Pro Landscaper December 2019

DECEMBER 2O19

REIMAGINING THE RUINS

NYMANS

FUTURESCAPE 2019

LET’S HEAR IT FROM

NEW HEIGHTS

SUSTAINABILITY

Coverage from this year’s industry-leading event

Charlotte Rowe, Charlotte Rowe Garden Design

Conserving the landscape of Ben Nevis

Tackling climate change concerns

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WELCOME

W E LCO M E W

conscience, so please do contact us with your opinions for the chance to have your voice heard.

Other highlights included the small project BIG IMPACT Awards and Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation. It is always thrilling to see a winner’s reactions when their name is announced, and we’re delighted to have played a part in recognising these fabulous projects, and the up-and-coming achievers in the landscaping industry.

Thanks also to everyone who congratulated us on our decision to move FutureScape to ExCeL London for 2020, we will be announcing more details in the coming months.

As always, the December issue is jam-packed with excellent features and information, with many of our articles focusing on Scotland. Discover the maintenance for Ben Nevis’ landscape on page 32, the upcoming plans for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on page 16, along with a look into Craigmarloch Nurseries on page 70.

With (hopefully) a little time to relax over the festive season, we hope you enjoy your favourite industry magazine with a mince pie and glass of something nice!

Merry Christmas,

WE’RE FRESH BACK FROM FUTURESCAPE 2019 AND, IF ALL THE FEEDBACK WE’VE RECEIVED FROM VISITORS, EXHIBITORS AND SPEAKERS IS AN INDICATION, THE DAY WAS ONCE AGAIN A GREAT SUCCESS

JIM & LISA

©Richard Bloom

elcome to the December issue of Pro Landscaper. We’re fresh back from FutureScape 2019 and, if all the feedback we’ve received from visitors, exhibitors and speakers is any indication, the day was once again a great success. Thank you to all those who used the day to learn and network with people who have landscape at their very core.

We spent a lot of time putting together the seminar programme and Pro Landscaper Summit debate content this year, and the quality of our speakers was definitely the best the industry has to offer – we thank everyone who contributed for making it the most educational and enjoyable day of the year.

The content programme centred on the most important issues affecting business and our industry, and included a sprinkling of inspirational seminars to get the creative juices flowing.

The evening Summit debate panel contained the cream of the industry – people who are not only at the top of their game but are also extremely passionate about the landscape sector and how we elevate the importance of protecting and enhancing the natural environment to clients.

One panellist – Sarah Eberle – seemed to turn things on their head for us when she said: “A garden isn’t a luxury, it’s an opportunity to encourage people to connect with nature”. In future issues, we want to feature more on social

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Pro Landscaper / December 2019

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CONTENTS

INSPIRE 16

INFORM 08 10 14 16 19 24 27 28 31 32 4

Agenda How will the new Environment Bill address climate change?

News Our roundup of industry news FutureScape 2019 Coverage from this year’s event Future Projects RBGE’s Edinburgh Biomes Let’s Hear It From Charlotte Rowe

57

Step by Step Stone Wood Water Light An Intricate Refresh Aralia Venetian Waterways Blakedown Landscapes Landscape Architect’s Journal UrbanPioneers Making a Splash Anji Connell Paving Drainage ACO Water Management’s tips Wood Effect Paving Showcasing six paving products Water Features Two award-winners discuss their RHS show garden water features Sculptures Handmade and unique garden art

Company Profile Countrywide Grounds Maintenance View from the Top Adam White Exploring the Visual Andrew Wilson Employing Staff Holly Youde Reaching New Heights Ben Nevis

Pro Landscaper / December 2019

Contents.indd 4

39 42 46 50 52 54 55 56

69

39

NURTURE 61 65 66 67 69 70 72

Feature Garden Nymans A New Perspective Lewis Normand Thinking Out Loud Nick Coslett Understanding Urban Canopy Cover Trees and Design Action Group Wild Park Action Programme Loch Lomond and The Trossachs Nursery Focus Craigmarloch Nurseries Ltd Site Visit British Sugar TOPSOIL

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CONTENTS

D EC E M B E R 2 01 9 E D U C AT E 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 86 87

94

Building and Managing Your Tribe Lee Bestall Quality Over Price Neil Parslow The Living City Angus Lindsay Going Digital Shaun Shirazian Make Mulch of Woodchips Analysing woodchips Wood Chippers Three choices for landscapers Winter Maintenance ECHO and Polar One There Is No Planet B Sustainability in landscaping Landscaping Skills Talasey Group New Products for 2020 A sneak peek for next year

83

46

PEOPLE 91 92 93 94 95 98

Out & About Nevis at Night DECEMBER 2O19

30 Under 30 Caitlin McLaughlin

REIMAGINING THE RUINS

NYMANS

Decades of Dedication Frosts Landscape Construction Look Out For Sam Taylor Have Your Say Rachel Bailey Little Interviews Quick-fire questions with the individuals who make up our industry

FUTURESCAPE 2019

LET’S HEAR IT FROM

NEW HEIGHTS

SUSTAINABILITY

Coverage from this year’s industry-leading event

Charlotte Rowe, Charlotte Rowe Garden Design

Conserving the landscape of Ben Nevis

Tackling climate change concerns

Cover.indd 1

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Pro Landscaper / December 2019

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21/11/2019 16:27

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CONTRIBUTORS

CO N T R I B U TO R S Adam White This month sees Adam White reporting back on his experience at the International Federation of Landscape Architects Congress held in Oslo, Norway. Adam reflects on his personal highlights of the event, topics discussed and the interactive sessions that took place.

P27

ANDREW WILSON P28

W W W.DAVIESWHITE.CO.UK @DAVIES_WHITE

Anji Connell

HOLLY YOUDE P31

With garden trends constantly changing and evolving, Anji discusses the growing popularity of decorative slides. Anji explains the various styles of slides, along with how to build your own to add a playful touch to a garden.

P52

LEWIS NORMAND P65

W W W.ANJICONNELLINTERIORDESIGN.COM @ANJICONNELL

Neil Higgins Neil Higgins, product training manager at ACO Water Management, shares his top tips when it comes to considering drainage for paved areas. From the initial design through to the completed look, Neil discusses challenges, key points and vital criteria.

P54

LEE BESTALL P77

W W W.ACO.CO.UK @ACOWATER

Shaun Shirazian

NEIL PARSLOW P78

With Making Tax Digital potentially being one of the biggest tax changes in a generation, Shaun Shirazian explains why the switch to dedicated software can be a simple, stress-free experience for businesses in the landscaping sector.

CONTACT

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Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA Tel: 01903 777 570 EDITORIAL Editorial director – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 579 Head of content – Nina Mason nina.mason@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 593 Features writer – Rachael Forsyth rachael.forsyth@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 578 Features writer – Frankie Youd frankie.youd@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 Equipment editor – Rachel Gordon proarbeditor@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 Subeditor – Katrina Roy katrina.roy@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 Subeditor – Sam Seaton sam.seaton@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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ANGUS LINDSAY P79

QUICKBOOKS.INTUIT.COM @THESHIRA ZIAN Design – Kara Thomas, Kirsty Turek ADVERTISING Business development manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 585 Head of sales – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 587 Horticulture Careers – Liam Colclough liam.colclough@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 446 076 Managing director – Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 589 MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Tel: 01903 777 570 Subscription enquiries – Laura Harris laura.harris@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 580 Online content editor – Amy Fitz-Hugh amy.fitz-hugh@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570

Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd – Connecting Horticulture. Pro Landscaper’s content is available for licensing overseas. Contact jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Pro Landscaper is published 12 times per year

by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2020 subscription price is £95. Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA, UK. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, uncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

Whilst every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine.

We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.

Pro Landscaper is proud to be an affiliate member of BALI

The Association of

Professional Landscapers

Pro Landscaper is proud to be an associate member of The APL

MANAGEMENT Managing Director Jim Wilkinson Director Lisa Wilkinson Business Development Manager Jamie Wilkinson Cover image ©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

Pro Landscaper / December 2019

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21/11/2019 10:45

INFORM

AGENDA

WITH CLIMATE CHANGE BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY HOT TOPIC, DOES THE NEW ENVIRONMENT BILL GO FAR ENOUGH IN ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM?

T

his October saw the introduction and publication of the Environment Bill, which has been created in order to help tackle the environmental concerns our country is facing.

This legislation, put forward by government, will enable the creation of legally binding environmental targets and regulations while also creating a new independent Office for Environmental Protection. The Bill claims to keep the environment at the forefront of government policy, restore and enhance nature, improve air quality, increase waste management responsibility and protect our water resources.

The Bill recently passed its second reading

by MPs, meaning it is now a step closer to becoming law. Parliament will continue to discuss and work with MPs to progress the Bill along to the next stages of the legal process.

However, the Bill has faced some backlash with certain loopholes and details receiving criticism – we asked industry professionals for their thoughts.

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Pro Landscaper / December 2019

Richard Barnes

Jon Grantham

LE AD GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OFFICER, WOODLAND TRUST

MANAGING DIRECTOR, LUC

The Environment Bill proposals are a big step forward. The inclusion of climate within the Office for Environmental Protection’s remit is noteworthy. So are the requirements within the Bill to set targets and push forward local nature recovery networks.

THE ENVIRONMENT BILL PROPOSALS ARE A BIG STEP FORWARD But more needs to be done. We would like to see sufficient resources for delivery dedicated for national agencies, such as Natural England and local authorities, greater clarity around the independence of the OEP and a commitment to ‘non-regression’ of standards.

We note that the Environment Bill does not move forward the call for a national tree strategy for England to be required by law, as is the case in Scotland. Work is already underway in developing this strategy, so we hope this could be a relatively straightforward amendment to the Bill. It would certainly send out a positive signal about the importance of trees to the government.

As currently envisaged, the Environment Bill will introduce ‘a robust new system of green governance’ after Brexit. Some provisions simply replace existing protections currently provided by our membership of the EU, others could deliver real environmental improvements, if enacted robustly.

Establishment of an Office for Environmental Protection, and the requirement to deliver a rolling 25-year plan will provide a mechanism for monitoring and improvement of the environment.

IT’S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE WILL HAVE TO SEE WHAT ELEMENTS OF THE BILL MAKE IT INTO LEGISLATION The requirement for biodiversity net gain of 10% in development work sounds positive, but the effectiveness depends on delivery, and interaction of the new Act with existing planning legislation.

It’s a step in the right direction, but we will have to see what elements of the Bill make it into legislation, and how that legislation is enacted in practice.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/11/2019 16:11

INFORM

Howard Gray

Martino Ginepro

TECHNICAL CONSULTANT, GREENBLUE URBAN

ECOLOGIST, GROUND CONTROL

This Bill is a great start in recognising the importance of leaving the natural world in a better state than we found it and accepting responsibility for our use of natural resources.

Whether the Bill will be an effective instrument to mitigate the effects of a changing climate depends upon the quality of the targets in each of these areas and on the efficacy with which they will be implemented and enforced.

Upon Brexit, the ECJ – the supernational body with the power of holding national governments to account and issue fines – will be replaced by the Office of Environmental Protection, a watchdog effectively reporting into the Secretary of State both in terms of funding and membership. On this basis, some question its efficacy in ensuring the government’s adherence to targets.

FUNDING FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES MUST BE FORTHCOMING, OR THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT BILL WILL BE MERELY AN ASPIRATION At GreenBlue Urban this Bill chimes perfectly with our mission statement – enabling sustainable cities through the use of green and blue infrastructure – and we fully support the government in its desire to raise the profile of our green assets. Our concerns relate to the long-term sustainability of the proposals, as many well-intentioned policies can provide a flurry of new landscape planting, but without understanding of tree requirements, these often die before maturity.

The key test is whether the Bill gains traction in local authority policies. If the vision of the government is to be realised, funding for local authorities must be forthcoming, or this new Environment Bill will be merely an aspiration, rather than the paradigm shift we need for a sustainable Great Britain.

THE BILL DOES NOT ADDRESS THE SUBJECT OF PRESERVATION OF SOILS, WHICH ARE A CRITICAL CARBON SINK Finally, the Bill does not address the subject of preservation of soils, which are a critical carbon sink, neither does it appear to be ground-breaking when it comes to tackling air pollution and waste generation at source. However, to its credit, it introduces mandated biodiversity net gain on new developments which could lead to significant improvements in the way that habitat and species are protected and enhanced in a hyper-productive economic environment.

Elliot Chapman-Jones PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANAGER, THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS We’re facing twin crises in our environment – climate change and the unrelenting decline of nature. Much of the focus on how to tackle the climate crisis has so far been on the decarbonisation of society. Far less attention is given to natural climate solutions – the ecosystems such as wetlands, peatlands, woodlands and saltmarshes – which have the potential to soak up large amounts of carbon.

FAR LESS ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTIONS By better protecting and restoring our natural world, we can not only tackle the serious declines in our wildlife populations and wild places, but we can also help tackle the climate crisis.

The Environment Bill is a welcome step forward in achieving this. It sets legally binding targets for biodiversity and introduces measures to support the creation of a Nature Recovery Network.

This could restore and create healthy natural habitats to absorb carbon and create a richer world for people and wildlife.

However, the calling of a snap general election means the progress of this Bill could be lost. It’s now up to politicians of all parties to ensure that whatever the election outcome, they commit to delivering landmark legislation that puts our natural world into recovery.

N E X T M O N T H : A R E C O M PA N I E S G R E E N I N G TO G R E E N WA S H ?

H AV E YO U R S AY: C O N T E N T@ E L J AYS 4 4 .C O M

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Pro Landscaper / December 2019

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20/11/2019 14:10

INFORM

NEWS

TIVOLI COMMENCES NEW CONTRACT WITH GUINNESS PARTNERSHIP

T

ivoli has started operations as the new grounds maintenance service provider for the Guinness Partnership, covering the South West.

Running from 1 November 2019 for up to five years, the estimated £1m contract sees Tivoli completing gardening and maintenance of green areas, litter removal, weed and plant removal, tree maintenance and bulk waste

B OW L ES & W Y E R L AU N CH ES HO RT ACA D EMY

M

ulti-award-winning design and build company Bowles & Wyer has introduced its own Hort Academy, a training programme for landscape and horticultural professionals designed to tackle the widening skills gap in the horticulture industry. It is currently open to everyone within the gardening and aftercare department at Bowles & Wyer, but there are plans to roll it out across the company and with a future industry-wide potential.

The curriculum has been developed by Jeff Stephenson, head of horticulture and aftercare at Bowles & Wyer. It offers training for everyone regardless of their ability and previous experience. For the staff in the company’s gardening and aftercare department, it is designed to foster a deep knowledge of plants and how to nurture and tend them. For the designers and landscape architects within the company, the ambition is to build a firm

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Pro Landscaper / December 2019

foundation in horticulture that can benefit their design work.

Speaking about the issue of growing skills in the industry, Jeff says: “Like many in our industry, we’re fully committed to ensuring gardening, landscaping and horticulture are viewed as credible, professional careers.

By launching the Hort Academy we’ve placed ourselves firmly at the forefront of this important movement. We hope our academy will go some way to addressing the deepening skills shortage in the industry and to improving the level of expertise across the sector as a whole.”

The programme will cover horticultural skills and theory as well as CPD, attendance at seminars, workshops and regular trips to nurseries. Training will be the equivalent of one day per month and will be ongoing. Jeff is also developing an online, modular training programme for staff to access at their own pace. www.bowleswyer.co.uk

collection and disposal. Teams are now in place and mobilised to look after approximately 87 sites, covering Bristol, Wiltshire, Bath and north Somerset, south Gloucestershire, Mendip, Swindon and Sedgemoor local authority areas.

In line with the Guinness Partnership’s vision to “deliver great service, great homes, a great place to work and a great business”, Tivoli paid particular focus to three key areas throughout the tender process – providing a consistent, first-class service style and delivery, reliable service quality for residents, and a true partnership working approach in order to grow resident satisfaction levels.

“We are absolutely delighted to have secured this prestigious contract with the Guinness Partnership,” says Rick Francis, chairman at Tivoli. “We understand the importance of service excellence within the housing association sector and we will prioritise the delivery of appropriate and flexible resources, together with innovation to provide a valuable service to the communities.” www.tivoliservices.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

21/11/2019 14:37

INFORM

F U T U RESCAP E CH AN GES VENUE A ND FO R M AT FOR 2 02 0 AN D BE YO ND

T

here are big changes for FutureScape as Eljays44 Ltd has announced a new venue and new format for 2020 and beyond. FutureScape 2020 will be a two-day event held at ExCeL London, a purpose-built exhibition venue and home of world leading events.

FutureScape has been held at Sandown Park Racecourse since 2014, and the huge success of the 2019 show on 19 November

showed that the future looks bright for the event. ExCeL will play host to the two-day show going forward, with the first show in the new venue and with the format taking place on the 17 and 18 November 2020.

Commenting on the change, awardwinning show director Jamie Wilkinson says: “The move in venue and the increased duration of the event will really allow us to further push the ever-increasing importance of the landscaping sector.

“It’s now time for us to step up and deliver an even better showpiece for our industry. We will deliver an event where your clients – and potentially their clients – will attend.

“We will tackle and debate the topics that need to be aired in a venue that is easily accessible and better suited to deliver the event to a wider audience.

“We look forward to you joining us on 17 and 18 November 2020.” www.futurescapeevent.com

NEWS IN BRIEF FESTIVE SUPPORT AVAILABLE FROM PERENNIAL THIS CHRISTMAS Perennial is ready to support those who are feeling the festive strain or struggling with sudden or life-changing events. The charity is offering people who work in or are retired from horticulture and struggling financially up to £100 worth of supermarket vouchers. www.perennial.org.uk

BALI LAUNCHES DIGITAL MARKETING MASTERCLASSES BALI and Adtrak have teamed up to launch a one-day digital marketing workshop for landscape industry professionals. The masterclasses will take place between 10am and 4.30pm at Majestic Trees on 13 February and the Talasey Training Academy on 26 February. www.bali.org.uk

A L L C H AN GE FOR T H E AP L CO MMIT TEE

D

avid Sewell of The Gardenmakers has been officially sworn in as APL chairman, to take over from Rod Winrow at the end of his tenure.

The announcement was made at the APL Annual Members Meeting, which took place at FutureScape on Tuesday 19 November.

“I’m very excited to be taking over from Rod as chairman of the APL,” says David. “This is a great privilege for me.

Under Rod’s tenure, our Association has continued to grow and thrive, and I’m honoured to be carrying on with that work.”

Holly Youde of Urban Landscape Design was also sworn in as the first female vice-chairman of the APL. Commenting on her new role, Holly says: “I’m really looking forward to my involvement in continuing the great work the APL is doing to raise industry standards and provide a supportive and enjoyable community for members.

“Collaboration is high on my agenda and working alongside David and Phil [Tremayne, general manager of the APL], I hope to

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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WALES’ NATIONAL PARKS AND OTHER LANDSCAPES ARE TO RECEIVE A £4M FUNDING BOOST

continue and build on good relationships with the wider industry.”

David said he was “delighted” that Holly has taken up the position as vice chair. “Holly is highly regarded, and her pragmatic and thoughtful approach to our industry and the APL will benefit us enormously.”

The finalists for the APL Awards 2020 were also showcased at the event, with the full list available online now. www.landscaper.org.uk

The Deputy First Minister for Wales has said that the country’s national parks and other selected landscapes are to receive a £4m funding boost.

The announcement was made at the annual Designated Landscapes seminar held in Snowdonia National Park. www.gov.wales

Pro Landscaper / December 2019

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21/11/2019 14:40

INFORM

Online Exclusives KATE GOULD CONQUERS MOUNT KILIMANJARO Kate Gould and Keith Chapman recently climbed Kilimanjaro to raise money for Perennial and documented the experience. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ kate-gould-explores-the-landscape-andplants-she-discovered-whilst-climbingmount-kilimanjaro

THE BIG LITTLE INTERVIEW: ADAM WHITE We ask Adam White, president of the Landscape Institute and director of Davies White, a series of fun quick-fire questions. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ the-big-little-interview-adam-white

NEW LANDSCAPE GARDENING BUSINESSES HAVE AVERAGE SURVIVAL RATE OF 87%

A

recent study has revealed Leicester, Bristol and Sheffield as the most successful cities for tradespeople.

According to new data by Confused.com, three in four (77%) trades businesses across the UK survive beyond two years, on average, though some cities in the UK have a better chance of thriving.

Confused.com’s investigation revealed that landscape gardeners have an average survival rate of 87%, with the top five locations being Sheffield (100%), Leicester (100%), Bristol (100%), Birmingham (92%) and Leeds (90%).

It also reported an average day rate of £145 with an average profit margin of £110.23.

The investigation also reported the average amount landscape gardeners spent on daily running costs and potential marketing activity.

It showed £14.29 on bus stop adverts, £3.90 on van insurance, and £0.1624 on petrol cost per mile, amongst other costs.

Looking at the number of competing businesses across regions in the UK,

London has the highest at 111, whilst Cardiff is the lowest at 23.

It also showed that van insurance varies by trade, even between similar work – landscape gardeners pay £1,424 a year on average (the highest insurance cost), while other gardeners pay only £1,392. Comparatively, trades with the cheapest van insurance include painter and decorators (£870) and double-glazing installers (£889). www.confused.com

£1M PROJ ECT TO RE J UVENATE HIGHD OWN GA RD ENS DUE TO BEGIN

H PITFALLS TO AVOID WHEN WRITING A JOB ADVERT Getting your job advert right is crucial. It can be the difference between employing mediocre candidates and great ones. We collated a list of top tips on the pitfalls to avoid when creating your next job advert. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ pitfalls-to-avoid-when-writing-a-job-advert

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ighdown Gardens will be closing for improvement works towards the end of the year. The West Sussex-based gardens will close their doors on 21 December until late summer next year whilst a £1m project is underway to protect the fragile plant collection and enhance the visitor experience.

The work, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, will include building a new visitors’ centre as well as new greenhouses to help the propagation and preservation of extremely rare plants from around the world, exploring and digitising the gardens’ archive, and creating new accessible walkways and a sensory garden.

The 8.5-acre gardens are internationally important because they are home to hundreds of rare plants and trees uniquely grown on chalk soil. A plant heritage officer funded under the project is already at work cataloguing the hundreds of rare and exotic plants.

The gardens’ creator Sir Frederick Stern bred and grew at Highdown, including many from plant hunters he sponsored on trips around the world. Many of these have not been identified in recent times and could add to the gardens’ importance as a National Collection.

Several of the rare plant specimens have been selected as valuable additions to Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst Place, West Sussex. www.highdowngardens.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

21/11/2019 14:46

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INFORM

KEE NG OUR E HE TH WE

SMALL PROJECT BIG IMPACT AWARDS WINNERS

GROUN E E NG OUR

U

NE

GREENACRE GROUP @greenacre_group_ltd What a great day @futurescapeevent really great to catch up with a lot of new suppliers and looking forward to growing our network!

We can see a lot of new and exciting products coming up in our designs next year!

BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF LANDSCAPE INDUSTRIES (BALI) @BALI_Landscape Our team have been kept busy @FutureScapeUK today with a steady flow of stand visitors. We also teamed up with @adtrak to provide 1:1 digital marketing support sessions which saw 10 BALI members take up the free opportunity. We’ve booked our stand for FutureScape 2020! #BALIUK

2019 IN REVIEW

FUTURESCAPE CONTINUES TO BE THE UK’S LEADING LANDSCAPING TRADE EVENT AFTER A HUGELY SUCCESSFUL EVENT ON TUESDAY 19 SEPTEMBER AT SANDOWN PARK RACECOURSE IN ESHER, SURREY. FOLLOWING ON FROM THIS SUCCESS, THE AUTUMN EVENT WILL MOVE TO A LARGER VENUE NEXT YEAR AND WILL BECOME A TWO-DAY EXHIBITION

I

n what was the last Futurescape in November to be held in Esher – FutureScape Spring will remain at Sandown Park Racecourse – visitors were spoilt for choice with the seminar programme, which covered everything from building a brand, climate change, daring design and the increasingly prevalent topic of health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Mocktails, quality coffee and a demo driving experience were just a selection of the quirks available on trade stands at FutureScape this year, alongside the latest product innovations and longstanding industry favourites.

THE PRO LANDSCAPER SUMMIT

JONATHAN BOURNE Bourne Amenity

DEMO AREA

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Hats off to the Eljays44 team for another superb FutureScape show. Exactly how an industry show should be executed – correct time of year, engaging lectures and a single day to bring it all together. Bravo, now for the ExCeL!

MAKING IT BIG IN LANDSCAPE CON TRUCT ON T N O OR

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INFORM THE_FLORACULTURIST @kenny_raybould What a fabulous evening at the 30 under 30 awards, a massive thank you to @ProLandscaperUK for this award it is gratefully received and I hope you enjoyed the stage flossing @IncentiveFM @CoventGardenLDN

During the lunch break, the winners of this year’s small project BIG IMPACT Awards were announced, with Slate Grey Design being revealed as the Supreme Winner for its Beechmont Hall (Lower Terrace) project. The Arbordeck Awards 2019 ceremony also took place, with top title Deck of the Year going to Simon Thomas Carpentry for its Bryntirion Large Trex Deck entry.

Whilst the doors might have closed at 5pm, the celebrations continued into the evening. This year’s class of 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners collected their awards from Richard Kay of Green-tech, which has sponsored the initiative two years in a row.

Following this, a heated debate over climate change took place at The Summit, where expert panellists Adam White, Alistair Bayford, Andrew Wilson, Ben West, Katja Griffiths, Paul Cowell and Sarah Eberle faced questions from the audience over what the industry can do to be more environmentally friendly and to push for wider change.

Thank you to everyone who attended the show, and to all the speakers and exhibitors who helped to make it the best FutureScape yet.

Keep an eye on futurescapeevent.com for news on FutureScape 2020 – it’s set to be even bigger and better.

ALISON DRIVER @alisondrivergardens Great to be able to talk shop with so many knowledgeable people and lovely to bump into so many pals too

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GREG PACKMAN @GregPackman Really good time at #FutureScape2019 by @ProLandscaperUK. An interesting seminar with @TDAG_TalkTree and @KieronDoickFR. Also got to see my good friend Chris Wright from @TMACONSULTANT be part of the 2019 #30under30 award.

30 UNDER 30 THE NEXT GENERATION WINNERS

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Great day at FutureScape. First an informative Q&A on sourcing products & best supply partners with our operations director Alistair Bayford on the panel sharing his experience & vast knowledge. Then a great day networking meeting new & current suppliers, plus our new colleagues at TCL Group.

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VICTORIA CHESTERFIELD @VCgardendesign Fabulous day @FutureScapeUK @ProLandscaperUK – Delighted to be the designer on the @SlateGreyDesign dream team who were judged Supreme Winners for this special feature #smallprojectbigimpact awards – #gardendesign #landscapedesign

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FUTURE PROJECTS F

The Edinburgh Biomes Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

THE EDINBURGH BIOMES PROJECT WILL BE THE MOST AMBITIOUS UNDERTAKING IN THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH’S 349YEAR HISTORY AND WILL PREVENT THE LOSS OF 4,000 PLANTS

ounded in 1670, the Royal Botanic science, impactful education or inspiring people Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a world with the beauty and value of natural capital.” renowned scientific botanic garden.

Led by project managers Arcadis, the In 1819 the site moved from its landscape architects working on the project previous location on Leith Walk. Soon, are Ironside Farrar Ltd, with Smith Scott Mullan the gardens will undergo another big Associates as lead architects. The transformation – in fact, it will be the team is also working closely with the most significant project the RBGE RBGE horticultural, arboricultural has ever seen. and estates teams in developing The north-east corner of the the Edinburgh Biomes proposals.

RBGE is home to the Victorian The Edinburgh Biomes project Temperate and Tropical Palm will bring together RBGE’s research, Houses (which are Category A listed horticulture, education and NEC heritage houses), as well as research infrastructure facilities. Gillian Smith, PROJECT AREA glasshouses, horticultural support technical director at Ironside Farrar buildings and education facilities.

Ltd, says: “Restoring and rebuilding AVOID THE LOSS OF Currently, these are in need of the glasshouses will enable RBGE to extensive refurbishment in order continue to deliver world-leading to provide a safe environment for facilities that will protect the work RBGE’s plant collection, which of the RBGE for the future.” comprises of more than 13,500 The end site will include new plant species, many of which are endangered research facilities dedicated to combating the or extinct. The Edinburgh Biomes project plant pathogens damaging the environment as will avoid the loss of 4,000 of these highly well as commercial and domestic landscapes. important species.

There will also be new education facilities to Simon Milne MBE, Regius Keeper of the engage with students from primary school RBGE, elaborates on the importance of the through to PhD, locally and around the world. project: “The need for our pioneering work has The most visible change will be the addition never been greater, be it through cutting-edge of a new glasshouse. Initially, it will provide a

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VIEW TOWARDS THE NEW GLASSHOUSE FROM THE FRONT LAWN

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space for the thousands of plants being decanted for the refurbishment of the public glasshouses. After this, it will become a welcome building, leading visitors through to the modernist 1967 Front Range and Victorian Temperate and Tropical Palm Houses.

THE NEED FOR OUR PIONEERING WORK HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER, BE IT THROUGH CUTTING-EDGE SCIENCE, IMPACTFUL EDUCATION OR INSPIRING PEOPLE WITH THE BEAUTY AND VALUE OF NATURAL CAPITAL The existing Victorian Palm Houses will be reconfigured to establish one space with long vistas to the wider designed landscape. They will also connect with the external Chilean Terrace which will look through to the new Research Glasshouses. In addition to this, a new lightweight bridge structure within the Temperate Glasshouse allows for additional light to the flora below and is enhanced further by a waterfall. A viewing window will let visitors appreciate the Victorian water lilies in the tropical aquatic glasshouse.

Central to the Edinburgh Biomes improvements will be the development of an efficient, cost-effective energy centre, significantly reducing the garden’s carbon emissions. The Sustainable Energy Centre (SEC) will serve both the nursery and the main garden, providing heating for buildings and glasshouses. It will replace the existing boiler

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P R OJ ECT D E TA I L S Client Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) Project management Arcadis Landscape architects Ironside Farrar Ltd Lead architects Smith Scott Mullan Associates

INTERIOR VIEW OF NEW GLASSHOUSE LOOKING SOUTH

house and various other smaller boilers across the estate. Using a combination of groundsource heat pumps (GSHP), combined heat and power (CHP) engines and gas boilers

produce both heat and electricity. The boreholes for the GSHP will be located in the nursery in the vicinity of the proposed buildings.

Also located within the nursery site will be the new Plant Health Suite (PHS) which will provide a safe bio-secure propagation environment meeting SASA requirements and delivering the only facility of its kind in Scotland.

Recent changes to plant health regulations have resulted in the current facility located in the north-east corner of the main gardens becoming inadequate. The proposed PHS will receive and monitor new plant specimens

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collected by RBGE from across the world. It will also contain world-class plant pathology and micropropagation laboratories.

The design team and RBGE are currently working through detailed design and warrant stages to enable a site start in 2020 for the nursery site SEC & PHS. RBGE is currently undertaking the immense task of preparing and relocating plants and trees to ensure that their health and wellbeing are kept at the forefront of the project.

THE EDINBURGH BIOMES PROJECT WILL BRING TOGETHER RBGE’S RESEARCH, HORTICULTURE, EDUCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES Having won the backing of city councillors to proceed with this £70m initiative, RBGE continues to work with Scottish Ministers on the next stages, including a fundraising campaign.

The project is planned to take shape through a progression of stages, completing in 2027.

EXISTING VICTORIAN PALM HOUSE

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Let ’s Hear it From

CHARLOTTE ROWE CHARLOTTE ROWE GARDEN DESIGN AS CHARLOTTE ROWE CELEBRATES THE 15-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OPENING HER PRACTICE, WE SPEAK TO THE MULTI-AWARD-WINNING GARDEN DESIGNER ABOUT CHANGING CAREERS, BUILDING A BUSINESS FROM SCRATCH, AND BEING AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE SGD

©Main image: Charlie Hopkinson

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ith an RHS Gold medal, numerous SGD Awards, and a reputation as one of the top garden designers in the country, it would be easy to assume Charlotte Rowe had been in the industry her whole life. Her projects grace a plethora of glossy consumer magazines, including Livingetc and House & Garden, and feature in some of the leading national newspapers, from The Times to The Guardian. In reality, though, Charlotte didn’t train in garden design until she reached her 40s, and for the last 15 years she has been building her business to the decorated, prolific practice it has now become.

After completing a degree in History of Art and Italian at the University of Bristol, Charlotte considered going into landscape design in her 20s, and completed a year’s practical horticulture with the intention of going to Merrist Wood College. She ended up embarking on a successful career in PR and communications, though, working her way up the ranks. Her last PR role was as director of communications for the Greater London Authority, when Ken Livingstone became Mayor of London. It was the political aspect of this which made Charlotte consider a change in career.

“I didn’t enjoy it at all,” says Charlotte. “I’d come from a career background of commercial, private and non-governmental work, so it was a bit of a shock.”

Charlotte left the Greater London Authority after just over a year, and after weighing up whether to delve into interior or garden design, she went back to the industry she’d considered a couple of decades before, enrolling on a residential garden design course at Oxford Brookes University. “It’s quite common to have retreads in our industry, there are lots of designers who have retrained,” explains Charlotte. “I had tinkered with it before, so it wasn’t completely out of the blue.”

There are far more of the younger generation joining the industry now, though, says Charlotte.

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“The industry is changing, and it is now beginning to recognise that good training is important. When I trained, there were just over 20 of us on the course, only two of which were young people – Alice Bowe, who now writes for The Times, and Sarah Price. The majority were older retreads in their 30s and 40s. Now, there’s a lot more young people training in garden design.”

But recruiting is a problem still, admits Charlotte. “We have masses of people apply for roles with us but they don’t have the skills we need. The colleges have had to cut back and most of the courses are quite expensive and private now. We still don’t have enough garden design courses; some – not all – still don’t teach CAD, which is essential.”

Rather than from garden design backgrounds, two of the designers who work for Charlotte at the London-based practice – Sophie Bertrand and Natalia Lenart – are trained in landscape architecture. “That’s quite common now. All the big garden design names are taking on a mixture, but mainly landscape architects because they can do all the drawings necessary for large projects. The problem with this, though, is that they need further training in planting design, and it’s really hard to find courses for this. Also, residential work is totally different from community and public use work.

Landscape architects aren’t taught to do residential spaces.”

As well as two designers, the practice also employs studio manager Louise Sugrue and design director Tomoko Kawauchi, an architect who joined Charlotte for her placement whilst studying horticulture at Writtle University

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1 College. Unintentionally, it has been an all-female team for the past two years, with employees of a variety of nationalities including French, Japanese and Polish.

PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS COME THROUGH A VARIETY OF MEDIUMS, INCLUDING PERSONAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND FEATURING IN NATIONAL PRESS, BUT ALSO FROM INSTAGRAM Before Tomoko, Charlotte was working alone after finishing her garden design course. “I was too old to go out and work as a gofer, and the course I completed wasn’t brilliant at getting us out into work experience and internships, which all of the courses are really good at now.

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So, I didn’t do an internship, and who’s going to take on a 49-and-a-half-year-old graduate? I had to sit down with a blank piece of paper and start from scratch, as most people do. It’s pretty scary.”

She says “luck and experience combined” helped her to get work. When Charlotte first started out in 2004, Channel 4 was looking to produce a programme called Life Begins Again, a series of 30 one-hour episodes following those who had changed career at the age of 40 or over. One of the organisations they wrote to for potential candidates was the Society of Garden Designers, which then circulated this to all its members, including Charlotte. “I responded because my media background made me perfect for it.”

“It didn’t directly get me any work, but it got me out there looking for work. If you have to be filmed in three weeks’ time, you have to have something to show. It got me to put together a business plan and the programme encouraged me to do a show garden at Urban Gardens, a show which doesn’t exist anymore.”

Along with the boost from Life Begins Again, Charlotte says she also struck lucky as her neighbour was looking to revamp her garden. Charlotte offered to design the space and to help choose the contractor. “I did the design on zero budget, and the contractor who got the job was the cheapest, but the second contractor who went for it is someone I still work with to this day.”

Because of the show garden and featuring on Life Begins Again, Charlotte set up a website early on, which positioned her considerably well on Google. In the first 15 months, she had designed more than 10 projects, having picked up seven from appearing at Urban Gardens.

With a growing workload, it was perfect timing when Tomoko asked to carry out her placement year with Charlotte. “She came in for an interview then joined me three days a week.

She’s still with me nearly 15 years later. She left to work for another design studio for four years, but came back last year.

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“She helped to build my business. I was needing help after 18 months of setting up but couldn’t really afford to have help. Because she was on a placement, it was pretty low salary, but she stayed and is now my design director.”

Tomoko was working for the practice when the financial crisis hit in 2008. “We were working from my home and we needed to take on an extra person, so we moved into an office – then the markets collapsed. The phone didn’t ring from October until February, it was really scary.”

Fortunately, the phone finally did ring, and after only six months in this initial office in Imperial Wharf, Charlotte moved the practice to its current location in Brook Green in May 2009.

Five years later, Charlotte designed her first – and only – RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden.

As well as the show garden for Urban Gardens, Charlotte had also designed a show garden for the Daily Telegraph/House & Garden Fair (now the House & Garden Festival), after the editor of House & Garden at the time, Sue Crewe, asked her to do it. But the Chelsea garden was to be her first judged exhibit.

“I thought I ought to do one, and there was a moment when what I wanted to do finally came to me. Eighteen months before the show, I was at the Imperial War Museum in front of a painting called Over the Top by John Nash. I was with my husband, who’s a military historian, and I decided to do a show garden at Chelsea about the First World War. So, that’s what I did.”

Her No Man’s Land garden – sponsored by private banking company Coutts, construction giant Bechtel and ABF The Soldiers’ Charity – commemorated the centenary of the start of the First World War, during which Charlotte’s

CHARLOTTE ROWE GARDEN DESIGN HAS BECOME KNOWN IN PARTICULAR FOR ITS DAZZLING LIGHTING DESIGNS grandfather went over the top at the Battle of the Somme and her grandmother received a military medal. In spite of it being her Chelsea debut, Charlotte scooped a highly coveted RHS Gold medal. Rather than getting the Chelsea buzz, she was reluctant to do another show garden. “We got a Gold medal the first time, which is unusual, so I felt we would be risking too much not to get a Gold the second time.

So, the plan was not to do Chelsea again.”

However, Charlotte was approached by ABF The Soldiers’ Charity to design a garden for the 2017 show. Unfortunately, this was the year the RHS struggled to gain sponsors for the gardens.

“Our sponsorship fell through literally the day after the Brexit vote in 2016, and Chelsea 2017 was quite a problem show. They had a lot of

empty spaces. Those assessing our garden to go into the show said it was one of the best garden plans they’d seen, so it’s rather a shame. We were asked by the RHS to resubmit the design because they loved it, but there were a lot of changes going on at the RHS and we didn’t get it.

“So, the chances of me doing another garden at Chelsea are very small, but I would do it if the sponsorship came on a plate and I was given free reign, like we were the first time. Our sponsors were amazing when we did Chelsea, they couldn’t have been more supportive, and no-one told us what to do – it was brilliant. We were very lucky, though. I was a first timer, and first timers don’t usually get that freedom.”

The Chelsea garden was very different from Charlotte’s typical style, which she describes as “very architectural”. “Each garden is rigorously designed to the last centimetre; it’s very structured and strong. You can always change the planting, but you can’t really change the bone structure. Our planting is rich which works well with very hard landscaping.”

This seamless blend of hard and soft landscaping is why people contact the

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Cobham Garden @Charlotte Rowe Roof terrace in Holland Park @Charlotte Rowe/Light IQ Water spout @Andrew Ewing Polished concrete water feature @Charlotte Rowe Riverside Terrace @Charlotte Rowe Courtyard in Chelsea © Charlotte Rowe /Light IQ

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company after seeing the projects online, explains Charlotte. Around half of the work she undertakes is in London, the rest is further afield, though it depends on the scope of the project. “We’ve done work in the past in Cheshire and Yorkshire, but if someone phones me and says they have a 100m2 garden in Edinburgh then I’m not going to do it because it’s too small. A three-acre garden in Edinburgh, though, I’d consider. You can’t really justify the fees of going far afield to a small job, it would cost too much and it wouldn’t be worth it.”

Prospective clients come through a variety of mediums, including personal recommendations and featuring in national press, but also from Instagram – Charlotte’s feed has more than 22.8k followers, and images of the practice’s projects quickly rack up hundreds of likes.

Charlotte Rowe Garden Design has become known in particular for its dazzling lighting designs. “I’ve included lighting in every single garden I’ve designed. For the first few years, I worked a lot with Rebecca Weir from Light IQ, a really good lighting designer. She was a fairly new startup, like me, and she’d worked with Sally Storey at John Cullen Lighting. Rebecca really understands gardens and was one of the best lighting designers we have worked with.”

Now, though, Charlotte mostly designs her own garden lighting into the projects, something which saw her awarded the Garden Lighting Award three years in a row at the SGD Awards. This year, Charlotte’s Chiswick project has been shortlisted for an award.

Charlotte was instrumental in initially creating the event, alongside PR specialist Suzanne Hind of Hind + Osen. They were both asked to be part of the first PR committee for the association around 10 years ago, holding meetings at Charlotte’s office. Charlotte ran the

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THE INDUSTRY IS CHANGING, AND IT IS NOW BEGINNING TO RECOGNISE THAT GOOD TRAINING IS IMPORTANT committee for about 18 months, utilising her previous experience, and put forward the idea of hosting an annual awards ceremony. “The awards have only been going for about six years. They started them from scratch, with no budget and no industry support, so their success has been tremendous.”

Charlotte says the SGD has changed considerably in the past few years. “It is much more recognised as a representative body than when I first joined. They’re much more professional and there are more accredited members now. I’m truly an advocate for being a member of the SGD.” It’s not just the SGD which has changed over the past few years. Charlotte says that when

she first started, she never expected to reach the point she has, working with a team of employees and operating such a prolific practice. “I’d love to say it was all planned, and I did put together a business plan, but that hasn’t been looked at for a while.”

Whilst there are no plans to expand, and though the practice has become known for its high-quality domestic projects, Charlotte says she would love to take on more non-residential work. She has worked on Lady Margaret School in Parsons Green, The Hurlingham Club in Fulham, art dealers Messums in Wiltshire, and the recently opened Sam’s Riverside restaurant in Hammersmith. However, she remains uninterested in designing public space.

“We have landscape architects who could, but I find public work to be a real problem – you spend years in committees and then don’t see the results for years. People who work with me get to see the result of their work and can really take credit for it; they’ve driven the project right the way through and it’s something that they can be proud of, whereas with public spaces the work is so shared.”

Having a clear direction has seen Charlotte Rowe Garden Design grow to the multi-awardwinning company it is today, and it’s a glowing exemplar of how career changers can see phenomenal success, with decisiveness and determination at the helm.

7 Canalside Garden @Marianne Majerus 8 Somerset Garden @Charlotte Rowe

C O N TA C T Charlotte Rowe Garden Design 118 Blythe Road, Brook Green, London, W14 0HD Tel 020 7602 0660 Email design@charlotterowe.com

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JAMES KELLY, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF COUNTRY WIDE GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, EXPLAINS HOW THE COMPANY BECAME A SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISOR AND WHY THIS IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS Tell us about Countrywide Grounds Maintenance.

Countrywide was a family business which started in 1986. It quickly became a franchise operation, starting in Manchester. We now have 44 franchise owners across the country.

How did you become part of Neighbourly?

In May 2017, we were bought by what was then the Dwyer Group. In 2018, it rebranded to become Neighbourly. It’s a global company, with headquarters in Texas, and has 22 home service brands and over 3,700 franchises. In the UK, it has six brands (of which Countrywide is one) and more than 250 franchisees. Our strapline at Neighbourly, ‘a community of home service experts’, is driven by the US, where there’s a huge slant towards the domestic market. The UK is a slightly different market, particularly for Countrywide as we are 100% commercial. The Neighbourly umbrella, however, still works for us as it’s a joined-up approach with the other brands.

Are the franchise locations pre-determined?

When we first set up Countrywide, the network was designed so that each of our franchises would have specific postcodes to work within.

This sometimes shifts, though, and time has seen changes to boundaries around the country.

COMPANY PROFILE

COUNTRYWIDE GROUNDS MAINTENANCE ESTABLISHED 1986 FRANCHISES 44 TURNOVER £26.5M

What are the franchise fees?

We take a percentage of their turnover, and when you buy into the network as a new franchise, you pay a fee of £44,950 (exc. VAT). They buy the exclusivity for their area and the ability to trade under the Countrywide brand.

If a franchise fails to reach certain standards, would you take it back?

Their failure is our failure. The approach is to have a team of franchise business coaches that helps and develops individual franchises. This is one of the advantages – you are an individual business owner, but you have the support of a wider family.

GEORGE BEATY OF COUNTRYWIDE DORSET LANDSCAPES A NEW GARDEN AT ALDERNEY HOSPITAL

Is anything done centrally?

Our set up is pretty much the same as any normal business. We have a tendering team which deals with individual contracts for the franchises and national contracts, a marketing team, and an accounts administration team once the contracts are up and running. The only difference is the

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individual franchisees are there to undertake the work. Five years ago we started using the franchise aspect as a promotional tool.

A franchise owner is more invested in delivery of their job, so they want to make sure customers, as well as us, are happy. The promotion of local businesses providing local services is a strong message in todays’ operational delivery.

Does the franchise owner determine the price of a job?

About 99% of the time. We are currently reviewing the process to price contracts as it can be emotive. We’re looking to introduce more structure – potentially bringing a further competitiveness for our national contracts – but we don’t promote ourselves as being the cheapest. One of the Neighbourly’s mantras is quality service. We win work when we are 10% more expensive than the cheapest, because we are strong in setting out what we can achieve.

Who owns the vehicles and equipment?

The franchise own their vehicles and equipment, but we do have a buying group called ProTradeNet (PTN) that connects our franchisees with the best-in-class vendors, which was launched by Neighbourly last year.

We take the strength of buying as a brand to be able to provide buying advantages. For example, we can provide someone who is turning over £100k with the same access as a £1m company, meaning they can get brand specific things, like access deals with large machinery suppliers.

The franchise buys the equipment, but we give them access to things that can help them.

Who would be a typical franchisee?

It’s diverse – ex ICI directors, finance directors, farmers, etc. We have three in the network who started their own landscape or arb companies, but got to a point where they realised they didn’t have the ability to expand. They wanted to tap into the Countrywide brand to help their businesses grow. They just need business acumen and funding to buy the business and fund it for the first three to six months.

Are aspects like training, health and safety and recruitment done locally or through Neighbourly?

It’s split between ourselves and franchisees.

