Monthly Featured Project

SEASONAL SEPTEMBER

The year is certainly moving on and fast at that! Autumn is just beginning, crops ripening, trees changing colour, colder weather and a shortening of days.

Some forecasts say it will be a harsh winter, but we of course are hoping not as it could affect our work. It has been a great summer weather wise for us, plenty of rain as well as sun which means everything has been growing. Last year (2018) was a difficult summer for the industry as it was very hot with little rain so 2019 has definitely seen an improvement!

September had some warmer days, luscious sunshine with the air feeling fresher. The clear sunny days have also seen us have some colder nights and with heavy dew in the morning on the lawn, it really is the start of the season of mists and early frosts.

So, what have we been doing this month? We have had two new apprentices start with us within our Grounds Maintenance Division. We will be catching up with them soon to see how their first few weeks have been.

We have sponsored Portishead Town Girls U10’s Rangers. Portishead Town Junior Youth are a not-for-profit grassroots football club who offer junior football to around 800 boys and girls aged between 5 and 16 and also have both men and women’s senior teams.

This sponsorship has provided new training tops for the squad of 17 girls which they will use for training, tournaments and also as an away kit. The girls will be playing regular games in the Bristol Girls league for their second season following a really successful first season last year. The squad has grown from 8-17 in the last 18 months alone. We are extremely glad to be able to sponsor the team and are looking forward to seeing their new kit on the pitch and how their season goes.

We promoted ‘FSC Friday’. An annual event hosted by Forest Stewardship Council designed to raise awareness about responsible forest management; the best way to keep using forest products and keep our forests too.

The aim is to increase awareness of FSC so that more people choose FSC certified products more of the time. These choices can be personal, like choosing garden furniture, greeting cards or even toilet paper.

As a company Elmtree only use FSC timber. We buy a large amount of timber for fencing, decking, planter construction, sheds and other outdoor buildings. We also plant thousands of trees per year which helps to offset our carbon footprint further.

Looking at photos of the courtyard garden for the Multifaith Room at the RUH Bath, a year on from completion, we can see it is thriving. Elmtree installed the topsoil, planting, composite decking and benches.

We will also be getting Woody, our bear back very soon. We will have him positioned on our own decking area outside our new office. The decking is exactly like the Wild Place Bear Walk decking, which we built so Woody would feel at home. We will also be sending him around to a couple of local schools to meet the children.

SO, WHAT ABOUT OCTOBER? THE GARDEN STILL HAS MUCH TO KEEP US OCCUPIED!

Essential check list for October:

Last chance to:

October Garden Tips: Clear leaves. The simplest method of clearing leaves off the lawn is to run over them with a lawn mower. The cutting action of the mower blades will help to shred the leaves and make them quicker to rot down. Collect leaves this way once a week – any longer and the grass will start to grow long and get harder to cut. For clearing patios, paths and other surfaces, a leaf blower is a better bet. Either blow the leaves onto the lawn for the mower to pick up or blast them on to a tarpaulin and drag them to the compost heap.

Bring tender plants under protection. If you’ve got tender plants, such as canna, now’s the time to bring them indoors before they get killed by the frost. Choose a light, frost-free place such as a greenhouse or coldframe. Then keep them on the dry side during the winter, so they don’t put on much growth. The plants can then be brought back into growth in spring by gradually increasing the amount of water they receive

Turn the compost heap. As the garden is tidied in preparation for winter, lots of material is generated for composting. To encourage it to rot down quickly, turn the contents regularly to stir it up and allow in lots of air. In the colder weather, the rate of decomposition will naturally decrease, but it will soon speed up during warmer spells.

Don’t forget we love seeing your garden work too and especially love seeing autumn photos of the beautiful colours this season has to offer. Share your photos with us via our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.

AWESOME AUGUST

August has seen the completion of many of our ongoing projects. We started the month celebrating the fantastic work by our supervisor Craig Lancastle and his team at Crest Nicholson, Tadpole Garden Village in Swindon. Followed by the success of the installation of allotments and a greenhouse at Audley Luxury Retirement Village, Bristol. We also revisited The Lamplighters pub, Shirehampton where we restored the boat and completed the building beach huts.

