ASSETS proudly advertise each and every year in the Outdoor Design Source which is a huge annual magazine (it’s so big it might be better to call it a book).

Outdoor Design Source (ODS) is Australia's most comprehensive annual directory, servicing the external works industry. With over 600 pages of landscaping and external works products and services, and over 10,000 company listings and 1500 product images, ODS is the leading industry directory, covering all stages of an external works project. Subject areas covered in ODS include Planning and Design Development; Environmental Management; Water Management; Site Preliminaries; Landscaping - Hard; Landscaping - Soft; Maintenance Services; and Industry Information and Supplies. Company Index and companies divided by state is also available.

If you are looking to boost your NEW contacts (let’s face it who isn’t!) then investing in the who’s who and the who does what in our industry is definitely worth your while. At ASSETS we receive a lot of NEW customer contact from advertising in this publication.

We have a full page ad and this year a ½ page advertorial and also a full page ad cross promoting the ODS magazine and All Stakes - with our very own Stephen Jarrett in the spotlight!

Click here for more information.

NEW Product – MACSPRED Dismiss Ornamental Herbicide

For pre-emergent control of weeds in container and in-ground ornamental plants.

Lasts up to three months as per Directions for Use.

Grow plants and not weeds with our newly stocked herbicide from MACSPRED that is an alternative to our traditionally stocked herbicide ‘Rout’.

For pots or field use, Dismiss is a safe and cost effective pre-emergent granular herbicide.

This highly regarded herbicide offers broad spectrum weed control for both broadleaf and grass weeds.

ONE application provides up to 3 months weed control over 40 different weed species.

The nursery and landscaping industry have given this star product the nod of approval for having met its standard expectations on herbicide products.

Packaged in convenient to use 10kg and 20kg pails as well as a 1kg screw top container this newcomer to our range is great value for money and practical as well as highly effective.

To purchase contact our sales team on the below email address, by calling 1300 130 123 or via our website at www.allstakesupply.com.au

For a full information sheet on these products including safety precautions, the weeds and plants targeted and the full specifications please email sales@allstakesupply.com.au to have copies emailed to you.

Industry shows and conferences such as the Nursery & Garden Industry Australia give you unparalleled advantages over that of your competitors giving you access to the latest information on market trends and how you can apply the information to creating a winning business model matched with the work life balance you sought by entering into your own business in the first place.

This year’s NGIA National conference is titled ‘Ride the Wave of Change’ and as Stephen mentioned in his column, this conference is about balancing your business, lifestyle, success and prosperity and provides you solutions on how to achieve this through vital topics such as:

1. Marketing

2. Staff Development

3. Industry Trends – the economic future

4. National Biosecurity Legislation

5. Challenges and opportunities within the current economic climate

Held in the beautiful Surfers Paradise this is a not to be missed event.

In an environment and an industry that has been buffeted from both weather climate and financial climate this conference is focusing on how to Ride the Wave of Change going forward and is highlighted with up to date information on the changing consumer landscape.

Where: Surfers Paradise, Queensld

When: March 13th – March 16th 2012

Time: 9am until 5pm

Gala Event: March 16th at Grand Ballroom Marriott Resort and Spa

ASSETS are on Stand 29 and ASSETS Richard McKenzie is travelling up to the sunny state this year to be on hand to answer all your questions on our every growing list of products. Click here to register for the event. 

A reminder as to trade shows of note scheduled for later this year…

CIVENEX 16th and 17th MAY 2012

“Australia’s best show for the public works, construction and open space management industries!”

This premier trade show event, now the largest of its type in the southern hemisphere is held every year in May at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Dragway.

Where: Sydney, Eastern Creek Dragway

When: May 16th – 17th 2012

Time: 9am to 5pm

FREE ADMISSION and plenty of parking

The products on display at CIVENEX are literally endless and it’s well worth a trip to the dragway to see what’s on offer. Everything from A – Z with ASSETS leading the way! From Aerators to chemicals, construction, consulting engineers, earthmoving equipment, engines and parts, environmental consultancy to pumps and pipes, weed control and road safety equipment – CIVENEX has it all.

From its humble beginnings back in 1955 when eight companies displayed their equipment at The Spastic Centre, Allambie Heights NSW the exhibition, now known as CIVENEX, attracts over 200 companies displaying equipment, plant and machinery valued at millions of dollars.

ASSETS make it our business to attend every year and we look forward to seeing you there!

For more information on this industry trade show.

In November 2010 The NSW Government rezoned 550-hectares of land in Marsden Park with the view that it will become the city’s largest fully integrated commercial, industrial, bulky goods and residential community.

Then in July 2011 Marsden Park was released for planning as one of two Precincts advanced under the NSW Government's Precinct Acceleration Protocol.

The NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell in his press announcement said the government was committed to making Sydney housing affordable again. Brad Hazzard the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure said the Marsden Park release has the potential for not only homes but a town centre with 30, 000 square metres of retail space and 50ha for public recreation.

Finally a Coordinated Development!

In a great example of a coordinated development the housing and industrial precinct will be located right next door to each other and with the expected 10 000 jobs created, it will be a very short commute to work bringing back to the people of Sydney’s Northwest a chance for work life balance and not to mention taking some of the strain off our already groaning roads and public transport.

Located 40 kilometres from Sydney's CBD near the M7 motorway, it will be a welcome boost to the local community.Click for larger picture map. IKEA has also announced it will build a brand new store on Richmond Road at Marsden Park starting next year.

Expected to open in 2014-2015, the super store will be the third of its kind in Sydney, and will sit right next door to a Bunnings Warehouse in the Sydney Business Park.

Richmond Road Upgrade

As a result, developers of the industrial park will invest money to upgrade Richmond Road from the M7 to the new development, to ease traffic congestion and slowly boost our infrastructure at the same time.

Land releases can be accelerated under the Precinct Acceleration Protocol (PAP). The PAP allows Growth Centre precincts to be considered for rezoning earlier than scheduled, provided there is no additional cost to taxpayers and a commitment to forward delivery of infrastructure.

The Precinct Land Breakdown

Once developed, Marsden Park Industrial Precinct will feature:

• 70 hectares of commercial land

• 40 hectares of bulky goods retailing

• 206 hectares of industrial land

• a mix of residential housing close to the planned Marsden Park town centre just to the north of the Precinct to accommodate 3500 people; and

• 63 hectares of conservation land and open space

Keep Your Fingers on the Pulse!

This is great news for local businesses owners as the opportunity for surveying and landscaping has just risen exponentially and with the NSW Government in the process of accelerating a land release at Catherine Field the opportunity for new clients and trade purchases in an area that traditionally has had none is incredibly high. It is definitely well worth your time to keep your finger on your pulse on this forward moving area of North West Sydney in the next 12 months.

The tender is a selective process for this new precinct but if you are interested in more information contact Growth Centres Information Line on 1300 730 550 or email community@planning.nsw.gov.au for more information.

NEW Product 1: Terraform ™ Supatop Controlled Release Fertiliser

Product specifications include:

• N:17 P:1 K:11

• Controlled Release Fertiliser 17-1-11 + Fe + Mg (>6 month)

• Applications Rates (kg per 100m2)

• Landscape Trees & Shrubs: 4-6 kg

• Turf & Lawns: 4-6 kg

NEW Product 2 : Vigilant Herbicide Gel 240g

Product specifications include:

• ACTIVE CONSITIUENT: 43g/kg PICLORAM as the potassium salt

• Weed killer for use by direct application for control of Woody Weeds, Wild Tobacco trees, Rhizomatous plants and Wandering Jew as per directions for use table.

Other Products in our Spring Spotlight…

Terraform ™ Plant Establisher

Only from ASSETS Terraform ™ Plant Establisher is well renowned for its all-in-one triple-action performance and its proven rate at which plants establish in new growing environments.

Reduce your costs from plant failures and increase your volumes by using Terraform ™ Plant Establisher!

Terraform ™ Ocean Complex

Terraform ™ Ocean Complex also a signature product from ASSETS and is carefully proportioned ratio of components ideal for stimulating the physiology of plant growth.

Benefits incl:

• Stimulates plant vigour facilitating plant rescue during periods of stress.

• Stimulates micro-organism activity in the soil.

• Improves crop quality and associated plant/fruit shelf-life.

• Improves frost resistance protection.

For a full information sheet on these products, the weeds and plants they target and the full specifications please email sales@allstakesupply.com.au to have copies emailed to you.

Got questions? Call our office on 1300 130 123 or go to one of the links above and click on the “Ask a question about this product link”.

It comes as quite a shock to family and friends alike that an astounding 6 babies each day in Australia are diagnosed with heart disease. Peter Knox of Alpine Nurseries in Dural NSW who understood that feeling when his 5 year old grandson Charlie was born with CHD so set his Operations manager, Craig Rich the task of coming up with a charity to support Heart Kids foundation. Hence HeartKids Spring Garden Tour was born..

A Little History

In August 1984 Ita Buttrose interviewed a ‘heart mother’ about her child who suffered from Childhood Heart Disease. From this interview a support group was born. In the year 2000 Westmead Children’s Hospital gave HeartKids NSW their own meeting place and in 2003 established a meeting place at Randwick Children’s Hospital. Since then this group that supports families of children with heart disease, be it congenital (born with) or acquired, has grown and grown to such a degree that for the 2nd year in a row, HeartKids hosted their own fundraising garden tour event to raise money for the kids.

The tour was once again organised by Alpine Nurseries, one of Australia’s largest wholesale nurseries where the guests were pampered and spoilt for choice as they weaved their way through some of Sydney’s best gardens.

