Landscape News Summer 2021
The official journal of the British Association of Landscape Industries
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Our National Landscape Awards brand gets a new look
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Exclusive interview with award-winning Gavin McWilliam MBALI MSGD
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Plant health update: An explanation of post-Brexit arrangements
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CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME
Chairman’s Welcome DEAR MEMBERS
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s I write this, the UK green roof market, which includes manufacturers, suppliers, specifiers and installers, are gearing up to promote World Green Roof Day on the 6th June #WGRD2021.
It’s a global celebration of green roofs, including the many well-documented benefits they bring to people and nature, and they play an ever-increasing role in supporting the built environment. I know many of our members play a pivotal role in the UK green roof market and have been proactive in driving education and understanding in this area. The green roof sector is always a very well supported category at our National Landscape Awards #BALIAwards2021 and I look forward to seeing this year’s contenders. This edition has a special focus on green/blue roofs, and you can read more about this fascinating subject from page 38 onwards. Back in April the BALI Chalk Fund successfully launched its Champions scheme for the industry. Setup to help motivate and equip the next generation of landscape professionals, it provides an opportunity for businesses to invest in their education and training.
Businesses can choose from three pricing tiers, starting with bronze at £250 per year. This introductory tier will ensure five students leave college with a Land-based Industry Skills Scheme & Construction
Skills Certification Scheme (LISS/CSCS) SmartCard and are ready to work on-site. This is a saving to future employers of around £600.
Silver costs £500 per year and is equal to the prize money awarded annually to the BALI Chalk Fund National Landscape Student of the Year. Gold is the highest tier and costs £750 per year. It will help save future employers thousands of pounds. I am very pleased to see the traction and support within the industry which this fund raiser is receiving. Become a BALI Chalk Fund Champion today balichalkfund.org.uk/ become-a-champion. #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek took place in May which had a great focus across all media platforms with celebrities, organisations and news channels showing their support. As an industry we create amazing spaces for people to enjoy, relax in and escape from the everyday routine. Throughout the pandemic gardens, parks, woodlands, and the landscape environment have been a place of comfort and solace for many of us. It has definitely played an important part in our mental health over the last 12 months. As a collective industry of landscapers, designers, suppliers and specifiers, let’s not just make it one week a year to dedicate to mental health but let’s introduce more frequent checks on our colleagues. Let’s look after each other. #ItsOkayNotToBeOkay
As my colleague Kevin O’ Rourke of Accredited Contractor Acorn Environmental Management Group said to me; my door, my phone, my home, my email, my everything is always open. Please talk. Great advice Kevin, thank you. Finally, I would like to personally congratulate all of the new members listed below. I look forward to meeting you at future events. Our Association is a fantastic organisation to be part of and I encourage you to get involved with your regional online meetings until physical events can restart safely. Always check bali.org.uk/events to see what’s coming up. Best wishes,
Richard Kay National Chairman
New members (9th March - 21st May) Accredited Contractor South Thames • Bes Landscapes • Luxuria Landscapes • McNaughtons • Scotscape Maintenance • Scotscape Smartscape • Serco • The Garden Concierge • Vu Garden Design & Landscaping North Thames • Bluestone Landscapes • Eco Green Roofs • PL London
South West • Axford Garden Services • Nic Payne Gardens East Anglia • Great Oaktree Land Services • Phipps Contracting
Midlands • ARB PRO Tree Services • Fairways Contracting • T.E Labyrinth Wales • AE & AT Lewis
Accredited Supplier South Thames • Granite Setts UK
South West • The Landscaper’s Circle East Anglia • Ibran
North West • Anglo Recycling Technology T/A Growfelt
Accredited Designer Yorkshire & North East • Haddon, Matt (MBALI, MSGD)
Associate Designer
North Thames • Katherine van Tienhoven
Associate Individual
Associate Supplier North West • Cheshire Soils and Aggregates • Ronjack Products
International
UK Islands • Sexton Green T/A Sexton Green Landscapes
Student
South Thames • Amanda Border • Daniel Denore • Kerry Wilson • Neta Dvir
East Anglia • Deborah Beckett • Jolijn Bronneberg
Yorkshire & North East • Karen Crawshaw International • Thomas Reaney
Training Provider Scotland • Amey OW
East Anglia • ITS Training (UK)
North Thames • Living Landscapes Company
LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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EDITOR’S WELCOME
Editor’s Welcome A FOND FAREWELL
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fter editing 10 editions of Landscape News and five years employed at the UK’s leading Trade Association for landscape professionals, it’s time for me to say a heartfelt farewell to you all.
It has been an absolute pleasure representing you for half a decade as your Marketing and Communications Manager and Editor of this fine publication and I have many happy memories from this chapter in my life. I am delighted to announce my successor, Olivia Szajna, has already started and by the time you read this I will have departed. Olivia will be taking over editor duties so expect to see a new face in the next edition. For my final edition we have once again secured several exclusive interviews, pages 24 and 44, plus in-depth business support and technical features and important Trade Association updates. This edition centres around plant health and green/blue roofs and you will find some fantastic articles from our members from page 38 onward.
I’m also delighted to confirm we’re continuing to roll out new look identities for the remainder of our brand family, including the National Landscape Awards #BALIAwards2021 and the National Contractor’s Forum. You can check out those updates, and much more, from page 8. Finally, the team at Landscape House are really looking forward to getting back up and running at physical events this summer. By the time you read this we will be weeks away from the first shows in July. You can find out what our plans are for the summer and autumn season on page 50. As always, regularly check our website bali.org.uk/events for the latest events. Don’t forget, if you’re an Accredited or Training Provider member you can login to the website and upload your own events to our online calendar for additional exposure and promotion.
Editor: Darren Taylor E: darren.taylor@bali.org.uk T: +44(0)24 7669 8656 M: 07800 573351 Sales: Diane McCulloch E: diane.mcculloch@bali.org.uk T: +44(0)24 7518 5614 M: 07455 110975 Registered address: British Association of Landscape Industries Landscape House Stoneleigh Park Warwickshire CV8 2LG Designed by: bdci.co.uk Print and mailing: warwickprinting.co.uk Copy Deadline (Autumn 2021): Friday 13th August 2021
Look after yourselves and each other and thank you for all the support.
Front Cover: © Gavin McWilliam MBALI MSGD Beyond Heaven and Earth
Best wishes.
Darren Taylor
Contents
6 Chief Executive’s Report 8 BALI News
14 Member News 24 Interview
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28 Business Support 32 Technical
46 Member Benefit Spotlight 48 Training
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©Hongyue Horticultural Corporation
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50 Events
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT
The landscape industry seems to be operating at capacity, but can it be maintained?
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eacting to current market conditions, members are urging clients to expedite their projects by starting construction ahead of a forecasted prolonged period of cost inflation running at 5%. Infrastructure in particular is susceptible to pressures around material availability and a shortage of specialist skills, with price increases of 3% and 5% being forecast for 2021 and 2022 respectively. For the buildings sector, growth in the regions will be higher than in London. Delays in getting projects moving are likely to translate into an even steeper pace of inflationary growth from 2022 onwards, reaching 5% by 2025 as the market recovers*. At the moment, there is still some spare capacity available, but the shortages of construction materials create inflationary conditions that have already begun to outweigh any deflationary factors. Any delays increase the potential exposure to much higher construction costs than initially planned for, as higher inflation may become the new normal. Arcadis tender price rise forecast* 2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Five-year total
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Regional building
1%
3%
4%
5%
5%
18%
LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
Employee burnout!
37% of employers feel their teams are teetering on the brink of burnout due to heavy pandemic-related workloads. Failing to spot the warning signs can lead to demotivated, demoralised and under-productive employees, right at a time when you need them most.
What is employee ‘burnout’? Burnout occurs when an employee has been under intense stress for a prolonged period of time. The NHS lists burnout symptoms as physical and emotional exhaustion, a sense of powerlessness, and hopelessness. Luckily, this can be avoided by simply learning to spot employee burnout signs.
Employee burnout signs
It’s unlikely your employees will come forward and admit that they’re burning out. According to mental health charity, Mind, 30% of staff said they wouldn’t feel able to talk openly about stress with their line manager. If you don’t start the dialogue, there’s a good chance it’ll go unchecked.
London building
0%
3%
4%
5%
5%
17%
Infrastructure
3%
5%
5%
5%
5%
23%
Material availability, including responsibly sourced timber, is delaying projects from weeks to months
Although the signs of burnout manifest differently for everyone, these four red flags are a good place to start:
• A negative attitude: This can relate to your employee’s overall outlook on life, the way they interact with fellow team members or their approach to tasks
• Decline in performance: Performance reviews and weekly catch-up sessions are a great way to spot this particular sign of burnout • Missed deadlines: The fatigue and low motivation associated with burnout could cause even the simplest tasks to take far longer • Frequent illness or fatigue: This may manifest as an employee regularly calling in sick, frequently complaining about poor health, or simply looking tired
Remember, burnout is a slow-burning issue that develops over time. In order to catch it, you’ll need to remain vigilant long term. Remote working has changed the nature of burnout. Don’t be tempted to assume employee burnout has lessened because they may have been working from home. If anything, current circumstances have created a perfect storm for stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.
Since last March, UK households have been subjected to national lockdown in varying degrees. This puts employees under prolonged pressure as they juggle work, childcare, and home schooling under ever-changing
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT Promote healthy discussions around wellbeing and mental health with your employees
circumstances. A study by the Mental Health Foundation found that 74% of UK adults felt unable to cope with the stress of the last year.
If the situation weren’t difficult enough, working from home (or as some refer to it…living at work!) introduces an entirely new set of factors that can contribute toward burnout. Without set boundaries between work and home, it’s far easier for employees to work past office hours without realising. There’s also more pressure for them to appear hyper-productive while working from home in a bid to reassure employers that output can remain high.
Remote working requires you to be more observant as an employer. Pay close attention to body language, tone of voice and expression when chatting to your team over video calls - the signs of exhaustion and demotivation may be more challenging to spot without in-person contact.
ROLO Operative courses have continued online throughout the pandemic
• Be approachable and accessible: By promoting healthy discussions around wellbeing and mental health, you can encourage reluctant employees to come forward before burnout becomes a serious issue. Ensure you remain accessible to staff when they need a quick call or video chat
basis for health & safety training, even if you do not require a LISS/ CSCS SmartCard.
Membership renewal
Finally, we are very sad to see Darren leave the Association and his post as Editor of Landscape News. Darren has not only made a great contribution to the Association’s marketing and communications but has transformed this quarterly journal. He will be missed by all at Landscape House and on behalf of the board and the team, we wish him well.
