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Local people with rare forms of dementia to benefit from award-winning show garden now open to visitors at Exbury Gardens in Hampshire

Local people with rare forms of dementia to benefit from award-winning show garden now open to visitors at Exbury Gardens in Hampshire

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•    Free access for local Rare Dementia Support members, funds being raised on the garden for The National Brain Appeal, who fund the service

A triple award-winning show garden, which will benefit local people diagnosed with rare dementias and their families, has been officially opened at Exbury Gardens.

The National Brain Appeal’s  beautiful ‘Rare Space’ garden, designed by Charlie Hawkes (pictured below) and now sited opposite the Five Arrows Gallery at the famous New Forest visitor attraction, was opened by Helena Clarke who lives with the condition posterior cortical atrophy (PCA). Also at the launch was Peter Jones from Fareham who has been diagnosed too with PCA. This affects the area of the brain that deals with visual processing.

Designer Charlie Hawkes on the Rare Space Garden at Exbury Gardens – photo credit Cathryn Baldock

Local families who are members of Rare Dementia Support are being given free access to the garden at Exbury. A digital donation point at the garden allows money to be raised for The National Brain Appeal, which funds the service; and information boards and leaflets give more details about rare dementias and advice on how to seek support. Staff at Exbury Gardens have also undertaken dementia awareness training.

The Project Giving Back-funded Rare Space Garden won three awards at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, including a gold, and is designed for those living with rare dementias, particularly visual and spacial forms of the disease. It will eventually be located at the world’s first Rare DementiaSupport Centre in London but, whilst The National Brain Appeal raises the estimated £7m needed to create this Centre – expected to open in 2024/25 – the garden has been temporarily located in Hampshire for Exbury’s visitors to enjoy, and to raise awareness of these life-changing neurological conditions, which are often misdiagnosed.

RDS supports people living with seven forms of rare dementia; these can strike at a young age, may be directly inherited, and often affect skills other than memory, such as vision, language, behaviour and movement. It is thought that around 47,000-142,000 people in the UK are living with a less common form of dementia but reliable statistics are hard to find due to frequent misdiagnoses. The new Centre will be a state-of-the-art home for the service, bringing people affected by these conditions together with experienced healthcare professionals.

Following diagnosis, many find that existing health, social and voluntary services do not cater adequately for their individual needs, and established dementia support groups are not particularly relevant to their situation. Members of these groups can often be significantly different to them in terms of age, life situation and symptoms. 30% of people living with a rare dementia initially receive an incorrect diagnosis and there is a widespread lack of understanding and a shortage of dedicated resources to support those affected.

Theresa Dauncey, chief executive of The National Brain Appeal, said: “It is wonderful to see The National Brain Appeal’s Rare Space Garden in its new home at Exbury Gardens and looking as splendid as it did at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. We are incredibly grateful to Marcus Agius and everyone at Exbury Gardens for hosting our garden, giving so many more people the opportunity to see it and to learn more about rare dementias, and, of course, to Project Giving Back for making all of this possible.”

Exbury Gardens’ chairman Marcus Agius said: “One of the purposes of the Rare Dementia Support Centre will be to educate people about these unusual conditions, not just sufferers and their families and carers, but also members of the medical profession. As such, the Rare Space Garden fits well with the educational objects of the Exbury Gardens charitable trust. We are simply delighted to be hosting it until the new centre is built.”

The Rare Space Garden was created with the input and collaboration of those affected by visual-led dementias, and was designed as a space to foster autonomy and hope. It offers a balance between exploration and calm navigation. Subtly coloured planting has been chosen to minimise sensory disruption. A level, wide path weaves simply through the garden, offering brightly coloured, easily found seating areas and sheltered spaces along the way, for independent wayfinding. Interpretation boards outline the significance of key features within the space and explain how those with rare dementias and their families can seek support.

Helena Clarke officially opens the Rare Space Garden with husband David (centre front). Back from left to right – Hattie Ghaui (Project Giving Back), Professor Nick Fox (Rare Dementia Support), Theresa Dauncey (The National Brain Appeal), Charlie Hawkes (designer) and Marcus Agius (Exbury Gardens). Photo credit © Britt Willoughby Dyer

ENDS

For further information or images, contact PR Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or Veronica Chrisp on 023 8024 5754 veronica.chrisp@exbury.co.uk

The National Brain Appeal – PR Manager, Marie Mangan – 07812 124092 marie.mangan@nhs.net

Notes for editors

  • Exbury Gardens, spread over 200 acres, is a calm and beautiful oasis with tranquil ponds surrounded by rare plants, trees and shrubs. It was created by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919, a passionate collector of plants and a keen supporter and sponsor of the early 20th century plant hunters, and has grown to become a stunning garden paradise. It boasts over 20 miles of pathways and trails and is located in the New Forest about 15 minutes from the M27. Over recent years the Hampshire garden, famed for its spring colour, has been expanded for all-season interest with areas designed to show off summer and autumn blooms, as well as an extension of its 1 ½-mile Rhododendron Line steam railway. Exbury Gardens, located in the New Forest near Southampton, is open daily 10am – 5.30pm. Arrival time slots must be booked online in advance at www.exbury.co.uk
  • About The National Brain Appeal (registered charity number 290173) – Dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by neurological conditions, The National Brain Appeal funds pioneering research, innovative treatments and world-class facilities at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and the UCL Institute of Neurology in Queen Square, London. The hospital is the UK’s leading centre of excellence for treating diseases of the brain, spine and the nervous system − such as brain tumours, epilepsy, stroke, dementias, MS, Parkinson’s disease and motor neurone disease. nationalbrainappeal.org

The charity funds Rare Dementia Support (RDS), a service that provides information, advice and support to people and their families living with raredementias and is currently fundraising for the world’s first Rare Dementia Support Centre, part of the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, to provide guidance, support and education, as well as being a space for research, artistic and cultural activities. raredementiasupport.org

  • Charlie Hawkes is an award-winning landscape designer based in the UK who won a gold medal at the 2022 Chelsea Flower Show for his Wilderness Foundation UK Garden, as well as a gold at the 2023 show. He has a master’s in landscape architecture from the Edinburgh College of Art. His experience includes working in Japan at Dan Pearson’s Tokachi Millennium Forest, an estate placement at the iconic Lutyens-build house, Great Dixter and a season working at luxury hotel, Gravetye Manor in West Sussex. As a result of his knowledge of design and gardening, he strives to create places that have an atmosphere that reflects the unique nature of each landscape.
  • Project Giving Back (PGB) is a unique grant-making charity that provides funding for gardens for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. PGB was launched in May 2021 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating effect on UK charitable fundraising. PGB has funded a total of 15 gardens at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2023 and intends to fund up to 42 gardens at the show from 2022 – 2024. It was established with funding from two private individuals who are RHS Life Members and keen gardeners. They wish to remain anonymous. PGB will help UK-based good causes recover from the unprecedented effects of the global pandemic by giving them an opportunity to raise awareness of their work for people, plants and the planet at the high-profile RHS Chelsea Flower Show. www.givingback.org.uk

 

 

The RSPCA Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show: a call for UK gardeners to help stop wildlife decline

The RSPCA Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show: a call for UK gardeners to help stop wildlife decline

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‘We owe it to our children to ensure they still get to enjoy British wildlife,’ says Steve Backshall

The RSPCA is teaming up at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with award-winning designer, Martyn Wilson, to create a stylish sanctuary for wildlife and people alike – and it has a very important ‘take-home’ message.

The RSPCA Garden designed by Martyn Wilson

A contemporary interpretation of a wildlife garden, The RSPCA Garden highlights the public’s vital role in protecting wild animals and birds. As well as looking beautiful, it is packed with ideas you can easily recreate at home, whatever space you have, and is designed to challenge the view that wildlife gardens are untidy or unfashionable.

RSPCA vice president Steve Backshall said we owe it to future generations to take action now.

The TV wildlife host said: “We owe it to our children to ensure they still get to enjoy British wildlife like previous generations before them. But the rapid decline of some of our most loved species like hedgehogs, red squirrels and some butterflies means some of our favourite British animals may soon only exist in zoos. This is terrifying, and should spur every single one of us into taking action.

“We are reaching a critical turning point but we can take positive actions now to help create the future we want for our children, our wildlife and our planet.

“Everyone can join the RSPCA to be a Wildlife Friend volunteer, picking up litter to prevent an animal getting injured, putting down a saucer of water for thirsty birds or making a simple bug hotel to give bees somewhere to rest.

“These tiny acts of kindness can collectively make a huge difference for the wildlife we share our communities with, and which we rely on for our survival.”

The RSPCA is hoping the Chelsea project inspires people to carry out small acts of kindness for wildlife they share their neighbourhoods with, as part of their Wildlife Friends scheme.

A raised wildlife-watching ‘hide’ made from UK-grown Douglas fir and larch, with a green roof and wall-mounted bee hotels, is designed to be a refuge in nature for an RSPCA volunteer after a busy shift. Elsewhere in the garden, natural stone feature walls house contemporary bird nesting boxes; while a modern corten steel interpretation of a ‘dead hedge‘, with hidden hedgehog houses, creates habitats for birds, mammals and insects, whilst also recycling garden materials.

A central water feature formed from recycled plastic waste is a nod to the RSPCA rescuing almost 4,000 animals trapped in or injured by litter last year (2022). Providing movement, sound and a drink for wildlife, it symbolises the rescue-rehabilitate-release cycle of care given to thousands of animals at the charity’s four specialist wildlife centres.

Enclosed by hedging and a canopy of native trees and shrubs vital for birds and wildlife, planting is in a multi-layered naturalistic style in shades of green, whites and tones of blue with pollinator-friendly plants. A bronze sculpture of two otters, by Simon Gudgeon, is inspired by otters in the charity’s care.

The project is being generously funded by Project Giving Back, and the garden will be relocated at the end of the event to RSPCA Stapeley Grange, the charity’s wildlife rehabilitation and education centre in Cheshire, in time for the charity’s 200th anniversary celebrations in 2024.

It will continue to provide sanctuary for wildlife, but also for visitors – including young people, families and vulnerable adults, who already visit the centre for support with emotional wellbeing and resilience. The space will bring essential animal welfare education to communities who have fewer opportunities to get out and about in nature.

There are about 23 million gardens in the UK. The area of all the gardens in England together is more than four times the amount of land in nature reserves*, so gardens are the secret weapon in saving our much-loved British wildlife from this devastating decline.

Filming on The RSPCA Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Designer Martyn visited an RSPCA specialist wildlife centre and took inspiration from its dedicated rehabilitation work in the design of his garden. He said: “The RSPCA Garden is modern and stylish and shows that wildlife gardens don’t necessarily have to be untidy. I really hope people will be inspired to create their own wildlife sanctuary at home.”

Ends

 Notes to editors:

Media Contacts:

Catherine Peerless, RSPCA head of media 07817 550270 catherine.peerless@rspca.org.uk

Lucy Cooper, RSPCA national press officer 07990 717074 lucy.cooper@rspca.org.uk

Emma Mason, Emma Mason PR (for Wilson Associates Garden Design) 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

 

Every school should have a garden…. School Food Matters Garden takes its mission to RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Every school should have a garden…. School Food Matters Garden takes its mission to RHS Chelsea Flower Show

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  • School gardens a vital resource for child mental health and wellbeing
  • New charity survey shows children want more ‘green time’ and less ‘screen time’, and more than one in three children have never seen fruit or vegetables growing
  • The climate resilient ‘edimentals’ garden will be relocated to two primary schools after the show

 

School Food Matters, the charity which teaches children about food and campaigns for healthy, sustainable school meals, is partnering with designer Harry Holding to create an edible, climate resilient garden, with children at its heart, for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023.

Raising vital questions about healthy eating and the future of food production in a changing climate, the garden highlights why children need to be represented in these discussions. At the end of show week, The School Food Matters Garden will continue to provide social and environmental benefits when it is repurposed to create two pocket gardens – one at a school in London, the other at a school in Liverpool – for children to nurture and enjoy for years to come.

The School Food Matters Garden is in the All About Plants category (GPB019 in The Pavilion) at the world-famous event and is being funded by Project Giving Back, with support from Whole Kids Foundation. It will celebrate 15 years of School Food Matters food education programmes which have reached over 211,000 children across the UK.

The charity’s experience working in schools echoes the findings of educators, child health, and nutrition experts, that time spent in nature brings multiple benefits.  A recent survey carried out by the charity gives a child’s perspective. Attracting over 500 responses, the survey revealed that more than half the children (primary and secondary) wanted time out in nature as a reward at school, rather than more time spent at a computer screen.  Two in three students felt they didn’t get enough time out in nature, and wanted more, while more than a third (37%) had never seen fruit or vegetables growing.

Designed as an immersive, forageable and naturalistic landscape, the School Food Matters Garden entices children to explore, inspiring them with a variety of edible, climate resilient plants along the way. The aim is to stimulate their senses and encourage them to learn about food in nature, with over 80% of the planting being edible.

A pomegranate tree represents nature’s bounty; wild strawberries, asparagus, artichokes, and herbs are nods to more traditional produce, whilst king’s spear, sea kale and dame’s rocket highlight more unusual edible plants.  The child-sized paths lead to a central area, featuring tactile rammed earth walls that are beautifully painted with quotes from pupils at the London and Liverpool schools – a place to air how much nature means to them. Most of the planting in the School Food Matters Garden is drought tolerant and resilient for a changing climate. Contrastingly, a natural ‘seasonally wet’ pool shows the realities of British winters and highlights the need to plant appropriately.

School Food Matters Chief Executive Stephanie Slater said: “Nutritious food, a healthy planet and access to nature are fundamental rights every child should enjoy. The School Food Matters Garden celebrates all the pleasure, and physical and mental health benefits children get from time spent in nature. It echoes our mission to give every child the knowledge and understanding they need to feed themselves and their future families, while caring for the planet.

“We’ve helped hundreds of schools across the UK create beautiful gardens and the impact this has cannot be underestimated. Many children do not have gardens at home, have no understanding of where food comes from and little opportunity to connect with fresh food by growing their own fruit and veg. Spending time in a garden, getting muddy and seeing how plants grow has a remarkable impact on self-confidence, as well as an inclination to eat more fruit and veg. For some it provides a much-needed moment of peace away from the noise and pressures of the classroom. With the generous support of partners and funders we can ensure many more children have this experience.”

Harry Holding, director of Harry Holding Studio, said: “Our School Food Matters Garden moves far away from plastic wrapped vegetables to show children just how much nature can provide and that there is real joy and beauty in growing your own food. It’s also mindful of our changing climate and the future impact that will have on children, an important message for us all.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

  • For information on the charity or images contact the School Food Matters media team: Charlotte Borger press@schoolfoodmatters.org 07973 394970.  Follow #OurEdibleClassroom on social media.
    For Harry Holding or detail on the garden design please contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433
  • School Food Matters (SFM) exists to teach children about food and campaigns for healthy, sustainable school meals. The charity provides fully funded food education programmes to schools and uses its 15 years’ experience delivering these programmes to inform and strengthen its campaigns, bringing the voices of children, parents and teachers to government policy.
  • Harry Holding is a multi-award-winning designer whose design practice Harry Holding Studio, has sustainability and resilience at the core of everything they do. All the way from innovative design concepts to aftercare practices they aim to minimise environmental impact and carbon footprint. Sourcing materials locally and designing resilient plant communities to create rich, biodiverse ecosystems, their gardens are designed to last and enhance the lives of their clients and the natural world. Find out more here.
  • Project Giving Back(PGB) is a unique grant-making scheme that provides funding for gardens for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. PGB was launched in May 2021 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on UK charitable fundraising. It will fund gardens inspired by a range of good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022, 2023 and 2024. PGB will fund 15 gardens at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2023. In total, PGB plans to fund 42 gardens at the show from 2022 – 2024. (Applications for 2022 and 2023 are now closed.)
  • Whole Kids Foundation: Whole Kids Foundation (WKF) is a charitable organisation based in Austin Texas that provides children with access to healthy food through partnerships with schools, educators and charities. It was set up in 2011 by Whole Foods Market, the organic and natural food retailer, to help address the growing health problems relating to bad nutrition amongst young people.

 

RHS Resilient Garden – sustainable gardening for a changing climate by award-winning designer Tom Massey

RHS Resilient Garden – sustainable gardening for a changing climate by award-winning designer Tom Massey

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GARDENS FIT FOR THE FUTURE 

TOM MASSEY COMBINES NEW RHS CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH WITH CUTTING EDGE DESIGN & VIRTUAL REALITY

6 April 2023 | £27.00 | Hardback | 256 pages

  • In the first book to feature latest RHS climate change research, celebrated designer Tom Massey uses his expert knowledge and virtual reality to showcase an immersive garden for the future
  • Advice on how to create productive outdoor spaces that are brilliant for biodiversity
  • Techniques to help reduce the impact of climate change such as resilient gardening; analysing your plot; practical projects; sustainable materials and plant choices
  • A ‘climate emergency’ call to action for gardeners to work with the environment, the book includes case studies of innovative resilient gardens from around the world and interviews with leading scientists, experts and growers
  • Tips on building your own backyard food forest, green roof and swale planting, rainwater harvesting, hügelkultur mounds, rewilded zones and choosing anti-pollution plants
  • One of the foremost designers of his generation, Tom Massey runs his own London-based design studio, has appeared on BBC show ‘Your Garden Made Perfect’ and won multiple awards including a gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2021

Award-winning designer Tom Massey uses the very latest RHS climate change research and ground-breaking design techniques to show how we can future-proof our gardens, making them more sustainable, resilient, and beautiful places to enjoy for years to come.

RHS Resilient Garden innovatively taps into the virtual world, inviting the reader to explore a computer-generated garden for the future, inspired by the principles outlined by Tom in this, his debut, book.

Providing a passionate narrative into why, and how, gardeners can make changes in their outdoor spaces, Tom gives an expert insight from gardens and people he has met around the world. Fascinating case studies of intelligent, sustainable garden designs are punctuated throughout with practical and relatable advice for gardeners to learn and understand how they can make the right plant and design choices, for their own gardens.

RHS Resilient Garden is grounded in the latest research. The book explains the importance of planting mixed hedging for pollution trapping, how a patio affects waterlogging, the benefits of green walls and roofs for insects and pollinators, how to rewild patches of our gardens, why we should all compost and use circular waste systems, and how to reap the rewards of a backyard food forest.

Readers worldwide will be able to analyse the needs of their plot, looking at wind, sun, soil, water, wildlife, air quality and carbon. Tom offers innovative ideas on how we can all combat ‘eco-anguish’ with positive solutions to inspire gardeners to do ‘their bit’ to help and support the environment and wildlife.

With diagrams and infographics to illustrate key concepts, the book contains stunning images of Tom’s design ideas.

RHS Resilient Garden is believed to be the first garden design book to use immersive virtual reality. Via a QR code, readers are transported into Tom’s virtual garden for the future, seeing for themselves how a small urban garden can be transformed from the ordinary to an extraordinarily beautiful and sustainable design.

Tom said: “Radical and resilient garden design has been employed throughout history and we need to learn from the inspiring pioneers so that we can become the radicals of the future.

“I wanted to share what I have learnt from inspiring people and places around the world and from the latest research undertaken by the RHS and others, to show that we can all come together as gardeners and collectively make a difference. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the climate emergency, but if all gardeners come together to make small, ecologically focused changes, this will combine to have a big impact in helping to mitigate the effects of climate change and halt biodiversity decline. Together we can build a network of sustainable and resilient gardens designed for the future.”

ENDS

For further information contact Jane Southcott jane@janesouthcottpr.co.uk 07787 527430 or Emma Mason emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Notes for editors:  

About the Author Tom Massey works with nature to produce sustainable, ecological and beautifully designed gardens that support wildlife, promote biodiversity and use sustainable growing mediums. After graduating from the London College of Garden Design at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, he founded Tom Massey Studio in 2015. His work has won multiple awards, including a gold medal and BBC People’s Choice Award for the Yeo Valley Organic Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2021. Tom also appeared on the BBC2 television series ‘Your Garden Made Perfect’ in 2021 and 2022.

  • In 2021, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) warned that more extreme weather is to be expected in coming years: some 87% of UK homes have a garden, making up to 433,000 hectares of land that can be used in the fight against climate change
  • Responding to climate change was a key issue at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in September 2021: the COP26 Garden demonstrated how gardens play an integral part in protecting our planet to ensure a greener, more resilient future
  • The RHS has recently launched its Sustainability Strategy, raising awareness of the effects of climate change on gardens both in the UK and worldwide

ABOUT DK

DK | For the curious

We believe in the power of discovery. That’s why we create books for everyone that explore ideas and nurture curiosity about the world we live in. From first words to the Big Bang, from the wonders of nature to city adventures, you will find expert knowledge, hours of fun and endless inspiration in the pages of our books.

Not Another Jungle by Tony Le-Britton – how to take your houseplant growing to the next level

Not Another Jungle by Tony Le-Britton – how to take your houseplant growing to the next level

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Comprehensive care for extraordinary houseplants by leading houseplant influencer Tony Le-Britton

6 April 2023 | £16.99 | Hardback | 155 pages

HOW TO TAKE YOUR HOUSEPLANT GROWING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

  • Expert advice on how to care for some of the most desirable and beautiful houseplants available so they can thrive in your home
  • Award-winning photographer Tony Le-Britton switched his career focus during lockdown and is now one of the UK’s leading indoor ‘plantfluencers’ @NotAnotherJungle with 221k followers
  • Self-taught and now a professional grower, Tony is a prolific houseplant collector of some of the world’s rarest plants
  • Includes myth-busting, tips on watering, propagating, feeding, lighting, pests and diseases, as well as sustainability, responsible growing and sourcing
  • The science of how houseplants actually grow explained
  • Inspirational step-by-step ‘how to’ photography and stunning images of the rare plant jewels in Tony’s own collection – ideal for those obsessed with houseplants and newbie owners too

One of the country’s most popular growers Tony Le-Britton, shares his infectious passion and expansive knowledge for houseplants in his debut book Not Another Jungle.

Tony’s new book is aimed at anyone who loves houseplants and wants to find out how to progress their rare plant collections, and how to help them flourish with bespoke care techniques. For houseplant novices there are his easy-to-follow tips and methods for ensuring their plants not only survive but thrive. Tony’s personal and easy-to-read text helps ensure everyone can understand how to get the best from their houseplants.

Tony, who began as an amateur enthusiast and is now a leading professional grower with his own houseplant shop, says: “I want to help readers take their houseplant growing to the next level, by sharing my knowledge and explaining how to care for and nurture your plants, but also the reasons behind why we do what we do for them and why plants behave in certain ways.”

A breakout social media star, Tony, aka @NotAnotherJungle, has established a large following with his calming plant-filled videos, helpful advice and intriguing peeks inside his stunning indoor greenhouse at home. He actively engages with his audience, and shares so much of his passion, his followers feel they are there growing the plants with him. His book cleverly covers everything houseplant lovers need, with detailed chapters on light, water, humidity, fertiliser, variegation, propagation, and pests and diseases so you can confidently care for your inside garden.

Having travelled the world to explore and learn about plants in their natural habitats, Tony empowers readers to create the optimum environment in their own home so their plants will thrive. Combining detailed information and stunning imagery, the book’s curated plants include Monstera, Anthurium, Philodendron, Rhaphidophora, Alocasia and Begonia, with a special focus on desirable and unusual varieties, including beautiful variegated plants.

Tony discusses the history of plant exploration, touching on the impact to indigenous peoples and habitats, and the blight of modern-day plant poaching. He gives practical advice on how to source and grow plants responsibly, encouraging readers to value their collections, rehome rather than throw away, and use environmentally friendly growing materials and practices.

Tony says: “I want to make sure that enthusiasts choose a plant that is right for their specific growing conditions – my aim is to enable everyone to be successful with houseplants. I also want to inspire them to explore plant growing and to cut down on unnecessary waste by keeping their plants longer and rejecting the throwaway plant culture. It’s a win-win. The feeling that comes from nurturing individual living things and seeing them grow is something that can’t be rivalled.”

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Jane Southcott jane@janesouthcottpr.co.uk 07787 527430

Notes for editors:

Tony Le-Britton is a self-taught grower and prolific houseplant collector of some of the world’s rarest plants. Taught to garden as a child by his grandparents, this book will bring together 30 years of growing experience and plant knowledge. His Instagram account @NotAnotherJungle has built up over 188k followers since he set it up in 2020 and many ask for plant care advice. Featured on BBC Gardeners’ World. He is also one of the UK’s most respected hair and beauty photographers. https://www.hji.co.uk/latest/tony-le-britton-photographer

DK | For the curious

We believe in the power of discovery. That’s why we create books for everyone that explore

ideas and nurture curiosity about the world we live in. From first words to the Big Bang, from the wonders of nature to city adventures, you will find expert knowledge, hours of fun and endless inspiration in the pages of our books.

 

 

Classic looks, hand-crafted and made in the UK – 2023 garden range from Arthur Jack & Co

Classic looks, hand-crafted and made in the UK – 2023 garden range from Arthur Jack & Co

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Arthur Jack & Co has expanded its hand-crafted garden range for 2023 with a stunning self-contained water feature and a classic window box designed to fit bay window side sills.

Like the rest of Arthur Jack’s luxury products, both are forged from galvanised steel by artisans in the UK, are made to last for years and are guaranteed to add a touch of classic style to your home or garden.

Clockwise, from top left – Water feature; small obelisk; small window box and small water butts

Water feature – Perfect for both indoor and outdoor use, Arthur Jack’s water feature contains everything needed to add a beautiful and calming focal point. It is self-contained so no water supply is needed and is ideal on a paved terrace, in a conservatory, or garden room. Size – 82cm long x 48cm deep x 97cm at the highest point.  Weight – 45kg. Price £895 + delivery £80

Small window box – Designed specially to fit the side bay window sills of traditional Edwardian, Victorian and Georgian houses, Arthur Jack’s new 15cm x 18cm x 45cm long window box will add real curb appeal.  Adjustable legs make the box level on a slanted window sill and aid drainage, and a drilled base prevents waterlogging.

This new addition to the range is a perfect companion to Arthur Jack’s longer window boxes [85cm or 110cm long] designed to fit the front sills of a traditional bay window. They can all be used as terrace or decking edging, or, with an optional U bolt, can be hung from railings. A bottom tray is also available for all window boxes to stop water discolouring the sill.  New small window box £125 + delivery £30.

Also from Arthur Jack

Obelisk range: ideal for vigorous climbing plants and a show-off feature for your garden, particularly in autumn and winter. Both obelisks feature steel lattice work so plant tendrils can grasp onto the structure, helping to avoid the need for tying in. Made of thick galvanised steel and decorated with Arthur Jack trademark coach bolts.

Small – standing 1.4m above ground, designed as a stand-alone or will fit snugly into an Arthur Jack large planter. Delivered fully assembled.

Weight 18kg, dimensions 142cm high (excluding legs of 30cm) x 45cm sq at base. Price: £545 + delivery

Large – at over 2m high, this makes a bold statement in its own right, even during winter without climbing plants. Arrives fully assembled in two sections that can be simply slotted together and tightened with a screwdriver.

Weight 25kg, dimensions 213cm high (excluding legs of 45cm) x 40cm sq at base. Price: £845 + delivery

Large round planter: perfect for topiary, roses, shrubs or small trees, this heavy-duty garden planter looks stunning next to your front door, on a terrace or in an herbaceous border. Decorated with Tudor roses and decorative balls. Made in 1.5mm galvanised steel, there are 6cm feet to keep the base clear and the bottom panel is drilled to allow free drainage. Steel top hoop with a hammered finish.

Weight 20 kg, dimensions 65cm x 50cm. Price £395 + delivery

Arthur Jack’s galvanised steel range includes hand-crafted window boxes, garden planters, trough, water butts, boot wash and scraper. More information, including full pricing and how to order, can be found at www.arthurjack.co.uk.

ENDS

For further media information please contact: Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or 07762 117433

Notes for editors: Arthur Jack’s steel planters, water butts, window boxes, obelisks, water feature and boot scrapers are the result of a great deal of research by a couple of keen gardeners, who were unable to find exactly what they wanted for their own garden.

Made of heavy gauge galvanised steel, they are decorated in a traditional Georgian style complete with Tudor roses and decorative balls. The bottom panels on the garden planters are drilled to allow free drainage and there are feet in each corner to keep the base clear.

They are made in England by artisan metal craftsmen, and then finished with a special treatment to give them an aged patina. Their many uses in the garden are as containers for topiary box ball, roses, small shrubs, trees and flowers. Because they are hot dip galvanised they will have a long life.

Rekha’s Kitchen Garden

Rekha’s Kitchen Garden

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Seasonal produce and home-grown wisdom from one gardener’s allotment year 

by Rekha Mistry

2 February 2023 | £18.99 | Hardback |  192 pages

The urban gardener who swapped a successful business for an ‘allotment career’ – Rekha spills the beans on growing delicious veg throughout the year

·         In her first book, Rekha Mistry reveals how to grow more than 40 seasonal crops with garden and kitchen tips, monthly tasks, and favourite seed varieties

·         From successful businesswoman to busy north London allotment blogger and garden writer, Rekha Mistry is now a regular presenter on BBC TV Gardeners’ World where she shares her 30+ years’ experience from a self-taught amateur to professional gardener.

·         Ideal for those who love cooking and eating seasonally, the book is organised by the time of year crops are harvested

In her debut book, Rekha’s Kitchen Garden, garden and food writer Rekha Mistry shares her veg’ growing secrets from her inspiring North London allotment that bursts with the very best seasonal produce all year round.

With easy-to-follow tips on how to grow organic vegetables, fruits and herbs, the book is packed with personality, humour, honesty and stunning photography that follows a full growing year on Rekha’s allotment. As a firm believer in cooking and eating seasonal food, the author has designed the book around when crops are harvested, to ensure you can make the most of your tasty produce.

Seasonal ‘Garden tips’ on every page offer advice and solutions that Rekha uses in her own allotment, while ‘Kitchen tips’ reveal how Rekha makes the most of her harvest. ‘Planting partners introduce readers to companion planting, while suggested varieties reveal the crops that Rekha recommends from her own growing experience.

Rekha’s Kitchen Garden also brims with advice on how to grow organically, prevent disease and pests and how to successfully try crop rotation. There is also a very handy month-by-month task list for the home, greenhouse and outdoors so you can keep your growing on track.

Rekha also shares her inspiring gardening journey from helping her mother on her childhood Zambian kitchen garden, to her current plot. She said: “I wasn’t born with a silver garden fork in my hand. In the beginning, I was self-taught, learning along the way. I asked questions. I researched how I could grow food organically and sustainably. I scoured second-hand gardening books, picking up tips from these writers and experts.

“Before long, my allotment became far more than a pastime. I said goodbye to a successful 25-year career running our family business, started my gardening blog, and discovered a love for photography. I enrolled for an RHS diploma in Horticulture, which led to work as a professional gardener in a prestigious London garden – and at the same time kick-started a career as a garden and food writer and TV presenter.

“Now, my love for fresh produce has outgrown the paradise that was my mother’s kitchen garden; it’s outgrown that tiny space that doubled as a family football pitch. It has become a way for me to share my experiences, my expertise, and – more importantly – my love for all things grow-your-own. It has led, one way or another, to this book.”

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Jane Southcott jane@janesouthcottpr.co.uk 07787 527430

Notes for editors:

Rekha Mistry is a writer and kitchen gardener, named by Country Living Magazine as one to watch in 2021. After reaching the quarter-final of the BBC’s Big Allotment Challenge in 2015 and achieving the RHS Diploma in Horticulture, she is now a regular writer for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and the RHS, and worked as a gardener at the historic Inner Temple Garden. Her North London allotment appears on Gardeners’ World (BBC), and as a gardening influencer her Instagram account @Rekha.garden.kitchen has over 100k followers.

Nature heals: Pioneering intensive care project opening at Plymouth’s Derriford Hospital

Nature heals: Pioneering intensive care project opening at Plymouth’s Derriford Hospital

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  • Bespoke outdoor/indoor treatment area fitted with specialist equipment so critical care patients can spend time in the fresh air and sunshine whilst fully ventilated 
  • Outdoor garden space designed by award-winning BBC TV gardening expert, wheelchair user and former ICU patient Mark Lane
  • Embracing the benefits of nature aims to improve rehab experience and outcomes for seriously ill patients and families 

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) is to harness the positive healing power of nature by encouraging intensive care patients to spend time outdoors, even whilst fully ventilated, thanks to a new £625k treatment area opening in December 2022. 

Patients and staff will be able to feel the breeze and sun on their faces when the bespoke critical care rehabilitation garden room, called The Secret Garden, opens at Derriford Hospital, part of University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) NHS Trust.

Innovatively, the unit’s life-saving ventilation equipment will be able to run outdoors in the courtyard garden, meaning patients can spend time outside, in a non-clinical environment – an important recovery steppingstone for many. Uniquely, it has been designed by Mark Lane, the UK’s first garden designer in a wheelchair, who himself spent months in a critical care unit after a serious car crash.

The project was inspired by a former patient, Andrew Heveran’s desire to get outside, to feel fresh air, after a life changing attack that left him paralysed. Andrew will be there to cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony.

Kate Tantam, Critical Care Specialist Rehabilitation Sister, who spearheaded the project, said: “Our patients and their loved ones tell us that being in critical care is like a bomb going off in your life, that everything is blown apart. Our job as a multi-professional team is to support them in rebuilding their lives.

“Part of supporting people with their recovery journey after critical care is getting to know them as individuals and exploring with them what they most want out of their future.  For many it is simply time with loved ones, time to restore relationships and play with children and grandchildren in non-clinical environments. It was the desire to support this that the idea for the secret garden at University Hospitals Plymouth was born.”

Getting patients who require ventilation to support their breathing outside in the fresh air takes a lot of work. “They need a team of people and it is not without risk. It is also very challenging in busy hospitals to find private spaces, where patients can relax without feeling overlooked,” said Dr Sam Waddy Critical Care Consultant at UHP.

The team decided in 2018 it needed to build a bespoke garden space where ventilated patients and the critically ill could be cared for in the fresh air with all the specialist equipment that requires. With no similar facilities in the Southwest like this at the time, the staff knew it was going to be a big challenge, made even more complex as COVID-19 hit a year into the project.

Despite this, the team raised the funds for the garden thanks to Plymouth Hospitals Charity, NHS Charities Together and the Trust’s budget.  The new-look secret garden is a bespoke critical care therapy space with floor to ceiling glass exposing a walled flower garden.  Full of nurturing botanicals it provides a space for patients, loved ones and staff to recover together.

Mark Lane has designed the garden to be fully inclusive and accessible, with space for beds and wheelchairs, walking frames and sticks, and with slip-resistant, anti-glare, self-binding gravel surfaces. There will be mixed height planting, some in-ground, others in raised beds so patients laying down or seated can see plants. He said: “Outdoor, green spaces are enjoyed by many, but when your life turns a different corner and you end up in ICU, like I did after my car accident, you become completely unaware of the changing seasons, whether it’s sunny or raining outside and, if like me, you’re fortunate to be able to go outside again the first thing that hits you is the sun on your face, the breeze and the colour green.

“So, when I was commissioned to design this garden for Derriford I felt truly honoured to be able to create a space for patients to enjoy, to improve their physical and mental wellbeing by introducing a Secret Garden. Yes, it’s an awkward space with high walls around all four sides, but this lent itself to a nurturing woodland-style of garden with pops of colour here and there. I wanted the patients to feel the plants and enjoy the textures, engage with the garden, whether that be passively or actively getting their hands dirty during rehabilitation and have a space to reflect. I know, because of the incredible staff, and their amazing fundraising activities, that this garden will flourish over the years and make a huge difference to people’s lives, patients, visitors and staff.”

The secret garden has gone from an abandoned courtyard, to a bespoke critical care garden room with specialist capacity to facilitate full care for ICU patients and their loved ones wherever they are in their recovery journey.  It also provides a welcome outside space for clinical staff to support them with the challenges of working in ICU.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

Mark Lane – Mark Lane has gained recognition as a first-class landscape designer, being the UK’s first garden designer in a wheelchair, as well as the first BBC gardening presenter in a wheelchair. As a broadcaster, he’s the gardening expert on BBC One’s Morning Live. He has also been a presenter of the award-winning Gardeners’ World on BBC Two as well as for BBC Gardeners’ World Live and the BBC’s coverage of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Flower Shows – Chelsea, Chatsworth, Hampton Court Palace and Tatton. In 2001 Mark was in a car accident and had to have operations on his spine, which were complicated by him being born with spina bifida. Following a long rehabilitation period Mark studied garden/landscape design through an Open Learning course at KLC, Hampton Court.

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust – If you would like more information on the hospital itself or want to talk to staff please contact communications.phnt@nhs.net

 

Importance of garden wildlife ponds highlighted as ‘Dragonfly Hotspot’ proves a flying success at Exbury Gardens

Importance of garden wildlife ponds highlighted as ‘Dragonfly Hotspot’ proves a flying success at Exbury Gardens

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·         Dragonfly Week (16-24 July) celebrates the importance of these wonderful creatures and the simple changes homeowners can make to attract them into their own back gardens

A five-year project to attract more dragonflies to a south coast tourist attraction has been a soaraway hit with more than double the number of species recorded at a ‘DragonflyHotspot’ pond in Exbury Gardens – and visitors are being urged to install their own wildlife ponds too.

Dragonflies are crucial bio-indicators of the health of the UK’s rivers, canals and ponds but modern-day development, drainage and pollution have threatened numbers.

Designed with the help of the UK’s leading dragonfly experts, an existing large ornamental pond at Exbury was adapted for the insects with dragonfly-friendly plants. The aim is to inspire visitors to attract dragonflies into their own gardens.

New data shows since creating this dragonfly-friendly habitat, Exbury is now attracting more than double the number of dragonfly species compared to previous years. Twenty-two types of dragonfly and damselfly have been recorded including the Emperor, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Migrant Hawker and the Downy Emerald.

 Last summer Exbury was granted Hotspot status by the British Dragonfly Society, recognising it as one of the best places in the UK to see these dazzling creatures. During Dragonfly Week (16-24 July 2022), volunteers from the charity will be on hand at Exbury to help visitors identify dragonflies and give them tips on how to attract them to their gardens.

 Tom Clarke, head gardener at Exbury Gardens, said: “Although our pond is on a large scale here at Exbury, many of the changes we’ve made to attract dragonflies can be done on a much smaller scale in your own back garden. By installing a tiny wildlife pond, adding some plants for the dragonfly larvae and adults to thrive on, and making sure the water is clear, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your pond will attract all sorts of wildlife, including dragonflies. You really don’t need lots of space or a big budget.”

 Experts and dragonfly ambassadors Ruary Mackenzie Dodds and Kari de Koenigswarter have helped Exbury with the project. Ruary said: “We began work on creating an ideal habitat for dragonflies in 2017. Before that, just ten types had been recorded at the pond. Now we have recorded 22! It just shows what putting in three sorts of aquatic plants – oxygenators, surface-coverers and tall-stemmed plants – can do. Plenty of sunshine and very few fish helps too! And these insects are not only stunningly beautiful, they also tell us a great deal about water quality.”

 Exbury’s Dragonfly Pond includes floating pontoons so visitors can get close to the wildlife action, identification boards and an outdoor shelter for local groups and school children. Its popular Rhododendron Line steam railway even has a Dragonfly Halt platform to make it easy for more people to explore the area.

Exbury Gardens is one of seven Dragonfly Hotspots in England, and the first in Hampshire. DragonflyHotspots are special places, carefully chosen by the British Dragonfly Society because they support a good variety of dragonfly and damselfly species, are easy to access, and can provide opportunities for local communities to get involved with dragonfly conservation and events.

ENDS

For further information or images, contact PR Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or  Veronica Chrisp on 023 8024 5754 veronica.chrisp@exbury.co.uk

Notes for editors:

Exbury Gardens, located in the New Forest near Southampton, is open daily from 10am – 5.30pm. Arrival time slots must be booked online in advance at www.exbury.co.uk  Thanks to its unrivalled collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, Exbury Gardens is famed for its riot of spring colour, as well as a vast array of beautiful, mature rare trees. Over recent years the Hampshire garden has been expanded for all-season interest with areas designed to show off summer and autumn ‘flower power’, as well as an extension of its 1 ½-mile Rhododendron Line steam railway.

 British Dragonfly Society – Over the last 60 years we have witnessed the extinction of two species of dragonfly in the British Isles (Norfolk Damselfly Coenagrion armatum and Orange-spotted Emeral Oxygastra curtisii ). At least a third of the remainder are considered to be rare, localised and have specialised habitat requirements. The British Dragonfly Society (BDS), set up in 1983, is the world’s largest organisation dedicated to the study and conservation of dragonflies, damselflies and their wetland habitats.

It is a volunteer-led membership organisation, carrying out and supporting research on dragonflies, and leading practical conservation, education and public engagement activities to teach people about the importance of dragonflies and their wetland habitats.

 The greatest threats to dragonfly populations come from habitat destruction and fragmentation, pollution, inappropriate habitat management, alteration of site hydrology and the impacts of climate change. It works hard to research and identify changes in populations, as well as to advise on creating and managing suitable habitats, and to educate and engage the wider public to engender greater care for these charismatic insects.

Dragonfly facts:

  • They have been around for over 300 million years, way before the dinosaurs existed.
  • They can indicate the quality of both aquatic and terrestrial habitats thanks to their fascinating life cycle.
  • They are climate change indicators, as they will respond to air and water temperature changes by expanding or contracting their range.
  • They have a 95% success rate when hunting, making them one of the most efficient hunters on the planet.
  • Some larger dragonflies have been recorded flying up to 30mph
The bog wins GOLD! Top award at RHS Chelsea for peatland display showing gardeners how to protect landscapes by switching to peat-free composts

The bog wins GOLD! Top award at RHS Chelsea for peatland display showing gardeners how to protect landscapes by switching to peat-free composts

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An immersive display boasting a real piece of ‘borrowed’ Cumbrian peatbog to highlight the critical importance of UK peatlands to our climate, and urging gardeners to ditch using peat, has won a gold medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The unique exhibit is designed by the Eden Project and presented in partnership with peat-free compost maker Dalefoot Composts and uses a little piece of Cumbrian peatland on loan under special license from Natural England.

