Pro Landscaper October 2021 by Eljays44

OCTOBER 2O21

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FEATURE GARDEN

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WELCOME

W E LCO M E ethical sourcing; and Nick Coslett explores the latest climate change report to the government and how we can change our behaviour in response. It’s not long now until the UK’s largest landscape expo and trade event FutureScape returns, and we’re looking forward to bringing our industry back together. This year, we’re not only in a new venue but we’ve expanded to a two-day show. Held on 16 and 17 November at ExCeL London, there will be live debates, seminars, awards and 150 leading suppliers. Make sure you’ve got your tickets – you won’t want to miss it! We can’t wait to see you all there.

RACHAEL

IT WAS FANTASTIC TO SEE A DIFFERENT PLANTING PALETTE USED IN THE STUNNING GARDENS AND FLORAL DISPLAY

©Guillermo Armero

elcome to the October issue of Pro Landscaper. The nights are drawing in, the days are getting chillier – autumn is well and truly on its way. This month we were able to attend the first-ever autumnal RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It was a first in the RHS’ history, and it was fantastic to see a different planting palette used in the stunning gardens and floral displays. Balcony and container gardens were also all new for this years’ show, as well as the RHS’ Sustainable Garden Product of the Year Award to promote and highlight its growing importance. It’s a theme you’ll see throughout this issue, as James Lord explains how HTA Design forms projects that are less resource intensive and more biodiverse; London Stone encourages

GORAM HOUSE GARDEN, BY SMART LANDSCAPE DESIGN

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Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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CONTENTS

IQ 35 39

UK Landscape Barometer Industry feedback and statistics for July No Cause For Alarm Neil Edwards

INFORM 08 12 13 15 18 24 25 28 31

INSPIRE

News Extra RHS Chelsea Flower Show News Extra: Encouraging Ethical Sourcing London Stone Let’s Hear it From James Lord, HTA Design Inside Smart Landscape Design

30 Under 30 Update Josh Forster Keepers of the Flame Lynne Marcus Are We There Yet? Andrew Wilson Don’t Show Me Your Tower, Show Me Your Toilet Christopher Martin

Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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News Our monthly roundup of industry news

43 46 50 55 58 61 62 63

Shenzhen Showstopper McWilliam Studio Level Change Langdale Landscapes Restorative Retreat Bowles & Wyer Cooking Up a Storm Debs Winrow #LoveHorticulture Andrée Davies PLBA Winner Profile Crowders PLBA Winner Profile Maylim Project Play The benefits of bespoke equipment

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CONTENTS

O C TO B E R 2 0 2 1 NURTURE 67 70 72 74 77 79

Feature Garden Abbotsbury Subtropical Garden Selling Ourselves Short? Lewis Normand Climate Warning: ‘Code Red’ Nick Coslett Nursery Focus Creepers Getting the Best of Bare Root Advice from Coles Nurseries Soil Uncovered The Woodhorn Group

E D U C AT E 83 84 85 86 88 90 93 94 95 98

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Know Your ‘Why’ Nick Ruddle The Value of Overspecification Gareth Wilson

Paternity Policies Oracle Solicitors Is Everyone On Board the Bus? Alison Warner Tackling Your Tax Return Sudesh Sud, APARI On the Road Again Angus Lindsay Seeking Sustainable Solutions Vistafolia Anyone For Picket? The Garden Trellis Company Resin Rebound Effects of the resin shortage Little Interviews Questions with the individuals who make up our industry

To receive a copy of Pro Landscaper, please contact Jake Collett. Email jake.collett@eljays44.com or call 01903 777570.

Pro Landscaper / October 2021

23/09/2021 14:20

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CONTRIBUTORS

CO N T R I B U TO R S Lynne Marcus With the annual SGD Awards set to take place this month, chair of the association Lynne takes this opportunity to highlight garden design as an experienced and exceptional profession. Lynne discusses how it has evolved internationally and how the new RHS garden is an exemplar of British design principles.

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Lewis Normand

CHRISTOPHER MARTIN P31

We need to do more to educate school guidance counsellors about the value and skills of our industry, suggests Lewis. He ponders a major and urgent question: if we don’t recognise our value as an industry, then how do we recognise the value of one of the most important products we produce?

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DEBS WINROW P55

Nick Ruddle When you’re running a business, it’s important to know the purpose of that business, says Nick Ruddle. Once you know your ‘why’, your goals can align to achieve this and a plan for progression can be created. You can also use the purpose of the business to create the company’s values, which all staff should be aware of and working towards.

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Sudesh Sud

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The government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) is a valuable resource. To make the most of it, APARI’s Sudesh explains who is eligible to apply for a grant, how it will impact tax returns, and what self-employed garden designers and landscapers need to do going forward for the SEISS.

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Design – Kara Thomas, Kirsty Turek

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@APARI_UK 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.

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

Cover photograph: ©Xi Qi / Hongyue Horticultural Corporation / McWilliam Studio

Pro Landscaper / October 2021

23/09/2021 12:11

INFORM

PRO LANDSCAPER LAUNCHES THE GREEN UP CAMPAIGN

NEWS GUSTAFSON PORTER + BOWMAN APPOINTED FOR BRENT CROSS TOWN’S LARGEST GREEN SPACE

participate in sport and play. The playing fields will provide the best of both traditional and emerging sports, working with leading sports organisations, governing bodies and hero ambassadors to help drive female participation, and champion diversity and inclusion in all its forms. Morwenna Hall, partner of Argent Related, says: “All successful places are built around the things that make them unique, authentic and valued by their communities, and Brent Cross Town will be no different. Clitterhouse Playing Fields is the green heart of our masterplan and will be designed to bring people together to enjoy its open space, provide a range of active and peaceful experiences, and realise its potential as an important contributor to biodiversity. We look forward to supporting GP+B in working with the local communities to transform this space for the benefit of all.” www.gp-b.com

©Gustafson Porter + Bowman

rgent Related and Barnet Council, which are jointly delivering the new £7bn, 180-acre North London neighbourhood at Brent Cross Town, have selected landscape architecture practice Gustafson Porter + Bowman to design the scheme’s largest and most distinctive green space – the 44-acre Clitterhouse Playing Fields. The reimagined playing fields will be home to a wide variety of new sport and play facilities, a new network of walking and cycle paths, designated places for picnics and gatherings, as well as plenty of space to enjoy nature. Gustafson Porter + Bowman’s design will be informed by engagement with local people and community groups, beginning in September with a series of events looking at the role the park will play as part of the new town centre. Central to its design will be the partnership’s pledge to create the place in London to

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Pro Landscaper / October 2021

ro Landscaper has launched a new campaign committed to seeing more green and less grey in supermarket carparks. The Green Up Campaign is part of the magazine’s commitment to fighting climate change, as temperatures continue to rise across the globe. With the help of its sponsors GreenBlue Urban, idverde and Hillier, the campaign’s end goal is to see legislation that states supermarkets need to have a certain amount of greenery within their carparks. According to Frank’s Geospatial Team on behalf of Ministry of Housing, there are 103,000 public and private surface car parks across the country which comprise of a land area of 20,000ha. Of this, some 12,445 are owned by the private sector. What’s more, according to USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, by 2023, the total value of the UK grocery sector is projected to grow 14.8% to £213bn. So, Pro Landscaper is shining a spotlight on supermarkets and their carparks, showcasing those which are exemplars and those which need improvement. Look out for examples of supermarket carparks over the next few months, as well as interviews with some key figures and suppliers in the industry who are already showing their support for the Green Up campaign. Help share this as well as your own snaps as far and wide as possible, using #greenisthenewgrey to catch the attention of supermarkets and champion change. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/green-up

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23/09/2021 10:31

INFORM

NEW REWILDING SITE TO SHOWCASE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL & BIODIVERSITY PRACTICE

ith two months until the COP26 climate summit begins, a new rewilding centre – one of the largest in the country – has been launched to showcase and share the best biodiversity and sustainability practices in land management. The Wildfell Centre for Environmental Recovery, a 296-acre site near Braintree, will be dedicated to helping landowners unlock the potential of their underutilised land with the potential to increase environmental and societal value for generations to come. After buying the site for £2m, green service provider Ground Control will lead in its transformation into a research and training facility, providing guidance and hands-on learning opportunities in woodland creation, meadow and hedgerow restoration, and biodiverse habitat creation. “The recent release of the IPCC report highlighted the urgent need to switch to a low-carbon footing,” says Ground Control

director Kim Morrish. “A key part of this process is identifying and increasing the environmental value of land through habitat creation and improvement to help reverse the decline in the UK’s natural environment. “The Wildfell Centre presents us with an exciting opportunity to highlight the benefits of rewilding degraded land. Showcasing the best practices for habitat creation, biodiversity net gain and carbon sequestration will allow public and private landowners to reimagine their landbanks and explore what they can do to maximise green gains and create a stainable legacy for the next generation.” Land evaluation, project design and stakeholder engagement at the site has already begun with initial woodland, habitat creation and restoration projects commencing in 2022. The centre will operate with science-based, verifiable measures for carbon sequestration, habitat creation and environmental management. www.ground-control.co.uk

LANDMARK ENVIRONMENT BILL STRENGTHENED TO HALT BIODIVERSITY LOSS BY 2030

he UK Government has strengthened its commitment to protect the environment for future generations and build back greener with new amendments to the landmark Environment Bill. Following work with parliamentarians and wider stakeholders, new amendments include strengthening the duty to set a legally-binding target to halt species decline by 2030. This will solidify the government’s commitment to leave a richer, more biodiverse environment for future generations with a clear need for action: between 1932 and 1984, we lost 97% of

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our species-rich grassland, five species of butterfly have disappeared from England in the last 150 years, and indicators showing the state of birds dependent on farmland stand at less than half their value compared to 1970. This new amendment reflects the prime minister’s pledges on the international stage during the UK’s leadership of this year’s G7 summit – with the G7 committing to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030 as well as signing up to the global ‘30×30’ initiative to conserve or protect at least 30% of the world’s land and at least 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030. The government will also undertake a review of legislation which would require SuDS to be constructed to ministerial standards on new developments, which would reduce the pressure on the sewage system. www.gov.uk

Online Exclusives VIDEO: THE PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARDS 2021 The Pro Landscaper Business Awards took place at East Wintergarden in Canary Wharf on 30 July 2021. The event brought the landscaping community together to celebrate the high standards set within the industry. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ video-the-pro-landscaper-businessawards-2021

WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE MARBLE ARCH MOUND? A hollowed-out mountain based on a scaffolding structure, Marble Arch Hill was supposed to redefine the connection between Oxford Street and Hyde Park. Unfortunately, the project did not go according to plan and the installation has faced wide-spread criticism since its pop up appeared in July. So, what went wrong? www.prolandscapermagazine.com/whatwent-wrong-with-the-marble-arch-mound

PRO LANDSCAPER CHELSEA BLOG For the first time in its history, RHS Chelsea Flower Show took place in September this year. The much-anticipated show boasted a new planting palette, a brand-new Sustainable Garden Product of the Year Award as well as new balcony gardens. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ pro-landscaper-chelsea-blog

Pro Landscaper / October 2021

23/09/2021 10:31

INFORM

UK’S FIRST GREEN GILT RAISES £10 BILLION FOR GREEN PROJECTS

he sale of the UK’s first Green Gilt has raised £10bn in a single day, and is the largest inaugural green issuance by any sovereign, with the largest ever order book for a sovereign green transaction. This will be followed by a second issuance later in the year. Green Gilts will raise a minimum of £15bn for green government projects. By launching the Green Gilt in the run up to COP26 next month, the UK is demonstrating its commitment to tackling environmental challenges and the role that green

he historic autumn RHS Chelsea Flower Show has been and gone and, nearly two years after we first started working on the Florence Nightingale Garden, I’m thrilled that we were finally able to bring the vision to life for so many people to enjoy. Autumn builds are always slightly unpredictable because of the weather, but two weeks of sunshine at the start of September gave us a great head start and within a week the pergola was up and the plants had started to arrive!

P E RG O L A BE FO RE CO N ST RUCT IO N

Twenty days doesn’t give you much time to create a show-stopping garden so we built as much as we could off-site before the show. That included the 60ft pergola which was built in modular parts to allow for quick and easy assembly onsite. It sounds straightforward but, whilst we had built the parts beforehand, we hadn’t been able to build the entire structure, so there were still a few nail-biting days whilst we watched Jim Johnstone and his team from ConstruktCLT move 10 huge pieces of timber into place. Thankfully, all went smoothly.

Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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finance plays in this fight. Government bonds, or gilts, are sold to institutional investors and provide a fixed rate of return until their expiry. The UK’s inaugural Green Gilt is a 12-year bond, maturing on 31 July 2033. As set out in the government’s Green Financing Framework, published in the summer, the money raised by the Green Gilt will be used to finance expenditures in clean transportation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, pollution prevention and control, living and natural resources, and climate change adaption.

The UK has also committed to reporting on both the environmental impact, and the important social co-benefits of green expenditures financed by Green Gilts, such as job creation, access to affordable infrastructure and socioeconomic advancement. The Green Gilt will be followed later in the year by the first standalone retail Green Savings Bonds, issued by NS&I. These two products will give UK investors and savers the opportunity to join the collective fight against climate change while creating green jobs across the country. www.gov.uk

Chelsea Diary DAN RIDDLESTON, MD, BOWLES & WYER

We did have a few issues with the opaque ‘windows’ which were printed with ghostly images of Florence Nightingale. When they arrived on site, Robert and I both agreed that

GARDEN D E TA I L S

Garden The Florence Nightingale Garden Designer Robert Myers Sponsor The Burdett Trust for Nursing

morning trip to the suppliers. With the full 14,000 finally on site we then had to make up some time laying them – a challenge in itself because of some interesting angles and curves! Fortunately, our experience of building large show gardens at RHS Chelsea

CONSTRUCTING PERGOL A

the metal work was not up to scratch, and it took a further five days of rubbing down and repainting to get them looking perfect. In the end though, they looked fantastic, especially alongside the beautiful timber walls which were printed with extracts from Florence Nightingale’s letters. Deliveries are another thing that don’t always go to plan and it takes just one hiccup to throw things out of sequence, leaving us to think on our feet. When the

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE LETTER WALLS

Vande Moortel bricks for the paving arrived we were 200 bricks short which meant an early

PL AN TI N G CO MP L ETE

means that we’re adept at dealing with most problems that might be thrown at us. We can laugh about them later, but we need to get over them as quickly as possible and mitigate any effect they might have on the finished garden. With everything else built, the final task was the planting, which was expertly handled by Jo McGee. Despite the challenges of an autumn palette, everything looked fantastic and I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say we were thrilled with the result. It’s certainly been an RHS Chelsea like no other and one that we will all remember for a long time!

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23/09/2021 09:55

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RHS QUEEN’S GREEN CANOPY GARDEN, DESIGNED BY DAVID DODD ©RHS/TIM SANDALL

INFORM

REVIEW

RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

ARCADIA, BALCONY GARDEN DESIGNED BY MARTHA KREMPEL. SPONSORED BY EUROPLANTS, VANDE MOORTEL, TORC POTS, LANDSCAPE PLUS, ASHWELLS TIMBER AND KNOLL GARDENS ©RHS/SARAH CUTTLE

THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW WAS HELD IN SEPTEMBER. FROM 21 TO 26 SEPTEMBER, VISITORS WERE REWARDED WITH THE USUAL SHOW STOPPING GARDENS AND FABULOUS FLORAL DISPLAYS – WITH AN AUTUMNAL TWIST

AWARDS

2 1- 2 6 S E PT E M B E R 2 0 2 1 , R OYA L H O S P I TA L C H E L S E A

©RHS/Tim Sandall

OVERALL AWARDS

BEST SHOW GARDEN

THE BBC ONE SHOW AND RHS GARDEN OF HOPE. DESIGNED BY ARIT ANDERSON. SUPPORTED BY BBC’S THE ONE SHOW ©RHS/SARAH CUTTLE

• Best Show Garden Guangzhou China: Guangzhou Garden Designed by Peter Chmiel with Chin-Jung Chen • Best Construction Award (Show Garden) The Trailfinders’ 50th Anniversary Garden Built by Stewart Landscape Construction • Best Sanctuary Garden Bible Society: The Psalm 23 Garden Designed by Sarah Eberle • Best Artisan Garden The Blue Diamond Forge Garden Designed by The Blue Diamond Group Team • Best Construction Award (Artisan/Sanctuary Garden) Bible Society: The Psalm 23 Garden Built by Landform Consultants Ltd

GOLD MEDALS Show Gardens • The M&G Garden • The Yeo Valley Organic Garden • Guangzhou China: Guangzhou Garden • The Trailfinders’ 50th Anniversary Garden

THE M&G GARDEN. DESIGNED BY HARRIS BUGG STUDIO. SPONSORED BY M&G ©RHS/NEIL HEPWORTH

GUANGZHOU CHINA: GUANGZHOU GARDEN. DESIGNED BY PETER CHMIEL WITH CHIN-JUNG CHEN. SPONSORED BY GUANGZHOU GOVERNMENT, CHINA ©RHS/NEIL HEPWORTH

Sanctuary Gardens • Bible Society: The Psalm 23 Garden

SILVER-GILT MEDALS Sanctuary Gardens • The Calm of Bangkok • Finnish Soul Garden – A Nordic Heritage Seaside Garden • The Boodles Secret Garden

SILVER MEDALS

THE YEO VALLEY ORGANIC GARDEN. DESIGNED BY TOM MASSEY, SUPPORTED BY SARAH MEAD. SPONSORED BY YEO VALLEY ORGANIC ©RHS/NEIL HEPWORTH

Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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Show Gardens • The Florence Nightingale Garden: A Celebration of Modern-Day Nursing • Bodmin Jail: 60° East – A Garden Between Continents Sanctuary Gardens • Finding Our Way: An NHS Tribute Garden • The Parsley Box Garden Artisan Gardens • Guide Dogs’ 90th Anniversary Garden • The Blue Diamond Forge Garden

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23/09/2021 11:28

INFORM WOMAN WORKING IN COBBLE YARDS, BUDHPURA

NEWS EXTRA

ENCOURAGING

ETHICAL SOURCING LONDON STONE HAS BEEN SUPPORTING NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS AND IS ASKING OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE TOO

eing an ethical supplier is more than a trademark for London Stone. Since 2015, the supplier has been working with organisation No Child Left Behind to help eradicate child labour in Budhpura, Rajasthan, India, so that the children who live there can enjoy full-time education. “This region of Rajasthan is the world centre of sandstone sett production, a sector that’s highly susceptible to child labour. There was a growing issue in the supply chain because of this,” says Steven Walley, managing director of London Stone. The pandemic has only worsened the problem of child labour in Budhpura; with no school for more than 18 months, and nothing to do, children have drifted back to work. “Children are migrating back towards these work environments, after we’ve spent years trying to move them towards education. We’re effectively starting again,” admits Steven. No Child Left Behind tackles a host of other issues in the area, including H&S, gender equality and supporting workers to have their own bank accounts. For London Stone and other European suppliers involved in the No Child Left Behind project, such as stoneasy.com and Beltrami, it’s important that all the people within their supply chains are looked after, and not just with financial donations. “We see our supply chain as an extension of our company,”

explains Steve. “It’s important that we value the people within our supply chain as much as we value our customers and our staff within London Stone – we feel responsible as much as we can be for their wellbeing.” London Stone also encourages its suppliers within India to support the No Child Left Behind project. In many cases, Indian suppliers simply

supply-chain issues addressed very quickly. This is more helpful than simply walking away from producers – this would worsen problems for workers, as their income would dry up. “And we can raise awareness of the issue in the UK. We can educate landscapers, garden designers and our retail clients about the importance of understanding what they’re buying and understanding the supply chain. Customers can show support by buying from those who take supply-chain ethics seriously.” Lots of people ask if there are any types of certification for ethical sourcing. “There are, but certification isn’t always the most useful tool,” says Steve. “Certification doesn’t always solve the problem because it’s effectively a badge – just because a badge says your business is compliant today, who is to say that the same business will be compliant tomorrow? London Stone takes the opportunity, on its regular buying missions, to visit Manjari, the NGO running the No Child Left Behind Project in Budhpura. “It’s always inspiring to see how improvements are progressing and to try and gain a deeper understanding of the issues and challenges in Budhpura,” shares Steve. “But what we need are more UK suppliers to get involved, increasing our leverage on the supply chain.” To find out how to get involved with the work of No Child Left Behind, please get in contact with Steve at: steven@londonstone.co.uk.

IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE VALUE THE PEOPLE WITHIN OUR SUPPLY CHAIN AS MUCH AS WE VALUE OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR STAFF WITHIN LONDON STONE adding their leverage can make a massive difference to how effective a project can be. “The more people who apply pressure to make changes, the more chance there is of the changes being made. Invariably, our Indian suppliers are supplying their products to many other suppliers across the world and if all these suppliers came together to put pressure on the Indian suppliers, we would see a lot of these

BUDHPURA, A VERY RURAL AREA, RAJASTHAN

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COVID SAFETY ORIENTATION FOR WOMEN WORKERS

©Manjari

LONDON STONE’S STEVE WALLEY AT A MEETING IN BUDHPURA, 2018

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16/09/2021 16:25

Majestic Trees is honoured to have been supplying trees to many Jo Thompson projects as well as her RHS main avenue show gardens for the past 7 years. “Great trees, on time service, always professional; Majestic Trees helps me deliver each and every time!”. Jo Thompson

Chelsea Barracks Garden, RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016 Gold Medal Jo Thompson Landscape & Garden Design

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23/09/2021 22/09/2021 09:03 14:04

INFORM

Let ’s Hear it From

©Tom Campbell

JAMES LORD THOUGH HIS NAME IS NOW ASSOCIATED WITH A HUGELY SUCCESSFUL LANDSCAPE DESIGN DISCIPLINE AT HTA DESIGN, JAMES LORD WASN’T ALWAYS AWARE THE PROFESSION EXISTED. WE SPEAK TO HIM ABOUT HOW SIMILAR EXPERIENCES COULD BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF OUR SKILLS SHORTAGE, AS WELL AS HOW HE HAS LED HIS TEAM TO SUCCESS

he 1980s recession devastated many, but for James Lord, it catapulted him into a career he’d not even heard of. It was his ambition to become an architect, but as for many industries, the recession meant architects were losing jobs across the UK. Having grown up in the outdoors with a late 19th century, formal landscaped municipal park as his playground, James was wisely introduced to landscape architecture. Studying at Manchester University, James fell in love with both the city and his chosen career, and when he took a year out to work for WS Atkins – now Atkins – this love was well and truly cemented. “I was lucky enough that I could find a career where I could be amongst nature, but still working in an exciting construction environment. I loved my degree, but when I got into a working environment the penny really dropped about how exciting it potentially was,” explains James. Since, he has been able to work with a sequence of people from all disciplines, deliberately choosing to work in multidisciplinary practices. Even when he worked for a landscape practice, James was

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focused on making sure that he was having as much exposure as he could to the people outside the practice within the wider design team.

THE ROLE THAT WE CAN PLAY IN IMPROVING OUR ENVIRONMENT IS NOW RECOGNISED AS BEING KEY TO THE FUTURE OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND TO THE FUTURE OF THE PLANET There was another reason James was advised to begin a career in landscape architecture. “As the 80s progressed, people were beginning to see the potential in landscape, the environment and ecological careers. We were at the start of a significant growth,” James explains.

This significant growth hasn’t slowed down, and it’s one of the biggest changes James has noticed over the years. “Landscape has been in the past as a ‘nice to have’. Today, it’s an absolute essential,” he shares. “We’re far more confident now as a profession, and we should be. Given where we find ourselves as a planet – and in particular in the UK with the 1 South Quay Plaza ©Nick Harrison/HTA Design LLP 2 Greenford Quay ©HTA Design LLP/Nick Harrison

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perilous state of biodiversity – the role that we can play in improving our environment is now recognised as being key to the future of new developments and to the planet. Considering the breadth of the industry we have most of the answers to the environmental problems and we can impact things enormously. The impact that the profession can have is incalculable.”

WE SHOULD QUESTION OURSELVES AS TO HOW WE ARE DESIGNING AND CHALLENGE OURSELVES TO DESIGN THINGS THAT ARE LESS RESOURCE INTENSIVE AND MORE BIODIVERSE James himself has certainly made an impact, establishing the multi-award-winning landscape design discipline at HTA Design. It’s fair to say it was something on HTA Design’s radar for a long time, with one of its founders Bernard Hunt credited to coining the phrase ‘placemaking’, quoted as saying that “we have simply lost the art of placemaking; or, put another way, we have lost the simple art of placemaking. We are good at putting up buildings, but we are bad at making places”. So, it’s no surprise that when James set out his terms for the landscape design discipline there was a meeting of minds. For James, the landscape design wasn’t just an add-on service. “I was very keen that it was a functioning and healthy part of the business that contributed to the finances of the practice,” he explains. “I didn’t want it to be just a landscape architect sitting in the corner; I wanted it to be an important part of the practice’s future.” From just James, the team has grown to 40 working nationally across all of HTA Design’s offices and to choose one standout project has become impossible. Bexhill-on-Sea will always be amongst these for James, though. Up until this project, the

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landscape design team had focused solely on working on HTA Design projects with its architects. It stepped out on its own and the risk paid off. “We were up against some pretty stiff competition – some very established practices. We were the young upstarts. “We went in with a bold vision as to what they could achieve, acknowledged the risk that they would be taking with us because we didn’t have a back catalogue of delivering identical projects, but we also demonstrated the enthusiasm, energy and intellect it would take to pull the project off. They went for it and it ended up exceeding even my expectations.” Biodiversity featured heavily at Bexhill-onSea, and indeed, another key term for James when establishing the landscape design discipline was that landscape should influence the master planning work and at the same time, landscape should be influencing how people perceive their built environments. “We need to be as skilled and as knowledgeable as we possibly can in order to be able to give the best advice to our clients,” explains James. “We need to be bold in the advice we give, and we need to challenge preconceptions as to what is appropriate in design. We should question ourselves as to how we are designing and challenge ourselves to design things that are less resource intensive and more biodiverse.”

This certainly features as one of HTA Design’s most recent chapters as it won the Sir David Attenborough Award for Enhancing Biodiversity and The President’s Award in The Landscape Institute Awards for its project Cator Park. This masterplan saw the site support a wider green infrastructure network, provide flood mitigation measures and aid water

management. People were still at the centre, as high-quality parks and open spaces were developed throughout the scheme. The project led judges to comment on its “new attitude to nature” and how “novel design principles include elements rarely used in landscape design, such as biodiverse Habitat Mosaic.” Overall, it was seen as “an example that other urban developments should follow, making places that are genuinely shared by people and nature.” Perhaps a key part of the success of the team is due to how much stock James and HTA Design place on wellbeing. “HTA Design has a culture where we try to get the very best from people by caring for them and providing an environment in which people feel that they can do their best work” explains James. “In fact, our appraisal criteria are based on our practice’s values, one of which is explicitly about caring for each other.”

This has been tested more than ever over the last year, and saw James take on a very different role. “We’ve just lived through a crisis and that affects people in very different ways. My focus has turned more closely on the team and making sure that they’re well and they’re able to continue doing the fantastic work that they were,” he explains. “I wouldn’t go as far as to say anybody has been able to truly thrive in the environment that we’ve been able to come through, but we’ve certainly made sure that people have been looked after.” It’s not something that HTA Design would have been able to implement over the past year, instead it’s a testament to the culture it has developed over the decades which includes mental health training across the company and an extensive network of mental health first aiders throughout all of the studios. Over the next 12 to 18 months this is something HTA Design will continue to focus on as the business adjusts to new ways of working. James will be asking himself and the business how it can equip its design studios to accommodate new working patterns, how it can make sure it’s maintaining the quality it’s worked so hard to achieve over decades, and how it is continuing to grow and evolve as a business. “I’m incredibly optimistic that these freedoms can provide incredible potential,” says James.

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“I’m excited to let people reach their potential and see what that potential can do to help to develop the business.” HTA Design has also launched a new website and hub, Bringing Nature Home, where it welcomes contributions from the profession wanting to share practical tips, key contact information, campaigns, volunteer activity or inspiring examples of success in creating or enriching biodiversity. “We want to sow the seeds of a resource that could become the

OUR APPRAISAL CRITERIA ARE BASED ON OUR PRACTICE’S VALUES, ONE OF WHICH IS EXPLICITLY ABOUT CARING FOR EACH OTHER go-to place for anyone with information needs or knowledge to share about the crisis of our collapsing biosphere, equipping us all better to reverse the decline before it is too late,” explains James. To kick things off, HTA Design will be reporting with a diverse range of blog posts, videos, and advertising events for and from professionals, policy makers, and the public as consumers of an environment where it aims to see humankind at one with the natural world. And though James is optimistic about the profession, he also warns that we need talent. It’s an industry-wide issue and one which James feels is down to visibility, something which has seemingly been a problem for decades. As the industry tries to attract young talent, James urges not to overlook career changers. For James and for HTA Design, its requirements are fairly simple: interesting people who are interested in what it does. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Cator Park ©HTA Design LLP/Nick Harrison Cane Hill ©HTA Design LLP/Richard Downer Greenford Quay ©HTA Design LLP/Nick Harrison Cator Park ©HTA Design LLP/Nick Harrison Greenford Quay ©HTA Design LLP/Billy Bolton Greenford Quay ©HTA Design LLP/Nick Harrison South Quay Plaza ©Nick Harrison/HTA Design LLP Cane Hill ©HTA Design LLP/Nick Harrison

C O N TA C T HTA Design Tel 020 7485 8555 Email info@hta.co.uk

www.hta.co.uk

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SMART LANDSCAPE DESIGN BRISTOL’S SMART LANDSCAPE DESIGN DISCUSSES ITS PATH TO WINNING TWO BALI AWARDS IN 2021 AND AMBITIONS FOR THE FUTURE

seamless blend of contemporary hard landscaping softened with a carefully chosen planting palette makes it easy to see why this domestic garden (shown above) in Bristol, by Smart Landscape Design, was awarded two BALI National Landscape Awards last year. A lush lawn forms the centrepiece, framed by porcelain paving, with a large reflective pool beyond and a zigzag pergola overhead. A copse of beautiful birch trees stands out during the day, and is strategically lit to frame the garden and steal the show in the evening too. Speaking of stealing the show, Smart Landscape Design topped the BALI award category amid tough competition in 2020 – despite only being a member since the end of 2019. Not that the Bristol-based company is new to the scene. “I’ve been designing gardens for over 20 years now,” says Alasdair Smart, the company’s founder. “I’d been aware of BALI and, when I joined, we were just finishing this garden, so I decided to submit it. It felt like an

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interesting project. Everything worked really well and it paid off – we were thrilled to receive two awards.”

IT FELT LIKE AN INTERESTING PROJECT. EVERYTHING WORKED REALLY WELL AND IT PAID OFF – WE WERE THRILLED TO RECEIVE TWO AWARDS The ambitious Bristol project won the Principal Award in the Domestic Garden Construction Between £60K-£100K category and, as a result, Smart Landscape Design picked up a Special Award for Best BALI Newcomer. Alasdair says that it is worth investing the time and effort required to become a member and added that it had been something

ALASDAIR SMART he had been meaning to do for a while, with SGD membership now in his sights. “We are getting positive feedback from the awards, and we have won business from the awareness around them and from our presence in the BALI directory. BALI is great association, and a big support for businesses in this industry.”

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Despite only recently joining BALI, Alasdair began landscaping as a teen in the Peak District, working with “dry stone walling as well as laying lawns and patios during the holidays through art college and university. After graduating, I worked as a draughtsman in an architect’s practice and then for a nursery before setting up on my own.” “Most of these early projects were rural gardens with tricky topography. There were always compromises, with too much time spent adjusting the plans instead of actually landscaping the gardens. So I figured, why not start designing myself? It has always made sense to design gardens that are attractive but also buildable. Designers being knowledgeable of landscape construction is massively important.”

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Although the company focuses on landscaping projects local to Bristol and Bath, design commissions are undertaken throughout

IT’S ALWAYS MADE SENSE TO DESIGN GARDENS THAT ARE ATTRACTIVE BUT ALSO BUILDABLE the UK. The clients are mainly private domestic, with the occasional commercial commission – most recently a wedding venue on the outskirts of Bristol. Projects typically range

from £20k to £50K, with the occasional larger schemes such as the award-winning garden at Goram House. There is a three-stage approach to each project – design, installation and then planting. The initial focus is careful planning of the layout and the vision for the finished garden. Next, it’s the hard landscaping, putting the 1 Goram House – Smart Landscape Design’s BALI award-winning garden 2 A contemporary courtyard garden with a traditional fountain 3 Goram House – beautifully lit for stunning evening scenes ©Guillermo Armero 4 A contemporary cottage-style garden with oak and steel pergola ©Bob Pitchford 5 Kings Weston House rill ©Marcus James Lovell

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bones and structure of the design in place before finally planting design and execution. “It’s almost always the case that after several months of hard landscaping work, we spend a couple of days planting up and it’s at that point the client is overjoyed! Planting brings everything together.” Whilst Alasdair and colleague Zak make up the core team, they have a raft of trusted sub-contractors, including a metal fabricator, electrician, plasterer, a joiner for specialist

woodwork, and excavator drivers. “There are probably around 10 of us. It has taken a while, but we now have a great group of people we can rely on, which is really important for delivering high quality work.”

IT HAS TAKEN A WHILE, BUT WE NOW HAVE A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE WE CAN RELY ON, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY WORK Part of Smart Landscape Design’s strategic plan is to grow the on-site team, allowing Alasdair more time to focus on designing. “We’ll remain relatively small but with a bigger team than we have now. Although busy with design commissions, it’s important to keep the balance right – I still like to keep my hands dirty. Our aim has always been to create high calibre gardens with attention to detail and it’s important that we maintain this standard.

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It’s a balancing act to grow the business in the right way without compromising on the quality of the finished gardens.”

No easy task, but Smart Landscape Design is in demand since its award win, so it seems like a great time to take the leap. 6 Goram House garden seating ©Guillermo Armero 7 Layout plan for upcoming Bristol project 8 Goram House (original 3D concept plan)

C O N TA C T Smart Landscape Design 66 St Paul’s Road, Bristol, BS8 1LP Tel 07801 860 926 Email hello@smartlandscapedesign.co.uk

www.smartlandscapedesign.co.uk

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20/09/2021 09:27

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22/09/2021 18/08/2021 09:45 08:41

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JOSH REPRESENTING GREEN-TECH

RICHARD GILL CONGRATULATES J OS H FO RSTER COVI D -19 ST Y L E

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

JOSH FORSTER GREEN-TECH’S YOUNGEST DEPUTY TEAM LEADER, JOSH FORSTER, SHARES HIS SUCCESSES AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

reen-tech is a continually expanding company, now boasting more than 16,000 product lines and numerous awards under its belt. When Josh Forster first started as a technical sales advisor in 2016, though, Green-tech was selling around 12,000 product lines. It has since diversified its range, but it hasn’t grown for the sake of growth, says Josh. “It’s changed but that change has always been needed and we’re now dipping our toes into different markets. It’s still the same people too, but we’ve brought more people in with us along the way.” It's not just the company which has evolved. Since joining Green-tech at the age of 18, Josh has been developing his industry knowledge and his database, which started at zero and has grown to £700k a year. Completing a BASIS foundation course in amenity horticulture has helped, giving Josh the knowledge and confidence to discuss with clients the best product for the task.

The course also sparked a passion for the science behind the products he sells as well as the environmental aspect. “We sell a lot of tree protection products and it’s been really interesting to see how these have evolved. When I first joined, it was plastic only, then cardboard. Now, we have a range of compostable and fully biodegradable tree guards, and it’s been

IT’S GREAT TO SEE HOW WE’RE ADAPTING AND PUSHING FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE ITEMS TO BE USED IN SCHEMES

interesting to be a part of that with Green-tech and Tubex, a major manufacturer of them. It’s great to see how we’re adapting and pushing for more sustainable items to be used in schemes.” One of the biggest projects Josh has supplied to on behalf of Green-tech to date is the A14 road improvement scheme, delivering more than half a million tree tubes to client Lowther Forestry, which was awarded the tree planting contract. Josh hints there are a couple of large projects this year too which he will be supplying, JOSH WITH GREEN-TECH COLLEAGUE MARK BROWNE but with a more diverse product range, including

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mulch mats and biodegradable pegs. Before MAKING SALES CALLS he started at Green-tech, Josh had worked with a landscaping company cutting grass for a summer job at the age of 16, but it was whilst working in a local pub two years later that he first met the team at Green-tech when they’d come in on a Friday evening. It was the friendly culture of the company drew him in and it’s this, as well as the “fast paced” landscaping industry itself, which has kept him there for the last five and a half years. In January last year, Josh was promoted to deputy team leader, becoming the youngest in the company to hold this role and, consequently, became one of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners later that year. He now helps his sales manager Dean Jackson – also part of the 30 Under 30 alumni – to look after one of three sales teams, developing his own management style which is adaptable to the various needs of the team members. He’s hoping to take on the role of sales manager in the future, but in the short term his goal is to re-engage with clients now COVID restrictions have been lifted. “I’m looking forward to getting involved with trade shows again and seeing customers face-to-face, updating them on our ranges and any changes in the industry.” Josh’s passion for the industry has led to his success at Green-tech and there will no doubt be many more achievements to come.

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16/09/2021 12:40

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LY N N E M A R C U S KEEPERS OF THE FLAME

THIS MONTH, THE SOCIET Y OF GARDEN DESIGNERS HOLDS ITS PRESTIGIOUS ANNUAL AWARDS AT THE LANDMARK HOTEL IN CELEBRATION OF THE VERY BEST THERE IS IN GARDEN DESIGN

©Marianne Majerus

GARDEN BY CHARLOTTE ROWE SHORTLISTED IN THE SGD AWARDS 2021

a relative newcomer to the history of creating enclosed outdoor spaces for human pleasure. One recent example of British design is the new RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford,

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a collaborative enterprise based on historic design principles. The garden is based on a complex geometric pattern, dividing the garden into discreet walled spaces, emanating from a central axis stemming from the building, tree lined avenues, a pergola, garden ‘rooms’, a rectangular pond, and pavilions. Except, here’s the thing; this is in fact a description of the earliest surviving garden plan dating back to about 1400 BCE in Thebes, considered to demonstrate a level of sophistication indicating that Egyptian garden design had been developing since about 2800 BCE.

THESE GARDENS ARE REAL. THEY AREN’T THEATRE; PEOPLE LIVE IN AND ENJOY THEM Being a garden designer is a multi-skilled and all-encompassing profession. Garden designers frequently work with architects, local authorities, conservation bodies, engineers, specialists in stone, metalwork, water and other landscaping features, nurseries and of course landscape contractors who put it all together and bring the promise of a plan to life. At the heart of all of this is the client, the person who is paying. Many know a thing or two about doing up a house and the costs involved in putting in a kitchen, for example, but are more often than not novices when it comes to outdoor design and entirely dependent on their garden designer to understand their wishes and translate them into a garden that will add value to their home, to their lives.