The guests raised an amazing $20,000 for HeartKids.

Peter Knox, Alpine Nurseries said at the inaugural tour last year; “Rarely does the Sydney public get the opportunity to visit grand and exclusive gardens and meet and listen to Australia’s best garden designers talk about their gardens and the inspirations behind their designs. Events like this showcase the nursery and landscape working together to promote the benefits of fine garden design and quality plants.”

The Showcased Designer Gardens

The tour commenced at Eden Gardens at North Ryde where all guests were chauffeured on charter coaches to each of the gardens on the tour.

The first of the 5 gardens on this year’s tour was in beautiful Mosman. This garden designed by Dangar Group & Bates Landscape is truly unique in that it offers different and is designed to suit each area from a sculptural kitchen garden in the sun to lush green planting in shady courtyards. The garden was designed to complement new architecture where advanced trees and shrubs were used to create instant impact together. Specific plants are also planted in areas to frame the harbour view and withstand salt and wind. The overall planting is botanical and hardy with year round interest.

Michael Cooke Garden Design was next on the list with Blencathra’. This nearly 20 year old garden is standing the test of good design over time. The country style garden originally designed in the 90’s by Ann Burns is most definitely a garden that is ageing gracefully. Michael Cooke has been working with the owners of `Blencathra’ since his days at Belrose Nursery and has designed a country style garden that overlooks paddocks and showcases wrap around stables and outbuildings. Garden rooms are divided by hedging and native plants combine with grasses, succulents and grey foliaged plants in a relaxed yet sophisticated fashion.

A garden built in late 2005 by Joanne Green of Landscape Design was the next garden on the tour.

The client wanted a relaxed subtropical garden to complement the home and the existing horse stables and paddocks. A busy household with a family of five, Joanne Green Landscape Design designed and constructed the garden to fit in with the lifestyle of this family, including driveway, pathways, drainage, lighting and irrigation. Joanne Green now maintains the garden inclusive of the many chickens, ducks, dogs and horses! What an oasis in today’s busy society.

After a lunch at Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club the guests moved to the 4th garden on the tour. This garden situated in Clareville on the waters of Pittwater and was designed by architect Paul Scrivener. Among other delights this beautiful garden features several hidden courtyards to compliment this architecturally unique home.

The final stop on the tour was a garden designed by Matt Cantwell of Secret Gardens of Sydney whose Sydney rooftop garden also featured in last year’s tour. Set over an acre in Avalon this garden design won the 2007 AILDM Allan Correy Design Excellence Award. The design featured a lush, resort style hideaway as well as turf pathways across the property which meet beautifully back at a central water feature. Also working with established grove of Cabbage tree palms, all materials introduced complemented the environment.

Matt’s comment on the 2010 tour was very apt and very reflective of this year’s wonderful garden tour; “What a fantastic way to share what we do whilst supporting a great cause. Our team was quite chuffed with the response from the appreciative visitors and HeartKids was certainly worth the effort”, said Matt.

Getting Involved

Due to the success of the day and feedback from guests, plans have already started for a 2012 HeartKids Spring Garden Tour.

Want to get involved then click here for contact details.

• Floriade runs from mid-September to mid-October and attracts more than 400,000 attendees.

• Total garden bed area span 8763 square metres

• Total quantity of growing media includes Bulb Mix 1,560 cubic metres & Annual Mix 1,400 cubic metres

• Total drainage = 4,800 square metres

• # of bulbs, annuals and other varieties exceeds 160 

Floriade Begins

Floriade began in 1988 as a spectacular commemoration of Australia's Bicentenary and Canberra's 75th birthday. Floriade blossomed for the first time with a stunning floral display of exotic bulbs and annuals, which grow beautifully in Canberra's climate. The community embraced the inaugural Floriade, making it such a success that it became an annual event.

Planning Lessons

John Easthope is the designer behind Floriade and he says that the bulbs, patterns, shapes and colours for the gardens at Floriade are designed well in advance for the next year’s theme. He and his team theme and plan for months in advance and he says planning is very important.

Persuading more than one million bulbs and annuals to bloom on cue is a HUGE task that takes careful timing.

Like a conductor leading an orchestra, the expert events team at Australian Capital Tourism is responsible for ensuring every flower unfurls at the right time to become part of Floriade’s famous kaleidoscope of colours.

As the weather in Canberra is seasonal and is often unpredictable, bulb varieties, plant species, soil types and planting methods are continuously tested with the aim of ensuring that all of the million-plus flowers bloom beautifully on cue.

Floriade 2011 Timeline

As John Easthope mentioned planning such an enormous event is critical to its success. This is true of any project or piece of work that is undertaken. To give you an idea as to the sheer magnitude and enormity of the task take a look at the 6 months of planning that went into Floriade 2011.

Design Lessons

The garden bed design at Floriade is different every year. A theme is developed and is carried through from the shape of the garden beds to the type and colour of the flowers used to create the meticulous designs.

The garden beds are designed by a local consortium LANDSCAPEalign, comprising of three Canberra companies who come together each year with their specialist skills to create the unique designs.

The design process commences 18 months before the event begins.

If you are looking for theming ideas for your customers, Floriade has some great past themes including ‘A Festival of Living Colour’; ‘Kites Colour and Movement’; ‘The Century in Bloom’ and ‘Magic of the Gardens’. What’s more is that Floriade is a great place to go to get some ideas to use for your own projects and to re-inspire you to use colour and the hardiness of bulbs in yours or your client’s gardens.

Check it Out - the Floriade Gallery in all its glory.

Floriade will be held again in 2012 from 15th September until Sunday 14th October. The 2012 year’s theme is a Feast for the Senses.

Ben and his team have worked anywhere from Taronga Zoo where they were part of a team that built a state of the art breeding centre and natural habitat for the endangered Tasmanian Devils through to a residential development in Forster NSW where a crane was required to install a raised podium and water feature. Hargraves Landscapes sought after talented flexibility also had them complete the missing link on the famous Bay Run in Rozelle which involved the construction of the concrete pedestrian and cycleway around the foreshore between Leichardt Rowing club and Waterfront Drive.

Ben’s talents become apparent early as even as a kid he worked the garden with his father who founded Hargraves Landscapes in 1964. In 1997 Ben took over the business and has since seen many changes in the industry. Ben says the industry now has a “completely different school of thought and dad did things his way but with technology it makes things so fast”.

“Technology makes things happen quicker which means greater opportunity to improve; and it’s a good thing. It’s a lifestyle; you get used to it.”

Other moments that stand out in Ben’s mind was the increase in work during building stimulus. He was most impressed as to how everyone just got in there and got it done. “It was challenging as a lot of work was thrown at everyone at once but was quite rewarding at the same time.”

Ben also highlights how councils are becoming more and more environmentally aware and is seeing an increase in environmental issues and the targeting of environmentally friendly companies like Hargraves. In fact Hargraves Landscapes have won 2 Landscape Excellence Awards in 2004 and 2007 and were a finalist for a project that Ben and his team were extremely proud - Abbotsleigh Junior School re-development. Hargreaves’ commitment to upholding the highest standards in Quality, Safety and Environmental Management has been proven in their implementing best practice on the ground and in achieving 3rd Party Certification in the Quality Management (ISO 9001:2008), Health and Safety (AS/NZS 4801:2001) and Environmental Management (ISO 14001:2004).

Ben’s experienced team and expertise consists of predominantly in house guys but he also hires contractors with trades such as electricians and concreters when that expertise is required. At the moment the Hargraves team are working on some fantastic and huge projects starting with a 10 month project for the City of Sydney. Johnsons Canal which starts at Glebe and goes for 2.5kms to Blackwattle Bay is having a facelift courtesy of Hargraves with a new pedestrian pass, street lighting, drainage and civil infrastructure works including landscaping, concreting, a bridge re-construction and a new bridge construction.

Currently Hargraves Landscapes are also in completion stages of the redevelopment of Don Lucas Park in Cronulla. The park has a 1km running track, outdoor gym, basketball hoop and court, kids outdoor facility including adventure park for kids, and amazingly a new helipad as well as an outdoor gym for grownups.

A big thumbs up to the environmentally savvy Woollahra Council who also impressed by Ben and his team hired them to create 3 rain gardens which involve digging up the side of road and putting concrete walls so the rain water diverts through rain gardens via free draining material. Instead of all the waste going into the stormwater and into the creek this project means only clean water flows in the creek.

On the topic of ASSETS Hargraves Landscapes have been a long customer and invest in a lot of hardwood products for tree protection, like the Hardwood Stakes, edging, sleepers as well as specially made timber tree frames. Root barrier, fence netting, silt fence, jute tree tie, as well as our Terraform™Ocean Complex are other products Hargreaves are frequent buyers of.

Ben says “we are very happy with the service provided by ASSETS and they try hard and order in things and hold them for us and look after us pretty well.”

Check out Ben’s many projects and his website.

Interested in being our spotlight customer? Contact Jodie in the office on jodie@allstakesupply.com.au

As spring emerges you will be sure to find a fertiliser or herbicide to suit all your project requirements. Our new dry formulation range is low pressure, low dust extrusion with better solubility and ease of mixing.

NEW!!! Glymac Dri700:

The Glymac Dri700 is the alternative to regular 360 g/l Roundup. Glymac™ Dri 700 is fully registered for use in aerial application at higher rates than the rates registered for commonly used liquid formulations, especially for the control of Blackberry and pine wildlings. Ready to use from the carton this herbicide offers superior results to alcohol alcoxylate/ethoxylate wetters and is sufficient for high volume hand gun application.

