france - LJN Blog Posts - Landscape Juice Network2024-03-28T13:27:02Zhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/francePoppies dying out on Flanders battlefieldshttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/poppies-dying-out-on-flanders-battlefields2014-12-11T06:56:27.000Z2014-12-11T06:56:27.000ZLandscape Juicehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/LandscapeJuice<div><p id="first">One hundred years after the outbreak of the First World War, the flower that has come to symbolise the lives lost in conflict -- the poppy -- is disappearing from former battle fields of northern France and Belgian Flanders. Ecologists who have been studying the dramatic changes that have occurred in Europe's plant biodiversity will present their findings at this week's joint BES/SFE conference in Lille.</p>
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<h3 class="block">The research found that overall plant biodiversity in northern France and Belgian Flanders has increased during the past 100 years. But the rise in the number of plant species is not good news. Instead, the findings highlight increasing globalisation and homogenisation of local environments as invasive species arrive and more diverse, specialised species become extinct.</h3>
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<p>According to Dr Nina Hautekèete of the University of Lille, who lead the study: "Plant species richness and composition has changed drastically since the beginning of the twentieth century. Within that time about one in every five to six species we studied were either lost in particular regions or newly introduced."</p>
<p>Many of the species that have been lost are those which once grew within agricultural fields, the study found. Among these are species such as the beautiful field-larkspur (<em>Consolida regalis</em>) and the summer pheasant's-eye (<em>Adonis aestivalis</em>), which have disappeared as intensive farming has destroyed their habitats.</p>
<p>Habitat destruction and urban development have also caused species to be lost from fragile bogs and wetlands. These include the delicate bog cotton (<em>Eriophorum latifolium</em>) and the spoonleaf sundew (<em>Drosera intermedia</em>), an insectivorous plant which used to grow in bogs and fens in the region.</p>
<p>Most of the new species the researchers discovered were in urban environments of the study area. Many are garden plants that have now escaped into the wild, including creeping water primrose (<em>Ludwigia peploides</em>), an aquatic species which can clog waterways and giant hogweed (<em>Heracleum mantegazzianum</em>), a relative of the parsnip whose toxic sap can cause skin irritation and blisters.</p>
<p>"This study highlights the homogenisation of the natural and semi-natural habitats around the world. Species loss occurs mainly in rare habitats, while immigrating species are mainly cosmopolitan species that do not necessarily replace the complex ecological interactions of species that were lost," says Dr Hautekèete.</p>
<p>She continues: "We studied the dynamics of changes over one century. We do not know the consequences of introducing new species to these ecosystems. A short term increase in biodiversity might could be followed by a long term decrease which may cause ecosystems to stop working properly."</p>
<p>"An increase in regional species richness hides a worldwide homogenisation of habitats and we must take this into account when we are assessing the health of our ecosystems."</p>
<p>Biodiversity is about more than simply counting the total number of species in a given habitat. Ecologists are also concerned about functional diversity and the ecological role of species, so the next phase of the study is to discover where the non-native plant species come from and whether climate change is contributing to the process.</p>
<p>Dr. Hautekèete will present her team's research at the BES/SFE meeting in the Grand Palais, Lille on Wednesday, 10<sup>th</sup> December.</p>
<p>This report was published in <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141210080458.htm" target="_blank">www.sciencedaily.com</a></p>
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</div>Etesia UK Dealers Visit Pellenc Factory in Francehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/etesia-uk-dealers-visit-pellenc-factory-in-france2014-05-30T09:14:10.000Z2014-05-30T09:14:10.000ZFusion Mediahttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/FusionMedia<div><p>Ten Etesia UK dealers have recently visited Pellenc’s state-of-the-art facilities in Pertuis, France to reward them as the ten best performing dealers for the range of environmentally friendly battery-powered equipment.</p><p>After arriving in Marseilles, the delegates were driven to Pertuis and given a presentation of the company and told how Etesia and Pellenc had come to work together before they set off on a tour of the impressive R&D department, which has seen over 850 patents registered. Next up was a tour of the factory including production, assembly line and distribution centre which totalled 135,000 work hours in 2013.</p><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314223048?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="450" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314223048?