Britain has an unwelcome visitor in the form of the Oak Processionary Moth caterpillars which have taken hold of hundreds of sites in the South East of England, particularly around Central London, Croydon and near Woking. The caterpillars are highly toxic to humans and can trigger asthma attacks, fevers and severe skin rashes with experts now fearing that they could soon spread nationwide. Reports have shown that the caterpillars have been seen in a host of hotspots over the last 12 months, sparking warnings from wildlife experts that the invading species are rapidly spreading throughout Britain with an alarming number of cases of nests being found in the South East of England.

The individual hairs on the caterillars bodies contain toxins called thamentopoein which causes severe skin rashes and in some cases asthma attacks. The caterpillars can also cause eye and throat irritations in some individuals. The Oak Processionary Moths first came to mainland Britain from Europe in 2005 after oak trees that were imported from Holland were infested with the species. Each caterpillar has approximately 63,000 hairs and health experts have warned that you dont even need to be in direct contact with them in order to be affected as the indidivual hairs can be carried on the wind.

The Oak Processionary Moth lays its eggs on Oak trees and when the larvae is ready to leave the cocoon they immediately feed on the leaves of the tree, stripping it back until all thats left is bare branch. The caterpillars nests are a distinctive web of white silk which is around the size of a tennis ball and can average 2-inches long. The Forestry Commission has put out an alert, saying that it is not just humans that are at risk, but also pets and livestock.

Andrew Hoppit from the Forestry Commission said “The first ones were reported on Friday 8 April, 2016 and carefully controlled treatment of affected trees with approved insecticide to kill the caterpillars is under way.”

Home owners could save four days a year by ‘turfing’ out their natural grass in favour of a LazyLawn, according to recent research from the UK’s biggest supplier of artificial grass.

A survey commissioned by LazyLawn has revealed that individuals with a garden spend an average of 1.89 hours per week – adding up to a total of four days every year – maintaining their lawn, which the artificial turf specialist believes could be better spent enjoying time in the garden.

In fact, of the 2,044 British adults questioned in the survey, 44% admitted they would spend more leisure time in the garden with the time they would save if they didn’t have to maintain their lawn.

Andy Driver, marketing director at LazyLawn, commented: “We’re on a mission to help people cut down the amount of time they spend on garden maintenance so they can spend time on the activities they do enjoy.

“We’re surprised people are spending so much time mowing their lawns when they could be enjoying all the benefits of a LazyLawn, which is mess and mud free, quick drying and low maintenance.

“With UK adults working the third longest hours in Europe, we want to help home owners reclaim some leisure time and we’re starting by helping them reclaim four days a year.”

British adults work an average of 42.7 hours a week compared to the EU average of 37.4 hours according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

LazyLawn’s garden survey, which was carried out by ComRes, found that 74% of people would save nearly two hours every week if they did not have to maintain their lawn, while 22% would recoup between two and five hours and 4% would free up between five and 10 hours.

Of those questioned, 1% admitted they dedicate at least 10 hours per week to looking after their lawn through mowing and weeding – that’s three weeks every year that could be spent relaxing in the garden.

When asked what they would do with the time saved, if they did not have to maintain their lawn, 44% said they would spend more leisure time in the garden.

32% would spend time with friend and family, 29% would read, 27% would watch television, 25% would spend time on the internet, 24% would do housework, 18% would go shopping, 8% would play sport and 7% would take part in other activities.

Choosing to spend more leisure time in the garden was the most popular answer in all but one age group, with 58% of over 65s, 46% of 55 to 64-year-olds, 41% of 45 to 54-year-olds, 42% of 35 to 44-year-olds and 39% of 25 to 34-year-olds opting to spend more time outdoors.

Just 22% of 18 to 24-year-olds said they would spend more time in the garden, with the majority (34%) choosing to spend time with friends and family.

Andy added: “As LazyLawn comes in different shades and different styles, from replacing your existing lawn to covering an area of decking, balconies to roof top gardens, there’s a LazyLawn solution for every size and shape of garden.

“Our lawns look and feel authentic thanks to the pioneering patented technology we have developed, giving our products added durability and the ability to bounce back.”

LazyLawn has a number of famous fans, including Amanda Holden and Alan Titchmarsh, and is the preferred artificial grass brand of Selfridges, JD Wetherspoon, Haven and Center Parcs.

Discover how to save four days a year by visiting www.lazylawn.co.uk, following @lazylawn or calling 0800 023 2343.

Wyevale Garden Centres, in partnership with Historic Royal Palaces, was awarded Gold yesterday in the Show Garden category for its garden ‘Gardening Amidst Ruins: a homage to Capability Brown’.

Today garden designer Todd Longstaffe-Gowan and David Mitchell from Wyevale Garden Centres will be presented the Gold Medal for the Best Construction Award by Viscount Cobham, Three Counties president and Sir Nicholas Bacon, Royal Horticultural Society president.

The Best Construction Award is a new category for 2016, with the team behind the garden the first ever recipients of this new and prestigious award at Malvern. The award celebrates outstanding achievement in the construction of the show garden and the team’s expertise in addressing various challenges in turning a blank space into a captivating tribute to Capability Brown with every plant in bloom.

