50th Annual National Collegiate Landscape Competition
March 18 - 21, 2026
Michigan State University
Updated 12/11/2025
Landscape Plant Installation
Description: A three-person team (maximum of one team per school) will install a variety of landscape materials such as sod, soil amendments, mulch, tree staking, edging and plants. Each team will be provided with a plan that will show the exact relationship of materials to be installed and may include an area between 100 and 300 square feet. The plan will be distributed at the event check-in, approximately 15 minutes before the event starts, at the Landscape Plant Installation sign-in tent.
Time: 2 hours
Limits: The sponsor reserves the right to limit the number of teams that will compete based on space constraints and materials available. 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 per team member; 200 possible points towards the team score; each team member will receive half of the team points for their individual scores; two of the three individual scores are combined toward the team score.
Points will be assigned based on the following criteria:
- Planting Technique (30%)
- Neatness, Mulching & Overall Aesthetics (30%)
- Accuracy/Adherence to Plans & Plant Specifications (30%)
- Safe Use of Tools, PPE & Site Management (10%)
Time will only be used as a tiebreaker.
Students are required to bring the following materials to the event: Two measuring tapes, architects’ scale, one mallet, one hammer, one hacksaw, safety glasses, boots, and gloves.
Students can use the following optional tools: Marking flags, string, hand trowels, hand picks, additional shovels, and rakes. Only approved tools on this list can be used in the competition. All other tools are prohibited.
Sponsor/ Host School is required to supply the following materials for the event:
- 60 copies of landscape installation plan
- All landscape materials needed for installation
- Edging as needed for installation
- 60 cans of marking paint
- 60 sod knives
- 120 long handled shovels (2 per team)
- 120 hard rakes (2 per team)
- 60 steel straight-blade spades (1 per team)
- Stopwatches
- Sufficient number of judges and event monitors
- Any other items deemed necessary for this event