tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-346032252024-03-13T03:41:16.669+00:00Stewarts Office PlantsNews and interesting snippets from Stewarts Office Plants. Regularly updated by Jonathan and Rebecca.
Go to www.officeplants.info for the main siteUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger316125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-78592602527115084462023-03-09T12:44:00.002+00:002023-03-09T12:44:23.805+00:00Farewell, dear reader<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KCno-5qHJ0smd4jKMEo6mxApYNjsS0INODz4vvlcd5RbsYGDIPr-OLpmX3leLuiJF0o0dXateK_E2nzIoheaYPMArlFiMNijK11H1p9kTVOXcM5ucwzx-w91HFpIO9z1MfzBd-PRfKNOqqMdRncBhELKM5eDE5HKjxs_KerSDArxAMznzw4/s2160/Job%20well%20done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0KCno-5qHJ0smd4jKMEo6mxApYNjsS0INODz4vvlcd5RbsYGDIPr-OLpmX3leLuiJF0o0dXateK_E2nzIoheaYPMArlFiMNijK11H1p9kTVOXcM5ucwzx-w91HFpIO9z1MfzBd-PRfKNOqqMdRncBhELKM5eDE5HKjxs_KerSDArxAMznzw4/w266-h400/Job%20well%20done.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>You will notice that this blog has been extremely quiet in the last year or two. <p></p><p>Two reasons:</p><p>1. We now have a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StewartsInteriorLandscaping/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> which I urge you to go like. </p><p>2. We have been extremely busy, like three times as many new sales etc than normal, and quite simply updating the company blog fell off my realistic to-do list.</p><p>To make things worse, after twenty one years I am leaving my role as <a href="https://www.stewarts.co.uk/interior-landscaping-services">Stewarts Interior Landscaping's</a> assistant manager to concentrate on sales only, in a working-from-home capacity. </p><p>My capable replacement Eleanor will certainly concentrate on the Facebook page, and probably even more modern social media platforms than I even know exist.</p><p>So, dear reader, there is every chance this blog will become even quieter.</p><p>I'll leave you with a reissue of the photo I used to introduce myself back when I took over this blog sixteen years ago, said photo taken in 2002, when I still had hair, and functioning vertebrae!</p><p>Farewell</p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-72609476653075332102022-05-25T14:05:00.002+01:002022-05-25T14:05:45.257+01:00In which I feed my Maranta obsession<p> As usual, apologies for ignoring this blog for the best part of a year, 'Events, dear boy' as a former prime minister said. In my 24 years in the industry, it has never been as consistently busy as the period since my last post!<br /></p><p>Anyway, grovelling aside, I <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2015/01/neoregelia-meyendorfii-goodbye.html" target="_blank">once mentioned</a> a plant that I liked at the start of my career that then vanished without trace, the Maranta Massangeana. </p><p><a href="http://phyto.gr/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/MARANTA_LEUCONEURA_Massangeana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="http://phyto.gr/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/MARANTA_LEUCONEURA_Massangeana.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p>The fact that if you search for images of this name in quotation marks, you get almost zero accurate results should tell you how rare it is.</p><p>The 'normal' Maranta, M. Tricoleur, looks like the plant on left below. It's constantly available, and we use it a lot:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUX_M2uuSNvk2oN_H55KXRUhRzRM0-BexSJeq4Y5vNkcwwvnLy9JN2f6dhVpRx4V-xxv2nT13Y3_2W9PYCrW5-wYXk1jNULsR76zZP89SwlNp4V2_8EM1EZDMNiI_lsKV-HDx7zGMf_5xSDZYwzZIOb83vfosdC0fULUB8m2RH7mwqvU_IN0/s500/Maranta%20Tricoleur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUX_M2uuSNvk2oN_H55KXRUhRzRM0-BexSJeq4Y5vNkcwwvnLy9JN2f6dhVpRx4V-xxv2nT13Y3_2W9PYCrW5-wYXk1jNULsR76zZP89SwlNp4V2_8EM1EZDMNiI_lsKV-HDx7zGMf_5xSDZYwzZIOb83vfosdC0fULUB8m2RH7mwqvU_IN0/s320/Maranta%20Tricoleur.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Now, I'm the first to admit that - with its red stripes, and generally jaunty attitude to being grown, it's the pick of the bunch, but the mere rarity and - I'd argue - delicate appearance of the Massangeana has made it my holy grail/unicorn plants for two decades.<br /><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://phyto.gr/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/MARANTA_LEUCONEURA_Massangeana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyA35iHmyxvmswbX4ZgjE_z5UI_fuFJQ3M8nRIgBBl11MxNs2WBt5G57xNxx971HUTceuz-MDnhWXpU8_KLQHE47p26aC9Mb09hjTYENenQFtDiQViWrxnud3S4UtCieOmqEzcLhradi3DosaGXNn0pNVXdvE7bg6NzyqRpNjIsB-m1Nc8Ok/s500/Maranta%20Exclusive%20Grey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyA35iHmyxvmswbX4ZgjE_z5UI_fuFJQ3M8nRIgBBl11MxNs2WBt5G57xNxx971HUTceuz-MDnhWXpU8_KLQHE47p26aC9Mb09hjTYENenQFtDiQViWrxnud3S4UtCieOmqEzcLhradi3DosaGXNn0pNVXdvE7bg6NzyqRpNjIsB-m1Nc8Ok/w400-h300/Maranta%20Exclusive%20Grey.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Now, every Monday, my trusty Dutch plant supplier sends me an enormous price list of every plant I can currently buy, in either compost of hydroponic, and in what size. This Monday it was 1,838 lines long. Mind you, there's a list of pots and sundries too, and that's 9,858!<div>While searching for something else, I spotted 'Maranta Exclusive Dark' and 'Exclusive Grey'. Trembling, I clicked on the names, which brings up an image. <a href="https://static.koberg.nl/storage/img-cache/product/large/1682112-eu191ignjo.png" target="_blank">Exclusive Dark</a> (click link for image) is effectively a Massangeana, but on frenziedly ringing Holland was told was not in stock. Exclusive Grey on the right was, and I ordered a box, despite them being three times the price of a normal one. It's arrived, and I'm in love. One is coming home with me!</div><div><br /></div><div>I then noticed another type called Maranta Lemon...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsjD6T3p66f2A2o2soleEYQBxOWCLEdOR0WqO7McPs6dzKFcCFdFfPtnbV6deQI1apCLZoJJ0zV9qF0k4xXSgQQTBqf4XVvtK4l5FUs4PF6fC1PoHWUxFXxQG2BrS6zg1sZgLhQpGLL_o0VSjgA4qP5VjK5gmb-5Ht71zIlyv0rDdJUCl-m8/s800/Maranta%20Lemon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsjD6T3p66f2A2o2soleEYQBxOWCLEdOR0WqO7McPs6dzKFcCFdFfPtnbV6deQI1apCLZoJJ0zV9qF0k4xXSgQQTBqf4XVvtK4l5FUs4PF6fC1PoHWUxFXxQG2BrS6zg1sZgLhQpGLL_o0VSjgA4qP5VjK5gmb-5Ht71zIlyv0rDdJUCl-m8/w300-h400/Maranta%20Lemon.png" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div>I'm rather taken by them too, so I'll be ordering another box of those next week. And one will come home with me too!</div><div><br /></div><div>Why am I waffling on like this? Well, if you are our South Coast catchment area, and Google has brought you here in search of these elusive species, <a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">contact me</a>, and I will happily recoup the cost of my own plant nerdery by selling you one!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-55315785684094157742021-08-27T15:29:00.002+01:002021-08-27T15:36:23.550+01:00You'll never guess what, it's another giant Boston fern!<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u3VUfRRR044/YSjyLwqs4qI/AAAAAAAACL4/5MlWs-wIqvoo1ld77y3MTpoBpoGp77vZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/New%2Bfern%2B1.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u3VUfRRR044/YSjyLwqs4qI/AAAAAAAACL4/5MlWs-wIqvoo1ld77y3MTpoBpoGp77vZQCLcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/New%2Bfern%2B1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The latest contender</td></tr></tbody></table>So I tap away when I can on this blog with - if I'm honest - the intention of driving some traffic to <a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping" target="_blank">our website</a>, as frankly we aren't the most aggressive firm at marketing office plants. Maybe why our existing customers like us so much. <p></p><p>But it seems the one thing this blog has achieved is making me the Norris McWhirter of giant Boston Ferns. </p><p>Yes, you guessed it: out of the blue I have been emailed by another US owner of a giant Boston Fern, also convinced they have the biggest one. </p><p>If this is your first foray into the topic, <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2012/10/stewarts-set-world-record-for-biggest.html" target="_blank">this is the post that started it all. </a></p><p><a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2018/11/new-contender-for-worlds-biggest-boston.html" target="_blank">This was the first challenger.