Pro Landscaper February 2020

FEBRUARY 2O20

NT KILLINGLEY

WATERSIDE CAMPUS SHORTLIST REVEALED

LET’S HEAR IT FROM

FEATURE GARDEN

SOILS ON SITE

Pro Landscaper Business Awards 2020

Jon King, East Midlands Landscaping

Denmans Garden, a site with centuries of history

Tim O’Hare guides on soil preservation

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DESIGN TANK PHOTO MATTEO GASTEL

Stones Design: Espen Voll, Tore Borgersen & Michael Olofsson

vestre.co.uk

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WELCOME

W E LCO M E W

ith the first signs of spring around the corner, we would like to welcome you to the February edition of Pro Landscaper.

The big event in our calendar this month is, of course, the esteemed Pro Landscaper Business Awards. The judges have deliberated over the entries and the lunchtime awards ceremony at the stunning East Wintergarden venue – right in the heart of London’s business district – will reward those who have shown excellence in the way they run their businesses.

We are incredibly proud of the landscaping industry and the people and companies that have striven to raise the standards they operate within.

We look forward to congratulating those shortlisted

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and the winners on Friday 7 February. There will be exclusive coverage in next month’s issue.

Of course, our celebrations follow on from another excellent industry event – the SGD Awards, which took place at the end of January.

The evening saw 385 people in attendance with 19 awards handed out to the projects and people that have demonstrated excellence in garden design. Well done to all the winners.

Enjoy the read this month, we have some super features, educational pieces and inspirational projects within the pages of Pro Landscaper, so make sure you check them out.

JIM & LISA

WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE LANDSCAPING INDUSTRY AND THE PEOPLE AND COMPANIES THAT HAVE STRIVEN TO RAISE THE STANDARDS

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CONTENTS

INSPIRE 21

INFORM 08 10 15 17 18 21 24 27 28 30 33 4

Agenda Managing clients’ expectations News Our monthly roundup of industry news News Extra David Sewell Pro Landscaper Business Awards Shortlist 2020’s shortlisted companies

54 57

Elevated Calm J&S Scapes A Different Angle Sara Jane Rothwell University Upgrade NT Killingley Landscape Architect’s Journal Illman Young Eye Candy for Your Outdoor Room Anji Connell More Than Just a BBQ Grillo Latest Products A selection of multi-use planters

Future Projects Mayfield Manchester Let’s Hear It From Jon King Company Profile Greenmantle View from the Top Nick Temple-Heald Able to Adapt Holly Youde Win Friends and Influence People Andrew Wilson Where the Wild Things Are Sydenham Wells Park

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61

50

NURTURE 61 65 67 68 71 72 74 75

Feature Garden Denmans Garden Looking After Your Soils on Site Tim O’Hare The Future is Ours to Shape Nick Coslett Planning Change and Changing Planning Lewis Normand Understanding Biosecurity Trees and Design Action Group Nursery Focus Readyhedge Hedging Your Bets Guidance for planting hedges Living Roofs Taking Root Chris Bridgman talks green roofs

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CONTENTS

F E B R UA RY 2 0 2 0 E D U C AT E 79 80 81 82 85 87

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Keeping Aftercare in Mind Lee Bestall Finding the Funds Henry Ejdelbaum Ride-on Mowers Iseki Lower the Risk Safety tips for ride-on mowers Mastering the Next Step RHS MHort New Year, New Launches Tigerturf UK

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PEOPLE

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FEBRUARY 2O20

Love Horticulture Chris Deakin 30 Under 30 Sam Stevens Have Your Say Steve White Look Out For George Truss

NT KILLINGLEY

Little Interviews Quick-fire questions with the individuals who make up our industry

WATERSIDE CAMPUS SHORTLIST REVEALED

LET’S HEAR IT FROM

FEATURE GARDEN

SOILS ON SITE

Pro Landscaper Business Awards 2020

Jon King, East Midlands Landscaping

Denmans Garden, a site with centuries of history

Tim O’Hare guides on soil preservation

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Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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CONTRIBUTORS

CO N T R I B U TO R S Holly Youde Adapting and overcoming change can be a difficult process, especially when it comes to managing a business. Holly Youde discusses how to adapt and navigate a solution to find the route you need to take.

P28

NICK TEMPLE-HEALD P27

W W W.URBANLANDSCAPEDESIGN.CO.UK

@LANDSCAPE_URBAN

Tim O'Hare When starting a new development onsite, looking after the existing soils that are present is key – they are a vital resource that should be carefully managed. Tim O’Hare discusses the importance of these soils and how topsoil storage can be implemented.

P65

W W W.TIMOHARE-ASSOCIATES.COM

ANDREW WILSON P30

@TOHA_SOIL

Henry Ejdelbaum

ANJI CONNELL P52

In the first of his three part series, Henry Ejdelbaum, managing director of ASC Finance for Business, discusses the various finance options that are available for businesses. Henry also explains the changing ease of acquiring a loan, and states why this should not be a daunting task.

©RHS Georgi Mabee

P80

CONTACT

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W W W.ASC.CO.UK

NICK COSLETT P67

Lynn Heslop(RHS MHort) This month sees Lynn Heslop discuss how studying for the Royal Horticultural Society’s degree-level Master of Horticulture (MHort) award allowed her to take the big step up and start her own garden design business.

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W W W.DEWBERRYHORTICULTURE.COM

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 959 393 Features writer – Rachael Forsyth rachael.forsyth@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 578 Features writer – Frankie Youd frankie.youd@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 394 Equipment editor – Rachel Gordon proarbeditor@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 Subeditor – Katrina Roy katrina.roy@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 391 Subeditor – Sam Seaton sam.seaton@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 391

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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 – Laura Harris laura.harris@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 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

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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.

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MANAGEMENT Managing director Jim Wilkinson Director Lisa Wilkinson Business development manager Jamie Wilkinson

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Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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21/01/2020 16:31

INFORM

AGENDA

HOW DO YOU MANAGE CLIENT EXPECTATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO PLANTING? Manoj Malde OWNER, MANOJ MALDE GARDEN DESIGN Clients tend to want instant gardens.

I have an honest conversation to let

CLIENTS TEND TO WANT INSTANT GARDENS. I HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION TO LET THEM KNOW INSTANT GARDENS COST MONEY them know instant gardens cost money. Mature plants take longer to settle, and possibility of death is greater. I ascertain who is going to look after the garden and how skilled they are.

I am currently working on a garden where the clients wanted me to design the garden for the skill level of their maintenance team. I explained that the garden is their investment. They need a team who can look after their investment. The penny dropped.

I explain that plants can grow fairly quickly within a season if planted at the right time. More plants can be put in, but some will need to be removed later. Far better to fill in with annuals, providing a fuller look whilst still allowing the planting scheme to mature whilst they enjoy the progress of growth.

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Catherine MacDonald SENIOR DESIGN & PROJECT MANAGER, LANDFORM CONSULTANTS LTD There no definitive answer to this question since it very much depends on the type of project (residential, commercial or show) and also on the budget available for the planting scheme.

In general, particularly when it comes to perennials, we would advise our clients that it is good to space plants at suitable distances to allow for growth, as per best horticultural practice, and not to overplant.

WHEN IT COMES TO PERENNIALS, WE WOULD ADVISE OUR CLIENTS THAT IT IS GOOD TO SPACE PLANTS AT SUITABLE DISTANCES TO ALLOW FOR GROWTH Our schemes are normally planted to be effective about two years after they’ve been installed. However, for hedges and trees, sometimes clients want instant impact and, therefore, we do buy more mature specimens. Also, some of our commercial projects do need an immediate ‘wow’ factor and therefore we will overplant, making sure to explain that these plants will need to be thinned out at a later date!

Charles Blumlein MANAGING DIRECTOR, LOCATION LANDSCAPES Managing client’s expectation is usually straightforward as long as you are as transparent as possible. It’s important to present quotations with full description of the job.

MANAGING CLIENT’S EXPECTATION IS USUALLY STRAIGHTFORWARD AS LONG AS YOU ARE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE We include as much detail as we can.

For example, the size and number of the plants/trees being used in the project.

This includes tree girths, heights of trees and hedging, rootballed, container or modular. Explain how you’ve intended the job to be carried out, from the unloading of the plants to machinery needed. We tend to order plants as all our work is on the domestic side, and most clients want to see an instant garden with the ‘wow’ effect!

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21/01/2020 11:03

INFORM

Lewis Normand

David Keegan

Chris Stone

SALES MANAGER, BERNHARD’S NURSERIES

OWNER, DK GARDEN DESIGN

MANAGING DIRECTOR, BUSHY BUSINESS

As a garden designer, it has always been really important to me that my clients understand what a planted garden or landscape will look like on day one, a year later, and also in five to ten years.

Without this, except for gardens created with the most substantial plant budgets, less horticulturally knowledgeable clients will generally be a little underwhelmed at handover.

As a plant supplier to professionals, I also have to manage this issue with clients, especially for show garden plant production, where hopes are always high, even if budgets aren’t.

As always, it comes down to communication and honesty. Well informed clients – professional or retail – can only fully appreciate your work if you are able to communicate the reality clearly.

Managing a client’s expectations when it comes to planting schemes can be a challenge where often there is a demand, and expectation, for instant impact. Given the nature and scale of the projects I generally work on, clients will expect

The polished images seen on Instagram and Pinterest are great for ideas, showing styles and looks, but can lead to the client thinking that that it the ‘norm’ and easy to achieve. Of course, anything can be achieved providing the budget suits, but then the client needs to understand that it has taken a lot of work to get to look like that and will need more work to keep it looking like that.

As always, it comes down to listening to the client, asking the right questions, understanding the site and soil conditions and then being very clear

WELL INFORMED CLIENTS, WHETHER PROFESSIONAL OR RETAIL CAN ONLY FULLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK IF YOU COMMUNICATE THE REALITY CLEARLY The alternative remains – hope and expectation – which without management, will generally lead to at least one element being considered a let down by clients.

WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT IS THE PLANTING COMBINATIONS AND THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE SUCCESSIONAL, AND YEAR-ROUND INTEREST pretty much instant results. To counter this, I explain in the initial stages of commission that my timeline for the achievement of my vision for a planting scheme is five years.

Giving a timeline often leaves clients surprised that my vision for their garden or landscape is invested beyond the immediate. In consequence, they are generally more accepting of the fact that many plants will require time to fill to the designed brief.

What is more important is the planting combinations and the ability to achieve successional, year-round interest, rather than a summer seasonal high followed by drab brown earth until the following year.

I think it is this that disappoints a client more than the requirement for patience whilst plants fill and spread to maturity.

AS ALWAYS IT COMES DOWN TO LISTENING TO THE CLIENT AND ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, UNDERSTANDING THE SITE AND SOIL CONDITIONS about what is possible and what they should expect for their brief.

Quite often, they are seeing glossy images and wanting ‘that look’. Some companies are happy to provide that and take the money, not necessarily understanding or caring what happens down the line.

‘Soil’ shouldn’t be a dirty word.

Having a scheme that works and that will continue to deliver over the proceeding years is much more important.

N E X T M O N T H : H O W C O U L D T H E F U R O R E A R O U N D C L I M AT E C H A N G E B E N E F I T A B U S I N E S S ?

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

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21/01/2020 11:04

INFORM

G ROU N D CONT ROL BECOMES UK’S L A RG EST P R IVAT E G R IT T ING O PER ATO R

G

round Control has cemented its position as the country’s biggest private gritting company and winter maintenance provider, with the acquisition of JW Crowther & Son, known as The Gritting Company.

Over the past 160 years, The Gritting Company has gained a reputation for outstanding customer service. Last year, it generated turnover of £7.3m, whilst the previous year – which saw ‘The Beast from the East’ hit the UK – saw exceptional revenues of £12.9m as demand for The Gritting Company’s services soared.

The investment by Ground Control will immediately boost the company’s gritting operation by 25% and means it will now service more than 8,000 different locations.

Simon Morrish, CEO of Ground Control says: “The union of these two family-owned businesses offers the opportunity to combine

our extensive knowledge and expertise with innovation and technology to further develop our service offering, and ensures we can achieve consistently exceptional customer service in a rapidly changing industry.”

Nigel Crowther and Paul Crowther, both owners and directors of JW Crowther & Son since 1997, will remain with the business for a transition period to ensure a smooth handover. www.ground-control.co.uk

©RBG Kew

NEWS

NEW YE A R’S HO NOUR FO R KEW’S TO NY K IRKHA M

T

ony Kirkham, head of the arboretum, gardens and horticultural services at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list 2020. This is for his invaluable contribution to horticulture over the last 41 years.

During his tenure at RBG Kew, it has been said that Tony has brought unbridled ambition, ideas and creativity to his work. At Kew, around the UK and indeed globally, Tony has championed education in arboriculture as well as transforming practices in tree management and the control of pests and diseases.

Among his many achievements at Kew, in 2008 he led the creation and build of the now famous Treetop Walkway. He is also a published author of six books and has fronted five broadcast series. He has contributed significantly to the 12 committees and boards he sits on, which span the horticultural world. His MBE recognises and rewards his many achievements in raising the public profile of horticulture. www.kew.org

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21/01/2020 16:34

INFORM

NATIONAL LIVING WAGE SET TO INCREASE FROM APRIL 2020

L

©The Royal Parks

GREENWICH PARK RECEIVES £10.5M OF FUNDING

T

he Royal Parks charity, which manages Greenwich Park, has secured a £4.5m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund for its Greenwich Park Revealed project.

The Royal Parks and other funding partners will also contribute to this project, equating to total investment of £10.5m.

The park covers 183 acres and was enclosed in 1433, making it the oldest enclosed royal park. The Grade I-listed

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NEW GREEN VISION FOR LONDON LOW LINE Better Bankside, the Low Line Steering Group and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have announced that the Low Line Commons is the winner of the international competition to develop an ecological vision for the Low Line. www.lowline.london

NLW will increase further to £10.50 by 2024 on current forecasts.”

The chancellor has also announced his plans to expand the reach of the National Living Wage to cover workers aged 23 and over from April 2021, and to those aged 21 and over within five years. This is expected to benefit around four million low paid workers. www.gov.uk

landscape is a unique mix of stunning gardens, historic buildings and monuments, and is a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation with an abundant array of wildlife.

However, there are several challenges currently facing the park, including the increase in visitor footfall which is dramatically eroding the landscape.

The park also faces new tree pests and diseases which are damaging the historic tree avenues, and inadequate public facilities need urgent attention.

Greenwich Park Revealed will cater for a growing and diverse local population and will future-proof the ancient park for generations to come. It will return the park’s eroded historic landscape to its 17th century glory, which includes reinstating the giant steps, replanting diseased and dying sections of the tree avenues and recreating the original baroque designs created by Charles II. Further plans include enhancing the Flower Garden with wildlife-friendly planting in keeping with its formal, Edwardian design, improving the lake and adding natural play features for children. There are also plans to improve sustainability through increased recycling, reconnecting historic fountains and using ground water to irrigate trees and improve water quality in the lakes. www.royalparks.org.uk/gpr

RHS GARDEN BRIDGEWATER OPENING DATE ANNOUNCED The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced that its fifth garden, RHS Garden Bridgewater, is opening to the public from Thursday 30 July 2020. The creation of the garden in Salford is one of the most significant events in the RHS’ 215-year history. www.rhs.org.uk

©Tom Stuart-Smith

ow-paid workers will receive a 6.2% pay rise with a new National Living Wage (NLW) of £8.72 per hour.

The new rate starts on 1 April 2020 and results in an increase of £930 over the year for a full-time worker on the National Living Wage. Younger workers who receive the National Minimum Wage (NMW) will also see their pay boosted with increases of between 4.6% and 6.5%, dependant on their age.

Commenting on this, the chancellor of the exchequer Sajid Javid says: “This latest rise will mean that, since we introduced the National Living Wage in 2016, the lowest paid will have had a wage increase of more that £3,600.

“But we want to do more to level up and tackle the cost of living, which is why the

NEWS IN BRIEF

BONINGALE LAUNCHES SCHEME TO RECYCLE PLASTIC PLANT POTS Boningale Ltd has developed Potback, an innovative plastic plant pot recycling process for use by clients, preventing pots from being sent for landfill. It officially launched at Party for Perennial on 23 January. www.boningale.co.uk

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21/01/2020 16:34

INFORM

Online Exclusives

A FLEXIBLE OFFICE HUB SET TO OPEN IN APRIL

JAMES ALEXANDER SINCLAIR DESIGNS NEURO REHABILITATION WARD GARDEN James Alexander Sinclair is working with the charity Friends of the Neuro Ward to design a garden on the neuro rehabilitation ward at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ james-alexander-sinclair-designsneuro-rehabilitation-ward-garden/

T THE BIG LITTLE INTERVIEW – KATRINA ROY Meet the team behind Pro Landscaper, first in a series of The BIG Little Interviews featuring one of us, learn more about our subeditor Katrina. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ the-big-little-interview-katrina-roy/

TOP 10 NEWS STORIES OF 2019 A look back at 10 of the top news stories in the industry from 2019. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ top-10-news-stories-of-the-year

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he Green Design Hub in South West London is set to be the first office space exclusively to bring together businesses within the world of homes and gardens. Opening in April, it will provide a flexible or permanent space that combines best practice in modern office design. It is the brainchild of industryleading Belderbos Landscapes.

Its new HQ has been extended and converted into a hub, which garden designers, landscapers and architects, amongst others, can call home.

“Our new development comprises over 3,000ft2 of open-plan and private offices, a meeting room, informal break-out areas and a showroom that will double-up as an event space,” said Ed Belderbos, managing director of Belderbos Landscapes.”

The hub will cultivate a creative culture, providing a client-facing showroom and an events programme that will host informal networking, talks, and more. The space can also be hired externally.

With an open-plan kitchen, complimentary tea and coffee, bicycle facilities, as well as being close to Colliers Wood tube station, it will be the place to graft, as well as make new contacts.

“So, if you’ve outgrown the kitchen table or the office is over-flowing and you’re keen to be around like-mind creatives, get in touch with The Green Design Hub.” www.thegreendesignhub.co.uk 7 Greenlea Park, Prince George’s Road, London, SW19 2JD www.belderbos.co.uk

CUSTOMISED AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION FOR ARCHITECT-DESIGNED HOME

A

t a new architect-designed home in Hertfordshire, the wilderness behind the property has been transformed with the creation of a split-level fully-landscaped garden.

On the lower level, there is a lawn, full-width patio, raised beds, perennial-filled borders, planters and contemporary water features which provide a stunning display. Keen to ensure that the investment would remain vibrant for the forseeable future, the owners called in Rosewood Irrigation Services of St Albans to design an automatic irrigation system.

Rosewood’s solution featured Rain Bird technology, including the ESP-Me controller.

The company’s surface dripline was specified for the flower beds and borders so that irrigation could be provided exactly where needed, close to plants’ roots. This has minimised the risk of wastage through water run-off. 90 degrees and 180 degrees pop-up sprinklers work in tandem covering the grassed areas, and a Root Watering System protects new pleached hornbeam screening, providing essential irrigation in the infancy of the trees’ life.

The ESP-Me has provided the facility to create the 14 different irrigation zones with three different timed watering programs. The whole installation can be conveniently managed by the owners, using a smartphone or iPad with the Rain Bird app linked to the controller by the LNK Wi-Fi system. www.rosewoodirrigationservices.co.uk

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21/01/2020 16:35

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20/01/2020 09:23

INFORM

DAV I D S E W E L L NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE APL DAVID SEWELL TALKS TO PRO LANDSCAPER ABOUT HOW IT FELT TAKING ON THE ROLE AND HIS ASPIRATIONS FOR THE ASSOCIATION GOING FORWARD

How does it feel to take on the role of APL chairman?

