TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2024
Being a pioneer of Plant Healthy certification and the first trade nursery in the UK to be granted Control Point status reflects our absolute commitment to rigorous biosecurity measures.
With border delays eliminated, expert handling ensured and optimal plant health maintained, Provender makes the leap
Welcome to our second Pro Landscaper Sustainability and Biodiversity Awards, where we celebrate and recognise the leadership role that our sector is playing in meeting climate goals that will deliver a more sustainable future for our planet.
2024 has seen the introduction of mandatory BNG on all new developments, which opens up even more opportunity for our sector to demonstrate its importance. Whilst this has provided some uncertainty as we navigate through developing and building key connections, landscaping will be a key enabler in achieving the goals that now need to be achieved.
Having launched these awards last year, we are delighted and proud of how they have grown, laying testament to the great work that is already being done.
This year, alongside our company, project, product and contract categories, we are also introducing a people category – Sustainability & Biodiversity Leader – to recognise individuals that are championing this within their business.
In total, over 40 companies and projects have been shortlisted across 13 categories. What’s exciting to see is that the calibre and quality of submissions has leapt forward and we are seeing ambitious goals being set.
A massive well done to all those that have made the shortlist – it’s a great achievement! You are in great company of leaders that are acting as industry ambassadors that are showcasing the positive impact and role we are playing.
Thank you to our esteemed panel of judges for helping us determine our winners. Each winner is profiled so you can find out more about what made them stand out.
Thank you also to our partners for their support in allowing us to be able to put on these awards.
Eljays44 Ltd BizSpace, Courtwick Lane, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 7TL
Tel: 01903 777 570 eljays44.com
Assessed on a project’s value to the natural environment opposed to overall monetary value, this design-only category focuses on domestic garden projects. Judges assess the sustainability outlook of the project, as well as the biodiversity features and the transformational change it has led to within the business.
A private client approached Rachel Bailey Garden Design – which specialises in low environmental impact, plant-focused projects – to transform their family garden. The end result was a 161 m 2 urban garden teeming with wildlife, sustainably sourced pathing and multiple outdoor seating options for the family to enjoy. The garden’s original planting area has been expanded and is now brimming with a variety of plant species that command the space between walkways, while the existing pond was expanded and the excess volume filled using rainwater. By repurposing onsite materials and using low carbon cement, Rachel Bailey Garden Design reduced the time of when the garden would start to sequester carbon from a relative 22 years to 10 years. The garden’s final design is 75% softscape, which will work to protect and nourish the soil as well as provide a habitat for wildlife, without limiting the family’s social space.
Air is injected at 150 psi to break through compacted soil, followed by a material that permanently transforms the soil structure. This natural solution is applied evenly across every square metre, providing a groundbreaking advance in decompaction and drainage.
A build-only category that focuses on the final delivery of a commercial build project whether it resides in the private or public sector. Judges look for how sustainable materials have been utilised throughout, in addition to the impact the project has had on the natural environment and how it has helped improve biodiversity.
Private and commercial landscaping company Graduate Landscapes partnered with the Knepp Estate and RHS accredited Tom Stuart Smith Garden Design Studio to deliver the ‘Dog Walkers Car Park’ & Kitchen project on site at Knepp Wilding in Horsham. Comprising 1,400 ha and established in 2000, Knepp Wilding was the first major lowland rewilding project in England. With an emphasis on sustainable practices, the project utilised recycled onsite materials to limit machinery movement and environmental impact – materials included reclaimed cow troughs as water features, recycled aggregate and recovered bricks. To overcome the challenges faced with using recycled materials, Graduate Landscapes coordinated other contractors working on the farm shop and cafe renovations to deliver the project on time, within budget and to plan. The project has provided significant social and biodiversity benefits, enhancing the ecological value of the area and creating a space that fosters human-nature interaction.
Our congratulations to the nominees and winners of the Pro Landscape Sustainability and Biodiversity Awards.
We applaud the talented architects, landscape designers and landscapers for their remarkable efforts in promoting biodiversity and sustainability through their groundbreaking projects.
Your innovative vision has transformed urban spaces, creating harmonious environments where nature and city life coexist, enhancing both ecological health and the well-being of communities.