With school holidays we had the privilege of sharing knowledge of our industry with a young man who came all the way from Co Wicklow in Ireland for work experience. It’s fantastic to know our reputation reaches far and wide. Thomas Keedwell spent the week working in our Ground Maintenance division alongside supervisors Tom and Robert. He wanted to experience the workplace during his school holidays whilst over here with his family. Thomas has proven himself a very useful member of the team and shown an aptitude for gardening. Offering work experience is something that we pride ourselves with at Elmtree and is a key way for the younger generation to get a feel for what the job entails.

Elmtree are also looking forward to welcoming our two new apprentices who finished school this July. They will be starting in our Grounds Maintenance division this September. Watch this space to see how they are getting on.

We recently landscaped the show home and sales complex at Bellway Homes Wickwar. Including Tegula setts paving, a timber arbour, tree and shrub planting and turfing. We also landscaped the open space on the site entrance, this consisted of planting trees and specimen shrubs, laying lawn turf and wildflower turf.  As well as undertaking landscaping to the sales cabin for Bovis Homes including timber fencing to the perimeter and some planting.

August also was the start of Channel 5 documentary ‘Big Week at the Zoo’ where the team went behind the scenes of the brand-new Bear Wood exhibit. If you haven’t seen it already you can watch it on catch up. The episode aired on Aug 23rd 2019 and shows the arrival of the new bear residents. Well worth a watch!

It was fantastic to see our hard work put to good use and to see visitors enjoying their experience of Bear Wood at The Wild Place Project this summer.

Keeping the bear theme going we also went on our very own mini bear trail in and around Bristol Shopping Quarter. This summer saw the little bears hidden around Bristol town where families could explore the area whilst hunting down 24 mini bear figures places in shop windows. We are very excited to place our bear Woody is his new home but not before he has a tour of a few local schools to meet the children.

As the summer comes to and end and the new school terms are about to start we have been putting the finishing touches to a lovely spiritual sensory garden that we have built for St Teresa’s School in Monks Park, Bristol. The prayer garden is an exciting addition to the school and will provide the children and teachers with a tranquil place to worship and pray together and individually, enriching their relationship with God.

So…. What else? As September approaches we will see a cooler month and the start of late summer turns into Autumn

While there’s not as much to do in the garden at this time of the year, if you have a fruit or vegetable patch, you’ll be busy reaping the rewards of harvest. It’s also time to get out and start planting spring-flowering bulbs for next year and you can collect seeds for next summer’s colour too. Make the most of the remaining warmth while you can!

 ESSENTIAL CHECKLIST FOR SEPTEMBER

LAST CHANCE TO…

If you are looking for a way to use up harvest fruit why not try this;

Raspberry Jam recipe:

Ingredients (makes about 3 jam jars & keeps for about 6 months):

 

HOW TO KEEP YOUR GARDEN LOOKING GREAT THIS SUMMER | AN OVERVIEW OF JULY

As temperatures soared this July, the Met Office announced that a new provisional recording of 38.7°c has been recorded and if validated it would be a new temperature officially record for the UK. July saw us reach the highest temperature recorded for the month.

Extreme hot weather can play havoc with the well-tended garden but we urge you not to panic! Here are a few simple tips to keep your outdoor spaces looking great despite the heat.

  • AVOID OVER-WATERING DURING A HEATWAVE

    • First and foremost; Don’t panic into watering. The grass is very good at dealing with a lack of water, even if it turns brown it will be able to bounce back when the rains return later in the year.

    Over-watering can cause plants to leach nutrients and cut off the supply of oxygen to the roots.

    Top tip: ‘Pick up the watering can and provide focused watering at the base of the plant, so roots can benefit as quickly as possible.’

  • WATER PLANTS FIRST THING OR LAST THING DURING HOT WEATHER SPELLS

    • When the sun shines on the water it can act as a magnifying glass, burning the leaves below. When it’s hot, the best time of day to water is early morning or in the evening. Plants in containers should be watered twice a day, as the soil dries out much quicker in pots.

  • MAKE SURE PLANTS ARE WELL-FED

    • The best way to breathe some life back into plants suffering in a heatwave is providing long-lasting moisture and rich nutrients. Most gardeners can appreciate the benefit of mulching. This can hinder weeds and help the moisture-holding capacity of the soil, providing a lifeline to gardeners when things get hot.

    Top tip: Lay down a thick layer of mulch, covering the top few inches of soil – where most root activity occurs. This will keep roots moist and cool. In turn, his will help plants grow and reduce the amount of watering required.