We have partnerships with recruitment businesses to help franchisees with recruitment, but they are employing locally to their individual franchise. For health and safety, we provide a lot of guidance on our intranet. We have more than 300 generic risk assessments which they have

access to. We also put them through Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) training. Several people, including three of our franchise owners, are NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) trained, and are always willing to help.

Do the franchisees share strategies?

Regularly, both with and without us. As a group under the Countrywide banner, we meet three times a year – two regional meetings and an annual conference, where we hold workshops and presentations, followed by a gala dinner with awards. There is also an advisory council, which works together to recognise strengths and weaknesses. It’s like a forum – showing new initiatives and testing them with the council.

Is there competitiveness between franchises?

There is a lot of competition. On a monthly basis, we publish data to show who has grown the most in comparison to the same time last year. We have ‘Top 10s’ for everything, which drives the franchises to deliver.

Can owners open more than one franchise?

We have several franchisees with two regions – we just have to be sure they have the ability to do that. We have allowed two sales recently because we have the foresight that they will be able to expand those businesses at the same rate as if we’d brought someone new in.

What is the head office structure?

There’s myself as managing director, then a director of operations who’s responsible for the two franchise business coaches. We have an external partner for HR support, and operate accounting, key account, tendering and marketing teams from the Banbury office.

What’s the next step for Countrywide?

Our biggest challenge is retaining staff through winter. We’ve focused over the past 18 months on trying to find solid partners to provide winter services. Our business provides franchisees the best support possible to help them grow.

C O N TA C T Countrywide Grounds Maintenance Packington House (Second Floor), 3-4 Horse Fair, Banbury OX16 0AA Tel 0800 234 567 Email info@countrywidegrounds.com

www.countrywidegrounds.com

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A DA M W H I T E VIEW FROM THE TOP

THIS MONTH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT ADAM WHITE REPORTS BACK ON REPRESENTING THE LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE AT THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS (IFLA) CONGRESS HELD IN OSLO, NORWAY

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hroughout 2019, the Landscape Institute (LI) has been sharing its 90th anniversary celebrations with the Norwegian Association of Landscape Architects (NAL), which was also founded in 1929. With this year’s IFLA World Council and Congress being held in Norway’s capital at the Oslo City Hall, it was another great opportunity for further celebration and collaboration.

As president of the LI, I was delighted to be asked to join Rainer Stange, president of the NAL, and James Hayter, president of the IFLA, to help open the congress. With 1,500 delegates attending and thousands more watching online, it is the world’s biggest summit of landscape professionals. The congress took a closer look at urban transformation, green mobility, community participation and the role our profession can play in helping to tackle the climate crisis.

I was joined by Niall Williams, director of NDLA Ltd and the LI’s IFLA delegate, and Daniel Cook, the LI’s CEO. At the pre-IFLA Congress Council meeting, we presented a report prepared in collaboration with the International Ethics Standards (IES) Coalition on possible future ethical principles, as well as our plans for an updated Code of Practice.

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Following the LI’s climate and biodiversity emergency declaration in June, the IFLA’s declaration at the meeting received the unanimous support of its 77 voting nations.

The declaration details what measures the IFLA will take in the short, medium and long term.

As part of the opening ceremony, the IFLA Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award – the highest award

WITH 1,500 DELEGATES ATTENDING AND THOUSANDS MORE WATCHING ONLINE, IT IS THE WORLD’S BIGGEST SUMMIT OF LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS given by the IFLA – was presented to US landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson.

Kathryn is renowned worldwide for projects such as the Gardens of the Imagination in Terrasson-Lavilledieu, France, The Lurie Garden at the Millennium Park, Chicago, and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park, London. Earlier this year, Paris announced plans for a large, new park at the Eiffel Tower, to be designed by Gustafson Porter + Bowman.

This will be the largest green area in Paris.

On the second day of the congress, I chaired one of the many break-out workshops, specifically looking at community participation.

The workshop attracted more than 100 delegates, and included presentations and interactive sessions from Pam Warhurst, Carole Wright, Andrée Davies and Zoe Banks

Gross. In another workshop, Daniel Cook chaired a debate which examined the purpose of professional institutions, and discussed the role their members need to play over the next decade. The panel included landscape architects Gisle Løkken, Trygve Sundt, Hal Moggridge and Sarah Jones-Morris, as well as James Hayter.

Other highlights included an outdoor swim and a fresh air sauna, followed by guided tours of various parks and gardens in and around Oslo. The three-day event was inspiring, challenging, and the networking opportunities were fantastic. Scandinavian musical interludes made a refreshing change from any conference or congress I’ve attended before.

The IFLA flag was handed over by Rainer Stange to Dr Suhardi Maulan, president of the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia, who will be hosting the congress next year.

ABOUT ADAM WHITE PLI Adam White PLI is a director at Davies White Ltd, a double RHS Gold medal, double BBC People’s Choice and RHS Best in Show award-winning Chartered Landscape Architects practice. He is the President and a Fellow of the Landscape Institute.

Social media: @davies_white

www.davieswhite.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / December 2019 27

20/11/2019 09:23

INFORM

ANDREW WILSON EXPLORING THE VISUAL

ANDREW WILSON CONSIDERS THE FASCINATION THAT VISUAL PRESENTATION HOLDS OVER DESIGNERS AND HOW THEY PUT THEIR MESSAGE ACROSS

I

n a world in which CAD software and Adobe Photoshop have revolutionised and democratised visual communication, it seems fascinating that designers and ‘would be’ designers are so fascinated by the technique of visual communication.

In our Autumn Info Bursts at LCGD, we have been exploring just that, with six designers presenting and discussing their approaches over two separate evenings.

The sessions were sell-out events, showing thirst for knowledge and potential enlightenment on the subject. Many attendees were garden design students from other colleges. Our intention was to mix the speakers in terms of experience and graphic approach, but also to concentrate on the delivery of information to the client in order to win a commission.

What became obvious from audience questions was the lack of clarity for many in what should be delivered at the outline or sketch design presentation. To some extent, this relies on the college you select for your garden design training, but also on your experience as a designer. Ideally, the two approaches should match, which is something I have always aimed

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to achieve in any of my teaching. It also helps to have teaching staff who are also practitioners as their experience will always be brought to bear on their teaching delivery.

WHAT BECAME OBVIOUS FROM AUDIENCE QUESTIONS WAS THE LACK OF CLARITY FOR MANY IN WHAT SHOULD BE DELIVERED AT THE OUTLINE OR SKETCH DESIGN PRESENTATION Several of the audience questions revolved around detail and the delivery of planting information. This may well be a reflection of the individual’s belief that garden design is actually just another way of saying planting design. For some colleges this is potentially also borne out in their teaching, with some students encouraged to produce what amounts to a planting design scheme as a first response to a client brief. As our more experienced speakers pointed out, this is unlikely to sell a scheme as it reflects only part of the whole garden make up. It is also a highly time-consuming first response that is probably underpriced in fee terms by those approaching design in this way.

Planting detail, construction, setting out, schedules, fine tuning, tendering and on-site delivery will

all follow in due course, but it would be reckless to attempt any of these at the first stage of outline design. It would be encouraging to think that all colleges teaching garden design would think in this way, at least on behalf of their graduates who will potentially need to rethink their whole design approach and fee structure.

What every speaker talked about was the need to convey ideas and information, support and encouragement for the client, as well as an ability to win their confidence for the rest of the journey into detail and, ultimately, to the delivery of a completed garden. The pulling together of good research, imaginative thinking and an effective visual communication delivers the outline stage. Acceptance of this delivers the detail, production of the detail delivers costings and an ability to build and plant.

When John Brookes was asked about his planting design, he admitted it was one of the last things he thought about in the whole design process. I’m pretty sure that most successful designers would concur. (‘Plantaholics’ – please note this in no way diminishes the importance of plants in garden design).

Pictured: Sketch from Sheila Jack’s client presentation of a London garden. A curve of pleached hornbeam surrounds a private seating area. Meadow-style planting softens pre-cut large format concrete paving, flat pebbles and a bespoke cedar fence.

ABOUT ANDREW WILSON Andrew Wilson is a landscape and garden design consultant, director of the London College of Garden Design, and an author, writer and lecturer.

www.lcgd.org.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/11/2019 09:09

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INFORM

H O L LY YO U D E EMPLOYING STAFF

AS YOUR BUSINESS EXPANDS, YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF OVERWHELMED WITH THE AMOUNT OF WORK. HOLLY YOUDE TELLS US THE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU DECIDE TO EMPLOY SOMEONE TO HELP IN THE OFFICE

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question I am often asked is how to make the first steps to employing someone in the office. In many cases, this is the primary stage to opening up your business to the outside world, and it’s the point where you realise that you can’t do all of the invoicing, health and safety paperwork, accounts, sales, customer service and marketing – all while also managing to have a life!

If you are turning down work because you can’t physically service the client, or you find you don’t have the time to plan ahead and are just trying to keep abreast of the most imminent projects, it’s time to enlist help.

Firstly, decide what responsibilities you need to pass on to someone else.

If you’re weak at accounts, look for someone who has some bookkeeping experience. If you need to bring in more enquiries, look for someone who may be able to be creative with your marketing. Whatever the role, it’s important to ensure you have a clear set of needs so that when you interview you can get a good feel for specific strengths the candidate may possess to benefit your business.

Working alongside someone new, especially if they are going to have access to all your business details, requires a certain amount of trust, so it’s often good to advertise the position with people you know – whether in your personal or business network. There is generally someone who knows someone looking for exactly the position you require and even if it’s not someone you have ever met, it’s good to have that connection.

Sometimes it’s difficult to provide a route of progression for a position within the office.

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If you feel that you can provide this by eventually passing on more responsibilities, communicate this in the interview. This is what some candidates will be looking for, but some may not so be clear about future potential.

BE OPEN MINDED, ONCE YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN POSITION EMBRACE THE FACT THAT THEY WILL BRING NEW IDEAS AND A FRESH APPROACH

your expectations clearly, this will save time and mistakes in the long run.

Be open minded; once you have someone in position, embrace the fact that they will bring new ideas and a fresh approach. It’s so easy to be blinkered and stuck in your ways, but they are likely to find more effective methods and ways of carrying out tasks with fresh eyes. Let them tailor the role to suit them but don’t be afraid to tell them when you think something won’t work if you’ve tried it before.

Most of all, make sure you can afford it.

Don’t forget to account for employer NI, employer insurance (if you don’t already have this), pension payments and any other associated costs setting them up – desk, computer, phone, software, etc. You may want to advertise the position as part time, potentially leading to full time if you want to minimise the initial outlay. Generally though, if it frees up your time to focus on other parts of your business, you will never look back.

A B O U T H O L LY Y O U D E

Decide where you are going to put them.

Do you work from home? If so, are you comfortable having someone in your house or a home office, or can they work from home?

Technology now means it’s easier to redirect calls and communicate more effectively than ever.

Once you have the new recruit in situ, it’s essential to set aside time to spend enabling them to gain a good understanding of your business ethos and how it functions. Reiterate

As joint director of Urban Landscape Design Ltd, Holly plays a fundamental role in the growth and diversification of Urban Landscape Design. Recent wins for the company include the Pro Landscaper Business Awards Landscape Company <£2m Turnover Award, Best Commercial Garden at the APL Awards, Employer Excellence Award in the BALI Awards and the High Sheriff of Cheshire Award for Enterprise. This year, Holly has been listed as one of the Insider’s 42 Under 42 entrepreneurs in the North West and is now the first female vice-chairman of the APL.

www.urbanlandscapedesign.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / December 2019 31

20/11/2019 16:34

INFORM

REACHING

NEW HEIGHTS WE SPEAK TO MIKE PESCOD, OWNER OF ABACUS MOUNTAIN GUIDES AND CHAIRMAN OF NEVIS LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP ABOUT THE CONSERVATION OF BEN NEVIS, THE 19 PROJECTS NEVIS LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP HAS UNDERTAKEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND HOW IT HOPES TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET OUTDOORS

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INFORM

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tanding at 4,412ft tall and attracting over 160,000 walkers a year, Scotland’s Ben Nevis needs little introduction. Indeed, climbing the UK’s tallest mountain is likely to feature on several bucket lists, but what might not cross people’s minds is who looks after it.

Previously, a lot of Ben Nevis’ caretaking needs fell between landowners and the council, and with no sole custodian, it wasn’t getting the care and attention it needed. However, this changed in 2003 when Nevis Landscape Partnership (NLP) was set up. The NLP board consists of volunteers from various organisations like Sport Scotland and Mountaineering Scotland, as well as local residents who have grown up in the area and know it well.

Mike Pescod, chairman of NLP and owner of Abacus Mountain Guides, noted that setting up the partnership enforced the value of the area: “The conservation of Ben Nevis is incredibly important, not just because of its ecological, geological and historical importance, but also because of the economic benefit. Previously, nothing had to be done unless there was a destruction of habitat occurring, but now we can look at the bigger picture and come up with holistic solutions.”

THE NORTH FACE SURVEY WAS DESCRIBED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF BOTANY EVER DONE IN SCOTLAND 2

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The biggest problems Ben Nevis faces is people. The trouble begins on the roads which surround the glen, as hordes of cars and campervans use the narrow roads and, given there are few car parks, swamp the sides of the roads. Alongside the obvious erosion issues which come with a large footfall, littering is also a problem faced on Ben Nevis, although this if often down to accidents and ignorance.

“There’s actually very little intentional littering and if it is, it’s things which biodegrade.

But I don’t think people realise that this trash typically takes three to four years to degrade because it’s so cold,” explains Mike. Not only does this leave a human mark on an otherwise open mountainside, the minerals from the biodegradable litter can also affect the minerals in the ground and disrupt or damage the delicate fauna and flora growing.

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INFORM

Five-year programme NLP has just completed a five-year programme, which comprised of 19 projects that aimed to overcome some of these issues and continue to conserve Ben Nevis and its surrounding landscape – Glen Nevis. The biggest of these projects was the restoration of the Ben Nevis path, which was particularly challenging given that it hadn’t been worked on since 1984.

The team hit a roadblock early on when the originally selected rocks from the face of Ben Nevis were snowed under. The path needed granite and, although there’s a quarry nearby, the team had to source the stone from 50 miles away. This was to ensure the path was geographically accurate, as the quarry sits on a different tectonic plate to Ben Nevis and is therefore a completely different type of granite.

The path needed to be durable enough to withstand the number of users alongside the extreme weather. The team also had to ensure the path was pleasant to walk on, as otherwise visitors would simply walk round it and erosion of the sides of the path could be detrimental.

Stretching 16km and with thousands of visitors trekking up the mountain every year, it’s no surprise it cost £900k and took five years to

THE CONSERVATION OF BEN NEVIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF ITS ECOLOGICAL, GEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT complete – especially since the work done will hopefully go on to last for another 30 to 40 years.

Another of the projects was a botanical survey of the north face of Ben Nevis, undertaken to discover whether more action

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needed to be taken to conserve and grow what existed on the mountain. Mike says that “the North Face Survey was described as the most important piece of botany ever done in Scotland”. The team was aware that there were incredibly rare arctic alpine plants growing in one particular location, but hadn’t yet been able to complete a comprehensive study because most of the cliffs are 400m high and tricky to reach.

After accessing these places though, the official classification for the rare arctic alpine plants has been changed from being in unfavourable condition to favourable condition.

Another plant the team was looking for was Poa flexuosa. It knew 300 plants of this rare grass grew in one location, but through the survey it managed to find two more locations, tripling the amount it originally thought it had. In addition, it found the incredibly rare alpine saxifrage in two locations which had not previously been spotted.

Future Forests The aims of these 19 projects were not just about conservation though – NLP wanted to engage people in the community and encourage them to enjoy and appreciate what’s right on their doorstep. One of the ways it combined conservation with education is with the Future Forests project.

Although the glen surrounding Ben Nevis is fairly well covered in trees, it’s nowhere near as extensive as it should be, and any trees which grow beyond Steall Falls stand little chance of growing very big – if at all – due to the large population of deer. NLP planted 12,000 trees in partnership with the local schools, giving the children responsibility of growing traditional Scots pine trees from seed and replanting them in Glen Nevis. The seeds were taken from the cones of old Scots pine trees, which grow in a Caledonian pine inventory site, meaning they are healthy and free from any disease.

“The project connected local children directly with the future of the Glen through planting new woodland and establishing a legacy that will outlast them and their children,” says Mike. The NLP still has enough seed for 175,000 trees and will continue planting in Glen Nevis. Unfortunately, planting trees can only do so much: “We need to find a way to control the population of deer and grazing herbivores.

Not only are they not enabling our forest to regenerate, but they’re severely underfed.”

The solution isn’t as simple as culling though, as the tradition of deer stalking in Scotland goes back generations. For them, having a high deer population is an advantage

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INFORM

and culling isn’t something the community has expressed an interest in. Although Mike sees the advantages of engaging the local residents in deer management, it’s challenging adapting a tradition which is so deeply engrained in Scotland’s heritage.

100-year vision Mike believes engaging the community is crucial to the future of Ben Nevis and the glen, though, and it plays a big part in the NLP’s 100-year vision. The vision isn’t simply about what the NLP hopes the landscape will look like – though they are striving for a more biodiverse environment – it’s about reconnecting people with the outdoors.

The all abilities footpath was a project undertaken as part of NLP’s five-year programme and it provides an opportunity for everyone to enjoy Ben Nevis – no matter their age, fitness level, or mobility level. The path unfolds below Ben Nevis, running alongside the River Nevis and hosts a number of picnic benches which are wheelchair adapted as well as information about the flora and fauna.

The all abilities path is hugely important because it is encouraging greater participation with nature and removing barriers – as Mike

phrases it: “We’re not just fixing paths, we’re changing mindsets.”

The Mountain Festival, held at Fort William, celebrates the wild and shows its value, with outdoor activities and inspirational speakers, such as mountaineer Chris Bonington, mountaineer and rock climber Catherine Destivelle and mountain biker Lee Craigie.

WE’RE NOT JUST FIXING PATHS, WE’RE CHANGING MINDSETS Although Mike has hopes of more funding, it’s not guaranteed, and it will never be a continuous source of income for the NLP. Engaging people with the outdoors and allowing them to see its importance is certainly one way NLP will achieve this, but they aren’t relying purely on this. The improval of the car park at Lower Falls will not only reduce the amount of traffic on the roads beyond this, but it will encourage a reliable source of income for the NLP. The team also plans to dedicate space to building a field centre where they can undertake training and educational talks.

The solution isn’t just to build bigger car parks though. The NLP also have hopes of creating a heritage trail which will begin in town and lead walkers all the way up the side of the glen, signposting heritage sites along the way.

Mike believes that this, in conjunction with the development of an improved bus service and camper van sites in town, would reduce the number of vehicles on the roads.

The benefits of Ben Nevis for the community are substantial, but the benefits of the outdoors on the individual are even greater. “We have brains because we’re meant to move,” Mike argues. “We’re living very sedentary lives and it isn’t healthy for us. Walking is life changing, and I mean that literally.”

Indeed, GPs in Shetland have begun giving nature prescriptions to patients suffering from high blood pressure and anxiety, with scientific studies evidencing that nature can combat ill mental health. Mike himself has countless examples of people who have been suffering with severe depression and found relief and recovery in walking the hills of Scotland. The need for NLP and its goal for the future is becoming ever more important, not just for the survival of Ben Nevis, but also for the survival of its community.

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Flying rocks into place on the mountain path Identifying ferns on the North Face Survey Volunteers working on the mountain path Extreme botany in progress Collecting pine cones Ben Nevis from Corpach canal basin

C O N TA C T Nevis Landscape Partnership An Drochaid, Claggan Road, PH33 6PH Tel 01397 701 088 Email info@nevispartnership.co.uk

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www.nevislandscape.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / December 2019 35

21/11/2019 09:35

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INSPIRE PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £20k Build time 2 months Size of project 300m2

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HILLSIDE GARDEN STO N E WO O D WAT E R L I G H T A STEEP SLOPED GARDEN DESCENDING TO SE A-LEVEL L O C AT E D I N T H E H E A R T O F SCOT L A N D, BU RST I N G W I T H LUS H L A N D S C A P E S A N D G R E E N S PA C E S

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ocated on Edinburgh’s northern waterfront, Granton is home to a classic old cottage with views looking out across the Firth of Forth, as well as a coastal hillside garden that stretches up towards the town. The garden space outside the cottage comprised of an abundance of flower beds, mature shrubs and trees.

The steeper area which provided access into town for the clients was a shrubland, and was formerly owned by the council. It was covered in a deep-rooted mass of well-established brambles, rosebay willowherb, couch grass, nettles, creeping buttercup, self-seeded sycamore and bindweed – as well as the layers of litter and rubbish built up over the years. The project required a holistic, open-ended design approach, allowing the opportunity to rework what already existed in the garden space.

Brief Capitalising on the remarkable view across the Firth of Forth from their newly acquired land above their original garden was an essential requirement for the clients, along with making access up and through the space easier, safer and more interesting. It was key for Stone Wood Water Light to create unity between the existing garden and the new space.

Curved steps at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark and steep Majorcan streets, with Bougainvillea cascading down walls, provided inspiration for further elements of the brief. The clients were also very keen to incorporate sustainable elements and reused materials where possible.

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Design and build All work was to be carried out by hand, with the sustainable construction ethos of reusing materials from the existing garden. Given the steepness and wildness of the upper garden, a snaking whinstone set of steps was designed, with a network of mini patios incorporated to act as rest stops and viewpoints.

The snaking path was planned to continue down to an existing reworked cobbled patio beside the original shed, simultaneously curving down towards the existing house steps located at the back door.

A curving gorge style path with self-bound grit was created, cutting through the slope from the cobbled patio to the main patio, with herbaceous beds retained on either side. The design also considered the existing mature planting of shrubs and trees.

Ensuring they would be wide and large enough to remain useable, the steps and patios were developed to create a line of sight up through the garden from bottom to top.

The shed was relocated onto the site of an old pond, allowing more space for the cobbled paving area to be considerably enlarged. After the shed was in place, work began on the hillside steps, undertaken using recycled whinstone setts and risers and recycled granite setts as treads. All useable existing materials, such as hardcore and different soil types, were identified and stored appropriately for future re-use. Old building materials unearthed were set aside and reused either as backing/filling or facing material, based on what it was and what it contributed to the build.

Block built retaining walls were constructed to retain the existing garden level and allow for the

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INSPIRE

BEFORE

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gorge style path to cut through it. These were rendered in white Thermocromex to tie in with the existing property and keep the area feeling light and bright. Local stone located on site was used to retain the garden level on the other side of the gorge style path to give the transition a contrasting hewn feel.

The mini patio bases were completed with imported MOT Type 1 crushed rock hardcore once all onsite excavation of potential material had been completed. At this stage, far greater knowledge of the depth of the slope and root structure were established, justifying the original plan not to remove but work with existing conditions.

Planting Soil from the step’s excavation was stored progressively on further cleared areas, where the stubble and main roots were later removed, avoiding the need to buy anything where possible. Planting areas on the hillside were slowly and effectively created and conditioned as works progressed. Such areas were then planted with a network of small trees and large shrubs chosen to be rugged and give a Mediterranean hillside garden feel.

Miniature Pinus nigra took centre place as a gnarled windswept specimen, while Cupressus sempervirens were planted to the left as a focal point and a Pinus mugo is located above the second lay-by patio. Juniperus were also planted alongside Artemisia, Euphorbia and sea buckthorn.

Further planting, such as Eucalyptus gunni, was added to screen direct views to the house as passers by at the top road stop to take in the expansive views. Larch copings have been used on various walls, giving a softer driftwood feel to the hard landscaping, along with a larch trellis screen to relax the neighbouring boundaries.

