#tree removal surrey

[ocmontessoriacademy]

Official Presentation Qualitree Ltd

Qualitree specializes in comprehensive tree care services, understanding the significance of maintaining the health and beauty of your outdoor environment.

78A, Godstone Road,Warlingham,Whyteleafe,Surrey,CR3 0EB

0203 902 0618

info@qualitree.co.uk

[sweepyscrubca]

Roof Cleaning in Surrey: The Chore You Didn't Know You Needed (But Totally Do)

You know those things you keep meaning to do but somehow never get around to?

Like organizing your closet, drinking more water, or cleaning that one weird window you can never reach? Yeah. Add roof cleaning surrey to that list—especially if you live in Surrey.

But here’s the twist: cleaning your roof isn’t just some random “adulting” task you do to feel productive on a Sunday. It’s actually important. Like, money-saving, home-saving important.

And if your roof’s been quietly growing moss, collecting leaves, or turning darker than you remember—it’s time. Let’s talk about why window cleaning surrey deserves a place on your radar (and maybe your calendar).

Let’s Be Honest—You Probably Haven’t Thought About It

Roofs are kind of the quiet workhorses of our homes. They don’t scream for attention the way a cluttered kitchen or a leaky faucet does. They're just there, doing their job, rain or shine, snow or pollen storm.

But Surrey’s weather? It doesn’t make things easy. With all the rain, wind, wet leaves, and humidity, your roof becomes a magnet for trouble. We’re talking:

Moss

Algae

Debris

Mold

Clogged gutters

Discoloration

And yeah, your roof can start looking like it belongs in a post-apocalyptic movie if you leave it alone long enough.

What Happens If You Ignore It?

Okay, so maybe your roof looks a little green or streaky. Is that really a big deal?

Short answer: yes. Long answer: YES.

Here’s why roof cleaning isn’t optional in a place like Surrey:

Moss holds moisture. That means your shingles stay wet, which leads to decay, rot, and leaks.

Algae eats away at shingles. Literally. It breaks down the materials and weakens them over time.

Debris traps water. That leads to mold, ice dams in winter, and a whole mess of repair bills.

Your home looks sad. A dirty roof ages your house. Even if your interiors are Pinterest-perfect, a grimy roof kills your curb appeal.

Skipping gutter cleaning in surrey might not ruin your home overnight, but it definitely shaves years off your roof’s life—and trust me, replacing a roof isn’t cheap.

So... What Does Roof Cleaning Actually Involve?

It’s not just about hosing it down and calling it a day.

Professional pressure washing surrey is a whole process (and one that’s way safer and more effective than climbing up there with a pressure washer you rented from Home Depot):

Debris Removal: First, all the leaves, branches, and roof junk are cleared away—by hand.

Soft Wash: A low-pressure wash, combined with a safe cleaning solution, breaks down mold, moss, and algae without damaging your roof.

Rinse + Treatment: Some services apply a moss treatment to prevent regrowth. Think of it like giving your roof SPF for future storms.

Important note: commercial cleaning services surrey is not your friend here. High pressure can blast your shingles apart and do more harm than good. Always go for a soft-wash method.

Why You Shouldn’t DIY This (Even If You’re Brave)

I get it. You’re capable. You’ve assembled IKEA furniture, fixed your leaky tap, maybe even painted your entire living room solo. But roof cleaning? That’s different.

Here’s what you’re up against:

Slippery surfaces

Steep angles

Unstable ladders

Delicate shingles

Unknown gross stuff growing up there

One wrong step and you’re not just damaging your roof—you’re risking a trip to the ER.

Professional house cleaning surrey have the right safety gear, tools, and experience to get it done quickly and properly. Plus, they know how to spot early signs of trouble like cracked shingles or soft spots.

How Often Should You Clean Your Roof in Surrey?

Depends on your surroundings, but here’s a basic guide:

Once every 1–2 years if your home is surrounded by trees, has lots of shade, or you’ve noticed moss/algae.

Every 2–3 years if your roof gets full sun and stays relatively dry.

The best time? Spring or early fall—after the worst of the pollen, but before winter hits. That way your roof goes into the colder season clean and ready.

The Glow-Up You Didn’t Expect

You know that feeling after you vacuum a rug and it suddenly looks brand new?

That’s what roof cleaning does—on a way bigger scale.

After a good cleaning, your whole house just feels brighter. Even if your roof isn’t super visible from the street, you’ll notice. The edges look sharper. The color comes back. And that streaky, weather-worn look? Gone.

If you’ve been thinking about painting your exterior or selling your home, this is a no-brainer. But even if you’re staying put, it’s a satisfying upgrade.

Bonus: It Helps Everything Else Work Better

Clean roof = clean gutters = better drainage = fewer problems.

One of the sneaky benefits of roof cleaning in Surrey is that it often includes clearing out your gutters, too. And if you’ve ever dealt with overflowing gutters in a storm, you know what a nightmare that is.

Regular cleaning protects your:

Foundation

Siding

Landscaping

Attic (from leaks)

Basically, it’s one of the easiest ways to keep your whole home healthy without breaking the bank.

Final Thought: Look Up

If you’re sitting on the couch right now, take a second and look out the window toward your roof.

Does it look a little tired? A little green? A little like it’s been quietly dealing with 10 months of wet weather and bird drama?

If the answer’s yes, it might be time to treat your roof to a reset.

The eavestrough cleaning vancouver isn’t just about appearances. It’s about prevention, protection, and giving your home the care it deserves—up top where it matters most.

Book a pro, check it off the list, and then enjoy the quiet peace of knowing your roof’s got your back (and is finally clean enough to show off again).

[sweepymaidsca]

Why Regular Roof Cleaning in Surrey (and Full Exterior Maintenance) Is Worth Every Penny

If you’re living in Surrey and you’ve noticed green moss creeping across your roof, leaves overflowing from your gutters, or your windows looking dull and streaky—don’t ignore it. These are more than just cosmetic issues. They’re signs that your home’s exterior is asking for surrey roof cleaning help.

Most homeowners tend to focus on cleaning the inside of their house. But the truth is, what’s happening outside—on your roof, gutters, windows, and siding—plays a massive role in protecting your property, boosting curb appeal, and saving you from expensive repairs later on. So, whether you're new to homeownership or just wondering if exterior cleaning is really necessary, this blog is for you.

Let’s take a deep dive into why roof cleaning in Surrey, along with gutter cleaning, window cleaning, and full pressure cleaning surrey, should be part of every homeowner’s regular maintenance routine.

Why Roof Cleaning in Surrey Is Not Just About Aesthetics

Living in Surrey means you’re surrounded by trees, moisture, and year-round rain—which is beautiful, but it also means your roof is under constant attack.

What kind of attack? Think moss, algae, mildew, and lichen.

Moss grows thick, trapping moisture under your shingles, causing them to curl and rot.

Algae creates those long black streaks across your roof—yes, it’s alive—and it slowly breaks down the protective materials in your shingles.

Mildew and lichen can further weaken your roof structure, making it prone to leaks and insulation issues.

Over time, this buildup reduces your roof’s lifespan and puts you at risk for costly replacements. The average roof replacement can cost upwards of $10,000—so why not protect it with regular cleaning?

Professional window cleaning surrey usually involves a method called soft washing. This low-pressure cleaning technique removes debris, algae, and moss without damaging your shingles. It restores your roof’s original look and extends its life by years.

Bottom line? Regular roof cleaning is a small investment that pays off big.

Gutter Cleaning: The Most Underrated Home Maintenance Task

Let’s move from the roof to the gutters. If your gutters are filled with leaves, twigs, pine needles, or even plants (yes, plants!), they can’t do their job—which is to direct water away from your home.

When gutters clog, you’re risking:

Water damage to your roof

Foundation issues from improper drainage

Mold growth around fascia and soffits

Even interior leaks

In Surrey’s rainy climate, clogged gutters quickly become more than a nuisance—they’re a potential hazard. Overflowing water can seep into your siding and create long-term structural issues. And if it freezes during winter? You’re dealing with dangerous ice dams that can split your shingles or even pull gutters away from the roof entirely.

Gutter cleaning surrey should be done at least twice a year—especially after fall and spring. Hiring a professional ensures it’s done safely and thoroughly, and they’ll also spot signs of damage early before they become major repairs.

Don’t Overlook Your Windows

We clean the inside of our windows because we want more natural light, but what about the outside? You’d be surprised how quickly grime, dust, hard water stains, and even spider webs can build up.

Here’s why window cleaning should be part of your regular routine:

Dirty windows block sunlight, making your home feel darker and less inviting.

Mineral deposits from rain can etch into the glass, creating permanent stains.

Pollutants and grime can weaken seals, leading to drafts and higher energy bills.

Clean windows improve your home’s curb appeal dramatically.

And let’s face it—cleaning second or third-story windows yourself is neither fun nor safe. Professionals use squeegees, eco-friendly detergents, and telescopic poles to get a streak-free, high-quality clean in far less time (and with no risk to your neck or back).

Exterior Cleaning: The Big Picture

Now zoom out and think beyond the roof, gutters, and windows. What about your siding, walkways, driveway, patio, deck, and fencing?

These surfaces take a beating year-round from weather, pollution, mold, and dirt. Over time, they start to look dull, discolored, and neglected. But more than that, they begin to degrade.

Here’s what exterior cleaning can do:

Remove years of grime and mold from siding

Restore the color and finish of wood decks

Brighten concrete walkways and driveways

Prevent damage from moisture buildup

And it’s not just about looks. Mold and algae buildup can make outdoor surfaces slippery, posing a safety hazard for kids, pets, and anyone walking around your property.

Pressure washing and soft washing techniques—when done correctly by professional commercial cleaning services surrey—can completely transform your home’s appearance. It’s like hitting the refresh button on your house.

What Happens If You Don’t Clean?

Some homeowners think, “Well, it hasn’t collapsed yet, so I must be fine.” That’s the kind of thinking that leads to emergency repairs and expensive fixes.

Let’s run through the worst-case scenarios:

Ignored moss on your roof? You might need a full roof replacement years early.

Clogged gutters? You could end up with water in your basement or cracks in your foundation.

Dirty windows? Permanent etching, foggy glass, and ruined insulation.

Moldy siding? Potential health issues and reduced home value.

These problems don’t happen overnight. They creep in slowly while you’re busy with life. Regular maintenance is your best defense—and when you compare the cost of a professional cleaning service to a full roof or siding replacement, the choice is obvious.