Boom & Bonheur – because trees give life and bring happiness
Boom & Bonheur BV boombonheur.com
Recognising exceptional creativity, innovation, and technical excellence in the design of a temporary commercial installation, judges evaluated the project’s success in transforming transient spaces with sustainability in mind. Key criteria included commercial functionality, efficient use of green materials, and the ability to address logistical challenges, particularly with regard to eco-conscious setup and removal processes.
‘THE
Scooping silver as it passed through this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Emma O’Connell’s The Freedom from Torture Garden: A Sanctuary for Survivors was designed with sustainability and social impact at its heart. From conception to build, translocation, and rebuild, every aspect was considered from an environmental and sustainable standpoint. All stone and aggregate was sourced from a single English quarry, while the garden’s main structure was created using organic willow also harvested within the UK. Key sustainability points for the garden also include the zero use of cement, with lime used in its place, as well as all plants being locally sourced from the south of England and grown in peat-free soil and free from artificial heat, pesticides, or herbicides. The garden was immediately relocated to its permanent home at the Freedom From Torture HQ: Finsbury Park, London, after the show.
This commercial design-only category recognises exceptional creativity and innovation in the realm of environmentally responsible landscaping from the private and public sectors. Judges look for sustainability-led designs that have a focus on increasing biodiversity and that cause as little environmental impact on the surrounding area as possible.
In partnership with
Award-winning landscape design practice, Harris Bugg Studio radically transformed one of Europe’s oldest film studios into a thriving creative campus underpinned by sustainability. What was once a six-acre concrete jungle with one tree per acre, Atelier Gardens in Berlin is now home to 125 trees and 20,000 plants. Driven by a desire to improve biodiversity and create a healthy landscape, the site’s concrete was lifted, crushed and reused entirely, preventing 450-plus tonnes of waste and instead turning it into planting mediums, mulches and invertebrate habitats. Layered climate adaptive planting including trees, shrubs, perennials and ground cover were established throughout the site with a particular focus on nitrogen fixers and phytoremediation, as well as berry/nectarrich plants. On top of the bee-keeping hives and free-range run for rescue chickens successfully established, a three-year soil analysis will be carried out to measure soil health improvements, mineral profile and contaminant profile post build.
Focusing on one particular contract between a business and client, judges evaluate how sustainability has played a role in its delivery. This can range from what steps have been taken to improve the biodiversity and sustainability of the end product, to how the contract is providing end-to-end rewards for both the client and company.
Located just minutes from the M3 in Basingstoke, Chineham Park is one of only three business parks in the UK to have been awarded the Wildlife Trust Biodiversity Benchmark. Its maintenance was taken over by Nurture Landscapes in 2020 following Nurture Group’s acquisition of Integritas. In the last 18 months, Nurture Landscapes has introduced a new Biodiversity Management System, in turn creating the Chineham Park Biodiversity Policy. Rewilding efforts at the 94-acre park have resulted in over 3,000 new bulbs being planted and a recent count of over 90 orchids, including a rare lizard orchid, leading to the first successful Nurture ‘Orchid Walk’ in 2024. An emphasis has also been placed on community engagement through biodiversity initiatives, nature walks and surveys to encourage environmental stewardship among residents. The park, which is part of the Fraser Group Portfolio, has also been awarded five Green Flag Awards, the Green Apple Biodiversity (Conservation) Silver Award in 2023 and a BALI Award in 2021.
Shining a spotlight on businesses that supply sustainable products or services to the landscaping sector. Judges review each applicant’s production processes, their suppliers and/or materials and accreditations in place, with reference to how each of these points are embedded into the wider business goals and showcased internally and externally to educate fellow industry members.
Supplying the landscaping industry for over 150 years, Hillier Nurseries specialises in semi-mature trees, both field and container grown at its nurseries in Hampshire. It has been recognised for its environmental efforts through the Plant Healthy certificate, UK & Ireland Sown and Grown accreditation, Planet Mark certification, and the British Association of Landscaping Industries accreditation, to name a few. Each of its 250,000 trees are a testament to its commitment to biodiversity and sustainability, with both its supply-chain and materials selected with sustainability in mind. In the last 12 months, Hillier has reduced its carbon footprint by 5%. During this period, it grew every one of its quarter of a million trees using 100% peat-free soil and watered them with 100% recycled water. It continues steadfast to tackle evolving ecosystems with the planting of 10 new climate-resilient trees, reaffirming its commitment to a healthier environment.