The planting areas around the lower original garden area have been enriched with green waste compost, planted up with selection of herbaceous planting chosen for a colourful fragrant and warm climate feel. The top of the hillside is now home to a mix of Berberis, sea buckthorn and Buddleja alongside another selection of herbs, screening and softening the top patio.

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Lower garden area in the summer Stairs wind up through the steep coastal garden Top gate and mini patio View from the top patio View of the garden from the back door

REFERENCES The Builders Supply Company General building supplies www.thebuilderssupply.co.uk BEFORE

Brick and Stone Scotland Ltd Whinstone cobbles and granite setts www.brickandstonescotland.com The Builders Supply Company Sandstone paving www.thebuilderssupply.co.uk R & B Nursery Trees and shrubs www.rbnursery.co.uk Macplants Herbaceous plants www.macplants.co.uk Conifox Nursery Fig trees www.conifox.co.uk DURING

ABOUT STONE WOOD W AT E R L I G H T Established in 1998, Stone Wood Water Light has a ‘new from old’ ethos. This involves working with what already exists in the garden prior to introducing anything new. Stone Wood Water Light has continued to develop its design and build skills along with its impact awareness, to better enable the creation of ever more sustainable and desirable garden spaces.

www.dugdigs.co.uk

Forth Resource Management Ltd Recycled garden waste and compost www.frmrecycling.co.uk Masons Mortar Lime render Thermocromex www.masonsmortar.co.uk Scottish Wood Larch timber www.scottishwood.co.uk Plantforms Rugged hillside wildflower advice www.plantforms.co.uk

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INSPIRE

PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £600k Build time 9 months Size of project acre

A N I N T R I CAT E

REFRESH HERTFORDSHIRE WA L L E D G A R D E N ARALIA A PROMINENT BUILDING SET IN A HERTFORDSHIRE VILLAGE, SURROUNDED B Y W H I T E W A S H E D H E R I TA G E B U I L D I N G S , REQUIRED AN ECLECTIC GARDEN TO COMPLEMENT THE STUNNING 16TH CENTURY GRADE-II LISTED PROPERTY

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Design and build Hertfordshire Walled Garden encompasses three primary areas: the courtyard garden, the driveway garden and the walled garden.

A highly functional garden, it provides a wide range of spaces for the clients and their family to relax in and entertain. Both new and reclaimed Yorkstone is juxtaposed throughout, unifying the materials with character.

A Corten archway runs along the length of the garden, forming its structural backbone.

These bridge the divide across the three gardens to form a cohesive narrative. They are particularly striking because, unlike standard arches, their central gap overhead creates drama, enhanced by repetition in the groups of three down the central walkway of the garden.

Due to the courtyard being exposed to vast amounts of sun, the family were concerned about not being able to escape the harsh rays whilst relaxing by the water feature, so Aralia installed sail shades. Chunky oak posts create the uprights, whilst the shades (made from a strong sailcloth) float overhead, and a striking

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overhead feature which blocks the harsh UV rays is created. They are removable for winter storage, allowing more light into the courtyard when it's most needed.

The walled garden contained an unused outdoor pool which, prior to the project, failed to integrate into the space. It was adapted into a water feature and transformed into a natural swimming pond, something which necessitated a delicate reworking. Water planting installation proved particularly tricky as some aquatic plants did not cope well with the summer heat before the pool could be fully commissioned.

The water feature adds light and movement to the courtyard area, forming a subtle link between the larger body of water in the walled garden and the underground water source of the well. It forms the central feature and gathering point, creating a relaxing atmosphere. Drystone walling is capped by a clean-cut sawn Yorkstone

coping, marrying the traditional elements with crisp modernity in a single feature.

As the courtyard build progressed, the client liked the timber detail so much that they asked for it to be extended into the driveway space.

Lighting has been introduced throughout the garden to add impact, highlight key features and enhance ambience.

The lighting proved to be an important feature, given the client's requirements to sit inside the double height glass window and look out onto the space. Sited in full view of the floor-to-ceiling height window of the refurbished build, the well is one of the original features of the 16th century Grade-II listed house.

1 Timber decking path cuts through naturalistic perennial planting and meadow 2 The natural swimming pond 3 Corten arches form the garden's backbone

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Photographs ŠRichard Bloom

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his Grade-II listed house had recently been lovingly restored using a quirky mix of old and new, and Aralia took this as the starting point for its design. The build process was extremely collaborative, with the client being an integral part of the process.

Attention to detail throughout the design process was of paramount importance, aiming to modernise where possible whilst still ensuring the client's preferences were adhered to. The client has a passion for renovation and Aralia could see from the offset just how important every detail would be to them.

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Aralia designed a concentric but strikingly asymmetrical brick detail to lead the eye to this low level feature, and the glass lid allows views into its water depths, linking old and new.

Lighting completed the picture, with ventilation added to ensure a clear view and remove condensation issues.

Mature pleached trees add to the structure of the garden and help create instant privacy.

Within this strong structural framework, softer layers of herbaceous plants build throughout the growing season to a crescendo into late summer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; particularly the walled garden, where the prairie planting reaches head height and merges visually into the wildflower meadow strips. In the courtyard, three strategically placed tree ferns add height and a touch of delicate elegance close to the building.

Strong vibrant shades of maroon, orange and burnt umber planting lift the evergreens right through the year, from crocus and tulips in the spring through to Geums and Irises in early summer and bright Echinaceas and Rudbeckias in later summer. A host of perennial plants continue to deliver flashes of brightness all year round.

Challenges The clients required a greenhouse, which proved to be a difficult aspect to incorporate into the schedule due to the required planning permission.

The clients preferred to use their own bricklayers

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REFERENCES

5 4 The original well, enhanced with glass lid, brick surround and lighting 5 Courtyard seating around the water feature, under shade sails 6 Tree ferns with zingy Crocosmia 'Carmin Brilliant'

Bulbs Kingsdown Nurseries www.kingsdown-uk.com BEFORE

Contractor TKE Landscaping www.tkelandscaping.co.uk

design innovation.

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Greenhouse Alitex www.alitex.co.uk Natural swimming pond Woodhouse Natural Pools www.naturalswimmingpools.com

Aralia is an award-winning professional studio, set up by Patricia Fox MSGD over 15 years ago and is now run together with Alastair Henderson MSGD. Aralia is where designers and landscape architects work collaboratively on projects large and small for both residential and commercial clients, and where the focus revolves around

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Specimen trees and hedging Practical Plants www.practical-plants.co.uk Tree ferns Premier Plants UK Ltd www.premierplantsuk.com

ABOUT ARALIA

www.aralia.org.uk

Trees Deepdale Trees www.deepdale-trees.co.uk

BEFORE

Photographs ŠRichard Bloom

(who had previously done repairs to the fabric of the historic garden walls) to construct the brick wall base. However, the finished height was not as intended â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a 20mm gap between the wall and superstructure was left. Due to this, Aralia suggested incorporating a porcelain sill to neatly cap the wall and bring it up to the correct height for the greenhouse to sit on.

The original boundary choice for the garden was a brick wall, selected to replace a dilapidated fence with timber sections to break up the expanse of walling and allow for mature tree roots along the boundary. Initial designs were turned down by planning, so the idea of installing a quirky chestnut fence was implemented, allowing for the existing tree roots to be undisturbed and adding to the character of the property.

Stone Johnsons Wellfield www.johnsons-wellfield.co.uk

Irrigation Pulse Irrigation www.pulseirrigation.com

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VENETIAN

WAT E R WAYS G R E AT YA R M O U T H W AT E R W AY S BLAKEDOWN LANDSCAPES T H I S R E G E N E R AT I O N I S S E T T O B R I N G T O U R I S M , A C T I V I T Y, A E S T H E T I C A S W E L L A S N O S TA L G I A ,

BY RE-OPENING THE VENICE-INSPIRED B O AT I N G L A K E A F T E R A D E C A D E

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he Waterways, comprising of The Venetian Waterways, the Ornamental Gardens and Boating Lake, are situated on the Great Yarmouth seafront, just north of the main visitor attraction known as the ‘Gold Mile’. They were designed as a seafront attraction in the 1920s, using a landscape with novelty and stylistic effect that differed from other landscape design during this period. The canals and gardens were hand-built and planted by over 400 unemployed men after the First World War to provide work, as well as to boost domestic

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tourism. Yet at the end of the 20th century, the Waterways had fallen into complete disrepair and the Boating Lake was drained and closed.

Today, the Waterways have been completely restored using a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant from the council. They have been re-injected with the horticultural and rockery richness that once existed, capturing the nostalgia surrounding the attraction.

Blakedown Landscapes was tasked with bringing the eclectic ornamental features of the Waterways back to life, including an island thatched café, Venetian-style bridges interlinking island rock gardens, cottage ornée style thatched shelters and an expansive floral planting.

The Boating Lake has been structurally improved and re-lined, allowing it to re-open for traditional rowing boat hire. These elements work together to demonstrate the vibrancy and extrovert nature of Great Yarmouth as a seaside resort. Blakedown Landscapes worked alongside landscape architects Allen Scott to bring this vision to life.

The project brief described the conservation of historic waterways and the returning use of the Boating Lake as a tourist attraction. A key

4 objective of the brief was to provide opportunities for training and employment, just as it had done when it was first built. The construction element of the project consisted

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The restored boating lake and gardens Traditional cottage ornée style thatched shelter Armeria maritima (sea thrift) Yarrow, Achillea filipendulina ‘Cloth of Gold’ Bird’s eye view of the completed site

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PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £2.2m Build time 14 months Size of project Seven acres Awards Shortlisted for Regeneration Scheme at BALI National Landscape Awards 2019

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of both soft and hard landscaping, including soiling improvements, planting, rockery works, paving, a pergola, street furniture and external lighting, excluding the Boating Lake island.

The planting proposal was pieced together using historic images and post cards, along with research into planting styles of the time.

Blakedown also looked for modern day commercially available species which would survive in the extreme exposed location. This won praise from the Royal Horticultural Society in the 1920s, featuring 19,500 perennials, shrubs and trees. Blakedown repaired seven bridges, re-thatched four buildings and repositioned more than 500t of rock and stone.

The building works included construction of an access ramp to the Boating Lake, work to the Boating Lake island, the renovation and extension of the café, the demolition of the existing gardeners store and the creation of a new equivalent. Other works included concrete repair and renovation of entrances and bridges to the waterways and boating lake.

Material sourcing was carried out in conjunction with the client team to procure materials that were in line with the specification.

The use of local suppliers was also promoted.

REFERENCES Contractor-grown plant supply Robin Tacchi Plants www.robintacchiplants.com Trees and shrub supply Von Ehrens www.lve-baumschule.de/en Thatched roofing contractor Kelly’s Thatching www.kellythatching.co.uk Concrete repairs Concrete Renovations www.concreterenovations.co.uk

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6 Japanese garden and green oak pergola 7 Carefully selected planting species to survive the sites exposed coastal location

Challenges The project faced many challenges, including logistical issues due to a large site in a busy area. Access within the site was difficult, and Blakedown had to create many temporary access routes and bridges as to not further damage the lakes. The planting also proved tasking, as despite Blakedown being in charge of the majority of gardening and specimens, it also had to coordinate the contract grow as well as direct volunteers who took part.

The scheme’s tight budget meant that Blakedown worked closely with the design team in order to try and maximise the possibilities within the limits of these financial constraints.

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ABOUT BLAKEDOWN LANDSCAPES DURING THE BUILD With more than 50 years of experience, Blakedown Landscapes is a multi-award winning landscape contractor operating throughout the UK. Blakedown specialises in delivering high quality hard and soft landscape construction, environmental improvements, public park restoration, grounds maintenance, and play area construction projects.

www.blakedown.co.uk

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BEFORE

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OWNERS OF URBANPIONEERS LIANE BAUER AND MARION PREEZ TALK TO US ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING A PRACTICE WHICH NOT ONLY ALLOWS FOR A GOOD WORK-LIFE BALANCE, BUT ALSO ENABLES THEM TO PURSUE THE VALUES THEY BELIEVE IN

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LANDSCAPE A R C H I T EC T ’S JOURNAL

WE FOCUS ON CREATING SPACES THAT ARE INCLUSIVE OF A WIDE RANGE OF USERS’ NEEDS

U R BA N P I O N E E R S

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t can be argued that unlike other built environment professions, landscape architecture doesn’t have an issue with attracting women into the profession. As you look closely at the higher-ranking roles though, this dwindles drastically, with twice as many men as women earning over £50k, and no women earning above £100k, according to the Landscape Institute’s (LI) Future State of Landscape talent survey.

The LI suggests this may be due to women taking time off to raise children or look after elderly parents.

Though many things need to be improved by the government, the LI claims that landscape practices could do more to support this, such as more flexibility.

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Liane Bauer and Marion Preez set up UrbanPioneers with the aim of creating a practice that works for young families. Liane and Marion met whilst working at a landscape architecture practice in Glasgow, but with Marion based in Edinburgh, making the daily commute to Glasgow whilst having a family, it was becoming impossible. As a result, Liane and Marion set up UrbanPioneers in Edinburgh, ensuring it had a good family-work balance environment.

As part of Voices of Experience, an investigation into legendary women who have made important contributions to architecture and the built environment, Liane is currently setting up a recorded conversation between herself and her old mentor – acclaimed landscape architect Martha Schwartz.

It is important to Liane and Marion to create a practice which works for young families by having flexibility, so that valuable skills aren’t lost, and women can continue to progress in the profession.

Inclusivity Bringing this ethos into their work, Liane and Marion take pride in ensuring every project is inclusive.

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“We focus on creating spaces that are inclusive of a wide range of users’ needs, with a particular interest in groups whose experiences are less known or considered,” Marion says. These include those with visible and invisible disabilities, the elderly, those living with dementia, and children. They also think the female experience of public space is important.

Liane and Marion have a lot of experience designing with inclusivity in mind, and hold positions on boards which were created to support this. Liane joined the Play Scotland board in 2016, whose objective is underpinned by young people’s right to play. She says: “My aim is to help develop a guidance document for local authorities, developers and designers to increase opportunities of free play.”

Marion is an associate of the Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) at the University of Stirling. Part of her role is undertaking design reviews for outdoor spaces, mainly within the care sector. She also gives

9 talks and workshops on meaningful outdoor activities and designing dementia-friendly outdoor spaces. Marion explains: “most people won’t be aware that using dementia-friendly design principles creates spaces that are legible, accessible and comfortable for all.”

UrbanPioneers is currently creating a concept design for The Inverkeithing Community Development Group (ICDG) which must be accessible for all. The ICDG is working in partnership with co-housing charity The Vivarium Trust to redevelop a previous primary school site for community benefit.

The site is challenging, both in its topography and its location, being isolated from the surrounding houses and having major level changes and sloping land. As well as allowing all possible users accessibility, the concept design must also be responsive to the history of the site, creating a unique environment that enhances the identity of the space. The clients and UrbanPioneers are also taking a sustainable approach to its design, the materials used and the maintenance of the site once it is complete.

Sustainability It is crucial to UrbanPioneers to push landscape led approaches to design in order to shift the

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8 focus to sustainability. “Landscape architects has a huge contribution to offer, and is probably one of the best placed professions to influence decision-makers ranging from politicians to clients,” Marion says. A large majority of UrbanPioneers’ projects involve the reestablishing of broken and discontinued green infrastructures and it’s a key element to its work.

UrbanPioneers is a member of Tree Design and Action Group (TDAG), which it sees as especially important due to the number of trees being affected by diseases. Liane says: “A recent study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature warned that more than half of native European trees face extinction.”

In 2018, UrbanPioneers completed a Green Infrastructure Masterplan for the Pathhead Area in Kirkcaldy. This design was based off findings from a series of intensive and collaborative consultation workshops. The client, Fife Council, had targets of creating a happy, healthy and sustainable environment, which meant tying green infrastructure into existing urban fabric.

The Green Infrastructure Masterplan reviews existing greenspaces and network systems of the Pathhead area in relationship to existing and new housing. It looks at whether the greenspace targets (set out by the planning department)

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS HAVE A HUGE CONTRIBUTION TO OFFER, AND IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST PLACED PROFESSIONS TO INFLUENCE DECISION-MAKERS are achieved, if existing greenspaces can be improved, and where it would be best positioned to have the highest impact. As part of the masterplan, design guidelines have been developed to improve existing parks and greenspaces in the area.

Community engagement Putting the community at the forefront of the designs is vital to the success of UrbanPioneers’

projects. The design for a new playground at Flora Stevenson Primary School grew out of consultation with the pupils, teachers and parents. Liane says: “All groups considered the cultural diversity at the school as their outstanding asset. So, a design based around the continents of the world developed.”

At the centre of the design is the new ‘Heart’ – an undulated landscape of hills and rivers reflecting Scotland. It allows children to run and jump to their liking without prescribing specific activities.

Entering through a magical gate is the area of ‘Asia’ – an embankment with existing planting, where pupils are able to use their imagination. Boxes out the front feature silhouettes of European landmarks, which educate pupils.

The areas have been designed so the school is able to add to them. Marion says: “We are delighted that such an addition by the school has already taken place. They created an African mural – painted by parents and pupils.” A willow tunnel and raised timber shelter have also been added to the South African section.

UrbanPioneers is thriving and creating inclusive designs, not just with users in mind, but also the environment.

By working with groups such as Voices of Experience and TDAG, as well as being co-producers of the Architecture Fringe Festival, UrbanPioneers hopes to spread its ethos to the wider industry and society.

1 Nairn Street aerial view ©Calum Duncan Architects 2 South playground, Dyce Primary School 3 Flora Stevenson Primary School, Edinburgh ©Leo Friel 4 Flora Stevenson Primary School, Edinburgh ©Leo Friel 5 Perennials for soldiers, Kinghorn 6 Dragon garden ©Tina Norris 7 Community woodland, Leuchatsbeath 8 Den Road, Kirkcaldy ©Calum Duncan Architects 9 Nairn Street, Kirkcaldy ©Calum Duncan Architects

C O N TA C T UrbanPioneers Ltd 3 Tweeddale Court, 14 High Street Edinburgh, EH1 1TE Tel 07910049357 / 07804132338 Email mail@urbanpioneers.co.uk

www.urbanpioneers.co.uk

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SAOTA MIAMI BEACH SLIDE AT PINE TREE HOUSE

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MAKING A SPLASH S

SHOOT BY SPLINTERWORKS

ANJI CONNELL TAKES A LOOK AT DECORATIVE SLIDES, WHICH ARE GROWING EVER-POPULAR, AND TELLS US HOW YOU CAN BRING THESE INTO GARDEN DESIGNS

lides can add a playful touch to a garden whilst also appealing to families with children. Along with this, decorative slides designed as one-off pieces are becoming more popular, created to make a statement and attract an audience.

Instagram-centric art and photo opportunity experiences show no sign of abating, and immersive, fun, photo-ready installations continue to pop up, with visitors lining up to snap them. At Maryellis Bunn’s and Manish Vora’s Museum of Ice Cream (alternatively standing for Movement of Imagination and Creativity), a millennial pink slide plunged guests into a pool of multi-coloured sprinkles. The first permanent Museum of Ice Cream will open in New York on 14 December, and it is slated to have a large slide that will plunge riders down three floors into a pool of colourful miniature objects.

Coming from another design perspective, the Vidre-Slide is the brainchild of British design

VERTEX POOL SLIDE BY SPLINTERWORKS

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practice Eckersley O’Callaghan (known for the Apple stores’ glass stairs) and Spanish glass fabricators Cricursa. The Vidre-Slide merges glass design and cutting-edge engineering, creating a 4m-high drop using a single piece of laminated glass.

Extravagently, in downtown Los Angeles, you can experience the ‘skyslide’ – a glass box slide hanging from the US Bank Tower. Daredevil visitors to the 70th storey can hurtle down the clear square glass tube to the 69th level below.

SLIDES CAN ADD A PLAYFUL TOUCH TO A GARDEN WHILST ALSO APPEALING TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN Where play meets art Though these statement slides are just that, many slides mimic functional sculptures, adding not only fun but also beauty to a garden design. Miles Hartwell and Matt Withington, owners of sculptural design company SplinterWorks, are passionate about creating products that reimagine familiar objects – using and transforming them into ambitious and beautifully-crafted, functioning sculptures.

The design duo strives to enrich lives and enhance the environment by elevating experience with engaging, inspiring, artistic, and fun-to-use products. This is true of their collection of bespoke luxury sculptural indoor and outdoor waterslides that add the ultimate ‘wow factor’ wherever they are placed.

SplinterWorks is currently the only company making sculptural pool slides. To date, most of the work has been with residential clients, but the company now has pieces being installed into hotels.

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TYPES OF SLIDES Straight leg slides These have a broad curve at the pool end that comfortably delivers the slider into the pool. This is ideal if you’re looking for a simple slide and have a smaller, shallow pool.

Moulded leg slide These typically have a larger curve and are steeper than the straight leg slides, which adds to the slide thrill.

With their compact design, they take up less ground space.

Elephant leg slide Reaching up to 14ft, these are the largest and fastest, and are often the best choice for older children looking for a biggest thrill as they slide.

Each slide is considered and inspired by its setting, using materials to suit the client’s style, budget and surroundings. “We often work in mirror-polished stainless steel as it has the most incredible reflection, and visually integrates into different environments beautifully. We also create our own finishes, and we’ve just designed a concrete slide,” Matt explains.

“This was a new challenge and aesthetic for us. We’ll be unveiling that in a couple of months,” adds Miles. SplinterWorks recently collaborated with New York architect Rafael de Cárdenas and London-based architecture office Purcell on a pool house for the owners of a mid-19th century English country manor. To fulfil the brief, the architect designed a pair of symmetrical slides that spiral down to the water for the client’s children to race

STAR RIDER BY SPLINTERWORKS

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HALO SLIDE BY SPLINTERWORKS

each other down. Working with SplinterWorks, it created a fun slide that doubles as a fabulous architectural feature.

Jacksons Leisure Supplies fibreglass slides are made in the UK to all required standards, but are not commercial grade.

It does, however, sell SR Smith Resin Slides (made in the US). SR Smith has been making swimming pool slides for over 80 years, and its full-sized slide stands 7’4” tall and is available in sandstone and grey granite.

Its unique GrandRapids water delivery system generates rushing water, ensuring a fun ride.

For commercial pools, a good choice would be the Vortex slide – a 360-degree model.

Building slides Slides require installation onto a wooden or concrete deck for stability and security, so make sure you allow space for this. Don’t forget to check the weight they will withstand, and if in a commercial setting, you need to ensure the slides are commercial grade.

You can create a unique slide by adding a flume into a customised raised level. Looking at SR Smith, the Garden Ride, River Run, and BYOS2 Landslides are all made with resin transfer moulding (RTM), which is UV resistant, salt friendly, as well as being strong and durable.

SR Smith is happy to work with designers on custom pool designs – just submit a drawing to its technical experts. For example, the SR Smith BigRide landscape swimming pool slide has an extra-long, deep runway with an abundant water supply, and the SR Smith Build Your Own Slide has 11 colour choices and seven sections to combine to make your own super slide.

The quality and durability of the slide depend on the construction material. Earlier models were made from fibreglass or acrylic.

In contrast, today they tend to be made in polyethylene – a heavy-duty plastic that stands up to the harsh sun that has some flex in it to avoid cracking.

A water connection reduces traction giving a faster slide. Water can also effectively turn your slide into a water feature for year-round interest. However, slides are fun, with or without water. They really come into their own as a piece of garden sculpture, and are attractive to look at throughout the year.

