Congleton Garden Machinery join GreenMech dealer network

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Congleton Garden Machinery join GreenMech dealer network: GreenMech Ltd are delighted to announce a new dealer partnership with Congleton Garden Machinery Ltd. With immediate effect, the team lead by Director Andrew Meek will be responsible for the sales and service of the full GreenMech woodchipper portfolio for customers in Cheshire, Staffordshire and the surrounding areas.

Established in 1989 and with a wealth of experience in the garden machinery industry, Congleton Garden Machinery has gained a stellar reputation for providing high-quality products backed-up with exceptional customer service. Stocking a range of lawn and compact tractors, mowers, ATV’s and mini diggers from leading brands including Solis, Polaris, AS Motor and more, the knowledgeable team have extensive experience of working with customers across all aspects of groundcare, farming and forestry.

Congleton Garden Machinery join GreenMech dealer network

Congleton Garden Machinery join GreenMech dealer network

“Congleton Garden Machinery Ltd are delighted to have been recognised as a GreenMech dealer” comments Andrew. “To be associated with a company that designs and manufactures chippers within the UK offering versatility and efficiency with high-end products sits perfectly with our own values. Being the quietest chippers on the market and utilising a long life chipping system, the GreenMech chipper offers everything needed to keep a user’s business flowing. With the stock we maintain, both new and quality-used models, we can provide a machine to suit all applications. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership – providing a first-class service to all new and existing users of these machines.”

“In Andrew and the whole team, we have a lot of experience and enthusiasm to hit the ground running” adds GreenMech Managing Director Jonathan Turner. “It’s been a really positive onboarding process, with a number of chippers already in the Cheshire depot to support the requirements of Congleton’s vast and varied customer base.”

Those wishing to find out more can visit www.mowersplus.co.uk or can speak to a member of the team on 01260 278332 or, via email, on sales@mowersplus.co.uk 

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Origin Enterprises Announced as Sponsor of BALI Awards

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Origin Enterprises Announced as Headline Sponsor of BALI Awards: Origin Enterprises plc (‘Origin’ or ‘the Group’), the international group shaping the future of sustainable land use solutions, is pleased to announce a new headline sponsorship agreement for the prestigious BALI National Landscape Awards.

The sponsorship will be led by the company’s Living Landscapes division, which offers future-ready products, services, and advice across the sports, environmental, and landscapes sectors. Running from 2025 to 2027, the agreement reinforces Origin Enterprises’ commitment to the nature economy and landscape excellence and highlights its role as a leader in delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for the amenity, urban and infrastructure development, and environmental markets.

Origin Enterprises Announced as Headline Sponsor of BALI Awards

Origin Enterprises Announced as Headline Sponsor of BALI Awards

BALI National Landscape Awards Reflect Origin’s Commitment to Sustainable Land Use

The BALI National Landscape Awards, organised by the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), are the industry’s most coveted accolades, celebrating outstanding achievements in landscaping. BALI supports and inspires landscape contractors, architects, garden designers and suppliers to be leaders of an environmentally, ethically and commercially sustainable landscape services industry.

As a leader in sustainable land use and agronomic solutions, Origin’s sponsorship reflects its mission to support the professionals shaping the future of urban and rural landscapes.

TJ Kelly, Divisional Managing Director of Living Landscapes at Origin Enterprises, commented: “At Origin, nurturing the environment is central to our strategy, and our focus on shaping the future of sustainable land use reflects our dedication to responsible land stewardship. We are immensely proud to be the headline sponsor of the BALI National Landscape Awards and to celebrate the achievements of professionals shaping the future of our landscapes.”

“Through our sponsorship, Origin aims to inspire professionals across the industry to implement higher sustainability standards, invest in greener solutions, and push for a more regenerative approach to land management.”

Welcoming the partnership, Wayne Grills, Chief Executive at BALI, added: “We are delighted to have Origin Enterprises as our headline sponsor. Their expertise in sustainability and land management makes them an ideal partner in celebrating the outstanding achievements of our industry.”

