Conquer the Landscaping Contractor Exam in Under 90 Minutes: Study Guide for Site Prep, Grading, Soil, Drainage, Irrigation, Hardscape, Plants, Trees, Shrubs, Turf, Installation, Equipment and Pruning

De: Philip Martin McCaulay

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

This concise and practical study guide presents a complete overview of modern landscape construction as an integrated system of land shaping, water management, plant installation, and built features. It explains how grading, drainage, hardscape, and vegetation work together to create stable, functional outdoor environments. Each chapter focuses on real-world performance rather than surface appearance, emphasizing how landscapes behave over time under changing environmental conditions.

The guide explores the physical principles behind soil behavior, compaction, erosion, and water movement, showing how these forces shape long-term outcomes. Readers and listeners learn how slopes control runoff, how subsurface drainage protects structures and roots, and how irrigation systems must align with soil and plant needs. Instead of isolated techniques, the book presents landscaping as a connected system in which every decision influences every other component.

Hardscape design is addressed through the lens of load distribution, base preparation, and structural stability. Topics include flatwork, segmental systems, retaining walls, steps, and vertical transitions. The book explains how materials respond to moisture, temperature, and movement, and how proper detailing prevents cracking, settlement, and edge failure. These chapters emphasize durability and predictability rather than short-term visual results.

Plant installation and long-term performance receive equal attention, with chapters on plant selection, root behavior, turf establishment, mulching, surface treatments, and system maintenance. The final sections address equipment use, mechanical impacts on soil, and comprehensive jobsite safety. Together, these chapters present landscaping as a discipline that blends biology, physics, and construction into one cohesive craft.