Tree Planting Timing

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Time and trees wait for no man! Of course, we can plant trees all year round, and we often do. However, there are advantages, not least from a cost perspective, to scheduling tree planting during the autumn and winter months.

 

 

During the coldest months of the year, trees and shrubs are in a dormant state. The soil is also usually moist and easier to dig, making our job easier! As a result, they need less watering after planting. Also, by spring and early summer they will have benefited from optimum growing conditions and had the opportunity to establish their root system.

Root-balled trees and shrubs are more cost-effective without the pots. However, they cannot be used in the summer as the root ball tends to quickly dry out in the warmer weather.

We can also plant trees and shrubs in the mid to late spring and summer, the warmer months, although we then must use containerised trees and plants, costing more to procure and taking longer to install. These have more soil around the roots, which will stay damp for longer. The roots tend to be bigger and so are hardier in the drier conditions.

For further top tips on tree and shrub planting or to discuss the best timing for your next project, please contact us.

 

Spring Has Sprung – Further Growth at Panoramic Landscapes

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We are delighted to report a further surge in sales this spring in both the number and value of projects secured. March saw Panoramic’s highest monthly sales value exceeding Three-Quarters of a Million Pounds with over 11 projects won.

April has been expectedly quieter with such an outstanding performance in March but has still seen a further 5 new projects secured.

 

 

We are pleased to welcome Ashe Group to the Panoramic customer family along with further orders from 2MS Construction (another Lidl project), Beard, Harmonix and last but definitely not least another school project with Kier.

As spring springs into summer and the weather is improving, we are looking forward to a very busy period for our range of soft landscaping services which we would like to thank those clients that have given us our first opportunities and also those that continue to trust us with their landscaping work.

 

Collective Experience and Expertise

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The management team here at Panoramic have nearly 100 years of landscaping experience between them. In addition to our owner, Phillip Hilbeck, the members of the team are:

 

 

• Paul Hitchcott – Managing Director: 12+ years in construction, having worked in the industry prior to Panoramic and so has considerable industry experience, including operational management, procurement and sales.

• Joel Bridger – Projects Manager: 15+ years in soft landscaping, managing operations installing soft landscaping services into a variety of projects from schools, healthcare, care homes, industrial units, large-scale open spaces and housing developments etc.

• Greg Murray – Commercial Manager: 40+ years in construction as a Project Manager, Quantity Surveyor and Commercial Manager, working on projects up to values in excess of £1 Billion with some of the largest companies in the world.

• Stuart Jenner – Senior Site Supervisor: 25+ years as a landscaper, now managing our site teams which include a foreman and 2 operatives in each team on commercial landscaping projects of all types and sizes.

Get the benefit of our experience by contacting us for your next project.

 

The Secrets of Successful Seeding

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When preparing lawns and grass areas, whilst we often use turf for instant results, if the client has the time and/or not the budget, grass seeding is a good alternative. However, there are some ground rules:

 

 

• Seed: Use quality seed and of the right type and grade (check the ingredients) to produce the right type of lawn or area and without weeds, which can be in the seed! You will need between 30g and 20g per sq m, depending on whether the lawn is to be ornamental or utility.
• Seed Bed: Preparation is the key. Clear weeds (not with a residual weed killer or your new lawn will also die!). Rotavate and cultivate the surface. Tread or roll and rake the area, both several times and in different directions.
• Sowing: Divide the area into small sections. Split the seed in half. Sow one half in parallel rows lengthways and the other half widthways. Rake over and then water. If the weather is dry, water again after 2-3 days.

The best time to sow grass seed is in March/April and September/October, when dew occurs for moisture and temperatures are typically best for germination, above 5 degrees. Therefore, if you need grass planting soon, best contact us now.

 

Panoramic Projects: Powering Forward

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Since the start of the new year, Panoramic has gone from strength to strength securing 29 new projects in the first quarter. We have welcomed many more new clients and continued to build relationships with existing customers.

Whilst orders in January and February totalled £900K, March has been Panoramic’s best-ever month by some margin, with sales just shy of £800K in the one month alone.

 

 

Some new clients that have joined us and are yet to receive a mention include Burmor Construction, Breheny, Lawrence Baker, Iconic Build and Midas. Meanwhile, clients such as Bowmer & Kirkland, PDR, ESS Modular and Harmonix are placing regular projects with us. Thank you.

