News Archive.
Our older news stories are below in chronological order:
Yorkshire Sculpture Park widens appeal
Open-air art exhibition space near Wakefield grows by 150 acres after completion of £800,000 restoration project Read the story online.
Hackfall receives Grand Prix prize from Placido Domingo at European conservation 'Oscars'
The Woodland Trust's Hackfall site near Ripon has become one of just six 'Grand Prix' winners out of 27 projects recognised at the 2011 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage at the Europa Nostra Awards ceremony, held in Amsterdam on June 10th.
The award - given for the restoration of the 18 th century woodland garden, with its castle, follies, cascades and fountain - was presented to Trust staff by Placido Domingo, the world-renowned tenor and president of Europa Nostra. The ceremony was attended by an audience of some 1500 people including H.R.H. Princess Margriet of The Netherlands, with the winners receiving a 10,000 Euro cheque.
The project was supported with a grant of just under ?1million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and saw a five year programme of works which have recently been completed. Now, for the first time in nearly 200 years visitors can enjoy the full Hackfall experience, thanks to the work of The Hackfall Trust, Woodland Trust, Landmark Trust and volunteers. Further grants were also provided by English Heritage, Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Yorventure, through funds generated by Yorwaste Ltd, and the North Yorkshire Aggregates Grant Scheme.
Heather Swift from the Woodland Trust accepted the award: "To be recognised with the initial award was one thing, but to then be selected as one of the six Grand Prix winners was something none of us were expecting! It's great to receive acknowledgement of all our hard work on a European stage."
A team of landscape architects, ecologists and hydrologists, organised by the Landscape Agency, set about revealing the original vision of dramatic vistas, restoring follies to a sound but ruinous state, and bringing back to life the lost ponds, paths, cascades and weirs, including a gravity-fed water jet in Fountain Pond.
Fiona Spiers, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for Yorkshire and the Humber said: "This award is testament not only to the restoration works of this wonderful and highly significant heritage site, but also to the dedication and enthusiasm of the team and volunteers who made it happen. Well done to all."
Patrick James, Managing Director of The Landscape Agency, added: "We are all proud winners of this European award. It is recognition of the hard work a huge team has put in over the past six years to reveal this extraordinary landscape to a wider public. The Woodland Trust and Hackfall Trust continue to maintain Hackfall and ensure that it is open to the public free of charge every day of the year. It is well worth a visit."
The Jury was captivated by the authenticity of the restoration of the ruined buildings, highlighting the garden's poetic communion with nature.
Hackfall hosts events throughout the year, including a 'water features walk' this Friday and a moth discovery day on Saturday. To find out more visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/hackfall
Landscape Agency secures 2011 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/ Europa Nostra Award for Conservation at Hackfall, North Yorkshire
The success of recent conservation works at Hackfall near Ripon, one of Yorkshire's most important historic landscapes, has been recognized across Europe with the announcement that it has been awarded a prestigious European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Award 2011.
The completion last year of works to restore the landscape at Hackfall is the culmination of almost eight years work by a team led by the Landscape Agency on behalf of the Woodland Trust and Hackfall Trust. The funding had been secured via a ?1m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund
Patrick James , Managing Director of the Landscape Agency, will receive the award with the Woodland Trust in Amsterdam in June, on behalf of the everyone involved with the project. The award will be presented by Europa Nostra President, and world-renowned Tenor, Placido Domingo.
Patrick noted: We are all proud winners of this European Award for conservation, the only project in Britain to receive this award in 2011. It is recognition of the hard work a huge team has put in during the past eight years to reveal this extraordinary landscape to a wider public. The Woodland Trust and Hackfall Trust continue to maintain Hackfall and ensure that it is open to the public free of charge every day of the year. It is well worth a visit'.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park update...
We have recently completed recreating the historic views at Yorkshire Sculpture Park through a programme of tree thinning and clearance. Bretton Hall, the Country Park, lakes, woodland and associated historic features are visually reconnected within the wider landscape setting and can now be appreciated as part of the original C18 pleasure ground experience .
