Composite decking is usually judged on what it is made of. Millboard makes the case that on its resin mineral decking and cladding, the layer on top does just as much to determine how a project performs. Ask most people what makes a composite board perform and they...
Homeowners on the Wirral Peninsula wanted to make the most of their picturesque surroundings by adding a first-floor balcony deck to their barn conversion – but with one important requirement: they also wanted the area beneath the balcony to function as an extra...
More than ever, customers are looking for gardens that feel like an extension of their homes. A well-designed deck is ideal for creating this aesthetic, giving the impression of adding an outdoor room to the house, resulting in a versatile space that can be used throughout the year. Outdoor living expert Simon Parry, who is a landscape gardener...
While the working calendar can be busy year round, December can often offer a valuable opportunity to pause, reflect, and prepare your business for a more profitable 2027. Following the success of its training day and HQ tour earlier this year, EVi Pools is hosting another two individual dates this December. Inviting landscaping professionals to...
Irrigation winterisation gets treated as a job rather than a plan, and that is where most freeze damage starts. A system blown down in a rush on the first cold morning of October is a system where something gets missed, and what gets missed usually does not announce itself until April. The work itself is not complicated. Getting it right is...
Ask a landscaper about installer accreditation schemes run by manufacturers ten years ago and you would probably have heard the word "badge". Something for the website footer. Useful for reassuring a nervous homeowner, not much use beyond that. That has changed, and the reasons say more about how work is now won than about the schemes themselves....
Last autumn, JUB Holland’s bulb planting machine moved steadily along Eliot footpath at the University of Kent. Within just a few hours, 60,000 bulbs were planted beneath the grass along one of the busiest walking routes on the campus. Early spring, the transformation became visible. Daffodils were first to emerge, followed by tulips, camassias...
When you specify decking for a client, you stake your professional credibility on it. If something goes wrong, it won’t matter where the responsibility lies – and no one wants a failed product on their track record. Getting the specification right at the very start protects the project, the client relationship and your reputation. And yet,...
For most garden design and landscaping businesses, the deck is where the composite conversation ends. The boards go down, the client is delighted, and the team moves on to the next project. But a growing number of businesses in the sector are looking up as well as down, and finding that cladding can offer a natural, profitable extension to the...
Most landscapers and garden designers will recognise the pattern. A client makes contact full of enthusiasm, receives their quote and is then never heard from again. Often the issue is not the quality of your work or the fairness of your price. The client may not yet have a full picture of what makes a premium deck worth the...
Commercial water features don't get a seasonal switch-on. They run year-round, which is why they miss the seasonal attention irrigation gets. There's no spring commissioning moment to prompt a proper look, and summer demand builds gradually until something becomes visible: green water, a dropped level, a pump that has gone quiet. By then it's a...
Deck joist tape should be a requirement for anyone installing a new deck. The majority of substructures are built using timber and, if not properly protected, they can start showing signs of splitting, rotting and decay in as little as eight years. This is due to substructures being subjected to the outdoor elements year-round, making them highly...
Clients making a significant investment in their outdoor space usually want three things from the end result: a space that looks fantastic, performs well day-to-day and stands the test of time. For projects involving a composite deck, choosing the right building materials is fundamental to meeting these expectations. By focusing on a handful of...
For the trade, Chelsea is less a flower show and more a working document. The plants and the planting palettes matter, but so do the structural decisions, the material choices and the partnerships on display. Here is what stood out this year. 1. Cladding has moved from finish to feature If there was one material story running through Chelsea...
JUB Holland goes into detail on the quiet strength for late spring landscapes. Elegant, resilient and full of natural character There is a particular moment in late spring when Camassia comes into its own. The early narcissi have softened, many tulips are reaching their final flourish, and herbaceous planting is beginning to gather pace. In that...
For most landscaping businesses, the biggest headache is not doing the work. It is maintaining a steady flow of high-quality leads month after month. Relying on word of mouth or paid referral platforms can help, but it rarely gives you full control over your pipeline. That is the problem SEO solves. You see, when someone searches Google for...
Most irrigation failures don’t show up when a system is turned on. They show up in late June, when plants are under stress, beds are scorching, and the contractor is being asked why. By the time it’s visible, the damage is already done. For estates managers, grounds contractors, and the landscape architects who specified the system in the first...
Customers ask the same question when planning for their garden transformation: which deck material should I choose, and why? With rising expectations around durability, aesthetics and long-term value, the answer matters now more than ever. While timber has traditionally been the go-to option, its performance in the UK’s unpredictable climate...
Why specifying Millboard products is one of the best decisions you can make for your clients - and your business. For most landscapers, a successful project comes down to one thing: a client who's genuinely pleased with what the end result, and who stays that way. A deck plays a big part in that. It's one of the most visible and most used...
Marko Mouwen What makes a tree future-proof is not its origin, but how it responds when conditions are far from ideal. In discussions about climate-adaptive planting, the search for the “right” species often leads to lists, rankings and fixed preferences. But according to Marko Mouwen of Tree Nursery Ebben, that approach misses the point...
When you're specifying a decking or cladding product for a client, you're putting your name behind it. Your recommendation shapes their expectations, and if something goes wrong with the product, the delivery, or the support afterwards, it can reflect on you. The products you specify, and the suppliers you work with, are a direct reflection of...
In the landscaping industry today, one question is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: are the tree species we’re planting today suited to the climates they’ll experience in the decades to come? For nurseries, landscape architects, contractors and local authorities alike, this is no longer a theoretical discussion, but a practical...
Outdoor rooms have become the new must-have extension. Not simply “a patio”, but a series of purposeful, connected spaces that work as hard as the rooms indoors. For professional landscapers, zoning is the difference between a garden that looks good in a photograph and one that genuinely performs. Cooking, dining, relaxing, playing, pausing. As...
Anyone working within the landscaping industry understands the important role trees play in any space. In addition to improving biodiversity, the right tree can transform any housing development or private estate into a garden paradise. Hillier recognises this, which is why we are committed to growing and supplying trees that are the perfect fit...
When people think of Millboard, they often think of the boards first, and rightly so. Millboard’s wood-free decking has earned its reputation because it delivers what premium projects demand: standout aesthetics, exceptional durability, and confidence underfoot in real British weather. Hand-moulded from real oak timbers and formed from a unique...
A well-designed garden landscape relies on the right combination of materials and tools. The foundation of any beautiful garden lies in selecting elements that enhance both sustainability and aesthetics. Creating a picturesque garden involves more than just planting flowers. It is about crafting an environment that reflects personal style...
Water feature specialist Waterscapes highlights the importance of consistent winter care to protect investments and ensure spring readiness. As temperatures drop and winter sets in, many facilities teams assume water feature maintenance requirements decrease. However, leading water feature specialist Waterscapes is highlighting that winter...
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