A plaque commissioned by Turf Pro Publishing Editor Chris Biddle and his wife Trish, has been erected in Stroud to commemorate the site where Edwin Beard Budding invented the world's first lawnmower in 1830. Budding's workshop is long gone, however situated where it once stood is the Stroud Brewery who appropriately produce a Budding Ale. The blue plaque now sits in a prominant position on the front wall of the brewery, reminding all of the historical significance of the site.


Turf Pro Publishing Editor Chris Biddle with the specially commissioned blue plaque marking the site of the invention of the lawnmower

In Utah, a U.S state that's banned bermudagrass as a "noxious weed," golf greenkeepers are countering that the variety can actually serve as a solution to the area's long-term drought problems. Its ability to thrive on much less water than other varieties gives bermudagrass an advantage in the drought-affected state, according to Lorenzo Lopez, the manager of the campus green at the University of Utah. "It's aggressive and will fill itself in," he says in an article on Deseret News.

Some unwanted guests turned up on the pitch at Moorside Cricket Club in Oldham last week and are proving difficult to mooooooooove. A bull and a highland heifer wandered on to the ground overnight and have taken up residence reports the Oldham Evening Chronicle. Club chairman Tom Boyle told the local paper, “It’s not really the cow pats, it’s the damage being caused. The longer they’re here, the longer it will take to repair." It's thought they've wondered over from a local farm but as of yet the club can't identify which one.

Finally, on Tuesday last week, following on from events at Ibrox and Old Trafford, Rigby Taylor held a seminar day for turf professionals at Wembley Stadium, entitled 'Sustainable Use Directive - Effective Solutions for the Workplace'. You can read a full report on the superb event in the next edition of Turf Pro's digital magazine out soon, but until then here's a photo gallery of the event which included a backstage tour around the stadium with insights from Head Groundsman, Tony Stones.