landscaping

Boughton joins forces on ambitious redesign of historic royal dockyards, Convoys Wharf

Landscaping products specialist, Boughton has partnered with leading landscape design firms, Gillespies and Andy Sturgeon Design, on a 40-hectare masterplan to regenerate the historic dockyard site in Deptford, London. The impressive landscaping project forms part of a major multi-million-pound redevelopment of this historic site, converting it from a derelict brownfield

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Landscape Association celebrates 50 years of excellence

Ambitious future plans, special events, spotlighting members’ achievements and memorable celebrations throughout the British Association of Landscape Industries’ 50th anniversary year. April 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), and as this season is all about fresh starts, it seems only fitting that the

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Graduate Gardeners awarded highest accolade at National Landscape Awards

British Association of Landscape Industries’ Accredited Contractor Graduate Gardeners has swept the 45th National Landscape Awards, taking home the prestigious Grand Award, the Principal Award in their category, and a Special Award for Best Design and Build for their breathtaking scheme, Private Garden, Cheltenham. The annual National Landscape Awards, held

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Essential Tech for Your New Landscaping Business

One of the biggest challenges that people setting up new landscaping businesses often face is the fact that they are practical hands-on people who aren’t always the best when it comes to making use of all the modern technology that makes running such a business easier. If you are one

Read More »

Increase your property value with garden landscaping

It is common for people to think that in order to increase the value of their property that they need to make internal changes or even expand the property. Whilst these options will add value, it is also possible to increase the value of your property through garden landscaping. The

Read More »
Placemaking to Begin for the North Walsham High Street Heritage Action Zone

Placemaking to Begin for the North Walsham High Street Heritage Action Zone

Exciting progress has been made for the North Walsham High Street Heritage Action Zone project. North Norfolk District Council is thrilled to announce the appointment of Influence, chartered landscape architects who will be undertaking the townscaping element of the project along with expert partners. The team aim to provide sustainable

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Entries open for the 45th BALI National Landscape Awards 2021

The British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious National Landscape Awards, the largest of their kind anywhere in Europe, return on Friday 3rd December 2021 and entries have now opened alongside several exciting new announcements for the 45th year. Registered members can now submit their full entry online for the

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10 Facts About Lawns You Probably Didn’t Know

Green lawns are a staple of suburbia, but how much do you really know about grass? If you’re like many people, probably not much beyond what’s required to keep the lawn alive. The fact is, lawn, lawn care, and the history of lawns in the U.S. is actually rather interesting

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

landscaping

Boughton joins forces on ambitious redesign of historic royal dockyards, Convoys Wharf