I’m immensely proud, it’s slightly surreal. You’re looking at a kid who grew up on a council estate in Leicester and left school with virtually no qualifications. Like so many of our members, I started on my own from nothing, grafted incredibly hard and somehow made things work. Landscapers are a very special breed and the opportunity to represent them is a huge honour and something I take very seriously.

How will you be balancing this alongside running your company?

Like many APL members, I run a small business. I am very lucky to have five highly skilled and motivated landscapers who have been with me for a very long time, and I have set things up so that they can essentially run the sites on their own if needed.

This gives me the flexibility to dedicate time to raising my daughter and carrying out my APL work. I don’t think it’s a secret that I’d rather spend a day working with our brilliant committee on initiatives that will move our members’ objectives forward than attending every industry event going.

What do you hope to achieve as chairman?

There are several initiatives that we want to see implemented which will be underpinned by the development of a five-year plan that focuses on serving our membership in the best way we

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possibly can. This will be completed early 2020, then it’s all systems go. We’re going to be increasing and refining both business and practical skills training, accelerating our commitment to helping garden designers and contractors collaborate, developing our Designer and our new Professional Gardener categories and we’ll continue to develop the incredible APL community that inspires such loyalty and makes APL membership so special.

In the longer term, I think we need to embrace the inevitability of our industry being transformed by the need to mitigate the effects of climate change, and I fully expect and want the APL to play its part in this.

Would you like to see the APL’s membership increase?

Yes. Considering the initiatives we are currently working on, I am expecting to see significant growth over the next five years. Having said that, we will never be exchanging standards for numbers. As everyone knows, APL members go through a rigorous vetting process to become accredited. That is their USP and they rightly covet that accreditation because it elevates them above their competition and acknowledges their skill and professionalism.

This must never be watered down.

For us, increased membership will be the result of increasing standards, professionalism and business acumen. By concentrating on promoting and developing that professionalism,

rather than focusing on numbers, we will see growth occurring organically.

Are you looking to work with other associations going forward?

The APL has always been good at reaching out to other sectors of the landscaping industry because we recognise and embrace the fact that we are part of a much bigger picture. Being significant members of the Horticultural Trades

ALL THE ASSOCIATIONS HAVE A DUTY TO THEIR MEMBERS AND TO OUR INDUSTRY TO COLLABORATE CLOSELY AND SHARE IDEAS AND INITIATIVES Association allows us to contribute to industry debate and policymaking under the HTA banner.

I think we already maintain good relations with all the associations and will continue to do so.

Speaking more specifically, now that climate change is pretty much top of the agenda, I think all the associations have a duty to their members and to our industry to collaborate closely and share ideas and initiatives.

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20/01/2020 13:44

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FUTURE PROJECTS M

anchester is a city rich with history and heritage. Residents often boast their Mancunian roots, proud of the city’s involvement in the Industrial Revolution which the Manchester Bee now represents and reminding the rest of the UK that it gifted us Oasis, Anthony Burgess and Coronation Street.

Though the city holds its heritage dear, Manchester – often referred to as England’s ‘second capital’ – is now heading in a slightly different direction, stealing some of the spotlight from the country’s capital.

It’s fast becoming a cultural and business hub, leading the growth of a 'Northern Powerhouse'. The BBC, ITV and TalkTalk are just three of a few companies to have moved their headquarters from London to Manchester, with Amazon set to open an office in the city later this year.

Thanks to a growing population and increased investment, planning applications for new neighbourhoods and commercial spaces are rife.

Deloitte’s Manchester Crane Survey 2019 revealed that, throughout 2018, construction commenced on 44 new schemes, with more than two million sq ft of office development taking place.

But where does landscaping fit into all of this? According to research by Telegraph Property, around 16.9% of Manchester is made up of green space. And in its 2015 Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy, in which it puts its green spaces as a priority over the following 10 years, Manchester City Council says 20% of the city is classed as tree-covered. The council also says there are 160 parks across the city centre – and it’s about to get one more.

The first new public park in Manchester in over a century, Mayfield Park will feature a

Mayfield MANCHESTER

MANCHESTER IS SET TO HAVE ITS FIRST NEW PARK IN MORE THAN 100 YEARS. HERE, WE EXPLORE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY AS A CULTURAL HUB AND HOW THE REGENERATION OF MAYFIELD FITS IN TO THIS

series of spaces for different uses across its 6.5 acres. For those looking for a break from the noise of the city, there will be quiet, more reflective areas. For those looking to get active, there will be walking, running and cycling routes, as well as lawn areas for sports and play.

As the park will be situated on the banks of the River Medlock, there will also be floodable meadows and biodiverse ecological areas along the body of water.

To encourage people to use the park in both the heights of summer and the depths of winter, there will be sheltered areas, too.

The new park is part of a wider development around Mayfield, a deserted railway depot which has been closed since the 1980s. Over the next 10 to 15 years, the Mayfield Partnership – which consists of Manchester City Council, Transport for Greater Manchester, and developers LCR and U+I – will work on transforming the derelict site.

Aiming to create a lively mixeduse neighbourhood, the Mayfield Partnership has put forward plans for 1,400 new homes to be built as part of the £1.4bn project, as well as 1.4 million sq ft of office space, a 650-bedroom hotel, and the inclusion of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars.

But the team behind the regeneration is eager for the site to hold onto its “Mancunian industrial character”.

For instance, the new 6.5-acre public space – an extension of Mayfield Park, bringing the total area of public realm to 13 acres – will feature aged railway furniture. It will be a space for cultural events, which Mayfield is already becoming known for. A new events venue, Depot, launched on the site last summer, hosting Manchester International Festival and

30 ACRE SITE

£1.4bn

SCHEME

1,400

HOMES

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P ROJ ECT D E TA I L S The Mayfield Partnership U+I, LCR, Manchester City Council, and Transport for Greater Manchester Masterplanner and landscape architect Studio Egret West Architect Studio Egret West and Bennetts Associates Planning consultant Deloitte Real Estate

Manchester Pride Live, the latter of which attracted 38,000 people and saw global artists such as Ariana Grande and Years & Years perform. A co-working space called Mayfield & Co also opened in 2018, and a weekly street food fair, GRUB, has been taking place since 2017.

Planning permission was submitted for the first phase of the major regeneration works in October, with work set to commence this year if approved. This includes the creation of Mayfield Park, which will be overlooked by a new 70,000 sq ft office building designed by Bennetts Associates, and a 545-space multi-storey car park, designed by Studio Egret West, the overall masterplanner for Mayfield and the landscape architect working on Mayfield Park.

On submitting the planning permission, Richard Upton – chief development officer at U+I, a developer specialising in regeneration – said: “Opening up Mayfield to a variety of community uses and major events has re-introduced Mancunians to a forgotten corner of the city with huge social and economic potential. Submitting our first formal planning application is an important moment in realising

ACRES OF

PUBLIC REALM

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that potential and we are excited that our vision for a world class neighbourhood for businesses, residents and visitors is taking shape.”

THESE PLANS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM AN UNLOVED AND LARGELY UNUSED PART OF THE CITY CENTRE Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, commented: "These plans have the potential to transform an unloved and largely unused part of the city centre into a world-class gateway area creating thousands of new jobs and housing to support our growing city. The addition of a significant new city centre park, just a stone's throw away from

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Piccadilly Station, is a particularly welcome development and shows how such green spaces can be created through the masterplanning of wider areas."

The park is most definitely at the heart of this billion-pound regeneration scheme.

Mayfield looks set to be yet another impressive and impactful part of the city’s culture for Mancunians to be proud of, and another stride in making Manchester a desirable hub for investment.

Pro Landscaper / February 2020 19

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Let ’s Hear it From

JON KING

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EAST MIDLANDS LANDSCAPING DIRECTOR JON KING TALKS ABOUT E AST MIDLANDS LANDSCAPING’S ASTONISHING GROWTH, DIVERSIFYING THE COMPANY’S OFFERING, AND GAINING A WORK-LIFE BALANCE

S

etting up a business tends to come with grand ambitions for growth.

There’s talk of five-year plans and large-scale expansion, with a goal of being the UK’s leading company in the chosen field. For East Midlands Landscaping Ltd, though, the rapid success of the company has somewhat come as a surprise to director Jon King. In the past 10 years, the business has jumped from a £1m turnover to £8m, and it’s now in the “new territory” of having to turn down work, says Jon. This is unlikely to be how Jon’s father, Nigel, saw the business growing when he first set up the company in 1984 as Nigel King Landscaping.

It started out offering domestic landscaping services, but once Nigel landed his first commercial project, that side of the business gradually increased and, three years after it was founded, Nigel changed the company’s name to East Midlands Landscaping to reflect its evolving focus and growing client base. Nigel continues to be the managing director, with Jon

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as a director and his sister Hannah as financial director, alongside contracts director Jamie Boat and commercial director Neil Kirk, who both worked their way up through the ranks at East Midlands Landscaping.

Jon himself started out on the tools when he joined the company in 2002, working his

THE RAPID SUCCESS OF THE COMPANY HAS SOMEWHAT COME AS A SURPRISE way up to contracts manager. He now runs the company alongside his co-directors, whilst encouraging his father to start taking more of a well-earned “back seat” from the day-to-day running. But Jon’s passion for landscaping started when he was a child, carrying out small jobs for his father’s company from a young age.

“I was probably about 10-years-old, weeding at

the Walkers Crisps site in Leicester. As soon as I could walk, I was working on site.”

When he was old enough, he went to Writtle University College and gained a BSc (Hons) in Horticulture before heading to Australia for a year, landscaping to earn a living. He came to work at East Midlands Landscaping when he returned and was later joined by his sister when the business encountered a setback.

“There was a big change in 2006 when one of the directors left,” says Jon. “The business was kind of thrust upon me. My best friend Neil was working on the tools, and I promoted him to contracts manager and my sister was working as a buyer for Land Rover, so I called her and said we needed her. She was here within a month.

“At that time, we were turning over £1m, then the recession hit. It was a fight to survive.

We were only really working for housebuilders, so we had to start prioritising the few leads that came in from main contractors because there was no house building going on. Fortunately, we found work to keep us going.”

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The work East Midlands Landscaping undertakes is now split fairly evenly between main contractors and house builders. It boasts a client base which includes Bowmer + Kirkland, Wates, Morgan Sindall, Kier and many of the national house builders. For the housebuilding side, the team will travel up to a 90-mile radius from where the company is based in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, but its work for main contractors is nationwide.

“There’s usually more of a margin in the main contractor work,” says Jon. “But the house builders are our bread and butter, so we continue to expand in this market too.

They’re prioritising landscaping more, as well.

The money they are spending on it is definitely going up each year, they’re taking note that it’s important when selling houses.”

Although the core of the business is commercial soft landscaping, Jon says the 80-strong team has had to diversify. “Our clients – especially the main contractors – have been pushing for us to carry out other services, such as site clearance. We’ve also been doing a lot of acoustic fencing around service yards and ecological works for new housing. Our team has a great adaptable skill set.”

The company also offers landscape maintenance once a project is complete, though this is sometimes subcontracted out if it is

a considerable distance from its headquarters.

For a company which works nationwide, East Midlands Landscaping has perhaps outgrown its name, but Jon says in 1987, there was no aspiration to go beyond the region – “one thing just led to another”.

And it hasn’t stopped. The projects which the company takes on for main contractors range from £50k-500k. “We know a lot of the main contractor site teams who will try to get us on the job,” says Jon. “We’re now in an unusual position where we’re really pushed and actually having to turn down work because we’re expanding so quickly. We are having to be more selective with the tenders which come through the door, deciding which ones we return and which ones we gracefully decline.”

Could Brexit change this? “It’s a worry, more so on the housebuilding side. We’ve had a few housebuilders say it’s going a bit stale with sales at the minute. I think we will get through Brexit, though. Once everyone knows where they stand, we will be well-positioned to pick up more projects.”

Regardless, Jon is looking to rein in the acceleration of the business somewhat.

“We are trying to slow down,” he says, laughing.

“It’s difficult, though, because we’ve gone from £1m turnover to £8m in 10 years, so maybe not slow down, but we’re looking to consolidate.

OUR TEAM HAS A GREAT ADAPTABLE SKILL SET

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WE’VE GONE FROM £1M TURNOVER TO £8M IN 10 YEARS, SO…WE’RE LOOKING TO CONSOLIDATE 8

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We’ve been saying that for the last five years, though, and it’s not happened.”

To support the continual growth of East Midlands Landscaping, Jon says the company is looking to partner with subcontractors. “We’ve resisted it in the past, we’ve always tried to use our own labour, but it has gotten to the point where we have to subcontract some of the work. It’s a model that some of our larger competitors use and it makes sense.”

Despite the mounting workload, Jon has learnt to cut back and balance work and home life. “I used to work every Saturday, but since having kids, I try to switch off on a Friday night.

“We all work really hard during the week, so we can switch off at the weekend,” he says. With Jon’s hard work and determination to build

a quality landscaping business, alongside his family and loyal management team, no one can argue with this.

1 Wildflower turfing, Stratford 2 Public Open Space Construction for Redrow Homes at Barton Seagrave 3 Ornamental planting scheme, East Village London 4 EML team photo, 2017 5 Bespoke tiling, stainless steel inlay and timber planter detail, Peterborough 6 The first Deeproot Silva Cell 2 installation in the UK at Fosse Park, Leicester 7 Nigel, Hannah, and Jon 8 Semi-mature tree planting at Sainsbury’s, Dorridge 9 Town centre planting scheme, Lace Market Nottingham

C O N TA C T East Midlands Landscaping Ltd, The Knoll, Leicester Road, Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, LE9 7TJ Tel 01455 850 250 Email info@eastmidlandslandscaping.co.uk

www.eastmidlandslandscaping.co.uk

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RUSSELL HOLMSTOEL, DIRECTOR OF LONDON-BASED GREENMANTLE, REVEALS THE COMPANY’S ROOTS, THE NATURE OF ITS WORK, AND WHERE HE EXPECTS GROWTH TO COME FROM When and how was Greenmantle established?

It was formed in 1991. The team met whilst putting together the garden centre at Alexandra Palace. A friend and I had just finished a course at Pershore College of Horticulture, now part of WCG. My history lies within Wyevale Garden Centres – as well as a bit in landscaping – as I was initially working at their head office in Hereford, undertaking a management training course. before moving to London.

Robin Wallis, who currently heads up Hortus Loci with Mark Straver, and I met Richard Jackson (who is now on QVC) who was pulling together a team to start a garden centre retail company. We were both attracted to the idea.

Originally, Camden Garden Centre and Fulham Garden Centre were set up, with the idea being

KENSINGTON FRONT GARDEN

COMPANY PROFILE

GREENMANTLE

WE FOUND A GAP IN THE MARKET FOR HIGH-QUALITY MAINTENANCE, SO THIS BECAME OUR FOCUS to take horticulture and put it into inner cities to train disadvantaged youths.

So, we took that idea of the garden centre, turning it into a commercial venture.

We set up three garden centres and did the whole business expansion scheme. That went really well, and the business was sold. Then the recession came, so we decided to go into landscaping. We already had a small landscaping company at the garden centre with around 10 staff. We found a gap in the market for highquality maintenance, so this became our focus – 85% of the business is now maintenance and we have 110 staff.

Where are your projects based?

Mainly London, but we are spreading out all over the South East. We have jobs in Kent and Reading, and we are also looking for opportunities on the south coast. Around 80% of our work is inside the M25, mostly inside the North Circular Road along the River Thames.

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KNIGHTSBRIDGE ESTATE

BOMBER COMMAND MEMORIAL

ESTABLISHED 1991 EMPLOYEES >100 TURNOVER >£5M AWARDS BALI NATIONAL LANDSCAPE AWARDS 2013, 2014 AND 2015 • SOFT LANDSCAPING CONSTRUCTION – UNDER £300K • GROUNDS MAINTENANCE – COMMERCIAL UNDER £50K • GROUNDS MAINTENANCE – DOMESTIC UNDER £50K RICHMOND IN BLOOM 2019 • BEST GARDEN IN THE ESTATES CATEGORY • GOLD MEDAL FOR KEW RIVERSIDE PARK

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Is it mostly commercial work?

We started out doing high quality residential work, but have now moved towards commercial projects and private residential estates. We are horticulturists and so only offer soft services and subcontract the hard landscaping.

How would you get the domestic contracts?

We already had a reputation for work in the local area, but we relied on card dropping, advertising and word of mouth. The business snowballed quickly, with an initial turnover of around £250k.

We started doing RHS Chelsea Flower Show gardens, sponsored by the Daily Mirror.

We used to get £100k a year to produce two gardens, which bankrolled the business for around four years. In those days, you’d do a show garden, but you wouldn’t get any business from it. It also took up a large majority of the year to undertake, but from a commercial view, it’s so absorbing. It was great PR for us.

Over time, we worked for all the great and good in Hampstead, Highgate and Kensington, who all have businesses and helped point us in the direction of new projects and spread the word about who we were.

KENSINGTON ESTATE

So, do you do local authority work?

Not really – we don’t tend to work in the public sector because of all the procurement rules and regulations. We are BALI members and SafeContractor accredited, but I start losing the will to live when I begin reading local authority procurement questionnaires.

PADDINGTON CENTRAL

In terms of growth, have you had any particularly significant years?

We’ve had significant years where there have been big projects and the business has gone up by between 15 to 20%. What every business manager wants is a 5 to 10% increase on the previous year for stability, and we’ve found having maintenance contracts helps with this because of the tendering process; the managing agents for the residence have to show due diligence that they’ve tested the market. The guiding principle here is employ nice people – you can teach everything else, but you can’t teach them to be nice.

How is the business structured?

There are four directors. I’m more of the business manager, whilst both John Plummer and Andrew Perley are very horticulture based.

HAMPSTEAD PRIVATE GARDEN

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Company Profile greenmantle.indd 25

John focuses on the design side and Andrew on planting and maintenance. Saffron Joseph handles HR and finance. We have a general manager, a contracts manager, three

supervisors who work under them and then 30 foremen who run the teams on site.

Do you struggle with recruitment?

Yes – finding horticulturists in London is hard.

We train a lot of our staff in-house and take on locals with various backgrounds. We always try to have at least three team members attending Capel Manor College, doing RHS Levels 1, 2 and 3. We pay for them to attend one day a week. We also do a monthly ident where the employees learn about 20 to 30 different plants for a prize.

Where do you source your soft landscaping products from?

Wherever possible, we go straight to the grower.

Most are sourced from all over Europe, which is a bit of a worry at the moment, given the current uncertainty surrounding Brexit. We also have to be careful as there is a selection of plants we can no longer import due to various diseases. We use Hampshire-based Hortus Loci a lot, and we try to support local businesses, such as Rochfords and Europlants. If there is a UK alternative, we will buy from the UK. Is sustainability a concern for Greenmantle?

Absolutely. All our employees are Londoners and are at an age where they’ve grown up being environmentally conscious. All our green waste, for example, is brought back, composted down and taken back to site. It’s much more efficient than composting on site.

What’s the typical length of the maintenance contracts?

If they’re priced right, they can go indefinitely; we have gardens that we’ve maintained since the start of Greenmantle. We have a lot of contractors that we’ve had for over 10 years.

How are you planning to develop?

We are always expanding, so we’re probably going to get to the point of regional depots.

Our sustainable and ongoing growth is towards the commercial market. We are prepping the business for succession and we have tiers of management we want to take over from us and keep it going.

