Pro Landscaper: The Collection 2024

Experience the Beauty of Every Season in Our Nursery Our nursery offers something special in every season! In spring, vibrant blooms burst into life, while summer surrounds you with lush, green foliage. Autumn enchants with warm hues and golden leaves, and winter reveals the stunning details of structure and form. Visit us and discover the magic of nature all year round!

Boom & Bonheur – because trees give life and bring happiness

Boom & Bonheur BV

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Collection THE

A

s the dust settles on another momentous year, it’s time we take a well-earned breather and reflect on some of our – and your – biggest achievements, and trust us when we say there’s been a lot of them.

Kicking off in April, we celebrated 17 category winners at our sixth annual Pro Landscaper Business Awards at Old Billingsgate, London. Fast forward to the Pro Landscaper Project Awards in July, which many will notice was held as a stand-alone event this year, taking place before our inaugural Summer Party. Then the pièce de résistance of the year: FutureScape.

Over the two-day event held at the ExCeL London in October, we celebrated the environmental strides being made throughout the industry, with over 40 companies and projects recognised at our second Pro Landscaper Sustainability & Biodiversity Awards. We wrapped up the event with our tenth class of Pro Landscaper 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners, bringing our alumni network up to an impressive 300 members.

Amongst all of that, we also brought you a new issue of Pro Landscaper every month, packed with the latest industry movements, insights from some of the largest names in landscaping, and our ever-popular bite-size interviews.

Amongst the pages of those 12 issues, we shared with you 36 incredible portfolios, ranging from large public realm schemes to smaller domestic pockets of biodiversity. We have collated all of them here to be a source of inspiration throughout the year ahead.

2024 has been a year defined by unprecedented change but also profound progression for our industry, from the introduction of the Border Control Points in April to the continued rise in sustainable urban design, and not to mention the rollout of biodiversity net gain, which has arguably been the largest talking point of the year. While 2025 will undoubtedly see more of the same trials, there is no industry better equipped for the times ahead, but before we face down the coming months, let’s celebrate the achievements of 2024 together.

The Pro Landscaper team

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

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Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

3

Creating healthier urban spaces in harmony with nature

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LANDMARK

TRENDS

Sustainability starts IN HOUSE

How street furniture manufacturers are redefining urban design with sustainability at their core WORDS: BETHANY VANN

WOODSCAPE

A

s the quest to create greener cityscapes continues, the while the wood we use – such as demand for sustainable, resilient, and practical street FSC-certified hardwood Jatoba furniture is not only climbing but evolving, sales – ensures responsible forestry director at Woodscape – which holds an FSC practices”. Caersws-based street certification and a PEFC Chain of Custody certification furniture designer, – Ashley Tarry explains: “There’s a growing demand Landmark also offer for products with a low carbon footprint.

FSC and PEFC timber as alternatives Specifiers are Specifiers are increasingly focused on to traditional tropical hardwood, as well as green increasingly focused understanding how products contribute to stamp concrete – “it is an eco-variant of concrete on understanding how broader sustainability goals, including the that produces 35% less CO2 emissions,” says carbon impact of sourcing, manufacturing, director Robert Hawgood. products contribute to and maintenance.” It is only natural that While sourcing the materials is fundamental, broader sustainability goals, amidst the climb in ecological urban all three agree that maintaining a close including the carbon impact design, those outfitting the spaces are relationship with localised suppliers is needed to of sourcing, manufacturing, themselves environmentally responsible. ensure end-to-end sustainability. “This helps to and maintenance Director of mmcité UK, reduce the transportation emissions associated with Jana Tyrer delves into how the design and long-distance supply chains while also supporting Ashley Tarry, manufacturing company remains sustainable: local economies,” says Woodscape’s Tarry. sales director, Woodscape “We prioritise materials that combine durability All three are also taking steps to reduce waste and with emissions throughout their manufacturing processes, including environmental the reduction of offcuts, which each strive to either recycle or reuse. responsibility. Our core Landmark also works to maintain its ISO 9001 & 14001 certifications, materials include steel, while mmcité has implemented energy-efficient production techniques, stainless steel, aluminium alongside its optimised material usage, and Woodscape continues to alloys, wood, glass, and adopt energy-efficient machinery and processes. advanced composites like The need for resilient and sustainable urban design has in large part High-Pressure Laminate (HPL) been instigated by the climate crisis; in layman's terms, contemporary and Resysta. For instance, urban design needs to be made of sturdier stuff to withstand the test of MMCITÉ UK aluminium is fully recyclable, time on top of the extreme weather conditions, but how can one ensure

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Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

5

TRENDS durability while being eco-conscious? “Mmcité subject its products to rigorous testing to ensure they withstand the elements and heavy public use.

Structural innovations, such as reinforced frameworks and perforated steel designs, further enhance durability while maintaining To push aesthetic appeal”, explains Tyrer. sustainability further, “Woodscape creates products that last for the industry could embrace decades without needing preservative treatments.

This minimises environmental impact by reducing circular materials like maintenance, repair costs, and emissions related bioplastics or recyclable to contractor travel”, adds Tarry.

LANDMARK

Delivering high-quality results without compromising on sustainability isn’t without its challenges though at present composites, reducing Landmark is “finding it is increasingly waste and promoting difficult to source FSC/PEFC-certified closed-loop production hardwoods that are traditionally used in the production of street furniture,” says Hawgood.

Jana Tyrer, director, mmcité uk, This has led to the company promoting the use of alternative certified timbers such as “accoya and thermo-wood, which have a very similar design life.” He goes on to say that “it is difficult to find out from material suppliers what the carbon footprint is of their products,” which is where the close relationships mentioned earlier become beneficial - Woodscape’s Tarry agrees. She adds that the Blackburn-based business faces the challenge of “minimising material waste during manufacturing.” To address this it has optimised its production processes to improve efficiency.

WOODSCAPE

GOALS FOR

THE FUTURE

As the demand for sustainable street furniture continues to rise, designers and manufacturers will also need to work in parallel to continue their sustainability journey.

“To increase the use of more sustainable timbers such as accoya and thermowood and the range of green stamp concrete products.

As well to provide a guide on the carbon footprint of our entire product range so clients can make informed choices.”

LANDMARK “In the short term, Woodscape aims to enhance its material efficiency and further reduce waste in production. Over the next 5-10 years, its goals include exploring new sustainable materials and innovative designs that lower the carbon footprint of its products while maintaining their durability and aesthetic appeal.”

WOODSCAPE “In the coming years mmcité will be expanding its range of smart, multifunctional urban furniture, blending sustainability with advanced technology to create user-friendly public spaces. Over the next decade, mmcité aims to expand its use of eco-friendly and recycled materials, such as recycled metals and innovative composites. It is also committed to improving the energy efficiency of our production processes and reducing emissions.” mmcité

6

MMCITÉ UK

Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

As the push to strengthen our public realms continues, it is evident more can still be done to improve the process and ensure our cityscapes have the strongest fighting chance.

Woodscape’s Tarry says: “The industry needs to take a lifecycle approach to sustainability.

This involves assessing not only the manufacturing process but also the product's lifespan, maintenance requirements, and end-of-life disposal or recyclability.

Collaboration between manufacturers, suppliers, and specifiers is essential to drive innovation and align on environmental goals.” Tyrer at mmcité adds, “To push sustainability further, the industry could embrace circular materials like bioplastics or recyclable composites, reducing waste and promoting closed-loop production.”

It is undeniable that sustainable street furniture has a unique opportunity to strengthen our public realms, both visually and environmentally. Landmark’s Hawgood concludes, “No matter how big or small, we can make our cities healthier and better places to live with sustainably sourced and supplied street furniture.”

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com www.torcpots.com

torc_pots torc_pots

TRENDS

How are turf growers adapting to biodiversity net gain?

LAYING WILDFLOWER TURF

B

the groundwork

iodiversity net gain (BNG) emerged in February 2024 as a transformative approach in environmental planning, and while the new mandatory legislation has been meticulously picked apart, examined, and put back together again, there are still many changes to overcome and benefits unclaimed.

Introduced in an effort to halt England’s declining biodiversity and faltering ecosystems, developers are now required to deliver a percentage uplift to a site’s original habitat baseline. Turf – especially wildflower turf - has proven a popular solution to those

WILDFLOWER TURF

8

Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

WORDS: BETHANY VANN

developers as they work to secure the specifically designed to boost and mandatory uplift. As a result of its proven improve biodiversity within existing effectiveness, turf growers are now seeing grassland habitats.” Each site’s baseline new opportunities brought on by BNG, but and subsequent BNG requirements are that is not to say the legislation hasn’t also unique, requiring developers and brought about new challenges. landscapers to deliver customised In July 2024, Wildflower Turf introduced solutions. “The Enhance Bespoke product its new Enhance Biodiversity product range empowers [Wildflower Turf] to in response to this growing collaborate closely with specifiers, demand. Marketing ecologists, and contractors to manager Debbie create custom solutions If one species Halliday featuring UKHab species.” suffers for some reason, explains: Managing director, “This range is James Hewetsonanother can potentially Brown adds that pick up the role that plant each of the would have played in the products has been ecosystem. The whole developed “from turf to seed.” The ecosystem is more resilient Hampshirebased as a result of increased grower has also biodiversity continued to invest Helen Simmen, in its Research and Wildflower scientist, Development Wildflower Turf Department to “look into the BNG metric and find ways that can help with pragmatic solutions for landscape professionals who are having to deliver BNG," notes Hewetson-Brown.

Over in Northamptonshire,

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TRENDS Harrowden Turf has developed a new BNG assessment tool off the back of the legislation, as well as a range of insect habitats, which group marketing manager Simon Marsh says “can help support existing species and help introduce new ones.”

In light of BNG, not only has the demand for turf risen, but the marketability of the products has also been positively impacted: “BNG has certainly positively impacted the marketability of not just Wildflower Turf’s products but the capabilities of the company.

Its research, bank of UK provenance seeds (grown on-site in Hampshire), and its capabilities to grow bespoke turf and produce quality products that will last the 30-year mandate are all capabilities that lend themselves to the needs of BNG

It will probably take a full year and a better understanding of the full BNG agenda across the sector before we see significant change

buyers,” notes Halliday. While Harrowden’s Marsh believes “it will probably take a full year Simon Marsh, and a better group marketing manager, understanding of Harrowden Turf the full BNG agenda across the sector before we see significant change.”

Though we are yet to see a full season of BNG application, Wildflower Turf’s Hewetson-Brown notes that the “demand for speciesrich, biodiverse habitat has gone up,” and with it “allowing nature to thrive, rather than the traditional approach of wanting to always control nature, has become more acceptable.”

With BNG being geared towards habitat creation, the rise in biodiversity also offers a “failsafe in challenging conditions because of functional redundancy, ” says Wildflower Turf’s Simmen. “If one species suffers for some reason, another can potentially pick up the role that plant would have played in the ecosystem. The whole ecosystem is more resilient as a result of increased biodiversity, ” again highlighting the benefits to wildflower turf. But despite the rise in popularity, Harrowden’s Marsh believes we won’t see a premium cost brought in on turf, nor the “ability to adopt different practices in different farming locations and the creation of HARROWDEN TURF BUGHOUSE a two-tier product line-up” either, as

prolandscapermagazine.com

HARROWDEN LAUNCHED ITS MEADOWMAT TURF IN 2000

BNG becomes the “norm.”

Even though BNG has proven fruitful for turf growers, with no signs of that popularity slowing down, that’s not to say it has been without its challenges. Wildflower Turf’s Simmen admits that “understanding the requirements for meeting habitat assessments has been challenging, and knowing what species to include in our BNG-targeted products can be

WILDFLOWER TURF: MEADOW INSTALLED 25 YEARS AGO IN HAMPSHIRE

difficult.” Harrowden’s Marsh adds that “a clear, sensible, and robust plan to support BNG is important so that growers, contractors, and developers can understand their obligations.”

As the roots of BNG continue to grow throughout the country’s planning system, it is clear that the legislation still has a ways to go before the industry can reap its full benefits.

With BNG for nationally significant infrastructure scheduled to roll out in late 2025, and the legislation still in its adolescence, it is safe to say we can expect more changes, benefits, and challenges on the journey ahead.

Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

9

Building Long-Term, Trust-Based Relationships

Corten Water Features

Lighting | Irrigation | Water Feature Systems

Can the industry ride the waves of change or will the new Border Control Posts jeopardise the future of imported plants?

TRENDS

WORDS: BETHANY VANN

Under

INSPECTION

BOOM & BONHEUR

A

t the end of April this year, the Place of Destination On the flip side, there are businesses in the UK that are seemingly (PoD) scheme ceased operation, and in its wake the not facing the same obstacles. Hillier, for one, has faced very few Border Control Posts (BCPs) came into force as disruptions to its operations, says amenity director Adam Dunnett: a way to safeguard the UK’s biosecurity, “We only import a very small amount of stock and to date all bringing with them stricter import regulations stock, has come through the BCPs without any issues.” and a wave of changes for the industry to ride.

The Hampshire-based nursery has only added General manager at Wykeham Mature Plants, one additional day to its quoted lead times.

Adam Smith, says the Yorkshire based nursery As well as Provender Nurseries, which in July is already encountering some of these changes, became the first trade supplier to establish from slower deliveries and irregular arrival times a Control Point (CP), considerably reducing its to increased costs, and he’s not the only one, Nick volume of stock needing to pass through the Hourhan, owner of Spring Reach Nursery in BCPs: “The impact of becoming a CP has been Surrey, says the rise in costs has “meant that the beneficial as we got to take some of the control volume of each shipment imported is larger in back of the process of importing plants,” says Martien Mantje, order to cover the increased costs in conjunction head of nursery, production, and biosecurity, Stuart general manager, Boom & Bonheur with the increase in transport costs.”

Tickner. He adds that the only changes the nursery The ripple effects of concern can also be felt across has made have been “around the process of using the the pond, as general manager at Boom & Bonheur in the CP and the control in place for entering and exiting the Netherlands, Martien Mantje, explains: “The move to the BCPs is just CP with personnel and machinery to comply with the government.” the next step in the long line, making it less interesting to import Tickner believes that the industry as a whole, “from importers, plants to the UK.” He believes the end result won’t be felt in the architects, and landscapers, will need to adjust their expectations and volume of plants imported but rather the price of plants for the end timelines for imported stock.” user. While the delays have not impacted the businesses product On top of the delays, businesses have availability, it has affected the ability to deliver directly to the site. also been feeling the pinch through the

The move to the BCPs is just the next step in the long line making it less interesting to import plants to the UK

PROVENDER NURSERIES: BORDER CONTROL POST

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TRENDS additional expenditure brought on by the BCPs, Hourhan says: “The average extra charge for any shipment from £300 to £600,” Mantje explains: “The BCPs charge a fee for the inspection, the waiting hours of the lorries, and the extra cost of the transport because of the expected delays and the market fluctuation, and the extra inspection and regulation cost on our side of the pond all add to a higher price for the product to come over.” He adds that PROVENDER NURSERIES: BORDER CONTROL POST the “inability to deliver directly to a project, but to “lack of check is a real concern…There now appears to be a much use a hub, adds another more relaxed approach to plant inspections than there was when BOOM & BONHEUR level of cost.” While over stock was inspected at First Destination, which seemed to be a far in Kent, Provender more robust system.” Smith adds that the best way to improve invested approximately £90k in converting an on-site the process would be to revert back to the old PoD system. barn into its CP and in setting up the new processes.

It is safe to say the BCPs have garnered a mixed The barn's conversion has meant Provender’s response from the industry, but they were established plant inspection and handling processes to safeguard our nation’s biosecurity, but have needed very little alterations. Tickner undoubtedly more can and should be done to elaborates: “The real changes are around the ensure their presence does not become a lasting process of using the control point and the hindrance.“There is a lot of power in simplifying control in place for entering and exiting the things that do not need to be complicated,” says CP with personnel and machinery to comply Mantje.“Look into LEAN-process management to Stuart Tickner, head of nursery, with the government.” optimise the production and biosecurity, Back in the Netherlands, Boom & Bonheur is intake and Provender Nurseries finding that the plant inspection and handling output process, process is less impacted by the BCP requirements but and try to aim efforts rather the rules and regulations in general; “the number of at the pests and diseases changes in a year makes keeping up with the rules and applying them that impact local resources at the accordingly a challenge,”,says Mantje. The nursery has opted to inspect point of destination.” After eight its fields for more pests and diseases than is legally required, “just to months, the current challenges are stay ahead of the regulations that might be installed.” Sparking the merely growing pains? Or are question, what are UK growers doing to combat these obstacles in the BCPs destined to hinder the their way? Hourhan says he foresees Spring Reach needing to industry? Tickner remains increase its own production volume even further, as well as steadfast in the industry's ability sourcing from only UK-grown stock, which he admits to overcome whatever comes our is “never going to be a 100% realistic option if way though, concluding: “The the customer wants to be able to have horticultural sector is very good at unlimited choice.” Dunnet adapting, and so I’m sure we will BOOM & BONHEUR admits that the current adapt to the new regulations.”

The horticultural sector is very good at adapting and so I’m sure we will adapt to the new regulations

BOOM & BONHEUR

12

Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

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THE

COMPLETE

PACKAGE Increase Biodiversity: Our award winning plastic free wildflower turf is a game-changer for promoting local ecosystems. By incorporating a variety of native plants, you can create beautiful, biodiverse habitats that attract pollinators and support wildlife.

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BUSINESS AWARDS

2024 WINNERS

S

ince launching in 2018, the Pro Landscaper Business Awards, in association with Caribbean Blinds, has continued to go from strength to strength, as evidenced this year after receiving its highest number of entries to date.

This includes most of our industry’s biggest names alongside other exceptional established businesses, rising stars, and newcomers.

At this year’s event, which took place at the Old Billingsgate in London on 19 April, 17 category winners were announced, as well

Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

14

In partnership with

as our overall Supreme Winner, at a ceremony hosted by TV presenter and radio broadcaster Nicki Chapman, known for her RHS Chelsea Flower Show coverage on the BBC. This year also saw the introduction of two new categories: Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Investment/Acquisition of the Year.

We look forward to celebrating the continued successes of the industry in 2025. Join us again on Friday 25, April 2025, at the Old Billingsgate.

Arboriculture Company

In partnership with

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

The Environment Partnership (TEP) Ltd

Led by one of the few Asian team leaders in local government in the UK, the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council has set a benchmark for excellence and transformation. The council has implemented various initiatives to promote diversity and ensure inclusivity and has set a series of goals by which to measure the impact of these too.

Since its first community woodland design in 1997, TEP’s focus has always been on sustainable development by conserving and enhancing the natural and built environment. Headquartered in northwest England, the environmental consultancy operates across the UK and boasts one of the largest arboriculture teams nationally, with 14 professionals ranging from graduate to director level.

Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

prolandscapermagazine.com

BUSINESS AWARDS

In partnership with

Supplier and Service Provider

Wildflower Turf Ltd

Landscape Architecture Studio

Harris Bugg Studio

With a dedicated in-house research and development team, an on-site laboratory, and extensive trial facilities, Wildflower Turf Ltd aims to continuously push the boundaries in the landscaping industry. It has been involved in some of the highest profile wildflower installations in the UK, including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Founded only seven years ago, Harris Bugg Studio has become an award-winning landscape design practice with a track record of delivering historic, residential, commercial, botanic and public gardens. Described as the “pioneering design talents of a generation” by the Royal Horticultural Society, it has been awarded four Gold medals and one Silver Gilt at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

In partnership with

Trade Nursery of the Year

Tendercare Nurseries Ltd

Commercial Landscape Company

Landscape Company £1m – £5m Turnover In partnership with

Helmrig Ltd

More than three decades ago, Tendercare Nurseries became an early specimen plant nursery to emerge in the UK, set up by a landscape architect and a plant biologist on a greenfield site, with a layout modelled on efficiency.

It now offers a range of plants chosen for their role in amenity landscape work and their disease-resistance.

In partnership with

Elmtree Garden Contractors Ltd

Helmrig is a family business, established in 1980, delivering high quality contract landscaping across the North West. Since it was purchased by the next generation in January 2021, Helmrig has seen 59% growth in sales and 42% growth in operating profit (EBITDA). It has ambitious goals, embracing change and new business initiatives whilst not losing focus on its core business.

In partnership with

Garden Design Company

The Garden Company Ltd

Since 1969, Elmtree Garden Contractors Ltd has been consistently delivering quality landscaping to the construction and commercial sectors. It is passionate about contributing positively to the environment, society, and the communities in which it operates and believes that a business can both have a purpose and be profitable.

Grounds Maintenance Company

The Garden Company creates places of enduring value through design expertise and landscaping craftsmanship. Its work is rich in detail and drawn from over 30 years’ experience. The company supports its clients every step of the way, delivering bespoke and handcrafted spaces that they love.

In partnership with

Nurture Landscapes

Alongside traditional grounds maintenance services, Nurture Landscapes takes a proactive approach to sustainability and biodiversity, helping clients achieve their ESG objectives through innovative ideas and quality service. It works with a broad range of clients, including businesses and industrial parks, retail and leisure sector, office buildings, and hospitality and heritage sites.

prolandscapermagazine.com

In partnership with

Landscape Company Under £1m Turnover In partnership with

Murray Landscapes Ltd

Based in Motherwell, Scotland, Murray Landscapes has been transforming landscapes since 2009. It creates modern outdoor living spaces for its domestic clients as well as undertaking commercial grounds maintenance. Murray Landscapes focuses on developing its team and driving the business forward through its efficiency and high-quality, client-focused service, led by founder Marc Murray.

Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

15

BUSINESS AWARDS

In partnership with

Industry Collaboration

Canary Wharf Management Ltd Committed to tackling biodiversity loss and creating nature positive places, Canary Wharf Management Ltd appointed Gillespies to create a landscaping framework to green up the estate, which included living walls installed by Biotecture.

Following a successful first phase, Biotecture was commissioned to green up areas near the new Elizabeth Line station too.

In partnership with

Gel Landscaping and Groundworks Ltd

Looking to expand its capabilities, Wright Landscapes acquired Pickmere Nursery at the end of 2021, having become part of the Domis Construction Group the previous year. The investment has allowed Wright Landscapes – which offers planning and design through to construction, completion, and maintenance – to use its base as a training facility, a hub for landscape architects, and a venue for supplier events.

Landscape Company Over £5m Turnover

In partnership with

Elmtree Garden Contractors Ltd Elmtree Garden Contractors Ltd has been at the forefront of the industry for more than 50 years, committed to the future of the horticulture sector, driving standards and best practice. It is dedicated to staff development, career progression and future proofing the industry, supporting every staff member for extension training opportunities.

Giving back and supporting its environment and local community is at the forefront of what it does, with Gel Landscaping believing that everyone should have access to great outdoor space. It helped to provide a dementia friendly allotment for a community in north Bristol, for instance, and sponsors a local under nines football team.

Sustainable Company of the Year

In partnership with

Ground Control Ltd

In partnership with

Employer of the Year

Design and Build Company

In partnership with

Landform Consultants Ltd

Ground Control is a leading external maintenance business and biodiversity expert committed to enhancing and improving the physical environment. As one of the first 1,000 UK businesses committed to making ‘business a force for good’ with B Corp certification, it showcases its commitment to sustainability in the procedures, operations, and values of its services.

Green-tech

Landform Consultants is widely recognised across the industry. The multi-award-winning company based in Chobham consistently delivers design-led, beautifully constructed exterior spaces for both commercial and domestic clients, working nationally and internationally. It is a business that continues to raise the bar and push boundaries, with its designs becoming larger and more complex.

Supreme Winner 2024

In partnership with

Nurture Landscapes

Green-tech is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of tree planting and landscaping materials. The Yorkshire-based company employs more than 80 staff, saying that people are its greatest asset. It aims to provide a safe, happy and fun workplace where people enjoy spending their working life, resulting in a high staff retention rate.

16

In partnership with

Wright Landscapes Ltd

in collaboration with Biotecture

New Company (Under two years old)

Investment/Acquisition of the Year

Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

“This is an outstanding company across all facets of the business.

Already with a range of accolades to its name, Nurture Landscapes has high employee engagement with an impressive training regime and scheme,sustainability with a defined strategy in place to reach net zero, exceptional customer feedback with high levels of repeat business, and an ambitious growth plan in place that includes strategic acquisitions.”

Stuart Dantzic, managing director, Caribbean Blinds

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30 UNDER 30 WINNERS 2024 Age

’S

26

F

rom award-winning garden designers to business owners and managing directors, this year’s winners of 30 Under 30: The Next Generation, in association with Green-tech, showcase a variety of skills and experiences, but what connects them all is their unwavering dedication to the industry and commendable passion for what they do.

This year is notable, marking the tenth class of the initiative.

With 300 alumni now recognised, it’s a fitting moment to celebrate the achievements of all our winners and remained focused on the future.

In honour of this achievement, we hosted two exclusive panel discussions at FutureScape in October, uniting 30 Under 30 alumni from years past and several established voices within the industry to discuss the importance of mentoring and how to strive for success, both chaired by Ross Conquest of Conquest Spaces.

Age Each winner – past and present – embodies our industry’s future. Though 2024 has been a year of significant change, it’s clear that the industry is in capable and motivated hands.

The Pro Landscaper team

MATTHEW ELLIS Landscape manager, JPB Landscapes

Age

JAMIE BAKER

Operations manager, Giardini Antonetti

Landscape architect, Andy Sturgeon Design

Age

24

IZAAK BUTLER

TOM CARTER

Landscape Manager, Cube 1994

Site engineer, Maylim

Age

Age

28

28

CHRIS FRY

CHARLES GARRICK

Head of arboriculture, Tony Benger Landscaping

Garden designer / hard landscaper, Charles Edward Garden Design

Age

20

Age

24

25

PAUL HUTCHINSON

ANNA MCLOUGHLIN

CHESTER MURCH

OLLIE PIKE

Operations manager & deputy head of parks, University of Oxford

Craftsman landscaper, Landform Consultants

Site manager, Ellicar

Landscape architect and director, Pike Studio

Age

Age

28

LUCAS SCHOFIELD Site engineer, Maylim Limited

18

Age

26

Age

28

27

MICHAEL ANTONETTI

31

Congratulations to our class of 2024!

Age

Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

Age

29

ALEKSANDRA SLUBOWSKA Landscape architect, AS Design

Age

26

24

KYLE SWEET

DANIEL TAYLOR

Landscaping team leader, Artisan Landscapes

Supervisor, Tivoli Group

prolandscapermagazine.com

30 UNDER 30 WINNERS 2024 Age

Age

26

JACOB BETTS

24

DALE BOWIE

Age

LOUIS CHAMPAIN

Age

27

26

JAKE CONWAY

CALLUM CORRIE

Estimating assistant, Nicholsons

Garden designer, Callum Corrie Garden Design

Age

Age

24

Age

28

25

TAYLOR GEE

OLIVER GREGSON

TILLY HAWKINS

Director, Design Only Gardens

Director, Hardwood Landscapes

Estimator, Ground Control

Age

Age

28

Age

27

30

JAMES ROBSON

EDWARD ROYALL

SHONA SAXON

Quoted sales team executive, Provender Nurseries

Designer, gardener and founder, Royall Natural Landscapes

Director, Sherratt Group

Age

Age

25

From the sponsor

Trainee team leader, Landesigns

Age

29

Managing director & business owner, Champain Landscapes & Brampton Willows

22

KAMERON BRINDLE

Sales manager, GreenBlue Urban

Garden designer, Urban Earth

Age

26

Age

25

“Congratulations to all the winners of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation Awards for 2024. Green-tech is proud to sponsor this initiative that celebrates 30 outstanding young professionals who are shaping the future of our industry each year.

These awards highlight the diverse and rewarding career opportunities within landscaping, horticulture, arboriculture, and garden design. The 2024 winners exemplify the dedication and passion that drive success in our field. Pro Landscaper continues to provide an unrivalled platform for showcasing your talents and accomplishments while also inspiring the next generation of industry leaders.

Being named a winner is a remarkable achievement, offering you a unique chance to elevate your profile and advance your career.

Congratulations once again on this well-deserved recognition.”

KRIS NELLIST CAMERON TREND

JAMES WEBSTER

JOSEPH WILSON CHARRY

Garden and landscape designer, Cameron Trend Design

Account manager, Green-tech

Landscape conservation officer, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

prolandscapermagazine.com

MANAGING DIRECTOR, GREEN-TECH

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PROJECT AWARDS

2024 WINNERS DESIGN AND BUILD UNDER £50,000

ASTONVILLE STREET TOM HOWARD GARDEN DESIGN & LANDSCAPING LTD In partnership with Lacking green fingers, these clients wanted a garden that was easy to maintain, relaxing and suitable for entertaining. The size of the space meant tackling the garden in stages, but the outcome is a clever use of space, and a simple palette helping the garden to feel larger than it is.

B

eing in the industry that arguably has some of the most beautiful projects being created, it’s only right that we shine a spotlight on them though admittedly we are rather biased. But partisanship aside, we launched these awards to celebrate phenomenal landscaping projects with a value under £100k, because after all, they’re just as important for the industry’s reputation as their larger counterparts.

This year’s record level of entries boosted not only the industry’s established professionals but also its emerging stars, who we will undoubtedly be seeing a lot more of over the years to come. From holistic planting and striking installations to meticulous paving and contemporary outdoor furniture, this year’s winners well and truly validate our bias.

We would be remiss not to mention our inaugural summer party, which took place in association with Landscapeplus, that took place directly after these awards. Not only are our winners exceptional in their careers, they can also rock the mic and dance the night away - a true highlight of this summer event.

Congratulations again to this year’s winners!

A NOTE FROM OUR HEADLINE PARTNER As the headline partner for the Pro Landscaper Project Awards, Nth Degree Clerkenwell is thrilled to celebrate excellence within these landscaping projects. The addition of three new categories, bringing the total to 12, these awards recognise the exceptional creativity, skill, design, and dedication that define our industry and push the boundaries of landscaping. We are proud to support an event that honours remarkable achievements and sets high standards for quality and professionalism.

Gary Farrell, Nth Degree Clerkenwell

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TEMPORARY INSTALLATION UNDER £50,000

'FEELS LIKE HOME' - RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW 2023 CONTAINER GARDEN DESIGNED BY ROSEMARY COLDSTREAM

LANDESIGNS LTD In partnership with

Landesigns’ first time at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – with designer Rosemary Coldstream – won a gold, Best in Category award and the People’s Choice. Judges called it “beautiful and creative” with a “wonderful selection of plants and materials.

DESIGN AND BUILD £50,000 - £100,000

EDGE HILL TOM HOWARD GARDEN DESIGN & LANDSCAPING LTD In partnership with A full interior revamp of a modern house in Wimbledon needed a garden that would complement it, with a contemporary design. Tom Howard Garden Design & Landscaping used planting to create the illusion of space and hidden areas, and sculptural benches to help layer the garden became a focal point.

