http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/ Gardening Blog - News, Articles and Discussion http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/man-repaints-road-markings-and-essex-county-council-orders-him-to-remove-th/ Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:09:22 +0100 A FRUSTRATED resident who repainted a white line to stop motorists blocking his driveway has been told to clean it up – or else. John Howard took matters into his own hands after Essex County Council refused to repaint the line outside his home, which stops motorists obstructing his and neighbours' driveways. A single solid white line was painted on the road more than ten years ago after residents complained they were being blocked in by customers visiting car showrooms in Ipswich Road, Colchester.… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/the-national-gardens-scheme/ Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:02:37 +0100 The National Gardens Scheme (NGS) is one of those great British institutions like fish and chips, cricket, morris dancing, Victoria sponge and Alan Titchmarsh. The idea of spending the weekend wandering around other people's gardens appeals to us on so many levels. It satisfies an inquisitiveness; it allows us to compare our gardens to others; it gives us the chance to admire great design and plantsmanship; it is a chance to eat excellent cake in convivial surroundings and to pick up something unusual… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/growing-giant-sunflowers-planting-out/ Tue, 31 May 2011 11:19:05 +0100 Last month, we challenged you to break the World Record for growing the tallest sunflower. Free seeds of 'Russian Giant' were given out with the April issue of Gardeners' World magazine, and many of youemailed us to register your interest in taking part. We allsowed our seeds, watered, tended and waited. Now, in late May, we should all have good, strong sunflowers, ready to plant out (depending on where we live). Mine have been outside in pots for about three weeks now, but I only planted them in… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/paving-over-front-gardens/ Fri, 06 May 2011 08:34:50 +0100 I seem to be bucking a trend among homeowners. Rather than paving over my garden, I have 'un-paved' it, unlocking the earth and growing a range of plants to provide habitats forwildlife. The paving of front gardens is becoming increasingly common in urban areas where parking spaces are at a premium and there's a lack of availability of public transport. The popularity of low-maintenance gardens among the time-poor is also a factor. The RHS estimates around 12 square miles of London are lost to the… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/cute-pathway-idea/ Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:10:26 +0100 I went to Dyrham Park at the weekend and noticed these cute little pathways on their kitchen garden area. I‘m guessing it‘s Willow bent over to make little arches and then tied together at the joins. Very decorative, I thought. A little too rustic for my garden but still, very neat. http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/grand-designs-live-extend-to-the-extreme/ Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:16:57 +0100 This year‘s Grand Designs Live celebrates hi-tech and low impact, from earth buildings to amazing glazing, says Sarah Lonsdale What does the idea of "home" mean to you? Is it a quiet cocoon where you can withdraw from the hustle of the noisy world? Is it a sleek fashion statement, something you can show off at dinner parties? Or is it a utilitarian structure, within whose wipe-clean walls you can raise your children safely? Our relationship with the roof and four walls that surround us for… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/don-90-reverses-merc-through-garage-wall-into-back-garden/ Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:45:10 +0100 A GREAT-grandad reversed into his garage - and straight through its far wall into his back garden. Donald Lambdin, 90, accidentally hit the accelerator pedal as he carefully backed his Mercedes C280 into the garage. He gripped the steering wheel "for dear life" as the car hurtled between the side walls before crashing through masonry and plunging 6ft into the sunken garden. The shaken ex teacher was trapped in the wrecked car - said to be a "total write-off". Firemen called to his house in Plymouth,… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/garden-habitats-for-frogs/ Wed, 06 Apr 2011 09:27:22 +0100 I seem to have created the perfect habitat for my frogs. It's not a large garden, marsh or meadow, but a tatty grow bag from last year, screened by willow edging and topped with dead foliage. It's an absolute eyesore and I hate it, but to my frogs it's five-star accommodation. Last July, I responded to a Freecycle email from someone who'd filled in her established pond and razed her entire garden to the ground, prior to a redesign. It was no longer a safe habitat for frogs, and those she'd found… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/drivers-4.87m-to-park-in-southend/ Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:16:58 +0100 motorists are paying £4.87million a year to park in Southend, the Echo can reveal. Figures, released under Freedom of Information laws, show charges for on-street spaces and council-owned car parks raked in more than £41million over the past decade. The stats put the council way ahead of its counterparts in south Essex, with BasildonCouncil taking just over £1million and Castle Point Council only taking £723,300 in 2009/10. In contrast, finance chiefs in Southend… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/bamboo-the-future/ Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:20:12 +0100 I have just returned from a very jolly trip to South East Asia. (Not that you would have noticed I was away: gardenersworld.com is such a slick and well-oiled operation that my blogs kept appearing, in my absence, as if by magic.) Mostly I was loafing around looking at things but, being a conscientious and dedicated fellow, I also kept an eye open for things that might interest you. Bamboo, for example. In this country we most commonly grow the Phyllostachys bamboos, especially Phyllostachys nigra,… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/ethical-pioneer-reaffirms-commitment-to-fairstone-in-india/ Fri, 25 Mar 2011 23:25:34 +0000 Marshalls has been a pioneer regarding the ethics of Indian sandstone since 2006 and has today reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to the communities in the quarrying region of Kota, Rajasthan. Working with local specialist non-governmental partner organisation (NGO) Hadoti Hast Shilp Sansthan (Hadoti) in India, Marshalls will continue to support a range of projects which it has been funding for the past four years. These include six schools attended free by 179 children of quarry workers and the wider… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/14th-annual-garden-and-patio-show-underway/ Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:03:44 +0000 JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Friday morning a crowd lined up outside of the Trademart as people anxiously awaited to get inside for the garden and patio show. And once folks finally made it in, they were surrounded by everything imaginable for their gardens and patios. Chairman for the show, Ray Bailey says, "we have garden art, we have herbs, we have vegetables, we have trees, we have landscape architects down here, we have horticulturist." Stephany Brown and her grand kids had their hands full… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/marshalls-recognised-as-a-business-superbrand-for-2011/ Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:59:31 +0000 The announcement today of Superbrands 2011 confirms Marshalls plc as one of the UK's leading business to business brands. The announcement follows a robust research process administered independently by The Centre for Brand Analysis, which analysed the views of an Expert Council and 2,000 UK business professionals. Of the thousands of brands initially considered only the top 500 are deemed to be Business Superbrands. Stephen Cheliotis, Chairman of the Expert Council & CEO, The Centre for Brand… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/rehab-gym-opens-at-southend-hospital-to-help-amputees/ Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:53:50 +0000 A VETERAN fundraiser was joined by a survivor of the 7/7 terrorist attacks at the opening of a new rehabilitation suite in Southend Hospitalfor patients who have lost limbs. Joyce Long, 81, from Thundersley, who helped raise £4,000 towards the equipment costs, officially launched the gym which is intended to help amputees regain movement. Disabled rights champion Dan Biddle, 31, who lost both his legs in the 2005 Edgware Road Tube bombing, is the hospital's disability adviser and was also… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/growing-primulas/ Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:51:14 +0000 There's nothing wrong with instant gratification. Who can resist the appeal of primulas at this time of year? Certainly not me. I visited the garden centre a couple of weeks ago to buyseed-sowing compost (much better than multi-purpose for this particular job). On my arrival I was confronted with beds of stunning primulas, all at their peak. Colour is lacking at the end of February as we wait for the early bulbs to bloom. A few brave grape hyacinths are showing colour, and daffodils surge higher… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/fallen-ash-leaves/ Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:37:28 +0000 he woods around us consist mostly of ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior), and every autumn we have a few weekends of franticleaf collecting (particularly frantic around the chicken run). The trees seem to shed leaves at random – one tree will be completely starkers, while another is just turning, so the chore of collection seems endless. Any leaves that fall on borders are left there, but we rake leaves from the paths and lawn (they smother the grass), adding them to the compost heap. Finally, by… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/algae-in-the-garden/ Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:05:23 +0000 Everything, it seems, has gone green. I'm not just talking about the gorgeous shoots and leaves that are beginning to unfurl. No, I refer to the green film of algae coating steps, paths, stepping stones, flower pots, planters, benches, tables, chairs and the climbing frame... Even thecompost and the foliage of someevergreens are covered. Algae is harmless, but it's beginning to depress me. Its seemingly unstoppable spread is caused by the super-soggy weather we've had over the last few months. The… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/marshalls-has-paved-the-monopoly-board/ Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:40:26 +0000 From Mayfair to Marylebone and Liverpool Street to Leicester Square, Marshalls, the UK‘s leading hard landscaping company, has paved the way for better landscapes for some of the most prestigious landmarks in and around the London area and now Marshalls has launched its very own version of Monopoly. ‘Marshalls Monopoly‘ shows clearly why Marshalls is the market leader in its industry, providing hard landscaping to all of the properties on the Monopoly