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Publishing Director
Martin Holmes martin@mhmagazine.co.uk
Sales Director Lee Martin lee@landud.co.uk
Digital Manager
Jamie Bullock jamie@mhmagazine.co.uk
Garden Design
4 - RHS Garden Hyde Hall to host BBC Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time Summer Garden Party 2025.
6 - Creepers’ Ginkgo Bilboa Balls Shines in RHS Chelsea Flower Shower 2025.
8 - Natural vs Artificial Turf
12 - Klafs releases the Taras Sauna: A personalised retreat at home.
16 - The ‘Buy Once, Buy Well’ Garden Movement
24 - Amazing Garden Room Transformations.
34 - Perfect the Art of The Garden Border.
Decking
38 - Plan the Perfect Deck.
40 - Roxil’s Garden Expert Decking Tips.
42 - Designing with Heart & Composite Material.
Green & Blue Infrastructure
44 - Preserving Nature’s Beauty for Future Generations.
46 - Green-Tech Supports Urban Tree Pits.
48 - Urban Regeneration By Atarchitecture.
Editor-in-Chief
Antony Holter editor@mmhagazine.co.uk
Editor
Lorna Davidson lorna@landud.co.uk
Business Manager
Josh Holmes josh@mhmagazine.co.uk
Concrete & Stonework
50 - Westminster Stone’s Collaborative Chelsea Success.
51 - Offering Unparalleled Expertise in Natural Stone & Masonry.
52 - Bespoke Paving Solutions from Blyko: Elevating the Urban Landscape.
Landscaping Services
54 - Green-Tech donates Green-Tree Soil Substrate to RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
56 - From Bioswales to Biodiversity.
58 - Problem Pool Saved by Otterbine.
62 - Bali National Landscape Awards 2025.
Lighting
65 - Lighting New Life into a Landmark: Thorn Illuminates Granton Gasholder Park.
Sports & Play
66 - 30 Years of Play with Purpose at Russell Play.
70 - The UK’s first 100% Circular Artificial Play Surface Installation.
Tools, Plant & Equipment
82 - A Game Changer for Golf and Turf Maintenance.
Studio Designer
Leila Schmitz leila@mhmagazine.co.uk
Marketing Enquiries - 01227 936974
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Other Enquiries - 01304 806039
Publishers MH Media Global Ltd. 18/20 Newington Road, Ramsgate Kent CT12 6EE
Cover images courtesy of: Left: Eva- Last | Top Right: Russell Play | Bottom Right: RHS
BBC Radio 4’s annual Gardeners’ Question Time Summer Garden Party has announced that it will be hosted at the iconic RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Essex for 2025.
Taking place on Saturday 2 August, during the spectacular RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show, two bumper episodes of Gardeners’ Question Time will be recorded in front of a live audience where members of the public can join an expert panel for a host of horticultural discussions.
Summer Garden Party ticket holders will have the chance to meet the Gardeners’ Question Time panellists, ask their burning gardening
questions and enjoy conversations on horticulture’s current hot topics. There will also be a chance to join the Gardeners’ Question Time experts at the Potting Shed Sessions, for an additional chance to give the team gardening dilemmas in a quick-fire format. Visitors can also enjoy spectacular plant displays, demonstrations, food, drink and shopping at the renowned RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show.
Chaired by Kathy Clugston and Peter Gibbs, the panel is packed with show favourites, including James Wong, Matthew Pottage, Bunny Guinness and Pippa Greenwood. Matthew
Wilson, Bob Flowerdew, Christine Walkden, and Dr Chris Thorogood will also be on hand with expert knowledge and expertise.
Tickets are on sale now via the RHS website and cost £5 in addition to the price of entry to the garden. Entry to RHS Garden Hyde Hall is free for members and starts from £15.85 for non-members. Entry includes access to the RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show.
There will be two recordings taking place, at 12 pm and 2 pm. Both will air on BBC 4 in the following weeks. Guests are encouraged to arrive early.
About the RHS:
We’re the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow.
Our mission is to be there on people’s lifelong journey with gardening – to bring happiness, health, stronger communities and a thriving natural world.
With 220 years of experience, we support gardeners of all ages with expert advice, community and schools projects, scientific research, professional qualifications, our five RHS Gardens, and events including the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
www.rhs.org.uk
We were thrilled to see our Ginkgo biloba ‘Globosa’ - dwarf ginkgo featured in the stunning Boodles Garden, designed by the incredibly talented Catherine MacDonald from Landform, at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025.
Carefully selected and supplied by the Creepers team, these striking topiary forms added bold structure and fresh foliage to the garden’s planting palette. Their sculptural shape and vibrant green tone helped them stand out, and their impact didn’t go unnoticed, as they were
ranked number 3 on this year’s ‘10 Star Plants of RHS Chelsea 2025’, a prestigious recognition celebrating the most impressive plants at the show.
We were equally proud to see the garden itself awarded a coveted gold medal, a well deserved recognition of its thoughtful design, storytelling, and execution. The Boodles Garden brought together contemporary form, rich symbolism, and layered planting to create a truly memorable space.
If you’re looking to feature Ginkgo biloba ‘Globosa’ - dwarf ginkgo or any standout specimens in your next project, our team is here to help. With an extensive network of trusted growers and suppliers across the UK and Europe, we can source exceptional plants to suit any brief.
Read the full article here https:// www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhschelsea-flower-show/news/2025/starplants to learn more about the top 10 plants featured at this year’s show.
With nursery locations in Addlestone - Surrey, Wandsworth - London and Sway - New Forest, we offer a convenient hub for trade clients sourcing plants for high-end residential and commercial projects, with expert support on hand and regular deliveries from trusted UK and European growers.
Whether you’re looking for mature trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses for instant-impact planting, or something more unusual, Creepers is your trusted trade partner from consultation to delivery.
Sales & plant sourcing: sales@creepersnursery.co.uk 01932 821 626
Location: Creepers Nursery, Spinney Hill, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 1AD Website: www.creepersnursery.co.uk
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The debate between natural vs artificial turf is longstanding, with one of the most common reasons for artificial grass being superior is to cut down on maintenance in the garden.
It’s understandable, especially today - not everyone is a keen gardener and wants to spend what little free time they have pushing a lawn mower up and down the garden!
However, as natural turf suppliers, we admittedly may be slightly biased but we’re not convinced that this reason alone outweighs the benefits of natural grass.
When it comes to choosing a new lawn, one of the most important things to consider is how it’s going to look.
Artificial grass comes in all sorts of varieties and, honestly, some are very good quality. However, can it ever really compete with the look and feel of real grass? The fine, soft blades of real grass coupled with the lush green appearance makes for a lawn that’s the envy of your neighbours! If you’ve got kids or pets playing on your lawn, you can also be assured knowing that the soft feel of real turf is a great, bouncy base for increased foot traffic.
You can also get natural variations in colour, texture and length from natural grass which helps make your green space feel well-rounded and authentic. As the seasons change, your lawn will too, giving you a dynamic, ever-changing space. Turf also offers more design choice, with the freedom to mow to your desired length or make your space your own
with pathways or flower beds. Plus, the smell of freshly cut grass speaks for itself…
One of the biggest appeals of artificial turf is how quick you can get results, but laying real turf isn’t as much of a time-consuming process as you might think.
Especially if you’re using turf rolls (rather than growing a lawn from seed) you can have a garden that’s ready to go in as little as 2 weeks in the right growing conditions.
Admittedly, real turf will no doubt require more maintenance with mowing, weed removal and basic lawn care. Many choose artificial grass for this very reason: a lovely garden with none of the hassle.
However, this is a common misconception, as, if you have the right tools, basic lawn care can be a breeze.
At a minimum, real grass requires regular mowing and watering throughout the summer. Lawn care can seem daunting initially, but some people like reaping the rewards of their efforts - it’s nice to spend time in nature and dedicate labour towards keeping your garden healthy and maintained.
Also, artificial lawns are not completely maintenance free, so don’t be fooled! They will need brushing to keep leaves and debris off, and power-washing to prevent the build-up of finer sands and silts that sit on the surface and get trapped. It’s also important to note that, if your artificial lawn breaks, it cannot be fixed with a simple bit of manual labour. It will need fixing by a specialist, whereas turf’s ability to naturally self-repair means that you’ve got yourself a low maintenance, long-lasting lawn.
Despite the easier maintenance of artificial turf, turning your lawn artificial would have a significantly higher start-up cost. Fake turf itself is much more expensive than real turf. As with all things artificial, you will need to fork out more money if you want it to look somewhat convincing, so why not just sport the natural look?
Contrary to belief, laying an artificial lawn is not just a case of rolling it out on top of your ground, an expensive overhaul will be required. Your old ground will need to dug up, and a layer of membrane added, with sand (which is typically more expensive than soil) and often rubber pellets are added for drainage. This work will all be needed before you can think about laying out the synthetic lawn.
In contrast, most materials used in a natural lawn may already be available in your existing ground, if not, they tend to be more obtainable. Often it may just require a layer of top soil and to be flattened and raked. And then of course, the real turf itself will be much cheaper-
the cost per square metre is hugely different, going from a couple of pounds to £25 plus and there are also significant costs involved when installing artificial lawns.
Environmentally, natural grass wins every time. It’s a no-brainer. Not only can it decompose naturally if it’s no longer wanted / needed instead of ending up in a landfill like artificial turf, but real grass can make your area greener in more than just appearance:
• Real grass has the added benefit of filtering and purifying our air. Dust, pollen and other debris can get caught in the blades and trapped in the grass, naturally filtering the air.
• Natural turf can also absorb any unwanted pollutants like sulfur dioxide or nitrous oxide from the atmosphere when it converts the co2 into oxygen, storing it in the plant and stopping it from releasing back into our atmosphere.
• Having turf in your garden can also naturally help filter rainwater by slowing down the flow as it travels into the ground and through the root pathways. This reduces the amount of water on the surface of the garden, limiting boggy areas where water pools and instead filtering the water through the ground. This in turn helps the soil retain its structure and stability for a healthier garden.
• Natural lawns are also vital for garden ecosystems, providing essential food and habitat for birds, insects, and other wildlife. Having wildlife in your garden not only promotes increased biodiversity but can offer natural pest control and improved soil health.
Good quality artificial lawns can take a lot of wear and tear, more so than real grass. This is a strong contender for it being the preferred choice. The downside here is that if it does get damaged it would need replacing whereas a natural lawn will repair and recover itself given time.
This self-repairing durability means it’s ideal for areas with lots of foot traffic or pet use as it can bounce back with ease. It’s a great choice for family lawns that will have children and pets using it, or for any sports areas that see a lot of play & action.
Natural grass also has a cooling effect and helps keep your lawn at an acceptable temperature. Artificial turf is well-known for becoming hot in summer, with temperatures reaching up to 50 degrees Celsius. Real turf can be up to be 20 degrees cooler than bare soil and 31 degrees cooler than tarmac, so, if you’re looking for an aesthetically pleasing, safe lawn for your kids and pets to play on, real grass is the way to go.
Grass can come in all different forms of seed mixes, most of which are resilient blends made up of a variety of seed types - each one possesses a different benefit that makes real grass super durable.
Alongside increased durability, one of the more appealing qualities of real grass is its ability to withstand varying temperatures and weather conditions. Especially Rye Grass, which strives to maintain its deep green colour and persevere through colder weather.
With this in mind, we can confidently debunk the myth that real turf is high maintenance. On the contrary, a healthy, stable lawn can repair itself, meaning less work for you in the long run. With real turf in your garden, you’ll be able to see your grass change with the seasons and strive to bounce back year after year.
To summarise, from the increased aesthetic appeal and environmental benefits, a natural lawn seems to offer a number of advantages that artificial alternatives struggle to match.
Our ready to plant hedging is fully mature and perfectly knitted together, designed to give your outdoor space an instant transformation.
The team at Readyhedge are passionate horticulturalists, with a passion for growing beautiful hedgerows.
Every year we grow over 40km of hedges in over 35 different varieties. Including individual plants, low and high panels, and screens. Our range of instant hedging is suitable for all garden types, both commercial and domestic.
Wide variety of hedges
Discover the large selection of evergreen, deciduous and mixed native hedging available.
There are quick growing hedges, semi evergreen, formal hedges, and even low maintenance hedges to choose from!
Our aim is to fulfil orders in 48 hours, we offer secure and punctual delivery to any location within the country.
For more information contact Readyhedge on 01386 750585 or visit www.readyhedgeltd.com
Follow us on Social Media: Facebook @Readyhedgeltd Twitter @Readyhedge Instagram @readyhedge
Readyhedge hedging plants, like the mixed native hedging shown here, are container-grown in
and fully acclimatised to
With over 20
KLAFS, a world market leader for saunas, wellness, and spas, unveils the TARAS outdoor sauna, offering a blend of functionality and style tailored to customers’ gardens.
With a huge 23 different floor plan variants, from glass fronts and panoramic and side windows to glazed wood panelling or metallic surfaces, owners can customise their TARAS sauna to seamlessly fit the aesthetic of their outdoor space.
