Peek inside the mind of a BALI Awards judge

With entries to the BALI National Landscape Awards 2026 now open, Chair of the judging panel, John Melmoe, reveals what he believes makes a great entry, what he enjoys about the awards, and why it is such an important date in the landscaping calendar.

John is Awards royalty, having overseen Willerby Landscapes as they achieved an unprecedented seven Grand Awards and numerous Principal Awards over the years. Since retiring in 2017, he uses his expertise to assess the latest generation of landscape professionals, businesses and their fantastic creations. 

Q: Let’s get straight to the big question: what sets a submission apart from the crowd?

A: "Over the past few years, through a series of workshops, BALI members have been encouraged to understand the importance of preparing a professional submission pack for the Awards. A submission needs to be factual, without window dressing, and easy to navigate. Most importantly it must accurately reflect the project that has been submitted. A concise, succinct document sets the scene for the Judges and starts to open up the field of play."

Q: What trends have you seen develop over the time that you’ve been a judge and how has that impacted your judging?

A: "The importance of good quality landscaping is increasingly recognised by both commercial and private clients. This has resulted in a massive increase in budgets over the last twenty or so years. As a direct result, the benchmark for standards has increased along with client expectations. The complexities of projects, and the risks members are regularly asked to undertake, has definitely changed. As a result, the knowledge and experience of the judging panel has been fine-tuned accordingly. The adjudication process is more collaborative now, with healthy discussions among the Judges."

Q: As a former BALI Landscape Awards winner yourself, what does it mean to an individual or business to be recognised in this way?

A: "There is no higher accolade within the landscape industry than being recognised with a BALI Award, in my opinion. The whole process for preparing the submission document, as a collaborative effort with colleagues, not only builds team spirit, but the kudos associated with an award cascades down through the whole business. They raise the profile of the company, aid staff retention, and provides a good background for nurturing talent within the business. The Award also cements relationships with clients and in turn has a positive impact on the order book."

Q: What has been the most memorable project you’ve seen at the awards?

A: "This is a difficult question to answer, but it is often the smaller projects that capture our attention where there is meticulous attention to the finer details, constructed with determination and passion, often on a restricted budget."

Think you've got a project or staff member deserving of recognition on landscaping's biggest stage? Enter the Awards now at baliawards.co.uk

Please note: this article was originally published in BALI's Landscape News Autumn 2025 issue and has since been edited and updated.