50th Annual National Collegiate Landscape Competition
March 18 - 21, 2026
Michigan State University
Updated 12/11/2025
Exterior Landscape Design
Description: The student (maximum of one individual per school) will design the outdoor areas of a residence. The design may include patios, pool/spa, fire features, water features, fences, walkways, or others. Design elements must be appropriately labeled. Plant materials are to be identified by landscape function (i.e., ‘large deciduous shade tree’) unless specific plants are required as part of the client’s needs.
Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes
Limits: The sponsor reserves the right to limit the number of individuals competing based on space constraints. Schools will be able to compete based on the date their registrations were received and paid for.
(Registrations that are received late or have not been paid will be placed on a waiting list.)
JUDGING CRITERIA
Points: 100 possible points for the individual score; the individual score is doubled toward the team score for a total of 200 possible points.
Points will be assigned based on the following criteria:
- Meeting the client’s needs (30%)
- Conceptual Design (15%)
- Functional use of space (15%)
- Design principles and creativity (20%)
- Appropriate selection of plant materials (10%)
- Graphics: clarity, visual interest, color (10%)
Time will only be used as a tiebreaker.
Students are required to bring the following materials to the event: All necessary designing equipment (T-square, triangles, circle template, architects' and engineers' scales, tracing paper, erasers, tape, and parallel roller) and graphic media of your choice (pencils, pens, markers, etc.).
Sponsor is required to supply the following materials for the event:
- 70 copies of the site plan (final plan to be 24”x36”)
- Bond paper for 60 tables (one plan per student)
- 70 copies of the client’s needs and additional information (elevations and /or pictures)
- Stopwatches
- Sufficient number of judges and event monitors
Other:
- NALP student ID badge and number
- iPods or other electronic music devices are permissible as long as headsets are used and other participants near you cannot hear the volume.
- No food will be allowed into the design studio
- Faculty will not be permitted into the studio once the event has started to observe or photograph their student.
- Only NALP Board or committee members will be allowed to enter the design studio once the event has started to observer or photograph the event for NALP's use.