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After (March 2011)
Repairs are progressing of the historic landscape features including the various bridges, boat house, obelisk, waterfall and stepping stones to further enhance the visitor experience and maintain the rich historic fabric for future generations.
Photographs by Jane Sebire: www.janesebire.com
Landscape Agency completes Enquiry by Design with Prince's Foundation
The Landscape Agency has recently completed an Enquiry by Design in association with the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment. Working with a local developer, the local authority and a range of interested parties, we worked as landscape consultants in completing an initial masterplan to create a new community to the south of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
The masterplan was informed by an inspired process known as 'Enquiry by Design'. This is a planning tool that brings together key interested parties to collaborate on a vision for a new or revivied community. This is developed through a workshop facilitated by the Prince Foundation and helps assess a complex range of design requirements for developing a site.
Works under way at YSP
Work has begun at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park as part of the restoration project with backing from Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council and Natural England. A result of the Historic Landscape Management Plan, which was put together by TLA, the 500,000 grant will be spent on restoring and enhancing the woodland, lakes, historic footpaths, bridges and follies in order to improve views of the grade II listed Bretton Hall landscape.
The first phase of the project includes a series of tree works to thin and clear fell unmanaged woodland growth around the Lower Lake with the aim to restore the historic views and vistas. As the tree works commence the visual connection between the lakes, parkland, Bretton Hall and woodland will be re-established for the first time since the Second World War.
Further more sensitive tree works are programmed to follow around the Upper Lake where many of the original 18th century pleasure ground features lie hidden in dense vegetation. Features such as the boat house, summer house, obelisk, shell grotto and islands are to be sensitively brought back into the landscape and will once again animate the experience of this unique place.
These forgetten areas of the Bretton landscape are steadily being brought back to life. The aim is to open these areas to the public in the summer.
RBC New Wild Garden at Chelsea 2011
Landscape Agency helps secure 1.14 million at Wrest Park on behalf of English Heritage
The funding allows English Heritage to restore one of Britain's finest landscape gardens to its original splendour. Wrest Park is one of the country's largest 'secret gardens' in that for many decades it was part of an agricultural research centre, its treasures were overgrown and the garden largely unknown by the public.
The first phase of the restoration will be unveiled in August 2011 with the opening of the reinstated Italian and Rose Gardens. HLF's support will also provide better visitor facilities and improved exhibitions. The garden will develop more opportunities for volunteers as well as running an apprenticeship scheme for eight novice gardeners.
The Landscape Agency's Managing Director, Patrick James noted 'we were delighted when we heard that English Heritage had been awarded the grant. Preparing the bid had involved, as always, a huge amount of work. It is also hugely gratifying to know that this outstanding landscape, which is relatively unknown, is to be rejuvenated. We look forward to continuing to work with English Heritage to ensure that this restoration project is delivered successfully by Summer 2011'.
English Heritage chief executive, Simon Thurley, described the grant as a 'vote of confidence' for the restoration project. He added, 'Wrest Park and its outstanding collection of historic garden buildings is one of the finest surviving 18th century landscapes in Britain. It is also one of our best kept secrets and few know of its magnificence. This restoration will reverse years of neglect and bring this once famous and beautiful landscape back into the limelight.'
The RBC Rain Garden - WWT London Wetland Centre
A new garden at the WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes was opened by Alan Titchmarsh this week. It was designed by Nigel Dunnett in collaboration with the Landscape Agency's Matthew Wilson and Ed Payne. The garden has been funded by the Royal Bank of Canada .
The RBC Rain Garden has been a joint initiative between the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and the RBC Blue Water Project, a multi-year programme that helps foster a culture of water stewardship worldwide. The Landscape Agency and Nigel Dunnett were appointed to design the garden at the beginning of the year.
