Origin Welcomes New Seeds and Turf Product Manager

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Origin Welcomes New Seeds and Turf Product Manager: Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) is pleased to announce that Luke Hunt has been appointed as their new Seeds and Turf Product Manager, effective Monday, 19th May 2025.

Luke brings over two decades of industry experience, a strong technical background, and genuine enthusiasm for turf and seed, making him an exciting addition to the business.

Origin Welcomes New Seeds and Turf Product Manager

Origin Welcomes New Seeds and Turf Product Manager

Luke joins OAS from Barenbrug UK, where he was the Amenity Business Development Manager responsible for managing a portfolio of distributor accounts and helping bring new research-led products to market.

With a career that spans 24 years, including a decade spent as a greenkeeper, Luke has a reputation for his practical knowledge, strategic thinking, and collaborative approach. He has extensive experience across both grass and wildflower seed markets.

Luke will work closely with the wider OAS team to advance the company’s seed strategy. He will also play a key role in developing innovative and sustainable products that support customer-led initiatives, integrated supply chains, and marketing campaigns in line with the company’s longer-term strategic goals.

Commenting on the appointment, Jayne Leyland, Portfolio Director for OAS, said, “I am delighted to welcome Luke to Origin Amenity Solutions. His depth of experience and technical expertise are clear, but his passion for the industry and his ability to connect with customers stand out. I am looking forward to seeing the positive impact he will make.”

Luke Hunt adds, “I’m genuinely excited to join the OAS team at such a progressive and forward-thinking time for the business. Origin’s values around sustainability, innovation, and strong customer relationships resonate with me. I’m looking forward to working alongside a passionate and knowledgeable team, building on the existing momentum, and helping to evolve the seeds and turf offering to deliver real value for our customers and the environments they manage.

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A Trilo proves multipurpose in name and nature

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A Trilo proves multipurpose in name and nature: A Trilo Multipurpose is proving to be exactly that, by name and by nature, for the team at Highfield and Brookham School.

Delivered in February 2025, the M3 was brought in to replace an existing Trilo S3 vacuum sweeper enabling Grounds Manager Jasper Marks and the team to not only conduct leaf clearance, but also scarification and cut and collect tasks around the 500 acres of school grounds and estate.

A Trilo proves multipurpose in name and nature

A Trilo proves multipurpose in name and nature

Jasper took over the head role in 2022, having worked at the co-educational school as a groundsman since 2019, and is currently supported by a team of three grounds staff and a part-time gardener. On the border of West Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire, the site is densely tree-populated which meant that the Trilo machine had always been a firm favourite on the fleet. This opinion looks set to stay with their latest purchase, bringing new-found versatility and productivity to maintenance tasks around the calendar.

He explains, “The S3 was a fantastic machine, robust and efficient, which would be used for leaf collection, road sweeping and general clearance of clippings and debris over the autumn and winter months. I then discovered the Multipurpose M3, which was capable of doing everything the S3 could, with the addition of flail and scarifying shafts to cut or scarify and collect all with one unit. It’s transformed the Trilo into a machine that we can fully utilise all year round.”

While only a matter of months since the M3 was installed by dealers Lister Wilder and Trilo’s Jeremy Vincent, it is already demonstrating its key trait – versatility! “We have a 9-hole golf course on the estate where the Trilo has been used to assist with cut and collect of the roughs. The large 3m3 hopper means we can cut for longer without having to make as many trips to our green waste area to empty. It’s keeping us productive, for longer.” Jasper continues, “After that, we equipped it with the scarifier shaft for use on our sports pitches. We previously hired a machine for this which often meant we were scarifying in less than idea conditions. Now we can do it ourselves whenever the weather or play schedule allows which will bring huge improvements to pitch quality.”

“What also really impressed me was the service we received from Jeremy. While the machine, in principle, is not wildly different from the S3 we were using before, no corners were cut with the handover & installation to ensure the team were confident and would get the very best out of the machine.”