Note: Dri700 is NOT registered for use in aquatic situations.

GREAT NEW PRICES - under $100 / 10kg carton!

NEW!!! Glyphosphate Bi-Dri:

The Glyphosphate Bi-Dri700 is a fully registered glyphosphate for use in all situations where the commonly used liquid formulations are used including aquatic uses. It is an extruded granule formulation in dry form and is virtually odourless and is readily soluble in water. Ready to use from the carton this herbicide is also sufficient for high volume hand gun application.

Got questions? Call our office on 1300 130 123.

It is most well-known as the main active ingredient in the chemical more commonly known as "Roundup." But since the company originator Monsanto patent has expired, it is now used in similar formulations by a number of manufacturers.

Glyphosphate works as a non selective systemic herbicide.

The best way to handle any chemical is with caution. In handling glyphosate it is also essential to minimise exposure through engineering controls, isolation, effective ventilation, and personal protective equipment.

Recent developments make the OH&S of glyphosphate as easy as ABC. Our new range of herbicide products are more OH&S friendly, easier to use, come in smaller cartons and reduce the dependency on drums that attract additional levies and mean valuable time lost triple rinsing.

Macspred Glyphosphate™ Bi-Dri Herbicide is a low pressure extruded granule that dissolves easily in water and has been made in Australia and tested in all Australian water conditions. It is especially packaged to reduce dust and in anecdotal evidence has been shown to have a faster knockdown or ‘brownout’ on annual weeds.

This product has improved OH&S conditions markedly with its packaging sizes suitable also for small volume users who typically were left out with the large quantities usually required to purchase.

No more lifting heavy drums and gone are the days of levies and empty drums to triple rinse and return. Dri-Bi comes in cardboard cartons in 10kg lots which is the equivalent of 19.4 litres of 360g/L Glyphosphate.

Less back injuries, OH&S compliant for female and under18 workers and with less dribbling eye splash hazards are a thing of the past. The products are much cleaner and safer to handle than their liquid counterparts and require less storage and less effort overall. Win-win for all involved including the wildlife!

In our ever greening and sustainability focused climate these new vegetation management herbicides are ‘frog friendly’ formulations. For more information request a factsheet from the office as they detail the entire human, animal and plant life safety information.

OH&S comparisons between liquid formulations and Bi-Dri Herbicides:

*table from MACSPRED Australia Weed Management Solutions

For a full information sheet on these products, the weeds and plants they target and the full specifications please email sales@allstakesupply.com.au to have copies emailed to you.

See our NEW PRODUCT ALERT for more information on these products or contact the office on 1300 130 123 to place your order.

You will not only see new ideas and have the chance to network with new contacts; this year’s Fusion Showcase has over 35 new to 2011 plants, products and innovative concepts.

Additionally, some excellent speakers are on offer this year including:

1. Jon Bird, MD of Ideaworks who created the Plant life Balance campaign. Jon will be speaking on Wednesday 24th August at 12noon on: ‘How to thrive and survive as an independent’.

2. Nick Bowditch of The Bowditch Group will be speaking in the morning of Thursday 25th on the topic of ‘Social Media and how it can benefit your business’. Social media being the new medium for promoting you and your business. This is a MUST SEE talk on how to use applications like Facebook, Twitter, You Tube to propel your business into 2012 and beyond.

3. Jason Hodges of Green Art Gardens and Better Homes and Gardens TV will also be available and will be speaking at the ‘Best of GES’ Awards evening on the 24th August.

Details:

Where?

• Exhibition Centre, Rosehill Gardens, James Ruse Drive, Parramatta.

When?

• 24th August 9.30am – 7.30pm and 25th August 9.30am – 4pm.

Parking?

• Easy access and free parking in P4 adjacent to James Ruse Drive, Rosehill

ASSETS Stand?

• Yes we are exhibiting at the GES, stand #92

For any further information contact NGINA on (02) 9679 1472 or email: info@ngina.com.au

Register now and go in the draw to win an iPad2!

The Planet Ark organised event sponsored by Toyota has since its inception in 1996, seen more than 2.5 million volunteers planting 16 million native trees, shrubs and grasses nationwide. This year’s event was a great success with Stephen Jarrett on hand representing ASSETS at Greening Australia’s National Tree Day event held at Calmsley Hill City Farm.

Sadly research shows that the once iconic image of young Aussie kids running around outdoors climbing trees is becoming less and less the norm. Our young people are spending less time outside and National School Planting Day and National Tree Day both providing a great opportunity for kids, families and friends to get together outside have fun and help the environment all at the same time.

This year however the kids from approximately 10 selected schools got totally involved with Greening Australia’s National Tree Day event which was held at the newly refurbished Calmsley Hill City Farm in the Sydney suburb of Abbotsbury. With over 29 years’ experience Greening Australia is committed to engaging the community, including our younger generations, in protecting our unique Australian landscapes with sustainable environmental outcomes.

Greening Australia being a valued client of All Stakes held a jute mesh competition for the schools involved in their event. Participating schools were given a grant of trees together with ASSETS donation of tree guards and stakes for each lot of trees. Additionally they were given a roll of jute matting and were asked to make their best display using the jute matting.

The kids did a fabulous job and had a great time making their unique displays. ASSETS very own Stephen Jarrett proudly selected and announced this year’s winner as being Blacktown West Public School. The prize being a bush tucker garden to be built by Greening Australia to the value of $2500! Well done to the kids and teachers at Blacktown West Public School! 

For more photos of the day. 

Next year will see another Greening Australia initiative so if you are looking to take part visit Planetark.

Allan and his wife own and run a 400 acre tree farm in Darbys Falls which is a small village just outside of Cowra. Allan started growing trees when he lived in Sydney and loved the farm life so much he moved to Darbys Falls and has been growing native trees and shrubs now for over 14 years. Allan knows a thing or 2 about growing trees!

Don’t be mistaken, Allan runs a very impressive business where native trees and shrubs are concerned. If you are looking for tube stock and native trees and shrubs then McDonald Trees are well worth your time to call.

Allan’s thriving business provides trees and shrubs to a huge variety of clients from lone landscapers and farmers to large corporations and Government bodies. In amongst his clientele, Allan has the contract for the re-vegetation of the Orange based Cadia Hill Goldmine as well as the Lithgow power station re-vegetation work. Not to mention, The National Parks and Wildlife buy plants to help re-vegetate the buffer zones that are owned by private landholders. Allan also sends trees to Bourke, the Snowy Mountains and additionally supplies trees for Mid North Coast Forestry Projects. Allan just recently sent 15 000 trees down to Canberra for landscaping work where a lot of the trees are being utilised for the re-beautification project of the new Barton Highway alignment between Yass and Canberra.

Landscapers \ Streetscapers are also high on the list for buying tube stock as well as larger retail nurseries buying trees in lots of 10 000 or more. In addition to selling tree stock, McDonald Farm Trees provide a reputable tree planting service for plant holders.

Allan buys a large variety of stock from ASSETS, and has done so for more than 10 years now; from plastic sleeve tree guards, bamboo stakes and jute mat squares to recycled milk carton guards and small hardwood stakes. Allan mostly deals with “Troy the boy” and says Troy was there well before he came on the scene and “we look after each other like most people should. We are good for each other”.

Allan recommends the delivery service that ASSETS offer and says ASSETS are “absolutely excellent and very reliable. If I wasn’t happy I would definitely say something. I like to keep my customers happy and expect the same from ASSETS. I have been getting my materials from ASSETS for more than 10 years and All Stakes provide the best service”.

When asked about the trends within the industry Allan sees sustainable gardening becoming more and more utilized and requested. Allan says in his opinion this “is because of movements like Landcare as they have definitely converted a lot of landholders into thinking about things like habitat, wildlife, windbreaks and beautification.”

In the last 20 years the thinking has changed from fewer trees to more trees. The original idea of removing the trees was to provide more grazing and production land and now 20 years later they have come full circle and encourage more and more trees to be planted. Little thought actually went into what removal of trees actually meant for things like salinity and rising water tables. Australian native trees evolved to be salt tolerant and are needed to keep the balance between salt and water. Without the trees nothing was left to absorb the water so the salt rose causing massive soil fertility issues that potentially could take generations to restore.

Allan is pleased that the farmers have realised that trees do a lot of good for the land, the birds and also provide welcome shelter for livestock as well as for erosion control along creek and river beds. Now that Landcare funding has dried up considerably a lot of farmers are financing their own tree plantations. Farmers are realising the multitude of benefits that planting native Australian trees bring. Where in the past narrow tree lines were planted; now significantly wider avenues are planted so for Allan’s business, this means more trees are required.

It wasn’t all that long ago the Government was paying landholders to cut the trees out. Now it’s come full circle. This is good news for McDonald Farm Trees and good news for the industry as a whole.

Allan can be contact on email via farmtree@tpg.com.au or via (02) 6345 1922.

If you would like to be in our spotlight for next month’s e-newsletter, contact Jodie in the office on 1300 130 123.

National Schools Tree planting day is on Friday July 29th and National Tree day is on Sunday July 31st and Planet Ark is once again calling on all green thumbs to join in. It is amazing to know that every year around 2500 school kids get outdoors and get their hands dirty all in the name of planting trees to help their local environment.

National Tree Day is a simple yet effective way for schools, ordinary people and business to share in positive environmental and community based activities. Not only is it a safe day out for families, giving them the opportunity to do something positive for the environment with their local community it is also an opportunity for business to give back to the community and the environment and gain some kudos along the way.