Since 1928 KLAFS has been renowned for creating wellbeing facilities of the highest quality design, materials and technology, resulting in the creation of the ultimate relaxation haven. The TARAS outdoor sauna combines both elegance and sophistication, while boasting numerous health benefits.
Gilles Darmon, Director of KLAFS UK, comments; “We are extremely
excited to be launching the TARAS outdoor sauna, offering a completely customisable wellness retreat to our customers. The TARAS sauna is not only health-promoting but offers unmatched elegance in design to harmoniously coordinate with our customers’ outdoor space.”
Providing a tailored experience and maintaining KLAFS’ hallmark of design and build, the TARAS sauna carefully integrates high quality materials with sophisticated design to provide a long lasting and weather-resistant sauna. Whether it’s glazed wood panelling, a metallic finish or a flawless chameleon look, the TARAS sauna combines both durability and aesthetics.
Carefully engineered for optimal comfort, the seemingly free-floating lounger is set amongst a backdrop of wooden wall panelling – available
in various woods such as spruce Softline, ash Nature and Thermo, while complementary atmospheric lighting elements provide an unparalleled sensory experience.
The highly insulated wooden construction elements, paired with optional triple glazing prevents the possibility of draught – meaning customers can enjoy enduring warmth, whatever the weather.
To ensure maximum suitability for clients, the TARAS Sauna is delivered to customers’ homes as a complete unit, assembled on site within a day. Installation is coordinated by the KLAFS team, leaving customers to only arrange power supply and foundation placement.
To take a look at the TARAS sauna and order a catalogue, visit: klafs.com
DuraPost® is a standout fencing solution in landscape and urban design, offering durability, sustainability, and style.
The galvanised steel fence posts, aluminium and composite panels resist the elements and require low maintenance, suitable for residential and commercial use.
Its eco-friendly production aligns with sustainable design trends, and its modern look enhances various architectural styles. For strength and aesthetics, DuraPost® is the top choice.
Learn more at durapost.co.uk
Haddonstone, the UK’s leading manufacturer of garden and landscaping cast stonework designs is championing the ‘Buy Once, Buy Well’ philosophy.
This summer, the team at Haddonstone is encouraging the public to choose more meaningful and long-lasting choices for their outdoor space. Rooted in quality craftsmanship and timeless design, the movement is the perfect antidote to mass-produced, shortlived garden décor.
Made in Britain’s Buying British Survey 2024 revealed that 50% of British consumers prefer to buy UK-manufactured products over
imported alternatives, reflecting a commitment to local craftsmanship and sustainability.
Produced in Northamptonshire by expert craftsmen using traditional techniques and quality British limestone, each design is made to last a lifetime. In fact, at Haddonstone’s stunning Northamptonshire-based Show Gardens you’ll find designs on display that date back over 50 years!
From striking water features and fountains, to planters, statuary, garden furniture, garden buildings and even paving, there’s thousands of options to choose from. Unlike cheap, mass-produced alternatives, each of Haddonstone’s
UK-made designs is handcrafted to perfection - and will last for generations to come.
Will Haxby, Marketing and Home & Garden Sales Director at Haddonstone, commented:
“At Haddonstone, we believe in creating garden designs that stand the test of time. Our commitment to British craftsmanship means each design is not only beautiful but made to last - a true reflection of the ‘Buy Once, Buy Well’ movement. Choosing quality British designs benefits both your outdoor space and the environment, ensuring your garden remains a cherished space for many years to come.”
• British-Made Quality: Every Haddonstone design is handcrafted by skilled craftsmen in the UK, supporting local jobs and preserving traditional techniques.
• Sustainable Designs: All Haddonstone designs are made using high-grade natural limestone from a British supplier committed to sustainable practices, using recyclable moulds and with a commitment to minimising waste.
• Weatherproof Investment: Built to withstand even the harshest of weather conditions, each Haddonstone design will stand the test of time.
Are you seeking expert advice to help you choose the ideal wood finish? Look no further.
At Osmo, we understand the inherent beauty and enduring appeal of wood. For over a century, we’ve been dedicated to developing premium wood finishes that not only protect and preserve this timeless material but also enhance its unique character.
With such a wide variety of finishes available — and an even broader range of wood species, each with its own specific needs and characteristics — selecting the right product can feel like navigating a minefield.
That’s why we’ve developed the “Osmo Recommends” app: a comprehensive tool designed to guide you through every possible scenario, ensuring you get the right product and finish for your project — first time.
Whether you’re working with interior surfaces such as flooring, worktops, or internal joinery, or tackling exterior applications like decking, fencing, or cladding, the app provides tailored recommendations to suit your needs. From traditional clear finishes that enhance the wood’s natural colour, to tinted transparent options that let the grain show through, to more opaque finishes for a bold, intensive look — we’ve got it all covered.
The app doesn’t just help you choose the right finish. It also offers expert advice on surface preparation, specific to both the product and the wood species in question. You’ll also receive comprehensive recommendations for ongoing cleaning and maintenance, so your wood stays beautiful for years to come.
For extra support, the app features a handy Help & Advice section, ensuring we’re with you every step of the way — whether you need
guidance during application or encounter one of those rare but tricky challenges.
With Osmo’s range of highquality finishes and expert-led recommendations, you can achieve stunning, long-lasting results with confidence. Download today!
Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Osmo – Good for Wood.
Web: www.osmouk.com
Tel: 01296 481220
Email: info@osmouk.com
Transform your outdoor living space into a place for everybody to enjoy with UltraScape’s muchloved domestic range of paving installation materials.
From tranquil patios to stylish entertaining areas, your dream outdoor space is just a few steps away with the UltraScape domestic range from Instarmac.
Blending innovation, durability, and ease of use, this comprehensive suite of landscaping products is designed to help homeowners and landscapers bring imagination and
concept to reality. Whether you’re refreshing your garden or building from scratch, UltraScape’s trusted solutions provide the perfect finish every time.
Build a solid foundation with prembed mortar
Before choosing your final finish, your paving needs a solid foundation – enter UltraScape prembed mortar. This fibremodified bedding mortar, designed specifically for domestic use, mixes easily with sand and water to form a rapid-drying, high-strength foundation.
Suitable for depths of 30-100mm, prembed mortar sets firm enough for light foot traffic in just 12 hours so you can pave one day and enjoy it the next. Ideal for patios, driveways, and walkways, prembed mortar is guaranteed to deliver a stable base that will stand the test of time. The essential primer for lasting paving
Keep your beautifully laid paving securely in place with UltraScape prem-prime. When teamed with UltraScape prembed mortar, prem-prime slurry primer will keep all types of stone firmly stuck in position to prevent them from
wobbling or coming loose further down the line. Easy to mix and apply, prem-prime works effectively with natural stone, porcelain, clay pavers, and concrete flags.
One of the standout features of UltraScape’s domestic range is the variety of jointing options available, allowing homeowners and landscapers to match the right product to their paving type, aesthetic preferences and usage demands.
Enhance your porcelain paving with porcelpoint, a rapid-setting, flowable grout specially formulated to complement premium porcelain slabs. Unlike standard grouts, porcelpoint is ideal for narrow joints (2-50mm) and depths starting at 20mm, ensuring a flawless finish every time.
Available in Stone Grey and Limestone, porcelpoint achieves an ultra-smooth look that beautifully matches contemporary outdoor design trends. With a swift 15-minutes initial set and foot-traffic readiness within just one hour, this flowable porcelain grout delivers professional-level strength and durability for driveways, patios and terraces. Just add water to the 20kg pack, pour and squeegee – your porcelain paving is ready to impress in record time.
For those seeking both elegance and performance, premjoint delivers. This next-generation, high-specification, brush-in jointing solution is tailored specifically for natural stones like granite, porcelain, and premium paving slabs. Available in four stunning shades – Cosmic Black, Storm Grey, Natural Cashmere and Pebble Grey – premjoint ensures an aesthetic match that complements the latest paving trends.
Engineered for year-round use, it’s resistant to freeze/thaw cycles, permeable to support natural drainage, and supports foot traffic
within 24-48 hours. With fast brushin application and minimal waste, it’s an ideal choice for those who want a clean, durable finish with professional flair.
Silky-smooth joints with flowpoint fine
For a truly refined finish, flowpoint fine offers an ultra-smooth, seamless, tile-like joint from 2 to 50mm in width – virtually erasing visible joints for a polished look. In a convenient 20kg tub, this rapidsetting grout is ready to walk
on after just one hour. Perfect for all popular pavers including natural stone, concrete, porcelain and clay, flowpoint fine delivers a luxurious, high-end aesthetic with professional level strength – perfect for homeowners seeking a stunning outdoor transformation.
Trusted quality, proven performance
All UltraScape domestic products are manufactured to the same rigorous standards as their commercial paving materials –trusted by contractors and specifiers
across the UK for over 25 years
Now, homeowners and domestic landscapers can benefit from that same expertise to elevate their driveways, patios, and garden paths with confidence.
Unleash your imagination
The UltraScape range empowers you to explore bold ideas and bring them to life with materials that are reliable as they are beautiful. From classic courtyards to contemporary outdoor gardens, UltraScape gives you the power to create spaces that are truly your own.
To discover the full range and find the ideal jointing solution for your next landscaping project, please visit ultrascape.co.uk.
You can contact UltraScape’s team of paving experts by calling +44 (0) 1827 254402 or emailing ultrascape@instarmac.co.uk.
Transform your garden into an
With the UltraScape Domestic range you can bring imagination and concept to reality, creating an outdoor living space for all to enjoy. Get in touch to find out more.
Green Retreats, the UK’s leading garden room company, showcases how underused garden spaces can be transformed into stylish, functional rooms with year-round appeal.
Their latest collection of before and after customer projects reveals the true potential of outdoor spaces – from home offices and hobby rooms to relaxing retreats. Each transformation starts with an overlooked area and ends with a modern, insulated building made from sustainable materials, designed to suit any setting.
This project showcases how combining a garden room with thoughtful landscaping can make a space feel brand new.
Designed as a home gym, the building adds incredible functionality while the surrounding garden design
enhances both style and usability— proving that practical spaces can still be beautiful!
Think you need a huge garden for a standout makeover? Think again. One of Green Retreats’ recent customers transformed a long, narrow garden into a beautifully designed, multi-functional space –complete with a stylish home office, compact treadmill, and a sofa bed for overnight guests.
It’s a clever example of how even modest outdoor spaces can be reimagined into versatile rooms with year-round purpose.
What began as an empty patch of soil has been completely transformed into a stylish and functional garden retreat.
This once-overlooked corner of a small London garden is now a standout feature – seamlessly blending beauty with practicality, thanks to the addition of a bespoke garden office.
“Our favourite part is seeing how much these spaces change lives – not just gardens,” says Makenzie Polden from the Green Retreats Sales & Design team. “Whether it’s for work, wellness or winding down, a garden room creates space where it matters most.
View the full gallery of 10 Before & After projects:
www.greenretreats.co.uk
Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica ‘Angustifolia’) is an elegant evergreen hedging plant, which works well in any garden setting.
Practical Instant Portuguese Laurel Hedge from Practicality Brown is currently looking splendid – and this fine hedging available in two heights 1.5 -1.8m and 1.8m. Like all the Practical Instant Hedge™ range, it is grown in 1m long hedge bags, making handling and planting very easy, whatever the time of year.
Top 5 features of Portuguese Laurel:
1. The leaves are ovate and dark green, growing from dark reddish stems
2. Attractive and compact growth habit
3. Likes most soils including clay and at home on shallow chalk, unlike Common Laurel
4. Can be planted in either sun or shade
5. Easy to care for, prune once a year in late summer
See for yourself
Practical Instant Hedge™ is grown at the Buckinghamshire nursery and you are welcome to see all the hedging, including Cherry Laurel, and new for 2025, Bay Laurel.
Simply call our Horticultural team on 01753 652022 to arrange a visit, you are welcome to bring our clients too. email us at hedge@pracbrown.co.uk Or visit our website: www.pracbrown.co.uk
Traditionally, the best time to plant semimature stock is during the autumn/winter, whether its evergreen or deciduous. However, our hedges and trees have been carefully curated and maintained to be planted anytime of the year, even during the growing months.
Our Practical Instant Hedge™ has been produced to ensure that it is easy to handle and plant all year round, with no transplant shock. We have designed this instant hedging range to give you plenty of choice, depending on your garden style, local soil, and weather conditions. It’s also ideal for use as a partition or screening to divide your garden into sections.
All of this means, any time of year is the perfect time to plant Practical Instant Hedge™.
We also specialise in screening trees, and
we currently have over 800 in stock at our nursery in Iver, Bucks. We have such trees available with a clear stem up to fence panel height of around 1.8-2m with a full bushy canopy, or pleached (trained to a narrow canopy) or fully feathered trees. These trees are containerised, meaning that they are currently growing in large pots, and are ready to plant and thrive in your garden.
