There are those who love to get down and dirty in the muck, planting, weeding and pruning. And there are those who love to create an aesthetic where they can enjoy the visual pleasures of a beautiful space. And then there are those who are a little bit of both. If this sounds familiar to you, then perhaps you are a true born garden designer. Garden design is a harmonious marriage of the peaceful nurturing qualities of horticulture with the creative artistic flair of a designer. If you are still unsure, read on and see how many of these 12 signs speak to you and your green fingers.
1. An innate fondness for all things green
Do you love to spend hours tending to your little seeded friends? Do you find a calming joy in watching them grow? This is the most fundamental essence of garden design. It is a love of nature and a respect for the needs of plant life and their contribution to the environment.
2. Natural Aesthetic Flair
If you find yourself rearranging your garden furniture or perhaps you feel an urge to create a small rockery around your newly planted herb garden, you most likely have a design mind that is bursting to express itself. Garden designers will generally have an eye for design and a sense of the aesthetic of a space.
3. Attracted to Outdoor Spaces
If you find yourself drawn to the outdoors? Those who tend to step outside into gardens, parks, or natural landscapes don’t always know why they do it, but there is something inside that wants to be in the fresh air and enveloped by their natural surroundings. This could very well be a sign that you would be happier in a garden career.
4. Interest in Environmental Conservation
An innate respect and level of care for the natural world is a great starting point for a garden designer. Modern garden design requires a keen interest in understanding the importance of biodiversity and preserving and improving the environment by promoting sustainable practices.
5. Patient and Observant
One of the many reasons gardening can have a calming effect on people is the slow pace at which plants grow. This requires patience but also an understanding of the behaviour of certain plants. A design in a garden is not instantly evident and a designer will choose plants that will behave differently in different seasons and grow over time. A garden designer who understands their flora and fauna can observe even the most subtle changes and will know how to respond accordingly.
6. Creativity and artistic Skills
While horticulture and gardening skills are a vital element of garden design, it also involves creativity, visualisation and design. Artistic abilities and a love for drawing is a large part of visualising and planning garden layouts. Artistically minded people can excel at garden design.
7. Adaptability and problem-solving skills
As with many fields of design, there is a lot of problem solving and innovative thinking involved in designing an outside space. Every garden space presents its own set of challenges but if you are good at thinking on your feet and looking at issues from a solutions perspective, then you are a design-minded person.
8. Physical stamina and a desire to do hands-on work
For many garden designers, there is much physical hands-on work involved in a project. A passion for digging and planting as well as the physical stamina to handle gardening tasks are often required to see your plans through to completion.
9. Effective Communication and Interpersonal Skills
While garden enthusiasts are quite happy to spend most of their time with plant life, the business of garden design will also involve other people. Good communication skills can be very advantageous when dealing with clients, their needs and sometimes their demands. Garden design projects will also involve contractors and team work so if you are a gardener with a good set of soft-skills, you’re already on the way to success.
10. Constantly Learning
Keeping an open mind and a healthy level of curiosity provides not only a wonderful outlook on life, but it will also keep you in the loop and up to date with new technologies and different options that are available to designers. Garden design is a dynamic field, with constantly evolving styles, techniques, and plant varieties. A desire to learn and keep up with current trends is essential.
11. Resilience and adaptability
As with any business, in order to succeed you will need some grit and determination. Climate variables, seasons, and plant growth can all be unpredictable, so adapting to these changes is an important part of the job.
12. A sense of belonging and sharing
There is a whole world of garden design and joining a community of like-minded people can be an incredibly rewarding and reassuring experience.
If any of these signs speak to you, then garden design may be exactly what you’ve been looking for? Whether it’s a lively hobby or a career path you’ve been pondering, garden design is a wonderful combination of creativity, nature and indeed lifestyle. It is getting in touch with the natural world while exercising the artistic, creative part of yourself.
Our courses are carefully designed to take you from the basics of horticulture and design principles to advanced techniques in landscape planning and sustainable gardening. You'll gain hands-on experience in creating a variety of eco-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor spaces while being mentored by experienced garden designers and horticultural experts. Our courses provide a blend of practical skills, creative exploration, and ecological awareness, preparing you to shape the future of garden design. Check out our courses and make your green dreams a reality.