With big sponsors like Toyota and Bunnings and supports like Channel 9 the opportunity to become known is there and waiting. Many businesses use the tree planting day as an opportunity for a team building event or an opportunity to adopt a local tree site which often provides local media coverage for those involved.

“Think beyond the tree day. From a business perspective, it is a great opportunity to build your business profile by offering industry expertise, knowledge and products all while helping the environment and our kids at the same time.“

National Tree Day is more than just planting trees. If a community requires a vegetable garden, groundcover, or a site needs weeding and maintaining Planet Ark are ready to take you up on your offer. If as a business you would like to hold a native plant giveaway or donate gardening equipment or mulch all are welcome and needed for this national day of planting to be a success.

Each year thousands of committed groups and individuals return to participate in National Tree Day - a testament to the success and the appeal of the day. If you would like to co-ordinate an activity with a school or your business or provide sponsorship you will be joining thousands of others across the country getting outdoors and getting their hands dirty, to help improve their local environment.

Check out this link http://treeday.planetark.org/schools/ or call the National Tree Day Hotline on 1300 88 5000 to find all the information on where, what, when and how. There is a whole range of activities and ways to get involved and do something good for our environment.

In our industry we are well aware of the environmental benefits of trees and that soil conservation, energy conservation, pollution, beautification and wildlife conservation are all reasons that more trees to be planted and nurtured. This month is all about trees so check out our 5 minutes segment with Allan McDonald of McDonald Farm Trees and read his thoughts on trees and our environment.

So those 2 dates once again are:

• National Schools Tree Planting Day on Friday 29th July

• National Tree day is on Sunday 31st July 2011

Our range of tree guard range, bamboo stakes, hardwood stakes, jute matting and fertilisers are all great value for money and are readily available.

Our purchasing power results in the best price so take a look at the product spotlight below and contact us on 1300 130 123. If you don’t see what you need to fulfil your project needs then we’ll help you find it.

If you would like a copy of our latest catalogue contact the office on sales@allstakesupply.com.au to have one sent out to you.

• Bamboo Stakes

At ASSETS we have a selection of bamboo stakes with a range of features and specifications. 

• Hardwood Stakes

Our extensive choice in hardwood stakes should see you able to fulfil any of your project needs with ease. 

• Fertilisers

Our range of professional fertilisers includes herbicides, insecticides, general purpose, soluble grade and trace elements. 

• Erosion Control products

Jute soil saver and jute matting are excellent products for erosion challenges

Held over two days at the AREC on Ulan Rd, Mudgee, this year it fell on Friday the 15th and Saturday 16th of July with gates opening each day 8.30am – 5pm.

The two day event showcases a large range of products from machinery and farming equipment, to local made olive oil, jams, creams, lotions, foods, wines, and even fashion. It caters for the whole family!

This year AREC or Australian Rural Education Centre invited Milkwood Permaculture to offer some talks on regenerative agriculture, ecological design and successful small-farm establishment. Talks such as these are a popular attraction of the event.

It was great to see Costa Georgardis from SBS give interesting talks and his enthusiasm was contagious.

Troy attended again this year and took with him a large amount of our product range to showcase to the farming community. Troy said “The weather was great this year, no rain which is good. We had lots of interested customers on Friday however Saturday was a little slower. The good thing about attending these shows is that I get to meet and greet our customers both new, old and current enabling him to put faces to the names.”

We look forward to attending again next year.

The Arboretum in Canberra is a 250-hectare site located in the Greenhills Forest about 6km from the centre of Canberra. It features different types of threatened and symbolic trees from around Australia and the world, and is home to 5000 Himalayan Cedars and an 80 year old Cork Oak plantation. It is a living museum dedicated to the protection of endangered tree and plant species and is a valuable resource for the on-going education, presentation and conservation of threatened species from across the globe.

Originally the species kept at the Arboretum were from the United Nations ‘Redlist’ which is an international listing of all trees which have an endangered conservation status and from that list; the trees that could exist and thrive in the Canberra climate were selected. While the conservation of Australia’s flora is seen as the priority for conservation programs the work at the National Arboretum promotes the importance of plants in Australia and the world.

As a result of the increasing need for conservation plus the approaching 2013 Canberra Centenary, Prime Minister Gillard recently pledged $20 million over four years to assist the expansion plans of the Arboretum. Their plans include the further development of the infrastructure and the grounds including pathways, toilets, picnic areas, café and a bonsai pavilion.

The ACT Government says it wants the Arboretum to be the showpiece for Canberra's 2013 centenary celebrations. A project of this scale gives rise to work opportunities for civil contractors and landscapers alike. The Arboretum now has a large budget to expand and fulfil their goal of becoming a place of beauty and international renown. This spells opportunity for landscapers and civil contractors as well as product opportunities as the Arboretum are always looking for new expertise that can help them better use and retain water; establish plants more effectively and so on.

As the world and Australia become more cognizant of sustainable living and water conservation, the Arboretum plays a role in demonstrating effective water conservation techniques and addresses their challenges through water harvesting swales to channel stormwater. Any excess water is stored in a 40 million litre dam at the bottom of the hill which is then used to irrigate the rest of the Arboretum. Well worth a look to understand the scale of this water conservation initiative.

The Arboretum also fosters a recreational and cultural atmosphere and is fortunate to house a natural amphitheatre. Voices in the Forest are launching their inaugural community concert to be held at the Arboretum on the 12th November 2011. It is a great opportunity to go and see the Arboretum at the same time as enjoying a night out and soaking up the forest atmosphere in a truly unique way. Check out Voices in the Forest via http://www.voicesintheforest.com.au/ .

The Arboretum is a long term project; the trees will not reach their full potential until mid-century so plenty of opportunity exists for those in our industry. It is building a legacy for the generations that succeed us and to ensure that endangered and significant plant life continue to have the opportunity to thrive in our world. It is a powerhouse of opportunity and learning for those in our industry. Check them out and start thinking outside the square on how you can get involved.

Our purchasing power results in the best price so take a look at the product spotlight below and contact us on 1300 130 123. If you don’t see what you need to fulfil your project needs then we’ll help you find it.

Practical products for both the mining and the construction industry include:

• Markers and Stakes

o Marker stakes in hardwood and bamboo
o Survey stakes

• Safety products:

o Safety mesh
o Tapes, Ties, Spray Cans

• Erosion control products:

o Matting’s, filter fabrics, silt fences, steel fence posts

The aim of the conference is to equip members of the mining and rehabilitation sector to undertake successful rehabilitation projects to ensure the industry is keeping up with climate change and the political and community views on climate change.

The 2011 Conference program includes workshops on erosion and sediment control, speakers discussing stabilisation of degraded areas using compost blankets, erosion and sediment control, grassland reconstruction and more.

ASSETS will be showcasing all our products to potential buyers so come along to say hi to Stephen We will be in Exhibition Booth #1.

Click here to find out more information about exhibitors and speakers and to register online.

Firstly what is and who are Landcare? Landcare is a national network of locally-based community groups who care for our country. Originally Landcare was created to improve agricultural productivity and has grown in focus to include the sustainable management of Australia’s natural resources.

There are over 6000 Landcare and Coastcare groups nationwide and volunteers range in ages from children to retirees and everything in between.

A Landcare group usually starts when community members group together over a common environmental issue. E.g. ‘MobileMuster’ initiative - the recycling of old mobile phones. The Landcare volunteers set up their own committee to oversee any initiatives and subsequently set their own agenda. As Landcare is funded largely by donation and Government funds the volunteers work as often and as much as they like and are responsible for requesting or petitioning for funds to support their specific initiative.

More recently Landcare networks are being created in an effort to better co-ordinate community and environmental issues and funding. These networks have increased power to influence all levels of government and industry for support, information and financial assistance.

This unique partnership between communities, government and organisations is making an amazing difference. In fact more than 40% of farmers are involved in Landcare and many more practice Landcare sustainable farming. Other areas of positive difference that Landcare make include:

• Rehabilitation of our waterway

• Improving marine environments

• Planting millions of trees and shrubs to better soils, water and air quality

• Restoration of wildlife habitats for both the protection of native flora and fauna.

The Awards

The State and Territory Landcare Awards are a celebration of the work of people in the community who are actively making a positive difference to our local environment.

This can be through things like conservation projects, adopting sustainable farming practices or undertaking research projects for the purpose of improving our land and assisting the goal of sustainability.

Award categories include (but are not limited to):

• Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award

• Australian Government Innovation in Sustainable Farm Practices Award

• Be Natural Young Landcare Leader Award

• Coastcare Award

Some big names in the corporate world get on board and sponsor awards including (but not limited to):

• Leighton Holdings Indigenous Award

• Rural Press Primary Producer Award

• Toshiba Community Group Award

• Westpac Education Award

If you know someone or a group who should be recognised or you feel yourself that you have contributed to the sustainability and protection of our environment through the work and projects that you and your business undertake then nominate today.

Applications are state specific and you will need to download your specific states criteria (note ACT and NSW are already closed).

If you are interested in becoming a part of this great initiative then visit www.landcareonline.com.au and find a local event, your local Landcare group or Landcare Network and make your mark today.

Good Luck!

Alex has an outstanding history of more than 15 years in the Landscaping industry. Alex and his company provide an extensive end to end service right from the design and construction phases all the way through to maintenance. This service is also right across the spectrum from retaining walls, driveways, irrigation, decks, pergolas, pool surrounds, fencing, lighting, water features and more.

When speaking with Alex regarding the current trends in the landscaping market place, he mentions from a commercial perspective that street scape work is on the rise as more and more suburbs are enjoying the alfresco dining and coffee experience. Residential work is also still a major part of his customer base and Alex is seeing more people wanting to escape the rat race jwith their own resort style entertaining yards that are functional, elegant and most importantly are low maintenance.