Choosing a product from Practicality Brown means that you save time! We have grown and produced these large hedges and tree, so you can appreciate the mature effect from the moment its planted.
All our hedges and trees are listed on our website. We can help you choose too, simply email us hedge@pracbrown.co.uk
The great challenge as a supplier is to be able to see the final garden when everything has been supplied, transported, planted and finished. Nine times out of ten we only ever see a garden in its early stages with none of the finesse of the final design.
So, it was a great pleasure to not only support the development of a new garden design but to also be able to see the final version in all its glory.
The garden in question was developed by a group of horticulture students from Derby College under the supervision of Mike Baldwin. The garden was designed in collaboration with Derby College, The Derbyshire Historic Building Trust and Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust
and focussed on the Bonsall Field Barn Restoration Project.
The students were all studying Level 3 Horticulture at the college’s Broomfield Hall campus and had to base the design and delivery of the garden on their own knowledge and experience.
The garden featured a restored field barn within a setting inspired by the Peak District village of Bonsall. The design also included dry stone walling which is typical of the area and a limestone path representing the Limestone Way. Significantly, UK native plants formed the majority of the planting around a dew pond. It also featured a representation of a disused lead mine shaft featuring T’Owd Man of Bonsall. Planting was
designed to be in keeping with the area, including a wildflower meadow and ornamentals which thrive on limestone sites.
Creating the show garden proved to be a wonderful opportunity for the students to do a real-life project. They demonstrated a huge range of skills and the widespread knowledge gained during their study programme.
The horticulture study programme was specially devised by lecturer Mike. It was designed to bring together skills and knowledge in surveying, design, plantsmanship and construction. So, ideal for students who were looking to join or establish a gardening business.
Much like many of the last thirty-six gardens projects developed to date it proved to be a great team effort, and everyone worked incredibly hard to create the different features of the garden. The aim was for the students to enjoy every moment of the project and to inspire them for the future. It was and is a brilliant garden concept. Highlights within the garden design included highly imaginative planting, relevant and effective structures and many more unique features, all of which brought something unique to the garden.
The garden was also designed by a student – Faye Geeson - and illustrated by another Chloe Ye. Faye Geeson, commented:
“I had done the RHS Level 2 course at the college and having found about the Level 3 course, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get involved in building this garden. Having never done anything like this before, I was delighted that my design was selected. It’s been fantastic preparing everything for the garden with the rest of the students. Everyone has different skills and interests to bring to the project. It’s also been an excellent excuse to visit all the local garden centres and nurseries to source plants”
Harrowden’s role was relatively straightforward supplying Meadowmat Cottage Garden wildflower turf to support the project. Cottage Garden Meadowmat® creates flower beds and borders with the grace and charm of an old-fashioned English garden but with a lot less work. Cottage Garden is a beautiful combination of native wildflowers and grasses which can create a vibrant and bee-friendly cottage garden.
Cottage Garden is mainly created using perennial plant species. These are plants that will grow back year after year, if they enjoy the conditions in a garden.
The mix also includes some annual and bi-annual flowering species. Some give a pop of colour while the perennials are blooming and some are there just because of their sheer beauty.
The flowering time for Cottage Garden is late spring until early autumn. The images here just give you an idea of how Cottage Garden can look when in bloom, but it can be presented differently depending on the look of your garden and the level of maintenance. The balance of plant species and the flowering time will be different in every single garden giving endless possibilities!
Maintaining Cottage Garden is easy and rewarding. Unlike many herbaceous flower borders, Cottage Garden doesn’t want to be fed, mulched, staked or sprayed. Just leave it to grow unchecked between March and September. You may like to extend the flowering season by deadheading the plants, but this is not essential. At the end of summer, when all the flowers have faded, be ruthless and deadhead as much as you need. Cut your Cottage Garden back to a height of 10 – 15 cm and put all that unwanted vegetation on to the compost heap.
It’s great in deep planters, raised beds, flower borders or as an alternative to your original lawn! The plants in this Meadowmat® like a fairly neutral pH but can adapt to anything but the most acidic or alkaline soils.
The wildflower turf was sent early to the college to give it plenty of time to grow into the garden ahead of the show and we are really pleased to report that the Derby College “Bonsall” garden won a platinum award, the highest in the professional category.
harrowdenturf.co.uk
Vermura garden retaining walls use 100% recycled synthetic turf to create beautiful retaining walls that offer a natural, organic aesthetic. Simple to install, Vermura can be used for sharp, straight lines or flowing curved walls. Either way, the result is a strong, durable and erosion resistant wall; perfect for environmentally conscious gardeners wanting a sustainable, softer, and more natural look to their garden.
“Vermura is a licensed system that can be very quickly learned by anyone with experience in garden landscaping,” commented Richard Allen, CEO of Vermura. “Our walls offer something completely different for landscapers or architects looking to offer their clients a unique solution for their garden. They are incredibly strong, completely sustainable and they look beautiful. In addition, by using re-purposed synthetic turf, the finish is soft to the touch and has a little give, so is significantly more child friendly than wood, brick or stone work.”
Vermura is currently looking to expand its network of landscape gardeners, architects and contractors.
If you are interested in working with Vermura, please contact richard.allen@ecobunker.co.uk now for a quote or more information.
• Straight or curved – simple to install
• 100% recycled material
• Strong, durable and erosion resistant
• Safe, soft finish
For more information on our patented Vermura retaining wall system, contact richard.allen@ecobunker.co.uk
Transforming Landscapes. Creating spaces.
More durable than galvanised, superior corrosion resistance for years of performance
For quick installs with helicoils or clips
Including limestone, ragstone and granitedelivered direct to site
Used by architects, engineers, and landscape contractors nationwide
Get in touch to discuss your next project!
At Terrock, we specialise in premium, Galfan-coated gabion baskets and carefully selected aggregates all proudly manufactured in the UK. Our products are engineered to meet the highest design and environmental standards, making them ideal for civil engineering, landscaping, architectural, and infrastructure projects.
COMFORTABLE AND ELEGANT SEATING, IMPORTANT SEWING AND A WORK AROUND MATERIALS
Jun in Japanese means ‘pure and sincere’ and never could a name be more fitting for a collection that aims to strike straight at the heart. The eponymous creation designed by fresh Compasso d’Oro winner Marco Acerbis for Talenti, a multiaward-winning high-end outdoor brand, bets on an immediate and authentic design, without rhetorical artifices or redundancies. And it is precisely from these principles that the inspiration for a family of furnishings with a clear and precious design was born. An intrinsic value whose beauty is clearly expressed through the choice of displaying
wood in an elegant and balanced way, enhancing the attention to detail.
The mood
‘The main characteristics of Jun, the new collection designed by me for Talenti,’ explains Acerbis, ’are the balance due to the interplay between the voluminousness of the cushions and the very clean lines of the structure. A structure that merges with the fabrics of the backrest and armrest upholstery almost as if they were one, giving a sense of semi-dimensionality.’ The perception and character of this
collection is therefore based not only on an intense ‘sense of nature’, but also on this duality between minimalism and objects of volume that trigger an aesthetic big bang combining great comfort and visual presence.
The materials between minimal and curvy
The teak structure with very soft curves favours the two-dimensional perception and shows how the designer was able to overcome the most complex challenge, that of keeping the thickness of the wood to a minimum by reducing the size
of the backrest, precisely to let the cushions take centre stage, much softer, much more voluminous, ‘but still quite stretched’ - as the designer says. ‘It was not a very quick and easy process because I wanted something that gave a sense of softness but remained sufficiently parallel to the ground without becoming too exuberant. It was a challenge, but we are really satisfied.’
A new material was also introduced for the table: it is a porcelain stoneware with glass effect and a wooden frame, also in teak, supported by very important and very designed legs, but which remain set back from the presence of the table top. In this way, the aesthetic harmony with the shapes of the sofas is combined with a great practicality given by the ability to increase the leg space available, favouring unparalleled comfort.
Outdoor in technicolour
Light blue, green and beige; these are some of the new vibrant colours that Talenti and Acerbis combine
with freshness and cheerfulness with the vital force that only wood can instil. Colours that further enhance the generosity of the seats and create a continuum with nature where the blue of the sky blends with the green of plants, trees and meadows.
The Jun family is very complete, as always with Talenti’s proposals.
It is in fact formed not only by the modular sofa but also by a series of accessories including lounge chairs, coffee tables and, of course, declined in its various possibilities, the table. Elements where materials, colours and lines are in complete synergy with a single objective: to offer moments of absolute relaxation.
www.talentispa.com
With spring fast approaching, we look at the winning formula for introducing colour, texture and interest to an outdoor space using border plants, whilst keeping to your client brief.
Consider your aspect and light levels
Clients may have a vision for their outside space but it’s always worth paying heed to Beth Chatto’s wise words of finding the “right plant for the right place“ when you select the planting scheme for any border. South-facing borders need plants that love full sun, from alliums to succulents, whilst shadier spots in north-facing borders can be pepped up with dramatic foliage and pale flowers to create a tranquil ambience.
They key to success is longevity, siting plants where they will thrive, and creating something that is realistic for your client to maintain. With climate change
wreaking havoc on our seasons and predictable rainfall levels, it is also worth considering drought-tolerant varieties, hardy plants that can tolerate temperature fluctuations or native species that can help develop biodiversity in the space.
Be repetitive
Repetition is a very powerful tool in garden design, helping to create pleasing patterns that draw the eye around the entire border. This can be done effectively using colour, texture, statement plants, or even height. Make your scheme more cohesive by repeating at least one or two main colours throughout, whether by contrasting colours, or toning various shades from eth same palette.
Meanwhile, an array of exciting textures, from smooth, glossy leaves to delicate fern fronds, adds spectacular interest and is particularly effective in a foliage border, where the colour palette
is often mostly shades of green. Repetition – whether in an ordered or more random pattern – is key to the success of this type of border to pull the look together.
Playing with height in your border can have real impact. Taller things tend to catch the eye first before drawing the eye down to the planting below. Try interspersing your planting scheme with a repeating pattern of taller plants, such as small trees, tall shrubs or tall perennials, such as lupins or agapanthus, underplanted by a covering of low-growing perennials like hardy geraniums, heuchera or even creeping herbs for great ground cover.
You’ll always have your traditionalists but, for some clients, it pays dividends to keep ahead of the curve and tap into the latest gardening trends. Experts suggest that bedding plants are falling out
of favour, with gardeners opting for more sustainable seasonal options, like hardy annuals or long-lasting, robust perennials that require less watering. Salvias, heather, echinacea, and dahlias are great options, providing seasonal colour and attractive blooms for pollinators. Take note of garden colour trends for the year ahead, helping you create something up-to-the minute. As with interior trends, the palette for garden plants is bold in 2025, from earthy reds, to deep purples, and Cottagecore pastels.
Teal is also predicted to be a big influence in the garden this year – a colour that can be perfectly worked into borders using ornamental grasses, such as blue fescue, eucalyptus trees, glacier blue euphorbia, or varieties of hostas with striking blue leaves. Modern gardeners are increasingly turned off by the thought of using too many chemicals, so keep abreast of pest and disease-resistant varieties that will still give you the look you want but negate the need
for chemicals control. For example, box plants – a once-popular choice for borders and hedges – have been plagued by Asian box tree moths, as the invasive species takes hold in the UK. Fortunately, the ornamental Bloombux boasts all the benefits of the Buxus but is completely pest free, with immunity to the box tree moth, and resistance to other pests like boxwood psyllid, boxwood gall midge, spider mites, and scale insects.
The main focus with any border is to look its best and offer a stunning show during spring and summer but don’t discount the rest of the year. Take the autumn and winter months into consideration when planning your planting and be sure to include evergreens or shrubs that produce colourful autumn leaves. The increasing trend for a less manicured, laid-back gardening style, comes with an appreciation of plants as they go through the cycle of seasonal changes. This means you can consider plants that bear
attractive seed heads and spent flowers in the autumn, cultivating an architectural elegance and adding interest even when the headiness of summer has died down.
INKARHO’s ornamental Bloombux – a species of rhododendron –produces spectacular bee-friendly pink and magenta blooms during its peak season of May to June, accompanied by a neat, dense foliage. Once the flowers have faded its emerald-green evergreen foliage will stay looking good throughout the autumn and winter, long after other plants have shed their leaves.
laCividina writes a new chapter in its history and that of Osaka - the famous sofa designed by Pierre Paulin - and does so with the launch of the Outdoor version that also marks the Friuli-based company’s debut in outdoor furniture.
This version carefully preserves the legacy of the original project - modularity, versatility and a wrap-around design that celebrates conviviality - as well as that of the 2013 re-edition, sublimating its distinctive features and skilfully reinterpreting them to suit outdoor spaces.
Fulvio Bulfoni, President of laCividina, states:
‘The launch of Osaka Outdoor represents a historic moment for us, our first step into outdoor furniture. We have always been committed to combining tradition and innovation, and this new venture allows us to
take our vision of design beyond indoor spaces, offering solutions that combine aesthetics, comfort and functionality in an outdoor context.
