Pro Landscaper May 2020

MAY 2O20

START OF SPRING EXBURY GARDENS

FUTURE PROJECTS

LET’S HEAR IT FROM

CHANCE FOR CHANGE

BACK TO BASICS

Toyota’s Woven City, Japan

Mark Fane, Crocus

Ben West talks opportunities post-pandemic

Angus Lindsay on kit maintenance

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09/04/2020 17:12

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08/04/2020 20:45

WELCOME

W E LCO M E A

Once we all get back to work there will, I’m sure, be lots of issues; how quickly will the supply chain get back up to speed, especially if it is relying on importing products? What will happen with the plant sector? Will there be a drive to complete projects quickly? How will this affect staff and overtime payments?

Also, will meetings continue to be conducted digitally? Will staff still work from home? And what other things that have been enforced will prove to be a better solution? Most importantly, let’s not be driven down on price and continue to focus on the quality the sector offers.

Finally, our industry must stick together, respect each other’s decisions and help each other where possible.

Stay strong and keep safe.

JIM & LISA

OUR INDUSTRY MUST STICK TOGETHER, RESPECT EACH OTHER’S DECISIONS AND HELP EACH OTHER WHERE POSSIBLE

©Verde Landscapes

s we write this month’s leader, the country is still in lockdown and with no clear picture yet as to when and how we will come out the other side.

Over the last few weeks, we have launched a series of online interviews and the Pro Landscaper Online Summit webinar to keep in touch with the market, and try to get an understanding of how the landscaping sector is coping. I would like to thank all the panellists and the audience for listening and interacting.

One thing is crystal clear: it’s not easy running a business at the best of times, and now business owners face the moral dilemmas that come with this situation, and are looking to the – at best – slow and inconsistent government led-advice.

Though, it certainly has become clearer as time has gone on. The Job Retention Scheme was a massive relief and most companies that we have spoken to have utilised this.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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CONTENTS

INSPIRE

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INFORM

14 17 22 25 26 28 31 4

Planting Paradise Cityscapes Modern Uplift Hortiservices Landscape Architect’s Journal The Paul Hogarth Company Rediscovering Outdoor Space Anji Connell

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Combatting Coronavirus How is the industry reacting?

NURTURE

News Our monthly roundup of industry news

55 59 60

Future Projects Toyota’s Woven City Let’s Hear It From Mark Fane, Crocus Company Profile Tony Benger Landscaping View from the Top Sue Biggs It’s Life Jim Andrew Wilson Chance for Change Ben West Horticulture’s Helping Hand Jo Manfredi-Hamer

Pro Landscaper / May 2020

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Nestled in Nature Verde Landscapes

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©Andres Valbuena

08 10

35 38 42 47 50

63 64 66 67

Feature Garden Exbury Gardens Changing Habits Nick Coslett There’s Something About Shrubs Noel Kingsbury All Change Lewis Normand Combatting Climate Change PlantWorks Enticing Evergreens Readyhedge Nursery Focus New Wood Trees

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CONTENTS

M AY 2 0 2 0 E D U C AT E 71 72 73 74 77 79 80 83 85

Aging in Place Lee Bestall Back to Basics Angus Lindsay Continue to Cut Reesink Turfcare

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Cutting the Cord Makita Why Water-Based?

Ronseal Porcelain’s Popularity Talasey Group Inside IOTA Colours of Choice Long Rake Spar Decorative Aggregates Smiths Bletchington

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PEOPLE 89 90 91 92 95 98

30 Under 30 Mike Long Love Horticulture David Keegan

MAY 2O20

START OF SPRING EXBURY GARDENS

How to Work from Home Tips from our industry experts What’s Your Role?

Anca Panait What I’m Reading Richard Gardiner Little Interviews Questions with the individuals who make up our industry

FUTURE PROJECTS

LET’S HEAR IT FROM

CHANCE FOR CHANGE

BACK TO BASICS

Toyota’s Woven City, Japan

Mark Fane, Crocus

Ben West talks opportunities post-pandemic

Angus Lindsay on kit maintenance

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www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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CONTRIBUTORS

CO N T R I B U TO R S SUE BIGGS The cancellation of RHS shows such as Chelsea is just one of the ways in which coronavirus has taken its toll on the horticulture industry. Sue Biggs, director general of the RHS, says it’s times like these when we need to come together and support each other to come back bigger, better and stronger next year.

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ANDREW WILSON P26

@THE_RHS

Anji Connell

BEN WEST P28

Our gardens and outdoor spaces have become a sanctuary during this uncertain time. Anji Connell talks us through some of her top choices of designers and their collections of outdoor furniture which will help make gardens even more of a refuge.

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W W W.ANJICONNELLINTERIORDESIGN.COM

@ANJICONNELL

JO MANFREDI-HAMER P31

LEWIS NORMAND Rather than dwelling on the lockdown, Lewis Normand explores some of the possible benefits we could see when the pandemic is over, including a gardening boom. With everyone stuck in their homes, indoor plants could soar in popularity, and many may turn their hands towards growing their own produce.

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NICK COSLETT P59

@IPLANTSMAN

ANGUS LINDSAY

NOEL KINGSBURY P60

Wherever you are in your career, it’s important to always remember the basics, says Angus Lindsay. For operatives – and those managing these teams – this includes understanding how to set up and maintain your kit to maximise efficiency and ensure you get the most out of your machinery.

CONTACT

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Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA Tel: 01903 777 570 EDITORIAL Editorial director – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 579 Head of content – Nina Mason nina.mason@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 393 Features writer – Rachael Forsyth rachael.forsyth@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 578 Features writer – Frankie Youd frankie.youd@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 394 Equipment editor – Rachel Gordon proarbeditor@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 570 Subeditor – Katrina Roy katrina.roy@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 391 Subeditor – Sam Seaton sam.seaton@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 391

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ANGUS.LINDSAY@IDVERDE.CO.UK

Design – Kara Thomas, Kirsty Turek ADVERTISING Business development manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 585 Head of sales – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 587 Horticulture Careers – Ben Cumberland ben.cumberland@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 583 Managing director – Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 589 MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Tel: 01903 777 570 Subscription enquiries – Laura Harris laura.harris@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 777 580 Online content editor – Hannah Armstrong hannah.armstrong@eljays44.com Tel: 01903 959 398

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by Eljays44 Ltd. The 2020 subscription price is £95. Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA, UK. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, uncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

Whilst every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine.

We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.

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

Cover image ©Cathryn Baldock

Pro Landscaper / May 2020

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09/04/2020 14:54

INFORM

COMBATTING

CORONAVIRUS

Hortus Loci Thanks to its diverse offering, Hortus Loci is remaining optimistic.

While its wholesale nursery arm faces uncertainty as projects are either postponed or cancelled – including the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – its retail arm is thriving.

Hortus Loci has seen an upturn in sales of compost, pots, seeds and vegetables, perhaps as people are spending more time at home and therefore in their gardens. Co-owner Robin Wallis says its soft landscaping side is also ongoing.

Elmtree Garden Contractors

PRO LANDSCAPER FINDS OUT FROM VARIOUS INDUSTRY BUSINESSES HOW THEY ARE COPING THROUGHOUT THE CURRENT PANDEMIC

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hen the first case of coronavirus was detected in the UK back in late January, the schools were open, the daily commute to the office continued and people would still shake hands to greet each other. Cases rose slowly over the next month to 23 by the end of February, and so whilst there was a murmur of concern, it was still business as usual for most. It was over the course of the next month that the way the UK operates was completely overhauled because of the pandemic. Cases escalated into the thousands and the number of deaths began to rise with it. As a result, Prime Minister Boris Johnson began to close down parts of the UK – the pubs and restaurants, then the schools.

Predicting the next step, companies began putting measures in place for their staff to work from home, preparing for the ‘worst-case’ scenario of a UK-wide lockdown. This came on 23 March. All UK residents were to remain at home for the next three weeks, and possibly longer, only leaving the house for essential travel – to buy necessities, to go to work if you are a key worker or cannot work from home, and for health reasons. When going out, you were to stay two

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metres away from others – known as ‘social distancing’ – to prevent the spread.

For the landscaping industry, the lockdown has been largely damaging. Whilst construction workers are encouraged to continue going to work as long as they abide by social distancing and other measures, such as washing their hands regularly and for 20 seconds, work is drying up. As projects get put on hold, product orders are too, and suppliers are feeling the knock-on effect. Companies are having to reduce their staff numbers, using the government’s financial support to put employees on ‘furlough’, where employees receive 80% of their salary for which companies are reimbursed by the government during this difficult period.

But with staff numbers dropping, recruiters are struggling to operate.

With this in mind, we kicked off our online series called ‘Combatting Coronavirus’, supported by BALI. We spoke to people from different aspects of the industry to find out how they’re handling lockdown and what advice they can provide for others in similar situations to themselves. Head over to the Pro Landscaper website to read the full series.

From the start of lockdown, managing director Paul Lynch decided to close Bristol-based Elmtree Garden Contractors.

All employees were furloughed through the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). Prior to this, the company had taken provisions as the cases of coronavirus began to rise; staff were travelling to jobs separately, the two-metre rule was imposed, and plenty of handwash was purchased. Whilst Paul says the company can weather the storm for a short period, he is concerned about the long-term impact.

Ground Control Technology has always been key to the way Ground Control operates, which has helped the landscaping giant continue to function at a time when technology is more important than ever in keeping companies active.

Managing director Marcus Watson says its office-based staff are just as effective working remotely, certainly in the short term, thanks to its investments in technology, though he has concerns over the effect it will have on social cohesion and team morale.

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08/04/2020 08:36

INFORM

Conquest Creative Spaces When Chelsea was cancelled, the companies set to be involved in the show took a huge hit, including Conquest Creative Spaces. The contractor had already put a large amount of time, effort and money into preparing for the show and managing director Ross Conquest had ensured his books were free for the time required to build the garden. The knowledge gained from attending an APL business course a couple of years ago has helped Ross to keep a clear head, though.

Fresh Horticultural Careers As staff are furloughed and companies operate using skeleton teams, the number of businesses looking to recruit has drastically dropped. Marian Barker, owner of Fresh Horticultural Careers, says this time last year “we would have had 35-40 temporary staff working out in the industry. But as of today, we only have five”. Marian herself has had to furlough staff and implement a skeleton team. People are still looking for work, though, and signing up to the website.

Green-tech Supplier Green-tech started the year strong, continuing its progressive growth; but this has now been brought to a halt. Before lockdown, Green-tech put a Crisis Response Team in place to understand the situation, the impact it could have on the business, and changes that would need to be made. It has been open and honest with staff, and has furloughed 56 employees, leaving 26 working from home, staying in touch through messaging platforms and video conferencing.

HOW HAS YOUR BUSINESS BEEN HANDLING THE CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN?

Johnstone Landscapes

In what has been a “traumatic time of sleepless nights and a constant dull headache”, owner Paul Downer says it’s not the company’s finances which concern him, but the safety of his staff and clients. Because of this, he decided to stop working across all sites, removing uncertainty and taking back control of the situation. Most of the team have now been furloughed and Paul is continuing to follow government advice in regard to construction workers and the landscaping sector.

Johnstone Landscapes has been creative with ways to save money since lockdown was announced. As well as taking advantage of the government’s CJRS, directors Tess and Andrew Johnstone have taken the company’s vehicles off the road (SORN), enabling them to reduce the insurance cover. Once outstanding invoices have been paid, they plan to lockdown the business. Fortunately, the business has always been cautious, says Tess, and they are optimistic about riding out the storm.

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Garden designer Bo Cook is a sole trader and single mother based in East Sussex. When the schools closed mid-March, she became responsible for educating her seven-year-old child, carrying out home schooling whilst managing her own workload, and her contractors are having to do the same. She’s now relying on communication tools such as WhatsApp and Zoom to keep in touch with clients, though two projects have now been postponed with no new enquiries coming through. Bo is therefore looking at other avenues for income, such as teaching Vectorworks. New support has also been announced by the government for those who are self-employed since we spoke to Bo.

Tony Benger Landscaping

Oak View Landscapes

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Bo Cook Landscape & Garden Design

After lockdown was announced, Devon-based Tony Benger Landscaping was determined to continue working as much as possible. The company put in place preventative measures to try to keep its staff safe. These included a no-handshake policy and paperless reporting. Meetings are to be held outdoors, with social distancing in mind, or via telephone and online services. But one of the most impressive actions Tony Benger Landscaping has taken is the introduction of its support packages for its less able customers. These contain basic non-perishable food products, sourced from commercial food suppliers which are losing trade due to the closure of pubs and restaurants

L E T U S K N OW H OW YO U R B U S I N E S S H A S B E E N A F F EC T E D : C O N T E N T@ E L J AYS 4 4 .C O M

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INFORM

NEWS RHS ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

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fter cancelling this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show as cases of coronavirus continued to rise, the Royal Horticultural Society has revealed it will be creating a virtual show from 18-23 May 2020.

Still in the early stages of planning, the virtual show will likely appear across the RHS’ website and its various online platforms to help fill the gap in the horticulture calendar.

More details will be announced over the coming weeks.

Director general Sue Biggs wrote an open letter to the horticulture industry, thanking those who had supported the RHS through this difficult time as Chelsea and all other RHS shows were scrapped until the end of June, an announcement made prior to the government implementing a three-week lockdown.

Sue wrote: “Two things have become very evident since these cancellations. The first is

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that so many, whether watching on the BBC or attending the show, whilst understanding this decision, feel such an immense hole in their lives and deep disappointment that RHS Chelsea will not take place this year.

“The second is how many feel they need gardening in their life now more than ever before for their mental and physical wellbeing during this national emergency. This applies to everyone from those who are having to self-isolate to families planning, maybe for the first time, to grow their own food.

“For these reasons, and to do more to support the industry, the RHS will create a Virtual RHS Chelsea Flower Show, to celebrate our great horticultural industry and gardening heritage with ‘press day’ being Monday 18 May 2020 and the Virtual Show running from Tuesday 19 May to Saturday 23 May.” www.rhs.org.uk

SECOND ROUND OF URBAN TREE CHALLENGE FUND OPENS

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he Forestry Commission has opened round two of the Urban Tree Challenge Fund, which is for community and volunteer groups, town councils and individuals to apply for a share of the £10m pot to increase tree numbers in urban areas through small scale planting projects.

Launched in May 2019, the Urban Tree Challenge Fund aims to support the planting of more than 130,000 trees across England’s towns and cities.

This announcement of round two opening follows the success of round one, which saw 13 large scale projects from local authorities and large organisations awarded grants to plant more than 50,000 trees in urban areas.

Planting more trees improves health and wellbeing, connects people with the outdoors, absorbs noise, reduces flood risk, cools temperatures through shading, and creates green spaces to help communities come together. Successful applicants of round two will not start planting trees until the next planting season (winter 2020/21).

Forestry Minister Lord Goldsmith, said: “Our immediate priority is rightly our response to the challenges posed by the coronavirus.

But, although these are unprecedented times, we want to continue to uphold the nation’s commitment to the environment.

“We have made sure that the applications for round two of the Urban Challenge Tree Fund can be completed online so individuals are not putting themselves at risk, and I encourage anyone thinking of applying to do so in a safe way, using digital platforms to plan their application with colleagues if necessary.

“Our manifesto sets our ambition to have every new street lined with trees – and I am dedicated to working closely with the Forestry Commission to help make this vision a reality.” www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ forestry-commission

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

09/04/2020 16:01

INFORM

J

ohn O’Conner (Grounds Maintenance) Ltd has announced that its chairman, John O’Conner, passed away on 24 March 2020. The Hertfordshire-based company said that John was admitted to the

Lister Hospital in mid-March after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Due to underlying health issues, he was moved to the Intensive Care Unit but died shortly after.

In a tribute to John, the company called him “an immense character and much-loved family man who will leave a long and lasting memory for all who met and knew him”.

John had been in the industry for more than five decades, starting his gardening business in 1969 with a turnover of £261 in his first year; John O Conner (Grounds Maintenance) Ltd now boasts an £18m turnover and employs more than 500 people.

John continued to have an active role in the company, and in the industry as a whole. The former BALI chairman was an active member of the association for many years. www.johnoconner.co.uk

RHS CHELSEA GARDEN MOVES TO CHILDREN’S CENTRE

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he bulk of Family Action’s awardwinning garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019 has been relocated to its permanent home at the Silkmore Children’s Centre in Stafford. The Family Monsters Garden, designed by Alistair Bayford of idverde which also built the garden, won a Gold medal and Best Artisan Garden. It will now reside in front of the Children Centre on the grounds of Silkmore Primary School. idverde installed the trees, boulders and soil over the last two weeks. Due to the closure of schools and necessary social distancing measures in place, local families are helping to create the garden by growing plants from seeds at home and decorating pebbles with their children. The plants and pebbles will go in as the garden is completed and before it opens later this year.

Members of Family Action’s ESCAPE Community Allotment and Orchard in Swaffham, Norfolk, who

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helped create the Family Monsters Garden for the show last year, are also growing plants from their homes to be included in the relocated garden.

Family Action created the Family Monsters Garden with leading green service provider idverde to encourage families to talk about the everyday pressures they face, so that they don’t become overwhelming, as well as spend quality time together. www.idverde.co.uk

COP26 POSTPONED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS The COP26 UN climate change conference set to take place in Glasgow in November has been postponed due to COVID-19. Dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021, hosted in Glasgow by the UK in partnership with Italy, will be set out in due course following further discussion with parties. www.un.org/en/

THIEVES DESTROY THOUSANDS OF PLANTS AT JOHNSONS OF WHIXLEY Thousands of plants have been destroyed after a break-in at Johnsons of Whixley, a commercial nursery in North Yorkshire. The plants were deliberately run over by a dumper truck which was stolen from Johnsons of Whixley between 10pm and 12am on Thursday 26 March www.nurserymen.co.uk

RHS GARDEN BRIDGEWATER OPENING MOVES TO 2021 The opening date for RHS Garden Bridgewater has been postponed to Tuesday 11 May 2021. Following UK government advice regarding social distancing, the Salford site has been operating at limited capacity, delaying the build of its fifth garden which was originally due to open this July. www.rhs.org.uk

©RHS/Mark Waugh

REMEMBERING JOHN O’CONNER

NEWS IN BRIEF

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09/04/2020 16:02

INFORM

Online Exclusives HOW DO YOU RESPOND WHEN A CORONAVIRUS CRISIS HITS? Business coach for the trades and construction industry, Alison Warner, gives her expert advice on what is likely to be a difficult period for landscapers, saying it is about how you adapt and the speed at which you do so. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ how-do-you-respond-when-acoronavirus-crisis-hits/

WHAT HELP IS AVAILABLE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS? It’s often difficult to know where to turn and what help is even on offer. Together with industry associations and charities, we have put together a list of useful resources to help get you through the coronavirus crisis. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ what-help-is-available-during-thecoronavirus-crisis/

HOW COULD CORONAVIRUS IMPACT THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR? Phil Jones of ESL Landscape Contractors discusses the impact coronavirus could have on the commercial landscaping industry and how his company remains robust despite COVID-19 because of actions taken prior to the pandemic. www.prolandscapermagazine.com/ how-could-coronavirus-impact-thecommercial-sector/

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GROUND CONTROL AND TIVOLI RECOGNISED AS A HEALTH AND SAFETY ‘WORLD LEADER’

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round Control and Tivoli Group Ltd have both won an internationally recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards. They have received the prestigious RoSPA President’s Award after being awarded 10 consecutive gold medals for incredibly high standards and performance in health and safety.

The awards scheme is the longest running of its kind in the UK; it attracts 2,000 entrants from around the world every year, making it one of the most sought-after global accolades for businesses.

Ground Control’s managing director, Marcus Watson, says: “I am extremely proud of the Ground Control team and, most importantly, the support they have received from our amazing HSQE team.

“Their combined dedication to continuously raise health and safety standards in the often risky but critical areas we work in, such as managing vegetation around power lines and railways, has kept our people safe over the last decade and led to this incredible achievement.”

Darren Cunningham, Tivoli’s CEO, says: “Health and safety is a key and central part of Tivoli’s culture, and we are committed to maintaining the highest of standards at all of our own sites, as well as our client sites that we work on across the UK.” www.ground-control.co.uk www.tivoliservices.com

INTERIOR LANDSCAPING INDUSTRY CALLS FOR A RESCUE PACK AGE

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his week, plants@work sent a letter to the government requesting consideration for financial support.