In line with that, Dekker Landscapes is currently working on some major street scape projects for the RTA providing large plant outs and also maintains the Kellyville Buslink in addition to working on contract with Parramatta Council.

Alex has been a long term customer of All Stakes Supplies and says that sales rep Stephen Jarrett just ‘makes it happen when you need it to happen’. Alex says that ASSETS provide a good service and the prices are reasonable and that ticks the boxes and works well. “They are good and that is why they are successful”.

Alex purchases a variety of products from ASSETS including bamboo stakes, jute mesh, round up, tree guards, hardwood stakes and fertiliser.

Alex is the go to person in the industry for residential and commercial landscaping and is more than happy to help with any enquiry you may have. Alex is available via email on dekkerlandscapes@optusnet.com.au or on 0413 800 538.

Some of Alex and his teams’ portfolio are showcased on his website at www.dekkerlandscapes.com.au.

CIVENEX is now the largest show of its type in the southern hemisphere. If you want to be one of the tradespeople in the know and want to keep up with the latest trends in equipment and industry practices then this is a must attend event for you and your company.

ASSETS take all our product range including hardwood, safety, revegetation, fertilisers and horticulture products. If it’s been sometime since you have visited us and reviewed our extensive product range then this is a great opportunity to re-acquaint with our product range whilst simultaneously discovering the latest innovations in the industry!

The show is on May 18th-19th at the Sydney Dragway outdoor venue and creates huge networking opportunities for everyone in the industry. ASSETS is at stand #8. Parking and admission are both FREE!

For all the details regarding the show and to register for attendance, visit the official website.

We look forward to catching up with you there.

As well as the basics that you already know such as trimming back the hedges and providing some species with extra protection from the elements by covering in mulch or plastic, there is the important winter fertilising that also needs to take place.

Aerating and then fertilising your soil at this time with a slow release lawn food will develop a strong and abundant root system and yield thicker grass come the warmer months. Visit our website and see our controlled and slow release fertiliser section for all your winter project needs.

As well as the slow release fertilisers ASSETS supply world class general purpose fertilisers including organic blood and bone and lawn food.

Additionally fertilisers for fruiting and flowering plants as well as hydroponic fertilisers are also available.

If you need help with your winter fertilising we would love to help you make the right selection and remember that we also have a great delivery service to ensure that you get all you products on time. Just call the office on 1300 130 123 if you require advice on the best fertiliser for your project needs.

Robyn Francis is an inspiration to us all with her leadership and dedication to the teaching of permaculture within Australia. Robyn has been living and breathing self-sustainability since the late 60’s and her love and concern for creating a harmonious blend between mother earth and its people led her to regenerate a degraded 5 acre cow pasture and turn it into what is now known as Djanbung Gardens; a ‘living learn-scape’ that is home to a purpose designed permaculture education centre.

The word permaculture itself is a blend of the words permanent and agriculture and is about developing synergy between humans, animals, soils and water and everything that lies in between. It is the science around creating sustainable environments by bringing together nature, humans and communities and its core is about creating longevity for our environment. The ultimate ideal is to live within our footprint rather than constantly stomping on the earth.

An Emerging Industry Trend…

Frighteningly “Australia's Ecological Footprint in the Living Planet Report 2008 was 7.8 global hectares (gha) per person1. This is 2.8 times the average global Footprint (2.7 gha), and well beyond the level of what the planet can regenerate on an annual basis - an equivalent of about 2.1 global hectares per person per year. 4” Robyn quantifies what this actually means in real terms, – “we would need almost 4 earths if we all lived like an Australian and almost 5.5 earths if we lived like Americans. Living beyond our capacity essentially means we are limiting other people and their ability to access essentials”.

Robyn gladly confirms that there is an increasing movement and trend toward permaculture which is largely motivated by concern for what is going on in the world e.g. the increasing natural disasters and the impacts they have on the security of essential needs such as food and water. All around Australia, Council’s, industry groups and concerned citizens are beginning to embrace the concepts of self-sustainability and permaculture. This is evident with community driven initiatives like Landshare and is further brought to the fore with inspirational people such as Robyn; in fact Robyn has been referring her students to Landshare for years and is gratified that it is finally taking off in Australia.

Another growing trend that is good news for our growers is an increase in farmers markets thanks to the emerging preference towards natural, harmonious sustainable living.

Attention! Landscapers with Permaculture Training…

Interestingly, Sydney siders tend to gravitate toward entertaining at home with easy to care for low maintenance yards and entertainment areas. You may ask, what has this in common with Landscapers? Well, one of the main aims of permaculture is a minimal maintenance low input landscape that produces food and supports the energy efficiency of the home. As more and more families are interested in having that insight and desire to want to help sustain our food supplies and preserve the earth, Landscapers are beginning to receive requests from customers for permaculture designed gardens. One Brisbane based Landscaper known to Robyn retains 60% of his customers from sustainable garden design.

Additionally, jobs specifically requiring permaculture qualifications are also on the increase as councils and industry groups become more ecologically cognizant. In fact the Gold Coast city council has recently advertised for a landscape designer with permaculture qualifications to design and build community gardens.

Win-Win Solutions

This growth within the industry could see Landscapers, growers and gardeners alike all stand to benefit from the additional learning and inspiration that a Permaculture Design Certificate offers.

The best program to start with is the permaculture design course which Robyn offers at Djanbung Gardens in Nimbin and it is a 2 week residential intensive every January and July. It is the literal a-z of permaculture design. Robyn has many professionals attend this course for development as well as lay people so they gain an increased understanding of nature and natural systems and how to bring that to wider community.

Robyn continues to develop the tools with which to empower us to create sustainable gardens and communities. She is passionate about all life and the life forms that we share with our incredible planet and wants to see it continue in its abundance and believes that permaculture is the best methodology around for us to deepen our understanding of the earth and its natural systems.

For more information on permaculture courses, please contact Robyn via email robyn@permaculture.com.au or visit her website on www.permaculture.com.au

1 A global hectare refers to one hectare (approximately soccer field size) of biologically productive space with world-average productivity.*

*Ecological Footprint. EPA Victoria State Govt. Victoria. June 2006. Date accessed 25/04/11.http://www.epa.vic.gov.au

1. Always conduct a risk assessment to identify and control any hazards

2. Identify slippery surfaces including hand tools and other grip surfaces

3. Identify any potential electrical hazards

4. Determine pipe capacities

5. Determine areas where erosion and collapse may occur

6. Identify any areas that require cordoning off

ASSETS have a range of products that are ideal for site and erosion control. Some of our products suitable for wet weather or extreme conditions include safety fencing, sandbags, DY-Mark sprays, markers and flagging tape that come in very bright colours and can be used to identify specific areas that might be dangerous or are off limits for other reasons.

DY-Mark Spray Cans, Markers and Flagging Tape great for identifying hazardous areas

Safety Barrier Mesh ideal for cordoning off potentially dangerous areas. We have both light and rigid barrier mesh which is highly visible and durable

Sandbags great for severe weather events, stabilisation and flood protection

Jute SoilSaver (Mesh) and economical way of preventing soil erosion

Call us today on 1300 130 123 for more information. Remember too that ASSETS deliver anywhere in Australia via our regular freight service. Turning around an order quickly is a huge part of meeting our customer’s needs and we do all we can to make sure that your delivery runs smoothly.

Waterlogged soil conditions caused by flooding creates a raft of issues for our plant life including, erosive movement; exposed roots, silt, disease, decreased soil nutrient levels and not to mention damaged crops and plant life caused by moving water or by submersion in standing water. By not addressing and arresting water logging early enough plants may become diseased or may indeed fail altogether which can be costly both in reputation and in profit.

Mild flooding and environmental stress is experienced by most plants but as the severity of the flood conditions increase, fewer plants are able to grow and survive let alone thrive. When a soil becomes flooded, oxygen is eliminated from the soil. Most plants left completely submerged for more than a few days are far less likely to survive due to the lack of oxygen. Lack of oxygen or anaerobic conditions caused by extended periods of submersion in water is damaging to not only the plant species themselves but also to the soil micro-organisms.

Flood conditions also take their toll on soil nutrient levels. Erosion, leaching and disruption to soil microbes can decrease the level and availability of various soil nutrients, particularly nitrogen. Nitrogen is an essential plant nutrient and when soil is saturated, the nitrates are reduced back to ammonium ions which may be lost to the air in the form of ammonia gas or directly as nitrogen gas.

High temperatures and underlying acidic soils will further aggravate the nutrient toxicity issues for many plant species. However subsequent to the water receding it is most likely that the soil chemistry will have been altered to either a greater or lesser extent.

The length of time that standing water persists is driven largely by the actual soil structure but is also influenced by the evaporative conditions at the time e.g. amount of sunshine, wind, temperature, humidity etc. Deep sandy soils with permeable lower horizons may drain relatively quickly hence the impact on plants is less severe; however, areas with underlying horizons of clay subsoil tend to waterlog more quickly and are exacerbated by “perched” water tables. This situation often results in a more prolonged anaerobic situation with more dramatic changes to the soil chemistry.

Additionally, the levels of iron and manganese increase to sometimes toxic levels yet fortunately, many Australian native species are highly tolerant of the situation.

On the flipside, the effect of flooding may indeed be a positive impact for those soils which have had prolonged build-up of salts. While the available Nitrogen may be depleted this washing away of accumulated salts down to the lower horizons below the root zone is often highly beneficial.

