Landscape and horticulture expert

Biofuels to take flight on it's Virgin Debut

I note, with interest, the first ever flight by a commercial airliner, is set to get off the ground, when Virgin, the Richard Branson owned airline, flies from London to Amsterdam, partly fuelled by Biofuel.

It will be another small step, in the worlds quest to steer away from the dependence on oil, but what impact will this have on the world in terms of farming and food production?

Patio heaters set to be banned on environmental fears

Patio heaters are set to be banned from the garden under a new European directive.

Friends of the Earth call them 'Carbon-belching monstrosities' claiming that a patio heater giving out 12.5KW expends the same amount of energy as making 5,200 cups of tea.

Botanical Gardens, World Health and endangered plant species.

Have you visited a Botanical garden recently and wondered why all of these magnificent plants (ex situ) have been amassed in one place?

Whilst today, we view a Botanical garden as being a place of recreation, to the Botanist, plant hunter, Doctors and scientists, who collected and nurtured them, they represented a more serious side to horticulture.

Over 50% of prescription drugs are derived from naturally occurring chemicals found in plants.

The A3 Hindhead tunnel - a huge landscape project

Between 7.30 and 10.00 am on every week day morning you are likely to find a stream of traffic, moving slower than a snail, tailed back in a southerly direction, towards Liphook, for up to three miles.

I am talking about the infamous Hindhead traffic lights which have blighted motorists lives on the journey from Portsmouth to London A3.

Unfortunately, for the residents of Thursley, Churt, Elstead and a few others I know the short cuts around the lights to try and avoid losing lots of precious time when travelling from job to job. However, the detours caused other problems with traffic which inevitably lead to bottlenecks and deteriorating roads elsewhere.

After many many years of public enquiries, A,B&C routes, surveys and bickering, the mammoth, mind boggling, futuristic and overwhelming Hindhead Tunnel is starting to take shape.

Natures glorious wildlife - The Grass Snake

A Rat! that is about the only wild creature that gives me the eebie jeebies but at the same time I find them fascinating.

I can happily tolerate a mouse or a spider and often just watch the little garden creatures go about their busy business.

I am also fascinated by snakes in the garden. I recently saw an Adder - the first in a long while - and often see Grass Snakes

UK Biodiversity Action Plan - British Wildlife under threat

One of the nicest indicators in the UK that Spring has finally arrived is the echoing call of the Cuckoo. But from today, the Cuckoo, House Sparrow and the Hedgehog have been added to the 'priority' list of Britain's most endangered species.

The claim is that pesticides, farming patterns and loss of habitat have all contrived to change these creatures behaviour.

With these three latest additions it brings the number of animals and plants to over 1,000 that has either been threatened with being wiped out completely or faced with serious decline.

Live Earth concert for Climate Change that changes nothing

It seems likely that the general public will never trust pops stars ever again when they stage an event in aid of a 'worthy cause'.

Live Earth has shattered the start of what could have easily been a sensible campaign of change and education, but no, all that has come about is ridicule and derision from all quarters.

How can a vastly over paid pop start justify jetting thousands of miles and then preach using, a song that was probably written during their drug fuelled 'angry years', to persuade governments and us mere mortals to mend our ways?

The concert had some good music occasionally but the profanities and ego's just didn't convince anyone that these 'celebrities' were at all interested in anything other than a career boost and free drink.