gardener Warns of Overgrown Gardens and Snake Dangers## Australian Gardener Warns of Overgrown Gardens and Snake Dangers In an alarming incident, an Australian gardener, Nathan Stafford, has encountered the most overgrown garden he has ever seen in western Sydney. Stafford, known for his social media presence and efforts in helping maintain unruly gardens, described the area as a “jungle” with trees and shrubs towering above the fence. ### Health and Safety Concerns overgrown gardens create breeding grounds for snakes, spiders, and other pests, as veterinarian Dr. Liam Donaldson cautions. Stafford emphasizes the importance of maintaining yards to prevent these hazards. He advises wearing protective clothing like long pants and gloves while working in gardens, as he has experienced close encounters with snakes and spiders. ### Professional Intervention Stafford advises homeowners to call professionals when their gardens become unmanageable. Overgrown vegetation requires special tools and precautions due to potential infestations. Stafford’s followers on Facebook applauded his efforts, appreciating his willingness to tackle such a daunting task. ### Call to Action The article concludes by inviting readers to sign up for a newsletter featuring Australia’s “weird and wonderful surroundings.” It also provides a reminder of the importance of maintaining backyards for both health and aesthetic reasons.
An Australian gardener has warned both homeowners and renters about the importance of maintaining backyards after being faced with tackling what he called the country’s “most overgrown garden”.
Nathan Stafford, of Nathan’s Lawns and Gardens, has made a name for himself on social media by helping struggling Australians who cannot afford to maintain unruly gardens in their homes. He is often bombarded with requests to help clear overgrown vegetation in neighborhood areas, he told Yahoo News Australia.
But this week the Sydney gardener admitted he had tackled “the most overgrown garden” yet in western Sydney. Stafford said he was in the area when someone mentioned the “absolute nightmare” of a nearby garden, so he went to take a look.
“It’s bad. It’s very bad. The jungle has been taken over,” Stafford told Yahoo this week. “I heard about it a few days ago. But when I went outside and actually looked over the fence, I couldn’t believe it. That’s quite a few years of growth.”
A video shared on his social media accounts shows the extent of the job, with trees and shrubs towering far above the wooden fence. Stafford is seen cutting down the overgrown bushes, leaving him knee-deep in a pile of greenery.
Stafford spent an hour cleaning up the yard (right), but said there is still so much to do. Source: Nathan Stafford
Gardener’s warning about overgrown garden
After an hour in the garden, Stafford said he had only used a third of the space. “There’s a lot more,” he admitted. But pristine gardens like these come with a warning, the gardener said.
Long grass and out-of-control bushes provide the perfect environment for snakes, spiders and other unwanted guests – a warning previously issued by Australian veterinarian Dr Liam Donaldson.
“Make sure everything is properly pruned… we tend to like grass that is kept relatively short and neat so there are fewer places for snakes to hide,” he told Yahoo.
Gardener’s ‘close calls’ while working in backyards
However, Stafford is always prepared, he admitted. “I usually always have on long pants or a long-sleeved shirt, a mask and stuff, and gloves. I’m pretty covered,” he said.
“But I’ve had some very close calls,” he continued. “I’ve been bitten by a redback, I’ve been bitten by many spiders in the years I’ve been doing this.
“But I once had a brown snake right next to my steel-capped boots and I had a fit on it. And I was lucky I had steel-capped boots on. I didn’t see it until I looked down and I heard this sound and it was near my foot.”
Gardener reveals when to call in the professionals
The Sydney gardener, whose growing popularity took him to New Zealand last month, advised homeowners to “call the professionals” if their gardens ever “reach that level” – and there are a few reasons why.
“You’ll find that most homeowners don’t have the special tools. It’s really hard to get through this thick stuff with basic household items,” he said. “A lot of bad things can get in there too, and you have to be very careful.”
Stafford’s efforts were praised by his followers on Facebook, who thanked him for his work.
‘You really went all out for that one Nath. Cheers mate, hope he appreciated your efforts,” said one.
“Good job. For anyone feeling overwhelmed by a task, here’s how to do it,” said another. “Amazing work in that jungle,” wrote a third.
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