Awards of Excellence


This award program is open to NALP members only. Learn about the benefits of an NALP Membership.
Clients value award-winning companies. Employees want to work for companies that do great work. The National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding projects in commercial and residential lawn care and landscape contracting, management and design. Projects range in size and scope from less than $25K to more than $1M.

Have one or more residential or commercial projects that are award-worthy? Pick your best projects and enter! Be sure to review the criteria for each category before beginning your submission. 

Details on submission requirements and judging criteria can be found in the Awards Packet.


Download the Awards Packet



Entries are now being accepted for the Awards of Excellence


Entry Fee: $549 | Deadline to Enter: July 29, 2024

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What People are Saying...

We find the NALP Awards of Excellence are an excellent way to share the depth of the passion and pride we have for our work with prospects, clients and our team. To compete on a national level re-affirms that our company is relevant, up-to-speed on current trends and employ the capable people to take projects to that level.”

Mark Maslow, Owner and President, Southern Landscape Group

Why Participate in the Awards of Excellence?

  • Attract and retain clients with award-winning work and proven expertise.
  • Celebrate your team's achievements—employees are energized and motivated when their work is recognized with a national award.
  • Boost your recruiting efforts—people want to work for award-winning companies.

How are the Awards Recognized?

  • All award-winning companies will be invited to attend the Awards of Excellence event at ELEVATE.
  • All winning entries will receive a beautiful, personalized plaque and the opportunity to order additional customized plaques.
  • Each winning entry will be featured in the NALP online awards gallery and listed in the November/December edition of The Edge magazine.
  • NALP will promote the Awards of Excellence through press releases and on social media.
  • The trade press often features award-winning projects.
  • Companies will receive marketing tools such as digital award graphics, press release templates and more!

How to Get Started

  • Access our online awards platform using your NALP login to apply
  • Choose your best project(s).
  • Gather project information that will provide judges with a good sense of the overall project
  • Choose the best photos- high resolution and no mor than 3 years old with the exception of BEFORE photos
  • Create a brief description for each photo.
  • Start your entry!

Categories and Judging Criteria

Installation/Contracting (click here to expand)

For installation or contracting projects, it is helpful to the judges to include two to three “before” and “in-process” photos and explain the installation’s special challenges. For example, if access was difficult, show the judges how difficult it was, and how you managed the plant material. If you had to use heavy equipment or inventive ways to access the building, be sure to show this. Your photos and descriptions should focus on the installation and the final result, not the design or selection of materials. In addition, the judges will look at how you used the space, so be sure to provide photos that show the overall areas of the project, rather than only close up shots.

Interior Installation projects

  • Under $25,000
  • $25,000 - $75,000
  • $75,000 -150,000
  • Above $150,000

Exterior Contracting projects (Residential and Commercial)

  • Under $25,000
  • $25,000 - $100,000
  • $100,000 - $250,000
  • $250,000 - $500,000
  • $500,000 - $1,000,000
  • Above $1,000,000

Judging Criteria

  1. Overall appearance –25% (includes design for D/B entries)
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25%
  3. Quality of all materials – 25% (for Interior entries, includes containers and silk/artificial/preserved foliage)
  4. Appropriate scale and functionality in relation to structures/space – 25%

Design/Build (click here to expand)

In this category, you must submit a photo depicting the landscape design plan (delete your company name from the plan). The entering firm must have created the landscape design as well as the installation or construction of the project. Your description should focus on the client’s request, and how your landscape design met his or her specific needs. Do not forget this is a design/build project — include two to three photos about the actual installation of the project and any special challenges.

Interior Design/Build projects 

  • Under $25,000
  • $25,000 - $75,000
  • $75,000 -150,000
  • Above $150,000

Exterior Design/Build projects (Residential and Commercial)

  • Under $25,000
  • $25,000 - $100,000
  • $100,000 - $250,000
  • $250,000 - $500,000
  • $500,000 - $1,000,000
  • Above $1,000,000

Judging Criteria

  1. Overall appearance –25% (includes design for D/B entries)
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25%
  3. Quality of all materials – 25% (for Interior entries, includes containers and silk/artificial/preserved foliage)
  4. Appropriate scale and functionality in relation to structures/space – 25%

Landscape Management (click here to expand)

For the projects in these categories, the entering firm must currently be managing the project/property and must have managed it for at least 12 months prior to the entry date. Photos should be taken at least 12 months after the firm assumed the project and must show sufficient detail to allow the judges to adequately determine the quality of the work performed. Be sure to include the date that the project was assumed on the entry form. You should show a range of photos that clearly portray the turf and/or plant material. Talk specifically about the project's scope and the maintenance procedures involved at the site - particularly if this involves some out-of-the-ordinary constraints. Give the judges information about disease and pest control programs, maintenance schedules, and any unusual or significant challenges associated with the project, and what steps you took to correct any problems.


Residential Landscape Management Projects (no subcategories)
Commercial Landscape Management Projects (select one subcategory)
  • Housing
  • Office and Industrial Sites/Hotels & Resorts
  • Retail
  • Institutional
  • Multi-Use Properties

Judging Criteria

  1. Overall appearance – 25%
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25%
  3. Appearance of turf – 10%
  4. Appearance of trees – 10%
  5. Appearance of annual color – 10%
  6. Appearance of shrubs – 10%
  7. Appearance of ground cover – 10%

Lawn Care (click here to expand)

For the projects in this category, the entering firm must currently be managing the project and must have managed it for at least 12 months prior to the entry date. Photos should be taken at least 12 months after the firm assumed the project and must show sufficient detail to allow the judges to adequately determine the quality of the work performed. You should show a range of 6-8 photos that clearly portray the turf and/or plant material. Talk specifically about the project's scope and the maintenance procedures involved at the site - particularly if this involves some out-of-the-ordinary constraints. Give the judges information about disease and pest control programs, maintenance schedules, and any unusual or significant challenges associated with the project, and what steps you took to correct any problems.


