We have supplied 29,000 woodland trees and whips to the 20,000-acre Swinton Estate in Masham, North Yorkshire, to create new woodlands in the north of England.
Over 30 varieties of trees were supplied to the Estate, via The DTMS Group, which has been contracted to deliver the landscaping for the project. The varieties included Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Sorbus aucuparia, Quercus robur, Salix caprea, and Acer campestre.
Trees were specifically selected and sited for water and biodiversity improvements and for their many climate benefits, from providing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide to providing resources and habitats for wildlife.
Funding for this project has come from the White Rose Forest via their Trees for Climate programme, part of the Government’s Nature for Climate Fund. The White Rose Forest is the Community Forest for North and West Yorkshire and works with landowners, businesses and communities across the region to provide support and funding for woodland creation projects that will benefit communities and the environment.
We have vast experience in contract growing for hotel developments on a large scale, having provided both Seaham Hall, in Durham, Grantley Hall in Ripon, Another Place in Ullswater and The Torridon, a 5-star luxury Scottish Highland Hotel, with substantial amounts of plants.
Johnsons Nurseries’ marketing manager, Eleanor Richardson, said: “We were excited to work on this project in collaboration with the Swinton Estate, The DTMS Group, and the White Rose Forest,”
“Johnsons has over 100 years of experience in sourcing and supplying the highest quality plants, finding the best species suited to our clients’ needs.
“The trees that we supplied included a range of native species, from pines to oaks, enhancing the natural beauty of the estate and contributing to improving biodiversity and water quality.”
Will Richardson, Forestry Advisor to the Swinton Estate said: “’The Swinton Estate have a long-term ambition to increase tree cover by 50% over the next 20 years, creating around 350ha of new mixed woodland and wood pasture. This is driven by a desire to improve sustainability and nature conservation across the estate, sequester carbon and to produce sustainable crops of timber in years to come. This has been the first phase of this programme, and we are delighted with the contributions made by the White Rose Forest, DTMS as contractors and Johnsons as tree suppliers in helping us to deliver this. We very much look forward to seeing the new woodland thrive and mature over the years”
DTMS Group’s Managing Director, Dan Lazenby, added: “We at DTMS were excited to be given the challenge of planting such a substantial quantity of trees with a deadline fast approaching.
The team achieved this despite some very challenging conditions and received positive feedback in the process from our client, Swinton Estate. It was a great scheme to be part of and provided us with opportunities to develop all staff members, including our Horticulture apprentice.
We welcome any opportunities to work alongside fellow local businesses, especially when we are enhancing the environment in the process.”
Posted 27th Mar 12:45pm
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Not many species can claim to have outlived the dinosaurs, but trees can. There are some trees shown in the fossil records, Magnolia, Sequoidendron, Ginkgo and some varieties of pine. There are living examples which can be aged to 2000-3000 years old. So next time you think about how old this tree will get, be careful of the variety you choose.
Magnolia is a large genus with up to 210 species. They can be evergreen or deciduous. They have flowers that range from white to dark pink and occasionally yellow. The flowers appear on bare stems as star and bowl shapes and attract beetles for their pollination. This is because the magnolia evolved long before the bees did. Magnolias will grow in heavy, clay soils; they are tolerant of atmospheric pollution, but they should be sheltered from cold winds and frosts.
The Sequoiadendron giganteum can live over 3000 years. It is a coniferous tree found in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and there are fewer than 80000 remaining trees. The largest of these trees measures to 85m tall with a trunk 8m diameter, which is big enough to drive a car through. There are approximately 11,000 cones on a large tree, which produce between 300 and 400 thousand seeds annually. In the UK, the tree is commonly known as Wellingonia, whereas everywhere else, it is known as Giant Red Wood. The largest known example in the UK can be found in the New Forest and stands at 52.73m tall. There are currently 500,000 trees in the UK, whereas in California, there are only 80,000 trees remaining. The Sequoiadendron is important for the storage of carbon; a 45m tall tree can store up to 15 tonnes of carbon. The most giant trees in California can store a callosal 250 tonnes of carbon.
Without a doubt, the grandest of our ancient trees is the Ginkgo biloba, commonly known as the Maiden Hair tree. The common name derives from the fan shape of the leaf, which radiates veins through it. The leaves, which can be 12cm wide, are green through summer, turning a magnificent golden yellow in autumn. Despite being a conifer, the Ginkgo is deciduous; it is also dioecious, meaning the trees are either male or female. It will grow in well-drained soil and generally achieves 12m in the first 20-50 years. Eventually, it will reach 25m tall, though there are some who can get to 50m and live over 2000 years old. Evidence of their existence can be found going back 290 million years ago, as shown in fossil records.
The most outstanding Ginkgo we know about are the ones which survived the Hiroshima atomic bomb dropped near them on 6th August 1945. There are six specimens which are within a mile of the bomb site, seeds from which have been distributed around the globe to encourage world peace. Some of these seeds are grown in the UK at Glasgow Botanic Gardens.
Posted 22nd Mar 3:11pm
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We are pleased to have completed a significant project in collaboration with Edinburgh-based P1 Contractors to landscape a new pedestrian and cyclist footbridge across the M8 as part of a £250 million regeneration north of Glasgow.
The contract, worth £190,000, saw Johnsons provide over 30,000 plants, trees and shrubs for the 58-metre-long footbridge, which will form an active travel route between the area of Sighthill and the city centre.
The landscaping work marks the completion of a 30-month build to install the bridge and represents another milestone in the delivery of the £250 million Sighthill Regeneration.
It is the biggest project of its kind in the UK outside of London and will offer affordable housing within walking distance of Strathclyde University, Queen Street Station and Glasgow’s most popular shopping locations, encouraging active travel and providing the commercial infrastructure to support and attract businesses to Glasgow and the surrounding areas.
The state-of-the-art footbridge will not only serve as a vital transportation link but also as a sustainable green space, contributing to the overall aesthetic appeal of the project.
Working closely with P1 Contractors, we have provided a diverse variety of trees, shrubs, and ornamental grasses.
Species included Alnus Glutinosa, Pinus Sylvestris, Hebe ‘Caledonia’, Rosmarinus Officinalis ‘Miss Jessop’s Upright’, Stipa Tenuissima and Carex Morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ to complement the architectural design of the footbridge and add natural charm and greenery to the surrounding environment.
Johnsons Nurseries Ltd marketing manager, Eleanor Richardson said: “We are known for our expertise in supplying top-grade plants and trees to major construction and landscaping projects, and are proud to be part of this groundbreaking initiative.
“Our extensive range of trees and plants, carefully selected for their beauty, durability, and sustainability, will not only enhance the visual appeal of the footbridge but also contribute to creating a welcoming and environmentally friendly urban space for the residents and visitors of Glasgow.”
Richard McMonagle from P1 Contractors, one of Scotland’s leading providers for the development and implementation of soft landscaping works, added: “Johnsons Nurseries has truly proven themselves as an invaluable partner on this high-profile project. Their commitment to supplying top-quality plants under tight time constraints has been instrumental in ensuring P1 Contractors delivered this project on time and to the required standard for our valued client”.
To learn more about the M8 Footbridge project, visit www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/26211/M8-Pedestrian-Bridge-Development-Footage
Posted 15th Mar 9:13am
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