School Gardens Update

Do you want to develop your school gardens as a resource for students, staff and maybe the local community?

Lime Orchard is a garden design and construction company based in Nottinghamshire, who have become experts in helping schools to navigate through the system, to gain funding for designing and building great gardens and outdoor classrooms to enhance pupil learning.
We have worked with pre school, primary and secondary schools and have designed and built 100% funded, great gardens for them, see below for details of some of our school projects around the country

We are also running a schools garden design competition to win up to £2000 worth of garden design fees for your school, read on to find out how your pupils can enter .

"We have your plans up for parents to see what we have as our aspiration as money allows and they have been very enthusiastic in helping the children plant the trees. We were able to use the plan to help secure funding... "

From Richard Bonington School, Notts 

Celebrate The London 2012 Games and win a Garden Design worth £2000

Children are invited to submit their own design for a garden themed around the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games . Children can let their imagination run wild (pun intended!) or take inspiration from their own experiences of the 2012 Games!

The winning entry announced after the closing date of Tuesday 6 November will a receive professional garden design advice from the award-winning Lime Orchard team up to the value of £2000 for their nominated school, youth group or community project. Two runners-up will each received £100 in Gift Vouchers to spend on garden tools, plants or equipment. A presentation event will be announced in early 2013 with Irish Olympic Show Jumper - Billy Twomey presenting the awards.

Twomey commented

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the Olympic Games in your own back yard! I’m really delighted to support Lime Orchard in getting local children involved!”

The competition is open to children that attend full-time school and can submit there design in their choice of medium up to a maximum size of A3 (for print) or PDF of no more than 10Mb file size (for electronic submission)
 

Download the Entry Form click here >

Are your Pupils Enjoying the Benefits of an Outdoor Classroom?

The award winning Lime Orchard garden design team would like to share with head teachers and school governors the undisputed educational, environmental and social benefits associated with having a wonderful school garden. As a business we've an established track record in the creation of inspirational, RoSPA approved, outdoor classrooms. But as you will be aware, alfresco learning is not just about the aesthetic appeal of an outside space .

An Example of our School Garden Projects

Primary School Notts	Awaiting image
Cost to Design	£700
Cost to Build	£12,000
Funding Received	100%
This project replaced existing hard-surface play area with bespoke creative water-play and sound play areas with a focus on natural materials Using natural stone to create shallow pools and waterfall for the children to play in, also encourages insect life in to the garden. A den, created from a dome of living willow makes a beautiful hide-out for games and shaded reading area for story time. Sculptures hanging with pots and pans and beaters are there to encourage children to explore sound.

Pre-School Rutland
Cost to Design	£1,100
Cost to Build	£29,000
Funding Received	£10,000.00
The design sets out to increase play, creativity and interaction within the space. Being a very flat ext. site the aim is to introduce exploration, stimulation and journey within the area. This is achieved by introducing height, mass, division, texture and bold visual elements. Curved screens with circular, step through openings create tantalising views through to new areas of play activity. A grass knoll brings much needed greenery into the space and the rest of the area divides into water play, a trike track, sand play, sound play & sensory planting.

Primary School North London
Cost to Design	£1,100.00
Cost to Build	£17,000.00
Funding Received	£10,000.00
The brief for this school was to create a sensory garden that utilised a variety of tactile materials. The centre-piece of which was a wild-life pond with controlled access points and protruding deck to allow investigation of the pond’s eco-system in a safe manner.

Secondary School West Midlands
Cost to Design	£2500.00
Cost to Build	£100,000.00
Funding Received	100% Funding by Diocese and fund raising events
The school had extensive areas featureless of Macadam surface that required renovation. Moving away from traditional ‘black top’, a light surface brightened the area. This became the basis to create a Continental café inspired socialising environment for teenage pupils. Timber uprights create a feeling of seclusion without removing line of sight and were used to deter footfall amongst robust planting.

How Can Your School Access This?

At Lime Orchard, we have a wealth of experience of working with schools (pre-schools, primary and secondary schools) to deliver exceptional outdoor learning spaces. Our award winning garden design team was involved in the creation of the 2008 RHS Chelsea Flower Show show garden "The Marshalls garden that kids really want", which was awarded an RHS Silver medal.