A Rain Garden allows rain water run-off from surfaces such as roofs and driveways to be absorbed and used. Efficiently managing the run-off from impermeable surfaces prevents erosion and flooding and also conserves water as it reduces reliance on mains water supplies. The RBC Rain Garden is fully accessible to encourage visitors to explore and at its heart is a pavillion - a disguised formed shipping container with green roof and habitat walls.
Noel Kingsbury, writing in the Daily Telegraph noted: 'The rain garden may be functional and ethical, but it also looks good. The creature towers are wonderfully sculptural and the diversity of plant life provides a long season of colour and other interest. Above all it shows how we can live our urban lives better attuned to natural processes without sacrificing attractive gardens.'
TLA night of success at the White Rose Awards
It was a triumphant evening at the Yorkshire Tourism White Rose Awards last night. Held at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate the awards are considered a celebration of excellence in the tourism industry in Yorkshire . This year they received a record number of entries but there are only 16 categories and so just 16 winners.
Harlow Carr Gardens won both the Large Visitor Attraction Award and The Sustainable Tourism Award. Having recently completed a masterplan for the gardens we have worked on the new Learning Centre and Teaching Garden .
Also, The Feversham Arms Hotel and Verbena Spa at Helmsley won the Small Hotel/ Townhouse of the Year Award. Our Head of Garden Design, Matthew Wilson designed the new spa garden.
See the link for more details: http://www.whiteroseawards.com/2010/
June 2010: The fountain at Hackfall 'plays' again for the first time in 200 years
Landscape Agency 'Enrolled Practice' of the Prince's Foundation
The Landscape Agency is pleased to announce that it has become an 'Enrolled Practice' of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment.
The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment is a charity which exists to improve the quality of people's lives by teaching and practising timeless and ecological ways of planning, designing and building.
http://www.princes-foundation.org
Hyde Park - Memorial 2007
The Landscape Agency has been short-listed - down to the last two practices - to design an appropriate new garden as a setting for a new sculpture 'Memorial 2007 - Remembering Enslaved Africans and their Descendants - 1807 - 2007'.
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The proposed concept design would be sited in London 's Hyde Park with the appointed panel 's decision anticipated in the next few months. ( We have recently worked with Simon Gudgeon in designing the setting for his new sculpture 'Isis' which now stands on the south side of the Serpentine in Kensington Gardens. )
'Landscape Man' to launch on April 22, Channel 4, 8.00pm
Note for the Diary: TLA's Matthew Wilson has a new television series which due to be screened on Channel 4 from April 22. 'Landscape Man' has been in the making for the past eighteen months. See the Channel 4 website for more details.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/landscape-man
London Wetlands Centre
TLA Associate Nigel Dunnett designs new rain garden at WWT London Wetland Centre.
A new garden at the WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes has come a step closerto reality following the appointment of leading landscape expert Nigel Dunnett in collaboration with the Landscape Agency.
Dr Nigel Dunnett has designed a beautiful new rain garden, funded by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) with a cascade of 'rain gardens' and pools, green roof planting, a stream with lush , bold vegetation all combining to create an arresting vista for visitors to the London Wetland Centre.
Rain water management is the key focus of the garden, a vital message at a time when water conservation will become more important as the climate changes. This exciting new feature will open at the Wetland Centre in July.
The RBC Rain Garden is a joint initiative between WWT and the RBC Blue Water Project, a multi-year programme that helps foster a culture of water stewardship worldwide. WWT won an RBC Blue Water Project grant in 2009 to build the garden at the Wetland Centre. Nigel Dunnett and the Landscape Agency were appointed in November 2009.
Landscape Agency helps to secure Third New Country House
The Landscape Agency has helped to secure full planning permission for its third new country house within the auspices of 'Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas'.