The Osaka is one of our iconic products, an example of design that stands the test of time and fashion. It was a great responsibility for us, but we took up the challenge with enthusiasm. With this reinterpretation, we wanted to keep Pierre Paulin’s original spirit intact, adapting it with state-of-the-art materials and technologies to meet the needs of outdoor environments. It is certainly an ambitious project but one that encapsulates the essence of our approach: to create beautiful, functional objects made with the craftsmanship that distinguishes us. We are enthusiastic and always want to project our design towards new horizons’.
In 1967, legendary designer Pierre
Paulin revolutionised the concept of seating by developing an innovative modular system for the 1970 Osaka World Expo. This sofa represented a break with the conventions of the time and the rationalism that permeated the world of design: its organic, fluid forms, modular configuration and the absence of rigid elements redefined the very idea of comfort, adapting perfectly to the spaces and needs of the user of the time.
The sinuous sofa is characterised by only three elements and is held together by a special steel structure, which acts as a central “backbone” and allows the desired curvatures to be realised. In order to accommodate these, Paulin’s attention was immediately focused on the stretch fabric, which should perfectly follow the silhouette of the entire seat, thus creating an elastic surface free of the slightest ripple.
In 2013, laCividina brought this icon back to life with a re-edition faithful to the original design, enriched with contemporary materials and craftsmanship that enhanced its quality and comfort even further. Today, thanks to the use of advanced, top-quality materials - such as water-repellent fabrics, weather-resistant technical padding and treated metal frames - the Osaka Outdoor combines timeless aesthetics, durability and uncompromising comfort.
The Osaka is not just a sofa, but a manifesto of Pierre Paulin’s design thinking, who believed in a design that could transform everyday life, making it more dynamic, comfortable and in tune with the spirit of the times. Almost 60 years after its birth, this sofa represents an icon of modern design, celebrated for its ability to combine aesthetics, functionality and innovation.
With this new version, laCividina not only pays tribute to Pierre Paulin’s revolutionary vision, celebrating
the glorious past of the original version, but also projects its design into the future, offering an elegant and contemporary solution for experiencing outdoor spaces with the same comfort and style that have made the Osaka a timeless icon.
A special thanks goes to Maïa and Benjamin Paulin.
laCividina - Italian manufacturing culture sets the standard
Founded in 1976 by Carlo Bulfoni, and today led by his son Fulvio and his wife Paola, laCividina produces contemporary design sofas and armchairs with ingenuity and originality, preserving the inestimable value of Italian manufacturing culture in its workmanship. This attention to detail, which expresses authentic Made in Italy, is combined with the ability to compete internationally.
Planning a deck can be a daunting prospect for homeowners.
Creating the perfect outdoor space that can be used all year round can require a big investment – so if you’re working on a decking project for customers, chances are they’ll welcome your professional advice on how to get it right.
Lee Heitzman, UK & Ireland market manager for Trex, the world’s number one decking brand, said: “A deck is a great way for homeowners to create more space for relaxing or entertaining while embracing outdoor living. But to create the perfect deck there are lots of important details that should be considered.”
Here’s a selection of essential tips to help your clients plan the deck of their dreams.
Perfect position
Firstly, think about where to locate
the deck. Your clients should consider where the sun hits their garden at different times of the day and how this lines up with the main times they expect to use the deckfor example, many people will see no point in creating a seating area that’s covered by shade for 80 per cent of the day.
If your client plans to use the deck for al fresco dining, then placing it near the barbecue or pizza oven would make sense - and not too far from the kitchen either, to avoid long trips back and forth.
How big is the outdoor space in total and what percentage of this is your client considering using for their deck?
For a pleasing aesthetic, the deck shouldn’t be so big as to dominate the surrounding environment - it’s important to maintain a balanced
look and a sense of proportion with the rest of the garden.
However, the deck does also need to be a useable size. Lee said: “If homeowners are unsure about what size deck to go for, I would always advise to go slightly bigger rather than smaller.
“No-one will ever regret having an additional foot or two of space all the way around, but they may regret going smaller the first time they need to squeeze an extra chair around the table for an unexpected guest!”
Clients also need to think about how they might want to use their deck - will it be primarily for entertaining, with plenty of room for dining and maybe even an outdoor kitchen? Or will it be more of a solo sanctuary, with cosy seating for quiet afternoons in the sun - or even enough space for outdoor activities like yoga?
They should also consider what type of furniture they’ll want on the deck, where it will be placed and how much space will it need.
Thinking about all of these factors will help determine both the size and style of the space.
Colour combinations
The colour of the deck can transform the overall look of an outdoor space but also needs to work with the exterior of a home and any other landscaping elements.
Matching decking boards to the colour of exterior brickwork or plaster creates a harmonious, classic and cohesive look, while choosing a contrasting colour can make a striking, eye-catching statement.
Modern homes tend to pair well with minimalist, dark shades to enhance their contemporary look, while period homes look good with classic colours for a timeless, elegant feel. For a contemporary look Trex would recommend its Transcend range in the shade Island Mist, whilst those looking for a more classic feel would benefit from its Enhance range in the shade Saddle.
Material considerations
One of the biggest decisions homeowners need to make when planning a deck is whether to choose composite decking boards or traditional timber.
There are pros and cons to both, with composite decking mimicking the look of timber with woodgrainlike patterns while timber provides authentic grain patterns and natural variation. Trex’s Signature range in particular is crafted to offer the most realistic hardwood grain pattern available in composite decking without the maintenance.
When it comes to cost, a timber deck is likely to involve a lower outlay at the point of installation but requires regular upkeep including staining, sealing and sanding to maintain its appearance and durability. In contrast, composite decking needs little maintenance and won’t rot, swell, splinter or fade.
Lee said: “Investing in highperformance composite decking offers excellent value over the long term.
“For example, Trex decking comes with a 25- or 50-year warranty - and the only upkeep it needs is an occasional soap-and-water cleaning, so is the perfect choice for homeowners who want to spend more time enjoying their deck rather than maintaining it.”
Choosing the best materials when building the deck substructure is also crucial to ensure it lasts as long as the decking itself. Lee said: “Substructures are typically subjected to the outdoor elements year-round, making them highly susceptible to moisture. The use of preventative materials like waterproof joist tape prevents water from seeping into screw holes and sitting on the wood. I would recommend using Trex Protect Joist Tape, which has a 25-year warranty and is ideal for protecting substructures from moisture whilst helping deck screws hold longer and stronger.”
For more information on Trex and to explore its range of composite decking visit uk.trex.com. Trex is also available online and in-store at Wickes.
Decking may appear green from a range of biological growth including algae, moss and lichen. As well as being unsightly, it can cause problems like wood rot which causes wood to become brittle and break. Simply painting over this growth unfortunately won’t solve the problem of green decking as it won’t kill off the biological growth underneath or protect the wood. This means algae and lichens could continue to grow more prevalently than ever!
Instead, we would recommend treating the wood with a biocidal cleaner before applying a wood stain preserver like Roxil Coloured Wood Stain Preserver which will provide a bright colour and lasting protection from UV and wood rot. Here are some tips on how to preserve and protect your decking with colour.
Repainting a fence when algae strikes:
1. Choose a sunny day Washing and treating wooden surfaces fully requires some waiting time to allow your cleaning and treatment products to work effectively on the surface. Choose a
sunny day to give your products the best chance of taking effect.
2. Don’t be tempted to pressure wash
While tempting to blast away with a pressure washer, this won’t be able to completely remove black spot lichen. If consistently used on surfaces, it can lead to damage over time like impacting the structural integrity of decking.
3. Prepare the surface and choose the cleaner Instead, use a stiff wooden brush to brush away any loose debris from the area that you want to treat. Then, choose your cleaner but watch out for acid or bleach-based cleaners as these can damage the surfaces and be corrosive to the skin, and instead opt for a soft, non-destructive cleaner such as Roxil Wood & Patio Cleaner.
4. Apply the cleaner for up to 24 hours
There is no need to wear a mask outside, so simply wear gloves to protect the skin and then apply the cleaner with a spray or wire brush, either neat or diluted depending on the space/size of the surface area.
Leave for between 1 to 24 hours to kill and loosen biological growth and dirt, washing away with a hose afterwards. Once washed away, the surface will be safe and pet-friendly.
5. Waterproof to help prevent regrowth
To protect your fence from future growth, once it’s clean it’s time to waterproof surfaces. Make sure the surface is completely dry before applying small amounts of a protective sealer, like Roxil Wood Protection Cream, directly to the surface using a brush or roller, and leave it to absorb into the surface for 24 hours.
Protect with some colour. Now that your decking is clean, you can protect it with a protective wood stain such as Roxil Coloured Wood Stain Preserver. Apply by spraying onto the wood. You’ll only need one coat but can add more depending on how vibrant you want the colour. Leave it for 24 hours then varnish to waterproof.
www.safeguardeurope.com/roxilcoloured-wood-stain-preserver
Contemporary architecture and design shape the future of society, both in terms of aesthetic appeal, as well as sustainability, and well-being.
Beyond the structure, shapes and sizes of buildings, modern architects and specifiers are tasked with creating attractive spaces that people will love for years to come – not only because of their appearance and utility, but because of their impact on our lives and that of future generations.
Designing with heart through the deliberate selection of materials that both beautify and protect our natural environment creates impactful spaces that enhance our sense of wellbeing and ensures future sustainability.
Eva-Last, leaders in bamboo
composite building materials, are committed to driving the construction industry to a greener future. Modern bamboo composite decking technologies are extending design capabilities beyond just decking and walkways into exciting new applications. Thanks to the design versatility and outstanding performance properties engineered into these specialist compounds, bold and beautiful wood-look composites are being used for deck-on-the wall cladding, stunning screens, decorative and durable fencing, integrated furniture and attractive architectural features.
Composite building products are finding favour in vertical spaces, outdoor structures and decorative architectural designs due to their
sophisticated material science and versatility.
Lightweight, dimensional strength and stability, extended span, exceptional tolerance and superior wear ratings characterise the different Eva-Last hi-tech composites – Pioneer, Apex and Infinity making them ideally suited to functional and decorative architectural installations.
By exploiting the material properties of their constituent parts, combined with proprietary production techniques, Eva-Last composites offer aesthetic appeal, simplify installation and minimise maintenance.
“Our products recreate the natural good looks of wood without harming the environment. They also remove mountains of plastic waste polluting our oceans and landfills because they’re made from recycled plastic mixed with renewable resources like bamboo,” says Shelley Galliver, VP Brand and Marketing.
Eva-Last have also taken convenience to heart and engineered enhanced fittings for their ranges to simplify installation. Their CHAIN collated clip fasteners and specialised hand tool make installing an Eva-Last deck fuss-free.
No two decking materials are alike. With more than 65% of new decks in the U.S. now estimated to use composite materials thanks to their durability, low maintenance and sustainability.
Traditional wood decking
Wood decking has long been the conventional choice, appreciated for its natural appearance and
tactile warmth. Yet the material has extensive maintenance demands and requires replacement every few years. Without regular sealing and staining, most hardwoods and softwoods are prone to warping, splintering, fading, and insect damage. What’s more, the harvesting of trees for timber poses significant environmental impact.
Manufactured from a blend of recycled plastic and fibers, composite boards resist the common issues associated with wood. They require little to no maintenance, are not affected by moisture or adverse weather conditions and come with extensive warranties. Although sometimes the initial outlay costs may be higher than that of timber, when
considering the maintenance costs over time, composite becomes a sound choice.
Why choose bamboo composite?
Together with recycled plastic, bamboo creates long-lasting boards that mirror the beauty of wood without the ongoing maintenance. Bamboo is stronger than timber, matures in just three to five years (compared to 20 years on average for most woods), and can be harvested and made into composite with wastage up to 45% less than hardwood or softwood.
With decades of innovation in composite technology and a commitment to quality, EvaLast offers a range of bamboo composite decking solutions designed to align with real-world
project demands, whether you’re prioritising aesthetics, strength, eco-consciousness, or ease of installation. From light-weight boards that simplify labour, to ultrarealistic finishes that capture the warmth of natural wood, even going as far as replicating the exact look of rare hardwoods, each solution is engineered to perform and endure. As the designers within our building communities, we urge you to design with heart using responsible products such ours, so you can positively shape our futures,” concludes Galliver.
Since 1963, Civic Trees have been at the forefront of tree relocation throughout the UK, from importing the very first Vermeer tree spade into Europe, to designing and constructing the Newman Frame which is now used worldwide.
Civic Trees are always looking to pioneer new techniques that aid the relocation of trees.
Tree relocation is a concept that involves uprooting trees from one location and transplanting them to another. With current events surrounding environmental issues, relocating trees is even more important now than ever before. By relocating trees instead of cutting them down, we can preserve nature’s beauty while also promoting sustainability.
