Learning through Landscapes - September 2012

LTL's "Profiles" newsletter for school grounds professionals features the article "A fresh start", by Alex Fraser.  He talks about the opportunities and constraints offered by the commission to project landscape the grounds a new school build, and he focusses on Lydiard Millicent CE VC Primary School.  For more information about our landscape design, visit:
http://www.afla.co.uk/ED/lydiad.html

For information about Learning through Landscapes, visit: 
http://www.ltl.org.uk/

www.afla.co.uk UPDATES

Our website has been updated and features some of our exciting new projects.  Visit http://www.afla.co.uk/NEW/beauch.html for details, specifically relating to Hatherlow House, Kenilworth Road and Windmill House. 

We have also updated our Housing projects (http://www.afla.co.uk/HO/bouncers.html) and Parks & Open Space projects (http://www.afla.co.uk/PA/ashton.html).

Hatherlow House, Southport

Proposals have been prepared for a new care development in Southport, Lancashire.  The new home is in a Victorian suburb of villas and large houses, with the beautiful Hesketh Park lying opposite the site.  Our scheme includes trees and planting inspired by the park and also selected to cope with the maritime location.  Monterey pines and cypress will be planted on the boundaries, whilst below we are aiming to create small enclosed, sheltered gardens for the residents.

55 plus living in Oxfordshire

We have completed proposals for a new 55 plus development in Oxfordshire.  The gardens include a formal pleached hornbeam avenue with sculpture and water feature.  High quality paving will be used for the sensitive site in the heart of the Cotswolds.  

Below are some photos as exisitng and proposed landscapes.

Poppy fields

Right now is a good time to see Poppies in arable fields.  These were snapped near Bath.

Kelston Park, Bath

We went for an evening walk this week, along the River Avon near Bath.  On our bank, there is a large arable field, whilst on the opposite bank, there is Kelston Park.  The grounds of the Park were laid out by Capability Brown in 1767-68 and are now home to much wildlife.  On our walk, we spotted a barn owl hunting over a meadow.  On other days, I have seen deer among the trees and otters swimming along the river.  When we reached the furthest point of our walk, we saw a large wild boar thunder between two patches of woodland – we were surprised at how quickly they can run.  At the end of the walk, right at dusk, we saw the bats swooping low over the river, by Newbridge.  A magical evening.

Wild Play at Knowle Park Primary School

The Wild Play Garden tender has been returned within budget and work will be starting in the summer on drainage, a rain garden, a pond, footpaths and raised beds.  Here is the site befoe work starts - truely a blank and damp canvass.