ProLandscaper Magazine has just launched their very first Podium Awards - and Bourne Amenity is the headline sponsor!

The awards will recognise the achievements, past and present, of landscapers, landscape architects and garden designers in the podium landscaping industry. The aim is to give projects that may have been previously overlooked the recognition they deserve. There are five categories and entries have just opened. The award ceremony will be at the Futurescape Spring event on 12 March (at Sandown Park).

Here's what Jonathan said at the launch of the awards: "Bourne Amenity Ltd are proud to headline sponsor the inaugural Pro Landscaper Podium awards and salute the recognition of an integral part of modern urban planning. We have been working with architects and contractors on podium planting and related SuDS schemes for almost ten years. Over this period, these beneficial installations have become mainstream, and our range of planting substrates is constantly evolving to match the imagination and ambition of designers. These awards will act as an incentive for our clients to push the boundaries of podium design, and mark another positive step towards a greener and healthier living spaces."

Full details are on ProLandscaper's website.

We'll be monitoring progress closely, of course - watch this space!

The annual Heathfield show was held on Saturday with a solid JB Group presence. Our welcoming stand featuring both Gardenscape and JB & Co lorries and products attracted not only many visitors, but also a first prize for Best Agricultural Stand (under 12 metres). Well done Nicola for creating a friendly and informative layout with just two lorries, 14 bulk bags and three hanging baskets!

It was a fantastic day for the show - wall-to-wall sunshine and an enthusiastic crowd of visitors. The displays were, as ever, very impressive and since our stand is right next by the main ring, we even got to see some of them. However, the stand was very busy with visitors and we had a great number of enquiries, both for the agricultural materials and from keen gardeners.

The stand design works well - the lorries and flag can be seen from all over the showground. And the hanging baskets were a notable and favourably commented-upon feature (can you spot all three of them in the featured photo?). It didn't take too much engineering expertise to put the gazebo up, either! Our catering supplies were much appreciated, with a keg of Level Best taking pride of place. Despite Peter's and my best efforts we didn't quite manage to finish it...

The photo shows the Great Room at Grosvenor House shortly before the lunch started. it was all very elegantly laid out and, though there must have been something like 1200 people there, there was adequate space for everybody.

The awards were of course what everybody was there for, and we were very pleased that One Tower Bridge won the Grand Award - the "Best in Show" prize. It is an amazing project too, and we are proud to have supplied our products via Scotscape. As these things tend to do, the ceremony did rather drag on. The presenter was Stephanie McGovern, a well-known TV presenter (apparently - but then I don't watch TV!). She did have some trouble holding the attention of the crowd, as the procedure trundled on, but it would have been an impossible task for anybody, as the temperature rose and drink was being drunk. Everybody should get their time in the limelight, but if there were any way of speeding up the presentation of the awards, that would be the single improvement that would make a big difference to the event.

The food was nicely presented and well prepared, but not that inspiring, perhaps (difficult with 1200 guests though). There was a decent amount of drink available and we enjoyed that! The prices in the bar afterwards are, well, London prices... need I say more?

Overall, the organisation can't be faulted. Everything worked smoothly, the catering and security staff did their jobs unobtrusively and there was never any real crush. People were generally well-behaved and I think we all left with feelings of goodwill towards humankind in general and BALI in particular - a good thing at this time of the year!