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Dear Member
Did you enter? Did you attend? And
if not, why not? Yes, I’m still banging
on about the 2014 BALI National
Landscape Awards and the wonderful
ceremony held on 5th December.
In my closing speech at the Awards I
mentioned that I have been to at least
twelve BALI Awards events and it never
ceases to amaze me that standards just
keep on going up and the enthusiasm
for them continues to increase. If you’re a
designer, landscaper or grounds maintenance
contractor, it doesn’t matter how small the
project – if you’re proud of it and you believe
it represents industry excellence, enter it and
share your pride with your industry peers. If you
are an Affiliate (supplier) member and believe
you deliver outstanding customer service then
be proud of that too and give your staff a boost
by entering the Affiliate Exceptional Service
category. And any full BALI member can enter
the Employer of the Year category.
Regardless of whether you decide to enter the
Awards or not, why not join us on 4th December
this year and be one of 850 BALI members,
clients and industry guests who last December
had a great afternoon seeing friends and
colleagues and witnessing the amazing projects
our with which our members are involved.
You will have seen in a recent BALI e-newsletter,
and in the press, that our membership numbers
hit 800 in January. This really is fantastic
news and confirms BALI’s position as the
representative voice of the UK landscape
industry and the trade body that landscape
professionals aspire to join. The larger our
membership, the stronger our position when
making the case for the many issues that
challenge our members’ businesses and
livelihoods. But we will never allow our desire to
grow to compromise the very high standards
we set for those seeking to achieve Registered
Membership, standards that are a benchmark
for the rest of the landscape industry. This sets
BALI apart and ensures that the BALI Registered
logo, which in nearly all of the membership
surveys that I can remember, remains the top
‘must have’ amongst BALI members.
The days are lengthening, Christmas has long
gone and 2015 is steaming ahead. Apparently
the cranes in London are still busy and this is
taken as a sign that the construction industry,
in the southeast at least, is thriving and so, too,
must the landscape industry. I’m not entirely
convinced but, hey ho, what do I know!
What I do know is that our industry is
experiencing fuller, if not full, order books and
there’s talk of increasing our rates; this must be
a good thing as we constantly seem to undersell
ourselves. One way of improving the perception
of landscaping is to value the broad skillset
required for what we do and ensure pay rates for
both us, as employers, and our staff reflect the
training, knowledge and expertise required to
deliver the sort of schemes seen at each year’s
BALI Awards. With inflation and oil prices low
and order books filling up, now could be the time
to reward staff and ourselves with a pay rise. But
beware; the Bank of England is warning of even
lower, if that’s possible, interest rates and there
is talk in the Eurozone of deflation. Life is never
straightforward.
regional meetings I have never felt them to be a
waste of time and I usually come away having
learnt something new. I can’t recommend them
to you highly enough so do get involved if you
can. If, however, you really don’t fancy the
meetings then please make use of the new BALI
website; launch is imminent and by the time you
read this should have happened.
I hope you enjoy this latest edition of BALI
Landscape News. If you want more out of YOUR
Association, please talk to us. If you wish to
correspond directly with me I have bob.field@
bali.org.uk as a dedicated email. The team at
Landscape House is also poised and ready
to help and support you so do make full use
of their services. And finally don’t forget the
BALI Business Helpline and the BALI HR and
BALI H&S support that comes as part of your
membership.
Best wishes.
Bob Field
BALI NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
As I write, the regional AGMs are in full flow and
I would like to thank Paul Downer, my Vice Chair,
for standing in for me at a few that I have been
unable to attend; I look forward to making an
event in each of those regions in the near future.
BALI regional meetings are a way for members
to keep in touch with what’s happening at
Landscape House and to network with other
BALI contractors, designers and suppliers in an
informal atmosphere. In my 25 years of attending
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 3
CONTENTS
SPRING 2015
Editor Denise Ewbank
BALI, Landscape House
Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG
T: 02476 690333 F: 02476 690077
Editorial and News releases
ubiquita@btinternet.com
Copy date for Summer 2015 edition
Friday 8th May
BALI Landscape News Spring 2015 is
also available online at www.bali.org.uk
CONTENTS
8
INDUSTRY NEWS
30
2015 EVENTS CALENDAR
14
CONTRACTOR NEWS
34
MEMBER BENEFITS
18
TRAINING & TECHNICAL
38
REGIONAL ROUND UP
24
CREATING A GARDEN IN THE SKY
42
PRODUCT & AFFILIATE NEWS
26
DESIGNER FOCUS
50
NEW MEMBERS & TESTIMONIALS
2015 awards
BALI NATIONAL LANDSCAPE AWARDS
Call for entries
Enter the BALI National Landscape Awards 2015
and, in addition to the chance of winning a prestigious
award, benefit from valuable nationwide BALI
and Horticulture Week promotion.
2014 winners reported an increase of 24% business
leads and 93% unique users visiting website.
Discounted entry fees for first time entrants and
‘Earlybird’ entries; check website for details.
Entry deadlines
4th June
14th July
4th December
Full Contractors & Groups
Registered Designers
Overseas, Affiliates &
Employer of the Year
Awards Ceremony
For more information visit: www.baliawards.co.uk
17307_BA_NatAwards_2015_Awards_Half_advert_v4.indd 1
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 5
20/02/2015 15:08
Wayne Grills
CHIEF OPERATIONS
OFFICER
2015 appears to
promise great things!
We started the new calendar year on a high
after what turned out to be a record year
for the BALI National Landscape Awards
with over 850 guests joining us to celebrate
at the 2014 Awards ceremony. I would like
to congratulate all those BALI members
who picked up the prestigious BALI Award/
Principal/Special and Grand Awards.
It was another great day when industry
colleagues and peers came together for what
is not only a wonderful celebratory event but
also a fantastic networking opportunity. If you
were a winner, make sure you maximise the PR
potential by promoting the fact and using the
BALI Award Winner logo on your stationery
and website.
Member Engagement
Member Satisfaction Survey
BALI reached a new milestone in late January
by reaching 800 paying members. As I write in
mid-February, BALI’s total membership is 1,350
with 810 paying members to date. This is a first
for BALI and testament to both the Landscape
House team’s hard work and, of course,
members for championing their association.
BALI conducted its annual membership survey
in December 2014. We had an excellent
response and I would like to thank all those who
participated. These surveys are invaluable as we
work towards improving the BALI service.
Prior to writing this article for Landscape News
I have been up and down the country attending
regional AGMs and I have been both enthused
and impressed by the level of engagement. We
have also had some great feedback covering
the areas that members are happy with and
those where we need to up our game. And if
you know me you will know this is what I am all
about. I have been requesting feedback from
the membership throughout my tenure as Chief
Operations Officer and we are now getting it.
Thank you to all those who do make the effort
to attend regional or national events; I am sure
that you will see the benefit in doing so and this
may just provide you with a competitive edge
over others in the industry, including those BALI
members who do not attend.
BALI Website
Congratulations to Paul Cowell, Richard
Gardiner and Martyn Mogford, who were
granted Life Membership at the ceremony.
These three members gave selflessly to BALI
and its membership at a time when they were
needed most, getting the association back on
track and preparing it for the future. I would like
to thank each of them individually for the time
they gave to me personally when I joined BALI,
and for the support of the other board members
who worked alongside them during that period.
Attending the regional AGMs I have been
extremely encouraged to hear of the upturn that
most members appear to be enjoying. Whilst
there are currently some signs of good recovery
our job at BALI is not yet done as we are only
too aware that many of our members working
in partnership with Local Authorities and local
government offices and departments are still
very unsure as to how this next 12 to 18 months
could go. On a very positive note, BALI is now
back on many PQQs and tender lists, not only
as one of the trade/professional body affiliation
options but, in a number of cases reported to
BALI, the only option! This is great news for you
as a BALI member.
The BALI website is undergoing a complete
renewal this year to make it a much more visual
experience for the user. It will also enable you as
a member to upload a portfolio of your work and
will improve the member database that provides
information for the search mechanism when
clients are looking for BALI members. I cannot
over stress the importance of getting your
member’s page right as we have approximately
7,000-9,000 unique hits on the BALI website
every month! That’s around 100,000 unique hits
per year. I have carried out an exercise recently
when attending the regional AGMs and pulled off
the statistical report for a few selected members.
Each member has received somewhere in the
region of 700-800 hits on their member’s page
within the calendar year. This is your shop
window; BALI is driving traffic to you but please
make sure you make best use of the referrals
you could get from that activity. Just imagine,
if you could convert just 20% of the referrals
hitting your member’s page, you could be
winning 11 new clients each month!
87 members responded, which is an 11%
increase on last year, with 35% of those
respondents having also participated last year
and, as can been seen below, the responses
were generally very positive. We were pleased to
receive high scores on the questions relating to
the communication from Landscape House. We
strive to achieve at least 75% member rating of
Excellent/Good on all issues.
I would encourage as many members as
possible to feed back to Landscape House
through the annual survey as this helps us to
gauge how we are doing as well as ensuring that
we are providing what you need.
The results this year are very encouraging and
I’m pleased to see so many of the questions
receiving such great feedback.
Areas of strength were:
• Speed of response to enquiries/
telephone calls
• Knowledge, advice offered and
professionalism of BALI staff
• Communication of industry
developments and legislation
• Support received by the BALI
Technical Officer
• Dispute resolution service
• Model documents/risk assessments
• Frequency and relevance of BALI
e-newsletter (now weekly)
• Content and format of Landscape News
• Content and format of Who’s Who
• Qdos online
• BALI Awards (Attended, Entered
and Sponsored)
As always, there will be aspects that we
can improve upon and the areas for
improvement are shown to be:
Here are just a few of the latest
BALI website stats:
• BALI Website - launch of newly developed
website and membership management
system imminent
• 43% increase in ‘total’ visits
to the BALI website year on year
• ROLO Course & LISS/CSCS card provision
– ROLO course revision under way
• 17% increase in ‘unique’ visits
to the BALI website
• BALI events National/Regional
– the focus of Regional Chairs meetings
• 21% increase in page views and
unique page views on the BALI Website
• Trade Magazine Discounts – will be
reviewed as 81% satisfaction last year
• Increases in all BALI social media activity
and followers/connections etc.
• Business legal helpline (Croner)
– new provider already in place (Qdos)
• BALI Insure
2014
2013
Speed of response to enquiries/telephone calls
87%
90%
Knowledge, advice offered and professionalism of BALI staff
78%
90%
BALI Services
Excellent/Good
Excellent/Good
Communication of industry developments and legislation
79%
84%
Frequency and relevance of BALI e-newsletter
85%
82%
Relevance of BALI event topics
68%
74%
Content and format of Landscape News
90%
88%
BALI website
67%
70%
Member only area of the website
67%
61%
Content and format of the Who’s Who Directory
75%
77%
Support received by the BALI Technical Officer
72%
71%
2014
2013
Business and legal support telephone helpline (Croner)
67%
92%
BALI Insure
16%
27%
Regional workshops/events/ networking opportunities
60%
78%
These areas will be a specific focus for 2015/16
and we will look at how we can improve on
these services or indeed review whether they
are needed; in the case of BALI Finance this is
a service that we know is used by only a few
members.
Membership Renewal
We are once again at that extremely busy time
of the year when we have sent out membership
renewal notices. I would ask you to take a look
back over the year, think about how you have
engaged with the association, and consider
whether you have utilised the many benefits
BALI provides. Are you keeping in touch with
BALI and what is going on? We have increased
and improved our communications to members,
which is reflected in the statistics above.
National workshops/events/networking opportunities
56%
74%
Many members have already renewed their
membership and taken advantage of the
discounted rate for renewing early on-line. If you
haven’t renewed yet, please consider carefully
the benefits on offer to members and how
you can make best use of them. Some of the
benefits introduced this year can be found in the
Membership Benefits section of this edition of
Landscape News.
Dispute Resolution Service
70%
100%
What’s new for 2015
Register of Landbased Operatives (ROLO)
Health & Safety courses
68%
83%
Model documents/risk assessments
70%
93%
Trade magazine discounts
63%
81%
BALI Awards (if you have entered)
82%
90%
• Discount fuel cards
BALI Awards (if you have attended the event)
88%
97%
• The launch of the Domestic Contractor Forum
BALI Awards (if you have sponsored)
80%
100%
• A revised and updated BALI Strategy
document
BALI Benefits
Excellent/Good
Excellent/Good
The team at Landscape House are constantly
reviewing the service provided to BALI members
and investigating new and improved benefits that
reflect the needs of your business. In addition to
the imminent launch of the new BALI website,
watch out for:
BALI Finance
N/A
25%
Croner i – online business and legal support
78%
100%
LISS/CSCS cards (If you have used this service)
58%
80%
When did someone in your
company last speak to a
BALI representative other
than for renewal?
When was your company
last visited by a BALI
representative?
2014
Under 1
month
2013
Under 1
month
34%
44%
26%
2013
1 month+
25%
2014
6 month+
40%
2013
6 month+
20.3%
The year ahead is full of promise for BALI
Registered members and for those who, as
Associates and Student Members, are working
towards Registered status or who are simply
learning about this wonderful industry. BALI
is your support network – use every service
your BALI membership offers you and turn a
promising year into your most successful yet.
Best wishes.
Wayne Grills
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
2014
Under 6
months
2013
Under 6
months
17%
24%
2014
High
If you are a Full Contractor,
Registered Designer or
Affiliate, what value do you
put on being able to display
the BALI Registered logo?
2014
1 month+
• A review of BALI’s membership approval
criteria for Affiliates and Designers
70%
2013
High
60%
2014
Under 12
months
12%
2014
Moderate
20%
2013
Under 12
months
9%
2013
Moderate
29%
2014
Under 24
months
71%
2014
Low
10%
2013
Under 24
months
67%
2013
Low
11%
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 7
BALI joins
APPGHG members
at Defra meeting
On 20th January, BALI’s Chief Operations
Officer Wayne Grills joined members of
the All Party Parliamentary Gardening
and Horticulture Group (APPGHG) for a
meeting with the Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss
MP, Secretary of State for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs. The original meeting
date was re-scheduled after a Cabinet
re-shuffle in July 2014 saw
Owen Paterson, the then
Secretary of State, replaced
by Liz Truss, who moved from
the Department for Education
where she was Parliamentary
Under-Secretary of State.
January’s meeting was attended by APPGHG
Chairman Baroness Fookes, Secretary Brian
Donohoe MP, and APPGHG Officers Lord
Kilclooney and Lord Palmer. The industry
representatives present were Wayne Grills (BALI),
Sue Biggs (RHS), Carol Paris (HTA) and Dr Sid
Sullivan on behalf of the Parks Alliance.
The meeting was largely a briefing for the new
Secretary of State on the horticulture sector and
some of the challenges it currently faces, not
least the skills shortage. RHS Director General
Sue Biggs explained the cross-industry skills
campaign, Horticulture Matters, arguing that it
had already had success by getting horticulture
included in the Design and Technology curriculum
in schools. Coming from the Department for
Education, education and training remains high
on Liz Truss’s agenda and she is keen for the
technology and innovation developed by the
horticulture sector to be communicated through
the Design and Technology curriculum. She was
only too aware that schools do not understand
the opportunities the horticulture sector offers
for careers and employment and felt that
industry had a major part to play in promoting
those opportunities, including the availability of
apprenticeships.
Dr Sid Sullivan, representing the Parks Alliance
of which BALI is a member, also raised concerns
about skills and training and the need for park
managers to have the necessary skills to manage
parks and the groups of volunteers who are filling
gaps in manpower resulting from funding cuts.
The Secretary of State understood the challenges
and again stressed the important of using the
Design and Technology curriculum to establish
suitable skills from an early age.
Plant health and biosecurity were raised by
Carol Paris, Director-General of the Horticultural
Trades Association, who highlighted the problems
caused by plant imports and the burden faced
BALI board director promotes
horticultural apprenticeships
work-based training is a great way of developing
long term skills. It has allowed John O’Conner,
as an employer, to tap into new talent, upskill
its workforce and be ready and able to grow by
becoming more productive.
Matt O’Conner is an Apprenticeship Ambassador
for the Herts and Cambridge Region of the
National Apprenticeship Service. He is committed
to promoting the benefits of apprenticeships to
businesses across his operational region and to
other BALI members.
As part of National Apprenticeship
Week, which ran from 9th-13th March,
Matt O’Conner, BALI board director and
managing director of BALI contractor John
O’Conner (Grounds Maintenance) Limited,
attended the ‘Made by Apprentices’ event
held at the House of Commons. He was
accompanied by one of John O’Conner’s
horticultural apprentices, 22 year-old Jack
Peters, who is currently working on his
Level 3 Diploma in Amenity Horticulture.
The event enabled SMEs to showcase what
apprentices can achieve and how they can
help businesses flourish.
Andrew Jones MP, and Skills Minister and
Government Apprenticeship Ambassador Nick
Boles, took time to speak to Jack and learn more
about his story with John O’Conner. During the
afternoon both Matt and Jack were able to speak
to businesses that have yet to get on board
with apprenticeships to convince them that on
the job training with a mixture of classroom and
by businesses in the sector that are becoming
overburdened with plant health inspections.
Defra uses a risk matrix to assess threats and
takes advice from the Chief Plant Health Officer.
The benefits of using home-grown stock were
explored and Wayne Grills cited the success
of the Olympic Park landscape as an exemplar
for future projects such as HS2, where forward
planning could allow for UK producers to supply
nursery stock, thereby reducing the threat of
importing plant diseases.
Wayne Grills led the discussion on pesticides,
highlighting the serious concerns of those
companies operating in the grounds maintenance
sector that are faced with a diminishing armoury
of pesticides available to control weeds, pests
and diseases. In the past year alone 852
products had been withdrawn. Wayne stressed
the importance of ramping up research and
development to find alternative products and
technologies. The Secretary of State, who was
fully aware of industry’s concerns, had met
recently with the EU Commission to discuss the
Plant Protective Products Directive as decisions
on these are taken at EU level. Defra will continue
to work with industry to find an holistic scientific
approach to dealing with the issue.
It seems that we have a Secretary of State at Defra
who is sympathetic to the issues experienced
by the sector, understands our industry, and is
someone with whom the sector can do business;
the General Election on May 7th permitting.
John O’Conner’s apprenticeship scheme has
brought increased efficiencies to the business
and improved staff performance and motivation
levels, which in turn has positively influenced
relationships with clients. The business has also
seen an increase in requests for work-based
training from existing employees who have been
positively influenced and encouraged by the
apprentices. The management requirements of
the scheme have also provided opportunities
for existing staff by creating new supervisor and
management roles.
Apprenticeships are an excellent path to achieving
and expanding key skills within an organisation.
They not only support young people coming
into industries but can be an innovative way to
develop, motivate and grow existing staff within
the business. Matt advises BALI members
considering taking on apprentices or providing
work experience and training opportunities to
build up strong links with their training provider
as their support will really help both the company
and the trainees realise the potential of learning
while working.
At the event in
the House of
Commons, Jack,
was able to talk
about various
planting projects
with which he has
been involved
and discuss plant
ID. Matt believes
this has been
a crucial part
of the Amenity
Horticulture
apprenticeship, teaching through both practical
experience and college-based learning.
“We believe in growing our own managers and
supervisors from the ground up and many of
our past apprentices are now team leaders
and supervisors” explained Matt. “Therefore
we are growing our own bespoke skill set and
contributing to increasing qualifications in our
industry. Providing training opportunities is
integral for us; we enforce that they are not just for
young people and provide equal opportunities for
our existing staff in partnership with our training
provider to deliver functional work-based training.”
Jack works on a variety of John O’Conner
contracts to expand his skills base, including
designing and developing a part of the prestigious
rose garden at Alexandra Park and Palace for the
150 year anniversary celebrations. He was also
named Apprentice of the Week and interviewed
as part of Huffington Post’s Apprenticeships
feature. He regularly works to promote
apprenticeships, attending workshops with Matt
and company chairman John O’Conner, both of
whom are Apprenticeship Ambassadors.
Green-tech agrees three-year
headline sponsorship of BALI Awards
Following the unprecedented success of
the 2014 BALI National Landscape Awards
in December, BALI and its Awards partner
HorticultureWeek have announced a
new headline sponsor for the event. BALI
Affiliate member Green-tech Ltd will take
over lead sponsorship of the BALI National
Landscape Awards for three years,
starting this year.
Speaking about his company’s decision to take
on the headline sponsorship mantel, Greentech’s Chairman Richard Kay said: “We are
absolutely delighted to have this incredible
opportunity to show our commitment to the
landscape industry. Green-tech won the
Principal BALI Affiliate Exceptional Service
Award in 2013 and we celebrated our 20th
anniversary in 2014. The time is right to
associate the Green-tech name with industry
excellence across all disciplines and ensure that
the BALI Awards go from strength to strength.
