Pro Landscaper May 2021 by Eljays44

MAY 2O21

PERGOLA PERFECTION ANTHEA HARRISON GARDEN DESIGN

NORDLAND LANDSCAPES

REACTING TO THE ROADMAP

HTA DESIGN

SORTING THE SUBBASE

The newcomer making its mark in north London

Sue Biggs on the RHS’ bold plans for 2021

Receiving recognition for its landscape architecture

Gareth Wilson on one common landscaping mistake

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WELCOME

W E LCO M E A

a devastating year behind it by revealing the opening date of its fifth garden and going full steam ahead with the preparation for its summer show season which culminates with the delayed Chelsea Flower Show in September. We’re also putting together an event line-up to celebrate being able to come together again from June, starting with the Pro Landscaper Business Awards. Our shortlist has been announced and we’ll be returning to East Wintergarden in Canary Wharf to reveal the winners. Entries have also opened for our small project BIG IMPACT Awards, the branding of which has undergone a refresh. Keep an eye out in our next issue for the launch of our search for this year’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation too. Boris Johnson has assured us, again and again, that the stops on this roadmap are “irreversible”, so we’re looking ahead – cautiously but optimistically. And we’re counting down the days until we can bring the industry together, face to face, once again.

NINA

THE GROUNDS MAINTENANCE MARKET IS BOOMING, AS IS THE DOMESTIC ONE

fter more than a year of our on-off relationship with lockdown, we’re finally starting to distance ourselves from its constraints – this time for good, hopefully. And at the heart of the most recent lift in restrictions is our outdoor spaces. Until 17 May, we’re limited to meeting our loved ones outside, and with that comes a growing appreciation of the parks and green spaces which allow this to happen. Socially distanced circles can now be seen scattered across any grassy spot they can find, from Green Flag parks to roadside verges and, of course, pub gardens. Unsurprisingly, then, the grounds maintenance market is booming, as is the domestic one, with gardens remaining key for spending time with friends and family. Our Barometer this month shows 73% of domestic landscapers had more enquiries through than the previous month and a whopping 91% said they were more confident in the market. They’re not the only ones feeling more positive about what 2021 has in store. The RHS is putting

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Pro Landscaper / May 2021

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CONTENTS

INSPIRE 37 40

INFORM 08 13 16 20 21

News Our monthly roundup of industry news

44 49 53

A Warm Welcome BlueFish Landscaping Contractors Ltd Pergola Perfection Anthea Harrison Garden Design Learning Landscape HOS Landscapes Enjoying the Great Outdoors Anji Connell

Landscape Architect’s Journal HTA Design

NURTURE

Inside: Nordland Landscapes With MD Daniel O’Neill

View from the Top Sue Biggs And The Planting…? Andrew Wilson

Choosing to Change Christopher Martin

IQ 25 32 33 4

UK Landscape Barometer The latest industry stats Construction’s Endless Summer Neil Edwards Considering Colour Eva Woode

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61 62 64 67 69

Encourage Clients To Go Wild Nick Coslett Automation and Miniaturisation Lewis Normand Behavioural Benefits Keith Sacre Covering All Bases Noel Kingsbury Making it Look Easy Steve McCurdy Nursery Focus Readyhedge It’s Not What We Do, It’s The Way That We Do It Watermatic

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CONTENTS

M AY 2 0 2 1 E D U C AT E 73 74 75 76 79 81 82 84 86 89

Sorting the Subbase Gareth Wilson Get Ready, Get Tech and Go Alison Warner Steer Clear of a Claim Ilan Braha and Jason McKenzie of Oracle Solicitors Dealing With Delegation Nick Ruddle The Lost Art of Staying Safe Angus Lindsay

94 53

Product DNA: Reesink C3 range of aerating fountains from Otterbine Financing Chippers Suppliers explain the options

MAY 2O21

Materials Focus Porcelain paving with CASATUA Stone Paving Sourcing and sustainability Creating Outdoor Spaces Together Bailey Street Furniture

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PEOPLE 93 94 98

30 Under 30 Update James Sadler Life/Style Kim Morrish Little Interviews Questions with the individuals who make up our industry

PERGOLA PERFECTION ANTHEA HARRISON GARDEN DESIGN

NORDLAND LANDSCAPES

REACTING TO THE ROADMAP

HTA DESIGN

SORTING THE SUBBASE

The newcomer making its mark in north London

Sue Biggs on the RHS’ bold plans for 2021

Receiving recognition for its landscape architecture

Gareth Wilson on one common landscaping mistake

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To receive a copy of Pro Landscaper, please contact Joe Wilkinson. Email joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com or call 01903 777570.

Pro Landscaper / May 2021

22/04/2021 16:42

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CONTRIBUTORS

CO N T R I B U TO R S SUE BIGGS Since the pandemic first hit, the RHS has been forced to cancel its shows and adapt its gardens with new COVID-19 measures. But with a roadmap out of lockdown in place, the RHS has big plans for the coming months, including the opening of its fifth garden and Chelsea later in the year.

P16

W W W.RHS.ORG.UK

CHRISTOPHER MARTIN P21

@THE_RHS

Neil Edwards

EVA WOODE P33

Business is booming in the construction industry, with plenty of work to go around. But surges in the sector are followed by dramatic downturns – at least, this is what usually happens, says Neil Edwards. But could the ‘new normal’ change the typical trend and keep construction on a high?

P32

W W W.BUILDERSCONFERENCE.CO.UK

ANJI CONNELL P49

Nick Coslett How can we encourage clients to incorporate more biodiversity into their gardens? And what products are available to help entice wildlife? Nick Coslett suggests books for inspiration as well as products, such as bee hotels and bat shelters, which can be used in a variety of schemes.

P59

NOEL KINGSBURY P62

@MADABOUTPLANTS

Gareth Wilson

ALISON WARNER P74

As an expert witness, there’s no-one better placed to share common landscaping mistakes – and how to avoid them – than Gareth. He joins us as a regular contributor, tackling a different issue each month, starting with choosing a subbase for paving which isn’t quite as straightforward as it sounds.

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W W W.GKWILSONLANDSCAPING.CO.UK

CONTACT

Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA Tel: 01903 777 570 EDITORIAL Editorial director – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 579 Head of content – Nina Mason nina.mason@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 393 Deputy head of content – Rachael Forsyth rachael.forsyth@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 578 Equipment editor – Rachel Gordon proarbeditor@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 Subeditor – Katrina Roy katrina.roy@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 391 Subeditor – Sam Seaton sam.seaton@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 391

Design – Kara Thomas, Kirsty Turek ADVERTISING Business development manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 585 Head of sales – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 587 Horticulture Careers – Alex Olley alex.olley@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 Managing director – Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 589 MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Tel: 01903 777 570 Subscription enquiries – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 577

@GKWILSONGARDENS

ANGUS LINDSAY P79

Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd – Connecting Horticulture. Pro Landscaper’s content is available for licensing overseas. Contact jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Pro Landscaper is published 12 times per year by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2021 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. Whilst every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine. We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.

Pro Landscaper is proud to be an affiliate member of BALI

The Association of

Professional Landscapers

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

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

Cover image ©Monty's Photography www.montysphotography.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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INFORM

NEWS TIVOLI WINS NEW CONTRACT WITH ENGLISH HERITAGE

ivoli Group Ltd has announced the expansion of its work with English Heritage, following a new contract award covering the South East Region. Tivoli has been working with English Heritage since 2003, delivering highspecification grounds maintenance to prominent historic sites including Osborne House, Carisbrooke Castle, Yarmouth Castle and Appuldurcombe House. This new commission includes an additional 14 landmark locations across the south east of England, including Bramber Castle, Bishop’s Waltham Palace, Fort Brockhurst, Southwick Priory, Waverley Abbey, Portsmouth Royal Garrison Church and Wolvesey Palace. Tivoli’s contract, which commenced on 1 April 2021, runs for an

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Pro Landscaper / May 2021

initial five-year period with a possible two-year extension and will ensure that these unique and irreplaceable historic grounds, gardens and woodlands are maintained to the highest standard. Services delivered will include large-scale grass cutting operations; aeration works; hedge cutting; shrub border maintenance; weed control; tree base maintenance and removal of epicormic growth; control and management of invasive weeds; and pond and ditch maintenance. Tivoli will also be responsible for the maintenance of high-profile lawns which attract large-scale audiences. This requires an integrated solution for weed and disease management, along with top-dressing and over-seeding, all of which needs to be carried out in accordance with the sites’ historic nature. Spencer Rock, Tivoli’s chief operations officer, said: “Tivoli is absolutely delighted to have secured this prestigious contract. We are very proud of our track record with English Heritage and are pleased to have the opportunity to continue and grow our working relationship. “Maintaining the landscape at these historic sites is an important responsibility, and we are committed to continuously finding innovative and sustainable ways to deliver the highest standards for our client and the wider visiting public,” closes Spencer. www.tivoliservices.com

BENNET T L A N DSCA PES & MA INTE N A N CE REBR A NDS

idlands-based Bennett Landscapes & Maintenance Ltd has recently rebranded and unveiled a new company logo, redesigned website, service vehicles and uniform. Since 2003, Bennett Landscapes & Maintenance has been supplying a comprehensive range of services to both the public and private sector. As a thirdgeneration family business, Bennett has evolved into a 78-strong head office and grounds personnel team, growing at a rate of 40% YoY, and it is set to expand further in 2021.

The new website highlights the company’s core business in grounds maintenance, incorporating both soft and hard landscaping to provide a one-stop management solution. Bennett’s rebrand has been a collaborative project over the past six months with creative agency Sevensun, with its logo and website showcasing a fresh new look for the company, whilst utilising a responsive and easy-tonavigate design. Matt Bennett, managing director of Bennett Landscapes, says: “I’m extremely proud of our company and all of our teams working across the service departments and we’re excited with our brand upgrade. “I feel it suits the innovative, progressive nature of our business and aligns us perfectly with how we’re taking the business forward to the next level.” www.bennettlandscapes.co.uk

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INFORM

PRO LANDSCAPER’S SMALL PROJECT BIG IMPACT AWARDS LAUNCH FOR 2021

ntries are now open for Pro Landscaper’s small project BIG IMPACT Awards 2021. The ceremony will take place at FutureScape Expo 2021 on Tuesday 16 November from 12pm-2pm. This initiative heralds the smaller projects that often slip under the radar or don’t qualify for entry in the industry association awards due to size or value. This year, Pro Landscaper has raised the budget limit from £25,000 to £30,000 in four of the seven categories. A new category – Sustainable Garden under £30,000 – has also been added for 2021. The ‘Big Impact’ of each entry will be appraised by leading professionals within the garden design and build sectors, judging each project for its quality in construction and design. The entry deadline for 2021 is the 27 August 2021. Entries will then be whittled down into a shortlist, which will go to the esteemed panel for judging. The categories available to enter this year are: • Build under £30,000 • Design under £30,000 • Design & Build under £30,000 • Hard Landscaping under £30,000 • Planting Design under £20,000 • Special Feature under £20,000 • Sustainable garden under £30,000

Pro Landscaper’s managing director Jim Wilkinson comments: “The Pro Landscaper small project BIG IMPACT Awards return this year, and these projects are more important than ever for our industry. “The COVID-19 pandemic has led a lot of the general public into their gardens, and as a consequence has made them realise how important a well-designed, well-built and wellplanted outdoor space really is. “Hopefully, the excellent businesses in this industry will be proud of the work they’ve put in, during some of the most difficult circumstances we’ve ever experienced, and they will be rewarded by winning a Pro Landscaper small project BIG IMPACT Award in 2021.” To enter your projects, call Mark Wellman on 01903 777 570 or email mark.wellman@eljays44.com. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ small-project-big-impact

SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARDS 2021

he shortlist for the Pro Landscaper Business Awards 2021 has been revealed. This year, the awards – now in their fourth year – saw a 90%+ increase in entries on the previous year. The judges will

now spend time analysing the entries to decide a winner in each of the 14 categories, one of the newest of which is Sustainable Company of the Year, sponsored by Bourne Amenity. Seven companies have been shortlisted for this category and will be vying for the title. “Getting the shortlist down was an extremely tough job this year,” says

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Eljays44’s managing director Jim Wilkinson. “We have had a record number of entries. It’s now down to our judges to decide the overall category winners. “We can’t wait to host a live event again, especially the Pro Landscaper Business Awards which is without a doubt a special one for the Pro Landscaper team. Congratulations to the shortlist – we look forward to greeting you all on 25 June.” The full shortlist for this year’s awards can be viewed on the Pro Landscaper website. All of the winners will be announced on Friday 25 June 2021 at the East Wintergarden in Canary Wharf, London. You can now book your tickets to attend. www.prolandscaperbusinessawards.com

NEWS IN BRIEF TRAVIS PERKINS GENDER PAY GAP HALVED IN LATEST REPORT Travis Perkins plc has published its latest pay gap report, which shows that the gender pay gap halved compared to the previous year. Across the group, the mean gender pay gap (which measures the average pay difference between Travis Perkins’ 28,000 male and female colleagues) narrowed to 5% in 2020 from 10% in 2019. www.travisperkins.co.uk

BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF LANDSCAPE INDUSTRIES LAUNCHES FRESH NEW BRAND The British Association of Landscape Industries has unveiled its new look ahead of its 50th year in business in 2022, marking the start of a new chapter in the Trade Association’s prestigious history. Spearheading the brand is the Association’s fresh, contemporary new identity, boldly updated for 2021 while celebrating its heritage. www.bali.org.uk

CULTURA GROUP RELOCATES TO BEXHILL ENTERPRISE PARK The Cultura Group has moved from St. Leonardson-Sea to the Bexhill Enterprise Park. The new office space will be home to the company’s business support, finance, commercial and operational administration teams. This new regional office will complement Cultura’s state of the art head office in Tilford, Surrey. www.culturagroup.co.uk

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Online Exclusives STEP ASIDE SHEDS – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SHRED THIS YEAR Exo-Gym has brought a versatile gym rig to people’s gardens. “There’s a whole market of people who don’t want to go to the gym and are rethinking their gardens; spending more time at home,” says Exo-Gym founder Alex Evans. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ step-aside-sheds-its-all-about-theshred-this-year/

GROUND CONTROL: BECOMING CARBON NEUTRAL We speak to director Kim Morrish and environmental lead Chris Bawtree about how Ground Control achieved the goal of becoming carbon neutral four years ahead of schedule and what advice they have for companies trying to do the same. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ ground-control-becoming-carbonneutral/

OVÆDA LAUNCHES TO UK MARKET

VÆDA Ltd. is pleased to announce its launch to the UK market, providing a range of premium landscaping products for creating luxurious outdoor environments. Continuing with the success of Ryno Ltd, the market leading provider of paving and decking systems for the high-rise and commercial market, OVÆDA will be focused on domestic markets through approved installers and direct-to-consumer via its ecommerce site. Based in Ellon, Aberdeenshire and Cranleigh, Surrey, OVÆDA will work together with landscapers, garden designers, and architects to create irresistible environments which promote health and bring value to both domestic gardens and commercial settings. Its new website offers the Natura™ Composite Decking, Rocco™ Porcelain Paving, all-season Canopies and Pergolas from our Airspace™ range, and the revolutionary Tectonic™ landscape framing system. Company director Anton White, said: “We’re excited to take the attributes which

GROUNDS CARE GROUP ACQUIRES GREEN & TIDY LANDSCAPES LTD

S BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN: THE BURDEN OF PROOF Dr Abigail Barke of Natural Capital Research, talks of the importance of benchmarking biodiversity. “Policymakers, mindful of the impact on biodiversity, have put rules in place designed to maintain, or even improve, biodiversity stocks.” www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ biodiversity-net-gain-the-burdenof-proof/

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urrey-based Grounds Care Group has completed the acquisition of Green & Tidy Landscapes Ltd. The deal reinforces the firm’s position as a market leading provider of grounds care and landscaping services, strengthening its offering in the Thames Valley region.

As well as Green & Tidy’s client base, Grounds Care Group will also take on all staff members, equipment and facilities, including the Green & Tidy depot in Moulsford, Oxfordshire. The additional infrastructure will enable Grounds Care Group to expand its geographical reach and expertise in a range of grounds care solutions and services.

have cemented our group company Ryno Ltd as the market leader in its field, into the domestic market. With our innovative energy and market leading products, we look forward to collaborating with our clients to imagine and create irresistible outdoors spaces for people to enjoy. Whether we’re transforming a domestic garden, creating an outdoor seating area for a restaurant, or providing an environment for people to relax in the city centre, our aim is to provide people with Space to Breathe™.” www.ovaeda.com This is a paid for advertisement.

Green & Tidy will continue to trade under its own name across Oxford, Milton Keynes and the wider Thames Valley region, under its well-established brand, which has built up a reputation for providing quality grounds and tree care. It will move under the Grounds Care Group brand from November 2021. The acquisition is part of a growth strategy by Grounds Care Group, which has bold ambitions to further grow its services across the South of England, as CEO Adam Brindle explains: “The acquisition of Green & Tidy is a fantastic opportunity and a significant milestone in our strategy to create a Group offering clients the very best landscape maintenance, invasive weed removal and winter gritting services. “Both companies and our employees share similar values and a devotion to providing high quality grounds maintenance services and a commitment to customer satisfaction, striving for a long-term relationship with our customers. We are delighted to welcome the new Green & Tidy team to our Group. As a family business we are proud of the growth and success we have achieved and look forward to continuing our journey of expansion with plans for both organic and acquisition-based growth.” www.gcgrp.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

22/04/2021 16:57

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INFORM

NORDLAND LANDSCAPES NORDLAND LANDSCAPES MIGHT BE A YOUNG COMPANY, BUT ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH AWARD-WINNING GARDEN DESIGNERS AND AMBITIOUS NATURE MAKE IT A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH

t just three years’ old, Nordland Landscapes is a relative newcomer to the industry. Its managing director Daniel O’Neill, on the other hand, brings with him more than 25 years of experience, which is perhaps why Nordland Landscapes is already so ambitious. The London-based landscape construction company has been shortlisted twice for Pro Landscaper’s small project BIG IMPACT Awards and recently scooped a Silver Merit at the APL Awards 2021, having become a member of the association as soon as it was able. Daniel has worked tirelessly, since Nordland Landscapes’ inception, to build a reputation for the company within the high-end domestic market. Before taking the leap to set up his own business, he spent nearly 13 years working for a well-known design and build company within this market and moulded Nordland Landscapes from the experience – incorporating aspects he agreed with whilst leaving behind other aspects which were not quite as suitable to his approach. Over more than a decade with his former

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company, Daniel had progressed from a skilled team leader to a project manager – overseeing projects for prolific award-winning designers – to operations manager. Beforehand, he’d

I’D BEEN AN EMPLOYEE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MY CAREER AND I REACHED THE POINT WHERE BEING AN EMPLOYEE WASN’T ENOUGH ANYMORE worked for various landscaping companies after completing a two-year National Diploma in Landscape Construction from Merrist Wood College before he was 20 years’ old. After years of working for others, though, Daniel decided he wanted more flexibility.

