High Path in Merton has won the Urban Design and Masterplanning award at the Landscape Institute Awards 2019. In its 90th year, the awards recognise projects and individuals that create places that connect people, place and nature, and make a positive contribution to people’s lives. High Path forms part of
BALI Registered Contractor Ground Control has been awarded the British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious Grand Award at the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards 2019, sponsored by BALI Registered Affiliate and Headline Sponsor of the Awards Green-tech. Ground Control’s project, The Children’s Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was entered
Out of 145 entries submitted in 2019, 91 National Landscape Awards have been bestowed on 63 members of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), with several members winning an Award in multiple categories. Since the event was brought back in-house in 2018, numerous records have been achieved including the
Tickets for this year’s BALI National Landscape Awards, the largest landscaping Awards ceremony in Europe, are now on sale. With the Awards’ expert Adjudication Panel, led by Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe having completed their site visits for applicable schemes earlier this month and final deliberations set to
A new £11 million Future Parks fund, which will be used to secure the future of parks and greenspaces across the UK, has been announced by the National Trust And National Lottery Heritage Fund. Through a package of grants and expert guidance, Future Parks aims to tackle, head on, the
Whilst gardening is a fun and enjoyable pastime, it’s also one that can be decidedly challenging in some instances. Aside from the labour-intensive and time-consuming nature of some gardening tasks, it may occasionally be necessary to undertake more complex projects that make your outdoor space more accessible and functional. Whilst
When it comes down to making a garden building more environmentally friendly, there are a couple of key things that need to be considered in order to make this a successful process. Throughout the construction phase, it is important to keep in mind the initial purpose of the building. If
Working on projects in a greenhouse is extremely enjoyable and can be a very rewarding past time. With so many different things to do and tasks to complete, you can set yourself some challenging yet achievable goals and teach yourself something new every day. From growing your favourite veg, to
Entries are now open for the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards supported by Headline Sponsor Green-tech. The largest landscape industry awards in Europe returns on Friday 6 December at the JW Marriott, Grosvenor House, Park Lane London and BALI Registered members can now download the 2019 Entry Guidelines at baliawards.co.uk
Concrete brings both practicality and beauty to any garden, if used in the right way. While it’s primarily known for being a high-strength material that does the ‘grunt work’ of a garden, concrete can also be used in the creation of stunning statement pieces. In this article, we explore five
High Path in Merton has won the Urban Design and Masterplanning award at the Landscape Institute Awards 2019. In its 90th year, the awards recognise projects and individuals that create places that connect people, place and nature, and make a positive contribution to people’s lives. High Path forms part of Clarion Housing Group’s wider Merton regeneration project, which is one of London’s most ambitious regeneration schemes. While the site is well located on the edge of the Wandle River ecological corridor near Wimbledon and benefits from great links to central London, the former layout left it as a tangle of competing uses and illegible streetscapes. As such, the estate was dislocated from its surrounding neighbourhood and its socio-economic profile was found to have higher levels of deprivation compared to the wider London Borough of Merton, and these were predicted to exacerbate over time without social or physical intervention. In 2012, Clarion Housing Group appointed PRP’s architecture and landscape architect teams to develop a masterplan for the phased regeneration of the estate, which focused on the needs of the existing community and anticipated the requirements of future generations. PRP’s collaborative design celebrates the area’s character and rich history by reconnecting existing Victorian streets to the north of Merton High Street with the estate’s southern edge at High Path. A number of character areas are included, which together with distinct neighbourhoods will help High Path become a unique and memorable place. At the heart is a new park that responds to the existing urban infrastructure and creates desire lines from north to south and east to west, along inner streets. Landscaped areas with lush planting, sensory gardens, simple paths, and play areas create a multifunctional green haven for all ages, all year around. This is bookended by hard landscaping to the south and north providing contrast, whilst drawing people in from Merton High Street. Another key part of the Landscape team’s design is to create a destination on the edge of Wandle River ecological corridor. This will be encouraged by cycle paths and planting referencing the work of William Morris, leader of the arts and crafts movement and who once ran a textile mill at Merton Abbey on the banks of the river. Angeli Ganoo-Fletcher, Landscape Director at PRP, said: “PRP has a passion to deliver true places and this is a key driver in our design approach. It also mirrors the philosophy of our client Clarion Housing Group, who has adopted Jan Gehl’s principles: First life, then spaces, and then buildings, as the other way around never works. With this in mind, we developed our vision for High Path in collaboration with the local community to ensure it becomes a sustainable and high-quality neighbourhood. The design promotes inclusion and diversity and is fully integrated with its surroundings to last for successive generations.” Paul Quinn, Director of Merton Regeneration at Clarion said: “We are extremely pleased that High Path has been recognised for this important award. “Clarion is passionate about developing vibrant, mixed and well-designed communities and working with PRP, we have designed a scheme that will enhance and celebrate the area’s identity, character and historical heritage, while delivering high quality housing to the area.” Once complete, Clarion’s Merton regeneration project will include 2,800 new homes across three neighbourhoods. The project will rehouse all existing tenants and resident homeowners while providing an additional 1,800 properties for sale and rent, helping boost Merton’s supply of high-quality new housing.
