How Sustainable Commercial Landscaping Can Transform A Space

In today's world, sustainability is a crucial consideration in all aspects of life, and landscaping is no exception. As businesses and organisations seek ways to minimise their environmental impact, sustainable commercial landscaping has emerged as a vital solution.

Lizard Landscape Design understands the importance of balancing aesthetics with ecological responsibility. Through landscape planning, management, and ecological services, they can help transform your commercial space into an eco-friendly haven while maintaining its beauty and functionality.

Read on to find out more about sustainable commercial landscaping.

The Power of Landscape Planning

Effective landscape planning is the foundation of sustainable commercial landscaping. It involves carefully considering the natural environment, space utilisation, and desired outcomes to create a harmonious and eco-friendly design. Lizard Landscape Design employs skilled professionals who understand the importance of sustainable practices, utilising techniques such as water-wise planting, native species integration, and efficient irrigation systems to optimise resource usage. By incorporating landscape planning, businesses can create visually appealing spaces that blend seamlessly with the surrounding ecosystem.

Efficient Landscape Management

Landscape management plays a vital role in ensuring the long-term sustainability and beauty of commercial landscapes. Lizard Landscape Design offers comprehensive management services tailored to each client's specific needs. From regular maintenance to pest control and seasonal plantings, their team of experts ensures that your landscape remains healthy and vibrant. By employing sustainable management practices such as organic fertilisation and natural pest control methods, they minimise the use of harmful chemicals, preserving the ecological balance of the environment.

Ecological Services for a Greener Future

Lizard Landscape Design takes sustainability a step further by providing ecological services that promote biodiversity and habitat preservation. By integrating native plants, creating wildlife-friendly areas, and implementing green infrastructure solutions, they help restore natural ecosystems within commercial spaces. These ecological services not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your landscape but also contribute to the overall health of the local environment. Businesses can take pride in knowing that their landscape supports biodiversity and plays a role in combating climate change.

Landscape Planning From Lizard Landscape Design

Sustainable commercial landscaping is more than just creating a visually appealing space; it's about making a positive impact on the environment. With landscape planning, management, and ecological services from Lizard Landscape Design, businesses can transform their outdoor spaces into sustainable havens that benefit both people and the planet. By embracing these practices, companies demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship while enjoying the numerous advantages of a beautiful and eco-friendly landscape.

Get in touch today to find out more about how we can help with your sustainable landscaping needs.

Maintaining Commercial Grounds: Tips from Landscape Professionals

Maintaining commercial grounds is crucial for any business that wants to create a positive first impression. A well-maintained landscape can improve the aesthetic value of a property, attract customers, and boost employee morale. However, maintaining commercial grounds requires proper landscape management, which can be challenging for businesses that do not have the expertise or resources to do so.

In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of tree surveys and how landscape professionals can help businesses maintain their commercial grounds.

Landscape Management for Commercial Grounds

Proper landscape management is crucial for maintaining commercial grounds. It involves a range of tasks, such as mowing, pruning, fertilising, and watering. These tasks require specialised equipment, expertise, and resources, which many businesses do not have. Therefore, it is essential to hire landscape professionals who can provide regular maintenance services for commercial grounds. Landscape professionals can develop a customised maintenance plan based on the specific needs of the property and ensure that it remains in good condition throughout the year.

The Importance of Tree Surveys

Tree surveys are an essential part of landscape management for commercial grounds. Trees provide various benefits, such as shade, oxygen, and aesthetic value. However, they can also pose risks, such as falling branches or disease. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the health and safety of trees on a regular basis. Tree surveys involve inspecting trees for signs of damage, disease, or pests and providing recommendations for their management or removal. By conducting regular tree surveys, businesses can ensure that their commercial grounds are safe for customers and employees.

How Landscape Professionals Can Help

Landscape professionals can provide a range of services to help businesses maintain their commercial grounds. These services include:

●      Landscape design: Landscape professionals can design a customised landscape that meets the specific needs and preferences of the business. They can select plants, trees, and other features that are suitable for the climate and soil conditions of the property.

●      Landscape maintenance: Landscape professionals can provide regular maintenance services, such as mowing, pruning, fertilising, and watering. They can also conduct tree surveys and provide recommendations for the management or removal of trees.

●      Irrigation management: Landscape professionals can install and maintain irrigation systems that ensure proper watering of the landscape. This can help conserve water and reduce water bills.

●      Seasonal services: Landscape professionals can provide seasonal services, such as leaf removal, snow removal, and holiday lighting. These services can help businesses maintain a clean and welcoming environment throughout the year.

Conclusion

Maintaining commercial grounds requires proper landscape management, which can be challenging for businesses that do not have the expertise or resources to do so. Therefore, it is essential to hire landscape professionals who can provide regular maintenance services for commercial grounds. Tree surveys are an essential part of landscape management, as they can help identify risks and ensure the safety of customers and employees.

By working with landscape professionals, businesses can create a positive first impression and improve the overall value of their property. Get in touch with Lizard Landscape Design to find out more about the services we offer.

The Importance of Biodiversity for Landscape Design

Biodiversity refers to the variety of plant and animal species that exist in a particular habitat or ecosystem. The presence of diverse species is crucial for the health of the ecosystem, and thus, for human survival. However, with increasing urbanisation and land use changes, many natural habitats have been destroyed or fragmented, leading to a decline in biodiversity. This is where landscape design comes in, as it offers the opportunity to create habitats that support a diverse range of species.

In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of biodiversity for landscape design and the role of ecological survey consultants in providing ecological services.

Ecology and Biodiversity

Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environment. Biodiversity is one of the key components of ecology. A healthy ecosystem has a diverse range of species that interact with each other in complex ways. These interactions help maintain the balance of the ecosystem and ensure the survival of all species. Biodiversity provides various ecological services, such as pollination, pest control, soil formation, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration. Without these services, the ecosystem would collapse, leading to the loss of many species, including humans.