DANIEL O’NEILL “I’d been an employee since the beginning of my career and I reached the point where being an employee wasn’t enough anymore,” explains Daniel. “I needed more freedom around work, especially with my daughter starting school. And I wanted to be my own boss, to make my own decisions – the hours I was putting in for someone else I could easily put into my own business for more personal reward and return.” So, in 2018, Daniel started from scratch, with plenty of industry knowledge but no clients or employees. He created branding based on his local area, Muswell Hill in North London, using

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INFORM

three hills in his logo. The name ‘Nordland’ loosely translates as ‘north land’, from the Danish word ‘nord’ for ‘north’; it’s a nod to his Danish wife as well as a reference to the area which the company covers. To start building a client base, Daniel dropped hundreds of leaflets through doors and created a presence on local social media groups. He also started to offer garden design as part of Nordland Landscapes’ services. “I marketed the company as design and build because I had no relationships, as a business,

with garden designers, so I offered a package which included a quotation and an outline plan. “As the company grew, the design side was put on hold as I started working with garden designers more and more; we’re now

YOU NEED THE RIGHT PEOPLE WORKING FOR YOU AND TO FIND THE RIGHT MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE WITH PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS a company which designers will recommend above our competitors. That’s not to say I wouldn’t offer design and build again, with a full-time garden designer working for Nordland Landscapes as well as contracting for other designers.” There are also plans to develop a maintenance offering, but this requires careful consideration, says Daniel. “It’s a very logistically challenging and labour-intensive part of the business to run, so it’s quite time-consuming. But it would be great, once we’ve built a garden, to be able to maintain it.”

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As well as growing the services Nordland Landscapes offers, Daniel is keen to grow the team. In three years, he’s gone from a sole trader to managing a team of four, and over the next couple of years he’s looking to increase his teams of landscapers, each with a dedicated team leader. As the business expands, he’s hoping to find permanent office space too.

“The opportunities for growth have to be there, but you have to force it to happen too – there’s a degree of risk on my part to take the jump, but you need the right people working for you and to find the right management structure with people who understand the business.” Finding the right people can be a challenge, though. The skills gap has been a hot topic in the industry for years, partly due to landscaping

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INFORM

not being seen as professional which can deter potential new recruits, says Daniel. So, he says he’s ‘thinking outside the box’ when it comes to recruiting. “I currently have someone working for me who’s the father of one of my long-term employees. He’s been a labourer – a painter and decorator – for years, and I needed the extra help, so he’s come on board and he’s been really good. He’s really reliable and he knows what’s expected of a day’s work. So, thinking outside the box has really helped and I would definitely look at doing that again.” Nordland Landscapes has been actively trying to expand for the last few months as business has boomed throughout the pandemic. “The first lockdown was a bit more difficult – we had to shut down when we were in the middle of a project. There were logistical challenges, too – I have a six-year-old daughter and my wife and I both work full-time, so we had to take time off to become teachers. Luckily, the clients were understanding, and I have a great team who I could trust to do the work. Each person within the business is key to making the cogs turn, there’s not one person we could do without.

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“The other challenge over the last year is managing people’s expectations – you want to keep everyone happy and it’s great to have so much work, but you have to manage people’s expectations of when the work will be done without having to stay up all night doing quotes.

WE’VE ROLLED WITH IT, FOLLOWED THE ADVICE, TRIED TO MAKE THE MOST OF A BAD SITUATION AND COME OUT OF IT A BIGGER AND BETTER COMPANY “We’ve not experienced anything, though, which has been detrimental to the business. We’ve rolled with it, followed the advice, tried to make the most of a bad situation and come out of it a bigger and better company.” Needless to say, Daniel is extremely optimistic about the

year ahead. “We have lots of great projects coming up; garden designers have been really busy, with a lot of work going through to quotation and consultation, and people are now prepared to spend more money on their gardens which is another bonus for us.” Nordland Landscapes might be in its infancy, but it’s already made huge strides in building its reputation within the industry, and there are now even more opportunities for it to flourish. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Corten raised planters APL award-winnning De Beauvoir urban retreat Led copper path lights spBI nominated Chiswick contemporary courtyard Muswell Hill modernist garden De Bouvoir town urabn retreat view from the house Raised planters and encaustic tiles Islington low maintenance front garden

C O N TA C T Nordland Landscapes Tel 020 3623 1361 Email info@nordlandlandscapes.co.uk

www.nordlandlandscapes.co.uk

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INFORM

S U E B I G GS REACTING TO THE ROADMAP

DESPITE THE DISRUPTION CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC, THE RHS CONTINUES TO ADAPT TO CHANGING RULES AND MAKE EXCITING PLANS, SAYS SUE BIGGS

WE HAVE CONTINUALLY ADAPTED OUR PLANS TO FIT THE ROADMAP AND I AM DELIGHTED THAT WE ARE STILL ABLE TO LOOK AHEAD AT AN EXCITING 2021 FOR ALL OF US IN HORTICULTURE I hope that this new garden really serves the local community and inspires many more people to get growing and maybe consider a career in horticulture and landscaping; the more we can do to encourage young people and career changers to work in our industry the better. Then on 24 June we will be opening the phenomenal RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science, at RHS Wisley. This centre will be the UK’s first dedicated centre of excellence for horticultural science and learning, helping to protect the future of plants, people and the ©RHS/Chris Gorman

AERIAL VIEW OF RHS HILLTOP – THE HOME OF GARDENING SCIENCE

We kick off with the opening of our beautiful new fifth garden – RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford – on 18 May. This was postponed from last year due to the pandemic, so we’re delighted to be able to welcome our first visitors.

Pro Landscaper / May 2021

VFTT Sue Biggs-2.indd 16

planet. It will encompass three cutting edge research labs, a new home for our precious herbarium, two learning studios and a teaching garden plus an atrium exhibition area, and three exciting new gardens designed by RHS Chelsea medal winners Matt Keightley and Ann-Marie Powell. And then it’s a busy summer of shows, COVID-safe of course! After having to cancel our show season in 2020 I am so excited to be back this year! RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival kicks off the season from 6 to 11 July, followed by RHS Flower Show Tatton Park from 21 to 25 July. And then, at the end of September, we have the return of the world’s greatest flower show – RHS Chelsea Flower Show is back from 21 to 26 September. After such a difficult year for so many of us, let’s hope that this gives our industry a real boost and we can all see each other again – we’ve missed you! Our shows are absolutely a team effort and I know we couldn’t put on such incredible and fun events without the support and hard work of all the landscapers, contractors, designers, growers, and everyone else behind the scenes who help make our shows happen! From all of us at the RHS, thank you so much and hope to see you very soon!

ABOUT SUE BIGGS Sue Biggs joined the RHS as director general in 2010 with 30 years’ experience in the leisure industry. She has led changes to make the RHS more inclusive and forward-thinking, including a £160m investment programme. Sue was made a CBE in 2017 for services to the environment and horticulture.

www.rhs.org.uk

Sue Biggs portrait ©RHS/Anna McCarthy

pring is well on the way with the daffodils and cherry blossom out; even some early magnolias and tulips, all looking absolutely beautiful – what a much-needed reminder that things are finally getting better! It’s been over a year now of living with COVID-19, lockdowns, social distancing and so on, and we still have a few more months of at least some regulations before things can hopefully start getting back to normal. But the roadmap out of lockdown means we have something to aim for and, thanks to the vaccine rollout, the most vulnerable are already protected from COVID-19 – and I am proud that the RHS Lindley Hall in London is being used as a vaccination clinic, helping the NHS deliver up to 1,500 vaccines per session. Like many of you, we have continually adapted our plans to fit the roadmap and I am delighted that we are still able to look ahead at an exciting 2021 for all of us in horticulture, an uplifting industry that we should all be so proud of for the solace and joy gardening and green spaces have given people this last year

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

22/04/2021 14:24

Saving aggregate, one paving job at a time with Azpects’ revolutionary new sub-base system We all know that sand is running out and aggregates are increasingly precious. In the UK we use around 250 million tonnes of aggregates each year and around 90 per cent of all aggregates are used by the construction industry. Azpects Ltd has been working on a solution to the aggregate problem when creating outdoor living spaces such as patios, paths and driveways. Our new product, EASYClickBase, is a synthetic sub-base which replaces the traditional ‘dig-out’, saving time, money and – importantly – aggregate. Early feedback shows that for a 60m2 domestic vehicular driveway, traditionally requiring the excavation of 15 tonnes of soil, and the import of 20 - 30 tonnes of sand and fine aggregates, EASYClickBase reduces excavation to around 2-4 tonnes and needs just 5 tonnes of replacement aggregate depending on site conditions.

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Introducing StreetPark: Beautiful & Functional Furniture Collections

ver the years, GreenBlue Urban have widely echoed the numerous worldwide studies on the importance of having trees in retail areas; proving that the presence of healthy mature trees positively influences shopping behaviour. These studies showed that customers are willing to pay 9 to 12% more for goods and services in a shopping area with large, well-cared-for trees. Sadly, as we know, the COVID pandemic has had a profound impact on our already struggling towns and cities. With an average 88% reduction in footfall across UK high streets and 75.9% on larger city centres, we face one of the biggest retail challenges seen since the arrivals of the department store, out of town retail parks and of course, online shopping. In safer times GreenBlue hopes to see the return of the street market, attracting localised custom and restored social interaction. Outdoor open spaces need to be used more effectively for health and wellbeing, training equipment available for all ages and public

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areas enhanced for educational purposes. We will, no doubt, see more leisure and hospitality opportunities appearing, with outside dining and event spaces being created. GreenBlue Urban believes that there will be many more urban pedestrianised areas with dedicated nearby areas for EV Charging – recreating our town centres as destinations where we want to be and want to stay. Maybe there will be an increase in Park and Ride services, as towns and cities increasingly ban private vehicles from their central districts. It is also important to make sure that we do not forget the ongoing need for green infrastructure and management of stormwater to combat the climate change emergency and plan for net-zero by 2050.

Introducing StreetPark UK With the emphasis on adapting to change, GreenBlue Urban is excited to launch its new range of street furniture collections, designed to further enhance public realm urban tree planting and landscaping projects. StreetPark offers a range of innovative and extremely cost-effective urban furniture solutions including benches, litter bins, bicycle stands, tree surrounds, information boards, bus shelters, tables and drinking fountains. All products are available in a variety of wood and metal finishes, allowing designers to not only enhance but add a wow factor to any scheme; not just beautiful but functional but ergonomically designed for comfort. The StreetPark range is an exclusive GreenBlue Urban brand offering to the UK – please let us help you revive your city in a truly stylish and sustainable way!

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22/04/2021 14:28

INFORM

ANDREW WILSON AND THE PLANTING…?

ANDREW WILSON LOOKS AT THE PHENOMENON OF DISAPPEARING PLANTS IN THE UK

delivered a lecture several years ago called “And the planting…?” which considered the tendency for landscape architecture to leave planting behind especially in the design of urban public spaces. I still discuss the gulf in plant and planting design knowledge between garden designers and landscape architects as one of the differences between the two professions. More recently, this title came back to haunt me when the planting supply literally did dry up in the UK due to a perfect storm of cause and effect. Firstly, we have a pandemic to consider which has not only driven so many of us into our gardens but caused so many of us to re-evaluate and re-define those spaces. Garden designers and landscapers have rarely been busier dealing with an upsurge in enquiries and commissions that shows no sign of easing. I have rarely seen so many “we are hiring” posts on social media platforms and nurseries

WHERE HAVE ALL THE PLANTS GONE?

also are experiencing similar staffing pressures. Plants have also been flying through the door especially as nurseries and garden centres could remain open through the periods of lockdown.

20 Pro Landscaper / May 2021

Andrew Wilson-3.indd 20

Secondly, we have finally experienced Brexit as of New Year’s Day together with the nightmare of additional and excessive paperwork that accompanied imports and exports. For the first months of this year, the

GARDEN DESIGNERS AND LANDSCAPERS HAVE RARELY BEEN BUSIER DEALING WITH AN UPSURGE IN ENQUIRIES AND COMMISSIONS THAT SHOWS NO SIGN OF EASING main supply chain seemed to weather the storm successfully but with the arrival of growing COVID-19 cases and a new lockdown phase in Europe that supply chain has struggled. In most European countries, garden centres and nurseries have been allowed to remain open with their respective domestic markets snapping up plants like the first day of Harrod’s sale (or at least how that used to be). For most nurseries therefore when faced with a buoyant home market as opposed to a bureaucracy ridden export market to the UK there is little contest. As Mark Straver of Hortus Loci commented: “In a mixed load from several European nurseries it takes just one mistake in the paperwork to impound the whole load with potentially disastrous results.” Many have closed their order books until late summer or autumn, some are not answering their phones and others have closed their online presence.

The result is a substantially diminished pool of available plants with nurseries having to publish a definitive availability list from which designers need to order. The likelihood of wider plant searches to find that special something is very slim. In some ways this enforces a good discipline, but it can take the design edge off planting schemes and curtail the creative flow of the garden designer. One benefit however is a more direct relationship with supplier nurseries and their availability lists. What it does drive home is the understanding of availability, especially for those learning the ropes. Students tend to search for plants that deliver specific qualities without much regard for their availability. For them, this situation is an important lesson. My real challenge is that this situation has arisen in the middle of projects meaning a complete audit of planting lists prepared when a full range of plants could be sourced. The process of enforced substitutions has been interesting to say the least and certainly time consuming. It’s all part of life’s rich pattern as my father would say, but in many ways a period of plain sailing would be such a relief. Mind you, the situation did deliver me my first flat white in twelve months from Sebastian at the delightful ‘The Hobo Co’ when I visited Hortus Loci to sort all this out.

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

www.lcgd.org.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

22/04/2021 09:25

INFORM

C H R I STO P H E R M A RT I N CHOOSING TO CHANGE

CHRISTOPHER MARTIN EXPLORES THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SAFETY AND MAKES A CASE FOR HEDONISTIC URBANISM

am writing this article on 23 March 2021, a year on from the day that the COVID-19 crisis started to really bite our lives in the UK. Much has been written about reflections on the last year, but what hasn’t been focused on as much is that the last year has made clear that human beings have an enormous capacity to change. The COVID-19 crisis was met with an outsized restraint, and with the willing sacrifice of income, opportunity, and ego. This human response to an unknown threat was humbling, necessary, and altogether magnificent; and delivered at times more considered, relaxing, and human places in cities. Many parallels have been drawn between COVID-19 and the Climate Emergency because for both we need to change some behaviours and mindsets – to better ready our cities for the effects of a changing climate, and to make for healthier, fairer, and better places for everyone to live. Behaviour Change programmes, however, have for some time been relied on to encourage people to do things that, rather obviously, they aren’t currently doing. This is often a thankless task, as people normally have reasons for behaving the way they do; behaviours that are, in essence, the result of an environment which has invited us to act in certain ways. This reflects the fact that places shape our behaviour, and that behaviour over time becomes culture: the way we do things. Something to reflect on from this last year is, what makes people change?

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Christopher Martin.indd 21

The change in behaviours seen in 2020 was driven by fear, from a feeling of being unsafe resulting in people changing their behaviour to protect themselves and others. This is, of course, a very understandable reaction and one we should learn from going forwards. That being said, fear is obviously no way to go about inviting people to change their behaviour in society, but

WE NEED TO COMPEL PEOPLE TO CHANGE BY MAKING WHAT’S BEST FOR CITIES AND FOR SOCIETY A FAR MORE ATTRACTIVE CHOICE looking at human psychology is essential if we are to meaningfully bring about change that makes people’s collective lives better. Maslow famously lists out our human hierarchy of needs (pictured left) – stepping stones of needs that we must climb in order to reach our full potential. By way of illustration, the theory argues that before we are safe, we are not going to have the headspace to invent a cure for cancer, for example. Likewise the gripping fear for our collective safety that was felt in March 2020 meant that we stopped doing the things we normally did until we felt safe again.

So, fear is not the answer in getting people to change behaviours in day-to-day life; instead, we must focus on the most powerful drivers for change in our psyche, and Maslow shows that what we crave and strive for most is selfactualisation – or, in plain terms, self-fulfilment. With this, we need to compel people to change by making what’s best for cities and for society a far more attractive choice. In short, we need to marry self-fulfilment and self-interest with societal good. We have to work with the human condition more in this way if we want to compel people to change, and so I propose the that we should be designing cities according to the principle of ‘Hedonistic Urbanism’. Hedonistic Urbanism understands that people often act in their own self-interest but aims to marry self-interest with societal good by developing urban interventions that compel people naturally to choose what is best for the city, best for society, and best for them – by making what’s best also the easiest, most enjoyable, and most fun option. With this, we get people queuing up to do good.

A BOU T C H RISTOP HER MARTIN Christopher is an influential 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.

www.urbanmovement.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / May 2021 21

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n this issue of the UK Landscape Barometer, we are focused on the trading month of February 2021 – the month when the roadmap out of lockdown was revealed, when light could finally be seen at the end of the tunnel. It’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that confidence levels are predominantly higher, with a gradual return to ‘normal’ life having been outlined and the spring season upon us. However, there is widespread concern around low levels of stock. Business is booming all round, but a large chunk of work is having to be turned away due to the lack of supplies, leaving buyers disappointed. A majority of comments we received also reflected difficulty keeping up with demand and high enquiry rates. Arguably, this is a great challenge to have, and it’s a strong indicator of what we can expect in the coming months; there is no immediate sign of work slowing down in any sector of the industry. Finding qualified staff to keep up with demand, though, is proving a problem, particular for the design and build industry. 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 777 570. Please note that all statistics are based on those surveyed and compare February 2021 and February 2020.

NATIONAL TURNOVER 2% 26%

10%

62%

PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS MORE CONFIDENT COMPARED TO LAST MONTH 100%

Lower

90%

70%

Higher

60%

No response

PARTICIPANT CONVERSION RATES APPEAR TO BE HUGELY POSITIVE

80%

Equal

50% 40% 30%

ENQUIRIES

20% 10%

11% 13%

Lower

Oct20

Equal 3%

20%

Lower Equal

54%

24%

Higher No response

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

UK Landscape Barometer.indd 25

Feb21

Mar21

Apr21

May21

16%

Jun21

Jul21

Aug21

Sep21

CONVERSION 5% 7%

Equal Higher

51%

Jan21

Lower 30%

PROJECTS

Dec20

STAFF

Higher

76%

Nov20

No response

Lower 32%

56%

Equal Higher No response

Enquiries have continued to elevate, with 62% of respondents seeing an increase. Participant conversion rates appear to be hugely positive, with the majority (52%) responding that they had experienced an increase – this is 33% more than last month and follows the recent rise in enquiries. Turnover is also continuing to improve, with a smaller number (26%) of participants seeing a decrease. Responses to projects remained similar to staff numbers, with a 10% shift towards experiencing an increase.

