The landscaping industry in Aotearoa

Before we take a look at the landscaping industry, let's explain some key terms. 

The word landscaping has a range of different meanings. The Oxford Dictionary defines landscaping as “the process of making a garden or other piece of land more attractive by altering the existing design, adding ornamental features, and planting trees and shrubs” (define landscaping - Google Search, no date).

This definition has a particular focus on garden landscaping, and in particular on how it looks, but landscaping can be broader than this. Wikipedia defines landscaping as “any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land” (Wikipedia contributors, 2023). It goes on to explain includes living elements – plants and animals – non-living things, such as landforms, and abstract elements, such as lighting and weather.

In this programme, the definition we’ll use sits somewhere between these two extremes. We define landscaping as activities that modify an area of land based on a design for a specific purpose.

Our definition reflects that landscaping is carried out for a particular purpose, such as to create an outdoor space to relax or improve biodiversity, and that we make these modifications in a planned way.

Here are some other landscaping terms you’ll need to know.

Click the + icon to show the definition of each of the following landscaping terms.

This is a short list to get you started, but as we move on into other topics, we’ll point out the important terms by showing them in bold text.

Glossary of terms

At the end of every module is a glossary. This lists all the terms that we’ve put in bold text in the module. On the glossary page, you’ll find a link to download a Word document that contains all of the terms in a table. You can download the document and print it and write the meaning for each word as you come across it. Alternatively save it and use word processing software, like Word or Google Docs to type the definitions as you go.

Go to Topic 6: Glossary now, download the document and then come back to this topic. Add your own definitions to the terms we’ve covered so far, such as landscaping and landscape design. We suggest you keep that document handy and add to it as you work through this module.

While different people will have different ideas of what the landscaping industry is, we’ll define it as the businesses that are involved in: 

1. designing landscaping for a specific purpose (landscape design)
2. modifying areas of land based on these designs (landscape construction)
3. looking after existing landscapes to keep them at their best (landscape maintenance).

Some examples include:

• Landscape design
  • A landscape designer, working as a sole trader from a studio in their house designing gardens for residential clients.
  • A large landscape architecture firm, working on public space design such as city street upgrades. 
• Landscape construction
  • An earthworks contractor excavating for a pool or sunken garden.
  • A company that supplies landscape materials, such as plants, boulders, timber, and pavers. Often referred to as a supplier.
  • A concrete company pouring driveways and paths.
  • A stonemason constructing stone fences.
  • A landscape company installing a wide range of hard and soft landscaping.
  • A company that installs pools and water features. 
  • An electrician installing outdoor lighting in gardens or public spaces.
• Landscape maintenance
  • A landscape maintenance contractor keeping gardens at their best by mowing, weeding, pruning trees and fertilising plants and mulching garden beds
  • A lawn mowing franchise operator mowing residential lawns.

Activity

Scroll through the images below to see some examples of these roles in action.

Industry associations

Industry associations exist to promote the goods and services that their members offer, oversee members’ conduct, and offer professional development and formal recognition through accreditation or registration.

To work as a landscape designer or landscaping contractor (the term often used for a landscaping construction business), there is no requirement to be registered or accredited, although all work must comply with relevant legislation and regulations. However, registration shows potential clients that you take your work seriously.

For the core functions of the landscape industry (specialist trades, like electricians, have their own professional bodies) the following industry associations exist:

Registered Master Landscapers

Registered Master Landscapers (formerly the Landscaping Industry Association of New Zealand and Landscaping New Zealand) represents businesses and individuals involved in the landscaping trades. It is possible to register as either an individual or a company in the following categories:

• Design
• Build: construction of hard landscaping
• Manage: management of construction works – to be registered for this category, members must already be registered in two other categories
• Plant/Horticulture: installation and establishment of plants (soft landscaping)
• Maintain: garden maintenance.

