Young Landscaper of the Year
Young Landscaper of the Year is a national competition run by Registered Master Landscapers, bringing together ten of New Zealand’s leading landscape professionals aged 30 and under for a single day of head to head skills testing.
This year’s finalists come from Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury and Otago, and were selected on 10 July 2026.
Rather than one stage or one task, the day is built around ten practical stations covering everything from machinery operation and paving to plant identification and design.
It’s a chance to watch real tradespeople solve real problems under pressure, and to see just how wide the landscaping profession actually is.
Run every two years, the competition has become one of the clearest pathways into leadership the landscaping industry has. Past finalists have gone on to run their own businesses, lead construction crews and become accredited members of Registered Master Landscapers, so the people you’ll watch on 19 September aren’t just competing for a title. Many of them are at the start of careers the industry will be relying on for years to come.
Award Winners 2026
Young Landscaper of the Year 2026
Connor Sullivan
Canterra Landscapes | Christchurch
Outstanding Achievement in Communication
Taumata LoweOTERA Landscapes | Auckland
Outstanding Achievement in Leadership
Taylor AllsopReadylawn | Christchurch
Outstanding Achievement in Softscape Practice
Connor SullivanCanterra | Christchurch
Outstanding Achievement in Hardscape Practice
Taumata LoweOTERA Landscapes | Auckland
Why you should attend
A day worth watching.
Ten tradespeople, working at speed, right in front of you. Watch machinery being handled with real precision, decking and paving going up from scratch, and plant identification tests that separate the experts from the rest. Because the stations run at the same time rather than one after another, you can wander the gardens and drop in on whichever skill catches your eye.
At 1.00pm, the tools go quiet. Each of the ten finalists speaks for three minutes on who inspired them and how they hope to inspire others.
Communication is one of the skills being judged all day, not just at the microphone. A landscaper who can explain a plan clearly, ask the right questions and keep a client in the loop is the difference between a project that runs smoothly and one that doesn’t, and you’ll see that tested at every station, not only during the speeches.
Beyond the competition itself, there’s plenty of room to make the day your own. Some visitors will plant themselves at one station, watching each finalist take their turn at the same skill, whether that’s paving or plant identification. Others will circle the gardens, catching a few minutes of several disciplines as the finalists rotate through. Either way works, and there’s no wrong time to arrive.
Entry is free, the setting is Christchurch’s Botanic Gardens, and the day runs rain or shine. Bring the family, wander at your own pace, and stop by the trade and supplier stalls for games and prizes along the way.
The event is held beside the Visitor Centre café at Christchurch Botanic Gardens, an easy walk from the Armagh Street car park. Full parking and accessibility details are in the Getting There tab.
The Competition Day
The ten stations
Ten finalists worked at speed across the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, with all ten competition stations running at once and visitors able to move between them throughout the day.
Machinery, paving, planting, irrigation, design and plant identification all demanded a different kind of focus. Some tasks came down to precision and technique. Others tested judgement, planning and how well finalists could explain what they were doing.
At 1.00pm, the practical work paused for the finalist speeches, giving each competitor three minutes to talk about who had inspired them and how they hoped to inspire others.
The result was a competition that felt active from every direction, with finalists constantly moving between very different challenges and the public able to see the detail behind the work up close.
The trade and supplier stands gave visitors another way to explore the industry during the day, with businesses and training providers on site to share products, ideas and practical knowledge.
There were also activities, games and prizes for children, making the area an easy place for families to stop between competition stations.
01. Machinery Operation
Supported by:
Safe operation, control, accuracy, technique and practical machine handling.
02. Trailer & Tools
Supported by:
Tool selection and knowledge, safe use, loading and securing equipment, and trailer handling skills.
03. Soft Landscape Setout
Supported by:
Plant selection, preparation, set out, planting technique, establishment and aftercare.
04. Lawn Installation
Supported by:
Ground preparation, lawn installation, establishment and aftercare.
05. Profile Setout
Supported by:
Reading construction information and accurately setting out profiles for a deck build.
06. Design
Supported by:
Responding to a brief and developing a practical garden design concept under time pressure.
07. Irrigation Set Up
Supported by:
Constructing a basic irrigation system and applying technical product and installation knowledge.
08. Plant Identification
Supported by:
Identifying plants correctly using botanical and common names and demonstrating horticultural knowledge.
09. Paving
Supported by:
Product knowledge, preparation, accurate set out and correct paving installation technique.
10. Hardscape Construction
Supported by:
Practical construction, material selection, fixings and best practice installation.
A. Finalist speeches
Supported by:
The only time all ten finalists are together during the public competition day. Each has three minutes to speak on “Who inspired you, and how will you inspire others?”
Estimating Test
Supported by:
Site Safe
Testing finalists’ ability to interpret project information, assess requirements and work through an estimate accurately under time pressure.
