Monthly Featured Project

APRIL – ONE WE WON’T FORGET

April 2020 will certainly be one we don’t forget. It started out with congratulations and success for our most experienced landscape supervisor and plantsman, Graham Robbins.

April marked Grahams 25th work Anniversary at Elmtree. We were unable to celebrate in the way we wanted with a bbq/meal so instead we dug out some old photos of Graham over the years and we thanked him on our social media pages. Don’t worry when it’s safe to do so we will be all getting together and marking the occasion ensuring that we can show Graham just how proud and privileged we are to have him on board with us at Elmtree.

There is a lot of uncertainly for everyone at the moment, however as a business we would like to assure you that surrounding the recent outbreak of Covid-19 our priority continues to be the well-being of our customers and employees, and we are committed to ensuring that our front line customer service operates in the safest way for us all. We would like to reassure customers that we are taking all necessary steps to follow the guidance given by the government and the world health organisation at this time.

We had a small number of staff returning to work.  Life at work will be a lot different for the foreseeable future. Social distancing will of course be a priority and we will continue to update our procedures as more information becomes available from the government.

During this time we have also been working on our webcopy. Ensuring that our web content is up to date and having a slight redesign. This is a project we are continuing to work on over the coming months but new content will be uploaded as and when its ready so keep checking back to see what you think.

We have been thinking a lot about our social responsibility as a company and it really does stem from the top at Elmtree. Managing Director Paul Lynch has registered as a NHS volunteer during the pandemic, ensuring his neighbourhood had extra support especially for those who were venerable. He’s enjoyed doing jobs for people that need it, such as shopping and collecting medication

We have also been keen to support local charities. A fundraiser appeal has been launched supporting Bristol Zoo Gardens, Wild Place Project and their conservation projects across the world.  As a charity they rely on the support and income from visitors to continue the valuable conservation works at home and overseas and now more than ever they need your support. Bristol Zoological Society are asking for donations to ensure they continue to thrive when they re-open. You can make donations to the Bristol Zoological Society Appeal by going to https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/covid19appeal. As you may be aware from previous works, we have links with Bristol Zoo Gardens and Wild Place Project so it was important to us to support this appeal.

As for the month ahead: Typically, May’s warmer weather makes gardening a lot easier and gardens are starting to look their best full of bright spring flowers and trees in full leaf. Although as I type this and look out my window all I can currently see is rain clouds!! We have been lucky with lovely sunny weather during the last few weeks and it’s easy to forget that April showers are to be expected! At least for a few more days!

While the weather ‘should’ really be warming up now, the nights can still be cold so you still watch out for late frosts by protecting tender plants.

Over the next few weeks, you will want to ensure that you get the most out of your garden. Simple preparations such a mowing the lawn regularly and focusing on planting summer bedding pots/plants will really get the garden looking good.

  • Now is the perfect time to plant new trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, Dahlia tubers and Gladioli – so much choice!
  • Sow seeds for summer bedding in the greenhouse or conservatory and pick out sowings made in March. Sow tomatoes in pots in the greenhouse or on a warm windowsill.
  • Dead head bulbs but do not cut the foliage because the bulbs need this to produce food beneath the soil so that if flowers well next year.
  • Scoop out pondweed, blanketweed and algae from ponds and water features
  • Apply wood treatment to wooden garden furniture to condition it for summer
  • Set up an extra compost bin or a worm bin, so you can recycle more green waste from your kitchen and garden
  • Apply nitrogen-rich summer lawn feed to encourage leafy growth
  • Hoe bare soil and hand-weed beds weekly, so weeds don’t have time to establish and set seed
  • Sow grass seed or lay new turf by the end of this month, to create a new lawn or repair damaged patches
  • Check shrubs for nests before you start any pruning, to avoid disturbing nesting birds
  • Clean out and scrub bird feeders regularly to maintain hygiene
  • Build sturdy supports for climbers such as runner beans, sweet peas and morning glory
  • Plant tender vegetables such as Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Aubergines, Peppers and Melons in grow bags. Sow Marrows and Courgettes, Runner Beans and Sweet Corn.
  • Prune spring shrubs, such as forsythia and Chaenomeles, after flowering to keep them compact
  • Tie in the new shoots of climbing plants, including clematis, wisteria and honeysuckle, to their supports
  • Continue sowing annuals, such as California poppies, into gaps in borders for colour from August into autumn
  • Plant up hanging baskets, but keep in a greenhouse or porch for a few weeks to establish, before putting outside
  • Apply liquid feed to tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs to encourage a good display next year
  • Plant out summer bedding and tender annuals, including sunflowers, cosmos and nasturtiums, after the last frost
  • Remove faded spring bedding, such as wallflowers and forget-me-nots, once faded and add to your compost bin
  • Harden off tender plants raised indoors, but bring them back in at night to protect from late frosts
  • Pinch out the shoot tips of bedding plants and young annuals to encourage bushier growth