We are proud of our reputation for efficient, cost effective and reliable tree relocation throughout the UK. You can be confident that through our exemplary commitment to staff
training and development, our work meets the highest technical and safety standards.
We believe that a tree is only as good as the way it is handled, planted and maintained. Ground preparation and aftercare are crucial to the successful establishment of the tree.
Before we start the tree move process we arrange a site visit with our client and assess the tree’s health, size, and root system. We also create a site specific risk assessment to ensure the whole operation is carried out safely.
Our team of experts use specialised equipment to excavate the tree with minimal damage to its root structure. The tree is then carefully transported to its new location,
where it is replanted and nurtured to ensure its successful adaptation.
Our experienced team will know and understand the benefits and methods of loading and unloading a tree using the correct lifting techniques in order not to stress the tree or root ball. This is imperative for the longevity of the tree’s life.
In conclusion, tree relocation is an environmentally friendly method that allows us to preserve nature’s beauty while supporting urban growth. By carefully uprooting and relocating trees, we can maintain the valuable benefits they provide to our communities.
Civic Trees prides itself in paying great attention to the health and well being of our clients most prized asset “THE TREE”.
In the 1950s, the area around Wilton Park was the most bohemian community in the city. It sits around the newly renovated, delightful one-acre park, sitting alongside the Grand Canal. The work included planting 30,000 new shrubs and 48 new trees, restoring the Victorian fountain, and adding new seating. It is open seven days a week from 6.30am to 9pm.
The development of the inspiring office, social, and residential building involved years of preparation and consultation with city planners and the local communities. Every facet of the design, materials and amenity space has been driven by the desire to create a space that people will use and love. Wilton Park is the only workplace in the city with its own park, and as if to rubber-stamp its credentials, three major companies LinkedIn, Stripe and EY have chosen the location for their new headquarters.
One outstanding feature is a new public square with a mature cherry tree and interactive water feature.
Mary Lavin Place is the first public place in Ireland to be named after a female writer, celebrating the area’s literary connections.
Green-tech involvement Maylim are specialists in hard and soft landscaping, paving projects, and civil engineering work, and Wilton Park was their inaugural venture into Dublin. They have worked with Green-tech for nearly ten years across various projects, so when the TreeParker® tree pit support system was suggested, they were keen to see it, especially as it had recently been used to good effect
just down the road at Athlone a few months previously.
Launched as a like-for-like alternative to the tree pit support systems already on the market, TreeParker® works in exactly the same way – supporting the paving above, vehicular or pedestrian, whilst protecting the soft, organic topsoil below from compaction. It does however have a number of distinct advantages.
The heavy-duty, reinforced legs are available in six height options from the factory: 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, and 1500mm. This gives a previously unheard-of flexibility with depth options, and more importantly, without the need to stack two units high, saving installation time and money. It also enables the units, by having rounded legs rather than side walls, to easily straddle, or work around service pipes and lines.
The new TreeParker® system comprises rigid, modular units made from reinforced, recycled polypropylene. These units do a vital job in enabling the ground above a tree pit to be trafficked, supporting the paving above (up to 56t/m2). This means that rather than having to use a fast draining and low organic structural tree soil, we can use a soft, friable, organic topsoil, ideal for successful tree
establishment. Made from highly rigid, 100% recycled polypropylene, the units still provide 95% of their volume for rooting space.
There were various sized tree pits across the site up to 28m2, and longer trenches up to 39m long, allowing for around 20 new trees to be planted along the front and rear aspects of the main building. Supplying product to site in a timely manner was no problem thanks to Green-tech’s fully-stocked warehouse in Ireland, serving both Northern Ireland and Eire.
The feedback on TreeParker® has been complimentary, focusing mainly on the speed and simplicity of installation. There were several utility lines on site and the absence of intrusive side walls meant that installation was a lot more straightforward than it might otherwise have been.
Alasdair Innes, Green-tech Specification Advisor summarises, “This is a stunning development, and it was fantastic to have TreeParker® chosen as the preferred tree pit support system. Having a warehouse in Ireland is also a major benefit for us to be able to cover the increasing number of projects coming through for Northern Ireland and Eire.”
The project rejuvenates a natural water lily pond, creates a new river edge along the Brahmaputra, and seamlessly connects the site to the adjacent heritage museum, fostering public interaction.
The Brahmaputra, one of the world’s widest and longest rivers, serves as the lifeline of northeast India. Perched on its banks, the site offers views of an island adorned with an ancient temple, a boat corridor, and a cable car. A 10-meter elevation difference between the river’s high water mark and the ground is navigated through gently cascading terraces and pathways that respect the natural contours, minimizing cut-and-fill. Terraces intertwine with the riparian vegetation like interlocking fingertips and increase biomass through a combination of gabions and recharge pits that improve soil health. Trees and shrubs spanning 250,000 square meters rejuvenate native species, attract wildlife, and shape an openair botanical gallery.
The larger piece of land between the Brahmaputra River and the lake has been transformed into curvilinear spaces that provide a variety of recreational opportunities for tourists and residents
The project revitalizes the Padam Pukhuri—meaning “lotus pond”— originally 1.5–2 meters below ground level. A pixelated, stepped pavilion follows the site’s natural contours, providing both a recreational platform and access to the water and its aquatic flora and fauna. The foundation uses gabions to preserve the natural groundwater flow. One edge of the site runs parallel to a historic road, formerly a major artery of old Guwahati, now home to the Assam Post Office. A long corridor enhances the narrow existing footpath, with subdued grey granite tones forming a calm backdrop to the vibrant hues of nature.
The design improves the mobility of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists while creating open, breathable
spaces in this densely populated neighborhood. A partly sunken car park serves both the museum and the riverside. Walkable, interconnected, meandering paths connect the Padam Pukhuri, the courts, and the riverbanks.
As a pilot initiative for riverfront development undertaken by the local urban development authority, the model design emphasizes durable and sustainable details that can be standardized and easily replicated for the phased expansion of the riverfront. With the completion of the first phase, now open to the public, upcoming phases will introduce key features including a riverfront restaurant and another Padam Pukhuri with more intimate, curvilinear stepped pavilions.
Architects: atArchitecture www.atarchitecture.net
Area: 50000 ft²
Photographs: Avneesh Tiwari
TreeParker is an urban tree planting cell system with superior functionality. The system can be installed in any tree planting space, even staggered or circular, making it easy to customise the tree pit design to your needs. It is manufactured by Treebuilders and distributed in the UK exclusively by Green-tech.
Order today by calling 01423 332100 or order online at www.green-tech.co.uk
sales@green-tech.co.uk
Westminster Stone, a leading UK paving company, proudly showcased its exquisite traditional paving once again at this year’s prestigious Chelsea Flower Show. The event was a testament to collaborative design, with Westminster Stone forming key partnerships that highlighted the beauty and versatility of their natural stone and stonecast products.
A significant collaboration was with Alitex Greenhouses, where Westminster Stone’s National Trust Paving provided a distinguished foundation for their trade stand, contributing to Alitex securing a coveted 5-star award. The theme here was the integration of heritage and functionality. The carefully selected paving materials elegantly complemented the classic architecture of the Thomas Messenger and Mottisfont greenhouses, creating a timeless and inviting outdoor aesthetic. The paving extended this theme, forming a practical yet beautiful surface for traditional growing and a dedicated potting area.
Westminster Stone also partnered with Claverton Cloche and A Place in the Garden. These collaborations effectively showcased themes of versatility and enduring elegance, illustrating how Westminster Stone’s materials seamlessly integrate into diverse garden aesthetics. Westminster Stone’s participation at Chelsea Flower Show 2025 reinforced their position at the forefront of the landscape industry, inspiring designers and garden enthusiasts alike with their enduring paving solutions that marry classic appeal with practical application. www.westminsterstone.com
At Stoneworld Oxfordshire, we bring complex stone visions to life with unmatched accuracy. Combining traditional craftsmanship with modern technology, our highly developed masonry workshop enables us to deliver exceptional quality and precision in every project.
Our expertise spans bespoke curved stone steps, seamless integration of stone into stainless steel structures, intricately designed ecclesiastical sculptures, custom staircases, and unique landscaping
elements. We are dedicated to exceeding client expectations by blending innovation with timeless skill.
In addition to our bespoke masonry services, we offer an extensive range of natural stone products available to browse and purchase at our indoor and outdoor showroom located at our Oxford site. Whether you’re searching for elegant flagstones, durable cladding, or beautiful natural stone tiles, our diverse collection ensures you’ll find the perfect material
to suit your project’s aesthetic and functional needs.
Our knowledgeable team is on hand to guide you through the selection process, helping you choose the right stone type, finish, and size to bring your vision to life. Partner with us to elevate your project with high-quality natural stone and porcelain masonry. Talk to our experts today to discover how we can help you achieve excellence from concept to completion.
www.stoneworld.co.uk
Urban spaces are defined not just by their architecture but also by the surfaces that connect and protect them. Paving is a vital element in creating environments that are both functional and visually appealing, whether in a bustling commercial district, a tranquil residential neighbourhood, or a heritage site in need of sensitive restoration.
In today’s urban landscape, the evolution of paving techniques has addressed challenges such as water management and safety. Modern solutions include permeable systems that allow rainwater to filter through the surface, easing the burden on drainage systems and helping to replenish groundwater. At the same time, enhanced finishes and textures
contribute to better visibility and improved slip resistance, ensuring that the practical needs of heavy pedestrian traffic and diverse weather conditions are met without compromising design.
Durability and long-term performance are equally essential. Advances in material science have enabled the creation of surfaces that retain their vibrant colours and textures over time while resisting wear and weathering. Such attributes are critical for maintaining the integrity and aesthetic appeal of paved areas, whether in public infrastructure projects or private developments.
Recognising these diverse needs,
we at Blyko offer a comprehensive range of paving solutions designed to suit a variety of applications. Our portfolio includes options that cater to sustainable urban drainage, highperformance safety requirements, and the demands of both traditional and contemporary aesthetics. Our products are engineered to deliver both form and function, ensuring that every paved area contributes seamlessly to its environment.
What truly distinguishes us is our commitment to bespoke paving. Beyond offering standard products, we collaborate closely with architects, developers, and landscape designers to create tailormade solutions that address specific project requirements. Whether it’s customising the colour, finish, or dimensions, this personalised approach ensures that every project receives exactly what it needs to stand out and integrate perfectly with its surroundings.
In summary, paving is much more than a surface treatment—it is an integral part of urban design that balances functionality, safety, and visual appeal. With a wide array of ready-to-use and customisable options, we not only meet the evolving demands of modern infrastructure but also empower creators to craft spaces that are truly unique.
• Versatile Sizing & Thickness: Able to adapt to any project with ease.
• Diverse Colour Range: A palette to suit every vision.
• Unique Finishes: Choose between shotblast or ground for a refined look.
• Granite Aesthetics: Achieve a premium look at affordable prices.
• Tailored to You: Bespoke colours, sizes and finishes also available.
• Environmentally Friendly: Sustainability is at our core.
• Sustainable Drainage System SuDS: Novostones® are also offered in a permeable version.
Interested? Contact us
03330 11 61 14
sales@blyko.co.uk
BLYKO.CO.UK
Our permeable paving systems are specifically designed to allow rainwater to infiltrate the ground directly. Each of our paving products undergoes rigorous testing in our laboratory to ensure quality.
Blyko Paving Products iMex Centre, 575-599 Maxted Road, Hemel Hempstead Industrial Estate, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 7DX United Kingdom
Green-tech is proud to have supported the Garden of the Future at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 by donating its Greentree soil substrate, helping bring a powerful vision of climate-resilient horticulture to life.
Designed by Butler & Parker and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Garden of the Future received a prestigious Gold Medal at this year’s show. Constructed by Acacia Gardens, the thought-provoking installation explored sustainable living and
resilient planting in the face of climate change, demonstrating how collaboration and innovation are key to supporting communities across the globe.
Set in a near-future UK, the garden imagines a world where the climate is continuing to change. Where countries are experiencing higher-than-average temperatures, more extreme weather, periods of drought, and sudden, heavy rainfall. Designed to thrive in these conditions, the bio-diverse garden featured an array of climate-
resilient ornamentals and crops, edible plants with multiple uses and properties, and tools that demonstrate how farmers, scientists, and communities are innovating to grow a healthier future here in the UK and globally.
Green-tech’s Green-tree soil substrate played a vital role in this climate-resilient landscape, providing a stable and sustainable growing medium for the garden’s structural planting and biodiverse scheme. Developed to offer high performance in urban and rooftop
environments, Green-tree substrate was an ideal match for the garden’s semi-intensive, biosolar roof system, which was constructed with the support and donations from GRO (Green Roof Organisation) member businesses, including Green-tech.
Mark Wood, Business Development Director at Green-tech, comments, “We were proud to donate our Green-tree soil substrate to such an inspiring and important show garden. The Garden of the Future aligns closely with our values of supporting sustainable landscaping, futureproofing urban green spaces, and promoting climate resilience through innovation.”
