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LANDSCAPING SERVICES FEATURE

LANDSCAPING STANDARDS 2022

Jo-Anne Hilliar, founder of Landscape Design Consultants International, is a senior
SALI judge and landscape educator with many years of experience in the South
African landscaping industry. In the article below, she gives her views on the KZN
projects she judged for the 2022 SALI Awards of Excellence.

Conmar Horticulture: Play area designed into the landscape Conmar Horticulture: Areas of mass planting designed into the landscape

Conmar Horticulture: Park seating within the relaxation and Conmar Horticulture: Children’s play area incorporated into a large
exercise area sandpit setting
s a senior judge working specifically innovative materials were used in the As the senior national judge for KZN over
on KZN landscapes, I was very design; the past three years, it has been rewarding
Aencouraged by the high standard 4. The feature of each project was based to see that the emphasis of the awards, and
of all the projects. Overall compliance on planting combinations and the use creating indigenous, endemic landscapes
with the briefs, presented either verbally of endemic planting. In some cases, hard with a strong sustainable brief, has been
or by plan, was exceptionally well landscaping elements were phenomenal; prioritised.
executed and depicted exactly what 5. Sustainability of all the designs judged
design planners need to do in order to required no further exploration from the The judges’ checklist for rating the projects
deliver a successful end product to the contractors or ourselves; encompasses all aspects of compliance -
client. 6. The plant material and species chosen from innovation to sustainability, unusual
were exceptionally well displayed or materials, earthworks, shaping and quality
Some of my observations are as follows: well positioned in the landscape, and of plant material. Ultimately, the entire
1. Species planted for a particular project this made our job as judges a lot easier, presentation of the landscape and its
were carefully chosen, showing a without too much questioning. workings was very evident.
self-sustaining landscape with water
resources being only briefly required. It was for me very evident that the The landscapes represented in KZN for
This applied for all the entries; contractors who entered their projects 2022 all won awards, which was extremely
2. A high percentage of endemics occur really revealed the essence of what SALI gratifying, but two of these really stood
in this climatic biome and were very is all about, namely showing who the out for me. The first was executed by
well researched; top landscapers are, but at the same McWades Landscapes and achieved the top
3. Overall, the design projects were of a time providing opportunities for newer environmental landscaping award for the
high standard and the different design members to gain experience as they grow transformation of an overrun alien forest
plan briefs were encouraging. Many in the industry. amongst indigenous trees. The emerging
n

22 Landscape SA • Issue 118 2022