Home and garden PR

Great gift ideas for hard-working gardeners

Great gift ideas for hard-working gardeners

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If you’re struggling to find the perfect gift for green-fingered family or friends, kit them out with these top picks from British independent brand Genus Gardenwear. In a range of price points to suit all pockets, each is designed by gardeners for gardeners, and everything in incredibly well made, built to last and guaranteed to make light work of any gardening task. Order online for delivery throughout the UK and overseas.

 NEW  – the popular Cable Knit Merino Hatin Dark Earth, Alchemilla Green, Pacific Blue and Tayberry Red (joining Rust and Mid-Grey) and the Genus Carry-On Collection – a family comprising Kneeler and Royal Horticultural Society-endorsed Twine Pouch and Gardening Tool Holster, which join the best-selling RHS-endorsed Caddy Bag. All designed to complement Genus gardening trousers, shorts and tops when you need to carry a wider range of tools or require extra knee protection.

TOP ROW LEFT TO RIGHT:

NEW Genus Carry-On Collection Twine Pouch £15 (RHS-endorsed)

Genus Waterproof Gardening Gloves £20

NEW Genus Cable Knit Merino Hat (Dark Earth, Alchemilla Green, Pacific Blue and Tayberry Red) £30

 

MIDDLE ROW LEFT TO RIGHT:

Genus Merino Neck Warmer £35

NEW Genus Carry-On Collection Kneeler £39

Genus Japanese Gardening Knife Small £35 Large £45

 

BOTTOM ROW LEFT TO RIGHT:

NEW Genus Carry-On Collection Gardening Tool Holster £49 (RHS-endorsed)

Genus Carry-On Collection Caddy bag £69 (RHS-endorsed)

Genus Japanese Secateurs £80

ENDS

For further information, samples or high res images contact:

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

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

Hope thousands more young people with disabilities could benefit from grassroots sport as charity Panathlon extends its reach at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Hope thousands more young people with disabilities could benefit from grassroots sport as charity Panathlon extends its reach at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

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  • Disability sports charity teaming up with designer Penelope Walker of Llevelo Garden Design for The Panathlon Joy Garden
  • Wheelchair accessible All About Plants garden at the show to be officially opened by Paralympians Steve Brown, Liz Johnson and Louise Sugden on press day (Monday 20 May)
  • Panathlon’s current fundraising campaign aims to tackle waiting list for its sporting events for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
  • To be relocated to Marjorie McClure School in Chislehurst, London, a school for students aged 4-19 years old with complex medical needs and physical disabilities
  • Supported by Project Giving Back, the grant-making charity that funds gardens for good causes at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the garden is a colourful and uplifting depiction of how Panathlon inspires inclusion and normalises difference, with an overall message that joy is for everyon

Disability sports charity Panathlon is hoping around 5,000 more young people could benefit from the life-changing sporting opportunities it offers, by amplifying awareness of its current campaign to raise an extra £100,000 when it exhibits at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

With a long waiting list for the competitive sporting events it runs across the UK for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), the charity is teaming up with multi-award winning garden designer Penelope Walker for The Panathlon Joy Garden. The aim is to highlight the transformative impact of its work and the drive to secure much-needed funds to help more young people.

Paralympians Steve Brown, Liz Johnson and Louise Sugden will officially open the garden at the show and share their hugely positive experiences of working with the charity. Fellow Panathlon Patron and TV presenter, Alex Brooker, is also providing pre and post-show support.  The Patrons hope the event will offer a unique chance to garner more support from the show’s 150,000 visitors to extend Panathlon’s reach UK-wide.

Already Panathlon is poised to increase its services to help nurture the physical and mental wellbeing of even more children with SEND, and to promote aspiring youngsters with disabilities to become potential future medal winners in competitive disability sport. With greater funding and donations, it is hoped that an additional 5,000 young people can be involved in the 2024/25 school year.

Demand is increasing for Panathlon’s competitive disability sporting events, which the charity has delivered throughout the UK for over 25 years. In 2023 Panathlon achieved a record-breaking year, providing 62,981 young people with disabilities with the opportunity to participate in competitive disability sport.