The Society of Garden Designers represents the gold standard of garden design. In the ranks of its membership are multi-gold

©Abigail Rex

hortlisted gardens have been designed by established, well and not so well-known, newly established and student designers entering the profession. Submissions are anonymised because it’s the garden that is the star. Unlike Chelsea Flower Show or other show garden competitions, these gardens are real. They aren’t theatre; people live in and enjoy them every day. They are designed to endure, to have a sense of place, to harmonise buildings with their landscapes and gardens to become as one and a stipulation of entry is that they must benefit the environment and, of course, meet the client’s brief. The core design principles of modern gardens have evolved from a rich, diverse and multicultural heritage that stretches back thousands of years and circles the planet. The gardens of Babylon, Persia, then Greeks and Romans and subsequently the Islamic influence through the Mediterranean to Spain, the gathering of ideas on the Silk Road firing the Renaissance gardens in Italy and spreading through France and Northern Europe. British garden design is

GARDEN BY KRISTINA CLODE SHORTLISTED IN THE SGD AWARDS 2021

winners at Chelsea as well as talented and experienced designers who have never done a show garden. Members have core training, have to participate in CPD, and have demonstrated to a team of experienced practitioners/adjudicators that they have a thorough knowledge of core design principles, practically applied whether the garden or landscape is formal or informal, large or small and appropriate for town, country or the coast. In other words, they are a safe pair of hands in which to place a garden investment which will surpass expectations for years to come. They are the keepers of the flame.

A BOU T LY NNE MARCUS MSGD, CHAIR OF THE SOCIETY OF GARDEN DESIGNERS

Lynne Marcus has been designing gardens since 1997 having trained under Professor David Stevens FSGD. Her award-winning portfolio includes contemporary, traditional, formal and naturalistic gardens recognisable for their innovative use of space, strong, pared-down layout and the sensitive integration of natural materials and planting. Lynne has also been Chair of the SGD since September 2020.

www.sgd.org.uk

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Providing long term canopy cover for Cardiff Gate Retail Park Cardiff is the capital city and one of the principal areas of Wales and is the eleventh largest city in the United Kingdom. Cardiff’s history as a port for coal when mining began in the region of Cardiff Bay helping the city expand its fortune and trade. Cardiff is home to a variety of GreenBlue projects that we are proud to have worked on such as; BBC Drama village, Greener Grangetown, Glossop Street and Havelock Street. Our latest case study is at Cardiff Gate Retail Park, a business park development located on Junction 30 of the M4 motorway on the North East of Cardiff, South Wales. Situated close to residential development, the retailers with outlets in the park have a large amount of loyal local customers visiting the superstores such as Asda, B&Q and several home furniture stores.

Cardiff Gate Retail Park (Photographed 2018)

This retail park also provides secure 24 hour parking for HGV’s and a large car park for vehicles. Cardiff Gate is a fantastic success story, the trees are thriving by being planted in the GreenBlue Urban StrataCell system. It is fascinating to see all cars that park here voluntarily park beneath the shade of the trees canopy. The benefits of trees in retail car parks are extremely important in both hot summer weather and rainy days and have enhanced Cardiff Gates net gain proving their cost-benefit. With a 1 cell deep, 4x4 single tree pit trench designed creatively by Landscape Architects Coscadden Associates, these trees have been able to grow to maturity with maximum rooting volume. The StrataCell’s have an extraordinary high weight loading capacity enabling vehicular overrun and therefore was the ideal soil cell product for this type of scheme.

Installation of GreenBlue Urban StrataCell system (2015)

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In 2015, GreenBlue were pleased to attend the site and assist the contractors of Churngold Construction during the installation. Visiting the site 6 years later proves that GreenBlue’s ethos in allowing trees to grow to maturity in a good natural growing medium works and is evidenced within their long term case studies.

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Cardiff Gate Retail Park (Photographed 2021)

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ANDREW WILSON ARE WE THERE YET?

ANDREW WILSON CONSIDERS THE SPEED OF CHANGE IN THE GARDEN AND LOOKS FOR GLIMMERS OF HOPE

he garden is not generally noted as a rapidly evolving environment although much is relative. When I started to work as a garden designer and teach garden design in the 80s, it seemed that we were stuck in a never-ending tradition of reclaimed Yorkstone terraces and Rosemary Verey borders and yet, who seeks that now? The last 40 years has seen major changes in our planting especially with perennials and grasses still dominating our planting palette as opposed to shrubs and mixed borders. But we are in the midst of a climate emergency – a forty-year cycle of change is perhaps inadequately speedy to say the least. Millions of garden owners could make significant changes to their climate locally, to the rate of climate change and to the conservation of resources through water saving or energy saving initiatives but in the conservative world of the garden one would have to ask, “is this likely?” The RHS has launched a new initiative – a new Dig for Victory campaign aimed at garden owners in an attempt to change their ways. I naturally wish them well as we all certainly need to take stock of our individual approach to our gardens. And therein lies the rub – there may well be 30 million garden owners in the UK but they don’t tend to think collectively. An encouragement to plant trees will take time to filter through against a backdrop of generations of books identifying small trees (little more than shrubs) for our gardens. As our gardens get progressively smaller, many will worry about excessive shade or the ability to use gardens – a fundamental change in perception is needed here and a rewrite of the text books. From my teaching and interviewing it is clear that previous generations of parents and grandparents are often influencers of those

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coming into garden design and horticulture. This is, on the whole, a positive scenario but one couched in accepted technique, aesthetic and outlook. It takes a year of intensive teaching, encouragement and guidance to show new recruits an alternative and more relevant way. Clients are often still loathe or at least reticent to move away from accepted norms and traditions, preferring to blend in with neighbours or to listen to parental advice and experience.

COMPOSTING, FOOD PRODUCTION, RE-DESIGN AND A RE-ASSESSMENT OF PRIORITIES HAVE STARTED TO BEAR FRUIT. MORE RECENT CLIENTS HAVE BEEN MORE OPEN TO THE PLACE OF THEIR GARDEN IN THE WIDER ENVIRONMENT It’s not all doom and gloom, however. The pandemic in some ways has helped garden owners to plough a different furrow as their outdoor space became so much more than a chore. Composting, food production, re-design and a re-assessment of priorities have started to bear fruit. More recent, clients have been increasingly open to the place of their garden in the wider environment, which is encouraging. After a lecture to private garden owners in Chicago earlier this year, I have been invited to curate a series of events and discussions focusing on the changing face of the garden,

reflecting on climate change, sustainability and function. Over the summer, I hosted several design walks through Wisley – part of our shared courses with the RHS, picking up on anything from permeable paving to water feature design, meadows and habitats, sustainable planting and material sourcing. To my delight, the various groups were engaged, enthusiastic and often instigators of our discussions around these themes most certainly helped along by the new Hilltop Education Centre and its gardens. Gardens are changing and their design emphasis too – we as a sector need to speed up the process and communicate the importance of that evolution at every opportunity. Pictured: One of the water pools forming part of the new wildlife garden at RHS Wisley, designed by Ann-Marie Powell.

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

16/09/2021 12:52

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C H R I STO P H E R M A RT I N DON’T SHOW ME YOUR TOWER, SHOW ME YOUR TOILET THE CLOSURE OF PUBLIC TOILETS HAS A HUGE IMPACT, SAYS CHRISTOPHER MARTIN, WHO SUGGESTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE DESIGN EXCELLENCE WHILST KEEPING THESE FACILITIES OPEN

he streets of our towns and cities didn’t always look like this. This might be an obvious statement, but I am not referring to bicycles looking different or people’s clothes; I am referring to the fact that our streets used to be regularly fouled by human waste. This commonplace occurrence (which I am sure nobody misses) was the norm up until 1858 when George Jennings wrote to the Commissioners of Sewers offering to set up public toilets in the City of London. His letter adds more flavour to the image you might now have in your heads: “I think it only right to call attention to the efforts I have made to prevent the defilement of our thoroughfares and to remove those Plague spots that are offensive to the eye, and a reproach to the Metropolis.” As well as a clear health issue, public toilets in towns and cities are an issue of social justice, of freedom and of care. Before we had public toilets, we had a situation commonly referred to as urinary leash, whereby women had to stay close to home so that they could use the bathroom when they needed to, with women commonly reporting at the time that they would choose not to eat or drink if they had to be out in public. The dearth of public toilets not only limited leisure activities available to women, but also employment opportunities. This situation was slowly broken down through campaigning but also through the power of money, and in 1889 the municipal women’s convenience opened in London at Piccadilly Circus, where department stores attracted middle class women with money to spend. Businesses knew this and wanted to keep shoppers in the area as long as possible. With the cultural, social and health improvements delivered through the roll out of

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Christopher Martin.indd 31

public toilets in towns and cities, it is somewhat painful to see the removal and closure of so many. Do we really want to go back to the image of streets before public toilets, and are we really

WITH THE CULTURAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS DELIVERED THROUGH THE ROLL OUT OF PUBLIC TOILETS IN TOWNS AND CITIES, IT IS SOMEWHAT PAINFUL TO SEE THE REMOVAL AND CLOSURE OF SO MANY

removals disbenefit the homeless, disabled, elderly, outdoor workers, those with illnesses requiring frequent toilet use and women the most. Urinary leash is once again becoming an issue, says the RSPH report, with one in five people stating that a lack of facilities nearby can restrict outings from their homes. The case for public toilets is clear in my mind and we would do well to look to the Japanese government’s approach, which together with the Nippon Foundation launched a project called The Tokyo Toilet. It is replacing 17 public toilets with accessible structures, designed by some of the leading architectural lights of the country. This urinary unleashing represents a new wave of projects for societal good, combined with an exhibition of home-grown architectural talent and I propose we follow suit. Let’s have an Ideas Competition for modern public conveniences in UK town and cities, committing to build the best which activate town centres, provide relief, and design delight. We need to bring old ones back to life and create new – all whilst signposting the enormous architectural talent we have in the UK. Don’t show me your tower, show me your toilet.

A BOU T C H RISTOP HER MARTIN TOKYO TOILET PROJECT: NANAGO DORI PARK BY KAZOO SATO/DISRUPTION LAB TEAM

saying we are happy with removing the rights and abilities of people in society? Many public toilets have just disappeared; others are jarringly locked up waiting to rot; and indeed, as you’ll have all seen, some have been creatively adapted into coffee stops, clubs and galleries. Seven hundred council public toilets were removed between 2010 and 2019, according to a report by The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). These

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 / October 2021 31

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n this edition of the UK Landscape Barometer, we are focused on the trading month of July 2021. Confidence for the month has experienced a minor increase, though levels remain low. There seems to be a number of reasons as to why the feeling of low confidence is dominantly mutual. Some respondents have noticed an increase in staff’s anxiety levels, and this has led to a higher number of mental health absences. This, entangled with the ongoing staff shortage and search for those who are qualified, could explain why confidence is significantly low. It may appear strange that confidence is still relatively low for the month given that comments and figures below seem positive. It is certainly clear that the industry is busy and demand is strong. Coping with it, however, is clearly proving difficult as the labour and material shortage continue to put pressure on productivity. Turnover and enquiries are still high in the number of those seeing increases, and many have expressed that they are busier than usual. One respondent said: “Demand for landscaping is far higher than we’ve experienced since the company established.” If you would like the full report or would like to contribute to the UK Landscape Barometer moving forward, please send an email to Gemma Lloyd on gemma.lloyd@eljays44.com or call on 01903 777 594. Please note that all statistics are based on those surveyed and compare July 2021 to July 2020.

NATIONAL TURNOVER

PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS MORE CONFIDENT COMPARED TO LAST MONTH 100% 90%

Lower

17%

Equal 74%

Higher

80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%

ENQUIRIES

20% 10%

20%

Lower

Oct20

Equal

15%

65%

Higher

25%

Jan21

Feb21

Mar21

Apr21

May21

STAFF 6% 6%

41%

Jun21

Jul21

Aug21

Sep21

CONVERSION Lower

6% 6%

Equal Higher No response

Lower 44%

Equal Higher

44%

No response

Lower Equal Higher

50%

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UK Landscape Barometer.indd 35

Dec20

47%

PROJECTS

25%

Nov20

The percentage of those seeing increases is lower compared to last month. This may come as no surprise considering the low confidence levels. Be that as it may, 65% saw enquiry increases, and we can see a majority of respondents (74%) receiving a greater turnover – just 9% saw a decrease. The number of those working on more projects wasn’t as high as usual, with just 25% experiencing an increase, and 50% remaining static. Conversion and staff levels were both close to being evenly split.

Pro Landscaper / October 2021 35

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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

40%

Higher

Less

PROJECTS

20%

60%

Equal

80% 100%

Lower

STAFF

20%

40%

Higher

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

36 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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NURSERIES The UK Landscape Barometer has reported the first majority decrease in nursery turnover since data recording began (November 2020), with 67% of participants experiencing a decline. One nursery commented: “Despite the good planting conditions, order call offs dropped off a little. Primarily, this is due to the supply chain issue and labour shortages in the construction industry. However, quotes for projects for late 2021 and 2022 are at an all-time high.” It is certainly positive to hear this, and when compared to data collected in June, a higher number of participants are seeing similar things – perhaps an increase in demand is on the horizon?

VOLUME SOLD

TURNOVER 33%

More 67%

Lower Higher

100%

33%

Lower Higher

67%

Enquires rose by

INCREASED Garden designers projects increased by

on average

Projects rose by

COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPERS saw an average increase of Turnover in the midlands ROSE BY 25% on average

Average lead time for design and build companies was

Dominantly, 100% of soil suppliers saw an increase in the volume sold during July. One soil supplier noticed a very sudden rise in demand, commenting: “After a relatively quiet June, the industry has exploded, and we are back to supplying 4,000+ tonnes of soft landscaping materials per week.” However, there could still be some worry circulating, as confidence was 50% more, 50% same, and in addition, 25% noted a decrease is quotes. Another supplier expressed their concern for the shortages, explaining: “The material shortages throughout the supply chain and the lack of transport are both causing massive issues throughout the industry.”

CONFIDENCE

VOLUME SOLD

Equal

50%

Enquiries in the south increased by

23% 103% 27% 46% nationally

SOIL

Higher 100%

QUOTES 25%

Lower 75%

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UK Landscape Barometer.indd 37

66%

After three months confidence has

90% IN TURNOVER

QUOTES

50%

National turnover increased by an average of

Higher

11% 1%

THREE MONTHS Enquiries for design and build companies saw a decrease of

Soil suppliers saw an increase of

in turnover

An increase of

CONVERSION RATES REMAINED STATIC for

domestic landscapers Enquiries in Turnover in Scotland and Scotland and the North the North saw an average decreased by increase of

29% 46% on average

18% in projects was seen by domestic landscapers

Conversion rates for garden designers

INCREASED BY 20%

TURNOVER DECREASED by 7% for nurseries Pro Landscaper / October 2021 37

22/09/2021 14:17

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24/09/2021 12:42 11:58 24/09/2021

NO CAUSE FOR ALARM

THE VALUE OF NEW CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AWARDS RECORDED IN AUGUST 2021 SHOWED A FALL AGAINST THE PREVIOUS MONTH. BUT WITH TENDER ACTIVITY STILL POSITIVE, NEIL EDWARDS BELIEVES THIS IS MERELY A SEASONAL BLIP RATHER THAN A GENUINE CAUSE FOR CONCERN

he confidence of the UK construction industry is a remarkably timid and fragile thing that is startled all too easily. So, whisper it quietly. The new construction contract awards recorded in the month of August 2021 were down by more than £1.1bn on the preceding month. But before anyone is tempted to fashion a makeshift sign declaring that “the end is nigh”, this downturn is merely a temporary and seasonal glitch. After more than 18 months of ceaseless work amidst the COVID-19 lockdown, the UK construction sector has apparently taken a well-deserved break. Fewer new contract awards were recorded – at least partly because those charged with awarding or reporting them were enjoying a long overdue holiday. While the top-level figure showed a change, falling to £4.68bn, other aspects of the industry remain stubbornly constant. London accounted for around a third of all new contract awards reported in August 2021 while housing accounted for roughly 40% of all new contract award activity. Amidst all this, two of the industry’s most consistent high performers took the top two positions on the BCLive league table. Morgan Sindall and Kier Group are engaged in a monthly battle to see which company will secure the highest number of new contract awards. Kier Group came out on top this month, landing an astonishing 34. But that wasn’t enough to stop Morgan Sindall topping the BCLive league table with a 15-contract haul valued at £521m.

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Neil Edwards.indd 39

Instead, Kier Group had to settle for second place and a combined £280m set of new orders. Key among these is the £45m new build at Currie High School in Edinburgh. The project includes the construction of a new community high school, a swimming pool, sports facilities and extensive landscaping.

AFTER MORE THAN 18 MONTHS OF CEASELESS WORK AMIDST THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN, THE UK CONSTRUCTION SECTOR HAS APPARENTLY TAKEN A WELLDESERVED BREAK Third position on the BCLive league table went to Berkeley Group which won a pair of new contract awards worth £244m. The largest of these is a £164m contract for the construction of 584 new homes on a site at Woodberry Down in London’s Finsbury Park that will also require landscaping input. Landscaping contractors will also be eyeing a pair of notable projects in the educational sector. Bouygues UK has been awarded the £105m new build project at the University of Essex in Colchester. Phases 2b and 2c of the project will see the construction of more than 1,200 new student bedrooms together with hard and soft landscaping. Meanwhile, Balfour Beatty Construction Services will be seeking landscaping assistance to deliver the £90m new build at the Dunfermline learning campus at Fife College in Scotland.

Regionally, London came out on top, contributing more than £1.54bn to the monthly total. The usually reliable East and West Midlands (£72.5m and £158.7m respectively) paused for breath while the North West delivered an above-average performance with 38 new projects valued at a combined £509m. Scotland’s recovery looks to be back on track with a £311m month while North Wales went in the opposite direction, recording no new contract award activity during the month. With almost £1.9bn in new contract awards, the housing sector once again led the way. But offices (£754m) and education (£407m) also enjoyed a positive month. Despite the month-on-month fall, the August total was almost identical to the same month last year and remains well ahead of the long-established £4bn monthly average. The level of tenders in the industry pipeline also remains positive. In all likelihood, the figures for August merely reflect the industry taking a wellearned pause for breath. After a year (or more) in which it used its key worker status to carry the hopes of the UK economy upon its shoulders, no-one could begrudge the sector a deserved break.