WAHA SLIDE BY SPLINTERWORKS

DECORATIVE SLIDES DESIGNED AS ONE-OFF PIECES ARE BECOMING MORE POPULAR, CREATED TO MAKE A STATEMENT AND ATTRACT AN AUDIENCE

REFLEX POOL SLIDE BY SPLINTERWORKS

SAOTA MIAMI BEACH SLIDE AT PINE TREE HOUSE

ABOUT ANJI CONNELL Internationally recognised interior architect and landscape designer, Anji Connell, is a detail-obsessed Inchbald graduate, and has been collaborating with artisans and craftsmen to create bespoke and unique interiors for a discerning clientele since 1986. Anji is a stylist, feature writer and lover of all things art and design.

www.anjiconnellinteriordesign.com

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5 K E Y C O N S I D E R AT I O N S O F

PAV I N G D R A I N AG E SLOPES ARE UNNECESSARY A common misconception is the belief that a slope is needed for water to drain effectively. However, this is not necessary.

As long as the channel is laid flat and level, the water will be able to flow, providing the outlet is below the level of the channel.

Designing and constructing a slope when it is not needed uses up valuable time and resources throughout the process.

By addressing this common belief, contractors can spend time on other important aspects of the project.

MEASURING DEPTHS/LOADS To create a set up that works for paving, the channel for the run-off should be between 3 - 5mm lower than the surface area it is diverting water away from. This is the equivalent of a £1 coin placed face down on the surface of the channel and the surface area that is the source of the run-off being level with the top of the coin.

Additionally, the load class should be carefully considered. If the paving area will be exclusively used by pedestrians, such as in a back garden, then an A 15 solution can be used. However, if it’s for a domestic driveway, a B 125 system should be the minimum classification considered (the exact will depend on the anticipated vehicular loads).

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STANDING WATER IN A PAVED ARE A IS NOT ONLY AN EYESORE – IT CAN ALSO BE A MA JOR SAFET Y HA ZARD. HERE, NEIL HIGGINS, PRODUCT TRAINING MANAGER AT ACO WATER MANAGEMENT, PROVIDES HIS TOP TIPS WHEN CONSIDERING DRAINAGE FOR PAVED ARE AS

DESIGNS NEED TO BE LOGICAL The challenge I am often presented with is a design that is not feasible. For example, it is surprisingly not unusual to be given a design that includes an uphill slope for water to run along. Understandably, there are certain routes customers would prefer that run-off travelled along, but the logistics of making this happen must be thoughtout. Uphill run-off is not achievable, and channels set up to re-route rainwater need to be either flat or slope downwards in the desired direction.

COMPLETING THE LOOK If the project requires bespoke decorative aggregates, it’s important the accompanying drainage enhances the aesthetics of the landscape. ACO’s Complete the Look range allows you to upgrade the grating to one with a premium alternative finish, with the most popular of these being the stainless steel wedge wire grating. While such gratings cost more, they can offer more mark-up potential in the overall price of the project.

ACCESS POINTS ALLOW EASY MAINTENANCE It is essential to ensure that the proper maintenance access for the drainage channel is implemented during any paving installation. As particles of dust and dirt collect over time, the build-up of silt is inevitable. To keep the channel running efficiently, it needs to be cleared regularly, and to achieve this, access points are required. There are two main channel options for paving – gratings and Brickslot. Standard gratings can be lifted off the channel to allow access for cleaning and maintenance. Brickslot requires more thought, as the only way to access the channel is via the inclusion of dedicated access points, so it is essential these units are included as part of the design.

ABOUT NEIL HIGGINS Neil Higgins, product training manager at ACO Water Management, joined the organisation back in 2008. He is responsible for conducting training in merchants or at the ACO Academy to ensure individuals have up-to-date and in-depth knowledge of the product ranges available.

www.aco.co.uk

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JOE PERKINS

INSPIRE

The Facebook Garden: Beyond the Screen, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019 What was the initial concept?

The inspiration came from years of visiting the northern coast of Spain with my family and the stunning coastline there. I wanted to make a coastal garden with a water feature that reflected this – a wave was the only choice really.

WAT E R FE ATURES MATTHEW CHILDS The Smart Meter Garden, RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival 2019 What was the initial concept?

I always saw the water feature as playing a very important role in the garden, carrying its message whilst also providing a sense of drama and intrigue. The idea was to bring people together and sit them facing each other around the circular feature to experience a transformation of atmosphere in the garden. This came from the uncertainty of flashing lights and gassy vapor seeping out of a black cracked surface to the contrast of a large water mirror reflecting a calm scene of people and trees.

What were you hoping to achieve?

It was important that visitors were left feeling hopeful, with the message that by coming together we can all do small things to make a huge positive impact on our environment.

T W O A W A R D -W I N N I N G D E S I G N E R S TA L K S U S THROUGH THEIR RHS SHOW G A R D E N W AT E R F E AT U R E S

pumps of moving water at a rate of 50,000L per hour through a network of 50m of pipe work.

Due to its 5m diameter, assembly and welding took place on site to bring these different parts of the feature together. A hydroponic misting system was researched, tested and sourced

by Belderbos for the misting aspect. Finally, Moonlight Design took on the challenge of lighting the feature, which involved 139 linear meters of ultra-bright LEDs. Were there any challenges?

There were many, but these were overcome with planning and prebuilt testing. One aspect was the smoke effect. Dry ice machines were too expensive to run on this scale and commercial misting machines dispensed too much water into the air. We tested hydroponic atomizer misters, and these gave off the perfect density of water vapor to give the illusion of smoke.

What were you hoping to achieve?

Making a wave can be easy, but to avoid it being gimmicky is very hard. I was really worried about it, that was the difficult bit.

I wanted to create the sound of waves breaking on the beach, and it had to be timed right.

It found more success than I had ever hoped for because we found that visitors developed a personal connection to the garden through the wave. In a way, it transported them to their own favourite beach or childhood holiday. The effect was much stronger than I’d anticipated.

How did you create the water feature?

That’s easy – the genius and hard work of Bamber Wallis, with input from Mark Britton (The Outdoor Room) and myself. We had a 1:1 scale model in Bamber’s workshop, and it was trial and error to get it just right. I’d taken video footage of the beach in Spain, so we knew what sound and timing we were going for.

Were there any challenges?

We had to adjust a few things of course.

Water never behaves quite how you expect it to. Housing the mechanism under a stone slab that weighed over a tonne was a bit challenging, and we had to rethink the wave’s direction of travel as well. Bamber realised very early on that to make it seem natural we would have to recreate the same kind of rolling energy that you find in nature.

That’s why he’s the genius.

How did you create the water feature?

This project was very complicated, so its success depended on bringing together a range of specialists. Belderbos Landscapes brought this team together, taking overall responsibility for fabrication and delivery on site. Water Artisans Ltd provided a wealth of knowledge leading on the technical design and much of the implementation. The result of its calculations to make the water feature fill within two and a half minutes and drain away via gravity was three

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INSPIRE

SCULPTURES A S E L E C T I O N O F H A N D M A D E S C U L P T U R E S C A PA B L E O F B R I N G I N G A U N I Q U E S E N S E O F C H A R AC T E R TO T H E I R S U R R O U N D I N G S

DAVID HARBER

WILL CARR SCULPTURE The kinetic wind sculptures created

by Will Carr explore the relationship of geometry and form interacting in their environment. The pieces are designed to be ever-changing and flowing, even in the lightest of winds. This piece, ‘Coreografia’, has been modelled to the proportions of a dancing human, with all moving pieces being above reachable height to make it suitable for public spaces. www.willcarr sculpture.co.uk

David Harber’s client commissioned three pieces for the oceanfront home they were building in Mexico. The client had a Feng Shui consultant on the project who influenced the selection and positioning of the sculptures. Each piece needed to work in its setting, and was located where it could be enjoyed from within the house as well. For the central terrace, they chose a slate Torus, with the mirror-polished stainless steel side facing the beach so it could reflect the ocean, and the Welsh Slate side framing the views from the other side. Lighting on each sculpture means each piece could be enjoyed both in the day and at night. www.davidharber.co.uk

ROBERT JAMES WORKSHOP LTD Designed for a house in Surrey and drawing inspiration from the unsettling, slightly anarchic illustrations from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland novels, Robert James’ sculptures were part of the Lewis Carroll-themed Rose Marquee at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The stunning display held an atmosphere similar to that of a Mad Hatter’s tea party, with a lifelike white rabbit that peers through the ferns at visitors. This long eared friend was placed prominently to emerge from the surrounding vegetation, along with the Cheshire Cat and the Dodo, leaning on his cane. www.robertjamesworkshop.com

ARTFE Designed by Kev Paxton for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018, ‘Rabbie’ is a ferrous topiary Clydesdale sculpture and was forged by hand, using centuries-old blacksmithing techniques. It was made from approximately 30% upcycled agricultural parts, and included hundreds of individually-made flowers and leaves.

As with all of ArtFe’s work, this sculpture demonstrates artistic talent, creative imagination, and an elegance and delicacy of touch rarely associated with such a robust medium. It's inspired by the wild and romantic Scottish countryside, and captures the beauty and power of the Clydesdale, while celebrating the work of Scotland’s National Bard. www.artfe.co.uk

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HELEN SINCLAIR Helen Sinclair exhibits her sculptures at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show every year at her stand, which is located close to the Bullring entrance.

This design is a piece from her 2019 stand, titled ‘Another Door Opens’. It is cast in bronze from a reclaimed wood, originally in an edition of seven.

The piece was sold twice at the flower show in May. One cast was delivered to Ireland, and the other was purchased for a private manor in Derbyshire. www.helensinclair.co.uk

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F E AT U R E GARDEN

NURTURE

NYMANS

A N E X T E N S I V E Y E T I N T I M AT E S PAC E , N Y M A N S I S A D R A M AT I C G A R D E N FO R T I F I E D BY G E N E R AT I O N S O F H A R D WO R K , I N N OVAT I O N A N D C U R I O S I T Y

Pinetum One of the first parts of the garden to greet you when visiting Nymans is also the first part of the garden Ludwig created – the pinetum.

The pinetum is unusual because the trees were

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selected and planted in groups of families, meaning visitors could admire the variations in height, form and colour within each family.

Sadly, approximately 90% of the trees Ludwig and James planted within the pinetum were destroyed in the Great Storm of 1987, an event which devastated most of the country.

“We’ve undertaken vast amounts of research into the design and content of the original pinetum and plan to restore some of the original elements to bring it in line with Ludwig’s original vision,” assistant head gardener Nick Delves tells us.

“When it is completed, we hope it will become one of the most important in Europe.”

Conifers made up a substantial portion of the pinetum, due to Ludwig’s fondness for them. Species such as Picea smithiana can still be found in parts of the garden. Nymans connection with conifers goes beyond its collection though, as it’s part of the International Conifer Conservation Programme (ICCP) set up by the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh

(RBGE) with the hope of safeguarding conifer species from all over the world. Head gardener Joseph Whelan explains: “The RBGE undertakes plant collection expeditions and the seed they bring back goes to designated safe sites throughout the UK, and we are one such site.”

©National Trust Images/Stephen Robson

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n the theatrical ruin of the Great Hall, once the heart of entertainment in the Messel family’s home, the team at Nymans is creating a garden which will tell the story of Nymans and how it came to hold such an important collection of plants.

It was owner Ludwig Messel and head gardener James Comber who created the bones of the gardens at Nymans. Planted in the 1890s, much of the original Victorian and Edwardian influenced planting still lives on in the grounds.

The planting which defines the gardens as Grade-II listed, though, is also down to Ludwig’s son Leonard, and James’ son Harold. Leonard continued his father’s ethos of collecting rare and unusual plants from around the world.

CAMELLIA "MAUD MESSEL"

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NURTURE

These are carefully monitored and it enables the RBGE to get an understanding of where conifers will thrive in the UK. Once the pinetum was planted, Ludwig set his attention to the south end of the garden and started to develop the heath garden, a rock garden and a wall garden, having been inspired by other gardens he visited. The heath garden

THE TEAM AT NYMANS ARE CREATING A GARDEN WHICH WILL TELL THE STORY OF NYMANS AND HOW IT CAME TO HOLD SUCH AN IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF PLANTS is possibly one of the largest groups of heather to be seen in the country. When the heath garden was planted, only Kew had a more substantial collection of heathers. It contains many varieties of Ericas and Callunas, and it also contains a national collection of Sussex heather cultivars.

The rock garden was developed around the same time, and the mound in the rock garden was created using the soil taken up for the croquet lawn. Meanwhile, the collection of structures and statues was brought back from a Japanese exposition.

The wall garden has always been the botanical heart of the garden. Containing some of the gardens rarest and most unusual plants, the wall garden historically grew plants which were more tender. Creating a corridor through the middle, the summer border contains a mix of herbaceous planting and shrubs. Each year, 6,000 annuals – grown in the Nymans nursery – fill the borders with colour. Cuphea platycentra and Heliotrope arborescens ‘Marine’ both have long flowering periods while the dark red foliage of Amaranthus ‘Red Army’ is an amazing statement plant.

Salvias, however, are the most common thing to be found in the borders. Though Nymans only has around 50 species, the quantity grown is enormous. Among the varieties on show are Salvia patens, Salvia sclarea and Salvia coccinea ‘Coral Nymph’.

Nymans is also reworking and reimagining its collection, rotating the varieties propagated each year, continuing the tradition of experimenting with planting.

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Nymans originals Harold Comber was one of the most prolific plant hunters of his time. Because his father James was head gardener at Nymans, most of the plants that are connected to Harold are now held by Nymans. Harold’s trips included visits to Chile, Argentina and Tasmania and due to Nymans dedication to preserving their heritage collections, many of these species can be seen in the garden today.

“We have possibly one of the most important collections of Chilean plants in the UK,” Joseph tells us. Chilean plants which can be spotted include Lobelia tupa, Weinmannia trichosperma, Desfontainia spinosa and Eucryphia, of which Nymans have over 12 different species – including an important Eucryphia moorei.

The importance of the collection is so significant, that when the team began to lose plants, a trip back to Tasmania was made, following in Harold’s footsteps to recover and reintroduce lost collections back into UK horticulture. These will now be distributed throughout the garden, with wild collected plants labelled and signposted so visitors can identify them.

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THE HEATH GARDEN IS POSSIBLY ONE OF THE LARGEST GROUPS OF HEATHER TO BE SEEN IN THE COUNTRY Nymans' collection of Eucryphia includes its own Eucryphia nymansensis, thus named because it was bred at Nymans. In fact, Leonard and James bred nearly 40 new species specific to Nymans in their time. Allowing the plants to self-seed everywhere, species such as Camellia ‘Maud Messel’, Magnolia 'Anne Rosse' and Magnolia × loebneri 'Leonard Messel' (a cross 1 View of the forecourt and house ©Chris Lacey 2 Snake's head fritillary flower (Fritillaria meleagris) ©National Trust Images/John Miller 3 The Lime Avenue woodland, which contains trees of mainly oak, sweet chestnut and beech ©National Trust Images/Stephen Robson 4 Colourful summer borders ©National Trust Images/John Miller 5 The Rose Garden at Nymans ©National Trust Images/John Miller 6 Heathers ©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler 7 Magnolia x soulangeana ©National Trust Images/James Dobson 8 The ruins and surrounding gardens ©National Trust Images/Chris Jonas

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©National Trust Images/Stephen Robson

Ruins “We want to tell the Nymans' story within the ruins,” Nick, who is responsible for the design of the space, explains. "There is so much potential to develop the space – it’s so special.”

The remnants of the Messel family’s Great Hall – a gothic style ruin – offers a dramatic atmosphere, one which naturally lends itself to that of a theatrical garden. Nick will place giant planters on each side of the ruin with Corten steel screening breaking the space up into rooms and water features creating a calming atmosphere. A statue will be positioned at the

THE GOTHIC STYLE RUIN OFFERS A DRAMATIC ATMOSPHERE WHICH YOU CAN'T HELP BUT ENVISAGE AS A THEATRICAL GARDEN

©Nick Delves

Sustainability The National Trust, as an organisation, believes that setting an example for sustainability is part of its responsibility. This means among other things, Nymans is completely peat free. Nick tells us: “People say that they have tried to go peat free and you can’t achieve the results, but we’re proving that wrong. You just have to take a look in our nursery and you’ll see that you can grow anything if you give it enough attention and care.”

Any watering undertaken at Nymans comes from its harvested water tank, but the team tries to avoid watering where it can – instead focusing on growing long grass and wildflowers around trees and shrubs which helps to retain moisture.

Nymans doesn’t use pesticides or fungicides in its nursery, but instead opts for biocontrol using nematodes to control vine weevil, slugs and snails, as well as parasitic wasps and larvae to control aphids.

©Philip Kersey

between a Magnolia kobus and a Magnolia stellata) were bred at Nymans, and the tradition continues today.

GARDEN IN THE RUINS CONCEPT

end of the ruin mirroring Nymans’ collection – specifically a piece referencing Leonard’s son, Oliver, who designed for the theatre and stage.

The team worked with local Alzheimer's groups to select the ferns for the space, and Dicksonia antarctica, Matteuccia struthiopteris and Osmunda regalis were chosen. A lot of the garden's original plants will also decorate the space, and Nick wants to ensure they are telling the story of how the plants originated.

Nothing can grow up the walls because the ruin is a listed building, but the Corten screens will come into their own when it comes to introducing climbing plants.

The ruin isn’t an easy place for light and the sun bypasses it altogether during the winter months. Nick and the team have selected plants which will thrive in these conditions though, such as Magnolias, Camelias and yew.

Nick has a long-term goal of lighting up the area in the evening and hosting performances, giving a nod to its original purpose and creating a valuable space for the community. Most importantly for Nick, though, is that the space becomes somewhere visitors feel safe, where they can go to have a moment of peace and reflection. The garden will open in the new year, commencing the National Trust's theme for 2020 – mental health.

C O N TA C T Nymans, Handcross, near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6EB Tel: 01444 405 250 nymans@nationaltrust.org.uk

RHODODENDRON PRAEVERNUM

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PERSPECTIVE I

shows with a different, more permanent approach – in fact, we may have even had the answer in the 1980s.

Back in 1988, my parents took me to the Glasgow Garden Festival, the third in a series of five National Garden Festivals that ended in 1992. Their aim was to provide an entertaining festival, featuring displays, gardens, educational resources and a carnival atmosphere.

LEWIS NORMAND CONSIDERS WHETHER A CHANGE TO OUR SHOW GARDEN CULTURE OFFERS BENEFITS WORTH PURSUING

enjoyed reading Andrew Wilson’s article in October’s issue, where he considered the opportunities to rework the format, concepts and application of show gardens in the future. By looking at the existing system with fresh eyes, we may be able to make improvements, reformat, or perhaps even reinvent the concept, making shows even more visitor friendly, relevant to current interests and relatable to average new garden size.

While I am a supporter of show gardens and heavily involved in the supply of plants to designers for shows, I can see opportunities for positive change in this part of the industry.

One change I am a huge supporter of is the consideration of permanence of design – not just the reuse of materials and plants after shows, but a greater lifespan to the gardens in legacy projects.

©Pack-Shot/Shutterstock.com

CH U ONT- UR- O RE NTERN T ON G R EN E T

WE MAY ALREADY HAVE A SOLUTION FOR CREATING SOME NEW SHOWS WITH A DIFFERENT, MORE PERMANENT APPROACH

Now, manifestly, this isn’t possible within the structure of existing RHS shows since the sites used have a different purpose for the other 12 months of the year. Elsewhere, however, we may already have a solution for creating some new

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The festivals were held over many months in a single, changing UK location that went on to benefit from investment in rejuvenation.

Prior to each show opening, and as a legacy of the project, large-scale landscape and infrastructural development took place, turning derelict land into a regenerated space. This repurposing provided areas with declining economies a chance to thrive, and the legacy continues in these reworked landscapes today.

It would be fair to say that my visit directly influenced my desire to study and work in horticulture. Financially, these shows struggled to offset their benefit against cost in the short term, which would obviously be a major consideration if we looked to revive them.

But with one look at the now culturally rich banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow, you can easily see an opportunity.

A recent and similar rejuvenation project in the UK focusing heavily on landscape legacy would be the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a project that invigorated an area that was

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distinctly in decline, furthering investment through an improved landscape.

Cases for long-term (six months or more) shows exist to this day in France’s Chaumont-surLoire and Canada’s International Garden Festival at Jardins de Métis – both of which are held annually – as well as Holland’s Floriade, which is held once every ten years. These shows prove that it can be done successfully, with shows receiving repeat visits from guests looking to see changing landscapes throughout the season.

These longer extravaganzas could sit comfortably alongside the existing show season and would provide a huge opportunity to enact positive change in declining areas. The public would be able to visit over a greater time period, and designers would be free to plant more naturally for multiple seasons of growth and change.

Maybe the cost of undertaking these substantive regeneration projects is too much for our current political system to consider, but I honestly believe that we are missing a trick here. A single visit as a child affected my entire educational and career path, perhaps we could do the same for future generations?

ABOUT LEWIS NORMAND Lewis has worked in a wide variety of roles within horticulture over a 20-year career. He has lectured on garden design and horticulture, and designed gardens in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

Since 2011, Lewis has focused on nursery sales, now working as sales manager at Bernhard’s Nurseries, and has helped to launch a number of new plants into the UK plant market. He is a specialist supplier to show gardens, supplying over 100 gardens at major shows.

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T H I N K I N G O U T LO U D NICK COSLETT SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON SOME CURRENT TOPICS THAT CAUGHT HIS EYE THIS OCTOBER

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©Kevin J. Frost/Shutterstock.com

ooking back now, October 2019 was a particularly discussion-worthy month.

Firstly, I was fortunate to attend the Future Landscape Conference at London Docklands Museum, just by Canary Wharf. Getting there was complicated by long queues on the underground as there had been some Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests.

However, the audience at the conference was in sympathy and supportive of XR – they were untroubled by their delay, unlike the tolerance of those who dragged protesters off the tube train roof and duffed them up!

WE NEED MORE TOLERANCE OF EACH OTHER, ESPECIALLY AS CLOSE TO 80% OF THE POPULATION NOW LIVES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS We need more tolerance of each other, especially as close to 80% of the population now lives in urban environments. Planting can encourage social cohesion, and it looks like we need it badly. High density man needs high density nature. The need for trees, green spaces and plants is hardwired into our DNA – they are simply beneficial to us.

These urban environments occupy just 6% of our land, but are by far the major

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contributors to our climate problems.

The conference called for more landscape architects who could/should be the key to resolving the environmental conflicts. Sadly, many commented that there was a shortage of talent, and so practices face a recruitment crisis with plenty of work and few staff. So, go out and encourage the younger generation to discover that good careers can be found in the environmental industries – #chooselandscape and #GoLandscape are invaluable examples of initiatives aiding this cause.

It was also good to see that justice was metered out to the Swansea developer and contractor who felled 72 protected trees in 2018, including a 176-year-old giant redwood.

Hopefully a record £300k fine is a sufficient deterrent, but this is only 2.5% of the turnover of the project these were cut down for. Praise must go to the Swansea tree officers and team for pursuing this case; if austerity-hit councils don’t have the staff and resources, who is going to protect our landscapes? We need to be more vocal and political – don’t wait for someone else to do it for you.

Amongst other issues which caught my eye in October was a thread from Peter Thurman, who asked: “Do single species tree avenues get noticed? Do they uplift our spirits? If planned properly, do they threaten our biosecurity?