The Role of Landscape Design in Supporting Biodiversity

Landscape design can play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity by creating habitats that support a diverse range of species. A well-designed landscape can provide food, shelter, and nesting sites for birds, bees, butterflies, and other insects. It can also create a microclimate that is suitable for the growth of various plant species. By selecting native plant species, landscape designers can help restore natural habitats and support the survival of endangered species. Moreover, landscape design can also improve the aesthetic value of the environment, making it more enjoyable for humans.

Ecological Survey Consultants

Ecological survey consultants are professionals who specialise in assessing the ecological value of a site and providing recommendations for its conservation and management. They can help identify species that are present in a particular habitat and assess their population sizes and distribution. Based on this information, they can provide recommendations for the management and restoration of the habitat. Ecological survey consultants can also provide guidance on the selection of plant species, the design of habitats, and the creation of green infrastructure that supports biodiversity.

Ecological Services From Lizard Landscape Design

Biodiversity is crucial for a healthy ecosystem, and landscape design can play a crucial role in supporting it. A well-designed landscape can provide habitats that support a diverse range of species, improve the aesthetic value of the environment, and provide various ecological services. Ecological survey consultants can help identify the ecological value of a site and provide recommendations for its conservation and management.

By working together, landscape designers and ecological survey consultants can create sustainable and resilient landscapes that support biodiversity and human well-being. Get in touch with Lizard Landscape Design & Ecology today to find out more.

Is It Worth Hiring an Arboriculturalist for My Trees?

Taking care of our trees is vital to reducing our environmental impact. We would struggle to survive without trees and so, looking after them is becoming increasingly important. If you’re in doubt about whether you need an arboriculturalist, keep reading to find out how they can benefit your garden’s landscape.

What does an arboriculturalist do?

An arboriculturist is someone who is an amenity tree specialist. Their role is to maintain and manage trees, hedgerows or shrubs in both rural and urban settings. This includes aspects such as:

●     Preserving

●     Planting

●     Protecting

Their recognised qualifications and expertise in tree care mean that they are able to carry out assessments to properly care for and manage your landscape. They are different from ‘Tree surgeons’ who know how to appropriately remove trees. Arboriculturalists evaluate why trees may need to be removed, or why they might be vital to a landscape. Tree surveys are important for landscapes, where they may be being removed unnecessarily or in need of removal for safety reasons. Surveys carried out by arboriculturalists are usually focused on maintaining safety standards, assessing risks or from a planning perspective.

Why is this important?

When was the last time you had your trees looked at? (Maybe never?)

Assessing trees is important to not only the environment, but in urban landscapes too. Trees that might fall or pose a risk in urban spaces need to be managed properly, and risk assessments need to be carried out before planning permission is approved. Surveys can include looking at the size, condition, crown spread, species and stem diameter of any trees included or near to a development.

How do I choose the right consultant?

Choosing the right consultant can seem like a tricky process, so there are a few things to consider when making your decision.

●      Make sure your arboriculturist is qualified, licensed and insured. This will help you to find someone reliable for your project.

●     Get estimates from more than one firm. This will help you get a feel for pricing and what you are looking for.

●     Don’t go for the cheapest option. Although this might seem like the easiest choice, if you end up having improper or unsafe tree care, this can end up being more costly in the long run.

How can we help?

Here at Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology, our expert arboriculture services are of the highest standard for our clients. This includes tree assessments and evaluations to help you progress with your development plans.

Our extensive team of specialists are keen to help you manage your trees effectively and safely. If you would like to learn more or make an inquiry, you can get in touch with us today.

Everything You Should Know About Nitrate Neutrality

What is Nitrate Neutrality?

Nitrate neutrality is about the nutrient pollution caused by typically nitrates and phosphates. The obligation of landscape developers is to ensure that these nutrients are not increasing as a result of landscape development projects.

Protecting the natural nutrients within the natural water systems is important to plant ecosystems and wildlife. When damage is caused, algae growth can increase, reducing the oxygen in the water, killing fish and destroying the ecology. In some local areas, authorities cannot grant planning permission until suitable mitigation is in place to support the developments.

How is it achieved?

For land project developers, they need to demonstrate that their projects won’t increase the level of nutrients in rivers to ensure they get their desired planning permission. The amount of water runoff from the development is also assessed so an appropriate plan can be established.

Once the impacts of a development project are calculated, appropriate mitigation can be put in place to filter out nutrients, or upgrade the sewage treatments. Measures are usually taken outside of the development being planned. Councils work to design and deliver these measures, however until this process is carried out, planning applications cna be a little more difficult to secure.

Government action

Government action for nitrate neutrality has meant that by law, water companies will be required to upgrade their sewage treatment works in certain areas.

Additionally, working closely with Natural England, a Nutrient Mitigation Scheme will be put in place. This will involve nature-based resolutions such as creating new wetlands and woodlands to filter out pollutants. Hopefully, this will help with the project development planning process, however acquiring planning permission may still pose a challenge.

How does this impact me?

This may seem like an extra hurdle to secure planning permission, but, engaging with the council as soon as possible is a good way to ensure that your project or site can benefit from capacity of mitigation. Each mitigation scheme is limited in the amount of properties it can support, as it can only stop the flow of a limited amount of nutrients into watercourses.

Using architects and thorough ecological surveys will help you determine the requirements that your project will need.

Our services

At Lizard Landscaping Design and Ecology, we can provide Nitrate budget calculations to determine mitigation requirements. We have associations with local mitigation schemes who help maximise the efficiency of mitigation, providing suitable habitats for wildlife and locals.

We are experts in producing high quality management plans to help you with your projects. If you’re interested in finding out more about our services, or enquiries you can contact us to speak to one of our staff members today.