Green-tech’s Chairman Richard Kay, right,
with Wayne Grills
The Green-tech team are enthusiastic
supporters of BALI and passionate about the
landscaping sector as a whole; sponsorship of
the awards ceremony in December is a natural
fit for the business. The three year deal confirms
Green-tech’s commitment to the association
and its members, to assist in raising the profile
of the landscape industry as a whole.’’
BALI’s Chief Operations Officer Wayne Grills is
looking forward to a new era with Green-tech as
headline sponsor and praised previous sponsor
Rigby Taylor’s involvement since 2009:
“The success of the BALI Awards in recent
years is due, in no small part, to the role of
the headline sponsor and to our partnership
with HorticultureWeek, who have helped us
deliver a more professional and industrywide awards process. I am delighted that
Green-tech have committed to supporting the
awards at the highest level as they have been
staunch supporters of BALI and its members
for 20 years by sponsoring regional events.
It is fitting that their name, which is respected
across the industry, should be associated with
the largest and most successful landscape
industry awards in the UK and Europe.
We look forward to the new dimension
Green-tech’s involvement will bring.”
www.baliawards.co.uk
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yo ed sam
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 9
Government
scraps Green
Infrastructure
guidance
A group of industry bodies, including the
Landscape Institute, the Town and Country
Planning Association, Groundwork UK
and The Land Trust, has written to the
Government expressing their concern over
the disappearance of Green Infrastructure
guidance within National Planning Practice
Guidance (NPPG). Until recently the green
infrastructure guidance was found as
a link on the Natural England website.
However, in a shift to the central .gov
website the guidance has been archived
and is no longer accessible.
Speaking about the loss of guidance
Noel Farrer, President of the Landscape
Institute, said: “Without proper guidance
green infrastructure will effectively become
‘downgraded’ throughout the planning
system. This is fundamentally at odds with the
Government’s ambition, set out in its Natural
Environment White Paper, “to be the first
generation to leave the natural environment
in a better state than it inherited”. It comes at
a time when the independent Natural Capital
Committee has reiterated the importance of
the natural environment in meeting sustainable
economic targets and improving our
wellbeing. We want Government to provide
us with assurances that this situation with be
resolved so that the real potential of green
infrastructure can be realised.”
The letter, which was sent to the Department
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
and the Department for Communities and
Local Government (DCLG), outlined a number
of serious impacts of the loss of guidance,
including:
• Without proper, updated green infrastructure
guidance within the National Planning
Practice Guidance (NPPG) it will carry very
little legal weight in the planning process.
Green infrastructure will, in effect, be
‘downgraded’ throughout the planning
system. This is of particular concern at
a time when the value of GI in tackling
pressing issues such as climate change
mitigation / adaptation and public health is
becoming increasingly well recognised.
• It undermines the ability of all users of
the NPPG to find up-to-date, relevant
information on the key concepts behind
green infrastructure.
• A lack of up to date guidance will hamper
efforts to deliver effective, multifunctional
green infrastructure on the ground,
undermining the ambitions set out in the
Government’s Natural Environment White
Paper (NEWP).
2 That decisions concerning local play
provision should be made by specialists
within local authorities who understand
the benefits of play and the needs of
local communities, not by procurement
departments. Local authority procurement
practices are protracted, consume time and
money, stifle the development of high-quality
play facilities and fail children. Play is a child
development issue.
3 That the Sport England Primary
Child’s play an election
issue say UK play industries
Spaces programme be extended to
every school, with broader scope to
incorporate a wide variety of physical
literacy activities, not just ball games.
Increased physical activity levels are
directly linked to greater concentration and
academic attainment. Schools play a key role
in encouraging children to be more active
throughout the school day.
4 That a measurable outcome for
The lead trade body for the UK play sector
is urging political parties campaigning for
this year’s General Election to make play a
policy priority.
Provision of high-quality play facilities in local
communities not only has a vital role to play
in tackling the nation’s catastrophic physical
inactivity epidemic but also addresses wider
social problems like social exclusion, anti-social
behaviour and community cohesion, says the
Association of Play Industries (API).
API Chair Michael Hoenigmann says: “Every
child has a fundamental right to play but there
are many local communities that have nowhere
safe for their children to play. At the same time
that childhood obesity and physical inactivity are
rising and young people’s relationship with the
outdoor world is dwindling, austerity measures
are putting children’s right to play and their
health and well-being at risk.”
The Association calls on politicians to invest
in high-quality public play facilities and parks,
particularly in deprived communities, for
children’s needs to come first when planning
new play facilities, for long-term funding for all
schools to provide more and better opportunities
for active outdoor learning and play and to
improve provision of PE and sport, and for
measurement of children’s physical literacy
within the Ofsted inspection regime. The API is
making four key requests:
physical literacy in schools, with agreed
minimum levels of physical activity,
outdoor learning and play, be mandated
in all schools as part of the National
Curriculum, with outcomes assessed
within the Ofsted framework. Active
outdoor learning and play at school are as
important as PE and sport in encouraging
children of all capabilities to be more
physically active, as well as improving
concentration, classroom behaviour and
academic performance.
1 That investment in, and subsequent
maintenance of, public play facilities
should be a government priority,
particularly in deprived communities.
Children are more physically active if they
have access to well-designed, high-quality
outdoor play facilities. Well-designed play
spaces act as a ‘signpost’ for children to
access the outdoor world. Public parks
should be hubs for physical activity for
people of all ages, including young
children, teenagers and seniors.
Evidence of the benefits of high-quality
play provision can be found in Tim
Gill’s report, The Play Return: a review
of the wider benefits of play initiatives
and the Association of Play Industries’
policy document: Community benefits of
children’s play areas.
www.api-play.org
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 11
RHS Awards
announced
The Royal Horticultural Society’s annual
awards for contributions to horticulture
were presented at a ceremony in London
on 26th February by RHS President Sir
Nicholas Bacon. The awards recognise
both horticultural excellence and
personal endeavour and are regarded
internationally as being among the
highest accolades in horticulture.
Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding
contribution to the advancement of the
science and practice of horticulture - Gillian
Barlow, Robert Berry, Neil Bragg, Fergus
Garrett, Charles Nelson, Penny Snell and
John Pilbeam.
RHS Associate of Honour, presented
to British citizens who have rendered
distinguished service to the practice of
horticulture, either as employers or
employees, throughout their career
- Sarah Cook, Simon Goodenough,
Robert Haslam and Sally Kington.
Harlow Carr Medal, given to honour those
who have made a significant contribution
to horticulture in the North of England Helen Bainbridge of Fir Trees Pelargonium
Nursery, North Yorkshire. Helen lectures on
pelargoniums and has regularly staged flower
show displays receiving Gold medals.
Master of Horticulture, the Society’s
most prestigious professional horticultural
qualification. This year’s graduates are: Mike
van den Berg, Teija Ahjokoski, Tom Brown,
Chris Day, Patrick Gardner, Ben Johnson,
Paul Kettell, Philip Moreau, Harry Mycock,
Michael Myers, Gemma Neech, Jenny Pitts,
John McConnell and Cara Smith.
Lawrence Medal, awarded annually for the
best exhibit shown to the Society during the
year, was awarded to South West in Bloom.
Ron and Adrian Scamp of R A Scamp Quality
Daffodils were awarded the E.H. Trophy.
RHS President Sir Nicholas Bacon said:
“I would like to offer my congratulations
to everyone who has received an award.
It is an honour to be able to recognise
the extraordinary contribution that these
individuals and organisations have made to
horticulture.”
www.rhs.org.uk
RHS President Sir Nicholas Bacon presenting the
prestigious RHS awards in London in February
Obituary
Michael William
Copping
It is with great sadness that BALI heard
of the death, on 24th February 2015, of
Michael (Mick) Copping, BALI National
Chairman in 1986/7 and owner of Coppings
Landscapes in Lewisham and latterly South
London.
Born in 1934, Michael worked with his brother in
the family firm started by his father, carrying out
landscaping and grounds maintenance work.
Coppings Landscapes was an early member of
BALI and Mick was active in the London area,
supporting National Chairmen Chris Baylis and
Bill Sones in the early to mid-1980s, and taking
over as National Chairman himself in 1986.
Fondly remembered for his unconventional
approach to life, Michael was a maverick and
enjoyed keeping his BALI friends and colleagues
on their toes. His last attendance at a BALI event
was in 2012 at the BALI 40th anniversary gala
dinner where he cut a dash on the dance floor
throughout most of the evening, putting younger
BALI members to shame.
We offer our deepest sympathies to Michael’s
family and friends on their loss.
BALI reaches major
membership milestone
When Mike Goodman set about confirming
his company’s BALI Associate membership
in January, little did he know that he was
making a not insignificant piece of BALI
history as he brought the Association’s
membership tally to 800 precisely. BALI
was established by a handful of industry
movers and shakers in 1972, and by 1975
its membership had already grown to 230.
By the end of the 2015-16 membership year
this figure is expected to have increased
almost four-fold.
Freshscaped Ltd, based in Birstall, was set
up by Mike in June last year and, very sensibly,
his first port of call was a reputable trade body
– BALI. Having enjoyed many successful years
in business and been a keen gardener all
his life, it was only after he had ‘retired’ that
he decided to start a garden and grounds
maintenance company.
“I soon found that the landscape industry is
a mass of regulation and hugely fragmented.
There are a heck of a lot of small businesses
out there like mine needing valid and valuable
advice, plus a chance to network with each other
and perhaps identify sub-contracting work. In
fact there are a thousand and one reasons why
joining BALI was a good idea. It’s not a cost to
my business, it’s very definitely an investment.”
As a BALI Associate member Freshscaped Ltd
has access to many of the benefits enjoyed by
BALI Registered members but, importantly, the
company cannot display the BALI Registered
logo or give the impression to customers that
it is a BALI Registered business. What BALI
Associate membership does provide, however,
is the opportunity to learn from experienced
contractors and designers, receive technical,
regulatory and business advice, attend training
Mike Goodman, owner of Freshscaped Ltd
(right), with Wayne Grills at the Yorkshire
and North East AGM recently
and networking events regionally and nationally,
and get first-hand information on the newest
industry products and services.
BALI’s National Chairman Bob Field is delighted
that fledgling companies are taking advantage
of Associate membership to help them build
their businesses and learn best practice
from the Registered members around them:
“I am delighted that an increasing number
of start-up companies are joining BALI as
Associate Members in order to benefit from
BALI business and technical support and the
free consultancy their BALI peers are so ready
to provide at regional and Landscape House
meetings. I would like to personally offer Mike
at Freshscaped Ltd a warm welcome and I
look forward to helping him achieve Registered
Contractor status over the coming two years.”
Mike has already made good use of his
membership by attending the Yorkshire and
North East Regional AGM in Boroughbridge on
the 5th February. Welcome to BALI!
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BALI Landscape News | Spring
2015 | 13
elects new Chairman
Phil Jones, Managing Director of BALI
Registered contractor ISS Facility
Services Landscaping, has been elected
Chairman of BALI-NCF, which represents
contractors providing predominantly
grounds maintenance services.
The Group currently comprises mostly BALI
Registered contractors who operate regionally
and nationally. It was rejuvenated in 2013 when,
as the National Contractors Forum, agreement
was reached for it to come under the BALI
banner as a specialist group, promoting the
interests of those businesses operating in the
grounds maintenance sector. Over the past
18 months a number of successful events
have been organised by BALI on behalf of
the Group but the new Chairman is keen to
develop its activities and use the joint weight of
its membership to lobby on key issues affecting
the grounds maintenance sector.
Commenting on his
appointment, Phil Jones
said: “I was delighted
to be elected chairman
of BALI-NCF. My main
focus will be to work
with the members to
highlight the key issues
facing them within the
industry. The Forum
needs a clear voice which speaks on behalf
of the collective members at the right level.
We need to choose our issues carefully and
they need to be real challenges, the solution
to which will bring real benefit to a significant
number of stakeholders. BALI-NCF exists as
a specialist group to represent its members
and I hope we can attract those companies
who operate within its scope but who are not
currently members”.
ISS Facility Services Landscaping
wins UK’s largest grounds
maintenance contract
BALI Registered contractor ISS Facility
Services Landscaping has been awarded
the Central, South West and South
East Regional Prime, Next Generation
Estates contracts by Prime Contractor
CarillionAmey. This will see ISS’s long
term partnership with them continue for
an initial contract period of five years, with
an extension of a further five, subject to
approval. The new contract is estimated to
be worth approximately £50 million.
ISS Facility Services Landscaping will deliver
grounds, sports field, airfield, hard surface,
hedge and tree maintenance along with snow
and ice clearance, at more than 250 key sites,
including RMA Sandhurst, Horse Guards,
Britannia Naval College, RAF Lyneham and
Catterick Garrison. Together with the existing
Housing Prime and Regional Prime Scotland
contracts, ISS Facility Services Landscaping
is now responsible for delivering grounds
maintenance on five Next Generation Estates
contracts.
The contracts, which required the transfer of
approximately 500 new staff from the incumbent
The re-launch of the Royal
Chelsea Hospital garden for
Gardening Leave. Heather
Budge-Reid, Chief Executive
of Gardening Leave, with
ISS’s Phil Jones, Chelsea
Pensioners and air cadets
contractors, commenced on 1st February. ISS
Facility Services Landscaping will build on their
already strong relationship with CarillionAmey
to deliver additional improvements to the quality
and efficiencies of the Defence Estate across
the UK.
Phil Jones, Managing Director of ISS Facility
Services Landscaping, said: “The award of
these contracts is a major landmark for both
ISS and the grounds maintenance industry as
a whole. They are also an opportunity for us
to further demonstrate our commitment to the
Armed Forces community. ISS Facility Services
Landscaping is the founder member of the
Garden Support Team for Gardening Leave, a
charity which helps veterans with mental health
issues on the road back to health and civilian life
by providing horticultural therapy within walled
gardens. Our main focus will be to ensure
that we continue to deliver the right culture of
continuous improvement, efficiencies, and value
for money to CarillionAmey and the Defence
Infrastructure Organisation.”
www.isslandscaping.co.uk
Business booms
for Grace
Landscapes
West Yorkshire based BALI Registered
contractor Grace Landscapes has won
work totalling more than £1.3m during
the past six months, including a threeyear deal with property and regeneration
company Harworth Group worth
£640,000. This latest contract combines
grounds maintenance with the upgrading
of seven existing business parks across
northern England and the Midlands.
Grace was approached by Lambert Smith
Hampton to implement the proposals put
forward by landscape architect Stephen Welch
of Welch Landscape Design. The Harworth
Group wanted to improve the sites visually
whilst reducing the maintenance costs for the
tenant’s. Around 5,000m2 will be changed in
all. Clearance works, staining and repairing
fences and new hedge planting are also part of
the package. Maintenance started on the three
northern sites on 1st February, with Grace due
to begin on the remaining sites on 1st April.
“We are planting semi-mature trees to
create avenues and enhance the entrances;
grass areas will be changed into wild flower
meadows and ornamental gravel with feature
stones will be used to save on maintenance
costs,” said Grace Landscapes’ commercial
director Jo Hardingham.
Investment in the first phase totals £137,000,
with work due to complete by the end of May;
around £425,000 is due to be spent over three
years. The maintenance contract is worth
£80,000 a year to the company, reducing as
the upgrades are completed.
The Harworth Group contract follows a
successful tendering period for the company
during which it brought in contracts worth
£810,000. In addition, a £220,000 job
at Glasgow Fort Retail Park, a £130,000
landscaped area for energy firm E.ON, and
work around the extended headquarters
of outdoor clothing and lifestyle company
Regatta worth £90,000 were all started at the
back end of 2014. £400,000 of maintenance
work has already been secured for the next 12
months - as well as “a huge number of smaller
wins, such as schools”, said Hardingham.
www.gracelandscapes.com
Newman
Landscapes wins
Garden Organic
tender
Toyota appoints
PC Landscapes for
biodiversity project
Toyota (GB) plc have recently appointed
award-winning BALI Registered contractor
PC Landscapes to join their team of
partner companies in working towards
achieving the company’s vision of a more
bio-diverse landscape surrounding their
headquarters in Epsom, Surrey. The
project is part of the company’s ‘Eco-HQ’
strategy.
PC Landscapes are working closely with
ecological and landscape design consultants
Land Care Associates of Birmingham, the
Wildlife Trust and experts from the UK Native
Seed Hub at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew,
to implement the design, which includes a
wildlife pond and herb garden planted with
UK species in keeping with the chalk land
area of the North Downs where Toyota’s UK
headquarters is situated.
Rebecca King, Corporate Social Responsibility
specialist at Toyota (GB) plc commented:
“Toyota (GB) are very pleased to have
appointed the contract to PC Landscapes,
who demonstrated a high-level of interest and
passion in our biodiversity project from the
outset. It is very much a collaborative project
and we welcome the contribution that PC
Landscapes have made, and will continue
making, throughout the installation.”
Paul Cowell, former BALI National Chairman,
landscape architect and PC Landscape’s
owner, is a champion of collaborative working
across industry disciplines and is excited about
the potential for this project: “Toyota (GB) plc
has fully embraced the concept of biodiversity
and understands the benefits that this project
will bring to the environment immediately
surrounding their headquarters in Epsom and
the wider neighbourhood. Not only will the
project design remove the clinical ‘business
park’ landscaping feel of the existing grounds
but it will also provide a varied and interesting
natural habitat for wildlife and for native plant
species. I hope it will be an exemplar for other
corporate headquarters buildings across the
country.”
www.pclandscapes.co.uk
Chelsea beckons for
Bowles & Wyer Contracts
The countdown to Chelsea has already
begun for BALI Registered contractor
Bowles & Wyer Contracts who, this year,
will be constructing the Brewin Dolphin
Garden.
Dan Riddleston, Managing Director of Bowles &
Wyer Contracts, said: “We are delighted to be
working with Brewin Dolphin garden designer
Darren Hawkes for the first time. It is always
exciting to work with new and emerging talent.
We worked with Matthew Childs last year and
this time it’s another young designer who has
given us the challenge of building on the famous
Chelsea Flower Show Rock Bank!”
Working on this feature presents contractors
with a new set of challenges. Dan continues:
“Working on the rock bank is a much bigger
excavation job than on the flats of Main Ave
or Royal Hospital Way. The logistics are much
greater as access is trickier and storage is
extremely limited. That said Darren’s design for
sponsor Brewin Dolphin is perfectly suited to
such a situation.”
The Brewin Dolphin Garden seeks to capture
the love of history and craftsmanship with a
sense of fun and create a space for entertaining
or private contemplation. Darren’s inspiration
came from Neolithic dolmens and the work
of artist James Turrell; floating platforms and
naturalistic planting lie above an underground
stream which flows into a pool.
In excess of 40,000 pieces of hand cut slate
will form stepping stones over the stream.
Woodland-style planting comprises ferns,
aquilegia, and bleeding heart. Elms are visible
throughout the garden and seek to represent
those that continue to thrive in Cornwall despite
Dutch elm disease.
www.bowleswyer-contracts.co.uk
Nuneaton-based BALI Registered
contractor Newman Landscapes has won
the tender to rejuvenate, redesign and
re-launch the 10 acre showcase gardens
located at Garden Organics’ site in Rytonon-Dunsmore near Coventry in the West
Midlands.
In recent years Newman Landscapes, which
was first established as a florist shop by the
present owner’s great grandfather in 1900, has
diversified into the provision of organic services
and, latterly, has become a recognised leader
in this field. It specialises in organic grounds
maintenance, which has proved to be of value
to companies and organisations that have well
defined environmental policies. Newman’s
approach actively includes the promotion of
the benefits associated with the non-use of
chemical substances.
Owner David Newman holds a National
Diploma in Horticulture and in 2014 was
awarded a silver medal at the BBC’s Gardeners
World Live competition for his Mediterranean
Garden “Mount of Olives”. The target now is a
gold medal at the RHS Hampton Court Palace
Flower Show in 2017 when Newman’s will be
presenting in partnership with Garden Organic.
Key to the company’s success is the
commitment that the firm has made to
investing in its staff. Training and education
are core requirements for all staff, and they
are supported to study in the pursuit of
qualifications recognised by the sector –
including RHS levels 1 and 2, and national
and first Diploma’s in Horticulture - and to
undertake training in organic principles.
Apprenticeships are offered and the firm has
taken the strategic decision to develop staff
towards promotion within the company itself.