DESIGN

£50,000 - £100,000 URBAN SANCTUARY NIGEL PHILIPS ONE-TO-ONE GARDEN DESIGN In partnership with

On downsizing to a smaller garden, the clients wanted to maximise space, achieved through Nigel Philip's one-to-one garden design. Judges called it a “delightfully designed project” that “this small and awkward space has been transformed by the use of materials and clever design”.

prolandscapermagazine.com

PROJECT AWARDS COMMUNITY GREEN SPACE

UNDER £100,000 QE2 JUBILEE SUPERBLOOM FLOATING MEADOW UNIQUE PROJECTS

DESIGN

UNDER £50,000 ST PAUL'S ADOLFO HARRISON GARDENS In partnership with

In partnership with Sustainability was at the heart of this project - which marked the jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II - with all materials logged and their carbon measured, as was Unique Projects’ activity and commute. Even the tug that took the barge to its temporary location opposite the Tower was powered by biofuel.

SPECIAL FEATURE

A young professional in London was looking for an outdoor space to complement her recent kitchen extension, one that would provide a green oasis, with tropical style planting. The partially shaded south-facing garden was previously in poor condition, but Adolfo Harrison Gardens saw its potential.

BUILD

UNDER £50,000

UNDER £50,000

OUR HAPPY PLACE ADAM VETERE LANDSCAPE & GARDEN DESIGN AND JJH LANDSCAPES

COOKS HALL BARN JPB LANDSCAPES LTD In partnership with

In partnership with This bespoke pergola is the centerpiece of a garden redesign, which the client wanted to be a ‘living legacy’ for her daughter and a tribute to her late husband.

The structure is a “great transformation that shows ingenuity and pushes the boundaries of good design,” said judges.

To make the most of stunning countryside views, JPB Landscapes was brought in by a repeat client to create a raised decking for a hot tub and seating area, an aesthetically pleasing play area for the grandchildren – including an aeroplane swing – and a bespoke sunken seating area that would later house a fire pit.

HARD LANDSCAPING

PLANTING DESIGN

LITTLE MEAD D & S PRECISION LANDSCAPING LTD

PUTNEY GARDEN LUCY WILLCOX GARDEN DESIGN

UNDER £50,000

In partnership with Judges praised the “excellent workmanship and design” of this garden where a patio extension seamlessly connects an outdoor kitchen and a relaxing seating area with a fire pit and raised planters, which needed to link seamlessly to their new outbuilding.

SUSTAINABLE GARDEN

UNDER £25,000

In partnership with

The Putney Garden by Lucy Willcox Garden Design is a “standout winner”, according to judges. The planting needed to embrace the heathland beyond and the changing seasons, encouraging pollinators into the garden with flowering interest to inject colour into the scheme.

BUILD

UNDER £50,000

£50,000 - £100,000

CLIMATE POSITIVE GARDEN, PAISLEY RACHEL BAILEY GARDEN DESIGN LTD

TATTENALL WALKER LANDSCAPE AND DESIGN

In partnership with Rachel Bailey Garden Design Ltd was brought on board to create an informal, immersive modern space in which the clients could relax, dine and exercise – all whilst offering a haven for wildlife. It succeeded, with judges saying it is “an exceptional scheme and a revelation to see such a sustainable approach”.

SUPREME WINNER EDGE HILL TOM HOWARD GARDEN DESIGN & LANDSCAPING LTD In partnership with

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In partnership with Cheshire-based Walker Landscape and Design created a courtyard with sweeping countryside views. It features an outdoor kitchen, modern pergola, TV, and naturalistic planting. Judges praised it as a “fantastic entertaining space.”

“A fantastic design for an awkward shape that marries with the house architecture and has been wonderfully executed.”

“Impressive scheme, superb detail and transformation.”

“Effective contrast of materials. Love the bench”

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SUSTAINABILITY & BIODIVERSITY AWARDS DOMESTIC DESIGN PROJECT

CLIMATE POSITIVE GARDEN PAISLEY – RACHEL BAILEY GARDEN DESIGN LTD

2024 WINNERS

In partnership with

A private client approached Rachel Bailey Garden Design to transform their family garden into a 161m2 urban garden teeming with wildlife, sustainably sourced pathing and multiple outdoor seating options for the family to enjoy. With 75% softscape, which will work to protect and nourish the soil as well as provide a habitat for wildlife, without limiting the family’s social space.

MAINTENANCE CONTRACT

CHINEHAM PARK – NURTURE LANDSCAPES LTD

In partnership with

In the last 18 months, Nurture Landscapes introduced a new Biodiversity Management System, to the Chineham Park Biodiversity Policy. Rewilding at the 94-acre park saw 3,000 new bulbs being planted and a recent count of over 90 orchids, including a rare lizard orchid, leading to the first successful Nurture ‘Orchid Walk’ in 2024. Nature has also focused on community engagement through biodiversity initiatives, nature walks and surveys.

S

ustainability has become significant importance, as the world continues to tackle the climate crisis. Our industry is at the forefront of this fight, and it’s a mission we take seriously - which is why, when we launched these awards last year, we did so to recognise and celebrate the incredible strides being made in the name of sustainability and environmental innovation.

This year we introduced a new category – Sustainability & Biodiversity Leader – to recognise individuals who are championing those ethos. In total, over 40 companies and projects were shortlisted across 13 categories.

It was exciting to see the calibre and quality of those submissions and know that each one is facilitates a greener and environmentally sympathetic future. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.

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GROUNDS MAINTENANCE COMPANY

NURTURE LANDSCAPES LTD

In partnership with

Going beyond the traditional grounds maintenance services, Nurture proactively supports clients in achieving their own ESG objectives, with a commitment to driving transformative change, inclusive of sustainability. Its portfolio has already been recognised by the likes of the Green Flag and Green Apple Awards, and it is a winner of two BALI National Landscape Awards this year. Now, it is dedicated to achieving net zero by 2035 and B Corp certification in the coming years.

LANDSCAPING COMPANY

GRADUATE LANDSCAPES LTD

In partnership with

Established 1864

For over 30 years, Hampshire-based Graduate Landscapes has combined creativity with environmental responsibility, prioritising green solutions and community engagement.

Committed to eco-friendly landscapes that harmonise with nature, it has invested in reducing its environmental impact, educating clients on green living, and supporting global climate efforts.

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SUSTAINABILITY & BIODIVERSITY AWARDS COMMERCIAL BUILD PROJECT

COMMERCIAL DESIGN PROJECT – TEMPORARY INSTALLATION

KNEPP WILDING ‘DOG In partnership with WALKERS CAR PARK’ & KITCHEN – GRADUATE LANDSCAPES LTD

In partnership with ‘THE FREEDOM FROM TORTURE GARDEN: A SANCTUARY FOR SURVIVORS’ IN COLLABORATION WITH SENSELESS ACTS OF BEAUTY – EMMA O’CONNELL GARDEN DESIGN

Graduate Landscapes partnered with the Knepp Estate and RHS accredited Tom Stuart Smith Garden Design Studio to deliver the ‘Dog Walkers Car Park’ & Kitchen project on site at Knepp Wilding in Horsham. England’s first major lowland rewilding site. Spanning 1,400ha, the project used recycled onsite materials to reduce machinery use and minimise environmental impact.

SUPPLIER

HILLIER NURSERIES LTD

In partnership with

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIO

GARDEN DESIGN COMPANY

HTA DESIGN LLP

In partnership with

Supplying the landscaping industry for over 150 years, Hillier Nurseries specialises in semi-mature trees, both field and container grown at its nurseries in Hampshire. Each of its 250,000 trees are a testament to its commitment to biodiversity and sustainability, with both its supply-chain and materials selected with sustainability in mind. In the last 12 months, Hillier has reduced its carbon footprint by 5%.

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR (HARD LANDSCAPING)

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR (SOFT LANDSCAPING)

ROOTSPACE GENERATION 2 – GREENBLUE URBAN LTD

CARBON4GRASS RANGE – ORIGIN AMENITY SOLUTIONS

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In partnership with

Emma O’Connell’s The Freedom from Torture Garden won silver at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Designed with sustainability and social impact, it prioritised environment, featured peat-free plants and avoiding cement.

After the show, it was relocated to Freedom From Torture HQ in Finsbury Park, London.

Creating healthier spaces in harmony with nature

The RootSpace Generation 2 features a panel system with interlocking components and a unique airflow deck for even aeration, preventing soil compaction and providing ample rooting space for urban trees to reach their full potential.

Urban tree planting enhances biodiversity and helps mitigate flooding and storm impacts.

ATELIER GARDENS, BERLIN – HARRIS BUGG STUDIO

Award-winning Harris Bugg Studio radically transformed one of Europe’s oldest film studios into a thriving creative campus underpinned by sustainability. The six-acre site, once concrete jungle with one tree per acre, Atelier Gardens in Berlin is now home to 125 trees and 20,000 plants. Driven by a desire to improve biodiversity and create a healthy landscape, the site’s concrete was lifted, and reused preventing 450-plus tonnes of waste.

With a commitment to do everything they can to tackle the biodiversity emergency and mitigate climate change, HTA Design put nature at the core of all its projects by creating functional and aesthetic spaces, while also promoting wellbeing and environmental stewardship. It is driving sustainability in all aspects of the business, and it has recently been awarded B Corp certification, achieving an overall B Impact score of 136.1, one of the highest in the UK Built Environment Sector.

In partnership with

COMMERCIAL DESIGN PROJECT

In partnership with

With an integration of advanced carbon capture and soil health improvement properties, Carbon4Grass was developed in response to the urgent need for sustainable nature-based solutions. It works to minimise resource depletion by improving soil structure as well as limiting the need for chemical input to help foster a stronger more diverse ecosystem capable of withstanding environmental pressures like drought and heavy foot traffic.

RACHEL BAILEY GARDEN DESIGN LTD

In partnership with

Specialising in creating environmentally conscious, plant-filled gardens for the benefit of people and wildlife, Rachel Bailey Garden Design’s Environmental Policy is held aloft by four pillars that guide every project – minimise carbon emissions, be resilient and adaptable, limit waste and protect natural resources and improve biodiversity. It is committed to achieving net zero by the latest 2045 as part of its sustainability business plan.

SUSTAINABILITY AND BIODIVERSITY LEADER

KAY GEOGHEGAN – TYLER GRANGE GROUP LTD

In partnership with

Though not initially a sustainability professional when joining Tyler Grange, Kay Geoghegan, the quality, data, and B Corp lead, spearheaded the consultancy’s B Corp certification process,to achieve the coveted title in 2022. She does and continuing to manage the certification process, the company’s greenhouse gas reduction strategies, sustainable development goals accreditation, and the annual impact report collation.

Pro Landscaper | The Collection 2024

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ENTER YOUR COMPANY NOW ENTRIES CLOSE

10 February 2025 NEED SOME HELP? DOWNLOAD OUR 2025 ENTRY GUIDE

Awards ceremony: friday 25 april 2025

PROLANDSCAPERBUSINESSAWARDS.COM

2025 CATEGORIES ARBORICULTURE COMPANY COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE COMPANY DESIGN AND BUILD COMPANY EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGY GARDEN DESIGN COMPANY GROUNDS MAINTENANCE COMPANY INDUSTRY COLLABORATION INVESTMENT/ACQUISITION OF THE YEAR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIO LANDSCAPE COMPANY UNDER £1M TURNOVER LANDSCAPE COMPANY £1M-£5M TURNOVER LANDSCAPE COMPANY OVER £5M TURNOVER NEW COMPANY (UNDER TWO YEARS OLD) SUPPLIER AND SERVICE PROVIDER SUSTAINABLE COMPANY OF THE YEAR TRADE NURSERY OF THE YEAR Contact ollie to enter and for tickets 01903 777579 ollie.finch@eljays44.com

contact DAVID for partnership opportunities 01903 777584 david.griffiths@eljays44.com

ENTRIES CLOSE 10 FEBRUARY 2025

JANUARY 2024

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £150k +VAT Build time 15 weeks Size of project 285 sq m

Small Screen T STAR

CREATIVE GARDENS & DRIVEWAYS MODERN OUTDOOR LIVING prolandscapermagazine.com

he owners of this large house and garden wanted to achieve a desirable outside space that would encourage them and their guests to make full use of it, offering multiple seating areas to make the best of the available sunshine.

The site level falls away quite close to the house by over a metre, down various steps and past an old rotten decking area part way down the slope. On first impression, the garden was uninviting and unusable; the planting was out of control or past its best and needed a re-think to fit with the clients’ desire for a low maintenance, contemporary space to match their beautifully refurbished house.

1 The garden at dusk with LED step lights switched on

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JANUARY 2024 Some old garden lighting no longer worked, so in the early evening the garden became a dark and potentially dangerous place to navigate.

So, Creative Gardens & Driveways looked to maximise every ray of available sunlight in its design, offering three alternative seating areas in positions across the rear of the property. The clients love of entertaining was supported by creating a Grillo outdoor kitchen, featuring both gas and charcoal BBQs. It also includes a sociable high bar with a stool seating area enabling guests to drink and chat to the hosts as they rustle up delicacies on the BBQs. The backdrop to the kitchen area is Venetian fencing from Jackson’s Fencing, which delineates the area and creates a welcoming sense of enclosure and privacy within this outdoor ‘room’. Adjacent to the outdoor kitchen on the highest-level patio is a dedicated dining area with an eight-seater luxury outdoor dining suite. The retaining walls around the dining area for the level retention were constructed from black Vande Moortel clay bricks, offering a sleek, crisp feel.

Mounted to the wall is a glass balustrade, keeping the diners safe whilst providing fantastic views across the garden.

The main steps down to the next level are flanked by the clever use of powder coated aluminium planters, planted to soften the hard landscaping in this central area. The planters act as a safety barrier to the end of the dining patio and to the edge of the second level relaxation area. This area comprises of a new composite deck, built on a metal frame so that it doesn’t befall the rotting fate of the previous timber decking.

The grey composite decking perfectly complements the light and dark grey porcelain flagged walkways and patio areas.

A long runway path crosses the back of the house at the second level, which is halfway down to the lawn. Part way along this path is a contemporary metal pond with a back wall incorporating a water blade feature, creating a fantastic sound and vision of running water. On each side of the water feature is a soldier-like Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata Aurea’ standing to attention and framing the view to the garden from the

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JANUARY 2024 3D VISUALISATION

Alan Titchmarsh and his team for its modern outdoor living features which include zoned areas for cooking, dining, lounging and relaxing.

David Hadley who owns Creative Gardens & Driveways, gave Titchmarsh a tour of the project off camera, where the two shared

kitchen window of the house. At the end of the runway path is another seating area, this time a porcelain paved area housing informal seating and surrounded by structural planting. A theme of the planting is ball-like forms to give continuity; these include Photinia ‘Red Robin’ half standards, Pinus mugo ‘Mops’ (the dwarf mountain pine) and Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’.

Overall, the tonal greys of the hard landscaping tie together beautifully with the jet black of the clay brick walling and are all delightfully softened with the generous

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evergreen planting scheme. When night falls, the fun doesn’t end as the design also incorporates LED strip lights to the underside of the step treads to light the way. Downlighters on the fencing provide ambient light in the cooking and seating areas with spotlights illuminating key structural planting to provide added drama.

The project was completed in May 2021 and was recently featured on ITV’s Love Your Garden where it provided inspiration for a project the show was undertaking in Burnley.

The garden was selected by presenter

their passion for gardening. “We were honoured to welcome Alan and his team to this Altrincham project,” says Hadley. “This garden appealed to the Love Your Garden team as it showcases so many ways to maximise outdoor living space, whether that’s enjoying a quiet drink in the evenings, entertaining friends or relaxing and playing as a family.

“The garden also included a challenge many homeowners face of designing gardens that are not simple flat squares. This project is on a slope and has varying levels, but we turned this into an advantage, utilising the

2 Incorporating dining and relaxing was key 3 Grillo kitchen in the evening 4 David Hadley (left) with Alan Titchmarsh – a proud moment for all involved

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JANUARY 2024

REFERENCES Paving and steps London Stone londonstone.co.uk Bricks Vande Moortel vandemoortel.co.uk/en/ Water feature and planters Adezz adezz.com/en-gb Fencing Jacksons Fencing jacksons-fencing.co.uk Decking Kinley kinley.co.uk 3D VISUALISATION

completed project. Two years on, the soft landscaping and planting has matured beautifully and remains easy for the property owners to maintain.

Kitchen Grillo Outdoor Kitchens grilloliving.com Plants Viridis Plants viridisplants.co.uk

5 Lower seating area enclosed by structural planting 6 Filming Titchmarsh for ITV’s Love Your Garden Photographs ©Creative Gardens & Driveways

different heights to create themed focal points throughout the garden.

“Alan Titchmarsh was particularly complimentary of the different zones within the garden. Receiving praise from such an esteemed horticultural expert was incredibly rewarding for our entire team. We are extremely passionate about creating inspiring gardens across Cheshire and Alan’s recognition has further fuelled this as we turn our attention to exciting new projects.”

This was a relatively complex project with multiple levels and zero margin for error. Very detailed setting out and construction drawings were essential and crucial to its success. The client had difficulty visualising the interpretation of the brief, so 3D rendered images were provided before the project began to ensure their full approval.

The result was worth the time and effort, though, as the customer is delighted with the

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ABOUT Creative Gardens & Driveways provides homeowners in the Northwest of England with the perfect garden design and build services they need to create their dream outdoor living space. With award-winning garden designers and a team of exceptional project managers and craftsmen, its service is second to none ensuring each individual customer gets the results they desire. creativegardensand driveways.co.uk

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JANUARY 2024

Slow and

STEADY FENTON GARDENS LTD

HEATH’S DELOS GARDEN

S

tarting with the fencing, the client wanted to stagger the process of creating a beautiful, functional space for their family, which included two children. They wanted to work out how they could move through the garden at each point and spent a year thinking about the first section, considering how far the patio should come out, for instance.

Fenton Gardens Ltd had a meeting with the client to discuss the details and materials, and once the first area was complete, it was an additional four months until the client signed off the layout and plan for the next section.

Perhaps surprisingly, Fenton says he found this an enjoyable way to work; although it was quite long winded for a job that was not huge, the clients were so happy with it and it works so well for them. The finished project was far better than they would have imagined from when Fenton first went to look at the job. What could have been indicative of time wasting throughout the design and construction process turned out to be a way to eliminate error, which was not an approach that Fenton was familiar with.

The garden started as a barren space with ivy growing over old fencing and a couple of neglected shrubs close to the edges. Some block paving formed a patio straight out the back door; it had been pushed around by roots from the neighbour’s willow tree.

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £15k Build time 32 days Size of project 94m2

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JANUARY 2024 The contrast of sleek, clean, modern lines and the homage to a wilder more naturalist environment in the delos area was a real achievement for Fenton in the completed project. It was not jarring, and it was in fact very functional for them, serving a different purpose to the other patio – it’s where the clients could have a small fire or where two people can sit for a quiet chat with a little more seclusion.

The materials and job were sustainable in that they were all selected for their long-term durability.

Jacksons fencing was chosen due to it being aesthetically pleasing, long-lasting, guaranteed and had the venetian screens to shield the end of the garden. The porcelain was chosen for its long-lasting qualities and clean finish. The customer wanted to select a material that could be fully cleaned without degrading, so this was key when selecting the materials and suppliers.

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JANUARY 2024

The CEDEC silver path gravel in the rockery section was chosen for its contrasting texture but similar colour pallet to the porcelain; it is also inert and permeable so is perfect for planting through. The boulders were chosen based on supplier CED Stone’s recommendation for complementing the gravel.

The planting was chosen to create flushes of colour to show in the different areas at different times of year. The customer was very keen to do as much for pollinators and invertebrates as possible, so the planting is very sympathetic to that cause. All plants were researched in depth to avoid the use of poisonous or toxic plants to fit with the specifications requested by the client.

The bed that has hydrangeas, Stachys byzantina and ajuga has developed

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PLANTING

perfectly so that the client has not had to weed it at all since it was planted, and the EverEdge border gives the client a constant reference for where to strim.

One of the major problems with this project was access, which was through an alleyway – crammed with fly tipped rubbish and Parthenocissus – first entered four houses down from the customer’s house. Fenton had to clear the alley before it could start, which unfortunately cost the client an

1 Patio delineates the tightly packed space 2 Aerial view of the project in use 3 Pangs of colour amongst classic gardenry 4 Seating seen through bursts of flowers 5 Garden furniture with airy planting

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JANUARY 2024

BEFORE

REFERENCES Plants Provender Nurseries provendernurseries.co.uk Fence Jacksons Fencing jacksons-fencing.co.uk Paving London Stone londonstone.co.uk Gravel and boulders CED Stone cedstone.co.uk additional skip. The team also had to avoid upsetting a bees’ nest whilst replacing the old fencing. All materials and waste had to go through this access, so it was a major part of the job; no plant could be used to assist with the excavations either.

From a design point of view, the only unexpected ‘issue’ was working out where to place a step at the back of the garden, where it sloped.

Overall, despite the challenges and delays that accompanied the project, from the difficulties in access to the sceptical planning from the client, Fenton Gardens Ltd successfully completed the brief and created a space that is both beautiful and functional for this family.

6 Functional, relaxing and tactfully decorated 7 Boulders and rocks create levels of visual interest

Building materials Discount Builders Merchants discountbuilders.co.uk Turf Grasslands Turf grasslands.co.uk Edging EverEdge everedge.co.uk

ABOUT Joshua Fenton started the business as a sole trader in 2016 having worked in the gardening and landscaping sector since 2005. His partner Daisy joined in 2018 and they both undertook an RHS Level 3 course in practical horticulture whilst growing the business together as a partnership. fentongardensltd.co.uk

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JANUARY 2024

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £300k Build time 5 months Size of project 300m2 Awards Silver medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022

A lasting legacy IN LONDON CITYSCAPES PUTTING DOWN ROOTS GARDEN

T

he Putting Down Roots Garden originated as a show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022, designed by Cityscapes for homelessness charity St Mungo’s. It highlighted the work of its horticultural therapy programme, Putting Down Roots, which helps people recovering from homelessness.

Funded by Project Giving Back, it showcased the decade-long collaboration between Cityscapes and Putting Down Roots in making and caring for sustainable public pocket parks. The garden addressed

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issues of environmental and social sustainability, highlighting how reusing materials prolongs their value and prevents unnecessary waste, and how engaging in therapeutic horticultural activities can transform people’s lives.

The garden design featured reused materials from previous show gardens, waste materials and robust structural features using low-carbon concrete and recycled steel content, as well as densely layered ecological planting comprised of shade and semi-shade plant communities.

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JANUARY 2024 Many of the plants for the garden were grown by clients of Putting Down Roots at Clapham, only two miles from the Chelsea show ground.

The experience of working on the project has proven to be transformative for some of them.

After the show, the garden was relocated to a permanent location at Southwark Crown Court on the London Bridge City estate.

Using a light-touch approach to the site, it has transformed an unused space into a vibrant and colourful public pocket park in a busy and dense part of London.

It also reveals how ecologically orientated planting can be used to create more naturalistic places, increasing resource and habitat opportunities for biodiverse multispecies communities, as well as providing health and wellbeing benefits for people.

Careful design consideration was given to all materials used in the show garden and their construction, which followed a modular approach to allow for easy extraction without waste.

Boundary fencing and some paving bricks were reused from RHS Chelsea Flower Show

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2021 gardens. Brick pavers, for instance, were taken from Arit Anderson’s The BBC One Show and RHS Garden of Hope, and recycled scaffold boards from the RHS COP26 Garden

by Marie-Louise Agius were used.

Additional paving offcuts from suppliers that were destined for landfill were used, as were coloured paving strips using recycled glass. Structural steel pavilion rings and movable planters with handles were fabricated locally with steel containing the maximum amount of recycled content while maintaining structural integrity. The concrete bench utilised a cement replacement resulting in an 80% reduction in its carbon footprint.

All materials and plants were taken to the relocation site directly after RHS Chelsea Flower Show breakdown at the beginning of June. The transportation from the show to the permanent site was a distance of only five miles.

At London Bridge, the garden was constructed with minimal excavation for paths and foundations, with displaced substrate relocated across the site and in the

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JANUARY 2024

planters, to avoid removing materials from site. Existing walls were retained and modified by stonemasons.

Progress on the building was slowed down slightly due to the site location is Southwark Crown Court; the judges wanted noise from machinery and power tools restricted to a small window each morning. This meant that thousands of plants had to be watered and kept alive until they could be planted, which was no mean feat over the hottest summer on record, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).

1 Large circular views 2 Bold colours underpin sections of planting 3 The design of the space embraces verticality 4 Bright, colourful structure delineates sections 5 A place to take a moment in the city 6 Further angular planting beds

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JANUARY 2024 Planting was directly into the existing gravel/loam substrate, so no imported medium was used.

A few birch trees that were already on site were incorporated into the plan, while five mature local species trees were added.

Planting into the existing substrate meant it was lower in nutrients, and consequently the plants would direct more energy into growing their roots, rather than above ground biomass, making them more robust and drought tolerant. No irrigation has been installed and watering is done by hand only for the first year to ensure good establishment.

REFERENCES Recycled brick pavers and scaffold boards Previous RHS Chelsea show gardens rhs.org.uk Paving offcuts London Stone londonstone.co.uk Recycled glass pavers Hardscape hardscape.co.uk Recycled wood Eliza Brandenburg Low carbon concrete bench Poundfield Casting poundfield.com

Ongoing visual and audio monitoring of soil microbial diversity will provide important information on the development of the plant community and its relationships with other species.

The ecological approach to planting, rather than a traditional horticultural one, has a less disruptive impact and creates plant communities which are not dependent on ongoing inputs and require less aftercare interventions. This ensures less disturbance to the multi-species communities utilising the planting for food or habitats.

Being situated beside the walkway along the south bank of the River Thames, one of the busiest areas in London, the garden is now well used by local residents, workers, and visitors to the capital, all wanting to enjoy a green and colourful respite from the pressures of the city.

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Pavilion rings and planters (made with recycled steel content) Cake Industries cakeindustries.co.uk

ABOUT Cityscapes is a landscape design social enterprise bringing people and plants together, using creative approaches to the ways the public realm is designed, managed, and inhabited, ensuring environmental and social sustainability. It is focused on making cities more liveable and ecologically functional. Its projects include pocket parks, rain gardens and streetscape planting. cityscapes.org.uk

7 Sightlines across planting and the low barriers 8 Views from within the planting – green spots to relax for all Photographs ©Mickey Lee

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PROUDLY PUTTING NATURE BACK INTO OUR CITIES Bourne Amenity have been supplying hard and soft landscaping materials to the industry for over 40 years.

From standard BS3882:2015 Topsoils,, to Roof Garden Substrates and highly specialised soil blends. We work closely with specifiers, architects and planners to ensure the consistency and longterm performance of all our materials.

01797 252299 bourneamenity.co.uk BA-ProL-Full-Page-Dec.indd 1

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FEBRUARY 2024

PROJECT DETAILS Project value 50k+

Build time 4 months

Size of project 26m2 Awards Shortlisted for the SGD Awards 2024 and for The SGD People's Choice Award 2024

Blossoming in THE CITY STUDIO CULLIS

CHELSEA COURTYARD GARDEN

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ased overseas, the client makes this house in Chelsea their home each year throughout the spring and summer months and so was looking for a calm outdoor retreat from busy life and an inviting space to enjoy afternoon tea. They wanted a space to relax, unwind and enjoy the British summertime.

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FEBRUARY 2024 The garden needed to be low maintenance and to be at its best in the spring/early summer when the client would be spending the most time there. The hard materials used outside were to be light in colour to echo those of the internal walls of the house, with this theme continuing to the planting scheme, for which white flowers were the client’s preference.

Studio Cullis (led by founder and director George Cullis) took on this project in Chelsea and created a naturalistic, generously planted garden which formed a small, tranquil oasis for the client. As the garden is visible through large glazed, sliding doors that span the width of the house, the client thought it was important to show lots of planting and consider the partial view from the remaining rooms in the house with sight of the garden. With overlooking neighbours to consider, screening above the side boundary walls was required, to be camouflaged in amongst an evergreen backdrop against the rear wall.

Working with the shady conditions to create a green haven, Studio Cullis chose a palette focused on the varying hues, tones, and textures of foliage with floral accents through spring and summer. Including a variety of repeating white florals from Crocus biflorus 'Miss Vain' and Narcissus jonquilla 'Pueblo' to Astrantia major 'Snowstar', Thalictrum aquilegiifolium 'Album' and Galanthus elwesii.

The garden was lowered by 90cm from its original level, resulting in the side boundary walls and new trellis top measuring 2.7m tall. It was important to soften the impact of the walls in this space to reduce the constricting feel of the small courtyard. Proposals included climbing plants, such as Wisteria floribunda f. alba 'Shiro-noda' and Trachelospermum jasminoides, as well as vertical greening for this purpose.

The planting was installed over a couple of days with assistance from Wes Shaw, the head gardener of the Horniman Museum and Gardens at the time. Studio Cullis also collaborated with Tom Barnwell of Barnwell Gardens who assisted in the installation of the irrigation systems.

The garden was designed with longevity and sustainability in mind. Featuring British-sourced supplies such as Yorkstone, native trees and herbaceous perennials, the new garden has increased the planted areas to create an ecosystem where there wasn’t one before. The increased planting and soil used support insect and invertebrate communities, including

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FEBRUARY 2024 London BAP identified species such as stag beetles. It also supports foraging for birds and small mammals.

Pollinator plants have been introduced including night flowering pollinators, such as Disporum longistylum 'Night Heron', which attract moths which in turn support bat populations. The new garden reduces surface water runoff discharging into drains by increasing the permeable surfaces by 50%.

Combining the newly created ecosystems with locally sourced products, Studio Cullis chose to reduce waste as much as possible by reusing and repurposing wherever possible, in particular with the existing pots that were redesigned to fit the new garden scheme, supplemented with new terracotta pots.

Despite the size and seemingly simple nature of the space, this project did not come without its challenges for the team at Studio Cullis.

Presenting the garden design, a week before the first lockdown and then working with London based Studio 30 Architects, the housebuilder and a client based in Singapore throughout the pandemic brought its own unique challenges.