It asked for additional funds to be put aside by the UK government for an interior landscaping plants scrappage scheme.

Plants@work chair Madeleine Evans of Tivoli Services explains: “Some of our members have expressed concern about the probable loss of plants following the lock down, especially as there is no specified time for this situation.

With many members not having access to client’s buildings to maintain installations, the biggest fear is that the cost of replacing plants could put their companies at considerable risk of discontinuing to trade.”

With this in mind, the association has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, Elizabeth Truss, Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment and Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

It has also sent a letter to Nicholas Saphir who has just been appointed as chair of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). Plants@work is also appealing to individual members to support the action and write to their own MPs. www.plantsatwork.org.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

09/04/2020 16:02

ADVERTORIAL

MHort dissertation research pays dividends Roy Godwin reflects on how the RHS MHort Award is helping him in his career

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or the past three years I have been studying for my RHS Master of Horticulture (MHort) award. I was originally attracted to this programme because the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) represents the highest level of horticultural excellence in training and education and the MHort is considered the most prestigious of awards in the industry.

Currently in my final year, I am studying for my dissertation, a 10,000 word research document exploring a specialised topic of my own choice.

As Head Gardener of more than 45 acres at Sherborne Castle Estate, I have chosen to research how the treescape of this ‘Capability’ Brown garden was first established and how it is managed in the past, present and future.

The garden mostly consists of a 300-year-old landscape with large sweeping lawns and mature treescapes dating from the mid-1700s, which encompass a 50-acre lake. In the immediate vicinity of the castle, beautiful ornamental and herbaceous planting exhibits stunning colour, texture and structure which displays interest throughout spring, summer and autumn.

There are smaller formal bedding schemes, which are refreshed seasonally to provide colour all year round, as well as a magnificent Orangery Lawn, and a small fine turf lawn.

Research I’ve carried out for my dissertation has been extremely interesting, allowing me to discover so much more about my place of work. For example, how the influences of fine art,

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me to rediscover the garden at Sherborne Castle Estate like a window into the past, and maintain the original vision of this landscape as it was intended by Brown, to preserve this heritage of horticulture for future generations to enjoy.

A team of horticultural experts, who actively work within the industry, provide exceptional support and tutoring on the MHort programme

philosophy and politics guided Brown’s initial natural landscape designs, as well as the tools, resources and techniques used 300 years ago, and how they compare with present day. In addition, I have

About the RHS Master of Horticulture (MHort) • The MHort is the Royal Horticultural Society’s most prestigious degree-level award.

• Studied over three years, predominantly online.

• Affordable and flexible payment options.

• Holders of the award may use the designation MHort (RHS) after their name.

• Applications for the 2020 intake open on 1 May (October start). developed an acute understanding of environmental factors, which need to be considered for the future management of this treescape. This research has allowed

A team of horticultural experts, who actively work within the industry, provides exceptional support and tutoring on the MHort programme. Through them, I have learned new skills in project and resource management, developed a better understanding of business strategies and established a greater awareness of scientific, economic and social issues within the horticultural sector on a global scale. I have found this invaluable, as in-depth, up-to-date knowledge enables me to make more accurate, informed decisions, considering different viewpoints, concluding in better results.

The programme is flexible in study and the material is ingeniously designed to encourage candidates to explore a wide range of information, and teaches the skills to research different sources, analyse relevant data, and demonstrate the ability of critically evaluating researched material.

The MHort programme has also taught me useful skills such as problemsolving and effective communication, and has provided an excellent link

between practical horticulture and academic learning. This has reinforced my current knowledge and better prepared me for most challenges found in a professional environment.

The MHort also opens a wide and established channel to a network of professional horticulturists. This is fantastic as networking allows horticulturists to share knowledge and experience, continuously evolving our understanding of horticulture and by extension making us better and more effective as professionals. It also critically provides horticulturists with up-to-date, current knowledge of issues, changes in training, legislation, biosecurity and best practice.

Contact Web rhs.org.uk/mhort Email MHort@rhs.org.uk Twitter @RHSEducation

About Roy Godwin Roy is Head Gardener at Sherborne Castle Estate, Dorset.

Whilst training he achieved various accolades from Triple Distinction, Practical Horticulturist of the Year, first prize in Landscape Construction, and has since obtained the CHE Environment with the OU. He also is a garden judge, writer and was involved with the Kingston Maurward Artisan Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019, awarded Silver Gilt.

09/04/2020 16:19

INFORM

FUTURE PROJECTS O

WOVEN CITY JAPAN WOVEN CIT Y WILL BECOME A PROTOTYPE CITY OF THE FUTURE. AS A LIVING LABORATORY, IT WILL TEST AND DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY WITH SUSTAINABILITY AT ITS HEART AND NATURE RUNNING THROUGH

n a 175-acre site at the base of Straight out of a sci-fi novel, they will be decked Mount Fuji in Japan, Toyota plans out with in-home robotics to help with daily to build a city of the future. living, sensor-based AI to check the occupants’ A fully connected health, take care of basic needs and ecosystem powered by hydrogen fuel enhance daily life. cells, Woven City will exist as a living Street use will have three laboratory, where full-time residents designations; one for faster vehicles and researchers will be able to test only, another for a mix of lower-speed and develop technology. vehicles, personal mobility and Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor pedestrians and the last for pedestrians Corporation president, said: “Building only. These will weave together and POWERED BY a complete city from the ground up, HYDROGEN will give Toyota the opportunity to even on a small scale like this, is test autonomous transport.

FUEL CELLS a unique opportunity to develop The city itself is designed to be future technologies, including fully sustainable, with buildings made a digital operating system for mostly using traditional Japanese RESIDENTS the infrastructure.” joinery and robotised production The technology Toyota is hoping to methods, minimising the carbon test and develop includes autonomy, robotics, footprint, and roofs covered in photo-voltaic personal mobility, smart homes, and artificial panels to generate solar power. Only zerointelligence in a real-world environment. As the emission vehicles will be allowed on the main city grows, so will the residents. Woven City will streets and throughout the city Toyota e-Palette begin with around 2,000 employees, their vehicles will be used for transport and deliveries. families, retired couples, retailers, visiting Part of the research conducted at Woven City scientists and industry partners. will explore the optimisation of nature and its The buildings themselves will be equipped uses at promoting health as well as sustainability with the latest human support technologies. and carbon capture. Indeed, native vegetation

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will be woven throughout the buildings and Woven City will work in harmony with nature.

With the stunning Mount Fuji as a backdrop, Toyota plans on building low-rise architecture and buildings so all residents will be able to appreciate the breathtakingly beautiful nature which is right on their doorstep.

NATIVE VEGETATION WILL BE WOVEN THROUGHOUT THE BUILDINGS AND WOVEN CITY WILL WORK IN HARMONY WITH NATURE Toyota believes that an important part of the Woven City experience will be encouraging human connection, and green spaces will play a huge role in this. Neighbourhood parks, a large central recreation area and a central plaza will be developed to bring the community together.

It's Toyota’s belief that Woven City will be an opportunity to test technology with integrity and security. Akio says: “With people, buildings and vehicles all connected and communicating with each other through data and sensors, we will be able to test connected AI technology, in the virtual and physical realms, maximising its potential.”

There are large amounts of data to be obtained from cities, and Toyota hopes to use analytical techniques as it looks at creating new services and businesses. It believes that in the future, all products and services that support daily human life will be connected by data, and an overall city, including the vehicles used in it, will need to be thought of from a societywide perspective. Woven City will become a prototype for this, allowing for the continuous rise of innovation and ideas.

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P R OJ ECT D E TA I L S Architect Danish architect, Bjarke Ingels from Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) Those interested in partnering with the project can find more details at Woven-city.global

No landscape architecture company has been assigned to the project at the time of writing, but Toyota has already begun discussing with several partner companies both domestic and overseas. Work will begin in early 2021.

Toyota is currently inviting other commercial and academic partners to collaborate on the project, as Akio explains: “We welcome all those inspired to improve the way we live in the future to take advantage of this unique research ecosystem and join us in our quest to create an ever-better way of life and mobility for all.�

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Let ’s Hear it From

MARK FANE CROCUS

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CROCUS HAS BEEN COLLECTING GOLD MEDALS AT THE RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES. DESPITE THE SHOW BEING CANCELLED THIS YEAR, WE’RE CELEBRATING CROCUS’ IMPRESSIVE HISTORY AT THE EVENT, TALKING TO MANAGING DIRECTOR MARK FANE ABOUT HOW THE AWARD-WINNING COMPANY HAS BUILT ITS GLOWING REPUTATION AND HOW THE CHELSEA STALWART IS COPING WITH THE IMPACT OF COVID-19

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t was mid-March when we visited Mark Fane, managing director of Crocus. At this point, the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the UK was a cause for concern, but it was still business as usual for most companies, including Surrey-based Crocus. It was ahead of the curve, though; I was asked to sanitise my hands when I arrived, and handshakes were out of the question. Mark and I discussed the unusual situation briefly and touched on whether the RHS Chelsea Flower Show would go ahead or not; but otherwise, we spoke about the two show gardens Crocus would be building at this year’s event.

One week later, the RHS had cancelled all its shows until 30 June – including Chelsea. The following week, the UK went into lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus.

These unprecedented circumstances, whilst unlikely to have come as a surprise to many, have had a huge impact.

The cancellation of Chelsea itself is having a knock-on effect on those scheduled to be involved – the designers, suppliers, nurseries and contractors who cleared weeks in their schedules to create the gardens. Crocus, rather unusually, falls into two of these categories. Alongside being one of the most prolific Chelsea contractors – with 29 Gold medals to its name, 11 Best in Show awards and two Best Construction awards since this prize was introduced in 2016 – it also grows most of the plants it uses.

“A lot of people will suffer and it’s incredibly distressing,” said Mark, when we caught up with him after the RHS revealed its decision. “It will have an enormous impact on the nursery trade and on so many people who are reliant on Chelsea; it brings an enormous economic boost. It’s very disappointing, but I don’t think the RHS had much of a choice.”

Even Mark, who has been building at Chelsea since the early 90s, has never experienced anything like it – Chelsea hasn’t been cancelled since the Second World War. But rather than dwelling on this, Mark is planning ahead. “We’re working on our options. We’re hoping that both gardens will be built at

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Chelsea next year, but that’s dependent on the sponsors agreeing to it. I would very much hope they do, because a lot of the investment, time and money has already been spent. So much has been done in preparation for Chelsea, we’ve been working on it for over a year now.”

And the messages behind the two gardens will still be pertinent. The M&G Garden, designed

by Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg, focuses on sustainability, whilst Adam Frost’s feature garden for the RHS is promoting plant health. “What’s going on with coronavirus makes us realise how vulnerable we all are to the environment; therefore, the message of sustainability and disease will become even more relevant.”

He adds that the RHS is doing everything it can to mitigate the consequences of cancelling.

“It knows how important Chelsea is to the industry and to itself. The RHS will work extremely hard to turn 2021 into a year of reenergising the industry. There are so many UK nurseries that were looking forward to Chelsea; it’s part of the horticultural calendar and it’s a real shock for it not to happen.”

Crocus itself is one of those nurseries. It has grown to become the UK’s biggest gardening website, with more than 4,000 plant varieties available. Sales soared by 21% in the year ending October 2019, bringing the total to an impressive £19.4m. But whilst ecommerce might be booming now, this wasn’t quite the case when Crocus launched 20 years ago. “We were probably slightly mad to do it,” admits Mark.

“On our first day we took one order and that was my mother! On a good day now, we take 3,000 orders. It’s quite exciting that ecommerce has become so powerful in this country.”

Mark set up the business in 2000 with Peter Clay, who came from a marketing background, whilst Mark had just sold the landscaping company Waterers that he had established with his brother, who went on to set up Nurture Landscapes. “I’d learnt a lot about the horticultural supply chain and Pete knew a lot

IN ORDER TO MAKE A SUCCESSFUL GARDEN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS GOLDEN TRIANGLE – DESIGNER, CONTRACTOR AND NURSERY about branding. What we tried to do with Crocus is to help people – it’s like a helping hand along that journey to become a better gardener. We can do that by saying ‘these plants go well with these plants’ or ‘this plant should be planted here’. You don’t get that advice anymore in garden centres.”

Through its retail arm, Crocus will try to sell some of the plants it has already grown for Chelsea. A “significant amount”, though, will be potted on so “they can be more substantial plants next year. “We’re going to try to recycle as much as we can. There’s quite a lot of work involved in doing that, but we have the space to be able to, for instance, replant from a 2L into a 5L pot. For some of them you simply can’t do that, though. It’s a really extensive plant list; we’re just going to do what we can.”

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The extensive plant list is for this year’s The M&G Garden, the fourth time Crocus has collaborated with Chelsea’s headline sponsor.

Whilst Crocus is growing the trees for Adam Frost’s garden, the herbaceous plants are being grown at Hortus Loci due to limited space.

The ability to grow the plants for the gardens it builds is one of the things which makes Crocus so unique as well as one of the most reputable contractors at Chelsea. “In order to make a successful garden, you have to have this golden triangle – designer, contractor and nursery,” says Mark. “If those three are all in sync, you end up with a good result. One of the great advantages we bring to the whole process is linking the contractor and the nursery. If you break that link, it makes it more difficult.”

As well as allowing a smoother preparation process, supplying plants for its Chelsea gardens also gives the retailer an opportunity to bring elite plants into the mainstream. “We try to give normal gardeners access to plants that only the top designers usually get. We can source and propagate them here, then offer them to the wider public, which is rather special.

Take Hakonechloa macra. You never used to be able to find this in a garden centre, but Tom Stuart-Smith started introducing it around 10 years ago at Chelsea and it’s now become really popular; we sell tonnes of them via the website.

Peter calls it the ‘democratisation of excellence’, which sounds a bit pretentious, but it does sum up what we’re trying to do.”

It probably helps that these plants are appearing on multi-award-winning gardens.

Since Mark first started building at Chelsea under Waterers, he has collected 29 Gold medals. He became involved in the worldrenowned show in 1994, after he was contacted by newly launched magazine Gardens Illustrated. Founder Rosie Atkins called Mark “out of the blue” to ask him if he’d build a small garden at the show for Christopher BradleyHole, who was also debuting that year.

“The budgets were miniscule, but once you get the buzz for Chelsea, it seeps into you.

There’s an image that gardeners are nice, cuddly people, but the reality is we’re all deeply competitive, and if you’re going to compete, it might as well be at the top stage – Chelsea.”

The Chelsea buzz remained after he sold Waterers, building his first show garden under Crocus for Piet Oudolf and Arne Maynard. The Evolution Garden scooped not only a Gold Medal but Best in Show, putting Crocus on the map and kicking off its reputation. “It made more sense with Crocus because it is a consumer facing brand whereas Waterers was very much

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focused on corporate clients. We’re selling to the public, it’s a point of difference; none of our competitors can compare with our record.”

Since Mark has been involved with Chelsea, the show has grown, and budgets have grown along with it. “The early gardens were a fraction of the cost of the ones now; this is a result of many things, but a lot of it is down to designer aspiration. We planted several trees that were more than 10m tall in Sarah Eberle’s garden last year; we would never have done that 10 or 15 years ago. The budgets weren’t there.”

One of the biggest changes, though, is the emphasis on rebuilding the gardens; there is mounting pressure to repurpose the materials used, and Mark is a big supporter of this. Last year, Tom Stuart-Smith’s RHS Bridgewater Garden was relocated to the RHS’ new garden in Salford, and Charlotte and Hugo’s garden was set to be rebuilt at a community housing site in

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IF YOU’RE GOING TO COMPETE, IT MIGHT AS WELL BE AT THE TOP STAGE – CHELSEA Bristol. More interesting, perhaps, is that the majority of hard landscaping materials due to be used in Adam Frost’s garden are from previous gardens Crocus has built over the years and stored at its site in Windlesham.

It’s not just Chelsea, though, where Crocus embodies sustainability. “We challenged ourselves a few years ago to improve, and the first thing we did was build a reservoir. All the water runoff gets recycled into this, which reduces our water usage by around 85%. I’m just kicking myself I didn’t make the reservoir bigger to make it 100%! But we will probably increase it over the next year or two.

“The second step was the tractors becoming electric, and the third was not using oil to heat the glasshouses or polytunnels; we burn waste material, such as old pallets. All the packaging we use to send out plants is recycled, too.”

1 Andy Sturgeon, The Daily Telegraph. Gold Medal and Best in Show 2016 2 Mark Fane receiving the Best Construction Award in 2019 with Sarah Eberle and Sue Biggs © RHS/Luke MacGregor 3 Andy Sturgeon, M&G. Gold Medal and Best in Show 2019 4 James Basson, M&G. Gold Medal and Best in Show 2017 5 Tom Stuart-Smith, The RHS Bridgewater Garden 2019 (not judged) 6 Sarah Eberle, The Resilience Garden Gold Medal, Best Construction Award 2019

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The next step is even more of a challenge.

Crocus is supplying a vast amount of plants for the redevelopment of the garden at Chatsworth House, all of which must be grown in peat-free material and non-plastic pots. “We’re using a kind of rice compound for all the pots, which will disintegrate. The whole issue of plastic is so significant in our industry. We have to be sensitive to our environmental footprint; we’re constantly trying to find ways to improve it.”

Plant health is also high on Crocus’ agenda.

“We self-imposed a ban on importing olive trees in 2017 during the Xylella outbreak which cost us a lot; our sales of olive trees were a couple of hundred thousand pounds a year, but the risk associated with Xylella coming into this country was too serious. We as an industry are behind in our awareness of important issues. I know what it’s like; you win a tender, there’s a list of trees, and you choose the cheapest because that’s how you make a profit, but they’re coming from nurseries that don’t have the same quality control you would expect.”

Putting quality above price has led to Crocus working with some of the biggest names in the industry. Last year, it built gardens for three of the most prolific Chelsea designers – Andy

I’M REALLY PROUD OF THE PROJECTS WE’VE BUILT OVER THE YEARS

8 Sturgeon, Sarah Eberle and Tom Stuart-Smith.

And they trust him implicitly to get the job done – Tom Stuart-Smith spent the first eight days of the build in China, leaving the logistics to be handled by Crocus, which Mark says he prefers.

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7 Building multiple gardens might seem like madness to some, but Mark says it actually makes more sense. “There’s an expression: ‘If you want to be a bear, be a grizzly’. If you’re going to commit to Chelsea, then the team for one garden versus two is not dramatically different. You can add more resources. We’ll have a surveyor on site measuring everything by the millimetre, and I can spread his costs over two gardens. It’s economies of scale.”

Years of experience help to manage this, too, but despite more than two decades at Chelsea, Mark managed to avoid the troublesome triangle site until 2015. The size and shape of the site – it’s 2.2 times larger than a normal show garden – make it difficult to work on. The first garden Crocus built on it also happens to be Mark’s most challenging to date – Dan Pearson’s Chatsworth Laurent Perrier Garden.

“About 350t of rock went onto it; it was a struggle because of its sheer scale. We thought we’d mock-up the garden at the nursery in advance, but this morphed into building the whole garden. It was a major endeavour. We then surveyed the mock-up so we knew the exact position of the rock by the millimetre.”

The scale of the project was not the only issue to contend with, either. “When we started to build on site, we realised the entire sewage system for west London goes through it, so you can’t dig down too deep – we were about to put a six-tonne willow on top! A slight panic, but luckily it was all okay.”

Outside of Chelsea, Crocus’ landscaping arm – which Mark manages whilst Peter overlooks the nursery – focuses on large, private domestic projects. “We don’t tend to work for main

contractors; we go for mid to large size projects because it’s easier to manage them, mostly in the South of England. We only have three projects going at one time.”

Despite the impressive projects and bringing in 15-20% of the company’s sales, Crocus’ landscape offering falls under the radar. Search ‘Crocus landscaping’ on Google and you won’t find anything other than its ecommerce site.

There isn’t even a brochure, which Mark argues is him “being useless” rather than for exclusivity.

Regardless, it certainly creates this impression.

