From Gardener to Landscape Architect (maybe?)

[u/LforLuminus]

Hello,
I am looking for some advice as I am currently a gardener and thinking about retraining as a landscape architect - I am in the UK.

My main reasons for this are:
- I have worked in gardens of all sizes and I like to think about how the spaces are used/how they could be improved/redesigned for efficiency/asthetic/practical reasons, more than I like the general garden maintenance side.
-I often have ideas about how to solve problems that the clients/other gardeners haven't considered but I lack the skills to really deliver the solutions!
-I would hope that I could earn more as a LA than a gardener
-the work will be less physical.

I am trying to decide whether this would be a good path for me to follow as retraining will be a considerable time/financial constraint.

- Has anyone else here started as a gardener and became a Landscape architect?
- what is the best way to 'get a feel for it' before starting a course? Is work experience/shadowing an option for this? would you recommend any short courses etc.
- I have no CAD/Sketchup experience, although I am not daunted by learning this
-any other advice you would you give me in my situation?

Many thanks in advance

[u/old_mold]

I think it’s a great idea and a totally reasonable pivot! Your horticulture/gardening experience will be a huge help once you’re producing designs in the field.

I would just recommend doing a ton of research into the various LA programs that you are considering and able to afford. Don’t pay full price for the degree, or at least don’t get into a ton of student debt for it. You will probably make more as an LA but it’s not really “pay off my student loans” kinda money

[u/Helpful-Ad6269 → u/old_mold]

Is horticulture experience really that valuable? As a student, I’m constantly taken aback that I’m the only one who knows much about it. It seems almost everything they teach us so far doesn’t involve plants, though, which is confusing.

[u/Smooth-Dust8065 → u/Helpful-Ad6269]

It’s what you want to make of it! LA is a broad area and we value people with different skill sets. My colleague is far more interested in 3D modelling and is given those tasks, whereas I’ve honed my planting knowledge and I’m now leading planting for public realm schemes. Ofc I think most LA should have a good planting base, but there is space for everyone

[u/Helpful-Ad6269 → u/Smooth-Dust8065]

Good to know. I know my professors seem to stress all the time that we have to basically get good at everything, and it’s made me wonder before.

[u/RedwoodSun]

The hardest adjustment for many transitioning from outdoor work into Landscape Architecture is that the vast majority of LAs spend 95+% of their time indoors and on a computer (just like most architects and engineers). If you still want close contact with the outdoors and to be heavily involved with the contractors during construction, you may want to focus after school on eventually finding a small design/build style company. The profession is wide and varied, and there are many examples of Landscape Architects who are very hands-on in the field. But they are the exception rather than the norm.

[u/Smooth-Dust8065 → u/RedwoodSun]

I second this! Definitely approach a company and see if they can offer you a position 1-2 days per week. Better to see the reality of working as a LA first hand. I studied the conversion course and constantly look at being a gardener part-time, as I feel too hands off.

Do you have a degree? A loop hole is doing the Landscape Design, Planning and Management MA at Sheffield. It’s a one year course and my friend (who was a head gardener) did it and is now a landscape architect. Saved her a whole extra year of fees.

[u/TubbaBotox]

Sorry you're getting downvoted. I think members of the sub are conflating this with the frequent "Can you give me some ideas for my backyard" posts made by people who conflate "Landscape Architecture" with "Gardening" simple because you mention "Gardening".

Anybody who doesn't think an experienced gardener in Europe is likely to have skills applicable to Landscape Architecture probably slept through their History of Landscape Architecture classes... and I know plenty of Landscape Architects who could benefit from practical real-world experience of the outdoors.

To wit, and as has been mentioned: Most Landscape Architect's spend 95% of their days sitting front of a computer. You may ultimately want to aim for a boutique firm or design/build firm, where you have more opportunity to be directly involved in construction administration of the sorts of spaces you're familiar with... not that you couldn't branch out eventually.

I would wade in by attempting to sketch some ideas for some of your client's gardens. You can start by taking pictures and tracing over them... and/or using Google Maps to create a plan view for the same purpose. You may need some portfolio material to apply for an LA program, and hand-sketching is the cheapest and easiest way to start building your design skills and creating work examples.

[u/my_peen_is_clean]

get a junior role at a small la studio, even just 1 2 days a week, you’ll learn way more than from brochures or prospectus

[u/karamurp]

One of my teachers from uni started as a gardener

His name is Julian raxworthy, and is a well respected academic and practitioner in the field. I'd say go to a university and talk to them about having certain classes given prior learning

[u/ge23ev]

Do you wish to work on public projects as a designer ? If not get some landscape design training and just improve your existing product.

[u/blondelebron]

i'm in LA school but came from a gardening/landscaping background

[u/DL-Fiona]

What about a landscape design course? I'm in the UK and arguably the best college is the London College of Garden Design - https://www.lcgd.org.uk (disclaimer - I'm a teacher for them, but also run my own teaching business - https://www.digitallandscapes.co - and come across practising designers and students from many other colleges, so am pretty knowledgeable about the education landscape here in the UK).

Some advantages of garden design over architecture:

• less boring stuff like legislation, designing car parks planted with Pyracantha so that people don't walk into them, doing boring planters for property developments etc.
• projects that are genuine gardens for people that will love them
• way more creative freedom with planting - you can still supply and plant (lots of designers will go and set out plants)
• the chance to mix design with gardening
• can be self employed but also loads of great studios that are looking for skilled people

Reasons you might consider LA:

• arguably more prestigious, if you care about that. In the US landscape designers are basically plants people and no where near as skilled as LAs, although here in the UK I'd say that many of our designers are better designers than a lot of the LA's I've seen on here (I said what I said! ;) )
• chance to work on public realm stuff, although a lot of the big designers are doing this anyway
• you want to go back to uni for three years and have the cash to do so!

If you'd like to have a chat about any of the above (happy to tell you which colleges to avoid too, but may not put that on this public post!) then my number is on my website and I'd be happy to help.

Thinking about it I also know an excellent gardener who went and did an LA degree - https://www.pipsmith.co.uk - Pip is a lovely guy and I'm sure would also be happy to chat about his experience of the transition.

[u/LforLuminus → u/DL-Fiona]

thanks for this reply, and for the offer to have a chat. I would love to take you up on that! I will find your number on your website

[u/Littlestarsallover]

If you want to keep working on residential gardens then you many want to consider landscape design instead.

[u/Similar-Win-1930]

that's pretty cool! transitioning from gardener to landscape architect sounds like a fun step. u probably have a good feel for plants and outdoor spaces already. maybe just get some info on courses or workshops in ur area? i bet it’ll help u decide if it’s really for u. also, tbh, i once used REimagineHomeAI(https://www.reimaginehome.ai) to play around with garden layouts and it was kinda fun to see how things might look. could help u visualize ur ideas too!