Build September 2016

Build Magazine 76 DESCRIBE THE BUSINESS? My business specialises in the installation and initial development stages of green landscapes over a concrete deck. In the UK, most concrete decks cover subterranean carparks for large communal developments. OW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? I have been in business 20 years. I have specialised in this sector for eight years. WHERE IS THE BUSINESS? About 90 per cent of the business is in north and central London. WHAT IS YOUR SPECIFIC INTEREST IN THIS SECTOR? I have always been incredibly interested in plants. WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH PLANTS? Over the past fifteen years, I have developed a private nursery in Suffolk where I experiment with different growing methods. I am particularly interested in root development and its relationship with leaf and branch development. Drought tolerance and cold hardiness are also interests. I have been working at an estate in northern Italy for the past 12 years and have experimented with cold hardiness there. I have also spent time in Norway and Russia. I have experimented with many small trees and most shrubs and bulbs in circulation. HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS SECTOR? Incredibly important to the future landscape of cities. It is a precise construction method placing soil over concrete. It is in its infancy but will develop greatly over the next few decades. WHY IT IMPORTANT? Green landscapes are incredibly important for our well-being. Whether to look down upon or interact with. Green landscapes are essential for insects and the wildlife they support. HOW CAN THIS SECTOR IMPROVE? In the UK, landscape design hasn’t really adapted to this new environment. Design is still formal and traditional in the plant selection. Birch trees, boxwood and yew will struggle on a concrete deck with an average maintenance budget. Small Magnolias, Japanese maples, Rhododendron, Azalea and Camelia will thrive. This is due to the nature of their root systems. HOW CAN THE PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONCRETE DECK BE IMPROVED? A minor gradient should be created when the concrete is set. Drainage through attrition doesn’t work. Over winter soils become wet and compact. A gradient will improve drainage. Fixings through the concrete deck such as drains need to be sealed adequately. 95 per cent of leaks are through fixings. Photographic evidence of the construction process will also aid problem solving in the future. WHAT WILL HELP THIS SECTOR DEVELOP? Landscape architects need to communicate with managing agents and landscape companies to understand how these landscapes can be improved. Landscape architects need to connect with the horticulture industry for plant availability or contract growing of plants. Builders need to become more interested in landscape sustainability. Development is profit driven and sometimes poor decisions are made for very small gains in profit. There are a growing number of developers with a keen interest in the finish to their projects. These individuals will drive change. WHY IS THERE SUCH POTENTIAL WITH THIS SECTOR? Landscapes over concrete decks are, ideally, perfect environments for plant health. Cities are micro climates protected from the damaging effects of cold winter winds. Such landscaping will enable continental cities where there are cold winters and hot summers to diversify their landscape by introducing new plants. WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT? I am working on a project called Hamilton Drive in St. Johns Wood, London. We are building the back gardens of ten town houses. The lawns have been laid over 40 centimetres of sandy soil. As the lawns are in the light shade of the houses during winter, we have over sown our lawns with a variety of shade tolerant Kentucky Blue Grass. We have built the irrigation tank into the front of a tree planter which also houses the electrics for the lights. The lawns are cut by a Husqvarna Robotic lawnmower. The gardens are simple yet beautiful adding another visual dimension to the kitchen space. I believe that only 5 per cent of us are true gardeners and the other 95 per cent of just want to look upon a beautiful easily maintained garden. And owing to the mild climate of central London and the sandy soil built up over the concrete deck, enthusiastic home owners would be able to establish unique gardens of tender plants such as Fuschias, Pelargoniums and Begonia. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO IN THE FUTURE? I would like to assist the industry on which plants can be used based on site and situation and availability. I would like to extend that assistance to the industry in other European cities. I think they should look to the UK horticultural industry for innovation in their designs. 21st-Century Urban Landscaping H Sustainability & Eco Tree planters over a concrete deck Mixed border Finchley Road ‘Mixed border over a concrete deck