Phil Voice, founder of the Landscape Juice Network, has announced that he will be driving an Etesia H124 mower from Bergerac in France up to John O’Groats in Scotland, to raise money for Perennial (Royal Gardeners’ Benevolent Society). Not only is he travelling through two different countries but, Phil will be racking up the mileage covering an enormous distance of over 1,250 miles (2000km).

Phil’s Etesia ‘Mowerthon’ machine is being prepared at the Etesia factory in France to include a cab with heater for the unpredictable British weather. Phil will be stopping to mow at special locations which will be revealed shortly before he starts on this epic journey at the beginning of October.

Phil has taken on this ‘Mowerthon’ to raise money for Perennial – the national trade charity which provides free, confidential advice and support to everyone working in, or retired from working in, horticulture, and their families, including gardeners, landscapers, nursery and garden centre staff, parks and grounds care staff and tree surgeons.

“I’m always thinking of ways to help, and sitting at my desk one day I thought about walking from Lands’ End to John O’Groats to raise money for charity, but this had already been done,” commented Phil. “I then had a brainwave. Why not do it on a mower? Better still, why not do it from my home in France? After an email to Les Malin at Etesia which he forwarded to Patrick Vives, Etesia’s President, they offered a machine with their full support.

The next challenge was to work with an appropriate charity. Lindsey Churchill of Perennial was extremely active on the network and I felt Perennial were more closely aligned, helping the horticulture practitioner, with what LJN does than anyone else out there…so I contacted Lindsey and here we are now.  We’re also looking for a similar charity to work with in France”.

Etesia are delighted to sponsor this fundraising activity by providing the machine, as well as providing a support crew and their strong dealer network are looking forward to supporting Phil along his journey.

“We were introduced to the Landscape Juice Network three or four years ago and have found it to be an extremely good way of speaking directly to our end users”, said Les Malin, Etesia UK General Manager. “When Phil approached us with an idea that he wanted to ride a mower from France to John O’Groats, our initial thought was that he was mad.

When he explained to us why he was planning this event, to support and help the industry he’s worked in all his life, then we were only too happy to support Phil with his journey. We look forward to meeting him at John O’Groats”.

There are plenty of ways to sponsor or get involved, simply visit www.hortaid.org.uk or if you would like to donate, please visit www.justgiving.com/mowerthon.

A section of residential central London is undergoing a major change in the way its communal gardens are maintained, with a marked benefit to the local environment. This significantly includes the machinery being used to do it.

The Church Commissioners Hyde Park Estate, an area bounded by the Edgeware and Bayswater Roads, is maintained under contract by Tony Heywood Landscapes, one of the few gardening businesses actually based in central London. Its proprietor Tony Heywood has set out to promote the whole idea of sustainable practices in gardening for the private squares under his charge and owners of the land, the Church Commissioners through its management agents Frank Knight, have agreed to a three year programme of step-by-step action to achieve it.

Tony Heywood Landscapes aim to be seen as a ‘green’ unit in London. Both they and the Church Commissioners are keen to promote an image of environmental responsibility.

The scheme being put into action by the company’s team of seven staff, all of them trained horticulturalists, involves different planting regimes such as prioritizing perennial bedding rather than annuals, and replacing chemical control of weeds with hand weeding and organic methods.

Another of its principal features is a gradual switch-over from petrol to battery-powered equipment for the routine maintenance tasks, and this is already under way with the recent introduction of a Helion hedge trimmer, an Airion leaf and debris blower, and an Excelion strimmer all made by French manufacturer Pellenc. These were all supplied by Aylesbury-based RT Machinery, which has also provided, on trial, a battery-powered Etesia Bahia ride-on mower. After just three months usage there is favourable response from both staff and residents for all of these. Reduced noise levels, hand vibration, and elimination of fumes have all been welcomed, according to THL head gardener Lucy Mackenzie.

“I went to Saltex last year specifically to take a close look at battery-powered machines suitable for work in the Hyde Park Estate squares,” said Tony Heywood.

“The Pellenc and Etesia machines impressed me most and they are already proving their worth. I already had a good working relationship with RTM and will continue to talk to them about how we can extend the switch-over and keep a check on future developments in this area by the two manufacturers.”

Tony Heywood, who also lectures on garden design, is closely associated with the Royal Horticultural Society, he and his partner Alison Condie being its ‘artists in residence’.  He hopes the example being set in this part of London for the way its squares and gardens are looked after can set a standard for such work in urban areas everywhere.