Association of Professional Landscape Designers
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| Association of Professional Landscape Designers | |
|---|---|
| Name | Association of Professional Landscape Designers |
| Caption | Logo of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers |
| Formation | 1989 |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Region served | International |
| Membership | Landscape designers, horticulturists, garden designers |
Association of Professional Landscape Designers.
The Association of Professional Landscape Designers is a professional organization founded to promote standards among landscape designers in the United States and internationally. It connects practitioners with resources drawn from institutions such as American Society of Landscape Architects, Royal Horticultural Society, Smithsonian Institution, New York Botanical Garden, and United States Botanic Garden. The association engages with industry stakeholders including National Association of Landscape Professionals, Arbor Day Foundation, American Horticultural Society, Landscape Institute (United Kingdom), and International Federation of Landscape Architects.
History
The organization emerged in the late 20th century alongside movements represented by American Society of Landscape Architects, Garden Club of America, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Conservation International, and World Wildlife Fund advocates. Early influences included designers associated with Frederick Law Olmsted, preservationists from National Trust for Historic Preservation, and educators from Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of California, Davis, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, and Michigan State University. The association developed standards influenced by certification models from Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing, accreditation practices of Council for Interior Design Accreditation, and professional ethics dialogues linked to American Institute of Architects and Royal Institute of British Architects.
Membership and Certification
Membership categories are similar to systems used by American Society of Landscape Architects, Royal Horticultural Society, Society of American Foresters, and American Society of Agronomy. The association administers voluntary credentialing comparable to programs run by International Society of Arboriculture, National Council for Interior Design Qualification, and Certified Professional Horticulturist schemes. Member benefits mirror offerings from American Horticultural Society, Garden Writers Association, American Planning Association, and National Recreation and Park Association, and include networking with professionals from Landscape Architecture Foundation, American Planning Association, Urban Land Institute, and Institute of Landscape Architects of Australia.
Programs and Services
Programs include continuing education modeled after U.S. Green Building Council's offerings, mentorship reminiscent of Architectural League of New York, and design competitions inspired by Pritzker Architecture Prize structures and Royal Institute of British Architects awards. Services include directories and referral systems akin to Angi listings, pro bono initiatives similar to Habitat for Humanity, and community outreach paralleling The Trust for Public Land and City Parks Alliance. The association runs webinars and workshops featuring speakers from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Missouri Botanical Garden, Chicago Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and educators from University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Publications and Education
The organization publishes newsletters and design guides in the tradition of journals like Landscape Architecture Magazine, Journal of the American Planning Association, and HortScience. It curates case studies referencing projects at Central Park, High Line (New York City), Getty Center, The Eden Project, and examples championed by Piet Oudolf, Tom Stuart-Smith, Dan Pearson, and Martha Schwartz. Educational resources draw on curricula from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Chelsea Flower Show, International Landscape Festival, Chelsea Physic Garden, and university programs at Harvard University Graduate School of Design and University of California, Berkeley.
Governance and Funding
The association is governed by a volunteer board modeled after structures used by American Society of Landscape Architects, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Royal Horticultural Society, with committees that echo governance at Smithsonian Institution and National Geographic Society. Funding sources include membership dues, sponsorships from companies like Monrovia (nursery), partnerships with suppliers such as The Home Depot, program fees reminiscent of Kew Gardens ticketing, and grants similar to those administered by National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities.
Awards and Recognition
The association grants awards and honors paralleling recognitions such as the ASLA Medal, Pritzker Architecture Prize, Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show medals, and American Horticultural Society Great American Gardeners awards. Prize programs highlight exemplary projects comparable to winners at Chelsea Flower Show, AIA Honor Awards, and European Garden Award, and celebrate contributions by designers associated with European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and International Federation of Landscape Architects.
Partnerships and Advocacy
Partnerships include collaborations with National Association of Landscape Professionals, Arbor Day Foundation, American Horticultural Society, Royal Horticultural Society, Botanical Society of America, and institutions like United States Botanic Garden and National Park Service. Advocacy efforts align with initiatives from Urban Land Institute, Trust for Public Land, American Planning Association, and Sierra Club campaigns, engaging legislators and agencies akin to Environmental Protection Agency and United States Department of Agriculture on matters of landscape policy, sustainability, and conservation.