Supplier News
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Reesink Hydro-Scapes: Award-winning customer service
Reesink Hydro-Scapes has won the National Support Network (NSN) Service Award for 2022, in recognition of its service, training and support for UK Toro irrigation customers. To win the award distributors have to exhibit strong passion for customer service, well-rounded product knowledge, hold successful regional NSN training events, and attain a high percentage of both active NSN customers and extended year NSN customers. “Our strategy has always been to deliver the best customer service with all of our business partners, including Toro,” says Reesink Hydro-Scapes division manager, Robert Jackson. “To have achieved this award is a real honour and lets…
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Majestic Trees becomes an EOT
Majestic Trees has become an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), ‘ensuring’ the company ethos and core values can continue. Managing director Steve McCurdy and his wife Janet, have sold 74% of the nursery to its current management team. Made up of Sarah Shynn, sales manager, fern snowling, planting and logistics manager, Carlos Guinand, nursery manager, Helen Morgan, HR and finance manager, Maria Bengtsson, pruning and stock control manager, and Eliot Barden, after care, apprenticeships, and training manager. Collectively the team has over 80 years of experience at Majestic Trees, and will all continue in their current roles. “The team’s future is…
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Nottinghamshire tree nursery celebrates 50 years
A Nottinghamshire tree nursery celebrates 50 years. Green Mile Trees, established in 1973 when founder Anthony Scott closed on a deal with Winchester-based Hillier Nurseries to grow trees commercially, and supply the Midlands and more northerly landscape and wholesale trades. The family-run business now operates from its over 70-acre nursery in Retford, Nottinghamshire, supplying trees, specimen shrubs, conifers, topiary, and instant hedging. “Celebrating a half century family business is a very humbling experience. There’s three generations’ history invested in Green Mile Trees,” says director of operations, Xanthe Vernon. “We’re excited for the next 50 years!”
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Nearly 90% of teenage park users are males, finds Make Space for Girls
Make Space for Girls has released the results of its Parkwatch Report September 2023 which looks at the diversity of those using their local parks. The Parkwatch project took place between 27 and 29 May 2023. Participants were asked to fill in an online form asking them to look at the teenage facilities in their local park and count how many teenagers were using them, identifying their genders. Research shows that 88% of the teenagers using these facilities were boys, whilst for multi-use games areas 92% was male and for skate parks or BMX tracks, 84% were male. Only 15%…
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Stihl “adjusting” post-covid as it gears up to boost battery offering
Stihl is aiming to grow its battery range to make up 80% of its offering by 2035. Chairman Michael Traub says the manufacturer will continue to focus on “double technology leadership”, offering both battery and combustion engine products. Its battery range currently makes up 20%. To meet its new target, the German outdoor power tool brand will be bringing part of its EC motor production in house. Around €17m is being invested in a new unit at its headquarters in Waiblingen, Germany, which Martin Schwarz – Stihl’s executive board member for manufacturing and materials – says will be the “heart…
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Redfields Landscaping completes the Thames Path Challenge
The Redfields Landscaping and Design team has completed the Thames Path Challenge. Setting off at 5am on Sunday 10 September, seven members walked 50km to Henley-on-Thames across 11 hours and 47 minutes (one, Charlie Parker, whilst wearing Crocs), whilst four members walked 25km within five hours and 40 minutes. The total of 97,741 steps raised £2416 for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Childrens Charity. Rachel Straughan, business development & marketing manager at Redfields Landscaping, says: “I definitely underestimated how hard it would be but I am so grateful to the team for keeping me going and for so many laughs…
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The HTA promotes new T Level courses
The Horticultural Trades Association is promoting the new Agriculture, Land Management, and Production T Level which have opened enrolment. Technical Levels, introduced in 2020, are equivalent to three A levels. They include 80% classroom-based learning and 20% industry placement, allowing for nine weeks of practical experience, as 56.6% of job seekers identify their main barrier to employment as a lack of work experience. The two-year course offers 16-19-year-olds a range of occupational specialisms: livestock production, crop production, horticulture, land-based engineering, trees and woodlands, or floristry. They cover sustainability, climate change impact, health and safety, business management, professional responsibilities, attitudes, and…
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BALI Chalk Fund announces Student of the Year
The BALI Chalk Fund has announced its Garden Design Student of the Year for 2023. Garden designer Catharine Beck has been recognised by KLC School of Design having passed her diploma with distinction. Now working at Ann-Marie Powell Gardens, Beck is “putting her talents to great use, creating planting plans, tree plans, concept presentations, lighting plans, construction detail drawings and specifications, maintenance and plant schedules, plant nursery quotations, materials research and selection,” say the British Association of Landscape Industries. Course leader Humaira Ikram says: “An excellent student, Catharine was quick to learn and her projects, especially her construction file, were…
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The Wildlife Trusts’ big wild walk takes on new ambassador
Rhiane Fatinikun, founder of Black Girls Hike, has been announced as the new ambassador for The Wildlife Trusts. Fatinikun will champion the Big Wild Walk this October. Participants can create their own adventure, whether that’s by walking, running, cycling, wheeling, or swimming. The challenge is to walk three kilometres in a week – the same distance a hedgehog travels each night. Money raised will go towards helping wildlife recover and contribute towards The Wildlife Trusts’ goal of protecting 30% of UK’s land and sea for nature by 2030. The Big Wild Walk takes place during half term from Monday 16…
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Furnitubes launches new outdoor showroom
Furnitubes has announced the launch of its new outdoor showroom at the London Design Festival in partnership with Atrium Ltd, which will be opening on 19 September. The new showroom will showcase the company’s new products and materials for outdoor furniture and lighting, alongside offerings from The Outdoor Deck Company and Green Envee Ltd. “Beside a space to show our products, we are looking to create a hub to test materials and discuss ideas about transforming our cities in a positive way,” says Andres Carpinelli, design team lead at Furnitubes.
