Blakedown Landscapes: A Mid-Year Review

As we cross the halfway mark of 2024, we have been talking to Horticulture Week, sharing our achievements, challenges and insights into the wider landscaping sector so far this year:

The first half of 2024 has been busy for Blakedown with the successful delivery of a number of multi-disciplinary contracts, ranging from historic park restorations such as Greenwich Park Revealed through to complex hard landscaping public realm contracts and design-led soft landscaping projects such as our virtual tree library public art installation for Cambridge University.

Challenges have included extended periods of wet weather which have tested our resilience, particularly in projects with extensive earthworks, where we have adjusted our programmes and methodologies to ensure successful outcomes.

Political uncertainty has led to the postponement or cancellation of some projects. Despite this our pipeline remains healthy with some substantial and innovative projects lined up, including more historic park restorations.

A notable trend this year has been the rise in Contractor Design Portions (CDPs) within projects, bringing pricing and timing challenges. Identifying this shift, Blakedown has strategically appointed a dedicated Design Manager to manage these changes effectively and ensure we continue to deliver high quality results.

To read the full article and further opinion on how the landscaping sector has fared in 2024 so far, click here.