Read through our newsletter archive:

Spring/Summer 2010 Newsletter

Ten out of ten!

2010 sees the tenth anniversary of Tom Moore Landscaping! We cannot believe that this is the tenth summer since the business started back in January 2000. It’s fair to say that we don't actually enjoy summer weather every year, moreover we have seen rain, hail and sleet during the "supposed" summer months but we love what we do and we carry on regardless! Happy Birthday us!

Goodbye, good luck and welcome!

It is with some sadness that we have to say good luck and goodbye to Karl Roberts who has been with the team for the last 3 years. As well as his talents in the landscaping field, Karl is an extremely talented chef who has finally been lured out of the garden and into the kitchen. He will definitely find things a little warmer in his new role but we will miss him and want to wish him lots of luck for the future!

We are very pleased however to welcome Daniel Moore to the team. Despite the name there is no family connection but we are sure that Dan will be able to give the support and enthusiasm that Karl provided over the last few years! Welcome on board Daniel!

Welcoming the wildlife

We all want a beautiful and attractive garden and we long for those sunny weekends when we can prune, pick, weed, trim and mow! However, in this new "eco friendly" world that we live in, spare a thought for all the local wildlife out there and just think of the benefits of having a few more visitors in your garden.

Don't despair at the sight of a few daisies and a crop of clover in your lawn, both of these provide nectar and pollen for bees, clover also fixes nitrogen into the soil improving the quality. When updating or arranging your borders, try and include some "flowering shrubs" and some berry producing bushes. The provision of these will help birds and small mammals make it through the winter months.

It is fair to say however that not all wildlife is welcome. It may be surprising to learn that some herbs can actually help protect vegetables from pests. Pots of mint placed near lettuces can help ward off slugs, and the scent of thyme confuses cabbage-root flies and keeps them away from cabbages and cauliflowers!

Pave the way to success (or a much better looking garden!)

There is no better way to frame your garden than with good quality natural paving. Soft sweeping lines create a more fluid look and ensure that the stones blend into the greenery without any abrupt changes to the landscape. One of our recent gardens was created with a wide area of sandstone drawing outwards from the house and linking to the lawned area. A blend of large and smaller stones was used to add interest to the patio and create added texture while allowing a smooth overview. The paving stones were edged with cobbles, which snaked alongside the border with the lawn. The edging sweeps along the garden drawing the eye all the while. A grand result! (Helped along by the fantastic positioning of the garden and the wonderful view!)

Ideas with kids

Half term has just passed and thoughts of the long summer holiday start to creep into our minds. Here are a couple of nice ideas to keep the kids amused (for a little while anyway!)

Grow your initial - you will need an old box, some scissors, pebbles or a skewer and a lawn! Cut out your initial out of the box, make it as large as you like. Lay the letter onto the lawn, hold it in place with pebbles on top or secure with the skewer. Wait a week... then lo and behold, remove the letter to see a flat yellow image of your initial! Take it further and write your whole name!

Despite the horror on your parents' faces, the yellow change won't permanently change the lawn. Once the light has access to the area the grass will turn green again. The leaves and the blades of grass contain chlorophyll, which traps the suns energy, therefore producing food and allowing the plant/ grass/ leaves to grow. With no sunlight the plants stop producing the pigment and the colour turns yellow!

Daisy Daisy

Everyone loves a daisy chain - all you need is a bunch of long stemmed daisies, and a good fingernail! Make a small hole in the stem of your first daisy, somewhere near the end of the stem and insert the second daisy. Continue until you have a chain long enough for your wrist or ankle and secure the last daisy in the same way. Simple but beautiful!

Website by Pocketsite Design, 2006-2010