In the Discovery Zone display at the show, gardeners are invited ‘to step into’  Bolton Fell Moss National Nature Reserve (NNR), a restored Cumbrian bog previously used to harvest peat for horticulture, to experience the secrets, sounds and beauty of these enormous bog gardens.

They can hear sounds from a peatland – curlews, lapwing, the hum of billions of insects and the occasional squelch – whilst getting up close to the fascinating bog plants – sphagnum mosses, cotton grass, cranberries, and heathers. The peatland display is being given expert care whilst at the show to make sure it remains hydrated and will be returned to its natural home once Chelsea has finished.

The aim of the exhibit is to demonstrate the importance of peat bogs and the environmental damage gardeners are causing to our planet by using peat compost in their outdoor spaces.

Alongside the peatland, a bountiful potager of vegetables and companion planting grown by gold-medal-winning Pennard Plants, illustrates what gardeners can achieve in their own plot by switching to peat-free gardening. All of these plants have been grown in Dalefoot Compost’s peat-free products which are Soil Association-approved for organic growing.

Professor Jane Barker is the co-founder of Dalefoot Composts which is a major manufacturer of peat-free compost and a leading restorer of damaged peatlands, including the Bolton Fell Moss NNR site in Cumbria. She said: “We’re absolutely thrilled by this award and so pleased that peat-free gardening is being recognised in this way. I hope people visiting our special piece of Cumbrian peatland will come away understanding why using peat is no longer acceptable, and how easy it is to make simple climate friendly switches in your garden.”

Tracey Smith, Eden’s Commercial Manager, said: “We’re delighted to have received this gold medal – thank you to the judges and everyone who has visited the stand for their enthusiasm and kind comments!

“It’s really exciting for Eden to be back at the Chelsea Flower Show with a stand that highlights the huge importance of peat bogs and we hope that visitors will come away with a greater understanding and appreciation for these vital habitats. Working alongside our friends at Dalefoot, our aim with this stand was to change people’s perceptions of peat bogs, showing that they are thriving environments, rich with biodiversity as well as being crucial for carbon sequestration. We’d urge all gardeners to make the switch to peat-free products – it’s the best decision for your garden and for the environment.”

The timeline of a bog is illustrated in the RHS Chelsea exhibit to show the thousands of years peat represents. Peat grows at only 1mm per year and this is contrasted to the bags of peat compost it yields and the short season of growth that peat gives gardeners.

Peatlands only occupy about 3% of the Earth’s land surface but are the largest terrestrial carbon store on the planet. UK peatlands cover around 12% of its land area and store 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon, more than twice that of the UK’s forests*, as well as being very important habitats for biodiversity.

Whilst the Government has set targets for peatland restoration and is currently consulting on a peat ‘ban’, in amateur gardening there remains a significant resistance to switching to peat-free and it is predicted even more peat could be used in the future. Of the 5.44 million cubic metres of growing media used in 2020, 79% was used by amateur gardeners. Two-thirds of peat sold in the UK is from Europe, meaning we are effectively exporting our carbon footprint. Voluntary targets set for peat sellers have had little impact and the new target of ending peat sales by 2024 is being questioned for being too slow and not enough.

This is the latest initiative by Dalefoot Composts and the Eden Project to promote the sustainability benefits of peat-free gardening. Dalefoot’s Wool Compost for Potting is endorsed by the world-renowned environmental charity and social enterprise, and the two organisations have plans to work together on other future initiatives.

Dalefoot is supporting six show gardens and exhibits at RHS Chelsea with its peat-free compost – The New Blue Peter Garden: Discover Soil by Juliet Sargeant; Brewin Dolphin Garden by Paul Hervey-Brookes; The Mothers for Mothers – This Too Shall Pass Garden by Pollyanna Wilkinson; The Wild Kitchen Garden by Ann Treneman; RHS Queen’s Jubilee Photographic Exhibit by Dave Green, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency – Don’t Risk It! exhibit.

Two of the company’s peat-free composts were also finalists in the RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year 2022 – Wool Compost for Potting and Wool Compost Double Strength.

ENDS

Stand GPA 105 in the Discovery Zone of the Great Pavilion – Stand AR 545 for Dalefoot Compost

Picture caption – Bevis Hughes (Eden Project), Simon Bland (co-founder Dalefoot Composts) and Tracey Smith (Eden Project) with the gold award

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Ben Foster, Media and Engagement Manager, bfoster@EdenProject.com  For more info, go to www.edenproject.com

Bolton Fell Moss is a lowland raised bog damaged through commercial extraction of peat but has since begun a journey of restoration thanks to an ongoing project by Natural England. Extraction ended in 2013 but left a vast expanse of dry, bare peat where limited wildlife could survive. Restoration work has raised the water levels; bog vegetation was then introduced but it will take time for the sphagnum mosses to cover the bare peat and for other bog plants to return. It could take up to 30 years for the bog to fully recover.

Dalefoot’s story – The entrepreneurial couple behind Dalefoot, environmental scientist Jane Barker and farmer Simon Bland, started making compost from the natural ingredients around their Cumbrian farm in 1997. Inspired by early 20th century gardening books that mentioned wool as a garden mulch, and a desire to make good use of the invasive bracken growing on the fells, the couple invented their secret compost recipe, bagged the product up themselves and started selling at local farmers’ markets. Twenty years later the compost is sold across the UK and the business employs 25 local people, and sources bracken and wool from farmers.

The Dalefoot team also restores peat bogs, some of which were once owned by peat compost companies, across the country for the likes of Natural England, NatureScot, South West Water and Wildlife Trusts. Peat bogs store more carbon than forests and many in the UK are now in poor condition, releasing carbon rather than storing it. Dalefoot works with these agencies to help reduce carbon release and return the bogs to functioning, healthy eco-systems. In 2022 Dalefoot announced a total of 3.8 million tonnes of carbon saved through their restoration projects.

The range is available online at www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk from £12.75 per bag down to £8.50 each for orders of 50 bags plus delivery, and also from a growing list of stockists.

Tel: 01931 713281   Email: sales@dalefootcomposts.co.uk

* IUCN

The bog has landed! Peatland on display at RHS Chelsea to highlight how gardeners can protect landscapes by switching to peat-free composts

The bog has landed! Peatland on display at RHS Chelsea to highlight how gardeners can protect landscapes by switching to peat-free composts

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Curlews, lapwing, the hum of billions of insects…. and the occasional squelch – the sounds of a peatland captured and to be heard over a little piece of Cumbrian peatland, on loan from Natural England, and installed in the Discovery Zone at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The critical importance of UK peatlands to our climate will be brought home to gardeners at the show in this unique exhibit by peat-free compost maker Dalefoot Composts and the Eden Project.

Under special license from Natural England, a slice of bog ‘borrowed’ from peatland previously harvested for horticulture will go on show to demonstrate the environmental damage gardeners are causing to our planet by using peat compost in their outdoor spaces.

In the immersive Discovery Zone display, gardeners will be invited ‘to step into’ the borrowed slice of National Nature Reserve (NNR) peatland from a restored Cumbrian bog to experience the secrets, sounds and beauty of these enormous bog gardens. The peatland display will be given expert care whilst at the show to make sure it remains hydrated and will be returned to its natural home once Chelsea has finished.

Alongside, a bountiful potager of vegetables and companion planting grown by gold-medal-winning Pennard Plants, will illustrate what gardeners can achieve in their own plot by switching to peat-free gardening. All of these plants have been grown in Dalefoot Compost’s peat-free products which are Soil Association-approved for organic growing.

Peatlands only occupy about 3% of the Earth’s land surface but are the largest terrestrial carbon store on the planet. UK peatlands cover around 12% of its land area and store 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon, more than twice that of the UK’s forests*, as well as being very important habitats for biodiversity.

Professor Jane Barker is the co-founder of Dalefoot Composts which is a major manufacturer of peat-free compost and a leading restorer of damaged peatlands, including the NNR site in Cumbria.

She said: “Up until now, the scientific understanding underpinning individual gardeners’ responsibility to climate change gardening has not been well communicated. We want to demonstrate how you can easily make a difference in your own garden by ditching the use of peat and switching to peat-free compost.

“The importance of peat and peatlands to our climate and the planet have also not been made clear or accessible for our gardeners, whilst trees have taken centre stage and are much easier to relate to. However, peat is hugely significant to our climate’s future.”

The timeline of a bog will be illustrated in the RHS Chelsea exhibit to show the thousands of years peat represents. Peat grows at only 1mm per year and this will be contrasted to the bags of peat compost it would yield and the short season of growth that peat might give gardeners.

Whilst the Government has set targets for peatland restoration and is currently consulting on a peat ‘ban’, in amateur gardening there remains a significant resistance to switching to peat-free and it is predicted even more peat could be used in the future. Of the 5.44 million cubic metres of growing media used in 2020, 79% was used by amateur gardeners. Two-thirds of peat sold in the UK is from Europe, meaning we are effectively exporting our carbon footprint. Voluntary targets set for peat sellers have had little impact and the new target of ending peat sales by 2024 is being questioned for being too slow and not enough.

This is the latest initiative by Dalefoot Composts and the Eden Project to promote the sustainability benefits of peat-free gardening. Dalefoot’s Wool Compost for Potting is endorsed by the world-renowned environmental charity and social enterprise, and the two organisations have plans to work together on other future initiatives.

Dalefoot will be supporting six show gardens and exhibits at RHS Chelsea with its peat-free compost

– The New Blue Peter Garden: Discover Soil by Juliet Sargeant; Brewin Dolphin Garden by Paul Hervey-Brookes; The Mothers for Mothers – This Too Shall Pass Garden by Pollyanna Wilkinson; The Wild Kitchen Garden by Ann Treneman; RHS Queen’s Jubilee Photographic Exhibit by Dave Green, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency – Don’t Risk It! exhibit.

Two of the company’s peat-free composts have also been shortlisted in the RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year 2022 – Wool Compost for Potting and Wool Compost Double Strength.

ENDS

Stand GPA 105 in the Discovery Zone of the Great Pavilion – Stand AR 545 for Dalefoot Compost

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Ben Foster, Media and Engagement Manager, bfoster@EdenProject.com  For more info, go to www.edenproject.com

Bolton Fell Moss is a lowland raised bog damaged through commercial extraction of peat but has since begun a journey of restoration thanks to an ongoing project by Natural England. Extraction ended in 2013 but left a vast expanse of dry, bare peat where limited wildlife could survive. Restoration work has raised the water levels; bog vegetation was then introduced but it will take time for the sphagnum mosses to cover the bare peat and for other bog plants to return. It could take up to 30 years for the bog to fully recover.

Dalefoot’s story – The entrepreneurial couple behind Dalefoot, environmental scientist Jane Barker and farmer Simon Bland, started making compost from the natural ingredients around their Cumbrian farm in 1997. Inspired by early 20th century gardening books that mentioned wool as a garden mulch, and a desire to make good use of the invasive bracken growing on the fells, the couple invented their secret compost recipe, bagged the product up themselves and started selling at local farmers’ markets. Twenty years later the compost is sold across the UK and the business employs 25 local people, and sources bracken and wool from farmers.

The Dalefoot team also restores peat bogs, some of which were once owned by peat compost companies, across the country for the likes of Natural England, NatureScot, South West Water and Wildlife Trusts. Peat bogs store more carbon than forests and many in the UK are now in poor condition, releasing carbon rather than storing it. Dalefoot works with these agencies to help reduce carbon release and return the bogs to functioning, healthy eco-systems. In 2022 Dalefoot announced a total of 3.8 million tonnes of carbon saved through their restoration projects.

The range is available online at www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk from £12.75 per bag down to £8.50 each for orders of 50 bags plus delivery, and also from a growing list of stockists. Tel: 01931 713281   Email: sales@dalefootcomposts.co.uk

* IUCN

A soil-themed garden in partnership with Blue Peter

Juliet Sargeant designs new RHS garden in partnership with Blue Peter

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  • The New Blue Peter Garden: Discover Soil to have a permanent home at RHS Garden Bridgewater from the autumn with a preview showing at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 
  • 2022 new Blue Peter garden designed by Juliet Sargeant – fun and interactive soil science, journey through soil in a subterranean rhizotron, dodge ‘rain’ showers, listen to a compost heap, and explore a spring barley field, wildflower meadow with orchids, native woodland or veg patc

A new soil-themed garden, in partnership with CBBC’s Blue Peter, is to open to visitors at RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford in the autumn – with a guest appearance first at this month’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Designed by award-winning designer Juliet Sargeant, it will champion the very modern-day topic of soil’s central role in supporting life and its potential to lock-in carbon. Aimed at engaging children and adults to discover the importance of soil in their own back gardens, balconies, or communities, it will explain why we need to protect it and how. The new garden will first preview as a Main Avenue show garden at RHS Chelsea later this month, before being relocated to its permanent home at RHS Garden Bridgewater for public access.

A beautiful mini wildflower meadow featuring British orchids; tiny ‘field’ planted with spring barley, a RHS Chelsea first; veg patch and native woodland, will demonstrate how soil supports our natural landscape, food crops and gardens.  To access the immersive garden, visitors at RHS Garden Bridgewater will be able to hop over stepping stones and then crawl into dank fern-planted cavities to dig the earth, listen to the sounds of a compost heap, and even dodge a playful rain shower, a reminder of how water forms and also degrades soil.

The brightly planted garden will take you down into the ground and bring the soil up from beneath your feet, to see, touch and hear, and to draw you into the amazing underground world of mini-beasts and microbes. The earthy adventure continues with a semi-subterranean, theatrical rhizotron chamber where a soil animation by Polish artist Zuzanna Kolodziej will play, with tree roots growing above.

Juliet Sargeant said: “Soil supports most of the life on our planet, without soil there is nothing. Down-trodden and neglected, it is the ‘forgotten climate solution’ beneath our feet. Healthy soils not only feed most of life on earth, but also act as an essential carbon sink for damaging greenhouse gases. My aim with this garden is to invite people to look more closely at soil and the subtleties of its complex ecosystem. We raise it up to eye level and say, ‘Look at this!”

Citizen art on the garden includes ‘creepy crawlies’ painted by Year 5 children from Salford and soil de-crustation artworks by German artist Anneli Ketterer in collaboration with Salford residents. Sculptor Teresa Wells has cast a bespoke bronze of 4-year-old, Arthur, discovering a worm for the garden. In Compost Corner you can listen to the sounds of a healthy soil, recorded by the Zurich University Sounding Soil project. Tiles of Stow have created bespoke cracked clay paving tiles, to remind us of the devastation of drought, but the brightly coloured planting and field of barley illustrate the abundance that a healthy soil sustains.

There will be blue and orange-hued plants nurtured by Roger Platts Garden Design and Nurseries of Edenbridge.

Blue Peter has a proud history of garden design with the show’s original Blue Peter garden being designed by Percy Thrower in 1974. It was relocated from Television Centre to Media City in 2012, with the Italian-style sunken ornamental pond and statue of the first ever Blue Peter dog, Petra. The garden features regularly on the show and is open for the public to visit at Media City UK in Salford Quays.

The New Blue Peter Garden: Discover Soil is one of 12 gardens at RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year being funded by Project Giving Back (PGB). PGB is a new charity, established in response to the pandemic, that offers good causes in the UK the opportunity to exhibit a show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, to promote their work for people, plants and the planet. All gardens supported by PGB will be relocated to permanent homes after the show so their legacy will live on for generations to come.

Five easy tips for helping your soil by Juliet Sargeant

  • Know your soil – The soil in your garden is an amazing micro-environment, teaming with life and the potential to grow. The character of the soil, its texture and chemical make-up is unique to your site. This is what gives your garden its individuality and what will affect the plants you can grow. Get to know your soil by observing its colour and texture and also by testing its acidity with a kit from the garden centre.
  • Feed your soil – The mini-beasts and micro-organisms that inhabit your soil need feeding. Their complex life cycles are what sustains the health of the soil. Starting a compost heap to recycle your food scraps and garden waste is the best thing you can do to feed your soil. Turn your waste into compost and use it to feed your soil.
  • Protect your soil – Soil is always there, beneath our feet; so, it is easy to overlook how fragile it is. Your soil needs protection from wind, rain and also compaction. The best way to protect soil is to plant it – leaves form a natural, protective blanket over the soil surface. However, digging the soil can damage its delicate structure, so why not try the ‘No-Dig Method’ of mulching your soil with peat-free compost to suppress the weeds. When you are watering, try to avoid flooding the soil and compacting it.
  • Plant your soil – The best way to support the natural life cycle of your soil is to grow plants. Trees in particular are invaluable to a garden’s ecosystem and to the protection and stabilisation of soil. Planting trees is great. However, given the many years it takes for a tree to grow, it is also important to protect established trees and only fell them when absolutely necessary.
  • Let your soil breathe….it’s alive – In this age of the car many of us need extra parking space. As more and more of us pave over our gardens, the soil beneath is dying; it is suffocating. This sealing of the soil, also prevents rainwater draining away and exacerbates local flooding. Fortunately, there are permeable paving solutions which you can choose for your driveway or patio.

 ENDS

For further press information contact: Emma Mason emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

or

Designer: Juliet Sargeant – Office: 01273 834 083

www.julietsargeant.com www.sussexgardenschool.com

Twitter: @julietsargeant Instagram: julietsargeant Facebook: @sussexgardenschool

Juliet Sargeant – is a Sussex-based garden designer who loves to use gardens to tell stories and get us thinking. In 2016, she was awarded a CFS Gold Medal and The People’s Choice Award for her ‘Modern Slavery Garden’.

Having trained initially as a medical doctor, in this garden, she explores the interface between art and science. Juliet has long advocated the importance of gardens for health and in her private practice, she uses gardens to help connect people to landscape and nature. At her ‘Sussex Garden School’ she runs courses to de-mystify gardening and help people to get to know their gardens better.

Previously, Chair of The Society of Garden Designers, Juliet is now on the RHS (Royal Horticultural Soc) selection panel for show gardens and acts as a judge. She has won awards from the SGD in 2012 and 2015, for sustainability and hard landscaping design. In 2017 Juliet was made a Fellow of the SGD for her contribution to garden design & horticulture and in 2019 she was made Fellow of The Landscape Institute. In 2016 Juliet was celebrated for her role as a change-maker and role model in the BAME community at the GG2 Leadership Awards. She was also one of the Evening Standard’s Progress 100 influential people. In 2018 she was named as one of the BBC 100 Women.

Blue Peter – is the longest running kids TV show in the world featuring Adam, Mwaksy, Richie and Henry the dog. Blue Peter is packed full of challenges, celebrities, and things to do. Every week on CBBC and BBC iPlayer, Blue Peter encourages kids to join in, earn their badge, enter a competition, be creative and adventurous. bbc.co.uk/bluepeter

Project Giving Back (PGB) – is a unique grant-making charity that provides funding for gardens for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. PGB was launched in May 2021, with funding from two private individuals who wish to remain anonymous, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on UK charitable fundraising. It will fund gardens inspired by a range of good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Applications for gardens in 2023 are now closed. Find out more at www.givingback.org.uk

 

 

Mothers for Mothers RHS Chelsea garden

RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden of hope for mothers to raise awareness of Covid’s devastating impact on perinatal mental health

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  • The Mothers for Mothers Garden: “This too shall pass” designed by Pollyanna Wilkinson for Mothers for Mothers charity in the new show garden category ‘All About Plants’ at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022.
  • Design and planting to echo the road to recovery for mothers experiencingmental health  
  • Covid restrictions have had a drastic impact on pregnant women, birthing people and new parents with partners barred from appointments, anxiety in the workplace, isolation due to a lack of family/peer contact, changes in antenatal care and fewer face-to-face appointments.
  • Planting from the garden will be relocated to Hartcliffe City Farm in Bristol after the show, close to Mothers for Mothers’ base

The Mothers for Mothers Garden, for the namesake Bristol-based charity, is a symbolic plant-filled garden showing the mental health journey mothers take in pregnancy and early parenthood. It will raise awareness of perinatalmental illness, and the added pressures of Covid, at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2022.

 The garden will feature a cloister of bronze-toned walls and archways to represent how long days at home with a baby can feel either like a sanctuary or a cage.

A fractured pathway through the garden surrounded first by muted, restrained planting will gradually transition to a joyful, feminine palette depicting the road to recovery, supported along the way by other mothers with a similar lived experience. True to this new show garden category, 78% of the garden will be plants – showing the impact a small space can have (6x8m).

Designer Pollyanna Wilkinson, a former mental health counsellor and mother of two young children, said: “The expression ‘this too shall pass’ is a mantra passed between women navigating motherhood and the mental healthchallenges that often come with it. The garden is based on the idea of transition – from despair to hope.”

The global pandemic and associated restrictions have had a devasting impact on pregnant women, those giving birth and new mums. Seven in every ten women1 who were pregnant or who had given birth during COVID said they had increased stress and struggled with the ability to cope with pregnancy or baby. 70% of new parents said the lockdown was negatively affecting their baby, and only a third said they were confident in being able to access mental healthsupport.

The garden is funded by the Project Giving Back scheme and supports the vital work of the Bristol charity Mothers for Mothers set up 40 years ago to help mums survive perinatal illness by offering peer support, therapies and counselling, as well as providing assistance for dads and partners.

Maria Viner, the charity’s CEO, said: “The theme of our garden is hope and reassurance. We would like visitors to walk away seeing that it’s possible to find your way back to yourself. For women who are struggling with their mental healthand emotional wellbeing during pregnancy or after the birth of their baby there is support and understanding available. There are people who have lived through this experience and recovered who have been trained to support you and will walk alongside you on your journey to recovery. With the right help and support you will get better.

“For others we hope that the message of hope will translate across whatever their own personal circumstances may be – that if you can find the courage to reach out there are often others who understand and who have walked the same path who can offer companionship, support and compassion without judgment, until you too feel more hopeful about your future.”

During the show, Mothers for Mothers plans to host campaign and fundraising events supported by CBRE and after the RHS Chelsea Flower Show plants from the garden will be relocated to Hartcliffe City Farm close to the charity’s Bristol base.

In terms of planting, the exuberant pink and apricot ruffled Iris ‘Wondrous’ will denote the colour returning to life; apricot Rosa ‘The Lark Ascending’ will provide a feminine and informal feel; tangerine tones of Verbascum‘Clementine’ will denote joy, and the pure blue hues of Anchusa azurea ‘Loddon Royalist’ will conversely symbolise low mood.

ENDS

For further information on the garden contact Pollyanna Wilkinson on polly@pollyannawilkinson.com 07534 506604 or Emma Mason emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433. For further information on Mothers for Mothers contact Maria.viner@mothersformothers.co.uk  07796 402667

1 The Fawcett Society

Pollyanna Wilkinson Garden Design: After a decade working in London in legal marketing, Polly retrained as a garden designer at the English Gardening School at the Chelsea Physic Garden before setting up her namesake studio, based in Surrey.   She later studied Horticulture at Merrist Wood.  Prior to her career in Garden Design, Polly volunteered as a counsellor for several years, working in a variety of settings from schools, to bereavement charities and maternal mentalhealth clinics.  As both a mother and qualified counsellor, the Mothers for Mothers garden holds very significant meaning to her. Polly has previously created two other show gardens, both at Hampton Court Flower Show. In 2018 she earned a Silver Gilt for her garden focusing on the mental health impacts of social media (A very modern problem) and in 2019 she created a garden focusing on nature crafts, earning a Silver medal and People’s choice award. Polly’s design style is a mix of elegance and practicality. She works on all manner of gardens – from country estates to roof terraces across London and the South West.

Mothers for Mothers: Since 1981 Mothers for Mothers has supported families affected by maternal mental illness and emotional wellbeing needs across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset and received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in their 40th year. They offer support to women and their families during pregnancy and until their youngest child attends school, from illness to wellness, through support services which include: Reach helpline/support calls, Home Visiting, Counselling, Antenatal wellbeing in pregnancy group and Peer Support Groups with a play support worker. The services are designed and delivered by women with lived experience of maternal mental illness.  Mothers for Mothers aim to achieve the following outcomes for the women and families they work with:

  • Improved confidence, resilience and relationships with children and family, leading to faster recovery.
  • Improving children’s emotional development by supporting mothers to be sensitive and responsive in their relationships with their children.
  • Reduced social isolation and improved social and support networks.
  • More awareness of maternalmental Health and the support available.
  • Improved care and services for maternalmental illness.

 

RHS The Creative Gardener by Adam Frost

RHS The Creative Gardener by Adam Frost

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RHS The Creative Gardener by Adam Frost

Inspirational projects and ideas to create the space you want

 31 March 2022 | £20 | Hardback | 256 pages

Be inspired to get practical and creative in the garden with Adam Frost and you could boost your mental well-being too

  • Adam Frost shares more than 25 design-led projects to make for the garden, with clear instructions and step-by-step photography
  • How to create furniture, wildlife habitats, planters, water features, plant supports and hard landscaping for your outdoor space, as well as clever design flourishes
  • Written by Adam during lockdown, the book encourages readers to enjoy the well-being benefits of the creative process as well as the finished project.
  • Google searches for ‘garden inspiration’ reached an all-time high in April 2021 as people are spending more time in their garden (Google Trends)

BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost shows you how to get hands-on in the garden to transform your outdoor space with heaps of practical tips and down-to-earth expert advice in his new book RHS The Creative Gardener.

Well known for his straightforward presenting style, and his award-winning design ideas, Adam combines these skills to offer realistic, achievable, impactful suggestions for creating great garden spaces.

In this ‘recipe book’ of ideas for your garden, published in March, Adam walks the reader through how to create dozens of design features with clear step-by-step photography and easy-to-follow instructions.  RHS The Creative Gardener shows you how to personalise your ideas; recycle and upcycle what you already have; gain inspiration from different materials, textures, places and the nature around you, plus demonstrates there is something to suit everyone’s taste, space and budget.

“Through the process of writing this book, I’ve come to realise something important: whatever you’re making, be it big or small, complicated or easy, there’s as much pleasure to be had from the process as from the end result,” Adam says. “I also realised I get a deep sense of calm and satisfaction when I use my hands to make something.

“These days, it seems that we live in a world where it’s all about the end goal, the destination. I want this book to celebrate the benefits of taking your time to enjoy the journey and making the connection to the simple pleasures of learning new skills, using your hands, and spending time productively. It doesn’t matter if it takes you a weekend or three years to finish it, when you make something, you also create memories, and this is what gives your garden personality and soul.”

There are project ideas for everyone, ranging from the relatively simple such as seasonal planting suggestions for containers, a hazel ladder, coffee table planter, sparrow terrace nest box and a log seat, through to the more the complex including creating a cosy fire pit, green roof log store, carved bird bath, sleeper steps and a formal pond.

Easy to use guides on choosing the best tools to use for hard landscaping and in the workshop; where to find design inspiration, and even how to calculate materials and mark out your site are all included.

Inspired by his dad, uncle and grandfather, and reflecting back on his childhood when he ‘knocked bits of timber together’, Adam wrote the book during lockdown. “I’ve always loved using my hands, but it’s only recently dawned on me that when I make things today, it gives me a connection with my past. I’ve realised just how important making things is to my sense of self – it’s how I fit into the world,” he explains.

“None of the projects is very difficult, and I’d feel comfortable teaching my 14-year-old to do everything in this book. It’s true that you might need to invest in a few tools or other pieces of kit but, more than anything, you need to invest in setting some time aside,” Adam adds.

Taking an artisan’s approach and carrying out projects yourself, RHS The Creative Gardener helps you to not only create the garden you have always wanted but also gives you an added satisfaction of creating and making it yourself.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Jane Southcott jane@janesouthcottpr.co.uk 07787 527430

Notes for editors: THE AUTHOR – Adam Frost

Adam Frost is an award-winning garden designer, with seven Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medals to his name. He is a presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World and BBC coverage of the RHS Flower Shows.

He started his gardening career as a 16-year-old gardening apprentice with the North Devon Parks Department. He then moved back to London to train as a landscape gardener, before getting a job with the late, great gardener Geoff Hamilton. During his time with Geoff, he trained as a landscape designer and then established his own garden landscape business in 1996, which has taken him around the world designing gardens.

Adam is also an RHS Ambassador, carrying out a mission close to his heart: to encourage our next generation of gardeners and to raise the profile of careers in horticulture.

ABOUT DK

DK | For the curious

We believe in the power of discovery. That’s why we create books for everyone that explore ideas and nurture curiosity about the world we live in.

From first words to the Big Bang, from the wonders of nature to city adventures, you will find expert knowledge, hours of fun and endless inspiration in the pages of our books.

 

Plant lovers can explore The Connoisseur’s Garden – with treats at Exbury Gardens for steam train buffs and young nature fans too

Plant lovers can explore The Connoisseur’s Garden – with treats at Exbury Gardens for steam train buffs and young nature fans too

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  • Redeveloped area The Connoisseur’s Garden open to visitors, and the Hydrangea Walk replanted for maximum flower power
  • New attractions include a children’s log trail and new-look visitor entrance/gift shop and plant centre
  • 21st anniversary of Exbury Gardens Steam Railway

A horticultural treasure trove of rare plants and shrubs will be on show at Exbury Gardens in 2022 in the newly-named, The Connoisseur’s Garden.

A less-visited part of the famous 200-acre woodland garden in the New Forest has been revamped with unusual plants and shrubs to delight throughout the season.

Visitors can wander amongst a collection of stunning camellias, donated by one of the world’s most famous growers, into an expertly planted woodland glade filled with curious garden gems that boast blossom and vibrant colours. Exbury’s team has taken five years to hone and redevelop the area and in 2022 it will bear the new name, The Connoisseur’s Garden.

Kids can enjoy an exciting new log trail situated near the entrance of The Connoisseur’s Garden made from old oak, beech and Scots pine trees. Youngsters will be encouraged to walk from one end of the trail to the other without touching the ground, whilst learning about the different bark textures. And they can have their photo taken when they have reached the end sitting on the oak ‘Throne’.

The gardeners at Exbury have also been hard at work in the Hydrangea Walk which now boasts 12 new varieties, with 150 new plants in total, promising late summer flower power with a host of pastel shades.

Exbury’s renowned steam railway will be celebrating its 21st anniversary during the year, visitors will receive a discount on gardens admission when they bring their canine best friends along to Devoted to Dogs days* and new Nature Tours will be helping everyone connect with Exbury’s varied wildlife. A new-look visitor entrance with revamped gift shop and enlarged plant centre will also be open.

Thomas Clarke, head gardener of Exbury Gardens, said: “The Connoisseur’s Garden is a beautiful spot for visitors to take in the peace and tranquillity of Exbury. It’s a self-contained area full of rare and unusual trees and shrubs, predominantly summer flowering but of interest all year round. They are planted in large beds, underplanted with woodland ground cover and connected by grass paths with seating to soak up the atmosphere in the secluded glade.”

The Connoisseur’s Garden

Exbury Gardens is renowned for its collection of rhododendrons and azaleas but on the edge of Gilbury Lane the emphasis is on a different range of trees and shrubs designed to appeal to the connoisseur.

It contains a number of rare plants chosen to delight visitors throughout the season. As you enter the garden you will find a selection of camellias donated by the famous grower Jennifer Trehane, which flower in a range of beautiful colours in the early months of the year.

Another early performer is Edgeworthia chrysantha – the paperbush – whose pale-yellow flowers stand out proudly from the bare stalks of the parent plant. You should also look for Magnolia ‘Ann’ whose reddish-purple flowers light up the spring.

Elsewhere there is blossom which appears later, in mid-summer, and is to be found on plants such as Rhododendron hemsleyanum, named after a former keeper of Kew’s famous herbarium. There is also a fine specimen of Maackia amurensis which, while celebrated for its spikey panicles of white flowers in late June or early July, is also distinguished by the ghostly silver-blue colours of its new leaves. Later in the summer, the dark evergreen leaves of the magnificent Eucryphia × intermedia are covered by a mass of large white flowers in late summer.

And as the autumn arrives, two crab apple trees stand out. Malus ‘Laura’ bears clusters of fruit the size of golf balls coloured such a deep red as almost to be purple. This is a relatively young tree. In contrast, there is the venerableMalus mandshurica which is a magnificent sight when covered in a profusion of pale red apples. Finally, see if you can spot the bright red berries of the Chinese wonder tree – Idesia polycarpa – which hang in bunches like small grapes and which persist after the tree’s heart-shaped leaves have all dropped.

ENDS

For further information or images, contact PR Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or Veronica Chrisp on 023 8024 5754 veronica.chrisp@exbury.co.uk

Notes for editors

Exbury Gardens, located in the New Forest near Southampton, is open daily from 19 March 2022 10am – 5.30pm. Arrival time slots must be booked online in advance at www.exbury.co.uk

Thanks to its unrivalled collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, Exbury Gardens is famed for its riot of spring colour, as well as a vast array of beautiful, mature rare trees. Over recent years the Hampshire garden has been expanded for all-season interest with areas designed to show off summer and autumn ‘flower power’, as well as an extension of its 1 ½-mile Rhododendron Line steam railway.

To learn more about Exbury’s COVID-19 safety measures, please visit Safety Measures FAQs page on its website by clicking this link

* Devoted to Dogs days – visitors bringing their dogs to Exbury Gardens for these events receive a 20% discount on gardens admission. Discount applicable to one person per dog. Check the Exbury website for dates.

 

 

Gardening broadcaster and designer Mark Lane shortlisted in National Diversity Awards

Gardening broadcaster and designer Mark Lane shortlisted in National Diversity Awards

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Gardening broadcaster Mark Lane has been shortlisted in the Celebrity of the Year category at this week’s National Diversity Awards 2021, alongside Sir Lewis Hamilton and Marcus Rashford.

Mark, the gardening expert on BBC One Morning Live and a presenter on QVC and BBC Gardeners’ World, became the UK’s first garden designer in a wheelchair, as well as the first gardening broadcaster in a wheelchair on British television.

As well as Mark, 11 other nominees have been shortlisted for the National Diversity Awards (NDA) Celebrity of the Year including Ashley Banjo and Raheem Sterling.

Community organisations and role models from across the UK will head to Liverpool on 4th February to witness the country’s 2021 NDA winners being crowned the best of British diversity. Amongst those being honoured are charities, campaigners and activists, all of whom work tirelessly to combat injustice and discrimination in very different ways.

Mark Lane said: “I cannot believe that from 50,000 entrants that I have been shortlisted for Celebrity of the Year. This has come as a complete surprise. The competition is extremely tough, and while, of course, it will be wonderful to win, I am honoured and over-the-moon for just being considered as a finalist. Being shortlisted also puts the spotlight on disability in a positive way. We have a tremendously talented and diverse mix of people in this country and it’s wonderful that these prestigious awards, covered on ITV News, see and promote diversity in such a positive way.”

Designed to highlight the country’s most inspirational and selfless people, the NDAs continue to gain endorsements from high profile figures such as Sir Lenny Henry CBE and Graham Norton. Activist Katie Piper, Emmerdale star Ash Palmisciano and Paralympic Gold Medallist Danny Creates were on this year’s judging panel, dedicating their time to help choose the highly anticipated shortlist.

Author and philanthropist, Katie Piper said: “I am so proud to be on the judging panel for the National Diversity Awards. In what has been a tough year for many, I am so pleased these awards create and celebrate a new generation of positive role models. As a campaigner myself, I will love reading about the excellent achievements of grass-root communities which tackle the issues in today’s society with sheer dedication. I can’t wait to honour these charities, role models and community heroes who will have shown outstanding commitment to enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion.”

Previous winners include actor Warwick Davis, men’s mental health charity Andy’s Man Club and breast cancer survivor Codilia Gapare.

ENDS

About Mark Lane – Mark is the UK’s first garden/landscape designer to be in a wheelchair. He is a regular presenter on BBC Morning Live and QVC, and also presents on BBC TV Gardeners’ World coverage of the RHS shows. Mark graduated from University College London in Art History with B.A. (Hons). Mark had a meteoric rise in publishing becoming the Publishing Director for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Managing Editor for the leading international Arts publisher Thames & Hudson. In 2001 Mark was in a car accident and had to have operations on his spine, which were complicated by him being born with spina bifida. Following a long rehabilitation period at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Mark studied landscape design through an Open Learning course at KLC, Hampton Court. He passed with distinction and set up Mark Lane Designs Ltd, an award-winning landscape design practice (Landscape Designer of the Year 2020). Mark is also an Ambassador for four charities, Patron and a Trustee for two other charities, with a strong emphasis on social and therapeutic horticulture, gardening and health and wellbeing. A prolific writer, Mark’s book ‘Royal Gardens of the World’ has recently been published by Hachette (UK).

Visit: https://www.marklanedesigns.com or www.marklane.tv or follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkLaneTV

 

Eco compost shortlisted for first ever RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year Award

Eco compost shortlisted for first ever RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year Award

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RHS Sustainable Garden Product of the Year finalist

A peat-free compost range made from sheep’s wool, bracken – and now comfrey – by Dalefoot Composts in the Lake District has been shortlisted for the first ever RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year Award.

Dalefoot Wool Compost with Comfrey, launched earlier this year by the Penrith-based firm, is one of ten shortlisted products to be recognised for their green credentials in this prestigious RHS competition*.

Family-owned Dalefoot Composts spent five years perfecting the addition of comfrey, a plant superfood, into its popular peat-free Wool Compost range. Known as the organic gardener’s best friend, comfrey has high levels of potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen for healthy plant growth, larger flowers and bigger crops.

Comfrey is now grown sustainably at Dalefoot farm near Heltondale as a commercial crop allowing the company to scale up peat-free compost production to supply many more garden centres and nurseries across the UK, plus online for home delivery. Blending comfrey into the composts complements the company’s on-farm approach to no-till soil management, adds structure and additional flowers and biodiversity to the landscape benefitting insects and pollinators, and, importantly from a horticultural perspective, provides increased nutrient content in the final compost product.

Professor Jane Barker of Dalefoot Composts said: “As firm believers in true sustainability – social, economic and environmental – our team is over the moon to get this recognition and be shortlisted. We take real care to employ environmental best practice at Dalefoot, from the sourcing and harvesting of ingredients, to packaging and delivery. Our premium products also provide gardeners with a sustainable alternative to using environmentally damaging peat in their outdoor spaces.”

With a hat-trick of performance-packed natural ingredients – comfrey, bracken and sheep’s wool – the Wool Compost range feeds plants for at least a season, requires less watering, as wool cleverly retains moisture, and is Soil Association-approved for organic gardening. Wool Compost is available in Potting, Seeds, Vegetables & Salads, Tomatoes, Double Strength and Ericaceous**.

The company sources bracken from Exmoor, Northumberland and Wales, as well as locally in Cumbria – helping a diversity of farming communities and local landscapes. Bracken is an invasive plant but when harvested sustainably and composted, provides rich potash for plants and acts as a fantastic soil conditioner. Sheep farmers are benefitting too as supplying undipped wool for the compost means they have a market for a product they struggle to sell. Dalefoot is a significant local employer and is Living Wage-accredited, and it also restores damaged peat bogs for organisations such as Natural England and the wildlife trusts.

Over the past 12 months, compost production has doubled at Dalefoot, with more than 175 garden centres and nurseries now stocking its products.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Comfrey is renowned in the gardening world for being a plant superfood. It has very long roots so is able to absorb nutrients deep in the soil as it grows, and when harvested and then added to compost or a traditional comfrey tea, the nutrients give a growing ‘kick’ to other plants, encouraging strong, healthy growth. The introduction of comfrey to the compost mix marks the culmination of a five-year project by the Dalefoot team to grow the plant on a commercial scale, sustainably on the farm, and harness its extraordinary qualities. The fast-growing comfrey crop can be harvested four times a year, so there is plenty on tap to meet rising demand for the company’s premium composts in the future.

 

Dalefoot’s story – The entrepreneurial couple behind Dalefoot, environmental scientist Professor Jane Barker and farmer Simon Bland, started making compost from the natural ingredients around their Cumbrian farm in 1997. Inspired by early 20th century gardening books that mentioned wool as a garden mulch, and a desire to make good use of the invasive bracken growing on the fells, the couple invented their secret compost recipe, bagged the product up themselves and started selling at local farmers’ markets. Twenty years later the compost is sold across the UK and the business employs 18 local people, and sources bracken and wool from farmers.

The range is available online at www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk from £11.99 per bag down to £8.50 each for orders of 50 bags plus delivery, and also from a growing list of stockists. Tel: 01931 713281   Email: sales@dalefootcomposts.co.uk

 

Peat bogs – The Dalefoot team also restores peat bogs, some of which were once owned by peat compost companies, across the UK for the likes of Natural England, NatureScot, South West Water and wildlife trusts. Peat bogs store more carbon than forests and many in the UK are now in poor condition, releasing carbon rather than just storing it. To date, this work equates to 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions – equivalent to 500,000 flights from London to New York – saved since Dalefoot started two decades ago.

 

* About RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year – The RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Product of the Year was launched in 2011 to recognise the best new garden products at the show. In line with the ever increasing importance to ensure products offer sustainable solutions, the 2021 competition will award the RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year for the first time. Other shortlisted products include New Vegebag by Vegepod UK, Composting Loo by Green Oak and Ocean Plastic Pots, made from discarded rope and fishing net. An expert judging panel will consider environmental sustainability as well as innovation, visual appeal, functionality and quality and the winner will be announced during Virtual Chelsea (17 – 21 May). A trophy presentation will take place on Press Day at RHS Chelsea Flower Show now being held in September.