Looking forward to the continuing development
of his company’s partnership with Garden
Organic, David Newman said: “Winning the
tender for Garden Organic is something I am
extremely proud of. The challenge ahead is not
only to maintain the grounds but to introduce
fresh and new designs into the gardens at
Ryton. With good team work and support
from the charity’s amazing volunteers, I am
confident that we will meet, and hopefully
exceed, the expectations of all those involved
at the organisation.”
www.newmanlandscapes.co.uk
www.gardenorganic.org.uk
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 15
The ‘Hoopla’ Garden pocket park saw the
transformation of an area locally known as ‘The
Bollards’ – a bland, paved area approaching
a busy high street, scattered with brutalist
concrete bollards installed to prevent parking in
front of the adjacent housing estate. Selected for
‘reanimation’ by The Edible Bus Stop® through
a thorough (and fun!) community consultation,
and with the delighted approval of land owners
Lambeth Living, it’s now an area that allows
the passer by to slow down and enjoy their
surroundings, in an area previously lacking in
green spaces.
Will Sandy, The Edible Bus Stop® co-founder,
landscape architect and creative director,
explains how the concept was conceived.
“Based on the game ‘hoopla’, we imagined
concrete drainage tubes laid on their sides and
placed around the existing bollards, as the rings
would be in the game. We wanted to provide a
playful take on the existing space, creating a little
theatre that everyone could relate to. The pipes
became planting beds of various sizes – some
provide seating ideal for interaction, planting
workshops or simply a space to watch the world
go by while you wait for your bus.”
The Kerb Garden, Stockwell.
Transforming the forgotten and neglected
sites across London’s Transport Network into
community growing, design-led spaces
The Edible Bus Stop®
Turning busy London bus stops into
gardens where people are more than happy
to while away the inevitable wait, Mak
Gilchrist and Will Sandy are an unstoppable
landscaping and urban design force, on a
mission to turn even the bleakest, barren
area into a playful community garden.
Driven by the mantra that ‘a brutal landscape
makes for a brutal outlook’, The Edible Bus
Stop® duo believe that by taking responsibility
for our neglected urban spaces they can change
peoples’ perceptions and experiences of inner
city living. Put simply, they are installing urban
village greens – although the end results are so
much more inviting, so much more engaging
than that.
Guerrilla gardening gone grown-up, this isn’t
just a case of flowering up a few neglected
corners whilst no one else is looking. Design led
and community guided, they create landmarks
of pride; demonstrating, they say, that good
design is not socially exclusive. Recognised by
the Mayor of London’s Pocket Park programme,
they received funding for two pocket parks. The
first, ‘The Kerb Garden’, a beautifully landscaped
bus stop on Landor Road in Stockwell was
the first of the programme to be realised in
May 2013. The second, the ‘Hoopla’ garden,
opened in June 2014 in West Norwood. Both
are predominantly planted with edibles, with
the Hoopla garden featuring edible native and
wild planting. Their on-going dream is to create
an Edible Bus Route, using the existing 322
bus route through busy south London – a third
garden at the Crystal Palace Bus Station is
already in its early days.
Mak, The Edible Bus Stop® founding member,
installations producer and public events
coordinator, believes in producing gardens that
promote harmonious meeting areas where, she
says, “people can come together for the good of
the neighbourhood and get to know each other.
By gardening and enjoying these community
growing spaces, conversation is encouraged,
barriers are broken down and a vested interest in
a neighbourhood is nurtured.
The Hoopla Garden, West Norwood
“Our aim is to move away from the usual
stereotype of community gardens, where the
emphasis is mainly on function over form,
rebalancing and allowing design to raise the
profile and promotes inclusivity and pride.”
The Hoopla Garden received additional funding
from Kew Garden’s Grow Wild initiative and
has been planted as a native plants, trees
and wildflower garden. Crab Apple, Hazel,
Sloe, Hawthorn, Rosehip, wild garlic, field
poppy, cornflower, oxeye daisy, bluebells, cow
parsley, wild strawberries and primroses jostle
for position in this lush urban oasis which, as
Mak affirms, is already proving to be a popular
destination.
“We’re getting great feedback. The local
secondary school kids congregate there to eat
their lunch now and hang out before heading
home on the bus.”
An essential ingredient for the garden’s success
is enriched biochar, a soil amendment that is
relatively new on the landscaping scene and
something which The Edible Bus Stop® is proud
to have discovered during the planting of its
flagship ‘Kerb Garden’ on Landor Road. Biochar
is a form of enriched horticultural charcoal that
stabilises soil moisture, reduces nutrient leaching
and supports diverse soil bacterial colonies – key
to growing resilient plants. Not only is it essential
for their low maintenance container planting –
where access to nutrients and water may be
limited – it’s also earned the team additional
green stripes.
Biochar, made out of recycled woody waste
material, retains most of the natural carbon
from its original plant matter. When one tonne
of biochar is put into soils, it’s the equivalent of
removing three tonnes of atmospheric carbon
dioxide from the carbon cycle. So not only are
these pocket parks bringing carbon-capturing
planting into city spaces, they’re locking carbon
into the soil at the same time.
The Edible Bus Stop® team are big biochar
fans and use BALI Affiliate member Carbon
Gold’s biochar products in all their gardens and
installations: “We find it vitally important to make
sure what we plant in is of the highest standard
to assure the plants survival and success.
Biochar has made a huge difference to how long
our plants thrive. We wouldn’t do without it.”
www.theediblebusstop.org
www.carbongold.com
Bawden achieves ‘Approved
Contractor’ status for tree
surgery work
Award-winning BALI Registered
contractor Bawden Contracting
Services Ltd, has achieved ‘Approved
Contractor’ status from the
Arboricultural Association (AA) at
the first attempt. The assessment
took place in December with the AA’s
assessor observing Bawden’s tree
teams at work and scrutinising the
tree surgery division’s operational
and health and safety management,
record keeping, and its approach to
customer service.
Bawden’s Tree Care Manager, Charlie
Horsfall, who only joined the company in
May 2014, was full of praise for his two
tree teams and the tremendous support
they receive from office staff: “This was a
massive effort by the tree teams and by the
team in the office who are in daily contact
with clients – they all take tremendous
pride in their work. We are privileged to
carry out tree surgery works for local
authorities, the Defence Estate, and many
town and parish councils across the South
of England and although they already know
we always do an excellent job, ‘Approved
Contractor’ status acknowledges our
position amongst the top tree surgery
companies in the country.”
Bawden’s Finance Director Richard Stone,
who is also a BALI board member, sees
‘Approved Contractor’ status as crucial
to furthering the company’s ambitions to
build its tree surgery division. Richard said:
“Tree care in all its forms is very much the
challenge of the day. With the increasing
number of serious tree pests and diseases
in the country, tree surgeons must be well
trained, both to identify the cause of tree
disease and then to have the practical
skills to save trees where at all possible
or, if this cannot be achieved, to ensure
they are felled correctly and safely. Our
existing clients rely on our teams to do the
very best for their tree stock; ‘Approved
Contractor’ status gives them the peace of
mind that this will happen.”
Charlie Horsfall, centre right, with
members of Bawden Tree Care
www.bawdengroup.com
Endorsed by
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 17
TRAINING & TECHNICAL
BALI’s Technical Officer, Jonathan Tame, gives his views on the skills
shortage in the horticulture and landscaping sector and suggests
the industry might be its own worst enemy…
The industry skills shortage:
more questions than answers
A topic that has been discussed a great
deal recently at a number of industry events
and in numerous articles is the current and
future skills shortage in horticulture and
landscaping. We are not alone, however,
as a number of other UK industries – most
notably construction and engineering - are
also suffering from a worrying skills gap that
threatens those industries’ future growth.
Many business leaders have spoken out. Kevin
Green, Chief Executive of the Recruitment
and Employment Confederation (REC) whose
members are “on the front line of the UK labour
market” as he puts it, paints an alarming picture:
“Last year we had nine areas of skills shortages,
now we have 43. Every single type of engineering
is in short supply, from mechanical to software,
civil to electrical.”
The CBI’s Head of Employment and Education,
Rob Wall, said: “Our most recent survey shows
that skills shortages are becoming more acute
and risk acting as a break on our economic
recovery. This is particularly true for high-level
skills in sectors like engineering, technology,
digital, manufacturing and construction.”
43 areas of skills shortages begs the question
‘what have students been learning for the last
five to ten years?’ The horticultural skills shortage
appears to have been assisted, in part, by
sections of the industry, which must surely take
some of the responsibility for the mess in which
the wider industry now finds itself.
The problem is that a number of well-researched
reports, written by well-established organisations,
highlighted several years ago that landscape and
horticulture had a number of skills gaps. One such
report, ‘Green Space Skills’, was commissioned
by CABE Space in 2009. It provided a good
overview of the horticultural sector and attempted
to estimate its size. Lantra created two further
Coles Nurseries gain
CPD accreditation
for training in plant
selection
reports in 2010 and 2011 where they dug a little
deeper and examined ‘the hidden workforce’; that
is, people working in green space but classified
under other SIC codes*. This increased the
number of people working in the green space
sector to an estimated 190,000, working in
about 47,000 organisations. More recent reports,
such as the 2013 RHS ‘Horticulture Matters’
publication, suggest an increase to c.300,000
people working in the industry. I’m not entirely sure
how accurate these figures are when compared
with the most recent ONS data but they do
provide a picture of the fragmented nature and
overall size of the industry.
These reports highlight a range of issues and
illustrate how horticulture is spread across many
different sectors - from construction to retailing
to scientific research and development – and just
how important it is to those sectors if they are to
operate successfully.
The reports also highlight the demographic
profile of those who work in the green sector, i.e.
horticulture, landscaping and sports turf. With a
predominantly male workforce, aged over 30, and
with only 2% from a non-white ethnic background,
our industry needs to investigate why we are
failing to attract young people, why women are
under-represented and how we reach out to
youngsters of different ethnicities.
The reports also provide survey results of roles
that organisations needed to fill but found hard
to recruit because of the skills shortage, namely
landscape architects, horticulturalists, gardeners,
greenkeepers and groundsman, tree surgeons
and arboriculturalists. This doesn’t surprise me,
mainly because the low pay advertised by some
landscape businesses and some of the country’s
prominent landscape institutions is shameful,
especially when you compare the pay offered with
what is required of applicants.
BALI Affiliate member Coles Nurseries
have gained CPD accreditation for their
course ‘An Awareness of the National Plant
Specification (NPS)’. The course, which has
been run by Coles for the past five years
as an NVQ qualification, gives participants
an overview of the various criteria used in
plant specification, e.g. girth, height and
pot size, and the situations where each are
applicable.
The purpose of the training is to save
participants time when tendering and ordering
plants by setting clear, defined parameters for
suppliers to adhere to, and receiving like for like
quotes in return. Participants gain knowledge
and confidence in accurately planning planting
densities and numbers, estimating handling,
I saw a leading university in the West Midlands
advertising a ‘Head Gardener’ position just a
month ago. They required applicants to hold the
following:
• a BSc or HND or RHS Level 3
• excellent horticultural skills
• good H&S knowledge
• ability to manage a team, and a plethora of
other skills, both practical and knowledgebased; PLUS
• ‘the flexibility’ to work weekends and bank
holidays
And what were they offering for this position?
Just over £21,000! This, in my book, would be an
insult to anyone holding half those qualifications
and ‘desired skills’, and be expected to work
unconventional hours.
The National Trust doesn’t fare much better with
many of their advertised head gardener positions.
A number of roles advertised in January this year
wanted all of the above skills and the ability to
manage budgets, strategically plan and develop
the gardens and manage up to 30 volunteers, for
around £23,000; that’s a graduate’s salary for a
higher level management position. Seriously?
Yes – but heh, you do get 20% off at the café.
In my opinion, parts of the industry have, to a large
degree, only themselves to blame for the current
skills shortage if businesses and organisations
fail to value the skills and knowledge required and
think that people will do the work ‘for the love
of it’ and a pittance of a salary. I look at my own
pathway through the industry. Back then it cost
me about £4000 year to study horticulture, and
grants were also available. Compared with the
£9000 a year fees in place today, is it any wonder
that people considering studying horticulture, who
will be paying at least £27,000 to gain their degree,
are put off when they look at the salaries on offer
after they graduate?
Skills dumbed down
The recent discovery by BALI that plant
identification has become an ‘optional’ unit for
Level 2 learners does nothing to help the skills
shortage. This opinion is not shared by our
Sector Skills Council, Lantra, however (Lantra is
one of the organisations the industry relies on to
ensure we have well trained, knowledgeable new
transport and storage costs and selecting
appropriate stock for any situation.
Coles are offering the training, which can
take place either at their nursery or at the
candidate’s offices, to CPD registered practices
across the UK. Candidates are able to pick
and choose the areas they would like to
cover during the session from a list of topics.
For those organisations that are not CPD
registered, full day training sessions are also
available at the nursery. Accredited to NVQ
Level 2, the training is ideal for anyone involved
in plant ordering, handling or installation at all
levels.
Contact Coles for further information - 0116 241
2115 or email info@colesnurseries.co.uk.
Forestry and arboriculture students visit
BALI Affiliates to develop urban tree
planting knowledge
entrants). They stand by the decision and claim it
was made following industry consultation. How is
this move improving the skills shortage situation
you may ask? Well, it isn’t; we will now have
people coming into the industry unable to identify
basic plant species.
The other change made for Level 2 horticultural
learners is that it is now mandatory to learn how
to use pedestrian powered equipment. So don’t
worry that the learner doesn’t know what the
plant species is, they have learned how it can be
hacked back with a petrol hedge cutter; brilliant!
Is it just me, or with changes like this does anyone
else see the skills shortage continuing for some
time yet?
Luckily, BALI and a number of other organisations
and businesses are heavily involved in creating
the new apprenticeship framework that should
come into effect from 2016/17. Here we have
ensured that plant identification, along with other
key industry skills, is included in the syllabus. The
draft apprenticeship framework will be released
for consultation soon, so please do provide
feedback and be part of the solution, not part of
the problem.
*SIC codes; Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)
was first introduced into the UK in 1948 for use in
classifying business establishments and other statistical
units by the type of economic activity in which they are
engaged. The classification provides a framework for
the collection, tabulation, presentation and analysis of
data, and its use promotes uniformity.
A group of students from Kirkley Hall
College in Northumberland visited
BALI Affiliate members Green-tech
and Johnsons of Whixley recently to
further their understanding of urban
tree planting. The students, currently
in their third year studying Forestry
and Arboriculture, made the trip down
to York to visit Green-tech’s head
office in Nun Monkton and Johnsons of
Whixley’s nursery.
The day began with an introduction to Greentech by the company’s Chairman, Richard
Kay, followed by an educational seminar on
the ArborRaft System presented by resident
Product Specification Manager, Richard
Wexham. The students made full use of the
seminar by addressing a number of questions
regarding rooting depths, how to avoid
underground services when planting, and soil
compaction. A guided tour of the warehouses
and an overview of Green-tech’s extensive
stock range were given by Sales Director Ian
Rotherham before the students headed the
few miles west to Johnsons of Whixley for a
nursery tour.
Johnsons of Whixley is one of the longest
established and largest commercial nursery
businesses in Europe and is the largest
supplier to the amenity sector in the UK.
Chairman John Richardson commented: “We
Recruitment
Professionals
for the
Landscape and
Horticultural
Industries
have a great working relationship with Greentech and were delighted to join forces to
offer this fantastic opportunity to horticulture,
forestry and landscaping students and
apprentices. We are recognised as a leading
contributor within the UK for modernising the
nursery, sales and production processes and
are only too happy to share our knowledge
with the visiting students.”
Green-tech Chairman Richard Kay said: “We
were delighted to welcome the students from
Kirkley Hall College. We plan to continue a
programme of student seminars throughout
2015 as part of our GT Young Guns
campaign, which provides advice and support
to those entering the horticulture, forestry and
landscaping trades. It’s imperative that young
people develop a passion for this industry
and we are committed to investing time and
resources into the specialists of tomorrow.”
If you would like more information or wish
to arrange a visit, please contact richardk@
green-tech.co.uk.
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 19
TRAINING & TECHNICAL
CDM 2015 – the revised
regulations explained
Contractors and designers will be
significantly affected by the rewritten and
substantially revised CDM Regulations,
which will come into force on 6th April
2015 (subject to Parliamentary approval).
The main reasons for the revision are that the
CDM 2007 Regulations do not comply with
the EU Directive [92/57/EEC: Temporary or
Mobile Construction Sites Directive (TMCSD)]
and the Government’s drive for better
regulation, particularly the initiative to reduce
red tape and reduce the regulatory burden on
businesses. The review of CDM 2007, which
was undertaken before the revision started,
indicated that CDM 2007 was essentially fit
for purpose and working well in the more
organised larger project part of the industry but
not so well for the less well organised smaller
project part. Before the first CDM Regulations
(1994) most fatalities were on large sites,
but now 70% are on sites with less than 15
workers.
threshold for the notification of a
3 The
project to HSE is changed to that required
in the EU Directive and notification no
longer triggers additional duties. The
revised threshold is:
• more than 30 working days of
construction work and more than 20
workers working simultaneously at any
time,
or
• more than 500 person days of
construction work.
Construction Phase Health and Safety
4 APlan
is required for all construction projects
and must be prepared by the PC before the
construction phase starts. This includes
projects for domestic clients and is not
subject to either of the above thresholds.
clients had no duties under CDM
5 Domestic
2007 (although contractors, designers
and all workers had the same duties as
for all non-notifiable projects). Domestic
clients have the same duties as commercial
clients in the EU Directive and therefore
domestic clients have duties in CDM 2015.
However, other than the requirement that
the domestic client should appoint a PD
and PC for projects with more than one
contractor (with a default if the client fails
to appoint one or both), the other client
duties become the duties of the PC (or
contractor, if there is only one). Alternatively
the domestic client can appoint the PD (in
writing) to do the other client duties.
Following the consultation on the CDM 2015
draft Regulations in mid-2014, HSE published
draft Legal Guidance on CDM 2015 early
in January 2015, including revised draft
Regulations. Subject to Parliamentary approval,
these will be finalised and come into force on
6th April 2015 (download1 draft ‘Legal Series’
guidance 153 (search on L153) free from
www.hse.gov.uk). At the same time2 draft
industry guidance explaining the scope of
the duties for each of the duty-holders was
published by CITB (free from www.citb.co.uk).
The main revisions in the January 2015 draft
of the Regulations that affect the landscape
industry are:
CDM Coordinator no longer exists in
1 The
CDM 2015 but for projects with more than
one contractor the client must appoint
the “designer with control over the preconstruction phase” as Principal Designer
(PD). The PD’s duties are essentially to
plan, manage, monitor and coordinate at
the pre-construction stage to ensure (as
far as is reasonably practicable) that the
project is carried out without risks to the
health and safety of anyone.
threshold for the appointment of
2 The
coordinators (Principal Designer and
Principal Contractor (PC)) is revised to be
the same as in the EU Directive. As soon
as it is reasonably foreseeable that more
than one contractor will be required at
any one time then the client must appoint
a PD and a PC. However the HSE legal
guidance emphasises the importance of
early appointment of a PD. Sub-contractors
and self employed persons count as
contractors for this assessment.
6
The 2007 Regulation and associated
Appendix that required competence has
been removed. However, CDM 2015
requires that everyone must receive
appropriate information, instruction,
training and supervision to secure health
and safety, and that anyone appointing a
designer or contractor must ensure they
have the necessary skills, knowledge,
experience, and, if an organisation, the
organisational capacity to ensure health
and safety.
provisions are included in CDM
7 Transition
2015 for projects in progress on 6th April
2015. They provide a 6 month transition
period with detailed requirements,
including: the transition from CDM-C to
PD by 6th October at the latest; duties
that apply to CDM-Cs between 6th April
until a PD is appointed (or the project ends
if before 6th October); appointments or
documents required by CDM 2015, which
were not required by CDM 2007, must be
made and produced as soon as practicable
after 6th April.
There are many implications for the
landscape industry as a result of the
changes. Probably the most important
ones are that:
a) The wording of the Regulation concerning
the appointment of the PD means that the
lead designer should (or perhaps must) be
the PD and responsible for carrying out
the PD duties, including the management
of health and safety during the preconstruction phase, producing the Health
and Safety File, and, if agreed, carrying
out the client’s duties for domestic clients.
This applies to all construction projects
(including domestic client projects) that will
have more than one contractor (i.e. most
projects). The definition of construction
work remains the same as in CDM 2007,
so soft landscape is not construction work
but hard landscape, earthworks, pipelines,
cables and the maintenance of hard
landscape are.
b) The changed threshold for the appointment
of coordinators (PD and PC) means that
many more commercial projects will
require coordinators and, for the first time,
projects for domestic clients will need
coordinators if more than one contractor
will be required. This will have most impact
on lead designers and main contractors
who specialise in domestic projects but do
no (or little) commercial work and therefore
have no experience of the CDM 2007
coordinator roles.
c) The change in the threshold for notification
means that fewer commercial projects will
be notifiable to HSE. However, there will be
some notifiable domestic client projects,
whereas no projects for domestic clients
were notifiable under CDM 2007. The
addition of the 20 worker threshold will
make it much more difficult for designers
to assess before a contractor becomes
involved whether a project will be notifiable.
