Tag Archive for: 2026

Entries Now Open for the Prestigious 2026 BALI Awards

Entries Now Open for the Prestigious BALI Awards

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Entries Now Open for the Prestigious 2026 BALI Awards

The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) is excited to announce that entries are now open for the BALI National Landscape Awards 2026, Europe’s largest celebration of landscaping excellence. This year’s Awards mark a historic milestone: the 50th anniversary of the very first BALI Awards ceremony.

Taking place at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House London on Friday 4 December, and headline sponsored by Origin Enterprises via their Living Landscapes Division, the event will honour generations of landscaping achievements and celebrate the innovation, skill, and creativity that defines today’s industry.

Entries Now Open for the Prestigious BALI Awards

Entries Now Open for the Prestigious BALI Awards

Standing on the shoulders of giants

Since 1976, the BALI Awards have recognised landscapers and landscaping businesses that push boundaries, inspire peers, and set the standard for excellence. Some winners have carried the tradition through generations, while others have redefined the industry with bold new approaches. The 50th Awards will celebrate this remarkable legacy, honouring the past, present, and future.

Put your best fork forward

With over 25 award categories, there’s an opportunity for every project to shine – whether through design, technical mastery, or environmental impact. Recognition from the BALI Awards not only elevates reputation among clients, but also attracts talent by highlighting a commitment to innovation and excellence.

BALI Chief Executive, Wayne Grills, said:

“I cannot stress enough just how incredible it is to be talking about our 50th holding of the BALI National Landscape Awards. It’s a truly magnificent achievement that they have been going strong for all these years, and a testament to the industry’s resilience.

“Of course, I’ve only been the custodian of these Awards for the past 15 years, but it gives me both great pride to be a steward of them and great excitement to be able to pay homage to all of those who made them what they are today.

“I encourage every landscaper, contractor, supplier and designer to enter these Awards. They are not only a fantastic promotion of your work to both industry and potential clients, but also a rare chance for you to take a moment and appreciate just how amazing your work is.”

Make history: enter now

Entries are open at baliawards.co.uk with a submission deadline of 8 June 2026.

For assistance, contact BALI’s Membership Events Manager, Izzy Plain – izzy.plain@bali.org.uk

Secure your place among 50 years of landscaping greats – this is your moment to be part of history.

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Winners Of The 2026 GMA Industry Awards Announced

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Winners Of The 2026 GMA Industry Awards Announced: The winners of the 2026 GMA Industry Awards were announced last night at a prestigious ceremony at Edgbaston Stadium.

The awards took place alongside the new GMA Conference, which ran throughout the day and brought the industry together for workshops and discussions.

Winners Of The 2026 GMA Industry Awards Announced

Winners Of The 2026 GMA Industry Awards Announced

Hosted by renowned broadcaster Kelly Somers, the awards celebrated the people and teams who show outstanding skill across the grounds management sector.

With #GroundsWeek just around the corner, taking place from 23-29 March, the awards also served as a reminder of the vital role grounds staff play in making sport possible.

The 2026 winners are:

  • Young Groundsperson of the Year (Sponsored by Origin Amenity Solutions)
    • Flynn Good
  • Newcomer of the Year (Sponsored by ICL)
    • George Legg
  • Volunteer Groundsperson/Team of the Year (Sponsored by Chappell Enterprises UK)
    • Trubshaw Cross
  • Community Groundsperson/Team of the Year (Sponsored by National Governing Bodies of Sport)
    • Stoneham Lane Football Complex
  • Best Managed Artificial Surface of the Year
    • University of Warwick
  • Environmental & Sustainability Impact Award
    • Liverpool F.C
  • Bowls & Croquet Groundsperson/Team of the Year
    • Dean Gibbons
  • Professional Cricket Grounds Team of the Year (Sponsored by Barenbrug)
    • Marylebone Cricket Club
  • Professional Tennis Courts Grounds Team of the Year (Sponsored by Advanced Turf Technology LTD)
    • The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
  • Professional Horse Racing Grounds Team of the Year
    • Warwick Racecourse
  • Professional Rugby League Grounds Team of the Year (Sponsored by Agronomic Services Ltd)
    • Castleford Tigers
  • Professional Rugby Union Grounds Team of the Year (Sponsored by MJ Abbott/Premier Pitches)
    • Bristol Bears
  • Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year (Sponsored by Reesink)
    • Lincoln City F.C
  • Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year (Elite) (Sponsored by SGL)
    • Manchester City F.C
  • University & College Grounds Team of the Year (Sponsored by Kubota)
    • University of Warwick
  • Independent School Grounds Team of the Year (Sponsored by ISEKI)
    • Whitgift School
  • GMA Grounds Manager of the Year (Sponsored by DLF Seeds Ltd)
    • Karl McDermott

Geoff Webb, GMA CEO said: “The GMA Industry Awards are always a key highlight in our calendar. They give us the chance to celebrate the hard work that drives our industry forward. We received a record number of entries this year which shows real strength and pride across grounds management. I want to congratulate all our winners and thank them for the great work they do every day.”