 

** Wool Compost Ericaceous, Lakeland Gold and Bulb Compost do not contain comfrey

Rock garden rarities and dazzling dahlias to entice at Newby Hall in 2021

Rock garden rarities and dazzling dahlias to entice at Newby Hall in 2021

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  • Newby Hall & Gardens reopens to the public on 1 April 2021 with Covid safety measures1 in place
  • First phase of historic rock garden restoration now complete
  • Dahlia bed revamp with 21st century colour twist
  • Famous double herbaceous border in full bloom after lockdown
  • Harrogate Autumn Flower Show to be held at Newby Hall 17-19 September

When visitors return to one of the north’s most famous gardens in April, they will get the first rare-plant-filled glimpse of the major restoration of a historic Edwardian rock garden – thought to be one of the largest of its kind in the UK.

Newby Hall’s expansive rock garden2, boasting a waterfall, hidden nooks and even a miniature aquaduct, is undergoing a five-year refurbishment and the initial phase is now complete. Scores of new rare and unusual plants, many of which will be in full spring bloom when Newby Hall opens for the season, have replaced overgrown foliage in the iconic garden, and large architectural rocks unearthed.

Dating back to pre-WW1 and measuring over an acre, it was originally designed with the help of visionary Edwardian plantswoman Ellen Willmott. But a century later, many of its shrubs, plants and trees had outgrown the space, and specialist work by the garden team is restoring it to its former glory.

Also getting a 21st century revamp are the dazzling dahlia beds at Newby Hall with dozens of new varieties getting their first showing this year in an eye-popping, contemporary colour palette. Delicate fritillaries, oxslips and tulips have been planted under apple and quince trees in the Orchard Garden to give a full-on, late spring display, and Newby Hall’s famous 172 metre-long double herbaceous border is on track to give a real flower-powered punch all season long.

For the first time, the popular three-day Harrogate Autumn Flower Show will be held in the grounds of Newby Hall (17-19 September) and show goers will get free access to the gardens as part of their admission ticket. The event is famed for its giant vegetable competition, the Northern Championships for the National Vegetable Society and one of the best autumn bloom displays in the UK, so both flower lovers and grow-your-own aficionados alike will get their horticultural fix. The season at Newby Hall culminates with Apple Day and the Apple Throwing Championships on 3 October.

Other garden gems at Newby Hall include a national Cornus collection, a stunning autumn garden packed with late-flowering salvias, magnificent magnolias in the Tropical Garden and a traditional sweet-smelling rose garden.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Louise Scott on louise.s@newbyhall.com  01423 320412

newbyhall.com Twitter – @newbyhall @newbyhallgarden Facebook – newbyhallandgardens Instagram – newbyhallandgardens

NOTES TO EDITORS

  • Newby Hall is a William and Mary house located between Ripon and Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, built in the 1690s until the guidance of Christopher Wren. John Carr remodelled the house in the 18th century, with interiors by Robert Adam and furniture by Chippendale. Owner Richard Compton is the 10th generation of his family to live at Newby.
  • The House and Gardens are open to the public from April to September, attracting around 140,000 visitors each season. The venue boasts a restaurant, miniature railway, gift shop and plant centre, day visitor events and weddings.
  • The gardening team has a head gardener, 6 full time gardeners and a handful of volunteers.  They care for the 25 acres of formal gardens, boasting 15 stunning ‘garden rooms’, and a further 15 acres of woodland and orchard, plus a national collection of Cornus.
  • Newby Hall is just a few miles from the A1(M), the main London to Edinburgh motorway. Close by are the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors National Parks and the historic cities of York and Ripon.

1: Covid safety measures – Visitors advised to check website for opening details as Government guidelines will need to be followed. Online ticket booking only to manage the number of visitors each day, with a limit on numbers arriving in three different arrival periods.  Safety information is given to visitors at the start of their visit to ensure social distancing and staff at the visitor entrance are protected by plastic screens, as are the team at the onsite café providing take-away refreshments.  Additional toilets have been opened in the gardens and a rigorous hygiene regime implemented for all outdoor areas.

2: Rock garden – Working closely with specialists Kevock Garden Plants & Design, Newby Hall’s head gardener Phil Cormie and owners Richard and Lucinda Compton, aim to transform the space to ensure it is conserved for generations of visitors to come. Unusual plants already in place include:

  • Rhododendron primuliflorum‘Doker-La’ – an unusual dwarf rhododendron with pink, daphne-like flowers.
  • Meconopsis x cookei‘Old Rose’ – beautiful poppy with erect stems of pendulous, dusky pink flowers in spring
  • Iris kerneriana –a  lovely narrow, tidy leaved iris with delicate 40 cm long stems bearing sulphur- yellow and cream flowers.
  • Antirrhinum molle– most people think of snapdragons as being annuals but this one is small shrub with velvety grey leaves and large white or pink flowers.
  • Saxifraga ‘Nicholas’ -absolutely outstanding silver saxifrage with huge, tumbling sprays of white flowers.
  • Sorbus reducta– a dwarf rowan only growing up to 1.5 metres tall with berries that start red and turn pink as the autumn season progresses.
  • Pseudocodon convolvulaceus subsp. Forrestii –an unusual climber which gently twines through shrubs and small trees. Beautiful bell-shaped, pale blue flowers mark these plants out as a Campanula relative.
  • Gentiana acaulis – a spectacular rock garden plant, the Stemless Gentian throws out deep blue, trumpet shaped flowers with a spotted green throat.
  • Rhododendron campylogynum Myrtilloides Group – a charming dwarf species of rhododendron with beautiful thimble-shaped, nodding, plum-purple flowers.
  • Meconopsis ‘Huntfield’ – a beautiful variety of the Blue Poppy with a hint of purple shading the blue flowers.

The second phase of the heritage garden project is now underway with plans for an alpine lawn, New Zealand corner and revamped cascade.

 

 

Dalefoot Composts adds comfrey into its peat-free range to give plants a nutrient super boost

Dalefoot Composts adds comfrey into its peat-free range to give plants a nutrient super boost

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  • Comfrey – the organic gardener’s best friend – a ‘dynamic accumulator’ packed with nutrients is added into the Wool Compost range
  • ‘Bocking 14’ variety has high levels of potassium, phosphorous & nitrogen for healthy plant growth, larger flowers & bigger crops
  • Comfrey now being grown sustainably at Dalefoot farm as company scales up peat-free compost production to supply many more garden centres and nurseries across the UK, plus online for home delivery
  • Bracken for Dalefoot’s products sourced from Exmoor, Northumberland & Wales, helping farming communities & local biodiversity further afiel

Dalefoot Composts, the Lake District peat-free compost maker, has added comfrey into its peat-free Wool Compost range giving an extra super charge of nutrients and trace elements for blooming, healthy plants.

Now with a hat-trick of performance-packed natural ingredients – comfrey, bracken and sheep’s wool – the Wool Compost range feeds plants for at least a season, requires less watering, as wool cleverly retains moisture, and is Soil Association-approved for organic gardening. Wool Compost is available in Potting, Seeds, Vegetables & Salads, Tomatoes, Double Strength and Ericaceous1.

Comfrey is renowned in the gardening world for being a plant superfood. It has very long roots so is able to absorb nutrients deep in the soil as it grows, and when harvested and then added to compost or a traditional comfrey tea, the nutrients give a growing ‘kick’ to other plants, encouraging strong, healthy growth.

The introduction of comfrey to the compost mix marks the culmination of a five-year project by the Dalefoot team to grow the plant on a commercial scale, sustainably on the farm, and harness its extraordinary qualities. The fast-growing comfrey crop can be harvested four times a year, so there is plenty on tap to meet rising demand for the company’s premium composts in the future.

The company is also now sourcing bracken from Exmoor, Northumberland and Wales, as well as locally in Cumbria – helping a diversity of farming communities and local landscapes. Bracken is an invasive plant but when harvested sustainably and composted, provides rich potash for plants and acts as a fantastic soil conditioner. Sheep farmers are benefitting too as supplying wool for the compost means they have a market for a product they struggle to sell.

Dalefoot’s peat-free products are unique as they use a fully-traceable, sustainable blend of wool, bracken and now comfrey to make composts for every gardening need. Wool releases a steady stream of nitrogen and other must-have nutrients which, when combined with bracken and comfrey, means no further feed is required over the growing season.

Professor Jane Barker of Dalefoot Composts said: “Comfrey is a truly remarkable plant offering a multitude of uses and we’re excited to grow it right here on the farm for our compost. We’ll be looking at how we can use it in other products for the gardener in the future.

“Our farm’s bees, insects and wildlife are also benefitting from the biodiversity boost the new comfrey fields and their nectar-rich flowers bring to the local environment.”

Over the past 12 months, compost production has doubled at Dalefoot, with 177 garden centres and nurseries now stocking its products.

The Dalefoot team also restores peat bogs, some of which were once owned by peat compost companies, across the UK for the likes of Natural England, NatureScot, South West Water and wildlife trusts. Peat bogs store more carbon than forests and many in the UK are now in poor condition, releasing carbon rather than just storing it. To date, this work equates to 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions – equivalent to 500,000 flights from London to New York – saved since Dalefoot started two decades ago.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

1 – Wool Compost Ericaceous, Lakeland Gold and Bulb Compost do not contain comfrey

Dalefoot’s story – The entrepreneurial couple behind Dalefoot, environmental scientist Professor Jane Barker and farmer Simon Bland, started making compost from the natural ingredients around their Cumbrian farm in 1997. Inspired by early 20th century gardening books that mentioned wool as a garden mulch, and a desire to make good use of the invasive bracken growing on the fells, the couple invented their secret compost recipe, bagged the product up themselves and started selling at local farmers’ markets. Twenty years later the compost is sold across the UK and has been shortlisted for RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Product of the Year. The business employs 18 local people, and sources bracken and wool from farmers.

The range is available online at www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk from £11.99 per bag down to £8.50 each for orders of 50 bags plus delivery, and also from a growing list of stockists.

Tel: 01931 713281   Email: sales@dalefootcomposts.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

Log cabin annex

The no-planning homes keeping multi-generational families together during lockdowns

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  • Sales of Scandi-style log cabin garden annexes soar during lockdowns
  • Ideal for grandparents or other close family and no planning permission needed1
  • Leading annex provider Norwegian Log has seen sales rocket by 35% over the last year and enquiries by 50%
  • Most purchasers are aged over 70 and want to move closer to their children

With lockdowns and travel restrictions making it difficult for families to see their elderly relatives, a Reading-based log cabin company is having to upscale production of its annexes – that provide an affordable, fuss-free property solution to keeping people safely connected – just to match demand.

Helping a growing number of savvy pensioners shrewdly sidestep separation issues, Scandi-style log cabin maker Norwegian Log has seen sales of its annexes soar by 35% last year, compared to 2019. The annexes can be built at the bottom of the garden within months and, because they are cleverly classed as ‘transportable’, in most cases don’t need planning permission1.

As one of the country’s longest established annex providers, Norwegian Log builds bespoke lodges from solid wood, which makes them warm in the winter and cool in the summer, with a ski chalet vibe.

Older generations are reaping the benefits of purchasing these high quality-build annexes as they can be conveniently sited within the garden of a son, daughter or close relative. The elderly residents are then within easy reach if help is needed and long distance drives to see each other can be a thing of the past.

Prices start from just over £50,000 for a one bedroom log annex – a fraction of the cost of a bricks and mortar equivalent – so many downsizing pensioners are able to save sizable sums for their retirement, travel or a rainy day. The cabins are built all on one level and can be fitted out with the latest 21st century fixtures and fittings.

Research from Norwegian Log showed that 50% of pensioners interested in buying an annex this year live between 20-100 miles away from their family, and the main reason for their move was to be closer to their loved ones.

Customer Muriel Seamon owns a two bedroom annex sited in her daughter Jennie’s Kent garden. Jennie Mathews said: “It has really put my mind at rest having mum so close to us through this long lockdown especially over Christmas.  It means she has not been in isolation alone as we are all in her ‘bubble’. We were able to cook Christmas dinner together and spend the day together as a family.

“In the first lockdown we did her shopping for the first month and we would leave it at her door and didn’t go in, but she is fiercely independent and in the end we worked out the safest time for her to shop on her own as she was so determined to do so. I was working from home so it was lovely to work in the garden together during my lunch breaks.”

Annex owner Dave Swift lives in a lodge next to the Somerset home of his daughter Kelly. He said: “One great benefit of living in the family garden is that we are in the same bubble enabling us to meet and help each other out. I am quite sure I would have felt much more isolated had I still been in my previous house.”

Nick Forrester of Norwegian Log said: “Lockdowns have prompted a flood of enquiries from families who realise that living miles away from their elderly relatives, particularly those on their own, makes it very difficult to support them at a time when they need supporting the most. Our annexes can be built in a back garden within weeks and provide peace of mind for both parties.

“The prospect of high residential care costs means that many families were already seeking alternative solutions to looking after their loved ones but the pandemic has made them realise they should do something sooner rather than later.”

Ends

For further information contact: Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

Notes for editors:

1 Planning permission – Norwegian Log’s granny annexes are classed as transportable mobile homes and so if sited within the curtilage of your property – the garden, essentially – for the exclusive use of a family member, you will not need planning permission. The annex has to remain ancillary to the house (i.e. not legally separated for sale or rental to a non-family member). Norwegian Log recommends that you apply for a Certificate of Lawful Use, which confirms that situation, and it provides this service as part of its Granny Annex package. If the annex is NOT a mobile home, you will require planning permission and building regulations approval. The planning office may then dictate the annex’s size, facilities, etc.

 

 

 

 

spring picks

HOT SPRING PICKS – The clothing most loved by Genus Gardenwear fans and new spring ranges launching soon

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With high performance, technical wear that looks as good as it performs, clothing from Genus Gardenwear has been a hit with serious gardeners since 2013.

Its trousers and tops for all weathers, boasting UK-first designs, have proved popular with green-fingered Brits. The Cotswolds-based firm’s gear has clever horti’ twists such as stab-proof pockets for secateurs, padded knees, raised waists for back protection and easy-care fabrics, and many lines are endorsed by the RHS.

Later this spring, Genus will be launching new ranges of summer trousers and shorts for both men and women, to keep gardeners cool, comfortable but still protected as the weather warms up.

2021 BEST SELLERS INCLUDE:

TOP ROW LEFT TO RIGHT

Men’s Dixter Gardening Pullover £95 – Specially designed for gardening, this pullover for men is perfect when you need that little extra degree of warmth.  Cosy but lightweight, its relaxed fit and longer length allows you to wear it on its own, or to layer up, and still move freely.

Women’s Waterproof Gardening Trousers £150 – also available for men. The first-ever totally waterproof trousers specially designed for gardening and with a generous cut specially for women.  Based on the hugely successful Genus 3-Season Gardening Trousers, their 2-in-1 function does away with the need for over-trousers.  Using the same showerproof fabric on the outside, these pants have a full-length waterproof lining so you stay totally dry, yet supremely comfortable.

Men’s Rosemoor Gardening Henley £35 – also available for women. The perfect top for gardening in warmer weather, this lightweight Henley tee is made from a silky soft, high performance fabric to keep you cool and dry when the going gets hot.

BOTTOM ROW LEFT TO RIGHT

Women’s Everyday Gardening Trousers £95 – A more affordable version of the Genus best-selling gardening pants, Everyday Gardening Trouser for Women is a great all-rounder, offering all the essential features, superb quality and a level of performance a hard working gardener needs.

  • Adjustable, breathable and damp-proof padded knee
  • Stab-resistant pocket for secateurs
  • Raised waist band for back protection
  • Showerproof, easy-care, quick-drying stretch fabric

Women’s Eden Gardening Jersey £55 – Designed as the perfect partner to the 3-Season Gardening Trousers, this high-performance jersey (also available for men) is cut from a technically advanced fabric made out of recycled plastic bottles and coffee fibres, and the extra-long body and thumb loop give protection when gardening.

  • Thumb loop for wrist protection
  • Long body length
  • Half zip
  • Flat-lock seams for comfort

Men’s 3-Season Gardening Trousers £125 – Extraordinary trousers designed for gardeners by gardeners and cut specially for men (women’s available too). Packed with unique gardening functionality and clever horti’ features, these gardening pants provide unparalleled performance, style and comfort for a hard day in the garden. Now also available in iron grey – for menand women.

  • Adjustable, breathable and damp-proof padded knee
  • Stab-resistant pockets for secateurs and knives
  • Raised waist band for back protection
  • Showerproof, easy care, quick-drying, stretch fabric

All available to purchase from www.genus.gs.

ENDS

For further information and high res images contact:

Emma Mason / emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Sarah Cole / sarahcole@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07958 397637

Exbury Gardens spring 2021

Discover new woodland wonders, family nature trails and dazzling spring colour at Hampshire’s Exbury Gardens in 2021

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  • NEW River Walk – learn about native trees on a woodland trail towards the Beaulieu River estuary
  • NEW Dragonfly Pond learning zone & Dragonfly Halt steam railway stop [2020 launch postponed by lockdown]
  • Spring bulb extravaganza in Daffodil Meadow and the River of Gold, plus world-famous display of camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons
  • Rock garden revamp and oak tree planting programme

Embrace nature and discover the magnificence of Britain’s native trees on a new woodland trail when it opens at Exbury Gardens, one of the south’s most famous gardens, this spring.

The new River Walk will allow visitors to explore previously-hidden woodland within the 200-acre New Forest garden, with glimpses of the Beaulieu River estuary. Interpretation boards will explain how to spot some of our iconic native trees. Stretching nearly half a mile past mature oaks, field maples, yews and hazels, the trail will meander from Daffodil Meadow, which is planted with thousands of the yellow spring favourites, to the stunning flower-filled Azalea Bowl.

Garden fans can also get their spring floral fix from the River of Gold, a 100,000-bulb colour burst that weaves around rare trees near Exbury House, and from acres of world-renowned Exbury camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas.

Also new for the 2021 season will be the opportunity to:

  • spot wildlife action at a new Dragonfly Pond1 learning zone. Designed with the help of the UK’s leading dragonfly experts, this area will boast info boards filled with dragonfly facts and take-away tips on how you can encourage these wonderful creatures into your own back garden. An existing, large ornamental pond in the gardens has been adapted for the insects with dragonfly-friendly, native aquatic and marginal plants. Also alight from Exbury’s renowned Rhododendron Line steam railway at a new Dragonfly Halt platform to explore the pond area.
  • check out the rare and interesting plants being given new homes in the revamped Rock Garden. First built around 100 years ago, the Rock Garden is considered to be one of the largest in Europe.
  • discover 30 new native oak trees planted across the garden as part of a three-year project to help restore the magnificent tree canopy.

Tom Clarke, head gardener at Exbury Gardens, said: “In 2021 we are looking forward to celebrating the beautiful, unique, natural setting of Exbury by extending access into more woodland that visitors won’t have seen before and opening up nature areas such as our new Dragonfly Pond.

“We are also investing in the garden’s legacy for future generations by planting lots of new trees to enhance biodiversity and regenerate the treeline, and adding even more rare plants and shrubs to the Rock Garden.”

Created by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919, a passionate collector of plants and a keen supporter and sponsor of the early 20th century plant hunters, Exbury Gardens has grown to become a stunning garden paradise filled with rare plants, shrubs and trees. It boasts over 20 miles of pathways and trails.

Exbury Gardens was one of the first garden attractions in the south to reopen to the public after lockdown ended and saw a boost in admission numbers over summer and autumn 2020 from visitors keen to explore the natural world in safety. It is a proud holder of Visit Britain’s ‘We’re Good To Go’ certification, showing it adheres to current Government and public health guidance.

ENDS

For further information or images, contact PR Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or Celise Galloway on 023 8024 5754 celise.galloway@exbury.co.uk

Notes for editors

1 – Dragonfly Pond project launch had been planned for summer 2020 but has been rescheduled for summer 2021

Exbury Gardens, located in the New Forest near Southampton, is open daily from 1 March 2021 10am – 5.30pm. Arrival time slots must be booked online in advance at www.exbury.co.uk

Thanks to its unrivalled collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, Exbury Gardens is famed for its riot of spring colour, as well as a vast array of beautiful, mature rare trees. Over recent years the Hampshire garden has been expanded for all-season interest with areas designed to show off summer and autumn ‘flower power’, as well as an extension of its 1 ½-mile Rhododendron Line steam railway.

To learn more about Exbury’s COVID-19 safety measures, please visit Safety Measures FAQs page on its website by clicking this link

 

Charles Dowding

Charles Dowding’s new online course on how to grow the A-Z of ‘no dig’ veg

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Want to know the optimum time to sow runner beans, transplant cabbage and harvest your courgettes? Or when to water celery, how to banish carrot fly and why not digging your garden is more productive? Learning how to sow, grow, harvest and store the tastiest crops is made easy, one vegetable at a time, thanks to a new online course from no dig gardening pioneer Charles Dowding.

A world authority on no dig vegetable gardening, and a break-out grow-your-own social media star – his latest video on compost racked up 100,000 views in just five days – Somerset-based Charles spills the beans on his growing methods in his latest online course.

From the comfort of your own home, you can watch Charles explain in eleven exclusive videos the specific needs and qualities of 15 vegetables – from aubergine to cucumber – and how to ensure successful and tasty harvests, all using his tried and tested no dig gardening methods. His detailed tips are explained in easy-to-follow ‘lessons’, packed with 60,000 words and 880 illustrative photos, so even the most novice of gardeners can get growing.

This new course, called Online Course 3A Seed to Harvest, is the first in a two-parter that will eventually cover over 40 vegetables in total. Both courses have been designed to complement his existing best-selling courses on no dig gardening basics (Course 1) and growing success (Course 2). Thousands of gardeners across the world, from Australia to Chile, have downloaded Charles’s courses since they were launched in March 2019.

No dig vegetable gardening involves simply mulching soil with compost, rather than laboriously digging it. Charles’s no-frills methods resonate with beginner and experienced gardeners alike, with millions of views of his YouTube videos. He has over 700,000 followers on social media.

More details:

Online Course 3A – Seed to harvest, the first 18 vegetables from aubergine to cucumber – Charles Dowding’s best tips on each vegetable’s types and varieties, sowing methods, how to transplant, watering, ways of picking to maximise output and quality, storage, pest protection, clearing and what to plant next.

Each lesson concentrates on one vegetable, which he explains within the same outline structure. The aim is for you to understand each vegetable’s special needs and qualities, so that successful harvests are likely. There is only occasional reference to bed preparation and weeding. With the no dig gardening method, these are minimal jobs, and are the same for all vegetables. Lessons finish with a multiple-choice quiz to consolidate learning.

60000+ words, 880+ photos with explanatory captions, and 11 videos which are unique to this course, not available elsewhere.

Vegetables included – Aubergine; Beans – Broad; Beans – French, Runner, Soy; Beetroot;  Broccoli; Brussels; Cabbage; Carrot;  Cauliflower & Kohlrabi; Celery and Celeriac;  Chard & Leaf Beet; Chicory/Radicchio; Chinese Cabbage & Pak Choi;  Courgette/Zucchini; Cucumber, cordon and ridge

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433.

Charles Dowding has made no dig popular and is a world authority on the subject. His productive and weed-free garden illustrates the benefits simply of mulching soil to feed its microorganisms. They “turn on the tap” of making food and moisture available to our plants, as well as improving soil structure.

  • Drainage and aeration improve, in an easy and long-lasting way
  • The method is simple and requires less work
  • The result is fewer weeds and healthier, more resilient plants
  • Carbon is retained in the soil

Since 1982 he has created and cropped four no dig market gardens on different soils, from stone to silt to clay. In the 1980s he cropped 7.5 acres (3ha) of no dig beds. In the 1990s he farmed in France.

Currently he grows vegetables on 0.25 acres/1000 square metres in Somerset, SW England zone 8. He sells £20,000 of harvests locally, mainly salad leaves, and vegetables are served on courses at Homeacres.

There are two crops a year from beds which are cheap to establish and quick to maintain. Charles’ methods are easy to understand and work on small areas as well as large ones. No dig scales up and down easily.

He has written ten books and an annual calendar of sowing dates, runs a You Tube channel with 36.8 million views, writes for national gardening magazines, and gives talks and courses at home and abroad. He has created online courses in no dig gardening and on vegetable growing.

More information can be found at charlesdowding.co.uk

 

 

New ITV ident created by Mark Lane and Sharon Walters

Designer and broadcaster Mark Lane helps create first ITV logo ident of 2021

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  • Nature-themed collaboration with London-based collage artist Sharon Walters
  • Work aims to amplify ‘forgotten voices’ of black women and disabled people
  • First horticulturalist to create prestigious ident
  • Filmed at Fullers Mill garden in Suffolk owned by horticultural charity Perennial
Mark Lane and Sharon Walters

Mark Lane and Sharon Walters

Millions of ITV viewers are getting a flower-powered telly treat during January with an important underlying message, thanks to a unique collaboration between broadcaster and garden/landscape designer Mark Lane, and collage artist Sharon Walters.

In an ITV-first, two creatives from different industries have been chosen to craft the logo ident shown between programmes on the channel.

Mark and Sharon teamed up late last year to create the collaborative biophilia-based ident which combines hand-crafted paper cut collage and landscape design. Inspired by the beneficial power of nature, plants in Mark’s Kent garden and Sharon’s love of plants and flowers, the pair reinvented the ITV logo using an intricate layered collage. Their creation was then enlarged (4m x 8m) and temporarily installed for filming in a silver birch woodland at Fullers Mill garden near Bury St Edmonds in Suffolk, owned by horticulture welfare charity Perennial.

The ident, which will be broadcast throughout January on ITV, aims to encourage viewers to pause, reflect and exhale whilst enjoying the simplistic, natural beauty of the work.  Entitled ‘Layered Exhaled Expressions’, the project also raises the issues of accessibility, identity and ethnic diversity, and the effects of climate change.

Mark, who is the UK’s first garden designer to be in a wheelchair, said: “Sharon and I are from communities often described as marginalised and through this collaboration we highlight ability in disability and the identity and power in blackness, and the diversity in both.

“Last year was awful for so many, and with our already complex modern lives submerged into unimaginable challenges, we wanted to create a collaborative work that would encourage people to slow down, relax and breathe.

“The concept was that paper would return to the woodland, illustrating renewal, sustainability and biodiversity, and displaying the journey from root, to tree, to final use. I also knew of the perfect spot for the ident installation, a stunning woodland at Fullers Mill. The natural world, flora and fauna, have an incredible ability to improve our mental and physical well-being and we hope our collaborative creation brings just a little of this biophilic power into people’s living rooms.”

Sharon said: “By first creating a hand-cut ITV logo stencil, I initially used a layering of images approach by cutting and gluing new sections until the design felt complete. This method proved difficult to transfer to the scale Mark and I envisaged, so I returned to the ITV template, this time creating a collage using real flowers and foliage. I had used this creative process previously in pieces for my ‘Seeing Ourselves’ series and it worked perfectly for the new ITV project.

“To recreate the design to a larger scale I photographed the work so it was ready for Mark to transfer to his landscape design CAD programme where large-scale pieces were planned and designed. This was a truly collaborative approach at every stage, and Mark and I have become great friends throughout this process.”

ENDS

About Mark Lane – Mark is the UK’s first garden/landscape designer to be in a wheelchair. He is a regular presenter on BBC Morning Live, QVC and BBC TV Gardeners’ World and also fronts BBC TV coverage of the RHS shows. Mark graduated from University College London in Art History with B.A. (Hons). Mark had a meteoric rise in publishing becoming the Publishing Director for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Managing Editor for the leading international Arts publisher Thames & Hudson. In 2001 Mark was in a car accident and had to have operations on his spine, which were complicated by him being born with spina bifida. Following a long rehabilitation period at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Mark studied landscape design through an Open Learning course at KLC, Hampton Court. He passed with distinction and set up Mark Lane Designs Ltd, an award-winning landscape design practice (Landscape Designer of the Year 2020). Mark is also an Ambassador for 4 charities, Patron and a Trustee for 2 other charities, with a strong emphasis on social and therapeutic horticulture, gardening and health and wellbeing. A prolific writer, Mark’s new book ‘Royal Gardens of the World’ has just been published by Hachette (UK).

Visit: https://www.marklanedesigns.com or www.marklane.tv or follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkLaneTV

About Sharon Walters – Sharon  is an artist, freelance educator, and museum professional. She graduated from Central St Martins in 2011 with a BA in Fine Art, holds a Post Graduate Teaching and Learning Certificate in post-16 citizenship education from the Institute of Education, and a BA in Social Science from University West London. Since January 2018 Sharon has been working on a mixed media collage series entitled ‘Seeing Ourselves’, now with over 250 pieces in the collection she has exhibited in a number of public spaces including the Mall Galleries, NOW gallery in Greenwich and the New Ashgate Gallery in Surrey. In December 2019 Sharon won the Reach Art prize for excellence in the arts, diversity, and social inclusion. ‘Seeing Ourselves’ explores identity, beauty standards, representation, and natural Afro hair. Her limited- edition prints and bespoke collages have been acquired by collectors globally, and she has delivered collage workshops for clients including the National Trust. Sharon makes hand-assembled collages almost daily to be present, reflective, and mindful. Each collage gives her permission to ‘take up space’ even in places where she so often does not see herself represented. By exploring diverse narratives through partnerships and providing platforms for under-represented voices to be heard, Sharon has had several collaborations with artists, organisations and groups which have developed both her art practice and community outreach work. The fluidity between the two has developed over the years through working with people in various settings. The ‘Seeing Ourselves’ series continues with a number of new and innovative collaborations in the forthcoming months.

 

Luxury hamper IMP & MAKER Festive Showstopper Collection

IMP & MAKER launches gourmet food and drink hampers

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  • Can’t be with loved ones for Christmas? Send them Christmas in a hamper instead
  • Ideal for personal & corporate gifting

Ultimate Cocktails and Tapas Experience from IMP & MAKER

Britain is brimming with delicious food & drink producers but taking the time to discover them individually would be nigh impossible. Now a new, ultimate hamper experience is set to change that. Just launched, IMP & MAKER is doing all the hard work for you – discovering, sourcing and bringing together a curated collection of impeccably sourced food & drink from Britain and beyond. All beautifully packed in the heart of Lincolnshire, delivered direct to your or a loved one’s door and aiming to bring joy to whoever lifts the lid this festive season.

Shining a light on some of the most innovative food & drink producers in the UK today, IMP & MAKER is the idea of award-winning food producer and entrepreneur, Sarah Louise Fairburn. After many years working in the food industry and with some of the UK’s most prestigious food retailers, she has combined her vast industry knowledge, passion for sourcing the finest, freshest ingredients and commitment to sustainability, welfare and supply chain transparency, to bring an unrivalled sensory experience to discerning foodies.

IMP & MAKER hampers are filled to the brim with the finest foodie finds from established, emerging and exciting new names in the food & drink world. Sit back and relax knowing that when your hamper arrives, every delicious food discovery has been hand-selected from award-winning artisans, farmers and entrepreneurs. Added extras including ideas, recipes and serving suggestions for how to make the most of your hamper experience and create show-stopping food & drink moments.

AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM DECEMBER IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

ULTIMATE COCKTAILS & TAPAS EXPERIENCE (£400, serves 6-8 people). This wonderfully curated collection is bursting with everything you need for the ultimate night in. A guaranteed showstopper for even the most discerning foodie. Inside discover delicious Iberico Bellota ham, alongside other luxury charcuterie, olives, nuts, cheeses, bread and oils. Wash everything down with an ultimate cocktail collection – everything you need for conjuring an array of delicious aperitifs and cocktails, complete with bespoke recipes for drinks’ inspiration.

FESTIVE SHOWSTOPPER (£450, serves 6-8 people) – a heavenly hamper heaving with absolutely everything you need for the main event. Kick things off with champagne, sliced charcuterie, smoked salmon, micro salad, olives, oils and condiments for the ultimate sharing platter starter. To follow, enjoy succulent, dry-aged Sirloin of Beef, three bird roast, artisan multi-coloured veg and cranberry sauce, plus a magnum of Rioja to keep things flowing (there’s even a recipe for perfect roast spuds). If there’s room in the tank, finish with Christmas pudding and brandy butter, Lincolnshire Poacher cheese, cracker selection and coffee.

CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST IN BED (£220, serves 2-4 people). Treat yourself or a foodie-loving family to this ultimate breakfast collection to kick-start the day. Includes champagne and cassis for creating a fizzing Kir Royale, fresh chocolate drizzled strawberries, plus award-winning smoked salmon, British Blue eggs and specially sourced giant ripe avocados. There’s also granola, yoghurt, fruits, bread and preserves to tickle the morning tastebuds.

AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW FOR DELIVERY FROM 5 FEBRUARY 2021

WEEKEND RETREAT (£350, serves 6-8 people). If you’re lucky enough to be getting away from it all, try having this bumper bundle delivered to your holiday front door, or just hunker down and enjoy at home. This one packs in granola, honey, fresh berries and juice, plus award-winning sausages, British Blue eggs, back bacon and bread for the ultimate breakfast or brunch. For lunch there’s Panzanella salad to accompany home-grown, high welfare British sirloin steak, potato wedges and fresh crumbled stilton. For dessert there’s ‘best ever’ sticky pudding with extra sticky toffee sauce and dairy clotted cream.  Toast your perfect weekend with a Burrell’s G&T or crack open the Magnum of Reserva Rioja for the perfect evening wind down.

ULTIMATE LUXURY BRUNCH (£300, serves 6-8 people). If you’re more brunch than lunch, this one’s for you. Feeling brave? Rustle up the recipe for a Wasabi Bloody Mary. For the more virtuous, there’s delicious fresh juice. You’ll also get all the ingredients and recipes you need to create Sweet French Toast & Fresh Berries, British Framboise with crispy high welfare bacon and a delicious Baked Eggs and Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese sharing dish. A bottle of Pol Roger completes this heavenly brunch munch.

“We are immensely proud of the food and drink that make up our hampers, all from fellow entrepreneurs who are out there creating, producing and farming some of the world’s most exceptional food and drink in challenging times”, says Sarah Louise. “Happiness often comes in edible form and we really hope that bringing together all of these great producers into one gourmet hamper that can be delivered direct to your door might bring some light, joy and excitement at a time when we could all do with a little lift.”

Due to their exclusive and often small-batch contents, IMP & MAKER hampers have limited availability which is always clearly marked online at the time of ordering. Orders can be placed online or over the phone and bespoke and special requirements can be also be discussed. See website for full hamper contents and order details.

ENDS

Further information, samples and high res photography available from: Emma Mason emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk07762 117433

NOTES FOR EDITORS

About IMP & MAKER

We are passionate about sourcing, packing and delivering the finest produce from Britain and beyond. Behind each product is a story of craft and dedication; a story about each supplier’s history and how they create food and drink to exemplary standards of quality and taste, with the most reputable supply chains.

It is our mission to connect producers and consumers, creating unique theatre around the produce and enhancing transparency within the supply chain. First, we select our producers, exclusively listing award-winning, ethically produced and best-in-class produce.

With our chosen producers, we develop partnerships built on trust and respect. We seek to understand our produce’s lifecycle, working with farmers to consistently ensure the highest standards of production, welfare and environmental impacts.

Through collaboration with producers, chefs, and food technicians, we create both regular subscription boxes and limited-edition, seasonal boxes for consumers to enjoy. Each box is hand-packed in the heart of Lincolnshire, containing the best produce, procured lovingly.

About Sarah Louise Fairburn

Multi-award-winning Sarah Louise is passionate about British food, drink and farming. Based in Lincolnshire, she is the Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Food Board and spent many years helping to run one of the UK’s most successful egg suppliers, where she worked with the country’s leading food retailers and innovated best-selling new products. She helped front the successful national Pick for Britain campaign during lockdown and is a proud EY Entrepreneur of the Year winner.

 

 

 

 

 

Luxury British-grown orchid Christmas gifts delivered direct to loved ones or home

Luxury British-grown orchid Christmas gifts delivered direct to loved ones or home

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Treat someone special, or yourself, this Christmas with a gorgeous, British-grown orchid gift delivered direct to home. The country’s largest orchid grower, Love Orchids, has launched a luxurious Limited Edition Christmas range with affordable prices and free delivery.

Boasting plants grown in a family-owned, New Forest nursery, the stunning orchid gifts are ideal for sending to loved ones to remind them you are thinking of them – even if you can’t be with them in person this Christmas. Or why not treat yourself, with an orchid for your own home, to add some fabulous, festive flower-power to your living space.

The Love Orchids’ plant geeks have designed the selection of gorgeous gift arrangements with on-trend accessories, containers, pots and vases. All products are expertly hand-finished, and to make life easy, you can even select your nominated delivery day free of charge. To order, visit www.loveorchids.co.uk – orchid prices from £20 including free delivery.

Glam Orchid Planter with LEDs by Love Orchids

Products include:

Orchid planter with LED lights £30 + free delivery – two Phalaenopsis orchids (30-50cm tall) in a Zinc planter with LED string lights. Batteries included.

Mini woodland-style orchid £28 + free delivery –  Phalaenopsis orchid (30-50cm tall) in a glass vase with decorative pine cones, birch twig, bark and moss.

Statement orchid £25 + free delivery – Phalaenopsis orchid (55-75cm tall) in either a luxury metallic or cream glazed ceramic planter with decorative birch twigs.

Glam Orchid with LED lights £28 + free delivery – Phalaenopsis orchid (55-75cm tall) in a metallic ceramic pot with LED string lights. Batteries included.

The Love Orchids standard range, available throughout the year, includes four mini orchids (£20 + free delivery), four large orchids, single stem (from £28 + free delivery) and a mini cascade orchid in a pink or white ceramic pot (£22 + free delivery).

ENDS

For further information, high res images and samples contact: Emma Mason /emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

Love Orchids is run by family-owned Double H Nurseries. Established in 1961, it supplies over 4.5 million indoor plants to UK retailers including orchids, roses, poinsettias and chrysanthemums. It is the largest British grower of orchids. More information can be found on the Love Orchids website.

Orchid care tips: Phalaenopsis orchids – pronounced Fal-en-op-sis and commonly known as moth orchids – are the UK’s most popular indoor plant with millions sold every year. Here are Love Orchid’s top tips on keeping your plant blooming for weeks on end:

  • Water weekly & feed fortnightly (or so) – run your orchid under a tap or let it soak in the sink for a few minutes. Wall-watered roots have plump green roots, if they look silvery grey or shrivelled, pop the plant under the tap. Orchids don’t require feeding but use an orchid liquid fertiliser feed every 2-4 weeks and they will really thrive. Quick hack – add a few ice cubes to the surface of the bark instead of watering, avoiding the leaves.
  • Don’t let it shine – orchids love a bright window but they are not keen on direct sunlight. East or west-facing windows and bathrooms are best. They also don’t like sitting near fruit bowls as some fruit emits ethylene when ripening!
  • Keep ‘em flowering – after the flowers have dropped, move to a cooler location and whilst watering give the leaves a clean to improve growth. Only cut back the stem if it turns brown. It can take between 8-12 weeks for an orchid to re-flower.
  • Rooting them out – if you don’t like their look, you can cut off dry, shrivelled roots sticking out from the bark. If they are green and healthy, leave them alone – orchids are meant to have aerial roots.
  • Rarely re-pot – orchids only need re-potting every 4-5 years, or if the bark has begun to compost down, whichever comes first. Make sure you use specialist orchid bark and don’t worry about gaps as orchid roots love air just as much as they love water! Expect it to take a week or two for the plant to become stable and regain its foot hold.
  • Loving our homes – Orchids originate from warm tropical Asia, so our homes are perfect environments for them as they really thrive at temperatures between 17 and 26 degrees. If you water sparingly every week, keep them in a bright location away from direct heat, they should keep blooming for years.

 

Christmas gifts from Genus Gardenwear

Perfect gifts for gardening lovers from Genus

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Spare green-fingered friends and family yet another novelty garden gnome or slogan mug and up the stakes this Christmas with something to put a genuine smile on their face. Created by gardeners for gardeners, Cotswolds-based Genus Gardenwear has been making quality clothing and accessories since 2013 and this year’s gift collection is no exception. With prices starting at just £20 and a shedload of ideas, from interesting gadgets, must-have tools, clever clothing to seeds in a box, there’s something to suit all tastes and budgets, plus gift cards from £10 if you can’t decide and everything can be bought online – https://www.genus.gs

Christmas gifts from Genus Gardenwear

PRODUCT & PRICING INFORMATION

TOP ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: WOMEN’S EDEN GARDENING JERSEY (£55); MERINO WRIST WARMERS (£30); SEEDS IN A BOX illustrated by Cotswold artist Tracey Elphick (£25, six packs)

SECOND ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: JAPANESE SECATEURS (£80); GENUS GIFT CARD (from £10); MERINO NECK WARMER (£30); WOMEN’S DIXTER GARDENING GILET (£85)

THIRD ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: WOMEN’S ROSEMOOR GARDENING HENLEY (£35, also available in MEN’S); GREETINGS CARDS designed by Cotswold artist Tracey Elphick (£20, set of six); MEN’S EDEN GARDENING JERSEY (£55); JAPANESE SECATEURS (£80) – in box image

FOURTH ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: MERINO SLOUCH GARDENING HAT (£25); SILK GLOVE LINERS (£20); HORI HORI TOOL (£45); MEN’S DIXTER GARDENING PULLOVER (£95)

 

 

Charles Dowding’s No Dig Gardening – From Weeds to Vegetables Easily and Quickly

Charles Dowding’s No Dig Gardening – From Weeds to Vegetables Easily and Quickly

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No Dig Gardening – From Weeds to Vegetables Easily and Quickly

Published end August 2020 – £22.50 – Hardback – 240 pages

Available to order via www.charlesdowding.co.uk Nationwide distribution

Organic pioneer Charles Dowding reveals how to create a successful ‘no dig’ garden, as well as the history of this time-saving and highly productive method of gardening, in his new book ‘Charles Dowding’s No Dig Gardening – From Weeds to Vegetables Easily and Quickly’.

Charles is a world authority on no dig vegetable gardening which involves simply mulching soil with compost, rather than laboriously digging it. With millions of views of his YouTube videos over lockdown alone, Charles’s no-frills methods resonate with novice and experienced gardeners alike.

