Top head gardener to speak exclusively for The London College of Garden Design

Stephen Crisp, who is the Head Gardener Winfield House (US Ambassador’s Residence in London) will be speaking exclusively for the London College of Garden Design next month to explain some of the best aftercare strategies for modern plantings in large gardens.

Director of Garden Design Studies Andrew Wilson said "Stephen has been at Winfield house in The Regent`s Park, for the past 25 Years. We are very proud to have a gardener of Stephen’s calibre who has enhanced and restored the extensive 12.5 acre garden with a designers' eye but also with a practical approach informed by being a working craftsman in the art of horticulture."

Winfield House garden is regularly described as being one of the best private gardens in central London displaying innovative vision in the care of this busy representational residence. In his presentation Stephen will discuss how he manages to achieve high standards of presentation and management of the landscape detail, with a limited staff and resources.

The talk is on 6th March 2012 at the Coach & Horses, 8 Kew Green TW9 3BH from 6.00pm to 8.00pm and tickets cost £30.

FACTFILE:
The London College of Garden Design aims to offer the best professional garden design courses available in the UK. Launched in 2008 by three of the UK’s leading garden professionals, the London College of Garden Design one-year Garden Design Diploma classes take place in the Orangery conference facilities at the world famous Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Contact: e-zine@lcgd.org.uk
Find out more at http://www.lcgd.org.uk/

Ask Bill Oddie for bird feeding tips

Bill Oddie’s YouTube Channel has been attracting a flurry of interest lately. One link generated over 2,100 views in under two 2 days. If you’ve got a question for Bill or would like to see what all the fuss is about, you can visit the links below.

Bill Oddie, birdwatcher, broadcaster, actor, television presenter, writer, song-writer, musician, conservationist and much more, speaks from the heart when he says - “Feeding birds is a great way to do your bit for nature – and to brighten your day too. Nothing beats seeing all those happy birds in your garden. But birds benefit from better food – just like we do.”

If you enjoy watching birds, feeding is one of the most practical and important ways to care for them. 2 out of 3 people in the UK do just that. To help you on your quest Bill has a variety of advice and information on feeding and attracting different birds.

YouTube: www.youtube.com/billoddiesbirdfood
Blog: www.billoddiesbirdfood.wordpress.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/#AskBillOddie
Website: www.billoddiesbirdfood.co.uk

Even famous writers need to ask the (Oddie) question here and there! See Bill’s Twitter for further details.

www.billoddiesbirdfood.co.uk

EPDM waterproof roofing supplier increases capacity to meet growing demand

Alan Williams at AAC Waterproof Roofing

WATERPROOF roofing specialist AAC has invested £65,000 in a second vulcanising machine to meet growing demand for its Prelasti EPDM system.

The company has commissioned and installed the 10-metre unit, adding to its existing 25-metre machine, to increase capacity and eliminate maintenance downtime.

AAC is the UK’s sole supplier of Prelasti, a prefabricated EPDM roofing system that uses vulcanising bonding technology rather than adhering strips.

According to the manufacturers this makes the material more durable and gives it a longer 20-year guarantee and a proven life expectancy of 50 years.

AAC recently installed Prelasti at TV adventurer Bear Grylls’ lighthouse off the North Wales coast. It also worked on Snowdon’s rebuilt mountain summit café.

Marketing Coordinator Alan Williams said: “We’ve had a very busy January and so the second vulcanising unit is coming online just at the right time.

“We aim to grow further in 2012, and continue to promote the advantages of off-site fabrication, especially where roofing is concerned, and hopefully see greater understanding in the industry of the benefits it brings.”

January marked another success for AAC when it became Achilles Building Confidence accredited, adding to its Investors in People award.

Typical AAC projects include commercial and residential roofing, including school refurbishments and Government building projects across England and Wales. Many public sector departments and building contractors now insist on Achilles accreditation from roofing contractors and other trades.

Prelasti prefabricated EPDM is recognised for its environmental qualities and is frequently specified for roof gardens and as pond and lake liners.

