This morning the ITV website was erroneously [since updated] reporting that the lifting of the hosepipe ban for landscapers and gardeners was in place for four weeks only.

Dear Richard

I wonder if we can issue a statement to clarify the 28 day exemption for landscape and gardening businesses?

Reading through various media sites (this ITV one is a classic example http://www.itv.com/news/london/2012-05-21/hosepipe-ban-relaxed-for-gardening-firms/) it states that the lifting of the ban is temporary [or that's how they are reading the 28 day rule].

We understand it that a 28 day period of exemption starts from the installation of turf and/or plants and that a new 28 day exemption period starts as and when a new project is completed.

Could you please send me clarification of this so that I may update my members?

Your advice is especially welcome during this current period of warm/hot weather.

Richard Aylard responded very swiftly. In the interests of transparency I have published his response below, in full.

Dear Phil

I agree that some of the coverage has been unhelpful in terms of getting the facts across.

Please feel free to make it clear that the purpose of the exemption is to allow gardening businesses to continue operating throughout the remainder of the temporary use ban.

The industry has explained that the key is to have a 28 day period at the end of every job during which newly planted turf, plants and trees can be watered. We have accepted this, subject to following the Codes of Practice that we have agreed between us.

So, for the sake of clarity, this is not a temporary exemption (though of course it would be open to us to withdraw the exemption if that became necessary).

The 28 day period during which a hosepipe may be used following planting applies to every job undertaken by gardening businesses. To put it another way, each job has its own 28 day period.

I am copying this to Nick Ellins at Water UK, Tim Briercliffe at HTA and Tim Mudge at TGA.

Simon - please ask ITV to correct their website.

Regards

Richard

The environmentalist John Vidal wrote yesterday (22nd May 2012) in his piece - The Chelsea flower show is nature for the 1% - that RHS Chelsea epitomises a surreal version of nature so cherished and exalted by London's wealthy "garden enthusiasts", writes Nicky Patterson.

"But gawd bless the Chelsea flower show in these straitened times. This glorious jubilee year we can still buy a conservatory for a knock-down £700,000, a sundial for £60,000, a gate for £10,000 and a gothic folly complete with real gold stars for just £60,000. This may be the best place in the world to buy a beehive (without bees) for £10,000 or a sculpture covered in 23.5 carat gold. In the parallel universe of London SW3, bird boxes cost more per square foot than just about any house north of Watford."

For a while now I have found the coverage of the show bluntly unappealing. The contrived displays and conceited presentation are a world away from the practical remit of our average garden designer, landscaper and gardener - those who provide service to the 99% perhaps.

Of course I understand the artisan nature of the wares on sale and indeed some of the fantastical show gardens, and it would be churlish to say that I don't admire and draw inspiration from some of the show gardens - but perhaps John Vidal is right when he suggests that:

What [Chelsea] promotes is a cynical, corporate view of the natural world where gardens and money inevitably blossom together, and human wealth grows naturally.

The seemingly elitist nature of Chelsea projects an elitist apparition of the RHS, and indeed the industries represented from within the show, that simply does not represent the 99% of intelligent, creative, knowledgeable, hard-working businesses and individuals that constitute the remainder of the landscaping and gardening industries.

The crazier part of this issue is that, despite the long and cold shadow of austerity and recession, many of the plethora of smaller regional shows that take place around these islands attempt to recreate the lavish aspiration of Chelsea in both form and presentation - most cases, no doubt, to an audience of more modestly harboured means.

If we are, as has been recognised so frequently in the past, a group of peoples intently keen on gardening and spending time out doors, does the folly and false aspiration of the Chelsea Flower Show (in its present format) really serve us (as industry practitioners) in any meaningful way, and does it serve the paying public to see what can be achieved in false scenarios, forced sponsor-themed environments, with prosthetic-ally produced planting schemes, and with exorbitant amounts of cash?

A new art installation at Aberfoyle's David Marshall Lodge in the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park is helping to reinvigorate the forest and board walks at the visitor centre.

Part of Forestry Commission Scotland’s ongoing re-development programme to refresh and improve the visitor experience at the centre, the six eerily beautiful male and female figures – Vestige – were created by artist, Rob Mullholland

The piece represents the faint traces of the people and communities that once occupied and lived in this space.

Rob said:

“Before the First World War, this area was open hillside that was worked by crofters. With the desperate need for timber during and after the war, the crofters were moved to other land so that the hills could be planted with fast growing conifer trees.

