12 June 2013

 Association of Professional Landscapers to showcase at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

The Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) is delighted to announce that it will have a presence at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park next month (25 – 28 July).

Sponsored by Bradstone, this year’s garden is designed by Paul Hervey-Brookes and built by a collaboration of the founder members of the APL North West Cluster Group – Andy Kirman of Kirman Design, Steve Foxcroft and Simon Ford of Foxcroft Landscapes, Stephen Hargreaves of Seasonal Landscapes and Mick Topp of Vision Landscapes.

Entitled “Precious Resources”, the garden uses modern materials to create a contemporary urban oasis that puts how we use water at its heart.  The striking design uses a wealth of plants that are both decorative and have culinary uses; combined with beautifully cast paving it creates the perfect outdoor living space. 

The build team are no strangers to winning RHS medals.  Andy Kirman of Warrington based Kirman Design, landed his first ‘job’ designing a show garden. The fruit of his

labour was an RHS gold medal and they have gone on since to win various medals for their creative work.

Vision Landscapes, based in Southport and run by Mick Topp are also award winning, having won Silver at Tatton last year for their construction of the ‘Urban Escapism’ garden.  Having already built several award wining show gardens over the last 2 years, the Vision Landscapes team are well connected with several high quality garden designers within the North West who are passionate about garden design, and works closely with them to achieve their visions.

Foxcroft Landscapes, based in Bury have also had the privilege to have constructed award winning gardens at both RHS Chelsea and RHS Tatton Park flower shows.  They are experienced in designing and constructing both small and large scale projects, ranging from small urban spaces, rooftop gardens through to retirement villages.

Stephen Hargreaves of Seasonal Landscapes, based in Fylde completes the build team. With experience which includes maintaining the Belgravia and Mayfair estates for the Duke of Westminster and designing and building a scheme for a garden in Eaton Square, he completes the line up for the garden team aiming for gold.

APL Chairman Mark Gregory said:  “We are delighted to be building a garden with Paul Hervey Brookes and Bradstone at Tatton Park this year and the APL garden will show that having a professional, landscaped garden need not cost you the earth.”

The APL North West Group will be meeting at Myerscough College, Preston on 20 June from 3.30 – 5.30pm.    APL members and non APL members are both invited to attend.  For more information and to book your place, please contact Andrew Dunkley, Regional Account Manager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Contacts
Gill Ormrod, Angela Bean or Cassie King
APL Media Office
Tel: 0118 930 3132
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Follow us on Twitter @The_APL  

Join The APL on Facebook

The Association of Professional Landscapers represents landscapers who meet a required standard of professionalism. Members of the Association are registered with the government endorsed TrustMark Scheme. They are regularly inspected and agree to follow a customer charter with clients. The APL is part of the Horticultural Trades Association which is the trade Association for the UK gardening industry. It is dedicated to helping develop the industry and its member businesses, including most garden centres and other garden retailers, growers, landscapers, manufacturers and service providers. www.landscaper.org.uk

For all Bradstone press enquiries, please contact:

Sarah Kent or Rachel Worthing

Whistle PR

0121 629 7797

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Notes to Editors

Bradstone, an Aggregate Industries business, is a market leader in manufacturing and importing concrete and natural stone paving for the domestic market. The all-encompassing product range includes natural or reconstituted stone paving, walling, edging or coping, as well as driveway block paving, decorative stone and gravel. For further information, visit www.bradstone.com

Bumper year for HTA and APL members at RHS Chelsea Centenary

It has been a bumper year at RHS Chelsea Flower Show with many HTA and APL members winning medals in the event’s 100^th year celebration.

In such a landmark year, medals galore were picked up by members of the Horticultural Trades Association and Association of Professional Landscapers at the prestigious gardening event.

In the Show Gardens area, APL members were showcasing their landscaping excellence. Landform Consultants won Gold with the Homebase Garden “Sowing the Seeds of Change”, designed by Adam Frost.  Landform also won Gold with the RBC “Blue Water Roof Garden”, designed by Professor Nigel Dunnett and The Landscape Agency.

Morgan and Neal Garden Construction won Silver Gilt Flora for Stockton Drilling’s “As Nation Intended” Garden and the Fresh Garden “Massachusetts Garden”. The Garden Makers also won Silver Gilt Flora for “The SeeAbility Garden”.

The Outdoor Room won Silver Flora for the ground breaking “Stop the Spread” garden, sponsored by FERA and supported by the HTA. Designed by Jo Thompson Landscape and Garden Design, the garden has been created to show the impact that pests, diseases and invasive non-native species can have on our gardens, woodlands and countryside.

B&Q won Silver Gilt Flora for the “Sentebale Forget-me-Not Garden” inspired by Prince Harry’s charity Sentebale.

There were more medals in the Fresh Gardens area with Bradstone winning Gold for their part in Paul Hervey-Brookes’ garden “BrandAlley’, whilst HTA members Tendercare Nurseries also won Gold for their contribution to the ‘First Touch’ garden.