Site visits were kept to a minimum during 2020 when the garden was being built, with more direction and decision

1 Garden furniture surrounded on all sides by natural planting 2 Extended view of the seating area and planting – potted plants add an extra dimension to lower-level greenery 3 Lush, varied planting almost literally bursts onto the scene 4 Up close: the garden is defined by its thoughtful variety 5 Sparks of lightly-coloured flowers poking out 6 View through the rear door's glazed sliding door – all decisions were made with the indoor sightline considered

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FEBRUARY 2024 7 The sun dapples the adjoining wall – overlooking views for neighbors were considered Photographs ©Studio Cullis Ltd

REFERENCES Crab apple tree Deepdale deepdale-trees.co.uk Herbaceous perennials and shrubs Kelways kelways.co.uk Architectural Plants architecturalplants.com Bulbs de Jager dejager.co.uk Yorkstone Bingley Stone bingleystone.com Iroko slats Champion Timber championtimber.com Topsoil Bourne Amenity bourneamenity.co.uk Climbing wires S3i Group s3i.co.uk Sedum mat for storage cabinet Wallbarn wallbarn.com

making made off-site than in Studio Cullis' usual approach. Arranging orders with suppliers, agreeing important actions with the client, and following up with the building contractor were all slow and disjointed.

Designing and constructing the garden across a four-month period in conjunction with the year-long build on the entire property, Studio Cullis created a finished project that fulfilled the client’s brief and, with a set of chairs perfectly placed on the sunny side of the space, the client can enjoy their afternoon tea whilst soaking in the last of the summer rays.

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Furniture Massproductions massproductions.se

ABOUT Studio Cullis’ ethos is to deliver calm, thoughtful and refined spaces underpinned by the use of beautiful materials and naturalistic planting.

Studio Cullis tailors its design response to each project, through thoughtful consideration of the client’s personality and requirements of their space combined with the site’s unique context. studiocullis.com

Lighting Hunza Outdoor Lighting hunzalighting.com Pots Italian Terrace Italianterrace.co.uk

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Reviving

FEBRUARY 2024

TRANQUILITY ADAM VETERE AND JJH LANDSCAPES A JAPANESE-INSPIRED GARDEN

PROJECT DETAILS

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complete redesign of a south-facing, rear garden into a sustainable, modern, and beautiful Japanese-inspired space. The client had a significant love and appreciation of traditional Japanese design, which would form part of the design inspiration for a more contemporary take on traditional Japanese moss gardens, rock gardens and Ikebana flower arrangements. At the design phase, Adam Vetere extracted the beauty of traditional Japanese gardens and represented it in

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Project value £28k Build time 6 weeks Size of project 30m2

a modern, minimalist style, leveraging the contrast of rocks and greenery. The underlying geometry of the design was further inspired by the offset nature of a ‘Yatsuhashi’ bridge – a traditional form of footbridge in Japan.

Whilst enjoying views of the garden from the sitting room, the current garden design did little to entice the client to want to spend time in it. She rarely ventured into the garden and as a result the space became increasingly ‘soulless’.

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Having previously been professionally landscaped as a Japanese-style garden 10 years prior, the client expressed her disappointment with the design and how it did not fully meet her needs. It was important therefore for the redesign to offer seating areas and vistas from which to enjoy the

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tranquillity of the outdoor space. In turn, a small water feature and lighting to enjoy the space into the evening was also requested.

Recycling and reusing the materials from the current garden was imperative, as being as environmentally friendly/sustainable as possible was a core value for the client. The target was to recycle and reuse 80-90% of the existing hard landscaping materials, retaining the statues and garden ornaments which had sentimental value. Some of the existing plants and pots would also need to be considered for inclusion in the redesign.

The client spoke of how increasing biodiversity within the space was hugely important, so the soft landscaping areas within the garden would be increased.

Maintenance of the redesigned garden needed to be relatively low and simple, although the client was very happy to weed and prune the trees, shrubs, and perennials.

When taking on the project, JJH Landscapes arrived to find a small, wooden deck constructed from the conservatory into the outdoor space, with a paved area sited

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FEBRUARY 2024 towards the end of the garden. A 'magatama'shaped lawn edged with setts ran through the centre of the garden, where a pathway of round stepping-stones intersected, leading to the back gate. The rest of the garden was filled with pebbles and rocks of varying sizes.

Relatively obtrusive, ground level outdoor lighting and strategically placed lanterns provided some light in the garden.

The planting in the garden was overwhelmed by the existing bamboo and pine tree. The bamboos had spread throughout the garden, lifting the existing hard landscaping and beyond the client’s curtilage into the neighbouring gardens and common land to the rear of the garden. The pine tree had outgrown the space, blocking light into the client’s conservatory.

In general, the diversity of the existing planting was low and there was little reason for wildlife to venture into the garden.

At the beginning of the construction phase, JJH Landscapes set about clearing the site, carefully setting aside over 85% of the client’s existing hard landscaping materials such as stepping-stones, setts, rocks, pebbles and cobbles. These would be recycled and reused in the redesign, as were the client’s statues, garden ornaments and some existing plants.

The existing, rotting fence posts and panels were replaced with duraposts and feather edged panelling. The posts were

chosen for their longevity and sustainability.

The panelling was painted black to aid longevity, to make the garden appear larger and to later showcase the planting and the client’s Japanese ornaments.

The client’s existing rotting decking was removed and replaced with London Stone Jura Grey porcelain paving, chosen for its high quality, durability, and high anti-slip rating. It was also selected for its natural appearance, which mimics natural stone in terms of texture and variation. The limestone effect of the porcelain added a natural softness to this contemporary take on a traditional Japanese garden.

JJH Landscapes introduced a rock seating area and further flexible seating areas within the garden, so the space could be enjoyed from different vantage points. The limestone sitting rock, sourced from a redundant quarry in Somerset, was carefully selected to be both functional and to complement the muted tones of the porcelain paving and recycled hard landscaping materials. Incorporating rock is an essential element in Japanese garden design.

A small, Corten steel, water bowl was installed for visual appreciation and a rock water feature (from an existing rock) was created, with circulating water for sound.

Inobtrusive lighting was installed throughout to the garden to uplight the

specimen and cloud pruned trees, so that the garden could be enjoyed into the evening.

Throughout the project JJH Landscapes had to overcome a series of challenges.

Access to the site was incredibly difficult.

Access via the client’s garage/conservatory was not suitable for conveying materials and machinery, therefore the only option was via the estate’s communal, rear pathway and through the rear garden gate.

Work vehicles had to obtain parking permits to park within permitted parking bays in the private road. Likewise, access for deliveries was difficult given the space and parking restrictions within a small housing development. Lay down space for materials and storage of waste material was equally limited.

Installation of the 0.5 tonne sitting rock required detailed logistical planning and timing was essential, ensuring that access through the garden to install the rock was maintained. The clever, yet safe use of slings and the excavator ensured that the rock was installed with minimal fuss.

1 View towards the house 2 View from the terrace 3 Boulder and drought tolerant planting 4 A rejuvenated cloud pruned tree 5 A bird’s eye view of the project

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REFERENCES Garden designer Adam Vetere adamvetere.co.uk Contractor JJH Landscapes jjhlandscapes.co.uk Paving – Porcelain Jura Grey Limestone London Stone londonstone.co.uk Cobbles Rivar Sand & Gravel rivarsandandgravel.co.uk Rocks and boulders Rock Farm Quarry Plants Premium Plants premium-plants.co.uk Water feature accessories and irrigation Landscape Plus landscapeplus.com

ABOUT

Another significant challenge on site was the presence of the existing, invasive, giant bamboo, which had been planted by the previous landscape contractor. For it to be removed from the site, excavation works involved heavy machinery and digging down one metre to install bamboo root barriers.

JJH Landscapes was contracted for a month to clear the existing garden and construct a new one to the specified design. Doing so late into the year, they then returned in April to assist with the planting phase.

The client commented on the level of care and attention to detail JJH Landscapes showed when cutting-in the rough-hewn granite stepping-stones to the smooth, porcelain slabs. She commented on ‘how easy the team made it look’, despite it being quite the opposite.

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By incorporating essential elements of Japanese garden design – rocks, water, plants, and ornaments and also adopting the five Japanese garden design principles – asymmetry, enclosure, borrowed scenery (Shakkei), balance and symbolism – Adam Vetere and JJH Landscapes have successfully created a tranquil, contemplative, outdoor space from which the client can relax, unwind and escape the pace of modern life.

By increasing the soft landscaping to 65% of the garden space, the client has also observed a huge increase in birds, bees, butterflies and other insects now enjoying her new garden.

6 Seating rock alongside bursts of varied, drought tolerant planting Photographs ©Ellie Walpole

JJH Landscapes, multiaward-winning landscape contractor covering Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties, works closely with both private clients and garden designers to create outstanding outdoor spaces, with acute attention to detail and quality. jjhlandscapes.co.uk Adam Vetere is a multiaward-winning garden and landscape designer and a member of the APL, who has been honed from a unique background in horticulture, graphic design training, practical landscaping and business design. He is enthused by his continued passion for plants and sustainable design. adamvetere.co.uk

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FEBRUARY 2024

Sculpting

SUBURBIA VMS

B1B MILTON KEYNES

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estled in suburbs of Milton Keynes lay a new housing development in need of a safe space for local children in the community to play and explore. Just 40 minutes south of the VMS headquarters, when approached to take on this project, the team were eager for the opportunity to create a space that would stand the test of time.

It was asked to undertake the landscaping and ground preparation, as well as planting, turfing, and tree installation as per the design.

VMS needed to work around other trades to ensure all landscaping works were completed

PROJECT DETAILS

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Project value Undisclosed Build time 3-4 weeks

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within the four-week timeframe to hand over to the client ready to open to the public.

The project was designed as a public open space on a new build housing development for the new residents to enjoy a new play area, large grassland areas with picnic benches, ornamental and decorative beds with lots of new trees, shrubs, and plants.

As the project manager for this project, Lee Knight, head of the landscape and fencing department at VMS, set out a detailed landscape programme to ensure that everything, from the enquiry to the end result, was in line with the original plans. This involved setting project goals from the scope, breaking down the schedule with the team, setting up the resource plan, calculating the budget,

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discussing and ruling out any risk or hold ups and constantly communicating with the client to make sure that the project was successfully taken from drawing and brought the design to life.

For the soft landscaping, all plants, shrubs, trees, and turf were checked for damage, stress and disease before being installed. Knight imported non-contaminated topsoil across the site to add nutrients and help extra oxygen to reach plant roots, resulting in better plant health and growth overall across the site. The beds were finished off with ornamental bark mulch to help to protect roots by locking in beneficial residual ground warmth and to prevent the plants from suffering from moisture loss.

VMS also imported topsoil for the turfed areas due to poor quality soil on site to give the turf the best start in adapting to its new environment.

Once all materials were installed, Knight then set up a one-month maintenance package to ensure all stock was regularly watered, beds hand weeded, and to give the grass its first cut before handing over the project to the client in a healthy state.

Knight encountered several challenges throughout the project; as

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mentioned previously, he identified that the ground conditions weren’t suitable for the turf, plants, and shrubs, so he reviewed the options to avoid any materials dying once planted and discussed these with the client. The decided upon solution from this was to import fresh topsoil to all areas required to ensure all materials would survive the installation At the same time, the weather was hot which made the ground conditions worse, so once the topsoil had been installed, another issue was keeping the materials hydrated and alive, leading to a maintenance programme being set up until all the material had established. This proved to be the best decision as the foliage continued to thrive after the transfer.

Over a one-month period, Knight and the team at VMS visited the site two to three days a week

1 Lawn scene with bike racks and growing trees around play area 2 Raised camera view of the varied play structures 3 View of the main building against the backdrop of the space 4 Rows of planted trees will serve as a growing geometric sight line

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REFERENCES Timber Linnell brothers linnellbros.co.uk using 3,000L of water per day on the public open space; by doing this they successfully handed over the project with no remedial works to carry out.

Despite the trials and tribulations that this project presented, Knight’s project management skills assisted in leading the team to not only fulfil the brief set out but meet the design expectations and create a space ready for the new community to enjoy.

5 A green place to sit, to swing or to slide Photographs ©VMS Ltd

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ABOUT Established in 2017, VMS has one goal in mind: to be the contractor of choice in the United Kingdom in the sectors in which it operates. It is passionate about what it does and has established a highly qualified and experienced team to provide its clients with the highest quality of service, while also adhering to best safety practices and always having sustainability in mind. vmsltd.net

Turf George Davies Turf georgedaviesturf.co.uk Plants, shrubs, trees Crowders Nurseries crowdersnurseries.co.uk Play area and equipment Miracle Design and Play miracledesignandplay. co.uk

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MARCH 2024

Adding dimension ALICE MEACHAM GARDENS THE CIRCLE GARDEN

PROJECT DETAILS Project value £23k

Build time 4 weeks

Size of project 1,100m2 Awards Pro Landscaper Project Awards 2023: Planting Design

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his semi-rural garden in Devon was previously a blank canvas – a rectangle of mown grass sloping gently southwards, with an open aspect and distant hill views dotted with houses. Rather than solid boundaries, there were lots of rough field hedgerows that had been left over from the area’s agricultural legacy and plenty of attractive mature trees visible in the wider environment.

The owners had inherited a very large existing deck and a swimming pool immediately to the rear of the house, which they wanted to keep, but it had an imposing timber balustrade as edge protection from the one metre drop to the lawn. The lawn itself was

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MARCH 2024 rough and uneven, and had been maintained by sporadic mowing, with no real existing planting other than some diseased fruit trees.

The boundary hedges were full of bramble, with hazel stands reaching four to five metres high which obscured the view.

While the deck and swimming pool were to be retained, the rest of the garden was an empty space that the clients wanted to be filled with visual interest to create an immersive family space. It was to maintain space for play and congregation but be inviting and encourage people out to explore the garden. The planting was to enhance and not obscure the attractive views to the hills beyond. In addition, a building development in the easterly neighbour’s plot needed to be obscured by planting where possible, and the garden should include a secluded seating area for the teenage children that was away from the pool. Finally, it all needed to be reasonably easy to maintain by a third party as they both work full time.

The client, who is an arts and crafts dealer, also wanted a garden office sited away from the house where they could work, with the intention of acquiring exterior sculptures for display. The garden also needed to provide sites for these sculptures, solid green wall ‘backdrops,’ directed vistas and focal points.

The timber balustrade which separated the pool area from the rest of the house was unattractive, so this was to be removed completely and replaced with a less intrusive edge protection – a wide raised bed

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with a thick row of planting separating the deck from the drop. New wider and shallower steps were created between the raised beds to lead down from the deck to the new garden.

The circle shape was a guiding motif from the beginning. Designer Alice Meacham

considered various scenarios for how the mass and void of the garden would work, but it became clear that the open space of grass, which was useful for play and congregation, lent itself to being enclosed by planting in a gentle, encircling way. The formality of the circle structure was also a way to connect the hard rectilinear deck with the softer undulating shapes of the hills beyond (the curve can be a formal shape, and yet is also echoed in nature).

It encourages the eye to range from one side to another,‘spreading out the view’ and ultimately leading out beyond the garden. It also enabled the garden office to be placed separately, behind the circle of planting and away from the ‘action.’

Slabbed paths come in and out of the circle, and it is also marked by formal panels of curved clipped yew and beech hedging, providing solid planes to contrast with the softer blowsy planting. This in time is intended to rise in layers, with yew in the foreground and the taller copper beach behind to draw the eye up in stages to the view beyond.

The panels create different vistas and angles of view, so that planting and focal points are revealed or obscured as you walk around the garden. These will also act as backdrops to

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MARCH 2024

additional sculptural elements as they are introduced in future.

The planting is loosely arranged in sections or quadrants as a way of organising seasonal balance, using both symmetry and asymmetry. Sometimes plants species or genus are duplicated directly across from each other while other oppositions might be similar types of plants.

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Plant types were chosen for function as well as form – a trachycarpus on one end of the deck is counterbalanced by a loquat specimen on the other. Both sit comfortably with the swimming pool context, but the large leaves and spreading form of the loquat also provide year-round screening to the east.

Robust evergreen aromatic plants such as rosemary and lavender act as a more attractive edge protection than balustrade.

Deer roam at will here, so many plants were also chosen for their ability to resist or bounce back from grazing.

A range of ornamental tree species were selected specifically for strategic placing within the deck and around the sides of the garden, to provide obscuring cover from different angles. Seasonal interest was an important factor too, as well as how the trees’ vertical forms contribute to the sense of symmetry. There is some repetition – the Prunus ‘Amanogawa’ – but also plenty of diversity, with species such as sorbus, pyrus, liquidambar and birch all offering their own variety of blossom, leaf colour and form.

This truly is a garden for all seasons, with vibrancy and volume evident even during the harshest of winters. The choice of shrubs and grasses over perennials ensures a longer display and uses foliage as much as bloom for colour and interest. The robust nature of the planting has coped with two summers of drought, prolonged cold and west country wet, and yet has maintained its structure through all those conditions.

The aim was to fill the garden with interest, yet keep in mind the owner’s need for a reasonably low maintenance garden.

By using ‘layering’ to create depth, the plant volume feels bigger than it is.

The wildflower meadow was fully implemented a year later than the main planting and hedging was planted as bareroot for gradual establishment. The wildflower meadow has since been sown as an annual meadow but will gradually be converted to a perennial meadow. This has provided a haven for pollinators, and works alongside the sorbus, prunus and other blossoming/ fruiting ornamentals to introduce all kinds of birds, bees, and insects into a space that was previously devoid of wildlife.

The design works already as a family space and also as a secluded area for the garden

1 View towards wildflower meadow 2 Looking back towards the house 3 Teens retreat area 4 View West from the deck 5 Allium sphaerocephalon, a seasonal highlight 6 View out from the house

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REFERENCES Specimen trees Chew Valley Trees chewvalleytrees.co.uk Trees, hedging and shrubs Rainbow Plants Ltd rainbowplants.co.uk Grasses Knoll Gardens knollgardens.co.uk

office, which now has a lovely view of the wildflower meadow and sculpture. But the design is also intended to evolve with the years, giving time for the client to consider which sculptural elements she wants to acquire and how they will sit with the developing planting.

This project did not come without challenges for Alice Meacham Gardens. The existing hedging has taken some time to tame, as the team wanted to renovate rather than replace. This is still a work in progress, with a lot of bramble control still being carried out. Parts of the hedging also had to be removed and replaced due to boundary fencing failing. The west side of the garden historically had two trees which succumbed to honey fungus and, given the difficulty and cost of replacing soil and implementing barrier controls, the designer and client agreed to replant in that area using only carefully researched honey-fungus resistant species.

Soaker hoses were also put in those places to ensure

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that plants were not stressed by extremes of weather which could encourage fungal growth.

Trying to screen the neighbour’s new development was a delicate balance between introducing tall planting without it being overwhelming. Meacham felt that using high hedges or pleached trees would make the garden look unbalanced if only used on one side and didn’t want to use tall oppressive planting all around the site, so a more strategic selection and positioning of trees was required, as was some time and patience to allow the trees to fully fill out and complete the screening.

The client couldn’t be happier with the way their garden has been transformed by Alice Meacham's design and planting scheme.“It gives us an all-year-round display of colour and interest and is a joy to behold.

7 Autumn colour in the garden 8 Seasonal interest in January Photographs ©Maisie Hill (@maisiehill_photo)

Garden room Green Retreats greenretreats.co.uk Hard landscaping/ soil preparation Noel Jacks Landscaping with Chris Rumsby ncjackslandscaping.co.uk Planting and maintenance Ben Gooding Gardens/Trudi Robson bengoodinggardens.co.uk

ABOUT Alice Meacham Gardens specialises in gardens for rural and coastal sites. The West Country-based garden designer also provides horticultural consultancy and maintenance management. Alice Meacham's designs are tailored to meet specific requirements of each site, but often contain elements of her preferred planting style – a predominance of shrubs and grasses for foliage interest. alicemeacham.co.uk

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MARCH 2024

Pool of

POTENTIAL WATER GEMS (ALBA) LTD COUNTY DURHAM BIODIVERSITY POND AND REWILDING

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value Undisclosed Build time 1 month Size of project 4,000m2 Awards Pro Landscaper Sustainability & Biodiversity Award 2023 – Domestic Build Project

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pproached by a private client with a vision to rewild an area of a field in County Durham, Water Gems (Alba) Ltd jumped at the opportunity to recreate the 20m x 13m pool for biodiversity that once existed on the site.

Working with a brief, which included larch decking, areas of beach, and all native planting, the team at Water Gems added to this by scraping off large areas of turf to be used as the base material for creating new banks and hedgerows. All scraped areas were then seeded with local provenance wildflower, providing the client with large areas of wildflower meadow intersected with native hedgerows.

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The pool is now a thriving biodiversity hot spot with dragonflies, newts and swallows all found within the area.

The Water Gems team first inspected the site for drains, stone, and electrics, as it had previously been a horse paddock as well as a potential dumping zone for manure and other rubbish. The team also chose the best location on the hillside for the pond with regards to how it would sit adjacent to the client's house and what it would look like when viewed from the house.

1 Frogs' eye view of pond

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MARCH 2024 Water Gems then sketched up an initial design for the whole site including the pond, timber deck, earthen banks and satellite pools.

The team met with the clients to discuss the plans and give them a visual presentation of what they were aiming to achieve, and how the finished project would look.

The clients were mostly focused on achieving greater biodiversity rather than a need for a certain aesthetic, which made for a relaxed approach to the project design. There were, however, specific requirements to be taken into account regarding the placement of the timber deck – its orientation to the house and out across the valley, and that it also matched the curve of the pond.

Having agreed on the principles of the design and layout with the clients, Water Gems set about marking for the excavation and taking levels in order to be sympathetic to the hillside location. The excavation went well as the weather was warm and dry, so they then began building the external perimeter edging which would set the water level.

After lining and dressing-in around the pond, a mixture of stone found on site, along with old walling stone, which was obtained from a local farmer, was used to create aquatic planting beds.

To maintain a ‘less built, more natural’ pond edge, the team used a mixture of techniques to blend the terrestrial landscape to the pond edge and aquatic planting beds. This included using turf, large stones and soil to create a natural look.

Whilst the pond filled over the next few days, the paddock turf was stripped, and banks built to create a diverse topography in the landscape. This would provide varying habitat for wildflower, hedgerow, and trees to grow and support a wider variety of wildlife.

The area was then planted with a wide array of native, aquatic plants including flag iris, purple loosestrife, water mint and water soldier. The terrestrial planting was left to the clients as they wanted to have that as their own part of the project with some support and guidance from Water Gems regarding any native species, varieties and diversity.

After populating the aquatic planting beds with native pond plants, Water Gems was pleased with the finished result and, perhaps more importantly, the clients were too.

All Water Gems’ projects aim to be as sustainable as possible.

It uses locally sourced materials wherever possible and natural products like local larch. The plants used are of local provenance and they trap carbon and pollutants and many of these projects are

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2 State of field before project started 3 Start of excavation work 4 Block work for pond outline 5 Instalment of underlay and liner 6 Birds' eye view of lined pond 7 Construction of aquatic planting beds and lily rings 8 Larch deck under construction 9 Full pond on completion

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REFERENCES Pond liner Gordon Low gordonlowproducts.co.uk Larch Harelaw Sawmill harelawsawmill.com

overall carbon positive with a net absorption of carbon.

The team aims to create areas that are sustainable over time with the minimum of management and inputs, with no fertilisers or pesticides and minimal grass cutting and weeding.

Wherever possible, natural solutions are used – mulches, composting, and native plants.

This project in County Durham aligns perfectly with Water Gems’ ethos. The pond plants, wildflower and hedgerows will absorb increasing amounts of carbon over time. Maintenance is minimal with one

Equipment hire Jewson jewson.co.uk Plants Recycled dormant seed banks Turf Original turf recycled are needed, and the area will become a stable, biodiverse patchwork, attracting masses of wildlife.

One of the challenges the team faced, was that the project was a long way from the Water Gems’ base in Edinburgh. However, the team was fortunate to have such prime working conditions – good weather in a beautiful location with self-catering accommodation and fantastic clients – all of which enabled them to fulfil the clients brief so effectively. The whole Water Gems team are extremely proud of this project.

cut a year of the meadow in late summer being all that is needed. The arisings can be used to mulch the hedgerow trees. No ongoing outside materials

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10 Pond beach 11 Mid-point of construction 12 Hedgerow planting

ABOUT Water Gems (Alba) Ltd specialises in unique, selfdesigned landscaping, water, and biodiversity projects. In business for over 26 years, it is a small, tight-knit creative group focusing on quality and integrity. watergems.co.uk

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MARCH 2024

Revitalising

WINCHESTER STUDIO MULTI REACTIVATION OF KINGS WALK, CENTRAL WINCHESTER

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £290k Build time 4 months Size of project 500m2

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tudio Multi worked closely with client Winchester City Council to address the need to rejuvenate Kings Walk. It also liaised with the tenants of the independent shops, cafés, restaurants, creative agencies and a community theatre that occupy Kings Walk in Winchester, all of which were adapting and growing their businesses post-Covid.

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The upgrade has resulted in the more effective integration of the Nutshell – a locally-listed Victorian community theatre building – with the rest of the Kings Walk Arcade and an improved appearance to the façade and entrance along Silver Hill, including the repainting of brickwork and replacement of doors to the rear entrances of shops.

Other works included the creation of a new secret garden in the courtyard area; the introduction of improved and consistent signage and wayfinding; replacing existing lighting with low-energy lights while adding feature lights in key areas; and animating the courtyard area adjacent to the Nutshell Theatre and around the Middle Brook Street and Silver Hill entrances with planting and lighting.

The Nutshell courtyard and Silver Hill area have been reactivated through the use of a bold ground-level graphic, plus new signage, lighting, and planting which visually ties the entire development together.

The design takes a creative approach to the use of colour. In those parts of Kings Walk with existing busy visuals, neutral colours have been used to provide a uniform backdrop. In contrast, where the design team felt that more animation was required – such as along Silver Hill – a new graphic motif has been employed.

Low-energy lighting has been incorporated, including illuminated readograph signs with slide-in letters to identify particular shops. The front terraces have been activated by the owners of the independent café, restaurant and cycle hub that open onto them; the courtyard is

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more hidden and needed an intervention to draw people in.

Nicola Rutt, director at Studio Multi says that “the key to making the Kings Walk re-activation project successful was to work closely with the council and tenants and make as big an impact as possible using the available budget.

“Studio Multi’s role in this public realm project was to assemble and manage the design team and guide the vision through from concept to completion. Our collaboration with other small, creative practices such as to-studio, Light Follows Behaviour and Tim George Graphic Design aimed to push each design element beyond what was expected and bring an element of surprise and joy to passers-by.”

Studio Multi’s response to this challenge was to create a secret garden with large, circular planters, readograph signs, light globes, and bright, colourful graphics. As well as small trees and a range of different plants, fast-growing hops have been planted and trained to climb up and along a three-dimensional network of cables. These soft andscaping features will, over time, transform this courtyard into a truly immersive green space.

Budget constraints have currently limited the transformation to the ground floor areas of Kings Walk, with a datum at first floor level. It is hoped in future the whole of Kings Walk will undergo a more comprehensive transformation as part of the Central Winchester Regeneration project, but until then Studio Multi is confident that its relatively modest intervention is already helping to reinvigorate a previously tired and unwelcoming space.

Councillor Martin Tod, leader of Winchester City Council says: “It’s fantastic to see the early improvement works completed for Kings Walk. Studio Multi's work has been transformational, creating a vibrant and attractive space for the businesses and visitors to the building and surrounding area.

We're committed to regenerating this part of the city and supporting the independent businesses based in Kings Walk.

Studio Multi's design has helped us do both.”

The soft landscape was designed to provide an immersive, planted space in front of The Nutshell Theatre.

Large planters accommodate a variety of perennials, herbs, climbers, ferns, trees and bulbs. Vertical and horizontal catenary wires provide a framework for the climbing plants and large globe lights.

1 The secret garden adjacent to The Nutshell Theatre, Kings Walk 2 New shop signage 3 The secret garden with planters 4 Aerial view of the secret garden with lighting and planters 5 New shop doors in Silver Hill 6 Main entrance to Kings Wall Arcade, Middle Brook Street

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The planting introduces a biodiversity element to a series of hard spaces which previously lacked any reference to nature. Planters have been designed to be easily redeployed in other parts of the arcade, if required. Essentially, the project is very light touch with no demolition and all new elements being transferable to other locations in the future. New energy efficient LED lighting was installed to replace existing lighting that had reached the end of its life.

Kings Walk is a 1970s shopping arcade in central Winchester, which was previously suffering from anti-social behaviour and lack of footfall, exacerbated by the recent pandemic. The project has helped to give the arcade a new lease of life and created a far more vibrant and welcoming environment than existed before.

7 New signage completes the scene as visitors travel through the arcade 8 T he secret garden with planters in use – a relaxing spot to take it all in Photographs ©Andy Stagg

REFERENCES Installers Kings Oak Landscapes kingsoaklandscapes.co.uk Planting design Tim Osborn to-studio.co.uk Bespoke planters Taylor Made Planters Ltd taylormadeplanters.co.uk Chairs EMU emu.it

ABOUT Studio Multi is a Londonbased architectural practice founded in 2021.

The practice leadership has experience of working in large established practices, which they now bring to a smaller studio focused on thoughtful design and driving positive change.

Current projects include new co-living developments, workplace refurbishments and arts projects in London, and a range of building types on science and technology parks. studiomulti.com

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waterscapes.co.uk @waterscapesltd

APRIL 2024

Merging Monton’s

PAST AND PRESENT DK GARDEN DESIGN MONTON ECCLES

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ust a stone’s throw from the stunning new RHS Garden Bridgewater sits the charming Mancunian village of Monton, where DK Garden Design was commissioned to undertake a large project to transform the gardens of a 1930s art deco-style house.

When garden designer David Keegan went to visit the owners at their previous property, the garden was the size of a “postage stamp,” with an artificial lawn and a few trees.

The brief for their new and significantly larger garden was to end up with the complete opposite of that.

The couple also wanted their new outdoor spaces to fit in with the exterior of the house but with a modern twist.

They’d considered knocking it down entirely and building a new house from scratch, but after a conversation with the planners realised that they could instead modernise the front facade and build onto the back. The landscaping design then needed to be completed before the main building works on the house commenced so that any tree felling required and structured site clearance could be carried out beforehand.

PROJECT DETAILS Project value £250k

Build time 13 months (including 2-3-month winter break)

Size of project 1,655m2

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Overall, Keegan was asked to provide plenty of space for entertaining, a shaded area, and for the garden to be relatively low maintenance.

For the front garden, for instance, Keegan had initially designed a small orchard with a wildflower meadow, but the clients decided against this on maintenance grounds, instead opting for a formal lawn that an aftercare company maintains on their behalf.

At the front, the aesthetic was somewhat dictated by the art deco facade that they were retaining, so Carpinus betulus columns was chosen as a nod to the history of the house. The existing beech hedging that formed the perimeter of the site was to be removed, as the client was set on having evergreen rather than deciduous hedging.

Instead, Keegan designed external walls, railings and gates adjacent to the garage for a more secure barrier to the back of the property, with a Portuguese laurel hedge – Prunus Lusitanica – down the side to help screen the visual noise of the block of apartments on the opposite side of the road.