How Will Biodiversity Net Gain Impact My Planning Ideas?

What is Biodiversity Net Gain?

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach that not only maintains biodiversity, but seeks to improve habitats following development projects. This is a constructive way to combat the negative impacts of land development projects. If you’re in charge of planning a project, you will need to factor in biodiversity net gain. The concept involves more than just replacing elements of the area, but enhancing the habitat and the overall biodiversity by 10%. The biodiversity is measured in a system of units, which are then applied to various projects to assess their environmental impacts.

Why is Biodiversity Gain important?

Biodiversity gain is important to restoring our  natural world and this applies globally. By improving the state of our natural areas, we are encouraging:

●     Production of raw materials

●     Increased demand in agricultural industries

●     Improving oxygen and water in our ecosystems

●     Protecting a range of species

By doing this, projects that need to remove any of the natural area, will be compensating for this, with the 10% improvement on biodiversity units. In cases where projects can’t enhance on the site, off-site enhancement is still a viable option.

Instalments such as green roofs, walls and rain gardens are examples of how developments can be used to maintain the ecology of natural landscapes.

How will this impact me?

BNG is set to become mandatory during planning procedures from November 2023. For those who are seeking planning permission for certain sized projects, this will impact your development. If you’re planning a larger land development project, consultations may be more intense than that of smaller projects. Habitat creation and management plans should be something to consider if you are looking to start a substantial land development project. Ecological assessments will determine how easy the process of delivering BNG will be regarding your project.

Our services can help you demonstrate how your project will achieve biodiversity net gain. We are able to conduct assessments and calculate your baseline diversity score, working with our landscape design architects to determine their recommendations for your development.

Our role

Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology

Here at Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology we want to help your planning ideas come to life, whilst acknowledging the environmental impacts. The service we provide will be tailored to you personally and of the highest standard. We offer full time landscaping strategies and assessments to provide you with detailed planning submissions.

If this sounds like something you are interested in, our team will be happy to help you with any questions or queries that you have, so feel free to get in touch with us today.

Maximising Your Garden's Potential with Sustainable Practices

At Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology, we believe that creating a beautiful and functional garden can be done while also promoting sustainability. As ecological consultants, we are dedicated to using sustainable practices to maximise the potential of your garden while preserving the natural world. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of incorporating sustainable practices into your garden design and how it can contribute to the preservation of the ecosystem.

The Importance of Sustainable Gardening

Sustainable gardening is about creating a garden that is both beautiful and environmentally responsible. By incorporating sustainable practices into your garden design, you can reduce the impact of your garden on the environment, conserve resources, and promote biodiversity. Whether you have a small balcony garden or a large estate, incorporating sustainable practices into your garden design is a simple and effective way to promote sustainability and preserve the natural world.

Incorporating Arboriculture into Landscape Design

Arboriculture is the study of trees and their care, and it is an essential aspect of sustainable gardening. Trees play a crucial role in the ecosystem, providing essential habitats for wildlife, regulating the climate, and reducing the impact of human activities on the environment. By incorporating arboriculture into your landscape design, you can create a garden that supports the local ecosystem and promotes sustainability.

When incorporating trees into your garden design, it is important to consider their ecological impact, as well as their aesthetic value. This means selecting trees that are native to the area, using sustainable planting methods, and providing proper care and maintenance to promote their health and longevity.

Landscape Design for Sustainability

Landscape design is a critical aspect of creating a sustainable garden. By considering the local environment and incorporating sustainable practices into the design, you can create a garden that supports the local ecosystem and promotes sustainability. This can include incorporating native plants, reducing the use of water-intensive landscaping, and incorporating sustainable irrigation methods.

Another important aspect of landscape design for sustainability is the use of recycled and sustainable materials. This includes incorporating recycled materials into hardscaping elements, such as patios and walkways, and using sustainable building materials, such as permeable pavers, to reduce the impact of hardscaping on the environment.

In conclusion, incorporating sustainable practices into your garden design is a simple and effective way to promote sustainability and preserve the natural world. By considering the local environment, incorporating arboriculture into the landscape design, and using sustainable materials, you can create a garden that supports the local ecosystem and promotes sustainability.

At Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology, we are dedicated to promoting sustainability and preserving the natural world through sustainable landscaping. As ecological consultants, we have a passion for creating beautiful and functional gardens that promote sustainability and preserve the natural world. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you maximise the potential of your garden with sustainable practices.

Designing a Wildlife-Friendly Garden for Your Commercial Premises

The modern world has seen a rapid decline in the natural habitats of many species, resulting in a loss of biodiversity. As ecological consultants, Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology is dedicated to promoting sustainability and preserving the natural world through sustainable landscaping. In this blog post, we will discuss the benefits of designing a wildlife-friendly garden for your commercial premises and how it can contribute to the preservation of the ecosystem.

The Importance of Biodiversity in the Landscape

Biodiversity is essential for the health of our planet and is critical to the survival of many species. By incorporating native plants and creating habitats for wildlife, you can play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and promoting sustainability. A wildlife-friendly garden can attract a variety of species, including birds, insects, and small mammals, and provide them with the necessary resources for survival, such as food and shelter.

Landscape Design for Wildlife

Landscape design is a critical aspect of creating a wildlife-friendly garden. The key to designing a garden that supports wildlife is to select native plants that are adapted to the local environment. These plants provide the necessary resources for wildlife and contribute to the overall health of the ecosystem. To maximise the benefits of your garden, consider incorporating diverse plant species, including a mix of shrubs, trees, and ground covers.

Another important aspect of landscape design is the creation of habitats for wildlife. This can be achieved by incorporating elements such as birdhouses, nesting boxes, and water features. These habitats provide essential resources for wildlife and promote biodiversity in the landscape.

