The Green Standard

Rethinking how we look after our green infrastructure

The Green Standard is a horticulturally-informed, industry-approved and commercially pragmatic generic grounds maintenance specification, which will be available for free to anyone who wants it - including organisations such as councils, facilities management companies, residential property managers, housing associations, residents’ associations and landscape architects. The specification will be published later this year.

The Green Standard is a collaborative effort, designed to marry best practice with real world conditions to produce a robust document that works for everybody, and also ensures the best conditions for the plants themselves. Originally the brainchild of horticultural consultant Tom Angel, the idea for the Green Standard came from Tom’s many years’ experience as a landscape contractor, and his extensive research carried out for the RHS Master of Horticulture award into the state of our landscape maintenance industry.

The Green Standard aims to achieve the following:

  • A completely free grounds maintenance specification document, available to anyone who wants it.

  • A generic grounds maintenance specification rooted in best practice environmental horticulture, industry standards and guidelines, and real world application.

  • A straightforward and easy to follow specification that can be easily understood and applied.

  • Creating a level playing field where all contractors are being asked to quote for the same job.

  • Helping to recognise and treat landscapes according to their requirements - from brand new sites, to established sites, to sites requiring successional renovation.

The Green Standard is in the process of being consulted on, compiled, reviewed and made ready for publication. We are very keen for feedback and suggestions from clients, contractors and members of the public; likewise we are keen to compile a list of supporters both within the landscape sector and within our client base.

Please email greenstandard@tomangel.co.uk to sign up for future updates (including publication of the final document), to state your support, or to give your ideas or feedback.