The Benefits Go Beyond Cleaning

When you schedule regular eavestrough cleaning vancouver, gutter maintenance, window cleaning, and exterior power washing, you’re not just tidying up—you’re investing in your home’s:

Lifespan – Surfaces last longer when cleaned regularly.

Value – A clean, well-maintained home has greater resale potential.

Energy efficiency – Clean windows and roofing materials reflect light better and retain heat.

Safety – You reduce slip hazards, leaks, and potential structural damage.

Plus, you’ll love pulling into your driveway and seeing a home that looks fresh and cared for.

Final Thoughts

We all have busy lives, and it’s easy to put off home maintenance until it becomes urgent. But the truth is, a little attention now can save you major stress and money in the future.

If you're living in Surrey—or any area with a damp climate—think of roof cleaning, gutter cleaning, window cleaning, and exterior house cleaning services near me not as chores, but as regular healthcare for your home.

Hire professionals who know how to treat every surface right, who use safe and effective methods, and who help you protect one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make—your home.

You don’t have to do it all yourself. Just make the call and get it on the schedule. Your home will thank you, and your future self definitely will too.

[tylergreensblog]

What Makes Grab Hire in Woking So Useful?

Managing waste efficiently is essential for any construction project, landscaping job, or site clearance. Whether you're a contractor, builder, or homeowner, having a practical solution for removing large volumes of waste can save time, money, and labour. That’s where Grab Hire Woking comes in. At LTS Grab Hire, we provide a reliable, cost-effective grab hire service across Woking and the surrounding areas.

In this blog, we’ll cover what grab hire is, why it’s a great option for waste removal in Woking, and how LTS Grab Hire can support your project.

What Is Grab Hire?

Grab hire is a service that uses a large lorry fitted with a hydraulic arm (the "grab") to collect and remove bulk waste. Unlike skip hire, you don’t need a permit or space to keep a skip on-site. The grab lorry can collect materials from difficult-to-reach areas, over fences, and even from behind obstacles like walls or trees.

This makes grab hire ideal for:

Construction site clearance

Garden waste removal

Muck away services

Hardcore and concrete collection

Aggregate delivery and collection

If you're looking for a flexible and fast solution in Woking, grab hire is a smart choice.

Why Choose Grab Hire in Woking?

Woking is a growing area with ongoing development, renovation, and landscaping projects. Whether you're managing a commercial build or simply clearing out your garden, dealing with large volumes of waste efficiently is essential.

Here’s why Grab Hire Woking services from LTS Grab Hire are the right fit:

1. No Need for Permits

Grab lorries load waste directly from the roadside or over fences, meaning you don’t need to apply for a skip permit from Woking Borough Council.

2. Faster Waste Removal

With a grab lorry, your waste is cleared in a single visit. There’s no waiting around for a skip to be delivered, filled, and collected.

3. Access to Hard-to-Reach Areas

The hydraulic grab arm can reach over fences, walls, or hedges, making it perfect for sites with limited access.

4. Handles Various Waste Types

From soil and bricks to hardcore and green waste, grab hire can remove a wide range of non-hazardous materials quickly and efficiently.

When to Use Grab Hire in Woking

Not sure if grab hire is right for your project? Here are some typical situations where our clients in Woking use our service:

Building Projects: Whether it’s new construction or demolition, sites generate rubble, concrete, and soil. A grab lorry can clear it fast.

Landscaping Jobs: Garden redesigns, tree removal, or turf replacement often produce waste that’s difficult to manage with standard bins.

Driveway and Patio Installations: Excavated materials like hardcore and sub-base can be quickly removed using a grab service.

Large House Clearances: When a standard skip won’t cut it, a grab lorry can remove everything in one go.

Aggregates Delivery in Woking

In addition to waste collection, LTS Grab Hire also offers aggregate delivery in Woking. We can deliver quality materials such as:

Crushed concrete

MOT Type 1

Sharp sand

Ballast

Topsoil

Recycled aggregates

You can schedule a grab lorry to deliver aggregates and collect waste in a single visit, saving both time and transportation costs.

Sustainable Waste Disposal

At LTS Grab Hire, we take waste disposal seriously. We ensure that all collected materials are handled responsibly and diverted from landfill where possible. We work with licensed recycling centres across Surrey to recycle soil, hardcore, and other materials.

Choosing our grab hire service in Woking helps reduce your project’s environmental impact, while complying with all waste management regulations.

Why Choose LTS Grab Hire?

Serving Woking, Cobham, Weybridge, and the wider Surrey area, LTS Grab Hire brings years of experience to every project. Here’s what sets us apart:

Fully licensed and insured operators

Prompt, same-day or next-day service

Competitive pricing with no hidden charges

Modern, well-maintained fleet

Friendly, knowledgeable team

We aim to make waste collection simple and straightforward for both residential and commercial clients.

How to Book Grab Hire in Woking

Booking your grab lorry in Woking is easy with LTS Grab Hire. Just follow these steps:

Call us or use our online form to request a quote.

Let us know the type and quantity of waste.

We’ll schedule a convenient time that works for you.

Our driver arrives, loads the waste, and it’s gone in minutes!

We’re always happy to advise you on the best approach for your specific project.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're clearing out a garden, managing a construction site, or need aggregates delivered and waste collected on the same day, Grab Hire Woking is a practical solution. With LTS Grab Hire, you can expect a streamlined service designed to make your project run smoothly from start to finish.

We’re proud to support projects across Woking with fast, efficient, and eco-conscious grab hire services. Contact us today to get started.

[treenewalflowerm]

TreeNewal, Certified Arborist

Address: 1011 Surrey Ln building 200, Flower Mound, TX 75022

Phone: (817) 601-1812

Website: https://treenewal.com/

TreeNewal, Certified Arborist is devoted to providing sustainable, full-spectrum tree care in Flower Mound, TX, and throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. Our ISA Certified Arborists use innovative AirSpade and Aeration Services to break up compacted soil, ensuring that each tree’s root system thrives. We combine these services with proactive Disease & Fungus Management practices that effectively prevent infections and promote tree longevity. In emergency situations, our Emergency Tree Services offer swift, dependable assistance, while our Insect Management and Tree Pest Control programs protect trees from invasive pests. We further support your landscape with personalized ISA Certified Arborist Consultations and Pro-Active Construction Solutions that safeguard trees during building projects. Our comprehensive approach includes meticulous Soil Conditioning to enhance nutrient availability, safe Stump Removal Service to eliminate potential hazards, and effective Tree Mitigation measures to maintain structural integrity. With customized Tree Nutrition & Fertilization, expert Tree Pruning, and precise Tree Trimming, we ensure that your trees remain both beautiful and robust. Whether you need a certified arborist, a comprehensive tree risk assessment, or reliable tree removal services, TreeNewal, Certified Arborist is your partner for sustainable, high-quality tree care that transforms your landscape into a safe and thriving environment.

Business Hours: 24/7

[abovealltreecareuk]

Above All Tree Care

Professional Tree Surgeon Services for Thames Ditton and cover South West London, Surrey. Our service includes Tree felling and removal, Tree pollarding services, Crown reduction services, Crown thinning and crown cleaning, Crown lifting, Tree stump removal, Hedge trimming, Tree and shrub maintenance.

Website: https://www.abovealltreecare.co.uk/

Address: 18 Speer Rd, Thames Ditton, KT7 0PW

Phone Number: 07919 147565

Business Hours: Monday - Saturday : 8 am–6 pm Sunday - Closed

[megapestcontrol0]

Effective Wasp Control Solutions in Surrey: Safeguarding Homes and Businesses

As the warm summer months roll in, residents and businesses alike in Surrey may find themselves faced with an unwelcome guest – wasps. These stinging insects not only disrupt outdoor activities but can also pose a significant threat to individuals with allergies. To ensure a safe and enjoyable environment, effective Wasp Control Surrey becomes imperative. In this article, we will explore the challenges posed by wasps in the region and discuss reliable solutions for their control.

Understanding the Wasp Challenge in Surrey:

Surrey, with its diverse landscapes and abundant greenery, provides an ideal habitat for wasps. Common species such as yellow jackets and paper wasps thrive in the warm climate, building nests in eaves, attics, and trees. The increasing urbanization in Surrey has further exacerbated the issue, as wasps often seek out human-made structures for nesting.

The Risks Associated with Wasp Infestations:

Apart from the obvious threat of painful stings, wasp infestations can have severe consequences. Individuals with allergies may experience life-threatening reactions, making the presence of wasps around homes and businesses a matter of significant concern. Moreover, wasps are known to be territorial and aggressive, making outdoor activities risky during peak nesting seasons.

Professional Wasp Control Services:

Addressing a wasp infestation requires a systematic approach, and professional Wasp Control Service Langley are the most effective solution. Surrey residents can enlist the help of pest control experts who specialize in wasp removal. These professionals are equipped with the knowledge and tools to safely identify and eliminate wasp nests, ensuring the protection of homes and businesses.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Techniques:

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a holistic approach that combines various strategies to control pests, including wasps, in an environmentally friendly manner. This approach involves identifying the root cause of the infestation, implementing preventive measures, and using targeted treatments to minimize the use of chemical pesticides. IPM not only provides effective wasp control but also ensures the long-term sustainability of pest management efforts.

DIY Prevention Tips:

While professional assistance is crucial for dealing with established wasp nests, there are preventive measures individuals can take to minimize the risk of infestations. Regular inspection of potential nesting sites, sealing entry points, and maintaining cleanliness are simple yet effective ways to discourage wasps from establishing colonies near homes and businesses.

Environmental Considerations:

In Surrey, where the lush landscapes and diverse ecosystems are valued, it is essential to consider the environmental impact of pest control measures. Choosing eco-friendly options and adopting practices that minimize harm to beneficial insects and wildlife align with the community's commitment to sustainability.

[wowfactorsuk]

Choose Professional Car Detailing Service for Ceramic Car Protection and Full Car Valeting in Surrey

The purpose of car detailing is to provide a vehicle a comprehensive and specialized cleaning and maintenance procedure that will improve and restore its overall look from the inside out. Beyond just giving your automobile a wash, automotive detailing include cleaning, restoring, and protecting all of its exterior surfaces. Professionals at auto detailing services may handle it, or car owners who wish to keep their vehicles looking and feeling clean can do it themselves. 