RootSpace is the UK’s leading soil cell for enabling long term canopy cover in our urban spaces. Manufactured from 100% recycled material and recyclable up to five times.
Scan QR code to view more online
The only soil cell system to be BBA approved. Manufactured in the UK from 100% recycled material.
E: enquiries@greenblue.com W: greenblue.com
Short lead times with next day delivery available.
Industry leading strength characteristics for superior performance.
This business-focused category highlights a company that is making institutional changes to its internal processes. Judges assess on staff schemes, priority of sustainable approaches and a company’s ability to source sustainable suppliers and facilitate sustainable growth plans.
With a commitment to do everything they can to tackle the biodiversity emergency and mitigate climate change, HTA Design put nature at the core of all its projects by creating functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces that meet the needs of the local community, while also promoting wellbeing and environmental stewardship. It is driving sustainability in all aspects of the business, including design, as part of its mission to become the most sustainable practice it can be. It has recently been awarded B Corp certification, achieving an overall B Impact score of 136.1, one of the highest in the UK Built Environment Sector. The award-winning collaborative practice has long been an advocate for urban greening, having pioneered the adoption of urban biodiversity net gain (BNG). It worked alongside the London Wildlife Trust to create a nature recovery network at Cator Park in Greenwich; the project led to a 161% gain in biodiversity and evidenced how traditional urban parkland can be adapted for nature recovery, earning it an inclusion in DEFRA’s BNG publication.
At BSW Timber, we take pride in offering the widest range of responsibly sourced timber products in the UK. With innovation as our driving force, we constantly bring the latest developments to market, ensuring we always have the perfect solution for your needs. Experience the excellence of British timber for all your landscaping endeavours. Our top-quality fencing and landscaping timbers are ideal for all applications. Craft your dream garden with our meticulously finished timber components and turn your vision into reality.
bsw.co.uk
At BSW Timber, we take pride in offering the widest range of responsibly sourced timber products in the UK. With innovation as our driving force, we constantly bring the latest developments to market, ensuring we always have the perfect solution for your needs. Experience the excellence of British timber for all your landscaping endeavours. Our top-quality fencing and landscaping timbers are ideal for all applications. Craft your dream garden with our meticulously finished timber components and turn your vision into reality.
bsw.co.uk
At BSW Timber, we take pride in offering the widest range of responsibly sourced timber products in the UK. With innovation as our driving force, we constantly bring the latest developments to market, ensuring we always have the perfect solution for your needs. Experience the excellence of British timber for all your landscaping endeavours. Our top-quality fencing and landscaping timbers are ideal for all applications. Craft your dream garden with our meticulously finished timber components and turn your vision into reality.
bsw.co.uk
A category for all garden design companies regardless of size, recognising those that uphold the core values of sustainability throughout all company processes. Judges evaluate how each business operates and how it approaches every project, whether the team is made up of one or many team members.
Rachel Bailey Garden Design is a multi-award-winning landscape and garden design studio based in Helensburgh, working across West and Central Scotland. Established just shy of 10 years ago in 2015, the studio – a registered practice with the Society of Garden Designers – has sustainability and biodiversity at its core as evidenced in its end-to-end project delivery and business practices. It specialises in creating environmentally conscious, plant-filled gardens for the benefit of people and wildlife. Its Environmental Policy is held aloft by four pillars that guide every project – minimise carbon emissions, be resilient and adaptable, limit waste and protect natural resources and improve biodiversity. Rachel Bailey Garden Design is committed to achieving net zero by the latest 2045 as part of its sustainability business plan, led by the mantra: “no matter a company’s size, they have the power to make changes that will collectively make a difference.”
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Recognising eco-conscious grounds maintenance companies that prioritise sustainability and environmental protection, judges evaluated each companies’ supplier relations, long-term sustainability goals, as well as their green transitioning changes.