Integrating Ecology into Landscape Design

Ecology is a critical aspect of landscape design, and it is essential to consider the ecological impact of your garden when designing it. This means considering the local environment and the impact of the garden on the ecosystem. For example, incorporating plants that are native to the area will help to reduce the impact of non-native species, which can have a negative effect on local biodiversity. As trusted experts, we can help you out when designing a specific area of land, with inspired ideas and proven sustainable methods.

By integrating ecology into your landscape design, you can create a garden that supports the local ecosystem and contributes to the preservation of biodiversity. In conclusion, designing a wildlife-friendly garden for your commercial premises is a great way to promote sustainability and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. By considering the local environment and integrating ecology into the landscape design, you can create a garden that supports the local ecosystem and provides essential resources for wildlife.

Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology is dedicated to promoting sustainability and preserving the natural world through sustainable landscaping. We are ecological consultants with a passion for creating wildlife-friendly gardens that contribute to the preservation of biodiversity. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you design a garden that supports the local ecosystem and promotes sustainability.

What to Look For in A Landscape Management Company

The role of a landscape management company is to plan, develop and care for outdoor spaces so that people can not only enjoy them now but in the future too. The presence of a landscape management company is integral because, without it, the natural beauty of our outdoor spaces can be under threat. Whether it be private or public land, it’s likely that landscape management services will be required at some point. However, with so many different landscape professionals out there, it can be difficult to choose the right one for you.

From looking at previous projects to considering experience, here’s what to look for in a landscape management company!

Wide Range of Services

When selecting a company, it is advisable that you look for someone that provides a wide range of services. Managing an outdoor area can be a difficult task that has the ability to throw up different obstacles and hurdles. With this in mind, you want to look towards a company that provides different services so that they can overcome any issues that may arise. At Lizard Landscape Design, our landscape professionals not only provide a monitoring service to ensure that your land is managed to the best standard, but they can also help with the administration and supervision of landscape contracts. As well as covering landscape management plans, they also provide consultancy services for historical buildings and landscapes.

Experience is Key

Experience should be an essential part of your search criteria when it comes to choosing a landscape management company. If the company has an abundance of experience behind its belt, then you can be provided with peace of mind that you’re receiving the best service possible. Selecting landscape planners that aren’t equipped with the necessary skills or experience can ultimately have a detrimental impact on your landscape, therefore it’s important to get it right.

Reviews

Whilst it’s good to hear directly from the company about what they can offer you, it’s also important to hear from a different perspective. Looking at customer reviews and testimonials means you’ll be able to get an authentic insight into how the company operates and how they treat their customers because they have received the service first-hand. It might also be good to see if the company is a chartered landscape company because this provides further evidence that the company has the skills, knowledge and understanding to carry out the job.

If you’re looking for landscape professionals to manage your land, then look no further than Lizard Landscape Design. Based in West Sussex, we have over twenty years of experience when it comes to landscape management. Whether you’re looking for landscape planning for national park, urban park, historical landscape or business park, we’re the company for you. Get in touch with our expert team today to find out more about landscaping services that we provide!

Three Reasons Why Arboriculture is Important

Taking care of plants, trees and shrubs in the outside environment is something that should not go under the radar. Essentially, the purpose of arboriculture is to protect these plants, trees and bushes by cultivating and managing them. The role of an arborist is often confused with tree surgeons, but ultimately they are very different. Whilst tree surgeons focus on emergency tree care, stump grinding and felling, the role of the arborist is to treat damager trees and conduct tree surveys and inspections. Now that we have touched on what arboriculture entails, you might be left wondering why it’s actually important.

From environmental implications to aesthetic, here are just three reasons why arboriculture is important.

Environmental

The importance of trees for our environment cannot be understated. Trees not only provide us with oxygen, but they also improve the quality of air, conserve water and support the wildlife in our environment. Without arboriculture services to look after these trees, then the air quality would be greatly affected. With this in mind, the role of the arborist is to ensure that trees are staying healthy and treating them if they were to become damaged. Trees are also important to other species as well. For instance, trees and plants offer shelter and food to insects, birds and more. If trees become damaged, then it’s fair to say that the environment we inhabit will be much in a much worse condition.

Aesthetic

Whilst healthy trees can be known for its captivating beauty and impressive appearance, damaged trees certainly aren’t so easy on the eye. When you go for a walk through a local park, the last thing you want to see is dead trees, shrubs and dying plants. In this case, arborists are responsible for making your outside area look as good as possible. Next time you go for a stroll and notice the scenic landscape, then you know the arborist has done their job properly.

Image

As aforementioned, the health of your trees, plants and shrubs can have a significant impact on the overall appearance of your outside area. If you’re a business owner, then you’ll know it’s important to have both the indoor and outdoor areas looking good. If a potential customer visits your business and notices that there is damaged trees outside, then they may associate this lack of care with the rest of your business. With this in mind, it’s important to think about what arboriculture can do for your business image!

If you’re looking for arboriculture services, then look no further than Lizard Landscape Design. Whether you’re after tree surveys, arboricultural impact assessments or tree risk assessments, we’ve got you covered. Based in West Sussex, we have over twenty years of experience in supplying our clients with a service that they can count on. To find out more about how arboriculture can help you, get in touch with our expert team today!

What Are The Benefits of Sustainable Landscape Design?

When working on commercial projects, landscapers and designers are increasingly seeking to implement environmentally friendly practices across their work.

Here’s why sustainable landscape design is so important and how you can incorporate it into your projects.

What is sustainable landscape design?

Sustainable landscape design considers how people and places can benefit from the integration of natural environments into our everyday lives. It also aims to protect the natural environment of woodland, trees, hedgerows, grassland and other important landscape and ecological habitats within development sites.

These designs could be small in scale, such as renovating an office garden, or significantly large, such as implementing sustainable landscape design across a housing community.