Additionally, the projects with less than 15
workers that are currently responsible for
70% of fatalities will not be notifiable unless
they involve more than 500 person days
of construction work, which is unfortunate
since one of the HSE stated objectives of
the revisions is to concentrate more on
smaller projects.
d) The requirement for a Construction Phase
Health and Safety Plan for all construction
projects is onerous but brings CDM 2015
in line with the EU Directive. It will be
most onerous for contractors who only
do projects for domestic clients who have
never had to produce such a Plan before.
HSE will be publishing template Plans for
typical small domestic projects but they
are only likely to cover building situations
such as: three men in a bathroom – a fitter,
plumber and electrician – one of whom will
be the PD and PC and responsible for the
client’s duties and have to produce Preconstruction Information, a Construction
Phase Health and Safety Plan and a
Health and Safety File! The problem with
templates is that they have to be adapted
to the actual project; the risks particular
to the project (which are often the more
difficult ones to control) will not be in the
template. As complacency is common
when using templates, project-specific
risks are likely to be missed.
e) For domestic projects, if a designer
is appointed first and more than one
contractor will be required it will be ideal if
the designer is also appointed (in writing)
as the PD and to undertake the client’s
duties. Similarly, if a contractor is appointed
first to design and build the project then,
assuming the project will need more than
one contractor, the contractor will be the
PD, PC and have the client’s duties as
well as duties as a contractor and as a
designer; but if it is design-and-build and
there is only one contractor the contractor
will have the client’s duties as well as those
of a designer and of a contractor (which
include the production of the Construction
Phase Health and Safety Plan).
Tillers turf promotes
new Certificate in
Water Conservation
e-learning course
with offer to
customers
Image courtesy of Watermatic Ltd
f)
The removal of the competence
requirements from the Regulations
is unlikely to reduce the demands for
health and safety competence (for
example, through the requirements of
pre-qualification questionnaires and
membership of third-party organisations
that assess health and safety competence).
g) The detail of the transition provisions
should be studied by lead designers, CDMCs and PC’s whose appointments span
6th April to ensure compliance from 6th
April. Designers, lead designers, (potential
PDs), contractors and PCs should study
CDM 2015 to ensure they and those
working on the project for whom they are
responsible are fully aware of their duties
and are appropriately trained. Additionally,
designers and contractors on or before
their appointment must ensure that their
clients are aware of their duties for new
projects, or their revised duties by 6th April
for ongoing projects.
This is only a brief introduction to the main
revisions in CDM 2015 based on the January
2015 draft CDM Regulations and associated
draft HSE Legal Guidance document L153.
Additional (secondary) information is in the
Industry Guidance; however the Regulations
and HSE Legal Guidance take precedence.
If you have queries regarding this important
regulatory update please contact BALI’s
Technical Officer, Jonathan Tame, on 02476
698653 or email jonathan.tame@bali.org.uk.
References:
HSE Draft Guidance on CDM 2015: 9 January
2015. Includes revised draft of the Regulations.
Draft Legal Series Guidance L153: free from
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l153.htm
1
CITB Draft Industry Guidance: January
2015. Six individual documents for clients,
contractors, designers, principal contractors,
principal designers and workers: free from
http://www.citb.co.uk/health-safety-and-othertopics/health-safety/construction-design-andmanagement-regulations/
2
Colin Moore is an independent landscape consultant. He is the author/
editor of JCLI contracts for the Landscape Institute and the Society of
Garden Designers, as well as the SGD Heather’s Model Specification. He
is a recognised expert on the CDM Regulations for the landscape industry
and has been providing CDM seminars to the industry since 1996.
Tim Fell, director of BALI Affiliate
member Tillers Turf, is full of praise for
the newly launched e-learning module
on Water Conservation, and is prepared
to put his money where his mouth is.
“I’ve just completed the online Water
Conservation course on the HTA website. It’s
a really useful course and it makes you think
about the issues surrounding water use in the
landscape. We at Tillers Turf feel that it’s so
important that we will pay for one hundred of
our customers to do the course and get the
certificate so that not only will they be able
to offer a more professional service to their
customers now but they will also have a better
chance of exemptions when temporary use
bans are imposed during the early stages
of the next inevitable drought. With luck, an
initiative like this will stimulate others to do
the same. A big uptake of the course would
provide a powerful message to Defra and
the water companies that landscapers and
sportsground managers mean business and
want to make a difference as far as water
usage is concerned.”
Tillers Turf will be emailing all their customers
about the offer, which will be available to the
first one hundred who confirm they would like
to do it. The course would normally cost £10
and takes about an hour.
Apart from the water conservation message,
Tim believes it’s a useful exercise in client
service: “Talking to clients along the lines
suggested in the course promotes an image of
professionalism and shows that the contractor
has thought about maintenance issues after
completion of the project. From a turf user
point of view the course identifies best practice
when installing and maintaining turf and, again,
lifts the professionalism that we are trying to
engender. Whilst there is no guarantee that
the certificate will provide an exemption from
early stage temporary use bans, it will be very
difficult for Defra and the water companies
to endanger the livelihood of turf growers,
installers and users who can demonstrate a
knowledgeable and responsible approach.”
If you are a customer of Tillers Turf and
would like to take up their generous offer,
please email tim@tillersturf.co.uk or call
01522 704949.
To access the Certificate in Water
Conservation e-learning module,
visit www.htalearning.org.uk
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 21
TRAINING & TECHNICAL
Cutting the cost
of landscaping
School trial shows cost savings from using topsoil
manufactured with PAS 100 compost
Construction sites often suffer from a lack
of suitable topsoil for landscaping. WRAP
Cymru works with businesses to help
them reap the benefits of reducing waste,
developing sustainable products and using
resources in an efficient way. Working with
Constructing Excellence in Wales, WRAP
Cymru ran a trial in 2014 at the Llanelli
School in south Wales to demonstrate
the landscaping and commercial benefits
of incorporating BSI PAS 100 certified
compost into onsite subsoil to provide a
growing medium, suitable for amenity and
wildflower grasses.
There are two main types of compost: green and
green/food compost. Green compost is derived
solely from garden waste, from sources such as
domestic gardens and municipal parks. Green/
food compost is made from similar inputs, plus
food waste collected from households and
businesses including caterers. Both are excellent
soil conditioners, but the rate at which they
release nutrients tends to be higher in green/
food compost. All compost certified under the
Compost Certification Scheme must meet the
quality requirements of the PAS 100 specification.
This allows its use in landscaping without the need
for environmental permits.
Certified compost is already being used
successfully in topsoil manufacture on
development projects. The compost is
mixed with recycled and inert site-won materials,
such as surplus subsoil, stone fines and other
mineral soil-forming materials. The ratios of each
material will be determined by the landscaping
needs of the individual site, but all manufactured
topsoils should conform to the requirements of
BS 3882:2007.
For the trial at the Llanelli School regeneration
scheme, the performance of amenity and
wildflower grasses grown on both manufactured
and imported topsoils was compared. One test
area used standard imported soil and the other
used topsoil that was manufactured onsite by
incorporating certified (green) compost at the rate
of 10% by volume within the top 20 to 40 cm of
prepared subsoil. This was achieved by spreading
compost to a depth of 4 cm across the subsoil
surface and rotavating it in. A small tractormounted rotavator would be expected to be used
with full-scale operations. The moisture content
of the subsoil during manufacture is critical as it
needs to be sufficiently friable to allow easy clod
break-up and compost incorporation.
Bags of compost
prior to incorporation
The plots were monitored visually and grass
production was measured over a period between
July and October 2014, to determine the
effectiveness of the manufactured soil
compared with imported soil.
The results
Grass growth results – Laboratory results
show that compost has twice the organic
matter content of topsoil, nearly twice the total
nitrogen content, five times the readily available
nitrogen and twice the available potassium and
phosphorus. By importing compost alone to site
for incorporation into the existing site materials,
At Llanelli School, topsoil manufactured with PAS 100
compost supported approximately 100% more grass
growth (to right of image) than standard imported
topsoil (to left).
a concentrated form of plant nutrients is available
without the need to import topsoil in the volumes
that would be required to achieve the same
nutrient levels.
WRAP Cymru’s grass growth trials at Llanelli
School showed that, over a single season (June
to October 2014), the topsoil manufactured with
certified compost out-performed the imported
soils by a factor of two, or in other words showed
approximately 100% more growth than the
imported soil.
Soil development effects – If imported or
manufactured topsoils are simply placed on
the site surface without careful incorporation, a
sharp boundary between the two materials can
be created. This can lead to topsoil slippage
on slopes and restricted root penetration if the
density is sufficiently high. Root penetration in
deeper soil results in speedy soil development.
This is particularly important on sites that need
soil stabilisation and access to water reserves,
For Landscaping Contracts in
the Midlands and the west of
England
especially when dry conditions are expected. Incorporating
certified compost into the onsite materials to create a
manufactured topsoil can overcome these risks.
Cost benefit – There will inevitably be regional variations in the
cost of topsoil and quality compost, and the costings below are
based on those experienced for the Llanelli School scheme trial.
Nevertheless, the findings are thought to be largely representative
and applicable to similar-sized schemes across the country.
Greengrow® composted green
waste soil conditioner
The cost of importing topsoil would have been £20 per tonne
delivered to site. Spread at 10 cm depth (with 1 tonne covering
10 m2) this equates to a cost of £2 per m2. The compost cost
approximately £35 per tonne delivered to site. At the application
rates detailed above, this covered around 25 m2 at a cost of £1.40
per m2.
Screened to - 12mm
Peat free
Available bagged or loose
Delivery available or buyer collects
Soil Association certified
PAS 100
Both materials would need to have been spread (costs are
estimated to be the same in this case study) but there was an
additional cost for incorporating the compost into the existing
subsoil (estimated at £0.25 per m2).
Contact
Severn Waste Services : The Marina,
Kings Road,
Evesham, Worcs. WR11 3XZ
Sales enquiries : 01386 443376
: enquiries@severnwaste.co.uk
: www.severnwaste.com
Based on these estimates, topsoil manufacture using certified
compost cost between 15 and 20% less than importing topsoil.
In addition, the added nutrients available in the compost are likely
to give additional medium and long term benefits.
Whilst the results of the Llanelli School trial showed increased
grass growth in the manufactured topsoil, this degree of growth
may not always be required or desirable, and so the ratio of
compost used could be cut to less than half of the amount of
imported topsoil, bringing yet further financial benefits.
Bourne Classified Ad 13.2.15.pdf
1
16/02/2015
18:58
In summary, certified compost can be readily sourced and
imported onto site to manufacture topsoil, which can then outperform imported ‘natural’ topsoil in terms of grass growth and
soil development at a cost that is likely to be considerably less
than if topsoil is imported to site.
A word of caution: the process of manufacturing topsoil on site
should be overseen by a soil consultant, landscape architect or
landscape contractor with specific soil knowledge to ensure the
specification for the landscaping topsoil is met.
To find a supplier of BSI PAS 100 compost near your project site,
visit www.qualitycompost.org.uk/producers
If you are working on larger-scale projects in Wales and require
information or advice on using BSI PAS 100 compost, contact
WRAP Cymru Project Manager Ruta Dauksaite by emailing
ruta.dauksaite@wrap.org.uk or phoning 029 20 100 112.
C
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CM
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 23
project manager Matt Ainscow and his team
have lived and breathed the project for two years.
Getting the buy-in of suppliers to ensure every
single item was where it needed to be, and when,
was absolutely key to the project’s success. Matt
and his team worked closely with Gillespies,
Kew, Kelways, the building’s owners and a host
of contractors to ensure decisions on absolutely
every aspect of plant selection, procurement
and delivery; choice of materials for stone walls
and paths; planting media; irrigation systems;
and a host of other items were made, agreed
and implemented before anything was lifted into
position.
Creating a
garden in the sky
Willerby Landscapes, BALI’s Grand Award
winner in 2014 and on four previous
occasions, is used to undertaking
landscaping challenges on a grand scale.
But the installation of London’s highest
public garden at 20 Fenchurch Street was
an altogether different challenge.
The Sky Garden, which sits on the very top three
floors of the 37 storey building affectionately
known as the Walkie-Talkie, in the City of London,
was created by a team led by Stephen Richards
of landscape architects Gillespies. The brief
was to create a free visitor attraction that offers
wonderful views across London and beyond
from an environment of lush gardens planted with
exotic and unusual plants.
20 Fenchurch Street is just shy of 525ft high
(160m) and the planted space at the top has
its own microclimate. The planting palette was
chosen to thrive in the naturally ventilated space
and give year-round interest. The design team at
Gillespies imagined the space as similar to the tall
natural stone outcrops topped by gravity-defying
trees found in certain ancient forests around
the world. Using the concept of the ‘evolution of
plants’, the Sky Garden has three zones: shade
tolerant forest at the top, sloping down through a
transition zone, and finishing with flowering plants
at the lowest level.
The shaded forest zone, which solar studies of
the building indicated would receive the least
amount of light, features ancient forest-type
plants accustomed to low light conditions, such
as Cyathea medullaris or New Zealand tree fern.
The ones planted in the Sky Garden are some of
the tallest in Europe; in their natural habitat they
can grow to 20m in height and add 15cm of trunk
each year. Misting units have been installed to
mitigate high anticipated summer temperatures
for this shade tolerant area of
the garden.
From the low light forest area, the slope falls away
steeply and the light increases, allowing mainly
sculptural Cycads to flourish. There are 22 Cycas
circinalis in the garden, each over 100 years old,
and six large Cycas revoluta. The crowns of the
specimens in the Sky Garden hold nuggets of
lava from their previous location at the foot of
Mount Etna. Cycas Samia furfuracea, known as
the Cardboard Plant, can also be found.
The foot of the slope, which flanks each of the
three restaurants within the Sky Garden, is the
sunniest area of the garden where plants from
Africa, Australia and the Mediterranean have been
selected to provide year round interest. Some
individual specimens have been chosen for their
spectacular colour at a particular time of the year,
such as the Watsonia. Colour is very important
to the design and the intention is for the garden
to be rich and full throughout the year, which is
why it contains a high proportion of evergreen
planting. The horticultural and glasshouse
expertise for this project was provided by the
Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and the tree
ferns and cycads were sourced and supplied by
Somerset nursery Kelways.
It was the responsibility of BALI Registered
contractor Willerby Landscapes, based in
Edenbridge, Kent, to install this incredible
garden and at a recent BALI South Thames
regional meeting the company’s Commercial
Director and BALI Awards judge, John Melmoe,
described the project.
The building and sky garden had been on the
drawing board for a number of years before
construction was completed and the garden
was opened to the public in February 2015. Five
companies were shortlisted to tender for the
construction of the garden and the fixed price
contract was eventually awarded to Willerby
Landscapes, who had extensive experience of
constructing roof gardens ‘at altitude’ and, not
least, could demonstrate their confidence and
experience in working with a tower crane erected
within a lift shaft to haul large trees into place. The
shape of this particular building is very complex
as it curves outwards on all planes, allowing
unrestricted views out and down. This, however,
presented a challenge when lifting materials
up to the roof, hence the decision to construct
a tower crane in a lift shaft within the building.
Another crucial element of the contract was the
requirement for Willerby’s to undertake the design
of the interlocking polystyrene sections to create
the steep slope for the garden. It was essential
that these could bear the weight of growing
media and plants and stay securely in place;
the consequences of the slope moving were
unimaginable.
Detailed planning commenced immediately the
contract was awarded in 2012 and Willerby’s
In the event, what was originally to be an 18
week installation programme was reduced to
just 9 weeks, which meant Willerby’s team had
to work 24/7 with night deliveries of plants and
materials commonplace. Anything concerning
the infrastructure that could be installed before
the glass roof was closed, such as the irrigation
system, was completed by the construction
teams and Willerby staff in exposed, cold, and
windy conditions, 160m above London.
Once the slope had been constructed and the
polystyrene sections installed, 400 IBC bags
of topsoil, blended to meet the specification
and supplied by BALI Affiliate member Bourne
Amenity Services, were hauled up at night, ready
for the day shift team to spread it. All soil was
analysed and approved beforehand so that there
was no risk of it not meeting the specification and
having to be taken down again. A conveyor belt
system, designed by Willerbys, moved the soil into
position on the slopes. There was minimal storage
available and so a ‘just in time’ system of supply
was carefully orchestrated to ensure materials
were delivered and used almost immediately.
The trees, some as large as 10m, were lifted
over 160m onto the top of the building on 8th
August 2014 by the tower crane, constructed
specifically for the project in the lift shaft. The
crane operators and banksmen worked round the
clock to lift everything that couldn’t be taken up
in service lifts. Thanks to their engagement, the
good weather and low wind speed on the day,
all the large trees were hauled up and lowered
through a small gap in the glass roof, then
gently manoeuvred into place by men secured
to the roof with karibiners. It must have been an
impressive if nerve-wracking sight.
Willerbys managed to persuade the client not to
cram too many plants into the garden but rather
to allow space for them to acclimatise to the
environment, which is largely experimental - how
the trees and plants will react to the unheated,
naturally ventilated space throughout the year is,
as yet, unknown. They have been chosen for the
conditions and should cope with the potential
extremes of temperature but time will tell. All
smaller plants were called off by Willerbys against
the planting plan and supplied by Kelways on
numbered pallets, which reached the roof in the
service lift.
Two complex irrigation systems include
telescopic misting units, which can extend as
the trees grow. 75% humidity helps to cool the
area in the summer by five degrees. The systems
use reverse osmosis, which extracts all minerals,
nutrients and impurities from the water before
it enters the misting equipment. This ensures
only pure water is expelled into the public space,
avoiding the spread of bacteria such as legionella
and preventing corrosion of pipework and metal.
The irrigation can be operated remotely by smart
phone and will be maintained by Willerbys for
the duration of the 16 month defects period.
Finding the optimum route for the irrigation’s
ducting and pipework was made possible by
using 3D BIM (Building Information Modelling)
schematics of the building. 20 Fenchurch Street
was one of the first buildings in the UK to use
BIM software and it proved invaluable in a
structure of this size and complexity.
The Sky Garden is now completed and open, free
of charge, to the public in line with the building
owners’ agreement with the planning authorities.
Since opening in February, well over 50,000
people have visited, which presents a major
challenge in terms of the security of the building,
its tenants and visitors. The cost of providing
airport-level security at ground floor level and
security staff within the Sky Garden,
all day, every day, is enormous and owners
Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group must
cover this cost for the life of the building.
Constructed at ground level and the Sky Garden
would have been easy fare for five-time BALI
Grand Award winner Willerby Landscapes.
As it is, they have achieved an incredible feat
that demanded nth degree planning, ingenuity,
professionalism, stakeholder and supplier
engagement and, above all, the total commitment
of a dedicated project manager, Matt Ainscow,
and his team.
www.willerby-landscapes.co.uk
Capability Brown celebrations
to include access to previously
closed landscapes
Next year marks the tercentenary of the
birth of Lancelot “Capability” Brown and
there are plans to celebrate throughout
the year with The Capability Brown
Festival.
Considered by many to be the creator of
landscape design as it is known today, Brown
worked or advised on over 260 sites across
England and Wales during the 18th century,
creating the idea of the “English Garden”,
which has been emulated all over the world.
His landscapes are naturalistic, with curving
lines, flowing lakes and a selection of ‘picture
perfect’ view points, all carefully crafted to
appear in the landscape for the enjoyment
of people exploring the grounds. One of
his obituaries read “so closely did he copy
nature that his works will be mistaken”, yet
much of his work was underpinned by large
programmes of earth movement and water
management.
Capability Brown was born in 1716, so
the Capability Brown Festival is building
up to the 300th anniversary of his birth
in 2016. Brown was a polymath, part
of the 18th Century Enlightenment,
combining knowledge of plants, landscape
management, agriculture and farming
as well as engineering, drainage and
architecture for houses, churches and
follies to create landscapes that both looked
beautiful but were also able to earn their
own keep. He became Royal Gardener to
George III and his work was a ‘must have’
fashion for Society. By all accounts he
was a fantastic salesman, and entertaining
company as well.
Born in July or August
1716, his family
was relatively poor,
working on the local
estate, but Brown’s
talents seem to have been recognised at a
young age. Lancelot was a long standing
family name, the nickname ‘Capability’
came later – the result of his habit of telling
prospective customers that their landscapes
had ‘capabilities’.