Waving Not Drowning

So what strategies can we employ to repair and restore our landscapes after a flooding event?

The strategies will be diverse and depend on a lot of factors however, the first step is always to take measures to correct pH levels and aerate the soil. Those areas with heavy silt deposits may benefit with the incorporation of additional organic materials and gypsum throughout the profile.

Secondly, sound management practice for soil amelioration always begins with soil analysis to establish what course of action to take. It is vital that you know the soil that you are working with in order to understand the amelioration required; be it improving drainage of heavy clay soil or increasing the nutrient holding capacity etc. The type of soil and conditions within the landscape will determine the best course of action to minimise any damage and disease and will provide you with the best platform and basis with which to begin reparation.

If your project is affected by water logging and you require soil advice, general amelioration recommendations or require a soil analysis, contact Richard McKenzie on 0400 300 399 or richard@allstakesupply.com.au, and we’ll see what we can do to help you develop the right approach to fixing the problem.

‘Firescaping’ is a term coined to describe the particular skills deployed by landscapers that are used to designing for fire prone areas. It combines some very unique abilities, not the least of which is convincing home owners to invest in non-combustible barriers, which look good and help prevent the spread of fire but can be quite expensive.

At the heart of the modern art of firescaping is an understanding of ‘defensible space principles’. This is combined with a careful selection of plants and other landscaping features to decrease the rate at which fire may spread and increase the speed with which it can be brought under control.

We’re looking for good examples of firescaping so if your company specialises in this or you know someone who has had their property firescaped, please get in touch with Jodie at ASSETS.

At ASSETS we love to showcase the great work of the landscaping community so, we look forward to seeing what’s being done out there to help property owners enjoy a place that looks fabulous but also helps take care of itself!

Over half of all new homes built now include a rain water tank as standard. This is a substantial increase on the previous survey by the ABS which showed that just three years ago only 26% of homes less than a year old were furnished with a tank.

With many more households using either recycled or collected rain water in their gardens, it demonstrates that both the State and Federal Governments have been successful in shifting the mindset of consumers toward water conservation.

As a result, the market is also starting to become aware of a wider variety of water conservation solutions. When it comes to a wide array of options to satisfy that demand, ASSETS has the right range on hand.

Jute matting is popular because it helps to reduce the water competition from weeds. It’s bio degradable so it actually adds organic matter to the soil as it also helps to prevent weeds from springing up around primary plantings.

For newly established plantings, Terraform Plant Establisher has proven itself a remarkable product that ensures immature or relocated plants are well supported as they establish in their new growing media, and are able to make the most efficient use of the water available to them.

All over the UK there were people that really wanted to eat homegrown fruit and veges. They had the skills but not the land to do so. Landshare was born of a vision to connect those people to others that had the land available and were not otherwise cultivating.

Now a national movement, every region of the UK is involved and this year, Landshare has arrived in Australia.

This is an extremely young initiative, literally only a few weeks old but there are already over 150 people that have registered their interest.

Around the country the effects of the floods in Queensland are being felt on the price of fruit and vegies. Our urban cities are sprawling and the food belts around major metropolitan areas are being lost to development.

These are just two reasons why the Landshare initiative is so exciting. It takes the concept of a community garden and recreates it into any backyard or spare plot of land that might be available, no matter how big or small.

At ASSETS we believe this is a sensational concept and we’re looking closely at how we can get involved and support those businesses and individuals that get on board. We are excited to see that a collection of NSW Councils has already partnered with Landshare.

The Northern Rivers Foodlink project is a collaboration of councils and Rous Water, created to help support local producers and create a sustainable approach to food production in the local area.

Can your business, school or council become part of this? Landshare could be a fabulous way to develop programmes in your local school to get edible gardens up and running, showing the children how it’s done through community partnership, which helps fulfil their learning but without putting too much strain on teaching resource!

We actively endorse the idea of Landshare and look forward to sharing more information with you about it as we develop our own association with the programme.

For more information, visit www.landshareaustralia.com.au

Troy also manages all the logistics associated with getting products to our customers. While there are many that enjoy the ability to drive straight on to our lot and load up direct from the warehouse, many more are distributed far and wide across NSW and even across state borders. When Troy is asked to ensure that a hard to source product is available at short notice and needs to be on site within a few days, it’s like watching a maestro at work!

Carrying the overall responsibility for Sales means Troy has also developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of the full ASSETS product range. When you consider that we carry over 1,000 different products, it’s an impressive feat to remember them all and correctly understand the relationship between them. For this reason Troy has become a trusted adviser to many of our most important customers, because they can rely on him to ensure the right products and solutions are recommended for the job.

Above all things Troy is loyal. He has stood by the company through some very difficult downturns in trading conditions and as he puts it “It is great to see the advancement of the company in very difficult times and help it to continue growing and evolving. I’m very proud to have played a part in the success of the company.”

“The highlights for me have been playing a part in securing supply on major projects such as the Windsor Rd upgrade and the M7 Orbital. However, the most rewarding aspect of my job is the relationships that have been built up over many years with customers that use ASSETS as their preferred suppliers,” says Troy. “We work in a very competitive industry where our customers often have the choice of several suppliers or even finding products themselves online, so it’s gratifying that my efforts to build up knowledge around their needs and deliver a high quality of service continue to bring their business back to us.”

The entire desalination build will involve approximately $1.9b. It’s engineering innovation on a massive scale and the pipeline to carry the water is perhaps the most crucial part of the project.

The design, procurement and construction of the pipeline was undertaken by The Alliance, which also providedThe Alliance was responsible for the design, procurement pump station infrastructure which links the plant to the water grid.

Some 17kms of pipeline now safely and effectively connects the desalination plant at Kurnell, travelling through Kyeemagh, Tempe, St Peters, Alexandria and Erskineville. These are very busy urban areas, so the logistics involved in delivering the project were themselves a considerable feat.

The success of the Alliance consortium was proven when the project took out the prestigious Category5 win at the Civil Contractors NSW 2010 Earth Awards. This State win was awarded for recognition of a project worth in excess of $75million and which was delivered with vision and executed with exceptionally strong, innovative techniques.

Infrastructure Partnerships Australia (IPA) also recognised the overall Desalination Project earlier this year, bestowing it with the Government Partnership Excellence Award.

Although interior designers are often the ones to recommend the idea to their customers, a feature such as this is essentially a landscaping job, carried out indoors on a vertical instead of horizontal plane. As beautiful as they are, deciding to install a greenwall comes with some specific challenges when it comes to keeping the plants vigorous and healthy.

The key factors to the success of a vertical garden are:

• Selection of the growing media
• Consideration of lighting and energy requirements
• A careful selection of the compatible plant species
• The water delivery and collection system
• The method of delivery of nutrients
• Nature of the customer

The Growing Media

Perlite has proven to be a popular medium for greenwalls. It is a good sterile, inert and lightweight product, all of which suits it to this kind of purpose.

Nonetheless Perlite has a very low “buffering capacity” and as such very little capacity to hold nutrients. It’s most typically used hydroponics where the nutrients are supplied on a constant basis in the water solution.

Potting mixes vary enormously in their individual components and buffering capacity. Many will be superior to Perlite, although far more prone to decomposition and shrinkage.

Combining Coir, Peat and Perlite would make a good component mix, with small additions of Zeolite further improving the level of nutrient retained for longer periods of time in the growing media. The right combination would ensure there was a sufficient balance of air capacity, water holding and nutrient buffering to sustain the plants well.

Lighting and Energy

Obviously plants need sun and in the absence of it, they need good lighting. Office environments that use only fluorescents will not be suitable environments for this kind of exercise unless the project sponsor is prepared to have appropriate lighting built in to the overall design.

Plants are also temperature sensitive so selection of species will need to take into account whether the environment is going to be heated in winter and cooled in summer, so your choice of plant may prove to be topsy-turvy to your outdoor planting schedule.

Plant Selection

There are many species that can do well in a green wall but as with all things that involve a large number of plants, there is likely to be a failure rate so the hardier the species the better.

Give consideration to those having similar watering requirements through the whole year, and similar preference to aspect, shading and nutrient needs.

Ferns and fern allies such as spikemoss species are popular because they can tolerate less sunlight and of course vines have been used for centuries to adorn otherwise boring home exteriors and it’s likely to be little different with a wall indoors.

There are various perennial wildflowers and daisy varieties that will grow happily in a soil-less media, many grasses as well and even herbs such as basil, oregano or fruit such as strawberries have been successfully grown in this way.

Water Delivery and Collection

There are many different kinds of systems but in the main, most include a dripper line along the top of the garden relies on gravity feeds down the wall.

It may pay to experiment with the different kinds of Geotextiles on offer within various competiting systems. Some can act to wick water away from the growing media so the watering schedule may be more frequent and have shorter cycle times, ensuring that a band of water can move through the media on a regular basis.

Consequently with the vertical garden the water need to be applied much more frequently than you would think but with shorter cycle times. This allows a band of water to move through the media on a regular basis.

In larger scale commercial installations, it has become popular to hook the entire green wall system up with the air conditioning in order to reuse and recycle water collection but home installations need to have a convenient way to collect and dispose of run off.

In either case, if the run-off is to be re-circulated in any way, careful thought needs to be given to potential problems from root borne diseases or salt build up.

Nutrient Delivery

Adequate nutrient delivery is a matter of technical competence and even the very adept can get it wrong. A soluble feed in the water solution is most likely to produce the best results but requires a higher level of technical ability as it is essentially a hydroponic system to ensure the correct dilutions and avoid salt build ups.

