I recently had the opportunity to judge Stonefield Park, near Stone in Staffordshire, for the 2026 Green Flag Awards scheme. 

The scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world. 

The Borough of Stafford has some outstanding green spaces that everyone can be proud of. One of their principal parks is Victoria Park in the town centre opposite the railway station -one I have judged on several occasions over the years. 

A fine example of a well-maintained park by Stafford Council, I was looking forward to visiting this, one of their smaller ‘pocket parks’.  

I met up with Iain Holland, a parks officer, as well as some members of the Thursday Club, a group that volunteer to help maintain the park most weeks throughout the year. 

The park was opened in 1928 as an adult’s only park by the former Stone Urban District Council which was amalgamated into Stafford Borough Council in 1974. The park has changed very little since its opening day and has escaped the whimsical and often ad-hoc improvement trend that many parks still suffer from today. 

Today the park is no longer adult’s only and is enjoyed by all ages. Stonefield Park makes a valued contribution to the environment, nature conservation and biodiversity, and the economy of Stafford Borough - not forgetting to the vital physical and psychological well-being of the local park users. 

Stonefield Park is a traditional pocket park based on the principles of the Edwardian Squares. The park covers an area of two acres tucked away in the heart of a traditional residential neighbourhood which is predominately constructed of terraced houses, located 10 minutes’ walk north of the town centre.

Because the park is overlooked by terraced housing on all four sides, it tends to be self-policing along with having a daily presence of parks warden staff.
The park offers a plethora of attractions, including a bowling green and pavilion, children’s play area, two all-weather tennis courts and a bird aviary. It is planted with assortment of shrub beds, ornamental trees, perennial and annual bedding displays.

The maintenance of the park is exceptional, very well presented, with no litter seen anywhere due to the daily staff presence and the fact that the bins are emptied daily. 

Over the past 30 years Stafford Borough Council has developed the site into a park for all ages without compromising the integrity and design layout of the park, with facilities improved and added to over recent years. For example, a rose garden on the edge of the park has been replaced with an under 8’s play area (1980’s), the grass tennis courts were replaced with green tarmac (2010), the bandstand base has been removed, and a bird aviary was added in 2013.

It was extremely pleasing to see such a well-maintained park, especially during these challenging times, where many local authorities are currently facing extreme budgetary cuts to their parks’ services. 

For me, it is all about the character of the people in charge and their commitment to working under difficult constraints. If this park is anything to go by, then their parks staff should be congratulated for their endeavour to maintain this amazing pocket park in the current economic climate. 

Parks funding

Which brings me on to another subject: where and how are we going to find the next generation of parks professionals in the coming years? Increasingly, parks staff like Iain will in the next ten years be likely to be retiring. Iain, like many his age, are now the last of a line of parks professionals who began their careers working on the tools and worked their way up into parks management.  

When I started as a parks apprentice in 1972, local authorities had their own designated parks departments where they propagated all their own flowers, bedding plants and trees. They boxed mowed formal grass areas, you were taught plant ident and people worked in various aspects of the park’s services. Unfortunately, the Local Government Act 1988, particularly the part that introduced Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT), had a noticeable impact on parks and other public services.

This Act forced competition for park maintenance. Local councils were required to open services like grounds maintenance, landscaping, and cleaning to competitive bids. Private contractors could compete against in-house council teams. This ended the old model where councils simply ran parks themselves.

Cost-cutting became the priority, because contracts were often awarded to the lowest bidder, budgets for parks were squeezed. This frequently led to reduced staffing levels; to less frequent maintenance and to cheaper materials or planting schemes.

It also led to a further decline in quality (in many areas). In the early years especially, many parks saw a drop in standards. Skilled gardeners and long-term staff were sometimes replaced by lower-cost labour, which affected horticultural quality and local knowledge.

This also led to a fragmentation of services, instead of one unified parks department, services could be split across multiple contractors. That made coordination harde. For example, different companies handling grounds, trees, and facilities. It even led to job losses and changes in working conditions.
CCT set the stage for later policies (like Best Value in the late 1990s) and normalised the idea that public services, including parks, could be delivered by private or external providers.