We are able to combine a deep understanding of the far-reaching educational benefits of a school garden with an appreciation of the aspirations of the children for whom the garden is being created. We can work with you to create a bespoke outstanding outdoor learning resource. Our service provides a complete solution, from initial design concept right through to a quality installation delivered by experienced local landscapers.

 

Refresh your garden with our Autumn Offers

Looking for inspirational ideas to transform your garden? Then Lime Orchard - an exciting local garden design and build service - is on hand to help you achieve your dream outdoor living zone. We specialise in the creation of refreshingly stylish, beautifully crafted garden spaces! As well as high quality Landscape Construction our services include:

Consultation Service - £150.00

Meet with an experienced designer in your home to formulate a brief and identify the specific needs in relation to your garden. We’ll discuss ideas and advise on how to deal with some of the issues that can impact on realising a plan. For some simple projects, this consultation may be enough for you to get started on building a garden yourself.

Full Design Service – from £395.00

The next step is to create a fully detailed, scaled, coloured master plan. Our designers work with you to ensure every detail is considered and included.  Every garden is different, so, we provide you with a bespoke proposal and costing specific to your project. Our starting price is indicative of a garden (or part of garden) that is up to 200m² and free from significant complications.

Planting Plans – from £150.00

You may already have a hard landscaping scheme or could be looking to liven up a small corner. If so we can provide prices to develop a professional planting plan for an existing garden

 

AUTUMN OFFERS
FREE  GARDEN DESIGN CONSULTATION

Book a free, no obligation visit from a Lime Orchard Professional to discuss your garden project and provide a detailed, competitive cost proposal – normal price £150.00

WIN 10 FREE SHRUBS

Simply arrange a consultation visit from Lime Orchard before the Closing Date and you will be entered in to a prize draw* to win 10 high quality shrubs to plant out this Autumn. Our experts will select the shrubs appropriate for the winner’s garden conditions.

*No Purchase Necessary. Terms & Conditions Apply, available on request

Offer ends 31 OCTOBER 2012

Call us quoting offer FREE VISIT today

www.limeorchard.co.uk

0845 539 1467 

Taking the Credit

Lime Orchard is now able to offer its customers the extra flexibility of being able to pay by credit card.

Currently quite an unusual step for a landscape construction business, accepting payment by credit card is something being requested by more consumers, who are used to paying for other major home improvements by card or via finance.

Commenting on the move, Managing Director Judy Behl explained:

“An increasing number of customers have asked for the facility to pay by credit card. Whilst we predict that only a tiny number will wish to finance an entire landscaping project with their card, which can run to £10,000’s, we are aware that consumers prefer the extra assurance they feel card payments offer them on major purchases, and some have indicated that they wish to maximise the rewards card providers offer them or use the card for short-term borrowing whilst they access funds from savings or investments ”.

During an initial period a fee will be payable on all transactions made by credit card to Lime Orchard. Behl added “As we cannot yet demonstrate demand for the service, our banking provider will levy a 3.5% charge on each transaction, which is comparable for the sector. We feel it is most transparent to pass this directly to customers wanting to use the card payment service. However, once usage patterns are established, we can renegotiate fees and reduce or remove fees in the future.”

For more information simply contact us!



Call us on 0845 539 1467 or visit www.limeorchard.co.uk

Rain Doesn't stop play

"Don’t let this year’s wet summer put you off al fresco entertaining" , says Pattie Barron, writing for The Telegraph

"Our summers are predicted to get warmer and wetter, so how do you create a more flexible outdoor space that you can enjoy whatever the weather, without resorting to bubble wrapping the balcony – yes, I know someone who has done just that – or covering over the entire garden? Plants don’t mind getting wet but people do, so consider making your patio or terrace weatherproof – or creating a designated space in the garden for dining and entertaining. "

" If you’re more likely to have friends around in the early evening, choose a spot where you can enjoy the late-day rays, but allow for an adequate platform so that guests don’t pull back their dining chairs and fall into a flower bed. Raised beds to define the space are a good wheeze because they surround the area with plants, making it feel enclosed. They can double as seating, too, making extra perch places if you’re throwing a party.

