Pro Landscaper September 2015 by Eljays44

Concept to Delivery

September 2015

DESIGN, BUILD, AND MAINTAIN

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

SCOTHORT SHOW GUIDE

2015

RICHARD BARNARD ON 50 YEARS IN LANDSCAPING

ART OF GLASS THE GREAT TERRARIUM REVIVAL

100 YEARS A NEW APPROACH TO

PLAY DESIGN

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WELCOME

Concept to Delivery DESIGN, BUILD, AND MAINTAIN

September 2015 | Volume 5, Issue 9

September 2015

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

SCOTHORT SHOW GUIDE

2015

RICHARD BARNAR

Welcome to September 2015

ON 50 YEARS IN LANDSCAPING

ART OF GLASS THE GREAT TERRARIUM REVIVAL

100 YEARS A NEW APPROACH

PLAY DESIGN

Welcome to the September issue of Pro Landscaper. Eljays44, our publishers is very excited to be hosting the brand new ScotHort event on Wednesday 16 September at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh, with Pro Landscaper as media partner. This kicks off its events programme over the next three months, with LandscapeLive at Headingley, Leeds on Tuesday 6 October and FutureScape event at

Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA Tel: 01903 777 570 EDITORIAL editor@pro-landscaper.co.uk Editor – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 579 Deputy Editor – Iszara Morgan iszara.morgan@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 574

Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher on Tuesday 17 November. The team will be at each event so we hope to meet many of you on at least one of these dates. It’ll be well worth the visit. This month’s issue is a bumper one – as well as all the regular features, we have a fabulous interview with Richard Barnard of Hillier Landscapes, who in 2015 celebrated 50 years in landscaping – a massive achievement and he’s not ready to give it all up just yet either…. We welcome another two new contributors this month. Designer Juliet Sargeant starts a short series on how our private and public realm can contribute to the health and wellbeing of the population. She highlights some interesting facts so make sure you check it out on page 25. Lesley Malone, editor of ‘BIM for Landscape’ in conjunction with the Landscape Institute, explains the system that

ADVERTISING Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 588 Account Manager – Luke Chaplin luke.chaplin@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 584 Sales Executive (FutureScape) – Ben Cumberland ben.cumberland@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 571

Equipment Editor – Jack Bacon jack.bacon@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 573

Horticulture Careers – Laura Harris laura.harris@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 587

Editorial Assistant – Fay Tate fay.tate@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 574

Accounts Assistant – Lisa Woollard accounts@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570

Production Editor – Susie Duff susie.duff@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 578 Subeditor – Toby Wilsdon toby.wilsdon@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 578 EDITORIAL ADVISORY PANEL Mark Gregory Chairman of APL and Landform Consultants Sam Hassall LandPRO Ltd Russell Eales Lawn care expert Karl Harrison Decking expert David Dodd The Outdoor Room

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Managing Director – Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 589 MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Tel: 01903 777 571 Subscription enquiries jessica.garrard@eljays44.com

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enables information sharing so that collaboration between all those involved in a project or scheme is easier. Our travels have also taken us on a very insightful visit to four nurseries in Pistoia, Tuscany, so we start the international nursery factfile series with Zelari Piante, see pages 60-61. Whilst celebrating our fourth year publishing Pro Landscaper this month, we also congratulate tools giant Makita on its 100th birthday. Let’s hope the magazine reaches that ripe old age, even if we won’t be here to see it! Have a great month,

@jimeljays

Design – Kara Thomas Amy Downes

@lisaeljays

Pro Landscaper is proud to be an affiliate member of BALI

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

The Association of

Professional Landscapers

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

Pro Landscaper is published 12 times per year by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2015 subscription price is £95.00. 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.

MANAGEMENT Managing Director Jim Wilkinson Director Lisa Wilkinson Business Development Manager Jamie Wilkinson

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CONTENTS

September 2015 6

News Shed Round up of industry news over the last month

Association News Final six WorldSkills UK competition contestants revealed by the APL; Six day festival at RHS Garden Wisley returns this September; BALI designer and contractor members’ medals at RHS Tatton Park; efig update about National Plants at Work Week, SGD Designer Development Day at ScotHort in Edinburgh on September 16

Concept to Delivery

September 2015

DESIGN, BUILD, AND MAINTAIN

PORTFOLIO

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

SCOTHORT

OPINION

SHOW GUIDE

2015

RICHARD BARNARD

View From The Top Phil Jones argues we should still be passing on skills and experience as well as formal training

ON 50 YEARS IN LANDSCAPING

Andrew Wilson discusses that clients are reluctant to lose their recessionary habits

David Dodd reviews Channel 4’s The Autistic Gardener and argues BBC Gardener’s World got it right first time

Mass Communication BIM represents a new era in communication and collaboration says Lesley Malone

Flag Waving and Beating The Drum Jody Lidgard calls for a joined up vision to help college leavers feel prepared for a job

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Elevated Living Raised beds and seating by Woodblocx at one of the capital’s most desirable student apartment complexes

INTERVIEW

33 BUSINESS TIPS

As the nights draw in, Robert Webber writes on how to prepare for the changing of the seasons

Flower Power Juliet Sargeant says green space contributes to solving health and social problems

A Midsummer’s Light Dream

Talk Of The Town Quadron Services maintains Courtenay Park, a vital part of Newton Abbot with sensory garden, pond and play area

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TECHNICAL

The Autistic Gardener

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Outdoor Living Longview Design creates a town garden in Kingston-Upon-Thames including a swimming pool, hot tub and garden room

PLAY DESIGN

TALK OF THE TOWN

Angus Lindsay says that the act of repairing components is becoming a thing of the past

A NEW APPROACH TO

Can We Fix It?

Passing Attraction A run-down front garden is transformed by Julian Barclay into a low maintenance driveway to accommodate several cars

ART OF GLASS THE GREAT TERRARIUM REVIVAL

100 YEARS

Hangover!

Let’s Hear It From Richard Barnard of Hillier Landscapes

NURSERY

Nursery News A look at what’s been going on at the UK’s plant suppliers

The Art Of Glass Ian Drummond on why terrariums are an easy and intriguing way to bring green indoors

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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CONTENTS

EQUIPMENT

Equipment News

News Extra – Bosch

CONTRIBUTORS

Testing Bosch’s newest cordless range

Review: Ford Ranger

Talking To Ian Mitchell Ian Mitchell tells us about the rationale behind his new venture, High Five Training

Alien Invasion! Noel Kingsbury argues that the threat of invasive species like Japanese knotweed is exaggerated

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Makita Celebrates 100 Years of Innovation Power Tools

Excavators

Plantsman’s Plot

101

104 Look Out For Josh Noakes, BALI Chalk Fund Student of the year

Artificial Grass

A New Approach To Play Design Aileen Shackell explores a landscape-led philosophy in the design of play areas

Play Equipment Not All Stone Is Created Equal Marshalls’ stone expert Chris Frankland delves into the technical performance of Indian Sandstone

Garden Features

Site Visit: Vande Moortel

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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SCOTHORT SHOW GUIDE 4 7

News

An Interview With

SGD

Designer Development Day Stuart Dillett, MD of Land Engineering

10 Show Garden

Portfolio - New Hopetoun Gardens

12 Trading With

Muck Truck Scotland

Sandstone

Trading With Rolawn

Five quick-fire questions to get an insight into the people making up the industry

13 A-Z

All this year’s exhibitors - Including floorplan

Juliet Sargaent Garden designer and medical doctor Lesley Malone Freelance writer and photographer

102 The Little Interview

Seeds And Fertiliser

David Dodd Landscaper and lecturer

PEOPLE

Grasscare division manager Tim Lane discusses the branch’s customer management and trading evolution

Visit to Zelari Piante in Pistoia, Italy

PRODUCTS

TH White

Andrew Wilson Garden designer and lecturer

Angus Lindsay Head of Fleet at The Landscape Group

Factfile

A selection of plants and trees available at some of the country’s best nurseries

Phil Jones MD of ISS Facility Services Landscaping

16 Seminars

Seminar programme

Jody Lidgard WorldSkills technical lead and landscaper Robert Webber Founder of Scenic Lighting

ARE YOU GOING? SEPTEMBER 3 Coles Open Day, Syston Nursery www.colesnurseries.co.uk 16 ScotHort, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh www.scothort.com 16 Palmstead Soft Landscape Workshop ‘Strictly Sustainable’ www.palmstead.co.uk OCTOBER 6 Landscape Live, Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Headingley www.landscapelive.co.uk

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NEWS

NEWS SHED Ground Control announced as finalists in Essex Business Excellence Awards Ground Control has been selected as a finalist for the Essex Business Excellence Awards in the Best Growing Business category. The awards are one of the most prestigious in the region and were created to recognise and reward outstanding achievement across a variety of disciplines. Being shortlisted in the Best Growing Business category comes in recognition of Ground Control’s significant growth over recent years including increases in the range of services it provides, the size of its workforce and in its strategic alliances.

Dr Marcus Watson, Ground Control’s managing director was delighted: “Being a finalist in the Best Growing Business category of the awards is a fantastic achievement and really underlines the confidence our customers show in our services year on year.” Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Friday 25th September at Hylands House in Chelmsford. www.ground-control.co.uk

Amanda Patton to lecture on Plumpton College professional diploma in garden design Amanda Patton MSGD has joined Plumpton College as a planting design lecturer on the professional diploma in garden design. Starting this autumn, she will bring her great knowledge and expertise to the one year part-time course aimed at students wishing to begin a career in garden design. Amanda said: “I’m delighted to be asked to lead the planting side of this established course at Plumpton and am really looking forward to meeting the students in September.”

Jonathan Gill and Matthew Beesley win Silver at WorldSkills International competition

North Thames BALI region’s annual clay pigeon shooting event North Thames BALI region held its annual clay pigeon shooting event on Tuesday 11 August at the Lea Valley shooting ground. Twelve members from a number of BALI registered companies attended to enjoy shooting at various skill levels including a double clay

challenge at the end of the day. The shoot was split into two teams of six, led around the traps to battle it out over 40 rounds by helpful and experienced instructors, with the scores being totalled up at the end. A draw was declared but Craig Gibson from Dagenham Landscapes achieved the highest individual score. For further information about clay pigeon events please contact darren@skidmores.co.uk www.bali.org.uk

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

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The course includes designing three gardens of varying sizes and ensures broad knowledge and experience including hard and soft landscapes and portfolios of trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials. Lectures delivered by industry experts include garden lighting by Mike Shackleton and design installation work with Cleve West. www.plumpton.ac.uk

Jonathan Gill and Matthew Beesley will be bringing home silver medals in landscape gardening from the WorldSkills International competition in Sao Paulo. Matthew said his parents helped and supported him both in business and in competition. He said: “They work so hard behind the scenes. They don’t really get recognised for what they do.”

The national final of the APL WorldSkills UK Landscape Gardening competition will take place at the Birmingham NEC on 19-21 November. This years’ finalists are: • Will Burberry, Gardenscapes • Mark Chapelhow, Wildroof Landscapes • Anthony Doran, The Landscape Co. • Christopher Shore, Reaseheath College • Noel Taggart Greenmount Campus, CAFRE • Aaron Quin, Greenmount Campus, CAFRE www.worldskills.org www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/08/2015 13:56

NEWS

Multi-million pound restoration of Holywells Park completed

Gender is no barrier at Glendale

LDA Design has completed the £3.5m restoration of Holywells Park, Ipswich after three years of work. The 27 hectare restoration project received a £2.8m National Lottery grant through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund. Holywells Park features a grade II listed orangery, a cafe in the restored stable block, paved performance area and a kiosk alongside the play area. Andrew Cottage, associate at LDA Design, said: “Our design placed great emphasis on improving the quality of life, play and recreation for the communities around Holywells Park.”

Glendale is calling for the horticulture industry to attract more women into senior roles. Sue McGrath, who joined the national green services company in 2008, was elected onto its board of directors as chair in April 2015. Sue, who has a master’s degree in HR and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), said gender should not be a barrier to progression: “Having a woman in the position of chairman shows women they can progress as far as their aspirations will take them. “It’s important for everyone at Glendale to be aware of differences, because we work within communities that are inherently diverse and it is important for us to reflect this.” www.glendale-services.co.uk

Inga Grimsey, chair of the HLF committee for the East of England, said: “Holywells Park can now be firmly at the heart of Ipswich as a place to work, perform, play and enhance wellbeing for generations to come. Huge congratulations to everyone involved.” www.lda-design.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF BALI appoints Andrew Legg

BALI has appointed Andrew Legg as a member of its BALI National Landscape Awards adjudication panel. He has broad experience in horticulture and landscaping having run his own business, worked on a multimillion project at Canary Wharf and been a senior lecturer in landscape studies at the Welsh College of Horticulture. www.bali.org.uk

Garden History Society and the Association of Garden Trusts to merge

The Garden History Society (GHS) and the Association of Garden Trusts (AGT) are merging to become The Gardens Trust, aiming to speak with a more powerful voice for the protection of parks, gardens and designed landscape and to play a key role in the planning system as a statutory consultee. www.gardenstrusts.org.uk

Re-Form Landscape Architecture reveals visuals for Hull’s £25 million public realm project as city prepares for UK City of Culture 2017 Re-Form Landscape Architecture unveiled new visuals for Hull’s £25 million public realm project as the city prepares to be the UK City of Culture 2017. The team is working alongside the council; the construction consultancy Gardiner and Theobold; and the public art specialists, Beam to design and deliver the first two phases of the project.

The work is set to start in September of this year and is to be completed by the end of 2016. Andrew Price, a director of Re-Form Landscape Architecture, commented: “This is an ambitious and exciting scheme that will completely redefine the way in which local people and visitors experience the public spaces in Hull city centre.”

Writtle College students design and build garden for young people with learning difficulties Three Writtle College students are designing and helping to build a garden for young people with autism and other special needs. www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Scott Downes, Sam Moore and Thomas Brindle designed the garden, which is to be built

David Colegrave Foundation Scholarship Season opens

The David Colegrave Foundation Scholarship Season opens next month, with the Markham – Colegrave International Scholarship Award offering US$4,500 for a work placement in a horticult ural business in north America. www.davidcolegravefoundation. org.uk

Re-Form Landscape Architecture is working on a number of schemes including projects in Leeds and Lincoln. www.re-formlandscape.com

in partnership with GRAHAM Construction for InterAct’s Aspire Centre at Moulsham Mill, Chelmsford. The project, launched on Friday 14 August, has been supported by the star of The Autistic Gardener, Alan Gardner www.interact.org.uk

CS Design launches ﬁrst web-integrated landscape software

CS Design is preparing to launch CS ArtisanRV, the ﬁrst BIM-ready, cloud-based solution for landscape professionals using Autodesk Revit. www.csdhub.com

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John O’Conner Grounds Maintenance has won 30 Green Flag Awards across its contracts, bringing considerable social, safety and environmental benefits to the local neighbourhoods. Clarence Park in St Albans received the Green Flag Award for the 10th consecutive year under the partnership of John O’Conner and St Albans City and District Council. Neil Cain, John O’Conner operations director and National Green Flag Awards judge said: “We are delighted to have retained our Green Flag Award status. Well done to all our grounds maintenance teams for delivering consistently high standards and participating in volunteer projects to promote the health and wellbeing of our park users.”

Green Flag success for John O’Conner parks International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the thousands of men

and women who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award scheme.” www.johnoconner.co.uk

Members of Perennial’s Grubby Gardeners fundraising team are planning to ride a seven seater bike in the 54 mile event. Matt O’Conner, managing director of John O’Conner Grounds Maintenance said: “This seemed like a great opportunity to get some of the lads back

“

together and in training for another big event next year.” Donations can be made by visiting their JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/3PEL2B. Perennial wristbands will be on sale at Buckland Nurseries in Dorking, Surrey and Ansell Garden Centre in West Drayton, Middlesex. www.perennial.org.uk

Hannah Genders Landscape Design BALI Registered Designer

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Contractor: Grace Landscapes Services: Wildflower meadows, semi-mature tree planting, ornamental shrub planting and 12 months maintenance Employed by: Shepherd Construct Location: 6 Wellington Place, Leeds Duration: October 2015 to January 2016

Contractor: Quadron Services: Grounds maintenance to parks, open spaces, cemeteries and amenity areas Employed by: Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Duration: Five year extension starting in 2017 until 2021

BALI membership gives me

professional credibility

and encompasses all industry disciplinesdesign, build and maintenance” CONTRACTORS

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Contractor: The Landscape Group Services: External landscape maintenance Employed by: Francis Crick Institute Duration: Three years Location: London

Contractor: Paxman Landscapes Services: Shrub and tree planting Partners: BDB Design Build Employed by: Audi dealership, Sunderland Start date: September 2015

Perennial’s Go Green fundraising fortnight supported by Three Peaks Extreme (3PE) and Grubby Gardeners Three Peaks Extreme (3PE) team will be riding in the Bike 4 Cancer London to Brighton bike ride on Sunday 6 September to support Perennial’s Go Green fundraising fortnight (1-14 September).

CONTRACTS WON

NEWS

DESIGNERS

www.bali.org.uk

AFFILIATES

02476 690333 – join us today 04/08/2015 09:18 20/08/2015 13:57

Inspiring You Whatever your project, we have the products, the ideas and the environmental credentials to inspire you.

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05/03/2015 17:58 19/08/2015 15:05

NEWS

Shortlist for SGD Awards 2015 revealed The Society of Garden Designers (SGD) has revealed the shortlist for The SGD Awards 2015 Thirty-eight entries have been selected in the main categories of the SGD Awards 2015 and finalists in the three Residential Garden and International, Public and Commercial Outdoor Space and Pocket Garden categories will be entered into the People’s Choice Award. Finalists will also be competing for the Grand Award. Visit The SGD Awards website to see images of the shortlisted projects at www.sgdawards.com. Finalists in the ‘Student’ and the ‘Designing for Community Space’ Awards will be announced in autumn. Shortlisted finalists who would like their projects to be featured in Pro Landscaper, please contact Iszara Morgan at Iszara.morgan@eljays44.com

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Ashfurlong Farm by Christine Parsons MSGD Bowden House, Knightsbridge Roof Terrace and Wednesday House by Patricia Fox MSGD Chelsea Courtyard by Stuart Craine MSGD Church Path Cottage by Katherine Roper MSGD Josh Ward’s Contemporary London Garden Costells Garden by Nigel Phillips FSGD Courtyard in Islington and Garden in Barnes by Charlotte Rowe MSGD Eaton Hall by Arabella Lennox-Boyd MSGD Louise Cummins’ Fulham Courtyard Garden Greenwich Peninsula Gardens by Tom Hoblyn MSGD Greenwood Theatre Pocket Park by Joe Swift MSGD Hawkedon House by Jason Lock MSGD, MBALI and Chris Deakin MSGD John Davies’ Hyde Vale Marian Boswall’s Kent Farm House Les Canebiers by James Basson MSGD Miro Garden by Keith Pocock MSGD New Forest Garden by Helen Elks-Smith MSGD Newton House by John Moreland FSGD Emily Erlam’s Puckeridge House and The Experimental Station Nadia Marlakey’s Regenerating Suburbia Joanna Midwinter’s Riverside Katharina Niki’s Roof Terrace for Entertaining Rose Cottage by Juliet Sargeant MSGD Secret Garden by Jo Thompson MSGD St John & Elizabeth’s Hospice Garden by Andrew Wilson FSGD & Gavin McWilliam The Lancasters by John Wyer FSGD The Raymond Blanc National Heritage Garden at Le Manoir by Anne Keenan MSGD David Loy’s The West House

Tuesday 6 October 2015 Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Headingley H

C Design

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Build

Maintain

LIN EAD

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Urban Space.

This small garden represented an inner courtyard; a place to connect with nature, to sit and relax and drink a cup of tea. It was inspired by the modern oriental style within Asian architecture and explored the use of a small garden space both functionally and visually. Carlow Blue Limestone paving was used for the walkway and seating area to contrast with the planting. A pool of water reflected the sky, helping to give the garden a feeling of being bigger. The planting scheme was essentially simplistic, containing only a few varieties of plants and no flowers; focusing on green tonal values with the emphasis on foliage texture and form. Bamboo added a leafy background to provide privacy and to soften the area. Acer palmatum provided structure and seasonal changes and was under planted with grasses and ferns.

Materials: Carlow Blue limestone in 400 x 800 x 30mm sawn all sides, flamed top face, non-fossil selection.

T: 0845 050 5592

Designer and Contractor: Frazer McDonogh of Rock and Waterscapes in Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

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19/08/2015 11:41

Association

ASSOCIATION NEWS

NEWS

Announcing the six finalists for the APL WorldSkills UK competition Horticultural students and apprentices from across the country have taken part in three knockout heats over the past few months, all run by the Association of Professional Landscapers. The most recent took place at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Public interest was at an all-time high this year, with many members of the public requesting coverage on the BBC to enable them to see how the competitors had got on. The entries in each heat were all of a very high standard and the competitors showed a lot of focus, but the six highest

APL update scoring students, who will now progress to the NEC for the national final are: ● Will Burberry, Gardenscapes ● Mark Chapelhow, Wildroof Landscapes ● Anthony Doran, The Landscape Co ● Christopher Shore, Reaseheath College ● Noel Taggart, Greenmount Campus, CAFRE ● Aaron Quin, Greenmount Campus, CAFRE Alongside the success of the competitors, APL WorldSkills UK picked up the award for Best

SGD bulletin Designer Development Day at ScotHort Society of Garden Designers Fellow Sarah Eberle FSGD will be staging a Designer Development Day at the ﬁrst ScotHort event in Edinburgh on Wednesday 16 September 2015. Sarah, who is renowned for her innovative RHS Show Gardens for which she has been awarded eight Gold medals, qualiﬁed as a

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landscape architect and has been working in the industry since 1975. Show gardens are an integral part of Sarah’s work

Show Feature at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Will Burberry, who was the overall winner of the semi-final said “I’m still shaking, I wasn’t expecting to win, I just wanted to make the final. I need to work on time planning and focus more on planting for the final. The planting was more difficult than I anticipated. I’m thrilled with the result though

and she will use this informal lecture to speak about how she conceives and manages the creation of a show garden. In addition, she will be explaining her approach to garden design, her philosophies and her driving passions, drawing examples from her extensive portfolio to illustrate the talk. This inspiring day will give delegates a fascinating insight into the working life of one of the UK’s top landscape and

The Monaco Garden by Sarah Eberle, RHS Chelsea 2011

and the confidence boost has been amazing. I used to be really nervous for people to see me work, but now I’ve got no problems!” As the winner of the semi-final heat, Will was also gifted a £50 voucher from plant sponsors J A Jones. The final of the WorldSkills UK Landscape Gardening competition will once again take place at the Birmingham NEC on 19-21 November. www.landscaper.org.uk

garden designers and the opportunity to learn from Sarah’s broad knowledge and experience. The SGD Designer Development Day runs from 10am-4pm. Tickets start at £90 for SGD Members and NonMembers who have registered to attend ScotHort. Discounted student tickets are also available. For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact the SGD Oﬃce on 01989 566 695. ScotHort is a new free entry event that brings together the landscaping, arboriculture and grounds care industries in Scotland. The event will be staged at Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh from 9am5pm. Visit www.scothort.com

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

the ‘Best Back to Back Garden’ accolade; and BALI Registered Contractor Dreamscape, who received Silver-Gilt for designing and building their garden ‘Aurora Arbour’.

BALI briefing Tatton Park medals for BALI designers and contractors This year’s RHS Tatton Park Flower Show proved to be a real showcase for BALI members in the north, with medals for our designer and contractor members and satisfaction for the many BALI Aﬃliate members whose products graced the show

gardens. Congratulations to: BALI Registered Designer Helen Elks-Smith and BALI Registered Contractor Turf ‘n’ Earth, who received Gold for their conceptual garden ‘Reﬂecting Photonics’; BALI Registered Contractor Greenbelt Landscapes, whose garden ‘A Quiet Corner’ also won Gold and

Tatton Dreamscape

RHS Wisley Flower Show The six-day festival at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey returns from 8-13 September 2015. The show oﬀers visitors the chance to enjoy a profusion of plants and

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

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BALI AGM and weed control workshop – 9 September at Stoneleigh Park This year’s AGM, which takes place at Landscape House on the morning of Wednesday 9 September, will be followed after lunch by a workshop on weed control and the glyphosate issue, including demonstrations of the latest weed control technology. There’s still time to book in for the AGM and workshop – email kirsty.wood@bali.org.uk. New membership campaign Have you seen our new ‘talking heads’ ad in this month’s edition of Pro Landscaper and on its website? This is the ﬁrst in a series of ads in our new membership campaign, which enables our members to say for themselves why they value

stands displaying their wares and more than 100 exhibitors competing for the top prizes in the National Dahlia Society Annual Show. Members of the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS)

RHS report ﬂowers, seek the best gardening advice and explore the garden in late summer. The show is set to be a colourful visual feast with over 60 nurseries and garden trade

their BALI membership. Our thanks to BALI Registered Designer Hannah Genders for volunteering to be our ﬁrst BALI advocate. Look out for a well-known and respected BALI Registered Contractor advocate in next month’s ad. And finally…. After an exhausting summer of visiting schemes entered into the 2015 BALI National Landscape Awards, the Awards judges have now made their decisions on the entries that will receive National Awards and be shortlisted for Principal, Special and Grand awards, to be announced at the ceremony on Friday 4 December at the Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London. Visit www.baliawards.co.uk for a list of the shortlisted entries and details of how to purchase tickets for the UK’s largest landscape industry awards ceremony. www.bali.co.uk

will be displaying a vibrant selection of floral art under the theme ‘Roll up, roll up!’ The show also offers the chance to source free, authoritative gardening advice from RHS experts. Many of the UK’s best nurseries, including 28 medal winners at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May, will be offering plants for sale. A number of trade stands will also be present selling a variety of gardening wares from antique garden tools, vintage

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

21/08/2015 10:03

ASSOCIATION NEWS

efig outline National Plants at Work Week is an ongoing success It may seem like ages ago, but National Plants at Work Week (13-17 July) was a really worthwhile campaign. This was the third year we’ve run this almost entirely social media-based campaign and it grows every year. This time we launched it by decorating an MBNA Thames Clipper on Monday

13 July. eﬁg chairman Ian Drummond and his team from Indoor Garden Design were up early as they had to be at Greenwich North Pier at 5.45am to decorate the boat. They did a fabulous job and the clipper looked amazing. The plants stayed on the boat all day so early morning and evening commuters as well as daytime passengers could beneﬁt from them. The

A commuter enjoys a green journey on the MBNA Thames Clipper

advertising posters to ﬂower show programmes as well as handmade sculptures. A programme of talks will take place throughout the week on a range of gardening topics from Mediterranean gardening and orchid cultivation to how to control the slug. Visitors to the show can also enjoy the spectacular colour of the herbaceous borders and the creative inspiration of the Surrey Sculpture Society Trail around the garden.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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RHS Ambassador, cook and best-selling author, Mary Berry will be open the show on 8 September, when she will also participate in a book signing. For more information and to book tickets visit: www.rhs.org.uk/wisley Malvern Autumn Show The RHS celebrates the arrival of autumn with the Malvern Autumn Festival (26-27 September), a show packed full of seasonal food and

following afternoon, a team from Enterprise Plants went to ‘break down’ the plants. Heading to school On the Wednesday our vice chairman and managing director of Enterprise Plants Chris Jenkin took the plants to a primary school in Oxford. They were installed in the main library with advice for some keen pupils coming from Chris. In September, eFig will return to St Joseph’s Primary Catholic School with more plants. The plan is to make their classrooms healthier

places for the children to work and learn. We will also provide worksheets to get the children and teachers involved and understanding how to care for the plants and about their benefits. Lots of interaction There was lots of input during the week from members building pop-up offices, giving away plants, handing out certificates to clients along with ‘bags of fresh air’ – a canvas bag containing a plant. And of course social media was busy, especially when you looked for #plantsatworkweek. www.efig.co.uk

the garden for the winter. Countryside entertainment and the fairground complete the autumn festivities. For more information visit: www.rhs.org. uk/malvern-autumn-show

gardening, giant vegetables, vintage nostalgia, television personalities and plenty of shopping opportunities. Visitors will gain lots of ideas on how to make the most of the autumn harvest with tips on preparing