Landscaping products specialist, Boughton has partnered with leading landscape design firms, Gillespies and Andy Sturgeon Design, on a 40-hectare masterplan to regenerate the historic dockyard site in Deptford, London. The impressive landscaping project forms part of a major multi-million-pound redevelopment of this historic site, converting it from a derelict brownfield site, into a vibrant waterfront location boasting a mix of commercial and residential properties, supported by new public spaces and transport connections. Formerly called the King’s Yard and first developed in 1513 by King Henry VIII to build vessels for the royal Navy, Convoy Wharf was at the heart of Deptford and holds great historic significance within the city of London. Following decades of use for warehousing and industrial purposes, the area is a now a neglected 16.6ha brownfield site but is set to be completely transformed under exciting plans by international architect, Farrells. For the first time in 500 years, the public will once again have access to the stunning 450m of waterfront, enhanced by beautiful outdoor areas, cultural facilities and a new riverboat service – a milestone development that Boughton is delighted to be part of. It is in the first phase where Boughton has been specified by Andy Sturgeon Design. This residential block – named Plot 15 – will incorporate a surrounding streetscape, residential gardens and a green roof, with Andy Sturgeon Design enlisting the help of Boughton’s quality topsoil and green roof substrates to help execute the vision. Plot 15 is located where two distinct character areas converge. The Eastern Gateway and Evelyn Quarter bring both river and parkland influences to the site, which are carefully woven together to create a cohesive and playful environment for families.  In a move to incorporate the heritage of the sit, Plot 15 will be defined by four key themes: Reuse, Display, Inspire and Remember, and will take its design inspiration from John Evelyn’s approach to experimental planting, focusing on year-round interest, adaptation to a changing climate, and improvements to air quality and well-being. The existing London Plane trees along the site boundary will be retained and protected, whilst a new strategic tree planting will enhance and filter views across the site and strengthen its visual connection to the wider landscape. Elsewhere, The Residents’ Garden has been designed as a verdant landscape relating to the rich garden heritage of this part of the site. A strong contrast in materiality and planting character has been introduced where the historic Dockyard wall once passed through the site. The design features a pedestrian-friendly environment in the public areas, supported by a coordinated materials palette and tree planting strategy. Meanwhile, Boughton is also working with global firm, Gillespie’s, which has been involved in the designs for plots 7, 14 and 21. These plots will provide a range of open plazas for cultural events, green pocket gardens, residential streets with integrated SUDs, and a sequence of safe and effective linkages that will sensitively connect the new development to the surrounding neighbourhoods. Boughton’s NBS specified product portfolio includes: BL 1 – Natural, single-source topsoil – suitable for general landscaping and planting of hardy nursery stock and amenity grassland. BLS 2 – Natural, single-sourced screened topsoil – a natural ‘as dug’ topsoil, that is suitable for general planting, landscaping, vegetable or fruit production and any landscape project. Boughton Lightweight Subsoil – low in organic matter, profiling a mixture of sand, silt and clay, with over 50% of its particles ranging in size from 0.25 to 0.5 mm. Boughton Biodiverse Green Roof Substrate – a green roof substrate for projects which require a substrate that can support a wide range of plants at a relatively shallow depth. IN1 Intensive Green Roof Substrate – intensive green roof substrate with a greater proportion of organic matter and finer sand particles. BLS 40 – Natural, single-sourced screened topsoil – with 40% PAS 100 compost/ organic matter, which significantly increases its soil health. Urban Tree Soil – for tree planting in hard landscape situations. BLS Plus- Natural, single-source screened topsoil – premium ‘as dug natural soil’, processed by passing over modern screening equipment with a 100% organic and vegan approved digestate bio fertiliser, which significantly increases the soil health. EX 1 Extensive Green Roof Substrate – extensive green roof substrate mixture of virgin crushed brick and PASS 100 certified compost. BLS 20 – Natural, single-source screened topsoil – sandy clay loam topsoil, that is suitable for general landscaping purposes, trees, shrubs, amenity grass. To enquire about your next project, contact Boughton by calling (01536) 510515 or email sales@boughton.co.uk.

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Landscape Association celebrates 50 years of excellence

Ambitious future plans, special events, spotlighting members’ achievements and memorable celebrations throughout the British Association of Landscape Industries’ 50th anniversary year. April 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), and as this season is all about fresh starts, it seems only fitting that the Association planted its roots in the Spring of 1972. Since then, the Association has flourished into the UK’s leading Trade Association for landscape professionals. Remaining true to its core values to support, promote and inspire its members and be leaders of an environmentally, ethically, and commercially sustainable landscape industry, the Association has grown to close to 1,000 Accredited members including landscape contractors, landscape architects, garden designers, suppliers and training providers. Wayne Grills, Chief Executive of the Association said, “We are incredibly proud of the Association’s growth and achievements over the course of the last 50 years. Our members are at the heart of all that we do, and it has been imperative that we continually evolve and adapt to the growing membership base and their changing needs.” As part of the 50th celebrations, the Association has unveiled a commemorative logo to mark this momentous occasion and has an exciting annual plan of celebrations and activities to come. The Association will be shining a spotlight on members’ achievements and celebrating their successes, with special events and talks planned, plus a gala dinner due to be held in the Autumn. Different initiatives will be undertaken to raise money for selected charity partners and a host of special prizes and gifts will be given away to members as a thank you for their continued support. Wayne said, “We have an exciting events and activities programme lined up to share and to celebrate with our members the fantastic work they do, and have done, over the past five decades.” In 2021 the Association underwent a brand transformation and invested in its digital channels to ensure it strengthened and adapted its position for the future. Looking forward, this year will see the launch of a new business strategy for 2022-2025 that will outline ambitious plans to carry the Association forward, building on its already solid foundation. Wayne added, “Having seen a delay in setting the strategy for the next three years due to the pandemic, this review and reset is now complete and members will be informed of the fresh approach that the board and colleagues at BALI have developed to ensure the Association is fit for purpose.” The Association has vowed to never stop growing, advancing forward and adapting to the changing times. These past 50 years have shown how rooted the Association has become in its core values and we look forward to leading the way in the landscaping industry in the next 50 years and beyond.