AAC has also supplied and installed Prelasti as a complete external “skin” for an artist-designed house in Dungeness, and an environment-friendly row of terrace houses at Scotland’s first housing expo.

For more information about AAC visit www.prelasti.co.uk or email info@prelasti.co.uk

Orangeries Prices Prepares for a Busy Summer

As summer draws ever nearer, Orangeries Prices is expecting to see a surge in sales from homeowners looking to prepare for evening parties and barbecues. Orangeries are perfect for the summer months as they provide a link between home and garden and thus, they prove popular as the sun starts to shine.

Orangeries Prices offers an abundance of variety on orangeries. In a variety of styles and materials, homeowners are guaranteed to find something that will meet their requirements. Wooden orangeries are ideal for homeowners looking for a more traditional look whilst UPVC orangeries are perfect for modern properties.

During the summer months, orangeries make it easy to enjoy the garden. Whether it is in the comfort and shade from the sun or homeowners use it as easy access to the garden from the home, orangeries are the perfect purchase for homeowners looking to enjoy warmer times.

For any homeowners looking to install orangeries in time for summer, Orangeries Prices offers a unique and innovative quote system which aims to find and compare prices from trusted suppliers in customers’ local areas. MCS accredited certification is demanded as a minimum requirement as the team understands that a professional manner is required at all times.

For up to 75% off installation at Orangeries Prices, simply fill in the quote form at the top of the page at OrangeriesPrices.co.uk and the team will find three free, no obligation quotes.

Cordless Technology makes Gtech’s HT04 2 in 1 Multi-Tool Every Gardener's New Best Friend

The NEW cordless Gtech HTO4 2 in 1 Garden Multi-Tool is powerful enough to trim hedges AND cut branches in one light weight garden tool. Historically cordless garden powertools have been underpowered for the jobs they are designed to tackle. But Gtech has mastered cordless technology to ensure going cordless doesn’t mean poor performance.

Powerful cutting action
The Gtech HTO4 2 in 1 Garden Multi-Tool is incredibly robust and comes with interchangeable hedge-trimming and a branch-cutting blades. The unit features a powerful 18v motor with NiCd batteries for consistent performance and a telescopic handle to reach the top of tall hedges.

The hedge trimmer head is powerful enough to cut through stems up to 15mm thick. So it's perfect for trimming all common hedging plants. And the branch cutter features a 100mm semi-enclosed circular saw blade that cuts through branches up to 3” (8cm) thick. The angle of the head can also be adjusted by up to 120 degrees. So you can reach hedge tops and work easily on hard-to-prune varieties.

The 18v battery charges in 5 hours to provide a 45 minute run-time using either the hedge trimmer or branch cutter. Plenty of time to get your gardening jobs done without running out of juice.

Lightweight and portable
And being cordless it is portable, light and quiet. You can work around the garden without trailing cables or the need for hearing protection. Weighing just 2.5kg, the Gtech HTO4 2 in 1 Garden Multi-Tool is easier to handle than heavier garden power tools, especially when using the telescopic handle to reach higher branches.

Safe gardening
About 300,000 people are hurt in their gardens each year seriously enough to go to hospital - around 87,000 are injured actively gardening or carrying out DIY jobs in the garden. Men have more accidents in the garden than women and, apart from children, people aged 30 to 60 are most likely to be injured. Included in RoSPA’s top ten list of most dangerous garden tools are Electric hedge trimmers at number five accounting for three thousand, one hundred accidents per year.

Garden power tools must always be used with an RCD - residual current device - which will cut off the power quickly in the event of an accident. The built-in safety switch of the Gtech HT04 prevents accidental starting and the unit stops instantly when you take one hand off. A protective visor also reduces the chances of small debris hitting your face.

Priced £99.95 from www.gtechonline.co.uk, Amazon and all good independent garden centres, the Gtech HT04 comes with a 2 year manufacturers warranty and a 30 day money back guarantee. Spare batteries are available as an accessory at additional cost.