These services are usually provided by skilled and knowledgeable professionals who use specific equipment and supplies. This guarantees both the quality of the work and the durability of the outcomes. Consider obtaining a Professional Car Detailing near me if you want to enhance the look, worth, and security of your vehicle. 

In the long term, that investment will prove to be profitable.  With professional auto detailing from Wow Factors, your vehicle may seem and feel brand new. It may clean and preserve the inner surfaces while removing dirt, filth, and scratches from the outside. Your time and worry may be saved with our professional automobile detailing. You can be sure that the detailing will be done correctly and you don't have to worry about doing it yourself.

Ceramic Car Protection in Surrey: Try Once to Get Better Experience

A liquid ceramic coating is applied to a vehicle's exterior as part of the ceramic auto protection service. This coating serves to shield the paint from swirls and scratches by creating a strong, protective layer over it. Several years may pass between these treatments, based on the coating's condition and the vehicle's upkeep. 

So pick Wow Factors or another trustworthy service provider if you're seeking for the greatest spot to obtain professional Ceramic Car Protection in Surrey. For car owners who wish to preserve the paint and overall beauty of their vehicle, our expert Ceramic car protection services might be a wise investment. 

These coatings provide the car's paint a tough, hydrophobic layer that deters impurities like dirt and water. This shield helps shield against UV radiation, acid rain, bird poop, tree sap, and road salts. Although there are materials for DIY ceramic coating, many choose professional application to guarantee an even, comprehensive, and long-lasting coating. 

What Can You Get from Full Car Valeting Service?

A Full Car Valeting is a thorough cleaning and detailing service that treats a vehicle's exterior and interior. It is the most complete automobile cleaning method available, and it can restore a car's original appearance and feel. Although providing this service takes time, the benefits make the effort worthwhile. 

In addition to being shielded from the weather and other wear and tear, a car with valence will feel and look its finest. Consider having your automobile thoroughly valeted if you want to enhance its value, appeal, and protection. In the long term, that investment will prove to be profitable. Full Car Valeting has the following advantages: 

Enhanced appearance

A comprehensive vehicle wash may restore an automobile's original appearance and feel.

Enhanced value 

A car with good maintenance will retain its worth more than one that has not.

Protection

A thorough car wash may shield your vehicle from environmental factors as well as normal wear and tear.

Convenience

You may save time and bother by getting a full vehicle wash. You won't need to worry about washing the car yourself, and the work will be done correctly.

Read More Blog : How Does a Professional Car Valet and Ceramic Car Protection Service Work?

[sweepyscrubca]

You Look Up at the Sky, But When’s the Last Time You Looked at Your Roof?

There’s something calming about staring at the sky—especially in Surrey.

The clouds roll by slowly, the sun peeks out just enough to warm your coffee cup, and the trees whisper as they lean into the wind. But while you’ve been gazing upward, soaking it all in, there’s something else quietly soaking up moisture and time: your roof.

And here’s the thing most of us forget—your roof, the one that keeps the rain off your head and protects every single thing you love inside your home, it needs a little love too.

So let’s talk about something you probably haven’t thought much about: roof cleaning in Surrey.

Not exactly glamorous, I know. But hear me out.

It’s Not Just Dirt. It’s Time.

You know that feeling when you finally clean out your closet and realize just how much stuff was piling up behind closed doors?

Roof cleaning is kind of like that—except it’s not just clutter, it’s actual grime, moss, algae, leaves, bird droppings, and probably a weird amount of pine needles. And it’s not just sitting there, looking messy—it’s causing damage slowly, like a leak waiting to happen.

Surrey’s climate is a perfect playground for moss and mold. The dampness, the shade from big old trees, the lovely foggy mornings—they all combine into the kind of environment that moss loves. And when it finds your shingles? It stays. It thrives. It starts breaking things down quietly, like nature’s version of termites in your ceiling.

And unless you get up there (carefully), you wouldn’t even know.

Why Roof Cleaning in Surrey Actually Matters

We spend so much time inside—scrolling, working, catching up on rest—that we forget about the bones of the space we call home. Your roof isn’t just a cap on top of your house. It’s a shield. And once that shield starts breaking down, even in the smallest way, it leads to real problems.

Like:

Water leaking into your attic

Mold creeping into insulation

Warped or rotten shingles

Overflowing gutters (yeah, they’re all connected)

Ice dams forming in winter

Even a shorter life span for your whole roof

And sure, roof replacements are a thing—but they’re expensive. We’re talking thousands. Cleaning your roof regularly? It costs a fraction of that.

A Story You Might Relate To

I had a friend, Sarah, who lives not too far from me in Newton. Her home is tucked under a canopy of maple trees—it’s absolutely stunning in fall. But this past spring, she noticed a leak after a heavy rain. Nothing huge at first. Just a stain on the ceiling.

Fast forward two weeks? Full section of roof had to be repaired. Why? Moss had grown so thick in one spot that it lifted the shingles just enough to let water in. And underneath? Rotted plywood.

All because of some green fluff that could’ve been washed off in a morning.

That’s what made me take a second look at my own place. One call, one soft-wash treatment later, and now my roof’s clean, my gutters are flowing again, and I sleep a little easier when it rains.

What Happens During a Roof Cleaning?

If you’re imagining some dude with a pressure cleaning surrey blasting your shingles into the next block—relax. That’s not how it’s done anymore (and it shouldn’t be).

Professional window cleaning surrey usually involves:

A quick inspection – To check for damage and figure out the best approach.

Gentle removal – Moss, leaves, branches, and debris are cleared away safely.

Soft washing – A low-pressure rinse with eco-friendly solutions that clean the roof without damaging it.

Optional moss treatment – To prevent the little green guys from coming back too soon.

The whole process? A few hours. The result? Years of added life for your roof.

Can You DIY It?

Short answer? Technically, yes.

Real answer? Probably don’t.

Unless you’re confident on a ladder, have safety gear, know how to treat shingles without damaging them, and are cool with scraping moss while balancing on a slope… maybe leave it to the pros. There’s no shame in not wanting to risk your neck for some algae removal.

Plus, pros know what they’re doing. They’ve got the right tools for gutter cleaning surrey, the right solutions, and they won’t void your roof warranty (yep, that can happen if you clean it wrong).

Bonus: It Makes Your Whole House Look Better

Have you ever cleaned just your windows and then realized how dirty your walls looked? Roof cleaning is kind of like that—but for the entire upper half of your home.

Once that layer of grime is gone, your home pops. It looks newer. Brighter. Just... happier.

And hey, if you’re planning to sell? A clean roof isn’t just appealing—it can raise the value of your home. First impressions matter, and buyers love a home that looks like it’s been cared for.

Final Thoughts: Look Up, Show Up

So yeah, this post wasn’t about aesthetics or home decor or vintage bookshelves.

But it is about care. About not forgetting the quiet parts of your home—the ones doing the hard work every day without asking for much in return.

A commercial cleaning services surrey might not be sexy, but it matters. It protects your space, your peace of mind, and the people inside.

So next time you’re outside sipping a cup of tea, look up. Give your roof the once-over it deserves.

And if it’s looking a little green, a little heavy, or a little tired? Maybe it’s time to show it some love.

[lailoken]

“Elder (Sambucus nigra), also known as boor or bour tree.

Elder is one of the most enigmatic plants in British folk tradition. On one hand it is feared and associated with WITCHES and on the other it is valued for its protective qualities, as a fly repellent, and for its use in many herbal remedies.

The whole plant hath a narcotic smell; it is not well to sleep under its shade. [Withering, 1776: 186]

[In Leitrim, Waterford and the south of Ireland] the elder or 'bore' tree is believed to have been the tree from which Judas Iscariot hanged himself. The proof of which is the fact that its leaves have an 'ugly smell', and, moreover, that its fruit has since degenerated from its original size and excellent flavour, and become worthless both as to size and taste. [Anon., 1916: 425]

It was said at Beckley that if you burn elder wood you will become bewitched. You never cut it down. In Wootton they say that the elder is a witch tree. You should not mend a wattle hedge with it, as it will give the witches power. If you cut it, it will bleed. [Oxfordshire Women's In- stitute groups, 1950s]

Unlucky to burn Tramman [elder], it is the FAIRIES’ tree. [Lezayre, Isle of Man, c.1975; Manx Folklife Survey]

Normally in the Isle of Man elder is the fairies' tree which is unlucky to cut down, or burn when fallen. I was told in 1992 by a forestry worker of his pleasure that a large elder had blown over into the field adjoining his garden and thus relieved him of the need to find someone willing to remove it. [Union Mills, Isle of Man, October 1993]

Elder flowers—it is alright to pick the flowers for wine or culinary use, but the tree is a friend of witches and the wood should never come into the house. [Ashreigney, Devon, July 1983]

Elder—unlucky to bring either flowers or wood into a house: (a) because it is the witches' tree, (b) because it was believed that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from an elder tree, (c) because if you fall asleep under elder flowers the scent will poison you or you will never wake up. [Driffield, Humber- side, March 1985]

Collecting firewood from the hedges surrounding the cottage and returning happily laden, but being accused of bringing bits of elder into the house—it was considered unlucky to use these to light a fire. [Bow Street, Dyfed, October 1984]

The only unlucky plant which I have heard of is the elder tree, which the old people looked upon as unlucky. As I have heard the old people say, it was unhealthy to have an elder tree growing near the house as it was often noted the inhabitants seemed more prone to TUBERCULOSIS or 'Consumption' as it was known in Ireland in the old days. However, as TB was rampant all over the country at that time, I don't know if the belief would have any significance. My own people however would not cut down an elder bush or burn it no matter how old or rotten it was. Nor allow an elder stick in the house, and it would be an unforgivable act to strike a child or even an animal with one. [Kill Village, Co. Kildare, October 1984]

The family name dies out on the property where the elder grows in the kitchen garden. [Skibbereen, Co. Cork, January 1993]

Do you know the Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire? You can't count them; you never get the same number twice. In the next field there is a big stone called King Arthur, and there are various stones called after his Knights around. There are some elder bushes nearby. We used to go there as children on our bicycles and try to count the stones. We were told that if we picked a flower or a berry from these elderberry bushes we would be turned into stone. We used to dare each other to pick a berry or a flower, but no one ever did. [Mitcham, Surrey, May 1986]

However, in the early part of the nineteenth century:

On Midsummer Eve, when the 'eldern' tree was in blossom, it was a custom for people to come up to the King Stone and stand in a circle. Then the 'eldern' was cut, as it bled 'the King moved his head.' [Evans, 1895: 20]

Sometimes it was thought that wood, berries, or flowers could be safely taken from an elder only if the tree's permission had been sought first.

