Pro Landscaper July 2025 by 44Group

JULY

SARAH MURCH

KEEPING IT GREEN

Nicola Spence on tackling UK biosecurity risks

POOLSIDE

Level up your pool game with these waterside products

THE CULTURE CLUB

Is your company culture by design or default?

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Welcome

While the UK’s reputation for being wet and windy often proceeds it, it likely doesn’t come to many people’s surprise – especially those who built a garden at this year’s Chelsea – that the May just gone not only saw the warmest start to the month on record, but also a below average amount of rainfall. Our changing climate is no secret, and it’s certainly no stranger to being front and centre on RHS show grounds in recent years.

This year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival is no exception to this, from debut designer, Kitti Kovacs’ ILLUSION 2050 (page 81) envisioning a not-too-distant future in which gardening styles are changing to be more drought-tolerant, to Nilufer Danis’ The Three Graces of Galicia (page 76) exploring 19th century Spanish history with a pollinator friendly planting palette.

So, while the topic of our climate is making for some truly beautiful gardens, it also serves as a reminder of the urgency in which we need to secure the next generation of environmental stewards.

The new Natural History course is a big step in the right direction as it strengthens the case for investing in accessible outdoor learning spaces, as well as highlighting their value in supporting wellbeing (page 87), but it begs the question; what more can we do?

BUSINESS

The Power of Purpose

Vision, Mission, and Core Values are quintessential in building a stronger business; Neil Stead shares where to start

Let’s Hear It From...Sarah Murch

From covid to a surge in wild swimmers, Ellicar’s Sarah Murch shares how the company went from nearly closing its doors to becoming a generational business

The Culture Club

Explore how companies like Tony Benger Landscaping, Nicholsons, and Tyler Grange are rewriting the company culture rulebook to benefit their employees

29 Take a Dip

Step into serenity with this National Landscape Award winning project by Bluefish Landscaping Contractors in the heart of West Byfleet

Three Gardens and a Pool

A trifecta of functionality, this award-winning project by The Garden Company blends old English aesthetic and contemporary design

41 Puglian Paradise

Explore the Puglian countryside in this international SGLD award-winning scheme spanning four acres by Urquhart & Hunt

Si to Feminism

Nilufer Danis is celebrating the lives of Spanish women who fought for social justice in the 19th century at Hampton

Floral Forecast

Kitti Kovacs marks her Hampton Court debut with a garden infused with Hungarian history; telling a cautionary tale of our changing climate

Why School Gardens Deserve Priority

As the case for investing in well-designed school gardens grows, the need for wellbeing -rich learning spaces has never been greater

PEOPLE

Keeping It Green

Nicola Spence on the critical role the industry is playing in safeguarding our national plant health, as well as tackling growing UK biosecurity risks

In Conversation With John Earl Stephens Industries’ managing director shares how the protective textiles company continues to evolve ahead of its 70th year

Beyond the Glamour and the Glitz

David Keegan reflects on this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show and how far the show has come in recent years

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Poolside

Dive into these waterside products and transform your next pool into a summer-ready retreat

Show Ground Musings

Lewis Normand shares his personal highlights from Chelsea and the impact these shows have on propelling the industry forward

Little Interviews

Get to know these past Pro Landscaper Project Award winners with a series of quick-fire questions

LONDON’S OLDEST PUBLIC PARK UNDERGOES MAJOR RENOVATION

Following a full refurbishment designed to accommodate contemporary urban living, London’s first-ever public park has reopened with a refreshed look.

Finsbury Circus Gardens – the largest open green space in the Square Mile – has undergone a major transformation, with major improvement works to its public accessibility and biodiversity.

The park was first opened in 1815, with a formal layout designed by George Dance the Younger. Now, in 2025, accessibility has been

ROUNDUP Industry Updates

RACHEL BAILEY WINS BEST SHOW GARDEN AT BBC GARDENERS’ WORLD LIVE

BBC Gardeners’ World Live takes place until 12 – 15 June, as winners of Best in Show awards have already been announced at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

Scottish garden designer, Rachel Bailey has scooped up the Best Show Garden award, as well as a Platinum award for the Where There’s Water, There’s Life garden.

Highlighting the link between water, plants, people and nature, the design features a slow water flow in a garden landscape celebrating the

Association of Professional Landscapes (APL) 30th anniversary.

The garden’s landscape team, Design It Landscapes, also picks up the Best Construction Landscaper award.

Bailey says she is grateful to the APL and SGLD for their support, adding: “This is an amazing result for our team, I’m thrilled. It shows what can be achieved when professional designers and landscapers work together from concept stage to bringing a garden to life.”

bbcgardenersworldlive.com

improved to the Grade II-listed site, as well as the instalment of additional seating and an overhaul of the central lawn.

New landscaping elements established include 12 additional tree species, over 13,000 plants, and more than 6,000 bulbs.

The design by Realm, which worked with Studio Weave to incorporate a new Parks Office, is led by the City of London Corporation’s goal to attract new businesses, workers, and visitors to the Square Mile. cityoflondon.gov.uk

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT SCRAPS PLANS FOR NEW NATIONAL PARK

Ministers in the Scottish parliament have decided not to pursue national park plans for Golloway and Ayrshire.

Mairi Gougeon, rural affairs secretary, revealed that this announcement comes from the planning official’s recommendations.

Gougeon explains that “while there is support for the new national park, there is significant opposition.”

The Scottish Rewilding Alliance has issued a response, as they continue the fight for Scotland to be named a rewilding nation.

Karen Blackport, co-convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance says:

“The Scottish Government has yet again proved it cannot successfully plot a path to a wilder Scotland.”

Blackport argues that the decision “undermines efforts to restore nature and protect nature,” amidst a climate and biodiversity crisis. gov.scot

GOVERNMENT TO ‘SIMPLIFY’ BNG RULES IN HOPES TO GET BRITAIN BUILDING AGAIN

The UK Labour government has put forward its plans to streamline small site planning processes in an effort to ‘modernise’ planning committees and support SME housebuilders.

New home completion saw a drop last year, with 2024 going on record as a new seven-year low for new home delivery. The government hopes that by introducing new reforms, regulations and financial support, smaller housebuilders will benefit. Included in the announcement was a proposed ease up of biodiversity net gain (BNG) rules for small sites (up to nine homes). Under this new proposal, decisions will be undertaken by specialised planning officers, instead of committees.

NEIL FLEMING APPOINTED MANAGING DIRECTOR OF IPM FACILITIES

After being with the company for nearly 10 years, Neil Fleming has been appointed managing director of IPM Facilities as Mark Noaks steps down.

Coming on board back in 2016 as new head of

NBack in February Luke Mills, director of The Landscape Service, shared his concerns that BNG was creating a “huge delay” in the planning process due to a lack of “formal education” in the decision hierarchy.

This adjustment in decision responsibility intends to bypass potential stalemates, with an intended goal of streamlining planning and getting nature into builds quicker.

A newly announced ‘medium site’ category, made up of developments between 10 – 49 homes, is also set to be exempted from the Building Safety Levy, and will have a simplified set of BNG rules, which the government says will “make it easier to deliver biodiverse habitats” across these sites.

It was also announced that the government will be making a further £10m available this financial year to support local planning authorities implementing BNG.

And while these new proposals put forward by the government are intended to remove potential barriers in both house building and BNG, The Wildlife Trusts says this is “another appalling example of the government breaking its promise to put nature at the heart of house building.” gov.uk

landscaping, Fleming aided the business in growing its commercial landscaping offering, before becoming chief operating officer in 2021.

etwork Rail, Places for London and Lambeth Council have signed a new partnership agreement which pushes regeneration plans for Waterloo Station and South Bank.

The long-term redevelopment vision aims to transform the station and improve the wider area’s public spaces, access and investment appeal while backing Lambeth’s

Fleming succeeds Mark Noakes in the role, who acquired IPM Facilities in 2015. Noaks will continue with the company as CEO, offering support to the senior management team. ipmfacilities.co.uk

drive for more homes and business space. Designed by architect Grimshaw, the project plans to open boarded-up railway arches,

Online exclusives

RHS DRIVES THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL GREEN SPACES, SAYS ROBERT MYERS

The RHS’s continuation of balcony and container gardens at Chelsea highlights the importance of small green spaces for people and the planet, according to Robert Myers.

SUSTAINABLE RHS HAMPTON COURT GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS THE “QUIET CRISIS” IN BRITISH RAINFORESTS British rainforests now only make up for 1% of our nation’s landscapes. The Subaru Cocoon garden looks to raise awareness.

“YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING IN THE INDUSTRY THAT ALONE MAKES A DIFFERENCE,” SAYS GEORGIA GILBERT

Georgia Gilbert feels ‘recognised’ since winning her 30 Under 30 award at age 23, as she continues to settle into her role as head of wildflower at John Chambers Wildflowers.

a new southern station concourse and a large mansard rooftop extension along the entrance.

Robin Dobson, group property director at Network Rail, comments: “The joint plan would unlock huge growth and investment opportunities across Waterloo and the South Bank.” networkrail.co.uk

©Sam Hardw

2025 SHORTLIST

WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE AWARDS CEREMONY

DE VERE HORSLEY ESTATE

SPECIAL FEATURE

UNDER £50,000

THE STONEHOUSE - FRONT WALL

ALICE MEACHAM GARDENS

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FOCAL SCULPTURE - A CELEBRATION OF FAMILY

MARLENE LENTO DESIGN STUDIO

OUTDOOR FIREPLACE AND KITCHEN FOR VICTORIAN HOUSE IN THE WOODS

MARLENE LENTO DESIGN STUDIO

GARDEN STUDIO, STANSTEAD ROAD

SPACE AND SHELTER

SPECIAL FEATUREWATER

UNDER £50,000

POND, OLD RECTORY BINSTED

DESIGN AND BUILD

UNDER £50,000

A GARDEN OF FIRSTS

CONSILIUM HORTUS LTD

HAMMERSMITH GARDEN

FORMOSA LANDSCAPES

CORKER OUTDOOR LIVING SHOW GARDEN “THE MOROCCAN GARDEN”

GARDENPROUD LTD

E1 EAST ARBOUR ST

URBAN SANCTUARY

IMAGO GARDENS DESIGN & LANDSCAPING

BRINGING THE INSIDE OUT: BALHAM COURTYARD

KATERINA KANTALIS GARDEN DESIGN GRDN LANDSCAPE + GARDEN DESIGN

COMPTON ROAD, LONDON: COMPACT OUTSIDE GARDEN ROOM

PETER READER LANDSCAPES

BROADOAK, HORTON, SOMERSET

SANDHURST GARDEN DESIGN

UNDER £50,000

NEW HALL CHEPSTOW

TIME: 8:30PM - LATE

Time to let your hair down, dress up and have fun at the industry’s summer party!

AQUA EDEN DESIGN STUDIO AND WATER GARDEN CENTRE

DU WATERSCAPES

SECRET JAPANESE GARDEN BELL GARDENS LTD

TOM HOWARD GARDEN DESIGN & LANDSCAPING LTD

COMMUNITY

GREEN SPACE

UNDER £250,000

THE WATER SAVING GARDEN

CHILTERN GARDEN DESIGN

MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

GAVIN JONES LTD

NEATH HILL HEALTH CENTRE

GROUNDWORK LONDON

LATF MICRO-FORESTS AND TREE PLANTING

LONDON BOROUGH OF BROMLEY

HANNAH RICKARDS GARDEN DESIGN

BIODIVERSE FAMILY GARDEN

KATHERINE LEE GARDEN DESIGN

THE MEANWHILE GARDEN

THE BETH CHATTO GARDENS

PLANTING DESIGN

UNDER £25,000

SW4 - FERNDALE

GRDN LANDSCAPE + GARDEN DESIGN

SUMMER PARTY ONLY TICKETS AVAILABLE SCAN THE QR CODE TO PURCHASE 4:30PM - 8:30PM FRIDAY 11 JULY 2025 AND

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TYLER’S GROUND

MCNAUGHTON’S LANDSCAPING LTD

STOP AND SMELL THE FLOWERS

SANDHURST GARDEN DESIGN

DESIGN

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BYEWAYS

CHILTERN GARDEN DESIGN

CONTEMPORARY MEDITERRANEAN GRAVEL GARDEN

FERN & PINE DESIGN STUDIO LTD

OUTDOOR LIVING - CRYSTAL PALACE

KATERINA KANTALIS GARDEN DESIGN

HOODS CROFT

KATHRYN COX GARDEN DESIGN STUDIO

WELCOMING WILDLIFE, HONOURING HERITAGE

NUTTGENS GARDEN DESIGN

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STOCKLEY LANDSCAPE & GARDEN DESIGN

DESIGN

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BOUTIQUE NATURAL GARDEN

ACACIA GARDENS LTD

THE TRANQUIL GARDEN

ROSEMARY COLDSTREAM GARDEN DESIGN

BUILD

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TREEHOUSE GARDEN - DORSET

EDENS LANDSCAPES

STONEHILL

FORMOSA LANDSCAPES

FUTURE FARM

SLADE LANDSCAPES LTD

THE GRAND COURTYARD

TURNABOUT LANDSCAPES LTD

THE MODERN HAVEN

WINSLADE LANDSCAPES LTD

BUILD

UNDER £50,000

THE BACKYARD ESCAPE

BELLA LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION LTD

RAINBOW PROJECT

CB LANDSCAPES

NADINE

GORDIUS TEAM LTD

COSTA DEL SALFORD

HARRIS GARDEN DESIGN & LANDSCAPING

CONTEMPORARY COURTYARD

KIRMAN DESIGN

DESIGN AND BUILD

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MAPLE LODGE

ACACIA GARDENS LTD

THE GARDEN HOUSE - DRIVEWAY AND COURTYARD ENTRANCE

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MEDITERRANEO

KATERINA KANTALIS GARDEN DESIGN

BBC GARDENERS’ WORLD ‘BEAUTIFUL BORDER’: ‘FREE THINKING’

RACHEL SPORBORG DESIGN

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MASTERCLASS Moggridge

FOLAR invites you to explore with us the life and work of renowned landscape architect, Hal Moggridge at a special event in London

Afew decades ago, a survey was carried out of architectural practices in Scotland to find out how many established in the 1830s were still in existence 150 years later. Considering all the hundreds of reasons that prevent practices from succeeding, discovering that 100 firms were still in business was a staggering result. Even more surprising and pleasing for some of us was to learn that a good proportion still retained many of their records and drawings, and that these were being collected, catalogued and made accessible to the public.

In landscape architecture, a few established practices that joined the new Institute of Landscape Architects in 1929, continued to flourish over several generations predominantly as family run businesses. The best known are Thomas Mawson and Sons and Milner White, the latter closing on the retirement of Frank Marshall the last partner, in 1995. This practice - and quite a collection of its papers - had lasted for over a remarkable 120 years.

Now, the longest founded landscape practice is Colvin + Moggridge. Brenda Colvin established her practice in 1922. Unlike a number of her contemporaries, Colvin wanted the work she started to continue beyond her lifetime. She had expanded her pre-war portfolio of work on gardens and private estates to include large scale industrial, educational, new town and infrastructure projects.

A number of these projects were long term

commissions. Her succession plan involved taking on Hal Moggridge as a partner in 1969, and Colvin agreed to add his name to hers as the new practice name.

There are a lot of things that are quite special about Hal Moggridge, one is that through Brenda Colvin he offers a direct link to the founders of the Institute of Landscape Architects in 1929. Thomas Mawson and

Edward White were also amongst the founding group. Another special thing is that following her death in 1981 Moggridge looked after Colvin’s portfolio of work and has since gifted them to the Landscape Institute collection at The MERL (Museum of English Rural Life).

Don’t stop reading now please if you think this is all about the past and dusty papers and not relevant to you or your work, as Moggridge says: “The LI Archive is a valuable resource in conserving knowledge from the past and making it available for future use. For instance, the achievements of the profession between 1950 and 1990 in restoring to health vast areas of derelict landscape in northern

RILL AT THE NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS OF WALES

©Martin Jones for Royal Parks Agency

©Colvin & Moggridge

and midland England, southern Scotland and south Wales, which earlier industrial activity had left in degradation, can today provide guidance from experience as to effective lines of action for dealing with tomorrow’s lack of balance which might arise from global warming. An archive is the memory of an institution. Skilfully utilised, an archive can avoid repetition of past mistakes and provide inspiration for future successes.”

Funded PhD students are currently examining reservoirs, on the ground as well as in the LI archives at The MERL, they are exploring the ideas and completed designs of Sylvia Crowe, Colvin and Moggridge, Frederick Gibberd and Brian Blayney amongst

others, with a view to informing designs of new reservoir projects.

Skilfully utilised, an archive can avoid repetition of past mistakes and provide inspiration for future successes

FOLAR (Friends of the Landscape Archive at Reading) decided that we wanted to celebrate distinguished members of the landscape profession during their lifetime and not least so they could share their experience and wisdom, answer questions and make sure we get the facts right. We held a significant event a few years ago with Brian Clouston and his former staff – it was revealing about how Clouston built up his business, offered his staff responsibility and his trust as they set up branch offices in the UK and the middle east and then in the far east to become the biggest landscape practice in Europe. Many of the staff moved on after the practice was sold on to RPS Group (recently acquired by Tetra Tech) and have since achieved great things – in design, management, education and risk taking.

We will be holding a second event in this series in London on 11 September 2025 to explore the life and works of Hal Moggridge; scan the QR code at the bottom for more information. Invited speakers who know and have worked with Moggridge will investigate and analyse a variety of his landscapes. These will include improvements to the Inner London Royal Parks and his sometimes invisible interventions respecting the historical context while adding something new. Also covered will be major restoration projects including Blenheim Park, the millennium project master plan for the new National Botanic Garden of Wales; his key work on skylines, and many other examples that reveal a deep understanding of landscape plus his creative and imaginative approach. What has Moggridge’s coping strategy been for surviving recurring recessions, adapting to changing types of work and working with difficult clients? Why and when is it so critical with some large-scale industrial projects to have strong independent landscape advice rather than an in-house team? Why is it meaningful today to have a role in the Institute? What does Hal think is the future for landscape architecture?

Make sure you are part of this unique masterclass, a truly inspiring CPD event, and discover just how relevant Hal’s work is to us today as practicing landscape architects.

Join FOLAR on 11 September, for discussion, inspiration, questions and answers and much more. Scan the QR code for further information. folar.uk

BLENHEIM PARK, BEECH PLANTATION AT QUEEN POOL

GALE COMMON, N.YORKS PLAN OF RESTORED LANDFORM OF WASTE PULVERISED FUEL ASH

©Colvin & Moggridge

Keeping it

GREEN

Risks from plant pests and diseases are on the increase in the UK. There are currently over 1400 pests and pathogens on the UK plant health risk register with over 300 affecting trees. This increase is being driven by the globalisation of trade and travel, and climate change.

Our plants and trees contribute social benefits of at least £15.7bn annually. The economic benefit of our plants and trees includes the value of our agricultural crops, horticulture, flowers and fruits and vegetables, and is estimated to contribute £6.2bn per year to the UK’s economy.

processionary moth.

The landscape industry is vital in helping to address these threats to plant health, as well as helping to communicate biosecurity risks. We have been working closely with the plant sector including landscapers through organisations such as British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) and the Landscape Institute (LI) over the last 10 years, to deliver initiatives like National Plant Health Week which is now in its fifth successful year.

Periods of extreme weather like droughts or flooding can make plants more susceptible to pests and disease, and often weaken crops, trees, and other plants.

As many readers will be aware, Ips typographus (an invasive spruce bark beetle) is one of several insect pests posing a serious risk to our trees, with other key pests and diseases already established within the UK including Phytophthora ramorum, ash dieback, sweet chestnut blight, and oak

This year it took place between 5 - 12 May and was a collaborative effort by over 30 organisations, committed to protecting the health of our nation’s plants and trees. This collaboration, including the Royal Horticultural Society, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, BALI, the Woodland Trust, and the Horticultural Trades Association, was formalised in 2023 when the Plant Engagement in Plant Health Accord was originally signed.

