NM Landscape study plan
NM Landscape · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Grading, Drainage and Stormwater Management
Calculate spot elevations by interpolating between contour lines at 1:1, 2:1, and 4:1 slopes
Design a vegetated swale with a 2% longitudinal slope and check erosive velocity against a known Manning's n
Size a detention basin using the Modified Rational Method for a 10-year and 100-year storm
Apply NRCS curve numbers to estimate runoff volume for three land-cover scenarios
Your checkpoint
A 10-problem grading and drainage calculation set with step-by-step work shown, scored at 90% or higher against a self-made answer key
Grading, Drainage and Stormwater Management & Construction Documentation and Administration
Draft a drainage plan showing contours, flow arrows, inlets, and overflow paths for a 1-acre hypothetical site
Compute pipe invert elevations and slopes for a three-segment storm line, verifying minimum cover
Check ADA-compliant cross slopes and running slopes on a proposed walkway and ramp
Write a stormwater management narrative covering water quality volume, peak attenuation, and outfall analysis
Your checkpoint
A one-sheet drainage plan plus a two-page stormwater narrative covering the 2-year, 10-year, and 100-year events
Construction Documentation and Administration
Outline a 15-section construction specification package using CSI MasterFormat divisions relevant to landscape work
Build a bid package checklist covering drawings, specs, addenda, and bid form
Create a construction observation log template with fields for date, activity, weather, and deficiencies
Map the RFI, submittal, and change-order approval workflows from contractor request to final sign-off
Your checkpoint
A 12-page mock specification and bid package plus a one-page RFI/change-order flowchart
Construction Documentation and Administration & Inventory, Analysis and Project Management
Prepare a quantity takeoff and cost estimate for planting, paving, and drainage scope
Build a 20-task project schedule and identify the critical path
Conduct a site inventory checklist covering soils, utilities, vegetation, and circulation
Assemble a risk register with likelihood, impact, and mitigation for a hypothetical project
Your checkpoint
A mock project management binder containing schedule, budget, risk register, and inventory checklist
Inventory, Analysis and Project Management
Perform a site analysis for a hypothetical 2-acre parcel, mapping sun, wind, drainage, and views
Create overlay diagrams for constraints, opportunities, and circulation
Write a project management plan defining scope, deliverables, milestones, and stakeholder roles
Identify likely permitting approvals and agency review timelines for the hypothetical site
Your checkpoint
An 8-page site analysis report with four overlay maps and a permitting checklist
Planning and Design
Develop three schematic design alternatives that respond to the week-5 inventory and analysis
Evaluate each alternative against a weighted selection matrix of program, cost, and site constraints
Verify design compliance with accessibility, setback, and stormwater requirements
Draft a planting plan specifying at least 10 species with size, spacing, and establishment notes
Your checkpoint
A schematic design package with three alternatives, a selection matrix, and a one-page design narrative
Planning and Design & Inventory, Analysis and Project Management
Synthesize inventory findings into a preferred master plan with labeled zones and circulation
Conduct a structured peer review of the master plan using a 15-item quality checklist
Resolve conflicts between design intent and grading, drainage, or code constraints
Complete a 30-question mixed-domain practice quiz and log every error with a corrective note
Your checkpoint
A full master plan sheet plus a 30-question quiz scored at 75% or higher and an error log
Grading, Drainage and Stormwater Management & Construction Documentation and Administration & Planning and Design & Inventory, Analysis and Project Management
Complete two full-length timed practice exams under exam-day conditions
Review the error log and rework every missed calculation or code item
Compile a one-page formula and reference sheet for grading, runoff, and slope calculations
Finalize exam-day logistics, including identification, calculator policy, and time allocation per section
Your checkpoint
A full-length practice exam scored at 80% or higher and an error log with at least 20 corrected entries
Milestones
Week 2: Drainage plan and stormwater narrative reviewed against a self-made rubric; all slope and invert calculations verified for arithmetic and unit consistency
Week 4: Project management binder complete; schedule critical path and cost estimate checked for internal consistency, with no unresolved missing quantities
Week 6: Design package complete; each of the three alternatives scored against the selection matrix, with the preferred option justified in writing
Week 8: Full-length practice exam at 80% or higher, with every error logged, corrected, and linked to a specific domain and reference