However, for me this 1988 Act pushed parks services away from being publicly run, community-focused services toward a more market-driven model. While it sometimes improved efficiency, it often came at the expense of quality, workforce stability, and long-term investment in public green spaces.
And since then, we have seen many councils’ parks and opens paces departments amalgamated and now run and managed by the larger street scene and highways departments.

So, in the 38 years since the Local Government act of 1988, parks services have gone through some monumental changes. However, thanks to some dedicated parks managers some of the horticultural skills and practices have managed to be retained. And we can still see some Local Authorities that are able to deliver well maintained parks. 

For me, it was a pleasure to meet up with Iain and to be shown that there are some local authorities that aspire to delivering well-kept and managed bastions of horticultural excellence.

The difficulty facing local authorities is the sheer fact that maintenance of public open spaces is not a compulsory service. And the future of these priceless facilities is generally down to some dedicated parks managers who understand the value of parks and have found ways to secure much needed funding via Lottery / heritage funding schemes.  

As far as I am aware, we are now struggling to attract the next generation of horticulturalist due to several factors; no national apprenticeship scheme is in place; local colleges have difficulties in delivering courses; and they often do not have the expertise, facilities or even demand to teach horticulture courses.

 
This is compounded by low pay, poor conditions and a lack of desire by young people, which is primary driven by the fact they simply do not know what career prospects they would have if they chose to come and work in this diverse industry.

With over £3.5 billion annually sitting in some government apprenticeship pot funded largely by the Apprenticeship Levy (a 0.5% payroll tax on big employers).

The UK (mainly England) apprenticeship budget is roughly £2.5–£3.1 billion per year and I believe a fair amount of this money goes unused each year.
Would this money, not be better spent investing back into our parks and public services giving local authorities the resources and money to properly train and employ the next generation of parks managers?

Surely investing £2-3 billion a year for the upkeep of parks would be a game changer? Not only for the local authorities but the general public would see many benefits in their health and welfare. We would also be securing the sustainability and environment for all the local wildlife that relies on these valuable green open spaces.

The Amenity Forum say their Annual Updating Event aims to provide the latest developments and best practice from across the amenity sector.

This year the event takes place on 14th May via Zoom.

In a statement the Forum said, "As organisations try to find a way to provide amenity spaces whilst balancing the demands of legislative and regulatory pressures, integrated management, sustainability and reduced use of plant protection products, the Forum has curated a programme of expert speakers - drawing on representation from across the industry - to ensure that those working within the sector are equipped with the most current information and guidance."

The event's agenda is as follows:

The event is free for everyone to attend. Book to receive the access information.

Kubota (UK) Ltd is adding to its agricultural and groundcare dealer network with the appointment of Hughes Agri Oswestry with immediate effect.

L-R: Hughes Agri business partners Tim Hughes, Herbert Jones, Iwan Ellis, Gary Price, Dave Swannick and Joe Piggott

The Shropshire-based dealer will strengthen coverage throughout the north of the county, and the north/mid-Wales border region. 

Henry Bredin, division manager of Kubota (UK)’s agricultural and ground care machinery business, said, “The appointment of Hughes Agri as a full-line Kubota tractor dealer will provide on-going support to existing customers operating in these areas, in addition to delivering sales, service and aftercare for Kubota’s agricultural and groundcare product portfolio.”

Established in April 2025 as a spares and repairs business following the closure of the family-run Hughes Bros operation, Hughes Agri Oswestry has continued to provide after sales service, spares and warranty support for existing Kubota customers in the area.

Run by a co-operative of six equal partners and employing two additional members of staff, the firm has been structured to make the most of each partner’s individual strengths, as dealer principal Tim Hughes explained.

“This really is a team business that continues to grow, while remaining totally focussed on looking after customers - both new and existing,” he said. “We have some very experienced partners in the business with their own specialist areas, and one was previously a Kubota apprentice. All have prior experience of a dealership business and the Kubota brand, and we all share a common vision, direction and customer-led focus.”