The 2026 Finalists
Ten Finalists from from four regions representing ten different landscaping companies.
This year’s field represents some of the best emerging talent in New Zealand landscaping, with competitors from Auckland down to Otago representing businesses of all sizes.
Between them, they represent apprentices, leading hands, foremen, project managers and business owners, with pathways into the trade ranging from school leavers’ programmes to career changes and study in horticulture and landscape architecture.
As 2019 winner George Trower reflects, the competition gives you exposure to the wider landscape industry – and teaches you to step outside your comfort zone, because that is where growth happens.
We want to thank all the entrants. The judges deliberated for some time to come up with the ten finalists, so we encourage those that did not make the finals to follow the competition and look to re-enter next time.
Finalists 2026
Ben Malpas, Espaso Verde, Hawke’s Bay
Benjamin Lamond, Greenscapes, Canterbury
Christian Cox, Luijten Landscaping, Auckland
Connor Sullivan, Canterra, Canterbury
Joe Hagley, Southern Landmarx, Otago
Lachlan Bensemann, Forever Green, Canterbury
Luke Brinkmann-Kroemer, Diva Landscapes, Otago
Richard Brahne, Second Nature Gardens, Auckland
Taumata Lowe, OTERA Landscapes, Auckland
Taylor Allsop, Readylawn Industries, Canterbury
Luke Brinkmann-KroemerDIVA Landscapes | Otago
Richard BrahneSecond Nature Gardens | Auckland
Benjamin LamondGreenscapes | Canterbury
Lachlan BensemannForever Green | Canterbury
Joe HagleySouthern Landmarx | Otago
Christian CoxLuijten Landscaping | Auckland
Ben MalpasEspaso Verde | Hawke's Bay
Taylor AllsopReadylawn Industries | Canterbury
Taumata LoweOTERA Landscapes | Auckland
Connor SullivanCanterra | Canterbury
The Young Landscaper of the Year & Legacy Awards Celebration Dinner 2026
The Young Landscaper of the Year and Legacy Award Celebration Dinner brought finalists, members, partners and supporters together at Chateau on the Park on Saturday 19 September. Hosted by MC Juliet Speedy, the evening included the announcement of the 2026 Young Landscaper of the Year, the Outstanding Achievement Awards and the Landscape Legacy Awards.
The sold-out dinner gave everyone a chance to celebrate the finalists and recognise both emerging talent and long-standing contribution to the landscaping profession, before the evening continued with dinner and dancing.
Young Landscaper of the Year 2024
Young Landscaper of the Year
Jarod Anderson, Anderson Landscapes
Wins the Prebble 2024 Young Landscaper of the Year Award.
Outstanding Achievement Awards:
Taumata O Te Ra Lowe, Luijten Landscaping
Communication
Sean Pearless, Sculptural Landscapes
Leadership
Jarod Anderson
Softscape Practitioner
Ryan Harris
Hardscape Practitioner
What a weekend! Wellington turned it on for the Prebble Young Landscaper of the Year competition on Saturday 21 September, leaving more than a few attendees suitably sun kissed.
With a theory exam on the Friday, and ten practical stations on the Saturday – including a speech and an interview – all ten contestants put their best foot forward, making it a tight competition. There were only 13 points (out of a total of 1,400) between first and second place!
Back Row L – R:
Taumata Low, Ryan Harris
Young Landscaper of the Year 2023
Young Landscaper of the Year 2023
Caleb Washington
Wins the Prebble Seeds Turf World 2023 Young Landscaper of the Year Award.
Ben Hurley
Runner up
Cooper Mildenhall
2nd Runner up
Amandeep Singh Brar
3rd Runner up
Supporters, sponsors, and people from throughout the industry all gathered at Nichol’s Garden Center in Ōtepoti | Dunedin to cheer on contestants from around Aotearoa | New Zealand as they competed for the title of Young Landscaper of the Year for 2023!
Beyond the practical components of landscaping, the contestants had to complete written tests, interviews and perform speeches to an audience of judges.
Cash prizes were handed out to the top three contestants along with various tools and products provided by their sponsors.
RESULTS
Outstanding Achievement Awards;
Emerging Leadership – Sam Fisher, Luijten Landscaping
Innovation – Dillyn van der Merew, Natural Habitats
Career Development – Amandeep Singh Brar, Natural Habitats
Construction – Cooper Mildenhall, Espaso Verde Landscaping
Communication – Sam Fisher, Luijten Landscaping
Back Row L – R:
Michael Dudley, Amandeep Singh Brar, Dillyn van de Merwe, Caleb Washington, Cooper Mildenhall, Ben Hurley
Front Row L – R:
Lauchlan King, Tyla May, Sam Fisher
About
Registered Master Landscapers is New Zealand’s trusted network of accredited landscaping professionals, setting the benchmark for quality, craftsmanship, and industry excellence.
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Grey Lynn, Auckland 1245
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