BALI Registered Contractor Ground Control has been awarded the British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious Grand Award at the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards 2019, sponsored by BALI Registered Affiliate and Headline Sponsor of the Awards Green-tech. Ground Control’s project, The Children’s Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew was entered into the Community and Schools Development category. The annual BALI National Landscape Awards, held at the iconic JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London celebrates the skills, hard work, quality, commitment and successes of BALI Registered members and are the largest landscape Awards in Europe. They recognise excellence in landscape design, construction and maintenance both in the UK and overseas, as well as awarding Affiliate customer service and employer excellence. Ground Control, a UK-based multi award-winning grounds maintenance provider specialising in winter maintenance, took home the top Award for The Children’s Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens, the first significant development within the Kew Gardens estate for over a decade. Ground Control developed the initial design concept, engaged with Kew’s visitors, local community groups and larger public organisations before transforming a large under-used area into a unique play and learning space. Children of all ages can now enjoy a beautiful adventure space unaware they are learning about nature, plants and the environment. This year’s BALI National Landscape Awards’ Adjudicators, led by Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe, jointly commented, “The quality of the finish on this hard and soft landscaping scheme is absolutely superb. The contractor has embraced the design and created an amazing play and learning space for children, complete with a beautifully constructed oak tree circle walkway, meticulously installed play equipment, carefully sited rockery boulders, and a skillfully laid plethora of different surfacing including artificial grass, composite boarding, gravel pathways and safety surfacing. Every aspect, without exception, has been tackled with skill, precision and exemplary attention to detail. The planting scheme softens and enhances the hard elements and, despite the garden’s popularity and consequent heavy use, seems to thrive in spite of the attention of many small hands and feet. This is landscaping at its very best and a worthy winner of this year’s BALI Grand Award.” 145 entries were judged by BALI adjudicators over the summer with 91 National Landscape Awards bestowed on 63 members of the Association in September, with 23 Principal, 8 Special and the coveted Grand Award announced live on stage at the glittering ceremony. Other notable wins came from BALI Registered Designer Rosemary Coldstream MBALI who won three Principal Awards, two for her Modern Garden Hampstead and one for Copper Courtyard whilst BALI Registered Contractor Blakedown Landscapes (SE) won a Principal Award for the Venetian Waterways, Great Yarmouth and was also the recipient of two Special Awards; Best Community Involvement for the aforementioned project and Outstanding Memorial for Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham – Sousse and Bardo Memorial. BALI Registered Contractor Bridgman & Bridgman also received a Special Award for Best First Time Entrant and BALI Registered Contractor NAO Landscapes took home a Special Award for Best Newcomer to BALI. This year also saw several records broken, including the most entries received in the last 10 years, the highest number of first-time entries at 51 and 34 International entries ever received. This was the second year the Awards were successfully delivered in-house by the team at BALI’s Landscape House. Events Project Manager Leah Brookes, who attended the 2018 Awards and project managed the 2019 event said, “It has been an immense pleasure managing the BALI Awards 2019. From attending the event last year, to meeting and working alongside the expert adjudicators, to managing the whole entry process and advising members on their submissions. To see the fruition of a year’s work come together on this special day and celebrate together with each and every member is fabulous. I send my heartfelt congratulations to all our winners and thanks to all our sponsors, adjudicators and stakeholders for their continued support of the prestigious National Landscape Awards.” Sport and lifestyle presenter Mark Durden-Smith played host for the afternoon’s proceedings in front of over 1,000 BALI VIPs, members