Landscape and horticulture expert

Support in Sport clinches Champions League final spot

Whilst the Wembley pitch continues to cause concern for English football fans, there will be no such worries for the Russians after they called in Support in Sport to re-turf the Luzhniki Stadium pitch in time for the Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea on the 21st May.

However, despite the consideration that the UK climate is ideal for growing grass, the turf, which had been grown in Slovakia, was transported via refrigerated lorry and laid in time for the final.

Final result - Hunter nil, Tesco won?

I suspect that the relationship, whilst shaky at best, between Sir Tom Hunter and Tesco has gone past anything that may be salvageable after Hunter lost his court battle to put the brakes on the rights issue to raise £150 million to shore up the Dobbies balance sheet.

Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent for gaurdian.co.uk, reports how exchanges between the two parties amounted to accusations that the attempt by Hunter to thwart the deal would mean that his investment vehicle, West Coast Capital - the owners of Wyevale,would gain a commercial advantage.

Where not to lay turf

Laying turf is a quick and easy way to realise a grass covering over an open space. Laid properly, with butted edges and tamped firmly then watered in, it is possible to have a nice strong rooted sward within two weeks

Unless you do decide to turf over the common room floor as the sixth formers at Banchory Academy did on their last day of term.

Has Tesco finally won the Dobbies battle?

Sir Tom 'Crocodile' Hunter, who's investment vehicle, West Coast Capital, took Tesco all the way in the fight to control the Dobbies garden brand, is taking legal action in a bid the thwart the open offer which will see Hunter have to stump up a further £44 million, or risk seeing his 29% stake diluted and with it the all important voting rights that would take the sharpness off of the thorn, deeply embedded in Tesco's side.

Sparrowhawk bird kill in dusk swoop

Do you remember I covered the Daily Mail story of Sparrowhawk wrestling with a starling that it had pinned to the floor before the kill?

Well I was sent this picture by my Dad who captured this shot at dusk yesterday evening of a Sparrowhawk, well into his supper in the shrubbery, devouring a Blackbird it had just killed.

Chelsea debated on Gardeners Question Time

I have just listened to GCT and how refreshing that they allowed a bit of controversy on the show. The question? - the validity of The International Chelsea Flower Show.

The three panellists obviously read Landscape Juice last week and thought, if Phil can speak openly about it, then we can too and a few home truths slipped out.

Tim Rumble has his finger on the pulse and says what many believe and that the show has become more about snobbery and ego's, not to mention money, and the theme is so far removed from 'real' gardens as it can get.

One million dollar coconut palm up for grabs

If you have a spare one million dollars kicking about then this rare three headed coconut palm could be your yours. (source BBC)

The rare botanical curiosity, as it has been dubbed, is growing on the Ivory Coast and any buyer would have to have it moved to a new location.

Have I got news for you

Do you have news or would like to advertise an event for your gardening club or allotment society?

Why not pop on an email to me and I would be delighted to add your item here on Landscape Juice.

Don't worry if you event isn't backed by millions of pounds in sponsorship and lacks the Royal ribbon cutting, I will be happy to plug your event free of charge.

Landscape Juice versus Horticulture Week

Further to my post of yesterday regarding the benefits of advertising on a platform such as Landscape Juice as opposed to a long established, but hugely expensive, site such as Hort Week, I thought I would share this search result from this morning.

It is a genuine search, conducted by someone on Google who was looking for information on "readership horticulture week"

Popular gardener 'bears' fruit

I am a bit late with this by ten days but I have only just picked up on the news.

Gill, the gardener, IT specialist, blogger and now Mother has had her own harvest and given birth to a bouncing baby boy called Jackson Lee.

Gill is of course well known for her 'My Tiny Plot' blog and her regular appearances in the gardening press; having recently featured in the Sunday Mail magazine.

Half price plants - time is running out

Reading an article in the Mail this morning, there is perhaps further evidence that sales at the garden centre will be well down on previous years.

An early Easter and wintery weather has meant that garden centres did not sell plants that had been forced on in greenhouses by producers, in anticipation of a bumper Easter.

The plants will have to be sold off or thrown away, and in order to recoup the outlay at least, the price has been slashed by up to 50%. The Mail hints that whilst it is good news for the consumer, it means disaster for the nurseries that produce the plants and the garden centres who sell them.

Dobbies garden centres falls 11.7% and begs for cash

The honeymoon is over and reality has kicked in at beleaguered Dobbies garden centres, as full year pre tax profits fall 11.7%.

On top of this worrying decline, the company says it is to seek a further £150 million by way of an open offer, discounted to existing shareholders by 8%, of yesterdays closing price.

The whole garden retail industry will be shuddering at this dramatic drop and many will see this decline as a worrying indicator that the demographics have shifted - possibly forever.

Breaking News - Kew Gardens are forced to close

Kew Gardens, who's history can be traced back as far as 1762 has been forced to close.

At an emergency meeting last night, Professor Steve Hopper was resigned to accept that the future of the world famous botanical gardens was unsustainable.