</a></p><p><a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-biggest-boston-fern-competition.html" target="_blank">This was the most recent one. </a></p><p><br /></p><p>Where this one - the pride and joy of Barry and Jen Hartranft - seems to excel is in length, whereas the previous one in the car dealer I would say wins out on sheer volume. This raises a supplementary question: is it frond length or total volume that determines what constitutes the "World's Biggest Boston Fern"? </p><p>I know the USA is a very large country, but I think the owners of all three challengers to the crown should meet at some central location and argue this one out, then just let me know their decision. </p><p>All joking apart, as a houseplant professional it gladdens my heart to see such enthusiasm, and am both happy and amused to be kept updated on the topic.</p><p>Though I should probably own up that the original plant of ours died some years ago after the <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo" target="_blank">client</a> moved it to a too-dark area. Sorry....</p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UnUvnLqv8qA/YSj1n5ICpdI/AAAAAAAACMA/C0Mwmr7HlUkH2-vBsMpksYuhVzVld3ltgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/New%2Bfern%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="600" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UnUvnLqv8qA/YSj1n5ICpdI/AAAAAAAACMA/C0Mwmr7HlUkH2-vBsMpksYuhVzVld3ltgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h224/New%2Bfern%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barry Hartranft and his amazing ferns</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-81829402493050080152021-07-16T13:52:00.001+01:002021-07-16T13:52:31.346+01:00Anyway... here's that giant Schefflera in situ<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTh5HV2nUqk/YPF_ut63rhI/AAAAAAAACJ4/qhXZ64Qbh6QoOnQVGJdpLPRjMwT4lWrEACLcBGAsYHQ/s667/Sandra%2Bplanting%2Bcafe%2BSchefflera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTh5HV2nUqk/YPF_ut63rhI/AAAAAAAACJ4/qhXZ64Qbh6QoOnQVGJdpLPRjMwT4lWrEACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Sandra%2Bplanting%2Bcafe%2BSchefflera.jpg" /></a></div><a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2021/05/biggest-schefflera-weve-ever-ordered.html" target="_blank">So last time I posted</a> in early May (sorry) it was with this gigantic Schefflera destined for the <a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/" target="_blank">Stewarts</a> Broomhill coffee shop. <p></p><p>On the left is Sandra planting it in the special box our talented handyman Ash had built to accommodate it. </p><p>Then below is a picture I snapped this morning showing it all settled in and the coffee shop open. As usual my great height makes things look tiny when I take pics, but the chairs give an idea of scale. </p><p>My bit of Stewarts didn't supply the artificial plants on hanging frames, just for the record.</p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PnyaoWS6yg8/YPGAqRjSxcI/AAAAAAAACKA/T4si1bphXbsh06jHWj2GQsmh1tqWsNuOACLcBGAsYHQ/s550/Schefflera%2Bin%2Bopen%2Bcafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="550" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PnyaoWS6yg8/YPGAqRjSxcI/AAAAAAAACKA/T4si1bphXbsh06jHWj2GQsmh1tqWsNuOACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Schefflera%2Bin%2Bopen%2Bcafe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-51553843661772231922021-05-05T17:01:00.001+01:002021-05-05T17:01:29.438+01:00A recent installation<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xx79MpZl_wY/YJK8hpThufI/AAAAAAAACHA/5zRKflis4ocr-uYlKRpaH3OUvMicYH9FgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/20210415_113532%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xx79MpZl_wY/YJK8hpThufI/AAAAAAAACHA/5zRKflis4ocr-uYlKRpaH3OUvMicYH9FgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210415_113532%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>I try not to fill this blog with 'look at the job we just completed' posts as they can get a bit repetitive, but this one more or less took over my winter - let's say the <a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo" target="_blank">client</a> was a little indecisive and leave it there - so I am happy to boast about it. <p></p><p>The other good news element of it is it's a long-standing <a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo" target="_blank">client</a> of ours from Weybridge who has moved to - for us - a rather better location in Guildford, and gone from a 14 planter contract to 45 planters. </p><p>It's a very modern, very quirky office and features outdoor balcony plants, built-in cabinet-top planters and the free-standing 'Polystone' planters shown here. </p><p>To complicate matters we got all ready to do the <a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/services/DeliveryAndInstallation/" target="_blank">installation</a> and found we could only use the lift from 7-8am (and we are two hours drive away), so it made the install days a bit more challenging. The first time we went we took about five bags too many of compost up (did I mention it's on the 5th floor?), ran out of 'lift time' and Yours Truly had to carry them back down the stairs. I'm getting too old for that kind of thing. </p><p>Anyway, I'll let the pictures do the talking. I had to include an image of the illuminated wall art. I'm a big fan of bulldogs as I own two British bulldogs, so this Frenchie appeals!</p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vzhr1R4IVG4/YJLAI4N07uI/AAAAAAAACHY/mz-a2zdgt0oil_6Vi73qtcib80KmTumyACLcBGAsYHQ/s500/20210415_113505%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vzhr1R4IVG4/YJLAI4N07uI/AAAAAAAACHY/mz-a2zdgt0oil_6Vi73qtcib80KmTumyACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210415_113505%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEOuaVsyPU0/YJLANeifr3I/AAAAAAAACHc/se1rtHcSpkwIsg3xWYzlyJ_fJhe-K4gjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/20210415_113640%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEOuaVsyPU0/YJLANeifr3I/AAAAAAAACHc/se1rtHcSpkwIsg3xWYzlyJ_fJhe-K4gjQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210415_113640%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9Le8WSlg9w/YJLAXAu-1JI/AAAAAAAACHg/cVp0Tlu9YEsiJD0YrtsY8-okdG9OtSXPQCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/20210415_105605%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9Le8WSlg9w/YJLAXAu-1JI/AAAAAAAACHg/cVp0Tlu9YEsiJD0YrtsY8-okdG9OtSXPQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210415_105605%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-87561099703885838612021-05-05T16:40:00.002+01:002021-05-05T16:40:23.379+01:00Biggest Schefflera we've ever ordered<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WSxL95REfpQ/YJK6LEEDHyI/AAAAAAAACG0/v_1M1WJiZWIXWEGBMP3Tt65fPgNmOAxmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s550/20210421_074846%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="413" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WSxL95REfpQ/YJK6LEEDHyI/AAAAAAAACG0/v_1M1WJiZWIXWEGBMP3Tt65fPgNmOAxmwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/20210421_074846%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>I hesitate to use the Betteridge's-Law-braking headline "is this the biggest Schefflera Amata in Europe?" as (a) I know it isn't and (b) after the long running <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2021/02/the-biggest-boston-fern-competition.html" target="_blank">'World's biggest Boston Fern' saga</a>, I'm a little wary of such claims. <p></p><p>But I can say with confidence that it's one of only two of this size in the whole of Europe, as when I enquired of our Dutch supplier on 2.5-3m Schefflera Amatas I was sent pictures of both of them and told to make my mind up fast!</p><p>You may know this plant as one of the Umbrella Plants; it's an open secret that I love them. </p><p>Eleanor tells me she is about 5'7", so 1.7m tall, so I'd say it's comfortably taller than its advertised 2.8-3m size judging from this image. What's surprising is what a small rootball it has, given its size; it's making it a trifle hard to keep it upright. </p><p>As a species they are also very easy to damage the foliage of in transit. Luckily it's going all then way to the <a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/our-centres/broomhill/">Stewarts Broomhill</a> coffee shop over the road. Still, will be an interesting carrying job!</p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-59607786152831697792021-02-10T10:20:00.007+00:002021-02-14T11:43:42.257+00:00Mosspoles, canes or wire frames? <p> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5DI2i7xOaI/YCOw0ZRM2NI/AAAAAAAACC4/7NDVtiCVceYyM5qG88N0lXC03OTc23_TwCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/Mosspole%2BEpipremnum.