BALI National Landscape Awards

BALI Awards Adjudication Panel 2018

More than 60 members of the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) have won a BALI National Landscape Award, with some members successful in more than one category.

This year’s Awards, 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.

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