Pro Landscaper / May 2021 25

21/04/2021 15:51

CONFIDENCE

TURNOVER

ENQUIRIES

THE SOUTH

THE MIDLANDS

SCOTLAND AND THE NORTH

GARDEN DESIGN

DESIGN AND BUILD

COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING

DOMESTIC LANDSCAPING

20%

40%

60%

80% 100%

Equal

Less

PROJECTS

20%

40%

60%

80% 100%

Higher

Equal

Lower

No response

20%

40%

Higher

STAFF

60%

Equal

80% 100% Lower

CONVERSION

THE SOUTH

THE MIDLANDS

SCOTLAND AND THE NORTH

GARDEN DESIGN

DESIGN AND BUILD

GARDEN DESIGN

DESIGN AND BUILD

DESIGN AND BUILD COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING

COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING

DOMESTIC LANDSCAPING

20%

40%

60%

80% 100%

COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING

DOMESTIC LANDSCAPING

20%

40%

60%

80% 100%

DOMESTIC LANDSCAPING

20%

40%

60%

80% 100%

Higher

Equal

Higher

Equal

Higher

Equal

Lower

No response

Lower

No response

Lower

No response

26 Pro Landscaper / May 2021

UK Landscape Barometer.indd 26

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

21/04/2021 14:34

NURSERIES Figures all around are looking positive for the nursery industry; 83% of participants reported that their confidence levels were higher and every nursery we spoke to reported that their quotes were up compared to this time last year. Concerns were shared between participants regarding low stock levels, though. One nursery commented: “I have never seen demand like

this. There will come a point where people will not get what they are looking for.” Another commented that: “Stock is really low and causing frustration for buyers.” Business turnover was the only area forming a split. Half (50%) of participants reported that their turnover was higher, whilst 33% stated they had seen a decrease.

“There has been lots of delays on commercial sites. It has been busy, and we have containerised more trees for summer despatch than ever before. These are very positive indicators for next year.” Another nursery commented: “Unbelievable – sales are so fantastic and keeping up with it is the problem, we’re swamped.”

CONFIDENCE

TURNOVER

QUOTES

17% 33% 50%

17%

83% Less

Lower

Equal

100% Higher

Higher

SOIL All participants stated they had a higher number of quotes in February compared to the same time last year, and most soil suppliers said they’d sold a higher volume of soil too, with only 33% saying

CONFIDENCE

they had sold less. This could be somewhat expected given the continued positive performance in the industry and is possibly partly why confidence in the industry is predominantly higher.

VOLUME SOLD

One participant commented: “The industry has shown huge reliance and there are clearly funds available for large scale landscaping projects aimed at improving outdoor spaces and giving more people access to green spaces.”

CONFIDENCE

33%

67%

67% 100%

No response

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

UK Landscape Barometer.indd 27

Lower

Higher

Pro Landscaper / May 2021 27

22/04/2021 09:44

INCREASED

THIRD

Confidence has for the in a row for the first time since the start of the UK Landscape Barometer

MONTH

Design and build turnover increased by

Projects for design and builders rose by

46% 59% Projects in the South for design and build companies rose by

National confidence was up by

Nursery confidence was up by

82% 12% The number of projects worked on in

INCREASED BY 65%

February 2021 compared to February 2020

111% 31%

National turnover was up by

The lowest increase in turnover was seen by domestic landscapers at

16% 99% 34% 182% 61% A

55% INCREASE in conversion was seen by design and build companies

The number of enquiries increased by

on average

Commercial landscape The greatest increase in conversions was seen projects rose by by garden designers at

Enquiries increased by an average of

for garden designers

Turnover in Scotland and the North rose by

The Midlands saw an increase of

59% 75% in enquiries

Turnover increased by

12% ON AVERAGE for nurseries

National staff levels rose by

51%

52% HIGHER

Staff levels in the South were compared to February 2020

28 Pro Landscaper / May 2021

UK Landscape Barometer.indd 28

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The number of quotes nurseries received went up by

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21/04/2021 14:38

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CONSTRUCTION’S ENDLESS SUMMER INDUSTRY WATCHERS ARE LEFT BEFUDDLED AND BEMUSED BY THE UK CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY’S CONTINUED FAILURE TO ABIDE BY ITS TRADITIONAL ‘BOOM OR BUST’ ECONOMIC CYCLE. NEIL EDWARDS, CEO OF MARKET INTELLIGENCE PROVIDER THE BUILDERS’ CONFERENCE AT TEMPTS TO E XPL AIN THE SEEMINGLY INE XPLICABLE

n the 365 days since the UK was plunged into a national lockdown on 23 March 2020, the UK construction industry racked up an astonishing and precedent smashing £83bn in new contract awards. In March 2021, the sector reported a further £9bn in new contract awards during the past month, driving the figures for Q1 to more than £23bn. Those that predicted a Brexit-fuelled downturn or a COVID-19 slump in demand have been left scratching their collective heads as the industry continues to eschew its usual cycle of peaks and troughs in favour of a far more agreeable rise and rise. Industry giant ISG topped the BCLive league table in March with a 10 new contract award haul worth a combined £1.03bn. Skanska claimed second place, courtesy of two new contract awards with a combined value of £589m. But the largest contract likely to trigger the interest to the landscaping sector was a £400m contract won by Multiplex. That contract – much to the consternation of former US President Donald Trump – is for the construction of a new hotel on the site of the former American Embassy in London’s Grosvenor Square, Mayfair. Landscaping contractors will also be beating a path to the door of Engie, which won a £20m new build contract for student accommodation for the University of Birmingham at Edgbaston. This will include almost 500 beds, car parking for more than 450 cars, and a 50-year facilities management agreement. Also celebrating this month is Bicesterbased Continental Landscapes, which won a £1m contract from client Almond Housing

32 Pro Landscaper / May 2021

Neil Edwards.indd 32

Association in Livingston, Scotland. That refurbishment and repair contract covers landscape maintenance and associated works at various locations in and around Livingston. The contract includes upkeep and regular maintenance of open space and communal garden areas of hard and soft landscaping and inspection and maintenance of trees and shrubs within individual gardens and assisted gardening.

IF THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ MEANS MORE £9BN MONTHS INSTEAD OF A RETURN TO THE £4BN THAT HAD BEEN THE PREVIOUS NORM, FEW IN THE UK CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ARE LIKELY TO COMPLAIN Coming down the road is a £2.5m new build of 20 dwellings at a training and conference centre in Wotton under Edge in South Gloucestershire. That project is expected to include extensive landscaping works and is currently out to tender. Further details are available via BuildersConference.co.uk. Despite the resurgence of the infrastructure sector – particularly highways and roads – the housing sector continues to dominate, accounting for more than a third of all new contracts awarded in the month and contributing £3.9bn to the £9bn monthly total. Regionally, London accounted for almost £1.9bn split across 138 contracts. But the booming Midlands was hot on the heels of the

nation’s capital with the West Midlands (£1.2bn) and East Midlands (£404m) delivering a total of 69 contracts worth a combined £1.6bn. The North West enjoyed another positive month with 52 new contract awards taking the regional total to £851m. East Anglia notched up £686m in new contract awards; Yorkshire reported 34 new contract awards worth a total of £572m; while Scotland continued its recovery with 50 new contract awards valued at a combined £483m. Those that have been associated with the construction sector for any time will now be scanning the horizon for the next and now overdue downturn. Construction is, after all, the very embodiment on the term ‘peaks and troughs’. As sure as night follows day, each boom is followed – predictably – by a bust. That is what happens under normal circumstances. But these are not normal circumstances. If the ‘new normal’ means more £9bn months instead of a return to the £4bn that had been the previous norm, few in the UK construction sector are likely to complain.

A B O U T N E I L E DWA R D S 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 over £80bn. www.buildersconference.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

21/04/2021 11:01

CONSIDERING COLOUR

SHAPESHIFTING AND MOOD-LIFTING – CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLOUR FOR A HOME REQUIRES A LOT OF THOUGHT, SAYS EVA WOODE

Colour harmony When it comes to combining colours, Juan Serra Lluch – an architect and professor at the University of Valencia, Spain – suggests the approach is similar to that of a musician when composing a piece of music. This is a really useful comparison when we consider how our mental and physical state can be affected by colours. Think about the different playlists you might opt for if you want to relax at the end of a long day; need to concentrate on a piece of work; are going out for a run. In the same way that different music inspires different energy levels and physical responses, so too does colour. As with music, the word ‘harmony’ is often used in association with colour combinations.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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ISLINGTON FAMILY HOME, MIA KARLSSON INTERIOR DESIGN

THE COLOURS THAT DESIGNERS CHOOSE FOR INTERIORS SHOULD NOT BE CHOSEN ARBITRARILY – THEY HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN HOW A SPACE MAKES ITS USER FEEL Colour and the perception of space Our perception of proportion, scale and distance are all affected by the use of colour. A high ceiling and a wall that seems distant can appear lower and nearer respectively when they are painted in a warm colour. On the other hand, using blues and greens can make surfaces appear further away, creating a sense of spaciousness in a room. The brightness of a colour will also impact the sense of depth – in low-lit areas, bright colours will advance towards the observer, whereas in bright areas, brighter colours will appear to recede. Colour and the perception of weight The visual weight of a space is also influenced by the use of colour. The perception of ‘lightness’ or ‘heaviness’, informed by volume, compactness,

©Marco Joe Fazio

olour is both one of the most basic and most influential aspects of design. For hundreds of years, starting with Leonardo da Vinci, the topic of colour and its application has been written about and discussed. So too has the relationship between colour and mood. Whether you’re seeing red, feeling blue or turning green with envy, in modern society, colour and emotion go hand in hand – and not only in discourse. Empirical studies have shown that ‘warm’ colours – reds, oranges and yellows – evoke feelings that range from warmth and comfort to anger and hostility, whilst ‘cool’ colours – blues, purples and greens – are related to feelings of sadness or indifference. But what is the impact of colour on our mental state in the real world, away from studies, when it’s applied to an environment which we spend 90% of our time in – our own homes? How the brain reacts to physical space is the focus of neuroarchitecture, a field of study that examines the relationship between neuroscience and modern architecture. The influence of spatial volume on our physiological state has been studied, along with temperature, lighting and use of curves. The perception of all these spatial characteristics is influenced by colour, and for this reason the colours that designers choose for interiors should not be chosen arbitrarily – they have an important role to play in how a space makes its user feel.

and materiality, can be manipulated with the application of colour. By applying fragments of colours across a surface the perceived size can be reduced, and the perception of compactness can be altered by using colours that surround an object on the object itself – blurring the distinction between where one ends and the other begins. How we regard the materiality of an object can be influenced by the use of colour as well – synthetic material embellished with tones that occur in nature can make it seem more organic. As painter, educator and colour theorist Johannes Itten said, “each individual colour is a universe in itself”. Colours are universes we’re still exploring and neuroarchitecture is revealing more paths that we can take.

A B O U T E VA WO O D E Eva Woode is the director of Studio Woode and Edify Content Studio Ltd, a curating studio with a focus on sustainability and wellbeing in the built environment. She is also the founder of Edify Content Studio, an agency specialised in thoughtleadership content for the interiors, architecture and construction industry. www.studiowoode.com

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BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR KITCHENS

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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT’S JOURNAL HTA DESIGN

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I N S I D E I N S P I R E T H I S M O N T H PA G E 3 7 P O R T F O L I O 1 : B L U E F I S H L A N D S C A P I N G C O N T R A C T O R S LT D, PA G E 4 0 P O R T F O L I O 2 : A N T H E A H A R R I S O N G A R D E N D E S I G N , PA G E 4 4 P O R T F O L I O 3 : H O S L A N D S C A P E S , PA G E 4 9 A N J I C O N N E L L , PA G E 5 3 L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T ’ S J O U R N A L : H TA D E S I G N Inspire Cover.indd 35

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PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £62.5k (inc. VAT) Build time 12 weeks Size of project 170m2 Awards BALI Principal Award 2020 Domestic Garden Construction – Between £30k - £60k

A WA R M

WELCOME S O U T H C O U R T YA R D BLUEFISH LANDSCAPING C O N T R ACTO RS LT D THIS 16TH CENTURY PROPERTY’S S O U T H C O U R T YA R D N E E D E D T O B E BROUGHT INTO VIEW TO BE ENJOYED B Y V I S I T O R S A N D C R E AT E A M O R E INVITING ENTRANCE

hough this 16th Century property and substantial farmhouse had been tastefully extended and restored over the years, the outside space had quite a few issues. The main concern was that the South Courtyard garden felt shielded and hidden from passers-by on the lane, it was desired that a more open aspect was devised within the new design. The front door to the property was

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obscured from the lane, which was making it hard for visitors unfamiliar with the properties layout to locate the front entrance. The wooden pedestrian gate along with the small area of tarmac between the lane and the front wall was also to be addressed, to create a more prominent lane entrance. Elsewhere, the existing brick and flint walls were unstable where they joined the existing wooden gate. The areas on either side of the path to the front door partially retained with the use of an unappealing concrete kerbing. Beneath the existing magnolia trees that flank the entrance path, the ground was bare and unattractive; this was the first thing that visitors used to see when they walk through the gate. The existing hard landscaping materials were of poor quality and were not in keeping with the properties style or character.

Brief Liz Frost and Darren Lincoln – the lead designers from Nettles & Petals Design – were given the brief to put together a proposal and plans for the south entrance courtyard, to provide a more attractive and defined access route to the main house. The new scheme was to further enhance the appearance of the property while guiding visitors to the existing front door, affording a more open and inviting, welcoming approach. It was desired that the scheme was not overly grand or imposing and that no provision for seating was to be included. Design and build The overall desired atmosphere of the proposed scheme was traditional, informal and relaxed – one that complements the house and its appearance. The clients wanted a balanced scheme that takes into account the property’s history along

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with its beautiful rural setting, providing a welcoming arrival for visitors as well as an attractive garden to be enjoyed by passers-by on the lane. There were a few elements which needed to be retained and be included in the new design. This included the pair of large mature magnolia trees on either side of the entrance gate and two large topiary yew pieces that flank the south facade. The clients also wanted an area of lawn to be incorporated within the new design. Otherwise, the team was creating a new metal pedestrian entrance gate leading in from the lane, a new side path leading round to the parterre garden, a gate on the new side path leading to the parterre garden with an electric lock – to prevent visitors or delivery drivers from wandering around the side of the property – and a discrete low-key access route leading to the bin storage area. Materials It was important to use materials that were going to provide longevity but also complement the property. This was reflected most in the brick and flint choices.

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The tile creasing detail was introduced to the design to add some individuality to the project as well as blending nicely with the clay pavers. The clients wanted the tile creasing set out in a way that closely represented their initials. The smooth edges of the tiles set against the rough edges of the flint also created a great contrast. Corten drainage channel grating was chosen due to the natural patina which complements the brickwork in the house and the new landscaping. The low dwarf clay brick walls have been built in Flemish bond using a 50mm thick clay brick. A traditional lime mortar was used to allow the joints to blend in with the existing brick and flint walls of the property. Challenges Due to the entrance of the garden being accessed only from the adjacent lane, and in order to make the ground work elements cost efficient, a micro digger was used. This enabled access through the pedestrian gateway and BlueFish Landscaping Contractors was able to site the dumper on the lane side of the wall and load it from the courtyard. Great care and attention also had to be considered when

digging out alongside the building. Because of the age and style of the property, the footings in most places are formed straight off the chalk using a brick corbelling method. One of the great features of this project is the brick and flint path. The flint had already been knapped when it arrived on site but in order for BlueFish Landscaping Contractors team to lay each piece there was a certain amount of hand dressing required. It might have only been taking off a small corner or removing a lump on the top surface, but it was crucial to achieve the best finish once laid. When digging out the old lawn area, BlueFish Landscaping Contractors uncovered an old underground water storage tank. This has now been restored and is being used as the water storage tank for the irrigation that supplies the flower borders in this courtyard area. All of the old existing underground pipes that took the rain water from the downpipes around this part of the property have been renewed and plumbed into the underground storage tank. The storage tank now also has a new mains water feed into it that will top the tank up if needed in the summer months.

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BEFORE

A B O U T BLUEFISH LANDSCAPING CONTRACTORS

BEFORE

BlueFish Landscaping Contractors Ltd is an award-winning company creating high quality gardens & landscapes, throughout Surrey, Hampshire and the South East. It offers a range of specialist services in construction, planting and maintenance for private domestic spaces. It is client focused, proactive and professional, committed to producing and maintaining high calibre schemes.

www.bluefishlandscapes.co.uk TAKING CARE WHILST DIGGING ALONGSIDE BUILDING

SETTING OUT PATHWAYS

REFERENCES Contractor BlueFish Landscaping Contractors Ltd www.bluefishlandscapes.co.uk Designer Nettles & Petals Design nettlesandpetalsdesign.co.uk BRICKWORK BEGINS

TILE CREASING DETAIL

Irrigation Raindance Irrigation raindanceirrigation.co.uk Lighting and electric supply Ornamental Garden Lighting Limited www.ornamentalgardenlighting.com Plants Nettles & Petals Design nettlesandpetalsdesign.co.uk Wrought iron pedestrian gates Dragons Wood Forge www.dragonswoodforge.co.uk

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Clay pavier and knapped flint main entrance path Hydrangeas incorporated into the new planting scheme Knapped flint and tile creasing detail Bespoke wrought iron gates Interlaken Corten drain grates Basket weave path laid using clay paviers Existing yew topiary reshaped for the planting scheme Wrought iron gate skillfully crafted with a magnetic lock

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Corten drainage grates The Lateral Design Studio www.lateraldesignstudio.co.uk Clay pavers Chelmer Valley Brick Co Ltd www.chelmervalley.co.uk

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INSPIRE PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £39k Build time 6 months (not continuous) Size of project 188m2

T H E O W N E R S O F T H I S B L A N K C A N VA S N E W B U I L D G A R D E N W A N T E D T H E ‘ W O W ’ FA C T O R

ituated on a cutting-edge development at New Hall in Harlow, where the architecture is very contemporary, this garden needed a new patio directly at the back of the house for eating, a seating area to accommodate outdoor sofas and catch the evening sun.

PERGOL A P E R F EC T I O N U R B A N ST E E LWO R K ANTHEA HARRISON GARDEN DESIGN

Design The main design feature was a contemporary pergola which draws the eye and accommodates one of the client’s desired seating area. The size of the double height garage at the bottom of the garden means, although it is quite big, the pergola sits perfectly in the space. Some of the lawn area was retained, while a path was created using a combination of pavers, resin bound gravel and slate wood planks, providing access to the garage door and studio stairs. Softer, wildlife friendly, naturalistic planting was chosen as you move through the garden with colours of white, green, light and darker purple flowing throughout the space. A trough was produced using Corten steel, which creates a mirror of still water, while a delicate water fountain creates ambience. The water feature trough borders the main patio area and creates a subtle, discrete area for the patio that can be seen from the house. The change in materials and off-centre line of the path means that access to the regularly used garage office is practical but not the runway it had been previously. Materials Using so many different materials is not something Anthea Harrison Garden Design was used to, but this was a particular requirement from the client who was design savvy. Where possible, Anthea

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repeated materials and colours. Corten steel was used to edge the paths while species such as Geum ‘Borisii’ and Prunus maackii ‘Amber Beauty’ were chosen to tie in the colour of the Corten steel trough. Pergola The main challenge in this garden for Anthea Harrison Garden Design was the pergola. The client embraced the concept and was prepared to set aside a separate budget to achieve it. However, turning it from Anthea’s concept to the actual final installed item was incredibly stressful. The initial drawing from the structural engineer proved to be impossible to manufacture by even the biggest fabricators in the country. The fabricator Anthea initially talked to about the concept pulled out, believing it was beyond them.

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View from the back door The pergola’s steel supporting cross beams Garden lit at dusk Another angle of the garden’s lighting Meadow at the bottom of the garden Recessed lights in pergola arms Meadow around second patio

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Help from Angle Ring in Birmingham proved to be the turning point – Anthea finally started to believe it might actually be able to make the drawing come to life. A redraw by the structural engineer and a lot of input by A13 Steel started to bring it together all within the client’s budget. A13 provided detailed fabrication drawings which Anthea oversaw. Challenges A tight corner just before the house proved to be a challenge, and necessitated asking for smaller muck away lorries and checking the size of the lorry with the crane for lifting the pergola into place. As for many construction projects that winter, the huge amount of rain turned the garden into a mud bath that didn’t dry out for five months. This made working conditions hard and slow, with planting due for the autumn not carried out until March.