Gtech is an independent British-based designer of innovative, cordless products.

CGD Landscape Design Asked to Enter International Design Competition in Germany

Cgd landscape design, a UK based garden and landscape design practice, has been contacted in connection with several overseas projects including a submission for an international design competition in Germany. This was the first landscape design competition of this nature for cgd directors, Helen Billetop and Sally Court. Over the past twenty years or so they have, as garden and landscape designers, been asked to design and build many show gardens but never enter an international design competition of this nature and complexity.

Sally explained that “We were flattered and more than a little proud to have been short-listed along with four large established landscape architect practices. What an unique experience!"

Having attended the colloquium with the other contenders, the directors became aware of the amount of work and detail required for this large area of neglected and partially derelict land which had been designated for the “English Themed Garden”. This area required a design incorporating three distinct sections including a functioning café/tearoom and access roads, all to be costed out including labour, annual maintenance and not to exceed a budget of €1 million.

“An English theme was required, subject matter which we felt really comfortable with. Initially it sounded like a substantial budget and in normal circumstances it would be. After the colloquium when we were briefed on the criteria required for the parklands, we quickly realised that the budget allocated would barely meet the needs. Four hectares in all to landscape into gardens and parklands as well as a fully functioning café and offices meant that we had to bring in an architect who understood people flow, Eco structures and budgets.”

The design required both pedestrian and vehicular access for deliveries to the café with paths to connect the new gardens with the existing and proposed infrastructures. Not least a comprehensive creative solution that not only conveys the essence of an English landscape but also links seamlessly into the existing and future landscaped parklands. No small task.

Having sketched out their initial concept, honed down the ideas and hand-drawn up the plans on drawing boards the schemes were then transferred onto CAD. Two freelance landscape design experts were brought in to interpret the concepts and drawings. Working as a team, not always communicating on the same level did cause a few misunderstandings initially, quickly became a very positive experience.

“The whole competition has been exciting and put a new impetus into our business. Whether or not we win this landscape design competition has proved to us, garden designers, that we can compete alongside the big guns, landscape architects, with their entire backup and enter a truly professional design. Bring on the next competition, we are ready and waiting.”

FACTFILE:
cgd landscape design is a new landscape architecture and design practice brings together the creativity, expertise and experience of two of the UK's top garden designers, Helen Billetop and Sally Court, based in London, England

The practice specialises in providing a comprehensive and personalised landscape design service for private individuals and corporate clients in the UK and overseas.

With expertise in planting design across all climate zones and working with locally sourced materials and quality contractors, they are currently commissioned on several prestigious projects in the UK, Moscow, Russia and in New York State, USA.

Their philosophy combines the functional with the artistic to create inspired and sustainable gardens and landscapes. They embrace local characteristics and conditions to develop landscape design solutions which are sympathetic and can be surprising in their simplicity.

enquiries@cgd-landscape-design.com
www.cgd-landscape-design.com/

"The Grass is greener with Dog Rocks"

Dog Rocks are pleased to announce that the product is now available through Solus Garden & Leisure Ltd, the UK’s No 1 Garden Centre wholesaler.

Dog Rocks, the only natural prevention & cure to dog and bitch lawn urine burn patches, has agreed a distribution agreement with Solus Garden & Leisure. Dog Rocks are an exciting and proven 100% NATURAL product used to help prevent urine burn patches appearing on your lawn, shrubs and box hedges as a result of dog or bitch urine.

Solus are aleading supplier of Garden and Leisure products in the UK. “We have been supplying Garden Centres & lawn care specialists direct for the past 5 years and the volumes have been steadily increasing due to the effectiveness and popularity of the product. We are really delighted to be working with Solus & their teams to further penetrate the garden centre market and fulfil demand more efficiently. Through Solus we can offer better distribution and minimum order quantities” says Dog Rocks’s Carina Evans.

