Landscape Juice

Promises to change Small Business Rate Relief carry a hidden threat

On 24 November 2010 the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) was welcoming the government announcement that small business rate tax will become automatic. But two days later the Forum of Private Business (FPB) published a press release saying the change may carry a hidden threat. The Small Business Rate Relief law (SBRR) applies to those who have a small business (that is one with a single property of a rateable value of less than £18,000 or £25,000 for London)allowing you to claim up to half of your business rates back. Qualifying businesses can have their rates calculated using a small... Read more →

Scottish National Heritage to trap beavers inspite of protests

Scottish National Heritage (SNH) are set to capture up to twenty beavers. They have been breeding in Invergowrie on the outskirts of Dundee, Forfar in Angus, Glamis in Perthshire, and Tentsmuir near the mouth of the river Tay, a Guardian report said. The beavers have escaped from private collections in Angus and Perthshore during the last ten years and have built lodges in the lochs and rivers. Their families could now total as many as fifty. The SNH said the trapping is necessary to protect the beavers and that the SNH follow strict methods for re-establishment. “Unauthorised releases of beavers... Read more →

Indoor gardening and winter hanging baskets

In areas where snow cover is substantial, the outline of paths and structures like hedges and benches are the only ways of identifying the curves of the garden. Now is the time of year when the diary has a footnote: if the weather permits. It could be a good time to be working on some garden designs, or making hanging baskets and doing winter gardening jobs that would bring a bit of colour to the customers. The BBC programme the Beechgrove potting shed suggests plants for winter hanging baskets. There is scope even for common plants like winter pansies, miniature... Read more →

Natural pesticides: can we learn from Leaf-Cutter Ants?

I've always believed that there are natural remedies for most things: whether that's using plant extracts to treat illness or companion planting to ward off pests as disease - the problem is, we just don't seem to understand enough or there's too much derision of cultural methods to attract funds to conduct wide-scale research. Also, all the time the chemical and pharmaceutical companies are making so much money I do not see a major shift toward upping the cultural stakes in the short term - I'm certain in my mind that there is an awful lot we don't know yet... Read more →

National Office of Statistics to measure the national well-being

Horticulturists can contribute to the government's consultation on measuring the national well-being. Everyone can have their say - perhaps Landscape Juice members would like to speak out about the good effect of plants on our productivity and happiness? The idea of a way to measure the quality of life is not a new one, Tony Blair considered the idea but abandoned it. In a BBC interview David Cameron said that he wants to 'get a general picture of whether life is improving '. According to the BBC, Jill Matheson, statistician, and chief of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is... Read more →

Please support your gardener during the poor weather

As the United kingdom suffers its earliest and coldest temperatures in nearly two decades with several centimetres of snow already blanketing many parts of the nation, spare a thought for the thousands and thousands of men and women who make a living as self-employed people, working on the land as gardeners and landscapers. Last year, gardening businesses went through one of the hardest trading periods I thought anyone would ever have to cope with as the brutal winter weather conspired with the equally brutal economic climate to deliver a double blow at a time of year that's traditionally difficult at... Read more →

First companies sign up to Creating Landscapes Trade show

We are less than one month into the sales cycle of our brand new Creating Landscapes Trade Show at Capel Manor and already we've five contracts signed and returned with several more due in within the next few days:two weeks. The companies already pledging their support - and a heartfelt thanks go to them for seeing the potential in this event - are: Eco-Maze Historic Stone QLawns The Lawn Company Spearhead Turf Mike Sartain and Stephen Ingram of Hale Events visited the show ground at Capel Manor on Tuesday of this week to meet with the Capel Manor key personnel,... Read more →

China leads in emissions but can it cutback?

China is planning legislation that will limit carbon emissions, according to BBC reports. China and cheap products definitely go together, but China and conservation? China and clean air? To say this seems unlikely, is putting it mildly. However at the Copenhagen summit, China made a pledge to the UN climate convention (UNFCCC) to 'lower its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40-45% by 2020 compared to the 2005 level...' And the Chinese National People's Congress has held a climate change legislators forum with Globe International, the organization which assists with international environmental legislation. It appears that China now... Read more →

Further snow expected some heavy over hills

The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for many parts of the United Kingdom with up to 20cm of snow forecast to fall in some parts with widespread overnight frost - Scotland and north east England are expected to see the heaviest falls. Temperatures are expected to get no higher than 3C by the weekend. For Today (Thursday 25th November) the heaviest of snow falls are expected over the North York Moors and Grampian Mountains by tomorrow (Friday 26th November) some snow can be expected as far west as the Irish sea. Keep up to date with the... Read more →

Budget cuts bring fears for Britain's forests

Much is being said about the need to preserve Britain's parks in the face of cuts to Defra's budget and the announcement of a forestry reform plan. Drastic changes are being predicted. In a letter to the Telegraph, Janet Street-Porter, Chris Bonnington, Ben Fogle and other well known names asked for Defra to guarantee the protection of public parks such as the Norfolk Broads. Their letter sent from the Campaign for National Parks and Ramblers (CNP), pointed out that Defra funding was cut by 30% in the spending review. While Defra is defending its consultation on reform of park management,... Read more →