RHS Secret Garden Sunday heads to Marylebone RHS Secret Sunday goes on the road for the second time this year, joining the London Farmers Market in Marylebone on Sunday 20 September. Entry is free. www.rhs.org.uk

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 15

19/08/2015 11:49

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OPINION

VIEW FROM THE TOP The ability to pass on knowledge to the next generation should be in every person specification argues Phil Jones

I saw a job advert on a horticultural recruitment website recently. There’s nothing particularly new about that, I know. Except there was a striking difference from all of the job announcements I’d seen before – the wording was different. Yes, it included the usual ‘team leader required for expanding landscaping company’ type wording that they all do, but it had another phrase that stood out a mile. This was ‘passing on your knowledge to less experienced team members is essential, so good communication skills are important’. Now we’re talking. These words strike at the core of what should be one of the most important focuses for us all and is currently where our industry lacks commitment – the passing on of skills and experience to the next generation. Take grounds maintenance for example. For how many years have we been saying as an industry (I know I’m in danger of suggesting our industry has one voice) that the introduction of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) in the 1980s destroyed the skills base of those working in parks and gardens, as price became the primary measure when awarding contracts. Apprenticeships – I mean the real apprenticeship schemes, not the public relations versions some people are trotting out today – disappeared, and there was no replacement in terms of passing on skills and the benefits of experience.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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I believe this to be true. I believe, not that CCT and other developments within the industry destroyed all of the above, but that the collective inability of those involved in the process to define a clear way forward through the administrative commercial mayhem at the

I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PASSING ON OF SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB, SIDE BY SIDE WITH ONE INDIVIDUAL LEARNING FROM ANOTHER WHO HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE time prevented anyone seeing the blindingly obvious truth that we were (usually) inadvertently undermining the skills requirements of the workforce and sucking the lifeblood from that talent base and therefore the industry. In the drive to focus purely on cost, the all-important attention given to the future was lost, albeit temporarily in some cases. There have been many attempts by those who feel they have a responsibility to ‘put something back’ to restore the proficiencies within our industry and some have been successful. Most of these initiatives involve apprenticeships run alongside in-house training schemes as well as day and block release craft, supervisory and management level courses. These types of formal training are all very well and are essential to the development of people in the landscape industry. However, I believe there is no substitute for the passing on of skills and experience on the job, side by side with one individual learning from a master or expert who has a wealth of knowledge and ability. There are pitfalls to this, of course. On-the-job training can take longer due to ‘business as usual’ or other work place

disturbances such as distractions coming from other people. Equally some think it is cheaper, but when you factor in the cost of coaching (or training) one on one, the reduction in productivity of the individual and the coach, the hidden costs can be greater than some off-the-job solutions. These ‘obstacles’ must not be seen as such, but rather as an investment in an individual’s future development. On-the-job training, when done well, provides both the task and the context and the learning achieved is often more powerful than that brought about from other sources of training. As the line in the job advert said, ‘good communication skills are important’. So is the willingness to contribute to a colleague’s career and to the future success of the company and wider industry. That colleague should be able to see a defined career path sufficiently well, which will drive the motivation and patience for such training. ABOUT PHIL JONES Phil Jones is Managing Director of ISS Facility Services Landscaping and is based at the company’s head office in Woking, Surrey. He gained an HND in landscape construction and moved into grounds maintenance early on in his career, further gaining an MBA. He has been with the company since 1987 and as well as running the landscaping business he sits on the UK operational management board of ISS Facility Services and is Chairman of BALI-NCF. Follow Phil Jones: @philjonesISS Follow ISS Landscaping: @ISSLandscaping

www.isslandscaping.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 17

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OPINION

As we climb out of recession, designers are busier and the workflow is more regular. Andrew Wilson asks whether clients are keeping up with, or ahead of, the game... As recession took hold and work was harder to come by, clients responded by questioning design fees and contract costs. Many queried labour charges and overall, schemes often took a bit of a pounding. In what I hope are now more stable times, work is more of a flow than a drip but clients seem loath to lose their recessionary habits. We have noticed an increasingly common phenomenon in which we are asked to produce ideas as part of the selection process for designers, which poses all sorts of problems. Twenty years ago, if a client made contact then I would normally be the only designer bidding for that commission. As the garden design profession grew it became more likely that two or three designers would be invited to meet the client and show their portfolio of completed schemes, explaining how their fee charging mechanism and design process worked. This was typically before everyone had a website, when photographs of completed schemes were all that one had as a design reference and calling card. Post recession, we have had a spate of design enquiries in which we are invited to meet a prospective client in order to discuss our approach. By this point they have selected and shortlisted us, along with two or three other designers, on the basis of our website portfolio. All good so far.

WORK IS NOW MORE OF A FLOW THAN A DRIP BUT CLIENTS SEEM LOATH TO LOSE THEIR RECESSIONARY HABITS We keep the website updated with information about all of our projects, both in visual and written form, enabling clients to see and explore our work. We are then asked to produce ideas and potential approaches www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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HANGOVER!

to their gardens in answer to a simple outline brief in order for them to make a more informed selection. Their request at this point is for a free design proposal or a presentation of sketch concepts which is when we tend to throw up our hands in despair. Is our response correct? Some would say this process is typical of many areas of design. For example, many clients receive a free design service when replacing their kitchen. But it’s not really free as the company wins the commission to fabricate and install. As garden designers, we simply design – others install and we have to live by our fee earnings alone. I hope that others would also be throwing up their hands in annoyance. It is not simply the question of a no fee proposal here. A simple written proposal takes time but is an accepted part of the process of being a garden designer, as is an introductory visit to a client. When additional design time is requested, the cost to us increases significantly but out of three or four bidders only one will be successful. Perhaps more importantly for the winner of the bid, the big question is what’s next? A response has already been delivered to an initial brief – how much is that brief likely to change? The client has a design that they might well like – what more needs to be done? In other

AS GARDEN DESIGNERS, WE SIMPLY DESIGN – OTHERS INSTALL AND WE HAVE TO LIVE BY OUR FEE EARNINGS ALONE words the winning designer could easily have just lost the first phase of the scheme together with the accompanying fees. With so much more information at their fingertips than 20 years ago, why is it that clients are now finding simple decision making so difficult to the extent that they threaten the basic design process? Is this a sign of things to come or a passing phase? I very much hope that it’s the latter! 1 Idle chatter or a thoughtful planning meeting for the Living Legacy Garden, Chelsea 2015? Design communication can be deceiving for the client it seems

ABOUT ANDREW WILSON Andrew Wilson is a landscape and garden designer and a director of Wilson McWilliam Studio. He is also a director of the London College of Garden Design, an author, writer and lecturer.

www.wmstudio.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 19

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OPINION

CAN WE

FIX IT? LET’S HOPE SO... Electronic engine diagnostics and tuning have sidelined traditional metal-bashing skills. Angus Lindsay argues we should not be quick to lose them Mechanic, fitter, grease monkey, spanner – there are a myriad of names for those who maintain and repair our vehicles and machinery. Whether they are directly employed, running their own business or an employee of a main dealer, the skill of these people can make the difference between the job being completed on time and on budget and having expensive hire costs, unbudgeted repair bills and possible defaults. As technology moves forward, so the role of the mechanic develops to that of technician. Electronics can mean that spanners are replaced with laptops and test meters, which is fine for adjusting the emissions on your truck engine, but try changing the ring gear on an excavator with a computer. In my world a mechanic is someone who assesses a problem then makes the

MORE EFFICIENT ENGINES AND A GREATER USE OF ELECTRONICS DICTATE THAT ACTUALLY REPAIRING COMPONENTS IS BECOMING A THING OF THE PAST necessary repairs to address the failure and prevent its reoccurrence. This may also include an element of training or refocusing of the operator or driver. More efficient engines and a greater use of electronics dictate that actually repairing components is becoming a thing of the past. No longer can you replace the bearing in an alternator or the universal joints in a driveshaft; it’s 20

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now cheaper and easier to replace the whole component. But in throwing away these components are we not also in danger of diluting some of the basic skills of the mechanic? The traditional blacksmith’s workshop where a farmer could take a damaged machine to be repaired have all but gone. Those that remain are mainly classed as artisans, producing garden gates or weather vanes rather than being able to straighten bent drawbars or rebuild worn skid plates with lorry springs and Hardex welding. Repair by laptop – is this the future? Manufacturers are constantly working towards leaner production techniques and greater efficiency but will this result in machines on which all components must be replaced rather than repaired? Sealed bearings are now the norm on many machines, with using a grease gun an alien concept to some operators. Interestingly these sealed units don’t seem to last as long as their grease hungry predecessors and a cynic might say a shorter life means better spare parts business for the manufacturer. I have seen examples of mechanics going old-school by taking maintenance free spindles and pins, drilling grease galleries through them and fitting nipples that can be greased as part of a daily/weekly maintenance regime. I find it interesting to see the number of magazines dedicated to restoring everything from vintage tractors to earthmovers, where many of the articles are written by enthusiasts who regularly use their restored classics as front line machines. Is the role of the smithy dying out? I am in no way belittling the role of today’s mechanics and technicians as it can be a

thankless task trying to keep all parties happy and in many cases they have to maintain impartiality in difficult situations. I have found situations where a main dealer does not have the same flexibility when repairing equipment on site as a self employed or non-franchised employee, which can make things frustrating when the pressure is on. A skilled on-site mechanic is the ideal solution but these are becoming rare individuals within

Is the role of the Smithy a dying art?

our industry with people preferring to work in other industries such as agricultural hire and construction. Those who do choose to maintain and repair grounds and landscaping equipment can be highly skilled and resourceful. They need to keep everything from a chainsaw to a complex hydraulically powered mowing machines safe and operational so we mustn’t undervalue them. ABOUT ANGUS LINDSAY As an agriculturist, 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 as a contract instructor for Massey Ferguson in Yemen. During this time he also spent a year at Silsoe, gaining an MSc in agricultural engineering and mechanisation management. Returning to the UK he joined Glendale as machinery manager in 1994 – going on to become company engineer – before joining The Landscape Group in 2009 as group head of assets and fleet. Contact

alindsay@thelandscapegroup.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

19/08/2015 10:41

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OPINION

THE AUTISTIC GARDENER…

HAS TELEVISION GOT IT WRONG AGAIN? David Dodd says ‘old skool’ is where it’s at. Gardeners’ World got it right first time and whatever his own personal ambitions, “The Cantankerous Fat Git Gardener” might be a step too far I’ve always had strong views on TV gardening and having designed and built fourteen gardens for Love Your Garden, I became quite cynical as to the horticultural content of some of them. Programmes have come in all shapes and sizes, each with a new twist to keep the viewer on the edge of their seats with repeated false jeopardy and silly ‘yeah, look what a great time we’re all having’. Okay, I’m just being Mr Grumpy now. We’ve had the Flying Gardener, where Chris Beardshaw went from garden to garden in, for no apparent reason, a helicopter. We’ve had the Flowerpot Gang; a bit of do-goodery where the BBC dug up Anneka Rice and threw in Phil Tufnell for a bit of cheeky chapiness! Luckily they had Joe Swift to give the programme some gardening relevance.

PROGRAMMES HAVE COME IN ALL SORTS OF SHAPES AND SIZES, EACH WITH A NEW TWIST TO KEEP THE VIEWER ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS WITH REPEATED FALSE JEOPARDY The City Gardener, Garden Doctors, Big Dreams, Small Spaces – you name it, TV’s tried it, or so I thought. Where could gardening go next? Channel 4 thinks it has the answer with The Autistic Gardener. This is where Alan Gardner, a 55 year old, autistic ‘wacky’ punk with pink hair and tattoo sleeves mentors a group of youths with varying degrees of Asperger’s and autism. It’s a cross between Love Your Garden and The Undateables.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Alan Gardner – presenter of The Autistic Gardener 2015, bizarrely not wearing a jacket and tie

In the first episode of The Autistic Gardener, Alan describes himself and his team as geniuses, something I have to question. He’s a lovely man but genius may be stretching things a bit far. I’m very supportive of giving all the praise and encouragement in the world to anyone with learning difficulties in order to bring the best out of them, but autism doesn’t automatically make a genius. On the plus side, Alan does explain very well what makes people with autism ‘tick’. My personal view is that the whole pretext of the programme is to give the viewer a cheap snigger at the group members’ varying idiosyncrasies while occasionally going “ahhh” at their sweet innocence, which I think is being exploited for the sake of entertainment. As usual, everything has to be done on a non-existent budget to a ridiculous deadline of a few days. There was one episode where a split-level town garden was done for £1,200. It looks like the cost of landscaping hasn’t really moved on since the Ground Force days. We all know that gardens require an intelligent process, which in fairness The Autistic Gardener seems to have, but gardens also take time, money and a high level of skill to produce a quality end product. Regarding other series, I don’t know why The Landscape Man didn’t quite work. It

Percy Thrower – presenter of Gardeners’ World from 1969-76, wearing a jacket and tie of course

was a really good idea in the sense it was to be like Grand Designs for gardens. Matthew Wilson made a good presenter but again, I blame the production company for simply not understanding gardens. I still find Gardeners’ World the best bet, although it does still seem to have that slightly ‘Blue Peteresque’ style of presenting. The last thing I want to see is a new ‘Jack the lad, geezer gardener’ trying to make gardening cool for young people. Gardening is cool and it isn’t age specific. Just take a look at the Young Horts, who I think are über-cool! I’d love to be a TV gardening presenter but I just don’t think there’s the demand for “The Cantankerous Fat Git Gardener” – but with the way things seem to be going you never know. ABOUT DAVID DODD David Dodd has been in the landscape industry since the age of 17. After having studied and then taught at Merrist Wood College, he set up The Outdoor Room in 1995. In 2013, he went into business with Landscape Architect, Joe Perkins to form Longview Design Ltd. David has also lectured in design and construction for over 20 years.

www.theoutdoorroom.co.uk

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OPINION

FLOWER POWER Juliet Sargeant highlights more than 25 years of research showing green space to be beneficial to physical and mental health as well as social and educational wellbeing We garden designers have a skewed view of people’s accessibility to green space. All of our clients have their own gardens and so do most of us. My concern is that because we are immersed in greenery every day, chatting happily with like-minded garden-folk we can remain oblivious to a growing crisis and ignorant of the part that we can play in its resolution. British people, and their children in particular, are becoming increasingly disconnected with their surrounding landscapes. And this at a time when there is increasingly strong evidence that such contact improves health and wellbeing. In this and two further articles I will outline the benefits of green space and the work being done to equip designers with the knowledge to create better, healthier places in the public and private realms. I hope to convince you of the contribution green space can make to solving local health and social problems and to encourage you to become part of this evolving story.

The benefits of gardens and landscape to our health have been documented for about 200 years and probably known of long before that. We intuitively seek the outdoors when we are stressed or in need of a break, a characteristic some psychologists believe is hardwired due to evolutionary imperatives (biophilia). In the last 25 years psychologists have been joined in accumulating scientific evidence for these benefits by physiologists, anthropologists and medics and they have been successful to the point where there is now little debate that such benefits exist and the work is focusing on the complexities of how to harness them. A perfect storm has been gathering and it is now breaking due the implications of recent government policy. The pressure to cut health and social budgets along with the emphasis on local government responsibility has led to a review of disease prevention measures and a search for cheaper cures for health and social ills.

I HOPE TO CONVINCE YOU OF THE CONTRIBUTION THAT GREENSPACE CAN MAKE TO SOLVING LOCAL HEALTH & SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Back in 1991, Roger Uhlrich discovered that access to a garden reduced postoperative recovery times and use of painkillers in orthopaedic hospital patients. Since then numerous studies have been published indicating wide-ranging benefits such as: ● Decrease in low birthweight in newborns ● Decreased respiratory disease ● Decreased coronary heart disease ● Increased levels of physical activity ● Decreased stress ● Decreased depression ● Increased concentration and attainment

in schoolchildren ● Increased attainment in college students ● Increased productivity in office workers ● Increased social cohesion ● Decreased crime and domestic violence ● Increased community activity ● Increase in skills acquisition and employability

One problem is that the benefits seem to be so wide-ranging – physical, psychological, social and educational boons affecting all age ranges in various situations – that it is becoming very complex to study. My own view is that I am happy to leave the scientists to pour over the appropriate studies and relevant statistics. What I want to know is how their results can inform my design practice. What sort of spaces will help my clients? Which materials are easier for them? Which plants will offer the best recuperation? It seems that there is little that a garden cannot do to improve your health, but why and how? ABOUT JULIET SARGEANT MRCP MSGD Juliet is a qualified doctor and her experience in medicine and psychology informs her people-focused approach to outside design. She is a member of the BBC Gardeners’ World and RHS Shows TV coverage teams, highlighting the importance of landscape to our wellbeing.

www.julietdesigns.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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OPINION

MASS COMMUNICATION Building Information Modeling (BIM) represents a new era in communication and collaboration says Lesley Malone

Building Information Modelling (BIM) heralds a new era for the landscape sector – from concept to delivery, as the strapline of this magazine goes. New ways of using information and new ways of collaborating are at the heart of BIM. Better quality information available to the project team and other stakeholders means

way of working that is underpinned by digital technologies which support more efficient methods of designing, creating and maintaining the built environment’. While new technologies seem to appear every week, it’s information-rich virtual models that make BIM different. A 3D model loaded with product data and site

better decision making, while improved collaboration is good news for design, implementation and more. BIM was born from government targets to drive down capital costs and the carbon footprint of the built environment. It is now clear there are benefits and opportunities throughout the supply chain, well beyond these original objectives. CIC, the Construction Industry Council, defines BIM as ‘an innovative and collaborative

information allows the project team and client to

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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NEW WAYS OF USING INFORMATION AND NEW WAYS OF COLLABORATING ARE AT THE HEART OF BIM develop a greater shared understanding of the scheme by working together on a virtual site from the outset. Sharing site information benefits everyone from designers to contractors, saving time and money by identifying site issues early on, rather than discovering inconveniently located tree roots or underground services once construction is underway. It needs to be stressed that BIM is about information processes, not about software. BIM relies on technology, it’s true but the real innovation is in the quality of project information and the efficiencies that come from working with authoritative and consistent data. What’s more, the emphasis on collaborative data sharing presents an alternative to the traditional top down, hierarchical business-as-usual in the construction industry, offering a more equal place at the table for those who design, deliver, manage and maintain landscapes. For the many in this sector who feel that at present landscape design is often an

afterthought, curtailed by overspends elsewhere and undervalued by other project team members, BIM could be a game changer. BIM’s consideration of the whole project lifecycle is also good news for the landscape sector. In an industry that is used to thinking long term, whose work does not end at completion and handover, or may really only start then, this whole-life view will be refreshing. Most in the landscape industry will have heard that Level 2 BIM will become mandatory for all government projects from April 2016 but what does this actually mean? At BIM Level 2, all parties work on their own 3D CAD models but the defining factor is how information is shared. A common file format is the key. Any party is able to combine design information data with their own to create a ‘federated’ model and for this to happen, CAD software capable of exporting to one of the common file formats such as IFC is required. However, suppliers and manufacturers will be able to continue to provide data in standard forms so there’s a good chance that many companies in this sector will already have information and workflows that are BIM-compatible. If you were worried that you would have to buy costly new software, hire new staff and change all your business processes there’s good news; you (probably) don’t. BIM undoubtably means a cultural shift and a willingness to embrace change. However, BIM processes can be integrated into many landscape firms’ current business practices without major upheaval or expense. In other words, you may be more BIM-ready than you think. ABOUT LESLEY MALONE Lesley Malone is a freelance writer, editor and photographer. She has been working with the Landscape Institute’s BIM Working Group since 2013 and is currently editing the forthcoming book ‘BIM for Landscape’, due for publication by Taylor & Francis in early 2016.

www.landscapeinstitute.org/bim

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19/08/2015 11:41

BUSINESS TIPS

FLAG WAVING AND BEATING THE DRUM

THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW! With the diverse tribes of the landscaping industry gathering at FutureScape in November, Jody Lidgard makes the case for filling the knowledge gaps between them I hear people talking about skills gaps on a regular basis – landscapers who would love to know more about planting and designers who want to learn about drainage, etc. I know that at FutureScape in November there will be a coming together of different tribes under one roof for seminars and talks on various issues in landscape and horticulture. I see this as an opportunity to focus on improving people’s perception of the industry. We will all go away buoyed and enthused by what we have learned but it would be great at this point to be able to plug into a support

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system to enable the topics discussed to be followed up and expanded into courses that deliver training to people after they have finished at college or completed their training courses. I have delivered both construction and plantsmanship modules on degree programmes and remember the looks on students’ faces when you have to cram what feels like an encyclopaedia’s worth of knowledge into such seemingly short semesters. We are currently working with the HTA and APL on a programme that aims to explore the notion of running a suite of short courses that are focused and subject specific. These would have a weighted practical feel to them that would enable delegates to experience the ‘how to’ rather than discussing the theory. As the technical lead for the WorldSkills National Landscape Competition, it goes without saying that I am delighted to be planning with these organisations. I feel we must, now more than ever, focus on the continued upskilling of the industry. Working in partnership with the Association of Professional Landscapers is a great way of spreading this message and actually doing something positive about the situation the industry finds itself in. My new company, The Landscape Skills Academy is a direct result of our search for an apprentice and the need for new operatives to be able to carry out hard landscape operations with the skills they already have. Our college leavers lacked real practical experience. Having spent time on traditional

horticultural courses they felt that they were unprepared for industry. We see operatives with skills in specific pathways as the way forward – to create specialists in hard landscape and soft landscape as a normal approach to the industry. If somebody is equipped with the right skills and ready for work, it is easier for them to be productive from an early stage. Our pledge is to offer companies and individuals training in ‘boot camp’ style environments that will upskill and impart the confidence to work to a higher standard. Designer-contractor companies may want to understand how elements of construction are put together including drainage and sub-base works. With the joined up vision and passion we have for training and learning backed by industry powerhouses, I feel extremely confident that we will be placing the flag in the ground and making a positive stand for upskilling the industry. Contact penny.evans@the-hta.org.uk for further information on the APL Masterclass programme. ABOUT JODY LIDGARD Jody Lidgard of Bespoke Outdoor Spaces has been in the landscape industry for 20 years. After studying at Otley/Writtle college he worked as a landscape contractor and taught landscape construction and horticulture at Askham Bryan and UCS Otley. His passion for sharing knowledge has led to his ongoing involvement with WorldSkills competitions and setting up the Landscape Skills Academy. The academy will offer short residential courses focusing on the WorldSkills ethos of training to excellence. info@jodylidgard.co.uk

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TECHNICAL

A MIDSUMMER’S LIGHT DREAM Now is the time to prepare for the long dark nights ahead

As high summer passes and the school year begins, it’s time for landscapers to consolidate and prepare for autumn. Robert Webber explains what this means in the lighting sector September is upon us, slipping away on holiday was only a few weeks ago but it’s soon forgotten. It’s time to get the kids kitted out for school again and catch up on those jobs that got moved down the list to make way for family. September is the time of year when we start our maintenance programmes, following up on past commissions to make sure everything is working and ready for the autumn when the lighting is needed most. Every garden is different but we normally follow a similar procedure for our clients. Booking the visit and checking if they want any changes or light movements ready for the autumn. Much of the planting will soon be cut away, it’s time to move lights away from sparse areas and onto features that will benefit throughout the autumn. This changes in each garden. Tree ferns get wrapped in

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their coats while trees get ready to shed theirs, so it’s an ideal time for repositioning. Opening up every light and checking that it’s moisture free, its lamp holder is in good condition and the lamp works. It’s the time of year when lamp holders do need changing if they show signs of moisture or burning. We change one for about £5 so it’s no major deal. It’s one of the only serviceable parts on the lights we tend to use. Has anything changed? What’s new in the garden since we last came? It’s an ideal time to look at lighting fresh new areas, or making changes to suit the use of the garden in autumn and winter, particularly if the work involves water features. Sometimes we recommend the use of nets over the feature to inhibit leaves and debris from clogging pumps. One area where Scenic Lighting concentrates its efforts is the front of the house, particularly the front door and pathway lighting. Allowing functional movement from garages and parking areas up to the front door. Normally rear garden lighting is more aesthetic in nature. It is designed to be subtly complimentary to a garden and it contrasts with the front of the house. Traditionally this is a far more practical area allowing safe movement to the front door. The front garden is the part that you will use the most in the coming months. Imagine running down the path holding the shopping while the rain runs down your neck and back. Then you get to the door and can’t see the lock

to put the key in! It is this time of year that we often upgrade lamps to allow for the darkness. Most people welcome the thought of much brighter lighting around their front doors and pathways. It helps to create a more welcoming vista when they arrive home. We try to achieve this by using slightly brighter lighting than in the rear garden; trying to retain the architectural subtlety of the garden and house features. Wever and Ducré are a great lighting partner to achieve this solution. They offer subtle perfection when it comes to functional lighting. So brush up on your ‘front of house’ and then as the curtain falls, you will be sure to receive a standing ovation. ABOUT ROBERT WEBBER Robert Webber is the founder of Scenic Lighting, a specialist exterior lighting company based in Berkshire. He designs and installs garden lighting throughout the UK and internationally. Robert can be contacted on rob@sceniclighting.com or via his mobile on 07766 051 000.

www.sceniclighting.com

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INTERVIEW

Let’s Hear it From

RICHARD BARNARD

OF HILLIER LANDSCAPES This month, we spent some time with Hillier Landscapes’ managing director Richard Barnard, a well-known and highly respected figure who celebrated his 50th year in the industry in 2015. He tells us about his career, his ongoing enthusiasm and passion for landscaping and horticulture and what the future holds for him

We’re invited to meet with Richard and his wife and co-director Lynda at their beautiful cottage near Stockbridge, Hampshire and over tea and cake he reminisces about his early life and launch into horticulture. “I come from long generations of farmers and fruit growers in the Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire and after my brother took over the family farm in the Sixties my father suggested I find a different career – ‘Farmers don’t garden’. Having always been keen on plants and looking after the one acre family garden, when I left school I joined Pershore College (now Warwick University campus) near to home, and started on the staff as a horticultural apprentice followed by a three year course in amenity horticulture.” Richard recalls his time at college: “In the middle year of my degree course at Pershore, I worked for six months at Hilliers on the nursery and spent six months abroad working for an export nursery in Holland. My duties were to collect plants from all the smaller nurseries, steering around the canals at Boskoop on a barge. After three months of doing this the boss of the nursery called me in and told me to spend a month repairing all the banks where I went too fast in the boat!” www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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INTERVIEW

At the end of his course, John Hillier (who was on the Pershore advisory panel) asked Richard to go back to the nursery full time, which he did. “I used to do all the shows with them – RHS Chelsea, Harrogate, Bath & West and Royal Welsh. But after two years I could see that although I had enjoyed it greatly, nursery work wasn’t for me. I was offered a position by a landscape architect I knew who worked at Derek Lovejoy & Partners in Bournemouth. The biggest scheme I worked on there was Basingstoke new town. We also worked on Gibraltar new town. Three and a half years later I received a letter out of the blue from Sir Harold Hillier asking if I’d like to come back to Hilliers and run the landscape department.” Had he kept in touch whilst he’d been away 34

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HILLIERS SAW THAT IT COULD NOT RELY PURELY ON SOFT LANDSCAPING DESIGNS AND REALISED THE NECESSITY OF COMBINING HARD AND SOFT LANDSCAPING FOR GARDEN SCHEMES from the company? “I’d kept in close contact throughout my time away and had continued to do the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.” What did the landscape department at Hilliers look like at that time? “It was fairly small, around 12 people, with a horticultural consultant and a couple of designers.” The

work was all soft landscaping at that time, “we used all our own nursery stock for planting and when the landscape work ran out the boys worked on the nursery. In 1971 I became landscape manager.” As the landscape industry grew and colleges such as Merrist Wood offered landscape training in order to survive, Hilliers saw that it couldn’t rely purely on soft landscaping designs and realised the necessity of combining hard and soft landscaping for garden schemes. So why did Richard decide to buy Hillier Landscapes? “There had been a movement by major nurseries to hive off their landscape departments so that they could concentrate on their core business of growing plants. Two such companies were Wyevale and Blakedown. In www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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INTERVIEW

WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE HILLIER NAME UNDER LICENCE WHICH HAS PROVED TO BE AN ENORMOUS ASSET 1996 after negotiations with the Hillier family we became a separate trading company. We were lucky enough to be able to keep the Hillier name under licence, which has proved to be an enormous asset. After almost 20 years under Richard’s direction we’re interested to find out what the business looks like now. “We’ve got six designers plus one in our Bristol branch who are all freelance, and each has their specialities. Our work split is 50% commercial and 50% domestic, with four to five teams on private and three bigger teams on commercial projects (which includes around 15% maintenance work), we also use specialist sub-contractors. Our numbers are generally steady at around 30 on the landscape teams, which is a manageable number. At the moment we don’t run separate maintenance teams on the domestic side, but we are thinking seriously about it, because it’s a great cash flow asset.” What about geographical areas covered? “We go down as far as south Kent, up as far as Oxford, Birmingham, across to South Wales, Somerset and west just touching Cornwall. We avoid central London because of all the logistical problems. The Channel Islands has always been a good place for us for larger garden projects.” With mention of the Channel Islands, Richard jumps back to their big break in terms of large contracts. “Our biggest contract in the Channel Islands was for the Barclay Bros on the island of Brecqhou – right next to Sark. It was worth £1.75m and got us going because it was our first major contract and ran from 1996-1997. We had 30 men for two years on the island. There was no port or jetty when we first started so the workers used to get in a dinghy from the Sark boat and were put ashore on the rocks. Materials were transported by setting up a blondin line where we used to winch everything over to land from the boat,” Richard laughs. www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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“There were one or two mishaps but nowadays they have a port. We’ve recently had five or six large contracts for design in the Channel Islands but sadly the states haven’t allowed us to take our own workforce over – they have to be residents so we subcontract to local businesses.” Digging a little into the structure of the business we find out about management structure. “Lyn and I are the two directors and shareholders, we also have a commercial manager/estimator/surveyor and he has a manager who oversees the work on the ground. Within the team there are supervisors and foremen. On the domestic side we have two contract managers in-house who quote and see contracts right the way from quoting through to completion, and they also have their own teams. The designers feed the work to the contract managers who then take it on from there. We have an accountant and Lyn is also admin director, health and safety plus HR manager and all staff are assisted by a full-time secretary.”