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Graduate Gardeners awarded highest accolade at National Landscape Awards

British Association of Landscape Industries’ Accredited Contractor Graduate Gardeners has swept the 45th National Landscape Awards, taking home the prestigious Grand Award, the Principal Award in their category, and a Special Award for Best Design and Build for their breathtaking scheme, Private Garden, Cheltenham. The annual National Landscape Awards, held at the iconic JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London celebrates the skills, hard work, quality, commitment, and successes of Association members and are the largest awards of their kind in Europe. They recognise excellence in landscape design, construction, and maintenance both in the UK and overseas, as well as Supplier exceptional service and employer excellence. Cotswold garden design specialists Graduate Gardeners are a multi award-winning design, construction, and landscaping company with nearly 50 years’ experience in creating exquisite contemporary and traditional gardens throughout Gloucestershire and the surrounding counties. The Grand award-winning project, ‘Private Garden, Cheltenham’ was a challenging under-taking. The client’s grounds were on a steeply sloping site and the brief was to maximise the view, provide better parking, enhance the entrance and create a more useable space within the garden. This required the skillful implementation of a design comprising a significant amount of groundworks to restructure the site. Italianate styling was used to create a truly beautiful private landscape for the owners to enjoy. This year’s National Landscape Awards’ Judges, led by Chair of the Judging Panel John Melmoe, jointly commented that by far the most impressive structural element of this design was the traditional dry stone retaining wall. Over 600 tons of material was excavated with over 300 tons of walling stone used, each piece placed by hand to create a wall 1.5m deep at the base – 500mm below ground level and 600mm at the top, with the finished height an average of 1.8m. It was a testament to the skill of the landscaping team, not least because the site is notorious for movement; there would be no foundation for the wall, other than the stone beneath the ground. It was only one element of a delightful in-house design that had transformed the space and created the most beautiful setting for the house. The Judges commented that Graduate Gardeners had raised the bar, showing the heights their peers must reach to be in the running for the Grand Award. This large house, with far reaching views across Cheltenham to the Welsh Hills was undergoing a total renovation when Graduate Gardeners were approached. Both upper and lower gardens were steeply sloping and there were a number of significant areas of construction, most notably, constructing the traditional dry stone retaining wall. Due to the challenging environment, a structural engineer was brought in to ensure a secure wall would remain for years to come. The in-house design included a beautiful contemporary Italianate courtyard and wildflower meadows above the retaining walls. Porcelain was used throughout for all the paved surfaces aside from the steps. Finally, a sophisticated planting scheme completed the design. Chair of the Judging Panel John Melmoe concluded: “Graduate Gardeners have combined a bold and intuitive design with construction perfection. A well-oiled machine, the designer and build team have worked seamlessly together and in partnership with the client, to create a setting for this beautiful home that embraces and optimises the surrounding landscape and views.” 79 National Landscape Awards bestowed on 53 members Awards entries were judged over the summer with 79 National Landscape Awards bestowed on 53 members of the Association in September and 29 Principal, 4 Special and the coveted Grand Award announced live on stage at the prestigious ceremony. Other notable wins announced at the Awards ceremony came from Accredited Contractor Nurture Landscapes who won 2 Principal Awards, 1 for the UK Trade Desk and one for Milton Park – Oxfordshire and Bluestone Landscapes, recipients of a Principal award in the Roof Gardens/Living Wall Installations – Residential Roof Garden or Podium Landscaping – Under £250,000 category and also winners of a Special Award for Best Newcomer to BALI, sponsored by CED Stone Group. Best First Time Entrant, sponsored by Makita UK, went to Bespoke Stone Walling for their work at a Private Residence in Gloucestershire. Best Use of Technology, sponsored by Overtec, went to a project by Carrier Landscapes who entered the Regeneration Scheme under £500,000 category, sponsored by AHS. Carrier Landscapes won the award for the work they did at Kelham Hall, Nesfield Parterre de Broderie. There have only ever been two parterre restorations at Kelham Hall, one back in the 1950s and this second one by Carrier Landscapes. This was the fourth year the Awards were successfully delivered in-house by the British Association of Landscape Industries and the first at JW Marriott, Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London following last year’s necessary, virtual ceremony. Events Project Manager, Emily Feeney said: “It has been fantastic to have so many members come together in person once again to celebrate the culmination of so much of their hard work. The passion and dedication to quality I see in this role continues to astound me and after what has been one of the most trying years for so many it has been even more humbling to bear witness to such resilience and excellence.” Host for the ceremony BBC Radio Five Live’s Colin Murray brought a light-hearted feel to the afternoon and shared stories about his aspirations as a young man to pursue a career in landscaping prior to being lured into the world of journalism to the delight of close to 1,000 VIPs, members and guests and for the first year a virtual audience viewing the ceremony via a livestream. British Association of Landscape Industries Chief Executive, Wayne Grills commented: “I am thrilled to welcome back our members and guests to the 45th National Landscape Awards. A huge congratulations goes to our 2021 Grand Award winner Graduate Gardeners for their outstanding project that wowed the Judges with its brave and intuitive design and construction perfection that epitomised the exemplary work of Association members. Congratulations go to all