C O N TA C T Greenmantle, Woodfield Nurseries, Cool Oak Lane, London, NW9 7NB Tel 020 8200 9559 Email admin@greenmantle.co.uk

www.themastergardeners.co.uk

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N I C K T E M P L E- H E A L D VIEW FROM THE TOP

NICK TEMPLE-HEALD REFLECTS ON A CRITICAL DEBATE AT FUTURESCAPE AND QUESTIONS WHETHER THE SACRIFICES WE ENCOURAGE AS AN INDUSTRY WILL MAKE THE CHANGES WE SEEK

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o, the general election is over, and old ‘Yellow Hair’ has finally become Britain’s alpha chimpanzee (for now). By the time this goes to print, I’m fairly certain that we will have left the European Union, and we can all look forward to five years of certainty, stability and prosperity – well, according to Boris at any rate.

One thing for sure is that the last three years have been characterised by uncertainty, political chaos and paralysis. However, our great industry has continued to prosper throughout this period. Does this prosperity come at a cost to the environment, though?

In November, many of us went to FutureScape and attended the Pro Landscaper Summit in the evening. The Summit intended to discuss the impact of our industry on the environment and whether we have a responsibility to influence clients in all sectors to prioritise biodiversity and the minimisation of emissions over cost. This debate got lively, mainly around the topic of whether we were prepared to risk losing clients or business if we do what people want, irrespective of a project’s environmental impact.

The fact is that the answer is ‘no’. Should we be holding our collective heads in shame, or should we be seeking absolution from someone like ‘Greta the Messiah’? Of course not. While we can muster up 1,000 people, each prepared to purchase a ticket to the BALI Awards, we remain a small industry in the grand scheme of things. The very proposition was perhaps an over-estimation of our own significance.

The debate moved, as all such discussions do, to a general inference about how terrible we all are – we eat meat, have our gardens landscaped, travel in our fossil fuel-powered

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vehicles and so on. I am afraid, however, that in the same way climate scientists and environmental campaigners justify flying off to conferences and on holidays, the issues the world faces cannot and will not be achieved by individual sacrifices. Giving up my roast beef on a Sunday is not going to make a bit of difference, even to the poor cow involved.

What is required is a structural change in the world order. Even if you are as sceptical about climate change as I am, it is clear that without significant change, humankind will eventually use up the earth’s finite resources and kill off many of the other species with which we share this incredible planet. Implementing structural change is tough enough, and I do not have a solution. However, what I do know is that it involves politics – hell, it’s down to the chimpanzees. We’re all doomed!

Actually, maybe not. In a fairly short timescale in democratic countries – and, yes, eventually even in those with an unelected leadership – it will come down to what the people want.

Unfortunately, what the majority of people in the world want today is food on the table, a decent place to live and not get shot at or bombed. Even

here in the UK, vehement opposition to building houses is only heard from people who already have decent accommodation.

Looking around the room at The Summit, I am afraid that we epitomised the main barrier to progress. What we had, myself included, was a group of predominantly western, white, middle-class professionals telling poorer people that they have to stop doing stuff or can’t possibly aspire to have what we have. This is being repeated across western countries, and we don’t realise that this tendency towards environmental evangelism is entirely counterproductive. The people who will ultimately make structural change are pushed the other way by all of this.

A B O U T N I C K T E M P L E- H E A L D Nick Temple-Heald is chairman of idverde in the UK and a member of idverde’s group board in France. Together, idverde employs some 5,000 people in France, England and Scotland and it is the largest landscape business in Europe.

www.idverde.co.uk

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H O L LY YO U D E ABLE TO ADAPT

EVEN IN THE MIDST OF UNEXPECTED CHANGES, LEARNING TO ADAPT NEEDN’T SLOW YOU DOWN, EXPLAINS HOLLY YOUDE

S

ome of you may know, if you have been on our website or social media, that our dog Dylan is a very valued member of the team at our company. He is incredibly conscientious as the head of stress management and chief of mischief and has an exemplary attendance record, clocking up as many hours as the directors. I would recommend for anyone to have a dog in the office.

About 18 months ago, though, Dylan developed diabetes, and 12 months later he had a week long stint in intensive care with pancreatitis. He has recovered really well since then, but over Christmas, within a matter of days, he started to lose his sight due to diabetic cataracts. Over the Christmas break, I was

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monitoring how he was coping with adjusting to sight loss, and was surprised how his senses and instinct kicked in.

It got me thinking about how we can lose sight in business; but if you listen to your instinct and your other senses, they should guide you through the blindness and navigate a solution or route you should take. Dylan, even though he literally couldn’t see me one metre away, used his sense of smell, sound, and touch to navigate his way around the walking route.

He still walked at the same pace, he still walked ahead of me, off the lead and not at my heel, demonstrating he’s a pack leader and will carry on regardless, learning to adjust to the current circumstances. I was amazed; it astounded me how quickly he adapted, and I wondered – is he faking it? Is he just pretending he can’t see me for attention?

Every so often, he proved that he was in fact struggling to see by stumbling over some uneven ground or walking straight through a large puddle (he normally avoids those).

At times, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he wasn’t fazed or seemingly bothered, soldiering on as if nothing had changed.

If we applied this tenacity and resilience imagine what we could achieve. There is untapped value in not giving up because of a setback, coping with change, not worrying about what we can no longer do, and cracking on with what we can, continuing at the same pace and using our senses to guide us.

Many of us worry about what might happen, and this holds us back. We resist taking forward an idea or an opportunity in case it doesn’t work, or we refrain from making contact with someone in case the conversation doesn’t go

MANY OF US WORRY ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, AND THIS HOLDS US BACK the way we expected. There were times during the walks that Dylan needed guidance, just like we do occasionally; when we can’t quite see something, we ask for help. If we need guidance on how to do something, we engage in training.

I am currently guiding Dylan with new training when, for example, he reaches some steps or drops and warning when he is about to bump into something!

As I type this, the inspiration for this article is fast asleep on the sofa next to me, feet twitching, chasing rabbits like nothing has changed. You can teach an old dog new tricks if they are open to adapt and change.

A B O U T H O L LY Y O U D E As joint director of Urban Landscape Design Ltd, Holly plays a fundamental role in the growth and diversification of the design and build company, as well as heading up Outdoor Living by Urban and the upcoming launch of The Landscape Academy.

In 2019, the company won the Pro Landscaper Business Awards Landscape Company <£2m Award, and has previously won Best Commercial Garden at the APL awards, Employer Excellence Award at the BALI Awards and the High Sheriff of Cheshire Award for Enterprise. Holly has just been announced as the first female vice-chairperson of the APL.

www.urbanlandscapedesign.co.uk

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ANDREW WILSON WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE

ANDREW WILSON CONSIDERS THE SETTING OUT DRAWING AS AN ESSENTIAL SUPPORT TO THE DESIGN PACKAGE

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alk to the majority of landscapers about the information they would most like to receive, and the setting out drawing will be top of the list.

My recent experiences speaking to designers, both established and new to the profession, suggest that this information remains something of a mystery.

I have a feeling that many colleges simply don’t teach this process, which leaves a gap in knowledge that grows into a fear. The process of production is actually very simple – I always look at it as the survey process in reverse.

Designers are effectively auditing their design proposal and relating it back to the site on which they started to work.

Whilst the process is aimed at delivering a workable design layout to the landscaper as a means of accurately transposing the design, it also delivers an essential period of reflection for the designer. So much of our work now is CAD-produced and in danger of flying out of the office, leaving insufficient time for checks and assessment to ensure that all is as it should be.

For the designer, the trickiest aspect of the setting out drawing is to put oneself into the position of the landscaper working on site with the design layout. The designer should know the design inside out – the landscaper is trying to access and interpret that information and its delivery via the drawing.

Many designers misinterpret the point, which is to relate the key dimensions of a layout to a given site. The provision of dimensioned

30 Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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items or features within a spatial vacuum is not effective, and the odd dimension or trilateration is also insufficient to establish on site accuracy.

The dimensions delivered should relate to all measurements across the site – terrace lengths, pathway widths, planting beds, lawns, and so on – but most importantly, the dimensions need to relate to a datum or reference point. For most gardens, this will frequently be the house or a key identifiable point on that house, such as a corner.

THE NETWORK OF DIMENSIONS CAN QUICKLY GROW, AND DESIGNERS HAVE TO KEEP ONE EYE ON THE COMPLEXITY LEVEL OF EACH DRAWING This provides a point at which key lengths can be determined from simple offsets, allowing the garden to be traversed accurately. Datum lines can be created in this way to allow other dimensions to be tied in, eventually creating a network across the site.

Relate dimensions out to the boundaries rather than relying on dimensions based on boundaries, which are notoriously not straight

as built forms. Hedged boundaries also produce dimensional ambiguity.

The network of dimensions can quickly grow, and designers have to keep an eye on the complexity level of each drawing. A rectilinear design will produce a simple setting out drawing, while a curvilinear or angular design will produce much greater complexity which may need a second drawing to aid clarity and legibility.

Important axes or centre lines, like vistas or key routes, should be identified in addition to dimensions to ensure they line up. Radius points will help with curves and circles, although these are useless if shown in the middle of the lounge – easy to show on a plan, much more difficult to determine on site. Offsets at regular intervals will pick up curves as an alternative method.

All dimensions should be given in millimetres (mm) to avoid any confusion. In CAD, the ability to use greyscale allows designers to add more information than would be possible in hand drawings. Paving patterns may be useful.

Levels too or drainage gradients and key features can be named for ease of reference, but if the drawing starts to get crowded, two simpler drawings are better than one. Enjoy!

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

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WHERE THE

1

WILD THINGS ARE WE DELVE INTO WHAT MAKES SYDENHAM HILL WOOD AND DULWICH WOOD TRULY REMARKABLE FROM THEIR HISTORY TO THEIR ECOLOGY AND BIODIVERSITY

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s long-time readers of these Pro Landscaper articles looking at publicly owned parks and green spaces will know, the locations written about tend to be selected due to the – invariably fairly obvious – impact on the communities around them.

The most high-profile examples of these are undoubtedly the various ‘London-centric’ Royal Parks we’ve looked at – from the enormous, multi-faceted Richmond in the west of the capital, to the ridiculously historic Greenwich in the south east. We could also name any number of other sites from around the country, such as Stanley Park in Blackpool.

With that in mind, and by somewhat of a contrast, this month we’re focusing on two sites which are so unassuming you wouldn’t even necessarily know they were there, unless you looked (which we did). These are Sydenham Hill Wood and Dulwich Wood, both of which are situated next to each other in south-east London, not a million miles away from the aforementioned Greenwich.

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We’ve chosen these sites for two reasons – not least how important they are to the local community in which they’re situated. More to the point, both are every bit as resonant as any of those mentioned above, albeit in a markedly different way. Indeed, for those in the know, they are a constant reminder that their locations are situated not just in history, but – due to their ancient trees – in deep time.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FEATURE OF BOTH SITES IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE TREES Sum of its parts As mentioned, Sydenham Hill and Dulwich Woods are located next to one another in south London neighbourhoods which bear their name. As with so many green spaces around the capital, however, they didn’t begin as two

discrete sites, but rather as part of the much larger Great North Wood – a natural oak woodland which originally stretched uninterrupted all the way from Croydon up to Camberwell. Obvious references to the wood still remain to this day, in place names such as Norwood, Forest Hill and Honour Oak. Over the years, its original expanse of ancient trees has been cleared, at least for the most part, by private landowners looking to put the land to more ‘productive’ use. This has left 20 or so smaller fragments dotted across the capital, of which Dulwich and Sydenham Hill are only two.

Jon Best is ecology officer for Southwark Council, the local authority which is responsible for the upkeep of the latter (Dulwich Wood is private land, owned by The Dulwich Estate).

Elaborating on the history of the sites, he said: “Sydenham Hill and Dulwich cover about 28ha between them, and are situated within what has become a quite heavilypopulated residential space.

“They are now part of a designated nature reserve which, along with community uses,

Pro Landscaper / February 2020 33

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INFORM

such as dog walking and cycling, is absolutely integral to their identity.”

He continues: “One really interesting feature in terms of the recent history of the sites was the opening – and then closure – of the Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway.

This provided access to the actual Crystal Palace, which had been moved from Hyde Park following the Great Exhibition of 1851. The line ran straight through the woods from the mid-1800s until its closure in the mid-1940s, with the Crystal Palace having burnt down in 1936.

“It’s still possible to walk the route along where the tracks were laid, as famously painted by [French Impressionist artist] Camille Pissarro at the beginning of the 1870s.

The footbridge which he stood on to complete the work is still there, along with a sign enabling visitors to get an idea of the view, which at the time would have stretched all the way up to the station in Lordship Lane, East Dulwich.”

Returning back to the subject of its current use, both as a nature reserve and valued community amenity, anyone who knows the history of the area will no doubt also be aware that there was a time when the wood’s existence was in serious jeopardy. This was due to plans laid out by Southwark Council itself in 1984 to build over 140 flats on the upper part of the site.

This led to a ‘save the woods’ campaign backed by local MPs, with the then secretary of state for the environment eventually being asked to intervene. A subsequent inquiry saw numerous ecologists giving evidence on the value of the facility, the majority of which was subsequently protected from development.

Discussing the ecological value of the woods and current arrangements when it comes to management, Jon continues: “It’s leased from us to London Wildlife Trust, which has actually been responsible for its maintenance since 1982, two years before the campaign to save the woods got underway.

Since the mid-1980s, it’s essentially been allowed to recolonise back to nature, which has embedded it as an absolutely incredible environment for wildlife.

“The work which has been carried on in relation to the site is part of something called the Great North Wood Project, as coordinated by the trust itself.

“As well as raising awareness of the woodland as a place for people to enjoy, it also places the emphasis squarely on the conservation of the large number of indicator species which can be found there.”

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THEY ARE NOW PART OF A DESIGNATED NATURE RESERVE WHICH…IS ABSOLUTELY INTEGRAL TO THEIR IDENTITY

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Asked to elaborate, Jon sets about listing the aforementioned species, beginning with the wood’s two signature types of birds.

“We have the greater spotted woodpecker, tree creepers, sparrow hawks and the Hobby,” he says. “The stag beetle is another indicator species, as well as the purple hairstreak butterfly and any number of invertebrates.”

In terms of plants meanwhile, the most significant feature of both sites is undoubtedly the trees, and the ancient oaks in particular.

These are augmented by holly, hawthorn, ash, as well as a smattering of London plane.

Woodland ground flora includes wild garlic, native bluebells, wood anemone, and cuckoo flowers. According to Jon, the oaks alone support something like 3,000 separate species.

In urban woodland As mentioned, Sydenham Hill Wood is slightly different to the kind of publicly owned green spaces which are usually covered in this series of features, tucked away as it is deep in the heart of south London. There is also another key difference, though, with maintenance of the JON BEST site taking place on a slightly less regular basis than you might expect compared to some of the capital’s more ‘shop window’ locations.

Explaining the work being carried out by the London Wildlife Trust in this regard, he continues: “A lot of its site management plan is centred around habitat maintenance, again

4

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taking into consideration the incredible diversity of flora and fauna which can be found there.

“That includes the delivery of any number of different things, from coppicing to the creation of new ponds. They’re also responsible for things like litter picking and general maintenance.”

According to Jon, a key part of the maintenance work is mitigating the inevitable wear and tear inflicted by human visitors across a site which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This can range from the relatively benign impact of dog walkers and cyclists, to genuine anti-social behaviour and even the occasional setting of fires.

Jon says: “Because there is not a warden there 24/7, it’s impossible to have presence at all times, but this is something we always take account of in the maintenance plan.

“An obvious example is the erosion around footpaths made by walkers and cyclists, trying to create new routes through the woods. However, the London Wildlife Trust is installing some fencing to try to help with this.”

Sydenham Hill and Dulwich woods are important sites, both to their local communities and the wildlife which inhabits them, and the work carried out by Southwark Council and the London Wildlife Trust should ensure they stay that 5 way for a long time to come.

A headline example of how this work has been taken forward relates to maintenance carried out on behalf of another Sydenham Hill resident, the “woodland specialist” brown, long-eared bat. This included putting up nesting ‘bat boxes’, as well as transforming a key piece of infrastructure left over from the Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway.

“There’s a disused railway tunnel still situated within the wood, so we’ve used that to help deliver our bat project,” says Jon. “We overcame some initial difficulties, making it a perfect place for them to hibernate, but it was too draughty for the bats to hibernate in.

So, we have built two false walls with bat bricks, making it into a true bat cave.”

1 2 3 4 5

Sydenham Hill Woods ©Daniel Greenwood Sydenham Hill Wood pond ©James Cracknell Disused railway tunnel converted to a bat cave Sydenham Hill Woods ©Rachel Dowse Bat in the Sydenham Hill bat cave

Pro Landscaper / February 2020 35

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E L E VAT E D

CALM WEEDON LODGE J&S SCAPES

T H I S G EO R G I A N P R O P E RT Y ’S WA L L E D GARDEN ENJOYS STUNNING VIEWS A C R O S S T H E VA L E O F AY L E S B U R Y A N D I N T O T H E C H I LT E R N S

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njoying views across the Vale of Aylesbury, the walled garden of this Georgian property needed a revamp. Set over three tiers with a pool house, the existing terrace has suffered from slope failure and the pool house does not sit perpendicular to the main property.

J&S Scapes’ client requested a scheme that dealt with existing structural problems and masked their perpendicular angles.

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PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £57k Build time 12 weeks Size of project 1,600m2 Awards BALI National Landscape Awards 2019 – Domestic Garden Construction £30k to £60k

3 A small casual seating space and a large dining area were a necessity, and the project was to be sympathetic to the history of the property and with materials vernacular to it.

4 Design/build The design of the project needed to adhere to quite a few specifications. J&S Scapes had to ensure the upper terrace was stabilised to provide space for dining, as well as a secondary area for a bistro table to try and disguise the angle of the pool house. J&S Scapes also

40 Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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wanted to make the most of the view and frame it in a more pleasing way.

The materials and design were to be kept within the period of the house and style of the pool house. Reclaimed bricks and rustic finishes were used to ensure the garden retained an ‘aged’ look.

Planting is a mix of topiary and classic English borders, which included lupins, salvias and hemerocallis mixed with ornamental grasses and shrubs for structure. A large open lawn is home to two flowering cherry trees to help frame the view. Herbaceous perennials, shrubs and evergreen topiary were used to soften the space. The planting was to maintain the traditional garden, whilst keeping a core structural base running through the scheme.

A softer palette of colouring was preferred by the client. Buxus balls and scatterings of evergreen plants were also required.

Oak sleepers and reclaimed bricks were used to retain the bank. A sandstone terrace

runs out into a simple gravel garden with a circular patio. The retaining wall wraps around the circular patio, using spherical shapes, helping to obscure the angles within the garden.

Challenges J&S Scapes had the usual challenges of a winter build, along with the additional hurdle of getting materials up and down the steep slope. Teamed with a foot of snow, transportation of materials and the build itself proved challenging. Although the views across the valley were breath-taking, it was a very exposed site, open to the elements for a large portion of the build.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The entrance into the walled garden Steps following the unusual line of the existing walls A peek through the side gate A view up to the pool house Views across Aylesbury Vale The side courtyard and barbeque area Mixture of materials in use

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DURING

DURING

REFERENCES Paving, sleepers and gravels Country Supplies www.countrysupplies.uk.com

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Bricks London Reclaimed Brick Merchants www.lrmb.com Plants and perennials North Hill Nurseries www.northhillnurseries.co.uk Trees Majestic Trees www.majestictrees.co.uk

ABOUT J&S SCAPES J&S Scapes has been creating gardens since 1993 and has built an award-winning reputation developed through the understanding that great gardens are best achieved through a combination of thoughtful design and quality build, delivered in a professional and straightforward manner.

