Climate change - opportunities and challenges

My contract team were due to start on site at a Nursery School in Kent today. They spent 21 hours on the roads yesterday, trying to get to site to set up. They got within 5 miles before making the call to turn back and then spent the next 18 hours getting home. As always, challenges bring opportunities - team building on the side of the road at 3am, skidding along on the ice like kids is not your usual manager-led activity, but it was effective!

The current 'extreme weather event' is another example of the need to take responsibility for the part we can all play in combating climate change. The design brief in Kent called for natural green play space in what was a fairly typical barren setting. We have taken the brief and developed it into green coastal planting on the roof, edible vines up the walls, food growing of species appropriate to the local community in every available nook and cranny, playable planting, and lots of trees. It could be a maintenace nightmare. The challenge is in training school staff in basic horticulture techniques so they can prune, trim, dead head and weed with confidence. Maintenance done badly wrecks bio-diversity as well as aesthetics. From the challenge comes the opportunity - some of us also trained as horticulture teachers, so we areable to train the staff how, when and why to maintain their new green
space.

Trees are one of the most effective things at absorbing large amounts of carbon, providing shade, sucking up atmospheric pollutants, excess ground water. To combat climate change's irreversible tipping point requires us to plant as many trees as we can in the next few years. As always, careful attention must be made to 'right tree, right place'. Sustainable landscape designers, like Greenstone Design UK, can recommend and design in trees to almost any setting.

Climate change is a real threat in our lifetimes. However, we have an opportunity to design, build and plant our way into a sustainable future. If you are interested in partnering with our design team, please do get in touch.

another Nursery school garden project we worked on

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Honey Badger replied to William Frost's discussion Paving pushing up because of the hot and super dry weather
"You got membrane under the hardcore? 
I wouldn't put any less than 150mm to 200mm hardcore under on clay.
I've heard this is a problem this year. I haven't seen any effect sofar.
I've only done one patio with a step this year the sucker hasn't…"
1 hour ago
Richard Matthews replied to William Frost's discussion Paving pushing up because of the hot and super dry weather
"I think a few guys have experienced this, possibly ground heave. I've had a Patio I laid 6 years ago do a similar thing. It's a difficult one, because if you followed all the correct guidelines for your install, what do you do?
After an incredibly…"
1 hour ago
William Frost posted a discussion
I would love to hear if anyone has had an experience of paving being pushed up because of the hot and dry weather this summer. We have had a number of patios where this has become a problem (a couple we laid ourselves and quite a few more where…
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Jon Chandler replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"Thanks all for your help and advice.
Great to have the expertise on here as a guide and backup. 🙏"
Monday
Adam Woods replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"Others have ID ed it.
I chop them off at ground level with secutears then spray a drop or two of Praxys on the wound... if it doesnt killt he first time, it will the 2nd or 3rd"
Monday
Fusion Media posted a blog post
At the Portugal Invitational, Kress showed turf professionals that unmanned mowing has moved from emerging concept to practical course-management solutionChampionship golf leaves no room for compromise. That's precisely why Kress chose the inaugural…
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Neil Darby replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"If it has thorns it is likely to be a Robinia. I have a client who has a couple of trees 10 or so Metres away & this year they have been popping up all over the lawn. A nightmare tree for anybody who climbs!!!
I have a Gleditsia myself, (my…"
Aug 22
Paul Elby replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"As others have said it is a Gleditsia (honey locust), grows very easily from blown in seeds and suckers. Grows fast in hot dry conditions."
Aug 22
Graham Taylor replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"There will probably be a tree nearby with the same foliage sending out suckers into your lawn.  You could try spraying them with tryclopyr (SBK brushwood killer will do)  ............. tricky as you don't want to risk damaging the tree they are…"
Aug 21
Kieran Ray replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"It could definitly be a honey locust sucker but it is more likely to be a Robinina sucker, they can send them up when stressed and ffresh growth can have a purple tinge. "
Aug 18
David Benson replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"eucalyptus tree suckers i have seen them 60-70 yards from the tree "
Aug 18
John F replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"Is it growing off a long sucker from a tree in a nearby garden like sumac trees send out ?"
Aug 18
Dave Colton replied to Jon Chandler's discussion Growth/Shoots in lawn
"Looks very much like a locus tree, young ones do also develop spikes."
Aug 18
Fusion Media posted a blog post
For Guy Woodward, Head Groundsman at Warwick Racecourse, maintaining a safe and consistent racing surface is a year-round challenge. From heavy winter rainfall to prolonged dry spells, the demands placed on a jumps track require products that can be…
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Growth/Shoots in lawn

Hi All, In a cleints garden, I'm having a real problem with these shoots that are coming up in the lawn.I'm digging them out as I go, they are on long roots. they have an oval shape leaf and develop nasty thorns. See pics.Can anyone help identify…

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