In this highly detailed resource, which is based on the written content of his successful online course, Charles explains the concept of no dig vegetable gardening, the art of making good compost for your garden and the differences between soil and compost. He explores the history of no dig over the last 100 years, how it often challenges the gardening ‘norm’ and why only in recent years the method has become popular and valued.

Although the book is not a manual of vegetable growing, it has two chapters with detailed planting plans for small spaces based on what Charles has grown and how no dig helped to achieve these outcomes. He uses the results of growing trials at his Homeacres market garden in Somerset to show how no dig works, and questions the need, or not, to grow vegetables in a different place each year.

There is a chapter on site evaluation and planning your layout, and a section on clearing weeds by mulching, with all the associated details. Readers will also learn how to:

  • Use no dig on different soil types
  • Ask questions and recognise gardening myths, to save time and unnecessary effort
  • Create and look after beds and paths, with a whole section on paths and their value
  • Recognise and reduce different types of weeds
  • Understand and use different types of mulch or soil cover
  • Know the differences between soil, compost and various types of compost
  • Make their own compost
  • Grow an abundance of vegetables using the no dig method. There are growing plans for one bed and for a small garden, with photos and tables to illustrate the results.

The book has 19 chapters, 85,000 words and 900 photographs. Each ‘lesson’ is comprehensively illustrated with sequences of before, during and after photographs from Homeacres. Lessons finish with a multiple-choice quiz to consolidate learning. This is the ideal book for anyone wishing to learn and garden with the no dig method.

Charles Dowding’s Vegetable Garden 2021 Calendar

Monthly calendar A4 opening to A3 – £10 inc VAT 

Available nationwide in stores and via www.charlesdowding.co.uk

Illustrated calendar with photos from Charles’s garden and handy vegetable growing tips. Charles gives a vegetable growing summary for every month, plus his favourite sowing dates for each vegetable at their best times of year, based on decades of fine tuning. Use these dates to help you enjoy a regular supply of fresh produce through all four seasons.

Enjoy the seasonal beauty of his famous vegetable garden, as seen on You Tube and BBC TV Gardeners’ World, in magazines and newspapers. 32 pages printed on 200gsm Premium Gloss Paper, with 350gsm cover. Hole-punched, for hanging on a wall.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433.

Charles Dowding has made no dig popular and is a world authority on the subject. His productive and weed-free garden illustrates the benefits simply of mulching soil to feed its microorganisms. They “turn on the tap” of making food and moisture available to our plants, as well as improving soil structure.

  • Drainage and aeration improve, in an easy and long-lasting way
  • The method is simple and requires less work
  • The result is fewer weeds and healthier, more resilient plants
  • Carbon is retained in the soil

Since 1982 he has created and cropped four no dig market gardens on different soils, from stone to silt to clay. In the 1980s he cropped 7.5 acres (3ha) of no dig beds. In the 1990s he farmed in France.

Currently he grows vegetables on 0.25 acres/1000 square metres in Somerset, SW England zone 8. He sells £20,000 of harvests locally, mainly salad leaves, and vegetables are served on courses at Homeacres.

There are two crops a year from beds which are cheap to establish and quick to maintain. Charles’s methods are easy to understand and work on small areas as well as large ones. No dig scales up and down easily.

He has written nine books and an annual calendar of sowing dates, runs a You Tube channel with 21 million views, writes for national gardening magazines, and gives talks and courses at home and abroad. He has created online courses in no dig gardening and on vegetable growing.

More information can be found at charlesdowding.co.uk

Twitter @charlesdowding 

Instagram charles_dowding

You Tube Charles Dowding

Facebook Charles Dowding No Dig Gardening

 

 

Colourful orchids ©Love Orchids

How to keep your orchids blooming in the summer heat

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The ice cube trick and 4 other clever hacks from the British growing experts who have just launched a new online orchid shop

Struggling to stop your orchids from wilting? Direct sunlight and high temperatures can wreak havoc on the UK’s most popular indoor plant and so the largest orchid grower in Britain, Double H Nurseries, is advising flower fans to make some simple changes to their normal plant care routine.

Their blooming advice comes as they officially launch a new online orchid shop – Love Orchids – where Brits can buy four orchids from as little as £20 including free home delivery.

The Hampshire-based nursery normally sells its orchids in major supermarkets but with lockdown, demand plummeted as no-one could buy the plants. So, they switched to selling online and since the new Love Orchids shop was unveiled just under two months ago, over 50,000 plants have been sold to homes across the country – saving the orchids from the compost heap.

Here the Love Orchids’ plant expert Mark Riley gives his top tips on keeping your plant blooming for weeks in the summer heat :-

Millions of Phalaenopsis orchids – pronounced Fal-en-op-sis and commonly known as moth orchids – are sold every year and normally require minimum upkeep. But as temperatures rise, the summer heat can result in orchid flowers quickly flopping.

  1. Water TWICE a week instead of once– orchids normally only need a weekly water but in high temperatures this should be increased. Run your orchid under a tap or let it soak in the sink for a few minutes. Wall-watered roots have plump green roots. If they look silvery grey or shrivelled, pop the plant under the tap.
  2. The ICE CUBE trick – add a few ice cubes to the surface of the bark instead of watering, avoiding the leaves. They will gradually melt and provide the required hydration. Make sure any surplus water is removed from beneath the orchid within an hour as orchids don’t like sitting in H2O.
  3. Grab some GRAVEL and give misting a MISS – orchids originate from warm tropical Asia and prefer humid conditions, rather than dry. Increase humidity for your orchid by placing the pot on a layer of wet gravel, keeping the water level below the top of the stones. Avoid using a water ‘mister’ as this can lead to spotting on the flowers and deposits on the leaves as many water supplies are ‘hard’, containing limescale.
  4. Do add some FEED – orchids grow more actively during the summer so add fertiliser to the water fortnightly. Their nutritional requirements are very minimal so only use orchid specific ‘food’ and never exceed the recommended dose. During cooler weather, orchids can happily survive on water without additional feed.
  5. DON’T let it shine – orchids love a bright window but they are not keen on direct sunlight, particularly in hot, dry weather. They also don’t like radiators. East or west-facing windows and bathrooms are best.

Mark Riley from Love Orchids said: “Growing orchids in the summer heat is really easy as long as you make some simple tweaks to your normal plant care routine. An extra water a week, some plant food and a position away from direct sun is key. Orchids look beautiful, can flower for months and last for years. And there’s an orchid for everyone’s tastes.”

The range of orchid products and gifts available at www.loveorchids.co.uk includes:

Mini orchids – from £20 for four including delivery

Large orchids (single stem) – from £28 for four including delivery

Large orchids (twin stem) – from £40 for four including delivery

Mini orchid in ceramic – choice of pink or white mini orchid in its own ceramic pot £19 including delivery

Mini orchid duo in ceramics – two orchids in two stylish ceramic pots £30 including delivery

Mini cascade orchids – from £28 for four including delivery

Mini cascade orchid in ceramic – choice of pink or white mini cascade orchid in its own ceramic pot £22 including delivery

ENDS

For further press information contact Emma Mason at emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Notes for editors:

Double H Nurseries, which runs Love Orchids, was established in 1961 and supplies over 4.5 million indoor plants to UK retailers including orchids, roses, poinsettias and chrysanthemums.

 

 

 

 

Newby Hall Gardens open to the public for 2020 season

Newby Hall Gardens open to the public for 2020 season

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One of the UK’s finest gardens, Newby Hall in North Yorkshire, has opened to visitors for the first time this year. The famous horticultural landmark, the current holder of the Historic Houses Garden of the Year title, should have opened in April for the 2020 season but lockdown started before the gates could open.

Owners Richard and Lucinda Compton, aided by the head Gardener Phil Cormie, have worked through the enforced two-month closure, mowing grass, planting and watering the 25 acres of gardens to make sure they are looking at their early summer best. Gates were finally opened to members of the public on Saturday (6 June).

Strict measures have been put in place to ensure visitor and staff safety. Online ticket booking only has been introduced to manage the number of visitors each day, with a limit on numbers arriving in three different arrival periods.  Safety information is given to visitors at the start of their visit to ensure social distancing and staff at the visitor entrance are protected by plastic screens, as are the team at the onsite café providing take-away refreshments.  Additional toilets have been opened in the gardens and a rigorous hygiene regime implemented for all outdoor areas.

“It is an overwhelming feeling of relief to see visitors back enjoying the gardens,” said Richard Compton “Visitors, and the essential income they bring, allow us to maintain the house and gardens for future generations of visitors to enjoy.  It is wonderful to see people coming through the gates at Newby again.”

Stuart Gill, Commercial Director, said “The lockdown period frustratingly coincided with the sunniest ever May but we’re delighted that the easing of the lockdown measures has allowed us finally to open the gardens.  We hope that the playground, railway, restaurant, exhibitions and house tours can open soon too.”

For more information go to www.newbyhall.com 

Notes to editors

Newby Hall is one of Britain’s finest Adam Houses.  Built in the 1690s by Sir Christopher Wren, it was later enlarged and adapted by John Carr and subsequently Robert Adam. Newby in the modern day is a popular visitor attraction, welcoming approximately 150,000 visitors each Opening Season.

Attractions at Newby Hall include Adventure Gardens, Gardens, Miniature Train, The Brandreth Bears and the Dollshouse Collection.

Newby Hall & Gardens, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 5AJ. Telephone: 01423 322583.

 

Exbury’s head gardener Thomas Clarke tending the flag irises which are in full bloom

Getting the flags out: 200-acre Exbury Gardens to reopen to the public on Saturday 30 May

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  • Iconic New Forest woodland garden to reopen with special measures in place to keep visitors safe
  • Revamped Iris Garden putting on a show plus early summer floral ‘wow’ in herbaceous borders and Centenary Garden
  • Lots of open space and room to roam with over 20 miles of pathways
  • Online ticket booking only with a daily visitor limit of 500 people and time slots for entering the gardens

One of the south’s most famous gardens, Exbury Gardens in the New Forest, will be reopening its gates to the public on Saturday (30 May). With 200 acres of stunning woodland landscape to explore and even some of its world-renowned rhododendrons still in bloom, Exbury will be welcoming visitors back just as its summer flower-power season kicks off.

Special measures will be in place to keep visitors safe including online ticket booking only, a daily visitor limit of 500 people, and time slots for entering the gardens, so arrivals can be staggered.

Visitors will be treated to a riot of plant colour in the herbaceous borders near Exbury House, the recently-opened Centenary Garden gearing up for its summer floral show, a revamped Iris Garden, a new Birch Walk, swathes of beautiful landscaped woodland, over 20 miles of meandering pathways, and even some of Exbury’s famous rhododendrons putting on their last blossom of the season.

Lionel de Rothschild, chairman of Exbury Gardens Trust, said: “We have 200 acres of space at Exbury filled with the most beautiful plants and trees that look absolutely spectacular at the start of the summer, and we’re so looking forward to sharing it with our visitors again. There’s lots of room to roam and experience nature at its best, and we’re putting special protective measures in place to keep everyone safe.”

To visit Exbury, visitors can book advance tickets online and choose an arrival time for their entry to the gardens. Toilets will be open and sanitised regularly, and refreshments and sandwiches will be available to purchase Wednesday-Sunday. Steam railway trains and guided buggy tours will not be operating. Full details on how to book and tips on visiting can be found at www.exbury.co.uk.

Created by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919, a passionate collector of plants and a keen supporter and sponsor of the early 20th century plant hunters, Exbury has grown to become a stunning garden paradise filled with rare plants, shrubs and trees. Its Centenary Garden, designed by Lionel’s great grand-daughter and RHS gold medal award-winning designer, Marie-Louise Agius, opened to the public last year.

“Over the last couple of months we’ve had fun sharing Exbury virtually over our social media channels but we can’t wait for the public to come back through the gates so they can experience the gardens first-hand and in all their glory,” said Marie-Louise, who has been posting images and video of the gardens during lockdown on Exbury’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds.

ENDS

For further information or images, contact PR Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or Celise Galloway on 023 8024 5754 celise.galloway@exbury.co.uk

 

Notes for Editors:

Exbury Gardens, located in the New Forest near Southampton, is open daily until 1 November 2020 10am – 5.30pm. Full information at www.exbury.co.uk Thanks to its unrivalled collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, Exbury Gardens is famed for its riot of spring colour, as well as a vast array of beautiful, mature rare trees. Over recent years the Hampshire garden has been expanded for all-season interest with areas designed to show off summer and autumn ‘flower power’, as well as an extension of its 1 1/2-mile Rhododendron Line steam railway.

 

 

Wild Exbury: Nature-friendly focus for visitors at New Forest’s Exbury Gardens in 2020

Wild Exbury: Nature-friendly focus for visitors at New Forest’s Exbury Gardens in 2020

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New Dragonfly Pond learning zone & Dragonfly Halt steam railway stop

Wild Exbury theme with nature-based activities for visitors

New garden attractions include a Birch Walk & revamped Iris Garden

Exbury Gardens in the New Forest will be encouraging visitors of all ages to learn more about the natural world this year with a programme of wildlife-themed activities, and a new Dragonfly Pond education area and steam railway stop.

Wild Exbury

Building on the success of its 2019 centenary, the 200-acre woodland garden will be running a Wild Exbury programme of events when it opens for the season on 14 March until 1 November 2020. Visitors will get the chance to track wildlife around Exbury, learn bushcraft skills, pond dip, and identify rare plants and trees, as well as native wildflowers.

A Dragonfly Pond learning zone, with floating pontoons for visitors to walk on so they can get close to the wildlife action, will be unveiled. Designed with the help of the UK’s leading dragonfly experts*, this area will boast interpretation boards filled with dragonfly facts and take-away tips on how you can encourage these wonderful creatures into your own back garden. An existing, large ornamental pond in the gardens has been adapted for the insects with dragonfly-friendly, native aquatic and marginal plants.

Dragonflies are crucial bio-indictors of the health of the UK’s rivers, canals and ponds, but modern-day development, drainage and climate change have meant their numbers have fallen dramatically. By creating a dragonfly education space, Exbury Gardens hopes to boost awareness of their plight and inspire visitors to help protect them. Exbury’s Dragonfly Pond area will also include an outdoor shelter which will act as a classroom for local groups and school children. The zone will be open to visitors from late spring.

And steam railway buffs will be chuffed as Exbury’s famous Rhododendron Line steam railway will now be able to stop at the Dragonfly Halt platform, so visitors can easily disembark to explore the new pond area.

Other developments at Exbury in 2020 include a new Birch Walk leading down to Jubilee Pond, and a refurbished Iris Garden containing hundreds of stunning new iris plants, and tree ferns.

Thomas Clarke, head gardener at Exbury, said: “The gardens at Exbury are rightly famous for their unique plant collections but they also offer visitors a wonderful opportunity to get closer to nature. We have 200 acres of incredible woodland gardens, wildflower meadows and ponds to explore, plus lots of wildlife to spy.”

Created by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919, a passionate collector of plants and a keen supporter and sponsor of the early 20th century plant hunters, Exbury has grown to become a stunning garden paradise filled with rare plants, shrubs and trees. Its Centenary Garden, designed by Lionel’s great grand-daughter and RHS gold medal award-winning designer, Marie-Louise Agius, opened to the public last year, as did the River of Gold, around 150,000 mainly yellow spring bulbs planted in the lawns, weaving around rare trees near Exbury House, to give a colour burst.

Exbury is most famous for its unrivalled collection of rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas. Thousands of rhododendrons have been planted over the years and well over 1,000 hybrids have been raised by three generations of the Rothschild family.

ENDS

For further information or images, contact PR Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or Celise Galloway on 023 8024 5754 celise.galloway@exbury.co.uk

Notes for Editors:

Exbury Gardens, located in the New Forest near Southampton, is open daily from 14 March 2020 until 1 November 2020 10am – 5.30pm. Full information at www.exbury.co.uk Thanks to its unrivalled collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, Exbury Gardens is famed for its riot of spring colour, as well as a vast array of beautiful, mature rare trees. Over recent years the Hampshire garden has been expanded for all-season interest with areas designed to show off summer and autumn ‘flower power’, as well as an extension of its 1 ½-mile Rhododendron Line steam railway.

* Ruary Mackenzie Dodds and his wife Kari de Koenigswarter are leading dragonfly experts. Ruary is a Dragonfly Ambassador for the British Dragonfly Society, having opened Europe’s first public Dragonfly Sanctuary, published two books on the species and appeared on BBC Springwatch. Kari co-wrote The Dragonfly-Friendly Gardener with Ruary, and compiled the British Dragonfly’s Information Pack for Schools. She has also run courses on identifying dragonflies. The couple spend part of the year raising the importance of dragonflies as bio-indicators in New Zealand.

 

 

Lakeland Gold

New vegan-friendly peat-free compost mix from Dalefoot as company marks major UK peat bog restoration milestone

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From saving peatlands to #peatfree

  • Dalefoot’s popular Lakeland Gold clay-buster compost now vegan-friendly
  • Its peat-free composts stocked in 112 garden centres/nurseries across UK including NEW for spring 2020 six Blue Diamond stores
  • Dalefoot’s environmental business restored over 32,700 hectares of damaged peat bog in 20 years  – over 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions stored since it was launched
  • Company works on Dartmoor, the Cairngorms and in the Lake District restoring peatlands to lock in carbon and reduce flooding risk

Dalefoot Composts has boosted its pioneering peat-free gardening range with a vegan-friendly compost for spring 2020 and announced a major carbon-saving milestone for its environmental contracting arm that restores precious peatlands across the UK.

The family-run company’s popular Lakeland Gold* compost, made from bracken sustainably harvested from the local fells, is now 100% vegan-friendly, thanks to a tweak to its potash-rich recipe**.

Lakeland Gold acts as a powerful soil conditioner, ideal for spring and autumn mulching on your garden beds as well as clay-busting, and is packed with natural slow-release nutrients helping to develop a fertile, living soil. Like the rest of Dalefoot’s peat-free, premium compost range, it is Soil Association-approved for organic growing and is available to buy online or from a growing list of stockists.

As well as encouraging gardeners to use peat-free compost, in a further step to combat the challenges of climate change, Dalefoot also helps restore the UK’s damaged peat bogs. Last year its team repaired over 3,200 hectares of degraded peatlands across the UK – some damaged by peat extraction for the horticultural industry – adding to the 29,500 hectares it’s completed in the past 20 years, the equivalent of 45,800 football pitches. Using innovative restoration techniques, the work turns the bogs back into carbon sinks. This equates to 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions– equivalent to 500,000 flights from London to New York – saved since Dalefoot started two decades ago, .

Professor Jane Barker, who runs Dalefoot Composts with her husband Simon Bland, said: “We are all now witnessing the effects of global warming and climate change: be it earlier flowering bulbs, the need for extra watering or for some too much rain. As gardeners we all have the opportunity to make a difference! Going peat-free isn’t just a personal choice, it’s a way we can all have an impact in our own individual way on climate change. Peat is pure carbon laid down over thousands of years and it needs to stay in a bog (not a bag!). Lots of little steps make giant strides.”

Simon and Jane have pioneered techniques to repair these fragile landscapes, with their team often working in challenging conditions in remote sites for organisations like Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and South West Water. They have engineered specialist equipment, lighter than a human footprint, needed to work on the delicate surface of peat bogs.

Dalefoot Composts is a farm-based business producing an exciting range of peat-free composts using only the natural resources of wool and bracken sustainably sourced from the beautiful Lake District. Its premium composts include Wool Compost for Potting & Containers, Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads, Wool Compost for Tomatoes, Wool Compost Double Strength, Wool Compost Ericaceous (and Double Strength), Bulb Compost and Wool Compost for Seeds. Lakeland Gold, the original bracken compost, is now 100% vegan-friendly.

ENDS

For further information please contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762117433

Notes for editors: *Lakeland Gold – enriches your soil by increasing the organic matter. Benefits include natural slow release nutrients, moisture retention, pH balance, erosion reduction and providing a banquet for earthworms. Apply in the autumn directly to the top of the soil and allow the worms to work it into the beds. Also use as a top dressing for plants in the spring. Feeds naturally for two years. Proven CLAYBUSTER – clay soils will gain a more open structure so they drain better. The lignin contained in the bracken breaks up the clay and releases the nutrients held within. ** It no longer contains farmyard manure.

Dalefoot’s story – The entrepreneurial couple behind Dalefoot, environmental scientist Jane Barker and farmer Simon Bland, started making compost from the natural ingredients around their Cumbrian farm in 1997. Inspired by early 20th century gardening books that mentioned wool as a garden mulch, and a desire to make good use of the invasive bracken growing on the fells, the couple invented their secret compost recipe, bagged the product up themselves and started selling at local farmers’ markets. Twenty years later the compost is sold across the UK and has been shortlisted for RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Product of the Year. The business employs 18 local people, and sources bracken and wool from local farmers.

Growing benefits of the compost include:

  • Natural water retention of wool fibres means up to 50% less watering.
  • Wool provides a steady, slow sustained supply of nitrogen.
  • High levels of natural potash from the bracken promotes flowering and fruiting, healthy growth and hearty crops – NO need for any additional plant food.
  • Made from 100% renewable resources with great environmental benefits.
  • The compost has a similar soft texture to peat and has a wide range of naturally occurring trace elements for good plant health.

The range is available online at www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk from £10.99 per bag down to £7.50 each for orders of 50 bags plus delivery, and also from a growing list of stockists.

Tel: 01931 713281   Email: sales@dalefootcomposts.co.uk  @DalefootCompost

 

Birds, bees, butterflies and brilliant wee beasties: wildlife and biodiversity in Scotland’s open gardens to be celebrated in 2020

Birds, bees, butterflies and brilliant wee beasties: wildlife and biodiversity in Scotland’s open gardens to be celebrated in 2020

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  • 526 gardens to open their gates for charity across the country during the year
  • 89 gardens opening for the first time
  • At least 47 gardens opening for a May Garden Festival Weekend (23-25 May), 26 participating in Snowdrops & Winter Walks (Feb-March) and 17 in the Angus & Dundee Garden Trail during June
  • 8 allotments, 9 therapeutic, 17 community and 3 school gardens, plus several retirement homes
  • Over 250 charities, large and small, to benefit from funds raised
  • Openings will raise importance of ‘healthy gardens’ packed with wildlife and their contribution to environment and tackling climate chang

 

The positive impact gardens can make to the environment in a world battling climate change is to be highlighted this year by the open garden charity Scotland’s Gardens Scheme.

With over 500 mainly private gardens opening their gates to the public, and around 40% of those boasting a wildlife area, the charity is calling on visitors to embrace the natural world by enjoying, learning and being inspired to create nature-friendly features in their own gardens at home.

“Every little helps: whether it be planting flowers to attract pollinators or using natural pest controls; making a garden pond or keeping bees,” says the charity’s President, HRH The Duchess of Rothesay (HRH Duchess of Cornwall) in the 2020 Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Guidebook, which also includes wildlife gardening tips from Simon Milne MBE, Regius Keeper for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Special wild gardens opening this year include Baile Geamhraidh on a biodynamic farm on the Island of Lismore in the Inner Hebrides, where wildflowers, birds, bees and butterflies abound; Barochreal in Argyll with active beehives, a wild garden, a small glen and waterfall where 40 different species of moth and over 70 species of wildflowers, including three types of wild orchid, have been spotted, as well as red squirrels and pine martins; and Bruckills Croft in Aberdeenshire, the home of award-winning wildlife gardener Helen Rushton, which has its own butterfly alley.

For the first time, a May Garden Festival Weekend (23-25 May) will be held with dozens of gardens opening across Scotland, including many normally only open ‘by arrangement’. Galanthophiles will love the 26 gardens opening for Snowdrop & Winter Walks during February and March including  Kailzie Gardens in Peeblesshire & Tweeddale, a snowdrop collection of over 150 varieties at Ecclesgreig Castle in Kincardine & Deeside, and Danevale Park which is opening for the fiftieth time on 23 February with an old-fashioned tea served in the house. Running over Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in June, the Angus & Dundee Garden Trail will offer 17 diverse gardens to explore, including a wildflower meadow, community garden and productive walled garden.

During the year visitors will get the chance to visit 89 new gardens, opening to the public for the first time for the charity, including:

  • Jupiter Artland, & Bonnington House, Edinburgh & West Lothian: private garden of Bonnington House and extensive grounds of the adjoining award-winning sculpture park, and contemporary arts and education venue – Jupiter Artland, is an example of an extraordinary marriage of arts and nature.
  • Gardyne Castle, Angus: beautiful and varied formal gardens, featuring a fishpond and the family’s collection of chickens, merge into mature woods and parkland with a spectacular display of bluebells and romantic walks along the Denton Burn.
  • Duchess of Montrose Memorial Garden, Glasgow & District: a delightful and peaceful new garden created from the derelict site of a former shipyard. The garden has provided huge therapeutic benefits for everyone who has visited it.
  • 1 Burnton Road, Ayrshire: a serpentine path meanders through dense planting of palms, bamboos and tree ferns. Of particular note are hardy and tender bromeliads and aroids such as arisaema and colocasia.
  • Crinan, Wigtownshire : ten lochs, many unusual conifers including Wollemi Pine.
  • Bothwell Village Gardens, Lanarkshire: four delightful gardens developed by various local organisations in conjunction with the Local Authority. Each has its own atmosphere created by individual plantings. You will find formal and informal gardens, managed woodland, a sensory garden, suffragette-inspired planting, wildflowers, sculptures, plus quirky features such as craft bombing and fairy doors.

“This year we are thinking about healthy gardens by celebrating wildlife,” said Terrill Dobson, National Organiser for Scotland’s Gardens Scheme. “Our gardens and greenspaces are ecosystems that nurture a vast array of biodiversity including insects, butterflies, birds, small animals, earthworms and even beneficial bacteria. And these in turn benefit our gardens, through pollination, improved structure and pest control, just to name a few. It’s wonderful to offer the public so many fantastic nature-friendly gardens to visit and we’re hoping lots of people will walk away inspired by what they’ve seen.”

Other highlights include Shetland gardens celebrating 10 years opening for the charity such as Cruisdale,  Highlands Garden, Lea Gardens, Nonavaar and Norby.

More than 250 local and national charities will benefit from the funds raised through garden openings including Scotland’s Gardens Scheme’s own beneficiary charities – the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, Maggie’s and Perennial. It will also be offering a £5,000 bursary to a guest charity to help fund projects to improve physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Last year Trellis received a bursary towards its excellent work to support therapeutic gardens across Scotland.  Over £1 million has been raised for charity over the last four years through Scotland’s Garden Scheme’s openings.

ENDS

For further media information please contact: Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or 07762 117433.  High res images and logos are available.

OR Terrill Dobson, National Organiser, on  terrill@scotlandsgardens.org  or 0131-226 3714,

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Scotland’s Gardens Scheme raises money for other charities by facilitating the opening of large and small gardens of horticultural interest throughout Scotland to the public. Most are privately owned and are normally inaccessible to the public at other times.

Visitors can plan their days out to participating gardens by clicking onto scotlandsgardens.org.  Click on which area you’d like to visit and details of all gardens opening locally will be displayed, with opening hours, online map and key details. Garden highlights can also be found on Twitter @ScotGardens  Instagram ScotlandGardenScheme and on Facebook ScotlandsGardens.  As well as on the website, garden listings can be found in the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme 2020 Guidebook, on sale in major bookshops, at tourist attractions, garden centres etc and online via www.scotlandsgardens.org.

Sixty percent of funds raised may go to charities nominated by each garden owner with the net remainder being donated to SGS beneficiary charities.

 

 

 

Rock Garden Restoration, Newby Hall, North Yorkshire UK

Rock on! New head gardener at Newby Hall to lead major five-year rock garden restoration project

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  • Phil Cormie appointed head gardener joining from the Himalayan Garden & Sculpture Park
  • Newby’s historic Edwardian rock garden to be completely renovated in five-year project
  • Newby nr Ripon was recently crowned Historic Houses Garden of the Year

Yorkshire’s famous horticultural landmark Newby Hall is set to get an extensive rock garden facelift, thanks to a major restoration scheme being led by new head gardener Phil Cormie.

Phil Cormie has joined Newby’s team from North Yorkshire’s Himalayan Garden & Sculpture Park and the first task on his ‘to do’ list is to crack on with transforming the overgrown historic rock garden area.

Built before WW1 when the new trend for rock garden construction was at its peak, Newby’s rock garden includes a waterfall, stone bridge that doubles as a miniature aquaduct and many vast rocks covered with rare plants and trees. Ellen Willmott, the visionary Edwardian plantswoman and a great friend of Newby’s owners at the time, was integral in its conception and construction. Work on the garden ceased in 1914 when many of the Estate workers signed up for Kitchener’s Army, heading off to France. Sadly, many did not return.

Newby Hall garden team in the rock garden
Picture Credit Charlotte Graham

Over the years, plants and trees in the rock garden have matured and outgrown the space and now, over a century later, the area will once again become the main focus for the Newby garden team. Working closely with specialists Kevock Garden Plants & Design, Phil Cormie, and Newby’s owners Richard and Lucinda Compton, aim to transform the space to ensure it is conserved for generations of visitors to come.

With a team of six, Phil Cormie is keen to ensure Newby remains one of the best gardens in the UK. He said: “The chance to play a part in shaping the spirit and the story of Newby Hall was irresistible. I am delighted to be involved in this exciting and important project, to protect and enhance one of Britain’s finest gardens. Visitors have a real love for Newby Hall so my aim is to provide a real floral spectacle as well as enhancing the beauty and romance of the garden.

“Transforming and renovating the rock garden is a huge project and causes quite a dilemma as it’s obviously important to retain the spirit of the place. The overgrown tree canopy did give the air of a secret garden but this caused the herbaceous underplanting to be wiped out due to a lack of sunlight. There are no original plans or planting schemes so we are trying to interpret what we believe to be the original vision for the rock garden – huge rocky outcrops with intimate planting pockets for unusual alpines. By removing some of the tree canopy, we have already started to unveil the scale and drama of the rock faces which are spectacular!”

Newby was recently crowned the Historic Houses Garden of the Year and its much-loved gardens are visited by over a hundred thousand people every year and often feature on film and TV. Taking centre stage is the eye-catching 172-metre-long double border, celebrated for being the longest in a private garden in the UK, plus 14 other stunning garden ‘rooms’, two heritage orchards and 30 acres of woodland.

Already a star of film and screen productions such as Peaky Blinders, Victoria, Gentleman Jack and the ABC Murders, Newby Hall will step further into the spotlight later this year when the popular three-day Harrogate Autumn Flower Show permanently moves site to its grounds.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Louise Scott on louise.s@newbyhall.com  01423 320412

newbyhall.com Twitter – @newbyhall  Facebook – newbyhallandgardens Instagram – newbyhallandgardens

NOTES TO EDITORS

  • Newby Hall is a William and Mary house located between Ripon and Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, built in the 1690s until the guidance of Christopher Wren. John Carr remodelled the house in the 18th century, with interiors by Robert Adam and furniture by Chippendale. Owner Richard Compton is the 10th generation of his family to live at Newby.
  • The House and Gardens are open to the public from April to September, attracting around 140,000 visitors each season. The venue boasts a restaurant, miniature railway, gift shop and plant centre, day visitor events and weddings.
  • The gardening team has a head gardener, 6 full time gardeners and a handful of volunteers.  They care for the 25 acres of formal gardens and a further 15 acres of woodland and orchard, plus a national collection of Cornus.
  • Newby Hall is just a few miles from the A1(M), the main London to Edinburgh motorway. Close by are the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors National Parks and the historic cities of York and Ripon.

 

 

Dave the Gardener takes a rest with "Yorkshireman on a Bench" by Jill Atley at Newby Hall

The nation’s favourite country house garden is…. Newby Hall crowned 2019 Historic Houses Garden of the Year

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  • First time the award, sponsored by Christies, has been decided by head-to-head online public vote
  • Nearly a third of the votes cast were for Yorkshire’s Newby Hall

Yorkshire’s Newby Hall is officially the nation’s favourite country house garden after scooping nearly a third of the votes in the first ever public online poll for the Historic Houses Garden of the Year.

Newby’s magnificent 40 acres of gardens and woodland triumphed against seven other leading gardens for the 2019 title in a head-to-head contest, sponsored by Christies. The prestigious Historic Houses award was redesigned and relaunched this year, featuring a shortlist for the first time since its creation in 1984. Previous winners were encouraged to participate – Newby Hall won in 1986 and so also becomes the first garden to win the title twice.

Newby’s much-loved gardens, owned by Richard and Lucinda Compton, are visited by around 140,000 people every year and often feature on film and TV. They are located at the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales and are filled with rare and beautiful plants and shrubs in 14 stunning garden ‘rooms’, as well as boasting one of the longest double herbaceous borders in the UK, two heritage orchards and acres of woodland.

Lucinda Compton said: “We are over the moon to win this award, particularly as the votes were cast by members of the public. To be the first garden to have won it twice makes it even more special. Our team of gardeners should feel very proud as they work tirelessly in all weathers to keep Newby always looking first class.”

Ben Cowell, Director General, Historic Houses, said: “Newby Hall is one of Yorkshire’s most popular visitor attractions, and is now officially the nation’s favourite garden! Historic Houses’ places tend to remain lived-in, family homes, which means that they are able to evolve and adapt over time. We should not be surprised that Newby has become the first garden to win this prestigious award twice – the changes introduced by owners Richard and Lucinda Compton have made Newby one of the country’s finest pleasure grounds.”

Over 6,000 votes were cast this year for the Historic Houses Garden of the Year, a significant increase in the number of votes from previous years. Newby Hall received 1,982 votes in total.

Already a star of film and screen productions such as Peaky Blinders, Victoria, Gentleman Jack and the ABC Murders, Newby Hall will step further into the spotlight next year when the popular three-day Harrogate Autumn Flower Show permanently moves site to its grounds. Newby Hall is also currently on the search for a new head gardener.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Louise Scott on louise.s@newbyhall.com  01423 320412

newbyhall.com Twitter – @newbyhall @newbyhallgarden Facebook – newbyhallandgardens Instagram – newbyhallandgardens

Photo credit – Charlotte Graham

 NOTES TO EDITORS

Newby Hall is a William and Mary house located between Ripon and Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, built in the 1690s until the guidance of Christopher Wren. John Carr remodelled the house in the 18th century, with interiors by Robert Adam and furniture by Chippendale. Owner Richard Compton is the 10th generation of his family to live at Newby. The House and Gardens are open to the public from April to September, attracting around 140,000 visitors each season. The venue boasts a restaurant, miniature railway, gift shop and plant centre, day visitor events and weddings. The gardening team has 6 full time gardeners and a handful of volunteers.  They care for the 25 acres of formal gardens and a further 15 acres of woodland and orchard, plus a national collection of Cornus. Newby Hall is just a few miles from the A1(M), the main London to Edinburgh motorway. Close by are the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors National Parks and the historic cities of York and Ripon.

Historic Houses is a not-for-profit organisation representing more than 1,650 of the UK’s independently owned historic houses, castles and gardens. Around 500 of these properties open their doors to visitors for days out, special tours, school visits, film locations, weddings and events, or as memorable places to stay. Members range from iconic stately homes such as Blenheim Palace, Highclere Castle, Castle Howard, Knebworth House, Longleat and Burghley House, to more intimate houses such as Traquair in Scotland, Treowen in Wales and Belle Isle in Northern Ireland. Most are still private family homes. The association was established in 1973 to help owners conserve these wonderful places in the interests of the nation and carries out lobbying, advisory and marketing work on behalf of member properties. Just over 320 houses and gardens take part in a member-access scheme, admitting over 50,000 card-carrying Historic Houses members for free.

Uber-stylish lakeside holiday lodges open in rural Cambridgeshire

Uber-stylish lakeside holiday lodges open in rural Cambridgeshire

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-Luxury Norwegian Log cabins where you can relax in nature under the stars-

A luxury lakeside leisure development, aimed at the booming staycation market, has opened near Gamlingay in south Cambridgeshire. Boasting three bespoke lodges built by Norwegian Log, Cambridgeshire Lakes promises a get-away-from-it-all location with 21st century comforts.

Inside one of the luxury lodges at Cambridgeshire Lakes

With hot tubs with gorgeous countryside views, lavish interiors in three spacious log cabins and a tranquil waterside setting with wild swimming, the new development is sure to be a big hit with visitors wanting weekends away, as well as those after a relaxing, longer break.

Owned by the Alexander family, Cambridgeshire Lakes sits on rolling farmland once held by the Downing family, famed for building Downing Street in London and the founding of Downing College in Cambridge. The seven-acre development is the farm diversification-brainchild of 30-year-old Charlie Alexander, working alongside luxury log cabin company Norwegian Log.

Charlie said: “Within two hours you can reach lots of cities by car from here, so it’s perfectly situated. We’re confident we can easily tap into the luxury staycation market and corporate events.”

Natural springs on the land were used to create the lake as the eye-catching focus for the small development. Charlie then teamed up with Norwegian Log’s design team to create a bespoke look and layout for the three new high-end lodges. Construction started on site in March and by May the build was complete.  “I had done a lot of research on log cabins. Norwegian Log was competitive on price and offered the high quality product that I wanted,” Charlie said. “I also wanted to flex the building to suit the landscape, so slightly lower windows to give a better view of the lake and a larger, open-plan living and kitchen space. Norwegian Log was very happy to help me with that.”

Left to right – Nick Forrester of Norwegian Log and Charlie Alexander of Cambridgeshire Lakes

Nick Forrester, director at Norwegian Log, said: “From the outset, Charlie wanted to create a premium holiday development and opting for our high quality log cabins, he’s achieved this. The quality of the fit-out is excellent and perfect for his target market.”

Finished to an exceptionally high standard, each lodge has two super-king bedrooms with en-suite bath and shower rooms. An open plan living area with log burner also houses a high-spec kitchen. Outside, each lodge has a private hot tub and panoramic views from the spacious decking area.  Guests can also enjoy wild swimming in the clear lake, which is strikingly blue thanks to the local blue clay soil.

The lake at Cambridgeshire Lakes

The lodges are open now for bookings. “The high quality wood gives that luxury look and really makes you feel like you are on holiday, like a traditional ski chalet, but with wonderful views of the rolling Cambridgeshire countryside,” said Charlie.

www.norwegianlog.co.uk  01189 669 236

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Notes for editors: Since the 1980s, Norwegian Log Buildings has been erecting buildings across the UK. It has supplied over 1,000 buildings to private clients, companies, holiday parks, local authorities, charities and public bodies. With a 30-strong team, the firm is based in Reading, Berkshire.

Further information on Cambridgeshire Lakes can be found at www.cambridgeshirelakes.co.uk

Newby Hall is on the search for a new head gardener

Can you fill these boots? New head gardener needed for one of the UK’s finest gardens

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Yorkshire’s famous floral landmark Newby Hall is on the search for a new head gardener to look after its magnificent 40 acres of gardens and woodland – including its flagship double herbaceous border, one of the longest in the country.

Newby’s much-loved gardens are visited by over a hundred thousand people every year and often feature on film and TV. Taking centre stage is the eye-catching 172-metre-long double border, celebrated for being the longest in a private garden in the UK, and the new head gardener will be in charge of looking after its 6,500 plants, as well as those in 14 other stunning garden ‘rooms’, two heritage orchards and 30 acres of woodland.

With a team of six, the head gardener will be charged with creating the best garden in the north of England and will follow in the successful footsteps of current head gardener Mark Jackson, who has overseen Newby for the last 20 years. Mark is moving onto the gardening team of York Gate Garden in Leeds, and so Newby’s owners Richard and Lucinda Compton are looking to hand over the horticultural reins to someone new.

Lucinda Compton said: “The gardens at Newby Hall are world famous and so we’re looking for someone who can really make them shine. Over the last decade we’ve developed them significantly and we’d like to continue doing that for future generations. If you are visionary but hands-on, have a great work ethic and think you can be a brilliant ambassador for Newby then we’d love to hear from you.”

Already a star of film and screen productions such as Peaky Blinders, Victoria, Gentleman Jack and the ABC Murders, Newby Hall will step further into the spotlight next year when the popular three-day Harrogate Autumn Flower Show moves site to its grounds.

Anyone interested in the role should apply in writing with CV to: The Agent, The Estate Office, Newby Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 5AE or by email to admin@newbyhall.com.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Louise Scott on louise.s@newbyhall.com  01423 320412

newbyhall.com Twitter – @newbyhall @newbyhallgarden Facebook – newbyhallandgardens Instagram – newbyhallandgardens

 NOTES TO EDITORS

  • Newby Hall is a William and Mary house located between Ripon and Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, built in the 1690s until the guidance of Christopher Wren. John Carr remodelled the house in the 18th century, with interiors by Robert Adam and furniture by Chippendale
  • Owner Richard Compton is the 10th generation of his family to live at Newby. Richard’s wife Lucinda, the Curator of the Gardens, is President of the North of England Horticultural Society, which organises the very successful Harrogate Flower Shows
  • The House and Gardens are open to the public from April to September, attracting around 130,000 visitors each season. The venue boasts a restaurant, miniature railway, gift shop and plant centre, day visitor events and weddings.
  • The gardening team has 6 full time gardeners and a handful of volunteers.  They care for the 25 acres of formal gardens and a further 15 acres of woodland and orchard, plus a national collection of Cornus.
  • Newby Hall is just a few miles from the A1(M), the main London to Edinburgh motorway. Close by are the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors National Parks and the historic cities of York and Ripon.
Ditch the plastic and go blooming retro says celebrity florist Jonathan Moseley

Ditch the plastic and go blooming retro says celebrity florist Jonathan Moseley

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Celebrity florist Jonathan Moseley to champion eco floristry tips at Harrogate Autumn Flower Show

With growing concerns about single-use plastics, celebrity florist Jonathan Moseley will be showcasing his top floristry eco hacks at Harrogate Autumn Flower Show next week (13-15 September), ditching the floral foam, and embracing natural and retro alternatives.