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5DI2i7xOaI/YCOw0ZRM2NI/AAAAAAAACC4/7NDVtiCVceYyM5qG88N0lXC03OTc23_TwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Mosspole%2BEpipremnum.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devil's Ivy on a 'mosspole'</td></tr></tbody></table>It's long been the tradition that trailing plants such as Epipremnum (Devil's Ivy) as shown here, or the old favourite Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera) are grown up a moss-covered plastic pole for support, known in the trade as a 'mosspole' for short. <p></p><p>However it is increasingly possible to buy the same species grown up either bamboo canes or a wire cage. See image below of Philodendron Brasil (left) and a rather fantastic Scindapsus Trebie (right)that arrived from Holland this morning. </p><p>Many people believe that the mosspole is better for the plant; I suppose in theory if you misted it on a daily basis the plant may gain some moisture from it, but in an office setting the moss is bone-dry and it's simply there for support.</p><p>In fact empirically I have found that plants that are available either on a mosspole or on canes/a frame perform far better when they are <u>not</u> grown up a mosspole. </p><p>In particular they seem to last longer and perform better in low light.</p><p>Why is that? Short answer: I don't know. </p><p>I suspect that the plant puts more of its energy in to growing strong roots and less in to attaching itself to a pole. But that is a pure guess. If anyone has a better theory, educate me!</p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan </a></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UFfwbKtWffw/YCOyzEXOCBI/AAAAAAAACDE/zCrZHAJSMXg9lEPWEE5U2LfUp6uk3VEOACLcBGAsYHQ/s550/Canes%2B%2526%2Bcages.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="413" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UFfwbKtWffw/YCOyzEXOCBI/AAAAAAAACDE/zCrZHAJSMXg9lEPWEE5U2LfUp6uk3VEOACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Canes%2B%2526%2Bcages.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Philodendron Brasil on cage and Scindapsus Trebie on canes<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-90159693974125304482021-02-09T14:06:00.000+00:002021-02-09T14:06:20.540+00:00The 'biggest Boston Fern' competition heats up!<p>Well, here's an odd one. </p><p>I've been typing away for something like 15 years on this blog and I'm never sure</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UA5FVtIPUAY/YCKTPXQPeZI/AAAAAAAACCY/KbZlAZWrMCU7df-Z2gBOUub0y_AD3BwcwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Giant%2BBoston%2BFern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UA5FVtIPUAY/YCKTPXQPeZI/AAAAAAAACCY/KbZlAZWrMCU7df-Z2gBOUub0y_AD3BwcwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Giant%2BBoston%2BFern.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our giant Boston Fern. </td></tr></tbody></table>anyone that isn't a close friend or current/former employee is reading it, with one topic exception.</p><p>Back in 2012 I wrote a <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2012/10/stewarts-set-world-record-for-biggest.html" target="_blank">un-serious post about a serious contender for the world's largest Boston Fern</a>, which was under our care in a Hampshire call centre. </p><p>A couple of years ago I was contacted by an American gentleman who was sure his was bigger, and <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2018/11/new-contender-for-worlds-biggest-boston.html" target="_blank">allowed me to post a picture.</a></p><p>Last week I was contacted by an <a href="https://www.thiefriverfordinc.com/" target="_blank">American car dealer</a> who are quite justifiably proud of their Boston Fern: so proud in fact that they are seriously attempting to establish if it is the world's largest, and stumbled upon my blog while doing so. </p><p>It really is a monster; in the words of the owner of the dealer: "The fern measures over 7 feet tall and commands an area
that is 8 feet by 8 feet!" </p><p>They are attempting to find out if such a Guinness World Record exists. I think they must be in with a chance. I will update if I hear so. </p><p>Obviously if anyone thinks their Boston fern is bigger than this magnificent specimen, I want to be told!</p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzV00omwfms/YCKWR9s0T3I/AAAAAAAACCo/Mt-xtRLlqz8tA0iEeHWrbCTuWlW7BPuSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/American%2BBoston%2BFern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzV00omwfms/YCKWR9s0T3I/AAAAAAAACCo/Mt-xtRLlqz8tA0iEeHWrbCTuWlW7BPuSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/American%2BBoston%2BFern.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New contender for world's largest Boston Fern<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p></o:p></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-70213371814225058062021-01-29T14:41:00.001+00:002021-01-29T14:48:24.706+00:00Planter with built-in hand sanitising station<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tmF_TElMxbs/YBQcnjX2meI/AAAAAAAACB8/7ybAWxvRXZYSGDHqa6jd2O0bBWIyyxOUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s909/Sanitiser.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="905" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tmF_TElMxbs/YBQcnjX2meI/AAAAAAAACB8/7ybAWxvRXZYSGDHqa6jd2O0bBWIyyxOUwCLcBGAsYHQ/w398-h400/Sanitiser.png" width="398" /></a></div><br /> Here's a neat and topical idea by one of our planter suppliers: tall slim plant pots with an inbuilt hand-sanitising station!<p></p><p>I'll freely admit that my post is based entirely on the image above, so I now know what you do.</p><p>But it seems like a winner, and <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping" target="_blank">Stewarts</a> are very happy to supply them to you. </p><p>Sure, it'll be cheaper to buy a bottle of hand-gel from the chemist, but if you want a big, statement sanitising station just inside your office or restaurant entrance for example, in your company's corporate colour perhaps, that people arriving simply can't miss, this has to be a winner. </p><p>We could also offer them on a fixed-term lease basis to mitigate the up-front cost. </p><p>If of interest, <a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/ContactUs" target="_blank">contact us</a> and find out more!</p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-91595139614397858222021-01-20T16:26:00.001+00:002021-01-20T16:26:05.757+00:00A January update on that Christmas tree<p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2OZBUk7MNqY/YAhYPEfS7gI/AAAAAAAACBU/PSmN-EDXui0WZRX5cZ6L7zbqrLEHSUfYACLcBGAsYHQ/s550/New%2Byear%2BChristmas%2Btree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="550" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2OZBUk7MNqY/YAhYPEfS7gI/AAAAAAAACBU/PSmN-EDXui0WZRX5cZ6L7zbqrLEHSUfYACLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/New%2Byear%2BChristmas%2Btree.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas tree in late January...</td></tr></tbody></table><br />You'll see <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2020/12/at-christmas-spare-thought-for-lonely.html" target="_blank">in the post below</a> that I told the story of a poor lonely <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/Services/ChristmasInteriors" target="_blank">Christmas tree</a> in a closed office in Bristol just before Christmas.</p><p>Well, good news! When I visited my <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo" target="_blank">client</a> yesterday the office in question was open and had a few people there to keep the tree company!</p><p>The only fly in the ointment is my nagging feeling that January 19 is a little bit late to keep the tree up; maybe they were just getting their money's worth having not seen it in December? Isn't it bad luck though? </p><p>That said - and I couldn't photo this - 'my' <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo" target="_blank">client</a> occupies three storeys and is only occupied by the receptionist and the office manager on the 2nd floor. The latter has festooned her entire desk and surrounding desks with tinsel to cheer herself up, and as she quite reasonably pointed out, there's no one else in the office to be bothered.</p><p>In an empty office no one can hear you sing carols. Merry Month Late Christmas Everyone!</p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></p><p>PS we've had quite a few customers unclear as to whether we are still continuing our <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/Services/Maintenance" target="_blank">maintenance service</a> during lockdown. As this post shows, yes we are, as long as you still want us!