Hearing one day that a baby in a cottage close to my own was ill, I went across to see what was the matter. Baby appeared right enough, and I said so; but its mother promptly explained. 'It were all along of my maister's thick 'ed; it were in this how: t'rocker cummed off t'cradle, an' he hedn't no more gumption than to mak' a new ’un out on illerwood without axing the Old Lady's leave, an' in coorse she didn't like that, and she came and pinched t'wean that outrageous he were a'most black i' t' face; but I bashed 'un off, an putten an' esh 'un on, an' t'wean is as gallus as owt agin.' This was something quite new to me, and the clue seemed worth following up. So going home I went straight down to my backyard, where old Johnny Holmes was cutting up firewood—‘chopping kindling,' as he would have said. Watching the opportunity, I put a knot of elder-wood in the way and said, 'You are not feared of chopping that are you ?' 'Nay, he replied at once, 'I bain't feared of choppin' him, he bain't wick (alive); but if her were wick I dussn't, not without axin’ the Old Gal's leave, not if it were ever so'.. . (The words to be used are): 'Oh, them's slape enuff.' You just says, 'Owd Gal, give me of thy wood, and Oi will give some of moine, when I graws inter a tree.' [Heanley, 190I: 55]

If you chop an elder tre e or fell it, you should bow three times and say:

Old Woman, Old Woman, Give me some of your wood And when I am dead I'll give you some of mine. [Whitwick, Leicestershire, August 1983]

[Staffordshire, 1930s:] my mother said it was the thing if one wanted blossoms or fruit from an elder tree to say 'Please Mother Elder may I have .. .' [Ponsanooth, Cornwall, November 1993]

In addition to records of elder being inauspicious, there are many rec- ords of it being a beneficial, protective tree.

[In Northumberland] an old man told me that his aunt used to keep a piece of bour tree, or elder, constantly in her kist (chest) to prevent her clothes from malign influence. [Hardy, 1895: 325]

In south Wales it was deemed very dangerous to build any premises on or near the spot where an eldertree stood. In the past an elder planted before the door of a cow-shed or stable protected the cows and horses from witchcraft and sorcery. [Trevelyan, 1909: 103]

[In Scotland elder was] often planted near old crofts and cottages as protection from witches. [Webster, 1978: 342]

[In Guernsey elder] had to be planted as near as possible to the back door, the most used entrance, since it was a sacred tree and a good protection against witchcraft. [McClintock, 1987: 33]

[In Ireland] it is considered lucky to have an elderberry bush grow near your house, especially if it is "self-set'. [Bracknell, Berkshire, August 1984]

Mother used elder leaves to make a pattern on the floor-bricks. Painting around them with red paint. Making the cross with elder leaves. This was an old custom, going back to her grandmother's time, so the custom had to be continued despite the time-consuming nature of the work. [Bow Street, Dyfed, March 1984]

Elder: this was called Boortree... The leaves were boiled and the water used to dose pigs. For this purpose, and because it was supposed to be a protection against LIGHTNING, there was a tree of it at every house. It can still be seen growing in places where there are no houses now, but where houses were years ago. [Lenamore, Co. Longford, April 1991]

Family folklore passed on to me includes . . . one should plant a ROWAN and elder tree and never cut them down, in order to keep witches away. [Parkstone, Dorset, June 1991]

I can remember as a child elder growing around the wooden bottom-of-the-garden 'lavvy' at my uncle's farm near Brentwood, Essex, and many other similar loos with elder adjacent. I was told that the elder would live 'almost for ever', as if one root died off another would spring from a fallen branch or twig. They were treated with 'respect' as they kept away bad magic—no one used the word 'witches'—but the inference was there. [Yafforth, North Yorkshire, January 1990]

More usually elder trees were planted around toilets and other build ings to deter FLIES.

Elder bushes are invariably to be seen outside the dairy windows on the north side of old-fashioned farmhouses in the Midlands. This was done because elder-leaves are supposed to be very objectionable to flies, wasps and other insects, the tree thus provided both shade and protection. For the same reason a switch of elder with leaves on is used when taking or driving a swarm of bees. [N &Q, 11 ser. 12: 489, 1915]

When inspecting a slaughter house [in Cornwall] a summer or two ago, I commented on the absence of flies, and was told that this was due to a large elder bush growing some feet away and that branches of elder in any building would keep flies away. [Peter, 1915: 123]

An elderberry tree was always grown near the house—I think it was to keep flies away. [Didcot, Oxfordshire, February 1991]

According to some friends of mine elderberry bushes were planted by water butts and outside privies so that the smell would keep the flies away. [Horseheath, Cambridgeshire, April 1991]

As a youth my late father worked on the land...Often handling horses it was common practice to tie bunches of elder leaves to the harness to ward off flies. [St Osyth, Essex, February 1989]

My wife, who comes from Northumberland, tells me that her mother used to make up a concoction with elder flower when she was a child. All the family washed their faces in it to keep virulent Northumbrian midges at bay. She remembers it smelling not too pleasant, and tended to keep other children away as well, so she would take the first opportunity to wash it off! [Hexham, Northumberland, June 1988]

About twelve years ago in Girton, Cambridge, a small swarm of bees (apparently known as a 'cast') settled on a plum tree in our garden, about six feet up. A neighbour, Mr C. G. Puck (now 84 years old), a retired shepherd and lifelong beekeeper, came to collect the bees. He removed the queen bee from the swarm and placed her under a small open wooden box inverted on the ground under the tree. He then asked for a sprig of elder and laid this about nine inches above the swarm, saying that the smell of it was disliked by bees, and by the early evening all the bees had moved into the box . . . He had learned of the use of elder in this fashion from his beekeeper father, in his native village of Thriplow, south Cambridgeshire. [Girton, Cambridge, May 1988]

On the Isle of Man:

Each old cottage has a 'trammon', or elderberry tree, outside the door. This is used by the 'Phynodderree' to swing in. He is a kind of faun who can bring much luck, and even helps materially in outside work. [Daily News, 27 January 1926]

[Fairies] liked most of all to swing and play in the elder trees, and these were always thought of as fairy trees in the Isle of Man. There wasn't a house or farm that didn't have its 'tramman' tree planted by the door or in the garden 'for the fairies'. Many of them are still to be seen; the single tree will soon have grown into a thicket, hiding the old ruined house, but a sure sign that a house once stood there . . . When the wind was blowing the branches, it was then that the fairies were believed to be riding the tramman trees, but it was said that they would desert a house or a farm where the trees had been cut down. This must have happened only very rarely: no-one would cut a branch of the tramman, let alone the tree itself, but if it was done the fairies grieved. [Killip, 1975: 35]

Regardless of whether elder is considered to be malevolent or protec- tive, most of the folk beliefs associated with the tree appear to be con- cerned with its protection and preservation. Two quotations from herbalists writing in the 1940s demonstrate the value of the elder tree.

[According to my [g*psy] friend] the healingest tree that on earth do grow be the elder, them sez, and take it all round I should say 'twas. [Quelch, 1941: 78]

[Elder has] the unusual distinction of being useful in every part. [Ransom, 1949: 55]

Thus it is possible that the various folk beliefs associated with elder were due, at least in part, to efforts to protect a valuable resource.

The period when elder flowered was sometimes considered to be a time when the weather was poor. In the Basingstoke area of Hampshire this time was known as the elderbloom winter [Maida Hill, Lon- don, December 1982], while in Cheshire:

Weather prophets say that if the weather breaks while the elder-flowers are coming out, it will be soaking wet (in Cheshire parlance, drabbly) until they fade. [Hole, 1937: 49]

Francis Bacon (1561–1626) recorded: 'They say' WARTS can be removed by rubbing them 'with a Green Elder Sticke and then bury- ing the Sticke to rot in Mucke' [Bacon, 1631: 258]. Similarly:

A 15-year-old girl, writing in 1954, says that her grandfather told her to pick a small twig of elderberry, touch her warts with it, chant the words, “Wart, wart, on my knee, Please go, one, two, three” and put it 'down the toilet'. [Opie, 1959: 315]

Elder is, perhaps, the wild plant most widely used in folk medicine.

Queen of all Forest [of Dean] remedies was 'ellum blow tea'...The flowers were gathered in the spring and hung up to dry in closed paper bags ... in the kitchen ... You dared not sneeze in the winter or down came the bag, a good handful was put in a jug, covered with boiling water, covered with a tea towel, and left to infuse. One had to force this evil-smelling brew down one's throat willy-nilly. I loathed it, and to this day can recall that smell of cats which emanated from it. Poultices of the mixture were used for SPRAINS, aches, etc., in joints, also for boils and 'gathered' fingers—whitlows and so on. It seemed to be a universal panacea; the only use it didn't have was for constipation . . . Elder berries were favoured too; they were boiled up with sugar, the resulting syrup strained, bottled, and used in winter for coughs and colds . . .There is not a Forester alive over the age of 70 who does not know ellum blow tea. [Cinder- ford, Gloucestershire, November 1993]

Elder berries when fried with mutton fat are used for BOILS and ULCERS. [IFCSS MSS 414: 43, Co. Clare]

Elder root when boiled and the water drank supposed to cure RHEUMAT- ISM. [IFCSS MSS 700: 35, Co. Meath]

An infusion of elder flowers in boiling water will alleviate PILES. [Horsted Keynes, West Sussex, February 1991]

A green ointment could be made from the leaves, based on mutton fat, and the creamy white flowers made Elderflower Water for the complexion. The flowers, dried in the sun and stored in a paper bag make a good remedy to break a hard COUGH and bring up phlegm. I always pick and dry some when they are in bloom, put the full of your fingers (one hand) in a mug, pour boiling water over and let it infuse for ten minutes. A little milk or fruit juice can be added. [Lenamore, Co. Longford, April 1991]

For flus and FEVERS

40 oz whiskey bottle. Pick, clean, weigh, one pound ripe elder berries. Delete the strings (most strings anyway) using a fork, and put berries into empty bottle. Add 4 lb sugar. Top up with a bottle (or most of a bottle) of whiskey. Seal well. Store for 3 months and strain. Use strongest spirit. Dose—Strong glass of this 'Elderfire'—add hot water (as hot as possible) and drink. Take 2 or 3 spoons of honey with drink. Repeat each night (or more frequently)–usually two nights is sufficient to clear the flu/fever results guaranteed. [Killarney, Co. Kerry, September 1991]

[My mother, who was 94 when she died in 1987] used to collect elder-flower in the spring, and dried it. In the winter if we had colds or flu, the elderflower was put in a jug covered with boiling water and put on the hob to stew. At night we were given this (strained) with sugar and a few drops of peppermint oil added. We were given a teacup full of this at night, and in the morning we had to drink half a cupful of this cold mixture. It was supposed to sweat out the fever. She used to tell me how she pulled me through PNEUMONIA by poulticing with hot flannel and sips of elderflower tea, day and night. [Hill, Worcestershire, October 1991]

When my three children were small and we had wintery weather (and it can be very cold up here at the foot of the Cairngorms), I made elder-flower wine, and when it was time for them coming from school I had three cups, bowl of sugar, bottle of elderflower wine and the kettle boiling, and I gave them a tody; they never had colds or flu. [Boat-of-Garten, Inverness-shire, November 1991]

Elder flowers and berries are widely collected by makers of homemade wines. The flowers can also be used in cooking [Ó’Ceirin, 1980: o1), and the fruits have been recommended as a substitute for currants [Ransom, 1949: 55]. Elder leaves have been used as a TOBACCO substitute.