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450" class="align-left"/></a>The second day gave everyone the chance to test out the equipment before departing for a boat trip seeing some of the country’s coastal sights.</p><p>Pellenc’s zero emission concept offers a full range of truly professional handheld power tools are powerful, silent and emission-free thanks to the lithium-ion technology and ‘brushless’ electric motors which are patented to the company.</p><p>These environmentally-friendly tools are now offered with a three year commercial warranty as standard – the first manufacturer to offer this.</p><p>Employing 1,150 people, Pellenc has 15 subsidiaries in France and further afield with a presence in 50 countries. 800 distributors take care of over 50,000 customers worldwide. In the UK, Pellenc tools can be seen in every major city, as well as the majority of national trust sites around the country.</p><p>Chris Harris of Surrey Power said: "It was very interesting and surprising too - I never realised just how big the Pellenc operation was."</p><p>Richard Taylor of RT Machinery also commented: “I was amazed at the sheer scale of the operation – from the R&D department, which invests a considerable amount of profit back into the development of new products, to the assembly line. The agricultural equipment was also very impressive."</p><p>Etesia UK general manager Les Malin said: "We are very proud of our relationship with Pellenc and have gained recognition with local authorities, landscapers, contractors as well as groundsmen and greenkeepers who are now looking at environmentally-friendly products. To be able to show our dealers just how much effort goes into manufacturing this equipment, and to get their feedback, is invaluable."</p><p>For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.etesia.co.uk">www.etesia.co.uk</a></p><p>For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK">www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK</a>. You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK">www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK</a></p></div>Knaresborough garden will celebrate Tour de Francehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/knaresborough-garden-will-celebrate-tour-de-france2014-01-08T17:40:12.000Z2014-01-08T17:40:12.000ZLandscape Juicehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/LandscapeJuice<div><p>A garden featuring three sculpted bicycles and a French theme will be built in time for the Grand Départ in next year's Tour de France.</p>
<p>Harrogate Borough Council has commissioned a sculptor to create three sculptures to feature in the garden.</p>
<p>The garden will make its début at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show before going on permanent display at the World’s End Garden in Knaresborough.</p>
<p>Read full story: <a href="http://www.wetherbynews.co.uk/news/local/knaresborough-home-for-tour-de-france-garden-1-6359659">http://www.wetherbynews.co.uk/news/local/knaresborough-home-for-tour-de-france-garden-1-6359659</a></p>
</div>Landscaper in Paris & Ile De Francehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/landscaper-in-paris-ile-de-france2012-02-28T10:47:40.000Z2012-02-28T10:47:40.000ZGuillaume Morvanhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/GuillaumeMorvan<div><p><b><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.planetejardin.eu/" target="_blank">Planete Jardin</a> is a Paris based landscape gardening company who can offer the full range of services for your garden by an English speaking team throughout the Ile De France.</b></p><p><b><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314102152?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314102152?profile=original" width="448" class="align-center"/></a></b></p><p>We specialise in the design and construction of all domestic gardens from a terrace to a large plot. But our full list of services includes:</p><p><b>Garden Design</b>; from computer 3-d design to traditional techniques, ensuring your garden is bespoke and perfect for you and what you wish to use it for.</p><p><b>Maintenance</b>; from a comprehensive tidy up through to regular visits to keep your garden at its best.</p><p><b>Decking and Patio Construction</b>; We have the expertise to use the full range of available materials to fit any space or need.</p><p><b>Planting;</b> With links to wider list of nurseries we can source any plant or tree you have set your heart on.</p><p>Tel: (for English) 05 49 87 56 95 </p><p>or email <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:staff@planetejardin.eu">staff@planetejardin.eu</a></p><p align="center"><b>We are eco friendly and ensure our gardens are <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.paysagedurable.com/" target="_blank">sustainable</a> without compromising your desire or budget. We specialise in habitat creation and attracting wildlife into the urban jungle with many success stories to back us up. Free Quotes and a Full Guarantee are always available from the smallest job to the largest garden makeover.</b></p><p align="center"><b><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314102451?