The Capability Brown Festival is hoping to
involve as many surviving Brown sites as
possible in the run up to 2016; many are
already open to the public. The National
Trust own 25 sites, including his first,
Croome, and other famous independent
sites include Blenheim, Chatsworth and
Harewood. Other sites are now hotels,
golf courses, schools, country and public
parks, whilst many are still private homes.
The festival hopes to help closed or less
frequently open sites to showcase their
Brown landscapes and raise the public
profile and understanding of heritage
landscapes. Hosted by the Landscape
Institute with 19 partners, the festival has
just submitted a Stage 2 bid to the Heritage
Lottery Fund.
www.capabilitybrown.org
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 25
DESIGNER FOCUS
BALI to launch
pilot mentoring
scheme for
Designer Members
BALI is planning to run a pilot mentoring
scheme for the designer membership.
It is proposed to pair five experienced
Registered Designer members with
five Associate Designer members for
a three month trial period during 2015.
The objective of the trial is to see how
successful the scheme is in supporting
and encouraging Associate Designers
to work towards achieving Registered
Designer status.
Mentoring is a tried and tested method of
providing developmental support to the career
of the mentee. The mentor should also gain
from the process; first, from the pleasure of
‘giving back’ to the profession and industry,
and secondly from then being able to work
with a newly qualified designer and profit
from their recent training. BALI feels that the
scheme could be a valuable way of imparting
knowledge and raising standards within the
garden and landscape profession.
It is proposed to pair mentees with mentors
in widely separated geographical locations
to avoid competition issues. Communication
will be mainly by phone and email but pairs
will be welcome to meet up if they both wish.
The secret’s
in the soil
The Janine Pattison Studio Academy
The pairing will need to agree on what areas
and topics are to be covered and, of course,
everything needs to done in a sensitive and
confidential manner as personal and business
in confidence matters may be discussed.
The opportunity to discuss issues with an
experienced designer will prove invaluable
to the mentee and should offer them a great
opportunity to improve their own business.
The administration of the scheme is intended
to be minimal and once pairs are introduced
only a feedback report will be required at the
end of the agreed period of mentoring. Either
party can withdraw from the pairing or scheme
at any time and no payments or expenses will
be made by BALI or the designers.
If the scheme is successful it is hoped to
roll it out to the wider designer membership
and it could be a valuable additional BALI
membership benefit which attracts new
members and helps retain existing ones.
If you are interested in becoming either a mentee
or a mentor, please get in touch with Janine
Pattison at janine@janinepattison.com and
you will be sent full details.
BALI designers’ success
at SGD Awards 2014
A masterclass
for designers
Wednesday 17th June 2015
BALI Affiliate Tim O’Hare,
soil scientist and designer
of the Olympic Park soils,
will join BALI Affiliate
British Sugar TOPSOIL’s
Andy Spetch in presenting
a soil masterclass for
garden and landscape
designers on Wednesday
17th June at British Sugar’s
Wissington manufacturing
plant in Norfolk. British
Sugar TOPSOIL is the UK’s
largest supplier of quality
manufactured topsoil to the
landscape, construction
and amenity sectors.
This event is free to attend but is strictly limited
to 20 delegates and places will be allocated on
a first come, first served basis to Registered
and Associate Designer members of BALI, SGD
members and landscape architects.
Following registration, the day will include
designer-focused technical presentations from
Andy and Tim and a tour of the UK’s largest
sugar manufacturing plant, including their awardwinning horticulture business, which produces
around 140 million ‘eco-friendly’ tomatoes each
year, and TOPSOIL’s production facility.
Programme:
10.30 Registration and refreshments
BALI Registered Designers Rosemary
Coldstream and Gavin McWilliam
celebrated their success at the 2014
SGD Awards held in London at the end
of January.
The Pocket Garden category – a new
award for 2014 - was won by Rosemary
Coldstream MBALI MSGD for a riverside
garden the judges called ‘very pleasing’, and
Andrew Wilson FSGD and Gavin McWilliam
MBALI MSGD took the Paper Landscapes
Award – a category that welcomes
innovation and experimental ideas.
Horatio’s Garden, created for patients
and staff at the spinal treatment centre
of Salisbury District Hospital, won a BALI
Principal Award in 2013 for BALI Registered
contractor Wycliffe Landscapes who built
it. At the SGD Awards 2014 the garden,
designed by Cleve West MSGD, was one
of the most applauded projects at the
ceremony. A garden full of life and hope, it
was named best Public or Commercial
Outdoor Space and honoured with the
People’s Choice Award and the coveted
Judges Award. The judges said: “This is
what healing gardens should be like; If only
they all had a similar design. It has beautiful
planting that works with the scale of the
building and helps to reconnect people to
nature.”
The Grand Award, the most celebrated
award of the evening, went to Ian Smith
MSGD of Acres Wild for a private garden
in Surrey that the judges called ‘a
transformational project.’ Remarking on
the scheme the judges said: “this garden
achieves one of the most difficult goals in
garden design; it feels as if it has been in situ
for several decades.” Devised as a journey
through interlinking spaces, the judges said
the garden “feels composed and perfectly
linked and has a period ambience, exhibiting
confidence of scale,” and concluded that
it was a “well executed, integrated design
with sharp edges softened by sophisticated
planting.” The Garden was also named best
Large Residential Garden.
A list of all SGD Awards 2014 winners can
be found at www.sgdawards.com.
11.00 Welcome and introduction
to British Sugar plc, Wissington
– Andy Spetch,
National TOPSOIL Manager
11.35 The UK Topsoil Market;
Topsoil Assessment;
Sampling & Testing; Subsoil
– Tim O’Hare,
Soil Scientist and Landscape Consultant
12.15 The British Sugar TOPSOIL Story,
from production to delivery
– Andy Spetch,
National TOPSOIL Manager
12.45 Q & A session
13.00 Lunch and networking
13.45 Tour of the British Sugar factory,
glasshouses, and topsoil
manufacturing facility
15.45 Event concludes
To book email andy.spetch@britishsugar.com
or call 07850 3369787.
SGD Awards 2014 Pocket Garden winner
Rosemary Coldstream MBALI MSGD
The River Garden is
a modern courtyard
garden in a dramatic
setting on a beautiful
riverbank. The
client’s brief was
for a contemporary
space that made the most of their
location, providing a setting for year round
entertaining and relaxation.
Four gradual changes of level help to enhance
views across the water. The geometric design,
with an emphasis on the horizontal, maximises
the width of the garden and helps to frame
the view. The lower terrace is reminiscent of a
jetty, cantilevered over the water and wrapping
around the tree. The curved seating allows for
a late afternoon spot to sit and watch the world
and the local wildlife drift by.
The construction required great attention to
detail and careful handling of a limited budget.
The blue-grey granite for the paving, cladding
and coping provided a seamless look. Small
details such as gently pencil rounding the edges
of the coping in situ made for a finer finish. One
issue during the build was the level of the river.
SGD Awards 2014 Paper
Landscape Award
Wilson McWilliam Studio
Snow Hill was a development project born
in the heady days of economic boom but
somewhat curtailed as the global economy
tumbled in the late noughties. The site was
to accommodate Birmingham’s first five
star hotel but by the time of the commission
this was little more than foundations and
the core of the first few floors and the
scheme had been abandoned.
The first phases of a commercial re-development
had been successfully completed alongside
Snow Hill Station, leaving a raised plaza and
space alongside the tramway. Wilson McWilliam
Studio’s brief was to design for the plaza but also
to suggest treatments for the twin cores of the
doomed hotel.
Two options were produced but the Forest
concept was submitted for the 2014 SGD
Awards. The concept covers the entire space
but explores the characteristics of the man made
and the natural. The raised plinths of the hotel
foundations are densely planted with birch and
pine to create woodland copses, out of reach and
inaccessible yet creating bold planting masses
that dramatically soften the main plaza. The
plinths themselves were to be clad in ribs of steel
or carbon fibre to articulate the facades.
From the lower ring road level adjacent to the
site a stepped entrance climbs between the two
copses, leading to a low bridge like link across the
main plaza towards the station and trams. The
main plaza is ‘planted’ with a dense sequence of
carbon fibre rods, designed to sway gently in the
breeze, creating the effect of a man made forest.
Construction began in the winter of 2013/14
when, after a period of exceptionally heavy
rainfall, the river rose to its highest level in over
a decade. Completion of the lower section of
the garden was delayed for four months and the
design was finally adapted, raising the decking
by 150mm to be sure to clear the highest water
level. The seat was fiberglassed and all lights
fully waterproof. The cedar fencing was made
by the contractors and includes a small gate
on the lower terrace that leads to a communal
residents’ path. Throughout, a good working
relationship with the contractor was essential to
the garden’s success.
The planting is a mixture of grasses, perennials
and shrubs, which will mature over the next few
years. The only pre-existing plants were three
trees – a Taxodium distichum, a Paulownia and
a Magnolia - the latter two being moved to new
positions. Astilbes will stabilize the river bank
and native iris have been planted to mix with
those already existing in the river.
Following the Awards ceremony, Rosemary
said: “I am delighted to have been recognised
by the SGD judges with this exciting award. It is
wonderful to create a garden that my clients are
Each rod is topped with a bright red light,
creating a shimmering series of glowing
points of light. Originally Oppenheim’s Glass
Works stood on the site and produced locally
famous red or ruby glass. Parts of the original
structures, Birmingham’s first glassworks, lie
buried beneath the station and its environs.
The red lights on the carbon fibre rods
expressed this historical link yet would also
create a magical display against the night sky
as a grid of floating spots of light. This would
also be visually dramatic when viewed from the
office buildings alongside.
Long splinter like benches were designed to
create informal seating groups in clearings
within the rod forest. Basalt plans were
selected to create a dark homogenous
surface although we introduced textured
surfaces in selected areas running through
the rod groupings.
The central paved ‘bridge’ incorporated
lighting beneath the paving overhang to
wash the main plaza with subtle light and in
addition, selected rods served as uplighters
with reflectors to bounce light down onto
the paving level. The scheme also included
a green screen to run along the tramway
alongside the space, partly to screen the
station car park. We designed perforated
screens themed on tree silhouettes combined
with ribbon like threads of woodland planting
along the entire wall.
Gavin McWilliam MBALI and Andrew Wilson
FSGD together form the Wilson McWilliam
Studio. Based in Chiswick, London, they
specialise in high end garden design and the
creating of interesting public landscapes.
www.wmstudio.co.uk
delighted with and receive an accolade from the
SGD and my peers. The awards raise the profile
of the garden design industry, demonstrate
design excellence and, above all, aim to inspire
homeowners and corporations to turn to
professional garden designers to create their
own gardens and public spaces.”
www.rosemarycoldstream.com
BALI
Designer Day
Landscape House,
Stoneleigh Park
Wednesday 22nd April 2015
BALI Members - £25 Incl. VAT
Non-members - £30 Incl. VAT
BALI Members and Non-members are
invited to attend a day of informative
presentations and networking; a great
opportunity to meet fellow designers and
aid your personal development. Buffet
lunch and refreshments will be provided
for all attendees.
Programme:
10.00 Registration and coffee
10.15 Welcome and BALI Update
Wayne Grills
10.30 Vectorworks and IT for designers
Tamsin Slatter
11.30 Working with contractors - Paul Cowell
12.30 Lunch and networking
13.30 Marketing and promotion for designers
Patricia Fox
14.00 How to build your online presence and
generate new business - Houzz
14.30 The designers’ Show Garden experience
Jason Lock and Chris Deakin
15.00Q&A/Discussion/Networking
16.00 Optional BALI Awards Workshop
Jason Lock and Robin Templar Williams
Email emily.feeney@bali.org.uk or call
02476 698658
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 27
DESIGNER FOCUS
Creating a garden with
an historical narrative
The contemporary water garden within
the sanctuary of the Courtyard with its
modern plant cultivars
play a crucial role in the oxygen cycle. I therefore
decided to weave a timeline into the garden,
starting with some of the most primitive plants
still growing, moving on to natural species being
brought to cultivation by the great plant hunters
of Priestley’s age, and finishing with modern plant
cultivars bred by gardeners. At the very entrance
to the garden stood a Magnolia grandiflora,
which tied in perfectly with the prehistoric part of
the story as magnolias were one of the earliest
flowering plants. To this I added a Ginkgo and
ferns, all growing at the time of the dinosaurs.
The former pigsty formed the ‘Oxygen Garden’
where a specially commissioned sculpture
reflecting Priestley’s discovery of oxygen will be
sited. Amongst the plants discovered and studied
on Cook’s voyage were Kniphofia rooperi and
Agapanthus from South Africa, and Phormium
tenax and various Hebe from New Zealand.
All these were included in the planting for this
part of the garden, as well as Rosa banksiae in
recognition of Joseph Banks.
Christine Whatley won the 2014 BALI Design Excellence (under
£50,000) Award for The Orchard House in Calne, Wiltshire.
Here she tells the fascinating story behind the design.
The initial enquiry described a newly built
contemporary house needing a similarly
contemporary garden, with a requirement
for wheelchair accessibility. It went on to
mention a beautiful new stone wall creating
courtyards, as well as part of a former
orchard. This all sounded interesting enough
but when I met Fiona Campbell the project
got even better.
Fiona had commissioned the house herself, and
it is very ‘Grand Designs’. Set discreetly behind
a square of Georgian houses, the house has a
strong, self-assured presence but with a softness
provided by lime render, Chestnut cladding and
green roof. It was obvious that she took a keen
interest in every aspect of the house design, not
just its final visual appearance, and I had no doubt
the garden would be the same.
historical connection in the design. So, with
a mixed brief - part very clear steer and part
completely open, other than with a suggestion
for historical inspiration - my first task was to
research Joseph Priestley. Summed up as a
‘materialist philosopher’, in 1772 Priestley had
been considered for the position of astronomer on
Captain Cook’s second voyage to the South Seas.
The naturalist Joseph Banks, who had been on
Cook’s first voyage and after whom many plants
are named, had intended to join this voyage too.
Although not selected, Priestly did contribute in
a way by providing the crew with a method for
making soda water, which he had invented and
incorrectly thought might be a cure for scurvy.
Commercial exploitation of his invention was left to
Johann Jacob Schweppe in the late 18th century
– the rest, as they say, is history.
A delightful intimate inner courtyard had been
created by a new 8ft Cotswold stone wall
running between an old brick wall and the
house. The other sides are bounded by floor
to ceiling glass walls of the house so that the
courtyard is very much part of the living space.
Fiona already had a very clear idea of what she
wanted here - a crisp, modern water garden
based on one she had seen in photographs. She
apologised that she wasn’t giving me much free
reign for this part of the design but offered much
more scope for the remainder of the garden - a
former pigsty and orchard at the entrance to the
site, quite separate from the house and backed
by a lovely old stone wall.
Priestley moved
to Calne in 1773
to take up a
position with Lord
Shelburne of
Bowood House.
Here he conducted
his most successful
scientific
investigations, mostly around ‘airs’. As well as
discovering oxygen, or ‘dephlogisticated air’ as
he called it, and some other gases, Priestley also
showed that plants revitalised enclosed volumes
of air, a finding that would later lead others to
discover photosynthesis.
Fiona explained that Joseph Priestley had
discovered oxygen here in 1774 and it would be
nice to think of a way of reflecting that fascinating
In thinking about how to incorporate the discovery
of oxygen into the garden design, I considered
that oxygen is vital to life on Earth and plants
Box ‘bubbles’ beyond the Oxygen garden,
planted with New Zealand species
Beside the Oxygen Garden lies the old orchard,
one of the earlier forms of gardening as we think of
it today. Box balls are planted beneath the apple
trees symbolising bubbles and Priestley’s invention
of Soda Water. The driveway ends at the parking
area in front of the high courtyard wall, where a
modern interpretation of a knot garden is included.
On entering the courtyard the garden moves right
up to date with a stylish water garden of strong
rectilinear design in keeping with the house. Box
is repeated within this space but in the form of
cubes, whilst the rest of the planting consists of
modern plant cultivars - another Kniphofia, this
time the cultivar K. ‘Jenny Bloom’, and David
Austin roses bring scent into the garden.
The result is a garden that unites the historic part
of the site with Fiona’s 21st century visionary
house, through the use of a fascinating narrative
from prehistory to modern times woven around
18th century plant hunting and scientific discovery.
www.sylvanstudio.co.uk
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 29
DESIGNER FOCUS
Provender Nurseries
recognise potential
Vanessa Hoch and Rachel Pocock of
VaRA Garden Design won a design
competition in 2014, run by BALI
Affiliate member Provender Nurseries in
conjunction with Capel Manor College
Enfield Campus, with their design
‘Foundations for Growth’. The garden
has now also been selected for this
year’s Hampton Court Palace Flower
Show by the RHS Application Panel.
‘Foundations for Growth’ is based around the
journey students take through their education
and reflects the hard work and determination
required to succeed. The garden has solid
winter interest, great plant structure, strong
form and complementary accent planting
with impressive colour association.
The differing heights of Fagus
sylvatica and Fagus sylvatica
‘Atropurpurea’
punctuate the
planting and
represent the
building blocks
of learning in a
student’s journey.
Recognised in the
industry for their
pioneering work with
horticultural colleges and
students, Provender Nurseries are immensely
proud to be working in conjunction with
Capel Manor and their students throughout
the sourcing and building of ‘Foundations for
Growth’ at Hampton Court. Students from
Capel Manor College will work alongside
Vanessa and Rachel to plant and construct
the garden, giving them an excellent
opportunity to take part in the process of
creating a real show garden.
www.provendernurseries.co.uk
Living Landscapes at
Hampton Court 2015
Aralia garden on TV
Horsham-based award-winning BALI
Registered contractor Living Landscapes
will sponsor and build two gardens in the
Summer Gardens category at this year’s
RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.
Tecwyn Evans, Director of Living Landscapes,
said: “We’re thrilled to be at Hampton Court this
year, creating the Living Landscapes Healing
Urban Garden (HUG garden) and the Living
Landscapes City Twitchers Garden. We’re
working with two great designers: Rae Wilkinson,
from Billingshurst, has designed the Healing
Urban Garden, highlighting how green space
boosts the wellbeing of people living and working
in urban areas; whilst Oxfordshire-based Sarah
Keyser has designed the City Twitchers Garden
(above), a wildlife-rich, relaxing city garden.
“Sponsoring show gardens is a great way for
Living Landscapes to invest in the garden design
industry, providing an opportunity for talented
designers to gain valuable show experience at
one of the world’s leading flower shows. Equally,
it’s rewarding for us to bring their ideas to fruition.”
Last year, Living Landscapes won Silver-Gilt for
the ‘Al Fresco’ garden at Hampton Court Flower
Show and the ‘WellChild Garden’ at Chelsea
Flower Show. Working to impeccable standards
again this year, the business is hoping to add to
its medal collection.
www.livinglandscapesuk.com
BALI Registered Designer Patricia Fox of
Aralia was delighted to have one of their
gardens featured in the final episode of
‘Britain’s Best Back Gardens’ in January.
The programme focused on the top ten
gardens best described as ‘flights of
fancy’, as selected by Alan Titchmarsh;
they included Sir Elton John’s garden.
The design of the small urban garden in
Chelmsford uses sinuous curves to draw the
eye away from the boxy lines of the house
and boundaries and includes several bespoke
features, including green walls, sculpture, stone
benches, lighting and pergolas. The Dicksonia
antarctica tree ferns, which frame the love seat,
give the garden its drama and seclusion from
the neighbouring windows, making this small
space feel almost outer-worldly.
Although thrilled that the garden had been
chosen for the show, Patricia feels that the
involvement of a garden designer should have
been mentioned: “It’s great to see more garden
programmes on the TV as it increases interest
in good garden design. Alan chose this garden
as the client had been inspired by watching
garden makeover programmes but it’s a
shame he gave the impression that a complex
garden such as this can easily be designed and
installed without professional assistance.”
The garden won the SGD Award for best
Small Residential Garden in 2012 and a BALI
Landscape Design Excellence award in 2010.
www.aralia.org.uk.
John Wyer to design Chelsea Show roof garden
BALI Registered Designer John Wyer will be designing
the Gaze Burvill ‘Roof Garden’ at this year’s RHS Chelsea
Flower Show. Although not a ‘show garden’, according
to RHS rules, it will be located on Main Avenue and is
as large and technically challenging as many of the true
show gardens.
Of the new association with Gaze Burvill, John Wyer said: “I
have long admired Gaze Burvill furniture and their policy of using
local materials in beautifully designed pieces accords closely
with our own values. We are really pleased to be designing their
display garden on Main Avenue at Chelsea this year. I hope that
this is the beginning of a long working relationship between us.”
www.bowleswyer.co.uk
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Act now and contact us to make sure you are ready for BIM.