Living Landscapes

Origin’s Living Landscapes division unites expertise across its businesses in the Sports, Landscapes, and Environmental markets:

  • Sports – Delivering high-performance solutions in turf agronomy, seed, nutrition, irrigation, line marking, and plant protection, supporting world-class sports facilities and recreational spaces that contribute positively to their local environments.
  • Landscapes – Supporting urban and rural green infrastructure projects, creating biodiverse, vibrant, and sustainable environments that promote recreation, enhance well-being, and connect people with nature.
  • Environmental – Providing ecological consultancy, conservation advice, and habitat creation & management services, enabling businesses and government bodies to achieve their environmental goals while preserving natural beauty.

BALI Partnership

Through its expertise in urban greening, biodiversity enhancement, and turf and soil health management, Origin Enterprises will work with the BALI National Landscape Awards to promote future-ready solutions that improve climate resilience, enhance green infrastructure, and foster long-term sustainability in landscaping projects across the UK and beyond.

The 2025 Awards ceremony will take place on 5th December. To enter the awards or reserve seats at the ceremony, please visit www.baliawards.co.uk

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Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

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Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed: Kim Blake, Course Manager at Fulford Heath Golf Club in Birmingham, has been at the forefront of maintaining and enhancing the club’s renowned parkland course for the past 36 years.

Kim’s dedication to innovation has helped the club thrive and stay competitive. A key component of his maintenance programme? The consistent success of MM seed products.

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

Fulford Heath, designed by James Braid, spans just over 6,200 yards with a par of 70. Its strategic layout features the River Cole, mature trees, and lakes, presenting golfers with challenges that reward skill and strategy. Maintaining such a course requires precision and quality, and Kim has found these attributes in MM seed.

“I started using MM9 15 years ago because of the HEADSTART® GOLD treatment,” says Kim. This revolutionary coating ensures rapid germination, which was a game-changer for Kim. “I wanted to shift our greens from 100% Poa annua to a 60/40 mix of bentgrass and Poa annua, so I began integrating MM9 with top dressing,” he added.

Kim’s approach evolved as he experimented with mixing MM9 with sand, then using a Graden machine. “One thing I found is that sowing the seed deeper—between 6mm and 10mm—yields better results. It’s a theory from my agricultural days: deeper sowing protects the seed from frost lift, preventing root break,” Kim explains. This technique, combined with MM9’s superior quality, produced impressive results.

Kim conducted multiple trials to test MM9 against various creeping bent mixtures. “We did half a green with MM9 and the other half with creeping bent and repeated this on different greens. MM9 consistently germinated a day quicker, thanks to the HEADSTART® GOLD coating,” Kim notes.

“An advantage of MM9 is cost-effectiveness. It’s more economical than creeping bent, allowing us to apply more seed per square metre, leading to a better strike and building a stronger seed bank in the soil. After 12 months, MM9 proved to hold its own better than other mixtures.”

For Kim, the right seed choice extends beyond greens. “We recently switched to MM50 on our tees because modern golfers take larger divots, and a pure rye mix stands up to this better,” he explains. MM50’s blend of fine-leaved ryegrasses creates a dense, resilient surface that recovers quickly.

On the fairways, Kim relies on MM22 for its durability and reliability. “It’s great for overseeding, renovation, and construction—areas that endure high wear,” Kim adds.

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

Fulford Heath’s Path to Perfect Turf with MM Seed

Kim has also modified his approach to sand usage and overseeding schedules. “We’ve reduced sand use from 120 tonnes to 40 tonnes annually and plan to reduce it further next year. Instead, we focus on biology to control thatch and organic matter. This makes the greens work harder, enhancing the bent seed’s performance,” says Kim.

He overseeds in February/March at 40 kg per hectare, using a Graden sand injection machine or a disc seeder. “We’ll do more renovation work in October but won’t overseed, as temperatures are too cold. Since prioritising biology over intense aeration and sand, the bents have improved,” Kim shares.

Kim’s approach balances simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and long-term benefits. “My goal is to make the job straightforward for the staff and cost-effective for the club. If it’s too complex or costly, nobody is happy. Continuous tweaking and adaptation are key,” he concludes.

With MM seed products at the heart of his programme, Kim has transformed the maintenance strategy at Fulford Heath, setting a benchmark for highly efficient course management.

For further information, please contact MM Sports Seed on 01386 791102 or visit the company’s website www.mm-seeds.co.uk.

