Woodland planting in West Yorkshire

Commercial industrial works in Halifax

As part of the ongoing soft and hardworks at A-Safe’s HQ on an industrial estate in Halifax, West Yorkshire, the J Paxman Landscapes soft landscaping team have completed the woodland planting this month. The team worked alongside main contractor Royd Developments.

Soft landscape works

Managing the sourcing and planting of over 3000 whips, bushes and feathered trees within the woodland areas surrounding the commercial complex, the planting and softworks included:

  • Ornamental ground cover planting
  • Mixed species scrub planting
  • Native hedge mixes
  • Bark mulch
  • Log wood habitat piles

Completed early March 2024 – Interested in working with J Paxman Landscapes Soft Landscaping team? Check our latest career opportunities.

Commercial estate planting, Huyton

Tree pits, planting and protection

Working with the main contractor Mulberry Construction on this commercial and industrial business area and car park, J Paxman Landscapes have recently completed the landscaping and planting at Fleet Factors, Huyton.

From ground preparation to planting; hedging to staking; tree planting and rabbit protection, the project was completed in November 2023.

The planting palette included 14 standard trees (Alnus, Betula, Populus, Quercus Robur), a 48 linear metre native hedge (mix of Crataegus, Corylus, Cornus, Ilex aquifolium and Rosa Canina) and shrub mixes around the periphery and car park areas for ground cover and barrier protection (including Viburnum, Sambucus, Ligustrum, Spiraea and Mahonia).

All planted areas were tidied and mulched and rabbit guards placed to prevent any natural predators. This completed a professional commercial landscape makeover for customers and visitors to enjoy a much cleaner, more impressive natural first impression on site.

November 2023

Lakeside Planting in Private Garden

Initially engaged to provide designs and landscape construction services, J Paxman Landscapes have been on site in a private garden of a country house near Wentworth between Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley. Working to their own planting and soft landscaping plans for the area around its natural pond, the team extended their works once on site as the pond itself required dredging, clearing and relining.

Throughout September 2023, the JPL team cleared the pond and preparing the ground for its palette of bulbs, grasses, herbaceous, shrubs and trees. In the extreme temperatures in Summer 2022, the conifers that had surrounded the pond had made contact with the overhead electric cables, causing a fire and extensive tree and vegetative damage. The replacement planting plan will instead have lower and ground cover planting, as well as some new standard trees for height, form and statement.

The Planting Palette

The pond surrounding area was planted October. The palette includes:

  • Narcissus bulbs;
  • Bamboos and grasses including Nandina domestica Nana, bronze Carex and Pheasants Tail Grass;
  • Herbaceous perennials for foliage and colour, including Heuchera Black Beauty;
  • 3, 5 and 10 litre Shrubs including hebes and heathers;
  • Wildflower 80/20 seeding;
  • Native shrub mix;
  • Birch and Callery Pear standard trees.

How it started…

How it’s going…

How it looks now…

November 2023

Commercial Planting at Norwich Jaguar Dealership

The soft landscaping at Jaguar Land Rover Dealership at Norwich has been completed in July 2023. The forecourt, parking and peripheral planting features heavy standard trees and considerate native and ornamental planting. It pays careful consideration to the existing vegetation and the ground preparation and finishing across the commercial site.

Soft landscaping grounds, hedges and banks

The soft landscaped sections of the new development sit within the car parking areas, around the existing mature trees and along the peripheral boundaries. Special care was taken, planting carefully by hand so as not to disturb roots of the existing trees.. The native hedging mix of Alnus glutinosa, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Hedera helix and Ilex aquifolium sits along 104 linear metres.

New Tree Establishment

Sourcing, planting and securing the 20-25cm girth Tilia cordata Green Spire tree, the J Paxman Landscapes soft landscaping team ensured all stakes, ties and bark mulching were in place for the best chance of healthy tree establishment.

Other sections around the parking and borders were planted with trusted ground cover varieties, supplied in 2 litre posts across favourites including Hedera hibernica, Hebe pageii and Vinca major.

CHAS Landscape: The importance of Health and Safety

JPL now accredited to Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS)

Being a CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme) standard member is an important consideration for a landscape construction company and we are pleased to announce J Paxman Landscapes are now accredited as CHAS Standard Members.

Health and Safety for Employees, Clients and the Public

CHAS is a widely recognized accreditation scheme that demonstrates a company’s commitment to maintaining high standards of health and safety in the workplace. By becoming a CHAS standard member, JPL are demonstrating our dedication to the well-being and safety of its employees, clients, and the general public.

Public Highway Works along A62 Leeds to Huddersfield, completed by J Paxman Landscapes in 2023

Client Reassurance

This accreditation provides reassurance to clients that the company has undergone rigorous assessments and meets the required health and safety standards, minimizing risks and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation. It also enhances the company’s reputation, credibility, and competitiveness in the industry, as CHAS membership is often a prerequisite for bidding on contracts.

High Level of Professionalism

Being a CHAS standard member fosters a culture of safety within the organization, promoting best practices, reducing accidents and incidents, and ultimately safeguarding the well-being of all involved parties. Overall, CHAS accreditation is a vital step for a JPL to not only demonstrate our ongoing commitment to safety but to secure new business opportunities and maintain a high level of professionalism in the industry.