• Support through resources: Does your company have mental health resources available to staff? Make sure your team know what support is available to them, whether it’s free counselling, wellbeing programmes or educational literature
How can you provide support in the ‘new normal’?
We have received a great response to membership renewal this year. I would like to thank you for your continued commitment and support for your Trade Association and remind you to make the most of your membership benefits. Login to your member’s area at bali.org.uk/my-bali to find out if there are any benefits you are not taking advantage of.
• Offer flexible hours: Shifting the workday by several hours can take the pressure off employees who are trying to manage home-schooling due to lockdowns or self-isolating, care duties and household logistics alongside their workload
We’re close to launching the highly anticipated Register of Land-based Operations (ROLO) Health, Safety and Environmental Awareness courses for supervisors and managers in the land-based industry. These will be the only accepted route when applying for your Land-based Industry Skills Scheme/Construction Skills Certification Scheme (LISS/ CSCS) SmartCard (for those working in the commercial sector) at the appropriate level and provide a great
• Realistic approach to workloads: Preventing employee burnout means confronting ambitious workloads with a more realistic view. How much work can your employees do without staying late or missing lunch breaks?
ROLO courses
Our two new course levels, along with our popular ROLO Operative course, have now all been approved by both Build UK and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and therefore are the appropriate SmartCards that you and your staff should be obtaining to get onto site. As a result of this approval, all three ROLO courses do attract a training grant from CITB for those companies that are paying the CITB Levy.
Best wishes.
Wayne Grills Chief Executive
LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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BALI NEWS
National Landscape Awards gets a new look
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wiftly following the successful rebrand launch of our British Association of Landscape Industries brand back in April, we’re delighted to Green-tree Topsoil share details of our new National Landscape Awards identities, including a brand-new main logo and a suite of sponsor and winner’s logos to match.
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For the main logo, gone is the date, replaced by a more simplified, BALI_Awards | baliawards modern and colourful design that mirrors, in part, the new brand for our Trade Association, with a striking gradient green. Four stars representing Award Winner, Principal, Special and Grand adorn the top of the hill crest and treeline. The sponsor and winner’s logos
now sport new bolder colours which helps to identify whether the member is a sponsor or a winner of a particular award and have been designed to perfectly sit alongside previous year’s accolades.
Our National Landscape Awards is sponsored by Accredited Supplier Green-tech, who have confirmed their sponsorship until 2023 as part of a three-year deal.
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
For more information visit baliawards.co.uk
O
Nurseries in Marlow. His nationwide contribution to the industry has been immense.
He had a vision to develop the specimen plants and trees market in the UK. A partnership was made with Vannucci Piante of Pistoia with EuroPlants being appointed its sole UK agent. The relationship is going strong to this day, 30 years on. In 2005 he set up Riverside
Our thoughts go out to Renato’s family, daughters Valerie and Fabienne, grandson Kiaran and colleagues Oscar and Freddie. He will be sorely missed.
n the 17th May 2021, Renato Canale sadly passed away at the age of 79. Renato setup Accredited Supplier EuroPlants UK in 1991, after arriving in the UK in 1962 to work at Stuart Lows, where he progressed to Sales and Marketing Director.
In memory of Renato Canale 1942-2021
We have already supplied logos to this year’s sponsors, to use on their own websites, email signatures and marketing materials. Winners will be announced in September and this year’s Principal, Special and Grand winners will be announced live at a physical ceremony in London on the 3rd December 2021.
As a much valued and wellrespected colleague and friend in the industry for over 60 years, Renato will be greatly missed and will leave a huge gap both personally and professionally for all those that had the pleasure of knowing him.
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BALI NEWS
ROLO is equivalent to SSSTS and SMSTS courses 4GIKUVGT QH .CPF DCUGF 1RGTCVKQPU
I
n the 2019 Horticulture Sector Skills Survey, for the landscaping section, landscape companies were asked to cite the most important skills that were needed in our industry going forward. Throughout the survey, positions that included managerial, technical and trades skills all saw the importance of health & safety, one of their most desired skills, currently and in the future. ROLO courses address the specific safety and environmental challenges our industry faces. Whilst we are closely linked to the construction industry, there was and is a need to develop our own training, dealing with specific safety concerns unique to our workers.
If businesses are to survive, function and hold a good reputation with clients and employees, they must operate safely, with workforces adhering to current health & safety and environmental standards and practices.
Your Association remains committed to supporting health & safety training for the industry and does so through our Register of Land-based Operations Health, Safety and Environmental Awareness courses, all of which help employees demonstrate their competence in working safely. For many years land-based Supervisors and Managers have had no choice but train through the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) route to gain their health & safety training, in order to support them in gaining the appropriate Land-based Industry Skills Scheme and Construction Skills Certification Scheme (LISS/CSCS) SmartCard.
ROLO Supervisor and Manager courses will be launching in 2021
Whilst all health & safety training is beneficial, your Association saw the need to provide a more relevant route that covers subject areas and scenarios that are appropriate to our industries needs and practices. With the full support of CSCS and Build UK, we are pleased to add to our ROLO offering, two new courses, ROLO Health, Safety and Environmental Awareness
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
courses for Supervisors and Managers. This will be a step up from the current SSSTS and SMSTS courses, covering key areas like the environment in far more depth, as well as health & safety, through discussion and practical workshop style scenarios, allowing Managers and Supervisors to share their knowledge and experience, and support them in attaining the appropriate LISS/CSCS SmartCard.
We would encourage employers to see these courses as more than just a way of gaining LISS/CSCS SmartCards for their staff. Each of the new courses provides invaluable information and training on not just current legislation, but practically looks at each of the roles, method statements, risk assessments, as well as toolbox talks. They offer an opportunity to go through and highlight the important duties for Supervisors and Managers, helping them influence and change health & safety behaviours in their teams and places of work. Candidates will be required to work through a pre-course e-learning element to help them prepare for the face-to-face sessions and final assessment. This will help evaluate their current knowledge and identify the gaps, so that these areas can be read up on through a series of online quizzes. Once these have successfully been completed and passed, they will then go onto a two-day course for the Supervisor’s course (or a one day for the refresher) and three-day course for Managers (two days for the refresher). In each of the courses, candidates are expected to participate in group activities, present toolbox talks, and then conclude with an online assessment, where candidates need to gain a minimum 80% pass rate. Once Supervisor and Manager courses launch, BALI & ROLO Training Provider members will be able to offer both face-to-face and online versions of the courses, including the full course versions and refresher.
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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BALI NEWS
Olivia Szajna joins as our new Marketing Manager
F
ollowing the departure of Darren Taylor, after a five-year tenure in the post of Marketing and Communications Manager, we are delighted to welcome Olivia Szajna, who joined the Association on the 1st June. Olivia brings a wealth of knowledge and experience gained over fifteen years in a variety of sectors including sport, retail and local government. Olivia joins us most recently from British Eventing, a membership organisation and National Governing Body for an Olympic equestrian sport. She headed up the marketing, communications and commercial function at British Eventing and successfully grew membership, participation, and commercial partnerships.
Commenting on her appointment, Olivia said, “I am delighted to have joined at such a pivotal time and to share my experience that I have gained over 10 years at a membership organisation. As a Trade Association, collaboration and communication are key and I am very much looking forward to learning more about the needs of our members and aiding in increasing the success and profile of the Association.” Olivia will work alongside Marketing and Communications Officer Emily Magdij to support members and promote the Association. 12
LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
Members pass Special Resolutions at EGM
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e held an Extraordinary General Meeting at 10:30am on Wednesday 26th May, via the GoToMeeting online platform. Eligible voting members were sent a copy of the Notice of the Meeting in the post on the 28th April, which also included a proxy form. 13 eligible voting members were in attendance Chief Executive Wayne Grills led the meeting, supported by National Chairman Richard Kay, Operations Manager Kirsty Wood, then Marketing and Communications Manager Darren Taylor and PA to Chief Executive Nicky McMurdo.
Members were asked to vote on two Special Resolutions, namely:
1) That with effect from the conclusion of the meeting the Articles of Association of the Company be amended by replacing all references in Article 3.3 as follows: • Replace ‘Registered’ with ‘Accredited’ • Replace ‘Affiliate’ with ‘Supplier’. Thereby deleting Article 3.3 and replacing it with the new clause 3.3 which was attached as Appendix 1 in the Notice.
2) That with effect from the conclusion of the meeting, authority is granted to any director and, in the case of any document requiring execution as a deed, any two directors or
any director in the presence of a witness who attests their signature to execute any other document required to be executed by the Company in connection with Resolution 1 above.
It was also noted during the meeting that under Resolution 1, the Company is proposing to amend its Articles of Association to formally adopt the changes made in the recent rebranding which in turn reflects the feedback and preferences of members consulted throughout the research phases of the rebrand consultation. 45 votes were cast in total, with Resolution 1 securing 44 Votes For and 1 Abstention. Of those 45 votes, 31 were by proxy. Resolution 2 secured 45 Votes For, a unanimous result, with 31 via proxy.
It was reported that in the current version of the Articles of Association there had been a typographical error whereby the Registered Group membership category had the word ‘Registered’ omitted.
Wayne explained during the last review of the Articles of Association, the solicitors removed the word ‘Registered’ from the group category in error. This will be rectified during the forthcoming reprint of the Articles of Association and the category will be known as ‘Accredited Group’.
Announcing Resin Bound Deep Dives with Addagrip
Members of GRO install play structures at Kew
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embers of the Green Roof Organisation (GRO) have worked together to install green roofs on 20 play structures at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, encouraging people, after a year spent largely indoors, to reconnect with the incredible nature that surrounds them.
This summer, the leading plant institute and UNESCO World Heritage site is delighted to invite visitors on a journey to uncover the Secret World of Plants, supported by Starling Bank.
At the heart of the festival are six ‘plantscapes’ – large-scale, immersive biomes representing contrasting landscapes found across the UK, but rarely experienced in such vivid detail. Each landscape - sand dune; moorland; marsh and meadow; hedgerow; woodland; and urban - is inspired by the UK’s priority habitats in the Biodiversity Action Plan: an internationally recognised programme addressing threatened species and habitats. Visitors are invited to literally place themselves within these monumental landscapes via playful headholes, and get a new, unique glimpse into these incredible, biodiverse and
W
e have teamed up with Accredited Supplier Addagrip Terraco to host four exclusive deep-dive training webinars on resin bound surfacing.
threatened UK landscapes designed by Seattle-based artist Vaughn Bell.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is passionate about increasing public understanding of plants and the important role they play in human life. With over 350 scientists and work spanning over 100 countries, RBG Kew is leading the way in discovering and describing new plant species, researching their uses, assessing their risk of extinction, and conserving them for future generations. Plants are our life support - they provide us with food, materials, medicine, and more - and RBG Kew has one of the largest and most important collections in the world.