For the driveway, Keegan was reluctant to use just one single material to avoid it looking “bland” and monotonous. So, as with all his projects, he used a form of inset detail

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to make it a more “dynamic” area. Two lanterns for large candles then create a focal point for those driving up to the house, drawing their eyes across the terrace.

At the back of the property is the main entertaining space, with a large louvered, remote-controlled pergola that provides shade when needed. The louvres can be drawn, and screens can drop down the sides as well. An outdoor kitchen, pizza oven, and table and chairs complete the space, with a lounging area that leads to a secluded woodland garden with a swing seat.

In front of the pergola sits a sunken garden – which was one of the trickier and more expensive parts of the build – with a fire pit and modern porcelain paving.

Keegan says he has more or less stopped using natural stone, preferring porcelain as “in the long term, it is a more sustainable

solution due to its low ongoing maintenance requirement – unlike natural stone which requires regular maintenance.” The same goes for decking, he adds. Despite the initial cost of Millboard decking, “it pays for itself again in low levels of ongoing maintenance.

It also helps to avoid the use of unsustainably harvested timbers.”

On top of this, it is designed and produced in Britain, as are the pergolas from Caribbean Blinds.

To the right of the house is the final phase of the garden transformation – a Mediterranean style space that includes raised beds made from oak railway sleepers.

Two circular benches surround flowering cherry trees, which were inspired by small villages in France, where there are areas for playing boules and nearby seating areas beneath trees for people to sit and watch.

There’s also a family dining area, with a table and chairs. This area of the garden has a “different sensory experience” to the more contemporary entertaining area beneath the pergola, says Keegan. Here, there are mainly herbs and edible plants, with some ornamental planting for colour and texture.

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The entire garden, as requested, has a “fairly low maintenance” planting palette, with a lot of evergreen shrubbery. As a result, it’s a somewhat paired back planting scheme considering the size of the garden, says Keegan. On the boundary and the car park, there are a lot of prickly berberis for added security and for screening. Along the fence, from the back of the pergola across the Mediterranean style garden, there’s a repetition of Betula pendula (silver birch), Cornus sanguinea (dogwood) and Fargesia bamboo. This was to add a “rotation of colour as a backdrop during the winter and summer months” and for a change in contrast between the foliage,

1 New porcelain pathway with inset granite strips 2 Plan view of designs for the gardens 3 Mediterranean inspired gravel herb gardens 4 Flowering seed heads of Allium christophii 5 Oversized candle lanterns by A Place In The Garden 6 Bees feeding here on Salvia inflorescence 7 Millboard boardwalk steps leading to sunken garden

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APRIL 2024 stems and branches. Lavender frames the sunken area, with Liquidambar offering autumn colour.

The existing soil type was also “really good” to work with, being a sandy loam rather than heavy clay, which is typical for large parts of the northwest of England. A leaky pipe system was installed to save hours of labour for the hedges and ferns in the first summer seasons, though a gardener makes regular visits.

Keegan’s preferred contractor, Garden360, undertook some of the planting and installed the pergola, but one of the client’s fathers was a retired engineer, so he efficiently handled the build of both the house extension and the

garden, including site preparation and organising the various trades, from bricklayers to joiners.

There was a slight hitch when they were building the boundary walls as per the design as a complaint was lodged that there was no planning permission for it.

This was quickly resolved after a visit from a planning officer, with a separate planning application put in for the walls, gates and railings that swiftly received approval. Otherwise, Keegan says the process was fairly smooth, from start to finish, creating a series of sensory experiences for the clients as they wander through their new garden.

REFERENCES Circular bench seats Cyan Teak Garden Furniture cyan-teak-furniture.com Table and chairs Patio Life patio-life.co.uk Sofa Housing Units housingunits.co.uk

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Aggregate Breedon Special Aggregates breedon-specialaggregates.co.uk Millboard decking Beers Timber & Building Supplies Ltd beersltd.co.uk

Pergola Caribbean Blinds cbsolarshading.co.uk Porcelain and granite London Stone londonstone.co.uk Lanterns A Place in the Garden aplaceinthegarden.co.uk

Raised beds – timber Brooks Bros (UK) Ltd brookstimber.com

Lighting Warrington Electrical Services warringtonelectrical.co.uk

Plants Bespoke Garden Elements Ltd

Outdoor kitchen myoutdoorkitchen.co.uk myoutdoorkitchen.co.uk

Fire pit Patio Life patio-life.co.uk

Topsoil Tarmac tarmac.com

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8 Burnt orange Helenium inflorescence 9 Pergola dining terrace

ABOUT David Keegan is an international, national and regional award-winning garden and landscape designer. His design philosophy centres on a naturalistic planting style. David’s garden design projects are located around the UK, in Manchester, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire and the north-west of England. dkgardendesign.co.uk

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APRIL 2024

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ordering a busy trainline in North London lies a small Victorian terrace courtyard. The owner wanted an outdoor space designed just for her. She asked for a naturalistic garden to counteract the location, bringing a touch of the countryside to the heart of London to attract wildlife, birds and pollinators.

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £35k Build time 3-4 weeks Size of project 20m2

Nature’s

HIDEAWAY KATHRYN COX GARDEN DESIGN STUDIO NATURALISTIC WILDLIFE COURTYARD & PRO LANDSCAPER PROJECT AWARDS 'DESIGN UNDER £50K' WINNER (2023)

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APRIL 2024 The client desired a little path so she could potter around and be surrounded by planting, with places to sit in the sun and shade. She wanted a picture window view when the bi-fold doors are open and closed, and to retain all existing plants, including the mature shrubs and roses, along with adding romantic planting, in purples, whites and pinks. A limestone paved area also needed to be replaced.

The property is southwest facing with a small 20m courtyard in North London.

Built in 1900, the Victorian terraced house, constructed from light brown brick, is two storeys, with a new contemporary rear extension with bi-fold doors. It was enclosed by an old blue wooden fence on the brink of falling down and behind a 2.3m high silver metal fence denotating the boundary to the Network Rail line. With

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trains going past at high speed all day, there is constant noise, vibration, and pollution, so it was key to the client to disguise this disturbance.

Sealed limestone paving dominated the majority (73%) of the space, with 14.57m2 of hardscape versus 5.43m2 of rear planting bed, making the courtyard extremely hot in the summer. A heavy terracotta pot blocked inspection cover access. The space receives the southern sunshine all day with the rear fence casting shadows over the rear planting bed of the garden.

Kathryn Cox Garden Design Studio was brought on board to turn the courtyard into a more inviting space. A new brick wall boundary was designed on all sides of the garden to reduce trainline noise and pollution and to increase safety, as well as new permeable paving and paved seating

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spaces, contrasting with new Siberian larch bench seating and wall topper. Cox was insistent, though, that hardscaping was kept to a minimum to increase biodiversity.

Materials were chosen to favour natural tones with one main colourway (cream) across paving, boundary walls and timber landscaping, keeping the space bright and light, making the courtyard feel larger. The materials were selected to complement the Victorian terraced house, along with having a freshness that complements the new contemporary kitchen rear extension and interior design.

The majority of Cox’s design, features soft landscaping to create a naturalistic wildlife courtyard and sustainable drainage. Cox wanted to allow the client to feel immersed in nature, despite the size of the space.

The focus of the planting is ‘country cottage’ for the desired naturalistic feel, which suits the Victorian property and client demographic.

It has year-round interest, but with a spring and summer focus, consisting of three main borders with their own micro-climates and light conditions. The new planting scheme saw a mix of natives and non-natives species to attract wildlife.

The plants complement the setting with the use of verticals. Tall perennials and climbers, like Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora and

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Trachelospermum jasminoides to maximise the planting space, whilst being species rich and resilient.

A colourful palette of purples, pinks, whites and greens provides contrast to the neutral surroundings, allowing the planting to pop off the background. Naturalistic planting sees evergreen shrubs, perennials and grasses all intermingled in single plantings and small groups.

A new Ficus carica tree and evergreen shrubs will provide habitats, fruits, and berries for birds. Perennials, flowering shrubs, and climbers will attract pollinators.

Ornamental grasses were selected for screening or weaved through a border with value for wildlife, and evergreen ferns, shrubs and perennials for the shady rear borders suits the garden’s conditions.

Prior to planting, the existing soil was reworked by incorporating organic matter and horticultural grit with mulch applied throughout. The plant varieties chosen grow in the same place year after year, which

1 Naturalistic courtyard hero border 2 Corner snug seat for shade 3 Connecting living inside out 4 Seating immersed in nature Photographs ©Limelight Interiors Photography

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REFERENCES minimises annual soil disturbance, helping with carbon capture.

But before the garden could be transformed, there were a few obstacles. Due to the location of the property, Network Rail’s Asset Protection and Optimisation department had to be notified and approve garden works backing onto the railway line. Access through the property was also a challenge, as well as adverse winter weather conditions.

What was an unused and almost completely paved space is now a naturalistic wildlife courtyard filled with colour. With spaces to sit in the sun and shade, the client can feel immersed in nature with birds, bees and butterflies taking over.

This Naturalistic Wildlife Courtyard demonstrates what can be achieved in a small space, with every inch maximised and balanced in terms of hard and soft landscaping. The courtyard feels a world away from the nearby trainline, feeling enclosed whilst welcoming in the local wildlife.

5 Picture window view from kitchen 6 K athryn Cox Photographs ©Limelight Interiors Photography

ABOUT

The landscape was also consumed with clay soil and had impeded drainage. Compacted soil from building work and rubble could be buried under paving, resolved by reconditioning the soil and improving drainage by incorporating new organic matter and horticultural grit as well as drought resilient planting which can also survive winter downpours.

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An award-winning creative director from the advertising industry, Kathryn Cox has turned her eye for design and detail to the natural world. Based in London, Cox has a passion for blending interiors with exteriors, designing outdoor spaces as beautiful as her clients’ homes. Cox believes in gardens filled with colour, with a focus on biodiversity and sustainability. A graduate of the London College of Garden Design, British Academy of Garden Design and Central Saint Martins, Cox is doing her bit to help the planet, one garden at a time. kathryncoxgardendesign.uk

Plants Provender Nurseries provendernurseries.co.uk Build Acacia Gardens acacia-gardens.co.uk Photography Limelight Interiors Photography @limelightinteriors photography Westminster Clay Pavers London Stone londonstone.co.uk AluExcel Stainless Steel Edging Kinley kinley.co.uk London Multi Stock London Reclaimed Brick Merchants lrbm.com Topsoil and Mulch Thompsons of Crew Hill thompsonsofcrewshill.com

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APRIL 2024

CULTIVATING

community

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £44,520 Build time 8 weeks Size of project 643m2

A

space set to provide a new experience for the local community and consist of a layout not too dissimilar to a physic garden, this particular garden was to be associated with interpretation, artwork, and opportunities to provide a resource for both volunteering and educational purpose.

Adjacent to a primary school and close to a large secondary school, Troedyrhiw Park is located centrally within the community.

It’s a priority open space that gave Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council an ideal opportunity to increase the value of its parks with a new recreational space and visitor experience.

The purpose of the garden was to provide forest food, medicinal plants, culinary herbs, and native useful plants. It would also be an

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MERTHYR TYDFIL COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL – PARKS AND COUNTRYSIDE NATURE’S GIFT GARDEN

asset to the local community, benefitting schools, groups, and visitors alike, as well as attracting visitors to the area and boosting the local economy.

Whilst the park itself is bordered by terraced housing and a railway, the space selected within it is close to a play area and consists of the remains of an abandoned, disused tennis court.

Planted areas are surrounded by and interconnected with a series of edged and resurfaced footpaths on the level for ease of access, so the space presented the perfect location for such a garden.

Local contractors were used for the initial phase, with plants being grown locally especially for the project. No fertilisers, pesticides, or topsoil were used, and the recycled green waste was supplied locally. However, there were a series of challenges

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throughout the build, with a very limited budget for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council to change the area from ‘grey to green’.

No topsoil was brought into the garden for sustainability purposes, so an initial test was made of the substrate beneath the tarmacadam, as the area had a past industrial use. The poor quality of the material beneath the tarmacadam, while not found to be contaminated, contained a mixture of shales, ashes, stone, brick, and a degree of domestic refuse in the form of bottles, shoes, and so on.

Therefore, the site had to be picked over for detritus by hand.

To further enhance the sustainability of the project, AluExcel aluminium edging was used to contain the beds and provide an ease of maintenance and tidy appearance. All the plants used were chosen for both their origin, biodiversity opportunities and ability to cope with hostile terrain.

Contained beds were created using aluminium edgings, and recycled green waste was incorporated to provide some organic content for the plants. Mycorrhizal fungi were added to improve the health of the growing conditions and plants were selected in groups for their ability to grow in challenging soil conditions, drought tolerance and ability to attract invertebrates.

1 Nature's Gift can be seen from the foundations of the garden all the way up to the skies above 2 Wider view that encompasses paths, trees, edging, flowers and the surrounding landscape

BEFORE: THE REMAINS OF AN ABANDONED, DISUSED TENNIS COURT

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APRIL 2024 The four central beds used the poor nature of the soil to establish native wildflowers within their colour groupings. After an initial significant weed flush from the green waste, the closed nature of the planting eliminated this. Some of the plant material was so niche it had to be acquired from specialist nurseries, with some grown from seed and cuttings for the project.

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council had to deal with initial scepticism from the public; however, as losses were replaced, it says it continues to win the public’s confidence and support. They have been able to witness the benefits of the food plants, perennial vegetables, fruit, and herbs being picked locally as well as proof of local photographers on site enjoying the plants and insects. Local children enjoy the smells of the various thymes, mints, and oreganos.

Delivered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, the garden has exceeded expectations in terms of the power of colour that it introduced into an otherwise barren space. It provides an invaluable hub for nature and a chance for local volunteers to assist in its establishment and maintenance, becoming a key addition to the community.

3 Planting creates pleasing views and pathways Photographs ©Gillian Hampson and Tom Bramley

REFERENCES Garden designer Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council merthyr.gov.uk Contractual landscape works LWEP lwep.co.uk Herb garden Herbal Haven herbalhaven.com Trees Keepers Nursery keepers-nursery.co.uk Seating Benchmark benchmark-ltd.co.uk

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ABOUT Plants Edible Garden Nursery theediblegardennursery.co.uk Wyevale Nurseries wyevalenurseries.co.uk Propagation Place propagationplace.co.uk Burford Garden Company burford.co.uk Blackmoor Nurseries blackmoor.co.uk Wildflowers Naturescape naturescape.co.uk Plant purchasing Beth Chatto's Plants and Gardens bethchatto.co.uk

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Screening panels and moongate Stark & Greensmith Ltd starkandgreensmith.com Heritage signs Dab Graphics dabgraphics.co.uk Rubber edging Delta rubber deltarubber.co.uk Edging Kinley kinley.co.uk Soil sampling Geotech Ltd geotech.ca

In 2016, Merthyr Tydfil CBC completed an Open Space Strategy for all the urban green spaces within the County Borough. The main priorities arising from the strategy are to focus on the existing green spaces and look to improve the quality, quantity, and accessibility of these based on the recommendations of the strategy. The strategy supports the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Nature Recovery Action Plan. merthyr.gov.uk

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MAY 2024

Enchanting ESCAPE

APRIL HOUSE GARDEN DESIGN MODERN COTTAGE GARDEN

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ooking for inspiration for their large country garden, the owners of a cottage that was undergoing a renovation contacted Emily Crowley-Wroe at April House Garden Design. Their brief was fairly open, allowing CrowleyWroe to get creative with the features and layout.

She was asked to create a family-friendly space, with dining areas, leisure activities, parking, screening from the nearby lane, and planting areas near to the house that incorporated a pre-planned pergola. CrowleyWroe's response offers a formal layout near the house echoing the modern materials and geometry of the glass extension that repeats in the linking driveway area before transitioning to a wider area shaped to encourage movement around the space and towards different activities.

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £150k+ Build time 9 weeks Size of project 921m2 Awards Fresh Designer Landscapes and Gardens, SGD Awards 2024

1 Moon gate sculpture frames entrance to meadow maze

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Six large square planting beds were designed to be viewed from the main glass living area featuring cottage garden plants and grasses that repeat to connect with the meadow area, whilst the raised Corten herb garden close to the kitchen repeats the strong square geometry of the formal area.

A circular meadow maze framed by a Simon Probyn Moongate sculpture incorporates a diversity of wildflowers and creates a journey with pause points to features, including a hot tub, sauna, fire pit and woodland walkway. There are waves of alternative blues and purples from May through to September with seedheads left until late February for bug life and birds.

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Darren Watt Landscaping Ltd began the groundworks by preparing the meadow area in April 2022 ready to install the meadow turf in early May. The hard landscaping areas included two circular Millboard driftwood decks for the hot tub and sauna set within the meadow and connected around the circular lawn by rough sawn stepping stones alongside a new stone terrace off the guest accommodation.

Watt’s team laid the cobble linking pathway around the guest accommodation and new gravel driveway and installed a large, raised timber planting bed leading to the pergola walkway. A self-binding gravel walkway edged with cobbles then leads to a generous limestone terrace specified to match the internal flooring visible through the floor to ceiling glass extension.

Service pathways laid in cobbles flank the large formal planting beds and the redesigned Cotswold stone wall was outsourced to a local dry stone waller and repositioned to align

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MAY 2024 with the house and planting beds and to screen the driveway.

The design pattern for the meadow area was drawn as a series of interconnecting circles. The meadow turf was firstly laid in batches to ensure it wasn’t sitting around drying out and later the turf was laid for the pathways.

By mid-June, Crowley-Wroe and Watt were ready to plant the large beds and the semi-mature and pleached trees. The main planting beds feature the clients’ preferred palette of purples, pinks and whites planted in mirror formation across the six large beds to create a repeated wave of planting, with evergreen interest from Ilex crenata balls planted at anchor points at the corners and along the pergola walkway.

Pleached trees frame the dry-stone wall to screen the driveway and semi mature multi stem trees create a mid-storey to balance out the vertical plane where large trees surround the boundary.

On the driveway, Tilia cordata ‘Winter Orange’ underplanted with sedum and molinia grasses provide year-round colour, shape and structure and

provide a dramatic greeting on the approach up the drive whilst grasses were used throughout the planting to link the different areas of the garden.

Existing materials such as logs and stone that were already on site were repurposed to create edges, seating and a fire pit surround as well as stacked for wildlife habitat. A variety of new trees were planted, and a greater diversity of pollinator and bird friendly plants were incorporated in the formal and meadow areas.

Since completion, maintenance of the garden includes coppicing hazel in the woodland boundary area and managing bramble and nettles with some areas left for wildlife. All green waste material in the garden is kept on site and composted or used to create dead hedges along the boundary and a tree audit was conducted during the design survey phase with some tree works required to the large poplars and fruit trees in the original orchard with only one tree requiring removal due to canker.

The original design incorporated a wild swimming pond, but plans were met with objections from neighbours, Crowley-Wroe amended the design to incorporate a hot tub and barrel sauna instead with a rough grass circular lawn for a new dog to play.

2 Mid-summer in the formal garden 3 Late-summer showing willow fence backdrop 4 Layered planting and striking colours by driveway 5 Repurposed materials in the fire pit area 6 Jasmine clad oak pergola walkway 7 View from woodland area towards the barrel sauna

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MAY 2024 Building works were in progress during the design phase and a pre-planned pergola with power cables already installed had to be factored into the design which had been planned to follow the boundary rather than the house line. So, the design used planting to trick the eye and square the pergola within the design.

Timing was key for Crowley-Wroe to ensure the meadow turf was installed in spring and in batch deliveries so that turf was not left standing. But the extreme heat in June meant plants and trees had to be monitored daily to prevent drying out during the phased planting, and temporary irrigation was installed to water the pleached and semi mature trees.

Delighted with the final outcome, Crowley-Wroe successfully restored a family-friendly garden, fully utilising the space available and using a planting palette to complement its surroundings.

8 View across the formal garden from the terrace and herb garden Photographs ©Emily Crowley-Wroe

THE GARDEN BEFORE

ABOUT Owned by keen gardener and plant enthusiast, Emily Crowley-Wroe, April House Garden Design is a North Cotswolds design studio with a focus on plant rich, bold designs with a ‘lighter touch’ approach on the environment where plants, natural materials and local craftmanship harmonise. april-house.co.uk

REFERENCES Landscaper Darren Watt Landscaping Ltd darrenwattlandscaping.co.uk

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Taj grey tumbled limestone cobble, dijon grey tumbled outdoor limestone Mandarin Stone mandarinstone.com

Sculpture Simon Probyn Sculpture simonprobyn.co.uk

Millboard driftwood deckboards and fascia London Stone londonstone.co.uk

Somerset buff selfbinda gravel Allgreen allgreen.uk

Continuous willow fence Wonderwood Willow wonderwoodwillow.com

Driftwood decking Millboard millboard.com

Corten bottomless planters Adezz adezz.com/en

Meadow turf Pictorial Meadows pictorialmeadows.co.uk

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Trees New Wood Trees newwoodtrees.co.uk Trees and plants Kingsdown Nurseries kingsdown-uk.com Plants Hortus Loci hortusloci.co.uk Genus Plant Supply Genusplantsourcing.co.uk

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PROJECT DETAILS

Travelling

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or their regency Brighton townhouse with a stunning extension and interior design, the client was looking to create another ‘room’ to their unique property that would match the elegant and fresh aesthetic with a subtle coastal flavour.

Having recently moved to Brighton from the countryside where they had previously owned acres of land, these clients were still keen to maintain a natural feel in their new garden whilst ensuring it was easy for them to maintain throughout their retirement.

Added to this was a desire for a stronger connection between indoors and outdoors, with the enjoyment of enticing views from their glass fronted extension and lounge window. Langlea Garden

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Project value £30k plus VAT Build time 6 weeks Size of project 30m2 Awards Principal BALI National Landscape Award winner of Domestic Garden Construction – Under £30k

LANGLEA GARDEN DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION EBB & FLOW

Design & Construction was eager to extend the beautiful porcelain tiled floor that the clients loved, from inside to outside, raising the levels of the garden to allow the clients to walk out and around the garden seamlessly maximising the use of the available space.

Langlea managed to source an external version of the porcelain tiles used in the house called Rock Salt Celtic Grey. In raising the levels, the edge of the house was damp proofed, and a discrete slot drain installed to maintain airflow.

A flint raised planter added to the rear boundary emulated the original garden walls and elevated the planting visually whilst also 1 Langlea’s Ebb and Flow Garden in action with water feature

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aiding its maintenance. The flint was matched as closely as possible to the original flint boundary walls; however, for budget reasons, pre-cast flint blocks were used rather than handcrafting from scratch.

The garden was pocket sized; however, the client wished to dine out, lounge, entertain friends and make the most of the sun. Wrap-around ‘floating’ benches optimise the use of the available floorspace and enable lots of people dine or lounge outside.

The benches are also flexible in their use, but dining was located to the shadier side and lounging on the sunnier side. The flint planters also provide a backrest to the benches, made more comfortable with the addition of the clients' hand-made weather-proof cushions.

The planting was slightly offset back from the bench overhang to give clearance space for legs and feet, with treated timber framework used to construct the side of the lintels and then oak boards were secured to create the bench tops and fascia. The lintels were set at the correct height to enable Langlea to construct the benches in a thin profile so the planting beneath can be seen.

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The vista from the glass doors of the extension through to the rear of the garden was important and Langlea agreed to create a focal point at the end, taking inspiration from the previous pond which did not function, adding both a new focal point and also the sound of running water in the garden for atmosphere. The glass fronted pond was set into the raised planter so fish and water can be seen from both inside the house and in the garden, adding in a reclaimed 1860 cast iron fountain spout pours water into the pond to add more personality to the limited space.

The raised planter was constructed first, and the proposed pond area was lined with 20mm celetox insulation. Langlea designed, off-site fabricated, and installed a marine grade stainless steel frame to support the glass front. The frame was deep enough to be bolted to the blockwork which is behind the flint face and the inside of the pond was then fiberglass. Langlea made sure that the flint would not be pointed as the lime would leach into the water and harm the fish.

Bespoke flowing hazel screening wraps around the garden with its shape synonymous with the coastal flavour. The varying heights

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MAY 2024 overcome the differences of the boundary walls, whilst a full replacement fence is used to screen neighbouring properties and sheds.

Trees have been strategically placed to buffer views of neighbouring properties and give overall balance within the garden. The unified look ‘hugs’ the garden with the ebb and flow adding energy and intrigue whilst preventing the clients from feeling ‘boxed in.’

Langlea then took the indoor to outdoor concept further by starting the hazel screening indoors along the dining room flint wall which also flows out into the garden.

The clients’ BBQ was positioned against the house in a shadier area away from where people are sitting and was set lower than the surrounding paving so that it did not interrupt the views out from the lounge.

Softer, more textural and sun-loving planting was added to the raised planter with lusher, more shade-tolerant planting hidden under the benches; this adds as much planting as possible to this pocket-sized space without impeding on useable floor space.

An amazing lighting scheme finished the project, creating a captivating atmosphere in

the evenings. Flexible dimmer systems allow the changing of two circuits to suit the mood, the strip lighting under the bench and the uplighting of the trees and illumination of the pond.

Langlea was presented with a few challenges throughout this project. The only access to the garden was down a very narrow

side passage and the dwarf wall along this boundary made access even more difficult for the Langlea team, and as a result, it was impossible to get a digger into the garden meaning that all clearance and excavation work was carried out by hand. A temporary ramp with safety rail was constructed to bridge over the wall to tools and materials to be brought through and for excavated material to be carefully removed from the garden by hand Having worked in the area before, Langlea knew neighbours were not accommodating to construction works and the team was therefore cautious not to cause undue inconvenience to neighbours which would in turn cause stress for the client. Working hours were strictly 8am until 4.30pm and dust suppression water tanks were fitted to machinery to minimise dust impact. The site was also tidied and cleaned at the end of each working day with a deep clean before every weekend.

When work started on-site, Langlea also quickly discovered that the original eastern side boundary wall was unstable, and as this was within a conservation area, the wall had to be re-built by a flint expert to match the original. Langlea arranged and organised the flint specialist and took the relevant health and safety measures to prevent the wall falling in. It was important for the construction of the wall to happen prior to any other works happening on-site even though this slowed the progress. Similarly, the design and construction of the glass fronted pond took careful planning and design to ensure the 2 Hazel screening flows indoors to outdoors 3 The space comes alive at night 4 Connection between indoors and outdoors

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glass could be fitted within the flint blocks and the pointing flush, working with the experts to ensure the process went smoothly.

As well as the obvious, Langlea added an automatic irrigation system which was installed using minimal runs and micro jets due to the water pressure being so low at the property. The automatic timer is connected via Bluetooth to the clients phones to enable them to keep the garden watered when not at home.

Langlea believes designing a garden that perfectly satisfies a client’s needs and then constructing to a high specification is the real key to sustainability. If the garden can last a lifetime, then it has much less of an environmental impact.

Any opportunities to reduce the environmental impact whilst still executing the project to satisfaction were taken, such as waste being separated into wood, plastic, and hardcore piles and collected separately for recycling. The biodiversity of the site has been improved with more planting added and a properly functioning pond, and the paving drains directly into the planting beds rather than the drain.

Langlea ensures the presence of a designer on-site all times. Francesca Sideris – landscape architect, designer, and company director – works in tandem with garden designer and construction director, Leandros Sideris to coordinate the on site team, allowing them to provide a completely

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integrated approach between design and construction on site, responding to challenges quickly, efficiently, and intuitively.

This way of working was reflected across this garden in the attention to detail in every aspect.

5 Tranquil space to enjoy in the day or evening Photographs ©Simon Callaghan Photography

ABOUT Langlea Garden Design and Construction is a boutique, full-service practice with an integrated approach to garden design and construction. Its ethos is to create unique gardens for each individual client. The friendly and focused team of multidisciplinary professionals are bound together with a passion for detail. Executing extraordinary gardens to the highest standards, Langlea is intent on surpassing the demands of its clients. langlea.co.uk

REFERENCES Paving Parker Building Supplies parkerbs.com Planting Provender Nurseries provendernurseries.co.uk Timber Millworks millworks.co.uk Stainless steel Precision Metal Products precisionmetalproducts. co.uk

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GREEN footfall L ocated near the Palace of Westminster UNESCO World Heritage Site, Parliament Square Gardens is an Historic England, grade II listed park and garden.

Well used throughout the year, providing a quiet space to rest for the thousands of international tourists visiting the area every week, the gardens also host a number of statues depicting prime ministers and high-profile political figures, including Winston Churchill, Millicent Fawcett, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and many others.

With the London Underground running directly below the gardens near to the surface, heat radiates into the soil above and coupled with the hot weather and hose pipe ban in the summer of 2022, the central lawn of Parliament Square Gardens had struggled to recover since.

INSCAPES PARLIAMENT SQUARE GARDENS

Significant works were required to restore the lawns and planting beds, so Inscapes worked with the client to fully understand the brief of delivering a high-profile project to high environmental standards on a heritage site within a security sensitive area.

Inscapes submitted a proposal to renovate the circa 2,700m2 area. Preparatory works included the alleviation of ground compaction and removal of the top layer of organic matter, plus the introduction of an irrigation system into the ground so that water could be adequately, efficiently, and evenly distributed across the entire lawn area.

Inscapes needed to create suitable topsoil conditions and then to supply and lay turf that could withstand the foot traffic along with implementing a suitable solution to prevent

PROJECT DETAILS

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Build time One week Size of project 3,000m2 Awards Principal BALI National Landscape Award winner for Soft Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) – Under £500K

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MAY 2024 the area from degrading under the pressure of the tube line heat below, high summer temperatures, and the high footfall.

Heras fencing was installed around the lawn area to enable the works to be carried out safely and after the installation of the turf so that it could maintained without the usual footfall. The cycle lane opposite Westminster Cathedral was also closed for a week to enable vehicle movements to be undertaken safely in what is a very busy area.

The scope of the project involved the heavy-duty removal of 50mm off the existing surface, producing approximately 200t of topsoil which was taken to a local recycling centre for reuse, and this also meant that 50mm of turf could be installed without increasing the height of the lawn above its existing levels.

However, the Inscapes team then encountered its first challenge: battling the

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wettest spring since 1981. Being located on top of Westminster tube station and the Jubilee line, there were also other challenges such as strict weight restrictions on equipment used and the extremely busy

location in central London both in terms of traffic and pedestrians with large equipment.

Therefore, every element had to have robust risk assessments, method statements, and lifting plans for lorries using HIABs for

removing soil, delivering fencing, and moving the irrigation container.