WE NOTICE THAT MORE YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO GO INTO HARD LANDSCAPING AND THERE IS A LACK OF PURE PLANTSMEN – THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED We want to find out from Richard about his views on encouraging new talent into the business and industry as a whole? “I’m very pro apprentices, which we actively promote. In terms of study I would ideally like apprentices to have more block release training, and the HTA/APL are starting a new initiative with an apprenticeship scheme – it’s good because the attendees will get to meet and socialise together. We notice that more young people want to go into hard landscaping and there is a lack of pure

1 BALI Principal Award in Regent’s Park 2 BALI Grand Award 2007 in New Forest 3 Gold and Best in Show at Chelsea 2007 4 APL Award in Bristol Pro Landscaper / September 2015 35

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INTERVIEW

WELL, WE SHOULD BE THINKING OF RETIRING AND SO IF ANY PRO LANDSCAPER ENTREPRENEURIAL READERS ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING ON THE COMPANY….. plantsmen – this is something that should be addressed.” And the future for Richard and Hillier Landscapes? “Well, we should be thinking of retiring and so if there any Pro Landscaper entrepreneurial readers interested in taking on the company...” (Richard laughs, although with an edge of seriousness). “We have been very fortunate in building a successful company achieving many awards around such a well-known and highly respected name.” So on hearing of Richard’s plans to retire from Hillier Landscapes we wonder what’s next for him? RHS Judging, continuing with judging the award entries for BALI and APL? He celebrated 50 continuous years of being

involved with RHS Chelsea (either building or judging gardens) this year with a presentation of a beautiful engraved glass vase. “I’m still very passionate and enthusiastic about our industry – if slightly exhausted! If I had my time again, I’d do it all exactly the same, this industry has given me a wonderful life. I would like to be able to spend more time doing the things I like and judging is one of those. At 70 I’m not sure what age you get thrown off panels but I’ll keep on as long as they’ll have me. Outside of work – well, there isn’t another serious hobby – this industry is my passion. I have an avid interest in history and classical music. Opera is my way of release. My 70th birthday earlier this year was spent on the Orient Express with a night at the opera in Venice – pure joy!” We leave our meeting in the safe knowledge that although Richard may be thinking of stepping away from his landscape business, he’s definitely not going anywhere soon in terms of his involvement in the industry. We thank him and Lynda for their insight into a lifetime in landscaping.

POSITIONS HELD 1977 Chairman, BALI South West Region 1980 Governor of Pershore College of Horticulture 1990 RHS Show Garden judge at all RHS flower shows 1995 Expert witness for The Law Society 2005 Member of RHS Shows Garden Panel 2009 External advisor to University of Worcester 2010 Vice Chairman of APL 2011 Adjudicator for BALI Awards 2012 Awards Chairman for APL 2012 Board member Horticultural Trades Association

1 Richard with Lynda receiving his RHS Associate of Honour 2011 2 BALI Principal Award – The Flower Garden, Gloucestershire 3 50 years at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

ABOUT HILLIER LANDSCAPES Ampfield House, Winchester Rd, Ampfield, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 9PA Tel: 01794 368855 Email: info@hillier-landscapes.co.uk Web: www.hillier-landscapes.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

Let's Hear it From.indd 36

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PORTFOLIO

HIGHLY COMMENDED HARD LANDSCAPING

PASSING ATTRACTION BEFORE

he client approached Julian Barclay Ltd to redesign their front garden and create an aesthetically pleasing area that was as low maintenance as possible while retaining a soft appearance. In particular, the driveway was required to blend into the front garden as the client owned several cars and each needed to be accommodated on the driveway with easy access to the road. The client also wished to separate the front garden and footpath adjacent to the road with www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Portfolio 1 Julian BarclayTW.indd 39

JULIAN BARCLAY LTD Using block paving, Indian sandstone and a circular design, Julian Barclay Ltd transformed this rundown front garden into a low maintenance driveway Victorian style iron railings that were in keeping with the properties in the surrounding area and maintained a feeling of space. Design and build The first phase of construction included clearing the site of unwanted vegetation and reshaping all trees located within the garden boundary. The second phase was to clear the site of extraneous soil and root material, after first removing the existing turf. Surplus concrete

and rubble waste was removed from the site so that the new driveway levels could be realigned to better suit the natural form of the ground. The client required the slope from the road to the garage to be reduced. Rubble saved from the demolition process was topped with 40mm down Type 1 road stone, graded to form a consistent, uniform slope and a strong base for the large number of cars. A channel drain was installed across Pro Landscaper / September 2015 39

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PORTFOLIO

the front of the garage emptying to a large soakaway underneath the main circular area, connected by a series of counter sloping four-inch drainpipes. All surface water from the tile and shingle and blocked paved areas of the drive was eventually channelled into this soakaway. The soakaway was constructed using blocks, forming an underground water storage tank in which a submersible pump was installed to provide a natural water source for irrigation to the front garden.

PROJECT DETAILS Project value up to £25k Build time 3 weeks Size of project Approx 400m2

A large circular area leading off the main driveway was created as a universal parking space. Block paving throughout was thought to be too commercial looking, hence the use of tar and shingle product to complement the Chelsea sets and brindle charcoal edging around the circle’s perimeter. To create a more ‘garden feel’, buff brown Indian sandstone was used to make the side access path and front doorstep, giving a softer appeal while maintaining functionality.

The flower and shrub beds were excavated by two to three inches to apply a semipermeable membrane and quality marine bark chippings, reducing weed growth and complementing the rich colours of the new driveway and patio. Upon completion of the main driveway and soft landscaping, Julian Barclay opted for a new powder coated bespoke iron fence in a traditional estate design to blend the newness of the front driveway with the more traditional style of the surrounding Victorian properties. The fencing was fabricated and installed by the team at Julian Barclay Ltd, but was sent to a third party for powder coating. Finally, it was noted that excavation of the driveway would leave the lime tree on the left hand side of the drive with its roots more exposed once the surface levels had been lowered. A brick supporting wall was constructed around the base of the lime tree, backfilled with soil to create a feature raised bed giving the opportunity to plant with colour at the head of the driveway. Materials Julian Barclay Ltd selected locally sourced products to contrast with and complement the property, creating an aesthetically appealing frontage. Where possible the company sources its materials from independent local suppliers.

1 A strong base was required to withstand the client’s several cars 2 The finished tar and shingle drive 3 Before construction began 4 Chelsea sets and brindle charcoal edgings edge the driveway

ABOUT JULIAN BARCLAY LTD Julian Barclay Ltd, launched as a sole trader in 1987 and has grown from a small business to a successful and reputable enterprise while retaining its core values. The complete landscaping and tree service company has diversified to include a wide range of services for both private and commercial customers, aiming to provide quality, professional services to all its clients.

www.julianbarclay.com

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PORTFOLIO

Challenges There were many hurdles to overcome during the construction and development phase of the scheme and although the finished product looks uncomplicated (which was ultimately the desired outcome), the project presented many challenges that the team at Julian Barclay Ltd found very satisfying and rewarding to overcome. Drainage was a key problem in the development of the project due to the property and ground being lower than the roadside. Therefore, a transverse soakaway system was constructed underneath the main circle of the driveway. All water run-off from the driveway extending towards the garage was collected by means of an 4in underground drainage pipe, from a channel drain in front of the garage door running back against the slope of the land into a soakaway. 5

The driveway was created on top of rubble, crushed concrete and a Type 1 dressing

Indian sandstone on the path and step softens the tar and shingle drive

7&8 Clearing the site of unwanted vegetation 9

Rubble and 40mm down Type 1 road stone was graded to form a uniform slope

REFERENCES Contractor

Paving

Julian Barclay Ltd

Bradstone

Leiston Enterprise Centre, Eastlands Industrial Estate, Leiston IP16 4US Tel 01728 635 342 Web www.julianbarclay.com

Tel 01335 372 289 Web www.bradstone.com

Fencing J T Pegg and Sons

Park Rd, Aldeburgh, Suffolk IP15 5EU Tel 01728 452 281 Web www.jtpeggandsons.co.uk

Flowers and Shrubs Botanica Nurseries

Chantry Farm, Campsea Ashe, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 0PZ Tel 01728 747 113 Web www.botanicaplantnursery.co.uk All drainage work was supplied and installed by Julian Barclay Ltd

Tar, shingle and bark Julian Barclay Ltd

www.kings-landscaping.co.uk

Leiston Enterprise Centre, Eastlands Industrial Estate, Leiston IP16 4US Tel 01728 635 342 Web www.julianbarclay.com

10 To the right of the house, before and after www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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PORTFOLIO

OUTDOO R LIVING

ABOUT LONGVIEW DESIGN Longview Design is a creative landscape architecture and garden design practice based in the heart of West Sussex. We offer a friendly and professional service to developers, architects and private corporate and domestic clients both nationally and internationally. The practice is a partnership between Joe Perkins and David Dodd who together have 47 years of experience in the industry, Joe as a landscape architect and David as founder and owner of the respected landscape design and construction company The Outdoor Room.

www.longviewdesign.co.uk

1 The completed pool, terrace and hot tub 2 The completed garden from the pool area 3 Over 4 miles of western red cedar slats used to create the screening 4 The outdoor shower with hot and cold running water 5 View from inside the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;indoorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kitchen 6 The barbecue and sink components of the outdoor kitchen 7 Outdoor sofa and coffee table

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PORTFOLIO

PROJECT DETAILS Project value ÂŁ180k Build time Design: June 2014 Construction: January 2015-May 2015 with ongoing works to front garden Size of project 365mÂ˛

DESIGN LONGVIEW ex demanding scheme with a

pl n delivers a com Thames Longview Desig Kingston-Uponin en rd ga n w to a r brief fo

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Portfolio 2 Longview.indd 43

he client asked for a clean, modern, design to complement their beautiful Victorian house which had been built in the 1850s but modernised throughout, with a stunning kitchen glazed at one end to allow a full view of the garden. The existing west-facing garden was uninspiring, with an awkwardly shaped terrace at one end and raised kidney-shaped swimming pool at the other. The pool dominated the garden which, with the raised decking surround, foreshortened the view effectively cutting the space in half. The brief was to include a 7x3m countercurrent pool with a sun terrace and garden room. A plant room and furniture store was also required along with a hot tub and provision for an outdoor shower. Privacy was cited as a concern as the garden is surrounded by three and four storey houses. At the house end of the garden a dining terrace with space for outdoor lounge furniture and built-in barbeque was to be created, without detracting from the view from the kitchen. There was no access to the garden from the sitting room, but there was an existing set of French doors so new steps had to be designed to allow for this. Pro Landscaper / September 2015 43

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PORTFOLIO

The design The design needed to accommodate the above requirements in a reasonably limited space while maintaining a clean style and avoiding being cluttered. Longview chose to restrict the hard-landscape palette to just three materials – Purbeck limestone paving, London stock brick for the walls (to match the house) and western red cedar for the carpentry work. The main terrace opens out to one side of the kitchen to retain the view from inside with steps from the sitting room leading down into an outdoor lounge area, framed at one end by the barbeque, with sink, work surface and cupboards below. A stepping stone path takes the eye over the lawn, connecting the pool area to the dining terrace. A series of intermittent timber screens designed to accentuate the vertical, run down both sides of the garden. These tie into a similarly

DESIGN PLAN New lawn edged with aluminium Purbeck stone paving laid in courses to match pool area

Existing robinia

Bespoke vertical slatted screening alternating with ‘green screens’ of steel mesh and trachelospermum jasminoides

designed timber and steel gazebo, beneath which is a sunken area with hot tub and shower. The garden lighting is understated but effective, with lights fitted to the timberwork of the screens and gazebo, again highlighting the vertical planes, which contrast with the horizontals of the paving and swimming pool. The build During the build the main challenge was water. A natural spring fed into the north east corner of the garden where the sunken hot-tub area was sited, continually filling the area around the external pool shell. A sump had to be constructed, with an automatic pump to keep the water at a level below the finished paving. The planting The planting had to be reasonably easy to maintain, but it was also expected to be

1 no. step up to pool area, with 500mm stone mowing margin at lawn level

3 no. steps down to sunken hot tub area (480mm below pool paving)

Paving and pool coping to be purbeck limestone (2nd cut thornback), laid in 500,300 and 200mm coursed widths, random lengths

dynamic and change with the seasons. Structural shrubs such as Pittosporum and Viburnum are used amongst grasses and perennials, with bulbs such as Allium and Camassia providing accents. Screening and height was needed for privacy and to offset the dominance of the gazebo and pool plant-room. Carpinus betulus ‘Frans Fontaine’ was chosen to form a backdrop to the garden, with multi-stem Betula utilis var. ‘Jaquemontii’, Amelanchier lamarkii and a sculptural Parrotia persica planted to frame the view from the kitchen towards the gazebo. The design required an outstanding level of finish and detailing and this was more than provided by the main contractor, The Outdoor Room, which worked together with some of the finest specialists in the industry to produce a result of which the client is justifiably proud.

Built in timber bench with storage below

Low retaining wall with stone coping Boffi outdoor shower Bespoke slatted gazebo with hot tub under Existing brick wall rebuilt

Stabilised gravel path Swimming pool

Screen planting to include specimen evergreen trees

Pool house/plant room and garden storage. A bespoke timber building with flat roof and flue for boiler

New slatted New stone timber gate steps give access to sitting room

Portfolio 2 Longview.indd 44

Built-in gas bbq with work surface/ cupboards Outdoor underneath. sofa and Bar stools chairs with cantilevered provide additional parasol(s) seating over

Existing bay tree retained and pruned Stepping stone path using purbeck stone gives dry access to pool area

Planting bed with some tall screening plants to break up the pool house

Bespoke vertical slatted screening alternating with green screens of steel mesh and trachelospermum jasminoides

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PORTFOLIO

1 View from the pool edge back towards the house

5 New Purbeck stone terrace being laid

2 Sunken hot tub under the bespoke slatted gazebo

6 The pool shell under construction

3 The ‘lounge’ area with outdoor kitchen

7 Initial visualisation of the finished garden

4 The ‘before’ garden

8 Purbeck pool coping and hot-tub area

REFERENCES Contractor

Worktop

Trees

Knoll Gardens

The Outdoor Room

Margrasil Ltd

Ebben Nurseries

Luxford House, Farren Court, Cowfold, West Sussex RH13 8BP Tel 01403 865 285 Web www.theoutdoorroom.co.uk

Unit E, Star Road Trading Estate, Star Road, Partridge Green, West Sussex RH13 8RA Tel 01403 710 485 Email quote@margrasil.co.uk Web www.margrasil.co.uk

Beerseweg 45 | 5431 LB Cuijk Postbus 124 | 5430 AC Cuijk The Netherlands Tel +31 (0)485 31 20 21 Email info@ebben.nl Web www.ebben.nl/en/

Stapehill Road, Hampreston, Wimborne BH21 7ND Tel 01202 873 931 Email enquiries@knollgardens.co.uk Web www.knollgardens.co.uk

Longview Design

Barbeque

Plants

Urbis Design

Luxford House, Farren Court, Cowfold, West Sussex RH13 8BP Tel 01403 865 667 Web www.longviewdesign.co.uk

Cedar Nursery

Provender Nurseries Ltd

Horsley Road, Cobham Surrey KT11 3JX Tel 01932 862 473 Email sales@landscaping.co.uk Web www.landscaping.co.uk

The Landscape Centre, Leydenhatch Lane, Swanley, Kent BR8 7PS Tel 01322 662 315 Email enquiries@provendernurseries.co.uk Web www.provendernurseries.co.uk

30 Full Sutton Industrial Estate Full Sutton, York YO41 1HS Tel/Fax 01759 373839 Email rm@urbisdesign.co.uk Web www.urbisdesign.co.uk

Pots

Designer

Stone Lovell Purbeck Limited

Irrigation

Downs Quarry, Kingston Road, Langton Matravers, Swanage, Dorset BH19 3JP Tel 01929 439 255 Email sales@lovellpurbeck.com Web www.lovellpurbeck.com

Landscapeplus Limited

Evergreen Exterior Services Ltd

Unit 1, Kemble Business Park Crudwell, Wiltshire, SN16 9SH Tel 01666 577 577 Email help@landscapeplus.com Web www.landscapeplus.com

21 Croydon Lane, Banstead, Surrey SM7 3BW Tel 020 8770 9200 Email sales@evergreenext.co.uk Web www.evergreenext.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Pro Landscaper / September 2015 45

19/08/2015 15:03

PORTFOLIO

TALK OF THE TOWN QUADRON SERVICES

Courtenay Park in Newton Abbot is a formal town park maintained by Quadron Services

uadron maintains Courtenay Park in Newton Abbot on behalf of Teignbridge District Council. Courtenay Park is one of 20 formal parks managed by Teignbridge District Council, and Quadron has been responsible for its maintenance since December 2010, when the company won the council’s grounds maintenance contract. In 2014, Quadron won a British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) National Award for its maintenance of the park, having demonstrated a high standard of workmanship, professional presentation, consideration to sustainability and client satisfaction.

The community regards the Green Flag accredited park as a vital part of the town and it is one of the main recreational spaces. It offers a mix of facilities for local people of all ages, including a sensory garden, a pond and surrounding bog gardens, a play area, teen shelter, toilets, annual floral display beds and ample grassed areas on which to kick a ball or enjoy a picnic. There is also a bowling green within the park, but this is not maintained by Quadron. Courtenay Park is one of Teignbridge’s most diversely planted parks. It contains shrub beds, seasonal bedding displays, rose beds, bog plants and a sustainable garden.

The park This Victorian park has an area of 3.4ha and retains many of its original features. Situated opposite Newton Abbot’s railway station and just 700m from the bustling town centre, it is a smart town park with manicured horticultural features and specimen trees.

Maintenance Quadron’s on-site gardener is present in the park from Monday to Friday during the spring and summer seasons and is a familiar face to visitors. He is supported by a three-person team for larger tasks such as mowing. Quadron’s contract with Teignbridge District Council requires the on-site gardener to be present 75% of the working week with 25% of his time spent on smaller areas close to the park. Having a near-permanent on-site presence gives park visitors a friendly face to report problems to, as well as providing a feeling of increased safety. Quadron’s gardener takes great pride in ensuring the park looks its best and is meticulous in carrying out a round of litter picking first thing every morning so that the first visitors of the day are greeted with a clean and tidy park. He also visually inspects the equipment in the children’s play area for safety before continuing with horticultural maintenance work.

ABOUT QUADRON SERVICES Founded in 1993, Quadron is an award-winning green space management company priding itself on the quality of its work and proactive approach towards cultivating sustainable green communities. Quadron provides grounds maintenance services to a number of local authorities and housing associations throughout London, the Midlands and the South West. The company currently maintains 69 Green Flag accredited parks and has been recognised with three BALI Principal Awards in the last two years.

www.quadronservices.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

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WINNER

Grounds Maintenance

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

19/08/2015 14:56

PORTFOLIO

Courtenay Park Address: Courtenay Park Rd, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 Opening times: All year round

1 One of the park’s mature trees 2 The park’s sustainable garden. Members of the local community help to maintain this area of the park 3 Quadron Contract Manager Mark Dawes (third from left) and Teignbridge Council staff receive the park’s 2015/16 Green Flag 4 Vibrant summer bedding near the park’s entrance 5 Courtenay Park offers a quiet place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of Newton Abbot’s town centre and the nearby railway station 6 The park’s level paths and clear site lines mean it is perceived as a safe place and is popular with all ages www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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PORTFOLIO

He says, “I am lucky enough to work in my favourite park but it needs plenty of attention to take it through its many seasonal changes. Hundreds of people pass through the park every day, many of whom stop to enjoy the peace. There are plenty of quiet places with benches where they can read, think, or simply watch the world go by. I take pride in what I do and try to get on well with the public. It’s nice to chat with them and receive positive feedback about my work.” Sustainability As an ISO 14001 acreddited company, Quadron aims to adopt sustainable, environmentally friendly practices in its maintenance activities. While Courtenay Park does not generate a large amount of green waste, what is produced is composted on site to be used as mulch. Bedding is ordered from a supplier which provides the plants in peat-free compost and an electric John Deere E-Gator vehicle has also been deployed in the park and local area. This vehicle has the advantage of zero emissions and low noise levels, and so provides minimal disturbance to visitors enjoying the park. Community Both Quadron and Teignbridge District Council are keen to encourage community involvement, and the Friends of Courtenay Park takes an active interest in the development of the park. Quadron has also assisted the council in running several events with local school children. These have included sowing wildflower seed and the construction of bird boxes and a bug hotel in the park. Teignbridge District Council’s vision statement for the park is: “To maintain and develop the park in a long term sustainable manner sympathetic to the needs of the area and its historical nature, while meeting the long term needs of people today and future generations.” Quadron is pleased to be able to contribute to the realisation of these aims in this well-loved town park. 48

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

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REFERENCES Contractor Quadron Services

The Hub, Warne Road, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset BS23 3UU Tel 01934 614444 Web www.quadronservices.co.uk Plants Blaise Nursery

Bristol City Council, Kingsweston Road Lawrence Weston, Bristol, BS10 0XF Tel 0117 903 1404

1 The park is mainly grass which is mowed by a three-person team 2 Local school children visit the park to join in with planting seasonal bedding 3 A special commemorative carpet bedding arrangement was planted in 2014 to mark the centenary of the start of World War One

Machinery John Deere

Harby Road, Langar, Nottinghamshire NG13 9HT Web www.deere.co.uk Ransomes Jacobsen

West Road, Ransomes Europark, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9TT Web www.jacobsen.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

19/08/2015 14:57

PORTFOLIO

ON TOP FORM WOODBLOCX WoodBlocX helped create a functional outdoor space with raised beds and seating at Stratford One, one of the capital’s most desirable student apartment complexes

1 WoodBlocX raised beds, planters and seating were used throughout the 700m3 terrace at Stratford One 2 Hardwearing seating 3 Students can enjoy views across Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 4 Mixed planting was used throughout 5 Planting close-up 6 Seating close-up 7 Raised beds border the main building Photography: Martin Mulchinock

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Portfolio 4 WoodblockX.indd 49

ith extensive views of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford One is a student accommodation giant and Unite’s latest London development. The site incorporates more than 1,000 flats, state-ofthe-art facilities and dedicated areas for study and relaxation. The brief was to provide a practical and functional outdoor space across the building’s rooftop podiums and terrace, which reflected the design and ethos of the rest of the site. Urban Planters was engaged by the main contractor, Westfield Design & Construction, to provide the landscaping elements for the project. Working closely with Westfield Design & Construction, the architects and Newham Council planning, a concept was proposed that incorporated large timber planters, seating and walkways. Pro Landscaper / September 2015 49

19/08/2015 12:40

PORTFOLIO

Raised beds and seating Railway sleepers were originally planned for the timber element of the build, but after researching alternative solutions for creating a combination of raised beds and seating, the site’s project manager modified the plans and opted for the WoodBlocX system, which fuses together pressure treated FSC pine blocks using a series of dowels. WoodBlocX components are manufactured in five different sizes and work in the same way as bricks. Any capping and angled parts are pre-mitred, saving installers significant build time and eliminating the need for sawing, drilling and disposing of waste, a plus point for large installations. The installation of the raised beds took place at the final stage of the apartment build, before the site was opened to students. Cranes were used to lift the pallets of WoodBlocX and other materials to the higher levels and WoodBlocX and Urban Planter’s install teams worked together to build the ten raised beds and 20 separate seating areas.