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Essential Tech for Your New Landscaping Business

One of the biggest challenges that people setting up new landscaping businesses often face is the fact that they are practical hands-on people who aren’t always the best when it comes to making use of all the modern technology that makes running such a business easier. If you are one of them, and you want to ensure that your new landscaping company run like a well-oiled machine, check out these essential tech tools that will help you to run a far more efficient, streamlined business even if your tech skills aren’t as good as you would like them to be. Greenius  Greenius is an excellent online training tool with more than 50 instructional videos which will make it really easy for you to train your landscaping team quickly and effectively, while also saving you money. If you’re new to the business, it’s important you hire the right people and providing the best training to keep them safe and your clients happy, and Greenius will certainly help with that. RapidAPI RapidAPI is a great resource for software APIs, which are basically software interfaces you can use to add certain functions to apps and software. Their weather API directory could be particularly useful to you because it will allow you to keep track of weather conditions so you can better plan your jobs, but they have APIs for just about everything so do some exploring and see what else you might be able to make use of. HR Downloads HR Downloads is packed with templates and sample documents that you can use to ensure that you stay on the right side of the law and are able to manage your team more effectively.  Fleetio Fleetio is a huge timesaver. This one application can manage and track your fleet for you so you don’t have to worry about tracking down timesheets or trying to remember the last time your vehicles were services, amongst other things. Landscape Management Network This excellent landscaping software is able to help you budget for your business, manage customer relationships, create estimates and track the time you and your team spend on jobs, amongst other things, all in one neat package. It practically runs your landscaping business for you! Go iLawn This is a neat little tool that is able to measure property online, which makes it far easier and much more efficient for you to work out estimates for your clients, leaving you more time to get on with the actual job of landscaping. Skitch In many ways, landscaping is a pretty visual business, which is why the visual communication tool, Skitch, is such a good one to have in your virtual toolbox. It enables you to mark photos with text, arrows, colors, and so on and send them to both customers and staff, saving you a whole lot of time, and potentially money, on your landscaping jobs. With these important landscaping business tools on your side, you will stand a much better chance of achieving success in your new business venture. Good luck!

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Increase your property value with garden landscaping