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The Plant Based Podcast reaches 200 episodes
The Plant Based Podcast, which has been running for 12 series, released its 200th episode on Sunday. It is run by Michael Perry, director of Mr Plant Geek, and Ellen Mary, founder of People Plants Wellbeing Nature Therapy Consultancy. “More people than ever are appreciating the importance of plants in our day to day lives. The Plant Based Podcast is about anything that can be traced back to plants… with subjects ranging from foraging for medicinal plants and baking with edible flowers, to plant-based body builders and clothes made from bamboo… This is not just another gardening podcast.” – Michael…
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Yorkshire’s “first” drive thru concrete collection announced
Palmer Landscapes announces the arrival of Yorkshire’s first fully automated self-service collection points for concrete, mortar, and screed. The drive thru service is suitable for landscapers, builders and DIYers, offering as little as 0.25m3 of material with no minimum order charge. The fully automated Fibo collect machine fulfils orders in less than five minutes using a touch screen terminal. Reducing waste, the automated mixing technology ensures all recipes are high quality and consistent, lasting between one and three days. “When we spotted the technology earlier this year, I was immediately drawn to the potential it had to help our local…
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Nine Elms Park phase one opens
Thames City has opened the first portion of the 2.5-acre Nine Elms Park. Designed by Gillespies and delivered by R&F Properties (UK) and C C Land, it includes water features, a nature inspired children’s play park, interactive trails, and intimate seating areas. A range of tree species, shrubs, and herbaceous plants have been planted to support biodiversity and to futureproof the park to withstand unpredictable weather patterns and the challenges of the urban environment. The park has multiple access points for pedestrian walkways and cycle paths, creating connections between Vauxhall to the east, through to Battersea Power Station and Battersea…
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Eljays44 gets ‘muddy’ for charity
The Eljays44 team took part in a ‘muddy’ charity event over the weekend, organised by horticultural charity, Perennial. The ‘Nuts Challenge’ is an award-winning mud run, held several times throughout the year. Participants are required to work their way through water and obstacle courses, from climbing to crawling. Three members of the Eljays44 team were amongst participants on Saturday, raising over £200 for the charity in under a week. “Everyone in the Eljays44 sales team had an amazing day raising money for perennial,” says Eljays44 sales executive, Lewis Everle. “The course was challenging and took our breath away at times,…
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NAO Landscapes continues to expand ahead of seventh anniversary
Southern-based NAO Landscapes has reached new milestones ahead of its seventh anniversary this month. The company has “experienced growth in all areas,” says NAO director Lucy Osman. It has reported a 100% increase in turnover in the last 12 months, with employee numbers doubling. Originally based in Kent, the company has now expanded into central London, with two contracts in the pipeline this year at the circa £5m mark. “We always aimed to get to the size where we could handle these types of large scale commercial projects. “We hope to see continued growth over the next year with several…
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Meadfleet rebrands ahead of new Biodiversity Net Gain law
Open space management company Meadfleet has rebranded ahead of Biodiversity Net Gain becoming mandatory for developers in November. The UK based company has ‘refreshed’ its branding and website to more appropriately reflect the organisation’s almost 30-year history and operational remit. It also includes additional support for the Biodiversity Net Gain law coming in November, and for existing and new developers. “With our 30th anniversary approaching and the introduction of Biodiversity Net Gain, we felt now was a great time to update our brand to better reflect our culture and approach to open space management,” says managing director David King. More…
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plants@work introduces new equality and inclusion policy
plants@work is introducing a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy for all its members and teams, in a bid to eliminate unlawful discrimination and support fair representation to all sectors. The policy includes commitments to provide equality and respect to all members of the team, protect against unlawful discrimination as referred to in the Equality Act 2010, and encourage fair and professional practice. plants@work ambassador Ian Drummond, says: “I am so pleased to see this important policy launched at plants@work, supporting equality for everyone no matter what their gender, beliefs leanings or skin colour.” The full policy can be found…
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Origin Enterprises acquires UK-based landscape supplier
Origin Enterprises plc has acquired landscape supplier Suregreen, which went into administration this month. Suregreens’ portfolio will complement Origin’s subsidiary companies Green-tech, and its two more recent acquisitions, British Hardwood trees, and Agrigem. The acquisition will strengthen the Group’s amenity, environmental and ecological portfolio. “Landscaping, urban greening and habitat creation will continue to play an important role in sustainable land use to help tackle climate change and restore biodiversity,” says Origin. Suregreen’s administrators Messrs. De’ath, Gardiner and Provan of Begbies Traynor were appointed on 24 August.