Why is it important?

Sustainable landscape design embodies the three pillars of sustainable development: economic well-being, social equity and environmental protections. The core aims include reducing our carbon footprint, increasing energy efficiency, restoring habitats, protecting wildlife and creating environments that promote peace and tranquillity.

How can we incorporate sustainability into our landscape design?

There are several things we can do to promote sustainable practices within landscape design.

Here’s some ways in which we can make our outside properties more eco-friendly:

●      Use recycled concrete and other materials to reduce unnecessary waste of natural resources.

●      Maintain existing trees and plant new ones.

●      Incorporate measures to increase energy efficiency - for example, the trees you plant around your building can affect home temperature levels and contribute towards renewable energy.

●      Pay attention to water preservation - respect the position of water as a valuable resource and try to reduce wasteful irrigation by selecting plants carefully. It’s also practical to harvest rainwater and use that for irrigation.

●      Take good care of soil - prevent soil erosion by turning to natural solutions such as rain gardens, dry creek bed and French drains.

●      Grow and protect native plants - this reduces the use of lots of fertilisers, pesticides, and other forms of chemical maintenance.

●      Implement permeable hardscapes - this will allow water to soak into the soil underneath instead of rolling off the surface and causing polluted runoff. You could use pea gravel, river rock, decomposed granite, porous asphalt, recycled concrete and permeable interlocking concrete pavers.

●      Embed a rock garden - this is a visually appealing arrangement that contains carefully placed rocks and hardy plants that are drought resistant.

At Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology, we ensure sustainability is at the forefront of our ethos, our philosophy and practice operations. Working with clients and design teams, we seek to work towards retaining and protecting the natural environment of woodland, trees, hedgerows, grassland and other important landscape and ecological habitats within development sites. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

The Development Process: Looking After Protected Species

Whether you’re starting a new outdoors development project or undergoing some fresh renovation work, it’s important to consider the environmental impact your actions could have on surrounding wildlife and natural habitats.

Here’s why you should keep ecology in mind throughout the development process and what you can do to ensure protected species and habitats come to no harm.

Where can you find protected species?

Development sites can coincide with the existence of natural habitats, threatening wildlife and ecology.

Here’s some places you can expect to find protected species:

●      Ancient trees/ones with significant decay features - bats, breeding birds, dormice

●      Large gardens in suburban and rural areas - bats, breeding birds, badgers, reptiles and great crested newts

●      Lakes, rivers and streams (on the land or nearby) - breeding birds, fish, otters, water voles and white-clawed crayfish

●      Heathland on, nearby or linked to the site (by similar habitat) - breeding birds, badgers, dormice, reptiles, invertebrates, natterjack toads and protected plants

●      Meadows, grassland, parkland and pasture on the land or linked to the site (by similar habitat) - bats, badgers, breeding birds, great crested newts, invertebrates, reptiles and protected plants

●      Ponds or slow-flowing water bodies (like ditches) on the site, or within 500m and linked by semi-natural habitat such as parks or heaths - breeding birds, fish, great crested newts, water voles, invertebrates and white-clawed crayfish

●      Rough grassland and previously developed land (brownfield sites), on or next to the site - breeding bird, reptiles, invertebrate and protected plants

If you’re planning on starting development work in any of these places, you’ll need to take steps to ensure the natural environment is protected.

How can we look after wildlife and habitats throughout the development process?

When beginning or resuming a development project, consulting ecological experts is crucial. Often, they’ll recommend carrying out ecological surveys. These surveys can assess whether a planning application would harm or disturb a protected species.

Protected species surveys are a legal requirement if initial surveys suggest that any of the species listed in Article 12 of The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (Habitats Regulations) 2010 (as amended), or The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), are present on a development site. These surveys will be submitted with planning proposals.

Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology provides a comprehensive range of ecological surveys; from baseline ecological appraisals and impact assessments, to detailed protected species surveys involving badgers, bats, amphibians and reptiles, to species translocation, and ecological mitigation and enhancement work on site under ecological supervision.

If you’re concerned about the potential impact your development work may have on the environment, consult Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology. We offer specialist ecological services to complete your landscape development project and assist in determining the ecological impact a development could have on its environment. Our ecological consultants have decades of experience performing ecological surveys to ensure natural habitats are protected and cared for throughout the development process. Contact us today to learn more about what we do.

Landscape Design | Creating The Perfect Community Garden

A community garden can be an ideal place to relax, socialise and take a breather from the stresses and strains of everyday life.

Here’s everything you need to know about creating the ideal community garden.

Location, location, location

You’ll need to make sure your garden is as accessible as possible while also respecting any wildlife habitats and protected species. This makes it essential to speak to ecological consultants - through surveys and assessments, they can determine the ecological impact a development could have on its environment. Our ecology services at Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology consist of a variety of ecological surveys and projects including National Vegetation Classification Surveys and Species Translocation Projects, to ensure natural environments are protected.

It’s also important to seek the landowner’s permission before going ahead with any plans.

Consider what your garden will be used for

It’s important to be mindful of a purpose behind your community garden.

These are just a few things you could use your garden for:

●      Attracting wildlife/creating a wildlife reserve

●      Including allotments to grow fruit and veg

●      Self-care and wellbeing - a tranquil environment for people to relax and reflect

●      A learning tool to increase knowledge about climate change and sustainability

●      A memorial garden to commemorate community losses

Encourage community engagement

It’s important to gain an understanding of what qualities community members want to see reflected in their garden. Speak to local schools and businesses about what they would like to use a potential garden for and how they can get involved.

Implement sustainable practices

Designing your garden with sustainability in mind can help reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to the fight against climate change.

There are several ways you can achieve this:

●      Try to cut down on putting chemicals into the earth - consider going organic and using liquid plant feeds made from nettles or comfrey.