“I have always been intrigued about the human desire to leave a trace of one’s-self for future generations and although there are traces of the crofters' presence – like the faint outlines of some of the crofts within the forest – I wanted to create a visual form that would represent the people themselves.

“The reflective figures ask us to look again and consider the symbiotic relationship we have with our natural and man-made environment. They might also ask us to reconsider what sort of trace we want to leave for future generations.”

The robust galvanised steel and mirror polished stainless steel figures, which blend well and are in harmony with the natural surroundings, will remain in good condition for several decades.

The purpose of the figures is to explore the idea of relationships - with other people, with the landscape and with the past - absorbing their environment, reflecting on their surface the daily changes of life in the forest. One minute the figures are there – a solid part of our world – but the next minute they seem to fade into the forest and become nothing more than an intangible outline.

Susan Nash, who is managing the overall project for the Commission, said:

“We wanted to add something artistic to the site but something that wasn’t at all intrusive on the peace and serenity of the location.

“Rob’s ethereal and otherworldly creation is a beautiful and thought-provoking addition to the site that I am sure will intrigue and delight everyone who visits the centre and tries the board walk.”

Group revenue weighed in at over £1.6 billion but losses after tax were a staggering £1.18 billion.

What's probably most worrying for the heavily indebted Yell group is the decline in visitors to its digital directories. Massive competition from Facebook, Google, Twitter and other social media means it's not essential for the consumer to use Yell when there are so many services available.

Operational headlines

• Total digital revenue increased by 7%, rising from 24% to 29% of revenue
• Total digital customers grew by 4% to 941,000
• Annual digital revenue per advertiser fell by 5% to £496
• Live customer websites increased by 39% to 322,000
• Digital directories visitors declined 17% to 46m in March, but increased 10% on
• December
• Mobile directories visitors were 4m in March
• Print advertisers reduced by 14% to 1,030,000
• Print revenue per advertiser decreased by 7% to £980

Yell said:

Digital services revenues of £134.4m were up 111.7% on the prior year albeit with growth slowing from 164.9% in Q1 to 75.0% in Q4. This revenue, which comes primarily from providing online search and websites, provides a solid foundation on which to sell increasingly sophisticated digital solutions to Yell’s core customer SME base.

The opportunity to expand the market through a wider choice of offers and address a larger base of customers is central to Yell’s new strategy. The revenue from the new product trials did not significantly contribute to revenue in the year.

In its outlook statement, Yell warned:

[However] as a consequence of increasingly difficult trading conditions and a greater proportion of future income expected to come from as yet unproven new strategies, there is a higher risk in the current year than in the previous year that the Group would not be able to meet its financial covenants with its lenders.

Read Yell's full results and financial report here

Related: Yell goes into the red as directories decline faster than digital grows

Age Concern called me to say that they were concerned about a gentleman who had been a council groundsman till ill health forced early retirement aged 60, they felt he needed some support.

I visited Dennis in his tiny rented flat, it took him some time to open the door due to the mountain of unopened post that lay behind it. Dennis told me that since retiring he had struggled to live off of his small works pension and so had started up in self employment but after three years he could go on no longer and had simply lived off of his savings.

It was clear immediately that there was much work that could be done but that most of the information that I needed was in that pile of unopened post and so we chatted and as he relaxed a bit I asked if I could throw away his junk mail,this he allowed me to do. Over two subsequent visits we opened white envelopes and then we opened brown envelopes and finally all became clear:

• Dennis was in arrears with his rent and being threatened with eviction
• No self assessment had been completed and he was being pursued by HMRC for £5,000
• He had a bank loan that was costing most of his pension to pay
• There was a debt to British Gas which had resulted in a prepayment meter being installed
• There were various utility debts and many, many insurances.

Our immediate actions were

• Contact the Housing Association to halt eviction proceedings whilst housing benefit claim was made
• Employed an accountant to urgently complete 3 years accounts
• Contacted HMRC to explain situation and put hold on account.
• Negotiated token payments on the bank loan.
• Applied to British Gas energy trust for a grant for the arrears
• Contacted the utility providers to put holds on any action whilst we worked with the client.
• Applied for Disability Living allowance.