“We had one project in London where, for the first time, we had to hand in our mobiles at reception; it was for a famous couple in Holland Park and no cameras were allowed on site. We do some really interesting work; I’m really proud of the projects we’ve built over the years.”

And its reputation speaks for itself.

Coronavirus might be wreaking havoc now, but Chelsea will hopefully be back with a bang next year, and Crocus will undoubtedly be there vying for the top spot.

7 Sarah Price, M&G, Gold Medal 2018 8 The team for Andy Sturgeon’s 2019 Garden – the golden triangle of designer, contractor, nursery and sponsor

C O N TA C T Crocus.co.uk limited, Nursery Court, London Road Windlesham, Surrey Tel 01344 578 000 Email customerservices@crocus.co.uk

www.crocus.co.uk

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08/04/2020 20:50 25/03/2020 09:51

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MANAGING DIRECTOR TONY BENGER TELLS US ABOUT THE REMARKABLE GROWTH OF TONY BENGER LANDSCAPING, WHICH SCOOPED THE PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARD FOR COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE COMPANY EARLIER IN THE YEAR How did Tony Benger Landscaping begin?

In 1985, I came back from travelling. I had been farming for 10 years and wanted a change.

My mother said she was busy planting other people’s gardens and asked if I wanted to come and work with her. That lasted two weeks – as great as it sounds, working for your mum never works. I started landscaping on my own and subcontracted to my mother whilst she subcontracted to me. Here, Tony Benger Landscaping was born. The company has grown from one man and a barrow to the “regional landscaper of choice”, employing more than 80 local staff.

REDROW’S MELLIOR PARK, CORNWALL

COMPANY PROFILE

TONY BENGER LANDSCAPING

Does family still play an important role to the company?

There are three generations of family in the business. There are our daughters – Olivia in the commercial team and Sophie in the nursery – while my nephew runs the maintenance department, and his wife Charlotte is part of the commercial management team. My sister Penny is also head designer for commercial and domestic projects. We are truly a family firm, something which I’m very proud of. I have every confidence they will ensure Tony Benger Landscaping continues to go from strength to strength along with my staff, who are the people to thank for all their hard work and attention to detail to bring the company to where it is today.

What kind of work does the business carry out?

We carry out the design, construction and maintenance of landscapes large and small.

From creative design to the completion of the project, we aim to be an efficient, problemsolving landscaping one-stop-shop. Services include assistance with planning, domestic and commercial design and scheme implementation, the maintenance of this work and grounds maintenance for facilities management companies. We also carry out fencing, specialist surfacing and playground installation and maintenance. Our nurseries have a wide range of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants which are available to trade customers, alongside other common landscaping materials.

For us, this means a profitable company, enabling reinvestment in our business and staff.

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MAINTENANCE

MANAGEMENT

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Where is the company based?

The company has bases at Okehampton and Salisbury, and we recently moved to new purpose-built facilities at Dalwood Hill Nursery.

We received planning permission for change of use, a yard, nursery and an office – we

WE ARE TRULY A FAMILY FIRM, SOMETHING WHICH I’M VERY PROUD OF

PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARD WINNER FOR COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE COMPANY

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ESTABLISHED 1985 EMPLOYEES 77 AWARDS 10 BALI AWARDS, 1 LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE AWARD, 1 PRO LANDSCAPER BUSINESS AWARD TURNOVER £3.8M (2020 TARGET IS £4.2M)

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also managed to receive a grant through The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Matthew Phillips from W.E. Philips and Sons Ltd was contracted to build the office and the bulk bays. Our old site was just too restrictive for the safe and efficient operation of a growing business; this new base will allow continued growth for the next generation.

Geographically, our satellite offices near Okehampton and Salisbury are crucial when appealing to large businesses; we’re able to service their projects anywhere from Lands’ End, to Portsmouth in the East or Bristol in the North.

How have you built the company’s reputation?

When I founded the company more than 30 years ago, my strapline was “all we needed to do was a good job”, and that remains my view.

For the customer, this means that we will be professional and responsive from the moment of first enquiry through to the completion of the job.

Initial communication from management and then from onsite staff enables customers to feel in control. As Investors in People, we empower and equip our staff in the field. We are proactive in helping customers overcome issues and, above all, we are reliable. We believe this is the way to work; it creates trust, care and a feeling of ownership for our operational staff, as they feel valued and appreciated by their customers.

What’s your approach to winning contracts?

We focus on consistency of the highest standard, even though we know quantity surveyors often feel pressure to choose the cheapest tender. Instead of trimming the specification or using sub-spec stock and sub-standard workmanship just to win the job, we work tirelessly to communicate with our clients and educate them on the benefits of a quality installation. We advise on the value of doing the job right first time, avoiding costs of remedials. We offer value engineered solutions in order to meet budget whilst maintaining quality.

Thus, our business often develops starting with smaller contracts, and getting customers to appreciate our strong abilities at delivering beautiful landscaping and strong customer service. We don’t find ourselves pushing for new custom; the contracts normally expand with time after seeing the extra value.

We pride ourselves on our long-standing and successful relationships with clients. We don’t actually advertise much (marketing spending is 0.5% of revenue); the majority of our work is through repeat business and word of mouth.

Has the company undergone any major changes recently?

About five years ago, we were worried about our over-exposure to the housebuilding sector, which at times was a source of nearly 70% of all our revenue. Although the commercial sector still plays a primary role, we have diversified our clientele and now work closely with education, retail and hospitality sectors, as well as local authorities and construction companies specialising in infrastructural work. As a result of this consistent diversification, 2019 was a truly terrific year – not only have we reached our 15% growth target (£3.8m sales) but we also had nearly equal 33% profit share among all of our well-established departments.

What’s next for Tony Benger Landscaping?

The future is an exciting topic. Our new office and yard still have room for further expansion.

It now contains designated training rooms which will play host to regular training and presentations from both internal and external trainers. Our Okehampton branch has also grown exponentially. As we get more enquiries, we will be looking to grow this branch further.

We have also recently won our first bigger commercial fencing job (£150k), which we began just before Christmas, and we have another one due to start in March. This is a huge step forward for the commercial department. Our business manager has also moved to Salisbury to start a satellite for operations, which has already brought in £50k of revenue in the last month.

Here, we will seek to employ local people whilst also gaining more presence in the area.

C O N TA C T Head Office: Dalwood Hill Nursery Burrow Knap Way, Dalwood, Axminster EX13 7ES Tel 01404 831844 Email admin@tonybenger.com

www.tonybenger.com

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08/04/2020 20:53

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S U E B I G GS VIEW FROM THE TOP

FOLLOWING THE CANCELLATION OF CHELSEA, SUE BIGGS SAYS IT’S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER FOR THE INDUSTRY TO COME TOGETHER

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On top of that, we are very aware that our RHS shows are important platforms for the horticultural industry, and of the impact of cancelling these events on everyone involved who have supported our charity and our shows for so many years. We have sustained multi-

THE LOCKDOWN IS HAVING A CATASTROPHIC IMPACT ON OUR SECTOR million-pound losses but are doing all we can to help growers and nurseries sell their plants via social media, online activity and the Virtual Chelsea Flower Show. We hope by working with designers, landscapers and sponsors we can incorporate their gardens into the 2021 show.

As the recent HTA research highlighted, the lockdown is having a catastrophic impact on our sector. I hope by the time this is published the government has listened and stepped up to help support our industry, in particular the growers who are the beating heart and are essential to the survival of British horticulture.

Now, when we’re all going through such tough and challenging times, it’s more important than ever that we all come together, pool our resources and support each other where we can. One thing that has become clear during this national emergency is how many feel they need gardening in their life now more than ever before for their mental and physical wellbeing. As the UK’s leading gardening charity, we are urging the UK to turn to gardening during this difficult time – a modern take on the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign which

was launched during the Second World War when RHS Chelsea was last forced to cancel.

Back then, it was growing food to supplement rationing; now we also need to encourage Britain to ‘Grow at Home’ for the health and wellbeing of our nation.

With gardens closed and shows cancelled, education and community outreach programmes on hold, and science labs and libraries shut, we are grateful that we live in a digital age so that through the RHS website, social media, RHS Podcast, our gardening advice lines, and The Garden Magazine, we can continue to carry out our charitable purpose to help and support the nation to get gardening. I know from your generous offers of help that lots of you will be getting involved in the very first Virtual RHS Chelsea Flower Show this month; whether that’s hosting online workshops and demonstrations or recreating displays at home, we hope it’ll help fill the hole in our lives left by the show cancellation, and connect the communities across horticulture.

During this time, we should celebrate all the positives our industry brings to the country and build on our army of gardeners, so when we come out the other side, we have an engaged audience that recognises the importance of horticulture.

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

www.rhs.org.uk

Sue Biggs portrait ©RHS/Anna McCarthy

©RHS/Luke MacGregor

I

t seems strange writing this during what is usually such an exciting time of year, when the interest in our wonderful industry reaches its peak and you can’t avoid the excitement in the air as we all come together in the grounds of The Royal Hospital to celebrate horticulture at its finest. It’s the time of year when gardening and horticulture capture the attention of millions of people across the UK and the world, inspiring them to garden and grow plants.

Although so much has changed over the show’s 108-year history, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show has remained a remarkable constant, with its continuing excellence in horticulture, innovative garden design and breathtaking displays of the latest plants grown to perfection. I am truly sorry for everyone involved that we have had to cancel our upcoming shows until the end of June, at the time of writing this; but I am sure you’ll agree it was the only responsible thing to do. I know how much work had already gone into ensuring this year’s Chelsea would be as spectacular as ever – from our own teams within the RHS, to the growers, designers, contractors, landscapers, tradestands, caterers and broadcasters, the deep disappointment is shared by so many.

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 25

08/04/2020 09:16

INFORM

ANDREW WILSON IT’S LIFE JIM

ANDREW WILSON REFLECTS ON THE RAPID CHANGES MADE TO OUR LIVES OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS BUT ASKS, WILL OUR FUNDAMENTAL ATTITUDES REALLY CHANGE?

DID ANY OF THEM THINK ABOUT THE OLDER OR MORE VULNERABLE AS THEY STACKED THEIR SHOPPING TROLLIES SKY HIGH? As we enter April, I find myself reasonably happy in the enforced restriction to my house and garden, but then I have worked from home for half of my working life in some way.

The main difference is the need to protect my wife, Barbara, who is over two years into ongoing chemotherapy that compromises her immune system. That additional sense of social distancing is the most worrying aspect, with every knock at the door a potential threat.

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I feel lucky that I don’t have to add home schooling to my to-do list and feel for those who are trying to juggle life, education, work and safety within an often all too limited space.

This was the aspect that most of my students were concerned about in working through the garden design course and the commitment it requires. I know there are many others worrying about their businesses and income streams and for whom the world and its future must seem very bleak right now.

©Alena Veasey/Shutterstock.com

T

he arrival of COVID-19 on our doorsteps brought about a dramatic change to our lives and lifestyles that can probably only be likened to the onset of war and the shutting down of normal society. For me at the London College of Garden Design, this change saw us end the the spring term on Zoom as a way of delivering lectures and tutorial teaching to our current students without face to face contact.

From a design point of view, the workload of the studio goes on, albeit with a nod to the future and whether people will still want designed gardens and planting schemes.

It reminds me of the stream of work that gradually reduced as we found ourselves falling helplessly into the last recession.

As with everything, there are highs and lows; great to spend time with the children but how to balance this with work deadlines. Good to spend time catching up on the garden but where is the next pay cheque coming from, and so on.

What most people say or feel, whether in informal discussion or on social media platforms, is how we will be a changed society when all this is over. I’d love to believe that, but I’m not entirely convinced despite being an eternal optimist.

Perhaps we will soon forget how people emptied the shelves of loo rolls, so called essential foods, even fresh vegetables in their panic buying even though the food supply chain was sound. Did any of them think about the

THERE ARE STILL SOME CLIENTS WHO FEEL IMMUNE TO THE WORLD AROUND THEM older or more vulnerable as they stacked their shopping trollies sky high?

The mass dash to the countryside to enjoy what everyone hoped was open space turned into the farce of crowded destinations where social distancing and safety were flouted.

Wouldn’t you have simply turned round and headed home when faced with that? Common sense seems to be in short supply these days.

Whilst most clients have been entirely understanding of landscapers cutting back staff numbers to ensure safe working conditions, there are still some clients who feel immune to the world around them or to the fact that people could die as they demand normal service.

I think that we as a profession hold a key to the natural world; we remain and perhaps always were grounded because of that vital connection. We need to seize the moment as we emerge from this trauma to remind the society around us that life is fundamentally fragile but strengthened by that natural connection and weakened by our separation from it.

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

www.lcgd.org.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

08/04/2020 08:27

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08/04/2020 21:28

INFORM

B E N W E ST CHANCE FOR CHANGE

RATHER THAN GOING BACK TO THE WAY THINGS WERE BEFORE COVID-19, BEN WEST SAYS WE NOW HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW OUR BUSINESS PRACTICES

S

top the world I want to get off!” We have probably all said it. The current cessation of ‘business as usual’ offers us all the opportunity for serious contemplation on the trajectory of our species. A rare period of respite from the rat race. COVID-19 has enabled us to step outside ‘the machine’ for a new perspective. A chance to make collective changes to it or personal changes to our lives within it. We are usually so seduced by its gears and gadgets we fail to pay full attention to its failings. Perhaps that’s why the children have been leading the way. Not yet indoctrinated, they are free to see its inner workings with unfettered clarity. Witness how they turned away in disgust upon seeing how all things are mangled up in its motors.

The manner in which the machine has been so swiftly brought to its knees is alarming and, in light of the looming climate situation, highly likely to reoccur. Do we really want to continue with business as usual? Can we reorganise ourselves in a way that works harmoniously with nature and recognises humanity’s role in the web of life, a key part of the puzzle rather than a puzzled interloper?

All the recent turmoil – Brexit, COVID-19, climate change – sees humanity at a crossroads, forced to reflect on the next step.

What kind of creatures are we? What kind of creatures do we want to be? What kind of world do we want to live in? What relationships do we wish to cultivate with all other creatures and our planet? Do we really want business as usual, as destructive as that has been?

It’s also time for our industry to reflect on these questions. How much of what we have achieved has been beneficial? For every client with a ‘no maintenance’ outdoor room, every

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unsustainable show garden, every neatly manicured park, there’s a child labourer, a polluted waterway, a displaced aboriginal or a degraded peat bog. How does this make us feel?

Can we continue to turn a blind eye? What do the young people we so desperately covet make

RATHER THAN BUSINESS AS USUAL WE NEED A PARADIGM SHIFT

vision for which it strives. Much current decision making is under the stewardship of those exploiting the planet and its inhabitants in order to turn a short-term profit or maintain power.

Will heightened awareness of the planet’s plight and its exploited societies and cultures reach enough of a crescendo to turn the tide?

Rather than business as usual we need a paradigm shift. Without structural revolution we are due to experience more of the same, but exponentially worse. How can we allow ourselves to consider going back to business as usual?

Let’s use this time constructively by listening to what nature is telling us and then planning how to emerge transformed. People are looking for leadership. As landscape professionals, we are closer to nature than most and therefore better able to understand what the ‘new world’ needs to look like in order to go forward in a sustainable and regenerative manner. It is our duty to win over as many hearts and minds as possible.

If we fail to rise to the challenge, there may soon be no business to go back to.

ABOUT BEN WEST

of our industry? Are they enamoured with its current state? We need to reimagine ourselves so as to be as attractive as possible to the best of their talent, those wanting to join a movement leading the way and making a difference.

Humanity has the tools to shape its visions, God-like in its ability to manipulate itself, culture and landscape. First, it must clearly define the

Ben West spent his formative years tramping the woods, fields and waterways of Staffordshire, and studied environmental management at Keele University prior to relocating to Surrey and setting up Landscaping Solutions in 2005. The firm has achieved multiple RHS medals and BALI Awards since its inception. Now in his 28th year in the landscaping industry, Ben wishes to use his passion for natural landscapes and ecology to direct the future trajectory of the firm, and to ensure clients and the wider community consider nature when planning landscaping schemes.

www.landscapingsolutionsltd.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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08/04/2020 18/03/2020 21:42 09:55

INFORM

IN THE LAST OF A THREEPART SERIES, JO MANFREDI-HAMER EXPLAINS WHY HORTICULTURE IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER FOR OUR HEALTH

I

t was always my intention to focus on the importance of horticulture in this article.

However, at the time I started planning it in December last year I did not appreciate two things: the full-scale devastation which would be caused by COVID-19 and how important horticulture would become to so many at this time.

This is a tale of two halves. Firstly, the struggles our industry will face in lockdown and beyond. Many of us rely on the good weather months for the bulk of our income, but it seems inevitable that work will slow if not stop entirely for some weeks. For those in need, Perennial exists to provide advice and support to everyone working in horticulture.

The second half of the tale is the realisation that the public has never needed us more to beautify the spaces they will be spending so much time in this year. This makes me acutely aware of how important our future role will be as workers in our industry. It is time to focus on how we can play a positive role going forward.

H ORTI CULTURE’S HELPING HAND The national charity, Thrive, also provides tips for gardeners with disabilities or ill health.

Take a look at: www.carryongardening.org.uk.

There are many tips about making your garden good for you in ‘Your Wellbeing Garden’ by Alistair Griffiths and Matt Keightley.

Greening Grey Britain The RHS’ campaign to ‘green grey Britain’ highlights that adding plants to gardens can help to reduce pollution, control temperature and address flooding issues. It also highlights the importance of creating habitats for wildlife.

As a designer myself, I know that we are in a unique position to talk to clients about how their new garden could play a part in this.

“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, there is always the garden” Minnie Aumonier The benefits of gardening are many and varied. There is the obvious physical benefit – it is a low-intensity exercise counting towards your weekly recommendation of 30 minutes, five times a week. However, I have always felt that the mental benefits of gardening far outweigh the physical.

Gardening, for me, has always been a ‘flow’ activity, a way to relieve stress by concentrating on something else like potting or digging.

We can be doing this ourselves in our own gardens as well as recommending this to our clients, too.

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Make a million The HTA is encouraging the nation to get planting this autumn with its ‘million planting moments’ campaign. It wants to encourage everyone to plant, and there is no reason we cannot get involved to spread the word – COVID-19 protocols allowing, of course.

Crucially, we can offer advice as to which plants will thrive in their own particular soil.

Health is best Plant health has come to our attention again with the introduction of plant passport

regulations in December last year. Designers are obliged to keep records of plant transactions too. We can play our part, not only by complying with these important measures but also by getting the message to our clients that they need to be careful about where they order their plants. The RHS website contains useful advice and tells us that UK sourced planting is best. It also underlines the importance of good plant hygiene and monitoring for pests and diseases.

Grow your own If someone is keen, this is a great way to team healthy outdoor gardening with reducing the carbon footprint; we only have to transport the food from allotment to table. Many of my clients are keen to have a go and will often start with a simple raised bed. The main thing is to ask the question: ‘Do you want to have a go?’

I got into gardening many years ago through growing vegetables in my garden. There is something about seeing seeds grow, which will surely be the link to encouraging future generations of gardeners and designers.

After all, when COVID-19 has wreaked its destruction we will all need a better world in which to mend our wounds and rebuild our businesses.

ABOUT JO MANFREDI-HAMER Jo Manfredi-Hamer is an award-winning garden designer. She designed the Mental Health Garden which took gold at the Harrogate Flower Show 2019 and was proud to support Leeds Mind in that venture. She is passionate about how we can use gardening and horticulture generally to alleviate mental health issues in society. Jo is a pre-registered member of the Society of Garden Designers.

www.jmhgardendesign.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 31

09/04/2020 14:04

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08/04/2020 20:57

INSPIRE

PORTFOLIO 2 CITYSCAPES

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08/04/2020 21:04

INSPIRE

PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £260k Build time Phased over a two-year period Awards BALI National Landscape Awards 2019 – Domestic Garden Construction

N E ST L E D I N

NATURE FIR TREE HOUSE VERDE LANDSCAPES A G A R D E N T O C O M P L E M E N T T H E S I G N I F I C A N T R E S T O R AT I O N O F A G R A D E I I L I S T E D S T O N E H O U S E L O C AT E D I N T H E R O L L I N G L A N D S C A P E S O F K E N T

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ith Fir Tree House undergoing major and extensive renovation works, Verde Landscapes needed to coordinate closely with builders in order to create a successful garden which complemented the transformation of a 350-yearold property into a contemporary home. The garden is established over multiple levels, made up of a formal garden, sloping lawn and floating steps which lead to a bespoke hot tub area.