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www.jands-scapes.co.uk

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A DIFFERENT

ANGLE H E R M I TA G E L A N E SARA JANE ROTHWELL

U P O N A R R I VA L , S A R A J A N E R O T H W E L L A N D H E R T E A M W E R E P R E S E N T E D W I T H A D I S U S E D B L A N K C A N VA S S TAT I O N E D O N T O P O F T H E C L I E N T ’ S N O R T H L O N D O N GARAGE, COMPRISED OF RUBBLE AND OVERGROWN SHRUBS

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ituated on a difficult site, this North London garden is set at a 45° angle, with the rear being 3m above road level. Half of the garden is roof terrace, sitting on top of the garage. The garden boundaries were untidy, with a large conifer dominating the space.

1

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Client brief The clients were a young couple with a newborn baby. They loved the thought of renovating their outdoor space but were at a loss as to where was best to start, due to the complications of the site.

Key requirements were to have a flush threshold out from the kitchen, creating an intimate seating

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PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £37,327 Build time 4 months Size of project 52m2 Awards SGD Award 2020 Finalist

area and maintaining good access to the garage.

The participants of the build were to waterproof the garage roof and check the structural loadings to ensure the planters could be placed.

Design and build Hardwood decking spans the width of the space, providing a flush transition which is surrounded by soft planting and a floating timber seat.

To create the planting areas above the garage, the choice was made to raise the garden level 30cm to allow for intensive planting. This depth later increased to 1m, where the original path was, permitting the

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team to plant trees to help with the screening of the neighbouring buildings.

To create the planters and retaining walls, 5mm Corten steel was used, which maximised the existing space for planting. Boundaries were cleaned up before a soft grey paint was applied to tie in with the colour scheme of the house.

Entrance steps and a new door to the garage were also installed.

The clients were keen gardeners and wanted as much interest and variety as possible throughout the seasons. A varied colour palette of soft lemon, burnt orange and pinks in spring is then followed by brighter reds, oranges and blues in the summer.

Challenges The main challenge was having to deal with a garden which was half roof terrace. This involved engaging a structural engineer to calculate the loadings, and also to ensure that the roof was watertight before the garden could be installed on top.

1 Planting layers and angles conceal the complexities of the awkward plot 2 Vande Moortel’s Olive SeptimA pavers form the edging and pathways with Corten steel accents. Layers of evergreen Yew hedge are offset with lighter herbaceous planting

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3 The clients were keen to have a green, lush garden with just enough hard landscaping to provide two seating areas. Creating the deep planting beds in response to these criteria without damaging the newly waterproofed garage was key to the success of the scheme.

To overcome this, Sara specified the same system used when installing an intensive green roof, using an insulation layer, drainage layer, filter fleece/root repellent, then finally the growing medium and vegetation.

ABOUT SARA JANE ROTHWELL Landscape designer Sara Jane Rothwell established London Garden Designer in 2003.

LGD is enthusiastic, practical, collaborative and cost-effective which, combined with a meticulous attention to detail, informs a diverse portfolio of award-winning gardens.

www.londongardendesigner.com

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REFERENCES 3 Geum ‘Mai Tai’ compliments the palette of coppers, soft pinks and pale yellow 4 Digitalis purpurea ‘Sutton’s Apricot’ stands proud, with Rosa ‘Teasing Georgia’ providing a subtle backdrop 5 Soft grey boundaries provide a harmonious backdrop to the planting palette and hard landscape materials

Brick and clay pavers Vande Moortel www.vandemoortel.co.uk Paving stone London Stone www.londonstone.co.uk Corten steel AJ Marshall www.ajmarshall.com Trees Deepdale Trees www.deepdale-trees.co.uk Shrubs, grasses and climbers The Palm Centre www.palmcentre.co.uk Herbaceous plants Chichester Trees and Shrubs www.ctsplants.com

BEFORE

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Bulbs Gee Tee Bulb Company www.gee-tee.co.uk

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UNIVERSITY

UPGRADE W AT E R S I D E C A M P U S NT KILLINGLEY PRO LANDSCAPER FINDS OUT THE PROCESS BEHIND THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON’S W AT E R S I D E C A M P U S R E N O VAT I O N

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aving been neglected for 30 years, the plans were put forward in 2012 by the University of Northampton to renovate the site. The land was subsequently remediated and capped off due to heavy contamination from the previous centuries of industrial activity. After completion of the remediation and capping process, Bowmer + Kirkland, along with Kier, was given the contract to build the university buildings.

Built on a 58-acre capped brownfield site, the new Waterside Campus was previously home to a large coal fire power station. The area has now been transformed, with the high voltage infrastructure having been demolished and replaced with a modern university campus.

PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £330m Build time 15 months Size of project 58 acres Awards Principal Award winner in the Soft Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) >£500k category at the 2019 BALI National Landscape Awards

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Client brief NT Killingley was interviewed by landscape architects LUC to asses its understanding of the large scheme in mind, gauging its ability to execute in what was predicted to be a great, but nonetheless complex, project.

Environmental consultants Delta-Simons and LUC provided a very comprehensive and strict set of guidelines on how the site could and could not be treated along with the university client brief to create a modern landscape integral to the university and provide a vibrant outdoor space for students, staff and visitors alike.

There were several soil finishes required to provide high density tree and shrub planting, high grade lawns and low-grade grass areas for future potential buildings, and wildflower areas.

Compliance of the specification was essential to ensure that not only the correct soils were in the correct location, but that no incorrect or contaminated material could enter the site.

Design/Brief LUC produced over 100 drawings covering all aspects of the landscaping, which had to be understood and installed by the NT Killingley team. Many of these drawings overlaid each other, so a thorough understanding of how all the drawings worked together to achieve the finished product was critical. Missing any details on the drawings had a negative impact on progress, as well as on cost and profits.

Working together as a team was therefore vital to success. The construction process was collaborative with Bowmer + Kirkland and Kier to deliver an exciting new campus.

The scheme consisted of locally sourcing and spreading 50,000m3 of multiple growing

1 White willow pollards provide link across site ©Steve Carr 2 Wildflower turf ©Steve Carr 3 Long lawn walkway ©Steve Carr

3

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4 mediums, along with supply and installation for 4ha of wildflower seeding. In conjunction with mature trees, mixed shrubs, ferns, grasses and spring and summer bulbs.

As a challenging scheme undertaken on an ever-developing and active site, these material deliveries had to be meticulously planned in order to cause as little disruption as possible.

In order to make sure the soft landscaping not only survives but thrives throughout the incredibly hot and dry summer, the planting required 24-hour watering in preparation for the grand opening which was set to take place in September.

Challenges On a site of this size and complexity, problems occurred frequently but were quickly resolved.

Due to all the roads and buildings being built simultaneously – which consequently meant all

REFERENCES Main contractor Bowmer + Kirkland www.bandk.co.uk Kier www.kier.co.uk

DURING WORKS

NT Killingley instead of the builders. There was a great deal of risk with this task due to significant volumes of very specific types of soil to be sourced for different ecological areas.

Project alterations recurred, due to the main contractors preventing large areas of lawn from being laid in the correct manner and location.

All turfing was due to be completed by the end of April 2018. However, due to the changes it wasn’t completed until July. The extreme heat posed the risk of the turf being covered with ‘turf toast’.

To avoid this issue, NT Killingley had a watering team operating around the clock.

4 The Long Lawn at Waterside

BEFORE

trades being present on site at the same time – storage was enormously restricted. Weekly meetings amongst all contractors took place to negotiate storage and transportation solutions between all builders and landscapers.

Soils across the whole site were to be imported and spread to a precise specification.

To ensure soil was laid to the correct depths, layers and contours, the responsibility was left to

48 Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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ABOUT NT KILLINGLEY NT Killingley was formed in 1972 and has enjoyed sustained growth over 40 years to become an award-winning landscape contracting organisation. It has a wide spectrum of skills from surveying, earth moving, hard and soft landscaping and grounds maintenance, utilising modern technology wherever possible to increase both quality and productivity.

www.killingley.co.uk

Landscape architect LUC www.landuse.co.uk Environmental consultants Delta-Simons www.deltasimons.com Soil Boughton Loam www.boughton.co.uk Wildflower seeds Germinal Seeds www.germinal.com Large trees Van Der Berk www.vdberk.co.uk Smaller trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants Crowders Nurseries Limited www.crowdersnurseries.co.uk Mulch AHS www.ahs-ltd.co.uk Turf Wildflower Turf www.wildflowerturf.co.uk Lindum Seeded Turf Limited www.turf.co.uk

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21/01/2020 14:48

20 YEARS’ WORKING IN HORTICULTURE. 5 acres of formal gardens.

30 weddings AND events each year.

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20/01/2020 09:27 15/01/2020 11:21

INSPIRE

LANDSCAPE A R C H I T EC T ’S D JOURNAL

1

FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE SUE ILLMAN TALKS TO US ABOUT LIFE AFTER PRESIDENCY AS WELL AS HOW HER PASSION AND EXPERIENCE WITH WATER MANAGEMENT HEAVILY INFLUENCES HER PRACTICE ILLMAN YOUNG

ecember 2013 saw South West England battered by storms.

The Somerset Levels in particular made the headlines as one of the worst hit areas. It suffered flooding for almost three months, marooning villages, flooding properties, and decimating 11,000ha of farmland.

During this time, the government was criticised for not doing enough to prevent damage. In response, Sue Illman – then president of the Landscape Institute – wrote an open letter to the government with the backing of other built environment professions. Published in the Daily Telegraph and publicised widely, the letter

I L L M A N YO U N G

IT’S ABOUT SHARING PROBLEMS, SHARING EXPERTISE AND FINDING SOLUTIONS TOGETHER

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was a plea for the government to listen to them when it came to devising a flood defence policy.

Sue explains where her frustration came from: “There were promises being made, but no one was doing anything. There’s so much that could’ve been done. It was before natural SuDS management was widely accepted, but we needed to speak up.”

Following the letter in March 2014, the government pledged £10.5m towards the Somerset Levels and Moors Flood Action Plan. The 20-year plan aims to prevent destruction at Somerset’s Levels from happening again.

Water management and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) are something which Sue is still

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21/01/2020 11:26

INSPIRE

passionate about, and a holistic environmental approach is something she pushes through Illman Young’s work. Sue also encourages the value of landscape architecture and integrated design work – where mutual respect creates interesting and clever solutions. She says: “It’s about sharing problems, sharing expertise and finding solutions together”.

Space At Cheltenham Racecourse, The Jockey Club proposed to create a new grandstand, which sparked a wider review of the surrounding spaces and how they could be adapted.

One key challenge was uniting areas of the racecourse which lay on varying levels, especially considering the large volumes of people who use the space, and ensuring the centre had a strong sense of identity.

Illman Young was able to redesign the landscape so that areas which were prone to overcrowding were opened up. A central plaza was also developed.

An elevated walkway around three sides of the parade ring creates an amphitheatre-like space, with planting and feature paving helping to connect numerous elements in the course.

Sue explains: “We like to ask lots of questions to find out what clients want from

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a site.” Illman Young even holds training sessions for teams it is working with and the client, so that the reasoning behind decisions they make are clear and everyone has a joint vision, enabling it to reach its full potential.

Water management Highlighted in the Cheltenham Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP), Oakley was identified as a place where disconnecting runoff from surface water sewers and directing the runoff to local green spaces and rain gardens would have direct flood alleviation benefits.

Illman Young was commissioned to design and implement a SuDS retrofit scheme for the council owned estate, which involved a large amount of community engagement. The flood alleviation plans involved retrofitting everyone’s front gardens, which meant that Illman Young had to be incredibly transparent about what it is doing and why. Knocking on residents’ doors, the team made sure the community was aware about how the work would improve their environment and make their homes more resilient.

Partly planted SuDS basins located within public spaces were installed to collect stormwater, while road gullies were blocked up and channels constructed under paving to direct surface water into the basins.

Sue also felt the community needed to take pride, and more importantly, ownership over the work being done. She says: “It’s important to allow communities to make decisions when there is a genuine ability to choose.”

Rain gardens built in individual properties reduced the collection of roof water from disconnected downpipes. It was in the design of these that residents were able to take ownership, with Illman Young offering different sizes, shapes, locations and colour schemes.

By pre-selecting plants which would work in the garden, Illman Young could allow residents to select their chosen planting scheme from a list, which gave some autonomy and individuality.

Sue says: “We’ll always make the case for better integrated design. SuDS is going to deliver across so many other agendas, which will include biodiversity, air and water quality, and so many more.”

Her passion stretches out the practice, too.

Sue was lead author on a SuDS’ construction guide for the Construction Industry Research

3 and Information Association (CIRIA) and was asked to give training on water management.

Her audience encapsulates a number of professions within the construction industry.

WE’LL ALWAYS MAKE THE CASE FOR BETTER INTEGRATED DESIGN. SUDS IS GOING TO DELIVER ACROSS SO MANY OTHER AGENDAS Sue is also a SuDS Champion for Construction Industry Council (CIC) as it was an area which the council felt it wasn’t giving enough focus to. This involves a lot of policy work, and Sue has given evidence on a number of government committees, spoken at various events and hosted presentations at Defra. Most importantly to Sue, the role involves working with a number of institutions and professions in order to create one coherent voice – one strong voice with which to champion change.

1 Amphitheatre at Lytchett Minster School, Dorset 2 Best Mate Plaza, Cheltenham Racecourse 3 SuDS basin in public open space, Oakley Cheltenham 4 Raingardens within properties, Oakley Cheltenham 5 Integrated planting and security, Police Headquarters 6 The Illman Young team – from left to right: Isaac Winchcombe, Helen McHollan, Teddy Jurianz, Sue Illman, Graham Bryce, Lisa Powell, Toby Goodman and Ruth Tovey

C O N TA C T Illman Young Landscape Design Ltd The Warehouse, Kingshold Building 4 Malmesbury Rd, Cheltenham, GL51 9PL Tel 01242 521 480 Email mail@illman-young.com

www.illman-young.com

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21/01/2020 11:27

INSPIRE

FUNCTIONAL ART GALLERY: FINN MEIER

GREEM JEONG

E Y E C A N DY

FUNCTIONAL ART CAN BE A USEFUL STATEMENT PIECE FOR ANY OUTDOOR SPACE, SAYS ANJI CONNELL

BALENCIAGA

ORTAMIKLOS

FINN MEIER

BENTU DESIGN: WRECK CERAMICS

52 Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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FO R YO U R

OUTDOOR ROOM

F

ill your outdoor spaces with functional art – these pieces are pushing boundaries and concepts with an urban edge. In 2020, we will see more sustainable materials as well as active and exciting reuse of waste products, being transformed into bold and colourful functional art, set to capture our attentions and send our social media crazy. We define functional art as a design that crosses the line – art that has been created with the intent of function.

Designers are no longer concerned with mass production and conventional functionality. They are artfully reimagining post-industrial waste into a new and functional aesthetic. Benoît Wolfrom and Javier Peres’ Functional Art Gallery’s space in Berlin, for instance, focuses on art that blurs the lines between sculpture, visual art, and furniture design. All of the artists they represent make everything themselves – all the pieces are unique, and they are all functional.

Functional Art Berlin’s presentation at Design Miami/Basel in December 2019 showcased, amongst others, the striking work

by OrtaMiklos in all its technicolour glory. The French-Danish design duo Leo Orta and Victor Miklos Andersen create pieces out of bright

orange, lilac, and turquoise cardboard pulp moulded around steel frames.

Crude, wonky, and proudly handmade, the pieces show how large-scale craftsmanship today comes with no clearly defined aesthetic.

Their work is flamboyantly theatrical, sculptural, and – importantly – it’s functional. Accidental marks made on the raw materials during their creation are celebrated as giving the pieces personality. ‘The White Ladies’ are a prime example of their eye-catching and humorous works. A pair of lamp/seat hybrids made from concrete, cast in women’s tights and electrical cables, are made from carved foam and resin.

Korean designer Greem Jeong takes on springs for her Mono series. Silicone tubes – typically an industrial material used to protect wires or pipes – are wrapped around a steel core. Jeong uses this basic material to form everything from table bases to a stiff bench, in velvety blue to brilliant banana yellow with three-dimensional doodle-like lines. Not as extreme (but no less arresting) is Dutch designer Floris Wubben’s 3m-long ceramic table constructed by using extruded ceramic.

It is a colossal, sense-defying piece of furniture.

British designer Faye Toogood’s furniture and objects demonstrate an ongoing preoccupation with materiality and experimentation. The distinctive, reassuringly chunky lines of her Roly-Poly furniture collection become even more inviting in her new collaboration with design house Driade. The polyethylene mono-bloc sofa is made for both outdoor and indoor use; it comes in ochre, red brick, peat, charcoal, concrete, and flesh.

GUFRAM DISCO RUG Toogood’s lava stone tile collaboration with ceramics brand range

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20/01/2020 14:10

FAYE TOOGOOD ROLY POLY SOFA

INSPIRE

LINDE FREYA

ENIS AKIEV PLASTIC STONE TILES

NADINE GÖPFERT

PLASTICIET

Although this growing demand creates jobs and compacted inside a transparent covering made opportunities, the downside means there is an from BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) increased amount of waste produced. Bentu film, which is said to biodegrade over time. hopes that it can highlight and promote Studio Mumbai’s circular stone armchair the value of utilising waste. is carved out of a large rock found in their Belgian designer immediate surroundings using Charlotte Jonckheer simple tools and gestures of believes sustainability the hand. is an important Functional Art Gallery element of the design artist Théophile Blandet has process. Jonckheer’s been working with plastics side tables are named that can’t be recycled.

Chaud, after the name Envisioning a future where of the paper and stone plastic will be a forbidden composite material she material and regarded as the developed to make them. Curved ivory of the future, he TOUCHE TOUCHE MIRROR recycled paper tops are supported is now focusing on FOR ALFA.BRUSSELS by stone dust legs. Interestingly, they are Nadine Goepfert’s Soft Shell, Hard Core using aluminium two materials that have similarities on the is a collaborative project with Koos Breen to which he compares to gold – both soft metals surface but have a completely different feel and produce a range of furniture with protected that will never run out. Aluminium is the third material qualities. Jonckheer used salvaged edges, exaggerating function over aesthetics in most abundant resource on earth and every offcuts from local print shops that are untreated a fun way. The soft objects can be added to any part of it is recyclable. It can be re-melted and and therefore fully recyclable. piece of domestic furniture and are reused ad infinitum, and has become an Rotterdam designers Marten van extremely useful for family gardens important material of the future. Linde Freya Middelkoop and Joost Dingemans’ and busy spaces. has taken this onboard to produce her Cross Plasticiet is a sheet-plastic made Bert & May’s hand-poured tiles Vault Seat, Bolder Seat and Bold Table, all from recycled plastic collected are a collaboration with London made from aluminium. from companies across the design label Darkroom. They ‘The grass is always greener on the other Netherlands, similar in feature simple geometric side’ – Koos Breen’s hand-shaved artificial turf appearance to man-made shapes that can be matched carpet is a fun take on fake grass and will lift the stone composites like to create a uniform pattern or pieces to even higher heights, and for fair terrazzo. The sheets are placed randomly to create an weather or under cover, a Disco Gufram made in various sizes and abstract look that will update a rug will make it all sing. colours that are mixed up to space spectacularly – a superb produce a variety of effects. backdrop to planting too.