He will champion how to prune out single-use plastic foam. This moisture-retentive, lightweight ‘anchor’ for flowers has been the go-to floristry staple since it was invented in the 1950s but as it is non-biodegradable, eco-conscious arrangers are now seeking alternatives.

Jonathan will encourage show visitors to embrace sustainable substitutes for arranging that can still add a ‘wow’ to both simple and more ambitious flower displays but are easier on the environment.

Many of the techniques the renowned floral designer and founder of #flowertalk will be using hark back generations and will include:

  • Twigs and branches- made into a biodegradable ‘nest’ to give blooms gentle support
  • Damp sand – placed at the bottom of a vase to anchor stems
  • Chicken wire – formed into a ball to fit inside a container
  • Woven wool or raffia frames – make-your-own or buy these cobweb-like frames that give great support for arrangements
  • Upcycled vintage charity shop finds with glass flower roses, pinholders and 1920s-style flower rings.

Jonathan said: ” You can still achieve a huge variety of different styles and compositions by adopting alternative, reusable methods of arranging your flowers. The current trend for arranging flowers is to allow them to evoke their natural charm and simplicity by working in harmony with nature, as opposed to trying to tame or control it.”

As an ambassador for British flowers, and with the onset of Autumn, Jonathan will be encouraging the use of locally-sourced seasonal foliage and berries plus time-honoured favourites such as dahlia, gladioli, chrysanthemums and roses, all of which will be on display by the specialist societies at Harrogate.

Jonathan Moseley will be leading two floristry workshops a day at Harrogate Autumn Flower Show at 11am and 3pm. More details on www.jonathan-moseley.com.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Notes for Editors:

Jonathan Moseley is one of the country’s most respected horticulturalists, with a reputation for being at the cutting edge of floristry. His passion for gardening and flowers bloomed when he was just eight. His earliest memories are sowing and growing flowers with his grandfather and visiting the local flower shows together. By 11, he had his own greenhouse, supplying plants to family and friends – and even the local village shop. At 13, he was making his own mark at horticultural shows, winning a bevy of trophies for his floral finesse.

It is this life-long devotion to nurturing the perfect specimen that has seen him become a key figure in the British floristry industry. After university, Jonathan began running a highly successful chain of flower shops, dividing his time between the businesses and demonstrating and teaching.

Today, he continues to offer tuition to packed audiences across the UK and Europe with an extensive corporate and private client list, including the Royal Horticultural Society. Event flowers are his speciality and, constantly embracing the latest trends and techniques, he is able to create magical and unique displays. Renowned for his humour, charisma and great stage presence, he became Floral Expert on BBC TV’s ‘Big Allotment Challenge’ in 2014.

With 25 years in the floristry industry under his belt, it is his Derbyshire garden that allows him to stay down to earth – and it remains his central inspiration. Here, hands-on growing and a treasure trove of foliage and flowers continue to enhance many of his distinctive floral creations. “I remain fascinated by being able to sow an absolutely tiny little seed and know that, with a bit of care and nurture, it can manifest itself into this amazing colourful plant,” he says.

 

 

 

The Prince of Wales opens new Centenary Garden at Hampshire’s Exbury Gardens

The Prince of Wales opens new Centenary Garden at Hampshire’s Exbury Gardens

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– Royal visitor meets Rothschild family, gardeners, staff and volunteers at the 200-acre woodland garden-

The Prince of Wales has officially opened a new Centenary Garden at Exbury Gardens, marking 100 years since the banker and plantsman Lionel de Rothschild founded the now world-famous New Forest landmark.

Created in 1919, Exbury has grown to become a stunning 200-acre garden paradise filled with rare plants, shrubs and trees, and renowned for its colourful rhododendrons. Lionel’s passion for collecting and breeding plants, and his support and sponsorship of the early 20th century plant hunters, was key to its horticultural diversity.

During a visit yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 10 July), His Royal Highness was given a tour of the new Centenary Garden by its award-winning designer Marie-Louise Agius, Lionel’s great grand-daughter. He also met members of the Rothschild family who still live at Exbury, the gardening team, estate staff and volunteers.

Marcus Agius giving a welcome address to The Prince of Wales with members of the de Rothschild family, Exbury Estate staff and guests at the Centenary Garden opening

Contemporary in style, the Centenary Garden contains subtle nods to the Rothschild family history and has been planted with a particular focus on mid to late summer. It was planted two years ago in an old tennis court, almost at the centre of Exbury Gardens, and was carefully hidden from public view whilst it grew and matured. Now open to visitors, its scores of beautiful shrubs, climbers and perennials are in full bloom, providing a peaceful and fragrant spot for the public to explore.

His Royal Highness was introduced to members of the team who built the new garden, as well as the gardeners and local volunteers who now tend it, before unveiling a commemorative plaque.

To mark his visit The Prince of Wales planted a drought-resistant ornamental beech tree (Fagus orientalis) within Exbury’s grounds, following in the footsteps of Her Majesty The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Margaret and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who have also planted trees at Exbury.

Lionel de Rothschild, grandson of Exbury Gardens’ founder and current chairman of Exbury Gardens Trust, said: “We are deeply honoured that His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales has opened the new Centenary Garden. Over the past one hundred years, members of the Royal Family have been welcomed a number of times to Exbury Gardens to enjoy their beauty and to plant commemorative trees.”

Yesterday’s event was attended also by HM Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire Nigel Atkinson, High Sheriff of Hampshire Sarah Le May, New Forest District Council Chairman Councillor Allan Glass and Hampshire County Council Chairman Councillor Charles Choudhary.

Marcus Agius, chairman of the Board of Directors of Exbury Gardens, said: “We are delighted that His Royal Highness met our gardening team and the volunteers who work so diligently to keep Exbury Gardens looking beautiful throughout the year, as well as the contractors who constructed the new Centenary Garden. This is a garden that has been built to stand the test of time and we are thrilled that visitors can now explore and enjoy it.”

As well as the opening of the new Centenary Garden, centenary celebrations at Exbury have included an award-winning Exbury Gardens display at the recent RHS Chelsea Flower Show with Millais Nurseries, a new history exhibition at Exbury’s visitor entrance, and the planting of over 100,000 bulbs which bloomed in time for the 2019 season opening.

ENDS

For further information or images, contact PR Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or Celise Galloway on 023 8024 5754 celise.galloway@exbury.co.uk

Notes for Editors:

Exbury Gardens, located in the New Forest near Southampton, is open daily until 3 November 2019 10am – 5.30pm. Full information at www.exbury.co.uk Thanks to its unrivalled collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, Exbury Gardens is famed for its riot of spring colour, as well as a vast array of beautiful, mature rare trees. Over recent years the Hampshire garden has been expanded for all-season interest with areas designed to show off summer and autumn ‘flower power’, as well as an extension of its 1 ½-mile Rhododendron Line steam railway.

Centenary Garden – designed by Marie-Louise Agius, an RHS gold award-winning designer and helped realised by her team at Balston Agius Ltd; the garden is a contemporary, intimate space, focusing on late flowering summer perennials, interwoven between a strong vertical planted structure, with the existing yew hedging proving an evergreen backdrop. The central area is sunken, enhancing the three dimensional space, with the Rothschild 5 Arrows coat of arms in black Caledonian slate set into York stone paving. At the far end of the garden is a curved timber bench surrounded by cloud-pruned evergreen azaleas, a modern salute to the core history of the Gardens. Just over 2,000 plants have been used. Key structural plants include Gingko biloba ‘Tit’ – running through the main planting beds; Heptacodium micanoides – the pair of multi-stemmed trees in the far end bed;  Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ – en masse at the far end around the Heptacodium; Rhus typhina ‘Tiger eyes’ – contrasting with the existing Yew in the north-west corner, and Miscanthus ‘Graziella’ – running in swathes between the Gingkos.

 

Flamboyant 19th century-style Galician pleasure garden to entice at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

Flamboyant 19th century-style Galician pleasure garden to entice at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival

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The Dream of the Indianos from the Spanish Tourist Office and Turismo de Galicia

The rags to riches story of 19th century emigrants who travelled abroad to make their fortune and then return home to north west Spain to build lavish mansions and gardens, will be retold in an ambitious show garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival (2-7 July) this summer.

The Dream of the Indianos, designed by Rose McMonigall for the Spanish Tourist Office and Turismo de Galicia, will highlight the history of these ambitious people and their turn-of-the-century gardens which are a lesser known chapter of Spain’s horticultural past.

Ostentatious in style and laid out with new and exotic plant varieties, including shockingly out-of-place palm trees, these gardens were the ultimate status symbol of the ‘Indianos’. Having made their wealth in the West Indies, the philanthropic Indianos built homes heavily influenced by Caribbean colonial and elegant French design, and funded schools, hospitals and libraries, even the first ‘theme park’. Their gardens were a self-celebration of their new found status with recurrent reminders of their exotic life abroad.  New materials and post-Industrial Revolution techniques, such as ironwork and concrete, added into the mix to create a major and startling impact on Galician life, with elements still visible today.

Visitors to RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival will be treated to a re-creation of one of these fantastic gardens. The Dream of the Indianos is the imagined front garden of a pink-hued Galician mansion. From an imposing front door, a dramatic double staircase sweeps down to a clipped topiary, double circle parterre, surrounding a white marble water feature. Two signature phoenix palms dominate the space, softened with traditional Galician plants -camellias and blue mophead hydrangeas – as well as luscious canna lilies and yew. Materials, previously never used before in gardens, are celebrated – cast and wrought iron in the luxurious garden furniture, stained glass in the front door, and concrete in the staircase, house rendering and pergola.

Rose McMonigall said: “I was spellbound by the story of these dynamic people who made their dreams come true, returning to their Galician homeland to create their personal, paradise gardens. Quite a few of these gardens have been lost but you can still sense what these once glorious spaces would have felt like as now giant palm trees stud the landscape. The mansions themselves give an enticing glimpse into the once-lavish lifestyles led by the Indianos.”

The RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival garden will evoke the flamboyant style of the Indianos but it will mainly use plants which gardeners can enjoy in the UK, so ideal for show-goers who want an exotic but formal vibe in their own outdoor spaces. Many plants growing in Galicia also thrive happily in sheltered parts of the UK.

Javier Piñanes, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK, said: “We are delighted to bring this unique and eccentric garden design to Hampton Court this year.  Los Indianos that returned to Galicia contributed a great deal to the styles and architectural trends that can be found in Galicia today. This garden is a celebration of this heritage.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

This will be the fourth garden Rose McMonigall has designed for the Spanish Tourist Board at RHS Hampton. Last year she created Rías de Galicia: A Garden at the End of the Earth, in 2017 The Pazo’s Secret Garden and in 2016 The Route of the Camellia.

For more information on the region of Galicia, please visit http://www.turismo.gal/inicio 

For more information on RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, please visit  https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-hampton-court-palace-garden-festival

For further press information:

Emma Mason, Emma Mason PR T: 07762 117433 E: emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

The Spanish Tourist Office is represented by LOTUS, spain@wearelotus.co.uk

 

Contemporary bee-friendly garden for designer’s debut at RHS Hampton

Contemporary bee-friendly garden for designer’s debut at RHS Hampton

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  • The Urban Pollinator Garden by Caitlin McLaughlin sponsored by Warner’s super-premium gin
  • Lifestyle show garden will buzz with on-trend ideas for attracting bees and insects
  • To be rehomed at Cransley Hospice in Northamptonshire after the show closes

A young designer’s debut show garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival will be packed with stylishly simple take-home ideas for attracting pollinating insects, to inspire city dwellers to create their own nature-friendly back gardens.

The contemporary Urban Pollinator Garden by Caitlin McLaughlin of Thrift Landscapes, RHS Young Designer of the Year 2016, will fuse design, function and wildlife-friendly values. It will be sponsored by Warner’s – maker of Honeybee Gin – which is helping to fund the permanent relocation of the garden to Cransley Hospice in Northamptonshire after the show closes.

With a strong biodiversity message, the garden is designed to attract bees and other insects using on-trend yet practical features. The space is designed to offer a place for people to relax after a long day at work, connect with nature, and surround themselves with pollinators, without the complexity of maintaining beehives themselves.

There will be no beehives in the garden – instead a honeycomb-shaped habitat wall, nesting sites for solitary bees and bumblebees, and pollinator-friendly planting which will all encourage a variety of wildlife into the garden.

Simple but strong design principles are important and will be seen throughout the layout and hard landscaping of the garden. Contemporary honeycomb shapes will feature throughout, forming the structure of the sculptural habitat wall packed with twigs and branches, and hexagonal paving will be dotted with specially-made bee-printed tiles to identify entrances to underground bumblebee nests. The wall will also feature the innovative and stylish Bee Bricks, the award-winning solitary bee home design from Green & Blue, inspiring visitors to the show to replicate at home by simply placing in their garden, building into a wall or retrofitting in a few simple steps. Crab apple trees will offer architectural structure and provide spring pollen for bees, and the shallow cobble pond, fed by corten piping, will be the perfect place for bees to drink.

Caitlin’s tips for attracting pollinators to your garden:

  1. Create habitats within the garden design – don’t leave thinking about pollinators until after the garden is finished, build in spaces for them to nest as part of the layout. This way wildlife becomes a key aspect of the garden rather than an afterthought.
  2. Create sculptures as habitats – a habitat wall or solitary bee nest need not be a rustic, messy space at the back of the garden. Incorporate Green & Blue Bee Bricks or Bee Posts for sleek grey habitats in your garden, or build your own to suit your style. Our show garden features a freestanding hexagon sculpture that also acts as a habitat for solitary bees, mixing together art, design, and nature in one space.
  3. Think about your material choices – if you are creating a contemporary garden using grey sandstone tiles, why not use these to create Bumblebee homes as well. The nest underground needs to be straw lined, but the top of the nest can be contemporary stone, or in the case of my RHS Hampton Court garden, custom-made tiles with copper inlaid bee silhouettes, making sure nature features are functional and also high design.
  4. Water – Help keep the pollinators in your garden hydrated by providing a shallow pond or water bowl for them. Using metal tanks or powder-coated water bowls create contemporary features in your garden that also help the bees.
  5. Plan your planting with pollinators in mind. There are so many perennials, shrubs and trees that help bees so regardless of your garden style you will be able to find options that suit you and nature.

The Urban Pollinator Garden has many links to Warner’s, which runs multiple conservation and sustainability projects across the country, including Operation Honeybee, a series of initiatives designed to fortify the UK pollinator population, by planting wildflower habitat in the countryside home of Warner’s in Northamptonshire, as well as offering education and training to local colleges. Driven by its Honeybee Gin, which was launched in partnership with the RHS, Warner’s actively engages customers to get involved, as each bottle of Honeybee Gin comes with a packet of wildflower seeds to grow your own bee-friendly botanicals at home.

As part of a wider partnership with the RHS, Warner’s has also sponsored a new beekeepers initiative, and each year takes hives from Falls Farm to the Heather Garden at RHS garden Wisley.

Garden Designer Caitlin (29) said: “Built by Conway Landscapes, this garden will represent the importance of pollinators, specifically bees, within our own gardens and the wider environment. Living in a city, it is sometimes easy to forget about wildlife and the role it plays within our ecosystem. This design allows people to have a contemporary garden that still caters for pollinators, providing them with food and nesting spaces. My aim is for it to have multiple take-home messages to allow other people to adapt or create in their own gardens.”

A peaceful, naturalistic-looking planting scheme will be used, with pops of colour from perennials woven through grasses. Bee-friendly plants in calming purples, whites, and pinks will be used throughout the beds, including Campanula ‘Hemelstraling’, Astrantia ‘Superstar White Giant’ and Digitalis ‘Sutton’s Apricot’, with bright colour dashes from Achillea ‘Terracotta’ and Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’ reflecting the heat of summer.

After the show closes, the garden will be rehomed at Cransley Hospice in Kettering, Northamptonshire, a charity local to both Caitlin and sponsor Warner’s, where it can be enjoyed by the patients, visitors and hospice staff for many years to come.

Warner’s (formerly Warner Edwards) was founded in 2012 by husband and wife team, Tom Warner and Tina Warner-Keogh, with the aim of ‘saving the world from mediocre gin’. Established on the family-owned Falls Farm in Northamptonshire, every bottle is hand-sealed and distilled in small batches on site using bespoke copper stills. Drawing water from their spring, growing seasonal botanicals, and collecting fresh honey from their farm’s own beehives – Warner’s is a farm-born, ‘graft’ gin created with a deep love of the land.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Notes to editors:

Contractor – Conway Landscapes; Paving – Marshalls; Bee Bricks for Habitat Wall – Green & Blue; Hedging – Practicality Brown

Caitlin McLaughlin, 29, is an award-winning garden designer based in Northamptonshire. Formerly working at the Natural History Museum and Kew Gardens in plant sciences and conservation, Caitlin decided to pursue her passion for garden design, establishing a garden design practice, Thrift Landscapes, with her sister.  In 2016 Caitlin received a Gold Medal for her Nature and Nurture show garden at RHS Tatton and the prestigious RHS Young Designer of the Year accolade. She was the youngest of the three finalists to win the award that year. Following this award Caitlin was approached by Hillier Nurseries to gain invaluable experience on their 2017 Chelsea garden including mentorship by designer Sarah Eberle.  www.thriftlandscapes.co.uk Twitter: @Caitlin_ThriftL @ThriftLandscape Instagram: thriftlandscapes

About Warner’s

Since its inception in December 2012, every bottle of farm born Warner’s gin is lovingly hand-crafted with nature on Falls Farm in Harrington, Northamptonshire, by Tom & Tina Warner and their dream team.

After years of planning and months of experimentation, the team at Falls Farm created its first, award-winning Harrington Dry Gin – the brand’s unique version of a London dry gin – under the original brand name of Warner Edwards. Since 2012, the brand has pushed further, forging new gins and whole new categories of gin – creating world firsts, like the sweet, tangy Rhubarb Gin.

The Warner’s range currently includes Harrington Dry, Rhubarb, Sloe, Elderflower, Lemon Balm and Honeybee Gins at the following price points:

  • Warner’s Sloe Gin: £30 RRP / 30% ABV
  • Warner’s Harrington Dry Gin: £33 RRP / 44% ABV
  • Warner’s Elderflower Gin: £33 RRP / 40% ABV
  • Warner’s Rhubarb Gin: £38 RRP / 40% ABV (Was Victoria’s Rhubarb Gin)
  • Warner’s Honeybee Gin: £40 RRP / 43% ABV
  • Warner’s Lemon Balm Gin: £40 RRP / 43% ABV (Was Botanical Garden Melissa Lemon Balm Gin)

Warner’s has received several business and drinks-related accolades for its well-rounded and balanced delivery of elegant flavours, including:

  • #1 Super Premium Flavoured Gin in the on and off trade as of 31 Dec 2018
  • Ranked 6th in The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 in 2018
  • Outstanding Contribution to the Craft Distilling Industry
  • San Francisco World Spirits Awards: 2x Double Gold, Gold and Silver
  • IWSC– Gold and Silver
  • Global Distillery Master in Consumer Experience & Digital and Social Media
  • Berlin International Spirits Competition’s English Distillery of the Year 2018, as well as Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for a variety of gins in the range

Cransley Hospice Trust is committed to providing exceptional holistic care to patients living with life-limiting illness in North Northamptonshire.  They provide specialist end-of-life care to patients with complex needs and support patients in their chosen place of care at the end of life, whether this is in the Hospice or in the patient’s home. Cransley Hospice Trust is a registered charity which every year provides funding to support the care provided by Cransley Hospice. They need to raise over £1.4 million per year to ensure services will always remain free and outstanding to their patients.

Visit the website or social media channels for additional information about the services provided and the current fundraising activities. Website: www.cransleyhospice.org.uk Facebook:  @cransleyfundraising Twitter: @cransleyhospice Instagram: @cransleyhospice

For additional information or all press queries regarding Cransley Hospice, please contact Jacqueline Cheung, Marketing Manager at jacqueline.cheung@cransleyhospice.org.uk or on 01536 452423.

 

Add show garden chic to your home – inside or out – with decorative modular wall panel from Stark & Greensmith

Add show garden chic to your home – inside or out – with decorative modular wall panel from Stark & Greensmith

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  • Launched at RHS Chelsea Flower Show & sold in support of horticulture welfare charity Perennial
  • Unique rose design inspired by The Perennial Lifeline Garden at RHS Chelsea – featuring Stark & Greensmith panels – celebrating Sir Roy Strong’s The Laskett Gardens and Perennial’s 180th anniversary
  • Easy-to-install style feature for the garden or home

The Perennial Rose modular wall panel from Stark & Greensmith

Give your home or garden an instant contemporary update with this stunning Corten decorative panel from Stark & Greensmith, sold in support of horticulture welfare charity Perennial.

Capturing the timeless beauty of the rose, the laser cut Perennial Rose panel can be hung like a picture on walls inside your home, or outdoors to add the ‘wow’ factor to your garden space. Position against a wall and light from behind for an on-trend finishing touch, or allow sunlight to stream through casting beautiful shadows on plants, seating area or terrace. Group three or four panels together to create a spectacular focal point.

Designed by Stark & Greensmith’s Creative Director Martine Le Gassick, the hand-finished panel features an intricate rose pattern in a nod to the traditional rose garden at Sir Roy Strong’s renowned The Laskett Gardens in Herefordshire. This same rose garden was reimagined in the Perennial Lifeline Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show to mark the charity’s 180th year of helping people in horticulture. The garden also featured bespoke Stark & Greensmith metalwork*.

Launched at RHS Chelsea on Perennial’s trade stand, the Perennial Rose modular decorative panel is available to buy via Stark & Greensmith and Perennial’s websites priced £149. Proceeds will be donated to Perennial to help fund the charity’s vital support work with people working in the horticulture industry.

Fabricated in solid, Corten steel and finished by hand, the Perennial Rose panel measures 500m x 500m x 27mm. Lightly sanded, the panels have been made to weather and develop a beautiful rich rusted patina overtime that will last a lifetime. Designed and produced in Britain.

The Perennial Rose panel can be used inside your home or out

Martine Le Gassick said: “Our new Perennial Rose panel is an affordable way to create an instant architectural design statement for your home or garden. Made from tough Corten steel, it’s durable but beautiful to look at, and really easy to install or hang.

“We’re proud to be working with such an established charity as Perennial which does invaluable work for people in the horticulture industry.”

Stark & Greensmith’s panels are popular with householders wanting a ‘show garden’ look at home and gold medal-winning garden designers for their aesthetics and functionality. The core Stark & Greensmith range is predominantly inspired by nature with the best-selling design Branches designed to simulate the effect of dappled sunlight through foliage. Other designs include the Parterre range in conjunction with the RHS, the Japanese-inspired geometric Motif and the floral Burst and Drift. The panels retail from £275 each, with a range of fixing accessories also available. The panels are affixed by steel clamps to aluminium posts, set in concrete just like traditional fence posts. They are available from www.starkandgreensmith.com, and a network of trade installers and retailers across the UK.

Starter kits are also available to buy, priced from £1,215, which include everything you need for a run of three panels (panels, posts, clamps and end caps).

In addition to the standard range, Stark & Greensmith also undertakes bespoke commissions, with current projects ranging from single panels in domestic settings, through to major commercial, leisure, hospitality and public realm commissions.

Stark & Greensmith Ltd   Phone: 01737 701088   Email: sales@starkandgreensmith.com  www.starkandgreensmith.com

-ENDS-

For further media information on Stark & Greensmith please contact: Emma Mason | emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk | 07762 117433

For all media enquiries on Perennial please contact: Clare Johnson | clare@bloom-pr.co.uk | 07815 041635

Jennie Spears | jennie@bloom-pr.co.uk | 07944 552634

Notes for editors:

Stark & Greensmith panels – Made either from recycled steel or powder-coated aluminium, the long-lasting panels are laser cut with a range of beautiful botanical designs. Unlike conventional fencing, the panels are maintenance-free, wind resistant and improve with age. Alongside their contemporary and sustainable design aesthetics, the panels are hedgehog-friendly. When installed they float 11cm above the ground, enough room for the protected mammals to pass freely under them.

About Perennial – Perennial helps anyone who creates or maintains gardens, parks, sports facilities and other green spaces. If you work with plants, trees or grass, Perennial is your charity and can help you if you need support. Everyone working in or retired from horticulture can receive Perennial’s free and confidential tailored one-to-one advice, support and financial assistance. Perennial’s friendly, experienced and professional team helps families and individuals for as long as extra support is needed. We help around 1,500 people and their families every year as they deal with life-changing events such as serious injury, long-term illness, family bereavement, redundancy or family breakdown. We want everyone who works in horticulture to know that help is here if they need it and that no problem is too large or small. www.perennial.org.uk | Twitter: @PerennialGRBS | Facebook: @PerennialGRBS | Instagram: @perennialgrbs

*Perennial and Stark & Greensmith at RHS Chelsea – Perennial returned to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2019 with a Great Pavilion garden designed by first time Chelsea designers Colm Joseph and Duncan Cargill. Inspired by Sir Roy Strong’s autobiographical The Laskett Gardens, The Perennial Lifeline Garden, highlighted the long-standing and ever-evolving role of Perennial in supporting everyone working in and retired from horticulture. Chosen following a design competition run jointly by Perennial and the London College of Garden Design, Colm and Duncan’s garden celebrated Perennial’s role at the heart of horticulture and captured the spirit of Sir Roy Strong CH and Julia Trevelyan Oman’s The Laskett Gardens, which Sir Roy bequeathed to Perennial in 2015. It featured a classical rose garden reimagined as a more sustainable and low maintenance ‘rose meadow’. Freestanding Stark & Greensmith bespoke metal screens, stone and topiary columns and a pair of modern ‘fountains’ combined in a modern reimagining of a classical colonnade, in which visitors could move around and walk beneath the cascades. A contemporary rill, also made by Stark & Greensmith, flowed through and around the garden, adding life and sound to the structural planted elements, representing the ‘lifeline’ that Perennial is so often described as by the people it supports.

 

 

 

peat free Wool Compost for Tomatoes

‘No need to feed’, peat-free Wool Compost for Tomatoes launched by Dalefoot Composts

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  • Sustainable peat-free compost made from sheep’s wool & bracken
  • Easy to use – feeds tomatoes naturally and organically, no extra feed needed and 50% less watering
  • Launched during British Tomato Fortnight 20 May – 3 June
  • Made on a family farm in the Lake District and developed with 2019 RHS Master Grower Pennard Plants
peat free Wool Compost for Tomatoes

New from Dalefoot Composts – Wool Compost for Tomatoes

During British Tomato Fortnight, a ‘no need to feed’ peat-free Wool Compost for Tomatoes has been launched by Dalefoot Composts – easy to use for novice gardeners, allotment fans and even master growers wanting organically grown, succulent and juicy tomatoes.

The super strength compost contains all the must-have nutrients needed to grow organic and aromatic tomatoes throughout the year without ‘any’ additional tomato feed. And like the rest of Dalefoot’s range, it has been approved by the Soil Association for organic growing.

Developed with tomato expert Terry Marshall (horticulturist, tomato grower and author of the book ‘Tomatoes’), and Pennard Plants UK, (heirloom seed producers and RHS Master Grower 2019), this premium compost has grown show bench tomato plants for RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Wool Compost for Tomatoes is packed with the perfect blend of natural ingredients; bracken from the Cumbrian fells blended with sheep’s wool for sufficient moisture retention reducing the risk of blossom end rot. The bag can be used as a grow-bag or the compost can be used in pots, raised beds and pannier planting.

Simon Bland of Dalefoot Composts said: “Our new Wool Compost for Tomatoes is bursting with all-natural nutrients which are perfect for growing the tastiest organic tomatoes. You don’t need to add any extra feed and it is really simple to use – just pot up your plants, water them and watch them grow!”

Celebrating its 22nd year, Dalefoot Composts is a family-run, farm-based business producing an exciting range of peat-free composts using only the natural resources of wool and bracken sustainably sourced from the beautiful Lake District.

It offers premium composts to meet every gardening need – Wool Compost for Potting & Containers, Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads, Wool Compost Double Strength, Wool Compost Ericaceous (and Double Strength), Bulb Compost and Wool Compost for Seeds. Lakeland Gold, the original bracken compost, is a renowned clay-buster and high potash feed.

Wool Compost for Tomatoes is available to order online now from www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk and from selected suppliers priced from £10.99 – £7.50 per bag depending on size of order. Delivery extra.

ENDS

www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk 01931 713281

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

Growing benefits of Dalefoot Composts’ range include:

  • Natural water retention of wool fibres means up to 50% less watering.
  • Wool provides a steady, slow sustained supply of nitrogen.
  • High levels of natural potash from the bracken promotes flowering and fruiting, healthy growth and hearty crops – NO need for any additional plant food.
  • Made from 100% renewable resources with great environmental benefits.
  • The compost has a similar soft texture to peat and has a wide range of naturally occurring trace elements for good plant health.

The entrepreneurial couple behind Dalefoot, environmental scientist Jane Barker and farmer Simon Bland, started making compost from the natural ingredients around their Cumbrian farm in 1997. Inspired by early 20th century gardening books that mentioned wool as a garden mulch, and a desire to make good use of the invasive bracken growing on the fells, the couple invented their secret compost recipe, bagged the product up themselves and started selling at local farmers’ markets. Twenty years later the compost is sold across the UK and been shortlisted for RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Product of the Year. The business employs up to 40 local people, and sources bracken and wool from local farmers.

Exbury Centenary Garden designed by Marie-Louise Agius

Exbury Gardens celebrating its centenary year opens a new ‘secret’ garden & announces plans for RHS Chelsea

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Exbury Centenary Garden, built and grown in secret, now open to the public

Exbury Centenary Garden, built and grown in secret, now open to the public

Hampshire’s Exbury Gardens is marking its centenary with the unveiling of a new ‘secret’ garden and plans for a showcase display at the world’s most famous flower show, RHS Chelsea.

Created by Lionel de Rothschild in 1919, a passionate collector of plants and a keen supporter and sponsor of the early 20th century plant hunters, Exbury has grown to become a stunning garden paradise in the New Forest filled with rare plants, shrubs and trees.

Now its gates are open to the public for the 2019 season, visitors can get their first glimpse of a new Centenary Garden designed by Lionel’s great grand-daughter and RHS gold medal award-winning designer, Marie-Louise Agius. This was planted within Exbury Gardens in 2017 and has been carefully hidden from public view, whilst it grows and matures. Contemporary in style, it contains subtle nods to the family history and has been planted with a particular focus on late summer.

A stream of spring bulbs is also starting to bloom. Around 100,000 yellow and blue (Rothschild family colours) bulbs have been planted in the lawns, weaving around rare trees near Exbury House, to give a centenary colour burst including daffodils, crocus and bluebells.

Bottom pond in spring Exbury Gardens-©Cathryn Baldock

Visitors can get the chance to learn about the extraordinary story behind this garden which was originally created over just 20 years before the outbreak of WW2 in a special exhibition next to the main entrance and ticket office.  An official history book will also be published later in the year.

Exbury’s famous rhododendrons will be showcased at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2019 in a collaboration with experts Millais Nurseries. Exbury and Millais have been working together to conserve some of the more rare and threatened rhododendrons in their collection. The display will aim to evoke the ‘spirit’ of Exbury Gardens.

Thomas Clarke, head gardener at Exbury, said: “The 1920s were the golden age of woodland gardening and Exbury, under the careful eye of Lionel de Rothschild and his staff, was at the cutting edge of this movement. The location, climate, existing oak woodland and acid soil all allowed for the creation of one of the finest gardens of its kind in the UK. Combine this with the legacy of the great plant hunters, and the extensive plant breeding programme at Exbury, and we are fortunate enough to have inherited a truly wonderful garden packed full of horticultural treasures.

“In this centenary year we are delighted to be unveiling some fantastic new projects plus a continued focus on our work to conserve and develop the plants and landscape at Exbury for the next 100 years.”

Exbury Gardens steam railway

Exbury Gardens, located in the New Forest near Southampton, will open daily until 3 November 2019 10am – 5.30pm. Adult tickets £12.50, children (3-15yrs) £4, under 3s are free and a family ticket is £29. Full information at www.exbury.co.uk

ENDS

For further press information contact PR Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or Celise Galloway on 023 8024 5754 celise.galloway@exbury.co.uk

Visit a Scottish open garden this year and get your nature fix whilst raising cash for charity

Visit a Scottish open garden this year and get your nature fix whilst raising cash for charity

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  • Over 500 private gardens to open their gates for charity across Scotland during 2019
  • Mental and physical health benefits of gardening being highlighted
  • Community and therapeutic gardens; allotments; contemporary, traditional, grand, rural, coastal and cottage
  • 64 gardens opening for the first time
  • 256 local and national charities to benefit
  • Number of garden openings by region – Aberdeenshire (24); Angus & Dundee (25); Argyll &Lochaber (33); Ayrshire & Arran (22); Berwickshire (6); Caithness, Sutherland, Orkney & Shetland (16); Dumfriesshire (24); Dunbartonshire (7); East Lothian (13); Edinburgh, Midlothian & West Lothian (23); Fife (28); Glasgow & District (14); Inverness, Ross, Cromarty & Skye (36); Kincardine & Deeside (9); Kirkcudbrightshire (18); Lanarkshire (9); Moray & Nairn (11); Peeblesshire & Tweeddale (21); Perth & Kinross (43); Renfrewshire (7); Roxburghshire (9); Stirlingshire (21) and Wigtownshire (9).

The positive link between gardening and health is being celebrated by Scotland’s Garden Scheme as it unveils hundreds of private gardens opening to the public during 2019 to raise money for charity.

Whether you garden yourself, have a desire to learn more or just want to reap the wellbeing benefits of being around nature, the national open garden charity is encouraging people to get out and explore Scotland’s horticultural treasures. And for the second year running it will be joining its sister organisation in England and Wales, the National Garden Scheme, to hold a Gardens & Health Week* giving community groups and schools free access to volunteer gardens to show how therapeutic and inspiring garden spaces can be.

Dumfries Train Station garden

Over the year, 516 gardens will be welcoming visitors under the scheme including seven allotments, 14 community gardens, 34 villages and groups, 39 historic designed landscapes and four therapeutic gardens. More than 175 volunteers will be giving their time. Children’s activities will be taking place in 47 gardens and 180 gardens will be serving homemade teas (with cream in a further 18). Visitors will be able to explore 15 spectacular gardens on spring and summer trails in Fife, and 26 gardens and woodlands for snowdrops and winter walks. Included in the 64 gardens opening for the first time are:

  • Dumfries Station Garden, a colourful, all-year interest garden planted on both sides of a working train station by a thriving ‘station adopters’ community group;
  • Fairnielaw in North Berwick with its mixed tree mini forest and contemporary garden rooms;
  • the popular Berridale Allotments and Gardens in Cathcart, a Glaswegian horticultural stalwart since before WW2;
  • the plots of the Allotment Association of Crieff, renowned to be the most scenic in Scotland;
  • Ellisland Wild Garden next to the River Nith in Dumfriesshire and the former home of poet Robert Burns;
  • a quirky enclosed tarmac garden at the Bravehound project at Erskine Hospital in Bishopton, which provides companion dogs to military veterans;
  • Preston Hall Walled Garden in Midlothian, a beautiful example of a 18th century walled garden which the owners started to restore in 2011; and
  • the romantic garden at Ardno and Strachur House on Loch Fyne with its walled garden, gorge and meadow.

This year’s guidebook ‘cover garden’ is the photogenic Whitburgh House Walled Garden in Pathhead, Midlothian which is described as a ‘lively forward-looking and unexpected gem’. This contemporary garden boasts clipped foliage that acts as a foil for the many perennials, grasses, annuals, fruit and veg, plus ponds and sculptures around 14 acres of grounds.

“We gardeners share a secret – our gardens are like a very special friend, helping us with our health and wellbeing. When we’re stressed, they calm us. They get us out of the house when the winter darkness is tugging at us. And our garden can nourish us, literally, as you can grow so much in a small space. Fortunately, even if you are not a gardener, you can still enjoy many of the benefits by visiting them. What a wonderful way to spend time, out in the fresh air, surrounded by the serenity of a beautiful garden,” said Terrill Dobson, National Organiser for Scotland’s Gardens Scheme. “This year, we have a fantastic variety on offer for you to visit; from allotments to therapeutic gardens; villages and groups; and cottage-styled gardens to castles.”

More than 250 local and national charities will benefit from the funds raised through garden openings including Scotland’s Gardens Scheme’s own beneficiary charities – the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, Maggie’s and Perennial. It will also be offering a £5,000 bursary to a guest charity to help fund garden-based projects to improve physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Last year Horatio’s Garden received a bursary towards a garden room at its project at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow. Over £1 million has been raised for charity over the last four years through Scotland’s Garden Scheme’s openings.

ENDS

For further media information please contact: Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or 07762 117433.  High res images are available.

OR Terrill Dobson, National Organiser, on  terrill@scotlandsgardens.org  or 0131-226 3714,

 

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Scotland’s Gardens Scheme raises money for other charities by facilitating the opening of large and small gardens of horticultural interest throughout Scotland to the public. Most are privately owned and are normally inaccessible to the public at other times.

Visitors can plan their days out to participating gardens by clicking onto www.scotlandsgardens.org.  Click on which area you’d like to visit and details of all gardens opening locally will be displayed, with opening hours, online map and key details. Garden highlights can also be found on Twitter @ScotGardens  Instagram ScotlandGardenScheme and on Facebook ScotlandsGardens.  As well as on the website, garden listings can be found in the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme 2019 Guidebook, on sale in major bookshops, at tourist attractions, garden centres etc and online via www.scotlandsgardens.org.

Sixty percent of funds raised may go to charities nominated by each garden owner with the net remainder being donated to SGS beneficiary charities.

*Further details on Gardens & Health Week, to be held this summer, will be available on the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme website in the spring and on the National Garden Scheme website www.ngs.org.uk.

 

Mark Lane

TV presenter Mark Lane in the spotlight on Celebrity Mastermind

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BBC Gardeners’ World presenter and Kent garden designer Mark Lane will be fielding tricky questions from John Humphrys when he appears on Celebrity Mastermind on BBC One on Friday 21 December at 8.30pm.

Joining him on the pre-Christmas edition will be broadcaster Reverend Richard Coles, BBC Media Editor Amol Rajan and Celebrity Big Brother winner Courtney Act.

Canterbury-based Mark has nominated Leonard Cheshire to benefit from his appearance on the show with £3,000 going to the disability charity. Mark has close ties with Leonard Cheshire, teaming up with it over the summer to promote the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening as part of a partnership with the National Garden Scheme, and designing a sensory garden for its Agate House supported living and care home in Bedfordshire.

Mark said: “I have always watched and enjoyed Mastermind, so when I received a call asking if I would be interested in participating, I jumped at the chance. Then, when I put the phone down, started to panic. What had I let myself in for? The whole day, however, was great fun. You will need to watch it to see what my specialist subject is and how well I do. All I will say is that it has nothing to do with gardening or garden design. Also, my questions seemed particular lengthy compared to the others – sorry, that’s the competitive streak in me coming out! If Mastermind calls again, I will say yes!”

ENDS

Swiss Farm owner outside new Norwegian Log reception building

New Scandi-style shop and reception proves a sales hit for holiday park

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An award-winning Oxfordshire touring and camping park has seen an increase in sales thanks to a new contemporary reception building from Reading-based Norwegian Log Buildings.

Swiss Farm Touring & Camping Park in Henley-on-Thames now boasts a 21st century reception building and shop built from solid log, guaranteeing visitors a warm and efficient welcome. The site has been a stalwart of the Oxfordshire tourism industry since the 1940s when Londoners would holiday in traditional bell tents on its large site near the River Thames.

Swiss Farm's new shop

Swiss Farm’s new shop

“We just love it,” says Swiss Farm owner Joseph Borlese. “Shop sales have increased and we can display things so much better.”

The smart Scandi-style reception building boasts a spacious front desk area, two staff offices, store room, camping supplies and grocery shop, small kitchen and toilet facilities. Joseph opted to have the building constructed on-site by Norwegian Log, but it could have been delivered in modular parts and then erected at the entrance to the 20-acre, family-run park – flexible solutions for a busy, commercial premises.

A far cry from the old set up which saw some reception staff working in a small conservatory and others in a cabin. “It was fine when the business was small but we’d outgrown it,” he says. The park, a previous AA campsite of the year South East winner, is regularly full over the summer months and does brisk trade throughout the rest of the year.

“I chose Norwegian Log as I love the contemporary design. We have future developments planned over the next few years, so a new log reception building was the logical first step. Having the planning application carried out by Norwegian Log made perfect sense as they didn’t need to communicate with any third parties and I could just let them get on with it. With a busy growing business to run, it was very helpful to be able to delegate this part of the process to Nick and his team,” Joseph said.

The new reception building & shop

The new reception building & shop

Customers can buy freshly baked bread, local produce and essential groceries in the shop area, as well as specialist accessories for tents, caravans and leisure. Two double access doors lead from the 15m x 7m log building onto the surrounding car parking areas. “This new building is just so much more welcoming and easier for everyone,” concludes Joseph.

Nick Forrester of Norwegian Log Buildings, which supplies commercial customers and homeowners, said: “It’s great to see a family business investing in the future and benefitting already from its savvy decision. As our buildings our built from really high quality, solid log, they last a lifetime, require hardly any maintenance and have low running costs. And we can deliver them in modules meaning minimal disruption on site – all a real win-win for businesses.”

Norwegian Log Buildings www.norwegianlog.co.uk Tel: 0118 966 9236

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For further information on Norwegian Log Buildings contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or 07762 117433 www.emmamasonpr.co.uk.

 

 

Contemporary garden screens with classic design twist from Stark & Greensmith and the RHS

Contemporary garden screens with classic design twist from Stark & Greensmith and the RHS

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Modern meets classic in your outdoor space! A range of contemporary screens for your garden boasting an elegant 17th century design has been launched in a new collaboration between Stark & Greensmith and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

The Parterre range includes four laser-cut panels, which can add instant ‘show garden’ impact and privacy to a space, featuring beautiful designs inspired by images from the world-famous RHS Lindley Library.