The popularity of Dog Rocks has been phenomenal due not only to the fact that they are an 100% natural and effective solution but also because they are favoured by retailers; each pack needs to be replaced every 2 months so are a repeat product thereby increasing foot fall and visits to stores and websites.

Dog Rocks - the only prevention & cure for canine urine lawn & shrub burn patches on the market
Dog Rocks are 100% natural; your clients will not be medicating their dog in any way
Dog Rocks are an high value product, little shelf space required
Dog Rock don’t change the pH balance of the dog’s urine or drinking water;
Dog Rocks are hassle free and easy to use, simply change the Rocks every 2 months and change the water as normal
Dog Rocks are safe for all household pets
Dog Rocks are a great product to sell, not only is the feedback phenomenal but it is a repeat product needing to be replaced every 2 months
Endorsed & sold by vets worldwide
Dog Rocks have been selling in Europe for 7 years and in Australasia for 11 years

“They really work!” – Freya Ireland, Wiltshire.

FACTFILE:
Each pack is of dog Rocks is accompanied by an instruction leaflet and diary reminder sticker. Wash the Dog Rocks thoroughly under running water to remove any dust.

Place your entire pack of Dog Rocks in your dog’s water bowl, if you have more than one water bowl, you will need another whole pack of Dog Rocks, and each water supply should have one entire pack of Dog Rocks in it.

Replace your Dog Rocks every 2 months and for best results, refresh the water at night every two to three days and top up at night in between.

Dog Rocks are not uniform size and differ from pack to pack in content because they are entirely natural. The weight of each pack is however the same and therefore the efficacy is consistent.

Dog Rocks SSP between £12.49 and £12.99 for a 2 month’s supply/per pack.

Dog Rocks are available through all major wholesalers in the vet, pet and garden centre markets. To consumers Dog Rocks are available through vet practices and retailers including Pets At Home, Kennelgate Stores, Jollyes, Pampurred Pets, Pets City, Pet Supermarket, Pets Corner, Wyevale Garden Centres, Hillier Garden Centres, Nottcutts Garden Centres and Poplar Nurseries.

For more information visit www.dogrocks.co.uk

That's Food and Drink: Introducing The Totally Divine iPhone / iPad App

That's Food and Drink: Introducing The Totally Divine iPhone / iPad App: Now that January is over we can give up the pretence of ever sticking to our New Year's resolutions - so now's the time to download Divine's...

The National Trust bucks economic trends to have bumper December

The National Trust has reported a substantial increase in its visitor numbers, and retail and catering sales in December 2011 compared to the previous December, despite a backdrop of challenging economic times and lack of consumer confidence.

There were more than half-a-million (521,000) visitors to Trust properties in December 2011, an increase of 74 per cent on the previous year.

Factors affecting the large jump in visitor numbers include the mild weather (December 2010 saw heavy snowfall hitting the number of getting out and about) and an increasing number of houses running Christmas themed activity, such as lighting schemes and decorating stately homes for Christmas.

Over forty Trust pay-for-entry properties were open during the weekends in December. Attingham in Shropshire saw its busiest ever weekend with its Frost Fair which ran on the first Saturday and Sunday of the month.

The Trust is on target to have its best ever year for visitor numbers to its pay-for-entry properties, exceeding 18 million visitors for the first time in its history.

The retail business, which includes high street shops, shops at properties and online sales, saw an increase in sales of 24 per cent and the cafes and restaurants had a 71 per cent increase in sales in December 2011 compared to the same month in 2010.

In the year to date retail sales have increased by 8 per cent and catering has so far seen a 14 per cent increase in sales.

Fiona Reynolds, Director-General of the National Trust, said: "In these economically tough times the National Trust seems to have swum against the tide with these fantastic results.

"As the nation tightens its collective belt people have been looking for great value and places where they can get a real feel for Christmas.”

Simon Jenkins, Chairman of the National Trust, added: "This shows that arts and heritage charities not dependent on government grants appear to be experiencing a surge in trading income. The public is turning away from more expensive leisure venues, overnight stays and foreign trips. It is a rare good news story in the gloom."