Whatever May brings we hope you all keep safe and well and can find time to enjoy the garden or open spaces. It’s a difficult time for all. Many people are finding that this situation has forced (or encouraged) them to slow down and do things in different ways and others are using the opportunity to get out for a walk and are finding pleasure connecting with nature. We have some fantastic photos that have been shared with us on social media, showcasing how people are spending their time in their gardens. We would like to thank everyone for these photos and keep them coming it! We will have sunshine again!

MAD MARCH

As we all know this month has seen unprecedented times. In light of the Government lockdown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we had to make the difficult decision to stop working on all sites until either the Government review, or until further clarification comes out on working on construction sites safely. This includes our Fencing, Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance divisions. The safety and wellbeing of all our customers and staff are paramount to everyone here at Elmtree. Our aim is to continue to monitor Public Health England and World Health Organisation announcements and follow any further government guidance. In these trying times, most of all we hope you and your families all stay safe.

As we all know this month has seen unprecedented times. In light of the Government lockdown due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we had to make the difficult decision to stop working on all sites until either the Government review, or until further clarification comes out on working on construction sites safely. This includes our Fencing, Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance divisions. The safety and wellbeing of all our customers and staff are paramount to everyone here at Elmtree. Our aim is to continue to monitor Public Health England and World Health Organisation announcements and follow any further government guidance. In these trying times, most of all we hope you and your families all stay safe.

With schools and many businesses in the UK closing to help stop the spread of the coronavirus and the government guidelines changing to ‘stay at home’, we thought this months blog post we would focus on some suggestions on being creative while staying safe from home.  We are after all officially into Spring! Marking the start of British Summer Time, the clocks have ‘sprung forward’ giving us more daylight in the evenings and less in the mornings. There are plenty of creative gardening activities to try out. We are keeping kids in mind and hoping that for those parents who have suddenly turned into teachers over night that we can provide you with a few ideas to keep the little (and not so little) ones busy.

For those without gardens there are still some fab ideas that you can get involved with.

 

Activity One:  Rock painting. Painting is a great way to get creative and it’s fun to try without paper and card! It’s a brilliant way to add some colour to your garden and beautifully decorated stones also work well as cool ornaments for your house too.

All you’ll need is some paint, a good-sized flat rock with a smooth surface and some creative ideas. Just make sure to wash your rocks (and your hands!) beforehand to get any dirt off and let them air dry completely before painting.

Why not try painting your rock so it looks like a family member or friend? You could even try painting your pet!

Activity Two: Growing Your Own Food. Seeing a seed slowly transform into your favourite fruit or vegetable is pretty magical, and now could be the perfect time for you to give it a go!

You can either try growing something in your garden if you have one, but lots of fruits and vegetables can also be grown indoors in plant pots too.

Herbs like basil, mint and rosemary, radishes, chillies, tomatoes and strawberries are just some of the delicious foods you can grow at home and all you need are some seeds to start.

If you’re planning to grow something in your garden, remember:

  • choose a good spot where your plants will get enough sunlight
  • get rid of any weeds and stones in the soil where you’re planning to plant your seeds
  • you can improve the quality of the soil by adding in your own compost – why not try making this using old fruit and veg?
  • your plants needs to be watered regularly, especially during dry weather when there’s not a lot of rain.

If you’re looking to grow plants indoors, here are our top tips:

  • find a good container or pot to plant your seeds – this is also a great chance to recycle, why not use an old plastic container, or even an old welly boot!
  • similar to planting outside, make sure your using good quality soil adding compost where you can
  • make sure your container is the right size for the plant – some may need more room for their roots
  • put your plants in a place where they’ll get enough sunlight like a windowsill or balcony if you have one
  • water your plants regularly to ensure they grow nice and healthy.

Activity Three: Snap Snap Snap, Draw Draw Draw!

As the weather gets warmer, you’ll probably start to see lots of different types of plants and flowers, birds and insects. Why not use this as an opportunity to take/make some pictures?

All you’ll need is a device to take pictures with (or drawing materials), your garden or other space where plants and flowers grow and a willingness to capture nature in a fun and creative way.

You can even look back at the pictures later and write down how each one makes you feel.

Activity Four: Making Bird Feeders

As the nation has slowed down we have noticed an increase in more wildlife visiting our gardens, streets, lakes and public areas. Why not take this time to attract more wildlife into your garden, something simple like making a bird feeder is a good place to start.