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

Pro Landscaper / October 2021 39

16/09/2021 15:39

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SHENZHEN

INSPIRE

SHOWSTOPPER B E T W E E N H E AV E N AND EARTH MCWILLIAM STUDIO

PROJECT D E TA I L S Build time 1 month on site Size of project 240m2 Awards Gold and Best in Show at the Shenzhen Flower Show 2021

AS PART OF THE 2021 SHENZHEN FLOWER SHOW, MCWILLIAM STUDIO HAS CRE ATED A GARDEN TO REPRESENT THE HOST CIT Y OF SHENZHEN

he Shenzhen Flower Show is an international festival celebrating design talent from all over the world – from the UK, US, Spain and Russia to New Zealand, the Philippines, Lithuania and South Africa. In order to prompt regional identity, the gardens represent each of China’s regions. This year, they could be found across Shenzhen Fairy Lake Botanical Garden and the Shenzhen International Garden and Flower Expo Park. In 2019, McWilliam Studio won a design competition to create a garden that would best represent the host city Shenzhen for the Shenzhen Flower Show – and create they did. Inspired by Shenzhen’s origins and waterways as well as its rapid technological development, McWilliam Studio’s garden ‘Between Heaven and Earth’ imagines a transient space located between its past and present, and on the cusp of its future. Design The garden explores connections between space and form, and the blurred boundaries between woodland and water, land and sky. Everyday elements of landscape combine to create a composition of textural planting, reflective water, and light and shadow representing the character of the city, and exploring the relationships between man, nature, city and technology. A significant water element takes its cue from the Pearl River Delta, and Shenzhen’s dense network of

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canals and waterways. Water channels reflect light and colour from the surrounding landscape but merge into dense woodland and relaxed woodland edge planting. The directional flow of water continues through and around planting and paved areas to create a unified and cohesive landscape. The woodland edge backdrop softens into the wider landscape whilst lower planting mixes spill over, running through the entire garden. These grounded, earthly elements are combined with vertical elements which lend height and drama to the space. Lofty Madagascar Almond trees combine with a series of tall poles, some as high as 10 meters, which gently sway and draw the eye skywards. The poles are topped with small LED lights, referring to the technical ambition and aspiration of Shenzhen and illuminating the space to be enjoyed after dark. Misting sprays further animate the space, creating atmosphere and subtle visual filters which conjure the sub-tropical climate of the region. DESIGN PLAN

Materials With a normal show garden, McWilliam Studio would select all the materials and planting in person and be present throughout the build. This time, however, it relied on the team to show it everything remotely, and it selected trees, plants and materials via videos and commented on prototype testing over WeChat and email. McWilliam Studio had to see everything through their eyes, and so communication was key. The team were very indulgent of McWilliam Studio’s requests and the studio received many videos of poles being waggled in the streets of Shenzhen, different lighting and misting options, trial water features and numerous quarry and nursery visits. The planting was designed as a meadow mix and a woodland edge mix. Again, the setting out of the individual plants on site would usually be refined in person, however on this occasion the team mocked up large areas of the planting mixes off site and McWilliam Studio talked through any adjustments required prior to them planting them at the show. Despite the process

44 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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not being McWilliam Studio’s usual approach to gardens, the end result is absolutely stunning and a real testament to the skill of the team in China and back at home. Challenges McWilliam Studio’s plot was on a hill, so it had to design a show garden that would work with a significant level change. It used this challenge to its advantage by designing retaining walls out of solid sliced stone. This sliced stone then transitioned into the paving and then out into the water. The slope also allowed McWilliam Studio to design an infinity edge reflective pool that felt carved from the hillside. Integrating the lights and misters into 10m high poles required a fair amount of experimenting from the team.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Lit poles rising through Madagascar almonds Connection between water, paving and planting Ephemeral moments Early morning light Sliced granite retaining the change in level View from above at night View across the reflective pool Planked paving intersected with planting Photographs ©Xi Qi / Hongyue Horticultural Corporation

A B O U T M CW I L L I A M ST U D I O Renowned for its creativity, McWilliam Studio has won over 40 national and international awards. McWilliam Studio’s approach combines imaginative design concepts with a passion for planting, materials and craftsmanship to deliver distinctive and memorable spaces that enhance the connection between people and nature. The practice is led by Gavin McWilliam in collaboration with Andrew Wilson, and a team of talented associates.

www.mcwilliamstudio.com

REFERENCES Materials supplied by Hongyue Horticultural Corporation www.hongyue.com Shanghai Huicai Horticulture Co Ltd Designer McWilliam Studio www.mcwilliamstudio.com Contractor Shanghai Huicai Horticulture Co Ltd

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LEVEL CHANGE

ST E E P S E V E N OA K S G A R D E N L A N G DA L E L A N DSCA P ES LT D

PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £267,600 Build time 24 weeks Size of project 600m2 Awards Gold at the 2021 APL Awards £175k-200k

T H O U G H T H I S S T E E P, U N L O V E D G A R D E N P R O V E D T O B E A S C H A L L E N G I N G A S Y O U ’ D E X P E C T, L A N G D A L E L A N D S C A P E S W E R E M O R E T H A N R E A D Y T O T R A N S F O R M I T I N T O A S A F E , U S E A B L E S PA C E

his Kent garden was slowly falling apart. Old sleeper walls were rotting, plant borders were in a poor state and the whole area was generally becoming unsafe due to its steep nature. But Langdale Landscapes doesn’t shy away from a challenge – in fact, it’s this exact reason they were recommended to the clients in the first place. The brief was simple: a useable garden that the clients could sit in and socialise with friends and family and that their children could safely play in. The execution, not so much. Design and build Langdale Landscapes Ltd had an initial concept drawing done and soon got to work with an engineer to design the retaining walls and new terraces. The engineer is someone Langdale Landscapes Ltd has worked with on many projects and helped the team put together perhaps the most crucial part of the build.

46 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

Portfolio 2 Langdale Landscapes.indd 46

Indeed, once the garden was terraced and structurally sound, the clients would have a beautiful space that they could actually get to and a safe place for their children to play in. Once Langdale Landscapes Ltd had the working drawings, it had the costings signed off with the client and then started the detailed planning stage to enable it to finally bring the garden from a concept idea to reality. Langdale Landscapes decided fairly early on that a build method using Stepoc blocks – a build method it is very familiar with. Here, Stepoc blocks are dry stacked and then filled with ready mix concrete pumped in from the road some 80m away. This formed the basis

1 2 3 4

View of the finished project from the lower lawn Mid terrace created halfway down the garden First level view: Millboard decking and S3i handrails Pre-formed Adezz Corten step units

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of the retaining walls which on this project were substantial. The terraces were then built using a block and beam system which spanned over the walls and gave the terraces a good solid foundation for paving to be installed onto. All the different levels were linked together with Corten steel pre-formed steps from Adezz. For Langdale Landscapes these were a light relief, as they simply lifted into place, bolted down and were ready to go. Once the main terrace was installed, the garden really came together, enabling the clients to fully envision the end result. As the hard landscaping started to take shape and the areas were nearing completion, Langdale Landscapes turned its attention to the soft landscaping and areas were tied together using low maintenance planting. Due to the challenge of the slopes, Lonicera nitida was planted en masse so it could be clipped as you would a hedge – this proved very successful and was a great way to deal with these tricky areas. Flat borders were created elsewhere and here planting was chosen to give bursts of colour.

Materials The materials were all sourced from Langdale Landscapes’ usual suppliers. London Stone supplied the Black Granite paving for the terraces, decking is Golden Oak from Millboard – very much suited to this shady application – handrails were designed and created in conjunction with S3i which proved to be complicated given the huge level changes needed for this project. The planting was organised by Nic Howard with all of the plants coming from Langdale Landscapes’ local supplier How Green Nursery. Challenges As you may expect, access to this site was limited, which threw up real challenges as Langdale Landscapes Ltd brought machinery and materials in to build the garden, adding to the magnitude of the garden.

5 6 7 8 9

View from the mid terrace to the top level S3i handrails bespoke made to the slopes View showing the level change Steps meeting the granite paving Bespoke Corten edging meets rendered walls

THE GARDEN BEFORE WORK COMMENCED

48 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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CONSTRUCTION OF PATIO AREA

INSTALLING ADEZZ CORTEN PRE-FORMED STEPS

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ABOUT LANGDALE LANDSCAPES Langdale Landscapes Ltd designs and builds landscape projects in the Kent & Surrey area. It employs 24 people full time, and all of its staff are passionate about the work and love what they do. The company has its own inhouse design studio but also collaborates with other local garden designers, working for them on a build only basis, meaning it gets to work with some of the leading design studios that luckily operate within the area.

www.langdalelandscapes.co.uk

REFERENCES Stone London Stone www.londonstone.co.uk Balustrade S3i www.s3i.co.uk Steps Adezz www.Adezz.com Decking Millboard www.millboard.co.uk

ANOTHER CHALLENGING ANGLE

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PLANTING

Plants How Green Nursery www.howgreennursery.co.uk

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PROJECT D E TA I L S Build time 3 months Size of project 275m2 Awards • BALI National Landscape Award 2019 – Community & Schools Development • SGD Principal Award Winner 2019 – Healing, Learning or Community Garden

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RESTORATIVE

INSPIRE

RETREAT NHS 70 GARDEN, ADDENBROOKE’S H O S P I TA L , C A M B R I D G E BOWLES & WYER

ORIGINALLY A SHOW GARDEN AT TATTON PARK FLOWER SHOW, BOWLES & WYER WORKED WITH DESIGNER MAX HARRIMAN, TO REDESIGN AND RELOCATE THEIR GARDEN TO ONE OF THE COURTYARDS IN ADDENBROOKE’S HOSPITAL

alm in the Chaos’ exhibited at the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show to encourage visitors to slow down and spend more time in the natural environment in order to really reap the restorative benefits of being outdoors. But it didn’t stop at the show. Following the successful show, the garden was relocated to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where patients, visitors and staff could also enjoy these benefits. The original show garden required undergoing a rather large transformation to make it fit for purpose at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. It had to have plenty of seating areas for patients, staff and visitors to use – and the space needed to be accessible for all mobilities and disabilities.

topsoil as a conditioner to add structure and improve long-term fertility. In order to make the show garden suitable for its new home, the footprint of the basic design was increased and simplified to keep in with The Trust’s budget. The build was straightforward. The main elements of the build were the oak posts which were increased in number for the expansion of the area, and the paths which were metal edged and finished with a resin bound surface. While a plan was made for the main elements, much of the detail of the planting design was done on site as the plants were laid out and adjusted by Max, the designer. Planting Planting was recycled from the RHS Tatton show garden and transported down to

Design and build The project began three weeks before the breakdown of the show garden at Tatton Park. The primary goal was to complete the construction works and prepare the borders before the plants arrived. The Addenbrooke’s site was about two and a half times bigger than the show garden site. In addition, the paths had to be wheelchair usable which meant switching out the bark used at Tatton for resin bound gravel. Bowles & Wyer also had to provide more seating that would stand up to public use – so it had to be tougher. Beforehand, the area was just short grass and trees. It had been a construction site previously, so although pits had been dug for the trees, the soil was very thin under the turf. Some topsoil was generated by the shallow excavations for the hard landscape resin bound paths and wooden posts. Bowles & Wyer worked a lot of composted bark into the

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Addenbrooke’s, a planting plan was roughly worked out, but this was redesigned on the ground to fit the site. The intention in the original show garden was to have a space in which one could seek calm – after all, the garden was entitled ‘Calm in the Chaos’. This seemed particularly appropriate for a hospital site. It was this ‘Calm in the Chaos’ theme which led to a selection of plants based mostly on calming shades of green rather than lots of colour. The intention was to have the equivalent of ‘forest-bathing’. Alongside the original garden’s plant list, additional plants were introduced due to its

1 2 3 4 5 6

Custom-made benches mirror the oak post border The garden was designed to look great from above The walkway meanders through the garden space Luscious planting and oak posts provide privacy A dense planting scheme produces a green haven Varied woodland-style planting was a key inclusion All photographs ©Richard Bloom

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P L A N T L I ST

INSPIRE

• Acanthus mollis • Asplenium scolopendrium • Astrantia major ‘Large White’ • Carex pendula • Cimicifuga japonica • Corylus avellana • Dryopteris filix-mas • Dryopteris wallichiana • Geranium sanguineum ‘Album’ • Hedera helix • Luzula sylvatica • Matteuccia struthiopteris • Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Alba’ • Sesleria autumnalis • Thalictrum delavayi ‘Splendide White’ • Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Album’ • Vinca minor f. alba ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ Added for Addenbrooke’s • Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Overdam’ • Hakonechloa macra • Iris foetidissima • Euphorbia characias • Hedera helix ‘Arborescens’ • Epimedium x youngianum ‘Niveum’ • Libertia grandiflora

larger size, its permanent nature and the fact

that Addenbrooke’s site was more exposed than the Tatton one, requiring tougher plants. With the larger, more open site, a lot of the planting was also not afforded the shade it had at Tatton, so sun-loving plants were introduced in places. Challenges During the dig out, a solid block of hardcore was discovered, which took a few days to break out and dispose of. On a very strict timetable, and with plants that were already stressed from being in the show garden, Bowles & Wyer had limited time to resolve the issue – especially as it only had a very small excavator on site.

Being one of the hottest summers on records, keeping the plants alive when they arrived was a constant challenge for the team especially with little storage areas. The design called for the posts to be set at an angle, so that they splayed away from the path, but also were on curves – setting this out was difficult. The posts were also set in concrete, meaning each post needed support to stop it moving while the concrete went off. Any single post that had been out of line would have stood out and destroyed the flow of the design. 7 The garden can be and has been enjoyed by both visitors and nurses alike ©Richard Bloom

A B O U T B OW L ES & W Y E R Bowles & Wyer design, build and tend landscapes for private individuals, businesses and organisations across the UK and beyond. With a reputation for creating award-winning gardens and landscapes with an imaginative approach and high-quality service, Bowles & Wyer believe landscapes have the power to enhance lives, and work hard to make that happen every day.

www.bowleswyer.co.uk

REFERENCES Metal edging Everedge www.everedge.co.uk Mulch AHS www.ahs-ltd.co.uk Muckaway, aggregates, soils and compost Mick George www.mickgeorge.co.uk Resin gravel Graveltech Ltd www.graveltech.co.uk

DURING WORKS

52 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

Portfolio 3 Bowles and Wyer.indd 52

Benches Europlanters www.europlanters.com

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17/09/2021 11:43

*Paysalia/Rocalia 2019 figures.

Paysalia, the landscaping sector’s benchmark trade show, returns to Lyon once more from 30th November to 2nd December, 2021. The event’s seventh edition will welcome stakeholders from all activity areas (landscapers, designers, architects, suppliers, local authorities and community interest groups). The 2019 edition saw 741 exhibitors and almost 30,000 visitors*. In 2021, the trade show presses forward with its ambition to be a key tool for all those involved in the sector, a chance to meet others, develop their business and trade ideas with their peers. We are witnessing major changes in the perception of green spaces and their use, for both the provider and the individual, and the landscaping sector must keep pace with these new issues. To offer the best possible assistance to professionals during this transition period and to address all their needs and expectations, Paysalia gives pride of place to today’s hot topics:

BIODIVERSITY Biodiversity is one of current society’s core issues and is wholly reliant on plants, both as a living structure and as a refuge for wildlife. The trade show assists professionals in this cause by presenting concrete solutions for chemical-free maintenance, alternative management of green spaces, planting of town centres, and all the other environmental concerns.

NEW MARKETS TO PENETRATE © NicolasRodet

The French government’s 2020 economic restart plan stimulates and facilitates certain markets that have a landscaping factor, like reafforestation or ecological engineering. In-city farming, interior landscaping, and living walls give citizens new aspirations that outlive those of a passing fancy. Paysalia 2021 will examine these trends and bring professionals solutions to help them penetrate the new markets.

EXPERTISE IN THE TRADE

Paysalia, in conjunction with Unep, sets out to assist all stakeholders in each of these issues so that they can stand together in readiness for the sector’s future.

Hop on the bus! Ask for your badge from end of August, 2021 on www.paysalia.com with the code PPGEN

YOUR FREE

ACCESS

BA D G E

Whether it involves reappraising the fundamentals of the trade, tackling biodiversity issues, or adopting emergent innovations, the sector is evolving along with its trades and expertise. Basic and improver training, recruitment, apprenticeship facilities—Paysalia will be putting the spotlight on jobs and training in an area dedicated to encounters.

CONTACT : +33 (0)4 78 176 324 paysalia@gl-events.com In co-production with

WITH THE SUPPORT OF

paysalia.com

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23/09/2021 09:33

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23/09/2021 22/09/2021 09:34 15:20

THE COMPLETE OUTDOOR KITCHEN

INSPIRE

COOKING UP A STORM

DEBS WINROW EXPLAINS WHY OUTDOOR KITCHENS A R E H E R E T O S TAY A N D HOW TO KEEP THIS DESIGN TREND FRESH

ith every with costs agreed and, as they are “above moment patio”, they shouldn’t fall into the unknown we have complications other parts of the build might. filled with These elements of the garden are also designing and creating a perfect opportunity to take a leap of faith and welcoming and comfortable consider a collaboration with other companies spaces for outdoor living, specialising in these areas. We can’t all be the inclusion of dining and experts at everything and sometimes just having simple entertaining spaces is high on the wish a friendly and well organised industry list, but are we wondering if the bubble companion taking control of this will burst? Well, to be honest, who area is refreshing, cost effective knows? But best guess is that and gets the job done on they are very much here to stay. time and on budget – and We’ve had Brexit, COVID, is one less task for your supply and demand issues and teams to complete. now raw material shortages all to contend with; yet our order Outdoor styles book has never been better and Defining the style the need for our industry to stay preference is the first step to OUTDOOR strong and perform at our best creating the very best proposal STYLING has never been on such high alert. for your client’s outdoor kitchen Let’s stay positive and continue to plan and entertaining space. Outdoor living for outdoor kitchens, bars, outdoor living rooms has lured cooking in the garden far beyond the and more to continue strong into 2022 and simple BBQ hidden and covered down the beyond. Just plan well in advance as waiting side of the house. Outdoor kitchens are well lists are looking like they are also here to stay. equipped with fridges, sinks, and clients wanting These areas of the project should remain a choice of different cooking elements to enjoy. profitable as they can be planned in advance Latest design innovations for 2022 will see the

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Debs Winrow.indd 55

additions of sit-up bars, freestanding islands, electric BBQs, lighting, and the ability to move some or all the kitchen to different parts of the garden. Some of these new features were launched at the GRILLO BBQ RHS Chelsea Flower Show in September. Consider the different options: modular, unique, or bespoke. There are all these choices with some fabulous Made in Britain partners to work with. For the modular and unique pieces, you will be able to design into the space and cost everything including delivery and installation, usually done by others. And 3D storage allows us to present the areas in line with the full garden design exciting the client into what they are going to have. If looking for a more bespoke option, ensure that the client’s budget expectation is flexible as you may need to cross over several suppliers to pull it all together; cabinets, equipment,

INNOVATIVE SHELVING IDEAS

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16/09/2021 14:50

INSPIRE

worktops, appliances may all be from different manufacturers. You should also consider the extra man days that these Instagram look-alikes can take to create the look the client wants versus budget. Eat and relax all year long As the garden becomes an extension of the home’s living areas, if the area is suitably covered or it’s furnishing are all weatherproof, then there really is no reason why these comforts can’t be enjoyed all year around. OUTDOOR KITCHENS ARE WELL EQUIPPED WITH FRIDGES, SINKS, AND DIFFERENT COOKING ELEMENTS Encourage your clients to move furniture around through the seasons, with our biggest Design details arrive, they aren’t dashing back and forth into tip of swopping the table and chairs by the Finishing touches that make your outdoor the house. Consider large baskets that can be kitchen area for their outdoor sofa set for kitchens look and feel unique, memorable, filled with everything from the house – china, the colder months creating more and inviting will ensure that they cutlery, glasses etc – to go straight into the casual eating occasions. aren’t dropped from the design. cupboards. At the end of the party simply fill Ensure the brief of the Not all details of the kitchen the baskets again to go back to the house kitchen goes beyond just must be permanent. Chopping and straight beside the dishwasher. an evening BBQ. The space boards, utensils and storage should also allow for lazy jars can be carefully popped breakfasts, maybe not into the kitchen cupboards to lighting the BBQ at all – protect until the next time. coffee and shop bought Leave herbs in small planters croissants should be and outdoor fairy lights decorate encouraged as acceptable, WORKTOPS AND SINK the space after dark. Seek an as there is a lot of pressure on outdoor stylist to work with you for our clients to become fabulous sourcing additional furniture, accessories Grillo chefs! and finishing touches. Create plenty of workspace so impromptu evenings with cocktails and canapes can be set up and enjoyed outdoors. Think beautiful, lovely café rather than a BBQ grill station. This design process also encourages the other half of the partnership, usually the one that doesn’t do the BBQ, to be fully engaged in the design and more importantly also signing off the budget.