The GMA would like to extend a special thank you to our platinum sponsor ISEKI UK & Ireland as well as conference & award sponsors Origin Amenity Solutions, ICL, Chappell Enterprises UK, National Governing Bodies of Sport, Barenbrug, Agronomic Services Ltd, MJ Abbott/Premier Pitches, Reesink, SGL, Kubota, DLF Seeds Ltd and Advanced Turf Technology LTD, whose support made this event possible.

This year’s charity partner, MND Association, was at the heart of the evening, with guests generously donating to support its vital work in improving access to care, research and campaigning for people affected by motor neurone disease. Thank you to everyone who contributed, your generosity will make a genuine difference.

As we celebrate this year’s award winners, we also encourage the industry to continue raising awareness of the profession by getting involved in #GroundsWeek from 23-29 March. Our annual awareness campaign is all about championing the hard work of grounds staff, inspiring future talent and highlighting the crucial role they play in making sport possible.

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Germinal Amenity announces 2026 grass seed mixtures

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Germinal Amenity announces 2026 grass seed mixtures: Germinal Amenity – the market leader in the development and supply of specialist seed products for the amenity sector – is delighted to announce its 2026 A Range of grass seed mixtures specially formulated for golf and sports turf applications. 

For 2026, Germinal Amenity has sought to improve the already impressive A Range mixtures such as Tour Leader, ForeFront Greens and A20 Premier Ryesport by sourcing new, highly rated grass varieties that complement the top-performing varieties bred by its research and development partners, Germinal Horizon, including AberRoyal and AberRegal.

Germinal Amenity announces 2026 grass seed mixtures

Germinal Amenity announces 2026 grass seed mixtures

New Varieties Added

This year, Germinal Amenity is introducing the new creeping bentgrass varieties, ‘Piper’ and ‘777’ to its A Range blends for golf greens. It is also adding the new perennial ryegrass variety, ‘AberWin’, to its top specification A20 Premier Ryesport mixture for winter sports.

With its exceptionally high shoot density – the foundation of good wear tolerance and recovery – and very attractive mid-green colour, the Germinal Horizon-bred ‘AberWin’ scores highly for live ground cover and visual merit all year round, even during the most testing of ground conditions.

‘777’ is the sister grass variety to the market-leading 007 DSB and tops the BSPB Turfgrass Seed List with a shoot density score of 6.8 and visual merit of 7.0. ‘Piper’ is a brand-new variety that will reach the full BSPB list in 2027 and scores even higher with shoot density of 7.2, visual merit of 8.1 and an impressive 7.2 for fineness of leaf.

Shoot density is a key trait that allows these grasses to out compete Poa Annua in golf courses.

Germinal Amenity is adding both ‘777’ and ‘Piper’ to Tour Leader, its landmark creeping bentgrass mixture that provides unrivalled performance, seasonal adaptability, high disease resistance, and vivid colour retention.

‘Piper’ is also being added to its ForeFront Greens which combines the proven performance of the AberMajesty browntop bentgrass blend with the best creeping bents available to ensure the highest levels of disease and stress resistance.

Commenting, Richard Brown, Amenity Director at Germinal, said:

“The availability of both Piper and 777 has been highly anticipated. We are delighted to be able to incorporate them into the A Range mixtures for 2026 where they will support even greater performance on low inputs for greenkeepers.

They will also significantly enhance the genetic diversity of our leading seed blends. Diversity underpins a lot of the performance of grass mixtures; when conditions get tough, the best variety in the blend will step up to do the job, whether this is coping with shade, drought or disease. Diversity reduces risk for greenkeepers and has long been the standard sought in sports turf management, and which we are making available to greenkeepers across the A Range and in our new mixtures for 2026.