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314102451?profile=original" width="165" class="align-full"/></a></b></p></div>In flower this Christmashttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/in-flower-this-christmas2011-12-26T16:04:03.000Z2011-12-26T16:04:03.000ZColin Elliotthttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/ColinElliott<div><p>As promised, between the champagne and the Christmas duck, I muffled-up warmly and paced about the garden looking for flowers. I have included only those I have found in my own garden; extended to include others in the village, the list might be much longer.</p><p>This fine seasonal ritual has been practiced by British gardeners for generations, with the results being posted to the Letters to the Editor section of some of the more serious papers for the education and edification of interested readers. Now that there are no serious papers to speak of, I continue this traditional pastime here, in the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://gardendesigncompany.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/in-flower-this-christmas/" target="_blank">Gardener in France blog</a>.</p><p>“Dear Sir,</p><p>Please find herewith my Floral contribution to the Health and Happiness of the Nation, and may God bless all who sail in her.</p><p>Starting in the back garden and moving in a clockwise gyration, we find Jasminium nudiflorum, reliably dotted with bright yellow flowers. Moving on to the side bed, there are Begonias, Petunias and Violas still in flower and extending the summer bedding display to the end of this unusual year. At the far end of the same bed, against the cabin wall, our Daphne odora Aureomarginata is covered in buds and just starting to open. Close by, I found one sky-blue flower of Salvia uliginosa amongst a big, sprawling clump.</p><p>Across to the other side of the garden where Rhododendron yak. Sneezy is looking very pretty in pink, next to an Ilex x. meserveae Blue Angel with berries and Skimmia japonica Majic Marlot, permanently in bud. Further along, at the beginning of the white border, Viburnum burkwoodii has started into bloom, with Erica Springwood White covered with blossom and a single flower on Hebe Kirkii. In the herb garden, Rosemary still carries plenty of flowers..............<a rel="nofollow" href="http://gardendesigncompany.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/in-flower-this-christmas/" target="_blank">See the blog for more</a></p></div>Distance learning courses for gardeners, landscapers, garden designers and now.....parks and recreationhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/distance-learning-courses-for-gardeners-landscapers-garden2011-10-29T15:31:00.000Z2011-10-29T15:31:00.000ZColin Elliotthttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/ColinElliott<div><p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>The <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/index.html" target="_blank">Garden Design Academy</a></strong></span> began by providing training to garden designers and by assisting home gardeners to design their own gardens. I started offering these in the UK from our offices in Hertfordshire and when we moved to France they took on a whole new lease of life.</p><p>The small selection of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/distance.html" target="_blank">distance learning</a> courses was soon developed to include <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/residential.html" target="_blank">residential courses</a>, with clients from the UK staying with us for a few days in the Loire Valley of France. In addition, we offer guided tours to the gardens of the area, with the Chaumont Garden Festival being popular with garden designers and the chateaux with American tourists.</p><p>Looking to expand, we talked to a number of writers and providers of horticultural courses and were lucky in finding a partner at a time when they were looking to expand. We now have access to a huge range of training courses written by acknowledged experts in their respective fields.</p><p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/Landscape.html" target="_blank">Garden designers and landscapers</a> are still well catered for: 15 distance learning courses at the last count and residential courses including CAD and Site Survey.</p><p><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/RHS.html" target="_blank">RHS qualifications</a> are rightly respected and courses working towards these are amongst our most popular; we offer the full range up to Master of Horticulture. These are currently being followed by students from the UK, mainland Europe, the Middle East, China and the USA.</p><p>Commercial <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/crops.html" target="_blank">crop production</a> courses stand at 14 courses and rising, while all sections of horticultural <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/management.html" target="_blank">management</a> are supported with a selection of 8 stimulating programs, several at an advanced level.