Nina Mason
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South West to benefit from latest rewilding cash injection
More than £120k has been awarded across 10 rewilding projects across Britain to boost their efforts to combat the nature and climate crises through rewilding. Several of the successful projects are based in the South West. National charity Rewilding Britain has awarded up to £15k to 10 projects in the latest round of its Rewilding Innovation Fund. The biannual fund supports innovative approaches to rewilding land and sea. Sara King, rewilding manager for Rewilding Britain, says: “The recent UN climate report was crystal clear: we need swift and drastic action to avert the nature and climate crises, and rewilding is a…
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First ‘International Interior Landscaper Day’ launches
Association plants@work has launched a new initiative to celebrate interior landscaping professionals. In cooperation with American and Australian partners, the International Interior Landscaper Day takes place today, 19 April, and on the third Wednesday in April each year going forward. “Feeling appreciated and valued can uplift moods, affect our performance and make us feel more connected to our work, and bring out the very best in us,” says plants@work. “Knowing that others value what we do can encourage us to improve our performance even more. According to the Gallup Institute, both meaningful public and private recognition are bigger motivational perks than…
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Tubex expands tree shelter and recycling network
Tubex has announced a major expansion of its Tree Shelter Collection and Recycling Programme as a “convenient way” for customers to handle the products “responsibly” at end of life. The tree shelter specialist is providing hubs around the UK where tree shelters can be dropped off to be recycled. Tubex will be covering the costs to ensure the service is free of charge. This includes bailing, washing, recycling and re-pelletizing the material so that it can be used to create more shelters. All types of tree shelters will accepted, providing they are made from Polypropylene. The scheme is a joint…
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Joe Perkins wins top accolade at Shenzhen Flower Show
Garden designer Joe Perkins has been honoured with the Award for Horticultural Excellence at this year’s Shenzhen Flower Show. Perkins’ Shenzhen City Garden – Community of Life focuses on the mangrove forest habitat surrounding Shenzhen and the city itself, which was once a fishing village and is now a modern port. Whilst highlighting the significance of the city’s coastal location, the garden also showcases the commitment to environmental progression and ecological development. Perkins adds this latest accolade to a growing list of show garden achievements, having been awarded a Gold medal and Best in Category for his first garden at…
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Renowned garden designer to appear on new Sky series
Alistair Baldwin will be showcasing “Scotland’s most famous renaissance garden” in a new series on Sky. The garden design and founder of the Yorkshire School of Garden Design will be appearing in episode six of The Art of the Garden, discussing the garden at Kinross House in Scotland. The gardens of the 300-year-old estate sit between the house and landscape on the banks of Loch Leven. Originally created by architect Sir William Bruce, who purchased the estate in the 1600s, the gardens have been restored and inspired by Bruce’s masterplan. Over six episodes, The Art of Garden Design series will…
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PC Landscapes appoints new associate designer to lead expansion
Noemi Mercurelli has joined PC Landscapes as an associate designer to head up the expansion of its design branch. Mercurelli will also be supporting PC Landscapes in its ambitions to be carbon neutral. The Surrey-based design and build company already has a strong focus on sustainability and Noemi will be applying her passion for the environment and biodiversity to supporting this goal. One of Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation winners in 2016, Mercurelli joins PC Landscapes from a large multi-disciplinary practice. She had worked at PC Landscapes previously for three years, up until 2021. “The business…
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Time to get serious about measuring biodiversity in urban landscapes
The decline of nature is continuing apace, with the UK in a particularly worrying condition, having just 53% of its biodiversity left, according to research by the Natural History Museum. Significantly below the global average of 75%, the need to boost biodiversity across both built and natural environments is a national imperative. It is to this backdrop that the government’s Biodiversity Net Gain policy will be rolled out this November, which will require all housing, industrial or commercial developments in England to boost biodiversity by 10% in order to receive planning permission. It’s a first step towards a more nature-inclusive,…
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Climate resilient gardens to dominate Hampton Court