Tim concluded, “It’s certainly an exciting time for us, as we push forward with a new business venture backed up by a very experienced and knowledgeable team."

STIGA has been recognised with three honours at the iF Design Award 2026, with its latest robotic mowing technologies and digital platform receiving accolades across multiple categories.

The awards were presented to the company's autonomous robot mower range featuring Vista Technology, the APX Pro professional robotic mower, and the STIGA.GO App. The iF Design Award is regarded as a global benchmark for product and digital design, attracting more than 10,000 entries from 68 countries this year.

Both the autonomous robot mowers and the APX Pro were recognised in the Product Design and Garden categories. The robot mower range incorporates the manufacturer'’s proprietary Vista Technology, an AI-driven camera system designed to enable real-time obstacle detection and navigation. The range includes eight models, covering working areas from 600m² to 14,000m².

The APX Pro, aimed at professional users maintaining large green spaces such as parks and sports facilities, combines battery power with autonomous operation. The company says it integrates multiple technologies including GPS-RTK, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors and gyroscope systems, alongside their Active Guidance System, to support navigation across complex terrains.

In the digital category, the STIGA.GO App received recognition in Branding & Communication Design and Apps/Software. The platform provides remote management of their mower range, enabling functions such as setup, zone configuration, monitoring and predictive maintenance.

STIGA said the triple award highlights their continued investment in autonomous and connected technologies, as well as focus on combining functionality with design across both hardware and software.

With two months to go, organisers have said that preparations are well underway for the 2026 TGA Demonstration Day.

The event will take place on Thursday 2 July 2026, hosted by Grasslands Turf in Kent, and is expected to attract around 150–200 delegates.

To date, 16 exhibitors have confirmed their attendance, including: 

• Barenbrug UK
• Brocks Wheel & Tyre
• Campey Turfcare
• Compo Expert UK Ltd
• DLF Seeds UK Ltd
• Ecorobotix SA
• Firefly Automatix
• ICL
• Industrial Pallet & Transport Services Ltd
• LS Products BV
• Perennial
• Rovadi Turf Equipment
• Tama UK
• Trebro UK Ltd
• Trmax
• Wessex International Machinery 

A key part of the day will be the live demonstration programme, with 11 demonstrations confirmed so far, covering a range of turf production equipment and technology. 

The day will conclude with a post-event dinner, giving those attending the chance to continue discussions in a more informal setting.

HANDS-ON WITH THE LATEST IN ROBOTIC MOWING - 27th April 2026

SMALL TEAM, BIG STANDARDS - 20th April 2026

CONSERVATION TO INNOVATION - 13th April 2026

SPRING INTO ACTION - 30th March 2026

FROM CURIOSITY TO CORE TOOLS - 23rd March 2026

CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE TURF - 16th March 2026

SPRING AWAKENING - 9th March 2026

CULTIVATING CAREERS - 2nd March 2026

SPRING ON THE HORIZON - 23rd Feb 2026

DEALING WITH SATURATION - 16th Feb 2026

OUR INDUSTRY NEEDS THE SPOTLIGHT - 9th Feb 2026

PLANNING, PATIENCE & PREPARATION - 2nd Feb 2026

TRENCHERS TO TECH - 26th Jan 2026

FROM SNOW TO SHOW: 19th Jan 2026

TECH, TENACITY & TURF: 12th Jan 2026

PARKS ARE FACING A TOUGH YEAR AHEAD: 5th Jan 2026

View all of 2025's blogs here

View all of 2024's blogs here

View all of 2023's blogs here

View all of 2022's blogs here

View all of 2021's blogs here

View all of 2020's blogs here

View all of 2019's blogs here

View all of 2018's blogs here

PREPARATIONS REQUIRED AHEAD OF THE FIRST GAME
Cricket season is almost upon us

A COMMUNITY FACILITY POWERED BY VOLUNTEERS
Modern multi-pitch rugby venue

WE COULD ACHIEVE SO MUCH MORE WORKING TOGETHER
Says Brain Sandalls senior groundsman at Sussex Cricket Limited