Nurture Landscapes, a subsidiary of the Nurture Group, is a multiaward-winning horticulture and green service provider, operating from 22 regional offices, 60 depicts and over 20,000 sites across the UK. Driven by a purpose to create a “healthier, safer and more beautiful world”, Nurture Landscapes is committed to ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles, sustainability and biodiversity. Going beyond the traditional grounds maintenance services, Nurture proactively supports clients in achieving their own ESG objectives, with a commitment to driving transformative change, inclusive of sustainability. Its portfolio has already been recognised by the likes of the Green Flag and Green Apple Awards, and it is a winner of two BALI National Landscape Awards this year. Now, it is dedicated to achieving net zero by 2035 and B Corp certification in the coming years.
Established 1864
As sustainability becomes increasingly important, the role of trees in combatting climate change, supporting bodiversity, and improving the environment has never been clearer.
Ready to make a sustainable choice? Get in touch to discover our British-grown trees for your project!
trees.hillier.co.uk
treesales@hillier.co.uk
01794 368 733
Download The Hillier Tree Guide
Your guide to our range of trees. Showing their form and size over 15, 25 and 50 years, plus helpful information on suggested usage for a variety of projects and locations.
Scan this QR code to download your copy today!
Hillier Trees: Supplying the landscaping industry for 160 years.
Regardless of turnover and resources, this accolade is for any landscaping company in the business of building gardens sustainably –domestic or commercial. Judges acknowledge each company’s sustainability outlook as well as its supplier relationships, long-term goals and willingness to put forward shared information for the betterment of the industry.
Combining creativity and environmental responsibility to deliver aesthetically functional spaces for over 30 years, Graduate Landscapes continues to prioritise green solutions and community engagement. With sustainability as its foundation, this Hampshire-based business has an ethos that lies in creating eco-friendly landscapes that harmonise with nature. Over the past five years, it has invested significantly in reducing its environmental impact, as well as educating clients on green living solutions and aiding global climate efforts. It conducts regular impact assessments to ensure all projects meet the highest sustainability standards and continue to remain as such post build. To ensure its suppliers align with its sustainability and biodiversity goals, the company employs a rigorous vetting process focused on environmental responsibility and ethical practices, assessing against sustainability criteria, certifications and standards, ethical sourcing, review schedules and collaboration and improvement. This process ensures all its suppliers are positively contributing to a commitment to sustainability and biodiversity.
For this category, focus is put on how a product gives back to the natural environment in an aesthetically pleasing way. Products can range from recycled or recyclable to design, developed or produced with futureproofing in mind, and that have minimal impact on natural resources.
Accredited from the likes of BBA and EPD certification, GreenBlue Urban’s RootSpace Generation 2 soil cell is currently the only support system that uses UK-sourced recycled materials. Featuring a panel system with two main interlocking components, as well as a unique airflow deck giving even aeration to complement soil volume, the RootSpace Generation 2 is designed to prevent soil compaction while providing ample rooting space for trees in the urban environment, ensuring they reach their fullest potential. Urban tree planting has a significant impact on an area’s biodiversity and can help mitigate the effects of flooding and storm weather. The RootSpace Generation 2 is compatible with integration into sustainable drainage systems to manage rainwater. The integration of plantable spaces within the system further supports a diverse range of plant species, and in turn, creates a more diverse range of habitats for local wildlife.
Greenbelt Group is the UK’s leading land stewardship specialist We ensure sustainability and biodiversity on more than 1,000 housing developments Our high-quality, award-winning services are affordable for all
· BNG Expertise: We are in the vanguard of identifying challenges and providing workable, affordable solutions
· Specialists: We provide thoughtfully managed accessible wilderness with multiple habitats of Hedgerows, Species Rich Meadows, Woodland Habitat, Wetlands and much more
· SuDS: We manage internationally renowned SuDS, including treatment trains with attenuation basins, swales, dams and reno mattresses, that act as biodiverse oases
· Awards: We have been awarded the Green Flag Award for highest standards of land management and community relationship in 2022, 2023 and 2024
· Excellence: We believe our tenets of excellence in governance and responsible stewardship should be applied to ALL new developments, regardless of their size
· Education: We provide education days with local schools and residents hosted by our specialist Greenbelt teams
· Engagement: Long-term community engagement is established through working with Residents’ Associations, sponsoring and assisting with events and helping nurture a healthy and enjoyable environment for everyone
· Partnerships: When Greenbelt Group, housebuilders, planners and communities work together, we achieve the best possible outcomes for people and the planet
Greenbelt Group has management models for sustainable and biodiverse land stewardship that are tried, tested and ready to go . . . contact our experts now!