This new house will occupy a prominent position within an existing farm, set in rolling Lincolnshire, in the tradition of the English country house. The hugely demanding PPS7 guidelines state that any new house must be 'truly outstanding and ground-breaking' which 'raise standards of design more generally in rural areas'. It is rare that a decision of this kind is made without being referred for Appeal. TLA has now secured permission for two PPS7 houses, without going to appeal - the only landscape architect practice in the UK that can make this claim.
In response to this iconic building, by architect Louise Cooper, Alistair Baldwin, Design Director at TLA, and his team, has devised a ground-breaking landscape framework both immediately around the house and across the estate. Alistair notes 'The scheme includes areas where man sensitively dominates nature, while other areas establish a symbiotic relationship between man and his environment and particularly focuses on enhancing habitats in a way that will greatly promote biodiversity across the site.'
A spokesman from Natural England noted;
"Natural England would like to re-iterate that we were impressed with design of the landscaping scheme and are supportive of the potential contributions of the scheme to habitat creation and hopefully in the longer term BAP targets. It is encouraging to see a proposal with this level of ambition and commitment to the natural environment."
The other successful PPS7 houses that TLA has worked on are Ghyllheugh near Morpeth in Northumberland with architects Reid, Jubb Brown and Park House, Lowther with architect Craig Hamilton.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park Work With The Landscape Agency
Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) have announced that The Landscape Agency have been appointed to prepare a detailed Management Plan for the 500 acre YSP site with a view to removing it from English Heritage's 'At Risk' register next year.
The report will help further enhance the landscape at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, with particular focus on reconnecting the landscape between Bretton Park, the formal pleasure grounds and the area used by YSP. The plan will look at historical development of the site as well as its current condition in terms of ecology, trees, land management and access.
Patrick James, Managing Director of The Landscape Agency said: "Yorkshire Sculpture Park is already a wonderful setting for sculpture as well as a place for people to walk and visit. We are delighted to put together this plan to help further enhance the landscape."
The report, funded by Natural England's Environmental Stewardship Scheme, is due to be completed in April 2010. Proposals set out in the plan will also form part of a ten-year programme of works to enhance the landscape at the park.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park is keen to put positive steps in place to secure removal from English Heritage's 'At Risk' register. Peter Murray, Executive Director of YSP commented: "We are extremely pleased that Natural England is funding this crucial piece of work. This is a unique opportunity to protect and enhance the historic landscape that Yorkshire Sculpture Park sits within and to ultimately remove us from the 'Heritage At Risk' Register."
Margaret Nieke, Historic Environment Advisor for Natural England who are funding the report added: "This is an exciting opportunity for us. Tackling ?Heritage at Risk? sites and issues is a key priority for us and we are delighted by the strong working partnership that has already developed at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. This work will help place YSP firmly back on the map as an important and well-cared for historic park."
RHS Garden Receive Record Visitor Numbers in 2009
Wisley celebrated its millionth visitor in December while Harlow Carr visitor numbers reached over 250,000 for the first time in its history.
Wisley saw record numbers in 2009, welcoming its 1 millionth visitor. Jenny Kingston from Guildford, an RHS member for five years, was feted with Champagne and flowers as she became the millionth visitor in 2009 to pass through the garden. Jenny was visiting with her husband and two young children.
"2009 was a bumper year for Wisley," said Jim. "We have introduced new events and horticultural displays that can be enjoyed by all ages, and new family attractions such as our ?Wild at Wisley? play area and activity cards have really ensured that even young visitors can get up close to nature and learn about gardening."
Harlow Carr also had a lot to celebrate after welcoming more than 250,000 in one year for the first time in its history.
"We're all absolutely delighted!" says Liz Thwaite, Head of Site. "We know from our own research that visitors love Harlow Carr for many reasons: for gardeners of all levels we provide inspiration and ideas to try at home. For others, the garden provides a relaxing and beautiful place to spend time with friends and family."
The garden hopes to continue this success in 2010 as it celebrates its 60th anniversary and officially opens the eagerly anticipated Bramall Learning Centre.