A compromise would be using Coated Controlled Release fertiliser incorporated in the growing media which could solve your problems for up to 12 months. How you go after this is another issue, without the structure all to pieces and installing new growing media.

Some structures offer individual pockets with the growing media and fertilisers for each plant which is then placed into the overall structure. It’s a bit more of a Claytons approach but it makes the management of nutrient delivery easier.

Nature of the Customer

If you are working with a customer that thinks a green wall would be ‘cool’ or wants one because they think it’s a good exercise in environmental care, but perhaps shows little real knowledge or interest in plants and gardening, get them to think carefully. A project such as this is about a great deal more than an aesthetically appealing result and if your customer is not willing to commit the time to maintenance of the plants or prepared to put the investment in having a green wall cared for by professionals – it may not be the best option for them, regardless of how ‘uber’ they are right now.

On the flipside, if you have a customer that is prepared for the upfront costs and ongoing maintenance that can be involved, there really is nothing quite like a greenwall.

The Last Tip

Consider the liabilities and risks involved too. Restaurants, bars and places where food is prepared may have some strict limitations to what can be installed and where. The presence of phytotoxins is common in the chemicals used to clean offices and homes alike so factor this in to your discussion with your customer.

Buy 3000m² of any rolled erosion control product from All Stake Supply and you can make use of the fantastic Tackler, for an agreed period at no cost to your business.

This is the lightest wire staple gun available and is height adjustable with a foot press that makes fast, light work of affixing erosion control products without breaking your back.

Save time. Save money. Save your back! Call us today, toll-free on 1300 130 123, to order your erosion control products and take advantage of this great offer.

*Some conditions do apply. Please call your ASSETS representative for more information.

It’s all about assimilation. Water is taken from the soil by the roots to the leaves through what is described as the transpiration stream and then moved through a series of tissues known as the xylem. Amongst other nutrients the Calcium is principally taken up through the xylem via the transpiration stream and deposited in the actively growing tips and buds.

Factors which influence the transpiration rate of plants therefore influence how successfully and rapidly calcium will be assimilated.

For instance, while other nutrients are readily taken up by older root sections, calcium is only taken up by the young actively growing root tips, making it critical they are kept free of damage from pests and pathogens alike.

Calcium is found in many minerals that occur naturally in soil. A common misconception is that if the soil has the correct pH then calcium will be available but, while it’s not considered to be especially leachable, its presence alone does not guarantee availability to the plant.

Even in highly calcareous soils (chalk soils), calcium deficiency can occur. This can be due to a number of factors including the over-abundance of certain other nutrients including Magnesium, Iron, Ammonium or Potassium.

This means it is important to schedule your soil analysis regularly to pick up on changes that might mean adjustments to your fertiliser programme.

Spotting the Calcium Deficiency

As a general practice most people tend to fertilise a couple of times throughout the season. It is this practice which in some cases may lead to short term calcium deficiency purely through the excess of one or more of other nutrients. The use of controlled release fertiliser does not always guarantee avoiding these problems due to the vagrancies in the weather. Short term periods of very high temperature will almost always cause rapid release of nutrients resulting in either high EC reducing Calcium uptake. This is exacerbated in container grown situations where pot temperatures follow the ambient more closely.

In the case where a calcium deficiency occurs in the plant symptoms are often described as physiological disorders. Symptoms include:

• Bulb and Fruit deformation
• Short & stunted often brown root systems
• Necrosis at the margins and tips of young leaves.
• Stunted growth and chlorosis
• Blossom end rot in tomatoes
• Pitting in apple fruit

PotTop Tips

To avoid these nasty results or to remediate them where they are occurring, there are a few options:

• PotTops ensure a steady rate of transpiration. This is aided by keeping humidity below 90% and further assisted by ensuring air movement across the leaf surface
• Gypsum can be applied where pH is not a problem and generally the calcium is available in a relatively short term.
• Where the pH is below optimal liming may be the longer term solution. However the calcium delivered through liming the soil may be a little slow to fix an immediate shortfall.
• Avoiding excess of other nutrients which may reduce Ca uptake – this may be a complex issue to analyse but well worth it overall.
• The application of foliar sprays of a 0.2% Calcium nitrate solution, which can be applied directly on the fruit (E.g. tomatoes or strawberries) as applications to the leaves will be of no benefit.

These were formative years and Marion has taken her ability to rough it with the lads and willingness to roll up the sleeves and get on with the job to become one of a small number of women in NSW that have founded and built a civil contracting company.

The Wilkie Group is a well known and well respected New South Wales based company that this year celebrates a decade in business. It’s founded on a strong partnership between Arch Wilkie and Marion Wait – a duo with highly complementary skill sets that have created a very successful business.

“Arch is the expert in water, rock and earth. He’s quite uncanny in his ability to understand how the land behaves when subject to certain forces and elements. I handle all the back office problem solving. He everything goes smoothly on site and I make sure that we’re covered for anything that could possibly go wrong ,” explains Marion, “He forges ahead and finds the business, shakes the hands and gets the relationships underway. I follow behind and put in all the contractual agreements, processes controls and procedures. It has worked well for a long time.”

Wilkie Group is particularly specialised in providing services to local government and developers. Chances are if your neighborhood has great footpaths that haven’t subsided or your favourite park does not become a swamp every time it rains, Wilkie Group has been on the job.

“It’s the unseen work that people often don’t think about and don’t realise just how much goes into doing it well,” says Marion. “We do it all, from drainage to in-situ pits, trenching, to all aspects of road building such as excavation, rock sawing, earthworks, sub grade, sub base, asphalt through to traffic control. We build roundabouts, splinter and median islands, footpaths, kerb & gutter, driveways and concrete work. Playgrounds, reserves, property adjustments, fencing, stonewalls and landscaping. Beyond that, we can supply any type of machine with experienced operators – there’s very little we don’t do.”

Building a very strong level of OH&s and compliance practice inside the business has been a firm focus of Marion’s from day one. She had the foresight to see that attracting and retaining Government customers would require it. It’s been a real boon for the business, which to this day has never had an accident on one of its sites.

“Local council work is a particular strength for Wilkie Group, because we conform to all their requirements. Because our compliance measures are very strict, we protect our Government and council clients from risk and that’s something they value,” explains Marion. “It’s been a big upfront investment, because playing with a straight bat can be a real challenge in an industry where others tend to cut corners, but it’s paid dividends in the long run.”

It’s not glamorous work by any stretch of the imagination. Asked about various project triumphs, Marion is wry in her response saying “it’s pretty rare for anyone to call you and say wow – that footpath was SO straight or my god, that drainage is amazing! We simply take pride in knowing a job done well the Wilkie way provides safer communities and great public amenities that are enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people every week.”

And what of being a woman in the industry? “It’s a very tough industry and women are a rare breed,” confirms Marion. “In fact, when I used to turn up on sites in my safety vest and with my clipboard, the blokes that weren’t on our crew and didn’t know me usually scurried because they assumed I must be a safety inspector. When we started a decade ago, inspections were about the only time you ever saw women on a construction site. It hasn’t changed a great deal.”

“So when I was at a recent Civil Contractors Federation award function and heard one of their keynote executive say it’s time the industry embraced women, my ears pricked up. Given I was one of only three women at the event, one was the event coordinator and the other a speaker from the legal fraternity, I’ll be very interested to see what emerges from the CCF on this subject. Perhaps it’s time for a woman on the Board!”

Overall Marion is philosophical about her career in civil contracting and the engineering fraternity overall. “It’s a game you go into knowing you are bound to encounter a certain level of resistance and sometimes even hostility but eventually you earn respect and it’s long lasting. It is important though that I have a balance, other interests because civil contracting is incredibly black and white – very logical, linear and exacting. So I pursue things that allow me to tap into the creative side of my nature.”

As she says this, I look around the North Shore art gallery where this interview is taking place. It’s Marion’s work on exhibition. Her paintings are vibrant, generous and demonstrate her love of nature and family. This exhibition is another accomplishment in a busy month that has also included helping to coordinate several successful charity events.

I’m beginning to realise that Marion Wait is someone that wakes up every day and really turns up in her own life. She goes on to explain that she commenced her fine arts degree when she was living in Perth, holds a Diploma in Theatre Management and a BA in Arts Management. She further holds an Advanced Diploma in Real Estate and Business Brokerage and also worked for the Australian Youth Orchestra, helping to organise their 75th Anniversary event before their first successful tour to China.

She’s an accomplished and sought after public speaker who has represented the Australian Toastmasters team and if all this is not enough, not long ago she learned how to swim and in the same year ended up competing in the World Masters and also won the Silver Medal in the NSW Championships for breaststroke. As she puts it “I like to have big goals.”

She’s a pretty cerebral sort. So I’m fascinated to know how she ended up owning and running a Civil Contracting company?

“I’d moved to Sydney and across the way from where I lived, these blokes were pulling down a house. I went over to them and asked if I could have all the beautiful things. This guy looked at me like I was mad and said “what effin beautiful things love?” That was Arch. He was working for another company then and the only reason he hadn’t set up for himself was he didn’t have anyone to do that back office set up. I said I would and that was it. We turned a profit on our first job.”

It’s a success story with many chapters and Marion is eternally grateful for the hard work of the Wilkie team. “The strength of any organization comes down to the individuals in it. You can only do so much on your own and I have been privileged to work with an exceptional team” she says. “They are loyal and utterly tenacious and have never let us down, even when the odds were stacked against the business.”

Marion credits the values of the team to the leadership of Arch Wilkie and whilst she’s very proud of her role in establishing the process, procedures and policies that have kept the company running smoothly, she has enormous respect for her business partner.