ABOUT WOODBLOCX Part of Munro Sawmills, WoodBlocX launched in 2012. Offering a unique alternative to railway sleepers and wooden boards, its pre-drilled, pressure treated blocks are quick to build and create attractive, hardwearing, long lasting structures. WoodBlocX works with professional clients across a number of industries providing landscaping solutions including raised beds, retaining walls, kerbing, seating and steps. The company’s in-house design team works closely with clients to deliver on time and to budget whilst providing technical expertise along the way. WoodBlocX also has a successful domestic division.

www.woodblocx.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

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PROJECT DETAILS Project value £150,000 Build time 3 months Size of project 700m2 plus six smaller roof terraces and a podium garden

Construction Each bed was built directly on top of a porous plastic layer to ensure adequate drainage once planting was in place; the walkways and remaining spaces were paved using square slabs and edges finished with decorative pebbles. One of the benefits of the WoodBlocX system is that structures can be built without the need for foundations, larger structures include buttresses every 1.5m and the unique dowel and wedge system combined with the robust pressure treatment of the wood means the materials can withstand large amounts of force. The final design for the main terrace incorporated six raised beds in total with wide, angular structures to border the edges of the terrace and exterior walls of the building, with islands placed centrally within the space, each incorporating seating and lighting. Planting The brief for the planting scheme was to provide plants that were suitable to the conditions of the area, to provide year-round interest and encourage biodiversity. The

planting sourced by Urban Planters from Classiflora used a mixture of herbs, grasses, ferns and shrubs, providing immediate impact, offering easy maintenance for staff and consistent colour for residents to enjoy throughout the year. www.prolandscapermagazine.com

19/08/2015 12:37

PORTFOLIO

REFERENCES WoodBlocX

Sub contractor

Tel 0800 389 1420 Email admin@woodblocx.co.uk Web www.woodblocx.co.uk

Urban Planters

Client

Planting

Unite

Classiflora

Tel 0300 303 8645 Email salesenquiry@unite-students.com Web www.unitestudents.com

Tel 08700 600 420 Email info@classiflora.com Web www.classiflora.com

1 Views across the Olympic Park

6 Spacious areas to enjoy the view

2 Aerial view

7 The build in progress

Main contractor

3 Colourful planting

8 The team on site

Westfield Design & Construction

4 Square paving and decorative stone offer a low maintenance finish

9 Seating and planting sit side by side

5 Students enjoy the space

11 Contemporary lighting

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Portfolio 4 WoodblockX.indd 51

10 Planting offers year round interest

Tel 0800 358 2245 Web www.urbanplanters.co.uk

Tel 020 7061 1400 Web www.westfieldcorp.com

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 51

19/08/2015 12:38

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We offer a free design service and are always available to help on-line or over the phone.

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20/08/2015 12:33

NURSERY

NURSERY NEWS Book a Barcham Tree selection visit to ensure exact autumn requirements Late summer and early autumn is one of the busiest times of year for Barcham Trees’ Julie Tenney. It is then when existing and potential customers contact her to arrange nursery visits to select the exact trees they require for their autumn planting schedules.

“Visiting the nursery to select stock is becoming increasingly important to our customers,” says Julie, “and we are always delighted to arrange a visit, when we can spend time with them as they select stock for autumn delivery. We get booked up quickly, so I

NURSERY NOTES

would urge people to make an appointment as soon as possible” Barcham Trees, close to Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire, is Europe’s biggest container tree nursery, covering 300 acres and offering 450 species and cultivars. It has a rigorous biosecurity system that holds any imported stock for a complete growing season before releasing it for planting. To arrange a visit telephone Julie Tenney on 01353 720 748 or email: julie@barchamtrees.co.uk

Entry deadline extended for AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards 2016 The deadline for entry to the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) International Grower of the Year Awards 2016 has been extended. Ornamental production nurseries wishing to enter now have until Friday 11 September. The awards, organised with founding partner FloraCulture International, recognise best practice in ornamental horticultural production from all over the world. Growers of ornamental crops anywhere in the world are invited to compete for the coveted Gold Rose. There are three entry categories to suit different types of grower businesses: Category 1 – Finished Plants and trees www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Nursery news - amy.indd 53

Category 2 – Young Plants Category 3 – Cut Flowers and Foliage Any grower association (not just AIPH members) can nominate growers for each category or growers can nominate themselves. A translation service is also provided so entries can be received in grower’s native language. The Awards will be hosted during IPM Essen in Germany, the world’s leading trade fair for horticulture. This will deliver an even bigger and better venue than ever before for the Awards Gala Dinner, which will take place at the Messe Essen on Thursday 28 January 2016. AIPH Secretary General, Tim Briercliffe, commented: “I

encourage any grower that believes in what they are doing and believes that they are the best, to enter. This is an opportunity of a lifetime.” Winner of the Gold Rose in 2014, Peter van de Pol from Schoneveld Breeding in the Netherlands said: “Not only did winning this prize give our company international recognition, but it has also provided us with a valuable marketing tool. This international validation of all we are striving to achieve and the recognition by our industry peers means so much.” For more information visit: www.aiph.org/groweroftheyear or email maria.wallin@aiph.org.

We have been very busy lately producing all our new stock for the coming season. The greenhouse team have been producing cuttings and taking care of our plugs ready for them to be potted on by the ladies in the potting shed. All this hard work has produced some fantastic looking new 9cm and 2L stock ready to look good in any garden. The potting shed team are looking towards next year and are potting up some of our open ground plants into 2L pots to start growing next season. This includes our extensive range of irises. Meanwhile the open ground team has been busy preparing the fields and stock ready for the new open ground season. They have been producing our open ground stock over the past few months ready to start selling soon. They started digging our first bare root iris orders in August, something that will carry on until April. Finally we have welcomed a new member of staff into our office. Sharon Baird began working in the greenhouse and packing shed in March. She has now taken on a new role supporting office administration. www.howardnurseries.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 53

20/08/2015 16:17

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18/08/2015 15:28

NURSERY

Wyevale Nurseries moves with the times with new website

Wyevale Nurseries has officially launched its new interactive website, in keeping with new logo, company colours and restructuring. The Hereford company has a completely new website with a range of features including an interactive product library. Adam Dunnett, sales and marketing

director at Wyevale Nurseries, said: “Our new website was designed to represent the restructure we made last year and show the new focus within our company. “Using the new logo and company colours we hope it illustrates our company’s long history, the depth of knowledge,

which comes with such heritage and our ambitious, innovative plans for the future. “The new interactive product library on the website is continuously growing and being developed. Using this key feature customers are able to source a magnitude of information on specific varieties. Search options are available to allow filtering on a range of plant features and tolerances, providing a useful tool for product selection. “There is now detailed information about each of our production divisions highlighting our point of difference from other suppliers. We are the only UK nursery to offer the full spectrum of stock – trees, hedging transplants and small to specimen sized container grown stock.” The website also features topical news stories about the industry and bulletins about Wyevale Nurseries, its staff, events and future plans.

Updated stock lists will be available so people can see the range of stock the nursery offers. The company has listened to customer requests and they can now be downloaded by product category both as a PDF and in an Excel spreadsheet. All of Wyevale Nurseries’ catalogues are available to download and its 2015 autumn catalogue and 2016 promotional catalogues aimed at garden centres and retail markets will soon be added. People interested in joining the team at the nursery will be able to view the job vacancies section. This will be regularly updated. The website will also list contact details for all key members of staff so customers can get in contact with them easily. Wyevale Nurseries has also invested time into its social media accounts this year and live feeds are featured on the homepage. www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk

What does ‘sustainable plant design mean’ to todays industry leaders? In a recent study of landscape professionals commissioned by Palmstead Nurseries it was revealed that less than a fifth of clients put sustainability at the top of the brief. Ahead of Palmstead’s forthcoming soft landscape workshop on 16 September keynote speakers landscape architects Ken Trew and Brita von Schoenaich, designer Mary Reynolds and ecologist Dusty Gedge spoke about what more the industry can do to raise the profile of sustainability. Working with Argents on the Kings Cross site Ken Trew sees sustainability as part and parcel of everyday life in 2015: “Developers are well versed in dealing with www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Nursery news - amy.indd 55

sustainability - designers need to be more persuasive about what their clients can achieve – the ball is in their court. Biodiversity and green roof guru Dusty Gedge throws the focus back on developers: “Sustainability in landscape needs to be taken seriously by developers. The trouble has been a fixation with carbon but climate change will mean we will need to face issues of excessive heat and flash floods. Both of these issues are best dealt with through the design and use of good landscapes.” Gedge believes that green infrastructure should be led by the landscaping and ecological world and then qualified by the traditional

built environment professions rather than the other way round: “The really successful cities in north America are allowing landscape and ecology to lead the process.” The use of big trees in inner city designs is central. Brita von Schoenaich said: “The issue is it is becoming increasingly difficult to find spaces for forest-type trees. We are aware of climate change, urban heat island and air pollution and in that context we need leaf biomass and volume of trees. Garden designer Mary Reynolds said: “The only truly sustainable solution is to slow down and allow the land to become what it wants to become, woodland, wetland,

whatever it is. To register for the workshop in Ashford visit: www.palmstead.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 55

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19/08/2015 15:17

NURSERY

THE ART OF GLASS Ian Drummond celebrates terrariums, a low maintenance form that can create self-supporting microclimates

Terrariums, originally a Victorian concept with dusty, fusty associations, have come a long way and are now a trend we are seeing across the industry because they are an easy and intriguing way to bring green indoors. Part of their popularity lies in their self-containment – the glass forms a microclimate so they can be positioned almost anywhere as long as they have sufficient light and heat. But it also lies in the opportunity for visual creativity through the interplay between the vessel and the plants contained within it. The vessel itself can be of any design, with different styles and sizes now widely available be they angular or curved, geometric or asymmetric. There is also an opportunity for bespoke design here, contrasting with or reflecting the broader aesthetic of the building. Terrariums also require little or no maintenance, depending on whether they are open or closed. Closed terrariums create their own water cycle, meaning they hardly ever need to be watered and can basically look after themselves – maintenance is more www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Ian DrummondTW.indd 57

a matter of cleanliness, making sure the glass remains pristine in order to show the plants within to their best advantage. This brings me to the best bit, the planting choices. Of course this depends on a multitude of factors including the dimensions of the terrarium, whether it is open or closed and whether a single specimen is chosen or a miniature ‘landscape’ effect is desired. Airplants (Tillandsia) are always a good choice and for a minimalist aesthetic, position them on a rock or rugged slate for support. These plants take all their water and nutrition from the air, consuming dust and dead plant material and looking great while they’re at it! Succulents and cacti also have so much to offer, with their myriad of quirky shapes, subtle hues of colour and textural interest within their plump, fleshy leaves. I’m enjoying the trend for terrariums – they’re a glass act! ABOUT IAN DRUMMOND Ian Drummond is the creative director of Indoor Garden Design, Europe’s leading interior landscape design company. Based in Highgate, north London, 2015 sees IGD celebrate its 40th year in business.

www.indoorgardendesign.com Pro Landscaper / September 2015 57

19/08/2015 11:45

NURSERY

Do we really need to fear a swarm of alien migrants overwhelming native species? Noel Kingsbury thinks not The press love a good invasive alien story. Shades of martians landing and/or man-eating triffids on the prowl. There is often a hint of racism too, invasive plants almost inevitably come with national labels: Japanese knotweed, Spanish bluebells and the language used to describe them is not unlike that used to discuss immigration issues in certain quarters. The landscape industry is very much in the frontline here, both in preventing the use and spread of invasive aliens and sometimes in their control too. But how much of a problem do we really face? I would argue that the invasive alien story is in danger of being grossly exaggerated and those of us who work in horticulture and landscape need to keep a cool head. First of all, we need to realise how lucky we are. While some countries battle enormously damaging invasive species, Britain faces relatively few real problems. We have an amazingly aggressive natural grass flora, which has evolved to benefit from the exceptionally long growing season we have – the result of our being on the north-west fringes of Europe facing the warm waters of the Atlantic. Our wild grasses have an incredible ability to spread, propagate and suffocate most of what comes in their way. They may create problems in establishing garden or landscape plants but they are a great defence against invaders. So what problems do we face? The obvious answer is Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica – left). 58

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

Noel Kingsbury.indd 58

ALIEN INVASION? The press love stories about it and the government has responded by enacting legislation that potentially adds considerable costs to landscaping and construction projects. However, it does not seed, it is suffocated by trees, is easily killed with herbicide, eliminated by mowing and makes little headway against grasses. Neither does it kill small dogs (unlike, we are told, seagulls). It is a big problem in a very small number of localities. The main reason for its spread has been the moving of infected soil, something entirely preventable. It is important to realise that it is not going to overwhelm the country.

WHILE SOME COUNTRIES BATTLE ENORMOUSLY DAMAGING INVASIVE SPECIES, BRITAIN FACES RELATIVELY FEW REAL PROBLEMS Perspective is one thing that those who get very excited by invasive aliens find difficult to maintain. Particularly important is recognising the difference between the spread of a species and it being problematic. Buddleia is a good example. Its appearance on buildings worries property owners (rightfully) but its extensive seeding into waste ground creates an impression that it has capacity to spread. This is liable to alarm those with a dogmatic understanding of ecology, who believe that only native species have a right to be here. Given time, buddleia gets suppressed by native grasses and in particular by our native brambles and shrubs. However even at its most vigorous it grows alongside other plants and of course butterflies love it.

The plants we need to worry about are those that are not suppressed by our native vegetation and/or get the better of it, even though they may only be problems in particular places. Rhododendron x superponticum is a good example of something that does both of these, spreading even in thick woodland and suppressing almost anything that grows in its dense shade. Certain cotoneasters might be another, but only with regard to very localised habitats (cliff faces). With time many seemingly aggressive species decline, as local infective agents and pests discover them – there is evidence that this has happened with Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) in continental Europe. Given the costs and difficulties of eradication, keeping a cool head and focusing on identifying real problems, not headline-generating ones, is vital. Above: Rhododendron x superponticum dominating waterside habitat in Yorkshire. Maybe the otters like it for cover but I can’t imagine much else does.

ABOUT NOEL KINGSBURY Noel Kingsbury has been involved in the horticulture industry since the mid eighties, as a nurseryman, garden designer and writer, with features appearing in The Garden, The Daily Telegraph and Gardens Illustrated. He has played a major role in introducing the British gardening public and the horticulture profession to naturalistic planting with a series of books since the mid nineties, four of which he has written with Dutch designer Piet Oudolf. He teaches and lectures widely on planting design with a particular interest in running workshops on long-term plant performance. He lives and gardens in the Welsh Borders.

www.noelkingsbury.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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18/08/2015 15:35

NURSERY

NURSERY FACTFILE

3 1

DIFFERENT WAYS TO BUY THROUGH CLASSIFLORAZELARI

Direct from the nursery in Pistoia

 Cost effective bulk purchase option the Zelari estate and personally  Visit select plants (minimum order of €10,000 plus transportation)

HISTORY Since 1953, the Zelari Piante nursery has expanded to 180 hectares and it now has four additional units: two in Pistoia and a growing site in Montecatini (a 15 minute drive from Pistoia), a region on average one degree warmer than Pistoia. The soil is acidic, with a pH of 6, compared to Pistoia’s 7.5-8, meaning different plants can be grown there. The fourth site is in the South of Tuscany, where there is a range of Mediterranean plants. Zelari Piante exports 1,000,000 plants a year to 16 European countries. In addition the company has a network of contract growers that provide specific lines For example it is able to provide around 120 different grasses, 30 types of miscanthus and 18 varieties of agapanthus. There are around 65 employees at the nurseries, but the company also has the largest landscape building section in the country, based in several different locations around Italy including Milan, Venice, Rome, Lamezia Terme in Calabria and Bari, taking the total number of employees to 540. The landscape team mainly carries out large contract work and has completed some prestigious contracts such as the HQs of fashion houses Diesel and Prada. In the UK, 45% of Zelari’s business consists of nurseries, 20% landscapers and garden centres make up 35%. 60

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

Nursery Factfile.indd 60

free provided you are VAT  VAT registered in the UK (not including transportation) lorry loads a week leaving  Multiple Italy so part loads deliverable (minimum drawdown €5,000)

Through ClassiﬂoraZelari

 Unique service prices are inclusive of delivery  All therefore only one invoice issued are acclimatised, cleaned and  Plants quality controlled prior to delivery can be at a time to suit,  Delivery with minimum drawdown of £1,250

“

In August, Pro Landscaper was delighted to accept an invitation to Zelari Piante, one of the largest nurseries in the Pistoia region of Italy. Stefano Sogni, a sales manager who has been with the company for 27 years and has a wealth of experience, showed us around the main nursery and two other sites owned by the business to get an idea of the range of plants and trees that are supplied to the UK direct and through their partners ClassiﬂoraZelari in the UK.

“

ClassifloraZelari is one of the UK’s leading specialists in the import and supply of hardy exterior European specimen plants, trees, shrubs and topiary at competitive prices.

Buy what’s in stock from ClassiﬂoraZelari

 Little and often option. the UK nursery and buy  Visit instantly from the range on offer paid on orders over  Carriage £500 (average 2 trolleys) orders below £500 delivery  For charge applies

HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM CLASSIFLORA ZELARI: • Landscapers and designers can expect to receive high quality products in large quantities with guaranteed uniformity. • The nursery will supply to exact speciﬁcations. • Speed – fast service provided from quotation to delivery. • CAD drawing service and design assistance available if required. • Full inclusive buying trips arranged if required to personally select the products. • Wide range of purchasing options. • Short notice amendments no problem. • Personal service from dedicated account manager.

SHOW GARDENS In 2014, ClassiﬂoraZelari produced and supplied the plants for a show garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show – the Just Retirement Garden designed and built by Jack Dunckley Garden Design. One of the main varieties grown on the nursery and used within the garden was Agapanthus x Pitchoune Blue, a long lasting variety that ﬂowers from the end of April right through to the end of October.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/08/2015 13:51

NURSERY SEE CLASSIFLORA ZELARI AT

Tuesday 17 November Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher, Surrey KT10 9AJ

PLANT TRENDS The most popular plant choice is Photinia (amounting to 12% of the company’s turnover), which is sold in a range of sizes from 3L up to 500L. Furthermore, if you break the statistics down into the type, size and style of photinia sold, the most popular is pleached and panels for screening, which has been the trend for the last 4-5 years. The next most popular sales are bamboos and then leylandii. In summary, the trend is mostly for evergreens to be used for privacy.

LOCATION Pistoia is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy, located about 19 miles north-west of Florence. It is a typical Italian medieval city and it attracts many tourists, especially in the summer. The fact that it is so important as an area for plant growers is a result of several factors. The region has a microclimate sheltered by the Apennines on one side with the Ligurian Sea on the other; fertile, well-drained alluvial soils, and a long vegetative period that allows for trade production of specimens quicker than in other competitor nursery zones of Europe. Pistoia is approximately 45 minutes from Pisa airport and 30 minutes from Florence. Both are accessible from several UK airports.

POPULAR VARIETIES

Large Screening & Hedges Bamboo

Quercus Ilex

Ilex Aquif

Photina Pleached STD Trees (carpinus, photinia, quercus) Red Robin Laurus Nobilis

Laurels

CONTACT Zelari Piante s.s. Via Pratese, 527 51100 Chiazzano Pistoia, Italy Tel +39 0573 445.164 Fax +39 0573 445.190 Web www.zelari.it Email info@zelari.it

Buxus

Pleached Espalier Frames (photina, trachelospermum Jasmin)

Climbers Wisteria

Trachelospermum Jasmine

Architectural Topiary Spirals

Pom Pom

3 Balls on Stem

½ STD’s All available in Ligustrum, Cupressus,Thuja, Ilex, Bay

Others

Olives: all shapes and sizes..

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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ClassifloraZelari Heathfield Nurseries Parklands, Waltham Abbey Essex EN9 2AG Tel 08700 600420 Fax 08700 600421 Web www.classiflora.com Email info@classiflora.com

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 61

20/08/2015 13:52

Soft Landscape Workshop “Strictly Sustainable”

Noel Farrer PLi

Dusty Gedge

Mary Reynolds

Tim O’Hare

Discussing all aspects of what sustainability can mean to landscape & plantings. From macro scale to surviving Box Blight.

September 16th 2015 Ashford, Kent 09:00—16:00 £33 incl VAT A great line up of speakers: Noel Farrer PLi, Mary Reynolds, Sue Biggs (RHS), Tim O’Hare, Dusty Gedge, Ken Trew from Argents the Kings Cross developer, plus others, more details and registration on web site.

01233 813340 From the Smallest Garden to the Largest Park Leading Producers of Quality Nursery Stock

Ken Trew

Sue Biggs (RHS)

OING WHAT ARE YOU DR G FOR HORTAID DUIGIN GO GREEN FORTN HT? From taking part in fundraising activities to having an open day or giving a private tour – there are lots of ways you can help us to help others. In 2014 horticulturists, their families and their dependants benefitted from £1.43m of direct financial help because of Perennial. Please GO GREEN and help us keep on helping!

Tuesday 1 to Monday 14 September

Contact our Events Manager Chris and tell her what you are planning: 01372 373962 www.hortaid.org.uk info@perennial.org.uk Registered Charity No 1155156 | Scotland SC040180 | YGAPROLND ProLandscaper Sept HortAid Half horiz 2015.indd 1

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NURSERY

PLANTSMAN’S PLOT

A round-up of trees and plants available at some of the country’s best nurseries

To appear in Plantsman’s Plot, please send your plant of the month, details and image to editor@pro-landscaper.co.uk

Best for: dramatic blooms Helianthus ‘Capenoch Star’, the perennial sunﬂower will provide statuesque clumps of tall (2m) anemone centred yellow sunﬂowers. It is a good bloomer and displays from July through to October. Just the choice for that dramatic planting. We’ve lots in stock and they will be just like these wonders at the Sussex Prairie Garden. www.palmstead.co.uk

Best for: eye-catching borders Dahlia ‘Arabian Night’: This deep-red dahlia draws the eye whether it’s planted in borders or pots. Its flamboyant double flowers open in June and the blooms will continue to appear until the first frost. The bold splashes of ruby red are the perfect companions for purple foliaged plants and wispy grasses. www.hortusloci.co.uk

Best for: summer screening Readyhedge supplies Platanus × hispanica with a 180cm+ clear stem and a 150cm wide by 120cm tall panel. The tree is robust and tolerant of all soil types and conditions. It is widely planted in urban areas as it copes with pollution very well. The large palmate leaves offer great screening during the summer and also trapping airborne pollution. It adds an exotic feel to a garden. In the winter the peeling bark is a great feature, adding both texture and interest to this tree. www.readyhedge.com

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Best for: extended season Liatris spicata or Button Snakewort is a very useful plant for the garden border. The early foliage offers an attractive compact grass-like effect of up to 60cm in height. As the summer moves on, individual flower stems appear through and above the foliage. These stiff flower stems open from the top in dense clusters of pinkish-purple or white florets, they are long lasting and in some years flower into the early autumn. Simple dead heading will encourage repeat flowering. Cut a few stems for the home as they are also excellent as a cut flower. www.colesnurseries.co.uk

Best for: colour combinations The Black Diamond Hydrangea series is guaranteed to wow you with its colour combinations. Having only been introduced to the UK market in the last two years, the series is proving extremely popular due to the plants’ combination of larger than normal dark green leaves with deep purple undertones and prominent veining that act as a perfect foil for the most fantastically coloured flowers, which become more intense as they mature. Bred in Germany flowers in the Diamond Series are compact, they reach 1x1m, form a perfect flowering mound and require no pruning. ‘Dark Angel Blue’ – bright blue flower heads, ‘Dark Angel Purple’ – Bright purple flower heads ‘Dark Angel Red’ – Bright red flower heads ‘Baroque Angel Pink’ – Bright pink flower heads www.provendernurseries.co.uk

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NURSERY

Best for: seasonal colours Acer freemanii ‘Autumn Blaze’ – heralding the changes in the seasons, this hybrid selection is one of the early trees to colour in the autumn. Having delighted us all summer with its fresh green leaves with silvery underside, the tree transforms into a beacon of

Best for: damp, dappled shade With so many beautiful things in ﬂower at the moment it is hard to choose one that stands out. However, we feel that Parnassia nubicola is one of those plants. Its common name is the Grass of Parnassus. It is relatively easy to grow and just needs a fairly damp, dappled shade environment. They don’t get very high so make sure you keep them somewhere close by where you can really admire their beautiful ﬂowers. www.kevockgarden.co.uk

Best for: fragrance Philadelphus ‘Innocence’ or mock orange is an arching, bushy deciduous shrub reaching a maximum height of 3m with beautiful creamy white clusters of softly fragrant flowers in June to July. It has green, white and yellow variegated foliage and makes a lovely addition as it tolerates a wide range of soils except poorly drained ones. www.walnuthillnurseries.co.uk translucent pinky-red – a real show stopper on the nursery at this time of year. The parentage is Acer rubrum crossed with Acer saccharinum and is successful because it inherits the best of both worlds – the strength of Acer rubrum and the drama of the saccharinum! It can be pollarded or coppiced with the stems often used for weaving. Will grow well in a sunny spot in most well drained to wet soils. www.hilliertrees.co.uk

Best for: parks and verges BETULA albosinensis ‘Fascination’ Chinese Birch was developed from a species brought back from China in 1901 by Ernest Wilson, who described it as follows: “The bark is singularly lovely, being a rich orange-red or orange-brown and peels oﬀ in sheets, each no thicker than ﬁne tissue paper, and each successive layer is clothed with a white glaucous bloom.” The catkins are amazing, opening to a rich yellow-brown. It has outstanding stem colour – orange peeling to pink and cream and then purest white once the tree reaches 30cm in girth. It is a mid sized tree, becoming oval as it matures, a great choice for parks and verges growing well on most soils. www.barchampro.co.uk

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Best for: trouble-free structure year round Cryptomeria japonica ‘Globosa Nana’. Japanese Cedar – This Japanese cedar is most deﬁnitely an accent plant in any garden. The attractive bright midgreen foliage is eye catching as well as being nearly irresistible to touch. When mature, small brown cones are also borne. Needing little more than a sheltered spot to grow in, it will happily turn into a neat dome of about 0.5-1m across and high. A trouble free conifer that will provide year-round structure to the garden, especially if planted in pairs. www.agrumi.co.uk

Best for: small gardens You cannot fail to notice Cornus kousa Chinensis at this time of year when it is covered in white bracts opening green and turning white as they get older. In the autumn it produces showy red fruits that are not poisonous and the leaves turn crimson, giving a fine end of year display. It is a plant that offers lots of interest throughout a long period of the year. It will grow as a standard tree or large shrubby bush depending on how it is treated and it will reach about 5m tall in time. It is an ericaceous plant requiring acidic soils and good drainage. www.griffinnurseries.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/08/2015 12:32

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LATEST PRODUCTS

SEEDS & FERTILISER All types of sports and amenity turf stand to benefit from application with Enhance fertilisers from Vitax Supaturf. Microgranular and liquid fertilisers enhance fine turf, a granular formulation boosts outfields and a water-soluble powder option has been developed for foliar and root feeding. Enhance bioactive turf fertilisers contain AminoSorb, an amino acid supplement that helps turf withstand stress conditions. The powerful trace element package includes elevated zinc content for leaf strength, stress resistance and enzyme activity, while the organic content delivers slow-release nutrients for maintaining level feeding. WWW.SUPATURF.CO.UK Best-selling seed supplier Phoenix Amenity Supplies recommends their Woodland and Heavy Shade Grass Seed Mixture for the conditions beneath mature trees, in heavy woodland and next to large buildings. This balanced blend of grass species will produce a green grass cover in these often cold, damp or dry nutrient hungry soils. Chris Baker, MD and grass seed and wildflower seed specialist advises on a low maintenance mowing approach as the secret to a successful shady lawn area. He says that for best results allow time for the grass to get a bit longer between cuts and don’t mow it too short in shady areas. WWW.PHOENIXAMENITY.CO.UK

Rigby Taylor Ltd has two new Discovery Boxes available featuring popular mixtures from its EuorFlor range of urban flower seeds. Each box contains the essential collection of urban flower seeds for autumn or spring sowing and different pack mixtures for comparing the colour and growth habits of the EuroFlor range. Perfect for eye-catching displays along roadsides, parkland features, pathway borders, in fact anywhere where a visual impact can be achieved, the collections also provide a long-season habitat for pollinators and insects. The individual flower mixtures are germination tested and packed in foil sachets for security and reliability. The

Autumn Discovery Box contains five flower mixtures sown through September and October. These sowings can be under-planted with a selection of FloraNative spring flowering bulbs such as bluebells, snowdrops and daffodils.The Spring Discovery Box contains ten flower mixtures that should be sown from March to early June. First flowers will appear 50-55 days later and continue throughout the summer through to the early frosts. WWW.RIGBYTAYLOR.COM

Using a silicate colloid soil conditioner can help maximise vegetation establishment in manufactured, compacted and contaminated soils. Containing sodium silicate and phosphate, Agrosil LR improves soil structure by forming molecules of porous silicate gels which improve soil porosity. Agrosil LR also enhances phosphate availability, making the most nutrient deficient soils capable of supporting plant growth. Applying a top dressing at 35-50g/m2 prior to seeding, or as an under-turf treatment at 100-120g/m2, improves soil structure to a depth of 30cm and provides the necessary nutrients for vegetation to thrive. WWW.GERMINALAMENITY.COM

Exclusive to Green-tech is gt Green ‘N’ Grow, a slow release amenity grass fertiliser that can be used all year round. Providing consistently healthy growth, gt Green N Grow stimulates root development which results in a denser sward that suppresses weed growth. It also ensures a healthy grass root system; stressed or patchy areas can be reseeded and will regenerate quickly. WWW.GREEN-TECH.CO.UK

Barenbrug’s BAR 50 SOS is a remarkable overseeding ryegrass blend providing superior germination and establishment for year-round sward cover. Originally designed for sports pitches and greens that see plenty of action, this attractive but extremely robust blend is ideal for lawns that get a lot of use. Bardorado provides longevity to the blend with excellent performance characteristics, wear tolerance and disease resistance. BAR 50 SOS also has faster establishment compared to other 100% perennial ryegrass blends in all temperatures. It also helps rapid soil stabilisation. A good-looking and hard-wearing grass. WWW.BARENBRUG.CO.UK

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

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Amenity

NOW YOU CAN Enhance, the unique range of turf fertilisers with Amino-Sorb®, has been extended for use on all types of sports and managed amenity turf.