The first event took place on the 26th May and introduced members to the technicalities around installing resin bound surfaces in a variety of situations and explaining the differences to resin bonded. Attendees, including garden designers and landscapers, were left impressed with the level of detail provided during the 60-minute presentation, with plenty of questions being asked by those watching remotely. The next three events are scheduled for this summer, How to Specify Resin Bound 23rd June, Eco Resin Bound 28th July and Innovations in Resin Bound 25th August. All three events will be held online via GoToWebinar. Bookings are open now and places are free and exclusively available for members of the Association. Visit bali.org.uk/events for more details and to book your place.
Contributing to the ‘plantscapes’, the 20 colourful structures include several pitched, sedum and wildflower, biodiverse, edible and turf roofs that enable children to discover that rooftops of any size can be living and encourage more greening in urban environments. Members involved include Accredited Supplier Harrowden Turf, Accredited Contractors Bridgman & Bridgman, Eco Green Roofs and Pritchard & Pritchard.
LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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MEMBER NEWS
Hy-Tex celebrates 30 years through charity fundraising
Hy-Tex today
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amily business and Accredited Supplier Hy-Tex (UK) passed the three-decade anniversary milestone in April and is planning a number of charity events to celebrate its success, including a 106km run/jog/ walk challenge for sales manager Ryan Markham, stepson of current director David Poole whose stepfather and company founder, Mike Hyder, sadly passed away in 2014. Hy-Tex are environmental and ground engineering solutions suppliers and were founded in 1991 by Mike and his wife Sheila, with the aim to specialise in the supply of biodegradable erosion control meshes. From operating
Hy-Tex’s Ryan Markham and David Poole
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out of a portacabin to the company awarded several significant distributor appointments and projects, the company has grown exponentially. In 1994 David joined the team, whilst weighing up his next career move, but since then has never looked back. Commenting to Landscape News, David said, “I am absolutely delighted with the accomplishment and there is a lot more to come from Hy-Tex. Our family work ethics, integrity and in-depth knowledge have always been valued and commented on by customers, whilst part of our success can also be attributed to our forwardthinking nature.”
He continued, “I often joke that I will eventually make up my mind what I want to do for a job, but in truth I cannot believe how fortunate I was to have Mike as my mentor, and, having always had a passion for protecting the environment, I regard my work as much a hobby as a career.”
Hy-Tex as it was in 1991
Fast forward 27 years and Hy-Tex is still thriving under David’s leadership, despite a number of challenges along the way - including coping with exceptionally high demand during Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.
More recently, stepson Ryan spearheaded the company’s environmental push to become a paperless office – which was achieved successfully and enabled the company to not only reduce waste but meant that when the pandemic hit, the working from home transition was a simpler process. For more information on Hy-Tex (UK) visit hy-tex.co.uk.
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MEMBER NEWS
Wyevale Nurseries receives Plant Healthy Certification for high biosecurity standards
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eading commercial nursery and Accredited Supplier Wyevale Nurseries are celebrating after being awarded a Plant Healthy Certificate during the UK’s National Plant Health Week in May 2021.
Wyevale Nurseries’ Production Manager Kyle Ross received the certification from the Plant Health Alliance and it’s just one of a handful of businesses in the country who have been awarded. Wyevale’s plants lifted for orders
Wyevale Nurseries’ Production Manager Kyle Ross with Wyevale Nurseries’ Plant Healthy Certificate
Kyle explained to Landscape News: “This certification scheme makes it so much easier to identify businesses or organisations that trade and grow plants with the highest standards of health and biosecurity. It also helps reduce the risk of introducing/spreading destructive plant pests via our trade plant supply chains and protects the horticulture industry, other cultivated plants and natural habitats.” Certified businesses have to successfully complete and pass a Plant Healthy audit and show they are committed to adopting high voluntary
Introducing Serco, providing 100% carbon free grounds maintenance services
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or over 30 years Accredited Contractor Serco has been working with local government and public sector bodies to deliver a full range of grounds maintenance, arboriculture and landscape services.
Most impressively their team also offer bespoke solutions that meet their clients’ needs, such as carbon reduction solutions to deliver grounds maintenance services that include 100% carbon free options. This, along with sustainable landscape design, considering environmental impacts and budgetary and compliance criteria. For over 10 years, Serco has also been working with Sport England, providing world class sporting facilities to some of Great Britain’s national teams and community users at their national
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sports centres in Bisham Abbey & Lilleshall. Having a national portfolio of contracts, the team can operate in the private sector, providing services from operational hubs.
Serco has also invested in management systems such as ISO 9001, 14001 & 45001 to ensure services are delivered in a safe, compliant manner and in accordance with best practice operating procedures. Interested in learning more? Visit serco.com
Serco specialise in offering public sector grounds maintenance services
plant health and biosecurity standards. The Wyevale Nurseries audit was conducted by Grown in Britain, the certification body for the scheme.
To counter the threat from plant pests, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Plant Biosecurity Strategy for Great Britain (2014) proposed the development of the certification scheme to improve biosecurity in the UK horticultural sector. Members of the Plant Health Alliance (PHA), of which our Association is a member, produced the Plant Health Management Standard, which is focused on UK ornamental and amenity horticultural businesses and organisations. It can also be adopted by international businesses. The PHA are the governing body for the scheme, which is based on the Plant Health Management Standard. For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, please call +44(0)1432 845 200 or visit wyevalenurseries.co.uk.
Why Green-tech is looking skyward on their quest for greater urban greening Written by Accredited Supplier Green-tech
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he hard surface area of our cities has grown significantly over the past few decades, and we all appreciate that the task of increasing greenspace within our towns and cities can be a struggle. This is where green roofs play a vital role in urban greening. Green roofs are increasingly becoming a key requirement of planning.
Two planning tools that you may come across are the Green Space Factor and the Urban Green Factor. The Green Space Factor provides a score between 0 and 1, for the type of ground cover. A natural soft landscape will get the highest score of 1, whereas impermeable tarmac will get zero. This gives us a simplified measure of the effectiveness… or ‘naturalness’ … of our greening endeavours. An extensive green roof, with a minimum substrate of 60mm beneath the vegetation is classed as 0.7, and an intensive roof, with a minimum substrate of 150mm scores 0.8, so both have a high Green Space Factor. The Greater London Authority Urban Greening Factor report stated that: “Where possible, redevelopment and regeneration across the city should result in a greener, rather than greyer built environment.“ This puts a much greater emphasis for urban greening to be a key consideration right at the start of the development and design journey.
So, why green roofs? Well, they are being introduced to many major cities to help reduce the impacts of climate change. They are widely recognised to be one of the most effective methods of urban greening. They reduce the ecological impact of a project, creating a positive biodiversity and habitat for birds and insects. They also provide a way of attenuating storm water, slowing it down rather than letting it gush straight down into our already overburdened sewer system. And not forgetting the visual enhancement and calming effect, that all helps to create an increased sense of well-being. These therapeutic benefits can be seen in a wonderful example of green roofing at Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre in Leeds. Three levels of overlapping green roofs were used to reinstate greenery into the hospital’s last remaining green space.
for carbon emitting air-conditioning units. On the flip side, they also help to keep roofs warmer in cold weather and prevent heat escaping through the roof.
Green roofs are recognised to help with the Clean Air Effect, where the green roof vegetation absorbs the carbon dioxide and pollutants and releases oxygen. In addition, airborne particulates are caught by the plant leaves, then washed off by the rain to be filtered by the green roof substrate and geo-textiles, making the water entering our drain system that little bit cleaner.
We have seen a surge in demand for green roof projects and we are seeing more on our city landscape. It’s good to see these as a reality rather than just ‘blue sky thinking!’ For more information or to organise a free CPD, visit green-tech.co.uk.
Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre in Leeds. The therapeutic benefits of greening cannot be overstated
Three levels of overlapping green roofs
Green roofs also help to offset the Urban Heat Island effect. This is where the build-up of heat held in and reflected off a city’s hard surfaces can increase the ambient temperature by up to 7°C. Roof vegetation increases the evaporation of water back into the atmosphere, which in turn has a cooling effect. The roof covering acts as an insulator and lessens the heat radiated back. The more natural cooling effect we have, the less need
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MEMBER NEWS
Today’s northeast view of the front of the Tewin Water House
Historic landscape restoration specialist Harrell joins our Association
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ccredited Contractor Harrell is a family-run grounds maintenance and landscaping business, initially formed in 2015 by landscape gardener Alex Oliver. Recognised for several commissions at the Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, Royal Oak Foundation and the National Trust, Alex developed a lively interest in historic gardens. Following a move to Hertfordshire to manage the gardens of a historic private estate, Harrell was established with the express purpose of creating and maintaining beautiful landscapes both old and new. The business has grown to deliver both domestic and commercial grounds maintenance and landscaping projects.
Harrell manages the landscape surrounding the beautiful Tewin Water House, built by the 5th Earl Cowper in the 1790s next to the ancient River Mimram, and in 1799 Humphry Repton was engaged to remodel the estate. Repton laid out his plans in one of his famous Red Books, proposing a “Principle of Improvement” of the scenery from various viewpoints. The viewpoints were intended to be picturesque, in the sense of looking good in paintings – a concept broadly similar to our modern fixation with Instagram-ready photos. Sadly, some of his schemes have disappeared as the house changed hands throughout the years. The surrounding land is now made up of dense woodland, meaning
some of Repton’s viewpoints have been lost, including the impressive Sketch No.VIII.
The current residents have joined forces with Harrell to restore Repton’s ideals, namely, ‘the correcting hand of good taste’, using the Red Book as a guide, and at the same time leaving their own legacy. Harrell’s intention is to restore Humphry’s intended viewpoints to their former glory as far as possible. To find out more visit harelllandscapes.co.uk
Ibran is locking in waste plastic for good
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ccredited Supplier Ibran is turning the tide on the use of waste plastic, by taking it directly from UK waste centres and recycling it into long-lasting, high quality ground reinforcement and drainage products to use in landscaping projects across the country. To help protect our environments, both on land and in the sea, their team has established a solid reputation for providing an informative, transparent service. Ibran is a company with strong eco-friendly credentials.