DELIVITA OUTDOOR OVEN AND UTENSILS

56 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

Debs Winrow.indd 56

DEFINING THE STYLE PREFERENCE IS THE FIRST STEP TO CREATING THE VERY BEST PROPOSAL FOR YOUR CLIENT’S OUTDOOR KITCHEN AND ENTERTAINING SPACE Like indoor designs, your outdoor kitchen will need elements of utility zoning as well; places for tools, firewood, and maybe even a small bin. Make sure these are considered when designing and choose the right kitchen partner to play with. Add log stores, covered storage, shelves or extras, rails for towels and tools, ice buckets and large planters for herb gardens. One of the biggest design requests we receive is to try and keep the hosts in the garden. Ensure that they can take everything they need to the area and hide away well in advance of the party so that when their guests

MEMORABLE FINISHING TOUCHES

What’s next? We will see some lovely additions to the kitchen collections next year; as design teams we are busy behind the scenes creating matching planters, tables, benches and firepits keeping the integrity of the design simple and practical and allowing clients to continue the look and theme of their chosen outdoor kitchen into other areas of the garden. These will also allow guests to be a part of the kitchen area, even outside. After all, aren’t all the best parties in the kitchen at home?

ABOUT DEBS WINROW Debs Winrow, creative director of award-winning landscape company Garden House Design, is an avid trend spotter, responsible for seeking out the latest and best outdoor living products, and developing an expansive portfolio to offer to both consumers and fellow landscapers and designers.

www.gardenhousedesign.co.uk

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16/09/2021 15:04

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23/09/2021 11:36

INSPIRE

WHY I...

# LOV E H O RT I C U LT U R E Andrée Davies DAV I ES W H I T E LT D

few years ago, I was asked at a project interview to define beauty; “what makes a place beautiful?” asked a member of the panel. That is not easy to answer even when you have time to think about it, so I stumbled over a few inadequate thoughts. But what a great question, and as a designer it’s something I’ve never really stopped thinking about ever since. It’s still difficult to define, but my version of beauty always includes plants. Their shapes and colours, how they move, how they change through the day, the shadows they cast, their scent; plants evoke an emotion and I am interested in how plants can change our mood, how their beauty can restore our wellbeing and delight our senses. I prefer varieties that capture the qualities of their wild relatives; the delicacy of a single open flower of Rosa ‘Mutabilis’ as it fades from apricot to pink. The thin long stems of Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ as it moves in the breeze. I see beauty in their decay and in the unexpected details, but I’ve realised you have to train your eye, to look closely, to see things differently and find out what beauty means to you. As well as their aesthetic, the habitats that plants create add to their beauty; the hum of insects as they collect nectar, spider webs strung across stems in the autumn rain. More and more this is my version of beauty; plants used in harmony with nature to do all we can to repair the damage we have already done to our planet. Working with plants is also an act of hope. We plant something small and that is just the beginning; designing with plants is an act of belief in the future. They remind us that we are connected to the earth, the changing seasons, and the passage of time and they are what make a place beautiful.

MORE AND MORE THIS IS MY VERSION OF BEAUTY; PLANTS USED IN HARMONY WITH NATURE TO DO ALL WE CAN TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE WE HAVE ALREADY DONE TO OUR PLANET

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

58 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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16/09/2021 16:01

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design ideas

23/09/2021 09:35

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23/09/2021 09:36

INSPIRE CROWDERS WON THE “HIGHLY DESERVED” ACCOLADE FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND IN ITS COMMITMENT TO THE INDUSTRY

ast year was undeniably difficult for most, not the least for suppliers. If they weren’t forced to close their doors, they faced late payments, if payments at all, whilst their clients were either unable to work or facing severe delays to projects. Recognising this, Crowders offered a helping hand. During the first lockdown, it gave its clients the option of extended payment terms of up to 120 days. Announcing the extension in May last year, sales and marketing director James Carter said: “We recognise that cash flow will be one of the biggest challenges facing those in the landscape sector after such a long lay-off. As one of the key suppliers to the sector we wanted to help as much as we can by offering supplies on extended terms, and thereby getting the wheels turning once again.”

THE NURSERY

It’s this show of support to the industry, along with a wealth of other ways in which Crowders has built its strong client relationships, which led to the Lincolnshire-based supplier scooping Trade Nursery of the Year. Judges were impressed by its trade association membership, event sponsorship, attendance of socials and its involvement in various groups and committees. Take its contribution to BALI – CEO Robert Crowder served on the council and was treasurer for several years and the nursery has supported and sponsored the association’s awards since the 80s.

T HE P RO L A N DSCA PER BUSINESS AWARDS 2021 WINNER PROFILE

W CROWDER & SONS LTD

TRADE NURSERY OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY AZETS

Crowders’ dedication to those outside of the company is impressive, but its commitment to its own employees is just as remarkable. Robert Crowder says: “We have always believed that the future of the business relies on individuals who have

WE PLACE GREAT EMPHASIS ON RECRUITING AND TRAINING BRIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE INHOUSE TO PROVIDE THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP FOR THE BUSINESS been raised and educated in, or have close family ties with, the county of Lincolnshire. Consequently, we place great emphasis on recruiting and training bright young people in-house to provide the future management and leadership for the business.” Its head of operations, for instance, joined Crowders in 2008 as a trainee nursery operative. After developing his skills and completing a Level 3 diploma, Jason Todd was promoted to procurement manager in 2016 before being promoted again last year.

Two other employees are currently being supported to undertake an RHS Level 2 in horticulture and another to complete a BASIS qualification in commercial horticulture. Apprentices also benefit from a varied two-year programme across Crowders’ three sites. Run in partnership with its local land-based college Riseholme, the nursery currently employs three apprentices

and is looking for the next round to join later this year. It is also looking to expand its full-time team and its production by investing in more land following a series of impressive contract wins, including the supply of seven million trees and plants for Phase 1 and 2A for HS2. As a constantly evolving nursery and a dedicated supplier to the industry, the judges were right in saying that the Pro Landscaper Business Award was “highly deserved” by Crowders and there are undoubtedly more awards to come.

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17/09/2021 10:51

INSPIRE MAYLIM WON COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING COMPANY FOR ITS DEDICATION TO TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS ITS STAFF’S HEALTH AND WELLBEING

n February 2019, Maylim made a big change; it became an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). With 70% of the business now owned by its employees, the future of the business is secured. Perhaps more importantly though, it enables the business to reward its employees, increases employee involvement, and encourages like-minded talent to join the team. This is just one way in which Maylim strives to find innovative ways to improve the company’s culture. With the understanding that both exercise and socialising can help to boost our mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, Maylim has its very own six-a-side football league which “proved a great success”. Open conversations around mental health are also encouraged. Maylim has 10 internal mental health first aiders who are available for all employees to speak with and who are placed throughout various teams. It has recently further trained 28 additional staff members in Mental Health Awareness.

T HE P RO L A N DSCA PER BUSINESS AWARDS 2021 WINNER PROFILE

MAYLIM

COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPING COMPANY SPONSORED BY GREEN-TECH

is a great honour for the business. It is a testament to the hard work, passion and dedication of the team, especially during the numerous challenges faced within the industry throughout the last 18 months.” Most recently, having run a successful pilot in 2020, Maylim has launched a Development Journal Programme. The programme consists of one-to-one quarterly meetings between

PARADISE BIRMINGHAM

Training and development is also vitally important to the company, with it spending approximately 1.5% of its annual turnover on this. The company analyses each employee’s skills and qualifications to assess which project they should be assigned to so they can ensure they have the required skills and meet the specifications of the project. Training information is held on systems such as Maylim’s Training Matrix which allows senior management to allocate specific roles to individuals on site – including fire marshals, health and safety representatives and first aiders – as well as its Msite database which also ensures Maylim is compliant with nationwide health and safety requirements and regulations. Thomas O’Mahony, managing director of Maylim, says: “Being recognised as Commercial Landscaping Company of the year at the Pro Landscaper Business Awards 2021

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO THE COMPANY, WITH IT SPENDING APPROXIMATELY 1.5% OF ITS ANNUAL TURNOVER ON THIS line managers and their teams to track each individual’s development journey. It is used to discuss how they can progress, and objectives and goals are set for the next session. Maylim also has an ongoing commitment to the environment and strives to reduce its carbon footprint throughout the organisation and its projects. It monitors its energy consumption on a monthly basis and this data is entered onto its SMARTWASTE system for

all projects. Currently, at its Exchange Square project, Maylim is sourcing a power supply from its client’s premise enabling it to provide power to all areas of the project. This has eliminated petrol and diesel-powered generators from the project. The same project involved the removal of a vast amount of granite. Rather than break this granite up, the project team has carried out a time-consuming dismantling operation to carefully remove the granite in whole sections, allowing it be transported off site. It has since been reclaimed and is being used for an upcoming stonemasonry project. Thomas finishes: “To be shortlisted, let alone be named as an award-winner, gives me great pride in Maylim and its people. It has helped to reinforce and support our growth plans, allowing us to develop and maintain connections with clients and demonstrate how we continue to deliver high-quality projects and raise the bar within the landscape sector.”

COAL DROPS YARD

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23/09/2021 11:39

INSPIRE

P R OJ EC T P L AY W E E X P LO R E S O M E B E S P O K E P L AY EQ U I P M E N T US E D W I T H I N B ES P O K E P R OJ ECTS , A N D W H Y FO R M A N Y P R OJ ECTS I T ’S T H E SU P E R I O R S O LU T I O N

PLAYEQUIP Drapers Field Playground Budget £150,000 Products used Bespoke climbing frame, bespoke climbing nets, stepping stumps, logs, slides, climbing tree, see saw, cantilever swing, nursery swing, trampoline.

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This project was part of the London Legacy Development Corporation’s direction to ‘Stitch the Fringe’ around the Olympic boundary, bridging the existing East London communities, the new East Village and the Olympic Park. It focused on creating a place of sport and fitness whilst encouraging informal play as well as incorporating alternative activities such as skateboarding to successfully encourage diverse communities and sub-cultures. The brief was to work in collaboration with KLA the landscape architecture company to design a unique play space that worked with the landscape and topography whilst also complying with the EN1176 play safety standards. Regular ‘off the shelf’ products forced into an area would never have been the best use of space or budget. The use of natural durable hardwoods such as large section oak beams and Robinia posts was an obvious choice as they offer extreme durability whilst suiting a natural environment. Most PlayEquip products are derived from close consultation and ideas given by architects and landscape architects, knowing the modern-day requirements of playground equipment that haven’t been acknowledged until recently.

Why choose bespoke play equipment ? Kristina Causer from Jupiter Play & Leisure explores the power of bespoke design.

JUPITER PLAY What does it take to create a truly amazing play space, or any public space or amenity for that matter? If we take a moment to reflect on the spaces we have been ‘wowed’ by as a child or an adult, those spaces have often taken a unique approach and can be a result of a bespoke design process. In the world of landscape design, the bespoke design process is perhaps more of a given. In the world of play space design this isn’t the norm. A value for money procurement-led approach usually results in a highly pedestrian off-the-shelf solution often known in the play world as ‘KFC’ or Kit Fence Carpet. Bespoke design ordinarily allows us to connect with a community on a much deeper level, unearthing a myriad of characteristics that shapes a space as its own. Common reasons for utilising bespoke design include celebrating the history of a space, providing a way to design in true inclusivity, answering a complex landscape problem, creating moments of incidental play that creates a sense of place or to really go for it and create something fantastical and unique. It is worth considering what the purpose of a play space is in the design process. The answer isn’t always linear and obvious. Why take an off-the-shelf route to design when the landscape or space may offer more?

WWW.JUPITERPLAY.CO.UK

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ABBOTSBURY SUBTROPICAL GARDEN WE SPEAK TO HORTICULTURAL MANAGER AND CURATOR OF ABBOTSBURY SUBTROPICAL GARDENS STEVE GRIFFITH ABOUT THE GREAT STORM WHICH SPARKED A 10-YEAR REJUVENATION PLAN AND HOW HE AIMS TO INTRODUCE NEW SPECIES TO COPE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

bbotsbury Subtropical Gardens has laid witness to wars and changes of sovereignty, successes and neglect. Perhaps its biggest transformation though, came after The Great Storm of 1987. The gardens began their life in 1765 as a walled garden. Its purpose was to provide fruit and vegetables for the newly built castle overlooking Lyme Bay and the family in residence – these still remain at the heart of the garden today. The years passed, and as the garden entered the 1800s it expanded. Open fields surrounding the gardens were enclosed and a woodland was developed. Some of the garden’s original camellias can still be found today and formed some of the

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earliest introductions into the country from 1790 to 1840. Species include Camellia reticulata ‘Captain Rawes’, Camellia japonica ‘Duchess of Buccleuch’ and Camellia japonica ‘Malmaison’. Huge Rhododendron arboreum trees were grown from seed collected by Sir Joseph Hooker in about 1860. Giant Magnolia campbellii have been flowering as early as February for over 100 years. But it was when William Fox-Strangeways entered the scene that the flora and fauna in the garden really took off. The surrounding shade, shelter and moisture of the nearby woodland made for ideal conditions for an influx of newly collected plants from the 1 View from the Mediterranean bank 2 Vibrant Rhododendron ‘Pink Pearl’ in bloom

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Himalayas, China and Japan. As a leading botanist and expert on flora and fauna, William introduced citronella mucronata from Chile, Picconia excelsa, an endangered species from the Canary Islands, and genus Stranvaesia which was named after him (now known as Photinia). His successors – the 5th Lord of Ilchester and Lady Ilchester – trebled its size. In 1899, a catalogue printed by Lady Ilchester stated the garden had amassed a collection of over 5,000 plants. This has, of course, hugely expanded over the subsequent years. “I’m working on creating a plant database and I’m only up to accession numbers 3,500 with a long way to go,” explains horticultural manager and curator Steve Griffith. Included within this mammoth compilation of plants is a collection of Kunming Camellia reticulata and species of large leaved Rhododendrons, many of which have been

COLLECTING NEW AND RARE PLANTS HAS BEEN MY PASSION SO I STARTED LOOKING AT GEOGRAPHICAL ZONES WITHIN THE GARDEN TO GROW PLANTS FROM donated from the RHS Rhododendron and Camellia group. Steve has also recently added Camellia sasanqua to this collection which fills the late autumn flowering gap.

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One large influence on the garden came from its head gardener at the time, Joseph Benbow. Having worked for 10 years at La Mortola garden in northern Italy, he came to Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens with an arrival of succulent plants and other exotics. He’s not the only head gardener to have a profound impact on Abbotsbury, though. Steve has been horticultural manager and curator at Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens since 1990 after The Great Storm had well and truly done its damage. Rather than mourning what was lost, the trustees of the garden saw an opportunity and a 10-year development plan was put in place to restore, revive and recapture imagination. “I have been responsible for the on-going restoration since I originally drew up a 10-year plan to bring these gardens back into the public eye,” explains Steve. With previous experience designing and restoring landscapes and gardens

all over the world, it’s no surprise that this plan included plants from the Himalayas, Southern Hemisphere, Madeira, South America and the Mediterranean. “Collecting new and rare plants has been my passion so I started looking at geographical zones within the garden to grow plants from,” shares Steve. “The main vision was to use the microclimate and grow a range of plants that also create a jungle subtropical look – being bold and experimental in the planting and trying different species outside to see which half hardy species will survive and grow best.” Infrastructure was also reassessed, with an old colonial style restaurant, better car parking, a shop and plant centre all installed. The team will also crown raise the trees to allow better light levels into the garden and help understory planting. Also, new shelter belt planting was instigated to protect the garden from the south westerly gales blown in from the sea not far from the garden. “This also helps maintain our very special micro-climate which enables us to grow a huge range of plants from around the world outside with little winter protection,” notes Steve. Today, a national collection of Hoheria sexstylosa 'Snow White' – the New Zealand Lacebark tree – flowers white blossom midsummer alongside a stunning hydrangea collection, which brings back colour to the woodland once the Rhododendrons have finished. As well as a wide variety of camellias, myrtles, Cornus, and magnolias, the garden plays host to half hardy perennials like Salvias, Impatiens, Abutilons, Euryops, Cannas, Musa and Echiums. Though undoubtedly the storm triggered the greatest transformation in the garden, it’s certainly seen some more start-studded moments. Over the years, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens has played host to many TV and film productions; most recently the remake of The Secret Garden utilised its Indian

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exterior and gardens after a lengthy hunt to find the right setting. This was certainly aided by the gardens palm tree collection, featuring species such as Trachycarpus martianus, Butia capitata, Jubaea chilensis and Brahea brandegeei. “Abbotsbury’s old colonial restaurant building was dressed up to look like it was in the Indian Raj, together with ornate carved woodwork over the veranda and louvered window shutters and tons of red sand spread out in the courtyard,” explains Steve. “Overhead power cams lit up the set with extra palm trees and containers. It was closed from the public for a week. Camouflage experts disguised any modern fittings that would spoil the scene. It really looked the part.” It’s perhaps no surprise that the team adapted so well to the needs of the film crew when we explore the maintenance of the 30-acre site. “With 30 acres of woodland and semi-formal garden, it’s like painting the Forth Bridge – you start at one end and then it’s time to go back to the beginning,” explains Steve. As with many gardens, constant growth from trees, shrubs and weeds keeps everyone busy so they can ensure vistas remain open and light levels are good. The usual staking, tying and pruning out dead plants and for shape ensures the herbaceous borders throughout the arboretum are in order, while glasshouses require constant work to enable the team to grow plants for display. The only thing that is minimal is pest control. “We have a team of four full gardeners and two part time who manage

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their own individual areas and work as team especially when managing garden events,” explains Steve. He himself balances office work, interpretation, guided tours, lectures, marketing and, of course, gardening.

WITH 30 ACRES OF WOODLAND AND SEMI-FORMAL GARDEN, IT’S LIKE PAINTING THE FORTH BRIDGE – YOU START AT ONE END AND THEN IT’S TIME TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING This commercial side of the garden will continue to seek out new events, garden plays, music, food fairs and plant sales in the coming years, whilst improving its interpretation to educate the public about Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens' rich history, the owner’s ancestors and its flora and fauna. Perhaps more importantly for Steve though, is that the garden continues to develop and introduce new species which can survive in a world with a changing climate. “We will need more drought tolerant plants to cope with the future climate changes,” explains Steve. “We have already seen changes in plant growth patterns,

some that will benefit with our semiMediterranean climate – long dry summers, with lots of heavy rain in the winter. We need to pave the way forward by trialling different plant varieties that will cope with the onslaught of new and spreading tree diseases. We need to be more water wise and compost and mulch continually.” It seems the fight against climate change will be the next in a long line of changes to face Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens. If the others are anything to go by, the team will continue to meet them head on and come out the other side all the better. 3 4 5 6

View of the lily ponds Intricately crafted willow stags grazing Gorgeous and bright Magnolia campbellii Victorian garden display with diverse planting

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SELLING OURSELVES SHORT? WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF OUR PRODUCT AND OUR INDUSTRY TO ENSURE CAREER ADVISERS DO TOO, SAYS LEWIS NORMAND

was planning on writing this month about the movement from the UK Government’s PEACH plant import software to the long-developing IPAFFS system and to discuss the change from Point of Destination to Border Control Points for plant inspection. But I changed my mind. There are still a fair number of variables not yet set in stone regarding the 1 January 2022 change. The known unknown that concerns me most (spoiler alert) is that since each Border Control Point is privately owned and commercially run, we currently have no idea what cost will be implemented by them for using the facility. It is conceivable that each Border Control Point could charge differing amounts of money per consignment imported. When I know more, I think I will write up my thoughts on the matter. Until then, we will wait and see.

