Transform Landscape Design and Construction Limited

The Herons Welcomes Transform

2011-12-16T05:16:00.000-08:00

Transform held an event at the Herons Leisure Centre on Saturday, to promote all aspects of the company, the event lasted all day and was received well by the Herons' customers, giving them a chance to meet us and see some of our work in picture form.

There was a chance to win some great seasonal prizes including Christmas wreaths and planted up bulbs. All of those who chose to enter were asked to fill out a form, ticking which section of landscaping they were interested in and if they would like to receive our quarterly newsletter.

All in all it was a great event.

Winners Again!!

2011-12-16T05:13:00.000-08:00

Once again Transform has managed to win awards at the annual BALI awards ceremony.

· Domestic Garden Maintenance
· Domestic Garden Construction (cost up to £20,000)

Our garden maintenance team added to their 2009 BALI award. Thanks to all the hard work from the soft landscapers.

The construction side also managed to win their second award with Glynn, Richard and Graham building a lovely courtyard garden in Haslemere; the clients are delighted with their new garden.

The event was attended by a select few members of the team along with the client of the courtyard garden.

Transform Landscapes - designing and creating gardens for private and commercial clients

2011-09-05T03:45:00.001-07:00

Quoted from http://www.transformlandscapes.co.uk/news.php:

Transform Landscapes - designing and creating gardens for private and commercial clients

Welcome to Ben Clutterbuck, our new Tree Care Manager

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Ben Clutterbuck, as Tree Care Manager. Ben joins the transform team to develop our Tree Care Service. Ben has 15 years’ experience working the in forestry and arboricultural industry, he is passionate about trees and has a wealth of up-to-date knowledge about tree diseases and management, as well as expertise in planning and other tree related legislation. In addition to re-invigorating our current tree surgery service, he will allow Transform to offer a wider range of professional services and tree care advice... read more

June 2011

Beautiful Natural Swimming Pool

2011-06-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

We are really proud of our latest pool, which pushes the boundaries of natural swimming pool technology by having a very contemporary feel in its general design and comes complete with an air source pump heating system. We didn’t want to have too much planting and have a achieved a good balance between the access to the pool, the growing plants and the added interest of a Koi pond right next to deep end.

A submerged terrace at the shallow end provides six inches (150mm) of water for young children to splash about in and coloured, remote controlled LED lights provide a sumptuous evening ambience to the pool, which is a beautiful Mediterranean blue over the grey liner during the day. The whole area is paved with sawn York and surrounded by a beech hedge with a hidden fence, just to make sure the children can only get in when they are supposed to.

Tree Health Update - Horse Chestnut - Conker Trees

2011-06-15T04:28:00.000-07:00

At this time of year, as they stand in full leaf, trees play a fundamental role in the English landscape. In the UK, we have a huge number of mature and veteran trees, more than other much larger European countries. The Ancient Tree Forum, via The Ancient Tree Hunt map, records these significant trees (http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk).

Horse Chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum), more commonly and affectionately known as Conker trees, have had a huge presence in the landscape since their introduction in the 1600’s.

It is easy to understand why they are loved for their conkers. However, the tree has so much more to offer including a characteristic size, shape and stature, beautiful candle shaped flowers and a huge leaf. These assets made the tree a clear winner, with the Victorians planting them as Avenue trees throughout the country.

Although they have naturalised to the UK, they have recently come under attack from both the leaf miner and a soil pathogen, Bleeding Canker.

Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner (Cameraria ohridella)

The browning of the leaves in July and August is a result of an infestation of Horse Chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella). The leaf miner is a small moth like creature that lays its eggs into the leaf of the chestnut. The egg hatches and the tiny grub then feeds on the inner tissue of the leaf, finally as it prepares to transform into the adult moth it eats its way out of the leaf. These small areas then brown and die.

Each feeding patch is very small most will be less that 1cm in diameter. However, the populations of the leaf minor will reach the thousands per tree. Therefore, hundred of larvae will be present on each leaf and the areas will link leading to complete leaf death.

The affects of the leaf minor are clear to be seen, it is considered to be a mainly aesthetic problem. Monitoring is still being undertaken on the originally affected trees, which were on Wimbledon Common in 2005, to date it has shown no reduction in vitality.

Treatment

There is no cover-all treatment for this. Although sprays and chemicals are available that control leaf miners, they are not effective due to re-infection from surrounding trees and are unlikely to create a lasting clear canopy without huge detriment to other insects.