Their products are sourced and made in the UK from recycled materials, including their ground reinforcement grids which 18
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are constantly being redesigned and improved upon so that they can continue offering the most reliable product and service possible. Due to the recycled nature of their product catalogue, they offer longer industry-standard guarantees, so your clients can rest easy knowing they are using ground reinforcement and/or SUDs-compliant products that are both eco-friendly and reliable. To see what else is on offer visit: ibran.co.uk
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BALI LANDSCAPE REVIEW SPRING 2021
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MEMBER NEWS
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ccredited Contractor Urban Earth SW has joined the Association, and with it, is sharing its affinity with green roofs with members and the wider landscape industry, by talking to Landscape News.
Landscape Designer Jacob Betts said, “Fusing buildings with the natural environment is not a new idea, but our understanding of the subject, and the benefits it provides, is. Green roofs are becoming an increasing part of my vocabulary as a designer. Particularly in more urban areas, this natural and environmentally friendly roofing alternative is coming into its own. Not only are they improving air quality by taking in surrounding carbon dioxide but also helping the land. Green roofing also holds a commendable amount of rainwater, particularly in the summer, water that would otherwise place a burden on existing infrastructure.” Aside from the purely quantifiable benefits, there are a myriad more, especially if a building is going to be viewed from above, benefiting our subconscious admiration for nature. This makes us feel a sense of ease which we experience when being in a more natural space.
Urban Earth champions the benefits of green roofs
Jacob continues, “These benefits are best noticed in the city and urbanised areas where the contrast is starker, creating a snowball effect since the plants on the roof attract more biodiversity, in turn, adding to the benefits which will make others more inclined to incorporate them.”
Urban Earth SW is an award-winning team creating idyllic outdoor spaces, working with other landscape designers and architects to create beautiful homes and gardens. Find out more at urban-earth.co.uk
Arbour Landscape Solutions launches new corporate identity and upgrades ecommerce website
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ccredited Supplier Arbour Landscape Solutions has joined our Trade Association following their successful launch of both their new corporate identity and enhanced website.
Managing Director Richard Bickler said, “The time had come for us to cohesively communicate our service offer – future-proofing our business for further development in the landscape procurement and supply industry. Part of our brand DNA is our role in bringing the best service to the landscaping industry to enable professional project delivery. Our evolved family of logos; umbrella brand and three sub-brands needed to be recognisable for loyal customers, whilst representing the growth of the business to a professional, trade only, one stop-shop of landscaping products.” Arbour’s sub-brands ‘Eco Range’ and the ‘UK Made Range’ enable landscapers to choose from collections which meet their customer’s requirements, mitigating their carbon footprint. The ‘Bespoke Range’
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includes the expansive service offer delivered by Arbour Landscape Solutions to source landscaping materials for unique gardens. Check out their new look at arbourlandscapesolutions.co.uk
Arbour Landscape Solutions launched their new corporate identity before joining the Association
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Racing star Rory Butcher with Adam Brindle of The Grounds Care Group
Instarmac’s Geo-Fix® reaches 25-year milestone
Grounds Care Group teams up with racing star for carbon offsetting project
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021 is a significant year for Accredited Supplier Instarmac’s Geo-Fix® as the respected paving brand is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Geo-Fix® Original was first brought to market in 1996 when the paving industry was a completely different landscape compared to today. With traditional cementitious jointing products causing huge problems for local authorities and contractors, it soon became clear that an alternative solution was required. After consulting and listening to the needs of the entire paving industry, Geo-Fix® developed a new technology using sand polymers to create Geo-Fix® Original brush-in jointing compound – a truly original product that revolutionised traditional jointing methods. Creating a new product is one thing, but Geo-Fix® knew how important it was to carry out extensive testing with the contractors who would be using the product to guarantee it was suitable and 22
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performed perfectly – and that is exactly what they did.
During their 25-year history, Geo-Fix® have established a significant distribution network of independent builders’ merchants, enhanced their product offering to include Geo-Fix® All Weather and partnered with Association member Instarmac, a British manufacturer with over 45 years’ experience manufacturing and servicing the construction industry, to become their nominated distribution supplier with products sold in over 20 countries including Europe and Australia. To celebrate their 25th anniversary, Geo-Fix® are delighted to bring their valued and loyal customers an exclusive 25% discount on Geo-Fix® Original. For more information on Geo-Fix®, their expert brush-in jointing compounds, and their exclusive anniversary offer, please call +44(0)1827 908510 or email info@geo-fix.org. Alternatively visit instarmac.co.uk/geofix
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urrey based commercial landscaping company and Accredited Contractor The Grounds Care Group UK has teamed up with Toyota Gazoo Racing UK British Touring Car Championship star Rory Butcher, in a bid to offset his carbon footprint by planting trees at race circuits all around the country.
Managing Director, Adam Brindle said, “Tree planting is one of our key focusses, so when Rory mentioned to me that he wanted to find a way to offset his carbon footprint from travelling to race events, it seemed like the natural solution. Race circuits might be best known for the ribbon of tarmac on which the cars compete, but they also have acres of greenspace ripe for planting trees, which in turn will help to preserve the land for generations to come.” One of The Grounds Care Group UK’s big commitments is to planting native British trees, contract grown and sourced from UK growers. Planting native trees is essential as they improve and support the local eco system and increases biodiversity. For further information on the business please visit: gcgrp.co.uk. To read this story in full, visit: bali.org.uk/news
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DESIGNER INTERVIEW
Moving ‘Heaven and Earth’ to make a difference
Darren Taylor talks to award winning garden designer Gavin McWilliam MBALI MSGD
Gold-winning and Best in Show Beyond Heaven and Earth garden at the 2021 Shenzhen Garden Festival
Lofty Madagascar Almond trees combine with a series of tall poles draw the eye skywards
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The garden explored connections between space and form
Design of Between Heaven and Earth
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ccredited Designer Gavin McWilliam MBALI MSGD talks exclusively with Landscape News Editor Darren Taylor about his recent trip to Shenzhen, the importance of connecting elements in your design and advice for future garden designers looking for inspiration.
DT - Your recent Gold-winning and Best in Show ‘Beyond Heaven and Earth’ garden at the 2021 Shenzhen Garden Festival was a true work of art, congratulations. Talk to me about the complexities and challenges of designing and building something of this scale during a pandemic?
GM - We won the design competition in late 2019 pre-covid and the first phase of design work was well underway when the pandemic hit. The 2020 show was cancelled, and everything was put on hold. In late September we received a call to say the show was going ahead in March 2021, so we picked up where we left off. Originally, we were meant to fly out so we could be present during the build, naturally this was unfeasible, so all site queries and design development had to be done remotely. We had to see everything through their eyes, and so communication was key. With a normal show garden, we would select all the materials and planting in person and be present throughout
Gavin McWilliam MBALI MSGD
the build. This time however, we relied on the team to show us everything remotely, and we selected trees, plants and materials via videos and commented on prototype testing over WeChat and email. The team were very indulgent of our requests and we received many videos of poles being waggled in the streets of Shenzhen, different lighting and misting options, trial water features and numerous quarry and nursery visits. DT - Elements were a large part of the garden’s theme, is this symbolic of the work you do on other schemes or was it unique to this project? GM - Elements feature throughout our work, however in this instance we were using them in a quite literal sense to represent Shenzhen. The garden explored connections between space and form, and the blurred boundaries between woodland and water, land, and sky. Everyday elements of landscape were combined to create a composition of textural planting, reflective water, light and shadow, representing the unique character of the city of Shenzhen, and exploring the relationships between man, nature, city and technology.
reflect light and colour from the surrounding landscape but merge into dense woodland and relaxed woodland edge planting.
These grounded, earthly elements are combined with vertical elements which lend height and drama to the space. Lofty Madagascar Almond trees combine with a series of tall poles, some as high as 10 metres, which gently sway and draw the eye skywards. The poles are topped with small LED lights, referring to the technical ambition and aspiration of Shenzhen and illuminating the space to be enjoyed after dark. Misting sprays further animate the space, creating atmosphere and subtle visual filters which conjure the sub-tropical climate of the region. DT - What attracted the host region, Shenzhen, to you and your design, when there was a lot of local competition from Chinese studios?
The significant water element takes its cue from the Pearl River Delta, and Shenzhen’s dense network of canals and waterways. The water channels
GM - I didn’t actually realise it was a competitive pitch until I got off the plane in China! We were up against two other international practices and two from China. I think it was the confident simplicity of the design that convinced the panel. We also presented hand rendered visuals which I feel are more poetic than highly polished CGI images, they invite the viewer to engage with the design and imagine the space.
LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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DESIGNER INTERVIEW (cont.)
Gavin and team selected trees and plants remotely via video due to the pandemic
The significant water element takes its cue from the Pearl River Delta, and Shenzhen’s dense network of canals and waterways
DT - With over 40 industry awards, both nationally and internationally, including Gold at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, what’s next? GM - As with all our work these have been collaborative wins so it’s really what’s next for the studio. As a practice we would like to do more environmentally important work. We have recently been working on a paragraph 79 project which calls for exceptional ambition and innovation in the design and landscape. It’s been hugely rewarding working with the architects and engineers with the ambition to design a holistically sustainable house and landscape in delivery and operation, the net result being a carbon neutral development. We have also just completed a scheme in Portugal with fantastic clients who gave us the freedom to create something unique and contemporary with a strong local context. They commissioned a very modern villa situated in an area which suffers from water shortages yet is dominated by villas with pristine lawns which need a lot of irrigation. We wanted to avoid the artifice of a
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lawn in the wrong place, and instead used the opportunity to explore the potential of the Portuguese landscape, with a gravel garden and Mediterranean planting. Rather than specifying the ubiquitous palms and olive trees, we’ve reintroduced a cork oak plantation linking the garden to the wider landscape. It’s been a hugely rewarding project with a very engaged client who believed in our vision and trusted us to deliver it. So, we would like lots more of those please! DT - As a long-standing Accredited Designer member of the Association, do you have any words of advice for upcoming garden designers and landscape architects starting their careers?
GM - Network as much as possible, speak to contractors, suppliers and established designers. I would also attend seminars and shows. The majority of people are very happy to share their experience and knowledge. Visit as many gardens and landscapes as well as enjoying them, looking at them analytically and asking how you might do things differently.
DT - Are there any plans to return to our National Landscape Awards in the near future?
GM - We have a few rather special projects that we think are award worthy so let’s see what the judges say. DT - What could our Association focus more on to support professional designers in the UK?
