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Construction output increases by 1.7%
Construction output was off to a good start this year – outperforming the overall economy in January 2021 despite the disappointing entrance into a third national lockdown. The sector grew by 0.9% in the month-on-month all work series, projecting a rise to £13,639 million according to the Office for National Statistics. This promising return to monthly growth follows the 2.9% fall in December 2020. Prior to this there were seven consecutive periods of monthly growth. However, this is still 2.6% below the pre-COVID February 2020 level. The level of new work was 6.4% below this whilst repair and maintenance work…
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Makita takes its training online for Eden partnership
Last month, we joined Makita for a virtual training event. The power equipment manufacturer had recently been chosen by the Eden Project to supply its cordless machines to maintain the grounds, and Makita was wasting no time in ensuring the Eden team were up to date with the health and safety around using its kit. This training would normally be done in person, but ongoing lockdown restrictions meant two days of Zoom sessions instead – or at least until Makita can offer further face-to-face training. The team at Eden Project were asked to attend two BeSafe sessions – Construction and…
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International Women’s Day
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day was #ChooseToChallenge. Organisations and individuals were offered the opportunity to “strike the #ChooseToChallenge pose with a hand high to show their commitment to choosing to challenge inequality, call out bias, questions stereotypes and help forge an inclusive world”. We took a look at how some companies within our industry celebrated International Women’s Day. At Pro Landscaper, we’re celebrating the inspirational women who form the backbone of the Pro Landscaper team. This week, you’ll hear from co-founder Lisa Wilkinson, head of content Nina Mason, head of sales Jess McCabe and HR business partner Alex…
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Marcus Watson: Accelerating the pace of change
Marcus Watson of Ground Control explains how we must accelerate the pace of change to create a sustainable world. Since I handed over the role of Ground Control’s managing director to Jason Knights in January 2021, I have been afforded the luxury of reflecting about the incredibly important roles we and governments have to play in the green recovery as we head towards an environmentally sustainable future. To protect and indeed enrich our way of life in harmony with nature and to safeguard the all-important biodiversity of the world we inhabit, we must first and foremost solve the most important…
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6 Plants Perfect for Valentine’s Day
This year’s Valentine’s Day gift does not have to be a bouquet of roses to stir the heart! Why not branch out and consider a houseplant for the one that you love? Plants need affection and care to flourish just like any great relationship. Ian Drummond shares his swoon-worthy selection 1 Anthurium This stunning plant originates from Colombia and Ecuador and is often used in floral displays. It has stunning bright red flowers and heart-shaped leaves. What’s not to love! 2 Hoya Kerrii (Sweetheart Plant) This cute heart-shaped plant is a slow growing semi succulent. Once it becomes mature its…
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Silent Struggles of the Self-Employed
Claire Vokins shares her experience of being self-employed throughout the pandemic and the struggles this has brought with it – and why it’s so important that we’re honest when someone asks how we are How are you? How many times have you been asked that question over the last 10 months or so? How many times have you asked it? How many times have you asked with the expectation that someone may just say, “Yeah, I’m good, cheers, you?” And you’ve been relieved at that answer. How many times have you responded the same way? But wished you had said…
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Top 6 Houseplants of 2021
Houseplants are hotter than ever right now and are the perfect friend for the home office or as part of an interior design scheme. Bringing some green into your home is proven to offer a great deal benefits for our mental health and well being. Ian Drummond shares his top houseplants for 2021 1 Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Moonshine’ (Mother-in-law’s tongue ‘Moonshine’) Striking, silver-leaved, sword like foliage originating from the barren landscapes of Africa. It thrives in very arid conditions, meaning it can live happily in our centrally heated homes. It is a very low maintenance plant and easy to care for. 2 Asplenium antiquum (Bird’s nest fern)…
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Ground Control ushers in new managing director
Ground Control has appointed a new managing director, as Jason Knights steps into the role of former MD Marcus Watson – big, and environmentally friendly, shoes to fill. We speak to Marcus about why he’s stepping down and to Jason about how this transition was achieved smoothly, as well as how he plans to grow the company over the coming years. Marcus, what made you decide to step down as MD? If someone had told me 10 years ago the things we would achieve together and the fun we’d have, I’m not sure I’d have believed them. I’ve had a…
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Your Garden Made Perfect on BBC Two
Following on from the wildly successful Your Home Made Perfect, BBC Two is providing a nation now enthralled by gardening with Your Garden Made Perfect. Airing on Thursday 4 February, it will be jam packed full of tips and tricks to inspire viewers. When discussing 2020, there aren’t a huge number of highlights. But one which has been unanimously echoed across the industry is the public’s newfound appreciation of green spaces – and more specifically, their gardens. Using the latest visual technologies, homeowners will be presented with two vastly different designs from prominent garden designers so they can visualise what…
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Jade Goto responds to lockdown through landscape
We speak to designer Jade Goto about the landscape she created in response to the global pandemic and subsequent lockdown. What inspired this conceptual design? The global lockdowns have highlighted the human need for outside spaces and the positive impact they have on our wellbeing. My response to the first global pandemic was to create a landscape that interpreted my personal experience of these strange and uncharted times. What was your experience with the global lockdowns? My experience of the lockdowns, like everyone’s, has changed over the last year. Professionally, the confinement to our homes has led more people to reevaluate…
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How will Brexit impact the supply chain?