●      You could also grow and protect native plants, which further decreases the use of lots of fertilisers, pesticides, and other forms of chemical maintenance.

●      Use recycled concrete and other materials to reduce unnecessary waste of natural resources.

●      Include a compost heap and water butt.

If you’re looking for a company to bring your landscape design dreams to life, Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology is here to help. We offer services tailored to the client and users requirements to provide an inspiring, stimulating, sustainable and sensory external environment. We put sustainability and biodiversity first, and therefore we also offer specialist ecological services to complete your landscape development project and assist in determining the ecological impact a development could have on its environment. Contact us today to find out what we can do for you.

The Importance of Landscape Design in Libraries

Libraries are critical buildings bursting with academic people hoping to further their careers and general well-being.

From conducting research for a lengthy essay to gaining some peace and quiet to enjoy a good fictional book, people often spend hours working and reading at libraries.

This is why it’s important for libraries to carefully design their architecture to create a space which both maximises people’s productivity while also offering a comfortable and relaxing environment to work all day in. 

Here is the importance of landscape design in libraries.

Encourages healthy lifestyles

As people often spend long hours working and reading in the library, it is important to design a space which promotes a healthy lifestyle. For lengthy library visits, an outdoor landscape design is essential for a healthy library.

Stepping outside into a peaceful, green landscape space helps to get the blood flowing and prevents back and neck issues. For visitors who might be working on essays with looming deadlines or high-pressure work projects, a breath of fresh air is just what they need to relax and de-stress. 

Builds relationships

If a library visit has become a regular activity in your routine, you might soon begin to notice other regular library visitors. A large outdoor space can be a great place for making connections with other people of similar interests and enjoying a slice of socialising in between the often gruelling task of researching and writing for an essay or assignment.

You might even find yourself bonding over a book you’ve both read or an essay topic you have both studied, making an outdoor landscape design the perfect place to connect with other people.

Feeds inspiration

Many library-goers are also aspiring writers, journalists, poets and songwriters looking to gain some inspiration for their next project.

A splash of nature in a beautiful architectural design can be just what they need to fuel their creative mind and gain some much-needed inspiration.

If your library has a clever architectural design with striking art features, this will pique the interest of artists and passersby, attracting a new community of talented and innovative people.

Lizard Landscape Design: Expert landscape design

If you are looking to enhance your library with beautiful and practical landscape solutions, then look no further than Lizard Landscape Design.

At Lizard Landscape Design, we have a team of professional landscape architects who are more than qualified to offer assistance with your commercial landscape designs.

If you are interested in the range of services we offer and would like to find out more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our friendly team here today. We are always on hand to answer any questions or queries you may have.

What Are the Benefits of Landscape Architecture?

Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor areas, landmarks and structures that inspire healthy living and well-being while protecting natural environments.

Landscape architecture is about creating safe, sustainable and resilient landscapes, landscapes that evolve but endure over time.

Read on to discover the benefits of landscape architecture.

Preservation of nature

Landscape architecture puts nature at the forefront to achieve an inspiring, stimulating, sustainable and sensory external environment.

It provides a solution to many existing environmental issues, protects ecology and helps to preserve natural treasures. More and more people are turning to landscape architecture because of the benefits it has on the environment.

Stormwater management

Climate change and pollution are severely impacting the freshwater supply in many areas.

The endangerment of wetlands is an especially big problem because they have a lot of biological diversity, filter stormwater and control floods.

Landscape architecture protects wetlands and seeks solutions to provide storm-water management in a natural way.

Positive influence on people’s state of mind

Reconnecting with the peace and tranquillity of nature is known to have positive effects on your mental state. Incorporating more green into landscape designs will therefore have a positive impact on people’s state of mind and well-being.

Spending time outdoors also encourages social interaction either with those you choose to go with or with new people you meet in this beautiful communal space.

Air purification

While most people know that plants and trees produce oxygen, not as many people know that they also absorb air pollutants. This helps to purify the air and keep it clean for us to breathe in.

Incorporating more plants and trees into landscape designs helps to provide clean, pure air which is hugely beneficial to our health.

Cleaning the soil and water

Due to increased soil contamination, the world has had to come up with a cost-effective solution for its cleaning. The solution is known as phytoremediation which is where plants are used to clean up contaminants including metals, pesticides, explosives and oil.

This is why landscape design is becoming a popular choice due to the benefits it can have on the cleaning of soil and water. 

Lizard Landscape Design: Expert ecological services

If you are looking for bespoke landscape design solutions tailored to your exact requirements, then look no further than Lizard Landscape Design.

At Lizard Landscape Design, we offer a range of landscape solutions including landscape architecture, management, design, planning and more.

For additional information on the range of services we provide, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our friendly team here today. Our team are always on hand to answer any questions you may have or point you in the right direction.

How To Know Whether You Have Enough Green Space In Your Office Park

As the world increasingly urbanises, the importance of green space in and around office parks cannot be overstated. Numerous studies have shown that exposure to nature can have a positive impact on everything from mental health to cognitive function. For office workers, this means that having access to green space can lead to increased productivity, creativity, and overall job satisfaction.

How Do I Know If I Need More Green Space?

This is where arboriculture comes in. Arboriculture is the science and art of growing trees and shrubs, and tree surveys are one of the most important tools that arborists use to assess the health and condition of trees. By conducting a tree survey, arborists can provide valuable insights into the number, type, and condition of trees on a property. This information can then be used to develop a plan for improving or maintaining the green space in an office park.

Key Considerations

There are several things to keep in mind when commissioning a tree survey:

●      The arborist should have experience conducting tree surveys in urban areas.

●      The arborist should use the latest technology, such as drones, to collect data.

●      The arborist should be able to provide a report that is easy to understand and interpret.

By following these guidelines, you can be sure that you will get the most accurate and useful information from your tree survey. With this information in hand, you can make informed decisions about how to improve the green space in your office park.