Residential Lawn Care (no subcategories)
Commercial Lawn Care (select one subcategory)
  • Housing
  • Office and Industrial Sites/Hotels & Resorts
  • Retail
  • Institutional
  • Multi-Use Properties

Judging Criteria

  1. Overall appearance – 50%
    1. Lush
    2. Thick
    3. Mower trucks in turf
    4. Setting/composition
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25%
    1. Obstacles to overcome
    2. Drainage conditions
    3. Sun/shade
  3. Appearance of turf – 25%
    1. Weed free
    2. Health

Landscape Interior Maintenance (click here to expand)

For the projects in this category, the entering firm must currently be managing the project and must have managed it for at least 12 months prior to the entry date. Photos should be taken at least 12 months after the firm assumed the project and must show sufficient detail to allow the judges to adequately determine the quality of the work performed. Be sure to include the date that the project was assumed on the entry form. You should show a range of photos that clearly portray the turf and/or plant material. Talk specifically about the project's scope and the maintenance procedures involved at the site - particularly if this involves some out-of-the-ordinary constraints. Give the judges information about disease and pest control programs, maintenance schedules, and any unusual or significant challenges associated with the project, and what steps you took to correct any problems.


What percentage, if any, of the project is silk, artificial, preserved foliage?

Judging Criteria

  1. Overall appearance – 25%
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25%
  3. Appearance of containers – 10%
  4. Appearance of trees – 10%
  5. Appearance of annual color – 10%
  6. Appearance of preserved/silk foliage– 10%
  7. Appearance of live plant material– 10%

Decade Awards (click here to expand)

Photos must show the current quality of the work performed. "Before" photos are not required but are sometimes helpful to judges. The entry form must include the date that the project was assumed and the year the project received the Grand/Gold Award. NALP members who have received a Grand/Gold Award and have managed their project continuously for 10 years or more after receiving the Grand/Gold Award may submit their project in this category.

Interior Maintenance Decade Award
Exterior Lawn Care Decade Award
Exterior Landscape Management Decade Award


Judging Criteria

Exterior Lawn Care Decade
  1. Overall appearance – 50% (lush, thick, mower tracks in turf, setting/composition)
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25% (obstacles to overcome, drainage conditions, sun/shade)
  3. Appearance of turf – 25% (weed free, healthy)

Interior Maintenance Decade
  1. Overall appearance - 25%
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25%
  3. Appearance of containers – 10%
  4. Appearance of trees – 10%
  5. Appearance of annual color – 10%
  6. Appearance of preserved/silk foliage – 10%
  7. Appearance of live plant material – 10%
Exterior Landscape Management Decade
  1. Overall appearance - 25%
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25%
  3. Appearance of turf – 10%
  4. Appearance of trees – 10%
  5. Appearance of annual color – 10%
  6. Appearance of shrubs – 10%
  7. Appearance of ground cover – 10%

Interior Containerized Plantings (click here to expand)

For projects in this category, be sure the project you are entering is unique in some way or demonstrates creativity in selection of plant material and containers. The entering firm must have provided and installed all plants and containers and must have played a significant role in the design process. Your project description should focus on the client’s requests and how you satisfied them. Your photos should show the entire space where containerized plantings were used so that judges can realize their impact.

Interior projects

  • Under $25,000
  • $25,000 - $75,000
  • $75,000 -150,000
  • Above $150,000

Erosion Control/Ecological Restoration (click here to expand)

Entries in this category are unique. You should show all phases of the project in your photos — before, during, after — and describe the process you went through. Be sure to explain the project’s intent and how you fulfilled the client’s requests. Also include in your project description the impact this project has had on the environment, and how you coordinated the work with any outside agencies. Projects in this category should contain similar values and functions of native landscapes.

Judging Criteria

  1. Overall impact/benefit to the environment – 25%
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25%
  3. Accomplishment of project intent – 25%
  4. Coordination of work with outside agencies – 25%

Special Events (click here to expand)

For this category, focus on the project’s unique aspects and the special challenges you overcame. These projects are defined as short term, such as seasonal displays, banquets, weddings, or exhibits, and must not have been completed within your own facilities (e.g., a showcase room or flower show held at your nursery for prospective clients). Include in your project description the project’s intent and how you satisfied the client’s requests.

Interior and Exterior Special Events

Judging Criteria

  1. Overall appearance – 50%
  2. Degree of difficulty – 25%
  3. Quality of all materials – 25%

2023 Awards of Excellence Gallery

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Order Custom Designed Award Plaques

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2023 Award Recipients

View Awards of Excellence Winners

What People are Saying...

We’ve found the awards program to be invaluable. For our employees, it enables us to recognize and celebrate the excellent craftsmanship and talent of our employees, who in turn, are proud of their work and their company. The process and subsequent outcome allows a unique opportunity to measure our work against that of our competition, creating opportunities for improvement.  An award win helps enhance our reputation within the industry, which both attracts new customers and solidifies existing customer relationships and appeals to potential employees who want to work for employers who are reputable and recognized as top performers.”

Amy Snyder, Director of Public Relations, Ruppert Landscape

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