A major collaboration between Conlon Construction, City Build, Equans UK, Ashlea Ltd, Morgan Sindall Construction, Tilbury Douglas, C&W Berry, The Casey Group, F Parkinson, Russell WBHO, JH Mayor and Sons, and Johnsons Nurseries has transformed unused land at the Lancashire SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examination) Centre, based at Royal Preston Hospital, into a peaceful and private therapeutic garden for patients, visitors, and staff.
Since April, members of the North West Construction Hub have worked together to clear and landscape the site, install seating, erect fencing for privacy, and deliver a bespoke planting scheme.
Ashlea Ltd provided the soft landscaping, supported by £500 worth of plants donated by Johnsons Nurseries, including Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’, Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’, Helleborus niger, Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’, Hydrangea, Clematis, and Euonymus ‘Emerald Gaiety’.
The project, gifted through Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity, would have cost over £10,780 had the work and materials been billed, but was instead delivered entirely as a donation.
Rebecca Arestidou, Trust, Grant, Fundraising Impact & Project Officer at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity, said:
“We are extremely grateful to all members of the North West Construction Hub and their suppliers, who supported them, for taking on the job. They have created what is now a beautiful private garden where those attending and working at the centre can go to find tranquillity, solace and healing through nature. Usually, referrals are made by the police so if ever a place needed an outdoor space like this new garden, which is both calming and uplifting, it’s the SAFE Centre. We know it will be much appreciated by all who use it.”
Neil Sims, Senior Landscape Supervisor at Ashlea Ltd, added:
“It’s been a privilege to work on a project that will have such a positive impact. Our team took great care with the soft landscaping to ensure the planting complements the space and provides year-round interest. It’s rewarding to know the garden will bring comfort and a sense of peace to those who need it most.”
Graham Richardson, Group Managing Director at Johnsons Nurseries, said:
“It’s an honour to be part of such a meaningful project. Partnering with Ashlea Ltd meant we could donate plants that will contribute to a lasting and restorative green space.”
The SAFE Centre provides care to those referred following reports of sexual assault, often through police referrals. The new garden offers a safe, nature-filled space that will support recovery, wellbeing, and resilience for years to come.
Posted 12th Aug 1:48pm
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Autumn is when the garden takes on a new character — rich tones, crisp air, low light, and structure that really starts to matter. While many summer blooms are spent, late performers keep things alive with bold foliage, berries, seedheads, and colour. This is a season that rewards thoughtful planting, combining beauty with biodiversity and long-lasting structure.
Below is our full Grower’s Choice selection for autumn interest — perfect for trade customers looking to offer late-season colour, pollinator value, and garden resilience through to winter.
Few trees rival acers for autumn foliage. Varieties like Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum Atropurpureum’ turn fiery shades of red and orange in October. Compact, architectural, and ideal for containers or borders.
Grower’s Tip: Best in partial shade, sheltered from strong winds. Stunning in small gardens.
Grasses reach their peak in autumn, offering biscuity tones, gentle movement, and delicate flowering plumes. Use in naturalistic planting schemes with:
Combine with Rudbeckia, Echinacea, or Sedum for maximum impact
Graceful, long-flowering and perfect for part-shade. Anemone hupehensis and hybrids bloom from late summer into October, with soft pink or white flowers atop tall, wiry stems. Naturalise beautifully and provide lasting colour where other plants fade.
Long-lasting panicles that blush from white to pink into autumn. Varieties like ‘Limelight’ and ‘Pinky Winky’ offer big, structural flowers that age gracefully.Leave flowerheads for beautiful winter silhouettes.
Late-season pollinator magnets. Their bold, daisy-like flowers bloom from midsummer to first frost and pair well with grasses and sedums. Excellent seedheads for birds and winter structure.
Reliable and pollinator-friendly. Their domed, pink flowerheads turn bronze and persist into winter, adding texture and habitat.Drought tolerant and low maintenance.
Multi-season interest: magenta spring blossom, purple summer leaves, and glowing amber tones in autumn. A small, elegant tree ideal for structure and contrast. Prefers sun or light shade and moist, well-drained soil.
As foliage drops, bright stems take over. Cornus alba, sanguinea and sericea varieties offer red, orange, or yellow winter stems. Prune in spring to maximise stem colour.
An autumn showstopper. P. quinquefolia and P. henryana deliver blazing crimson and orange tones in October. Ideal for walls and fences. Choose P. henryana for more controlled growth and striking leaf veining.
Known for its clusters of vivid violet berries that persist long after the leaves fall. Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ is a unique feature shrub.Pairs well with hydrangeas and grasses.
Cotoneasters are versatile, wildlife-friendly shrubs with glossy green leaves and brilliant red berries that persist into winter. Some also offer colourful autumn foliage.
One of the most striking foliage plants for autumn. Its fern-like leaves turn brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow. The dramatic branching form adds strong winter interest.
Ideal for bold borders or wild planting schemes. Suckering habit – best managed with space to spread.