and guests, including Adam White MBALI, President and Fellow of the ‘Royal Chartered’ Landscape Institute and BALI Registered Designer; Chair of the Society of Garden Designers, Sarah Morgan; Rod Winrow, Chairman of the Association of Professional Landscapers; Sue Biggs CBE, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society and Gerald Bonner, President of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIOH). BALI’s Chief Executive Wayne Grills said, “Once again I am delighted that the level of quality and professionalism demonstrated at our 43rd Awards is set at the highest possible level. Our well-deserved Grand Award winner for 2019, Ground Control, seriously impressed adjudicators who recognised their outstanding contribution to landscaping with a flawlessly executed standard of workmanship and professionalism in The Children’s Garden scheme. This delivered in excess of the expected levels of quality as a BALI Registered member and also achieved the highest level of client satisfaction. Congratulations to them and all of our winners this year, and thank you to our sponsors, who without them, the event would not be possible.” Benefitting from a collection at the event, this year’s chosen charities were Perennial and the BALI Chalk Fund who will both split £4,905 between them. A full list of award-winners and a description of the winning schemes is available on the BALI Awards website here.
Out of 145 entries submitted in 2019, 91 National Landscape Awards have been bestowed on 63 members of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), with several members winning an Award in multiple categories. Since the event was brought back in-house in 2018, numerous records have been achieved including the most entries received in the past 10 years as well as the highest number of entries from first-time entrants at 51, 35% of the total entries and an incredible record of 34 International entries. Notable wins include five Awards for Registered Contractors Nurture Landscapes, four Awards for Garden Club London and three Awards for Rosemary Coldstream MBALI of Rosemary Coldstream Garden Design. Registered Contractor Sky Garden, who recently joined BALI also took home an Award for its scheme ‘One Bayshill Road’ in the ‘Soft Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) – Under £500K’ category whilst Bridgman & Bridgman, another new member, won an Award for its roof garden at IKEA Greenwich. The BALI National Landscape Awards’ expert Adjudication Panel, led by John Melmoe was joined by BALI Chief Executive Wayne Grills, Operations Manager Kirsty Wood and Events Project Manager Leah Brookes for a three-day deliberation marathon in late August where each of the 145 entries were scrutinised. Reflecting on this year’s tough deliberations, John said: “The meeting was extremely heated at times, with in-depth discussion on each and every scheme submitted. This is a very healthy process with a blend of good humour thrown in. The complexity of some projects entered is always interesting and shows the diverse nature of the industry in which we are involved. The majority of categories were well supported, but we noted a very strong presence from the domestic categories. The quality of both the presentation and precision of execution within this sector were extremely high. The commercial sectors have some serious competition coming through. Each year the range of projects submitted continues to grow and we need to portray the industries’ capabilities to a wider audience within the construction industry and beyond. The Awards provides the platform for showcasing the industries skills and has increased in stature to become the leading event in the landscaping calendar. I cannot wait to gauge the anticipation of the members at this year’s ceremony.” Leah, who is managing the event from BALI Landscape House, said: “This is my first BALI National Landscape Awards event and I have been so impressed with the high standards achieved by members. With a record number of entries since 2009, it proves that the Awards remain the largest landscaping Awards event in Europe, celebrating and rewarding schemes in the UK and internationally. I personally had the pleasure of joining some of the Adjudicators on their site visits this year, to get a firm understanding of the process. It’s true what they say, they really do leave no stone unturned when judging is underway.” Wayne added: “Looking at the results this year, it’s clear our members are some of the world’s most talented, highly skilled landscape professionals, with projects that continue to set the benchmark