The outcomes of this case were

• The Housing Benefit claim was backdated and after arrears were paid he was £500 in credit.
• 3 Years accounts showed nothing to pay and all HMRC charges were dropped, the accountant waived his fee.
• Overpaid National Insurance Contributions were reimbursed.
• A payment protection insurance was discovered that paid off the bank loan.
• British Gas wrote off the debt and moved the meter to somewhere more accessible.
• Disability Living Allowance was awarded
• Two savings accounts which he had no recollection of held enough money to pay off all the utilty debt.
• Claims on ill health insurance resulted in two payments for time spent in hospital

Thank you for reading this, I appreciate that it is long. I write it not to brag but to try to give a better understanding of what we do, no case is the same, all clients are individuals but I hope this gives a sense of what we are about. If you know someone who may need our help please do not hesitate to contact us.

www.perennial.org.uk

lchurchill@perennial.org.uk

01275 817924

First published on the Landscape Juice Network: http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/groundsman-in-crisis

I think it's the first time that we've seen this much depth of feeling leading so many to unify and work so hard in petitioning for the water companies to change policy. We must now work to get a hosepipe exemption enshrined in law for the future.

The Horticulture Trades Association were delighted when drip irrigation was allowed but, as Landscape Juice pointed out, and the HTA were later to concede, drip irrigation was of little use and little comfort.

Mark Gregory said: "using drip-irrigation systems were not practical options for the turf industry in most cases."

Landscape Juice Network members led a campaign to change minds and as a result mobilised others who latterly upped their game.

Landscape Juice has always maintained that only a total exemption for the watering of both turf and plants would be of use to landscapers and gardeners and we asked our readers and members to help overturn the ban.

Well done to those who have worked so hard behind the scenes but let's not stop there, there's more to be done.

Driving towards Malvern on the first day of the 2012 Spring Show, the low dark clouds obscured the lovely hills and the natural beauty of the area.

Despite the weather, I was excited to come to this wonderful county and walk around the first RHS garden show of the year, which takes place in the Three Counties Showground nestling in the valley below the Malvern Hills. Being a purpose made showground makes this event easier to navigate around and more substance.

In some senses it mirrors a show like Tatton or Hampton Court but on other levels it is a strange mixture of agricultural buildings housing local crafts and food from the farmers market.

There are all the usual trade stands selling anything from wellies to turtle mats! The obligatory plastic boxes on wheels were being pulled around filled to the brim with plants and odd purchases-­‐
some needed a health warning for fear of taking someone’s eyes out with a giant metal stake!

There was also all the usual burger vans and food courts but somehow in this wonderful setting and with a very gentle feel to the show, it didn’t seem to matter.

A short briefing from Bob Sweet RHS Shows Development Manager in the Press Office, highlighted this years Medal winners and notably the high calibre of gardens created by many local schools. In fact the level of school garden was so high that next year they will need to separate the age ranges for medal qualifications into primary and secondary schools.

There were only being 8 show gardens. Graduate Gardens won the only Gold Medal as they seem to do every year! There was also one Silver Gilt , three Silver, two Bronze with one garden not getting any award. From the 14 amazing school gardens, the best School Garden Award went to Burlish Park Primary School in Stourport-­‐on-­‐Seven. Despite the ‘drought’ we have had the wettest Spring and all the show gardens have had to battle heavy downpours to create their displays.

The floral Marquee which covers 7,000 square metres was filled with over 100 wonderful displays which are also judged by the RHS, fantastic specialist stands with only heucheras or hostas as well as herbs and lavender most grown on the nurseries own premises.

A new concept for the Show is the Plants and People Theatre which has a central living landscape and features talks with Q&A sessions from some of the UK’s top gardening experts, including Carol Klein, Joe Swift and Jecka McVicar.

Another new addition is the painting with Plants Gallery with displays features planting representing a favorite piece of artwork, photograph or landscape. The winning designs will receive £1,000 for their nominated horticultural charity.

The Eco Art and Garden Marquee featured demonstrations and exhibits with a gardening theme. The Botanical Art Exhibition was back at the show with some beautiful drawings and paintings.

Landscaping Live is always a popular draw as people see a garden being built in front of them and are able to pick up tips and get advice. The allotment Theatre had talks on all aspects of allotment gardening and there were Educational School activities with a range of workshops in the Discovery Zone.

Chris Beardshaw who was discovered at Malvern showcased the Urban Oasis garden for Groundwork sponsored by marks and Spencer. This garden highlights the food growing in the city and how to get more people involved in gardening in inner cities with communities to improve neighbourhoods.

The Spring Show is also a wonderful place to find real handmade crafts made by top local craftworks. The Wye Hall houses Specialist plant nurseries and local food producers as well as wood turning, hazel hurdles, pottery and iron work amongst other crafts from the Three Counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestshire.

There is so much to see and do that a few hours is never enough and I always leave the show wishing I had more time and a bigger boot to carry all the plants I can’t resist from specialist nurseries.

