HI Landscape study guide
HI Landscape · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The HI Landscape exam is a multiple-choice credential assessment for people who plan, build, and maintain residential and commercial landscapes. It suits landscape designers, installation crew leads, maintenance supervisors, and contractors who need to demonstrate working knowledge across the whole project lifecycle rather than a single trade. The HI Landscape study guide has 7 sections and about 2,551 words.
01Landscape Design and Planning
The Landscape Design and Planning domain checks whether you can translate a client program into a buildable, site-responsive plan. Expect questions on site analysis, functional diagrams, design principles, planting composition, circulation, sustainability, and Hawaii-specific context such as trade winds, salt exposure, viewsheds, and cultural landscapes.
374 words, about 2 min02Plant Selection and Horticulture
Plant Selection and Horticulture tests whether you can choose and specify plants that survive the site, not just look good on a plan. Questions cover plant identification, climate and soil adaptation, native and invasive species, irrigation zones, planting details, establishment, pruning, fertilization, and integrated pest management.
384 words, about 2 min03Hardscape Construction and Materials
Hardscape Construction and Materials tests your ability to build paving, walls, steps, edging, and decks that stay flat, drain, and hold up in Hawaii's salt, sun, and termite pressure. Expect questions on base preparation, compaction, reinforcement, jointing, retaining-wall drainage, tolerances, ADA access, and material selection.
370 words, about 2 min04Irrigation and Drainage
Irrigation and Drainage tests hydraulics, zoning, scheduling, backflow, and stormwater management. You need to know how pressure, flow, and friction loss affect head performance, why hydrozones matter, and how to keep water on site without erosion or off-site discharge.
362 words, about 2 min05Site Assessment and Grading
Site Assessment and Grading tests whether you can read a site before design: survey, contours, spot elevations, soils, drainage patterns, utilities, access, and permit triggers. Grading questions often hinge on slope math, drainage direction, and cut/fill balance.
348 words, about 2 min06Project Management and Estimating
Project Management and Estimating tests the business side of landscape work: scope, quantity takeoff, pricing, contracts, scheduling, submittals, change orders, and closeout. The exam expects unit conversions, waste factors, and awareness of Hawaii taxes and wage rules.
349 words, about 2 min07Safety and Regulations
Safety and Regulations tests whether you can keep crews legal and alive: OSHA/HIOSH rules, PPE, excavation, equipment, electrical, pesticide and hazardous-material handling, traffic control, and environmental permits. It also checks whether you know when a landscape job crosses into a regulated activity.
364 words, about 2 min