Panathlon Patron Steve Brown (Wheelchair Rugby Captain at the London 2012 Paralympics and BBC Countryfile presenter), comments: “Providing children with disabilities the opportunities to develop their interests and skills across all sports, allows them to open their minds to the competitive possibilities. The platform and experience that Panathlon creates is awesome, and with greater support, we can do even more nationwide for young, aspiring para-athletes!”

Paralympic Champion and Panathlon Chair, Liz Johnson, says: “Panathlon delivers life-enhancing opportunities for over 60,000 young people every year. Research in 2023 proved that Panathlon massively improves the self-confidence, motivation, mental (and physical) well-being of tens of thousands of children with disabilities and special needs. We want to involve more children, and already we have the demand to expand outside of our current resources. We would love to hear from businesses and individuals who wish to support our work!”

Ashley Iceton from Panathlon, adds: “Panathlon needs to raise £900,000 every year, and as we expand we have to raise even more money! RHS Chelsea Flower Show is our opportunity to tell 150,000 people about Panathlon’s core mission – and we hope to encourage more people to support the charity whilst increasing the number of young people participating in Panathlon. With greater funding, it is hoped that an additional 5,000 young people with disabilities can become involved with Panathlon during the 2024/25 school year.”

The Garden

The Panathlon Joy Garden, in the All About Plants category at the world-famous show, is an uplifting depiction of how the charity inspires inclusion, enables accessibility, and normalises difference. The overall message of the garden is that joy is for everyone.

The garden is a colourful space with tangible and conceptual details to promote and represent joy. Curves dominate in the layout, soft and hard landscaping. Colour is present in the planting and garden features, whilst ‘ribbons’ across the rear boundary represent Panathlon’s use of ribbons in celebration at their sporting events.

The unusual tree shapes symbolise normalising difference; they may look different from the ‘norm’, but this does not impact their ability to function and perform perfectly well and still exude beauty. The pathway connecting both ends of the garden, and the seating area with space next to it for a wheelchair, both promote the message of inclusion. The pathway is also slightly concave to create playfulness, as does a bright orange, organically-shaped rocking bench.

Planting is colourful and undulating to ensure all garden visitors – irrespective of ability or age – connect to the plants, with a better sight line for wheelchair users. Geranium ‘Anne Thomson’, Salvia ‘Neon’, Allium siculum, Heuchera ‘Midnight Rose, Actinidia kolomikta, Trifolium rubens and Asphodeline lutea add pops of colour, and evergreen Portugese laurel shrubs in a ball shape are repeated to create consistency and sense of flow.

Penelope Walker says: “It’s been a pleasure to design The Panathlon Joy Garden and I’m so excited to share this with visitors. I really hope they feel inspired by the garden and take some new ideas home with them.”

Plants are supplied by How Green Nursery in Kent and the trees by Van den Berk Nurseries, and the garden is built by Stewart Landscapes Construction.

Following the show, the garden will be relocated to the Marjorie McClure School in Chislehurst in London, a school for students aged 4-19 years old with complex medical needs and physical disabilities.

The Panathlon charity relies on sponsors, charitable trusts, foundations, and individual giving, to support its work each year. To help the charity create opportunities for more children in 2025, visit https://panathlonfoundationltd.enthuse.com/cf/joygardenchelsea2024.Each donation of £25 will allow another child the opportunity to take part in competitive sport. Donations pay for adapted sports equipment, specialised coaches, and the cost of supplying medals, sports clothing and trophies to reward the competitors.