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-51033701492397637022020-12-24T08:36:00.002+00:002020-12-24T08:36:55.628+00:00At Christmas, spare a thought for the lonely...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O71k0lfE3u0/X-RQ8R5GY0I/AAAAAAAACAM/0-13_7eJv58m3J8doNclaIH2VGOVUNhZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s550/Lonely%2BXmas%2Btree.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="550" height="237" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O71k0lfE3u0/X-RQ8R5GY0I/AAAAAAAACAM/0-13_7eJv58m3J8doNclaIH2VGOVUNhZgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h237/Lonely%2BXmas%2Btree.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poor lonely Christmas tree</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">At this festive time when, despite all the Covid restrictions, we like to spend our time with family and friends, we should spare a thought for the lonely amongst us. In this case the lonely Christmas trees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Back story to this image: I have a large <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo" target="_blank">client </a>in Bristol that I look after myself (the <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2020/11/im-no-plumber-but.html" target="_blank">Norwegian Mountain Cat </a>/ <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2020/07/some-more-funny-signs.html" target="_blank">Cake is Real</a> client), and from their window I have a view of an office building opposite, several floors of which also have plants. I have noticed that one floor has been in darkness all the way since March and the plants have been pushed over to by the windows, and are looking rather sorry for themselves. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">To my bafflement, early this week a fully decorated Christmas tree could be seen in the window. I do wonder what the point is. I'm also on the verge of going all Zen and wondering that if an office has a Christmas tree that no one sees, does it in fact exist at all? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">On that philosophical note, merry Christmas to one and all; here's hoping 2021 is an improvement on 2020!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></div>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-11598719468178025172020-12-11T13:55:00.003+00:002020-12-11T13:56:33.226+00:00Christmas trees - here's what you didn't have!<p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XWrIk4pUWyI/X9N4b2cHlCI/AAAAAAAAB_w/2PVss8g6HLk4Mlzx7YgElq-YYC8dCyRTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dodgy%2Btree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XWrIk4pUWyI/X9N4b2cHlCI/AAAAAAAAB_w/2PVss8g6HLk4Mlzx7YgElq-YYC8dCyRTQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Dodgy%2Btree.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jazz hands Christmas tree! <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Just to reinforce what I said in <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2020/12/christmas-trees-heres-what-you-could.html" target="_blank">my previous post</a> here is a great illustration of one of the perils of live Christmas tree ordering. </p><p>This is an 8-9ft tree (they are ordered in bands by height) which we had ringfenced for a very exacting <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo" target="_blank">client</a> who wants a tall tree but doesn't have a huge amount of space. It looked like a nice slim tree in the net so we put it aside for them. </p><p>It should be a nice even conical shape from tip to base, instead it looks like two trees stapled together. </p><p>The funny thing is if you put a hand over the screen and cover up the top 40% of the photo, the rest is a reasonably nice 5ft tree, albeit with a rather thick top stem. </p><p>Luckily we slightly over-order <a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/Services/ChristmasInteriors" target="_blank">Christmas trees</a> so that we can mitigate for eventualities like this. </p><p>Fear not: it hasn't been cut down in vain. Someone wanted a whole lot of foliage to make garlands out of, so it was of use. Just not all in one bit. </p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></p><p><br /></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-60382629044202397322020-12-11T13:43:00.000+00:002020-12-11T13:43:07.067+00:00Christmas trees - here's what you could have had<p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DB0eJhmsYjw/X9N06fLETcI/AAAAAAAAB_k/RjME9wUyxLgcII6fBnsEXE31w4GmTf-KgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1000/Link%2BHouse%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DB0eJhmsYjw/X9N06fLETcI/AAAAAAAAB_k/RjME9wUyxLgcII6fBnsEXE31w4GmTf-KgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Link%2BHouse%2Blo%2Bres.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9ft artificial Christmas tree</td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;">As
is usually the case it's slightly perverse of me to start marketing our
<a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/Services/ChristmasInteriors" target="_blank">Christmas tree service</a> as we have no finished deliveries, but as is often the
case I am filing photos of same and taking the opportunity to show off our product. </span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">This is one example of the ~ 40 trees we delivered this year, a particularly fine 9ft artificial tree in teal and silver. </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">Most of the trees we deliver are artificial, save some we have done for long-standing <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo" target="_blank">clients</a>; quite simply in a commercial setting we think they are far superior to the real thing. </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">For a start most offices are simply too hot to install a cut tree and then expect it to look good right up until Christmas. Also, even with the best of intentions, some live trees simply aren't as good as others in terms of shape, thickness etc. </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">Secondly the artificial trees are so good these days that habit really is the only reason to continue to have live. </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">Finally, they are much less messy! Put it this way we take a broom and a long-suffering vacuum cleaner in whenever we deliver a live tree, neither with an artificial one. </p></blockquote><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">So if you want one next year get in touch nice and early (we start organising <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/services/DeliveryAndInstallation/" target="_blank">deliveries</a> in late summer!); we have some decorated trees in stock so you'd be welcome to see one in the flesh (in the needle?) at our <a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/our-centres/broomhill/" target="_blank">Broomhill</a> HQ.</p></blockquote><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk" target="_blank">Jonathan</a></p><p></p></blockquote><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> </p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> </p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></blockquote>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-74451464981933241372020-11-25T15:56:00.006+00:002020-11-25T15:56:58.156+00:00Feature pest: hard scale<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thompson-morgan.com/static-images/master/static-images/pests/scale-insects/TM-Aug19-static-pests-scaleinsects-lead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="770" height="268" src="https://www.thompson-morgan.com/static-images/master/static-images/pests/scale-insects/TM-Aug19-static-pests-scaleinsects-lead.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In order to save this blog from being just "<a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a> posts funny signs from offices" here is one of my irregular posts about a common houseplant pest. This one is a little swine, thankfully not the most common, but very tenacious when you do have it. <p></p><p>Hard scale is a part of the larger scale family that also includes my favourite <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2018/06/feature-pest-snow-scale.html" target="_blank">Snow Scale</a> and also <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2017/10/feature-pest-mealy-bug.html" target="_blank">Mealy Bug</a>, which many people don't realise is a type of scale at all. </p><p>Now, the reason hard scale is a particularly tenacious pest is because it is hard! As you can see in this image they somewhat resemble barnacles. </p><p>This means that scale is well-armoured (so nonabsorbent) against any pesticide applications etc. In practice the younger softer scales may be killed, but not the harder ones, so the key if using pesticides is repeated applications. </p><p>I am told that rubbing alcohol is also quite effective. But I have found the best method is physical removal, to whit scraping them off with a finger. </p><p><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-33713964101567433972020-11-23T15:42:00.002+00:002020-12-11T13:57:33.993+00:00More silly office signs...