Kazakhstani designer Enis Chinese studio Bentu Design ABOUT ANJI CONNELL Akiev’s Plastic Stone Tiles are works to highlight the amount of made from discarded single-use waste that is produced within the Internationally recognised interior architect plastic by emulating the organic ceramics industry. The ‘Wreck’ and landscape designer, Anji Connell, is a KOOS BREEN process that occurs in the natural collection includes side tables and detail-obsessed Inchbald Graduate, and has formation of rock. benches made from a mix of recycled been collaborating with artisans and craftsmen Balenciaga and Crosby Studios founder ceramic and concrete that leaves the shards to create bespoke and unique interiors for a discerning clientele since 1986. Anji is a stylist, Harry Nuriev have created the Balenciaga Sofa visible on the surface. feature writer and lover of all things art and design. to acknowledge the brand’s responsibility in Bentu noticed that globalisation, and www.anjiconnellinteriordesign.com offsetting its environmental impact. Worn, increased demand for ceramic pieces, had driven discarded, and obsolete garments are a wave of new factories in Chaozhou, China.

Made a Mano is made from stone taken from Sicily’s Mount Etna. Tiles come in multiple sizes, in simple geometric shapes with contrasting gloss and matte sections which emphasise the patterns and evoke the distorted crater scape of a volcano. Toogood used red, white, grey, and brown to represent the different colours of lava as it cools down. They make a fabulous backdrop to her beautifully formed furniture.

THESE PIECES ARE PUSHING BOUNDARIES AND CONCEPTS WITH AN URBAN EDGE

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INSPIRE

MORE THAN JUST A BBQ GRILLO PROVIDED A COMPLETE OUTDOOR KITCHEN FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL GARDEN IN CENTRAL LONDON

D

esigner Anthony Paul recently specified a Grillo outdoor kitchen for a beautiful town house garden in Vauxhall, London. Internationally renowned for his innovative contemporary garden and landscape designs, Anthony’s works feature around the world, including in the UK, New Zealand, Australia, the USA, France, Switzerland, Africa and the Mediterranean.

His Vauxhall-based client wanted a compact outdoor kitchen to fit in with their recently refurbished six-bed house. The kitchen needed

views over the adjacent landscaping and planting schemes. The Chef’s Anvil barbecue – a fire bowl topped with a steel cooking ring – is central to the design, forming a great visual centrepiece and talking point.

Dougal Donald, Grillo’s co-founder, says that a Grillo outdoor kitchen is so much more than a place to cook up beef burgers and sausages.

“Our vision is to bring people together around food and flames. So, instead of having the

barbecue tucked away in the corner, we wanted to bring guests and host together, and to enable socialising and cooking to happen in one place.”

With the average house size decreasing, the outdoor living trend is taking a firm hold. Grillo works with numerous garden designers and landscaping architects, helping them to run bland patio spaces into amazing entertaining and socialising zones. www.grillo.uk.com

to blend visually with its surroundings, which was made up of a diverse mix of older buildings and contemporary landscaping.

So, the L-shaped layout comprises a gas grill, an outdoor fridge and a beautiful stone sink. The low iroko back on the left ensures uninterrupted

54 Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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21/01/2020 14:08

ADVERTORIAL

The Traditional Company is at the forefront of the manufacture, supply and installation of estate fencing and lawn edging and other architectural ironwork throughout the UK. It was founded in 2012 by Martin Kilgour and David House.

Where is it based We cover the whole of the UK from our three bases in Leicestershire, Hertfordshire and Hampshire and co-ordinate site visits UK wide ensuring the best style of fencing, edging and ironwork to suit the individual project. Our ironwork is supplied from our purpose built in-house 7500 sq ft Fabrication unit.

How we work We work with a variety of commercial clients delivering different services to landscape architects, landscapers and developers.

We are able to supply only or supply and

install a nationwide service. Our teams are all employed by The Traditional Company who have a wealth of experience and expertise and who will deliver a quality product. Team leaders manage the work on the ground, and they are supported by our sales and operations office.

What is the product range This style of estate fencing has had a significant renaissance in recent years and has become very popular with Landscape Architects and Property developers who appreciate the way in which Estate Fencing provides a break between formal and wilder areas, as well as providing a fence that will last for many generations. Our clients often comment on how Estate Fencing lifts a property, both aesthetically and financially.

edging which can easily hold dead straight lines and acute angles as well as sweeping elegant curves. Installation is simple, using only a handful of standard tools, with all joints and support pins been hidden behind the edging to leave a completely flush visual face.

Bespoke We are proud of our achievements so far, working with great clients on fantastic projects in both urban and rural landscapes.

LEGACY Lawn and Driveway Edging Legacy Steel Lawn Edging is a premium product, both strong and flexible.

This type of traditional steel lawn and driveway edging creates an aesthetic and practical solution to keeping your garden lawn edges and borders neat and tidy.

Our unique interlocking system creates a continuous length of

Contact The Traditional Company | 01664 431759 info@thetraditionalco.co.uk | www.thetraditionalco.co.uk Advert Template 14 traditional co.inddPL.indd 1

21/01/2020 16:50 16:48

INTEGRATED SEATING POWDER-COATED

SPECIALIST UK STREET FURNITURE MANUFACTURER

PLANTERS www.urbanstreetdesigns.co.uk

POLISHED

FULLY FABRICATED

1.1mtr high x 34mtr long modular balcony planter with integrated seating, lighting and a privacy screen, designed and manufactured by USD.The planter was manufactured with a large return top edge and a galvanised drainage layer to protect the decking platform. Seating areas were formed as laser cut trays that attached to brackets with reinforced plates to prevent flexing. Holes were laser cut for drainage before powder-coating.

CORTEN CURVED Project: Padcroft Podium

USDs team of CAD designers modelled up 620mtrs of USDs Corten modular planter system using the architects plans provided. Coordinated by our production team over 300 panels were sent through our fibre laser cutter, rolled to specific radii on our power rollers and fabricated to British Standards by our team of coded welders.

Project: Rugby Radio Station Stainless Steel sheet was laser cut, folded and fully fabricated in USD's UK Factory to create 7 seamless planters. Adjustable feet were welded and set back to keep a clean look and compensate for the uneven ground. Dressed and polished to create a stunning brushed finish.

GALVANISED MODULAR

Project: N08 Stratford 450mtrs of USD's modular planter system designed and manufactured in our UK factory.

Managed by in-house project co-ordinators to ensure planter panels were supplied in phases as and when required. All panels went through our Xpert Bystronic CNC Press Brake to form precision bends before fabrication and were then sent on to be hot dip galvanised for protection and an industrial look. Our logistics team ensured all panels were packed securely and worked with site for a smooth delivery.

On site USDs planter system goes together easily on all types of ground conditions.

REMOVABLE

TIMBER CLADDED

Project: 100 Bishopsgate

Galvanised box section frame with feet, cladded in timber. Galvanised sheet steel folded liner, hidden fork lift channels and a drainage layer.

USD are FSC certified for all timber enquiries.

HEAVY DUTY

USD developed and manufactured 4 box tree planters, 4.5mtrs long x 1.3mtrs wide, out of 6mm thick mild steel. Our in-house coded fabricators fully welded the planter boxes so they were water tight and seamless including a full internal steel box section framework.

4 Lifting eyes were laser cut into the steel supporting fins, so the planter could be lifted onto the level 7 terrace garden and allow it to be removable in the future.

Also developed were a set of sliding doors to one side, giving access to an integrated electrical panel.

Alongside this USD manufactured 6 Lawn Trays as well as 200mtrs of modular planter panels for the perimeter of the project.

Advert Template PL.indd 15

Project: Copthall Avenue

Project: The Yards - Tree Planters

Contact us on: 01282 507 656 sales@urbanstreetdesigns.co.uk 20/01/2020 09:28

INSPIRE

OUTDOOR DESIGN These planters were commissioned by a landscape architecture practice for a development in North London. Outdoor Design produced a set of nine, plus a further five for various locations within a central courtyard. The planters were fabricated in galvanised steel and finished in a powder coating for maximum longevity and minimal maintenance.

Outdoor Design’s skilled craftsmen welded and polished 45 linear metres of metal to a perfectly smooth, seamless finish.

WWW.OUTDOORDESIGN.CO.UK

LATEST PRODUCTS

MULTI-USE PLANTERS

Bespoke powder coated steel planted perimeters with Iroko benching, supplied to Berkeley Homes

IOTA IOTA says that it has found that landscape architects are increasingly specifying planters with integral seating. Benefits can include a cleaner feel to the space (no bench legs), greater coherence of the overall design, and the opportunity to provide long stretches of seating area at a lower price than the equivalent number of individual benches. IOTA now offers many different design options and seating configurations.

WWW.IOTAGARDEN.COM

WE HAVE PICKED OUT SOME MULTI USE PLANTERS PERFECT FOR BRINGING INTEREST TO YOUR PROJECTS

EUROPLANTERS Europlanters was commissioned by Goddards Landscape Contractors to design and manufacture a planter with an integral bench for The Post Building, London. These planters are now available in a large variety of standard sizes, timbers, colours and finishes; however, bespoke options can be requested. All its GRP planters are now made from sustainable ‘green’ resin – this helps the environment as it contains recycled plastic bottles, diverting them from landfill and oceans.

WWW.EUROPLANTERS.COM

LIVINGREEN DESIGN Livingreen Design launched its planter furniture brochure at FutureScape, highlighting a full and varied collection. Every item is handmade in the UK to order and comes in a wide range of finishes, including faux Corten steel, terracotta and stone.

Seats are available in wood, leather, outside fabric or fibreglass. Livingreen's range has expanded with the modular Terraces 2. The base material is fibreglass, keeping it lightweight, perfect for podium or roof terrace planting.

WWW.LIVINGREENDESIGN.COM

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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POTCO The Pot Company’s Fiori Luminous Collection is a range of light up planters, perfect for illuminating walkways and adding soft light to a space. With a range of shapes and sizes, these planters are easy to install, easy to maintain and will brighten up even the gloomiest of spaces. The Pot Co say these have grown increasingly popular since adding them to the range four years ago, seeing them used in everything from modern courtyard designs to illuminating the entrance of bars, restaurants and cafes. Running off standard 240v, purchasers are also able to install a colour changing LED bulb to provide a choice of colours.

WWW.THEPOTCO.COM

Pro Landscaper / February 2020 57

21/01/2020 12:27

At Majestic Trees, we value biosecurity very highly...do you?

In 2019 OPM was parachuted from Europe into over 90 sites across the UK by professionals that were not so careful about biosecurity, importing oak trees ‘unknowingly’ infested with OPM from nurseries, traders and sourcing services they thought they could trust!

Biosecurity Crash Course for Designers Guest speaker: Mike Robinson, APHA

Thurs 12 March 10-2pm

• ADVICE • DELIVERY • PLANTING • AFTERCARE • Majestic Trees spend months selecting the trees we grow, ensuring they are of the finest quality, clean and healthy.

• Grown on our 27 acre nursery to ensure they are free of OPM and other pests and diseases threatening our futures!

• Each tree is lifted and transplanted up to 7 times!

• Grown on in AirPots to ensure the finest fibrous root system!

• Trees are professionally pruned to develop a strong and vigorous crown.

Next time you are looking for trees, consider Majestic Trees.

Unlike so many of our competitors, we are not a sourcing service, a virtual nursery or nursery that trades rootball trees we didn’t grow.

Take your project’s biosecurity seriously, and ensure you comply with the new traceability and plant passport legislation, by buying trees grown on a UK nursery.

Employer of the Year

Grower of the Year: Nursery Stock 2017, 2015, 2011, 2008

www.majestictrees.co.uk

01582 843881 | info@majestictrees.co.uk Chequers Hill, Flamstead, Nr St.Albans, Herts, AL3 8ET

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20/01/2020 11:31

N U RT U R E

FEATURE GARDEN DENMANS GARDEN

P61

I N S I D E N U R T U R E T H I S M O N T H PA G E 6 1 F E AT U R E G A R D E N : D E N M A N S G A R D E N , PA G E 6 5 T I M O ’ H A R E , PA G E 6 7 N I C K C O S L E T T, PA G E 6 8 L E W I S N O R M A N D , PA G E 7 1 T R E E S A N D D E S I G N A C T I O N G R O U P, PA G E 7 2 N U R S E R Y F O C U S : R E A D Y H E D G E , PA G E 74 H E D G I N G G U I D A N C E , PA G E 7 5 G R E E N R O O F S

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21/01/2020 16:47

PB 92x272mm Pro_Landscaper 2020.qxp_Layout 1 20/01/2020 17:36 Page 1

Instant Hedges & Large Trees S H d g R ar in awinn w Practical Instant Hedge growing at our nursery in Iver

We have a range of quality instant hedges and semi‑mature trees that are available for delivery to your project right now.

Find more information at:

www.pracbrown.co.uk PRACTICALITY BROWN LTD THE INSTANT LANDSCAPE SPECIALISTS

Swan Road Iver Bucks SL0 9LA Tel: 01753 652022 Email: sales@pracbrown.co.uk

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21/01/2020 09:10

NURTURE

F E AT U R E GARDEN

DENMANS GARDEN LO C AT E D O N T H E G E N T L E , S O U T H FAC I N G S LO P E S O F T H E S O U T H D O W N S D E N M A N S G A R D E N F LOWS F R O M O N E AC R E TO T H E N E X T, B OA ST I N G A R T I ST I C A L LY C R E AT E D G E O M E T R I C B O R D E R S A N D S E R P E N T I N E PAT H S

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Feature garden Denmans Gardens.indd 61

O

riginally owned by Lord Denman in the latter half of the 1800s, Denmans Garden possesses a long history of transformation and charming character. Over hundreds of years, the gardens have been cultivated, restyled and metamorphosised into their current, constantly evolving form.

During his time on the estate, Lord Denman constructed the clock tower house, stables, pit house and the vintage Victorian greenhouses, which date back to the late 1800s.

After selling the gardens in 1903, many owners passed through the gates implementing their own changes and unique touches. However, it wasn’t until the end of World War Two that the garden was found by Joyce and Hugh Robinson. Hugh had a broad background, not only within the horticulture industry, but also in the agriculture and farming sector, whereas Joyce was self-taught. Her family recalls her leaving for whole days to visit RHS shows and botanical gardens where she would bring along a notepad and paper bag containing her lunch to learn as much about botany and horticulture as she could.

Building on the knowledge from her husband and local nursery staff, Joyce’s passion for the garden was the change Denmans had been waiting for.

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21/01/2020 12:30

NURTURE

Her time within the garden saw her plant a Parrotia persicaria and a Stachyurus praecox – which can still be seen in the garden today – create a bountiful strawberry crop which was sold to locals, create tree and shrub borders and include Ginkgo biloba, Japanese cherries, and Arbutus unedo amongst the gardens' rich fauna.

A pivotal point came in 1969, not only for Joyce, but also the stylisation of Denmans. After returning from a trip to Delos, Greece, Joyce began experimenting with gravel gardening – an idea which seeded itself after she found inspiration in the Greek landscape, especially the way in which plants grew in shingled areas. This is how her gravel gardening experiments began, something which had not been seen before in British gardens. Joyce’s vision was to allow the plants to complement each other, and she began to let plants self-sow due to time constraints, giving the impression that the garden had “happened in the night.”

Arriving there in the mid-70s, John Brookes, who was teaching at Inchbald School of Design, fell in love with the garden’s charm and unique character. He was captivated by the work Joyce had carried out, considering it to be groundbreaking and sensitive to the surrounding environment. The peaceful, tranquil ambience of Denmans appealed to him, and in 1980 John moved into the Clock House to help manage the garden and set up his school.

Gwendolyn van Paasschen, chair of the John Brookes-Denmans Foundation, has been

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Feature garden Denmans Gardens.indd 62

documenting the gardens ever since she started working at Denmans, and worked with John up until his passing last year. Her passion and love for Denmans has seen it thrive and transform, as well as have its former beauty restored after the garden had fallen into neglect.

She reflects on why Denmans is so special to her: “What I love about Denmans is, John is a designer and he always said the plants come last, plants have their place. He had

THE UNIQUE STORY OF DENMANS CAN BE ILLUSTRATED THROUGH THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE GARDEN his favourites, but really it was about how it all fell together, how the geometry of the garden worked, how the patterns worked, how it fitted into a landscape and with the client and house – then the plants came at the end. But Joyce, however, had a sense of design, and for her it was really about the plants and what she was doing with them. John was completely taken in by how relaxed it was. His quote is that he fell in love with Denmans in part because it was not trying to be something it wasn't.”

The unique story of Denmans can be illustrated through the different areas of the

garden, from The Walled Garden to the dry riverbeds – each section has individual, stylised elements, creating a captivating experience for guests. Against the grain, John never created a planting plan for Denmans – instead, he included plants as he saw fit, when he saw fit.

Gwendolyn explains: “John never did a planting plan for the garden, it was where he pursued his hobby which was gardening. This wasn’t the case when he was working for a client – he was empathetic about that. He'd just say ‘oh I’ll have that out now’ then you'd have this big hole in the garden and then it would start to fill up again.”

Originally used for growing cut flowers and produce for the Covent Market Garden, The Walled Garden was transformed by Joyce to be a space where herbs, shrubs and perennials were planted, creating a relaxed, soft planting palette. Come early 2000s, John redesigned the gardens again, this time painting it with a Mediterranean semblance, with Rubus cockburnianus, Kniphofia and palms – which are all true to John’s hallmark style. The iconic blue benches are a prominent feature in this area of the garden, and added the ‘wow’ factor John was looking for.

When emerging from The Walled Garden, you'll come across one of many lawns within

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NURTURE

A year before John passed, the John Brookes Denmans Foundation was set up in order to immortalise his design legacy and pay homage to his work. Gwendolyn says: “The whole concept of the foundation is to question how we can keep an awareness of what’s important in design, to keep what John considered to be important issues at the forefront, and how we can keep conveying that to new designers.” In the future, Gwendolyn would like to see the scope of the foundation extended to Joyce, with the trust eventually taking full ownership of the garden.

During her time in the gardens Joyce would refer to them as her canvas, a blank space for her to ‘paint’ and create as she saw fit. She would lovingly refer to them as a “glorious disarray”, while John called his version of the garden a “controlled disarray.” The two stylised, varying horticultural design styles, combined together within Denmans, results in a collaboration rarely seen. Its beauty lies within its architectural blend of geometric structure and intricate, tasteful planting inclusion.

Denmans, carved into sections to create large, sweeping patterns and winding paths where you can embark on your own journey – there is no structured route. Fastigiate yew, Salix alba vitellina and Cornus alba sibirica provide colour and form to their surroundings, acting as the bones of the garden and reinforcing the geometric structure and style.

Holding history instead of water, the dry river beds within the gardens were created by Joyce when she was 75 years old. Hopping on a tractor, she created two dry river beds which are said to emulate the rivers of the South Downs, and are subjected to dry beds during the summer months. Flint and stone were selected to reflect this concept, something which Joyce was noted to be adamant about,

HE FELL IN LOVE WITH DENMANS IN PART BECAUSE IT WAS NOT TRYING TO BE SOMETHING IT WASN'T and the river beds make for a unique architectural structure within the garden.

As the dry beds conclude, the ponds (constructed and built in collaboration between John and Anthony Archer-Wills, sculptor of rock and water) flow, emulating the sweeping patterns of the lawns. The recently restored pond provides a gentle, calming aspect through its consistent flowing geometry.

