The Young Landscaper of the Year 2024 details have been announced! This year’s competition will be held at the Wellington Botanic Gardens on 21 September, with applications due by 26 July
The idea of having it in a public place is to help build awareness of the organisation and showcase our members’ skills, says RML board member and Sole Landscapes director Jono Sole.
“We’ll have material available to hand out to spectators and passers-by, who will be able to stop and watch the competition as it progresses through the day.”
Anyone under 30 years old can enter the competition, which tests theoretical and practical knowledge via a written test, several practical tests across soft landscaping, paving, digger work, painting and site layout, and a speech.
Experience pays off
Those who have competed in previous years tend to do well. Just ask 2023 winner Caleb Washington from Goom Landscapes.
“2023 was the second time I'd entered the competition, so I knew I’d need a diverse range of skills to do well. Winning cemented all the work I’d done over the year.
“I felt like I let myself down a bit in 2022. I walked away knowing I could have done better. 2023 was the complete opposite. I knew I’d given it my all, so no matter the result, I was happy with my efforts.”
Tyla May from Natural Habitats competed for the first time in 2023 and says he feels more equipped for success in 2024.
“I can see why it takes people a few goes to win the competition. I was a bit nervous to start with, but I learned a lot about what I need to do to hopefully be successful next time. I feel a lot more comfortable with some of the hard landscaping, such as the requirements for steel lengths for a block wall or foundation.”
Insider knowledge for future contestants
If there’s one thing that 2024 hopefuls can take from past winners, it's to brush up on plant knowledge – an area that multiple entrants have traditionally found difficult.
Nicola Rochester from ICL Specialty Fertilizers judged the plant identification part of the competition in 2023 and her top tip for this year’s constants is to make the connection between the plants you put in the ground and their botanical name.
“I think this is a topic everyone always dreads and I can understand why, because it can be difficult to learn. People who know the names of plants have often been in retail or worked in a garden centre, where it can be easier to learn.”
Various skill stations also test competitors by providing small elements of misdirection, which contestants need to identify!
“We asked each competitor questions about how they’d lay the paving, but we also had the wrong materials on hand, so it was important that they recognised that,” says Bernice Cumming from Firth, who was one of the judges at the paving station.
Kelsey Isaac from Sole Landscapes was a judge on the lawn preparation station and advises young landscapers to take time to explain their work – and to be prepared to answer questions!
“They need to talk us through the process of what they were doing, including the make-up of soil required, and then we finish the exercise by asking competitors questions about the maintenance and watering requirements.”
2021 winner Tama Ritter’s advice is to work efficiently and to keep an eye on the clock!
“Being judged as you work brings a different sense to the tasks. Thirty minutes seems like plenty of time, until you’re being timed – then the clock runs down very quickly!”
Go to compete, stay for the vibe
The atmosphere is competitive and friendly, with those competing keen to make the most of the opportunity to connect with fellow landscapers.
“I love this competition; it’s a great experience,” says 2023 contestant Amandeep Singh from Natural Habitats Commercial. “You get to test your skills against the top young landscapers in the country. It’s also a great, friendly atmosphere. Everyone is helpful, the judges are great and happy to help improve your skills, so you learn a lot, which is helpful for career development.”
That aspect of the competition is also highlighted by Tama, who says that personal development, rather than stocking the trophy cabinet, is the best part of the competition.
“We’re all similar people to a point, so it is easy to connect with fellow competitors. Because of that, it quickly becomes more about the experience than the desire to win, and I’ve come away from this competition with more connections and relationships than prizes.”