Landscape Design is both an art and a science
The art is creating flow - drawing you in and getting the proportions and colors right. The science is the structure - soil, grading & drainage, paths, terraces, steps, and walls all require in-depth understanding to be done right. A strong knowledge of horticulture ties it all together.
It always starts with a problem
...The plantings are overgrown (or dead!), there's not enough screening from the neighbors, the hillside is eroding, we need a more functional outdoor space, I want a safe play area for my kids, I'd like to have a vegetable garden, the deer are eating everything ...
Solving problems is the challenge and the fun.
I love breaking down problems into their elements, figuring out how it got that way, what the options are, how to build or renovate or rebuild whatever is needed, what plants will work.
I was inspired to change careers because I wanted to make the world a more beautiful place. Now I know that to do so means to pay careful attention to (and learn about) all of the factors that comprise our landscape and ecosystem.
Ansel Adams said: “You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” I say the same applies to Landscape Design: You don't design with just a piece of paper. I bring knowledge, inspiration from gardens I want to emulate, wisdom from my "garden idols" and mentors, and a sense of whimsy to my designs. Along with, of course, science, spreadsheets and by now, quite a bit of experience.