May & Watts
MAINTENANCE MISHAPS
WILDLIFE
Design
LET’S Mark Watts, Garden
BUTLERTHEAHEADLANDSCAPESOFCURVE
WAYS Solihull’sprojectground-breakingwithidverde
Gareth Wilson’s tips to costly
MINTERNE GARDENS the iconic 18 century landscape
th
Explore
avoid
HEAR IT FROM
errors
JUNE 2O22
DISCOVER ALL THE FEATURES AND REGISTER AS A PARTNER TODAY wte0344 800 cbsolarshading.co.uk/trade1947info@cbsolarshading.co.uk Enhance your garden designs with our innovative, award winning aluminium pergolas, featuring waterproof opening and closing louvered roofs that provide exible shade and shelter, enabling outdoor spaces to be used all year round, come sun, wind, rain or even snow. TRANSFORMING OUTDOOR SPACES INTO AMAZING PLACES under 6 weeks UK built in outdoor living pod™ Classic
I
need for and the potential impact of Chelsea became more apparent.
WE’RE THRILLED THAT MAY ONCE AGAIN MARKS THE RETURN OF THIS HORTICULTURALHIGHLIGHT
NINA
We’re thrilled that May once again marks the return of this horticultural highlight. But as you can see from the adversity listed above, the RHS has adapted and innovated as a result. Even before the pandemic, Chelsea was struggling with sponsorship, but as numerous lockdowns sparked a passion for gardening amongst the general public, the
t’s the week before Chelsea, at the time of writing. So, by time you’re opening up this issue, the first spring Chelsea in three years will have finally taken place (well, hopefully). The show has faced some adversity over the last couple of years, to say the least. Its cancellation in 2020 was the first since World War II, followed by another first for the RHS – its inaugural virtual flower show. The following year, uncertainty and ongoing restrictions led to Chelsea once again being postponed, and yet another first took place – the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in September.
Landscapes©Butler
This year’s Chelsea has perhaps one of its biggest opportunities to engage burgeoning horticulturists and also to evoke wider change, so let’s hope these opportunities are taken to the fullest.
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 3 WELCOME
WELCOME
All of this means that Chelsea is back with a bang this year. I spoke in last month’s leader about the way Chelsea has evolved over the last decade or so, with the launch Project Giving Back and gardens which strive for social and environmental changes. This will hopefully be apparent to the thousands of visitors set to walk through the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea next week and will hopefully be highlighted in the BBC’s coverage of the event.
T +31 (0)413 274 168 Info@adezz.com www.adezz.com Liessentstraat 4 VIVID WATER •Available from stock •European quality product •Supplied fully assembled Water elements are dynamic objects in the garden. The continuous rippling of water creates subtle movement in the gardens you have designed. A bird’s resting place to come and drink during warm periods and where they bring extra liveliness to your customer’s garden. View our full range of water elements in our brochure and at www.adezz.com.
5405 AG Uden Netherlands Follow us: ADEZ Z® WE PRODUCE GARDEN PRODUCTS FOR WEADEZPROFESSIONALSZ®PRODUCEGARDENPRODUCTSFORPROFESSIONALS Water table with bowls All RAL colours possible Aluminum pond Combined with pond wall Aluminum water table In stock up to 6m
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 20226 CONTENTS 41383634312825201510 4945 656462615653 News Our monthly roundup of industry news Pro Landscaper Business Awards Coverage Celebrating 2022's winners Let’s Hear it From May & Watts Garden Design 30 Under 30 Update Will Williams Greening Our Cities Thomas O'Mahony A Joined Future Lynne Marcus All Change, Please! Chris Churchman Off to Mow a Meadow? Andrew Wilson Too Loud a Solitude Christopher Martin Sourcing From Site Katie Flaxman UK Landscape Barometer Industry feedback and statistics for March 2022 Change For The Better? Neil Edwards The Wild, Wild West Midlands idverde Ahead Of The Curve Butler Landscapes PLBA 2022 – Award-worthy Grounds companiesmaintenance PLBA 2022 – Award-worthy Landscape architecture studios (under 10 employees) Child's Play Mark Collins Evoke Imagination Natural play products from CED Stone Group 65 INSPIRE INFORM IQ 20 56 53
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 7 CONTENTS JUNE 2022 JUNE 2O22 LET’S HEAR IT FROM Mark Watts, May & Watts Garden Design WILDLIFE WAYS Solihull’sprojectground-breakingwithdverde MAINTENANCE MISHAPS Gareth Wilson’s tips to avoid costly errors MINTERNE GARDENS Explore the iconic 18 century landscape BUTLERTHEAHEADLANDSCAPESOFCURVE989392919089878685 Feature Garden Minterne Gardens An Industry Rising To The Challenge Richard McKenna It's a No To Artificial Grass From Me Nick Coslett Why Are My Plants More Expensive in 2022? Lewis Normand Readyhedge The hedging experts Hedging Hurdles Solutions from suppliers Counting the Cash Kim Sones Maintenance Mishaps Gareth Wilson Leader of the Pack Alison Warner Handling Harassment Oracle Solicitors Plan B Angus Lindsay Problems with Urban Paving Durability?Repointing NCC Streetscape Bringing The Indoors Outdoors Azpects Porcelain paving Latest products and trends Little Interviews Questions with the individuals who make up our industry To receive a copy of Pro Landscaper, please contact Katie Bone. Email katie.bone@eljays44.com or call 01903 777 585. 25 93 69 EDUCATE NURTURE 818078777569
www.globalstonepaving.co.uk www.digbystone.com
Tel:sam.seaton@eljays44.com01903959391
Managing editor – Ashleigh Johnson
NEIL EDWARDS P49
Tel:lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com01903777579
CONTACT
Whilst every e ort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine. We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.
Tel:gemma.lloyd@eljays44.com01903777594
Accountant Kim Sones shares her expertise in helping businesses to improve their cash flow. Whether outsourcing or managing your accounts in-house, regularly reviewing your cash flow will help your business to be successful and enable you to make better financial decisions.
Director of development –Jessica McCabe
Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Rustington,Street,West Sussex BN16 3DA Tel: 01903 777 570
SONESACCOUNTANCY.CO.UK @SONESACCOUNTANCY
Cover ©Butlerphotograph:Landscapes
P87
Following the launch of the Society of Garden Designers’ Affiliated Business Partnership, association chair Lynne Marcus explains exactly how this new initiative will benefit the industry as a whole, focusing on collaboration to bring together a variety of sectors.
P31
CHRIS CHURCHMAN P34
Senior sales executive – Daniel Riley
Mark Collins
Pro Landscaper is proud to be an associate member of the APL director Jim Wilkinson Director Lisa Wilkinson development manager Jamie Wilkinson
HLMARCHITECTS.COM @HLMARCHITECTS
Eager to become the best landscaper in Lewes? Or the go-to contractor in Cornwall? Business coach Alison Warner offers tips for becoming the company of choice in your local area. Alison suggests a few key areas a landscaping business should focus on, all achievable with a little hard work.
Tel:mark.wellman@eljays44.com01903777574
SGD.ORG.UK @THE_SGD
Tel:millie.genner@eljays44.com01903777582
Subeditor – Sam Seaton
KATIE FLAXMAN P41
P85
Tel:katrina.roy@eljays44.com01903959391
MANAGEMENT Managing
GARETH WILSON P 86
Tel:jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com01903777589
Tel:jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com01903777588
Director – Jamie Wilkinson
Subscription enquiries – Katie Bone Tel:katie.bone@eljays44.com01903777585
Tel:jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com01903777585
Alison Warner
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 9 INFORM
Senior subeditor – Katrina Roy
LEWIS NORMAND P78
Design – Kara Thomas kara.thomas@eljays44.com
Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd – Connecting Horticulture. Pro Landscaper’s content is available for licensing overseas. Contact jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.comProLandscaperispublished12times per year by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2022 subscription price is £100. 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.
MARKETING AND CIRCULATION
CONTRIBUTORS
Professional Landscapers
Horticulture Careers –Mark Wellman
Tel:nina.mason@eljays44.com01903959393
Head of content – Nina Mason
Editorial director – Lisa Wilkinson
EVOLVEANDGROWCOACHING.COM @EVOLVEANDGROW
THOMAS O'MAHONY P28
Play is essential, says landscape architect Mark Collins, and neighbourhoods, towns and cities should all be designed with children in mind. From pedestrian friendly and playable streets to natural play areas, HLM Architects is exploring ways to implement more child-friendly elements into its designs.
Business
Tel:daniel.riley@eljays44.com01903777583
P64
Pro Landscaper is proud to be an a liate member of BALI
Editorial researcher – Gemma Lloyd
EDITORIAL
Sales manager – Millie Genner
Kim Sones
Tel:ashleigh.johnson@eljays44.com01903777578
Lynne Marcus
ADVERTISING
Managing director – Jim Wilkinson
Neil was a leading figure within the industry, having spent 18 years on the board for the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), including as chairman for two years from 2004.
Companies and individuals can apply to become Affiliated Business Partners subject to meeting a number of conditions and will be able to take advantage of a host of benefits including the use of the Affiliated Business logo, listing on the SGD website, access to the SGD’s CPD events, priority booking for trade stands at SGD conferences and events, member rates for SGD events and promotion on SGD social media
REMEMBERING NEIL HUCK, 1954–2022
ast chairman of BALI and former national group training manager for Ground Control, Neil Huck, has passed away following a short illness, aged 68.
SGD LAUNCHES NEW AFFILIATED PARTNERSHIPBUSINESSNEWS
he Society of Garden Designers (SGD) has launched a new partnership category that will allow the wider landscape industry to become Affiliated Business Partners of the society.
Following his 21-year career at Ground Control, Neil went on to become chair of the Landscape Horticultural and Arboriculture and Forestry Trailblazer Apprenticeship Group and managing director of Raintree Training Ltd.
Read more about the new partnership from SGD chair Lynne Marcus on page 31. sgd.org.uk
T
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202210 INFORM
SGD treasurer John Wyer FSGD says: “The idea behind the Affiliated Business partnership is to open the SGD to a wider community of all those who work on gardens. We hope that this will lead to some interesting and productive conversations, and that all will benefit from the closer association.”
P
Wayne Grills, chief executive of BALI, says: “Neil was a much-loved and respected individual who worked tirelessly for many years to drive the landscape industry forward. He attended too many industry meetings to mention, on a vast array of subjects. He had an enormous knowledge base and was keen to share his experience and collaborate with others. He was a remarkable individual and a fellow Manchester United fan who will be deeply missed, and we will be forever grateful for Neil’s enormous contribution to the association.”
Recognising the many disciplines involved in creating, maintaining and promoting gardens and landscapes, the category will be open to a wide range of experts and professions. It will allow SGD members to benefit from a closer association with these Affiliated Business Partners and give the SGD the opportunity to showcase the best of the industry.
Manniplatforms.Keates, managing director of CORE Landscape Products, says: “So much of our revenue comes from SGD members specifying our products that this is a natural progression – we are really looking forward to being an Affiliated Business Partner and all the benefits it will bring.”
He also spent more than 10 years on the board of the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) and was vice president until last year when he stepped down. ELCA has worked with BALI across many projects and has jointly lobbied European parliament on several issues affecting our industry and Neil was instrumental in this.
K-based landscape planning, ecology and consultancy,arboricultureTylerGrange has become the first in its industry to sign up to the 4-day week pilot programme –beginning in June. More than 3,000 workers at 60 companies across the UK are taking part in the trial.
The four ambassadors spoke at the association’s inaugural ‘Access All Areas’ Inclusion and Diversity panel discussion, held in London last December. The audience was able to hear the experiences of the panel and their careers in horticulture. The hosts were
In association with 4-Day Week Global, UK think tank Autonomy and researchers at Cambridge University, Boston College and Oxford University, the pilot programme will initially run for six months and will see reduced hours but no loss of income for Tyler Grange’s employees.
TYLER GRANGE TRIALS FOUR-DAY WEEK
Tessa Johnstone, board director (diversity) says: “It is the right time to strike out with a strategy that sets out the range of roles in landscaping and the paths to progression via initiatives... highlighting the widening spectrum of people these roles can appeal to.” bali.org.uk
Giving combat(AR)augmentedtechnologyworkersconstructionaccesstosuchasrealitywillnotonlysoaringresource
costs, but help attract young people to construction roles, says GlobalData. The company notes that, while AR could give the industry a muchneeded reinvigoration, a large number of executives are not planning to invest. globaldata.com
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 11 INFORM
the historic garden to make them bloom. A former Chartered Institute of Horticulture Young Horticulturist of the Year, Lawrence has joined from Cornwall’s Tregothnan Estate and is now in charge of Newby’s forty acres of gardens and woodland. newbyhall.com
he British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) has appointed four equity ambassadors to support it in its vision to bring about positive change and improve accessibility for all into the landscape industry. The ambassadors have been partnered with to aid in cutting across perceptions of what is required to work in the industry, and make a real difference in achieving a wider, more representative workforce.
U
T
Simon Ursell, managing director at Tyler Grange, says: “Discussions around this initiative began four years ago…We know that mental health issues are rife in consultancy. It’s an industry which has too often been plagued by growing demands, diminishing timescales and increasing complexity. It’s time to make a change.
able to explore the perceived barriers faced by those not considered part of the mainstream.Theambassadors are: garden designer and RHS judge, Manoj Malde; TV presenter and landscape designer, Mark Lane; Horatio’s Garden’s head gardener, Ashley Edwards, chair of the London Gardens Network; and Flo Headlam, horticulturist, designer and the first black presenter on BBC’s Gardeners’ World.
NEWS IN BRIEF elementslandscapedesignedStudiobasedManchester-CWhasthefor
NEW HEAD GARDENER GETS DUG IN AT NEWBY HALL
“The pilot programme made it clear that the time to act is now. We know the employee wellbeing benefits and we know that productivity can increase by up to 15%. We’ve been working incredibly hard on making this a reality for the last four years. So, what are we waiting for?”
NEW LANDSCAPE DESIGN FOR OLDHAM LAUNCHES
FOUR EQUITY AMBASSADORS APPOINTED BY LANDSCAPING ASSOCIATION
WOULD AUGMENTED REALITY ATTRACT YOUNG TALENT?
the Spindles town square re-development project in Oldham, in association with AEW Architects and Oldham Council. The wider re-development includes removal of the former TJ Hughes building and a new market hall. Proposals have been submitted to Oldham Council’s planning committee for consideration. cwstudio.co.uk
From June, each of Tyler Grange’s six UK offices will be closed on Fridays. The trial is part of the company’s commitment to B Corp certification – a four-day working week by 2025 could reduce the UK’s annual carbon footprint by 127 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. tylergrange.co.uk
Yorkshire’s Newby Hall has a new head revampingsightsandLawrencegardener,Wright,hehashissetonpartsof
FIVE
ExclusivesOnline
On Friday 22 April, the place.AwardsBusinessLandscaperProtookThisyear,
SHOW GARDEN CHAMPIONS MENTAL HEALTH DISCUSSIONS
state-of-the-art laboratory conducting research into tree pests and diseases has been officially opened by Defra and the Forestry Commission, as part of National Plant Health Week in May.
GARDENLINK CONSTRUCTS GARDENS AT RHS CHELSEA
We speak to hismoretoSturgeonAndyfindoutaboutgardenat
Flower Show this year. We speak to managing director Dan Flynn to find out more about how this has been pulled off successfully. at-chelsea-gardenlink-constructs-prolandscapermagazine.com/ve-gardens-ower-show/
the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Built for charity Mind, we ask how the garden encourages all-important conversations about mental health through its design.
STATE-OF-THE-ART TREE HEALTH LABORATORY OPENS TO HELP PROTECT UK FORESTS
A
“Climate change has brought to the forefront the need for landscape architects and civil engineers to work closely together and to be involved with building projects –whatever their size – right from the start.
Simon Richards, founder of Land Studio, says: “We’re delighted to welcome Lisa on board. Our combined knowledge and expertise of land and natural systems gives us a unique insight into the design of drainage and water management strategies that can respond to our changing climate. We believe this is the future and a step change in working to combat climate change through design excellence and a fully integrated landscape architecture and engineering systems approach.” landstudio-uk.com
The £5.8m Forest Research Holt Laboratory, located within the Alice Holt Forest in Surrey, will bring together leading scientists to undertake research on pests and pathogens which could be detrimental or seriously damaging to forests. This will inform efforts to combat ongoing pest and disease outbreaks, including from oak processionary
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202212 INFORM
could be better orientated to make the most of the topography of a site or to show that there’s a more cost efficient, sensitive way of dealing with surface water than putting attenuation crates under the ground. It’s time to think differently.”
C
hester and North Wales based specialist landscape architect practice Land Studio has launched a civil engineering division. It is the first nature led landscape architecture practice in the UK to have its own in-house civil engineering team.
PLBA'S EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR AND SUPREME WINNER
“This enables us to suggest that a building
New statistics released by Forest Research show a record number of tree pests and diseases are being reported. The TreeAlert service received 3,790 reports from the public over the past year (April 2021 – March 2022) – a nearly 25% increase on the previous year.
Forest Research chief executive, James Pendlebury says: "The research conducted at the Holt Laboratory as part of the Centre for Forest Protection will be pivotal in our long-term ability to combat these threats and safeguard our treescapes for future generations. This state-of-the-art facility builds on a long-term programme to protect trees and forests and ensures that we are at the forefront of defence against future risks.” gov.uk
Elmtree Garden Contractors scooped its second Supreme Award, as well as winning Employer of the Year. winner-elmtree-garden-contractors/employer-of-the-year-and-supreme-pro-landscaper-business-awards-prolandscapermagazine.com/ atfiveaconstructingfoundGardenlinkitselfstaggeringgardenstheRHSChelsea
moth, Ips typographus and Phytophthora pluvialis, as well as emerging potential threats from abroad, such as Emerald ash borer and Citrus longhorn beetle.
conversation/mind-encourages-mental-health-how-andy-sturgeons-garden-for-prolandscapermagazine.com/
LAND STUDIO EXPANDS AND LAUNCHES NEW CIVIL ENGINEERING DIVISION
The company, which recently celebrated its sixth anniversary, believes this new integrated approach can help to tackle climate change. The new division, which offers clients drainage design and water management solutions, is headed up by director Lisa Sawyer. Lisa says: “What we’re doing at Land Studio is pioneering and very exciting. I don’t know of any other practice of our size in the UK that has landscape architects and in-house civil engineers working together as an integrated service. But I think that it is the future.
and on one delivery: Urban Tree Planting and Tree Irrigation Soils, Growing Media and RuralBarksTree Planting Wild ower Seed and PPE,GroundsandGround,andEcology,ConservationPondsBioengineeringWind,WeedErosionControlMaintenanceWorkwearandTools Our rootslandscapingrundeep With over 27 years’ experience supplying the industry with everything from soil to stakes and tree shelters to topsoil, Green-tech is proud to work with landscape contractors, designers and architects to create beautiful, sustainable and biodiverse landscape projects. •Over 16,000 products with a robust supply chain •Nationwide, exible and next day delivery options •A comprehensive programme of CPD seminars and training seminars •Renowned for our professional advice and excellent customer care To place your order, scan this code to visit www.green-tech.co.uk or call 01423 332100 sales@green-tech.co.uk @greentechltd @greentechuk green-tech-ltd HeadlineProudtobeSponsoroftheBALINationalLandscapeAwards2022
azpects.co.uk Porcelain Essentials A high-quality slurry grout for use on interior and exterior porcelain paving • Fine textured nish and no need to compact. • Applied as a slurry unlike traditional oor tile grouts. • EASY to use. Simply mix, pour, sweep, and rinse. EASYGrout A high bond primer for use on natural stone and porcelain paving • Delivers a strong, long-lasting bond. • Easy to apply. • Suitable for interior and exterior use. EASYPrime
Blanco Crema ArgentGra to
INFORM 15prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022
REVIEW
THE PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARDS 2022
It seems hard to believe that this year’s Pro Landscaper Business Awards were held more than a month ago, on 22 April at East Wintergarden, London. A room packed full of more than 400 industry professionals from a variety of sectors celebrated the achievements of our 16 category winners as well as our impressive shortlisted companies.
Taking the top prize this year was Elmtree Garden Contractors, which became the first company to win its second Supreme Award at the Pro Landscaper Business Awards. Earlier in the day, it had picked up the highly coveted award for Employer of the Year.
After the awards, Elmtree’s managing director Paul Lynch said: “We are more than delighted to win both of these awards. It is a great testimony to who we are as a company. Winning Employer of the Year should definitely help us attract more staff, and the Supreme Award helps to secure a client’s trust and confidence.”