Flooring that doesn't get slippery or disintegrate through excesses of rain is essential. Wet slate looks as lovely as raindrops on roses, but is treacherous underfoot. Ridged softwood decking is supposed to be slip-proof, but in wet conditions becomes banana-skin lethal. "

Read the full article here >

Lime Orchard has an active Social Network, bringing you the best garden lifestyle and design inspiration from the UK and beyond!

Connect with us now!

 

Your Refreshing new Garden with Lime Orchard!

Inspirational design can enhance as well as extend your outdoor living space. Translate your dream garden into a design reality with Lime Orchard's Garden Design Service

It's simple to access our design skills to enhance your garden. We provide an initial consultation with a member of our team, free of charge, to discuss your garden project.

From there it's a simple process to achieve the garden of your dreams!

Whatever your dream garden; formal or relaxed, contemporary or traditional

Whatever the budget for your garden; from refreshing your borders to a high-end, bespoke transformation and everything in between

The Lime Orchard team has the skill and experience to transform your dream into reality

And as if you need an extra incentive to refresh your garden, you will receive £100 off your garden design quotation (valued at £500 or more)   and £300 off your garden construction project (projects valued at £2000 or more) if you pay a deposit before 1st September 2012. Terms and Conditions apply, available on request. Simply write offer code LOFB12 on your order acceptance to claim

Why not speak to a member of the Lime Orchard design team to get a fresh new perspective on how to get the very best out of your outside room? Visit www.limeorchard.co.uk or call 0845 539 1467

"We have invested in a lot of time and money in our home - and by far the best investment has been in our pond!" From Clients Mr & Mrs P - Nottinghamshire

Win Chelsea 2013 Tickets!

Lucky prize draw winners, Steve and Alexandra had a fabulous day at the 2012 Chelsea Flower show, courtesy of Lime Orchard!

Steve commented “we enjoyed ourselves immensely (apart from the heat and the huge crowds). The exhibits gave us a few ideas but at the moment I am sticking to sunbathing as it is too hot to swing a spade”

Get ready for Chelsea 2013 - enter our prize draw to win tickets for next year's show at our web site! http://www.limeorchard.co.uk/chelsea_flower_show.html

Send Her Victorious!

Everyone at Lime Orchard would like to wish Her Majesty our very best wishes over this Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday Weekend.

The Queen is of course well known for her garden parties at Buckingham Palace but is you are planning a slightly lower-key celebration in your own garden this weekend then leading garden centre chain Dobbies has some sound advice to make sure you keep safe:

1. Do not place the barbecue where anything will be dangling above it, such as low-hanging tree branches. And be sure it is far enough away from any structure to avoid smoke stains or discolouring. Never try to move your barbecue while it is alight.

2. Make sure your barbecue is on solid ground so that it doesn’t roll or tip.

3. Even if your barbecue uses natural gas and has a permanent location, survey the surrounding area before you light up, especially the first time in the spring. Greenery can grow surprisingly fast and leaves and twigs might have accumulated where they shouldn’t be, so clean up all debris first.

4. If you have no choice but to place your barbecue on a wooden deck, be sure it is free from debris such as dry leaves, twigs, etc.

5. Clean-up is crucial. Don’t let grease build up on your barbecue as it catches fire easily and can be difficult to extinguish. If that does happen, quickly close the lid.

Read more: http://www.dobbies.co.uk/blog/barbecue-safety-guide

Landscapers get hose ban exemption

Nottinghamshire-based national Garden Design and Landscaping specialists, Lime Orchard is delighted with the announcement  from the water companies that landscaping and turf businesses are exempt from the hosepipe ban as of 21 May 2012.

The relaxation to  the hosepipe ban by seven water companies in the south and east of England allows gardening businesses and their customers to use hosepipes to preserve newly laid turf and plants, for up to 28 days from planting.

Hose pipe allowed for preservation of new plants & turf

This decision comes after the record rainfall experienced in April and continuing rain in May has reduced the severity of the ongoing water shortage in the South and East of England although groundwater levels still remain low and the hosepipe bans remain in place. Lime Orchard is required to provide its customers will a letter confirming the date of planting as part of the exemption conditions.

