National Landscape Awards celebrates landscaping excellence

The Great Room at JW Marriott Grosvenor House, London once again lived up to its name, with the winners of the 46th National Landscape Awards recognised and celebrated by their colleagues, peers and friends in style, a dazzling ceremony, supported by headline sponsor Green-tech.

Wayne Grills and the team at Landscape House welcomed around 900 guests to this year’s ceremony, sharing the jubilation as the 26 Principal Awards, three Special Awards and ultimate Grand Award were announced.

Host for the ceremony was actor and writer Ralf Little, best known for television comedy and the roles of Antony Royle in The Royle Family and Jonny Keogh in the first six series of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps delighted the audience with his memories of working on both shows, highlighting his pride and joy working with the cast of The Royle Family.

Maylim celebrates Grand Award

The coveted Grand Award winner, sponsored by headline sponsor Green-tech, was announced as Maylim for Exchange Square, the Principal Award in the Hard Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) – Over £500K category, sponsored by MCM. Read more about this complex, sustainability focussed scheme, on page 10.

Maylim had further celebrations for their Principal Award win in the Residential Roof Garden or Podium Landscaping – Over £250K category, supported by GoLandscape, for Lancer Square, a public garden in the heart of the mixed-use development above an underground car park.

Three Special Award winners

This year, the judges bestowed three Special Awards.

Best Design and Build, sponsored by Springbridge Direct was awarded to The Garden Company for their creative and meticulous work on West Hill, a modern new property in a natural setting adjacent to older, character properties. The rear garden originally had just a small patio and no planting and the awkwardly shaped front garden had a low-quality drive, lawn, and paved pathway. Landscaping craftmanship has created a sense of warmth and harmony throughout the space. The front garden now offers a calm welcome, with fluid organic shapes and experimental use of rock. The rear garden reflects the modern building through strong geometry, with intricately layered planting and materials softening the effect. Several handcrafted features including a larger porch, bespoke greenhouse and semisunken sanctuary space have been added in the final stages of the project, meeting the family’s changing needs.

The judges were impressed with the transformation from bland, uninspiring, ‘new build’ landscaping to a landscape designed and constructed to fill the heart and the senses is a joy to behold. A strong design and planting plan, delivered by excellent construction, provide the house with a beautiful setting to be enjoyed now and in the years to come.

The Special Award for Best First Time Entrant, sponsored by Makita UK went to a project from the Domestic Garden Construction - Between £100K - £250K category. Ellicar won the Special Award for Wildlife & Water Garden in Nottinghamshire, a scheme designed and executed for a busy GP, who wanted a pool for wild swimming as the focal point for her new garden, which she wanted to be a naturalistic space for relaxing and entertaining with family.

Blessed with spectacular views onto rolling countryside, the garden now has a beautiful natural swimming pool with vibrant borders containing bold architectural flowers, reminding the

client of her Kenyan childhood, and soft grasses to give a naturalistic feel. A stream, reminiscent of a Scottish burn, has been constructed through the garden, and a vegetable garden created with cut flower beds, herbs, soft fruit, and a chicken pen. An existing garden cabin has been beautifully incorporated into the scheme, and there is also a medicinal garden to enable the client to pursue her interest in botany and medicinal plants for healing. The garden is easy to look after, with seedbeds and grasses left standing for the birds in winter.

The judges noted that natural swimming ponds are growing in popularity in the UK and the contractor has played an important role in bringing that about. This scheme, and the contractor’s other entries, demonstrates the contractor’s growing confidence in designing, project managing, and constructing beautiful landscapes with natural swimming ponds as their focus.

Phoebe Hay, Head Gardener at Landform Consultants, was presented with the Special Award for Exemplary Horticultural Skill, sponsored by CED Stone Group for her work at The Garden at 120.