THERE IS NOTHING NEW IN THE IDEA OF BETTER COMMUNICATING WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, WHY WE DO IT ... BUT DESPITE IT BEING APPROACHED FROM MANY ANGLES OVER DECADES, NOTHING HAS REALLY STUCK As such, I thought I would discuss the value of a plant instead. The wider issue of valuing our product and our industry is worth considering. It is an impossibly difficult thing to do as they could so easily be valued both numerically and in less tangible, contributory ways; but the need for an understanding of value is important.

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Recently, I was involved in a strategy group for Scottish horticulture, looking at communicating more effectively with schools and therefore prospective horticultural students, as well as horticultural businesses, professional bodies, colleges, charities and to individuals looking to career change. The agenda is simple; • We must better explain what career paths exist in horticulture. • What courses can be studied and where they can be studied. • What value the industry brings to the economy, social and environmental wellbeing and to those individuals working within it. From there, career entrants can determine their preferred approach to joining the industry in an informed manner. There is nothing new in the idea of better communicating who we are, what we do, why we do it, where we study and what value we provide; but despite it being approached from many angles over decades, nothing has really stuck. We’ve all heard stories of school guidance counsellors advising less academically capable students of a career path labouring in horticulture and while I hope this is a thing of the past, I don’t believe we have done enough as an industry to educate those counsellors or the prospective students that most of the elements of horticulture required of people even at a relatively entry level could be said to be skilled. We have failed to shine a light on our industry, and this has led to skill shortages and perceived low salaries. I digressed there from the value of a plant, to make the point that if we don’t value ourselves and our contribution highly enough, then we are unlikely to value the product that some of us produce and most of us use in our work. Perhaps it is because plants are so forgiving as to allow us to produce many of them from a small amount of initial material? Perhaps it is that most wholesale nurseries grow so many plants that it becomes difficult

to see the value in each plant? It is possible to calculate the cost of production for each plant we produce. It is equally possible to calculate the amount of CO2 used in production, but we need to value our product based on what it can do as much as what is costs to produce. How much CO2 can this plant process in its lifetime? How many particles of pollutants can it absorb from the air? How much joy any plant bring to a viewer is surely impossible to value, but to better appreciate our product and therefore be able to justify cost, we really need to think about these things. We all know about trees being the lungs of the earth – we know it and most value it, but then we allow trees that are hundreds of years old to be felled in exchange for a train track or road. Is this progress or is it value when value suits? Growers of plants should look at their product for its contribution. They should sell it, like we should sell the idea of joining our industry as one of great value. That is the only way people outside our sphere of knowledge will understand why a plant price is what it is and really how very cheap they are for what they do.

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.

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NURTURE

CLIMATE WARNING:

'CODE RED' T

he Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has just published its Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change (AR6). This provides a higher level of understanding (and therefore greater accuracy) of the current state of the global climate and how it is changing with the role of human influence. It clarifies the state of knowledge about possible climate futures, with information

relevant to regions and sectors and limiting human-induced climate change. Our part of Western Europe is likely to see an increase in extreme heat events, and higher intense precipitation events. This is the sixth report to government, so the crisis we’re facing is not news to them; they can’t say they didn’t know. This latest report is just a more accurate version of the ones before:

“Human influence has warmed the climate at a rate that is unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years. The scale of recent changes across the climate system as a whole and the present state of many aspects of the climate system are unprecedented over many centuries to many thousands of years. “Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe. Evidence of observed changes in extremes such as heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones, and, in particular, their attribution to human influence, has strengthened since AR5. “Many changes in the climate system become larger in direct relation to increasing global warming. They include increases in the frequency and intensity of hot extremes, marine heatwaves, and heavy precipitation, agricultural and ecological droughts in some regions, and proportion of intense tropical cyclones, as well as reductions in Arctic sea ice, snow cover and permafrost.”

FOREST FIRES IN CROATIA WITNESSED BY NICK IN 2017

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NICK COSLETT PONDERS HOW WE CAN CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOUR FOLLOWING THE LATEST DEVASTATING CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT The alarm bell is ringing loudly. It’s been pretty loud before; we have all seen the changes in climate/weather in our lifetimes. The old seasonal expectations are not as predictable as they were in the past. It is now coming at us in more extreme lumps – rain, wind and the occasional heatwave. Without some drastic

SO FAR ACTIONS HAVE BEEN – OR APPEAR TO BE – SMALL, AND THE GOVERNMENT’S LEADERSHIP, DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE TO US SO FAR MINIMAL reductions in global CO2 emissions, this will get more frequent and worse, especially for less developed countries. The UK, as a major overall contributor to global CO2 levels since the industrial revolution, has a responsibility to at least lead by example.

“Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe. Evidence of observed changes in extremes such as heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones, and, in particular, their attribution to human influence, has strengthened since AR5.”

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In the past few years, we have seen bigger wildfires in Australia, California, Nepal and in and around the Mediterranean – Portugal, Croatia, Algeria, Greece and Turkey. Wildfires in Croatia witnessed by the author in 2017 got to within half a mile of our hotel on the beach. This year’s floods in Germany and Belgium with the loss of more than 220 lives has brought the climate crisis close to home and hopefully grabbed the attention of the wealthier nations. However, will it change their behaviour? There have been plenty of words and policies since the Paris Climate Accord – including here with the UK Government pledging to get to net zero/carbon neutral by 2050. They went further in April this year:

“The UK government will set the world’s most ambitious climate change target into law to reduce emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels.”

The IPCC report shows that if CO2 emissions are dramatically reduced, the worst predicted effects can be avoided, giving the planet a chance. But so far actions have been – or appear to be – small, and the government’s leadership, direction and guidance to us so far minimal. Yes, I know they have had a lot thrown at them in the last two years, but I’m personally embarrassed that our government has the presidency of the big climate conference COP26 in Glasgow later this month. There is a gulf between their words and deeds to show the world stage our progress toward limiting warming to 1.5°C. This climate report says we are currently on track to hit a 2°C to 3°C rise by the end of the century – effects your grandchildren will have to endure.

Bill Gates. In his new book ‘How to Avoid a Climate Disaster’ says this: “There are two numbers you need to know about climate change: 51 billion and zero. The former is the number of tons of greenhouse gases typically added to the atmosphere each year as a result of human activities. The latter is the number of tons we need to get to by 2050 in order to avert a climate crisis.”

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Nick Coslett.indd 73

The consensus amongst scientists is that:  We have to stop burning fossil fuels  We need to increase our carbon capture in soils, oceans and by plants  Carbon credits are a cop out – the forests they have been invested in are burning!

In the immediate absence of government leadership, I believe we should change our behaviours to begin our adaptation to climate change. If we all take some steps down the reducing carbon road, at least we will have made a difference.

ABOUT NICK COSLETT

What can we do? Al Gore said: • Use your voice • Use your vote • Use your choice

Use our voices – contact your MP and seek faster action on UK climate response. We can all do this – visit: www.parliament.uk/get-involved/contactan-mp-or-lord/contact-your-mp Eat less meat and dairy. A high fibre plant-based diet is better for our personal health and the planet. Fewer and smaller portions of meat, especially red meat. Buy pasture fed. Buy local. This is a personal choice, but you can start with one meat-free day a week which is a 14% reduction. Cut back on flying. Transport is our largest CO2 emitting sector, totalling 28% of emissions. Leave the car at home or trade it in for an electric or hybrid. For our industry, electric vans are available, though are still some limits in vehicle range and recharge points, and battery tools are quieter and cleaner to operate.

Nick is now retired but has worked in landscape offices, parks management and horticultural nurseries. For the past 20 years, he has also run soft landscape workshops at Coblands and Palmstead. He has been involved in BALI at a regional and national level, and is a trustee of the BALI Chalk Fund, as well as an awards judge.

investments required to grow more here and give some longer term guarantees on tree numbers. We need to train and upskill people to grow, plant and nurture these trees. Plan and design for higher summer winds, so big trees will need good supports. Keep soils healthy and uncompacted and surfaces open to absorb heavy rainfall and reduce runoff. Invest your money/pension responsibly – opt out of fossil fuel investments and use an ethical bank. Look at these top-of-the-chart ethical personal banks: Triodos, Nationwide, Starling, Monzo – though this may be more difficult for business banking.

Reduce your energy use and bills. If possible, switch to a sustainable supplier and help to invest in renewable green energy. Check out: Bulb, Octopus, Green Energy UK.

Cut consumption and waste. Avoid single use items. Repair, Reuse, Recycle. The landscape industry already does much of this; it’s more economic to reduce waste off site and retain positive features. Can the segregation of waste be improved to encourage more recycling? More can be done to shorten chains of supply, use sustainable products, minimise use of high carbon products steel and cements. Ask your supplier the carbon footprint of their products.

Respect and protect green spaces. We need to encourage tree planting and the right trees which will cope with 50+ year conditions (see my article in June). Also, we need our UK nursery industry geared up to produce and grow the millions of trees needed. Government needs to encourage the

Talk to others about the changes you are making – influence others to make positive steps. Designers can steer their clients to more sustainable solutions and specify ‘greener’ materials. Consider greater use of rain gardens and SuDS.

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THE NEW FOREST SITE

NURTURE

reepers is a second-generation, family-owned business, now firmly established as one of the top UK nurseries, specialising in large trees, hedging, topiary and architectural forms of specimens. Although it is one of the more recently established wholesale nurseries in the UK, its experience and expertise is firmly built on 35 years in the industry, with the soft landscaping and planting design side of the business directly sourcing plants from a select group of specialist growers and traders, both in the UK and throughout the EU, with close relationships based on years of trade. Having acquired a third site in the New Forest last year, Creepers is creating a significant range of perennials, ferns, climbers and shrubs, all grown in-house. The team now has around

100,000 3L plants which have been propagated and grown ready for autumn supply, with the help of a new senior propagation manager. By spring 2022, it hopes to be offering more than 200,000. “It’s about having more control over the season and availability,” explains sales manager Gareth Gilpin. “This year, it was difficult for lots of nurseries to get the usual range of young plants; people were panic buying, so nurseries were selling out and then imports from the EU became complicated. We have a lot of the key lines now and we’ll be able to supply a lot more with year-round availability outside of the traditional growing season.” Whilst Creepers will continue to offer the usual favourites for contemporary garden design, it will also be growing and stocking a wide range of unusual and unique plants, such as Hydrangea seemannii. “It’s completely evergreen and cold hardy; a unique, self-clinging climber with gorgeous clusters of flowers. We have about 1,000 plants in production and we’re excited that we’re going to be able to offer what we hope will be a signature plant for Creepers.” Creepers is hoping the same for Sarcococca ‘Dragon Gate’. “One of the last plants discovered by Roy Lancaster, it’s much prettier and more ornamental looking than other Sarcococca out there. We’ll still grow the common varieties, but we’re keen to see people use ‘Dragon Gate’

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FO C U S as much as possible and to associate this variety with Creepers’ wholesale supply.” It’s not just unusual varieties which Creepers is planning to grow in-house, though. To avoid issues with phytophthora on EU-sourced lavender, Creepers has decided to grow its own. “We experimented this year in July and August to see how well and quickly we could grow lavender in 3L pots with no cover or protection on a windy

WE WILL STILL SEARCH FOR PLANTS, AND OFFER SUBSTITUTES...BUT WE CAN NOW OFFER A BESPOKE CATALOGUE AND RANGE part of the nursery and all the batches grew really well. So, we’re going to grow it next year to offer outdoor and homegrown lavender, with young plants sourced from a local UK nursery too.” A selection of Creepers’ homegrown plants will be available through its trade site in Wandsworth and from its nursery in Addlestone as well as for direct delivery. Creepers has previously focused on bedding plants at its Wandsworth site, but it will now be offering a balance of annuals and perennials for the 2021/22 season, with a quarter of the site being dedicated to its homegrown plants. It is hoping to offer popular plants like gaura, salvia and verbena at peak times in early

CREEPERS IS E XPANDING ITS OFFERING WITH HOMEGROWN PL ANTS FROM ITS NEWEST NURSERY

spring, when other nurseries struggle to supply some of these lines until late May. “By spring next year, our aim is to have a catalogue of the Creepers plant list to send out. It will probably have 200 to 250 varieties or so of

TREES AT ADDLESTONE

our own range of perennials, ferns and grasses, which we hope to stock 12 months of the year. ” Creepers still specialises in specimens, multi-stems, trees, topiary and pleach, but the new 3L range from the New Forest site is an exciting addition to its offering. “We will still search for plants, and offer substitutes and alternatives, but we can now offer a bespoke catalogue and range for our clients to build their plant lists around. It will hopefully make order turnaround much faster and order fulfilment more comprehensive, leading to happier clients and a more successful operation.” Tel: 01932 821 626 www.creepersnursery.co.uk

NEW FOREST SITE

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GETTING THE BEST OF

NURTURE

BAREROOT

COLES NURSERIES GIVES ITS TOP TIPS FOR PLANTING BAREROOT TREES AND HEDGES

Proper preparation Ensure all of your ground preparation is completed and the site is ready for planting. Have all sundries on site and ready to go – don’t keep bareroot waiting. Also, plants don’t do calendars – bareroot is a season, so don’t assume it will be 1 November or promise your client as such. A good nursery will not lift or supply bareroot material until it’s the right time. Even on a cold autumn morning the sun can be bright and warm. Bareroot plants should arrive in bags – mainly simple black plastic or, if you have specified the Coex type, then white on the outside and black on the inside.

A WELL-PREPARED BAREROOT TREE WILL HAVE SOME GOOD STRONG LATERAL ROOTS THAT NEED AN APPROPRIATELY SIZED SPACE TO GROW IN A black bag will quickly heat up in full sun; this will dry and desiccate the delicate roots of your plants so beware. This will also apply to any whips or trees that you set down or space for planting. Keep bagged stock out of direct sunlight and keep stock covered for as long as possible. Strong winds on a dull day will draw the moisture out of bare roots. When planting a tree, try to

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leave it in its bag while you get the hole ready; if you have to remove it, put it back in the bag until you are finally ready to plant. You may well have to store bare root material overnight. This is okay, as long as you take a few precautions:

PRECAUTIONS

areroot trees and hedging whips are a very cost-effective way to establish native hedge lines, coppice planting and trees, but you do need to be prepared in advance of your delivery.

• Keep all stock bagged • Keep out of direct sunlight and strong winds • If possible, store in a cool dark place or cover – under a hedge or shed would work • Try to plant all material within three or so days of delivery

Use the good stuff If you are pit planting trees, take the time to separate any turf, topsoil and subsoil into three distinct piles. This allows you to back-fill with the best quality topsoil around the root system and use the subsoil to complete the fill. Remember to firm as you back-fill to remove any voids and air pockets. Slightly mound around the nursery mark to allow for settlement and use the turf upside down to add organic matter and act as a weed mat and help to conserve water. Before you back-fill, ensure the base of the hole is well forked over to prevent it acting like a bucket and holding water. This hole’s a bit tight A well-prepared bareroot tree will have some good strong lateral roots that need an appropriately sized space to grow in. Ideally, the planting zone should be approximately one-third bigger than the root spread. This allows the roots to grow into open soil for ease of establishment. If you have one long lateral root that is out of balance, it is perfectly acceptable to trim and balance this to the bulk of the root spread – just remember to cut clean with your secateurs, not a spade! Don’t squash or spiral the roots into a small space as this can cause root spiralling. If the hole is too small the roots will be restricted and slow to spread and maximise

nutrient and water uptake. This can also reduce the lateral support that the tree requires to remain stable. Even in the dormant period it’s always advisable to “water-in” stock if it’s a dry spell when you are planting. A light watering will keep the roots moist, also be very aware that in early spring you may need to help the tree through its first bud break and full leaf growth period by watering every 2 to 3 days.

ABOUT COLES NURSERIES From its start in 1913, Coles Nurseries has maintained close ties with its customers ensuring that it supplies what its customers want and need. This ethos is even more critical now; in a fast-moving world, it needs to be able to react and deliver stock and a level of service that meets the demands and tight time frames of its customers. Coles Nurseries offers the amenity landscape and wholesale trade a wide range of trees, shrubs, herbaceous and grasses all grown and supplied in accordance with the National Plant Specification.

www.colesnurseries.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / October 2021 77

16/09/2021 14:19

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NURTURE WOODHORN TURF DRESSING ROOTZONE BEING TIPPED

SOIL UNCOVERED

or over 20 years, Woodhorn British Certified Topsoils and PAS100 Composts have been manufactured on the historic WWII Tangmere airfield near Chichester, West Sussex and supplied nationwide in 750L and 1000L bags, and more locally in loose bulk loads. Woodhorn soils are all stored under cover to ensure they are dry with an optimum moisture content all year round. BS3882 Multi-Purpose Topsoil Its most popular product is a BS3882 Multi-Purpose Topsoil manufactured using overburden sand and its own PAS100 certified compost. It is ideal for use in landscaping in and around buildings and infrastructure projects, where a technical

TOPSOIL AND PAS100 COMPOST

PEAT-FREE COMPOST

certificate is required. Woodhorn BS3882 Multi-Purpose Topsoil is tested regularly by Tim O’Hare Associates to ensure compliance to the BS3882 specification for topsoil and is guaranteed by Woodhorn to be compliant from the first to the final tonne ordered.

BS3882 TOPSOIL

BS8601 Subsoil Other certified soils have been developed and added to the Woodhorn range in recent years to provide a choice of soil solutions for their customers. One of these which complements the BS3882 topsoil is a BS8601 subsoil which is certified to meet the necessary requirements for drainage, water storage and anchorage for trees and shrubs, making it perfect for tree pits and more extensive groundwork projects.

concept to The Woodhorn Group; the

product for gardening and horticultural

With an award-winning organic dairy herd at its disposal, Woodhorn also creates

compost for its farm over 20 years ago.

a PAS100 Cow Compost. This nutrient-dense organic soil conditioner is a blend of

screened to ≤15mm and contains no added

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organic compost is based on composted

and professional landscapers alike. It has

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even been supplied to RHS Wisley in Surrey.

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Soil.indd 79

in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

company began making its own peat-free Woodhorn PAS100 certified compost is

BS3882 TOPSOIL MANUFACTURE

BS3882 Low-Fertility Topsoil Some plants may not need the nutritional content that multi-purpose topsoil provides, and this is where soils such as Woodhorn’s BS3882 Low-Fertility Topsoil can be used. A sandy loam topsoil containing its PAS100 compost, it is used extensively for growing balanced meadow communities of native wildflowers and grasses which require a less nutrient-rich soil. Bespoke rootzones Woodhorn’s bespoke rootzones are designed for top dressing golf tees, fairways, parks, lawns and sports pitches, as well as seed sowing. These sand/soil or sand/compost bespoke rootzones can be mixed in any ratio required, and are nutrient packed to help boost soil fertility and improve drainage. Furthermore, they stimulate strong root growth, increasing sward density, durability, and vitality in grass.

and local landscapers. It’s an all-round needs and is compliant to PAS100 standard

Peat-Free Compost is certainly not a new

WE E XPLORE THE DIFFERENT SOILS THE WOODHORN GROUP OFFERS AS WELL AS WHY ITS PE ATFREE COMPOST IS SO EFFECTIVE

ABOUT THE WOODHORN GROUP Established in 1882, The Woodhorn Group have applied its knowledge from farming the land across the Chichester plains and South Downs for five generations, to the manufacture of over 40,000 tonnes of soil and 60,000 tonnes of compost each year, supplying new housing estates, groundworks, and landscaping projects across the south coast and further afield.

www.woodhorngroup.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / October 2021 79

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23/09/2021 09:47

EDUCATE

KNOW YOUR 'WHY' N I C K R U D D L E E X P L A I N S H OW I M P O R TA N T I T I S FO R B U S I N E S S E S TO K N OW T H E I R P U R P O S E

hat’s the point of your business? This may sound like a strange question but it’s one you need to ask yourself. Many people start their business initially to work for themselves and to at least replace the salary they had when they left their previous job. If they think they were working for an idiot before, they soon realise they’re working for a bigger lunatic in themselves. By asking the above question, it helps you to establish ‘why’ you exist as a company and the vision, common goal and purpose of everything you do. Who do you want to serve? Who is your ideal target market? What projects do you want to work on? What impact do you want to make in your community or your industry? There’s a far bigger purpose than just replacing your income to give you more freedom. Unfortunately, in many cases, the dream of more freedom and more income doesn’t always materialise. Instead, the reality can be quite the opposite – less time, less income and more stress!