Myself, my brother and a friend always smoked elder leaves when money was not available for tailor-made cigarettes. We spent much time in the woodland of Thetford Chase, where on our regular walks we would break down, but not completely snap off, small sprigs of the elder. We found that if we severed the supply of sap completely the leaves on the sprig would dry out resulting in a hot strong smoke. We found that if the leaves remained just slightly damp they were a quite pleasant smoke. It was obviously trial and error, sometimes they remained too wet to burn properly. We would stuff the leaves very lightly into the stems of various umbellifers...We actually prefered these cigarettes to the tailor-made, but they were not available during winter. [West Stow, Suffolk, November 1992]

Elder wood is characterized by its pith, which can be easily removed.

[On Colonsay] boys aspiring to be pipers made chanters of the young branches [of elder], which are full of pith and easily bored. [McNeill, 1910: 130].

Haw-blowers are made by scooping the pith out of an elder branch. Haws are blown through these. [IFCSS MSS 700: 338, Co. Meath]

The people of the parish were able to make toy guns. They got an elder stick about one and a half feet long and scraped out the inside. Then they got a stick about the same length and made it fit into the hole and then the gun was made. [IFCSS MSS 867: 132, Co. Kilkenny]

At the the beginning of the century children in parts of Devon used to make pop-guns' out of elder: they would force a hole through the pith, and then fashion a ram-rod out of HAZEL WOOD. Chewed paper would be rammed down the hollowed elder sticks, and pressed out with considerable force. Great sport ensued. [Lafonte, 1984: 35]

There was another use for the Boor tree in olden times. A suitable length was cut and seasoned, then the white pith in the centre was scraped out, lead was then melted and poured in. When set, this made a good weapon for protection on a journey or out walking at night...My aunt who was born in 1894 remembered one man who had such a stick. [Lenamore, Co. Longford, April 1991]

[In Horsefield, Cambridgeshire] for winter feeding one beekeeper used to make little troughs out of elder wood; he cut pieces about the thickness of a finger and five or six inches long, tapered off one end and removed the pith, and used them for replenishing the bees' honey by inserting this end in the exit hole. [Parsons MSS, 1952]”

—

Oxford Dictionary of Plant-Lore

by Roy Vickery

[natromanxoff]

The Sunday Times / Home - July 8, 2012

(x)

We Will Brock You

Badgerian Rhapsody

The Queen guitarist Brian May's estate in Surrey become a wildlife refuge. He tells Danny Scott why saving animals means more than hit records.

What might you expect to see as you arrive at the 70-acre Surrey estate of one of the world's most successful rock stars? A fleet of vintage sports cars, perhaps? Maybe a guitar-shaped swimming pool or a freshly tarmacked helipad?

Brian May, of Queen, greets me with... a trio of badger cubs. Little V is scampering across his shoulders, almost tangling herself in that famous mess of curls, while Bright Eyes and Chunky scuttle between his feet.

The perfect host, May, 64, hands me a badger, sticks on the kettle and laughs when I tell him he's not exactly living up to the rock-star image. "Queen is a huge part of my life, but I do have other interests," he explains. "People know about the astrophysics, but I love gardening, too, and I've always been passionate about the welfare of our wonderful British wildlife."

Anyone doubting his commitment need only take a stroll around those 70 acres. Hidden on the other side of the orchard is a complex of cages, fox and badger runs, and a huge deer shed, that forms the heart of May's Save Me organisation, for which he received an International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) award. Save Me works with the Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue, a local charity run by, Anne Brummer, who has also won an IFAW award. His grounds are home to a dizzying array of injured and orphaned animals, including 36 hedgehogs, six roe deer fawns, seven fox cubs, seven badger cubs, a buzzard, two tawny owls and a selection of cygnets, goslings and ducklings.

"It's not a private zoo," he insists. "I prefer to call it a refuge. The animals stay here until Anne eventually releases them back into the wild. She uses what's called soft release, where the animals slowly get used to the natural world. Eventually, they head back to the wild, where they blong.

"Sadly, some are permanent residents, like poor Percy the hegehog. You might have read about him in the papers. He was being used as a football. Despicable! Percy will never be able to feed himself properly, so this is his home."

May and his then wife, Chrissie, bought the estate more than 30 years ago, when Queen were at the height of their fame, as a refuge from the stresses of London life. "My son was still young when we first saw it. He started running in and out of the trees, shouting, 'Dad, we're going to have lots of adventures here!' That kind of clinched it for me."

The house itself is not as lavish or vast as you'd expect from a man worth a reputed £90m. Built in 1896 by one of the Hookers, a renowned family of botanists, it looks like something you might see in an episode of Poirot, owned by one of Hercule's country chums.

May declines to reveal how much it cost — or to have it photographed — but insists it was not bought as an "investment". "How much it's worth doesn't interest me in the slightest," he says. "This house is meant to be a home. It's not here to bump up my bank account."

That said, turning it into a home took a lot of time and effort. The previous owner, referred to by May as "an actress", had painted everything cream, removed the original windows and turned the grounds into "an overmanicured, overpoisoned garden of disappointment".

"We replaced the windows and scraped all the paint off the woodwork," he adds, "but I focused most of my efforts on the garden. There was no wildlife in this bloody garden! It was silent... dead. Mowed to within an inch of its life. Borders full of marigolds, all surrounded by slug pellets. If you spend that much energy killing things, there's something wrong with this world."

May, who studied maths and physics at Imperial College, in London, before finding fame with Queen, admits he had no idea how to create a wildlife-friendly garden, and had always had gardeners: at present, there are two full-time and two part-timers. "The first job was getting rid of all those poisons," he recalls. "And if anyone ever asks me how to bring wildlife back to their garden, that's what I tell them. Go into your shed and get rid of you pesticides, pellets and herbicides. If I were prime minister for a day, I'd ban the lot. Does it really matter if you carrots get nibbled a bit? They'll taste better."

As we head down to the fox run — anyone who saw Channel 4's recent Foxes Live will know that May is especially fond of the animals — he describes how he first fell in love with wildlife. "I grew up in a small terrace in the Feltham suburbs. Like most men in post-war England, Dad had a vegetable patch, and I used to love playing in the garden. Even as a kid, I felt tremendously priviliged to share our back yard with birds, butterflies and the occasional fox, if we were lucky. I felt conscious that Dad's little garden and the countryside around us were there for animals, too.

"As I got older, attracting wildlife to my garden became a kind of therapy. I suppose I've lived a crazy life, and watching wildlife brings back a sense of tranquility. After my divorce in the late 1980s, this house, the garden and the wildlife became a sort of haven.

At the fox run, Mays falls silent. A smile spreads across his face as he listens to the growls and grumbles from inside the den. "Can you hear that? Isn't it wonderful? My favourite time of day is the early evening, when the wildlife starts to stir. You can walk around the grounds and suddenly find yourself face to face with a deer or a badger. The foxes are my favourites, though. They make me so happy.

"Unfortunately, there's a real smear campaign against foxes in cities. In reality, they are incredibly harmless. If you want an animal to share your life with, you are statistically much safer with a fox than a family dog. You get hundreds of attacks by family dogs, but almost none by foxes. It's as if we're condemning them to death for nothing more than disturbing our dustbins."

May says his love of animals is inspired byt a spirituality akin to Buddhism; while he does not practise it as such, he is attracted to the faith and has many Buddhist friends. None of this seems very rock 'n' roll — which makes me wonder whether, at the height of Queen's fame, Freddie Mercury and the rest of the band didn't rib him for worrying about baby badgers.

"Not at all! Freddie was a huge animal-lover," he says. "He loved his cats more than anything. He hated that awful lack of respect we have for each other and the animals we share this world with.

"When I'm gone, people will no doubt remember me for Queen, but I would much rather be remembered for attempting to change the way we treat our fellow creatures. That would be something to be proud of."