Associations we work with include the following:
For more information on Vectorworks:
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 31
2015 EVENTS CALENDAR
21 March
SGD Spring Conference,
Royal Geographical Society, London
Visit www.sgd.org.uk
27 March
Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day
Sign up now at www.gardenreleaf.co.uk
11-13 April
RHS Show Cardiff, Bute Park, Cardiff
Castle
Visit www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/
14-15 April
RHS Great London Plant Fair
Visit www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/
22-23 April
ICF National Conference – Tree health,
resilience and sustainability, Cardiff
Visit www.charteredforesters.org
23-26 April
Harrogate Spring Flower Show, Great
Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate
Visit www.flowershow.org.uk
7-10 May RHS Malvern Spring Festival, Three
Counties Showground, Malvern,
Worcestershire
Visit www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/
19-23 May
RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Royal Hospital,
Chelsea, London
Visit www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/
11-14 June
BBC Gardeners’ World Live, NEC,
Birmingham
Visit www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com
16-18 June
Facilities Show, ExCeL, London
Visit www.facilitieshow.com
23-24 June
HTA National Plant Show, Stoneleigh Park,
Warwickshire
Visit www.nationalplantshow.co.uk
30 June-5 July
RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
Visit www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/
8-9 July
Flat Living Live!
The Business Design Centre, London
Visit www.flat-living.co.uk
22-26 July
RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Knutsford,
Cheshire
Visit www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events
1-14 September
HortAid 2015, in aid of Perennial
Visit www.perennial.org.uk
September TBC
BALI AGM and Summit at Landscape Live,
Midlands
Visit www.bali.org.uk and
www.landscapelive.co.uk
8-9 September
Four Oaks Trade Show, Macclesfield,
Cheshire
Visit www.fouroaks-tradeshow.com
13-15 September GLEE Birmingham, NEC
Visit www.gleebirmingham.com
16 September
ScotHort, Royal Highland Centre,
Ingliston, Edinburgh
Visit www.scothort.com
20-23 September AA’s 49th National Amenity Arboriculture
Conference, Warwick University
Visit www.trees.org.uk/amenity-conference
22-23 September Landscape Show, Battersea Park, London
Visit www.landscapshow.co.uk
6 October
Landscape Live, Headingly, Leeds
Visit www.landscapelive.co.uk
7 October
South West Growers Show, Exeter
Visit www.swgs.co.uk
4-5 November
SALTEX, NEC, Birmingham
Visit www.iogsaltex.com
17 November
FutureScape, Sandown Park Racecourse,
Surrey
Visit http://futurescapeevent.com
19-21 November
The Skills Show, NEC, Birmingham
Visit www.theskillsshow.com
4 December
BALI National Landscape Awards,
Grosvenor House, London
Visit www.baliawards.co.uk
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16/01/2015 11:36
Political leaders commit to
sustainability agenda at Ecobuild
Over 40,000 built environment
professionals gathered last week at
Ecobuild, the world’s market place for
green building, and witnessed UK political
leaders pledge investment for growth
across the sector.
the event’s position as the sustainable design,
and energy marketplace for new build, refer,
commercial and domestic buildings. This year’s
Ecobuild was the most vibrant to date, borne
out by significantly higher rebooking levels than
last year”.
Over 800 leading companies across the
sustainable design, construction and energy
sectors showcased thousands of innovative
products and solutions, signifying that the
sector is once again experiencing vibrant
growth.
The BALI Pavilion
Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey MP
pledged a £300million cash injection as part
of a new Fuel Poverty Strategy. Davey made
the pledge as the Lib Dems made a manifesto
pledge to spend more than £2bn a year on a
“green homes revolution”. Keynote speaker
Lord John Prescott called for cross-party and
global unification to tackle the issue of Britain’s
extreme weather.
Prescott said: “Sustainability is the new
industrialisation and the ‘big key’ to a better
type of economy that doesn’t poison the
world.” He joined the debate to deliberate
whether there is a need for a national
environmental resilience plan. He added: “Three
leaders agreeing [on climate change strategy]
give us a good chance.”
Acting as a catalyst for change to sustainability
policy and practice ahead of the general
election, Ecobuild also hosted a cross-party
political debate, as Davey joined Green Party
leader Natalie Bennett to tackle the future for
low-carbon electricity.
Ecobuild also hosted a new feature in
partnership with retail giant M&S. The Big
Innovation Pitch saw 40 companies whittled
down to just a few who pitched to M&S and
its expert judging panel live in the Ecobuild
Arena. Winners Endo Enterprises, creators
of Endothermic; a central heating additive
independently proven to save 15% on heating
bills, will now explore with M&S the possibility of
applying its solution to the retailer’s estate.
Alison Jackson, Group Director of Sustainability
& Construction, Ecobuild said: “Ecobuild acts
as a true barometer for the sustainable built
environment sector. Hosting more architects,
contractors, specifiers than any other event,
we believe Ecobuild 2015 has firmly cemented
Exhibiting at the show alongside BALI on
the BALI Pavilion were Affiliate members
Quercus Fencing, Hahn Plastics, Long Rake
Spar, Wienerberger Penter and Easigrass.
BALI’s Ross Hutchinson and Shaw Pye had
an extremely busy exhibition, welcoming
landscape architects and other interested
visitors and signposting them to BALI Affiliates
exhibiting on the Pavilion and those exhibiting
independently throughout the exhibition halls.
BALI’s Shaw Pye said: “This year’s Ecobuild
was very successful in terms of visitor interest
in BALI members’ products and services.
We were able to direct visitors’ enquiries
promptly and efficiently and, where landscape
contractors were required for upcoming
projects, provide suggestions and point them
to the search facility on the BALI website. We
also had a number of enquiries from suppliers
regarding Affiliate membership, which was a
welcome bonus.”
BALI Affiliate member Easigrass exhibited at
Ecobuild for the first time in 2015 and was
notably the only artificial grass company with
a stand at the exhibition. Commenting on the
exhibition, managing director of Easigrass
Distribution Limited, Anthony J Gallagher, said:
“Easigrass is delighted to have a new presence
at Ecobuild 2015 and we will definitely be
building upon this in the future. It has been
refreshing and very exciting to meet with so
many potential franchise partners from around
the world, as well as architects and developers,
all of whom are like-minded in their business
strategy and approach to incorporating a
relevant eco policy into their day-to-day
operational activity.”
BALI Affiliates who exhibited independently
at the show include ACO, Bauder, SureSet,
Vectorworks, Green-tech, Addagrip, Hanson
Formpave, Tobermore and Lateral Design
Studio.
www.ecobuild.com
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 33
MEMBER BENEFITS
BALI Jobs
BALI HR & H&S
Have you been making best use of your
‘horticulturecareers’ website discount for
BALI members? In association with the
ProLandscaper team, BALI members can
obtain a huge discount when posting job
vacancies on the website under ‘BALI Jobs’.
Check it out and speak to the team.
www.horticulturecareers.co.uk
With your membership you have access to an
employment law and human resource benefit
which includes:
Telephone advice – Unlimited access to
qualified specialists on any employment law or
human resource issue. You don’t have to book
a call, just pick up the telephone and call us
when you need help. You will receive friendly,
down to earth and practical advice helping
you every step of the way. This means that
you never have to face an employment law or
human resource issue alone.
For example:
• Is one of your employees constantly
absent? Pick up the phone for advice.
• Do you have a discipline issue?
Pick up the phone for advice.
• Have you a redundancy problem?
Pick up the phone for advice
Simplyhealth
Online Reference & Downloadable
Documents
Simplyhealth has helped people access
affordable healthcare for over 140 years and has
some great benefits that could help look after
your employees, including:
• Over 400 documents (letters, policies,
procedures, templates) in the HR Library.
• Can be downloaded, edited and saved in
your ‘My Account’ or your own filing system.
• You can download the documents as many
times as you need, for instance:
• Do you need a Written Statement of
Employment Particulars template?
Just click on the link.
• Do you need policies to add to your
Employee Handbook? Click on the link.
• Do you need to know how to deal with a
disciplinary case? Click on the link.
For help with accessing any of BALI
many Member Benefits, contact Emily
or Carly on 02476 690333 or email
emily.feeny@bali.org.uk
• Health cash plans – Both employee and
employer paid cash plans to give your
employees a hand with the cost of their
everyday healthcare. In return for a monthly
premium, your employees can claim money
back towards the cost of check-ups and
treatments, up to their annual limit.
• Private medical insurance – Helps you
look after your employees when they need
it most.
• Dental plans – A range of corporate
products are available to you through
Denplan.
BALI Landscape House
hosts sales training
workshop
British Sugar TOPSOIL held a sales
training workshop for its sales team in
BALI’s meeting and training facility at
the new Landscape House, Stoneleigh
Park recently, taking advantage of the
special room hire rates available to
BALI member companies.
Covering the personal selling process,
making the most of exhibitions, and the
contractor’s perspective of soil management,
the workshop was the idea of TOPSOIL
Manager Andy Spetch: “We developed the
workshop to take a more detailed look at
the business-to-business buying process
in terms of how buying decisions are made,
Certificate in Water
Conservation –
e-learning module
The launch in January of the Certificate in
Water Conservation e-learning module –
an initiative driven by BALI in collaboration
with other industry partners and the water
industry – has been very well received and
uptake by the industry is encouraging.
The imposition of Temporary Use Bans during
the drought of spring 2012 had a major impact
on many BALI members’ businesses. So we
have helped develop an easy to access learning
module that we hope will inform and educate you
and your staff and enable the water companies
to accommodate the needs of landscape
companies when imposing TUBs in future.
Why take this course?
• Recognise the need to be water efficient
• Apply water efficient practices throughout
the landscaping project lifecycle
• Promote water efficiency strategies to
consumers
• Follow industry codes of practice
How the course works: Entirely online;
c. 60 minutes of learning, an assessment
and download of a personalised certificate
on successfully passing the assessment.
Special introductory price until July 2015
£10 + VAT per learner
Visit www.htalearning.org.uk to register:
• Click on ‘Buy Now’ button to book yourself
and members of your team onto the course.
• Each staff member requires a unique email
address – NB: Once registered, names
cannot be changed.
• Additional staff can be registered by
repeating the process.
• Use Internet Explorer version 9 or above,
or Google Chrome.
his team to benefit from the tips and advice
in the presentation and so asked BALI’s PR
Manager Denise Ewbank to deliver it again for
the benefit of his team; she also delivered the
presentation on personal selling.
who the right people are to focus on, needs
identification, dealing with objections, closing
the sale and, most important of all, customer
care.”
The presentation on ‘How to get the most
from exhibiting’, which was delivered at a BALI
Affiliate Forum meeting last autumn and was
well received, highlighted the failure of many
businesses to get the most from what can
be a major marketing spend. Andy wanted
BALI’s Technical Officer Jonathan Tame was
able to pass on his contracting experience of
onsite soil management and provide guidance
on the regulations pertaining to topsoil
use. Jonathan’s experience of landscape
contracting and latterly contract management
with TfL provided useful insights.
There are two meeting rooms in the new
BALI Landscape House; one with AV facilities
seating up to 50, and a smaller room with
board table seating 8-10. For members’
discounted rates, availability and catering
options contact Carly Button on 02476
690333 or email carly.button@bali.org.uk
Flowpoint
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For further information please call 01827 871871
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 35
Grubby Gardeners’ Dirty Dozen
18th April 2015
HortAid
2015
The 3 Peaks Extreme Challenge team
with their Perennial Champion awards
HortAid, Perennial’s annual fundraising
campaign, has already raised over
£22,000 this year as support continues
to grow for the UK’s only charity helping
those who work in the industry, as well as
their families, in times of need. Perennial
is now calling on supporters to get
involved with HortAid 2015, which will
culminate with the ‘Go Green for HortAid’
fortnight from 1-14 September.
The highly successful Party for Perennial,
which took place in January at The Roof
Gardens in Kensington and was attended
by over 300 people, reinstated the annual
fundraising event that was one of the earliest
traditions of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent
Society. At this year’s event, in recognition
of the fantastic efforts of some special
supporters, Perennial’s Champion Awards
were presented by Rachel de Thame to
recipients including the Grubby Gardeners,
the 3 Peaks Extreme Challenge team,
Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants and Coblands
Nurseries.
Industry fundraising is on the increase,
thanks to the charity’s heightened profile, and
Perennial is proud to be the beneficiary of
several prestigious industry events this year.
The Society of Garden Designers Awards
raised over £1,500 in January, the BALI
awards raised £2500 in December and the UK
Grower Awards, Garden Retail Awards and
APL Awards will also be raising funds.
Depending on the level of financial
support they wish to offer, businesses and
organisations in the wider horticulture sector
can also show their support for Perennial by
becoming a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze
‘Perennial Partner’, the charity’s annual
membership scheme. Several BALI members
have already committed to an ongoing
partnership.
Get involved
There are some great fundraisers taking place
over the coming months so think about how
you can help this terrific charity, either by
taking part or sponsoring someone who is.
One man,
two marathons,
in two weeks
12th and 26th
April 2015
BALI Board director
Nigel Bowcock of Acre
Landscapes is running
the Brighton and the
London Marathons,
hoping to complete
both in under 9 hours.
Nigel has set himself
a £5,000 fundraising target.
To support Nigel visit
www.justgiving.com/Nigel-Bowcock1/
BALI staff and members take on
Yorkshire’s three peaks for Candlelighters
On 23rd May, BALI staff members Diane
McCulloch, Kirsty Wood and Jessica Consolaro,
together with 40 brave souls from BALI members
including Green-tech, Ornamental Trees, Turf ‘n’
Earth, Johnsons of Whixley, Helen Voisey Garden
Design, Freshscaped, Greenspace Solutions and
S&D Landscapes, are taking on the Yorkshire 3 Peaks
Challenge, which covers approximately 23 miles and
involves scaling three of the county’s highest peaks.
Money raised will go to Candlelighters, which is
Yorkshire’s pre-eminent children’s cancer charity,
providing practical, emotional and financial support to
children living with cancer in Yorkshire, and their families.
www.candlelighters.org.uk
The fundraising target is £3,000 so please support
your BALI friends and colleagues and go to
www.justgiving.com/teamBALI to donate.
Thank you so much.
This team of intrepid fundraisers first tackled
the Dirty Dozen last year before going on to
pose for the Naked Gardeners Calendar. In
total the team raised around £15,000 in 2014.
There are still spaces to join them on the
Dirty Dozen mud run in April 2015, a grueling
12K course with 20 military style obstacles.
To get involved email:
michael_john_perry@hotmail.com
Three Peaks Challenge
22nd-23rd May 2015
A team of horticulturists from BALI Registered
contractor Integritas Landscapes will tackle
the three highest peaks in the UK (Ben Nevis,
Scafell Pike and Snowdon), attempting to
climb all three in under 24 hours. The team has
a fundraising target of £10,000. To support the
team visit www.justgiving.com/IntegritasLandscapes/
The British 10K London
12th July 2015
Perennial has 12 runner places to join 25,000
who take part in the British 10K in July. Each
of Perennial’s runners will pledge to raise at
least £200 for the charity, with an overall target
of £5,000 for the team. To get involved email
psargeant@perennial.org.uk
Nuts Challenge
5th September 2015
Perennial is entering a team into The Nuts
Challenge Mud Run in Surrey, one of the
most challenging military style assault
courses out there. Designed to push
individuals to their limits, the event will be
muddy, tough and exhilarating. Each team
member should raise at least £100 for
Perennial. To get involved contact Chris
Crooker at ccrooker@perennial.org.uk
London to Brighton Cycle Ride
6th September 2015
Starting in London and finishing on the
Brighton seafront, thousands of cyclists will
take part in the 54-mile London to Brighton
Cycle Ride. Perennial is putting together a
team and looking for riders to participate.
The event is not just for the would-be
Bradley Wiggins’s of this world – no previous
experience is required, though some training
would be beneficial. Each team member will
pledge to raise at least £100 for Perennial. To
find out more contact Chris Crooker.
Skyline Skydives
Anyone wanting to combine fundraising for
Perennial with a thrill-seeking experience can
skydive to raise money. Skyline runs skydives
at various airfields around the country.
Individuals are required to raise at least £360
and a proportion of that goes to the cost of
the skydive, with the remainder going directly
to Perennial. To find out more contact Chris
Crooker at ccrooker@perennial.org.uk
deepdale-trees.co.uk
01767 262636
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 37
REGIONAL
ROUND UP
Past events from the regions
Midlands fishing competition
Scotland
In January I met with members of the
Landscape Institute Scotland Region to
discuss holding a joint event to look at a
specific project from start to finish, enabling
good constructive debate and forging better
working links; details on this event will follow
soon.
North West Gresgarth Hall visit
East Anglia Dinner
Scotland Region AGM will be held on Monday
23rd March at Scotland’s Rural College’s
Oatridge Campus, West Lothian, at 6pm. Prior
to the AGM itself members can take up the
opportunity to visit Jupiter Artland in Edinburgh;
a bus will leave Oatridge
at 3.30pm, returning in
time for refreshments
before the AGM at 6
p.m. Since opening in
2009, Jupiter Artland
has quickly established
itself as an exciting new
addition to the UK art
scene, offering visitors a unique opportunity
to explore one of Britain’s pre-eminent
collections of contemporary sculpture in a
constantly-evolving environment. In 2010 Jupiter
Artland unveiled four new major site-specific
commissions. Works by Turner Prize short-listed
artists Cornelia Parker, Nathan Coley and Jim
Lambie, as well as young British sculptor Peter
Liversidge, are now displayed in the 80-acre
woodland grounds of Bonnington House.
Europlants Visit
One of our Scotland Region members Water
Gems (Alba) Ltd, who won Principal Awards in
two domestic garden construction categories at
the recent BALI awards ceremony, are running
an innovative workshop for garden designers
and landscape architects during February.
Makita at BALI Harrogate event
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38
Colin and Gareth from new BALI Registered
member Mactus Ltd
For further details contact Annie Benge at
annie@watergems.co.uk. One of their staff
members is also attending an OASE-run course
to become a trained installation technician
for their pumps, filtration equipment etc.
for water features.
The committee is keen to arrange other events
for the Scotland Region, such as a visit to the
Commonwealth Games Athletes Village to see the
landscape scheme one year after completion.
Over the next four week, committee members
will be personally contacting you to assist us
with helping you to get more from your BALI
membership. I would ask members to please make
some time for us in order that we can help you.
And finally, I would like to welcome a new full
contracting member to the Scotland Region:
Mactus Ltd, who our vice chair Colin Smith now
works for and who has been influential in getting
the company to join BALI and reap the benefits
of membership.
Jimmy Gilchrist | REGIONAL CHAIRMAN
03/04/2014 15
East
Anglia
What a fantastic year 2014 was for the BALI
East Anglia Region; the committee and
members of the region really went the extra
mile last year to put our little part of the
country back on the map.
After taking over as Chairman along with Vice
Chairman, Andy Spetch in January 2014 and
shuffling a few things and mind-sets around, we
have encouraged and inspired members to get
involved. Members are re-gaining the confidence
to be a proud member of BALI, they are now
businesses that want to attend meetings and
enjoy the events that we put on.
Our committee has worked hard to change this
and I have been lucky to work alongside a great
group of people forming a powerful East Anglian
BALI Team.
Cambridge Botanical Gardens – It was
glorious sunshine for this event on 19th August.
For just under two hours we were treated to a
guided tour of the gardens and a brief lesson in
the design, species and heritage of every section
of it. Although not overly well supported it was a
great afternoon for all those who attended and
our thanks to the Pro-Scape team for taking the
lead in the organisation. Another good event that,
thanks to sponsorship by Q Lawns, broke even
financially.
East Anglia Region Dinner - 23rd October
was a night of good food, great company and
a tipple or three. 57 guests attended the event
in Bury St Edmunds and sat down for a great
meal accompanied by something a little different.
Breaking from the norm of a guest speaker, a
magician took centre stage to entertain and
wow the crowd. Sponsored by Travis Perkins,
Ransomes Jacobsen and British Sugar TOPSOIL,
this event was a huge success and made a profit
for the region.
Thank you all for your support over last year; 2015
looks like being even better and started with the
East Anglia Region AGM and Greene King
Brewery Tour on 3rd February.
Regional AGM - The year started off with
the Regional AGM in January where Tom Tree
stepped down as Chairman. A great presentation
session was put on by several of our region’s
members (Robin Tacchi Plants, Q Lawns, British
Sugar TOPSOIL, Stone Globe Lighting, Deakin
Lock Garden Design, Harrod Horticulture to name
a few) and was well received and very informative.
This is always a positive event, especially when
there is food involved, thanks to David Johnson
and the Barcham Trees team.