The Tree & Woodland Company Launched
Leading landscape architecture practice The Landscape Agency has announced it is launching a new sister company The Tree & Woodland Company.
The Tree & Woodland Company will offer solutions to all tree and woodland management issues and aims to become dominant within the arboricultural world. Services offered will include managing landscapes and woodlands; veteran tree and hazard assessment; arboricultural ecology; planting; project management and work implementation.
The newly formed company, based in Stoneleigh Park, near Warwick, will be staffed by those currently working on arboricultural contracts for The Landscape Agency. All existing arboriculture work will be transferred across. The company has been formed in response to identifying further potential in this area and will build on its existing broad client base including private estates, public organisations, the commercial sector and land agents, as well as other architectural practices. Existing clients include The National Trust, English Heritage and the Royal Parks.
The new company will be headed up by Andrew Bowman-Shaw, formerly Arboricultural Director at the Landscape Agency. He commented: "I am delighted to be fronting The Tree & Woodland Company. I see great opportunity for us to become major players in the industry, am thrilled to be developing the business and look forward to the challenges ahead".
The Landscape Agency Managing Director Patrick James added: "Establishing The Tree & Woodland Company gives us a great chance to continue to develop our work in this sector and we feel confident we can offer a fantastic range of services to our clients."
The Landscape Agency Wins 2009 BALI Award
The Landscape Agency was an award winner at the BALI National Landscape Awards held in London in December. The award was presented to Alistair Baldwin, Director of Design, for his work at Nether Lypiatt garden, near Stroud, Gloucestershire. Alistair was responsible for preparing and implementing a landscape masterplan and re-design of this well-known garden that provides the setting for the Grade I listed, early 18th century house.
The Landscape Agency secured the award within the category for 'A domestic garden scheme construction cost between ?100,000 and ?250,000'.
The BALI judges noted, 'this award is given in recognition of the contractor, designer and client working in harmony to produce an exceptional award winning scheme'.
Matthew Wilson joins The Landscape Agency
The Landscape Agency has announced today that Matthew Wilson will be joining the company as Associate Director of Design as of November 2009. The Landscape Agency is recognised as one of the leading landscape design practices in the UK working on projects relating to the restoration, conservation and future development of landscapes in Britain.
Matthew Wilson has been working at the Royal Horticultural Society for the past 10 years. He began his career with the RHS as Curator at Hyde Hall in Essex before being promoted to Head of Site and Curator at the Society's Yorkshire garden Harlow Carr. Most recently he has held the post of Head of Creative Development for the RHS, working across all four gardens. Matthew is also a radio and television broadcaster, writes regularly for many national magazines and newspapers and is an award-winning author.
Patrick James, The Landscape Agency's Managing Director, commented: "I am delighted that Matthew Wilson will be joining us at such an key time in our development. As an innovative landscape practice Matthew can only help build on our impressive portfolio of projects. We look forward to working with him with great excitement and anticipation."
Matthew Wilson added: "After 10 rewarding years with the RHS I'm thrilled to be joining The Landscape Agency. I was hugely impressed, as a client, with the way in which the practice went about developing the RHS garden master plans, and I can't wait to contribute to the many exciting projects they are developing."
"Matthew's appointment as Associate Director of Design for The Landscape Agency reflects the company's key focus on landscape design commissions relating to Estates and Gardens, the Heritage and Leisure sector and private individuals."
Matthew's extensive experience will help build on The Landscape Agency's existing portfolio in both of these sectors. Current clients in this area include the RHS, National Trust, English Heritage, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Lowther Castle in Cumbria.
Alistair Baldwin, Design Director for The Landscape Agency, added: "Matthew's knowledge and experience will strengthen our team as we continue to deliver a range of landscape projects related to our core sectors, namely Estates and Gardens and Heritage and Leisure."
Matthew's appointment will also see him heading up The Landscape Agency's new London office in Clerkenwell working alongside existing offices in York and Warwick.