GM - You’re in a good position to offer access to a broad range of CPD talks via the members which would help support professional designers. For more information contact: mcwilliamstudio.com
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Since 1st January 2021 the United Kingdom has operated a full, external border as a sovereign nation
Plant health update: An explanation of post-Brexit arrangements Written by Owen Baker Technical Officer (Policy & Research)
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ince 1st January 2021 the United Kingdom has operated a full, external border as a sovereign nation. New controls have been placed on the movement of goods between the EU and UK, and all UK businesses involved in the movement of plant material were advised to review their working practices.
Also from the 1st January 2021, imports into the UK from the EU which previously arrived with an EUformat Plant Passport now require a phytosanitary certificate upon departure from the EU. Phytosanitary certificates are issued by the plant health authority in the country where a supplier is based. Border Control Posts (BCP) are being built, and plant health inspectors recruited throughout Great Britain (GB), with the aim
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of performing physical checks on regulated goods - which include all plants for planting - upon entry into GB from January 2022.
BCPs will be positioned throughout England, Wales and Scotland, meaning once physical checks have been performed and material cleared, goods can be transported throughout GB.
From 1st January 2022 physical and identity checks of high priority plants and plant products will no longer be permitted at Places of Destination (PoD) and instead moved to BCPs. The requirement for pre-notification and phytosanitary certificates will be extended to all regulated plants and plant products (i.e., not just those which are ‘high-priority’). From 1st March 2022, the UK’s Border Operating Model will be fully
operational, with physical and identity checks on all regulated plants and plant products carried out at BPCs. Until BCPs are fully commissioned, a system of site or premisesbased physical inspections will be performed on high priority plants and plant products. This means that, from 1st January 2021 until 31st December 2021, businesses must notify the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) of imports and register a PoD for plant(s) or plant material(s) where physical and identity checks - undertaken by a Defra plant health inspector - can take place.
The inspection may be carried out on plants or plant materials arriving from the EU and are either: a) being delivered to a yard/compound b) going direct to a UK site and being planted at this same site.
Defra have permitted EU-based operators to attach UK Plant Passports to consignments destined for the UK for the first 6 months of 2021 only
The phytosanitary certificate issued in the EU can accompany the consignment to this PoD without a UK Plant Passport being required, providing the PoD is registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
Movement of materials in this way is subject to pre-notification via an internet-based Defra tool called ‘Procedure for Electronic Application for Certificates’ (PEACH).
APHA inspectors will aim to inspect consignments within four working hours of the inspection ready time provided by the importer in their pre-notification. APHA can carry out inspections of consignments at registered PoDs seven days a week, 7am to 7pm. Where this is not possible the goods should be held over to the following day for the inspection and clearance of goods to be completed. Whilst importers can only register a PoD in their own name if they have ownership of that site, it is likely that importers may wish to send some consignments to addresses which
APHA inspectors will aim to inspect consignments within four working hours of the inspection ready time provided by the importer in their pre-notification
Note: To help ease the transition to the new UK Plant Passport process in 2021, Defra have permitted EUbased operators to attach UK Plant Passports to consignments destined for the UK for the first 6 months of 2021 only. This decision is to help the onward movement of plants and plant material once cleared at the First Place of Destination (FPoD) and will help operators.
belong to their client or customer. In this situation, importers and PoD must confirm their business relationship to ensure their accounts are linked in PEACH and valid applications can be completed. This can be completed via email to the PoD registration email address: PODRegistrations@apha.gov.uk Phytosanitary certificates must be replaced with a UK Plant Passport at the PoD if the operator meets any of the below criteria: • Moving material to another professional operator
• Selling material to final users (those buying for personal use) by means of distance contract, e.g., online • Moving material to another of their own premises which is more than 10 miles from the premises to which the consignment arrived
• If the phytosanitary status of the consignment changes, for example, if it has been grown on or if they have been reconfigured (e.g., two plants in separate pots have been planted up in a new pot together)
UK Plant Passports attached by EUbased operators must be generated by UK-based operators authorised to issue UK Plant Passports and will have no legal status until they reach their FPoD in the UK. A phytosanitary certificate will still be required on all material entering the UK from the EU.
Owen Baker Technical Officer (Policy & Research)
LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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TECHNICAL
Many businesses still struggle to understand their role and responsibilities
Written by Richard Gardiner Technical Officer (Quality Assurance)
Still struggling with CDM?
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lthough the Construction Design Management Regulations (CDM) have been with us since 2007 and were revised in 2015, many businesses struggle to understand their role and responsibilities.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have set out clear guidelines for Managing Health & Safety in Construction and a free copy of these guidelines can be downloaded by visiting their website hse.gov. uk/pubns/books/l153.htm. This publication is my go-to guide for all things CDM, but I’m going to attempt to highlight some key points to help you understand your responsibilities, or at the very least, encourage you to seek more clarification to be sure you are meeting your obligations. To some extent, the confusion is understandable, as with many regulations there are lots of ‘ifs and buts’ which make it difficult to understand which aspects of the regulations apply to what projects. That said, if you spend a little time reading
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the guidance available, it really is not that bad.
The overarching principal of CDM is communication. Many of the other duties are wrapped up in other safety legislation. It just sets out more clearly who is responsible for what and introduces what is essentially good practice. That is to say that you should “plan” your work, “communicate” your plan, “co-ordinate” your activities with others on site and “review” this process regularly. In truth we all do this anyway, so CDM just formalises this process. I have written before on the role of designers within the CDM regulations, therefore, for the purposes of this article I am focussing on the contracting roles, and primarily in the domestic environment.
CDM applies to all UK construction projects. There are a few exceptions but it’s unlikely that these apply to your project. If your project includes paving, walling the construction of structures such as pergolas and arbours, I recommend that you assume your project is in scope. After all, for all its bad
press, CDM compliance is not onerous and helps glue all the various aspects of safety together. Projects that are purely soft landscaping are unlikely to be in scope of CDM. The misunderstanding I referred to above, that I believe is responsible for many companies thinking that CDM doesn’t apply to their projects, is the fact that smaller projects are not notifiable to the HSE.
Regulation 6 (1) states that a project is notifiable if the construction work on a construction site is scheduled to a) last longer than 30 working days and have more than 20 workers working simultaneously at any point in the project; or b) exceed 500 person days. This does not mean that the regulations do not apply to smaller projects, just that they are not notifiable. I still have companies quoting this clause to me, as if to absolve them of the need to comply to any of the regulations.
What role will you play in the project?
It is important that you ascertain your role in the project at the outset, this way you will better understand your responsibilities and can plan accordingly. This may include making financial allowances for fulfilling your duties. For most contractors, there are two roles that they are likely to be responsible for, that of “Contractor” or “Principal Contractor”.
Projects that will involve more than one contractor require a “Principal Contractor” (PC), so if you need a tree surgeon or electrician to help you fulfil the specification you might be the PC. Exceptions to this include situations where you are working alongside a construction company that are working on the property, where they are likely to have been on site before you and may or may not be engaging to deliver the landscape works. In these situations, the construction company are likely to be the PC, however this is not always the case, and this is why you should clarify your role at the outset. One issue relating to the latter situation is that many smaller construction companies do not understand (or choose to ignore) their responsibilities with regards to CDM, which makes for an interesting conversation, however the better informed you are or the stronger your hand in these conversations, I view
this very much as an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism.
If you find yourself working under a PC as described above, you assume the role of “Contractor”, this removes some responsibilities, but requires you to communicate effectively with the PC (and the Principal Designer (PD) if one is appointed). If you are the only contractor on site, then you are “Contractor” (sometimes called “Sole-Contractor”), however as there is no PC above you, you hold very similar responsibilities to a PC, although there are a few aspects of the PC role that might not be relevant.
Responsibilities for each role
Once you have established your role within the project team, you need to understand your responsibilities. Below is a list of key responsibilities for each role, it is not exhaustive, and you should refer to the HSE Guidance document for more detail. You will also notice when reading the detail that responsibilities vary depending on the presence or otherwise of other duty holders, all of which unfortunately adds to the confusion.
The Principal Contractor must:
• liaising with the client and principal designer • preparing the construction phase plan • organising cooperation between contractors and coordinating their work
They must also make sure:
• suitable site inductions are provided • reasonable steps are taken to prevent unauthorised access
• workers are consulted and engaged in securing their health and safety • welfare facilities are provided
A contractor must:
• Plan, manage and monitor construction work under their control so it is carried out without risks to health & safety
• For projects involving more than one contractor, coordinate their activities with others in the project team – in particular, comply with directions given to them by the principal designer or principal contractor • For single contractor projects, prepare a construction phase plan (PDF)
For more information visit the website bali.org.uk/help-and-advice/ contracts-law-and-regulations or the HSE hse.gov.uk/construction/ cdm/2015
• Plan, manage, monitor and coordinate health & safety in the construction phase of a project. This includes:
LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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TECHNICAL
Of all 454 tree species native to the European region, 168 are considered threatened, with 34 of those native to the UK
Phytophtora ramorum shows how devastating pests and diseases can be to our local flora. Since its discovery in the UK, in 2002, it led to the mass destruction of larch trees.
Plant health more on the agenda than ever
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ith climate change, the advent of Brexit and changing biosecurity protocols, plant health is in the spotlight more than ever before. Over 500,000 jobs in the ornamental horticulture industry rely on good plant health, and an estimated £9bn value to the economy is provided through our plants and trees. With all that at stake, it is important the sector stays vigilant to the threats posed by non-native plants, diseases and plant pests.
Xylella fastidiosa is a disease-causing bacterium that is the main concern for future infections
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Of all 454 tree species native to the European region, 168 are considered threatened, with 34 of those native to the UK. Invasive and problematic species have been identified as the highest threat to the UK’s trees – higher than deforestation, wood harvesting, and urban development.
There are 127 plant pests and diseases that are considered high risk to the UK, with several presenting serious danger to our native plant life.
Phytophtora ramorum shows how devastating pests and diseases can be to our local flora. After being first discovered in the UK in 2002, it led to the mass destruction of larch trees. Before its discovery there were approximately 154,000 hectares of larch planted in Great Britain, or 5% of the total area – most of this has now been lost because of the disease, and the timber industry has been affected by no longer being able to use larch as a species.
