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MM11 Seed Sparks Revival

August 21, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

MM11 Seed Sparks Revival: King George V Crown Green Bowling Club, one of the Midlands’ top teams, have found new life at their third home in a decade. After a series of relocations, the club has finally settled at the Selly Park Tavern in Birmingham, transforming an abandoned and overgrown bowling green into a superior […]

Birkdale’s new light grey urban slatted panel

August 21, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Birkdale’s new light grey urban slatted panel: Birkdale, the UK’s leading fencing and gate accessories manufacturer, has added a new colour to its DuraPost® URBAN Slatted Composite Panel range. Developed in response to customer demand – the new Light Grey Panel offers a contemporary fencing solution that mimics the appearance of timber without any of […]

MM11 Seed Sparks Revival

August 21, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Birkdale’s new light grey urban slatted panel

August 21, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

MM11 Seed Sparks Revival

August 21, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

MM11 Seed Sparks Revival: King George V Crown Green Bowling Club, one of the Midlands’ top teams, have found new life at their third home in a decade. After a series of relocations, the club has finally settled at the Selly Park Tavern in Birmingham, transforming an abandoned and overgrown bowling green into a superior playing surface, largely due to the expertise of Mark Allen, Technical Sales Manager at Agrovista Amenity, and the exceptional performance of MM11 grass seed.

The club’s journey to Selly Park Tavern followed a run of bad luck. Initially founded at the King George V pub, the club was forced to move to the West Midlands Police Sports Ground ten years ago. Yet, after a decade at the Edgbaston site, were recently ordered to vacate again to make room for more police activities.

MM11 Seed Sparks Revival

Mark Allen recounted, “Luckily, a mile down the road, there was another green at the back of another pub, which was disused. The team that played there had folded five years prior, leaving the green overgrown.”

The task of rejuvenating this neglected venue was daunting. “When I first saw it in July 2023, it was in no condition for bowls—certainly not playable,” Mark explained. “We decided the easiest way was to start again.”

The transformation began on 1^st September with an intensive renovation process. The green was cut back, vertidrained, deep scarified, heavily top dressed and overseeded with MM11 grass seed. “The seeding coincided with a 30-degree heatwave, which was ideal for germination. By September 12th, we were already making the first cut,” Mark described. “From then on, it just got better and better.”

Mike Pritchard, the club’s greenkeeper for over 25 years, praised the transformation. “The change has been unbelievable,” he said. “Mark’s plan helped us get everything prepared for the start of September. By January, the stubborn areas were recovered, and we had managed to get grass cover all over.”

Mike attributed much of the success to the MM11 seed, which is a traditional fescue/bent mix that germinates quickly and provides excellent disease resistance.

The revival of the green was a collaborative effort. Birmingham Bowls contractor, Andy Hartwell undertook the initial renovation and club members, including Geoff Bagnall, dedicated countless hours to the project. “Without Geoff’s help, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Mike emphasised. “Everyone’s put a lot of free time into it.”

The transformation has been particularly special for Mike, given his deep-rooted history and family involvement with the club. “The club has been a massive part of my family over the years,” Mike shared. “It started with my father, who dragged me along in the early sixties. As soon as I turned 11, I started playing. Then I met my wife, got her involved, and now all three of my sons and even my grandson are part of it.” This personal connection made the successful renovation of the green at Selly Park Tavern even more meaningful for Mike.

Mark Allen’s extensive experience with MM grass seed mixtures, particularly MM11, proved invaluable. “I’ve used MM11 on countless bowling greens, and it always performs well,” Mark said. “The seed mix is disease-tolerant and produces a fine, dense sward ideal for bowls.”

Working closely with Matt Gresty, MM and Designer Sales and Brand Manager at DLF UK, and receiving continuous support from Agrovista Amenity, the club has set a new standard for bowling greens. “The green plays beautifully, and the bowlers love the fast speed,” Mark added. “What could have been a disastrous situation has turned out really well. Everyone at the club is fully invested, and so far, so good—they seem really happy.”

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 Twitter: @MM_Seed.

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Birkdale’s new light grey urban slatted panel

August 21, 2024/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Birkdale’s new light grey urban slatted panel: Birkdale, the UK’s leading fencing and gate accessories manufacturer, has added a new colour to its DuraPost^® URBAN Slatted Composite Panel range. Developed in response to customer demand – the new Light Grey Panel offers a contemporary fencing solution that mimics the appearance of timber without any of the maintenance requirements.

Already available in Natural, Charcoal and Brown, the new Light Grey DuraPost^® URBAN Slatted Panel consists of six composite boards and two horizontal u-shaped rails at the top and base of the panel. The boards are manufactured using 60 to 70% recycled materials including a combination of HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and rice husks – a natural bi-product from the rice industry. This stable material will not warp or degrade over time, unlike timber, and it does not need to be painted or treated.

Furthermore, the panels have been tested to EN 1794-1-2018 and, to maximise longevity, the rails are made from galvanised steel – a strong, light and highly durable material – which is then nano-coated and powder coated for ultimate weather protection. As a result, Birkdale can guarantee its DuraPost^® URBAN Slatted Panels for up to 15 years.

What’s more, the versatile panels can be used either horizontally or vertically. When paired with DuraPost^®steel fence posts, a striking and contemporary solution can be achieved that will continue to look good long after traditional timber and concrete fencing systems have degraded.

John Abernethie, CEO at Birkdale, commented: “We are delighted to expand our stylish DuraPost^® URBAN Slatted Panel range to provide even greater design flexibility. We highly value customer feedback and are always looking to improve and evolve our fencing range to ensure that we offer everything required to build a long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing fencing solution.”

To learn more about the URBAN Slatted Panel and the wider DuraPost^®range, please visit: www.birkdalesales.com.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

MM11 Seed Sparks Revival

Birkdale’s new light grey urban slatted panel

MM11 Seed Sparks Revival

Birkdale’s new light grey urban slatted panel

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

MM11 Seed Sparks Revival

Birkdale’s new light grey urban slatted panel

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