</p><p> </p><p>We found that <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/home_gardening.html" target="_blank">home gardeners</a> were often following our <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/plants.html" target="_blank">plant courses</a>, around two dozen short courses originally intended for professionals; we have therefore created a new section on our web site this year, specifically aimed at the amateur, but including subjects like <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/Home_Hydroponics.html" target="_blank">hydroponics</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/Home_propagation.html" target="_blank">plant propagation</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As the range of courses expands we find we have to create new sections of the web site to make sense of it all. The <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/Parks.html" target="_blank">Parks and Recreation</a> industry has always been important to us and several of our writers are notable names in this sector. Even I used to be a Royal Gardener, based at Windsor Great Park. We have now seperated out 14 courses (so far!) specifically written for the industry, including subjects like <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/sports_turf.html" target="_blank">sports turf management</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com/Playground_design.html" target="_blank">play ground design</a> and a special Advanced Certificate in Horticulture (Parks and Recreation).</p><p> </p><p>As the demand grows from those in the industry prefering to study at their own pace after work, from newcomers looking to make their mark and from amateurs wanting to develop their interests, so we respond with new courses to accommodate them. Some of these can take several years to research, write, develop and launch, but others are sitting on the back burner waiting for clients.</p><p> </p><p>My career has included most sectors of the horticultural industry during the last 40 years, from crop production (both greenhouse and hardy stock) to garden centre management. My last business employed 20 landscape staff while I busied myself designing over 1000 gardens. At this stage in my life I am pleased to have this oportunity to pass on some of what I have learned to the new generations of gardeners, growers and designers.</p></div>Landscape Juice Rammed Earth coursehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/landscape-juice-rammed-earth2010-05-04T15:00:00.000Z2010-05-04T15:00:00.000ZPhil Voicehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/philvoice<div><p style="text-align: center;"><img width="721" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314181257?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt="" /></p>
Wednesday 28th April was Landscape Juice's inaugural rammed earth building course. We were due to have nine on the course but a complete mess-up on my part and an over-running activity, meant that three LJN members were unable to make it - I hope to see James, Bruno and Pip on the next course. Five Landscape juice Network members (seven people in all), got together at the Landscape juice headquarters, here in south-west France, to learn and put into practice the techniques to create sustainable structures, from ordinary soil. Self taught rammed earth expert, <a href="http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/profile/MichaelThompson"><b>Michael Thompson</b></a>, travelled from the Norfolk Broads laden with all the gear and equipment needed for the course. This included the formwork that the soil is rammed into as well as a projector for the powerpoint presentation and a rammed earth manual for us all. <img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314189215?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" style="float: right;" />Jill and Simon Foxley, Wendy Allen and husband Paul and myself spent the two warmest days of the year understanding how the ancient craft of building with soil can be adapted to almost any type of wall construction; our particular interest is its application for garden walls. I had arranged accommodation locally for our party of four whilst Michael and his wife Bridget stayed in our Pigeonnaire. After a nice BBQ on respective evenings with our guests, Michael - after he had partially recovered from his mammoth +800 mile drive - and I spent Tuesday setting up the course. The weather forecast promised great weather and it didn't disappoint with us all waking up to a cloudless sky - almost too nice to think about doing any work. After coffee and fresh croissants, brought in by our guests, we sat through a three hour presentation. Michael explained the theory and practice of rammed earth construction and talked us through how he had built his shed out of the soil he's dug from the footings and spoil that was being thrown out from the scout hut down the road. Read about <a href="http://rammed-earth.org/" target="_blank"><b>Michael's shed here</b></a>. <img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314088301?