The Parterre range from Stark & Greensmith with the RHS

The Parterre range from Stark & Greensmith with the RHS

Intricate engravings of knot gardens and parterres from ‘The English Gardner’ by Leonard Meager (c1624 – c1704), first published in London in 1688, have been referenced in the new panel design by Stark & Greensmith’s creative director, Martine Le Gassick.

Available in both full-height (1.78m H x 1.19m W) and balustrade (0.93m H x 1.48m W) panels, and in two finishes – corten steel and a new warm grey-hued powder-coated aluminium – the stunning RHS-endorsed screens can be used as boundary fencing and on terraces or decking to create a dining or seating area. They can also act as solar shading in pergolas, for screening in the garden, or formally as garden dividers to create ‘rooms’.  Priced from £388 for balustrade and £475 for full-height Parterre panels.

DESIGN TIP – to add real ‘wow’ to a space, position the panels against a wall and light from behind.

Martine said: “The timelessness of these illustrations of knot gardens and parterres translates beautifully to modern screen formats, while their antiquity lends an unmistakeable sense of history and tradition. Our collaboration with the RHS has resulted in a set of elegant screen designs which will enhance your garden, however big or small.”

Stark & Greensmith’s panels are popular with householders wanting a ‘show garden’ look at home and garden designers for their aesthetics and functionality. Gold medal-winner Tony Woods used a bespoke design from the company for his RHS Chelsea Flower Show Urban Flow show garden which scooped Best Space to Grow Garden. Stark & Greensmith panels also featured on Tom Massey’s main avenue Lemon Tree Trust show garden.

Stark & Greensmith Parterre range

Stark & Greensmith Parterre range

The core Stark & Greensmith range is predominantly inspired by nature with the best-selling design Branches designed to simulate the effect of dappled sunlight through foliage. Other designs include the Japanese-inspired geometric Motif and the floral Burst and Drift.

The panels retail from £275, with a range of fixing accessories also available. The panels are affixed by steel clamps to aluminium posts, set in concrete just like traditional fence posts. They are available from 191 trade installers and 16 retailers across the UK.

In addition to the standard range, Stark & Greensmith also undertakes bespoke commissions, with current projects ranging from single panels in domestic settings, through to major commercial, leisure, hospitality and public realm commissions.

Stark & Greensmith Ltd   Phone: 01737 701088   Email: sales@starkandgreensmith.com  www.starkandgreensmith.com

-ENDS-

For further media information please contact: Emma Mason on 07762 117433, emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

Notes for editors:

Made either from recycled steel or powder-coated aluminium, the long-lasting panels are laser cut with a range of beautiful botanical designs. Unlike conventional fencing, the panels are maintenance-free, wind resistant and improve with age – the materials used mature rather than deteriorate. Alongside their contemporary and sustainable design aesthetics, the panels are hedgehog-friendly. When installed they float 11cm above the ground, enough room for the protected mammals to pass freely under them.

Developed by Stark & Greensmith’s creative director and designer, Martine Le Gassick, the panels are a reaction to the disappointing look, short lifespan and susceptibility to bad weather of traditional fencing. Having worked with well-known brands such as Diane von Furstenburg, Etro and Victoria’s Secret with her previous company, Martine set about designing an affordable, modern yet practical fencing alternative for the garden. When the range was launched it scooped the prestigious Best in Show award at the Landscape Show.

Head gardener Mark Jackson gets a great view of the Newby borders

If Chippendale made garden chairs …. visitors get lofty new view of famous Yorkshire landmark

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Visitors to one of the UK’s most famous flower borders, at Newby Hall in Yorkshire, can sit back and get a new perspective on the floral landmark, thanks to a GIANT hand-crafted replica of a priceless Chippendale chair.

Newby has one of the best Chippendale collections in the country and, to mark the 300th anniversary of the renowned furniture maker’s birth and the opening of a new Chippendale exhibition, it has unveiled a 2.2m high wooden chair at the end of its famed double herbaceous border. Visitors can now climb up to get a new view of the magnificent 172-metre-long flower beds – some of the longest in the UK – which are packed with around 6,500 plants.

Thomas Chippendale was commissioned to provide furniture for Newby Hall by an 18th century ancestor of current owner Richard Compton. The house now boasts the most complete Chippendale interior in existence and, from this month until September, will be hosting a special Chippendale exhibition and guided tours of the collection.1

Richard Compton said: “We wanted to link this year’s Chippendale celebrations with the collection at Newby and its magnificent gardens and thought this would be a great ‘immersive’ way to do it. You might not be able to clamber on our real Chippendale chairs, but we will be encouraging visitors to climb up and sit on our giant version to enjoy the view and have their photo taken.”

Another view of the Newby borders ...

Head gardener Mark Jackson gets a grand view of the Newby borders …

The oversized chair has been handmade by craftsmen on the Newby estate and will be ‘planted’ in the garden over the summer months. Newby Hall & Gardens is marking the ‘Year of the Border’ this year as its flagship border reaches peak flower power.  The border has been a highlight of Newby’s beautiful 25-acre gardens since the 1920s and five years ago refurbishment work began to make sure it continues to wow for years to come.

Over several growing seasons, thousands of new plants were propagated or grown on and carefully planted up in a new, more naturalistic design by Newby’s expert team. This summer sees the hard work pay off as the plants mature and start to claim the stunning spacious border, which runs from the magnificent 17th century house down to the River Ure, for their own.

The scale of the border means that staking the plants in the spring takes three days alone, whilst cutting it back in the autumn takes over a fortnight.

Newby Hall & Gardens is one of the country’s most important and beautiful 20th century gardens – certainly, one of the North’s finest – boasting 14 ‘rooms’ within the main, formal garden including an early 20th century rock garden, serene white garden, traditional rose garden and even a ‘hot’ tropical garden.

newbyhall.com Twitter – @newbyhall @newbyhallgarden Facebook – newbyhallandgardens Instagram – newbyhallandgardens

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For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Louise Scott on louise.s@newbyhall.com  01423 320412

 NOTES TO EDITORS

  • 1Thomas Chippendale was commissioned to provide furniture for Newby, including some fabulous Tapestry Room chairs, uniquely covered with fabric from the Gobelins Factory in Paris. This is the only Chippendale suite with its original covers and still in its original setting, and the Tapestry Room is the most complete Chippendale interior in existence. Together with dining chairs, hall chairs, card and Pembroke tables, the Newby Hall collection is internationally celebrated as one of the largest and most complete in private ownership anywhere. Until September 2018, there will be guided tours exploring the contribution Chippendale made to Newby Hall. Additional items of Chippendale furniture from other collections will also be displayed, illustrating the breadth of Chippendale’s skill. Chippendale Tours Wednesday and Saturday 3pm – please ask when buying your House tickets.
  • Newby Hall is a William and Mary house located between Ripon and Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, built in the 1690s under the guidance of Christopher Wren. John Carr remodelled the house in the 18th century, with interiors by Robert Adam and furniture by Chippendale
  • Owner Richard Compton is the 10th generation of his family to live at Newby. Richard’s wife Lucinda, the Curator of the Gardens, is on the North of England Horticultural Society council, which organises the very successful Harrogate Flower Shows
  • The House and Gardens are open to the public from April to September, attracting around 130,000 visitors each season
  • The gardening team has 6 full time gardeners and a handful of volunteers.  They care for the 25 acres of formal gardens and a further 15 acres of woodland and orchard.
  • Newby Hall is just a few miles from the A1(M), the main London to Edinburgh motorway. Close by are the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors National Parks and the historic cities of York and Ripon.
Rose McMonigall RHS Hampton

BBC TV cast members help designer officially open her RHS Hampton show garden ‘Rias de Galicia: A Garden at the End of the Earth’

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Designer Rose McMonigall was helped by members of BBC’s Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago cast, Neil Morrissey, Raphael Rowe and Reverend Kate Bottley to officially open her silver medal-winning show garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2018 - Galicia Garden

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2018 – Galicia Garden

Following the success of the recent BBC TV series, which saw a cast of seven including actor Morrissey, TV reporter Rowe and Radio 2/Gogglebox vicar Bottley tackle a 780km pilgrimage across northern Spain in 15 days, this acknowledged their contribution to raising the profile of the Camino and Northern Spain as a visitor destination.

Rose brought to life the breath-taking Atlantic coast of north-west Spain in the show garden collaboration with the Spanish Tourist Office and Tur Galicia.

The RHS Hampton garden, which scooped a silver RHS medal, evoked the extraordinary landscape of the Rías De Galicia; the estuaries on the rugged Galician coast. Secluded coves are dotted throughout this region and McMonigall celebrated these coastal havens, their wild flora and the local tradition of shell-cladding, as well as giving a nod to the delicious local seafood.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2018 - Galicia Garden

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2018 – Galicia Garden

Designer Rose McMonigall said, “I was inspired by my visits to Galicia to paint a picture of an idyllic scene, a secluded beach on the Atlantic coast, glimpsed through pine trees, with the ultimate hideaway of a fisherman’s cottage nestled amid the wild-looking vegetation.”

Javier Piñanes, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in London said, “In partnership with the region of Galicia, we are delighted to be collaborating with RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and garden designer Rose McMonigall this year. Galicia is a very unique, spiritual and cultural destination with an outstanding coastline strung with dramatic cliffs and pretty fishing ports. The interior offers a labyrinth of valleys and hills and is one of Spain’s most green and vibrant regions. We are excited to be bringing a slice of Galicia to London this year and look forward to showcasing some of the highlights at the Flower Show.”

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2018 - Galicia Garden

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2018 – Galicia Garden

ENDS

Notes to editors

This is the third garden Rose McMonigall has designed for the Spanish Tourist Board at RHS Hampton. Last year she created The Pazo’s Secret Garden and in 2016 The Route of the Camellia both of which were award silver gilt medals.

For further press information:

For further information on the design of the garden, please contact Emma Mason PR T: 07762 117433 E: emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

For further information on Spain or Galicia as a visitor destination, please visis www.spain.info or email Spain@wearelotus.co.uk.

 

Garden at the End of the Earth by Rose McMonigall

Secluded beauty of the Galician coast to feature at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show

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Rías de Galicia: A Garden at the End of the Earth from the Spanish Tourist Office

The breathtakingly beautiful Atlantic coast of north west Spain will be brought to life in a show garden collaboration between the Spanish Tourist Office, Turismo de Galicia and designer Rose McMonigall at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (3-8 July).

The garden will evoke, on a small scale, the extraordinary landscape of the Rías De Galicia, the estuaries on the rugged Galician coast. Here, surrounded by uncrowded white beaches and turquoise waters, a series of large rivers meet the Atlantic, an area which in times past was believed to be the End of the Earth.

Gardening PR show garden Secluded coves are dotted throughout this region and, in her third RHS Hampton garden for the Spanish Tourist Office, named ‘Rías de Galicia: A Garden at the End of the Earth’, Rose will be celebrating these coastal havens, their wild flora and the local tradition of shell-cladding. The garden will also give a nod to the delicious local seafood.

Visitors will be transported to a small cove, sheltered by two coastal pine trees. A path winds up from the beach, past a crumbling sea wall, through a selection of salt-resistant shrubs, rock plants and flowering grasses, to a weather-beaten fisherman’s cottage. Traditional Galician cooking pots act as plant containers filled with bay and geranium, and a pantiled roof is weighed down with stones to protect it from the Atlantic gales. A rock pool nestles in the boulders filled with colourful pebbles and shells. In the shallows, a small fishing boat is beached, ready for its next trip out to harvest the rich abundance of seafood of the Rías De Galicia.fishing boat

The garden’s backdrop will depict distant hazy mountains of Finisterre using a panelled art installation filled with scallop shells to form an impressionist collage. Historically, the walls of buildings in the region were often clad in porous scallop shells to reduce humidity inside. The scallop shell is the sacred icon of the pilgrims on the nearby Camino to Santiago de Compostela and is the symbol of St James himself.

Shells will be scattered on the beach and traditional mussel baskets, nets and Galician lobster pots will be in the boat and undergrowth.

Although the garden will evoke the spirit and romantic beauty of Galicia, it will use plants which can be easily bought in the UK, so ideal for show-goers to use in their own outdoor spaces, particularly those with extremely free-draining soil or who live in exposed sites or near the sea. Succulents such as sedums (stonecrop), saxifrage (rockfoils) and sempervivum (houseleeks) will feature with eryngium (sea hollies), armeria maritima (sea thrifts), stipa (grasses), plus rosemary, thymes, fennels, tansy and tamarisk. Many plants growing in Galicia also thrive quite happily in sheltered parts of the UK.

Gardening PR show gardenDesigner Rose McMonigall said: “Falling at the brink of the summer holidays, I always think RHS Hampton Court has a happy atmosphere, vibrant with colour and thoughts of long, lazy days outside. I’m so excited to be creating a garden which paints a picture of an idyllic scene, a secluded beach on the Atlantic coast of Galicia, glimpsed through pine trees, with the ultimate hideaway of a fisherman’s cottage nestled amid the wild-looking vegetation.

“I’ve aimed to create a garden rich in atmosphere but using a palette of plants that can be used in any garden, especially with sandy, rocky or coastal conditions – an Impressionist memory of happy seaside holidays in your own special space at home.”

Javier Piñanes, director of the Spanish Tourist Office in the UK, said: “In collaboration with the region of Galicia, we are delighted to be collaborating with RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and garden designer Rose McMonigall this year. Galicia is a very unique, spiritual and cultural destination with an outstanding coastline strung with dramatic cliffs and pretty fishing ports. The interior offers a labyrinth of valleys and hills and is of Spain’s most green and vibrant regions. We are excited to be bringing a slice of Galicia to London this year and look forward to showcasing some of the highlights at the Flower Show.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

This will be the third garden Rose McMonigall has designed for the Spanish Tourist Board at RHS Hampton. Last year she created The Pazo’s Secret Garden and in 2016 The Route of the Camellia both of which were award silver gilt medals.

For more information on the region of Galicia, please visit http://www.turismo.gal/inicio 

For more information on RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, please visit https://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-hampton-court-palace-flower-show 

For further press information:

Emma Mason, Emma Mason PR T: 07762 117433 E: emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

The Spanish Tourist Office is represented by LOTUS (spain@wearelotus.co.uk)

 

Sunny Smell fragrant moth orchid grown by Double H

The sweet scent – yes scent – of orchids!

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Fragrant ‘moth orchids’ new houseplant trend for 2018

Great news for orchid lovers. The most popular indoor plant in the UK is set to become even more of a ‘must have’ as three varieties of delicately scented moth orchid hit the high street for the first time.

New Life scented moth orchid

New Life scented moth orchid

Until recently, Phalaenopsis orchids – pronounced Fal-en-op-sis and commonly known as moth orchids – have been unscented with the emphasis on their large eye-catching blooms and their ability to flower for up to three months at any time of the year. Millions are sold annually across the UK making them more popular than any other house plant.

Now, thanks to British orchid experts Double H Nurseries, beauty is being combined with fragrance, as the varieties Diffusion, New Life and Sunny Smell make their way into major retailers*. To hunt them down, shoppers can look for ‘scented orchid’ stickers on the retailer own-brand plant packaging – or have a sniff!

Sunny Smell fragrant moth orchid grown by Double H

Sunny Smell fragrant moth orchid grown by Double H

Working closely with specialist breeders in Europe, Double H has helped develop these three scented varieties to appeal to those who love perfume for their home as well as dramatic and colourful flowers. Boasting their own individual, delicate fragrance, which is at its sweetest in the morning, the scented moth orchids require the same easy care as their non-scented cousins and flower for a similar time-span:

Diffusion – has beautifully rich pink/purple coloured petals. Awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit** (AGM). New for 2018.

New Life – white petals tinged with a delicate shade of pink, and yellow ‘lip’. Also awarded the RHS AGM. New for 2018.

Sunny Smell – boasts a profusion of petals in a cheerful yellow shade with touches of dark pink. Was shortlisted for RHS Plant of the Year when it was first unveiled at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2016. Has been available in limited supplies since but this year will be more widely available.

Mark Riley from Double H said: “As the largest grower of orchids in the country, we know these beautiful plants are much loved, so after years of development we’re excited to be launching these new varieties into shops. They look stunning, have similar floral staying power as traditional moth orchids, but also have a wonderfully sweet and delicate scent. Orchid fans will love them.”

Diffusion scented moth orchid

Diffusion scented moth orchid

For more information on orchids plus growing tips and tricks visit www.LoveOrchids.co.uk.  Double H is teaming up with floral designer Jonathan Moseley to showcase its British-grown orchids for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show (6-10 June). Over 100 varieties will be on show in one of the largest displays of its kind.

ENDS

For further press information contact Emma Mason at emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Notes for editors: * Scented orchids will be available in M&S, Waitrose, and Tesco. Prices will vary. ** The RHS AGM helps plant lovers make informed decisions when selecting plants to purchase. It is awarded to plants that are excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions; available; of good constitution; essentially stable in form and colour; and reasonably resistant to pests and diseases.

Double H Nurseries – Family-owned Double H Nurseries was established in 1961 and supplies over 4.5 million indoor plants to UK retailers including orchids, roses, poinsettias and chrysanthemums. It is the largest British grower of orchids. It supports the Love Orchids website which gives hints and tips on growing these fabulous blooms.

Orchid display in the Great Conservatory at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show - credit Ula Maria

Largest ever display of Britain’s favourite to wow at RHS Chatsworth

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Is the nation being gripped again by a passion for orchids like their Victorian counterparts?

They are Britain’s favourite indoor plant with millions being sold every year. Victorians were obsessed with these beautiful blooms too and in a nod to their so-called ‘orchidelirium’, over 5,000 British-grown moth orchids will take centre stage at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show this summer in the largest display of its kind.

Jonathan Moseley at RHS Chatsworth with Double H orchids

Jonathan Moseley at RHS Chatsworth with Double H orchids

Orchids of every description will fill a 21st century version of Chatsworth’s Great Conservatory, originally built by celebrated head gardener Joseph Paxton in the Victorian era, at the show (6-10 June). In this immersive floral extravaganza, large contemporary chandeliers will be suspended over the space dripping with vibrant orchids, mosses and tropical bromeliads. The exotic orchid blooms, in a sumptuous palette of lilacs, purple, pale and cerise pink through to exquisite whites, will also adorn a central waterfall, as well as showcase plinths around the exhibit.

Hampshire orchid grower Double H Nurseries is teaming up with celebrated floral designer Jonathan Moseley for the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) exhibit and will be supplying over 100 varieties of the popular Phalaenopsis orchid (pronounced Fal-en-op-sis), also known as moth orchid.

During Paxton’s stint as head gardener, the Chatsworth Estate boasted one of the most extensive orchid collections in the UK, at a time when the country’s fascination with these beautiful plants reached a peak. The trend then was most definitely one for the wealthy with orchids often changing hands for thousands of pounds.

The popularity of orchids has again surged in recent years, thanks to their large, long-lasting flowers, easy care and ability to bloom in any season – and unlike the 19th century they are much more affordable. Double H Nurseries alone supplies over two million orchids a year to major retailers. And orchids’ on-trend status is set to continue with newer scented Phalaenopsis varieties also now becoming available.

Jonathan Moseley said: “Visitors to this year’s RHS Chatsworth will have an opportunity to surround themselves in one of the most exuberant orchid displays ever seen in the UK. There will be lots of colour and texture in this magical landscape that we will be creating. It really will be a touch of orchid heaven at Chatsworth.”

Twenty florists from across the country will be helping Jonathan build the display including apprentices from the floristry college in Sheffield. During the show he will also be leading floristry workshops and demonstrations for visitors.

A Virtual Reality experience, created by 3D expert and VR designer Simon Mabey alongside Manchester Museum and Manchester University, will immerse visitors further in the tropical RHS Chatsworth display as they ‘sit’ suspended amongst the flowers, experiencing the wonder of different orchids through the eyes of an insect.

For more information on orchids, plus growing tips and tricks visit www.LoveOrchids.co.uk.

  • Scented moth orchids from Double H Nurseries will be amongst the beautiful flowers featured on Jonathan Moseley’s British Flower Bus which will be stopping at RHS Chatsworth 6 – 10 June; BBC Gardeners World Live 14 – 17 June; RHS Harlow Carr 22-24 June; RHS Hampton Court 2 – 8 July; RHS Tatton 18 -22 July; RHS Hyde Hall 1 – 5 August; RHS Rosemoor 17 – 19 August and RHS  Wisley 4-9 September.

ENDS

For further press information contact Emma Mason at emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

For more information on RHS Chatsworth, please contact Hattie Sherwood in the RHS Press Office on 020 7821 3044 and hattiesherwood@rhs.org.uk

Illustration – UK’s Largest Display of Phalaenopsis Orchids at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show, 6-10 June 2018.  Credit Ula Maria

Notes for editors: Double H Nurseries was established in 1961 and supplies over 4.5 million indoor plants to UK retailers including orchids, roses, poinsettias and chrysanthemums. It supports the Love Orchids website which gives hints and tips on growing these fabulous blooms.

Sue and Bleddyn Wynn-Jones

‘Visionary’ Edwardian plantswoman inspires modern-day plant hunters for RHS Chelsea

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Modern-day plant explorers Sue and Bleddyn Wynn-Jones from Crûg Farm Plants will be taking inspiration from the incredible Edwardian plantswoman Miss Ellen Willmott and her renowned Mediterranean garden for an exhibit at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Miss Willmott credit Spetchley Park Gardens

Miss Willmott photo credit Spetchley Park Gardens

Ellen Willmott’s love for her garden at Villa Boccanegra on the Italian Riviera, and her passion for supporting plant hunting expeditions to introduce wild species, will be central to Sue and Bleddyn’s design and planting for the show. Ellen was born 160 years ago but was ahead of her time in favouring plants for their diversity, bold leaf form and architectural structure, rather than following the Edwardian fashion for exotic blossoms and blooms.

Highlighting plants for dry shade from their own collections, many of which will have not been seen before at Chelsea, Sue and Bleddyn will be assisted at Chelsea by the current owner of Villa Boccanegra, Ursula Salghetti Drioli.

Ellen (1858-1934) was one of two women to be awarded the first RHS Victoria Medal of Honour, the other being Gertrude Jekyll, and the first female to be elected to the Linnean Society. Many plants bear her name including Miss Willmott’s ghost (Eryngium giganteum) & Chinese plumbago(Ceratostigma willmottianum). She funded Edwardian plant hunting trips while her gardens in the UK, Italy and France were famed for their horticultural treasures. Many of these still survive at Boccanegra under the skilful attention of biologist Ursula’s expert care, including the speciesRuscus which will feature on Crûg’s Chelsea display, as will copies of Miss Wilmot’s original notes and planting lists.

Crûg will be demonstrating more unusual planting ideas for dry shade underneath Oreopanax, as well as those that are heat tolerant. They will be showcasing plants such as Aspidistra, Ophiopogon and Ruscus as well as a sprinkling of others, mostly collected by themselves on their many expeditions and all true to Ellen’s love for structure and form.

Oreopanax

Oreopanax

Sue and Bleddyn have also been inspired by three other famous Mediterranean gardens, as well as a more recently established garden, all connected to Boccanegra:

  • Near neighbour Giardini Botanici Hanbury, also known as La Mortola, established by Sir Thomas Hanbury, who gifted Wisley to the RHS. The two gardens regularly shared newly introduced rarities in those early years of the 20th century, such as Aspidistra. The current Lady Hanbury is a close friend of Ursula at Boccanegra and her husband Guido Piacenza, another keen plantsman.
  • Just a stone’s throw over the French border is another closely allied garden, Serre de la Madone in Menton, created by Lawrence Johnston of Hidcote. Again, records show that plants were regularly shared. It now grows a huge range of Crûg’s wild collections in its shaded gardens, where collections of Araliaceae flourish.
  • Les Cedres, or Jardin Botanique Les Cèdres, the largest private botanic garden in Europe. It was acquired by King Leopold II of Belgium in 1904, who reputedly financed the collecting and introduction of countless species of Oreopanax from Colombia, a plant that was in great demand in exotic plantings from the mid 19thcentury until the First World War. Oreopanax is another focus of the Wynn-Jones’ plant passions as they have extended family in Colombia and visit regularly.
  • Lastly, La Mouissone in Grasse, a younger still developing garden that has been involved in this eclectic mixture of British influence. Established and still being developed in a mature olive grove by Lady Lockett, a member of this Mediterranean gardening circle and a keen supporter of Crûg Farm Plants. She maintains an extensive selection of Crûg’s collections in Grasse.

Bleddyn Wynn-Jones said: “We are looking forward to highlighting some interesting star plants for the most difficult of garden environments, dry shade. Unusual forms of Ophiopogon, and newly discovered species of Aspidistra and Ruscus, which we’ll be planting under the flamboyant architectural foliage of Oreopanax. We hope these new varieties will capture people’s imagination and appeal to a wider audience.”

As holders of a rarely issued, ongoing official Scientific Licence from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Sue and Bleddyn have travelled across the globe, scaling mountains and volcanoes, exploring hidden canyons and even dodging armed bandits to seek out elusive specimens.  They make sure they only collect plant material at equitable environments to ensure plants will survive the UK’s climate and, once back home, the couple follow strict quarantine rules to guarantee biosecurity, overseen by APHA.

They also work closely with experts from government agencies, botanic gardens and universities in the countries they collect in, sharing knowledge, specimen and seed. Thanks to an introduction via Moscow State University, they are currently working with Batumi Botanical Garden in Georgia, helping to safeguard varieties of Ruscus.  When an earthquake in Taiwan threatened to wipe out a rare native plant in the 1990s, Sue and Bleddyn were able to help with plants from seed they had collected a few years earlier.

Over the years they have collected Ruscus from the many countries surrounding the Mediterranean and beyond, and Oreopanax from South and Central America, particularly Colombia. Aspidistra has a centre of diversity in northern Vietnam and southern China, radiating out to many of the surrounding countries. Ophiopogon is found in the Himalayas and all through South- East Asia.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

NOTES FOR EDITORS: Crûg Farm Plants is based on the edge of Snowdonia near Caernarfon in North Wales. Covering almost 20 acres, the nursery specialises in unusual herbaceous perennials, climbers, trees and shrubs, and hundreds of the plants on offer are propagated from nearly 18,000 collections gathered on well over 50 expeditions by the Wynn-Joneses. These range from Anemone to Zelkova and everything in between.

As only a small number of people to do this work, their collections are much sought after around the world and the nursery has become a mecca for keen gardeners and scientific researchers. They have provided plants for many prestigious clients including several award-winning RHS Show gardens as well as supplying The National Trust, Botanic and Royal gardens.

Dalefoot Composts

Grow vibrant blooms using Dalefoot’s new peat free Bulb Compost with no need for extra feed!

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– Sustainable compost made from wild bracken that feeds bulbs for two years –

A new peat free Bulb Compost, made from wild bracken harvested from the Lake District fells, has been launched by Dalefoot Composts.

RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year finalist

RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year finalist

Dalefoot has developed this premium, carbon-neutral compost with award-winning lily growers HW Hyde & Son who have used it to grow ‘gold medal’ bulbs at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The compost itself has now been shortlisted for RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year 2018.

It boasts the perfect blend of free draining compost with natural, must-have nutrients and trace elements, to grow eye-catching flowers and to feed the bulb restoring its reserves for the following year. The bracken from the Cumbrian fells also gives it the perfect open structure.

The growing number of eco-conscious gardeners will welcome news that Dalefoot’s Bulb Compost provides a beneficial use for aggressive, waist-high bracken which makes grazing difficult and impacts upon native species. Harvesting bracken on rotation, at exactly the right time of year, improves the habitat for ground nesting birds and butterflies, in particular the endangered High Brown Fritillary whilst also providing the perfect nutrients for beautiful spring, summer and autumn bulbs.

Dr Jane Barker, an environmental scientist, who runs Dalefoot Composts – makers of the award-winning Wool Compost range – with her husband Simon Bland said: “Our customers can now grow ‘show bench’ blooms from their bulbs with our new compost which feeds for two years and is 100% peat free.”

Celebrating its 21st year, Dalefoot Composts is a family-run business producing an exciting range of eight peat free composts using only the natural resources of wool and bracken sourced from the beautiful Lake District.

Dalefoot Composts offers premium composts to meet every gardening need – Wool Compost for Potting & Containers, Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads, Wool Compost Double Strength, Wool Compost Ericaceous (and Double Strength) and Wool Compost for Seeds. Lakeland Gold, the original bracken compost, is a renowned clay buster and high potash feed.

Dalefoot Bulb Compost is available from www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk priced from £8.99 down to £7 per bag depending on size of order. Delivery extra.

Tel: 01931 713281    Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Bulb Compost – How to use

Pots and containers

  • Place a layer of crocks at the bottom of your pot or container.
  • Add a layer of Dalefoot Bulb Compost to a good depth (10cm if possible), to allow good root growth.
  • Arrange bulbs-up to a bulbs distance apart-then add another 10cm layer of bulb compost.
  • Water after planting & continue to water for six weeks after flowering. The compost should feel moist to the touch but not wet.

Outdoors

  • Prepare the ground- remove weeds and add Dalefoot Bulb Compost to the planting pit- which should be 3-4 times as deep as the bulb itself.
  • Cover generously with bulb compost.
  • Mark the place of planting with a beautiful label to prevent disappointment in the future.
  • If you have squirrels in your garden- plant deeper!

Top Tip- Try layering your bulbs for a beautiful display.

Remember that bulbs with indents e.g. Fritillaria, need to be planted on their side- the stem will find its way up to the light.

 

Top 10 New Year's Colour List

Pantone’s ultra violet driving demand for statement front doors in 2018

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New year, new hue!

The dull weather may be dampening the nation’s spirits but not its front doors, according to leading composite door company Truedor.  Together with architect and property expert, George Clarke, ambassador for Truedor, it’s released its Top 10 New Year’s Colour List based on recent sales and, driven by Pantone’s ultra violet colour of the year, the colour purple is top as UK homeowners wave ta-ta to blah and unleash their inner craving for colour.

Grey was there for us in 2017, a safe bet like a trusted friend or comfy slippers. But with bold purple hues and a bevy of other exciting shades on the horizon, it seems a front door is proving the ideal place to try a new colour, rather than a total interior overhaul. Whilst traditional colours still have their place on the Truedor list of best-sellers, the company is experiencing greater demand for bespoke shades as homeowners look to put a personal stamp on their property.

With access to the RAL paint rainbow, Truedor offers doors in almost any shade, a world of colour possibilities for exterior and interior doors. So, whether it’s princely purple, majestic mauve or vivid violet, homeowners can now choose their dream door design and shade without having to lift a paint brush or paint pot themselves, all combined with the security and eco benefits a composite door brings.

MOST POPULAR NEW YEAR DOOR COLOURS

Mid purple

Steel blue

Light violet

Black

Crisp white

Bright yellow

Grey

Cobalt blue

Primrose yellow

Duck egg blue

First impressions are everything and changing the front door is the quickest and easiest way to lift the look of your home, putting a personal stamp on it and even helping to make or break a sale.  With his passion for encouraging people to be creative with their homes, George Clarke has also shared his top five tips for boosting kerb appeal in time for spring, whether you’re upgrading to sell or just want to beautify the front for yourself.

Refresh planters, hanging baskets and window boxes

Homes can look bare and lacklustre once the twinkly lights and decorations have been taken down, so now’s the time to add a dash of spring colour that will look attractive from both the outside and inside.  Planters, baskets and window boxes filled with winter flowering plants and bulbs in two to three colours make a good combination.  Try primroses, crocus or daffodils, or evergreen foliage such as ivy.  Grasses can add height and are good vertical planting options for smaller doorways.

Wash down wheelie bins and recycling boxes

Not the most enjoyable task but recycling bins can look grubby, so if you don’t keep them hidden or down the side of the house, do try to keep them clean and tidy.   Wash down boxes with warm, soapy water to remove any build-up of mud and dirt, and think about disinfecting compost caddies and wheelie bins too, so they smell fresh. A spot of spring cleaning outside your home like this will pay dividends and keep it looking super-smart.

Update house numbers

Although they’re just a small detail, house numbers or names can make a big impact on a home’s kerb appeal.  Look at your property from the street and see if they’re crooked or covered in cobwebs or dust.  This won’t look good to visitors or prospective buyers.  Give them a wash or dust down as part of your exterior spring clean, and similar to paint colours, if you’re in the market for a new set of numbers, try to opt for a style that is appropriate to the style of your house.

Spruce up your entrance

Keep winter’s mud and slush at bay by making the entrance to your home a dirt-free zone. If you live in a particularly muddy area or unmade road, you don’t want this trampled into the hallway so invest in a boot scraper and boot rack for storing wet footwear.  Welcome mats are a good way to show your personality and personal sense of style, with seagrass and sisal popular choices.  However, man-made materials like plastic, woven acrylic and rubber will be more durable during the wet and cold winter months.  Whatever you choose, remember to keep them looking clean and tidy, and free from dust and debris.

Clean windows and your front door

Winter means getting up and coming home in the dark, so it’s not always easy to spot dirty windows which can cut out a lot of natural daylight.  Cleaning glass inside and out on a regular basis will help to maximise the light coming through.  A simple, non-toxic mix of water and white vinegar, and a rub down with kitchen towel or a microfibre cloth should do the trick. Show your door some TLC too if it’s taken a bashing from the elements: a quick wash down with a sponge or microfibre cloth and warm water is all you need to keep doors and accessories, such as letterboxes, doorknobs and knockers, bright and clean. Or if your door is beyond a simple spruce up, consider investing in a new one!

George Clarke says, “Many of us want to start the year with a positive change so why not embrace the new season colour trends for the front of your home. You can have fun designing a new front door, choosing exactly what you want and creating an entrance to be proud of. Try a colour that is a little bolder, perhaps more unusual, even a shade for your door that reflects your personality. You will be surprised by the lift it gives your home.”

 

The RHS Collection from Gold Leaf Gloves

The RHS Collection from Gold Leaf Gloves

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Beautiful leather gardening gloves with symbolic floral designs – remembrance, friendship, and hope & wisdom

An award-winning range of gardening gloves, inspired by original botanical artwork from the world-famous RHS Lindley Library1, has been launched by Gold Leaf, makers of the World’s Finest Gardening Gloves.

Perfect as a gift, or for your own use in the garden, ‘The RHS Collection’ comprises three styles of high quality deerskin leather gloves, with each design taking its name from a celebrated RHS Show. The gloves have ergonomically-designed padding for extra comfort and eye-catching images of symbolic flowers:

Chelsea glove

Chelsea

Chelsea – bares the hand-coloured printed engraving of ‘The Great Scarlet Poppy’ by Wedell after an original by John Lindley (1799-1865). The poppy is widely recognised as a traditional symbol of remembrance.

Hampton – graced with the beautiful colour illustration of Rose Marechal Niel, originally by renowned 19th century lithographic printer, G.Severyns. Historically, a yellow rose symbolised friendship.

Hampton glove

Hampton

Malvern – illustrated with a stunning watercolour image of Iris ‘Mrs Barnard’ by British botanical painter Lilian Snelling (1879-1972). The Iris is a long established symbol of hope and wisdom.

Working closely with The Royal Horticultural Society, which has endorsed the new range, Gold Leaf has designed a premium quality gardening glove for women that is beautiful and comfortable. The range has already scooped the Best New Product Award, Home, Gift and Clothing at leading industry trade show GLEE 2017.

Malvern glove

Malvern

Kelly Cooney of Jayco, the makers of Gold Leaf, said: “The RHS Collection boasts unique, design-led gloves which not only look stunning but also offer exceptional quality of both materials and workmanship. They make the perfect gift at any time of the year and the symbolic floral ‘meanings’ add that extra special twist.”

With a RRP of £14.99, the gloves offer great value for money and are available in major garden retailers across the UK and online, including The RHS, Hillier Garden Centres, Crocus and Harrod Horticultural.

Jayco – www.goldleaf-gloves.com  info@gold-leafgloves.com 023 8040 2025 Twitter/Instagram – @GoldLeafGloves

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason at emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

1 The RHS Lindley Library holds unique collections of early printed books on gardening, botanical art and photographs. It also holds the archives of the RHS and personal archives of notable gardeners and garden designers. John Lindley was Professor of Botany at University College London and the RHS library is named after him

Jayco, makers of Gold Leaf Gloves, is a family-run firm based near Southampton in Hampshire. Its gloves, widely recognised as the best on the market, are worn by RHS gardeners at Wisley, Rosemoor and Harlow Carr, and have won numerous awards.

Scotland's Gardens

Royal visit to Ayrshire garden helping community to bloom

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THE DUKE and Duchess of Rothesay helped residents and school children from an ex-mining town in Ayrshire celebrate the grass roots success of their popular, local community garden, during a very special open day for charity Scotland’s Gardens Scheme.

Their Royal Highnesses visited Netherthird Community Garden near Cumnock in East Ayrshire, meeting the volunteers, local residents and school children who all benefit from the horticultural ‘oasis of calm’ built on a patch of scrubland next to Netherthird Primary School.

Scotland's Gardens

The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay meeting garden volunteer Ian Marshall ©Robert Davis

The garden, the brainchild of Margaret Campbell, was set up in 2010 and is helping to transform the lives of many local residents. It opened to the general public for the first time this year to raise money for charity through the Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and this second, special opening welcomed the Royal couple. The Duchess of Rothesay is the President of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and the Prince Charles’ Foundation recently provided funding for a wooden gazebo seating area in the garden.

The green-fingered project helps a host of community groups including the neighbouring school, which uses it as an outdoor classroom; local children’s group Four Connections; the Riverside Adult Education Facility, and Netherthird Community Action Training, which assists young people gain employment skills and training to help them compete in the jobs market, is based there. They all get to enjoy the colourful cottage garden and flower beds, productive vegetable garden and polytunnel, play area and café.

Margaret Campbell from Netherthird Community Garden said: “We are really delighted to have welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay to Netherthird Community Garden, they have worked so hard to improve and develop our surrounding towns and villages. This visit means so much to all the volunteers and to the people from our community.”

Terrill Dobson, National Organiser for Scotland’s Gardens Scheme, said: “This project proves how beneficial gardens can be; spaces for learning, healing, supporting and having fun. Netherthird has such strong community support behind it which is wonderful to see and we’re thrilled the garden opens to the public as part of our scheme.”

ENDS

For further information contact Imogen McCaw (imogen@scotlandsgardens.org) or Emma Mason (emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk) 07762 117433

 

 

The Pazo's Secret Garden RHS Hampton

Recreate your own Galician ‘pazo’ garden as seen at RHS Hampton

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The Spanish Tourist Office is showcasing the mystery and romance of Galicia’s ‘Pazo’ gardens at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show this July. Show garden designer, Rose McMonigall, shares her tips on recreating the look in your own garden.

The historic Galician Pazos are magnificent palaces famous for their exquisite architecture and extensive gardens, where formal design meets the untamed nature of Galicia’s landscapes.

Often mysterious and dripping with greenery, with mists enshrouding them in the cooler months, softening the edges of their often highly formal design, these gardens blend with a larger, more practical landscape, where the productivity of the land is as important as its aesthetic appearance. Vines tangle amid the ornamentation to yield harvests producing some of Northern Spain’s best wines.

“The climate of Galicia is very similar to that of the UK” says Rose, “and the plant life that thrives in northern Spain is not dissimilar to that which we enjoy here, so why not try to achieve the ‘Pazo’ look in your own garden?”

 Rose provides her top tips for bringing a little bit of Galicia to Britain:

  1. The key to this indulgently romantic look is to embrace nature in your garden. A few ‘weeds’ here and there will add to the theme, so let nature do its thing. If there’s a balance between plants that you have bought and those that have self-seeded and introduced themselves, you are following the right path. Celebrate the true beauty of these wild flowers; after all this is a romantic garden…
  2. Go for green, in all its many shades. A limited colour palette with varied green shades and a dash of cool blues will evoke the mysterious, shady gardens of the Pazos. Edges should be blurred, so avoid neat lines and be led by the shape of the plants.
  3. To add instant impact, invest in specimen plants common to this beautiful part of Spain such as glossy-leaved camellias and delicate mophead blue hydrangeas, or climbing varieties. Both of these need acid soil, so if your soil is neutral or alkaline (you can check this with a pH tester kit bought at a garden centre), you’ll need to add ericaceous compost. Ferns and arum lilies will also complete the look.
  4. Garden furniture, stone features or hard landscaping should look as faded and vintage as possible. A stone bench with lichen spots, rocks covered in cushion moss or even a classic statue tangled in ivy or vine will add to the atmosphere.
  5. Encourage wildlife into your garden by creating a small log pile as a haven for insects and hedgehogs, and avoid sweeping up fallen leaves. If you want to really embrace the Galician look, build a small pond or water feature and add some marginal pond plants and water lilies. Local wildlife will love it and the sound of trickling water will really heighten the romantic vibe.

Spain’s exhibit at the show this year, ‘The Pazo’s Secret Garden’, by Rose McMonigall, celebrates Galicia, its Pazos, the camellia, and the distinctive Albariño wine of the region and provides an exquisite example of what your Pazo garden could look like.

Known as ‘the land of camellias’, Galicia is a renowned destination for lovers of the outdoors and garden enthusiasts. Camellias have become such an integral part of the region that visitors to Galicia can follow a dedicated ‘Camellia Route’; a journey that passes from northern to southern Galicia through 12 manor houses (or Pazos) and gardens where the camellia reigns in all its glory.

Covered in lush greenery, with some of Spain’s most idyllic, natural beaches; home to a number of buzzing, charming and characterful cities; one of the top (though lesser known) wine producing regions in Spain, famous for the delicious Albariño white wine; and offering up arguably the best seafood in the country, Galicia is a must-visit destination.