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When you are crystal clear on your vision and purpose of ‘why’ you exist, there is a greater force driving you and your team. You become inspired and inspiring to your team and your clients/prospects.

WHEN YOU ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR ON YOUR VISION AND PURPOSE OF ‘WHY’ YOU EXIST, THERE IS A GREATER FORCE DRIVING YOU AND YOUR TEAM Simon Sinek said it best in his book ‘Start With Why’ where he states: “My why is to inspire people to do the things that inspire them so together each of us can change our world for the better!” Once you have clarity on your company’s ‘why’, the decisions you make will all be focused on achieving this vision and not send you veering off course. If you don’t have a clear vision of your future, how can you put a plan into place to get you there?

You wouldn’t get in the car to go on a family holiday without knowing the final destination because you would waste so much time taking wrong turns, getting lost and experience lots of the stress along the way. You would organise and plan the journey in great detail. It’s the same process when planning the route to the success of your business. Once you’ve defined the ‘purpose’ of your business, you then need to create a whole bunch of ‘ground rules’ that will enable you to inspire the right team members and clients along the way. These are called your company’s ‘values’. These underpin and define exactly ‘who’ you are and support ‘why’ you exist. If you currently do not have these in place, you need to decide what values are important to you as a person and whether these would resonate with the kind of team members and clients you wish to appeal to.

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

Pro Landscaper / October 2021 83

16/09/2021 15:57

EDUCATE

THE VALUE OF

OVERSPECIFICATION SOMETIMES IT PAYS TO OVER-ENGINEER A PROJECT RATHER THAN CUT CORNERS, SAYS GARETH WILSON

’m seeing a distinct pattern recently on my expert witness travels where it’s quite clear to me that some contractors have been cutting corners to save time and possibly money, whether it be with materials such as paving delaminating with no slurry primer, not enough sub-base, timber decking joists too far apart or simply rushing to get the job finished and not paying enough attention or taking the time on the all-important finishing detail. The finishing detail on projects such as clean sharp paving cuts or, for example, leaving the job pristine, clean and tidy upon completion are the absolute maker or breaker on any project – neglect these parts of the project and that’s often when I get contacted. Now COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, I’ve been travelling around the country a lot recently, project managing at RHS shows, attending networking events and awards ceremonies and, at the same time, speaking with many landscapers about their recent projects. Interestingly, time and time again many landscapers mentioned projects these

NO CARE TAKEN IN THE CUTTING DETAIL AROUND THIS MANHOLE

84 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

Gareth Wilson.indd 84

days that involve outdoor living spaces, garden rooms and porcelain paved patios where there’s very little tolerance or room for error, the clients are now snagging the project like it’s an interior bathroom or kitchen. Basically, more and more clients are now seeing their outdoor living space as another room to their house. The riven sandstone with its high tolerances due to being hand cut and

MANY LANDSCAPERS MENTIONED PROJECTS WHERE THERE’S VERY LITTLE TOLERANCE OR ROOM FOR ERROR, THE CLIENTS ARE NOW SNAGGING THE PROJECT LIKE IT’S AN INTERIOR BATHROOM OR KITCHEN split, in my view, hid quite a bit of, shall we say, borderline lesser quality work – now that the tolerance is only 2mm on porcelain, some landscapers are struggling. I recently got into a discussion with one of my Northern landscaping colleagues regarding over-engineering a job and why he does so. He said to me that on each and every project he will excavate deeper and add more sub-base, use British Standard building materials that are more often than not used commercially too and, in turn, this gives him peace of mind and he hasn’t had a call back to a project in more than 12 years. My initial thoughts were that’s maybe going a bit far until we sat down and did the maths. Mark Youde’s team at The Landscape Academy did the calculations on using British Standard commercial products and it worked

out £2.60 more per square meter, which is hardly breaking the bank. Best case scenario was, for example, a chipped porcelain paving slab; worse case scenario, a full patio relay. So, looking at the best case scenario, a porcelain slab replacement – travel to the job for one hour, break out a porcelain paving slab, grind out the mortar bed, dispose of waste, knock up a small mix, slurry prime the slab and relay, then wait 14 to 21 days for the mortar bed to dry out, revisit the job to grout up and, by the time you’ve done all this, you’ve lost almost a day’s pay plus materials, and you’ve lost a day on your current job so a guesstimate at around £603 for one slab replacement. Obviously, prices will vary from project to project. Now, let’s not even discuss if your supplier won’t sell you a single unit slab and you need a full pack! • Paving slab: £20 possible (delivery cost: £30) • Labour full day: £250 • Mortar mix: £10 • Disposal of waste: £10 • Diesel: £20 • Slurry: £3 • Grout: £10 • Loss of pay on current project: £250 = £603

ABOUT GARETH WILSON Leaving college at 17, Gareth has worked in the landscape industry since 1989. Progressing onto high-end projects over the years, he has picked up almost 30 RHS medals, including Gold at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. 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, and is an IMI accredited mediator.

www.gkwilson.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

16/09/2021 15:16

EDUCATE

PAT E R N I T Y P O L I C I E S JASON MCKENZIE AND RANDIP RAI OF ORACLE SOLICITORS CLARIFY WHAT AN EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED TO WHEN IT COMES TO PATERNITY LEAVE

aternity leave is a relatively unexplored area of employment law and is a sector many employees and employers remain unsure about. This article will discuss the purpose and eligibility criteria of paternity leave along with the statutory requirements. The purpose of paternity leave is defined within the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) and the Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002 (PAL) as “caring for the child or supporting the child’s mother/child’s adopter”. Alternatively, in a surrogacy case it is defined within the Paternity, Adoption and Shared Parental leave (Parental Order Cases) (POC) Regulations 2014 as “caring for the child or supporting Parent A”. Therefore, eligible employees are permitted to take paternity leave for one entire week or for two consecutive weeks, if it is falls within one of the above purposes. However, there are further criteria that will need to be satisfied if an employee wishes to take paternity leave. Moreover, paternity leave is available to employees only and not to other types of workers or the self-employed.

PATERNITY LEAVE IS AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES ONLY AND NOT TO OTHER TYPES OF WORKERS OR THE SELF-EMPLOYED Paternity leave differs from shared parental leave, as the shared parental leave scheme allows employees who are parents to take leave flexibly in the first year of their child’s life. In the event that an employee takes paternity leave for other reasons, it may result in a disciplinary action. Should this situation arise, the employer’s policy will have to be referred to, to determine if an employee is able to take paternity leave for wider purposes.

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

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Oracle Solicitors.indd 85

THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA The following conditions as detailed within PAL and PAC would need to be fulfilled for an employee to take paternity leave:

 Responsibility for the child’s upbringing In birth cases where the employee is the child’s biological father, he must have, or expect to have, responsibility for the child’s upbringing. Where the employee is not the child’s biological father but is married to the civil partner of or the partner of the child’s mother, the employee must have or expect to have the main responsibility for the child’s upbringing. In surrogacy and adoption cases the same requirement of having the “main responsibility” for the child’s upbringing applies.

 Required length of service In birth and surrogacy cases, the employee must have been continuously employed by their employer for a period not less than 26 weeks ending with the week immediately prior to the 14th week before the child’s expected week of childbirth. In adoption cases, the employee must have been continuously employed by their employer for a period of not less than 26 weeks ending with the week in which the child’s adopter is notified that they have been matched with a child.

 Not already taken shared parental leave In birth cases, if an employee has already taken shared parental leave, then paternity leave is not available.

 Specified relationships • In birth cases, the employee must be the spouse, civil partner or partner of the child’s mother. • In adoption cases, the employee must be the spouse, civil partner or partner of the child’s adopter. • In surrogacy cases, the parental order parents must be the child’s biological parent. The other parental order parent must be their spouse, civil partner or partner.

 Notice for birth and surrogacy cases An employee must provide written notice of their intention to take paternity leave no later than the 15th week prior to before the child’s expected week of childbirth. The notice should outline the following; 1. The expected week of childbirth 2. The intended length of the paternity leave 3. The start date of their paternity leave in accordance with PAL.

Pro Landscaper / October 2021 85

16/09/2021 15:52

EDUCATE

THE TRADES’ COACH, ALISON WARNER, E XPL AINS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO OIL THE WHEELS AND TAKE A PREVENTATIVE APPROACH TO PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

IS EVERYONE

ON BOARD THE BUS?

Set clear expectations All successful relationships are based on clear, agreed expectations and these should start from day one. Both the technical and behavioural expectations should be documented in the job descriptions and

86 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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Provide comprehensive training This doesn’t all need to be delivered by you. Delegating this to someone with potential is a great development opportunity. Ensure that you include all three learning styles – visual (have standards written down), auditory (verbal explanation) and kinaesthetic (where people have the chance to practice).

Provide feedback The number one common denominator when it comes to disengagement is poor communication. In other words, do I know what is expected of me and how I am doing against that? Have frequent one-to-ones; a 30 minute coffee or breakfast before work will pay dividends – literally! Ask for feedback Feedback should go both ways. Ask your team members what is going well and what could be done better... and listen! You may not always like what you hear, but it is so important that you manage your reactions, otherwise you may not receive honest feedback again! Reward and recognise The best reward schemes I have seen are those that are simple, easy to understand and paid on a frequent basis – e.g., quarterly.

PEOPLE ARE OBVIOUSLY FAR MORE COMPLEX AND THERE’S NO ‘ONE-SIZE FITS ALL’ APPROACH Schemes should work in such a way that allows you to reward those that have done a great job, so they can see the correlation between their efforts and the prize. But it’s not all about money, a simple thank you and well done, can go just as far. 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

So, how can you get the best out of your team?

a behavioural framework. Take the time to explain why these things are important and how they set your company apart.

n January we launched our Build and Grow Academy, the UK’s first virtual business training school for the construction and trade industries. Each month we have two group Zoom calls, where members can bring their business challenges and get questions answered. Interestingly, despite the topic scheduled – be it, finances, marketing or systems for example – the questions always come back to the people. How should I approach this person? How do I get this person to perform? Or what I am allowed to do legally to manage this person? These are the common burning questions. I guess I’m not too surprised. When I was an area manager for an international coffee chain, I would often say to my managers that people are not like the coffee machine. When they go wrong, you can’t just call out the engineer! People are obviously far more complex and there’s no ‘one-size fits all’ approach.

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

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

16/09/2021 12:45

SUPPLIERS AND GROWERS OF SEMI-MATURE & MATURE, ROOTBALL & CONTAINERISED TREES, SHRUBS AND INSTANT HEDGING

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23/09/2021 09:49

EDUCATE

TAC K L I N G YO U R

TA X R E T U R N T

here were a number of options put in place to support those affected financially through the coronavirus pandemic. Employers were able to claim up to 80% of their employees’ wages through the Job Retention Scheme (furlough), so that their staff could continue to receive a wage. Limited companies were allowed to apply for coronavirus “bounceback” loans at preferential rates, and self-employed landscapers were able to apply for grants through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). Following the Spring Budget announcement, these COVID grants have been extended, which means 21/22 tax returns could also include COVID Grant Income. The construction industry has the largest number of individuals assessed for potential eligibility for SEISS, and by 31 July 2020, there had been 884,000 claims for SEISS made by construction workers, totalling £3.1bn, averaging £3,500 per claimant.*

FOR THOSE LANDSCAPERS WHO HAD WORK INTERRUPTED OR REDUCED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, SEISS WILL HAVE PROVED INVALUABLE, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WHAT THIS WILL MEAN FOR TAX RETURNS For those landscapers who had work interrupted or reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic, SEISS will have proved invaluable, but it’s important to note what this will mean for tax returns, so that the process is as simple as possible.

88 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

Apari.indd 88

By taking a look at who should apply, what SEISS means for tax, and what landscapers should do, hopefully this provides some easy and clear guidance. Who should apply? HMRC contacts the individuals it believes are eligible for SEISS. The current (fifth) round of grants covers May to September 2021. The amount landscapers will receive depends on how much their turnover decreased between April 2020 to April 2021. If turnover has reduced by 30% or more, the grant will be worth 80% of three months’ average trading profits, capped at £7,500. If turnover has reduced by less than 30%, the grant will be worth 30% of three months’ average trading profits, capped at £2,850. What SEISS means for tax SEISS grants were paid as a percentage of previous years’ average monthly income, as calculated from previous tax returns, and were released in batches throughout the past year. Yet, while these grants were a lifeline for many self-employed landscapers, they were paid gross - i.e. before tax. That means that self-employed taxpayers are now expected to show the grant money received on 20/21 tax returns and pay tax on the money received. What landscapers need to do HMRC will be altering the self-assessment tax return, adding a section to include the amount claimed through the SEISS

SUDESH SUD EXPLAINS HOW T H E S E L F- E M P LOY M E N T I N C O M E SUPPORT SCHEME (SEISS) WILL A F F EC T 2 0 2 0 / 2 1 TA X R E T U R N S

in the relevant tax year. Landscapers simply need to record the income claimed through the grants and include the grant money in annual income calculations. Unfortunately, since the SEISS grants will require a new entry field, those who have claimed SEISS grants will not be eligible to sign up for the pilot of the government's new way of submitting self-assessment, Making Tax Digital (MTD), as many other self-employed people already have. However, by the time MTD becomes mandatory in 2023, COVID will (hopefully) be a distant memory, and so most self-employed landscapers will be required to register. Remember – it is a self-employed landscaper’s responsibility to confirm that the amount claimed is correctly stated and that the amount of tax calculated on that claim is correct. * https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/ self-employment-income-support-scheme-statisticsaugust-2020/self-employment-income-supportscheme-statistics-august-2020#seiss-claims-byindustry-sector

ABOUT SUDESH SUD Sudesh Sud is the founder and CEO of tax software company, APARI. Sudesh started in the profession with KPMG, one of the big four accounting firms where he worked with high profile global clients, including Credit Suisse and JP Morgan. He started APARI to automate the accounting process ready for the change to Making Tax Digital (MTD).

www.apari-digital.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

17/09/2021 09:56

ISEKI Roadshow dates so far…. 7th & 8th Sept

AYLESBURY RT Machinery, Brackwell Farm

9th Sept

CHESHIRE Sharrocks, Woodside Golf Club, Crewe

21st Sept

NORTH WALES Llyn ATV, Glasyfrn Parc, Y Ffor

22nd Sept

SURREY Ernest Doe Power, Staines Rugby Club

23rd Sept

READING John Day Engineering Depot

28th Sept

CORNWALL Nigel Rafferty Groundcare, Royal Cornwall Showground

29th Sept

DEVON MST Group, Bicton College

30th Sept

DORSET ABA Groundcare, Kingston Maurward College, Dorchester

5th Oct

TURRIFF Balgownie, Turriff Showground

4, 6, 7 & 8th Oct

SCOTLAND Gammies

11th Oct

EDINBURGH Fairways GM

12th Oct

GLASGOW Fairways GM

13th Oct

NEWCASTLE Rickerby

14th Oct

COUNTY DURHAM Rickerby, Knotty Hill Golf Club, Stock-on-Tees

18th Oct

WORCESTERSHIRE TH White, Redditch

19th Oct

LINCOLNSHIRE Chandlers Farm Equipment, Belton Depot

20th Oct

OXFORDSHIRE Turney Group

21st Oct

EAST ANGLIA Ernest Doe & Sons, Tewin Bury Hotel, Welwyn

ISEKI UK & Ireland are excited to be heading out to meet existing and new customers in September and October this year in conjunction with their local dealers on the ISEKI 2021 Roadshow!! Attendees will be able to ride ‘n’ drive the full range of ISEKI compact tractors and mowers, putting every product to the test! ISEKI staff and dealer staff will be there at every roadshow date to show you around the machinery and answer any queries. Food and refreshments will be available each day, plus some goodies for everyone that attends. Every location will have plenty of space to truly test out the machinery with full and professional demonstrations offered throughout each day.

For more details please visit www.iseki.co.uk/isekiroadshow2021, call ISEKI on 01473 599266 or contact the local dealer holding the event.

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EDUCATE

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

ANGUS LINDSAY CELEBRATES THE RETURN OF TRADE SHOWS AND CONSIDERS WHAT INNOVATIONS MANUFACTURERS WILL BE SHOWCASING

hot day in June saw the first industry trade show since early 2020. The Festival of Turf in Warwickshire was followed by the Sports and Grounds Expo at the Three Counties Showground, on a slightly cooler day. Well done to the organisers for getting the ball rolling. Of course, there were criticisms – wrong time of year, too hot, wrong location, etc. But it got people talking again and putting products on display. Whilst I may also have been critical, I respect those who put these events together and got the industry going again.

So, normality is returning, albeit for outdoor events. The Great Yorkshire show in mid-July was well attended and is the first of several agricultural events scheduled over the next few months. Hopefully SALTEX will take place at the NEC in November, where I’m expecting there to be a significant number of manufacturers and suppliers exhibiting following nearly two years away from the exhibition circuit. But what will they bring to our post-COVID world and more importantly, will they have product to exhibit? GREAT TO BE SPEAKING TO PEOPLE AGAIN, BUT NEW PRODUCT WAS SOMEWHAT LIMITED

Robotics, alternative fuels and new powertrain configurations will, I’m sure, take centre stage with many manufacturers as they get to grips with the increasing pressure to replace the internal combustion engine, or at least power it with something less polluting and more in tune with our green industry. I appreciate that the automotive industry leads the way in all of these technologies,

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but it is finding its way into our sector, and as we struggle to recruit new people into our industry, why shouldn’t we have robots cutting our sports fields? It would be good to see the new generation of procurement managers involved in the tendering of landscaping and amenity management contracts attending these events, where they would get an appreciation of what the market has to offer and what the equipment is actually capable of doing. This then would hopefully give them a better understanding of what is possible, and not just assuming that there are electric mowers out there capable of cutting roadside verges every two months whilst also collecting the arisings.

ROBOTICS, ALTERNATIVE FUELS AND NEW POWERTRAIN CONFIGURATIONS WILL, I’M SURE, TAKE CENTRE STAGE WITH MANY MANUFACTURERS AS THEY GET TO GRIPS WITH THE INCREASING PRESSURE TO REPLACE THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE At the time of writing this article, BALI, which had been leading the consultation on behalf of the landscaping industry, was still awaiting confirmation from HMRC on a final decision on the use of red diesel. Its initial response hasn’t really changed or considered the effect on our sector, but I live in hope. I’m sure this will be a topic of conversation around the aisles of the NEC in November. As to be expected, electric power was on show at both events and, judging by conversations with several manufacturers and suppliers, is very much on their agenda. I do, however, get the impression that some manufacturers have their sights on cleaner fuel options which will continue to use the

internal combustion engine. One manufacturer has successfully developed a bio-gas powered tractor which, apart from the front mounted gas tank, is virtually the same as its dieselpowered cousin. However, this is still in the early, experimental stages of production, operating close to its fuel supply source.

