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Japanese Knotweed – One Plant you Hopefully Won’t see at the Chelsea Flower Show

Japanese Knotweed – One Plant you Hopefully Won’t see at the Chelsea Flower Show

Japanese knotweed growing in garden

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show opens today until 28th May. 

The grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea will be transformed, showing off some of the most spectacular garden designs in the world. Let’s just hope that Japanese knotweed doesn’t feature anywhere at the show!

Originally introduced into the UK as an ornamental plant in the 1820s, the Victorians considered Japanese knotweed a beautiful border shrub. It produces tiny creamy-white flowers in late summer, by which time the stems are up to 3 metres high and extremely dense. 

However, they didn’t know then what we know now that knotweed can cause such damage and destruction to almost anything that gets in its way – tarmac, concrete, paving slabs and brick walls, to name but a few surfaces. As knotweed is classed as a controlled waste, disposal must be to a licensed landfill site. Only waste carriers registered with the Environment Agency are permitted to transport Japanese knotweed waste – so unlikely to be a plant to be seen at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Nic Seal, Managing Director at Environet says: “When the knotweed is hibernating over winter it’s out of sight and out of mind, but by May/June knotweed starts to grow again at a spectacular rate. Over the duration of the Chelsea Flower Show, knotweed could grow by as much as half a metre”. 

The garden designs at the Chelsea Flower Show are exceptional. They take a lot of thought, care, and time to create.  Whilst not on the same scale as the Chelsea Flower Show, most homeowners also put a significant amount of effort into their gardens, so when Japanese knotweed is discovered, it can be devastating. Not only can it quickly dominate the landscape, all major lenders now recognise the damage it can cause to property and tend to refuse a mortgage on affected properties. The only way to obtain a mortgage secured against the property is to get the knotweed professionally treated by a reputable company able to provide an insurance backed guarantee.

Environet, who will be celebrating their 20th birthday this month, focus solely on Japanese knotweed removal and is one the longest standing knotweed removal companies in the UK. Knotweed has quite rightly earned the reputation as being “indisputably the UK’s most aggressive and destructive plant”, so it is essential it is dealt with correctly. Environet can offer guarantees insurance backed by an “A” rated insurer, providing the highest level of security for mortgage lenders currently available.

If you discover Japanese knotweed, please get in touch today on 01932 868 700

Robert Spaceman

“We had a large stand of bamboo removed, thinned, contained and replaced. The customer service has been first class. Joe and Jason were fabulous and kept me well informed at all times”.

5/5