It was important that the lawns would root and have a period to grow in whilst the weight of the 50mm turf gave the surface stability. To overcome this, Inscapes installed a pop-up irrigation system under the lawns and as the gardens did not have a regular water or power supply, a water tank was installed. This system would be temporary, but the irrigation infrastructure was permanent, meaning that the system could be connected to a water supply in the future such as in summer months, or as required.

To finish, the topsoil would then be turned into a fine tilth using specialist cultivating and raking equipment, before the spreading of fertiliser and finally the laying of thick cut turf, designed for instant use and suitable for high impact foot traffic.

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Inscapes also offered and eventually carried out an initial growing in maintenance programme which included watering, cutting, edging, and fertilising as required.

The lawn was primarily mown with a Husqvarna robotic mower as it cuts small amounts of grass, creating a nutrient rich

micro mulch, which not only created a healthier lawn but creates no commercial waste and less noise pollution. It also freed up the time for staff on site to undertake other works involved in the overall project,

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which involved the planting of 280 rootballed lavender plants.

Existing planting beds were filled with the new lavender balls that were 35x35cm in size and topped up with bark mulch.

Flowering beds surrounding the statues were reinvigorated with a variety of colourful bedding plants using British flag colours or colours that represent the person depicted by the statue.

Maintenance continues to be undertaken by an Inscapes team based in London, carrying out daily mowing and irrigation as required, with the feeding regime specified

by Origin Amenity Solutions, following an independent soil sample testing, and including a site-specific nutritional report.

The project met high environmental standards to operate in central London both with noise and emissions, as well as high sustainability demands. Koroing the surface produced approximately 200t of quality

1 New lawn at Parliament Square Gardens 2 Before the installation of the new lawn 3 Gardens attracting numerous visitors 4 Husqvarna robotic mower mowing the lawn 5 F reshly planted bedding plants and flags raised

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topsoil that was taken to a local recycling centre for reuse and the Origin Amenity Solutions fertiliser used was a naturally based range with up to 100% organic content. It includes rich humates which deactivate enzymes produced by pathogens that could compromise the plants immune system and encourages root development and stimulates soil microbial activity.

infrastructure that can be connected into at short notice.

The attitude of the installation team was exemplary during the works, showing the due care and attention required for such a high-profile installation. Due to the difficult site to conduct works in central tourist London, the fact that Inscapes had no incidents, and no health and safety concerns throughout the entire project, is testimony to its operatives and management.

6 Lots of footfall enjoying the new lawn 7 Freshly planted bedding plants to bring colour to the Square.

ABOUT

The use of lavender was multi-functional, being an aesthetic plant that is drought resistant and promotes pollinators to the area, whilst the bark mulch to this area would help with minimising evaporation.

Upon completion, the lawns looked visually stunning and were extremely lush and green, and there is now a fully functional irrigation

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Inscapes is an established sports ground engineering organisation, commercial landscaping, environmental, drainage and irrigation specialist. It has more than 20 years direct experience in delivering highly engineered sports grounds, creating new landscapes, protecting existing ones, and undertaking irrigation system maintenance and installations. inscapes.org.uk

REFERENCES Fertiliser Origin Amenity Solutions originamenity.com Turf Inturf inturf.com Heras fencing Blok N Mesh bloknmesh.com Hired equipment CBL cbl.co.uk Signwriting Elite Signs elitesigns.biz Robotic mower Husqvarna husqvarna.com

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THE TREES ADAM VETERE LANDSCAPE & GARDEN DESIGN & JJH LANDSCAPES THE TREETOP GARDEN

PROJECT DETAILS Project value £56k

Build time 8 weeks Size of project 165m2 (excluding escarpment) Awards SGD Awards 2024 The People’s Choice Award winner and Small Residential Landscapes & Gardens, APL Awards 2023 Designer of the Year (Gold award) and Supreme Winner (JJH Landscapes), Pro Landscaper Project Awards 2022 Supreme Winner

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n escarpment proved challenging for the team transforming a relatively large garden at a modern, detached family home. At five metres tall, it ran diagonally through the garden, falling within the property’s curtilage. The clients were unable to use a major part of the garden as it was seen as dangerous and inaccessible. The upside is that the elevated aspect of this garden allowed for stunning views across the valley and into the canopy of neighbouring trees.

Garden and landscape designer Adam Vetere's initial site visit showed the garden to be an underwhelming space with an old picket

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fence, a large shed and an old vegetable plot which sat within the level area, overlooking the steep escarpment, largely laid to lawn and with planting virtually non-existent.

Designing a garden which would provide the clients with the space they wanted for dining, entertaining and relaxing outside as a family, Vetere wanted to make it appear as thought it was floating in the surrounding tree canopy.

Since the surrounding trees were some five or six metres below the level of the usable garden, extending out over the escarpment, the design also had to fully consider the surroundings – the woods to the

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JUNE 2024 west and south, the lack of privacy from the neighbours' properties to the east, the underlying conditions of the site’s potentially made-up ground and the challenge of the escarpment.

If budget were no issue, the site could have been multi-terraced, according to Vetere, but the cost and engineering of such a proposal was far too expensive so instead, he proposed a sunken, cantilevered floating deck extending over the edge of the escarpment to be a core design feature.

The inspiration for this was sparked by the client’s love of the Rocky Mountains. The garden design and its geometry were based on the silhouette of the peaks of the Rockies, taken vertically and transposed horizontally within the space.

The cantilevered deck was an absolute success, says Vetere. It covers 17m2 and the area which extends over the escarpment adds a further 6.5m2 to the clients’ usable space, in turn allowing for additional seating and dining.

In addition, Vetere added a seating area which was screened from neighbours by a new pergola and multi-stemmed trees, thus achieving full privacy.

The angled design allowed for the easy segregation of the garden into three distinct zones: the gravel garden which provides an informal area to relax in, the deck and dining terrace for formal entertaining, and the children's play area.

An integrated water feature was also designed to be enjoyed from either the dining terrace or from the seating areas over the escarpment acting on a practical level to offset road noise within the residential development.

Subtle lighting and uplighting of specimen trees and planting were installed so that the garden might be enjoyed by the clients, their family, and friends well into the evening.

Planting areas were increased to improve the site ecology and diversity as well as introducing 50m2 of drought tolerant and insect friendly planting. Adding interest and colour for most of the year, the modern and contemporary scheme was laid out in a naturalistic format for the gravel garden, deck, and dining terrace.

Over 65% of the space became dedicated to soft landscaping within the garden. The clients have positively commented on how the garden is “full of bees and butterflies all day long, so we really feel that the project has had a positive impact on the environment around us, too.”

The planting in the shady area of the garden is cool and verdant and was designed for the dry shade.

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JUNE 2024 The clients’ existing paving and hard landscaping was crushed on site and used for sub-bases and part of the planting medium for improved drainage, and all topsoil was recycled on site.

The existing shed was reused and given a new lease of life, and retaining walls were constructed from mild steel, sourced from Ireland, to eliminate the need for any concrete footings.

While the cantilevered deck did require a significant amount of concrete for its foundations, it has been designed to last for decades and it is expected that the composite decking boards and timber supports will last for a minimum of 25 years, though the steel structure beneath should last significantly longer than this.

All paving was selected for its high quality, durability, and high anti-slip rating. It was also selected for its natural appearance, which mimics natural stone in terms of texture and variation, and the supplier London Stone is committed to the sustainable and ethical sourcing of its products. It is a carbon neutral company and is constantly working to reduce emissions and waste, says Vetere.

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Rainwater is then harvested to the side of the house and an irrigation system was installed to assist the clients with the efficient use of mains water during any drought periods; but being a drought tolerant planting scheme, it should require very little additional watering long term.

1 View from the lawn 2 The floating deck 3 View from the dining terrace 4 T he dining terrace ©Eleanor Walpole Photography 5 T he Rock Garden and floating deck ©Eleanor Walpole Photography

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ABOUT

The main challenge with this project for Vetere was that a major part of the garden was inaccessible because of the escarpment; therefore, the clients wanted a creative solution to use more of this area, thus extending the garden size in the process.

The flat area of the garden was also an issue, as the ground had been artificially raised by the original house builder to create a basic, usable space. It meant that any structure installed would need to find virgin ground to ensure it was safe.

A further challenge was that the escarpment was classified as an area of identified biodiversity interest by the local planning department, so Vetere had to ensure that any landscaping in this area did not interfere with the biodiversity of the site.

Together with the construction expertise of JJH Landscapes, Vetere found creative ways to complete the hard landscaping required in the project away from these areas of high biodiversity, ensuring its

future sustainability, whilst equally respecting the legal planning requirements of the project.

The construction of the deck was extremely difficult for the team, as there could be no supports for it within the escarpment area because of the slope and the planning restriction. As such, a cantilevered design was developed, with the footings and structural support being placed in the level area of the garden, allowing the deck to float over the edge of the escarpment by a further two metres.

The clients were absolutely thrilled with their garden and its sunken, cantilevered deck. It met a tough brief on what is a very unusual and challenging site, becoming a well-loved and usable treetop oasis.

6 View across the dining terrace to play area 7 The Rock Garden ©Eleanor Walpole Photography

Adam Vetere MAPL MSGD is a multi-award-winning garden and landscape designer, member of the APL and registered member of the SGD, who has been honed from a unique background in horticulture, graphic design training, practical landscaping, and business design. He is enthused by a continued passion for plants and sustainable design. adamvetere.co.uk

REFERENCES Paving London Stone londonstone.co.uk Decking Millboard millboard.com Water feature Landscapeplus landscapeplus.com Lighting Hudson Lighting hudsonlighting.co.uk Pergola London Stone londonstone.co.uk Plants Viridis viridisplants.co.uk Premium Plants premium-plants.co.uk Rocks and boulders Rock Farm Quarry, Somerset

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LIGHT after dark PETER COWELL GARDEN DESIGN LTD LANSDOWNE

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t a newly built, bespoke property on the outer edges of Lancaster, Lancashire, the owners had clear views across the countryside with a train track running in the distance. The picturesque scenery left them desperate for a garden with an elegant touch whilst remaining plant focused, with different zones and pathways to create a journey around the space.

The house had also been designed with many rooms overlooking the garden, so the lighting aspect of the project was key. The client was expecting to spend a lot of time in the garden, especially throughout the evening, and having spent a large part of their life in Texas, the clients wanted

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PROJECT DETAILS Project value £100k Build time 6 months Size of project 490m2

to make sure they had a garden that they wanted to venture out

into and one that was appropriate for entertaining.

When Peter Cowell Garden Design Ltd took on this project, the work was slow.

The team stepped in at the last moment for the build and worked through lockdown when material costs and availability changed on a daily basis.

The client requested a garden that "oozed class" with evergreen features, a bold structure with a reduced pallet of colour with only white and blue perennials and grasses. Some of the statement plants within the garden

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were the bold evergreen hedging – Prunus lusitanica and Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa'.

The multistem Betual jacquemontii was used for its structure and the Cornus kousa tree for its flowers. But it was the choice of wildflower meadow with mature fruit trees that created an environment the client could feel lost within.

Cowell created a design that ticks all the boxes itself, including everything from a wild orchard, a journey around the garden, fire pit area, water feature and outdoor social spaces. The lighting gave that significant wow factor, highlighting each social space with contrasting brightness, giving the space depth and discovery.

From a lighting point of view, Cowell was keen to work solely with an LED 12v system from a safety and cost point of view. The lighting used was predominantly Nitelux fittings with some Hudson and LightingforGardens fitting for specific lighting effects. There were several zones to highlight and many viewpoints from the house to take into consideration when designing the lighting to create as big an impact as possible.

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REFERENCES Timber Manchester Deck manchesterdeck.co.uk Lighting Nitelux Lighting nitelux.co.uk LightingforGardens lightingforgardens.com Hudson Lighting hudsonlighting.co.uk Plants Ladybrook Nursery ladybrooknursery.com Bannister Hall bannisterhall.com

KIT Honda FG201 Tiller Honda justhonda.co.uk DeWalt FlexVolt Advantage 20V Angle Grinder DeWalt dewalt.co.uk

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Combined with the struggles of lockdown, this project presented a series of challenges for Cowell as the property had originally been just flat land with poor soil conditions and poor drainage. On top of that, the site had a curtilage with restricted planning rights which Cowell had to navigate in the design process, combined with the overall budget for the project as the client had false expectations of landscaping costs.

Then there were the main challenges caused by the previous contractor. Unable to carry out the project to a high enough standard and with legal action required, Cowell took over the build side of the project along with the design, then managing the client’s extra cautiousness regarding the project due to the prior bad experience.

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But thankfully, the client and Cowell were overjoyed with the finished result. What started as a blank canvas soon became an elegant extension of the house that wows visitors and matches the picturesque views.

Photographs ©Tim Emmerton Photography

ABOUT An award-winning garden design studio based in Lancashire, Peter Cowell Garden Design Ltd is passionate about creating exceptional gardens that add value to client's property and increase the quality of outdoor living. petercowell.com

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PROJECT DETAILS

Project value Pro bono Build time 4 weeks Size of project 150m2

Healing

HAVEN CHILTERN GARDEN DESIGN COURTYARD GARDEN AT AMERSHAM HOSPITAL

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hiltern Garden Design was invited to help transform an unloved, weedy, and unused space at the heart of Amersham Hospital.

What is essentially a podium landscape above a roof on an upper floor within the hospital, the dermatology department courtyard has limited access and tall enclosing walls on all four sides of the space. Used as a source of escapism for staff, the space needed to be overhauled in order to revitalise these essential workers.

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The existing design included hardscape consisting of paving and brick areas, with a metal three-quarter dome for climbers in the south corner and just enough space for a couple of seats and a bistro table.

Although this structure would have been lovely with scented climbers over it, it had been placed in the shadiest part of the garden and therefore any attempt at previous planting had been unsuccessful.

In the west corner sat a couple of arched trellis panels covered in ivy, forming a dense backdrop that blocked a small selection of windows, and a partially rotting pergola ran along the northwest stretch.

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The posts and horizontals were sound, but the rafters were not worth retaining; instead, the design began to include additional planting to trail the vertical stretch and soften the structure.

The soil, thick with clay, meant that the only retained vegetation were a number of mature Choisya ternata shrubs, a cornus, and a buddleja, and in the centre of the space lay a stone water feature in need of repair and with a pebble surround.

Chiltern Garden Design was therefore presented with a brief to retain existing hardscapes and focus on the planting.

The team was asked to design a lush

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JUNE 2024 courtyard space that aims to create an immersive natural experience. Chiltern Garden Design’s planting design features tree ferns as the key species to add a touch of drama and height, with foliage providing much of the interest in the planting beds, softening the hardscape but with a low maintenance scheme kept in mind and a focus on adding colour, texture, and scent.

The planting was chosen to invite nature into the space to create a sense of escapism for the staff who are invited to take a moment to step out of work mode into somewhere completely different – a world where large leaves mix with textural forms and bright pops of colour, bringing more joy and pleasure to their everyday.

Chiltern Garden Design began by teaming up with volunteers from the Amersham Hospital Gardens project, Chiltern Rangers, and was supported by

Lindengate Charity, Work Aid and Buckinghamshire NHS Hospital Trust.

Together with the volunteers, the hard landscaping aspects of the space, as well as the existing furniture, were retained, cleaned, and repainted, presenting Chiltern Garden Design with a clean slate for the soft landscaping.

The existing corner dome had been cleaned as well and was envisaged as a place to envelop yourself in soft and scented greenery. It was covered with climbers suitable for the shady aspect. Planting beds around the seating were designed with a focus on texture and foliage.

Height and drama were added by the tree ferns, including a multi-stem tree fern, underplanted with other ferns and foliage interest plants to create a sense of lush escapism. Plenty of evergreen structural planting was also included to ensure the garden is attractive in all season – some with interesting winter flowers and scent.

The existing trellises and structures were made effective, used to grow climbers to add height, colour, and scent, in contrast with the bright perennials packed into the sunnier corner of the courtyard, including the likes of Achillea millefolium, Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii, geranium, geum, and crocosmia.

1 Multistem tree ferns set tone for a lush retreat 2 Refurbished dome makes secluded seating area 3 Lush textural underplanting 4 Dramatic foliage 5 D armera peltata, Dryopteris, Loropetalum chinensis

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ABOUT Chiltern Garden Design is the brainchild of Sam Proctor MSGD. Proctor has been creating beautiful gardens for over a decade that suit the needs and lifestyle of her clients, never imposing a one-size fits all solution, but finding a style and scheme to fit the complex needs of busy people. chilterngardendesign.com

Challenges encountered throughout the project included the limited depth of soil to plant into.

Standard trees were therefore not possible, meaning that Chiltern Garden Design invested in tree ferns which do not have much rootball and instead needed staking to ensure they are supported in their establishment period. As the garden is located within a hospital, one of the key issues was also access – the tree ferns having to be transported throughout the grounds on hospital gurneys.

THE GARDEN BEFORE

The shady but sheltered courtyard challenged Chiltern Garden Design to introduce a different range of plants. Many were only available from specialist nurseries, which the designer had sourced on behalf of the project, and unfortunately, the central water feature was left out of action due to lack of budget to address this. However, Chiltern Garden Design is hopeful that there may be opportunity to re-establish this feature in full working order in the near future.

Now a new beautiful space to sit and relax within, the garden offers a comfortable and welcoming area for nurses working within the dermatology department to relax and watch the wildlife.

BEFORE: THE OVERGROWN THREE-QUARTER DOME

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REFERENCES Plants Farnham Common Nurseries fcn.co.uk Creepers creepersnursery.co.uk Palmstead Palmstead.co.uk Secateurs and snips Niwaki niwaki.com Hand tools Kent and Stowe

6 Shaded in the day; planting is focused on texture Photographs ©Nigel Proctor Photography

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anglea Garden Design and Construction was approached by a client looking to create a striking courtyard garden that could match the unique contemporary architecture of a newly built property and its charming interior design.

The space offers various uses, such as dining, entertaining, lounging, sunbathing, and cooking.

The property developer left the garden mainly to lawn, with slippery, inadequate sized patio areas and disjointed levels. So, Langlea proposed a hard landscaped courtyard at one consistent level. It was also important to the client to soften the extensive hard landscaping with as much

PROJECT DETAILS Project value £60k+

Build time 8 weeks

Size of project 165m2 Awards Principal BALI Award winner of the £60-100k Domestic Garden Construction Category

Contemporary

COURTYARD LANGLEA GARDEN DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION MOLTEN: RADIATE

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planting as possible whilst maintaining permeability, therefore a central water feature was a key part of the brief to amplify the courtyard feel with the sound and movement.

Langlea took inspiration from a chandelier within the client’s lounge, analysing the molten shapes in the distorted glass. The molten shapes now radiate out from the central water feature, creating island planting beds and detailing in the landscape, adding interest and intimacy to a large courtyard and enhances the presence of the water feature.

The palette of materials used combined soft hues with an industrial flavour and a splash of wow factor, with natural mottled

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stone chosen as the main paving material for its authentic, heavy, feel.

A key consideration was the gold vista line from the kitchen doors – this runs from the doors through the garden and vertically up the bespoke pergola at the rear of the garden, with the pergola standing as a striking focal point that also provides shelter and heat for outdoor dining in all weather.

A bespoke cooking station adds to the social dynamics and has everything the client may need to enjoy a day in the garden, including a sink, gas BBQ, rotisserie, spacious worktop, and storage cabinets. Lounging areas were placed to make the most of the south-facing position of the house.

The planting in the sunnier, central areas of the courtyard provide a more naturalistic style – adding soft textures against the hard landscaping.

Ilex hedging was used to surround the courtyard, whilst woodland-style planting along the shady southern boundary is a wonderful backdrop buffering neighbouring windows.

The previously disjointed levels were completely reworked to create a single-level space, now featuring a step down from the house.

Langlea cut and filled the levels without the need for additional material, ensuring a slope back to the boundary planting beds. This approach not only saved costs but also retained the boundaries effectively.

The central gold vista line was a marker that was used to set out the whole garden, including the paving layout and the levels running

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away from the house. The vista line was innovatively constructed with the gold aluminium clad to concrete driveway square top edgings on a full sand and cement mortar mix above the compacted MOT type 1 base.

The brick and gold aluminium molten details in the landscape were carefully cut by the onsite team using CAD drawings traced from originally hand drawn lines.

The central water feature is an Urbis Grand Lily bowl in Cool Sandstone, chosen for its soft hue and texture to suit the house. It is one of the largest pre-cast water bowls available and was internally waterproofed by Urbis off-site.

Langlea supplied and installed a central aerator jet nozzle, pump, and UV filter system, whilst recommending that the client and project electrician fit fully submersed spotlights which would bring the bowl to life at night.

Before installing the water bowl, a stake was placed at its centre to serve as a reference point for measurements. Plywood shuttering

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was then set up to match the dimensions of the bowl's base, which was elevated above the surrounding planting to give it prominence. The grading of the surrounding planting bed was adjusted from the bowl's base down to the level of the adjacent paving. This central stake also served as the reference point for positioning the gold aluminum frame and setting out the concrete pad that supports the water bowl. Initially, the soil level of the proposed planting bed was kept lower so that the gold aluminium sheets could be floated over the top and the water bowl base constructed without obstructions.

Langlea managed to source the exact specialist bricks that the house is built from. The bricks in the landscape either frame the molten shaped planting beds or create molten shaped detailing in a linear pattern. They were cut into slips using a bench saw so that they were more

consistent with the paving base depth.

The bespoke pergola and cooking station had been designed and constructed to emulate the canopies on the house. Langlea originally designed RSJ steel beams with timber cladding but due to the current steel prices and budget considerations, Langlea achieved a similar look using chunky timber painted in an off-black colour. The larch wood cladding for the pergola and cooking station

1 Peeking through planting at the bespoke pergola 2 View from the kitchen through to the garden 3 The gold vista line running through the garden 4 Water feature, pergola and cooking area (daytime) 5 Water feature, pergola and cooking area (at night)

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ABOUT

was also sourced in the exact same profile and dimensions as used on the house canopies.

The roof construction entailed lining the roof joists with OSB, covering with epdm waterproof roofing membrane, securing with termination bars, and then sealing. The main beams were routed out and the roof construction sunk within the frame as opposed to securing from above, which would have been visible and untrue to the original design.

The cooking station was constructed deeper than originally planned to accommodate the large BBQ chosen by the client and taking into consideration the clearance space for the hood when in use. Again, Langlea advised the client and the project plumber to source a stainless-steel sink to match the BBQ with a flush finish for a sleek look.

The small secret courtyard area at the side of the house was used infrequently, and was a heavily shaded area that has now been transformed into a lush jungle style courtyard area.

Langlea also designed and installed a four-zone irrigation system, as the garden features a variety of planting beds in various locations with different sun levels. The four-zone system can respond to the different micro-climates and can be controlled from the client’s phone whether he is at home or away travelling. The system follows weather reports to automatically water when is needed rather than by timer.

The lighting scheme included star lights core drilled into the molten brick detailing, spike lights in the island beds and beneath the trees, wall mounted lights above the cooking area and on fence lines, spotlights in the water bowl and LED

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strip lights surrounding the roof of the pergola.

Due to the house being newly built into an existing house’s plot, the team faced a series of challenges with restricted access. The entry road had not been designed to accommodate as many houses as were now built, meaning the road was narrow and difficult to turn into.

Parking was also very limited due to the volume of vehicles in the surrounding area and lack of permits. It was essential to ensure that the Langlea team arrived onsite early enough every day to be able park the vans.

Access into the garden was through a narrow gate, so Langlea was limited to the use of micro diggers and track barrows for the excavation and clearance phases.

Re-used timber sleepers were removed from the garden to construct a clearance bay on the driveway to contain the excavated material to be collected by grabbers. After most of this work had taken place, Langlea was able to dismantle the timber sleeper bay and have a skip in its place.

The front driveway has a resin bound finish, previously completed by the property developer that required protection, which Langlea covered with tarpaulins to prevent any staining.

Langlea took a hand-drawn, organic concept and constructed it to perfection. The newly transformed courtyard garden by Langlea seamlessly integrates with the contemporary architecture and interior design of the property – offering a versatile space for entertaining, lush planting and an impressive central feature, inspired by the client's unique style.

Langlea Garden Design and Construction is a boutique, full-service practice with an integrated approach to garden design and construction. Its ethos is to create unique gardens for each individual client.

The friendly and focused team of multidisciplinary professionals bound together with a passion for detail.

Executing extraordinary gardens to the highest standards, Langlea is intent on surpassing the demands of its clients. langlea.co.uk

REFERENCES Water bowl Urbis Design urbisdesign.co.uk Plants Provender Nurseries provendernurseries.co.uk Building supplies Parker Building Supplies parkerbs.com Bricks in floorscape Bespoke Brick Company uk-brick.com

6 Dynamic molten shaped planting beds and floorscape detailing. Photographs ©Simon Callaghan

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PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £150k Build time 4 months Size of project 2 acres

Whimsical

RETREAT

WE LOVE PLANTS LTD – GARDEN DESIGN BY NIC HOWARD WINDMILL BANK GARDEN

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eusing as many of the existing hard landscaping materials as possible; Nic Howard's team at We Love Plants was asked to design and build a new layout for a two-acre domestic garden on Windmill Bank, including redefining the entrance; subtly dividing the front and rear garden spaces to create a distinct 'sense of place'; as well as to integrate the house harmoniously into its surroundings.

Using large exuberant borders packed with lush vegetation and vibrant colours, We Love Plants also aimed to provide year-round colour and interest within the garden.

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The team incorporated an area for entertaining, which was also on the brief, that was set in an enclosed space with planting beds and trees to add height, structure, and shade. This space was designed with an eye for detail and strong selection of plants, creating a unique, sensory experience. From quiet nooks filled with flowers to stunning trees and sprawling lawns, this enchanted escape now invites visitors to revel in a vibrant space brought back to life.

Windmill Bank sits on the bluff of a hill in a generous plot of approximately two acres, with wonderful southerly views over the

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Sussex Weald, and sheltered from the north-easterly winds thanks to the woodland on Selsfield Common.

The original garden was not befitting of the countrystyle property; it lacked character and failed to make full use of the large outdoor space. The new design, however, uses the country setting to fantastic effect and draws upon the wider landscape as an extension to the new garden.

After clearing any trees in need of removal, the garden had a good foundation for work to begin. Existing mature trees at the boundary of the grounds helped to screen neighbouring properties and make the space feel private.

As the property name suggests, however, the garden is

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exposed to the prevailing south-westerly winds, which although the surrounding trees did a good job of protecting from this, the orientation also meant that it can become very hot and sun-baked during the peak of summer.

To address these challenges, We Love Plants devised a design focused on the immediate areas surrounding the house, enhancing the foreground against the expansive lawns. Its strategy involved creating intimate entertaining spaces and improving pathways around the property.

A row of Pyrus ‘Chanticleer’ trees was strategically planted to reinforce the circular layout of the entertainment area while providing essential shade within the garden.

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The planting strategy for the new borders was inspired by classical English country gardens – overflowing, colourful borders were filled with plants selected specifically for long-seasonal interest, lower maintenance properties and attractiveness to wildlife. In typical English country garden-style, the planting includes lots of blues, purples, pinks, and whites, and is contemporised with grasses and prairie-style perennials, forming the majority of the planting to achieve dramatic seasonal variation.

The existing terrace was also revamped. It was lifted and re-laid to the new design, with panels and paths of clay pavers added to create rhythm within the area. The new garden layout effectively defines the arrival area, creating a clear sense of entry and welcoming visitors into the space. Through thoughtful design elements, such as planting beds, trees, and other landscaping features, the garden subtly separates the front and rear areas, providing a sense of place and anchoring the house within its surroundings.

The project also prioritised the balance of both sustainability and beauty by reusing and repurposing as many existing hard landscaping materials as possible, incorporating them into the design to preserve the garden's history and reduce environmental impact.

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To accommodate for the sandy soil, ornamental grasses that flourish in exposed areas were chosen along with mounding plants spilling into gaps between sections. The gravel driveway was also reshaped to maintain compliance with SUDs regulations, and planting beds were introduced. These enhancements contributed to the making of a "cottage-style" atmosphere, while ensuring the functionality of the outdoor space – including parking and turnaround areas.

Purple planting is featured prominently throughout space, which is not only aesthetically pleasing but also beneficial to bees due their trichromatic vision being naturally attracted by shades of violet-blue – proven through studies showing these blooms generate higher volumes of nectar than others.

Consideration was given to encouraging sustainability where possible too; compost bins and water butts were placed to allow for water storage and composting of organic matter.

1 Midsummer colour palette against textural green foliage ©Bennet Smith 2 Property entrance is framed with green and white ©Joanna Kossak 3 High summer colour and tapestry of textural greens ©Joanna Kossak

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JULY 2024 ABOUT We Love Plants Ltd, led by director and designer Nic Howard, is a distinguished design studio celebrated for crafting enduring, plantcentric gardens. Based in Surrey, the studio specialises in designing, constructing, and planting exquisite gardens across Surrey, Sussex, and the Home Counties. Its innovative approach realises clients' garden and landscape aspirations, blending bold design with beautiful planting. Established in 2011, the studio aim to deliver dynamic design solutions with exquisite planting schemes. we-love-plants.co.uk

REFERENCES Designer Nic Howard Hard landscaping, soft landscaping and garden maintenance We Love Plants we-love-plants.co.uk Garden lighting Greenlite greenlitegroup.co.uk

We Love Plants faced a series of challenges throughout the build of this garden. As well as being prone to strong winds – which posed challenges during construction, especially for delicate plants or structures – the garden's location on the bluff of a hill also required careful planning and engineering to ensure stability and proper drainage due to the iron stone layer beneath. Therefore, an effective system was developed to ensure adequate watering to all areas of the garden during establishment, particularly in windy conditions where water might evaporate more quickly.

Assessing and amending the soil to support healthy plant growth was also one of the challenges

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– especially since the existing soil was poor and compacted, which then led to difficulties choosing plants that can withstand the windy conditions, the soil, and the specific microclimate of the site, which were all crucial to the garden's success.

Overall, however, the Windmill Bank Garden project successfully translated the client's vision into reality, fulfilling the brief requirements while creating a stunning and immersive outdoor sanctuary.

4 Ornamental grasses coming into their own in the waning September sunlight ©Bennet Smith 5 Planting around the oak pavilion has a romantic summer softness ©Bennet Smith

Plants How Green Nursery howgreennursery.co.uk North Hill Nurseries northhillnurseries.co.uk Creepers creepersnursery.co.uk Trees Deepdale Trees deepdale-trees.co.uk Gates Oakleigh Gates oakleighgates.co.uk Oak structure Scott Partnership scottpr.com

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PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £20k Build time 5 days Size of project 4m x 3m

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harmouth Primary School wanted to create an outdoor learning space for a small group of children and their teacher at last year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. So, it brought on board Sandhurst Garden Design to create The Mary Anning Space to Learn Garden in the Balcony and Container Garden category to bring to life an informal setting for pupils to actively engage in lessons, with seating and an area of shade tolerant planting.

