Allgrowth

On September 12th 2023 Periscope visited Allgrowth, a tree nursery in Sandy, UK. Located on a formation of ‘Woburn Sands’ sandstone, the area’s sandy soils name the town; these soils, mixed with gravel and clay from an alluvium river terrace, provide a fertile geological base for open farmland, ancient meadows, wooded hills and heathland. Visiting the nursery’s landscape where nature's beauty and human dedication combine gave us new inspiration for our creativity.

Following an enthusiastic welcome by the owner Peter Midlicott and the production director Andrew, we stepped away from busy roads and into a tapestry of trees; all manner of species, sizes, habits and crown shapes grow in the ground or in air pots being being secured, maintained and prepared for transplant. Our group discussed selecting species for specific environments and tested our knowledge by pairing leaves with species. The visit was a profound reminder of the intricacies of tree cultivation and a confirming experience over the need to understand and respect them as living agents in our environment.

As the morning came to an end, our whole team came away excited to explore practical, real-world tools to design, build and nurture landscapes that thrive, a vital aspect of which is specifying the right plant in every scheme; considering location, soil, microclimate, proximity to buildings, the plants’ purpose (shade, berry, foliage etc.) and the overall integrity of the landscape itself. Often, the intricacies and dynamics behind trees’ provision are hidden or less generally known. It’s been inspiring to discuss the extensive network of national and European suppliers contributing to each landscape scheme.

The UK horticultural sector, traditionally relying on seasonal foreign workers and European-supplied stock (the Netherlands predominantly), faces increasing challenges, including labour shortage and increasing skill gaps because of the current social, political and economic panorama. The Royal Horticulture Society's work-based training programmes reached their highest number of participants following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 (a 58% year-on-year increase in applicants), this increase coupled with the fact that it included significant numbers of career changers in the 25-34 year range (half of which were women) is a positive sign. An increasing demand for soil specialists and biosecurity skills also highlights the importance of this industry in protecting the environment. Initiatives across different organisations, such as the Woodland Trust UKSIG (UK and Ireland sourced and grown assurance scheme) support the use of fully local-based seeds and plants, aiming to stimulate current and future independence from European suppliers whilst supporting security against tree pests and diseases.

Our work can shape ecosystems within the built environment, fostering life for the present and future of our planet – we realise we can always know more, and this visit helped us become better at trees.

Sources:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/we-plant-trees/uk-sourced-and-grown-scheme/

https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/the-uks-horticultural-sector/