WAGES SHOULD REFLECT THOSE OF OTHER TRADES
Says Durham CCC's Vic Demain

GOLFERS' EXPECTATIONS ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGE
Says Damian Wormald of Silkstone Golf Club

DROP IN TO LORD'S
Steaming at the Home of Cricket

AUTOMATION CHANGES THE MODEL COMPLETELY
Says David Withers, retired md of Iseki UK & Ireland

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH EXTREMES IN WEATHER
Says Ian Smith of St Alban's School

GREATER RECOGNITION OF THE INDUSTRY'S IMPORTANCE IS REQUIRED
Says chairman of The Amenity Forum

THE MOST CHALLENGING ISSUE IS RECRUITMENT
Jim Buttar offers his thoughts

A UNIFIED GROUP WOULD BE INCREDIBLY POWERFUL
Gary Barwell of Edgbaston offers his thoughts

REFLECTING ON THE SAD DECLINE OF SPORTS IN SCHOOLS

The root cause

A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT

Incredible Equip show last week

ONE OF THE GREATS

Sad passing of Stephen Bernhard

NEW STRATEGY

BASIS commits to amenity sector

RECRUITMENT & CAREER PROGRESSION IN GROUNDS MANAGEMENT
How the GMA is tackling the key issues

ON TEST
Segway Navimow

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE IN THE SUPPLY OF FERTILISERS

To the amenity sector

50 YEARS OF GOLF STEWARDSHIP
Part four

REFLECTIONS ON A CAREER
A lifetime of dedication

CREATING AN INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN
Key steps

50 YEARS OF GOLF STEWARDSHIP
Part three

50 YEARS OF GOLF STEWARDSHIP
Part two

50 YEARS OF GOLF STEWARDSHIP
Part one

DEMONSTRATING AND APPLYING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
Reviewing the tools available

CRICKET MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE DECADES
Part two

CRICKET MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE DECADES
Part one

A LOOK AT THE OPTIONS
When implementing an integrated approach

50 YEARS OF FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT
Part two

50 YEARS OF FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT
Part one

57 YEARS & COUNTING!
My life in the industry

DEMONSTRATING AND APPLYING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
New series of articles for 2025

IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE
Examples from across the year

VINTAGE PUSH MOWER USE
Enthusiast maintains lawn the old fashioned way

SUSTAINABLE AMENITY MANAGEMENT
Principles and practises

PLACING URBAN GREEN SPACES AT THE HEART OF INFRASTRUCTURE
Midlands Parks Forum's annual conference

RAISING THE VOICE
At the Amenity Forum's annual conference

SUSTAINABLE PARKS
Parks For London case study

WHY GRASSROOTS RUGBY IS IN DECLINE
A steady drop off in participation.

SEEDS OF SUSTAINABILITY
Focus on a major supplier of grass seed and related products to the amenity sector

ON TEST
STIHL BGA 300 cordless leaf backpack blower

ON TEST
EGO Multi-tool

PUT THEM ON THE TOOLS!
Time for an attitude change

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE TRAINING SECTOR
Grasping the challenge of encouraging more sustainable practice

SUSTAINABILITY IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Lessons learnt and experiences

SKILL SETS NEED RECOGNITION
Turf professionals are underappreciated

GREATER RESPECT FOR GROUNDS STAFF MIGHT MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
To the recruitment crisis

A COMPETITIVE SALARY
Why employers should advertise the salary when recruiting new staff

ON TEST
Makita XGT UV001G lawn scarifier

AN EXAMPLE OF SUSTAINABILITY IN MACHINERY SUPPLY
Focus on Kubota

MY PERSONAL GREENKEEPING PHILOSOPHY HAS NEVER CHANGED
I don't follow any set program

SUSTAINABILITY IN LANDSCAPING
A substantial element of amenity activity

IS IT TIME TO SAY NO TO 'NO MOW MAY'?
Any real benefits?

SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR PARKS & PUBLIC GREEN SPACES
Meeting the challenge

THE PATH TO WIMBLEDON
For groundstaff member, Conrad Cavil

ON TEST
EGO LBP8000E backpack blower

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE LAWN CARE SECTOR
A key consideration

BEEKEEPING IN COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENTS
The current situation

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE IN THE AMENITY SUPPLY SECTOR
Optimising land use through integrated solutions

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE GOLF SECTOR
Focus on BIGGA

THE SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE
Bringing together key points

DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR GOLF
R&A are supporting clubs

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF EVERY POUND OF BUDGET
A course manager's view

A NEWFOUND APPRECIATION FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS
Who look after grassroots pitches

SUSTAINABILITY & THE UK ACTION PLAN
For weed, pest and disease management

CONCERN FOR PARKS FOLLOWING COUNCIL BANKRUPTCIES
What does the future hold?

TAKING A GLOBAL LOOK AT SUSTAINABILITY
Is the rest of the world also driving towards sustainable practice?

RENOVATIONS, PLAY AND THANKS
On my mind this week

SUSTAINABILITY – IMPLICATIONS FOR TRAINING & EDUCATION
Set to play a crucial role going forward

TULIP TREE
Liriodendron tulipifera

LYDIA BROOM
Genista lydia

THE LAWN AND ITS VALUE
Changing attitudes

GIANT HOGWEED
Invasive and potentially harmful

LIFE-CYCLE ANALYSIS & SUSTAINABILITY
Considering every stage of the journey

NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY
The most important nutrient

BERBERIS THUNBERGII
A shrub that has stood the test of time

ENSURING FUTURE PROSPERITY
Advice imparted at road shows

INNOVATION & SUSTAINABILITY
A key focus

PHOTINA RED ROBIN
A sensational flowering shrub

VALUING THE GRASSROOTS
We must not overlook those who maintain these grounds

MANAGING WEEDS SUSTAINABLY
In amenity spaces

DETECTING NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS
In turf plants

SPRING RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY
A crucial period

SUSTAINABILITY IN SUPPLY
A focus on those who supply essential inputs to our sector

CHANGING CLIMATE
Is a borehole the key for clubs?

SUSTAINABILITY AT THE SHARP END
How to put into practice when budgets are tight?

ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF GRASSROOTS RUGBY
Clubs are struggling

SUSTAINABILITY IN PRACTICE
Seeking transparent and robust supply chains is essential

TIME FOR ACTION
To reverse recruitment crisis

CONTROLLING COSTS
Planning is crucial

THE SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABILITY
What exactly does the term mean?

CARING FOR THE GRASSROOTS
From volunteers to contractors

DEFRA IS LETTING DOWN THE COUNTRY
Complete failure to address the plastic grass debate

WE CAN ALL DO MORE
To aid biodiversity

MY LIFE IN GREENKEEPING
With Bruce Cruickshank

LEVELLING UP, GETTING SMARTER & GETTING AHEAD
Parks require so much more funding

SWITCHED ON FOR HARD WORK
Putting trimmers through their paces

MACHINERY HIGHLIGHTS
At this year's show

MY SALTEX
Daniel Lewis​, Manchester City Football Club

AWASH WITH LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Two months till showtime

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD
Priorities for the amenity sector

THE DECLINE OF ‘PARKITECTURE’
A symptom of the state of parks in 2022

DEVELOPERS SHIRKING GREEN SPACE RESPONSIBILITIES
Lack of financial commitment

TIME TO COME TOGETHER
For the good of the industry

THE DEATH OF GRASS ROOTS CRICKET
Gathering apace?