To purchase tickets for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, visit: www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows and for more information on Galicia or other regions of Spain visit http://www.turismo.gal or http://www.spain.info respectively

Ends

Notes to editors:

  • There will be an opportunity to meet for 1:1 interviews with garden designer, Rose McMonigall, and the STO team throughout the show. Please contact the Rooster PR team should you wish to schedule a time to meet
  • A more detailed description of the garden and the symbolism behind its design is available upon request, as is a full plant list and background on designer Rose McMonigall.

 

For further press information on Spain, please contact:

Natalie Garland / Melissa Hobson / Julie Aguilera

Rooster PR

T: +44 (0)20 3440 8926

E: Spain@rooster.co.uk

 

For further information on designer Rose McMonigall, contact:

Emma Mason

Emma Mason PR

T: 07762 117433

E: emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

 

 

Brownfield Metamorphosis show garden by Martyn Wilson for RHS Hampton

Brutal beauty of Britain’s brownfield sites to be championed by RHS Hampton show garden

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‘Brownfield – Metamorphosis’ by designer Martyn Wilson, sponsored by St. Modwen

A CONCEPTUAL garden at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show will highlight the surprising beauty of Britain’s brownfield, urban sites and the important role they have to play in creating the communities of tomorrow. 

‘Brownfield – Metamorphosis’ by designer Martyn Wilson will take an abstract look at regeneration and demonstrate nature’s ability to succeed against the odds and transform an open space.

Designer Martyn Wilson

Designer Martyn Wilson

Show visitors will be greeted by a series of monolithic steel structures that reference the manufacturing industries of the Industrial Age. On closer inspection, the steel appears twisted and torn – a nod to the decline of these industries. Through the rubble, the decay is being replaced by the processes of natural regeneration, and trees and vegetation are self-seeding. This natural transition provides opportunities for wildlife in the heart of urban areas.

Sponsored by the UK’s leading regeneration specialist St. Modwen, the garden will feature urban art references by street artist Louis Masai on recycled hoardings. Swathes of grasses, ferns, herbaceous perennials and self-seeding annuals will soften the hard landscaping. The garden will form part of the new ‘gardens for a changing world’ category at the show.

Martyn’s design has been Inspired by Landschaftpark, Duisburg-Nord in Germany, the High Line in New York and successful brownfield regeneration schemes in the UK. He said: “What interested me initially was the changing nature of urban landscapes which are so often are in state of flux. There’s the process of demolition and reconstruction but between the two, before building work starts, you often find nature moves back in and a new, temporary landscape is created.

“My garden will recreate that moment in time, in a sculpted form, with nods to the past and also the future. We should see these city spaces as opportunities and, whilst appreciating their gritty beauty, look forward to welcoming the communities that will replace them.”

St. Modwen is a fitting sponsor for the show garden. Currently spearheading the regeneration of New Covent Garden Market, London; the transformation of Longbridge, Birmingham and RAF Uxbridge in west London, the company is the UK expert in developing brownfield sites and amongst its portfolio also counts the magnificent Trentham Estate and Gardens in Stoke-on-Trent.  Mark Allan, Chief Executive at St. Modwen, said: “The transformation and regeneration of urban sites not only goes a long way to answering the UK’s existing housing crisis but has also brought back thousands of acres of brownfield land into the public sphere that was previously not accessible.”

The steel structures on the garden are being designed by sculptor Simon Probyn and walls loaned by The Pot Company. The steel structure will sit on concrete footings being donated by Easymix Concrete.

The surface of the garden will be mulched with aggregates recycled from brownfield sites and donated by Smiths of Bletchington.  The plants are being sourced from renowned nursery and show garden supplier Hortus Loci.

Martyn’s garden will also help raise the profile of cancer charity UCARE [Urology Cancer Research and Education] at the show with volunteers greeting visitors.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or for information on St.Modwen, Emily Boswell 0121 222 9400  corpcomms@stmodwen.co.uk

 

Martyn Wilson – A trained town planner and lecturer at the Cotswold Gardening School, Martyn runs Wilson Associates Garden Design where his portfolio includes residential gardens, public and commercial spaces and three RHS award winning show gardens. He won the People’s Choice Award presented by Alan Titchmarsh at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival 2016 for his show garden ‘Time is a Healer’ in support of The Primrose Hospice in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

 

Front door colours Truedor

The front door colours trending this year

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(and we’re far from a grey nation)

What colour should you choose for your front door?  From vivid and traditional, pared-down pastel to tailored shades expressing an inner craving for colour, getting it right can lift the front of your home, put a personal stamp on it and even make or break a sale.  Now architect and property expert, George Clarke, ambassador for composite door brand Truedor, is lifting the lid on the most popular front door colours for 2017.

George Clarke

George Clarke

The purchasing habits and trends captured since January reveal that, despite Brexit, we’re far from a grey nation.  Passionate about encouraging people to be creative with their homes, George Clarke has also put together his top five tips for enhancing kerb appeal.

MOST POPULAR DOOR COLOURS FOR 2017: Traditional jet black, steel blue, pine green and crisp white; Vivid shades of bright yellow, cobalt blue, and purple; Pretty Pastels including primrose yellow, duck egg blue and light violet.

But the colour rainbow doesn’t end there.  Truedor also has a state-of-the-art paint matching service, enabling homeowners to choose their dream door design and shade without having to lift a paint brush or paint pot themselves, all combined with the security and eco benefits a composite door brings.

Composite door sales have rocketed in the UK over the past few years1 with more homeowners buying them than any other type of external door.  Durability, security and eco-friendly credentials are just some of the key drivers behind why people buy, but limited colour choice has meant you can’t always find the perfect match for your home style or colour scheme.  Truedor’s bespoke paint mixing service and RAL rainbow can match even the most obscure shade, whether it’s bright orange, bubblegum pink or even West Ham claret.

GEORGE CLARKE’S TOP FIVE TIPS FOR ENHANCING KERB APPEAL

Creative colour

If you’re feeling adventurous, go for strong, bright colours for your front door but choose a shade that complements your own personal style and the rest of your house.  If you’re not feeling brave, black is always a safe bet, or opt for darker shades of blue, plum and green that will still make a design statement.

Clean lines

Symmetry and simplicity at the front of a house is always a good idea.  Consider positioning plants so that there’s an equal number on each side for entrance impact and any outdoor lighting will generally always look better in pairs.

Flower power

Think about stylish hanging baskets, planters and window boxes.  Flowers, shrubs and greenery can really lift the entrance to a home and complement the colour and style of the front door. Make sure you water and feed them regularly to keep them in tip-top condition.

Keep it clutter-free

Keep doors, pathways, steps and open porches free from leaves, dust, dirt and other debris and if you’ve got a front door mat make sure it’s kept clean and looks appealing.

The details make the difference

It’s always worth investing in good quality door accessories such as letterboxes, doorknobs and knockers, and try to make sure you choose door furniture that is in keeping with the style and age of your property.

George Clarke comments: “Your front door is the face of your home – it’s the first thing people see, so don’t follow the crowd, design your own and really go to town.  With your front door you have more freedom to express yourself, perhaps picking a colour that you wouldn’t normally choose for your interior walls.  Changing the front door is a quick win but a real game changer in terms of how people perceive you and your home.”

TRUEDOR BENEFITS

  • Homeowners get the best of both worlds when they choose a Truedor door: all the benefits of a stylish composite door but in a wide range of specialist colours so they can match their door to pretty much any shade they desire.
  • IG Doors, owners of the Truedor brand have been making quality composite doors for UK homeowners for over 35 years
  • Renowned for its strong, stylish and timeless designs
  • Marrying style and security – with the same aesthetic appeal as timber, Truedor composite doors won’t split, are thermally efficient and are fitted with high security, multi-point locks as standard
  • Over 30 door styles and, depending on which door you opt for, an array of glazing options and hardware choices (handles, knockers, letterboxes and numbers)
  • A colour for everyone – choose from the RAL colour range for a bespoke look or opt for 19 standard colours and finishes.
  • ‘Truly Friendly’ promise – working in full compliance of regulations and recycling 100% of the following products: PVC and timber offcuts, sawdust, mixed scrap metal, cardboard, paper, polythene and ink cartridges.

The Truedor ordering process is easy too. Customers can design their own door on the Truedor website at www.truedor.co.uk – cleverly they can even see how their home will look with their chosen door fitted by uploading a photograph of their property and using the website’s online visualiser. Once the final design is submitted, a local installer best suited to the door design is contacted, who visits to measure up and provides a quote. When the quote is approved, the installation begins.  For more information visit http://www.truedor.co.uk.

ENDS

Further press information from: Emma Mason emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433 or Sarah Turrell sarahturrell@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07958 397637

NOTES TO EDITORS

The UK residential door market is now worth £774m and is forecast to grow to £867 million by 2020.

1 Composite doors sales have rocketed in the UK and now account for over 50% of all new front doors purchased, with 22% growth forecast in the next three years.

Truedor works with a nationwide network of over 300 approved installers. Based in south Wales, Truedor products are made by one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of composite doors which has been established for over 35 years and employs over 180 people.

 

 

Around & About maps from Yellow Maps

Weatherproof, pocket-sized, easy-to-use maps of your local area now on sale nationwide

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Over 1,000 Yellow Maps available in shops across the UK 

Yellow Maps, the handy, water resistant, local map range is now on sale in stores across the country. Perfectly sized to fold in your pocket, laminated against wind and rain, and larger scale for all to read, Yellow Maps are ideal for walk, drive, hike or bike.

Using large scale Ordnance Survey mapping data in a convenient, sturdy format, Yellow Maps takes the hard work out of map reading – a relief to anyone who has wrestled with a large paper sheet map on a wet and windy day!

Easy-to-use Yellow Maps

Easy-to-use Yellow Maps

The award-winning range first launched in the West Country four years ago with a handful of titles, quickly becoming a firm favourite with walkers and cyclists, and expanded by producing maps for independent retailers wanting titles covering their local patch. It now boasts over 1,000 titles on sale in some 2,000 outdoor, gift, and book shops, tourist offices, museums, hotels, holiday parks and campsites across the UK, and on the Yellow Maps website – www.yellowpublications.co.uk. As well as local area maps, titles include long-distance footpaths, national parks and cycle routes.

Yellow Maps range

Yellow Maps range

Sean Quigly, of Yellow Publications which produces Yellow Maps, said: “We like to describe our water resistant maps as easy to read, easy to hold, easy to fold and they fit in your pocket. Whether you are taking your dog for a walk, freewheeling down country lanes or hiking up a Munro, we almost certainly have a map to fit the bill….and if we don’t, it won’t be long before we do!”

The Yellow Map ‘family’ includes:

  • the best-selling Around & About walking map range (Scale 1:16 000 approx 4 inches to 1 mile) makes navigation trouble-free and, with the greater clarity, helps the user to spot interesting features so easily missed on a normal map. Laminated for weatherproofing. Useful scale ruler for distance and walk time. Slips easily into your pocket. Areas: alphabetically range from ‘Abbotsford, Melrose & Galashiels’ to ‘Yeovilton, Mudford & Queen Camel’. Format: Double-sidedMap. Size: 47 x 32 cms RRP: £3.99 each.
  • Here and There laminated cycle maps make cycling easy. Ideally suited to visitors looking to cycle around the area they are staying.  Based on Ordnance Survey’s Landranger mapping blown up from the standard 1:50 000 scale, these maps really make navigation trouble-free when a-wheel (Scale 1:40 000). Useful scale ruler for distance and cycle time with cycle route index. Areas: alphabetically range from ‘Alton to Hartington, Ashbourne, Tissington & Waterhouses’ to ‘Worcester to Ledbury, Great Malvern & Bromyard’. Format: Double-sided Map. Map size: 47 x 32 cms RRP: £3.99
  • Zigzag maps come in a concertina strip format, hence their name, and with 200 cm of mapping can follow a long distance footpath at a scale of 1:16 000 for up to 30 miles (depending on the wiggles).  Like all Yellow Maps they are made for convenience, you only need to unfold 2 panels at a time and you can keep on flipping over to follow the path. Areas: alphabetically range from ‘Abbot’s Way’ to ‘Worcestershire Way’. Format:  Double-sided, laminatedconcertina strip map. Cover size: 10 x 27 cms. Map size: 100 x 26 cms (per side) RRP:  £7.99
  • Yellow Map Atlas Based on Ordnance Survey’s Landrangermapping blown up to 1:40 000 from the standard 1:50 000 scale, the Yellow Map Atlas takes the booklet format and turns it into a map. Each page has a fold so when alternate pages are unfolded you end up with a map 43 x 26 cm. This map atlas really makes navigation trouble-free with its greater clarity and it will still fit in a pocket. Areas: Brecon Beacons, Forest of Dean, Isle of Skye, New Forest etc. Format: Folding booklet (16 maps) with laminated cover only. Cover size: 11 x 26 cms. Map size: 43 x 26 cms. RRP:  £11.99
  • Also available Parish Maps and Boxed Sets.

More information on areas covered by Yellow Maps, and local retailers, can be found at www.yellowpublications.co.uk

ENDS

For further media information please contact: Emma Mason on 07762 117433, emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk, @emmamasonpr or on Facebook at Emma Mason PR.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Yellow Publications has expanded from producing the traditional, much loved West Country tide tables to become a national brand with maps and distributors nationwide. Based in Cornwall, the family-owned business was borne from the owners’ wish to make maps more user friendly.

Dalefoot Composts features on BBC Two Back to the Land

Dalefoot Composts features in ‘Back to the Land’ with Kate Humble on BBC Two

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AN ENTERPRISING Cumbrian family firm that makes peat free compost from sheep’s wool, and restores damaged peat bogs across the UK, has featured in a new BBC TV series championing rural entrepreneurs.

Dalefoot Composts, based on a 120-acre family farm in the hills of the Lake District, was highlighted on ‘Back to the Land’ presented by Kate Humble on BBC Two on Tuesday (21 March). The documentary series travelled the UK meeting the growing band of rural entrepreneurs who have forged their own innovative products and businesses from the land in the Lake District, Devon and Pembrokeshire.

The programme took a behind-the-scenes look at Dalefoot’s eco compost-making using wool and bracken from the Cumbrian fells, joining the firm during the busy lambing season and then again for the bracken harvest. It also highlighted the specialised peat bog restoration work that the Dalefoot team undertakes across the nation for organisations such as Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage.

The family who run Dalefoot Composts, Jane Barker and husband Simon Bland, were filmed throughout the year, for the third episode of the series which showcased companies in the Lake District. Their 11-year-old daughter Arabella also made an appearance, helping Kate and her parents with lambing.

Jane said: “It was a wonderful experience meeting Kate and the film crew, being taken through a process of reflecting on what we have achieved so far, and helping us celebrate the 20th anniversary of Dalefoot Composts.”

The enterprising couple began manufacturing compost and selling mail order 20 years ago, prompted by diminishing returns from their sheep farming business. Using Simon’s practical farming knowledge and the scientific input of Jane, who holds a PhD in Environmental Science, they began their composting using bracken – a by-product of their environmental and habitat restoration work – before adding wool to the mixture.

As well as helping the growing number of gardeners and horticulturalists who want to switch to peat free, the compost finds a novel use for British wool – good news for struggling sheep farmers. Their sustainable Wool Compost range, which is now widely used by gardeners across the UK, boasts wool from their own flock. Benefits include:

  • Natural water retention of wool fibres means up to 50% less watering.
  • Wool provides a steady, slow sustained supply of nitrogen.
  • High levels of natural potash from the bracken promotes flowering and fruiting, healthy growth and hearty crops – NO need for any additional plant food.
  • Made from totally renewable resources with great environmental benefits.

The use of bracken in Wool Compost is also beneficial for the local Cumbrian landscape, as the spread of this aggressive, waist-high plant in the Lake District makes grazing difficult and impacts upon native species. Harvesting improves the biodiversity of flora and fauna, in particular ground-nesting birds and butterflies.

Tel: 01931 713281              Email: info@dalefootcomposts.co.uk      @DalefootCompost

ENDS

For further information please contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762117433

 

The Garden Photography Workshop © Andrea Jones

Work by leading garden photographer to feature in trio of new books

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– Programme of residential garden photography retreats also announced –

Encouraging readers to observe and appreciate the full beauty of nature, plants and landscape is the common theme in three very different books this spring by leading garden photographer Andrea Jones.

Garden photographer Andrea Jones 2017 books

Andrea wrote and illustrated ‘The Garden Photography Workshop’, to be published by Timber Press in March, in which she shares some trade secrets of how she cleverly captures the essence of beautiful gardens around the world on camera. She explains to readers basic photography skills and tips on using a range of camera equipment, covering everything from DSLRs to smartphones and accessories.

Profiles of real gardens exemplify the most common problems a photographer can face, like harsh light, wet weather, and cramped spaces, along with advice and techniques for addressing specific concerns. We live in a photo-driven world, and this helpful guide is a complete tutorial for anyone who wants to fill their world with beautiful images of gardens and plants.

Andrea’s landscape photography features prominently in ‘Making for Home: A Tale of the Scottish Borders’, published by The Pimpernel Press in June. Alan Tait traces his journey from childhood imaginings to a tenement flat in Glasgow in the 1960s to the Moffat Valley, in the Scottish Borders, where he bought a remote farmhouse in the 1970s, since when he has overseen its restoration and renewal during four decades of continuing change. Andrea’s beautiful images capture the evocative southern upland scenery over sharply contrasting seasons.

In ‘Essential Pruning Techniques’, also published by Timber Press in March, Andrea illustrates this practical reference book, written by the leading tree expert from the Royal Botanic Garden Kew, Tony Kirkham. Andrea’s photography entices readers to appreciate the natural shape of trees as well as explaining visually the best pruning methods and practices.

During 2017, Andrea will be hosting a series of weekend retreats offering guidance to those wanting to improve their own garden and nature photography skills. Based at Alton Albany Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast in Ayrshire, which is run by Andrea’s husband Alasdair, the retreats will take advantage of the abundance of photogenic natural subjects within easy reach of its doorstep. The weekends offer a taste of Scotland and a sociable escape with plenty of genial information sharing between like-minded folk.

Matt Cross of ‘Wild About the Forest’ will be at hand to give his guided nature walks on each of the retreats and as the farm is so well placed on the western edge of the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park, he will also be available to guide guests around the night sky when darkness falls. The residential retreats will include full accommodation and can be tailor made to suit small groups of between three to six people (depending on room sharing requirements). The full programme can be found at www.altonalbanyfarm.com.

Over the last 25 years, Andrea Jones has built an international reputation for her photographs of landscapes, gardens, and plants. Among other awards she was voted Photographer of the Year and Book Photographer of the Year by her peers in the Garden Media Guild. Her website is www.andreajones.co.uk .

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason on 07762 117433 emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

‘The Garden Photography Workshop’ by Andrea Jones published by Timber Press March 2017 Price: £20, Pages: 256; Images: 247 colour photos

‘Essential Pruning Techniques’  by Tony Kirkham published by Timber Press March 2017 Price: £40 Pages: 256

‘Making for Home: A Tale of the Scottish Borders’ published by The Pimpernel Press June 2017 Price: £30 Pages: 144

Stark and Greensmith Aluminium Motif panel

Architectural metal panels for home, garden or terrace launched by Stark & Greensmith

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Hedgehog-friendly, perfect for privacy & instant impact 

An award-winning range of architectural metal fence panels and garden screens is now on sale from Stark & Greensmith – ideal for homeowners wanting an instant contemporary design statement for their outdoor space.

Made either from recycled steel or powder-coated aluminium, the long-lasting panels are laser cut with a range of five beautiful botanical designs. The panels are highly versatile, with homeowners and garden designers using them as fencing with a contemporary look, as pergolas and balustrades, as garden/roof terrace features or screens to give additional structure, or to mask parts of their home or garden they want to keep under wraps. Unlike conventional fencing, the panels are maintenance-free, wind resistant and improve with age – the materials used mature rather than deteriorate.

Stark & Greensmith branches weathered steel panels

Stark & Greensmith Branches weathering steel panels

Alongside their contemporary and sustainable design aesthetics, the panels are hedgehog-friendly. When installed they float 11cm above the ground, enough room for the protected mammals to pass freely under them.

Developed by Stark & Greensmith’s creative director and designer, Martine Le Gassick, the panels are a reaction to the disappointing look, short lifespan and susceptibility to bad weather of traditional fencing. Having worked with well-known brands such as Diane von Furstenburg, Etro and Victoria’s Secret with her previous company, Martine set about designing an affordable, modern yet practical fencing alternative for the garden. When the range was launched at the recent leading trade exhibition, the Landscape Show, it scooped the prestigious Best in Show award.

Stark and Greensmith weathering steel Drift panel

Stark & Greensmith weathering steel Drift panels

Martine said: “We wanted to create products which perform better than traditional fencing by using recycled materials where possible, which won’t rot, are maintenance free and should last 20 years.  Our panels float 11cm above the ground as well, so that hedgehogs can move freely beneath them.  Hedgehog numbers are in steep decline, and we wanted to respond to that serious challenge, but with a product that is also affordable, sustainable and beautiful.”

Product details:

·         Retail prices start from £208 + VAT.  Standard panel dimensions are 1780m x 1190m x 3mm (approximately 6’ high, 4’ wide and 3mm thick), and are made in weathering steel and powder coated aluminium, with Martine’s unique designs laser cut onto them. 

·         The powder-coated aluminium was chosen for its clean aesthetic quality, an appearance it maintains over time, as it will not rust or decay.

·         The weathering steel was selected for the beautiful auburn rusted patina which it forms on contact with the atmosphere.  This patina stabilises and protects the material itself, meaning the panel stays strong, even in sandy or coastal environments.

·         The panels are installed using a fixing system featuring stylish dark grey aluminium posts, and powder coated steel clamps; these panels are sustainable, as they are made from 100% recycled steel and aluminium.

·         Now available to buy on Stark & Greensmith’s website – www.starkandgreensmith.com – and from a growing number of professional installers (see website for details).

In addition to the standard range, Stark & Greensmith also undertakes bespoke commissions, with current projects ranging from single panels in domestic settings, through to major commercial, leisure, hospitality and public realm commissions.

Stark & Greensmith Ltd   Phone: 01737 701088   Email: sales@starkandgreensmith.com  www.starkandgreensmith.com

-ENDS-

For further media information please contact: Emma Mason on 07762 117433, emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk, @emmamasonpr or Facebook at Emma Mason PR.

 

 

Opening for Scotland's Gardens in 2017, the garden at Carey (Abernethy Open Gardens)

Scotland’s ‘hidden’ historic horticultural gems to be celebrated by Scotland’s Gardens

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-500 gardens opening in total across Scotland during 2017 –

THE IMPORTANT role gardens play in Scotland’s historic landscape will be highlighted in 2017 by the open garden charity Scotland’s Gardens.

Of the 500 gardens throwing open their gates to the public during the year under the Scotland’s Gardens banner, over 80 have been recognised for their historic, national significance. Many of these are not that well known, even though their horticultural features play a vital role in the country’s heritage, so Scotland’s Gardens will be encouraging people to visit, delve into their past and soak up the atmosphere.

Garden at Netherbyres, Berwickshire opening for Scotland's GardensA monastic priory garden dating back 700 years, an ‘apple walk’ at Tyninghame House, the Victorian kitchen garden of Scotland’s largest inhabited castle, an unique 18th century elliptical walled garden and even an Edwardian Japanese water garden, are just some of these noteworthy locations being celebrated in Scotland’s Gardens 2017 Guidebook. Many of the gardens are private, so not normally open to visitors, and all are listed in Scotland’s Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, compiled by Historic Environment Scotland.

As well as these distinguished horticultural stars, hundreds of other gardens of all shapes and sizes will be opening to visitors across Scotland to raise money for charities. Highlights of the Scotland’s Gardens programme during 2017 include:

  • 70 new gardens including Westerhouses in Roxburghshire, an old Borders farmhouse garden with fabulous views across the local hills; Drumstinchall House & Drumstinchall Cottage in Kirkcudbrightshire with an array of colourful borders, vegetable garden and walk to the local loch; a secluded wildlife-friendly garden surrounded by eight acres of pine trees at the Garden at Auld Post Office in Caithness, and the garden at Carey House in Abernethy with views over the Ochil Hills, transformed just six years ago from a field of brambles and thistles.
  • A week-long garden festival in Orkney during June. Four trails including one on the island of Hoy and Longhope with beach-side gardens boasting their very own resident seals
  • The Fife Garden Trail – nine stunning, privately owned gardens, five of which have never or rarely admitted visitors before
  • East Lothian Garden Trail – 12 spacious gardens and well-tended allotments open in June and July
  • Nine plant sales including a new sale in Angus featuring (unusual) plants and prosecco
  • 24 village openings including West Linton Village, a conservation village, offering a special Garden and History Trail and two with allotments
  • 226 different charities, from the very small to large, well-known organisations, will be supported by garden owners taking part in the programme

Scotland's Gardens 2017 Guidebook

Terrill Dobson, National Organiser for Scotland’s Gardens said: “We’re excited to play a part in raising the profile of these gardens and the role they play in our historic environment and landscape. All the more so in 2017, which has been designated the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology by VisitScotland.

“Whether you’re a garden lover, history buff, or just enjoy a great day out with a good cuppa, please support Scotland’s Gardens and all of our many charities generously with your visits.”

ENDS

For further media information please contact: Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or 07762 117433, @emmamasonpr on Twitter or on Facebook at Emma Mason PR.  High res images and logos are available.

OR info@scotlandsgardens.org, 0131-226 3714, Terrill Dobson, National Organiser, terrill@scotlandsgardens.org .

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Scotland’s Gardens raises money for other charities by facilitating the opening of large and small gardens of horticultural interest throughout Scotland to the public. Most are privately owned and are normally inaccessible to the public at other times.

Visitors can plan their days out to participating gardens by clicking onto www.scotlandsgardens.org.  Click on which area you’d like to visit and details of all gardens opening locally will be displayed, with opening hours, online map and key details. Garden highlights can also be found on Twitter @ScotGardens and on Facebook ScotlandsGardens.  As well as on the website, garden listings can be found in the Scotland’s Gardens 2017 Guidebook, on sale in major bookshops, at tourist attractions, garden centres etc and online via www.scotlandsgardens.org.

All the gardens have to be of horticultural interest and meet a certain standard to participate in Scotland’s Gardens programme and this is carefully monitored by the charity’s team of 200 volunteers.

In the last 5 years, over £1 million has been raised for charity by Scotland’s Gardens. Forty per cent of funds go to charities nominated by each garden owner with the net remainder being donated to SG beneficiaries who are currently Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, The Gardens Fund of the National Trust for Scotland and Perennial.

 

 

 

Want a modern home for farm or smallholding? New range launched by Norwegian Log Buildings

Want a modern home for farm or smallholding? New range launched by Norwegian Log Buildings

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A contemporary range of transportable, solid log homes is being launched by Norwegian Log Buildings – made in the UK and ideal for farm or smallholding.

The new concept transportable homes have an on-trend, modern look with all the quality construction benefits of a solid log building. Designs include angled elevations and space saving internal walls with panoramic double glazing and bi-fold doors. Factory assembled in Berkshire, the units can be delivered and assembled within 7-10 days.

Environmental benefits include natural insulation – log keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer – low running costs, an indefinite lifespan and minimal maintenance, unlike many park homes, caravans and prefabs.

Norwegian Log has been producing traditionally styled solid log buildings for many years but this is its first contemporary and transportable product range to be built in the UK. Nick Forrester, managing director at Norwegian Log Buildings, said: “We’ve got more than 30 years’ experience of supplying traditional cabins to the holiday industry, and log homes as accommodation for staff and family to landowners and farms. Our new contemporary range is aimed at customers who want a more modern style of home and we’re delighted to be able to launch it this Autumn.”

The homes are fully compliant with the ‘Caravan Act’ as mobile homes and exempt from Building Regulations, so ideal for a rural setting. The value of log homes also generally moves in line with the property market, rather than depreciating rapidly over a few years.

Case study – Wheatley Farm Shop

Dave and Carol Parker of Wheatley Farm Shop

Dave and Carol Parker of Wheatley Farm Shop

Dave and Carol Parker have two special reasons to celebrate 2016 – the 30th anniversary of their well-known Oxfordshire farm shop and the delivery of the very first British-made Norwegian Log contemporary, transportable home as their ‘forever home’.

The Parkers run Wheatley Farm Shop on the outskirts of Oxford and are settling into their unique home, the first of its kind in the UK. Nestled between the farm shop’s barns and neighbouring field, the eco-friendly solid log building fits perfectly within its semi-rural surroundings.

With an eye-catching glass frontage, the home boasts a large open plan living area with wood burning stove, modern sleek kitchen, sophisticated master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and shower room, bathroom and utility/boot room. Large bi-fold doors lead out onto a glass-fronted deck area, a perfect spot for watching the wildlife in the surrounding fields.  “It’s so lovely having the doors wide open, sitting there with a glass of wine in the evening,” said Carol.

Norwegian Log's new transportable home range

Norwegian Log’s new transportable home range

Designed and constructed by Norwegian Log at its Reading manufacturing site, the building is the first in a new range of transportable homes launched by the Thames Valley firm. “Our farm shop is constructed from wood and so we already knew how well insulated these natural buildings are and how well they perform. We did think initially about a bricks and mortar house, but quickly realised that a log home would give us the building we wanted without having to compromise on our lifestyle, so a win, win,” said Carol. “Another reason we wanted to opt for a log building was to tie in with the other buildings on the site, our shop and barns.”

After visiting Norwegian Log’s Reading show home and deciding the contemporary design was for them, the Parkers were granted planning permission within months.  Their home was delivered to Wheatley in two ‘modular’ sections and then lifted into place by crane.  “It was so exciting seeing it delivered,” remarked Carol. “Everybody loves it, it blends in so well and is very low key. I’m constantly showing customers around and I’ve had nothing but compliments. In fact, several of my friends have been tearful, they’ve loved it so much.”

Their home marks a new chapter in the farm shop’s history. Started by her parents, Hazel and Wally Boater, 30 years ago as a market garden selling home-grown produce, the popular business now boasts a coffee shop, garden centre, and animal feed and pet food barn. Dave and Carol are here to stay. “We’ve made sure our new home has been designed for the future so we’ve included a walk-in shower, no steps and we can easily install access ramps. It’s our forever home!” she added.

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For further information on Norwegian Log Buildings contact Emma Mason on emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk or 07762 117433 www.emmamasonpr.co.uk.

Norwegian Log Buildings www.norwegianlog.co.uk Tel: 0118 966 9236

 

Notes for editors: Since the 1980s, Norwegian Log Buildings has been erecting buildings, classrooms and pool enclosures for schools across the UK. It has also supplied over 1,000 buildings to private clients, companies, holiday parks, local authorities, charities and public bodies. With a 30-strong team, the firm is based in Reading, Berkshire.

 

Duchess of Rothesay, Sir Francis Ogilvy of Winton House and Terrill Dobson of Scotland's Gardens

Duchess of Rothesay helps Scotland’s Gardens celebrate its 85th anniversary in floral style

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-Her Royal Highness meets charity volunteers & garden openers at tea party-

The Duchess of Rothesay helped Scotland’s Gardens mark its 85th anniversary today at a special birthday tea party held in the grounds of the charity’s longest standing open garden, Winton House in East Lothian.

Her Royal Highness met volunteers and staff who help the organisation ‘open the gates’ of hundreds of gardens across Scotland every year to raise funds for other deserving charities.

Scotland’s Gardens was created in 1931 and Winton House holds a special place in the charity’s history as it has opened every year bar one since the charity began, making it the longest standing garden to open for the charity. At its first opening the owners raised £20 8s & 6d.

Volunteers whose gardens have opened for over 50 years for the charity were amongst those to chat to the Duchess. Her Royal Highness helped plant a commemorative mulberry tree in Winton’s terraced gardens. She also heard about the launch of a new research project into the charity’s extensive archives with the aim of making them available to the public, historians and horticulturists.

David Mitchell, deputy chairman of Scotland’s Gardens, said: “We are thrilled that our President, the Countess of Rothesay, joined us to celebrate this special event and met many of our stalwart volunteers. Since Scotland’s Gardens began 85 years ago it has raised almost £8.7 million for over 200 charities and given countless hours of horticultural pleasure to garden visitors, which we’re really proud of.

“Behind the scenes of course, the staff and volunteers have put in even more hours, mowing, weeding, baking cakes, distributing leaflets and greeting members of the public.

The family and team at Winton House typify that commitment and it is fitting that we’ve been able to mark this milestone with them.”

In this anniversary year, 440 gardens are opening their gates as part of the Scotland’s Gardens scheme, stretching from Wigtownshire in the south west to Shetland in the north east. Most are private and not otherwise available to visit. Visitors will be able to wander around coastal gardens, village trails, grand estates and hidden urban retreats, gaze in awe at 35 National Plant Collections and have their wallets tempted at a dozen plant sales and over 200 plant stalls.

Highlights still to come during the year include openings at Boarhills Village Gardens in Fife; over 80 gardens in the autumn including Little Broich in Stirlingshire, Attadale in Ross and Cromarty, with the Hill of Tarvit Plant Sale and Autumn Fair in Fife, and Craigentinny and Telferton Allotments in Edinburgh.

Winton House is a 15th Century castle, with picturesque terraced gardens overlooking a loch, and the home of Sir Francis and Lady Ogilvy.

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

Visitors can plan their days out to participating gardens by clicking onto www.scotlandsgardens.org. Garden highlights can also be found on Facebook ScotlandsGardens and on Twitter @ScotGardens.  As well as on the website, garden listings can be found in the Scotland’s Gardens 2016 Guidebook, on sale in major bookshops, at tourist attractions, garden centres etc and online via www.scotlandsgardens.org.

All of the gardens have to be of horticultural interest and meet a certain standard to participate in Scotland’s Gardens programme and this is carefully monitored by the charity’s team of 200 volunteers.

Forty per cent of funds go to charities nominated by each garden owner with the net remainder being donated to SG beneficiaries who are currently Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, The Gardens Fund of the National Trust for Scotland and Perennial. Over 200 charities have benefitted.

Tom Holman, Rebecca Adlington and Nick Forrester at Bethany School

New 25m indoor swimming pool at Kent boarding school opened by Olympian

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Double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington OBE has officially opened Norwegian Log Buildings and Fowler Swimming Pools’ latest joint project – a stunning 25m, six lane indoor heated pool at Bethany School in Kent.

Britain’s most successful swimmer officially unveiled the new fully-tiled, deck level pool at co-educational Bethany School set in the Kent Weald countryside at Goudhurst. Built in a bespoke solid log building, the pool complex boasts spacious changing rooms, showers, toilets, lobby area and office. The pool itself has underwater lighting, spectator seating and starting blocks.  Underfloor heating in the changing rooms adds an added touch of luxury and comfort.

“The pool at Bethany School looks stunning and Rebecca Adlington was the perfect choice to officially open it, a winning combination,” said Norwegian Log’s MD Nick Forrester. “Log is an ideal material for swimming pool buildings as it provides effective natural insulation and friendly acoustics, ideal for young swimmers, and as a ‘warm’ material attracts far less condensation. Running costs are also lower than a traditional glass and brick pool building, and our enclosures require only minimal routine maintenance for an indefinite lifespan.”

Fowler Swimming Pools and Norwegian Log have been working together for over 20 years, and when senior staff at Bethany School started to research swimming pools, they were encouraged by a fellow bursar to go and visit a school pool complex built by the two companies in Cobham.

“The log building and pool definitely have the ‘wow factor’ and will benefit the school and pupils for many years to come,” said Fowlers MD Tom Holman.

Despite extremely challenging ground conditions and harsh winter weather for the initial phase of the build, the project was completed with minimum disruption to the school. “This was the wettest site we have had for a long time. We had to install a new ground drainage system and instead of conventional foundations, had to pile. But once that had been done it was straightforward,” Tom added.

With the ground works complete, the Norwegian Log building was constructed in just over 20 weeks – far quicker than a standard brick build – by the company’s expert team. Measuring 37m x 16.5m, the building has been sited sympathetically within the grounds as the school is in a conservation area. Careful consideration was given to location and building height. It is linked to an existing school building which now houses the plant room.

Replacing a 1930s converted outdoor swimming pond, the new pool has transformed Bethany School’s sports curriculum.  Francie Healy, Headmaster at Bethany School, said: “We now have a first class pool and are able to offer a whole programme of swimming events and activities for pupils. Swimming is now part of our sports programme all year round.”

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Women’s health charity show garden to get a helping hand from Norwegian Log

Women’s health charity show garden to get a helping hand from Norwegian Log

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Norwegian Log Buildings will be helping a charity promote its vital health awareness work at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show next month.

Landscape architect Emma Bannister is working with the charity National Association of Premenstrual Syndrome (NAPS) to build a show garden to raise awareness of the very common women’s health condition, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS or PMT) – and Reading-based Norwegian Log will be lending them one of its contemporary garden buildings so they can engage with, and educate, show visitors about the condition.

It is estimated as many as 30% of women can experience moderate to severe PMS, with 5-8% suffering severe symptoms (around 800,000 in the UK). Common symptoms include mood swings, depression, tiredness, fatigue or lethargy, anxiety, feeling out of control, irritability, aggression, anger, sleep disorder and food cravings. The condition can have a devastating impact on countless women and their families.

The show garden, called ‘PMS: Outside Inside for NAPS’, has been designed cleverly to show the mood contrasts experienced by a PMS sufferer. At first view, visitors will see an area of hazel woodland. A closer look reveals the hidden centre of the garden behind, and through, a curving willow screen. At the garden’s heart is a corkscrew hazel in a bed of Bowles’s golden grass. The healthy, ‘normal’ and energetic feel of the outside of the garden contrasts sharply with the solitary, maniacal and distorted mood of the inside. All planting will be native – hazels, ferns and a variety of wildflowers and grasses such as honesty, wild carrot and tufted hair grass.

To the side of the show garden will sit the garden building, built from solid log, where charity trustees and volunteers will be on hand to explain the impact of the condition on many women’s lives. They will be encouraging sufferers, their partners and families, to share and write down their personal stories. A special post box for these stories will be positioned in the Inovar building.

Emma Bannister and Nick Forrester Hampton Court

Emma and Nick at the show

Nick Forrester, MD of Norwegian Log, said: “When we were approached by Emma and she explained the concept behind the garden and the worthwhile work carried out by the NAPS charity, we jumped at the opportunity to help out. Our building is built from solid log so will fit in perfectly alongside the woodland, natural mood of the garden. We hope it will help the charity reach out to as many people as they can.”

Emma Bannister said: “The show garden is a fantastic chance to encourage people to talk and learn more about PMS and the Inovar building offers a sheltered, light and comforting setting to do this. The NAPS charity is delighted to receive Norwegian Log’s support and is very grateful to have the use of the building, even more so if the British summer weather is unkind!”

The garden has been co-designed by Ben Donadel of EMJ Architects and is being supported by Holistic Insurance Services and Monro Consulting. Volunteers from the charity Plantlife will be on hand to talk about the native planting. The different willow features have been crafted by Jay Davey Bespoke Willow.

Norwegian Log will also be exhibiting with another of its contemporary garden buildings at the show, which runs from 5-10 July, on stand HC510, between the Festival of Roses and the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust show garden.

ENDS

Notes for editors: Since the 1980s, Norwegian Log Buildings has been erecting buildings, classrooms and pool enclosures for schools across the UK. It has also supplied over 1,000 buildings to private clients, companies, holiday parks, local authorities, charities and public bodies. With a 30-strong team, the firm is based in Reading, Berkshire.

Dalefoot Composts peat free Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads

“Grow your own” tasty veg with the peat free power of wool & bracken

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Home-grown healthy eating made easy with NEW peat free ‘Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads’ 

A NEW peat free compost with power-packed nutrients, to help the UK’s growing flock of kitchen gardeners get the best results from cultivating their vegetables and salads, is being launched by Dalefoot Composts at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Whether you garden in a backyard, balcony, windowsill or allotment, Dalefoot Composts’ new Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads has been perfectly blended using nature’s finest ingredients to help you grow nutritious and delicious crops. Made from sheep’s wool and bracken from the Cumbrian Fells, the peat free compost contains an ideal balance of nutrients to grow not only veg and salads but also fruit. Benefits include:

  • Natural water retention of wool fibres means up to 50% less watering.
  • Wool provides a steady, slow sustained supply of nitrogen.
  • High levels of natural potash from the bracken promotes flowering and fruiting, healthy growth and hearty crops – NO need for any additional plant food.
  • Made from totally renewable resources with great environmental benefits.

Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads is the latest peat free product in the Dalefoot Composts range. The range already boasts Wool Compost (potting & containers), Wool Compost for Seeds, Double Strength Wool Compost, Wool Compost Ericaceous (for acid-loving plants) and Lakeland Gold (claybuster and mulch). All of the composts are made at Dalefoot Farm in the Lake District.

Simon Bland from Dalefoot Composts said: “If you’re growing herbs on your windowsill, spuds in a potato sack, beans in your back garden or award-winning produce on an allotment, our new compost will give you the best results. We’ve worked hard to create the ideal mix of all-natural, peat free ingredients to grow the finest. Just like our other composts, Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads has a similarly soft texture to peat but is completely carbon neutral, so can help you garden more sustainably. It also has the added bonus of up to 50% less watering and no need for added plant food.”

A blooming number of professional growers are using the Wool Compost range, as well a number of giant veg growers including Ian Neale who last autumn tipped the scales with the UK’s heaviest tomato. Many of the growers helped trial the new Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salad.

The range is available online at www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk from £10.99 per bag down to £7.50 each for orders of 50 bags plus delivery, and also a growing list of stockists.

Wool Compost is made on a 120-acre family farm in the Lake District fells by farmer Simon Bland and environmental scientist Jane Barker, using wool from their own flock and the Herdwick ‘wool-clip’ of neighbouring hill farmers, including National Trust tenants. As well as helping the growing number of gardeners who want to switch to peat free, the compost finds a novel use for British wool – good news for struggling sheep farmers.  The use of bracken in Wool Compost is also beneficial. The spread of this aggressive, waist-high plant in the Lake District makes grazing difficult and impacts upon native species.