Simple steps like clearing leaf litter from around the tree will have a benefit to the tree. If these are removed and composed the eggs from within the leaf litter cannot simply re-infest from the ground below the tree.

Horse Chestnut - Bleeding Canker (Pseudomonas syringae pv aesculi or Phytophthora)

There two different strains of bleeding canker, it is however the second strain Pseudomonas that is more aggressive and poses a threat to these trees. Current research conducted by Forest Research at Alice Holt shows that around 50% of UK Horse Chestnuts are affected by Bleeding canker.

The indication for bleeding Canker is a usually small, but growing black/ rust coloured spot on the truck. It is often seen low on the truck, as this is a ground based infection.

This small area represents a large area of dead cells in the vascular tissue of the tree; it will extend from the ground into the upper structure of the tree. At this point, you may see leaves browning and areas of dead bark.

Treatment

Again unfortunately there is no cure to this disease. However, there are a number of things that can be done to try to support the tree.

A tree does have a defence system that can limit or slow the pathogen. However, like us in times of stress, this will be less effective, allowing the disease to attack and spread. Therefore, if you can remove stresses and increase the soil condition around the tree it will show a marked improvement.

It should be noted that, if there are areas of dead bark in the tree or limbs, sections of the crown may become unsafe and you should seek the advice of an arboriculturalist, who will be able to advise about the best action for the safety of people and the benefit of the tree.

Ben Clutterbuck, Tree Care Manager

Jobs in the Garden - April

2011-03-21T04:02:00.000-07:00

Trees and Shrubs

Now is a good time for mulching. Mulching benefits the garden in many ways including keeping in the moisture, feeding and weed control. Mulching should be applied 3-4 inches thick. The best materials to use are spent mushroom compost, well rotted farm yard manure or bark chippings.

Watch out for late frosts - protect fruit blossom and other tender plants.

Fertilise trees, shrubs and hedges - use a good fertiliser such as fish, blood and bone. Yew hedges will benefit from an application of dried blood. One of my favourite fertilisers for trees and shrubs is a controlled slow release fertiliser called Osmocote which is made by Scotts and is widely available.

Lawns

April is the time to sow new lawns. Good preparation is essential for seeded lawns:

• cultivate
• rake out to your desired levels
• remove stones and debris

If the soil is still cold and wet delay sowing for a week or so until the conditions are better. You can also repair those patches which have not come through the winter.

Fertilise your lawn with high nitrogen which boosts the grass to a lush green and promotes a fast growth rate.

Control weeds in your lawn with a selective weed killer - use a chemical with active ingredients, 2 4-D and Mecoprop-p in it.

Annuals

Sow Sweet Peas outside this month but it’s a good idea to give them some protection.

Fruit

Fruit trees, bushes and strawberries - apply sulphate of potash or a general fertiliser.

Pests and Diseases

Watch out for early signs of aphid on the young growth of roses. Last year caterpillars were a problem on trees causing defoliation, look out for holes appearing in the leaves.

Transform Boys Scale 3 Peaks for Greenfingers Charity

2010-08-25T02:20:00.000-07:00

We've done it! The BALI Pillocks on the Hillocks have joined that exclusive club of 3-Peakers and scaled Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in an amazing 23 hours and 48 minutes in aid of the wonderful Greenfingers Charity.

It's all the more amazing when you consider the appalling weather on Thursday night when, having already climbed Ben Nevis, driving rain and 50 mph gusts of wind failed to stop us scaling Scafell Pike in some of the most atrocious conditions our professional Team Leaders have ever experienced in their years of taking teams through the 3 Peaks Challenge.

When we finally reached Penn-y-Pass on Friday morning, the starting point for our Snowdon ascent, we were all suffering from lack of sleep, aching limbs,sore knees and damp clothes but we kept each other's spirits high and got a second wind to get to the top of the mountain within the 24 hours allowed for the challenge. It was a fantastic feeling actually achieving what each of us set out to do - raise as much money as we could, through attempting the challenge, for an amazing cause.

Greenfingers is the horticulture industry’s charity, which raises money to build gardens in children’s hospices across the country. Some of us helped construct the garden at Chestnut Tree House hospice in Arundel, Sussex, 18 months ago and we wanted to raise as much money as we could to build more gardens at children’s hospices across the UK.

Donations so far from BALI colleagues, friends, family and others connected with the landscaping and horticulture industries have been fantastic and we have now reached our original target of £10,000. We hope you will continue to give, now that we've all completed the challenge, and help us to reach £15,000 so that children with life limiting illnesses can spend precious time with their families in a beautiful garden.