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" style="float: right;" />After a scrumptious lunch of cold hams, salads, pate, fresh asparagus and a drop of the local brew, we set about putting the theory into practise. First we took two simple soil samples to determine the composition of our soil - these were simple jam jar tests (just as we did in science at school) where water is added to the soil and shook up until the particles were in full suspension; leaving overnight for the soil to settle: the following day it was clear that my soil was a high silty clay soil with no discernible course particles in evidence. Michael explained that in cases of high clay, a course sand would be added to the mix - clay is unstable because it contracts and expands (heave) with moisture and warmth and sand reduces this movement. Normally, the soil used for building is a sub-grade and it should not contain organic matter. It's recommended that the top seven inches or so is removed and discarded and only then should the sub-soil be used once it has been sieved. Smalls stones will enhance and not harm the rammed earth construction construction - in our case, and because there was little stone (but mainly because there was not room to transport the <a href="http://www.rammed-earth.org/soilimprovementdevice.htm"><b>soil improvement device</b></a> or SID for short) we elected not to sieve the soil; we all soon learnt that the soil would roll into marble like balls and become a little bit of an issue while ramming into the forma. <img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314090332?profile=RESIZE_320x320" alt="" style="float: right;" />Toward the end of the second day we sieved some soil by hand and it's workability was evident. Read Michael Thompson's Landscape Juice <a href="http://www.landscapejuice.com/2009/10/rammed-earth-is-a-future-sustainable-landscaping-method.html" target="_blank"><b>guest blo</b>g</a> about his rammed earth shed. It was not all work though and we managed time to walk up into the hay meadows and see the orchids and wild flowers before returning to HQ for a sumptuous duck and chicken BBQ. Course attendees also tasted a little bit of France's delights with wild mushrooms and nettle soup. See the LJN <a href="http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/photo/albums/rammed-earth-building-course"><b>rammed earth course photos.</b></a>
</div>A Gardener in Francehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/a-gardener-in-france2010-01-13T12:58:42.000Z2010-01-13T12:58:42.000ZColin Elliotthttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/ColinElliott<div>In my last article for the monthly magazine Hertfordshire Countryside, I allowed a smug comment about the mild weather here in central France to creep into the text and was rewarded, a few days later, by six inches of powder snow and temperatures down to minus 12 degrees C. The distances I travel to visit clients have increased enormously since the days when I was based at a Hertfordshire garden centre, so observations of that sort will be kept to a minimum from now on, in the interests of road safety.These visits see me gardening in an ever increasing variety of climatic conditions: a trip to Cornwall last week was followed by a garden in the Sologne region of forests and lakes of central France; in a few days time I will be in the Dordogne to help turn a muddy field into a glorious garden for an English ex-pat family.<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314147137?profile=original" alt=""/></p>While growing conditions are different at each of these properties, my teaching for the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com" target="_blank">Garden Design Academy</a> involves me in the gardens of students from around the world. We have one who lives at 6,000 feet in Colorado Springs, where there are frosts for 200 days of the year. Other challenges include low humidity, fluctuating temperatures, bright sunlight, heavy calcareous soils and drying winds, which often restrict plant growth more than low temperatures. Another student studying garden design with us is currently living in semi-tropical Australia. I am learning as much as I am teaching these days.Our own garden is still nowhere near completed so perhaps I can be forgiven for dreaming about how it could be. No longer do we have teams of landscapers at our disposal, keen to help out the boss when work is slack. Now, if I need a patio or a new lawn, I have to either lay it myself or pay a landscaper to do it for me, just like any other homeowner. Unlike our clients, I will not be witnessing the creation of an instant garden and this time it is likely to take us several years to sort out. Perhaps that’s how it should be.<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314154580?profile=original" alt=""/></p>Many times in articles and blogs I have suggested that if there is not much in the way of flower or interest in your garden at a particular time of the year you should take a look around a garden centre or nursery to see what plants will fill the gap. In our last garden I used to make a point of counting the flowering plants over the Christmas / New Year holiday and could normally find a dozen or two species. This year we had just two plants flowering outside - Jasminium nudiflorum and variegated Skimmia Magic Marlot - and a couple of Camellias in the unheated, north-facing conservatory. There were a few berries too, from Pyracantha and a Holly planted in the shade of our ancient Sequoia, but this lack of colour and interest must be addressed with some urgency.One plant I miss from our English garden is Sarcococca. I planted one close to patio doors where