Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.
LJN's professional business forum is unrivalled and open to anyone within within the UK landscape industry
LJN's Business Objectives Group (BOG) is for any Pro serious about building their business.
For the researching visitor there's a wealth of landscaping ideas, garden design ideas, lawn advice tips and advice about garden maintenance.
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Historically one of the few, if not the only, industry which was able to establish itself without a complex tier system and class distinction was horticulture. A well educated, in terms of plant knowledge and their health, person could quickly establish themselves with the higher class directly, (and it is very important to note that this was true for both sexes long before women were even allowed the vote, they could enjoy distinction on their own merits within this small and highly regarded industry). Gardeners, plant collectors and estate managers were revered and saw themselves in a position which crossed the class boundaries.
The 1st and 2nd World Wars changed the industry but not irreversibly - The workforce on many of the large estates and smaller gardens disappeared after WWI in order to help bolster the ranks. Combined with heavier taxes on the large estates meant few of the landowners could return to the previous estate management regimes. Post WWII saw the start of modern construction and the use of pre fab materials, which meant landscaping had to adopt similar techniques to the construction industry as a whole and as such large elements of the industry simply tagged along with this new style of development as larger commercial outfits took control of what was traditionally a localised industry. Latterly the growth of organisations such as the RHS and similar as we moved into the modern PR state, by default removed the fact that any professional or keen amateur in the industry could rub shoulders with the higher classes directly as they had once done. Take the Royal Forestry Society as it still is and to be a member allows you stand alongside the influential peers and landowners and make your voice heard. The more aloof the organisations became in order to boost their coffers and profile the less likely the ordinary gardener would have a voice.
Whether we like it or not the UK is still a class based society, although more recently the varying tiers are more to do with wealth than status. And it is still possible to gain entry at the highest levels with a good and passionate knowledge of gardening / horticulture / landscaping.
This is one of my problems with the incumbent self appointed champion organisations of the industry - by removing deliberately this historic and unique element of being in the industry in order to strengthen themselves (for the good of its members) and consequently not for the good of the industry, which is now open to being one of the most heavily abused in terms of rogue elements entering it easily.
As such I believe the fundamental ideals and history of the industry would be harmed even further if a trade union were to be introduced. Given the increasingly poor press and to be linked to groups that have made some very poor decisions with little good for their members or the population at large, it would be a monumental step backwards to go down this route.
What is needed is a voice to champion all the smaller units in a way to highlight the individual merits of these small businesses. This can not be achieved through membership and promotion of those members alone!!
What are the common causes of employee/employer relationships deteriorating that it might be deemed necessary to involve some kind of mediation service?
incompetance , theft, accidents at work hse . but this job is a minefield and so many 'grey' areas too !
Philip Voice said:
Stuart Marler said:
Pip Howard said:
Otherwise no.