BLArch Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield BLArch Bachelor of Landscape Architecture facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. In the LEED rating system, which credit category most directly rewards landscape architects for reducing site irrigation water use? → Water Efficiency — Outdoor Water Use Reduction
2. The 'Vaux-le-Vicomte' estate in France is an example of which landscape design style? → French Baroque Formal
3. Which urban design approach clusters buildings tightly around transit nodes to minimize sprawl? → Transit-oriented development (TOD)
4. The 'CPTED' acronym in urban design stands for what crime prevention approach? → Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
5. When must a landscape architect provide a written scope of services agreement to a client? → Before commencing services, to clearly define deliverables, fees, and responsibilities
6. In landscape architecture site planning, 'daylighting a stream' means: → Removing a culvert or underground pipe to restore a stream to an open-channel condition
7. What was the primary design philosophy behind the City Beautiful movement in early 20th-century American urban design? → Civic grandeur through monumental civic spaces, parks, and boulevards
8. Which zoning approach allows multiple uses—residential, retail, and office—within the same district? → Mixed-use zoning
9. What is the primary ecological function of decomposers in nutrient cycling? → Breaking down dead organic matter and releasing nutrients back to the soil
10. Which landscape grass is classified as a 'cool-season' turfgrass used primarily in northern US lawns? → Kentucky Bluegrass
11. Which design element is defined as a line formed by the junction of two different surfaces or materials? → Edge
12. The field of natural science known as _____ analyzes the composition, surface-shaping processes, and historical development of the earth. → Geology
13. What ecological role do nurse plants play in desert ecosystems? → They provide shade and shelter that facilitates seedling establishment
14. Which document establishes setback requirements, maximum lot coverage, and height limits for a given parcel? → Zoning ordinance
15. In landscape construction, what is the standard bedding sand depth recommended under interlocking concrete pavers? → 1 inch
16. The 'hardscape-to-softscape' ratio in a landscape design primarily affects which of the following? → Site stormwater runoff volume and heat island effect
17. What is the minimum recommended slope away from a building foundation to ensure positive drainage? → 2% for 10 feet
18. Which soil amendment is commonly used to improve drainage in heavy clay soils? → Coarse sand or grit
19. A permeable geological stratum or formation that stores and transports significant groundwater. → Aquifier
20. Interior design excludes → None of the above
21. Famous urban designer and planner who once said,Make no tiny ideas, they have no magic to stir men's blood → Daniel Burnham
22. The concept of 'edge effect' in ecology refers to: → Increased species diversity at habitat boundaries
23. A 'cut-and-fill' operation in grading design means: → Balancing excavated soil with soil needed for fill on the same site
24. Which term describes the gradual transition from urban centers to suburban and rural edges in land use planning? → Urban transect
25. Using the city beautiful movement's guiding principles, Paris was rebuilt as follows: → Baron Hausmann
26. The concept of 'genius loci' in landscape architecture refers to: → The spirit or distinctive character of a place
27. Using water temperature as an example → an abiotic factor.
28. Which land use planning tool designates specific zones for residential, commercial, or industrial use to guide development? → Zoning Ordinance
29. What is 'pH' measuring when applied to soil in landscape horticulture? → Relative acidity or alkalinity
30. What was the primary innovation of Roberto Burle Marx's landscape designs in Brazil? → Use of native Brazilian plants in bold, abstract compositions