1 Engraved tongue-twister ©Rachel Moffett Photography

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Recreating

HISTORY SANDHURST GARDEN DESIGN THE MARY ANNING SPACE TO LEARN GARDEN

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JULY 2024 The school requested that Sandhurst Garden Design used natural materials that echoed the local coastline and were locally and sustainably sourced that would engage the children with their lessons through play, nature, and the care of the plants to increase their confidence and self-esteem.

The inspiration for the design came from the famous ‘Dorset fossil hunter’, Mary Anning, who was born in Lyme Regis in 1822 and who made her most significant discoveries on the beach at Charmouth just a stone’s throw from the school.

Each designer in the category had an identical plot measuring four metres by three metres that consisted of a raised metal platform with a solid base and filled with type one hardcore.

Attached to the horizontal metal base frame was a vertical metal frame measuring two and a half metres in height and four metres wide, which allowed the designers to create the backdrop for their own gardens.

Prior to the build, the RHS appointed contractor, Andew Ball of Big Fish Landscapes to prepare the base for each of the container gardens. Sandhurst Garden Design then continued work with landscapers, Original Landscapes of Sturminster Newton.

The biggest challenge the landscapers faced was to create a realistic interpretation of the cliffs at Charmouth, representing the geology of the area, and specifically the stretch of coastline known as The Jurassic Coast.

Using hand-trimmed blue lias and purbeck stone tied in at intervals to the metal frame

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using stainless steel wall ties, ensured stability, and using the cut face of the blue lias stone they artistically created the slightly overhanging ‘steams’ of rock graduating from each side to create a ‘V’ shape, ensured the overall finish did not look flat like a conventional brick wall.

Each stone was secured in place using a weak mortar mixed with a grey dye added to complement the stones and finally, when dry, it was ‘raked’ out using fingers and a damp sponge to create an eroded finish.

Hollow moss-covered tree stumps with drainage holes provided the containers for the planting, locally sourced from a managed forestry plantation that in normal circumstances would be left to decompose in the ground. The architectural roots of each tree stump were sympathetically enhanced

by Alex Louden by lightly sculpting their natural form, creating a bold statement, and providing a focal point planted with the Jurassic effect plants.

Repurposing tree stumps to create a sustainable container also encourages wildlife to create an eco-system in the garden supporting insects as the stumps gradually decay enriching the soil in the process.

Showcasing the idea of repurposing tree stumps as containers provided inspiration for what to do with a tree stump after a tree has had to be removed, and also how it can used as a wildlife habitat for insects to feed and shelter.

The small seating area for the children and teacher specified in the client brief was made from a single walnut tree trunk by carving the high back chairs and a low table highlighting the natural grain of the wood and then handfinished to ensure no sharp edges.

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Large limestone steppingstones engraved with the tongue twister ‘She Sells Seashells on the Seashore,’ written about Mary Anning, were prepared by first sandblasting any loose debris and then hand carving the letters into the stone surface.

Sculptor Dan Anderson used a ‘fluid’ style font and a flat brush to apply a dark blue paint to the letters that had a wave like flow to the words leading the eye to follow the rhyme.

The finished project used natural materials that were sustainably resourced and complemented each other to create the drama and theatre for the show garden, but also the practicality and durability for the primary school where it was relocated after the show in time for the 30th anniversary celebrations in June of the school building opening.

Sandhurst Garden Design hired the three feature plant specimens, including a Pseudopanax crassifolius, Dicksonia antarctica and a Wollemi pine which was thought to be extinct

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until it was discovered growing in a ravine in Australia in 1984.

The Gardens Group supplied a selection of ferns, including the Asplenium trichomanes and Soleirolia soleirolii planted between the stepping stones. Since the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023, the garden has been relocated in part to Charmouth Primary School in Dorset less than 100 yards from the beach where Mary Anning made some of her most significant fossil discoveries.

When Sandhurst Garden Design first spoke to the school before Chelsea, they discussed the possibility of a garden for the children as a breakout space and how elements of the Chelsea garden might be used.

Allgreen Group supported the garden with all the hard landscaping materials used, including the purbeck stone and limestone for the imagined cliff face. However, the cliff face was not relocated to the school due to its close proximity to the beach.

The limestone steppingstones, for which Sandhurst Garden Design had commissioned an engraver, were relocated in their original configuration, as was the carved table as well as four chairs.

The large hollow tree stumps Sandhurst Garden Design used as containers at Chelsea were too large for the garden space, so instead a selection of smaller hollow tree logs as containers for the ferns donated by The Garden Group. Sandhurst Garden Design also donated the composite cast of the plesiosaur fossil to the school as it is too delicate to live outside, 2 Blechnum spicant ©Rachel Moffett Photography 3 Replica basket and Plesiosaur ©Nick Bamber 4 Fossil hammer and skull of the Plesiosaur ©Rachel Moffett Photography 5 Complete garden ©Rachel Moffett Photography 6 Stepping stones ©Rachel Moffett Photography 7 Outdoor Learning Space for primary school

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REFERENCES

and therefore it is now displayed in the main school building and used as a teaching aid.

When Sandhurst Garden Design initially designed the garden, it was hoped that it would be relocated to the school, as the steppingstones and the table and chairs were perfect for the children. Not to mention that it also seemed fitting that Mary Anning received recognition for her discoveries, with the steppingstones in the children's garden serving as a permanent reminder, close to her beloved beach.

Tree stumps Combe Sydenham Estate Hard landscaping materials Allgreen Group allgreen.uk Engraving of steppingstones Bespoke Letter Cutting bespokelettercutting.co.uk 8 Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, Julie, Andrew and Iona 9 Stepping stones at Charmouth Primary School 10 Ferns planted into tree stump containers 11 Bulb planting with students at Charmouth School

ABOUT Sandhurst Garden Design is an award-winning practice covering Somerset and Dorset. It prides itself on providing a professional garden design service from concept design, construction and through to planting, transforming small to medium size garden projects with practical solutions that include small town houses, cottage gardens to contemporary courtyards and new build properties. sandhurstgardendesign.co.uk

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Cast of Plesiosaurus Fossil Natural Selection Fossils naturalselectionfossils.com Plants (hired) Desert to Jungle deserttojungle.com Assorted native ferns The Gardens Group thegardensgroup.co.uk Landscaper Original Landscapes original-landscapes.co.uk

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PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £38,700 Build time 6 weeks Size of project 14.4m(L) x 5.3m(W)

A seamless DESIGN KATERINA KANTALIS GARDEN SANCTUARY, CLAPHAM

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aving purchased a Clapham property that required an extension and refurbishment, the clients were eager to revitalise the space by adding hard landscaping, texture, colour, and specific areas of interest. And with a love for design and interesting styling, they were also not afraid to make bold choices.

One key consideration for this design that garden designer Katerina Kantalis, was challenged to take on, was making a physical connection between the interior and the garden space. With tall sliding patio doors

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that fully opened, the clients were keen on creating a garden that captivates from every angle, whether viewed from the kitchen, diner, or the lounge.

Creating a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience, however, isn’t just about ensuring a smooth transition from the house into the garden, but is also about treating the space as an ‘outdoor room’ and producing a scheme and palette as if it’s an interiors project.

1 High springtime colour with a tapestry of greens and burgundy.

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AUGUST 2024 Kantalis started by retaining the existing Tibetan cherry tree that stood within the garden to add instant maturity to the new space.

To ensure privacy, Kantalis incorporated contemporary screening with slatted fencing of increasing height. Additionally, a rear raised bed with a row of birch trees at the garden's far end provided privacy from the neighboring property. It also created a focal point, visible from the house, as well as adding vertical interest to the garden's landscape.

For this project, the clients had also opted for exquisite materials, meaning that the budget was allocated to integrate Siberian larch slatted fencing, imparting a contemporary aesthetic, and which over time, will gracefully develop a silvery patina.

To infuse a touch of sophistication, Kantalis opted for limestone pavers arranged diagonally in a contemporary pattern, creating a visually striking contrast against the slab khaki porcelain paving on the main pathways and patio.

Employing these angled features within the design helped to detract from the conventional rectangular layout of the garden, while also creating a sense of progression from the house towards the rear of the garden.

Certain areas of the paving were crafted into triangular points, while limestone cobbles were artfully positioned to suggest a directional flow towards the garden's end. The use of statement flooring creates definition and interest in this small outdoor space.

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Kantalis then established two seating areas within the garden: a cosy area perfect for enjoying morning coffee, contrasting with a more formal lounge seating area at the rear which was embraced by the birch trees and planting beds.

Within the planting beds, lay a plant selection that was carefully curated to evoke a contemporary naturalistic ambience in the garden. Inspired by the existing Tibetan cherry (Prunus serrula), a harmonious colour palette of burgundy, green, and white hues dictated the plant combinations throughout.

To introduce the vertical interest, Himalayan birch 'Ramdana River' (Betula utilis subsp. Jacquemontii) and soft tree fern (Dicksonia antarctica) were incorporated.

Shrubs like Physocarpus opulifolius and Hydrangea paniculata were also chosen to add depth and seasonal appeal.

Grasses and ferns were strategically planted in the garden as companion species to complement the Acer and Betula. Additionally, Japanese anemones and agapanthus were selected for their flowers.

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Lighting played a pivotal role in elevating the overall ambiance too. Selecting statement lights to make a lasting impression, the lighting design focuses on warmth and subtlety, fostering a seamless connection between the kitchen and garden, transforming them into a unified space in the evening.

Instead of conventional options, Kantalis chose contemporary 'art' wall lights that seamlessly integrate into the garden's design, serving as both functional and aesthetic elements.

Although Kantalis had to remove one tree in the garden, she ended up keeping the other existing tree, as well as planting an additional five trees. Despite only having

a small space to work with, Kantalis wanted to ensure that she was adding as much as possible back into the garden.

Kantalis tried to minimise the amount of porcelain paving used, so she only utilised this 2 View into the garden 3 Fern shadow play 4 View from the lounge into the garden 5 Statuesque torc pots creating a focal point 6 Statement lighting

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ABOUT

for the paths, with the majority of the space incorporating limestone cobbles instead, as this provided better drainage and are a natural stone.

Maximising the use of planting beds, Kantalis brought the planting beds into the garden, which allowed her to minimise the amount of hard

Kantalis says she was grateful that they had taken this approach. The clients then worked with the interior designer who was given a brief to ensure the garden and interior blended as one. The results, therefore, for both the inside and outside, were seamlessly matched.

7 Time to sit and relax within the garden 8 The garden before the transformation 9 Limestone paving detailing 10 Limestone paving detailing

landscaping in the garden and ensure that plants took priority.

Fortunate that there weren't many challenges to this project, apart from some material delays, the main challenges were having to go through the house which adds extra time to a project. However, being a London situated domestic garden, this is something that Kantalis encounters on a regular basis.

One refreshing aspect that helped Kantalis was the clients' decision to prioritise the garden first and complete their house renovations afterward. Having learnt from previous projects,

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Embracing both her Australian upbringing and her Greek heritage, Kantalis’ lifelong passion for gardens, nature, food, and the outdoors paved the way for a journey into garden design. Upon relocating to the UK, Kantalis retrained at The British Academy of Garden Design, leading to the establishment of her garden design studio in Crystal Palace, London. Her approach to garden design combines the interplay of subtle curves with geometric patterns, inspired by Mediterranean landscapes her designs integrate permeable materials and emphasise texture and pattern, incorporating vibrant colours. katerinakantalis.co.uk

REFERENCES Porcelain paving London stone londonstone.co.uk Planters Torc pots torcpots.com Limestone stackers Mandarin stone mandarinstone.com Plants Evergreen nursery evergreen-nurseries.co.uk

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AUGUST 2024

COUNTRY ROBERT MYERS ASSOCIATES PARK HOUSE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE

paradise

PROJECT DETAILS

R

obert Myers Associates accepted the redesign of the Grade II listed house, set back in the middle of the countryside. With stunning views from within the house and a modernised interior, the overall project brief encompassed a number of internal alterations to the house – including the construction of a new kitchen wing, a conservatory, a new garage and a parking court.

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Project value Undisclosed

Build time Final landscape construction works completed in July 2020

Size of project 3000 square metres Awards Winner: Society of Garden DesignersBest Large Residential Landscape & Garden

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AUGUST 2024 This was accompanied by a comprehensive reworking of the gardens, including a dining terrace, new planting, the development of a meadow and orchard, a kitchen garden and a reconfigured swimming pool garden with a pool house – all whilst creating a beautiful flower garden that draws the eye out and into the landscape and reflects the scale and height of the house.

Robert Myers Associates was to design a contemporary planting scheme which embraced and connected the historic house with the new 21st century pool building, as well as to introduce a sense of place and excitement by slowly revealing greater detail as visitors would progresses through the garden, to discover water, texture, and flowering colour.

Based on the extensive brief, Robert Myers Associates created a “landscape masterplan” for the entire site. The proposal included the restored and enhanced setting of the house, improved external access and circulation, as well as the creation of new garden spaces and increased the wildlife value of the site.

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Myers specifically mentioned the use of a colour palette of pink, blue, purple, and red with a contrasting structure of hedges and grasses for winter structure, with the aim to extend the flowering season with semi and non-native plants, all whilst introducing additional water for birds and insects.

The design also followed five specific guiding principles: - To create a series of garden spaces at different scales that allow for various uses relating to the new site boundaries and the re-profiled buildings; - To restore the character of the Victorian approach and planting on the east side of the house; - To improve circulation around the site, respecting the site's history whilst creating a contemporary design that meets the client's needs; - To enhance and reinvigorate the setting of the listed building; - And to improve biodiversity and wildlife value.

A new kitchen extension to the main house and a stand-alone pool building re-defined the existing boundaries and views out.

Originally, the house and

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garden had been divided up into family and service wings by an old garden wall which hid one from the other.

The line of this wall led to the creation of a strong diagonal axis between the open prairie style flower garden and the more compartmentalised pool and vegetable gardens.

A new parking court was therefore created between the proposed garage and the house, recreating the sense of the original service court that once existed here. And the existing swimming pool having originally been within the walled enclosure was then replaced with a new pool, and a pool house which was

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REFERENCES Landscape architect Robert Myers Associates robertmyers-associates.co.uk

constructed to the south, both facing across the garden. The existing boundary wall to the east was extended as a result, to complete the enclosure of the space, and supported a proposed greenhouse to the east.

Robert Myers Associates ensured that the plant beds were arranged around a series of reflecting water tanks and planted with structurally clipped hedges, mixed grasses, and herbaceous plants. These include plants attractive to wildlife for their nectar and berries.

a ready source of nectar and berries for birds and insects alongside the water tanks which created a valuable source of water for pollinating moths and bees.

Winter structure was provided as planned, by the beech hedges and grasses giving shelter for insects and birds and the path surfaces throughout the flower garden are all permeable gravel to follow sustainable urban drainage principles.

Robert Myers Associates successfully fulfilled all five of the specific guiding principles and provided a full comprehensive re-working of the gardens.

Architect Cowper Griffith Architects Cowpergriffith.co.uk Arboriculturalist Haydens Treesurveys.co.uk Surveyors Randall Surveys Randallsurveys.co.uk Planting contractor Fordham Landscapes Fordhamlandscapes.co.uk

Photographs ©Richard Bloom

ABOUT

The original site provided a lime-rich, loamy, free-draining soil with an open south-eastern aspect, laid down to grass with views of the historic orchard.

Planting was restored in the northern section of the paddock, with new parkland trees to the south.

The new planting design also addressed this lack of biodiversity on site by introducing a wide variety of perennial, shrub and tree planting punctuated in the flower garden by pools of water. This provided

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Robert Myers Associates is an international landscape architecture and garden design practice working in urban and rural environments. It undertakes commissions from private individuals, rural estates, developers, and institutions such as cathedrals, universities, and schools. It was listed in Country Life’s Top 100 experts on exteriors and interiors, and it has won many awards, including the Society of Garden Designers’ Grand Award 2017 for the Magic Garden at Hampton Court Palace and six gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. robertmyers-associates.co.uk

Lighting DM Lights Dmlightings.com Corten steel ponds Adezz Adezz.com Metal edging Steelscapes Steelscapes.co.uk Kitchen stone Hartham Park Fairhaven Stone

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AUGUST 2024

CITY Skylines

FROSTS LANDSCAPES NORTHCLIFFE HOUSE

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £770k Build time 6 months Size of project 9,800 square feet of terraces

T

he former state-of-the-art print and production facility for the Daily Mail, a Grade II listed industrial building, has undergone a transformation into a modern office space. This reimagining combines the building's heritage features with forward-thinking design, resulting in approximately 186,700 sq ft of Grade A workspace and 9,800 sq ft of landscaped terraces.

1 Filtered views beyond to the Southbank

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AUGUST 2024 The newly created terraces, spanning three floors, offer breathtaking views of the London skyline. The seventh-floor communal rooftop garden has been meticulously designed to maximise outdoor activities. It features an amphitheatre-style seating arrangement, integrated tables and benches, set amongst the intricate and striking soft landscaping. The terraces face south, providing ample sunlight and creating inviting spaces for office staff to relax and socialise while overlooking the Thames.

The grid layout, a hallmark of Townshend Landscape Architects, required precise setting out and fabrication tolerances to ensure the paving and planters remained aligned. To address the challenges of supporting small stone pieces, Frosts Landscapes coordinated the paving layout design, incorporating oversized granite slabs with false joints and marker studs to indicate drainage points below. Additionally, threshold drains were used to prevent water ingress into the buildings.

The grid layout required precise setting out and fabrication of the Portuguese granite paving and glass-reinforced plastic planters.

The glass-reinforced plastic planters were designed and fabricated in sections according to specific dimensions. The designs also integrated Kebony benches, tables, totems, sockets, USB charging points, lights, and an automatic irrigation system.

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Frosts Landscapes strategically placed cylindrical planters on the paving to create visual breaks within the spaces, whilst the Kebony bleacher seating on the seventh level was added to create a unique feature to the roof terrace, and some benches also include storage compartments for irrigation equipment and lighting drivers.

The cantilevered tables, built into the planters, required localised strengthening and support of the glass-reinforced plastic to ensure their stability. Loading limitations restricted the planter heights and soil depths to 450mm meaning that instant hedge units and Double U cordon pleached fruit trees were used to act as a windbreaks and comply with planning requirements for privacy screening to adjacent existing buildings.

Jasmine screens were also used in key locations. The rest of the planting is traditional Townshend design with multistem trees, feature shrubs, and elegant herbaceous perennials under-planted with seasonal bulbs. All hedging and specimen plant stock was hand-selected at source, and the rest of the plants were contract grown in the UK. In the back-of-house areas, Frost Landscapes used existing paving and cobbles which were cleaned and re-set to ensure alignment and levels.

Sections of the seventh level were also lifted and re-laid to create a new 2 Seating areas are flanked by dense and verdant planting 3 Magnificant Cornus kousa var. chinensis in flower 4 Level 7 bleacher seating and terrace 5 Free-standing furniture fill the alcoves 6 Long and narrow terraces with instant Carpinus betulus hedging

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SUPPLIERS Monchique Granite Pavestone pavestone.co.uk arrangement that allows for level access from the new service lifts. To introduce biodiversity to the project, wildflower turf was installed on the green roofs of the lift shafts and service buildings on the eighth level.

Frosts increased the sustainability of the project by using a series of recycled materials such as green waste compost within substrates and planters made from Bioresin incorporating recycled plastic bottles.

The pedestals and reservoir boards used are 80% recycled ppc, and the existing concrete pavers were re-used in back of house areas whilst existing cobbles were kept and re-used underneath new decorative cobbles.

The project presented several challenges, including working with Grade II listed architectural features, assuming full design responsibility for the Stage 4 Design, and dealing with limited loading capacities on the existing and new roof slabs, which necessitated storing materials across the

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floor plate. The long and narrow terraces posed difficulties in terms of access and material movement. Additionally, delays in the building and facade packages impeded progress due to the space they occupied.

The positioning of the tower crane through the building required its early removal to facilitate the closure of the roof. Although some preload out was managed, the restricted space prevented its implementation on all floors. Consequently, internal hoists, lifts, and stairs were utilised to transport most of the materials. This required careful coordination with other trades – in particular, Frosts Landscapes teamed up with the atrium and M&E contractor to ensure interfaces were managed and access simplified.

7 Planting brought into terraces to connect with building 8 Condition of terraces before the transformation

ABOUT Since 1959, the Frosts name has become synonymous with quality and style. The future of Frosts Landscapes as an employee owned business is in the hands of directors Alistair Bayford, Adrian Meeker, George Mowbray and Jon Salem, who are dedicated and passionate about the landscape industry. frostslandscapes.co.uk

Planters Europlanters europlanters.com Plants Robin Tacchi Plants robintacchiplants.com Trees and hedging Smits Tree Nursery smitsbv.nl Green screens Mobilane mobilane.com Bespoke Kebony stepped seating units Urban Concepts urbanconceptsltd.co.uk Scottish beach cobbles Bourne Amenity bourneamenity.co.uk Intensive and biodiverse soils/substrates Shire Green Roof Substrates greenroofsubstrates.co.uk

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SEPTEMBER 2024

Pockets of

PROJECT DETAILS

DISCOVERY

Project value £80k Build time 2 months Size of project 11m x 17m

DK GARDEN DESIGN WILMSLOW GARDEN

D

K Garden Design was given a “blank canvas” at a property in Wilmslow, Cheshire. The ex-local authority house had a large square garden with a patchy lawn, an old paved area with some raggedy steps, and there was tarmac across the back as well as poorly constructed drainage.

The new owners, who had just moved from an apartment, were looking to make the most of having their own outdoor space.

Both clients came from farming backgrounds, which impacted the initial conversations around growing their own fruit and vegetables in the design. They also wanted an area for relaxing in the left-hand corner of the corner, which catches the sun in the evening, and a suitable space close to the house for entertaining.

1 View across the garden from side of house

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SEPTEMBER 2024 As the garden was a large square plot, DK Garden Design decided to break it down into bite-sized areas to create a more dynamic garden and add more visual interest. These pocket gardens ensure the apparent size of the entire space isn’t reduced through the design.

Whilst there would be a fairly sizeable section with raised beds for growing fruit and vegetables, this needn’t dominate the garden. So, gabion cages were introduced as a sculptural element but also to screen off this part. A long focal point has been created through the centre, with the gabion baskets either side of steppingstones leading to a Magnolia liliiflora 'Nigra' in front of pleached hornbeams to frame the central view.

Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' has been used as an upright grass to frame and soften the baskets, with its straw-coloured inflorescence complementing the cobble infill, which contractor Garden360UK structured in a similar way to a drystone wall rather than taking a random approach. Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty' adds a pop of colour to the beds around the gabions.

Closer to the house, a bespoke wooden pergola covers a large table and chairs. As it’s a south-facing garden, the canvas will offer a much-needed area of shade, whilst the dining area surrounded by planting appears as though it’s a sunken garden, with raised beds made from timber sleepers and steps leading up to a small lawned garden – something which DK Garden Design was keen to include to futureproof the space, should the next owners of the house have a family and want an area to play football, for instance.

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SEPTEMBER 2024

This carries on through to a woodland area.

This was originally planned and designed as there were large conifers in the neighbour’s garden that backed onto this space. During the build, though, these were unexpectedly cut down and the shade that these provided was gone. So, bushy Amelanchier were planted to offer screening and cover to help the woodland planting to establish. The tree surgeons who removed the conifers also offered some of the trunks to be used for a log pile for wildlife.

A bird box and bug hotels have also been added, as well as a range of edible plants.

Wooden structures, made from American yellow pine and stained black to give them the appearance of metal, encourage climbing plants to work their way up and eventually envelope them, creating more enclosed spaces around them. Tree fern Dicksonia antarctica frames the entry to the small woodland garden with fronds nodding above the black trellis screen drawing the eye and inviting people to wander further into the garden and explore.

2 Gabion cages with limestone & perimeter planting 3 Verbena bonariensis 4 Bee on Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty' nectar 5 Brunnera ‘Jack Frost in woodland garden 6 Evening sun gravel garden clients call “The Snug” 7 Frame helps conceal views of pocket gardens 8 Dining terrace with bespoke timber frame pergola and canvas sunscreen

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REFERENCES Landscaping contractor Garden360 UK mygarden360.com Fencing contractor Steve Curran Fencing 07988 239171 Plants Bespoke Garden Elements Ltd Paving London Stone londonstone.co.uk Turf Lindum Turf turf.co.uk Lighting Hudson Lighting hudsonlighting.co.uk

Whilst most of the build proved relatively straightforward, there was a slight issue with access to the site. So, the plants had to be unloaded at a patch of wasteland not too far from the garden and transported on a smaller truck. This was only a “small inconvenience”, though.

The end result is a garden that makes the most of the space, with a series of individual areas for the clients to spend time in and explore, wandering around the garden to see what else they can discover.

9 Centre of garden framed by gabion cages 10 View from picnic pocket through dining pergola Photographs ©David Keegan

For the gravel garden – the area furthest away from the house for the clients to relax – a range of scented climbers such as Jasminum officinale, Trachelospermum jasminoides, Lonicera periclymenum 'Serotina' and Rosa ‘Wedding Day’ adorn the trellis. An outdoor sofa, armchairs and a coffee table provide a more ‘chilled out’ area here.

All the new timber panel fencing around the perimeter was also stained black to make the space feel larger. Espalier fruit trees were used on the fence to the back of the raised bed vegetable garden to maximise the use of space for productive planting with a mix of apple, plum and pear varieties.

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THE GARDEN BEFORE

Garden furniture Ebern Designs Dakota Fields wayfair.co.uk Aggregate Travis Perkins travisperkins.co.uk

ABOUT David Keegan is an international, national and regional awardwinning garden and landscape designer.

His design philosophy centres on a naturalistic planting style. Keegan's garden design projects are located around the UK, in Manchester, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire and the north-west of England. dkgardendesign.co.uk

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PROJECT DETAILS Project value £89k+

Build time 4 months

Size of project 260m2 Awards Pro Landscaper Project Awards 2024: Winner: Hard Landscaping under £50,000

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Relaxing

RETREAT D & S PRECISION LANDSCAPING LTD LITTLE MEAD

D

& S Precision Landscaping Ltd was presented with a brief from the designer to increase the patio at the rear of the client’s house and incorporate an outdoor kitchen which would then be the base of a new area for entertaining.

With plans to add a relaxing seating area, complete with fire pit and using planters to divide the space, the clients would be able to enjoy with friends and family while linking into their brand-new outbuilding.

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The original garden space consisted of an old rose garden with a brick path through the centre, creating a cross of four planting beds which had been paved over. All enclosed within a post and rail fence, there was a long flower bed alongside the drive, overgrown with old shrubbery which was to be redesigned with new planting to tidy up the space.

Unlevel and in need of adjustment, alongside the new rear patio, a pond was added to the brief which would replace the existing lawn running along the edge of the building.

Due to the ground being predominantly clay, D & S Precision Landscaping Ltd had a high-water table to deal with which caused increased difficulty to a fairly straightforward design.

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SEPTEMBER 2024 All the paving areas has 75mm of hardcore and 75mm of concrete added to stabilise the paving and stop movement from happening as well as controlling the rising water below.

Working throughout the late autumn and early winter, the D & S Precision Landscaping

team had to contend with heavy downpours, sleet, and snow, meaning that certain jobs were delayed until later in the project or had to be done below temporary shelters which were erected to avoid any further complications.

1 The view from the garden building 2 View from the lawn towards the informal seating area 3 Under-lit bench seat providing a cosy area in the evenings 4 Bench seat with fire pit 5 Planting bed alongside driveway surrounding bench seat

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When the project was completed, the design and build blended seamlessly. The materials used complemented one another, from the bench and raised planters, to the sound of the water and the crackle of the firepit late into the evenings.

The extended patio flowed into the new outdoor kitchen area which blended with the exterior of the house and gave it the feel of having always been there, especially as this had been created by using the paving that the D & S team had previously lifted from the existing rose garden, both increasing the sustainability of the project and saving any increased cost to the client.

ABOUT With over 20 years of landscaping expertise, D & S Precision Landscaping Ltd is a small Kent-based company that delivers exceptional garden transformations. Its award-winning team ensures every project is completed to the highest standard, with meticulous attention to detail. Serving Kent, London and beyond, D & S Precision Landscaping Ltd creates beautiful, enduring outdoor spaces for residential and commercial clients. dspl.uk

6 Pond with harvest clay pavers

REFERENCES Harvest smooth sandstone paving, Dorset clay pavers, Harvest copings Mint sandstone cladding London Stone londonstone.co.uk

Irrigation and pond supplies Landscapeplus landscapeplus.com

Thermo ash decking Roundwood of Mayfield Roundwood.com

Topsoil Bourne Amenity Bourneamenity.co.uk

Concrete MBS group thembsgroup.co.uk

Digger/dumper Acorn hire Acornhire.com

Preformed pond Ponds 4 fish ponds4fish.co.uk

Grab hire M Butler mbutlerplant.co.uk

Building materials Homeleighs Homeleighgroup.co.uk

Aco channels Drainage superstore drainagesuperstore.co.uk

Steel edging Everedge everedge.co.uk

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Skip hire Green box gboxkent.com Tile adhesive Topps tiles toppstiles.co.uk Composted bark mulch Provender Provendernurseries.co.uk Garden room and outdoor kitchen Garden getaways garden-getaways.co.uk

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SEPTEMBER 2024

PROJECT DETAILS Project value £100k Build time 5 days Size of project 300m2 Awards Pro Landscaper Project Awards Community Green Space Under £100,000

Blooming

BRILLIANT

UNIQUE PROJECTS DESIGNED BY IAN HERRIOTT QE2 JUBILEE SUPERBLOOM FLOATING MEADOW

U

nique Projects was chosen to take on the challenge of creating a statement project in the heart of the capital for its client – the Pie Factory – as part of the formal Superbloom Jubilee celebrations for the late Queen Elizbeth II. The Pie Factory is a positive impact agency that aims to deliver positive impact experiences to local communities throughout the UK and Europe.

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The brief for the project was set in the spring of 2022 when Unique Projects was asked to transform a commercial barge on the river Thames into a “floating meadow” for the client’s event.

As the main sponsor for the Superbloom event at the Tower of London, this project aimed to reflect the sustainability theme that the event was set to showcase.

Given just three weeks to create a design for the project, as well as the procurement and logistics program, Unique Projects worked with its multiskilled team of landscapers with a shared vision and key “can -do” attitude.

The project was then built and assembled across five days and given two weeks of maintenance to ensure the plant growth, before a further two days of dismantling and rehoming every plant and material used.