Tel: 01931 713281              Email: info@dalefootcomposts.co.uk      @DalefootCompost

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HOW TO USE: Vegetable Patch & Raised Beds – use Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads to top-dress your veg patch, fill your raised beds or line your potato and bean trenches.

Planting out – plants, seedlings and plugs. To provide the best growing conditions at the roots, simply dig a hole twice the size of the root ball, line the hole with Wool Compost for Vegetables & Salads, dibble and fill in around the roots. Gently tamp then water thoroughly and mulch.

Containers – use directly in your pots, hanging baskets and tubs for established plants and well grown seedlings. Make sure you soak thoroughly with water. The slow release nutrients will mean that you do not have to feed your plants throughout the first season.

Top form! Wiltshire primary school is first to expand with a Norwegian Log contemporary classroom

Top form! Wiltshire primary school is first to expand with a Norwegian Log contemporary classroom

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PUPILS at Kington St Michael CE Primary School near Chippenham have become the first in the country to take their seats in a new style of modern classroom made by UK firm Norwegian Log Buildings.

The brand new contemporary log building was made and built off site at Norwegian Log’s Berkshire manufacturing base in four modular sections. Erected in just two days on the school grounds and so causing minimal disruption to staff and pupils, it boasts a fully-fitted 54m2 classroom, lobby and two toilets and is now home to the school’s Year 2 and 3 class.

The striking building is the first classroom to be made by Norwegian Log as part of its contemporary range. Using traditional log construction methods, gleaned over 30 years, the firm is branching out into providing much larger transportable buildings – all with a modern design twist but with the same durability, acoustics and natural thermal insulation.

Finished in a natural silver hue with large roof lights and windows, the Wiltshire classroom is flooded with natural light and sits on the edge of the school’s grounds. Head teacher Tracy Cornelius said: “We wanted a building that would fit in to the school at the end of our field and look in keeping with the rural surroundings. We also wanted it to be smart, not like an old-fashioned mobile classroom, and to be a permanent fixture that would last.”

Kington-St-Michael-002

The new building has proved a hit with pupils. “The children love it. It has a fantastic atmosphere, a really nice learning environment and the pupils appreciate how lucky they are to have it,” she added. It has also solved a space issue at the over-subscribed school, rated Outstanding by Ofsted, which has grown rapidly from 76 pupils just eight years ago to 120 currently. “We’ll now be able to redevelop other areas of our school into a music room and library so the building is helping not just one class but the whole school,” Tracy said.

Kington-St-Michael-028 low res

Over the last three decades Norwegian Log has become a leading supplier of traditional-style, high quality solid log buildings to major leisure developments, sourced from one of Norway’s leading log building manufacturers. It has also built solid log classrooms and swimming pools for schools across the UK. The firm is now launching its UK-made contemporary range to commercial customers.

Managing Director Nick Forrester said: “We introduced our contemporary range to homeowners three years ago and have made contemporary garden buildings for private plots large and small. We’re now looking forward to working with larger commercial customers who want the speed, flexibility and quality that a building like this can bring, with the added bonus of on-trend looks and style.

“We’re delighted Kington St Michael’s pupils have given their new classroom the thumbs up. Tracy and her team wanted a classroom building that looks good and would last and we’ve delivered exactly that,” he said.

Contemporary transportable buildings are also available bespoke for holiday homes, leisure developments and agricultural dwellings.

ENDS

Notes for editors: Since the 1980s, Norwegian Log Buildings has been erecting buildings, classrooms and pool enclosures for schools across the UK. It has also supplied over 1,000 buildings to private clients, companies, holiday parks, local authorities, charities and public bodies. With a 30-strong team, the firm is based in Reading, Berkshire.

Garden PR Arthur Jack window box

Window boxes launched by traditional garden planter company Arthur Jack & Co

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-Perfect for those wanting to maximise their outdoor flower power –

A classic range of window boxes, made from high quality galvanised steel, is being launched by traditional Hertfordshire garden planter firm Arthur Jack & Co.

Ideal for homeowners wanting to make the most of their outdoor garden space, no matter how limited, the window boxes have been cleverly designed for various uses. Available in two sizes so they fit the majority of windowsills, they can be used as a standard window box, as edging for terraces and decking, and for hanging over railings.

Smart design touches include adjustable legs to allow for slanting sills, pre-drilled bases for drainage, fitted bottom tray and bolt fixings for hanging. The boxes echo the same style as Arthur Jack’s planter range and are made with the same care and finish, complete with Tudor rose on each long side. Prices start at £170.

Tim Dawson from Arthur Jack & Co said: “Our new window boxes are ideal for households who want to maximise their outdoor flower power. Traditionally made in the UK, they can really enhance the look of a small or large garden, house frontage or railings.”

The concept was prompted by interest at last year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, from owners of Georgian and Victorian houses, in Arthur Jack’s traditional garden planter range. The firm’s garden water butt was shortlisted for RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year 2015.

Water butt AJack Co

Water butt by Arthur Jack & Co

Specific design features setting the window boxes apart from others are:

  • Available in two lengths – 85 cm (£170) and 110 cm (£185)
  • Adjustable legs to make them level on a slanted window sill and aid drainage.
  • Optional tray to stop dirty water discolouring painted sills (87cm £40 & 112cm £45).
  • Drilled bases to avoid waterlogging.
  • Optional U bolts for attaching to railings.

More information on the range, including how to order, can be found at www.arthurjack.co.uk.

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Notes for editors:

Arthur Jack’s steel planters, water butts and window boxes are the result of a great deal of research by a couple of keen gardeners, who were unable to find exactly what they wanted for their own garden.

Made of heavy gauge galvanised steel, they are decorated in a traditional Georgian style complete with Tudor roses and decorative balls. The bottom panels on the planters are drilled to allow free drainage and there are feet in each corner to keep the base clear.

They are made in England by artisan metal craftsmen, and then finished with a special treatment to give them an aged patina. Their many uses in the garden are as containers for topiary box ball, roses, small shrubs, trees and flowers.

Because they are hot dip galvanised they will have a long life.

Scotland’s Gardens marks 85th anniversary with 66 new gardens opening their gates to the public

Scotland’s Gardens marks 85th anniversary with 66 new gardens opening their gates to the public

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– 440 gardens in total opening during 2016 across Scotland –

Snowdrops and star gazing, stunning views of the Highlands, inner city allotment veg patches, scenic Scottish burns and sensory flower borders are some of the horticultural highlights in 66 new gardens opening to the public for Scotland’s Gardens in 2016.

 In the charity’s 85th anniversary year, 440 gardens in total will be throwing open their gates as part of the scheme, stretching from Wigtownshire in the south west to Shetland in the north east. Winton House in East Lothian gets a special mention as it will open like every year bar one since Scotland’s Gardens began in 1931 – at its first opening the owners raised £20 8s & 6d.

During 2016, visitors will be able to wander around coastal gardens, village trails, grand estates and hidden urban retreats, gaze in awe at 35 National Plant Collections and have their wallets tempted at a dozen plant sales and over 200 plant stalls. 272 charities will benefit from funds raised by the openings.

Highlights of the 2016 Scotland’s Gardens opening programme also include:

  • Craigengillan Estate and Dark Sky Observatory in Ayrshire opening into the evening for snowdrops and star gazing!
  • Two new allotment openings – Craigentinny and Telferton Allotments in Edinburgh & West Lothian and Tillicoultry Allotments in Stirling.
  • Three new villages – Boarhills Village Gardens in Fife, Muckart Village in Perth and Kinross and Kilbarchan Village Gardens in Renfrewshire – join14 other village openings. There are also three rural group openings and one new coastal opening at Golf Course Road Gardens in Ayrshire.
  • Dundee & Angus College will share the work and teachings of their horticulture students and the beautiful Crichton Rock Garden and Arboretum is opening in Crichton University Campus in Dumfriesshire.
  • Auchinstarry Sensory Garden in Glasgow & North Lanarkshire, Forfar Open Garden in Angus & Dundee and The Castlebank Gardens in South Lanarkshire which are all supported by volunteers.
  • Stunning Scottish Highland views from Craig Dhu in Inverness-shire, Pentland Hills views from Huntly Cot in Midlothian and a traditional glen garden with burns at Braevallich Farm, Argyll.
  • The Walled Garden, Sheildhill in South Lanarkshire, a contemporary update of a 200-year-old walled garden; Easter Weens (Roxburghshire) has a beautiful pear shaped walled garden and Bridgend of Teith (Stirlingshire) is protected by a 100-year-old yew hedge.

Terrill Dobson, National Organiser for Scotland’s Gardens said: “Scotland has such a varied, beautiful landscape and so there is a garden opening for every taste. Our dedicated volunteers scour the country for undiscovered gardening gems and each year we’re always able to bring visitors something new to explore and admire.”

Other highlights:

  • Scotland’s Gardens Snowdrop Festival 30 January – 13 March.
  • Over 80 gardens still available to visit in autumn including Little Broich in Stirlingshire, Attadale in Ross and Cromarty, with the Hill of Tarvit Plant Sale and Autumn Fair in Fife.
  • Nearly 50 gardens have opened for at least 50 years for the charity
    • o Yetholm Village Gardens, Roxburghshire is opening for the 26th Opening includes stalls, live music and cream teas.
    • o Langwell, Caithness and Logan House Gardens, Wigtownshire will be celebrating their 75th year with SG
  • Portrack’s Garden of Cosmic Speculation will open again this year. In 2015 they raised  £17,000 with Maggie’s as their chosen 40% charity.
  • Urban Garden Groups, seven in total including two new ones Brighton Gardens in Edinburgh and Strathbungo Gardens in Glasgow.
  • Glenkyllacky Lodge, Inverness – a stunning garden beautifully planted round a pond with backdrop of birch and juniper covered hillside. Various original sculptures, wondrous wall/ folly and second pond with oriental bridges and ornamental ducks.
  • Bruckhills Croft, Aberdeenshire – informal country cottage garden with colour themed borders leading to a wildflower meadow with pond. Fun labyrinth and chance to spot wildlife by the river.
  • Village gardens, including Athelstaneford Village, East Lothian which includes a working model train, the coastal gardens at Crail with three new gardens and Dirleton and Edzell Villages with their Castle Gardens opening too.
  • Over 200 gardens welcome dogs.
  • 40 offer accommodation, such as B&B.

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

Scotland’s Gardens raises money for other charities by facilitating the opening of large and small gardens of horticultural interest throughout Scotland to the public. Most are privately owned and are normally inaccessible to the public at other times.

Visitors can plan their days out to participating gardens by clicking onto www.scotlandsgardens.org.  Click on which area you’d like to visit and details of all gardens opening locally will be displayed, with opening hours, online map and key details. Garden highlights can also be found on Twitter @ScotGardens and on Facebook ScotlandsGardens.  As well as on the website, garden listings can be found in the Scotland’s Gardens 2016 Guidebook, on sale in major bookshops, at tourist attractions, garden centres etc and online via www.scotlandsgardens.org.

All of the gardens have to be of horticultural interest and meet a certain standard to participate in Scotland’s Gardens programme and this is carefully monitored by the charity’s team of 200 volunteers.

In the last 3 years, over £1 million has been raised for charity by Scotland’s Gardens. Forty per cent of funds go to charities nominated by each garden owner with the net remainder being donated to SG beneficiaries who are currently Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, The Gardens Fund of the National Trust for Scotland and Perennial.

Crumbs! Romsey artisan bakery wins UK-wide Halloween biscuit contract with John Lewis 

Crumbs! Romsey artisan bakery wins UK-wide Halloween biscuit contract with John Lewis 

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An artisan bakery, set up by mum Melissa O’Dwyer just three years ago, is now supplying John Lewis stores across the UK with a range of handmade Halloween biscuits.

Little Bee Bakery won the contract earlier this year to supply the retailer with a selection of iced spooky biscuits for all its 46 UK stores and Johnlewis.com.

Melissa and her team of four have spent the last few months hand rolling, cutting and icing 22,000 biscuits to fulfil the order, their biggest to date. And as Halloween approaches, the tasty biscuits with witch, skeleton, pumpkin and cat icing designs can now be bought in store and online.

Melissa said: “I am immensely proud to have Little Bee Bakery products stocked at John Lewis, it’s like a dream come true. As a small local business, getting a contract with a big national company is huge, particularly such a prestigious one.”

Ruari Kehoe, head of branch, John Lewis Southampton, said: “At John Lewis we are committed to supporting local British manufacturers, through our ‘Made in the UK’ initiative. This partnership with Romsey bakery, Little Bee is a great example of how John Lewis is committed to supporting local suppliers and helping them flourish. It’s a real privilege for us to stock Little Bee’s delicious biscuits, not only here in John Lewis Southampton, but in John Lewis department stores throughout the UK.”

Based at the Abbey Park Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Romsey, Little Bee Bakery makes bespoke handmade products including cakes, biscuits and whoopie pies using natural ingredients from local producers, with a large and growing range of gluten, dairy free and vegan products. Local ‘mumpreneur’ and avid cook Melissa started baking as a hobby in her kitchen six years ago. She made the job switch from sales to baking full time in 2013 and moved the business into its commercial premises in early 2014.

From the beginning, Melissa’s ethos has been to bake using high quality ingredients sourced locally where possible, from suppliers such as Strawberry Fields Foods (Sopley, New Forest), Leckford Estate Flour (nr Stockbridge), Mozzo Coffee (Southampton), Clayton Eggs (Romsey) and Long Barn Nurseries (Alresford).

Little Bee Bakery’s product range includes celebration and family cakes, 11 varieties of whoopee pies, iced biscuits, cheesecakes and afternoon tea cakes and scones. Products can be delivered by Little Bee Bakery in Hampshire and some items can be posted to the rest of the UK (charges apply). Little Bee Bakery supplies many corporate clients in London and Hampshire, cafes and tea rooms in Southampton, Winchester and the New Forest, local farm shops and delis as well as a growing army of local private customers.

Further information on Little Bee Bakery can be found on Facebook at Littlebbakery or on the soon to be launched website www.littlebeebakery.co.uk. Telephone orders can be taken on 01794 329263. Little Bee Bakery also regularly attends local farmers’ markets and producers’ fairs.  In Greek, Melissa is the word for bee.

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Save water in your summer garden by using sheep’s wool on your veg & blooms  

Save water in your summer garden by using sheep’s wool on your veg & blooms  

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– Sheep’s wool has natural water retention –

Worried about parched patio pots, limp hanging baskets and sun-baked veggie beds? Dalefoot Composts’ Wool Compost is made from sheep’s wool and bracken and so an ideal summer solution for eco-conscious gardeners who want to water less.

The peat free Wool Compost range ingeniously harnesses the natural ‘hydroscopic’ properties of wool to trap water and keep compost moist for longer, whilst releasing a steady steam of nitrogen and other must-have nutrients to feed the plants over the growing season. Perfect for those who want to garden more sustainably, save on water bills and grow fabulously healthy plants.

With composts for container growing, flowers, vegetables, shrubs, seeds and ericaceous plants, the Wool Compost range is made on a Lake District farm from totally renewable British resources. The compost has a similar soft texture to peat and has a wide range of naturally occurring trace elements for good plant health.

“Use our Wool Compost and you’ll definitely see fewer trips to the water butt or hose-pipe. Cleverly the wool traps moisture but the compost is free draining. Wool is also packed with the most fantastic nutrients, so our compost has a double growing whammy!” said Simon Bland from Dalefoot Composts.

The range is available online at www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk and also a growing list of stockists including 40 Wyevale Garden Centres, The National Trust’s Morden Hall Park garden centre, Petersham Nurseries, Charlies Stores in Welshpool, the Burford Garden Company, Alleyn Park Garden Centre in West Dulwich, Potash Garden Centre in Essex, The Herb Farm near Reading and Hayes Garden Land in Ayrshire.

Wool Compost is made on a 120-acre family farm at Dalefoot in the Lake District fells by farmer Simon Bland and environmental scientist Jane Barker, using wool from their own flock and the Herdwick ‘wool-clip’ of neighbouring hill farmers, including National Trust tenants. As well as helping the growing number of gardeners who want to switch to peat free, the compost finds a novel use for British wool – good news for struggling sheep farmers.

The use of bracken in Wool Compost is also beneficial. The spread of this aggressive, waist-high plant in the Lake District makes grazing difficult and impacts upon native species. Composted it boasts high levels of natural potash, essential for fruiting and flowering. A win for nature lovers and gardeners alike.

Dalefoot Composts also makes a clay-buster compost Lakeland Gold made from bracken and a good sprinkling of farm manure, packed with rich organic matter, great levels of potash and trace elements – perfect for mulching in high summer and even better worked into the soil.

As well as making peat free compost, Jane and Simon also help save Britain’s ancient peat bogs. They run a leading peat bog restoration contracting firm responsible for re-introducing peat forming sphagnum across hundreds of hectares of degraded upland and lowland bogs of Northern England and Scotland for clients such as Yorkshire Peat Partnership, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage and Natural England. So they are real peat free champions!

Tel: 01931 713281   Email: info@dalefootcomposts.co.uk @DalefootCompost

ENDS

Peat free gold! Lily grower using Cumbrian Wool Compost scoops top gong at Chelsea

Peat free gold! Lily grower using Cumbrian Wool Compost scoops top gong at Chelsea

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One of the UK’s leading lily growers has scooped a gold medal at this week’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show with blooms grown solely in Dalefoot Compost’s Wool Compost range.

This is the second year running that renowned grower HW Hyde & Son’s has won the top award for lilies grown in the eco-friendly peat free compost at the most competitive flower show in the world. The super sustainable Wool Compost range is made from British sheep’s wool and bracken and is the perfect peat free choice for all your gardening needs – award-winning or for your own back garden!

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HW Hyde’s nursery, based near Reading, has scooped numerous gold medals over the years for its Chelsea exhibit. This year, like last, its oriental lilies for the Chelsea show bench have been grown in Wool Compost Ericaceous, oriental trumpet lilies in a mix of Wool Compost and Wool Compost Ericaceous, whilst all its Asiatic lilies have been raised in Wool Compost.  

Simon Bland from Dalefoot Composts said: “We’re over the moon that the lilies have been recognised as being the best of the best with a gold medal. We’re also delighted that such a prestigious grower as HW Hyde has opted for our Wool Compost for Chelsea. More and more gardeners are choosing peat free and it’s great to see a leading grower giving it a vote of confidence.”

Elizabeth Hyde from HW Hyde said: “This is our 11th gold so actually it was a bit of a relief as you never know what the judges are going to think. When we saw our gold we were ecstatic!”

Ideal for those who want to garden more sustainably and save on water bills, Dalefoot Compost’s Wool Compost range cleverly harnesses the natural properties of wool to trap water, whilst releasing a steady steam of nutrients to feed the plants over the growing season. Made from totally renewable British resources, the range has composts for container growing, flowers, vegetables, shrubs, seeds and ericaceous plants. The range is available online at www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk and also a growing list of stockists including 40 Wyevale Garden Centres, The National Trust’s Morden Hall Park garden centre, Petersham Nurseries, Charlies Stores in Welshpool, the Burford Garden Company, Alleyn Park Garden Centre in West Dulwich, Potash Garden Centre in Essex, The Herb Farm near Reading and Hayes Garden Land in Ayrshire.

The compost has a similar soft texture to peat and has a wide range of naturally occurring trace elements for good plant health. It uses the natural hydroscopic properties of sheep’s wool to keep compost moist for longer which is particularly important when buds set during the summer and essential for those summer hanging baskets. Wool also provides a steady release of nitrogen, perfect as a slow release fertiliser.

Wool Compost is made on a 120-acre family farm at Dalefoot in the Lake District fells by farmer Simon Bland and environmental scientist Jane Barker, using wool from their own flock and the Herdwick ‘wool-clip’ of neighbouring hill farmers, including National Trust tenants. As well as helping the growing number of gardeners who want to switch to peat free, the compost finds a novel use for British wool – good news for struggling sheep farmers.

The use of bracken in Wool Compost is also beneficial. The spread of this aggressive, waist-high plant in the Lake District makes grazing difficult and impacts upon native species. Composted it boasts high levels of natural potash, essential for fruiting and flowering. A win for nature lovers and gardeners alike.

As well as making peat free compost, Jane and Simon also help save Britain’s ancient peat bogs. They run a leading peat bog restoration contracting firm responsible for re-introducing peat forming sphagnum across hundreds of hectares of degraded upland and lowland bogs of Northern England and Scotland for clients such as Yorkshire Peat Partnership, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage and Natural England. So they are real peat free champions!

Tel: 01931 713281   Email: info@dalefootcomposts.co.uk @DalefootCompost

ENDS

Spring flower spectacle, 62 new gardens & 3 island trails for Scotland’s Gardens 2015

Spring flower spectacle, 62 new gardens & 3 island trails for Scotland’s Gardens 2015

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A northerly coastal plantsman’s retreat, impressive gardens at one of Scotland’s most famous castles, a bee-friendly horticultural haven and an enchanting glenside water garden are all opening for the first time to visitors in 2015 for the Scotland’s Gardens programme.

They are joined by 58 other new gardens*, of all different shapes, sizes and horticultural interest, opening to the public for the charity across Scotland, along with over 530 gardens that have opened their garden gates in previous years. Walled kitchen gardens, community growing projects, seaside plots, grand Scottish estates as well as urban and countryside gardens will be preparing to ‘wow’ visitors, from the Border country right up to the Highlands and Islands.

The 2015 Scotland’s Gardens programme includes:

  • Over 30 gardens opening for the Scottish Snowdrop Festival during February and March.
  • The season then moves up a gear in April with a host of properties boasting spectacular spring flower displays. Spring comes slightly later in Scotland so gives southern visitors a second chance to see early season blooms.
  • Two new garden trails in May/June across Angus and Fife, and around the village of Humbie, which nestles into the Lammermuir Hills in East Lothian.
  • Green-fingered visitors to Orkney during June/July are in for a treat with three new garden trails showcasing 17 amazing gardens on this northerly isle, where gardening against the odds is the norm.
  • Autumn Gathering event in Stirling on 1 October with three first class speakers

“The gardens of Scotland are incredibly diverse as the landscape and climate differs dramatically from other parts of the UK and so our programme offers a real treat for garden lovers, no matter where you live,” said Paddy Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Scotland’s Gardens.

City homes, large country houses, towering castles, several villages and even remote rural crofts all open their garden gates to visitors to raise money for the Scotland’s Gardens charity. A team of dedicated volunteers helps man the tea urns, delivers leaflets, scouts new sites and helps garden owners make the most of their opening days.

Scotland’s Gardens, formerly known as Scotland’s Gardens Scheme, raises money for other worthy charities by facilitating the opening of large and small gardens of horticultural interest throughout Scotland to the public. Most are privately owned and are normally inaccessible to the public at other times.

Visitors can plan their days out to participating gardens by clicking ontowww.scotlandsgardens.org.  Click on which area you’d like to visit and details of all gardens opening locally will be displayed, with opening hours, online map and key details. Garden highlights can also be found on Twitter @ScotGardens and on Facebook ScotlandsGardens.  As well as on the website, garden listings can be found in the Scotland’s Gardens 2015 Guidebook, on sale in major bookshops, at tourist attractions, garden centres etc and online via www.scotlandsgardens.org.
All of the gardens have to be of horticultural interest and meet a certain standard to participate in Scotland’s Gardens programme and this is carefully monitored by the charity’s team of 200 volunteers.

In the last 3 years, over £1 million has been raised for charity by Scotland’s Gardens. Forty per cent of funds go to charities nominated by each garden owner with the net remainder being donated to Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, The Gardens Fund of the National Trust for Scotland and Perennial.

ENDS

For further media information please contact:

*Top 10 new openings for 2015

  1. Glamis Castle, Angus– Walled Garden, formerly the kitchen garden, has recently undergone major development with new flower beds and a spectacular fountain. Also Italian Garden, Pinetum and parkland.
  2. Fasnacloich, Argyll– South-facing 15 acre woodland garden sloping down to a loch with extensive structural water features.
  3. Mucklejocks, Orkney – One of five seaside gardens opening in the village of Herston, on the beach with good coastal planting in cottage garden style.
  4. Schoolquoy, Orkney – Opening alongside five other fine Orcadian gardens during July, wide selection of shrubs in garden rooms. Good summer bedding.
  5. St Mary’s Farm, Fife – Small courtyard garden with formal pool, wild pond area and 2 acres of woodland
  6. Kamares, Glasgow– Owned by an artist who uses the garden as an alternative canvas. Pond, acer collection, well-established mixed shrub and herbaceous borders and a living sculptural arbour.
  7. Glenlivet, Kirkcudbright – New town garden developed from scratch over past 7 years. Remarkably mature appearance packed with colour. Two ponds connected by rill. Overlooks the River Dee.
  8. The Steading, Perth & Kinross– Garden and wild ponds, wooded walk along the Lunan Burn and wildflower meadow with cowslips and wild orchids.
  9. 2 Durnamuch, Wester Ross – Coastal plantsman’s garden with plants collected from across the world inc South Africa & the Mediterranean.
  10. Old Allangrange, nr Inverness– Formal(ish) garden planted for wildlife with sculpted hedges that play with perspective and to block or expose views.
Marmalade 2014 win

Jar up your marmalade for 10th Marmalade Awards celebration

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Event celebrating 10 sticky years & ‘renaissance in marmalade making’ with new trends & ingredients

 A QUIRKY British festival celebrating the glories of good marmalade will be marking its 10th anniversary year in 2015 – and the country’s preserves makers are being urged to jar up their marmalade to take part.

Over the last decade, organisers at The World’s Original Marmalade Awards and Festival have seen a renaissance in marmalade making with more people making, eating and cooking with it than seen in recent times. Since the event was first held in 2005, entries have risen sharply, with over 2,000 jars received from over 30 countries across the globe at this year’s Festival.  The 2015 Awards & Festival, which takes place on the weekend of 28th February and 1st March, is expected to be even bigger and better, reflecting the nation’s renewed passion for the sweet stuff.

Good quality Seville oranges are now easier to source as supermarkets react to customer demand and preserves makers – homemade, artisan and commercial – continue to push the culinary boundaries by exploring unusual marmalade trends and tastes.

Jane Hasell-McCosh, founder of the Awards, said: “We’re seeing fruity, spicy, alcoholic and downright original ingredients, such as seaweed and beer, being combined with citrus to make modern marmalades. Of course people still adore spreading the traditional thick-cut Seville on their toast but our awards celebrate marmalade in all its sticky and diverse, delicious glory.

“Ten years ago I started this event as I was worried that our wonderful tradition of marmalade making and eating was becoming less popular. I’m delighted over the last decade there’s been a renaissance in marmalade making and am looking forward to tasting entries to our 2015 awards.”

To celebrate the Awards’ 10th anniversary year, there will be an extended number of competition categories to enter and a network of collection points across the UK for people to drop their entries off, including the Paddington shop at Paddington Station, marmalade maestros Mackays near Dundee and Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly.

Fortnum & Mason will be selling a special selection box of previous Marmalade Awards winners, as well as stocking the top 2015 competition marmalades.  Marmalade will even be appearing on the big screen in the forthcoming movie ‘Paddington’, due for release later this year (2014).

The 10th anniversary year celebrations will also extend to the Marmalade Awards & Festival event itself, held at Dalemain Mansion, near Penrith in the Lake District (28th Feb/1st March). Visitors will get the chance to view the entries, taste over 500 marmalades, attend workshops, lectures and tutored marmalade and wine tastings.  Plans are afoot for a marmalade run, a marmalade church service and of course the most famous marmalade lover of them all, Paddington Bear presiding over the 10th anniversary year Magnificent Marmalade Tea Party.

Entries to the awards will be accepted from the 1st October 2014 (see website www.marmaladeawards.com for details) and the closing date for entries is 15th February 2015. Everyone who enters a jar gets their preserve tasted and judged and sent a personalised mark card with feedback on how the marmalade can be improved – or if they are lucky a gold, silver or bronze award. The double gold star winner gets their marmalade made by a commercial kitchen and it is then stocked at Fortnum & Mason – and 50p per jar goes to charity.

The Awards & Festival are sponsored by Mackays, Mrs Bridges, Fortnum & Mason, Paddington and the wine merchants Laithwaite’s, all UK family-owned businesses. The awards have raised more than £150,000 over the last ten years for Hospice at Home, hospices around the world, Action Medical Research for children and Marie Curie Scotland.  All the proceeds from the amateur entry fees go direct to these charities.

The event will be kicking off National Marmalade Week (28th February -7th March 2015), with a ‘Marmalade Peel of Bells’ that will resound around the country starting with hand bells at Dalemain and ending with the Great Bell of Bow, of Oranges & Lemons nursery rhyme fame. National Marmalade Week, overseen by the awards’ organisers, encourages people to try, buy or make marmalade.

ENDS

www.marmaladeawards.com

Twitter – @MarmaladeAwards

Facebook – WorldMarmaladeAwards

Sue and Bleddyn

Plant hunters’ rare forest finds to feature at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

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Crûg Farm Plants – Grand Pavilion

An intriguing glimpse into the mysterious world of modern-day plant hunting will be offered by Crûg Farm Plants at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with an exhibit of rare and exotic specimens being shown in public for the first time.

Unusually most of the plants, collected by Welsh nursery owners Sue and Bleddyn Wynn-Jones on expeditions to Vietnam, Taiwan, Korea and Japan, have been trialled for hardiness and can be grown outdoors in the UK, so are ideal for ordinary gardeners wanting something unique in their borders.

Propagated from seed collected in remote parts of the world, the specimens being showcased will include the perfumed, evergreen larger flowered climber Holboellia brachyandra, grand architectural Scheffleras, forest floor-covering Saxifraga stolonifera ‘Kinki Purple’ (collected from the Kinki District of Japan) and the unusually bold Ophiopogon caulescens from northern Vietnam.

The exhibit will feature a fisherman dressed in a traditional outfit made from the palmTrachycarpus, looking as though he has just met Sue and Bleddyn in the field, sitting next to a still pool of water and sifting through their horticultural finds of the day. His verdant forest backdrop will be filled with Disporums (fairy bells), Mainanthemums (false Solomon’s seals) and Polygonatums(Solomon’s seals).

Sue, who with her husband Bleddyn, has climbed mountains and volcanoes, explored hidden canyons and dodged armed bandits to seek out the elusive specimens, said: ”We want to broaden people’s minds as to what they can grow in their gardens as you can use so many exciting plants. Our collections might look tropical but most of them are able to withstand our British winters and can be easily grown.”

This is only the second time Crûg Farm Plants has exhibited at RHS Chelsea. In 2011, the nursery won a gold and the prestigious President’s Award. “We were so overwhelmed and humbled by people’s reactions to our plants the last time we were at Chelsea, we can’t wait to exhibit again, and in the show’s centenary year,” added Sue.

Unusual plants on display will include –

Rhodoleia – it is sad to think that not long after we collected the seed of this gorgeous small evergreen tree the bulldozers buried it, making way for a new road. Here it had formed a classic shaped tree only 5-6m tall, well branched above the vertical trunk, with ovate to broadly ovate thick parchment textured leaves to 16 × 10cm, dark green glossy above whitish silver below.

Piper – our first offering of this primitive genus which we collected in the steamy forests of Guatemala in 2001, on our second expedition there. It was so dramatic that we just had to try it, for its sensational large orbicular rugose peltate foliage, on metre tall bristly knobbly stems of what appears to be an evergreen sub-shrub. Bearing long palest green to white flexuous pendant catkin-like branched inflorescences, from May ripening by autumn early winter. Hardiness not tested, yet, but has grown well in a frost-free polytunnel, that is kept shaded all year.

Aesculus wangii – this has conkers the size of cricket balls. We brought the collection home from Vietnam and ended up paying $800 US excess baggage for these conkers!

Daphniphyllum aff himalense  – a puzzling species collected in the forests on Fansipan, the highest mountain in northern Vietnam in 2007, where it formed a small tree 7-8m tall, well branched with a broad outline, young branches red. Clothed in large oblong-elliptic acuminate thick textured leaves 20-25 x 6.5-9cm, dark green above with prominent veins impressed, glaucous white below.

Gunnera killipiana – originating from one of our collections on our first expedition to Guatemala in 2001, where this architectural species is fairly common between 2000-2500m particularly in moist shaded area. Where the plants form colonies, of this small trunked individuals with large palmate leaves with red spiny venation to 2m across held on deep red spiny stems to 2m long.

Crûg Farm Plants is based on the edge of Snowdonia near Caernarfon in North Wales. Covering almost 20 acres, the nursery specialises in unusual herbaceous perennials, climbers, trees and shrubs, and hundreds of the plants on offer are propagated from over 15,000 seed collections gathered on well over 50 expeditions by Sue and Bleddyn. These range from Anemone to Zelkova and everything in between.

As only a small number of people in the UK do this, their collections are much sought after around the world and the nursery has become a Mecca for keen gardeners. The primary goal of their collecting work is conservation and so they provide plants to a range of institutes involved in ex-situ conservation as well as award-winning show gardens, Royal and Botanic Gardens and National Trust collections.

ENDS

For further information contact Emma Mason at Emma Mason PR on 07762 117433 or atemma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

World’s Best Marmalade Makers crowned

World’s Best Marmalade Makers crowned

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A retired micro-biologist from Brighton and an artisan preserves maker from a rural corner of the Czech Republic have been crowned the world’s best marmalade makers at this weekend’s World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival.

Dr Yen-Chung Chong won Best in Show with his ‘Bloody Merry Marmalade’, a heady mixture of blood orange and vodka, to be named ‘The World’s Best Amateur Marmalade Maker’. Incredibly Dr Chong won the title four years ago, making him the only person to have won the gong twice.  His homemade recipe will now be made commercially and sold by Fortnum & Mason, with 50p from each jar sold going to charity.

Blanka Milfaitova won the sweet honour of ‘The World’s Best Artisan Marmalade Maker’ with her mouth-watering lemon marmalade, concocted in her kitchen in the southern border mountains of the Czech Republic, a country usually more famous for its dumplings and beer. Blanka’s jars will also now be sold at Fortnum & Mason – a world away from the handful of shops and farmers’ markets that currently sell them in her native country.

Over 1,900 jars, from all over the world, were sent into the Awards, held at Dalemain Mansion near Penrith in Cumbria. The marmalades are tasted ‘blind’ by a distinguished panel of preserves experts.

Malaysian-born homemade winner Dr Chong and artisan maker Blanka have both mastered the art of expert marmalade making – an art that goes back more than 400 hundred years – which is evidence of marmalade’s growing popularity outside the UK.

Awards organiser Jane Hasell-McCosh said: “When I started this event eight years ago, I wanted to prove that marmalade was still as popular as ever. Since then the resounding message from our entrants is that it’s not only a vital preserve of the British breakfast table but also one that reaches far beyond our shores, which is fantastic news. We’ve had entries from as far afield as Japan, Australia and the Philippines, as well as from all over the UK.”

Other marmalade makers to receive a prestigious sticky gong at the Festival were:

  • A Colonel from Andover who scooped the Tri-Services Marmalade prize
  • A man from Kyoto in Japan who won the International Marmalade award, beating preserves makers from 16 other countries
  • First time marmalade cook Jane Boylan from Penrith who scooped the Novice category
  • Youngsters Matthew Foster from Northamptonshire and William Preston from West Yorkshire who jointly won the Children’s Marmalade prize.
  • For the first time the Awards also boasted a Best Marmalade Cake competition which was won by Love Jam Kitchen.

Amateur marmalade winner Dr Chong, who got his first taste of marmalade as a child in Malaysia, said the secret of his success was “cooking the juice for the shortest time possible. I also use as little sugar as I can”. Despite being a scientist by profession, he added: “I do think marmalade making has more to do with alchemy than chemistry.”

Artisan winner Blanka, who runs her small preserves company Nase Dobroty, said: “I believe that this award is an answer to my business philosophy and desire to produce, 100% by hand, the best quality product and put into a glass, not only the fruit but also the passion and joy of life.”

Jonathan Miller, Food Buyer at Fortnum & Mason, who has been a judge at the awards for the last four years, said the standard of marmalade entries continued to be extremely high. “The winning marmalades stood out as they had good acidity, were fully fruited, low sugar and great zest. Like a good wine, marmalade needs to have good fruit and full body.”

Judging for the amateur categories was undertaken by members of the local WI. The artisan judging was carried out by a panel including food historian Ivan Day, preserve expert Pam Corbin, Jonathan Miller, baker and food writer Dan Lepard and Tim Came from Thursday Cottage.

The Festival itself boasted appearances from Paddington Bear, marmalade-making demonstrations and workshops, as well as a Marmalade Church service and even a Marmalade concert.  And it all took place in the prestigious surrounds of Dalemain, a beautiful Cumbrian mansion.

Further details of the festival and its winners can be found by visiting:www.marmaladeawards.co.uk.  Proceeds from amateur entry fees will be donated to charity.  The 2013 beneficiaries are Hospice at Home and Action Medical Research.

ENDS

Emma Mason:    07762 117433 / emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk

Louise Barnett:   07713 742685 / louise@emmamasonpr.co.uk

 

Notes to editors:

The Marmalade Awards – What they all about? – These quirky awards were founded in 2006 by Jane Hasell-McCosh with the initial idea of preserving, growing and widening one of the most English of customs – making marmalade. They have gone on to generate a following far beyond Jane’s wildest expectations and allow many different varieties of marmalade to come together and allow the judges the great opportunity to taste them all!

The Awards are centred on Dalemain Mansion, a Georgian stately home lived in by the same family for over 300 years, which also happens to hold a very rich archive of Marmalade recipes. The Awards have humour and a life of their own and have inspired people from all over the world to get involved.

And the winners are…

Amateurs

Best in Show – Yen-Chung Chong

Manmade dark and chunky – Adrian Young, Canberra, Australia

Man Made Seville – Tom Maier, Compton, West Sussex

Children’s (sponsored by Paddington Bear) – Matthew Foster, Stanwick, Northamptonshire and William Preston, Silsden, West Yorkshire

Seville – Margaret Burke, Knutsford, Cheshire

Heritage (sponsored by Mackays) – Mary & Nicholas Hart, Morben, Surrey

International (sponsored by Mackays) – Tom Benford, Kyoto, Japan

Dark and Chunky – Elizabeth Maclay, Andover, Hampshire

Merry – Yen-Chung Chong, Brighton

Novice – Jane Boylan, Penrith, Cumbria

Any Citrus – Jonathan Hamel Cooke, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Clergy – Rev James Milnes, Macclesfield

Tri-Services – Colonel Kieran O’Kelly, Andover, Hampshire

Artisan & Commercial Producers

Double Gold – Nase Dobroty

Gold – Nase Dobroty (Marmalade with Interesting Additions Bourbon and Vanilla), Hubble Preserves (Fine Seville Orange Marmalade), Bracken Hill Fine Foods (Savoury Marmalade Orange and Cider), Mary’s Marmalade (Medium Seville and Any Citrus Grapefruit), Radnor Preserves (Medium Seville, Any Citrus Blood Orange and Any Citrus Lime), Mrs Jampot’s Parlour (Savoury Marmalade Clove and Cinnamon), JR Jams (Any Citrus Marmalade Three Fruit), Jammy Bodger (Medium Seville), Jill’s Natural Preserves (Marmalade with Interesting Additions with Somerset Brandy), Love Jam Kitchen (Any Citrus Marmalade Pink Grapefruit), Wild & Fruitful (Savoury Marmalade Thai Lime), Beta 5 Chocolates (Any Citrus Marmalade Yuzu).

Andrew Chatto’s acclaimed gardening research papers published online

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Beth Chatto has undoubtedly been the most influential British gardener of the last half-century. It seems obvious now, but back in 1960 when she started her garden at Elmstead Market in Essex, the idea that garden plants thrive best in situations similar to their original natural environment was a novel one. Beth’s earliest books for gardeners say it all: The Damp Garden, The Dry Garden, The Shade Garden.

But how did Beth know what to plant and where, in her rather challenging garden (much of it too dry, to wet or too shady for conventional gardening)? The answer was that Beth relied heavily on her late husband Andrew’s knowledge of plant ecology. Those in the garden world knew that Andrew spent a lot of time researching the writings of plant hunters, travellers, scientists – in French and German, and that he taught himself Russian, in order to read the literature on the plant ecological associations of the vast USSR where many good garden plants come from.

Andrew Chatto

Now, thanks to the Internet, and some enthusiastic typists, we can all read what Andrew Chatto wrote. When he died in 1990 he left behind some half a million words on the plants and ecology of most of the temperate world. Not just notes, but eloquently, at times poetically, written text. He would take a place: Japan, the Altai Mountains, The Caucasus, and trawling through a great many sources would summarise the climate, a basic description of the vegetation and list of prominent plants, especially the ancestors of garden plants. When Beth got hold of a new plant he could look it up and tell her where it came from and what its habitat was like. So…. the idea of ‘the right plant for the right place’ was born.

For many years, Beth wondered and worried about what to do with Andrew’s text. She discussed it with well-known garden writer Noel Kingsbury, who suggested that he could help. A note in the newsletter of the Hardy Plant Society brought forward 55 responses, from which he selected eight to type up the notes into a digital format – mostly retired people, skilled copy-typists, all familiar with scientific plant naming. The next stage was to put the text online, so that anyone can read it. It is hoped that in the future plant names can be checked and brought up to date. It is also possible that the Andrew Chatto papers could be the basis of a Wiki-project, whereby others might continue the research into the natural homes of plants enabling us to give them the conditions to which they have become adapted, especially with global warming in mind.

Gardeners reading Andrew Chatto’s work will understand so much more of where their plants come from. Anyone who travels with an interest in ecology or plant life or just wild places will find much to interest them, and perhaps to provide them with a way of understanding what they see. They will do so in the knowledge that Andrew Chatto put in place what before would have involved a whole library.

Andrew Chatto’s research can be found at http://www.bethchatto.co.uk/.