The Association of Professional Landscapers Awards, a flagship event in the landscaping and design calendar, will feature 117 finalists across 20 categories in 2027. The finalists were announced on Tuesday (13 October) at the end of the APL Annual Meeting, held during the landscaping industry event FutureScape in Farnborough.

Every year, the APL Awards showcase and celebrate excellence among the Horticultural Trades Association’s (HTA) landscaper and garden designer members. Projects are recognised for their quality, and members are praised for their professionalism across the industry.

The judging process begins more than a year before the awards ceremony. Earlier this year, the panel of esteemed judges whittled down entries for the 2027 APL Awards to 130 shortlisted projects. After visiting projects across the country, the panel held a further round of judging almost two weeks ago, spending three intensive days evaluating the shortlist at the HTA’s Horticulture House in Oxfordshire. Led by respected industry professionals, the judges used their wealth of knowledge and experience to select the best from a bank of outstanding projects for awards ranging from Bronze to Gold.

This year’s expert judging panel was chaired by Bob Sweet (BBC Gardeners’ World Live) and included Rod Winrow (Garden House Design), Laura Anstiss (Oakmore Green), Rupert Keys (TASK Academy), Robin Templar Williams (Robin Williams & Associates) and Phil Tremayne (APL General Manager).

There was also a mentorship day for the new judges for the 2028 Awards: Adam Vetere (Adam Vetere Landscape and Garden Design) and Claudia de Yong (Claudia de Yong Garden Design).

Bob Sweet, APL Awards 2027 head judge, commented: “This summer has been challenging for all involved in the landscaping industry and the skills of the landscaper have never been more important in finding solutions to construction and planting in these conditions. Garden designers have contributed by adjusting to sustainable planting schemes. The judges have witnessed some remarkable achievements from the APL entries this year through pure skill, adaptation and innovation. The industry should be proud of the extremely high standards achieved and the professionalism of APL landscapers and designers”.

Rupert Keys, APL Awards 2027 judge, added: “The APL Awards are a fantastic celebration of everything that makes British landscaping such a skilled and rewarding profession. Having been involved in judging for the past seven years, I never tire of seeing the craftsmanship, creativity and sheer dedication that goes into creating these wonderful gardens.

“Every project tells its own story, not just through the finished garden, but through the hard work, problem-solving and attention to detail that brings it all together. For me, these awards are about recognising the talented people behind the projects, celebrating the pride they take in their work and inspiring the next generation of landscapers to continue raising standards across our industry. A huge congratulations to all the finalists, who should be immensely proud of their achievements.”

Phil Tremayne, General Manager of the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), said: “Every year, we talk about how difficult it is to judge the APL Awards, and once again, the standard of entries has been exceptional. What continues to impress me is not just the quality of workmanship, but the creativity, innovation and attention to detail demonstrated by our member designers and landscapers. Judging these projects is always a highlight of my year, and this year certainly hasn't disappointed. The finalists are a fantastic reflection of the talent, professionalism and expertise within the APL membership and the wider industry.”

The winners from the total of 117 projects across 20 categories will be announced during a special awards ceremony on Friday 12 March 2027, at The Brewery, 52 Chiswell Street, London EC1Y 4SA.

APL Awards 2027 - Finalists

The companies listed as finalists are in alphabetical order. Some may also feature in more than one category.

• Alice Meacham Gardens
• Aoba Landscapes
• Arlington Landscapes
• Artisan Landscapes
• Artisan Landscapes & Riverdale Falls
• AS Landscapes Design & Build Ltd. / Distinctive Gardener
• Atlantes Landscapes Ltd
• B7 Limited
• Bramley Apple Garden Design
• Bramley Apple Garden Design and Conway Landscapes
• Bushy Business Ltd
• C J LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION LTD
• Chiltern Garden Design
• Cobham Court Landscaping
• Cobham Court Landscaping & Inspired Earth Design
• Craft Landscapes Ltd
• Craig McGibbon Ltd
• Creative Landscape Co. Ltd
• Designscape
• East London Garden Design
• Eliza Gray Gardens
• Ellicar
• Fairdeck and Beetlestones
• Farm Lane Landscaping
• Fenton Gardens Ltd
• Fuchsia Green
• Gadd Brothers Trees and Landscapes
• Gardens of the Future LTD
• Gardenscapes Design & Build Ltd
• Gartenart Swimming Ponds
• Gerbera Designs (Garden Design) and Torbruad Landscapes
• Green Bear Landscaping Ltd
• GreenArt Garden Care & Development Ltd.
• Habitat Landscapes Ltd
• Haldon Construction Limited
• Hardwood Landscapes Limited
• Inspired Earth Design Ltd
• J Freeman Builds Limited
• J Paxman Landscapes Limited
• Kent Best Landscapers
• Kingston Landscape Group Ltd
• Landform Consultants Ltd
• Landscapes By Design Limited
• Landscapes By Design Limited & Designscape
• Lucy Bravington Design Ltd
• Lucy Bravington Design Ltd & Taylor Landscape & Design Ltd
• Maïtanne Hunt & The Garden Builders
• Marsland-Roberts Landscapes Ltd
• Melissa Morton Garden & Landscape Design
• MettaGarden
• MJL Garden Design
• Nordland Landscapes
• Nordland Landscapes & Fiona Lamb Garden Design
• North Hill Garden Design Ltd.
• Rachel Bailey Studio
• Raine Garden Design
• Richard Adam Landscapes
• Riverdale Falls
• Roger Gladwell Landscapes
• Studio Windsor
• Taylor Landscape and Design Ltd
• The Distinctive Gardener
• The Essex Garden Company
• The Garden Builders
• Wildroof Landscapes
• Willow tree landscapes
• Winslade Landscapes Ltd
• Winslade Landscapes Ltd, Raine Garden Design Ltd and Gecko Stonework
• WW Landscapes Ltd

For the full list of finalists and images of the projects, visit: hta.org.uk/apl-awards/finalist 

To book your place at the APL Awards 2027 ceremony, visit: hta.org.uk/apl-awards/visitor-booking-form/