2026 Landscape Design Awards recipients announced at Perennial Plant Association National Symposium

The Perennial Plant Association announced the 2026 Landscape Design Award recipients, who were recognized on July 31 at the 2026 PPA National Symposium in East Lansing, Michigan.

Initiated in 1992, the Landscape Design Awards program recognizes design projects that are exemplary in use of herbaceous perennials to help create balanced and beautiful landscapes.

The entries comprise eight categories based on residential, commercial, educational, temporary/seasonal designs and price of production. The design may be a single project or a section of a larger project.

The focus must be on perennials but may include other plants. Six of the eight entry categories are defined by the wholesale cost of the project, and two are for specialty garden designs.

"The 'after-market' applications of our growers' products and the design, installation and maintenance of plants in gardens and natural settings are of special interest to the Perennial Plant Association," the association said in a news release. 

Each year, judges select winning entries based on the effectiveness of herbaceous perennial plant material used through the implantations of new cultivars, color combinations, textures and seasonal combinations.

Once again, the Perennial Plant Association received more entries than previous years for the judging committee to evaluate, spread over all entry categories. Award recipients received either an Award of Merit or Award of Excellence, which is the highest landscape design award.

Both experienced and novice designers were invited to participate. This year, the committee selected 12 winning projects. The recipients are:

Class I: Residential Less than $25,000

Award of Merit: Mangum Flats, Preston Montague

Class II: Residential $25,000 to $100,000

Award of Excellence: Cape Dune Garden, Angell Landscape Architecture

Award of Merit: Wild Pines, FORM Garden Design

Award of Merit: Garden District Reimagined, Melissa Horner / Refugia Design

Award of Merit: Shayan Residence at Middlebrook, Kelly D. Norris

Class III: Residential More than $100,000

Award of Excellence: Woodland Glade Sanctuary, Stefano Marinaz Landscape Architecture

Award of Merit: A Garden on South Bay, Ben O'Brien - Wild by Design

Award of Merit: Puddock Hill, Maffei Landscape Design

Class VI: Commercial More than $100,000

Award of Excellence: Oak Park, Kelly D. Norris

Class VII: Public Horticulture

Award of Excellence: Future Plants Landscape: A Botanical Innovation Hub, Stefano Marinaz Landscape Architecture, Future Plants, Deltavormgroep & Piet Oudolf

Award of Merit: Media Library Rain Garden, Pierie Korostoff, Jeff Lorenz / Refugia Design

Award of Merit: Millennium Park Cloud Gate Grainger Plaza Gardens, Millennium Park Foundation & Site Design Group

"The 2026 Landscape Design Awards entries reflected the passion, talent and vision of today’s perennial professionals. We were impressed by the diversity of designs, the creative use of plants and the thoughtful approaches to sustainability and year-round interest," said Jon Peter of the PPA Board and committee member of PPA's Landscape Design Awards. "These award-winning projects demonstrate the significant impact that well-designed landscapes can have on our communities and environments. Congratulations to this year’s winners for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the profession."

To learn more about the PPA Landscape Design Awards program and view more details, including photos, about each awarded project, visit perennialplant.org/page/2026LDAWINNERS.