ANY TYPE OF TURF! The range now includes:

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Micro-granular bio-active fertiliser available in three formulations (Spring/ Summer, Autumn/ Winter/Zero phosphate)

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Granular bio-active fertiliser suitable for fairways and other longer mown turf available in two formulations (Spring/ Summer, Autumn/ Winter)

Unique water soluble powder fertilisers with Amino-Sorb® - provide foliar and root feeding for all types of turf. Available in four formulations (Spring/ Summer, Autumn/ Winter, Turf Renovator and NK).

For full details of these and the full Vitax Amenity range of turf products visit our new website at www.vitaxamenity.co.uk or call us on 01530 510060

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www.colesnurseries.co.uk JAMES COLES & SONS (Nurseries) Ltd The Nurseries, Uppingham Road, Thurnby, Leicester LE7 9QB T: 0116 241 2115 F: 0116 243 2311 E: info@colesnurseries.co.uk Twitter: @Colesnurseries Facebook: coles.nurseries

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LATEST PRODUCTS

TigerTurf has extended its market leading range of landscape surfaces this year with two competitively priced additions. Combining a mixture of green and jute tones, Serenity is a silky soft grass mimicing a healthy natural lawn. With a dense appearance, the surface stands at 30mm in height and is suitable for light to medium traffic. The Serenity Lite variant has a shorter 20mm length, imitating a freshly mowed lawn. Both surfaces are backed by the quality of leading textile technology group, TenCate. WWW.TIGERTURF.COM

ARTIFICIAL GRASS Exclusively from Quickgrass, Woburn artificial grass is the latest generation in Soft Touch artificial grasses. Part of Quickgrass’s premium range, Woburn has an exceptional soft touch feel to the pile making this grass quite unique in both its beautiful close pile finish and overall softness yet heavy weight robust backing, making it an excellent choice for both commercial and domestic applications. It looks like natural grass, keeps its colour and is UV stable. Woburn is the preferred choice of many landscapers, landscape architects, designers and contractors. WWW.QUICKGRASS.CO.UK

Easigrass has just launched Easi-Stripe, the industry’s first green striped 25mm-depth artificial lawn product for professional landscaping, domestic and corporate use. Blending the best of British design with US technology, this patented premium quality green stripe design is embedded into the weave. As a new product that has been inspired by the best of British gardens and sporting pitches alike, this is the perfect product for those seeking a like-for-like Wimbledon centre court or grandiose style artificial lawn. WWW.EASIGRASS.COM

Namgrass is keen to offer something different, and for 2015 its Green Elise is the answer. With the belief a long pile product is not always the ideal solution, Green Elise has a 27mm pile height, but with incredibly dense structure. Couple this with an all-new ‘finishing’ manufacturing technique and you have a neat and unique looking product. All Namgrass products offer profiled fibres of one shape or another, but unlike other products on the market, the feel of Green Elise has not been compromised – its incredibly soft and tactile. To order a sample just visit WWW.NAMGRASS.CO.UK

Architect has been the number one bestseller in the iGrass range for the last two years and is consistently popular due to its natural rich green tones, high quality feel and soft pile. Now with 5% more yarn content, Architect offers even more quality feel without any additional cost. Available in a pile height of 30mm, it is perfect for play areas, lawns, pool sides and over decking and is also a safe and suitable item for children and pets. No mowing, no maintenance and hassle free – the Architect range is just one of many items available from iGrass. WWW.IGRASS.CO.UK

HT Ibiza was trialled to a number of trade customers last year and as it was so successful we introduced it for all trade customers this year and it’s popularity continues to grow. It’s a very versatile and hard wearing artificial grass with a 26mm pile height and has been used in installations ranging from 10m2 to 2,000m2. A mixture of light and dark green tufts provides a realistic appearance with a density that can withstand high footfall. It’s a popular product for commercial areas where turf needs to stand up to the elements. WWW.HITECHTURF.CO.UK

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PLAY EQUIPMENT

A landscape-led philosophy is in the vanguard of play area design. Aileen Shackell explores what this means in theory and practice

What can be done?

In brighter economic times, funding for a complete refit may have been found, though usually sticking to the equipment-led formula. There has been a trend for mothballing play areas where equipment has been removed, allowing facilities to fall into disuse. We argue that a landscape-led approach provides a far better alternative, one that is more affordable, sustainable and creates better play spaces. A ‘landscape-led’ refit makes the most of the site’s assets – equipment or otherwise, seeks to better integrate the equipment with its setting and incorporates natural elements and materials.

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

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NEW APPROACH TO

PLAY DESIGN STEPS TO LANDSCAPE-LED SUCCESS

The publication in 2008 of ‘Design for play: a guide to creating successful play spaces’ heralded a new and more exciting approach to play space design. Across the UK, some £270 million of government funding was allocated to upgrade existing play areas and create new ones over a three year period. The new guidance had a transformative effect. A reliance on catalogue products was replaced with a landscape-led approach in which natural features such as landform and planting were valued as much as the equipment. Lessons learnt from Germany and Scandinavia regarding sand and water were put into practice with enthusiasm. In reality the funding programme could only ever scratch the surface of what was needed to improve our play facilities so the sight of tired looking play spaces is a still a very common one across the UK. Equipment dating from the 1980s set in an ugly patchwork of rubber surfacing all enclosed by bow-top fencing still seems to be the default in many of our towns and villages.

Arm yourself with the 10 design principles in ‘Design for play’ These principles provide a framework for the design process and a reminder that the overriding objective should always be to provide a great play space. Evaluate what you’ve got Is it in the right place? Could the access be improved? Does it need to feel safer? Is it well used? If not, why not? Are there any particular issues that need to be resolved, for example, vandalism? In Stirling, a team of children (Roving Reporters) prepared the evaluation reports which then informed the improvements. Don’t make the mistake of looking at everything through an adult’s eye. Develop the proposals It’s always best to take a holistic view of the site – to think about how all of the elements work together and also how the play area relates to the wider setting.

Additional details to think about ● Improvements to equipment could

include relocation of key pieces; new paintwork, minor repairs, removal of redundant items such as swing barriers, which may obstruct circulation. ● Improvements to surfacing could include replacement of hard rubber or tarmac surfaces with loose fill surfaces – sand is much simpler to maintain than most people realise and provides a great play material in its own right as well as being an impact absorbent surface. ● Alterations to landform could include the introduction of mounding, which helps to make boring flat sites feel more exploratory. ● Fencing is often superfluous. Removing it may improve access to the play area and help integrate it better with the surroundings. If a boundary treatment is still needed, then shrubs, hedges or dry stone walls make more attractive means of enclosure. Best of all: make the edge a playable one. ● New additions such as planting and natural features should also be considered.

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CASE STUDY MILLFIELDS PARK At Millfields Park in the London Borough of Hackney, a tired-looking play space exemplified the landscape-led approach. Needing something in the region of £500k for a complete refit, the budget was limited to around £80k, so this was a scheme where every penny had to count. Play equipment supplier Timberplay worked closely with landscape architects at Aileen Shackell Landscape Design and play consultant Phil Doyle to develop a scheme that met all of the requirements. As a large site, dominated by tarmac surfacing and where most of the equipment had to be retained, it was essential to implement an affordable solution with high visual impact. The removal of one large piece at the end of its lifespan created room for an extensive area of sand surfacing 400mm deep, laid directly on top of the existing tarmac and edged with chunky sections of fallen timber. Several gigantic sections of oak, each weighing approximately five tonnes were augmented with nets and placed on the sand to provide challenging off-the-ground play for children of all ages. New equipment was then added throughout the play area to bring the rest of the site up to date. A new playable entrance was installed within the main ‘bow-top’ fence boundary. Visible from the other side of the park, this helped entice visitors into the space and also provides an alternative and more challenging route into the new play space.

Was the scheme a success? Completed in spring of this year, the refit has been so successful that the client is already looking at whether the principles of resurfacing and natural features and materials can be extended further throughout the site, as a second phase of work.

Lessons learned Upgrading an existing play space on a tight budget needs input from a trained designer to make the most of the opportunities – especially in terms of specifying ‘bespoke’ items. Natural features such as fallen timber are cheaper than catalogue items but necessitate more time on site to make sure they are installed safely, in a way that maximises their play value. They also need to be very carefully specified by the designer. Think laterally – sometimes an unconventional approach is the only affordable one – such as leaving the tarmac in place below the sand.

1 Concept proposals for play area at Millfields Park

PROJECT REFERENCES

2 Learning to judge distances

Landscape architect

3 Sand surfacing doubles as an impact absorbent surface and a play element in its own right

Aileen Shackell Landscape Design

Tel 01308 424 077 Web www.asa-landscape.com

4 The larger pieces of timber weigh over five tonnes 5 New equipment complements the reclaimed timber

Landscape construction Timberplay

Tel 0114 282 3474 Web www.timberplay.com Play equipment/drinking fountain Timberplay

Tel 0114 282 3474 Web www.timberplay.com Reclaimed timber Ashwell Reclaimed and Recycled Timber

Tel 01375 892 576 Web www.ashwelltimber.com

Y PREVIOUSL

Much of the equipment was out of date and surfaces were also in very poor condition

AILEEN SHACKELL LANDSCAPE DESIGN Aileen Shackell Landscape Design was established in 2007. Registered with the Landscape Institute, the work of the practice focuses on community regeneration, housing, play, and design for health and wellbeing, as well as on historic landscape restoration, with current schemes including the HLF funded project at Highcliffe Castle in east Dorset. Director Aileen Shackell is also acknowledged nationally as an expert in play design having authored Design for play: a guide to creating successful play spaces (2008) for the UK government and Play England.

www.asa-landscape.com www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Office: 01923 83 99 88 Email: info@watermaticltd.co.uk www.watermaticltd.co.uk

19/08/2015 15:14

PLAY EQUIPMENT

Proludic’s Origin’ range reproduces the very essence of what nature has to offer thanks to the solid Robinia wood used as the main material. The ethos behind Origin’ is all about taking inspiration from the natural environment. Robinia wood offers many advantages and is known for being durable and also rot proof, standing up brilliantly to outdoor conditions. It guarantees the longevity of any play area and with 26 different play apparatus, the equipment sits comfortably in a natural setting but can equally soften urban environments, too. WWW.PROLUDIC.CO.UK

M&M Timber’s PlayGuard range combines flexibility with ease of maintenance. Using timber selected from high quality Radiata pine, which has inherent low-split properties and therefore minimises finger traps, PlayGuard timbers are kiln dried, fully sanded and treated with Tanalith E for durability. M&M’s craftsmen are able to machine timber components to any specific design and supply fully machined timbers in kit form for on-site assembly. WWW.MMTIMBER.CO.UK

The beautifully constructed eibe Ema climbing tree from its Paradiso range is suitable for children from three years of age. The 2m-high climbing tree consists of 21 unstructured beams of varying sizes that are arranged with two climbing nets, a rope ladder and a climbing rope. It provides a challenging climbing combination that requires co-ordination and dexterity. Constructed from Robinia pine, the Ema climbing tree guarantees a robust, long life with a minimal requirement for maintenance. WWW.EIBE.CO.UK

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LATEST PRODUCTS

Bonded Rubber Mulch by Pro-Mats uses a coloured rubber shred and binder which are mixed together on site and trowelled into place. It can be laid directly over grass, tarmac, concrete, slabs and even gravel. The surface has a textured finish making it ideal for walkways and playgrounds. Critical Fall Heights are achievable from between 1.2m and 3m simply by increasing the depth. Water drains quickly and wheelchairs can be manoeuvred with ease. WWW.PRO-MATS.CO.UK Available exclusively from Sutcliffe Play the Orchard range includes wood-based clamber units, small and large tower units, swings and trim trails, all of which is constructed from sustainable treated timber with a natural appearance that allows it to blend aesthetically into outdoor spaces. The pine logs are locally farmed from UK forests in a managed sustainable process. Natural rubber components are used throughout the range and unique aluminium shoes protect the posts once in the ground. WWW.SUTCLIFFEPLAY.CO.UK

Playahead Design has recently completed this fabulous project incorporating two mature oak trees for a family with two lucky young boys in Kent. It includes a loglap finished treehouse with shutters and a door on a 2m-high square platform, 6.5m clatter bridge from a further crow’s nest and additional accessories. Each timber outdoor structure is bespoke designed, made to order and installed by a team of craftsmen. Playahead Design specialises in tree houses, climbing frames, play towers, zip-wires, aerial walkways, dens and snugs, fancy sheds, garden offices, summer houses, and much more. WWW.PLAYAHEAD.ORG.UK

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 73

19/08/2015 12:28

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20/08/2015 12:24

NATURAL STONE

Indian Sandstone continues to increase in popularity, however issues can occur before, during and after installation. Many of these are caused by substandard technical performance. Marshalls stone expert, Chris Frankland discusses the technical performance of Indian Sandstone and how to assess the quality of the stone and avoid issues further down the line Q. Indian sandstone has become increasingly popular in recent years, why do you think that is? It’s an absolutely stunning product associated with a high-end luxury look and homeowners put a great deal of stock in having a natural stone patio. Historically, Yorkstone was one of the favoured building materials in the UK and many Indian sandstones are similar in aesthetics and technical performance, making them a good fit with UK properties at more affordable rates. Q. How many types of sandstone are there on the market and how do they differ? There are thousands of types of sandstone available in the UK and they vary greatly in looks and performance. Many of the more commonly available varieties come from Rajasthan in India, or Shandong and Sichuan provinces in China. Q. So is it easy to tell a good quality sandstone product from a bad one? Unfortunately it isn’t always that easy to tell just by looking at the stone. To the consumer, many sandstones may appear the same when displayed at a merchant or in a brochure but all sandstones are unique and similar looking sandstones can often have widely differing properties and performance when installed as paving. If you know what you’re looking for you may be able to spot some telltale signs, but really it’s laboratory testing that truly gives you a full picture of the technical quality of a stone. Q. So what makes good sandstone from bad, technically speaking? There is a raft of factors that could determine whether a sandstone is fit for purpose as a paving or not but there are three key characteristics that must be considered when purchasing stone to be www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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NOT ALL STONE IS

CREATED EQUAL ENSURING INDIAN SANDSTONE PAVING IS FIT FOR PURPOSE installed as paving in the UK; water absorbency, flexural strength and frost resistance. Q. Why are these three things so important? The absorbency of the stone is hugely important. A stone with high water absorbency will not only go green quickly, (a common complaint with sandstone) but may be more

Surface delamination

susceptible to frost action, which will degrade the stone. Stones with a low water absorbency are commonly regarded as more durable. Flexural strength is the next most important factor, as a stone with poor strength means that the product could be easily damaged in transit, during the installation process or simply through everyday use. Again, the strength of any stone is also a key indicator to its ability to withstand the harsh British winters. Linking these two characteristics is frost resistance, which is particularly important in the UK. A stone that loses strength when subjected to repeated frosts is far more likely to fail. There are a couple of British Standards that cover natural stone depending on purpose. The design and installation standard BS7533 part 12 covers the technical performance of stone. For example the maximum water absorbency for product supplied to class 2 is 2.5%.

Q. Does all stone paving on the market have to meet these British Standards? There is no legal obligation for the stone to meet the British Standard and many of them don’t. We tested of a range of stones on the market at our in-house laboratory today and discovered that only 50% of them met or exceeded the British Standard. Stones that are technically up to scratch can cause a wide range of issues for installers and homeowners further down the line. Q. How can people ensure the stone they’re installing is up to standard? We would advise you to choose stone from a supplier who has tested all their products and can supply you with a relevant, in date test certificate or declaration of performance. Stone with a water absorbency of 2.5% or above is softer and likely to go green quickly. A stone that has a flexural strength of less than 12mpa is likely to fail once in-situ. If a supplier is unable to supply you with this information there’s no guarantee their stone is technically sound. Be suspicious of cheap products – you tend to get what you pay for. At Marshalls we have tested all our stone to be 100% sure that every stone meets or exceeds the British Standard. We have called this process of testing and ensuring that our stones are technically sound The Stone Standard, so if you choose Marshalls stone you Bed delamination know you’re buying the best. Pro Landscaper / September 2015 75

20/08/2015 10:30

LATEST PRODUCTS

SANDSTONE A new addition to the London Stone range for 2015, Forest Sawn Sandstone is beautiful and easy to maintain. This British stone has a mixture of subtle buff and grey tones, similar to traditional Yorkstone, which lends a timeless appeal and allows the stone to look instantly established, whilst the sawn finish makes it a versatile choice which is equally at home in a contemporary garden. Forest Sawn Sandstone is an exceptionally dense stone with a smooth grain, making it one of the lower maintenance products in the sawn sandstone range. WWW.LONDONSTONE.CO.UK Global Stone is an industry leading supplier of premium natural stone and porcelain paving tiles. Its paving is selected by hand to ensure it’s always of the highest quality and regularly features in medal-winning show gardens. The trends for garden design for 2016 continue to move towards contemporary designs using the outdoor space as an extension of the home. A number of products within its current collection are perfect for these trends, including its new Coastal Paving, which captures the cool calming hues of the seashore and has a riven texture that effortlessly creates stylish living spaces. WWW.GLOBALSTONEPAVING.CO.UK/PRODUCTS

Fairstone Flamed Narias from Marshalls is a highly durable, ethically sourced Indian sandstone which boasts a subtle hand-flamed and lightly brushed surface finish.The flamed finish adds texture and character and the lightly brushed surface brings out the natural colour in the stone. The stone complements both traditional and modern schemes and is available in two selected colours, Autumn Bronze Multi and Silver Birch Multi. Cut from exceptionally dense and durable Kota sandstone it has been tested for water absorbency, flexural strength and frost resistance. The product is available in a 13.5m² project pack in different plan sizes to create varied laying patterns. WWW.MARSHALLS.CO.UK

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

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With large paving increasing in popularity, Grand Natural Sandstone is the perfect addition to Bradstone’s contemporary sandstone range. Developed with grander projects in mind, it has a wonderful large format that comes in four sizes, right up to 1,250 x 750mm, which can work equally well in smaller homes to create the illusion of space, as well as on larger patio areas. Grand Natural Sandstone has a smooth, fine-grained texture for a slick, contemporary look and three stunning colours to choose from: Imperial White, Caramel and Grey Ochre. WWW.BRADSTONE.COM

Cathedral Stone is Stone UK’s top selling British stone product for the professional. Perfect for those specifying natural stone and who want a reclaimed 100-150 year old York floor stone at a price that won’t break the bank. Based near the Forest of Bowland, Stone UK craftsmen finish the stone to the highest standards. All Yorkshire paving is graded and carefully refinished to produce a unique look and feel. Available in a number of thicknesses. WWW.STONEUK.COM

Stonespar linear sandstone paving from Stonemarket can be used in a multitude of applications including driveways, pathways and patios. The stone is part of Stonemarket’s ethically sourced Fairstone range and comes in two pre-blended colour mixes. The new Clearblast finish gives just the right amount of texture, enhancing the stone’s colouring. The earthy tones of the Garma blend offer warmth and character, ideal for traditional applications, while the cool tones of the Harva blend complement modern properties. Available in 400x130x50mm linear units. WWW.STONEMARKET.CO.UK

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

19/08/2015 14:41

LET’S TALK LANDSCAPING TRY

OUR

FREE DESIGN TOOL www.permcalc.co.uk FLAG PAVING BLOCK PAVING PERMEABLE PAVING NATURAL STONE PAVING DECORATIVE AGGREGATES SPECIALIST KERB SYSTEMS

Let’s talk effective sustainable drainage When the rain falls, the floods may follow. As the British climate continues to test infrastructure and landscaping it’s essential to prepare by implementing effective sustainable drainage. Our permeable paving systems offer excellent source control to help channel, drain and better manage total water volume. Don’t brave the elements alone. Talk to us.

Call 0845 60 80 579... ...and talk to us direct. Alternatively, email us at: commercial.support@brett.co.uk Brett Landscaping Ltd. @brettpaving BrettPaving

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19/08/2015 14:49

Garden By Anthony Paul

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19/08/2015 15:27

LATEST PRODUCTS

The Haddonstone St Ives Modro System is inspired by a Barbara Hepworth textile design. The concept for this unique modular design comes from Rosie Irving. Haddonstone transformed the design into a three dimensional form in contrasting Portland and slate colours, to provide contemporary planting and seating areas. Being modular, a client can either recreate the Hepworth design in its entirety or just use certain elements, either to create an entirely new shape or just to use a particular segment of the original. The St Ives Modro System allows landscapers, designers and private clients to enhance any open space with a robust contemporary design – whether a private garden, public park, commercial or residential development. WWW.HADDONSTONE.COM

The Henri range of premium water features by Kelkay is handcrafted from cast stone. Every piece is hand poured by traditional craftsmen giving each feature a rich unique finish and exquisite detail. With 24 bestselling features in the existing range and point-of-sale materials to promote impulse buys, plus new promotional offers for 2015, the Henri brand is well established among retailers and consumers. Henri water features add enduring class to any garden. These new additions across the range will enable retailers to take full advantage of their popularity and further enhance sales opportunities. Kelkay is the market-leading manufacturer and distributor of aggregates, providing retailers with a single source of supply for a wide range of garden products. WWW.KELKAY.CO.UK

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Outside space can be kept warm even during the winter, thanks to revolutionary new bio-fuel technology. The fires produce heat without the smoke, soot, ash or embers of a traditional fire and as they don’t need a power connection the fires are portable. Among the stylish designs is the award-winning Stix by EcoSmart Fire, which offers a contemporary twist on the traditional campfire. Created by acclaimed international designer Hiroshi Tsunoda, Stix consists of tubular stainless steel sticks secured around an EcoSmart burner. WWW.SMARTFIREUK.COM

GARDEN FEATURES Harrod Horticultural was contacted by the designer of a pop-up champagne bar at Marcus Wareing’s Gilbert Scott restaurant at St Pancras station with a request for a range of bespoke fence systems to help provide screening from the busy main road. The Arch Fence system was adapted to fit within existing planters and was planted up with a mix of trailing climbing plants and espaliers. The galvanised and powder coated steel framework was designed and manufactured to bespoke dimensions and assembled on site within a matter of hours and the garden was such a success it has stayed in situ longer than expected. WWW.HARRODHORTICULTURAL.COM

The English Bollard Company is excited to confirm the launch of Dove 1, the first of a range of cast aggregate landscape and townscape sculptural features. Dove 1 has been designed for a wide range of applications, including general residential and commercial landscapes, parks and play areas, townscapes, retail and business parks and pedestrianised areas. Whether grouped or used singularly, the scale of Dove 1 makes an impressive statement in any scheme. WWW.THEENGLISHBOLLARDCOMPANY.CO.UK

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 79

19/08/2015 11:57

PAVING

SITE VISIT

VANDE MOORTEL Pro Landscaper visited Vande Moortel’s site in Oudenaarde in the Flanders region of Belgium to find out about the history of the company, its range of facing bricks and clay pavers and the markets that they sell them in

The fact that the business has retained its family style and remained accessible at all levels makes it extremely customer-focused.

How long has the company been established?

How many staff do you have here?

It’s been trading since 1864 and celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. It is owned by the Vande Moortel family, which is now into the fourth generation.

Ninety-ﬁve people work in this factory. We have grown massively over the last 10 years and have doubled our turnover. The way we did this was by increasing production to seven days. We built a new kiln worth €12.5m. We now have a capacity of 85m bricks and pavers a year, of which 50% is bricks and 50% is clay paving.

Have you always been in the same place?

Vande Moortel brickworks was established in 1864 in the Scheldt Valley in Oudenaarde. Today it is more active than ever at the same location. Under the management of the Vande Moortel family, the company has grown to become an important manufacturer at the top end of facing bricks and it is the first name in clay pavers. 80

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

Vande Moortel site visit.indd 80

water absorption (less than 4%) and the range of special colours and sizes. On the facing bricks we were the ﬁrst manufacturer to launch the ecological Brick7 format. We are also making long thin bricks like the Linea and Inﬁnitum and a standard range of high-end traditional UK and metric sizes.

Tell us about the product range you are currently offering in the UK

We produce two different products – clay pavers and facing bricks. The clay pavers are unique because of their extremely low

How many export markets have you got?

We sell all over the world, but most of our products go to neighbouring countries like the UK, Germany and the Netherlands. We also sell into Japan and America www.prolandscapermagazine.com

19/08/2015 12:30

PAVING because we get interest from the high-end garden designers who want to use something different. How big is the UK market for you in comparison to the other countries?

It’s a growing market. It’s becoming more and more important for us. The UK has a very strong tradition in garden design. Landscapers and designers are always looking for high-end materials to improve their designs.

whereas the Ancienne Belgique are 185x45x90mm meaning you need 120 pieces per square metre. The Ancienne Belgique is slightly more expensive because you need more pieces. Would you welcome UK landscapers and designers to come over to see the product up close?

Yes we would. We often have architects coming over for bigger projects. Of course we also have many projects that people can look at in the UK. So you are at FutureScape in November, what’s the plan?

I think what we are going to do is take the results with us. As with any company in the past we have shown the products but we want to demonstrate the end results because although we do sell clay pavers, what we really sell is nice gardens. It’s about what you can do as a landscaper with our products. In the UK, who are the designers buying your products?

What’s your policy as far as complaints are concerned?

Well-known garden designers like Tom Stuart-Smith, Luciano Giubbilei and Cleve West use our clay pavers, but also younger, upcoming designers as Victoria Wade, Cassandra Crouch, Butter Wakefield.

The good thing is that we have got someone in the UK who can deal with any problems. He will go to the site and check what’s wrong with it before giving us the results and we can check the product here if necessary. One of our goals is that we want every designer who uses the product to be able to say that they would sell it to their colleagues and recommend using it.

What kind of lead times are you working to?

It’s easy because we aren’t that far from London. Bringing bricks from Manchester to London is more expensive than bringing our products into London. Our lead time depends on the products. We have some stock in the UK through Natural Paving. The lead time for our more specialist products is slightly longer than average. So is your pricing higher as the products are more specialist?