its sweet scent could be enjoyed for many months over the winter. We had it hidden behind a black stemmed bamboo so that visitors could smell it but not see it without a bit of effort. Sarcococca or Sweet Box is amazingly easy to grow and thrives even in shade. A suckering evergreen shrub, it comes in a number of varieties from Sarcococca confusa, the largest at up to 6ft tall, to diminutive Sarcococca humilis. Our plant was S. hookeriana var. Digyna, tidier and with pinkish flowers on an elegant little bush. As a Chinese native I have mentally reserved a place for one in our Oriental Garden.Fragrance is one of the benefits of many winter flowering plants; our potted Camellias sasanqua and grijsii are both delightfully scented and give pleasure to anyone coming to the front door. A favourite scented plant I have yet to own is Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill’, ‘Peter Smithers' or the similar 'Penwood'. While my heart says to go for the first, the other two are more reliably evergreen and equally perfumed. Any of these will satisfy me however and I trust one will be planted here before too long. I have a Daphne mezereum in the garden but, as so often happens, the plant has been grow in a nursery field and potted before sale, resulting in damage to the root system that prevents it thriving. The scented purple-pink flowers of this European shrub are a joy at this time of the year but I have been singularly unsuccessful in growing it so far.<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314146606?profile=original" alt=""/></p>We already have a fine Witch Hazel, Hamamelis x. intermedia Arnold Promise which, while not flowering for Christmas did not keep us waiting long. H. x. intermedia is a cross between species from China and Japan and this variety was bred in America by the Arnold Arboretum in 1928. The incredibly fragrant, bright yellow flowers appear just a few weeks before Forsythia and so can be thought of as providing a kick-start to spring. It would be nice to also grow one of the red flowering cultivars and of these Diane perhaps the best.We have planted a selection of bulbs and both Snowdrops and Winter Aconites are ideal for early flower. Snowdrops spread rapidly and the gardens around the old mill at Chabris have thousands growing in the lawns. Iris reticulate and unguicularis can be relied upon for winter flower while some of our Daffodils also begin to flower in February.The list of “missing” plants I dream about includes some common plants like Mahonia media, a plant I rarely fail to specify for the gardens of my clients. Again scented, again yellow, I like the story about the naming of the three Mahonia varieties Faith, Hope and Charity, bred at the Royal Gardens, Windsor were I worked under Hope Findlay.Chaenomeles, the flowering Quince, is commonly grown here but has yet to make an appearance in our garden. With more than 70 varieties to choose from I shall be looking for something out of the ordinary, perhaps Cameo or Geisha Girl in peachy-pink, Lemon and Lime with pale green flowers or C. 'Toyo-nishiki' which displays flowers in red, white and pink variations and has large fruit ideal for jam making.<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314147677?profile=original" alt=""/></p>I find it hard to accept that we grow no Hellebores and jealously eye flowering plants in neighbours’ gardens. We have always had Hellebores in our gardens, either H. orientalis, the Lenten Rose, or H. niger, the Christmas Rose and used to carefully select seedlings to maintain interesting colours. Now hybrids exist between many species and the range of colours, leaf forms and flowering times has expanded along with their popularity. With plants selling for up to £25 over here I shall be hoping to buy one during a UK trip or beg for seed from a local gardener.So many people tell me that they rarely venture into their gardens during the winter and this seems such a shame. Those who brave the cold weather should be given some encouragement and reward for doing so in the form of beautiful garden plants. I hope these winter thoughts may inspire you to add extra colour and scent to your own and your clients gardens.Colin Elliott - <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gardendesignacademy.com" target="_blank">Garden Design Academy</a></div>Garden maintenance, landscaping and flower business for sale in Francehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/garden-maintenance-landscaping2009-05-28T16:30:00.000Z2009-05-28T16:30:00.000ZPhil Voicehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/philvoice<div><a style="float: right;" href="http://perigordvacance.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8345192c169e201156fb7aa14970c-popup"><img title="gardening and landscaping business for sale in lot et garonne france" class="at-xid-6a00d8345192c169e201156fb7aa14970c" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; width: 200px;" alt="gardening and landscaping business for sale in lot et garonne france" src="http://perigordvacance.