Environment
DEFRA: No plans to ban artificial grass
Stating a commitment to eliminating all avoidable plastic waste by 2042 and acknowledgement that artificial grass has no wildlife value, Defra has no plans to instigate a ban on plastic grass.
Artisan
Garden Museum & TOAST collaboration
British lifestyle brand TOAST and the Garden Museum have collaborated with artist Rosie Harbottle on a series of original artworks.
Local Heroes
Westland’s Community Gardening Fund
Westland Horticulture has announced a New Horizon Fund aimed to support community garden projects across the UK and Ireland in 2024.
Charity
Support helplines over Christmas
Perennial’s helpline will close at 4.30pm on Wednesday 20 December and reopen at 10.00am on Wednesday 3 January 2024.
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Job
Knepp: Assistant Ecologist
The rewilding pioneers are recruiting for an ambitious and passionate Assistant Ecologist to help co-ordinate and conduct field surveys.
Job
Clifton Nurseries: Nursery Manager
London’s oldest garden centre is looking to recruit a retail leader to take management responsibility for the outdoor retail areas and shops at Clifton Nurseries in Little Venice, London.
By the bye
Review into fresh produce supply chain fairness
Government launches review into contract fairness between producers and purchasers in the edible horticulture sector to ensure a fair price and transparency in the negotiation process
Media
Joe Swift’s Country Garden
New Youtube channel by Garden designer, writer and BBC’s Gardeners’ World presenter, Joe Swift documenting his new garden in the country.
Business
Dobbies reports £130m loss
UK’s largest garden centre operator reported pre-tax losses of £130.8m, a significant decline from the £21.3m loss reported the year before.
Product Launch
Seed Pot Grow Kit
Innovative new grow-your-own seed pots with mushroom mycelium by the Caley Brothers.
Worth a read
The battle of the Stag beetle
Lucanus cervus, famous for its impressive jaws is a globally threatened species and numbers in Britain are in decline.
Regulation
Low-level offenders to plant trees to ease pressure on prisons
Offenders convicted of crimes such as drink driving and shoplifting are planting trees instead of serving short sentences in prison.
Gardens
Duke of Northumberland loses battle to develop allotments into apartments
Park Road Allotment holders in Isleworth have fought off proposals for the development of apartment complexes on the treasured site.
Media
New vice-chair Garden Media Guild
Kimberley Hornby has been appointed as vice-chair of the Garden Media Guild (GMG).
Environment
Al Gore: COP28 is now on the verge of complete failure
Climate advocate and former Vice President of the United States, Al Gore calls the COP28 discussions into question.
Design
Physical model magic endures
Technological advances of (3D) computer modelling has resulted in decline in demand for physical architectural models, but for one modeller the landscape design industry is offering new opportunities.
Environment
EFRA urges prioritising soil health on same level as air and water
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) published the findings of its inquiry into soil health last week.
Job
Nicholsons: Principal Ecological Consultant
The family-run business, Nicholsons are recruiting for a Principal Ecological Consultant to support the ecology team.
Business
Shadow Minister seeks clarity on Kew herbarium relocation plans
By means of a letter to the Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP, the Government Secretary for the Environment questions are asked about the Kew Herbarium move to Reading.
Worth a listen
Looking out for Bumblebees
Horticulturist, Sarah Wilson talks to Gill Perkins, CEO of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust about bumblebee populations and habitats.