It was important that Verde Landscapes was sympathetic to the clients as they didn’t want to be overwhelmed by the construction process; disruption had to be kept to a minimum.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Portfolio 1 Verde Landscapes-4.indd 35

Build The renovation of Fir Tree House was split into three phases. During phase one, Verde Landscapes had limited access to the project.

In order to keep the project moving, it was vital to plan deliveries and the correct flow of materials in advance. The clay paving by Vande Moortel and other groundsworks were laid during the first phase, as well as the Cotswold stone walling, in preparation for stage two set to take place as the house renovation ended.

After completing the hot-tub installation in phase two, preparation began for the planting stage. When the semi-mature trees arrived from

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 35

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INSPIRE

Belgium, although undeniably beautiful, the root balls were much larger than expected. Innovative solutions were quickly thought up by Verde Landscapes in order to accommodate the enormous task. Unfortunately, the property didn’t have the space for a crane to operate, resulting in the use of an eight-metre telehandler being used instead to get the root balls to the desired elevated area.

Following the demanding tree planting operation, the shrub and infill planting began.

How Green Nursery supplied the plants which bought the garden vividly to life.

Lavender gave the space a calming aroma and a pop of colour, while soft grasses and alliums added texture to the beds.

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08/04/2020 09:50

INSPIRE

REFERENCES Soils and aggregates MCM www.mcmlandscapes.com Compost and tree guying systems Green-tech www.green-tech.co.uk Corten steel edges Kinley www.kinley.co.uk Wayfarer hard binding gravel Breeden www.thebreedencompany.com Paving, steps and bespoke slot drains London Stone www.londonstone.co.uk The final phase required Verde Landscape to adhere closely to the stipulated planning conditions which involved installing new yew hedging and sound reflective fencing.

Verde Landscape had the utmost respect for the existing plants and trees, therefore this operation had to be looked at intently and with great sensitivity. This phase of the renovation needed to be carried out with consideration, bearing in mind the potential environmental and ecological impact.

The new yew hedge is now standing tall, measuring over two metres high and will now be a nesting place for birds and wildlife.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Portfolio 1 Verde Landscapes-4.indd 37

A soundproof fence finished off the renovation, giving the clients a security feature as well as a much-needed privacy boundary.

A BOU T V E R D E L A N DSCA P ES Verde delivers soft and hard landscaping schemes to private and commercial clients throughout the South of England. The company has established relationships with many architects creating bespoke award-winning projects in diverse settings. Verde Landscapes prides itself on its first-class service, which retains its excellent reputation.

www.verdelandscapes.co.uk

Clay paving Vande Moortel www.vandemoortel.co.uk Plants How Green Nursery www.howgreennursery.co.uk Semi mature trees Deepdale Trees www.deepdale-trees.co.uk Hot tubs Riviera Hot Tubs www.riviera-hottubs.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 37

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INSPIRE

PROJECT D E TA I L S Planting budget £15k Build time 2 months Size of project 225m2 Awards Pro Landscaper small project BIG IMPACT Award 2019, Planting Design Under £20,000

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www.prolandscapermagazine.com

09/04/2020 12:20

INSPIRE

PLANTING

PARADISE W E S T M I N S T E R K I N G S W AY C O L L E G E – E U S T O N G R E E N L I N K P O C K E T PA R K CITYSCAPES A N E G L E C T E D S PA C E AT W E S T M I N S T E R K I N G S W AY C O L L E G E G E T S AN ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT WITH HIGH DENSITY PLANTING, C R E AT I N G A N I N V I T I N G A N D R E L A X I N G S PA C E

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ocated at Westminster Kingsway College in Euston, the site between the college buildings and public footpath was neglected, underused, and in need of a green injection.

The west side was comprised of mosscovered tarmac, a statue and stand-alone bench, surrounded by overgrown shrubs and untended trees. The east was home to two large trees, more overgrown shrubs and a wide strip of tarmac, bounded by the main entrance to the buildings. The garden lacked direct correlation between the spaces, identity and appeal.

Client brief Euston Town Business Improvement District were keen to create a Euston Green Link Route between Regent’s Park and Euston Station which would enable pedestrians to avoid the heavily polluted Euston Road.

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The clients asked for a pocket park, unique in design and of outstanding quality, which would benefit the users of the local area.

Although owned by Westminster Kingsway College, they agreed to open the space to the local community to be enjoyed by the students and general public alike.

Funding for the scheme was provided by the Mayors Clean Air Fund and Euston Town.

Design/build The site needed to be transformed from something that was enclosed from the outer world, into a space which was open and inviting to the public, welcoming them to enter and enjoy. The design addressed this by shaping the existing perimeter walls at sloping angles to provide more views into the space, resulting in it feeling much more inviting.

Two new entrances were also created at either end of the site, making the garden much more accessible. A path was created through both gardens, linking the two and allowing visitors to walk through the spaces. An open seating area on the west side was also created to encourage people to dwell and enjoy the space and the entrance pathway to the building was reshaped and framed by the planting beds.

The angular design language used creates a dynamic sense of movement through the space.

1 Path through the east side of the site 2 West side featuring a shaded seating area 3 Layered plant community of perennials, ferns, grasses and shrubs 4 Colourful array of flowers on east side 5 Providing year-round interest in the meadow

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Planting design Planting design is based upon ecological principles, growing plants in sympathetic and symbiotic communities, reflective of their natural habitats. The wild aesthetic of the garden was designed to contrast with the hard geometry of the surrounding urban landscape.

High density planting has been employed to create an interwoven wild looking mesh of planting in a dispersed visual field without distinct focal points, creating a more psychosocially calming effect in a busy area.

Variations in height and form allow plants to coexist together, harmoniously in ecological layers, allowing early performing plants to flower first, then survive beneath later appearing plants, creating maximum effect and ground cover, thereby also reducing the possibilities of unwanted self-seeding.

A selection of familiar and unusual plants has been used to avoid the plant palette often used in the public realm, and to highlight the potential range of plants that can be used. The selection stimulates the public’s interest and maximises the potential for year-round appeal and evergreen structure throughout the winter.

The mix of native and non-native plants allows an extended flowering period that is beneficial to biodiversity, successfully providing a haven for bees, butterflies and other wildlife.

Planting on the west side beneath the trees is a vibrant woodland style community. Shrubs like Dichroa febrifuga, Schima argentea and Viburnum cassinoides are interplanted in a matrix of evergreen and herbaceous perennials including Disporum, Persicarias, Sanguisorba officinalis and Strobilanthes atropurpurea – further complemented by ferns and grasses chosen for their shade tolerant properties.

7 The east side is a based on a perennial meadow matrix with 50% grasses and 50% perennials, chosen for their sun-loving, drought tolerant properties. Grasses like Sesleria caerulea, Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tales’ and Euphorbia characias give constant structure and are interwoven with perennials such as agapanthus, kniphofia and patrinia.

The painting on the perimeter walls in triangular patterns echoes the angular shapes

40 Pro Landscaper / May 2020

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of the pathways in the garden and creates a dialogue with the angular pattern on top of the wall, forming a sense of design, coherence and integrity. The site delivers a dramatic backdrop for the various greens of the plants’ foliage and the variety of colours found within the flowers.

Challenges Previous lack of maintenance had left the site in a bad condition and soil in poor health.

Creating a high impact garden in this situation provided a challenge for the Cityscapes team.

Additional topsoil was added onto existing weak and nutrient deficient soil to improve its quality. Throughout the project, heavy rain was prevalent, making the additional layer a potential problem which had to be carefully navigated in order to avoid compaction.

After the initial design was prepared, two existing large trees on the east side were removed by the property owners without discussion, completely changing the light conditions and necessitating an updated planting scheme, resulting in the sun loving planting matrix in that area.

6 East side: 50% perennials and 50% grasses 7 Flowers provide relief from hard surroundings 8 Seating gives chance to encounter the plants

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09/04/2020 12:22

INSPIRE

BEFORE

PLANTING

DURING WORKS

BEFORE

BEFORE

DURING WORKS

A B O U T C I T YS C A P E S Cityscapes was launched in 2012 by Adolfo Harrison and Darryl Moore, aiming to bring a new dynamic approach to the way the urban environment is designed, managed and inhabited, by creating innovative, temporary and permanent parks, gardens and installations that are surprising, thought provoking, accessible and inclusive. Embracing a cross disciplinary collaborative approach, Cityscapes projects transform neglected and underused spaces into multi-functional areas, bringing together people and plants in ways that command attention.

www.cityscapes.org.uk

REFERENCES Shrubs Beeches Nursery www.beechesnursery.co.uk Perennials Beth Chatto Gardens www.bethchatto.co.uk

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Perennials, ferns and grasses Orchard Dene Nursery (This company has now moved to consultancy work)

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1

MODERN

UPLIFT

DUXFORD CAMBRIDGESHIRE HORTISERVICES

2

THIS MODERN BUILD IN THE HEART OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE NEEDED A G A R D E N T O M AT C H T H AT W O U L D T R A N S F O R M T H E D A R K S PA C E I N T O A B R I G H T A R E A F O R T H E W H O L E FA M I LY T O U S E

PROJECT D E TA I L S Project value £35k Build time 6 Weeks Size of project 120m2 Awards Pro Landscaper small project BIG IMPACT Awards 2019, Hard Landscaping Under £25,000

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INSPIRE

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ocated in the heart of Cambridgeshire, the owners of this modern build required a contemporary garden which would transform the once dull space into a lighter and larger family area.

Dark concrete paving made the garden look bleak and unwelcoming; this was made worse by the overgrown shrubs close to the house which had the added disadvantage of blocking the views and light into the house.

Terraced with a straight dwarf wall which ran perpendicular to the house and finished off with a small set of stairs which lead to the lawn, movement around the garden was fairly restricted.

The lower terrace also felt small and confined which wasn’t ideal for clients who wanted to use the space for entertaining and as an area for their children to play in.

Larch cladding and living walls also break up the dark brown garage and help it to further lighten the space and soften the boundaries.

The strong lines of the cladding, curving stairs and border edging lead the eye around the space while the soft blonde warmth of larch cladding further links the house to the garden, echoing the interior of the house.

Birds, insects and amphibians have all been considered with the accessible pond, which is beautifully clear and thriving with all types of wildlife.

The pond raises on one side of the upper terrace, providing a practical perching spot for anyone wanting to get closer to the water.

Comfortable lounge furniture for this area was chosen, and quickly became a favourite spot for relaxing.

A sunken trampoline tucked into a ferny dell, provides an area in the garden for the clients’

children to play. A white hexagonal greenhouse was also installed, allowing the clients to grow whilst also becoming a focal point at the top of the lawn.

The whole garden is brought to life in the evening with remote controlled energy saving lighting, which also creates a soft warm glow to the pond. Up-lighting the architectural shapes of the trees and larch cladding create interesting shapes and contrast.

1 Light materials bounce light and create a sense of space in a north-facing garden 2 Running water soothes and serenades garden visitors whilst forming a focal point 3 Sweeping curves create sense of flow and space 4 Living wall ‘picture panels’ have disguised an unattractive backdrop 5 Pollinators and wildlife deliberately have been deliberately catered for

Client brief Looking for a modern space, with low maintenance materials which gave a contemporary feel, the clients at Duxford wanted a seamless cohesive garden, including private areas, social areas and a pond. A lighter, brighter space was desired as opposed to the enclosed atmosphere it retained.

Though they wanted to keep the historical rear flint wall, the 70s plain brick side walls needed an upgrade.

Build Paving which flows seamlessly from the lower patio down and up the stairs to the upper terrace was created by interlacing the spaces.

Porcelain paving and sawn sandstone provides the clients with the contemporary feel they desired, whilst needing little maintenance.

Light colours blend with the old flint wall, bouncing light back into the house.

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INSPIRE

The clients’ love of colour influenced the choice of plants, with long flowering buds such as Penstemon, Nepeta, Osteospermum, Verbena and Salvia. These were blended with soft billowing grasses, such as Stipa. Early interest is provided through a mixture of bulbs such as Aquilegia vulgaris, Astrantia and late colour through Persicaria and Hakonechloa.

Enclosed and private, the upper terrace is filled with flowers and blends wonderfully with the existing knapped flint wall. In order to provide maximum space, the lawn was widened, shaped and curved. The green wall has been selected to specifically break up the hard boundary, fashioned from two brick walls on either side of the garden.

Materials Marshalls’ SYMPHONY® Natural Porcelain Paving in Senna was decided upon for its soft tones and natural look. This blended seamlessly with the Fairstone Sawn Versuro® also supplied

by Marshalls, which was used on the curved stairs, wall cladding and pond. The beauty of the natural stone is further enhanced when wet, providing an additional element of interest throughout the year.

Larch cladding was sourced locally from Millworks and decided upon due to its warm blonde tones, which work well with the indoor flooring. All stone was cut and fashioned onsite to exacting specifications.

Challenges Access to the site was complicated by tight right angles and stairs, not easily negotiated by any equipment. Where all digging was done by hand, the removal of materials required much smaller barrows than normal for such tasks as a result of these restrictions. The team altered the design so as much topsoil could be kept onsite as possible, which was later used to build up one side of the raised pond to form a natural bank, with easy wildlife access to the pond.

A trench was dug along the side of the garage where the old paving was too high to create an air gap to allow the wall to breathe.

The trench also stopped the damp issues found throughout the garden. This was later covered by larch cladding, which led up to the patio.

ABOUT HORTISERVICES Multi-award winners with more than 20 years of international horticulture experience, HortiServices prides itself on a friendly, professional landscaping service to clients in Cambridgeshire and the surrounding areas. Quality work and customer satisfaction is at the heart of each project.. The team believes in sustainable, ethical landscaping principles and practices. HortiServices works with residential, school and commercial clients and specialise in eco-friendly gardens.

www.hortiservices.co.uk

REFERENCES Paving Marshalls www.marshalls.co.uk Larch cladding Millworks www.themillworks.co.uk Plants Rochfords www.rochfords.net Plants Fordham Nursery www.fordhamnursery.co.uk Plants Premier Plants www.premierplantsuk.com

BEFORE

Living wall panels Scotscape www.scotscape.co.uk Irrigation LeakyPipe Ltd www.leakypipe.co.uk

DURING

Green roof Harrowden Turf www.harrowdenturf.co.uk Substrate Green-tech www.green-tech.co.uk Greenhouse Vitavia www.vitavia.co.uk

DURING

44 Pro Landscaper / May 2020

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INSTALLING PAVING

Lighting, oase pumping and filtration LandscapePlus www.landscapeplus.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

09/04/2020 15:54

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INSPIRE

1

LANDSCAPE A R C H I T EC T ’S

AS THE PAUL HOGARTH COMPANY APPROACHES ITS 30TH YEAR, WE SPEAK TO DIRECTORS PAUL HOGARTH AND ANTHONY MCGUIGAN ABOUT HOW IT KEEPS PEOPLE AT THE CENTRE OF ITS PROJECTS, AND WHY THIS WON IT THE PRESTIGIOUS PRESIDENT’S AWARD AT THE LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE AWARDS

JOURNAL T T H E PAU L H O G A RT H C O M PA N Y

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3

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he Paul Hogarth Company began nearly 30 years ago. From one landscape architect working on small projects enhancing business parks for The Scottish Development Agency to a multidisciplinary company today producing award-winning schemes.

One thing which hasn’t changed, though, is that the company puts people first.

“We completed some work in the town of South Queensferry around 20 years ago,” director Paul Hogarth tells us. “At the end, people came up to us and said: ‘I can’t even remember what it looked like before. This is how it should have always looked.’”

The project saw a car-centred street of broken tarmac transformed into a granite sett street with wider pavements. Though it was a fairly small-scale project, The Paul Hogarth Company had paid attention to the character of the town and truly listened to what the community’s issues with the space were, which is why it was so successful and, as it turned out, so significant. “The most satisfying thing is for the end user to make those sorts of comments – they are who count,” Paul explains.

Community The Paul Hogarth Company has continued to achieve great relationships with clients and local communities. One project showcasing this was Connswater Community Greenway. There was signicicant physical, social and economic deprivation in East Belfast, but seeing potential in green spaces to change this, the company was asked to help develop and deliver 15km of cycle

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INSPIRE

and walking paths through the inner city and throughout 13ha of new and improved parkland.

The overgrown and contaminated waterway was transformed into a flood mitigating wildlife corridor, the park had lighting installed so it could be enjoyed in the day and at night. and the C.S. Lewis Square was also developed.

The square contains sculptures by local artists based off the novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and has become a significant tourist attraction. From a city which Lonely Planet advised people not to visit, it is now thriving.

But the real work came afterwards, when The Paul Hogarth Company created a blog to continue to engage the community with nature.

It understood that this community which hadn’t had access to green spaces – in some cases for

WHEN A COMMUNITY IS ALLOWED OWNERSHIP OVER THEIR GREEN SPACES, THEY’LL FIGHT FOR THEM, AND IT’S A POWERFUL VOICE THAT CAN’T BE IGNORED generations – wasn’t necessarily going to immediately engage with it. By asking the community to send in their photos of the space, not only was The Paul Hogarth Company encouraging people to get outside, it was able to get an understanding of users’ favourite parts of the landscape. Anthony McGuigan, director and lead on the project, said: “It gave us real insight into what communities really value.”

This snowballed, and with so many images and a stockpile of information, The Paul Hogarth Company and the client developed a book as a legacy piece. The project won the company the highly sought after President’s Award at the recent Landscape Institute Awards, but the initial award was for

5 Communication and Presentation, “for me, that was the best part,” Anthony tells us.“The reason we won the award was for our engagement with the community and it’s as much theirs as it is ours. We want to take that forward and continue to empower communities to take ownership over the protection of their green spaces.”

Tourism The Paul Hogarth Company always looks to engage with end users and help them engage with place. This is particularly relevant in the tourism sector – and sometimes on huge scales where the company remains people focussed.

6

One of the most successful tourism projects known to Ireland is the Wild Atlantic Way. It’s the longest designated coastal driving route in the world, with dramatic peninsulas and coastlines for 2,500km. The Paul Hogarth Company was responsible for the route planning and the design and delivery of the more than 180 interpretation points along it with the help of local experts and communities. Not only has it helped tourists to engage with and understand the sensitive landscapes and culture, it has delivered massively for the communities based along the route, bolstering rural sustainability and providing much needed employment.

The environment is also an important factor for the company.

At Westport House in Ireland, it is hoping to be involved in one of the biggest ecotourism projects ever seen.

Looking to let nature heal itself, the THE TEAM owners of the property want to rewild

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the majority of the 400-acre estate. This will allow natural processes to shape the land, damaged ecosystems to restore and will create an incredibly biodiverse landscape. Paul says: “I believe that biodiversity is one of our greatest challenges and the thing that could make the biggest contribution to the climate change agenda.” Not only could this become a showcase for what can be achieved, the benefits are twofold as it will also attract visitors and bring in revenue.

Climate change agenda Having signed the climate change pledge, this is something which will play a huge part in how the company grows over the next 30 years.

It will be rebalancing hard landscape in schemes with nature as much as it can, and Paul believes the landscape industry can lead by example. “We should be designing with nature at every opportunity – even planting in one tree can add value,” he tells us.

The company’s ability to share with communities the value of green spaces, and giving them autonomy and pride over them, will go a long way in helping people understand how beneficial and important they are. Anthony says: “When a community is allowed ownership over their green spaces, they’ll fight for them, and it’s a powerful voice that can’t be ignored.”