The garden enabled visitors to understand the science and research behind these innovations, the challenges and solutions being developed by smallholder farmers, and what countries like the UK can learn from countries living on the frontline of climate change. By showcasing global innovators and
their solutions, the Garden of the Future aimed to inspire visitors to believe in the power of innovation and collaboration to transform human potential around the world, as well as offering take-home ideas for growing plants in a more sustainable, climate-resilient way.
Alongside Green-tech, other GRO members who contributed to the biosolar roof system included
Bridgman & Bridgman, PV Plus, TEP, Optigrün, Diadem, SIKA, Radmat, and Wraxalls.
To learn more about the Garden of the Future, visit www.rhs.org. uk/shows-events/rhs-chelseaflower-show/gardens/2025/ garden-of-the-future
www.green-tech.co.uk
At Pictorial Meadows, we have always been in the business of developing and delivering urban nature-based solutions. Throughout a twenty-year collaboration with the University of Sheffield’s Department of Landscape Architecture, we have been developing the technical understanding required to deliver urban nature-based solutions alongside a range of products and services to support their widespread implementation.
The Pictorial Meadows company was first incorporated to create high-impact meadow seed mixes to benefit both people and pollinators, and was used extensively on large areas of cleared housing land in Sheffield. These spectacular, colourful Pictorial Meadows transformed areas associated with dereliction and abandonment from brownfields to flower fields, changing the way that residents felt about their environment, and supporting a narrative shift in what had been some of the most deprived areas in Sheffield. Today, our range of seed mixes and wildflower turf are used by landowners looking for ways to enhance their urban green spaces, such as roadsides, parks, housing areas and visitor attractions.
Around two-thirds of green infrastructure in the UK is mown amenity grass, which often provides relatively little benefit to people or nature. By developing alternative meadow management approaches for these areas, we can deliver a wide range of well-researched benefits, including increased plant and animal diversity, a potential reduction in costs and carbon emissions from mowing, and proven wellbeing benefits for people.
Over the past ten years, our team of Landscape Managers have offered a meadows consultancy service helping landowners and managers develop strategies and specifications to create and maintain beautiful and biodiverse meadows in parks, gardens, urban green spaces and new developments.
Pictorial Meadows developed and supplied the specialist substrates and plants used in the Grey to Green scheme in Sheffield –probably the UK’s most prominent and celebrated SuDS scheme. These substrates are engineered to govern water infiltration and retention to meet civil engineering specifications, whilst providing the perfect conditions for a wide range
of ornamental plants. Pictorial Meadows have also worked on SuDS for Severn Trent Water across Mansfield, supplying rain garden substrate, plants, meadow turf, installation and maintenance as an integrated solution.
Green Roofs: Biodiversity in (and on) the Built Environment
As part of SuDS, green roofs have been a widely adopted naturebased solution for many years with their ability to slow and reduce the volume of water entering drains, create attractive and biodiverse habitats, and insulate and cool buildings. Pictorial Meadows have been developing, producing and supplying green roof products and services such as project consultancy and our industry-leading ‘Botanical Skyline’ meadow turf to green roofs for over twenty years.
As part of The Green Estate Community Interest Company, Pictorial Meadows have been creating adaptive and resilient urban spaces for over twenty years. Our mission has always been to create more sustainable, resilient and liveable cities by integrating nature into urban planning and design.
Wildflower SuDS Turf tried and tested in hu of interventions for flood resilience project
Rapid Establishment
Pre-grown, dense roots deliver quick bank stabilisation
Verified Infiltration Rates
Tolerance for waterlogging and drought stress
Sustainable Design
100% peat-free product with no plastic netting
Stunning Visual Impact
100% flowers, long-flowering mixes for urban settings
High Ecological Impact
High biodiversity value, around 30 species per mix
Otterbine’s Fractional aerating fountain has transformed what was once a problem pool at Derwen Mill Holiday Park in Powys, Wales.
Owner Richard Jones explains how the five-star family-owned park prides itself on creating a peaceful, tranquil escape with its privatelyowned holiday homes set on spacious pitches, wrapped around lakes and pools, or overlooking large greens spaces.
It therefore stands to reason that its pool experiencing problems urgently needed a reliable and effective water solution.
Richard says: “We’ve got four thriving pools but the fifth really struggles due to its location at the lowest point on the park. It suffers with Canadian pond weed and floating algae and it’s difficult to maintain. We often joke about how it just doesn’t like being a pond!” The park has had an Otterbine fountain in the past and it met
expectations, therefore, there was, Richard says “no reason not to get another”.
Richard researched the best options and the Fractional met his criteria. This was an opinion shared by Matt Gilks from MG Turf who Richard contacted to supply the product.
The Fractional is an all-in-one fountain and circulator meaning it introduces oxygen into the water column for the most natural solution to water quality management, effectively controlling algae and aquatic weeds while creating impressive displays.
With decade of experience in all areas of irrigation installation, construction, supply and support, MG Turf was well placed to support the project from all angles. Richard says: “It’s been a great experience working with Matt Gilks from MG Turf. He didn’t just help with recommending and supplying the Otterbine aerator, he helped us with
a working management plan too, so I feel confident we have a long-lasting, sustainable solution in place.”
Matt comments: “Richard was keen to see a unit installed in the lake to make it a feature as much as giving working purpose to the lake. Otterbine was a great solution for this. It was a pleasure to deal with Richard – we communicated about getting on site and arranged to install the unit over a bank holiday.”
Now, what was a struggling pool earns its place at the exclusive park: “The results speak for themselves,” confirms Richard.
To learn more about how the Otterbine range of aerators and fountains can tackle water quality issues, contact Reesink on 01480 226800 or visit r eesink-hydroscapes.co.uk.
reesink-hydroscapes.co.uk
Traditional pumping solutions for barn conversions, garden rooms, glamping pods, house extensions etc. generally utilise a below ground pumping station.
However, where gravity discharge drainage isn’t available, a floor mounted pumping option may well provide the solution. This is especially true where ground excavation is problematic due to high water table or flooding.
Rapidly becoming recognised as the industry’s leading floor mounted lifting station for waste water and sewage is
the Jung Pumepen Compli. This range is available from pump specialist Pump Technology Ltd who are authorised by Pentair, Jung Pumpen GmbH for the specification, supply and support of their equipment nationally throughout the UK.
The Compli range includes single and dual pump configurations, the later offering a duty standby pump system. There are two impeller designs, a free flow vortex unit capable of pumping soft solids up to 70mm dia., or a cutter version suitable for high discharge head
requirements and small-bore pipes, typically 50mm dia.
These compact units are rated as IP68, so suitable for operation even when submerged for prolonged periods.
The Compli range offers models suitable for applications from single toilets to small caravan sites.
nature calls
Ideal for static sites such as:Garden rooms, huts or ‘glamping’. And mobile situations such as:Canal and house boats, vehicles or mobile containers. LPG gas (Propane) or electric versions available.
As
0118 9821 555 support@pumptechnology.co.uk www.pumptechnology.co.uk Call
The mortar can be brushed onto dry, damp, or wet paving with no mixing required and is suitable for all paving types, including porcelain and sandstone.
Dry mortar can be returned to the tub for later use, reducing any waste.
Supplied in 12.5kg tubs and available in four colours: Flint, Anthracite, Hessian and Cream.
tuffjoint Utility is resin and polymer free, hard-wearing, and comes with a 20-year product guarantee.
Application in four simple steps: Brush into the joints, remove any excess, spray the joints using a fine mist of water and then clean.
www.tuffbau.com
Premier John Deere dealership selling agricultural, construction, professional turf, and garden machinery from 7 depots
Industry leaders in technology and aftersales service
Established as a family business in 1976, Farol today has a team of over 350 staff whilst still remaining 100% family owned.
The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) is proud to announce that the 2025 National Landscape Awards have received more entries than ever before, marking a record-breaking year for the UK’s most prestigious landscaping awards.
With entries now officially closed, anticipation is building for the ceremony in December, where the industry will come together to recognise the talent, innovation and professionalism that define landscaping excellence. The Awards offer a vital platform for Accredited members to showcase outstanding work across all project scales—from intimate residential gardens to major public realm developments.
Although the main entry window has closed, submissions are still
open for the Supplier Exceptional Service, Employer Excellence, and International categories. These awards shine a spotlight on companies delivering outstanding service, cultivating exemplary workplace cultures, or representing landscaping excellence on the global stage.
The highlight of the awards season will be the 2025 National Landscape Awards ceremony, taking place on Friday 5 December 2025 at the iconic JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London.
Event timings:
• Reception: 11am
• Luncheon and Awards: 12pm
• Close: 4:30pm
• Dress code: Business attire
Tickets will go on sale in August 2025, and early booking is strongly advised. The event promises a day of inspiration and connection, uniting contractors, designers, suppliers and industry leaders in celebration of landscaping excellence.
There are still a number of sponsorship opportunities available, giving brands a chance to raise their profile, demonstrate industry leadership and support the sector’s most anticipated event. From category sponsorships to bespoke branding packages, sponsors benefit from exposure to an influential audience of landscaping professionals.
To book your place or explore sponsorship opportunities, joanna.pieprzak@bali.org.uk
• No costly mains cable to lay
• UK-designed for UK use
• Power and reliability are ensured by a 24 or 36 volt system
• Know your gate is always closed and locked
• We can automate any gate up to 24ft
Hundreds of farmers and landowners are now reaping the rewards of our Winter Harvesting® solar powered gate openers
Call now for your Free Gate Security Review
01993 840066
www.solargatesystems.co.uk
mail@solargatesystems.co.uk
Jo Beau’s latest range of woodchippers, available through Global Machinery Solutions, offers powerful, compact options for private and professional use.
The standout M600 GORILLA features a 40hp EFI petrol engine, remote control, adjustable hopper, and innovative X-tracks for slope stability and compact transport.
The M300 Pro is a robust 13hp Honda-powered chipper ideal for contractors and rental use, while the lightweight M150 is perfect for gardeners, handling up to 5cm diameter branches.
All models use Jo Beau’s renowned drum technology, which chips, pulls, and ejects with efficiency. There are also smaller woodchippers available, along with a range of stump grinders and landscaping equipment.
For more information or to explore dealership opportunities, contact Global Machinery Solutions at 01476 568384 or visit www.globalmachinerysolutions.co.uk.
A landmark of Edinburgh’s northern skyline since 1901, the Granton Gasholder has been reimagined as a striking public space thanks to a £20 million restoration and regeneration project. Now at the heart of Granton Gasholder Park, this 165-foot-tall, listed structure has been transformed from an industrial relic into a vibrant community focal point—complete with dynamic lighting designed and delivered by Thorn Lighting.
Working closely with landscape architects Optimised Environments (OPEN) and consultancy Tetra Tech, Thorn was tasked with creating a lighting scheme that would enhance the visual impact of the restored
gasholder, while respecting its historic character and listed status.
Thorn specified a trio of architectural lighting solutions to bring the design vision to life.
Eroa inground luminaires were chosen to illuminate the gasholder’s Corten lettering that says GASHOLDER1, with their 3000K output and available in multiple lengths, Eroa provides a powerful, even wash of light capable of reaching heights beyond 12 metres. The option for internal anti-glare louvres and glare-control films made it ideal for the park’s urban setting—balancing drama with visual comfort.
Contrast RGBW floodlights, mounted strategically on the gasholder itself and controlled via a DMX system, these add depth and versatility to the structure. Contrast units allow precise highlighting of structural details while enabling a multitude of colour-changing scenes for events and seasonal displays. Concealing cables and achieving seamless integration with the structure required careful coordination—but the results are visually impressive and technically robust.
To enhance the user experience throughout the park, Aerie column luminaires were installed along key pathways. Their soft, unobtrusive glow delivers high visual comfort and safety, helping to reduce energy use.
Tetra Tech’s Chris Dunbar, Senior Project Manager, comments: “Working with the Thorn team has been fantastic. We were well looked after from start to finish—not just from Derick Ramsay but also by the technical team behind the scenes and David Harris who supported with the commissioning. They all adapted to some tricky timelines and changes in the programme and still delivered an exceptional result.
I can say, not just from myself but from the immediate community and stakeholders—it’s been exceptionally well received. Local feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The vibrant illumination has given one of Edinburgh’s most recognisable landmarks a whole new lease of life.”
For more information on Thorn’s architectural lighting range, visit www.thornlighting.co.uk
At Russell Play, we’ve spent over 30 years creating spaces that bring people together. Whether you’re planning a new housing development, designing a public realm project, or managing a community space, we help turn ideas into purposeful, inclusive play environments that leave a lasting impression.
Russell Play is one of the UK’s most experienced and approachable commercial playground specialists. Our focus is on creating spaces that are safe, inclusive, challenging, and well-designed — for every age and ability.
We work with a wide range of clients, including house builders, architects, local councils, schools, visitor attractions, and community groups. Whether you need us to lead the full design or support just the play element, our team is set up to work alongside you.