in quality standards. Using cutting-edge technology and incorporating state-of-the-art materials helps to define these schemes and sets them on pedestals that are in a league of their own. Members have also demonstrated ways they have invested heavily in training and attaining industry – recognised accreditations, an exemplary achievement considering budget restraints and fluid economic market conditions. Congratulations to each and every one of you and I look forward to seeing you displaying your achievements on your own website and marketing materials.” With the ceremony fast approaching, it has been confirmed that sport and lifestyle presenter Mark Durden-Smith is the host for 2019 and tickets are now on sale and expected to sell-out quickly upon the release of this year’s winners. The ceremony will be held on Friday 6 December at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London with Headline Sponsor and BALI Registered Affiliate Green-tech. For more information and for tickets visit baliawards.co.uk. Early Bird rates are available until Monday 23 September 2019. BALI National Landscape Awards 2019 – Award Winners Domestic Garden Construction – Under 30k – Sponsored by Derbyshire Aggregates • LDC for A Private Residence in Leytonstone • Boast About The Garden for Outdoor Kitchen & Seating Area • Garden Club London for Private Residence in Teddington • Langlea Garden Design & Construction for Line Domestic Garden Construction – Between £30k – £60k – Sponsored by Palmstead Nurseries • J & S Scapes for Private Residence in Weedon • Garden Club London for Private Residence in Middlesex • Garden Club London for Private Residence in London • Landscape Associates for Private Residence in Peckham Domestic Garden Construction – Between £60k – £100k – Sponsored by Johnsons of Whixley • HG Landscapes for ECS • Isola Garden Design for Family Lifestyle Garden • Graduate Gardeners for Private Residence, Kirtlington, Oxfordshire • Baikie Landscape Construction for Private Residence in Burghclere • PWP Landscape Design for Private Residence in Harrogate Domestic Garden Construction – Between £100k – £250k – Sponsored by Van den Berk Nurseries • Verde Landscapes for Private Residence in Kent • J & S Scapes for Private Residence in Wingrave • The Outdoor Room for Ribbon Wheel Garden • Living Landscapes for Private Residence in Surrey • Outdoor Options for Belvoir House • Greenhaven Group for Pendlehaven • Landscape Associates for Private Residence in Wandsworth Domestic Garden Construction – Over £250k – Sponsored by Europlants UK • LDC for Private Residence in Esher • Inscapes for Private Residence in Old Windsor Soft Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) – Under £500k • Bowles & Wyer for Newnham College • Sky Garden for One Bayshill Road Soft Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) – Over £500k – Sponsored by Bourne Amenity • NT Killingley for University of Northampton, Waterside Campus • idverde for Sauchiehall Street Avenue, Glasgow Hard Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) – Under £500K • Blakedown Landscapes (SE) for Cannon Park Memorial • NAO Landscapes for Bedford House • PC Landscapes for Exbury Centenary
Tickets for this year’s BALI National Landscape Awards, the largest landscaping Awards ceremony in Europe, are now on sale. With the Awards’ expert Adjudication Panel, led by Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe having completed their site visits for applicable schemes earlier this month and final deliberations set to take place on 27, 28 and 29 August, excitement levels are rising for the industry event of the year. With a record number of entries submitted since 2009, the BALI Award Adjudicators have been busy over the summer judging schemes up and down the country, with early indications showing once again a very high standard of quality has been achieved. Looking to attend at a discounted rate? Early bird tickets are available, priced at £175 per person (full price £195) or tables of 10 for £1,550 (full £1,750) and 12 £1,860 (full price £2,100) ex VAT respectively. The early bird rate is only available until 23 September, so act fast to take advantage of the saving. The host for 2019, sport and lifestyle presenter Mark Durden-Smith, is looking forward to leading the ceremony on Friday 6 December at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London which also sees the return of Headline Sponsor Green-tech. With over 1,000 members, guests and VIPs expected to attend, tickets will sell quickly on a first-come-first-served basis. To purchase your tickets, visit baliawards.co.uk.