David Mitchell, plant buyer of Wyevale Garden Centres said: “It has been an honour for the first ever show garden that Wyevale Garden Centres has created to be so notably recognised at RHS Malvern Spring Festival. Against the odds we have successfully created a vision that will encourage gardeners at home with all plants on display available at our centres nationwide. We hope that everyone who visits over the next four days comes away feeling inspired however green fingered they are.”

Renowned garden experts and TV presenters, Alan Titchmarsh and Monty Don, also visited the winning garden today. Alan described it as ‘astonishing’ and ‘total perfection in a rustic kind of way’ whilst Monty labelled the garden as ‘imaginative and beautiful, nothing like I’ve ever seen before’.

Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, landscape gardener, commented: “Today wasn’t just a first for Wyevale Garden Centres and Historic Royal Palaces, it was also my first ever show garden. I feel incredibly proud to not only have been part of a winning team, but also to have worked with such determined and creative individuals on this challenging project. We feel that this garden is a deserving tribute to the enduring legacy of Lancelot Capability Brown in his 300^th year.”

Chelsea is fast approaching and for the Harrod Horticultural team it means that plans are in full swing for another show-stopping exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show; and here’s a sneaky peak……

It’s laden with inspirational and elegant structures that are all UK designed and manufactured in house by Harrod Horticultural and endorsed by the RHS too, which help to bring gardens of all styles and size to life.  The stand showcases the finest quality garden arches, pergolas, obelisks and plant supports, in a number of stunning shapes and sizes that are also now offered in a range of colours or finishes to bring alternative accents to the garden.

This is the launch year of the new contemporary arch and pergola, a real hallmark of UK design and manufacturing excellence.  Precision engineered from the finest quality high grade aluminium, it is available in a stylish anthracite grey finish.  It is the ideal destination to relax and enjoy the garden when covered in scented roses, wisteria and other scented ramblers, or to create a stunning walkway to lead from one section of the garden to another.  Also showcasing is the new ellipse arch too, heralded for its profile that results in a flatter arch and looks particularly impactful over wider spans to show off a generous canopy of colour.

In addition there is the launch of our stylish new door canopies that bring visual impact to the entrance of any home; new steel rod trellises that give attractive structure to walls/fences and our NEW striking Driveway Spheres for demarcating spaces.  Whilst for the fruit and veg gardeners, there is the opportunity to see our stunning Decorative Steel Peak Roof Fruit & Vegetable Cage; a wonderful combination of functionality, form and beauty that brings even more exciting diversity to the exhibit.

On the Harrod Horticultural stand you will find so much choice and plenty of different styles and designs to pick from, you may need to pull up a chair and take a seat at one of our new furniture tables with chairs that are being launched at the show; made from heavy gauge steel bases that are zinc plated and powder coated, the tops are hardwood which delivers undeniable quality.

It’s also a place to discover inspiration through our comprehensive made to measure and bespoke product design service – customisation of any Harrod product or the realisation of a product vision.  The team will be on hand to offer advice together with a ‘look book’ portfolio on a visual screen to show all the wonderful one off designs we have done that proves our only limit is your imagination…..

Every year we always promise a new design, product or innovation and this year is no exception to the rule.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival opened its gates yesterday to welcome over 19,000 visitors to the first day of the four-day event at the Three Counties Showground. Top talent from the floral and art world will be celebrating as numerous RHS Gold medals have been awarded.

FLORAL MARQUEE

The RHS Malvern Spring Festival once again welcomes full blooms of the UK’s finest nurseries. As the first major RHS show of the summer season, RHS Malvern’s Floral Marquee is famed for its vibrant and colourful early summer displays, showcasing new and exciting plants and allowing the public to indulge in some horticultural retail therapy too.

Each year RHS Malvern Spring Festival plays host to a wealth of horticultural talent and 2016 is no exception.

Taking home the top title in the Floral Marquee was:

• Best Floral Marquee Exhibit and GOLD Medal Winners, Southfield Nurseries (Stand MFM 769), boasting a fantastic range of very well-flowered, home-grown cacti, many over 30 years old.  Numerous numbers of the cultivars on display have been raised by Southfield Nurseries and was described by the RHS as “a faultless exhibit”. Southfield Nurseries is celebrating its 200^th cultivar at this year’s show, Chamalobivia ‘Lincoln Legend’. It is also well on course to reach 180 RHS Gold Medals this year.

An impressive 36 gold medals have been awarded in the festival iconic Floral Marquee this year, including:

• Pheasant Acre Plants (Stand MFM 715) celebrates the addition of another GOLD Medal to its overflowing collection. This year sees the introduction of a new Tulipa ‘Verde Pink’, a striking tulip with pink and green striations.

• Dibleys Nurseries (Stand MFM 726/727) Husband and wife team Angelika and Gareth Dibley were awarded a GOLD medal for their stunning display including the newly launched Streptocarpus ‘Freya’ along with 25 new varies of Petrocosmea, an unusual plan derived from the Streptocarpus family.

• Brookfield Plants (Stand MFM 708) brings to RHS Malvern six new varieties of Hostas, along with an unusual yellow flowered variety called Hosta ‘Miracle Lemony’.

Highlights of this year’s Festival include:

• The unveiling of Lillium ‘Beatrix’ from H.W. Hyde & Son (Stand MFM 709), an homage to mark the 250^th anniversary of the life and works of Beatrix Potter. Richard Hyde, grower of the new Asiatic variety said that he chose ‘Beatrix’ to name the plant as the children’s classics were a memorable part of his childhood and this particular flower reminded him of Mrs Tiggywinkle’s face peeking out from beneath her bonnet.

