On the 23rd and 24th September, Palmstead Nursery will bring together key figures in the Landscaping industry at their FREE to attend Soft Landscaping Workshops to discuss the subject of climate change and how the gardening industry as a whole can innovate.
‘There’s a whole army of scientists working on the subject of climate change, so surely as an industry we should be thinking about it’, says Fergus Garrett, Head Gardener from Great Dixter and speaker on the 23rd September, the first day of the event. The effervescent disciple of Christopher Lloyd and collaborator at Great Dixter adds; ‘We should be pulling people together and asking is there anything we can do as an industry’’
The two-day event at Ashford International Hotel in Kent, aims to provide landscape professionals with the opportunity to meet with their peers to discuss the pressing and relevant issue of climate change and economic change.
Fergus Garrett is excited about the opportunity to discuss the future and says;; “It’s the beginning of a new era, and inevitably things will change. We as gardeners and horticulturalists collectively are a large group and are responsible for a large area of land under our care and cultivation. We have a lot of head scratching to do, more discussions need to take place followed by action.”
Nick Coslett, Marketing Manager at Palmstead Nursery’s and organiser of the event says; ‘The industry faces challenging times and over the last year we have all been adapting to economic change but the issues of climate change, fashion and sustainability are also present. We wanted to address the issues of public space planting, which can lack excitement and sadly resources for upkeep.‘
The 2nd day of the event, 24th September, ‘Public Space Day’, will feature a talk by John Tweddle, the man behind Westminster Council’s successful and sustainable public spaces which have seen the Council top the London League for the 2nd year running with 18 Green Flags.
Tweddle, Head of Parks has made sustainability and recycling priorities; ‘With ever increasing land fill charges it makes commercial sense to recycle all green waste, we can no longer use the excuse we do not have room, it’s all down to a specification – if we can do it in Westminster with some of the smallest gardens in the UK then everyone can. At Westminster we have been able to "raise the bar”; we consider it our responsibility to try new ideas. If Westminster do not do it who will’’
Nick Coslett, at Palmstead said: ‘We wanted our soft landscape workshops to discuss these topics. Now in our second year it is becoming the event of the season with excellent registrations of delegates to date.’ To book a FREE place at the event visit www.palmstead.co.uk
NICK COSLETT, Marketing & Sales Manager, Palmstead
Tel: +44 (0)1233 811304
Email: nick@palmstead.co.uk