It is common for people to think that in order to increase the value of their property that they need to make internal changes or even expand the property. Whilst these options will add value, it is also possible to increase the value of your property through garden landscaping. The garden is an integral part of the home and there is no denying that a well-designed and functional garden will add more value than a garden that is overgrown and unusable. So, what can you do to your garden to add value? Cut Back Overgrown Areas A garden that has overgrown hedges, shrubs and trees can leave a garden looking and feeling smaller. Opening up your garden and making it more inviting is easier than you might think, and it doesn’t take as much effort as you might think. By trimming and shaping hedges and removing old and dead shrubs, you can enhance space and bring in more light. Furthermore, if you have large trees that need trimming then you might want to consider calling on a team of Chelmsford tree surgeons to complete the work professionally and efficiently. Keep Your Lawn Maintained Believe it or not, a well-maintained lawn adds to the appeal of a home. A lawn that is mowed regularly and healthy will bring your garden to life. Whether it is sowing new seed or laying new turf, it is really important that you make your lawn the main focal point of your garden. This means that garden landscaping will leave it looking vivid, fresh and perfectly shaped. Shape Your Garden If your garden is a basic rectangle in shape or just basic in design, it can pay to invest in redesigning it. This means that you can install areas such as borders made from sleepers or curved pathways that are lined by shrubs and flowers to give your garden an element of character. It will allow you to get creative with the shape, creating designated areas that can be used for growing or relaxing. Add An Outdoor Space You can create designated areas that are made for use during the summer months. This can include installing decked areas or even a new and modern patio. This will add a level of practicality and functionality to your home that people will find hugely appealing. A garden that lacks any sort of seating area will become nothing more than an area that cannot be used and that will not add any value at all. Invest in New Plants The right blend of plants and flowers that bloom throughout the year will give your garden a lease of life. When the planting of flowers and shrubs is planned accordingly, it will ensure that plants can work together and create an established look that gives your garden a natural appeal throughout. Add Lighting Adding feature lighting to your garden will enable you to enhance those areas that are lacking light once the sun goes down. You can light up certain areas, add a dramatic effect and give your garden a sense of style, all of which will help to add to the value of your home.

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British Association of Landscape Industries powers through pandemic to support members

With the news that pandemic restrictions will continue a little longer, the British Association of Landscape Industries announces that it will continue the work it has been doing over the last year to support the ornamental horticulture industry through unprecedented hardship. The Trade Association has been widely praised by its membership for the help and support it has given throughout the crisis, including simplifying and disseminating government guidance and advice, hosting over 50 webinars throughout 2020, and even hosting its National Landscape Awards virtually for the first time in its 44-year history. From March of 2020, the Association worked quickly and diligently to bring its members up to date with accurate information in a time rife with uncertainty, working to set up a COVID-19 information hub on its website and producing two separate strategies for coping with the pandemic, including analysing feedback surveys, lobbying government, keeping the member base informed, and pivoting rapidly to presenting its events in an online format. Moving events online, including the National and Regional Annual General Meetings and the National Landscape Awards 2020, presented a unique set of challenges but brought surprising benefits, too, with more people able to join in more events and webinars from across the country. The ability to join digitally with partners also led to some of the most popular informative events in the Association’s history, with over 100 sign-ups across their three-part Demystifying Drainage series. Over 1000 people tuned in to see the National Landscape Awards 2020 broadcast, which featured a live chat and high member participation. Despite the many challenges imposed by the coronavirus, the Association was also able to successfully launch its rebrand in April 2021, updating its logos and brand identity to a fresh, contemporary look with a nod to its heritage. Its flagship publications, Landscape News and the Who’s Who Directory, were also produced to their usual high standard, with the former even receiving a brand refresh of its own in Spring 2021. The Association was even able to secure a brand new membership benefit, partnering with CAD and BIM specialists and Accredited Supplier Vectorworks UK to offer BALI Blueprint and BALI Blueprint+. The former is available to all designer members, whatever their level of membership, and the latter is exclusive to Accredited Designer members as it includes additional services that add incredible value for money, particularly if the member has already, or intends on, hiring an apprentice. Chief Executive of the British Association of Landscape Industries, Wayne Grills, commented: “This has been an undeniably difficult year across the industry and the wider world, with the twin pressures of the pandemic and uncertainties around Brexit causing disruption to nearly every business. We are enormously proud to have been able to so effectively support our membership, as well as adapt our own working practices and deliver large and organisation-changing pieces of work.” Liz Hughes, Marketing Manager for Accredited Supplier Provender Nurseries commented: “In light of all that is going on in the world, our industry and the tireless efforts put in by Landscape House at the moment should be widely applauded.” Paul Lynch, Director of Accredited Contractor Elmtree Garden Contractors commented: “I think the British Association of Landscape Industries’ support has been amazing and is just where being a member of a Trade Association comes into its own. We are definitely feeling the benefits of being a member.” For assistance and advice during the pandemic, the Association encourages people to visit their website bali.org.uk/covid. The website is updated frequently with all the latest news, restrictions and government schemes.

