IOG-SALTEX the Sports, Amenities and Landscapers Show that all the best landscapers and external works contactors have to see.

The IOG Saltex 2007 is advertised as giving you all the solutions you need to manage every outdoor open space from sports grounds to parks and gardens and now play areas. It runs on the 4th, 5th and 6thOne of nearly 30 excavator stands at IOG SALTEX 2007 September and is the biggest show of its kind in the UK, taking up several hundred acres of the Windsor racecourse to showcase everything new and literally cutting edge in the world of landscaping and grounds maintenance, and its FREE.

450 exhibitors vie for your attention amongst the fast food stalls and the circus style displays of BMX biking and mountain boarding. There are landscaping competitions and demonstrations of every type of machinery that digs, cuts or moves the earth, tree work demonstrations, with more and more companies aiming at sustainable methods of landscape management often using recycled materials. But what dear reader has this got to do with the water gardening?

Here are the best and some of the biggest contractors in water garden creation and management. Here are material and plant suppliers and the machinery and men that can dig them holes, line that excavation, revet those banks and plant those margins. This is the place to be for the serious prospective water gardener with a lot of land to dedicate to his ideas. For the small domestic landscaper, tools, machinery and materials are here to be seen and tried out.

Diggers from Hanix to Hitachi, earth movers from JCB to Kubota and Bobat to Mucktruck. There was not anything that is any good that could not be seen here at SALTEX.

The Renault Trafic Conversion with a clever secure shelf under the flatbed.All the van makers and pickup truck manufacturers. One handy new innovation of a hidden drawer beneath the flat bed came from the new Renault Trafic 'Double Deck Dropside' from Renault Conversions.

Getting properly water orientated, Miles Waterscapes were there offering consultancy, design, renovation and construction for any size or style of waterscape. They are a family business from Suffolk that has operated for over 80years and have hundreds of councils, public bodies, businesses and estates on their clients list, let alone their private and domestic clients. Water features are their 'bread and butter', just as eagerly tackle formal water feature in a townscape or renovating a Capability Brown landscape surrounding a country estate. If you need bridges, filtration or lighting all under your control, its all part of a complete service. On top of that they are quite capable of constructing new reservoirs to the latest stringent specifications.

A.G.A Group were offering 'bio-engineering systems', which meant that here was a team of experts capable of creating any aquatic feature with any practical materials for any clientAsh Girdler, the MD and principal consultant for A.G.A Group with practical ideas. If you had aquatic problems there was nothing that this 'group' could not solve. Here was the larger-than-life personality Ash Girdler who owns several companies that produce all own or that you would need to create a giant pond or dredge a lake, and then replant. Described as 'turnkey contractors for river, landscape, civil engineering, sporting and leisure projects' Ash and his team will do everything your aquatic project needs from concept to completion. They are the UK's largest producer of vegetated coir units that are used for helping control pollution or algae problems in lakes and rivers.

This collection of businesses is not for bandying about 'airy fairy' theoretical nonsense. Although Ash Girdler has string of qualifications starting with an Honours degree in science, he is straight talking and wastes no time in getting to the point and the practicalities. He only embarks on methods that he knows will work, very often the clients need a little more faith. When it comes to cleaning water with plants, he is one of the country's leading experts and innovators. He is also a great advocate of ultra-sonic algae control in difficult situations.

When it comes to pond or lake creation, they will use rubber liners or a Bentonite clay mat system, which they will always recommend over clay puddling (so don't waste their time!). Bank stabilisation, reed beds, erosion control and habitat management are all part of the skills available. Where else could you find experts in Willow spilling, river training using faggots and rock rolls, revetment fabrics and vegetated gabions and coir rolls... and what are 'pre-vegetated coir pallets'? Watch this space - you'll see more about this company in due course.

One of the pre-vegetated coir fibre rolls from A.G.A

A'pallet' of Phragmites australis that could be used for an 'Eco Island' or bank stabilisation.: The plants are grown in low nutrient conditions to discourage top growth and to stimulate adventitious root growth.

An Eco Island ready for launch: These not only reduce nutrient levels in ponds and lakes but work as wildlife sanctuaries as well and so help increase biodiversity.

One of the many play area stands, this one using water for play.

One of the early tools of civilised man, is a toy for modern youth, an Archmedian screw for lifting water.

Barb with her boyfriend Kevin sunbathing by their swimming pond made by Anglo Aquarium Plant

Anglo Aquarium Plant had a miniature version of their Swimming Pond on show, fit for the likes of a Barbi Doll. The Swimming Pond is the concept that Anglo pioneered in the UK borrowing techniques from contractors on the continent, particularly Austria. As you probably know, it is the method of creating the perfect swimming pool that relies entirely on plants to maintain water quality and clarity and to provide a totally natural chemical free swimming experience. Anglo, being the prime wholesale supplier of good quality water plants in the UK, is in the best placed position to do this job really well and complete with the final polish of truly superb water plants. Having won the Tudor Rose award at Hampton Court Palace Flower Shows on several occasions and Gold Medals galore,all that goes to shows even further proof of their capabilities.

The wind turbine used to power the air pump for oxygenation ponds and small lakes from JK inc

JK Inc Ltd had a Buffalo Turbine on display. This was "the totally eco friendly" way to aerate your pond using 100% wind power. A tiny amount of wind is required to move the wind turbine up on theThe 'stone' aerator bubbling away, demonstrating the effect of the wind turbine. top of the 12,16 or 20foot high tower. This will power up a single pump compressor to provide air to an airstone diffuser, which in turn will help oxygenate a pond anywhere up 1hectare in area. It comes with all the necessary piping (30metres) and valves and a 3 year warranty.

A company called bpi.recycled products that retails Plaswood was there. Plaswood is a tough strong recycled plastic that can be made to look wood or metal or even plastic. It is made from 100% plastic, mostly recycled silage bale wraps and is perfect for any constructions in or around water, because it needs no protective varnish or paint and does not leach toxins. It can be made to be slip resistant and of course it is rot proof. Contrary to rumour, it does not deteriorate and crumble within a few short years, but has a life expectancy of at least 4 times any timber alternatives. Used in decking, moulded into 32mm x 150mm grooved planks, it is available in black, grey, brown or dark green. At the end of its usefulness in any particular role, it can once again be recycled. It does not splinter and drills and cuts incredibly easily and cleanly, saving time in construction. bpi.recycled products also make garden furniture, signs and ground stabilisation out of the material. For more information see www.whyusewood.com.

One of the mountain board champions in mid air during one of the short demonstrations.: The sport proved to be patently dangerous even for the experts when in two separate performances within ten minutes of the start a mountain boarder managed to break a leg.Now that's just a little taster of what is relevant to water landscapers at SALTEX. If you want to see for yourself get down to Windsor now being midday on 5th September 2007, otherwise book yourself in for next year.

For more information visit www.iogsaltex.co.uk