It was that thought, and that alone, that kept the Pillocks on the Hillocks going through the 3 Peaks Challenge so please continue to give as much as you can. Thank you from Sam Day and Craig Tate-Grimes.

October Jobs in the Garden

2010-08-25T02:17:00.000-07:00

October brings glorious autumn colour as the leaves turn red and orange, even fallen leaves are a lovely bronze or golden colour in the autumn sunlight.

Bedding and Baskets
It is time to remove summer bedding pots. Baskets and borders are probably looking a bit tired and sad by now and so should be replanted with autumn and spring bedding.

Now is the ideal planting time for planting spring flowering bulbs such as Tulips, Narcissi, Crocus, Hyacinths, and Alliums in your borders.

Spring bulbs will give a lovely display in pots and containers; good bulbs for pots are Narcissi 'Tete-a-Tete', Tulipa 'Spring Green' and Tulipa 'Cardinal Mindszenty'.

Lawn Care
Rake up leaves regularly. If leaves are left, this causes grass to die off which then leads to patchy and mossy lawns.

A small amount of leaves can be removed from the lawn with a rotary mower, keep the mower cutting height high but do not use when there is frost lying on the grass.

Good horticultural practice is to feed lawns with an autumn and winter fertiliser. This time of the year we need to encourage root growth and this is done with fertiliser containing a high concentration of phosphate and potash but the nitrogen percentage should be low as new lush blade growth can lead to turf diseases.

Root-ball Trees, Shrubs and Hedging
October is the start of the root-ball and bare-root planting season. Native and other hedging types can be planted now; these are field grown plants, a more economical way of planting a hedge than containerised plants. Root-balled specimen trees and shrubs can be planted between October and early/mid March and you have a huge range of varieties to choose from.

Root-ball trees can be supported with an underground anchoring system which works extremely well when you want to show off the stem of the tree. In addition, it is an almost maintenance free way of supporting the tree.

August Jobs in the Garden

2010-08-25T02:16:00.000-07:00

August should be a quite month in the garden with plants and lawns growth slowing. Now it is time for you to sit back and enjoy the hard work you put into your garden.

Watering

Keep containers and pots regularly watered as they can dry out very quickly especially with peat based compost. A product call ‘Swell jell’ helps to retain moisture when mixed in with compost.

It you going away, move your pots into a shady area away from full sun and for larger areas set up an automatic watering system or ask a friend/neighbour to water for you.

Mulching the borders will help to keep in the moisture; if you mulched in the spring just top up the mulch around the plants.

Pruning and Hedge Cutting

Summer prune Wisterias by cutting back the long side shoots to 6 inches, about 4 -6 leaves. Tie in some of the growth on to training wires. It’s a good idea to feed with a high potash fertiliser, as this will improve flowering next year.

It also a good time to trim the hedges but try to avoid very hot days. When I worked at Winchester College, we would cut all the Yew hedges in August these would then keep their shape throughout winter. It’s also a great time for Conifer hedges to be cut and shaped.

Deadheading is an important task and can be very therapeutic. It helps repeat flowering plants such as Roses and Pelargonium to flower more and they look so much nicer when done.

Lawns

Try to keep them healthy by weeding, feeding and watering in the late evening. If August is a warm one, raise the cutting height of the mower. Feed the lawns in early August but do not apply a control release as we are coming to the end of the growing season.

June Jobs in the Garden

2010-05-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

June brings the longest day of the year and, hopefully, lots of warm weather that promotes huge amounts of growth on all types of plants from perennials to shrubs. It is considered the peak of the growing season of the year.

Flowering plants

Now the frosts have gone plant out your bedding plants (half-hardy annuals) to bring more colour into the garden. Pots, tub and hanging baskets can also be planted now. To reduce watering add swell jell,

Primulas (primroses) - this lovely group of perennials have finished flowering and now is a good time to lift and divide them if the clump is getting too big. Division can be by hand or carefully with forks.

Flag Iris can also be dived using just the new plump rhizomes. When replanting, plant in a sunny position with the rhizomes half exposed.

After flowering cut down long flower heads such as Digitalis (Foxgloves), Lupins, and Hollyhocks.

Shrub Pruning

Prune spring flowering shrubs, for example. Magnolia, these specimen shrubs can be shaped while crossing and diseased branches should be removed.