<p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jh4ZooKjwbo/X7vUv1xuXPI/AAAAAAAAB-I/KIlQArYJgKE9D94AIGWBt7B5gL5VtqhKACLcBGAsYHQ/s600/Bizarre%2Bsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jh4ZooKjwbo/X7vUv1xuXPI/AAAAAAAAB-I/KIlQArYJgKE9D94AIGWBt7B5gL5VtqhKACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Bizarre%2Bsign.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm no plumber, but...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />All I ever seem to post on this blog now is funny pictures from our <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo">clients'</a> offices. </p><p>Part of the reason is that we now have a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StewartsInteriorLandscaping/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> (hint, hint) which is where I tend to post the more obviously promotional stuff, and pretty pictures of plants. </p><p>Anyway I'm not stopping, so there. </p><p>I took this photo in a Hampshire engineering company, specifically in the loo. Now, I'm no plumber, but I'm fairly sure putting a sign on the window won't stop a tap running. </p><p>My best guess is it is one of those motion-activated ones and somehow the light through the window sets it off. </p><p>Reminds me of <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2012/07/another-silly-office-sign.html" target="_blank">the famous 'pigeon alerter'</a> from 2012. I wonder if the creator ever got their patent? </p><p>The one below really defies all rational explanation. The only mitigation I can offer is that it was about 5 feet long and drawn on one of those wipeable wall/noticeboards, and is in the office of a Norwegian-based (I think) engineering company in Bristol staffed by some very quirky people, who also produced the <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2020/07/some-more-funny-signs.html" target="_blank">'cake is real'</a> sign. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-guyAyfNyO4c/X7vXKjlX9EI/AAAAAAAAB-c/t8zQSHzflTc3X2pav5xMIytN2CVSfjhowCLcBGAsYHQ/s462/Norwegian%2BMountain%2BCat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="462" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-guyAyfNyO4c/X7vXKjlX9EI/AAAAAAAAB-c/t8zQSHzflTc3X2pav5xMIytN2CVSfjhowCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Norwegian%2BMountain%2BCat.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, that really does say 'Norwegian Mountain Cat' <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>It was probably meant to only have a transient existence back in March, but the office has been closed since then. I wonder if the artist will be surprised to see it still there when this lockdown nonsense finally concludes?<div><div><br /></div><div><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-USXT5UiyJ60/X7vUhJuZ3XI/AAAAAAAAB-E/oLgG79pqDNUAF8_u5lH-keerki8OvmQ7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s600/Bizarre%2Bsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-USXT5UiyJ60/X7vUhJuZ3XI/AAAAAAAAB-E/oLgG79pqDNUAF8_u5lH-keerki8OvmQ7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s600/Bizarre%2Bsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><br /></div><br /><p></p></div></div>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-25455201791852794222020-10-22T12:25:00.004+01:002020-10-22T12:25:45.779+01:00Funny Covid office signs <p> Long time no post (sorry), we have been frantically busy as usual. </p><p>I have a habit of posting funny office signs (<a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2015/09/a-couple-more-funny-office-signs.html">example</a>) and the proliferation of one-way systems in offices has been a rich source of humour for me. </p><p>I give you:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVOFDPEvC0E/X5FrcmPggHI/AAAAAAAAB8U/Kepdm_91QkMp_P2FEIsV6HL69Bu9VN7gQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/signs%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVOFDPEvC0E/X5FrcmPggHI/AAAAAAAAB8U/Kepdm_91QkMp_P2FEIsV6HL69Bu9VN7gQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/signs%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walk this way... but don't.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4khHjlz4P5c/X5Frcp26gEI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/1xPjJkIUhWEET8ISjubwGI0AQmH2vY8SQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1500/Signs%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4khHjlz4P5c/X5Frcp26gEI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/1xPjJkIUhWEET8ISjubwGI0AQmH2vY8SQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Signs%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's good to have choices.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Both of which need no further elaboration.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hopefully all this nonsense will be over soon!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-88033298236168497772020-08-18T09:29:00.002+01:002020-08-18T09:31:27.903+01:00I still love my scissors!<p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/v0x60Ro.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="307" src="https://i.imgur.com/v0x60Ro.jpg" width="410" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My trusty scissors and battered leather holster<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Those of you with long memories will recall <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2014/02/i-love-my-scissors.html" target="_blank">a post six years ago</a> in which I rather bafflingly eulogised about my love for my then fifteen-year-old scissors that I use for <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/Services/Maintenance" target="_blank">maintenance</a>. This post was occasioned by temporarily losing them. I still own and love them, or did until last week...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I thought I had lost them for good at a bar in Bournemouth (while working rather than partying, in case it needs spelling out). Bereft, I went as far as ordering some replacements, but as is the way in the modern world they are not as good as my originals. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More troublingly it appears impossible to buy a scissor holster, certainly off Amazon; most are just a bit too narrow. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then yesterday, while working in our <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/services/DeliveryAndInstallation/" target="_blank">delivery</a> Transit near Basingstoke they miraculously appeared from under the driver's seat, despite me having checked the Transit's interior carefully when I lost them. Oddly I am fairly sure I didn't lose them in the Transit. Still, full of joy as I was I treated my colleagues to coffees as we drove round Hampshire to celebrate my being reunited with my scissors. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />Why the level of love for some cheap florist's scissors? To quote <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2014/02/i-love-my-scissors.html" target="_blank">my 2014 eulogy</a>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"...<span face="" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, utopia, "palatino linotype", palatino, serif; font-size: 13.2px;">the combination of a short blade for precision, and a curved blade for strength means they can do what most of my staff need a separate pair of scissors and secateurs for."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most of my staff carry straight bladed general scissors, which are great for trimming leaves, and secateurs for proper pruning. These do both. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway, a little consumer advice for you if you are looking for houseplant scissors: this twin pack is the best I have found:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41L3DIPTG6L._AC_.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41L3DIPTG6L._AC_.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best I can currently find<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007H6YA06/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Available on Amazon here.