• Celebrated nurseryman and multiple RHS gold medal winner Jon Wheatley reveals of Dahlia ‘Regal Lizzy’, just one of five new plants he’s launching at RHS Malvern Spring Festival this year.  Dahlia ‘Regal Lizzy’ commemorates the 90^th Birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.  Bred from the popular Dahlia ‘Magenta Star’, ‘Regal Lizzy’ benefits from an incredibly long and productive flowering period, is a good pollinator and will flower consistently from June to November.

Jon has also created a magnificent display in the Get Going Get Growing arena.  Introducing 3 new varieties of Anigozanthus, the plants act as architectural anchors to the colourful exhibit.

Anigozanthus ‘Bush Pearl’ (lipstick pink), Anigozanthus ‘Bush Tenacity’ (orange and yellow), Anigozanthus ‘Bush Inferno’ (vibrant red) have a compact upright habit that work best in full sun but will tolerate light shade.

BOTANICAL ART

Each year RHS Malvern Spring Festival plays host to some of the best Botanical Artists from around the world and this year is no exception.

Seven artists have created spectacular works with 3 achieving Silver Gilt medals and 4 awarded with Silver.

Jacqui Gilleland (Silver Gilt) travelled across the world from Australia to present her work.  A collection two years in the making, Jacqui’s works of art feature her native Western Australian Flowering Eucalyptus.

FLORAL ART

Wonderful works of art created from flowers and foliage in the Floral Art Exhibition.  This year’s theme is Home and Away.

• Best In Show – Mrs Margaret Thomas
• Best Use of Fresh Foliage – Mrs Ann Horsley
• Best Use of Colour – Mrs Angela Edmonds
• Best Novice – Mrs Angela Edmonds

A new category is introduced this year, Cotswolds Shady Corner.  Winner Mrs Ann Horsley.

This year has also seen a record number of entrants for the two Under 16 categories with the theme, In the Depths of the Sea.

(8-11) 1^st Place – Miss Poppy Cottrell

(12-16) 1^st Place – Miss Abigail Tresidder

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD                                                                                                    .

The popular People’s Choice Award offers visitors the chance to vote for their personal favourite to be crowned. Members of the public can vote for their favourite Show Garden and favorite Festival Garden on Thursday and Friday online at www.rhs.org.uk/malvernpeopleschoice. Voting is now open and the winners will be announced on Friday 6^th May at 4pm.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival kicks off the Royal Horticultural Society summer show season and welcomes the Godfather of Gardening Alan Titchmarsh and National Treasure Mary Berry to headline. The landmark food and gardening festival opened its gates on Thursday 5^th May and continues until Sunday 8^th May 2016. Tickets will be available on the gate from £21. For more information, please call 01684 584900 or visit www.rhsmalvern.co.uk

Sir Ian McKellen, one of the UK’s most respected actors, will open Blenheim Palace Flower Show 2016. The popular show is being staged from June 17-19 in the grounds of the magnificent country house which is home to the 12^th Duke of Marlborough.

Sir Ian, who has gained over 60 awards for acting and who was awarded the Companion of Honour by the Queen in 2007 for ‘services to drama and equality’, said: “I am really looking forward to visiting Blenheim Palace on Friday 17 June. It is 300 years since the birth of Capability Brown. It will be intriguing to see how he transformed the Palace’s parkland and how it looks today.”

A record number of floral and garden exhibitors are taking part this year which marks the fourth edition of the Blenheim Palace Flower Show at the World Heritage Site in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, which was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

Show director Matthew Upson, managing director of Aztec Events, said:  “Blenheim Palace Flower Show has really established itself as one of the great summer occasions and there couldn’t be a finer setting for a flower show than the beautiful landscape of Blenheim Palace.”

Upson says the show which was launched in 2013 is hugely popular, attracting tens of thousands of visitors of all ages and appealing to both experienced and novice gardeners.

At the heart of the show will be a 20,000 square foot Grand Floral Pavilion featuring more than 30 floral displays and a large selection of flowers and plants from the UK’s finest plantsman.

The show will be also feature a selection of inspiring Show Gardens designed by some of the UK’s leading garden designers including a garden for the Blackbird Trust created by students. Visitors can also browse and purchase the latest products from hundreds of floral and garden exhibitors, or sample and purchase foods and nibbles in the food marquee.

For more information or to book discounted advance tickets to the Blenheim Palace Flower Show, visit: www.blenheimflowershow.co.uk. Advanced tickets are priced from £12 for adults and £5.50 for children at the gate. Concessions and family tickets are also available.

In the UK, a new Doosan DX300SLR-5 crawler excavator that was part of a fleet of machines hired from Fraserburgh-based David Smith Contractors Ltd has played a vital role in helping to save the historic Abergeldie Castle following huge storms in Scotland.

Set right beside the River Dee, Abergeldie Castle, an A-listed 16th-century tower house, teetered on the brink of collapse when unprecedented heavy rainfall caused the river to burst its banks, sweeping away around 20 m of the banking and leaving the historic building in a precarious position.

Supplied by Balgownie Ltd, based at Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, the local Authorised Doosan and Bobcat dealer, the long-reach capability of the DX300SLR-5 excavator was pivotal in shoring up the banks of the river and saving the castle, before work was immediately commenced to further repair and strengthen the river bank to ensure the future survival of the property.