“We traded in one machine and gained three in return, but needed to find no extra space in the shed as the footprint is near enough identical” he added. “It’s going to become a pivotal part of the team as we continue to drive up standards for our students and wider community to enjoy.”

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Support Greenkeepers tackling driest spring in 70 years

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Support Greenkeepers tackling driest spring in 70 years: The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) is calling on golf clubs and golfers across the UK to support their members as we face our driest spring for decades.

Following some exceptionally wet recent winters, the spring of 2025 has brought a stark contrast. According to the Met Office, rainfall across many regions has been at historic lows. Wales recorded its driest March since 1944, while East Anglia experienced its second-driest March on record. With May showing little improvement, greenkeepers are under extreme pressure to maintain playing surfaces amid growing turf stress.

Support Greenkeepers tackling driest spring in 70 years

Support Greenkeepers tackling driest spring in 70 years

David Byron, Head Greenkeeper at Thorndon Park Golf Club in Essex, said: “It’s very, very dry. It’s the driest start to spring in nearly 70 years. We’ve had almost no rain, and what we have had has come in just one hit.

“In our fairways, we’re down to about 3–4% moisture content. Normally, you’d want 10 to 15% for the grass species we have.”

These conditions are presenting major challenges for turf recovery and maintenance. Areas without irrigation, such as fairways, are suffering, while teams attempt to preserve greens and tees with limited water resources.

Royal Aberdeen’s Course Manager, Richard Johnstone, said he had recorded just 11mm of rainfall between April and early May: “We’re experiencing extreme weather patterns. There’s no longer a balance. Instead, we’re seeing one extreme or the other – either constant pouring rain or complete drought.

“There doesn’t seem to be much consistency anymore, and that presents some big challenges.”

Paul Woodham, The R&A’s Agronomy Lead for Europe and the UK, noted that warm days combined with cold nights have disrupted seasonal growth, resulting in stressed grass and delayed recovery from winter damage.

Clubs are encouraged to communicate openly with their members, sharing insight into current conditions and course management strategies. Transparent engagement and social media updates are key tools to foster support.

“Our advice to clubs is to engage in professional dialogue with your Course Manager, set agreed objectives and show open support for your team of greenkeepers,” said BIGGA’s CEO Jim Croxton.

“They will be much more motivated and determined to overcome these challenges with strong support from their members.”

“As course managers, it’s our responsibility to communicate and educate,” said Johnstone. “We need to use various channels like social media, blogs, and other platforms to help people understand the current conditions and our management approach.”

For more information about BIGGA and its various activities including how to become a member, visit www.bigga.org.uk

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DSV UK Takes Top Spots in BSPB Turfgrass Seed Rankings

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DSV UK Takes Top Spots in BSPB Turfgrass Seed Rankings: DSV UK has made a major breakthrough in the turfgrass sector, with three of its perennial ryegrass varieties now ranking among the top ten in the British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) Turfgrass Seed Booklet.

Notably, two of these varieties have taken the top two positions in the highly regarded sports table (S1) for perennial ryes—marking a significant achievement for the company.

DSV UK Takes Top Spots in BSPB Turfgrass Seed Rankings

DSV UK Takes Top Spots in BSPB Turfgrass Seed Rankings

The new rankings place Euromagic at number one, followed closely by Flannel at number two. Additionally, Reybann has secured a spot in the top ten, reinforcing the strength of DSV’s breeding programme. While Eurogala, another standout variety, ranks just outside the top ten at number 12, its versatility across multiple tables—including lawns, greens, cricket, golf, and bowls—makes it an exciting commercial prospect.

Sam Horner of DSV UK emphasised the significance of these results: “When people look at this booklet, the sports table is the one everyone wants to top. We’ve always had good breeding, and this proves that our material is now the best in these trials.”

The BSPB Turfgrass Seed Booklet is widely regarded as a key reference for industry professionals selecting the best-performing grass seed varieties. The sports table, in particular, carries significant prestige within the turfgrass sector, making DSV’s achievement even more impactful.

