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  1. Plants that are guaranteed to encourage birds into your garden

    Plants that are guaranteed to encourage birds into your garden

    Its national bird feeding month so we have come up with some plants that are guaranteed to encourage birds into your garden!

    1) Holly (Ilex) is definitely a bird’s favourite. Its dense prickly leaves offer windproof shelter along with berries for a Christmas feast. Blackbirds and thrushes are usually the first to strip a holly bush of its berries. Available as root balls in the winter and container plants in a multitude of sizes throughout the year.

    2) Mature Ivy (Hedera) offers masses of autumn berries. Song thrushes and Wood pigeons are usually the first to enjoy these.

    3) Pyracantha (Firethorn) are an attractive heavily berried prickly plant providing not only protection from predators but is a tasty food source too, a favourite with finches, sparrows, starlings and song thrushes.

    4) Hawthorn (Quickthorn) berries are a favourite for Chaffinches, Starlings, Blackbirds and Greenfinches. The leaves are the food plant for Caterpillars of many species of moth, providing food for baby birds in spring. We have a great selection of bare root hedging available from 40-60cm tall up to 175-200cm tall.

    5) Cotoneaster branches are always full of small red berries from autumn onwards and provide great shelter for a nesting site. They are popular with thrushes, Blackbirds and Waxwings.

    6) It’s great to leave seed heads on over winter as they provide an additional food source for birds – particularly Greenfinches and Goldfinches.

    Posted 1st Feb 11:34am
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  2. Jobs to do in the garden this February

    Jobs to do in the garden this February

    Jobs to do in the garden this February

    1) Cut back ornamental grasses.

    2) Divide and replant Snowdrops as the flowers go over.

    3) Clean out existing bird nesting boxes and put up new ones.

    4) Take hardwood cuttings of forsythia, deutzia, honeysuckle, jasmine, Virginia creeper, holly,privet, cotoneaster, poplar, willow, gooseberries, etc

    5) Pot up or transplant last year’s hardwood cuttings.

    6) Consider planting shrubs or trees to provide winter colour in those dull conrners.

    7) Repair broken fences, trellices,steps, and walls.

    8) Repair any uneven areas of the lawn when the ground is firm.

    9) Push single seed potatoes into half-filled plastic pots, adding compost as they grow.

    10) Invest in a soil thermometer, when the soil temp. exceeds 5°C start sowings of hardy crops such as carrots, lettuce and radish direct into the ground.

    11) Ensure that borders have been forked over in preparation for summer growth or new planting. Apply a general fertilizer around the beds at 2-3oz per sq. yd, also apply to new areas.

    12) If weather warms up, take the opportunity to prepare compost and boxes for sowing half hardy annuals by the end of the month. You should have a heat source available for cold nights.

    13) Plant roses as soil conditions permit, prune stems of new roses down to an outward facing bud 3-5” above the crown. Cut the stem cleanly just above the bud. Plant graft union just below soil level. Apply bone meal at 2oz. per sq. yd. and prick into surface. Firm soil around roots.

    14) Prune climbing roses this month, keep 5 to 7 strong shoots and prune back all side shoots to within 3 buds of the base. Tie in all shoots securely. Prune Rambler roses in the autumn.

    15) Prune shrub roses late February to encourage growth from the base. Remove some old shoots but don’t reduce height too much as they tend to flower on older wood.

    16) Cut back Clematis Jackmanii and C. Viticella groups to about 12”. Pyracantha should be pruned to within 2 buds of the main frame except for extensions, if not done last autumn.

    17) Complete formative pruning of trees by the month end. It may be necessary to limit growth to one leader to avoid a fork in the main stem, or removal of the leader if a bush form is required.

    18) Do not apply heavy applications of fertilizer to naturalized bulbs as this will only encourage the surrounding grass.

    Posted 1st Feb 11:27am
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  3. Create a ‘fragrant garden’ with these plants

    Create a ‘fragrant garden’ with these plants

    Create a ‘fragrant garden’ with these plants

    Ever wanted to create a ‘fragrant garden’ but not sure what to plant? Check out our guide below.

    1) Lavender has been used for thousands of years for its scent in the garden including its use for essentials oils. It has also been used for many years, dried out and put in small sachets to freshen linen, closets and drawers. Lavenders will flower from July through to September giving you months of fresh fragrance to enjoy.

