When creativity meets commerce
It is not uncommon for creative minded people to decide not to devote all their energy to the pursuit of an artistic career. Many people are more than happy to dip in and out of creativity while making a living in different ways. The idea of one path for life is a thing of the past and a career pivot it seems, is more celebrated than ever.
Luke Gevaux is a graduate of the British Academy of Garden Design, but his was not a straight path to the academy. Luke spent many years working in ecommerce managing online stores, websites and digital marketing. While this may at first appear to have nothing in common with a garden design, there are a surprising number of transferable skills.
“It was a very different world to garden design, but it taught me a lot. I learnt how to understand clients and customers, how to communicate clearly, how to present ideas, how to build something from the ground up and how important it is to create an experience, not just a product.”
And Luke is no stranger to the business of design having previously enjoyed art and drawing, even selling his own work.
“So, although garden design felt like a career change, it also felt like a way of bringing together parts of myself that had always been there — creativity, plants, nature and the desire to make something beautiful.”
As he began to spend more and more time in his garden, it was becoming clear to Luke that garden design was something he wanted to know more about. He found himself being steered towards a new path in his career trajectory but also knew he needed to tool-up on his skills.
“Eventually, garden design stopped feeling like a dream sitting somewhere in the background and started to feel like something I had to pursue properly.”
The need for flexibility in a busy life
And so, the Academy was where it always is, ready and waiting. The first thing Luke looked for was flexibility. He needed to be able to commit to a new path of study while also managing his personal and professional life. He also wanted a broad and thorough range of skills. Alas, the Academy offers all of this, making it the perfect fit for Luke.
“I chose the British Academy of Garden Design because I wanted a course that would allow me to study seriously while still balancing work and family life.
I knew I didn’t just want to learn how to make gardens look attractive. I wanted to understand the design process properly: how to respond to a brief, how to create plans, how to think about space, proportion, materials, planting and presentation. The Academy gave me a framework to begin developing those skills and to start taking myself seriously as a designer.”
Garden design is a fascinating subject where nature, creativity and careful planning must meet in harmony and work together. Luke has always enjoyed the outdoors and nature but as he grew in his own life, so too did his appreciation of the wild world at large.
“I became fascinated by how much life even a small garden can support. A border, a tree, a patch of long grass, a rose, a group of perennials, they can all become part of something much bigger. That is probably where my love of garden design truly began: in seeing that beauty and ecology do not need to be separate. In fact, for me, the most beautiful gardens are the ones that are full of life.”
And so, as Luke worked through his course he began building on that unique combination of skills. The technical skills of drawings, concepts and communication coupled with the confidence to trust your own designs and plant knowledge, don’t necessarily come easy. But the most rewarding aspects of life are generally those things that are a little harder earned.
“The most rewarding part was seeing my own style begin to emerge. Over time, I became clearer about what mattered to me: romantic, naturalistic planting; gardens that feel immersive and alive; plant communities rather than isolated specimens; and spaces that support people and wildlife equally.”
Learning beyond lessons
Luke went on to graduate with a distinction, but he says the “deeper reward was realising that I had found the work I wanted to do.”
Since graduating, Luke has been building his garden design practice, Luke Gevaux Garden Design. This involves building a presence on the garden design landscape including websites, socials and marketing. And Luke continues to work on designs, presentations and consultation.
Like a garden, a business never stops growing and needs nurturing and adaptability. As Luke grows, so too do his ambitions.
“Ultimately, success for me would mean creating gardens that people love living with, but that also encourage them to reconnect with nature. If my work can help people see their gardens not just as spaces or outdoor rooms, but as living communities they are part of, then that would mean everything to me. To create beautiful spaces that reconnect people with nature, while giving something back to the world around us, that is the kind of work I want to spend the rest of my life creating.”
Pay it forward
The beauty of learning is not just the wealth of skills and knowledge that are provided, but also what you learn outside of the course content. Luke is now redefining his own views of himself. His confidence in his own creativity has emerged as well as a newly embraced profound care for his work.
“It feels much more personal. It brings together so many things I value, beauty, nature, craft, ecology, people and a sense of place.”
And new skills do not necessarily mean you need to jettison the old, in fact a good education shows you that all of life is a learning curve and nothing is wasted.
“Studying helped me understand that my previous experience was not wasted or unrelated. The skills I developed in ecommerce, communication, presentation, marketing, organisation, client experience and business thinking, are all useful in building a garden design practice.”
As Luke pursues his quest to enlighten people through nature and their outdoor spaces, we at the Academy continue to learn from our students. Luke is interested in spreading his knowledge through talks and writing and as an Academy who truly believe in paying it forward, we are intensely proud of his intentions.
https://lukegevauxgardendesign.com/
Are you ready to explore your own Creative Future?
Whether you’re looking to change careers, develop your creative skills, or turn a passion for design into something more, the Academy’s Garden Design courses are designed to help you build practical, industry-ready skills from home with personalised tutor feedback and flexible online learning.
Explore now and discover where your creativity could take you.