British Association of IndustriesLandscape @BALI_Landscape Congratulations to all our theirmemberssoWe’reBusiness@ProLandscaperUKtriumphedmembersAssociationwhoatAwards2022.soproudtoseemanyAssociationrecognisedforoutstandingwork. REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR THE PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARDS 2023 AT: WWW.PROLANDSCAPERBUSINESSAWARDS.COM Furnitubes @FurnitubesUK Thank you to @ProLandscaperUK and @Eljays44 for hosting yet another fantastic awards. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners, particularly our category winners @CrowdersNursery for the #TradeNursery of the year award! #plba2022 Oak View Landscapes Limited Thanks to all the Pro Landscaper team for putting on a great event once again. Fantastic to see the growth of the awards over the past 5 years and the standard of companies entering. Well done. (via Facebook) TRADE NURSERY OF THE YEAR: W CROWDER & SONS COMMERCIALLTD LANDSCAPING COMPANY: MAYLIM SUPREME WINNER AND EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR: ELMTREE GARDEN CONTRACTORS LTD LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIO UNDER 10 EMPLOYEES: STUDIO 31 LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS ARBORICULTURE COMPANY: BEECHWOOD TREES AND LANDSCAPES LTD
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR THE PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARDS 2023 AT: WWW.PROLANDSCAPERBUSINESSAWARDS.COM WITH THANKS TO OUR AWARD SPONSORS AWARDS HEADLINEPARTNER:SPONSOR: INFORM prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202216 James Scott @gardencomp Proud to bring home a Pro Landscaper Business Award (Design and Build) last week. V pleased to be recognised for our commitment to looking after our people & clients, working well with suppliers & protecting the environment. Thank you to @ProLandscaperUK! Ground Control @GroundControlGC What a way to celebrate #EarthDay? We’ve just won @ProLandscaperUK Sustainable Company of the Year. Congratulations to all fellow winners! #sustainability Landform @LandformUK Wow. What an honour to win @ProLandscaperUK Award in this category competing with such exemplary companies. We are just blown away! Cultura Group @TheCulturaGroup Many congratulations to all of the winners at @ProLandscaperUK Business Awards 2022. A special mention to Harrington Porter who came first in the Cultura sponsored category of Garden Design Company. What a pleasure to celebrate our great industry in style #landscaping #business LANDSCAPING COMPANY OVER £5M: LANDFORM CONSULTANTS SUSTAINABLE COMPANY OF THE YEAR: GROUND CONTROL SUPPLIER & SERVICE PROVIDER: ADTRAK INDUSTRY BRIDGMANCOLLABORATION:ANDBRIDGMANLLP GROUNDS MAINTENANCE COMPANY AND LANDSCAPING COMPANY £1M-£5M: TONY BENGER LANDSCAPING LTD LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIO OVER 10 EMPLOYEES: GROUNDWORK LONDON LANDSCAPING COMPANY UNDER £1M: LAND TECHNOLOGY LTD DESIGN AND BUILD COMPANY: THE GARDEN COMPANY LTD GARDEN DESIGN COMPANY: HARRINGTON PORTER LTD
T: 01206 589550 E: sales@ate-uk.com W: www.ate-uk.com ATE (UK) Ltd, Anglia House, Haven Road, Colchester, Essex CO2 8HT BUILT RUGGED. BUILT FOR YOU. Your General-Duty trailer should suit you and the purpose it is being used for. Our RAM General-Duty trailer is available in a variety of lengths and widths, offering both single and twin axle, with a range of weight capacities. Select from multiple customisable options to ensure your RAM TXGD is fit for use!SCAN ME TO BOOK YOUR FREE DEMO! SEE OUR FULL TRAILER RANGE WWW.TOWMATE.CO.UKATCOMESWITH3-YEARWARRANTY
Event partners
15 November 2022 16 November 2022 ExCeL RegisterLondonforyour free ticket on our website or contact the team on 01903 777570 WHEN WHERE HOW www.futurescapeevent.com
Let’s Hear it From MAY & WATTS GARDEN DESIGN
CELEBRATING JUST OVER 25 YEARS OF DESIGNING BEAUTIFUL GARDENS FOR MODERN LIVING, MAY & WATTS GARDEN DESIGN SPOKE WITH US ON THE GROWING CLIMATE FOR PRIVATE AND COMMERCIAL GARDEN SPACES, HOW THE MARKET HAS CHANGED IN THAT QUARTER OF A CENTURY AND HOW CO-FOUNDER MARK WATTS BEGAN HIS JOURNEY INTO THE LANDSCAPING INDUSTRY
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202220 INFORM MARK WATTS
1 Stepping stones under the Acer griseum
B
efore Mark Watts entered the world of garden design, he took on a variety of jobs in other fields before embarking on what has now become a lengthy and successful career in the landscape industry. He was initially drawn to design and embraced several artistic roles before deciding that he wanted to take his creative skills a step further. “I decided to go to college to find out more about business and become qualified.”
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 21 INFORM
3 Rosa x odorata (Sanguinea Group)
Little did Mark know that his early horticultural education would become the founding of May & Watts Garden Design. “I studied at Hadlow College, quite some time ago now, and did a national diploma in landscape and amenity studies. This is where I met my business partner, Diana May. We set up our business in 1996, so it's our 26th year of trading. They’re the broad strokes of how I came to garden and design,” shares Mark.
YOU ACCUMULATE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGH AND BECAUSE OF THE BUSINESS, AND EVERYONE LEARNS FROM EACH OTHER
medals for show gardens at Hampton Court, each of these three sponsored by Loire Valley Wines. But Mark had show
As the industry’s knowledge grows, so does its reputation and recognition in the public’s eye as a somewhat silver lining of the pandemic. “Once, people had looked
'Bengal Crimson'
garden experience even prior to this and sees this as a pivotal part of his career, along with his work with nurseries as well.
2 Autumn colour in the courtyard
Just four years after it was founded, May & Watts Garden Design created a garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (now Garden Festival). It scooped a Silver Gilt medal, and its success was followed by three further
“I was very lucky to get involved in the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with the National Farmers Union display…I did those events for a few years, and that was probably key; it got me really interested in plants, looking at the gardens around Chelsea. It was shortly after that I went to college. So, Chelsea was probably one of the key things that pointed me toward gardens and culture and so on.”
May & Watts Garden Design has witnessed the growth of interest in the landscaping industry both from clients and from those looking to enter the industry. Meeting new people with different insights, experience and knowledge is extremely valuable, adds Mark.
“You accumulate a lot of experience and meet a lot of people through and because of the business, and everyone learns from each other. It all builds up, adding what’s needed and what’s new here and there and, as a result, you create this compendium of knowledge that you can apply to your work and others to theirs. And you have more to draw on every year that goes by and every project that comes along you have more knowledge, and this keeps the ideas flowing.”
The Sussex-based company undertakes everything from the smallest courtyard to large country estates and has created two public gardens to date – one at The West Garden in Glynde Place, Lewes, and more recently The Walled Garden at Riverhill Himalayan Gardens in Kent.
“We used some materials that were already there. That was quite complex. Our client, who actually lived and worked in Hong Kong, asked us to create a garden which reflected the gardens of Hong Kong and China.”
at their house and made some improvements but weren’t too interested in their gardens. They then became interested because it became a vital space in people’s increasingly small world during the pandemic. It became important to make those spaces nicer to be in and a few people cultivated quite a bit of an interest in plants and garden centres, when they were open.
MayCONTACT&WattsGarden Design
Each of May & Watts’ gardens are designed with the client at the forefront of all decisions, and Mark continues to feel the same passion for each garden as when he first started out. “Every job is exciting and continually interesting. Nothing is ever the same and plants are central to what we do. We love all aspects of design, but the plants are always a big part of that and are the finishing touch to almost any project.”
“No-one knew at the time when the lockdowns were going to end, so they
Some of the products were obtained from Hong Kong, but this was down to May & Watts being unable to attain these in the UK. These products added authenticity, though, and a previously bare courtyard became a reflection of the client’s time in Chinese and Hong Kong gardens, filled with an array of plants. A Gingko biloba tree featured, alongside the green glazed ‘Lotus’ tiles, and a gallery of containerised bamboos.
In creating the intimate courtyard, the client requested that May & Watts pull reference from some of the seminal gardens of China, in particular Qinghiu Garden, Guangdong, and The Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou. The garden was a collaborative
This increase has curated growth for May & Watts Garden Design. Mark has witnessed more demand for the gardens they create and build, all the while trying to mitigate the environmental impacts of building a garden, wherever it can, whether this be by adding a meadow or a pond or using reclaimed materials.
4 The Chinese courtyard in mid-summer 5 Brick paving and container ponds INFORM
NO-ONE KNEW AT THE TIME WHEN THE LOCKDOWNS WERE GOING TO END, SO THEY PRIORITISED THE GARDEN . AND IN THE BACK OF PEOPLE’S MINDS GOING FORWARD IS, IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED AGAIN , THEY WOULD WANT TO BE MORE PREPARED
Tel 07905 332 655
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202222
effort from start to finish. “We worked on all aspects together, which was really satisfying. There were a few technical issues to overcome and that required everyone putting their heads together. To a degree, we were creating items that were often seen in China but for which there were no industry standards here in the UK, so we all had to come up with the right way to do it. We were all really happy with the outcome. It was a difficult but enjoyable build.”
Email enquiries@mayandwattsgardendesign.co.uk
This was kept in mind to the Chineseinspired courtyard that resides in Sussex. Working closely with the May & Watts team, Mark designed the garden to a highly ornamental effect to draw the client from the hustle and bustle of city life.
It was to be a fusion of an English country garden, using reclaimed Yorkstone, and gardens inspired by the client’s life.
mayandwattsgardendesign.co.uk
prioritised the garden. And in the back of people’s minds going forward is, if something like this happened again, they would want to be more prepared. That would certainly include doing something with their outdoor space.”
After more than 25 years, and despite racking up an impressive portfolio, Mark says the company is always looking to improve on its last commission. His humble approach means May & Watts Garden Design will no doubt continue to evolve, and its silver anniversary certainly won’t be its last.
A prism of green, grey, terracotta and stone sing through the courtyard leading to its foreground that is shaped by the Acer griseum canopy, where theatrical moments punctuate the complex and intricate style of the courtyard, in the form of bespoke lanterns creating soft lateral lighting and up lighting near the Gingko tree. Lights used in the garden were designed from scratch and created by a local fabricator.
· In stock and available for FREE next day delivery · Choose from four size and colour options, with or without sides · From just £1,109.39 + VAT Metal Pergolas by London Stone Add instant value to your next project www.londonstone.co.uk
Go to aco.co.uk/garden-and-landscape
garden designers on the same page
It’s good to get drainage experts and
At last there’s a place where great landscaping and efficient rainwater management meet. The new ACO Garden Designers and Landscapers’ web page has all the help and support you need on channel drainage systems and sustainable water management – including a free eBook on sustainable design.
WILL WILLIAMS
a planting plan provided for each collection.
onto our website
PhotographyHillier©Adam
WILL (RIGHT) WITH JAMIE AND LAURA FELSTEAD
Customersthrough.cancome
SOTO TAKES YOUR HOME INTERIOR INTO THE EXTERIOR SO YOU CAN FOLLOW THE LOOK ALL THE WAY THROUGH
or garden designer Will Williams, the sky might not even be the limit. He already boasts an RHS Gold medal, plus the title of RHS Young Designer of the Year in 2018, and he now runs a successful garden design business, taking on projects across the UK and sometimes even further afield – he’s even undertaken a project in Nigeria. Now, Will has co-founded a company which is delivering professionally designed planting schemes right to customers’ doors.
30 UNDER 30 UPDATE
SOTO WHITE SOTO HOUSE
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 25
doesn’t work out,” says Will. “So, Laura came up with the idea for Soto. She was looking for her garden to be an extension of her home, and Soto takes your home interior into the exterior so you can follow the look all the way
F
and look at our collections, which all have a unique style to them; Soto House is a bit more colourful, Soto White is obviously predominantly white, and Soto Green is a very green, contemporary planting palette.”
GARDEN DESIGNER WILL WILLIAMS SHARES THE STORY BEHIND THE LAUNCH OF HIS NEW COMPANY SOTO
INFORM
Soto launched at the end of April, having been in the pipeline for more than a year. “Jamie and Laura [Felstead], the co-founders, ran into a problem I see all the time, which is that a classic DIYer might go to a nursery or somewhere like B&Q and pick up some plants, but they’ll have spent a small fortune on the wrong plant for the wrong place and be angry when it
To offer these plants, Soto has partnered with Hampshire-based nursery Hortus Loci, which has supplied multiple Gold medalwinning show gardens and is known for its high quality range. “I’ve been working with Hortus for the last six years or so, and it just felt like a natural fit. We spoke to [the directors] Mark Straver and Robin Wallis about the idea and they loved it immediately, so that’s how it was born. It’s brilliant to have access to a 17-acre nursery.”
For customers looking for just one or two items, there is the opportunity to purchase just a pot and a plant, and Soto’s pot sizes are significant too. “They’re sizes that garden designers would use, so predominantly 3L pots, and our larger shrubs, such as hydrangeas, come in anything from 7.5L to 10L pots. So, you’re getting a very established plant and a more instant impact when everything arrives.”
The garden collections are all tailored to the customer’s garden aspects and conditions too, from sunny to shady and wide to masterclassesaretoisinformationofoffersrightplantensureborders.narrowAndtotherightgoesintheplace,Sotoawealtheducationalwhichdetailedyeteasyfollow.Thereguidesandtofollow,with
With so many exciting projects on his plate, as well as the launch of Soto, Will has taken a break from designing show gardens this year, having completed five in a row across Hampton Court and Tatton Park. But he still has his sights set on Chelsea one day. In the meantime, he’s turning all his attention to his design business and Soto, which appears to have plenty of
OUR PLAN OVER THE NEXT YEAR IS TO INTRODUCE NEW COLLECTIONS AND INSPIRE PEOPLE . IT REALLY HELPS THEM TO GET A DESIGNER AESTHETIC WITH STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW AND ALL THE EDUCATION THEY NEED TO IMPLEMENT IT THEMSELVES
It’s an entrepreneurial view, and it gives the impression that the only way for Soto and Will Williams Garden Design is up.
Alongside Soto, Will continues to run his own design company from South West London. “We have a fantastic team helping with Soto, so they take a lot of the workload,
opportunities for growth. “We’re hoping to add to the collections over time, whether it’s the possibility of a jungle collection, for instance, or something like that. There are various ideas being thrown around in my head that would definitely work.
ILEX DOME
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202226
is lovely. It was originally designed by a landscape architect called Thomas Mortland who was famous for doing lots of public realm work, but he did a handful of residential projects, and this is one of them. So, it’s a sympathetic redesign of the pool garden which is due to be completed ready for summer.”
INFORM
“It’s an exciting concept. Not too many other companies are doing it in the same way that we are, and our target market means we’re not taking work away from designers, so people like myself; we’re filling a gap for those who don’t have the experience or industry knowledge but want anything from a window box all the way through to the main borders.”
THE MANOR POOL GARDEN VISUALISATION
"So, our plan over the next year is to introduce new collections and inspire people. It really helps them to get a designer aesthetic with step-by-step instructions to follow and all the education they need to implement it themselves.
SOTO GREEN
HERBKITCHEN
and we’re definitely still carrying out design work with lots of projects up and down the country which we’re focusing really hard on. We take on anything from a small London garden all the way up to one of our biggest projects, an 89-acre estate in the heart of Sussex which
ROSEMARY
Influenced by the popularity of natural materials and the trend for contemporary garden living, the Al Fresco collection caters for all consumer tastes offering a variety of dramatic patterns, subtle textured tiles and large formats, all inspired by the great outdoors. Give your clients the garden they dream of. Scan here with your smart phone to find a local stockist THE NEXT BIG THING IN DESIGNGARDEN COMINGLARGEREVENFORMATS&PATTERNSSOON! Loop WelfordPeckoverSherbourneBlackVictorianSilverRegalIvory Simple to InstallGood Slip Resistance Fade Resistant Easy to Clean Algae & Moss ResistantFrostproofUniform Thickness PORCELAIN TILES For more information, please contact: www.alfrescotiles.co.uk | 0113 244 4984 | info@alfrescotiles.co.uk Al Fresco is exclusively supplied by Verona. veronagroup.co.uk Contact details Nick NationalJohnsonSales Manager 07786 nick.johnson@veronagroup.co.uk716663 Robbie Fairhurst - North East & Scotland 07469 robbie.fairhurst@veronagroup.co.uk352481 Andy Wright - North West 07880 andy.wright@veronagroup.co.uk632913 Paul Grainger - Midlands & Wales 07741 paul.grainger@veronagroup.co.uk147259 Barry Iddles - South 07824 barry.iddles@veronagroup.co.uk567227 Dan Dodds - South East 07990 dan.dodds@veronagroup.co.uk839622 Sam Heath - South West 07990 sam.heath@veronagroup.co.uk379409
We have recently seen the arrival of the long-awaited Levelling Up white paper which sets out the Government’s strategy to reduce regional inequalities across the UK. The built environment and landscape industry will be fundamental in the implementation of this strategy, particularly in placemaking and urban regeneration. Our sector has a crucial part to play in the green recovery: repairing damaged habitats, degraded landscapes and neglected places, and delivering green infrastructure, water-sensitive urban design and SuDS.
people, nature and the climate. Recently our teams have revisited schemes implemented in the past 20 years to complete retrofit
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202228 INFORM
urban greening in line with new green plans and Followingstrategies.thetransformation of the landscape at British Land’s 1 Triton Square last year, Maylim is continuing work on the second phase at this community-focused campus in Camden. Designed by Townshend Landscape Architects, the landscape scheme at Regent’s Place Phase 2 completes the renovation of the remaining public realm; adding more greenery to create a tranquil and natural environment.
ondon is the greenest city in the UK and was also recognised as the world’s first National Park City in 2019. These impressive acknowledgements are a result of the consistent changes the city and its people are making to increase and improve green space to enhance biodiversity and wildlife. It should also be mentioned that the impact of the pandemic has seen a step change in how public realm is utilised and importantly appreciated – the result of which is making London greener, healthier and wilder.
prolific focus and consideration towards achieving greener goals. The clients we work with see the true value of investing in high-quality public realm for the benefit of
Here at Maylim we have certainly seen the balance shift in favour of urban greening, especially in more recent years. The schemes we work on today are becoming increasingly green, with a more
Greening cities isn’t just a London focused initiative with many other cities across the UK witnessing the harsh impacts of climate change and realising the need to develop a greater resilience. In Birmingham, the city centre Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) have launched a manifesto for greening the city with an ambitious masterplan for green infrastructure. The Going Green masterplan takes a strategic approach to help ensure maximum benefits for businesses and residents including: improved air quality, better health and
THOMAS O’MAHONY GREENING OUR CITIES
HERE AT MAYLIM WE HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THE BALANCE SHIFT IN FAVOUR OF URBAN GREENING , ESPECIALLY IN MORE RECENT YEARS
L
CITIES ACROSS THE UK AND FURTHER AFIELD ARE STRIVING TO INCORPORATE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, SAYS THOMAS O’MAHONY
TRITON SQUARE
maylim.co.uk
With these pioneering schemes displaying the positive impact of urban greening, alongside clients focusing on pursuing green solutions, it presents a significant opportunity for our industry sector to join forces and be at the forefront of change.
CLEVER CITIES IS A EUROPEAN FUNDED PROJECT WHICH WILL TRIAL WORKING WITH LOCAL CITIZENS TO CO-DESIGN THE REGENERATION OF URBAN AREAS
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 29 INFORM
ABOUT THOMAS O’MAHONY
Returning to the capital, we cannot talk about the future of London without mentioning CLEVER Cities. CLEVER Cities is a European funded project which will trial
wellbeing and engaging streetscapes. BIDs across the country will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in the improvements to public
Thisrealm.manifesto
REGENT'S PLACE, WITH TIMBER PAVILION STRUCTURES
Thomas O’Mahony is managing director of Maylim, a BALI Grand Award-winning organisation, specialising in high-quality external works and landscaping schemes. Originally from a civil-engineering background, Tom has over 30 years’ experience across a diverse range of landscaping, infrastructure and urban regeneration projects.
objectives and ambition for positive change with the client, consultant team and us, the contractor, working together to achieve the same sustainability goals. The new park, designed by architects DSDHA, has quadrupled the amount of green space and contributes greatly to British Land’s health and wellbeing initiative. The project demonstrates how placing carefully considered design at the heart of urban development can lead to substantial improvement in peoples’ happiness, mental health and wellbeing; ultimately resulting in substantial economic reward.
working with local citizens to co-design the regeneration of urban areas. Along with Hamburg and Milan, London has been selected as one of the three lead cities taking part in the trial. The initial project will use nature-based solutions to address urban challenges in Thamesmead, South East London. These solutions will work to improve the local environment and create great quality places with the objective of making them greener andMaylim’shealthierrecently completed Exchange Square scheme personifies collective vision,
EXCHANGE SQUARE
follows on from two flagship schemes: Sheffield’s Grey to Green and Solihull’s Wildlife Ways. Designed with climate change, wellbeing and economic investment in mind, the Grey to Green scheme is laying foundations towards a healthy, sustainable future for Sheffield and has become a benchmark for many other projects. Wildlife Ways is a programme of works which will see the opening and improvement of 69km of existing footpath and cycle networks in Solihull. Upon completion, this incredible project will improve the habitat value of 56ha of parks and open spaces, benefitting local communities and wildlife.
THE WILD FLOWER SPECIALIST ENDORSED BY ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW Tel: 01256 771222 Email: wildflower@wildflowerturf.co.uk www.wildflowerturf.co.uk
A feast for the senses…
Wildflower Turf Pollinator combines a range of native and non-native wildflowers to create a tall, architectural feast of colour for a wide range of insects. Ideal as a nectar bar or as an eyecatching display, this Limited Edition product helps you to help our pollinators.
BY WORKING TOGETHER , WE CAN MAKE A CONTRIBUTIONSIGNIFICANT TO THE UK’S ECONOMIC , SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RENEWAL
M
LYNNE MARCUS
Certainly, for me, other than making my clients happy and leaving them feeling "they’ve invested the best money they have ever spent", one of the most rewarding experiences I have as a garden designer is walking onto a site in full production and seeing how many skilled people are critical in bringing a design to fruition. Add to this the ‘behind the scenes’ production and supply of materials, plants, soil, metalwork, furniture, accessories, crafts and specialist advice and services, as well as, crucially, maintenance and aftercare, it is truly remarkable to consider the breadth and capability of the skills required.
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 31 INFORM
and it is growing as it represents the ‘gold standard’ in garden and landscape design. SGD members are significant contributors to the ‘Green Economy’ whether we are sole practitioners, run or work in larger practices or in landscaping companies. None of this
ABOUT LYNNE MARCUS MSGD, CHAIR OF THE SOCIETY OF GARDEN DESIGNERS
The SGD has therefore launched a new initiative – the Affiliated Business Partnership. This will enable the SGD to showcase the best of the landscape industry whether that is the contractors and engineers who help build the garden, the network of specialist suppliers who provide the materials or those who document the creation of the garden or the gardeners who look after them when we’re done. Becoming an SGD Affiliated Business Partner is an opportunity to join the only professional association for garden designers in the UK.