“He’s a strong leader. His ability to manage people, his tenacity in the face of adversity and his relentless perfectionism has been the foundation of our business values.”

Marion has learned many things in her ten years running Wilkie Group but counts the following amongst the most important:

• Learn to get over disappointment quickly and get over yourself even faster.
• Develop the ability to talk to anyone, on any level that will help them feel confident and comfortable talking to you
• Who you become through adversity defines you greatly.
• By all means do business on a handshake. Then follow up with a contract.
• Triple check everything
• Be sure of your posture and even surer of your position
• Scope your work carefully, define time , money and terms of payment up front, unless you want to become a really good debt collector.
• In engineering you can have any colour you like, as long as it’s black and white.
• Just turn up – every day in your own life to have a dig and never let anyone tell you that you can’t.
• Play the ball, not the players.

When plants react to touch or mechanical stimuli, it is described as a Thigmotropism. The Oxford Dictionary defines a ‘tropism’ in a living organism as the ‘turning in a particular direction in response to some specific external stimulus”, and this is something being studied ever more closely as a way of understanding those factors that dictate the way a plant grows.

Light (phototropism) and gravity (gravitropism) are the two most influential, with hydrotropism another clearly important factor of what may determine the way a plant develops in any given scenario.

The influence of touch and even colour on plants has also been studied. Since 1973 it’s been known that stroking a plant for only a few seconds a day can lead to the stem thickening, creating a stockier plant that may be more robust or better able to withstand windy environments.

This phenomenon was more recently tested in an experiment where trays of seedlings, grown in controlled, greenhouse conditions were lightly brushed over with a sheet of paper on a regular basis. Amazingly, the seeds that were subject to this ‘affection’ had a better rate of survival following transplanting than seeds not exposed to any mechanical stimulation. The mature plants evolved to look more as if they were grown outdoors, with shorter, thicker trunks and stems.

What triggers and regulates these responses is not fully understood, but the involvement of various plant hormones is well known.Since environmental factors act as such strong “triggers” to plant development it is not surprising that such a strong focus on controlling the environment is applied to intensive horticulture.

To discuss how the management of light, water, air and other stimuli could have a bearing on your business, call me, Richard McKenzie at ASSETS on 1300 130 123.

For instance, purchase our new Coir Matting products, which is a fantastic alternative to Jute and you will receive 20% off allied products such as steel fastening pins and wetting agent, to help get new vegetation established, secured and protected against soil erosion and weeds.

Or if you are planting or relocating trees this spring and need to guarantee their roots won’t cause issues for neighbouring flora or properties, now is an ideal time to ask us about Root Barrier. This spring, any purchase of Root Barrier from ASSETS will also get you a massive discount on Butyl Tape, to make sure your Root Barrier borders are held together securely.

Call 1300 130 123 today and ask about the Spring Season Madness* promotions to discover what we can do to get your first quarter off to a flying start with great savings on the products you need.

*Conditions Apply

All Stake Supply now offer it in the form of matting. Commonly used as the base product for rope production, coir is well known for its tensile strength and ability to withstand the elements. This matting is no different.

When used with vegetation, it is mechanically strong enough to hold slopes together even following heavy rain. It acts as a store for excess water, retaining humidity which helps prevent topsoil from drying out on newly planted sites. Coir matting helps to reduce soil erosion and as a degradable organic, it also promotes the growth of new plants.

With optimal seasonal conditions, coir matting can last for up to five years, more than enough time for vegetation to become well established. It offers great value for money and can be used as an alternate to jute.

Picture on left: Installed coir matting, supporting a newly planted slope with young vegetation

Picture on right: The same slope, with vegetation fully grown in. 

Call us today on 1300 130 123 for more information about the benefits of choosing coir matting for your next project.

The $260million project was completed in December of last year and is located on the Port River at Osbourne, South Australia. According to a press release issued by McConnell Dowell, the new facility “supports shipbuilding and maintenance company ASC in delivering the Royal Australian Navy’s next generation of Air Warfare Destroyers.”

It is a prime example of the standard of project entered into the 17th Annual CCF Earth Awards. State finalists continue to be judged across July and August, with the gala event convening in Canberra on October 23rd where the National Earth Award winner will be announced for 2010.

It’s a prestigious event, a highly coveted prize and the only Awards of its kind, where some of the country’s most innovative and brilliant engineering projects have gained well won recognition and reward as a result of their entry.

For all that, the Earth Awards actually serve a far broader and even more important purpose. For nearly two decades the Awards have helped to shift the perception of civil contracting being the ‘bash and burn’ mob that show up to clear land for property construction and infrastructure development.

The reality is that the industry has a long history of self-regulating and developing sustainable practices that protected the environment long before the legislators in Canberra caught up, as CCF’s chief, Mr. Chris White explains.

“At the time we launched the Awards as a new initiative, there was very little regulation in place around environmental protection and preservation of natural habitat. Even back then we already had members developing innovative practices to address the key issues such as advancing the way soil erosion was prevented, how to remediate and revegetate natural bushlands and stop pollutant run off into waterways,” says White.

“For nearly two decades now, the Earth Awards have allowed us to train a spotlight on emerging best practice. As a result, the overall standards of the industry have raised and in truth, the regulators have then worked to formalise these standards and set them into law, so they must be followed by everyone.”

Over the years, the Awards have evolved to recognise more and more of what Civil Contractors are doing across the country. New categories have emerged and the entry criteria have been modified from time to time to allow for changing practices and standards.

The 2010 Awards had three main entry options, Conservation Techniques, Environmental Management and Project Management, with each fleshing out further to encompass projects of varying scale, with anything from up to a million to more than $75 million eligible to enter.

Attached to a big evening of celebrating some remarkable feats of engineering at the Awards Gala Dinner, CCF is also staging its annual industry conference. This is an excellent opportunity for industry players to talk about contemporary issues, network with peers and gain some valuable insight into what business leaders and Government alike have to say about developments in the industry.

If you’re interested in attending the National Conference and/or securing a table for the Awards night, you should visit www.civilcontractors.com and follow the relevant links.

In the next edition of the ASSETS newsletter, we plan to speak with some of the State winners about their entries and what the Earth Awards means to them. If you’ve got a comment or question about the CCF Earth Awards, contact us on newsletter@allstakesupply.com.au

We look forward to you visiting allstakesupply.com.au to view the new site and your feedback will be greatly welcome. It is our aim to make the new site easier on the eye, simpler to navigate and much easier to search for products and solutions.

Over time, we will add new layers of content including case studies, ‘how to’ videos and tutorials to demonstrate how you can you make the most of your ASSETS product lines, and to highlight how you can group your product selections to address pretty much any plant, soil, site or project requirement.

If you have any ideas or feedback as to how our website could be made more useful for your business, don’t hesitate to drop us a line.

Meanwhile, spring is here and no doubt many of you in civil works, landscaping, revegation and nurseries are gearing up for a busy season ahead. It has been a colder winter than we’ve had in some time, and thankfully there has been a strong level of rainfall across July. This bodes well for growers and should provide lush, fertile soil for the season.

At ASSETS, we’ve spent 34 years listening to our customers and working hard to make sure we can offer the industry awareness and specialised knowledge that suit your needs. Whilst the last financial year was difficult for everyone, we are very proud of our ability to continue supporting customers with lower cost, effective alternatives across a wide range of products. From stakes to site control solutions, revegetation systems and plant nutrition, we offer the widest range of wholesale products for this industry under one roof, anywhere in Australia.

It is our single minded proposition to be the wholesaler of choice for the licensed trades and right now, we have some great offers on the table that can save you money. Some conditions do apply, but with savings like this, it pays to make a call to our sales team on 1300 130 123 to make sure you’re eligible.

We thank you all for your business over the past financial year and wish you well for the next twelve months of trade.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Holt

Managing Director

With the release of our newest product Terraform OceanCompleX , we have put out a press release on it and our Terraform Plant Establisher. See our article in this months Hort Journal Magazine.

Related products:

• Terraform Plant Establisher (TM)
• Terraform (TM) OceanCompleX

Over two days, a tireless time over of 50 people were rallied by Dean Herald of Rolling Stone Landscapes to transform the backyard of The Layton Family. The Layton's are going through some difficult times with there son Chad who has neuroblastoma.

Thanks for the combined efforts and contributions from a wide range of companies, the family were presented with a transformed garden, with chicken coops, entertaining area and outdoor kitchen. see attached images of the wonderful job.

- Images supplied by Rolling Stone Landscapes www.rollingstonelandscapes.com

Related products:

• Hardwood Stakes

Related products:

• Plastic Sleeves

Re : Water Delivery Alliance – Kurnell : Use of Terraform Plant Establisher

Dear Stephen,

Regal Innovations are extremely happy with the way the Terraform has performed at Kurnell.

In July 2008,a mixture of tubestock and viro cells  totalling 14550 plants were planted on a mound over a pipe line in coastal sandy soil in an area that is subject to coastal winds.

The water crystals are maintaining the moisture around the plants and the fertiliser appears to be giving the plants sufficient nutrients for optimum growth.

We wish to acknowledge the generosity of All Stake Supply Company Riverstone for their very welcome donation of 500 tree guards.  The guards have been used to protect newly planted native plants in our Outdoor Environmental Learning Centre.

Thank you very much from parents, staff and students of Oakville Public School.  It is wonderful to have the support of a company that is committed to helping local community projects as well as the environment.  

Regards from

Students, Parents and Staff of Oakville Public School

Related products:

• Cardboard Milk Cartons
• Growies Tree Guards
• Round Bamboo Canes