Judy Behl, Managing Director of Lime Orchard  said: “We are pleased  that the restrictions on the landscaping industry have been reviewed following he recent rainfall. Lime Orchard was facing serious challenges as a result of the restrictions with a number of high-value turfing and planting projects having to be deferred. These can now be re-scheduled following this announcement. Lime Orchard is sympathetic to the need for water efficiency and will follow industry best practise as well as promoting 'leaky pipe' watering systems to our clients.”

Various trade bodies, including the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), Royal Horticultural Society and the Society of Garden Designers have agreed codes of practise with the water companies to ensure that the minimum amount of water is used sparingly. This includes a code for landscapers and codes on turf and planting care that Lime Orchard will make available to it’s customers.

The Hose Pipe Ban remains in effect despite the wet weather following concerns of a dry Autumn and Winter ahead.

The 10-point  Code of Conduct Published by the Society of Garden Designers states:

1.   Check to ensure that there are no leaks in your hosepipes or fittings

2.   Use trigger lances or guns to ensure water efficiency

3.  Plant trees and shrubs in well-rotted, water-retaining compost and cover with a heavy layer of mulch (up to 4 inches) to retain moisture

4.  Deliver water directly to the base of plants through tree-root watering pipes or trickle irrigation equipment where possible to install

5.    Encourage clients to install water-efficient drip irrigation systems where appropriate

6.   Wherever possible, encourage clients to use timer devices to water early in the 
morning or late in the evening when evaporation is minimal

7.   Only use hosepipes with double check valves

8.  Advise customers not to worry about lawns turning brown. This shows the grass has stopped growing, but most lawns will recover completely when the rain returns

9.   Encourage clients to install water butts to collect rainwater off greenhouse, shed, garage and house roofs

10. Encourage clients to adopt grey water recycling systems and to use water retaining products where appropriate 

To find out more about Lime Orchard's specialist planting services visit http://www.limeorchard.co.uk/planting-design.html

Olympics 2012 Competition

Nottinghamshire School Children can celebrate the 2012 London Olympics and raise money for charity with local garden design & build company Lime Orchard and Olympic show-jumper Billy Twomey

Lime Orchard is pleased to announce a competition for school-aged children in Nottinghamshire to enter a competition to design a garden to celebrate the 2012 Olympics.

Lime Orchard is an award-winning national garden design company based in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Children in the Nottinghamshire area can submit their own design for an Olympic themed garden by the closing date of Tuesday 6 November 2012. Children can let their imagination run wild (pun intended!) or take inspiration from their own experiences of the 2012 Games!

Launch Event with Olympic Competitor

Lime Orchard will be launching the competition at the Nottinghamshire County show on 12-13 May 2012 with an Olympics themed garden and will be supported by Nottinghamshire- based Olympic medal-contender and top Irish equestrian competitor Billy Twomey.

Twomey commented
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the Olympic Games in your own back yard! I’m really delighted to support Lime Orchard in getting local children involved!”
Billy Twomey will be present on the show garden on 12 May for a photo call. Find our more about Billy Twomey >
Children visiting Nottinghamshire County Show will be able draw inspiration from the show garden and may be to get some hints from Lime Orchard’s own (Royal Horticultural Society) medal-winning garden designer, Ian Dexter. Ian will be judging the competition entries so will be on the lookout for originality and creativity from the children

 

Prizes

The winning entry announced after the closing date will receive professional garden design advice from the award-winning Lime Orchard team up to the value of £2000 for their home or nominated school, youth group or community project. Two runners-up will each received £100 in Gift Vouchers to spend on garden tools, plants or equipment. A award event will be announced in early 2013 with Billy Twomey presenting the prizes.

Charitable Donations

Each entry is subject to a £2 fee – 100%* of which will go direct to the Green Fingers charity –http://www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk - an organisation that raises funds to provide superb gardens for Children’s Hospices around the UK.

*100% of entry fees paid by cash or cheque, other payment methods may be subject to charges outside of Lime Orchard’s control

Entry Details

The competition is open to children that attend full-time school in the Nottinghamshire area and can submit there design in their choice of medium up to a maximum size of A3 (for print) or PDF of no more than 10Mb file size (for electronic submission).