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Placemaking to Begin for the North Walsham High Street Heritage Action Zone

Placemaking to Begin for the North Walsham High Street Heritage Action Zone

Exciting progress has been made for the North Walsham High Street Heritage Action Zone project. North Norfolk District Council is thrilled to announce the appointment of Influence, chartered landscape architects who will be undertaking the townscaping element of the project along with expert partners. The team aim to provide sustainable solutions to urban planning and have extensive experience of working in conjunction with local authorities and communities to deliver landscaping and public realm services, including working on High Street Heritage Action Zones projects elsewhere in the UK. “High Street Heritage Action Zones are such a key part of the future for our towns – especially post the pandemic – and are often driven by a strong local community interest. Revitalising and regenerating our high streets whilst reinstating the heritage roots is critical to their success, now and in the future. North Walsham is a vibrant market town but has been waiting for a long time to bring forward a high street public realm project. Now that it’s here, myself and the Influence team are honoured to have been selected to work on this important project, and are pleased to be supporting North Norfolk District Council’s in-house team,” said Shona Hatton, associate director at Influence. “Our previous experience in delivering High Street Heritage Action Zones has given us specialist knowledge and understanding of the challenges and huge opportunities in our high streets -and we are using those assets to re-imagine the physical and social environment in North Walsham – to enable it to be a prosperous town where people want to live, work and relax.” Master planning and consultation will be led by HETA – a studio of architects, designers and thinkers. Their focus is on people and how to create better, more meaningful experiences for them. Having completed a site visit the team will implement a programme of consultation and community engagement to see how the people of North Walsham want to see the space in the town centre used. Other partners involved include Rees Bolter Architects as heritage consultants, BSP for highways and transport consultancy and Gleeds Cost Management, quantity surveyors. This work is a vital part of the programme’s wider “placemaking” objectives, inspiring people to re-imagine and re-engage with the town centre as the heart of the community. It will focus on making the town centre a destination which embraces its heritage and community, creating a shared space people can enjoy, take pride in and encourages others to visit. The Council and partners will seek to hear what residents, businesses and visitors want to see in North Walsham and foster a sense of community that maximises shared value by making it easier to move around the town centre and improve the appearance and quality of public spaces, starting with work which will see the improvement of the Lokes and alleyways that connect different areas within the town centre. As part of this, the Council intends to purchase a piece of land adjacent to Black Swan Loke, a long-standing derelict area on an important pedestrian approach to the town centre, and is exploring options to maximise the potential of this busy route.

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Entries open for the 45th BALI National Landscape Awards 2021

The British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious National Landscape Awards, the largest of their kind anywhere in Europe, return on Friday 3rd December 2021 and entries have now opened alongside several exciting new announcements for the 45th year. Registered members can now submit their full entry online for the first time, (including their submission pack) thanks to a new entry system, alongside the returning postal option. Due to the effects of COVID-19, Contractor, Designer and International members, for 2021 only, now also have the opportunity to submit a scheme that has achieved practical completion in the last 24 months, instead of the normal 12 months. BALI’s Chief Executive Wayne Grills commented, “This extension to the practical completion date now affords members more flexibility in what has been a difficult last 12 months. Alongside the option to submit online, we hope to see a wide variety of entries across all of our available categories this year.” There are 33 categories in total, including a brand-new Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Enhancement category. The judges will be looking for projects that demonstrate a significant contribution to conservation or enhancement of biodiversity, embodying the principles of sustainable development using innovative concepts. Chair of the judging panel, John Melmoe, said, “We are delighted to introduce this new category for 2021. We will be looking for evidence of any biodiversity net gains and clear definitions of innovation or environmental designs. The long-term management strategy must be clearly defined, including proof of monitoring processes. On behalf of my fellow judges and I we look forward to seeing some truly remarkable projects in this category.” Other returning categories include Domestic Garden Construction, Hard Landscaping Construction (non-domestic), Community and Schools Development, Design Excellence and Affiliate Exceptional Service. Registered members can check out all of this year’s categories on the BALI Awards website here. Alongside an FAQs section, the team at Landscape House have also produced an Entry Guidelines document, which contains information on each category, the deadlines and fees and what the judges are looking for in an award-winning scheme or entry. To help further, members looking to enter are invited to join representatives of the judging panel for a free-to-attend Awards Workshop webinar on 25th March from 3pm-4.30pm. The event will provide an opportunity for members to ask questions about entering, as well as how the judges evaluate and score the submission packs and advice on photography and video. Non-members who are interested in entering and would like to know more about BALI are also welcome to join. Events Project Manager Emily Feeney said, “Today we have not only opened entries but also announced three new positive changes to this year’s Awards which continues to be the ultimate celebration in our industry. We are working with Headline Sponsor Green-tech, our host venue the J W Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London and event partners and sponsors to stage a safe end of year celebration, and we look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months.”