8 View across the Corten water feature 9 Namera paviours under the pergola 10 Gaura lindheimeri, Salvia, Agapanthus and Stipa tenuissima 11 Westland porcelain patio Photographs ©Monty’s Photography www.montysphotography.co.uk

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ABOUT ANTHEA HARRISON GARD E N DESIGN Anthea Harrison Garden Design started from small beginnings 18 years ago, when owner Anthea initially worked as a gardener whilst studying at Capel Manor. The depth and breadth of experience gained has allowed Anthea to tackle some very challenging projects. Anthea Harrison Garden Design enjoys working with contemporary materials in new and interesting ways, and relies on collaborative multidisciplinary teamworking to make ideas happen.

www.antheaharrison.co.uk

REFERENCES Designer Anthea Harrison Garden Design Ltd www.antheaharrison.co.uk Contractor MGS Trades Paving Global Stone globalstonepaving.co.uk Water trough Adezz www.adezz.com/en Slatewood planks CED Stone www.cedstone.co.uk

BEFORE

Paving – Namera Paviours (Desert Blend) Stonemarket www.stonemarket.co.uk Meadow turf Tillers Turf www.tillersturf.co.uk

BEFORE: VIEW DOWN THE GARDEN

Plants Provender Nurseries www.provendernurseries.co.uk

LIFTING THE PAGODA

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INSTALLING PAGODA

Pergola Angle Ring www.anglering.com With advice from A13 Steel (Now closed for business)

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LEARNING LANDSCAPE T H E Q U A D AT T H E TOT T E R I D G E ACA D E M Y HOS LANDSCAPES A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT BETWEEN STUDENTS, ASSEMBLE AND HOS LANDSCAPES SAW THE OVERLOOKED QUAD AT THE TOTTERIDGE ACADEMY TRANSFORM INTO A WONDERFUL AREA FOR STUDENTS TO SPEND THEIR BREAK TIMES

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he Totteridge Academy is a secondary school based near Totteridge in Barnet, North London. HOS Landscapes was invited to tender by the architects Assemble, and the Academy to create The Quad, a space designed in collaboration with a group of students, staff and the architects in order to design a simple structure that would respond to the brief – provision for a quieter space within a school that is already well equipped with sports facilities and outdoor spaces for more energetic activity. The school asked the students to apply for a place on the committee, the Quad Redevelopment Working Party, dedicated to improving this area for the school. Overwhelmed with applicants, a rigours selection process followed that whittled them down to four students per year group. The collaborative approach HOS Landscapes took with the students in bringing this project to life has created a meaningful space that students can enjoy, whilst leaving a legacy of active participation for future projects. Structure Workshop assessed and developed the designs from which the project plan was then

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PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value Undisclosed Build time 4 months Size of project 180m2 Awards BALI National Landscape Awards – Community and Schools Development

established. HOS Landscapes’ Quantity Surveyor supplied a detailed costing of documents, which were submitted alongside a commitment to complete the project. Build With the designs in place, the project began at the start of September 2018. Marking out and preparing the site to build the new foundations for the steel structure was the first step in the scheme. The HOS Landscapes team used the latest in survey equipment to make sure that the foundations and footings could be accurately installed. Wherever possible, recycled materials were used. The team worked closely with O’Donovan of North London, to re-use the 25 tonnes of excavated concrete which was subsequently crushed and re-used as a subbase for the concrete footings and pads on site. The steel structure was then fitted, and coloured block seats and beds laid onto the footings, the levels built up, with CEDEC later being installed. Lastly, the beds were filled with soil and planted, with help from the students. HOS Landscapes were very proud to win a BALI National Landscape Award for the project with BALI Awards Judge, John Melmoe, noting that the project was undertaken with great care and diligent attention to detail.

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Planting HOS Landscapes’ resident horticulturalist, Sally Mattin, met with the Quad Redevelopment Working Party to go through the plant options. The students were keen to incorporate plants which would encourage wildlife into the garden. With the students input, Sally produced a compelling planting plan that emphasised the texture and colour and would work alongside the already planted multi-stemmed Amelanchier lamarckii. Palmstead Nurseries delivered early on, and the team set about organising the plants. A group of students who had been involved in the project from the start were eager to be involved in this final stage. HOS Landscapes enthusiastically engaged and taught the students about soil health and assisted the students in prepping the soil. The students set out the plants

with assistance from the team, giving them a sense of achievement and ownership of the space. Finally, the students delighted in setting free hundreds of worms to help aerate the soil and move the nutrients through the beds. Challenges The biggest set-back the team faced during the project was that the contract manager at the metal fabricators manufacturing the steel

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The Quad being used by students during a break Long shot of The Quad Poured concrete mass under stainless steel roof View of the trees underplanted with perennials Mature planting during the summer Edible plants as requested by students Photographs ©Ella Brolly, ©Zora Kuettner, ©Assemble Studio, HOS Landscapes

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BEFORE

FITTING THE STEEL STRUCTURE

STUDENTS PLANTING

structure, abruptly left the company. Unfortunately, the contract manager had not only failed to start building the steel structure but had also misquoted the overall cost. Subsequently, the team negotiated with the managing director at the fabricators to determine a new finish and install date as well as overall costs, which got the project back on track. Difficult site access was another challenge. Suppliers could only gain access to the site at very limited times. If they came at the wrong time, this could delay the project by several days, adding to the complexity of the project management. As a result, HOS Landscapes played a crucial role in ensuring the deliveries were expertly co-ordinated, which involved clear communication and fostering strong relationships with both suppliers and the school.

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HOS Landscapes were particularly considerate in letting the school know when loud or disruptive work was due to take place, to have the smallest impact on the learning environment.

ABOUT HOS LANDSCAPES Working all over London and the South East, HOS Landscapes create beautiful high-end residential gardens as well as community and public realm projects. There are a range of skills HOS Landscapes draw upon with experience in the team ranging from engineers to landscape architects, artists to horticulturists. HOS Landscapes typically work alongside architects, designers, developers and end-clients, including the brilliant students at the Totteridge Academy.

www.hoslandscapes.com

REFERENCES Plants Palmstead Nurseries www.palmstead.co.uk Coloured blocks Lignacite Ltd. www.lignacite.co.uk Self-binding gravel CED Stone www.cedstone.co.uk Waste disposal and aggregates O’Donovan www.odonovan.co.uk

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WITH SPRING IN THE AIR AND THE SUN MAKING SOME MUCH NEEDED APPEARANCES, ANJI CONNELL EXPLORES SOME OF THE BEST PIECES OF FURNITURE TO HELP EVERYONE MAKE THE MOST OF OUTSIDE SPACES

E N J OY I N G

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CLACK FOLDING CHAIR

utdoor living has been growing exponentially over the last few years, and the recent pandemic has elevated the importance of having private space even further. Moreover, now spring has sprung and the vaccination is here, things are looking up. Perhaps it’s time to go a little wild outside in our gardens and outdoor spaces as, let’s face it, we lost the norm over a year ago! Let’s think about creating stimulating and stylish spaces to inhabit differently – a new way of living in a personal playground. The 75-year-old brand GANDIABLASCO has expanded its catalogue by launching a new brand of outdoor furniture called DIABLA. Interestingly, they market it as: “not suitable for conventional tastes,” and indeed it’s playful, with a tremendous sense of theatre that evokes a sense of escapism— there’s nothing traditional about it other than comfort. However, there is no style over substance either; it’s serious design and technology that is thoughtfully designed and manufactured using only the best practices and materials. The new ranges Grill, Lilly, Arp, and Plisy Up are dynamic pieces that will spruce up any space with a contemporary aesthetic and extreme comfort. MUT Design’s Alberto Sánchez and Eduardo Villalón’s Grill collection has a simple, graphic structure made with square welded aluminium. The chairs, armchairs, tables, stools, and sofas are more than mere furniture, they are functional sculptures. Arp, designed by Borja García and Laura Ros, the founders of Made Studio, are tubular structured pieces. The series comprises an armchair, a two-seater sofa, and two low tables. Designed by Democràcia Estudio, the Lilly series pays tribute to the designer and architect Lilly Reich, professor of the Bauhaus. The two types of modular pieces in the collection are incredibly comfortable, thanks to the polyurethane rubber foam mattresses covered with waterproof fabric. Due to its PLISY UP

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modular nature, Lilly works well alone and in many combinations. DIABLA has also expanded most of its existing collections. Plisy now comes in a new medium-size format. The Plisy Up lamp by Alejandra Gandía-Blasco is a reinvention of an indoor light with the character of a garden lantern. A fixed light at a calculated height of 117cm bathes tables and corners with a warm light using rechargeable LED technology, with a touch sensor and a charge of five to six hours. DIABLA’s range of finishes and materials are all certified for outdoor use and manufactured in thermo-lacquered aluminium, polyethylene, phenolic, methacrylate, nautical rope, waterrepellent fabrics. Colour options have also been increased with a new DIABLA fabric added with 20 different colour options. Tripp fold-up furniture and the picnic deckchairs and Clack, a colourful version of the traditional folding director’s chair, are all easily transported and stored. Faroles lanterns by José A. Gandía-Blasco Canales, Arumi tables by Emmanuel Gardin, and Donut stools by Mikiya Kobayashi are also all easily portable. Valentina by Alejandra Gandia-Blasco Lloret’s sofas, chairs, sunbeds, and tables are super stylish camping-style pieces. Touffu, designed by Manel Jiménez Ibáñez and Violeta Alcaide Weishaupt, allows pets to have a piece of the TOUFFU fun too. Designed by architect Marià Castelló, the D12 minimalist aesthetic means it can have several practical and creative uses, for example the basket attachment has handles to hook towels onto. The planters complement and adds the finishing touch to a new look outdoor room. Other notable pieces seen at Design Miami this year include Korean designer Lee Kwanghongho’s handwoven nylon stool, and Chapel Petrassi’s sculptural Hella Bench with a geometric, undulating form, available in a range of painted and metallic finishes. Handmade in Italy in aluminium, it’s well suited to outdoor use and LILLY measures 120 x 30 x 45cm.

ARUMI TABLE

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SAIL MINI POUF

CHAPEL PETRASSI’S SCULPTURAL HELLA BENCH

KWANGHO LEE TURQUOISE/ BLUE NYLON STOOL

NØDE STOOL

NØDE SIDE TABLE

NØDE BENCH

Catalan designer Eugeni Quitllet has created a new stackable chair for Vondom titled the Love Chair which is made with plastic recycled from the Mediterranean Sea. Injection moulding plastic ensures smooth curves, creating a form that organically fits the body.

NØDE BENCHES

Cape Town-based industrial designer Charles Haupt and product designer Gerrit Giebel formed NØDE in 2018 to create a simple range of furniture that did not have to be sold at gallery prices. Interestingly, they make pieces that are designed by how they want various elements to connect, rather than by how they want it to look. Through experimentation, aluminium was decided upon due to its ability to be anodised, thus preventing oxidisation, a process that also

increases surface durability. Aluminium is waterproof, scratch-resistant, lightweight, and recyclable. It can also be dyed into the depth of the material to create vibrant metallic effects. The textured application of the surfaces GOBI on industrial-driven items is what appeals most to the duo. It’s an organic, humanistic approach to manufacturing. The beautifully crafted collection includes a side table, bench, stool, and wall art. These fabulous pieces will unquestionably add the wow factor.

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

www.anjiconnellinteriordesign.com

356 CHAIS LONGUE

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INSPIRE CATOR PARK ©HTA DESIGN LLP /NICK HARRISON

LANDSCAPE A R C H I T EC T ’S

JOURNAL I H TA D E S I G N

CANE HILL ©HTA DESIGN LLP/NICK HARRISON

GREENFORD QUAY ©HTA DESIGN LLP/NICK HARRISON

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Landscape Architects Journal-3.indd 53

WE SPEAK TO HTA DESIGN PARTNER AND HEAD OF LANDSCAPE DESIGN JAMES LORD ABOUT HOW THE COMPANY HAS DEVELOPED OVER 50 YEARS, AND HOW THIS KNOWLEDGE ACCUMULATED TO PRODUCE ITS MULTI-AWARDWINNING PROJECT, CATOR PARK

t’s a tale as old as time; the battle between architects and landscape architects. The inevitable fight over priorities. Historically, HTA Design was purely architects but it wanted to overcome this tension and utilise the collaboration between the two. In 2003, James Lord joined the practice and with him so did landscape architecture. From this team of one, HTA Design is now home to just shy of 40 landscape architects. Since its architectural works on post-war estates back in 1969, HTA Design today provides a turnkey service on many of its projects. At Greenford Quay in West London, HTA Design – along with developers Greystar – is creating a community of 2,000 apartments, undertaking all work except for the engineering disciplines. As part of the 8.64ha brownfield industrial reclamation project, the apartments are built to rent and bursting with amenities. As well as interior perks such as a cinema room, gym, dance studio, lounges and a commercial kitchen, every roof surface will be turned into a garden with outdoor barbecues and plasma TVs. And that’s just the buildings themselves. James and his team are utilising 40% of the space for a central square, green parks, tree lined streets, children’s play areas, dog parks, as well as an activated canal side. The site will be full of life – both people and wildlife. “The brief was all about building communities; creating communal spaces where residents can interact. It’s turning into what was a building site into a thriving community. It’s a fascinating project,” James tells us. “While there is still work to be done on the site, HTA Design has built temporary playgrounds, dog parks and wildflower meadows so it’s both interesting and responsible from day one. There are, unsurprisingly, huge benefits to landscape architects having input in a project from day one: “We will never achieve successful outcomes if landscape architects are the last consultant to be involved in a project, because

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INSPIRE

your opportunity to influence for the better is so limited,” explains James. This collaboration between architect and landscape architect was so successful that word spread. James and his team found themselves invited to join already established teams as the lead, working on projects that were no longer exclusively with HTA Design architects. On one such project, HTA Design is creating London’s tallest garden, with South Quay Plaza making its mark on the London skyline. Creating the roof garden comes with all the usual logistical challenges, but a public three-acre park situated above two levels of parking featuring 15m tall mature trees increase these challenges. Once completed, though, Canary Wharf will play host to another green park, with a layering of biodiverse spaces and natural play spaces.

GREENFORD QUAY ©HTA DESIGN LLP/NICK HARRISON

Through it all, HTA Design has remained community focused and place specific, taking pride in the vast differences between each of its projects and their responsiveness to place. There’s something to take forward from every project, however: “We believe in learning lessons from each project and applying those to the next

SOUTH QUAY PLAZA ©HTA DESIGN LLP /NICK HARRISON

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CANE HILL ©HTA DESIGN LLP/ RICHARD DOWNER

WE WILL NEVER ACHIEVE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES IF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS ARE THE LAST CONSULTANT TO BE INVOLVED IN A PROJECT, BECAUSE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE FOR THE BETTER IS SO LIMITED project,” explains James. “This is how we help the team develop those skills and continually produce better products for clients.” At Bexhill on Sea, HTA Design gained invaluable confidence. The planting scheme had many doubting its success, with its location six metres from the English Channel subsequently causing it to be constantly under fire from salt

spray, wind, and sun rays. But the planting scheme was crucial in regenerating this Edwardian seaside resort, to bring back visitors and increase dwell time. Working with horticulturalist Noel Kingsbury, HTA Design was able to create a successful scheme using sustainable communities of perennial shrubs instead of the typical bedding plants. Even today, the planting remains low maintenance, self-sustaining, impactful, and as stunning as the day it was installed 10 years ago. “We learnt a lot about sensitivity to horticulture on that project,” explains James, “and how specific your responses need to be to each individual site.” This project gave HTA Design the confidence and knowledge to bring that same approach to a more traditional housing development project. Cane Hill is a development of 600 homes on Green Belt land. Creating the site’s unique sense of place was no mean feat, with a number of protected trees needing incorporating into the scheme, whilst also ensuring there were places for residents, ecological spaces, walk and cycle paths as well, of course, as the main purpose of the build, a space for the houses.

BEXHILL ON SEA ©HTA DESIGN

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INSPIRE

CATOR PARK ©HTA DESIGN LLP /NICK HARRISON

Projects like these have accumulated into over 50 years’ worth of experience which truly shines through on HTA Design’s award-winning scheme Cator Park. Winning the company both the Sir David Attenborough Award for Enhancing Biodiversity and The President’s Award in the Landscape Institute Awards, the scheme achieved a staggering 160% biodiversity net gain. The parkland – developed in partnership with London Wildlife Trust and by Berkeley Homes – is part of various phases of Kidbrooke Village, which has the overall goal to deliver a sustainably green neighbourhood. Wildlife and human corridors interweave creating a mosaic of habitats including lakes, W-SUD wetlands, meadows open amenity and wild spaces. “That project accumulated learning from every other project we’ve worked on; it

highlighted how our philosophy and knowledge has developed over the years, and exceeding expectations both in terms of biodiversity but also how the community feel about it,” explains James. “Most importantly, it’s become a landmark which people can travel to from across London; it proves that biodiversity is not a countryside issue or an issue for other countries, it’s happening right here in London.” Since its beginnings as an architecture company, HTA Design now houses sustainability and innovation, graphic design, interior design, landscape design and urban design disciplines – and it’s not done just yet. “The type of projects we’re working on, and the type of responses we’re providing to clients are requiring more and more specialist input,” says James. “There is a certain logic to repeating

IT’S BECOME A LANDMARK WHICH PEOPLE CAN TRAVEL TO FROM ACROSS LONDON; IT PROVES THAT BIODIVERSITY IS NOT A COUNTRYSIDE ISSUE OR AN ISSUE FOR OTHER COUNTRIES, IT’S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF LONDON the success we’ve had with our disciplines and diversifying with some more specific focuses”; two of these focuses will be strategic ecology and specialised horticulture. “We’re always looking for talented people to join the team, who are interesting and interested in what we do.” For James though, there are three very clear priorities for the company as it grows over the next 50 years. Health and wellbeing, climate change, and equality and democracy; creating healthy places that facilitate healthy lifestyles, ensuring it is contributing positively to the environment, and providing equal opportunities for all parts of the community and its staff.

C O N TA C T HTA Design Tel 020 7485 8555 Email info@hta.co.uk CANE HILL ©HTA DESIGN LLP/NICK HARRISON

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Landscape Architects Journal-3.indd 55

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ENCOURAGE CLIENTS TO

G O W I LD NICK COSLETT SUGGESTS WAYS FOR CLIENTS TO INCORPORATE SIMPLE ADDITIONS TO THEIR GARDENS FOR BRINGING IN WILDLIFE

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Nick Coslett.indd 59

attractING wildlife BEE BARREL BY WILDLIFE WORLD TRADE

©wildlifeworldtrade.co.uk

Bee Barrel can be filled with hollow stems of any hollow stemmed plant, or bee nest tubes. May need to replace these annually. Don’t use florists’ Oasis foam as woodpeckers will attack and get to bee grubs.

