Pip Howard's Page

Whilst trees have a strong presence within the psyche of the average Briton, the evidence on the whole is that trees and woodland in particular are considered in negative terms. There is a very strange and almost impossible to quantify paradox in the average persons relationship with trees. A natural woodland setting continues to be the backdrop of scary stories and films, however tree lined avenues and green spaces are always seen to be positive additions in our surroundings in both urban and r… Continue

You may have heard the phrase 'Knowledge Transfer' already, if not, you will be shortly as it is now being used directly in terms of the Landscape and Landscaping Industry. These are the key buzz words being bandied about from Government, local and central through to the colleges, quangos and NGO's in the UK. And they relate to the practitioners and designers operating in the landscape industry - us.

The… Continue

Vast numbers of professionals and amateurs have reverted back to traditional and historic methods of landscaping and gardening techniques in the last few years. The resurgence of allotments and an overall fixed perception in the minds of the population as a whole has not been the result of media driven coverage and the media have only attempted to try and satisfy a demand for this new trend and in many cases have done badly in trying to do so.
There have been many attempts to explain the trend a… Continue

There have been previous discussions on the LJN referring to that frequent frustration caused to the landscaping teams when confronted with the classic new garden in a building site or similar. Indeed most properties dating from the 1960s to the present day will have problems caused by the often irrational and certainly poor treatment of the garden soil profile by the building contractors and / or landowners.

Soils are the most vital element of a successful garden and more often than not can be… Continue

Expo Flo is a once every two year show, held at the National Institute for Horticulture, in Angers. It is held over three days and displays the work of the horticultural and landscaping students of the university, who are given only three days to not only produce their exhibit, but make, beg, steal and borrow all materials and plants. I was given a… Continue