No two sites are alike. Our strength lies in adapting to each one, turning design and budget challenges into practical, well-considered spaces where children and families genuinely want to be.
Your Expert Partners in Play We’re your expert partners in
the design and manufacture of high-quality play environments. With over 30 years of experience collaborating with architects, developers, and public sector clients, we create innovative, purpose-built spaces that integrate seamlessly into the fabric of thoughtfully designed communities.
Our solutions strike a rare balance between aesthetic integrity, technical precision, and genuine user engagement—ensuring the play area complements the bigger picture of your project.
From consultation to concept and planning, we lead the design and documentation process or support you in an advisory role. We offer equipment solutions that meet and exceed statutory requirements and align with your budget, using your existing plans as a foundation.
We manage every aspect of the playground project—from fencing and surfacing to planting and seating. Our dedicated contract managers are involved at every stage, ensuring seamless integration into your build and clear communication throughout.
With hundreds of installations completed nationwide, we deliver every site to the highest safety standards. We’re fully accredited by Constructionline (Silver), CQMS, and SMAS—so you can trust in our compliance and capability.
We arrange independent inspections through trusted thirdparty assessors. Every play area is designed to meet the latest safety standards and installed with exceptional precision and care.
We understand that every sector comes with its own priorities. A landscape architect might be looking for high-spec detailing and custom design input, while a housing developer needs a partner who can keep things simple, compliant, and on time.
Our team is experienced at working with both. We’re able to flex between leading a project from initial consultation through to installation or slotting in as a specialist within a larger team. For visitor attractions, we focus on building memorable, themed spaces that enhance dwell time and guest experience. For councils and community groups, we support funding bids and provide practical, robust solutions that balance longevity with budget.
What’s consistent across all our work is a collaborative approach that listens first and builds second.
Designed for Longevity.
Our core product range is engineered for performance and built to last. We offer the flexibility to deliver tailored solutions for every site, client, and budget. From concept to completion, we work collaboratively to ensure each element aligns with your vision and long-term goals.
Our timber equipment is crafted from naturally grown, sapwoodfree Robinia—Europe’s only Class 1 durable hardwood. Every component is planed and finished with premium stainless steel fixtures. All timber elements meet BS EN 1176 safety and quality standards, offering strength, resilience, and aesthetic warmth.
Our steel range is manufactured in the UK and we welcome visitors into our factory. This equipment is galvanised and powder coated, with options for colour to truly enhance community spaces. Sports and games equipment follow the same precise engineering—down to soundabsorbing rubber buffers to reduce impact and noise.
We back our craftsmanship with some of the longest warranties in the industry—30 years for steel structures and 15 years for timber. These are playgrounds designed for long-term performance and minimal maintenance.
Play spaces don’t just benefit children — they strengthen entire communities. Whether we’re designing for a school, a housing estate, or a public park, our aim is always to create shared spaces that
encourage connection, movement, and joy.
We know from experience that wellused playgrounds reduce anti-social behaviour, increase foot traffic to surrounding businesses, and create focal points for neighbourhoods. The impact goes far beyond the play equipment itself — it’s about what happens around the space once it’s built.
Great play areas don’t just happen. They’re created by people who are invested in what they’re building — and who they’re building it for. That’s what we bring to every project at Russell Play.
Visit Russell-Play.com to explore our product ranges, download technical resources, or connect with one of our design consultants. Let’s bring your vision to life with a play space built for real communities — and real play.
Don’t miss the chance to create a playground that enriches your community and sparks endless joy. For a FREE design consultation, get in touch with our expert sales team:
Russell-Play.com
info@russell-play.com 0131 3355400
Unit 2, Brock House, 6c Dunnet Way, Broxburn, West Lothian, EH52 5NN
Revitalising Community Spaces with a Sustainable Vision
A public play area and open space makes a monumental difference to a community, and in more ways than just play and access to the Great Outdoors. In the UK and particularly Scotland, the weather is both a challenge and a deciding factor when choosing landscape materials, surfaces and substrates. The decision to install ONE-DNA™ Play 100% circular artificial grass from LazyLawn at Innerleithen Park marks a national first, aligning
perfectly with the Scottish Border Council’s eco-conscious goals. The environment, drainage, functionality and visual appeal were important considerations for the councillors in the Borders town of Innerleithen as they discussed the options for the long-awaited revamp of their playground, equipment and its combination with the surrounding landscape.
Designing for Drainage and Durability with Environmental Integrity
The large expanse in question, 1300 square metres in total, spanned beneath existing and newly installed play equipment, including a timber basket swing, multi-play unit with slide, and a trim trail featuring obstacles like balance beams, climbing frames and stepping logs. A barrage of wet conditions and long-term drainage problems had contributed considerably to the deterioration of the play surface over a number of years. The drainage had been a problem for a number of years. Whilst
original plans to overcome this had focused on wetpour, the Council Grounds team reached out to local sports surface and artificial grass specialist Gavin Brown at LazyLawn Scotland to discuss alternatives. An artificial grass play surface has benefits in both drainage and visual greenery – but sustainability? Enter: ONE-DNA™ Play.
ONE-DNA™ PLAY 24: The Credentials
Designed for playgrounds and multi-sport venues with a pile height of 24mm, the ONE-DNA™ Play 24 comprises:
• 100% PE straight yarn fibres;
• Fixation fibres with patented ONE-DNA™ technology
• 100% PE backing, UV stabilised
• EPD Verified as 100% circular
• 15 year life cycle (30 years for the Shockwave panels)
• Full Take-Back Program for endof-life
• A Groundbreaking Choice: The UK’s First 100% Circular Play Surface
Gavin and his LazyLawn and Sportsmaster team have been working with a new product – the
first of its kind in the UK and a game-changer in terms of 100% circularity. ONE-DNA™ Play matched the Council’s sustainability goals, with its single polymer makeup ensuring that it can be fully recycled into other landscaping and premium products at end of life.
As well as its sustainable credentials, the ONE-DNA™ Play would be a more versatile, softer and more visually pleasing surface than the original wetpour option – and better for Council’s budgets, too. LazyLawn are pioneers of 100% circular ONEDNA™ Play, and the Council agreed to join them as pioneers with this the first installation of its kind in the UK.
Gavin explains how the installation unfolds; how the project started, developed and delivered on its promises of recyclability, functionality, versatility, texture and softness… and looks great whatever the weather:
“Introducing ONE-DNA™ into the
discussions meant we opened up a whole new realm of play surfaces – and removed the barrier of recyclability. We’ve been eager to demonstrate the 24mm ONEDNA™ Play in action, and with the installation of its shockwave pad from Nottsport, it would be the first fully recyclable artificial grass system from blade to beneath. We knew we had to work around the existing and new play equipment, which brought its own challenges with fitting, edging and jointing. The area was stripped of topsoil, backfilled with a Type 1 aggregate layer and blended with grano dust. Where the critical fall height was over 2.5 metres, we fitted a double layer of Shockwave panel tiles; all others sufficed a 45mm single layer. The installation of a play-safe fence was secured and all edges of the surface were fixed with 190 linear metres of VertEdge edging, preventing trip hazards and finishing the area cleanly.
We’re accustomed to local weather conditions, but during the installation which was scheduled for completion within 23 days, the temperatures were wildly fluctuating, with regular downpours hampering or completely preventing progress. There was even a day that started -2 degrees and finished at +18! Completing 10 weeks after we arrived on site, it was a real labour of love but one that we were more than excited to deliver, particularly with it heralding the first installation of its kind.”
After completion, the Councillors visited to inspect and approve the new play surface and area. They were absolutely delighted with the results, commending its softer, greener look, blending in with the natural surrounding backdrop of the park itself. They also noted that the open areas beyond the play equipment were also now being used by groups of children and youths, where it had previously been unattractive, unused space.
Carol Cooke, Parks & Environment Manager at Scottish Borders Council
is understandably pleased with the results and said: “We have had a very positive experience working with Gavin and the team on the Innerleithen project; they were very amenable and easy to work with. Gavin explained the design and installation process in easily understood terms and any minor issues during construction were resolved quickly. We are really pleased with the end results, and community feedback has been positive. Scottish Borders Council are delighted to be the first local authority to use the product in a play environment. As well as providing looking great, the fully recyclable surface with 100% circularity of the system provides a sustainable choice and aligns closely with our corporate sustainability goals.”
From day one the general public has had high praise for the installation. Children raced to use it as soon as access was permitted, and many older visitors, dog walkers and those
just passing mentioned that the area had “never been so busy in all their years”. It is a real testament to how the space is now being enjoyed to its fullest potential, and that beyond its life, it can be used and reused in the landscape with a much-reduced environmental impact.
Gavin reflects on new product, its installation and future prospects: “It was a challenging project, working with a new product in volatile, ever-changing temperatures and conditions. But as the project really took shape, our installation team gained confidence and mastery into how best to work with it, and it really impressed us. We’re very confident with its workability, feel, look and circularity potential - it is a very important, game-changing product that will bring about a welcomed revolution for the industry.”
Council Commitment to Greener Futures
Funded as part of Scottish Borders Council’s Capital Programme for Play Areas and Community Outdoor Spaces and supported by Scottish Government funding, the play facility upgrades form part of a £5 million investment to enhance the options and accessibility of play opportunities for current and future communities. One of the most important groups to benefit within the community is the schoolchildren of neighbouring St Ronan’s Primary School, and they gathered in numbers along with
local Councillors and stakeholders at the play area’s grand re-opening on Friday 25th April 2025.
One Material,
With the Innerleithen Play Area as an exemplar of the new product and system, Gavin will use this as a showcase for future projects, both at the Council and across Scotland. A second installation is already planned at a school within the region, and discussions are underway for another five sites
To find out more about LazyLawn products, ONE-DNA™ single polymer artificial grass for 100% circularity and the Play range for your next project, call the LazyLawn team on 0800 023 2343, email info@lazylawn.co.uk or visit www.lazylawn.co.uk
L to R) Stuart Young (SBC), Cllr Robin Tatler, Gavin Brown (LazyLawn Scotland/SportsMasters UK), Jenny Rudkin (SBC), Cllr Marshall Douglas, Cllr Julie Pirone
Groundtel Ltd is a family-run business with a proud reputation for precision, reliability and service. With over 150 schools on its books, the company has become one of the region’s leading grounds maintenance providers.
At the heart of operations is Danny Perkins, Contracts Manager and member of the founding family, who’s helped steer the business into the next generation of efficiency with the help of robotic line marking machines.
“We were already delivering a high standard,” says Danny, “but the TinyLineMarker robots have taken us to a different level. They’ve paid for themselves ten times over.”
Each season, Groundtel’s team prepares a wide range of sports markings across school playing fields. For summer months, this includes 100m, 200m, 300m, and 400m running tracks, complete with relay boxes, rounders and softball pitches, and throwing areas for javelin, discus, and shot putt. In winter, the focus shifts to football pitches, rugby pitches, and training grids, all initially marked and then overmarked throughout the season as required.
The 20-strong grounds team has a significant workload and has a twoperson team dedicated solely to line marking. Historically, that meant traditional pedestrian machines, such as push-along markers, a Fast Liner, and plenty of manual setup.
“That’s a lot of tape measures and string lines,” Danny comments. “It was time-consuming and hard to keep up when schools need everything done quickly and precisely. Once we brought in the TinyLineMarker robot, everything changed.”
Groundtel took delivery of their first TinyLineMarker Pro X in 2021, followed by a second robot 12–18 months later. Both are now integral to operations, running daily from late February to July.
“With the robots and some long hours, we have been known to overmark over 100 schools in 7 to 10 days. Before, it would take about four weeks. However, on average, we run the robots for six to eight hours daily.”
Initial marking has seen the most significant impact, with the robots removing the need for traditional set-out methods. “It’s incredibly accurate,” says Danny. “You just load the template on the tablet, and it remembers exactly where to mark, even if the lines have disappeared after cutting. Schools appreciate that kind of consistency.”
The robots’ size and weight were a major consideration. “I looked at Turf Tank, but it was too heavy. I couldn’t lift it in and out of the van alone.
The Tiny robot is light, compact, and fits easily in the back of a small van, which makes life a lot easier.”
Rough and uneven ground is a common challenge across school fields, particularly in the state sector. “That’s another reason the TinyLineMarker works so well for us. It’s robust and can handle bumpy surfaces where other machines might struggle.”
Groundtel uses IMPACT® Pro paint from Origin Amenity Solutions for both their robotic and two iGO Premier Pedestrian markers. Danny says, “It’s a perfect match.”
“The robot’s set to moderate speed, and the lines are bright, crisp, and clean. And because the paint’s readymixed, there’s no faffing around with water. It saves time and hassle, and we get a consistent finish across every pitch.”
In addition to time and paint efficiency, the robots have helped Groundtel reduce labour demand and improve safety and sustainability, which are key concerns for schools.
“The schools prefer the robots,” Danny says. “They’re small, quiet, and there are no fuel emissions. This ticks a lot of environmental boxes. From a health and safety point of view, especially during the school day, it’s a win.”