LYNNE MARCUS SHARES THE THINKING BEHIND THE SGD’S NEW INITIATIVE, THE AFFILIATED BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP
Horticultural Roundtable Group in September 2021. This is up from almost a £28.8bn estimate in 2019, when the industry employed just over 674,000 with almost another 40,000 needed to support this growth over the next eight years.
We have of course an environmental obligation to work together to create more sustainable gardens and landscapes. We also have to join together to increase our efforts, offering and mobilising within the industry to potential recruits to find the resources to power the growth. By working together, we can make a significant contribution to the UK’s economic, social and environmental renewal over the next decade.
y sons’ friends are finally leaving home. Given house prices, young Londoners are late leavers. Groups of mates and couples are on the move and whether renting or buying, they will all only consider moving to a home with a garden.
For more information, please contact: affiliates@sgd.org.uk.
Lynne Marcus has been designing gardens since 1997 having trained under Professor David Stevens FSGD. Her award-winning portfolio includes contemporary, traditional, formal and naturalistic gardens recognisable for their innovative use of space, strong, pareddown layout and the sensitive integration of natural materials and planting. Lynne has also been Chair of the SGD since September 2020. sgd.org.uk
There is an obvious economic imperative for the SGD to form closer bonds with our partners in the industry. There are others which are equally pressing that will be more successfully resolved by a closer association.
is possible without close collaboration throughout the industry, which is the foundation of a successful project –both aesthetically and commercially.
The SGD membership comprises more than 1,800 actual and potential specifiers
Gardens have become cross-generational and are big business. More than 80% of us have access to a garden or outdoor space. With more people working partly or wholly from home, they are perceived as essential for wellbeing as well as helping to combat climate change – a subject close to all our hearts but especially the young. With improved capacity, productivity and sustainability, the UKs ‘Green Economy’ is forecast to contribute £42bn to the UK economy by 2030, according to research produced by Oxford Economics and Foresight Factory for the Ornamental
A JOINED FUTURE
he NEW top of the range Z9 183id zero-turn, proven by landscape professionals, will fulfil all your commercial requirements.
as well as mowing in straighter lines.
The Kawasaki EFI engine provides the consistent power you need to get the job done and maximise your work-day – reducing the downtime which could cost you both time and money. The petrol engine benefits
With extremely wide double wheels, the Z9 has been developed to effortlessly tackle even the steepest slopes up to 25° / 46%.
THE NEW Z9 FROM CUB CADET
MADE EVERYFORSLOPE….
T
ADVERTORIAL ONCE TRIED. NEVER FORGOTTEN.
The ability to control all four wheels with a steering wheel and steerable front wheels, an exclusive offering by Cub Cadet in the commercial sector, minimises the turf being churned up by the wheels. The patented SyncroSteer® technology means that even the less experienced operators can benefit from the ease of use and amazing manoeuvrability of this mowingThemachine.Z9reducestimebyup to 10% compared to lap bar uneventractionenhancedhillsideprovidesmowers,greaterstability,onterrain
Ideal for commercial users, the Z9 has everything and more that you would expect from a quality professional machine - ultimate performance, comfort and durability that delivers a fast, premium cut time and time again. You’ll also benefit from a warranty of 3 year or up to 1000 hours (whichever comes first) for commercial and private use.
from having reduced fuel usage, while the 2 x 34 litre tanks gives you the ability to operate all Comfortday.isat the forefront of the machine’s design. Your operators can experience a smooth ride all day long thanks to the exclusive air-ride seat and isolated dampening system on the Z9 – meaning they are working in vibration-controlled comfort, lessening downtime for your business. Angled back adjustments, padded armrest and lumbar support give added protection.
You can book a demo of our machines by finding your nearest dealer at www.cubcadet.co.uk or contact Cub Cadet on 01869 363677
It powers through the thickest grass in one pass at maximum speeds of up to 12mph meaning you can do the job quicker. The high lift Marbain blades with a blade tip speed up to 18,500 fpm and the 3” total blade overlap will ensure that you always get a tight consistent cut. The frame and axle on the Z9 floats as the machine moves, allowing the multi-reinforced steel deck to follow the shape of the terrain and avoid scalping. The cutting deck can be adjusted at the
THE ULTIMATE PROFESSIONAL ZERO-TURN MACHINE FOR YOUR BUSINESS • Proven by landscape professionals • Tackles steep slopes up to 25° / 46% • Extremely wide double wheels for stability • Powerful Kawasaki EFI engine • Delivers true zero-turn handling with less overlap • Reduces mowing time by up to 10% compared to lap bar mowers • The thickest strongest steel deck in the industry • Exclusive air ride comfortable seat for hours of mowing 3 EVERYMADEZ91000YEARSHOURS*WARRANTYPRIVATE&BUSINESS183idFORSLOPE NEW WWW.CUBCADET.CO.UK * Whichever comes first
Views expressed in the content are the personal views of the content creator.
Financial experts Mckinsey put the cost at $9.2tn (US) per year. To put this in context, the six-year duration of WW2, the most expensive war in history, cost only $14.6tn; in today’s terms,
Chris is a landscape architect with 50 years in the profession. His work at Elephant Park National Maritime Museum and Birmingham Green Heart is widely respected. Chris mixes design creativity with a passion for science. Work related to pollution mitigation has led to a wider understanding of the bene t of green infrastructure. Advocacy on climate change is now his focus, posting thought pieces to social media. Chris seeks to drive down wasteful green eld development by raising awareness of our most valuable natural asset – soil. churchmanthornhill nch.co.uk
Those engaged on greening our planet will be the ones making our city environments bearable. It will require UGF and BNG on steroids to bring this about. It may require a shift in our attitude to working on certain projects and for certain clients. Can we as professionals continue to greenwash sectors which release historic carbon stocks or don’t deliver on carbon commitments? So, if you are 16, 26 or 66, you switch – please!
IT’S A MIGHTY TASK TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE, AND IT’S INDUSTRIES SUCH AS OURS WHICH CAN TAKE IT ON, SAYS CHRIS CHURCHMAN
ABOUT CHRIS CHURCHMAN
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202234 INFORM
and thereby to absorb more carbon are, to put it bluntly, the saviours of mankind.
The cause is climate change, and when you strip it right back, it is actually quite simple, global warming is down to carbon in vs carbon out. While carbon outputs are less than carbon absorption, humankind can survive on planet earth; when outputs exceed inputs, then society has the same chance of survival as the proverbial snowball in hell. Carbon reduction will help to get to net zero, but carbon absorption is what will save mankind, nothing else. And what absorbs carbon? Nature, that’s all. Sure, industrial carbon capture is on some political agendas, but it is unproven and incredibly expensive. Those of us in industries related to nature and its ability to absorb carbon,
CHRIS CHURCHMAN ALL CHANGE, PLEASE!
Anyone with a passing interest in climate change should read the recent report from
oday, I am 66, and so you might expect me to have experienced most things in landscape. Funny thing is, I feel it’s taken 50 years to start to understand what landscape architecture is actually about. I have a sneaking suspicion those focused on nature and natural processes are about to emerge acknowledged, respected, revered. If you have half an eye on our environmental predicament, you will know how biophilic considerations are finally receiving due status; I can’t be the only one sitting in VE meetings and explaining to disbelieving clients and fellow designers that they need to deliver on UGF and BNG commitments.
T
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (AR6). Okay, it’s 3,000 pages long, and I might be 67 by the time I finish it, but you can at least read the 40-page executive summary in a morning. There is a fundamental shift between this report and its 2014 predecessor. It seeks to peg us to a temperature increase of 1.50C by the end of the century, but it accepts that we will almost certainly overshoot in the mid-2030s before falling back. To achieve this, we collectively need a >40% reduction in current carbon emissions. This will need wholesale societal change affecting every facet of our lives.
COVID-19 is expected to have an effect of approximately $12.5tn.
CARBON REDUCTION WILL HELP TO GET TO NET ZERO , BUT CARBON ABSORPTION IS WHAT WILL SAVE MANKIND , NOTHING ELSE
The other big shift in thinking in IPCC is that it’s not all about net zero. The report accepts that as a target that may well not be met. The focus now is equally on adaptation and resilience – i.e. society’s ability to accept some of the unavoidable consequences of climate change and to withstand them, to build structures and infrastructures, financial, biological, societal, which can live with the expected new extremes.
Paving Joint Mortars Visit: Call:Email:www.NCCStreetscape.co.uksales@nccstreetscape.co.uk01257266696 Repointing Urban Paving is a Tough Job! Do it Right Once with GftK - Not Every Year The Proof is Out There! Exclusively From: AfterHitchin12YearsBury St Edmunds After 12 YearsAfterNewark14Years
KNOWING YOUR PLANTS IS WHICH IS
BEST
maintenance theme with a mass removal of vegetation almost down to ground level at the end of February or the beginning of March. John Coke at Bury Court always said that was his favourite time in the garden when suddenly the space and light quality changed dramatically. This clearance allows the whole life cycle to start again.
ANDREW WILSON OFF TO MOW A MEADOW?
APPROACH
To add to the complexity of choice, into the mix comes the ornamental meadow beloved by Tom Stuart Smith and Piet Oudolf. These tend to be larger scale areas of perennials and ornamental grasses that share an overall meadow height or meadow like quality. Often planting is randomised to create a more naturalistic quality. These planting schemes tend to be planted as opposed to the prairie or annual meadow which tend to be seeded, adding to their sustainable credentials. Colour themes or decorative character tend to be the primary design
T
The delivery of the 2012 London Olympics brought a whole new concept of meadow to the British public, although many remained convinced that the flowering meads of the Olympic Park were in fact native meadows.
Clients love the concept, aided by a little garden porn in our favourite magazines that show them in full bloom. What the magazines don’t reveal is the look of a meadow after cutting, nor do they have much to say about maintenance and timings which are crucial to the success of what happen to be very fragile habitats.
This has led to Gavin and I considering grass-only meadows as an additional option which means that competition is more equal though the appearance is definitely meadow like and sometimes even enhanced with shimmering light as the grasses move in the breeze. For our clients, this also clarifies and simplifies ongoing maintenance, thus ensuring longevity.
ABOUT ANDREW WILSON
lcgd.org.uk
ANDREW WILSON CONSIDERS THE CONCEPT OF THE MEADOW AND THE WAYS IT HAS GROWN IN COMPLEXITY
Professors Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough were of course largely to blame for these monumental blasts of colour, Nigel tending to deliver the annual or pictorial
Thesedrivers.planting schemes, ornamental or otherwise, tend to share a common
delivery of intense colour, often changing over the season to deliver different nuances.
meadows and James delivering the perennial meadows, often called prairie planting. Knowing your plants is key to understanding which approach is best but both rely on plantings that are meadow like but don’t contain much in the way of grass species. Thus, they are a different sort of meadow. For the annual meadow the focus is on the
Andrew Wilson is a landscape and garden design consultant, director of the London College of Garden Design, and an author, writer and lecturer.
The competition between species in our early or late summer meadows becomes a difficult discussion with clients who often have little experience but simply like the look.
here was a time when you could talk about meadows and everyone would understand what you meant, namely the native meadows of the UK. They remain a popular addition to the garden, especially where greater space allows a full-on delivery; but they also remain a difficult habitat to deliver and maintain.
KEY TO UNDERSTANDING
Pictured: Meadow in one of our Hertfordshire gardens, Andrew Wilson & Gavin McWilliam
For the perennial meadow or prairie, James has concentrated on the longevity of the species involved and their delivery of colour interest across as long a season as possible.
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202236 INFORM
The choice of meadow bears a direct relationship to the required maintenance regime which needs to be part of the decision making when discussing or considering which way to go. Especially sensitive are the native meadows as the timing depends on seed setting and the removal of nutrient once the meadows are cut. For many, the first year of planting shows a rich diversity of flower which then gradually diminishes with each passing year.
Contact Mark on 01903 777574 or mark.wellman@eljays44.com 2021 WINNERS E NTER NOW SUSTAINABLE GARDEN DESIGN BUILD DESIGN AND BUILD PLANTING DESIGN SPECIAL FEATURE WINNERS HARD LANDSCAPING Category sponsors
alking along the street last week listening to music, I was interrupted from my enjoyment by my own phone – telling me to turn down my headphones from time to time, because "repeated, long-term exposure to loud sounds can lead to permanent damage". This may be a little ‘big brother’, but parking that, it made me wonder what life in cities would be like if we went to such measures to protect the ears of citizens from the cacophony we have allowed to proliferate.
Noise pollution is not simply a nuisance as often cited on the doors heartleadingsleepirritationthrougheffectslong-termdangerousandneighbourhoodoutsidepubsrestaurants;itisandcanhavenegativeonourhealth,chronicanddisturbance,toseverediseaseand
ABOUT CHRISTOPHER MARTIN
Noise pollution is a social justice issue in cities as well, because we know that less affluent communities are often marginalised next to large polluting infrastructure like roads and railways. Noise pollution cannot be treated as an inconvenience anymore. It deserves the attention and resolve of the most troubling of urban ills. It is not an unavoidable part of urban life, and the solution to noise pollution is its reduction.
As well as our own health, we need to consider the effects of urban noise pollution on the work we are doing to combat biodiversity and habitat loss. The successes
TOO LOUD A SOLITUDE
diabetes, as well as hearing impairment and poorer mental health.
we are having in bringing wildlife back into our cities and improving our air quality are damaged by noise, changing how creatures like birds, frogs and insects communicate and behave, and leading in turn to biodiversity loss again.
Equally, trees and shrubs in cities help to mitigate noise pollution, absorbing the polluting energy of noise and dispersing it.
IT’S TIME TO TURN DOWN NOISE POLLUTION AND REAP THE BIODIVERSITY BENEFITS, SAYS CHRISTOPHER MARTIN
W
Christopher is an in uential urban designer and planner working all over the globe to help communities improve their public spaces; as well as supporting cities and governments to develop strategy, change policies, and make great places possible. He is co-founder and director of Urban Strategy at Urban Movement; a trustee of the UK charity for everyday walking – Living Streets; vice chair of the UK Urban Design Group; and is a member of the United Nations Planning and Climate Action Group. urbanmovement.co.uk
WHAT I DO NOT THINK WE FULLY GRASP YET , IS THE RISK POSED TO THE ENVIRONMENT , TO SOCIETY , AND TO US PHYSICALLY FROM URBAN NOISE
CHRISTOPHER MARTIN
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202238 INFORM
Greening cities through tree planting, increasing the number of parks and incorporating SuDS on streets also offers two-fold benefit as, not only does it attract wildlife to deliver these positive noise elements, but it also improves our mental health through shaping more relaxing cities. Projects like Egypt’s ‘National Plan to Combat Noise and Reduce its Sources’, and Paris’ ‘Noise Radar’ show us what we need to be doing to take this seriously.
The cities we have created bring huge opportunity and huge enjoyment to people, yet they can also bring harm – to the environment, to society and to us physically. Urban habitat and biodiversity loss, loneliness, and childhood obesity are all the products of the places we have created, but thankfully are all increasingly well understood, investigated and mitigated through urban strategy. What I do not think we fully grasp yet, is the risk posed to the environment, to society, and to us physically from urban noise.
This being said, we are in the fortunate position to know what we need to do. With noise pollution at one end, we also know that positive noise is a beneficial factor to the urban Evidencesoundscape.showsusthatsoundsofthenaturalworld–ducksinariverorwindblowingthroughthetreesofasmallurbangreenspace–offerusnumeroushealthbenefits.
01428 741655 Pleaching - Topiary - Hedging - Specimen Trees & Shrubs www.griffinnurseries.co.uk enquiries@griffinnurseries.co.uk
Paving the way for outdoor living Be ready for summer with our exclusive outdoor procelain paving collections perfect for any landscaping project! Range: Minster For enquiries please contact: porcelainpaving@ctdtiles.co.uk or call us on 0800 014 2994 View our full collection: ctdtiles.co.uk/porcelainpaving | Find Porcelain Paving by CTD on social media:
OUR INITIAL SITE ASSESSMENT LOOKS NOT ONLY AT WHAT WE CAN CHANGE BUT WHAT WE CAN REUSE, REPURPOSE, OR RETAIN
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 41 INFORM
KATIE FLAXMAN EXPLORES THE IDEA OF GARDENS AS MATERIAL BANKS FOR THE FUTURE
ABOUT KATIE FLAXMAN
hard landscape materials are (at worst) sent to landfill or (at best) taken and resold by landscape contractors. We’ve been exploring how possible it is to utilise and re-use these resources as part of the new design. This might be driveway pavers becoming retaining walls, soil excavation becoming a grass amphitheatre, or damaged paving becoming subbase material.
after that and, importantly, we need libraries and systems in place which make it easy and accessible to donate or even swap materials at their end of life.
Those who follow us will know we are on a journey to make our practice circular; to look at the life cycle assessment of everything we use and consider not only where and how something is made but what happens at its end of life too.
here do you source your materials? Most likely a trusted supplier who is economical, reliable, and convenient. Perhaps, increasingly, from environmentally sound suppliers who are local to the sites you are working on. But what if there’s a third option? A totally free ‘builder’s merchant’ with truly environmental credentials?
AMPHITHEATRE
KATIE FLAXMAN SOURCING FROM SITE
With homes changing hands roughly every 18 years, materials are often replaced well before their life expectancy, so we need to build, manufacture and design with reuse in mind. We need to be assessing our sites for their existing value as materials banks and working closely with landscape contractors to demolish and build our designs with circularity in mind. The evidence suggests that this approach,
We need to be designing, not for this design but for the next one and the one
W
On large scale public realm builds there is growing momentum to put together buildings in such a way as they can be taken apart again at their end of life and the materials used again. There are database systems being set up to record this information so demolition contractors can list materials and designers can harness them. This approach is working towards true sustainability and a truly circular approach. It is a model which can be used on landscape builds too, but it needs fresh eyes and a new design perspective.
Katie Flaxman is co-founder and director of Studio 31 Landscape Architects. Studio 31 is an award-winning, adventurous and environmentally conscious landscape architecture practice working across the residential, public realm and health sectors. designstudio31.co.uk
Inspired by the work of organisations like Local Works, we began some time ago looking at our sites, not only in terms of their potential as landscapes but also as material banks. Our initial site assessment looks not only at what we can
Traditionally,example.
though front loaded on cost of labour at the start, inevitably saves large sums of money on buying new. That makes it a win on all levels, for client budget, design innovation and most importantly the environment.
change but what we can reuse, repurpose, or retain. This might be ecological habitats such as trees and hedgerows or it might be elements of hard landscape and its potential for being used as a resource, for
It is said that within the built environment we already have all the materials we need, and we know that there is already traction towards looking at buildings as materials stores for the future. We believe the same can be said for landscapes, but this comes with a greater need for design and assessment.
Start your transformation today! 01732 884 030 Outdoor LandscapingKitchens Garden Buildings Design & Build www. life-outdoors.co.uk Life Outdoors is a luxury outdoor living company specialising in the transformation of outdoor spaces into premium outdoor cooking, living and entertaining areas! Showroom Location: Orchard Place Business Centre, West Malling
INSIDE IQ THIS MONTH PAGE 45 UK LANDSCAPE BAROMETER – MARCH 2021/22, PAGE 49 NEIL EDWARDS – CHANGE FOR THE BETTER? UK LANDSCAPEMARCHBAROMETER2021/22 P 45
QUALITY LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES Reliable delivery service throughout London and the South East with our own fleet of trucks. Collect from our 5 depots: BRENTWOOD: CM14Brentwood,VicarageGardenBrentwoodCentre,Close,Essex5GR HACKBRIDGE: Unit 5, Sutton Business Park, Restmor Way, Hackbridge, Surrey SM6 7AH KINGSBURY: Birchen Grove Garden Centre, Birchen NW9Kingsbury,Grove,London8RY SEVENOAKS: Polhill Garden Centre, London BadgersRoad,Mount, Sevenoaks TN14 7AD WINDLESHAM: GU20WindleshamNewSupplies,LandscapeRoad,6BJ Order and book a delivery online or by calling: 01959 897 601 londonlawnturf.co.uk • Decking • Paving • Aggregates • Bark • Turf • Topsoils THE Drive & Patio Contractors Fence Installers Garden Landscapers Celebrating our 25th anniversary! London_Lawn_AD_Halfpage_25.indd 1 11/05/2022 10:22 Get the perfect finish every time with our landscaping range. SikaCeram® FlowFix The ultimate porcelain paving system featuring a high performance flowable jointing grout for a fast and e ective application.
If you would like the full report or would like to contribute to the UK Landscape Barometer moving forward, please send an email to Gemma Lloyd on gemma.lloyd@eljays44.com or call on 01903 777 594. Please note that all statistics are based on those surveyed and compare March 2022 to March 2021.
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 45 IQ
MORE CONFIDENT
n this issue of the UK Landscaper Barometer, we are focused on the trading month of March 2022. Things are unpredictable, and anecdotal evidence suggests clients and staff are wearier than "ever before" due to instability worries created by "economic uncertainty". The Russian-Ukraine war is having detrimental effects across Europe, and the cost of food, petrol, and day-to-day living is increasing immensely. Some commercial and design and build companies have managed to recruit more staff, and many respondents mentioned customers are wanting work done “as quickly as possible”. On the whole, things appear to be feeling less busy compared to this time last year – a time where the industry experienced a wildly busy period. Although, it is interesting to see many companies are still experiencing increases across many areas of measurement, which in current circumstances could be deemed as pretty remarkable!
LAST MONTH 202020222021 LowerEqualHigher TURNOVER 32%14% ENQUIRIES54% LowerLowerEqualHigherPROJECTS EqualHigher STAFF LowerEqualHigher CONVERSION HigherLowerEqual 19%19% 62% 33%19% 48% 17% 39% 44% 27%33% 40% 24% 35% 41%
I
This month, a significant 33% have reported a decrease in their enquiries. One respondent mentioned that “the drop in enquiries is highly likely to be due to the cost of living in increasing. Our existing clients are coming back to us to get their prices down and want work done as quickly as possible”. Turnover remained strong, with 62% reporting an increase, though 19% saw a decrease. Conversion rates saw 41% report equal levels, and a strong 35% report an increase. For 44%, projects remained static, and 40% experienced an increase in staff numbers – positive news.
PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS COMPARED TO
NATIONAL 100%40%30%20%10%0%50%60%70%80%90% Nov DecJan Feb MarApr May JunJul AugSepOct
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202246 IQ
Many companies in the Midlands are feeling less confident with 67% experiencing a decrease in enquiries. Projects in the South saw only 10% report a decrease, and turnover in Scotland and the North was looking positive, with 60% seeing a rise.
Comparing enquiries and project levels to figures from last year, there is a notable shift. The number of respondents working on more projects has fallen from 72% last year, to 39% now. And, enquiries saw a big drop, with 36% less respondents reporting an increase compared to this time last year. However, it is important to note that at this point of the barometer, we are comparing figures to a time where business boomed across the entire industry due to a change in lockdown restrictions and the general public's newfound love for their outdoor space.
Interested to find out more or see what the confidence and staff statics look like? Please email gemma.lloyd @eljays44.com or visit
our website to download the full report YEAR ON YEAR 0%0% 20%20% 40%40% 60%60% 80%80% 100%100%HigherHigher MARCH 2022 MARCH PROJECTSENQUIRIES2022MARCH2021MARCH2021 ENQUIRIES THE SOUTH THE SCOTLANDMIDLANDSAND THE NORTH GARDEN DESIGN DESIGN AND DOMESTICCOMMERCIALBUILDLANDSCAPINGLANDSCAPING Higher 0% 20% 40%60%80%100%EqualLower PROJECTS THE SOUTH THE SCOTLANDMIDLANDSAND THE NORTH DESIGN AND DOMESTICCOMMERCIALBUILDLANDSCAPINGLANDSCAPING HigherEqual Lower 0% 20% 40%60%80%100% CONVERSION THE SOUTH THE SCOTLANDMIDLANDSAND THE NORTH GARDEN DESIGN GARDEN DESIGN DESIGN AND DOMESTICCOMMERCIALBUILDLANDSCAPINGLANDSCAPING Higher 0% 20% 40%60%80%100%EqualLower TURNOVER THE SOUTH THE SCOTLANDMIDLANDSAND THE NORTH GARDEN DESIGN DESIGN AND DOMESTICCOMMERCIALBUILDLANDSCAPINGLANDSCAPING 0% 20% HigherEqual40%60%80%100%Lower
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 47 IQ
NURSERIES
Confidence saw the majority report that they are feeling less confident, which may come as no surprise due to the disappointing “cold and windy” weather experienced in some areas of the country. Customers are believed to be spending less due to “construction costing more than what they have budgeted”, and this could be an indication as to why 50% have experienced a decrease in quotes this month.
Nevertheless, there was positive anecdotal evidence. One respondent shared: “We have increased our production by 50%”, while another stated: “Stock availability has finally bounced back after COVID-19 and there's significantly less shortages this year.”
ON AVERAGE National ConversionincreasedturnoverbyEnquiriesincreasedbyConversionratesrosebyratesfordomesticlandscapersincreasedby GARDEN DESIGNERS saw an increase of 13% IN TURNOVER increasedProjectsby Turnover increasedlandscapersdomesticforbyEnquiriesincreasedby for commerciallandscaperscommercialTurnoverforlandscapersincreasedbyAverageleadtimefordomesticlandscaperswas 5 MONTHS Nurseries saw an increase of in turnoverQuotesdecreaseddecreasedcompaniesforTurnoverdesignandbuildbyEnquiriesbyforgardendesignersincreasedbyfornurseries25%21%38%13%14%24% 96%50%22%23%5% 30% Projects for garden andProjectsdecreaseddesignersbyfordesignbuildcompaniesincreasedby 19% 22% CONFIDENCE LessMore 25% 75%TURNOVER LessMore 25% QUOTES75% LessMore50%50%
enquiries@crowders.co.ukcrowdersnurseries.co.uk@W@CrowdersNurseries@CrowdersNurseryCrowder&SonsLtd Crowders Nurseries is a 7th generation supplierwholesalefamily-ownedgrowerandofhardynurserystocktocommercialconsumers.
There have been times over the past three or more years in which the housebuilding sector has carried the wider construction sector, often accounting for a third or even a half of all new construction contract awards. Similarly, while outlying regions have endured years of highs and lows, London has remained a beacon of consistently high levels of construction demand.
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER?
Set within an 83-acre site at Delta Lakes, the council-led project will be developed in phases across four zones built around a freshwater lake and within walking distance of the Millennium Coastal Park. Pentre Awel will also feature landscaped outdoor public spaces for recreation, with walking and cycling paths and stunning coastal views.
Llanelli, Wales. Led by Carmarthenshire County Council, that project will include the creation of a new leisure centre, a nursing home, assisted living facilities and social housing.
Landscaping professionals in the North of England will also be excited at the prospect of a £300m mixed-use scheme to transform the former International Swimming Pool site in Leeds. This will include the construction of 600 build-to-rent flats divided between two 33 and 22 storey towers. New ancillary areas, which are substantial and much larger than local authority guidelines, are designed to ensure community engagement and
While the housebuilding sector recorded a very creditable £1.1bn across 91 individual projects, roads and highways notched up £2.1bn across just 19 contracts to take the monthly sector title. Regionally, London fell well short of the £1bn that has become the accepted norm, delivering 71 individual contracts worth a relatively lowly £784m. Scotland, meanwhile, soared to £1.5bn to claim the regional crown.
The South West (£574m), West Midlands (£381m) and Yorkshire (£366m) all enjoyed an uptick in demand in a month in which even Wales (£235m) experienced something of a resurgence.
public realm works.
a reward for the long wait for spring. And that was certainly the case in April 2022, a month in which many of the longstanding norms on the BCLive league table were turned upon their heads to bring about some refreshing changes.
Cynics might suggest that the increased spend on roads and the increased geographic spread of that spending might have been timed to coincide with local elections. Regardless of its origins, the change is as welcome as the arrival of spring.
ABOUT NEIL EDWARDS
Neil Edwards is CEO of Builder’s Conference, the construction industry’s leading trade body. It provides its members to sales leads and market intelligence, as well as statistical data and networking opportunities. BCLive is a real-time league table of construction contract award activity. Operated by the Builders’ Conference, the BCLive league table monitors more than 6,000 new contract awards each year with a combined value of more than £80bn. buildersconference.co.uk
IT WAS A MONTH IN WHICH HOUSEBUILDING WAS USURPED AS CONSTRUCTION’S BUSIEST SECTOR AND WHEN LONDON WAS KNOCKED FROM ITS PERCH AS THE UK’S BUSIEST CONSTRUCTION REGION. BOTH CHANGES ARE TO BE WELCOMED, SAYS NEIL EDWARDS
LANDSCAPING PROFESSIONALS IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND WILL ALSO BE EXCITED AT THE PROSPECT OF A £300M MIXED-USE SCHEME TO TRANSFORM THE FORMER INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING POOL SITE IN LEEDS
A pril, it is said, is monthkindestthe–
In April, all that changed. In a month in which the BCLive league table topped the £5bn mark, roads at least temporarily stole the housebuilding sector’s crown and industry eyes switched from London to Scotland.
That redrawing of industry norms is evident from the very top of the BCLive league table in April where 214 businesses won 349 individual contracts to push the league table to a creditable £5.1bn total.
Among the largest contracts awarded during April 2022 was secured by Bouygues UK. The company picked up a £200m contract for the construction of a new wellness village at Pentre Awel in
IQ prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 49
info@strulch.co.uk
University by Dr Geoff Whiteley. It is made from wheat straw, is an earthy brown colour has a neutral pH and lasts on the surface for up to two years.
Strulch stops weeds germinating by blocking light, retains moisture in the soil and the added minerals and texture deters slugs and snails.
13.5kg bags of Strulch are available on pallets of 12, 25 or 48 bags. Delivered within 4 working days.
Trade discounts available www.strulch.co.uk 863610
01943
INSIDE INSPIRE THIS MONTH PAGE 53 PORTFOLIO 1: IDVERDE, PAGE 56 PORTFOLIO 2: BUTLER LANDSCAPES, PAGE 61 PLBA: AWARD-WORTHY GROUNDS MAINTENANCE COMPANIES, PAGE 67 PLBA: AWARD-WORTHY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIO (UNDER 10 STAFF), PAGE 64 MARK COLLINS, PAGE 65 NATURAL PLAY WITH CED STONE GROUP INSPIRE NATURAL PLAY P 65CED STONE GROUP
Legacy Edging is made from solid steel providing strong, durable and subtle edging. It creates a clean edge between driveways and lawns, beds and pathways. We manufacture in galvanised, natural steel and corten. Available nationwide on a supply only basis or supply and install.
For further guidance, advice and information visit our website or call us: www.legacyedging.co.uk 01664 431759 Pre-formed internal and external right angled sections Securely fixed below surface Strong and durable ground fittings Flexible for gentle curved features Solid locatingsteelandlockingpins Choice of heights and thickness available to suit every application LE_176x121_Ad-03.2022-ART.pdf 1 09/03/2022 13:27 vincentdesign.co.ukbyDesignunsplashonEbrahimiIdinbyPhoto Bringingdesignyour ideas Collaborating closely for over 50 years with garden designers, landscape architects and commercial developers to create award-winning planting schemes. Palmstead offers real-time stock availability and a 10% discount for online orders. palmstead.co.uk @palmstead #PalmsteadLife to life
Length of build Two years Length contractof Two years + extension Size of project 73ha Awards BALI categoryEnhancementBiodiversityConservationWinner,2021,LandscapeNationalAwardPrincipalNature&PROJECT DETAILS
2
Since work first started in 2018, 23km of new footways have been added to the borough alongside improved access for cyclists, ensuring there are more options for those looking to use their cars less and enjoy nature more.
The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull designed the masterplan and procured the work through 2 main contractors and a number of smaller specialised contractors. idverde liaised with other contractors, where its work overlapped, and made use of subcontractors on a limited scale where specific skills or equipment were required, such as for herbicide spraying or cultivating former tip areas.
1 Dense, luscious wild ower planting produces a stunning view A sparser wild ower oasis creates fantastic visual diversity
I
n keeping with the Council’s motto ‘urbs in rure’ – town in the country – Solihull’s natural environment is one of its greatest assets. Its council was eager to further enhance this, with a £16.8m project, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The project, entitled ‘Wildlife Ways’, sought to not only make Solihull greener but also to improve existing paths and cycle routes, and – as the name would suggest – to introduce more wildlife-friendly areas.
I DVERDE WILDLIFESOLIHULLWAYS, THE WILD, WILD MIDLANDSWEST
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 53
INFORM
With the overall intention being to create or improve existing wildlife corridors – enabling invertebrates, small mammals and birds to use a great area of habitats throughout the borough – 60,000m2 of Pictorial Meadows and Wildflower Turf were installed and 115,000m2 of wildflower seeds were sown, using mixtures recommended by the client and based on the suitability of specific areas, such as whether it became waterlogged or was fast-draining. These three different types of wildflower installations were chosen for the overall effect they would provide through colours and height and depending on their location. For example, if they were being installed on roadside verges, motorist visibility needed to be taken into consideration.
"The council’s hard work so far has been rewarded too,with Solihull recently being awarded Tree City of the Worldstatus for its urban tree planting programme"
Becoming a Tree City
More than 1,000 trees have been planted as part of the Wildlife Ways project, and these will go towards Solihull’s ambitious target of planting more than 250,000 trees over a decade to help it achieve net zero carbon. The council’s hard work so far has been rewarded too, with Solihull recently being awarded Tree City of the World status for its urban tree planting programme overseen by the Council's Planting Our Future team. Only 19 cities in the UK have been recognised with such a status, which acknowledges towns and cities committed to developing and sustainably maintaining urban forests and trees.
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202254 INSPIRE
Preparing for striking spring displays of crocuses, snowdrops and native daffodils, idverde planted 2.5 million bulbs alongside roads and in parks in the autumn. In autumn 2020, a further one million bulbs were planted for an even more spectacular display. The bulbs were chosen to increase the displays of previously used species throughout the borough of Solihull, with native species where possible, and to create a flowering display for most of the season. A variety of bed planting, hedgerow planting and Hedera screening was also added across the borough.
British Flora
INSPIRE
Pictorial Meadows
6 Landscaping breathes life into this passage
REFERENCES
idverde has now come to the end of an extended maintenance plan for the project and is now embarking on a longterm maintenance contract for the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, which means it will continue to maintain the areas installed under the Wildlife Ways as part of the overall package.
5 Young trees being prepared for the future
4 Waterside views with creative seating
Wildflowerpictorialmeadows.co.ukturf
A layer of sharp sand was used as a base layer for the Pictorial Meadow wildflower turf, as was recommended by the supplier, and the area for turfing was sprayed off a few weeks prior to placing the layers and laying the turf. The difficulty for roadside planting was traffic management being required, which limited the working time available to between 9am and 3pm only eachManagingday.
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 55
Hillier
idverde is one of the UK’s leading providers of grounds maintenance and landscape creation services, o ering a holistic range of services including creation, maintenance, and nature based solutions. More than 200 public sector organisations and a large portfolio of private sector clients, from blue-chip corporations to smaller local businesses, trust idverde to look after their green spaces. idverde.co.uk
Boston Bulbs
the expectations and understanding of the public was a constant challenge, as a few residents were reluctant to see change or expected an instant result where wildflower seed was sown, as would be achieved with wildflower turf.
MAINTENANCE WILDFLOWERPLANTING TURF PRIMULAS
3 Maintenance – attention to detail is key
Crowders Nurseries
hillier.co.uk
Wildflower Turf wildflowerturf.co.uk
Plantcrowdersnurseries.co.ukbulbs
Primrosesbostonbulbswholesale.co.uk
Wyevale Nurseries
Wildflower woes
With idverde continuing to care for the landscape it installed, Wildlife Ways will undoubtedly continue to thrive and enhance the local areas. It has even brought the community together, with several volunteer groups and residents now getting involved in the regeneration of their neighbourhoods, showcasing Wildlife Ways as a project for place and people, as well as providing habitats for local wildlife.
Plantswyevalenurseries.co.ukandtrees
Turfgrassandflower.co.uk/british-flora
ABOUT I DVERDE
Trees
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202256 INSPIRE BUTLER LANDSCAPES FARMHOUSE GARDENS AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Separating the Parterre Garden to the orchard is a wall with a central entrance that frames a view down to a lawn area surrounded with hedging. This invites the user to explore the orchard where a stopping off point has been designed with a bench view of garden from greenhouse part of the Kitchen Garden
Project (inclusiveValueofVAT): approx. £350k Size of project 10,478m2 Build time Two (Januaryyears2019December 2020) Awards BALI –ConstructionDomesticAwardLandscapeNational2021,GardenOver£250kPROJECT DETAILS 1 A
above 2 The
as
T
he vibrant market town of Oswestry boasts beautiful, historic architecture, with a traditional feel to many of the houses situated here. With such character to these properties, it’s difficult to balance retaining this character whilst also allowing the buildings and the landscapes around them to Fortunately,evolve. Butler Landscapes has more than 30 years’ experience transforming gardens such as this across Shropshire and further afield. So, when it was brought on board to design and build a garden for a large residence in Oswestry, the company was able to offer the clients exactly what they were looking for. The transformation of the garden was so impressive that it scooped a BALI National Landscape Award last year in the Domestic Garden Construction –Over £250k Inspirationcategory.forthis project came from the surrounding landscape, says Butler Landscapes. Its main aim was to provide a series of experiences through well connected spaces that will allow a family to enjoy for many years to come. To soften the transition between character areas and also offer a naturalistic feel, the team used curves and a planting scheme that offers all year round interest to give a sense of journey and encourage the family to explore the garden.
the
To the frontage of the property, a more formal Parterre Garden was designed to give a 'wow' factor on arrival. Topiary offers structure while herbaceous planting brings colour and textural interest to be viewed on arrival and from the rooms within the house.
A circular sunken garden, for instance, softened with planting invites the user to relax with sweeping curved pathways to allow the user to explore other areas of the garden. Curved pathways link the property from the main patio to the Kitchen Garden, wildflower meadows and Naturalistic Wildlife Pond at the lower area of the garden.
in full
Garden 3 Parterre
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 57 INSPIRE
seen from above 4 Sunken seating area
Creating the air raid shelter allowed a space for their son to enjoy giving full visual access over the pond to watch the wildlife. The air raid shelter, which was a steel frame lined with oak sleepers to keep out wildlife, is located right near the pond. To ensure this sunken area was kept clear of water, a float switched pump within a chamber underneath the Millboard decking was added.
longer interest throughout the year and to improveWildflowerbiodiversity.meadows have been
a success due to appropriate soil preparation while also selecting a bespoke mix. Pro Annuals Cornfield Mix offers colour in the first year before the meadow mix for alkaline soil establishes in the following years, much to the client’s delight.
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202258 INSPIRE
area looking back at the property to admire theTheviews.family who owned the property were keen for existing elements of the garden to be enhanced, due to its beauty and existing character. As part of this, an existing apple tree was brought to the fore with the addition of wildflower meadows and the winding decorative gravel paths which naturally draw attention to the lower wildlife pond area too.
As with any residence of this size and character, there were a few challenges throughout the project. For example, to prevent the wildlife pond overflowing during rainier periods, a new land drain system was installed to provide improved drainage of runoff from the outlet. Butler Landscapes created the pond with a clay liner which for
To achieve a traditional look, Indian sandstone paving slabs were used in various size, with the blended colours within these highlighted by the grey, earthy brown and red colour tones of Scottish beach pebbles. Rustic coloured paving frames the paths and patios and black estate railings softly define certain spaces within the garden. Butler Landscapes also designed the landscape to have a naturalistic feel in order for it to blend into its surroundings. For the Naturalistic Wildlife Pond, Millboard composite decking was used, which offers the look of natural timber but with the longevity of using a composite material. The pond also features semi-aquatic planting, such as Caltha palustris and Thalia dealbata, for visual interest but also to improve the water quality, control algae and encourage wildlife. Perennial wildflower mixtures were also added for
Within the Kitchen Garden, a Hartley Botanic greenhouse, raised oak planters and composting bays were used to allow
a domestic garden is quite unique, this gave it the natural finish having a depth of soil all the way through allowing for marginal plants to be planted direct into soil.
Paddock Fencing
Paving Traders
Design and build Butler Landscapes
Wallingbutler-landscapes.co.ukstone
Farmhouse Gardens truly embodies its Shropshire surroundings, whilst also offering a perfect family garden and allowing wildlife to thrive through habitat creation. Furthermore, the design has given its own unique character created through sweeping curves and diverse planting scheme. It’s little wonder it’s an award winner, and no doubt the envy of Oswestry.
Aquatichillier.co.ukplants
Merebrook Pond Plants pondplants.co.uk
Wyresdale Concrete Products Ltd
Meadow View
Glasshousemeadowviewstone.co.uk
cornfieldWildflowerpracbrown.co.ukandmixes
"Farmhouse Gardens truly embodiesits Shropshire surroundings...offeringa perfect family garden and allowingwildlife to thrive"
Practicality Brown
Butler Landscapes is a multiple RHS Gold medal winner. Its ability to design and construct stunning soft and hard landscape projects in the private or commercial sectors is second to none. It is extremely con dent in its ability to also add capital to the value of a property due to its build quality and competitiveness. With a joint e ort from husband-and-wife team Paul and Sharon Butler, it can o er a one stop service for a garden project. butler-landscapes.co.uk
Goldenpaddockfencing.comangulargravel
Abbeymillboard.co.ukSettstumbled paving
ABOUT BUTLER LANDSCAPES
Compositeearlsstone.co.ukdecking
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 59 INSPIRE
John Chambers Wildflower Seed Plantsjohnchamberswildflowers.co.uk
Blackpavingtraders.co.ukestaterailing
the family to grow their own vegetables. The client required the Kitchen Garden to be located out of view from the property and therefore this area was designed to be located behind an existing outbuilding while in a space offering full sun for fruit and vegetable production to thrive.
REFERENCES
Hartley Botanics
Hedgingmorgansltd.comandtrees
Hillier Nurseries Ltd
Morgans of Oswestry Builders Merchants
Indianwyresdaleltd.co.uksandstone
Millboard
summerhouseOutbuildingshartley-botanic.co.ukand
Earl’s Stone Ltd
5 Naturalistic wildlife pond
We provide pe ormance-driven marketing solutions for businesses looking to succeed online Reasons to talk to us: Award-winning digital marketing agency The Drum: Top Digital Agencies in 2021 Google, Facebook & Microso Advertising Partner No contracts - Our clients stay with us because we pe orm Winners of the the prestigious Supplier & Service Provider award at the Pro Landscaper Business Awards 2022.Graphic DesignTelecomsSocial Marketing PPCBranding Photo & VideoSEOWeb Design sales@stonewarehouse.co.uk01629stonewarehouse.co.uk636212 gravel & chippingspebbles & cobbles rockery & boulderswelsh slate with hundreds of colour, size and texture combinations available, the design possibilities are endless
possible by identifying suitable locations. Tony Benger even created a leaflet on wildflower management when contractors were poorly maintaining wildflower and residents were requesting that the wildflowers be removed. This was distributed to the contractors and to the residents, resulting in the wildflower areas remaining in place.
MAINTENANCEBEECHENLEALIMITED
Sponsored by
THE PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARDS 2022
Tony Benger Landscaping has invested heavily in battery-powered kit, which has led to more than just environmental benefits. It has allowed the team to work in noise sensitive areas and without having to work unsociable hours. The Devon-based company is now taking its investment a step further with the installation of electric vehicle charging points at its main office to enable contract managers to visit sites and provide quotes using electric vehicles. To further lower its carbon footprint, Tony Benger Landscaping has reduced its mileage by setting up localised regional teams who travel directly from their home to sites on a daily basis.