This year saw a specific day dedicated to raising awareness about the Plant Healthy Certification

Defra’s Nicola Spence on what the industry can do to continue tackling our nation’s biosecurity risks

Scheme, which is now in its fifth year and has over 90 certified businesses. The scheme aims to help organisations raise biosecurity standards and grow, supply, and handle healthy plants responsibly and safely, regardless of whether those plants are imported, sourced and/or grown in the UK.

The landscape industry is vital in helping to address these threats to plant health, as well as helping to communicate biosecurity risks

Through this scheme we are helping to protect both the new trees we are planting and existing trees and the wider environment for future generations. The cost of managing or eradicating plant pests and diseases, on the government, industry and landowners, is far greater than the cost of preventing them.

Raising public awareness continues to be important. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) exhibited at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year, marking the tenth year APHA has exhibited.

APHA’s presence at this high-profile event is key to spreading awareness of the work government is doing to protect plant health and demonstrating how visitors can help.

As well as exhibiting at the event, APHA

PHYTOPHTHORA RAMORUM

IPS TYPOGRAPHUS

ASH DIEBACK

Plant Health and Seeds Inspectors also play a vital biosecurity role ahead of the show, working alongside the RHS biosecurity team to inspect plants on every garden and exhibit, for quarantine pests and diseases.

The cost of managing or eradicating plant pests and diseases, on the government, industry and landowners, is far greater than the cost of preventing them

This year’s gold medal winning APHA exhibit was designed to raise awareness of the risk posed by the Colorado beetle, a major threat to potato plants and the wider potato industry, which can strip plants of their leaves if left uncontrolled.

The main objective of the exhibit was to ensure the gardening public and all those who work with plants in a professional

capacity know how to recognise the beetles and how to report any suspected findings. APHA is urging everyone to remain vigilant, because the beetle can easily fly between allotments, garden vegetable patches, and commercial plots. If you work on sites with potatoes, look out for the beetles and larvae on vegetable patches or fields. The pests have also been known to come into the UK as ‘hitchhikers’ on non-host plant material grown and packaged on the continent, such as leafy vegetables, salad leaves, fresh herbs, grain and frozen peas, so keep an eye out when handling these items.

If you find a Colorado beetle, please do not let it go - capture it in a secure container and report any suspected sightings to APHA as soon as possible by telephoning 0300 1000 313 or by emailing planthealth. info@apha.gov.uk. All sightings should include a photograph and location details.

Professor

Nicola Spence, Defra chief plant health officer

See our plant pest factsheet for further information:

TOP TIPS FOR LANDSCAPERS

We know so many of you already do this but we also need landscapers to continue to:

• Buy your plants and trees responsibly – source plants from reputable nurseries and suppliers. If you are buying plants online, buy from a UK-based supplier where possible, to reduce the risk of harmful pests and diseases entering the country.

• Look out for signs of pests and diseases on your local trees and report these through TreeAlert. This information supports important tree health monitoring and surveillance work, contributes to ongoing scientific research, and helps to protect the nation's trees.

• Plant Healthy certification – if you are a supplier or trader, look into becoming Plant Healthy Certified. You will be helping to protect our plants, landscape and wildlife.

• Know your pests and diseases – Observatree has produced a useful symptoms calendar. Find out what pests and diseases to look out for via the Observatree website.

• Keep it clean: By cleaning boots, bikes and buggies before visiting woodlands and parks,otherwise you could spread harmful organisms like fungi, bacteria and insects.

Please visit the Plant Health Action website and scan the QR code for further information.

“Connecting people to water the way nature intended”

Landscapeplus began working with Aquascape in 2023, and it quickly became clear that Aquascape is a company that is not afraid to do things differently. Inspired by nature, Aquascape’s mission is to change the way the world creates water features. We couldn’t be more excited to introduce their systems to the UK.

We have helped hundreds of Landscape Professionals to include Aquascape features within their projects, in just the first two years.

In 2025, we made it even easier to include Aquascape in your projects. The already simple system has become even more convenient with the launch of Aquascape Kits, which provide everything you need to create beautiful fountains, waterfalls or ponds in one box.

The Aquascape system used in the Killik & Co ‘Save for a rainy day’ garden this year at the Chelsea flower show was incredible. The initial discussion with Ryan from Afriponds, and Ben and Joe from Shade Landscapes - who we carefully appointed to build this element of the garden - revealed that, despite my ambitious plans, they were achievable. They introduced me to the Aquascape pondless waterfall system and assured me that the only filtration needed would be through a wetland filter. I was initially skeptical about this, as was Mark Gregory, given past water feature challenges at Chelsea. However, visiting Allgreen with Ben and Ryan to select rocks reassured me of their expertise.

Once on site, progress on the water feature happened fairly quickly and before long we were filling the system for testing. This went according to plan, with the wetland filter exceeding expectations, clearing the water remarkably overnight and maintaining gin-clear clarity throughout the show week. I can’t thank Aquascape and Landscapeplus enough, the system was incredible and both Afriponds and Shade Landscapes were fantastic to work with.”

~ Baz Grainger

Killik & Co Garden | RHS Chelsea 2025

Designed by Baz Grainger

I’m still buzzing with the results from the four gardens I worked on at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, having won two gold and two silver-gilt medals and working alongside many great landscapers, planting teams and some designers. Chelsea was a great experience as always; you can’t help but notice the usual little or no thanks or recognition from a tiny minority, but hey ho, such is life.

IMPROVEMENT Room for

Gareth Wilson might have already built his fair share of gardens at Chelsea, but there are still lessons to be learnt each time

I've been asked several times which garden is my favourite, and Baz Grainger's ‘Save for a Rainy Day Garden' – sponsored by Killik & Co. and built by the Landform team – was a design that had everything I would love in my garden and more.

Next, the team and I are preparing for a show garden at the RHS Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham, a new venue replacing Tatton Park this year. The garden was designed by the one and only Paul Hervey Brookes, whom we have worked with for over 10 years, and was sponsored by the RNIB this year.

After each Chelsea build, I’ll sit down and write out the positives, of which this year there is a long list. And then there’s the list of what I prefer to call ‘what could we/I have done better’. Here are the key elements of my notes for future improvement:

• Eyes on everything before the show

• Better space management

Chelsea is a community, and you’d be surprised how many people will happily help when you’re caught in a whirlwind of jobs

On one occasion, we relied on pictures sent by hedge suppliers, which we had not taken the time to visit and actually see the hedges in the flesh just before the show. Fortunately, I made the trip, as I had a last-minute survey nearby. I rejected them immediately, and we found replacements quickly from another supplier. A lot can change from the initial hedge tagging the previous year.

• Keep on top of deadlines

We worked with a supplier who failed to meet many deadlines and agreed dates, which put tremendous pressure on one of the teams. A default contract should have been put in place here from the very early days. Should the person miss another deadline, we could have replaced them with someone else and taken the pressure off.

• If it doesn't feel right, it won’t be

A few things didn’t quite go according to plan in one of the gardens.

I feel I should have shouted "change" louder and not been persuaded differently.

A large part of Chelsea is managing your allotted space on-site, where you store materials. We definitely should have moved materials and unwanted items off-site sooner, in a couple of the gardens, so we weren’t as cluttered. I feel things could have run slightly smoother if this had been nipped in the bud.

To end on a positive note, I’d like to thank those people who were working on their own gardens and trade stands who jumped in to help you when you’re caught in the moment; therefore a special thanks to Rod Winrow for loaning me his lads for a couple of hours and Chris Steele for the constant use of his forks. Chelsea is a community, and you’d be surprised how many people will happily help when you’re caught in a whirlwind of jobs. You can’t forget Darren and Tim, the site managers who are always there to help 24/7.

GARETH WILSON

Leaving college at 17, Wilson has worked in the landscape industry since 1989. Progressing onto high-end projects, he has picked up seven RHS gold medals. He is a member of multiple professional bodies. He provides technical and product advice to large companies, mentors and trains contractors and garden designers in landscape construction and on show gardens logistics across the UK. Gareth also provides mediation services, he is a member of the BS7533:102 committee and is an industry awards judge.

gkwilsonlandscaping.co.uk

KILLIK & CO ‘SAVE FOR A RAINY DAY GARDEN’

Meet the dual-battery brush cutter. XGT 80Vmax power ensures you can conquer the most demanding jobs with ease.

Lead the charge at makitaredemption.eu

In the landscape industry, where the focus is often on delivering beautiful outdoor spaces, many business owners overlook one of the most important foundations of success: a clearly defined vision, mission and core values.

These elements are more than just business jargon. Together, they form the backbone of a company’s purpose: why you do what you do, where you’re headed, and how you choose to get there. And they’re essential for long–term growth, resilience, and fulfilment – both personally and professionally.

As a business coach working with landscaping professionals across the UK, I’ve seen how clarifying these three pillars can transform energy, focus, and team culture – and ultimately make a positive

Why the pillars matter

• Vision. This is your why.

THE

ofPOWER PURPOSE

The landscape industry needs more purpose-led businesses

Landscaping businesses operate in a space that’s inherently meaningful. You transform environments, enhance wellbeing, support biodiversity, and create places for people to connect. But without clearly articulating that deeper purpose, many business owners find themselves stuck in survival mode – reacting to client demands, juggling staff, or feeling disconnected from the passion that started it all.

Clarity around vision, mission, and core values gives landscaping companies a strategic compass. It moves them from being task driven to purpose driven – building not just a business, but a legacy

Your long–term destination. Where is your business going? What impact do you want to make in the world or your industry?

• Mission. This is what and for whom. It’s what you do every day to move toward your Vision, and should be action–oriented and focused on how you serve your clients.

• Core Values. These are how. The guiding principles and beliefs that define how you do business. They shape culture, decision-making, and relationships. Individually, each adds clarity. Together, they form a powerful Business Purpose –the deeper reason your business exists beyond simply turning a profit.

Clarity around Vision, Mission, and Core Values gives landscaping companies a strategic compass. It moves them from being task driven to purpose driven –building not just a business, but a legacy.

The Difference Between Vision, Mission, and Core Values

Your Vision should be bold, aspirational and future focused. It’s not about where you are now, but where you want to be. A strong vision inspires. It provides direction for long–term decisions – from hiring and growth to investment and innovation.

Mission: What do you do and for whom?

Your Mission is practical and present day. It outlines what you do, who you serve, and the unique value you bring. This is the statement you and your team can return to daily to stay on track. Core Values: What do you stand for?

These are the principles that shape behaviour, client service, and internal culture. They should be authentic –not copied from a competitor’s website. When values are clear and consistently lived, they become a filter for hiring, client relationships, and team behaviour.

Why these pillars drive success

They guide strategy

Without a clear vision, it’s easy to chase every opportunity – or worse, burn out. Vision and mission help you focus your time, energy and investments where they matter most.

They inspire teams People want to feel part of something bigger. When your team understands and believes in your mission and values, they’re more engaged, loyal,

"Knowing your vision, mission, and values is key to building a stronger business,” explains Neil Stead, who shares his insights here to help you get started

They attract the right clients

A purpose-led business stands out. When your values resonate with your clients, they’re more likely to trust you, recommend you, and stay loyal – even when price becomes a factor.

They build resilience

Markets change and trends shift, but with a strong sense of purpose, your business can adapt without losing its identity or soul.

How to define your Vision, Mission and Core Values

If you’re not sure where to start, try this process:

Step 1: Reflect on your journey

• Why did you start your business?

• What moments have made you feel most proud or fulfi lled?

• What kind of projects energise you the most?

Step 2: Envision the future

• Where do you want to be in five or ten years?

• What impact do you want your work to have on clients, communities, or the planet?

Step 3: Define Your Values

• What behaviours do you praise –or won’t tolerate – in your team?

• What do you want your clients to say about working with you? Involve your team in this process. Their insights can help shape a shared identity that everyone feels part of.

From words to action: Embedding your purpose

Clients may remember the lawns you laid or the patios you built, but what will really stay with them is how you made them feel and why you did it in the first place

Once you’ve defined your Vision, Mission and Core Values, the real work begins: bringing them to life and living them.

• Include them in onboarding and staff meetings.

• Make them visible on your website, vehicles, and proposals.

• Use them to guide decisions – whether it’s who to hire, which projects to take, or how to resolve a conflict. When they

become part of your daily business rhythm, they start influencing results in powerful, measurable ways.

In an industry grounded in growth, transformation, and care for the natural world, landscape businesses are uniquely positioned to lead with purpose. Defining your Vision, Mission and Core Values isn’t just an exercise in branding – it’s an act of leadership.

Whether you're a solo operator, a growing team, or an established company, taking the time to articulate what you stand for can refocus your energy, inspire your people, and elevate your impact. Because in the end, clients may remember the lawns you laid or the patios you built, but what will really stay with them is how you made them feel and why you did it in the first place.

Need help defining your business purpose?

If you’re ready to articulate your Vision, Mission and Core Values but don’t know where to start, let’s have a conversation. As a business coach working with landscaping professionals across the UK, I can help you get clear

and take action.

Neil Stead is an accomplished Business Consultant & Coach with three decades of experience at one of the UK's most respected brands. In 2021, he established Steady Consulting to partner with small business owners, helping them build stronger, more sustainable businesses – benefiting their customers, employees, and aligning with their personal aspirations. Stead focuses his expertise on the horticulture and landscaping industry – providing tailored, hands–on guidance, strategic advice, and dedicated support. He also brought his expertise to the Pro Landscaper Business Awards as a judge. To book a free discovery session, scan the QR code.

steadyconsulting.co.uk

NEIL STEAD

Grow DIGITALLY COMPLIANT

With digital tax updates on the horizon, Kim Sones is here to make sure you and your business don’t get caught off guard

Who needs to comply and when?

The rollout of MTD for ITSA is staggered, based on your annual income:

• From April 2026: Sole traders and landlords with income over £50k

• From April 2027: Sole traders and landlords with income over £30k

• From April 2028: Sole traders and landlords with income over £20k

As a landscaping business owner, your time is best spent creating beautiful outdoor spaces, not wrestling with spreadsheets and last–minute tax filings. With HMRC’s ‘Making Tax Digital’ (MTD) initiative moving into its next phase, it is vital to understand what is changing and how to prepare, especially if you are a sole trader or a landlord.

You may already be familiar with MTD for VAT, which requires all VAT–registered businesses to keep digital records and submit VAT returns using software such as Xero. The next step is MTD for Income Tax Self–Assessment (MTD for ITSA) and it is set to change how sole traders and landlords report their income.

What is Making Tax Digital for Income Tax?

MTD for ITSA is a government–led initiative to modernise and digitise the tax reporting process. From April 2026, many self–employed individuals will be required by law to keep digital records of their income and expenses and submit updates to HMRC every quarter using HMRC–recognised software.

From April 2026, many self-employed individuals will be required by law to keep digital records of their income and expenses and submit updates to HMRC every quarter using HMRC-recognised sof tware

In short, MTD for ITSA means the end of a once–a–year self–assessment for many. Instead, you will send updates to HMRC four times per year, with a final declaration to tie everything together after the tax year ends.

Note: These thresholds apply to gross income (before any expenses are deducted). If you earn more than one type of income (e.g. from both landscaping and rental properties), HMRC will combine them to determine whether you meet the threshold.

Dates for partnerships and limited companies are still to be confirmed, with MTD for Corporation Tax not expected to begin before 2026.

What are the key requirements?

This is what you will need to do once you are within scope:

Keep digital records

You must maintain digital records of all your business income and expenses using MTD–compatible software. Paper records will not be accepted.

Send quarterly updates

Every three months, you will send a summary of your business income and expenses to HMRC through your accounting software. This gives HMRC (and you) a clearer picture of how your business is performing throughout the year.

Submit a final declaration

At the end of the tax year, you will finalise your records with a Final Declaration. This includes any adjustments, personal income,

or tax reliefs, replacing what was previously known as the Self–Assessment Tax Return. Your Final Declaration is due by 31 January after the end of the tax year, the same as the current self–assessment deadline.

Why is HMRC doing this?

According to HMRC, the goals of MTD are to:

• Reduce errors caused by manual processes

• Help business owners keep on top of their taxes throughout the year

Software and digital links

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax may feel like yet another compliance hurdle, but it is also an opportunity to take control of your finances

• Make it easier to budget for tax bills

• Streamline the tax system to make it more efficient

In theory, MTD should make tax simpler. However, in practice, it is a significant change that requires planning, especially for smaller businesses used to oncea-year reporting.

To comply with MTD, you must use HMRC–recognised software. If you use more than one piece of software (e.g. a spreadsheet for records and a separate tool to submit returns), they must be digitally linked, meaning no manual copying and pasting between systems. For landscaping businesses, cloud–based accounting software like Xero can be a good fit. It not only ensures compliance with MTD but also helps with quoting, invoicing, tracking materials and labour, and managing cash flow, all from your phone or tablet.

Common questions from landscapers

• Is using accounting software a legal requirement?

Yes, if you fall within MTD thresholds. You must use MTD–compatible software to submit compliant returns.

• What about cash jobs or non–invoiced work?

All income must be digitally recorded regardless of how it is received. MTD aims to reduce the tax gap, and HMRC will be expecting more visibility, not less.

• What if I am already VAT–registered and using Xero?

Start using accounting software – Switch to MTD–compliant software now. This gives you time to learn the system, fix any issues, and work with your accountant to set things up properly.

Speak to your accountant –

A good accountant will guide you through the transition and help you stay compliant. They can also support you in choosing the right software, setting up digital links, and preparing quarterly updates.

Final thoughts

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax may feel like yet another compliance hurdle, but it is also an opportunity to take control of your finances. For landscaping businesses juggling suppliers, subcontractors, and seasonal cash flow, cloud accounting can provide much–needed clarity. By embracing the changes now, you will be in a stronger position when MTD becomes mandatory and will be better able to run a profitable, sustainable business year–round.

Need help getting ready for MTD?

What happens if you don’t comply?

HMRC has introduced a points–based penalty system for late submissions under MTD rules. This is how it works:

• One p oint for each missed submission

• £200 f ine if you reach the threshold (e.g. four points for quarterly submissions)

• Further missed submissions will trigger more fines

• Points reset after a period of good compliance

• Late payments are penalised separately, with interest accruing after 15 days and escalating further after 30 days. So, staying on top of your quarterly deadlines, and making timely payments, will be essential to avoid penalties.

You are already partway there. From 2026, you will need to start using Xero (or similar) to also submit quarterly income tax updates and your Final Declaration.

• Do I need to act now?

If your income is above £30k or £50k, now is the time to prepare. Moving to digital record–keeping early will make the transition smoother. Do not leave it until the deadline.

What should you do now?

Here are three steps you can take to get MTD–ready: Check your income threshold

– Review your gross annual income from self–employment and/or property. If it is over £50k, you will need to comply from April 2026.

Kim photograph ©Sarah Cockerton

At Sones Accountancy Services, we specialise in helping landscaping businesses prepare for MTD using tools like Xero. We will get you set up, trained, and confident in your numbers so you can focus on growing your business.

Kim Sones, owner of Sones Accountancy Services, specialises in bookkeeping, payroll, and accountancy for the landscaping industry. Guided by her mission to empower business owners with the tools and insights they need to make smarter, faster decisions, she helps landscapers build financial foundations, understand numbers, set goals, and steer their business with confidence. Instagram: @kimsonesaccounts Email: kim@sonesacccountancy.co.uk

Book a free 15-minute consultation

KIM SONES

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Supplying everything from topsoil to tree shelters to wild ower seed, Green-tech is proud to work with landscape professionals to create beautiful, sustainable and biodiverse landscapes.