Is symmetry a curse?”

Replies were mixed, with a number stating that they were vulnerable to pest or disease, and that any replacements were often from a different clone and would affect the symmetry.

Perhaps we need to lose our reliance on single clones and move to the diversity that seed raised trees offer – we need to enjoy their asymmetry. What is true is that seed raised

trees will have greater genetic diversity and resilience to pests and diseases. Of all the plants, it is trees with their long lifespans that are most vulnerable to changes in our climate.

So, what trees should we be planting for the future? This topic will feature at the Soft Landscape Workshop I’m curating for Palmstead on 22 January, with Kew’s Tony Kirkham, the Forestry Commission’s John Weir and – all the way from Sweden – Henrik Sjöman.

These tree experts will be giving their views on what trees we need to be growing and planting for our children’s and grandchildren’s futures.

OF ALL THE PLANTS, IT IS TREES WITH THEIR LONG LIFESPANS THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO CHANGES IN OUR CLIMATE

ABOUT NICK COSLETT Nick has spent his working life in landscape and horticulture. He initially trained as a landscape architect, then parks manager, and for the last 20 years, he has worked with Coblands and Palmstead nurseries, running the Soft Landscape Workshops which have become popular industry events. He’s been involved with BALI as national and regional chairs. Now retired, he is a BALI National Landscape Awards judge and Chalk Fund trustee, and has more time to follow his lifelong interest in the industry.

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UNDERSTANDING

U R BA N C A N O P Y C OV E R D R . K I E R O N D O I C K , A N N A B E L B U C K L A N D , A N D D R . I N G O S C H Ü D E R E X P L A I N T H E VA LU E O F M E A S U R I N G U R B A N C A N O P Y C OV E R ( U C C ) A N D H OW P EO P L E C A N H E L P TO B U I L D A U C C M A P FO R G R E AT B R I TA I N

What is urban canopy cover?

To appreciate the importance of urban canopy cover (UCC), it is first necessary to understand the concept of the ‘urban forest’. This term describes all the trees in the urban realm – in public and private spaces, along linear routes and waterways and in amenity areas.

UCC is a measure of the extent of an urban forest or, more precisely, it is ‘the layer of leaves, branches and stems of trees that cover the urban realm when viewed from above’. This definition alludes to two important points: it is the extent of cover when viewed from above and it is a ‘snapshot in time’ assessment.

Why is it important that we assess urban canopy cover?

UCC is often measured as a first step in understanding an urban forest. It is a simple measure that is quick and easy to calculate.

It can be determined at many scales, from city-wide to electoral ward, and can be used to assess change over time. Many towns and cities across the world – including in the UK – have created canopy cover targets to encourage planting and improve maintenance of urban forests to enhance the benefits trees provide to people.

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What do we know about the urban canopy cover of Great Britain?

In 2017, Forest Research published UCC values for 283 English towns and cities and seven Scottish cities. The study provided the UCC baseline for many of these and revealed that cover ranged from 3% in Fleetwood, Lancaster, to 45% in Farnham, Surrey. UCC averaged just 16%, and more than two-thirds of the locations had less than 20% cover.

MANY TOWNS AND CITIES ACROSS THE WORLD – INCLUDING IN THE UK – HAVE CREATED CANOPY COVER TARGETS In 2019, Forest Research presented the findings of an analysis of UCC change between 1940 and 2018 for 10 towns and cities across Great Britain. Four locations – Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Darlington and Chester – showed a statistically significant increase in canopy cover, whilst three more indicated a slight upward trend.

Where next for urban canopy cover assessment? i-Tree Canopy is an online tool for UCC assessment. It is simple and engages the public as citizen scientists, meaning that there is potential to extend analysis of UCC to many other locations. Forest Research, Trees for Cities and Brillianto have created an online map using

electoral ward boundaries and this enables UCC to be determined with enough detail to inform future planting. A detailed instruction document available online provides all the information a user requires to assess the canopy cover of a ward of interest to them. Assessments take on average 45 minutes to complete.

Citizen scientists have completed over 20% of the urban wards across Great Britain since the project’s launch in early 2019. This is an amazing achievement, but there is still a lot of work to do. The project offers a great opportunity for detailed analysis of the variability in UCC. It is already supporting strategic planning to enable more people to benefit from trees.

For more information and to get involved, visit: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/research/ i-tree-eco/urbancanopycover

ABOUT KIERON, ANNABEL AND INGO Dr. Kieron Doick and Annabel Buckland are urban forest researchers at Forest Research, the research agency of the Forestry Commission. They conduct research to understand the composition of Great Britain’s urban forests, their value, and resilience in a changing climate. Dr. Ingo Schüder is the director of Brillianto. He has worked on green infrastructure projects since 2007.

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21/11/2019 15:39

NURTURE

LO C H LO M O N D A N D T H E T R O S S AC H S N AT I O N A L PA R K W E S P E A K TO S I M O N J O N E S , D I R E C TO R O F C O N S E R VAT I O N FO R T H E S C OT T I S H W I L D L I F E T R U ST, A B O U T T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F LO C H LO M O N D A N D T H E T R O S S AC H S N AT I O N A L PA R K , W H Y I T I S U N D E R T H R E AT A N D H O W T H E T E A M A I M S TO OV E R C O M E T H I S

L

och Lomond and The Trossachs encompasses an astonishing 720 square miles and contains 50 rivers, 22 large lochs, 21 Munros and two forest parks. Loch Lomond and The Trossachs is home to a unique range of wildlife and important geological features, attracting four million visitors a year.

In 2014, a biodiversity action programme for the national park was launched. Simon Jones, director of conservation and visitor operations for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, explains that “Wild Park sets out a vision and a series of 25-year outcomes associated with biodiversity condition. The refreshed Wild Park Action Programme was launched to focus on the four key environmental threats facing the national park”. These threats include climate change

WILD PARK SETS OUT A VISION AND A SERIES OF 25-YEAR OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH BIODIVERSITY CONDITION

team will be working with land managers to increase woodland creation. The forests aren’t the only carbon stores in the national park though, with peatlands holding an estimated 20m tonnes of carbon.

Should these degrade, thousands of years’ worth of carbon could be released back into the atmosphere. The peatlands are also important in combatting the causes and effects of climate change, because as well as storing carbon, they also slowly release water helping to reduce flood risks. “Peatlands act like sponges. We’re working together to restore peat bogs and raise awareness of their importance,” Simon explains.

The National Park’s waterbodies play a key role as major sources of drinking water and hydroelectricity. Supplying water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use, the 92 rivers and lochs also provide a wide variety of wildlife with habitats and are important wildlife corridors.

Simon noted that, in some instances, the wildlife is actually damaging to the national park where grazing levels are too high. “Domesticated sheep and wild deer are widespread, they are central to the land management economy and also part of the national park’s cultural and

natural heritage”. However, unsustainable levels of grazing animals can have an adverse effect on carbon stores and result in simplified woodland structures without shrubs or climbing species. This reduces biodiversity and can lead to reduced tree cover and the erosion of soils.

Non-native animals, such as the grey squirrel and North American mink, are causing a significant decline in some native species.

This occurs due to direct predation by mink, and non-native grey squirrels can carry a virus which the native red squirrels have no resilience for. Also, invasive non-native plants – including rhododendrons, Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and giant hogweed – outcompete vulnerable native species, threatening native woodlands and other habitats.

The benefits of the national park are extensive, for both the local area itself and the whole of Scotland. Protecting these is crucial, as is addressed in the National Park Partnership Plan 2018 - 2023, a guide for groups involved in the management of the national park on how they can deliver environmental, social and economic benefits to ensure a successful, sustainable future for this unique landscape.

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©Ewen Kinninment

pressures, the poor quality of lochs and rivers, unsustainable grazing impacts and invasive non-native species.

The value of the national park in the fight to mitigate climate change is significant. Around 54,100ha of the park is covered in trees, so the

Pro Landscaper / December 2019 69

21/11/2019 14:53

NURTURE

N U R S E RY

FO C U S F

rom humble beginnings in founder Drew McFarlane’s back garden, Craigmarloch Nurseries Ltd now sits on a 15-acre site in Kilsyth, supplying over 16,000 different products and employing 72 on-site employees, though it firmly remains a family-run company.

Supplying its customers with a vast range of products – from grass seed and fertiliser to tools and hanging baskets – Craigmarloch is a ‘one stop shop’ for landscapers, landscape architects and the public sector, as well as supplying to garden centres.

Brothers Grant and Kenny Wilson manage the business. Speaking to us a few years ago, Craigmarloch was keen to develop the garden and landscaping supplies sector and was making investments into polytunnels and glasshouses. Amongst other products, it hoped this would enable Craigmarloch to grow its own heathers. With an array of different varieties coming onto the market over the last few years, Craigmarloch has massively increased its production. Today, Kenny says: “We’re one of the largest growers of heather in the UK.” Among the collection of heather grown by Craigmarloch is Erica × darleyensis ‘Darley Dale’, tipped pink and white in the spring, Erica x darleyensis ‘White Perfection’, Erica × darleyensis f. aureifolia ‘Mary Helen’ and Erica × darleyensis ‘Kramer’s Rote’.

As well as an impressive collection of heathers, Craigmarloch is known for growing seasonal crops such as strawberries, basket plants, rhododendrons, alpines and, since 1970, it has been growing conifers. “We have a large cash and carry, so customers can select and take home products on the same day.”

Craigmarloch aims to make all deliveries

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C R A I G M A R L O C H N U R S E R I E S LT D H A S G R OW N TO B EC O M E O N E O F T H E L A R G E ST S U P P L I E R S O F H E AT H E R I N T H E U K . W E S P E A K TO D I R EC TO R K E N N Y W I L S O N A B O U T T H I S , A N D H OW I T ’ S P R E PA R I N G FO R T H E N E W E U P L A N T H E A LT H R EG U L AT I O N S

throughout the UK within one week, and with a fleet of HIABs, HGVs and vans, it is well set up to do so.

WE HAVE A LARGE CASH AND CARRY SO CUSTOMERS CAN SELECT THEIR PRODUCTS AND TAKE IT AWAY ON THE SAME DAY For larger projects, the team schedules further ahead and can deliver in bulk or drip feed in the stock as and when it’s needed. One such project it is currently working on is a new business campus which will create up to 2,500 jobs on the banks of the Clyde in Glasgow.

Craigmarloch is working closely with the landscape architect on its vision for sea-themed planting, reflecting the nature of the area.

“We’ll be supplying over a thousand lines.

The planting will be year-round, with herbaceous varieties and topiary lines for hedging.”

It is crucial to Craigmarloch, as with all nurseries up and down the country, that it is ready for the new EU Plant Health Regulations which come into force on the 14 December.

It’s currently undertaking the

enormous task of ensuring it has all the correct information and documentation for all of its products.

Kenny and the team have noted a few stumbling blocks when it comes to clarification of the terms, though. “We’re not sure if we should be labelling trays or each individual plant in the tray. Some of these trays can have 24 to 30 plants in them, if we have to label each individual plant, it’s a lot of man hours and also uses a lot of plastic.”

Being environmentally conscious is high on the list of priorities for Craigmarloch, and one of the things it wants to tackle is reducing the amount of plastic waste. All of its pots are made from PET plastic, and it no longer uses black plastic as available recycling machines sort it for landfill, regardless of whether it is in fact recyclable. In the coming years, Craigmarloch will also switch to using PET plastic labels and are looking into getting electric vehicles, though technology may have to catch up first.

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21/11/2019 14:50

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21/11/2019 14:02

EDUCATE

SITE VISIT

BRITISH SUGAR TOPSOIL

NATIONAL TOPSOIL MANAGER ANDY SPETCH GAVE US A TOUR OF BRITISH SUGAR’S SITE IN WISSINGTON, NORFOLK – THE LARGEST SUGAR BEET PROCESSING FACTORY IN THE WORLD, AND ONE OF FOUR SITES WHERE BRITISH SUGAR TOPSOIL’S RANGE IS PRODUCED

W

hen British Sugar created its TOPSOIL division, it had not yet sold a single ton of soil. It had plenty of it, though – the soil would arrive onsite adhered to thousands of sugar beets, but would usually be returned back to the farmers. Now, 25 years later, British Sugar TOPSOIL is selling more than 200,000 tonnes of BS 3882:2015-compliant topsoil annually and its turnover has reached £2.5m.

At the helm of its growth is national TOPSOIL manager Andy Spetch. He first joined British Sugar 32 years ago as an agronomist before kickstarting the sale of topsoil as a team of one. “There was no business at first,” explains Andy. “We had always been getting soil [with the sugar beets] but didn’t really do anything with what was actually a valuable resource. We were just returning it to farmland.

"It was clear we couldn’t keep doing this, though, as it was costing us money and we wanted to operate a more sustainable business.

That's when British Sugar TOPSOIL started."

Through research, Andy identified the key sectors that might be interested in a consistently high-quality topsoil – landscaping, housebuilding and amenity – and spotted a gap in the market. “People were producing high

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quality dressings at the top end of the scale, and at the other end was topsoil sourced from muck away, which varied massively.

"It could have contaminants, like glass, needles or chemicals," he says. "People were saying they wanted a competitively priced, consistent, clean and safe topsoil, so that’s the gap I went for with our products.”

PEOPLE WERE SAYING THEY WANTED A COMPETITIVELY PRICED, CONSISTENT, CLEAN AND SAFE TOPSOIL, SO THAT’S THE GAP I WENT FOR WITH OUR PRODUCTS TOPSOIL's first product was Landscape20, a general-purpose topsoil, which remains its core product. The formula for Landscape20 has stayed the same since the start and is replicated across all four of British Sugar’s manufacturing plants: Bury, Cantley, Newark, and Wissington. Wissington is British Sugar’s

largest site – in fact, it is the largest sugar beet factory in the world, with 20,000 tonnes delivered each day during the harvesting period.

British Sugar, a subsidiary of Associated British Foods (ABF), works with the National Farmers Union and has an annual contract with around 3,000 farmers. These deliver around 7.5m tonnes of sugar beets in total to the company’s factories each year between September and the end of February, the period when the crop is harvested.

“We pay the farmer based on a sample taken from the lorries when they arrive. The higher the sugar content of the root, the more money the farmer gets. We have a team of agronomists, too, which advises the farmer on how to increase the sugar yield.”

A typical northern Europe climate is perfect for growing sugar beets, explains Andy. They need a warm spring with light rainfall as the seeds are drilled in March, followed by a warm summer interspersed with rain. British Sugar is the only company in the UK to produce sugar from sugar beets, an industry which was started

by Napoleon when he was unable to source sugar from the Caribbean during the Napoleonic Wars.

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21/11/2019 10:05

NURTURE

a planting topsoil with a more ‘open’ profile.

Working with soil scientist Tim O’Hare, he started to blend different sands with PAS100 compost to open up the soil, sending them through to Tim to be tested. When they found the one that worked, they put it through trials to ensure it fit demand. This became HortLoam.

HortLoam was followed by Sports&Turf topdressing, a 90/10 blend of coarse to medium sub-angular sand with BS 3882:2015 accredited topsoil for improving soil-based playing surfaces and lawns, again produced with the help of Tim as well as the Sports Turf

Around £250m has been invested over the past five years to make British Sugar’s manufacturing plants more efficient, with efficiency and sustainability playing key roles in the development of the TOPSOIL division, too.

When first commoditised, the topsoil needed to be a high-quality product that would undergo sampling and analyses, in line with British Sugar’s stellar reputation. It had to receive product status from the Environment Agency, proving that although the soil is deemed to be waste once it is washed from the sugar beet, it is considered to be a product once it has passed through the conditioning process.

After years of solely selling Landscape20, Andy listened to customer demand for

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TO BUILD A MARKET, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FEW THINGS WHICH MAKE YOU STAND APART FROM OTHER SUPPLIERS. ONE IS OUR ANALYSIS AND AUDITING AND THE OTHER IS OUR COVERED STORAGE Research Institute. “They put it into plot trials for me, and where they’d applied Sports&Turf they saw a greening up effect because the nutrients in the soil fed the grass.” British Sugar TOPSOIL also launched LawnDressing, a sand-based dressing for lawns that promotes and sustains growth.

Continuing to respond to consumer demand, the company is now in its second year of supplying bulk bags, though it still predominantly delivers by the lorry load.

“The bulk bags have brought additional revenue but, for me, one of the important factors is that customers were asking for it. If they were to go to someone else for bulk bags, there’s always the chance that they’d go to someone else for the loose product as well.”

To ensure there is always plenty of stock to support orders of any size, British Sugar TOPSOIL has invested heavily in covered storage sheds. “To build a market, you have to have a few things which make you stand apart from other suppliers. One is our analysis and auditing, which makes sure everything is fit for purpose, and the other is our covered storage.

“It gives us the ability to supply year-round.

Under the sheds, the soil is dry, workable and friable. So, if a landscaper wants to be working in the middle of December and needs topsoil, they can. It’s helped to build the brand and build the volume we’re selling, that we can give this continuity throughout the seasons.”

Around 50,000t of topsoil is stored under sheds, but 200,000t in total is stockpiled over the winter. What cannot fit under sheds is covered by a sheet during the summer whilst dry so that it remains so throughout storage. As Andy says, the aim of this covered storage is not to just reach standards but to surpass them. This approach is what makes the company stand out within the market, and its continuing success comes as no surprise.

Pro Landscaper / December 2019 73

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21/11/2019 14/11/2019 11:05 09:01

EDUCATE

THIS MONTH LEE BESTALL DISCUSSES HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY BUILD AND MANAGE A TRIBE IN ORDER TO DEVELOP YOUR BRAND’S IDENTITY AND CREATE A STRONG, LIKE-MINDED WORKFORCE

C

reating or developing a company is generally a lengthy process, and building a team that works is often one of the biggest challenges. As business owners, we all believe that absolutely nobody in the world can do things as well as us, but unfortunately most people don’t understand why.

Let’s strip this subject back and view it from a simpler perspective. Business is a game – in fact, I’ve heard it being referred to as a ‘sport for intelligent people’ (not my words), and to play a game and win, you have to surround yourself with a team of people who all want to win too.

Most importantly, these people must also want to win by playing by the same rules as you. Many relationships break down between contractors, staff and clients, because the rules of the game were not clear. Imagine, you’re all trying to play the same game with different rules – there’s no wonder some players will become frustrated, angry or disengaged.

So, let’s begin by identifying what winning looks like, feels like or sounds like. Having a

B U I L D I N G & M A N AG I N G

YO U R T R I B E clear vision which can be shared and understood easily is the first task, followed by identifying your rules of the game. No one likes to be micro-managed, so having a simple goal that everyone understands is key. The next thing to do is identify what’s important to you and

YOUR BRAND IS YOUR TRIBE’S IDENTITY AND A CLEAR BRAND WITH A CONSISTENT MESSAGE WILL ATTRACT PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE SAME VALUES AS YOUR TRIBE your team, then you can define a list of rules.

Most of us want to be part of a tribe – share views with like-minded people, be accepted, understood, loved and nurtured. Even those who rebel against tribes fall into their own

tribes, which themselves are full of people who have rebelled against other tribes!

Your brand is your tribe’s identity, and a clear brand with a consistent message will attract people who share the same values as your tribe. Over the past few years, I’ve found that the more you promote the values of your tribe, the better the ‘fit’ of your customers, contractors and team members, because they want to become part of it too.

Just one word of warning though: never force people into your tribe. If people are willing to ‘grow’ into your tribe, then great. But in my experience, trying to get someone to fit into your tribe when their values are clearly not the same as yours will not end well.

I have worked with contractors and team members in the past who don’t share my true vision and values. At first, it just feels like friction and frustration, but it later transpires that the jarring of core values is not a sustainable way to progress in business.

A successful tribe shouldn’t need too much management as long as there is good training, simple and regular communication, a clear goal, robust processes and, most of all, shared values.

So, if you haven’t yet identified what these are in your business, now is the time to define them with your tribe.

A B O U T L E E B E S TA L L Lee Bestall has been designing and managing the construction of gardens in his signature style for more than 10 years – and his honest, genuine passion is infectious. He regularly writes gardening and outdoor-style articles for magazines, is brand ambassador for Spear & Jackson and a stand-in presenter for BBC Radio Sheffield’s Gardeners’ Question Hour.

www.bestall.co.uk

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20/11/2019 14:50

EDUCATE

C

IN HIS FINAL I N STA L M E N T, N E I L PA R S L OW E X P L A I N S W H Y C H E A P I S N OT AN OPTION WHEN IT C O M E S TO L I G H T FITTINGS

hoosing light fittings can be a daunting task. There’s an overwhelming amount of product choices on the market, ranging from cheap plastic spike lights to high-end, innovative LED fittings that are longlasting and packed with features. Buying cheap, poorly designed and constructed fittings may well suit certain clients’ requirements and budgets, but this usually tends to be a false economy as the fittings will not stand up to the harsh exterior conditions experienced throughout the year.

If the client’s budget struggles to stretch to higher quality priced fittings, try suggesting that the lighting be installed in phases over the coming months – or even in a year’s time.

When installed correctly, a higher grade fitting will eliminate the typical issues that can occur with poor quality products. This will save you and your client time, money and potential embarrassment in the future.

WHEN INSTALLED CORRECTLY, A HIGHER GRADE FITTING WILL ELIMINATE THE TYPICAL ISSUES THAT CAN OCCUR WITH POOR QUALITY PRODUCTS

Q UA L I T Y OVER PRICE Light Visuals has designed and installed many high-end exterior garden lighting schemes over a number of years, and during this time we’ve encountered the many issues associated with poor quality light fittings.

This ranges from water ingress due to poor gaskets and seals to poor quality LEDs and powder coat paint failures, to name a few.

This experience has allowed us to address many of these common problems encountered with cheaper products and produce our own lighting range designed to ensure many years of reliable use. We are so confident in these products that we provide every fitting with a full 10-year warranty and five-year for the LED. Our LED board is also easily replaced by the end user in the field in under one minute.

The Light Visuals range of products are all designed in-house and manufactured in the UK using the latest CNC machining technology.

Our products are constructed from high quality materials including copper and brass, although

the main material we use in the construction of our fittings is 316L marine grade stainless steel, as this material offers a very high corrosion resistance to almost all exterior conditions and looks great with modern builds. We even use 316 stainless steel as the base metal for all our powder coated products which are available in five standard colours. These also come with a 10-year warranty.

Almost all of the components are modular, so replaceable and interchangeable, including a colour coded internal optic beam reflector for in the field changing of the beam angle.

Our products are all IP68 rated and designed for permanent submersion in water. Light Visual’s LEDs are all extra low voltage (ELV) and use a constant LED driver to operate them.

Constant current circuits almost eliminate the voltage drop commonly encountered with longer cable runs on traditional 12V systems.

An anti-wicking moisture barrier is integral to each fitting eliminating moisture build up on the LED lens through capillary action via the cable and poor cable joints. We also pay particular attention to the environment and have designed our products to be as environmentally friendly as possible with modular components and eco packaging.

We are always seeking new ways to further reduce our impact on the environment.

A B O U T N E I L PA R S L O W Neil is the founder and lead designer at Light Visuals, a London-based landscape and architectural lighting manufacturer.

Neil trained as an electrical designer before his passion for lighting and landscapes transferred to the design and installation of landscape lighting. This passion also extends to the design engineering and manufacturing of high-quality British-made lighting products.

www.lightvisuals.co.uk

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www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/11/2019 14:57

THE LIVING CITY THIS MONTH, ANGUS LINDSAY DISCUSSES THIS YEAR’S LIVING CITY EVENT, THE IMPORTANCE OF GREEN SPACES WITHIN TODAY’S SOCIETY AND THE FUTURE OF GREEN SPACE MAINTENANCE

F

ormerly known as the Silent City conference, Husqvarna’s 2019 Living City event looked at the city environment, man’s effect on it, and what can be done to lessen environmental impact and make it a better environment for everyone.