The wall, which is covered in moss and lichen, currently forms part of a paddock on the Lanrick Estate near Doune. However for a brief spell it will be part of the ‘Legacy’ show garden being built by Jayne Whitehead of Ivy Maud Design on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support at Gardening Scotland 2012.

A group of volunteers will dismantle the wall, which sits in a remote part of the estate, and expert stone dyker Jason Hoffman will rebuild it the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh where it will sit amidst trees and water beside a path that will lead to the shelter of a yurt.

Jayne Whitehead says: “The idea behind the garden is that leaving even a small legacy to Macmillan Cancer Support can make a lasting contribution to its work and this beautiful wall, which is still performing its function so long after it was first built, symbolises that message.”

However getting hold of just the right stretch of stone dyke did lead to a surreal moment for Jayne.

‘I had to phone up the Dickson family who own Lanrick and ask ‘Can I borrow your wall please?’”

Macmillan’s director in Scotland, Elspeth Atkinson, said: “People are normally very generous when it comes to Macmillan but I think this is the first time anyone has donated a wall to us.

“We’re very grateful to the Dickson family for their help in creating this legacy garden and hope it helps raise awareness of just how important legacies are to Macmillan, no matter the size of the gift.”

Gardening Scotland 2012 will take place from Friday, 1 June until Sunday, 3 June at The Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh and as well as show gardens it will feature The New Hopetoun Gardens Floral Hall, the Zero Waste Scotland Cookery Theatre, the Dobbies Garden Centre Pallet Gardens, organised by the Scottish Gardeners’ Forum, and more than 400 exhibitors selling everything for the garden.

Created as part of the Chris Beardshaw Mentoring Scholarship by 2011 CBMS Scholar, Caroline Butler, energy and vitality inspired by woodland regeneration is the focus of The Bradstone Panache Garden which features a number of experimental design elements including a unique living wall.

In a creative display of how hard landscaping can be used to create areas for nature and life as well as functional garden spaces, an ascending curved living wall which encircles the garden has been created through an unconventional use of Panache edging in a variety of contemporary shades to suggest the staggered tree trunks of a wood.

Chocolate shades of Panache paving have been used to create the feel of an earthy woodland track glistening in the sunlight through the garden.

Chris Beardshaw said; “This scholarship has been all about providing new designers, such as Caroline, with a confidence boost and together with both the financial and educational support its aim is to give a springboard effect to the scholar’s career.

"One of the challenges we set Caroline with this show garden theme was to combine soft and hard landscaping in an innovative fashion and to look at using existing Bradstone product in new ways.”

Mike Leeming, Director of Sales for Bradstone, adds; “The RHS Chelsea Flower Show sets the standard in horticulture and design so is the perfect place for us to showcase our products and innovative approach to design.

“The unconventional use of Bradstone’s Panache range pushes the boundaries of the role of hard landscaping within garden design. Containing up to 83 per cent recycled material and selected from Bradstone’s solely sustainable ‘Life’ range of products, the theme of regeneration is also continued.”

Mick Carter Landscapes, an approved Bradstone Assured installer is supporting Caroline on the installation of all the hard landscaping elements of the Chelsea garden. Both the sculpture and trees from the garden are to be donated to the London Wildlife Trust’s Centre for Wildlife Gardening in Southwark after the show as part of an ongoing relationship between Bradstone and The Wildlife Trust.

Follow the Bradstone Panache garden on Facebook.

These statistics include data on production, imports and exports of roundwood (logs) and wood products for the UK for the calendar years 2007 to 2011.

The key points from the latest release are:

Removals (harvesting) of UK roundwood in 2011 comprised:

• 9.9 million green tonnes of softwood; a 7 per cent increase from 2010; and
• 0.5 million green tonnes of hardwood; a 1 per cent increase from 2010.

UK roundwood deliveries to industries and others in 2010 were:

• total: 10.3 million tonnes of roundwood (softwood and hardwood); a 3 per cent increase from 2010. Of this:
• deliveries to sawmills totalled 5.9 million green tonnes; a 4 per cent increase from 2010;
• deliveries to wood-based panel manufacturers totalled 1.4 million green tonnes; a 3 per cent increase from 2010;
• deliveries to integrated pulp and paper mills totalled 0.5 million green tonnes; a 6 per cent increase from 2010; and

• other uses, including round fencing, woodfuel, shavings and exports of roundwood, took 2.5 million green tonnes; unchanged from 2010.