Forsythia looks great for a couple of weeks but has a tendency to get out of shape, so prune that too.

Fruit
Net up fruit cages to keep your soft fruits safe from birds.

Look out for Pest and Diseases.

Spray Roses every 2 weeks with a combined insecticide and fungicide. My favourite is Rose Clear; this keeps Roses looking healthy without black spot and aphid. However never spray in bright sunlight, leave it to the evening.

Keep on the top of weeding, trying to get the weeds when young. Annual weeds can be hoed; you can cover a large area of ground in a really sort time.

Lawns

Grass is growing very strongly and at a fast rate, so regularly cutting at least once a week is necessary to maintain a good-looking lawn. If broadleaf weeds are appearing in the lawn, a selective herbicide will control this problem. Most domestic weed killers are safe for children and pets when dry but always read the labels. Try and catch the weeds when small.

May Jobs in the Garden

2010-05-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

May brings warmer weather and excites us gardeners to the start of summer with the smell of freshly mown grass and the rapid growth of plants. However, weeds are also growing fast and we may still be caught out with a late frost or two.

Trees & Shrubs

Keep an eye on newly planted trees, shrubs and roses, start watering as they begin to put their roots into the ground.

Check tree stakes are not rubbing against the tree and ties are not too tight or loose to cause damage.

Cut out reversion on variegated evergreens such as Elaeagnus pungens ‘Maculata’, ‘Limelight’.

Hedge cutting

Now the cold winds have ceased, evergreen hedges can be trimmed, remember not to cut back conifers too much as going back into the brown will not produce re-growth.

Hostas can be divided when shoots start appearing.

It‘s an ideal time to trim and shape evergreen shrubs such as Viburnum tinus but make sure that it has finished flowering.

Climber plants start to put on rapid growth especially Clematis, Honeysuckles and Roses; fix in extra plant supports if needed.

Daffodils & Tulips

Deadhead after flowering but do not cut the foliage, let the energy go back into the bulb.

Lawn Care

If you have not fed your lawn yet, now is the time to apply a high nitrogen fertiliser. I find Scotts controlled release fertiliser produces excellent results, lasting 4-5 months.

If you have a lot of moss in your lawn, a Moss killer with a fertiliser can be applied.

Remember to brush fertiliser off hard surfaces as this can stain, leaving rust marks on your paving. All granular fertiliser needs to be watered in if applied in a dry spell.

Tender Plants

Protect tender soft plants from late frosts

April - Jobs in the Garden

2010-03-10T03:51:00.000-08:00

February Jobs in the Garden

2010-02-17T04:48:00.000-08:00

Pruning Climbing Plants

Tidy up and prune winter-flowering Jasmine after all of its winter colour has gone as this wall shrub/climber can get very woody. It brings lots of well-needed colour but can look unsightly and untidy throughout the rest of the year. Cut out the dead wood and try to keep the framework close to the wall or fence. Prune laterals to 5-7 cm. Tight pruning will promote flowers for next winter.

Tie in climbers and renew old supports. I find that screw-in vine eyes are best and green plastic coated wire.

Now is your last chance to prune Wisteria (see January’s issue for details or contact a specialist).

Lawns

Late February can be warm and grass can start growing. Make sure the mower is on its highest setting when you mow.

Keep an eye out for turf diseases like Fusarium (common name ‘Snow Mould’); this can be a problem if February is warm and wet.

Early February is not too late to put on a winter feed but apply normal release, not control or slow release fertiliser.

Turf laying can be carried out all year round and all weathers apart from on frosty and frozen ground.

Grasses

An important job for February is to cut down deciduous grasses for example Stipa, Pennisetum and Miscanthus.

Plants for February

Helleborus - Hellebore - one of my favour plants that bring excellent winter and spring colour to the garden. This gentle and elegant flowering perennial comes in many colours and will grown in most fertile soils.

November Jobs in the Garden

2009-11-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

November can be a lovely time in the garden with cold but sunny days and crisp frosts. It is a great time for all those tidying up jobs and ones which you didn't finish in the late summer before Christmas preparations take over.

Trees & Shrubs

Deciduous trees and shrubs can be pruned throughout the winter, not forgetting the fruit trees which have to be pruned in the dormant season. Remember that Apple trees fruit on second year wood. Keep your eye on dead and diseased wood whilst also watching out for Canker. A good pruning book is RHS Pruning by Christopher Brickell.

