So, why did I become a Garden Designer? I've always had in interest in design. Since graduating from the University of Ulster in 2004 with a BDes in Design for Visual Communication (a degree consisting of Graphic Design, Illustration and Photography), I have been working as a Graphic Designer across many sectors.
For the past 17 years I have been working as a graphic designer for Reach plc (formally Trinity Mirror Group) primarily for the Irish Daily Mirror and Northern Ireland Daily Mirror, however, I've been fascinated by gardening and Garden Design for many years now, and decided that a career change was in order.
I enrolled on a 4 year part-time FdSc in Horticulture from CAFRE, Greenmount, to take my knowledge of Horticulture to the next level. It was at CAFRE where I gained hands on experience and in-depth knowledge of areas such as: Plant and soil science, turf culture principles and practices, production management of ornamental and edible crops, estate management and of course, garden design.
I have found that I have an incredible amount of transferable skills I can bring across from Graphic Design to Garden Design, and the transition has been enjoyable and fulfilling. Instead of using paper as my medium, I now use plants to create a living design which can be enjoyed for many years.
Skills such as CAD, understanding colour and form, composition, implementing my creative vision, liaising with clients, creating a design brief, project management, and meeting strict deadlines are all skills I have been able to implement in my new direction as Garden Designer. However, the education I have gained as a horticulturist has given me the tools needed to successfully apply these skills to the garden.
I applied to RTE's popular TV show Super Garden in May 2023 to showcase what I can do as a garden designer. More information to follow!
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