  • ONLY MOW LAWNS ONCE A WEEK

    • Your mowing routine should drop to once a week during periods of drought. Don’t fret if your lawn goes brown and crisp, like many last summers. When the rains and lower temperatures return it’ll soon recover.

    Top tip: When mowing, adjust your blade to a higher setting to ensure grass stems provide maximum shade to the soil. Afterward, leave the cuttings instead of raking to provide shade and to avoid damaging your lawn.

    How often should I water the lawn during hot weather?

    A well-established lawn should require minimal watering in increased temperatures.

  • PROTECT YOUR VEGETABLES

    • Looking after your vegetable plot is important in hot weather too, especially if you’re hoping for delicious food to go in summer salads. Don’t leave large areas of your vegetable patch bare, but plant with green manures and companion plants.

    It’s all about the roots – surface rooting plants such as lettuce and tomatoes will wilt quickly and require more watering, whereas deeper rooting vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, and potatoes may be more resilient.

  • PLANT DROUGHT-RESISTANT PLANTS

    • You might also want to consider drought-resistant plants alongside more heat-sensitive varieties to keep your garden looking healthy. Herbs such as rosemary, marjoram, and lavender love the heat and their flavour and scent become more intense in the hot summer months.

    When should you plant during warmer weather?

    If you add new plants to your garden in the summer, plant on a cloudy day and water well if the weather is warm. Increase the plant’s chances of surviving the heat by using half mulch half potting mix.

  • GET TO KNOW YOUR GARDEN

    • What’s your soil like? Which way do your flower beds and vegetable patch face? Plant according to your findings. For instance, east facing gardens tend to retain more moisture and good for plants such as primulas, whereas succulents and silver foliage plants such as lavender will thrive in west facing gardens.

    This month we have completed the renovation project in the garden at The Lamplighters Pub in Shirehampton.

    If you haven’t already check it out. We also attended the opening of the Bear Project that we have been working on for many months. It was a huge success to see the end result and the project really come together. The new attraction at The Wild Place Project is now open for visitors. A new fly-through video has been produced giving a sneak preview of what the new Bear Wood exhibit at Wild Place Project will look like can be found here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iivdg0jbOOk

    Our family fun day, which was at the beginning of the month, was also a huge success, staff and their families were able to enjoy a day together where there was plenty of BBQ food and fun inflatables.

    HOW IS IT JUNE ALREADY!?

    June has been a bit of a wash out with the weather, lots of rain and not feeling as summery as it should but it’s not stopped us! We’ve still managed to complete our biggest project to date, Bear Walk at The Wild Place Project is finally complete and Elmtree are happy to announce that the last support post has been installed! Marcus Bird, our Contracts Director says:

    “The performance of all these guys over the last 9 months has been nothing short of amazing. I have been in this industry for the last 33 years and l have never seen anything like it. These guys have inspired me. How can we ever follow this? Wind, Rain, freezing temperatures, they just kept going! Financial issues, who cares, just keep pushing forward! Truly inspiring. All these years of hard work wondering what it’s all for. This project has completed me. Thank you all so much.”

    It’s been one of our biggest success stories and we are incredibly proud of our lads for every bit of hard work they put into the project.

    This month we submitted our entry for the BALI awards, this year we have entered two projects, Bear Walk and Paintworks and we are very excited. The selection of images that we picked was particularly challenging. We tried to submit images that showed a range of views, including the underneath structure detail, top, and distance shots showing the scale of the walkway.

    We are extremely happy to submit entries into the BALI Awards again this year. Winning a BALI National Landscape Award promises to change the way businesses are perceived, such is the kudos and respect these industry awards command.

    Every construction and design project is visited personally by an adjudicator, and scrutinised so it’s very exciting and we hold a lot of hope in our entries. Acknowledging and rewarding professional excellence are the key objectives of the BALI National Landscape Awards which is something we strive to achieve in all our endeavours.

    June is also the month that many youngsters leave school and college which has given us the opportunity to advertise for apprentices in our Ground Maintenance division.

    Although horticulture contributes around £6bn a year to the UK economy, a career in horticulture is barely mentioned by most careers teams in schools. There is, as a result, a skills shortage in Britain. Many people who work in horticulture found themselves there by accident. But we a passionate about times changing and for careers such as horticulture to be recognised as valuable contributions to the UK economy.Our apprenticeship scheme provides a perfect way to earn a wage while gaining vital work experience and a nationally recognised qualification. We already have one young man starting with us soon but if you are interested then we are still looking at applications so please get in touch with us.

