We’re buzzing around just now getting ready for the Creating Landscapes Show, 25th and 26th October 2011.
We are hoping to be really innovative by demonstrating the wonderfully diverse habitat that is created with our wild flower turf. With the help of a beekeeping friend of ours, Honey Bees will be starring in this role. WOW!
So why not make a note in your diary to join us at Capel Manor College, Enfield and bee amazed!
Flower Shows are a great highlight of British summer months and Tatton Park Flower Show, Knutsford, Cheshire which is open from Wednesday 20th July (this week in fact), is no exception.
With each show comes the vested interest in a customers’ design that features our wild flower turf or wild flower roof turf as part of their show garden. That interest is naturally increased as a result of their success.
We are proud that Carolyn R Hardern, Garden Designer won a Silver Floral Medal with her design entitled “Perspective” which was sponsored by Chalon Kitchens.
Congratulations Carolyn it is a beautiful design and the wildflower meadow is looking amazing. Especially the Ox-eye Daisies!
Just out taking some photo’s of our wildflower turf and spotted a Ringlet butterfly (Aphantopus hyperantus). Their ecology suggests that they can be found in open fields, rides (grassy tracks), and glades within woodland. Although it was quite an overcast day, it is not unusual to spot a Ringlet butterfly. It is one of the few species that flies on overcast days, largely due to its dark colouring, which allows it to warm up quickly. There is normally one brood per year showing around mid July through to August. We have had visits from Ringlet butterflies previously, however, notice how the left wing of this butterfly is very badly damaged. Maybe it had a lucky escape from a predator, probably a bird, and our wildflower meadow turf provides it with the perfect shelter.
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James was out taking pictures today of our wild Flower Roof Turf for a customer and spotted this beautiful Ringlet Butterfly.
We checked it out on the Butterfly Conservation Website just to make sure of what we were looking at.
We are quietly excited today as we are shipping out 470m² of very wild turf on Monday to a long-standing customer of ours who creates film sets.
A little birdie has suggested it’s possibly for the new blockbuster film called “Dark Shadows” which is due to be screened in 2012. If our little birdie is right, then watch out girls as Johnny Depp is reported to be starring, with Tim Burton Directing. Oh Boy!!!
We are counting down to the Landscape Show at Capel Manor College in October 25 – 26 2011. Why? Well not only is it going to be an interesting event, but better still, James is giving a talk entitled “Establishing Wild Flower Meadows -Turf or Seed?” which looks to be very interesting. So far 17 deligates have indicated they will be attending.
Why not find out about this event at the Landscape Juice Network and indicate your interest.
Some months ago back in early Spring, we were approached by Celia and Mike Hardiman of “The Friends of Myton Pool Trust” who were looking for wild flower turf to be used for their most recent project of regenerating the area around the pool at Myton Hospice.
650m² Wild Flower Meadow Turf was subsequently delivered on the morning of 5th May. 17 volunteers made short work of laying the 500 rolls of turf, completing the task by teatime – quite a feat.
Reported later on the FROMP website with a photo, they are clearly pleased with the results. There is a short video posted as well that you might like to watch just to see how they did it.
Congratulations to Celia and Mike and all 17 volunteers, we think it looks pretty good. Its going to look great this year and next year you’ll be blown away with its beauty.
How do children play today? Mostly in areas specially constructed, playgrounds with hard surfaces, play frames and slides. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that but these require little imagination and most children love to make up games in areas without too much structure, such as meadows, woods and wild gardens. This is certainly the message that Helen Wood and Darren Rudge got when they were reseaching for their design entitled ” Naturally Playful”for this years Gardeners World Live Show and the end result using 35m² Wild Flower Meadow Turf has proved an absolute winner.
Their design won Gold Medal and Best in Show.
The RSPB also used our Wild Flower Meadow Turf for their feature, where they created several “spaces”, including an Urban area and a Traditional Garden. Kathryn Balaam of RSPB commented “we were really pleased with the garden and as well as recruiting members to the RSPB we won a ‘highly commended award’ from the RHS! Thank you for providing the turf – it was just what I was hoping for”
A very big well done to Darren, Helen and Kathryn.
We are aware that our Wild Flower Turf is fabulous, our customers keep telling us as much so it will come as not surprise when we say that opinion is also shared by the Designers and Architects that choose our turf as part of the designs they create for their clients.
Last year we featured Follers Manor, a design created by Ian Kitson and featured on Channel 4’s Landscape Man.
This year with the constant pressure on designers to incorporate wild flower meadows in their designs we are finding our WFT is in great demand. Only last month Lisa Cox, Garden Designer, organised a site tour for a group of fellow Designers to see our turf production at the farm.
Earlier this year we were pleased to supply Helen Jackson, Garden Designer who incorporated our Wild Flower Turf in her garden design around a pond.
Earlier this year we received a request from Brian da Cal (Volunteer Manager) at Battersea Dogs & Cats home for some Wild Flower Turf for a sensory garden they were creating for the dogs. The garden was to be named “Mary’s Garden” after Battersea Dogs & Cats Home founder Mary Tealby. Everyone is familiar with the work that this registered charity performs for mostly unloved or abandoned pets in London, and this new project really caught our eye.
Battersea Dogs & Cats home is enclosed by three railway lines, most of the land being covered by buildings and concrete with no green spaces or ‘soft’ areas in which to exercise the dogs. Whilst it is quite close to Battersea Park where most dogs from the home are able to play and relax when out for their daily walk, there was nowhere nice for those dogs that were unwell and therefore couldn’t go the park?
Dogs with Kennel Cough for example, (a harsh, dry cough, often accompanied by fever, retching, sneezing, snorting, gagging or vomiting and which lasts from 10-20 days) are not allowed to go to the park and in the past have been dependant on anything…