Behind the technology is a strong support system, which is something Danny values. “The training was excellent, and the support from Origin Amenity Solutions is brilliant. It’s one thing to buy a product, but having ongoing help makes a huge difference. I can ring Simon or Joe and get an answer immediately without waiting for a call-out, although that’s also available. A quick answer on the phone saves me so much wasted time.”
Origin Amenity Solutions is the sole UK distributor of TinyMobileRobots and one of the leading providers of GPS line marking. The company offers one of the most comprehensive line marking ranges in the UK and Ireland, including pedestrian and ride-on machines, ready-to-use paints, and advanced robotic technology. All paints and machines are manufactured within
the Origin group, ensuring consistent, high-quality performance backed by nationwide support and product expertise.
For Danny and the team at Groundtel, the move to robotic line marking has exceeded every expectation. “We’ve saved time, reduced labour, improved accuracy and consistency. I wouldn’t go back. The robots are a vital part of how we operate now, and they’ve transformed the service we can offer our schools.”
When Adrian Strudwick, owner of Brentwood Tree Surgery, was weighing up whether to hire another employee or invest in a new machine, he made a game-changing decision — and hasn’t looked back since.
The purchase of an Avant 630 compact loader has not only accelerated operations across his tree surgery and firewood businesses, but it’s also unlocked new opportunities, turning the machine into what Adrian now calls “the centre of the firm.”
Adrian’s background is in engineering — he began in aircraft engineering before joining the forces in 1982. After leaving the military, he retrained in arboriculture, eventually gaining a degree in the subject and setting up Brentwood Tree Surgery. Over the years, his business has expanded to include firewood processing, site management, and driveway installation — and the Avant 630 has been instrumental in driving that growth.
The Avant 630 isn’t just a forestry machine for Adrian — it’s a versatile workhorse. Used both on-site and at the yard, the compact loader handles everything from loading trucks and towing trailers to moving
hay bales for horses and feeding timber into kilns.
“We use it for shifting machinery, unloading our Unimog, clearing the yard, moving crates of firewood — you name it,” says Adrian. “It’s sped up production so much. What used to take multiple people and hours of manual labour, we can now do faster, more efficiently, and with less fatigue.”
Its versatility comes from its size, agility, and the vast range of attachments available — Adrian currently uses forks, a loading bucket, a power rake, and a stone burier, with plans to add a stump grinder and flail mower to his kit.
On-site at Barrack Wood, a historic woodland near Warley and Thorndon Country Park, Adrian uses the Avant 630 to manage timber extraction with minimal impact on the environment.
“It’s relatively light on the ground, so you don’t get the damage you would with a 10-tonne forestry vehicle,” he explains. “You can trailer it in and out easily, and you don’t need to leave it on site overnight. It’s so versatile.”
Barrack Wood, steeped in history from the Napoleonic era, is a delicate environment. Adrian’s careful management and the Avant’s low ground pressure make it an ideal combination for sustainable woodland work.
Brentwood Tree Surgery also runs a kiln-dried firewood company — the only one in the area with a wood kiln capable of drying 15 tonnes of timber in just five days.
“All the waste wood is burnt in biomass boilers to fuel the kiln,” says Adrian. “The Avant loads the firewood processor, moves the crates into the kiln, and unloads them when they’re ready. It’s essential to how we work now.”
The high-quality firewood meets DEFRA and Woodsure standards — a key requirement in today’s market — and Adrian credits the Avant 630 for helping maintain this efficiency and quality.
“It ticks so many boxes for a machine of its size. You can do so many different types of work with it – it really is a super tool,” he says. “And the quick-release hydraulics make switching attachments a matter of seconds. No downtime.”
He’s been so impressed with the performance that after three years of ownership, he’s looking to add a second unit — or possibly upgrade and keep the original.
Adrian also praises the support he’s received from Avant’s dealer, Avant South East. “Chris and the team have been fantastic. They’re a family-run firm and really good to work with.”
For Brentwood Tree Surgery, the Avant 630 has become far more than a machine — it’s a business enabler.
“It really is the centre of the firm now,” says Adrian. “The amount of jobs it can do is endless.”
For more information, please visit www.avanttecno.com/uk
Makita is giving away a 4.0Ah BL4040F battery with the purchase of qualifying XGT and Connect-X outdoor power equipment up until 30th September 2025. The ‘tabless cell technology’ battery delivers high-power, longer runtimes, and cooler running making it easy for professionals to get the job done.
The BL4040F is ideal for higher drain tools such as chainsaws, lawn mowers, brush cutters, and more. The tabless lithiumion cells eliminate the bottleneck caused by current concentration, meaning the battery is kept cooler when working (32% cooler compared to the standard 4.0Ah BL4040), increasing battery service life.
The tabless 4.0Ah BL4040F battery also delivers up to 36% longer runtimes due to reduced resistance and more effective energy flow within the battery cell. Additionally, it is 34% more compact and 28% lighter than the BL4050F and features Makita’s digital communication system that connects the tool and battery to actively protect against overload, overdischarge, and overheating.
To qualify for the free XGT 4.0Ah BL4040F battery, end users must purchase any of the selected Makita models from an authorised dealer before 30th September 2025. Simply register the proof of purchase on Makita’s online claim form within 28 days.
To find out more about tabless batteries from Makita and the XGT range,
please visit: www.makitauk.com/ tabless-technology
To find our more on how to claim a free battery, please visit: https://www.makitauk.com/ redemptions
The Retreats Group, which encompasses three of the leading luxury hotels in Wales—Twr y Felin Hotel, Roch Castle, and Penrhiw Priory—has always been dedicated to maintaining immaculate grounds that reflect the beauty of its locations.
For Ollie Davies, the groundskeeper and supervisor for The Retreats Group, maintaining these stunning landscapes has become significantly easier since the purchase of a Etesia Hydro 100 ride-on mower.
“The properties are undulating and steep in places,” says Ollie. “My brother used to help me look after the grounds, and when he left, we decided that instead of employing someone else full-time, we would invest in one of these machines and see how it would benefit me.”
Before the Hydro 100, Ollie managed the extensive lawns using pedestrian mowers—a task that was both time-consuming and physically demanding. “Prior to the Etesia machine, I would cut them all with a pedestrian mower. It was a lot of hard work. This Etesia saves so much time and money. It is a great bit of kit.”
The Etesia Hydro 100 III ride-on mower is designed for professional users who require top-quality mowing and collection performance in all weather conditions. Powered by an 18 HP twin-cylinder Kawasaki
engine, it features a modern hydraulic drive transmission with differential lock, a large 500-litre grass box, and a cutting deck with rear central ejection for efficient grass collection.
Ollie initially considered the Etesia Buffalo ride-on mower, having seen impressive footage of its performance on social media. However, after careful evaluation, he realised that the Buffalo was too large for the more intricate formal gardens within the properties. “We wanted to get a demo of a Buffalo because it looks great, but we figured out it was a bit too big for the formal gardens. We wouldn’t have got it around some of the benches and flower beds.”
Given the uneven terrain of the properties, Ollie decided on the Hydro 100, known for its differential lock and sturdy design. “With the grounds being so uneven, we went for the Hydro 100 because it has a diff lock and it seemed very sturdy.”
Ollie’s decision was reinforced during a particularly wet demo session. “We got one on demo to start with—it was really wet—but these pick up the grass in wet conditions, even when it is long. It worked a treat on our demo; it picked up the grass and didn’t leave a mess, so we were really impressed with it, and we just went from there.”
The Hydro 100’s differential lock has proven invaluable on the steep, slippery slopes of the properties. “It is quite undulating and steep, and especially when it is wet, the diff lock comes in handy. As soon as you start feeling it slip a bit, you just engage the diff lock and it doesn’t leave a mess or wheel spin.”
During the peak growing season, Ollie faces the challenge of keeping up with rapidly growing grass. The
Hydro 100 has made this task much more manageable. “If I was on my own and I only had my walk-behind mower, I would be completely swamped with grass and I would just be chasing my tail all the time. So having the Hydro 100 means I can stay on top of things. I’m no longer physically tired all the time from having to use my little walk-behind mower when I can use this instead.”
Ollie also appreciates the Hydro 100’s ability to cut and collect grass on formal lawns, ensuring that the grounds remain pristine for guests. “We cut and collect on the formal lawns because we don’t want guests to get their shoes clogged with grass and walk it into the castle—it wouldn’t be very popular with the housekeeping staff.”
The ease of adjusting the cutting height is another feature Ollie values. “To change the height of cut, you have something that looks like a handbrake. You just push the thumb button in and set the height using the lever. I tend to use a medium setting because we want to take the top third off the grass to keep it green.”
Ollie has also been impressed by the mower’s reliability, even in lessthan-ideal conditions. “Considering how wet it has been over the past year I have never experienced any form of blocking, even if the grass is long and wet.”
For Ollie Davies and The Retreats Group, the Hydro 100 has proven to be an essential tool in maintaining the high standards of their luxury properties, ensuring that the grounds are always perfectly presented, no matter the conditions.
For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.
STIHL has unveiled its latest addition to the AP System range, the FSA 110 R battery-powered brushcutter, offering professional users a powerful yet lightweight solution for maintaining green spaces, all with the added benefit of quiet, low-vibration performance.
Engineered with landscapers, groundskeepers and facilities maintenance teams in mind, the FSA 110 R combines exceptional cutting performance with impressive ease of use and ergonomic design, making it ideal for tackling everything from grass trimming to tougher clearing tasks, even in noise-sensitive areas.
At the heart of the tool is a highefficiency EC motor that delivers consistent power across two speed settings. ECO mode is designed for lighter work such as edging and clean-up tasks, helping to extend battery run time, while the higher speed setting delivers maximum cutting performance for tougher tasks. Users can also fine-tune the speed within each mode for maximum control and energy efficiency.
Supplied with the STIHL AutoCut C 12-2 mowing head, the FSA 110 R makes line changes quicker and more intuitive thanks to the Advanced EasySpool system. The new mowing line can be inserted from one side and wound with a simple twist of the wear-free rotary knob with no need to dismantle the head.
Additionally, STIHL’s Rapid Click quick-change system allows operators to swap between mowing heads, such as the optional PolyCut 12-2 blade head, at the push of a button, making it faster to adapt to changing conditions on site. Weighing just 3.6 kg (without battery), the brushcutter features a soft-grip, tool-free adjustable loop handle for a secure hold and easy customisation to suit different user heights. An integrated antivibration system further reduces strain on the arms and hands during extended use, ideal for professional applications where productivity and comfort are key.
Power comes from STIHL’s 36 V AP battery system, designed for professional landscaping and maintenance work. STIHL recommends pairing the tool with the AP 200 S battery, which delivers up to 60 minutes of run time with a nylon mowing line and up to 130 minutes with the PolyCut head, while also providing excellent tool balance when inserted into the housing.
Thanks to IPX4-rated splash protection, the FSA 110 R is suitable for use in wet conditions, while its low operating noise makes it compliant for work in residential, urban or public spaces where noise restrictions apply.
With the launch of the Kress KR237E, robotic mowing technology has taken a bold step forward, bringing a professional-grade solution to the world of golf courses and large sports turf fields. This next-generation mower is designed not just to automate turf maintenance but to elevate its quality, efficiency, and consistency.
The KR237E boasts a top mowing speed of 1.0 m/s—significantly faster than typical robotic mowers—allowing it to cover expansive grounds quickly without compromising precision. Its enhanced 110W cutting motor, a 60% increase in power, enables it to slice cleanly through dense, heavy turf, maintaining immaculate playing conditions even in the most demanding areas.
Where this machine truly shines is in its adaptability. With a cutting height range of 10 to 60mm, the KR237E is versatile enough to manage both manicured fairways and tougher roughs with ease. Its improved cutting height adjustment system eliminates jamming issues, ensuring uninterrupted operation and consistent results throughout its run.
What sets the KR237E apart is its all-in-one capability—one machine is powerful and versatile enough to mow an entire golf hole, from fairway to rough, without the need for a separate fairway kit. This reduces the need for multiple machines and streamlines turf maintenance logistics.
The KR237E isn’t just a new mower— it’s a smart investment in efficiency and turf health. For golf course superintendents and sports turf managers, it offers a reliable, highperformance solution that meets the evolving demands of modern groundskeeping. With Kress’s latest innovation, the future of large-scale robotic mowing is not just arriving— it’s already here.
The Kress KR237E robot mower offers a smarter, cleaner way to manage large landscaped areas. With fast, precise cutting (10–60mm) and intelligent RTK navigation that requires no aerials or towers, it delivers a awless nish while preserving the natural look of the environment.
Quiet, emission-free, and able to operate day or night, it helps landscaping teams save time, reduce costs, and work more exibly. The KR237E isn’t just a mower, it’s a low-maintenance, high-ef ciency upgrade for modern grounds care.
Speak to your local grounds maintenance machinery dealer today or learn more at kress.com