Ash dieback is a fungal disease, originally from Asia, that is thought to have been brought to the UK on infected, imported trees. It is currently
Written by Emily Magdij Marketing and Communications Officer ravaging our ash trees and is expected to kill between 95% and 99% of all ash in Britain. The total cost of the disease to the UK is estimated to be £15bn – a third more than the reported cost of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in 2001. Xylella fastidiosa is a diseasecausing bacterium that can affect many woody plants including broadleaved trees and is the main concern for future infections. Though not currently found in the UK, an outbreak is likely to result in the destruction of host plants within 100m and a 5km movement ban for ‘specified’ plants for five years. With plant health so important to the industry and to the UK’s flora, horticulturists and importers are urged to take extra care to familiarise themselves with the UK’s new biosecurity protocols. These new, post-Brexit systems are covered in more detail in this issue of Landscape News on pages 28 and 29. Visit bali.org.uk/help-and-advice/ plant-health for more information.
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TECHNICAL
XFS sub-surface dripline
Making every drop count!
L
andscape irrigation is more than just dropping a sprinkler on a stand in the middle of a lawn or connecting a hosepipe to a dripline for valued plants. Today’s technology means that there are many options to irrigation grassed surfaces, from individual specimen plants to blanket grass coverage.
Whether you are a major contractor with a budget of thousands or a local landscape company called in for a small garden project, a professionally installed irrigation system will provide plants with the right amount of water at the time they need it the most. Selecting the right irrigation system can be tricky. If the property has large bushes, then sprinkler coverage can be hampered because of the shadowing effect, and no one wants their prize rose blooms to get water spots either! Sprinkler irrigation can also sometimes lead to foliar diseases. In situations such as this, dripline irrigation can be a great alternative.
What exactly is dripline?
Don’t confuse it with leaky hose, or drippers plugged into a garden pipe. Its full name is Pressure Compensating Dripline and has drippers extruded inside the tube wall and properly installed will be difficult to spot; the preference is for them to be spaced every 30cm, but you can get driplines with emitters every 45cm.
The dripline tube is 17mm wide and comes in coils of up to 100 metres. Each emitter will allow exactly 2.3 litres of water to be emitted per hour. It is extremely accurate and has been used for decades in the horticulture industry.
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Written by Accredited Supplier Rigby Taylor
Dripline pipes come in coils of 100 metre lengths.
in a grid pattern with ideally grid rows no further apart than 40cm. This means that any plant within the garden has only 20cm between the rows or 15cm along the dripline to find water. The best time to install it is after the larger plants have been planted but before the placement of the smaller ones. As above, a mulch such as bark can be applied on top which hides it from view. Hopefully, if someone wants to dig a hole for a new plant, the first thing to do is scrape the mulch away and see the dripline before they put the spade through it! Even if they do cut the pipe, a dripline joiner costs less than a pound and is an easy fix homeowners can perform themselves. Keeping tabs of the flow rate of your dripline system is important. Each emitter provides 2.3 litres per hour to the garden.
There are two different types of Rain Bird dripline; the standard on-thesurface dripline (model XFD) can be covered by mulch making it almost impossible to see. The other option (model XFS) is for the dripline to be buried under the soil surface. This sub-surface dripline can also be used to irrigate lawns.
Driplines are a perfect option for landscape gardens and very simple to install. All that is required is for the dripline to be laid out across the garden surface, pegged down every metre and connected to a feeder pipe.
XFD dripline laid above soil
The fittings such as joiners, elbows and tee junctions are cheap and very simple to install. The key is to maximise the coverage of water and to achieve this the best way is to install the dripline
Driplines with internal emitters control the water emission to 2.3 litres/hour
If you use 30cm dripline then this means that every metre of dripline you install has just over 3 emitters (one every 30cm), with a flow rate of just under 8 litres per hour. If you install 100 metres of it, your water supply (i.e., the tap or pump) therefore needs to supply at least 800 litres per hour. Obviously, dripline has its place; they are not great if you want to create a tropical garden, and if you’re planting annuals and bedding plants they’ll need to be well watered for a few days until they learn to grow their roots in the moist soil. For most permanent gardens in the UK though, dripline is by far the most accurate means of irrigating gardens. For more information on Pressure Compensating Dripline visit rigbytaylor.com.
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TECHNICAL
No Mow May. And June. And July. And August. And September?
R
educed frequency of mowing in grassed areas of all sizes and locations is gaining popularity amongst commercial, domestic, and public custodians of land. The initiative, widely advocated by ecologists and conservationists, is resulting in grassland areas traditionally managed by programme of 25 – 35 grass cuts per year being allowed to grow much longer between cuts. The catalyst for this change is a renewed focus on management of the urban environment; how it can be modified to maximise benefits to people but also local ecology. Research suggests regular grass mowing suppresses the range of insect species in a given area, and that mowing the same area each
month has the effect of reducing diversity of insects by roughly 50% per mowing event.
One of the main reasons for this lack of insect diversity is the way in which frequent mowing reduces the number of annual grass species, by impeding their ability to reach a reproductive state e.g., flower and seed stages. This lack of variety in grass species limits insect diversity and number. Research suggests grass subject to a more relaxed mowing regime supports far more flora and fauna and supplies greater benefits to people per given area than those which are subject to a more formal or intensive mowing regime. There is no limit to the type of site, with recent examples ranging from public open spaces such as parks and recreation fields, to verges adjacent to trunk roads and rail lines, as well as domestic gardens.
Mowing regimes which aim to enrich diversity of species may be seen as a scaled-down interpretation of the conservation technique termed ‘re-wilding’, practiced by professional ecologists and successfully implemented on various sites worldwide. Whilst the scale of most urban grassland areas is considerably
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
Written by Owen Baker Technical Officer (Policy & Research) smaller than rewilding sites and, due to their location, management is likely to be more controlled and on a shorter time scale, the principles are broadly similar.
The outcomes are not dissimilar either; research has demonstrated that, even in small, localised sites within urban parks or domestic gardens, a reduction in mowing regimes can have a positive effect on biomass and biodiversity and that, if allowed to grow, meadow-like areas of grass inside urban parks have the same positive effects as natural meadows in rural areas.
Scientific research carried out on various managed grassland sites in the UK supports the theory that even a slightly reduced frequency of mowing, for example from every week to every month or two, can benefit flora and fauna significantly. A transition from short, frequently mown areas to a more meadow-like regime where species can grow, flower and set seed in spring and summer has a positive effect on the biodiversity of arthropod insects which include ants, aphids, beetles, butterflies and dragonflies. Research suggests any measures to make grasslands more complex are also
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likely to have positive knock-on effects such as a more diverse bird community and will favour pollinators who rely on urban areas for food sources.
Whilst covering a smaller area than parks or even roadside verges, domestic gardens represent an important aspect of urban ecosystems which, whilst offering fewer ecosystem services than natural areas, can be similarly maintained to offer benefits to wildlife through simple interventions such as reducing mowing frequency.
Aside from the benefits to insect diversity, research on urban temperatures suggests the surface of short-mown grass is warmer by an average of 5°C than areas of a garden with taller, denser vegetation. Grass allowed to grow even slightly longer offers an accessible and low-cost intervention to mitigate the effects of urban heat, particularly where tree or shrub planting is not practical. Reduced frequency of mowing has not been met with universal acceptance; some regard longer grass as
unsightly or even dangerous in urban areas. Whilst there is no denying localised areas of highway verges must be mown regularly to maintain sight-lines for signage or forward-visibility, recent research suggests there is no link between vegetation and higher crime rates.
Numerous studies suggest the greener an urban area is, the fewer crimes – both property and violent crimes – were reported. Like with highways safety, providing paths are not overgrown, there is no reason why green infrastructure should pose a greater risk.
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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TECHNICAL
ZinCo system build-up provides flood protection
The ZinCo system build-up “Stormwater Management Roof” for the landscaped podiums consists of special RSX type retention spacers combined with precisely adjustable RDS48 flow controllers, which also function as an overflow. ZinCo filter sheet PV is first installed below the spacer element to protect the waterproofing during construction and in service. The RSX spacer elements are then laid over the top and another layer of PV filter sheet over the spacer elements completes the buildup.
Wimbledon Grounds sets the bar for sustainable residential developments
S
Written by Fabian Kaiser of Accredited Supplier ZinCo Green Roof Systems
ustainability and ecology are becoming increasingly important in modern architecture. At the same time, urban planning solutions are urgently required to counteract the consequences of climate change such as heavy rainfall events and overheating of cities. This means that designers and architects will have to focus even more on roofs and podium decks with regard to rainwater management.
The enormous potential associated with this can be illustrated with the huge mixed-use development at Wimbledon Grounds, including a vast 15,967 sqm area of ‘blue’ roofs and ‘blue’ podiums, resulting in one of the largest blue roofing projects in the UK. The key feature of these blue/green roofs is the ZinCo system build-up “Stormwater Management Roof” which stores large volumes of rainwater and releases them again over predetermined periods and reduces the urban heat island effect by the huge number of greened areas. The blue/green roofs at Wimbledon Grounds are able to cope with over 1 million litres of water at full capacity. A prime example of urban development for the future.
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This large-scale development located on Plough Lane is part of a 51,000 sqm regeneration masterplan for the brandnew purpose-built stadium for AFC Wimbledon. The residential scheme surrounding the stadium comprises 600 homes as well as community, leisure, and retail space. Every roof and podium in the Wimbledon Grounds residential complex is a ‘blue’ roof, which incorporates a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) to prevent flooding and pollution. The project includes four large blue podiums with landscaped gardens, providing residents with a community space. In addition, the apartment block roofs have 26 blue roofs with a green roof installed on top. These are seeded with a biodiverse mix of native wildflowers, sedum and grasses. 15 of these blue/green roofs also house farms of solar panels to generate electricity for the complex. The Wimbledon Grounds blue roofing system works on a cascade system. The blue roofs on the apartment attenuate storm water which is then gradually released by a flow controller over 12-24 hours to the larger reservoir in the four podiums of this building. The outflow from the podiums then also has a controlled release into the urban drainage system. Such measures have become necessary as London’s Victorian sewers are regularly overwhelmed by heavy rain events.