– ENDS –

Notes to Editors

  • Arsenal amputee footballer Isaac Addai has credited Panathlon with kick-starting his career by giving him the opportunity to compete in disability sport at school. Last season Isaac was voted Arsenal’s ‘Player of the Year’ when the Gunners won the England Amputee Football League Cup.
  • Great Britain wheelchair racer Michael McCabe began his dream of becoming an athlete while competing with Panathlon during his school years. He finished fourteenth in the London Marathon 2024 men’s wheelchair race.
  • In the last 12 months Panathlon’s UK reach has broken records! In 2023 Panathlon’s programmes featured: 62,981 participants; 7,359 young leaders; 3,012 schools; and took place across 44 English counties and 10 areas of Wales.
  • March 2024 saw Panathlon deliver 142 sports events across the country, involving 6,303 competitors with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Additionally a further 1,387 young leaders were involved, providing those children with new responsibilities and leadership qualities.
  • Panathlon’s sporting programmes include: multi-skills, swimming, football, 10-pin bowling and boccia and a range of impairment specific sports.
  • Panathlon needs to raise £900,000 every year.

Media Enquiries

For more information about Panathlon

Contact Helen Stock – helen@foxredmedia.co.uk

For more information about The Panathlon Joy Garden or Penelope Walker

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

Press Images

Images for media use can be found by clicking here. If you require more, please get in touch with the media contacts above.

About Panathlon
Panathlon delivers over 950 days of sporting activity each year, across every English county, into North and South Wales and Northern Ireland.

Independent Research in October 2023 reported that due to Panathlon:

  • 92% of schools reported increased self-belief and pride in themselves
  • 88% increased confidence and resilience
  • 82% increased teamwork and leadership skills
  • 79% of participants had their first-ever competitive sporting experience
  • 77% increase in social interaction

Moreover, the research also found an additional 51,164 children have benefitted from Panathlon-inspired activities, with schools making PE curricula more inclusive; investing in equipment; developing assessment tools; creating leadership roles for SEND children; building new inter-school sports fixtures and opening school facilities to the community.

This ripple-effect shows the work of Panathlon to promote inclusivity in sport will continue to extend to even more pupils in the future. This provision to at least 114,145 children and young people this year is more crucial than ever, given the barriers of cost, resources, and local authority support to physical education among children and young people with special needs are increasing, emphasising the lens through which the growing impact of Panathlon should be viewed.

Panathlon Touchpoints

Web – https://panathlon.com/

Email – enquiries@panathlon.com

X – https://twitter.com/Panathlon

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/PanathlonChallenge

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/panathlonchallenge/

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/panathlon-challenge/

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/Panathlon1

The Designer

Penelope Walker is an award-winning landscape and garden designer based in the UK who set up her own practice in 2016.  Driven by a passion for design, Penelope has an eye for style; her trade stand design at the Chelsea Flower Show 2022 was featured in an article titled ‘Five Trends to Watch Out for in 2022’ by Homes and Gardens UK. Penelope is a pre-registered member of the Society of Garden Designers and has passed the first stage of adjudication.

Penelope’s strength lies in her spatial awareness and ability to make a space fit for purpose as well as beautiful and reflective of its setting. After graduating from the English Gardening School at the Chelsea Physic Garden, Penelope spent a year working at The Place for Plants; a highly reputable independent Plant Nursery selling everyday and unusual plants from perennials to shrubs and trees.

One of Penelope’s core beliefs is that design has the strength to evoke powerful emotions. With a particular affinity for designing wellbeing gardens and ‘feel good’ gardens in the faith that a little joy can go a long way.

With extensive experience of listening to clients’ needs and delivering quality work, Penelope has vast knowledge of what is required to design and implement a range of gardens and landscapes as well as a real eye for style.

Web – www.llevelogardendesign.co.uk

Email – penelope@llevelo.co.uk

Instagram – www.instagram.com/llevelo_garden_design

Tel – 01206 625330

Project Giving Back

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 effects on UK charitable fundraising – effects that have since been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis. PGB will fund a total of 15 gardens at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2024 and intends to fund up to 60 gardens inspired by a range of good causes at the show from 2022 – 2026.

Find out more at www.givingback.org.uk.

Celebrity Panathlon patrons

Liz Johnson – a triple Paralympic medallist, became a Panathlon patron in 2010 and, since then, has attended dozens of competitions around the country, inspiring a new generation of athletes. She is now chair of the charity. Liz, a 100m breaststroke S6 swimmer, won the gold medal at the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008, to add to her silver medal from Athens 2004. She then went on to complete a hat trick of medals in front of a home crowd at London 2012, where she won bronze.