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“WE’RE QUITE A SMALL COMPANY, I DON’T KNOW HOW WE DO IT, TO BE HONEST ”

Five years ago, Sarah Murch was considering closing the pool side of Ellicar – now, the small but mighty business is thriving, and it’s looking to expand too

WORDS: NINA MASON

Feet up on a sun lounger, looking out over a stretch of glistening water surrounded by greenery, it’s not hard to imagine how Ellicar wins over clients by inviting them to its site in Doncaster. Its own natural swimming pool was the first one that it installed, and it’s been a key selling point ever since. But that wasn’t the intention 15 years ago.

Whilst on a family holiday in Northumberland, Sarah Murch and her husband Will – both avid wild swimmers – enjoyed seeing their children playing in the river and wanted to recreate that experience closer to home. But South Yorkshire is a “bit of a dry area,” says Murch. So, building a natural swimming pool seemed like the ideal solution. “We realised that we didn’t know anything about swimming ponds, though, so we went and joined BioTop in Austria. They invented the natural swimming pool 40 years ago and they have a network of partners all over the world.”

To become a partner, they needed to form a company. Murch was already running her own garden design and soft landscaping business, whilst her husband is a professional rhododendron grower who owns Osberton Nurseries just down the road. Ellicar became the

third venture, installing natural pools using BioTop’s skimmers and biological filtration systems.

“We did maybe a pool or two every couple of years. One year, we sold a pool vacuum. We didn’t do very well. That was the point that, after about 10 years, we considered closing it because we weren’t getting anywhere; it was costing us money to keep it going. It was quite sad thinking that each year might be the last year that we do.”

That’s when covid came along.“Everyone suddenly wanted big gardens. They were moving out of the city, buying properties, and coming to us.”

There was a surge in wild swimmers too; membership of The Outdoor Swimming Society grew by over a third (36%) in 2020. But with water pollution on the rise – the Surfers Against Sewage’s 2025 Water Quality Report found there were 592,478 untreated sewage

discharges in the UK last year, and that’s just the ones they know about – they were seemingly looking for another way to get their fix.

“We certainly don’t like wild swimming as much as we used to, knowing the water biology and the E-coli in the water. We’d rather stick to our own pool. And others are looking to build an amazing place at their homes where they can have an oasis at their property, like we have here.” A natural swimming pool is “like a mountain lake,” explains Murch. The water is

low nutrient, so there’s little phosphorus in it, meaning no algae occurs. The water is filtered through mineral beds, which may have reeds or just layers of gravel, and the good bacteria there eliminate bacteria that might cause infections, such as Enterococci, Pseudomonas and return the filtered mineralised water to the ‘regeneration zone’. Here submerged aquatics, including oxygenators, take up the minerals and remove excess phosphorus as they grow for hydro-botanical filtration. At the end of the year, some of these will be taken out to remove the phosphorus locked up in the plants.

have a filtration box that goes under a deck too, instead of a big reed bed and expanse of gravel.”

Any leaves and debris are blown into the skimmer and become trapped in the sieve, whilst the pump house – which sits under the deck – returns the water, aerated, to the pool.

Others are looking to build an amazing place at their homes where they can have an oasis at their property, like we have here

‘Living pools’ without aquatic plants are becoming more popular too, says Murch. These can be heated with an air source heat pump and go inside as well.“So, there’s no reason for anyone to have a chemical pool anymore.”

“In that way, it differs from a pond because it has a hygienic filtration system, so you know that you’re safe to swim in that pool. The modern pools that we build with the BioTop filtration

Murch still prefers natural swimming pools, though, which don’t need to be covered.“They sit nicely in the landscape. There’s definitely a place for living pools, but if your pool is covered all the time, is it something that you’re going to want to look at? It’s great tucked away in a pool garden or indoors, but if you’re looking out over it in your main garden, then a natural swimming pool is beautiful all year round. And people are coming to us wanting a whole garden with a pool as a holistic wildlife and lifestyle feature.”

When she first started Ellicar in 2010, the idea of selling an outdoor pool in Yorkshire – where

YORKSHIRE SPA

temperatures have dropped to –19°C – seemed farfetched.“Now, we’re not having to sell against cold water; people like the wellness benefits of it. A lot of our projects recently include outdoor saunas too for the same reason.”

It was during lockdown, when the team was working on a project in Southwell, Nottinghamshire – which went on to win a BALI National Landscape Award in 2022 and was announced as Supreme Winner at the APL Awards – that “it all exploded”. Murch’s sons, George and Chester – aged 17 and 19 at the time – weren't able to attend school or university, so they started to work on site. “I sent them out to get their steel toe cap boots and hi-vis jackets – that’s how green they were. And they absolutely loved it on site. George started to build pools for us instead of starting university and went on a digger course. By 18, he was managing his first site – one in Carlton, which was a massive baptism of fire.”

People are coming to us wanting a whole garden with a pool as a holistic wildlife and lifestyle feature

Chester, who was one of the Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners last year, went back to finish his chemical engineering degree but took a year off before starting his Master's and went back to helping out on site.

“He’d been resisting joining because it’s the family business, but we knew he really wanted to. He took to it and loved it and never went back to do his Master's. He’s a site manager now too. “We never expected the boys to be in the business –or even our daughter, Hannah, who joined us recently. It was an unexpected turn, and we wouldn’t be where we are today if they hadn’t.”

When the family first moved to their home in Doncaster, they were looking for more land to grow vegetables and keep animals. The property used to be a youth offender institution, and what was once a classroom was turned into a tearoom for visitors to Ellicar Gardens as they opened it up to clients every Friday.

“But the business grew and grew to the point where we couldn’t cope with the visitors, and we needed this building as an office.”

Ellicar now builds six natural swimming pools a year as well as the gardens around these, from concept plan to construction drawing –something which technical designer Catherine Bywood taught herself how to do – and planting plans, to carrying out the groundworks, installing the pool itself and then completing the hard and soft landscaping.

It offers maintenance too.“Once the pools have been installed, we produce our own operation design manual and give the clients training. Then every winter, the soft landscaping team services the pools. That’s quite a big part of our work. The more pools we build, the more we can service, and we’re adding six a year to that. We do that between November and January when it’s usually quite wet weather, and we’ll go all over the country.”

It's not just the business which is worlds apart from when they first started. The entire 11-acre site was just bare fields when they arrived and has since been transformed “plant by plant”.“What’s been amazing is the wildlife. When you go for a walk and come back here, you can hear the bird song; it’s like an island amongst farmland. And that’s been an incredible journey – seeing how you can increase the biodiversity. It’s a completely

SOUTHWELL

different site, and many of the plants have self-seeded.”

The original swimming pool has stood the test of time as well.“It’s 15 years old and I can honestly say every time I come down here, I’m blown away. I love the way nature has taken over – it's definitely changed our approach to gardening to be more naturalistic.”

A winter garden is now being added to the gardens, and a Molinia meadow is being planted by the goat and llama paddocks. At the back of the garden, the site is being enhanced with a roadway and a car park leading up to the company’s yard, with a green waste and bark pile to the side.

The soft landscaping plays a huge role in what we do; it sells us as a company that we can do the whole finish

are plans to install a 200m2 experimental pond with wildflower meadows and trees around it.

“Stay tuned – that will probably be at the end of the year, when we have a bit of downtime.

An animal barn has been half converted into a storage shed for tools, as well as a base for the team, whilst the other half houses the goats, ponies and llamas – and a guard goose.

Type one waste from Ellicar’s projects is being broken down and placed on top of lumps of concrete, with a sand substrate on top for a “concrete garden”. Murch is also experimenting with gravel gardens, growing plants in sand and covered in gravel rather than bringing in topsoil and growing them through a membrane.

Behind this, three ponds have been installed to grow oxygenators for the regeneration zone. “You can't get different varieties very easily from aquatic suppliers. So, we are collecting different types, and we're growing them in gravel and in clay, and we're changing the carbonates and the pH. We're trying some with filtration, some without, to experiment and monitor the water and see how well the plants grow.”

There’s an area for a large polytunnel and for storing plants between projects, and there

"There’s not likely to be much of that until then. Ellicar has just finished a project in North Yorkshire and is now onto one in Berkshire and another in Colchester, where construction is nearly complete, and the soft landscaping is about to start. Murch and Bywood are heading there for two days the day after we visit to help plant 7,000 plants, which is the second of around five soft landscaping phases over the next few months."

Since training as a garden designer at KLC School of Design when she returned from living in Austria for 10 years, Murch has always carried out soft landscaping as well, and she’s hoping that this side of the business will grow.

“That’s why I’ve been able to bring that side into the pools, because that’s what I’ve always done. We’re quite unique in that we don’t just do the hard landscaping around the pools. The soft landscaping plays a huge role in what we do; it sells us as a company that we can do the whole finish. We can go in there, do the

groundwork and the civils, the pool construction and installation and the hard and soft landscaping. People spend about 10% of their time in the water, so the space around the water is really important.”

An installation in Derbyshire is about to be planted up, and the team is about to start another project in Hampshire.

“We’re quite a small company, I don’t know how we do it, to be honest.” It’s also starting to take on more commercial projects since installing a natural swimming pool at the Yorkshire Spa Retreat, where the pipework was “like spaghetti junction”. Built for 40 swimmers, the pool area also boasts steam rooms, wet rooms and Jacuzzis.“The whole place sold out within the first year.”

It has led to other commercial enquiries.“It’s slow, but it’s growing. The public pools are starting to filter in. We’ve had enquiries for years, but it’s now becoming more popular.”

Ellicar is also hoping to take the plunge and progress more into larger pool projects and lakes, and to have an independent team solely for installing pools, leaving Chester and George free to manage other projects.

This might all have seemed like a pipe dream five years ago. But with natural swimming pools proving ever popular and the next generation fully immersed in the family business, Ellicar isn’t just staying afloat – it’s flourishing.

MARLOW

ELLICAR

SOUTHWELL

TAKE A DIP

BLUEFISH LANDSCAPES

PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN WEST BYFLEET

OPROJECT DETAILS

Project value £249k Build time 27 weeks Size of project 2,221 m2

Awards 2024 Domestic Garden Construction Between £199k - £250k winner

nce perceived as solely for summer leisure, gardens with pools have evolved to offer more than a backdrop for sunbathing and swimming; poolside landscapes are more often now thoughtfully designed to offer visual interest, functionality, and ambiance throughout every season, and this garden, designed by Nettles & Petals Design and built by Bluefish Landscaping Contractors is a striking example of this evolution.

Blending classical structure and contemporary functionality, this well-defined outdoor space incorporates calm ambience through weather earth tone structures, to elegant simplicity through clean and defined zones. A standout feature of this project is the addition of an oak-framed pool house to the rear of the garden. Designed to enhance both functionality and aesthetics, the structure encompasses various amenities, including a changing room, a restroom, a pool plant room, and a versatile lounge/ dining area featuring an open fireplace and space for an outdoor kitchen. This one structure alone provides ample opportunity for year-round engagement and compliments the surrounding outdoor furniture and planting seamlessly. Further elevating the space is a bespoke wine rack and kitchen units, built using clay bricks to complement the oak cupboard doors and frames for a timeless appeal, while granite worktops provide stylish practicality.

while maintaining a sense of openness and flow. Overall, the pool design seamlessly integrates built and natural elements, allowing the pool to feel like an organic extension of the garden itself.

Layered planting not only frames the pool area, softening the structure with a mix of textures and green hues, but also works to lead users of the space throughout the different zones. Taller species of shrubs, trees and plants are used to encompass the walkway, tying the space in with the pre-existing landscape

At this garden’s centre is the newly established pool, which harmoniously blends with the surrounding space, creating a serene and cohesive outdoor retreat. The millboard composite decking complements the tones of the pool house, reinforcing a rustic yet refined aesthetic that feels grounded in the landscape. While the contemporary loungers add a luxurious touch; inviting relaxation

and providng ample shading opportunities, whilst creating a feel of naturalistic ambience that breaks up the more modern elements of the design. Both evergreen structures and ornamental grasses were included in the scheme to create a traditional, but neat pallet that provides long seasonal interest.

Due to the site’s designation under a tree preservation order, measures were taken to safeguard the existing flora, particularly the mature cedar tree. The Bluefish team put together a comprehensive tree protection zone, established along the property’s perimeter and around the designated tree, supported by the installation of fencing and ground floor mats laid over a bed of bark mulch to ensure minimal disturbance to the area and mitigate any potential damage caused by machinery movement. Upon completion of the project, all trees and their roots were preserved and left undamaged, which managing director, James Fish says: “underscores [the company’s] unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible landscaping practices.”

During excavation near the rear of the house, the Bluefish team encountered an

unexpected obstacle when they uncovered remnants of an old tree stump that had been cut off just above ground level, and upon further inspection they discovered an extensive lateral root system. Due to the project’s design requirements for that area, it was crucial for the stump to be removed entirely. Significant manpower and the use of heavy machinery was needed to effectively excavate the surrounding ground; a grab lorry was then enlisted to transport the root to designated recycling facility.

3 Corner steps offer a descent into the pool

4 A soft palette, serene planting scheme

5 Limestone paving with a clay paver detail

6 Oak-framed structure defines outdoor kitchen and dining area

7 Discreet lighting design transforms the space

The pre-existing terrace connected to the rear of the house was intended to remain, with plans to remedial work around the new gym extension. However, once work began to clear the site, it became apparent that a complete overhaul of the zone was needed to achieve a seamless integration with the new extension. To achieve uniformity in the design and address threshold level considerations, the Bluefish team opted to lift and replace the entire paving terrace; installing a new

concrete sub-base and utilising a new paving material – all the useable York paving removed was donated to a local reclamation yard.

As specified by the design team at Nettles & Petals, tumbled edge limestone was laid throughout the space, complemented by clay paver detailing to add visual interest and break up the expanse of terracing. This choice of material

allowed for cohesion between the existing and new areas, tying the space together, while also addressing drainage and safety concerns along the pool bank. The resulting garden marries seamless contemporary stylings with traditional and naturalistic features, creating a cohesive space that offers functionality and tranquility for the family, with the project itself being carried out efficiently and with little to no disturbance to neighboring residents, the property owners, and the surrounding landscape.

Check out Liz Frost’s, founder of Nettles & Petals Design, top tip for designing a garden with a pool on page 62

8 Basket weave clay paver path

9 Bespoke iron gate by new brick piers and walling Photographs ©Darren Lincoln, Nettles & Petals Design

REFERENCES

Designer Nettles & Petals Design nettlesandpetalsdesign. co.uk

Pool installation

Fowler Swimming Pools fowlerswimmingpools. co.uk

Lighting

DLX Lighting designed-illuminance. co.uk

Topsoil

Bury Hill

Landscape Supplies buryhilltopsoilandlogs. co.uk

Bluefish Landscaping Contractors specialises in transforming gardens and country estates through high-quality design, construction, and maintenance. With a passion for creativity and precision, they bring each client’s vision to life, blending exceptional craftsmanship with sustainable practices to create unique outdoor spaces tailored to enhance any property’s beauty and functionality. bluefishlandscapes.co.uk

Linestone paving Quorn Stone mystonefloor.com

Planting

Van Arnhem Nurseries vanarnhem-nursery.co.uk

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and a pool THREE GARDENS

THE GARDEN COMPANY

GOLDINGTONS, SARRATT

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value

Over £500k

Build time 18 months

Size of project

20,234.3 sqm Awards

Homes and Gardens 2022

Best Large Garden winner and National Landscape Awards

2020 Domestic Garden Construction winner

As the old saying goes, good things come in threes, and this project by The Garden Company is no exception.

The Hertfordshire-based firm was commissioned to design and build three distinct yet interconnected gardens to enhance the client’s property, while remaining faithful to the home’s history and the surrounding landscape.

The property itself has a rich and varied history, dating back to the mid-1700s and has passed through the hands of families, tenants,

baronets, and several MPs over the years. It also gained a touch of fame as part of the film set for the 1994 romantic comedy, Four Weddings and a Funeral. Fittingly, the project came full circle for the current owner, who first fell in love with the house two decades earlier when he helped to build the walled garden – as an employee of The Garden Company.

1 Carefully-sited sculpture draws the eye to the wider landscape Photographs ©Clive Nichols

As well as undertaking substantial renovation work to restore this Georgian home, complete with a Victorian extension and a five-acre garden in the village of Sarratt, to its former glory and original architectural style, the owners were also keen to incorporate a traditional English country garden, with a contemporary twist to meet modern needs, as managing director, James Scott explains: “This ambitious design and landscaping programme transformed a vast outside space into three outdoor havens, each of which enhanced the elegance of our clients’ stunning home. It was also vitally important to make the most of the property’s beautiful country setting.”

The first of the three schemes was remodelling the existing southern terrace and nearby planting to better integrate it into the surrounding landscape and home. Designed to provide intuitive egress between the house and the walled garden, the space is divided into multiple sanctuary-inspired pockets. Encompassed by planting, the terrace offers views out onto the pond and into the valley. Several sculptures, created by David Harber, were integrated into the design to become focal points amongst the foliage.

Through its remodel, the southern terrace now offers

improved access to the walled garden. Secluded from the surrounding space, the walled garden offered the perfect space for the contemporary entertainment hub. But first, the existing pool building, originally built in the 80s, a visually disconnected terrace, and a dilapidated pool needed to be removed. In their place a new pool, with an air source heat pump was installed, as well as natural rocks from a Yorkshire-based quarry to blend with the existing colour palette and soften the levels. Raised Corten steel planting borders were also established to further define the space and soften the high wall, creating an idyllic modern sanctuary with outdoor seating and dining encased with traditional stylings.

• Roses

• Lavender

• Alliums

• Prunus serrula

• Geums PLANTING

Multi-stem cherry trees (Prunus serrula) were planted to provide visual interest, creating an avenue surrounded by deep swathes of largely herbaceous perennials with statement shrubs to add volume.

In need of an overhaul, the northern garden was redesigned to accommodate functionality and everyday use; such as car parking, while remaining faithful to the rest of the garden. Topiary and a softer planting palette were incorporated to seamlessly

blend the two together. Generous planting borders line the western side, while the existing meadow and orchard have been retained and absorbed into the new design, with additional orchard trees planted to create a grid-like pattern.

2 Poolside planting for immersive experience

3 Southern terrace with traditional planting

4 Relaxation area next to pool Photographs ©Clive Nichols

CLIENT FEEDBACK

“We have worked with a number of different garden designers over the years and what has impressed us most about James and the team was that they listened to how we as a client wanted to use the garden and the types of planting that we liked (and didn’t like) and then used their skill and creativity to meet our needs. At every stage, they provided very clear plans and detailed lists for plants and planting schedules so that we could see what was envisaged. We are delighted with the finished result and the planting looks amazingly mature and well established. We have all round colour and some really super plants. The colour palette used in the borders is stunning and it has provided us with endless hours of pleasure. We would definitely work with James and the team again on future projects.”

Commenting on the three areas, Scott says:

“Along the southern elevation, deep terracing was created that felt more in keeping with the scale of the property. Importantly, this new focal point gave the family sweeping views of the valley during the day and glorious sunsets in the evening. Connecting the new zones of the garden was also a priority, so the terraced area was carefully designed to draw the eye through newly installed gates into the inviting walled garden and pool beyond.”

Throughout each of the gardens, Scott and the team have ensured a good balance between hard and soft landscaping, with materials from the

existing garden re-purposed where possible, including reclaimed Yorkstone, as well as reclaimed bricks to modify the Georgian walls where needed. No soil from the site was taken away but was sorted and graded in a wild garden area to form gentle contours.

Check out James Scott’s top tip for designing a garden with a pool on page 62.