A new £11 million Future Parks fund, which will be used to secure the future of parks and greenspaces across the UK, has been announced by the National Trust And National Lottery Heritage Fund. Through a package of grants and expert guidance, Future Parks aims to tackle, head on, the growing financial challenges facing public parks, which is putting them at serious risk. Local authorities and communities will be empowered to find innovative and sustainable ways to manage and fund parks and open spaces across entire towns and cities. From a total of 81 applications across the UK, eight places, covering a population of five million people, were chosen for their ambitious and creative strategies to put green spaces right at the heart of local communities. The projects will: • make green spaces central to everyday community life • give the public a bigger role in how they are managed • ensure parks contribute more to the public’s mental and physical health • transform the way parks are funded to secure their futures For instance, in Islington and Camden the councils will focus on using parks and green spaces to improve health and wellbeing by developing closer links to the NHS, health providers, doctors and health charities. The other successful places are: • Birmingham; • Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; • Bristol; • Cambridgeshire (county-wide, covering seven council areas); • Edinburgh; • Nottingham; • Plymouth Announcing the fund, Hilary McGrady, the National Trust’s Director General, said: “Today is a landmark moment for the nation’s urban parks. “This is not just about new ways to fund and support these much-loved community spaces, but completely re-thinking the role green spaces play in our lives and how we can ensure they thrive for generations to come.”
Whilst gardening is a fun and enjoyable pastime, it’s also one that can be decidedly challenging in some instances. Aside from the labour-intensive and time-consuming nature of some gardening tasks, it may occasionally be necessary to undertake more complex projects that make your outdoor space more accessible and functional. Whilst this will require you to comply with various health and safety and planning legislation, it’s thought that modifying your garden space can translate into an ROI of 88%. This means that you can add considerable value to your home by creating an accessible garden, and the question that remains is how can such an objective be achieved? Start with Your Layout – Considering Paths and Paving If you’re modernising your garden space, it’s important to determine its precise layout. This means dividing the space between paving, lawn and flower beds, as you look to compartmentalise the area and optimise accessibility. In terms of paving, this is a worthwhile investment in a new or modified garden as it provides an affordable and relatively easy to maintain surface area. Paving also provides the ideal balance between efficiency and cash savings, as whilst materials such as gravel may be cheaper they’re far from ideal for bins, children’s toys and pushchairs. From a practical perspective, paving with mortared joints tends to be easier, whilst this also prevents weeds from sprouting in your garden space. If you have kids, you should also keep clear of slippery materials like slate and York stone, whilst paths should also boast a recommended width of between 1 and 1.5 metres. If you intend to maintain flower beds around the edge of the garden, you should also look to separate alternative planting areas that negate the need for constant pruning and minimises overgrowth. This means that your flower beds should be secured and compartmentalised, with Marshall’s garden edging stones and caps providing a stylish option that strikes the ideal balance between cost and aesthetics. Some Practical Considerations for Home-owners In terms of functionality, there are other steps that you can take to improve your private or communal garden space. One option is to install an outdoor plug socket on the external wall of your home, as this makes jobs such as mowing and hedge-trimming far easier. It’s also wise to install simple and easy-to-use handles (or latches) on all external doors and gates, so that people can gain access safely at all times. If you don’t have the money to install a new or powerful water system, you should consider fitting an outdoor tap or a water butt that collects rainwater as it falls. These steps will help you to create an accessible and functional garden space, and one that’s inherently safe and enjoyable during the summer months.
When it comes down to making a garden building more environmentally friendly, there are a couple of key things that need to be considered in order to make this a successful process. Throughout the construction phase, it is important to keep in mind the initial purpose of the building. If your garden building is going to be utilised for the sole purpose of additional storage, less work and environmental factors need to be considered, whereas if you plan on using your garden building as additional living space, there could be further implications. Premier retailer of quality garden and leisure buildings GBC group have rounded up their top tips for making a garden building more eco-friendly. Design When it comes to design, there’s a key link between space and environmental factors. As with anything, smaller spaces are much easier to heat than larger ones, which makes them not only cost effective but friendlier to the environment. Be mindful of the size of the space you are choosing, if you don’t require a vast amount of space, select something moderate that will be kinder to the atmosphere. Placement of windows The placement of windows can have a significant effect on the eco-friendliness of your garden building. By working out the direction of natural breezes and the positioning of the sun throughout the day, you are able to optimise the amount of sun that will stream through the windows. This in turn should produce a heating effect and should reduce the amount of artificial heating required. Insulation Ensuring you insulate the building both appropriately and correctly is a hugely beneficial step in order to increase how environmentally friendly the building actually is. Using good quality insulation should create a consistent heating effect, by keeping the area cool in the warmer months and trapping heat in during the colder months. This in turn should reduce the need to run any electrical or gas heating and cooling units regularly. Using eco-materials Where possible, be mindful of the materials being used to construct the building. To help save money and minimise environmental impacts, try and source recycled plastic, glass and timber. This process should be much less damaging to the environment than purchasing the materials brand new. Solar Panels Although expensive and dependent on what type of outdoor building it you are considering, investing in solar panels is a potential option. As well as the huge environmental benefits, installing solar panels is a fantastic long-term financial investment within itself. There are a great range of solar panels available, and in most instances the more powerful of the systems simply wouldn’t be required. In general, garden buildings require very little electrical power, therefore the output wouldn’t need to be huge, so a simple set of cost-effective panels should work sufficiently.