You will need: Lard, bird seed, a mixing bowl, string, old, clean yoghurt pots. Simply mix 2 parts seeds to one part lard in a large bowl. Blend together aiming for an even spread of feed through the lard to make a fat ball that will be stable enough. You can now get creative and make shapes (or just a simple ball) that you will then hang from the string. Alternatively push the mix into clean yoghurt pots.

For the shapes, you will need to tie a knot in some string to make a loop to then embed into the shape and for the yoghurt pot you can poke a hole in the bottom of the pot and tie a string inside so it will hang upside down.  Lastly place in the fridge for a few hours until they are hard and ready to hang.

Choose a tree or shrub with easy access for birds. Put some fresh water out too to keep them hydrated!

Once your fat balls are hanging up, try and spot different birds coming to visit your garden.

We are hoping these activities are a start to get you thinking about way of being creative and getting outside as and when you can. Most of all, stay safe and keep in touch with your family and friends via phone. We understand that these are challenging times for us all. Look out on our social media page for further tips and information on how to manage your  mental and physical wellbeing and other garden related posts!

FED UP OF THE WEATHER THIS FEBRUARY?

Fed up of the weather this February? Did storm Dennis or Ciara get in the way of your gardening plans? It has been a particularly cold and wet month making it difficult to get outside, if you are fed up of being stuck indoors why not take the opportunity to do some gardening planning instead, it will certainly put you and your garden in good stead for the months ahead.

Despite it all we can see signs that Spring is on its way, there are lots of green shoots already trying to burst into bloom and there is a noticeable difference in the length of daylight hours. This month we have spotted early spring flowering bulbs such as Narcissus (Daffodils) and even some Crocus varieties which has brought some cheer into the winter.

For us at Elmtree we have been busy over the winter. We have been busy planting trees, shrubs and turfing the grounds to name a few things.

We have also had a reorganisation of our Grounds Maintenance Management Team. We like to promote talent from within the company as often as we can and believe that the reorganisation and promotions of our Grounds Maintenance Management Team leaves our Clients in very capable hands.

Elmtree were lucky enough to attend several award ceremonies this month. Including Bristol Young Heroes Awards nominees reception. We are incredible proud to be sponsoring the Environmental Young Hero award again. A huge congratulations to Elvey, Charlotte and Oscar for making it as finalists for this category. We would also like to congratulate all of the inspiring young people that we met from all the different categories. We cannot wait to attend the awards ceremony in May.

Visit http://communityofpurpose.com to read more

We also attend the Pro Landscaper 2020 Business Awards and would like to congratulate all of the worthy winners. Well done to you all. What a fantastic event it was!

Our third Congratulations this month goes to Wild Place Project, Bear Wood, the ancient woodland exhibit has been shortlisted for a national conservation Green Heart Hero Award. The awards are run by the Climate Coalition, a charity dedicated to action against climate change. Bear Wood has been shortlisted in the Outdoor Innovation category section of the awards.

Elmtree are very proud to have been part of the project. The winners will be announced in a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament attended by MPs and hosted by Sky News presenter Kay Burley on March 9th. Watch this space…

So as we round February off and move into the first month of Spring here are a few garden tips to be getting on with, hopefully this will keep you busy enough for the brighter days to creep upon us!

Things to do:

  • Start mowing lawns regularly
  • Scarify your lawn to get rid of any leaves and winter moss build up
  • Feed with a good compound lawn fertiliser high in Nitrogen towards the end of March
  • Reseed any bare patches in lawns
  • Mulch soil in boarders
  • Water indoor plants regularly
  • Prune bush and shrubs
  • Sow vegetables outside
  • Plant early potatoes and asparagus
  • Complete any planting of bare root trees and shrubs
  • Remove perennial weeds while they are small
  • Prune rose bushes and shrubs

SEASONAL GROUND STAFF – ELMTREE GARDEN CONTRACTORS

Seasonal Ground Staff – Elmtree Garden Contractors

Supreme Winners at the ProLandscaper Business Awards 2019 & Multi BALI award winners Elmtree Garden Contractors are looking to appoint a number of seasonal grounds maintenance operatives and supervisors to join us covering sites throughout the south-west delivering exceptional service to our clients.

Experience in grounds maintenance including grass cutting and maintenance, weed control, hedge maintenance, hard surface cleaning and pruning is essential for operatives. A minimum of 3 years of experience & drivers license essential for supervisory roles.

We will provide full training and uniform. Guaranteed hours plus overtime on a fixed-term contract with competitive hourly rates.