The total project spanned across a 300m2 steel topped commercial Thames barge which was moored in the Royal Docks at the foot of the City Airport runway where Unique Projects was presented with approximately 400m2 of workspace.

Soil had been purchased from a specialist soil supplier who could prove the sustainability of the product, likewise the self-binding gravel and steel edge.

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SEPTEMBER 2024

Log steps were also locally sourced from a tree surgeon felling nearby, and all plants had been sourced from a series of specialist growers in the UK and Holland.

All plants had to be sourced to the spec within the three weeks before the build began and had to be brought across from specialist greenhouses in Holland. These then had to be lovingly maintained for two weeks and irrigated – one week of which whilst it was afloat in the middle of the Thames opposite The Tower of London – and all during a heatwave in the city.

Since the project was restricted to a build time of only five days, the team worked tirelessly for up to 12 hours a day in order to meet the final deadline. Made up of ten of its core landscapers,

1 The completed project ©Courtesy of Burberry 2 Enjoyed by the local urban honey bees 3 Tower of London backdrop ©Courtesy of Burberry 4 A photo that won the on hearts on Instagram ©Courtesy of Burberry 5 Recycled plastic planters to form the letters

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Unique Projects also required specialist equipment such as a 20t excavator with an extended arm to access all areas of the barge from the quayside.

Getting this machinery to site also required industrial transport and road closures to be put in place to get this to the docks. Over 6,000 plants, 80

were required to be sustainably powered by biofuel.

Afterwards, all plants and materials were also recycled or repurposed for community projects within London.

The completed barge was towed and taken under Tower Bridge to its mooring, then for 10 days it was used as an events space by The Pie Factory and their guests. A unique project that provided a community experience to celebrate the long rule of a remarkable Queen.

6 Floating Thames meadow ©Courtesy of Burberry 7 The last day of the build

tons of topsoil, and 20 tons of self-binding gravel were moved by hand onto the barge, along with 200 metres of steel edging that had to be welded onto the deck. The team managed all this while wearing lifejackets, which were essential for the project's health and safety requirements.

During the project, all materials had to be logged, and carbon emissions measured. Additionally, all activities, including commuting by Unique Projects and the tug that transported the barge to the Tower,

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ABOUT Unique Projects has been working with clients, project managers, designers, and landscape architects for 15 years to deliver exemplar schemes and often against what many thought were impossible criteria. The scale and scope of any project varies, but our approach does not.

Unique Projects tackles any project with the same diligence, professionalism, and holistic approach. uniqueprojectsdevon.co.uk

REFERENCES Materials and plants Arbour Landscape Solutions arbourlandscape solutions.co.uk Plant hire Ready2Go Hire Readytogohire.com Barge/tug and safety boat Livetts Livetts.co.uk Client/marketing agency We Are Pie Wearepie.com

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visit: www.strulch.co.uk or call 01943 863610

OCTOBER 2024

Biodiversity GOALS

MANCHESTER CITY AND I DVERDE UK IMPLEMENTATION OF BIODIVERSITY AND ECOLOGY PROMOTION AT MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB

M

anchester City Football Club, established in 1880, is a premier league football club based in Manchester, England. Known for its rich history and passionate fanbase, City has achieved significant success, winning multiple Premier League titles, FA Cups, and League Cups, both home at its Etihad Stadium and away.

Hired by the club in 2016 to maintain and enhance the biodiversity and ecology throughout the site as part of ongoing improvements to the estate, idverde has been working with Manchester City Football Club to make the site more attractive and suitable for local wildlife.

FOUR

NATIONS

Special

PROJECT DETAILS Build time 8 years Size of project 80 acres Awards IOG Biodiversity Award

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OCTOBER 2024

Including the maintenance of trees, grass, wildflower meadow, shrub beds and hedging, idverde also chose to complement the evergreen shrub planting it inherited by shifting to native and pollinator rich planting as well as drought tolerant where possible, including varieties of Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla), Carpet Bugle (Ajuga reptans), and Perennial Cornflower (Centaurea montana). idverde planted a variety of native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs, and trees, ensuring they were well suited to our local climate and soil conditions, using a combination of native and diverse species. Its planting schedule ensured continuous blooming, supporting various pollinators throughout the year. It introduced pollinator gardens around the facility peripheries too, which now attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, enhancing biodiversity. These gardens feature a diverse mix of nectar-rich plants, providing food sources across seasons.

The inclusion of perennial flower beds and buffer zones along pathways and in between pitch areas have also created additional habitats; these areas now thrive with a mix of grasses and wildflowers, fostering a diverse ecosystem.

The reduction of water through drought resistant planting was key to the sustainability of the project as well as the recycling of site materials to improve soil. idverde tailored its soil amendment strategy based on a series of soil testing and analysis through a soil restoration and health

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improvement scheme which identified nutrient deficiencies and pH imbalances. By then enriching the soil with organic matter, including compost and manure, significantly improving soil structure and fertility and by recycling renovated pitch soils, this has meant that less waste material is going to landfill and can be stored and reused onsite to replenish poorly drained and nutrient deprived flower beds.

Mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial microbes were also introduced to boost plant nutrient uptake and improved soil structure.

These beneficial microbial inoculants have increased soil biodiversity and health.

The synopsis of its strategy was to implement change. idverde is striving to

transform the landscape to increase biodiversity and promote ecology, while maintaining the professional standards expected in a football environment. This comprehensive initiative not only involved soil restoration, native planting, sustainable management practices, habitat enhancement, community engagement, and continuous monitoring, but operating in a professional football environment, on a very busy site where uniformity had been the norm. idverde had to work with poor soils in need of restoration, and work with a flexible maintenance and build schedule.

To increase the sustainability of the site, reduced mowing, and no-mow zones were introduced to allow natural growth, providing

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OCTOBER 2024 habitats for various species. A reduced mowing schedule in non-playing areas has also promoted the establishment of wildflowers and grasses.

Its Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices have successfully managed pests using eco-friendly methods, reducing reliance on chemical pesticides, and the introduction of beneficial insects and companion planting has naturally deterred pests.

It has also enhanced habitat features with installation of bird and bat houses around the facility, which have encouraged these species, again, aiding in natural pest control.

Positioned in quiet, undisturbed areas, these houses have seen high occupancy rates, with 11 Solitary Bee posts also positioned strategically around site where pollinator rich species have been propagated. Similarly, dead wood piles have been placed to provide habitats for insects, reptiles, and small mammals, blending seamlessly into the landscape, maintaining aesthetic appeal.

Small ponds and wetland areas support amphibians, birds, and other wildlife and have been wellmaintained and integrated into the landscape, avoiding waterlogging of pedestrian areas.

Community and education initiatives were key to the success of this project and its future, and included a series of workshops and seminars for staff, players, and the local community by idverde, to showcase the importance of biodiversity and sustainable practices. idverde also invited local schools and community groups to actively participate in planting and maintenance activities, preparing the landscape for the future generations. idverde’s volunteer programmes have similarly seen enthusiastic participation from club and contractor staff, fostering a sense of community ownership, with volunteers assisting with planting, maintenance, and monitoring, ensuring the

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sustainability of its initiatives.

With regular monitoring, idverde has been provided with valuable data on soil health, plant growth, and overall biodiversity. All its habitat creation projects are driven by growth and a demonstration of targeted species increase, so this data has informed ongoing adjustments and improvements to our management practices. idverde stays updated with the latest research and best practices in landscape management and biodiversity, and has a willingness to adapt and evolve practices based on new insights.

The comprehensive implementation of these strategies has significantly increased biodiversity and promoted ecology at Man City. idverde’s commitment to sustainable practices and community involvement has not only enhanced the environmental value of our facilities but also fostered a greater sense of stewardship among staff and the local community.

Proud of the positive impact it has made and remaining dedicated to continuous improvement in its ecological efforts, idverde continues to work to maintain its efforts at the Manchester City Football Club.

REFERENCES Plants I want Plants Iwantplants.co.uk Supplier Niche Environmental niche-environmental.co.uk Bee Hives Hyde Hives Hydehives.co.uk Trees Specimen Trees Specimentrees.com

ABOUT idverde is a UK and Europe leading provider of grounds maintenance services and landscape creation projects. idverde offers a holistic range of services to support the creation, maintenance, and management of landscapes throughout the UK. With extensive experience working with both public and private sector clients, it delivers bespoke solutions for each project’s unique challenges. idverde.co.uk

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OCTOBER 2024

Sustainable

SERENITY

PROJECT DETAILS Project value €250k Build time 16 weeks Size of project 750m2 Awards Pro Landscaper 2024 Shortlisted Garden Design Company

FOUR

NATIONS

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LAVENDER LANDSCAPES COGNITIVE SUSTAINABILITY

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his project transformed the garden into a functional, aesthetically pleasing space that complemented the architecture and enhanced outdoor living. Designed by Shane Murphy of Lavender Landscapes, it features a blend of natural materials and modern elements for a harmonious area, ideal for relaxation, entertainment, and enjoying nature.

The design and build of this project fulfilled the brief by seamlessly integrating high quality, durable materials like locally sourced Blarney black gravel, black Siberian larch, and Kilkenny limestone to create a cohesive outdoor space.

The project also included construction and installation of a timber cabin and a pergola, placed

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to maximise functionality and visual appeal.

Combined with the grid matting and gravel pathways, along with the elegant stepping stones and hand-built limestone step, these connected various garden elements harmoniously.

Groundworks, electrical ducting, meticulous soil, and material repurposing ensured a solid foundation for the intricate design features, such as the decorative water features and limestone steps.

The carefully selected lighting and planting worked to elevate the ambiance. For the soft landscaping and planting, Lavender Landscapes focused on creating a lush, diverse, and visually captivating environment. Using a variety of plant species which were selected to ensure year-round

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OCTOBER 2024 interest and texture, the key plantings included the graceful Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ and the elegant Osmanthus Zelkova serrata pruned multi-stem tree.

Seasonal colour was introduced with Anemones and vibrant Geums, while structure and privacy were provided by three grown Taxus elements.

Bold evergreen structures were placed throughout the garden, ensuring visual interest and strong architectural elements year-round.

The project also featured a rich understory of ferns, such as Dryopteris erythrosora, combined with ground covers like Liriope muscari, and Thymus under the pergola. Hidden areas, such as the side of the house and the planting around the pergola, added elements of mystery and discovery.

Strategically placed Hydrangea aspera, Trachelospermum jasminodes and Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’ added layers of beauty and fragrance, and a “scented hideaway” was enhanced with overhead Trachelospermum jasminodes, sarcococca confusa, sarcococca ruscifolia, and rosemary.

The lighting design highlighted these features, with lights bouncing off the water to create an enchanting atmosphere during the evening hours.

This thoughtful blend of perennials, shrubs, and ornamental grasses, combined with strategic lighting and bold evergreens, create a vibrant and sustainable planting scheme.

Lavender Landscapes ensured that the garden design and build project emphasised sustainability

through the use of durable, natural materials and eco-friendly practices. Black Siberian larch and Kilkenny limestone were chosen for its longevity and minimal environmental impact. The project also incorporated efficient waste removal and groundworks processes to reduce landfill use.

Sustainable planting practices included the selection of drought-tolerant species, like the previously mentioned Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ and Trachelospermum jasminodes which require less water and maintenance. Additionally, electrical ducting was installed to support energyefficient lighting solutions.

1 A stunning south-facing view of the rear garden 2 Front driveway adorned with vibrant seasonal colours 3 Rodgersia pinnata adds a touch of lush greenery 4 A captivating Kilkenny limestone water feature 5 The locally-sourced Kilkenny limestone paving

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A key feature of the garden is the cabin with a living roof. This green roof supports the ecosystem by providing a habitat for various plant and insect species, which aids local biodiversity. It also helps reduce water wastage by absorbing rainwater, thereby minimising runoff and alleviating stormwater management issues. The live roof contributes to better insulation for the cabin, reducing the need for additional heating or cooling and promoting energy efficiency.

Moreover, the project adhered to the zero waste and no soil removal policy set out by Lavender Landscapes, by repurposing existing earth to build up layers and create varying elevations in the garden. This approach not only minimised waste but also ensured that the garden integrated seamlessly with the natural terrain.

Throughout the project, several challenges were encountered and successfully overcome.

Plant sourcing proved difficult for some varieties, necessitating the selection of substitutes with similar height, spread and colour to maintain the design’s integrity.

The installation of water features posed typical plumbing challenges, requiring careful planning to account for heavy rainfall, drought, and evaporation, ensuring the features functioned efficiently in varying climate conditions.

Additionally, on-site adjustments to plant placement and quantities were made using

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professional experience, ensuring optimal growth and aesthetic appeal. These adaptive strategies and expert decisions allowed the project to be completed seamlessly, meeting both design and environmental requirements.

Overall, the project aimed to create a captivating and harmonious garden environment that evokes intrigue and mystery through a naturalistic and mixed planting scheme. Using a variety of vibrant colours, varied textures and bold, evergreen structures sourced locally ensure year-round beauty and sustainability, complementing robust architecture that seamlessly merges with surrounding buildings.

Lavender Landscapes successfully created a garden that met the client’s needs for relaxation, entertainment, and aesthetic pleasure, with overall views from both the lower and upper levels of the house.

The garden’s inviting pathways and intimate alcoves ensured a seamless flow throughout the space, and the striking water features, with their floating square designs, enhanced the tranquillity of the space too and serve as focal points in the garden. The water features also doubled as a source of fresh water for wildlife.

Lavender Landscapes worked to add elements that would ensure that the garden is not only beautiful and functional, but is also environmentally friendly and minimal aftercare for the clients.

6 Kilkenny limestone paving creates a stunning entrance 7 A tranquil scene of the softly-lit pergola

REFERENCES Plants NZM Landscape Solutions nzm.ie Cabin Lugarde Lugarde.com Lighting Hex Lighting hexlighting.ie

ABOUT Lavender Landscapes is a community-loved and distinguished garden design and build company founded by the talented Shane Murphy in 2004.

With his award-winning design skills and project management expertise, Murphy has been creating breathtaking outdoor spaces for over 20 years. lavenderlandscapes.ie

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OCTOBER 2024

FOUR

PROJECT DETAILS

NATIONS

Special

Project value Over 250k Build time 6 months Size of project 1200m2 Awards Bali National Landscape Award for Domestic Garden Construction over 250k

Nestled in the

HEART OF EDINBURGH STEPHEN OGILVIE LTD EDINBURGH FAMILY GARDEN

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tephen Ogilvie Ltd was commissioned on a design and build basis to create a family garden in the centre of Edinburgh.

The garden was large, measuring to approximately 1200m2 and was largely laid to lawn. It sloped gently towards the back before a crumbling stone wall retained a section of unusable space, densely planted with mature trees, and covered in ivy.

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The clients had already made arrangements for a proportion of trees to be removed and a large garden room with a surrounding deck to be constructed within this raised section. For Stephen Ogilvie Ltd, the brief was straightforward and open ended, but the garden building involved numerous building structures and an intricate lighting scheme which extended its ground preparation phase and required

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OCTOBER 2024 a high level of planning throughout the project. The new garden room was to be positioned in the wooded area at the rear, therefore careful consideration was required to connect this new space to the rest of the garden.

The design was to include a new stone wall, in a similar position to the existing, with steps connecting the garden room to a new seating area.

The design would explore layout options which included large sweeping curves to existing and proposed planting borders, exposed gaps along the boundary to be filled with specimen planting and a greenhouse to be replaced with a pergola structure alongside the new seating area. The curving dry stone walls required bespoke copes each of which was templated in plyboard before being sent to a local stone supplier.

The garden room, new patio and pergola were to be connected to the house by a new path which the Stephen Ogilvie team hoped would provide a sense of journey and encounter.

Paving at the house was to be replaced, with the potential for additional seating and dining spaces and lighting was added to bring additional life throughout the space. The design by Stephen Ogilvie was done in response to a large circular patio, positioned for all day sun, around which Corten steel which would wrap around in tiers to create an amphitheatre of terraced planting.

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OCTOBER 2024 The soft landscaping makes extensive use of Taxus domes, from 40cm to 1.2m across and which provide a strong sense of cohesion throughout the scheme. The plant selections chosen by Stephen Ogilvie are aligned with the flow and layout of the garden, hedged lined borders and block planting near the property make way to informal, naturalistic and dramatic planting within the Corten terraces of the central patio.

Whilst the steel terracing required complex supports to strengthen each of the seven tiers creating the amphitheatre effect, this technical steelwork was formed and welded onsite with low tolerances so that the curve of each tier was shaped to the required varying supports, pins, and welds to create this durable structure.

These terraces would also integrate gravel steps to connect to the garden room and deck above.

Since the original design, the pergola developed into a glass-clad steel structure, with a louvred roof and integrated kitchen within.

Stephen Ogilvie added new planting borders to surround this new corner of the garden, creating a sense of enclosure, and a steel-edge gravel path meandered back to the house amongst the new planting.

The initial idea of using weathered steel to create the terraces sparked an interest with the clients which resulted in new Corten elements throughout the garden, including archways, various planters, sculptures, and water features.

Whilst over 50 tons of topsoil was retained onsite and reused wherever possible, the majority of materials were sourced locally and as sustainably as possible, including the use of self-faced Yorkstone paving and Denfind Stone walling. Stephen

REFERENCES

Ogilvie did its upmost to use robust materials throughout the design, which are made to last.

The completed project included two separate dry-stone walls and over 200sqm of paving, Corten steel structures and metal edging. With such a large project, Stephen Ogilvie made sure to make the most of every given opportunity.

Taking advantage of its full array of skills, from welding the metal edging to joinery skills to building the two sheds, Stephen Ogilvie ensured that all work was carried out to a high standard with any issues being corrected immediately.

Happy to accommodate the different options depending on circumstances and or budget, as well as overcoming several challenges throughout, Stephen Ogilvie was proud to create an end product that the client was delighted with.

A large circular patio, positioned for all day sun, which Corten steel would wrap around in tiers to create an amphitheatre of terraced planting

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1 Central patio and feature water table 2 Tiered Corten steelwork 3 Corten arches and cloud pruned pine 4 Looking out from kitchen to sculptural steel firepit 5 Terraced planting & Corten steel steps

Photography by Angus Bremner angusbremner.com

Garden room and surrounding deck JML Garden rooms jmlgardenrooms.co.uk Renson Camargue Renson renson.net/en-gb Lighting supplier, Landscape Plus landscapeplus.com Lighting connections and lutron system RJM Electrical services rjm-electrical.co.uk Planters/water feature Adezz adezz.com/en-gb Trees Urban Trees urbantrees.com/en

ABOUT Award winning landscape design practice, Stephen Ogilvie Ltd. Based in Edinburgh offering professional garden and landscape design and build across a diverse portfolio of domestic and high-end commercial projects. Working closely with clients to design, build and maintain beautiful and integrated landscapes across the UK. stephenogilvie.co.uk

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NOVEMBER 2024

A Hidden GEM RIGDEN STUDIO LTD MARLOW COURTYARD GARDEN

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £28k net Build time 92 days Size of project 61m2 Awards Pro Landscaper Project Awards 2024 Shortlist

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igden Studio Ltd was asked to create a tranquil garden for use during daytime and at dusk – a space to retreat to for a coffee when working from home, a space to host small gatherings of friends in the evening, and daytime barbecues at weekends.

The client wanted the garden to function as an extension of the house during the summer months, with various dining and seating options that benefitted from the sun in early morning through to early evening.

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The surrounding walls needed to be disguised, so that the space feels greener and less oppressive, less like it’s squeezed between two buildings, especially as the garage wall was on one side and the neighbouring house on the other.

There was also a request for shade to be created where possible, as the area could feel quite ‘baked’ in summer, and the client had already arranged to relocate an oil tank elsewhere on the site, so Rigden Studio Ltd did not have to accommodate this into the new design. Whilst increased planting was added to the brief, the client was open to losing the lawn altogether.

Rigden began by extending the existing terrace to fit a dining table, bench seating and portable fire bowl. A natural material palette was selected for the rural setting as the area is located on a limestone bedrock, with lumps of chalk visible in the woodland behind the site.

For Rigden, limestone was the obvious choice for paving slabs and gravel, with the self-binding and 8mm aggregate sourced from a local Oxfordshire quarry. Jura Beige paving was specifically chosen to help reduce the carbon footprint associated with global transportation.

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NOVEMBER 2024

Two integrated benches, with seats also constructed from Jura limestone step profiles, were built by the walls of the house, by the kitchen door. They benefit from early morning sun and provide shade in the heat of the day.

The sawn limestone paver and stack-bond laying pattern gave a contemporary edge, referencing the rectilinear 1960s house. In contrast, tumbled brick pavers, chosen for a rural courtyard vibe, were used as decorative details within the gravel.

Remains of the local historic clay pits are evident in the landscape and therefore the brick used also references the historical

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brickmaking industry in the area, complementing the local pub named The Brickmakers Arms.

The rust coloured Corten water feature, wall screens and bench, as well as the rebar ‘trellis’ add a warmer tone.

Rigden painted the raised sides of the terrace a dark grey to keep costs down and provide a foil for the plant material as they are almost completely concealed by the adjacent foliage.

Dappled shade is provided by the new trees and the sound of the water table adds to the air of tranquillity. Rigden has achieved

a wow-factor through bespoke features like the trio of wall panels, the cut-out design inspired by a walk through the Beech woods behind the site, and the high-quality material palette, combined with the high ratio of planting.

The sculptural multi-stem trees provided much-needed vertical interest and subtle lighting transforms the space at dusk. The back-lit Corten panels wash light over the brick wall, the diffuse lighting beneath the limestone step treads and bench seats adds a warm glow, and the discretely up-lit tree stems cast delicate shadows over the painted wall.

The planting scheme was designed for its textural interest and limited colour palette, punctuated by two new multi-stem Prunus serrula trees.

The sculptural forms provide much-needed organic vertical structure and the copper stems tie in with the Corten steel, adding warmth and year-round interest.

The warm tone is carried through the planting, in the copper-tinged leaves of Dryopteris erythrosora and the zingy orange Geum ‘Totally Tangerine.’ Two varieties of Trachelospermum jasminoides will eventually form a green screen to mask both the wall of the house and the neighbouring property.

1 Courtyard garden in late summer 2 Courtyard garden in early summer 3 Limestone terrace surrounded by planting 4 Bespoke Corten triptych on NE-facing wall 5 Access to courtyard garden from south 6 Woodland edge planting and Prunus serrula

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REFERENCES Hardscape construction Thames Valley Landscapes thamesvalley landscapes.co.uk Vande Moortel clay pavers Country Supplies countrysupplies.uk.com Limestone aggregate Country Supplies countrysupplies.uk.com

Plants were chosen by Rigden Studio to thrive in neutral to slightly alkaline soil and to benefit from the sheltered position. Part-shade tolerant ferns and grasses, like Hakonechloa macra and Molinia caerulea, are used to disguise the north-east facing brick wall – with cool blues and whites of Geranium ‘Rozanne,’ Anemone ‘Wild Swan’ and ‘Honorine Jobert’ popping against the lush greens.

Three clipped Ilex crenata balls provide yearround structure and a formal foil for the looser elements. The courtyard planting involved a degree of experimentation, combining Woodland Edge plants on the periphery with sunny, dry planting around the bench and water table. Due to the small space, the two planting types meet in some areas, creating an intriguing overlap. The area of full sun near the bench and water table lends itself to Mediterranean planting – movement and

translucency from grasses Stipa gigantea and Nassella tenuissima contrast with rich spikes of colour from Salvia nemorosa and Salvia ‘Amistad’ and a carpet of Thymus minimus.

Subtle autumn colour was an important consideration for Rigden, and plants were selected to be a source of fodder or habitat for birds and insects, extending the season of interest for all.

The biodiversity of the site was substantially increased through the variety of plant species, and numerous single flower heads to encourage pollinators. The new semi-mature trees will help with carbon sequestration and provide habitat for birds and insects.

To increase the sustainability of the project, the existing base for the terrace was re-used and spoil from the project utilised on site for the extended terrace footprint, to minimise the amount of spoil and material exported off and onto site.

The carbon footprint was considered when sourcing hard materials, with stone, aggregate, bricks, timber, and steel coming from within Europe.

The project was phased – with the design first undertaken during lockdown, and construction work completed in 2021.

There was a long lead time on raw materials for some of the bespoke elements, which delayed installation for a further eight months, and for budgetary reasons, the bulk of the planting scheme (except trees) was planted in early 2022, and a fresh layer of gravel added to complete the garden at this time.

But this project achieved what it set out to do – the courtyard garden feels like a hidden gem.

7 Bespoke Corten & oak bench with water table 8 Woodland edge scheme along NE-facing wall Photographs ©Rigden Studio Ltd

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Jura Beige limestone pavers and step profiles London Stone londonstone.co.uk Bespoke Corten wall panel triptych Stark and Greensmith starkandgreensmith.com Corten water table The Pot Co thepotco.com Multistem trees Deepdale deepdale-trees.co.uk

ABOUT Rigden Studio, a garden and landscape design practice run by Tabitha Rigden, is located in The Chilterns, between Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire. Its gardens are characterised by clean, minimalist lines contrasting with loose, naturalistic planting schemes. Sustainability is a driving force from design concept through to build. rigdenstudio.co.uk

prolandscapermagazine.com

NOVEMBER 2024

A winding A

JOURNEY ROTHER GARDEN DESIGN & BUILD LTD THE FRIENDSHIP GARDEN

sked to deliver an elegant and tranquil space for its clients, Rother Garden Design & Build decided to create winding paths throughout this garden, guiding those wandering through it on a journey into a peaceful, calming place where they can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Situated at the heart of the garden is a secluded seating area which enables its clients to unwind to the sound of its stunning water feature; this creates the perfect place for them to sit back, relax and take in and appreciate the beautiful surroundings around them.

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £77,436 Build time 4 months Size of project 650m2 Awards Pro Landscaper Project Awards shortlist

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NOVEMBER 2024 The clients explained to Rother Garden Design & Build in great depth that this is what they wanted from their garden, and so the team created a mood board of ideas which included variations of plants and colours, created sketches, drawings and designs. This enabled the client to have a clear vision of what the end result could be.

There were more than 4,000 perennials and over 100 trees and shrubs delivered to the site, which initially caused a few issues as these had to sit on site in exceedingly hot temperatures whilst the team tried to plant them as quickly as possible.

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NOVEMBER 2024

On reflection, Rother Garden Design & Build would have spaced out the deliveries across the day, allowing more time to plant in between. But they managed to overcome the problem by putting a sprinkler on the perennials for most of the day whilst trying to keep all plants shaded from the heat of the sun.

Rother also created a wave planting effect throughout the garden using different grasses and a variation of colours to keep the space vibrant as you stroll through the meandering paths.

Despite planting a vast number of perennials and biennials, Rother still chose species that will self-seed to ensure the garden will look wonderful year after year.

The clients also had a maintenance team that already manages the property’s gardens and who had been taking cuttings of various perennials to plant into the garden next year.

1 A snap shot of the vast estate 2 Example of the colour contrasts used throughout the garden 3 Coruss Controversa taking centre stage 4 Birds eye view of the Friendship Garden 5 Path taking you to other areas 6 The beautiful Welsh slate water feature

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REFERENCES Plants How Green Nursery howgreennursery.co.uk Aggregates and compost Homeleigh timber and building suppliers homeleighgroup.co.uk Trees and shrubs English Woodlands ewburrownursery.co.uk Lights SLV Lighting direct slvlightingdirect.com Lights installation Kings Electrical kingselectrical services.co.uk Beehives Matt Summerville at Bee Kind Hives beekindhives.uk The two biggest challenges Rother faced were irrigation and a severe rabbit problem.

Designing the irrigation over a garden this size was difficult; ensuring that all 4,000 plants are watered regularly in the summer months was hard enough, but with all the paths running in different directions, it took careful a lot of careful consideration.

Rother decided to go for a sprinkler irrigation system that enabled it to control the direction of the heads so it could be ensured that water was not being wasted on the paths, the grass, or around the outside of the bed. This system was proven to be very productive, and both Rother and the client were pleased with the results.

In contrast, the rabbit problem was easy to solve, and Rother felt it necessary to install a rabbit fence around the perimeter. The difficult part was trying to make sure the fence felt in keeping with the garden whilst being impenetrable to the furry friends. Rother decided to use a picket fence to give a cottage garden feel and chicken wire on the lower half of the fence dug into the ground for a secondary line of defence.

The clients were delighted with the end result of the project and have even had a public open day for friends, family, and other local people from the area to visit and enjoy this beautiful space.

7 View as you enter the Friendship Garden 8 Great progress photo of the hidden seating area Photographs ©Rob Curd, Got The Shot Media

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Water feature Welsh Slate Water Features welshslatewater features.com

ABOUT Rother Garden Design and Build Ltd was established in 2023 by two brothers, Adam and Josh Earland. With both having a passion for landscaping, garden design and over 17 years of carpentry and building experience it was time to join together to create elegant and exceptional outdoor spaces. rothergardendesign.com

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NOVEMBER 2024

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value Undisclosed Build time 7 months Size of project 2 acres

GO WITH the flow BLAKEDOWN LANDSCAPES

THE OUDOLF LANDSCAPE, RHS GARDEN WISLEY

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HS Garden Wisley, a designated Grade II Historic Park and Gardens, is the flagship of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Covering 240 acres, it is one of the UK's most visited and best-loved gardens, drawing about one million visitors each year. To keep them modern and revitalised, the RHS continually undertakes rejuvenation projects across its gardens and the new Oudolf Landscape is a prime example of this.

The Glasshouse Borders have provided an avenue linking the Bicentenary Glasshouse to the Viewing Mount for many years, and the Oudolf Landscape is a key initiative that has invigorated the borders and created a more flowing network of paths and planting that offers significant interest in its own right.

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In 2001, Piet Oudolf, the iconic landscape designer and pioneer of the new perennial movement, designed the original Glasshouse Borders at RHS Garden Wisley. Fast-forward 22 years, and the brief was to transform these borders into a fresh landscape that immerses visitors in Piet Oudolf’s signature planting style. The new design also needed to be environmentally sustainable and educational, focusing on climate-resilient gardening while inspiring visitors to learn about sustainable practices.

The design for the Oudolf Landscape was a collaborative effort between Piet Oudolf and the RHS Garden Wisley team, with Blakedown Landscapes acting as principal contractor. There wasn't a fixed design; 1 Four months on and the garden is maturing beautifully ©RHS/Oliver Dixon

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NOVEMBER 2024 instead, the team worked with an evolving 2D plan, with changes made in real-time as the landscape took shape. This flexible approach allowed the landscape to grow organically, following Piet Oudolf's vision and the natural contours of the land. The result is a fluid network of paths and planting beds, offering continuous discoveries for visitors as they wander and explore.

Blakedown worked closely with the RHS Garden Wisley team, Piet Oudolf, and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth project execution. Their expertise in landscape construction, combined with adaptability, made sure the highest standards were met at every stage, ensuring the final landscape exceeded expectations.