5 Foundation planting connects house to landscape 6 Pond built by The Garden Company 20 years earlier Photographs ©Clive Nichols

ABOUT

James Scott founded The Garden Company in Hertfordshire in 1991. Since then, he and his team of designers and landscapers have been bringing clients’ dreams to life with bespoke, handcrafted gardens. Scott is highly committed to sustainable gardens that celebrate nature, and his portfolio includes multiple national award-winning garden transformations. thegardenco.co.uk

REFERENCES

Sawn Yorkstone Rand and Asquith randandasquith.co.uk

Trees and shrubs Rochfords rochfords.net

Portland stone Lovell Stone lovellstonegroup.com

Sculptures David Harber davidharber.co.uk

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PARADISE Puglian

URQUHART & HUNT

MASSERIA PISTOLA

Sweeping green arable fields and vineyards line the Canale Di Piero Valley in southern Italy. Olive trees that have stood their ground for centuries are so embedded in the community that everything else is built around them, whilst oak forests at the top of the hills have wild boar running through them. It couldn’t be a more picturesque location for the Giardini Pistola, a nearly four acre garden in Puglia that flows from the masseria –a typical Puglian farmhouse.

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value Undisclosed Build time 18 months (phase one) Size of project 11,400m2 Awards SGD Awards 2024 International Commercial or Community Landscapes & Gardens winner

The gardens are made up of six terraces carved into the hillside. When award-winning landscape design studio Urquhart & Hunt first arrived on the site, some of these had already been partially created based on another design. There was a need to work within these boundaries, but it was otherwise a blank canvas – a bare field with a farmhouse and other buildings that were in need of restoration. “It was land alongside the road; it wasn’t really a destination for anyone,” says Petra Ulrik, association landscape architect.

The client wanted to change this. He asked for each of the rolling terraces to have a different feel, with a different journey of exploration from top to bottom; he didn’t want visitors to walk up and down in a straight line but instead to find their own way through the garden.

The top three terraces formed the first phase of the project and, once these were completed, the gardens opened to the public in June 2020 whilst work on the other three terraces commenced.

“This is partly because the whole project was being implemented during the Covid lockdown, and we couldn’t be there in person to place out the plants, which is something we’d normally do; so, we had to create really precise planting plans for the site team to follow and implement.”

Close-ups of each bed were created using a three metre by three metre grid, and Ulrik praises the site team for bringing them to life.

“You need a certain level of creative license when you’re looking at a planting plan, so it’s down to the site team for creating it the way it is.”

The pandemic wasn’t the only obstacle for the planting, though.

Choosing the plants in the first place proved challenging thanks to the devastation caused by Xylella fastidiosa in this part of Europe.

The bacterial plant pathogen first arrived in Italy on a coffee plant in 2008, and there have since been outbreaks of several sub-species infecting a wide variety of host plants.

“The Italian government has a whole website with guidelines on what plants could be hosting the disease, and as we were in the buffer zone, we were not allowed to use any of these plants to minimise the spread. And that’s a huge list; there are around 95 plants that we couldn’t use, and some of the most iconic Italian plants such as olive trees were on it.”

Ulrik’s colleague Valerie Bond, an associate garden designer, had to undertake painstaking research to create a list of plants that were

not on this list. Not only that, but they also needed to be as native to the locality as possible – drought tolerant for the extreme summer heat, as well as able to withstand cold winters below zero degrees.

“The climatic variation in Puglia is astonishing,” says Adam Hunt, principal and co-founder of Urquhart & Hunt. “We went there one January and were driving to the site with snow chains on our tyres because the snow was coming down so thickly. But in the summer, the temperature is 40 plus degrees.”

Plants were sourced from local nurseries but also from ‘the dry gardening guru’ Olivier Filippi’s renowned nursery, Pépinière Filippi, in France which specialises in drought tolerant plants. Urquhart & Hunt were hoping to avoid irrigation if possible, but a change in mindset around the need for irrigation is arguably still needed in this region, and installing it was a must.

The big win for the planting was the ground itself. “It has this rich, brown colour, and the plants grew so well in it – maybe twice as fast as they would in the UK. That’s probably also to do with the climate, but the soil is really good there too,” says Ulrik. It pops against the local white stone which meanders around the garden, making it look “surreal”. When the garden opened and the client sent drone shots of the garden, Ulrik thought they were CGI images at first.

1 The reflection rill also functions as a child-safe water play area

2 Traditionally restored trullis

3 Pergola walk with climbing edibles

4 Late summer blossoming

The first terrace is almost entirely ornamental grass. “It’s like a labyrinth and everything is moving softly around you. You can be lost and surrounded by these golden grass heads in the autumn, or carpets of bulbs in the spring,” says Ulrik.

Plane trees are the focal points of the next terrace, as the planting style varies from one to the other. To ensure a seamless transition, it starts to blend as you move down, with plants from one mixing in with plants from the next. “It’s an appetiser for what’s to come; we’re merging them.”

On the fourth terrace, the client wanted a water feature that was decorative but also playful, so a shallow water canal runs along it. “It was a great idea in a hot country especially, but it was very much about creating a safe place for children too, so we have to think of ways to avoid any slipping or drowning whilst still making it fun and beautiful.”

The gardens are also a venue for weddings and other events, with the fifth terrace used as the main avenue. It’s more “romantic”, says Hunt, with lots of roses and planting beds filled with aromatic herbs. It’s where there are some of the few permanent seating areas, with retaining stone wall structures that support the level changes being turned into benches. This was a purposeful decision; the client wanted the furniture to be somewhat temporary so that the space could be adapted for different uses. On the final terrace, there’s a maze for children to explore.

The client had been inspired by the gardens of Babylonstoren in South Africa. “He liked the mixture of symmetry, the diversity of the planting, and the playfulness,” says Hunt. “He wanted a garden where you could have a wedding but you could also take a bunch of kids there and they’d have a laugh running through it.

“It’s been really popular; it’s one of those destination places now. It’s so beautiful. The client really had a vision and I think it paid off. We’re very proud of it.”

It’s the first garden to have made Hunt well up when he visited it last summer. “I’ve not had that before on one of our gardens, but I had tears in my eyes. I was really emotional and amazed to see how well it had done.”

“This is a botanical journey as well as a beautiful place to enjoy life, because it's not just a garden where you go in and have a cup of tea; they have stargazing events, and hot air balloons, and workshops to make your own lavender oil, or wine tasting, and tours of the garden – it's very much alive, so I think it's not just a garden, it's hosting something much more,” says Ulrik.

Hunt says it might not have the same impact in the UK, as it’s somewhat unique for a garden of this style in Italy. But no matter where in the world, it would have likely created the same sense of awe as it does in the idyllic Puglian countryside.

5 Route meanders across the garden

6 Each terrace has a defining character Photographs ©Jason Ingram

ABOUT

Urquhart & Hunt is a landscape design studio dedicated to nature, specialising in contemporary restorations of older gardens and their wider landscapes. It won Best in Show as well as a Gold medal for its debut garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022 – A Rewilding Britain Landscape. urquharthunt.com

Cool by Design

Shade shouldn’t be an afterthought – it's the silent hero of outdoor living, explains Samuel Moore

We’re well and truly in the era of outdoor living –and it’s been driven in no small part by designers like myself, who are constantly pushing what gardens can be. For our clients, the basics now include outdoor kitchens, swim spas, pools, and properly zoned dining and lounging spaces. These are no longer luxuries; they’re expected. But one element that still gets left behind far too often is shade.

Now I get it – when you’ve just invested in a beautiful swim spa or a pristine porcelain patio, the last thing you want to do is cover it up.

well, it becomes one of the most valuable parts of the whole design.

Shade isn’t a compromise; it’s a tool. And when it’s done well, it becomes one of the most valuable parts of the whole design

But here’s the reality: with hotter summers and more extreme heatwaves becoming the norm, comfort is king. Shade isn’t a compromise; it’s a tool. And when it’s done

The best gardens don’t just look good on camera – they function beautifully, too. Shade allows clients to use their gardens for longer and more often, especially in the middle of the day when the sun is at its strongest. And that means more time outside – working, relaxing, entertaining, playing with the kids. It also means we, as designers, need to start thinking beyond just the visual and consider thermal comfort as part of our design DNA.

It’s not just about the outside either. A lot of our clients have large bifold doors – stunning to look out of, but they often lead to overheating and glare

inside. A simple louvered pergola positioned correctly can cut that heat before it reaches the glass and makes the space inside more comfortable too. It’s a win-win.

When it comes to built shading, louvered pergolas are definitely leading the pack right now. Personally, we love the systems from Caribbean Blinds. They’re UK-made, incredibly well built, and genuinely one of the best

options on the market. They look sharp, they perform well, and clients love that they can control them with the touch of a button –lighting, heating, rain sensors, the works.

Retractable awnings are having a bit of a comeback too. Forget the stripy ones your nan had; the modern ones are sleek, considered and discreet – perfect for clients who want shade when they need it but prefer something a little more flexible. And for tighter budgets or smaller spaces, sails still have a place – especially in courtyards or overlooked gardens where you want some privacy as well as protection from the sun.

Trees can often achieve the same goals without the red tape – another reason to push natural solutions when the opportunity is there

areas. And upright species like Fastigiate Oak or Persian Ironwood bring height and seasonal interest without taking up too much space. What’s more, trees are multi-taskers. They shade, they soften, they support wildlife, and they help with air flow and microclimate. Clients love the look, but they also love the feel – and it’s that experience that sets great gardens apart from the rest.

SHADING solution

But here’s where we take it a step further – let’s talk natural shade.

Too often, trees are seen purely as soft landscaping, but they’re so much more than that. When planned properly, trees can provide incredible shade and become focal points in their own right. Multi-stem varieties like Amelanchier or Birch give beautiful dappled shade and structure. Pleached Hornbeam or Lime are ideal for blocking harsh late-afternoon sun around dining

That said, context is everything. You’ve got to study how the sun moves through the space before deciding where and how to introduce shading. I’ve seen far too many gardens where someone’s thrown a pergola into an already shaded corner, which defeats the point. Shade should be considered and layered –morning spots for coffee, play zones where the kids won’t burn, afternoon spaces to unwind. And don’t forget planning. Anything over 2.5m high and within one metre of a boundary may need permission, which can be a dealbreaker if you haven’t planned ahead. Trees, however, can often achieve the same goals without the red tape – another reason to push natural solutions when the opportunity is there.

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The way I see it, shade shouldn’t be reactive. We’ve all seen the clients who grab a parasol when the sun comes out – but that’s not design, that’s firefighting. Proactive shading, on the other hand, is intentional. It’s considered. And when it’s woven into the structure of the garden from the beginning, it changes everything.

We treat shade as a core part of the brief, not an afterthought. While it might not be the most eye-catching feature in the garden, it’s often the one clients are most grateful for once they’ve lived with it. Shade is your silent luxury hero – subtle, smart, and essential to getting the most out of your outdoor space.

And as outdoor living continues to evolve, the designers who think about shade first will be the ones leading the way.

Samuel Moore runs Consilium Hortus, an Essex-based company that creates bespoke garden design solutions for private and commercial clients. One of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners, Moore has previously worked for various award-winning design and build companies and has a degree in Landscape and Garden Design from Writtle University College. consiliumhortus.co.uk

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SAMUEL MOORE

Water in the garden can be sensory and evoke emotion. The sound of trickling water grounds us and acts as an instant distraction from day-to-day life, creating play on light, providing a space for nature and the vital addition of movement in the garden.

Water features remain a timeless element in garden design, suiting everything from the most classical design in a sprawling estate setting to a compact contemporary urban courtyard. Technology and our industry’s amazing supply chain, coupled with specialist contractors, now make specifying and installing these features far more straightforward than in times gone by. Bringing ideas to life is the most rewarding part of our job, and personally I find using water one of the most satisfying. That said, getting a water feature right requires consideration, an appropriate budget, collaboration and attention to detail.

Introducing varying types of feature in terms of size, scale and complexity will depend on a number of factors. A client’s budget, thirst for ongoing maintenance, and the site’s aspect are key to initially pull a plan together.

Ponds, rills and features add immediate aesthetic value to a garden, offering a sense of establishment, and grandeur regardless of scale. Depending on their design they can have untold ecological benefits, supporting wildlife like birds, pollinators and amphibians. Aquatic planting is in its own right a specialist subject, and a naturalistic pond can act as a steppingstone between other freshwater habitats, supporting not only wildlife in the garden but across the whole local area.

During the summer, a well-designed pond can have a cooling effect in a hot garden providing space for the breeze to cool you,

Go with the flow

Matt Evans encourages designers to find various ways to incorporate water as a feature in their projects

to transport you from the immediate location to somewhere more ethereal, relaxing, and immersive. Sticking to the immersive theme, swim ponds are very much top of the agenda on larger budget projects and with specialist help can create the most stunning feature. A more formal pond can act as a focal point for a more stately space framed symmetrically

with balanced proportions and sharp, un-fussy detailing.

Getting a water feature right requires consideration, an appropriate budget, collaboration and attention to detail

There are a number of types of feature, each with their own suitable space. Fountains can be freestanding, wall mounted or tiered, suitable for various applications, both contemporary and more classical. Ponds can be naturalistic, with shelves for planting and wildlife – even stocked with fish, should your client have the inclination. Alternatively, a pond can be designed with more formal attributes acting like a large sculptural focal point. Streams and rills are great for sloped gardens; they add sound, interest and can guide the end user on a journey through the space. Water walls are a great vertical solution in a garden design; ideally suited to a more contemporary space, they tend to be utilised in a courtyard and are ideal as a main focal point.

Container water gardens are perfect for balconies or patios. With many ‘off the shelf’ solutions in the market, these plug and play solutions have become a staple for many of us

TACKLE HIV CHALLENGING STIGMA GARDEN DESIGNED BY MANOJ MALDE AT RHS CHELSEA 2025

ROOM TO BREATHE HOSPITAL GARDEN FOR THE TSA DESIGNED BY JEN DONNELLY AND CATHERINE GIBBON AT RHS CHELSEA 2025

ADHD FOUNDATION GARDEN DESIGNED

when specifying smaller garden schemes due to their lack of required regular maintenance and ease of installation. They also offer clients the ability to invest in a unit and then move on with it in future if their address changes.

As a design team, we’re often tasked with specifying different features and discussing the pros and cons of each. Our first consideration is to review the proposed scale and proportion of the feature so it sits nicely within the scheme. Materiality then comes into play, from natural stone to ceramic or even metal – what’s the impact on the visual language and eventual maintenance for the end user?

Safety is key, especially in gardens with children and pets. As designers we have a responsibility to consider this in detail

THE BRITISH RED CROSS ‘HERE FOR HUMANITY’ GARDEN. DESIGNED BY

Placement in the space is a very important factor – is the feature a distraction from something more important, is it playing second fiddle to a more dominant focal point, or is it the main attraction?

Safety is key, especially in gardens with children and pets. As designers, we have a responsibility to consider this in detail, so a functionality review and discussion with

clients is key early on to ensure this is covered off. I’ve referenced maintenance, but the basics such as filtration, algae control and potential winterisation requirements are really important for clients, as costs, time and mess created can all vary depending on the feature. Integrating technology with nature is something we’re finding certain clients wanting to do more and more. Managing timers on phones and gadgetry that makes their lives easier is often an easy upsell and means you can charge for servicing, winterising, re-commissions and repairs, keeping you in touch with the client post-project handover.

Water can be transformative in a garden, and if in doubt start small or call in an expert. With water playing such a big part in many of this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show designs and rainwater harvesting naturalistic and drought tolerant gardens definitely in the public psyche, we’ve never seen a time with water being so much a part of so many client briefs – which can only be a good thing.

MATT EVANS

Matt Evans is the managing director and design lead at The Garden Room Living and Landscape Studio, based in Poole, Dorset. The Garden Room is a young, creative design studio founded by partners in life and design, Matt and his wife Elle Evans. Located just a stone’s throw from the shores of Poole Harbour and the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, they operate across Dorset, London and the south of England offering garden design, project management and planting as well as specialist aftercare. thegardenroomstudio.com

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THE

BY KATY TERRY AT THE RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW 2025

JOHN WARLAND AND TOM BANNISTER AT RHS CHELSEA 2025

In conversation with...

STEPHENS INDUSTRIES JOHN EARL

How does Stephens Industries set itself apart in the market?

What sets us apart is our ability to offer both supply and installation, backed by deep technical knowledge, in-house manufacturing and a flexible, solution-led approach. As a UK-based manufacturer and distributor, we don’t just ship materials. We work closely with clients to design, fabricate and install tailored lining systems that stand the test of time.

In a market where newer, cheaper EPDMs are starting to emerge, we remain committed to only supplying materials we trust completely. Our clients know that with Stephens Industries, they are investing in reliability, longevity and the expertise of a team who understands every layer, literally, of a successful installation.

So, to answer your question, we like to think that everything we do sets us apart.

How has the company evolved since its inception?

Incorporated in 1956, Stephens Industries will proudly celebrate 70 years in business next year. Originally a family-run textile business specialising in industrial fabrics and coatings, the company has continually adapted to meet the needs of evolving industries, moving into lining products. An early adopter of both butyl rubber and EPDM, Stephens established itself as a market leader in flexible lining systems. Today, we supply products into all areas of landscaping, agriculture, building and construction for water containment, water movement and water protection.

Stephens Industries’ managing director on how the water containment specialists continue to evolve ahead of its 70th anniversary

We also offer hands-on training at our dedicated technical training centre in Corsham, where landscaping professionals can learn how to install and work with our Elevate products

In 2019, the business entered a new phase of growth with investment from myself and my business partner, Alex Kean. Together, we have focused on expanding our capabilities, strengthening supplier partnerships and ensuring our team and facilities are equipped to meet the growing demand for high-performance, long-lasting water containment solutions.

Stephens Industries operates from a dedicated manufacturing and distribution facility in Wiltshire, supporting projects across the UK. We offer a complete end-to-end service, from product supply and bespoke liner fabrication to design consultation and on-site installation.

We have embraced the digital shift through our e-commerce platform, AquaLiners Direct. The site was recently updated with a fresh look and new product ranges, along with helpful 'how-to' guides aimed at smaller-scale and domestic customers.

Our core business remains rooted in premium products and dependable, high-quality service for trade and commercial clients.

What products do you offer and which has been picking up in popularity in response to market demands?

Stephens prides itself on being the leading distribution partner for Holcim Elevate (formerly Firestone) EPDM liners, with core products being Elevate GeoGard and PondGard. These premium materials offer unmatched flexibility, UV stability and resistance to weathering. While the product guarantee is 20 years, many installations last well beyond 40, making EPDM the go-to choice for clients seeking a long-term solution.

GEOGARD - MEON SPRINGS

Stephens also provides site surveys, geo-mapping, technical CAD data, full installation from our experienced teams and full sign-off, warranties and guarantees for complex projects such as swimming ponds, lakes, irrigation systems and agricultural schemes.

We also offer hands-on training at our dedicated technical training centre in Corsham, where landscaping professionals can learn how to install and work with our Elevate products. Those who complete the course are signed off as trained installers. We run sessions regularly throughout the year, so if you're interested, just give us a call and we’ll let you know when the next one is running.

In addition, we fabricate bespoke box-welded liners in-house using EPDM and butyl from Sealeco, a European specialist manufacturer. These liners are particularly popular for formal ponds, wildlife features, filtration tanks and confined or awkwardly shaped spaces, where pre-formed liners help reduce time and complexity on site.

Paddington in Peru. From private gardens to major productions, we take pride in delivering high-quality results whatever the setting.

What does your route to market entail?

We give our customers flexibility in how they choose to buy from Stephens, we're servicing trade and landscaping customers for 60 years. For domestic and smaller-scale projects, we offer our AquaLiners Direct website, where customers can use our online liner calculators to work out exactly what they need. From there, they can order everything required for their project with direct-to-door delivery.

All products are dispatched from our Wiltshire manufacturing and distribution hub, allowing us to maintain quick lead times and consistent stock availability across the UK and beyond.

What does the next five years look like for Stephens Industries?

We are expanding our fabrication and installation capacity, investing in new technology and strengthening relationships with key partners like Elevate and Sealeco

The next five years are shaping up to be one of the most exciting periods in our history. With our 70th anniversary on the horizon in 2026, we’re proud of where we’ve come from and ambitious about where we’re going. We are expanding our fabrication and installation capacity, investing in new technology and strengthening relationships with key partners like Elevate and Sealeco. This ensures our customers continue to benefit from the highest quality materials on the market.