As a result, the summer is going to be very busy for Panoramic and we cannot wait to get planting. The whole team is looking forward to working with all those who have both given us an opportunity for the first time and those that have returned with repeat orders.

Please get in touch to see what we can achieve when landscaping your construction project!

 

Panoramic Project: Bolder Academy

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Bolder Academy is a brand new mixed secondary school in Isleworth, West London. The new building has been established to meet demand for pupil places in the area and opens in September.

We have been working with Bowmer & Kirkland, who gave us the opportunity after quoting the project just after the start of the new year. We were on site within a week of receiving the order and have had a continual presence since, through good weather and some bad, cold and freezing conditions.

 

 

Alex Reynolds, the Project Manager at B&K has kindly given us a short statement on our performance:

“We would be more than happy for you to promote the work you have completed on this scheme, it is something you and your team should be very proud of! Your team have shown a real drive and commitment throughout the project to deliver on time and with a key eye for detail. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending you for future schemes within the business.”

Please get in touch for any soft landscaping requirements you have as we would love to add you to our list of satisfied customers.

 

Soft Landscaping Specalists

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Creating a green space, or landscaping any environment often requires several different skills and services, all of which are available from Panoramic.

 

 

• Turfing: Only the very best quality turf, and only the most qualified and experienced landscapers to both carefully lay and nurture.
• Seeding: Developing new or existing lawns, meadows and other green areas. We can advise on the best seeds that fit with the environment.
• Topsoil: Of top quality, to ensure that your turf, grass seed or plants in borders etc have the best chance to become established and thrive.
• Planting: Seasonal bulbs, herbaceous borders, shrubs and trees, including the careful reinstatement of indigenous plants and trees and expansion of existing areas.
• Trees & Hedges: Organising the delivery and positioning of trees and other greenery of various sizes to provide the planting scheme to your specific requirements.
• Maintenance: Striving to find ways to reduce the costs of the ongoing landscaping whilst further enhancing the finished look of a project.

We are a team of professional soft landscapers, with vast experience in all areas.

 

Paul Promoted to MD Position

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Paul Hitchcott, who joined Panoramic just over a year ago as our Business Development Manager, has now been promoted to the role of Managing Director.

Having assisted in the growth and firm establishment of the company, winning new business and cementing contracts with customers, Paul will now take Panoramic to further heights.

Paul has brought in new orders valued in excess of £4 million since he joined us just over a year ago. This has helped Panoramic to grow rapidly from firm roots.

 

 

Having developed strong relationships both externally, with our customers and clients, and internally with our estimating and contracts teams plus those in the on-site crews, Paul is well-positioned to lead the business.

Paul has previously worked with Phillip Hilbeck, the owner of Panoramic, at another commercial soft landscape contractor, so has considerable industry experience, including operational management.

We welcome Paul to his new role.

 

Big Projects for Lidl Supermarkets

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Lidl is investing £1.3 billion in the UK including opening around 50 new stores across the country.

We have completed three Lidl projects with two more nearly finished. Working with Adston (at two sites), Wright Morgan, 2MS and Mitnija we have landscaped stores from Bognor and Southampton to Oxford, Peterborough and Southend.

The weather hasn’t always been on our side this winter but the final product has still been of a high standard. We are proud that our teams will turn up whatever the weather and make sure we deliver.

 

The pictures shown are courtesy of one of our Foreman Oleg Medulics on the Lidl site in Bognor Regis.

 

We are looking forward to continuing our relationships with these contractors and working on more Lidl sites as they work towards their target of 1000 stores in the UK. Please get in touch for any soft landscaping requirements you have.

 

Growth – From 12 Months to Now

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As we entered our second year, we had a strong order book, in excess of £1.2 million. This allowed us to recruit more site teams and two additional senior site supervisors, to ensure we carried on meeting and exceeding customer expectations.

 

 

COVID-19 and the national lockdown did not stop us. We worked from home and the site teams didn’t miss a day.

Thanks to the hard work of our teams, impressing clients and receiving top-quality references, sales continued to flow. Existing clients gave us repeat orders and additional new relationships were beginning.

Although our first 12 months was an incredible success, the subsequent 9 months have seen Panoramic on target for our second year sales to be 60% more than the first!