1 Forth Bridge Reception Centre visualisation 2 Bank Street, Coatbridge – former canal basin and linear park 3 Hillsborough Castle 4 Wild Atlantic Way Sky Road 5 Westport House, Co. Mayo – Historic Landscape Restoration 6 Celebrating at the Landscape Institute Awards

C O N TA C T The Paul Hogarth Company, Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin Tel 01313314811 Email info@paulhogarth.com

www.paulhogarth.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

09/04/2020 08:59

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HALDANE MARTIN DESIGN

INSPIRE

IN THIS TIME OF UNCERTAINTY, ANJI CONNELL HIGHLIGHTS HOW IMPORTANT OUR OUTDOOR SPACES ARE TO US. HERE, SHE RECOMMENDS SOME OF HER TOP CHOICES FOR DESIGNERS OF OUTDOOR FURNITURE WHICH WILL BECKON YOU OUTSIDE

REDISCOVERING T OUTDOOR SPACE he current and devastating pandemic has reinforced how valuable our outdoor spaces are to us. It’s well established that a connection to nature helps make us feel happier and more connected, which in turn makes us feel healthier. Lately, it has been a place to escape – a sanctuary in our isolation.

It’s time to make our outside spaces work for us, and having a place to sit is perhaps the best place to start. It’s important to select premium outdoor furniture which is not only functional but comfortable, which is pleasing to look at and, crucially, is sustainable.

©Andres Valbuena

AMES CIELO CHAIR A ND BA R RAS P OTS

Three designers that are successfully meeting all of these criteria, are Haldane Martin, Houtlander and Ames.

Based in Cape Town, Haldane Martin’s furniture is elegant, and functional, with a timeless beauty. A trained industrial designer with over two decades’ experience in furniture design, he produces pieces that are well made, economical, eco-friendly, on-trend, and available in customer-specific bespoke finishes.

“We strive to produce furniture that enhances our experience without the loss of aesthetic beauty, functionality, and longevity,” explains Haldane. “Not only should the furniture be as beautiful, comfortable and practical as indoor furniture, it should also handle sun exposure, rain and wind.

“We resolved this through the careful selection of highquality materials and considered design. We use stainless steel that doesn’t rust, and a UV stable powder coating that won’t fade, and performance fabrics from Sunbrella that resist water and stains.

The cushions are removable and the woods we use are for

HALDANE MARTIN CHA CHA OCCASIONAL TABLES

outdoors, such as our thermo-modified oak.”

Thermo-modified is a process where wood is heat-treated to make it decay-resistant without chemicals being added. The wood is heated in a closed chamber until the core temperature of 56°C is reached for at least 30 minutes to kill pathogens, insects, fungi, and micro-organisms.

“In these times where we’d rather consume less, it’s more important to choose well. To create and invest in a design that not only beautifies our existence but stands the test of time.” says Haldane.

“We aim to create timeless forms, meaningful objects that are simple, beautiful, and enable us to engage with the outdoors.”

HOUTLANDER

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INSPIRE

IT’S TIME TO MAKE OUR OUTSIDE SPACES WORK FOR US, AND HAVING A PLACE TO SIT IS PERHAPS THE BEST PLACE TO START The strikingly geometric Plat-O tables have a distinctive pedestal laser cut base, and sizes vary from an elegant two-seater cafe table to a generous 12-seater dining table. The tabletops come in stone quartz and a versatile birch plywood that can be left natural or stained in one of a selection of colours. It’s then sprayed with a closed-grain, high-wearing matt polyurethane finish leaving the surfaces protected and stimulating to the touch.

The Papa San Collection is a comfortable contemporary version of the original Papasan Chair – a round-shaped, Malaysian cane chair popularised in Western culture post-war during the 50s.

The Papa Sun sofa invites you to step outside, sink into its deep moon-shaped seats, curl up in luxury, and be engulfed in its modern fibre cushions, supportively scooped-up by its curved stainless-steel ribs. Its simple, curvaceous style looks as good on a contemporary patio as it does in a more traditional garden. It comes in one, two, and three-seater options, and goes perfectly with the Cha Cha Occasional Tables.

The Sim-Ply Lounge chair and Sim-Ply Dining chairs are well-considered and balanced chairs that are beautiful and comfortable.

The Baba Papa Lounger was inspired by smooth, water-worn pebbles with a sculptural ergonomic form that ensures comfort when reclining in a variety of positions, whether sitting upright, reclining or lying flat. Baba Papa is available in a polished stainless-steel finish or

ALDANE MARTIN PLAT O TA LE

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AMES MARACA LO NGE C AIR

©Andres Valbuena

The collections The Swartberg Collection has one, two, and three seat modular platform sofas designed to beckon you outdoors and relish the slow life, to relax and lounge in nature. They can be made in bespoke sizes, rectangular and square, and bespoke finishes are readily available.

ALDANE MARTIN

RNIT RE

PEEPS OW ILL STRATION AMES CARI E

HALDANE MARTIN PAPA S N LO NGER

can be powder coated in a variety of colours. A removable, felt seat adds extra comfort.

Johannesburg based Houtlander’s sinuously beautiful wooden furniture is minimalist in design and environmental impact. Designed with a traditional but contemporary aesthetic, and made from high quality sustainably harvested hardwoods – primarily oak because of its consistent supply and durability – the pieces are light in style and weight but robust and hardwearing. They are real conversation pieces, ideal for group chats and chilling. They draw both your eye and your physical presence to their whimsical, poetic and tactile yet superbly functional form.

Colombian-born Ana María Calderón Kayser’s German-based company, Ames, produces pieces inspired by her home country, Columbia, that have a real joie de vivre – a little bit of fantasy combined with masterly craftsmanship.

Ames designers include celebrated German designer Sebastian Herkner and French-born Pauline Deltour. Immersing themselves in the diversity of Colombia’s materials and colours, they gained an understanding of Colombia’s design and craft tradition that they have expressed in their vibrant, modern, and original

HALDANE MARTIN LA LO NGE C AIR

AMES CESTA MIRROR

collections which use traditional materials, and craft traditions in an updated way.

Relax under a tree with a book or laze in the sun. Dine alfresco at every opportunity – these collections are just what is needed in order for us to fully appreciate our outdoor spaces and continue to escape to them.

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

www.anjiconnellinteriordesign.com

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 51

09/04/2020 14:11

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N U RT U R E

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I N S I D E N U R T U R E T H I S M O N T H PAG E 5 5 F E AT U R E G A R D E N : E X B U RY G A R D E N S , PAG E 5 9 N I C K C O S L E T T, PA G E 6 0 N O E L K I N G S B U R Y, PA G E 6 3 L E W I S N O R M A N D , PA G E 6 4 P L A N T W O R K S , PA G E 6 6 R E A D Y H E D G E , PA G E 6 7 N U R S E R Y F O C U S : N E W W O O D T R E E S

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©Marie-Louise Agius

©Cathryn Baldock

NURTURE

F E AT U R E GARDEN

©Cathryn Baldock

EXBURY GARDENS RHODODENDRON 'YELLOW HAMMER'

©Marie-Louise Agius

MAGNOLIA 'BLACK TULIP'

N OT LO N G A F T E R I TS C E N T E N A RY Y E A R , W E S P E A K TO H E A D G A R D E N E R AT E X B U RY G A R D E N S , T O M C L A R K E , TO L E A R N M O R E A B O U T T H E AWA R D -W I N N I N G G A R D E N C R E AT E D TO M A R K T H E O C C A S I O N , A S W E L L A S I TS FA M O U S H I STO R I C C O L L EC T I O N O F R H O D O D E N D R O N S

RHODODENDRON 'JESSICA DE ROTHSCHILD'

©Marie-Louise Agius

A

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Feature Garden.indd 55

AZALEA 'SOLENT'

s the Victorian Era drew to a close, English gardens were transforming, influenced by the golden age of plant hunting – and Exbury Gardens was at the forefront.

As big country houses moved away from the arts and crafts styled gardens, a more romanticised view of the countryside emerged. Big landscapes became full of the trees and shrubs being brought in by plant hunters and ponds with cascading waterfalls sprung up in landscapes designed to look natural.

Exbury’s owner Lionel Nathan de Rothschild sponsored many of the great plant hunters making expeditions to the Himalayas and South-East Asia, so it's no surprise that the woodland garden is bursting with camellias and rhododendrons, many of which

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©Marie-Louise Agius

derive from the very first seed brought to the gardens more than 100 years ago. Today, it’s head gardener Tom Clarke and his team that keep this historic collection alive.

Exbury gardens has a lot to offer visitors, with 200 acres of woodland, views of the River Beaulieu and on a clear day the Isle of Wight, and an abundance of flora to peak interests. For its centenary year, the team planted swathes of Narcissus 'February Gold', Muscari armeniacum and Camassia quamash. Planting the 12 different varieties of 150,000 bulbs only took one morning due to the machine provided by JUB, which cuts the turf, peels it back, lays the bulbs in, and folds the turf back over so the grass looks as though it hasn’t been touched.

Exbury Gardens' woodland garden is particularly ideal for Camellias. Explaining that they are easier to grow, being tougher and less fussy about their soil, with leaves which tend to stay glossy, Tom tells us Exbury Gardens is also ideal because of its abundance of oak trees, “Camellias enjoy the early spring sunshine but don’t enjoy the full summer sunshine, so growing them under oak trees is perfect because they come into leaf a little later in the spring – plus oak leaf mulch is really good for them.” Of the hundreds of Camellia varieties the garden holds, the majority are Camellia japonica cultivars.

It’s safe to say though, the plant which Exbury is most famous for is its rhododendrons.

Within Home Wood, Rhododendron ‘Ivery’s Scarlet’, the delicate ‘Dairymaid’, golden yellow ‘Duchess of Rothesay’ and compact Rhododendron yakushimanum can be spotted.

By the crossroads grows Rhododendron ‘Hawk Crest’, which is lemon yellow – a result of Lionel’s quest to create a flower of absolutely pure yellow, although he did not live to see it.

AZALEA 'IROHAYAMA'

56 Pro Landscaper / May 2020

Feature Garden.indd 56

©Cathryn Baldock

NURTURE

Yard Wood has dark crimson Rhododendron ‘Bibiani’ and new plantings of Rhododendron ‘Loderi’ as well as a comprehensive collection of American rhododendrons.

TODAY, IT’S HEAD GARDENER TOM CLARKE AND HIS TEAM THAT KEEP THIS HISTORIC COLLECTION ALIVE Perhaps the reason these species flourish at Exbury is down to the team’s innovative techniques. Rather than planting them straight into the ground, a mix of leaf mould, topsoil and old well-rotted woodchips is built up around the plant, creating a raised bed. Rhododendrons don’t enjoy being waterlogged and their shallow roots mean they can dry out too much in the summer. “It’s the holy grail of gardening,” Tom explains. “Wet but well drained.”

Tom and the team also graft the plants onto the roots of Rhododendron 'Cunningham's White', a hybrid of Rhododendron caucasicum and Rhododendron ponticum, two very hardy plants, making Exbury’s rhododendrons robust.

To keep these important species alive, Tom and his team use the traditional method of layering, whereby the lower branches of the rhododendron are bent and pinned to the ground. Over time, it will produce its own roots and after a few years they are able to cut through the original stem, leaving a new plant.

This relies heavily on the plant having branches near to the ground though, and in the case of some of the older rhododendrons, which may be 100 years old, it's difficult to encourage them to root. Grafting is therefore the best option, but Tom and the team don’t take chances when it comes to this, sending cuttings of the rare rhododendrons to Millais Nurseries where there is the proper equipment and a much higher success rate.

Though it's famous for its spring gardens full of rhododendrons, Exbury Gardens isn’t relying purely on these historic collections. Tom and the team are developing various areas of the garden to add interest throughout the year, and it's his plan to have a project on the go every winter.

Alongside the new birch walk, a summer garden has just been created to host some of the most unusual and rare summer flowering trees and shrubs. Among the collection is the delicate Styrax wilsonii, rough leaved Hydrangea asper, Stewartia pseudocamellia and the unusual and fragrant Edgeworthia chrysantha. These are

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09/04/2020 13:59

TOM CLARKE

planted up with woodland ground cover plants such as Ardisia polycephala and Euphorbia.

“We’re very conscious that we don’t want to change the nature of the garden,” Tom explains.

“But within that, there are lots of opportunities, not just to make it more interesting for visitors but also for us as horticulturists.” One such project which gave the team the opportunity to create something a little different from the rest was the Centenary Garden.

Opened by HRH The Prince of Wales in July 2019, the Centenary Garden was designed by RHS Gold medal award-winning designer Marie-Louise Agius, great grand-daughter of Lionel de Rothschild, and built by PC Landscapes – which won two BALI Awards, including the Principal Award, for the project.

Built on one of the old tennis courts, the garden is surrounded by Yew hedging and is therefore fairly separate from the rest of the garden, offering the team the chance to create something modern and contemporary which could otherwise clash with the woodland garden. The vision for the planting was to create late summer interest, bursting with colour. A paved family crest is surrounded by beds which mirror one another, full of vibrant Kniphofias, Helenium ‘Indian Summer’, Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘JS Caliente’ and Hemerocallis ‘Golden Chimes’. Ginko Biloba ‘Fastigiata’ create

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©Marie-Louise Agius

©Cathryn Baldock

©Cathryn Baldock

NURTURE

a central spine joined by Miscanthus ‘Graziella’ and Miscanthus ‘Yakushima Dwarf’.

“There’s a clichéd saying which I try to work by,” Tom tells us. “The best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago, the second best time is today.”

Alongside projects like the summer garden and the Centenary Garden, it’s up to Tom to preserve the varieties of plants which are unique to Exbury Gardens, continuing their succession – especially since many are not commercially available.

Though propagation is difficult, the gardens are often victims to the local deer, pests and diseases, and the biggest challenge for Tom and the team right now is climate change.

Having droughts which go on for months followed by wet winters is not suitable conditions for many plants, but especially rhododendrons which are used to the temperate climate of the Himalayas. Tom and the team have had to use 20 miles of irrigation pipes and assign members of staff to turn on sprinklers every day during the summer, just to keep the rhododendron collection alive.

Even with this, plants can still be susceptible to stress, which exacerbates other problems.

Honey fungus, for example, naturally occurs in the soil and air of woodlands and normally doesn’t cause too many issues, but recently it has been attacking plants which are stressed.

RHODODENDRON 'JOHNSTONIANUM'

Plants such as Rhododendron ‘Our Kate’ named after the granddaughter of Lionel and Rhododendron ‘fortune’ bred from Rhododendron falconeri and Rhododendron sinogrande are at risk as they’re particularly challenging to propagate. And, as the years go on, there are bound to be more challenges which come from our changing climate.

Tom and the team can only continue to look forward though. “We just have to keep thinking and working far ahead,” he explains. “For the sake of the rhododendron collections we could lose if not – which would mean losing a piece of history, and in some cases, a whole species.”

Despite competition from the likes of Ikea, West Quay shopping centre and the New Forest, Exbury Garden’s visitor numbers are climbing.

By looking ahead and continually evolving, Exbury Gardens hopes to not only continue at the forefront of horticulture, but remain a place loved by all walks of life.

C O N TA C T Exbury Gardens, The Estate Office, Exbury, Southampton, Hampshire, SO45 1AZ Tel: 023 8089 1203

www.exbury.co.uk

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08/04/2020 21:06

NURTURE

MARK GREGOR ’S ORKS IRE CANAL GARDEN D RING T E ILD P

C H A N G I N G H A B I TS COULD THERE BE POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19?

NICK COSLETT DISCUSSES THIS AND LOSING CHELSEA FROM THIS YEAR’S CALENDAR

W

ell, it’s not the May we expected to enjoy back in the winter, with that hope of blossom and fresh leaves – but these things are still there along with the dawn chorus. Try to enjoy them. Here in isolation, the things I’d hope to have seen this month are different. My garden is up to scratch with weeds and self-seeding plants under control. I’ve got seeds coming up and can get on my allotment, as part of my regular exercise. However, I won’t be visiting the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year; most of the RHS' shows have been cancelled. Nor will I be volunteering at the National Trust’s Sissinghurst Garden; that’s closed too. I enjoyed Chelsea 2019 and hope the BBC re-run the broadcasts.

I feel very sorry for the designers and contractors who were due to show at Chelsea this year and hope all their efforts up to the postponement have been appropriately remunerated; shame on sponsors who don’t step up to this plate. It will leave a big gap in the show participants’ workload and income for this month. However, nurseries growing for this season will be searching for an accessible market. Construction activity (as I write) can go ahead if social distancing is maintained, so there is hope in finding replacement work.

And thankfully the RHS is giving these designers and gardens priority for 2021, so let’s hope the sponsors remain on board too.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Nick Coslett.indd 59

It’s this month which can be one of the most challenging for newly planted trees. So often we experience a spring drought, and this may well be the case after one of the wettest winters. So, if there are any newly planted trees near you, go and give them some help in their establishment

journeys and CO2 output? Let’s hope we will be more sustainable coming out of this. The show garden season does not exhibit good sustainability practices. There is some tokenism of recycling plants and components to other sites or charities but far too much goes in skips with scant material recycling. The breakdown period is half of the build time so it can be a rush to get off site in our throwaway society. The RHS, and all of us, need to do better in 2021, and welcome the circular economy with open arms.

Thanks, but I’ve had enough of jigsaws – I’m off to the garden.

LET’S HOPE WE WILL BE MORE SUSTAINABLE COMING OUT OF THIS

ABOUT NICK COSLETT

challenge. Clear away moisture competing vegetation and give them a drink. A good soak (at least a bucket full, more for larger trees) once a week is better than a sip each day. Let the water irrigate the tree’s roots and not run off. Watering trees is an activity which can be done in social isolation, too. We need trees to work on capturing some of the CO2 as climate change is still out there.

Will this lockdown change our behaviour?

Will we think more globally but act locally? Will we work more from home now and reduce our

SKIP

LL O WASTE D RING C ELSEA

ILD

Plant guru Nick Coslett has spent his working life in landscape and horticulture. He initially trained as a landscape architect, then parks manager, and for the last 20 years, he has worked with Coblands and Palmstead nurseries, running the Soft Landscape Workshops which have become popular industry events. He’s been involved with BALI as national and regional chairs. Now retired, he is a BALI National Landscape Awards judge and Chalk Fund trustee, and has more time to follow his lifelong interest in the industry.

P

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 59

06/04/2020 10:51

NURTURE

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT

S H RUBS

NOEL KINGSBURY EXPLAINS WHY WE NEED TO EXPLORE WAYS OF INCREASING THE LONGEVITY OF SHRUBS

T

here is a certain type of low hummocky shrub we in the landscape and garden design business love using.

Hebe, in particular, are a favourite in much landscape work; whilst in gardens, lavenders, cistus and santolina have long been popular.

There is certainly an awareness that many of the latter are short-lived, or at least can look terrible if they aren’t regularly pruned. There is much less of an awareness about the long-term prospects for hebe, but by 10-years-old many are looking straggly; try pruning them and they don’t come back – goodbye hebe.

I think it is high time that we recognise and start documenting the growth of ‘subshrubs’ – the un-botanical but very useful term for these low-growing, nearly always evergreen, and often very useful, woody plants.

Many are very drought tolerant; or, in the case of hebe, in particular, have other virtues appropriate to the climate change resilient landscape, such as being wind or salt-tolerant.

But what is going on? Why are these plants so short-lived?

The great thing about ‘ordinary’ shrubs is that they are incredibly resilient to hard pruning.

In fact, most continually regenerate from the base, and so can be seen as almost eternally regenerating. They are genuinely, and predictably, long-lived plants. Sub-shrubs are not. Most are plants from habitats where fire is frequent. It was in Australia where I first heard the expression ‘re-seeder’ or ‘re-sprouter’

60 Pro Landscaper / May 2020

Noel Kingsbury.indd 60

referring to how the plant regenerates after fire. In conditions of natural regeneration, many of these plants grow from seed rapidly after a fire but are then displaced by taller species, such as young trees; to be a shortlived plant with the ability to chuck thousands of tiny seeds into the environment every year is a good strategy. Re-sprouters, however, are longer term, as they can re-generate from their roots after a fire. For the garden or landscape manager, the key distinction is that re-sprouters can take hard pruning and re-seeders mostly can’t.

IT IS HIGH TIME THAT WE RECOGNISE AND START DOCUMENTING THE GROWTH OF ‘SUB-SHRUBS’ Short-lived, non-regenerating ‘re-seeders’ are so-called ‘pioneer plants’, ones that occupy empty spaces, like after a fire. Others occupy other temporary open spaces in natural habitats, such as woodland glades after trees fall, or bare ground after a landslip. The plant has no investment in its future as an individual, but instead mostly focuses on seed production for the next generation.