This roof garden was originally built circa 2015 and has been maintained by the contractor since June 2019. Situated on the 15th floor, it is one of the most visited roof spaces in London, with wonderful 360-degree panoramic views of the city skyline. The garden has 352m2 of mixed perennials, bulbs and grasses, 125 linear metres of box hedging, and an architectural pergola covered with 85 different flowering wisterias, 25 apple and pear cordons, eight fan trained fig trees, 53 linear metres of selfclinging climbers, and 50 linear metres of wire-trained climbers. Despite the harsh, exposed environment, heavy public footfall, and the ever-present blight and caterpillar threats to the

hand-clipped box hedging, this hugely popular oasis in the sky is the building’s jewel in the crown and is flourishing under the care of the passionate head gardener.

The judges agreed that the success of this beautiful space is down to the passion, commitment, and horticultural expertise of Phoebe Hay, the Head Gardener. Her enthusiasm is evident to anyone who sets foot in this 15th floor garden and in the three years she has been responsible for its care it has flourished.

26 Principal Awards presented

Five Principal Awards were presented in the domestic garden categories. Sponsored by Hedges Direct, the Domestic Garden Construction - Under £30K, was awarded to Graduate Gardeners for Private Garden in Cheltenham, which showed an immense amount of care and attention to detail.

The Principal Award for Domestic Garden Construction - Between £30K - £60K, sponsored by

Ecoscape UK went to FirstLight Landscaping for Ridgeway, which achieved a very attractive scheme on challenging terrain.

Domestic Garden Construction Between £100K - £250K, sponsored by Van den Berk Nurseries, was the second Principal Award of the day for Graduate Gardeners for Private Garden in Painswick, executing the garden design to seamlessly marry in with age and style of the property.

A Contemporary Garden in Hampstead, a complex design executed with skill by Bowles & Wyer won the Principal Award in the Domestic Garden Construction Over £250K category, sponsored by Europlants UK.

The final domestic garden category Domestic Garden Construction - Soft Landscaping, sponsored by Easigrass went to first-time entrants Ellicar for Yorkshire Plant Lovers Garden, which showcased a stunning planting scheme including a wide range of insect-friendly species.

The Principal Award for Soft Landscaping Construction (nondomestic) - Under £500K, sponsored by Hillier Nurseries, went to Wright Landscapes for Blackfriars Pub, which showed design flair and excellent attention to detail across the planting in pots and containers.

Sponsors Johnsons of Whixley presented the Soft Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) - Over £500K Principal Award to Living Landscapes for Symphony Park, Circle Square, Manchester, a challenging project incorporating turf and a range

of trees and shrubs, which continues to thrive despite heavy footfall.

Elmtree Garden Contractors were presented with the Principal Award for Hard Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) - Under £500K, by sponsors by H Sivyer Transport, for Camping Field at The Wave, the UK’s first inland surfing destination. The judges noted the exceptionally high standard of the jointing and framework construction, especially on the 430m long boardwalk.

Lifetime Achievement Award announced

Nigel Bowcock, National Chair of the Association announced the introduction of a new Lifetime Achievement Award. Launched in the Associations 50th year, the award recognises the progress made by BALI over the last half century. The Board of Directors were unanimous that the award was presented to one of the founding members of the Association - Jeffrey Bernhard OBE.

Jeffrey has dedicated almost 75 years to landscaping and horticulture. Throughout his career he has used his charm, charisma, and professional reputation for the greater good of the industry. In the early 1970s, he brought together what were to be the founding members of the landscape industry’s first representative trade body - the British Association of Landscape Industries - becoming its first National Chair in 1972. Jeffrey gave thousands of hours of his own time, alongside his business and personal commitments, to establish the Association, and continued his active support for the industry and with the Association until his retirement in 2008, helping and inspiring countless individuals and businesses along the way.

In this, the Association’s 50th year, we honour him the British Association of Landscape Industries’ Lifetime Achievement Award.

Hard Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) - Over £500K, sponsored by MCM was presented to Maylim for Exchange Square –ultimately crowned as the Grand Award Winner for 2022. Read more about this winning project on page 10.

RHS Hilltop, the Royal Horticultural Society’s Home of Gardening Science won the Principal Award for main contractor Landform Consultants in the Community & Schools Development category, sponsored by Composite Prime. The judges felt they had delivered an outstanding legacy project for the RHS.