</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Though the handles are rather flimsy and I suspect my pair will outlast them for that reason. The crucial thing to look for when hunting for a pair is that short, curved blade, as it grips what you are trying to cut, rather than sliding off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But you can't have mine!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-70617692370533270192020-07-23T10:32:00.002+01:002020-07-23T10:35:58.411+01:00One in, one out (with a Lockdown in-between)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reBzzJm8bfs/XxlTNmi1YEI/AAAAAAAAB30/D95uhwRnXasvC1mX6gFoS05uoIm2rIk2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s921/Roger.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="921" height="273" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reBzzJm8bfs/XxlTNmi1YEI/AAAAAAAAB30/D95uhwRnXasvC1mX6gFoS05uoIm2rIk2ACLcBGAsYHQ/w500-h273/Roger.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger, giving his van a clean-out<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My very last act before <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk">Stewarts</a> heeded UK Government advice and closed until mid-May was to drive Roger (pictured above) home on the occasion of his retirement. Roger had worked for us since 2005, and for fifteen years prior to that at another firm that <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping">Stewarts</a> then bought.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Despite his very sprightly appearance, he was 70 years old, a fact which surprised many of his <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo">clients</a> when I told them. He will be greatly missed but is still keeping in touch with me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On March 30 his replacement Eleanor was meant to start with us, but that plan went out of the window! In all the chaos that has followed the Lockdown period it has only now been possible to bring her onboard. It takes four weeks to train up a new <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/Services/Maintenance">maintenance</a> technician to a level where we can safely release them in to the wild on their own, so we were simply too busy to do that sooner, so we are very grateful to her for her patience. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just to add insult to injury, we made her help with a very arduous <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/services/DeliveryAndInstallation/">installation</a> on her first day. Arduous because it took place in a very hot (30+ deg C) and humid indoor pool area at a five star hotel in the New Forest. While Michelle glowed delicately and I sweated like a pig, Eleanor seemed to positively love it, despite - as is expected now - wearing a facemask, which makes one feel even warmer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The plants, by the way are 3m high <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caryota_mitis">Caryota Mitis</a>, aka Fishtail Palms. I discovered many years ago that these absolutely love the indoor swimming pool environment; surprisingly almost all other tropical plants don't do very well, for reasons that are quite beyond me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am also a big fan of the pots - 'Polystone' Globes - though the job would have been a lot simpler if they were made properly waterproof... these had to be installed on a very tight time schedule for a promotional photoshoot, then removed to be properly lined... then reinstalled this week. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v1TH0fciO8w/XxlSxi1IhkI/AAAAAAAAB3s/27tt1Uoe_tYN1AWXhk4uetNyeswVVz4NgCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/Eleanor.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v1TH0fciO8w/XxlSxi1IhkI/AAAAAAAAB3s/27tt1Uoe_tYN1AWXhk4uetNyeswVVz4NgCLcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/Eleanor.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eleanor, rocking the Covid PPE look<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXzLU5JnFuc/XxlTs-lkYvI/AAAAAAAAB38/VmfvrV09AV4knS5Yn8Q9wv_ATZJTD0togCLcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/3m%2BCaryota%2Bin%2BGlobe%2Bpot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caryota Mitis<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-45881384576719704062020-07-15T14:57:00.000+01:002020-07-15T14:57:19.603+01:00Some more funny signs <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_HEMqW5MZE/Xw8JHJKR7tI/AAAAAAAAB24/_oqZVVOI4aQHVhixvHWYBGLoMk3t1yAYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200709_122827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_HEMqW5MZE/Xw8JHJKR7tI/AAAAAAAAB24/_oqZVVOI4aQHVhixvHWYBGLoMk3t1yAYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/20200709_122827.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Safety signs at their best<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
About time I injected some humour in to proceedings with a couple of funny signs seen recently on our <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo">clients' </a>premises. I have form for this, <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2015/09/a-couple-more-funny-office-signs.html">for example here</a>.<br />
The one on the left is a very Covid-topical effort in the gents' loos in a very healthy-and-safety-obsessed <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo">client </a>near Southampton. The rest of the cubicles had a fairly generic safety sign on; this one on first reading is similar, but gets sillier as you read down. <br />
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The one below is from an office kitchen in Bristol. It really defies any rational description, I can only assume that an original announcement was doctored. It is a very geeky office, so it may be a science joke that goes over my head.<br />
<br />
<a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dml6oq1h9eA/Xw8KySzxQRI/AAAAAAAAB3I/kvOxRURfE_g5yOxCMFkAGZIxATdozElIACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/20200707_114707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dml6oq1h9eA/Xw8KySzxQRI/AAAAAAAAB3I/kvOxRURfE_g5yOxCMFkAGZIxATdozElIACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/20200707_114707.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cake is for real, apparently. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-56852807873575309242020-06-26T08:28:00.000+01:002020-06-26T08:28:29.668+01:00World's happiest suitcase sighted in Surrey<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ltbOSzLzjpM/XvWhv-me9tI/AAAAAAAAB1k/_6ti5eZ1RWcFz6lWD_whM7CmFB8IQT4PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Happy%2Bsuitcase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="550" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ltbOSzLzjpM/XvWhv-me9tI/AAAAAAAAB1k/_6ti5eZ1RWcFz6lWD_whM7CmFB8IQT4PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Happy%2Bsuitcase.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at its happy face!<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just had to post this picture on here:<br />
<br />
On the roof terrace of a lovely new building we were installing plants in yesterday (in that heat...) is a suite of garden furniture, the table of which is a suitcase.<br />
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Viewed from inside the building it looks like happiest suitcase in the world!<br />
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Apart from the temperature, the job itself was very enjoyable, as it was one of those buildings that just looked 'right' with the <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/PlantsGallery">plants</a> installed.<br />
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We don't quite go as far as Richmond in Surrey with our <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/Services/Maintenance">maintenance</a> service but we have a network of trusted regional partners who we reciprocally subcontract the maintenance service to, so I know the <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/PlantsGallery">plants</a> will be in safe hands. So if you are a national company, we are able to help you.<br />
<br />
<a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wzkjp9KryyU/XvWi_toPfqI/AAAAAAAAB1w/jXMz71winZQsWKABKMqIA6DBmEnM1CP3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/WIlliam%2BGrant%2Binterior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wzkjp9KryyU/XvWi_toPfqI/AAAAAAAAB1w/jXMz71winZQsWKABKMqIA6DBmEnM1CP3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/WIlliam%2BGrant%2Binterior.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some plants in the building</td></tr>