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ProL February 2019 Site Spec Soils Half Page(198x128) copy.pdf

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NURTURE

LO O K I N G A F T E R YO U R S O I L S O N S I T E T I M O’ H A R E LO O K S AT S O M E O F T H E M A I N C O N S I D E R AT I O N S F O R LO O K I N G A F T E R T H E LANDSCAPE SOIL ON A D E V E LO P M E N T S I T E

Precious resource or liability The existing soils on any development site should be treated as a precious resource. If squandered and damaged by mismanagement, they can turn into an expensive liability, especially when error results in them having to be removed and replaced with new soils.

Leave the soil alone if possible Leaving the soil ‘in-situ’ is the best way to protect its quality and on-going function.

Assuming that the soils on site are suitable for the proposed landscape scheme – as determined by a soil survey or soil tests – it makes sense to identify any areas where the existing soils can remain in place as early as possible (i.e. before any work commences).

These are areas where there is no need to strip the topsoil for groundworks, for example, or construction purposes. Fence off these areas so they remain undisturbed by other contractors and so there is no temptation to use them for storing materials or parking machinery.

GOOD TOPSOIL STOCKPILE

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Topsoil storage In areas where groundworks, construction activities, site compounds, and so on are proposed, it is sensible to remove the topsoil (and sometimes the subsoil) to avoid compaction, intermixing and/or contamination with other building materials.

Any vegetation should be removed before excavating the topsoil to minimise how much goes into the stockpile. The topsoil should be stripped to its full depth using an excavator with grading bucket, and then moved and deposited in an area of the site where it can remain undisturbed from other works until it is ready to be respread. If necessary, fence off this area so other materials and waste are not tipped near or on it.

If the topsoil is reasonably dry when stripped, it can be stockpiled as high as is safe to do so (3m+) and the sides and top of the heap should be shaped and compacted to shed water and keep the soil dry. However, if the topsoil is wet and plastic when stripped, the stockpile height should be limited to about 1.5m, and the sides and top should be left uncompacted to give the soil the opportunity to dry out.

Further guidance on the storage and handling of soil is given in Defra’s Code of Practice for the Sustainable Use of Soils on Construction Sites 2009 (available at: www.gov. uk/government/publications/code-of-practicefor-the-sustainable-use-ofsoils-on-construction-sites) Subsoil compaction Subsoil compaction occurs to a greater or lesser extent on all construction sites simply because of the types of operations taking place; obvious causes are vehicle trafficking, piling mats, site

VEHICLE TRAFFICKING AND MATERIALS STORED ON TOPSOIL

TOPSOIL STRIPPING

compounds, desire lines and storage of materials. Ways of minimising this include keeping vehicle and foot traffic to designated routes and using matting/boards/geogrid to spread the weight. Before respreading topsoil, it is imperative to check the extent of compaction in the subsoil and, where necessary, decompact it to restore its soil structure and ability to drain.

ABOUT TIM O’HARE Tim O’Hare, principal consultant of Tim O’Hare Associates LLP, has been advising on topsoil testing and quality assessments within the landscape industry for more than 20 years.

He works with many landscape architects, garden designers, contractors and topsoil suppliers to ensure the soils they use, specify, import or supply are ‘fit for purpose’.

www.toha.co.uk

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LITTLE KAROO, A LANDSCAPE WHICH HAS HAD NO RAIN FOR 3 YEARS AND CURRENTLY CANNOT GROW CROPS

NURTURE

THE FUTURE IS O U R S TO S H A P E which are not grown here in enough numbers of the sizes designers require?

It’s much easier for the young tree growers to increase production when their cycle is a couple of years, and they will be doing so to feed the increasing demand for carbon capture plantations. Larger trees will need to be reserved as 'UK grown' at the drawing board to ensure a safe and healthy supply. t would seem that by the time you I’ve just returned from South Africa where read this, we will be out of Europe. parts are in the third or fourth year of drought.

Our government will be occupied with Climate change and the El Niño have disrupted negotiating trading terms with the EU and the usual wet season – for example, the ostrich the rest of the globe. Let’s hope they are up to farm I visited in the Little Karoo had no rain for the job. It’s also 2020, the year of plant health three years. As a result, no forage crops could and the chance for the UK to tighten its plant be grown, meaning newly hatched ostriches importing rules to protect what’s left of our were sold off and costly feed was imported. environment. Since the advent of the 'single The UK will also host COP26 this year. market', we have seen an exponential increase COP25 in Madrid was ineffective, despite the in the number of introduced pests and diseases. clamouring of the small island states most The UK can now take back control, vulnerable to sea level rises. Sadly, the major but where will the plants needed for our CO2 and fossil fuel producers exercised their landscaping work come from, especially trees vetoes to hamper any constructive progress.

Time is ticking on and we’ve had the 10 hottest years here, all since 2002, and we are getting even more extreme weather.

Therefore, I hope our UK government can chair COP26 more positively and give full voice to the scientists.

Meanwhile, I’ve just OSTRICHES ARE FACED WITH A SPARSE FOOD taken on an allotment, and SU P P LY, WIT H O N LY AT R IPL E X N UM M UL ARIA GROWING IN THE PARCHED SOIL my first job is to help the heavy soil cope with more

NICK COSLETT DISCUSSES SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FOR THE UK GOVERNMENT GOING FORWARD AND HOW IMPORTANT ITS HOSTING OF COP26 COULD BE

I

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intensive rainfall. A large quantity of organic matter is being dug in and I plan to grow as organically as I can. Soil is the largest land-based reservoir of carbon on Earth,

I LIVE IN HOPE OUR UK GOVERNMENT CAN CHAIR COP26 MORE POSITIVELY AND GIVE FULL VOICE AND NOTICE TO THE SCIENTISTS absorbing it from trees and vegetation as they die and decay. Therefore, looking after our soils and vegetation cover at whatever scale is important. It will also help in coping with our intensive rainfall, allowing absorption rather than run off and flooding.

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.

Pro Landscaper / February 2020 67

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NURTURE

PLANNING CHANGE AND

C H AN G ING PL ANN I NG A

LEWIS NORMAND SAYS MORE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION IS NEEDED FOR INCORPORATING LANDSCAPE INTO HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS

t the end of 2019, I made a series of predictions for horticulture, garden design and gardening for 2020 on my blog. One subject that I predicted was that 2020 will be the first year in which we approach large scale landscaping in a thoughtful and cohesive manner.

The more I have considered this subject, the more important it becomes as a tool to ensure we can design and build our necessary future housing expansion in a measured way. In doing this, we must ensure that planned developments include adequate and futureproofed infrastructure, ranging from transport links to communication, hospitals, services, schools and more to accommodate population growth.

Currently, and sadly, these developments typically come at the price of lost landscape.

Done well, though, they can easily enough become diverse, valuable contributors to habitat, food and wellbeing for the residents and wildlife in the area. This must be in the forefront of our minds when designing future developments – it has been in the thoughts of our best designers for some time now.

Garden cities have great potential, but represent a small amount of new developments.

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Future building will likely focus on extending cities before developing the countryside.

A better, legislated approach detailing the requirements of developers and approving councils is needed to ensure landscape design is a primary concern and not an opportunity to save on budget later in an overrunning project.

We must ensure that developments enhance our landscape, contribute to our environment and help us link expanding areas meaningfully

WE SHOULD HAVE A STRONGER COLLECTIVE VISION … WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING OUR BUILDING AND LANDSCAPE STRATEGIES rather than disparately. Having myriad builders developing patches of towns, expanding villages and reforming areas of cities with easily ignored planning strategies failing to adequately consider purpose, the greater environment and sympathetic aesthetic is a huge weakness in our approach.

I am in no way suggesting that we adopt a homogeneous approach to design, awkwardly forcing away a creative hand in place of hugely restrictive controls – though I do believe that the relatively untempered approach we have towards unsympathetic planning is deeply unhelpful. New England style painted timber

buildings may be something you enjoy, but is it appropriate in the Kent countryside? We should question the direction we are allowing our architecture and landscape design to take us.

Instead of forcing prescriptive design, which is equally as unhelpful to encourage, we should have a stronger collective vision for our aims and objectives when it comes to planning our building and landscape strategies. Design that strays from local and historical vernacular ideals should be more readily questioned to determine its complementary value. Far too many buildings of questionable architectural merit are produced across the UK – these give little or no value to the environment and hugely devalue the examples of great sympathetic design that professionals aspire to create.

As always, there will not and indeed should not be an individual who can be our aesthetic arbiter, but I think we should collectively push for planning strategies and legislation both locally and nationally that bring value to our world, not simply more houses.

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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20/01/2020 11:23

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NURTURE

UNDERSTANDING

T

BIOSECURIT Y

he focus on planting trees is probably as great as it has ever been. Demand for trees is growing but what is often lost in the melee is the fact that nursery production figures for standard trees were calculated against market conditions of five to seven years ago.

This means there are likely to be shortages in the UK market – in the short term at least.

The implications for biosecurity are obvious.

If demand exceeds supply in the UK, then it is likely that the gap will be filled with imported trees. It is not the importation of trees which is problematic, but the importation of trees which are then planted directly into the UK landscape without any time being spent on a UK nursery.

Already significant numbers of imported trees spend no more time on a UK nursery than it takes to transfer the trees from one lorry coming in from abroad to another distributing the trees across the UK. So perhaps the most pertinent question that can be asked of the supplying nursery is, how long have the trees been in the UK? And assurance sought that trees are not being sourced from abroad and just passing through

SELECT AND MARK YOUR TREES AT THE NURSERY

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W I T H B I O S E C U R I T Y U N D E R C O N STA N T T H R E AT, K E I T H S AC R E D I V U LG E S W H AT TO ASK WHEN BUYING TREES FROM A NURSERY

the supplying nursery. All trees imported into the UK should, in my opinion, be held at the nursery for at least one full growing season before being shipped out for planting. Any reputable nursery should be able to answer this simple question and supply evidence of transit and when importation occurred.

IT IS PERFECTLY REASONABLE TO ASK THE SUPPLYING NURSERY FOR DETAILS OF THEIR PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL PROGRAMME It is important to request to see the nursery’s biosecurity policy and ask whether there is a named representative from the nursery who has direct responsibility for biosecurity. Again, this should be wholly transparent with the information freely available for inspection.

Questions should be asked about the policy.

A focus on the supply chain to the nursery and how this is managed is to be recommended.

It is perfectly reasonable to ask the supplying nursery for details of their pest and disease control programme and any other precautions or procedures they have in place to reduce the risk of pest and/or disease being passed inadvertently into the wider landscape. This can include wider environmental accreditations such as ISO 14001 and the use of techniques such as leaf fluorescence and chlorophyll content testing to test the physiological condition of the trees being purchased.

Perhaps the most valuable action any prospective purchaser of trees can take is to visit nurseries. It is amazing how many trees are purchased without the buyer ever having seen the trees being bought. They’re often seen for the first time as they come off the lorry and the pressures are on to get them planted. Seeing trees on the nursery is an assurance that the trees are in the UK, and won’t be sourced once

an order is placed. Trees should also be labelled to ensure the trees viewed are the trees shipped.

It seems obvious but questions should be asked about the statutory plant health regulations, including plant passports. To do this the purchaser needs to understand what the regulations are and to which material they apply.

There are many initiatives to exercise control both from central government and elsewhere.

The Plant Biosecurity Strategy for Great Britain provides a high-level overview of the activity of Defra and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales. In 2018, the Tree Health Resilience Strategy emerged which outlines how the English government will work with others to protect England’s tree population from the threat of pest and disease. The UK Plant Health Risk Register assesses the risk associated with any particular pest and disease with Pest Risk Analysis considering biological, scientific and economic evidence conducted by the plant health regulatory bodies such as Defra, to identify the appropriate phytosanitary measures to protect tree populations against new or emerging pests and diseases.

Ultimately, there is the question of individual responsibility which is probably the most important question, and one so rarely asked.

Have you done everything in your control to ensure the trees you are specifying or buying direct are not bringing in an unwanted and potentially damaging new pest and/or disease?

It is worth remembering oak processionary moth arrived on a single imported tree planted directly into the landscape of west London.

A BOU T K E I T H SAC R E Keith has over 20 years’ experience in local government as nursery, parks and operations manager. He is currently arboricultural and urban forest director at Barcham Trees – the largest container tree nursery in Europe – immediate past chair of the Arboricultural Association and trustee of the Trees and Design Action Group. Keith is a member of the Chartered Institute of Foresters and a chartered arborist. He has an MSc Arb, BSc in Social Science and BSc Arboriculture.

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NURTURE

N U R S E RY

FO C U S SIMON WILLIAMSON

PRO LANDSCAPER SPEAKS TO WO R C E ST E R S H I R E- B A S E D N U R S E R Y R E A DY H E D G E TO DISCUSS THE NURSERY’S FUTURE PLANS, AS WELL A S E X P LO R I N G I TS S H OW G A R D E N I N VO LV E M E N T OV E R T H E Y E A R S

W

holesale nursery Readyhedge was founded by Simon and Sue Williamson 15 years ago, and the couple is still actively involved in the nursery today. It was at the forefront of instant hedging innovation and today grows in containers an extensive range of quality instant hedging, aerial screening panels and a selection of topiary.

With instant hedging becoming a prominent way to provide privacy for garden or seating areas, as well as creating security for buildings, Readyhedge’s range provides multiple options for all garden design needs. The majority of the plants available are all grown on the nursery in the UK, with a small proportion being hand-selected by Simon and the team from carefully chosen growers within Europe.

Situated on an 18-acre site, Readyhedge grows a vast range of hedging. These range from its Readyhedge troughs, which include Buxus sempervirens, Ilex crenata and Osmanthus x burkwoodii, to its larger Readybag range, which includes Escallonia ‘Crimson Spire’, Fagus sylvatica and Carpinus betulus, over to its aerial screening, which includes Pyrus ‘Chanticleer’ panels. The nursery also stocks a selection of root-balled hedging units during the winter months.

LIGUSTRUM O ALIFOLIUM AUREUM

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NURTURE

GRISELLINIA

PHOTINIA

Within the Readybag and Readyhedge trough ranges, customers will find a number of plants growing well together and carefully clipped into a Readyhedge. Each year, the company grows approximately 40km of hand-clipped hedging, which is grown and produced in a 1m-long container, with hedges ranging in height from 30cm to 180cm.

Readyhedge currently employs 24 full-time staff members to help out with the many tasks around the nursery. The staff count increases during the eight-week potting season with the addition of temporary staff members. The clientele for the nursery ranges from garden designers, landscape contractors and landscape architects, as well as supplying other nurseries with hedging.

Readyhedge currently supplies across the United Kingdom, operating on a 24-hour delivery time period and using trusted local transport companies to achieve this. However, the Pershore-based site currently does not supply into Europe due to its various franchises.

As well as the Pershore location, the nursery has three franchises based in Europe – Simon explains: “Readyhedge Holland grows 8km of hedging some under contract for us as well as for its own sales in Holland. Readyhedge Ireland produces approximately 4km for the Irish

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Nursery Focus Readyhedge.indd 73

market as well supplying us if needed.

The newest franchise is Readyhedge France – this is still in its early stages of production for the French market.”

Over the years, Readyhedge has been involved with several RHS and other horticultural trade shows, including 2018 BBC Gardeners’ World Live, for which it supplied the hedging for A Breath of Fresh Air, a Gold medal-winning garden designed by Martyn Wilson.

READYHEDGE’S RANGE PROVIDES MULTIPLE OPTIONS FOR VARIOUS GARDEN DESIGN NEEDS Readyhedge has also loaned hedging to designer Peter Dowle and his many Gold medal-winning gardens at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival. Simon notes that Readyhedge is a sponsor of the RHS Malvern Spring Festival, supplying hedges and other products to the show gardens, and the nursery has done so for the last five years.

Readyhedge’s involvement with the RHS has seen the nursery loan the show ground over 80m of Thuja hedging for various areas around the show ground as well as screening panels for the walkways and shielding other areas.

When it comes to future plans and aspirations for Readyhedge, Simon and the team are continuing to trial new products as well as striving towards being environmentally friendly.

Simon elaborates: “Readyhedge will continue to grow and produce high quality hedging to supply to the industry, with the plan to expand by increasing production at our franchises and UK contract growers.

“We will also be continuing to trial new products, increasing the range of products available to all our customers. Readyhedge will continue to look at being more environmentally friendly by focusing on increased recycling and reduction in the use of plastics, as well as the introduction of solar panels. Through all areas of the nursery, improvements will continue to be made where possible to increase the efficiency and product quality at Readyhedge.”

Readyhedge’s nursery is open from 8am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday, and 8am until 3.30pm on Friday. It emphasises that visitors are very welcome to the nursery to view the stock available.

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NURTURE

READYHEDGE “Readyhedge instant hedging can be planted all year round as it is container grown. It is simple to plant – start by digging a trench the same depth as the container the plants are in and a little bit wider.

Then remove the metre-long section of hedging and place carefully in the trench before backfilling with good quality compost and watering in. The containers that the hedge was supplied in can then be recycled. The hardest part of the process is deciding which hedge will look best in your project.” www.readyhedgeltd.com

WYKEHAM MATURE PLANTS “It is important to carefully choose a species and variety which will thrive in the growing conditions onsite, is of manageable proportions and growth rate, and is suitable for any other significant onsite factors, such as tolerant of grit salt from roads and non-toxic to grazing animals. When preparing the site, be sure to allow for root development and spread; it may be tempting to or even necessary to install a root barrier, but do not risk forcing the hedge to effectively become pot-bound by restricting root spread. Carefully consider whether or not automatic irrigation may be required, not just for the first two to three years of establishment, but also for restricted or raised areas on an ongoing basis. www.wykehammatureplants.co.uk

HEDGING YOUR BETS FO U R S U P P L I E R S O F F E R G U I DA N C E F O R P L A N T I N G H I G H Q U A L I T Y I N S TA N T H E D G E S

CREEPERS “Do not plant your hedges too deep. Secure them in place to prevent the root-ball rocking and getting damaged. Water all the way around the root-ball of each plant, not just the front, and ensure adequate drainage – install this prior to planting your hedge.

Check the hedge variety is suitable for conditions along the entire length of hedge. Plant evergreen hedges at the start of root-ball season to allow for potential root growth before dormancy.

We have Taxus available throughout the summer months due to advanced techniques used by our growers to create summer root-balling.” www.creepersnursery.co.uk

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THE TREE & HEDGE COMPANY “Unlike the old-fashioned, prolonged, hit-and-miss process of producing a hedge using young individual plants, instant hedges are already fully formed, mature – and instant. By investing in an instant hedge, you are simply buying time.

When planning to plant an instant hedge, preparation is important. Consider first the space available – some hedges can be kept narrow and at a certain height for many years, and some require more space. Ground conditions are also important, soil types and pH along with groundwater levels and permeability should be investigated to make an appropriate decision. www.treeandhedge.com

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21/01/2020 15:35

NURTURE

LIVING ROOFS TAKING ROOT

W

ith urban greening, living walls and rooftop gardens on the rise within our towns and cities, the need for a skilled, knowledgeable workforce is more urgent than ever.

A report published last year by the European Federation of Green Roof Associations found that there are currently more than 290,000m2 of green roofs installed within Central London, with certain areas stating living roofs need to be installed to meet planning conditions.

A new qualification has been developed by Green Roof Organisation members Bridgman & Bridgman, Bauder, Langley Waterproofing, Livingroofs.org, ICB Projects, BALI and Lantra.