Individuals or companies that become registered are listed in the directory on the website and allowed to refer to themselves as Registered Master Landscapers and use the Registered Master Landscapers logo and branding.

Garden Design Society of New Zealand

As the name implies, the Garden Design Society of New Zealand (GDSNZ) focusses more specifically on landscape design.

To become an accredited member of GDSNZ you need to be able to show “a combination of relevant qualifications and work experience” (Garden Design Society of New Zealand, 2023, p. 1) roughly equivalent to five years in total. This is higher than for Registered Master Landscapers, which does not require a qualification but rather work experience of a minimum of two years, and a portfolio of evidence. 

Activity

Go to the Registered Master Landscapers (RML) website and search the membership directory.

• How many members are listed in your region under each of these categories Design, Build, Plant?
• Do they have their own website? If so, take a look.
• What do you think of the photos of their work, either on the RML website or on their own business website?

Go to the Garden Design Society of New Zealand (GDSNZ) website and read the profiles of the accredited designers and fellows. 

• How many work in your region?
• Do they have their own website? If so, take a look.
• What do you think of the photos of their work, either on the GDSNZ website or on their own business website?

Tuia Pito Ora New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects

“Tuia Pito Ora (NZILA) is the internationally recognised professional body of qualified landscape architects in New Zealand” (Tuia Pito Ora New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects, no date).

The terms “Registered Landscape Architect” and “NZILA Registered Landscape Architect” are protected in Aotearoa and can only be used by people who are registered. To become registered, you need to complete an approved programme of study, leading to a Bachelor or Master’s degree in landscape architecture, complete 96 weeks of work experience and pass a professional exam. As a result, professional registration as a Landscape Architect is seen as the pinnacle of the landscape design area of the industry.

Careers

Now that we know about the type of businesses that operate in the landscape industry, let's explore some of the careers in the industry.

Watch the following video by Careers NZ that looks at the day in the life of a landscape architect (landscape design). Many of the skills and attributes needed to be a landscape architect are the same as for a landscape designer.

Watch: Architectural careers - A day in the work life of a landscape architect (2:25 minutes)

A day in the work life of a landscape architect, May Jan MacIntyre. Follow May Jan MacIntyre's inspirational career journey and find out where architecture can take you.

Pre-watch question

What personal attributes do you need to do well in landscape design?

Post-watch task

Download the file below and complete the Landscape Design columns by:

1. listing the attributes you need to do well in this type of work, and
2. for each rate how well you display that attribute. For example, if you write down “physically fit” as an attribute, think about if you have the right type of fitness for this job.

Attributes to succeed in the landscape industry - Worksheet.

Watch: Meet a Landscape Designer (2:20 minutes)

The National Association of Landscape Professionals gives you a day in the life of a Professional Landscape Designer.

Pre-watch question

How does this job differ from the landscape architect we met in the previous video?

Post-watch task

Update the Landscape Design column of the table you started earlier with any other attributes you picked up from this video.

Watch the following video by Just The Job that looks at the day in the life of a landscape contractor (landscape construction).

Watch: Landscaping Careers (7:41 minutes)

Ashley Cassin from Lincoln High in Christchurch knows he's interested in a physical, outdoor occupation where he can make his mark on the environment. The challenges of landscaping seem perfectly suited to his wish list when it comes to a career when he finishes school. Ashley discovers there's a lot more to landscaping than simply planting and maintenance when he spends some time with Adam Pollard from Morgan Pollard Landscaping. He'll need a whole range of skills from carpentry to plumbing and tiling and design if he's to make a success in this industry.

Pre-watch question

What personal attributes do you need to do well in landscape construction?

Post-watch task

Update the table that you started earlier by completing the Landscape Construction columns.

In the landscape construction space, there are a range of other specialist roles. Click on the links below of any roles that you’re interested in to watch a video about what the job involves, then carry on here.