[thehauntologicalsociety]

Penda’s Fen by David Rudkin — A Davis-Poynter TV Script of a BBC Pebble Mill Production (excerpts) Young Stephen, in the last summer of his boyhood, has somehow awakened a buried force in the landscape around him. It is trying to communicate some warning, a peril he is in; some secret knowledge; some choice he must make, some mission for which he is marked down. First published in 1975 by Davis Poynter Limited. Copyright © 1973 by David Rudkin. All rights whatsoever in this play are strictly reserved and application for performance or reading should be made before rehearsal to Margaret Ramsay Limited, 14a Goodwin’s Court, St. Martins Lane, London WC2, England. No performance may he given unless a licence has been obtained. ISBN 0 7067 0187 9 Printed in Great Britain by Biddies Limited Guildford Surrey. AUTHOR’S NOTE This represents the finalized shooting-script from which PENDA’S FEN was made. I say ‘represents’ because my very elaborate technical instructions (for camerawork, lighting, soundtrack, etc.) I have removed; instead, I have sought to convey the resultant effects expressively to the reader’s inner eye and ear. I cannot pay tribute enough to the unsparing self-commitment or the crew and actors to what proved an exhausting and at times quite frightening task: the film itself is their best testament. But I must, without being invidious, single out for particular gratitude the producer, David Rose, who, far from being daunted by my first synopsis, virtually insisted PENDA into existence, and quietly removed every administrative and financial barrier that might have fallen in it’s way. I must try to thank also the director, Alan Clarke, for his deep stillness and moral integrity in its realization - a director gifted with that rarest and most significant director’s gift of all, the gift of standing out of his own light. D R STEPHEN Spencer Banks, MRS FRANKLIN Georgine Anderson, THE REVEREND J FRANKLIN John Atkinson, JOEL Ron Smerczak, HEADMASTER John Richmond, ARNE Ian Hogg, MRS ARNE Jennie Heslewood, SIR NICHOLAS POLE John Scott, BROTT Roy Preston, HARRY Ian Gemmell, MRS GISBOURNE Joyce Grundy, COOKE Ivor Roberts, SIXTH FORMER Moray Black, HONEYBONE Christopher Douglas, COUNCIL WORKMAN Frank Veasey, NURSE Elizabeth Reville, JOEL’S GIRL Pat Bowker, SIR EDWARD Graham Leaman, MRS KINGS Helena McCarthy, THE LADY Joan Scott, THE MAN Ray Gatenby, KING PENDA Geoffrey Staines, DEMON Geoffrey Pennells & ANGEL Martin Reynolds. Film Camerman: Michael Williams, Operator: Ken Morgan, Sound Recordist: John Gilbert, Sound Mixer: David Baumber, Film Editor: Henry Fowler, Costume: Joyce Hawkins, Make Up: Jan Nethercott, Special Effects: Clifford Gulley, Animation: Bernard Lodge, Radiophonic Sound: Paddy Kingsland, Design: Michael Edwards, Script Editor: Tara Prem, Producer: David Rose, Director: Alan Clarke. First transmitted on Thursday, 21st March 1974 (as ‘Play for Today’) by BBC Television. A loud crunching chord: strings break out, an ambling soaring open-country tune*. High summer. As though liberated, by his little victory, from the spell of COOKE, STEPHEN now, in shirt and jeans, pedals his old bicycle through the coloured landscapes of the Elgar country. The purple wrinkled hills of Malvern are now somewhat nearer, larger, more physically present than before. Slowly, slowly, as he pedals, handfree, whistling the glorious tune itself, the hills seem to turn towards him as, picture by picture, he crosses the landscape. Now the music breaks up into rapid movement, gathering in excitement towards a climax. STEPHEN’s shadow races along the surface of the lane. He freewheels down a steep tree-lined bank; hurtles wildly round a corner in a village, scuffing the dry road with his feet for a brake. The high hedges, flowered banks, arching treetops, streak past him in lines. The blind-hedged twisting and curving lane leaps towards the jumping racing handlebars. At the peak of the music, the violins leap up to a piercing high note like a shriek of lightning; up from the lane-surface, like an ascending diver from the floor of a pool, swoops the DEMON of STEPHEN’s dream, his eyes, jaw, smile and mouth - The music vanishes; STEPHEN falls; his bicycle clatters riderless to the ground against a steep ditch; STEPHEN rolls onto the grass bank-edge, still, stunned. The bicycle lies, its wheel spinning: we hear its whirr and click. STEPHEN lies, unconscious. * Again, from Elgar 'Introduction and Allegro’: the reprise of the main 'second subject’ theme, towards the principal climax of the piece. Unnatural silence. Unnatural stillness. The light and colours are dry, a little too bright to be real. The bicycle: but it lies in a different posture and position; and not by the steep grass bank, but before a wooden five-bar gate - and on the surface of a road, its rear wheel still, silent. Far from it, and in the 'wrong’ direction - where he could not possibly have landed - lies STEPHEN, stunned, unconscious: again, not by the bank, but on flat grass shoulder of a level road. A soft muttering: voice of JOFFER indistinctly grumbling to himself. STEPHEN is awake. He is raising his head. We are at the junction with the Pinvin road across the fen. There seems to be nothing surprising to STEPHEN in this. Now he sees where the grumbling sound is coming from: the trestles, diversion board blocking the road. JOFFER, his back to us, is with dark deliberate action peeling away the pasted V from PINVIN. STEPHEN glances back over his left shoulder to the signpost. On signpost, no sack: its black letters spell PINFIN. STEPHEN looks toward diversion board again. JOFFER is moving away; board reads PINFIN, just as he had painted it. STEPHEN looks up toward signpost again. Is puzzled by what he sees. Signpost’s white is unnaturally luminously bright. Black letters spell (plain English script) PENDEFEN. STEPHEN has turned toward road again. Trestles, diversion board have gone. Road leads away, unbarred, onto fen landscape, across which strange light-and-shadow plays. Now STEPHEN stands. And suddenly we are that unseen presence again, rising behind him, taller than he; following him onto the open fen. Then we see STEPHEN coming forward, as drawn. His breathing becomes sexually deep, we hear it. Then a new sound: a muted chopping. It is coming from behind him. He turns. Before him now, stone terraced steps lead up between ornamental lawns towards the black-and-white facade of a half-timbered manor house. STEPHEN is going up the steps. The house itself is like an extended version of the smaller half-timbered house before which JOEL’s milkfloat killed the sparrow. STEPHEN finds himself in a wonderland of billiard-table lawns, topiary bushes and dark-green hedges of yew that seem cut velvet-smooth. Everywhere, lyrical gardenbird-song. The chopping sound seems to come from beyond one of these hedges. STEPHEN comes round the hedge. A party of people, fine and healthy, as near to Eden innocence as is consonant with setting, children with them, are grouped in various relaxed poses upon the ancestral lawn, waiting their turn, happy, noisy-looking (yet no human sound), eyes bright as on brink of some redemption. STEPHEN looks where their fond expectant gazes are. In middle of lawn, a large tree stump, sawn table-flat. An impeccably dressed man in middle age, in build and sartorial immaculacy rather like Hitchcock, is waiting for the next person to come to the stump. The stump drips with blood. He has a butcher’s axe. No blood has spattered the AXEMAN at all. A MOTHER with a LITTLE GIRL come to him. AXEMAN gestures, with courtesy, a gentle little patient smile, 'Little girl first, please’. LITTLE GIRL obediently places hands on stump. MOTHER looks at her, proud, privileged. AXEMAN wields axe. STEPHEN watches. He shows no emotion. Chop. Chop. Muted sound of little girl laughing. He watches, expressionless, the figure of the LITTLE GIRL run gaily off in her party frock, waving her stumps. AXEMAN takes little severed hands, throws them down behind stump. He has a methodical unhurried address to his task: to him it is a sort of necessary social editing. MOTHER lays her own hands on stump, panting in anticipation. STEPHEN stands paralyzed against the hedge. Emerging from the group, coming towards him, are the MAN and LADY of the newspaper-photograph he showed us during his speech at the school debate: the 'father and mother of England’, who had succeeded in having the television 'Jesus’ programme banned. They are coming for STEPHEN, their faces transfigured, their arms raised as in that photo, reaching in welcome to bring him to the stump. - STEPHEN is shaking his head, his lips trying to fashion the words No No! But no sound comes, and he cannot move. Then the real, Worcestershire voice of JOEL is speaking: JOEL (VOICE): You all right, squire? You all right? (His features unclear in a blinding dazzle of sunlight, JOEL is looking anxiously down at us, his face questioning. STEPHEN is coming to. JOEL’s face is clearer now. We see that STEPHEN lies where he originally fell: by the steep grass bank. Now STEPHEN sees this. Nearby, rear wheel of bicycle still spins: wheel whirr. He sees, too, JOEL’s milkfloat: it has braked sharply, skidding at an angle in mid-road. JOEL puts arms round STEPHEN’s shoulder to help him up:) JOEL: Come chargin’ down that hill right into me. (It suddenly dawns on STEPHEN whose arm this is. The old tension, guilt-panic awakens in him; he pulls to be desperately free. JOEL misunderstands, grips more tightly, personally:) JOEL: Hey . . Hey . . (He will not let STEPHEN go. STEPHEN becomes aware of his own hands touching JOEL’s shoulder or arms. He leaves them there, using them to brace him as they stand. He commits himself to the contact, drawing his hands down a little, frankly toward his waist. JOEL now understands what STEPHEN’s attitude is, has always been. It all makes sense. Hard, but not brutal, and not over-compassionate either, he removes STEPHEN’s hands; yet does not thrust them from him.) JOEL: Sorry. Just help you up, that’s all. (He looks STEPHEN straight in eye. STEPHEN, after hesitation, finds honesty in himself to do the same. It is not easy. It is done.) JOEL: (Quite hard.) That’s all. (Their hands separate: a frank withdrawal. A GIRL sits in passenger seat in float. Now she calls out:) JOEL’S GIRL: Joel? JOEL: (To her) He’m all right, dove. We 'a'n’t killed him. STEPHEN: (Rather strenuously, to her.) I’m all right: JOEL: He’ll get over it. (He looks at STEPHEN: a mere brutal acceptance; no yielding. He goes back to float. STEPHEN watches. Engine sound. Float straightens, passes him. JOEL makes a quite objective formal gesture at him. STEPHEN waves back, his gesture incomplete. He feels a new acceptedness.) Inside the church. It is plain, neither rich nor pretty. Sun-light through high windows. The West Door heavily of)cos towards us. STEPHEN conies quietly in; in shirt, jews. lie quietly shuts door behind him. He comes along aisle. He has a book with him. We hear his footfalls, the occasional creak here or there of beam or pew. He goes to the organ. He stands there before it a moment. He switches on the organ i light; and we see there, also, an organist’s mirror - into which the player can glance while playing, to see what is happening in the service behind him in the church. Now STEPHEN swings his legs over the organist’s bench, careful not to depress the long pedal-arms beneath. He switches the organ on: a deep, faint, almost inaudible droning hum. He rests the book before him on the music-rest. He has the look of someone about to try a long-pondered spell. He opens the book, presses the first two or three turned leaves flat against the music-rest, to lie there still and not to close again. Before us now, the heading on the recto page: THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS, Edward Elgar. It is the 'vocal’ score, with the orchestral parts arranged for keyboard. Above first staves of music the word 'Prelude’. Above first bars, pencilled capitals: 'Motif of Judgment’. The first few bars themselves have single minims and crotchets spaced along the