    2) Trachelospermum jasminoides are a climbing plant famous for their smell which is often recognised in many perfumes. They prefer full sun and flower from June – August. Its dark green leaves turn to bronze come autumn.

    3) Sarcococca humilis offers some winter scent, it flowers between December & February. They are renowned for their vanilla like aroma and will grow well in shade.

    4) Looking for a scented cloud on your walk through the garden? Daphne aureomarginata is another fantastic fragrant plant that flowers from January until April. It is known for its pale pink flowers and thrives best in a sunny sheltered position.

    5) Lonicera Graham Thomas flowers from June through to August and creates a colourful feature up a trellis or garden wall in sun or in partial shade. Its creamy white flowers are highly scented.

    6) Rosa de L’hay is known for its masses of heavily perfumed flowers that are a rich purple in colour, it would look great at the back of a shrub border and will flower from July to September.

    Posted 12th Feb 11:11am
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  4. Six cottage garden favourites

    Six cottage garden favourites

    Six cottage garden favourites

    Ever wanted to create a cottage garden? Here’s our top 6 plants to create that cottage garden feel.

    1) Digitalis offer height with their long tubular bells in bright colours that offer a fantastic feast to bees. Digitalis flower from June – July.

    2) Lupins will also add height to the back of a cottage garden bed but do stake to stop them from falling over. Lupins will flower from June – September In bright purples, pinks and various other colours.

    3) No cottage garden would be complete without roses, climbing roses would look fantastic against a trellis, pergola or the walls of your house. Some of the old fashioned rose varieties are sure to add lots of fragrance to your garden between June – August.

    4) Lavender would look great either side of a pathway up to your cottage door, adding fragrance and colour from early – midsummer.

    5) Choose a Geranium like ‘Johnsons blue’ that are low growing and will creep around other plants, spill on to pathways and often repeat flower.

    6) Hydrangeas are a great addition to a large cottage garden with their large clusters of white, pink or blue flowers in August – September that do best in full sun or partial shade.

    Posted 20th Feb 11:08am
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  5. Johnsons supply Haggerston Castle via Brambledown Landscapes Ltd

    Johnsons supply Haggerston Castle via Brambledown Landscapes Ltd

    We have completed a three year long project supplying plants to a Northumberland Holiday Park, supplying plants to two landscaping and construction companies as part of a major long-term project at Haggerston Castle.

    The first phase of stock included native trees, hedging, ornamental and specimen shrubs which was supplied to Brambledown Landscapes Ltd in Durham, who undertook the initial landscaping, between Autumn 2013 and Spring 2015.

    The 200-acre nursery then supplied various phases of stock to P1 Solutions from Edinburgh who undertook the second phase of landscaping between February 2016 and Spring 2017.

    This included mature specimen trees, instant hedging, a large range of ornamental shrubs, grasses, heathers, and native structure planting.

    Haggerston Castle Holiday Park is a caravan park which stands out from the crowd due to having a castle in the grounds. It is set around several lakes and is surrounded by beautiful scenery, as well as being close to beaches and castles.

    Andrew Richardson, Joint Managing Director at Johnsons of Whixley, said: “We have a proven track record of supplying an excellent quality of products and services to businesses in the leisure industry and it was a pleasure to be a part of such a fantastic development at Haggerston Castle.

    “Our current systems at Johnsons of Whixley contain over 45,000 stock variants which ensures that we can offer a solution for every scheme and budget.”

    Andy Aitken, Operations Director at P1 Solutions, said: “P1 Solutions can confirm that Johnsons of Whixley have provided top quality plants and service on the two phases of work we have carried out at Haggerston Castle in 2016 and 2017.”

    Posted 4th Feb 11:54am
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  6. Johnsons supply ‘Best Large Park in Britain’

    Johnsons supply ‘Best Large Park in Britain’

    Johnsons supply ‘Best Large Park in Britain’

    We’re proud to have supplied our stock to a holiday resort which has been awarded as the ‘Best Large Park in Britain 2017’.

    We supplied 346 trees and 15,000 hedge, shrub and herbaceous plants to Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat in the Lake District, which has been named as the Best Large Park in Britain 2017 at the Hoseasons Best in Britain awards.

    The prestigious awards recognise holiday parks and resorts from across the UK for their dedication to tourism and providing exceptional experiences.

    Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat, which opened in December 2016, is set within a secluded area of the Lake District, surrounded by breath-taking mountains and lakes, making it ideal for people wanting a relaxing break.

