Landscape Juice

The thinking man's pansy project

The Pansy Project aims to raise awareness of homophobic abuse Paul Harfleet, the artist who runs the Pansy Project, is in the pink. Having more than 3,000 Twitter followers and running a project that plants flowers on sites of homophobic abuse, he has a lot to say that is not broadcast in the main media, writes Carol Miers. "On Twitter you just follow people that you are interested in and this means that you can garner lots of attention through Twitter and Facebook and that does make it slightly more democratic," he said. Paul is in no doubt he can... Read more →

Sharon Hockenhull talks about her Embrace garden at RHS Tatton Park

Sharon Hockenhull talks to Craig McGinty about her Embrace garden for St Anns Hospice at the Tatton Park flower show. Sharon quotes patient Keneth Charles Weston as her inspiration for the garden. The Embrace garden celebrates 40 years of care at St Anns Hospice and has been designed to evoke the idea of a physical, spiritual and emotional embrace. Read more about the Embrace garden on the St Anns Hospice website. Embrace garden for St Anns Hospice by Sharon Hockenhull #rhstatton (mp3) Where to find Sharon Website: www.sharonhockenhull.co.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/fruitshare Read more →

Interview with Chris Harrop of Marshalls Plc

I've just returned from a week long trip to Marshalls' headquarters in Elland, Leeds. I'd been invited over to meet Chris Harrop and Marshalls' staff and to look around their offices and manufacturing facilities as well as discuss Marshalls' sponsorship of the new Landscape Juice trade event, Creating Landscapes this October at Capel Manor. I've reported on Marshalls' results, their products, their role in landscaping as well as sensitive issues such as staff redundancies during the recession and I - probably like most people within our industry - had built a picture in my mind of what the organisation must... Read more →

Melissa Jolly's salad bar recipes

Here are some recipes from garden designer Melissa Jolly's award winning salad bar garden which you might have missed at Gardeners' World Live, writes Carol Miers. "I wanted to find a recipe that used strawberries and rosemary as I had planted these amongst each other in one of the beds," Melissa said. "I came across this delicious sounding recipe on a blog by Jugalbandi." Recipe to make Baked strawberries with lavendar and rosemary. "As I had created a bar I was keen to include a drink recipe as well as food," Melissa said. Mojito Quantities for one drink 2-3 oz... Read more →

Trudy Thompson's teenagers are riding on the wings

Trudy Thompson, former racing driver and founder of Bricks and Bread sustainable living centre works with many teenagers as a chief executive officer or CEO to a highly original management team. Getting to grips with how her team is innovative and why she runs it the way she does was fascinating. As a trail blazer and role model, Trudy's often at schools telling students about Bricks and Bread and her own time as a teenager. “When kids find out that I have done all this crazy stuff with my life they think this is more interesting than what the teachers... Read more →

Melissa Jolly's flowing garden designs

Melissa Jolly's first show garden was one of three winners of the N S & I's Growing Gardens Today competition. Her Salad Bar garden was then chosen by BBC2 Gardeners' World live to be filmed in the making. Then the viewers and visitors rewarded it with the Visitor vote 2010 and the RHS judges awarded a silver medal. Melissa's flair proved itself again as her roof top garden commissioned by the RHS London and Plant Design show was recognised with a silver-gilt. Read about these events on Landscape Juice or in Melissa's blog. February 2011, two RHS medals and Melissa's... Read more →

Trudy Thompson and the rise of Bricks and Bread

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic There is nothing as topical as the recycling of old parts to make new gadgets. But just as young people bring in new ideas and grow and change them in their own way, so former racing driver, Trudy Thompson is building and crafting something novel using old, known materials. Rather than trying to fit into a well-worn mould, she and her youthful team have a revolutionary style of running a business and sharing the benefits. Trudy Thompson has become a youth leader and founder of the social enterprise Bricks and Bread sustainable living... Read more →

Brigit Strawbridge, the bees need help

Saving the Bumblebee from Jamie-Lee Loughlin on Vimeo. “I talk about biodiversity, bees and reconnecting with Nature, but I have focused on bees because I am obsessed with them, I absolutely love bees" Carol Miers interviews bee campaigner, Brigit Strawbidge: It is February, and in her home in the Malvern Hills, Brigit Strawbridge is on the phone. Her gate opens onto an 'absolutely beautiful' view. Since Autumn 2010 Brigit has been travelling, giving talks and campaigning about Britain's bees. Stories of tumbling bee numbers spring up often enough in the news, but she believes there is much to be done... Read more →

Stuart Marler on networking benefits

Carol Miers interviews a Landscape Juice Member on a mission. Stuart Marler spent his youth at sea but wanting to put down roots led him to landscape gardening. Today he is still unable to resist an adventure so he's growing his own seven year old business and expanding into international waters. He was having breakfast but in spite of the sounds of clearing dishes Stuart managed to explain what drives his company TVG Landscaping. Currently putting a garden to rights that had been contracted out to charlatan gardeners, he is the expert called back in to put things straight: "The... Read more →

Exclusive interview with APL chairman Mark Gregory

Mark Gregory has had just over five weeks as the new chairman of the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) and made contact with me here at Landscape Juice after I questioned whether it will be 'same old same old' during his tenure. Mark and I spoke for just over and hour on Friday morning in what turned out to be one the frankest discussions I've had with anyone from either of the UK's landscaping and horticulture associations. Mark talks candidly about how dissatisfied British Association of Landscape Industries' (BALI) members, under the leadership of Alan Sargent, broke away to from... Read more →