In the BALI Chalk Fund’s 50th year, we have not only been celebrating everything that the Fund has achieved in a half-century of support for education and training in the landscape sector, but we have been thinking back. Thinking back to when we all started our careers in horticulture or landscape…
Peter Jennins, Chair of the Board of Trustees for the BALI Chalk Fund since 2013, stood down as Chair in September 2025. To start the ball rolling, we asked him to kick off the series of “The BALI Chalk Fund at 50”. Take it away, Peter!
What do you wish you knew when you started your career in the landscape sector?
Switching from the world of quantity surveying into landscape contracting, I wish I’d known that landscaping wasn’t considered as a real, stand-alone professional industry, as opposed to being viewed as merely a minor off-shoot of the building trade. Now recognised as a rightful and credible career choice, the landscape sector has shrugged off some of its construction shackles and is to be celebrated in its own right (and has more facets than just gardening in its armoury).
What was the best piece of advice you received in your early days?
Early in my career, a fellow contractor advised me that you should never take on a contract worth more than a third of your annual turnover. This stayed with me throughout my career – it was a pity that the chap who said it didn’t heed his own advice!
How has the fund developed over 50 years?
I’m very encouraged by the development of the programmes, the awards and the support the Fund has offered to initiatives such as GoLandscape. Latterly, the level of donations and commitments from industry and our Champions has allowed us to plan and promote, casting the net wider and shouting the message louder to the course leaders in land-based education. The challenge lies in ensuring that colleges have tutors who are trained and in a position to impart their knowledge in training courses – and that’s growing more difficult every academic year.
Peter’s tenure as Chair ended in September 2025 when Nick Coslett took over. The Trustees, Champions, BALI and the UK landscape industry are very grateful for Peter’s commitment and dedication over more than 50 years. We have spoken to him in greater depth about his over-half-century of BALI involvement in this month’s news update.