Tree pests and diseases are an integral part of a woodland ecosystem. Damaged, dying, dead, and decaying trees provide some of the most biodiverse habitat in this country for a wonderful variety of wildlife, from the exceptionally rare pseudoscorpion Larca lata only found on Oak in Windsor Great Park, to the more common examples Read more »
Stronger together – providers unite to expand environmental services for clients Two of the environmental, landscape, forestry and planning industry’s most experienced service providers are celebrating the merger of Nicholsons and Lockhart Garratt, offering a unified range of environmental, landscape, planning and forestry services – all under one roof. With a combined 65 Read more »
By Libby Reeves Biological controls are tiny creatures that we can use within our gardens to control pests and disease. It is a more recent method, but a highly valued version of pest control that is encouraging farmers, growers and gardeners alike to move away from chemical use. This is important. Chemicals are dangerous, Read more »
An example of the plastic guard used by foresters Plastic tree guards have become an integral part of modern forestry protecting young trees from pests and creating a microclimate around each tree to promote healthy growth in the early stages of life. However, as trees mature and become self-sufficient, shelters Read more »
By Libby Reeves & Maria Laskey Many hours are spent in our gardens caring for our trees and flowers, and sometimes despite all our best efforts, things can go wrong. And oh...can they go wrong! Disease may not always be the first thing we think of when we see a poorly plant, and indeed Read more »
In October, we were delighted to be able to host the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DEFRA the Rt Hon Lord Benyon, and the Chief Plant Health Officer Professor Nicola Spence, as part of Grown in Britain Week. We have seen a lot of activity around the role of woodlands and how we Read more »
This article has been written by Bob Staig, who has been practising arboriculture and open space management since 1979. Bob was involved in practical arboricultural operations and training students from 1979 until 1985 and thereafter has been responsible of the management of a diverse range of environments including street trees, arboretums, parks, nature reserves, cemeteries Read more »
By Maria Laskey Welcome to our first instalment of Pest and Disease control on the Nursery. This month, we have had to contend with pesky pigeons and the evil weevils, but we have also encountered lots of lovable lacewings and their lioness-like larvae. Pesky Pigeons We noticed damage on Read more »
Perhaps one of the most prestigious events in British society, the world-famous Flower Show will be returning in September 2021 following an 18-month hiatus due to the global COVID-19 crisis. Our stand can be found on Main Avenue, the garden designed by Nicholsons working with Savills, the revered luxury real estate provider. The concept Read more »
By Iona Milne Home A sculpture in the garden can add an extra layer of interest in many different ways. It can serve as a focal point, as a destination, or as a visual surprise to be discovered amongst greenery. It can be traditional in style, or contemporary, light or dark, complementary or contrasting. Read more »
By Libby Reeves Our gardens are home to all sorts of plants and animals - some that we put there, and some that have arrived by themselves. They can be both beautiful for us to enjoy and functional for our local wildlife to thrive. Some of the local wildlife Read more »
By Iona Milne Home Benedict Pollard is a supplier of ‘oaklings’ grown from ancient, veteran or characterful oaks, and for the last 2 years, some 250 of his oak saplings have been growing here at Nicholsons nursery. There are two native oak species in the UK - Quercus robur (Common/Pedunculate/’English’ Oak) and Quercus petraea (Sessile Read more »
At Nicholsons we are very fortunate in that we have been able to continue our core business throughout the pandemic but, like everyone, we have also had time to reflect and reconsider our purpose. Our company ambition is clear – to plant trees at scale to mitigate Climate Change and work towards Net Zero, Read more »
By George Griffiths On my first day working at Nicholsons, I asked a member of the Arb team what we were going to be doing. The reply I received was, “Cutting up trees and putting them through a chipper!” This highly skilled and professional team do so much more than just this simple sentence Read more »
By Jack Lawson Whether you are keeping cherished family pets in or the rest of the world out, fences can offer a myriad of choices and conundrums. It is not necessarily easy to decide on which materials to use, how high to go, the purpose of the fence and how much to spend. We Read more »
At Nicholsons, we have been aspiring to reach peat-free production for more than a decade and have been in awe of institutions like the National Trust who have insisted on peat-free supply for many years. Research by DEFRA in 2018/19 showed that across the UK on average, plant nurseries have only reduced peat usage Read more »
By David Kurita-May A garden that has been designed using Feng Shui principles seeks to capture the environment’s natural rhythms and the spiritual equality between man and nature. Eastern culture recognises the oneness of all living things and how energy, or chi, needs to flow smoothly, both through our surroundings and through ourselves. Read more »
Nicholsons are very active in supporting The Trees in The Wild program, based in the Maasai Mara region of Kenya. The programme forms part of the Enonkishu Conservancy, whose vision is one of culturally relevant and community-led conservation. Trees in the Wild is an ecological restoration project aimed at restoring degraded land within the Read more »