BEE BARN BY WILDLIFE WORLD TRADE

ccording to plants to attract wildlife and pollinators is widely Monty Don, known and practised, but do designers all look wanting our to include a ‘wildlife area’ in their projects? gardens and Are clients’ interests in wildlife considered, green spaces neat and tidy is a male-orientated trait about control. He says men need to relax and cut their lawns less obsessively. So, men, leave your mower in the shed this month for ‘No Mow May’, promoted by Plantlife, and get up to 10 times more bees into your garden as your lawn flowers. Plantlife’s survey from 2019 found the challenged and nurtured so that some areas can average lawn produced 12g of nectar sugar per be left quietly unmolested. Or are areas of rough day, enough to support 1,088 honeybees; vegetation an anathema in today’s flower and nectar sugar production was contemporary minimalistic highest on lawns cut once every four gardens? Artificial grass has its weeks. This gives ‘short-grass’ plants like limited place but offers no wildlife daisies, selfheal and white clover a chance habitat. If there is little space for to flower in profusion, boosting nectar these features, how about building production tenfold. some correctly orientated habitat The soon-to-arrive Environment Bill into the design? will require development sites to deliver There are lots of options a minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity – 10% available: solitary bee hotels, BEE BRICKS from what, I ask? A pre-development starting bumble bee boxes, bee bricks, bat point benchmark will need to be assessed – no shelters, hedgehog rests and highways, swallow doubt surveyed by a suitably qualified ecologist. and swift nests plus amphibian shelters for frogs Landscape and garden designers will need to and toads. By including and building in some include this minimum, but planners could ask of these into a garden you can add value and for more uplift in biodiversity. There are ways of to your profit margin. There is a considerable adding wildlife habitat to schemes and that will choice beyond the bird table, feeders and nest boost the biodiversity, and you can find lots of box. Include some water as a bird bath or pool, good advice from the authors below. even a sunken washing up bowl, accessible from ground level will attract more wildlife. I know that watching the wildlife in my garden B O O K R E C O M M E N DAT I O N S over lockdown has been a positive benefit from • ‘The Wildlife Gardener’ by ‘staying at home’. Your clients could benefit too, Kate Bradbury. Advice on where and it becomes a smile maker, bonding your to site bird boxes and other shelters clients to the garden and all its inhabitants. plus plants to attract wildlife. • ‘RSPB Gardening for Wildlife’ by Adrian Thomas. A complete guide to ABOUT NICK COSLETT get nature into a garden, not just birds. • ‘How to Make a Wildlife Garden’ Nick is now retired but has worked in landscape by Chris Baines, one of the pioneers offices, parks management and horticultural in developing wildlife gardens. We know gardens combined host the greatest biodiversity, more than most nature reserves. How can garden designers and landscapers capitalise on this fact? The use of

NURTURE

THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE CHOICE BEYOND THE BIRD TABLE, FEEDERS AND NEST BOX

©wildlifeworldtrade.co.uk

Bee Barn with solitary bees needs to be sited above ground level, head height is good. Place in the sunniest part of the garden, facing south and if possible shelter from rain with a cover.

HEDGEHOG HIGHWAY SIGN BY HEDGEHOG STREET

©hedgehogstreet.org

Hedgehog Highway sign to protect from blockage of any hole/gap at least 13cm in diameter, which is large enough for hedgehogs but not for domestic cats.

LOG BEEHIVE BY BEE KIND HIVES

©MBLA and beekindhives.uk

Log Beehive as seen at Marian Boswall Landscape Architects which did not take long to be colonised by a local bee swarm.

BAT SHELTER BY GREEN&BLUE

©GreenandBlue.co.uk

Better have bats in this Bat box included in construction than in a roof space. Can be used for mitigation work. One of a number of build in units by GreenandBlue.

BEE BRICKS BY GREEN&BLUE

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Bee Brick with leaf cutter bee and other solitary bees, another of GreenandBlue’s built in habitats.

SPARROW TERRACE NEST BOX BY NHBS

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Hedge Sparrow Terrace and other bird boxes need to be sited two metres above ground and away from feeding stations. Place facing east and not where it will be cooked in sunshine.

SWALLOW NEST CUPS BY CJ WILDLIFE

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.

Swallow nest cup available with similar units for house martins and swift nests are also available. ©CJ Wildlife @ birdfood.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / May 2021 59

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NURTURE

UPDATES IN TECHNOLOGY AREN’T JUST FOR SHOW; THEY HAVE GENUINE USER BENEFITS, SAYS LEWIS NORMAND

AUTOMATION AND MINIATURISATION I

’m lucky as I get to trial quite a lot of new kit designed for the individual horticultural professional or keen amateur gardener. Companies lend me tools, new tech, decorative garden items and even plants to see how well they do. Sometimes I don’t have to give these bits back, which is generous, but also a better testing ground to see if I keep on using and appreciating them after a trial period has ended. In 2021, most of us found that we had more time on our hands and companies were keen to capitalise on a large online sales opportunity to sell gardening tools to the masses at home. They were pretty keen to send out samples for trial and I experimented with a number of great bits of new kit. Three running themes emerged from the range of products that I trialled: automation, miniaturisation and processing. For the purposes of this piece, let’s ignore processing, but it was interesting, with Bokashi composters, wormeries and green manure processors, enabling the home gardener to manufacture feed and compost from organic waste. I’m confident that these could all be upscaled to meet the needs of professional horticulturists or large garden gardeners too. Automation has always interested me; I love a gadget and I’ve been pleased to see a number of companies move well beyond the old-

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fashioned control knob irrigation timers and create cloud controlled, Wi-Fi connected systems. I trialled one by Hozelock, which was excellent, though unlike most years, I was less dependent on it while I was away with work or summer holidays. Controlling garden devices through an app on my phone is the perfect solution for me and one that I felt may have taken longer to materialise than it did. It isn’t necessarily perfect but can surely only be improved on over time.

THREE RUNNING THEMES EMERGED FROM THE RANGE OF PRODUCTS THAT I TRIALLED: AUTOMATION, MINIATURISATION AND PROCESSING This automation has probably developed from an American and Central European race to produce robot lawnmowers of ever improving spec and quality. Where five years ago, these were novelties, I hear of garden designers specifying them, and understandably so. If installed during the build of a garden, the cutting boundary wire can be more discretely secured to the lawn edge than often happens when retrofitted. The introduction of robot mowers in

parks will hopefully leave gardeners time to better manage the planted spaces rather than just being an opportunity to cut labour forces in our parks. Miniaturisation has become apparent in the design of a number of electric powered gardening tools; some patently not up to the rigours of work a professional would put them through, but several that I have seen that definitely would. I have been trialling a Worx 20V garden leaf blower that isn’t a great deal less powerful than my much larger, considerably heavier and far less manoeuvrable petrol-powered blower. It has blown (pardon the pun) my mind with how small, light (one handed operation) and easy it is and I can see it being used to tidy beds and borders and keep professional worksites clean and well organised. Sure, it won’t be able to handle vast leaf-fall that would be found in a leafy park, but it is light enough to be carried around all day by someone doing general maintenance of any large site and it is powerful enough to make a meaningful contribution. I think this is where we will continue to see much of our tech developing. Large companies that service the amateur market, investing in product development to lighten our load, enable automation and simplification that will filter into the professional kit. I think this is a real boon that should be capitalised on for the knees, backs and ears of long-time users in particular.

ABOUT LEWIS NORMAND Lewis has worked in a wide variety of roles within horticulture over a 20-year career. He has lectured on garden design and horticulture, and designed gardens in the UK, Europe and the Middle East. Since 2011, Lewis has focused on nursery sales, now working as sales manager at Bernhard’s Nurseries, and has helped to launch a number of new plants into the UK plant market. He is a specialist supplier to show gardens, supplying more than 100 gardens at major shows.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/04/2021 15:19

B E H AV I O U R A L BENEFITS

NURTURE CYCLE AND FOOTPATH LINED WITH MATURE LONDON PLANE TREES IN PRAGUE

IN THE LAST OF A THREE-PART SERIES, KEITH SACRE TALKS ABOUT THE LESS TANGIBLE BENEFITS OF TREES

t this present time, it is difficult to adequately and accurately express the benefits trees provide when considering human health and wellbeing and the positive influences trees can have on societal behaviours – but that does not mean that evidence is unavailable. The research portfolio internationally is extensive and compelling. In my experience, the most successful advocate of such research is Dr Kathleen Wolf of the University of Washington. I have been fortunate enough to spend a great deal of time in her company and have found her ‘From Cradle to Grave’ model both educative and stimulating. Dr Wolf is a social scientist who carries out research programmes of her own and energetically collates and makes available international research on the social science related to the urban forest online at: www.naturewithin.info. The site is linked to www.depts.washington. edu/hhwb – this PUBLIC OPEN SPACE combined resource SURROUNDED BY TREES. MYATTS FIELD, LONDON base is phenomenal, with thousands of papers and links provided. The ‘From Cradle to Grave’ theme suggests that every stage and aspect of human life is positively impacted by having access to and association with trees and greenspace and that public goods and benefits accrue from childbirth. For example, two research papers published in 2011 and 2014 suggested that the natural environment may affect pregnancy outcomes. Research suggested that a 10% increase in tree canopy cover within 50m of

a house could positively reduce the number of low birth rates by 1.42 per 1,000 births*. Trees can have a positive impact on crime reduction with a 2012 paper suggesting that trees in the public right of way are associated with lower crime rates. The paper suggests that smaller, view obstructing trees are associated with increased crime while larger trees are associated with reduced crime**. A 2011 paper suggests that a 10% increase in tree canopy can result in a 12% decrease in crime***. A 2012 paper suggested that walking in a natural setting improved cognitive and affective behaviours. The study involved 20 adults with major depression walking in a park and an urban setting for 50 minutes one week apart with testing carried out before and after†. There are research papers which link the provision of trees and greenspace to improved retail experience and per TREES ENCOURAGE head spend suggesting HEALTH AND WELL BEING THROUGH that the atmospherics PHYSICAL ACTIVITY improved shoppers, which provide evidence that green streets with a focus on walkability lower frustration levels and raise meditation levels. The ‘Cradle to Grave’ model suggests that nearby nature experiences are important across a whole human life cycle. In infants, birth weight, immune function and family dynamics are positively affected. In children and teens, overall health and wellbeing is improved. In adults, depression and stress is reduced, as is vulnerability to cardiovascular disease. In older adults, mobility, and quality of life is improved. The list goes on. Suffice it to say that the work of Treeconomics and others in expressing the public goods and benefits provided by trees is valuable and provides a compelling argument as to why trees should be considered as essential

infrastructure particularly in the harsher urban areas where the majority of us live, work and play. The evidence compiled by Dr Wolf and colleagues from across the globe reinforces these arguments and reinforces the argument that current estimates of the public goods and benefits which emanate from trees and greenspace are currently an underestimation. There is evidence that government, both local and central, have at last begun to realise that trees are essential with many extensive tree planting targets being supported and financed across the country. The proposed Environmental Land Management System features the delivery of public goods as essential criteria which must be met before government grant is awarded. There are six public goods outlined and each of these is in some way met by the provision of trees and greenspace. Where all this will lead remains to be seen but hopefully these articles have given readers the incentive to read further and more fully understand the full extent of the benefits and public goods provided by trees. Donovan et al., Health and Place 2011 and Hystad et al., Environmental Health Perspectives 2014 ** Donovan & Prestemon, Environment and Behaviour 2012 *** Troy, et al. 2011 The Relationship between Tree Canopy and Crime rates across an urban-rural gradient in the Greater Baltimore Region † Berman et al.2012, Improving Depression, Journal of Affective Disorders *

ABOUT KEITH SACRE Keith has more than 20 years’ experience in local government as nursery, parks and operations manager. He is currently arboricultural and urban forest director at Barcham Trees – the largest container tree nursery in Europe – past chair of the Arboricultural Association and trustee of the Trees and Design Action Group. Keith is a member of the Chartered Institute of Foresters and a chartered arborist. He has an MSc Arb, BSc in Social Science and BSc Arboriculture.

www.barcham.co.uk

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NURTURE

C OVERING A L L BASES NOEL KINGSBURY CALLS FOR MORE CREATIVITY WITH THE USE OF GROUND COVER PLANTS

round cover plants – British landscape professionals have never made much use of these, which has always surprised me. As an alternative to grass, about all you ever see is Bergenia, prostrate Cotoneaster or Rubus tricolor. There are so many more possibilities for simple and graphic minimal maintenance plant surfaces. While much of the current thrust in planting design is towards biodiversity and what could broadly be called ‘naturalism’, this seems like a backward step. But not really, as ground covers offer a deeper layer of habitat than mown grass and are far more sustainable, with a lower demand for irrigation and a far lower need for maintenance. The different foliage colours and textures of ground cover plants offer the landscape professional a contrast to both mown grass and hard surfaces. It is possible to put different plant varieties together in blocks to bounce contrasts off each other, although this is almost never done. Uniformity of surface appearance and ability of the plants to ‘self-repair’ – i.e. grow into gaps – is generally regarded as important, both characteristics of the Pachysandra terminalis used widely in the US, and Geranium macrorrhizum in Germany. These two are both generally used in shade. Use of ground covers in full sunshine as an alternative to grass is less common, despite the advantages of having a low-maintenance and (if the right species are chosen) drought-proof alternative. There is perhaps an expectation of uniformity of surface which, for example, Pachysandra, meets very well. If some ‘lumpiness’ or unevenness of the surface is acceptable, then the net can be cast much wider; there is, for example, much potential here for various

62 Pro Landscaper / May 2021

Noel Kingsbury-2.indd 62

EPIMEDIUM VERSICOLOR ‘SULPHUREUM’: • GOOD ATTRACTIVE TOUGH GROUND • FILLS IN AMONGST SHRUBS • ALMOST ZERO MAINTENANCE

species of yarrow – Achillea, which show an amazing ability to cover ground, with no irrigation and an ability to suppress weed competition. The use of Achillea is one of the innovations we are getting from Mediterranean zone garden people, only too anxious to find grass alternatives. From the US we are hearing increasingly about the large-scale use of sedges – species of Carex, which at least have

GROUND COVERS OFFER A DEEPER LAYER OF HABITAT THAN MOWN GRASS AND ARE FAR MORE SUSTAINABLE, WITH A LOWER DEMAND FOR IRRIGATION AND A FAR LOWER NEED FOR MAINTENANCE the advantage of looking like grass. Far more tolerant of shade and poor soil than grass and needing only a once-a-year mow, an increasing number of practitioners are installing sedge ‘lawns’ where foot traffic is absent or minimal, initially for sites too shady for grass, but increasingly elsewhere. My own, limited experience with a sedge ground cover, however, was mixed. It worked, looked great, but proved impossible to weed – so perhaps

only something for urban environments where weed seed infiltration would be less likely. Given the growing popularity of Carex use in the US, I suspect it is only a matter of time before they are promoted over here. A creative variation is the use of ground covers as a matrix, where perennials or shrubs are surrounded by the ground cover plant. Dutch designer Piet Oudolf has promoted this, mostly using Sesleria grasses to surround the perennials characteristic of his planting style. One advantage is that everything meshes together to produce a surface very resilient to weeds. Installation costs, I suspect, might be high, but the approach is one that might be considered for a simplified version, perhaps using ground covers as a simple infill between shrubs; somewhere I have seen this done with shrubs and a variegated ivy. I believe species with stems too light for ivy to cling to were being used. I would imagine a trim around the edges would be all the work it would ever need. We have enough vigorous plants in cultivation and commerce. Please can practitioners start being a little more adventurous and creative?

ABOUT NOEL KINGSBURY Noel Kingsbury is a freelance designer, writer and researcher who has long promoted naturalistic planting design. He also teaches at Boston Architectural College.

www.noelkingsbury.com

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21/04/2021 16:55

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22/04/2021 16:41

NURTURE

MAKING IT LOOK EASY HAVING THE RIGHT KIT AND KNOW HOW MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE, SAYS STEVE MCCURDY

hen we opened Majestic Trees in 2002, we quickly came to the conclusion that to sell many of the bigger trees we grew we needed to provide not only delivery but planting services. This was to overcome the perceived obstacle to the sale by potential customers of how to handle such large trees, especially in the middle of summer. As a result, we have literally invested millions of pounds in purchasing heavy equipment, a fleet of eight artic and rigid trucks, and the team that provides these services.

LANDSCAPERS AND DESIGNERS CAN THINK BIG AND ARE NOT LIMITING THEIR VISION BY THE EQUIPMENT OR EXPERIENCE OF THE BUILD TEAM Whilst we do provide full planting services on upwards of 1,500 projects every year, we are more than happy – in fact, prefer – to deliver our tree stock to landscape projects on our custom fleet of trucks, equipped to offload and place the trees so you don’t have to worry about the equipment you need. Sometimes, landscapers use our ‘Delivery to Tree Pit’ service, as it allows you to keep full control of the project, digging the hole, and completing the planting, whilst Majestic Trees provides the offload and placement, including any prebooked matting needed, eliminating the risk to you as to who is responsible for any damage to a tree, which we fully accept with this service. While we offer straight delivery or ‘Delivery to Tree Pit’ for many of the trees we sell, offering these additional services for large stock or difficult access points, means that landscapers and designers can think big and are not limiting their vision by the equipment or experience of the build team. To show you some of the equipment we operate, I have put together these pictures so you can see how it is done.

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We run two 44t DAF CF drawbar units, that comprise of a large rigid which will transport trees, with the required heavy machinery on the low loader behind. Typically, this will be a dedicated delivery, and on larger projects, will be accompanied by one of our rear wheel steer artic trailers.

Majestic Trees stocks well over 200 GroundGuard mats that we can provide at an additional cost to protect the grass or hardscape, which allow equipment to pass over. However, don’t expect them to work miracles on a freshly laid lawn, in wet conditions, or a poorly built patio, even if these mats are rated 60t axle weight!

If a single large tree is needed at the end of the garden, laying out two rows of GroundGuard matting will ensure that very negligible damage will occur. In fact, on many occasions, customers are amazed as to how our team manage to move such large stock over their pristine lawn.

Our artic trailers have both lifting and sliding roofs that really help facilitate the onloading of large trees, such as this big cedar. Having the right equipment, knowing how to sling it, and the experienced crew is critical to no damage, all of which can be offered with our ‘Delivery to Tree Pit’ service.

This latest zero turn digger that we have added to our seven-machine JCB excavator fleet is a real workhorse. We operate from one-ton micros all the way up to 14.5t excavators, which when combined with one of our seven truck mounted Manitous, makes doing muck away in dumpy bags very easy and clean.

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21/04/2021 09:47

NURTURE

Here our team are placing a large Cedrus atlantica in the tree pit with a JCB 550-80 with the rootball strapped to the carriage of our fixed 1.75m forks which works best with feathered trees. This five-ton lift machine will be joined by a new JCB six-ton lift in our 11-machine telehandler fleet by the end of 2021.

There are two different methods we use when placing large trees, and our preferred method is demonstrated by this Acer x freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’ being lowered into the hole hanging on boat straps. This method enables you to see the tree in position, and then have it rotated on the jib before lowering into the tree pit.

We had this tracked Mooroka custom built with a 4.2t lift crane, which enables us to move large trees across big fields with negligible marking, and no rutting, which other wheeled machines would do. This track dumper can also move the muck away on site, working in the wettest conditions.

Occasionally, when a cedar is exceptionally big and top heavy even with a 5,000 rootball, and the unloading position is less than idea, we may use two machines to offload from the truck, as demonstrated here as we offload this cedar from one of our trailers that has a lifting and sliding roof.