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-76959729007167141452020-06-12T13:11:00.002+01:002020-06-12T13:13:24.058+01:00Barrier planters (again)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkuDk8uoy84/XuNuUqfXXvI/AAAAAAAAB0M/QPyE8YLKQX4wnDwi3JMpDhj5lqTqLHCggCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Barrier%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkuDk8uoy84/XuNuUqfXXvI/AAAAAAAAB0M/QPyE8YLKQX4wnDwi3JMpDhj5lqTqLHCggCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Barrier%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sansevieria Laurentii in a barrier planter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now is a very good time to revisit a topic I touched upon three years ago: <a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2017/09/now-that-i-am-briefly-quite-on-top-of.html">barrier planters</a>.<br />
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There is suddenly a great interest in physically separating office workers' space from each other for some reason I won't relate.<br />
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I'm seeing a lot of offices with rather ugly <i>ad hoc</i> screens made of perspex and the like.<br />
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I certainly hope as time goes by and a bit more design thought goes in to it, companies will start to look at using planting as a barrier.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wr2GiKJNcjs/XuNuH-CB4aI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/XhLjPzijEj03Z9DsaGHirF4gDGXa9BKkgCEwYBhgLKtQDAL1Ocqy9uhzu2BGycJVlhDpinOtgmkEsi1wdkdeoM9ajRGKs7U0JppNSqXy6tKXhH71egFBznnQMZ9d2YDF5GW8AmKKVVpCJXbaATIZ3fxI2x-2gNoVW8yJS-C9_55WnPYQ5mQ_rsE0QouJSAxJxZ-AhBX0Tl9nvr4Tgm86i7dfLcNcnlttUrTgRMG189qGrbA90eWCds7LqF5NFuaqzpfky7ZJa_qXIF-XaIK7LumlvyzZR1fvETHTxulRku249EvNWfLA3oEB1GCtoNERfbXER9WN7lD61OhcFH4axjqVW3SbMMmBRW_FO4tzqai7ec3UeO2ZMk4PZ_xJWiWZ9gGQRbo6VSfgkX0vkRwjcTYFpNkfEqevv_GFX-znwgxfH7x8mPDoaeAeJ9tnWp4ZCmBLdya1u4QNGw3QSvOF2x7DLtpeTzUIh41gOosP0u1KjsmfBSYcsU_Snz4V57m2RuH1_ziU2c4HCdd5_nyme0_Xn9FlcSGU43PvcE08vAOaZR_-xhp7163gY0XbCeiKOFaQk1yZfrBqeg2_wPJUCffDpoVe0Np5lwc6x63aIKe73XprfPTICU-l-oFTz4iC9LbNCc8b7xzJyCbLG422iBqDClPEuMOfjjfcF/s1600/Barrier%2Bplanter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wr2GiKJNcjs/XuNuH-CB4aI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/XhLjPzijEj03Z9DsaGHirF4gDGXa9BKkgCEwYBhgLKtQDAL1Ocqy9uhzu2BGycJVlhDpinOtgmkEsi1wdkdeoM9ajRGKs7U0JppNSqXy6tKXhH71egFBznnQMZ9d2YDF5GW8AmKKVVpCJXbaATIZ3fxI2x-2gNoVW8yJS-C9_55WnPYQ5mQ_rsE0QouJSAxJxZ-AhBX0Tl9nvr4Tgm86i7dfLcNcnlttUrTgRMG189qGrbA90eWCds7LqF5NFuaqzpfky7ZJa_qXIF-XaIK7LumlvyzZR1fvETHTxulRku249EvNWfLA3oEB1GCtoNERfbXER9WN7lD61OhcFH4axjqVW3SbMMmBRW_FO4tzqai7ec3UeO2ZMk4PZ_xJWiWZ9gGQRbo6VSfgkX0vkRwjcTYFpNkfEqevv_GFX-znwgxfH7x8mPDoaeAeJ9tnWp4ZCmBLdya1u4QNGw3QSvOF2x7DLtpeTzUIh41gOosP0u1KjsmfBSYcsU_Snz4V57m2RuH1_ziU2c4HCdd5_nyme0_Xn9FlcSGU43PvcE08vAOaZR_-xhp7163gY0XbCeiKOFaQk1yZfrBqeg2_wPJUCffDpoVe0Np5lwc6x63aIKe73XprfPTICU-l-oFTz4iC9LbNCc8b7xzJyCbLG422iBqDClPEuMOfjjfcF/s400/Barrier%2Bplanter.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dracaena Lemon Lime in a similar display</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There are free-standing 'living wall' available, but I must say I prefer these barrier planters:a traditional floor trough, but a lot higher than normal. They look best planted in a uniform way like these but it's not mandatory. It's also not mandatory to have them in white. As with most of our products they are hand sprayed so can be any colour, matt or gloss that you can imagine. Being bespoke they can be precisely the size you want too. <br />
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The catch is that compared to normal plant pots they are quite expensive initially, but if you rent them they suddenly become a much more affordable proposition. And much better looking than a sheet of perspex!<br />
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<a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a><br />
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-87381909311119038542020-06-12T12:58:00.002+01:002020-06-12T12:58:57.431+01:00Has this pot leaked?!? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j0dW8PSH83U/XuNrvVOYQpI/AAAAAAAABz8/3e2mwldj82gxUatLdi0HQVzS0z9NyT_ZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Yellow%2Bcarpet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="338" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j0dW8PSH83U/XuNrvVOYQpI/AAAAAAAABz8/3e2mwldj82gxUatLdi0HQVzS0z9NyT_ZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Yellow%2Bcarpet.jpg" /></a></div>
Sorry it's been so long since my last update; there's been this little pandemic going round which has rather disrupted our business and meant I was furloughed for two months and then spent a month frantically playing catch-up trying to bring our <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/Services/Maintenance">maintenance</a> customers back on board.<br />
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It's only when you have to contact all 275 customers in a hurry (as we did on 24 March) that you find out how many obsolete contact email addresses you have.<br />
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Anyway, I digress. for the first few weeks after I was 'un-furled' I was madly dashing round as many of our <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo">clients</a> as I could getting water on plants that hadn't been touched in two months (most survived just fine by the way). One of the first places I went was an insurance office in Bournemouth (<a href="https://stewartsofficeplants.blogspot.com/2013/10/good-things-come-to-those-who-wait.html">this one</a>), where I was confronted by the sight of a tall yellow planter, surrounded by a large yellow area on the otherwise grey carpet. See my traditionally dodgy photo to the right.<br />
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My first instinct was blind panic; one of my yellow pots had leaked its yellow all over the carpet.<br />
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On closer examination it appears that the company have - for Heaven knows what reason - decided to replace certain areas of their grey carpet with yellow/grey tiles, but only in patches. This was backed up when I found another area the same.<br />
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It's striking I suppose...<br />
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<a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-15911901301499515992020-02-25T08:58:00.001+00:002020-02-25T08:58:47.877+00:00Well, that was a different job!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-emRkO8Zdf8o/XlTZOst8wzI/AAAAAAAABtg/wzG9HGids6sGqqkMd8wD_YgYLBHcmIHrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-emRkO8Zdf8o/XlTZOst8wzI/AAAAAAAABtg/wzG9HGids6sGqqkMd8wD_YgYLBHcmIHrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/4.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mitch, Julie and I at work<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By and large, I try and avoid publishing posts that are just "look at the <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping/services/DeliveryAndInstallation/">installation</a> we just did" stories, as I expect to the casual reader they would all become rather samey.<br />
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This job we carried out last week in Poole was notable for several key reasons, and certainly quite memorable for all involved.<br />
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First it was a private house owned by a Dutch couple, whose other house - amusingly - is very close to where the plants and pots came from in Holland. Most of <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping">Stewarts'</a> <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/landscaping/clientinfo">clients</a> are businesses. In one of the pics you can see the dog, happily snoozing as we work round them.<br />
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Second, while we take photos of the finished product, rarely is the client snapping away as we work, meaning we have a great pictorial record of the work.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SMl7iYXML9Q/XlTZM0E8SgI/AAAAAAAABto/E5di4YIVkAInnW4B3T4QtgO2liF4EedCACEwYBhgL/s1600/20200220_112630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SMl7iYXML9Q/XlTZM0E8SgI/AAAAAAAABto/E5di4YIVkAInnW4B3T4QtgO2liF4EedCACEwYBhgL/s320/20200220_112630.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely weather!</td></tr>