The Oudolf Landscape planting design strikes a balance between spontaneity and control, a hallmark of Piet Oudolf’s approach.

The matrix planting system features one or two dominant varieties, complemented by other plants for a seemingly effortless yet structured look. Piet Oudolf emphasises that planting is the exciting part, saying: "I want to make it interesting for people, give them something to talk about."

Around one quarter of the 36,000 perennials were propagated at RHS Garden Wisley, tying the landscape back to its horticultural roots. The design also introduced 117 new species and cultivars, selected for their beauty, resilience, and wildlife benefits. Signature plants like Hylotelephium ‘Sunkissed’, Salvia x sylvestris ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, Sporobolus heterolepis and Echinacea purpurea ‘Fatal Attraction’ ensure a visually striking and ecologically harmonious landscape.

Central to the project was the installation of 1,556m2 of Gold CEDEC self-binding gravel footpaths, which formed the backbone of the new landscape. These footpaths demanded precision in setting out, creating varied levels and sculpting the land to actualise Piet Oudolf’s vision and to add depth and movement to the landscape.

To define the borders and enhance the garden’s structure, over 1,200m of Corten steel edging and 300m of timber edging were installed. These edges required

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Sustainability was a key priority and RHS Garden Wisley was determined to make the Oudolf Landscape not only beautiful but also climate-resilient and ecologically beneficial. This meant reusing the original soil, enriching it with high quality compost to ensure a healthy growing environment.

To further promote sustainability, eco-weed biodegradable matting was applied to around one-third of the planting beds. This matting helps suppress weed growth and retain moisture, contributing to the garden’s long-term environmental resilience.

The project faced several challenges, including the evolving design, which required Blakedown to stay flexible and adapt as ideas developed, with refinements incorporated smoothly, without delay to the project.

2 Pathway meanders through vibrant garden blooms ©RHS/Oliver Dixon 3 C urved paths complement naturalistic design ©RHS

GRADING AND PREPARING THE NEW BEDS – ALL WITHOUT LEVEL DRAWINGS

SETTING OUT AND SHAPING THE CORTEN STEEL EDGING TO REALISE THE DESIGN INTENT

LAYING CEDEC GRAVEL TO THE PATHWAYS

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©RHS ©RHS

precise planning and execution to achieve the smooth curves and seamless radii that Piet Oudolf is known for.

In preparing for the extensive planting, 3,000m2 of planting beds were graded and shaped, preparing the soil with RHS Garden Wisley's proprietary compost to create the perfect conditions for growth.

Water management was a key focus with an ACO drain system installed along the pathways and in the apron area to the north of the garden, with soakaways integrated into the planting beds to efficiently manage stormwater runoff.

The hard landscaping elements added structure and function to the garden.

Block paving was strategically placed at key points, such as path thresholds and seating areas, to ensure smooth access and a polished finish. Additionally, 171m of tar and chip surfacing was laid in the northern apron area, providing a durable yet aesthetically pleasing surface to complement the natural beauty of the planting.

©RHS

PINNING OUT THE RADII AND CURVES FOR THE SERPENTINE FOOTPATHS ©RHS

©RHS

THE ORIGINAL RHS GLASSHOUSE BORDERS DESIGNED BY PIET OUDOLF IN 2001 AS TWO PARALLEL BORDERS

©RHS

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REFERENCES Landscape designer Piet Oudolf oudolf.com CEDEC path surfacing CED Stone Group cedstone.co.uk Corten steel edging EverEdge everedge.co.uk Clay pavers Country Supplies countrysupplies.uk.com Weed membrane Hy-tex UK hy-tex.co.uk Timber edging The Timber Group thetimbergroup.co.uk

Another challenge was the absence of a detailed levels plan. Blakedown had to design the levels in real time, shaping the land as they went and working closely with the design team to ensure the finished landscape was both functional and visually appealing.

Appalling weather conditions during the winter months also posed difficulties, requiring the Blakedown team to shift to more manual work to keep the project on track.

The Oudolf Landscape at RHS Garden Wisley is a triumph of collaboration, craftsmanship, and creativity. What started as a vision to refresh the Glasshouse Borders has blossomed into a dynamic and immersive landscape that invites visitors to explore, learn, and connect with nature.

Thanks to the combined efforts of Piet Oudolf, the RHS Garden Wisley team and Blakedown, the result is not only a visual delight but also an educational experience in sustainable gardening. The Oudolf Landscape is now an integral part of Wisley, offering a fresh perspective and a dynamic experience for visitors for years to come.

4 Finishing the planting beds with RHS Garden Wisley’s homemade compost ©RHS 5 Geoff Barber, Blakedown operative, planting ©RHS

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ABOUT Blakedown Landscapes is an award-winning landscaping and civil engineering specialist delivering high quality projects throughout the UK. With over five decades of experience, its extensive knowledge spans all sectors including local authorities, royal parks, commercial developers, educational facilities and historic park restorations. Its team of highly skilled in-house experts works collaboratively with clients offering best practice advice and innovative value engineering solutions to ensure the optimal outcome for every project. blakedown.co.uk

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PROJECT DETAILS Project budget £150k

Build time 5 months

Size of project 400m2 Awards Shortlisted for the Pro Landscaper Project Awards 2024

Taking in

THE VIEW ROBERT HUGHES STUDIO THE DAIRY HOUSE

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he brief, to create a striking contemporary garden to relax and enjoy with friends and family in all seasons. The client wanted the garden to feel modern whilst remaining sympathetic to the period and agricultural architecture. It should also not detract from the surrounding landscape but instead attempt to lead the gaze out to capture the borrowed views.

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To create a welcoming approach to the front door and a sense of arrival, they clearly defined the boundary between the ‘front’ and ‘back’ gardens, drawing attention away from the adjacent driveway and parked cars visible from the terraces. The scheme included a pavilion to provide a sheltered entertainment area with an outdoor kitchen and living room, as well as a fire to enjoy being outdoors in all weathers.

It should provide a practical transition to the lawn with steps and terraces and a large

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extended patio with focal points in the foreground in the form of a water feature and ornamental trees. Naturalistic style planting with lots of grasses and colourful perennials would then seek to blur the boundary between garden and surrounding landscape.

Upon first arrival at the project, Robert Hughes Studio immediately recognised that the garden felt inadequate and confused, with cars dominating the view from the dated terrace.

Previously, opening the front door revealed a line of parked cars and sparse, unremarkable shrubs scattered around an uninspiring terrace.

Now, this scene has been transformed into a welcoming view of a stone wall framed by lush, beautiful planting.

As it quite boldly juts out into the distance along with the vision and sound of water, it draws the gaze straight out to the surrounding views. The impact of the wall is

felt all around the garden and it creates a designated parking space, but also divides the garden and covers the cars whilst on the terrace –something the clients had thought was impossible. Juxtaposing with the dry-stone walling, the perennial meadow also connects the garden to the surrounding landscape, blurring the boundary between garden and countryside. The trees mirror those dotted in the hedgerows which pulls the countryside closer. But despite the mass of hard landscaping, the garden feels comfortable in its environment thanks to the planting.

The exposed position meant that shelter was key, however Hughes was keen not to let the inclusion of a building negatively impact the site and block or detract from the views. The use of louvered slats on the

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DECEMBER 2024 pavilion allows the user to experience the views or shelter from the elements. The oak frame structure echoes the agricultural history of the site, and the contemporary styling provides a focal point. As an outdoor living space, it enables the clients' enjoyment of their garden in all weathers whilst its positioning helps to draw the eye to the natural backdrop.

Robert Hughes Studio added an abundance of planting and adjacent wildflower meadow designed to encourage wildlife and help to support local biodiversity. Quality materials were also selected as they will weather well and last the test of time; hopefully creating a landscape that will look as good in the distant future as it does today and avoid the need for continuous regeneration.

The main challenges faced by Robert Hughes Studio was the creation of a Garden Pavilion structure that let in plenty of light whilst preventing rain and wind from making it unusable in such an exposed site.

Making sure that it didn’t block the view but instead enhanced it only added to the challenges faced. The position to the right side of the garden and the landscape aspect

of the building means that it doesn’t block the view; instead, it uses perspective to draw the eye toward the distant scenery beyond.

The pavilion includes a bespoke modular concrete kitchen, designed and developed with Davinci Designer Concrete, who also installed the luxurious micro-cement render

on the chimney and created the bespoke concrete dining table, benches, cantilevered fire table and concrete pots.

The building is wired to the clients' smart home and includes speakers, security cameras, lighting, and an outdoor TV, all controllable from a mobile phone.

1 Feature wall leads the eye to borrowed views 2 Views are framed by Amelanchier lamarkii 3 Reflections in a Corten water bowl 4 Corten plate, water chutes & stone clad trough 5 Pavilion with louvres for climate control 6 Juxtaposition of hardscape & naturalistic planting

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DECEMBER 2024 ABOUT Robert Hughes is an award-winning garden designer at Robert Hughes Studio Ltd in Knutsford, Cheshire. It is a small studio specialising in intricate and immersive landscapes for the high-end domestic and commercial clients in the property development market. Its highly detailed and considered approach is similar to that of an architect.

Robert Hughes Studio provides innovative ideas and bold composition. roberthughesgarden design.co.uk

REFERENCES A technical challenge came in the construction of the chimney and the heat from the inset stove and position of the outdoor TV. Originally, the TV was going to be recessed into the wall but during construction the fire was tested and it determined that the heat in the recess could pose a problem. It was decided that the best course of action would be to mount the TV on the face of the chimney to allow for better ventilation.

As for the site gradient, the three terraces provide a practical solution to this and perform functions for different moods or times of the day – from relaxed lounging to formal dining and evening entertaining around the fire. The connecting steel and gravel steps, with one intersected by decking that extends from the bench, add a touch of playfulness and movement.

Contractors Base Squared basesquared.co.uk Plants and trees Viridis Plants viridisplants.co.uk

The dry stone wall then defines the front and back garden and conceals the parked cars. Whereas the client once opened the front door to a row of parked cars and sparse, unremarkable shrubs scattered around an uninspiring terrace, they are now met with a stone wall directly ahead, nestled among beautiful, vibrant planting.

As it also boldly juts out into the distance along with the vision and sound of water, it draws the gaze straight out to the borrowed views and the impact of the wall is felt all around the garden. It not only establishes a designated parking space but also divides the garden and conceals the cars from view when seated on the terrace.

7 View of the terraces 8 Microcement rendered chimney and inset stove 9 Luxurious limestone terrace Photographs ©Mark Spencer (mark-spencer.com)

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Plants and trees Ladybrook Nursery ladybrooknursery.com Concrete furniture Da Vinci Designer Concrete concretecooperation.com Electrical system Sonar Electronics sonarelec.com Paving London Stone londonstone.co.uk Pavilion frame Hardwoods Group hardwoodsgroup.com

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DECEMBER 2024

PROJECT DETAILS

Project value £34,500 + VAT Build time 3 weeks Size of project 120m²

SWINGING KARL HARRISON LANDSCAPES STAG LANE

success

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hat started as a simple decking project at a family home in Chorleywood quickly developed into a full garden redesign.

Karl Harrison Landscapes was tasked with creating a raised decking terrace with minimal balustrade, allowing for an easy transition from usable space to enjoy with the children and compete in Swing Ball tournaments, to a relaxing place of serenity with white flowers taking a lead in the planting scheme to set the tranquil atmosphere.

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DECEMBER 2024 The decking has been designed to guide the client down from their property then welcoming them into a calming, natural garden with an abundance of insect and pollinator plants, winding paths, and a circular lawn. An exciting new landscape came to life within the traditional outdoor space.

For this project, the deck was the structural aspect of the garden, so it had to be something special. Fortunately, the natural slope of the garden gave Harrison the opportunity to design a cantilevered deck. This design makes the leading edge appear to float – something Harrison emphasised by painting the substructure black. This illusion is further enhanced with lighting; underlighting creates a warm glow from inside the cantilever.

As well as the cantilever, the deck is comprised of multiple levels.

The architectural nature of these reflects the contemporary architecture of the extension to the house. These levels also aid the transition from the house to the garden while making use of the natural slope.

Changes in elevation between the various levels of the deck meant Harrison was mindful of Part K building regulations, which outline the requirements for protection from falling, collision and impact. The bronze effect balustrade Harrison created to comply with these regulations both contrasts and complements the Millboard Limed Oak decking. The design, which incorporates thin strips of metal, also allows the client to enjoy a view of the garden from the inside.

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PLANT LIST • Agapanthus africanus 'Albus' • Alchemilla mollis •A llium amplectens ‘Graceful Beauty’ •A splenium scolopendrium ‘Cristatum’ • Betula utilis jacquemontii •C alamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ • Cornus kousa ‘Venus’ • Dicksonia antarctica •E chinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ • Euonymus alatus • Fatsia japonica • Heuchera ‘Lime Marmalade’ • Hosta ‘A Touch of Class’ •H ydrangea macrophylla ‘Fireworks’ • Osmunda regalis • Photinia fraseri ‘Red Robin’ • S alvia nemorosa ‘Bumblesnow’ • Trachelospermum jasminoides • Viburnum davidii • Viburnum plicatum ‘Mariesii’

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When the client asked Harrison if he could add the remainder of the garden to the design he was delighted. As much of the garden was overgrown and inaccessible, he designed a scheme to open up the space and better utilise it to make it appear bigger.

Amongst the overgrowth, Harrison found some established shrubs which he used to create shape at the back of the garden. To complement these, new shrubs were planted to give the client the ‘wall of green’ they requested. For the remaining plants, the client asked for a scheme in green and white. The result is a garden with a variety of ferns, grasses, and predominantly white flowering perennials and shrubs.

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REFERENCES Decking structure, Millboard decking, Hazel hurdle, Lighting, soils, compost, turf Country Supplies countrysupplies.uk.com The planting around the deck emphasises the cantilever design with evergreen ferns, Tiarella cordifolia, and Pachysandra terminalis planted immediately under the leading edge. The vibrant green of the foliage offers a contrast to the colour of the Millboard Limed Oak decking.

The circular lawn determines the shape of the remainder of the garden. This organic shape, and the planting around it, accentuates the difference between the deck and the remainder of the garden.

Weaving through the different planting zones is a self-bound gravel path which flows through the garden bringing each zone into the scheme making the garden feel as one.

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Part of this path is extended into one corner of the garden to provide an area for a fire pit. Harrison says of this area: “I love this garden. In particular, I quite like sitting here because you can look back at the architecture of the decking and all the layers.”

The company has five key values important to the strategy of the company’s wellbeing, and sustainability is one of them. It uses the Climate Positive Calculator to assist it in becoming net zero over the next 10 years, striving to get to carbon positive on all projects as soon as possible by reducing carbon footprints and increasing sequestration where possible.

This project will take approximately six or seven years to become climate positive, as it has two tonnes of carbon emissions. Harrison firmly believes that a new garden can contribute to the climate in many ways, including its social value, design value, biodiversity, legacy, maintenance, accessibility, and inclusivity.

The challenges presented with this growing project surrounded the excavation as every element of the execution and the materials were all by hand.

The access precluded the use of heavy plant and manual labour; however, this also reduced the carbon footprint of the project.

When judging the garden for the APL Awards 2023, designer Robin Templar Williams said: “This arrangement gives great balance to the property, and it is a lovely journey into the garden. A creative use of space.”

So, after three weeks of designing, building, and planting, the garden was a success – thoroughly enjoyed by the private client and an exemplar of Harrison’s abilities.

Rocks/boulders CED cedstone.co.uk Plants Babylon Plants babylonplants.com Joseph Rochford Gardens rochfords.net Riverside Nursery riversideplants.co.uk

ABOUT Karl Harrison designs, builds, and delivers good quality residential and commercial landscaping projects. He brings clarity to unusual situations, uses new materials, and understands how to apply them with current standards.

He is a member of the Association of Professional Landscapers and demands attention to detail that ensures impeccable results. karlharrison.design

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PROJECT DETAILS Project value 50k

Build time Two weeks in final location, four weeks for RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

Size of project 92m2 Awards RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2023: • Best Construction Award (Everest Garden Landscapes) • Silver Gilt medal • People’s Choice Best Show Garden

Digital

DETOX J. PARKER’S DESIGNED BY RACHEL PLATT

J. PARKER’S ‘CHAINED TO TECH’ GARDEN

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riginating as a show garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in 2023, J. Parker’s ‘Chained to Tech’ Garden – designed

by Rachel Platt and constructed by Everest Garden Landscapes – explored the detrimental repercussions of prolonged screen usage amongst the younger generation.

The garden, which marked gardening and bulb supplier J. Parker’s return to the world of show gardens, encompassed the harsh reality of digital addiction. It was inspired by the family-owned supplier’s research into young adults dealing with technological addiction, in collaboration

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with the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU).Now the garden’s journey comes full circle, finding its forever home at the same university where it was conceptualised. It has now become a screen-free sanctuary for students and staff at the campus, as well as the local community, offering them a place to digitally detox and form strong connections with nature.

1 Garden rebuilt at Brooks Building, Manchester Metropolitan University 2 3 D printed bench made from recycled materials, provided by MMU ©RHS/Neil Hepworth

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DECEMBER 2024 With more than meets the eye, Platt designed the garden to be bold from the outset, creating a visually dynamic space that GARDEN DESIGNER, gave visitors RACHEL PLATT WITH a rush of DR LUCY WALKER, MMU PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR instant gratification, much like the feeling afforded by the sheer scope and capability of technology. From afar, the garden’s hard landscaping is smooth and burnished, cut into sleek clean lines. But on closer inspection, the materials' raw nature becomes apparent; its distressed appearance is a purposeful decision by designer Platt, who says: “I used weathered materials to symbolise when you’re using a lot of technology you’re not looking after your body.”

The paving’s original mixed level layout was inspired by the jumping mechanics found in popular video games.

The same recycled concrete paving, supplied by Netherlands based Schellevis, is now on site

I hope that the technological-inspired, contemporary garden, with its fun and vibrant planting, will offer students a rejuvenating escape away from their studies, ultimately enhancing their wellbeing and academic performance Rachel Platt

at the MMU, alongside the garden’s original steel arbour – supplied by Alken Systems – which resides in the garden’s central point offering shade, privacy and a place to relax. The bespoke laser-cut Corten steel metal structure, inspired by circuit boards, was also supplied by the Derbyshire based manufacturer.

Adorning the arbour’s backing wall is a golden art piece, designed and supplied by Liquid Metal Art, a London based metal artisan; the design mirrors that of a USB socket, another technological nod that draws the eye.

Beneath the art piece resides a cushioned bench, one of the garden’s most thoughtprovoking features owing to the hoard of

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The garden’s original planting featured a variety of drought resistant species, chosen to represent dry eyes, a consequence of prolonged screen time.

The garden’s move to MMU proved not to be a smooth transition, with build-up and planting hastened by the threat of worsening autumn weather. The project’s time frame was also exacerbated by the need to complete installation before students returned to campus. All in all, it took J. Parker’s team and MMU Rachel Platt volunteers two weeks to complete the build before term began.

J. Parker’s ‘Chained to Tech’ achieved a hat-trick of awards during its time at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park last year, earning Platt and Everest Garden Landscapes a Silver Gilt medal, People’s Choice Best Show Garden and Best Construction – an almost identical score sheet to Platt’s debut at RHS Tatton the year prior with her ‘The Covid Recovery Garden’, also built by Everest Garden Landscapes and consulted by Gareth Wilson.

When discussing the garden’s theme, Platt says: “[Technology addiction] is having a massive impact on people's wellbeing and up of low maintenance, and adaptable their general health; it’s a really important species; the varying weather conditions topic to be talking about.” Not only does the would mimic the plethora of emotional garden draw attention to the detrimental states that someone suffering with effects of prolonged electronic use, but it also addiction may encounter. demonstrates the part nature can play in Key species used in the garden include rehabilitation and improving one’s mental Agastache ‘Blackadder’ and Allium Fireworks; and physical wellbeing. “Just going outside both perennial species draw a pop of colour 3 Original laser-cut Corten steel elements by to the garden amongst the dusky maroon Alken Systems in the garden’s new location Phormium ‘Sundowner’, while the agapanthus 4 A gapanthus Fireworks featured in planting – also commonly known as African lily – stand 5 T he garden rebuilt at Brooks Building, tall amongst the soft landscaping and bring Manchester Metropolitan University a heightened hue. The pops of colour draw 6 Original gabions of old technology likeness to the vivid colourings often seen 7 Hardy Geraniums featured in planting in code and electronic wiring.

8 Grasses and perennials featured in planting

I wanted the take-home message to be that horticulture really can help

old electronics caged within the cable-like gabions. From old games consoles and keyboards to controllers and radios, the multiple eras defining technology represents the long lineage of technological development but also the sheer scope of various devices available today.

“I hope that the technological inspired, contemporary garden, with its fun and vibrant planting, will offer students a rejuvenating escape away from their studies, ultimately enhancing their wellbeing and academic performance,” says Platt.

In accordance with the original RHS brief, the garden’s planting scheme is made

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REFERENCES Landscaping Everest Garden Landscapes

does help and I’ve seen it help people, so I think that’s the link there, I wanted the take home message to be that horticulture really can help.”

Numerous studies over the years have delved into the benefits to be had from engaging with nature. Not only does Platt’s design shine a spotlight on the detrimental effects of excessive digital consumption, but it also plays a part in supporting those affected, providing a space for all to enjoy, connecting them with nature and each other.

Dr. Lucy Walker, a psychology lecturer at MMU, comments on the garden’s instalment: “Having our own garden here on campus at the Brooks Building gives us an exciting opportunity to investigate this further, making use of a dynamic green space on our doorstep in order to demonstrate the beneficial effects both in staff, students, and visitors.”

Reflecting on the significant achievement, Edward Doherty, J. Parker’s offline marketing manager, shares: "We are proud and excited to see the garden in its new home. A project over two years

Recycled concrete paving Schellevis schellevis.nl/en Art work Liquid Metal Art liquidmetal.art in the making, it has been very rewarding to see the Psychology team share our passion and enthusiasm for bringing this here, and for seeing the practical potential that a garden like this can offer back to our wider community."

In the years to come, the garden will be used as a space for teaching and immersive study, encouraging students to come offline and connect instead to the natural world.

9 The garden on display at RHS Tatton Park 2023 ©RHS/Neil Hepworth 10 J. Parker’s and Manchester Metropolitan University’s volunteers during the garden build Photographs ©J. Parker's

Corten steel and arbour Alken Systems alkensystems.co.uk

ABOUT Founded in 1933, J. Parker’s is one of the UK’s leading gardening and bulb providers.

The family-run business prides itself on its unbeatable quality and service and has a wealth of expertise in the field of gardening. jparkers.co.uk

ABOUT Buckinghamshire based garden designer, Rachel Platt is no stranger to success, with six RHS awards already in her portfolio, including People’s Choice Best Show Garden and two Silver Gilt medals.

She is also recognised as one of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation alumni. rpgardendesign.com

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DIRECTORY

DIRECTORY A Adezz adezz.com/en-gb

Allgreen allgreen.uk

Arbour Landscape Solutions arbourlandscapesolutions.co.uk

Bingley Stone With over five decades of stone and stonemasonry expertise, you can trust us to deliver on your hard landscaping requirements. Our carefully curated natural stone range presents the best in Yorkstone, Sandstone and Limestone. We employ traditional stonemasonry techniques alongside state-of-the-art CAD and CNC technology to ensure every part of our manufacturing process meets your exacting standards.

Call or email us today.

Telephone: 01535 273813 Email: sales@bingleystone.com bingleystone.com

Blackmoor Nurseries blackmoor.co.uk Architectural Plants architecturalplants.com

B Babylon Plants babylonplants.com

Bannister Hall bannisterhall.com

Bespoke Brick Company bespokebrick.com

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Bourne Amenity Bourne Amenity is a leading manufacturer and distributor of landscaping materials, specialising in the manufacture and provision of bespoke soil blends to suit all landscape and sports turf requirements. Our customer-centric focus allows us to operate on the most demanding of sites for the UK's premier landscaping and building contractors.

Innovation in our soil production methods allows us to create and improve upon existing standards to match new site specifications for prestigious projects.

Telephone: 01797 252299 Email: sales@bourneamenity.co.uk bourne.uk.com

Breedon Special Aggregates breedon-special-aggregates.co.uk

C Caribbean Blinds cbsolarshading.co.uk

CED Stone cedstone.co.uk

Champion Timber championtimber.com

Chew Valley Trees chewvalleytrees.co.uk

Country Supplies countrysupplies.uk.com

Creepers Nursery creepersnursery.co.uk

Crowders Nurseries crowdersnurseries.co.uk

Cyan Teak Garden Furniture cyan-teak-furniture.com

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D Deepdale Trees deepdale-trees.co.uk

Delta Rubber deltarubber.co.uk

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Harelaw Sawmill harelawsawmill.com

Farnham Common Nurseries fcn.co.uk

G Garden Getaways garden-getaways.co.uk

Herbal Haven herbalhaven.com

Homeleigh Timber & Building Supplies homeleighgroup.co.uk

Desert to Jungle deserttojungle.com

E English Woodlands ewburrownursery.co.uk

Europlanters europlanters.com

EverEdge Under the entrepreneurial leadership of founder, Richard Hall and then son Alexander, EverEdge has evolved since 1995 to a company that supplies cost-effective solutions as well as quality products.

From pre-2000 when we supplied just three products in our Classic range, the company has now branched into not just lawn edgings but bespoke durable garden planters, podium planter systems, wall claddings and a comprehensive range of edgings for professionals. EverEdge also has deep ties with numerous overseas markets within Europe, North America and Australasia.

Telephone: 01630 417120 Email: enquiries@everedge.co.uk everedge.co.uk

Evergreen Nurseries evergreen-nurseries.co.uk

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Genus Plant Sourcing genusplantsourcing.co.uk

Hortus Loci hortusloci.co.uk

How Green Nursery howgreennursery.co.uk George Davies Turf georgedaviesturf.co.uk Hudson Lighting hudsonlighting.co.uk Grasslands Turf grasslands-turf.co.uk Hunza Outdoor Lighting hunzalighting.com

Green Box gboxkent.com

Green Retreats greenretreats.co.uk

Hy-tex UK hy-tex.co.uk

I InTurf inturf.com

Grillo Outdoor Kitchens grilloliving.com

H Hardscape hardscape.co.uk

Italian Terrace italianterrace.co.uk

I Want Plants iwantplants.co.uk

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Jewsons jewson.co.uk

Joseph Rochford Gardens rochfords.net

K Keepers Nursery keepers-nursery.co.uk

Lighting for Gardens lightingforgardens.com

Lindum Turf Lindum has built a 40-year reputation for quality, innovation, and service. All turf is plastic-free and grown on stone-free, sandy loam soils according to certified standards. Lindum offers nine turf grades, from general lawn to racecourse and bowling greens. It has developed specialist landscaping products like wildflower turf, species-rich turf, and Lindum grassfelt for soil stabilisation on steep slopes and amphitheatres – 100% plastic-free and biodegradable.

Telephone: +44 (0) 1904 448675 Email: lindum@turf.co.uk turf.co.uk

Millboard millboard.com/en-gb

Miracle Design & Play miracledesignandplay.co.uk

N Naturescape naturescape.co.uk

New Wood Trees newwoodtrees.co.uk

NiteLux nitelux.co.uk Kelways kelways.co.uk

Kingsdown Nurseries kingsdown-uk.com

Kinley kinley.co.uk

Knoll Gardens knollgardens.co.uk

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Linnell Bros Ltd linnellbros.co.uk North Hill Nurseries northhillnurseries.co.uk London Reclaimed Brick Merchants lrbm.com

London Stone londonstone.co.uk

M M Butler mbutlerplant.co.uk

O Oakleigh Gates oakleighgates.co.uk

Origin Amenity Solutions originamenity.com

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Ladybrook Nursery ladybrooknursery.com

Manchester Deck manchesterdeck.co.uk

Palmstead palmstead.co.uk

Landscapeplus landscapeplus.com

Mandarin Stone mandarinstone.com

Parker Building Supplies parkerbs.com

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Patio Life patio-life.co.uk

Roundwood of Mayfield roundwood.com

The Edible Garden Nursery theediblegardennursery.co.uk

Pavestone pavestone.co.uk

Rubber Smart rubbersmart.co.uk

The Pot Company thepotco.com

Pictorial Meadows pictorialmeadows.co.uk

Premium Plants premium-plants.co.uk

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Torc Pots torcpots.com

S3i Group s3i.co.uk

U Urban Concepts urbanconceptsltd.co.uk

Provender Nurseries provendernurseries.co.uk

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Schellevis schellevis.nl/en Urbis Design urbisdesign.co.uk Smits Tree Nursery smitsbv.nl/en

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Rainbow Plants Ltd rainbowplants.co.uk Stark and Greensmith starkandgreensmith.com

Vande Moortel vandemoortel.co.uk/en

Renson renson.net/en-gb Steelscapes steelscapes.co.uk

Viridis Plants viridisplants.co.uk

Rivar Sand & Gravel rivarsandandgravel.co.uk

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Riverside Nurseries riversidenurseries.net

Tarmac tarmac.com

Wallbarn wallbarn.com

Robin Tacchi Plants robintacchiplants.com

Taylor Made Planters Ltd taylormadeplanters.co.uk

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Wide selection of Instant Hedging: native & ornamental options Rootballed & Container stock Advisory services available

Supplying the trade for over Forty Five Years enquiries@wykeham.co.uk

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certified

SPRING REACH NURSERY

28 - 29 APRIL 2025 THE ARENA RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA FutureScape Global – the expo connecting the landscaping industry with giga-projects throughout the Middle East, highlighting the sustainability, economic, community and quality-of-life impacts delivered by high-quality landscaping schemes.

Register your interest by scanning the QR code or contact Harry Greenwood harry.greenwood@eljays44.com or 07341 661764 futurescapeglobal.com

For all your Autumn planting projects and beyond why not give Spring Reach Nursery a try. Based in Surrey with over 25 years growing experience supplying leading garden designers and domestic landscapers you can expect a top quality service from initial enquiry through to delivery to site or collection.

We have a superb choice of hardy nursery stock including some varieties that are not freely available.

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Always holding good stocks of those ever popular lines for immediate impact from large evergreen screening trees pleached panelled trees and multi-stems and specimen shrubs for immediate impact

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Thousands of Herbaceous perennials, Roses and Grasses for giving your design the wow in Summer and Autumn

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Conveniently situated just 10 Minutes from Junction 10 of the M25

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Deliveries made using own transport up to 150 miles or further a field by the pallet network.

Contact 01483 284769 | email info@springreachnursery.co.uk Long Reach Ockham Surrey Gu23 6PG www.springreachnursery.co.uk