Hebe, which in many ways is an ideal genus for the British climate, has this Achilles heel. As they age, they get progressively more straggly; old plants in the wild in New Zealand often consist of a few live stems on top of a two

or three-metre high bunch of dry-looking twigs – not very pretty. However, the one and only time I ran a workshop in Australia (at a horticulture college garden in Melbourne), I was discussing this when someone said to me something along the lines of: “Look at your feet, you unobservant pommie”. There was a hard-pruned hebe which was regenerating.

Frustratingly, no label, which only goes to show that there are exceptions to every rule.

Many members of the mallow family are pioneer plants too. I am always suspicious of any woody member of the family. Who remembers Lavatera olbia ‘Rosea’? Back in the 1980s they were everywhere – the ultimate easy-to-propagate, fast-growing shrub, with the rare ability to flower all summer long.

They would grow like crazy for a few years, then at round about five, they would suddenly die, leaving a great gap in wherever they were planted. I think we got a day’s worth of firewood out of ours. Like all these short-lived shrubs, there was no basal regeneration, and a weak root system.

I’m going to start documenting this issue on my website, and I recommend all of us to start making notes and enquiries. They longevity of much of our work depends on it.

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

www.noelkingsbury.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

06/04/2020 10:03

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08/04/2020 22:13

NURTURE

AL L CHANGE A

COULD THE UK-WIDE LOCKDOWN ENCOURAGE A LOVE OF HORTICULTURE? LEWIS NORMAND DISCUSSES THIS AND SOME OTHER REASONS TO LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

s I write this, the UK has just entered its first lockdown in an attempt to tackle COVID-19. Writing one month before you will read this article, it seems hard to imagine the circumstances that you will read it in. I am very anxious for the many nurseries, suppliers and service providers unable to work during the lockdown. I am sad to say that not all of these businesses will make it through this devastating loss without bailouts.

I will focus here on some possible positives.

As someone with asthma and arthritis requiring medication that reduces my immune system, I am firmly in the ‘at risk’ category.

Sensible precautions will hopefully help my situation and I’ve been taking them for some time already. In an effort to better manage my mental health and boredom levels indoors this year, I have been upping my indoor plant collections, undertaking propagation of plants and replanting pots in my garden.

I think this contained form of horticulture will be a huge boon to the industry economically as we move forward. Many of us are starting to grow fruits and vegetables for emotional, physical and dietary wellbeing, which is great to see.

On top of this, we are taking more time to consider our indoor plant selections and

making efforts to beautify our homes in more inventive ways. Perhaps gone are the days of a tired spider plant languishing on a bathroom windowsill. Now, inventive combinations of planted scenes can expand our living world reversing the old ideas of a garden being an ‘outside room’ and instead making our indoor rooms ‘inside gardens’.

THIS CONTAINED FORM OF HORTICULTURE WILL BE A HUGE BOON TO THE INDUSTRY So, we garden indoors more, and we find greater value in our private outdoor spaces – this is a good thing and really something, as an industry, we must move quickly to capitalise on.

We should produce more plants and provide inspiration to the amateur gardeners keen to improve their living environments because they want to rather than they have to.

Back in the mid 2000s when I worked in a garden centre, I was happy to regularly meet hundreds of very keen and equally knowledgeable gardeners every week. Over time this changed, and many customers had very limited knowledge of horticulture and gardening. No shame in that at all, but what was worrying was their embarrassment at asking for advice. There must be millions of good and

valid questions that never get asked because of embarrassment.

I believe that social media and quality online content has been a great help to anyone afraid to ask, but keen to learn. Collectively, I feel we all need to do more to make plants, materials, services and whatever we are selling more accessible to the end user – not just in terms of availability, but in understanding too. How can a garden design client expect to know what plants or construction materials are being specified without them being viewed in advance?

Perhaps we can all look at our businesses and see where we can make communicating the qualities of our products in a manner that our clients – or, if a third party, their clients – can feel at ease in understanding their properties.

Finally (for now), it isn’t a hard sell to communicate the health benefits of working in horticulture. Producing edible and useable crops, exercise, working in fresh air, doing something that produces a product that improves our world in myriad ways – these all appeal to people to a point. The point for most usually ends when they look at average salaries across the industry and that working outdoors in February isn’t like working outdoors in June.

Whatever happens this year, there will be a lot of people looking at their lives and questioning if they really want to commute every day. Will they still want to work 9-5 in an office? It would seem that thousands of people working in cities throughout the year can do their jobs quite successfully from home.

A better work-life balance seems a likely choice. We must appeal to the disillusioned to encourage them to consider horticulture and to do this, we must better value our contribution enabling us to raise average pay.

ABOUT LEWIS NORMAND Lewis has worked in a wide variety of roles within horticulture over a 20-year career. He has lectured on garden design and horticulture, and designed gardens in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

Since 2011, Lewis has focused on nursery sales, now working as sales manager at Bernhard’s Nurseries, and has helped to launch a number of new plants into the UK plant market. He is a specialist supplier to show gardens, supplying more than 100 gardens at major shows.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Lewis Normand.indd 63

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 63

08/04/2020 08:49

NURTURE

C OM BAT T I NG C L I M AT E C HA N G E B E LOW G R O U N D ROBERT PAT TEN FROM PL ANT WORKS E XPL AINS WHAT MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI IS AND HOW IT CAPTURES CARBON

R

ootgrow™ Professional (RGPro) is produced by PlantWorks, the country’s only mass producer of mycorrhizal fungi. RGPro is wellknown in the landscaping industry as it ensures reduced mortality and rigorous establishment of commonly used plants and trees; but dig a little deeper and these remarkable fungi have a significant role to play in locking up 1/3 of all soil carbon.

Mycorrhizal fungi have the ability to unlock and access nutrients from the soil far more efficiently than a plant’s own roots. Applied at the time of planting, this fungal partner will reach deep into the soil seeking all available moisture, improving drought tolerance, minimising the need for synthetic NPK fertilisers and pesticides to provide long-term plant nutrition. A lesser-known role of mycorrhizal fungi is its unique ability to produce a carbon capturing substance called

64 Pro Landscaper / May 2020

Plantworks.indd 64

glomalin, which is directly responsible for storing crucial soil carbon.

It was only back in 1996 that glomalin, a sticky protein found in the soils, was discovered to produce organic matter, binding it to silt, sand, and clay particles. Not only does this protein contain 30 to 40% of soil carbon, but it also forms clumps of soil granules called aggregates that add structure to soil and keep other stored soil carbon from escaping.

THESE REMARKABLE FUNGI HAVE A SIGNIFICANT ROLE TO PLAY IN LOCKING UP 1/3 OF ALL SOIL CARBON Glomalin is what gives soil its tilth – a subtle texture that enables professional gardeners and landscapers to judge great soil by feeling the smooth granules as they flow through their fingers. This remarkable protein is produced solely by the filaments of mycorrhizal fungi which grow outward finding nutrients and water to help establish and share nutrients between plants and is responsible for holding 1/3 of all soil carbon.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)* appear to be the only producers of the substance which contains 30 to 40% of carbon and adds structure to the soil to stop other carbon stored in the soil from escaping*.

Adding it at the point of planting can increase the

effective root size by up to 700 times. The clever fungi simply needs to come into contact with the roots; it then attaches itself and grows outwards into the soil looking for nutrients and water to feed the host plant, unlocking and accessing nutrients from the soil far more efficiently than the plant’s own root.

The vast network of fungi that develops below the surface link up to form what has become known as a ‘wood wide web’ of filaments in the soil transferring nutrients between plants and even allowing them to communicate with each other if they are under attack from pests and diseases, encouraging their neighbours to switch on their own natural defence mechanism.

By ensuring mycorrhizal fungi is used when planting new additions, the industry can make a significant added contribution to capturing carbon throughout the lifetime of trees, plants and shrubs.

Rootgrow Professional (RGPro) is suitable for a wide range of landscaping and amenity uses and is ideal for large-scale planting programmes. * Microbiology Today May 2012, p91-93 – article available on request

A B O U T R O B E R T PAT T E N Robert Patten is the managing director of PlantWorks UK, the nation’s resource for biofertilisers. It is the UK’s only mass producer of mycorrhizal fungi and is one of Europe’s largest manufacturers. The company currently produces in excess of 100t of high-grade inoculum every year together with a range of Plant GrowthPromoting Rhizobacteria at its facilities on the Kent Science Park. The team includes a core group of scientists with expertise in mycology, bacteriology and crop production and supplies inoculum for all growing sectors in the UK and internationally.

www.rootgrow.co.uk/landscapers

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

09/04/2020 08:49

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NURTURE

E NT IC I NG EVERGREENS

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66 Pro Landscaper / May 2020

Readyhedge.indd 66

ALL’

I

t is a busy time here at Readyhedge. We are now in the main part of the hedging season and all our tried and tested hedges are being delivered across the country. What’s more exciting is that we have new lines coming available over the next month or so. All these plants are currently being grown in small quantities but over the next few years we will be increasing these quantities.

WE ARE EXCITED WITH THE DIVERSITY IN LEAF COLOUR AND SHAPE Ligustrum japonicum ‘Texanum’ is a true evergreen privet and a great addition to the evergreen range. Waxy, undulating leaves give this plant a really unique look and help to offset the clusters of white flowers perfectly. These flowers are then followed by panicles of black berries.

Next up is the evergreen sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica ‘Obsessed’). This does not look like the normal bamboo with compound leaves. The new leaves are a superb dark red when they first come out and then fade down to a mid-green. We have found that with limited trimming this very ornamental plant can form a great low and dense hedge.

Phillyrea angustifolia is a close relative of Osmanthus x burkwoodii which makes a superb hedge and has elongated evergreen leaves; it will form a hedge about 100-150cm tall with a good density. It is an excellent plant for a coastal area, with creamy white fragrant flowers in May and June, though regular trimming will reduce the number of flowers. It was a popular plant in the Victorian years for topiary and formal hedging.

Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’ is another evergreen but with smaller, box-like leaves. If left to grow naturally it will form a loose ball, but with regular trimming it makes a very good low hedge that is a very good replacement for box, although it might be better suited for slightly milder and more protected areas of the country. It has very small, chocolate brown flowers that are tucked away in the foliage.

An evergreen that we are exceptionally pleased with is Photinia x fraseri ‘Carré Rouge’.

This has a smaller leaf than the normal Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’, but the intensity of red on the new foliage is just as bright. It is forming a more upright hedge with good density and promises to make a good dense evergreen hedge.

Last but by no means least, we have been trialling using Taxus baccata as a low hedge alternative. This is making a surprisingly good hedge at around 45cm tall, being dense and a good backdrop to other planting. And with more Taxus cones and small balls coming through, it is becoming a very good alternative to box and Japanese holly hedging.

While all these new products are currently only available in low numbers, we are excited with the diversity in leaf colour and shape they provide as well as the amazing hedges they form.

C O N TA C T Readyhedge, Court Gate Nursery, Station Road, Eckington, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 3BB Tel 01386 750585 Email matthew@readyhedgeltd.com Twitter @Readyhedge

www.readyhedgeltd.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

08/04/2020 08:53

N U R S E RY

NURTURE

FO C U S

DEVON BASED NURSERY NEW WOOD TREES GROWS A RANGE OF MULTISTEM TREES AND SHRUBS FOR A VARIET Y OF PROJECT REQUIREMENTS, AS WELL AS IMPLEMENTING A NUMBER OF SUSTAINABILIT Y CONSCIOUS METHODS ON ITS SITE

S

cattered around the rolling hills of South Devon within a 35-acre site sits New Wood Trees, a specialist multistem tree nursery. New Wood Trees supplies a range of species, totalling 90 varieties. The team prides itself on being growers, not buyers, with everything being grown within its fields. Its site has around 10,500 trees, with a further 500 potted up in containers, which have also been dug up from surrounding fields.

It was established in 2008 by founders Tiffany and Philip Nieuwoudt. Philip’s love for multistem trees began during his time working at another UK tree nursery. “I’m attracted to the creativity of the multistem and the lack of rules and standards which apply to their standard stem counterparts,” Philip explains. “There is more freedom to create something unique, and we wanted to supply the market with top quality, beautifully produced, British grown trees.”

The company operates on a small scale, and is able to create unique and artisan products, which Philip believes there’s a demand for in the market, where massproduced products dominate.

“People sometimes think it’s a little strange that I have this passion for trees when I grew up in the arid, semi-desert, Northern Cape of South Africa, but with a surname which translates to ‘new wood’ it was perhaps an inevitability,” he continues.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Nursery Focus New Wood Trees.indd 67

Multistem trees Philip says: “As far as we know, we are the only nursery specialising in field grown multistem trees. We supply high quality, artisan specimens which are grown in fields for four years or more.”

OUR TREES ARE INDIVIDUALS, EACH HAS ITS OWN CHARACTER AND OUR JOB IS TO ENABLE THEM TO DISPLAY THIS Pruning is the company’s USP; no tree will be sold until it is deemed ready by Philip.

Each and every tree in the nursery is carefully pruned and shaped by specially trained nursery staff. For some varieties, they create an umbrella-shaped crown; for others, they allow the trees to take the lead and show what shape they want to be. “Our trees are individuals, each has its own character and our job is to enable them to display this; without a doubt, this is what strikes our customers the most.”

Sustainability Sustainability is something which is carefully considered by New Wood Trees, with multiple environmentally conscious methods being

implemented such as rainwater capture and reuse. Electricity is another feature considered, resulting in the installation of a 10kW solar panel system along the barned areas on site. This electricity that is captured is used throughout the site powering a range of electricity-hungry machines and devices.

Multiple hedgerows and wildlife friendly locations have been created around the site with the aim of increasing biodiversity in the area. New Wood Trees are also keeping pollinators at the forefront of their plans, which has seen the team including an array of beehives that are managed by a local bee keeper.

Plant Health With this year being named as the International Year of Plant Health, the team at New Wood Trees is continuing to keep plant health at the top of its list by implementing a variety of plant safety methods. The nursery’s business model has been formed around plant health, with its key aim to supply trees which have been grown and matured within the UK – mitigating the risk of pests and diseases.

New Wood Trees works closely with APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) to ensure that plant health and safety measures are always upheld to their highest possible threshold; this sees the nursery receiving visits twice yearly.

The building of strong relationships with a variety of reputable growers who also have strong plant health policies in place, ensures that all imports to the nursery are upholding the required plant health protocols.

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 67

14/04/2020 11:31

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08/04/2020 22:36

EDUCATE

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LEE BESTALL DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSIBLE DESIGNS AND HOW THESE CAN BE ACHIEVED IN MODERN AND CREATIVE WAYS

ave you ever noticed how Richard Branson seems to develop businesses which follow the predicted trends of the baby boomers? When they hit their 50s, he launched his cruise liners, and now they are approaching retirement, he’s building and investing in premium retirement villages. It’s no coincidence that his proven successes have been due to the ability to see future business opportunities just before they explode.

THERE ARE SOME GREAT PRODUCTS AND TOOLS OUT THERE WHICH REDUCE MAINTENANCE With this in mind, I would like to introduce you to the concept of ‘ageing in place’. I see this as a huge new marketing opportunity for our industry, and I believe the trend we are seeing emerge is just the tip of the iceberg.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Lee Bestall.indd 71

Imagine these potential new clients; for the purpose of this story, we’ll call them Jean and Tony. Tony retired last year and has recently discovered golf, sourdough from scratch and has finally got time to visit the gym four times per week, so is pretty much out every day.

Jean is due to retire this summer and they’ve already planned three holidays and to look after the grandkids every other Friday.

Unfortunately, Tony lost his parents, when he was younger, and Jean’s have both recently passed away within the last six months. Both Jean and Tony were determined to make the most of their retirement and both promised each other that they wouldn’t put the other in an adapted home like they’d had to with their parents.

Unable to negotiate steps and look after his prized garden, Jean’s father ended up having difficulty accessing his outdoor space. Jean loved being outside pottering, and although the lawn was once Tony’s pride and joy (despite the ball games), they no longer wanted the heavy work, instead opting for some light outdoor housework, relaxing and entertaining friends.

The recent inheritance, newly opened pension pot and lack of university fees meant the couple had suddenly become wealthier than they had been before. Tony and Jean decided to give the house and garden a complete overhaul. Modernising, de-cluttering and making the garden more accessible were all on their new to-do list – but they didn’t want the whole place to look like an old people’s home with handrails and ramps; they had only just turned 60 after all!

Great, accessible design doesn’t have to be dull and there are some great products and tools out there which reduce maintenance.

GREAT, ACCESSIBLE DESIGN DOESN’T HAVE TO BE DULL The best accessible gardens don’t look like they’ve been ‘adapted’, as their structure was intended to be like that from the off.

Artificial turf, non-slip decking, porcelain tiles, irrigation systems, cool planters, faux green walls and sexy curved sloping pathways – it can be so much more than just a ramp!

So, get creative and tap into this newly emerging market, knowing you’re helping to reduce the stress or pressure of anyone feeling unsafe in their garden, and enabling them to enjoy their outdoor spaces for longer.

A B O U T L E E B E S TA L L Lee Bestall has been designing and managing the construction of gardens in his signature style for more than 10 years – and his honest, genuine passion is infectious. He regularly writes gardening and outdoor-style articles for magazines, is brand ambassador for Spear & Jackson and a stand-in presenter for BBC Radio Sheffield’s Gardeners’ Question Hour. www.bestall.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 71

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BACK TO BA S I C S A

ANGUS LINDSAY DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO CORRECTLY SET UP, MANAGE AND MAINTAIN YOUR EQUIPMENT TO GET THE BEST OUT OF IT

pologies if I am beginning to sound a bit long in the tooth, but many years ago when I undertook my initial agricultural degree, one of the ‘go to’ references was the John Deere ‘Fundamentals of’ range of journals. These covered everything from machinery management to power trains, harvesting, and conservation management.

During my career both in the UK and abroad, I continued to use these publications right up to gaining my master’s degree. I still have the original copies, and whilst they are now somewhat outdated the basics still apply.

By basics I mean how we get the best from our machinery through matching machines to tasks, maximising efficiency through correctly adjusting equipment, maintenance management, and evaluating future requirements. All fundamental disciplines which apply not just to agriculture, but horticulture, forestry and construction – in fact, anywhere machinery is a key component of the day-today service delivery.

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The world has changed, and electronics now play a greater role than the spanner or tape measure, but some things stay constant. The mythical task that is lubrication, be it in the form of grease or oil, is still a basic need when it comes to keeping machinery serviceable; yet, its use seems to be an alien concept to some.

Taking time to “set up” machinery in line with manufacturer’s guidance and weather conditions will maximise its efficiency by reducing premature wear and expensive repairs. Be it a pedestrian rotavator or field scale aerator, following the fundamentals of operation should always be the starting point.

THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, AND ELECTRONICS NOW PLAY A GREATER ROLE THAN THE SPANNER OR TAPE MEASURE, BUT SOME THINGS STAY CONSTANT Now, I am the first to admit that I am out of touch with current curriculums offered by teaching facilities offering courses in landbased technologies, but I’m pretty sure basic machinery maintenance and operation will be in there somewhere. But what about further up the line and those involved in the management of the people and the machines? If they don’t have a basic understanding then the problem becomes exacerbated, especially with the skills shortage our industry faces.

It’s a source of much frustration when I hear people complain that their machines are not powerful enough, when in fact the issues lie with the implement being badly set up,

blunt blades, or worse still, premature failure through the mismatching of the prime mover or operating in unsuitable conditions. A 160hp tractor pulling a mower designed for a maximum of 90hp will always end in tears!

Whilst I haven’t got an immediate solution to this situation, I would advocate that at all levels we spend a little more time on the basics to ensure the equipment we operate is managed as efficiently as possible. With the increased use of electric power tools, it’s crucial that machines are operated at their optimum, so we have sharp blades on hedge cutters and the correct length of strimmer cord.

“Machinery management has increased importance in today’s farming operations due to its direct relation to the success of management in mixing land, labour and capital to return a satisfactory profit” – this quote from 1975’s Fundamentals of Machinery Management journal, whilst referencing agriculture, applies to our industry and how it applies as much today as it did in 1975.