David Smith, managing director of David Smith Contractors, said: “We were pleased to be of help in the works to save Abergeldie Castle.  As soon as it was delivered by Balgownie, the new Doosan machine was off to site to work on the river bank next to the castle.  Long-reach excavators like the Doosan DX300SLR-5 model are a speciality of ours and are popular in Scotland.”

Having secured £100,000 funding and with support from Aberdeenshire Council, teams worked tirelessly through the night for five days to build up the banks by the castle using tonnes of rocks to effectively prop the castle up and prevent further erosion of the banks. Thankfully, the castle is now no longer deemed at risk.

The new Stage IV compliant Doosan DX300SLR-5 was deployed to place hundreds of tonnes of stone along the river bank adjacent to the castle to reclaim the river bank.  The placing of the stone was then followed by a large rock armour which should go some way to securing the future of this historic building.  With a large enough working platform in front of the building, underpinning works are to be carried out to further strengthen the foundations.

As well as the full range of Doosan crawler and wheeled excavator models, Balgownie is responsible for sales and servicing of the Doosan wheel loader and articulated dump truck ranges in Aberdeenshire, Morayshire, Angus and for much of the Highlands.  The company is also the Authorised Bobcat dealer for the same areas.

Balgownie Ltd started trading as an engineering company in 1907 in sheet metal work and tank manufacturing, supplying to shipyards, farmers and the food industry before diversifying into the manufacture and supply of dairy equipment.  Today, Balgownie is one of the leading specialists in Construction, Tractor, Trailer, Agriculture and Groundcare Machinery sales in Scotland.

For more information about Doosan construction equipment, visit www.doosanequipment.eu

Marshalls, the UK’s leading supplier of hard landscaping products, has signed its 383 road transport assets up to Michelin solutions’ EFFITIRES™ tyre management programme.

The price-per-kilometre deal covers 100 per cent of the company’s mixed fleet of 173 DAF, MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Renault and Volvo tractor units and rigid trucks, plus 210 crane-equipped SDC Trailers.

Marshalls’ regional logistics and fleet manager Guy Ripley says: “Michelin has been Marshalls’ preferred tyre supplier for many years, and by ‘embedding’ Michelin solutions within our fleet, through the EFFITIRES™ programme, we’ve gained even greater control over our tyre budget.

“We’re especially pleased with the tyre usage and fleet activity reports the programme generates, as we find being able to see the hard data incredibly useful,” Ripley adds; referring to the regular reporting and feedback supplied by Michelin solutions’ team of managers, auditors and technicians.

The company’s fleet operates from 12 depots around the UK, and will continue to fit Michelin X MultiWay 3D XDE drive and XZE all-position tyres – the manufacturer’s latest generation regional tread pattern, which offers excellent mileage performance and fuel efficiency.

Marshalls’ trailers benefit from Michelin’s robust X Multi T tyres, and staff from service provider ATS Euromaster will continue to fit all replacement tyres across the company’s fleet under the contract.

“The main reason we’ve remained a loyal Michelin customer relates directly to the tyres’ sheer durability, which means less tyre-related downtime across the fleet, and fewer wheel interventions,” adds Ripley.

“The nature of our work requires tyres that can handle both motorway driving and off-road tracks, as our trucks and trailers deliver to civil engineering and private building sites around the country – and that’s where Michelin’s tyres come in.

“Plus, as our cargoes are almost always very heavy, consisting of concrete and natural stone goods, we need fitments that can take the weight and still perform. No problem there, either,” Ripley says.

As well as the regular fleet activity reporting, Michelin solutions will also carry out fleet‐wide tyre safety inspections under the contract, and develop, implement and maintain a shared action plan to ensure harmonised operations – cutting complexity and red tape while ensuring safety, regulatory compliance and peace of mind.

With a history stretching back to 1890, Marshalls’ experience in the field of hard landscaping products features work on famous historical installations such as Trafalgar Square, as well as modern construction projects including London’s Olympic Park and Crossrail programme. The company also supplies local authorities, commercial architects, specifiers, contractors and housebuilders, and claims to operate the largest fleet of 44-tonne crane-offload commercial vehicles in the UK.

British Flowers Week, the annual celebration of the British cut flower industry and the independent florist, returns in June for a fourth successive year with British cut flowers in city centres, stately homes, gardening shows, flower farm open days and floristry workshops.

#BritishFlowersWeek is set to be trending once again as images of British cut flowers, bouquets and spectacular designs from the Flower Market Photoshoot flood the web.

“British Flowers Week has become an exciting showcase for all that is truly brilliant about British flower growers and the independent British florist,” said Helen Evans of New Covent Garden Flower Market, the driving force behind the British Flowers Week campaign. “In the hands of professionals, British flowers and foliages are revealed at their inspirational best.”

It is no coincidence that British Flowers Week is held in the middle of June, just as the summer flowering season starts for flower farmers across the UK, when florists and the public alike can select from the best of British-grown sweet peas, peonies, lupins, alliums, delphiniums, snapdragons, flowering foliages, garden roses, garden pinks, cornflowers, lisianthus, stocks, sweet Williams, larkspur and countless more besides.

