Landscape and horticulture expert

Association of Professional Landscapers invade Chelsea under stealth

The Association of Professional Landscapers will be having a busy time at the moment preparing for the International Chelsea Flower Show.

Generating Gardens, Landform Consultants, New Ground Landscapes, RG Landscape and Construction Ltd, Nascentia Landscapes Ltd to name but a few of the APL companies representing the association at this years show.

Creating 'desire lines' in your garden business model

Landscapers, gardeners and garden designers will be more than familiar with desire lines and the impact they have on planning a garden or managing an existing scheme that may suffer with the adverse effects of a desire line.

I want to take this theory forward a little and apply the same thinking to how we conduct our own business and how, with a little thought, we can create desire lines that allow you to sell your products and services without using a metaphorical battering ram to channel a potential customer into a direction that they do not want to go.

Is the Association of Professional Landscapers 'A Dead Man Walking'?

It has been just over a year since the Association of Professional Landscapers 'new' website has gone live and I must say, as a former member and probably it's greatest critic, they need to feel ashamed of themselves.

Despite a few recent updates, the site is boring and lacks a punch and what is more, it just does not carry off the task for which is was designed.

The layout of the site is poor and, considering it is committed to represent a large proportion of UK landscapers, it has a few howlers in the text.

One in particular is the title 'why choose a landscapper', can you spot the mistake?

The IOG and BIGGA call off the wedding

It looks as though the relationship is on the rocks before the two parties could tie the knot.

The IOG - Institute of Groundsmanship - and BIGGA - British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association have ceased talks which were aimed at merging the two professional bodies.

Reading between the lines, it seems that IOG and BIGGA have realised that they are not suited and certainly not equal. It perhaps, underlines the divide between a groundsman and a greenkeeper and the rise in status of greenkeeping and the apparent apathy towards groundsmen in general.

The Association of Professional Landscapers show they do care

I don't know if anyone had noticed the comment by Rebecca Moy, on my post titled Is the APL failing the British landscaper?

I am pleased that the subject has been given some consideration and I am aware that any criticism by an outsider can be irritating.

However, as demonstrated by Rebecca's reply, the Association of Professional Landscapers are aware of the inadequacies of the website and the impact this may have on visitors.

The APL started out with a great ambition to form an equal to BALI, it has been going long enough now for the APL to have made inroads into BALI's territory and it is vitally important that British Landscapers have a choice.

Just as important, is the ability of the British public, to have a choice when it comes to choosing an associated landscaping company or individual.

New APL website

In the last week the Association of Professional Landscapers has gone live with a re-vamped website.

I have to say, despite some improvements in the look and feel, that considering the organisation is representing some of the finest creative minds in the Horticultural business it has to rank poorly for design and presentation.

Association of Professional Landscapers

Is the Association of Professional Landscapers doing enough to promote its members?

I pop into the APL website on a regular basis to see what they have been up to and I leave exasperated at the lack of care, creativity and useful information.

Formed as a breakaway organisation to challenge BALI's dominance and monopoly of the Landscape sector they shouted high from the rooftops that they were going to set a new benchmark for the industry and give otherwise excluded Landscape professionals a voice in the direction of landscaping and Horticulture in the UK.

Lantra for landscape training

Getting qualified via the work-based route

Vocational Qualifications in Landscape

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) are work-related, competence based qualifications. These qualifications allow you to gain the skills and knowledge needed to do a job effectively and show that you can actually do a job - not simply that you know how to do it in theory.

Association of Professional Landscapers (APL)

Coming sharply on the heels of BALI is The association of Professional Landscapers APL.


"The Association of Professional Landscapers was created to meet the demands of the customer and to respond to the range of influences on the UK gardening market. Formed in 1995, the rise in APL membership reflects the increase in consumer demand for recognised professional landscaping services."

This significant development and competitive association to BALI seeks to encourage excellence in the Landscape industry. However we are not convinced that the APL is doing enough to challenge the dominant position of BALI.

Started by a dissatisfied group who broke away from BALI it wanted to establish itself at the very least an equal. Affiliated to the Horticultural Trades Association makes it confusing to prospective members and we feel the APL should become independant if it is to survive and establish an equal identity to BALI

Sadly, just looking at the APL website it would appear the challenge has become stale. There are no membership numbers available on their website so we can't make a comparison here.

Bali

British Association of Landscape Industries

A name that became the benchmark for the landscape industry. It is a marque that all up and coming ambitious companies or individuals sought to adorn their literature.

Taken from their website

"The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) is the UK representative trade association for firms undertaking landscaping, both interior and exterior, a wide range of associated suppliers to the industry. With a Landscape contracting membership of over 700, BALI is continually raising standards throughout an industry that is all too often tarred with a 'cowboy' reputation. "