    In other June related news, June 21 was the longest day of the year, and the extra light and warmth encourages the garden to put on an exuberant burst of growth. But this extra light and warmth also means weeds will sprout up from seemingly nowhere. Keep on top of them by hoeing regularly in dry conditions.

    Cooler temperatures and the right amount of rain will keep the garden look great. Here’s our list of recommended activities to keep your garden well maintained.

    Garden Beds

    Remove weeds regularly. It’s easier to spend a few minutes each day removing small weeds than letting them overgrow your beds.

    Mulch beds to reduce weeds, conserve water and provide a neat top-dress.

    Water as needed, particularly anything recently planted.

    Set supports for floppy plants, vines and vegetables.

    Finish planting summer annual flowers for season-long colours.

    Plant summer bulbs such as cannas, gladiolas and dahlias.

    Plant caladium and tuberous begonias in shady areas.

    Consider adding a few container gardens, if you have areas that need a spot of colour.

    Trees and Shrubs

    Deadhead rhododendrons, azaleas and lilacs, once they’ve finished flowering.

    Deadhead roses, as they finish blooming.

    Fertilize roses after full bloom.

    Prune any plants with dead, diseased, crossing or weak branches.

    Prune hydrangea bushes, prune any dead branches protruding from new growth.

    Prune your early spring-flowering shrubs to control their size.

    Prune evergreens and evergreen hedges to control their size.

    Lawn Care

    Mow the lawn regularly, and keep blades at a height of 2 ½” to 3 inches.

    To keep a lawn growing actively, it needs about one inch of water per week. Use a rain gauge to measure accurately.

    Now is also great time to plant some summer flowering bulbs like Gladiolus, Lilies, Calla Lilies, Cannas, Begonias, Freesia, Anemone, Ranunculus, Crocosmia or Dahlias.

    Another thing to prolong your bloom is to remove any spent flowers. By doing this your plants should put out another flush of flowers for you and the pollinators to enjoy.

    It is not too late to direct sow some flowers like poppies, zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, sunflowers, or nasturtium. They all grow very fast and you will be enjoying flowers this summer.

    Our message this month as we head into July: ‘Take time to enjoy the outdoors!’

    Despite the recent weather, we are hopeful for a warmer, sunnier July. Particularly as we have our staff summer BBQ next weekend. Look out on our social media channels to see photos from the family fun day.

    ELMTREE GARDEN CONTRACTORS ANNOUNCE SUPPORT FOR A CAMPAIGN APPROPRIATELY TO ‘RE-ELM THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE’.

    Bristol-based company took its name from the tree that flourished across the country but the species was totally decimated by Dutch Elm disease. Within a few years in the early 1970s almost every Elm tree had been wiped out in the UK.

    But over the past 30 years Hampshire based company Hillier have been planting a new Elm tree, that has proved Dutch Elm disease resistant. Ulmus (elm) ‘New Horizon’ is a ‘Resista’-elm species.

    Now Hillier is aiming to expand the presence of this glorious elm by planting a number of elm stands throughout Great Britain; giving a new generation of nature lovers the chance to see elms once again.

    A new campaign for Hiller, called, “Re-Elming the British Countryside”, was unveiled at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show when Adam Dunnett, sales director at Hiller Trees, handed over the first sapling of the campaign to Dame Judi Dench on ‘The Stihl Hiller Garden’. This sapling will be one of the 20 planted at the National Memorial Arboretum.

    Hillier hopes to encourage more organisations and individuals to work with them to establish stands, plantations and even woods of the disease resistant elms throughout Britain.
    “It is unlikely that many people in Britain under the age of 60 will recall seeing a stand of mature English elm trees” says Adam, sadly, the few remaining examples still growing in isolated sites around the country remain highly vulnerable to Dutch elm disease, which attacks them as they begin to reach maturity.
    Hiller have developed an elm tree that fills the environmental void left by the demise of Ulmus ‘minor var. vulgaris’ and hope to see it widely adopted around Britain.
    Elmtree Managing Director Paul Lynch says “given the name of our company and that while our company blossomed in the early 70s while the Elm trees across the UK died we thought that it was only fitting that we supported this campaign to help see our countryside thrive once more with our Chairman and Founder Keith Lynch’s favourite tree”.