The British cut flowers movement is gaining momentum: during British Flowers Week 2015 wholesalers notice a marked sales peak in line with Mothering Sunday levels. The number of grower members of Flowers from the Farm (the network of artisan cut flower growers) is nearing 250, whilst DEFRA figures show an increase of 16% in land allocated to outdoor cut flower production in 2015 on the previous year.

British Flowers Week Events programme 2016

Here is a taster of the activities during British Flowers Week. For the full events listing visit www.britishflowersweek.com

Green & Gorgeous Pop Up Nursery Day, Oxfordshire (15 June): Meet specialist nurseries to sell seeds, roses, dahlias and perennial varieties recommended for cutting; visit the Green & Gorgeous cutting beds; watch floristry demonstrations and pick your own sweet peas. £5 admission.
Flowers from the Farm at BBC Gardener’s World LIVE: (16-19 June): Artisan cut flower growers from the Flowers from the Farm network will be exhibiting at the NEC, giving talks on growing cut flowers, and leaving a trail of lonely bouquets for visitors to find. Show entry tickets apply.

Flower Crown Portrait Day at the Electric Daily Flower Farm, Bath (18 June): Make your very personal crown using flowers grown at Electric Daisy Flower Farm and then have your portrait taken wearing your creation. £120.

Summer Workshop with Miranda Hackett Flowers and 3-course lunch at The Hinds Head, Bray: Using flowers and foliage sourced from local growers, celebrate British Flowers Week by learning and practising how to make a hand-tied bouquet before enjoying a three course lunch at Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred restaurant. £85.

Floral demonstrations by Jonathan Moseley, Derbyshire & Yorkshire (14 & 18 June): The expert floral demonstrator and teacher – and Big Allotment Challenge judge – explores British flowers and floral design in two wonderful workshops. £35.

The Flower Union Introduction to sourcing, care and arrangement of British flowers, Buckinghamshire (13 June): A deliciously personal introduction to the world of British artisan cut flowers, with visits to growing patches, a floral lunch, a hands-on workshop and flowers to take home. £125.

Open Garden at Coombe Blooms, Dorset (17, 18, 19 June): Enjoy a walk through the beautiful cutting gardens, filled with distinctive natural scents of fresh flowers free from chemicals, and a daily floral demonstration. Free entry.

The Flower Market Photoshoot (13-17 June) ONLINE ONLY: Watch as the creative, inspirational floral designs commissioned from five leading London florists are revealed online over the course of the week.

Smiths’ Gabion stone is primarily used to fill gabion baskets for ground stabilisation. For example the retaining walls of terraces or the stabilisation of river banks, the embankments and bridge abutments.

However, the way these simple stone products are being used is changing.

The gabion stone is a crushed Cotswold limestone with its typical Cotswold hues – warm creams and honey appearance – which offers landscape designers a softer more natural appearance to any large engineering project where the stone is left exposed. Equally it can be used to enhance any smaller landscape/garden project.

With the ability to supply a mixture of sizes in both stone and basket it has opened up a whole new creative use for this product. Landscape and garden designers are using these ‘architectural’ features in their new concepts.

Other designs where Smith’s gabion stone has been used is when incorporating other ‘objects’ which may suit the surrounding environment – such as recycled coloured bottles. The simplest of ideas are usually the ones that work best.

Another possibility is to just face the basket with the Cotswold gabion stone and fill the remainder with a less expensive alternative.

Let the creative mind wander. A simple cotswold stone can be an industrial necessity or a piece of modern art – your choice.

For full details of all Smiths’ products, services and the free sample option

Telephone: 01869 331281, email sales@smithsbletchington.co.uk or visit www.smithsbletchington.co.uk

The first CEO of the new National Land Based College (NLBC) has been announced. Leigh Morris started his role back in April, with the NLBC set to officially launch today at the House of Lords.

Talking about the new college, Leigh said: “The NLBC comes out of a drive from the industry and from existing land based colleges to improve the offer of training in schools within the land based sector. The key aim for the NLBC is to be almost the middle ground between existing colleges and the industry.”

This will be achieved through what Leigh has termed “blended learning”, a combination of online content and work experience. It will also have an input into the teaching programmes in colleges. Leigh says: “City & Guilds, the leading provider of land based programmes, will be supporting the NLBC and we will now steer and validate the City & Guild’s qualifications.” The college has also received support from Landex, the current membership body for existing colleges and universities.

The NLBC will be looking for a new board of directors from November, with only a set up board of 21 directors currently.

Leigh has a long career in horticulture and land based education, including managing education and learning at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and being president of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture in 2012 for two years.

Living Landscapes is the sponsor and contractor of The Perennial Giving Garden in the Water Gardens category, designed by Frederic Whyte and Darran Jaques. The aim of this garden is to raise awareness of the only trade charity dedicated to helping all horticulturists in need – Perennial – and to highlight the importance of gifts in wills.

The contemporary water garden is a stylish, urban space for a philanthropic professional couple that wants to leave their garden as a lasting legacy. The design fits their imagined brief for an outdoor living area that brings amusement and can also be used for entertaining.

A lush, eclectic planting palette complements the formal vistas and axes, teamed with elegant, streamlined hard landscaping. Water plays an important role: As well as a sunken lily pond, the garden features an inviting natural plunge pool, the perfect spot for a relaxing dip on a summer’s day. Inspired by 18th-century plunge pools, which were often situated in woodland glades, it is semi-shaded by an abundance of planting. Featuring bio-filtration technology supplied by Clear Water Revival, the water inside it is so pure it’s drinkable.

