With the awards ceremony fast approaching, 67 BALI members of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) have now been informed they have won a BALI National Landscape Award, with some members successful in more than one category. This year’s Awards, which are now run in-house by the BALI team at Landscape House, sees 101 National Awards made by the adjudication panel, which is chaired by landscape consultant and former senior lecturer in landscape studies at Writtle College, Greg Allen. Following a summer of visiting every entry, Greg and his team of judges – John Melmoe, Richard Barnard, Jason Lock, Robin Templar Williams, Steve Roberts, Andrew Legg and Mick Callahan – met at BALI Landscape House in late August for the adjudication process that selects the award-winning schemes. Judges Madge Moore, Peter Jennins OBE and Nick Coslett also put forward their recommendations for the Affiliate Exceptional Service awards and the Employer Excellence awards, which were subsequently considered by the wider panel. Deliberations over the 127 entries took three days, at the end of which the list of winners was confirmed.   Reflecting on this year’s process, Greg said: “What a difference this year’s magnificent summer has made to the judges’ task of visiting the BALI Awards entries, albeit a real challenge for BALI members faced with drought conditions in many parts of the country. Keeping their schemes looking at their best for judging has certainly called on every ounce of their horticultural expertise!   “We have been delighted with the achievements of BALI contractors and designers this year and, as always, the hardest task has been to stick to our stringent criteria and only reward real excellence across the board. In previous years this approach has inevitably resulted in disappointment for a percentage of members who, although justly proud of their schemes, had yet to achieve the exemplary standard required by the BALI Awards. This year, however, 77 per cent of entries receive an award, which speaks volumes for the incredibly high standards BALI members are now achieving. We offer our very sincere congratulations to those who have attained that level and are on our list of winners, and would encourage those who have not been successful this year to strive again next year to make the list and experience the thrill and satisfaction of winning a BALI National Landscape Award.”   BALI’s Chief Executive, Wayne Grills, added: “The standard of entries this year has been really spectacular, indicating that private, commercial and public clients are prepared to invest in quality to achieve the schemes they want. Our members have delivered on a grand scale. They have used the latest techniques, technology and materials to push the boundaries in terms of solving the design, construction and maintenance challenges presented by budget constraints and climatic conditions.   “The Awards also give us the opportunity to recognise both BALI Affiliate members who constantly deliver outstanding customer service, and companies from across the BALI membership who are exemplars in terms of their responsibilities as employers. I am always in awe of our members’ achievements and offer my very sincere congratulations to every one of this year’s winners.”   BBC Breakfast anchor and sports journalist Dan Walker will host the ceremony at the Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London, on Friday, 7 December when the winners of the Principal and Special Awards, and the coveted Grand Award, will be announced. Full details of the winning entries can be found at baliawards.co.uk along with booking details for the Awards Ceremony.   The 2018 National Award winners are: Domestic Garden Construction – cost under £30k – sponsored by Derbyshire Aggregates Sandstone Design Solutions for Uplands Cottage Graduate Gardeners for Private Residence in Cheltenham Langlea Garden Design & Construction for Victorian Flavour Domestic Garden Construction – cost between £30k–£60k – sponsored by Gabriel Ash The Landscaping Consultants for Rose Bank PWP Landscape for Farm House Land Design Partnership for Elm Park Gardens Domestic Garden Construction – cost between £60k–£100k – sponsored by Johnsons of Whixley HG Landscapes for Private Residence in Kensington Graduate Gardeners for Yorkstone Terrace Land Design Partnership for Private Residence in Greenwich Graduate Gardeners for An Entertaining Courtyard Langlea Garden Design & Construction for Private Residence in Washington Domestic Garden Construction – cost between £100k–£250k – sponsored by Van den Berk Nurseries Tony Benger Landscaping for St Michael’s Mount Northumbrian Landscaping for For Your Eyes Only Landscaping Solutions for Private Residence in Barnet Graduate Gardeners for Private Residence in Painswick PC