What services do you offer and who do you supply?

As I said earlier, we supply quality products and a service to suit each individual customer. No project is too big or too small for Stephens. Our clients range from someone installing a natural wildlife pond in their garden through to large swimming ponds, agricultural lagoons and even film and television sets. Recent projects include the water entrance for Shiz University and the Munchkinland stream on Wicked, as well as the harbour scene featured in

With demand growing for integrated systems, we will continue developing our offering of pumps, filtration and pond electricals, positioning as a one-stop shop for everything beneath the surface.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We believe the true strength of a water containment project lies in what’s beneath the surface, both in the physical structure and in the relationships behind it. Whether it’s a small ornamental pond or a 10,000 square metre reservoir, we approach each project with the same commitment to detail, quality and longevity.

With nearly seven decades of experience, exclusive manufacturer training approval and a track record of innovation, Stephens Industries continues to lead the way in premium EPDM lining solutions, backed by materials and expertise our customers can trust.

Contact

Tel 01225 810324

Email info@stephens-industries.co.uk stephens-industries.co.uk aqualinesdirect.co.uk

BEFORE

ADLINGTON GOLF - AFTER

SWIMMING POND LINER

With UK temperatures on the rise, Stuart Dantzic shares how pergolas can offer a stylish, climate-smart solution to cool gardens and enhance outdoor living spaces

According to the Met Office, the spring just gone was the hottest and sunniest on record for the UK, with a mean temperature of 9.5°C; well-above the climatological average by 1.4°C. Eight of the 10 warmest UK springs since records began have all occurred since the year 2000, while the top three have all occurred since 2017; a harsh reminder of our changing climate. As our lands continue to heat up, it is becoming much more common place for gardens and other green spaces to be designed with mitigating climate change in mind, and there are several ways we can achieve this, one of which being the installation of pergolas.

Through the blocking of direct sunlight, a pergola can reduce the amount of solar heat that reaches the ground, while their open design prevents heat from becoming trapped, allowing for improved air circulation and helping to dissipate heat and reduce a garden's ambient temperature.

The good kind of

Pergolas with adjustable tilting or rotating slats can be angled to follow or block the sun, offering full sunlight, cooling shade, dappled light or complete shelter

Stuart Dantzic, managing director at Caribbean Blinds notes: “Pergolas with adjustable tilting or rotating slats can be angled to follow or block the sun, offering full sunlight, cooling shade, dappled light or complete shelter”, adding that this allows users to control

the temperature and conditions beneath and around the pergola,“creating the ideal setting for relaxing and entertaining.”

Dantzic highlights that shaded areas can "significantly lower both soil and air temperatures”, but they can also “increase humidity and reduce water evaporation,

helping to create a cooler, more stable microclimate.”

Maintaining a cooler soil temperature can improve seed germination rates, enhance nutrient uptake, and help regulate soil moisture, leading to healthier plant growth and potentially reducing pest and disease issues.

But is there a particular kind of pergola design that can maximise cooling? “Pergolas with adjustable roof louvres provide the most effective cooling. The slats can be angled according to the sun’s position. In contrast, fixed roof designs are only effective when the sun is at a specific angle.”

And does the height of a pergola impact its effectiveness? “Yes – a lower pergola provides more effective shading beneath the structure by limiting the amount of direct sunlight entering from the sides. However, a taller pergola can cast shade over a wider surrounding area when the sun is high in the sky,” Dantzic answers.

Outside of their cooling abilities, pergolas can also be a great addition to a garden for their ability to define an outdoor space and add architectural interest to a zone. So, you can create a stylish space that also provides essential cooling throughout the increasingly warmer months.

Price: from £8,999 (incl. VAT and installation)

Our set-sized louvred pergola offers the best value and quality on the market. Made in Britain from the same premium materials as our bespoke models, it comes in six sizes. Motorised and remotecontrolled, it can be customised with sun screens, lighting and infrared heating. It is stylish, durable and functional.

• Waterproof roof louvres rotate fully through 150 degrees

• Heavy duty, reinforced extruded aluminium framework

• Marine grade powdercoated finish in structured Anthracite Grey

• Integrated Somfy brand electronics operated via stylish remote control

• No visible fixings, including concealed base plate & guttering system

Tel 0344 800 1947

Email info@cbsolarshading.co.uk cbsolarshading.co.uk

Small space,

As demonstrated in Ashleigh Aylett’s debut balcony garden, the Navium Marine: Blue Mind Garden, at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, incorporating a water feature isn’t just reserved for large-scale designs. As Mike Tillett, director of Tills Innovations, explains, water features can bring a small space to life.

If space is limited in your design, Tillett suggests opting for a self-contained feature to optimise visibility and space, saying: “Quite often selfcontained water features can’t have their reservoirs buried, if you’re installing it on a patio or a balcony for example. In those cases, a reservoir underneath the water feature works best, as seen on our Specular Water Feature.”

The Specular Water Feature

Price: £7,995 + vat

The Specular's™ beautiful design effortlessly creates a sense of awe. Relax as water flows over the bowls infinity edge and into the central bronze flute, creating perfect reflections on the water surface, calming every space.

• A piece of artwork, made with the finest materials

• Ever cleaning mirror-like reflections

• Different finishes and installation options available

BIG SPLASH

Mike Tillett shares how even compact spaces can be transformed by stylish, self-contained water features that add tranquillity, elegance and visual impact

When installing a compact water feature, Tillett notes that “careful consideration to the size of the reservoir is key”, adding that the reservoir’s sizing and surrounding area needs to be suitable for installation; “all of which if not correct can lead to damage to the pump and potentially the water feature as a whole.”

The positioning of a water feature is important for any project regardless of scale, but when incorporating one into an area with reduced space, it’s all about the “subtle elements”, as Tillett explains: “Whilst in larger areas you may want to consider larger

energetic fountains, in a smaller more compact area this can be overwhelming. Even a simple sculpture with minimal water movement can be enough with its reflective qualities.”

There are several optimal areas you should consider when positioning a water feature, says Tillett. Along a boundary wall, adding visual intrigue to the end of a space, in the centre of a patio or within converging paths to create an impactful central zone, and finally, in the corner of the garden or a flowerbed, allowing the feature to pop against the surrounding elements. “Which ever position you pick, the feature should be viewable from seating areas, or from inside the house”, notes Tillett.

Tillett adds that opting for a wall-mounted or vertical water feature is a “great solution” when space is limited; “Not only do they take up less room, there’s quite often no limit to size. Water walls are the perfect choice, but they need to be visually interesting and spark inspiration, like with our AquaVeil.”

The AquaVeil® Water Wall

A new style of water feature, the AquaVeil® creates stunning waterfall patterns. Water flows over a unique wall of mesh, appearing to cascade seamlessly through the air. No fuss, just effect.

• High end design and manufacture, more like a piece of furniture than a water feature

• Made to any height and width without joints

• Frame work painted to your chosen colour and complete with filter, lighting and aftercare pack

Tillett concludes that smaller water features offer “significant advantages” due to their self-contained nature and ultimately, they are a “statement of luxury for your garden to be enjoyed for years to come.”

THE RILL AMAYA™

How natural swimming ponds are emerging as an ecofriendly alternative to traditional pools, blending wild beauty with chemical-free water filtration

SWIMMING Wild

Rising in popularity as a hallmark of biophilic design, natural pools, also known as swimming ponds or living pools, are becoming an increasingly more attractive organic and ecologically conscious alternative to their traditional counterparts. Combining the aesthetic appeal and functionality of a traditional pool with ecological benefits and a natural purification system, swimming ponds are designed to blend seamlessly with their surrounding landscape.

While swimming ponds bear resemblance to traditional pools, they work on a non-chemical filtration system, as Ben Wincott, director of Pebble Landscape Design explains: “Water circulates via a pump through a gravel substrate, this is planted with marginal plants and these break down particles passed through the gravel via their roots

allowing the water to pass through clear back into the pool.” This allows the gravel to form its own natural ecosystem that supports essential bacteria in breaking down harmful substances and maintaining water quality, “essentially creating a low nutrient wildlife pond”, says Tim Evans, director of Gartenart Swimming Ponds – “we're not adding chemicals to kill anything, and we're not using UV, but we're keeping the nutrient level low”, preventing excessive algae growth.

Zones and planting

Swimming ponds are typically divided into the regeneration zone, the filtration zone, and the swimming zone; the first two are responsible for maintaining the required low nutrient levels. The regeneration zone is where aquatic plants naturally filter the water, while the filtration zone is the broader concept of the entire system that purifies the water, including the regeneration zone and potentially other mechanical or biological filters.

On average the planting area around the pond should cover a width of 2m on either side, says Evans: “not all of that planting area is on the same level, usually about half of it is on a deeper aggregate bed”, or other filtration materials where plants can root. The shallow regeneration zone is separated from the swimming zone by a wall, which does not break the surface to allow for free movement of water between the two zones.

When choosing a planting palette for the regeneration zone, Wincott notes that “most marginal plants will be effective, however it is important to select non dominating plants such as a bullrush as they have the ability to push their roots through the liner.” He says Pontederia cordata, Mentha aquatica

PEBBLE LANDSCAPE DESIGN

PRODUCTS

We're not adding chemicals to kill anything, and we're not using UV, but we're keeping the nutrient level low

(water mint), and Caltha palustris, (Marsh marigold) are some of the plants best suited to the regeneration zone, adding that while there are several smaller sedges you can use, “this space can be planted to extend your garden, so being creative with aquatic plants should be encouraged but research first on their suitability and risk to the liner.” Evans adds that it is vital to only plant species that thrive in low nutrient conditions – “as they grow, they take nutrients out of the water. But the primary means of taking nutrients out of the water is circulation through an aggregate bed.”

Tim Evans, director, Gartenart Swimming Ponds

Sizing and maintenance

When determining the depth of your swimming pond, Wincott says the ideal measurement is “1.5m with a slope to one end to encourage debris that finds its way to the bottom, this enables cleaning to be less arduous.” He notes however that the filtration zone should not exceed 55cm, “as below this point there is risk of anaerobic respiration and the filtration failing.”

Evans points out that maintaining a swimming pond, in terms of its planting, and maintaining a garden are not too dissimilar, as pruning and cutting back of foliage ahead of the colder months is required. Adding that to ensure minimal water is removed during the cleaning process, the most efficient way is to brush down all the surfaces, beginning in the shallow end and making your way down to the deep end, and vacuuming in the deep end – “you don't want to take out too much water because then you've got to put a lot of water back in – you want to minimise nutrient input.”

Wincott adds that topping up the gravel over a period of time can help to rejuvenate the aggregate and improve efficiency, while a fine mesh fencing around the pool's perimeter can reduce the need for regular maintenance and has the added bonus of preventing small mammals from accessing the swimming area.

Wildlife and seasonal use Due to their naturalistic design and no-chemical filtration, swimming ponds also attract a variety of wildlife, such as skaters, water boatmen, newts, dragonflies, and water beetles, to name a few. Evans says small mammals will also come to drink from the pond – “you don’t want to attract ducks though, they make a mess, and their waste has a lot of high nutrients.”

When deciding between a swimming pond and a more traditional pool, Evans notes the former has become a notable “lifestyle” choice, highlighting that the perceived uptake could be a representation of the shift in environmental consciousness, as well as the uptake in interest for wild swimming in the warmer months. For those brave enough to take the plunge, swimming ponds can also be a great at-home opportunity for cold water swimming, giving them versatility and usability all year round.

Pebble Landscape Design pebble-ld.co.uk

Gartenart Swimming Ponds gartenart.co.uk

GARTENART

GARTENART SWIMMING PONDS

Poolside

ECOSCAPE

N2 Light Sun Lounger Price: £185

The N2 Sun Lounger harmoniously combines traditional elegance with a modern approach. Featuring a beautiful teak frame complemented by intricately woven panels, this lounger seamlessly blends the two materials to create a unique aesthetic and provides comfort, support, and durability suitable for all weather conditions. Also available in dark teak.

FAIRLOCKS

POOL PRODUCTS

Covrex

Covrex are foam filled providing both additional rigidity and heat retention. The profile structures are made from expanded PVC-foam, coextruded with polyurethane. Unique features include no loose joints between slats meaning no debris ingress or wearing of joints, fully shapable.

• Fully insulated

• Fully shapable

• Hail and algae resistant

• Five year warranty

• Seven model variants to suit most pools fairlocks.co.uk

polyester rope and quick drying foam

• Durable FSC certified teak frame

• Unique design with woven panels

• White glove delivery available

2-7 working days delivery ecoscape.co.uk

LANDSCAPEPLUS

LuxR LED Micro Recessed Lights Price: From £106

LuxR has been specifically developed to meet the challenge of delivering high-quality practical lighting, with maximum energy efficiency, and a long maintenance-free life. The Micro Marker is a miniature low-voltage, dimmable and versatile outdoor light that can be installed in paving, side walls, decking, etc., making it ideal for marking boundaries and edges.

• IP68 rating

• Marine grade 316 stainless steel

• Low power consumption; 1w

• Available in different colour temperatures

• 10-year guarantee on exterior landscapeplus.com

©Andy Sturgeon & Fowler Swimming Pools Limited

N2 Light Side Table

Price: £425

The N2 side table combines artisanal charm with contemporary design, making it a welcome addition for the outdoor spaces curated by the most discerning individuals. Finished in a rustic woodgrain texture with a beige protective wood wax oil, this side table is an exhibition of craftsmanship, where the natural allure of intricately carved teak meets the modern sophistication of woven panels. Also available in dark teak.

• Breathable polyester rope

• Durable FSC certified teak frame

• Unique design with woven panels

• White glove delivery available

• 2-7 working day delivery ecoscape.co.uk

PAVING SUPERSTORE

Tumbled & Pre-Sealed

Egyptian Limestone – Sinai Pearl (Bullnose Steps/Coping) from Select Range

Price: £650 for 30 units (900 x 350 x 40mm

Our select range of Egyptian limestone bullnose steps offer an elegant touch for outdoor spaces, ideal for garden steps, terraces, and pool surrounds (featuring a classic bullnose edge for enhanced style and safety). The Sinai Pearl colour showcases a delicate mix of soft grey and warm beige hues.

• Egyptian limestone’s natural variations add a timeless and elegant look

• Bullnose steps/coping can be used in various applications

• A tumbled finish provides improved grip, ideal around the pool

• Pre-sealed finish minimises the need for frequent cleaning and maintenance

• Durable, suitable for high traffic areas and outdoor spaces pavingsuperstore.co.uk

STONEWORLD

Pool Lining Tiles Price: £35-£50.00 /sqm

Pool lining tiles come in limestone-effect, slate-effect, marble-effect and much more so that you can achieve a natural stone effect in larger format tiles than the typical mosaics. At Stoneworld you can choose the colour and effect of the pool lining tile to give the water a bespoke hue to match or compliment the pool copings & surrounding landscaping theme.

• Easy to install

• Chemical resistant

• UV resistant

• Anti-microbial

• Natural stone effect without the risks of delaminating, oxidising and efflorescence

Pool copings and matching surround paving

Price: £20-£60 per coping stone

Our experts can guide and advise customers and installers on the best type of coping and paving and a range of designs. Exclusive trade pricing for trade customers on pool copings & paving, as well as pool coping sample cases for trade customers.

• In-stock products ready to collect

• Range of sizes and thicknesses to suit all pools and cover systems

• In-house masonry services for corners, roman ends and bespoke requests

• Quality natural stone and porcelain stoneworld.co.uk

MakingSplash a

Designing a project with a pool? These top tips can help you create a stylish, functional, and cohesive garden feature

“Get to know the customer and their space”

“You want customers to sit and enjoy the water; but you also need to think about how the filtration system is linked to things like the prevailing wind and the length of pipework. When we design a pool, we orientate them to work with the site conditions. Then you need to think about the orientation because a client might want to sit facing the sun, but they might also want to sit and have a coffee in the morning. So, find out how people want to use the space around the pool and at what times of day.”

Sarah Murch, director and founder of Ellicar

“Safety and practicality are important”

“We always design the space carefully for safety and practicality. A wider part of the terrace will ensure enough space for sun loungers. Spread the seating spaces around the pool if possible, so sunbathers can have some peace, and include a small perch table for a drink and a book. Small details like this will make for more enjoyment. But leaving enough space around these elements will allow for safe passage near the water.”

Liz Frost, founder of Nettles & Petals Design

“Immerse the space in planting”

“When I design a swimming pool as part of a residential garden, I always aim to make the experience as immersive as possible. I want it to feel like you're swimming in the open air, surrounded by nature – a world away from the sterile environment of a public swimming pool. One way I achieve this is by wrapping two edges of the pool in generous planting, leaving just the coping width between the water and the greenery. It blurs the boundary between the garden and the pool, making it feel like a natural part of the landscape.”

James Scott, MD and principal designer at The Garden Company

“Design the pool as a natural garden extension”

“A pool should feel like a natural extension of your garden, not an afterthought. Explore options early, consider the use, is it for relaxation, entertaining, or fitness, from swim spas to full-length lap pools, heated, or energy-efficient systems – to find what suits the space, budget and lifestyle. This will dictate the form, features, and surrounding scheme. Use materials that echo or harmonise your existing landscape for cohesion.”

Karen McClure, founder of Karen McClure Garden Design

©James Scott

Built for professionals, ECHO’s 56V Battery Series offers low noise, zero-emissions and low maintenance. Often rivalling the power of their petrol equivalents, many products are lighter, making them highly manoeuvrable and causing less user fatigue.

Visit: www.echo-tools.co.uk

ECHO tools are exclusively distributed in the UK by FGM Claymore

Seal

KEBUR

UltraScape Flowpoint

Fine Rapid Set Grout

UltraScape Flowpoint Fine Rapid Set Grout, available in charcoal and natural grey, is perfect for all paving types, including natural stone, concrete flags, porcelain tiles and clay pavers. Supplied in 100% recycled, recyclable tubs, it’s eco-friendly and effortless to use – just add water!

From patios to pathways, find the right jointing product for your next project

THE DEAL

PALACE CHEMICALS

Rock-Tite

Exterior

Porcelain and Stone System

Rock-Tite from Palace Chemicals is a three-part system for fixing 20mm external porcelain and stone tiles. It comprises a primer, two different

Mortars – with or without sand – and either Brush-In or Flow Grout. The system is designed for easy use by landscapers who are looking to create terrace or patio areas.

• Logical, easy to use system

• High strength, high quality product

• Allows landscapers to extend liveable space to terrace or patio areas

• Tailored to your requirements, with a choice of mortar and grout

• Supported by a range of promotional and instructional material. palacechemicals.co.uk

• Open to foot traffic: one hour

• Op en to vehicular traffic: four hours

• Set time: 15 minutes at 20°C

• BS 7533 compliant

• Suitable for use with permeable and non-permeable base. kebur.co.uk

TALASEY

Fine Finish Jointing Compound

Talasey’s Fine Finish Jointing Compound is perfect for creating a modern look with porcelain and the majority of paving as it gives the look of a grout with the ease of a sweep-in compound. It's an effective jointing solution that is fast and easy to apply – saving time and money.

• Available in five colours – pumice, copper, gun metal, ash, and charcoal

• Ideal for joint widths 3mm – 20mm

• Fast and easy to apply in all weather

• Walk on in 18-24 hours (always read the usage instructions)

• Excess product can be stored with water in the tub

• Faster to apply than traditional jointing methods. talasey.co.uk

Pinus sylvestris offers a sculptural, resilient conifer with its warm, peeling bark and airy canopy. Adaptable to varied soils and climates, it provides year-round structure, supports biodiversity, and demands minimal upkeep- ideal as a specimen or group planting in parks, streetscapes, and sustainable green projects. Contact us to learn more about available stock und possibilities!