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

angus.lindsay@idverde.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

06/04/2020 10:41

ADVERTORIAL

CONTINUE TO CUT

W I T H TO R O

WE SHOWCASE THE SPECIFICATIONS WHICH MAKE THE TORO LT-F3000 TRIPLE FL AIL – AVAIL ABLE AT REESINK TURFCARE – A TOP PRODUCT

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rounds teams across the nation are likely working at a reduced rate due to coronavirus, but grass growth stops for nothing. When maintenance routines return to normal, Toro’s innovative LT-F3000 triple flail mower continues grass cutting regimes where they were left off. It tackles overgrown areas and cuts through long coarse grass with ease, and the interchangeable cylinder attachments give the mower the capability to cut two ways – like a cylinder as well as a flail.

Fuel capacity 60L for a full day of operation Ease of maintenance, tilting operator platform and large, removable rear screen with swing-out, removable oil cooler

Reduced ‘blow-out’ of debris on narrow areas compared to rotary decks

Dedicated FCF30 fine cut flail cutting unit design leaves a comparable finish to rotary Ground speed up to 15.5mph

Driven by a powerful Kubota 33kW (44.2hp) four-cylinder diesel engine with 4WD on-demand and diff-lock as standard

Height of cut infinitely variable between 20 to 75mm Hydraulic rear-wheel steering with shock load protection

Toro exclusive Tempest blade design results in a significant reduction of grass clipping ‘clumping’

C O N TA C T

Innovative flail design results in a superior after-cut appearance in longer grass lengths

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Reesink feature.indd 73

Independent cutter unit with productive 212cm cutting width

Reesink Turfcare, 1-3 Station Road, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 1QF Tel 01480 226800 Email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk

www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk

Pro Landscaper /May 2020 73

06/04/2020 11:15

EDUCATE

CUTTING THE CORD

DEMAND FOR BATTERY POWERED KIT CONTINUES TO GROW, AND MAKITA IS EAGER TO MEET DEMAND WITH A PLETHORA OF LAUNCHES THIS YEAR

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akita is ramping up its efforts in the battery power market. This year, it is determined to bring the power of petrol to its cordless kit, adding more than 30 new products to its range of nearly 300 cordless tools, and its garden machinery clients are set to benefit. Mark Earles, national sales manager for its outdoor power equipment, called it an “aggressive programme” at the launch event on 10 March.

The new products are not all upgrades of existing products, either. New, innovative products will be available to buy over the coming months, one of the most interesting being the 18V Brushless Hedge Trimmer LXT. This item of kit, with a single-sided blade, is in response to customer demand for a safer hedge trimmer to reduce the number of accidents through incorrect use.

The hedge trimmer is available in two blade lengths – 600mm (DUH604S model) and 750mm (DUH754S model). Currently, it's only available for right-handed users and requires

BRUSHLESS LAWN MOWER DLM

two-handed start-up to further improve safety.

The trimmer will automatically turn off after 60 seconds if it is not used and has an electric brake. It operates using a brushless motor, which is low maintenance, higher power, and provides a longer runtime.

Also joining the vast range of outdoor power equipment are four brushless lawn mowers.

The twin 18V battery mowers include three self-propelled (DLM462, DLM532 and DLM533) and one push type (DLM530). The DLM462 has a cutting width of 460mm, whilst the other three models have a cutting width of 534mm.

Makita has also launched a new 18Vx2 Brushless Brush Cutter LXT (DUR369AZ), an 18Vx2 Brushless Linetrimmer (DUR369LZ) and an 18Vx2 Brushless Blower LXT (DUB363).

On top of this, there are two new brushless pole trimmers: DUN500W, with a blade length of

The evolution of mowing performance.

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500mm, and DUN600L, which has a blade length of 600mm.

These are just the products which launched in March. There are plenty more to come from Makita, including a cordless high pressure cleaner and a super-slim mower for those tricky, narrow spaces.

Head to the Makita website to view all the latest products and keep abreast of upcoming launches. www.makitauk.com

1 8 V B RUS H L ESS H E D G E T R I M M E R L XT R S LESS

LOWER L T D

Models DUH604SZ and DUH754SZ Max branch diameter 23.5mm Net weight 3.4-3.9kg Vibration 2.5m/s2 Sound pressure level 79.3dB(A) for DUH604S and 80.6dB(A) for DUH754S Price (inc. VAT) DUH604SZ £350.00 and DUH754SZ £365.00

R S LESS POLE TRIMMER D N

BRUSHLESS POLE TRIMMER D N W

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ZD1211 Zero-Turn Mower: Exceptional manoeuvrability, high productivity Engineered from the ground up to deliver outstanding cutting capability you can rely on.

■ Impressively powerful, reliable and economic 24.8HP Kubota

diesel engine with high capacity, smooth HST transmission.

■ Extremely manoeuvrable with a 360 turning radius.

■ Highly productive mowing featuring a shaft-driven, deep

cutting deck with hydraulic lift mower deck.

■ An ultra-comfortable operating area with

responsive controls.

Contact your local dealer or visit our website for more details. www.kubota.co.uk T: 01844 873190

*Conditions apply. See your Kubota dealer for details.

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27/03/2020 09:28 12:15 08/04/2020

Create beautiful and durable fencing with DuraPost DuraPost is a sustainable, strong and sleek fencepost system. Available in a range of styles, colours and with matching accessories to customise your design, DuraPost is perfect for both modern and traditional gardens.

Made from galvanised steel and 100% recyclable, DuraPost is the eco-friendly fencepost solution which is guaranteed for up to 25 years.

Visit durapost.co.uk or call 0345 450 9000 to find out more.

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stoneworld.co.uk 01844 279274 sales@stoneworld.co.uk

08/04/2020 23:13

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or landscaping professionals, completing jobs to a high standard and in good time are key considerations. In order to achieve this, good quality workmanship and the best possible products work hand in hand, especially when it comes to woodcare.

For some, solvent-based woodstains and preservers are still their go-to products. This is – in part – because solvent-based woodcare products have historically been more durable than water-based. However, advancements in water-based woodcare formulations mean that the products of today offer the same tough protection, as well as a number of additional benefits.

Drawbacks of solvent-based products Although effective, solvent-based woodcare does come with some significant drawbacks.

For one, solvent-based coatings can crack and peel under increased temperatures, which results in it having to be reapplied regularly.

Solvent-based products can also significantly increase the time taken to complete a job as they typically have long re-coat times. This means that simple jobs have to be carried out over several days, impacting on the landscaper and end client.

Due to their formulation, they also produce higher levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are organic chemicals that evaporate from the woodcare and enter into the surrounding air, which impacts on the environment and also the health of those exposed to the chemical. VOCs can also be released up to one month after the woodcare has dried, which impacts on the end client.

Choosing water-based The formulation of water-based woodcare products has improved significantly over recent years.

As long as the wood is prepared correctly, the water-based products available today offer a quality finish that can last.

The resins in the formulation of leading water-based woodcare mean that these products offer tough protection against knocks and scuffs. Water-based products can also withstand increases in temperature better than solventbased, as they can flex with the wood as it expands. They also retain their colour well, as the alkyd levels within the formulation

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WHY WAT E R - BA S E D ?

J I M M Y E N G L E Z O S , S E N I O R P R O D U C T M A N AG E R – WO O D C A R E AT R O N S E A L T R A D E LO O K S AT T H E B E N E F I TS O F O P T I N G FO R WAT E R - B A S E D W O O D C A R E P R O D U C TS

are low. These factors prevent the woodcare from cracking and peeling and reduce the need for regular re-application.

Water-based products also dry much faster, which means a job can be completed in less time. Productivity is therefore improved; more jobs can be completed each week, with disruption to end clients also minimised.

For example, when applying Ronseal Trade’s Decking Protector, appliers should wait a maximum of two hours between the two coats required, meaning the job can easily be finished in one day. The Decking Protector adds waterproof protection to new or restored decking, stopping it from splitting, swelling and greying. Water-based products also produce lower VOC levels, meaning they are more environmentally friendly and lower risk for appliers and the end client.

It is important for landscaping professionals to check that the woodcare products they are using have been independently tested. This ensures that any product claims made by manufacturers are accurate – and that products can therefore deliver on the benefits

THE WATER-BASED PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TODAY OFFER A QUALITY FINISH THAT CAN LAST and produce the high-quality results promised.

For example, Ronseal Trade’s Fencing Stain and Decking Protector are both BBA approved, providing assurance that the product claims are accurate.

By opting for waterbased woodcare products, professional landscapers can complete tasks much faster, which maximises their efficiency and minimises hassle for their clients, ensuring high-quality results.

To find out more information about Ronseal Trade and its full range of products please visit: www.ronsealtrade.com

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 77

06/04/2020 11:09

Beautiful. Simple. Unique. Outdoor kitchens.

See 40+ CAD layouts for download on grillo.uk.com/resources

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08/04/2020 21:58

ANNO

ADVERTORIAL

Providing for

PORCEL AIN’S P O P U L A R I T Y SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR MALCOLM GOUGH TELLS US ABOUT THE TAL ASEY GROUP’S L ARGELY E XPANDED RANGE OF PORCEL AIN – VITRIPIA ZZA – AND HOW THE INCRE ASINGLY POPUL AR MATERIAL IS BEING MADE AVAIL ABLE FOR ALL PROJECTS

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fter the success of Vitripiazza – our range of high quality Italian porcelain – over the last few years, we have seen a significant increase in its popularity and realise the market is looking for a much wider choice in terms of colour, finish, application and price.

To stay ahead of the competition and deliver for all clients, the Vitripiazza collection increased significantly in size this year, now boasting nearly 80 products across 25 ranges that cover outdoor patio materials plus matching internal tiles, wall cladding and porcelain designed for driveways – not to mention our bespoke edging and etching service.

We first ensured that we had a more substantial entry level range, living up to quality expectations for which Talasey is renowned.

So Vitripiazza introduced an BELLSTONE impressive yet extremely affordable Turkish ‘trade range’ including Bellstone, Dusk, Plank and Traverta. Each presents homeowners with a different size format and choice of eight colours. Competitive in price, the Turkish products make porcelain an option for homeowners with the keenest of budgets, who may have felt previously that porcelain was not a realistic choice.

The Vitripiazza ‘mid-range’ is where the brand really started more than four years ago, with beautiful Italian products like Stile, Anno, Sabbia, Albero and Di Pietra. This is where you see many popular size formats, a large variety of colours, surface finishes (wood, stone, concrete effect etc) and internal matching tile options. These present the Vitripiazza core staple and are a key ‘starting point’ for most landscapers and garden designers. The mid-range will always remain a prominent section of the Vitripiazza brand, but as a company Talasey understood that much more was needed.

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Having ventured into the premium end of the market in 2019 with a few wall cladding, driveway and large size formats, 2020 has seen the introduction of many more Italian premium options.

Landscapers and designers are turning to Colosso and Metallo for super-size large format pieces in a range of contemporary colours, including metallic finishes. The Dolmen range of porphyry style porcelain and Aix, a collection reflecting a French limestone, not only offers a unique look and feel, but also has eight different colour choices and a large range of sizes.

COLOSSO

TALASEY IS LEADING THE WAY IN ITS RESPONSE TO THE RISING DEMAND FOR PORCELAIN The list goes on: Romano is a cobble style collection with four colours in two sizes, 300x200mm and 200x200mm. Of course, the range offers Guidare, an 800x400x30mm size format in three colours, specifically designed for driveways, in addition to some of the aforementioned ranges which also offer 30mm thick options for matching driveway paving.

ROK CLADDING AND FLINTANA

The list is really exhaustive, and in order to meet the growing demand for inside-outside living and designs, many of the ranges have 9.5mm and 10mm thick options for internal tiles, and we have four distinct wall cladding ranges that are suitable for both external and internal walls.

Talasey is leading the way in its response to the rising demand for porcelain, ensuring that there really is something for everyone, offering a wide choice whilst ensuring the important technical attributes that a quality porcelain can offer are maintained: hardwearing, non-absorbent, frost-proof and required anti slip ratings.

One-stop shop Talasey Group is proud to offer a direct to site (via its large network of merchants), full kit service (through its Pavetuf range), providing the right amount of installation and accessory products required, including priming slurry and choice of jointing product. Pavetuf also offers lighting, trims and edgings and risers – again, new ranges in response to demand and to ensure the Talasey Group’s offering is truly a ‘one stop shop’. Why not see for yourself? Simply request your free copy of the 2020 Landscape Directory – call 0330 333 8030 or email sales@talasey.co.uk

For information on Vitripiazza, visit www.vitripiazza.co.uk. This can also be found via www.talasey.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 79

06/04/2020 10:34

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INSIDE

IOTA A LO O K AT I O TA , A S P E C I A L I ST S U P P L I E R O F G A R D E N P L A N T E R S A N D P L A N T C O N TA I N E R S How was the company founded?

IOTA was set up in 2003 by husband and wife Mark Chessell and Kate Hancock, initially supplying premium planters and sculpture to garden centres. Sales to designers and landscapers grew organically, helped by an early industry leading website and online shop, and the company started to supply a large range of bespoke work.

By 2010, this included sheet metal fabrication, outsourced at first but now manufactured in-house after the company merged with its long-term supplier, doubling the size of the company and increasing the number of employees to 25. IOTA is now focused on project-based planter supply to the wider landscape trade.

Where is it based?

IOTA’s warehousing and fabrication sites are conveniently located close to the M5 just south of Bristol.

What is the product range?

IOTA offers several well priced commercial grade ranges in GRP, which are available from stock, and is the UK distributor for the design-led planters from Swiss manufacturer Eternit. The majority of its work is in supplying bespoke metal planter and planted perimeter schemes for projects. This extends to include integrated and standalone seating, lighting and decorative detailing. Many clients specify powder coated steel as the most cost effective choice, but Corten steel, stainless steel, lead and zinc-clad steel are other options. Expertise in all aspects of sheet metal fabrication allows IOTA to provide solutions to the most complex of project briefs.

What about lead time?

Steel planters are typically made to order in around six weeks, with complex designs taking a little longer. Stock planters are delivered within a few days; next day if the order is urgent.

Installation service IOTA is happy to quote on a planter installation service for larger jobs and can also do site surveying if required.

STEEL PLANTERS CLAD WIT LEAD S EET ONE OF MANY SPECIALIST OPTIONS AVAILABLE

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Who are the key personnel?

All company personnel are key to business success,

and many have been with IOTA since the beginning. Customers are most likely to interact with CEO and sales director Mark Chessell, who handles bespoke project-based work for larger clients, and online sales director Kate Hancock.

A special mention must go to the four-legged customer liaison officers, Obi and Squirrel, often heard in the background on a phone call!

What kind of technical support is offered?

The IOTA team has a wealth of technical expertise and places great importance on supporting its customers through offering technical advice and practical solutions, whether that’s working with architects to refine a specification or with customers to determine the best value option for their requirements.

The company website offers a rich resource of reference images, technical drawings, and useful articles on all things planter-related.

C O N TA C T IOTA Garden and Home Ltd

Tel 01934 522617 Email info@iotagarden.com www.iotagarden.com

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

08/04/2020 14:11

UK’S LEADING LANDSCAPING TRADE EVENT

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BESPOKE GALVANISED & POWDER-COATED STEEL PLANTERS With decades of experience, our expert craftsmen hand-form our planters to create striking sharp lines and shining surfaces; designs which provide an eye-catching addition that fits perfectly with any planting scheme.

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01932 862473 landscaping.co.uk sales@landscaping.co.uk

09/04/2020 18:45

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late and Cotswold decorative aggregates are established industry favourites that have been used by landscapers and DIYers for decades.

However, these products are now being challenged by new ones which give landscapers the chance to offer clients a wider variety of colour and materials to meet consumer trends.

Providing customers with new and innovative products is a fantastic way for landscapers to demonstrate their knowledge of consumer trends. Long Rake Spar closely monitors current patterns in landscaping and aims to provide landscapers with products that it knows will be popular with its clients.

Long Rake Spar is committed to being at the forefront of product development by continually introducing new products to the market. This has led the company to create a range of unique and exclusive decorative aggregates that reflect current trends in hard landscaping.

LANDSCAPERS CAN INSPIRE THEIR CUSTOMERS TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT Sales of Long Rake’s Platinum Range of exclusive products have repeatedly grown year on year, making them a popular choice within landscape design. They offer landscapers and their customers a range of contemporary colour tones that will blend well with other hard landscaping elements.

COLOURS OF CHOICE L O N G R A K E S PA R TA L K S U S T H R O U G H T H E TO P T R E N D S I N L A N D S C A P I N G STO N E

Over the last few years, we have seen a rise in the popularity of grey colour tones, with sales of products that complement this colour palette increasing. Currently, Long Rake’s top selling decorative aggregate is Black Ice which is a mixture of black, blue, grey and white chippings.

Also making the top 10 are Polar Ice, Flamingo and Polar White gravels, all of which feature these contemporary colour tones.

All of these products look fantastic by themselves or combined with grey paving which has also dramatically increased in popularity over the last couple of years. Grey, blue and white decorative aggregates also perfectly complement grey sleepers and stepping stones and provide an attractive contrast to wood effect furniture or raised bed sleepers.

Millie Ferns, Long Rake Spar’s marketing director, commented: “Over the last three years we have seen the colour grey become a central requirement for landscape design, outselling the staple favourites of buff and golden colour products. Our product development reflects this and has returned some surprising results.”

Last year, Long Rake also introduced Ocean Blue, Heritage Quartz and Graphite Chippings, all of which tie in with the current trends and have seen success within the home and garden sector. Overall, sales of stone that reflect current landscaping trends have overshadowed those of the more traditional landscaping colours.

This is not to say that the buff and golden colour tones aren’t still popular within garden design; Cotswold is also in the top 10 list and Golden Gravel is within the top 20. However, these aggregates are well known staple products that landscapers often recommend as they have used them for years.

By widening the portfolio of products on offer and ensuring they have products that meet the requirements for on-trend colour schemes, landscapers can inspire their customers to try something different.

C O N TA C T Long Rake Spar Co. Ltd, Youlgrave, Derbyshire, DE45 1LW Tel: 01629 636 210 Email: sales@longrakespar.co.uk www.longrakespar.co.uk

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

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Britain’s finest Turf Topsoil Bark Find out why Rolawn is the first choice for professional landscapers who demand Britain’s finest turf, topsoil and bark

www.rolawn.co.uk

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16/01/2020 16:57 08/04/2020 22:03

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GABION STONE

WONDERFUL

WA L LS

SMITHS BLETCHINGTON HAS THE PERFECT OFFERING FOR GABION WALLS

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abion baskets are often used for retaining walls, but they can also be used as decorative feature walls in both commercial and domestic projects. Smiths Bletchington, based in Oxfordshire, provides quality stone to fill the baskets, sourced from its quarry in Ardley. The crushed Gabion Stone is available in various sizes, the most common of which is 200-100m stone. It is also available in 200-100mm, 150-75mm and 75-40mm.

COTSWOLD DRY STONE WALLING

CASE STUDY This example shows the traditional use of a gabion basket but with a very attractive result. A recently refurbished house on the River Thames in Oxfordshire required a creative landscaping solution to the deteriorating riverside bank.

Firstly, it was to stabilise the bank and prevent flooding of the garden and property. Secondly, it was to create a natural and pleasing on the eye defensive barrier. The answer was to take a gabion basket and create a walling effect by hand packing it with Smiths’ Gabion Stone, which can be enhanced using traditional Cotswold Walling Stone for the face of the basket. This provides a solution for stabilisation, married with a creative appearance which would enhance any environment – a win-win situation.

Smiths Bletchington

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1 Starting out as agricultural contractors and hauliers, Smiths has been operating for more than 100 years and began its quarrying activities in the 30s.

2 It can deliver its products nationwide in either bulk bags, small bags on pallets or in bulk orders.

3 Smiths has six quarries in operation across Oxfordshire.

4 The products it offers are: sand and gravel, decorative shingles, recycled aggregates, crushed and graded limestone, and Cotswold drystone walling.

5 Samples available on request, subject to courier charge.

C O N TA C T Smith & Sons (Bletchington) Limited, Enslow, Kidlington, Oxfordshire OX5 3AY 01869 331281 sales@smithsbletchington.co.uk www.smithsbletchington.co.uk

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 85

08/04/2020 13:58

Corten edging - West Sussex Pushing the boundaries This private garden makes extensive use of our corten edging systems, which we design, engineer and make entirely in-house.