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TORO to exhibit new battery power range at Saltex 2023
Toro UK Limited, the manufacturer of the Hayter® and Toro® lawnmowers and turf equipment will be showcasing the full range of its recently launched Revolution battery powered equipment at Saltex this year. Not only will the stand-on GrandStand Revolution mower be exhibited but also the Revolution Z Master®, along with the commercial-grade equipment design, the HyperCell™ battery system, which has an all-day runtime to drive maximum efficiency. The battery-powered products increase productivity and efficiency and are ideal for areas where noise is restricted. All products are built on the same proven chassis and TURBO FORCE decks as their petrol counterparts,…
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ANS Global to open new nursery in Yorkshire
Green infrastructure provider, ANS Global has acquired a new plant nursery in East Yorkshire, to support the “significant increase” in market demand. The 10-acre site will include a climate-controlled glasshouse and an automated irrigation system to support living wall and green roof growth externally and internally all year round. ANS Global aims to grow in excess of 20k m2 of living walls annually, the company has already integrated over 35m plants across its almost 6k projects. Richard Silcock, managing director of ANS Global says: “This is a major investment for our company, and it will allow us to meet the…
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Marshalls axes 250 jobs amidst “challenging” conditions
Marshalls has revealed it has let go of around 250 staff due to “challenging” market conditions in the housebuilding sector. In its half-year report, the building products supplier said a reduction in material demand across the new housebuilding and private housing RMI had led to a decline in the group’s profitability. Its statutory profit before tax has dropped by over a quarter (30%), falling from £23.9m in the same period for 2022 to £16.7m. Despite a reduction in roles across the group, chief executive Martyn Coffey says Marshalls has ensured that it still has capacity to meet demand should there…
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Talasey introduces new support team for merchants
Scunthorpe-based landscaping solutions provider Talasey has introduced a new team of merchant support managers as part of a plan to increase support efficiency to its merchant customers. The team is comprised of six managers operating throughout the UK who will work to ensure that Talasey product ranges such as Natural Paving, Vitripiazza and Piranha are displayed in up-to-date points of sale and offering the “best opportunity” to showcases there ranges to customers. Each manager will also be on hand to deliver localised basic product training, attend merchant-own trade shows, and signpost higher level training courses at Talasey’s Training Academy. Talasey’s…
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Green-tech partners with primary school to create educational green space
Green-tech has provided green infrastructure products to a primary school in Wales to create an educational green space for students. Cowny Borough County Council, in partnership with social enterprise Wild Elements, selected Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn (YFD), a primary school in Llandudno, for the project due to ‘severely grey infrastructure’ and ‘lack of green space.’ Green-tech supplied everything but the trees for the project, including 45 Hedera helix ‘Woerner’ living ivy green screens and 45 bespoke planters in three assorted colours. Gareth Lloyd, head teacher of YFD says: “We felt the products offered by Green-tech were one of the few that…
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“Bleak” results in Landscape Institute membership survey
Results of the Landscape Institute’s recent membership survey show an underlying dissatisfaction and a lack of entry accessibility aid, concludes the association. Data showed that overall membership satisfaction fell by a quarter, to 39%, down from 64%. Acting commercial director, Naomi Taylor, who until recently was the head of membership, called it a “bleak day” when she read the results. “I’ve read every single comment in detail. That is quite a drop and I recognise we need to do something about that, which is why we’re looking to make positive change. We need to do something about it.” Robert Hughes,…
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Christmas at Kew Gardens returns
The festive light trail returns to Kew Gardens in London this festive season with new illuminating landscapes. This year’s Christmas at Kew celebrates nature by night, highlighting the botanical gardens natural architecture with ‘illuminating enchantment’. The celebrations will feature bespoke installations making their UK debut, including Lili by TILT, three-metre-high illuminated flowers, 400 cascading lights adjacent to neon backdrops, and ArtAV returns with Trapezoid, one of the longest light tunnels to feature at Kew. Creative studio Pitaya returns to Kew with Spark Ballet, 24 illuminated lanterns and 100 candles suspended in the air, lighting up the iconic tree-lined passageways to…
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