Young landscapers prepare for national skills showdown
New Zealand’s leading emerging landscape professionals will compete at Christchurch Botanic Gardens on Saturday 19 September in the 2026 Young Landscaper of the Year competition.
The 10 finalists, selected in July, represent landscaping businesses from Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury and Otago.
They will rotate through 10 practical stations designed to test the breadth of skills required in modern landscaping, from machinery operation and plant identification to design, irrigation, paving and hardscape construction.
The free public event runs from 8.30am to 4pm beside the Christchurch Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre café and will go ahead rain or shine.
Rather than taking place on a single stage, Young Landscaper of the Year operates as a walk-through skills showcase. Visitors can move around the competition area to see several disciplines being tested simultaneously, with a supplier and trade area located alongside the practical stations.
Young Landscaper of the Year tests practical and professional skills
Competitors will be assessed on practical competence, technical knowledge, accuracy, safety, problem solving, communication, leadership and professional judgement. Platinum supporter Mitre 10 is among the businesses backing this year’s competition, alongside a range of suppliers (such as Readylawn, which also had a team member taking part) supporting individual challenges.
The stations are:
Machinery operation – testing safe operation, control, accuracy, technique and practical machine handling.
Trailer and tools – covering tool selection and knowledge, safe use, equipment loading and securing, and trailer handling.
Soft landscape setout – assessing plant selection, preparation, setout, planting technique, establishment and aftercare.
Lawn installation – testing ground preparation, lawn installation, establishment and aftercare.
Profile setout – requiring finalists to read construction information and accurately set out profiles for a deck build.
Design – challenging competitors to respond to a brief and develop a practical garden design concept under time pressure.
Irrigation set-up – involving the construction of a basic irrigation system and the application of technical product and installation knowledge.
Plant identification – testing competitors’ ability to identify plants using botanical and common names and demonstrate their wider horticultural knowledge.
Paving – covering product knowledge, preparation, accurate setout and correct paving installation.
Hardscape construction – assessing practical construction, material selection, fixings and best-practice installation.
Before the public competition, finalists will also complete a 30-minute professional interview focused on their career development and achievements.
A private plan take-off and quantifying assessment will be held on Friday 18 September. It will test finalists’ ability to interpret plans, calculate quantities and consider site requirements. Across the complete programme, competitors can earn up to 1,400 points.
The competition provides a national platform for young people already building serious careers in landscaping. It recognises potential future industry leaders while showing the public the range of skills, judgement and communication required by professional landscapers.
Finalists share their inspiration
At 1pm, finalists will come together for the only time during the public competition day to deliver three-minute speeches in a session supported by StraightCurve.
Each competitor will respond to the theme: “Who inspired you and how will you inspire others?” The session runs until 1.45pm and gives visitors an opportunity to learn more about the people behind the practical skills.
The winner will be announced that evening during a celebration dinner at The Great Hall at Chateau on the Park.
Four Outstanding Achievement Awards will also recognise performance in communication, leadership, softscape practice and hardscape practice.