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10 Facts About Lawns You Probably Didn’t Know

Green lawns are a staple of suburbia, but how much do you really know about grass? If you’re like many people, probably not much beyond what’s required to keep the lawn alive. The fact is, lawn, lawn care, and the history of lawns in the U.S. is actually rather interesting — and might even surprise you. Check out these fun facts. 1. George Washington Had One of the First Lawns One of the first lawns in America can be found at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home in Alexandria, Virginia. Washington was known as a farmer, and was one of America’s first landscape architects. After the Revolutionary War, he knew that he would be hosting many dignitaries at his home, and set out to make the landscape as impressive as the buildings. This included the building of a great lawn, or bowling green. Inspired by the drawings of such expanses of grass at European manors, Washington incorporated a large lawn in front of the home. The lawn was cut using scythes, and regularly rolled to keep it flat and even. 2. Grass is Food Grass is actually the most common food in the world. All grass is part of the Poeceae family, which includes everything from pasture grasses that feed livestock to varieties like wheat and barley that are processed into flour and other products. 3. Professional Lawn Care is in Demand More than 22 million Americans rely on a professional lawn service to take care of their grass. This gives them back an average of 70 hours of free time every year that would otherwise be spent on lawn care. 4. Without Grass, We Might Not Survive Grass is not only a major food source for most species, it also produces a significant amount of oxygen. In fact, the typical lawn is more efficient than trees when it comes to making oxygen. A 50 foot by 50 foot lawn produces enough each day oxygen for a family of four to breathe, while also helping to improve air quality by catching contaminants like dust. 5. A Healthy Lawn Increases Home Value If you’re trying to sell your home, a healthy lawn can attract buyers — and even spur them to make a better offer. According to the Lawn Institute, a healthy lawn can help increase your home’s value by 15-20%. And the National Association of Realtors notes that when you invest in lawn care, you’ll see more than a 250% return on investment when you sell the home. 6. A Lawn Requires a Lot of Plants Maintaining a thick lawn means lots of plants — several million of them, in fact. In a well-maintained, 10,000 square foot lawn, you can expect to find about 8.5 million individual plants. That breaks down to about six plants per square inch, or 850 plants per square foot. Given that every grass seed only produces a single sprout, that’s a lot of seed to cover an entire lawn. 7. Grass Isn’t What You Think By weight, the typical blade of grass is 75% water. However, the bulk of a grass plant’s weight, about 90%, is in its roots. The green color comes from chlorophyll, but each blade also contains carbon dioxide, ozone, hydrogen fluoride, and peroxyacetyl nitrate absorbed from the atmosphere. 8. Grass is a Natural Air Conditioner You might not realize it on a hot day, but your lawn actually helps keep your home cool. If you added up the cooling power of the front lawns of eight typical suburban homes, you’d have the effect of about 70 tons of cooling power. The average household air conditioner only produces about 3 to 4 tons of cooling power. In more practical terms, if your home is surrounded by grass, trees, and shrubs, they can lower the temperature by about 14 degrees. 9. Lawn Mowers Have Existed for About 150 Years Although there have been any number of devices and tools for cutting grass used over time, it wasn’t until 1868 that the first patent for a reel-type lawn mower was issued in the U.S.. The first patent for a rotary type lawn mower wasn’t issued until 1919. Although different types of sprinklers existed previously, the first sprinkler patent was awarded to J. Lessler in Buffalo, NY in 1871. 10. People Take Their Lawn Mowers Seriously Finally, some people are really into their lawn mowers. There’s actually a museum dedicated to lawn mowers in England, and in 1992, the US Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA) was established, becoming the first sanctioning body for, you guessed it, professional lawn mower racing.

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