Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts

Thursday, 30 June 2011

More and better protection of our urban green space is called for

London-based garden designer Andrew Fisher Tomlin has today called for councils and local authorities to create more sustainable green infrastructure strategies. In an article for Time & Leisure, Fisher Tomlin said “With all the development that is taking place in London in preparation for the Olympics it’s a disgrace our local planners are not following the inspirational lead of the Olympic Park and Athlete’s Village and prioritising green space in their own local Olympics planning.”

In his own Borough of Merton he has drawn attention to the lack of any planting in the development of Wimbledon Rail Station as well as naïve planting at recently opened local supermarkets.

“I’m amazed at the approach taken to our local street landscape. With repeated studies showing us what we need to do it wouldn’t have taken much to include a few new trees to help moderate temperatures, improve air quality and support biodiversity in these new development makeovers.”

Two recent reports have highlighted similar issues. According to an important study published by the London Wildlife Trust London’s gardens are being lost at a rate of two and half Hyde Parks a year. A second report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors recommends a push for more green space in towns and cities to reduce urban climate change.

Removing 10% of urban green cover could raise maximum temperatures by up to 7%. Fisher Tomlin adds “it’s another great opportunity lost and unfortunately there are no signs that the local planners are going to take notice of the evidence.”

FACT FILE:
Fisher Tomlin creates gardens from their offices in Wimbledon, London and Chobham in Surrey. The company provides design and horticulture services for residential gardens and parks and holds international awards for many projects.


Saturday, 7 May 2011

Eco-Yards - Simple Steps to Earth-Friendly Landscapes

Many urban yards are essentially unproductive patches of grass, requiring constant attention for no return. Through sustainable, organic landscaping, these small or large plots of land can become part of the solution to today's environmental challenges. This book supports the vision of a healthy, abundant planet in which beautiful, richly varied urban yards contribute to restoring the natural ecosystem.

This inspiring and practical, well-illustrated manual includes clear, easy-to-follow instructions for: designing and maintaining an eco-yard; making your yard water-wise; understanding basic soil science; replacing your lawn with tree, shrub and flower beds or hardy, low-maintenance grass; growing vegetables in the eco-yard.

Visionary, hopeful and encouraging, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to use environmentally sound practices when they garden, whether in a residential yard or on the balcony of a condo or high-rise apartment. If you're sick of the backyard battle, this book will show you how to work with nature instead of fighting it, using simple steps that apply practically anywhere to turn your yard into an eco-friendly sanctuary.

Paperback £13.50

ISBN10-13: 086571682X : 9780865716827

Thursday, 5 May 2011

New Wildlife-Friendly Landscape Product is Ready to Despatch


 

Harvesting MeadowMat
The growers of Q Lawns turf and Enviromat sedum matting have stocks of their new wildlife-friendly landscaping product known as MeadowMat ready for despatch.

MeadowMat contains 34 species of native perennial wild flowers and grasses actively growing on a matting system so that they are easy to establish into gardens, paddocks, orchards and amenity areas.

Over 90% of Britain's wild flower meadows have disappeared in the last 60 years, leaving our butterflies, moths, bees and insects with fewer sources of nectar.

Establishing wild flowers from seed is notoriously difficult. Germination is erratic and unwanted vegetation can often out-compete the delicate seedlings. MeadowMat makes bringing wild flowers back into our ecosystems a whole lot easier by introducing strongly growing flora onto weed-free soil.

Learn more about Meadowmat by visiting the MeadowMat blog, emailing angelal@qlawns.co.uk or telephoning Q Lawns/Enviromat on 01842 828266. 

(EDITOR: This looks like a truly exciting product that will help bring our wild flowers back!)