Deal or no deal, there will be changes as a result of Brexit. But what will those changes be, and will they be as bad as first thought? With uncertainty still lingering, Pro Landscaper spoke to those likely to be impacted by new import rules Talk about cutting it fine. With less than two weeks to go until the UK leaves the single market, there is still no deal in place with the EU – and it doesn’t look like there’s going to be, either. Boris Johnson recently admitted it was “very likely” that a deal would not be reached…
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The weird and the wonderful – six spooky plants for Halloween
Not all Halloween decorations need to be fake spider webs and witches’ hats! Why not consider using ‘scary’ and dramatic looking house plants and create a display that mixes pumpkins and gourds? Here are six suggestions from Ian Drummond of Indoor Garden Design 1 Tacca Chantrieri (bat flower) A truly unusual plant with bat flowers that has whiskers which spread 30cm across and can grow up to 60cm tall. Give your plant plenty of light – keep it moist at all times and your plant will keep on giving you lots of these eerie looking flowers. 2 Calla Lily…
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Indoor Garden Design supports others during lockdown
London-based Indoor Garden Design fills us in on what’s been keeping the company busy since lockdown began Indoor Garden Design has really been making the most of time in lockdown by finding ways of supporting Team IGD and the wider community. After launching IGD Community back in March, the first initiative was to support Project Wingman which was set up by a group of airline crew across the UK with the aim of providing first class lounges in hospitals for frontline NHS staff to unwind and de-stress. IGD donated plants and landscaped the lounges. Every coffee table had a complimentary…
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Time for Change: Making Horticulture More Diverse
Claire Vokins questions the horticulture industry and its opportunities for diversity. The garden designer spoke with Marcellus Baz – who was named the BBC Get Inspired Unsung Hero at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in 2016 for his work in supporting young people – about his experiences of the industry and its inclusivity UK horticulture – does it have a diversity problem? Is it time to get comfortable with being uncomfortable? For me, the short answer is ‘yes’ on both counts. Pro Landscaper contacted me to write about my thoughts on diversity within UK horticulture, specifically…
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Walthamstow Wetlands: Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Walthamstow Wetlands is one of many green oases in London pulling people in throughout lockdown Green spaces have become a respite for many across the UK. When only one form of exercise was allowed outside per day as part of the country’s lockdown restrictions, many laced up their trainers and veered towards their local park. A stroll through these spaces often meant encountering zen mid-afternoon yoga sessions, novice runners testing the waters, and the encouraging words of Joe Wicks as 40 seconds of jump squats were being endured. Unfortunately for those who were out of breath after these exertions,…
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Ecological Endeavours: An interview with Olivia Collington
Olivia Collington, the new co-director of Collington Winter Environmental, shares why she’s decided to build her own ecology team within the family business and how the Biodiversity Net Gain initiative is already having an impact on her work Social distancing is not an issue for Olivia Collington. The chartered environmentalist can visit vast sites on her own without coming anywhere near within two metres of another person. This has meant that work has been continuous throughout lockdown – which is fortunate, considering this is when she decided to leave multidisciplinary firm e3p, where she was associate director, and start up…
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Are you safe from sun exposure?
Sunday was National Cancer Survivors Day. It celebrated those who had overcome cancer and are now a source of inspiration to others. It took Shane McCormick a while to realise that he is one of those to be recognised on this day, and every year going forward. The regional sales director (south) for Talasey Group has fought cancer – twice – and in March this year, his immunotherapy for melanoma fortunately came to an end. For 12 months prior, Shane had been receiving treatment. Once a month, he’d have a blood test before receiving Nivolumab, a drug used to help…
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