Visit www.limeorchard.co.uk/olympics2012 for more information

Chelsea 2012 Ticket Winners

And the winners are...

 

The lucky winners of a pair of tickets to RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2012 are:

 

Alexandra R. from London

and

Steve M. from Halloughton, Nottinghamshire

The winners have been notifed by email and we look forward to seeing them there!
If you are not one of the lucky winners then please visit our website for details of how you can bring a little Chelsea Flower Show magic to your own back garden, courtesy of Lime Orchard.

PLUS Get ready for Chelsea 2013 - enter our prize draw to win tickets for next year's show at our web site! http://www.limeorchard.co.uk/chelsea_flower_show.html

 

When the curtain closes at the end of May, RHS Chelsea Flower Show recycles 98% of the material used in the show gardens. So while the blooms may remain dazzlingly colourful, the main event is most definitely green!

The organizers of this year’s prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show are promising that 2012 is destined to be one of the best RHS Shows in history. 2012 marks the 99th anniversary of the world famous event which is now widely recognized as one of the most celebrated annual shows in the world and the undisputed showcase for horticultural excellence, with visitors flocking from across the globe both to visit and exhibit!

Over the years the show has gone from strength to strength starting with around 244 exhibitors in 1913 to today’s overwhelming 600, including gardens, nurseries, floristry, educational displays and trade stands. RHS Chelsea Flower Show now regularly attracts 157,000 visitors every year.

2012 will see the unveiling of 14 show gardens, which attract international media attention. This year there is a strong theme of enjoying the natural world, with show gardens reflecting the native flora of the Mediterranean, the enjoyment of caravan touring and the beauty of rustic materials. In addition there will be a whole host of smaller gardens and a hundred of the world’s best growers and nurseries.

Visit The Royal Horticultural Society for further information on this year's show!

 

 

Roof Garden Design & Build

The Lime Orchard team have recently completed another roof garden project for a very satisfied client!

Roof Garden Terrace in London by Lime Orchard

The roof terrace was situated above the 6th floor of a Central London property and as such presented us with some unique, logistical obstacles to overcome when installing the new garden. The design brief was to transform the existing, tired, largely unused roof terrace into a space where the client would wish to spend time socialising, dining or simply relaxing and taking in the panoramic views. The design would look utilise the space more successfully by delineating it into its desired functions whilst also bringing shade into the garden.

A Western Red Cedar pergola connecting to the rear of the apartment creates a shaded, dining space beneath it with raised planters incorporated throughout. These are filled with Meditteranean style planting that enclose, soften and define the space.

The clients commented,

"Lime Orchard reflected our wishes in designing a perfect roof terrace for us.

Furthermore, they worked on time and on budget and were meticulous in the final finishing phase of the project. We recommend them without reservation."

For further information on our specialist Roof Garden Design and Build Service, visit http://www.limeorchard.co.uk/Roof_Gardens.htm

Win Tickets for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2012 with Lime Orchard

I

With ticket selling out weeks before the first open day, the Chelsea Flower Show is one on THE hottest events in the gardening and social calendar! Make sure you get your tickets FREE - courtesy of Lime Orchard garden design! To enter* our Free Prize Draw  simply visit http://limeorchard.co.uk/chelsea2012. 

The first two names out of the hat by the closing date will each win a pair of tickets (worth £98) to Chelsea Flower Show for Thursday 24 May 2012

For more information on this year's show, visit the RHS Web site click here >

 

 Special Guided Tour

 In addition to the free tickets, our winners will receive a unique guided tour of the Chelsea Flower Show by our very own RHS Medal Winning Designer, Ian Dexter! Ian will be able to give you a unique insight in to the work that goes on behind the scenes in creating the marvelous show gardens and his own critic of this year's entries.

To enter - simply complete the form at http://limeorchard.co.uk/chelsea2012*

Create Your Own Show-Stopping

Garden with the Specialists

Garden Design. Planting Plans. Garden Build. by Lime Orchard

*Entry is subject to terms & conditions