Working on projects in a greenhouse is extremely enjoyable and can be a very rewarding past time. With so many different things to do and tasks to complete, you can set yourself some challenging yet achievable goals and teach yourself something new every day. From growing your favourite veg, to experimenting with seasonal plants, you can get lost in your own world of gardening and put your energy into something fantastic. For greenhouse beginners, it may seem like a minefield, with lots to know and even more to remember, but that’s not necessarily the case. If you start as you mean to go on and prepare properly, you’ll have everything you need to succeed with your greenhouse projects! 1. Light Sources First things first, before you get stuck into planting seeds, you need to ensure you have the right lighting. Lighting is an essential feature within the greenhouse, as you need both artificial and natural light to help your plants grow to their full potential. During the spring/summer time, you want as much natural light as possible flowing through into the greenhouse, however autumn/winter often requires a little more artificial light if you want to continue your projects into the colder seasons. There are lots of greenhouse lighting products available on the market, so it’s best to do a little research to find the best type for your greenhouse. 2. Greenhouse Heating Another essential feature within the greenhouse is heating. There are so many benefits to having heating in your greenhouse, especially during the winter months, but it’s important to know which is best for you. Professional gardeners would often recommend using electric heaters, as you find that they’re the most efficient and easiest to use. Depending on the size of your greenhouse, you need to ensure that you have the right amount of heating flowing through, to ensure you’re getting the most from this feature. Image Source: Two Wests & Elliot 3. Seeds to Start With After a few months of having your greenhouse, you’ll realise just how beneficial it is when it comes to growing certain produce and plants. Greenhouses come with many benefits, especially when the colder weather sets in, so it’s worth taking advantage of this and using your greenhouse to its full potential. For a beginner, the best seeds to be planting in your greenhouse are potatoes, broad beans, runner beans and peas. These will also be the most rewarding, as there’s nothing quite like growing your own produce and then going on to use it in your cooking. It’s important to remember, before you begin to plant your seeds, that you need to have the right equipment in order to do so. Stock up on containers, fertiliser, soil and the necessary gardening tools to ensure you have everything you need for the projects ahead! 4. Watering Schedule One thing that many greenhouse beginners often forget is when to be watering the seeds. Whilst it goes without saying that you need to water your plants frequently, it’s actually extremely beneficial to create a watering schedule. Having something to work with as a constant reminder will really help you to get into the routine of watering your plants on time and at the right times, as different plants can require different watering times and amounts. Image Source: Better Homes & Gardens
Entries are now open for the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards supported by Headline Sponsor Green-tech. The largest landscape industry awards in Europe returns on Friday 6 December at the JW Marriott, Grosvenor House, Park Lane London and BALI Registered members can now download the 2019 Entry Guidelines at baliawards.co.uk and enter their scheme(s). BALI Registered members can take advantage of this year’s Early Bird discounted rates, with the first deadline for Registered Contractor, Registered Designer and Group members set for 24 April 2019. The Early Bird deadline for International, Affiliate Exceptional Service and Employer Excellence categories is 5 June 2019. For 2019, one new category has been introduced, International Award – UK-Based Registered Member, which is for BALI Registered members who are registered in the UK but have delivered a landscaping scheme overseas. Along with a number of band changes in other pre-existing categories, the exciting introduction and revisions were based on feedback from members and the BALI Awards adjudication panel. The 2019 BALI National Landscape Awards is expected to be as big and as grand as previous years with over 1,000 members, guests and VIPs attending the 2017 and 2018 ceremonies. Adjudicators, led by the Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe, will be visiting eligible schemes between June and August and the 2019 BALI National Landscape Award winners will be announced in September. Final