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8345192c169e201156fb7aa14970c-200wi" /></a>Le Berme is located near Castillonnes in the Lot et Garonne in the south-west of France and just ten miles from me here in Piis. Guy and Jane Robinson have established a garden maintenance, landscaping and flower and fruit production business as well as a Gite and bed and breakfast. Their five bedroom house and gite are set in seventeen acres of secluded gardens planted with many rare specimen trees and shrubs. There is a flower and fruit production area with 130 Blueberry plants that are estimated to be worth €9,000 euros a year from next year. There is €40,000 worth of very good conditions (nearly new in many cases) machinery and a Boxer van. The asking price is €665,000 for the house and gite and £35,000 for the gardening business. For the full write up visit - <a href="http://www.landscapejuice.com/2009/05/landscaping-gardening-cut-flower-production-business-for-sale-france-castillones.html">Gardening and flower business for sale in France</a>
</div>French holiday competition resultshttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/6660693_BlogPost_239992008-08-05T20:00:00.000Z2008-08-05T20:00:00.000ZPhil Voicehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/philvoice<div><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314100412?profile=original" alt="" width="302" height="162" style="float: right;" />Firstly, I apologise for the result of the <a href="http://landscapejuice.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2074886%3ABlogPost%3A8461&page=2">'win a holiday in France'</a> competition being released so late in the day but we had unexpected visitors just as I was processing the photographs and they stayed for an hour and a half. I wanted the draw to be as fair and transparent as possible so I asked my daughter Fleur to pick three names out of a large bag. Twenty names had been included in the draw (<a href="http://landscapejuice.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2074886%3ABlogPost%3A8461">those that had re registered their interest</a>). I decided to draw three names so that if the winner was not able to travel and take up the holiday in early June 2009 then there were two reserves. So with no further ado, it is with great pleasure to announce that <a href="http://landscapejuice.ning.com/xn/detail/u_if370jdvigfw">Sue Loader's</a> name was the first to be pulled out. Don't worry, if you didn't win because I can assure you that I intend to do a similar thing at a later date. The second and third place will be notified via private message and thank you everyone for taking part. Best regards Phil
</div>Win a holiday in Francehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/6660693_BlogPost_240042008-08-01T12:00:00.000Z2008-08-01T12:00:00.000ZPhil Voicehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/philvoice<div><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314098954?profile=original" alt="" width="200" height="181" style="float: right;" />If you are entered into the '<a href="http://www.landscapejuice.com/2008/06/win-a-weeks-hol.html">win a French holiday</a>' competition you are probably sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the announcement of the winner. I have to hold my hand up and admit that there is a problem with the competition - Sarah, who's image I linked to (because the picture was so good) has decided to pull the picture - maybe Sarah didn't like all of the limelight - I don't know? I now realise that I should have linked to a picture of my own so that I had full control over the content but it is always easy to be wise after the event. But, all is not lost and one of our Landscape Juice members will win that week in France in early June 2009 but it will require one last bit of work on your part. Just leave your name as a comment below this post to re-register your interest and I will do the draw by midday on Tuesday 5th August 2008. If you would rather send me a private message to re-register then that is OK too - Competition entry in the title. I am so sorry for this mishap and I hope I can be forgiven in the fullness of time!
</div>Where do you blog fromhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/6660693_BlogPost_237802008-04-25T19:00:00.000Z2008-04-25T19:00:00.000ZPhil Voicehttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/philvoice<div><img alt="Frost" title="Frost" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314095605?profile=original" border="0" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px;" />When you are talking to someone on the telephone, do you try and imagine there that person is and what their surroundings are like? If I am on a website or blog, I also try and imagine where the person who is blogging works from, and, iIf you are as nosey as me, you might wish to know what my little cyber world is like. <img alt="Frost" title="Frost" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3314096642?profile=original" border="0" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px;" />I have taken a couple of shots this evening. One of them is my desk with all the tools of the trade and the other is of the view outside my 'office'. This evening is a perfect spring setting with full sunshine and turgid grass growing in the paddock which is literally fifteen feet from my office door. I hope you can take in the atmosphere? What is your space like?
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