    Keith Lynch set up Elmtree Garden Contractors in 1969 when originally working as a firefighter with Avon Fire Brigade, in those days many firefighters would take on second job that they could do when they were not working during the day. Keith and another Fireman, Earnie, decided to start a landscaping gardening company and thus Elmtree Garden Contractors was born.

    Keith already had good knowledge in working in the land and loved the outdoors. He had a background in farming and from the ages of 12-19 before he joined the fire service he had carried out some turfing work for a famer in the area now known as Cribbs Causeway, Bristol. So for Keith landscaping was an obvious choice.

    When deciding on a name, Keith and Ernie were in a back room in Keith’s house in Kingswood, Bristol, thrashing ideas around. They decided upon the name Elmtree. The Elm Tree (latin name Ulmus) was a popular tree native to Britain. This was in the days before the species was decimated by Dutch Elm disease, but Elmtree Garden Contractors did not suffer the same fate. It continued to grow and grow.

    They started by picked up a couple of commercial contracts for housebuilders and some grass cutting contracts for Bristol City Council. Ernie was however promoted to a more senior position within the Fire Service which meant he had to work days for a year, so Keith bought out Ernie’s share of Elmtree.

    The rest is history. Paul Lynch worked for Elmtree during his school holidays, and joined Elmtree after finishing his A-Levels. He then went to Pershore College for a year and completed a National Certificate of Horticulture, with Distinction. Paul then joined the company full time and is now Managing Director.

    Paul is keen to support Hiller in its campaign particularly because of the important environmental benefits that the new tree hosts the butterflies and insects that inhabited and fed off the traditional elm. Although we cannot replace it, Paul and Adam both believe that Ulmus ‘New Horizon’ can fill the gap and we will be able to see them back in our countryside over the next several years.

    “Ulmus ‘New Horizon’ is a fantastic tree that can tolerate almost anything you throw at it, from floods and pollution to poor soil and frost. It is extremely hard waring and suited for urban locations including housing developments, car parks, central reservations plus rural avenues or woodlands. It will also thrive in coastal spots so is a fantastic tree to get back across Britain.

    For more information on Hiller, read more here:

    https://www.hillier.co.uk/trees/products/

    LEATHERJACKETS

    Leatherjackets are about 1″ long, greyish black in colour, legless and with no distinct head. In August many people report clouds of daddy long legs emerging from lawns in early morning and this is a sure sign of leatherjacket infestation.

     

    If your lawn appears patchy and starts to die off in between December – March, there is a good chance it is infected with Leatherjackets. If this is the case, you need to act straight away as if left untouched, your whole lawn could be eaten away.

    LIFE CYCLE

    Leatherjackets are the larval stage of the European Marsh Crane Fly, commonly known as Daddy Long Legs. In late summer, adult crane flies emerge from the soil, mate and lay their eggs. The eggs hatch within two weeks. The eggs require moisture and a temperature of at least 14 degrees Celsius before hatching into the larval stage. Many leatherjackets do not survive the winter especially if exposed to cold, dry conditions. They cause damage to roots, mainly grass, by feeding on them in late Autumn and early Spring when they enter the final larval growth stage. This will continue until early summer when they enter the pupal stage. Adult crane flies then emerge approximately two weeks later.

    JUNE-AUGUST

    They have stopped damaging lawns now and will be in their final larval growth stage before they enter the pupal stage and emerge as Crane flies, or Daddy Long Legs, two weeks later. These pesky things will mate and lay their eggs in the soil and start to feed on roots of grass in the Autumn.

    If your lawn is free draining, there is much less likelihood of them surviving, as they love wet and damp conditions.

    The best ways to control leatherjackets is Chemically using Nematodes, which can be bought easily off the internet. You can also remove them manually, using a net, rake or by handpicking. We suggest you either crush those collected of place then in soapy water.

    The removal of wet conditions and keeping your lawn in good condition by frequent mowing and aerating using a garden fork should also help as a preventative measure in reducing the numbers of leatherjackets present.

    APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITY

    Are you leaving school or college this year? Do you like the outdoors? Do you want to learn a trade with an award-winning landscaping company? If you answered yes to all of these questions it could be YOU that we are looking for!

    We currently have vacancies for apprentices in our Ground Maintenance division.

    Our apprenticeship scheme provides a perfect way to earn a wage while gaining vital work experience and a nationally recognised qualification.

