BYU’s landscaping team is the best in the field, literally. While most national championships are won on the court or the gridiron, this one was claimed with pruned shrubs, expertly placed pavers, and top-tier irrigation systems.
BYU’s landscaping program just won its 10th National Championship for the National Collegiate Landscape Competition hosted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP).
BYU consistently ranks among the top five schools in this competition, having won six national titles in the last seven years.
BYU students and faculty traveled to Colorado State University from March 19 to 22, 2025, for the 49th annual event. While there, the 60 participating BYU students showcased their landscaping skills in events such as interior plant identification, landscape maintenance operations, and robotics and technology in landscape design and maintenance. Competitors earned individual scores across 30 events, which were then combined to determine the national championship team score.
BYU’s landscape team operates under a distinctive student-led structure. Tyler Stewart and McKinsey Flores, in collaboration with the Plant and Landscape Systems Club, led the team’s preparation.
“These students are integral in making the team,” said BYU Plant and Wildlife Sciences professor Greg Jolley. “They create the synergy and team dynamic that makes them successful.”
Part of this student leadership includes directing a class students participated in during the winter semester where they prepared for the conference. Additionally, each night during the competition, there are student-led team meetings and devotionals.
“These meetings were awe-inspiring, and the true spirit of BYU was felt,” Jolley said.
Jolley and fellow professor Phil Allen coach the landscape team as mentors and support the students.
BYU’s Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences also benefits from a strong partnership with BYU Grounds, which provides hands-on experience and additional mentorship. Glenl Wear, head of BYU Grounds, has played a key role in preparing students for their careers.
BYU students also earned 15 scholarships at this event, including three Platinum Scholarships worth $2,000 or more.
