50 magnificent years of landscaping distinction

Where it all began

It was in 1971 that a handful of luminaries decided that the burgeoning landscape and horticulture industry, with its existing small representative groups, deserved its own dedicated Trade Association. This would exist to raise standards of training and workmanship across the industry, to support its members, and promote them to their potential customers.

Jeffrey Bernhard OBE of Bernhard’s of Rugby (Bernhard’s Nurseries), who was Chairman of the Executive Committee of the HTA’s Landscape Group at the time, headed up the steering committee for the new association. In 1972, with the support of other industry names including Geoffrey Chalk (Managing Director of Gavin Jones Nurseries at the time) and Les Bailey (then Director of Blakedown Nurseries), the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) was born.

The Association soon began to attract many other well-known landscaping companies as members. Jeffrey Bernhard became the Association’s first National Chairman, and the very first conference and AGM was held that same year at Merrist Wood College near Guildford, Surrey.

Reflecting on the achievements of the past, Jeffrey Bernhard OBE commented:

“It is with considerable satisfaction that I have witnessed the organisation I was privileged to Chair at its very beginning develop into an authoritative voice of the landscape industry.”

Looking back over the years there have been a number of notable achievements of which the Association can be justly proud. It was thanks to BALI, following a suggestion and subsequent lobbying by Peter Jennins OBE, the Association’s National Chairman from 1978-1979, and his committee that the National Garden Festivals would eventually be given the go-ahead.

Taking place in Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Glasgow, Gateshead and Ebbw Vale between 1984 and 1992, these wonderful advertisements for landscaping and horticulture resulted in the much-needed regeneration of socially and economically derelict industrial areas across Britain. A recent parallel is BALI’s and its members’ major contribution to the planning, construction and subsequent maintenance, in collaboration with other key industry and professional bodies, of London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Celebrating excellence

The National Landscape Awards were introduced shortly after the Association was established and developed over the years into the largest landscaping event of its kind in Europe. One of the original aims which remains true today, was to draw attention to the standards of professionalism achieved by members and, in so doing, raise standards across the wider industry.

Winners over the years have received their awards from such names as Chris Beardshaw, Lord Sebastian Coe, David Domoney and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and the annual Awards ceremony now attracts c. 1,000 guests from amongst the great and the good of the landscape industry to London each December.

Emily Feeney, Events Project Manager commented:

“The National Landscape Awards provide the industry with a platform in which to showcase and improve their business and celebrate their achievements both within and outside of the industry. They are an important way to promote the best of the best that the landscape industry has to offer and continue to go from strength to strength.”

Sowing the seeds for the next generation of landscapers

Developing the landscapers of tomorrow has been another cause for celebration over the years. Following its project management of the WorldSkills UK Landscape Skills Gardening Competition for many years, which provided a public platform for young landscapers to demonstrate their landscaping skills and compete against their peers from the UK. The Association continues to work with schools, colleges, career changes and the Armed Forces Resettlement Programme to promote landscaping as a career through its GoLandscape initiative.

Officially launched in 2016 and supported by the BALI Chalk Fund, its dedicated website provides vital information and guidance for anyone wanting to take up a career in the landscape sector. GoLandscape Ambassadors – volunteers from across the industry – go into schools, colleges and resettlement organisations, to promote careers in landscaping.

What next for the Association?

Membership has grown from c. 230 in 1975 to c. 1,000 today and the disciplines represented among the membership have grown too. Moving forward into the business’ new three-year strategy continuing to build membership will be a top priority alongside leading the industry, continuing to be relevant to members’ clients and future-proofing the organisation.

Who knows what the world of landscaping will look like when the Association celebrates its 60th anniversary but there is no doubt that the Association and its membership will be there, at the front, shaping and leading the industry as they have always done, by example.