    This is your chance to receive excellent training and personal development from a company that is highly regarded in its industry.

    Elmtree has a history of retaining long standing employees whilst providing a great and variable carer. You will be fully supported and mentored throughout your apprenticeship and be given the knowledge you need to succeed in the landscaping industry. We will support you through your apprenticeship with us so you are fully qualified. Many of our previous apprentices have in fact become permanent members of staff and have worked their way through the company even becoming managers.

    So if you don’t want to sit at a desk for the rest of your life and you want to be proud of what you do get in touch with us and start building your future with an apprenticeship with us; you’ll find the sky’s the limit!

    Email: info@elmtreegarden.co.uk
    Phone: 01454633560

    A-MAY-ZING MONTH

    May has been super busy and super fun. We’ve had lots going on, especially with a big push for Mental Health Awareness Week.

    We are dedicated to investing in our employees and how we can improve mental wellbeing in the workplace.

    It is said that one in six workers in the UK is experiencing depression, anxiety or stress. UK research suggests that 350,000 people work in construction at any one time and in a sector with a higher percentage of male workers we wanted to highlight the specific risks associated for men and poor mental health. Statistics also show that suicide is now the leading cause of death in men between 15 and 49, and they are often in employment. For this reason, we wanted to make sure our team feels supported and educated with mental wellness.

    As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, we took a topic each day to show our staff that there will always be someone close by at work who can help and who might be feeling in a similar way. Our message for the week was that ‘its ok not to be ok’ and that talking about mental health is key and nothing to be ashamed of. We wanted to show our team that mental wellbeing means not just feeling good but also being able to share what’s going on with others in an open no judgemental way.

    We often think that the mind and body are separate. But what you do with your body can have a powerful effect on your mental wellbeing. Evidence shows there’s a link between being physically active and good mental wellbeing but being active doesn’t mean you need to spend hours in the gym, it’s about finding something that suites you that you enjoy. On one of the days we gave our team a 30 minute personal training session, we wanted to encourage fun exercise and help boost energy in the morning. It was a great success and proved to be a fun way to start the day and boost the mind too!

    We then had another morning sharing personal stories and experiences of mental health, stress and depression with each other. Our Managing Director Paul kicked off the session by sharing a particular time he felt really stressed and under too much pressure. We hoped by sharing personal situations will show our team that talking about mental wellbeing is a strength, not a weakness and that sharing stories can also help to share the burden.

    Throughout the rest of the week we had a quiz to get our team talking with each other to help to reduce the stigma that can often be attached to mental health, especially in a male dominated industry and then we rounded the week off by doing an act of kindness. Research into actions for promoting happiness has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing. So our act to our team was an early finish while still getting paid so that time could be spent with friends and family.

    Social relationships are vital for promoting wellbeing and loneliness is a contributing factor for an increase in poor mental health. All in all a very successful week with some really positive feedback.

    In other Elmtree news this month we were delighted to win Sub-Contractor of the Year for 2019 at the charity dinner awards ceremony for Crest Nicholson.

    We also took new photos at the Wild Place Project to show the progression of the walkway that we are constructing. It’s safe to say there have been huge developments since our photographer last visited and the photos went down well when uploaded to our social media pages. Have a look and see for yourself. The Bear Walk Project will be complete next month so watch this space!

    If you haven’t already also check out pages 27 to 29 of May 2019 edition of Pro Landscaper Magazine to discover the article ‘Let’s Hear it from Paul Lynch’ from our MD.

    Elmtree also announced that we are supporting Circus-Starr Spring 2019 tour. The community interest company are dedicated to making a difference to the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Bristol through the magical art of circus. We love supporting our community, and this accessible and inclusive event is such a worthy cause. We were able to cover the cost of tickets for 10 children to see the show as well as supporting the event by taking up the social media package.

    Circus-Starr aims to create a relaxed environment for local disadvantaged and vulnerable children. A place where it doesn’t matter what your needs are, a place where you will feel welcome and have fun!

    This year they have introduced more exciting performances that are especially suitable for children who are deaf or visually impaired. By offering signed and audio described shows, making the art of circus accessible to more children than ever before! This year the Bristol show will feature a Signed Performance too.

    Elmtree are proud to support Circus Starr, not only is it an inclusive show, but also a world class performance, full of breath-taking acts that hope to fuel the imaginations of children from schools, organisations, and hospices in the local area. This year’s show will be held at Keynsham Rugby Club, Crown Fields, Bristol Road, Keynsham, Bristol, BS31 2BE, on Saturday 1st June 2019.