Boom & Bonheur – because trees give life and bring happiness

In conversation with... GARY DUFFY JOINT-IT

Joint-It's technical director shares how the manufacturer is continually evolving its product line and end-to-end processes to meet the needs of landscapers

What makes Joint-It stand out in the stone care industry?

At Joint-It, we specialise in professional high-grade stone care products, including jointing compounds, sealers, cleaners, and colour enhancers for patios and driveways. We develop and manufacture our entire range in-house, giving us full control over quality, consistency, and innovation. With over 30 years of industry experience, we combine deep technical knowledge with a practical, problem-solving mindset. The trust our customers place in us is clear – from strong repeat business to the steady growth in new partnerships.

How does Joint-It engage with the landscaping community?

We don’t just collect feedback, we build relationships. Whether it’s through merchant networks, industry events, social media, or direct calls from our team, we stay close to the professionals using our products. Their insights shape everything we do, from product tweaks to new R&D directions.

Can you share a recent innovation inspired by landscaper feedback?

We’re in constant conversation with tradespeople, merchants, and end-users, so we get direct insight into the common challenges faced in hardscaping. That real-world input – the industry’s “wishlist” – led to the development of Joint-It Porcelain Epoxy Grout and Joint-It Dynamic, our two-part jointing compound. Landscapers were asking for easy-to-apply, dependable solutions for modern paving materials, so we created products specifically designed to meet those needs.

reach during business hours. Whether it’s troubleshooting or product advice, we make sure help is always available.

How is Joint-It addressing sustainability?

Sustainability is central to how we develop products and run our operations. We’re constantly reviewing raw materials, streamlining packaging, and designing products that reduce waste. It’s not just about environmental impact – it’s about adding long-term value for our customers too.

What are the challenges of in-house manufacturing?

Manufacturing requires foresight and precision. From securing high-quality raw materials to maintaining top-tier equipment, it’s a constant balancing act. But it’s also what allows us to deliver consistent, reliable performance, and to innovate quickly when the market calls for it.

We’re continually working with our R&D team to evolve and improve our product range, ensuring it meets the changing needs of the landscaping industry

What support do you offer after purchase?

Support shouldn’t stop at the point of sale. Our website and packaging offer clear guidance, but we go further with dedicated phone lines, live chat on our website, and a team that’s easy to

How has the industry evolved in the last decade, and how are you responding?

The industry is moving faster than ever, with increasing demand for products that are quick to apply, long-lasting, and environmentally conscious. Homeowners expect a high-quality finish, and professionals need reliable solutions that help them deliver it efficiently. At Joint-It, we’re continually working with our R&D team to evolve and improve our product range, ensuring it meets the changing needs of the landscaping industry.

Where do you see the industry in 20 years?

The future lies in smarter, simpler, and more sustainable solutions. As labour costs rise and environmental awareness grows, products that save time and reduce long-term maintenance will lead the way. We’re proud to be helping shape that future – one innovation at a time. jointit.com

01925 649587

www.muteacoustic.co.uk

www.modefencing.co.uk

We’ll help you select your plants. We’ll source and deliver your order. We offer planting and installation options. We’ll support you with our warranty and our follow-up care.

“Tendercare has been one of our key suppliers for nearly 15 years, providing an exceptional range of over-sized and unique material for many of our projects. Across the nursery the team are knowledgable, friendly and a pleasure to work with.”

- Will Allerton, Director, Allerton Landscape Design

Our Contact: 01477 571 797 marlon@fouroaks-nurseries.co.uk Cheshire, UK, SK11 9DU www.fouroaks-nurseries.com

Discover our expanded collection, now featuring an even broader range of exceptional plants – including standout varieties from Italy and Spain. From sculptural specimens to masterpiece bonsai, find the perfect finishing touch for your next professional project. Premium Collection

More than just plants. We offer a large range of sundries including decorative aggregates and horticultural products.

Feature

GARDENS

Wellbeing, vertical planting and a threatened species of bird are the hot topics for this year’s RHS feature gardens

RSPB and RHS Swift Garden

The number of swifts has fallen by a staggering 68% between 1995 and 2023, putting them firmly on the UK Red List of threatened birds. That’s why the RSPB has partnered with the RHS for the first time, bringing on board landscape architect Lilly Gomm – one of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners – and horticulturist Coralie Thomas to raise awareness of their decline with a garden that will highlight how planting for biodiversity can help.

Designer Lilly Gomm and Coralie Thomas

Contractor Collinson’s Landscaping

Sponsor The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)

A few of the suppliers Creepers Nursery, Majestic Trees, Bright Green Fox, Great Dixter Nurseries

RHS Healer’s Hollow

Designer Jude Yeo and Emily Grayshaw

Contractor Cobham Court Landscaping Ltd

RHS Vertigro

Designer Adolfo Harrison Contractor Armando Raish

Vertical planting takes centre stage in Adolfo Harrison’s design. A dramatic 4.8m-tall living wall will tower over visitors and showcase the possibilities of incorporating nature into an urban environment. Harrison is using plants not typically found in vertical gardens, such as Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Linearilobum’), as well as those that will enhance biodiversity, carbon sequestration and air particulate reduction to demonstrate the benefits of living walls.

Relocation London Bridge

After winning Best in Show two years ago, design duo Jude Yeo and Emily Grayshaw return this year with a love letter to the healing nature of plants. Inspired by British native woodlands, the garden will feature a bright pallet of plants known for their wellbeing properties, including artemisia absinthium which is good for skincare, and stachys byzantina, which is known to support female health. The garden is being relocated to Farncombe Community Garden near Godalming to live on as a community wellbeing garden, the idea for which came from GPs in the local area.

Relocation Farncombe Community Garden

A few of the suppliers Majestic Trees, Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants, Form Plants, Jacksons of Chobham, Van Arnhem Nursery, Seale Rose Garden, Longacres, Hannam & Taylor, Aquascapes, Caradon Stone, AllGreen

Did you know?

“Beyond the magnificent reclaimed boulders, a truly special detail in RHS Healer's Hollow is the pathway. It’s crafted from Caradon Stone’s granite offcuts – remnants from its traditional walling stone production. It’s a wonderful way to showcase a commitment to zero waste, transforming these storied pieces of Bodmin Moor granite into a beautiful, textured feature.”

Jude Yeo and Emily Grayshaw

GARDENS Show

The Subaru Cocoon

Designer Mike McMahon and Jewlsy Mathews Contractor Big Fish Landscapes Sponsor Subaru UK

Based on the “quiet crisis” within British rainforests, Mike McMahon and Jewlsy Mathews have designed The Subaru Cocoon garden to raise awareness for the depleting species across the country. At the heart of the garden, a curved Jali wall sweeps through the centre using sustainable Kenoteq K-Briqs, inspired by Mathews’ South Indian heritage. Quietly inspired by The Secret Garden novel, the garden replaces its entry into a “space of otherness,” says McMahon, with water for better visibility.

Relocation TBC A few of the suppliers Kelways, Provender Nurseries, Kenoteq

The Jali wall is made from 4,500 Kenoteq K-Briqs, the world’s most sustainable brick. Manufactured in the UK from over 95% recycled construction, demolition and excavation waste, K-Briqs emit 95% less embodied carbon than traditional fired bricks. By using K-Briqs in this garden, 9.45t of construction waste has been diverted from landfill, and 1,972kg of CO₂e has been saved – the equivalent of 80 mature trees absorbing CO₂ over a full year.

Oregon’s natural landscape, inspirational Spanish women, and Alan Partridge – all can be found amongst the themes of this year’s show gardens

Oregon Garden

Inspired by the natural landscape of Oregon, Stowell’s second garden at this year’s Hampton Court is based around a natural camping area featuring a canvas tent and fire pit. It has been designed to minimise waste with very little hard landscape material and no cement used. Any organic waste will be composted and plants will be returned to nurseries and donated to charity.

Relocation The plants will be returned to nurseries and be donated to local charities for reuse, and the turf will be reused on a local farm. The rock and hard landscape will be reused on landscape projects. A few of the suppliers Wyevale Nurseries, Deepdale, Barcham Trees

“This garden is designed to be as natural and wildlife-friendly as possible, with many insect-attracting plants. The waste is kept to a minimum. We are also highlighting regenerative travel where tourists can take part in the replanting of forests as part of their holiday.” Sadie May Stowell

Designer Sadie May Stowell Contractor SM Corporate Events Sponsor Travel Oregon, Brand USA

Surrey County Council: Reclaiming Spaces, Creating Healthy Streets

Reimagining a parking space neighbouring the street, the three garden designers – Helen Currie, Steve Dimmock and Diego Carrillo – are creating a resilient green space. Featuring low maintenance plants able to absorb pollution and withstand waterlogged soil, the garden’s planting should improve air quality and reduce flooding. The garden aims to reduce items containing cement, using wooden edgings which are “a great alternative to concrete edgings in this location,” says Currie.

Did you know?

Designer Helen Currie, Steve Dimmock and Diego

Contractor Variety of contractors and volunteers

Sponsor Surrey County Council

Relocation The three gardens are being relocated to different locations. Walton Garden is going to be relocated, in a longitudinal format, along New Zealand Road in Walton. The Guildford garden is going to Pheonix Court in Guildford town centre. The rain garden plants are being relocated to Fountain Square in Cranleigh and the large tree replanted outside Cranleigh Arts Centre. A few of the suppliers North Hill Nursery, Creepers Nursery, Koberg, Kathy Plank, Molly’s Garden Maintenance, Littlethorpe of Leicester, Atkins, Ringway, NESCOT (North East Surrey College of Technology), Meristem Design, the Surrey Youth Offer at the Norbury sawmill, students from Guildford County School

“In Surrey, we want streets that are welcoming, safe and attractive for all to access and enjoy. We want to showcase the potential change that can be made by changing a car parking space to a small green area on a street, which is beautiful and resilient. The plants are chosen to be low maintenance and provide a secondary role to just looking lovely, such as pollution particulate capture or increasing pollinators in a busy town centre.” Helen Currie

Charleston 250

Designer Sadie May Stowell

Contractor Surrey Hills Landscapes

Sponsor Explore Charleston, Brand USA

Combining formalities from an English garden with one of America’s founding cities –Charlston in South Carolina – Charleston 250 uses local, UK growers. Built by Surrey Hills Landscapes, the garden will showcase reclaimed brickwork, antique iron railings, water features and a single-story building. Using subtropical planting, it will feature structural palms, flowering plants and grasses. While it is not being relocated as a whole garden, statues will be returned to various antique yards, and the plants will be donated to charity.

Relocation Various parts of the garden will be recycled and reused

A few of the suppliers Shell On Earth

Did you know?

"The garden uses crushed shell as a pathway surface and also mixed into the mortar in the brickwork. Crushed shell is a particular material choice used in Charleston South Carolina as it is a byproduct of the shellfish industry. It can be found throughout the city, used as a pathway surface or mixed with mortar for both decorative and construction purposes.”

Sadie May Stowell

Relocation A new site for the Getaway Girls charity, based in Leeds

The Alan Partridge Sound Bath Garden

Designer Joe Carey and Laura Carey Contractor Landesigns Sponsor Audible

The Three Graces Galicia

Designer Nilufer Danis Contractor Conquest Spaces

Sponsor Axencia Turismo de Galicia and the Tourist Office of Spain

Last year’s People’s Choice Award winner, Nilufer Danis, has taken inspiration from Concepción Arenal, Rosalía de Castro and Emilia Pardo Bazán - three Spanish women quintessential to feminist history in Spain. “Their stories show how art and ideas can drive real change, even against great odds,” says Danis. The garden combines their history with the Three Graces painting based on Greek god Zeus’s three daughters. Built by Conquest Spaces, the garden will feature a vintage pavilion, perennials, heritage camelias, hydrangeas, roses and inspirational quotes inscribed into stone plinths.

Did you know?

Nilufer Danis was invited to visit Galicia last year, after which she came up with three titles for the garden: ‘The Graces of Galicia’, ‘The Silent Piano’, and ‘Timeless Beauty’. The client liked all of them but decided on ‘The Three Graces of Galicia’.

The Alan Partridge Sound Bath Garden has been devised for the TV character, played by Steve Coogan, to “merge comedy and garden design,” say ‘ghost designers’ Joe and Laura Carey. The garden ethos reflects Partridge’s high standards ensuring that nothing is merely decorative, but instead everything is deliberate. Working with How Green Nursery and Katie's Garden Plants is the same “dream team from our recent Gold medal win at Chelsea,” says Carey. The palette is inspired by Norfolk landscape, alongside a Norfolkgrown Larch showcasing the fictional broadcaster’s name in sound wave form.

Did you know?

“The Norfolk-grown larch we are using at the show is the first time the product will be seen. Supplied by Millworks, who worked with us on a previous show garden, their expertise and cutting-edge products are a favourite of ours. They will be launching their new larch products this year, so we are very excited to be among the first to use it. Super sustainable, clever coatings and incredibly professional company to work with.”

Joe Carey

Relocation Pensthorpe Nature Reserve in Norfolk as a family friendly sculptural walk-through garden. The garden will be located next to the historic Millenium Garden, Piet Oudolf's first UK public garden. A few of the suppliers How Green Nursery, Katie's Garden Plants, Millworks

FEMINISM Si to

Nilufer Danis celebrates the lives of three Spanish women who fought for social justice during the 19th-century at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

WORDS:

HOLLY CHAPMAN

In a time when women’s voices were often silenced, 19th-century Galicia expected them to acquire skills such as dancing, music and sewing, as garden designer Nilufer Danis learnt during her visit to the Spanish city last summer.

Danis was invited by Galician Tourist Board, with a proposal to create a garden representing three remarkable women; Concepción Arenal, Rosalía de Castro and Emilia Pardo Bazán. Each of them used “literature, activism or social reform to challenge injustice and reshape the role of women in Spanish society,” says Danis.

This isn’t Danis first venture into Galicia’s history, as her People’s Choice award winning garden last year focussed on its most famous event; the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Inspired by and connected to these stories, she felt it necessary to honour these three women at her show garden, The Three Graces of Gailicia, this year.

“To me, they are powerful symbols of resilience and creativity. Their stories show how art and ideas can drive real change, even against great odds,” says Danis.

NILUFER DANIS

The Three Graces' Spain’s first female university attendee was Concepción Arenal, who pretended to be a man in order to attend law school at the Central University (now the Complutense University of Madrid). Determined to receive an education, Arenal attended political and literary debates amongst an entirely male audience. She once wrote, “A serious mistake, and one of the most harmful, to impress upon women that her sole mission is to be wife and mother; it amounts to telling her that she can be nothing by herself and to annihilate her moral and intellectual self.”

The second woman Danis honours in her garden is Emilia Pardo Bazán’s role in feminism during the 19th-century was elevated through her novels and short stories to incite a feminist conscience in the Spanish public. Danis explains, “despite being expected to remain silent, these writers used their pens to raise their voices and make an impact on the world.”

Lastly, Danis highlights Rosalía de Castro, an author who became the first female writer to publish a book in the Galician language in Spain. Focusing on Romanticism and poetry based around her own feelings, de Castro became an icon in Spain, as well as reaching Spanish communities across Latin America and Europe.

‘Compelled’ to share their stories, Danis brings their iconic lives to the streets of RHS Hampton Court this summer in a “unique and immersive way.” The garden itself derives its inspiration from 19th-century Romantic gardens, as seen in de Castro’s poetry. The garden’s title draws its inspiration from ancient Greek literature; The Three Graces, which depicts the three daughters of Zeus. Euphrosyne bestows the gift of mirth, Aglaia presents elegance, and Thalia gives youth and beauty. Danis chose this to represent the

three writers and their strength, hand in hand with feminine power.

The Graces’ Garden

“In a world still grappling with inequality,” Danis says RHS Hampton Court felt like the perfect opportunity to celebrate the voices of these pioneering women. Danis explains RHS shows aren’t just about plants, they’re a platform for storytelling and reflection. The garden invites people to connect with history, culture and nature while celebrating the enduring power of women to shape a better future. RHS Hampton Court will also host a statue of The Three Graces in the Great Fountain Garden, something Danis recently discovered. Boasting two stages for powerful women, Hampton Court will be home to plenty of inspiration.

I wanted to create a space that celebrates strength, resilience, and the transformative power of ideas

Nilufer Danis

Built by Conquest Spaces, the garden

features a vintage pavilion, pollinator-friendly perennials, heritage camelias, hydrangeas and roses. Inspirational quotes from the three women being honoured are inscribed on reclaimed natural stone plinths. With a lily pond, gravel paths, topiary structures and evocative artworks, Danis has planned a sensory experience for visitors to the space: “I wanted to create a space that celebrates strength, resilience, and the transformative power of ideas. This garden is a tribute to Galicia’s rich literary and natural heritage,” she says. Supporters of the garden, the Galician and Spanish Tourism Boards is “honoured to see the stories of Rosalía, Emilia, and Concepción come alive in this magnificent setting.” The garden has plans to be relocated in support of Getaway Girls charity in Leeds which empowers vulnerable young women to “ensure a lasting legacy of inspiration and growth.”

Getaway Girls

A charity based in Leeds for over 30 years, Getaway Girls empowers girls and young women to support each other in building confidence, resilience, raising aspirations and developing new skills within a positive environment. Its work concentrates on balancing support with challenging opportunities. It has worked with 13,500 young women through various struggles.

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GARDENS of Curiosity

This new category encourages visitors to become inquisitive, exploring the gardens to discover what’s hidden within them

A Garden of Two Tales

A Woodland Edge

Designer Nicolas Navarro

Contractor Bella Landscapes and Nico Navarro gardens

Inspired by the incredibly diverse environment of woodland edges, Nico Navarro’s design encourages people to use natural materials, especially wood, to create beautiful features. Craftsman Daniel Hayden has made lounge chairs out of sustainable British oak, for instance, and a living woven willow wall will form a striking boundary to the space, enclosing it. Naturalistic planting such as Athyrium filix-femina subsp. angustum f. rubellum ‘Lady in Red’ will help recreate a woodland, whilst grasses such as Sesleria autumnalis will soften the overall aesthetic.

Relocation Bounds Green Scout Park Campsite in North London

A few of the suppliers Hortus Loci, Rochford, Glebe Nursery, Deepdale Trees, Allgreen, Daniel Hayden

Did you know?

Designer Daniel March Contractor DH Studios and L&Co Exteriors Sponsor Arbour Landscape Solutions, Suns Lifestyle, Livingreen Design

Ornamental structures will be cleverly used to conceal views into The Garden of Two Tales, designed by Daniel March. People will be invited to explore the garden further and engage with their surroundings, walking across a water feature – a focal point of the garden – and into a more reflective space. The planting scheme, reminiscent of a traditional cottage garden, has been chosen with wildlife in mind, with key plants including Thalictrum delavayi ‘Album' and grasses such as Hakonechloa macra and Stipa gigantea

Relocation A new site in Essex

A few of the suppliers Arbour Landscape Solutions, Suns Lifestyle, Livingreen Design

“Sustainable and long-lasting chestnut poles don’t require concrete foundations, and provide a solid structure for the weaving wall, which is made from more than 20 species of tree and shrubs branches, all collected from garden waste and woodlands.” Nicolas Navarro

Illusion 2050

Designer Kitti Kovacs

Contractor Kitti Kovacs Garden Design and Metta Garden Collaboration Sponsor: QVC

Not only is it Kitti Kovacs’ debut at Hampton Court, but she is also the first Hungarian designer to exhibit at the show. Fresh from success at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live, Kovac is creating a modern courtyard garden that challenges visitors to consider the changes to our gardens in the not-toodistant future. Planting will reflect a change to more drought-tolerant species such as Cercis siliquastrum and Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’.

Relocation Suitable plants will be relocated to a new home and the remaining parts will be repurposed for residential garden projects

Did you know?