CATEGORY WINNER: TONY BENGER LANDSCAPING LTD
ecologists. It is trialling emerging green technologies too which it says have helped to significantly reduce emissions and unwanted noise from its site compounds.
Essex-based Beechenlea has also been phasing out its petrol tools and replacing expired kit with batterypowered alternatives. It has been trialling alternatives to glyphosate too, exploring non-chemical treatments for killing weeds, such as Foamstream. Tony Benger has also been growing its number of glyphosate-free sites and is looking to roll this out on as many of its sites as possible.
It’s not just the kit to consider, though. Grounds maintenance creates a plethora of waste products which both Tony Benger and Beechenlea are turning into useful items. Alongside designing a comprehensive recycling area for its new site, which can accommodate 28 different types of materials, Tony Benger is turning the wood chippings from its arboricultural team into usable natural mulch to be used within its commercial landscaping projects.
GROUNDS MAINTENANCE CREATES A PLETHORA OF WASTE PRODUCTS WHICH BOTH TONY BENGER AND BEECHENLEA ARE TURNING INTO USEFUL ITEMS
TONY BENGER LANDSCAPING LTD
Its green waste is collected and turned into natural compost to be sold and used in the local area and the team encourages its client to use deadwood and site arisings to create habitats and hibernacula whilst also encouraging the creation of new wildflower areas on as many sites as
Beechenlea explores how best to use its waste products too and has also introduced a tree planting service as a follow-up to felling to replace new habitats, where appropriate. The team recommends trees for planting which are appropriate to the environment and uses
INSPIRE prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 61
E
GROUNDS MAINTENANCE COMPANY
A LOOK AT AWARD-WORTHY GROUNDS MAINTENANCE COMPANIES
thermal technologyimagingtoidentifypotentialnestinghabitatsinnestingseasontoinform
Pressure may be mounting on grounds maintenance companies to be as green as possible, but Tony Benger and Beechenlea are eager to switch up their operations and trial new innovations to keep ahead of the curve.
veryone in the industry is facing pressure to reduce their carbon emissions, but grounds maintenance companies are perhaps feeling the heat more than most. They’re in the public eye and demands from local authorities for greener contracts means they have to act, and fast. Fortunately, our Business Awards entrants are up to the challenge. One of the hottest topics in maintenance is the kit used. Batterypowered equipment has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, helping companies such as our category winner Tony Benger Landscaping Ltd and shortlisted company Beechenlea Maintenance Limited to embrace the new technology.
library by region and it has begun trialling different biodiversity measures and tools to improve its strategy in this area.
Truro and is now undertaking exciting new projects around Cornwall and London whilst looking to grow its team.
Sponsored by
of this, Studio 31 takes on at least one pro bono project at a time, providing a free service for projects with the aim of promoting the use of nature as being beneficial to health and wellbeing. It says the projects are chosen for the significant impact that good landscape design could have but where the lack of a budget makes it difficult to achieve Shortlistedthis.studio Mei Loci
Sewage. The studio, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in March, has relocated to a larger studio in
onsidering landscape architects are predominantly designing with people and the public in mind, one could argue that it’s almost expected that the studios for which they work will have impressive corporate social responsibility. But whilst it’s expected, it should not be taken for granted, and those who strive to help communities local to their offices and their projects – or even further afield – should be celebrated.
Landscape Architecture Studio (Under 10 Employees)
Studio 31 continues to encourage staff to prioritise their wellbeing and is working with them to develop practices which support them. It also continues to seek pro bono projects as well as opportunities where it can use its practice to extend its social and environmental impact outside of its projects. One of our judges said of the studio: “Clearly, a business that is working to be a force for good with sustainability, compassion and deep understanding of its clients weaved into the fabric of the organisation.”
Landscape Architects also takes its social responsibility seriously by taking on projects for charities, completing plans for Cornwall’s Air Ambulance
But Studio 31 also places an impressive emphasis on looking after and developing its team too. Staff wellbeing is high on the agenda, so flexible working is available and regular in-person meetups are organised, which usually involve walks or a connection with the landscape. Individual needs are considered and Studio 31’s CPD programme is staff-led, which the company says has led to high productivity rates and an extremely low staff turnover.
Standout studios such as Studio 31 and Mei Loci set the bar high for how landscape architecture studios can not only create impressive projects, but also look after their staff, communities and the environment.
INSPIRE prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202262
STANDOUT STUDIOS SUCH AS STUDIO 31 AND MEI LOCI SET THE BAR HIGH FOR HOW LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIOS CAN NOT ONLY CREATE IMPRESSIVE PROJECTS , BUT ALSO LOOK AFTER THEIR STAFF,COMMUNITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT ARCHITECTSLANDSCAPELOCI
Studio 31 is also turning its attention to ambitious goals, after weathering the pandemic. One of its biggest focuses is the environment (and the same goes for Mei Loci), so its plans going forward centre around reducing its own carbon footprint as well as having a wider impact. It has appointed one of its team members as sustainable materials research lead to develop its material
Surferssupportingandforarboretum,memorialinstance,alsoAgainst
CATEGORY WINNER: STUDIO 31 LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
STUDIO 31 LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS MEI
OnAzuko.top
C
A LOOK AT AWARD-WORTHY LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIOS (UNDER 10 EMPLOYEES)
These can be charitable donations, for instance, which category winner Studio 31 Landscape Architects makes to socially responsible organisations such as The Pear Tree Fund and Client Earth in place of providing client gifts each Christmas. The team also dedicates its time to organisations such as these, such as being part of a charity auction for
THE PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARDS 2022
MAX MICRO.WITHUPA *U10-5 only MICRO minimisedMaximisedK008-5/U10-5SERIES:outputforspaces They may be small, but these machines pack a big punch. The high power-to-weight ratio and an adjustable width track mean that tough jobs and tight workspaces are no problem. With class-leading safety features, easy side-lever joystick control*, and superb all-round vision, your day just got a whole lot easier. Demand the Best. Talk to your dealer or visit www.kubota.co.uk Prolandscaper_JUN.Micro(U10)_186x118.indd 1 11/05/2022 19:57 www.lightprotrade.co.uk CONTACT 19 Ltd | 01276 903430 | sales@lightprotrade.co.uk The advantages of our 12 volt system: • Easy to connect (without an electrician) • Energy efficient and sustainable • Cable does not have to be buried • Very safe for children and animals The Landscapers Outdoor Lighting Choice LP ADV Landscaper 198x128 Liggend_2021.indd 2 05-01-2022 12:25
publications to provide quality designed public and residential spaces that support health, wellbeing, and fulfilment. HLM is looking to provide dynamic, resilient, sustainable, and quality open spaces and play for children and families to provide freedom and adventure for every childhood memory through a more integrated – and child-friendly – approach.
INSPIRE
PINSTONE ST.
CHILD’S PLAY
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202264 POP-UP CAFE & STALLS OUTDOOR EVENT SPACEMODULAR PARKLETS PLAY URBAN ORCHARDSHARED STREET
Urbanisation and the pandemic have undoubtedly changed our perception and need for public spaces, and it is vital that these environments become more accessible, versatile, and inclusive.
MARK COLLINS EXPLAINS HOW HLM ARCHITECTS IS CREATING CHILD FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURHOODS
within all the places, neighbourhoods, towns, and cities we design. If children are not factored into the design of the neighbourhoods in which they live, then they are in effect designed out.
Design interventions like community and social space, learning in the landscape, pedestrian friendly and playable streets,
HLM has looked at championing key design principles within recent projects that contribute to providing child-friendly neighbourhoods, including masterplans designed for the families of military service
By combining the natural environment with varied play, children begin to understand, engage, and respect their environment. It provides fun and can reinforce a child’s understanding of nature by combining natural materials within a biodiverse green space, contributing not only to the quality of a place, but to people’s quality of life.
or many of us, our childhoods are filled memorieswithof
As a landscape architect and father of two young boys, I believe it is fundamental to offer this freedom to children and families within the neighbourhoods that we plan and design, given the significant benefits of play on children’s health and wellbeing. The importance of play is essential to the wellbeing of children, allowing them to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength.
freedom and adventure within the landscape, which provided a place for us to imagine, be creative and test our young minds and bodies through risk and challenge orchestrated by the environment.
ABOUT MARK COLLINS
Mark studied landscape architecture at the University of She eld and also has an undergraduate degree in Illustration. He has worked on community regeneration schemes and across a broad spectrum of sectors, which include masterplanning, urban design, green infrastructure, public realm, open spaces, parks, and large-scale commercial projects. Mark’s passion lies in the creation of sustainable landscapes that help foster child friendly neighbourhoods. hlmarchitects.com
CONCEPT
HOE FEN PLAY STRATEGY
Throughout HLM’s endeavour to deliver ‘Thoughtful Design’ and put children at the very centre of our neighbourhoods, we look to best practice, innovative thinkers, and leading
natural play and child-friendly travel routes can all fulfil sociability, playability, mobility, connectivity and belonging. For childfriendly neighbourhoods to fulfil these principles, we believe that a balance between nature, playful spaces, and quality design should provide the infrastructure.
Here at HLM, we believe that childfriendly environments should be embedded
F
Despite clear guidance on good design and minimum play requirements for new residential developments, we are consistently seeing schemes providing the bare minimum due to cost constraints, misconceptions of what play can be, and associated maintenance issues. But by providing open space and green infrastructure, we are offering natural environments that fulfil
and sustainability.economicHaving a child-friendly approach to landscape and urban design helps to create public spaces that work better for everyone, and if towns and cities fail to address this need, they risk harmful economic and cultural long-term impact.
BY COMBINING THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WITH VARIED PLAY , CHILDREN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND, ENGAGE, AND RESPECT
personnel in Cyprus, in Hanwood Park District Centre near Kettering, and and our shortlisted ‘Home of 2030’ Design Competition submission.
With many projects, landscape is increasingly becoming an afterthought and value engineered to reduce client and project costs. This is despite the evidencebased data for green spaces and play improving health and wellbeing, reducing antisocial behaviour, and providing long-term economic benefits.
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 65
ABOUT CED STONE GROUP
look through. The stone holes are slip resistant and free from sharp edges. Carved from granite, they are available in heights approximately 1.5m tall, 1.5m high, and 450mm thick – although other sizes can be made to order.
your outdoor play area ideas into a reality; from carved water jet features and stepping blocks to stone benches and climbing walls. Provide us with an idea, a simple sketch or a finished technical drawing and we'll take care of everything else.
Stone is known for being tough and durable, and when compared to artificial rocks and boulders, it is a much more economical option. Natural stone play products require no regular maintenance, will certainly last longer and will only look better with use over time.
These natural stone play structures will delight and inspire children of all ages and are an excellent example of how a beautifully simple structure can make a challenging play feature for children. Play towers are assembled using stacked pieces of Yorkstone selected at source and arranged to form chunky, slip-resistant steps and ledges perfect for scrambling up and jumping off!
Naturally slip resistant, play boulders encourage children to climb and explore, which is something all children love to do. Giving children the opportunity to interact and engage with these natural materials will allow children to develop and grow in a beautiful, environment.sustainable
S
We are equippedwellto craft stone play Ouruniquetailormadefeaturestoyourrequirements.expertteamcanturn
ADVERTORIAL
EXPLORE NATURAL PLAY WITH CED STONE GROUP ’S INSPIRING RANGE OF PRODUCTS
Bespoke Play
A simple yet effective concept, our Portal Rocks are often used in conceptual gardens and play areas where the designer wants to challenge the usual dynamics of shape and perspective. Portal Rocks have a 600mm diameter hole drilled through the centre, allowing children (or big kids!) to crawl and
Portal Rocks
tone is an ideal material to use in play areas. Our natural play products are free from sharp or crumbling edges and offer exciting opportunities for exploration and adventure within a safe environment.
Play Boulders
Yorkstone Towers
Exclusively developed by CED, Gravelsafe® is an innovative impact-absorbing safety surfacing product. Unlike other pea gravels on the market, Gravelsafe® is a well-rounded multicoloured granite pebble, specifically free from broken or sharp elements. Their natural roundness helps the pebbles to move and roll together, almost like a liquid – offering exceptional impact-absorbing qualities. This makes Gravelsafe® an ideal option for play area surfaces where children might jump or fall from play equipment. Gravelsafe® conforms to BS EN 1176 for intended use as an impact-absorbing safety surface.
Natural stone provides a perfect slip-resistant surface for children to grip and clamber across, and they will love exploring all the secret hiding places and rocky ledges!
CED Stone Group is one of the UK's leading suppliers of natural stone and hard landscaping products. It keeps extensive stocks across its six nationwide depots and can manufacture almost anything from stone. With more than 40 years of experience, it has the largest range of high-quality materials and o ers expert advice to ensure you select the perfect product. cedstone.co.uk
Stone structures will encourage children to reconnect with the great outdoors and engage with natural materials. Inspire young imaginations by designing playscapes that can become rocky outbacks, volcanoes, ancient ruins, dragon lairs or faraway alien planets. Let your creativity go wild; use natural stone to build exciting networks of walkways, tunnels and climbing stacks.
IMAGINATION EVOKE
Gravelsafe®
The end of the watercourse will have a buried OASE maxima block system. Inside this section you will also place a pump within a designated pump vault. The most suitable pump depends on size of the course and the amount of water that needs to be pumped back up to the spillway box.
The pump is then connected back to the box with spiral hose which completes this cyclic system. All these components are OASE made ensuring a cohesive working system.
ProLandscaper_OASE_WATERCOURSEvariation2.indd 1 16/05/2022 15:47:23
The perfect moving water feature
OASE has created a modular set of products that will help install a functioning watercourse quickly and with ease. Once the course has been dug out and lined with fleece and liner (both available from OASE) the feature will begin to take shape. A myriad of decorative elements, such as slate and natural stones can all be used to line the banks. The spillway box is then placed at the top of the course and this is where the water will flow from. The spillway block allows you to create a waterfall without a header pool. This ultra strong box is designed with a raised lip that prevents debris falling into the water, and you can cover the box with cobbles and stones to hide it. Furthermore, the spillway box will evenly diffuse the water flowing from it - creating a uniformed water spill. These spillways are also completely sealed, and so water will only come from the opening at the front - preventing water wastage.
01708 867 enquiries@cedstone.co.uk237www.cedstone.co.uk @CEDStoneGroup Bradshaw Park, Stoke-On-Trent Products: Yorkstone Play Stacks
HOW TO ADD A WATERCOURSE TO ANY PROJECT
Visit
Look at our detailed watercourse guide social.oase.com/watercourseshere: your local OASE for further advice.
distributor
Watercourses are the perfect way to add moving water to a project. Fully customisable, a watercourse can be made to any size and shape. This dynamic feature brings the joy of water, with or without an existing pond.
INSIDE NURTURE THIS MONTH PAGE 69 FEATURE GARDEN: MINTERNE GARDENS, PAGE 75 RICHARD MCKENNA, PAGE 77 NICK COSLETT, PAGE 78 LEWIS NORMAND, PAGE 80 READYHEDGE, PAGE 81 HEDGING HURDLES NURTURE FEATUREMINTERNEGARDENGARDENS P 69 Gardens©Minterne
Our instant hedging is cared for by experts at every stage - in the field, in the container and during despatch. 01386 matthew@readyhedge.comsales@readyhedge.com750585Care.® Variety shown: Osmanthus burkwoodii Nextdaydelivery| www.kebur.co.uk |01252517571 HERETOHELPYOU createamazingspaces Hundredsofnaturalstone&porcelainoptions Bespokesourcing|Accessories|Lighting&more
NURTURE
HOME TO THE FIRST SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL AND THE DIGBY’S, MINTERNE HOUSE AND GARDENS IS A TRANQUIL 18TH CENTURY CAPABILITY BROWN STYLE LANDSCAPE WITH A VAST AND IMPRESSIVE HISTORY, BUILT IN THE HEART OF DORSET
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 69
MINTERNE HOUSE & GARDENS GARDEN FEATURE O
Lord Henry Digby said: “When Robert Digby first arrived here, he wrote about the valley’s poor condition in his diary. The valley was nude, the trees weren’t thriving, and there was an empty feeling.” Henry explained the reason for the stark landscape was due to wind sweeping across and the plane. He added: “The area was the first place the winds hit. It accelerated over the North Dorset Downs and crashed down into the valley, making growing conditions difficult.”
And so, changes were made, and in 1786 the very beginning of the gardens began. “At the time, we were sat in the middle of the American War of Independence, but there was a huge cut in the defence budget which meant many of the crew were sent home on half pay,” he explained. Robert invited 40 members of the crew back to Minterne to work on landscaping the whole valley. This team got started by planting strong ‘shelterbelts’ along the top of the hillside in order to create turbulence and shelter the valley and allow for better growing conditions.
riginally, the Minterne manor house belonged to Cerne Abbey, one of the biggest monasteries in England. However, after Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in the 15th century, he gave a third of Dorset, along with the Manor House, to Winchester College to endow education. As the years went by, the house was then rented to the first Winston Churchill, and eventually was bought by Robert Digby, the younger son from Sherman Castle, on a walk-in, walk-out basis in 1768.
NURTURE
Minterne’s list of explorers are impressively renowned, including Drake, Raleigh, and Captain Cook, as well as the pilgrims on the Mayflower. However, there was another group of English explorers who
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202270
connection to the Himalayas was formed. Carrying on the explorers’ desire for unique planting and hybridising in the garden, the Digby family have sponsored a significant number of plant hunting trips to China and all over the Himalayas to help provide a number of different plant species to the garden. Head gardener Mark Bobin emphasised how important it is to “continue this heritage and praise the garden’s past”.
MINTERNE GARDENS BOASTS A WORLD RENOWNED AND COMPLETELY UNIQUE COLLECTION OF RHODODENDRONSHIMALAYAN AND AZALEAS
The 20-acre woodland landscape is situated on a mound of green sand which runs for a mile down the centre of the valley in a horseshoe shape. Visitors can explore the site’s stunning collection of small lakes, cascades, and exciting plants –including Minterne’s famous magnolias.
remain unknown to many – the plant hunters of the Victorian times. This relatively inconspicuous group whose names include Kingdon Ward, George Forrest and Edmund Loder revolutionised
and transformed the English garden as we now know Betweenit.1850 and 1947, these curious plant hunters voyaged across the world, and were sponsored by many amateur garden enthusiasts, under the umbrella of the Royal Horticultural Society. Lasting up to six years, each trip introduced countless new exotic species (such as magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas) to a large number of English gardens. The seed was shared around the sponsors Minterne’sspecies.theseforefrontGardensgardens,subtropicalaspropagatedwhothisabasisforexoticshrubandMinternewasattheofplantingnewlyintroducedThus,deeprooted
Today, Minterne Gardens boasts a world renowned and completely unique collection of Himalayan rhododendrons and azaleas, with spring bulbs, cherries, maples and many fine rare trees.
He continued: “I’ve had visitors tell me they feel like they’ve been transported straight to the Himalayas, and it’s wonderful to be a part of evoking this feeling. I feel incredibly lucky to work in one of the most magical gardens I’ve ever been to.”
4 A Himalayan glade
A hotspot at the moment includes a rhododendron, recently named ‘Eddie Digby’ after Henry’s father passed away a few years ago. Mark shared: “It is the most beautiful mix of a golden, orange, and yellow colour, and it hangs down over the path below. It can’t be missed, and it is a real eye catcher in the garden.”
2 Orange-tip butter y on Persicaria bistorta
1 Minterne House
3 Himalayan Hut
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 71
NURTURE
and we have species ranging from the Alpines you can find at the top of the Himalayan mountains, to the species you would find right at the bottom.”
5 Rhododendron 'Eddie Digby'
Remaining on the topic of Himalayan mountains, just recently Mark and the team introduced new wooden structures to the garden which mimic huts you reach at the top of the mountains. “It’s something that really helps get the imagination going, and ultimately, is a great commendation to the garden’s history. I love to encourage visitors to think about where our plants come from, and work to inspire and interest anyone who visits.”
Mark said: “We have a wide variation of plants in all different shapes and sizes, we’re like a jungle. However, the dominant species in the garden is the rhododendron,
VISITORS TELL ME THEY FEEL LIKE THEY’VE BEEN TRANSPORTED STRAIGHT TO THE HIMALAYAS , AND IT’S WONDERFUL TO BE A PART OF EVOKING THIS FEELING
But it’s not just the exterior that’s important, conservation needs are needing to be considered too. Mark explained: “We've started a new collection of rhododendron, which is a subsection cinnabarina, and this the first collection of this kind on the UK.”
“I went to the Himalayas a couple years back to study their plants and the environment they live in. It was overwhelming to see how much moisture there was around me. In the UK, there are dry periods, and occasionally droughts,
As the planet is getting warmer and we experience drier summers, Mark is having to carefully consider his next moves to tackle the effect of climate change. “Our current cover is provided by the beech trees. The dappled shade protects our plants, but they don’t like hot summers, and so it highly likely an alternative will be needed.”
WE'VE STARTED A NEW COLLECTION OF RHODODENDRON , WHICH IS A SUBSECTION CINNABARINA , AND THIS THE FIRST COLLECTION OF THIS KIND ON THE UK
But an all-time favourite is Lady Eleanor’s Bridge. Built by the Churchills, the stone feature holds rich history and never fails to captivate its countless visitors.
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202272
6 Basking in the sunlight 7 Magnolia o cinalis NURTURE
“Robert planted dominant species of tree for ground cover around the gardens, but they are coming of age now as they have a life span of about 250 years. This cover cannot be suddenly lost because a lot of species we have don’t like direct sunshine on their roots. So, a major challenge is ensuring they will have the right environment in the next years.”
With wellbeing gardens on the rise, Minterne Gardens provides a peaceful and calm oasis where “visitors can leave everything in the real world behind,” according to Mark. By continuing to introduce unique Himalayan planting and eye-catching new features relating to Minterne’s background, Mark is able to continue the garden’s history and work on his desire to inspire his whole audience.
