Landscape Juice

Should we all build a wildlife tower?

I think John Fielder has found a way of Europe saving millions of Euro. This wildlife tower is made from old pallets stacked on top of each other and the voids filled with sticks, pots, logs, pine cones and bricks - in fact, anything that provides a little sanctuary. I wrote recently how Europe is going to spend £2million encouraging bees into towns and cities by building bee hotels; just look what can be achieved using recycled materials that would otherwise be burnt or possibly destined to infill. Another article on the Times this morning - The countryside withers as... Read more →

International Garden Photographer of the Year’s spring deadline

Time is running out if you wish to enter the International Garden Photographer of the Year spring seasonal competition. Why not make the most of the glorious spring weather and enjoy some photography? The theme for the spring seasonal competition is ‘Spring into Life’. IGPOTY is looking for originality and images that explore spring themes such as energy, growth and colour from around the world...the IGPOTY seasonal competitions are sspported by Landscape Juice. Deadline for entries is 31st May 2010. All entries will also automatically go through to the main IGPOTY competition at the end of the year. The spring... Read more →

Martin Worswick is Landscape Juice featured member

Martin Worswick has been a professional gardener for about seventeen years and run his own garden maintenance firm, Classic Gardens, for the last six years - Martin's probably one of the Landscape Juice Network's longest standing members; joining in April 2008. Based near the coast between Preston and Lytham St Annes, Martin concentrates on garden maintenance and soft landscaping, after thirteen years as an employed gardener and five years learning his trade at Myerscough Horticulture college - Martin branched out on his own and now employs one full-time and one part-time worker and says that 'business has gone from strength... Read more →

World land speed record for a lawnmower broken

The weather was amazing and beach conditions were said to be first class for the world record attempt for a lawn mower on the Pendine Sands in South Wales. Don Wales, grandson of Sir Donald Campbell, took his specially modified Countax - it has to be able to cut grass to qualify as a proper lawn mower - to 86.069 miles per hour but then broke this time on the second run with 87.833. Read a little bit about the history of Pendine Sands and the build up to the event. Website: Project Runningblade Read more →

Welland Vale Nurseries to debut at Four Oaks trade show

Welland Vale Nurseries have confirmed that they will exhibit at the Four Oaks horticulture trade show for the first time this coming September. Welland Vale Nurseries grow, produce and trade over 2000 varieties of high quality trees, shrubs, conifers and herbaceous plants on their site in the heart of Rutland. Their national ‘same week’ delivery delivers high quality produce directly to your door – fully labelled and bar-coded to suit your individual requirements. Their plant material is grown in the heart of Rutland and has previously been promoted at the British Plant Buying Fairs in March and August. As part... Read more →

Olivia Stewart becomes RHS Young Garden Designer of the Year finalist

Garden designer, Olivia Stewart, has just been announced as one of three finalists in the Royal Horticultural Society Young Designer of the Year competition. Olivia, who is a member of the Landscape Juice Network, will be designing a show garden at RHS Show Tatton Park. Olivia will receive a grant of £12,000 to create her garden, provided by the North West Regional Development Agency, together with the RHS. The three finalists’ gardens will be judged by RHS judges at the Show and the winner will be announced as the first RHS Young Designer of the Year in July. The initial... Read more →

Sourcing ethical sandstone for landscaping projects

As landscapers and gardeners, I feel we should take our ethical responsibilities extremely seriously. If we exploit or use a product in the construction of a garden we should know where a product has come from, how it has been produced and if it's from a sustainable source. Indian sandstone has become popular with garden designers and landscapers in recent years; the wide range of vibrant colours and textured surfaces can make a landscaping scheme stand out strong against any planting scheme. Its supply however, comes with a cost - both in terms of the environmental impact as it is... Read more →

Coalition puts 'green industries' at heart of its policy

As I started to read the foreword of the new coalition government's website, what struck me was the comparisons between the ethos of our exciting, new and fresh government and how Landscape juice has developed in the last two years. Gone are the conventions of top-down control, centralisation and absolute power - the new rhetoric is littered with words like freedom, fairness, responsibility and opportunity. The coalition says it believes in the need to protect our environment for future generations and make our economy more environmentally sustainable. What I particularly like is support of our farming industry, protection of our... Read more →

Chelsea Flower Show 2010 award winners

The anticipation's over and without further ado...here are the Chelsea International Flower Show 2010 winners. Best Show Garden: The Daily Telegraph Best Urban Garden: Thrive Best Courtyard Garden: The Two Moors Festival All other garden awards. Read more →

Preview of the Chelsea Flower Show 2010

Today was the hottest day of the year and I was lucky enough to have a sneak preview of the 2010 Chelsea Flower Show on the last build up day. I arrived totally unsuitably dressed due to the heat and was swiftly made to return to my car where fortunately I had the appropriate footwear to change into out of sandals into and pick up a hi-visibility jacket – although my version of the jacket is thick and has sleeves which meant a sweaty day ahead, writes garden designer, Claudia de Yong The show ground was a true hive of... Read more →