"[The granite slab for the bench from Caradon Stone] was hand mined out of the earth by men with a chisel; you can see the marks of their tools still to this day, which were made in the 1840s.” Kitti Kovacs

Aster of Senses

Designer Yoni Carnice

Contractor Cultivate

London and Froglife

Sponsor Froglife

Relocation Ranger-led, community garden spaces across London in partnership with Wayward Plants

A few of the suppliers Big Green Plant Centre, Naturescape, Landlife, Fat Fox Mushrooms

Following London becoming the first National Park City six years ago, London National Park City Rangers are working with landscape designer Yoni Carnice to create a garden inspired by the five-pointed Aster logo. Each ‘branch’ of the space will represent a different sense, such as a meadow with medicinal and edible plants, or pathways of recycled and porous concrete. It has been designed to help visitors reimagine urban green spaces as beneficial for both wildlife and the community.

Did you know?

“The garden will feature a cross section of a hugelkultur mound to illustrate the processes happening beneath the surface of the food forest. This will also showcase the mushrooms from Fat Fox Mushrooms growing out of it.” Yoni Carnice

FORECAST A Floral

Designer Kitti Kovacs marks her Hampton Court debut with a garden enriched with history, telling a cautionary tale of the effects of climate change

WORDS: BETHANY VANN

Around the world, the effects of the climate crisis can be felt, from fluctuating temperature and seasonal patterns, an increase in extreme weather events, and a continued rise in sea levels that increase the likelihood of coastal flooding. In the UK alone, 10 of our warmest years on record have occurred since 2003. Climate change and everything it brings with it is not a future problem that we can afford to sit around and wait for; it is a very real situation that is here now. The notion of burying one's head in the sand is the inspiration behind designer Kitti Kovacs’ futuristic Garden of Curiosity at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, ILLUSION 2050: “people are thinking that climate change is happening somewhere else, far away, they don't want to think about it. The message of this garden is that it is happening in our own backyard. It's just an illusion that we are not part of it.”

KITTI KOVACS

The lily gamble

Kovacs design envisions a not-too-distant future, illustrating the transition from current gardening styles to a more drought-tolerant approach by 2050, without compromising on beauty or biodiversity.

Her planting pallet includes Lilium ‘Original Love’, Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ and Cupressus sempervirens (Italian cypress) to name a few. The lilies, however, are proving troublesome as Kovacs explains: “I really wanted to have lilies in my garden, and I reached out to several nurseries asking if they would grow lilies for me. All of them said no, so now I’m growing 120 lilies – two different kinds – in my back garden.” And if a garden filled to the brim with potentially award-winning lilies wasn’t enough pressure, Kovacs shares she’s worried they may bloom a little too early, much like the other plants she’s planning to use: “I went to the nursery just this morning.

Stainless

steel beauty

Originally from Hungary, Kovacs has made her home in the UK for the last 18 years, 10 of which were spent living on a boat moored nearby to Hampton Court Palace:

“I used to cycle to the Rose Garden in Hampton Court, and I would dream about becoming a garden designer and one day designing a show garden at the grounds.”

This year marks Kovacs' debut at RHS Hampton Court; she will also be the show’s first Hungarian garden designer – “my origin is really important to me.”

She says that while the UK is her home now, she still holds Hungary in her heart, and remains supportive towards Hungarian artists, and Hungarian culture.

People are thinking that climate change is happening somewhere else, far away, they don't want to think about it. The message of this garden is that it is happening in our own backyard.

Kitti Kovacs

I checked on all the main plants I'm planning to use, and they are all out.” She jokes that the star plant of her garden will be revealed at the show, as she herself is uncertain. An ironic representation of the aforementioned fluctuating temperatures and seasonal patterns having an adverse effect on our plant life.

up when I was accepted asking if I could borrow the sculpture, and he said okay.”

Kovacs jests that her brother, Kornel, will be transporting Asana over to the show, as he is the only one she trusts to deliver the centre piece of her design, a piece she holds dear: “It's really important that it's a female figure. I feel women don’t always get the visibility they deserve. So, for me, it's my personal mission to help them to reach their full potential.” When talking with Asana’s designer, he shared that the sculpture is hollow to depict how inner beauty can radiate throughout the body.

Heritage in the stone

Embalmed throughout the garden are pieces of Kovacs heritage, a history told in a “living art piece”, whilst still looking to the future. She shares that when visiting show gardens herself, she’s always looking for clues to tell her about the designer’s influences – “I want to understand the garden.” She thinks it’s a shame we don’t always fully grasp what the intricate details mean – so next to the garden will be a brochure for visitors, where every piece of history and all the details are shared for visitors to enjoy the garden fully.

“I would really like English people to know more about Hungary” –an ideal that is infused throughout her design.

Residing in the heart of the garden is Asana, a Hungarian stainless-steel statue of a woman meditating, designed by Aron Zsolt Majoros. Kovacs reveals she designed this garden based on the artist's work, after coming across another of his pieces in the city of Budapest: “when I submitted [the design] to the RHS, [the artist] didn't know about it, so I called him

One such detail will be the history of the granite bench – from Caradon Stone in Cornwall – nestled within the foliage: “This granite slab was hand-mined out of the earth by men with a chisel – you can see the marks of their tools still to this day, which were made in the 1840s.” Kovacs shares that this piece of history is a strong representation of time; “nearly 200 years later, we are sitting on this living piece of history.”

Kovacs hopes that ILLUSION 2050, which is being built by Kitti Kovacs Garden Design in cooperation with Aquascape and sponsored by QVC, will be a living cautionary tale of what our future holds, highlighting how what we plant and where today is crucial. Suitable plants will be relocated to new homes after the show – a lasting reminder of the years and change to come.

'ASANA' SCULPTURE

CERCIS CANADENSIS ‘FOREST PANSY’

LILIUM ‘ORIGINAL LOVE’

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Behind THE GREENS

Designer Katerina Kantalis takes us through the journey of building her triple award-winning Get Started Garden at Hampton Court last year

Inspired the warmth vibrancy of Greek landscapes, The Mediterraneo Garden marks designer Katerina Kantalis’ first step into the world of show gardens at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. Addressing the need for climate adaptation in our green spaces, this Get Started Garden earned the career changer a hat-trick of awards; Best Get Started Garden, Best Construction Award and a Gold medal. Now Kantalis is here to walk us through her journey from getting her garden off the page and onto the main stage of the palace grounds.

FINDING THE RIGHT SUPPLIERS

The next step was sourcing the best suppliers for plants, materials, and furniture. While £10k is generous, show gardens can be costly, so I sought sponsorships and gifts in kind to maximise the budget. To align with the Mediterranean theme, I carefully selected suppliers known for quality and authenticity, ensuring every detail - plants, materials, and finishescaptured the essence of the design.

INITIAL COLLABORATION

I had the privilege of being part of the RHS Get Started Garden scheme, receiving £10k to bring my garden vision to life. As one of only five selected for the scheme, the funding was invaluable - It allowed me to collaborate with Phil Sutton Landscapes Ltd.

TRAVERSING BIOSECURITY RISKS

We also had to navigate the RHS plant restrictions, such as ensuring lavender and rosemary were UKgrown and avoiding olive trees entirely. While this presented challenges, it pushed me to explore other, less commonly featured plants in show gardens.

MAPPING OUT THE DESIGN

The first visit gave us a sense of the garden’s surroundings, but it required a leap of faith to envision how the space would transform in its final position. At that time, the large lime trees in the background were bare. INITIAL SITE VISIT

By May, I was working closely with the Otters nursery to map out the garden, which was invaluable for refining the design. This allowed me to assess how the plants and trees worked structurally, whether the combinations flowed well, if they’d be in season, and, of course, whether we had enough plants. This attention to detail ensured the garden’s planting truly shone.

BUILD: DAY ONE

Constructing the back wall to establish the garden structure, along with building the left-hand wall. Using a rammed earth method for the posts to reduce the use of concrete in the garden. Carefully measuring out the plan to ensure precision in the layout.

BUILD: DAY TWO-THREE

We began by excavating each of the different zones to achieve the correct levels for the garden. Then the build materials arrived, allowing us to establish the space’s patio, pathway and the limestone backdrop feature. Tree holes were dug, and trees are planted early, giving them time to settle into their new temporary locations and allowing them to relax and unfurl their leaves.

BUILD: DAY FOUR – SIX

The metal edging was installed, and the left-hand wall limestone cladding was fitted. We dug the hole and fitted all the necessary electrical work for the water feature which was then installed. By which point the plant delivery arrived and we set about organising the sorting and cleaning process. I had amazing volunteers who dedicated hours to checking plant health, removing damaged leaves and flowers and trimming the tops of potted plants. Once the plants were ready, I began positioning them in the beds, along with arranging the decorative rocks.

BUILD: DAY SIX – EIGHT

The plants in certain beds were planted. I’d made the decision to take the plants out of the pots primarily as it allows the plants to settle more. It’s more work at the end but for the size of the garden, I thought it was worth it. Once certain beds were planted, we then added the gravel mulch mix. Rather than using bark, I wanted to show how you can use gravel as mulch. We then started work on the rear wall to create its rustic render; using a mix of sand and cement and adding it quite roughly, it provided the texture I wanted.

DAY 10 – 11: FIRST STAGE JUDGING

BUILD: DAY NINE

These days were dedicated to adding in the final touches, finishing off all the planting and mulching, adding the selfbinding gravel onto the path, and decorating the garden – adding the pots, tables and chairs –essentially getting the garden show ready for judging.

All the pre assessment takes place on the Saturday, Day 10. You give your two minute summary and chat with the assessment team. Then you leave them to discuss your garden in detail. They then give you some very brief things to think about and sort out. Day 11 is then the final judging day, and that’s it, time to get ready for the show. The last two days were spent doing all the final bits – adding grass to the surrounding area; adding your barriers for the outside of the garden; sorting out the promotional area which was seamlessly set up to showcase Allgreen products and a massive tidy up.

The garden won Best Get Started Garden, Best Construction Award and a RHS Gold medal. DAY 12 – RESULTS AND PRESS DAY

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WHY

SCHOOL GARDENSdeserve priority

There’s a growing movement recognising the vital role of nature in children’s health, learning and wellbeing. Later this year, Natural History will become available as a GCSE subject across England, a landmark moment for environmental education.

Following a grassroots campaign by environmentalists, including nature writer and broadcaster Mary Colwell, students across England will have the opportunity to study a GCSE in Natural History from September. This marks a significant step towards making UK education a global leader in sustainability and climate awareness by

2030 and towards addressing the increasing disconnect between children and the natural world.

In this article, I explore why well-designed school gardens both beautiful and practical are essential for nurturing a lifelong love of nature and connecting children to the environment from an early age.

This is a welcome development, particularly as we continue to face ecological and social challenges. But the news also prompts a vital question: what better time than now to prioritise school garden design?

A natural step forward Gardens that integrate horticulture into everyday learning – not just for those taking

As Natural History enters the curriculum, the case for investing in well-designed school gardens as vital, accessible spaces for learning and wellbeing has never been stronger

WORDS: HELEN CROSS

Natural History – can play a vital role in re-establishing nature at the heart of education.

Well-designed school gardens are accessible, cost-effective and powerful tools for learning. They also support emotional regulation and social development, offering children safe and stimulating environments to build confidence, cooperation and a sense of calm. They can bring subjects to life, support wellbeing and inspire young people to consider future careers in environmental science, sustainable agriculture and conservation.

Designing with children’s emotions in mind

Award-winning garden designer Camellia Taylor, who also has a background in psychology, reflects on a recent project with a primary school in Kent, where the PTA had raised money for a wildlife pond. For her, projects like this demonstrate the untapped potential of outdoor spaces in schools:

“The school was supportive and left it to us to think about how to engage the children in the space. We split the pond into three zones so a class of 30 could explore in smaller groups, meaning the children could really get the most out of it. Each zone had around 10 children, giving them a more focused experience while the teacher had clear visibility across the space.

“We included benches at different heights that doubled as bug hotels, highlighting the importance of shelter and habitat for local wildlife. A bridge stretched across the pond, wide enough for close observation. Designed as a walkway with posts, it offered a safe and engaging way for children to get up close to the wildlife at the heart of the pond. Nearby, a beach area at the water’s edge was equipped with magnifying glasses to encourage curiosity.

“Every detail was designed to bring children closer to nature in a way that felt safe, hands-on and exciting.

“With my background in psychology, I’m always thinking about how children experience space emotionally, for example, how sensory cues like texture, enclosure and

movement can influence their sense of safety, focus and independence.

Design can encourage calm, engagement and confidence outdoors.”

high-quality, productive and inspiring gardens in schools. That dream began to take shape when she met Laura Dorantt, a passionate primary school teacher and horticulturist. In 2023, they co-founded Go Flourish, a charity committed to cultivating school gardens, supporting curriculum learning and improving the wellbeing of both pupils and staff through nature-based education.

The first Go Flourish garden opened last year at North Kessock Primary School. More than a garden, it’s a purpose-built outdoor classroom, designed by Gladwin and supported by Dorantt, who now works as the school’s dedicated horticultural teacher. Just as schools have specialists in art or music, Dorantt’s role is to help class teachers bring their subjects outside, seamlessly integrating gardening into everyday learning.

These are places for hands-on learning, mental wellbeing and environmental awareness.

Natural play areas provide vital space for exploration and adventure, essential for child development

As Natural History becomes a GCSE subject, Taylor sees school gardens not as luxuries but as necessary spaces for supporting emotional wellbeing, outdoor learning and ecological awareness from the earliest years.

Growing a model for change

Camellia Taylor

A designer leading the way in school garden innovation is Scottish landscape architect JJ Gladwin. For years, Gladwin, also co-founder of the Black Isle Brewery, dreamt of creating

This bold and innovative model is part of a five-year pilot running across three Highland schools. The impact is being studied by the University of St Andrews’ School of Psychology and Neuroscience. Researchers are exploring how regular access to gardening affects children’s wellbeing, engagement and learning outcomes. The study combines child, parent and teacher perspectives, comparing schools involved in the gardening programme with control schools of similar demographics and will also examine how the gardens impact teachers’ own wellbeing.

CAMELLIA TAYLOR

A shared space for learning and belonging

With the new growing season underway, Dorantt who is RHS-trained in permaculture and social and therapeutic horticulture and has teaching experience in Australia, is leading timetabled garden classes while also building community involvement. Together with new Go Flourish team members Lyn McLardy and Roman Porry, she’s developing a model where local communities are engaged from the outset. From food-sharing events to intergenerational workshops, the gardens are being designed as hubs of connection, learning and wellbeing, centres where education and community meet.

Taylor is working with another school that was recently gifted a piece of land by the council: “The headteacher has an inspiring vision for turning the space into a forest school area. Her enthusiasm for outdoor learning is fantastic. We’ve divided the site into zones, each with its own identity and created a handdrawn map to spark the children’s imagination.

“The space includes a pond for sensory engagement and wildlife observation; a stage for outdoor plays and assemblies to build confidence and communication skills; areas for den-building and climbing that support physical development and imaginative play; and a huge communal table where everyone can gather, encouraging cooperation, a sense of belonging and shared learning.

“Each element is designed not only to inspire curiosity, but to nurture emotional resilience, independence and connection through everyday experiences in nature.

“What made this project especially meaningful was the input from the children themselves. They submitted drawings and ideas for what they wanted in the space, helping us understand how they hoped to play, learn and explore.

“This kind of engagement doesn’t just lead to better design. It also supports learning outcomes by encouraging emotional connection to the space, boosting confidence and reinforcing collaborative thinking. It gives children a real sense of ownership. That’s where the magic happens.”

and creativity, another reason why they deserve greater priority in our education system.

A call to reconnect

Dorantt explains: “At Go Flourish, we want to create exceptional school gardens that reconnect children with nature, support mental wellbeing, and equip them with practical life skills. In today’s world, children are spending less time outdoors, leading to what experts now call Nature Deficit Disorder. This disconnection is having a profound impact on their development.”

By immersing children in hands-on gardening, we help them build resilience, curiosity, and care for the environment

Laura Dorantt

Projects like this show how school gardens, when approached thoughtfully and inclusively, become powerful tools for learning, wellbeing

She continues: “By immersing children in hands-on gardening, we help them build resilience, curiosity, and care for the environment.

We believe school gardens are far more than green spaces, they’re powerful, holistic learning environments.”

Designing these spaces requires creativity and resourcefulness. Go Flourish’s approach is rooted in sustainability, using discarded or locally sourced materials, minimising

environmental impact and maximising beauty and biodiversity.

“We never compromise on design quality,” says JJ.“We collaborate with local artists and artisans who bring depth and personality to each space. Our tool house was designed by Theo Shack; our stone dyke by AB Masonry; and the pond cover by Emac Engineering, all local, all invested in our vision.”

Taylor strongly believes in the wider value of school gardens: “They offer so much more than aesthetics. These are places for hands-on learning, mental wellbeing and environmental awareness. Natural play areas provide vital space for exploration and adventure, essential for child development.”

Whether designing for new builds or retrofitting existing schools, one thing is clear: school gardens must be prioritised. With collaboration between educators, designers and communities, it’s entirely achievable. The introduction of the Natural History GCSE is a promising step forward, but without well-designed outdoor spaces, we risk missing its full potential. Now is the time to invest in gardens that connect children, teachers and communities to the natural world and ensure that nature becomes not just a subject, but a lived and shared experience in every school.

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Culture THE CLUB

WORDS: ANNA MUGGERIDGE

What time are you coming home today?” Oliver Hemson hears this daily. However, it’s the employees at Tony Benger Landscaping, where he serves as the COO, who are asking, and the home they are referring to is the workplace; such is the strength of feeling among them all. Of course, the roots of the company are Tony Benger and his actual family, but that ‘family feeling’ has remained despite the growth of the company, which now employs 140 people – that’s a big family!

This strength of feeling among the workforce has defined the company’s culture and is undeniably a key reason for its success. A healthy culture is not just a good vibe – it’s a competitive advantage.

What exactly is company culture?

Company culture is a collective term that comprises the shared values, beliefs, behaviours, and attitudes that shape how employees interact, make decisions, and work within an organisation. It influences

Some people reading this might think that the term “company culture” is just made-up corporate jargon, but they’d be wrong. Every company has a culture. The question is: is yours happening by design or by default?

everything from how people communicate to how problems are solved and how success is defined and rewarded.

Our culture is the glue that brings everyone together. It’s no good having it scribbled on a piece of paper; we need to communicate it really clearly

Oliver Hemson, COO, Tony Benger Landscaping

Many companies shout a lot about their core values to investors and clients but do very little to activate them within the business itself. The approach is often that the leaders of the organisation will set the values, and the employees can read about them and adopt them. Of course, the reality is that employees come from a wide range of backgrounds, with their own expectations and lived experiences, so the values can be misinterpreted, or simply ignored. Therefore, it’s essential for the whole company to understand and get behind the company’s values and, through doing so, create and cultivate a culture and a bond.

Charlotte Harris, associate director of personnel, marketing and events at Nicholsons, says the culture there is a shared

responsibility across the entire company, defined and created by "the board of directors, HR, the managers and the team themselves."

“Our culture is the glue that brings everyone together,” says Hemson. “It’s no good having it scribbled on a piece of paper; we need to communicate it really clearly. Make it simple so it’s not miscommunicated. Everyone needs to understand it and preach it to other people. We have icons, visuals, and each one illustrates the core values. We have them all up on the wall and we had one stitched onto the sleeve of everyone who works for the company – including the office staff – so they are always visible.”

Why

does culture matter?

Benjamin Laker, the best-selling author and professor, who advises global companies and policymakers on the future of work, wrote in Forbes that “there are very few factors that contribute more to business success than culture.”

It’s estimated that the average adult spends one-third of their lives at work, which is a lot of time, so it’s important that people are happy in their working environment. A poor workplace culture can negatively impact a person’s wellbeing, which can significantly impact the company’s bottom line, leading to low productivity and high turnover.

“We all got disillusioned by the lack of purpose and culture at previous companies,” explains Jonathan Berry, managing director and one of the four founders of Tyler Grange, which for the second year in a row has been ranked in the Sunday Times best places to work in the UK. “We set up Tyler Grange to fall back in love with working and have some fun.