There are a number of good anchor systems on the market, but from our experience Platipus is the simplest to use and has the largest range. Here a large G4 overhead guying system is being fitted to an 11m cedar, with two of the three cables positioned into any high winds typical for the site.

Unfortunately, many big homes in the countryside are down single-track lanes, often signposted as no HGVs or at best a maximum of 7.5t. In these situations, our rear wheel steer trailers and rigids come into their own, though even then it can be tight!

This Quercus rubra is so large it is not only filling the 13.5m trailer but sticks out of the back door. Moving large trees like this in an enclosed trailer is only possible with both lifting and sliding roofs, which when combined with rear wheel steer enable us to take these huge trucks down small country lanes.

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Carefully loaded, you can carry quite a number of trees, all prepared for planting, which one of our seven-truck mounted telescopic Manitous will offload and place on site, as long as they have a 2.7m-wide access road. Furthermore, the same machine can place the trees in the tree pit, if prepared in advance for an additional cost.

A B O U T ST E V E M C C U R DY Steve is managing director of Majestic Trees, which he formed almost 20 years ago. He, often with another team member, spends weeks walking the fields of nurseries all over Europe, tagging tree stock he buys to grow on. Last season, he made 12 trips in his search to ensure the best quality and the UK’s highest biosecurity at Majestic Trees.

www.majestictrees.co.uk

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21/04/2021 09:48

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NURTURE

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FO C U S FAR FROM CLIPPING ITS PROFITS, RE ADYHEDGE HAS PROSPERED OVER THE L AST YE AR AND IS LOOKING AHE AD WITH SHEER OPTIMISM

ast year was undoubtedly a challenging one, but Readyhedge thrived under the pressures. Despite the initial wobble of the first lockdown, its sales were up 20 to 25% on the previous year, which was its best year yet. E-commerce sites which Readyhedge supplied saw a surge in demand from the public, and housing developments, a key market for the nursery, soon picked up again. “This is going to be a record month for us,” says Simon Williamson, managing director of Readyhedge, when we spoke to him towards the end of March. “Everybody is spending money on their gardens and we supply a lot to the development trade – a large percentage are looking to put in hedges as part of the planning agreements, so our hedging product is being used a lot because it’s instant.” After a “fortuitous” year, Simon says Readyhedge has a really positive outlook for the future too, and is looking to expand its 17-acre site in Pershore. That’s not to say that it isn’t having to overcome hurdles, though, from stock shortages to higher import costs now the UK has left the EU single market. But Simon sees Brexit as an opportunity. “It will be positive for

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our industry in the end. In the UK, we have the skills and the experience to be able to turn our nurseries around to produce larger quantities of quality plants and furnish our own markets – that’s what the nursery trade should be doing.”

IN THE UK, WE HAVE THE SKILLS AND THE EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO TURN OUR NURSERIES AROUND TO PRODUCE LARGER QUANTITIES OF QUALITY PLANTS AND FURNISH OUR OWN MARKETS Whilst reducing a reliance on Dutch imports, Simon says building relationships with European suppliers is really important to the nursery, and this is aided by its franchise, Readyhedge Holland. An increase in paperwork and hassle could steer Dutch nurseries away from supplying the UK and towards supplying more locally instead, which is potentially behind current stock shortages. Readyhedge itself says mixed hedging, for instance, has completely sold out and won’t be available until the AN AERIAL VIEW end of August. But fortunately,

Readyhedge has forged strong relationships with its suppliers in Holland – they provide sensible pricing and a good service, which Readyhedge reciprocates with quick payments and loyalty. Thanks to this, and the contracts they have in place, Simon isn’t concerned about supply for next year. Readyhedge is also continually innovating, as well as growing traditional favourites. It both follows and attempts to predict trends. “Trends are very cyclical,” says Simon. “Last year, it was hornbeam that was needed; this year, it’s beech. They are always going backwards and forwards. You can never quite judge what the next trend is going to be, it just happens. “The one big trend for us is the mixed hedging so housing developments can tick biodiversity boxes. So, we have expanded into that by another two kilometres for next year. General evergreens are still very popular too. But we’re also trying to initiate trends with varieties like Phillyrea, Nandina and Quercus ilex as hedging – in small quantities to start with the hope they’ll gather more interest. They’re old plants, there’s nothing revolutionary about them, but we’re trying to get them to be used more in hedging. We’re trying to alter the evergreens, so it’s not just the traditional Prunus and Taxus. “We also have these new strains of Buxus from a nursery in Holland which are allegedly box blight resistant. I’m not sure whether it will take over from the common Buxus sempervirens, but we’re stocking those at the moment too.” It’s all about pushing forward and remaining optimistic, as far as Readyhedge is concerned. There are certain things you cannot change, but you can adapt and evolve, and Readyhedge seems to have mastered both of these. Tel: 01386 750 585 www.readyhedgeltd.com

Pro Landscaper / May 2021 67

21/04/2021 08:34

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ZAC RIBAK, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WATERMATIC, TALKS US THROUGH SOME OF THE KEY ELEMENTS THAT PRODUCE THE BEST IRRIGATION OUTCOMES

atermatic has been specializing in irrigation at all scales for over 25 years – and its here to stay. Its HQ and management team backs up its field engineers to keep things running smoothly and efficiently for its clients and customers. Watermatic’s range covers the small and the large, including the Natural History Museum, major commercial and residential redevelopments, the Olympic Park, Kew Gardens, and some magnificent private estates. There are also some really interesting challenges such as the beautifully curved green roof at the famous Peppa Pig World at Paulton’s Park.

Consulting Installations vary widely in their scale and complexity. It is important to understand how the intelligent use of valuable water can be best achieved and this is best done at the earliest stages of planning when usually there are more options available yielding better and cheaper results.

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Coming from a horticultural background, with over 30 years of horticultural experience, an empathy for plants is always on my mind when recruiting field staff, and awareness of optimizing for their needs features high on my agenda. There are several key elements that produce best outcomes in at the stages of consulting, designing, installing and maintaining, which have contributed to Watermatic’s success thus far.

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IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE INTELLIGENT USE OF VALUABLE WATER CAN BE BEST ACHIEVED Installing Gathering water, using it, applying it, storing it and disposing of it is fundamental to irrigation for new builds and retrofits. This often includes rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling which are increasingly required to help with mitigating water shortages and in Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS). SuDS are designed to reduce the potential impact of new and existing developments on surface water drainage discharges. Our work with Water Sensitive Urban Design, (W-SUD), takes this to the next level of working with green infrastructure as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional concrete infrastructure.

Maintaining This is really a well-established, common sense point. Longer lasting and better functioning systems are those receiving ongoing support and proper maintenance. Watermatic Service Staff are customer focused and trained to the highest standard. We offer maintenance service agreements at specified intervals to optimise performance, reliability and system longevity. Ultimately, it is crucial to work with a supplier you can entrust projects to from start to finish. Knowing that they will be completed on time, on budget and with harmony between you, your customers and other contractors, both on and off site. It is amazing how a brief Zoom call can help in planning, designing and implementing your projects and to develop that trading relationship for mutual benefit in the coming weeks, months and beyond. Working with people and ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL companies whose culture and approach you share and align with yields harmony and much better outcomes for all. Throughout the pandemic, Watermatic has continually developed and refined its practices and capabilities to deliver for its clients in the coming years. It is a unique opportunity for collaboration with all the benefits of stability, reliability and shared success. Watermatic has also recently extended its installations to include water features as they have been increasing in popularity.

C O N TA C T Watermatic Ltd Tel: 01923 839 988 info@watermaticltd.co.uk www.watermaticltd.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / May 2021 69

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22/04/2021 15:29

EDUCATE

SORTING THE SUBBASE

IN A NEW SERIES, GARETH WILSON WILL BE DELVING INTO COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY LANDSCAPERS, STARTING WITH POOR SUBBASE PREPARATION

he usual process when an ‘expert witness’ commission comes through to me – either through my website or the Professional Garden Consultants Association (PGCA) website – is that I’ll ask the client for a ‘brief’ or description of the issues with their project. Often the brief provided by the client states the paving has sunk, pointing has cracked and paving slabs have ‘lips’ which in turn are creating trip hazards due to settlement. If we go off industry minimum standards, the subbase for a path for light use is 100mm and a driveway 150mm – both should have a non-woven geotextile membrane laid underneath for stabilisation. I highly recommend the non-woven geotextile due to its permeability as we’ve found the woven to actually impede drainage. More than often, I find no geotextile membrane under patios to give that extra stabilisation as mentioned. So many times I see videos or images on social media of contractors compacting MOT Type 1 in thick layers which – simply put – is not sufficient for a long lasting patio or driveway. At The Landscape Academy, we are now teaching students to compact in 50mm layers with four passes in each direction, left to right and up and down. For a driveway, the same

applies; but to achieve a higher spec for compaction, we recommend a vibrating ride-on roller with a trench whacker around the perimeter and around drains. There is no absolute ‘manual guide’ to subbase preparation. Develop (and trust) your own knowledge, experience and judgment when determining the required depth of a subbase for any given project. Digging a pilot hole at the quoting stage will give you an idea of the type of substrate and drainage. This should begin to

DEVELOP (AND TRUST) YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND JUDGMENT WHEN DETERMINING THE REQUIRED DEPTH OF A SUBBASE FOR ANY GIVEN PROJECT give the landscaper a picture of what to expect when they begin excavation of the patio or driveway should they win the contract. Once the contractor has begun to excavate the patio or driveway, a careful assessment of the substrate is needed. Personally, I would always err on the side of caution – leaning to a deeper subbase to be on the safe side.

For instance, we recently laid a driveway in Manchester. We discovered there was a predominantly sandy substrate. We decided to lay a high spec membrane to provide maximum structural stability, with 300mm of MOT Type 1 on top and compacted with a large Bomag vibrating roller. On another project, again in Manchester, we encountered a heavy clay with the roots of nearby trees potentially causing ‘clay heave’ i.e. movement. We therefore decided upon a geotextile membrane, followed by 100mm of MOT Type 1, and then a concrete slab at 150mm depth. Often, we have found soft spots that never seem to dry out when excavating; in this case I would always dig out a square meter and backfill with MOT Type 1 laid on top of a geotextile membrane, and again using a trench whacker to compact in layers. The message I’m sending here to contractors to avoid subsidence is to treat each and every project individually, do your homework on the substrate at the quotation stage and plan for the unexpected. For example, allow for an extra grab wagon and more MOT Type 1 just in case you encounter substrate issues, and compact with the heaviest compactor you can use safely on your particular project. I hope this proves helpful to my fellow landscapers – very best of luck with your own projects!

ABOUT GARETH WILSON Leaving college at 17, Gareth has worked in the landscape industry since 1989. Progressing onto highend 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.

www.gkwilsonlandscaping.co.uk

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21/04/2021 08:41

EDUCATE

GET READY, GET TECH AND GO

THE TRADES’ COACH, ALISON WARNER GIVES HER TOP TIPS ON HOW TO STAY AHE AD IN THE DIGITAL WORLD

Be responsive A recent Harvard Business Review study showed that companies that contact prospective customers within the first hour following their enquiry were SEVEN times more likely to win the business, compared to those who got back to them an hour or more later. This increases to 60 times more likely when compared to those who contacted them 24 hours or more later. This clearly shows that if you snooze you lose! So, how can technology help solve this challenge when you as a business owner are out on the tools, getting the work done?

A live chat facility on your website, or using automated response software that can respond to enquiries via a text could help. Bots can answer commonly asked questions via live chat, send out brochures and then revert to a human

Pro Landscaper / May 2021

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when necessary. These details can then be texted to you or ideally to your virtual or employed assistant. They can then do the basics e.g., find out their needs and schedule a call/visit in your diary. Improve your organisation skills One of the habits we encourage our clients to get into is to create electronic to-do lists. This can be synched with your computer or phone and can be used when you are out and about and updated as necessary. This is much more efficient than bits of paper and keeps you focused on your priorities. One of our favourite free tools is Microsoft To Do.

COMPANIES THAT CONTACT PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS WITHIN THE FIRST HOUR FOLLOWING THEIR ENQUIRY WERE SEVEN TIMES MORE LIKELY TO WIN THE BUSINESS Manage jobs between teams Job management software enables you to manage your customers, employees, contractors and office. It will also help synch diaries within your team. You can send quotes and take payments, and useful reminders means you won’t miss a thing. This will improve efficiency and create a smoother customer experience overall. The one that many of our clients use is ServiceM8: www.servicem8.com/uk/industries/ landscaping-software ©Tima Miroshnichenko

mbedding technology in your business will make you more efficient, more customer-led and more competitive in a crowded digital landscape. Here are my tips on how technology can be used in your landscaping business, and what to watch out for in the future.

Keep an eye on the future I am personally fascinated by the onset of 5G, and how this will empower businesses in the future. 5G will, for example, act as a catalyst for the development of augmented and virtual reality, which will help create a more personalised experience for customers. Imagine being able to ‘step into’ a world where you can see how your garden design will look?

It’s vital to keep on top of technology in the industry and become an early adopter. This will give you a clear competitive advantage and position you as a strong market leader. To measure the health of your business, take our free BUILD system scorecard, available on our website: www.evolveandgrowcoaching.com

A B O U T A L I S O N WA R N E R Alison Warner is the founder of Evolve and Grow, a business coaching firm 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’ https://amzn.to/2QIb467 and founder of the UK’s first Business Growth Academy for trades. www.evolveandgrowcoaching.com

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20/04/2021 15:56

EDUCATE

STEER CLEAR

OF A CLAIM ILAN BRAHA AND JASON MCKENZIE OF ORACLE SOLICITORS DEFINE ‘WRONGFUL DISMISSAL’ AND SUGGEST HOW EMPLOYERS CAN AVOID SUCH A CLAIM

rongful dismissal is a dismissal in breach of contract and wrongful dismissal claims can be brought in the courts as well as the employment tribunal. Fairness is not an issue: the sole question is whether the terms of the contract, which can be written or implied, have been breached. The employee will have a claim for damages if the employer, in dismissing them, breached the contract and caused them (financial) loss. A wrongful dismissal claim may arise out of an actual or constructive dismissal. Constructive dismissal is where an employee resigns in response to an alleged serious breach of contract by the employer. This is in contrast to unfair dismissal. Where wrongful dismissal is based on the employment contract, unfair dismissal is defined by law. An unfair dismissal claim has several preconditions, including a qualifying period of employment (two years, in most cases); and the employer can only rely on what they knew at the time of the dismissal. Wrongful dismissal does not have a qualifying period and if an employer discovers evidence of (serious) misconduct after dismissal, they can use that evidence to defend the claim. Examples of breaches of contract cited in wrongful dismissal claims include: Breach of a contract term specifying the period of notice or the minimum notice period required by law. Termination of a fixed-term contract or a “specific task” (or project) contract before the expiry date or before the specified task is completed. Failure to keep to the contractual disciplinary or redundancy procedure.

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Oracle Solicitors.indd 75

Of the three, the most common reason is the first one. However, if the employment contract has a “payment in lieu of notice” clause (sometimes called a PILON clause), no notice is required provided that the payment is made. If the employee committed a repudiatory (i.e. very serious) breach of the contract, then the contract may allow the employer to dismiss without notice. If the employee contests whether the alleged level of misconduct is sufficiently high to breach the contract, that will be a question of fact for the court or tribunal. It is important to note that a wrongful dismissal may free the employee from any post-termination restriction covenants (sometimes framed as

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A WRONGFUL DISMISSAL MAY FREE THE EMPLOYEE FROM ANY POST-TERMINATION RESTRICTION COVENANTS ‘non-compete clauses’). These restrictions include preventing an employee from poaching staff or clients, or from working in competition for a specified period within a specified geographical area. This is because the employer broke the contract first by dismissing the employee in breach of (for example) the notice

clauses. The employee can arguably consider themselves free from any further requirements to keep to their contractual obligations. If an employer is intending to dismiss an employee, the best way to avoid wrongful dismissal claims is to first carefully read the employee’s contract to see if there are any clauses that cover notice periods, minimum length of contract or specific tasks that need completion. Notice period clauses may also have a PILON clause (in which case the notice period simply needs to be paid as per the PILON clause). If a specific task requires completion and has not yet been completed, check whether there is any flexibility in cancelling the contract (for example, poor performance or not reaching contractually required stages of the task). If there is any contractual dismissal procedure, or if you have a dismissal policy, be sure to follow it.

A B O U T O R AC L E S O L I C I TO R S Oracle Solicitors is an award-winning law firm 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 offices in London, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, Frankfurt, and Addis Ababa – please visit:

www.oraclesolicitors.co.uk

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20/04/2021 16:36

EDUCATE

eed to delegate better? In today’s busy world, one of the best ways to get more time for those top-priority projects is by delegating some of the lower-priority work to someone else. We can’t speak for everyone, but many people are reluctant or afraid to delegate some of their work. Do any of these reasons sound familiar? • Nobody can do this work as well as I can. • If I delegate this work, there’s no guarantee that it’ll get done properly. • If someone else does this better than I do, I’m in trouble. • But I haven’t got time to teach someone else how to do it. • But I want to be seen as a nice guy, not a hard taskmaster. You’re part of a team When we try to help each other out, it’s called ‘teamwork’. In a well-run organisation, everyone works together as a team. Different jobs are performed by different members and there are various levels of authority and responsibility. Here’s 10 tips that will save you time and get you the help you need: Firstly, have you got the task documented or systemised? It’s much easier to trust someone to follow steps in a process to achieve the same result if they have been trained properly in the first place! Ask for help, don’t demand it. Make sure the person has a clear picture of the purpose of any delegated work and knows what kind of results you expect. Take the time to talk it through, explaining specifically what you’re looking for. Give the person all the information and other resources they’ll need to complete the project. Set a realistic deadline that’s agreeable and workable for both of you. Keep yourself available for questions and, when necessary, ask for periodic progress reports. Don’t assume a person will be able to complete a delegated task without any additional help or assistance from you. Never give a person a task you yourself aren’t familiar with. When the project has been completed, give lots of praise for a job well done!

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DEALING WITH

DELEGATION D E L EG AT I N G WO R K C A N B E D I F F I C U LT F O R A N U M B E R O F R E A S O N S – N I C K R U D D L E TA L K S U S T H R O U G H I T

Keep track of delegated work Delegating a job to someone else doesn’t mean you can forget about it. Put the person’s initials next to the item on your to-do list and enter the deadline you’ve both agreed upon on your calendar.

WITH PRACTICE, YOU’LL GAIN CONFIDENCE IN YOUR OWN ABILITY TO DELEGATE AND IN YOUR COLLEAGUE’S ABILITY TO COMPLETE THE WORK If you’re delegating a part of a larger project, you need to make doubly sure that all work is completed on time; otherwise, the whole project may be delayed. Delegating is a confidence builder, for both the ‘delegate’ and the ‘delegator’. With practice, you’ll gain confidence in your own ability to delegate and in your colleague’s ability to complete the work. The ability to delegate effectively has a double payoff. You’ll save time, which you can

spend on other important projects, and you’ll send a signal to your colleagues and managers that you’re an excellent team player and leader.