board – so now you… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/red-sky-in-the-morning/ Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:38:53 +0000 Warning: winter still rules at the summerhouse Denmark's weather and temperatures perhaps a month behind London with snow still nestling stubbornly under the banks. Everywhere there lie "lakes" of thick milky ice. The earth still too frozen for melt to drain away. Not to say it isn't sunny. Just that the warmth of the sun is like a one-bar fire in an open barn in a gale. Thank God for last year's logs which a kindly neighbour has loaded and lit in the stove. A huge sea storm has left the garden looking… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/tips-on-avoiding-cowboy-contractors/ Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:05:49 +0000 Many consumers across the UK are being duped by un-reputable ‘Cowboy Contractors‘ who cold call on homes offering driveway and patio installations. Here, Marshalls offer their advice on avoiding these rogue traders. Marshalls tips to AVOID being duped by a cowboy contractor:  Be VERY wary of installers who arrive on your doorstep looking for work or who can ‘start tomorrow‘. Reputable installers usually need many weeks‘ notice before they can start as not only… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/100000-grand-designs-barge-washes-up-on-southend-beach/ Sun, 13 Feb 2011 23:16:02 +0000 It was supposed to be their dream home, but three years after Chris Miller and his wife called in a TV show to rejuvenate their houseboat it has been found apparently washed up on a beach. The unfinished 100-foot long boat, known as The Medway Eco-barge, had been moored in the Thames estuary off Southend since it featured in a Grand Designs' programme in March 2007. It is thought that the boat broke free from its mooring overnight. Steve Morgan, 29, from the nearby Barge Cafe, said: 'I got here at… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/valentines-day-flowers/ Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:52:53 +0000 It's Valentine's Day on Monday. Walking past a local florist yesterday I spotted buckets ofred roses, sunflowers, gerbera and iris. It's incredible to think that in one of the most dreary months of the year, we can decorate our homes with such jewels of summer. These unseasonal blooms were likely grown in far flung places such as Africa or South America and flown over to the UK. Those with fewer 'flower miles' will have been raised in giant heated greenhouses closer to home. Cut flowers are big business.… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/marshalls-chief-to-pave-the-way-for-responsible-business-in-the-region/ Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:22:44 +0000 Business in the Community (BITC) has recently announced the appointment of Graham Holden, Chief Executive of Marshalls plc, as its new Regional Advisory Board Chairman for Yorkshire and Humber. Graham Holden has taken an active role on the Regional Advisory Board since its inception in October 2008. He was announced as the 2010 Prince‘s Ambassador in Yorkshire and Humber for his leadership and commitment to responsible business in the region. Within Marshalls, Graham has instilled… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/raspberry-taming/ Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:36:59 +0000 Give Raspberries a few years and they will start to take over. You‘ll find their runners popping up all over the place. I found one last year on the ‘other side‘ of the path to where my Raspberry patch was. With a small garden such as mine I have to keep them under control or run the risk of them taking vital nutrients from other plants. In the Summer I was inundated by Raspberries. I tried everything to get rid of them. While I agree that Raspberries are indeed yummy and yes I… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/gardening-theft/ Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:48:49 +0000 The mailbox at Gardeners‘ World magazine is brimming with letters and emails from gardeners who have been victims of theft. From these letters alone, it would seem that thefts from gardens and allotments are becoming more widespread, while gratuitous vandalism on allotments remains horribly common. Thefts range from handfuls of fresh fruit and veg to expensive garden tools, while whole sheds are reported to have been torn down and burned for ‘fun‘. As gardens and allotments are… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/caroline-foleys-expert-guide-to-things-to-do-in-february/ Mon, 31 Jan 2011 12:27:49 +0000 Pruning, planting, sowing seed: the jobs needing to be done in the allotment or garden this month If January was about planning, February is about preparing. It's an odd month, usually as cold as January, with a UK mean temperature of an inhospitable 1°C (32°F). Yet it is on the brink of spring. If you look about you will see that bulbs are sprouting and buds are beginning to swell optimistically in the longer days and increased sunshine. In preparation for seed sowing next month, make sure… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/secret-wartime-hideout-could-be-listed-landmark/ Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:19:07 +0000 SOUTHEND Council is set to take action to preserve a piece of military history which is still so good at its job many don‘t even realise it‘s there. Tucked behind the curved brick wall, which once formed part of the entrance to the gasworks in Eastern Esplanade, lurks what is almost certainly a former Home Guard observation post. During the Second World War, this shelter would have stood by the edge of the gas works jetty, which back then spanned the road. The history of the guard post… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/marshalls-chooses-thrive-as-charity-of-the-year/ Mon, 17 Jan 2011 10:34:25 +0000 Marshalls, the UK‘s leading hard landscaping manufacturer, has chosen Thrive as its official Charity of the Year for 2011. The  Thrive charity, which helps people with disabilities harness the benefits of gardening, will work with Marshalls to raise much needed funds to enable disadvantaged individuals to truly enjoy their gardening experience.Marshalls, who until recently sponsored the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show, has supported and encouraged children and adults to become involved… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/southend-airport-link-road-plans-progress/ Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:59:24 +0000 PLANS to build a new link road near Southend Airport have taken a step forward. Southend councillors have backed plans to give up five hectares of St Laurence Park to make way for the road, between Eastwoodbury Lane and Nestuda Way. The council's Tory leader Nigel Holdcroft said the road will be built regardless of whether the airport runway extension, currently the subject of a judicial review, goes ahead or not. Special meetings were held last night of the council's economic… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/string-too-tight/ Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:02:16 +0000 As I ventured into the garden yesterday to pull some Leeks I noticed that the string ties on my Peach tree were becoming a little tight. On closer inspection I found that a few were very tight indeed and one had cut through the bark – bad news for letting infection in. I was surprised because the ties are only on last summer‘s grow and I had thought I had left enough room for growth. But apparently not.So the whole lot will have to come off and be replaced by some that are nice and loose… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/christmas-potatoes-in-january/ Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:54:17 +0000 Today, I finally dug up my Christmas Potatoes! I know, I‘m a bit late but unfortunately I fell into the very trap that I warned against when I planted them back in August. Back then I said, “Just remember to dig up your Potatoes ‘before‘ Christmas Day if there is frost forecast. You wouldn‘t want to put in all that effort only to be foiled by a solid, unworkable soil on the big day!” What with the snows the week before Christmas and the freezing temperatures… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/andy-hamiltons-delicious-seasonal-spruce-brew/ Fri, 07 Jan 2011 10:17:32 +0000 Making the most of 12th night and needles from a Christmas tree Spruce has long been used to make drinks. Needles were often left to infuse in boiling water, then taken like a tea. It's especially rich in Vitamin C and Captain Cook used spruce tea to help his crew stave off scurvy. It can also be drank as a refreshing (if unusual), beer. Spruce beer started to obtain real popularity from 17th century, especially amongst the Newfoundland settlers and by 1766, Joseph Banks had described it as the,… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/double-award-nominations-for-marshalls/ Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:54:53 +0000 This Autumn sees Marshalls shortlisted for two very exciting awards! First up is the Sustainability Awards. In the running for Sustainable Manufacturer of the Year, Marshalls will find out the result at the Sustainability Awards ceremony on 30 November at the Royal College of Physicians in London.The awards have been organised by Building magazine and the UK Green Building Council and they recognise and reward outstanding achievement in sustainability in the built environment. Marshalls has been… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/marshalls-celebrates-national-carbon-footprint-day-with-more-carbon-la/ Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:28:05 +0000 On National Carbon Footprint Day (2 October), leading hard landscaping firm Marshalls has unveiled a further 1,565 official carbon labels for all its commercial paving products.  Earlier in 2009, Marshalls revealed carbon labels for over 500 products in its domestic range. Then, it was the first company in the world to label an entire range of products and the first in the hard landscaping industry to work with the Carbon Trust‘s labelling scheme.  Now, Marshalls‘ carbon labelling… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/coal-ashes-in-the-garden/ Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:22:45 +0000 I have been an organic gardener for more than 30 years now, and I have a question about using anthracite coal ashes in the garden. I have heard they are "good," "bad" and "not sure" from a few people. My grandmother threw all her ashes in the garden, and it was always bountiful. A friend actually gets truckloads of ash for his garden and says his potatoes are great. Would the garden still be considered organic, or is there something potentially dangerous or harmful in the ashes? I've seen the same… http://www.smart-landscapes.co.uk/gardening-blog/news/what-is-the-problem-with-paving-front-gardens/ Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:10:39 +0100 What is the problem with paving front gardens? Serious flooding in 2007 affected the UK. This resulted in loss of life, disruption of peoples‘ lives and caused damage estimated at about £3bn. In many cases the flooding happened because drains could not cope with the amount of rain water flowing to them. The effects of climate change mean that this kind of heavy rainfall event (and subsequent flooding) may occur more often in the future. The drains in most urban areas were built many…