UK production of wood products in 2011 included:

• 3.3 million cubic metres of sawnwood (a 6 per cent increase from 2010);
• 3.4 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (unchanged); and
• 4.3 million tonnes of paper and paperboard (a 1 per cent increase from 2010).

Imports included:

• 4.9 million cubic metres of sawnwood;
• 2.8 million cubic metres of wood-based panels; and
• 7.5 million tonnes of pulp and paper.
• The total value of wood product imports was £6.8 billion, of which £4.7 billion was pulp and paper.

Exports

• The total value of wood product exports was £1.9 billion, of which £1.7 billion was pulp and paper.

The annual HSBC Gardens Survey found that Brits will spend an average of £83 on garden improvements, including landscaping, this year - a 10% increase since 2011.

• Brits increase spend on landscaping, boosting property value
• As a nation the UK will spend £3.9bn on gardens in 2012
• Spend on garden accessories such as BBQs and water features down to just £27

The figure increases to £148 in both North West and South West England, compared to just £20 in the London, where many householders can only dream of a large garden.

While spend on landscaping has increased, the nation's garden budget as a whole is being reduced. The average spend in 2012 on general maintenance is £37 (down 47%) and greenery including plants and flowers just £39 (down 47%).

But it is spend on garden items such as barbecues and water features which has seen the most dramatic cut in the past year - down 67% at £27.

How much spent on garden this year?

Peter Dockar, Head of Mortgages at HSBC, said: 'The UK has traditionally had a love affair with gardens, but with households facing financial pressures, people have to make difficult decisions about where to spend their cash.

'The survey reveals that spend on non-essential items has gone down in favour of general improvements, including landscape projects. Improving the general outlook of the garden can not only boost quality of life but also help to increase property value.'

While the UK average spend on the garden now stands at £185, down from £296 in 2011, four regions in England buck the trend with higher garden budgets - the East Midlands (£253), North West (£240), South West (£239) and South East (£238) all spend more. The regions with the lowest spend are Yorks and Humber (£112) and London (£124). The total UK spend on gardens for 2012 will be £3.9bn*.

How much spent on garden in 2012?

The survey also revealed that while relaxing (72%) is the most popular garden activity, over a third (38%) of households now use their garden to grow fruit or veg.

Unsurprisingly, London residents are least likely to regard having a garden as 'very important'. Residents in the East Midlands and Wales are most likely to regard a garden as being a very important factor in their property choice.

See the rest of the data here.

Tanya Batkin had never designed a show garden before, so when an opportunity came along to design a show garden for the Malvern Spring Show she jumped at the chance.

Despite the weather and the challenges of sourcing plants and getting everything together at the right time Tanya pulled it off and won the people's choice award to boot raising £1,000 for the Thrive and Perennial charities.

Tanya even received praise from two celebrity gardeners.

I spoke to Tanya about her achievement.

Listen to Tanya talk about her Malvern experience (14mins)

Image: Tanya Batkin and Chris Beardshaw standing beside the Painting with Plants themed garden.

Apologies for the sound vibration.

Sales were hit hard by poor weather and a flat commercial market.

In this morning's statement release Marshalls report a 3% decrease in revenue compared with the same period last year.

Citing poor weather, Marshalls said: "After a satisfactory first quarter, sales did not show their usual post Easter uplift. Working conditions in April were disappointing, hampering sales and obscuring underlying market trends. The rainfall in April of 138 mm* (2011: 14 mm; 2010: 27 mm) has been an important factor in the reduction in sales of £5 million (equivalent to 3 days' installations) in the month compared with last year."

Marshalls' revenue for the four months ended 30 April 2012 of £106 million compared to £109 million for the same period last year.

Sales to the public sector and commercial end market, which represent approximately 64 per cent of Marshalls' revenue, were flat. Sales to the domestic end market were particularly hit by the bad weather and were lower by 8 per cent compared with the prior year.

However, the survey of domestic installers at the end of April 2012 revealed a higher backlog of demand with order books of 7.5 weeks (2011: 7.1 weeks) up from 6.3 weeks at the end of February 2012 (2011: 7.2 weeks). Consumer confidence at the end of April 2012 was consistent with April 2011, said the statement.

In its outlook Marshalls says it remains cautious.

"Those questioned reported with actual sales lost of between 25% and 40%, compared to the same time period last year. The outlook is bleak, with some companies estimating a fall of up to 60% of sales within the affected regions."

But there is at least one company who've not been troubled.

I recently spoke to Angela Lambert at Q Lawns about the ban and what 2012 holds for them as the water restrictions take effect.

