With the severity of this winter’s storms continuing to affect the stability of many of our trees, it is becoming ever more prevalent that the changing climate is having an effect on the UK’s weather, causing post storm damage. With storms becoming more severe and erratic, the management and planting strategies for our woodlands will require adaptation to cope with these events. It is therefore essential that trees are strategically placed in the right places, to ensure our forests’ resilience to climate change.
Increasing climate change means that storms normally only seen in North-East Scotland have now spread across the UK. Woodlands that were considered safe are now suffering from damages and in some cases have been completely destroyed by storm damage.
Infact, after the most recent storms, it has been reported that 4,000 hectares of woodland were affected, this equates to an estimated 8 million trees. Many species of trees anchor roots, and woodlands shape themselves in a way to help them withstand the British weather, however it appears that further action is required to compensate for these worsening storms.
The 4,000 hectares that were reported to be effected, also included trees that are still standing adjacent to windblown areas. However, these will need to be felled, as they are now vulnerable due to their weakened root systems. With the more recently reported storms including storm Eunice and Franklin, this is an urgent point to be considered.
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RHS Garden Bridgewater
RHS Garden Bridgewater has recently opened its doors to its fifth extraordinary new garden in Salford which they claim to be ‘Europe’s biggest hands-on horticulture project!’
RHS Garden Bridgewater
Only a mere hour from our door in Barlaston, the Royal Horticulture Society has opened its first urban garden, aiming to create a vibrant and immersive experience created by the hands of its own local community. The mesmerising gardens have come to fruition because of the union of horticulture enthusiasts surrounding the Bridgewater Garden, the local community, and Salford City Council- all working in collaboration with RHS.
The 154 acres of green space has a history going back to 1840 when it was originally built for the 1st Earl of Ellesmere named Worsley New Hall. It historically states that the grounds of the house took over half a century to landscape! Mixing entertainment into the outdoors, whilst still preserving the wildlife opportunities, it was so remarkable that Queen Victoria visited the hall herself on multiple occasions.
They have incorporated 250,000 new plans into the site alongside the currently existing ones and have presented them in a contemporary layout, each garden offering a new atmosphere. The RHS have used the existing landscape as the foundations and recycled the majority of the existing materials, such as the bricks from the previous building, to build new infrastructure, alongside introducing new materials such as sustainable timber. All being created at the hands of the members of the community strongly teaches the message that everyone can do their own part in assisting the environment. Making your surrounding environment sustainable is a project where everyone is welcome to join in!
The garden has also focussed on the benefits of gardening and how it is supporting to improve mental health. They are working alongside local healthcare professionals to promote ‘social prescribing’ as a way of helping reduce mental health matters. Incorporating cafes and social zones promotes people to get together and enjoy the natural earth simultaneously.
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Wondering how you can incorporate aspects of the inspiring and impressive gardens into your own? We offer a variety of services, which can be found on our website, to help you plan and prep your garden so you can be as ecologically friendly and sustainable whilst creating an oasis in your own garden.
The Classic Mixed English Hedge
Whilst being aesthetically pleasing, the classic mixed English hedge offers protection for your property and the environment.
Traditionally used as an environmentally friendly way to distinguish borders between fields and woodland, hedgerows naturally mark the landscape. Unfortunately, in recent decades there has been a decline in the presence of hedgerows.
The perfect classic mixed English hedge includes primarily Hawthorne as a base with a mix of Hazel, Field Maple and Spindle creating a mix of autumnal colours making it the perfect eye-catching border. If planted 30cm – 45cm or double-rowed, allowing heights around 120cm, it can create a clear, safe boundary for your property.
Hedges create a blissful environment for wildlife creating a habitat for birds, small mammals, and insects to live in. It is a simple but effective way to enhance your natural environment. The hedge provides them a home to use as shelter and as a food source. They can support up to 80% of our native woodland bird population, 50% of our mammals, 30% of our butterflies and many species of insect. The grassy verge at the base of the hedge can also be home to reptiles and ground nesting birds.
From October to March is the perfect season to prune your hedges. Trimming the hedges from a young age to promote thickness, flowering, and fruiting. This keeps the full, strong presence of the hedge to create the seasonally colourful border to help blend with the natural environment.
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Hedges are also a great feature as there is many design options allowing you to design them into your desired pattern. If you’re looking for assistance on cutting your hedges, contact our sister company Blue Iris Landscapes for more information. Alternatively, if you need to know if your soil is right to grow a certain hedge, then contact us today!
England’s Peat Action Plan!
Planning your garden for the Summer? This might be the perfect time to make the sustainable change to peat free compost. Read more about England’s Peat Action Plan…
England’s Peat Action Plan
In May 2021, the government announced its new ‘England Peat Action Plan’ which outlines a long-term management plan to protect and restore UK peatlands. Peat has been evaluated to be damaging to the environment. This is because when removed from its original state the peat reacts to the air and starts releasing large quantities of carbon dioxide. When the peat is exposed, it releases approximately 38 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare a year. Whereas if left in its natural state the peat bogs act as a huge sponge and contrastingly soak up carbon dioxide form the atmosphere. They also house a diverse range of habitats and serve as natural flood defence to the wider environment. The government’s goal is to make sure that England’s ‘peatland meets the needs of wildlife, people and the planet.’
A big aim of the project is to consult on banning the sale of peat and peat containing products. They intent to publish a full consultation actioning the phasing out the use of peat in horticulture. They have set the aim that by 2030 all of England’s soils will be managed sustainably and with support from investments they will be able to restore, protect and responsibly manage peat but also keep it under good hydrological conditions.
Soil contaminated with Japanese Knotweed
Despite peat being free draining and holding an optimum amount of moisture in turn creating the perfect conditions for seeds and young plants to develop the horticulture market has produced some impressive alternatives. It is important to investigate the care your peat free compost needs as they commonly need regular feeds and need watering often as the compost can rot and go dry a lot quicker.
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The type of soil you use is crucial to the quality of growth you receive from your seedlings. It is important to investigate what components are in your compost and to consider the wider environmental image as well as question the sustainability.
If you want your soil testing to know what components are found within as well as the quality of the soil, contact us at [email protected] for more details. This will give you a clearer idea of the quality and type of soil you have as well as giving you a gauge on if your soil needs more nourishing and care. We offer a variety of specific tests, if you visit our website, it will guide you through the various services we offer.