Meanwhile, Mark has been focusing on generating new ideas to enhance the gardens, particularly the area directly in front of the house. “I’m in the middle of planning the creation of a wildflower walkway that leads directly up the grass to the house. This will be lovely for our visitors to see during the summertime, though it will take a few years to complete!”
So, when Mark arrived back from the Himalayas, immediate action was taken upon his new learnings. “We installed water pipes through out the whole garden – with the water being sourced from our own spring.” Mark explained this has enabled the team to prepare for future droughts which is something that has been majorly problematic in the past.
which are likely to be more apparent as time goes on,” he notes. Climate change is certainly a cause for concern, and Mark is futureproofing as much as he can.
There have been some excellent new introductions to market in recent years especially in the hedging sector as compact growth, denser foliage cover and generally a smaller eventual height are paramount in many of today’s smaller domestic gardens and public green spaces. Recent innovations in the hedging sector include new Prunus and Ilex introductions.
PRUNUS LAUROCERASUS ELLY
The stalwarts of the hedging world will always be top of many a list with Taxus remaining a popular, classic choice for the many attributes including wildlife haven, bushy evergreen foliage providing dense coverage and privacy and who can resist it for the associated myths and folklore legends.
upright habit forming an almost pillar-like habit and structure in appearance. The leaves are longer and slimmer in appearance and retain the glossy green colour all year round. Elly is a much tidier, formal looking option and reaches a manageable 3 to 4m in height with little to no maintenance required to retain the shape.
Prunus lusitanica Brenelia is a recent introduction with sturdy stems that are deep burgundy in colour when young and deep green
glossy leaves with a wavy edge giving more interest. Brenelia is a more compact growing form of Prunus lusitanica Myrtifolia and will form a rather elegant hedge reaching 3m in height at maturity. Again, the compact growth gives great leaf colour and provides a robust screen for privacy.
If choice is what you require and privacy is your client’s prime concern, then a discerning choice of over 150 options are held on site, no matter what the season at Provender Nurseries. www.provendernurseries.co.uk
Whatever the choice, privacy screening plants with dense foliage cover provide other appealing qualities including most importantly, the ability to filter air pollutants and noise pollutants whilst maintaining plant health, requiring fewer maintenance visits and keeping a healthy green appearance.
S
Now that the root ball season has passed rest assured there are still many hedging and privacy screening plants available on site ranging from 3L to 3.5m. Always a popular plant option, hedging providing privacy and screening is now higher on home owners lists of requirements than ever before.
Prunus laurocerasus Elly is a more elegant choice than Prunus lau. Rotundifolia. Elly has a very compact growth habit providing much better leaf cover with an
Ilex crenata Caroline Upright has been around for a few years now and is fully proving its worth due to its compact, narrow upright
PRUNUS LUSITANICA BRENELIA
ADVERTORIAL
For something a little smaller in stature but just as robust there are a couple of Ilex crenata options of note; Ilex crenata Caroline Upright and Ilex crenata Maxima
PROVIDING PRIVACY ALL YEAR ROUND HEDGING
TAXUS BACCATA
easonal availability is something we all understand in the industry however with ever moving deadlines sometimes seasons can be missed so as a supplier to the trade we have to ensure that choices are available all year round no matter what theThisseason.iswhere container grown hedging and privacy screening plants fit the bill. At Provender Nurseries we aim to keep a solid and varied stock range of hedging plants on site to suit your requirements all year round.
ILEX CRENATA MAXIMA
ILEX CRENATA CAROLINE UPRIGHT
habit. Again, the small leaves provide a good dense evergreen foliage cover and reach an impressive 2m in time. Maxima is another very compact introduction with small oval glossy dark green leaves and will reach 2.5m with a spread of 1.5m. Both options are slow to average in their growth rate making them excellent options from a maintenance angle.
Trade brochure & enquiries: 0333 400 ••harrodhorticultural.comtrade@harrod.uk.com1777GardenFurniture•Arches•PergolasObelisks•FruitCages•MetalRaisedBedsandPlanters•PlantSupports
So, as we head into the middle of 2022, our industry is again having to take stock of the challenges we face daily. From changes in the use of red diesel and its cost, to the significant increase in the price of materials used to grow plants, including growing media, fertilisers, pots and electricity, and the growing pressure on increasing wages, the question we have to ask is: what’s coming down the road to us next?
When the United Kingdom left the European Union, our working practices changed fundamentally. Horticulture was among the first business sectors to feel the pinch from day one. Importing plants has become a complex machine which requires a dedicated resource to manage the increased paperwork needed to enter the UK (despite having already been checked in the country of origin) – all at an additional cost.
That’s not the only issue. The whole process of getting plants into the UK has slowed down and, on a wider industry level, certain plant species are now simply harder to import, including: Prunus, pines, Quercus, Olea and Lavendula, just to mention a few. These plants have a greater risk of carrying
ABOUT RICHARD MCKENNA
AN INDUSTRY RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
What's more is that the mechanism that we currently use to import plants was due to change in July, with additional layers of process and mandatory checks at Border Control Points (BCP). But this has now been kicked into the long-grass as the Government re-evaluates its plans. The cost, time and uncertainty caused by this is significant and dents confidence around
RICHARD MCKENNA EXPLORES
ImagesInsightfulQuinlan,©DeniseimageHeader
W
plant health and traceabliity when it comes to imports.
Richard McKenna has more than 20 years of experience in the horticulture industry beginning his career in plant retail working in Ireland, the UK and New Zealand. As managing director of Provender Nurseries since 2013, Richard has established the trade plant and sundries supplier as a leader in the South East. Richard is a dedicated believer in nurturing talent in the industry encouraging working links with colleges in UK and Europe. provendernurseries.co.uk
CONSTANTINDUSTRYTHERESILIENCETHEOFHORTICULTUREAMIDSTOBSTACLES
In our recent history, however, we’ve been caught in a perfect storm that was triggered by Brexit and the subsequent requirements to enhance biosecurity measures. At the same time, and as so many others did, we were having to deal with operational and logistical challenges as well as the health and emotional impact of COVID-19 as it took its toll on our sector and beyond. Of course, these headlines barely reveal the true level of complexity that lies beneath.
NURTURE
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 75
While COVID-19 dealt a blow to so many of us personally and professionally, colleagues pulled together to support our families, our customers and each other. At the same time, work on the nursery had to continue. The plants kept growing and the work had to be done. It helped to keep us grounded and connected to reality. And from an industry perspective, the pandemic drove home the message that the supply chain is truly global and the road to recovery will be long and slow as we re-evaluate expectations.
pest and diseases and this list of ‘high-risk’ plants continues to widen while narrowing the prospect of being able to import such species easily or efficiently. As a result, many European nurseries are being turned off from wanting to export to the UK now. It’s seen as just too difficult.
AS A RESULT, MANY EUROPEAN NURSERIES ARE BEING TURNED OFF FROM WANTING TO EXPORT TO THE UK NOW . IT’S SEEN AS JUST TOO DIFFICULT
orking in the horticultural industry for more than 25 years has been a privilege that has enabled me to build a career in a sector that I really love. It’s not that it’s come without a fair share of challenges. We’ve had to navigate difficult economic times; anticipate measures to protect our plants when the weather turns; and work hard to find skilled individuals who proactively search out roles in our industry as a ‘destination’ career.
less is not more ... more is more ALLIUM...LOVED BY DESIGNERS, SPECIFIERS AND POLLINATORSPROVENDER The Landscape Centre, Leydenhatch Lane, Swanley, Kent BR8 7PS T: 01322 662315 W: www.provendernurseries.co.uk Plant Healthy MonolithRockeryWalling Feature Stones Building & Masonry stone Sandstone & Limestone www.stonequarries.co.ukRestoration0159480871601386584384
found the April article on artificial grass (Artificial Grass Special, page 49) interesting, but I have to nail my flag to the masthead: I don't like artificial grass. Because it's artificial, it's not natural, so it has no biodiversity benefits whatsoever and its construction and makeup limits drainage and encourages run off. It's another product which pushes people further away from nature. Shouldn’t we be encouraging them toward the natural world?
which would have been worn down to bare earth was carpeted in artificial grass. However, the parents of those children did not cover the whole lawn and their garden buzzed with flowers and foliage away from the goal line.
Suppliers promote re-use/repurposing as the use for old and tired artificial grass. However, the re-purposing into golf tees, door mats and even drawer liners (believe it or not), is not fulfilled by a country wide network but will fall to the hands, ingenuity and responsibility of the landscaper.
need to reverse our abuses of our naturalArtificialenvironment.grassisclaimed by many suppliers to be recyclable and made from a high proportion of recycled materials. But so are black plastic plant pots, and it is the recycling plants inability to recover these pots which make them destined for the incinerators. Hence the new taupecoloured pots appearing on the market as they are recyclable from the kerbside collection. The plastic grass is a complex mix of products and can incorporate sand and aggregates too which mean recycling will depend on locality.
I applaud the Society of Garden Designers and its chair Lynne Marcus for banning sponsorship and advertising from artificial grass companies. I wonder would the RHS do the same for their flower shows? Should this magazine consider this too? I understand we live in a commercial world, and this is a product which sells and is marketed, but sooner rather than later we
ABOUT NICK COSLETT
I’ve had my rant. Now I’m off to walk on my lawn, check out how it did in ‘No-Mow May’ and hear the birds sing.
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 77
I
I accept that there are some limited uses for artificial grass but to use them as wholesale replacement for living lawns is a backward step. Also, to think that they require no maintenance is a fallacy. They require brushing and cleaning possibly more
IT'S A NO TO GRASSARTIFICIAL FROM ME
I ACCEPT THAT THERE ARE SOME LIMITED USES FOR ARTIFICIAL GRASS BUT TO USE THEM AS REPLACEMENTWHOLESALE FOR LIVING LAWNS IS A BACKWARD STEP
Nick is now retired but has worked in landscape o ces, parks management and horticultural nurseries. For the past 20 years, he has also run soft landscape workshops at Coblands and Palmstead. He has been involved in BALI at a regional and national level, and is a trustee of the BALI Chalk Fund, as well as an awards judge.
Our society has become divorced from the natural world and developed a poor understanding of and regard for it, which has brought us to the current biodiversity and ecological crisis. In addition, we have to think carefully about using products which come from oil and fossil fuels.
NURTURE
than a patio and if they are used for animal areas, they need weekly cleaning and disinfecting to prevent urine and faecal build up. The best uses of artificial grass I’ve seen were on a roof garden terrace, although a deck would have done the same job, and in a domestic garden of footballing children where the regular goal mouth
FOR NICK COSLETT , ARTIFICIAL GRASS HAS FAR FEW ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS TO GET HIS BACKING
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202278 NURTURE
his year, more than in any other, I experiencedhave
Like so many things, much of it boils down to the two exhaustingly over-discussed topics of Brexit and COVID-19: The term ‘perfect storm’ is banded around often, but this really is just that. Plant production across Europe hasn’t stopped since the second world war. As a consequence, some plants, which might be bought a decade or more after a cutting was struck, seed sown or rootstock grafted, will be in production every single year in order to provide these
plants some years later. A year or two of missed propagation, as experienced in 2020/21 through lockdowns, and there is suddenly a ripple of reduced availability that can take several and often many years to recover from.
and 3,000 for sale in 10L or even 20L pots two or three years later, there is a shortfall in production of the long-term larger plant, selling most, if not all at the 3L pot size.
The consequence of selling younger plant material may not be apparent immediately, but it usually means that those plants being grown on to be potted into larger pots for the following season are now sold and the problem continues. Where previously a batch of 10,000 3L Choisya ternate may have 5,000 destined for sale at that size, 2,000 for sale in 5L a season later
On the continent, growers have started more readily using 1.3L pots where previously 1.5 or 2L were the norm. This way they can reduce some of the issues of rising costs, reduced time to produce and reduced compost availability, to maintain a steady flow of plant material into garden centres, nurseries and other retailers. I’m not against this as it is quite a neat and more environmentally sound solution, but it doesn’t fix the problem either.
These missed plant production windows lead to longer terms supply issues for big woody plants like trees and specimen shrubs, but also to immediate availability shortfalls for plants produced in the same year they are sold. These plants experienced
a near immediate shortage of availability, though supply should be rectifiable within a couple of growing seasons.
Now we need to add in demand over the lockdown periods. This is often not considered, but while many growers weren’t able to produce new plants, some three million more people in Britain alone took up gardening. The demand for compost, pots, gardening sundries and, of course, plants increased in demand in a manner that could not have been predicted and put additional strain on available supply.
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 more than 100 gardens at major shows.
ABOUT LEWIS NORMAND
From that point onwards, most nurseries have been selling plants in smaller pot sizes or to reduced specification to meet demand meaning that while they were hoping to catch up with the missed production, they are working so hard at selling plants that this continues to labour as a process.
IN A TWO-PART SERIES, LEWIS NORMAND EXPLAINS WHY NURSERIES HAVE LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO UP THEIR PRICES
NEVER BEFORE HAS THE MARKETPLACE BEEN SO VOLATILE IN MY EXPERIENCE
T
– both personally and with others – a sharp intake of breath when a wholesale plant price has been given. It is a sellers’ market with some plants, and if you have the remaining ready and available stock in Europe, you probably should adjust your price up to favour your business.
MORE EXPENSIVEIN 2022? WHY ARE MY PLANTS
Never before has the marketplace been so volatile in my experience; but rather than simply lament it, I thought it prudent to explain the reasoning for price hikes, so those not involved in the process of purchasing plants can see that it isn’t a case of nurseries being opportunistically greedy.
www.cadmap.co.uk info@cadmap.co.uk Surrey 01483 429385 London 020 81111 385 Brighton 01273 027327 Southampton 0238 2023881 Cadmap Ltd provide detailed Topographical Land Surveys for award-winning landscape design architects, many who have won Gold medals at RHS Shows and other prestigious awards around the United Kingdom. Cadmap Ltd are experienced at providing detailed Land surveys for landscape design compared to standard Land Survey detailing for housing developments. The company is a full member of The Survey Association, fully insured and holds 5m professional indemnity cover. If you require a Topographical Land Survey please contact us on the below details and Cadmap Ltd will provide a fee proposal free of charge for any size project you require. Landscape Survey Specialists Bespoke scheme using zinc clad steel planters and Iroko benching www.newwoodtrees.co.uk British Field Multi-StemGrownTrees LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES Renowned for the quality of our specialist soils and lightweight materials, which are developed with and tested to the British Standard and beyond by Tim O’Hare Associates. Our products are regularly specified by leading Landscape Architects and Designers and widely used by the Landscape and Horticultural Trades and Industries. Supplying orders from one bag to many thousands of tons, we can undertake the most challenging deliveries using our own fleet of Silver Fors specialist delivery vehicles. Please call us to discuss your next projects needs. SPECIALIST LIGHTWEIGHT SOILS DELIVERED EFFORTLESSLY REGARDLESS OF THE LOGISTIS! Tel: 01306 877540 or buy online www.buryhilltopsoilandlogs.co.ukatEmail:sales@buryhilltopsoil.com BUILDING AGGREGATES • WILDFLOWER TURF & SEED • DECORATIVE STONE•PREMIUM&CONTRACTSOILS•ERICACEOUS&SPECIALISTSOILS•LOWFERTILITY&BESPOKEBLENDEDSOILS •LIGHTWEIGHTROOFSOILS•SPORTSLOAMS&DRESSINGS•SOILCONDITIONER COMPOST&MULCHES•BARKS&WOODCHIP•PLAYSAND&PLAYGRADEBARK•LAWNTURF&GRASSSEED••
"If you are looking to add some character to your garden through a panel, or perhaps you are in need of a low-cut trough that can be placed in any soil type, we have all the solutions you could need here at ReadyhedgeReadyhedge."isanexpert when it comes to all of the products it sells, including metre long lengths, available in either Readyhedge bags or Readyhedge troughs, with a versatile range of heights starting from 30cm all the way up to 200cm tall.
Every year Readyhedge grows over 40km of hedging in more than 35 different varieties. It proudly produces a range of instant hedging that is suitable for all garden types, both commercial and domestic, all the while delivering excellent results in any outdoor setting.
PROVIDED FOR THE
always happy to help out a range of different customers with a host of differing styles, needs and budgets.
As Readyhedge explains: "We love to get involved in projects and to help benefit the community where we can.
"One our favourite projects that we have recently helped with has been getting involved alongside Wilson Associates, where we have provided hedging for the RAF Memorial Garden at the Malvern Three Counties Showground designed by Martyn Wilson himself.’"
south of Worcestershire which has a love for growing and supplying the best quality, instant hedging and screening that the UK has to offer.
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202280
A
WE LOVE TO GET INVOLVED IN PROJECTS AND TO HELP BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN
GARDEN AT THE MALVERN THREE COUNTIES
READYHEDGE FROM ABOVE
situatediseadyhedgeanurseryinthe
DESIGNED
HEDGING RAF MEMORIAL SHOWGROUND, BY MARTYN WILSON
Wilson©Martyn
READYHEDGE
TEAM OF ENTHUSIASTIC HORTICULTURISTS AND HEDGING EXPERTS ADVERTORIAL
R
readyhedgeltd.com
Readyhedge’s team are a group of enthusiastic horticulturists with a passion for all things hedging. Having built the reputation of the business upon expertise in the field, alongside a commitment for providing stunning hedging solutions for all industry types, Readyhedge has created long-standing relationships within the industry and with clients.
Readyhedgegates.is
If you want a better look at this amazing permanent garden, make sure you head down to the Malvern Three Counties Showground – held from 17 to 19 June –where you can view the RAF Memorial Garden and imagine what Readyhedge could do for you.
Specialising purely in hedging means that all of Readyhedge's hedges are grown with the love and attention that each variety needs, with each hedge being maintained, fed, and watered with care until it leaves the nursery
HEDGING HURDLES may using hedging as part of your next garden project, as a boundary marker or an integral part of your design – but how much time do you need to allow to for your vision to grow into reality?
"Buxus sempervirens (box) plants can be found in gardens up and down the country and are particularly valued for their use in topiary and hedging due to their small evergreen leaves and slow growth rate.“Unfortunately, box plants in the UK are under attack from two serious problems: the box blight fungus and the box tree caterpillar. “We have some great tips on how to manage box blight and the box tree caterpillar from disinfecting your tools before and after working in a garden with box plants to removing isolated caterpillars by hand. Head to our website for our full list of tips on dealing with box blight and the box tree caterpillar. Alternatively, if you would prefer not to think about either of the above challenges, we have a great range of plants that can be used as an alternative from Ilex crenata to Euonymus jap. 'Green Spire’ as pictured on our nursery."
CHALLENGE: BOX BLIGHT AND BOX TREE CATERPILLAR CHALLENGE: THE DEMAND FOR NATIVE SPECIES OUTWEIGHS THE SUPPLY
“We specialise in growing instant hedging solutions which, of course, takes thedoavailabilityanticipation,productionincreasingyearhashedgingdemandRecentlyyears.thefornativeoptionsgrowneveryso,despiteinissuesoccur.Duringtraditionalplanting
recommend that designers and landscape contractors plan well ahead and check seasonal availability when planning the timescales for planting of projects. Also, as availability of native hedging options can be more challenging in the summer than for more ‘ornamental’ and non-native species we would encourage designers and speci ers to consider whether something ‘sympathetic’ to the landscape can be used as an alternative where it isn’t so ecologically essential for natives to be used. For instance, where a thorny hedge is required and/or where the brief is to attract birds, why not consider Pyracantha as an option? Where appropriate, Pyracantha can also be used to plug gaps and scramble through a thinning hawthorn hedge to add density, especially where it isn’t practical to lay the old hedge.”
“Hedges provide privacy, block out noise and provide shape, texture and style to gardens. But planting a hedge from root stock can be time intensive and will take an age to grow to maturity. Practical Instant Hedge™ provides a solution to these problems and is grown in one-metre long pieces, up to two metres high here at our nursery in Iver, Buckinghamshire. The production method ensures that this mature hedge is easy to handle with no transplant shock and that it can be planted all year round.”
season – i.e. during dormancy (winter) – we can of course lift rootballed stock from our elds, such as our two-metre beech and hornbeam blocks; but for summer projects availability can be more challenging as container-grown stock, potted in winter and early spring, doesn’t become available for sale until fully rooted in late summer and “Therefore,autumn.westrongly
CHALLENGE: CREATING A MATURE GARDEN WITH HEDGING pracbrown.co.uk WHEN IT COMES TO HEDGING , DESIGNERS COULD BE FACING A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES, BUT LEADING SUPPLIERS FORTUNATELY HAVE THE SOLUTION PRACTICALITY BROWN WYKEHAM MATURE PLANTS JOHNSONS OF WHIXLEY prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 81 NURTURE
be considering
nurserymen.co.uk/how-to-keep-your-box-plants-healthy wykehammatureplants.co.uk “You
enquiries@wykeham.co.uk wykehammatureplants.co.uk01723862406 Trees (heavy standard to semi-mature) Instant hedging & screening plants - Specimen shrubs Advisory services available Supplying the trade for over Forty Years Wide selection of Instant Hedging: Native & ornamental Rootballed & container stock The official job board of Pro Landscaper User-friendly interface. A modernised design means that the site is easier to navigate, with simplified job application features. Follow your favourite companies. You can follow some of the biggest companies in the industry to be notifiedof the latest vacancies as they are uploaded. Register a CV. Upload a CV and let employers find you! Please contact Mark Wellman to advertise your vacancy: Email: mark.wellman@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777574
INSIDE EDUCATE THIS MONTH PAGE 85 KIM SONES, PAGE 86 GARETH WILSON, PAGE 87 ALISON WARNER, PAGE 89 ORACLE SOLICITORS, PAGE 90 ANGUS LINDSAY, PAGE 91 NCC STREETSCAPE, PAGE 92 AZPECTS, PAGE 93 LATEST PRODUCTS AND TRENDS: PORCELAIN PAVING, PAGE 98 LITTLE INTERVIEWS EDUCATE PORCELAIN PAVING P 93 LATEST PRODUCTS AND TRENDS Tiles©CTD
applicationSika
When installing porcelain tiles for outdoor areas, SikaCeram®-62 FlowFix bonding primer and SikaCeram®-621 Jointing Compound together form a high-performance exterior-grade system which provides a strong bond between porcelain paving and the bedding mortar. Meanwhile, Sika Fastfix All Weather self-setting paving jointing compound is formulated for use with natural stone, for
to children and pets. Gardens that contain a natural stone rather than concrete patio require a different solution. Indian sandstone in particular is an incredibly popular choice at the moment thanks to its unique colours and finishes. Resiblock Indian Sandstone Sealer provides up to five years’ resistance against staining and algae growth with one coat, and so is an excellent way to preserve natural sandstone. It can also be used on many other natural stone finishes too.