Gardens focused on water usage will take centre stage at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in July amidst yet another summer of heatwaves. The return of the El Niño climate phenomenon this year means scientists are expecting temperatures to exceed 1.5C of warming. Drought tolerant planting schemes and landscaping techniques for managing water use will feature in this year’s designs at Hampton Court, taking place from 4-9 July. They will demonstrate how gardeners can adapt their planting and landscaping practices to help make their own green spaces more climate resilient. The Wildlife Trusts: Renters’ Retreat garden is aimed…
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“World’s first rewilding centre” opens near Loch Ness
Trees for Life is opening what it is calling the world’s first rewilding centre near Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands on Saturday. The charity hopes to showcase how large-scale nature recovery “can give people inspiring experiences, create jobs and benefit rural communities.” The Dundreggan Rewilding Centre in Glenmoriston offers a gateway for visitors to explore the 10,000-acre Dundreggan estate, where Trees for Life is restoring the Caledonian forest and its wildlife. “For 15 years, Dundreggan has been a beacon for rewilding our landscapes. Now it will be a beacon for rewilding people too,” said Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life’s chief executive.…
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The Garden Company appoints new project manager
Hertfordshire-based The Garden Company has appointed Nick Silva onto its management team. The new project manager joins the design and build business from prolific contractor Landform Consultants, where he was contracts manager. Silva has more than 30 years’ experience in planning and building high-value installations and will now be responsible for estimating and delivering landscaping projects to residential and commercial clients. James Scott, managing director and principal designer at The Garden Company says: “We are all looking forward to welcoming Nick into our business and working with him. I am very confident that his approach will align well with our…
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National Trust project secures planning permission
A project to improve the visitor experience at Fell Foot Park in the Lake District has been granted planning permission. Chester based landscape architecture practice Land Studio has been working with the National Trust – which was given the property in 1948 – to design a series of more open and accessible paths through the Victorian park and to the visitor hub at the Grade II-listed boathouses on the shores of the lake. The design plans have been approved by the Lake District National Park Authority and construction work is expected to start to take place on site later this…
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New foundation launches to focus on sustainability
This year sees the launch of The Sustainable Landscape Foundation, a new charity with the mission to share best practice for creating more sustainable gardens, cities and wider landscapes. Founded by landscape architects and garden designers Arit Anderson CMLI and Marian Boswell FLI, the new charity’s trustees include past president of the Landscape Institute Adam White FLI and his business partner Andrée Davies FLI, Professor Nigel Dunnett FLI, business expert Lisa Anderson and Simon Hepper, founder of the Sustainable Restaurant Association and Net Zero Now. In an article published in the March issue of Pro Landscaper, Adam White talks of…
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RHS to open renovated ‘old lab’ to the public
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has turned its old laboratory into an interactive space for visitors to RHS Garden Wisley, which director general Clare Matterson says is becoming a “national treasure”. The Grade-II listed building had been the home of RHS science for more than a century before its scientists relocated to the new RHS Hilltop in June 2020. Purpose built as a laboratory and school of horticulture, the iconic RHS building now features exhibits for the public to follow the history of the site and its importance during World War II. Head of libraries Fiona Davidson adds how the…
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Cultura goes into receivership
Landscaping and grounds maintenance contractor Cultura Group has gone into administration, as of last Tuesday. Two years ago, the company underwent a rebrand from ESL Landscape Contractors to Cultura. It has been providing commercial landscape and private residential work to the private and public sector for three decades, with services such as hard and soft landscaping, arboriculture and grounds maintenance. A statement on its website says: “Andrew Andronikou and Brian Burke of Quantuma Advisory Limited, High Holborn House, 52-54 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6RL were appointed Joint Administrators of both Cultura Group Limited & East Sussex Landscapes Limited (“the Companies”)…
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Angus Lindsay retires from idverde
Today marks Angus Lindsay’s last day as group head of asset and fleet management with green service provider idverde. For the last 13 years, Angus has been instrumental in the company. He first joined English Landscapes – which later became known as The Landscape Group – in 2005, being part of the team to build the company to become more efficient and profitable to the point where it was an attractive acquisition for European company idverde in 2015. An agricultural engineer by trade, Angus first joined the landscaping industry when he returned from working abroad in the Middle East and…
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What were the highlights of 2022?
