From our Head Judge - Anthony Scott

Over the last couple of years, it’s needless to say, that life in general has been very different. We have had to learn to go without and to adapt, both in our personal and professional lives. Getting back to some kind of sense of ‘normal’ is what most of us have hankered for. Whilst we might have been adapting and doing things a little differently this year, it was such a great feeling to have the LVML Awards program back up and running, despite the required virtual delivery!

The 2021 Victorian Landscape Awards have yet again showcased some of the extraordinary talent our fellow members are doing out in the field. The judges saw amazing displays of design, construction, and maintenance across both our commercial and domestic categories. The Apprentice of The Year, Rising Star and our new category The Nick Van Diemen award also attracted some fantastic entries.

These Awards of Excellence are the benchmark that define who takes home the top prizes across each category, and with a record number of incredible entries received this year we rely heavily on the expertise our small army of judges bring to the table.

As with every year I have been involved in the awards, I have not only been humbled by the amazing work our members are doing but also equally delighted by the commitment, passion, and professionalism of our judges.

With lockdowns and restrictions to navigate this year, it meant that the judging process would need to adapt. Even with some of the complexities that were in front of us, the one thing that stood out for me above all was just how dedicated each and every judge is in ensuring the diligent processes established are carried out, and that the high standard, that has been set over many years, is maintained.

It also reinforced just how thorough the judging criteria is for each category, which I really think is something we should be proud of as an industry.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank Landscaping Victoria Master Landscapers for making the awards possible again and in particular, Megan Flower, for the power of work that she does each year to make the execution of a complex program like this look so effortless. To all of those that came away with a win or a commendation this year, congratulations on a job well done; to all our entrants, good on you for participating and I hope you got a lot out of the experience; and to our judges and the Board and Staff of LVML, thanks for putting on another ripper!

Judging done ....virtually

With one Judges Representative on site as the 'eyes', the category Judges were able to review all aspects of the entry, virtually.