The Technical Award in the Introduction to Installing and Maintaining Green Roofs will

C H R I S B R I D G M A N , M A N AG I N G D I R EC TO R O F B R I D G M A N & B R I D G M A N , T E L L S U S A B O U T A N E W T EC H N I C A L AWA R D T H AT C OV E R S T H E I N STA L L AT I O N A N D M A I N T E N A N C E O F G R E E N R O O F S train individuals on how to safely and correctly install green structures, providing background on the history of the process and informing individuals on which products are currently available for use.

OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, WE’VE ONLY JUST CAUGHT ON “The course is open to anyone,” says Chris Bridgman, managing director of Bridgman & Bridgman. “It begins right at the start, looking at where green roofs all began. It looks at the first and original gardens and how they’ve evolved – a lot of the main focus is on the safety. Other countries have been doing it for hundreds of years, we’ve only just caught on.”

Within the UK, approximately 1,300 individuals currently have Construction Related Occupation (CRO) cards, part of the CSCS scheme, which allow them to install green roofs.

However, these individuals are at risk when their

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current cards expire as new legislation says their new cards must specify their profession.

“The next progression of the CSCS card is they must show the skills and qualifications they hold,” says Chris. “Currently, I could take a plumber on the roof with me or an electrician because they’ve got a CSCS card, but soon they need to be showing that they’re green roofers on their card. The time will come when the site manager will say you’re not qualified so you can’t do this job.”

The course will not only act as a qualification but will also allow a guide and standards to be put into place, which will not only see the quality of work continue to improve but will also ensure that health and safety guidelines are followed.

With a large percentage of green roofs receiving bad press due to dying foliage, Chris stresses the importance of high quality work. “It’s still a new industry, there’s a lot of substandard work going on – we want the standards to be there. We want people to recognise the minimum standard.”

So far, the course has received much support from not only the green roof organisation, but also from BALI. It will hopefully lead to a wider uptake of those undertaking the qualification and to a higher standard of living roofs installed across the UK.

Pro Landscaper / February 2020 75

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EDUCATE

KEEPING

AFTERCARE M

r Smith, to recap on your brief. You’d like a low maintenance garden which contains a wide variety of plants (but no grasses – they are ‘too messy’) which flower all year round, never need pruning, smell amazing at night or when crushed, don’t seed around, attract wildlife, but only the kind you want to attract and not anything that stings, bites or poops, and doesn’t need watering.”

Sound familiar? Managing client’s expectations is key when discussing maintenance – or aftercare as we prefer to call it – and we try and establish the level of care they are willing to give the new garden at the design stage. In fact, it’s something I talk about at our initial meeting.

The problem with this is that it requires a crystal ball in most cases. Even the most reluctant of new clients have been spotted enthusiastically sweeping, power washing and harvesting from their finished garden, but, at the same time, some don’t partake and just want to observe.

For those aftercare-a-phobes, offering an aftercare package as part of your installation services is a great revenue booster and can help ‘sell’ the client on the build in the first place. Knowing they won’t be left to look after a garden they can’t manage will leave many clients feeling positive. Alternatively, why not partner up with someone who can look after your clients once you’ve completed their build?

For clients where you definitely know that aftercare is going to be important (the white polished tiles in the hallway always are a clue), I’d suggest keeping materials and plants to something robust and tidy that only

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IN MIND

MANAGING CLIENT’S EXPECTATIONS IS SOMETIMES A TRICKY TASK WITH AFTERCAREA-PHOBES PRESENTING CHALLENGES TO DESIGNERS. LEE BESTALL PRESENTS SOME CONSIDERED SOLUTIONS

needs pruning annually, if at all. If carefully selected, smaller plants and shrubs can be allowed to grow into their available space rather than exceed it, subsequently tricking the client that they are a low maintenance plant.

Think about selecting materials which age well – include natural stone, native woods, steel, copper and so on.

At various stages throughout the design process, we discuss the pros and cons of material choices, plant selections and construction methods, as these all have differing levels of aftercare requirements.

People sometimes will surprised and will be

OFFERING AN AFTERCARE PACKAGE AS PART OF YOUR INSTALLATION SERVICES IS A GREAT REVENUE BOOSTER AND CAN HELP ‘SELL’ THE CLIENT ON THE BUILD IN THE FIRST PLACE

important roles is to ask their opinion, challenge their choices and inform their decision.

Designing purely for minimal maintenance can often lead to a sterile garden which lacks soul – but then again, that’s what some people want. Look at their magnolia lounge! But, if you only design gardens which are practical to maintain, this will restrict your flair and creativity. Let’s be honest, anything which is beautiful generally takes a lot of work to keep it looking that way.

Sometimes we get the opportunity to work with or educate a client to the point where they will accept the beauty in decay, embrace the moss, enjoy the grass seedlings, appreciate the charm of dead seed heads and romance of the changing seasonal landscape.

But more often, people want to control their environment – most of the opinion that their garden displays to the world what’s going on inside their heads… even if we know different!

A B O U T L E E B E S TA L L

quite happy to power wash their sawn yorkstone paving weekly, but won’t consider plants which may be slightly tender, and there are those who are happy to play with plants and slide around on a green patio but don’t want a fence which will need painting regularly.

It really is personal choice, and one of our most

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

Pro Landscaper / February 2020 79

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EDUCATE

FINDING THE

FUNDS

I

n “the old days”, finding business finance used to be a simple task. If your business needed a loan, then all you had to do was walk into your local branch of your bank and ask for a meeting with the manager. The next day, you’d be sitting at their desk with an attentive ear for your business proposal. If you had enough cash and solid financials, you’d be out of there that day with the loan you needed.

Unfortunately, loans aren’t so easily accessible in the modern world. The changing role of the bank manager has meant that public access to senior decision-makers has been getting harder and harder. Looking for finance means going up against a wall of bureaucracy,

with a thousand different options and no explanation as to what they all mean.

As you can imagine, this has resulted in many businesses nowadays having no idea why they should even be thinking about finance, let alone how to get it. Here’s the thing, though; the

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H E N RY E J D E L B A U M , M A N AG I N G D I R EC TO R FO R A S C F I N A N C E FO R B U S I N E S S , K I C K S O F F A T H R E E- PA R T S E R I E S A R O U N D F I N A N C E – STA R T I N G W I T H T H E R E A S O N S W H Y C O M PA N I E S M I G H T LO O K TOWA R D S T H I S A N D W H Y I T N E E D N ’ T B E A TO P I C TO B E F E A R E D

process may have changed, but there are still plenty of reasons to be looking for finance, and plenty of ways to get it.

Whilst it might seem daunting and inaccessible to the casual observer, in reality there are plenty of finance options available for many different scenarios. From major property

THERE ARE PLENTY OF FINANCE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR MANY DIFFERENT SCENARIOS purchases, to renovating equipment and buildings, and even just smoothing out cashflow, business loans can be used for any purpose under the sun. With 36% of SMEs looking to grow in the next 12 months, and interest rates low, business finance is in many ways a better choice for small businesses than it’s been for a long time. To paraphrase an old proverb – the best time to look for finance might have been 20 years ago, the second-best time is most certainly now. Finance doesn’t have to be for big, overarching projects, either.

Lenders are open to applications of all sizes and

treat them all equally – a £50k loan to buy machinery is going to get the same attention as a £2m one for property development.

Nor should you actually be worried about the accessibility of finance. Whilst the obvious visibility of finance to the general public has decreased, many businesses may actually have much better potential of finding a loan now.

In those “old days”, if you didn’t want to do a commercial mortgage, then you were out of luck. Nowadays, there’s a wide variety of options available that are tailored to suit almost any business. You just need to know one little trick to access them – don’t look on your own, but with the aid of a professional. The finance world is quite simply too complicated nowadays for anyone who hasn’t spent years studying it to understand. You don’t have those years – after all, your customers expect expert landscaping services, not business loans. For someone like a broker, though, they’ve spent those years having exactly that expected from them. What you don’t understand, it’s their job to make clear, and use their expertise and contacts to open up doors for you. Whilst sometimes it might seem like finding finance is going up against a monolith of uncaring, inaccessible systems and bureaucracy, it’s still very much available for those who want and need it – you just have to have the right tools on your side.

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20/01/2020 10:45

EDUCATE

EDUCATE

ISEKI I N AC T I O N

COSGROVE PARK

I

seki has manufactured mowers and other agricultural machinery for over 90 years in Japan, and has had a presence in Europe for some 50 years. In the UK, Iseki has announced it is expanding its distributor network to meet growing demand. Ride-on mowers have become increasingly popular because of reliability and robust performance, two strengths these case studies highlight.

ISEKI’S RIDE-ON RANGE SF From the high spec SF450 collector mower to the compact SF2 range, with a large fuel tank and road lighting as standard, these models are designed to work long hours on large sites.

I S E K I ’ S R I D E- O N M OW E R S A R E M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E AC R O S S T H E U K , A S T H E S E C A S E ST U D I E S P R OV E

COSGROVE PARK Covering 190 acres, Cosgrove Park is a prestigious holiday home and touring park situated near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire. Head foreman Trevor Bird and his team of three gardeners rely on the Iseki SF235 for maintenance of the site’s lawns. Trevor says the park previously used out-front mulching mowers from another manufacturer, but these did not deliver.

He comments: “To raise the standards of the park, we had to cut and collect the grass from around the site, and our local dealer RT Machinery brought out an Iseki SF235 on demonstration. This was able to cut and collect all the grass clippings with an excellent finish. The turbine sucks the grass from the deck and blows it via an oscillating chute into the collector, ensuring the collector is filled to its maximum, meaning there is no annoying clogging up.” Despite eight-hour working days, the mower is comfortable to use, with “well-placed mirrors and a great driving position.” Trevor adds: “Even the finishing touches are well thought through. One example is the hydraulic hoses, which are tucked neatly away so there is no risk of them being caught while out cutting.”

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SRA With a low centre of gravity, SRA mowers are capable of cutting on slopes up to 25°. They are designed to tackle lush grass (up to saplings) while keeping the drive belts free from debris.

SXG Whether it's equipped with a 13.5hp, 19hp or 21hp engine, the SXG range offers ample power. The shaft-driven deck cuts and collects, even in wet conditions, and is designed with the straightest path to the collector to avoid clogging.

Collectors range from low to high tip.

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Independent Truro School is now using an Iseki SXF323, supplied by local dealer Nigel Rafferty Groundcare. The school has 40 acres of formal gardens and sports fields, which need maintaining to the high standards.

Head groundsman Joshua Stebbings says the SXG323 is used by all the grounds team at the school, across the lawns, around the wildflower meadows and in the gardens throughout the site. He says: “The ergonomic design, extra leg room and easy dial-in height of cut adjuster provide excellent operator comfort.

"The blowerless superior collection of the SXG323 means that even when the ground is wet you can still collect with the same finish, enabling us to be as productive as possible.

Once the leaves have dropped in the woodland, we can also collect these, saving valuable time instead of manual raking. The efficiency of the pickup provides a degree of compaction, maximising the 550L capacity of the collector.”

A high-tip collector was chosen on the SXG323, utilising the 1.93m maximum lift height for emptying into a trailer.

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EDUCATE

E

LOWER THE RISK

RIDE-ON MOWERS WHEN OPERATING THESE POWERFUL MACHINES, LANDSCAPERS MUST ENSURE BOTH THEY AND THEIR EMPLOYEES PUT SAFETY FIRST

very year, accidents involving ride-on mowers hit the headlines. They are not frequent, but when they do occur the consequences can be dreadful. Drivers may be catapulted out or trapped underneath if the machine tips over, and bystanders can be injured if there is a collision or debris flying about.

Much can be done to eliminate risk and a quality ride-on mower will have built-in safety features and be simple to operate. Even so, landscapers must beware against complacency. Accidents tend to happen when there is less supervision and fewer checks, and even if your standards are high, remember – you are responsible for employees’ behaviour.

Dressed for the job Provide the right PPE. If someone turns up to work for you wearing shorts and with laces flapping from trainers, don’t let them near a ride-on until they change. PPE is crucial, which means legs covered by strong trousers, steel-capped footwear, safety glasses, gloves and hearing protectors.

If the employee thinks they can operate a ride-on while wearing headphones to listen to music, then tell them this is a no-go. Equally, you want an employee to treat the ride-on as if it was their own, which means never leaving the key in the ignition and making sure it is parked safely. Some of the most severe accidents have

The evolution of mowing performance.

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EDUCATE

occurred when children have ‘rides’ or have been hit, so remind your employees to set strict boundaries whether for children or any pets on the premises.

If the ride-on develops a problem, ensure you are the first to know. You do not want an employee going near the blades with their hands if there is a blockage, for example.

LANDSCAPERS MUST BEWARE AGAINST COMPLACENCY Train to gain Next, don’t take any employee’s word – it is your responsibility to make sure they are trained. There are plenty of courses around which are City & Guilds or Lantra approved, typically lasting a day, with content on: legal requirements, understanding cutting mechanisms, PPE, pre- and post-use checks, identifying faults, basic maintenance, driving on a public road, loading and transportation.

Participants should receive certification (usually based on verbal reasoning and a practical test) provided they complete the

course successfully. The employer will also meet obligations as laid out by Health and Safety at Work legislation.

Proper maintenance is also vital. You may feel you have sufficient knowledge to do this yourself, but it can also make sense to pay for a professional service. Often available through dealers, a professional will have the right equipment and know-how should there be any problems likely to affect safety.

A bit steep?

Having a clear safety culture is key to any successful landscaping business. Many who provide maintenance services will have demanding clients, but if this means working in poor visibility, for example, then be prepared to tell them you won’t take risks.

Risk is also elevated when cutting grass on banks – if you turn up at a job and the slope is steeper than indicated, then conduct a risk assessment before agreeing to do it. If the slope is 20° or above, then specialist equipment is essential. The steepest slopes (over 30°) require side-arm flail or remote control mowers.

Finally, make sure your ride-on is properly insured, including if it needs to be driven on a road, that you have protection on a third-party

basis, as well as being insured against theft.

Be aware of the policy terms and where your mowers should be stored since valuable items can be a target.

A ride-on mower is a sizeable investment and takes mowing services to a new level.

At the same time, the need for rigorous safety standards also brings responsibility. Be sure your clients are aware of this, you have every right to reflect this approach in your fees – it’s part of being a pro.

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©RHS/Tim Sandall

EDUCATE

©RHS Georgi Mabee

WE STUDIED A DIVERSE RANGE OF TOPICS SPANNING DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE INDUSTRY LYNN HESLOP IN HER CHATSWORTH SHOW GARDEN

MASTERING T H E N E X T ST E P. . .

LY N N H E S L O P E X P L A I N S H O W ST U DY I N G FO R T H E R OYA L H O R T I C U LT U R A L S O C I E T Y ’ S D E G R E E- L E V E L M A S T E R O F H O R T I C U LT U R E ( M H O R T ) AWA R D L E D TO B U S I N E S S S U C C E S S A N D A S H OW G A R D E N AT T H E R H S C H ATSW O R T H F LOW E R S H O W

I ©RHS/Richard Dawson

first turned to horticulture during a traumatic period in my life, just over a decade ago. Spending three months recuperating from thyroid surgery in my garden, I found that the physical act of gardening, the joy of watching the first seedlings emerge and studying part-time for an RHS Level 2 qualification gave me a goal and kept me busy.

I’ve not looked back, and in 2012, after further honing my knowledge and practical skills, I put my career in manufacturing behind me and took the big step of setting up my own garden design business.

LYNN HESLOP RECEIVES HER MHORT AWARD FROM RHS PRESIDENT SIR NICHOLAS BACON

Making the decision to then study for the Master of Horticulture was a key turning point in pushing myself to the top-tier of my profession and growing my fledgling business. Without the initial qualifications to get on a degree course, my RHS Level 3 Diploma gave me an alternative route into studying for a degree-level award, but most importantly it also offered flexibility through distance learning. This was a must for

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RHS mhort.indd 85

me as I needed my studying hours to fit around my full-time job and children. As long as I met deadlines, I could complete the work in the hours to suit my commitments over several years.

We studied a diverse range of topics spanning different areas of the industry, including business management, community gardening, production horticulture and more. This range has given me a broad base for running my garden design business and a better understanding of the wider horticultural picture. I learnt a vast amount about writing professionally – which I now reap the benefits of in all my business correspondence – and, through my research projects, gained an address book bursting with contacts to help me develop my business going forward.

Along the way, I met so many wonderful fellow students and tutors from across the horticultural sphere. These have turned into great friends that I know I can call upon even now for advice and support.

I have enjoyed all the challenges and opportunities that the MHort has brought and believe that it has benefitted me in so many positive ways. Most recently, it gave me the drive and confidence to create my first ever show garden, From Darkness to Light at the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show 2019. The design represented the journey undertaken by a person who has experienced trauma, from a dark tunnel into a lighter, brighter place. We were thrilled to be awarded a Silver medal and hope that this is just the start of great things to come.

ABOUT THE AWARD The MHort is the Royal Horticultural Society’s most prestigious award, designed for industry professionals who wish to grow their career in a flexible and affordable way. Holders of the award may use the designation MHort (RHS) after their name.

Delivered mostly online and commencing in October, the three-year award is designed to work around a full-time job and hone candidates’ managerial and business skills. The award is open to UK and international candidates who have at least four years’ full-time experience working in horticulture, with at least one year at supervisory level and an existing Level 3 qualification.

For more information please visit the RHS website at rhs.org.uk/mhort or email MHort@rhs.org.uk Twitter: @RHSEducation Applications open on 1 May 2020

A B O U T LY N N H E S L O P Lynn is founder and head designer of Nottinghamshire-based Dewberry Horticulture.

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Pro Landscaper / February 2020 85

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ased in Worcestershire, TigerTurf has been producing top quality artificial grass in the UK for nearly 20 years. Although mainly known for its sports products, TigerTurf has had great success with a core range of quality and reliable landscape products that have seen little change since their initial launch.

This year will not only see the introduction of three brand new products to the TigerTurf landscape

LONDON

range, but the launch of its new Partner scheme that will aim to provide TigerTurf landscapers with more than ever before.

The new range, named after three famous cities, promises to offer new pile heights never seen before in the TigerTurf landscape range, as well as different densities and colours to suit every style, budget and location.

First up, Dublin. This comes in one pile height (30mm) and features two different tones of green, as well as a coloured jute thatch to give the appearance of a real lawn. Long and luxurious, Dublin is perfect for domestic gardens, commercial areas and landscaped areas in schools.

Next is Vienna, which comes in three different pile heights – 26mm, 30mm and 35mm.

Dense, soft and

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plush, Vienna feels lush under foot and the two-tone green combined with jute thatch gives the look of a fresh, perfect lawn. Vienna is perfect for someone looking for something a bit more elegant.

Lastly, London. London comes in two pile heights – 30mm and 35mm. Strong, dense and long, London is perfect for those looking for a fresh green lawn all year round. It would look perfect in place at home, in commercial settings or within a school or nursery.

As well as three exciting new products, TigerTurf will also be launching its new Partner scheme for installers of its products.

The TigerTurf Strategic Partner programme will aim to provide partners with bespoke media assets and collateral to help promote their business and partnership with TigerTurf.

It also provides: marketing support, a dedicated account manager, access to all of TigerTurf’s industry-leading, British-made products, an exciting incentive programme, lead generation and much more. Being a TigerTurf Strategic Partner is completely free and anyone with a landscaping business, no matter how big or small, can apply.