It has been a rollercoaster of a year, with arguably more lows than highs. But there have been highs – and this has perhaps been a year when the green agenda has been fought for most vocally too. When there were rumours of Liz Truss watering down or even scrapping the Environmental Land Management schemes, there was uproar from wildlife charities as well as the public. She was accused of an attack on nature and environmental vandalism. To celebrate the late Queen’s jubilee earlier this year before Her Majesty sadly passed away, a nationwide tree planting scheme – the Queen’s…
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A third of Brits unaware of biodiversity meaning
A report by outdoor power product supplier Husqvarna has revealed that a third (33%) of Brits are unaware of the meaning of ‘biodiversity’. The study, which surveyed more than 4,000 garden owners across eight European countries, showcases that familiarity of biodiversity is relatively low in the UK compared to the other markets, with 37% of UK participants acknowledging that they don’t know what actions they could take to make their green space more biodiverse. 41% also admit that biodiversity has a minor or no effect on their choices when planning garden projects, despite ongoing warnings from leading scientists and experts…
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FutureScape 2022 the most successful event yet
This year’s FutureScape, in association with TREX, was a huge success, with thousands of visitors attending the event at the ExCeL London on 15 and 16 November. FutureScape 2022 boasted a series of seminars and award ceremonies, as well as leading exhibitors in the industry. Three new seminar theatres were added to this year’s event – the Lighting Zone, the Urban Greening Zone in association with Maylim, and the Training, Education and Employment Village in association with GoLandscape. Pro Landscaper’s Most Influential awards took place in partnership with tigerup!, revealing the top 25 most influential people in the industry, as well…
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RHS Garden Wisley reveals plans for new Orchid House
A new space dedicated to RHS Garden Wisley’s collection of more than 3,000 orchids is to be created inside the Glasshouse. “Currently there’s no dedicated space at Wisley for showing orchids that offers them the correct conditions,” explains Emma Allen, garden manager. “Given that orchids are the largest family in the plant kingdom, that they’ve had such a fascinating evolution and that they come from all over the world, it’s important that Wisley shows off its wonderful collection.” The new space will feature a curved path through artificial branches and arches planted with epiphytes, and faux rock walls with planting…
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Applications open for new garden category at RHS Tatton Park 2023
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced that applications for the new Terrace Garden category are now open for the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2023, taking place from 19-23 July. “RHS Tatton Park is excited to announce that 2023 is the year of the Terrace Garden. The show is looking for new and experienced designers to showcase their big ideas and planting prowess in this brand new garden category,” says show manager Lex Falleyn. “This garden category seeks to explore how to maximise green space without compromising on practicality. We ask designers to propose beautiful planting options alongside clever…
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New leadership for CIC’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has appointed a new leadership team for its Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Bola Abisogun OBE was elected as chair and Rebecca Lovelace was elected as deputy chair. The Diversity & Inclusion Committee is a collaborative forum and platform for members of all construction disciplines and professional bodies to identify and promote diversity policy and activities within the construction industry. With almost 30 years of industry experience Bola is a fellow of Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), member of the Chartered Institute of Builders (CIOB) and the chair and founder of DiverseCity Surveyors (DCS), a…
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Environment Secretary calls for action to protect and restore nature at COP27
The Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey has called for renewed global action on nature as she set out a path forward for nature at COP’s Biodiversity Day yesterday. Outlining the importance of next month’s meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Montreal, she is calling on countries to come together at that summit and agree a robust global plan for tackling nature loss. While significant progress has been made, more action is needed from both the public and private sectors to bridge the reported $700bn funding gap needed to stop nature loss. Amongst a series of pledges, the UK…
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Diversity, inclusivity and equality charter signed at FutureScape 2022
Members from numerous industry associations have signed a charter committing to creating a more inclusive industry. The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Charter for the Horticulture, Arboriculture, Landscaping & Garden Media profession was signed at FutureScape 2022 on Tuesday 15 November. The signing followed a seminar in which representatives from the British Association of Landscape Industries, the Society of Garden Designers (SGD), the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) and the Landscape Institute (LI) had shared how they have worked and are working towards making the industry more diverse, amongst tackling other industry topics. The charter came about after the British Association of…
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