Steve Brown – the Great Britain wheelchair rugby captain at the London 2012 Olympics, Steve is a Panathlon Patron. He was a TV host/presenter at the Paralympics in Rio as well as a regular on BBC’s Countryfile and Springwatch programmes.

Alex Brooker – co-hosts award-winning show The Last Leg, and has been a Panathlon patron since 2013. He rose to fame as a reporter for Channel 4 at the 2012 London Paralympic Games.

Plant List

Trees

Platanus x hispanica ‘Malburg

Plants

Actinidia kolomikta

Alchemilla sericata ‘Gold Strike’

Allium cyathophorum var. farreri

Allium siculum

Asphodeline lutea

Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes

Astrantia ‘Buckland’

Astrantia major ‘Star of Beauty’

Blechnum spicant

Carex testacea

Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’

Epimedium pubigerum

Erigeron ‘Lavender Lady’

Festuca amethystina

Foeniculum vulgare

Geranium ‘Anne Thomson’

Geranium ‘Mavis Simpson’

Geum ‘Pretticoats Peach’

Heuchera ‘Midnight Rose’

Luzula nivea

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Nippon Beauty’

Pimpinella major ‘Rosea’

Prunus lusitanica

Rhaphiolepsis umbellata ‘Southern Moon’

Rosa ‘Cardinal de Richelieu’

Salvia ‘Neon’

Silene banksia ‘Hill Grounds’

Sorbaria sorbifolia ‘Sem’

Tellima grandiflora

Trifolium rubens

Tulbaghia violacea

Valeriana officinalis

Scabiosa columbaria subsp. ochroleuca

 

 

Planning your veg plot and growing tasty food is just about to get MUCH easier – with the UK launch of Fryd, the community-centric gardening app

Planning your veg plot and growing tasty food is just about to get MUCH easier – with the UK launch of Fryd, the community-centric gardening app

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  • Easy-to-use innovative app helps you plan a bespoke veg plot, choose the best veg and companion crops for your climate and location
  • Already most popular gardening app in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with nearly 200,000 registered users and over 100,000 planting plans created covering 300,000 garden beds
  • Get inspiration from planting plans from leading UK gardeners – including no dig’s Charles Dowding, urban gardener Alessandro Vitale (@_Spicy Moustache_), Amy Chapman (@inthecottagegarden), Tanya Anderson(@lovely.greens) and Becky Searle (@sow_much_more)
  • Ideal for large or small plots, urban, allotment, back garden, or balcony
  • Gives access to a crowd-sourced online plant library and eco growing advice from an in-built community
  • Fryd is ‘steward-owned’, purpose-driven business using advanced technology and crowdsourcing to make growing your own food easier and more enjoyable

 

Choosing what crops to grow, when to plant them and where in your veggie bed, is now easier thanks to a new app that uses the latest technology to help gardeners plan, sow, grow and harvest their plots.

Fryd, which means joy in Danish and Norwegian, was originally launched in 2019, is already the most popular gardening app in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and is now launching in the UK.

It features a bed planning tool, so users can create their own planting plan templates in just a few clicks. You can research what you want to grow via a unique, crowd-generated plant database, get advice and prompts on best sowing times for crops plus what companion plants to grow alongside – and even those to avoid.

The aim of Fryd is to make gardening accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their space or experience, and to take the guesswork out of veg growing. By joining the Fryd community of currently 200,000 fellow growers, you can connect, share experiences and enjoy learning from each other.

Fryd is now available to download in the UK on both iOS and Android platforms. You can choose to join for free, or for more enhanced features you can subscribe, or take out a lifetime membership.