How To Improve Green Space In Your Office Park

When it comes to green space, office parks have a lot to gain from arboriculture. Tree surveys can provide valuable insights into the number, type, and condition of trees on a property. This information can then be used to develop a plan for improving or maintaining the green space in an office park. Let’s take a closer look at what can be done to improve green space in your office park.

Maintain Existing Trees

One of the best ways to ensure that your office park has enough green space is to properly maintain the trees that are already there. This includes tasks such as watering, pruning, and fertilizing. By proper maintenance, you can prolong the life of your trees and prevent them from becoming hazards.

Plant New Trees

If your tree survey indicates that your office park could benefit from additional trees, you may want to consider planting new ones. This is a long-term investment that can pay off in many ways. Not only will new trees provide more green space and improve the aesthetics of your property, but they will also increase its value.

Get Involved With The Community

Another way to improve the green space in your office park is to get involved in the community. This may involve organizing tree-planting events or working with local organizations to promote the importance of trees. By getting involved, you can show your commitment to improving the environment and making a positive impact on your community.

By following these guidelines, you can be sure that your office park has enough green space to support the health and well-being of your employees.

Want to develop the perfect landscape for your office park? At Lizard Landscape Design & Ecology, we offer full outline landscape strategies, landscape assessments and appraisals, detailed planning submissions, and detailed hard and soft design schemes. Contact us today.

Landscape Development | Creating The Ideal Landscape For Your Garden

Every garden is different, which means that when you’re designing your landscape, you want to make sure that it fits your preferences and works best for your garden. For example, someone with a huge garden is going to have different design considerations than someone with a much smaller space. In this helpful guide, we outline ways in which you can create the ideal landscape development for your garden.

Landscape Appraisal

The first step of any landscaping journey is landscape appraisal. An ecologist or landscaping expert will look at your current landscape and determine the best course of action. This, combined with your own preferences, will then give you options about how to design and continue to develop your landscape.

Landscape development is an art form, and it’s also an ongoing process. You want to create a landscape that can cope all year round, and that you can truly enjoy. You also want to garden that suits your family and the environment around you.

Ecology & Landscape Development

One of the most important factors to consider when designing a landscape for your garden is the local ecosystem and environment. An ecological landscape is one that works best for local plants and animals, providing habitats, food, and shelter. This, in turn, helps nature to thrive and provides a small sanctuary for you to enjoy.

Not only this, but if you lean towards plants that are local to your area, then they’re more likely to thrive. Rather than constantly having to manage and battle against nature to keep your garden looking beautiful, you can let nature do its thing and work along with it.

Designing Landscapes For Your Needs

While it’s admirable to want to focus on creating a more ecological landscape, it’s understandable that you want a garden that you can use and enjoy. These two considerations don’t need to clash. If you simply want to create a beautiful garden, then leaning towards local and natural designs is a great first step.

However, if you also use your garden, then you also need to think about the needs of your family. Children and pets appreciate empty spaces to run around in, and you should also consider places to sit, prepare food, and relax. You can find a middle ground between a featureless lawn and a jungle.

Another idea is to integrate vegetable plots into your garden. This means that your landscape can be as practical as it is useful. If you have vegetables near pollinator-friendly plants, then you are feeding yourself and nature all at once. Vegetables are also better for you and the environment, cutting down on packaging and transportation costs while providing a delicious treat.

Hardscaping Zones

Landscaping typically deals with plants and trees, but it can also involve moving the earth to create interesting designs and even hardscaping, where you use rocks and other materials as part of your garden design.

Hardscaping can include patios and walls, so you can section off parts of your garden for practical use. By really thinking about your needs when designing and developing your landscape, as well as the area you live, you can create something beautiful and practical.

Want to develop the perfect landscape for your garden? At Lizard Landscape Design & Ecology, we offer full outline landscape strategies, landscape assessments and appraisals, detailed planning submissions, and detailed hard and soft design schemes. Contact us today.

Taking Care of Your Landscape After Winter

Winter is a challenging season for your garden, but it’s easy to forget about because the climate is too adverse for you to enjoy the outdoor space. Still, if you don’t look after your landscape well during this season, it might not look the way you expect it to in the spring and summer.

Read this blog for some further information on taking care of your landscape after winter.

Drainage Issues

Hopefully, a quality landscape professional will have foreseen drainage issues and taken steps to avoid them, so that come next spring, your lawn and the outdoor area don’t need additional treatment. But that’s not always the case, and sometimes landscapes require extra drainage.

Over winter, rain and snow melt can collect in low-lying areas of your garden and cause damage to your lawn in the long term. The way to check is to walk on the grass after a period of dryness to see if there are any puddles or water patches. If so, these can be treated with trench drains. 

Lawn Issues

Post winter, you might encounter some issues with the grass on your lawn; these can range from waterlogging to snow mold, either pink or grey. If you have pink snow mold, it might not be related to the snow on your lawn; this is a fungus that kills the grass blades but not the roots.

If you have a water-logged garden, contact a professional landscaper to install some trench drains, and if you have pink snow mold that gives your grass plenty of air and sunlight, this disease normally heals by itself. Conversely, grey mold is caused by snow and needs treatment.  

Plant Protection

One of the main challenges you will face when looking after your landscape post-winter is the condition of your plants. Not only do the plants take some punishment in the cold, damp climate, but they will need some help to recover and come back in spring, so how can you help them?

Start cultivating your plants in late winter and prepare them for early spring. Towards the end of winter, you want to prune your plants, so they have some open wounds ready to sprout when the weather improves. Also, remember to add extra mulch around your plants before winter begins. 

Equipment Care

If you want your landscape to come back quickly after the cold weather and look its best throughout the summer, you need to take care of it throughout the year. Of course, through the winter, there is less work to do, but you still have to look out for waterlogging and snow issues.

