Have you been wondering why do you need a material and construction plan? If you are overseeing a landscape development project and want to put the work out to tender, there are a number of risks that may present themselves.
A competitive tender exercise usually requires a judgement based on a balance between the quality of the application and the price. Each tender is scored based upon these two factors. As price is a large deciding factor for any company, this can force bidders to submit the lowest prices possible.
In order to achieve this, bidders may use low quality materials or take shortcuts in hard landscaping construction methods. The end result could also reflect this poor quality of working. This means that it might not meet the expectations of the tender or require corrective works to bring it up to a suitable standard.
Your tender documentation should always include specific details of the materials that should be used and the construction methods. If these are not present, any deviation from this can be blamed upon a poor Specification of Works. This is where a material and construction plan comes in.
Protect your project quality.
A material and construction plan specifies the recommended material and construction method for each area of hard landscaping. Also known as a hard landscaping specification, the aim of a material and construction plan is to ensure a high quality result.
To achieve this high quality result, a material and construction plan will include detailed descriptions of construction methods. It will also include technical drawings of recommended construction methods. Which are particularly useful in complicated landscape projects. This allows the tenderers to refer to these specifications when bidding. It also provides you with a level of protection, ensuring that quality is met and giving you a specification to compare the completed work against.
ProHort Ltd provides detailed material and construction plans for landscape development projects throughout the UK. We can help to ensure that your project runs as smoothly as possible and help you to achieve that high quality result.
Check out more about our material and construction plans on our Services page.
You may have had a soil test to identify what you need to do to make your plants thrive. Alternatively, you may have had one as a requirement of a planning application. Whatever your reason, the resulting report can be complicated and confusing. So, what does a soil test tell you?
Basically, a soil test measures the health and the fertility of the soil. To do this, it measures the pH level of the soil and the nutrients.
What does the pH of the soil tell you?
The pH of the soil indicates its acidity. Using this, you can identify whether you need to increase or decrease the soil’s acidity in accordance with the type of plants you want to plant. Usually, plants like middle ranged acidity – somewhere between 6.0 to 7.0. Alternatively, some plants like the acidity to be a bit higher.
Depending upon the plants you are planting and the existing acidity of the soil, you can take different actions. To increase the acidity of the soil you can add lime, or to decrease the soil you can add sulphur. Your soil test results will make recommendations to help you to decide which action is best to take.
What do the nutrient levels tell you?
The three most important nutrients for plants are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Whereas nitrogen is very difficult to measure by soil testing, there are other approaches that can be taken. A soil test will identify how much organic matter is present in your soil. Organic matter contains nitrogen and is, therefore, considered to have the potential to release nitrogen into the soil. Soil tests will incorporate the level of organic matter present in the soil into their score against nitrogen.
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants growth, helping photosynthesis and improving the plants overall vigor. Having a phosphorus deficiency will result in the plant experiencing stunted growth. Once a phosphorus deficiency has taken hold, the plants can become a dark blue-green colour or purple colour. At this point it will be difficult to save the plant. To increase phosphorus levels within your soil you can scatter bone meal into your soil.
Similar to phosphorus, potassium also helps with photosynthesis but is associated with the movement of water and nutrients within the plant. A potassium deficiency can result in brown scorching and curling of leaves, as well as stunted growth. Instead of applying bone meal in this case, kelp meal will help with potassium deficiency.
In addition to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, a soil test will also test for calcium and magnesium. Both of these are also important nutrients for a plant and not having enough of these nutrients can be detrimental to the growth of a plant. Again, lime can be used to increase the calcium levels in your soil and dolomitic limestone will help increase the levels of magnesium.
Finally, a soil test will also test for lead in your soil, indicating whether it is potentially harmful. You may find that older homes (the type that have lead paint) or old factory sites are more likely to have high lead levels in the soil. There have been a range of theories regarding the treatment of lead within soil, the most recent of which is to treat the soil with phosphate, organic matter and limestone.
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ProHort Ltd provide a comprehensive soil test and analysis service, whether it is for farmland or construction works. Check out our soil test service page for more information.
Commonly Found Diseases in Trees
Trees contribute significantly to the aesthetics and value of the surrounding landscape. They can also contribute positively to the lifestyles of those who live nearby. Unfortunately, there is a wide range of diseases and pests that can negatively impact the quality of trees. This can result in trees dying or being taken down either due to ill health or to prevent the spread of disease. Find out more about diseases in trees:
Four common diseases in trees that can be found in UK include:
Ash Dieback
Ash Dieback is expected to kill approximately 80% of all Ash trees within the UK. Quickly killing young trees or trees that have been coppiced, it is caused by a fungus named Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (H. fraxineus). Older trees are more resistant to the fungus and can resist it for prolonged periods of time. However, they can then succumb if attacked by an additional pest.