“In corporate life, for years I’d been dressing differently and turning up and being someone I thought I should be –who I wasn’t. And I think that’s why I burnt out. Tyler Grange is the antidote to that. We want people to be their authentic selves.”

It's all about the people

It’s not uncommon for businesses to focus on year-on-year revenues and scaling up, especially for startups and SMEs. But forgetting to define or nurture the culture can be detrimental to your workforce.

Hemson joined Tony Benger Landscaping when there were only 25 people at the company. Back then, having a defined culture didn’t seem necessary. It felt like it was already there with the ‘family feel’. But within 10 years the company had grown exponentially, and although that feeling is still around today, there were some who were prepared to “push it as far as they could to find out where the boundaries were. We looked at it, and that’s when we turned a corner. We were about 100 people, and we realised in order to protect the inclusive family culture we were actually going to have to get a bit harder, a bit firmer, so people could enjoy working here, knowing they are in a free, safe space where they are accountable.

“We recruited an HR manager and an assistant. We found that if you manage expectations from the beginning, hold people accountable and don't blame them when they get things wrong, then they really enjoy growing and developing for themselves and the teams they are in.”

Culture

has to

be managed

Maintaining a healthy company culture is an ongoing, active process. Even great cultures can drift or decline without consistent care. Problems can manifest in many ways. It could be a process not working or equipment not being available or simply a person getting out of bed on the wrong side that morning. But these things need to be kept an eye on. Culture can quickly erode if no one is listening or watching out for patterns emerging that can create unhappiness amongst the workforce.

“I’m happy that the other directors are as open to change as I am,” says Hemson. “If we see something

going a bit wrong, we will very quickly get together and say, ‘what is happening here? Do we need to let it play out? Do we need to intervene? Do we need to control it? Do we need to make a change?’ The key is to not expect that your established culture is going to remain forever. Anything that changes in the company can change culture. If you bring in new team members, that can change it, even if you stay at the same number. If you grow, that changes it. If work starts to dry up, that changes it. There are so many critical things that are going to have an effect that you have to be open, aware and ready for it, ready to make changes and say ‘That’s not working anymore. Let’s try something new’.”

We realised we needed to discuss values and the culture during recruitment. We want people to want to work here because their values align with the company’s

Oliver Hemson, COO, Tony Benger Landscaping

Following its Investors in People accreditation, Nicholsons felt inspired to give the employees more time in which to have their say in the business and for the managers to take the temperature of the employees.“We do quarterly reviews, which sounds like a lot, but they are more informal,” explains Harris.“We do have a framework and set questions to make sure we can track responses, but it’s the consistent opportunities to check in with your manager and make sure you are being supported that’s important. We’ll ask specifically about wellbeing: how would you describe your stress levels in the last three months? What are our strengths? How could we improve?”

This constant feedback loop, rather than waiting for an annual review, makes sure any dissatisfaction is acknowledged and dealt with as soon as possible.

At Tyler Grange, technology has helped, says Berry: “We have an anonymous app which the team uses every day to record their mood, their fatigue levels, and it’s really good at giving us

TOP TIPS

• Beware hasty recruitment. Often, recruitment is done in a hurry. There is a position that needs to be filled and –to relieve any burdens on other employees, or due to a lack of ability, skill or knowledge of that role – getting someone in hastily who fulfils that criteria is exercised. “When there’s an urgency to recruit to fill a role, you know straightaway that it’s not right. Filling a place because of convenience and urgency means you erode your culture. You pay the price,” says Berry.

• Mean what you say. Don’t just pay lip service to your values. If you tell people that having a healthy work-life balance is important, then honour it. If you’re sending emails in the evenings, praising people for overtime or working at the weekends, or measuring performance by the number of hours worked this is not aligned with a balanced employee lifestyle.

anonymous regional data, so we can see if the data tells us that one of the offices has dipped in terms of happiness. It usually tells us if something isn’t right or if there's something happening that’s not in line with our culture.”

A healthy culture

Honesty, transparency and trust are key elements for the best company cultures. From open plan offices to open door policies, staff need to know they are respected, empowered and safe. Tyler Grange takes this responsibility very seriously. “The leadership team are very open, everyone in the company has access to all information – apart from the highest level personnel files – everyone knows what is happening and when. We’ve live streamed board meetings, we have the Better Board, which is a shadow board that

• Recognise talent and appreciate it. Use public shout-outs, rewards, or storytelling to show what “great culture” looks like in action. Tony Benger Landscaping has a monthly awards scheme. “People nominate colleagues for a GEM award (Going the Extra Mile). Aside from giving the reason for the nomination, they tick against the company value(s) that have been embodied through their colleague’s actions.”

• People power. “Lots of companies forget the commercial impacts of what people can bring and that it’s not all about the figures. If you have your people on side that is such a powerful thing,” says Harris. “Elevating the concept of the power of people and what they can do for you is huge. Developing a shared

purpose and shared vision is part of the bigger culture and community feel. Once you have these in place, don’t assume it takes care of itself. It takes hard work to manage it and make sure it is maintained. Constantly reminding the team and embedding it to make sure it is part of everything you do is very important.”

• Communicate. “It is a natural trait to fear change,” acknowledges Hemson. “What we recognised to combat this is to communicate what is really going on, so people have the facts. If change is because of growth, we tell people this and explain to them where the money goes, where the investment goes, so they have the full picture. The best thing you can do is keep people in the picture.”

anyone in the business can join and start to make decisions and see how a board of directors runs. We have full pay transparency so everyone knows what everyone earns.

“We also involve non-executives – sports professionals, airline pilots, ex-military acting as coaches and mentors to the team which gives everybody the ability to learn and create a culture around building confidence. We have a clinical psychologist, a mindfulness coach, so the focus on learning, wellbeing, and honesty has really helped to create a culture of trust.”

Hire for cultural fit

When recruiting, it’s easy to focus on seeing candidates who have the capabilities needed to fulfil the duties of the role. But what is often overlooked is the importance of workplace culture, which can make your company a very attractive proposition for potential employees who are looking to put down roots and stay long term.

“When we recruit the journey starts,” says Hemson. “There was a time that we couldn’t get enough people who were interested and skilled in landscaping through the door. So, we built a training academy, which helped, but it didn’t solve the problem. People still joined that weren’t the right fit and they weren’t happy, which dragged other people down. We realised we needed to discuss values and the culture during recruitment. We want people to want to work here because their values align with the company’s.”

Harris concurs: “Yes, we are about skills, but we also care about the people we work with, so when we’re recruiting, we talk to people about our values and ask them which they relate to the most or ask them to talk about the last time they did something for someone else. We’re trying to get it down to finding out who you are as a person, what you’re passionate about, what makes you tick. From this sort of questioning, we can really make sure you get the right people.

about the environment and can talk to you until the cows come home about carbon sequestration and why they are planting that tree and what that means for the site they are working on. That drilling down in the recruitment makes sure we have the right people in the room.”

We’ve scrapped technical interviews, and we ask people to bring in five photos that are important to them and their life

Jonathan Berry, managing director/founder, Tyler Grange

“Everyone’s technical CVs are pretty similar, so we want to see beyond that,” says Berry. “We’ve scrapped technical interviews, and we ask people to bring in five photos that are important to them and their life. In an hour people talk about their families, hobbies, their highs and lows and we get a much better sense of whether they are a person who is going to bring their own values and culture in the business. We want people who have lived and have a story. This all helps us in recruitment, because people feel they can be themselves from the beginning.”

“You can get people who say: ‘I’m just here to put a tree in the ground’, which is fine, as for some people a job is a job. But when you dig into it, they are actually passionate

In short, a good company culture is about positivity. It brings out the best in people, boosts engagement, lowers turnover, improves performance, and helps your business weather change.

musings SHOW GROUND

Lewis Normand shares his personal highlights from Chelsea and explores why such shows are important in progressing the industry

The nature of writing for a magazine is that my piece is written sometime ahead of publication. As such, I am writing this shortly after press day at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. You may well have visited or seen the show on TV and have your own opinions on this show and probably shows in general. I attend most of the larger flower shows each year to see clients, support gardens and designers that we have produced plants for and connect with friends and colleagues in the industry.

I think the balance between designed spaces and a clear focus on the environment was better realised than ever before at this show

Often work is picked up for shows a year away during these visits, which is a good time to start the process allowing for plant growth and accounting for space on the nursery. I enjoy shows particularly for the nurseries and new plants being show-cased. I like the gardens, but after visiting shows for nearly two decades, a lot of what I see, I have seen before. That isn’t a criticism of designers; there are, after all, only so many ways you can build or use plants. I think RHS Chelsea 2025 was a good show for a number of reasons, with interesting and innovative uses of resources and construction techniques in particular.

Matthew Butler and Josh Parker’s rammed earth building in the Garden of the Future I thought was particularly successful. I followed the planning and development of this garden, and my eyes were opened to the possibility of using rammed earth construction in the UK. The Eden Project has utilised this construction

technique for over 20 years, so there clearly is a place for it in the UK generally.

This along with other approaches to construction and plant selection showcased an approach to environmentally sustainability well beyond simply a focus on rewilding being the only or best strategy for managing land. I’m not advocating against rewilding at all, but I think it is only part of the picture for an ecologically balanced future of land use. I think the balance between designed spaces and a clear focus on the environment was better realised than ever before at this show.

The Bird Song Survival Garden by former Young Designer of the Year finalist Nicola Oakey also balanced garden beauty with environmental purpose very successfully, weighting a specific purpose with a garden that is also designed for human use.

The Seawilding Garden (below right) by Falkirk-based designer Ryan McMahon undertook a very difficult challenge of being the first Chelsea garden (possibly any show garden, anywhere) to create a marine aquatic environment and show sea grass as a highlight to rewilding projects undertaken in Scotland. If you know me, you’ll know that I am a big advocate for rewilding the seas as a hugely impactful environmental need.

As a garden coming out of Scotland I loved it. As an example of strong message design, I loved it and as a design I thought it was excellent, also showcasing lots of interesting and in some cases endangered native flora.

Lewis' three HIGHLIGHTS

Scotland was very well represented in this Chelsea, with Fettercairn Wilderness Retreat (Amazing Whisky!), Seawilding Garden, Hospitalfields Arts Garden and my favourite of all for their joyous message and wonderful people, the Down’s Syndrome Scotland Garden (the celebrations gave me a lump in my throat). Nurseries including Kevock Nursery and Letham Plants and more putting on stunning displays. Well done Scotland for representing so brilliantly at the show.

The Plant of the Year competition delivered a great result for horticulture, with a unique, pink-flowered and sweetly scented Philadelphus ‘Petite Perfume Pink’ winning the award. A great new introduction to our plant palette, but also a celebration of the amazing plant breeder Alan Postill of Hillier Nurseries. Postill has been quietly introducing plants for a long time and many are excellent, well-known and widely grown in UK gardens. Plant breeders like Postill never get enough credit, quietly working away on plants that can define a decade (Geranium ‘Rozanne’ for example in the 2010s).

Show gardens can be hugely controversial and indeed I agree that some gardens get way more publicity and airtime on tv and in the media than others for no good reason. I do think that shows have a constant question to answer on sustainability, legacy relocation, and their carbon footprint to construct. I think that much of these issues are better handled than ever before, but there is still more to do. For me, show gardens are important to raise issues, to showcase charities and organisations and to progress our knowledge of plants, gardens and design aesthetic.

Whether you love or hate shows, I’m sure you have good reasons, but I will argue that we need shows to highlight what horticulture and landscaping bring to the economy, the green economy in particular, to health and well-being, to sustainability, environmental and climate mitigation, to food production, and so much more. If we want higher wages, better recognition for the industry and general investment, we need shows, so the most important thing I believe we can do is steer them to communicate industry messages and engage rather than ignore.

The amazing stand and displays in the Floral Marquee, with my top three being the Meconopsis Group’s superb communication of how to grow and maintain as well as explain the genus. The Caley Brothers’ incredible display of mushrooms, which was really something to behold. Finally, (though there were a great many superb stands), the incredible display of Protea in The Cape Floral Kingdom South Africa display by Leon Kluge was jaw-droppingly beautiful.

LEWIS NORMAND

Lewis Normand 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, he 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.

This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show was as dazzling as ever, with bold design statements, eye-catching planting, and a roster of celebrity appearances. But beneath the glamour and the glitz, Chelsea 2025 was also the scene of some serious soul searching. One of the most talked-about moments came not from a show garden or celebrity guest, but from the resignation of RHS ambassador Tayshan Hayden-Smith the week before. His departure, delivered with very public criticism of the organisation and the show, struck a chord with many.

Hayden-Smith’s comments were hard-hitting. He labelled Chelsea “environmentally damaging” and “elitist” –accusations that can’t simply be brushed aside. They speak to wider debates within horticulture and the role of high-profile events in addressing, or failing to address, the ecological and social challenges of our time.

I say this not as an outsider, but as someone who has been both a critic and a supporter of the RHS. Back in 2005 –astonishingly, 20 years ago – I spent six months living and working at RHS Garden Wisley while filming the television series Garden School. As an organic gardener, I was genuinely shocked at the time by the widespread use of chemical sprays on fruit trees, vegetables, and ornamental plants. There was little discussion back then about sustainability or organic practices. Slugs, for example, were seen almost exclusively as the enemy –something to be eliminated at all costs.

INNOVATION in full bloom

David Keegan reflects on this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 and how far the show has come in recent years

Chelsea, too, has undergone a quiet revolution. Where once show gardens were treated as temporary installations... there is now a far stronger emphasis on afterlife and legacy

tones, appreciated for its role in the wider ecosystem. This transformation is real, and it’s significant.

Fast forward two decades and the landscape has changed dramatically. The RHS has embraced organic methodologies and now actively promotes sustainable gardening. The humble slug, once enemy number one, is today written about in

Chelsea, too, has undergone a quiet revolution. Where once show gardens were treated as temporary installations – often dismantled and discarded as waste once the show ended – there is now a far stronger emphasis on afterlife and legacy. Designers are encouraged to think not just about aesthetics and impact, but about sustainability, reusability, and relevance in the real world.

The RHS has embedded sustainability criteria throughout the application process, and while some gardens may still be perceived as vanity projects backed by hefty budgets, many others are pushing the boundaries of what gardening can be in an age of climate crisis.

This year, two gardens stood out for me as exemplars of this shift, both in concept and execution.

First was The Garden of the Future, designed by Josh Parker and Matthew Butler, and sponsored by The Gates Foundation. This garden was not just a visual delight, blending ornamental planting with edible crops; it also asked big questions about adaptation, resilience, and community. It explored how people and technology can collaborate to help us thrive on a warming planet. With a carefully curated plant palette that mixed beauty with adaptability, the garden felt optimistic and forward-looking. It was especially engaging

reverential

to see Levi Roots cooking live in the space, using ingredients harvested directly from the garden –a brilliant way to connect the design with real-world usage and community interaction.

Even more ground-breaking, however, was The Avanade Intelligent Garden, designed by Tom Massey and Je Ahn sponsored by Avanade & Microsoft. This garden showcased what may well become a pivotal development in the relationship between horticulture and artificial intelligence. Using a network of sensors embedded in the soil and trees, the system could monitor environmental conditions in real time – everything from soil moisture to tree health – and relay that data to a user-friendly mobile app. In effect, it allowed for two-way communication between plants and people via AI. Far from being a gimmick, this integration of tech felt genuinely meaningful.

Naturally, there are valid concerns about the rapid rise of AI and its potential impacts on society, but I couldn’t help feeling that this was the horticultural equivalent of the invention of the telephone. It represents a first step toward a future in which our gardens and green spaces can quite literally ‘speak’ to us, alerting us to problems before they become visible and enabling better, more responsive care.

Talking with the team behind the technology, it’s clear that the initial focus is on public realm and commercial projects. But I see enormous potential for domestic use as well. In my own garden design practice, I’m often involved in the early establishment of newly planted trees and shrubs—arguably the most critical phase in any garden’s life

cycle. The ability to monitor those plants remotely and alert clients or maintenance teams to changing conditions could prevent costly losses and ensure healthier, more resilient gardens. Imagine an app that lets you know a specific tree is under stress, or that a shrub hasn’t had enough water during a dry spell. That’s not science fiction anymore – it’s science fact.

Without the exposure offered by RHS Chelsea flower Show, I doubt I would have had the opportunity to see this technology in its infancy in action, or to discuss its applications directly with the creators. That’s one of the enduring strengths of the show: despite its flaws and excesses, it remains a powerful platform for innovation, collaboration, and inspiration.

Imagine an app that lets you know a specific tree is under stress, or that a shrub hasn’t had enough water during a dry spell. That’s not science fiction anymore – it’s science fact

Of course, we must acknowledge the environmental costs of hosting a show like Chelsea in its current form. It’s a vast,

resource-intensive production, taking place in the heart of one of the world’s busiest cities. But it is also one of the most important horticultural events on the global calendar.

Its reach and impact are enormous, and the RHS has a unique opportunity – indeed, a responsibility – to ensure that it leads by example. Chelsea is not just about spectacle; at its best, it brings together the talented minds in horticulture, landscape architecture, botany, and environmental science to show us what is possible. It shines a spotlight on technologies, new ways of thinking, and new plant combinations that are beautiful but fit for the future. So yes, let’s listen to the critics. Let’s continue to question and improve. But let’s also celebrate the genuine progress made. The RHS of 2025 is not the RHS of 2005. It is inclusive, sustainable, and more open to innovation than ever before. And that, to my mind, is something worth building on.

David Keegan is a multiaward-winning garden designer and writer. His work has, over the years, achieved international recognition, winning awards at the International Landscape Design Awards in the USA. He also writes extensively on garden and landscape design for magazines and book publishers in the UK and overseas. He describes his approach to garden design as tailored to each client rather than having a particular house style, with emphasis on the connection between plants, hard surfaces, and the garden users’ interaction with both. His motto would be ‘It’s All About the Plants’. dkgardendesign.co.uk

DAVID KEEGAN

INTERVIEWS Little

Director, Lucy Willcox Garden Design lucywillcoxgardendesign.com

If you could design a garden anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I love designing small and large spaces, so for a smaller one, it would be another chic roof garden in London. For a larger space maybe a chic Moroccan hotel.

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

Listen to your gut instinct. Grab life by the horns, surround yourself with like-minded people and enjoy the ride as it goes so fast.

What would be the title of your biography?

The Sky's the Limit.

One thing that would make the industry better?

More incentives to attract the younger generations. It’s the best industry in the world and we need to promote it more.

Who has been your biggest inspiration? Piet Ouldolf.

What's your go-to karaoke song?

Wonderwall by Oasis!

All time favorite film? Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

I would say, don't push your back too hard. It comes back to haunt you later in life!

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration since I've started out is Chris Beardshaw. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I am now.

What is your favourite plant?

I like Acers, they’re one of my favourites, and my wife likes them too. I also like big Oak trees; I’m currently standing under a massive one that’s probably two to three hundred years old.

What's your go-to karaoke song?

Oh, it would have to be something from Queen or Bon Jovi. Radio Ga Ga for Queen, and Bad Medicine for Bon Jovi.

All time favorite film?

More recently, I’m into the Fast and Furious films. But if we’re talking older, I love Cool Runnings, it’s a really fun film.

Director, JPB Landscapes jpblandscapes.co.uk

If you could work anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I love the Jurassic coast down in Dorset, so to be able to create amazing outdoor spaces on that coastline with those views would be incredible.

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

Believe in yourself, life after education doesn’t have to be as it is portrayed from a young age in the school environment.

What would the title of your biography be?

Never a Problem, Always a Solution.

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

My parents, I always grew up hoping that one day I could provide a great life for me and my family like they did for me through hard work and determination.

What's your go-to karaoke song?

Under The Bridge by Red Hot Chilli Peppers

All time favorite film? American Sniper

LUCY WILLCOX

JACK PERFECT-BROWN

DANIEL CRUNDWELL