    As we strive to forge greater relationships with our local community as part of our social responsibility this month we were happy to strengthen our friendship with our neighbours at St Peters Primary school in Pilning. We provided emergency repair work to the school playground steps and were lucky enough to even have the headteacher visit us on site at the Wild Place Project with some refreshments! A massive ‘Thank You’ for that! It was much appreciated by our team!

    That’s it for our May round up …… This month’s top tip: Don’t forget to keep an eye out for any Japanese Knotweed in your gardens. It’s fairly easily identifiable by the heart shaped leaves and hollow stems, but if you’re not sure you can send us a photo and we will let you know if it looks like Knotweed!

    APRIL SHOWERS

    April may have had its fair share of inevitable showers, but we were lucky enough to have sunny spells and over the bank holiday weekend and got a real sense of that ‘summer feeling’. In true British style during the first hint of warm weather we witnessed picnics in the park, the smell of BBQs, the sound of grass being cut and I’m sure we all know someone who got that little bit too sunburnt and ended up a scorching shade of red!

    However, you prepare for summer, whether by stock piling sunscreen or getting your summer clothes out be sure to pay attention to the garden. After all its where most people will want to spend their free time once the warm weather returns.

    April is a busy month for Elmtree, with our Grounds Maintenance team working hard now that the grass is growing quicker but if you are maintaining your own gardens then here are some quick tips that we also shared on Facebook to keep your grass looking great!

    1) Start your lawn mowing with a high cut preferably on dry grass if possible.

    2) Mow frequently

    3) Never remove more than one third of the grass length on any one occasion

    4) Each run up the lawn with the lawn mower should slightly overlap the previous one; put a mark on each side of the mower as your ‘overlap marker’

    5) If you want ‘straight stripes’ on a large lawn or a lawn without a straight edge begin by mowing a straight line down the middle of the lawn. Now mow on either side of it

    6) Don’t worry about cutting ALL the grass at the edges of the lawn; if you do a final cut all around the perimeter of the lawn once or twice you’ll get all the end bits and add a ‘professional’ frame to your lawn mowing

    7) If the grass is damp or long slow down your speed (not the blade speed!!!)

    8) Mow slopes and shady areas one setting higher than the rest of the lawn

    9) If your grass is still looking a bit tired from winter then it can benefit from a granular or liquid Spring feed. This will have a high nitrogen content that will green your lawn up.

    Over the next few weeks you will want to ensure you get the most out of your garden, so as May arrives play close attention to the lawn mowing regime as well as concentrating on planting summer bedding plants and pots. Despite the weather getting warmer watch out for late frosts by protecting tender plants.

    Now is a great time to mulch beds and borders in order to supress weeds and of course keep up with watering of thirsty vegetables and plants. Remember to try and recycle water where possible. It is also the time to earth up potatoes and plant any still remaining.

    Don’t forget to check plant leaves for pests too and treat if needed and insure you check for nesting birds before clipping any hedges.

    With these tips you will be sure to be on track with gardening duties in order to see the best results in later months.

    As for what’s been going on for Elmtree here is a quick recap of what we have been up to during April.

    At the beginning of the month we had a fantastic night celebrating the Bristol Young Hero Awards and seeing the amazing achievements of all nominees. A huge congratulations to Catherine Rowe @infoYouthmoves who won The Environmental Hero Award that we sponsored.

    We also extend our thanks to the Wild Place Project for a memorable preview of the sculpture trail. We had a great time discovering the individually designed bears and seeing our sponsored bear ‘Woody’ in his new home! All 20 bears are now positioned throughout the Wild Place Project as part of the new Bear Wood Bear Trail opening this Spring. To find out more about the bear trail at Wild Place Project visit www.wildplace.org.uk/bearwood

    You may remember the competition for local school children to win passes for the Wild Place Project than we ran in conjunction with St Peters Primary school in Pilning last month. We were excited to be invited along to help judge the competition and attend the end of week assembly to hand out the prizes. Elmtree are keen to help get local children interested in wildlife and conservation and thought that donating family passes was the perfect way to help raise awareness and bring excitement about the bears that are coming to the Wild Place Project this year.

    We were also pleased to be sponsoring Thornbury Town’s final home game of the season. Getting involved in the community around us is so important and it’s a real privilege.

