Asked at the pre-competition briefing what they were most looking forward to, several finalists gave the same answer: meeting the other contestants. It is a small detail, but board member Michelle Mace, one of this year’s organisers, says it says something about what this competition has become. She hears much the same from judges and organisers on the other side of the table, several of whom have told her how rewarding they find being part of it.

That camaraderie played out across Saturday at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. Ten finalists worked through the practical stations in front of the public, then each gave a short speech on who had inspired them, and how they hoped to inspire others in turn.

Michelle also points to how the competition has evolved over recent years to reflect just how many different strands make up landscaping as an industry, and this year’s field made that plain. The award winners alone covered a trained landscape architect, a lawn specialist and a hardscape specialist running his own business, each recognised for a genuinely different strength.

The judging bore out how close it was. Across thirteen challenges, seven were decided by fewer than ten points between the top three contestants.

Connor Sullivan, Canterra – Young Landscaper of the Year 2026 and Outstanding Achievement Award for Softscape Practicioner

Connor achieved top marks on four of the stations and was noted by judges for consistent professionalism and quality across every one of them, not just his strongest events. That consistency is what carried him to the overall title. As overall winner, he takes home a month’s use of an electric ute, a Site Safe Health and Safety scholarship and a range of tools and vouchers from our competition partners, part of a package worth more than $8,000.

“Connor’s result reflects the qualities this competition is designed to reveal: broad practical capability, sound judgement, confident communication and the ability to perform under pressure. He should be enormously proud, as should Canterra and the Canterbury landscaping community.” — Rachel Louie

Taumata Lowe, OTERA Landscapes – Outstanding Achievement Awards for Communication and Hardscape Practicioner

A second-time entrant, Taumata defended the Communication Award he first won on his previous attempt, and added Hardscape Practice with top marks across all three hardscape stations. His speech traced two mentors through two site radios, each run over by the foreman who taught him, at two different companies. Eighteen months into running his own business, OTERA Landscapes, he has bought a radio of his own, and says he is looking forward to the day someone runs that one over too.

Taylor Allsop, Readylawn Industries – Outstanding Achievement Award for Leadership

Taylor received top marks from the judges at every station, not for any single standout skill but for composure under pressure and the kind of personal attributes that mark someone out as a future leader.

None of this comes together without members putting in the work on the ground. Members helped with setup and dismantling across the weekend, leaving the Botanic Gardens in the same condition they found it. As a small organisation, we rely on that kind of support to make an event like this happen. Thank you to our Christchurch member companies Xteriorscapes, Morgan & Pollard, Goom Landscapes and One Square Rate.

Several of this year’s finalists have already told Michelle they intend to enter again in 2028. That is a real seal of approval for an event built to develop the next generation of industry leaders.