Encourage your customers to plant now while the soil is warm and workable. These autumn favourites offer more than just colour — they support biodiversity, maintain garden interest, and build long-term planting success.
Posted 6th Aug 2:15pm
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From urban gardens to open parklands, trees shape every landscape. They offer shade, shelter, seasonal interest, and vital environmental benefits — from supporting pollinators to filtering air and locking in carbon.
To help you choose the right trees for your site, our growers have selected tried-and-tested varieties that perform reliably across different landscape uses. All are available as Bare Root (BR) or Root Ball (RB) stock from November to March (weather permitting) and in container pots throughout the year.
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Ideal for: Urban spaces, courtyards, compact planting schemes
A graceful, multi-season small tree with spring blossom, bronze-tinted new growth, and orange-red autumn colour. Wildlife-friendly and manageable in size.
🌸 Flowers: April
☀️ Position: Full sun – partial shade
🌳 Height: 4–6 m
🌱 Soil: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic preferred
An ornamental crab apple with fragrant blossom and attractive orange-red fruits that persist into winter. Supports pollinators and birds.
🌸 Flowers: April–May
☀️ Position: Full sun
🌳 Height: 4–5 m
🌱 Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil
A compact, native tree with attractive lobed foliage and good tolerance of urban conditions. Works well in avenue or feature planting.
🍂 Interest: Autumn foliage
☀️ Position: Full sun – partial shade
🌳 Height: 6–8 m
🌱 Soil: Most soils, including clay and chalk
Striking deep purple foliage and bright pink spring blossom. A colourful addition to small planting spaces.
🌸 Flowers: March–April
☀️ Position: Full sun
🌳 Height: 5–7 m
🌱 Soil: Well-drained, fertile soil
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Ideal for: Biodiversity, rewilding, conservation planting
Attractive clusters of berries in autumn and creamy flowers in spring. A valuable native tree for birds and pollinators alike.
🌸 Flowers: May
☀️ Position: Full sun – partial shade
🌳 Height: 6–10 m
🌱 Soil: Moist, well-drained, tolerates poor soils
Rich in nectar, pollen, and berries — supports a wide range of birds and insects. Perfect for field edges or mixed native schemes.
🌸 Flowers: May
☀️ Position: Full sun – partial shade
🌳 Height: 4–6 m
🌱 Soil: Most soils, including clay and limestone
Graceful, light-canopied tree that supports hundreds of insect species.
🌸 Catkins: April
☀️ Position: Full sun
🌳 Height: 8–12 m
🌱 Soil: Well-drained, sandy or loamy soils
Shrub/small tree with lace-cap flowers and bright red autumn berries for birds.
🌸 Flowers: May–June
☀️ Position: Sun or light shade
🌳 Height: 3–4 m
🌱 Soil: Moist, fertile, humus-rich soils
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Ideal for: Windbreaks, screens, large-scale landscapes
Tough, architectural form with crinkled leaves and tolerance for heavy soils.
🌸 Catkins: April
☀️ Position: Full sun – partial shade
🌳 Height: 10–15 m
🌱 Soil: Moist, well-drained, clay-tolerant
Statuesque tree with fragrant summer flowers loved by pollinators.
🌸 Flowers: June–July
☀️ Position: Full sun
🌳 Height: 15–20 m
🌱 Soil: Fertile, moist but well-drained
A keystone native tree with a massive ecological role and long lifespan.
🌸 Catkins: April–May
☀️ Position: Full sun – light shade
🌳 Height: 20 m+
🌱 Soil: Deep, fertile, well-drained; clay-tolerant
Fast-growing evergreen, aromatic foliage, and ideal for screening.
🌸 Flowers: April (inconspicuous)
☀️ Position: Full sun – partial shade
🌳 Height: 12–15 m
🌱 Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained
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Ideal for: Feature planting, seasonal display, ornamental use
Glowing red, orange, and purple autumn foliage. Maple-like leaves.
🍂 Autumn Colour: October–November
☀️ Position: Full sun
🌳 Height: 10–15 m
🌱 Soil: Moist, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic
Fiery red autumn foliage and strong vertical form. Best in acidic soils.
🍂 Autumn Colour: October
☀️ Position: Full sun
🌳 Height: 10–12 m
🌱 Soil: Moist, slightly acidic, well-drained
Double pink blossom in spring makes this a show-stopper.
🌸 Flowers: April
☀️ Position: Full sun
🌳 Height: 6–8 m
🌱 Soil: Fertile, well-drained
Early flowering with golden blooms and edible red fruit in late summer.
🌸 Flowers: February–March
☀️ Position: Full sun – partial shade
🌳 Height: 5–7 m
🌱 Soil: Fertile, well-drained, chalk-tolerant
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Our Bare Root and Root Ball trees are available for planting from November to March. Stock is limited and weather-dependent, so early reservation is recommended.
📞 Contact our sales team for availability and quotes.
📧 Or request a quote via our website.
Posted 20th Aug 2:22pm
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