Landscape Juice

Rural councils to benefit from £1m masterplan funding

A fund of £1 million is being handed out to thirty-six rural councils to be shared among their communities as a result of a competition run by Communities and Local Government, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, CABE and the Homes and Communities Agency. The award of the money follows the 2008 Taylor Review on rural communities recommending new policies for market towns at risk from out-of-place development. The money can be used to develop or extend rural working space or open space See a full list of the councils who will be receiving the funding. Read more →

Can Britain's green spaces be saved?

Taking a "business as usual" approach to land management is not an option if pressures from climate change and population increases over the next 50 years continue, says chief scientific adviser, professor John Beddington in a report published today. The Guardian reports that the British countryside faces devastating consequences unless we re-think our approach. Professor Beddington warns that some areas of the United Kingdom are faced with water shortages, a steep rise in house prices and 'threats to wildlife and landscapes' unless we face up and make major changes to how our open spaces are managed. Beddington said: "Over the... Read more →

BALI stirs but what does it mean?

With Sandra-Loton Jones now gone, the British Association of Landscape Industries appears, publicly at least, rudderless. News has been pretty quiet as far as appointing a successor is concerned but two news items suggest that there is some housekeeping going on. "The BALI Board of Directors recently met to discuss the progression of the association" They decided to cancel the BALI subscription to Logbuy and decline an offer to work with directory website The Building Register. Read more →

The Greenkeepers Training Committee online greenkeeping courses

The Greenkeepers Training Committee, in association with the The Greenkeepers Training Committee, in association with the Virtual College is now offering online greenkeeping learning programmes. The Greenkeepers Training Committee is looking to promote best practice through modern technology and hope that individuals and greenkeeping students and turf staff at the approved centres will enjoy the new Maintain the Health of Sports Turf online learning options. The Greenkeepers Training Committee has developed learning materials which both individuals and Greenkeepers Training Committee Approved Centres can access through hard copy and CD format and clearly to make these available online is the way... Read more →

WorldSkills UK last chance to enter

Last year, around 4,000 people registered their interest in a WorldSkills UK competition. This is the last chance to enter (for most competitions) in order to be in with a chance of competing at WorldSkills London 2011. Enter by 19 March 2010 See the list of categories and see what's best for you - enter now. Read more →

Polanter vertical planting system winners

Thanks to Nick Porter at Polanter for donating three vertical planting systems for the Landscape Juice giveaway - the winners were.. Kate Ross of Penkridge, Staffs - Karen McCullough of Carluke, South Lanarkshire and Lara Warner of Priestwood, Bracknell. Read more →

The first Golden Oriole of the season

Temperatures have risen of late and 17 degrees C was recorded yesterday...it felt distinctly spring-like with long periods of sunshine. Out on my morning walk I heard the distinctive sound of the Golden Oriele - Oriolus oriolus...although I didn't see it as they are notoriously secretive. You can listen to the Golden Oriele song on the RSPB website. Zoom in on the blue marker to see the location. View Golden Oriele sighting in a larger map Image: RSPB Read more →

Oxford College of Garden Design class of 2009 Excel

3 Students are Awarded Prestigious Accolades from the Royal Horticultural Society and the Society of Garden Designers. Melissa Jolly from Henley-on-Thames is one of the winners of the National Savings & Investments Growing Gardens Today competition. Melissa’s garden design has been chosen to be built at BBC Gardeners’ World Live, in association with the RHS, to be held in June 2010 at NEC Birmingham. Melissa received a Post Graduate Diploma (Distinction) in Residential Landscape Design from the Oxford College of Garden Design in 2009. Melissa was in good company as fellow graduates Sarah Naybour and Olivia Stewart, both from Oxford,... Read more →

haha. This you???? - BBC Gardeners' World caught in Twitter scam

I logged in to my emails this morning and quickly scanned the list of new messages. The message 'Direct message from BBC Gardeners' World' caught my eye. I knew immediately that they weren't going to offer me a job as I'm not part of the blogging 'inner circle'...the only other explanation was that Gardeners' World had fallen victim to the latest Twitter scam - to be fair to Gardeners' World though, lots of other accounts have too. If you get a direct Twitter from a Twitter buddy that says 'haha. This you???? http://tr.im/PyJE' - whatever you do, don't click on... Read more →

Landscape Juice reaches 1000 members

I am absolutely delighted to report that the Landscape Juice Network has today reached its 1000'th member - that's a massive 47 new members in the last week and 100 members since the 3rd February. This member groundswell is not only a personal achievement after thousands of hours of research and development but it's also a great advance for the members themselves; networking opportunities continue to grow and information is more readily shared. Not only are the potential benefits increased for our members, the site's advertising sponsors are enjoying a greater exposure as a reward for their support and commitment... Read more →