IS BATTERY REALLY THE FUEL OF THE FUTURE OR IS BIOGAS A VIABLE OPTION?

And at 180hp, it may be a bit too big for our sector – but I’m sure there will soon be a smaller version available; and as the bio-gas supply improves this could soon be a viable alternative that utilises existing technology. After all, bio-gas comes from rotting vegetation, grass cuttings, green arisings and the like; so, maybe in the future, what we grow and maintain will power our machines.

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

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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EDUCATE VISTAFOLIA’S PAUL ALDER E XPL AINS HOW THE COMPANY IS WORKING WITH THE UNIVERSIT Y OF SURREY TO DRIVE SUSTAINABILIT Y IN THE SECTOR THROUGH PIONEERING RESE ARCH INTO BIO-POLYMER PL ASTICS

s a globally recognised supplier of realistic artificial green walls, Vistafolia is used to bringing innovation to the market. From our pioneering collaboration with the University of Surrey, we aspire to create a new base polymer using renewable sources, all the while maintaining the foundational safety and design standards that are key to this product.

WE EXPECT THAT, BY THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PROJECT, VISTAFOLIA WILL BE THE FIRST AND ONLY ARTIFICIAL PLANT MANUFACTURER TO EMBRACE A BIO-BASED POLYMER Co-funded by Innovate UK, our Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme is a wider investment into sustainability and landscaping. This KTP project will frontline the work coming from Vistafolia’s own research and development team, consisting of two KTP Associates – Dr Elham Ketabchi and Dr Filip Ambroz. They are working to meet the project goals along with the support of fellow researchers from the University of Surrey – Dr Sadhukhan, Dr Roth and Dr Mohagheghian. This collective team will transfer and embed their existing knowledge in biomass processing and materials science to further Vistafolia’s position as a PAUL ALDER market innovator. We expect that, by the conclusion of this project, Vistafolia will be the first and only artificial plant manufacturer to embrace a bio-based polymer. When approaching sustainability as a key outcome, we envision an opportunity to accelerate our product design through research and development. The main challenge of this project is balancing the high quality of the existing product with introducing new, desirable characteristics. The role of science will enable us to pioneer the kinds of innovative products the UK market will have access to.

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SEEKING

S U S TA I N A B L E SOLUTIONS Our ultra-realistic, naturalistic green wall panels are currently manufactured to replicate the organic movement and texture of actual living walls. Every panel is bespoke and curated for installation in any space or location, embracing a selection of lifelike shapes and hues, creating drama, dimension, and colour. The formulation will replace the fire-retardant additive with a more sustainable alternative, and this will enhance the new product’s non-toxic and recyclable qualities while retaining a high standard of fire retardancy and UV stability. Our product is a more sustainable alternative to living green walls, where installers won’t require 189L of water per year (per m2 of green wall compared to living THE VISTAFOLIA TEAM

plants), or fertiliser and pesticide use for ongoing maintenance. Instead, our low maintenance solution will build on the momentum of sustainability, where Vistafolia is committed to developing the industry’s first biopolymer. Often referred to as biopolymers, bio-based polymers can be described as natural materials created using living organism cells, including biomass, food waste, or used cooking oil, and these produce virtually no carbon footprint when compared with petro-carbon resins. Proposed sustainability properties of the new bio-polyethylene product include: • Saving 70t of petroleum-based plastic being used in production per year by Vistafolia with a new bio-polymer formulation. • Net carbon-neutrality when manufacturing Vistafolia’s products with the new bio-polyethylene material. At the roots of Vistafolia is a dedication to British innovation, and the KTP represents our passion to introduce sustainable products to the wider market. The Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme is a bridge between academics and industries, which seeks to advance product design and further artificial green walls the competitive advantage of being truly sustainable.

A B O U T PA U L A L D E R Paul Alder is the head of Vistafolia, the fastgrowing worldwide manufacturer, supplier and installer of artificial green walls, spurred by British innovation. Inspired by horticultural practice, Paul’s brand is committed to driving sustainability to the wider market.

www.vistafolia.com/gb

Pro Landscaper / October 2021 93

20/09/2021 11:02

ADVERTORIAL

ord’s Cricket Ground, also known as the Home of Cricket, has been undergoing an ambitious redevelopment plan dubbed the ‘Masterplan’ since 2014. The Marylebone Cricket Club’s (MCC) plan to improve the ground’s facilities in phases while continuing to keep the ground operational is now approximately at its halfway point. With this summer seeing both the return of crowds to cricket games and the unveiling of the Compton and Edrich stands, it was important for the MCC to show Lord’s in its best light. The Garden Trellis Company was delighted to receive a request to replace the white picket fencing surrounding the Nursery Ground, which backs on to the new stands and acts as a hub for fans searching for food, refreshments, or a stretch of their legs between overs. The design and installation of the fencing came with some interesting challenges. The Nursery Ground has many functions, one of which is its role as the hub for large events. Where these occasions are being held, guests need to be able to walk on and off the grass to access the facilities and marquees which are set up, without getting fenced in! To address this, the Garden Trellis Company designed a knapp-fixing

EACH INDIVIDUAL SECTION IS ALWAYS CAPABLE OF BEING EASILY REMOVED AND REPLACED mechanism which allows removal of individual sections of the fence. This, combined with the posts being removeable by virtue of galvanised post shoes concreted into the ground, allows for a complete removal of the fence when necessary. All of the posts and panels are engraved with a number so that, once removed, the fence can be reassembled easily. With stray balls firing out of the nets or over the boundary rope during practice games, the posts are also likely to have to withstand a fair few cherry-coloured dents over the years –

ANYO NE FO R

PICKET ?

T H E G A R D E N T R E L L I S C O R EC E N T LY S U P P L I E D I TS B E S P O K E F E N C I N G TO T H E P R E ST I G I O U S LO R D ’ S C R I C K E T G R O U N D

though year-round exposure to the English weather is just as dangerous for garden timber. This meant that the Garden Trellis Company was careful to use its most appropriate timber; Thermowood for the panels and pressure-treated softwood for the posts, each being built to withstand the trials of British weather. Should they be hit hard enough to crack, each individual section is always capable of being easily removed and replaced. And none of this is to mention the challenge the installers faced in having to account for the famous Lord’s slope! The Garden Trellis Company was well placed to carry out the project, as its bespoke offerings include as much or as little assistance across the complete journey required by its clients, including design, manufacture, decoration, delivery and installation. The installation of more than 350m of

fencing was completed in 12 days by the Garden Trellis Company’s expert installation team. What would a picket fence be if it were not as white as the players’ strips, though? Aside from giving the assembled timber a neatly finished, professional look, a properly applied paint job is also crucial in helping wood weather the storm. Again, the Garden Trellis Company was well equipped to carry out the job’s particular requirements. It has an indoor paint shop with enclosed spray booths and temperature and humidity controlled drying rooms. This allows the painted joinery to be prepared in the best possible conditions, ensuring the most attractive and durable finish.

ABOUT THE GARDEN T R E L L I S C O M PA N Y The Garden Trellis Company has been enhancing the gardens and outdoor spaces of people who appreciate attention to detail and excellent customer service since 1992, offering a range of bespoke and standard timber garden products. To get in touch, call them on 01255 688 361, or send them an email at: info@gardentrellis.co.uk.

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94 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

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www.prolandscapermagazine.com

16/09/2021 15:11

EDUCATE

RESIN REBOUND F

or the past six months, UK Landscape Barometer participants have been telling us about the disruption and havoc they have been facing in the mix of the high demand for work, lack of materials, and shortfall of labour and lorry drivers. The shortage of many materials has impacted the industry heavily, pausing projects and slowing

ALONGSIDE TIMBER, COPPER, STEEL AND MANY OTHER MATERIALS, RESIN HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY HARD TO SOURCE down productivity. Many have hit standstills, and struggled to work out what to what to do next. Construction output was on the rise as soon as January 2021 hit. But, as lockdown restrictions began to ease in the UK around late March, things started to slow down. In March, it was announced that resin had been added to the, seemingly endless, material shortage list. Sitting alongside timber, copper,

HAVE YOU HAD TO TURN DOWN WORK BECAUSE OF THE RESIN SHORTAGE?

steel and many other materials, resin had become increasingly hard to source. From suppliers to consumers, this resulted in lengthy delivery delays, resin price increases, and sharp rises in shipping costs. This particular shortage is spreading across other areas too as it works alongside other materials. For example, Samuel Buckley, Derbyshire Specialist Aggregates, said: “The resin shortage is impacting heavily on our aggregate business.” This hard hit to the wallet has affected many, as those who align driveways, patios, paths, or work in commercial construction rely heavily on resin. We spoke to The One Stop Resin Shop managing director, Chris Penwarden, who said: “We started getting a slight inkling of the resin shortage in March. We experienced difficulty securing new orders, and began to see problems around getting resin into the country.” Chris told us that this quickly resulted in companies like his being told what allocations of resin they could have. “Last year, people could

HOW MUCH HAS YOUR LEAD TIME CHANGED?

DO YOU EXPECT THE RESIN SHORTAGE TO IMPACT YOUR WORK FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS?

20% 40%

40% 20%

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Resin bond bound.indd 95

60%

WE FIND OUT THE EFFECTS THAT THE RESIN SHORTAGE HAS HAD ON BUSINESSES, AND HOW THE INDUSTRY IS REBOUNDING FROM IT phone up, order a huge amount of resin and have it delivered the next day. We were very used to receiving four pallets, but there came a point where we were being told we can only get one.” Suppliers have been working hard to ensure they can provide for their customers, learning that a significant amount of forward planning and a fair spread of resin material allocation is the solution amidst the chaos. “We are trying our best to service all our customers so they can complete as many jobs as possible,” Chris explained. “Keeping ourselves and our customers ticking over is what is important. We are doing this by spreading out our orders, as well as avoiding giving one company a huge order – we want to ensure everyone gets something.” So, how is this disruption affecting business? Well, we asked UK resin suppliers, and the results didn’t appear to be too negative. This is a factor that could explain why 60% of respondents stated they haven’t had to turn down work, despite the lack of resin availability. It seems it’s all about planning and to some extent loyalty as the disruption has emphasised the importance of developing good relationship with suppliers. Nevertheless, confidence is circulating as 60% of respondents have said they don’t believe the shortage will impact them for the next year. This is positive to see, and could suggest that we may be over the worst of it. Currently, it appears that projects are going ahead, but just at a slower pace as 60% stated a change of two weeks in their lead times. Chris concluded: “Things do appear to be easing, and I think next year we’ll be able to get more volumes back. The impression I get from my suppliers is that things are getting easier.” He believes stock will be reasonably low up until Christmas, but January could be a turning point in moving forward due to November and December being “notoriously quiet months”, and so companies should get the chance to stock up.

Pro Landscaper / October 2021 95

23/09/2021 10:40

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.

CONTRACTS MANAGER

SKILLED LANDSCAPER

Gavin Jones is looking for a contracts manager to join its landscape construction team with soft and/or hard landscape skills. This is an exciting time to join Gavin Jones’ nationally operating, award-winning, ambitious landscape company. As a contracts manager within its landscaping division, you will be responsible for delivering a high-quality soft and hard landscaping contracting service for its clients. Some of the typical responsibilities include: managing of large scale landscaping projects; liaising with clients and supervising assigned personnel and contractors; and ensuring compliance to health and safety, environmental and quality standards.

Andrews Landscaping is a Guildford-based design and build company which specialises in domestic and commercial projects throughout Surrey and the South East. It has been established for more than 20 years and has built up a team of dedicated landscapers who produce stunning results within a professional and fun environment. It is looking for a passionate skilled landscaper to join and be part of one of its fantastic teams. Ideally, you should have a minimum of five years’ experience in the industry, have a passion about creating beautiful gardens, be skilled at the main aspects of landscaping, speak knowledgably to clients and manage a team.

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

SENIOR ARBORICULTURAL OFFICER (PLANNING)

ARBORICULTURAL OFFICER

GAVIN JONES LTD Location: Yorkshire

HARINGEY COUNCIL Location: London

ANDREWS LANDSCAPING Location: Surrey

HARINGEY COUNCIL Location: London

Haringey Council is looking for an experienced person to join its tree and nature conservation team to act as the council’s lead officer providing advice and reports on all tree-related planning matters. You will assist planning officers in reviewing and determining planning applications, where trees are a consideration. You will be responsible for reviewing applications and notifications for proposed works to trees subject to TPOS or those located in conservation areas. Ideally, you would hold a Level 6 qualification (Arboricultural Association National Qualification Framework).

Haringey Council is looking for a self-motivated and confident person to join its busy team within the commissioning and client services. Its aim is to provide a high-quality tree service to its residents, managing trees across the borough responsibly and effectively, promoting their importance and encouraging good practice. The main duties of the post include surveying the borough’s tree stock, commissioning work and providing professional advice to both internal clients and the public. Applicants should have a recognised qualification in arboriculture and an excellent working knowledge of the relevant legislation and regulations relating to trees.

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

EXPERIENCED BID WRITER

SENIOR LANDSCAPE FOREMAN

Are you passionate about writing and keen to join a dedicated team as a plainspeaking enthusiastic bid writer? Do you have an interest in the environment? Would you like to work for an ethically sound company that’s as passionate about looking after the environment as you are? Glendale has an exciting opportunity for a bid writer to join its friendly team. This is an outstanding career opportunity with a market leader providing green services to private and public sector businesses. Flexible working arrangements available with the requirement to be able to travel to its head office in Chorley, Lancashire, as required.

A position has become available for a full-time senior landscape foreman to work on some amazing projects throughout the South West, working mainly in Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Wiltshire. The successful candidate will earn £28,000£34,000 per annum. Role responsibilities include installing patios, paving, decking and composite decking, laying real and artificial lawns as well as block paving and driveways. The candidate would need a minimum of five years’ experience in hard/ soft landscaping, proficient in the use of landscape machinery, experience in running a site as well as being honest, reliable, professional and commercially aware.

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

LANDSCAPERS

HARD LANDSCAPER

The growing landscape construction and grounds maintenance business Leicestershire Landscaping Company Limited, is looking to fill multiple roles: landscaping team leaders, landscaping operatives, grounds maintenance team leaders, grounds maintenance operatives as well as inexperienced operatives. The company has multiple teams building and maintaining gardens and outside spaces for some of the UK’s biggest new home builders and commercial contractors all over the Midlands and M1 corridor. Competitive salary dependent on experience, plus bonuses and option to earn overtime.

Are you a hard landscaper looking for a better career? Is job satisfaction important to you? Do you take pride in your work with high expectations of yourself with a close attention to detail? Culverhouse Gardens might have the opportunity for you. Key responsibilities include running domestic landscaping projects, leading a small landscaping team, assisting the company with day-to-day site work and training junior team members. The right candidate will have an experience of hand tools, a strong understanding of working from designs and building gardens, with an organised, self-motivated and committed attitude.

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

GLENDALE Location: Lancashire

THE LEICESTERSHIRE LANDSCAPING COMPANY LIMITED Location: Leicestershire

96 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

Hort Careers.indd 96

GREENHAVEN LANDSCAPES Location: Dorset

CULVERHOUSE GARDENS LIMITED Location: Hertfordshire

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

23/09/2021 10:05

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22/09/2021 09:46

EDUCATE

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

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

98 Pro Landscaper / October 2021

Little Interviews.indd 98

JADE GOTO

ROB JONES

Landscape architect, Jade Goto Studio

Director, Garden Design Company

www.jadegoto.com

www.gardendesignco.co.uk

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing? Something food related. I am working on a way of combining the two.

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

Garden shows/show gardens – inspiration or not? They can be incredibly inspiring and the mountain from which the ideas and trends trickle down from. There is absolutely a place for the traditional side of the show gardens, but I think there is also space for us to create more show gardens that start conversation and push boundaries.

Garden shows/show gardens – inspiration or not? Absolutely. Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most? South Africa. What would you blow your budget on? Swimming pond.

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

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet? Beth Chatto (again).

What would you blow your budget on? Professionally, plants and beautiful timber. Personally, books, plants, food and travel.

One thing that you think would make the industry better? Banning unmarked white Ford Transits.

The one person in the industry you’d love to meet? Ron Finley and David Godshall.

Newest gardening trend in your opinion? Wildflower meadows and grow your own.

One thing that you think would make the industry better? A more diverse range of people representing the industry in the media, so as to engage a wider audience.

Best piece of trivia you know? How little it takes to wreck my back now that I am 60. Best invention in recent years? Avant telehandlers.

Newest gardening trend in your opinion? I have seen a big lockdown increase in clients asking for outdoor kitchens. Plant-wise, an awareness of wild plantings, such as meadows.

Your most used saying or cliché? The short answer is…

Favourite tipple? Green tea until a certain hour, then a glass of wine.

Who would play you in a movie of your life? Omar Sharif.

Favourite tipple? Ridgeway Bitter.

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EDUCATE

SUSAN BEGG

JOHN WYER

RYA N P E M B R O K E

Principal, Semple Begg

CEO, Bowles & Wyer

Operations director, Leitch Landscapes

www.semplebegg.com

www.bowleswyer.co.uk

www.leitchlandscapes.co.za

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

If you weren’t in the horticulture industry, what would you be doing? People tell me I should have been a chef, though to be honest I don’t think I could have handled the hours. I would have loved to have been a writer.

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

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most? Switzerland. We have a studio just outside Geneva. Wild, diverse and dramatic. What would you blow your budget on? Right now, trees. The one person in the industry you’d love to meet? I really admire Sarah Eberle. One thing that you think would make the industry better? Ditching peat. Role model as a child? Katherine Hepburn. Couldn’t get through the week without… Swimming. Best invention in recent years? Blaklader women’s fit work trousers. Your most used saying or cliché? “Blimey.” Favourite tipple? Sancerre. What three things would you take to a desert island? Snorkel, mosquito repellent (lots) and seeds. Karaoke song of choice? ‘Don’t Fence Me In’ by Cole Porter.

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Garden shows/show gardens – inspiration or not? Inspirational, but elitist. Chelsea in particular has a stranglehold on the design profession. As Elvis Costello said, “I don’t want to go to Chelsea”. Except that I do. Newest gardening trend in your opinion. I don’t like the idea of trends in gardening. Gardening is an interaction between gardener and site. Trends are nowhere in that – although I will concede that plants come and go in fashion. Best piece of trivia you know? That neither the earliest sunrise nor the latest sunset occurs on the shortest day. Best invention in recent years? I love that little device I have for getting the skin off garlic. That, and my phone of course. Your most used saying or cliché? “I’ve been thinking...” – this usually elicits groans from whomever I am talking to. Karaoke song of choice? ‘La Noticia’ by Jimmy Bosch. I love Cuban and Puerto Rican music, particularly Salsa. This is my all-time favourite Salsa dance track, especially the horn section. Also, it’s in Spanish, so no-one would know if I was getting it wrong.

Other than the UK, which country’s landscape inspires you the most? Indonesia. What would you blow your budget on? An island in the Maldives. The one person in the industry you’d love to meet? Monty Don. One thing that you think would make the industry better? Higher wages. Newest gardening trend in your opinion? Diversity and urban farming. Role model as a child? Al Bundy. Couldn’t get through the week without… A surf. Best invention in recent years? Cryptocurrency. Favourite tipple? Banana milkshake. Who would play you in a movie? Johnny Depp. Your favourite joke? Any joke that makes me laugh. Karaoke song of choice? ‘Would?’ by Alice In Chains.

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