Naturally, the equipment you use to take care of your landscape also needs to be in good working order. If you keep it in a garden shed, you can expect to find rust on the blades of some of the equipment due to moisture changes. Ensure your equipment is sharp and reliable.   

Tree Care

In some ways, you can take care of trees in the same way you take care of plants; you can add an extra layer of mulch and prune them in late winter, so they sprout nicely in the spring. If you have young trees, you could also install a wire mesh around the bottom to protect from gnawing.

Get In Touch

Based in Worthing, West Sussex, our team at Lizard Landscaping & Design can provide a wide range of specialist services in ecological planning and landscape design. Get in touch with our team today by calling 01903 216033 or emailing lizard.landscape@btconnect.com.

How To Make An Outdoor Space More Ecological

Everybody wants a modern and attractive outdoor space where they can relax in the good weather and socialise, but how can you strike the balance between comfort and ecology when planning your outdoor area? Find some of the answers in the article below and implement the advice in your garden, whatever its stage of development.

Intelligent Design

The concept of landscaping is self-explanatory - it implies there is some intelligent design in the process. Of course, this isn’t the only way to create a successful outdoor space; you can create a wild garden that develops organically and provides a happy ecosystem for many organisms.

While this might be an excellent choice in many cases, people also want to use their outdoor spaces for socialising and playing hobbies; for that, your need some planning that also integrates ecology. List your must-have features and create spaces for some wildlife to flourish.  

Eco-Friendly Hardscapes

Planning your outdoor space is a great way to install the hardscape features your want and create a balance with the natural environment. Hardware features include things like paving, pathways, fountains, and other features. You must also consider the groundsheets needed.

If you want to create an outdoor landscape that is more eco-friendly, you need to consider the material used to create hardscapes. Choose recycled concrete and natural stone to reduce your carbon footprint. Choosing the right groundsheets will also reduce irrigation and water usage. 

Biodiversity Net Gain through Wildflower Grassland 

Proposed swathes of species rich wildflower grassland would reinforce the biodiversity, creating a habitat with ecological benefits and foraging opportunities for invertebrates and wildlife whist also creating a vibrant display.

Gravel, Mulch, Woodchip

In general, a professional landscaper will survey your outdoor area and make decisions in line with best ecological practices. In most cases, this means reducing the amount of natural grass in the area and using gravel, mulch, and woodchip, as well as using more decking and patios.

Of course, patios, paths, and other hardscape areas reduce your grass coverage as well as your maintenance costs and your carbon output. But if you want to reduce it even further, why not use gravel, mulch, and woodchip in other areas of the space? It’s presentable and easy. 

Solar Lighting

When it comes to lighting your outdoor space, there is a clear choice - solar lighting. In recent years solar lighting technology has improved significantly so that now you can have free lighting in your garden that’s just as effective and reliable as electrical lighting was in the past. Solar light uses small, efficient solar panels to charge the batteries throughout the day; then turns on.

At Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology, we provide expert arboriculture services for our clients, including tree surveys, arboricultural impact assessments and tree risk assessments. All arboriculture services are objective, detailed and well presented and we can provide advice for development projects using our extensive knowledge. Contact us today.

The Best Stone To Use For A Patio

Choosing the stone for your patio is an important task; you want to make sure you choose a material that is durable, low-maintenance, and attractive. That’s unless you are prepared for maintenance work and want to invest in natural stone. See some of the best options below. 

Concrete Paving

If you want some paving for your outdoor area that is attractive, affordable, and ecological, then concrete paving is an excellent choice. Concrete paving doesn’t have the best reputation because it is thought to be the cheaper option, but it’s now available in some attractive colours.

Gone are the days when you only had grey concrete paving to choose from; now, you can put concrete paving in colours similar to natural stone or porcelain. Not only is concrete paving durable, but it is also non-slip and cheaper, making it easier to replace cracked or chipped slabs.  

Natural Stone

Of course, the first choice for most people to design an outdoor space is a natural stone for the patio, pathways, and hardscapes. Natural stone includes limestone, sandstone, granite, and slate, among others. These stones are non-slip, frost-resistant, easy to maintain, and attractive.

The only trouble is that natural stone is significantly more expensive than alternative options. Not only does this make them more expensive to install, but when they break, they are also costly. If you choose to install natural stone, it’s smart to do so in a smaller area of your garden. 

Porcelain Paving

If porcelain paving proves to be too expensive for you and concrete paving doesn’t appeal, there is another option. Porcelain paving is as durable as concrete and as attractive as a natural stone; the difference is the price; porcelain is significantly cheaper than natural stone options.

Some people worry that porcelain paving isn’t suitable for a patio or outdoor space; they use porcelain in their kitchen and can’t see how that material can withstand footfall. However, the porcelain paving used for patios is designed to be more durable and non-slip when it is wet.

Block Paving

Alternatively, you could choose block paving made from red brick. Block paving can be installed for patios, pathways, and driveways, and it provides a cheap, reliable, and attractive surface for you to walk on. The downside is that block paving might not look as attractive as other options.

While you might have to clear weeds from the gaps from time to time; overall, block paving is a low-maintenance option. Unlike natural stone that needs treating seasonally to prevent slips and protect the surface, you can forget about block paving for long periods and enjoy its surface.     

Choosing a surface for your outdoor area is a good decision to have to make; it means you have a comfortable outdoor space to enjoy in the near future. The decision comes down to how much you want to spend and how you want your patio to appear. These days, the cheaper options are designed to look more expensive, making your decision easier or more difficult.

At Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology, we provide expert arboriculture services for our clients, including tree surveys, arboricultural impact assessments and tree risk assessments. All arboriculture services are objective, detailed and well presented and we can provide advice for development projects using our extensive knowledge. Contact us today.