Landscape Architect Business Cards for ASLA Licensed LA Professional Designers

Licensed landscape architects and ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) members are the design and planning professionals who apply scientific knowledge and design principles to plan, design, manage, and steward the built and natural landscape — creating functional, beautiful, and sustainable outdoor environments ranging from intimate residential gardens and urban parks to campus masterplans, greenway corridors, stormwater green infrastructure, ecological restoration projects, and complex multi-modal streetscape redesigns.

What Landscape Architect Cards Include

Your Credentials and Licenses

Landscape architect licensure (state licensing):

• RLA (Registered Landscape Architect) — the most common state licensure designation; "Registered Landscape Architect" or "R.L.A." after name; 49 states + D.C. license landscape architects
• LA (Licensed Landscape Architect) — used in some states
• State license number — often required on professional marketing materials; e.g., "[State] R.L.A. #[number]"

Licensure pathway:

• Requires a professional degree in landscape architecture (B.L.A. or M.L.A.) from a LAAB-accredited program + passing the LARE (Landscape Architect Registration Examination) + work experience (usually 2–4 years in an accredited internship program or LA-B / LA-B equivalent)
• LARE: 5-section examination covering site design and planning, grading, drainage, landscape construction, and planting design

Academic degrees:

• B.L.A. (Bachelor of Landscape Architecture) — 4 or 5-year undergraduate professional degree; LAAB-accredited
• M.L.A. (Master of Landscape Architecture) — graduate professional degree; 3-year (first professional) or 2-year (second professional / advanced standing); LAAB-accredited; programs at Harvard GSD, Penn, University of Virginia, Cornell, Ohio State, Cal Poly, Texas A&M, Arizona State, Clemson
• M.U.D. (Master of Urban Design) — graduate urban design degree; for LAs working in urban planning and design contexts
• Ph.D. in Landscape Architecture — for academic and research roles

ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects):

• ASLA member — the primary professional organization for landscape architects; "ASLA" after name
• FASLA (Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects) — honorary distinction; peer-nominated; significant contributions to the profession; "FASLA" is a meaningful differentiator in the profession

Sustainability credentials:

• LEED AP BD+C (Building Design + Construction) — USGBC; for LAs working on LEED-certified project teams; sustainable site design expertise
• LEED AP ND (Neighborhood Development) — USGBC; for sustainable urban planning and neighborhood-scale projects
• SITES AP (Sustainable SITES Initiative Accredited Professional) — GBCI; the sustainability credential specifically for landscape and site design; analogous to LEED for landscapes; "SITES AP" after name signals expertise in sustainable site design, stormwater management, and ecological landscape performance
• ENV SP (Envision Sustainability Professional) — ISI (Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure); for LAs on infrastructure projects

Other credentials:

• AICP (American Institute of Certified Planners) — APA; for landscape architects working in urban planning roles; requires planning degree or equivalent + experience + passing AICP exam
• CID (Certified Irrigation Designer) — IA (Irrigation Association); for LAs specializing in irrigation systems
• CPSI (Certified Playground Safety Inspector) — NPSI; for LAs designing public playground environments
• Green Star AP — Australian sustainability credential (for international practice)

Your Landscape Architecture Specialties

Residential landscape design:

• Residential garden design (single family, estate)
• Courtyard and roof terrace gardens
• Swimming pool and outdoor living design
• Planting design (perennial gardens, native plants)
• Hardscape design (patios, walks, walls, driveways)
• Landscape lighting design
• Water features (ponds, streams, fountains)
• Irrigation and drainage systems
• Grading and earthwork for residential properties

Commercial and institutional landscape:

• Corporate campus landscape design
• Healthcare campus / hospital grounds
• University and school campus landscape
• Municipal park and recreation design
• Hotel and resort landscape
• Mixed-use and TOD (transit-oriented development) landscapes
• Restaurant and retail outdoor space

Urban and civic design:

• Urban plazas and public space design
• Streetscape and complete streets design
• Greenway and trail corridor planning
• Waterfront and riverwalk design
• Urban park design (neighborhood, community, pocket parks)
• Urban heat island mitigation
• City street tree master plans

Green infrastructure and stormwater:

• Green infrastructure design (bioswales, rain gardens, permeable paving)
• Low Impact Development (LID) design
• Stormwater management and SWPPP compliance
• LEED SS (Sustainable Sites) and SITES credit projects
• Green roofs and living walls
• Rainwater harvesting systems

Ecological design and restoration:

• Native plant restoration
• Wetland restoration and creation
• Upland prairie and meadow restoration
• Riparian buffer design
• Brownfield reclamation and ecological restoration
• Habitat enhancement for wildlife corridors
• Invasive species management

Planning and master planning:

• Site master planning
• Land use planning
• Open space systems planning
• Greenway and park systems planning
• Coastal resilience planning
• Visual impact assessment

Design for Landscape Architects

Nature, Design Precision, Environmental

Landscape architect card design:

• Natural and organic aesthetic
• Design precision and spatial awareness
• Environmental and sustainable ethos

Color palette:

• Deep forest green + cream: nature and environment
• Sage green + white: landscape and plant-based
• Warm ochre + green: earth and field
• Charcoal + warm white: design precision meets natural context

Design elements:

• Plan-view (bird's eye) design motif
• Contour lines (topographic reference)
• Leaf or branch botanical illustration
• Site plan detail as texture element

Paper and finish:

• Recycled card stock: environmental ethos
• Uncoated or linen: natural and tactile
• Soft-touch matte: premium but understated

Back of Card

1. "R.L.A. [State] Lic. #[#] | ASLA / FASLA (if) | SITES AP / LEED AP BD+C (if)"
2. "[Specialty: Residential | Commercial | Urban design | Green infrastructure | Ecological restoration]"
3. "Site planning | Planting design | Green infrastructure | Stormwater | Native plants | LEED/SITES"
4. "[Firm name] | [City]"
5. "[email] | [portfolio website] | [phone]"

Checklist

• [ ] R.L.A. (Registered Landscape Architect) + state + license number
• [ ] ASLA member (primary professional affiliation)
• [ ] FASLA (if elected fellow)
• [ ] SITES AP (sustainable sites — highly relevant to landscape practice)
• [ ] LEED AP BD+C or ND (sustainability project context)
• [ ] AICP (if working in planning role)
• [ ] Specialty (residential, commercial, urban, green infrastructure, ecological)
• [ ] Project scale (intimate residential to large-scale campus/urban)
• [ ] Environmental/sustainability focus (native plants, stormwater, green infrastructure)
• [ ] Portfolio website (essential for visual-forward profession)
• [ ] Instagram (before/after and process shots)
• [ ] Email and phone