In general our clay pavers are less expensive than continental natural stone but they have an equal design value. In comparison to concrete pavers they are more expensive but they have a far greater design value and are colourfast. Our range can be divided into two types based on their size. The SeptimA pavers are 215x52x70mm, requiring 86 pieces per square metre www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Vande Moortel site visit.indd 81

Can landscapers be confident when laying your products?

We always fully support first-time users. As we have sales reps in the UK, we are able to do so very quickly. After the first project very little follow-up is needed. So yes, I believe landscapers are confident when using our products.

CONTACT Vande Moortel NV Tel 0203 633 2422 Email info@vandemoortel.co.uk Web www.vandemoortel.co.uk Headquarters Scheldekant 5, BE-9700 Oudenaarde, Belgium

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 81

19/08/2015 12:32

Natural Looking Grass

• UNIQUE SOFT FEEL TOUCH • KEEPS ITS COLOUR-UV STABLE • TRADE SUPPLY • NATIONAL DELIVERY Working in partnership with Landscapers, Landscape Architects, Designers and Contractors. Quickgrass provide a premium artificial grass range that you can include and specify within your landscape designs. Phone us on 01527 579841 for more details and request a sample pack to showcase to your clients. Visit Us at this years Landscape Show, Battersea Park, London on 22nd-23rd September, Stand A11 and see our super soft grass

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20/08/2015 09:13

EQUIPMENT

EQUIPMENT NEWS

Welcome to the equipment pages of Pro Landscaper, where we will be looking at new products and developments in the market. If you have any stories, please email them to jack.bacon@eljays44.com or tweet me @ProLanKit

Ernest Doe apprentice honoured at South Worcestershire college

Liam Taylor, Professional Groundcare apprentice at

Ernest Doe and Son has won the prestigious Apprentice of the Year accolade at South Worcestershire College. Liam was selected from over 120 students undertaking apprenticeships at the college. His maturity and growing skills have made him an invaluable asset, at the Ernest Doe branch

Vitax releases Evensprey Club model for grounds professionals

in Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire. Service director Angus Doe said: “This proves yet again the merits of apprenticeships; Liam has had comprehensive tuition not only at college, but also on the job; where he has been mentored by the experienced service team at Fulbourn. www.ernestdoe.com

Vitax Supaturf has updated its walk-behind EvenSprey 250 boom sprayer with the launch of the Club model. The Club’s redesigned handlebar provides smoother movement and the improved 9A rechargeable battery guarantees longer spray time. The Club’s enclosed motor and tidy hose add to its streamlined appearance. Like the previous 250 model, it has a 1.5m spray boom (1m pass), Shurflo pump, pneumatic tyres and optional spray lance. www.vitax.co.uk/supaturf

Cobra releases five-in-one petrol multi-tool Bolstered by four new 2-stroke petrol powered chainsaws and a BV26C blower vac, Cobra has rounded off its summer range expansion with the addition of a multi-purpose tool system suited to varying maintenance duties. The Cobra MT270K five-in-one multi-tool is powered by a 27cc Kawasaki engine and its four attachments include a grass

trimmer, brushcutter, pole pruner and long reach hedgecutter together with extension shaft. The 26cc petrol BV26C blower is powerful yet lightweight and can function as a blower or vac by the simple act of changing the required tube. Cobra’s new chainsaw line features cutting bars ranging from 14-20 inches with the larger

models containing 52cc and 62cc engines. www.cobragarden.co.uk

Burdens group named as Ransomes Jacobsen dealer Ransomes Jacobsen has appointed Burdens Group as its territorial dealer for Lincolnshire and East Nottinghamshire. The new franchise will be managed by

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Equipment News.indd 83

specialist turf maintenance division, Burdens Groundcare. Burdens has expanded into the groundscare sector having primarily offered agricultural machinery since

forming in 1972. With a reputation in the area, the dealership provides a full range of groundscare and agricultural machinery from its three Lincolnshire sites.

Burdens takeovers the franchise from Lawnmower Services Lincoln (LMS) after 60 years service in the territory. www.burdensgroup.com

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 83

20/08/2015 15:43

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20/08/2015 09:33

Glendale purchases 100 Etesia pedestrian mowers

Glendale has recently added 100 Etesia PRO 46 pedestrian rotary mowers to its fleet and reinforced the two companies’ decade-long partnership. The single bladed PBE push and PBTS self-propelled models harness a 5hp Briggs and Stratton engine and weigh 37kg in total. With a 46cm cutting width, the detachable grass box displays an indicator when full and has a capacity of 52L. Produced to meet a wide scope of commercial grass cutting applications, the handlebars are installed with new ‘soft touch’ controls reducing pressure on the operator’s hands and fingers. www.etesia.co.uk

CTHKE JA ON This month John O’Conner (Lewes) welcomed me on-site for on-the-job training at Iford and Kingston Primary, one of 113 schools maintained as part of a four year contract awarded by East Sussex county council in 2011. I worked in a team of three under the tutelage of Jose, a company groundsman for eight years. Firstly I was shown how to safely operate, refuel and prepare a range of the Stihl petrol driven power tools favoured by the maintenance provider. Equipped with Stihl ear defenders complete with visor, I was introduced to the HL 95 long-reach hedge trimmer, which produced an smooth, effortless, cut to the school’s entrance hedges without snagging. The long shaft enabled me to comfortably manoeuvre the head and its double-edge blade was

S TOOL

precise and efficient, making for a consistent cut. Before moving on to the garden area using the HS 82 R short-arm trimmer, Jose showed me how to take a shoulder width stance side-on to the hedge due to the proximity of the blade to the handle. Despite the greater convenience of the long-reach model, this trimmer’s flexible handle allowed me to easily transition between vertical and horizontal cutting while the dual-sided blade effectively reduced the hedges in size. When using a Stihl BG 66 C-E blower to clear the mulched trimmings, it was clear that the tool is ideally suited to grounds staff working from 7am due to its minimal noise emissions. The hand-held blower was extremely user friendly with its

EQUIPMENT

ErgoStart (quick-start) function and the anti-vibration system allowing steady control, ideal for extended use. My first experience with a ride-on came when I was given the task of mowing the school’s main playing field using a John Deere 1445 front rotary. After learning to manage a constant speed without resisting the cutting deck’s pull, I found my stripes eventually became more consistent and corner coverage was made simple with its 360 degree steering. The day’s training came to a end with Jose showing me how to wind, feed and replace the trimmer line on a backpack grass trimmer prior to using it around the field’s borders. The contract has recently been extended by a further two years starting next year in partnership with the council.

PL0915

Equipment News.indd 85

20/08/2015 15:39

WE WILL GIVE YOU GROUNDS TO IMPRESS tHE QUaLitY Grass sEED OptiOn FOr LanDscapinG

First impressions count, and the grounds of you or your client’s premises says a lot about the business. as leading producers and suppliers of grass seed for a wide range of clients throughout the UK, don’t settle for anything but the best. speak to one of our experts today.

www.barenbrug.co.uk | 01359 272000 join the conversation

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EQUIPMENT 5

NEWS EXTRA

Pro Landscaper was invited to Bosch HQ for a testing session marking the launch of its new cordless power tool range for professional gardeners. Popular among council and municipal grounds care teams, Bosch’s 2015 line-up of professional cordless garden tools includes lawn mowers, brush cutters and line cutters powered by Bosch battery. The release of additional hedge cutters and a leaf blower are scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2016.. Product manager Gonzalo Brey gave a presentation on the battery system and product’s design features before demonstrating the GRA 48 mower and GFR bladed brush cutter in action. The GRA 48’s full-width bale bars provided operator comfort coupled with next to no vibrations. Despite finding the mower counterintuitive for first-time users, the twist-grip throttle can be conveniently set at different walking speeds. Bosch’s two-tooth metal blade brush cutter features instant single button start-up and its ergonomic bike handle can cut a widespread area at a fast rate. Pro Landscaper’s managing director Jim Wilkinson said: “The brush cutter’s heavy duty blade was very effective, easy to guide through the long grass and offered minimum noise.” Gonzalo concluded: “Our products provide a solution to the hands on vibration issues, not just from a health and safety point of view but also when it comes to running time.”

GRA 53 underside displaying rotary mowing blade

MD Jim Wilkinson familiarising himself with the twist-grip throttle

GFR 42 complete with 2.4mm x 4.6mm of line

Two singular robust EC motor drives

The metal-bladed GFR 25 in action

Training Manager Bob Law and Product Manger Gonzalo Brey

Equipment Editor Jack Bacon operating the GFR42 brush cutter’s single-hand controls

Contact Bosch Broadwater Park, N Orbital Rd, Uxbridge UB9 5HJ Tel 0344 892 0115 Email PT.Professionalgarden@uk. bosch.com Web www.bosch-professional.com/ garden

NEW PRODUCTS COMING IN 2016 3 hedge cutters, 1 blower, 36v 9.0ah batteries and cordless mobile power unit (generator) with 1500w continuous power output (6 batteries approx)

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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EQUIPMENT

KEY SPECS  Model: Double-cab Ford Ranger 3.2 Limited  Price £24,149 (exc VAT)  Engine: 3.2 Duratorq TDCi  Load length: 1,549mm  Load width (max): 1,560mm  Load height (unladen): 835mm  Power/Torque: 147kW (200PS) @ 3,000rpm  Economy: 29.1mpg (combined)  Payload (gross): 1,127kg  Towing capacity braked/ unbraked: 3,500kg/750kg C02 emissions: 256g/km

The Ford Ranger is a utility pick-up designed to deliver the performance of a car coupled with the storage and towing capacity of a transit van. Ideal for landscape gardeners travelling to and from sites, the Ranger can haul big payloads as well as towing additional groundcare equipment. Seating two to five occupants, the double-cab model is the largest in the range and is a powerful yet efficient six-gear transporter complete with contemporary interior luxuries. With four full-sized doors and 17in alloy wheels, the sleek North American style Ranger offers easy access to passengers in a car-like environment.

REVIEW

FORD RANGER TEST DRIVE

Five-seater Ranger doubles up as a medium-sized

Performance The Ranger has been performance tested by Ford as a rugged and durable pick-up able to navigate challenging terrains. Powered by a Duratorq diesel engine, the vehicle guarantees improved fuel economy owing to its added sixth-gear manual transmission and is also compliant with Euro Stage V emission standards. Available in both 4x2 and 4x4 versions, the latter is a good recommendation for rural-based professionals in need of a practical off-roader. Towing capacity The Ranger is among one of the market’s elite performers when it comes to transporting goods, the 4x4 would be a firm choice for a dealership’s demonstrator who could tow up to 3,500kg of machinery when travelling to a customer. With grounds maintenance providers in mind, the Ranger allows for the transportation of a small to medium ride-on mower or similar heavy duty machinery with a trailer. Equipped to carry up to 1,195kg in tools and materials, the core payload area for the double cab models is considerable and the box is 1,549 x 1,560mm. Technical Featuring a smart auto transmission system, the Advanced Driver Recognition software can understand the user’s driving style. The transmission can decipher the current driving situation (including, uphill, downhill, cornering and towering) ensuring that higher or lower changes are made at the right time to aid control and responsiveness.

family transporter featuring cushioned leather seats

Improved suspension and raised wheel arches suited to matching one of three driving modes

The lockable pick-up box incudes tie-down hooks and load rests for safe load management

SELLING POINTS  New 6-speed manual transmission saves fuel and cuts emissions  Low rolling resistance tyres use less energy and reduce fuel consumption  Exceptional towing capacity payload weight limit  Firm tie-downs and lockable pick-up box ensure safe load transportation  12 year anti-corrosion warranty

Pro Landscaper test drove the Ford Ranger, a popular choice of vehicle amongst landscapers. We highlight the 3.2 double-cab Limited’s stylish look and multi-functions as appealing features for potential buyers APPEARANCE It’s sturdy and big but still slick. It’s a great looking vehicle which can not only carry the driver and four passengers, but has an open-backed space for the transportation of tools, aggregates and products. At just over 1.5m2, the rear open space will be useful for small tools and loose product. DRIVING EXPERIENCE Inside, the cab has five seats, a useful element if you are transporting teams. Despite not being a car it feels close to driving one. On testing, initially the gear box felt quite tight, but once used to it, transmission was very smooth. Due to the weight of the vehicle, it felt slightly sluggish when climbing hills but once up and cruising it drove well. The plus point about the Ranger is that it’s so economical and having a sixth gear will help reduce diesel consumption. CAB DESIGN & MANOEUVRABILITY The cab is stationed at a comfortable elevated height and the all-round vision is fantastic with clear views and good mirrors. There’s a handy rear parking sensor, the steering wheel has a tilt adjustment lever and power assisted steering makes the Ranger easy to handle. Seating is comfortable with adjustable head rests to all seats. INTERIOR GADGETS This vehicle has got a good audio system and all the extra accessories like Bluetooth for the phone and music streaming; the heating and air conditioning works well and there are two cup holders plus extra storage. Satellite navigation and rear view camera is available as an optional extra at a cost of £900.

OVERALL RATING

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 89

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DESIGN & MANUFACTURE SINCE 1954

GARDEN STRUCTURES ARCHES • PERGOL AS • OBELISKS FRUIT C AGES • RAISED BEDS & PL ANTERS FL OWER SUPPORTS • FENCING • G ATES

Trade Brochure & Price List available • UK made designs with RHS endorsement. • Quality materials with guarantees. • Planning & consultation. • Standard sizes & bespoke designing.

2014

PRINCIPAL

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National Landscape Awards

TRADE BROCHURE: 0845 218 2120 TRADE ENQUIRIES: trade@harrod.uk.com

www.harrodhorticultural.com

ADS TEMPLATE.indd 2

20/08/2015 09:12

EQUIPMENT

TALKING TO...

IAN MITCHELL Groundscare operator trainer Ian Mitchell sat down with Pro Landscaper to discuss his new business venture High Five Training and assess training provision in the industry

Can you describe your industry background? I have 35 years’ experience at Ransomes Jacobsen. I left school at 16 and completed a mechanical engineering apprenticeship before working as a factory-based demonstrator. I transferred to the technical department where I was a rep for two or three years doing field service repairs while training UK and European workshop staff. Then I was Asia Pacific manager for four and a half years before coming back to the UK 16 years ago. I had various roles before moving into the training department eight years ago. We could see a commercial opportunity for generic external training so we rebranded the department as Cutting Edge Training to provide instruction across a range of brands. How did you form High Five Training? Two years ago when I was running Cutting Edge I could see a gap in the market for a specialist groundscare training provider. High Five Training is unique in that I will come to you and train on your equipment, at your site and in your conditions. The

training reflects the needs of your operators and the machinery they use. The name came from my desire to represent the fun I try to inject into the courses. At home, I regularly play a game of high fives with my Staffordshire bull terrier, Boson. My wife saw me doing that and decided my company had to be called High Five. Do you offer freelance work to independent landscape contractors? I am available for hire to anybody who would like me to train their staff. I deliver training using either NPTC/LANTRA as a national awarding body or the BAGMA installation course, which covers handing over goods and services to a new user. I also offer bespoke courses. Not everyone requires a full NPTC or LANTRA certificate of competence and some customers don’t want their staff to do any maintenance. In that case I would focus purely on driving the machine. What type of customer provides your main source of work? Local authorities understand the importance of training and many contractors need to show they have the training in place before successfully tendering for contracts. Once it is in place, they see improved performance with less damage and so less downtime for the machinery. If you have less damage and fewer accident claims, there is a financial incentive to keep up the training records. How well is the UK’s groundscare industry provided for by recognised training? I think there is plenty of scope for growth with regards to specialist training. As apprentices

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Equipment Ian Mitchell 2.indd 91

come through, young people are going off to college to do their basic training and that provision is perfectly adequate. It’s where you’ve got mature, existing staff or those who aren’t on a current apprenticeship – not doing an NVQ programme for example. Operators can hurt themselves using hedge cutters or injure others with strimmers if not properly trained. The training courses are there. LANTRA and NPTC have a suite of groundscare courses available, but there is a lack of people with the experience and knowledge to deliver them well. Traditionally, a college lecturer would be used to training young people, but when you have experienced 40 or 50-year-old operators you need a different approach. Finally, do you have any plans to expand the business? There will be additional machinery units added to the portfolio and I’ll be running management training such as conflict-resolution, customer handling, sales skills and territory management this autumn. Above: Ian’s broad vehicle training experience includes how to execute turns in a Crossrail tunnel

ABOUT IAN MITCHELL Ian Mitchell has 35 years’ experience in the turf machinery industry. High Five training was set up in 2015 to provide a dedicated groundscare training service to the industry. Email: mitch@highfivetraining.co.uk Tel: 07484 295 296

Pro Landscaper / September 2015 91

20/08/2015 12:00

Get on

track in 2010 2015 in

Swing Out Control Station

When you need a compact stump cutter with the go-anywhere traction and ﬂotation that only tracks can provide, the Trac Jr is your solution. This all-new design from RAYCO raises the bar for compact stump cutters by offering a small machine that is truly full-featured. Rubber tracks provide excellent traction and ground pressure of less than 4psi. Huge, 47-inch cutting width tackles big stumps, and a hydraulic backﬁll blade makes easy work of clean-up. A RAYCO-exclusive swing out control station provides excellent visibility of the cutting action while swinging forward www.raycomfg.com to travel through gates. Powered by a 35hp Vanguard gasoline engine. Available with a custom trailer. Westcon Equipment (UK) Limited, Unit 2 Bridge Street, Bailie Gate Industrial Estate, Sturminster: Marshall, Dorset. www.raycomfg.com 800.392.2686 WestconorEquipment for further details: Contact RAYCO your Authorized Dealer for details. BH21 4DB. Tel: (01258) 859100 Fax: (01258) 858434 Email: sales@westconuk.co.uk www.westconuk.co.uk

CAMON Lawncare Equipment. The Professional’s Choice.

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Visit www.tracmaster.co.uk for more details, or call us on 01444 247689.

Page069_Advert.indd 3

19/08/2015 10:25

EQUIPMENT

T H WHITE AN INTERVIEW WITH GROUNDCARE DIVISION DIRECTOR TIM LANE T H White’s groundcare division, with four main sites stretching from the midlands to right across the south coast, celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2014. One year on, Director Tim Lane discusses the branch’s customer management and trading evolution. How was the company formed and who owns the business? Founder Thomas Henry White formed T H White in 1832 and it originally traded as an ironmonger. With its roots firmly in agricultural engineering the Group began to diversify its interests during the eighties to form the business today which employs over 500 full time staff and turns over in excess of £120m. The Group now has interests in lorry cranes, vehicles, agricultural engineering, energy, fire and security, specialist engineering projects, construction and professional groundcare machinery. We started supplying commercial grasscare machinery in 1989 when we took on the Ransomes range and then expanded the division’s presence across four South West depots. We have provided machinery to a far-reaching and growing portfolio of county councils over the past 25 years. Whilst the Scott family are the majority shareholders, a large proportion of the business is owned by the staff which ensures those working in the company are engaged in its ongoing success.

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Which brands do you deal with and who holds the longest serving contract? Our view is, if we have good long-term relationships with our suppliers we will be able to best serve our customers needs for the long term. In addition to being one of the largest Ransomes Jacobsen dealers, we are also dealers for Wiedenmann and New Holland. We are also main dealers for Amazone, Wessex, Ferris and Wright, Greentek and Greenmech chippers. We also run an Ifor Williams trailer business from Reading serving the Thames Valley region and the south coast. What responsibilities does your job involve? I am a graduate agricultural engineer and joined the company 16 years ago in my year out from Cranfield University in Bedford. After I graduated David Scott, the Managing Director at the time, offered me a job and I started off by selling equipment on the south coast. My career has seen me work in all departments within groundcare including time spent working in other divisions. Five years ago I became a Director which has given me an insight across the whole business; but my day to day job is running groundcare. What type of customer prefers to trade with used equipment? We get a number of enquiries from large private users through our website. Often this is because we have listed ex-hire, or ex-demo equipment on the listings which offer our customers substantial savings over new equipment. Some of these opportunities come from running a large dedicated demonstration and hire fleet – in particular hire where we regularly sell off the machinery to keep the hire fleet modern and up to date. For example, we have a local authority contract in Gloucester which hires brand new mowers from us every other year. We maintain them, offer servicing and then take them back after the hire period then restore and sell them on.

Do you currently manage any contracts with local authorities? We look after some London boroughs and South West areas leading up to the Midlands. We are heavily focused on local authorities. They are very particular about the companies they deal with, they look for dealerships to be financially sound and have a track record supplying to local authorities. We’ve been in business a long time and having a strong balance sheet gives us credibility. Our challenge is to change smaller contractors’ perceptions as some assume we’re too expensive. We want them to feel we value them as they add up to a big chunk of our business. How has the trade in grasscare machinery been doing in 2015? We were all concerned about the impact budget cuts would have on frontline services including grass cutting, but the knock-on effect for machinery replacement has not been as bad as anticipated. In our experience local authorities are still investing to keep up with innovation around lower vibration, reducing engine emissions and further improving productivity and operator experience. CONTACT T H White Ltd Nursteed Road, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 3EA Tel: 01380 722381 Web: www.thwhitegrasscare.co.uk

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EQUIPMENT Makita, the global power tool manufacturer, celebrates 100 years of technical innovations in 2015. Founded in 1915 in Nagoya City, Japan, the first power tool manufactured in 1958 was a planer assembled for an established machine brand. This led to the manufacture of machines to Makita’s own design whereupon the brand and its engineering philosophy was established. One hundred years on, innovative research continues to influence the design and production of machines used in many industries, as well as the rapidly growing outdoor power equipment range. The UK subsidiary was established in 1972 with the Telford production facility opening in 1992 which today employs more than 300 staff and produces more than 63,000 power tools every month, 80% of which are exported around the world. Globally, Makita produces a range in excess of 700 different machines in more than 150 countries. Since its creation, Makita has seen many successful milestones, including:

• 1935 first export of motors and generators to the Soviet Union • 1958 first production tool produced and one year later 1300 hand-held planers exported to the newly established Australian subsidiary • 1969 the world’s first rechargeable battery powered drill (650D) launched • 1978 the 6010D entered the market as the first NiCad battery-powered drill • 1981 launch of the Makita pneumatic air-nailer and compressor • 1983 production started in Canada just two years ahead of the USA The purchase of the Sachs Dolmar chainsaw business in 1991 set Makita on the path to

TIMELINE

MAKITA CELEBRATES

100 YEARS OF INNOVATIONS

supplying the world with outdoor power equipment. In 1995 production started in China with the first Nickel Metal Hydride battery-powered cordless tools introduced by 1997. This innovative new battery science was underscored with the introduction of the Lithium-Ion battery on the company’s 90th anniversary in 2005. Makita lead the world with Lithium-Ion technology which has proved the

cornerstone of the business’s growth over the past decade. Today in the UK, the Makita range of tools powered by the most popular 18v Lithium-Ion battery has reached over 100 different products, all powered by the same technology. The range now contains over 540 tools to meet the demands of most industries and occupations. Makita Lithium-Ion technology embraces the groundscare and landscaping maintenance sector with the twin 18v battery system that provides high torque 36v motor performance. Simply utilise two Makita 18v Li-ion batteries to power the 36

MAKITA FOUNDED in Nagoya City, Japan

UK SUBSIDIARY FIRST PRODUCTION TOOL 1300 hand-held planers were exported to the newly established Australian subsidiary

First export of motors and generators to the Soviet Union

World’s first rechargeable battery powered drill

Pro Landscaper / September 2015

Makita 100.indd 94

CHINA Production started in China

PNEUMATIC LAUNCH Launch of the Makita pneumatic air-nailer and compressor

650D LAUNCH

FIRST EXPORT

UK subsidiary was established

First NiCad batterypowered drill

6010D LAUNCH

Production started in Canada just two years ahead of the USA

LITHIUM-ION Introduction of the Lithium-Ion battery on the company’s 90th anniversary in 2005

First Nickel Metal Hydride battery-powered cordless tools introduced by 1997

NICKEL METAL HYDRIDE

CANADA & USA

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

20/08/2015 14:23

EQUIPMENT

volt (twin 18V machines). This battery is featured in machines such as the new low-vibe brushless brush cutter, the DUR365UZ, and the new brushless linetrimmer, DUR364LZ; the ever-expanding range includes chainsaws, hedge trimmers, blowers and lawnmowers. From cordless innovation to 4-stroke excellence, the MM4 – that’s the Makita’s Mini 4-stroke engine – offers the advantages of fuel economy, power and the lowest, cleanest emissions ensuring that these working tools are in keeping with the environmental responsibilities of grounds care contractors. National green services provider Glendale has cut fuel consumption by 20% just by switching to Makita’s 4-stroke blowers, linetrimmers and pole hedge trimmers. “We have cut petrol consumption by 20% which gives us a significant advantage on tight, fixed term contracts,” says Mark McKinnon, Glendale’s company engineer. “The 20% fuel saving has been recorded in comparison to 2-stroke machines working in the same arduous locations. Oil costs have reduced by 78%.” Equally Mark Gregory, landscape contractor www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Makita 100.indd 95

and managing director of Landform Consultants says: “Makita tools are a perfect companion for our garden construction requirements: powerful, totally reliable and always the first choice of our teams.” Gregory adds that the advantages of

low noise and low vibrations from the MM4 engine mean these Makita tools are more comfortable and safer to use over longer periods of time. The service dealer network has recently been enhanced to 100 centres, well positioned geographically to provide maintenance service cover for both electric and petrol-engine machines with the corresponding increase in spares back-up inventory. The innovative three-year warranty policy continues to build customer confidence. Celebrations for Makita’s 100 years are being

held around the World during 2015 with this milestone also acting as the keynote to aspirations for the next 100 years. A global message from the President, Shiro Hori, underscores both the confidence and the dedication of every member of the Makita team. “We have adopted these keywords: constant efforts, steady progress – towards Makita’s next 100 years.”

CONTACT Makita (UK) Ltd, Michigan Drive Tongwell, Milton Keynes Bucks MK15 8JD Tel: 01908 211678 Email: customerservice@makitauk.com Twitter: @makitaUK

Facebook: makitauk

Web: www.makitauk.com

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GET READY TO w NEW SALTEX The national event for managing and maintaining sports pitches, parks, estates, grounds and landscapes has got even better NEW SALTEX brings you: New exhibition format • new exhibitors, products and innovation • new enhanced educational seminar programme • free expert advice - all under one roof - plus, for the first time, the IOG Awards Register today for your FREE place

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POWER TOOLS ECHO

£390 +VAT

EQUIPMENT

£485

PELLENC

+VAT

STIHL

£272 +VAT

PB-500 backpack blower

Helion 2 Compact Hedge Trimmer

TSA 230 cordless cut oﬀ saw

Engine displacement 2-stroke 50.8cc engine Output 1.9kW Dry weight 10kg (with blower pipe) Maximum air speed 73m/s Vibration 2.7m/s2 Fuel tank capacity 1.72L Technology Trigger throttle for precise ﬁngertip control

Power 1,200W Blade length Selection of blades ranging from 270 to 750 mm Single/double edged Double Handle rotation Swivel handle (± 90°) Weight 3.5kg Ergonomics Quick Switch system with four types of interchangeable cutter bars on the same engine

Purpose Suitable for cutting rooﬁng tiles and paving blocks as well as indoor use Battery 36V Lithium-ion Motor Stihl’s electric motor (EC) comes with maintenance free belt drive Cutting wheel 230mm (9in) Maximum cutting depth 70mm Weight 3.9kg

www.echo-tools.co.uk

www.etesia.co.uk/pellenc

www.stihl.co.uk

EGO

£129

MAKITA

£272 +VAT

inc VAT

EGO Power+ Hedgetrimmer

EA3601F35B 35.2cc petrol chainsaw

Description 56V Lithium-ion battery. Able to cut branches up to 22mm thick Blade length 61cm dual-action laser cut and diamond ground steel blade Single/double edged Double Run time Up to 1 hour (with a 2.0Ah battery)

Emissions Cleanest possible with low fuel consumption Type Rear handle Engine 2-stroke Bar size 35cm Chain pitch 3/8in Fuel tank capacity 0.31L Net weight 4.2kg

www.egopowerplus.co.uk

www.makitauk.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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1000

B50 SERIES 20-31HP JOB DONE, EVERY TIME. Test drive a Kubota B50 Series compact tractor this autumn and you’ll find a thousand reasons why these highly productive, robust and reliable machines may be the right tractor for you.