Over the top of this, designers and contractors are free to install soft and hard landscaping alike. The RSX spacers have a load capacity of up to 50 tons which means that even roadways can be constructed above them with the correct construction. At Wimbledon Gardens a mixture of lawns, intensive planting, resin bonded pathways and paving have been installed directly over the RSX attenuation layers. A different build-up has been used for the blue roofs on the apartment rooftops as they have extensive green roofs over the top. Instead of the heavy-duty RSX type spacer elements, the much lighter retention spacer RS60 was used which has the advantage of drastically reducing cost. A complete extensive green roof over the RS60 spacer using Zinco drainage board Floradrain FD25–E was installed. Due to the lower substrate height on the extensive roofs the additional drainage element is required to allow sufficient permanent retention and supply of water to the plants even in dry periods. The drainage layer for the green roof retains water for the vegetation during hot dry periods but allows excess rainfall through to the blue roof below where it is attenuated, and the outflow controlled. To make this role model project a success, a close cooperation was required by all involved, and ZinCo would like to thank Galliard Homes, Kingsley Roofing and ZinCo Approved installer and Accredited Contractor Pritchard and Pritchard. For further information please contact +44(0)1223 853843, office@zinco-greenroof.co.uk or visit zinco-greenroof.co.uk
THE GREEN ROOF ORGANISATION
THE GR ROOF C
Green Roof Code incorporating Blu BioSolar Applica
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Anniversary Editi
The Green Roof Organisation (GRO) represents companies, organisations and people involved in, or interested in, Nature-based roof solutions that help our towns and cities mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change whilst making them nicer, healthier places to live. GRO members positively contribute to the delivery of living green roofs that support nature, provide amenity, attenuate rainwater and generate solar energy, helping ensure no roof goes unused.
Whether you are active in ecology, design, specification, installation or the maintenance of green roofs, join GRO and help make where we live and work greener. 1
THE GRO GREEN ROOF CODE
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THE GRO GREEN ROOF CODE Green Roof Code of Best Practice incorporating Blue Roofs and BioSolar Applications Anniversary Edition 2021
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TECHNICAL
Blue roofs address the ‘four pillars’/ objectives of good SuDS design
Rathbone Market Amenity Area, London
Water Quantity
Water Quality
SuDS Design Amenity
Biodiversity
Introducing blue roof storm water attenuation systems
M
et Office climate projections indicate significant temperature rises in the decades ahead, with extreme weather and flooding events becoming more frequent. Summer rain is forecast to become more intense, leading to a greater risk of flash flooding and the trend for wetter winters is also likely to continue, placing greater pressure on existing sewers and flood defences. Traditional roof drainage design allows rainwater to simply run off the building and directly into storm water sewers or natural water courses, and this lack of management is a major factor in the rising number of flood events occurring throughout the country. Blue roof systems utilise roof and podium space to provide attenuation capacity, rather than quickly moving the water elsewhere. Water
Written by Accredited Contractor Geo Green Solutions attenuated within the roof area can then be released at a controlled rate through a bespoke restrictor outlet designed to offer variable discharge rates and keep the flow within the limits set by the local authority as part of the discharge consent.
Blue roof systems offer a sustainable alternative to minimising surface water run-off, providing source control as part of the Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) requirement on modern developments. Blue roofs are rated as the most sustainable technique in the CIRIA SuDS manual guidance based on their contribution to reducing the risk of flooding and pollution and their positive impact on the local landscape and wildlife ecosystems when combined with a green roof finish. With land at a premium, blue roofs allow the developer to maximise usage of any site, especially in city centre developments where underground storage systems are impractical and expensive to excavate.
System configuration
Close up of blue roof build up showing geotextile filters, void formers and height adjustable stainless steel restrictor chamber
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
Blue roofs introduce drainage voids and restrictor chambers/orifices within the roof build-up to attenuate and release water at a maximum controlled rate. Under normal rainfall events the roof will continually drain like a normal flat roof. The blue roof storm water management system only comes
into effect during a heavy downpour / key design storm event. At this point, the blue roof will slow the rainwater discharge to the agreed maximum rate to help meet the site’s drainage strategy and some patented systems have very effective outfall chambers that combine the flow restrictors with the exceedance overflow to reduce the number of roof penetrations.
Installation and Maintenance
Blue roof systems should be installed by an experienced and specialist contractor with supervision from the manufacturer, with provision for post installation quality checks and annual maintenance. Recent examples of blue roof installations include prestigious projects such as the Post Building, Royal College of Art and Rathbone Market in London, Middlewood Locks apartments in Manchester and the new Edinburgh St James retail development.
Surface finishes
Blue roofs are suitable for a variety of flat roof surface finishes; including extensive, intensive and biodiverse green roofs, paved and decking areas and for final usage applications such as beneath podium deck amenity and trafficked areas, MUGAs and M&E plant and PV panel locations.
Environmental benefits
When combined with a green roof surface finish, blue roofs help to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, reduce urban heat island effect, absorb low frequency sounds and promote new wildlife ecosystems and biodiversity.
Installing a blue roof system also has a positive impact on the quality of the water discharged. Before the water reaches the roof outlet, it passes through several filtration layers that remove particulates and pollutants. Even if the surface finish isn’t green, the water passes through at least two layers of geotextile filtration. The water is treated to such a degree that it usually reaches the level required in
treatment train stage one of the SuDS process, allowing water to be released from the roof directly into the river or sewer systems.
Local rainfall/flood data
As part of the SuDS design process for new planning applications, local flood report data is analysed to model and calculate the attenuation capacity required for the roof during storm events. The rainfall for the specific site is calculated according to location, storm duration and return period (the number of times in a set period that a storm of that magnitude is likely to occur; 1 in 30 years and 1 in 100 years storms are usually considered). In the UK, values are taken from either the Flood Studies Report (FSR) or Flood Estimation Handbook (FEH) data, with an allowance made for the impact of future climatic change, typically +40%.
correctly they form an integral source control and attenuation element for modern developments. For more information visit geogreen.co.uk/applications/ blueroof-applications
Composite decking surface finish for amenity area
Extensive green roof finish for promoting new ecosystems
Summary
Blue roofs are rated as one of the most sustainable, ‘at source’ SuDS techniques and can often meet all four of the objectives for good SuDS design. When implemented
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10/05/2021 16:20
TECHNICAL
Written by Owen Baker Technical Officer (Policy & Research)
Mental health in the construction industry
support reported higher levels of poor mental health than office workers working under stressful conditions, since office workers had easier access to support. Another aspect of research conducted on the construction industry of relevance to the landscape industry is the close link between injury and the impact this has on construction workers’ mental health. Like building construction work, site-based landscape construction and maintenance work is physically demanding, and incidences of physical injury and work disability are high compared to office-based roles.
A
s awareness of mental health increases, as does recognition of the number of people – family members, friends and colleagues – who may be suffering. Statistics reveal the scale of the problem; one in four people will experience a mental health problem in England each year, whilst one in six people may experience a common mental health problem (such as anxiety or depression) each week in England.
Due to the obvious overlap of roles between the construction and landscape industry, research findings are of relevance to Association members.
Awareness of mental health is not confined to the UK; throughout the world efforts have been made to answer calls for more support for those suffering, but also learn more about the causes of mental health problems.
In a broad review of Dutch construction workers, mental health effects from job roles were measured by assessing issues arising during work, symptoms of distress, depression, and incidences of post-traumatic stress disorder. The research suggests that prevalence of self-reported mental health issues amongst bricklayers and supervisors, respectively, were as follows: high need for recovery after work (14%, 25%), distress (5%, 7%), depression (18%, 20%) and posttraumatic stress disorder (11%, 7%).
Despite this, construction workers are less likely to seek professional help. This trend is particularly relevant to young men in the construction industry who have traditionally presented themselves as robust and resilient human beings, which is the opposite to research findings undertaken on this group and mental health statistics.
Research into the causes of poor mental health amongst workers suggests support from supervisors is a key requirement; the absence of support can have a significant impact on mental health. Contractors working on sites away from sources of office-based
Scientific, peer-reviewed research conducted around the world on construction workers has revealed trends which suggest individuals in the industry are at a greater risk. Internationally, construction workers have been found to have significantly higher suicide rates when compared with other workers.
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Whilst, predictably, high work speed and quantity of work drove stress, low participation in decision making and low social support of supervisors drove depression, as did few learning opportunities, future prospects and poor work-life balance. Supervisors experienced higher levels of psychological demands and reported a higher need for recovery after work.
In construction, the most frequently reported musculoskeletal complaint is low back pain, with over 40% of construction workers over 50 years reporting chronic back pain. Several research papers have identified a link between poor mental health and persistent low-back pain and suggest workers whose pain originated from work had significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Bodily pain creates psychological demands for construction workers which impacts on their mental health and ability to work.
The high level of mental health issues and lack of treatment in the construction industry is concerning, and something the landscape industry should be mindful of. It is hoped increased coverage of the topic has removed the stigma of discussing mental health issues and that the provision of dedicated services ensures those who need help get it. Beyond this, however, is a need for intervention from supervisors to manage work levels and ensure a work life balance – which has been identified as a strong predictor of mental health problems – is managed before operatives suffer. Management of this nature is in the best interest of business owners, since research has highlighted the negative correlation between mental health and work quality.
Owen Baker Technical Officer (Policy & Research)
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TECHNICAL
Plants being processed and checked
What does Plant Healthy mean to you?
Biosecurity on site at Provender Nurseries
Written by Provender Nurseries’ Marketing Manager Liz Hughes
I
ndustry standards are of utmost importance to any member of the British Association of Landscape Industries. If you are one of those members who is reading this, that’s why you are a member. These standards hold kudos and customers can select your company with the confidence that you uphold industry guidelines and procedures. You pass the accreditations, business inspection and scrutiny and can now hold your head above the parapet amongst the crowd. Plant Healthy, which launched in 2020, is a new quality assurance scheme created to protect horticultural supply business against destructive pest and diseases. Plant Healthy has been developed by the
industry, with input from government and sets out key requirements for plant health management.
Plant Healthy Certification is to wholesale plant nurseries what the Association’s accreditation is to members. In other words, every plant nursery supplying across the industry should aim to be Plant Healthy certified, regardless of size. Now, as a member, you can select your plant supplier with the same confidence your customers have in you. Although the Plant Healthy scheme is voluntary, Provender Nurseries decided to undertake the rigorous process to qualify for Plant Healthy status to assure our customers just how important plant health, biosecurity and plant husbandry is to us as a plant supplier. Having worked closely with Plant Healthy auditors to ensure that the highest standards are met and upheld from the very start of the plant procurement procedure to the moment plants are delivered to the nursery and purchased by our valued clients. Provender Nurseries attained our Plant Healthy certificate early in 2021.
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In order to pass the certification Provender Nurseries had to demonstrate traceability of all stock coming to and leaving our nursery in Kent. Many procedures required were already in place and being followed including biosecurity, plant husbandry and staff training.
Being Plant Healthy requires input from all areas of the business due to the wide range of content covered and guidelines to follow. Plant passports, phytosanitary certificates and ensuring the correct import documents are provided by our suppliers for the internal processing of plant orders done by a wide range of people with a myriad of skills on site.