ROUTES INTO THE INDUSTRY MUST BE ENSURED
Q&A with David Fisher, Lantra’s head of industry partnerships

STRONG VIEWS ON CRICKET PITCH PERFORMANCE MARKING
A bone of contention

A PREMIUM PRODUCT
Delivered at Naas Golf Club

THE GREEN REVOLUTION
And Esker Hills

MAKING A CHANGE
Laytown and Bettystown Golf Links

A DAY AT THE RACES
Naas Race Course

WORKING TOGETHER AS ONE VOICE
How the industry needs to proceed

OVER 175 YEARS OF EDUCATION
Wesley College

ELECTRIC EXCITEMENT
Dennis's Ian Howard talks electrification

THE HOME OF CORK GAA
Páirc Uí Chaoimh

LONG POLE BATTERY HEDGE TRIMMERS TESTED
STIHL HLA 66 and HLA 86

OVER 800 YEARS OF HISTORY
Johnstown Castle and Gardens

A CLUB GONE WILD
Kilkenny Golf Club

A GOLF COURSE IN THE GARDEN OF IRELAND
Woodenbridge GC

80 YEARS YOUNG
Charleville Golf Club

AN UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE
Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club

GETTING BACK TOGETHER
Albeit gradually . .

GO WEST
Inishturk GAA pitch – one of the most westerly sportspitches in Europe

WORKING ON A TIGHT BUDGET
Nenagh Golf Club

ON A MISSION
Wrekin Golf Club aiming to enrich wildlife and fauna

WILD AND WONDERFUL
Design By Nature

LEARNING HOW TO SURVIVE
Abbey Par 3

TACKLING OBESITY
Vital that schools can provide sport

A LIFETIME OF LEARNING
Vital for turf professionals

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS
Tullamore Golf Club

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGES
At Trinity College Dublin

BLENDING THE OLD WITH THE NEW
Bray Golf Club

A WELL POLISHED COURSE!
Ierne Social And Sports Club

IDENTIFYING THE TRUE VALUES
Of grounds maintenance

THE INDUSTRY WILL CHANGE & ADAPT
But it will survive

WIRRAL GOLF COURSES SAVED
Renewed hope and optimism for the future

GREEN SPACE CONTRIBUTION TO WELLBEING IS UNDERVALUED
Parks invisible on national agenda

A SHINING LIGHT IN IRELAND'S SUNNY SOUTHEAST
Wexford Golf Club

GREEN SPACES DO NOT LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES!
Keith Kent says we must invest in people

WE SHOULD TELL THE WORLD ABOUT THE UK INDUSTRY
Right time for all sides to come together

SOIL LIFE IS PRECIOUS
Good-quality soil can help save the planet

MORE THAN JUST CUTTING GRASS
Encouraging the next generation

A BUZZ FROM DOING THE JOB
Wide experience of the turf grass industry

PAYING THEIR WAY
Low wages is the bane of the industry

AMENITY MANAGEMENT IMPACTS US ALL
Professor John Moverley

CARING FOR PARKS OF ALL TYPES
Mary Worrall

TOP FIVE FRUSTRATIONS FOR CRICKET GROUNDSMEN
What causes you the most frustration in your role?

PROFESSIONALS AT THE CUTTING EDGE
Vic Demain and Phil Sharples

BOWLS CLUBS IN PERIL
A sad decline

A VERY SPECIAL INDUSTRY
Loz looks back

SNEAK PEAK AT A ROBOTIC "GAME CHANGER"
Commercial model capable of covering 50,000 m2 teased

HALESOWEN PICK A BIG ROBOT UP FRONT
Invest in mowers

COMPRESSED AERATION
The new way

PARKS MATTER MORE THAN EVER
Recent sector developments

ON TEST
STIHL blowers

THREE CORE VALUES TO SHAPE OUR INDUSTRY
Real concerns for the future

ENGLAND'S GREEN SPACE GAP
A split along racial lines

ON TEST
EGO STX3800 strimmer with RTX2300 Rotocut head

A SECTOR FACING IMPORTANT TIMES
Review of the National Action Plan

PARKS MATTER
The role of public parks in the recovery: a discussion paper

A UNIQUE SPORTING VENUE
Wormsley private estate

A BTME OUTDOORS?
A good bet for the industry

PARKS NEED APPROPRIATE POLITICAL REPRESENTATION
Q&A with Philippa Reece, Parks and Foreshore Manager at Adur and Worthing Council

CRICKET LOAM
What does it mean?