Lee Carter National Sales Director lee.carter@greenbelt.co.uk
Gareth Lawton Regional Sales Manager gareth.lawton@greenbelt.co.uk
Lee McGregor Regional Sales Manager lee.mcgregor@greenbelt.co.uk
Download our information pack
This category refers to products being used within soft landscaping, from creation to delivery. Judges review how each product gives back to the natural environment; these can be any products or plants that have been developed with the betterment of biodiversity in mind.
Shaped by 20 years of carbon sequestration research, the Carbon4Grass Range represents the union of high-grade grass seed technology with environmental stewardship helping to enhance biodiversity and aesthetic appeal. With an integration of advanced carbon capture and soil health improvement properties, Carbon4Grass was developed in response to the urgent need for sustainable nature-based solutions. It works to minimise resource depletion by improving soil structure as well as limiting the need for chemical input to help foster a stronger more diverse ecosystem capable of withstanding environmental pressures like drought and heavy foot traffic. Trials have shown the mixtures are able to sequester up to 20.5 tonnes of CO 2 equivalent per hectare per year, helping customers reduce their carbon footprint while contributing to the push back against the effects of climate change.
This category focuses on an individual’s outstanding performance in demonstrating and applying sustainability leadership. Judges acknowledge how the individual champions sustainability within the businesses and how they have helped drive positive change.
Though not initially a sustainability professional when joining Tyler Grange, Kay Geoghegan, the quality, data, and B Corp lead, spearheaded the consultancy’s B Corp certification process, helping it achieve the coveted title in 2022. Not only does she continue to manage the certification process, she also leads on the company’s greenhouse gas reduction strategies, sustainable development goals accreditation, and the annual impact report collation. She set up and now runs the decarbonisation team, who help align the company to environmental and social governance. During her time at Tyler Grange, she has earned a well-deserved reputation for continued excellence, transparency, and willingness to teach. She has spent the last few years upskilling and networking to ensure the business remains up-to-date with the latest ever-evolving key information, while also striving for continued improvement to keep Tyler Grange at the forefront of environmental stewardship.
DOMESTIC DESIGN PROJECT
CLIMATE POSITIVE GARDEN, PAISLEY
RACHEL BAILEY GARDEN DESIGN LTD
In partnership with
COMMERCIAL BUILD PROJECT
KNEPP WILDING ‘DOG WALKERS
CAR PARK’ & KITCHEN
GRADUATE LANDSCAPES LTD
In partnership with
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDIO In partnership with
HTA DESIGN LLP
GARDEN DESIGN COMPANY
RACHEL BAILEY GARDEN DESIGN LTD
In partnership with
COMMERCIAL DESIGN PROJECT – TEMPORARY INSTALLATION
In partnership with ‘THE FREEDOM FROM TORTURE GARDEN: A SANCTUARY FOR SURVIVORS’ IN COLLABORATION WITH SENSELESS ACTS OF BEAUTY
EMMA O’CONNELL GARDEN DESIGN
COMMERCIAL DESIGN PROJECT
ATELIER GARDENS, BERLIN
HARRIS BUGG STUDIO
GROUNDS MAINTENANCE COMPANY
In partnership with NURTURE LANDSCAPES LTD
LANDSCAPING COMPANY In partnership with
GRADUATE LANDSCAPES LTD
In partnership with
MAINTENANCE CONTRACT
In partnership with CHINEHAM PARK
NURTURE LANDSCAPES LTD
SUPPLIER
In partnership with HILLIER NURSERIES LTD
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR – HARD LANDSCAPING
In partnership with ROOTSPACE GENERATION 2 GREENBLUE URBAN LTD
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR – SOFT LANDSCAPING
In partnership with CARBON4GRASS RANGE ORIGIN AMENITY SOLUTIONS
SUSTAINABILITY AND BIODIVERSITY LEADER
In partnership with KAY GEOGHEGAN
TYLER GRANGE GROUP LTD
TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER 2024