REASONS...

What’s more, to get you started we’ll give you £1000 cash-back on cabbed models or £500 cash-back ROPS models when you order a B50 Series by 31st October 2015. Economic to run, reliable and highly efficient to operate; these compact, robust tractors are packed full of innovative standard features designed for high productivity and low running costs – ideal for 1000’s of different tasks.

0 0 * £CA1S0 H-BACK ..to buy a Kubota B50 Series

rdered actors o Series tr 2015 r e b o ct On B50 st-31st O 1st Augu

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ALL BACKED BY KUBOTA’S OUTSTANDING AFTERSALES AND DEALER SUPPORT TO KEEP YOU WORKING +Conditions apply to 2nd year see dealer for details

*£1000 cash-back available on B50 cabbed models /£500 cash-back for ROPS B50 models.

For more information Call: 01844 268 000 Visit: www.kubota.co.uk B50 186x118mm.indd 1

12/08/2015 11:19

H G U O R N TOUGH ORS

OWE AS FLAIL M

MORE EFFICIENCY

Generous cutting width from 57cm to 90cm.

GREATER CONTROL

Steering brakes for smooth manoeuvring.

EXTRA TRACTION

Twin drive wheels with heavy tread pattern, ideal on slopes and uneven terrain. To request more product information, locate your nearest dealer or arrange a machine demonstration please contact PSD Groundscare.

08450 773 773 sales@psdgroundscare.com www.psdgroundscare.com www.as-motor.com

ADS TEMPLATE.indd 3

20/08/2015 09:17

EXCAVATORS TAKEUCHI

EQUIPMENT

JCB

KUBOTA

Takeuchi TB240

JCB 65R-I

Kubota U10-3

Description 4 tonne compact mini excavator Developments A new style compact cab suited to heavy duty excavating Net weight 4,000kg including bucket and full fuel tank Engine Yanmar 4TNV88C Max dig depth 3,465mm Max dump height 3,825mm Track width 350mm

Description 6.5 tonne midi excavator Developments Fast travel capability and reduced ownership costs Operating weight 6,625kg Engine Stage 3a Perkins 404d-22 (36.9K gross power) Max dig depth 4,011mm Max dump height 4,145mm Track width 400mm

Description Ultra compact zero-tail swing mini excavator Developments Standard ﬁtted rollover ROPS bar for operator protection Net weight 1,120kg Engine D722-BH6 (7.4/2050 kW/rpm) Max dig depth 1,800mm Max dump height 3,050mm Track width 750-990mm

www.takeuchi-mfg.co.uk

www.jcb.co.uk

www.kubota.co.uk

DOOSAN

BOBCAT

Doosan DX235LCR-5

Bobcat E17

Description 24 tonne crawler excavator Developments The reliable and fuel-eﬃcient DL06P Doosan engine has ensured signiﬁcant fuel and cost reductions Net weight 24,300kg Engine 6-cylinder Doosan DL06P diesel Max dig depth 6,670mm Max dump height 7,955mm Track width 600mm

Description 1.7 tonne mini-excavator Developments Steel tailgate and side covers for durability. Operating weight 1,711kg Engine Kubota D722 diesel Max dig depth 2,249mm Max dump height 2,370mm Track width 230mm

www.doosanequipment.eu

www.bobcat.eu

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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PEOPLE

TRADING WITH ROLAWN

Jonathan Hill, sales and marketing director at Rolawn spoke to Pro Landscaper on the company’s fortieth anniversary year

We understand it’s your 40th anniversary this year, how are you celebrating this? We have researched the high points over the last 40 years in order to communicate them through exhibition graphics that will appear as a backdrop to our trade and retail stands in coming years. We also commissioned a turf feature that welcomed visitors arriving at the 25th Hampton Court Flower Show, in conjunction with the RHS. Designed by award winning designer, Tony Smith, the silver and ruby themed feature was augmented by Rolawn displays celebrating our long running association with RHS gardens and RHS flower show garden designers. How was the feedback from your Rolawn Freestyle Turf Sculpture at Hampton Court? It has been excellent. Most noticeably, it made people smile and in one case request to buy it! What’s unique about your products or the service you offer to landscapers? All Rolawn turf is treated by our unique Profresh process, which extends its shelf life, giving landscapers an extended window of opportunity

to lay the turf in prime condition. This works extremely well in spring when the turf is highly active and in the summer when temperatures can be very high. Rolawn Medallion turf is harvested younger so it is lighter and easier to lay, meaning it roots very aggressively, giving rapid establishment. Our topsoils are manufactured to our own specification, producing friable, fertile, high quality growing media. Where in the market do your products sit? We sit towards the top of the market, however we meet a range of expectations with not just Rolawn products but also our Hallstone sub-brand. Do you offer trade discounts? We negotiate on an individual basis as haulage arrangements are an important part of our customer relationships. The majority of our sales are now via our stockist network so landscapers need to negotiate with their local supplier. Are products on next day delivery? We work on a 48 hour lead time for most products. However, the majority of our stockists do work on a next day delivery basis. Do you supply UK wide? Yes, we cover the whole of the UK and are stocked in more than 750 outlets.

Turf Sculpture at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2015 designed by Tony Smith, built by Hortus Inﬁnitus, sponsored by Rolawn.

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Trading With.indd 101

How do you distribute your products? Every day we have a combination of haulage partners who provide up to 100 trucks on our busiest days. Some deliveries are also completed by Palletline, who provide us with an effective direct to site service.

CONTACT

Company name Rolawn Address Rolawn Limited, Elvington, York, YO41 4XR Tel 0845 604 6050 or 01904 608 661 Email info@rolawn.co.uk Twitter @rolawn Facebook rolawnfinestturfandtopsoil Web www.rolawn.co.uk

Do you offer an installation service? We have always resisted providing an installation service, seeing this as the preserve of landscapers. We do not intend to compete with our customers, our focus is on producing quality products. Why should landscapers and designers choose your products? Consistently providing premium quality turf, topsoil, bark and associated products gives reassurance that customers are buying into products at the forefront of the industry. Our topsoils are produced under rigorous controls to ensure they provide everything we claim in terms of performance. Our turf stands out as being of superior quality as told to us by our customers, many of whom buy from multiple suppliers. Will you be exhibiting at any landscape events this year? We don’t have a tradition of exhibiting but we are considering our promotional programme for 2016. What are your plans for the future? We are working on improved topsoil mixes and increasing the impact of our Profresh process to extend shelf life even further. This will provide an even greater window of opportunity to sell the product, which should result in improved availability for trade and retail customers. We are also working on presentation and branding of our turf, recruiting additional staff within the sales and marketing department to focus on serving our customers more effectively. Pro Landscaper / September 2015 101

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PEOPLE

ALEXANDRA STEVENSON Designer, Alydandra Landscape Architecture and Garden Design www.alydandra.co.uk Your most referred to gardening book of all time The new small garden by John Brookes – given to me after work experience in a landscape architect’s office aged 16.

Favourite tipple Gin, elderflower and soda water. Summer in a glass.

Best garden in the UK Wallington Hall, Northumberland. I spent many years visiting the walled garden at least monthly as I grew up.

Lifelong fan of No one in particular!

Most treasured gift A clock given to me by my grandmother for my 21st from the Blue Coat Centre in Liverpool

Your most used saying or cliché What comes around goes around. Newest gardening trend in your opinion After our show garden I’d like to think a return to colour and pattern!

Biggest life influence No single influence, rather smaller negative influences that have made me be determined to be different! Top plant Narcissus ‘Thalia’ - always trying to sneak this great allrounder this into landscape schemes to brighten up the end of winter!

Three people you’d like to invite to dinner Jane Loudon – see what she thinks of her return to prominence, Sebastian Coe – I love hearing behind the scenes stories – I know a few from the Olympics from a friend who worked on it and I would love to hear more. Monty Roberts, ‘Horse whisperer’.

102 Pro Landscaper / September 2015

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Pro Landscaper asks quick-fire questions to get a small insight into the people that make up our industry. To take part email lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com

JEAN WARDROP Garden designer, Wardrop Designs www.wardropdesigns.co.uk

Most referred to gardening book of all time The RHS’s Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers and Perennial Garden Plants by Graham Stuart Thomas. Best garden in the UK Beth Chatto Gardens – Beth makes gardening look natural and nature look under control. Biggest life influence Nature – visiting, observing and learning from nature in landscapes. Top plant Helleborus x hybridus – the Lenten Rose offers such variety of colour and form, heralding the coming of spring, for me.

Favourite tipple, Quality draft ale. Most treasured gift A very nice watch given to me by my family, for a significant birthday. Lifelong fan of... The Olympics is the only event I have been interested in for that length of time. Rugby would be next, England of course. Your most used saying It’s a small world. Newest gardening trend in your opinion Wildflowers that attract pollinators are worthy of support. I’d also like to see us enjoy colour again.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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PEOPLE

CARL DRAKE Managing director, Chic Teak www.chic-teak.co.uk Your most referred to gardening book of all time? The Complete Garden Planning Book: The Definitive Guide to Designing and Planting a Beautiful Garden

Biggest lifetime influence? My father. He’s won awards for his dahlias and roses. Known in the village as “the man with the lawn.” He continues to be the font of all knowledge when I’m planning our RHS trade stands.

Best garden in the UK RHS Garden Wisley

Top Plant It would have to be a Yorkshire Rose

Most used saying or cliché? How hard can it be?

Lifelong fan of England Rugby Favourite tipple Ron Zacapas 23yr old Guatemalan rum

You prediction for the newest gardening trend I’m working on something at the moment, which I think could be the next big thing but if I told you I’d have to kill you. Watch this space.

Most treasured gift? My friend and regimental artist gave me a very limited edition print of the SAS storming the Iranian embassy, signed by the members of the troop.

BUTTER WAKEFIELD

KAT WEATHERILL

Garden designer, Butter Wakefield Garden Design

Garden designer and photographer www.katweatherill.com

Your most referred to gardening book of all time Barcham’s Time for Trees. I use it all the time. Great book! Best garden in the UK Big: Hidcote Manor, Small: Mary Keen’s garden in Gloucestershire. Biggest life influence Ralph Waldo Emmerson’s Essays, specifically ‘Nature’ and ‘Self Reliance’. Favourite tipple Grey Goose Vodka (double, oops) tonic and plenty of fresh lime

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Top plant Alchemilla mollie can’t live without it! Most treasured gift Four gorgeously divine children.

Your most referred to gardening book of all time RHS A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Best garden in the UK Scampston Hall.

Most treasured gift My family. Lifelong fan of My husband and son are keen cyclists. By default, it would have to be Team Sky. Your most used saying “I’ve been thinking...”

Lifelong fan of Arsenal - Go Gunners! Newest gardening trend in your opinion Wildflowers used anywhere and everywhere.

Biggest life influence My mum for always believing in me and my dad for introducing me to gardening.

Three people you’d like to invite to dinner Thomas Hardy, Mumford and Sons and the queen

Top plant Phlomis russeliana. Favourite tipple Champagne.

Newest gardening trend in your opinion Designs that are more subtle and elegant with muted colour planting palettes. Three people you’d like to invite to dinner Stephen Fry, Alan Titichmarsh, Hugh Jackman

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PEOPLE

LOOK OUT FOR...

JOSHUA NOAKES BALI Chalk Fund Student of the Year prize winner Joshua Noakes talks about his career pathway and ambitions abroad after recently qualifying in landscape construction

What was your motivation behind pursuing a career in landscaping? It came from my love of the outdoors as well as influence from my parents, who both have backgrounds in horticulture. Growing up I was always encouraged to help with the gardening and my passion grew the more I got involved. Why did you choose to study at Merrist Wood College? The name Merrist Wood is very reputable, it’s a well recognised horticultural college. Many ex-students have gone on to achieve great things within the industry. With the college being local, it only added to the reasons for wanting to attend. The college has been invaluable towards my development over these two years and I’m expected to achieve top marks (D*D*D*) after completing my BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Landscape Construction this summer. Did you receive any professional landscaping experience during your course? Yes, for the last four years, when I worked for IPM Facilities, a commercial facilities company with a large landscape division. I really enjoyed my time there and the company helped to fund my education as well as sponsoring my landscape construction course. I’m hoping to become more involved with the architectural planning of projects and want to bring new design influences to the company once I’m fully qualified. I was also invited to assist with building show gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show. 104 Pro Landscaper / September 2015

Look Out For.indd 104

What are your strongest skills and which areas would you like to develop? I enjoy the problem solving the job brings the most, thinking of solutions and being a capable team leader with good organisational skills. My employment with IPM Facilities has certainly given me a better understanding of plants and soils. Merrist Wood College has also given me a better understanding of hard landscaping. In September I’m moving on to study landscape architecture at Sheffield University and am aware I need to improve my AutoCAD skills and get to grips with Vectorworks, but I believe I have all the practical knowledge needed to be successful. How did it feel to receive the BALI Chalk Fund Student of the Year prize? I am honoured and really happy with the award, it is something I have worked hard for. I remember when I joined the college I had seen the previous award winners and it did motivate me to get on with my work. The title has been won by prestigious industry names over the past 40 years and I also received a cheque from the charity to support further training. What are your future career ambitions? Initially I’d like to work abroad, to widen my work experience. I’m looking to take advantage of a one year paid for work placement offered by my Global Scholarship at Sheffield University and aim to go out to Hong Kong or Singapore if possible. However, my long-term goals are to

work in the UK and increase the profile of landscaping and landscape architecture. What would you introduce to attract more young people onto landscape courses? I believe horticulture and the landscaping industry needs to have a higher and better profile. The perception of landscaping or gardening is that it’s a job you do if there is nothing else on offer. This is completely untrue and it’s a highly skilled industry. The landscape industry needs to appeal to younger people. In some ways this is being achieved with younger gardening presenters on mainstream TV channels and the coverage of flower shows such as RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court involving younger and vibrant designers. More environmental lessons should be introduced to the school curriculum. In turn, this would hopefully sustain the interest of early teens who are considering a career within the industry. CONTACT IPM Facilities Charwell House, Wilsom Road, Alton, Hampshire GU34 2PP Tel: 01420 540211 Web: www.ipmfacilities.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

19/08/2015 10:49

PRO LANDSCAPER

SCOTTISH SUPPLEMENT INCORPORATING

SCOTHORT SHOW GUIDE

16 SEPTEMBER 2015

ROYAL HIGHLAND CENTRE EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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GreenUrbanScape Asia is set to bring over 150 international exhibiting companies across a total gross area of 7,000 sqm, a 40% increase from its last edition in 2013.

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SCOTHORT

Welcome to...

SCOTHORT ScotHort is ﬁnally here. After many months of planning, organising and making countless phone calls, the brand new event dedicated to the Scottish horticulture industry will open its doors to visitors on Wednesday 16 September at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh. This event was conceived of and developed by Eljays44 which, after extensive research, found that the Scottish market was in need of an industry trade show. The owners of Pro Landscaper and FutureScape put the wheels in motion to develop and launch ScotHort, a multi-sector event bringing landscaping, arboriculture, and groundscare together at one venue with the vision of aiding cross sector business development. This exciting event promises to be a great opportunity to bring the industries together in a one-day show ﬁlled with machinery demonstrations, seminars, training and the

chance to meet some of the country’s leading suppliers and ﬁnd out about their products and services. Within this supplement you will ﬁnd interesting news stories from the region along with details of the suppliers exhibiting at the event. We also include information on the seminars and leading guest speakers who will be taking to the stage throughout the day. The Eljays44 team will be on hand during the event both around the venue and on our stand, please come and visit us and collect your complimentary copy of our industry publications. We very much look forward to seeing you on the day.

Dean Lawrence

Marketing, Data & Communications Manager

CONTENTS 04 News Industry news round up

07 SGD Sarah Eberle The SGD’s Sarah Eberle stages a Designer Development Day

08 Interview Land Engineering’s MD, Stuart Dillett

10 Art in the Garden New Hopetoun Garden’s award-winning show garden

12 Trading With Muck-Truck Scotland

13 A-Z ScotHort All this year’s exhibitors

16 Seminar Programme Who’s talking and when

CONTACT DETAILS - Eljays44 Ltd

3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 2DA Tel: 01903 777 570

www.eljays44.com

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Editorial Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com

Production Manager – Susie Duff Design – Kara Thomas, Amy Downes Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd – Connecting Horticulture

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SCOTHORT

SCOTLAND HORT NEWS RBGE launch Modern Apprenticeship in Amenity Horticulture

Barenbrug grass seed used in Edinburgh Zoo panda enclosure

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is launching a Modern Apprenticeship scheme in horticulture this summer which aims to teach the highest standards of professional practice to its trainees by oﬀering a structured training programme integrated in all its garden areas. The scheme will provide participants with the opportunity to gain practical experience and knowledge, based on the horticultural operations at RBGE. During the two years, apprentices will gain work experience in each of the horticultural sections at Edinburgh: arboriculture, alpine, display and research,

Grass expert Barenbrug UK has supplied its BAR 50 SOS grass seed mix for the UK’s only giant panda enclosure at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo. In the winter of 2011, when the pandas arrived in the UK, the custom-built enclosure needed a little help to maintain grass cover. Simon Jones, Sustainability Manager at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, explains more: “On a horticultural front, the two outdoor giant panda enclosures have lots of shade and clay substrate, which makes for poor plant drainage. Add the weight of two 100kg plus pandas padding around, and the ground becomes very compacted. Grass cover

becomes more of a challenge.” Simon turned to Dr David Greenshields, Barenbrug Research and Development Manager, for advice. Dr Greenshields commented: “We recommended BAR 50 SOS because of its ability to renovate permanent turf areas quickly and in very cold temperatures. It’s perfect for leisure and facilities professionals, who need a high performance mix that solves speciﬁc challenges. Critical for people, like Simon, who have a limited establishment window.” BAR 50 SOS is the successful selection of thousands of progeny from Barenbrug’s extensive breeding programme – and oﬀers unprecedented,

proven results. It germinates down to 3.5°C and grows faster than any other seed at low temperatures. Simon added: “We sowed the entire enclosure and planted plenty of whip alder trees to soak up residual moisture. BAR 50 SOS roots deep and can handle shady conditions, so it’s as hardwearing as it is quick to establish. The enclosure is less boggy now and looks much better.”

www.barenbrug.co.uk

Horse chestnut parasite could soon spread to Scotland glasshouses, herbaceous, turf and nursery. As part of this work experience, on the job training and mentoring will be delivered by RBGE staﬀ, with a focus on practical skills to carry out real tasks. Each apprentice will also attend Oatridge College on a day release basis, where they will study towards an SVQ Level 2 in Amenity Horticulture.

www.rbge.org.uk

Parasitic moths, which infect and destroy the leaves of horse chestnut trees, are moving north and could soon invade Scotland. The horse chestnut leaf-mining moth, which originates in the Balkans, was ﬁrst recorded in London in 2002 and has spread throughout England and Wales. Dr Darren Evans, an expert

in conservation biology at the University of Hull and a co-founder of Conker Tree Science, said “it’s only a matter of time” before the species expands further north into Scotland. The invader feasts on the leaves of the conker-producing trees, turning them brown and causing them to drop in the late

summer. There is little evidence that the moths can kill horse chestnut trees, but Evans said there were fears they could weaken the tree’s immune system and make them more susceptible to disease. Anna Platoni, entomologist at the Royal Horticultural Society, said little could be done to combat

Scotland Supplement | September 2015

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Council chiefs apologise after Cults tree blunder Council chiefs have apologised “unreservedly” to the residents of a smart Aberdeen suburb after workers felled more than 30 historic trees on private land. A letter has been sent to homes in Cults Gardens, admitting the blunder, and oﬀering to plant new saplings in place of the ones that were chopped down. Six months after the event, Aberdeen City Council arboricultural oﬃcer Richard Nicholson has written to the

neighbours acknowledging the mistake and offering to replant the trees. The letter reads: “The results of (our) investigations have revealed that the land is owned by numbers one to seven Cults Gardens. For the lack of consultation on the tree removals, I apologise unreservedly. Given my service is wholly in the wrong for cutting down the trees, I would like to offer to replant tree for tree, all trees felled. It would be my intention to do this immediately if residents are in favour and I would recommend replanting with quick growing cypresses.” An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “The letter to residents of Cults Gardens explains why the council felled the trees in error and apologises for the removal of the trees unreservedly. “The council also confirms that they will continue to consult with residents as to what happens next including the possibility of the council replacing the trees with quick growing cypresses.”

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

Let us fell trees, councillors asked Preservation orders may be revoked next week which protect a group of 45ft-high pine trees within an Elgin housing estate. Moray Council oﬃcers claim that the mature pines in the Reiket Lane area of town are not suitable for the location and are in a poor condition. They argue the trees pose a risk to both people and property – and that any potential management plan would not work. Permission is now being sought to cut down the trees by Waulkmill Grove and behind Barlink Road and Reynolds Crescent and to relandscape the area. A report from a meeting of Moray Council’s planning and regulatory services committee states: “It is considered necessary to revoke the tree preservation orders. “While it is regrettable that mature trees will be lost, expert advice concludes that measures have to be taken in order to

enhance this area for the longterm safety of the residents and provide an improved and attractive area of open space more appropriate for this setting.” The report adds that the area has some long-standing issues related to loss of daylight and falling branches.

www.northern-scot.co.uk

Final phase of Scottish Scenic Routes design contest launched the moths. She said: “The moth caterpillars overwinter in the leaves under the tree. You can rake up, collect and burn fallen leaves in the autumn and that will reduce the population. But unless you’ve got a very isolated tree, then the next year the likelihood is it will just ﬂy back in from somewhere else.”

www.theguardian.com

An architectural design competition is inviting young architects to design one of three new installations to be built as part of the widely acclaimed Scottish Scenic Routes initiative. The competitions focus on three diﬀerent locations, one just north of Fort William and a short distance from the A82 on the ‘Road to the Isles’ (A830) on land owned by

Scottish Canals, whilst the other two sites are within the Cairngorms National Park adjacent to the A93 and A939 respectively. Open to architects and landscape architects still within ﬁve years of having completed RIBA Part II or the achievement of Graduate landscape Architect status, the principal aim of the two-

stage competitions is to provide models/demonstration projects for new and innovative design and construction along Scotland’s Scenic Routes, thereby enhancing the country’s tourism infrastructure. The requirement for the ﬁrst stage is for conceptual solutions, for full entry details visit the website:

www.scottishconstructionnow.com

Scotland Supplement | September 2015

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SCOTHORT

Designer Development DaY SCOTHORT PLAYS HOST TO THE SGD AND SARAH EBERLE Society of Garden Designers Fellow Sarah Eberle FSGD will be staging a Designer Development Day at the first ScotHort event in Edinburgh on Wednesday 16 September 2015. Sarah qualified as a landscape architect in 1975 and has been working in the industry since that time. She is renowned for her innovative RHS show gardens, for which she has been awarded eight Gold medals. Show gardens make up a significant part of Sarah’s work and she will use this informal lecture to speak about how she conceives and manages the creation of a show garden. In addition Sarah will be explaining her approach to garden design, her philosophy and her driving passions, drawing examples from her portfolio to illustrate the talk. Sarah designed her first show garden, The Woodland Garden, for the Daily Mail Pavilion at Hampton Court in 1990. Her Chelsea debut in 2006 was called Walking Barefoot with Bradstone, for which she received a gold medal. The following year, Sarah won best in show for her 600 Days with Bradstone. Sarah is now on the selection panel for the RHS, having done

her ‘apprenticeship’ by judging show gardens. She now designs show gardens all over the world and her work has been shown as far aﬁeld as Japan, New Zealand and Singapore. This inspiring day will give delegates a fascinating insight into the working life of one of the UK’s top landscape and garden designers and the opportunity to learn from Sarah’s broad knowledge and experience. There will be plenty of opportunities to ask Sarah questions throughout the day.

www.sgd.org.uk Target audience This event will be of interest to garden designers at all levels. Programme 10am to 4pm including time for questions and a lunch break. Items to bring Something to take notes with. Refreshments Tea and coffee included, with cake if you’re lucky!

The Society of Garden Designers Designer Development Day runs from 10am-4pm. Tickets start at £90 (inc VAT) for SGD Members and Non-Members (NON-MEMBERS very welcome to attend). Discounted student tickets are also available. For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact the SGD Office on 01989 566 695 Scotland Supplement | September 2015

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SCOTHORT

INTERVIEW

STUART DILLETT

MANAGING DIRECTOR, LAND ENGINEERING

How did you get into landscaping? I always knew I didn’t want a desk-bound job, so I studied for a degree in horticulture. During student holidays I worked for Land Engineering, initially as a labourer, moving up to foreman and then assistant contracts manager. On my graduation in 1989 they oﬀered me a permanent job and here I am 26 years later. When I joined, the business employed about 15 people with two vans. Today, we employ up to 600.

and refurbishment of buildings, especially historic and listed buildings and traditional and rainscreen masonry associated with new retail, commercial and residential schemes. Secondly, there is the planned and preventative maintenance of external landscaped areas. Thirdly, the volume and nature of repairs and remedial works we have carried out for customers for many years led us to recently create a third dedicated workstream, specifically to handle this ad hoc responsive work. All of our business support functions like finance, HR, admin, IT and business development are located at head office in the centre of Glasgow and our operational staff work from three main centres at Fenwick in Ayrshire, Edinburgh and Dumfries.