The Principal Award for Regeneration Scheme - Over £500K, sponsored by ICL Turf & Landscape, went to Frosts Landscape Construction for Reading International Business Park, which has been transformed into an aspirational place to work.

Sponsors of Grounds Maintenance - Free Public Access, Reesink UK presented the Principal Award to Nurture Landscapes for Kings Cross Estate, a large multi-use

redevelopment in London. The judges were impressed with the expertise and dedication of the onsite staff and recognised the high standard of maintenance achieved.

Nurture Landscapes also took the Principal Award in the Grounds Maintenance - Limited Public Access category, sponsored by Agrovista UK. Winnersh Triangle Business Park covers 90 acres, which is beautifully and enthusiastically maintained by the onsite team.

Nurture Landscapes was presented with further Principal Awards in the two interior landscape categories. Their work on the interior scheme of the Sky Garden at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital was recognised in the Interior Landscape – Installation category, supported by the BALI Chalk Fund. For the Interior Landscapes – Maintenance category, supported by Perennial, they took the Principal Award for 250 Bishopsgate, which the judges noted was an impressive and passionately tended scheme.

Excellent project management, craftsmanship and attention to detail

were some of the judges’ descriptors for the execution of Maylim’s project Lancer Square, Principal Award winner of Residential Roof Garden or Podium Landscaping - Over £250K, supported by GoLandscape.

Bowles & Wyer received the Principal Award for 78 St James’s Street in the Commercial Roof Garden or Podium Landscaping - Under £500K category, sponsored by Bourne Amenity. A recently restored Grade II listed building, with the outdoor terrace planting schemes thriving.

The complex landscaping scheme for London Dock - C1-C3 saw Elite Landscapes win the Principal Award in the Commercial Roof Garden or Podium LandscapingOver £500K category, sponsored by Green-Tree Topsoil.

The Principal Award for Exterior Living Wall Installation, supported by the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group went to Bowles & Wyer for 15 Grosvenor Square, who’s design and execution transformed the space, improving both the aesthetic and environment for residents.

Wright Landscapes’ work on the Castle Irwell Development Scheme earned them the Principal Award in the Nature Conservation & Biodiversity Enhancement, sponsored by Ground Control.

Rosemary Coldstream MBALI was the Principal Award winner of the Design Excellence - Overall Scheme Under £50K category, sponsored by RSK Habitat Management, for A Rooftop Oasis. Excellent detailed drawings supported by 3D imagery clearly showed her beautiful vision for the space.

For the Design Excellence Award - Overall Scheme Over £100K, sponsored by Polypipe Civils and Green Urbanisation, A Contemporary Garden in Hampstead, designed by John Wyer MBALI was Principal Award winner. John’s drawings for the scheme showed the complexity of the multi-faceted family garden.

The International category, sponsored by the Landscape Institute was the most hotly contended category of the day, with 9 schemes in the running. The Principal Award was presented to DDON Planning and Design Co. for Oriental Zen in Modern Dwelling,

a beautiful design in keeping with the area’s surrounding mountain landscape.

Principal Award winner for Supplier Exceptional Service, sponsored by idverde, was Adtrak for going above and beyond in its efforts to deliver an exceptional service for its customers.

The final two categories focus on employer excellence. Sponsors of Employer Excellence - Turnover Under £2.5M, Wright Landscapes bestowed the Principal Award to Garden Club London, who recognise that training and retaining its staff ensures business growth and high standards.

Finally, Employer ExcellenceTurnover Over £2.5M, sponsored by Fresh Horticultural Careers. The Principal Award winner was Wright Landscapes, dedicated to improving and implementing new measures to positively impact the business, its employees, the environment, and the wider community.

A copy of the Award Winners brochure, containing all the winners on the day, is included with this edition of Landscape News. If you would like a digital copy, please contact emily.feeney@bali.org.uk

Entries for the 47th National Landscape Awards 2023 will open in late February, or early March 2023. We look forward to receiving your entries and celebrating with you all again next year.