lower stave, bound beneath one long curving slur. STEPHEN considers these. He is working out in his head what colouring this opening music needs. He pulls a stop, another. Then slowly he begins to play. It is a solemn and lonely-sounding phrase, this 'motif of Judgment’: deep-hued, veiled and plaintive tones that fall from a note, fall from it again, slowly rise up to it, then a step, another step above; then rest back onto that note again where they began. STEPHEN plays on; the music begins to arouse itself - but after two notes, he pauses; stops. Somewhere in the church, a creak. And always, that deep faint organ hum. Out of habit he glances into the mirror, but of course the church is empty. We see what STEPHEN does not see. We look along the flat gravestones of the aisle, between the towering pew ends, toward the West Door. STEPHEN turns the page, looking for the next passage he wants to play. He finds it. Large wide-spaced chords to be sustained, with shorter crotchet-phrases to he interjected during then: above these, the pencilled words 'His Cry’. Already STEPHEN is playing: the chords high, solemn and pleading, over their deep roots in the bass, and an off-beat heavy treading, figure stark within them. They soon roach a climax, and collapse in syncopated fragments downwards, into silence*. Organ hum. Along the aisle toward the West Door, the light is darkening. STEPHEN continues, In the score, the pleading chords of the 'Cry’ are now repeated, but in a higher key, giving them more urgency. And, as his hands take the chords and treading-figure, and his feet on the pedals the deep roots in the bass, out of the organ suddenly conies a grand and powerful glorious tone: the boy’s music resoundingly transfigured, to move us to tears and chill our spine. And STEPHEN too is moved. Again the climax, the disintegrating collapse, the echoing silence. But for the organ hum. In the aisle threatening to run the length of it to the far West Door, the beginning of a jagged veinlike crack has appeared. STEPHEN pauses. He turns several pages, many. Then, far into the book, finds page lie seeks. Pencilled capitals 'Angel’s Triumph’. Words, notes of vocal line: ’ . . soul! For it is safe, consumed yet quickened by the Glance of God!’ We hear from afar, as STEPHEN, smiling in recognition, hears in his head: the soaring and swooping Angel-song with which the play began. She comes to her great Alleluia, and our eyes are drawn in along the notes themselves, and in, in, in towards the printed symbol of the crowned towering top A itself. But here the voice and music fade, Organ hum. The crack along the aisle has visibly widened; it 'runs’ before our eyes to the far West Door, and veinlike 'tributaries’ appear. Now STEPHEN, unaware of the unnatural darkening in the church around him, prepares to play the crescendo passage that builds toward the climax of the work. His foot takes a low A on the pedal, holds it down; the deep root- sound sustains. Quietly, his hands take the first chords: often clashing with that unchanging bass, these upper harmonies sound unnerving, intense. We hear in them a harsh evolution from that quiet. lonely phrase, the Motif of Judgment, with which STEPHEN began.’ And as, louder and tauter, STEPHEN plays now, this evolution continues: the phrases mount and grow; the key changes, the deep pedalpoint falls; the chords pile up, massive and anguished; the key and pedalnote shift again. In the mirror is total blackness; the fissure in the aisle has widened to a chasm; STEPHEN has come to the music’s peak. The moment of terrible silence. His hands rise, fingers stretch, forming to take the keys that will make up the 'fearful dissonance’. The aisle yawns, a torn-edged black engulfing void . . With all the power he can produce from the instrument, he sounds the dissonance. But it is not enough. It is not enough. Suddenly STEPHEN has broken through even this: with hands and feet he adds every other note to the dissonance that he can reach. And holds them down. A piercing discord of unbelievable obscenity. STEPHEN suddenly sees hellish inky blackness in organ-mirror. His hands quit keyboard in horror. The dissonance vanishes; only the lowest pedalnote remains, a deep C sharp, keeping all its clashing overtones alive in our heads, while through the actual silence a Voice speaks: VOICE: Stephen … … … VOICE: (STEPHEN bows head, he dare not turn.) VOICE: Stephen Franklin (STEPHEN slowly raises eyes to organ-mirror. Inky darkness there. Dimlit, like detail from Grünwald Crucifixion, the leprous Feet pierced with one ugly cruel nail. The Living Blood drips down.) VOICE: Unbury me … . Free me from this tree … . (STEPHEN transfixed. Suddenly pedal C sharp cuts off. Silence. The moment has passed. The aisle is as it was. The church is normal, the sunlight as before. There STEPHEN sits, on the organ-bench, his head bowed from us, arms loosely hanging, self and body drained.) *This passage is found at rehearsal figure 9 in the score. FINALE The Malvern Hills themselves. Their slopes, ridges, lonely, primordial, in summer sunset from the further West. Soft thud and shock of evening wind. A high ridge-top. Here STEPHEN sits, stone-still, gazing toward setting sun. It is as though he has been summoned here. He waits. His dark motionless form there, seated on the ridge-top, against the sunset sky. Two forms slowly slowly ascend into view up the Western slope before him. The MAN and LADY. They walk, yet seem not to rise on the balls of their feet. Now they stand before him on the ridge-top, tall against the Western sky, the MAN to one side of him, LADY to he other. LADY: (Shy, needful) Are you an English boy? MAN: (Gentle, on brink of ecstasy.) Such a light in his eyes. LADY: True English boy? MAN: It is He. It is He. He has the Light. (STEPHEN, as though under some influence, dumbly can merely look from one to other, daring hardly raise his eyes. MAN, LADY we now see some-what more clearly: the 'father and mother of us all’ of Stephen’s newspaper photo. They are transfigured with deep still irradiating joy.) LADY: We knew the Child would come. He has been promised us so long. But that we should find him! It is too lovely to be true! (MAN reaches out a loving hand to STEPHEN - ) LADY: (Tabu horror) No If we touch Him, He will vanish! (Turns to STEPHEN) It is written. (STEPHEN terrified: every urge in him resists, compels to flight. He cannot move. He gazes up at MAN, LADY, animal-like in his dumb helplessness.) MAN: The Child is innocent. He does not know His inheritance. Nor does He know the courage He will need, to exercise His Right in this dark world. Not that they put us to the fire any more. Oh Stephen, Stephen: think of that torment … (MAN leans close to STEPHEN, consumed with a desperate love: he is like a sonless father, begging his unborn son who refuses to be born, 'Be born!’) MAN: … to be burned. Shackled to the mockery of a tree, and burned. Living, burned away … . LADY: What torment is that? Through the flames we see Our Lord. He reaches out His Hand to bring us from the shadow of this world. We that were burned, we cried in joy. The Crosstians think we scream: we cry in joy! When we are burned, why, we are turned to Light! (STEPHEN slowly shaking his head, trying to say No, to move. He cannot. MAN kneels before him, pointing west.) Look. Your Inheritance. MAN: Look. Your inheritance. (STEPHEN tries to dredge up the words of denial from within himself: he can only writhe his neck and head.) MAN: The Kings of the earth, you can govern. MAN: (Cont) They walk in their sleep. Yours is the Right, to inherit the Power: to will their will. (LADY kneels close to STEPHEN, who now can merely writhe his head between them.) MAN: Power, Stephen, to turn the rock of the world to wealth. Power: to fall, and not to die. Like Joan the Maid, to fall, and not to die. (STEPHEN pauses: this rings some bell in him. It is beginning to steal through him in what mortal danger his soul now is. He still struggles to tear a sound or gesture of denial from himself. He can-not. MAN, LADY become more and more consumed with a desperation to bring him away with them: a passion with no erotic, but a terrifying parental-loving, element.) LADY: You have to come with us. You are our Child of Light. You have to be born ill us. Then you become Pure Light. (STEPHEN suddenly finds denial:) STEPHEN: No! No! I am nothing pure! (LADY cries out: refusal would he than she could bear, In a moment the will be weeping - ) STEPHEN: Nothing pure … My race is mixed, my sex is mixed, I am woman and man, and light with darkness, mixed, mixed! I am nothing special, nothing pure. I am mud and flame! (“Εγνωκεν αύτόν he has 'discovered himself’. No more now, can myth of being pure anything afflict him or cause him to afflict mankind. It is moment of his rupture, salvation from his false 'father and mother of us all’. And he finds the feet to stand, break from them, run away - ) LADY: (Desperate, afraid) If we cannot have him darkness must not. (Suddenly vicious) Run if you like! (STEPHEN’S terrible organ-dissonance breaks shatteringly out; STEPHEN is running down the Eastern slope. LADY leaps to her feet, bringing up an instant-develop camera in her hand. She snaps fleeing figure of STEPHEN, one, two times, three. STEPHEN runs stumbling down the slope away from them, not daring look back. LADY rips instant-develop print of STEPHEN out from back of camera. She, MAN are racked with weeping now: knowing they must destroy their Angel rather than let him go to their Enemy. This knowledge breaks their hearts. Their viciousness, sick cruelty, evil shake with gleaming jewel-like tears as MAN brings cigarette-lighter to a lower corner of print; flicks flame; flame takes. The fearful dissonance grinds on. From STEPHEN’s stumbling legs on the hillside smoke appears, threatening to burst into flame. The print of him in the LADY’S hand begins to blister. STEPHEN falls, writhing in the thickening smoke that comes from his own body now: he cries out, the sound lost in the dissonance, 'Help me! Help me!’ The flame eats across the print, to STEPHEN’s left side. STEPHEN himself, his left leg, arm, left side of head scorching, screams in pain. And suddenly, through the dissonance, we can see that his mouth is forming a cry to 'Penda . . ! Penda . . !’ A flash, a double scream: the MAN and LADY vanish in an explosion of flame; and in that same incandescence, amid their falling severed burning limbs, the ancient throned form of PENDA himself appears. And there is silence.) KING PENDA: There you have seen your true dark enemies of England. Sick Father and Mother, who would have us children for ever. (STEPHEN frowns, puzzled. He is totally unharmed, his clothes and body whole as before.) STEPHEN: King Penda . . ? KING PENDA: Stephen. Our land must live. This land we love must live. Her deep dark flame must never die. (STEPHEN is nearer.) KING PENDA: Night is falling. Your land and mine goes down into a darkness now; and I, and all the other guardians of her flame, are driven from our homes, up out into the wolf’s jaw. But the flame still flickers in the fen. You are marked down to cherish that. Cherish the flame, till we can safely wake again. (STEPHEN raises head to ask a question. STEHEN stands: alone, on all the hill. And now he looks back, across the land in shadow: that outer landscape of the earth, and inner landscape of the head, across which this, his journey has been made. It is the very physical reverse to that image of England with which we began: for now we look eastwards, from those hills themselves, And night is coming. No soft choir music on the soundtrack now, but the actual sounds of evening on the earth: a lapwing, a distant train, the pulse of a factory below. Onto that landscape now STEPHEN is walking slowly thoughtfully away from us down. He is fortunate. Early, and at the right time, he has been vouchsafed a meaning for that old question he once glibly asked himself: what is to happen to his soul? Which shall prevail? The Angel, or the Pandemonium; the sickness of power and obedience to power, or the sacred demon of ungovernableness.)

