The Big Interview: Nick Milne of Southern Landscape Contracts

Nick Milne is a co-director of Southern Landscape Contracts Ltd SLC based in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire.

SLC is a young company with big ambitions and already operates extensively around many regions of southern England with depots in Hampshire and Buckinghamshire.

Here Nick talks a bit about SLC and its place within commercial landscape industry.

SLC is an ambitious growing company. What do you believe stands you out from the rest?
We strive in achieving horticultural excellence across the full range of the landscape solutions we offer. We believe our portfolio is unrivalled and extremely diverse.

Typically what class of client do you deliver services for?
Previous client base has included main contractors of London Underground and the MOD, for example. As you can see in our photo below we also work for other commercial clients: here we have just put in a gravel area at a Vauxhall showroom.

We have extensive commercial experience working with clients on large complex sites with difficult logistics and in close proximity to other trades. This includes both public and private sector organisations, at many different locations such as:

Company headquarters, business parks, hotel grounds, MOD sites, industrial estates, gated developments, new development projects and large private dwellings.

Do you carry our all aspects of landscaping or do you engage with other companies?
Clearly there may be a need for specialist help on occasions but generally SLC provide a start-to-finish service in all areas of soft landscaping. We guarantee first rate work.

How many staff does SLC employ?
We have ten people employed in the company with experience and skills in many disciplines but we also have a pool of around fifty contractors we bring in on a need basis.

What is the range of services you supply?
We offer a diverse set of products: Consultancy, design and planning, ground clearance, weed treatments, soil preparations, turf laying and management, tree and shrub planting, borders, remedial landscaping.

In the winter we provide a snow and ice clearing service.

What are you and how do you define what you do?
We are a soft landscaping company but are able to carry out a variety of tasks within the scope of the horticulture industry.

How long have you been doing commercial landscaping?
Personally since 2001: the year I left horticulture college.

What route have you taken to get to your current position (i.e. college; self-taught; mentoring)?
I attended Sparsholt College between 1998 and 2001 gaining a National Diploma in Horticulture.

I also spent a year at Royal Botanic Garden Kew in the Alpine section as a work experience placement with my college. I have since picked up various industry specific qualification including NPTC PA1, PA6aw and PA5 as well as NPTC CS30 and CS31.

What is the most effective form of publicising your business?
Our website (www.slcontracts.net) and word of mouth.

What gives you most pride in your job?
Watching complex projects come together and giving our clients an easy time.

What irks you most about the landscaping and horticulture industry?
People who thinks anyone can weed/plant/mow/etc. There are real skills required to be in this game.

Do TV gardening shows inspire you or they unrealistic?
Both

How is your working week split?
Four days on site, one day in the office and the weekend off.

What is your most productive time of the day?
Around 5am when I’m not bothered by the phone ringing and can get on with my work.

Contemporary or traditional gardens...what's your preference?
Traditional.

Do you listen to music when working?
No

After a busy week, how do you unwind and relax?
With an ice cold beer and perhaps a glass of wine.

What is your motto?
On Budget and on time and exceeding expectations.

What would you like to do more of in the future?
Contract planting.

Can you offer any advice to others setting up a commercial landscaping business?
Be the best you can possibly be.

Finally, what are your ambitions for SLC?
To continue to grow and develop the business.

Southern Landscape Contracts' page on the Landscape Juice Network

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