Members at the Greene King brewery
hoping to get a taster
Wayne Grills addresses members
at the East Anglia AGM
The Beast in the East go-karting/networking
event - 17th July was a fantastic day for our
region as 80 plus people from businesses all
around the country turned up to support this
amazing event. The two hour team endurance
race was a massive success and the interest for
entry into the 2015 event began instantly. East
Anglia Region has big plans for the 2015 event
that will pull in a lot more teams, exhibitors and
sponsors to our region for the day the ‘The Beast’
raises its head again! Not only was this a great
event but it was an event that made a profit,
thanks to sponsorship by BALI Affiliate members
Q Lawns, British Sugar TOPSOIL, Green-tech
and Harrod Horticultural.
Not only did the AGM get held at the historic
Bury St Edmunds Greene King site but it also
included a fascinating guided tour of the brewery
and an even more fascinating tasting session to
conclude the day. 30 members attended from
across all areas of the industry. Thanks to you
all for supporting and thanks to all our sponsors
who continue to support our calendar of events
– British Sugar TOPSOIL, Q Lawns, Ransomes
Jacobsen, Green-tech, Travis Perkins, Barcham
Trees and Harrod Horticultural.
We look forward to seeing you at our forthcoming
events, details of which will be on the Calendar of
Events on the new BALI website:
16th April Cambridge Trinity University Garden
Tour and Punting Afternoon (Picnic)
9th July The Beast in the East Go-Karting and
Networking Event
September Tour of the Sky Garden in London’s
Walkie-Talkie building at 20 Fenchurch Street
3rd November East Anglia Region Dinner
at Jimmy’s Farm, Ipswich, accompanied by Aspall
Cider.
And finally, a warm welcome to new Regional
members Ipswich Borough Council, ZinCo Green
Roof Systems and Apis Solutions.
Kevin Harden | REGIONAL CHAIRMAN
Midlands
Our AGM on 22nd January at the Chateau
Impney Hotel in Droitwich Spa was
attended by a good number of members
and was followed by a buffet lunch and
an afternoon ‘Meet the Buyers’ and
networking event.
The AGM was an opportunity to review
regional activity during 2014. There was a
successful National Training Day in March held
at Stoneleigh regarding Hand/Arm Vibration; as
it was in this Region we’ll take credit for it! The
tour of a paving producer company planned
for May was cancelled, due to a change to
their marketing policy. In June the Accredited
Awareness of the National Plant Specification
Course at Coles Nurseries did go ahead but
without any BALI members in attendance.
On 3rd September I attended and reported
at the BALI National AGM held in Windsor at
SALTEX. On 11th September Tom O’Connell
yet again arranged the BALI Trout Fishing
Day at Eyebrook Reservoir. 17 BALI members
attended, many of whom were new faces at the
event. I would like to thank Tom for continuing to
arrange the day and hope that it continues for
many years to come.
On 13th October the rearranged tour of
JCB took place; this was an excellent day of
networking and learning from a UK Company
that has become a global name. Just 18 BALI
members attended but I know that everyone
thoroughly enjoyed the day and got something
from it; we will try and arrange for this to
take place again this year. On 29th October I
attended the BALI Chairs/Vice Chairs meeting
at Stoneleigh; this was a very good day and
hearing what the other Regions have on their
calendars has given me a few ideas for the next
12 months.
20th November was meant to be the first
Regional Dinner and Speaker event, but
sadly, due to lack of numbers, this had to be
cancelled.
5th December was the BALI National Awards
in London, which is an excellent event at which
everyone who attends gets great networking
opportunities.I won’t mention that my own
company’s entry in the Affiliate Exceptional
Service Category was overlooked but
congratulations to Harrod Horticultural on their
success.
The Committee wants all of our Region’s
members to get something from the events
that are arranged, so if anyone has something
that they would like us to try and arrange or
pass onto BALI Landscape House please do
not hesitate to contact any of us, and we will
get on with things on your behalf. I would like
to thank Emily Feeney for all her hard work this
Region behind the scenes at BALI Landscape
House during 2014. Carly Button is taking over
the reins from Emily, so good luck to Carly! And
finally, welcome to new BALI Associate member
Derwent Treescapes; we look forward to seeing
you at a forthcoming regional event.
James Coles | REGIONAL CHAIRMAN
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 39
North
Midlands
West
Happy New year to you all! The North West
Region’s last event in ‘meet the buyers’
style with presentations was something
I had wanted to trial when I first became
Regional Chairman.
Thanks to the enormous help of BALI staff Emily
Feeney and Diane McCulloch we received great
feedback from the Affiliate members. The setup ensured they had valuable time to chat to
potential customers - contractors and designers.
The style of the event has now been replicated in
other regions and, thanks to a lot of effort by BALI
and regional committees to ensure timings, food
and presentations bring value to your business,
these events are a great opportunity to network
and showcase your products and services to a
ready and willing audience.
A simple invite to your company’s clients to
come and see how the professional body you’re
involved with works means the network builds
and so, too, does your database with contacts
of other members’ clients attending. I believe
BALI has the tools and support to back these
opportunities but ultimately it’s down to us to
make our membership and the events provided
work for our companies.
The North West Region committee would like to
take this opportunity to invite you to the regional
AGM event at the Tickled Trout, Preston, on 19th
March at 6 p.m. Prior to the AGM, Campbell
Associates have kindly sponsored an HAVS
event for members, showcased with Makita. This
begins at 3 p.m.
I will endeavour to provide the region with
some great training and networking events but
please feel free to email me with any training
etc. that may benefit your companies and I
am sure, with the great help from staff at BALI
Landscape House, your committee will be able to
accommodate you.
In the meantime I’d like to welcome our new
member, landscape contractor The Head
Gardeners from Crosby, Liverpool, to our region
and wish you all a great start to the year with lots
of great weather and plenty of new and exciting
projects.
Belinda Belt | REGIONAL CHAIRMAN
North
Thames
Welcome to a fresh new start for North
Thames team, myself as Chairman and
Sam Coleman as Vice Chairman who was
voted in at the AGM in January. I would
like to thank both Kevin Copping for his
support and the Committee, which I hope
will see North Thames become the leading
region over the next few years.
During the AGM in it was great to see BALI’s
Chief Operations Officer Wayne Grills, National
Vice Chairman Paul Downer and Immediate
Past Chairman Chris Carr. Wayne presented us
with last year’s Membership Survey results and
shared his main aims and objectives for 2015.
I was very excited about the news of the new
website; everyone must and should contact
BALI and make sure your company profile is
up to date so it can work for you, the more
regularly you update and add to your member
page, the more hits you will receive.
I was also very pleased to hear from Wayne
that Local Authorities and other client bodies
are once again placing BALI Registered
membership as a pre-requisite on PQQs and
tender documents and I’m pushing this to all
my Landscape Architect contacts.
Mobilane, the supplier of green screens and
living walls, gave a presentation at the AGM
and this proved a good networking experience
for them as they are keen to promote their
products to other BALI regions, so everyone
get them on board. They now supply a
lightweight living wall system for walls and
interior planting schemes.
Visit to British Sugar TOPSOIL
My main goal as Chairman for North Thames
is to attract new members and make sure we
can ‘sell’ the monthly networking evenings
and visits and get the number of members
attending into the twenties; we will see. We have
a great year of events ahead, which I and the
committee have organised with help from BALI
Landscape House so please come and join
us in March for the Annual Networking Event
meeting with suppliers who can help you deliver
your contracts. We are hoping to be sending
out shortly the North Thames 2015 programme,
once again kindly sponsored by BALI Affiliate
member Butterfields Building Supplies.
In February North Thames members joined
East Anglia members on a visit to British Sugar
at Bury St. Edmunds. It was impressive to
see the sheer scale of the sugar plant and the
staggering amount of waste material, which is
all being recycled to produce, amongst other
things, British Sugar TOPSOIL. I would like
to thank Sam Coleman for organising a very
successful day out.
I would also like to add that North Thames
members were very successful at the BALI
Awards in December year with 7 members
winning awards, and Bowles & Wyer winning
four National Awards.
Finally, I would like to welcome new regional
members Acacia Gardens Ltd and London
Decking Company.
David Houghton | REGIONAL CHAIRMAN
South West
& Wales
BALI South West Region held a successful
AGM on Thursday 18th February at
the Aztec Hotel, Bristol. 24 members
attended, together with National Chairman
Robert Field and Wayne Grills, our Chief
Operations Officer. Emily Feeny our
Membership Officer was also in attendance
throughout the evening.
Wayne Grills brought us up to date with the
accelerating schedule of new initiatives, together
with ongoing matters at Landscape House. Now
with a membership of over 800 the vitality of the
Association is both obvious and infectious.
Following the AGM we joined members from
the Wales Region and enjoyed an excellent
buffet, where all were able to catch-up with
friends within the organisation; many of whom
we had not seen since the BALI Awards held
in December. Following supper it was our turn
to listen to plant hunter Tom Hart Dyke, who
relayed his incredible story ‘From Captivity to
Castle’. Having heard snippets of his adventures
from members of other regions, where he had
spoken previously, he did not disappoint.
The evening would not have been possible
without the sponsorship of BALI Affiliate member
Sureset UK. Emma Dutton and Hugh Haines
gave us an inspiring presentation about their
excellent products. Speaking to members
afterwards all were impressed by what they
heard. Many had previously used Sureset
products, whilst others would endeavour to
feature them where projects and budgets
allowed. The meeting concluded with a brief
question and answers session.
Recent activity in South West region - Sadly,
as a result of heavy business commitments
and deteriorating health, I decided to stand
down as Chairman at the AGM as I have
been increasingly unable to fulfil the role to
the extent it and regional members deserve.
Unfortunately, Gareth Williams, the current Vice
Chairman, feels that he, too, is unable to take
on the responsibilities of Chairman because of
pressure of work. I therefore look to all members
to provide somebody to fill this role. We have
an amazing team at Landscape House, just
waiting to support us, and they would be happy
to do whatever is needed to back up the next
Chairman. I do hope one of our number will
step up to the plate and take this region of great
BALI members forward, reinstating a strong
programme of visits and networking events.
Terry Drew | PAST REGIONAL CHAIRMAN
South
Thames
Over 30 members attended the region’s
AGM in January. Outgoing Chairman David
Dodd of The Outdoor Room ran through the
meeting and the events of the past year.
The regularity of meetings was affected
somewhat by the upturn in work seen
throughout the year as all on the committee
were occupied by their day jobs.
Spring events were particularly sparse as many
had Chelsea and Hampton Court gardens to
build, gaining a flurry of bright medals too. A
number of meetings were held, discussing a
range of subjects from getting the correct ticket/
permit for work, CPD sessions on stone and a
charming out of hours visit to Sissinghurst Castle
Garden. The year was completed by a Christmas
Networking and Quiz Night.
A highlight was a February meeting at Kew,
attracting over 120 industry members where
the issues between designer and contractor,
and who supplies what, were aired. Though
not conclusive it raised an important topic and
attempted to push the bar of professionalism
higher for the industry. It highlighted the
differences of approach to this between
Landscape Architects (who place supply and
liability with the contractor) and Garden Designers
(who used supply and accompanying margin
to bolster their income). With some flags still
firmly nailed to the mast, this topic has more
discussion to generate, with possible impact on
other bodies’ Codes of Conduct and income
raising methods. Landscapers do not want to be
relegated to labour only sub-contractors carrying
the majority of the liabilities. Look out for a sequel
meeting.
Nick Coslett from Palmstead Nurseries was
elected back into the regional chair, “I’ve been
here twice before – it’s like Groundhog Day,” he
said. He went on to thank David Dodd for an
excellent three years’ leadership and asked him
to remain on the committee. Other members of
the committee were re-elected and Liz Hughes
from Provender Nurseries was elected Vice-Chair.
After the meeting a number of others expressed
an interest in getting more involved and it is
hoped they will contribute over the year.
Nick Coslett, new South Thames
Regional Chairman, again
Paul Downer as Board Director stood in ably
for Wayne Grills who had a meeting with the
Secretary of State for the Environment, the Rt
Hon Elizabeth Truss MP. Paul went through the
progress achieved at Landscape House and the
meeting concluded with some questions and
discussion on re-vetting and the issue of Design
and Build Contractor members, which is being
addressed by the Board and Landscape House
teams working on the new website.
The evening culminated with an update on Tree
Planting techniques with presentations from
Nick Coslett who did not want BALI members to
be responsible for the 25% failure rate in public
sector tree planting. This was supported by Barry
Browne from Green-tech and Murielle Jayer from
Platipus.
Willerby Landscapes’ John Melmoe delivers
his ‘Sky Garden’ presentation
On Tuesday 24th February, John Melmoe,
Commercial Director of Willerby Landscapes,
gave an inspiring presentation on the creation
of the newly opened Sky Garden in the WalkieTalkie building at 20 Fenchurch Street in the
City of London. This was a logistical challenge
on a grand scale and the many BALI members
who attended were left in no doubt of the
professionalism of five-time BALI Grand Award
winners Willerbys in delivering this public access
space. It was a fascinating talk; our thanks to
John for presenting.
A programme of events for 2015 is currently being
put together and will undoubtedly include a visit
to the Sky Garden.
And finally, we welcome new regional members
YMCA DLG, Bamboo Landscaping, Dale Valley
Training, Inhurst Landscapes and Streetpave
Groundworks.
Nick Coslett | REGIONAL CHAIRMAN
Innovative British Design
Handmade in Europe
Easy, Fast Installation
T: +44 (0)20 7385 1020
E: info@vistagreen.com
www.vistagreen.com
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 41
AFFILIATE FOCUS
Tim O’Hare Associates
Tim O’Hare
Soil and landscape consultancy
Tim O’Hare Associates LLP (TOHA) is a BALI Affiliate member.
Responsible for the design, specification, testing and management
of the soils used on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and
for numerous other high profile award-winning schemes, the
consultancy is much in demand. Partner and principal consultant,
Tim O’Hare, gives an insight to its work.
You could describe TOHA as the ‘soil
police’ for the landscape industry as
their main purpose in life is to make
sure that the soils for any landscape
project are fit for purpose. When
contacted by a client – and that could
be a landscape architect, landscape or
groundwork contractor, soil supplier or
developer – they are, in simple terms,
usually asked to test the soil, provide
a scientific analysis and then interpret
that data to produce a report.
Senior Associate Tim White on site
at the Olympic Park
If contacted at the start of a project this
can be the precursor to designing soils that
will support the planting scheme. There
are, however, many occasions when they
are called in by a landscape contractor
because planting has failed and the first
suspected culprit is, understandably, the
soil. They inspect and test the soil and can
determine whether failures are a result of
poor workmanship, and therefore down
to the contractor, or dodgy soil. If it’s been
imported and correctly applied then the
problem’s likely to fall at the feet of the
topsoil supplier. However, on more than one
occasion it’s been down to poor design/
specification by the landscape architect.
TOHA very often helps protect the interests
of the contractor, who is often at the mercy
of a client who wants someone to blame.
TOHA is known across the industry for its
independence and total impartiality and this
is valuable to their clients who feel relaxed
about calling them in because they know
they’ll simply tell it how it is.
Tim said, “Landscape architects and
landscapers phone throughout the day and
usually start the conversation with ‘Tim,
can I just pick your brains…..’! Contractors
generally ask for guidance on particular
project specifications and we are only too
happy to give advice and an opinion if it
means the success of the project.” Quite
often TOHA will end up doing work for that
contractor at some stage in the future.
Tim has been a soil scientist for over
twenty years, working predominantly in the
commercial landscape, sports amenity and
land reclamation sectors. The practice has
been involved in some fantastic projects.
Designing the soils for the Olympic Park
was an incredible opportunity to show how
soil science could mitigate the problems
associated with brownfield sites and create
a range of different planting environments.
“It was the perfect project as far as it
brought together a collection of our skills
and expertise in general landscaping, tree
pit design, habitat creation, sports pitch
drainage and on-site monitoring.” And there’s
so much going on in the UK at the moment
that TOHA is involved with, not to mention
projects in Gibraltar and the Middle East.
“You would expect me to say that no two
days are the same, and they aren’t of
course. They’re always long though, starting
at 7 a.m. because contractors start early,
and rarely finishing before 7 p.m. because
architects work late! I personally love the
variety. Recently, one of my colleagues
was called out to a business park where
extensive grass seeding had failed not once
but twice and we needed to identify any
soil-related problems. It was probably going
to be down to soil compaction, which is quite
common, but it could have been the result
of nutrient deficiency or even anaerobic soil;
we don’t know until we get there, look at the
conditions and take samples for analysis.
Failed planting schemes are all too common
and we unfortunately find ourselves visiting
those on a fairly frequent basis.”
Another area of expertise TOHA can boast
is the design of sports pitches (construction
and renovation); do they meet the design
specification? Are they fit for purpose? The
practice designed the reconstruction of
twelve grass football pitches in Hackney
a couple of years ago and that project
included drawing up the specifications, land
drainage details and grass maintenance
programme. They also oversaw the entire
construction and establishment of the
pitches throughout the contract period.
In some contrast, Senior Associate Tim
White was visiting a country estate recently
where they are planting over 150 semimature trees – mainly limes, cedars and
oaks. Brought in by the landscape architect,
Tim did a baseline soil survey and has
now prepared a detailed tree planting
specification for the landscape contractor.
One of the aims of the survey was to
establish whether the in situ soils could be
used, or whether imported soils and other
soil ameliorants would be required. Tree
planting requires a technical approach.
Sometimes rootballs need an intermediary
soil around them to encourage them to
establish but TOHA’s aim is always to use
as much site material as possible. They also
advise on any drainage requirements.
Tim has a great team back at their offices on
Howbery Park in Wallingford, Oxfordshire,
testing soil samples and handling the
admin and ‘chain of custody’ requirements.
Some of the samples are from topsoil
manufacturers, such as British Sugar
TOPSOIL, and others are from landscape
contractors who want to know if a soil is
suitable for a particular landscape scheme.
Increasingly they’re asked to do topsoil
manufacture feasibility studies for companies
who want to produce manufactured topsoil.
They essentially look at the raw materials, as
well as the space and plant available, and
determine whether it’s possible to create a
topsoil to the British Standard, or perhaps
other project-specific requirements.
“Soil is an incredible material that essentially
sustains all life on this planet so, although to
most people it’s just ‘dirt’, it is a precious and
depleting resource. It’s also an important
component of every landscape scheme – if
the soil’s right then chances are the plants,
trees and grass will flourish.”
www.toha.co.uk
Ideal for
Landscaping
Projects
 Planting
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Valuable horticultural properties
Fully analysed, sandy loam
Compliant to BS3882:2007
Call us now on:
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 43
PRODUCT & AFFILIATE NEWS
Bron Afon
It’s a small ‘Bee World’ 2014
the project. Chris advised them that this
would be a long-term project that would
see changes through the seasons and from
year to year.
After its initial success - it earned an award
from Friends of the Earth as a Bee World Site
- and the feedback from local residents and
volunteers, it was decided at the start of the
second year to sow Phoenix Amenity Hardy
Annuals seed mixture to add more colour and
variety to the meadow area.
More than two years ago BALI Affiliate
member Phoenix Amenity Supplies was
approached by Steve Caddy from a
community based organisation called Bron
Afon in Torfaen, South Wales, to advise
them on creating a wildflower meadow.
After a visit to the site from Phoenix
managing director Chris Baker it was
decided to use the company’s Perennial
Wildflower Seed Mixture as a basis for
Now, with nine Bee World sites created
since the start of the project, Bron Afon are
developing their expertise in sowing and
mowing wildflower meadows, to the delight of
the local residents, the pollinating insects, and
the local wildlife that visit. This year will see an
increase in the more than 22,000 square metres
of wildflowers that have been sown so far. Steve
Caddy, now Environment Manager for the whole
area, is consulting with more residents to create
more Bee World sites and aiming to encourage
more volunteers to come forward.
Steve commented: “After mowing back the
areas last October, we will be looking at what
has re-seeded and filling in the gaps on the
existing wildflower meadows, as well as sowing
more areas to create a balance between what
the residents like to see and the needs of the
insects and wildlife.”
Steve is also in consultation with other local
authorities and different conservation groups
to re-create the success he has achieved in
Torfaen in surrounding areas in Wales. Steve
added: “Anyone interested in developing their
own Bee World site can view the project on YouTube where a further video is being launched
shortly about the project.”
www.phoenixamenity.co.uk
A new way to make a meadow
Wildflower meadows offer so much to
so many, from increasing biodiversity,
providing essential food for our
pollinators and habitat for wildlife, to
offering peace and tranquillity and a
general sense of well-being to all those
that encounter them. Commercially they
provide species rich environments to help
with regulations such as BREEAM and
the Code for Sustainable Homes. Public
interest in the creation of wildflower
meadows is at an all-time high.