ABOUT NICK RUDDLE Since 2007, Nick Ruddle has coached many landscape contractors, horticulturists, nurseries, garden centres and garden designers to success and works closely with the main industry associations, suppliers and leaders. With more than 5,000 hours of one-to-one coaching and delivering hundreds of workshops and seminars over the years, Nick can help implement specific strategies, methods, processes and systems that will produce exceptional results for your landscape business. www.nickruddle.com

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21/04/2021 11:59

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THE LOST ART OF S TAY I N G S A F E

EDUCATE

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO COMMON SENSE WHEN OPERATING EQUIPMENT? ANGUS LINDSAY PONDERS

running, stand on the back of vehicles with no form of fall restraint, operate equipment without the correct guarding, lift heavy materials without assistance, or cross busy construction sites whilst staring at their phone? This has nothing to do with coronavirus or lockdown. In fact, in some of the examples I have witnessed the individuals have had their masks on and are wearing gloves. This may protect them from COVID-19 but doesn’t arrest their fall when they step backwards off the bed of a truck or when they pull their back whilst wrestling a log out of a ditch. The old analogy of “you learn by your mistakes” very much still applies and, principals such as “don’t spend what you can’t personally, I have stuck by afford”, “don’t stick your finger in there and if it this advice. You only need get says ‘hot’, there’s every chance you’ll get burnt!” an electric shock The loss of this once to remind you to much-admired EQUIPMENT NEEDS TO BE RESPECTED TO AVOID disconnect the battery, or skin compatriot seems to SERIOUS INJURY your knuckles to make you think have been highlighted about using a longer spanner. over the last 12 months I am still astounded by the by articles in the press number of injuries sustained and in HSE alerts within the land-based industries whereby injuries have as a result of missing guards or been sustained by working on equipment not following basic whilst it is still operating. instructions or, more Losing a finger is not worryingly, by taking a badge of honour, it could unnecessary risks. be life limiting. Maybe it’s We work in an industry because that by wearing where physical exertion PPE people feel immune is part of the daily from injury. But it has to routine. Operating machinery which be remembered that PPE has all manner of spinning, cutting, is a last line of defence; chopping, shredding, digging and a robust risk assessment chipping attachments requires skill, and SOME LACK OF GUARDING and a common sense care needs to be taken to avoid hurting BEGGARS BELIEF approach to the task ourselves or others. being undertaken are the best starting point. Why, then, is it that people feel the need A recent article where a gardener had slipped to clear hedge cutters whilst the engine is still uring a recent conversation with a muchrespected dealer principal, I was reminded of the passing of our old friend Common Sense, whose wisdom nowadays seems to be long forgotten. Never one to make a song and dance about things, Common Sense lived by simple, sound

I AM STILL ASTOUNDED BY THE NUMBER OF INJURIES SUSTAINED WITHIN THE LAND-BASED INDUSTRIES

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whilst cutting grass on a bank highlights this point, in his summing up of the incident he said: “This is the sort of job I have done many times before without a problem; looking back on it I suppose it was an accident waiting to happen. “The grass was long, lush and damp once cut. My shoes were smooth soled ones that I had been wearing whilst doing other odd jobs. I don’t suppose they would give any sort of grip on the damp grass. “Thinking about it, even with better boots on, damp grass is bound to be slippery so it was probably not the best idea to be using a rigid bladed rotary mower when it was possible that I could slip down a slope towards it. “When I did slip it all happened so quickly, there was absolutely no time to react. One moment I was standing up – the next instant my foot was in the blade. I think I probably stacked the odds against myself really – better footwear and a strimmer would have been safer choices. Obviously, things are always clear in hindsight, but I could have seen what was likely to happen, it would have been so little trouble to avoid the risk.”

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

angus.lindsay@idverde.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / May 2021 79

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SPECIALIST SOILS DELIVERED EFFORTLESSLY REGARDLESS OF THE LOGISTIS! 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.

LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES Tel: 01306 877540 or buy online at www.buryhilltopsoilandlogs.co.uk Email: sales@buryhilltopsoil.com BUILDING AGGREGATES • WILDFLOWER TURF & SEED • DECORATIVE STONE

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THE OTTERBINE SUNBURST AERATING FOUNTAIN AT LADBROOK PARK GOLF CLUB

ADVERTORIAL

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS • Patterns available 11 • HP 1, 2, 3 and 5 • Spray height 0.5–6.8m • Spray diameter 0.6–18.3m • m3/hr 23.7–242.7 • Warranty Five years

PRODUCT

DNA

OTTERBINE C3 RANGE WITH SO MUCH MORE TO THESE SYSTEMS THAN A PRET T Y PAT TERN, WE DIG DEEPER AND E XPLORE THE C3 R ANGE OF AER ATING FOUNTAINS FROM OT TERBINE

KEY ASPECTS AND USER BENEFITS

EFFECTIVE WATER QUALITY SOLUTIONS The C3 range of aerating fountains from Otterbine help to introduce oxygen into water for a natural solution to water quality management; effectively controlling algae, aquatic weeds and odours, and leaving water clean, clear and healthy. And with Otterbine the only manufacturer to have its oxygen transfer and pumping rates independently tested and published on their aeration systems, effective solutions are guaranteed. DURABILITY The C3 range has been designed and engineered by expert craftsmen to provide a high-quality, easy to use product that delivers results. All components are created from corrosion resistant materials, such as stainless steel or thermoplastics, so the fountains can be used effectively even in brackish and effluent waters. Plus, they’ve been designed to be small and light, with handles moulded into the float for easier manoeuvrability, installation and storage.

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CUSTOMER FOCUSED FEATURES The C3 range comes with a variety of features and options that directly meet customer needs. For those wanting to minimise economic impact, the range benefits from low amperage systems, which means less electrical consumption and provides an energy efficient solution that results in lower costs. All products are electrical safety tested and listed with ETL and ETL-C and have been tested and approved to carry a third-party independent CE mark. PEACE OF MIND In addition to offering the industry’s strongest, most comprehensive five-year warranty for complete peace of mind, the C3 range of aerating fountains are also backed by a ‘pattern guarantee.’ If you don’t love the pattern, Otterbine will swap it out for another. MINIMAL MAINTENANCE Requiring minimal maintenance, you can rest easy once your Otterbine aerating fountain has been installed. To ensure years of dependable service, it’s recommended that once a year the unit is disconnected from the

power, and the aerator, float and electrical cable are physically inspected, and every three years an oil change is suggested to keep your aerator running smoothly. It couldn’t be simpler to keep your aerating fountain running effectively. THE COMPLETE PACKAGE Durable, efficient and beautiful, the C3 range covers it all. With 11 patterns to choose from, available in 1, 2, 3 and 5hp, there’s a fountain to suit any need. Most systems come complete with unit, power control centre, and cable with quick disconnect as standard for ease of installation. Plus, staged pumping chambers provide an option to change patterns in less than 30 minutes for even more versatility.

C O N TA C T Reesink Turfcare 1-3 Station Road, St Neots PE19 1QF Tel 01480 226 800 Email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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KIT

EDUCATE

CHIPPERS C H I P P E R S C A N B E A H E F T Y I N V E ST M E N T, B U T T H E R E A R E P L E N T Y O F F I N A N C E O P T I O N S AVA I L A B L E , A S T H E S E L E A D I N G S U P P L I E R S E X P L A I N

TIMBERWOLF

ARBORIST 130

GREENMECH

As an illustrative figure, subject to underwriting, GreenMech’s Arborist 130 can be available from £65 per week including VAT with no deposit, over 60 months Finance Lease

Understanding your cashflow needs is crucial to your business and, to that end, GreenMech has a dedicated finance arm – GreenMech Finance – to help its UK customers. If you haven’t the funding to purchase your chipper outright, GreenMech Finance provides flexible and cost-effective options to finance it, with fixed costs over an agreed period. • Hire Purchase requires an initial deposit – perhaps the value of a part exchanged chipper – with the balance plus interest repaid in equal monthly instalments over a fixed period. Any VAT due must be paid upfront, but upon payment of the final instalment, the buyer has full ownership of the chipper. • Finance Lease has the advantage of spreading both the purchase cost and VAT across monthly payments, over an agreed period of between 24 and 60 months. At the end of the lease, the chipper’s agreed final value can be paid to take full ownership, or alternatively the chipper can be returned to the leasing company. www.greenmech.co.uk

Timberwolf Finance is here to support your business and help you invest in its market-leading machinery, helping your business grow. Since 2006 Timberwolf Finance has financed TW 230VTR more than 4,000 wood chippers for UK businesses, making Timberwolf finance the first choice for industry experts. With Timberwolf machines having the industry's strongest residual values, Timberwolf Finance is able to offer flexible finance packages at very low fixed rates over periods from one to seven years. As an example, a new Timberwolf TW 230HB (Petrol) sub-750kg wood chipper is available through Timberwolf Finance from £52 (+VAT per week) or a new TW 230VTR (Petrol) variable width tracked wood chipper from £85 (+VAT per week). With a manufacturer’s financial contribution towards the costs of every new Timberwolf machine supported by Timberwolf Finance, it can also offer 0% finance on every machine sold, and with a recent investment in online technology it can all be arranged to suit your busy schedule with applications available 24/7. Benefits • Fast and simple • Everything arranged online 24/7 • 0% finance offer • Low upfront deposits TW 230HB • One to seven years at low fixed rates • Cashflow friendly seasonal payments • VAT deferrals www.timberwolf-uk.com

FÖRST Först, Europe’s leading woodchipper manufacturer, may not be as well known amongst landscapers as they are arborists, but their products are just as relevant in landscaping applications. The Först ST6P, a sub-750kg wheeled FÖRST ST6P woodchipper, is in fact the perfect all-rounder handling green waste and wet material with speed and without blocking thanks to Först’s open flywheel and cutting system. Contact Först for a free on-site demonstration on 01264 721 790, or sales@forstglobal.com.

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Timberwolf Finance is a trading style of Bond Capital Finance and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Finance is for business purposes only and available throughout the UK, including Northern Ireland. Quotes and prices are subject to acceptance, terms and conditions.

Advertorial

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www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/04/2021 16:58

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22/04/2021 16/04/2021 14:41 12:03

EDUCATE

M AT E R I A L S F O C U S

he word porcelain can conjure up images of something delicate and breakable, but you could not be further from the truth when talking about external porcelain paving. Alongside the visual appeal and longevity of porcelain, its exceptional strength and low maintenance properties have made it one of the most popular paving products in use today.

THE WORD PORCELAIN CAN CONJURE UP IMAGES OF SOMETHING DELICATE AND BREAKABLE, BUT YOU COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH WHEN TALKING ABOUT EXTERNAL PORCELAIN PAVING

PORCELAIN PAV I N G

PORCELAIN IS NOW ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR MATERIALS FOR PAVING, BUT HOW IS IT PRODUCED AND WHAT ARE ITS CREDENTIALS? PRODUCT EXPERT CLARE MORGAN OF LEADING ITALIAN PRODUCER CASATUA EXPLAINS

produced via a press mould or via the continuous production process, where the powder is pressed using oversized rollers and cut to the required size. The pressed tiles are then further dried to remove any excess moisture before firing. The firing process involves passing the pressed tiles through a long Porcelain paving is made of fine porcelain kiln, about 200m stoneware, a compact, hard, non-porous in length, reaching ceramic. The word stoneware relates to the temperatures in vitrification process the tiles go through, being excess of 1,200oC. heated to temperatures in excess of 1,200oC, As the tiles pass which gives the tiles their inherent strength through the kiln, and resistance. the vitrification process takes place, forming The production process begins with the a solid mass and reducing the porosity grinding of a mixture of raw materials including of the material. This gives the porcelain its clay, sand, feldspar, kaolin and coloured characteristics of exceptional hardness, pigments which, when mixed with water, strength, impermeability and frost resistance. leads to the creation of a liquid compound. The decoration of the tiles – reproducing the This mixture is then atomised to produce natural stone, marble, wood, concrete, and more a very fine homogenous particle sized powder traditional effects – is created with digital ink jet ready for pressing. The individual tiles are then technology, applied before the tiles are fired. The design and colour options are almost limitless, with the FIRING PROCESS pattern variation spread across multiple tile faces, avoiding obvious pattern repeats. Sustainability is now a key factor for consumers, and it is important to understand the environmental impact of our purchases. Can you purchase porcelain and keep your carbon footprint small? It depends on who you buy from but, generally speaking, yes you can. Despite

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Materials porcelain paving.indd 84

being the result of a sophisticated industrial process, porcelain is a natural product and Italian manufacturers consistently demonstrate a better environmental performance in relation to competitor products. Tiles produced in Italy have one of the smallest carbon footprints of any floor surface. They are green certified and completely free of VOCs, plastics and chemicals present in other flooring types. A simple recipe of earth, fire and water produces a tough, versatile, practical and hygienic product.

CASATUA has announced that Arbour Landscape Solutions has been appointed as distributors for the South East. Arbour will be stocking the CASATUA ranges and will service all designers and landscapers with samples as required, including free-to-trade 400x300x20mm large samples that show accurately the detail and movement of the material as well as the standard 200x100 samples for clients. Contact details can be found at: www.arbourlandscapesolutions.co.uk

A B O U T C A S AT U A CASATUA is the newest division of the ABK GROUP, one of Italy’s top porcelain producers with more than 25 years of manufacturing experience and a focus on external porcelain products. CASATUA porcelain products combine unbeatable durability and ease of maintenance with the beauty and style of Italian designs, as well as sustainable manufacture and full sales and technical support. www.casatuaoutdoor.com

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EDUCATE

SUSTAINABILITY OF ITALIAN PORCELAIN • Energy saving and efficient manufacturing processes. • Raw materials are sourced from locations reasonably close to the production site. • 100% (by weight) of the total waste generated by the production process recovered, recycled and reused, including all waste water. • Final product can be recycled/repurposed.

CAS E ST U DY

Private residence, Glasgow

One of the most popular examples from our range is Fusion Graphite which takes inspiration from the fine grains and fossils found in limestone and the natural movement of slate which when combined have created one of our most popular materials. This material is a perfect example of the look of natural stone and the practical benefits of porcelain. B7 Ltd, based in Glasgow, recently chose this material for its project which required a darker material in a larger format to contrast with the cream rendered walls but also had to work in with the central natural stone fire pit which had a granite coping. B7 Ltd director Blair Yuill said: “The client was delighted with the look and finish of the porcelain and for us as installers we found the product very high quality and we didn’t have one breakage in all of the cuts unlike other suppliers. And all at a very appealing price point.”

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FUSION GRAPHITE PORCELAIN PAVING

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EDUCATE

S T O N E PAV I N G

SUPPLIERS SHARE THE SOURCE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF ONE OF THEIR NATURAL STONE PAVING PRODUCTS

ALLGREEN GROUP Monarch Sandstone Monarch is a beautiful pale buff quartzite sandstone which is extremely durable and hard wearing. Tonal variations from creamy gold to misty grey provide a stunning warm coloured stone for paving, steps and coping. Available in standard and bespoke formats, Monarch is one of Allgreen Group’s Great British Stones and a favourite with leading architects and designers. Source Monarch is quarried in the south of County Donegal in Ireland. The quarry is close proximity to the coast of the North Atlantic and has been quarried by the same family for more than 40 years and three generations to

become a respected and important source of indigenous stone used in building and landscape architecture all over the UK, Europe and the USA. Sustainability Monarch is sustainably quarried to protect and preserve reserves, providing important resource for building and landscape architecture. The strict extraction, handling and management of the quarry is an integral part of the process, water management,

habitat preservation and recycling are all key factors in Allgreen Group’s Sustainability Management Plan. www.allgreengroup.co.uk

GLOBAL STONE PAVING Block Paver New for 2021 is Global Stone Paving’s range of natural stone block pavers. They are available in sandstone in Castle Grey and Buff Brown and limestone in Honey Blend, Midnight and Cathedral; there surely is a colour choice for every driveway or courtyard. At 50mm thick and available in a three-size pack, these are versatile, stylish and robust, and provide a long-term beautiful solution for those heavy duty/high traffic areas. Source Global Stone Paving sources both the sandstone and limestone from quarries in India, which it has had long term relationship with for nearly 20 years. It is then transported

to Global Stone Paving’s manufacturing plants in the north of India. Here it is carefully handcrafted into pavers with sawn edges and a gently riven natural surface. Sustainability Its sandstone and limestone stone block paver provides an attractive long-term solution, in particular for driveways. This is due to the durability and permeability of the individual natural stone blocks, making them nature’s alternative to concrete block paving. www.globalstonepaving.co.uk

AZPECTS EASYJoint Pro Azpects EASYJoint Pro is a heavy-duty and permeable epoxy resin jointing compound for residential and commercial applications. Great for use in high water-table regions and around swimming pools, as well as high pedestrian traffic and light/medium weight vehicle areas where extra joint strength or tolerance to water is required. Made with responsibly sourced aggregate, this high-strength alternative to sand and cement lasts longer than traditional jointing materials, for a more sustainable installation. It is available in three colours. • Revolutionary sweep-in application saves time and back strain • Chemical and water tolerant and mechanical sweeper resistant RRP From £66 (+VAT) • Epoxy resin formulation means stronger joints for longer www.azpects.co.uk

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Luciano; A Timeless Classic A charming sandstone prized for its consistent buff tones.

Standard format paving available from stock. Bespoke format made to order.

www.allgreengroup.co.uk sales@allgreengroup.co.uk Garden Designed by Juliet McKelvey Garden Design

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rootgrow professional TREE PLANTING • LANDSCAPING • HORTICULTURE

Sustained plant nutrition Better natural vigour Reduced plant mortality Improved drought tolerance Reduced replant problems Chemical free

DECORATIVE The Oxford range, the Cotswold range, Flints, Quartz, Chippings and Shingles Check out the website for full details UK DELIVERIES Loose • Bulk Bags • Pallets Full product list, sample service and UK delivery details on our website

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Kebur Egyptian Limestone Sinai Pearl paving and steps courtesy of RE Landscapes

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Hundreds of natural stone & porcelain options Bespoke sourcing, accessories, lighting & more

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CREATING OUTDOOR

ADVERTORIAL

SPACES TOGETHER

THE JAGUAR LAND ROVER GAYDON CENTRE

BAILEY STREET FURNITURE GROUP EXPLAINS HOW IT HAS GROWN OVER THE YEARS AND THE EXPERTISE IT CAN PROVIDE TO CLIENTS How was the company founded? The Bailey Street Furniture Group, owned by Ian Bailey, was created in 2020 when our four successful brands – Bailey Streetscene, Artform Urban Furniture, Street Furniture Direct and AMV Playgrounds – joined together to create a collaborative team with an excess of 15 years experience in the street furniture market. This enabled our team to share their vision and to work smarter. We are now able to connect and share their wealth of knowledge in an innovative and creative environment. ST VINCENTS PRIMARY SCHOOL

How has it developed since? Bailey Street Furniture Group harnesses decades of business expertise, from humble origins in 2004 with Bailey Streetscene, to the present-day collective. We share our knowledge and innovation across each of our successful brands and our experience has grown year on year. Our client base has expanded with us and we are proud to offer our industry specific skills to all new clients. The brand as a whole has a modern and enquiring outlook with the future and our environment in mind. How we interact with our modern spaces excites us and it is this vision that drives us forward. What range of products do you sell? We design and create both inspiring and functional outdoor street furniture with the simple goal to enhance our everyday lives, with products such as canopies, shelters, bollards and barriers. Our range extends to design led

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architectural furniture including bench seating, litter bins, planter systems and unrestricted playground solutions. We strongly believe that investing in well-designed outdoor spaces is vitally important for modern day living. We know that our surroundings and immediate environment raise the quality of life and help promote a healthier future.