AS WELL AS THREE EXCITING NEW PRODUCTS, TIGERTURF WILL ALSO BE LAUNCHING ITS NEW PARTNER SCHEME FOR INSTALLERS OF ITS PRODUCTS Benefits of the scheme include: • Products are made in Britain • Support from TigerTurf’s in-house team and a dedicated account manager • Free samples for partners and their customers • Access to media assets and collateral to help partners promote their business • Exclusive incentive programme • Access to the TigerTurf app for on-the-go information and support • Lead generation service • Marketing support and social media promotion For product samples, more information about the new landscape range or the Strategic Partner Programme, contact TigerTurf on 01299 253 966 or email UKinfo@tigerturf.com.

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20/01/2020 09:32

PEOPLE

WHY I...

# LOV E H O RT I C U LT U R E Chris Deakin OWNER, CHRIS DEAKIN GARDEN DESIGN

S

ummers spent in my parents’ garden, deep in rural Norfolk, were idyllic times for me and my brother.

We played amongst the vegetables and plants, helping ourselves to vast quantities of homegrown produce under the guise of helping out.

One of the fondest memories I have of my dad is watching him engrossed in the tender care of his garden. Somehow, I think this love of gardens and the outdoors started in those childhood days; but this early enthusiasm hadn’t formalised into anything that resembled a future career plan. By sixth form, I was at a complete loss as to what to do with the rest of my life.

A friend suggested experiencing an open day at my local horticultural college, so I went along with absolutely no expectations. I loved it from day one and knew that I had finally found that illusive career path that can be so difficult.

At college, I loved all aspects of growing things – the hands-on aspect of cultivating plants is what really grabbed me. After studying amenity horticulture, I worked as a gardener on one of Norfolk’s numerous large country estates. I think, significantly, it was here that I realised that what I loved most was having the opportunity to change and develop a garden, to perfect and order the natural world.

I loved observing how people responded to my changes – this was a decisive factor in my return to college to study garden design.

Working as a garden designer is the ultimate way of combining my passion for plants with the principles of design; working with form and function to create inspiring outdoor spaces that evolve with their owners from brief to completion.

The best part of my job is passing on my passion for design to my clients and watching as they become immersed and truly involved in their gardens. Having an outdoor space to cherish and enjoy is more important than ever, and I truly love working with clients to achieve their vision.

HAVING AN OUTDOOR SPACE TO CHERISH AND ENJOY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

T W E E T U S @ P R O L A N D S C A P E R U K A N D T E L L U S W H Y Y O U L O V E H O R T I C U LT U R E U S I N G T H E H A S H TA G # L O V E H O R T I C U LT U R E

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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21/01/2020 15:50

PEOPLE

RAY MILL ISLAND, WINDSOR

CENTRAL LONDON

SMALL ZOO AT RAY MILL ISLAND

WOKINGHAM BOROUGH WILDFLOWERS

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

RECEIVING THE AWARD AT FUTURESCAPE

SAM STEVENS RECENT 30 UNDER 30: THE NE XT GENERATION WINNER SAM STEVENS CHATS TO PRO L ANDSCAPER ABOUT HIS RECENT CAREER PROGRESSION AND HOW THE AWARD HAS SERVED AS A UNIQUE ACCOL ADE

R

ecently moving from Nurture Landscapes to Tivoli Group to pursue career progression, Sam Stevens’s new role as area manager has seen his involvement in various tasks and operations within the company.

Switching from his previous role – contracts manager – has allowed Sam to build on his management skills and experiences. “I left Nurture to progress my career and to further enhance my knowledge of all areas of the industry. Somebody I knew contacted me about the area manager role, so I applied and came out of it successful!”

Having a role which allows Sam to manage a range of contracts makes for diverse workdays which is one of his favourite elements of the role: “No day is the same, you don’t know what you’re going into on a day-to-day basis. There’s always the prospect of new business coming in as well which again is exciting to see who we could potentially be working with.”

Current contract involvement includes planting 300 mixed tree species across The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead as well as implementing biodiversity focused

92 Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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projects. These projects identify key locations for bug hotels, wildflower meadows and beehives in order to not only benefit wildlife but also to help provide spaces with direct positive influences on people. “One key objective for me is to create environments for the community to enjoy. We can do this by enhancing landscapes with new innovative ideas, which, in turn, will create a sustainable future that generations to come can be proud of.”

ONE KEY OBJECTIVE FOR ME IS TO CREATE ENVIRONMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENJOY Last year saw Sam be named one of our 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners.

He says it gave him a great sense of achievement and is a great indicator of his talents: “It was established that I was recognised as an important member of the industry. It was a great sense of achievement.

It’s an award for a select number of us in the industry and to be part of that is amazing.”

The award win has also been mentioned in several work meetings with the company COO, as well as by clients. Sam says it's a great feeling. “It’s really nice to have clients saying well done, you’ve done really well.”

Although challenges do result in setbacks and irritation while working, they can also act as a learning curve and learning opportunity.

Sam explains: “It’s not always a negative because it does test you and it does give you the opportunity to tackle that. When you get over that you feel like you’ve done well and that you’ve accomplished that task.”

The role of director or regional director is a personal goal for Sam – one which he hopes to achieve in the future, along with developing his knowledge further and being able to pass this on to his colleagues. Sam is looking to stay at Tivoli to further develop and progress its position as a company. He says: “Because I’m managing multiple contracts, it's more about developing a full understanding of the Tivoli business. It's about working out exactly how best we can operate across my area and strengthen the position we are in.”

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

21/01/2020 10:18

PEOPLE

H AV E YO U R S AY Steve White COUNTY LANDSCAPES

I

recently attended the seminar on climate change at FutureScape, sharing the room with many avid landscapers, all wondering how we can deal with the damage to climate from man-made activities.

With all those plants and lawns we supply, we are a pretty green industry, right? And now, at the forefront of our industry, a wonderful range of decking has arrived, primarily consisting of recycled products. What’s not to like? A recycled product must be good, yes?

Well, maybe not. Building a composite deck creates one major problem that is having a terrible effect on our environment – the dust created when it’s cut. Consider the average deck build – anything up to a wheelbarrow of ‘sawdust’ will be created, but unlike traditional timber decks, these particles will still be around in more than 700 years’ time.

The big manufacturers are falling over themselves to sell us their green credentials; Trex uses 95% recycled materials, London Stone’s DesignBoard is made from 50% rice husks, Millboard claims a low carbon footprint and EcoDeck offers a unique ‘buy back’ scheme for offcuts. None of these companies, though, are responsible for the plastic pollution that the average build will create – we are. If not collected, there is every chance that trillions of plastic microparticles are headed for our waterways.

So, there’s the problem – now for the answer. Or rather the bad news, because there isn’t one. In an ideal world, the dust could be collected and incinerated cleanly to create energy, but sadly not; burning plastics creates energy at only 25% efficiency, so even if your local area has such facilities, plastic would not be a burnable choice.

It would appear that the only viable option for such waste is burial. Yep, that’s it – putting it in a skip and burying it will pose the least risk

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IF NOT COLLECTED, THERE IS EVERY CHANCE THAT TRILLIONS OF PLASTIC MICRO PARTICLES ARE HEADED FOR OUR WATERWAYS to the environment. So, now I guess you are wondering what we as contractors can reasonably do to control this.

The obvious way is to design a deck with as little cutting as possible. This, of course, is not always practical. However, good practice and collection of as much of the dust as possible is essential. This means not only using a chop-saw with dust extraction, but also to think about where you are cutting.

Setting up your cutting station on a clean, flat surface such as a patio, concrete or a garage floor, makes the clean-up and collection infinitely easier. Whizzing around site with a leaf collector at the end of the day will also help minimise what we are doing. I probably don’t

need to point out that cutting above a lawn area would be a huge no-no!

Ultimately, though, a sustainable timber deck would be a far more environmentally sound option. Recently, I’ve been specifying Heveatech, a remarkably stable hardwood made in Malaysia from recycled laminated rubber trees. My clients are eager for this and similar products when I raise the issue of plastic pollution. Sadly, Heveatech has become (temporarily, I hope) unavailable in the UK. The aim of this article is primarily to highlight how we can make a small change to the amount of plastics currently blowing around the planet. I believe the use of composites in the building industry far outnumbers the use of decking in landscaping. However, if it makes a few of us change practice, thereby reducing the amount of microplastics we are unintentionally polluting the environment with, then that must be a good thing, right?

Are you interested in having your say?

Get in touch via content@eljays44.com.

We’d love to hear from you.

ABOUT STEVE WHITE Steve White has spent the last 34 years in the landscaping industry since obtaining a diploma in landscape construction at Merrist Wood College, and has been involved with three Gold medal-winning gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. After setting up County Landscapes in the 90s, Steve has now turned the business primarily to design, consultancy and project management. www.countylandscapes.com

Pro Landscaper / February 2020 93

20/01/2020 10:40

PEOPLE

LOOK OUT FOR ...

GEORGE TRUSS

What was your route into the industry?

Constable Landscapes was started by my grandad 45 years ago, and the family-run business has been passed down through the generations. Now I’ve finished college after

A CURRENT PROJECT

studying two years of extended horticulture, I work full-time at the company as a landscaper, working on domestic projects.

P R O L A N D S C A P E R TA L K S TO 2 0 1 9 ’ S BALI STUDENT OF THE YEAR ABOUT HIS WIN, CHANGES HE WOULD LIKE TO S E E W I T H I N T H E I N D U ST RY A N D H I S F U T U R E A S P I R AT I O N S

I WANT TO STAY IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS, BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A NAME FOR MYSELF How did it feel to be named the 2019 BALI Student of the Year?

It was a bit out of nowhere. I remember being nominated for the award in June 2019 and getting to the first stage – that was pretty big at the time. Then I was in the van one day and I got a call from my lecturer. He told me we were going up to London because I'd won the award.

What is your favourite part about working in the industry?

Walking into a garden, having a blank canvas and being able to create something new.

Then looking at it afterwards, being happy to have created a nice garden for the client.

GEORGE WITH WRITTLE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LECTURER BEN WINCOTT (LEFT) AND PETER JENNINS OBE, CHAIRMAN OF THE BALI CHALK FUND TRUSTEES (RIGHT)

94 Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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What are your future plans?

I’d like to extend my knowledge, so I’m considering returning to college to do a design degree. I'd love to try to work abroad and see

what’s going on around the world as well.

I’d also like to do a show garden.

I want to stay in the family business, but I would also like to make a name for myself.

I worked at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year with one of the designers on The Dubai Majlis Garden. I volunteered for a few days and spoke to all the people who came up and asked about the garden.

What advice would you give to people starting out in the industry?

Try it all. Learning is the best way – going to college to study gives you such a broad opportunity, it gives you information about all areas. When I went to college, I learnt about the science, plants, and construction, which lead me to pick landscape construction.

The industry isn’t too well known, I think it needs to promote itself more.

GEORGE RECEIVING HIS AWARD AT THE BALI NATIONAL LANDSCAPE AWARDS 2019

What changes would you like to see in the industry?

More young people need to get into the industry and be given the chance, as this new generation will be the one to make the changes.

I do think education and apprenticeships need to be advertised more to show their benefits. It’s seen that if you work in the horticulture industry, you're just a gardener.

If people are educated about the industry, then they'll know what options they have.

MORE YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO GET INTO THE INDUSTRY AND BE GIVEN THE CHANCE AS THIS NEW GENERATION WILL BE THE ONE TO MAKE THE CHANGES www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/01/2020 11:09

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21/01/2020 16:52

JOBS

For full details on all jobs, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk Call 01903 777 570 or email laura.harris@eljays44.com with your vacancy

HARD LANDSCAPE TEAM LEADERS AND SKILLED LANDSCAPERS BELDERBOS LANDSCAPES Location: London and Home Counties

LANDSCAPING OPERATIVE BEAUFORT LANDSCAPES Location: London

Belderbos Landscapes is currently looking for hard landscape team leaders and skilled landscapers with a positive can-do approach, excellent communication and organisational skills and five years of relevant experience working on high-end gardens. Hard landscape team leaders will be responsible for managing and leading the landscape teams and liaising with the clients/designers to ensure the projects are completed on time and to budget. Candidates need to be able to read plans and have knowledge, skills and experience in building high specification gardens.

Are you a dynamic, creative, hands-on and highly organised individual with excellent knowledge of the landscaping industry? Do you want to be rewarded for your input and productivity, to work on a wide variety landscaping projects and contribute ideas to propel a small business forward? Beaufort Landscapes is seeking a full-time landscaping operative to work with its landscape construction team. It is an expanding garden design and build company with a focus on beautiful design and excellent finish. You will need to have a good eye for detail, and the ability to problem solve, work in a team and keep to site safety rules.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

SKILLED HARD LANDSCAPER

HEAD OF LANDSCAPE OPERATIONS

Isola Garden Design Limited is a BALI Award-winning landscape design & build company based in Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth.

It is looking for a pro-active, hardworking staff member who is passionate about working in the industry and delivering high quality domestic landscape projects within Warwickshire and the Cotswolds. Applicants need to have at least five years’ experience in certain areas such as turfing and fencing.

They should also be able to supervise, train and motivate landscape operatives and apprentices.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated and experienced landscaping professional to help protect the green spaces of one of the world’s most iconic cities. Created in March 2017, The Royal Parks is a charity that supports and manages 5,000 acres of historic parkland across London. As the head of landscape services, the successful candidate will lead the landscape services team in safeguarding the landscape of London’s Royal Parks, ensuring they can be enjoyed by future generations. You will need to be a chartered member of the Landscape Institute to apply.

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTS MANAGER

GOLANDSCAPE AMBASSADORS

Are you an enthusiastic and reliable contracts manager based in Kingston upon Thames, seeking a salary from £30,000 to £40,000 per annum (DOE)? HL Services is looking for dynamic people to manage and deliver a cost-effective service and organise and motivate sites under your supervision. This role will involve scheduling work, liaising with clients and coordinating the supply of equipment and materials. You will be responsible for the delivery of safe and compliant services to meet contractual specifications on time and on budget.

In return for this, the manager will be working in a professional environment.

BALI GoLandscape continues to gather momentum in promoting the landscape industry to both the next generation and career changers looking to start a role in landscaping. GoLandscape feels it is really making a difference through the work of its ambassadors, who provide a friendly face in schools and with their pupils. Ambassadors inspire pupils to consider their own entry points into the industry through visitations and presentations that they undertake. But it needs more industry ambassadors. If you would like to help shape our industry’s future and become a GoLandscape ambassador, please get in touch.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

HEAD OF PARK OPERATIONS

GROUNDS MAINTENANCE OPERATIVE

The Royal Parks is looking to enhance its levels of expertise as an organisation and grow the scale and scope of works that it is undertaking across its parks. As such, it is looking for a head of park operations to help deliver the highest standards in park management. If you have a strong background in environmental or landscape services, this is an incredible opportunity to drive the success of London’s iconic green spaces. You will have the chance to elevate The Royal Parks’ operations to the next level, which will enable it to continue protecting and promoting its parks for generations to come.

Are you an enthusiastic and reliable grounds maintenance operative local to Central London seeking an hourly rate of £10.00 (40 hours per week) and want a great working environment? HL Services is looking for dynamic people to maintain, organise and motivate various sites, ensuring all grounds maintenance services are delivered to a high standard and meets customer expectations. The grounds maintenance operative will work to their own initiative, identifying opportunities for improvement and driving business development in their area.

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

ISOLA GARDEN DESIGN LIMITED Location: Warwickshire

HL SERVICES Location: London

THE ROYAL PARKS Location: London

96 Pro Landscaper / February 2020

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THE ROYAL PARKS Location: London

GOLANDSCAPE Location: Nationwide

HL SERVICES Location: London

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

21/01/2020 11:39

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20/01/2020 09:33

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 /February 2020

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BEN FERGUSON

KAREN MCCLURE

Chartered landscape architect, Atkins

Director/garden designer, Karen McClure

www.atkinsglobal.com/en-GB

www.karenmcclure.co.uk

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing?

A DJ on a late night music show.

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing?

Backing singer for Rod Stewart – yes, I’m a little obsessed. We have his calendar up in the studio!

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

Germany – I went to Munich as a student and was inspired by the interplay between architecture and landscape.

What would you blow your budget on?

For work? An immersive augmented reality app that brings a space to life and breaches the boundary between the physical and the digital.

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

Monty Don, he seems like such a nice guy.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

More time to be ‘unproductive’. If we had more time to play, learn and experiment with ideas, then we could be far more radical in the ways that we approach our profession and our lives in general.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Steve Coogan (channelling Alan Partridge).

What three things would you take to a desert island?

My vinyl collection, record player and that stack of books I keep on meaning to read.

Your favourite joke?

I was the first person to come up with the idea of installing trampolines into musician’s tour buses. Now everyone is jumping on the bandwagon.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

The landscapes of Isles of Scilly.

Tresco Abbey Garden in particular.

What would you blow your budget on?

Taking my husband and children on a lovely trip to somewhere exotic!

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

I have to give a shout-out to my industry friends, Bo Cook and Sophie Cameron.

These are two people that I have met and have been a constant support.

I think others should have the chance to meet similar like-minded people. These relationships are key in supporting and encouraging as you navigate the industry.

Best piece of trivia you know?

Richard Branson struggled with being dyslexic and left school early. Despite this, he took his company to great heights – a true inspiration!

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

My daughter Holly. She’s my ‘mini me’!

Your favourite joke?

What did the cheese say when it looked in the mirror? Halloumi!

Karaoke song of choice?

Anything Rod Stewart!

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

21/01/2020 16:06

PEOPLE

STEVE GOULDS

CLAUDIA DE YONG

K E N N Y R AY B O U L D

Key project manager, London Stone

Garden designer, Claudia de Yong Designs

Horticultural manager/head gardener, Incentive FM/Covent Garden

www.londonstone.co.uk

www.claudiadeyongdesigns.com

www.coventgarden.london

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing?

It would probably be something in sport. Coaching, playing, selling equipment – anything really!

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing?

I think I would be either a school teacher or working in retail, of which I have experience of both.

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing?

Probably an architect. Buildings inspire me massively in what I do.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

Italy – my favourite country in the world.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

I love Mediterranean countries and their rugged arid landscapes. I marvel at how plants can thrive in dry soils.

What would you blow your budget on?

A house in Italy.

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

Chris Collins.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Apprenticeships, across all aspects of the industry.

Best piece of trivia you know?

There are 10 times more stars in the night sky than there are individual grains of sand on all the world’s deserts and beaches.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Sam Elliot.

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Family, tennis ball and beer.

What would you blow your budget on?

I would blow my budget on mature trees and a lake!

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

Someone who I would have loved to have met is Lancelot (Capability) Brown.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

A clearer understanding of all the skills involved in this industry.

Best piece of trivia you know?

It is impossible to lick your own elbow!

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

I think Sandra Bullock as she could do my silly side.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most?

Places like Morocco and the Moorish gardens, as well as more modern locations like Singapore.

What would you blow your budget on?

Plants, plants and more plants. I have a real passion for plant collecting.

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

Alan Titchmarsh – I have briefly met him, but I would love to sit over a good cup of tea and talk about plants.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Agreed combined standards. Our industry seems disjointed when it comes to combined targets and achievement.

Best piece of trivia you know?

The City of London is a ‘city’ within a city, within a country that’s within a country.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Eddie Redmayne.

Your favourite joke?

Crime in multi-storey car parks.

That’s wrong on so many levels.

What three things would you take to a desert island?

My glasses (so I could see, pretty important), a sketchbook and my waders.

What three things would you take to a desert island?

A box of veg seeds, a machete and a water bottle.

Karaoke song of choice?

Mr Brightside by The Killers.

Karaoke song of choice?

I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.

Karaoke song of choice?

Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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