Phil Voice (PV) - How many acres/hectares of turf does Q Lawns currently have under production?

Angela Lambert (AL) - We have around 1200 acres of turf in the ground, at various stages of maturity, some recently drilled, some ready to harvest and some in between.

PV - What areas of the UK do you deliver turf to?
AL - England and Wales

PV - Do you have irrigation to all of your turf fields?
AL - We’ve got the facility to irrigate any of our fields and we have a reservoir on site, but we’re very water conscious and only irrigate when absolutely necessary.

PV - Has the (threat of a) hosepipe ban had any impact thus far on turf orders?
AL - Surprisingly enough, no. At least not as far as we can tell….sales are buoyant and we’ve not had anyone cancel an order because of the hosepipe ban.

PV - How does the start of 2012 compare with previous years in terms of turf sales and orders?
AL - Very favourably, sales for the first quarter have increased compared to last year. I suspect that’s mainly due to buyers looking for the best deals and changing their turf suppliers rather than a general increase in the demand for turf.

PV - How do you feel the hosepipe ban will affect sales of turf through this year?
AL - It might delay sales for a couple of months but the demand is there…folks will just put off re-laying their lawns until the weather changes. When I first started working at Q Lawns, our busiest months of the year were September and October which is when turf was traditionally laid. If our climate does change, I would imagine we’ll see gardening revert to the old ways….working with the weather.

strong>PV - Is Q Lawns well placed to cope with a summer long hosepipe ban?
AL - In all honestly it won’t cause too many problems, there may be a bit of a blip in the cashflow, but we’ll still be supplying to areas not affected by the hosepipe ban and we can change the way manage the turf in the ground so as to save costs. Q Lawns will be OK but there may be a knock on effect on employment (we’ll need to cut back on casual labour), on our haulier, and on our customers who won’t have as much work either.

PV - Have you noticed an increase in concern from the landscape and garden trade?
AL - Yes of course. Some of our landscape customers are quite worried, the bulk of their work is in turfing and planting. There are concerns for jobs and of course there will be a knock-on effect on the local economy.

strong>PV - What advice are you giving to your trade and/or consumer buyers?
AL - Talk to their water companies before placing an order. Keep watching the water company web sites for updates, especially www.hosepipeban.org.uk and follow trade associations and Q Lawns on Facebook and Twitter @ladylawn

PV - Will a hosepipe ban this year make a difference on your plans for how much turf you grow next season?
AL - We’ve got no plans to make changes.

PV - What other products do you grow that may be adversely impacted by the hosepipe ban?
AL - I don’t believe any of our products will be adversely affected in the long term, in fact I’m thinking this dry spell might be positive for Enviromat as folks start thinking about growing more drought-tolerant plants for the future

PV - If you could give advice to the water companies regarding the use of hosepipes by professional landscapers and gardeners, what would it be?
AL - You are part of the Environment Agency, so think Environment. We are already seeing natural planting being side-lined in favour of convenience, front gardens being paved over for parking, land disappearing beneath housing, roads and retail parks. My biggest fear is that allowing hosepipes to be used for commercial car washing but not landscaping or green roofing is creating a culture that values shiny metal machines over plants and wildlife. Surely, from an environmental point of view, that’s a bad thing. It’s also difficult to reverse. In my opinion, where water is in short supply, priority should be given to drinking water, hospitals, growing food and preserving wildlife habitats.

From May 14, Tammy Woodhouse, who runs garden centres in Gravesend and Crowborough, will climb the highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland in aid of Demelza Hospice Care for Children.

The 38-year-old, who lives in Tunbridge Wells, said: “I am very excited about taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge. The peaks I will be climbing in three days are Snowdon in Wales, Scafell Pike in England and Ben Nevis in Scotland.

“I thought this would be a fantastic challenge and a great way to raise money for Demelza Hospice Care for Children, which is The Millbrook Garden Company Limited’s chosen charity for 2012.

“Demelza Hospice Care for Children cares for life-limited children and their families, offering respite breaks, end of life care and bereavement support at its hospices in Kent and South East London. It also offers a hospice at home service for children in East Sussex and parts of South West Kent.

“One of its main aims is to make the most of every moment that the child or young person spends at Demelza. I hope to raise more than £500 for the charity by taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge.”

The Millbrook Garden Company Limited is a family-run garden centre and garden design and landscaping company.

If you would like to sponsor Tammy for taking part in the Three Peaks Challenge, you can donate via www.justgiving.com/Tammy-Woodhouse.