   

Charles Dowding, Becky Searle (credit Paula Fearnly), Alessandro Vitale, Amy Chapman and Tanya Anderson

Fryd’s UK launch is being supported by a well-known crop of talented garden influencers who will all be sharing their own planting plans on the app:

  • Charles Dowding: “I like Fryd because it aligns well with my approach of minimal cultivation and rapid succession planting. It has the capacity to create plans for plots of any size, to grow vegetables through a whole year, and it’s an app that fits with no dig methods.“
  • Becky Searle (@sow_much_more): “The Fryd app is like having a personal gardening adviser in your pocket. It helps you plan and keep track of your garden, and gives you seasonal growing advice and inspiration.”
  • Alessandro Vitale (@_SpicyMoustache_): “I’ve been transforming a little 40-square-metre plot in London into a lush urban oasis while navigating the challenging world of gardening. At first, the torrent of advice from various online sources felt overwhelming like trying to sip water from a firehose. I switched from one gardening app to another, each providing only a portion of the knowledge I desired. Then, Fryd joined the scene, a digital companion that promises to transform your gardening journey from a battle against the elements into a harmonious dialogue with nature. Changing everything with its vast compilation of plant knowledge, timely sowing schedules, and innovative treatments for those ever-lurking pests and diseases. I suddenly had all of the answers I needed in my pocket.”
  • Amy Chapman (@inthecottagegarden): “I love using Fryd to plan my garden! I have tried other gardening apps in the past but none of them had the functionality Fryd does. I particularly love the community section as I get to see what everyone is up to in the garden each week, and you can even ask questions on there and the community will help answer them!”
  • Tanya Anderson (@lovely.greens): “The Fryd app is an all-in-one resource for GYO enthusiasts. You can connect with others, ask questions, and get regular reminders for seeds to sow and key gardening tasks. You can create a digital garden bed that’s the exact match of your real veg bed and add crops over the duration of a year, even including succession sowing.  And you can then share it with others, and as gardeners I think that’s going to really resonate.”

Innovative plant database and customised planting plans – Fryd’s plant database is created and refined by its user community. Plants are registered by users and verified by moderators, ensuring accurate and reliable information. Users can publish and share their own planting plans, fostering a collaborative and knowledge-sharing environment.

Tailored gardening experience for different climate zones – Fryd understands the complexities of different climate zones, tailoring the gardening experience to individual growing conditions. This feature ensures that gardeners receive personalised advice and suggestions, enhancing the success of their gardening endeavours.

Empowering urban and small-space gardeners – Fryd is particularly empowering for urban gardeners, providing solutions to transform even the smallest spaces into lush, green areas. The app promotes the idea that every garden is beautiful, encouraging gardeners to utilise whatever space they have.

A purpose-driven gardening companion – At its core, Fryd is a mission-driven platform, dedicated to promoting sustainable and eco-friendly gardening practices. The app’s purpose is rooted in empowering individuals to positively impact their environment, championing sustainability in every aspect of gardening.

“Fryd is so much more than just an app; we’re a movement towards a greener future,” says Florian, Founder of Fryd. “Our mission is to empower everyone to grow their own vegetables as gardening leads to a happier, healthier lifestyle, fosters sustainable consumption habits, and deepens appreciation for nature and food. We want to redefine gardening for a new generation as a vibrant social experience and one that is accessible to all.”

Joining the Fryd community is free or subscribe to Super Fryd (£9 p/month, £35 p/year or £130 lifetime subscription) which boasts lots of enhanced features. Garden planning, season overview, access to the library, recipes, podcasts and the Fryd community are all available free of charge for users. A Super Fryd subscription gives users access to a magic wand tool that creates a planting plan in seconds, multiple plans per account, the ability to copy and modify planting plan templates, succession planting suggestions, automatic reminders, and personal support, with crop rotation planning tools coming soon.

For more information about Fryd and its mission, visit https://www.fryd.app/en or follow on @fryd_app.

ENDS

Press Contact: Emma Mason, emma@emmamasonpr.co.uk 07762 117433

Florian Haßler Co-Founder Fryd GmbH +49 174 33 29 352 florian@fryd.app https://fryd.app

Useful and stylish gifts from indie British gardening brand Genus

Useful and stylish gifts from indie British gardening brand Genus

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Ten Christmas gift ideas from Genus which specialises in performance garden clothing and accessories, designed by gardeners for gardeners.