Landscapes for Private Residence in Ashstead PC Landscapes for Private Residence in Winchester Domestic Garden Construction – cost over £250k – sponsored by Europlants UK Landform Consultants for Private Residence in Leeds Buckland Landscapes for From Pit to Picture Gavin Jones for Private Residence in Kensington Esse Landscapes for Tickerage Mill Clifton Nurseries for Little Frankley Bowles & Wyer for Private Residence in Tring Landscape Associates for Private Residence in London Soft Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) – cost under £300k – sponsored by Adtrak Grace Landscapes for National Memorial Arboretum – Heroes’ Square and The Boyes Garden Goddards (Landscape Contractors) for Lillie Square Phase 1-1A Frosts Landscape Construction for London Wall Place Goddards (Landscape Contractors) for Olympic Way Zone A Tree Planting Soft Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) – cost between £300k-£1.5m – sponsored by Todds Nursery Alfie Bines Gardens for Buxmead Kingston Landscape Group for Colindale Gardens Kingston Landscape Group for Streatham Hill Frosts Landscape Construction for Holland Park Villas Hard Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) – cost under £300k – sponsored by Vander Moortel NV Blakedown Landscapes (SE) for The Royal Ballet School Brambledown Landscape Services for Segendunum Roman Fort Hard Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) – cost between £300k–£1.5m  –  sponsored by CWS Group idverde for Theatre Square, Royal National Theatre Hard Landscaping Construction (Non-Domestic) – cost over £1.5 million sponsored by Bourne Amenity Endrick Landscapes for Structural Landscape Works Blakedown Landscapes (SE) for Natural History Museum Maylim for Rathbone Square Blakedown Landscapes (SE) for Queen’s Square Frosts Landscape Construction for London Wall Place Horticon for Knowsley

BALI, through its nationwide GoLandscape initiative, has supported BALI Training Provider member Capel Manor College in developing and launching a brand new Advanced Diploma in Landscape Construction (Level 3). Endorsed by employers within the industry, a crucial element of this new Diploma, the course offers a unique opportunity for students to develop both technical and business skills. Capel Manor College developed the course based on the recent GoLandscape skills survey that was circulated to all BALI members earlier this year. The course has been designed based on that feedback, with input directly from landscape businesses, many of whom are BALI members. The course will also incorporate the BALI Chalk Fund sponsored additional tickets. Modules on the course will include living walls, water management/SUDS, surveying and construction drawings, business practice and project management, paving, timber and brickwork, water features and the use of plants in landscaping schemes and show garden builds. A block of work experience, which forms part of the course, is also being supported by BALI members who have agreed to provide placements. BALI’s Technical Officer (Quality Assurance) Richard Gardiner said ”It’s great to see a land-based college continually thinking about how they can improve their offering to students and the industry they serve. Hard landscaping, in particular, seems to have been overlooked by colleges for some time and I am delighted that Capel Manor College has developed this qualification in response to industry feedback.” BALI’s Education Officer, Stephen Ensell, who is responsible for delivering GoLandscape, said ”The fact that Capel Manor College has taken the lead and approached the industry to support them in developing a hard landscape qualification is a great encouragement. It means that students now have an entry point to gain the very best, most up-to-date skills and experience to help them enter the landscaping industry.” The Diploma will be taught at Capel Manor College’s Enfield campus and can be studied on a full or part-time basis with an optional unit selection. Successful completion of this course will enable students to begin a career in landscape construction or progress to a degree level course. Sarah Seery, Head of School for Horticulture and Landscaping at Capel Manor College, says “We’re incredibly excited to have partnered with BALI in the creation of our new Advanced Diploma in Landscape Construction. As London’s leading land-based college, renowned for our exceptional courses in horticulture and landscaping, the unique opportunity to create a course in collaboration with a leading trade association has been warmly welcomed by the college community and endorsed by employers. Details on the course can be found on Capel’s website here. The first course starts w/c 10 September but Capel Manor College have confirmed that they will still accept entries at this stage.