Walker’s Nurseries completed the medal line up in the gardens area by winning Silver Flora for their Artisan effort “Walker’s Pine Cottage Garden” designed by Graham Bodle.

HTA members celebrated more medals in the Great Pavilion.  David Austin Roses, Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, Suttons Seeds, Millais Nurseries, Peter Beales Roses and Walkers Bulbs @ Taylors all take home a gold medal. Hillier Nurseries & Garden Centres also won their 68^th Gold medal for their ‘Risk’ display.

There were Silver-Gilt Flora medals for Harkness Roses, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and Kelways Plants who staged displays at the first Chelsea show in 1913.

HTA Director General, Carol Paris said; “We are delighted that so many of our members have gained national recognition in such a distinguished year for RHS Chelsea Flower Show.  Chelsea plays a great part in enthusing and inspiring people to enjoy the nation’s favourite pastime, especially after such a tough year for the industry. We hope all the inspiration from Chelsea stimulates the nation to get out into their gardens and garden centres over the bank holiday weekend. ”

Contacts
Gill Ormrod, Angela Bean or Cassie King
HTA Media Office
Tel: 0118 930 3132
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Follow us on Twitter @HTAnews 

Join us on Facebook www.facebook.com/htanews

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) is the trade association for the UK garden industry. It is dedicated to helping develop the industry and its member businesses, including most garden centres and other garden retailers, growers, landscapers, manufacturers and service providers.

The HTA was founded in 1899. Its key roles include: provision of advice-based services such as business improvement schemes, briefings and help lines; training, conferences and events for members; market information and research; promotions such as the National Garden Gift Voucher scheme; and working closely with government and the media to influence policy and projects.

The Association of Professional Landscapers represents landscapers who meet a required standard of professionalism. Members of the Association are registered with the government endorsed TrustMark Scheme. They are regularly inspected and agree to follow a customer charter with clients. The APL is part of the Horticultural Trades Association which is the trade Association for the UK gardening industry. It is dedicated to helping develop the industry and its member businesses, including most garden centres and other garden retailers, growers, landscapers, manufacturers and service providers. www.landscaper.org.uk

 After the fantastic response to the category last year the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) are delighted to announce the entries selected for this year's 'Low Cost, High Impact' gardens at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (9-14 July 2012).

The 'Low Cost, High Impact' category, introduced for the first time last year, allows APL members to demonstrate their skills. The category aims to provide visitors with ideas for achievable and believable gardens with a wow factor, based on a fixed budget for hard landscaping, plant material and labour.

This year a total of four gardens have been selected to showcase what can be achieved for £7,000, £13,000 and £15,000 (x2).

The winning gardens, which were announced at the APL Awards, are:-

£7k Budget - 'In at the Deep End'

Designer – Peter Cowell

Contractor – Living Gardens Limited

In at the Deep End is inspired by the many gardens where levels are disproportionate to clients houses and changes in level are difficult to achieve or where drainage is almost non-existent and any conventional design would be difficult to achieve. This garden shows just one way of achieving better use of a similar area with 'sunken plants' and 'floating' paving and steps.

£13k Budget - 'Bugs in Boots'

Designer – Caspian Roberts

Contractor – Surrey Gardens

Bugs in Boots is an ecological space for insects, birds and other wildlife. It is designed to flood in heavy rainfall, allowing water to slowly permeate into the soil as opposed to passing water on to other attenuated water systems. The garden was inspired by the work undertaken by the RHS Plants for Bugs project, a partner in the project.

£15k Budget - 'A Room with a View'

Designer - Mike Harvey

Contractor – Arun Landscapes

This garden consists of a secluded, raised seating area with a view. It comprises muted tones of weathered oak and rusty 'curtain' combining with the greens, browns, whites and greys of the planting. The raised slope area is created by the client disposing soil from the house extension excavations – demonstrating an innovative way of reducing waste from projects.

£15k Budget  - 'Mid-Century Modern'

Designer – Adele Ford and Susan Wilmott

Contractor – Outdoor Creations

In addition to the four 'Low Cost, High Impact' gardens the APL area at Hampton Court will also feature a demonstration garden. Here members of the APL will provide practical demonstrations of key tasks such as turf laying, planting borders and laying decking.

APL Chairman Mark Gregory comments, "This year's four gardens provide such as wealth of ideas which in turn will give visitors to the show inspiration I am sure. Together with the APL demonstration area it provides APL members with a fantastic opportunity showcase their skills to a wide audience and engage with visitors to the show."

Contacts
APL Media Office
Gill Ormrod, Angela Bean or Cassie King
Tel: 0118 930 3132
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Association of Professional Landscapers represents landscapers who meet a required standard of professionalism. Members of the Association are registered with the government endorsed TrustMark Scheme. They are regularly inspected and agree to follow a customer charter with clients. The APL is part of the Horticultural Trades Association which is the trade Association for the UK gardening industry. It is dedicated to helping develop the industry and its member businesses, including most garden centres and other garden retailers, growers, landscapers, manufacturers and service providers. www.landscaper.org.uk