The hallmarks of deluxe living are everywhere. Harrod Horticultural provides a stunning metalwork pergola, which is decked out with furnishings from luxury garden furniture specialist Gavin Jones. Stunning paving and wall tiles, kindly supplied by London Stone, are integral to the ambience of tasteful lavishness and total comfort.

Perennial’s influence is evident in various design elements such as the Arts and Crafts style sunken lily pond, reminiscent of York Gate Garden near Leeds, and the plunge pool, immersed in greenery, evoking the secluded beauty of Fullers Mill Garden in Suffolk.

For Frederic, a show garden is a chance to support worthy causes. Having previously worked with The Bounce Back Foundation and Amnesty International, he says: “The huge effort and team work involved in creating this garden is a testament to the vast reservoir of expertise in the horticultural sector, and justified by their collective support of Perennial.”

Designer Darran Jaques has been a stalwart fundraiser for Perennial for a number of years as a member of the infamous Grubby Gardeners.

The creation of the Perennial Giving Garden brings together a collective of supporters and suppliers including Living Landscapes as sponsor and contractor, London Stone, Harrod Horticultural, Clear Water Revival, Glendale Horticulture and other small specialist nurseries.

Living Landscapes is also teaming up with designer Lunaria Landscapes as sponsor and contractor of this multi-layered, experiential space, All the World’s a Stage, which takes centre stage in the show gardens category.

In the year that marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, the ‘All the World’s a Stage’ garden celebrates his remarkable literary talent. As Hampton Court Palace and Shakespeare share a rich history, it’s apt to do so at the Palace’s admired flower show.

Shakespeare’s ‘Seven Ages of Man’ is transformed into a garden where the visitor is the actor. With a clearly defined stepped entrance and exit, show-goers are invited to play their part upon the stage, interacting with seven ‘Pools of Reflection’, which they encounter as they are directed one-way around the garden.

Life’s changing circumstance is symbolised by the planting mirrored within the pools. This transforms in colour, texture and density – from abundant greens and pure whites at the entrance to the garden, to desolate golds and deep purples at its exit.

Visitors can gaze into the basins and reflect upon their own life journey. At first, they descend into the ‘lushness of youth’, enveloped by gunnera and ferns; then they move towards the ‘barrenscape of death’ characterised by dry grasses and sinister aeonium.

The oval garden features a ‘sunken stage’ enclosed by seating terraces. Multi-stemmed trees around its perimeter provide shade, while blurring the garden’s boundaries. This strengthens its bond with Hampton Court Palace and its connection with Shakespeare.

The staged seating, for an audience of up to 50 people, gives visitors the chance to experience the garden from another perspective. They can sit down to enjoy live dramatic performances in the garden during the show, adding to the dynamism and experiential qualities of this garden.

Exceptional mowing performance, versatility and strong construction combine in the new 900 Series range from Cub Cadet. With incredibly responsive handling, an advanced cutting system and the comfort and durability that Cub Cadet is known for, the 900 Series delivers across the range.

This is a versatile range of tractors suitable for all applications that can be adapted as and when required to meet those tasks. The machines have the ability to cover large areas quickly and comfortably thanks to the luxurious high back seat and rubber mounted foot pedals.

The advanced cutting system has a wide discharge chute and deep cutting deck to provide optimal grass lift and mulching capabilities, whilst the 12 position deck height adjustment option lets you select the perfect cutting height to deliver optimum cutting results.

The 900 Series range consists of six new ride on tractors, four with rear collection, and two with side discharge, which are available on special order. With Briggs and Stratton Intek engines with 500cm3 single 9.4kW / 2,800 min-1 of power, these tractors pack a real punch, and the RevTEK technology even means that mowing in reverse is possible.

Each model comes with an ultra-tight turning radius of just 40cm which makes for remarkable manoeuvrability. To avoid damage to turf on these tight turns, anti-scalping deck wheels are fitted as standard. The machines are all constructed from fully welded and powder coated steel frames making them extremely strong and robust.

The rear discharge models come with either a 36”/92cm or a 41”/105cm cutting deck, with each size available with Autodrive™ or hydrostatic transmission options. They benefit from having a cruise control option, which means that a cruise speed can be set when mowing ensuring consistency, even when covering large expanses of land.

The machines have a 3-in-1 option, meaning that cuttings can be bagged in the 280 litre grass bags, or the mulch plug / deflector can utilised, further adding to the versatility of the range.

With the option to cut from 20mm – 120mm, and a wash nozzle as standard, these mowers can be kept as beautiful as your lawn.

The two side discharge models come in 38” and 42” cutting deck options. As with the rear discharge models, they have an easy entry, step through frame which allows the user to mount and dismount the tractor with ease. The cast iron front axle provides strength and durability. These models also have a 3-in-1 option, with grass bags available for purchase separately if desired, offering even more versatility.

With cutting heights from 30mm – 90mm, the tractors are perfect for a wide range of lawns.

The Cub Cadet 900 Series is as versatile as it is durable, and is a great example of what fantastic results can be achieved when strength meets performance.

Writtle College is celebrating having been awarded University College status and will now be changing its name to ‘Writtle University College’ from August.

Established in 1893 and located just outside the city of Chelmsford, Writtle has a long history of providing education related to the land, environment, animals, design and sport.