Groundskeepers can have even more confidence in our top-spec blend for winter sports, A20 Premium Ryesports, with the inclusion of AberWin which will be the first time this breakthrough, high shoot density perennial ryegrass variety will be available to the amenity sector.” 

The A Range includes the full range of Germinal’s trusted and proven varieties for all landscape, golf and sports turf applications including ForeFront Greens, AberMajesty Blend, A5 Golf Tees and Tour Leader.

The A Range also offers Germinal’s pollinator-friendly wildflower products, including True Meadow. These mixtures have been formulated for a wide range of developed areas and natural habitats. They also include Regional Environmental (RE) mixtures which meet the requirements of government-sponsored biodiversity schemes in the UK.

The 2026 brochures from Germinal offer guides to unique ranges of grass, clover and wildflora amenity mixtures and are available now at germinalamenity.com or from Germinal Amenity’s Technical Sales and Amenity Turf Advisers.

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ICL and Syngenta reopen Turf Rewards for 2026

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ICL and Syngenta reopen Turf Rewards for 2026: ICL and Syngenta have confirmed the reopening of the Turf Rewards Scheme for 2026, continuing their joint support for turf professionals across the UK and Ireland through a structured rewards scheme designed to add value to everyday purchasing decisions.

The Turf Rewards Scheme allows clubs and contracting businesses to earn reward points when purchasing selected ICL and Syngenta turf products. These points can then be redeemed against a wide range of rewards that support day-to-day operations, help improve efficiency, and add value to planned purchasing throughout the year.

ICL and Syngenta reopen Turf Rewards for 2026

ICL and Syngenta reopen Turf Rewards for 2026

New rewards for 2026 include the LightScout Quantum (PAR) Meter, a professional tool that allows turf managers to measure usable light for photosynthesis, rather than relying on visual assessments. This provides clearer insight when managing turf in shaded, low-light, or restricted environments.

For 2026, the scheme has been expanded to include Greenmaster Liquid Advance. Designed for professional turf managers, the range combines proven liquid nutrition with a biostimulant package containing MTU®, a patented molecule now available in turf for the first time. The inclusion reflects the growing role of liquid nutrition in modern turf management, particularly where flexibility, precision, and response under pressure are critical.

Two new Syngenta products, Comprevo and Vyplenza will also be added to the scheme in the coming weeks, further expanding the range of qualifying products available to turf professionals.

Turf managers across golf, sports, and amenity sectors are encouraged to sign up or resume using Turf Rewards in 2026 and make the most of the benefits available.

For full details and to register, visit www.turfrewards.com for the UK scheme or www.turfrewards.ie for the Republic of Ireland scheme.

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TGA Demonstration Day 2026 – Tickets Now on Sale

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TGA Demonstration Day 2026 – Tickets Now on Sale: The Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA) is pleased to confirm that tickets are now on sale for the 2026 TGA Demonstration Day, taking place on Thursday 2 July 2026, hosted by Grasslands Turf in Kent.

Tickets can be purchased HERE.

TGA Demonstration Day 2026 – Tickets Now on Sale

TGA Demonstration Day 2026 – Tickets Now on Sale

The Demonstration Day is the Association’s flagship technical field event, bringing together professional turfgrass growers, suppliers and industry specialists from across the UK for a full day of live demonstrations, knowledge exchange and networking.

Exhibitor, demonstration and sponsorship opportunities are now available, providing companies with a valuable opportunity to engage directly with TGA grower members and showcase products, services and innovations in a practical field environment.

The TGA is delighted to confirm the following exhibitors to date:

• Campey Turfcare
• Trimax
• Brocks Wheel & Tyre
• Industrial Pallet & Transport Services Ltd
• Rovadi Turf Equipment

Further exhibitor confirmations are imminent, and interest remains strong.

The Association is also pleased to confirm Agrigem Ltd as the official Show Programme Sponsor for the 2026 Demonstration Day.

The event will feature:

• Live machinery and equipment demonstrations
• On-field trials and technical showcases
• Trade stands from leading industry suppliers
• Networking opportunities with growers, agronomists and manufacturers

Discussion aligned with TGA production standards and sustainability priorities

The Demonstration Day forms a key part of the TGA’s ongoing commitment to supporting professional turf production, promoting best practice and strengthening collaboration across the supply chain.

Tickets, exhibitor bookings and sponsorship enquiries can be made via the TGA office or the Association’s website.

For exhibitor and sponsorship bookings, or for further information, visit www.turfgrass.co.uk or contact the TGA office.

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