To discover more about the products and find the resources that Sika Everbuild has to offer, please visit https://www.everbuild.co.uk/
Sika FlowFix application
PatioEverbuildWizard
ACE THAT SPACE THIS SUMMER WITH SIKA EVERBUILD
perfect pointing on paving, paths and patios. It can be easily applied in all weather conditions, including rain and, with its Active Resin Technology formula, it’s hard-wearing and won’t shrink or crack overProductstime. such as Patio Wizard provide a quick and effective solution to kill and clean all kinds of green growth without the need for any washing off, scrubbing or pressure washing to leave paved garden areas spotless. Patio Wizard is itthatwhichbleachcontainandingredientsbiodegradableusingmanufactureddoesnotanyoracid,meansoncedry,isnon-hazardous
O ver the winter months homeowners can neglect their gardens, leaving professional landscapers and gardeners with plenty of work to do come spring and summer. With summer now just around the corner, Sika Everbuild’s extensive landscaping range provides a host of solutions to refresh most outdoor areas from patio pointing, preventing weed growth and water ingress, to wood treatment for beautifullooking, low maintenance furniture, decking and fencing. Mariam Maqsood, Product Manager at Sika Everbuild takes you through just some of the products available to get gardens summer ready for homeowners to enjoy this year.
With the season of barbecues and garden parties fast approaching, homeowners will once again be keen to enjoy a sun-kissed garden as a way to extend their entertaining space outdoors. And creating the perfect patio and protecting it for future summer seasons has never been easier, thanks to Sika Everbuild’s extensive landscaping range.
Sika FastFix
Furniture and fencing that won’t go out of fashion next season Wooden garden furniture and fencing which is left outside for long periods needs to be protected from the elements and products like Everbuild Triple Action Treatment are an ideal choice when it comes to remedial wood treatment and preservation. It is designed to deeply penetrate all interior and exterior wood to give lasting protection from damage caused by wet rot, decay, insects, larvae etc through its triple action formula which kills the problem, protects the wood and preserves it for future seasons. Its clear finish means it can be used on any wood finish, whether previously stained or Everbuildnatural.Quick
Achieving perfectly pristine patios
Drying Wood Stain is a professional, low solvent wood stain that enhances the natural qualities of wood and is ideally suited for use on window frames, cladding and garden furniture. It offers up to five years’ protection from the weather and UV light, but that doesn’t mean it takes an age to apply and dry – its fast-drying formula is touch dry in 30 minutes and ready to overcoat after four hours.
Sika porcelainFlowFixpatio ADVERTORIAL
ABOUT KIM SONES
• Include stage payments in your terms and conditions
• Send invoices out straight after the work has been completed
ENSURE YOU FACTOR IN THE TIME FOR THIS TASK AS IT COULD BE THE MAKE OR BREAK OF YOUR BUSINESS
• A longer-term solution could be to finance the purchase of an asset.
• Ensure debtors are chased up on or before the due date
Instagram: @kimsonesaccounts sonesaccountancy.co.uk
CASH FLOW IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF YOUR COMPANY AND CAN DETERMINE ITS FINANCIAL OUTLOOK
A s a understandimportantowner,businessitisto
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 85
The more frequently you look at your cash flow figures, the more you will understand the cash position of your business. Whichever way you choose to look at your cashflow, just ensure you factor in the time for this task as it could be the make or break of your business.
• In the short term, rent rather than buy equipment
Here are some tips for improving the cash flow position of your business:
If numbers are not your thing, you can easily outsource this task to a bookkeeper who will ensure the information they provide is accurate. Also, a bookkeeper can help you to understand the meaning of the numbers in your cash flow forecast.
KIM SONES SHARES HOW TO IMPROVE YOURCASHBUSINESS’FLOWEDUCATE
It is entirely possible for your landscape business to be profitable while having poor cash flow. If this is true for your business, you must take immediate action to make improvements. Cash flow is the lifeblood of your company and can determine its financial outlook.
Kim Sones, owner of Sones Accountancy Services Ltd, specialises in bookkeeping and accountancy for the landscape gardening industry. She is passionate about helping landscapers to ‘know their numbers’ and use their knowledge to help them set goals and make good decisions for their business.
• Clearly state your payment terms on your quotes and the due date on your invoices
remember to enter ad hoc payments due e.g., insurance paid annually or quarterly VAT. Once fully calculated, the final figure is the expected amount of cash left at the end of the month. You can repeat this process for three months, six months, 12 months, or even two or three years to get an idea of the future cash position of your business.
Managing cash flow can be the difference between success and failure as it will alert you to potential problems before they arise. As a business owner one of the most important things you can do is to regularly prepare accurate cash flow projections. Bookkeeping may be a boring task but it is essential to monitor the cash coming in and going out of your business.
the difference between cash flow and profit. They are both key elements of a healthy growing business, but they measure completely different things. Cash flow is the money that flows in and out of a business during a set period of time, whereas profit is the remainder of sales revenue after costs have been deducted.
I recommend preparing your cash flow forecast at the beginning of a month. You can use one of the software packages on the market, or alternatively, you can use a simple spreadsheet. Enter the amount of cash in the bank account at the start of the month, then add all expected income and deduct all expected outgoings (including wages, materials, and overheads). You can use the previous month’s bank statement to ensure all overheads are included and
COUNTING THE CASH
ABOUT GARETH WILSON
N
MAKE CLIENTS AWARE OF THEIR GARDEN’S MAINTENANCE BEFORE STARTING A PROJECT, SAYS GARETH WILSON
I have to say, the project as a whole was pretty much faultless and very well executed. Although the client was disappointed in the level of maintenance required, both parties were needing solutions as opposed to further dispute.
The top and bottom of this case was that the client felt slightly let down by the landscaper as she didn’t think that her relatively new garden would require as much maintenance. As landscapers, you must remember the client is the lay person and you are the expert. Therefore, in a court of law the landscaper would be liable for not highlighting the pros and cons. The good news was that the client was prepared to
I’ll never be able to repeat this enough –all communication by email from day one is a reliable paper trail and is important to avoid disputes. Verbal conversations and agreements are worthless in court.
My recommendation to landscapers is to make sure all clients are informed, prior to starting the project, of the pros and cons of each product being used. This should go along with a maintenance programme for each product and manufacturers’ recommended cleaning products. Or, as mentioned above, a specialist cleaning product should be provided for each product.
My solution for the paving was simple enough. A specialist cleaning solution designed for sandstone and sealing with a breathable sealant which would prevent algae building up. The cedar screening would need a simple solution of a sanding
Leaving college at 17, Gareth has worked in the landscape industry since 1989. Progressing onto high-end projects over the years, he has picked up 30 RHS medals, including Gold at Chelsea. Now a retained consultant to The Landscape Academy, Gareth is a member of multiple professional bodies. He provides technical and product advice to companies, mentors and trains landscapers across the UK, and provides arbitration and mediation services. gkwilsonlandscaping.co.uk
and two coats of a UV stable preservative –preferablyHowever,Osmo.thegrout issue is one of my absolute pet hates as a former landscaper. I had nothing but issues with polymeric sand grouts, and now, as an expert witness, I see many issues on a regular basis. Pre-mixed polymeric sand grouts I’ve always found to be a DIY product only. Polymeric sand grouts, as a general rule, carry no warranty either. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, as a contractor, you must guarantee your work for six years – unless stated differently in your contract’s Terms and Conditions.
I asked the contractor about the strength of his mortar bed. He was bang on at 6-1, which is polymeric sand grouts manufacturers’ recommendations to maintain permeability. So, I suggested a different grout product which was a lower maintenance grouting option here.
barbecues are becoming a regular event. Lawns and borders are looking pristine, but sadly in some cases hard landscaping surfaces aren’t quite up to the same standards and are in need of some routine maintenance.
MAINTENANCE MISHAPS
MAKE SURE ALL CLIENTS ARE INFORMED , PRIOR TO STARTING THE PROJECT, OF THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH PRODUCT BEING USED
cover material costs and the landscaper the labour. So, it wasn’t a massive outlay for the contractor and ended up only taking two men two long days to box off.
EDUCATE prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202286
ow trulywellspringthatisandhere,
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had three calls from clients in dispute with contractors over what I would call basic maintenance issues. This particular case was a joint statement of opinion where both parties split my fees 50/50 and I gave my own opinion on the project.
main issues were: the rivened Indian sandstone had gone green with algae in places; the cedar screening was just starting to turn a silvery colour; and polymeric sand brush grout had turned black with a thick film of algae and dirt on the surface which looked particularly unsightly.
I arrived onsite to be greeted by both parties. Having both their sides of the story on my iPad, I carefully went through each item listed. I have to say that, at this stage, both landscaper and client were still on good
Theterms.three
LEADERPACK OF THE
Barrientos/Unsplash©JosephPhotograph
EVALUATION SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR PROCESSES , ENABLING YOU TO CATCH ANY DECLINING TRENDS IN PLENTY OF TIME TO NIP THEM IN THE BUD
ALISON WARNER GIVES HER TOP TIPS ON HOW TO BECOME THEOFLANDSCAPERCHOICE
2) Involve them in the decisions that affect the business.
I
If you only post on social media sporadically and the last time you did so was several months ago, this doesn’t give the impression of a business that’s ‘on it’! Make sure you also share your customer reviews and testimonials regularly; this is a great form of social proof, and builds trust with your potential customer.
Alison Warner is the founder of Evolve and Grow, a business coaching rm that specialises in the trades and construction industry. She is also the author of bestselling book ‘How to go from Tradesperson to Managing Director in the Construction and Trade Industries’. evolveandgrowcoaching.comhttps://amzn.to/2QIb467
EDUCATE
3) Keep them updated on the business’s performance– this is one of the easiest ways to motivate your team.
Measure your customer experience “What gets measured, gets done,” as Peter Drucker famously said, and it is so true. You can’t afford to take your eye off the ball and
’m sure all of us started out in business with the intention of being the best. Most business owners I know take tremendous pride in what they do. But sadly, the pressures of running a growing business can often result in being rather more ‘average’. I always say that business is actually very simple – but not necessarily
1) Make sure you develop their technical skills and keep them engaged so they genuinely care.
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 87
assume that your business is providing a fantastic service day in and day out. Evaluation should be part of your processes, enabling you to catch any declining trends in plenty of time to nip them in the bud. Do this through customer surveys, reviews, etc. – but make it a regular practice.
However,easy.bystaying
focused on some key areas that will make a real difference as your business grows, you have a strong chance of succeeding as the landscaping company of choice in your area. Here are a few tips.
Nurture your team So, so important! Your team are the face of your brand and make that vital first impression with your customers. There are three elements to get right here:
Offer something different One of the best ways you can attract new customers is to offer something that your competitors don’t. This could be as simple as packaging up your services in different ways. As business mentor Keith Cunningham once said, business is simple: FOWTW and GITT – Find Out What They Want and Give It To Them!
Keep your social media up to date Again, this ties in with your branding.
To find out how Evolve and Grow can help you grow your business, take our free BUILD system scorecard, available on our website: evolveandgrowcoaching.com
ABOUT ALISON WARNER
Ensure your brand reflects what you want to portray Many confuse the term ‘branding’ with simply your logo and design. Your brand is essentially your reputation as well as as your presentation. It is well worth hiring an expert to help develop your brand so that it reflects how you want to be portrayed and the ideal client you want to attract.
Plants & Sundries for the Trade The largest horticultural “One Stop Shop” in the UK FOUR OAKS CASH & CARRY Longshoot Road, Lower Withington, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 9DX Tel: 01477 571797 Fax: 01477 571314 marlon@fouroaks-nurseries.co.uk www.fouroaks-nurseries.com Huge range of shrubs from 3 Litre - 15 Litre Alpines & Perennials. Seiont Nurseries Young Plants. Pack bedding & Vegetables. Hedging - Topiary Buxus - Laurus Nobilis Shrubs & Trees Added Value Lines April onwards:Superb range of Hanging Baskets, Planted Patio Pots, 13cm potted Zonal Geraniums, Fuchias, Osteospermums, Marguerites & Standard Fuchias in 10 litre pots. Sundries Garden Stoneware Yorkshire Flowerpots - Draper Tools We now stock Garden Furniture NEW Italian and Spanish Stock Extensive Pot Range available 2m-6m ornamental conifers, 1m-2m wide ground cover conifers, plus more… Visits to the nursery are very welcome by appointment Call Roger on 01462 731340 Email: info@atconifers.co.uk CONIFERSSTOCKCLEARANCE 15lt -70lt+ container grown conifers Photos available on request OFFERS INVITED Creating Inspiring Streetscenes CIS Street Furniture offer a diverse range of street furniture which will complement any location.Asaresult of the built environment compaction can inhibit or prevent natural root growth of trees. CIS SUDs compliant resin bound tree grilles are a great way of enhancing the sustainability of your project for future generations. Find out more at our website below.Tel:01483 www.cis-streetfurniture.co.uk203388 THINK DIGGER, THINK SANY THINK MC PLANT www.mcgroupltd.co.uk Paul Cogger – 07817 013970 Phil Elam – 07384 517574 MC Plant HQ – 01622 710811 For quality in stock SANY excavators please get In touch with us: unfogable mesh eye www.meshsafetyglasses.comprotection01254377467 Download the FREE PRO LANDSCAPER app today 1 Go to the App Store 2 Search ‘ LandscaperPro’ 3 Download the free app 4 Choose downloadandyour issue
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 89 EDUCATE
ABOUT ORACLE SOLICITORS
• Aggravated or exemplary damages (in rare cases).
• Having effective reporting mechanisms in place and ensuring all employees are aware of how to report sexual harassment.
• Creating a workplace culture of zero-tolerance to harassment and where all employees are encouraged to report inappropriate behaviour, where complaints are dealt with quickly, effectively and sensitively.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT CANNOT GO IGNORED BY EMPLOYERS, SO ORACLE SOLICITORS’JASON MCKENZIE AND KUMSAL KALELI OF OUTLINE HOW YOU CAN ENSURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT PROCEDURES IN PLACE
Many employers now find themselves asking: “What constitutes sexual harassment,” and “What steps can we take to minimise the risk of sexual harassment in ourSectionworkplace?”26(2)of Equality Act 2010 deals with the definition of sexual harassment. This section explains the term of sexual harassment by using example of hypothetical persons – person (A) and person (B). According to the definition, sexual harassment occurs where both: • (A) engages in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature.
exual harassment legislation has been a firm part of equalities law in the United Kingdom for years; however, sexual harassment is still a serious problem in some workplaces, highlighted by research from organisations such as the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
• Compensation for injury to feelings.
A fair, thorough investigation and grievance process can be key to resolving a sexual harassment complaint and facilitating the employee remaining in employment without the need for a settlement agreement or litigation. A failure to investigate properly may amount to a breach of the duty of mutual trust and confidence, entitling the employee to resign and claim constructive unfair dismissal. There are potentially additional financial consequences for employers where claims of sexual harassment are upheld in the tribunal. The tribunal may award for:
a business reputation perspective as well as a legal one.
• The conduct has the purpose or effect of either violating (B)'s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for (B).
• An uplift in compensation of up to 25% where the employer has failed to follow the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. Overall, effective policies and procedures in this area create an environment that clearly benefits employees and employers.
Complaints of sexual harassment can lead to costly litigation and settlements as well as high-profile departures of senior management due to damage to reputation. For example, when Ted Baker announced in December 2018 that it would investigate claims of inappropriate behaviour by its CEO and founder, the price of shares in the company fell by more than 13%.
Some of the effective measures an employer can consider taking include:
Employers have an obligation to create a safe working environment where employees feel confident enough to report. Employers should further create a culture where harassment reports are taken seriously, allegations are effectively investigated, and most importantly dissuasive action is taken against perpetrators. An employer should
emails or text message, unwelcome touching, hugging, or kissing. This list is not exhaustive. Taking appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace has become more important for all employers from
The unwanted conduct of a sexual nature includes a wide range of behaviour, such as sexual comments or jokes, suggestive looks, staring or sexuallysendingsexualleering,gestures,intrusivequestionsaboutaperson'sprivatelife,explicit
ideally provide as many ways of reporting means as possible. Whilst some employees will prefer to speak to HR who can provide support, other employees will only be willing to report anonymously online.
S
• Financial losses the employee has suffered because of the harassment.
HANDLING HARASSMENT
Oracle Solicitors is an award-winning law rm with a deep understanding of the landscape industry and expertise in employment, commercial, litigation, property and contract law. Oracle Solicitors, founded in 2002 has since grown to include o ces in London, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, Frankfurt, and Addis Ababa – please visit: oraclesolicitors.co.uk
TAKING APPROPRIATE STEPS TO PREVENT SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE HAS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT FOR ALL EMPLOYERS FROM A BUSINESS REPUTATION PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS A LEGAL ONE
More applicable to our industry are autonomous tractors from Germany, which I can see having a place within our industry. They are considerably smaller and are more akin to the tractors we currently operate, albeit without the operator’s station, with all functions controlled via a network of sensors and radio remote control. An internal combustion engine coupled to
espite years,theupheavaltheoflasttwothe
MORE REALISTIC APPROACH TO AUTONOMOUS PRIME MOVERS
Angus spent several years working on arable farms in Scotland before joining VSO in Egypt, implementing a mechanisation programme, managing eld operations for a commercial cotton plantation in Nigeria and working as a contract instructor for Massey Ferguson in Yemen. He has an Agricultural Engineering and Mechanisation Management MSc from Silsoe, and joined Glendale as machinery manager in 1994, then idverde UK in 2009. angus.lindsay@idverde.co.uk
AUTONOMOUS PRIME MOVER
PLAN
electric motors provides the power and they utilise conventional three-point linkage to carry implements, so can fit straight into existing systems.
D
B
This is all good news when it comes to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, curbing emissions and increasing productivity, but the move to new ways of working relying on technology presents its own challenges. As to be expected, electricity as a power source is becoming more common, with new charge points springing up all over the country, making it more realistic to move from internal combustion. But is it the future?
ABOUT ANGUS LINDSAY
I am not discounting electricity as a power source as it has its place in the right environment, but let’s not rush to develop equipment which is prohibitively expensive and operationally unsuitable. John Deere has just released details of its latest
autonomous electric tractor, the SEASM2, a leviathan of a machine with up to 1500kWh of power and able to operate up to 10 hours. Now that takes a bit of charging! Ironically for an autonomous vehicle it comes with a detachable operator’s cab, but it does give us a glimpse of what could be operating in the fields of the future.
So, this is all great news for the future, but what happens when something goes wrong? Say a satellite is hit by some space junk, or software gets hacked? Both realistic threats. And what of more mundane issues such as power cuts or battery supply issues? If you are totally reliant on electric power tools and there’s a power outage during the night, you’re stuck the next day. It’s not as portable as petrol or diesel so a major infrastructure failure can disrupt your operations for several days or weeks.
THE JOHN DEERE SEASM2
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202290 EDUCATE
trailer chassis with batteries, then the tractor unit with a smaller battery could transport its load and power source all in one operation. Just a thought.
Before a move to electric power, you need to consider the “what if” scenario and ensure you have a back-up plan in place. Your premises may currently be fit for purpose, but you may need to upgrade the wiring infrastructure to accommodate the additional loads associated with charging a large number of electric power tools and vehicles. Battery technology has been with us for a long time and is inherently reliable but some of the infrastructure required to support it may not be, so always best to check.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE BEING MARKETED AS THE FUTURE, BUT SHOULD IT BE THE SOLE CHOICE, ASKS ANGUS LINDSAY
I AM NOT ELECTRICITYDISCOUNTING AS A POWER SOURCE AS IT HAS ITS PLACE IN THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT , BUT LET’S NOT RUSH TO DEVELOP EQUIPMENT WHICH IS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE AND OPERATIONALLY UNSUITABLE
Engine manufacturers have spent billions over the last 30 years developing cleaner, more efficient internal combustion engines, so why throw this technology away? Better to look at something cleaner to fuel the engine such as renewable diesel, hydrogen or synthetic fuel for larger prime movers where long operational hours are the norm; this makes sense to me. Electric powered HGVs could also be feasible, especially if you reduced the payload and fill the space in the
previous 12 months have seen some significant advances in autonomous vehicle development, especially within the agricultural sector –electric prime movers and swarm technology being the new buzzwords. The automotive industry too, despite its issues with semiconductor supply and production issues associated with the war in Ukraine, is also bringing more and more EVs to the market.
• Minimal area closures (if any), due to access and/or contractual commitments.
the compressive strength. This is not so relevant as static load is taken by the stone setts directly to the bedding and substructure. Smaller format paving is therefore more ‘Joint Dependent’
Do it cost-effectively once – with proven GftK durability byandiseffectivenessandperformanceDurablecostnowclearevidencedrecent
• Residual water in the joints from cleaning, preparation, and/or rainfall.
GFTK TACKLES THE SPECIFICATIONS,TOUGHESTSAYS STREETSCAPENCC BEFORE BEFORE AFTER AFTER
• The pointing materials must be nonstaining on the stone or block surfaces.
• Different and varied joint widths, depths, set faces and edge profiles.
• The paving joint repointing mortars must be mixed and placed on-site without creating any dust to harm or disrupt the occupants.