You can also follow the company on X: @MM_Seed.

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Kubota expands dealership areas

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Kubota expands dealership areas: Kubota (UK) Ltd has implemented a series of changes to three of its dealer sales areas following recent appointments that have taken place within the dealer network covering Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

The first involves south Wales-based Hopkins Machinery, which gains access to Kubota groundcare and M-series tractor ranges through its Kilcot depot located near Newent, Gloucestershire, creating opportunities for the family-run dealership around Ross-on-Wye, Gloucester and the western side of Cheltenham.

Kubota expands dealership areas

Kubota expands dealership areas

“We’re extremely pleased to be able to provide sales, service and support for all the existing Kubota products we handle, but now through our Kilcot depot in addition to our St Brides Wentloog, South Wales headquarters, and our Brecon, Powys locations,” said Evan Hopkins, a director of the company.

The second change sees Pallisers of Hereford gain area to the east of its former territory, taking in Upton-upon-Severn and the western side of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, while also extending north and east toward Pershore, Hanbury and Bromsgrove, in Worcestershire.

“We’re pleased to be expanding our Kubota tractor business within these additional areas,” said Camilla Palliser, dealer principal at Pallisers of Hereford. “We’re looking forward to supporting new Pallisers customers throughout these areas.”

The third dealer to benefit is Lister Wilder, which gains additional area in the north of its territory, extending eastwards from Cheltenham to encompass Northleach and Hazleton, and stretching north into the Cotswolds towards Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, adjoining the area recently taken over by Hunts Engineering at Halford, Warwickshire.

“Any extension to our sales area is always going to be a positive step forward for Lister Wilder and the Kubota brand,” says Lister Wilder sales director Phill Hughes. “It’s an opportunity to work with and support many new customers.”

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Kings Lynn GC completes phase 3 of EcoBunker Project

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Kings Lynn GC completes phase 3 of EcoBunker Project: Faced with the challenges of sandy soil and bunker erosion, Kings Lynn golf club has employed synthetic bunker experts EcoBunker to meet their ongoing maintenance challenges. Now in the third phase of a 40 bunker renovation project, the team and members at Kings Lynn are already enjoying the benefits that the EcoBunker system brings to their course.

“We’re a sandy course which can cause real structural problems with the bunkers,” said Michael Fahy, Deputy Head Greenkeeper at Kings Lynn. “Our bunker walls erode very easily, and we have had several occasions where they’ve collapsed completely. With EcoBunker we are getting that strength and integrity along with a sharp looking finish. The members love the looks and the playability, and the team love how easy they are to maintain.”

Kings Lynn GC completes phase 3 of EcoBunker Project

Kings Lynn GC completes phase 3 of EcoBunker Project

With a mix of high wall and low edged bunkers, and several significant height transitions leading into greens, the bunkering at Kings Lynn poses a variety of maintenance challenges. But whatever the type of bunker – all of which EcoBunker offer ultra-low maintenance solutions – the local surroundings pose consistent challenges across the course.

“We have a real problem with soil erosion and rabbit scraping and burrowing, which quickly contaminates the bunker sand,” continued Michael. “To counter this, we have fitted EcoTec bunker liners alongside the synthetic walls to create a fully closed system. This requires virtually no maintenance and eliminates all contamination. Previously we could spend half a day picking out stones, weeding walls and topping up sand on a single bunker, but now we simply brush the faces, knock the sand off and strim the top edge. We’re saving time and budget with every bunker we replace.”

Now in the third phase of renovations, all Par 3’s have been completed and the team is moving on to those bunkers next most in need of attention. Having been trained by EcoBunker during the first installation, Michael and his colleagues, Tim Race and Mason Bernstein, use the EcoBunker system to renovate the bunkers themselves and plan the schedule of work accordingly.

“We re-build a few bunkers each winter, knowing that by the time we get to the last phase, the first EcoBunkers we built will still have many years life left in them, even though it could be a 10 year project. The club are investing for the long term which makes so much more sense than the continual rebuilding and patching of the traditional bunkering on the course.”

For more information on how EcoBunker can help meet the challenges faced at your course, visit www.ecobunker.co.uk

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