    Lastly for this month’s round up, our team have now completed the sales and marketing projects at two sites. Blackberry Hill for our client Galliford Try, marketed as Linden Homes and also at the latest development to be built by Kier Living as part of the Hengrove Park, Bristol regeneration scheme. ‘Urban Quarter’ which will provide 261 homes in the area.

    All in all, a great month. We are very much looking forward to seeing what May ‘may’ bring!!!

    SPRING IS IN OUR STEP!

    As you may or may not know, (depending on if you follow us on Facebook!) March 2019 has been filled with a variety of celebrations and successes for Elmtree.

    Firstly, Mark Harris aka ‘Harry’ is due a massive congratulations as this month he reached his amazing 20-year work anniversary!! He started at Elmtree as a landscape operative. Over the years he has worked his way up to Senior Landscape Supervisor and has now been doing a fantastic job as Landscape Manager for the last five years.

    It’s great to see people come up through the ranks at Elmtree and stay with us for such a long time, we must be doing something right! Harry is joined in long service by several others, such as Graham Robbins (25-year anniversary in 2020), Dean Rowley (38 years’ service), Richard Coole (13 years current service, although originally started with us at age 16), Lynn Morgan in the office (21 years), and Paul Lynch (27 years).

    We would like to extend our gratitude to all our team, for your hard work and dedication to the company. You are all an asset to Elmtree and we wouldn’t be without you!

    This month we also recognised the success of Tom Hanson for passing his SMSTS course through Knight Learning. Tom is one of our senior landscape supervisors. The Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) is an industry recognised course providing health and safety compliance which also gives all the relevant knowledge required to meet today’s legislative demands. Tom completed his course and we look forward to presenting him with his certificate! Hopefully we might even get a photo if he’s not too shy! Tom is a busy man at the moment as his partner has just had their second baby daughter, so he is on paternity leave.

    Elmtree have also pledged to support the Skills West Project. We have offered to be part of the Business West initiative and help to forge links between employers, educators and training providers in the South West. We are providing a range of different activities from work based shadowing and work experience to fully fledged apprenticeship schemes.

    Business West is about opening up the lines of communication between education providers, support agencies and employers and we are keen to help aid increase interest in our industry. Offering support to the Skills West Project will help to building stronger links with local community and promoting a more diverse workforce. It’s an exciting project to be involved in, we feel we are able to help talent spot and offer young people a ‘work ready’ learning activity.

    This month also saw National Apprenticeship Week being recognised. We still have vacancies available for our apprenticeship scheme and have also been trialling a potential candidate to see if he enjoys the role. Apprenticeships are an excellent way to learn on the job, progress and shape your career.

    Take Peter Reeves as an example. Peter came to us in 2002 on a week’s work experience when he was still at school. He enjoyed his taster week and so we offered him an apprenticeship when he finished school. We took him on permanently after he successfully completed his apprenticeship. Today Peter is married with two children and is one of Elmtrees most skilled landscaping team members. He does most of our machine work, is fully qualified to use excavators up to 10 tonnes, dumpers and JCBs all of which he learnt whist with us.

    Elmtree are passionate about providing the training needed to be successful. Apprenticeships are an exciting opportunity to be part of a program that incorporates on the job training and learning. They focus on developing the skills and knowledge required whilst giving confidence to allow the true behaviours of the individual to be successful in the workforce of the future. Not only that but apprenticeships give the opportunity to have a hands on approach to learning and are very respected in our industry.

    Elmtree have recently struck up a partnership with St Peters Primary school, a local school near us in Pilning. We are proving essential ground maintenance work to the school environment and have also donated four firepit logs for classes to use during their outdoor sessions. We have also started an exciting competition; the prize being three annual family passes to the Wild Place (with free entry into Bristol zoo too!) The new ‘Bear Wood’ attraction that we have been working on is opening this summer so to celebrate this we have asked the local school children to design their own bear. Representatives from Elmtree and the Wild Place will also be visiting the school to judge with the headteacher and hand out the prizes to the three lucky winners!

    In other news we have taken on three new vehicles to help us through the upcoming season and the keep our fleet up to date. If you haven’t already check out our Facebook page to see our new team photos. Theses photos will also be featured in the next edition of Pro Landscaper magazine following on from an interview that took place with Elmtree. Look out for the next edition to see the article on us!

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