    Our amenity sales manager, Andrew Barker, said: “We’re thrilled that Keswick Reach Lodge Retreat has been awarded Best Large Park in Britain.

    “At Johnsons of Whixley, we supply plants to landscape schemes throughout the UK. The Keswick Reach holiday lodges are set in such a beautiful location and it was a delight to supply our stock to such an idyllic setting. Our current systems contain over 45,000 stock variants ensuring that we offer a solution for every scheme and budget.

    “Huge congratulations to everyone involved at the Retreat, what a fantastic first year for the team!”

    Posted 8th Feb 11:53am
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  7. Johnsons help restore Harrogate’s grade II listed Valley Gardens

    Johnsons help restore Harrogate’s grade II listed Valley Gardens

    Johnsons help restore Harrogate’s grade II listed Valley Gardens

    We have supplied more than £3,000 worth of plants as part of the ongoing Heritage lottery funded restoration of Harrogate’s grade II listed Valley Gardens.

    The horticultural nursery, which is based equidistant between York and Harrogate, has supplied products including evergreen azaleas, ferns, camellias and rhododendrons for work on the restoration of the 1930’s Japanese Garden.

    In addition to the planting the garden’s stream has been drained and desilted, additional footpaths and entrance archways have been created and three new bridges have been constructed, as part of the area’s transformation.

    The order has been fulfilled by the Johnsons Xpress arm of the business, which operates alongside thriving commercial and garden centre sales divisions.

    Johnsons of Whixley Plant Centre manager Robert Richardson, said: “Following a series of recent projects in North Yorkshire, we’re proud to once again have played a small role in helping transform a local green space.

    “We were very pleased to be given the opportunity to contribute to the restoration of the gardens, particularly considering the sympathetic and considered approach to both design and planting being taken by the friends of Valley Gardens, Harrogate Borough Council and the Japanese garden society.

    “We now look forward to seeing the rest of the redevelopment unfold, and the garden mature in the months ahead.”

    Johnsons Xpress is the trade only cash and carry arm of Johnsons of Whixley, one of the longest established and largest commercial nurseries in Europe.
    Xpress’s customers include landscape gardeners, garden designers, tree surgeons, estates, caravan parks and universities.

    Posted 8th Feb 11:50am
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  8. Johnsons supply plants to Manchester Airport link road

    Johnsons supply plants to Manchester Airport link road

    Johnsons supply plants to Manchester Airport link road

    We have supplied a range of trees, plants and grasses as part of the construction of a new £15m link road at Manchester Airport.

    The products were supplied to the new Enterprise Way at Airport City North throughout the month of November, in partnership with landscapers Blue Wigwam.

    The range supplied includes large single and multi-stem trees, ground cover flowering plants and low maintenance grasses.

    The construction of the new link road, which is a part of Airport City North at Manchester Airport, marks a major milestone that will help underpin future development, including the creation of offices, advanced manufacturing units and new hotel beds, creating a total of 11,400 new jobs.

    Enterprise Way will connect new development plots to the rest of the landmark site and the wider transport network.

    Our senior amenity sales manager, Tony Coles, said: “The development at Airport City North is truly exciting, and it’s been a privilege to provide products to Enterprise Way section of the wider project.

    “Working with our partners at Blue Wigwam, we have delivered to an exacting specification and deadline.”

    Blue Wigwam director, Richard Hughes, said: “I have worked with Johnsons for the last 17 years, and in the last year they have given me support and a quality of service and product that I can’t get from other tree nurseries.

    “I believe that my loyalties lie with Johnsons of Whixley, and for a good reason – they look after me and my company.”

    Posted 15th Feb 11:39am
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  9. Johnsons supply Glasgow Fort Shopping Centre

    Johnsons supply Glasgow Fort Shopping Centre

    Johnsons supply Glasgow Fort Shopping Centre

    We have completed the supply of a range of more than 20 varieties of shrubs and herbaceous plants to a landscape upgrade scheme at the Glasgow Fort Shopping Centre.

    Following a competitive tender process, we secured the five-figure contract to supply more than 7,500 plants in partnership with commercial landscapers Grace Landscapes, based in Mirfield, West Yorkshire.

    Our work on the 5.6 ha site helped to earn Grace Landscapes an award in the Soft Landscaping (£300k to £1.5m) category at the recent BALI Awards.

    As part of an ambitious upgrade scheme, we worked alongside other partners, including property developer British Land and Landscape Architect McGregor Smith and main contractor McLoughlin Harvey to create a new identity for the facility.

