Alternative uses?

 

Could this be the oldest recorded use of stone balls? Fascinating article on the National Geographic web site - click on the link.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/12/101210-stonehenge-balls-ball-bearings-science-rolled

 

It's one of Stonehenge's greatest mysteries: How did Stone Age Britons move 45-ton slabs across dozens of miles to create the 4,500-year-old stone circle?

Now a new theory says that, while the ancient builders didn't have wheels, they may well have had balls.

A previous theory suggested that the builders used wooden rollers—carved tree trunks laid side by side on a constructed hard surface. Another imagined huge wooden sleds atop greased wooden rails.

But critics say the rollers' hard pathway would have left telltale gouges in the landscape, which have never been found. And the sled system, while plausible, would have required huge amounts of manpower—hundreds of men at a time to move one of the largest Stonehenge stones, according to a 1997 study.

Andrew Young, though, says Stonehenge's slabs, may have been rolled over a series of balls lined up in grooved rails, according to a November 30 statement from Exeter University in the U.Kwhere Young is a doctoral student in biosciences.'

 

Kate Ravilious in York, U.K.

for National Geographic News

December 10, 2010

Branch Nurseries

 

As the summer draws to a close we can look back on yet another successful company 'growing' season. We export a great deal to the USA, Australia and New Zealand - where the interest in the English Garden style continues to grow in popularity and magazines showcasing the style such as The English Garden are popular.

www.theenglishgarden.co.uk/subscriptions/uk-and-rest-of-the-world

Texture, shape and form are important to successful garden design and are an essential element in the English Garden style which features a variety of plants with irregular and regular outlines and a variety of colours giving the natural landscapes that were first created back in the 1700's.
Our stone balls have become an integral part of the style as they provide punctuation points amongst naturalistic flowing beds and also act as a foil alongside spiky plants, topiary and clipped small leaved shrubs.

Common species chosen for topiary include cultivars of European box (Buxus sempervirens), arborvitae (Thuja species), bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), holly (Ilex species), myrtle (Eugenia or Myrtus species), yew (Taxus species), and privet (Ligustrum species)

One of our favourite suppliers of plants suitable for clipping and shaping is Branch Nurseries near Newark, Nottinghamshire.

 The owner Chris Pike supplies many plants suitable for topiary as well as pre clipped Box balls and can offer advice on the planting of all kinds of trees and hedging whichh are all grown on site.

www.branchnurseries.co.uk

Half balls

 

 

Summer evening in the garden - our half balls with oil burner in the centre.

A lovely atmospheric addition to the summer garden.

'Antiqued' balls

 

A much cheaper option than original antique balls but look the same. We have supplied to many country homes and gardens where clean, new stone may look out of place.

Many owners of heritage homes have replaced stolen or broken original balls and finials with our products.

 

 

Stargazing live

29 March 2011

Professor Brian Cox used some of our striated balls in the recent Stargazing Live on BBC2 - as stand in for planets.

The first series was scheduled to coincide with the partial solar eclipse in Januray 2011 a conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus and the Quadrantid meteor shower.

To coincide with the show, hundreds of Stargazing Live events were run across the UK, . Many of these events were organised by local astronomy societies.

Historic Gardens Foundation and Review

This is a very worthwhile organisation - as well as being a fascinating read for lovers of historic gardens and landscapes.

The Historic Gardens Foundation works to bring lovers of historic gardens together through its interactive worldwide network.

It campaigns for the protection and conservation of historic parks and gardens everywhere in the world, famous and lesser-known, big and small, formal and picturesque.
The HGF is a not-for-profit organisation, which receives no public funding, and so is completely independent.

http://historicgardens.org/

Historic Gardens Review is the HGF’s magazine. Stimulating and beautifully produced, it contains an intelligent mix of articles on all aspects of our international garden heritage. The Review aims to raise the profile of parks and gardens everywhere. Iconic gardens, such as Villandry, Wisley and La Mortola, are featured alongside public parks, botanic gardens and more private creations. Written for and by historic garden enthusiasts from all round the world, the Review is a great way to connect with like-minded people.

Traffic control

 'Stone spheres can be an attractive traditional alternative to conventional bollards.' English Heritage

Solid stone balls either in sandstone or granite can be used as an attractive and elegant alternative to metal or concrete bollards and suit any architectural style from contemporary to historic.

We have supplied to many large projects from international hotel chains, football clubs, tennis clubs, golf coures, spas and also to private homes.

Many councils now use stone balls to enhance and protect town centres and civic buildings.

We provide them pre drilled and with a fixing rod if required and can supply any size or quantity.

Chelsea FC Training Ground

Rill and balls

A new garden has a beautiful rill incorporated in the design - the addition of the balls offsets the linear lines.

Ordnance House

For garden planting and design inspiration check out Terry and Vanessa Winters' new garden they are in the process of creating.


 http://www.ordnancehouse.com

 

The new garden follows on from the beautiful garden they created at Linden Barn, Hampshire.
 

Following their Ordnance House blog is fascinating to track how a classic garden is planned and developed - not to mention all the hard work that goes into its creation.

Hampton Court

HAMPTON COURT PALACE FLOWER SHOW,

TEAM UK, WORLD SKILLS, LONDON 2011

Hampton Court

2 August 2011

Stoneballs Company supplied the large sandstone balls that were cleverly engraved by the World skills team and were a great feature of the show garden.

The talented young members of Team UK for WorldSkills London 2011 that created The Stockman's Retreat show garden for this year's Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (5 - 10 July) have had their achievements celebrated by RHS judges, securing a Silver Gilt Medal for their work.

Entitled The Stockman's Retreat and designed by award winning garden designer Chris Beardshaw, the exhibit demonstrates world class standards in all aspects of planting and hard-landscaping skills. The garden was built by Team UK competitors under the direction of Harry Turner, Team UK Landscape Gardening Training Manager, WorldSkills Expert and lecturer at Askham Bryan College.

WorldSkills London 2011 (5-8 October) will be the largest international skills competition with young people from across the globe competing to be the best of the best in their chosen skill.

Chris said: "What’s important to remember is that these lads are at the beginning of their career in creating real gardens and this showpiece gave them a fantastic opportunity to engage and learn in an intensive environment but also gave them the chance to receive the very many positive comments from the visitors to the show. The end of the week has been capped off by winning the coveted People’s Choice Award which is testament to the hard work by all those involved in the project and a great boost to the Team UK lads ahead of their big test this October"

 

 

Hampton Court

 

Janet Murray
guardian.co.uk, Friday 8 July 2011 10.29 BST
Live blog: Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

WorldSkills 2011 Team UK members have built a special show garden for this year's Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Join Janet Murray as she blogs all the action from the event.

....'here's another picture from the WorldSkills garden. There are a number of sphere shaped sculptures; some have markings on, others don't. The ones with markings on are supposed to represent the increasing skills of the competitors as they get further and further in their journey towards the competition...clever eh? One (photograph to follow) says, very poignantly, 'skills shape our world'