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<br />
Third, as can be seen in the image to the left of Sandra and I working on the lovely balcony, the weather was somewhat against us!<br />
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Fourth, it was a four-storey house with no lift, so everything had to be carried in. For this balcony, the pots, plants and six large bags of compost had to be carried all the way to the top floor.<br />
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Fifth, as you can see the pots are very unusual. I go on about how <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/PlantersGallery+">most of our pots</a> are made from fibreglass and painted in the colour of your choice. Not these "Mussel Shell" pots, which are formed from a mosaic of mother-of-pearl pieces glued onto a mould. They look fantastic, and at a not-unexpected price premium.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-29kjENj8pBM/XlTZM5cI0eI/AAAAAAAABts/CKo2zupIv6YK6_ByT1BD8yCh3jXlGfVywCEwYBhgL/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-29kjENj8pBM/XlTZM5cI0eI/AAAAAAAABts/CKo2zupIv6YK6_ByT1BD8yCh3jXlGfVywCEwYBhgL/s320/2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandra poses with her handiwork</td></tr>
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<br />Finally, as a consequence of all this complexity, it was a job that involved four of us in two vans, and consequently had a nice 'team effort' feeling to it. Though I think we all agreed we were a tired team at the end.<br />
<br />
I put a lot of planning in to making it run smoothly, but it wouldn't have gone as well without the professionalism of Sandra, Mitch and Julie to help me out.<br />
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I'll let the rest of the pictures do the talking.<br />
<br />
<a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQOpfZozVPY/XlTZPf6OE6I/AAAAAAAABt8/2WFIPtfCNaMrG8bWm1P3w-KZnfLNgG9YgCEwYBhgL/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQOpfZozVPY/XlTZPf6OE6I/AAAAAAAABt8/2WFIPtfCNaMrG8bWm1P3w-KZnfLNgG9YgCEwYBhgL/s320/team.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole team at the end!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_cVDhpB5y0/XlTZNpCPsVI/AAAAAAAABt8/dsY6S5AAXhYO5AMsEriiBfhSLF616rU3QCEwYBhgL/s1600/20200220_115447_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_cVDhpB5y0/XlTZNpCPsVI/AAAAAAAABt8/dsY6S5AAXhYO5AMsEriiBfhSLF616rU3QCEwYBhgL/s320/20200220_115447_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to take a photo in a gale!<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EHE0HnWDNYo/XlTZNAiAZmI/AAAAAAAABtw/o9aspi5tu7IG_1qc29l9GKXtHk1eUazrACEwYBhgL/s320/20200220_114805.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The completed rubber plant</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VkKtMRoY3Sw/XlTZOGShMpI/AAAAAAAABt0/B9Nm1lV_mHkRV_LWHrUH-EcJewVBnDgDgCEwYBhgL/s1600/20200220_120225_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VkKtMRoY3Sw/XlTZOGShMpI/AAAAAAAABt0/B9Nm1lV_mHkRV_LWHrUH-EcJewVBnDgDgCEwYBhgL/s320/20200220_120225_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the floor bowls</td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MQOpfZozVPY/XlTZPf6OE6I/AAAAAAAABt8/2WFIPtfCNaMrG8bWm1P3w-KZnfLNgG9YgCEwYBhgL/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-19973857575112176352020-02-24T12:49:00.000+00:002020-02-24T12:49:09.183+00:00Soil vs hydro roots, and getting watering right <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-468DSkKu3eY/XlPCDF1QF9I/AAAAAAAABsg/8U688bxJWQwFgiQPsW7Tc3SUZzWhbxdHACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/86983759_2600781130031538_1407533367846502400_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="770" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-468DSkKu3eY/XlPCDF1QF9I/AAAAAAAABsg/8U688bxJWQwFgiQPsW7Tc3SUZzWhbxdHACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/86983759_2600781130031538_1407533367846502400_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Very interesting photograph stolen from a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Nieuwkoop-Europe-BV-314106455365695/?__tn__=kCH-R&eid=ARDWPWFXoEac1D7ciCsPTb8fXPJBEwO_-70S3b65vT_RlyTf_kFLpc5Xt0TCdcWjJBnTMgrZXlYrGspN&hc_ref=ARRUtmJmZF76t11q9HpOZkBlmnJJJVbiatYD2-QaLksw1IRUPoyQ1hT3Ez3XWjRNdjE&fref=nf&__xts__[0]=68.ARDcZum3ln12KWn9vRhhrGc52Fq-J4b_-wuD0YRQNBzXHtUCFOLp_vBjsZA0onuxOVmIyifJuuv3IXrGnXwbO2kDL9s1waH5E2lXIL_d9V7W8EhUXQ1ok7hPbv-tKp-ZSX1ht8nJee_aJH9qKsE0yrxVL0sBv3DTkDVB9j0nDam8WbSaHmzpk8OSLgaWL7IrQWIGvTgWAcvoCL5Gt3YuiwBkM-btFMCh9GJL5tFhrtY-nASk3spJVRMKz_MPjae0zInEqKPm8ktyATbSSHf3vQeeIabthJ0SR1hRnCQMGwM_3KuAXjQU5ces0qlY-NnKoqSDlig0aYPX_5mV6VjhrxDlZ0urzgFlYUEJmkvmfB2uv70CMAGsDRGnToFS-JJlxxskNcwWdgN5RfhBowgdS1DXLDlzgTkuFrnEsPyU4-hmN6Mvim0JhfQ2c9dOQCpxYs5S8S4wy6lZbWG6VsqYPLFe2kEB9YJ7wc1qtFHEaP6StbxH9Lzyrava">Facebook</a> post by Dutch plant supplier <a href="https://www.nieuwkoop-europe.com/en">Nieuwkoop</a> showing the difference in the root structure of two plants of identical species and size when one is a soil plant and one is a hydroponic plant.<br />
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No prize for guessing which is which: hydro plants are grown in LECA clay granules and the secret to the plants' success is keeping the watering as consistent as possible, aided by a floating water level indicator. As you can see, it has fat main roots that have few fine side-roots, and all terminate at the level at which the water should be kept.<br />
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This being a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracaena_reflexa#Dracaena_reflexa_var._angustifolia">Dracaena Marginata</a>, the soil version would be kept fairly dry, hence the healthy profusion of roots in the rootball, all looking for any available moisture.<br />
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So what can we learn from this? <br />
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1. As I said above, if you are one of those few people tasked with caring for hydro plants, consistent watering is vital. If you overwater them, this dry-loving plant would constantly have its roots in water, if you underwatered it, it would get none at all.<br />
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2. More interesting is that if you dig out a soil plant that has been kept too wet over a long period, its roots will look like hydro roots, i.e. not many of them and not very well branched.<br />
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What does this last point mean? Firstly, the plant has a much less healthy root structure (though on the plus side would be a lot easier to dig out of a container), but secondly if you started looking after a plant that someone else had kept too wet and started watering what you thought was correctly, the chances are it would die, as it simply wouldn't be able to take up a restricted diet of water.<br />
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So make any changes to an existing plants watering regime over a long period and let it adapt.<br />
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<a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34603225.post-46767939775137032902020-02-13T14:30:00.001+00:002020-02-13T14:30:11.865+00:00A podcast about us!For those of you with 45 minutes to kill, back in the Autumn my manager Rebecca and I were interviewed by a long-time-ago former colleague who now makes podcasts on the topic of gardening.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nVzYVeT7Q90/XkVchiy8GtI/AAAAAAAABsI/w0wY3LdotO0yje6oFh3zley4dnm0HPZiACEwYBhgL/s1600/Podcast.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="651" height="246" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nVzYVeT7Q90/XkVchiy8GtI/AAAAAAAABsI/w0wY3LdotO0yje6oFh3zley4dnm0HPZiACEwYBhgL/s320/Podcast.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">N.B. non-clickable link, see link below!<br /></td></tr>
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<a href="https://stewarts.co.uk/interior-landscaping/podcast/">Link to the podcast on our website</a><br />
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It's a discussion about interior landscaping in general and <a href="http://www.stewarts.co.uk/InteriorLandscaping">Stewarts</a> in particular.<br />
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I find it very odd listening to my voice (I sound so posh!), and Rebecca can't listen to it at all.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="mailto:jonathan.robson@stewarts.co.uk">Jonathan</a>Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07652268848239009836noreply@blogger.com