Related roles:

• Amenity horticulturist (8:12) – someone skilled in working with plants, such as installing soft landscaping and landscape maintenance.
• Stonemason (12:15) – someone skilled in building structures and decorative features from stone. 
• Brick and block layer (9:04) - someone skilled in building retaining and structural walls, and house cladding using bricks or concrete blocks.
• Concrete worker (9:57) - Someone skilled in mixing and pouring concrete for many purposes, including driveways and paths. 

At the end of this programme, we’ll revisit landscaping careers and talk about pathways into these different roles.

Here we introduce some tikanga (customs or procedures) in landscaping, beginning with the landscaping process from start to finish.

The landscaping process

In general landscaping terms, the landscaping process involves:

1. Determining the client’s needs - why they want the landscape changes and the key changes they want to see. This results in the development of a client brief. 
2. Measuring up the site and evaluating the site and surrounding features to work out what should stay and what should go.
3. Designing a number of different ideas (design concepts) for how the space could be designed in line with what the client’s needs. Refining those designs to address any problems that become apparent.
4. Selecting one concept and creating a detailed design (proposal), including plans and specifications, for the client to approve.
5. Creating a detailed design (proposal), including plans and specifications, for the client’s final approval.
6. Selecting a contractor to carry out the construction work.
7. Setting out the location of hard landscaping features.
8. Constructing hard landscaping features.
9. Setting out the location of soft landscaping features.
10. Installing soft landscaping features.
11. Establishing soft landscaping (looking after the plants until they are established).
12. Ongoing maintenance of the landscape. 

There are, of course, many variations to this approach. Different businesses will use different processes.

For example: 

• Doing a full measure-up of the site could be done:
  • at the time of the client interview
  • after the client brief has been accepted
  • after the concepts have been roughly developed.
• The designer may choose to present concepts to the client or go all the way to the proposal before presenting to them.
• Construction of the landscape may be done by the homeowner, or a contractor. The contractor may be appointed by the client on the recommendation of the landscape designer or could be awarded based on a tendering process. 
• Landscape construction may be completed immediately upon completion of the design, or it could be phased over several years, depending on the client’s budget. 

We’ll come back to this process when we talk about the structure of this Landscape Design and Build Level 3 programme.

Many companies provide all of these services, so they are able to streamline their end-to-end process to improve efficiency.

Landscape design

Here are a couple of key landscape design aroro (concepts) and tikanga (rules of thumb) that will help you make sense of the course materials as you work through them. We’ll introduce others as we go.

1. “Form follows function.” Each garden space, or room, should be designed for a particular function, such as an outdoor entertaining or a kids play area. The purpose of the space (its function) should be the primary driver for the design. What it looks like (its form) needs to follow on from the functional requirements.  
2. In garden design, the design needs to respond to the architecture. Things like the size of landscape features should reflect the size of the house. Equally, the materials used for the garden should tie to those used in the house.
3. Don't cut corners. There isn't an overseeing body enforcing industry standards. It's up to you to make sure the standard of your work is top quality. As landscapers, we don't want to be seen as the cowboys of the trades. 

Landscape construction

Here are a couple of key aroro and tikanga that relate to landscape construction, which may come in handy as you work your way through this programme:

1. Buy and hire the best tools you can afford. A sturdy tradesperson’s wheelbarrow, and strong, well-built digging tools will allow you to move materials far more efficiently than cheap tools that will break quickly. 
2. Look after your tools. If you’re going to make a living in landscape construction these are the tools of your trade which you need to bring in the money. Keep them clean, sharpened, and greased (as appropriate) and stored somewhere that is dry and secure. 

Now let’s review what we’ve covered so far.

That brings us to the end of this topic. By now you should have a good basic understanding of:

• what landscaping means in Aotearoa and the careers that exist in the landscaping industry
• the landscaping process from start to finish
• key terms and kaupapa (concepts) related to landscape design and construction
• the attributes you’ll need to thrive in this exciting industry. 

In the next topic we’ll take a look at the first step in the landscaping process.