adjudication to determine this year’s Principal, Special and Grand Awards will take place at BALI Landscape House at the end of August. Commenting on this year’s Awards, former Managing Director of six-time Grand Award winner Willerby Landscapes, John Melmoe, said; “The BALI Awards ceremony in 2018 was a runaway success and now the team at BALI Landscape House are turning their focus to 2019. It is credit to the members of BALI who have made the Awards into the most prestigious event in the industry calendar. A key way to showcase your company’s capabilities is to submit an entry into this year’s Awards. The entrants should be fully focused on submitting flawless projects, highlighting the significant contribution of your staff and the underlying desire for your company to excel. It would give me and my fellow adjudicators great pleasure to see you at this year’s Awards in December. Good luck with your entries.” BALI Chief Executive Wayne Grills is also looking forward to seeing if the high bar already set on quality can be raised even higher in 2019; “Ever since the Awards were first launched over 40 years ago the standard of entry has improved tenfold. This is testament to the quality of work delivered by our BALI Registered members, and, the overall quality of judging which helps BALI identify which individual or company is deserving of a prestigious BALI National Landscape Award.” BALI would like to thank those sponsors who have already committed to this year’s Awards: Green-tech Bourne Amenity British Sugar TOPSOIL CED Stone Group Crowders Nurseries Derbyshire Aggregates Easigrass Europlants UK Fresh Horticultural Careers Green-tree Topsoil Ground Control ICL Group idverde Johnsons of Whixley Landscape Institute MCM (SE) Provender Nurseries Ransomes Jacobsen Reesink Turfcare Van Den Berk Nurseries To view and/or download this year’s Entry Guidelines, check all Early Bird deadlines and enter a scheme visit baliawards.co.uk.
Concrete brings both practicality and beauty to any garden, if used in the right way. While it’s primarily known for being a high-strength material that does the ‘grunt work’ of a garden, concrete can also be used in the creation of stunning statement pieces. In this article, we explore five uses of concrete in the garden – ranging from the expected to the unconventional. 1. Quirky furniture & features Concrete is commonly associated with practical purposes, but did you ever consider that it could be used to craft an elegant water feature, a decorative candle holder, or even an al fresco table and chairs? If you’re DIY savvy, you may want to have a go at being creative and making your very own pieces to suit your space. Concrete moulds are available online, helping homeowners across the country transform their spaces. The choices are endless – bird baths, benches, dining tables, clocks, wood burners, and more. Just get on Google and see what ideas are out there. 2. Sculpture Perhaps your garden could benefit from an artistic touch? One increasingly popular idea is to use imprinted stencils to create statement pieces or paving stones, such as leaf and flower designs or shaped stones. Whether left bare or painted, these can bring a decorative touch to any garden and become a talking point for visitors. Why not try crafting concrete globes using an inflated balloon? Simply put the wet concrete mix around as much of the balloon as you wish (leaving a gap can transform them from globes into planters), wait for it to set, and then pop the balloon. 3. Footpaths, paving & stepping stones The sturdy, durable nature of concrete makes it ideal for surfaces experiencing high foot and vehicle traffic. As concrete can be shaped easily in its liquid state, you can experiment with a range of different footpath, paving or stepping stone styles . You can keep it simple with evenly-sized stones, or create a mismatched, tumbledown look for a more quirky feel. Stepping stones don’t have to be plain, though; why not adorn yours with decorative jewels or stencilled patterns? 4. Driveways & parking spaces High-strength and robust, concrete is the ideal material to withstand your vehicle’s comings and goings. You may be tempted to opt for a gravel driveway, but the strength would not be at the same level – plus, gravel scatters easily. Concrete therefore has an edge when it comes to durability and longevity. 5. Raised beds & planters Concrete can play a big part in greening up your garden. Combining the urban character of concrete with the natural look of plants makes for a memorable contrast that adds a stylish touch to any garden. Planters and raised beds can be easily constructed from concrete, but the design and layout is totally up to you. Get your project off the ground and contact your reliable local concrete supplier.