“This kind of result doesn’t happen often,” Sam continued. “We’ve been at the top of the table before, but to come straight in at number one and number two—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment. It speaks volumes about the quality of our breeding programme and the strength of the DSV portfolio.”

The introduction of DSV’s EuroGrass range of grass seed has also elevated DSV’s profile. The products in the EuroGrass portfolio have quickly gained recognition, becoming a preferred choice for sports turf and amenity managers who seek reliability and superior results.

One standout feature of DSV’s varieties is their strong genetic colour, which is becoming increasingly important in modern turfgrass selection. High-end facilities and stadium environments now prefer a darker green aesthetic, as it enhances the visual appeal of playing surfaces under natural and artificial lighting.

Flannel, in particular, boasts excellent dark summer greenness, making it especially desirable for stadiums and televised events. “As good as certain other cultivars are, some tend to be on the paler side, which can be a turnoff for top-tier venues,” Sam explained. “We believe we can offer something genetically darker, delivering both performance and a more camera-friendly appearance.”

The results are based on independent data from the BSPB Turfgrass Seed 2025 booklet and highlight the advancements in DSV’s diploid material. This success further cements DSV’s reputation as a leader in sports turf breeding and innovation.

DSV has been supplying industry-leading cultivars into the UK seed trade for the past 40 years, but to many, it remains a relatively new name in the turfgrass sector. However, these latest rankings demonstrate that DSV is not only competing with the best but also setting new benchmarks in performance.

Please visit www.dsv-uk.co.uk/products/amenity for more information.

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GKB Machines delivers top class artificial surfaces

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GKB Machines delivers top class artificial surfaces: A suite of equipment from GKB Machines has been entrusted with prolonging the longevity and boosting the performance of five artificial playing surfaces at Ipswich School.

Installed by dealers Ernest Doe in September 2024, a Quick Brush, Rotobrush and GKB Deep Clean are bringing new-found time-savings and efficiency to both routine and more intensive maintenance.

GKB Machines delivers top class artificial surfaces

GKB Machines delivers top class artificial surfaces

Rated the number one independent school in Suffolk and Norfolk, sport forms a major part of the curriculum for the students at Ipswich School. Keeping an array of natural and all-weather surfaces in top-flight condition for cricket, hockey and winter sports is a team of eight headed up by Grounds Maintenance Manager Syd Townsend. “The all-weather pitches across our Westwood campus and Rushmere Sports Centre have been installed over a number of years and the time was now right to invest in equipment to optimise their performance and protect our investment” he explains.

“We previously didn’t have any mechanised attachments or equipment, so we were drag brushing the surfaces manually which was labour intensive and restricted us from being able to conduct operations as often as we’d like.” For a solution, Syd spoke with local dealers Ernest Doe who brought in a selection of machines from the GKB synthetic portfolio for the team to trial on their facilities. “It was important that anything we purchased would work with our existing tractors. Of the four machines we demoed, we purchased three of them and in a short period of time, they have already proven their worth.”

“The Quick Brush and Rotobrush are in use regularly, standing up the fibres and redistributing the sand dressing. The Rotobrush does a fantastic job of the perimeter areas, in particular, agitating any moss and bringing it to the surface for collection with the Deep Clean.” Syd continues, “We’ll be using the Deep Clean during school holidays to give the pitches a more intensive renovation, on top of the more routine collection of leaves and other detritus.”

“A large proportion of our synthetic pitches are surrounded by overhanging trees. The days of using a blower or manually raking up leaves have gone, and we can now quickly and effectively collect these and other smaller particulates in a more sustainable way.”

While each machine has been well received, Syd considers the combination of equipment to be the golden ticket to perfecting the performance of the playing surfaces. “Not only has the kit delivered exactly what we hoped, the service and training we received from Ernest Does and GKB was outstanding. Despite having to reschedule our training day due to unpredictable weather and staff holidays, both companies were incredibly flexible. On the day all eight operatives had the opportunity to ask any questions and undergo full training to ensure they were confident with the equipment which will all help us to achieve the very best results.”

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