URBAN PAVING REPOINTING DURABILITY? PROBLEMS WITH
When it comes to sett cement-basedstrength,failurebreakdownalmostaboutsituationsrepointingbroughtbytheinevitableandofhigh
jointing mortars, the responsible authorities and their professional advisors are faced with some significant technical and environmental requirements that the new pointing/repointing material must accommodate – these are:
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 91
P
roblems and issues with the durability of pointing and repointing can be seen on many areas of stone sett paving that has been installed in recent years on our roads and public spaces, such as market squares, all around the UK. Many, if not most, areas now have very visible and unattractive areas of pointing failure, including failing repointing.
Typically, the repointing mortars used in the UK today are more prone to future cracking and break-up than to surface erosion, as they are mostly based on polymer modified cements, and resistant to erosion, but their high compressive and relatively low flexural strengths make them rigid, to the extent of being somewhat brittle. As a result, and especially when used in the variable widths and depths of the joints in this type of paving, cracking soon occurs under dynamic loading from traffic and thermal movement.
This type of repointing is almost always doomed to premature failure, as the joints in such ‘smaller format’ paving (less than 400 x 400mm) are integral to accommodating lateral movement and stress transfer to the substrate, which is why the tensile/flexural strengths and elastic e-modulus of the jointing material is more important than just
inspections of major local authority and commercial projects around the UK that are now up to 15 years old, with some in Germany now more than 20 years old, and still going strong! GftK’s vdw 850 Paving Joint Mortar is undoubtedly the ideal solution for repointing urban paving with smaller format natural stone setts in public spaces. Tel: 01257 266 nccstreetscape.co.uk696
ADVERTORIAL
• The pointing must not allow cement grout water run-off into local drainage
• Repointing products must harden quickly to return to service, then they must resist aggressive mechanical street cleaning machines with high pressure water jetting and rotary brushes – and the use of de-icing salts in winter!
This is a technically demanding specification, with strict limitations for the installation, and then the pointing materials performance in service. It should now be clear that these requirements can NOT easily and satisfactorily be met by most paving jointing materials or products.
s the trend for outdoor living grows, the garden is swiftly becoming ‘the fifth room’ where homeowners can relax, connect with natures, and focus on wellbeing. Trend analyst Scarlet Opus predicts that outdoor living will only become more popular in the wake of the pandemic1, with homeowners expecting the same level of comfort and convenience as in any other room in their house.
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 2022A92
1 KeyTrendsfor2022, Scarlet Opus, 2022 KeyTrendsfor2022, Scarlet Opus, 2022 for 2022, Marshalls, 2021
Three
INDOORS OUTDOORS
Outdoor living is expected to develop into a year-round phenomenon in the UK, much as ‘cold-city’ populations do in other countries. This presents a challenge and an opportunity to UK trades that have historically been firmly divided between indoor and outdoor skill sets. The rise of matching porcelain tiles in kitchens and patios is just one example of this crossover. While some designers embrace zoning with texture and colour, others aspire to the increased feeling of space and flow created by uninterrupted flooring. For the perfect outdoor living space, you need to get the details just right: level flooring throughout, a smooth finish and quality materials.
Azpects also supplies EASYPrime, a high-performing primer for use on natural stone and porcelain paving. Suitable for interior and exterior use, EASYPrime ensures full and permanent contact is achieved with the mortar in the bedding layer for a strong, long-lasting finish. Both EASYGrout and EASYPrime are supplied in three 5kg bags, allowing users to mix only as much as they need and reducing waste product.
Marshalls identified grey as the most popular colour for interior and exterior flooring, with grey patios favoured
Available in four stylish colours –including the new Blanco shade, created to meet a rising demand for pale grout options – this slurry grout is specially designed for porcelain and ceramic tiles. Stone supplier
To find out more about EASYGrout or EASYPrime, visit azpects.co.uk.
AZPECTS HAS IDEAL SOLUTIONS TO CREATE THE OUTDOORYEAR-ROUNDPERFECTSPACE
will continue into 2022, with an increase in patterned porcelain tiles adding interest to step risers and seating areas.
The fifth room
thispredictsMarshallsspacesoutdoorindoorbetweentransitionacreatingforsmoothand3thattrend
Perfect finish
The garden is no longer just a place to grow vegetables; it is now an extension of the home itself, providing space for cooking, dining or even working.
UK consumers are demanding more performance from their outdoor spaces than ever before, so it’s vital for landscapers to find the products that will help them deliver a long-lasting luxury experience.
FOR THE PERFECT OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE , YOU NEED TO GET THE DETAILS JUST RIGHT: LEVEL FLOORING THROUGHOUT, A SMOOTH FINISH AND QUALITY MATERIALS
2 Three
3 GardenTrends
BRINGING THE
ADVERTORIAL
For the perfect finish to porcelain tiles look no further than EASYGrout from Azpects. EASYGrout mixes readily with water to give a highly flowable grouting mortar ideal for use on interior and exterior tiled floor surfaces where a resilient, compact grout joint is needed. EASYGrout is particularly suitable for areas subject to sustained traffic such as kitchens and outdoor living areas.
The increase in time spent at home during lockdown has reinforced the value of gardens for mental wellbeing. From cooking and baking to grow-your-own vegetables, more people than ever are embracing the kitchen garden as a wellness centre for the home2
Natural stone effect paving will always be popular, but this trend is being taken to a new level with porcelain products inspired by the beautiful and intricate cross-sections of volcanic rock. The three contemporary tones of Lavastone in Ivory, Grey and Anthracite can bring a touch of Tuscany to your outdoor entertaining space. Team it with Vesuvio Anthracite or Grey porcelain wall.
Having seen larger porcelain tiles grow in popularity over recent years, we’re now seeing a growing demand for more compact outdoor porcelain. Smaller tiles, such as a 600x400mm format and porcelain setts, make a practical and characterful choice for smaller spaces and courtyard gardens. They can also work well when used alongside larger format tiles to provide contrast and interest to more expansive areas of paving.
TREND: LARGE FORMAT PORCELAIN PAVING
LATEST PRODUCTS & TRENDS
KEBUR.CO.UK
PORCELAIN PAVING
TREND: EXPANDING TRADITIONAL PORCELAIN SIZE FORMATSKEBUR
Designers and landscapers are using large format porcelain to create ultra-modern patios and terraces, as well as being used to create statement pathways and ‘lift’ areas by adding pale tones. Consumers tend to go for products which have less joints, as that’s where the eye is drawn, so the new larger format 800x800mm tiles are a great choice.
Product Kebur Contempo Forum Porcelain Paving Price £44.95
Product 800x800mm Porcelain Price £46.75 m2 exc. VAT (online price for trades)
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 93 EDUCATE
LONDON STONE
TREND: OUTDOORVOLCANIC-INSPIREDPORCELAINPAVING
Product CTD Porcelain Paving – Lavastone and Vesuvio Price Lavastone £44.99 per m2, Vesuvio £59.99 per m2
CTDTILES.CO.UK
CTD TILES
Hardy&©Floral LONDONSTONE.CO.UK
STONE ZONE & LANDSCAPING CENTRE
TREND: LARGE, MONOCHROME PORCELAIN TILES STILL REMAIN SUPREME
Product Sienna Anthracite Black Porcelain Paving Price £38.39 (inc. VAT)
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202294 EDUCATE
PAVESTONE
PRIMETHORPE PAVING
Product Calibra Silver Grey (600x600x20 mm) Price £30.59m2 (trade price)
Porcelain paving is Stone Zone’s bestselling product range, with its new Sienna® range paving the way forward. Sienna Anthracite Black has a stunning marbled effect throughout the paving slabs which exudes modern sophistication for any garden entertainment area. Sienna® is vitrified and made from high-quality pure clays and minerals, calibrated to a 20mm thickness. For an on-trend garden this year, choose Sienna Porcelain Paving for your next garden project.
We felt a surge in popularity in cream, or lighter colour porcelain paving slabs at the start of the year. But halfway into the season, it's clear that grey and black tiles are still the champions of the porcelain industry. Monochrome/grey patios are still the go-to choice for the majority, with larger tiles remaining more popular than smaller versions.
TREND: THE MODERN MARBLED EFFECT IS BECOMING POPULAR FOR ENTERTAINMENTSOPHISTICATEDAREAS
STONE-ZONE.UK
Pavestone is seeing significant demand for light to mid-grey stone-effect porcelain paving (polished marble, honed dolomite, honed quartzite, honed limestone and honed chert) along with polished concrete effect porcelain, also in lighter to mid greys. The popularity of the lighter greys mirrors the same demand in natural stone (Kandla Grey Sandstone and ‘Black’ Kadapha Limestone), and is likely due to its neutral aesthetic that allows it to work with a broad range of property types and styles.
Product Masso Grey Porcelain & Modello Black Porcelain Price £19.80 and £20.10 respectively (trade price)
TREND: CONSUMER DEMAND TRANSITIONING FROM NATURAL STONE TO PORCELAIN PAVING, WITH SIMILAR COLOUR SELECTION
PAVESTONE.CO.UK
PRIMETHORPEPAVING.CO.UK
Design, Installation & Maintenance of Landscape Irrigation Systems and Water Features 01963 824166 info@waterscapeslimited.com@waterscapesltd sales@screwshop.co.uk 0121 559 8866 FOR ALL YOUR FASTENER AND SCREW REQUIREMENTS rootgrow.co.uk • info@plantworksuk.co.uk • 01795 411527 www.access-irrigation.co.uk • sales@access-irrigation.co.uk 01788 823811 FOR ALL YOUR IRRIGATION NEEDS Design and Advice • Irrigation Parts Catalogue 24/7 Online Parts Ordering www.shadewww.shade -solutions.comsolutions.comShade SolutionsShade Solutions Tel 0345 230 9697 • www.lws.uk.com For all your golf, sportsturf and landscape irrigation needs. Buy online at www.lws.uk.com CLASSIFIED
PLANTING AND STYLING TEAM MEMBER – SHEFFIELD, S25
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
GARTENART
EXPERIENCED LANDSCAPE PERSON
Location: Surrey, Sussex
SALESPERSON
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202296 JOBS
Bestall & Co is looking for a planting and styling team member to successfully deliver its in-house planting and aftercare services. Responsibilities include: setting out and planting gardens in line with agreed planting procedures and plans at various locations within daily driving distance of its operations hub in S25, She eld; completing allocated projects within given time frames; and aftercare of client gardens.
SWIMMING MAINTENANCEPONDASSISTANT
GARTENART
Gartenart is currently looking for a motivated and enthusiastic junior landscaper to join its swimming pond maintenance team. No prior experience is necessary; however, a willingness to work hard in a variety of weather conditions is essential. Work will consist of working alongside another maintenance operative to carry out cleaning of existing swimming ponds. Full driving license is essential, as is a professional appearance.
The ideal candidate will have at least two years of experience in landscaping or other construction work. Prior knowledge of swimming pond construction is not necessary. Good organisational skills are essential, as are excellent communication skills, the ability to work successfully as part of a team, and good problem-solving skills. This is an opportunity to get established and take a long-term role. Full driving license essential, as is a professional appearance. Candidates will need their own transport (paid mileage).
JUNIOR LANDSCAPE PERSON
Location: Yorkshire
Ecosulis specialise in technology-empowered nature restoration for people, planet, and progress. It sees making rewilding commercially viable to accelerate the vision of a recoverable earth within our lifetime. Reporting to the project manager, the successful candidate will be help deliver a wide range of projects including habitat creation and landscaping works. You will have a good understanding of site health and safety awareness, as well as the ability to solve problems whilst working as part of a close-knit team.
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
Location: Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey
BESTALL & CO LANDSCAPE DESIGN LTD
LANDSCAPER
Location: Cheshire
Location: Lancashire
ECOSULIS
Location: Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey
Gartenart Swimming Ponds is currently looking for a motivated, experienced landscaper to take a long-term role in the company. The ideal candidate will have at least three years of experience in hard and soft landscaping. Knowledge of water features and pond construction is an advantage, and good knowledge of small and large machinery is essential. Prior knowledge of swimming pond construction is not necessary. Most work is in the Home Counties, but stay-aways will often be required, some travel will be involved.
WRIGHT LANDSCAPES LTD
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
Location: Hertfordshire
A great opportunity has developed for an experienced gardener to support the Wright Landscapes maintenance team responsible for private estates. The ideal candidate will be a knowledgeable, enthusiastic gardener with an eye for detail, alongside experience with garden maintenance and garden machinery. Key responsibilities include: creating a positive impression with clients, presenting a professional and proactive attitude, and delivering a range of grounds maintenance duties to best horticultural practice.
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
LANDSCAPE SUPERVISOR
GARTENART
Civic Trees is a specialist company dealing with the supply, planting and relocation of semi-mature trees, as well as having a dedicated landscaping team. Due to continued growth, it is looking for an enthusiastic and reliable salesperson with a landscaping or horticultural background at its location in Radlett, Hertfordshire. You will be reviewing incoming enquiries, preparing, processing and estimating costs for commercial landscape contracts as well as learning about its tree planting and relocation business.
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
GLENDALE CIVIC TREES
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
Location: Oxfordshire
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
Wright Landscapes is currently seeking a skilled landscape supervisor to oversee and complete a range of work on both commercial and private projects. The role will predominantly involve soft landscaping works but will also include elements of hard landscaping as many of its sites require both. The company is seeking a motivated, proactive individual who can demonstrate the ability to manage a team to deliver a high quality of workmanship across its portfolio of construction projects.
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
WRIGHT LANDSCAPES LTD
GROUNDS MAINTENANCE OPERATIVE
HORTICULTURAL SALESPERSON
Gravitas Gardens Limited is a small and continually expanding garden care and landscaping company working on high end gardens in London. A fulltime garden care assistant is required for mobile maintenance. Working with a team leader on a mobile garden care round, you will be required to help maintain and improve standards in the gardens of some very prestigious properties in London. The main areas to be covered are West, South West and North West London.
Landscape Services is looking for a grounds maintenance operative to deliver grounds maintenance works and related tasks on several sites. This role will involve a range of operations including grass cutting, border works and hedge cutting, setting out and marking sports eld and related works. The successful applicant will be self-motivated and able to demonstrate knowledge of, and consideration towards, health and safety, and safe work practices.
Bengers now requires an arb contract manager within its new and developing arboricultural department based at its head o ce in Dalwood, near Axminster, Devon. Embrace the challenges and excitement as you play a fundamental role in growing its arb & site clearance faculty. Amongst other requirements, the successful applicant will have strong arboricultural knowledge, wide practical experience of tree surgery operations and a suitable selection of practical tickets and quali cations.
HARD AND SOFT LANDSCAPING TEAM LEADER
FULL-TIME GARDEN CARE ASSISTANT
Instant Hedges requires a full or part-time, experienced, salesperson to join its busy on-site sales team. The right candidate will have experience of working in plant sales at either a garden centre or plant nursery. You will have a desire to gain knowledge and understanding of the horticultural industry. You will have strong communication and customer service skills and be able to build strong customer relationships. You will be required to guide customers to solutions for their tree and hedge requirements.
Wright Landscapes is seeking a motivated, proactive individual to deliver a high quality of workmanship across its portfolio of construction projects. This role will involve soft landscaping work which involves working with natural materials and other landscape elements including tur ng, tree planting, hedge & shrub installation and so on. The role will also include hard landscaping, be it working with concrete, paving, fencing, or natural stone.
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
LANDSCAPE OPERATIVE (HARD/SOFT EXPERIENCE)
WRIGHT LANDSCAPES LTD
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
INSTANT HEDGES
SKIDMORES OF HERTFORD LTD
Location: Oxfordshire
CSCS CERTIFIED SUPERVISORS AND GENERAL OPERATIVES
SKILLED LANDSCAPER & TEAM LEADER
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 97 JOBS For full details on all jobs, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk Call 01903 777 570 or email mark.wellman@eljays44.com with your vacancy
LANDSCAPE SERVICES
Location: Devon
Skidmores Ltd is looking for individuals or teams made up of CSCS-certi ed supervisors and general operatives who have experience in soft and hard landscaping, including maintenance. Candidates must have knowledge of the landscape industry, will have up-to-date training certi cates, be exible and be familiar with construction site working environments. A clean driving license is preferred but not essential.
Aoba Landscapes has an exciting opportunity for a skilled landscaper to lead a small landscaping team at its award-winning company. To be successful in this role you will have a positive ‘can do’ attitude and be able to lead, organise and motivate your team to deliver high end gardens for our clients in West London and the surrounding areas. Ideal candidates will have a keen eye for detail and a proven track record in all aspects of landscape construction.
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
TONY BENGER LANDSCAPING
GROUNDS MAINTENANCE OPERATIVE
Location: London
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
Location: London
WOODLAND TRUMPETS
Location: London
Location: Buckinghamshire
Location: Cheshire
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
GRAVITAS GARDENS LIMITED
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
For more details, please go to horticulturecareers.co.uk
Location: Kent
AOBA LANDSCAPES
Woodland Trumpets is an established gardening and landscaping business with 10+ years’ experience of managing private gardens and estates across the Cotswolds. It is looking for a hard and soft landscaping team leader to cover all aspects of garden maintenance across a range of estate properties/ private gardens and build from scaled plans. Applicants should have a portfolio of construction work with a minimum of three years’ experience.
ARB CONTRACT MANAGER
What’s the latest tool you refuse to work without? A phone and computer!
All gardens as each one is unique and has a story to tell.
Describe yourself in three words. Kind, funny, thoughtful.
Which garden inspires you the most?
prolandscapermagazine .comPro Landscaper / June 202298 EDUCATE
What is your biggest pet peeve? Lateness.
INTERVIEWLITTLETHEPRO TAKEASKSLANDSCAPERQUICK-FIREQUESTIONSTOGAINASMALLINSIGHTINTOTHEPEOPLEWHOMAKEUPOURINDUSTRY.TOPART,EMAIL ELJAYS44.COMCONTENT@
What would you like to see happen next in the landscape industry?
Besides horticulture, what are you most passionate about? Dance.
What would you like to see happen next in the landscape industry?
If I were asked this six years ago, I would've said road cycling, but seeing as I've not ridden for a while, it would now be golf. Landscapes
LEWIS GOOD
More women being recognised within their sectors of work.
If you could win an Olympic medal for anything, real or made up, what would it be?
That depends on whether I'd have to work or not. If not, it would likely be somewhere like Greece, where I can sit on the beach and enjoy the sunshine with a beer and watch as the world goes by.
My first ‘proper’ job was a summer job working in the menswear area of British Home Stores. I then went on to begin training as a sparky with my uncle.
Besides horticulture, what are you most passionate about?
I'm a member of Round Table, a social organisation for young men aged 18 – 45 that is a force for good across Great Britain and Ireland.
Always trust your instincts.
If you had to live in another country, which would it be? Australia.
The grounds at Bruisyard Country Estate, Suffolk. I'm getting married there in June, and it's a lovely mix of historic and modern features.
What was your first job?
What was your first job? Working in a sports shop.
newlooklandscapes.co.uk azpects.co.uk NewDirector,Look
Sales support & training manager, Azpects Ltd BECKY LANE
I'd like to see more structured regulations, more so to protect homeowners from "cowboy builders".
Which garden inspires you the most?
Best piece of advice you’ve been given?
If you could win an Olympic medal for anything, real or made up, what would it be? Pole dancing – a sport I currently do!
City break or beach holiday? Beach holiday.
If you had to live in another country, which would it be?
Ltd
If you had to live in another country, which would it be? Italy for the food and history!
What was your first job?
What would you like to see happen next in the landscape industry? More women in landscaping.
If you could win an Olympic medal for anything, real or made up, what would it be? Best dressed! PAULA WARMAN EDWARD FLAXMAN BECS NEWMAN
Best piece of advice you’ve been given? Everything is happening exactly as it means to.
What would you like to see happen next in the landscape industry? More diversity.
Measure twice, cut once. I apply this to almost everything I do from designing to materials selection.
Besides horticulture, what are you most passionate about? My family.
Besides horticulture, what are you most passionate about?
What was your first job? Taxi call handler.
Besides horticulture, what are you most passionate about? Health and fitness.
What’s the latest tool you refuse to work without? My phone.
City break or beach holiday? Probably neither. I’d head towards the wilderness.
I’ve recently taken up pottery.
A materials bank with truly transparent life cycle assessments, readily accessible.
I grew up on a farm so all things farming from about the age of eight.
prolandscapermagazine .com Pro Landscaper / June 2022 99 EDUCATE
What’s the latest tool you refuse to work without?
What is at the top of your bucket list?
Which garden inspires you the most? Kew is pretty impressive.
Describe yourself in three words.
What’s the latest tool you refuse to work without?
Leap empty-handed into the void.
Approachable, laid-back, creative.
To see the Northern Lights.
What is your biggest pet peeve? Laziness.
Which garden inspires you the most? Upton House and Garden designed by Kitty Lloyd-Jones – she persevered in a ‘man’s world' in the 1920s and was one of the first women to gain a degree in agriculture and horticulture in 1924.
Best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Describe yourself in three words. Positive, loyal, social.
The new iPad Pro has transformed the way we work. We are completely paperless and can sketch on the job.
Which garden inspires you the most?
If you could win an Olympic medal for anything, real or made up, what would it be? Allotmenting.
Rose secateurs for my three ‘Harlow Carr’ bushes from David Austin Rose.
thelandscaperscircle.co.uk designstudio31.co.uk wild owerturf.co.uk TheOwner,Landscaper’s Circle StudioDirector,31 Landscape Architects O ce manager, Wild ower Turf
What would you like to see happen next in the landscape industry?
I enjoy gardens that nature has taken back or a garden that has a story.
What is your biggest pet peeve? Narrow mindedness.
Describe yourself in three words.
City break or beach holiday? City break.
If you had to live in another country, which would it be? The Netherlands.
Driven, impatient, crazy.
What was your first job?
I worked in a shoe shop as a Saturday girl at 14 and loved receiving 50% off.
Best piece of advice you’ve been given?
woodscape_street_furniturewoodscapeltdwoodscapegroup01254 685 woodscape.co.uksales@woodscape.co.uk185 Bespoke Street Furniture #designthenation canary wharf, london