Now is the best time to plant Roses. You can buy them as bare root plants, which is a more economical way of buying them. David Austin produces some lovely old English Rose’s, both climbers and shrubs, with most of them being highly scented.

Rose Pruning

Reduce roses in height to prevent wind rock; winter winds can damage the root system and cause the plant to die. Wait until mid February to prune them fully.

Winter Colour and Interest

Try to keep as much winter interest in the garden as possible; leaving foliage on herbaceous perennials can look very attractive in winter frosts. Leave winter twigs for colour e.g. Cornus (dogwood) and then cut them down in early spring.

A good winter job is digging the vegetable patch over as the frost will break down the clods and improve the soil structure.

Herbaceous Perennials

Carry on dividing and slitting herbaceous perennials this is a great practice to work through in the dormant season, reducing overcrowded and outgrown clumps. It produces more plants to put in other parts of the garden but watch out for Ground Elder and Bindweed in your divided clumps, you do not want to spread theses all over the garden.

Happy gardening!

Charles Blumlein

Natural Swimming Pools and Ponds

2009-04-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

We are delighted to have become a partner of Clear Water Revival (CWR) to build natural swimming pools and ponds in Surrey. CWR offer completely chemical free pools and ponds which can be heated to 28 degrees C. The water in these pools is clean enough to drink and need never be changed. The company offers 5 distinct pool types to suit all needs from a conventional swimming pool to a swimming pond. Not only do these pools and ponds provide a much healthier swimming environment but they also remove the need for harsh chemicals and require significantly less maintenance than a chemical pool for a similar cost. Have a look at the fantastic designs on their website www.clear-water-revival.com. More soon...

An old Kiwi plant (Actinidia deliciosa)!

2009-04-02T01:51:00.000-07:00

Recently we carried out a winter prune of a Actinidia chinensis in Haslemere, Surrey. Both the male and female plants are well established. The female plants had fruited abundantly and we think that this could be one of the oldest plants in the country. We sent some pictures to the RHS and got the following reply:

According to an article in The Planstman in 1984, Some Notes on Actinidias and their Propagation, by Philip McMillan Browse, Actinidia deliciosa (syn. A.chinensis) was only introduced into the British Isles in 1900 (from China by E H Wilson). Virtually all early plants were males, and it was not until 1911/1912 that a female was identified and introduced into cultivation. The article goes on to say that the popularity of the plant declined between the two world wars, but that as it tolerates neglect, mature plants have survived since early introduction, although no specific sites or ages are listed. I also checked in the book Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles by W.J. Bean, which often gives such data, but unfortunately nothing is listed for this species. The Plantsman article does, however, suggest that kiwi plants will live to be of considerable age. Dr Dawn Edwards, Botanist.

Behind the scenes at Wimbledon

2009-03-16T04:29:00.001-07:00

A DAY OUT AT WIMBLEDON

An exclusive behind the scenes tour for Simon Gray and Charles Blumlein conducted by Head Groundsman, Eddie Seaward.

It’s not everybody’s cup of tea to go to Wimbledon in the winter, but, if you want to see just what goes on behind the scenes and what lies beneath the ‘hallowed turf’’, you go whenever the opportunity arises.

Thanks to our local turf industry expert David Jenkins, a visit was arranged and armed with notepad and camera we arrived at the gates.

You might think that Wimbledon goes a bit sleepy over the winter but not a bit of it. A number of major works were underway on various courts including the construction of the new roof for Centre Court, the major focal point of the ground. The new roof is impressive to say the least. This year’s crowds for Centre Court will be as much in awe of the roof opening and closing (particularly if it’s a showery match) as they will be with the tennis.

We were intrigued about the construction method, as the whole roof is built whilst remaining clear of the sacred lawn tennis court. The turf you appreciate is sacrosanct and on no account (new roof or no new roof) must it be so much as breathed on by any but a privileged few. A couple of the builders working on the roof project thought it would be fun to walk across the centre court. They were fired on the spot and immediately escorted off the premises.

You may think, when you walk over a fine lawn that its pretty simple stuff after all, grass just grows doesn’t it? Well talking with Eddie, even from my professional experience, we realised that there is no more manicured, more wired to sensors, more subject to spot checks or more thoroughly controlled growing environment than the turf of Wimbledon.

The turf itself is a blend of dwarf perennial ryegrass designed for excellent wear tolerance and to bounce back after rigorous usage. Wimbledon, as you can appreciate is all about having the best and most resilient turf for the annual tournaments. Nothing else matters.