HOW WE INTERACT WITH OUR MODERN SPACES EXCITES US AND IT IS THIS VISION THAT DRIVES US FORWARD Do you offer bespoke items? We have a great in-house design team, with a wealth of experience that utilises and draws inspiration from our extensive supply of high-quality materials in conjunction with leading edge technology. Bailey Street Furniture Group is therefore able to create bespoke design and build projects that allow us to address all architectural needs and emerging trends within urban landscape design. What is the company’s USP? Creating Outdoor Spaces Together. We firmly believe that our open spaces are precious and that these areas should be designed to benefit DELAMERE FOREST VISITOR CENTRE

DEANSGATE SQ ROOF TERRACE

the whole community. We redesign each area with consideration. Each and every user is important. Both form and function are at the heart of our product range and we truly believe that our products are capable of raising the quality of life and providing inhabitants with a feeling of wellness. Cleverly designed urban spaces can and will provide a healthier future. What are your lead times? Our lead times can be as little as 48 hours; however, we generally work on a six to eightweek lead time. What kind of technical support is offered? Each project has full access to our huge wealth of knowledge and product development skills. From concept sketches, through to fully detailed drawings, a dedicated project manager and highly skilled in-house solid works engineers, will manage the scheme through to completion. Is there one particular project that stands out? As our business grows, we are delighted to be associated with some truly fascinating projects that involve some of the UK’s leading architectural practices. Notably the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium, one of the most advanced arenas in the world, through to the Jaguar Land Rover headquarters in Gaydon, one of the most sustainable buildings in the UK. www.bsfg.co.uk

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J001405 - WM Advert Commercial Residential Contractors (W) 92mm x (H) 128_Relea

Global Stone is an industry leading, innovative manufacturer and supplier of premium porcelain and natural stone paving, setts and features C

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JAMES SADLER EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO, JAMES SADLER BECAME A DIRECTOR FOR THE COMPANY WHICH KICKSTARTED HIS CAREER

ames Sadler has come full circle. He started his career in the industry as a trainee operator at Beechenlea Maintenance Ltd in 2008 when he left sixth form college. Just over a decade later, at the end of 2019, he returned to the Essex-based company as a director. During his time away from Beechenlea, James worked for various companies gaining further experience, but his longest stint was at Ground Control. James spent nearly seven years with the grounds maintenance giant, gaining qualifications in forestry and arboriculture as well as starting a BSc management degree, which Beechenlea has continued to sponsor in James’ final year. He joined Ground Control as a “passionate arborist”, working his way up from project manager to contract delivery manager. In 2016, he became part of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation alumni after the successful retender and award of a UK Power Networks Vegetation Management Contract with a target spend of £2.5m per annum. James led the team behind the £2.5m contract for four years until Gavin Armitage, managing director of Beechenlea, approached him with a new opportunity. “Ground Control looked after me,” says James. “I had some great mentors, and I learnt a lot about the industry. When I first joined, I had fewer qualifications than I have now, and far less commercial and contract experience and a lot of that is down to them and the support and opportunities they have given me. “However, navigating your way through a massive company can be difficult and after seven years it began to stagnate, so when Gavin asked me to take a leading role, it presented a great opportunity, not only for me but the business also”.

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Part of James’ remit is diversifying Beechenlea’s client portfolio and raising its profile. It's core client base has always centred around the Transport for London infrastructure, in particular the 1FM contract which focuses on the maintenance of its buildings, stations and lineside assets as part of what James calls a “holistic maintenance contract”.

I FELL INTO THE INDUSTRY THROUGH THE BANKING CRISIS, ESSENTIALLY, AND STAYED THERE EVER SINCE BECAUSE I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT James is now looking to diversify and introduce new workstreams to the business. "Gavin trusts me to work with our business development team which includes the submission of bids for upcoming projects and establishing new relationships with principal contractors across our sector, something that Beechenlea never really considered prior to my arrival. As a former employee, I have always had a vested interest in the success of Beechenlea and have been an advocate for them throughout my working career, championing their various specialisms and USP's to my professional network, unfortunately they never got round to promoting it themselves or had the inclination to do so.” Now, though, and with James’s input Beechenlea is keen to promote its work, with the launch of a website and a social media presence.

James has also, over the last 18 months, worked with a consultancy firm to achieve Beechenlea’s ISO standards so that it now has 9001, 14001 and 45001, and the company is working towards becoming an Arb Association Approved Contractor (Utilities). At 24 employees, the family-owned business is relatively small, says James, but it has a large impact across East Anglia and London, and James has become an integral part of that. It’s a little different to the career James imagined when he was in school, though. With his dad working in Canary Wharf, James pictured himself alongside him and other city types in a three-piece suit. This outlook changed when the financial crisis hit. “I thought I’d put university on pause, get a stable job and see how it panned out over the next year or so. I went down the job centre and saw that a local company was looking for a trainee landscaper. "I’d always been an outdoors-y person, and given the economic downturn and associated employment crisis, I thought I'd give it a go. And that was when I first started working at Beechenlea. So, I fell into the industry through the banking crisis, essentially, and stayed there ever since because I fell in love with it.” From where we’re sitting, it panned out pretty well for James, and now he’s back to build upon the success of the company from where it all started.

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PEOPLE

WORK

Best project The best Ground Control project is the Children’s Garden at Kew, for which we were awarded the Grand Award by BALI in 2019. My personal favourite is the first design and build project I won in 2005 for the Dino-Safari ride at Legoland in Windsor. The client was fantastically creative and engaging and I loved being able to share our work with my children. Colleagues Our executive team and board of directors have always felt like a family. In many ways, Ground Control is a modern family business based on shared values and meritocracy rather than only bloodline. For a decade and a half, I recruited almost every member of staff. It’s been a sincere privilege and joy to work with people I really like who are not only colleagues but partners and owners in the business. Mentors My father, who took over his parents’ family business in Virginia, has been my biggest mentor. I look to him as a role model for many of the values I have instilled in Ground Control: Being ethical, caring for your people, providing outstanding customer service, being fair and loyal to suppliers and giving back to your community. Many of my close

friends are also entrepreneurs and some of ‘my’ best ideas have come from seeing the creative and empathetic ways they lead their businesses. Issues to address My focus for most of the past 17 years has been on recruiting, engaging, developing and retaining the very best people possible. People and culture continue to be my primary focus – including leading our sector on social sustainability. Along with employeeownership, we invest heavily in learning and development. I’m also dedicated to environmental sustainability, having just completed the Sustainability Leadership course at Cambridge University and supporting the work on our new sustainability strategy. We launched the Evergreen Fund in late 2019. We invested in six cutting-edge new green ventures and planted 42,000 trees in eight projects around the UK last year. The Evergreen Fund is in the process of acquiring 300 acres in Essex to use for future tree planting and other carbon sequestration technologies. High and low points of your career In 2018, Simon and I were thrilled to be awarded the EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Transformational Leadership for what we have done to make Ground Control a business that truly cares for our environment and puts people at the centre of everything we do. The suicide of Ground Control’s founder, Steve Harrod, in 2008 was the worst thing

I have faced. Steve had become a close personal friend to Simon and me and we very much valued him and his friendship. He was in my kitchen two days before he died, and it has deeply saddened me for years to imagine that I could have done something to prevent his death. Whilst we had invested heavily in health and safety, his death was a call to focus on mental health and safety. Ground Control is now at the forefront of our sector in both raising awareness and providing mental health support. Leadership style My leadership style is empowering and encouraging. I love people, but don’t actually like to manage them – which has made me a great recruiter! I’ve always tried to hire the very best, self-motivated and ambitious people I can and work to provide the right opportunities and development, along with celebrating their successes. If you set out a clear strategy of where you want to go, good people will figure out the best way to get there. What do you hope to achieve over the next 12 months? Supporting our new MD and the wider team where needed, and always staying close to issues affecting our people. I’m involved with our ambitious sustainability strategy and leading the Evergreen Fund – where we dedicate 5% of Ground Control’s annual profits into sustainable green ventures and tree planting projects.

LIFE/STYLE

KIM MORRISH W E F I N D O U T F R O M K I M M O R R I S H S O M E O F T H E H I G H S O F H E R 17 Y E A R S A S D I R E C T O R O F G R O U N D C O N T R O L , A S W E L L A S S O M E O F H E R FAVO U R I T E H O B B I E S

INSPIRATION

Gardens The Biltmore in Ashville, North Carolina. Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted designed George Vanderbilt’s 8,000-acre estate around his desire to preserve the surrounding beauty. He created a self-sustaining estate that would nurture the land, which had been largely overworked and damaged. From this vision came the first planned forestry programme in the United States.

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PEOPLE

PERSONAL

Hobbies My favourite things to do with my kids are pool, family football, rounders, gin rummy, reading and making cookies. With my husband, I’ve completed five triathlons and a Tough Mudder. The only positive thing about those sports is the bragging rights. My favourite hobbies are taking long walks in the countryside with good friends, hip hop boot camp on the Peloton and my two book clubs – for the reading, camaraderie and cocktails.

Design tastes Lots of light, big open spaces (which has required removing sections of five walls in our farmhouse), a neutral palette with sea tones, loads of house plants and fresh flowers. Most treasured possession(s) I used to cherish lots of things but as I’ve gotten older, I find I most treasure old photos and videos of all the people I love. Years ago, I gave my husband a digital frame with thousands of photos on it that I truly love to watch. Those times, and memories of those times, bring me great joy. Favoured dress style Super casual! COVID-19 has reinforced how much I dislike high heels and stiff clothing. I also love summer casual – flip flops and shorts. Food I love popcorn, sushi and cupcakes, in that order. Drink Water, coffee and G&T. Most fun you’ve ever had I have a lot of fun almost all the time, and even when it’s not fun, I can generally see the funny side. I worked in Costa Rica at the beginning of my career in the Foreign Office which for a single carefree diplomat was a blast. It’s truly one of the most beautiful places in the world and I made some fantastic life-long friends.

TRAVEL

Places you’ve been Before moving to England 22 years ago, I served in the US Foreign Office and worked in international development – so have lived and travelled in Latin America, the Caribbean, Central Europe and Central Asia. Places you’d like to go Bhutan. It’s the happiest place in the world and carbon negative. How you like to travel I love to be in the beauty of nature – but also love a feather pillow and running water.

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Favourite continent South America. How you like to stay when you’re on holiday? I like to stay with friends and family. I used to jokingly call this “free-loading” until that expression ended up in my daughter’s summer holiday presentation to her class. There are so many beautiful places to see and experience, but the people I’m with are always more important than the places I go. Pro Landscaper / May 2021 95

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JOBS

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

SENIOR HORTICULTURALIST

PROJECT MANAGER

An exciting new opportunity has opened for a passionate plants person with an instinctive and creative planting style and deep horticultural knowledge to join a fast expanding team. Cameron Gardens, based in Notting Hill, is looking for an ambitious individual who wants to help establish ground breaking, beautiful planting design across all areas of the business. They will be confident in creating and choosing unusual plant collections to dress a variety of different internal and external spaces.

A hugely exciting opportunity has opened for an experienced project manager to join the well established and dynamic team at Cameron. Based in Notting Hill and established more than 20 years ago, Cameron is a successful domestic and commercial garden design, build and maintenance company. Experience in landscape gardening is beneficial but not essential; however, construction and commercial knowledge is.

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

HARD LANDSCAPING ASSISTANT

ASSISTANT HORTICULTURALIST

An opportunity has opened for a garden landscaping assistant to join a wellestablished and growing business. This exciting hands-on role, where you will work closely with your hard landscaping foreman within a team of two, offers the opportunity to work on some top end domestic and commercial gardens. You will need hard landscaping experience; some horticultural knowledge is beneficial; a desire to learn and develop is vital.

Due to continued growth, an exciting opportunity has opened for an assistant horticulturalist. This exciting hands-on role, where you will work closely with your horticulturalist foreman within a team of two, offers the opportunity to work on top-end gardens. You will need a love of and enthusiasm for plants and gardens. A good basic knowledge of horticulture and experience within the industry is required; a desire to learn and develop is vital.

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

HARD LANDSCAPE SUPERVISOR

MAINTENANCE OPERATIVE

Tom Robinson Landscaping is a team passionate about providing a highquality service to its valued clients. It is seeking an experienced and skilled hard landscape supervisor who is ready to take ownership of some exciting projects in the East Anglia region. Its head office is in Bury St Edmunds so it would consider applicants who live within a one-hour drive. A vast proportion of work will be throughout this region, so the successful candidate would be expected to travel to client sites as required.

As Guildford Landscapes Group expands its repertoire of services and projects, it is always looking to add talent to its troupe. The company prides itself on recognising and nurturing talent. As well as a fun and friendly work environment, it provides an array of regular training and development opportunities for all members of its team. All roles are full time with competitive packages, based out of our office in Basingstoke and on project sites throughout London and the South.

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

GARDEN DESIGNER

EXPERIENCED FENCER

Guildford Landscapes Group prides itself on recognising and nurturing talent. It is looking for a garden designer to join its fun and friendly environment. Successful candidates will have relevant qualifications to the role, a minimum of two years’ experience and a full and clean UK driver’s license with experience driving a van. They will be proficient in using machinery and have a strong industry understanding and a high standard of customer service, as well as great attention to detail.

As Guildford Landscapes Group expands its repertoire of services and projects, it is always looking to add talent to its troupe. Successful candidates will have relevant qualifications to the role, a minimum of two years’ experience and a full and clean UK driver’s license with experience driving a van. They will be proficient in using machinery and have a strong industry understanding and a high standard of customer service, as well as great attention to detail.

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

CAMERON GARDENS Location: London

TOM ROBINSON LANDSCAPING Location: East Anglia

GUILDFORD LANDSCAPES GROUP Location: Hampshire

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CAMERON GARDENS Location: London

GUILDFORD LANDSCAPES GROUP Location: Hampshire

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JOBS

HARD LANDSCAPER

QUANTITY SURVEYOR

GUILDFORD LANDSCAPES GROUP Location: Hampshire

As Guildford Landscapes Group expands its repertoire of services and projects, it is always looking to add talent to its troupe. The company prides itself on recognising and nurturing talent. As well as a fun and friendly work environment, it provides an array of regular training and development opportunities for all members of its team. Successful candidates will need a commitment to compliance with company health, safety and environmental policies and procedures.

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

HARD LANDSCAPING TEAM LEADER

LAWN CARE TECHNICIAN

Due to a continued demand for its services, Blue Iris Landscapes is looking to expand its landscaping team and recruit a new team leader who has significant experience and produces work of excellent quality. The successful candidate will be able to lead a small team from the front, have a great eye for detail, be passionate about what they do and have a proven record of hard landscaping and creating beautiful gardens. They will have a great ‘can do’ attitude and be able to develop their team to meet their exceptional standards too.

LawnsOne’s mission is to remain the most highly rated independent lawn care expert in its region and support its local community in the process. If you’re looking to join a team where you’re valued, where you’re afforded the chance to develop your skills, and where you’ve the freedom to make a difference, then LawnsOne wants to hear from you. The lawn care technician’s responsibilities include servicing of customers’ lawns, carrying out mechanical lawn operations, and all lawn related customer communication. A full UK driving license is required.

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

BLUE IRIS LANDSCAPES Location: Staffordshire

LAWNSONE Location: Kent

GROUNDS MAINTENANCE TEAM LEADER HERITAGE GROUND SERVICES Location: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire

Heritage Ground Services Ltd is looking for a full time experienced grounds maintenance team leader to join its fast growing maintenance team based out of Iver, Buckinghamshire. The successful candidate will be running a team of up to three staff members dealing with everything from customers’ requests, planning out work for each site including setting your team tasks on a daily basis and will support your colleagues in all the usual work details of grounds maintenance to a high standard. For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

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WORKING LANDSCAPES FOREMAN/SUPERVISOR TALBOT LANDSCAPES Location: Derbyshire

Talbot Landscapes is looking for a foreman/supervisor. Established in 1988, Talbot Landscapes operates throughout the UK and Europe, delivering bespoke, high-quality projects to both public and private clients. It specialises in landscape construction, natural sports surface construction and land drainage. The ideal candidate will have previous experience supervising landscaping projects effectively and efficiently. They must be able to supervise, manage and motivate the team, and must have a full UK driving license.

£300.00

SILVER

£500.00

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

GROUNDS MAINTENANCE TEAM LEADER/OPERATIVE TALBOT LANDSCAPES Location: Derbyshire

Talbot Landscapes is looking for a grounds maintenance team leader/operative to join its well established company. Applicants must have previous experience and good knowledge of grounds maintenance and sports turf. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining newly constructed sports surfaces and landscaping projects. Responsibilities will include working to project deadlines and providing updates, as well as communicating between the contract manager, director and head office. Previous experience and knowledge are essential. For more details, please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

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Hort Careers updated.indd 97

GOLD

£750.00

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Please contact Dan Riley to advertise your vacancy: Email: daniel.riley@eljays44.com

Tel: 01903 777583

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PEOPLE

T H E L I T T L E I N T E RV I E W

PRO LANDSCAPER ASKS QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS TO GAIN A SMALL INSIGHT INTO THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP OUR INDUSTRY. TO TAKE PART, EMAIL CONTENT@ EL JAYS44.COM

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CLAIRE JONES

MICHAEL MCQUEEN

Gardener/owner, we work your garden

Director, McQueen Landscapes Ltd

www.weworkyourgarden.co.uk

www.mcqueenlandscapes.co.uk

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing? I’d go back to running pubs and clubs. I do miss interacting with people.

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing? Before joining the horticultural industry, I was training to be within the engineering field. If I didn’t find my passion for creating beautiful water gardens I would probably still be following that route.

Garden shows/show gardens – inspirational or not? Definitely so! It’s a chance for novices like me to make a name, and to try and test new methods and designs for the future. I think a lot of people working in the trade look for inspiration in these shows, including me! I’ve meant to be at a show for the last year but, due to COVID, it’s sadly been postponed. Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most? Asia. Its use of colours and going to the extreme and vertical planting using buildings to put back green spaces is revolutionary. The one person in the industry you’d love to meet? Monty! Love his tried and tested methods. Best piece of trivia you know? Did you know quite a lot of dogs are scared of other dogs that are very dark in colour due to the fact they cannot read the facial features such as frowned eyes? Role model as a child? David Hasselhoff. I loved him being a hero and the kickass car KITT! Best invention in recent years? Mobile phones. As much as I don’t like the fact we are so reliant on them and everyone I know is constantly on them, we can do everything on them.

Garden shows/show gardens – inspirational or not? Inspirational. I love how everyone gets to put full creativity into their displays and I love the rush and craziness getting booths ready for the visitors What would you blow your budget on? 15m x 30m Natural Ecosystem swim pond; that will be first in, the rest of the garden will evolve around that. Best piece of trivia you know? The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland. Couldn’t get through the week without... Coffee, podcasts and truly enjoying what I do for a living. Best invention in recent years? Blockchain – It’s going to be a completely different world in a few years. Favourite tipple? Give me a glass of fresh orange juice over a drink anytime. Your favourite joke? My partner told me to stop impersonating a flamingo. I had to put my foot down. Karaoke song of choice? ‘Tequila’ by The Champs.

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