Every element of this complex design has been realised using off-the-shelf sections from our Series 2 and Series 3 ranges, with individual parts adapted to the required height and radius; a step formed in the base holds an LED lighting strip.

Standard components, unlimited possibilities.

View this project online: www.outdoordesign.co.uk

Whatever you can imagine, we can make it a reality in metal.

To discuss your ideas, email info@outdoordesign.co.uk or call us now on 0 1 9 0 3 7 1 6 9 6 0 .

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BOLDSTONE SCULPTURE

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It’s Your World.

Rain Bird offers the broadest range of easy-to-use controller solutions.

Explore our entire lineup at rainbird.com/TakeControl-en.

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08/04/2020 22:27

P EO P L E

LOVE HORTICULTURE DAVID KEEGAN

P90

I N S I D E P E O P L E T H I S M O N T H PA G E 8 9 3 0 U N D E R 3 0 : M I K E L O N G , PA G E 9 0 L O V E H O R T I C U LT U R E : D AV I D K E E G A N , PA G E 9 1 H O W T O ( A C T U A L LY ) W O R K F R O M H O M E , PA G E 9 2 W H AT ’ S Y O U R R O L E ? , PA G E 9 5 W H AT I ’ M R E A D I N G : R I C H A R D G A R D I N E R , PA G E 9 8 L I T T L E I N T E R V I E W S

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09/04/2020 16:59

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09/04/2020 13:51

Mike Long MLGD-APLHC-003

DRAWING INFO

20th February 2020 Association of Professional Landscapers

3D IMAGES

1 2 3 4 5

Date Client Address Drawn By Drawing No. Scale

PEOPLE

THE APL GARDEN: A PLACE TO MEET AGAIN

DWG No. MLGD-APLHC-003

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

MIKE LONG PROMPTED BY A CAREER CHANGE, MIKE LONG HAS BEEN STUDYING TOWARDS A PLANTING DESIGN DIPLOMA AT LONDON COLLEGE OF GARDEN DESIGN. HE WILL ALSO BE DESIGNING HIS FIRST EVER SHOW GARDEN THIS YEAR

W

ith a previous career working in the construction sector of the industry, Mike Long – a 30 Under 30: The Next Generation class of 2015 winner – has now shifted his career path to solely garden design.

His practise, Mike Long Garden Design, works on various domestic projects around Suffolk and surrounding areas. Breaking away from the construction side prompted Mike to begin attending the London College of Garden Design, where he is studying for a planting design diploma in order to further grow his knowledge of planting and plant inclusion.

Mike says: “Coming from a background of construction, my one weakness I was aware of was planting and planting plans. The course is allowing me to have exposure and learn from lots of different teachers which is fantastic.

It’s going really well, I love it!”

The coming months will see Mike applying his college teachings to this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, where he will be designing his first ever show garden.

Mike says the involvement with this year’s show came about after a conversation with general manager of The APL, Phil Tremayne.

He was given the short deadline of a week to design the entire garden. Mike says: "In six days

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30 Under 30 Mike Long.indd 89

I designed it, drew up the specs and submitted it to the RHS. The whole theme is about re-purposing and upcycling; we are using scaffold boards, wood crates and reclaimed brick. This is the first show garden I’ve designed by myself and won’t be building!”

FIND SOMEONE TO MENTOR YOU. SOMEONE TO CHEER YOU ON BUT ALSO CHALLENGE YOU The APL garden, A Place To Meet Again, will illustrate a planting style of a contemporary palette mixed with hard landscaping, demonstrated by elements such as a lounge area, encouraging visitors to stand and admire the garden.

As well as being involved with show gardens, 2017 saw Mike building a community project in Kenya, working on behalf of The Doxa Project, a charity created by a friend of his. An activity area was built on a previously empty piece of land in order to provide the children and local community a place to play and relax.

Accompanying a team of around nine other contractors, carpenters and electricians, the team constructed a see-saw, jungle gym, tyre swing, volleyball area and much more over the space of a week.

Mike reflects on the project: “The jungle gym was something I had designed, so having the opportunity to go out to Kenya for around 10 days was an amazing experience.”

Considering the future, Mike says his shortterm plans are to focus on his college course to achieve the best result possible. Mike’s longterm goals revolve around growing his practise and furthering his show garden involvement.

“I would like to do another Hampton Court garden to get used to the process, I’d also like to do a design at RHS Chelsea – that’s my next goal. With my design practise I’m looking to grow it and work with new contractors further afield from my current locality in Suffolk.”

Mike also reflected on the past and how receiving his 30 Under 30: The Next Generation award gave him a "confidence boost", helping to establish himself further into the industry.

Mike offered advice for the younger generation entering the industry: “I think my number one piece of advice would be to find someone to mentor you. Someone to cheer you on but also challenge you.”

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 89

06/04/2020 09:47

PEOPLE

WHY I...

# LOV E H O RT I C U LT U R E David Keegan OWNER, DK GARDEN DESIGN

A

lthough my love of and passion for horticulture is deeply ingrained in my psyche, I started my career as a portrait and fashion photographer, but the draw to landscape and garden design eventually pulled me over to its side.

My earliest recollection of a love of horticulture was of summers spent on my grandparents’ farm. For a child, it represented the freedom of wide, open spaces, whether from running through fields of corn or laid flat among an uncut meadow gazing wistfully up to a pale blue sky. Harvest time was a definite favourite; for me, working in the fields emphasised the human connection between land and man.

An abiding memory was of running alongside the gravel track down to the farmhouse amidst a tangled mass of shrubs and trees. Inside these spaces, we kids cut out and fashioned tunnels in which to run and play.

Running fast – sometimes hit and knocked by branches – I was transported in imagination to tropical jungles and far off places, no doubt inspired at the time by watching Tarzan movies.

Looking back now, it is easy for me to see a connection with two of my main passions – landscape that could be manipulated and fashioned into an adventure. This coupled with the fantasy of far off places inspiring my other passion for travel.

My passion for horticulture was further enhanced by my father dividing parts for our garden into little allotments where we were encouraged to grow whatever took our fancy. This led to an absolute fascination with the power of plants to enliven bare earth through my sole endeavour. My love of horticulture and design is still very much led and influenced by these complementary parallels. That love of horticulture and landscape still offers me the real treat of the possibility to mould and blend elements into spaces that recreate a remembered desire and passion to an interconnection with these outdoor places.

WORKING IN THE FIELDS EMPHASISED THE HUMAN CONNECTION BETWEEN LAND AND MAN

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

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09/04/2020 08:51

PEOPLE

HOW TO (ACTUALLY) WITH SO MANY NOW CONFINED TO HOME OFFICES WHILST IN LOCKDOWN, WE ASKED A SELECTION OF INDUSTRY EXPERTS FOR THEIR TOP TIPS FOR WORKING FROM HOME

A N N - M A R I E P OW E L L

WORK FROM HOME

Ann-Marie Powell Gardens

“Work your usual daily hours in a room padlocked from the inside so that your children, your dog and your other half can’t walk in and say the words: “Have you got a minute?” – "No I haven’t, I’m trying to work!”

RICHARD GARDINER

NAG Solutions

“My top tip for working at home is focused on those managing home workers – measure it! If you can’t measure outputs, that’s your problem not the worker’s. It’s a great habit to get into, whether your staff are working from home or under your nose. If you don’t think you can measure it, you’re wrong – find a way and forget the clock.”

K AT I E F L A X M A N

Studio 31

“Be with nature, stay empathic and remain connected. If you can connect with nature in your home, do so. Put opportunities for connection (like online meetings) high on the agenda, and speak to colleagues, suppliers, clients and yourself from a place of kindness. We are all doing the best we can in a situation we've never encountered before.”

J A N E F I N D L AY

FIRA

“Treat it like traditional work and keep to a schedule. If you have space, move your office to a quiet corner of your home. I have decamped to my attic where I can close the door on everything. Have a break after conference calls, they are quite exhausting. And keep in touch with your team – at Fira, we stop for tea and a chat at 4pm every afternoon for a friendly catch up.”

J A M E S S C OT T

The Garden Company

“Replace emails and texts with phone calls where possible. It can be much more productive to have a conversation than engage in an email trail, especially with things changing so often. I find talking with my team has helped replace the face-to-face contact we normally have. Plus, phone calls can help you ‘check in’ with people who might be feeling quite cut off.”

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McWilliam Studio

G AV I N M C W I L L I A M

“Set realistic goals and be kind to yourself. I’ve accepted in the current circumstances I am not able to work as efficiently as normal. Stay positive and focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.”

RAE WILKINSON

Rae Wilkinson Design

“It’s difficult to be effectively focused at your desk for long periods of time, especially with distractions and demands present at home. Try focused bursts where you decide what you are going to work on and spend a short but committed amount of time on it. You can divide your day into key task sessions, with emails, calls and set breaks inbetween.”

M A R C U S WATS O N

Ground Control

“The key word here is ‘working’. You’re not at home working, you are working which happens to be at home. Create a routine. Wake up for work, shower, put on your branded uniform and leave for the ‘office’. Instead of commuting, go to your dining room, study or kitchen. Separate your work and private life – this is extremely important."

LARA BEHR

Lara Behr Garden Design

“Keep weekends as weekends. I’ve been making a conscious effort to do this for the last year, before the current situation. Too often I would feel on a Monday morning that I hadn’t really had a break. I’m definitely more productive after the weekend if I’ve put work aside for a couple of days. It’s hard to stick to this, especially at the moment, but I’m trying!”

JO MANFREDI-HAMER

Jo Manfredi-Hamer Garden Design

“When I need to get my creative juices flowing and I cannot visit my usual garden haunts, I try to get a new burst of ideas by walking around my garden.

Just the sight of beautiful plants and sound of running water from my pond opens my mind to possibilities. I recommend sitting in a favourite spot with a sketch book to really start drumming up ideas.”

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 91

09/04/2020 16:49

PEOPLE

WHAT’S

YOUR

ROLE?

What are your current roles?

I started working for Bowles & Wyer as a landscape architect about a year and a half ago. I run my own projects from concept up to implementation – it’s interesting because I have a lot of varied projects, from small residential urban projects to large countryside projects and others in central London.

Alongside that, I run my own practice which is focused more on smaller designs such as show gardens. It’s nice to have the range as an individual, I get a bit of both worlds in a way which helps me develop as a professional.

ANCA PANAIT

BOWLES & WYER CURRENTLY WORKING AS A L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AS WELL AS RUNNING HER OWN PRACTICE, ANCA PANAIT DISCUSSES HER SHOW GARDEN INVOLVEMENT AND COMMU NIT Y PROJECTS

HAREFIELD HOSPITAL

What show garden involvement have you had?

The first show garden I did was in France as part of Chaumont Sur Loire Garden Festival.

We were lucky to be selected because there were about 300 applicants and only one UK representative is chosen.

After doing that I became aware of the RHS Young Designer of the Year competition and I thought that would be a great opportunity.

I applied in 2017, that was my first UK show garden which was awarded a Silver-Gilt medal.

I also designed a garden for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in 2018.

This year, I’m designing a feature garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. It will be nice to go back to Tatton because I haven’t been back since I did the Young Designer competition.

This time, I’m going back as a bit more of an accomplished, experienced designer.

I WANT TO PUSH MYSELF AND BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE CHANCES What have been your favourite projects whilst working at Bowles & Wyer?

One of the most exciting projects is a large urban development for Cadogan’s Estates in Chelsea which includes the iconic Curzon cinema being reinstated. The scheme has a mix of contemporary courtyards, roof gardens and green roofs. Building works have already started on site with the landscape to start next year.

92 Pro Landscaper / May 2020

Whats your role Anca Panait-2.indd 92

I have also been involved in two communal hospital gardens, which will be a green retreat with free-flowing paths interwoven with generous planting beds and rest spaces.

The project has received planning approval and is scheduled to start this summer.

I LIKE GOING BACK TO SPACES THAT I’VE DESIGNED TO BE A ‘USER’ AND SEE HOW PEOPLE INTERACT WITH IT The most recent project is a countryside garden in Hertfordshire with a central walled garden, traditional brick walls and subtle but romantic planting in a wildlife-rich scheme.

Walled gardens are something a lot of designers dream of, so it’s exciting to see this one develop.

What’s your favourite part of working in the industry?

Being able to pass down information and what I’ve learnt to future generations, as well as being involved with a range of projects. One of my favourite parts of projects is being creative and seeing the build and how the people use the space at the end of it. I like going back to spaces that I’ve designed to be a ‘user’ in the space and see how people interact with it.

What are your future plans?

Professionally, I would like the opportunity to design or to work on a large public park or a botanical garden. I would also like to do an RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden in the future.

I want to push myself and be brave enough to take chances. I think that sometimes the things you’re more afraid of are the most rewarding, and are the opportunities that help you develop as a professional and also as a person.

DEER LEAP MANOR

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08/04/2020 09:09

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08/04/2020 22:57

PEOPLE

W H AT I ’ M READING

Richard Gardiner P R O P R I E T O R AT N A G S O L U T I O N S A N D T E C H N I C A L O F F I C E R AT B A L I

TITLE Be More Pirate, or how to take on the world and win AUTHOR Sam Conniff Allende

I

was introduced to this book under a year ago and it has now become a great source of inspiration to me. It has triggered research into a number of different areas, particularly politics and agriculture – not because these subjects are covered in this title (they’re not), but because it has inspired me to make trouble, or more precisely, make “good trouble”.

“I’d rather be a pirate than join the Navy” – Steve Jobs.

We may never know if Steve Jobs fully understood the world of golden age piracy, a point in time when a band of highly skilled but wholly disenfranchised employees took on the establishment, and for a generation, won! What we do know is that Jobs didn’t do things ‘normally’; he experienced failure, betrayal and ridicule (that computer mouse gizmo will never catch on).

But he kept thinking differently and built the number one corporation in the world. Others

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doing things differently are the likes of Elon Musk, and of course no piece on business innovation would be complete without reference to Richard Branson, as well as many more less well-known but equally innovative pirates out there.

Look closer at our own industry, and at companies like Willerby Landscapes, Bowles & Wyer, Oak View Landscapes, all of whom do things just that bit differently. It may just be an attitude towards business or a clear and concise philosophy, or as in the case of Bowles & Wyer

IT’S NOT FOLLOWING THE HERD, IT’S BEING DIFFERENT AND IN SOME CASES IT’S CAUSING ‘GOOD TROUBLE’ a very tangible move to bridge the gap in the labour market by introducing its own academy.

It’s not following the herd, it’s being different, and in some cases it’s causing ‘good trouble’, because it’s making others stop and think, just as pirates made the Royal Navy stop and think.

Despite the risk, sailors were attracted to piracy for a number of reasons, including: • Fair pay - the navy didn’t always pay its sailors; in contrast, pirates split the spoils equally (cabin boy to seasoned sailor) except for just 2-3 posts, typically captain and quartermaster received 3-4 shares.

• Work place compensation – seriously! If you lost a leg in battle, you were awarded 800

pieces of eight, 400 for an arm and 200 for an eye, and they found another job for you if you could no longer do your current job. The Royal Navy gave you nothing and cast you ashore at the next opportunity so as not to carry dead weight! Yet, despite the pirate’s compassion (that’s a term you didn’t expect to hear), the navy carried significantly more dead weight than the pirates. Pirates numbered around 2,000 at their peak (1680-1720), in small nimble crews, there were around 15,000 in the cumbersome, hierarchical navy at the time.

• Diversity – Race or gender were no barrier to access any post on a pirate ship, including captain. It took a further 300 years before women were “properly” allowed in the navy.

So, you get the picture. Lots of innovations developed by pirates have now become embedded in law, if not yet fully in culture, more’s the pity. But probably more importantly, all the rules, including those mentioned above were voted on by the whole crew. One man, one vote. Cabin boy or captain – just let that sink in.

Unless the majority of the crew thought it was a good idea, it didn’t happen. Whether you want to change the world or just improve your own circumstances, I would recommend this book to get your juices flowing.

Pro Landscaper / May 2020 95

06/04/2020 11:03

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PEOPLE

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

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

98 Pro Landscaper / May 2020

Little Interviews.indd 98

CHARLIE HARTIGAN

BENEDICT GREEN

Landscape architect and director, Envisage Gardens

Landscape designer, Graduate Landscapes Ltd

www.envisage-gardens.co.uk

www.graduatelandscapes.co.uk

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

If I hadn’t changed degrees, I probably would’ve stayed in the biology field and done an MSc in dietetics and human nutrition to become a dietician.

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

Architecture.

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

I am desperate to visit New Zealand as the landscape looks wonderful.

I’m also particularly fond of Italy.

What would you blow your budget on?

A house with lots of land! I visit lots of beautiful houses to design gardens and would love to own somewhere big enough to experiment with my ideas at home.

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

Sir David Attenborough.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Increased value of women in the industry on a day-to-day basis. Too often I hear things like: “I’d like to speak to a man” or “If I need good prices from a merchants, I get one of the guys to phone up.”

Best piece of trivia you know?

Unlike wolves, dogs have evolved eyebrow muscles enabling them to make soulful expressions and trigger nurturing responses in humans so that we feel inclined look after them.

Who would play you in a movie?

Amy Poehler, maybe? Specifically because my friends say I’m like Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation.

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

Greece.

What would you blow your budget on?

A huge conservatory stuffed with exotic plants. Think Palm House at Kew. The one person in the industry you’d love to meet?

Bernard Trainor.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Better appreciation of landscaping skills in the general public.

Best piece of trivia you know?

We live closer in time to a living T-rex than T-rex did to a Stegosaurus.

Who would play you in a movie?

Tom Hollander, I’m told.

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Fully stocked bar with solar powered ice machine, painting kit and a large ‘do not disturb’ banner.

Your favourite joke?

Why did Edward Woodward have four ‘d’s in his name? Otherwise he’d be called Ewar Woowar. (More of a verbal joke).

Karaoke song of choice?

4’33 by John Cage – it’s better for everyone that way!

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

08/04/2020 09:35

PEOPLE

CHRISTOPHER WRIGHT

L A U R A B E D E L L- P E A R C E

LY N N H U N T E R

Senior arboricultural consultant, Tim Moya Associates

Garden designer, Laura’s Gardens

Marketing specialist, Pro-Motion

www.tma-consultants.co.uk

www.laurasgardens.com

www.pro-motion.co.uk

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

Probably working in the city or as a personal trainer.

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

Using my 16 years in branding and marketing to help The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

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

I left briefly to be a corporate business analyst, but hurried back to my horticultural roots. Otherwise, I’d probably be a poet or write stories for children.

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

Poland – the forests and the architecture of the old churches.

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

The tumbling hillsides and traditional formal gardens of Italy.

What would you blow your budget on?

Varieties of heritage apple (must include Egremont Russets).

What would you blow your budget on?

A home with a much bigger garden!

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

Myself, 20 years into the future.

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

Chris Beardshaw.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Technology – 3D modelling, specifically.

One thing that you think would make the industry better?

More government funding into horticultural education, start-ups and propagation.

Best piece of trivia you know?

That when asked this question I forget everything I have ever known!

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Assuming it’s posthumously, I actually don’t mind.

What three things would you take to a desert island?

A piling rig, a storage tank, and a manual on how to connect to the groundwater supply.

Your favourite joke?

One at my own expense.

Karaoke song of choice?

Play for Today by The Cure

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Best piece of trivia you know?

The Saguaro Cactus is the slowest growing plant in the world. It grows just one inch in the first 10 years of its life.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Emma Thompson.

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Sunblock, bug spray and a grand piano.

Your favourite joke?

My son loves bugs. At the moment, he’s got 10 ants in a shoebox! This, effectively, makes him their landlord.

And they’re his tenants.

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

Italy or New Zealand.

What would you blow your budget on?

A decent striker for Sheffield Wednesday.

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

Gertrude Jekyll One thing that you think would make the industry better?

Recognition – both of the value of landscaping in any construction project and of the role of the landscaper as a professional respectable vocation and not just a gardener.

Best piece of trivia you know?

The official longest word in the German dictionary is ‘Kraftfahrzeughaftpflichtversicherung’!

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Dairylea, beef Hula Hoops and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (the actual guide).

Your favourite joke?

I quit my job at the helium gas factory – I didn’t like being spoken to in that tone.

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