More Information on CHAS

For further information on CHAS and the importance to professional companies who are members, please see:

Forecourt and Landscape: Volvo Swindon

Completed this month (June 2023) by the J Paxman Landscapes soft landscape team for Sheffield-based BDB Design Build Limited, surrounding grounds, forecourts and signed areas have newly planted trees, a new Taxus hedge, turfed and reseeded lawn areas and white gravel to finish.

COMPLETE: A62 Leeds to Huddersfield Soft Landscape & Roadside Planting

A year in the making, from tagging of trees and contract growing of plants to final completion. The verges and roadways along the A62 between Leeds and Huddersfield are a brighter, more natural place.

This important roadway improvement has been carried out meticulously throughout the contract and can now be enjoyed by motorist and pedestrian alike.

100 Standard trees planted and over 10,000 thousand plants and bulbs

An absolute credit to the J Paxman Landscape team, the results are incredibly impressive. Managing access and the perils of roadside planting, the team planted over 100 standard trees (Alnus, Quercus, Acer campestre) and 10,000 shrubs and herbaceous perennials including Hebe, Hedera, Pachysandra and Artemesia. Every area was stripped, prepared, planted and mulched for weed suppression and healthy establishment.

To find out more about the planning, design and plant selection, read our previous blog outlining how the contract began.

Multi-level private garden build

Completed in May 2023, this landscape impresses, quite literally, on multiple levels. This private home and rear garden in Huddersfield has been undergoing its landscape transformation courtesy of the J Paxman Landscapes team throughout March and April.

Contending with the wettest part of the year, the team have completed this split level garden, featuring new natural stone walling and pathway construction as well as relevelling and reconstruction of existing arches and walls.

From excavation to planting

Like all of our projects, the JPL landscape journey starts from the very first site and customer visit. Asking the right questions and understanding the customer’s style, budget and end goals for their garden transformation gives us the clearest vision for the design proposal. Once approved, the work is agreed and scheduled.

This project required a reduction of existing levels and regrading to form new surfaces. Clearing the vegetation, removing trees, stump grinding and disposing of the green waste, the JPL team were able to refocus the space, ready for construction to begin.

Reusing natural stone

The natural stone walling was to be kept and reused as far as possible. To enable full access to the rear site, the existing stone wall and archways was removed and carefully stored for reconstruction at the latter stages of the build.

Harmony of reclaimed and replaced natural stone in Huddersfield rear garden transformation

Path and Plant

New patios and steps were built with Marshall Indian Buff Multi and Yorkstone paving reclaimed from the existing garden. The gravel pathway between step levels was compacted for a solid and durable finish. Other walling was rebuilt from the reclaimed stone.

Deliveries of topsoil complete, the turfed lawn was laid and shaped and new shrub beds were planted for balance and contrast alongside the placement of a new softwood pergola.

To finish? A thorough clean and jetwash of all hard surfaces and hearty praise from the homeowner. The garden takes them to new levels and gives them functional space and framing for their outdoor living and entertaining areas.

Constructing the Roger Millward Memorial

UPDATED: Remembering Roger in Kippax West Yorkshire

With ground preparations completed in February, the JPS team have been busy over the last few weeks clearing the way for the Roger Millward Memorial construction.

The long-awaited memorial is now complete, and is a fitting tribute to local resident and rugby league legend, Roger Millward.

Roger lived in Kippax, where the memorial is being built, and is a widely respected member of rugby league’s Hall of Fame, both for his career with Great Britain and Hull Kingston Rovers RC.

Millward passed away in 2016 at the age of 68 after a long battle with cancer. His greatest sporting triumph was in the 1980 Challenge Cup win over city rivals Hull FC, but was also a holder of 46 caps, 29 for Great Britain and 17 for England. To his Hull KR fans, he has been described as the club’s greatest ever player and was christened by them as ‘Rodger the Dodger’.

Breaking ground to completion

Works underway at Kippax

The memorial works have been commissioned by Leeds City Council and commenced in February 2023. Creating a retaining wall to feature a granite memorial atop a stone plinth, surrounded by planting, JPS set to clearing the existing shrubs, retaining and relocating bollards and preparing the ground for the construction phase.

Stone Feature

An etched photo of Roger in action has been commissioned, designed and sandblasted onto black granite with orange and red inlays. It will stand proud at the Memorial’s location in Millward’s hometown Kippax, West Yorkshire. Excavating the foundations and constructing the new retaining wall from locally sourced sandstone, the soft landscaping team will then be on hand to plant with new shrubs and reseeded grass verges.

A fitting tribute in Roger’s memory

The memorial itself was delivered and the surrounding landscape works completed in early April 2023 with an official opening ceremony to unveil the memorial with members of Millward’s family, his friends, sporting colleagues and local fans planned thereafter.

Training Success: Construction Plant

Staying on top of skills, professionalism and personal development, the JPL team attend regular training programmes in the use of machinery and vehicles to help on the landscape site. In January 2023, a number of team members have updated their vehicle competences in tractor and dumper operations. The Kubota Tractor Training day, attended with GGM Groundscare, was successfully completed by all JPL operatives, who then celebrated their achievement with bacon sandwiches and tea.

Tyler Martin and Mike Mellard also achieved their NPORS Forward Tipping Dumper certificates.

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