This may be a big ask in today’s climate, but one which the speakers at the event addressed admirably in several unique ways. This ranged from connecting people to parks via technology to basing maintenance on need rather than frequency, as well as getting away from ‘mow, blow, and go’ operations.

We need to rethink the role of the park in today’s society as green spaces no longer represent just areas of amenity – we should now consider them in terms of production, such as urban farms or urban forests, as is being considered in Paris.

The plants we grow within these parks should be in tune with the birds and the insects who would benefit from them to improve our threatened ecosystem. On a greater scale, designing flood alleviation and water retention schemes as part of green corridors or country parks makes perfect sense.

Notably, the design of new parks in the Middle East is focused on harnessing natural resources to become carbon neutral and self-sustaining, whilst providing both amenity and functionality. The idea of working in harmony with the landscape to build a park or green amenity space is nothing new, it has just taken a different impetus in that these parks and green spaces need to do a bit more than

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EDUCATE

ALJAD CENTRAL PARK IN THE UAE, A VISION OF THE FUTURE OF PARK CONSTRUCTION

just look nice. They somehow need to be productive by supporting the wildlife within them and adding to the infrastructure of the city.

One example of this is the City of Gothenburg, which is working with local businesses and research facilities to test and develop solutions for a more sustainable outdoor environment within its flagship 19th century city centre park. Through the adoption

WE NEED TO RETHINK THE ROLE OF THE PARK IN TODAY’S SOCIETY AS GREEN SPACES NO LONGER REPRESENT JUST AREAS OF AMENITY

to maintain the grass. Technology is also being tested to “sense what the tree feels like” in the hope of gaining a new insight into the park’s stresses, values, maintenance needs, and to interact with visitors in a smarter way. This is all part of a bigger project for the City of Gothenburg, which hopes to have a fleet of vehicles free of fossil fuels by 2023, a big target given its current fleet of some 2,500 vehicles.

As part of the conference, and to get an idea of how digitalisation and automation could assist and enhance the maintenance of green spaces, we were given a glimpse of the future as seen through the eyes of Husqvarna. Its latest developments include a completely autonomous commercial mower, which is being trialled for use on airfields and solar farms.

There was also a diesel-electric hybrid commercial spec ride-on mower, which can operate in full electric mode with diesel back-up when things get tough. Robotic mowers have also become more independent, with a new EPOS system negating the need for the traditional boundary wire, replacing it with a single base station and some clever software which allows you to infinitely change the area to be mown using an app on your phone.

A B O U T A N G U S L I N D S AY THE FUTURE OF GRASS CUTTING?

of digitalization and automation, its focus will be on increasing the efficiency of day-to-day maintenance activities by working on need, rather than frequency, and reducing the CO2 emissions with the aim of enhancing the recreational value of the park.

The park, which has an annual footfall of some 1.6 million people, will utilise robotic lawnmowers backed up by electric power tools

Angus spent several years working on arable farms in Scotland before joining VSO in Egypt, implementing a mechanisation programme, managing field operations for a commercial cotton plantation in Nigeria and working as a contract instructor for Massey Ferguson in Yemen. He has an Agricultural Engineering and Mechanisation Management MSc from Silsoe, and joined Glendale as machinery manager in 1994, then idverde UK in 2009.

angus.lindsay@idverde.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / December 2019 79

20/11/2019 11:39

EDUCATE

SHAUN SHIRAZIAN OF QUICKBOOKS UK DISCUSSES WHY M A K I N G TA X D I G I TA L N E E D N ’ T B E TA X I N G FOR BUSINESSES

T

he deadline for Making Tax Digital – the biggest tax change in a generation – passed back in April, but many businesses are still struggling to come to terms with the change to their processes, which many see as intimidating.

MTD has the power to hugely benefit small businesses, but even some of those who are now compliant with MTD are still uncertain about what it means for their business, and what they need to do to remain compliant.

The reality is that the changes introduced by Making Tax Digital (MTD) are very easy to make.

It is now compulsory for all VAT-registered businesses with a turnover above £85k to keep digital VAT records and use dedicated software to file VAT returns, rather than the HMRC portal to which many had become accustomed.

In many cases, the simplest way to become MTD-compliant has been to adopt cloud accounting software. Despite this, a recent QuickBooks survey of 500 small businesses revealed that a full quarter of those surveyed were still using spreadsheets to keep financial records. As a sector that likely isn’t digitally native as a whole, landscapers should be making the most of the easy-to-use software available to them to ensure they are compliant with MTD. But what does cloud accounting mean in practice for Britain’s landscapers?

Landscapers and garden designers do what they do to transform unloved or down-atheel spaces into something new and improved for their customers and clients. For many business owners in this line of work, it is likely

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that their tax returns are not at the top of their list of priorities.

Embracing cloud accounting can allow business owners to focus solely on running their business, instead of dealing with all the extra admin around finances. Cloud accounting can automate many back-office processes to help business owners with everything from invoicing to reporting, freeing up significant time to spend on more productive activities such as sales, marketing or training.

EMBRACING CLOUD ACCOUNTING CAN ALLOW BUSINESS OWNERS TO FOCUS SOLELY ON RUNNING THEIR BUSINESS An economic model from behavioural economists Volterra Partners – from their report ‘The Productivity Payout: UK Small Businesses and the Digital Economy’ – found that that if all SME businesses made full use of digitalisation, catalysed by MTD, each business could see an average increase in turnover of £4,400 in the first year thanks to the resulting

productivity gains. Having adopted one form of digital technology, businesses tend to adopt others, in turn saving more time and allowing business owners to reap the rewards of better cash flow and human resources management.

Landscapers and garden designers can work with their accountants to explore the software solution which allows the smoothest transition to digital accounting. For example, those who are not ready to move to the cloud or fully transition can use bridging software to file their VAT; QuickBooks allows you to directly import information from Excel spreadsheets.

MTD is a great opportunity for small businesses to kickstart their use of digital technology in the everyday and start to feel the benefits. To find out how, there are some really helpful free tools and articles on the QuickBooks website, plus a really engaged social community keen to help others business owners out too.

ABOUT SHAUN SHIRAZIAN Shaun Shirazian is head of product for the UK and Europe at Intuit, developers of QuickBooks UK, a powerful and easy accounting software with unlimited invoicing and free expense tracking.

www.quickbooks.intuit.com/uk

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M A K E M U LC H O F WO O D C H I P S TREES, WHETHER BEING PRUNED OR FELLED, CAN PRODUCE PILES OF CHIPPINGS. SO, SHOULD THEY STAY OR SHOULD THEY GO?

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hy not make woodchips work for your business? Landscapers are unlikely to do tree work on a regular basis, and they may outsource it to professional arborists. But, if you own a chipper or hire one in for occasional jobs, piles of waste in the form of chippings quickly mount up and these can prove useful for future jobs. In particular, many gardens and outdoor spaces benefit from mulching and this can be charged for as part of soft landscaping services.

MULCHING TYPICALLY TAKES PLACE TWICE A YEAR, IN SPRING AND AUTUMN, AND PROVIDES A NEAT AND NUTRITIONAL SOLUTION FOR A VARIETY OF SETTINGS Mulching typically takes place twice a year, in spring and autumn, and provides a neat and nutritional solution for a variety of settings. Woodchips can provide a ready-made mulch, or mixed in with leaves, and can also be used as path coverings.

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They help soil retain heat and moisture, as well as controlling weeds.

A woody mulch will also continue breaking down over time, releasing nutrients and boosting long-term soil fertility.

If you choose to use fresh woodchips, it is advised that these should only be used as a surface mulch, because they can deplete the soil of nitrogen, which can also cause plant yellowing. Aged woodchips are generally viewed as the best option, and as they will have turned a darker colour, they will also look more attractive. Landscapers often produce their own compost and wood chippings and shredded leaves can be a staple for this.

Meanwhile, caution should be taken with conifer chippings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; these contain phytotoxic compounds (such as tannins) which can be harmful, although ageing the chips will render these safe to use. Woodchips should also not be worked into the soil to avoid any disease that the tree may have been affected with.

But what if there is a surplus after putting aside enough for your business use? There is the option of taking the product to a tip, but this incurs

cost. Alternatively, there is likely to be local demand for woodchips.

Golf courses, stables and allotments may all require wood chips, so putting out a few feelers could result in some willing takers. Even if they prefer you to drop off the product, this could also be a useful exercise in getting to know some local businesses.

You can also check out the tip site directory on the Arbtalk website â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.arbtalk.co.uk.

While primarily aimed at arborists, this lists around 1,300 sites where woodchips are accepted. In most cases, it is just about having the convenience of being able to offload any excess, although some takers may pay a nominal fee. Details of the type of woodchips required and any other conditions are listed and contact should be made before making a delivery.

Is any profit to be made from reselling woodchips? For landscapers, this is not going to be feasible as they do not have the lorry loads required by buyers, who are typically biomass fuel producers. So, this is something that should be left to the large arborist and forestry firms.

Retaining woodchips that may arise from tree work is certainly worthwhile for many landscapers. For the more discerning, they are a potentially valuable natural and multi-purpose product, with the benefit of adding to your sustainable credentials.

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CHIPPERS OW N I N G A WO O D C H I P P E R C A N B E A W O R T H W H I L E C A P I TA L I N V E ST M E N T FO R L A N D S C A P E R S A N D T H E R E A R E M O D E L S TO S U I T A VA R I E T Y O F B U S I N E S S N E E D S

JENSEN The recently updated A530L from German manufacturer Jensen is believed to be the world’s first 6” turntable wood chipper. With the ability to turn the turntable up to 270°, users can load the new A530L from a range of angles around the machine and directly from the verge, saving time and effort.

A galvanised steel chassis ensures reduced maintenance and is resistant to damage, corrosion and wear. The turntable A530L features a 35hp petrol engine, which is recognised as a benefit for those working in clean air zones, low-emission areas and tendering where diesel machinery is unfavourable. Offering the same power and performance as the standard A530L, the turntable can process up to 15m3/h of timber and brash. www.jensenchippers.co.uk

TIMBERWOLF

TO THE RESCUE AT LOOE Cornwall’s Looe Golf Club is using a GreenMech CS100 is on a regular basis to help clear up fallen wood resulting from recent strong winds and storms The course is one part heathland and one part parkland – head greenkeeper Mat Edwards says: “Because of the number of trees around our course and the vulnerability of our high position, it was becoming quite costly calling firms in to deal with storm damage.”

The CS100 was recommended by a local dealer (Vincent Tractors & Plant) and delivered three years ago.

Mat says it has allowed an increase in the amount of routine woodland maintenance conducted too. “Once the leaves have fallen and the birds have finished nesting, we’ll be out with the CS100 on a weekly basis, between November and February, removing any low hanging branches to reduce shade problems on the greens. The chip we produce is then redistributed around the trees and shrubs which has helped to tidy the appearance of these areas.”

The CS 100 is powered by an 18hp petrol engine and offers a 100mm chipping capacity. With a working width of just 760mm, the manoeuvrability of the CS100 is suited to on-the-spot chipping.

“It’s really convenient for us to hitch up to our 4x4 and you can take it wherever you need to go,” adds Mat.

Timberwolf’s TW 160PH wood chipper is compact, strong and fast. At 608kg, it is also lightweight, and a 22hp Honda petrol engine delivers high 6” chipping performance, while still being easy-tomanoeuvre and adept at completing enough jobs. It is popular as a first chipper and also as a convenient lightweight model which can be manoeuvred into position by just one person and towed without the need for an additional towing licence. The 6” capacity and wide infeed funnel means there is no compromise when it comes to processing small branches and thorny hedge prunings.

Timberwolf has recently introduction of a five-year warranty. The option to increase the standard three-year warranty up to a total of five years is available across the Timberwolf range. A demo can be booked by visiting the Timberwolf website or nearest dealer. www.timberwolf-uk.com

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WINTER MAINTENANCE C O L D W E AT H E R C A N L E A D TO A F R E E Z E I N J O B S FO R L A N D S C A P E R S , B U T H AV I N G T H E R I G H T K I T W I L L K E E P YO U R B U S I N E S S M OV I N G

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old weather does not mean that all landscapers down tools. You may be able to make hay when it’s hotter, but providing the right services during winter means you stay in demand. In fact, for some of the large maintenance firms, it can be an exceptionally busy time as they keep businesses trading by clearing snow and gritting. The winter months can also be suited to clearance, cutting back vegetation and pruning, as well as lawn treatments. The following tools may well prove useful to stay busy as we wait for the warmer climes of spring.

ECHO

POLAR ONE Wessex International produces a range of UK-manufactured low salt and grit spreaders, and it launched two new models recently at this year’s SALTEX. The spreader has stainless steel components and fixings with power coating to avoid corrosion, while the hopper and integral liquid brine tank are polypropylene for longevity. The models can be trailer or vehicle-mounted and are designed to be low maintenance with no engines, belts, chains or grease points.

The models – the WS-900 (900L) and WS-1200 (1200L) – each have three options: ST, GT and Commander. The ST is a manually operated machine for those who just want a basic spreader, no speed control or data logging, while the GT has all the functions of the standard machine but with the addition of GPS speed control.

The system monitors changes in forward speed and spread widths to ensure precise application and minimal material wastage. The Commander has all the above and telematics to remotely monitor the salt spreader back at base. This means access to a real-time webpage, allowing route logging, reporting and ring-fencing for fleet and productivity management. Meanwhile, the PolarFlo vibration system is a patented auto-vibration control to manage consistent material flow. www.wessexintl.com

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Clear fallen leaves and debris with the PB-8010 – a powerful backpack power blower aimed at professionals. The blower’s 79.9cc two-stroke engine produces an air volume of 1818m3/h, an airspeed of 94.5m/sec (211mph) and an industry-leading blowing force of 44N for better performance and increased productivity. Dry weight is 11.2kg which is made possible by use of a lightweight carbon fibre frame and fan case.

Other features include a cruise-control throttle, ventilated backpack pad, anti-vibration system and heavy-duty backstraps. The heavy-duty air filter protects the engine from dust and debris and is easily accessible without the need for tools, for in-field cleaning. The metal wear ring at the end of the straight pipe reduces general wear and tear for increased durability, and there is an intake cover to prevent airflow to the user’s back in the colder winter months. www.echo-tools.co.uk

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THERE IS NO

PLANET B

WITH SUSTAINABILIT Y A KEY TOPIC WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY, PRO L ANDSCAPER SPE AKS TO A HANDFUL OF INDUSTRY E XPERTS WHO ARE ACTIVELY IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTISES INTO THEIR DESIGNS AND ASKS HOW THEY PRESENT THESE IDE AS TO CLIENTS

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ith the rise of climate change, the constant decline of naturally occurring resources and somewhere between 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic entering our oceans each year, sustainability should be at the top of our lists when it comes to sourcing and using materials. The BBC reported in February last year that over 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced around the world each year, with 40% of this being single use.

When it comes to our industry, reports carried out by Which? Gardening show that an estimated 500 million plastic plant pots and seed trays are sold in the UK every year.

Two-thirds of these pots end up in landfill sites across the country.

Increasingly, the number of designers, contractors and suppliers sourcing sustainably is rising, with local materials, recyclable products and low environmental impact materials being prioritised. Designers are also more frequently asking suppliers where materials come from and where they are sourced, as well as using UK suppliers as much as possible and offering clients more sustainable solutions and alternatives.

The process of building the prestigious, medal-winning show gardens we see at the multiple RHS shows takes up to 19 days to build. However, contractors and designers are only given a breakdown allowance of less than five days. This can see materials being wasted or removed in a destructive process, resulting in landfill material being created.

Adolfo Harrison, director of not-for-profit organisation Cityscapes, provides some insight: “When it comes to the breakdown, there’s only a few days. Things get ripped out and that’s down to the designers, not the contractors.

Contractors can always be more committed, but they’re only given a few days to take a garden out – there’s a lot of cost associated

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with removing a garden, taking it to another place and re-installing it. It’s up to the designers to have designed a garden that’s easily broken down. Sustainability is all about commitment.”

In keeping with the push for sustainability, a large number of this year’s gardens were relocated to various charities, nursing homes and schools, such as the Back to Nature Garden, The Urban Pollinators Garden and The Donkey Sanctuary garden. This allowed materials to not only be reused but also to be incorporated into new designs and spaces, creating a new story.

The attractive pull of cheaper, easily accessible materials is one that can sometimes be hard to resist when it comes to building clients’ gardens. Cheaper options are often less sustainable but more desirable in terms of working to a client’s budget – designers are faced with the quandary of trying to give clients exactly what they want while still acting in an ethically responsible manner.

The more innovative ranges of sustainable materials are often made outside of the UK meaning a higher price which is raised even further due to transport costs. While sourcing local or reclaimed materials often means raised costs, they do provide jobs and income for the local community.

“Reclaimed materials – materials that otherwise would have gone to landfill – are more expensive than new materials,” says Adolfo. “Free materials that would otherwise go

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to waste have to be picked up, they still have to be delivered. And even then, they might not be quite right.”

Many designers and contractors discuss sustainability when presenting designs to their clients. Ed Burnham, founder of Burnham Landscaping Ltd, says: “Sustainability needs to be at the forefront of our decision making.

Whilst some choices may not be the popular choices with clients, we must lead as industry professionals. In turn, our passion rubs off on those we are ultimately selling to. We need to sell the small choices which will add to huge amounts of change.”

Sustainable sourcing is also vital when it comes to the sourcing of arguably one of the main elements of a garden – the plants. With most of the plants being grown, transported and sold in black plastic pots, it is usually a close-to-impossible task to source plants without the inclusion of plastic. However, alternatives are available, such as terracotta, brass pots or Posipots – easily compostable, UK-produced cardboard containers.

Kent-based plant company edibleculture is self-proclaimed plastic free, internally recycling its plastic. David Ware, a founding business partner of edibleculture, explains: “We need fairer taxation systems to encourage people to change over to greener ways within horticulture.

It’s very much down to what people are prepared to spend their money on. I do think legislation has a strong part to play. The

reduction of plastic has got to come from a legislative background.”

Sustainability can also be implemented not only via the use of materials within the design but also by the design itself. Gardens should

WE NEED FAIRER TAXATION SYSTEMS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CHANGE OVER TO GREENER WAYS WITHIN HORTICULTURE ideally be designed to survive and outlive fashion trends, endure the wear of time and contain elements that are universally appreciated and desired. This will result in fewer new materials being used to form a new garden, less carbon emissions and overall less cost.

Adolfo says: “Designers have to be more ambitious. Clients won’t start thinking that way until you explain why. A garden is at its most destructive when a new one is built and the old garden is dug up and sent to landfill.”

With a growing selection of methods in which sustainability can be implemented, increasing knowledge in the sector in order to pursue the goal of sustainability looks to be essential for the future of our industry.

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ADVERTORIAL

D E V E LO P I N G

LANDSCAPING SKILLS TRAINING DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ANDREW BOOTH E XPL AINS HOW TAL ASE Y TR AINING ACADEMY IS ENABLING L ANDSCAPERS AND GARDEN DESIGNERS TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO INSTALL L ANDSCAPING MATERIALS

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alasey Training Academy (TTA) has only been established for 18 months, but in that time nearly 300 people have already been on one of the six City & Guilds accredited courses that it runs from the dedicated training centre at Talasey Group’s head office near Doncaster. We are delighted at just how well it has been received in the industry. When I was a landscaper, there was the odd course here and there, but nothing like TTA that has a sense of structure and a pathway of professional accreditation.

The courses We currently run six courses: • Basic site setting out and preparation for domestic landscaping projects • Installation of porcelain paving materials for domestic applications • Installation of stone paving materials for domestic applications • Installation of clay paving materials for domestic applications • Installation of artificial grass for domestic applications • Installation of resin bound aggregate systems for domestic applications

Each course has a series of aims, learning outcomes and assessment criteria. For example, the course on the installation of resin bound aggregate systems for domestic applications aims to develop the skills to install resin to specification, tolerances and guidelines, as advised by the industry and manufacturers.

The assessment criteria covers key points like the features and benefits of the product

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versus alternative products, a background to the manufacturing process, setting set levels and site preparation. The course then goes on to mixing the components safely (including understanding the purpose of each component for the installation) and then installing resin bound aggregate systems to the correct level, depth and finish as per industry standards and manufacturers’ guidelines. Finally, delegates

EACH COURSE HAS A SERIES OF DEFINED AIMS, LEARNING OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA get an understanding of the maintenance and aftercare tips. The learning outcome is to be able to mix and install resin bound aggregates following manufacturers’ guidelines and industry standards.

Success stories If one story sums up the success of TTA, it’s that of former builder Jamie Furlong, who decided to turn his love of gardening into a business, and set up Norfolk Garden Design & Landscaping Limited a couple of years ago.

Jamie has already been on three different courses – resin bound aggregates, artificial grass and porcelain paving – and is set to go on his fourth before the end of the year. He says the training has been part of the foundations that have seen his business grow, and he already has ambitions to exhibit at the Royal Norfolk Show next year. Jamie added that TTA adapts each course to suit the ability, needs and experience of each delegate, meaning that more 'seasoned' professionals are really challenged as it goes into greater depth with complex scenarios and aspects of installations.

He thinks the courses are great value for money – not just because of the accreditations which he lists on his website to promote his business – but also the tips he’s gained.

ANDREW BOOTH

It’s not just Jamie, either. The feedback we’re getting from other delegates is amazing, such as: “The whole course and experience was first class” (Master Crafters Building Contractors Ltd); “I will recommend to anyone wanting to improve their skills or gain a new one” (S M Bryenton & Son); and, “I really enjoyed the course and how it was presented” (Steele Groundworks Ltd).

For the benefit of the landscaping and garden design industry Championing skills and raising standards are vitally important for the future prosperity of landscaping, and TTA delivers training to teach people how best to use the products and get the most out of our materials. That way, landscapers and garden designers are able to broaden their expertise and gain accreditation to prove it, which is great for their credentials when quoting for and winning new projects.

ABOUT ANDREW BOOTH Andrew Booth was a landscaper for 25 years before he became training development manager at Talasey Training Academy (TTA). For more information on TTA, visit www.talaseytrainingacademy.co.uk or contact training administrator Jodie Huntington on: training@talasey.co.uk or 0330 353 0208.

www.talaseytrainingacademy.co.uk

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GREEN-TECH Product gt Large Tree Securing System Specifically designed to offer stabilisation and support to trees outside of the recommended guidelines of Green-tech’s standard anchor range, this securing system comprises of the same high-quality anchors, guying tendons and tensioning devices as with the traditional anchor range. This is ideal for planting a valuable mature tree, repositioning large trees or securing and straightening established trees. Each anchor can hold loads of up to 45t and can be used in multiples.

Due in stock TBC Price TBC

KEBUR

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NEW PRODUCTS

STONEWORLD

2020

Product Pemberly Stoneworld is extending its range of British stones due to increased demand for UK sourced products. This comprehensive range of British natural stone paving offers timeless elegance in traditional and contemporary formats.

Furthermore, the range enables landscapers and garden designers the opportunity to offer clients superior stone products that help to reduce carbon footprinting.