This is the second milestone achievement in the space of a year for Writtle, who were granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers in March 2015 and means Writtle are able to provide their own degree courses from September 2017, instead of University of Essex validated degrees.

Dr Stephen Waite, who has been Principal of Writtle since 2013, said: “This is a magnificent achievement and I am absolutely delighted with the outcome. Not only for ourselves, but also for the city of Chelmsford and the county of Essex as it will further enhance the profile of education within the region.”

“It represents the successful culmination of a long arduous process that has involved the efforts of many colleagues. This recognition reflects our ambition as a high-quality provider of Further and Higher Education.”

“We received a ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted in our most recent inspection and now have ‘University College’ status, which reflects the quality of opportunities available to students who are considering studying with us.”

“We are proud to offer a unique learning experience for our students and have invested in facilities to ensure we provide courses that are relevant to a modern and changing world. The demand for and importance of skilled graduates within the sector is continually on the rise and this is closely linked to current topics such as the population growth, the pressures of feeding of our planet and ensuring it has a sustainable future. That is one of the key messages we aim to promote to students and their parents.”

“We already have a fantastic track record of producing high-profile and award-winning alumni who go on to achieve great things in their chosen industry. I am very excited about the future for Writtle.”

Chair of Governors, Julia Smith, added: “As Chair of the Board of Governors and on their behalf, we are extremely proud of this achievement for Writtle and this is a credit to the efforts of all the staff, very ably led by Dr Waite.

Today is a milestone in our history and our new title and status reflects our direction of travel, being the culmination of quite a journey over recent years.  I would also like to congratulate and thank all of our colleagues, staff and fellow Governors on this fantastic achievement.  Writtle has a very bright future.”

Writtle, who has enjoyed a partnership with the University of Essex for a number of years, will have its final intake of students for degrees validated by the University of Essex this September.

With spring upon us, London Bridge’s Fresh Air Square is blooming. Designed by WMB Studio, the bold temporary seating and planting occupies two parking spaces on busy Tooley Street. As well as providing a pleasant spot to linger, part of its function is also to monitor nitrogen dioxide levels in an attempt to help improve air quality in the area.

It’s an initiative by Team London Bridge, the result of an open comptetition held last year, and funded by the TfL Future Streets incubator fund. The idea is to highlight the problem of traffic-related air pollution in the capital.

Nicknamed the Parked Bench, the planted seating will be on Tooley Street until November 2016 at least, and is due to be joined this summer by two or three more parklets in yet-to-be-confirmed locations.

Former deputy mayor Isabel Dedring said: “80 per cent of all public space in London is on our roads. Roads are crucial for moving Londoners around, and carry upwards of 20 million people a day. But they are also part of our neighbourhoods. Disused or underused parts of the road network can play a part – as in this brilliant scheme – in creating new public spaces and nicer neighbourhoods, without compromising wider movement on the roads. We would love to see more schemes like this across London.”

Information on other green spaces in the London Bridge area – including community gardens and green walls – is available here

See live air-quality readings direct from the bench on the Team London Bridge website

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Marshalls, one of the UK’s top garden transformation companies, invites you to visit it at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, stand FR326.

For over a century, Marshalls has been helping homeowners to achieve their dream outside space. The company offers the UK’s finest quality and most extensive range of patio and driveway products; including a wide range of stunning natural stone paving, walling and block paving options to suit any style of home.

Marshalls proudly leads the landscaping industry in the ethical sourcing of natural stone products from India.  For nearly a decade the company has been working on the ground to improve the lives of Indian quarry workers and to raise awareness of the issue of child labour in this sector.

At this year’s RHS Chelsea, Marshalls will be showcasing a range of its products at its stand located by the Fresh area, as well as offering advice and inspiration for how these products can be used to transform a space from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

Marshalls’ experts will also be offering advice on how to avoid cowboy builders.  The Marshalls Register of Accredited Landscapers & Driveway Installers is a national network of independent professional installers. They are not employed by Marshalls, but are strictly vetted and monitored by the company to assess their levels of competence and performance.

The Marshalls stand includes a stunning garden area designed by RHS award winning designer Angie Turner.  The garden design is inspired by the promotion of health and wellbeing through our outdoor spaces, and includes; two water features, creating a peaceful and relaxing ambience, and two Pomegranate trees promoting the benefits of growing fresh food at home. Angie will be at the Marshalls stand on Tuesday 24 May to answer any questions about the design.

Marshalls’ Group marketing director, Chris Harrop, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be at this year’s RHS Chelsea.  Our stand is all about offering visitors the inspiration and information they need to transform their front and back gardens.

“We’re showcasing products which are really on trend for 2016 as well as a range of classics and also some new material types, so there really is something for everyone.

“We understand that choosing a tradesman can be a stressful experience, so as well as inspiration we want to offer homeowners reassurance by being able to recommend installers from the Marshalls Register.  We recently undertook research which told us that 99.7% of our end customers who have used a Register member would recommend them to other homeowners, so by choosing a Marshalls Register member you know you’re choosing the best in the business.”

Pro Landscaper is excited to announce a new partnership with B2B Quote, a business to business tenders website specialising in low value public and private sector tenders, and high value OJEU (European public sector) tenders.

The website covers all areas of industry and Pro Landscaper has set up this new collaboration to enable the delivery of landscape industry related tender information.