[kmenvs3000]

ENVS*Final Prompt

Hello all!

This final blog post was such an amazing way of reflecting on how this course has change the way I view nature interpretation, and how I approach the communication of information in general. I am definitely someone who learns best by doing, I like to touch things, or see them in action! I learned this during one of our first units, when discussing how to teach to the different learning types and the difference between tangible and intangible elements (Beck et al., 2018). The reason I am bringing this up again is one component of the prompt we were given: Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. The answer to this is deeply entwined with the rest of the prompt, but I’ll return to that later. The biggest ethic I believe in when it comes to nature interpretation is that everyone deserves the opportunity to understand the nature that they are surrounded by. This does not mean that that we should all have access to the same free online resources, though it does help, but instead that we are all given the chance to learn in a way that aligns with our needs.

 *Photo taken by me of my two friends crossing a frozen lake in Garibaldi Park, BC*

I started a program at UoG in 2014, graduated with a general Science, and went to Fleming college for Arboriculture, before returning to UoG to upgrade my degree. I learned that all of the book-reading in the world won’t help me retain knowledge the way that listening to a respected instructor, or physically applying my knowledge does. If I had been taught this at a younger age, I might have approached my education differently. This is why I deeply believe that we need to expand public resources surrounding environmental education so that it is not only given to those who can afford a college education, or courses from a private institution. Physical learners need to be given attention just as their counterparts are: starting in early childhood and throughout their developmental years. We need to break down the stigma that those who don’t retain well from intangible learning aren’t smart.  

 *Photo taken by me during a mushroom hunt and information share with my coworker in Coquitlam, BC*

So many of the people that I know who are in outdoor or environmentally central trades/professions stumbled into it later in life, usually due to the many physical faucets that this field has. They are some of the most well-educated people I have ever met, without spending much time at all in a classroom! My beliefs within nature interpretation are that by focusing on diversifying teaching methods we are able to connect more people to our cause. Opening up learning to everyone, despite their location, background, financial position, abilities, or personal beliefs would create a wonderfully inclusive culture around one thing that every human being shares: a reliance on the environment.

*Photo taken by me of a coworker pruning trees in White Rock, BC*

Our responsibilities as nature interpreters are to make this inclusivity possible, to be open to conversing with people, showing them what we know, whether or not they hold the same views as us. We should not argue with anyone, or try to change their minds, because everyone comes to love this earth in their own way, from their own place, as discussed between David Suzuki and Richard Louv in the video we were provided (Suzuki and Louv, 2012). All we have to do is open the door, and hope that they walk through on their own.  

 *Photo taken by me of a coworker pruning a tree in Langley, BC*

I am an arborist by trade, which means that I climb trees in order to identify diseases or hazards within them, prune for aesthetics and/or safety, and am often involved in tree removal. I entered this trade from a place of environmental consciousness, believing I was going to become a “tree doctor”, who identified issues and fixed them, only removing living trees if it was absolutely necessary. This is not the reality of my profession. I have seen many more trees cut down for urban development or due to unwise planting decisions than I had anticipated when I first began my career. I realized early on that people don’t see the benefit in their trees, such as reduced energy bills due to shading their houses on hot days, the way that they act as a sound barrier for roadways, the decreased likelihood of lawn flooding due to their roots up-taking water, and so much more. All they see are extra leaves to rake off their lawns. My coworkers often don’t see trees, especially big ones, as living beings, but instead as a fun challenge to kill that you can brag about later.

*Photo taken by me of a coworker removing a tree in Surrey, BC* 

Through this course I’ve learned that we are all interpreters for each other, we’ve all seen and learned things that others haven’t. Sometimes by listening to other people’s experiences we learn about things we’ve never encountered, and sometimes our own piece of knowledge can help other’s connect the dots on how something works. At my job most of the people I work with don’t understand tree biology but have many more years of practical experience than I do. So when they remark on how a growth on a tree, that I probably never would have noticed, is “weird” or “cool”, I get the opportunity to explain the probably cause of it, and why the tree responds to certain stimuli the way it does. I hope that eventually this mutual enlightenment leads to a deeper appreciation for trees in both of us.

 *photo taken my me, of a cool tree graft found in Victoria, BC*

In conclusion, this course hasn’t changed the way I see nature, instead it has shown me different ways to communicate my own view with others, and the value of listening to their response. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to learning or interpreting, and, since we are all both interpreters and students, we need to have patience with each other, and try to see through the eyes of others. Only through connection to each other can we communicate our passions.

*Photo of my dog and I frolicking in Tofino, BC*

My questions for you are: have you realized through this course that someone in your life was a nature interpreter for you, and you never noticed? How have you been an interpreter for others before this course, and will your methods change now that it’s over?

Thank you to all of my classmates and our instructors, you’ve all taught me so much this semester!

Katie the Treehugger

*Photo of my dog and I looking forward to our next adventure!*

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

David Suzuki and Richard Louv @ AGO [Video file]. (2012, July 20). Retrieved March 27, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5DI1Ffdl6Y

[sweepyscrubca]

So... When Was the Last Time You Cleaned Your Roof? (Yeah, About That.)

Let’s be real for a second.

There are a lot of things you know you should be doing around the house—but don’t. Like finally organizing that mystery drawer in the kitchen. Or changing your furnace filter before it turns into a wool sweater. And let’s not forget: surrey roof cleaning.

If you live in Surrey and haven’t looked up at your roof in, say, forever... don’t worry. You’re not the only one.

But here’s the thing—you really should start paying attention to what’s going on up there. Because what you don’t see? Yeah, that’s the stuff that causes water leaks, shingle damage, and surprise repair bills you didn’t budget for.

So grab a coffee, settle in, and let’s talk about why pressure cleaning surrey actually matters—and what you can do about it.

First Off, Your Roof Is Not Invincible

You might think your roof is some sort of rugged superhero, bravely shielding you from wind, rain, and the chaos of nature. But even superheroes need backup, and your roof? It’s constantly under attack.

In Surrey, our coastal climate serves up a lovely combo of:

Rain (lots of it)

Tree debris (pine needles, leaves, small branches, you name it)

Moss and algae (the green invaders)

Freezing and thawing cycles in winter

All of this ends up sitting on your shingles and in your gutters, slowly breaking stuff down. Moss, in particular, acts like a sponge—keeping your roof damp and eventually lifting shingles if it’s left to grow. Not cute.

And those black streaks you might notice? That’s algae. It’s not just ugly—it’s literally eating your roof. Gross.

“But It Looks Fine From Down Here!”

We hear you. From the street, your roof might look okay. No obvious holes, no birds building condos up there, nothing on fire. Great.

But here’s the tricky part: the damage starts small. It hides between shingles. It creeps under the edges. It clogs your gutters until water starts pooling in weird places and seeping into spots it doesn’t belong.

By the time you see a leak inside? The damage has been happening for a while. Which is why gutter cleaning surrey is way more about prevention than appearance.

What Happens During a Roof Cleaning?

Okay, so you’re sold on the idea of commercial cleaning services surrey. But what does it actually involve?

No, it’s not someone climbing up there with a garden hose and a prayer.

Here’s what a good professional roof cleaning service in Surrey will typically do:

Inspection – They’ll check your shingles, flashing, gutters, and any trouble spots for early signs of damage.

Debris removal – All those branches, pine needles, and damp leaves? Gone.

Soft washing – This is the gold standard. They’ll use a gentle, low-pressure spray and eco-friendly solution to remove moss, algae, and gunk—without damaging your shingles.

Rinse + optional treatments – Some companies apply a moss prevention treatment to slow future growth.

It’s like a spa day for your roof—minus the cucumber slices.

Can You DIY It?

Technically? Sure.

Realistically? Let’s talk.

If you’re confident on ladders, have all the right tools, know how to use a harness (please say yes), and you’re not afraid of slippery patches or wasp nests—you could give it a go. Just don’t use a pressure washer. That’s a one-way ticket to shingle destruction and warranty voiding.

But if heights give you the ick, or you just want the job done right (and quickly), calling in a eavestrough cleaning vancouver pro is 100% worth it.

How Often Should You Clean Your Roof?

Here’s the truth: there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

But in a climate like Surrey’s? Once every 1–2 years is a solid rule of thumb. If you’re surrounded by trees or you’ve had moss before, yearly is best.

Look up every once in a while. If you spot green fuzz, black streaks, or debris piling up, it’s time to book a cleaning.

Bonus: Clean Roof, Clean Gutters, Clean Vibes

Your roof doesn’t work alone—it’s besties with your gutters.

If your roof is dirty, chances are your gutters are suffering too. And clogged gutters? They lead to foundation issues, flooded basements, and icicles straight out of a horror movie.

A lot of pressure washing surrey offer bundled gutter cleaning. Highly recommended.

Because when rainwater flows the way it’s supposed to, everything else just works better.

But Seriously… Why Does This Matter?

Because your roof is one of the most expensive parts of your home to replace. And one of the easiest to maintain—if you stay on top of it.

A professional roof cleaning might cost a few hundred dollars. A full roof replacement in Surrey? We’re talking ten grand, minimum. Sometimes way more.

So yeah, this isn’t just about having a nice-looking house. It’s about taking care of the structure that protects everything (and everyone) underneath it.

Okay, Now What?

Start with a visual check. Walk around your house, look for signs of moss, dirt streaks, lifted shingles, or clogged gutters. Snap a few photos if you’re unsure and send them to a local exterior house cleaning services near me.

Most companies will give you a free quote, and many can do the work in just a few hours. You don’t even need to be home.

And when it’s done? You’ll feel better. Your roof will breathe easier. Your gutters will flow like a dream. And your whole home? It’ll just feel… cleaner. Stronger. More put together.

All because you finally looked up.