BALI Affiliate members Wildflower Turf pride
themselves on their pioneering work creating
products that provide instant, guaranteed
meadows. Launching this spring Wildflower
Earth will be an alternative installation method
to wildflower seeding that is an easy and quick
solution.
Successful wildflower establishment is
dependent on quick and robust seedling
growth providing competitive plant
development. Wildflower Earth provides
an optimum seed rate blended with
premium growing medium ingredients to
give exceptional levels of wildflower seed
germination and establishment. This specially
developed growing medium provides perfect
growing conditions, akin to an envelope of
goodness surrounding the seed, whilst also
suppressing weeds that are below this layer
of material. It provides a guaranteed result
in terms of attractive bio-diverse wildflower
displays for landscaping projects whilst
requiring considerably less investment in
ground preparation.
Areas to be covered with Wildflower Earth
need a general spray off with glyphosate
but no seed bed creation is required. The
Wildflower Earth is spread to a depth of 25mm
and is best suited to the spring and autumn
growing periods, although summer installation
works if irrigation is applied. There is no instant
green coverage as with the turf but due to the
medium the seed is set within, you can expect
quick germination and establishment.
Bespoke mixes for smaller areas are possible,
allowing customers to choose a colour palette
or certain native or near native mixes. It also
allows the potential for locally collected seed
or rare species to be used. Using the system
to establish annual flowers has been very
successful and the company is continuing its
trial work in this area.
Wildflower Earth is suitable for any wildflower
project over 40m² and particularly cost
effective for large areas of meadow. Wildflower
Earth provides a low maintenance, drought
tolerant solution for larger contractors creating
wildflower areas.
www.wildflowerturf.co.uk
TEX MulchMat
Root Barrier C3
“the most environmentally friendly biodegradable
weed control blanket”
low maintenance and easy to use
effective temporary weed suppression
naturally fire resistant
fully compostable (no synthetic residue)
resists airborne seed settlement
fully biodegrades over 3 to 5 years
carbon
footprint
“the best premium grade woven ground cover
for effective long term weed suppression”
effective barrier against invasive roots
high puncture resistance (3,700N)
strong, reinforced and flexible sheet
50 year buried life expectancy
protects properties and services
very competitive rates
low maintenance versatile solution
effective permanent weed suppression
robust separator membrane
+7 year UV stabilisation
free draining
quality manufacture from Belgium
SSEtsDtest
LOW
ne w
Covertex
“the leading solution for Japanese Knotweed,
bamboo and tree root control”
R
Roo
5
 PnA
ce to 4416:200
S1
esista
DD C
EN/T
© PHLORUM
© JAPANESE KNOTWEED LTD
A family business with over 20 years experience supplying fabrics, nets and meshes
for landscaping, civil engineering, groundwork and environmental protection.
ed
unrivall fabrics
ping
a
c
s
d
n
a
l
HY-TEX
Also suppliers of: erosion control mats, silt fence, newt barriers, geotextiles and turf meshes
OVER YEARS OF
SERVICE
20
Hy-Tex (UK) Limited
Quality Fabrics • Economic Solutions • Next Day Delivery
T 01233 720097 F 01233 720098
E sales@hy-tex.co.uk W www.hy-tex.co.uk
Discover the secret
of elegant gardens
GU
AR
Arches • Pergolas • Gazebos • Bowers
Obelisks • Screens • Fruit Cages
www.agriframes.co.uk
0845 260 4450 (local rate)
EE
With over 40 years of expertise, we
have a passion for gardens. Whether
you want a simple arch or a labyrinth
of walkways no job is too big or small.
We have the largest selection of
garden structures on the market either
in stock or made to measure. Call us
now to discuss your requirements.
ANT
30%
OFF
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QUOTE CODE: BALI30
over phone with
membership number
*Offer applies to structures ordered before 31/12/15
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 45
PRODUCT & AFFILIATE NEWS
A BIM Library ‘first’ for
British Sugar TOPSOIL
BALI Affiliate member British Sugar
TOPSOIL is the first, and only,
topsoil manufacturer to have its
product accepted as a BIM (Building
Information Modelling) Object
within the NBS National BIM Library.
Planners, architects and construction
professionals now have direct and
immediate online access to the product’s
data, which they can import into their
project’s BIM-enabled software.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) brings
together all the data and information about
every component of a building in one place
and allows anyone involved with the project to
access that information for whatever purpose.
BIM data can be used to model the entire
building lifecycle – from concept and design
to demolition and re-use of construction
materials. This holistic ‘from cradle to grave’
approach helps prevent errors creeping in
at the various stages of development and
construction by integrating the different
aspects of the design more effectively and
minimising the risk of mistakes and abortive
costs. In short, BIM increases efficiency and
interoperability between clients, stakeholders
and each of the construction disciplines.
industry leader. He sees BIM as an incredible
opportunity for product suppliers to make
their product information readily available in a
consistent and immediately accessible format
for interrogation by all construction disciplines:
“By 2016 all construction projects procured by
UK central government must use the managed
data aspect of BIM. With our Landscape20
topsoil data now in the NBS National BIM
Library I would expect to see a corresponding
uplift in sales as the product is specified
and larger projects come online. This is an
exciting time for the construction sector and
its suppliers. BIM has been viewed by some
suppliers with suspicion and as just another
government initiative that could be costly to
engage with for little return. I personally believe
that, as the BIM Library becomes populated
with product data, we will wonder how
construction projects were ever successfully
undertaken before BIM existed.”
For information on BIM visit
www.thenbs.com/bim and to access the
NBS National BIM Library, visit
www.nationalbimlibrary.com
British Sugar TOPSOIL’s Andy Spetch
has been instrumental in establishing the
company’s Landscape20 topsoil as the
gt specifer, the landscape solutions
arm of BALI Affiliate member Greentech, has unveiled its new brochure for
ArborRaft.
The gt AborRaft system has become the
specification choice for tree pits in urban
environments and the new 8-page brochure
includes information, advice, an installation
Defender-Pro Tree and Shrub Shelters
from BALI Affiliate member AHS
represent a cost-effective, innovative
solution to promote faster growth
and increased survival rates; they can
also reduce the cost of planting and
maintenance.
The square construction allows them to
be delivered to the customer flat-packed,
ensuring easier transportation of larger
quantities at a lower cost than conventional
round, rigid shelters. The shelters’ unique
staking and ‘no-ties’ securing system
ensures planting is done simply and swiftly
and maintenance can be carried out with
the same level of simplicity and speed.
New ArborRaft
brochure from
gt specifier
gt ArborRaft is a load bearing tree pit structure
that has been widely used on many high
profile urban tree planting projects. It is a
series of modular units that lock together
to form a raft structure, which is assembled
around the nursery line of the tree pit to
reduce soil compaction, whilst at the same
time providing an ideal load-bearing support in
hard landscaped areas.
Defender-Pro
Tree and
Shrub Shelters
from AHS
guide and case study. Technical Development
Manager, Barry Browne, said: “The new
brochure pulls together our products and
experience and offers guidance for a common
challenge when planting trees. Effective
planting systems are an essential part of
any urban landscaping scheme and the gt
ArborRaft system ticks all the boxes.” For
a copy of the new gt ArborRaft brochure
email info@gtspecifier.co.uk or visit
www.gtspecifier.co.uk
Manufactured from environmentally
responsible and 100% recyclable UV
stabilised polypropylene, and with an
estimated lifespan of 5-7 years, the
Defender-Pro Shelters have a built-in,
radial top lip to minimise abrasion to the
tree stem and a line of least resistance to
ensure the shelter splits open as the girth
of the tree increases. The shelter will then
break down naturally and is harmless to the
environment.
Defender-Pro Tree and Shrub Shelters
come in a range of sizes, from 60cm to
150cm high, with cross section sizes of
8.5x8.5cm for tree shelters and 15x15cm for
shrub shelters. They are ideal for forestry,
landscaping, fruit growing and viticulture
applications.
www.ahs-ltd.co.uk
The grass will
be greener at
Harrogate Spring
Flower Show
York-based turf grower and BALI Affiliate
member Rolawn are to attend the 2015
Harrogate Spring Flower Show for the
first time in the company’s 40 year
history. Focusing on the consistent, high
quality products that Rolawn produce,
visitors will be able to learn more about
grass plant root development through
some novel turf displays along with
advice on how to choose the right
topsoils and barks for landscaping
success.
Jonathan Hill, Rolawn Sales & Marketing
Director, commented: “We are really excited
to be attending the Harrogate Show and will
have some fantastic displays to share with
visitors, along with staff on hand to provide
expert advice. This is also the start of our build
up in celebrating 40 years as the producer of
Britain’s finest turf and topsoil.” The Harrogate
Spring Flower Show runs from 23-26 April.
www.rolawn.co.uk
Boningale invests
in new nursery
machinery
Boningale Nurseries has committed to
further improving the quality of its stock
by investing in new top-of-the-range
machinery.
A new potting machine will enable the
Shropshire-based BALI Affiliate member
to pot both bare root and larger pot sizes
more efficiently, with minimal disturbance
to the plants roots thus maximising growth.
Penny Fryer, Boningale Nurseries’ Production
Director, said that the company had invested
in a Javo Plus Mark 2 because it allows
nursery staff to change from one pot size to
another quickly and gives them better control
of compost supply. “The machine will make
a real difference to the way in which we work
and will make the flow of our output much
smoother,” she said. “Its compost delivery
system produces less compaction of the
growing media and the knock-on effect will be
less wastage and better plant growth.”
To complement the potting machine,
Boningale has also invested in a bark
topping machine to top dress its potted
plants. “Liverwort is an unsightly problem
and can inhibit growth on smaller plants,”
explained Penny. “The bark mulch will help
stop liverwort establishing and will also help to
control weeds when the pots are stood on the
nursery. Ultimately this will save labour in hand
weeding, reduce our reliance on chemical
weed control, and help to produce a better
established and cleaner product.”
Boningale Nurseries recently celebrated the
achievements of its several clients at the BALI
Awards, most notably in the ‘Soft Landscaping
Construction (Non Domestic) under £300,000’
category where all three winners had been
supplied with the company’s nursery stock.
www.boningale.co.uk
New landscapers’ website
for Long Rake Spar
Technology continues to play an increasingly important role
within landscaping and a successful website can make the
process of sourcing materials simpler and stress-free. At the
beginning of 2015, Long Rake Spar launched a new website,
building on its experience as a decorative aggregate supplier to
landscapers and garden designers.
The new site has been developed to give landscapers the opportunity to
access information about individual products and the process of supply
at Long Rake Spar. Each product can be viewed in high resolution
representative images; both wet and dry, to give a realistic impression of
how materials, in numerous sizes, appear in different weather. In addition
the website includes a unique quoting tool allowing the in-house team
to provide immediate feedback to landscapers, with tailored information
depending on their individual decorative aggregate requirements.
Users can also follow developments within the company through the
News tab and find inspiration in the Case Studies section, alongside
exploring the import and export resources which make Long Rake Spar
such a distinguished supplier.
The new website has been developed
to aid landscapers by being easily
navigable and accessible on a range
of devices, allowing to it be viewed
on the move on a day to day basis,
whilst with clients, in the office or
on projects.
www.longrakespar.co.uk
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 47
PRODUCT & AFFILIATE NEWS
Van den Berk
Nurseries celebrates
75-year Jubilee with
book launch
SureSet celebrates its
coming of age with
18 year guarantee
BALI Affiliate member SureSet, established
in 1996 by current Chairman Peter Watts
and incorporated in 1997, is celebrating
its coming of age after 18 successful
years. Peter along with Mike Newton and
Managing Director Kevin Weston developed
the concept of clear resin bound permeable
paving for external use and took it to a new
level.
Over the past 18 years staff numbers have
increased from just three in 1997 to 33 in 2015
and the company has established a nationwide
network of 40 Approved Installers. SureSet has
also developed and added seven new products
to their continually evolving range and in 2013
developed their own method of colouring
recycled glass.
A direct result of their ongoing commitment to
customer service and technical development
SureSet have increased their guarantee from
two years in 1997, to five in 2002, seven in
2004, ten in 2007 and 15 in 2011. To celebrate
their 18-year anniversary, and with effect from
1st April 2015, SureSet are increasing their
15-year guarantee for all installations to 18 years
against loose stone, cracking, oil damage, UV
degradation, colour change, frost damage and
faulty workmanship.
Specialising exclusively in permeable resin
bound paving, SureSet offers a huge choice
of colours and textures as an exciting design
alternative to traditional paving options for
garden designers and landscape architects.
www.sureset.co.uk
Marshalls unveils
new products for 2015
The 2015/16 Marshalls Gardens &
Driveways brochure is now available and
you can bring the brochure to life with its
new App, available to download for free
from the Apple App Store or Google Play
Store. The app allows users to search
for their nearest stockist and Marshalls
Accredited Contractors, as well as have
access to exclusive videos and project
images. Amongst some of the new
Marshalls products available in the 2015/16
brochure are:
Symphony Vitrified Paving - ideal for both
outdoor and indoor use to create a seamless
living space into the garden. Available in eight
colours and a range of sizes, this product is
light and extremely durable, absorbing little or
no moisture which minimises moss and algae
growth. Available in single size packs and mixed
size project packs, which can be delivered direct
to site, it is supplied with the correct amount of
specially formulated narrow jointing compound.
Pavesys System - with its patented contoured
base, this is designed to take up to 50% of the
time and hassle out of installing patio paving
whilst maintaining exceptional good looks.
Pavesys Heritage is available in two colours
and a range of sizes to complement any garden
space.
Fairstone Magnasett - a range of quartzitic
sandstone available in two pre-blended colour
mixes; Autumn Gold and Silver Dusk. Magnasett
is large element sett paving ideal for any property
and those seeking a statement through individual
design.
Leyburn Paving - available in Buff and
Weathered colour options, this new rugged and
hard-wearing flag is ideal for basic patio or utility
areas.
For a copy of the new Marshall brochure visit
www.marshalls.co.uk/homeowners.
This year, BALI Affiliate member Van
den Berk Nurseries is celebrating its
75-year anniversary. Over the decades,
this family business, today headed by the
third generation, has undergone dramatic
growth. With around 500 hectares of land,
more than 100 employees and a product
range which includes 1750 species and
cultivars, it has grown into one of the most
significant European nurseries within the
medium-sized to very large tree sector.
To mark the start of this
Jubilee year, Van den
Berk has launched a
new edition of its book,
‘Van den Berk on Trees’.
The Second Edition has
been fully revised and
updated. It now includes
an additional 383 species
and cultivars, and each
description is accompanied
by a lovely image. The foundations of the book,
which describes a total of 1101 species and
cultivars, were laid by two former directors, Jan
and Paulus van den Berk. Production Manager,
Cees van Casteren, who has worked at Van
den Berk Nurseries for more than 40 years, is in
charge of all additions to the selection.
Tony Kirkham, head of the world famous Kew
Royal Botanical Gardens, wrote the introduction
for the book, which he says will be given a
permanent place in his bookcase alongside the
First Edition.
Facts about the book:
• 1032 pages.
• 1101 species and cultivars with description
and photo.
• 383 new species and cultivars compared with
First Edition.
• 1700 photos by dozens of photographers.
• 5 new symbols: fruitless cultivar, edible fruit,
pinnate leaf, evergreen, honey plants.
• New chapters about choosing a species,
habitat layout, unloading large trees, planting
and after care, honey plants and trees for the
future.
• Includes each tree’s winter hardiness and
hardiness maps of Europe and North
America.
• Selection Supervisor: Cees van Casteren
• Dendrological Editor: Ronald Houtman
• Editing: Johan van den Berk and
Anneke de Jong
To order your copy visit www.vdberk.com
DESIGN & MANUFACTURE SINCE 1954
GARDEN
STRUCTURES
ARCHES • PERGOL AS • OBELISKS
FRUIT C AGES • RAISED BEDS & PL ANTERS
FL OWER SUPPORTS • FENCING • G ATES
TREES & SHRUBS
For UK commercial planting schemes
Trade
Brochure
& Price List
available
• Exclusive UK made designs with RHS endorsement.
• Attractive quality materials with guarantees.
• Planning and consultation – site visits to
measure up & discuss larger projects.
• Standard sizes & made to measure with
CAD concepts and professional drawings.
2014
PRINCIPAL
AWARD WINNER
National
Landscape
Awards
Supporting green initiatives
from planning to planting
Guidance & Training in Plant Selection
The National Plant Specification
Plant palettes at your fingertips
www.colesnurseries.co.uk
JAMES COLES & SONS (Nurseries) Ltd
The Nurseries, Uppingham Road, Thurnby, Leicester LE7 9QB
T: 0116 241 2115 F: 0116 243 2311 E: info@colesnurseries.co.uk
Twitter: @Colesnurseries Facebook: coles.nurseries
TRADE BROCHURE: 0845 218 2120
TRADE ENQUIRIES: trade@harrod.uk.com
www.harrodhorticultural.com
BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 49
NEW MEMBERS & TESTIMONIALS
New Members (as at 05/02/2015)
East Anglia
Full Contracting
North West
The Head Gardeners Limited
ZinCo Green Roof Systems Ltd
Applications in progress
Full Contracting
South Thames
YMCA DLG
Bamboo Landscaping
Midlands
Derwent Treescapes Limited
AWS Landscapes Ltd
Beechill Landscapes Ltd
Brett Valley Landscape
Citigrass
Dreamscape
Freedom Group
(Grounds and Landscaping)
Gardenrama Company
Goodinsons
Greenside Landscapes Ltd
Greentown Environmental Ltd.
Groundlands Limited
JC Gardens & Climbing Frames Ltd
JS Lee Landscaping
Kestrel Contractors Ltd
Noel Regan and Sons Building and
Civil Engineering Contractors UK Ltd
Oakbrook Services/ Benjamin
Chadwick Poplar Tree Landscapes (PTL) Limited
Ramscapes Limited
Russell Landscaping Ltd
North Thames
Acacia Gardens Ltd
London Decking Company
Wales
Diverse Commercial Solutions Ltd
Scotland
Mactus Ltd
Associate
Yorkshire North East
FRESHSCAPED
South Thames
Inhurst Landscapes Ltd
Streetpave Groundworks Limited
North West
Kaberry Construction
Training Provider
East Anglia
Ipswich Borough Council
East Anglia
Apis Solutions Ltd
Affiliate
South Thames
Dale Valley Training
Wales
Greensquares Products Limited
Yorkshire North East
Groundtrax Systems Ltd
Wales
Standerwick Safety Partnership
Spruce Landscapes Ltd
Swinburne Horticultural Services Ltd
Thomson Habitats
Urban Landscape Design Limited
Affiliate
Acheson & Glover Ltd
EasyConnect
Ecoscape UK Ltd
Hampshire Materials Group Limited
Jack Dunckley’s Birchfield Nursery
NCC Streetscape Limited
Training Provider
Acorn Environmental
Management Group
Alpha Safety Training Ltd
KEITS Training Services Ltd
Associate
Sean Lawrence
iGRASS_advert_135x91_04.02.15.pdf 1 05/02/2015 10:42:40
TESTIMONIALS
YMCA DLG ‘I have been very well impressed with the
management and organisation of YMCA, which I have used over
the last few years.’
The Head Gardeners ‘An excellent company and have always
done their work to a good standard.’
Acacia Gardens ‘I employed the company to lay turf in my
garden. They were very efficient and well organised. I plan
to use them for future jobs and have recommended them to
friends. ’
C
M
Y
CM
Diverse Commercial Solutions ‘The standard or service provided
MY
is very high and responsive. The administrative support team
are also very helpful and professional,’
CY
Greensquares ‘A great company which offers a great product
and a great service.’
Groundtrax ‘Polite and knowledgeable on the phone and offer a
prompt overnight service for small orders.’
London Decking Company ‘I would give the London
Decking Company my highest recommendation. They were
recommended by our next door neighbour who was also
very happy with them. The service and end-product was
outstanding.’
Bamboo Landscaping ‘I have recommended them to other
friends who have been happy with their work. I will definitely use
them again.’
CMY
K
Landscaping Solutions
Learningscape at
Bath University
A mixture of clay and other natural
products were in the landscape area
at Bath University
Penter’s Auraton WF pavers were
specified on the project
Natural clay paving keeps its colour
for the entire lifecycle
The UK’s largest natural clay paving
product portfolio
At the heart of landscaping.
The NEW landscape architects guide to
Natural Clay Paving is due out early
2015, register your interest today:
www.wienerberger.co.uk/landscape_
architects_guide
Tel: 0845 303 2524
Email: office@wienerberger.co.uk
Twitter: @wienerbergeruk
www.wienerberger.co.uk/landscapes
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BALI Landscape News | Spring 2015 | 51
06/02/2015 10:02
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