A HERCULEAN EFFORT TO GET PARKS BACK TO NORMAL
Q&A with Chris Worman, Rugby Borough Council’s parks and ground manager

ON TEST
STIHL battery products

TURFGRASS STRESS MANAGEMENT
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and antioxidants during biotic and abiotic stress in turfgrass plants

AUTUMN DISEASE MANAGEMENT
The coming months are going to prove very difficult

THE ABUSE OF PARKS . .
Is the abuse of society

WHY PARKS MATTER?
A statement from the Parks Management Forum to the Prime Minister

THE 21st CENTURY PARKS MANAGER
Innovative, creative and entrepreneurial

EAT, SLEEP, CUT, REPEAT!
Cricket under covid

TIME FOR A SINGLE SHOW?
Debate brought back into focus

A CHALLENGING TWO MONTHS
Running golf design projects from home

PRESSURE SITUATION
Cementing the reputation

A CLUB TO BE PROUD OF
10 years at the helm of Olton GC

GAME CHANGERS IN TURFCARE
The day the Lord's outfield reconstruction proved its worth

THE ESSENCE OF ESSENTIAL
Finding a sensible way forward on defining "essential maintenance"

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS
2001

HOW TO LOOK AFTER A GOLF COURSE WITH NO GOLFERS
Fundamental to the survival of almost all courses, if not of the game itself

RAIN STOPPED PLAY WOULD BE WELCOME
. . along with ‘lunch is being taken early’

PHYSICAL CONTROL OF TURFGRASS PESTS
An urgent problem

A DIVERSE & ENTERTAINING WEEK
Successful BTME 2020

INTEGRATED PEST CONTROL
Opportunity to embrace new methods

ENVILLE ON THE UP
Major investments taking place

GREEN FLAG AWARDS 2019
A great success

U.S PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT SHOW EXCELS
Buoyant GIE+EXPO

LEGACY OF THE SOLHEIM CUP
At Gleneagles

A DAY OUT WITH THE LADIES
Behind the scenes at the Solheim Cup

COVENTRY UNIVERSITY'S EDIBLE GARDEN SUCCESS
2006 - present

HAIL THE GRASS MASTERS!
Boorish media comments about pitch quality are wide of the mark

CONTRACTOR SEES MULTI-DISCIPLINE SUCCESS
360 Ground Care serving professional facilities

BUSY TIMES
Judging the Green Flag Awards

TAKING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
What does it all mean in managing turf surfaces?

UNDER PRESSURE
Dry weather conditions continue to keep turf managers focused on moisture management

EDDIE SEAWARD
Death of Wimbledon’s influential grounds manager

MAJOR NEW IRRIGATION PROJECT
At Top 100 classic Berkhamsted Golf Club

NEW HORIZONS FOR THE HATTERS
Investment paying off at Kenilworth Road

ELIZABETHAN RESTORATION
At Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens

WHAT IS BIOPHILIA?
The vital impact of parks and green spaces on health and well-being

WORM CONTROL
Without carbendazim

THE TRUE COST OF PETROL
Battery-powered outdoor power tools are now turning the heads of professionals

SANDS OF TIME
Sand-based pitches are now the norm in professional sports

WHY DO WE DO THE RIGHT THING?
We must maintain industry standards

CHASING GRASS PERFECTION?
11 things you need to know . . .

MAINTAINING STANDARDS
Q&A with BASIS ceo, Stephen Jacobs

STRI RESEARCH DAY 2018
Hosted at research trial grounds in Bingley

THE MECHANIC
Leicester City FC invest in new role

LORD'S 'GRASS-GUVNOR' TO RETIRE
Mick Hunt bows out after 49 years

HOLLOW CORING & DEEP SCARIFICATION
Is it really necessary?