It’s easy to use, simply click on the TENDERS tab at the top of the home page on the Pro Landscaper website (www.prolandscapermagazine.com).

You will then arrive on the page where relevant tenders are listed, with the value and deadline date stated.  Here you can hover over and click on the ones that are of interest.  You will have to sign up for this FREE service before receiving all further information, but having done this you will get regular email alerts about the specific areas in which you have expressed an interest.

It is hoped this service will provide a further platform for companies to find out about and win work in the landscape sector.

www.prolandscapermagazine.com

Plantscape, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of floral features, has been chosen to supply planters to the Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil, which is funded by 250 local business to help deliver a vibrant and successful town centre.

Comprising of 110 hanging baskets and six floor-standing four-tier planters, which create a six-foot tall column of flowers, the planters will be installed at the entrances to the town next month, in time for a summer programme of events which includes the Merthyr Food Festival, Merthyr By The Sea and the Awesome Merthyr Chilli Festival, which will showcase products derived from the fiery pepper and will take place in early June.

This year’s investment follows a survey of BID members which found that 80% of them believe that flower displays had improved the appearance of the town.

Currently being grown at Plantscape’s headquarters in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, the flowers in this year’s display include zonal geraniums, begonia and surfinia and the planters will be in place until the end of September.

The Big Heart of Merthyr was set up in 2012 and has invested in a floral display every year. This is the first time it has received a display from Plantscape, which will also maintain and water the displays throughout the season.

Antonia Pompa, BID co-ordinator for the Big Heart of Merthyr, said: “We have decorated the gateways to the town for the past few years to welcome our local audience and visitors from further afield and they have looked very effective in the past.

“We are a relatively new BID and one of the first things we did after we were formed was to invest in floral displays, as well as improving the cleanliness of the town, and the survey results show that the traders appreciate the effect that the flowers have.

“We have a lot of events on this year and the displays will form many visitors’ first impression so we are looking forward to seeing what the flowers look like.”

Mark Stone, managing director of Plantscape, said: “The Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil is a new customer for 2016 and we are very much looking forward to showing them what our displays are all about.

“Their chosen colour scheme of purples and pinks is quite unusual but the planters are growing well in our glasshouses and showing signs that the display will be extremely eye-catching and will create a great first impression of the town for visitors and shoppers alike.”

For more information visit www.plantscapeuk.com

Have you dreamed of being a garden designer? Or creating a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show? These dreams will become reality for the winner of this year’s The English Garden Future Fund bursary, in association with Inchbald

In partnership with the world-famous Inchbald School of Design, the winner of our Future Fund bursary will be given the chance to study garden design, with course fees paid. As part of this amazing year, the winner will help build a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show 2017 and take part in a work experience placement at a garden design practice.

How To Enter

Design a roof garden for an apartment overlooking the Thames. It belongs to a young professional couple who want an outdoor space that is easy to maintain, looks good all year round and adds value to their property. The garden measures 4.5m wide by 8.5m in length. It is accessed by sliding doors that run its entire width and has a 1.5m high glass barrier to enclose it.

It has a water and electricity supply and is designed to bear substantial weight.

THE DETAILS

Design an urban roof garden to meet the brief above. You should produce a drawing on A3 paper with colouring where appropriate. Make a copy of your drawing before submission.
Provide a 100-word supporting document explaining the design.
Include a 200-word personal statement explaining why you would be a worthy winner of the Future Fund 2016.
Closing date of 19 June 2016.The winner will be announced on 14 September 2016.
THE PRIZE

A £6,680 bursary to study the Online Diploma in Principles and Practices of Garden Design at Inchbald.
The chance to help with the build of a show garden at Chelsea 2017
Take part in a work experience placement and gain unparalleled access to the garden design world.
One week’s work experience at the new Janine Pattison Garden Design studio in Poole, Dorset
Easy entry below:

For all terms and conditions please click here

Green-tech has announced that it has strengthened its team once more. Four new faces join the team at their newly built premises at Rabbit Hill Business Park in North Yorkshire.

The new recruits take Green-tech’s headcount to 63 and include Sharon Finlayson who will be supporting the accounts department as finance assistant, Mandy Shires who joins the reception team and Josh Forster and James McNeil who join as technical sales advisors.

The number of product lines it offers and stock holding capabilities make Green-tech one of the largest landscape suppliers in the UK. Its dedication to customer care, fast delivery and competitive prices are all part of the reason Green-tech is so hugely popular with its increasing customer base.

The positions have all been created to meet demand as Green-tech continues to thrive. In continued tough economic conditions Greentech has shown year on year growth and has taken away several prestigious awards including APL Manufacturer Supplier of the Year and Best Rural Business.

Green-tech’s workforce will continue to increase as the company has further plans to recruit as it strives to meet its ambitious growth plans of doubling turnover over the next five years.

Founder and chairman, Richard Kay explains “We deliver what we say and people like that. It is part of the reason they come back to us time and time again and why we continue to be successful. We continually invest in our staff, continually look at new innovative products or ways to improve existing products; look at new markets and opportunities – we literally never stop. Green-tech is a fantastic business to be involved in – we work hard but hard work pays off and we have a lot of fun while we’re at it.”

If you have a ‘can do’ mentality, are driven to succeed and think you have something special to offer you should email your CV and salary aspirations to careers@green-tech.co.uk