    The landscape strategy was combined with a public art initiative to create a setting that reflects the character of the local area, including the surrounding Scottish woodlands, while encouraging visitors to spend time in the external, green spaces.

    Our senior amenity sales manager, Tony Coles, said: “We were delighted to land this contract in April of last year, and have since relished the opportunity to provide our usual high level of service and product quality to help upgrade the Glasgow Fort facility.

    “It’s great to see the work commended by BALI, and we look forward to maintaining and further strengthening our relationship with Grace Landscapes, and our other partners in the commercial sector, during the next 12 months.”

    Grace Landscapes North East regional manager, Darren Hardman, said: “The landscaping on this high-profile development has been well received by both the Centre Management Team and the public.

    “It brings a different experience to the development, combining soft play for the younger members of the family, and a place to relax for parents.

    “Grace Landscapes and Johnsons of Whixley liaised very closely on the scheme, from procurement of the plant material to specific timed deliveries, and Johnsons were always on hand to provide appropriate and helpful advice.”

    Macgregor Smith director, Rupert Grierson, said: “Macgregor Smith has been working on Glasgow Fort for a number of years, and highlighted at an early stage in the project the requirement for high quality plant material as part of delivering the client’s vision.

    “We are pleased to see that the quality of the plant material and installation has come together well and look forward to seeing new spring growth in 2018.”

    Posted 15th Feb 11:32am
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  10. Johnsons help Restore Terry’s Factory to its former glory

    Johnsons help Restore Terry’s Factory to its former glory

    Johnsons help Restore Terry’s Factory to its former glory

    We have supplied a range of trees and shrubs totalling £20,000 to a recently-completed residential development on an iconic site in York.

    The work is part of the conversion of the Grade 11 listed Terry’s Factory. The art deco building, which will be known as The Residence, first opened in 1926 and was the home of famous brands including Terry’s Chocolate Orange and All Gold Chocolates.

    The factory closed in 2005 and it fell into serious disrepair in the years that followed, which resulted in the building being officially declared ‘at-risk’ by English Heritage.

    The building has since been purchased by Henry Boot Developments, who have converted it into 170 apartments across five floors.

    We have supplied 40 mature trees and 2,000 shrubs as part of the wider development, equating to the majority of the plants on site.

    Our amenity sales manager, Andrew Barker, said: “The new development at The Terry’s Factory looks fantastic, and it’s been a pleasure to work alongside developers Henry Boot and David Wilson, alongside Bob Gascoyne Landscape Seeding, on the project.

    “We have an excellent track record in the house building and residential development sector, and take particular pride in the quality of our products, the level of service and our ability to meet tight deadlines.”

    The luxury apartments and penthouses at The Terry’s Factory will range in price from £194,950 to £649,950, and the building will feature a landscaped boulevard, boutique-style lobby and concierge desk. The total cost of the development is £38m.

    Posted 16th Feb 11:28am
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  11. Welcome to the Johnsons team Laura Holmes

    Welcome to the Johnsons team Laura Holmes

    Welcome to the team Johnsons Laura Holmes

    Congratulations to Laura Holmes who has joined the sales team as a Sales Administrator from her previous HR admin role at the City of York Council, here’s what she had to say about her new job.

    1) Where did you work prior to Johnsons?
    City of York Council

    2) What was your previous role at the City of York Council?
    HR Administrator – Recruitment

    3) What does your role include at Johnsons?
    My role at Johnsons is a Sales Administrator. This includes putting orders on, completing and returning quotes, dealing with customer inquiries, telephone calls, logging complaints and much more.

    4) How have you found your last few weeks at Johnsons?
    I have found the last few weeks at Johnsons very interesting. I am learning a lot of new things and dealing with many different people. It has also been busy which is good for me, because it gives me lots of practice.

    5) What are you looking forward to in your new role?
    I am looking forward to learning new skills and picking up challenges I will of not of faced in my old role.

    6) What do you think the challenges will be?
    A challenge I have already come across is learning all the different plant names and varieties also identifying what they look like. I think this will take some time as there are so many to learn!
    Senior Amenity Sales Manager Tony Coles said “It is great to welcome Laura into the Amenity sales Team, Laura will help provide vital administrative support for the section, her support will help the Area Managers focus on bringing in new business for the company whilst retaining excellent relationships with our existing clients.”

    Posted 8th Feb 1:06pm
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