A day in the life of a landscape designer.

It may surprise you the variety of information and services a professional landscape designer offers.  After a busy day last Saturday, I couldn’t help but think what an amazing job I have.

My day began meeting with one of my loveliest clients to discuss alterations to a new design and planting concept. We are creating a ‘Chinese’ themed garden and working around existing features. It is important that she likes the plants and features I have chosen.

Next I head up the hill to a garden I assisted the owner in designing back in 2011. A stunning hillside property with sweeping views of the beach from St Clair to Lawyer’s Head. My job there today is to prune the roses I chose, and planted, 9 years ago. I have never seen such annual growth on roses before. These roses are planted on a clay slope, east facing, sheltered and a constant water supply from the hillside.  Before finishing up there I give the grape vine it’s winter prune also. The vine is growing in a modern, timber framed glass house which in itself is a beautiful piece of architecture with a fabulous view.

After a quick stop at the garden centre to choose a maple for next week’s planting job, and a bite to eat, I drive out of town with gumboots, tape measure, clipboard and camera. With a pond development well underway, it’s time to check the spaces for planting.

I am excited to see how the pond is beautifully taking shape and the water beginning to clear. Slipping and wading around in mud, juggling the clipboard and tape measures, I am finally happy with a conceivable planting plan. This will be added to their landscape concept later on, using a CAD program (Computer Aided Design), printed and presented to the client for their approval.

On my trip back to the office is when I realized how lucky I am to combine my passion for gardens and helping my clients landscape their lives better.