What’s the structure of your business? Having started out in 1980 as a traditional landscaping contractor, the business has grown substantially and diversiﬁed across a range of complementary areas, so that today we are structured across three main workstreams. Firstly, we build projects, for example town and city regeneration and infrastructure projects, where we deliver all of the associated civil engineering works, high quality natural stone surfaces and soft landscaping. We also deliver masonry projects, including the restoration

What’s a typical sized landscaping contract for you? There’s no such thing as a typical contract for us. On projects, we work on contracts ranging in value from £200,000 up to around £10m. Our planned maintenance contracts have an annual value between £50,000 and £1m and some of these are multiple year contracts. Our reactive works can be valued from as little as £50 through some of our framework contracts up to around £200,000. Some of our framework agreements can run for up to seven years.

as befits the managing director of one of scotland’s leading names in hard and soft landscaping, stuart dilleTt is a forward thinker who has built a solid base at land engineering from which to grow

Are you members of any of the landscaping associations? We are members of BALI and also the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) in Scotland. Does Scotland’s landscaping sector differ from the rest of the UK? Both our summers and winters tend to be wetter and colder so that presents a diﬀerent set of challenges on the ground. In

Bridgegate Public Realm, Irvine, Ayrshire Town Centre Regeneration Project of the Year at the Scottish Property Awards 2015

Scotland Supplement | September 2015

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SCOTHORT terms of the Scottish marketplace, I think there are some fairly major differences compared to the rest of the UK. In Scotland we have a large number of landscaping contractors operating in what is a relatively small market, so the competition is intense. There’s also the question of scale. In Scotland there is a relative scarcity of very large landscaping contracts compared to England, and in particular the south east, where multi-million pound landscaping contracts are much more common. How do you choose which contracts to go for? In simple terms we target work we know we are good at. In reality, the procurement process can be a lengthy, time-consuming and ultimately expensive undertaking, with various stages including pre-qualification, tender submission, presentations etc. We have a sophisticated assessment system in place to evaluate every tender opportunity and we use this to make a straightforward ‘go’ or ‘no go’ decision. What’s the company’s turnover? In the current financial year, our turnover will be in the region of £41.5m. How has the business developed in the last few years? Like most companies in the sector, we have found the last few years a challenging experience. We have experienced a decline in revenues and profitability, with margins squeezed and under pressure. Throughout this period we have tried very hard to consolidate what we have, to rationalise where necessary and to invest in re-shaping the business so that it’s in the best possible position to maximise the opportunities now starting to appear in today’s marketplace. How do you believe you set yourself apart from your competitors? Ultimately, it’s for our customers to determine the extent to which we differ from our competitors. Certainly, we strive very hard to achieve customer satisfaction by delivering long lasting, quality projects with the highest standards of workmanship. More specifically, we believe we have earned a reputation for tackling highly complex projects, often

Emirates Arena, Glasgow - hard and soft landscaping package delivered for 2014 Commonwealth Games

deemed to be ‘risky’ and coming up with solutions that meet our clients’ demands. Do you have any unfulfilled career ambitions? Over the past 27 years, I have been very fortunate to play out my career ambitions at Land Engineering, a fantastic company to work for. There are always challenges ahead and right now I am focused on maximising the beneﬁts of our recent restructuring and taking the company forward to a whole new level. How many staff do you employ? Our core workforce is 420 which rises to 600 plus in high season. What training do you supply your staff with? Training and people development is a big area for us and I believe we go way beyond the industry norm in developing our people. We have a very structured approach to the statutory mandatory training which essentially provides a licence to operate. Beyond that, we have a big commitment to vocational skills training and qualiﬁcations across the whole workforce from operatives to managers. We operate a good apprenticeship programme and also support employees and students following degree courses in civil engineering, surveying and horticulture through day release, scholarships and sponsorships. All operatives attend a full occupational health screen annually.

BALI award winning environmental improvements, Wellgreen Court for Glasgow Housing Association

What’s the split between domestic and commercial work for you? Our work is split roughly 60% public sector and 40% private sector led commercial. We don’t do any domestic jobs. What does the future look like for Land Engineering? I do think there are encouraging signs that the market is starting to come out of what has been a recessionary period. We have weathered the previously tough trading conditions in pretty good shape and built a solid and sustainable base. We believe there is now real potential to grow the business and we are currently aiming to hit £50m turnover within the next three years. What do you do to relax when you’re not working? Outside of work I like to spend time with the family and I also try to keep ﬁt. Early morning workouts and cycling are favourite pastimes which help to clear the head daily. www.landengineering.co.uk Scotland Supplement | September 2015

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SCOTHORT

gold medal award & best show garden

PROJECT DETAILS Project value

ÂŁ20k + VAT (built and supplied by New Hopetoun Gardens as part of marketing budget)

Build time 1 week 10

Size of project 24ft x 12ft

SCOTHORT | 16 October 2015

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SCOTHORT

PORTFOLIO

IN THE

ART GARDEN new hopetoun gardens talks about building its award-winning Show Garden at Gardening Scotland 2015 earlier this year

The brief The scenario speciﬁed by the designers for New Hopetoun Gardens, a garden centre just west of Edinburgh, was an outdoor space to be used for relaxation, entertaining and displaying a collection of art, but which didn’t demand to be ‘gardened’. All the plants used to decorate the garden were from a Carefree Plant palette which was launched by New Hopetoun Gardens to help customers decorate their gardens in order to enjoy them more, but not to need any signiﬁcant care. Design, build and site constraints The garden had to be created in eight days and removed in just one day. It had to be rebuilt afterwards at New Hopetoun Gardens as a display garden to promote the art in a summer event at the garden centre. It needed to engage visitors by showing them how stylish even a small outside space could be and with clever use and positioning of materials the space could be subdivided and appear to be quite spacious. No digging in was allowed on the show ground and the garden had to be easily erected, dismantled and rebuilt.

Materials Apart from the stylish Millboard decking and the Valspar outdoor paint, all the materials and plants are products promoted and sold by the garden centre. The mature plants were sourced from regular growers but collected over a period of four months to ensure availability and performance.

1 Moving water adds to the artwork set off by artificial turf/decking surface 2 The marble statue created the focal point at the furthest end 3 Various materials provided screens/dividers 4 From the ‘house’ visitors saw that the garden was divided into three distinct areas 5 Early sketch plan for application to show/PR use Scotland Supplement | September 2015 11

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SCOTHORT

uck-Truck Scotland has dealt its select range of powered pedestrian barrows from two different sites over the past decade and subsequently built up strong demand with local authorities, particularly during the winter months. The original market leading Muck-Truck dumper is available with bespoke, quick-fitting accessories designed to suit the varying needs of customers particularly in the landscape industry. Chris Hardy, director of Muck-Truck Scotland, spoke to Jack Bacon about contractors’ preferred turf tyre and flatbed accessory combinations allowing high payloads to be transported without damage to materials, machine or surroundings. When was Muck-Truck first established and how long has it operated in Scotland? Muck-Truck is the original pedestrian wheelbarrow and has been in constant manufacture for the last 18 years. Muck-Truck Scotland was founded 10 years ago. The company is owned by Terry Rowlands. His father designed the Muck-Truck many moons ago, it was originally designed in two-wheel drive form before being changed to four-wheel drive. How has the company benefited from its move to Alva, Clackmannanshire? Previously we were based in Paisley, but our new base is much bigger and allows us to hold more stock and machinery.

Which clients are you closely associated with? Companies like HSS hire our products throughout the UK and Brandon tool hire are another mainstream supplier of our products. However, most of our products either go to end users or small extension contractors and landscaper users.

TRADING WITH MUCK-TRUCK SCOTLAND

How have your three main Muck-Truck products been received in Scotland? Most people use the original Muck-Truck, it seems to be the favourite. We have found the MAX proves to be primarily used by contractors required to move lots of materials over greater distances. The E-Truck has been going for four or five years. There are one or two niche users who must have zero emissions, such as people working underground or in confined spaces for example. The standard fit Honda engine is very low in smoke emissions and as a result, a strong favourite. Which model has been your biggest seller? The original. It’s a tough machine, incredibly reliable, has plenty of power, very nimble and can stand up to whatever people throw at it. How many clients do you have within the landscaping sector? About 40% of our customers are landscapers and 40-50% of our revenue arrives from trade sales. Do you have a good relationship with Scottish contractors? We supply to local authorities, predominantly for snow cleaning duties. One of the quick fit accessories is a snow blade, so quite a few of the Scottish councils use Muck-Trucks. There are a couple of Muck-Trucks at Stirling Castle, for example, which are fitted with vacuum units. Most of the local authorities tend to use Muck-Trucks for general works, primarily clearing pavements of snow in winter. Do you provide a product demonstration when handing over Muck-trucks to customers? We would normally do so but they are now so well known and it is such a simple and reliable machine, it is very rare that we are requested

to carry out a demo. The machine is very intuitive and doesn’t require a long training process to operate. Do you manage a team of technicians at Muck-Truck Scotland? We look after it but we find the customers are easily able to maintain them themselves, if you can look after a lawn mower, you can look after a Muck-Truck. Any local garden centre would be able to carry out minor repairs but again we rarely receive servicing requests due to their great reliability. How has trade in 2015 compared to last year? We have noticed an uptake in activity and we are happy to supply to everyone in Scotland. www.mucktruckscotland.com

Scotland Supplement | September 2015

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SCOTHORT

A-Z EXHIBITOR LIST Association of Professional Landscapers

The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) comprises accredited landscape companies who design, build and maintain gardens throughout the UK. Rigorous inspection processes ensure each member is inspected annually to check their quality of work is to the highest standards. The APL is the only landscaping scheme operator of Trustmark, a Government endorsed initiative that promotes professional trades to consumers. www.landscaper.org.uk

British Institute of Landscaping Industries

The British Association of Landscape Industries was established in 1972 as the UK’s representative trade association for the landscaping sector. Our membership comprises landscapers, designers, grounds maintenance contractors, and companies supplying industryrelated products and services. All our members have a commitment to delivering professional excellence, continually raising standards. www.bali.org.uk

Coles Nurseries

Arborist 190 wood chipper

Growing over 6000 lines of trees and shrubs, Coles Nurseries is the UK’s largest grower and supplier of nursery stock for soft landscaping. We provide the most comprehensive range of field-grown and container trees and shrubs to supply the UK commercial soft landscaping market. Our customers benefit from the availability, choice and guidance offered by our sales team – before, during and after their planting schemes take shape. www.colesnurseries.co.uk

Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd With over 60 years’ experience in the line marking industry you can be assured our line marking paints and machinery are second to none. The company employs specialist electronics engineers and software engineers as well as chemists and expert line marking sales people. Fleet manufactures the best quality machines and paints whilst always researching and developing better methods and technologies. www.flmuk.com

Ground Control For over four decades, Ground Control has provided high quality grounds maintenance services to public and private sector clients across the UK. Our clients include Royal Mail, Tesco, the Ministry of Defence, Sainsbury’s, The Co-op, Waitrose, Thames Water and various schools in the public sector. www.ground-control.co.uk

CED Ltd CED Stone Group has grown by fulfilling market needs within the field of natural materials ranging from technical uses for fine dried aggregates to beautiful pebbles and huge boulders. CED Stone Group has prompted, encouraged and led the moves to improve the hard surfacing of public and private areas alike. www.ced.ltd.uk

Craigmarloch Nurseries Ltd

ELJAYS44 Eljays44 is the market leader in the horticulture media sector. We are proud of our magazines, events, data service and digital products and our successes lie in the ability to create new and develop existing brands. www.eljays44.com

Craigmarloch Nurseries Ltd is a premier horticultural wholesaler and cash & carry, situated on a 15 acre purpose-built nursery on the outskirts of Glasgow. The company specialises in sourcing and stocking an extensive range of products at competitive prices from more than 150 suppliers throughout the UK and Europe. www.craigmarloch.co.uk

Are

you feeling chipper? For performance, strength and economy

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Green Tech

Green-tech is an award winning landscaping The wood chipper with supplier, oﬀering a huge range of landscaping materials and wholesale garden supplies with innovative products that enhance, protect and improve plants and their environment. We have a variety of materials to nurture tree growth; plus grass seeds, fertilisers and fencing, alongside our own-brand Green Tree Topsoil. www.green-tech.co.uk

Growforth Ltd Growforth is an award winning wholesale nursery providing an unparalleled service to our garden centre and landscape customers. We supply over 95% of all major Scottish garden centres. We have implemented quality systems that control and maintain professional standards and we endeavour to match and surpass our customer’s expectations and requirements at all times. www.growforth.co.uk

NToEpW of

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GreenMech Ltd

Leading British manufacturer of wood Tel: 01789 400044 chippers, GreenMech www.greenmech.co.uk Ltd, will be exhibiting their Arborist 150 and CS100 chippers on stands 12 & 13 at ScotHort 2015. The Arborist 150 is a simple to use, cost eﬀective, road tow chipper. The CS100 is a powerful yet compact chipper ideal for restricted or tight spaces. www.greenmech.co.uk

Hayter Ltd (Toro)

Toro is a leading worldwide provider of innovative turf and landscape maintenance equipment, and precision irrigation solutions.Toro helps customers care for golf courses, sports ﬁelds, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties, and agricultural ﬁelds. We value the trust customers place in our people and our products, and are proud to partner with sites and events around the world. www.hayter.co.uk

Scotland Supplement | September 2015 13

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SCOTHORT

A-Z EXHIBITOR LIST Henderson Grass Machinery

At Henderson Grass Machinery we have over 100 years of knowledge and experience in supplying services and products to our customers. We specialise in supplying horticultural and agricultural machinery, spare parts and accessories to our customers. We cover the Lothians, Borders and Fife with depots in Selkirk, Kinross and Haddington. www.hendersongm.co.uk

LBS Horticulture The provision of good quality horticultural products to the trade remains at the core of the LBS business. Products are sold via the annual buyer’s guide where updated product ranges with useful technical detail can be viewed and ordered. With more than 10 years online sales experience in horticulture, LBS Group has an unrivalled expertise in its market. Products can be ordered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. www.lbs-global.com

Oatridge College Oatridge campus stands on its own 283ha estate in the West Lothian countryside and is within easy reach of the motorway network. The campus specialises in horticulture, landscaping, rural skills, land-based engineering and activity tourism. To enable the land-based courses, a commercial working farm is present around the campus. www.sruc.ac.uk

PROGREEN ProGreen is one of the world’s leading artiﬁcial grass companies, installing more than 100,000 lawns since 1987. Launched in the UK this year, ProGreen is now building its network of local approved installers across the country. ProGreen prides itself on the quality of its artiﬁcial turf and professional network of installers. Each of its products carries an eight-year insured warranty. www.progreen-grass.com

The Horticultural Trades Association HTA membership covers all aspects of the industry and includes some 1,600 businesses and 2,700 outlets representing retailers, growers, landscapers, service providers, manufacturers and distributors of garden materials. The HTA is run by the industry, for the industry. www.the-hta.org.uk

LIVINGREEN DESIGN

At Livingreen Design we have been at the forefront of designing and producing planters for the professional landscape market for over 30 years. With factories in both England and Scotland we are truly national and have the largest manufacturing capacity in our marketplace. As well as planters we increasingly manufacture crossover green lifestyle products, including planter furniture designed by Derek Hodgson Associates. www.livingreendesign.com

Orange Plant

Orange Plant is ﬁrmly established nationally in the hire, sale and service of arb machinery. As the only European partner for the acclaimed range of Carlton stump grinders, machines from this stable, as well as GreenMech chippers, will be exhibited on Stand 14 at ScotHort 2015. One machine worth particular note will be the Carlton 900H pedestrian stump grinder, the best choice for maximum portability and minimal investment. www.orangeplant.co.uk

Pro Landscaper Pro Landscaper is the leading landscape trade magazine, providing useful and informative content to landscapers, garden designers, landscape architects and maintenance contractors. The magazine’s rapid growth to its market leading position and international presence is down to its design and content. Pro Landscaper is the hub for industry news with the website is updated on a daily basis. www.prolandscapermagazine.com

CONTINUED

Jac.Uittenbogaard Jac.Uittenbogaard & Zonen BV is a dynamic company continually expanding and showing a healthy annual growth. Working from our modern premises, surrounded by our bulb ﬁelds, we supply many diﬀerent markets. Each year we introduce new and improved products and varieties. We work closely with our customers using our 100 years’ experience to maximise their success. www.jubholland.nl

MUCK-TRUCK SCOTLAND Muck-truck are very reasonably priced and are held in stock together with all accessories and spare parts at our base in Clackmannanshire.Choose the model for your application, beneﬁt from the unrivalled ease of use and range of accessories and then wonder why you didn’t make the move earlier. www.mucktruckscotland.com

Pro Arb MAGAZINE Pro Arb magazine is the leading industry publication in the arboriculture market. The monthly publication features business tips, technical advice and opinions from industry leading practitioners, as well as all the latest kit available for arborists. Pro Arb is part of the Eljays44 group. www.proarbmagazine.com

RESIN DRIVES Resindrives.co.uk specialises in the installation of resin bound driveways, paths and patios. A team of consummate professionals, we pride ourselves on a quality product at a fair price. The quality and value of our resin bonded surfaces is second to none. www.resindrives.co.uk

Scotland Supplement | September 2015

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SCOTHORT ENTRANCE

VISITOR PARKING

Indoor Stands 1 Muck-truck Scotland 2 Muck-truck Scotland 3 Horticulture Careers 4 Progreen Europe 5 Green-tech Ltd 6 Tudor Environmental 7 Resin Drives 8 SRUC 9 VectorWorks 10 CED Stone Group 11 CED Stone Group 12 GreenMech Ltd 13 GreenMech Ltd

Stands uck-truck Scotland uck-truck Scotland rticulture Careers ogreen Europe een-tech Ltd dor Environmental sin Drives UC ctorWorks D Stone Group D Stone Group eenMech Ltd eenMech Ltd

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 28 29 30 31

Orange Plant Trellis Hayter/TORO Turffit Craigmarloch Nurseries Craigmarloch Nurseries Eljays44 Ground Control JUB Holland Terra Firma (Scotland) Ltd Sportsmasters UK Ltd BALI LBS Horticulture

14 Orange Plant 32 Sherriff Amenity/ 15 Trellis Agrovista UK 33 Coles Nurseries 16 Hayter/TORO 17 Turffit 34 Growforth Ltd 18 Craigmarloch Nurseries Scotscape 35 Scotscape is committed 36 APLon-going 19 Craigmarloch Nurseries to providing excellent service, funding 20 Eljays44 37 Livingreen Design research into vertical greening, reinforcing 21 Ground Control 38 Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd sustainable practices and making cities 22 JUB Holland 39 our Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd cleaner, and healthier 28 Terragreener Firma (Scotland) Ltd places to live. We 29 UK Ltd living walls and living workSportsmasters nationwide, providing 30 wall BALI maintenance, green roofs, commercial and 31 LBS Horticulture

SCOTSCAPE LTD

domestic landscaping, landscape maintenance and specialist irrigation services. www.scotscape.net

32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39

SCOTHORT

Sherriff Amenity/ Agrovista UK Coles Nurseries Growforth Ltd Scotscape APL Livingreen Design Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd

Outdoor Stands O1 Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd O2 Coles Nurseries O3 Growforth Ltd O4 Turffit O5 Hayter O6 TORO O7 Ground Control O8 GreenMech Ltd O9 Orange Plant 10 Craigmarloch Nurseries 11 Muck-truck Scotland 12 Livingreen Design 13 Resin Drives

Outdoor Stands O1 Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd O2 Coles Nurseries O3 Growforth Ltd O4 Turffit O5 Hayter O6 TORO O7 Ground Control O8 GreenMech Ltd O9 Orange Plant 11 10 9 8 7 10 Craigmarloch Nurseries 11 Muck-truck Scotland 12 Design 13 14 15 16 12 Livingreen 13 Resin Drives

MEETING LOUNGE

17 18

30 29

37 38

MASTERCLASS SUITE

seminar room

010

011

012

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SCOTHORT ENTRANCE

Sherriff Amenity Sherriﬀ Amenity is the specialist amenity division of Agrovista UK Ltd, we are committed to customer service, research driven advice and new product innovations. We provide a comprehensive range of goods and services to the UK amenity and landscape markets. Our BASIS and FACTS trained sales team provide a professional agronomy service across the nation. www.sherriffamenity.com

Sportsmasters UK Ltd Sportsmasters UK is a company specialising in the construction, renovation and maintenance of all sporting surfaces from natural to synthetic grass pitches, golf courses, multi-use games areas and athletics tracks. Sportsmasters UK is also an exclusively licensed accredited installer and supplier for Lazylawn (the UK’s leading brand of artiﬁcial grass) covering the whole of Scotland. www.sportsmastersuk.co.uk

Tudor Environmental As the UK’s widely recognised one stop shop supplier of tools and sundries to the professional grounds maintenance industry, Tudor Environmental is excited to be exhibiting at ScotHort 2015. A family owned business with practical experience in grounds maintenance, we understand your needs – and stock one of the most comprehensive ranges available. www.tudorenvironmental.co.uk

SCOTHORT

VISITOR PARKING

FLOOR PLAN

Outdoor Stands Indoor Stands 32 Sherriff Amenity/ O1 Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd 1 Muck-truck Scotland 14 Orange Plant Agrovista UK O2 Coles Nurseries 2 Muck-truck Scotland 15 Trellis 16 Hayter/TORO 33 Coles Nurseries O3 Growforth Ltd 3 Horticulture Careers Trellis is a charity that 17 Turffit 34 Growforth Ltd O4 Turffit 4 Progreen Europe 18 Craigmarloch Nurseries 35 Scotscape O5 Hayter 5 Green-tech Ltd specialises in therapeutic TerraEnvironmental Firma is one of 19 Craigmarloch Nurseries 36 APL O6 TORO 6 Tudor gardening, and using gardening to help people Scotland’s 20 Eljays44 37 Livingreen Design O7 Ground Control 7 Resin Drives largest specialist take care of their physical, emotional and social 21 Ground Control 38 Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd O8 GreenMech Ltd SRUC suppliers to today’s8 land manager, local authority wellbeing. It supports a network of over 22 JUB Holland 39 Fleet (Line Markers) Ltd270 O9 Orange Plant 9 VectorWorks oﬃcer, contractor, groundsman greenkeeper. 10 CED Stoneand Group 28 Terra Firma (Scotland) Ltd 10 Craigmarloch Nurseries therapeutic gardening projects in Scotland and From our main warehouse in Stirling, we 29 Sportsmasters UK Ltd 11 CEDbased Stone Group 11 Muck-truck Scotland runs training workshops whilst also providing an GreenMech Ltd 12 Livingreen Design pride ourselves on 12 our ability to respond to our 30 BALI information service and research and development 13 Resin Drives 13 GreenMech Ltd 31 LBS Horticulture

Terra Firma (Scotland) Ltd

clients; providing a fast, ﬂexible and responsive service, coupled with accurate advice and on time deliveries. www.terrafirmascot.co.uk

TURFFIT Turffit grow 120ha of the finest quality turf. Much of the turf grass we produce is used as garden turf throughout the UK and Ireland – from as far north as Shetland to the south coast of England. We are also one of the UK’s leading turf suppliers to golf courses, sports fields, parks and amenities. Formed in 1995, Turffit has developed a range of grass seed varieties that suit the mild, but varied, temperate climate of the United Kingdom. www.artificialturfscotland.co.uk

Trellis

in therapeutic gardening. www.trellisscotland.org.uk

VECTORWORKS Computers Unlimited is the exclusive UK distributors for Vectorworks. For 30 years, Nemetschek Vectorworks Inc has been a global leader in design technologies providing elegant software that oﬀers Building Information Modelling (BIM) capabilities in a ﬂexible, hybrid-design environment. Vectorworks Landmark is the industry standard for garden designers, landscape architects and urban planners. www.vectorworks-training.co.uk

Scotland Supplement | September 2015 15

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SEMINAR PROGRAMME

SCOTHORT

SCOTHORT 09.30 – 10.00 & 12.30 – 13.00 Outdoor Demonstration Stage Chainsaw Training Demonstration

10.00 – 11.00 Main Seminar Stage Purchasing for Productivity with Angus Lindsay

With a few exceptions our industry has traditionally gone down the ‘one job, one machine’ route. Times are tough and we need to look at alternatives to get the best from our assets – both people and the equipment they use. It is not all about the machines but the people who use them. We need to train for change and ﬂexibility at all levels to remain competitive in an ever evolving marketplace. The recession is by no means over and we need to adapt to a new economic climate.

11.00 – 12.00 Main Seminar Stage Tank Mixing Fungicide, Nutrients and Bio-stimulants as part of an Integrated Disease Control Strategy with Joe Kinder 15.00 – 16.00 Main Seminar Stage Working Together with Carolyn Grohmann, Nick Benge, Gillian Polley and Gerry Condron

Carolyn Grohmann, Nick Benge, Gillian Polley and Gerry Condron will take to the stage to discuss the beneﬁts of creating a better working practice between landscapers and designers.

10.00 – 11.00 Royal Suite How you Can Save Time, Money and Increase your Proﬁts with Vectorworks with Adrian Slatter

Adrian Slatter will show you how you can save time in the design process by working in 2D/3D simultaneously; create plant/hardscape schedules to track costs; work more easily with other professionals and create stunning visuals to generate more business.

15.00 – 16.00 Royal Suite CED & Steintech Masterclass with Giles Heap, Managing Director CED Limited and Steven Burton, Managing Director of Steintech

In most cases of failure and/or staining in paving, the issues are with the design rather than the construction. In a joint masterclass, CED and Steintech will focus on “Rigid Pavement Design with Natural Stone – Best Practice”. This will be of great interest to architects, designers, contractors and landscapers alike.

Scotland Supplement | September 2015

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JOBS

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

Call 01903 777 587 or email ellie.downes@eljays44.com with your vacancy.

LANDSCAPING SUPERVISOR

CONTRACTS MANAGER

ELMTREE GARDEN CONTRACTORS LTD Location: Bristol

FROSTS LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION LTD Location: Milton Keynes

EBALI award winning company accredited to Investors in People at Silver level is looking for a landscape supervisor to join its team. Passing on knowledge to less experienced team members is essential so good communication skills are important. Essential requirements: ﬁve years experience in soft landscaping – tree and shrub planting, seeding, turﬁng including use of machinery; self-motivated; good plant knowledge; good communication skills, CSCS card, driving licence. Preferable: Trailer entitlement, supervisory experience: SSSTS Hard landscaping experience Salary £24-27k per annum depending on experience For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk.

Managing the day to day contract activities. Programming and delivering scheduled work; managing and motivating the team; identifying and pricing additional works; managing costs. Requirements: Strong communication and organisation skills, ﬁnancially astute and natural leader. A proactive and positive attitude essential as well as an ability to work well under pressure. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious individual looking for a varied role involving budget control, health and safety and people management. Experience in landscape construction industry and full driving licence essential. Based in Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes. For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk

QUALITY CONTROL PRODUCTION FOREMAN

LANDSCAPE OPERATIVE

Responsibilities include assisting designers with complex QS solutions, ensuring projects are completed within budgeted hours, risk assessments on site, ensuring sites and staff are aware of health and safety requirements; ensuring machinery is used in a safe manner, ensuring clients are satisfied with level of service, ensuring materials are used efficiently, building teamwork; inducting new staff, undertaking appraisals, developing training matrixes,. Skills: Five years’ experience as a landscape team leader; experience of working as a designer/or horticulture qualification desired; computer literate For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk.

Plant Style is an established professional landscaping company based in Essex providing a range of landscaping services to commercial clients nationwide. Due to continued success we are looking to recruit conscientious, enthusiastic and reliable team members to work on our site in Swindon. A full UK driving licence is essential. The job involves travel, working outside all year round and in all weathers. The position would suit an individual with team spirit, hardworking ethic and a ‘can do’ attitude. This is a full time position, 45-hour week, Monday to Friday 7am to 4.30pm although some ﬂexibility will be required with overtime. Salary £16,000 – £24,000 depending on experience. For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk.

HAMBROOKS Location: Southampton

PLANT STYLE LTD Location: Swindon

LANDSCAPER

ASSURED LANDSCAPES Location: Charlwood Assured Landscapes has grown significantly over the last few years and needs a high quality experienced landscaper to allow the continued development of the business.You have to take pride in your work, pay attention to detail, be polite, friendly when customer facing, be confident and reliable, deliver a first class service and help build Assured Landscapes into a one of the leading landscapers in our area. We reward well and work within a very committed team that enjoys what it does For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk.

LANDSCAPING TEAM LEADER THE LANDSCAPE GROUP Location: Sefton/Bootle

Reporting to the contract manager this role will be leading a small works landscape construction team. The successful candidate must be able to plan and organise their time efﬁciently.You must also be able to read and work from site drawings, be an excellent communicator who can converse with customers, suppliers and motivate a team. The team leader is responsible for ensuring the safety of the site and team members. This role will also be liaising with clients and maintaining the standard of work through quality control. Previous proven hard and soft landscaping experience, a full clean driving licence, an NVQ level 2/3 in landscaping or horticulture and a CSCS card are essential. Towing licence and experience using plant machinery such as a digger, telehandler and excavator desirable. For more details please go to www.horticulturecareers.co.uk.

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