£30 AND UNDER

Waterproof Gardening Gloves (£20): A totally waterproof glove that’s also flexible and light enough for fine work (it passes the important ‘tie string test’!). From Swedish company, Ejendals, the deep cuff fully covers wrists and is also elasticated, so no Velcro fastenings to get clogged up with soil and dust.  The upper side of the index finger and fingertips are all reinforced with synthetic leather reducing the risk of abrasion injuries. Sizes XS – 3XL.

Winter Gardening Cap (£25): Waterproof, windproof and breathable, this hardworking unisex hat is made for gardening in the harshest of weather conditions, to keep heads protected in the snow, wind and rain.  Designed to keep you dry, warm and comfortable and available in four sizes S – XL.

Rechargeable Handwarmer (£27): When the mercury drops, a rechargeable handwarmer is just the thing for restoring warmth and movement into cold, stiff fingers and this one doubles-up as a handy power bank for your phone. The ideal gift for gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

Cable Knit Merino Hat rust or mid-grey (£30). A premium, 100% felted merino wool hat to keep you warm whilst working in the garden during the coolest months. Made in the UK and designed to keep your head warm in the coldest weather whilst feeling luxuriously soft and comfortable. One size.

UNDER £50

Hori Hori Tool (£45): Often described as the world’s best gardening tool, the hori hori brings extraordinary versatility.  Hori hori means dig-dig in Japanese and the tool was originally used by bonsai enthusiasts to collect specimens. Ideal for digging, cutting, and slicing, this handy piece of kit continues to take the gardening world by storm.

Japanese Gardening Knife small (£35) large (£45): Traditional Japanese blade design – super sharp, ultimate simplicity, perfectly balanced. This folding knife, made from hi-carbon steel with a brass handle, stays open when you need it and closed when you don’t, without any locking device, just a flick of the finger.

UNDER £100

Men’s Eden Gardening Zip-Neck Top (£59): This lightweight, soft-touch zip-neck top in two colour choices (blue or charcoal) has been designed especially for gardeners. The easy-care fabric is made from recycled coffee grounds, is fast wicking to take moisture away from the body and quick drying if you get caught in a shower. Made with flat-lock seams for comfort, its long sleeves and thumb loops will keep wrists covered and protected from cuts and scratches, whilst the extra-long body keeps backs covered when bending and stretching. Sizes S – XL.

Gardening Caddy Bag (£69): Keep all your gardening tools, lunch and essentials close at hand with this monster load-carrying caddy that’s endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society. With eight capacious, external pockets and six generous internal pockets, it has a place for every possible garden accoutrement, including a D-ring with detachable clip to keep keys safe. There’s also a detachable, drawstring pouch for twine that can be attached to a belt to carry with you – pop in the twine, pull the drawstring closed and pull the twine as you need it. The tough fabric throughout, with reinforced base to withstand damp, makes carrying tools from job to job a breeze.

Japanese Secateurs (£80): Expertly crafted and uniquely hot forged from high carbon steel. Made from only two pieces of metal, with the blade and handle forming one piece, to give a stronger tool and better balance than European garden secateurs where the blade is welded to the handle. Packed in a beautifully distinct box.

Women’s Dixter Gardening Gilet (£99): Close-fitting to the body and specially designed for gardening, this gilet in two colour choices (marine blue or grape) is lightweight but cosy for that extra degree of warmth. Allowing full freedom of movement, the clever combination of stab-proof, cargo and deep hand pockets means you can also keep everything you need close to hand. Sizes 8 – 22

For further information and high res images, please contact:

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

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

NOTES FOR EDITORS

With high performance, technical wear that looks as good as it performs, clothing from Genus has been a hit with serious gardeners since 2013. Designed by gardeners for gardeners, its trousers and tops for all weathers, boasting UK-first designs, have proved a real hit with green-fingered Brits. The independently owned business is based in the Cotswolds and its hard-working gear has clever horti’ twists such as stab-proof pockets for secateurs, padded knees, raised waists for back protection and easy-care fabrics. Many lines are also endorsed by the RHS.

 

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.

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.

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

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

 

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.