As a business we care passionately about plant procurement so we can offer our customers plants that are clean. Attaining the Plant Healthy certification ensures that our customers have clarity and peace of mind that we are doing our utmost to meet and hold standards of good practice. Each year Provender Nurseries will continue to be audited to ensure those standards are upheld. Our plant purchasing team can buy and import with confidence following all
Biosecurity training with APHA at Provender Nurseries
present procedures that we have in place. We can demonstrate traceability of all plant stock both incoming and outgoing while identifying the higher risk lines that we have to take a Pest Risk Analysis which is part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs guidelines. It is not all about importing plants to the cash and carry, a large part of the accreditation process to become Plant Healthy involved checking our plant maintenance, aftercare, spraying regime, feeding regime, pruning timetable, applications of biological control and other general husbandry procedures we already follow on-site as normal.
Here at Provender Nurseries being Plant Healthy certificated is most important to us in terms of education. Educating our sales team, wherever they are within the company, educating our nursery team and keeping all of our staff trained. Staff training involves regular updates for the nursery team, plant purchasers held in house. Each year every member of staff benefits from training sessions held by the Animal and Plant Health Agency on site.
Zohreh pruning
It is not only our staff we need to keep informed, part of our ongoing relationship with horticultural colleges involves talks to students about the importance of plant health. Our sales team and nursery team are justifiably proud of the Plant Healthy certification and the opportunities this accreditation brings to our company. As part of our ongoing business strategy, being Plant Healthy certificated means that Provender Nurseries can now look at holding events covering biosecurity in general and understanding the processes behind the Plant Healthy scheme and the benefits of buying form an accredited supplier.
highlights the need to stay on our toes and keep up to date with any relevant changes. As a result of the initial audit, we are producing a Nursery Manual for all new staff to use for reference and training purposes.
With an excellent reputation within the industry, we work hard to uphold a strong working relationship with both the APHA and Plant Healthy scheme. Looking ahead, our clients can rest assured that Provender Nurseries are doing all we can to keep the industry healthy and stay Plant Healthy. As time progresses it would be great to see plant nursery suppliers of all sizes become part of the Plant Healthy scheme.
We hope to hold events for members of all trade bodies across the industry and expand our presence in the market to clients that require Plant Healthy certification as part of their criteria for their own plant supply procurement requirements.
For information on the Plant Healthy scheme visit planthealthy.org.uk or to read more about the work undertaken at Provender Nurseries visit provendernurseries.co.uk
It is important that as an industry we remain informed, up to date and working with best industry standards as the norm. Being audited each year
LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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f you are a member, many of you may already be aware of BALI HR/H&S powered by Quest as one of your key. membership benefits, but do you know exactly what they can do to support you and your business? Most will think that it is mainly help with legal questions or concerns, but they can do so much more! There are many pitfalls for both new and existing businesses to make sure that they are up to date with processes.
Quest can advise on many different areas, such as:
• how to conduct appraisals • what an employee handbook should contain • how contracts of employment should be written • what is GDPR and how does it work
Written by Jo Todd Senior Membership Officer
Quest have continued to provide members with uninterrupted support throughout the pandemic, with up-todate guidance issued on COVID-19, including support with furlough, help with risk assessments and everchanging laws in all four UK nations.
Quest can also help with questions around: • bringing back furloughed employees • ensuring your business is COVID-19 secure • redundancy advice
Need immediate help?
Some problems do require a more hands-on approach, and Quest can help you with that too. Members can access five different advice lines:
• • • • •
HR Legal Health & Safety Tax VAT
Each line has a dedicated support team that are trained to help you with any problems or queries that you may have. An invaluable service when you need support quickly.
Discover the document library
If you prefer to browse their resource website, you have access to over 800 free downloadable documents, covering employment, health & safety and legal. If you have ever had to use the latter services, you will appreciate how much this could save off the bottom line!
Not sure where to start?
There is no doubt the way business works has changed over the last 12 months, ways that were sufficient previously, may not be ok now. Quest can offer you a ‘one 2 one’ review of your business, looking at how you manage all aspects of your day-to-day business operations. They can help to make sure you are compliant and working to best practice. Quest will provide you will an honest assessment of your current practice. As a member, if you do need extra support, you will automatically receive a discount on any additional costs.
And finally…
A message from Steve Charles, Head of Business Partnerships at Quest, “Quest have been supporting members for over five years by providing unlimited access to HR, health & safety, legal and tax services. These core services are INCLUDED in your membership fee, so members do not have to pay anything extra to use them.”
To find out more login to your member’s area at bali.org.uk/my-bali and look for the ‘BALI HR/H&S’ tab under membership benefits.
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
FINAL ENTRY DEADLINE APPROACHING Visit baliawards.co.uk to view the categories and entry criteria and submit online today. Supplier/Employer Excellence/International Final Deadline: 7th July 2021 Awards ceremony: Friday 3rd December 2021 JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London
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For general enquiries, contact Emily Feeney via telephone at +44(0)24 7518 5613 or via email at emily.feeney@bali.org.uk For sponsorship opportunities, contact Diane McCulloch via telephone at +44(0)24 7518 5614 or via email at diane.mcculloch@bali.org.uk
Sponsors
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TRAINING
Written by Stephen Ensell Education Officer (GoLandscape)
Making the most of recruitment in the new normal
A
s we slowly move out of lockdown and into the new normal, I am encouraged that nearly every landscape business I have spoken to is having a record time in terms of landscape bookings. This means companies are looking to grow their workforces and recruit more staff.
Where to start
Replacing a member of staff that has left is often easier, as you have an idea of what you need in the role. Adding a new member to the team in an additional role will need some consideration. Sometimes it seems like the easiest option is just to poach what you need from another company, especially because you feel you can put them to work straight away. But remember what you have done to get that employee, could happen to you. If we have any hope of making an impact on our industries skills gap, we need to be bringing fresh talent in, this means you may need to think outside the box.
Career changers
It’s sad to say that in present circumstances, many have and will be made redundant. While most of these may not have specific landscape/ horticulture skills and experience, they will have transferable skills and an excellent work ethic. With a little support and training, many could fill positions in landscape companies.
Making the most of government support
There are financial incentives out there to support employers and if you access them in the right order, you can tap into more than one. The Kickstart Scheme gives you financial support to create new sixmonth job placements for young people who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.
It pays 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, Employer National Insurance, minimum automatic pension enrolment contributions, and £1,500 per job placement for setup costs, support, and training. Traineeships can last from six weeks to one year (although most will last for less than six months). It’s for 16-to 24-year-olds, and if it’s a new position, employers also receive an incentive payment of £1,000 per trainee (max 10).
When offering a traineeship work placement, you need to provide:
• Safe, meaningful, and high-quality work experience, between 70 and 240 hours over the duration of the traineeship (maximum of one year)
• An interview for an apprenticeship or job at the end of the traineeship if one is available, or an exit interview. The traineeship is free to your business, but you may support trainees with expenses such as transport and meals.
The real advantage of the traineeship is it can be a minimum of six weeks, which means if it’s not working out, you can move them on as opposed to the six months with the Kickstart Scheme. Whichever you option you choose however, both solutions allow you to get to know the individual and if suitable, you can move them onto an apprenticeship and claim the next wave of benefits.
Apprenticeships
In England, the government is offering £3,000 if you hire an apprentice between 1st April 2021 and 30th September 2021.
To access this, you will claim directly with the government’s Apprenticeship Service to receive direct payment. There is no limit to the number of apprentices you can take on or incentive payments you can receive.
There are a few conditions; they must be a new apprentice, and they cannot have worked for you within the last six months, prior to their (apprenticeship) contract start date. Apprentices who have been made redundant are eligible if they are a new employee to your organisation. Even if they already have qualifications, as long as the new apprenticeship is significantly different to the previous one, you can still access the incentives. On top of these benefits, you can also receive an additional £1,000 by hiring an apprentice aged 16-18 or an apprentice aged 19-24 who has a Local Authority Education or Health and Care Plan (EHCP). If you found this article interesting and would like to read similar articles online visit golandscape.co.uk
GO Landscape building real careers
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
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BALI LandscapeNews.Micro_190x135.indd 1
11/05/2021 17:48
EVENTS
A look at what’s to come
Confirmed dates for industry shows and events for 2021. Correct at time of print. For the most up-to-date listings visit bali.org.uk/events 6th - 11th July 17th - 18th July 21st - 25th July
4th - 8th August
13th - 15th August
26th - 29th August
7th - 12th September 9th September
14th - 16th September 21st - 26th September 14th October 30th October – 1st November 3rd - 4th November
16th - 17th November 3rd December
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2021 10am-7pm Tuesday-Saturday/10am-5pm Sunday rhs.org.uk
The Belvoir Castle Flower and Garden Show 2021 bali.org.uk/events RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2021 10am-5pm Wednesday-Sunday rhs.org.uk
RHS Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show 2021 rhs.org.uk
RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show 2021 rhs.org.uk
BBC Gardener’s World LIVE bbcgardenersworldlive.com RHS Garden Wisley Flower Show 2021 rhs.org.uk
Charity Golf Day in Support of Perennial UK bali.org.uk/events Glee 2021 9am-6pm Tuesday-Wednesday/9am-4pm Thursday thenec.co.uk/whats-on/glee RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2021 8am-8pm Tuesday-Saturday/8am-5:30pm Sunday rhs.org.uk Perennial Festival Dinner 2021 perennial.org.uk/events/festival-dinner Great Britain Live – Best of British 2021 greatbritainlive.co.uk
SALTEX 2021 75th Anniversary gmasaltex.co.uk FutureScape Expo 2021 futurescapeevent.com 45th BALI National Landscape Awards 2021 baliawards.co.uk
Restrictions have eased and we’re ready to meet the public
T
his summer the team at Landscape House will be supporting and promoting members across the UK at some of the industry’s major shows and events. Starting with RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in early July, we’ve also secured a stand at The Belvoir Castle Flower and Garden Show, RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, SALTEX and FutureScape Expo. We’re also planning on exhibiting at the BBC Gardener’s World Live under our GoLandscape brand. The next few months are going to be very busy.
RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival is the first show the Association will be exhibiting at since the pandemic began
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LANDSCAPE NEWS SUMMER 2021
For a full list of industry shows and events visit bali.org.uk/events, and to find out more about member exclusive stand sharing opportunities, login to your member’s area, bali.org.uk/login and look for ‘Events’ under membership benefits.
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