Please email CVs to Sian.bannister@elmtreegarden.co.uk. The deadline for applications for this post is the 7th February with interviews expected to take place in February.

END OF MONTH BLOG – OCTOBER

We find ourselves at the end of another month, we can hardly believe there’s only two months left of the year! This month has flown by and we are really seeing the seasons changing. As autumn turns to winter, we can see the nights drawing in and urge to keep warm and cosy becomes greater, however there is still plenty to do in the garden and outside.

This month has been full of fantastic autumn colours, we have had a fantastic display of beautiful trees and lots of photo opportunities to highlight the stunning landscapes around us. With half term it’s been the perfect opportunity to get out and about and really take in the fresh autumn air.

So, let’s have a recap of the month; We started the month of October excited to have been awarded a new site, Cross Trees Park, in Shrivenham for Legal and General Homes. This is a fantastic contract and we are extremely excited to be working in partnership with Legal & General Homes, enabling sustainable communities in a carefully landscaped setting whilst ensuring the development integrates with the surrounding green areas.

On World Mental Health Day, we raised awareness with a video on our Facebook page from Manging Director Paul Lynch. We wanted to remind you that looking after your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

During October we updated our website to include a new section containing a portfolio case study of our work at Bear Walk. We also updated our blog as we wanted to highlight a fantastic project, we have been working on for Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary and we added to our testimony page too after some feedback from one of our customers. If you haven’t already seen these changes have a browse of our website and see the updates for yourself.

We also purchased a ‘Motor Sherpa 940RC Ride On Mower’. A fantastic piece of equipment that is a huge benefits to our workforce, allowing us to cut grass on steeper slopes more safely and not having to work on steep banks with strimmer’s. Not only will this eliminate risk of injury, but it also reduces fatigue meaning more energy to carry out other tasks! Remember, if you have any steep banks that need cutting, we would be happy to provide a quotation or and discuss your requirements further.

As we roll into November, we see the leaves really dropping from the tress and the weather getting colder and wetter. The signs that winter is on its way. In November we begin to put the garden in order for winter. Clearing the last of the fallen leaves, planting tulips and composting the last remnants of summer from the borders. It is also a time to start afresh in the garden, review horticultural successes and failures, and plan for the next gardening year before our heads are filled with festive season.

Tender plants will need protecting from frost, gales and freezing rains so we suggest moving plants into the greenhouse, or into a sheltered spot, but if you can’t, it is worth wrapping plants or pots. Winter can be a tough time for birds in terms of water and food, so keep supplies well topped up.

Our Top Ten November Tips:

HOLLY HEDGE ANIMAL SANCTUARY

Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary, in Barrow Gurney is a local independent charity that rescues and rehomes unwanted, abandoned and often mistreated cats and dogs. First registered as a charity in 1982 it then opened its gates to animals in March 1992.

The aim and ethos at Holly Hedge is simple; to ‘Provide shelter from harm and the promise of a brighter future’ whist promoting responsible pet ownership.

Due to the growth of the Sanctuary there was a need for further car parking areas. Elmtree already had a good relationship with Holly Hedge as our Customer Care Manager, Leigh Naden has carried out works there previously (at no cost to help improve the grounds) so it seemed fitting that we were able to carry out the works needed to the car park.

The area that we worked on was originally part of a field behind a fence, made from stone. It was used as a temporary car park while construction works were being carried out. This meant that parking for visitors and staff became greatly reduced.

Elmtree we able to offer a solution whereby the temporary car park could be kept but returned to a green space. It was important that the area was grassed again, whilst still being able to drive vehicles on the car park without the risk of cars getting stuck! We carried out the works at cost as we did not want to make a profit on such a wonderful cause.

We levelled the surface, installed ground stabilisers, filled them with top soil and compacted them. We added general purpose grass seed allowing the area to germinate and grow. The plastic that can be seen allows the cars to have traction and to be able to drive on the area once the grass has grown.

This area will mean more space for volunteers and staff to park away from the main entrance and allow for visitors and people dropping off animals to be closer to the main entrance.

The feedback for this work has been fantastic with a few quotes:

“Looks great”

“Everyone very impressed with the job.”

“Everyone delighted. Thanks again.”

Holly Hedge currently receive no government funding and rely totally on the generosity of the public, business and volunteers. They are expanding the wild life conservation side so they can apply for government funding to look after more than just cats and dogs. The plan is to have a wild flower meadow for bees and butterflies, a pond for frogs and newts and they have already started on a bat folly.

We are currently in discussion about installing a culvert to a neighbouring field for expansion of the wildlife conservation project that is being developed. Holly hedge is a charity that we wholeheartedly support, and we will continue to work with on upcoming projects and maintenance.

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.

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