Due in stock TBC Price TBC

LOOKING TOWARDS 2020, PRO LANDSCAPER HIGHLIGHTS SOME EXCITING NEW PRODUCTS

Product Modulo Quartz Building on this year’s popular new Modulo porcelain range, Kebur is introducing Modulo Quartz, a stunning new modular design for 2020 in a 20mm tile. With a choice of colours (steel and gold) each pack contains a selection of three sizes – 600 x 600mm, 600 x 300mm and 300 x 300mm. These can be laid in a variety of patterns, giving the flexibility to create a traditional style yet with all the benefits of high quality porcelain tile.

Due in stock January 2020 Price TBC WWW.KEBUR.CO.UK

WWW.STONEWORLD.CO.UK

MAKITA

DCJ206Z

DCV202Z Product LXT heated jacket and vest Makita’s heated outerwear is ideal for landscaping professionals braving the cold this winter. The DCV202Z and DCJ206Z have heat zones on the back and chest, while the DCV202Z also has one on the neck for maximum warmth. Powered by Makita’s LXT batteries, the DCV202Z and DCJ206Z can remain warm for up to 35 hours.

Due in stock Available now Price DCV202Z: £181.20 (inc. VAT) DCJ206Z: £212.40 (inc. VAT) WWW.MAKITAUK.COM

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PEOPLE

OUT & ABOUT

NEVIS AT NIGHT

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osted by Nevis Landscape Partnership on 21 September 2019, Nevis at Night was a charity event like no other. The night ascent to the summit of Ben Nevis saw the mountain lit up by groups of climbers all making the trek to raise money to protect the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest mountain. A dark sky discovery site, clear views of the stars and the Milky Way could be seen for miles whilst making the descent.

As well as the climb to the summit, Nevis Landscape Partnership lit up the all abilities path which stretches below Ben Nevis with reflectors, while volunteers collected donations from visitors.

As well as raising money to continue to do great conservation work, Nevis Landscape Partnership educated visitors on the work it does and why continued funding is crucial for people to continue to enjoy the Scottish landmark.

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CRANSLEY HOSPICE GARDEN

©Georgina Piper Photography

©Rob Lunan Welcome Photography

PEOPLE

©Rob Lunan Welcome Photography

'THE COMMUTE' AT LONDON BRIDGE STATION

CRANSLEY HOSPICE GARDEN

HAMPTON COURT BUILD

©Georgina Piper Photography

3 0 U N D E R 3 0 U P DAT E

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CAITLIN MCLAUGHLIN RECENTLY COMPLETING HER LONDON BRIDGE SUBWAY TUNNEL GARDE N, CAITLIN MCL AUGHLIN DISCUSSES THIS YE AR’S SHOW GARDEN INVOLVEMENT AND REFL ECTS ON HER 30 UNDER 30: THE NE XT GENERATION AWARD

his year has seen garden designer Caitlin Mclaughlin make her mark on the industry with numerous projects, working with various companies and scooping multiple awards. Caitlin has also found herself being named a finalist at the 2020 SGD Awards for her Courtyard House design.

Her recent involvement with Cityscapes, Team London Bridge and Network Rail offered her the unique experience of designing a garden located in the London Bridge subway tunnel.

Cityscapes approached Caitlin, seeking her involvement after RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival concluded. “They said the garden would allow me to implement sustainability and use materials recycled from Hampton Court, which is everything that I love about garden design. The big plot twist is that it's in a tunnel at London Bridge station!”

Caitlin’s garden – The Commute – explores the concept of people using the station regularly, commuting to work. Represented by the installation of timber columns, the commuter’s journey is depicted through the way columns are split across the space.

Prior to her tunnel garden, Caitlin’s Urban Pollinators Garden at this year’s RHS Hampton

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Court saw her being awarded a Silver-gilt medal.

Caitlin stated that the process was relatively stress-free, with her contractors, team, and planting scheme following her planned timetable.

Sustainability and the reusing of materials is something which Caitlin considers to be key

I ALWAYS WANT TO ENSURE THERE’S A SUSTAINABILITY ELEMENT – A LONG TERM LIFE PLAN FOR ANY KIND OF SHOW GARDEN OR TEMPORARY GARDEN when it comes to design and the breakdown of show gardens. This resulted in the garden being relocated to Cransley Hospice, Kettering: “I knew that I wanted to rehome the project. I always want to ensure there’s a sustainability element – a long term life plan for any kind of show garden or temporary garden.”

Due to its new location, the garden had to be redesigned in order to suit the new clientele as well as the larger area in which it was to be placed. Safety regulations meant that water features and certain plant species with poisonous elements had to be removed, such as Actaea simplex.

Caitlin is also still busy working with clients from her own company, Thrift Landscapes, which she created in partnership with her sister, Tessa.

Work on an old rectory is currently underway: “It looks like it's straight out of Pride and Prejudice! Part of it is restoration and some of it is completely new – it’s nice to play with what’s already there, take care, and curate the history.”

October also saw Caitlin join Adam Frost Design on a part-time basis as a designer, where she is looking forward to working on projects and developing as a designer. “I'm very happy to be joining Adam's team.”

Last year, Caitlin was named one of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners. Caitlin noted that it helped her to network further and meet more people within the industry: “I was thrilled! It was nice to talk to people who had also won. The industry is very big and it feels nice to be picked out.”

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/11/2019 11:14

PEOPLE

DECADES OF DEDICATION F ROSTS L A N DSCA P E C O N ST RU CT I O N IS C E L E B RATING TH E LO NG SE RVIC E O F T WO E MPLOY E ES. LES LE Y HOARE HAS BEEN W IT H T H E CO M PA N Y FO R 3 0 Y E A RS, W H ILST EDDI E EVEREST H AS WO RK E D TH E RE FO R TH E PAST 4 0 Y E A RS. KEN WHITE, M ANAG IN G D I R ECTO R , SAYS : “ I T ’S A M AT TE R O F GRE AT PRID E TO H AVE T WO TE A M ME MB E RS SUC H AS E D DIE AN D LES LEY. THEIR D E D ICAT I O N A N D PRO F ESS I O N A L I S M TOWA RDS TH E CO MPA NY, OUR C L IE NTS A ND F E L LOW TE A M ME MB E RS IS N OTHIN G SHORT OF E X EM P L A RY. ED D I E A N D L ES L EY A R E PA RT O F TH E FA B RIC O F F ROSTS L A NDSCA PE CO NSTRUCTIO N A ND WHAT MAKES IT A G RE AT CO M PA N Y TO WO R K FO R . I T H AS B E E N MY H O NOUR TO WO RK A LO NGSID E TH ESE T WO RE MA RK A B LE IN DIV IDUALS.”

E DDI E EV ER EST | L A N DSCA P E SUP E RV I SOR knowledge improved, and the job was quite seasonal. Then an opportunity opened up to work within a small maintenance team.

After two years, Frosts started going into major landscape construction projects.

I was promoted to foreman on small jobs in charge of a small team, and then moved back again to work on the larger projects.

When did you join Frosts?

In November 1980, I joined the company as a 17-year-old. I arrived on a cold dark morning to be met by the foreman, Jim Cragges. I spent the day wheeling manure around the rose beds at Waltham Abbey.

How has your role changed since?

Over the first few years, my plant and tree

What do you enjoy most about working for the company?

Some jobs are more exciting, such as the Palm House at Alexandra Palace. I really enjoy complicated planting schemes.

What has been your biggest achievement/highlight?

Holland Park and Chelsea Barracks were two high-profile jobs in which I was heavily involved. It’s particularly rewarding if it’s

BALI Award-winning, like the Olympic Park.

I was in charge of Frosts’ onsite tree and plant nursery throughout the works, which was a challenge as many trees and plants were being booked in and going out daily.

What are your plans going forward?

At 56 years old, I would like to keep working for Frosts. The company has gone through some significant changes, such as the recent buyout by the management team. We have since moved to new premises and the company feels really settled. I have no ambitious plans going forward, I am quite happy taking a step back from supervisory duties and passing on some of my horticultural knowledge to our younger employees. It’s been an eventful 40 years – hopefully I can carry on doing a few more!

LES LEY H OA R E | EST I M AT I N G ASSI STA N T time and progressed to the estimating department. As my responsibilities grew, I felt that I was gaining experience and was making a valuable contribution to the company. Some days were hectic, but I have always enjoyed the buzz and being involved in assisting in the everyday running of the estimating department.

When did you join Frosts?

I started on 6 November 1989.

How has your role changed since?

My job title was general admin clerk, which consisted of preparing wages and general office duties on a part-time basis. My hours increased over the next two years, and eventually I found myself working full

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Frosts feature KR.indd 93

What were your roles prior to Frosts?

I trained in inventory control and then moved on to retail customer services.

This background gave me experience in commercial systems and interfacing with people from all walks of life.

What do you enjoy most about working for the company?

Frosts has offered me a pleasant, friendly and caring environment to work within,

and I feel very lucky that in the span of my working career I have worked with some genuinely nice people. I enjoy being part of a team and seeing projects progressing, and it is very satisfying to know that I have assisted in some way.

What has been your biggest achievement/highlight?

To receive a BALI Award always provides a pleasure. To know that the result of our labours has been deemed worthy of an accolade by those that know what goes into making a successful result.

What are your plans going forward?

I've reduced my hours and contemplated retiring, which I'm looking forward to. But I'll miss the challenges and companionship that I've enjoyed over the years.

Pro Landscaper / December 2019 93

21/11/2019 09:44

PEOPLE

LOOK OUT FOR ...

SAM TAYLOR

R EC E N T LY P L AC I N G FO U R T H AT THIS YEAR’S WORLDSKILLS KAZAN, S A M TAY L O R R E F L E C TS O N H I S M E DA L L I O N O F E XC E L L E N C E W I N A N D I N VO LV E M E N T W I T H T H I S Y E A R ’ S R H S C H E L S E A F LO W E R S H O W, A S WELL AS DISCUSSES FUTURE PLANS

What was your route into the industry?

I started college straight from school, I went through the APL. I asked them if there was a course they would recommend, and they put me onto Myerscough College where I did Level 2 Landscape Gardening for two years. The college introduced me to WorldSkills, which was a key point in my career.

I did a few local competitions to get through to the nationals which was in Birmingham where I placed third. Since then, I have represented the UK in Budapest, China and Russia.

natural stone cladding, and we had a natural paving crazy path. There was also a big pond with a nice timber bridge running over the top of it.

I AM GOING TO TRY AND STAY INVOLVED WITH WORLDSKILLS – IT’S PUSHED MY CAREER TO THE MAXIMUM

What is your favourite thing about working in the industry?

Being able to look back at the job after you've done it, as well as seeing customer satisfaction.

When a customer comes out and they're over the moon with the garden, it fills you with the energy to carry on producing better and better gardens every time.

How was the experience of WorldSkills Kazan?

We placed fourth out of 26 other countries in Russia, which I’m very happy about! We also received a Medallion of Excellence which means we are competing at an international standard, which was great.

There's a lot of different things to cope with while you're competing. You’ve got the pressure of the judges, the crowds, the time, materials can be stressful because you’ve probably never used that material before. For me to cope with it, we had a set plan for each day. You've got to balance the execution with the pressure of time as well, that was the main thing for me.

At the end of each day, you're pumped and ready for tomorrow – you don’t want to stop.

Photo: courtesy of WorldSkills International

What are your long and short-term future plans?

I have a few ideas which involve progressing my dad’s company, Garden TLC, where I currently work. I would like to introduce a couple of teams who can run different jobs – at the minute we are just doing one job at a time.

I want to start doing as many show gardens as I can. I am already involved with Ross Conquest; I did the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year, working on The Roots in Finland Kyrö Garden. He's asked me to come back next year.

YOU'VE GOT TO BALANCE THE EXECUTION WITH THE PRESSURE OF TIME Maybe one day I could start thinking about doing my own garden. I am going to try and stay involved with WorldSkills – it’s pushed my career to the maximum, so I would like to give something back, perhaps helping out with training or judging.

What did the build of the garden involve?

The country which hosts the event gets their own garden designer to design the garden each country builds.

The one we built was different to the usual competition gardens we've been training on. There was Corten steel and Photo: courtesy of WorldSkills International

94 Pro Landscaper / December 2019

Look Out for.indd 94

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/11/2019 10:49

PEOPLE

H AV E YO U R S AY Rachel Bailey RACHEL BAILEY GARDEN DESIGN

I

am troubled by the rising trend of artificial lawns in domestic gardens.

I am even more dismayed that people in the industry – one which should be about protecting the environment – seem to be so willing to design them into gardens.

Artificial lawns are installed on the premise that they are cleaner, lower maintenance and offer an alternative to real grass where grass won’t grow. Whilst this might meet client needs, artificial lawns are not good for the environment, wildlife, or our health and wellbeing.

Producing the plastic for the artificial turf and the turf itself both emits CO2 and uses fossil fuels. Whilst in use they do not need to be watered and mown, leaves and other organic matter need to be removed from the surface of artificial turf. This job could be done by brush, but it is increasingly being done by garden

ARTIFICIAL LAWNS ARE NOT GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, WILDLIFE, OR OUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING vacuums – so, one carbon producing activity is being replaced with another. It is also being questioned whether microplastics are being released from the plastic turf during use, adding to the burden already in our environment.

Artificial turf acts as a barrier over the soil and, unlike real grass or plants, stops the soil functioning properly as an ecosystem.

Burrowing insects can no longer get into the soil, and organisms that depend on organic matter coming in from above are starved.

Without plant roots growing in it, the soil

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Have your say.indd 95

areas. Children love playing on the edges in parks, amongst trees, shrubs, fallen logs and long grass. Why not encapsulate that landscape in the garden?

CONSIDER PLANTING LOW GROWING PLANTS THAT WILL THRIVE IN THE SITE CONDITIONS AND OFFER AN OPEN, EVERGREEN SPACE can no longer function as a natural filter.

We also need real grass and plants for our health and wellbeing. A daily dose of nature helps mitigate the stresses of daily life, whether at work or at school. More and more research is also pointing towards the beneficial microbes in soil that help our mental health and immune systems.

One issue lies in the fact that artificial turf lawns are sanitising our gardens; they are being used to keep children and their clothes clean when they go out to play or to provide an unnaturally perfect garden.

At the end of its life, artificial turf cannot currently be recycled so ends up in landfill sites. If it could be recycled, this would just use more energy and produce more CO2 emissions. I would urge designers and contractors to think outside the box and offer an alternative solution to the artificial lawn whilst still meeting clients’ needs.

If the conditions are not good enough for a real lawn, then forget it altogether. Consider planting low growing plants that will thrive in the site conditions and offer an open, evergreen space. Rather than a lawn for play, why not consider alternative, natural play

Surely getting a little bit of mud on our children’s (or even our) hands and feet and on our clothes is a small price to pay for that connection to and preservation of nature and the environment on all levels?

Are you interested in having your say?

Get in touch via content@eljays44.com.

We’d love to hear from you.

A B OU T RAC H E L BA I L EY Rachel Bailey is an award-winning designer who runs her practice, set up in 2015, in the west of Scotland creating anything from naturalistic wildscapes to more traditional suburban and town gardens. Combining her expertise in garden design with her passion for plants and the natural environment, she aims to reduce the environmental impact of her designs. www.rachelbaileydesign.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / December 2019 95

20/11/2019 10:56

JOBS

For full details on all jobs, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk Call 01903 446 076 or email liam.colclough@eljays44.com with your vacancy

SOFT LANDSCAPING AND MAINTENANCE TEAM LEADERS AND ASSISTANTS LOCATION LANDSCAPES Location: Hampshire

EXPERIENCED HARD LANDSCAPER THE BOTANICAL GARDENER Location: London

Location Landscapes is a soft landscaping and maintenance specialist company based in Petersfield, Hampshire. It is currently seeking soft landscaping and maintenance team leaders and assistants. The successful candidates will be well presented, motivated, reliable and able to work well as part of a team.

Experience isn’t necessary for an assistant position, as in-house training will be provided. Horticulture qualifications and experience are required for the team leader positions.

The Botanical Gardener is a successful design, build, maintenance and irrigation company based in South West London. It is looking for an experienced hard landscaper. The role involves managing builds on mostly domestic projects, delivering projects on time and budget, and communicating with the office and client.

Whilst it is a hands-on role, it encompasses responsibility for supervising team members, agency staff and subcontractors. The landscaper would need to have a range of landscaping skills and the ability to finish all works to a high standard.

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

GARDENER

SKILLED LANDSCAPER GARDENER

The Botanical Gardener is a growing and well-respected design and build, garden maintenance and irrigation company. It is known for offering a professional all-round services from dedicated gardeners.

The company is looking for a positive person, with a passion for horticulture and great communication skills. The position requires the ability to work alone and as part of a team, with initiative to deal with the seasonal pressures of the job.

They will assist the experienced gardener in maintaining up to three gardens a day to the highest standard. They might also implement soft landscaping schemes.

Andres Garcia Landscapes is looking for an experienced landscape gardener to join its busy and expanding landscaping team, working in and around Milton Keynes. A successful candidate will need to be well-presented and self motivated.

The role involves working as part of a team, but there will also be occasions when you will be working on your own initiative. A full driving licence is essential.

The right candidate should have experience as a landscaper and be proficient in paving and slab laying, timber framework and decking, block paving, groundwork, fencing and soft landscaping garden maintenance.

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

OPERATIONS MANAGER

HORTICULTURE OPERATIVE APPRENTICESHIP

THE BOTANICAL GARDENER Location: London

COLE & YATES RECRUITMENT Location: Lancashire

Cole & Yates Recruitment’s client is a key provider of landscaping services, and is looking to recruit a landscaping operations manager in the north-west.

The successful candidate will take on the responsibility for landscaping projects in the residential and commercial new build sector. The candidate will need good understanding of landscaping installation projects, administration, project managing, project planning and team development skills. Managing clients’ expectations, as well as resolving any issues and ensuring the teams are working effectively will also be necessary for the role.

ANDRES GARCIA LANDSCAPING Location: Buckinghamshire

CAPEL MANOR COLLEGE Location: Hertfordshire

Capel Manor College has an apprenticeship available for gardening and grounds maintenance duties. The work consists of lawn, shrub and small tree care, garden clearance, planting, and using gardening machinery including ride-on mowers.

The successful candidate will cut and mow to all forms of grass and lawns, take care of flower beds, shrubberies, trees, hedges, as well as gritting and snow clearance, maintenance and inspections. There will also be the opportunity to learn skills in landscape construction such as patios and decking.

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

CONTRACTS MANAGER

HL SERVICES

Ashlea Limited, one of the UK’s leading privately owned landscaping contractors, is recruiting for a contracts manager working from its Haydock office.

The role will involve ensuring projects are managed in a professional manner from procurement to delivery and completion. The successful candidate will be reporting to operations and commercial directors, overseeing foremen and site staff, as well as liaising with clients and landscape architects.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate suitable experience in related disciplines and have excellent commercial management skills.

HL Services specialises in permanent and temporary recruitment solutions across the UK for the grounds maintenance and facilities management sectors.

Explore a wide range of vacancies in London and across the UK by searching ‘HL Services’ on the Horticulture Careers homepage. The company is recruiting landscaping and grounds maintenance staff at all levels.

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

ASHLEA LIMITED Location: Lancashire

96 Pro Landscaper / December 2019

Hort Careers Jobs.indd 96

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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PEOPLE

T H E L I T T L E I N T E RV I E W

PRO LANDSCAPER ASKS QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS TO GAIN A SMALL INSIGHT INTO THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP OUR INDUSTRY. TO TAKE PART, EMAIL CONTENT@ EL JAYS44.COM

98 Pro Landscaper / December 2019

Little Interviews.indd 98

DAVID KEEGAN

MICHELLE BRANDON

Owner, David Keegan Garden Design

Garden designer and horticultural therapist, Michelle Brandon

www.dkgardendesign.co.uk

www.michellebrandon.co.uk

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing?

Travel writer.

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing?

A policewoman, I’m not easily frightened and I’d love a car chase!

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

Vietnam.

What would you blow your budget on?

Travel, and then some more travel, and then a bit more until the budget ran out.

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

Roy Lancaster.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Brexit disappearing down a rabbit hole, never to be seen again.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Gabriel Byrne.

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Potato tubers, a chicken and a cockerel.

Your favourite joke?

What do you get when you wake up on a workday and realize you ran out of coffee? A depresso.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

Canada.

What would you blow your budget on?

Travel.

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

James Corner – he connects people to nature in a captivating, immersive way.

Best piece of trivia you know?

Ginkgo trees drop their leaves in one go in autumn. Sometimes in an hour or two.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Mr Magoo, I bump into a lot of stuff.

What three things would you take to a desert island? iTunes, mix of crop seeds, juggling balls.

I’d like to come away with a new skill!

Your favourite joke?

Went out with a redhead last night.

No hair, just a red head.

Karaoke song of choice?

I would never, ever, ever, do karaoke, even if I was falling down drunk.

Karaoke song of choice?

Certainly not Celebrate by Kool and the Gang. Once, I asked ‘my people’ mid-flow to clap their hands. No one moved.

What is the worst Christmas present you’ve ever received?

Nobody ever gives me presents!

What is the worst Christmas present you’ve ever received?

A handmade floral waistcoat.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

21/11/2019 10:34

PEOPLE

G R EG PAC K M A N

PETER DONEGAN

RYA N B U R G E

Senior tree inspector, London Borough of Islington/Ico Green

Garden designer, Peter Donegan Garden Design and Landscaping

Landscape consultant, London Stone

www.ico.uk.com

www.doneganlandscaping.com

www.londonstone.co.uk

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing?

Not a clue! I worked briefly in stage construction a decade ago. Maybe that.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

Madeira. Maybe it’s their love for epiphytic plants or the roadside verges.

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing?

Tough one, maybe using my interest in food and becoming a chef.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

New Zealand and Canada.

What would you blow your budget on?

Making daydreams reality.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

Singapore. Buildings have become part of the landscape, and there’s less division between architecture and landscape architecture.

What would you blow your budget on?

Land to plant my own arboretum of rare and exotic trees, then more land with a wood where I could live.

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

Whoever invented grafting, though that seems to be somewhat of a misnomer.

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

Sir David Attenborough.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

If Tim Howell, Sandy Felton and Howard White of CED Stone all got medals for making people smile.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Greater awareness of the skills and intricacies of the job, better education and career progression.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Andy Kaufman.

Best piece of trivia you know?

Apparently 9kg of aubergine has the same nicotine content as one cigarette!

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Otis Redding, The Grange Pub (Cardiff) and a telephone directory.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Daniel Day-Lewis.

Your favourite joke?

The classic ‘Fork Handles’ routine from The Two Ronnies.

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Boat, oar and a compass.

Karaoke song of choice?

Mustang Sally. *Drops mic* Where’s my trophy?

Karaoke song of choice?

Club Tropicana by Wham.

What is the worst Christmas present you’ve ever received?

Batteries. Useful, but not appropriate.

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Little Interviews.indd 99

What is the worst Christmas present you’ve ever received?

A Manchester United jersey.

Ask Rob Hardy – shocking.

It didn’t last long after that.

What would you blow your budget on?

A US road trip in a 60s Ford Mustang.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Clear communication with everyone involved on a project, to ensure everyone is on the same page from start to finish.

Best piece of trivia you know?

There are so many building sites in Dubai, it’s estimated that one in five cranes in the world are located there.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Leonardo DiCaprio (you know it’ll be a good film that way).

What three things would you take to a desert island?

BBQ, iPhone with music on it and beer.

Karaoke song of choice?

Miami 2 Ibiza by Swedish House Mafia.

What is the worst Christmas present you’ve ever received?

Sellotape and a sellotape holder.

Both wrapped separately.

Pro Landscaper / December 2019 99

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