Route
to Job: He
milked sheep for 10 years, but squeezing a profit out of tenant
farming, in Surrey, was just too hard. So Robin switched from
the science of animals - he had an agricultural degree - to
a more arts-based area of horticulture.
A Higher National Diploma in garden design gave him a foothold
into the design world and put Robin on a sharp learning curve
with plant identification. He started using form, colour and
texture to a garden's best advantage.
By the end of the HND, in May 2001, Robin had enough horticultural
know-how to hone his training on garden schemes at Landscape
& Garden Design Centre.
The firm is based at Wyevale Garden Centre, in Hertfordshire,
and tackles projects from £3,000 to £150,000. It
created a display for last year's Chelsea Flower Show.
Typical day: "All
my garden design is computer based so when work starts around
8am, that's where you'll find me. Computer-aided design allows
me to firm up ideas by using a collage of images for surfacing
and plant effects.
"We talk through our schemes with clients for gardens up
to 400m2. Design isnot all about drawings, however, and I manage
projects as they are built by one of our landscape teams
"This practical element is just as as well. Garden design
is such a broad-based subject, you cannot become too immeresed
in one specialist area. You need a wide understanding of plants
and technology, as well as the the arty-farty side of aesthetics.
Mu plant knowledge was negligible when I started at College,
and confined to crops like wheat and barley. The learning demands
have been high and the amount of computer work was a bit of
a shock. But you get used to it, and visiting sitesabout twice
a week adds variety."
Best
aspect of the job:"Seeing a garden I have
designed bult, and watching how its form and colour takes
shape. "
Worst
aspect: "Sitting behind a computer for long
hours."
Ambition:
"I would like to be a well-known garden designer."
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