Dutch Elm Disease
Dutch Elm Disease is spread between Elm trees by Elm Bark Beetles. Resulting from two related fungi – Ophiostoma novo-ulmi and Ophiostoma ulmi – the disease has already caused a significant amount of damage to the elm population. Fortunately, when an Elm tree dies some of the roots may survive. From these roots, several new elms can sprout resulting in the health growth of multiple new trees.
Oak Processionary Moth
The Oak Processionary moth is a species of moth whose caterpillars’ nest on Oak trees. These caterpillars make their way down the tree, stripping it of leaves. This leaves it vulnerable to further disease and drought. The Oak Processionary moth caterpillars also have small hairs covering their body, which can cause rashes, eye irritation and breathing difficulties. It is therefore recommended that, if you find an Oak Processionary moth nest, you leave the nest alone.
Phytophthora Lateralis
Phytophthora lateralis is an aggressive water mould. Mostly affecting Lawson cypress trees, it has also been known to attack several other types of tree. It can be found throughout the UK, predominantly in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Spreading through the trees roots when they come in to contact with spores in the water or soil, it is rare for a Lawson cypress tree to recover from Phytophthora lateralis. ProHort offer testing for Phytophthora, for more information click here.
ProHort’s arboricultural team can provide you with detailed tree surveys, identifying any potential diseases that may be impacting the tree. Our tree surveys will identify the life expectancy of each tree and recommend any required treatment or removal. You can find out more about our Tree Surveying services here.
Since the sixth century, Buddhist monks have been creating zen gardens. These gardens are designed to aid meditation as they are designed to create feelings of calm and inner peace. In our busy world, aspects of zen gardens are being incorporated into many garden designs.
What is a Zen Garden?
A zen garden can be created using gravel or sand, which is often raked to create shapes or designs. The act of raking is meant to instil a sense of inner calm and peace, as well as creating an aesthetically pleasing area. Traditionally, the sand is raked in a design that is meant to symbolise waves in the sea.
Stones are then placed on top of the sand or gravel. These stones are meant to symbolise trees (if placed upright or vertically), water (if laid flat) or fire (if they are arching). These stones are designed to represent the four elements throughout your space; earth is represented by the stones themselves.
A Zen garden may also contain a focal point – this could be a simple wooden bridge or path, or a decorative feature made from stone. This is designed to aid meditation – the meditator can focus their line of site on this object.
Zen gardens are designed to be quiet – and should not contain any plants that may attract birds or insects, and no running water.
While you may not wish to convert your whole garden into a zen garden, some of these ideas could be incorporated. You may wish to install several rocks in formations or create a focal point in an emptier area to really allow this to stand out and draw attention. You may also create a separate area, which is a ‘mini’ Zen garden. This space should allow you to feel a sense of calm and enjoyment, adding a self-care based, holistic aspect to your garden.
Contact Us Today To Find Out More About Zen Gardens!
Have you been wondering why do you need a material and construction plan? If you are overseeing a landscape development project and want to put the work out to tender, there are a number of risks that may present themselves.
A material and construction plan specifies the recommended material and construction method for each area of hard landscaping. Also known as a hard landscaping specification, the aim of a material and construction plan is to ensure a high quality result.
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants growth, helping photosynthesis and improving the plants overall vigor. Having a phosphorus deficiency will result in the plant experiencing stunted growth. Once a phosphorus deficiency has taken hold, the plants can become a dark blue-green colour or purple colour. At this point it will be difficult to save the plant. To increase phosphorus levels within your soil you can scatter bone meal into your soil.
Trees contribute significantly to the aesthetics and value of the surrounding landscape. They can also contribute positively to the lifestyles of those who live nearby. Unfortunately, there is a wide range of diseases and pests that can negatively impact the quality of trees. This can result in trees dying or being taken down either due to ill health or to prevent the spread of disease. Find out more about diseases in trees:
A zen garden can be created using gravel or sand, which is often raked to create shapes or designs. The act of raking is meant to instil a sense of inner calm and peace, as well as creating an aesthetically pleasing area. Traditionally, the sand is raked in a design that is meant to symbolise waves in the sea.