In this episode I speak with Christian Douglas from Christian Douglas Design as well as The Back Yard Farm Company. Christian started out in the UK, studying design and having a business partnership which also designed gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show, before leaving this business and moving to California and starting the current businesses. He discovered a passion for permaculture, and started implementing some principles of it into the garden he and his team design, and has recently launched...
Nov 10, 2024•50 min•Season 4Ep. 45
In this episode I speak with Colleen Southwell from The Garden Curator. Colleen is a landscape designer and artist based in Orange, NSW. Colleen mentions that her artwork has taken over more of her time recently, and I was fascinated with how beautiful and unique her paper sculptures were, so we talk plenty about that and her piece which was sent to New York. Colleen also does garden design workshops and she talks about how she teaches people how to come up with their own design style rather tha...
Nov 03, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 44
In this episode I speak with Andrea Proctor of Andrea Proctor Landscapes, a design firm located in Melbourne. Andrea has an awesome story about how she got started in the industry and the importance of being proactive and persistent. She worked for Andrew Laidlaw for ten years after working with John Patrick for 5, and she has since worked on around 20 Botanic gardens and went out on her own in 2020. You can follow Andrea on Instagram @andreaproctorlandscapes In the episode I did with Jim Fogart...
Oct 27, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 43
In this episode I speak with the World Famous Ashley James from Ashley James Gardens. Ash was a guest on episode 13 where he spoke about his path into the industry, so I thought it was a great time to get him back on the podcast 3+ years later to see what he's been up to. We talk about his work writing for Home Beautiful magazine, his partnership with a real estate agency and the launch of his curated seed range with Meadow Flowers Australia. We also talk about Cass Hooke's garden event which we...
Oct 20, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 42
In this episode I speak with Andy Murray from Andy Murray Landscape Design, a landscape design business based in Melbourne. Andy had a unique path into the industry, starting out in childcare before studying permaculture design, studying further at Burnley and then working in horticulture for a couple of people. He then started a business partnership with one of those people he was working for and had the business for 12 years before going out on his own. Andy also had a love of music from an ea...
Oct 13, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 41
In this episode I speak with Elissa Astorino of Elissa Astorino Garden Design. Elissa is based in Canada and currently a student, but graduating this month. She came out to Australia in March to help Peter Donegan with his MIFGS garden as well as designing and building her own garden in the Border Gardens competition. She has a great attitude towards learning, which is what has lead to her being in Australia and not only working at MIFGS, but also developing working relationships with Yards Land...
Oct 06, 2024•35 min•Season 4Ep. 40
In this episode I speak with Jim Fogarty from Jim Fogarty Design, a landscape design company based in Melbourne. Jim has probably done more garden shows than any other Australian designer, winning more than 30 awards, including 16 Gold Medals including a Gold at both Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. Jim was also a student at Burnley, which has produced an incredible amount of talented people within the industry. He also does garden tours to Japan twice a year with ASA. Something Jim and I...
Sep 29, 2024•57 min•Season 4Ep. 39
In this episode I speak with Josh Norman from Josh Norman Landscapes, a landscape design and construction company based in Melbourne. Josh has a great story about how he started out, firstly with his old man who was a bricklayer, but then he worked at multiple places including travelling to Darwin, Perth and the UK for work, before coming back to Melbourne and working for a couple of high end companies prior to starting his business. Josh also has a great story about how he started getting work ...
Sep 22, 2024•48 min•Season 4Ep. 38
In this episode I speak with the former owner of InStyle Gardens, Jack Bath. Jack is currently a project manager at Landscape Solutions based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. It was fascinating chatting to Jack and hearing about his transition from business owner to employee and going from residential to commercial, as well as hearing about the pros and cons of having a business in two different states at the same time. I also loved him recalling a quote from Bruce Winstanley that the only t...
Sep 15, 2024•55 min•Season 4Ep. 37
In this episode I speak with Chris Hose from Chartwell Nurseries, a wholesale nursery based just outside of Geelong in Bannockburn. I absolutely loved chatting with Chris, not only because he's a plant nerd, but also because he's one of the nicest people in the industry. He's got a great story about his early life in the industry where he was working at a nursery while still at school, but decided to do extra plant study so that he'd have answers to questions when people asked him. Chris was one...
Sep 08, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 36
In this episode I answer some questions asked via Instagram. Normal interviews will resume next week. If you're wanting to sign up to be on the mailing list for The Landscaping School, you can find the link here. You can follow along with the projects we're currently working on via our Instagram page @instyle_gardens @thelandscapingpodcast You can view each episode on our YouTube channel...
Sep 01, 2024•18 min•Season 4Ep. 35
In this episode I speak with Hayden from Vereya Gardening, a garden maintenance business mased in the Dandenong Ranges in Melbourne. Hayden has a great story about one of his first projects, working for someone who decided to post an ad for a gardener at the music college Hayden was studying at. He recently went to various gardens overseas for 7 weeks, so he talks about the challenges of running his business remotely for that period of time as well as the planning he put in place prior to leavin...
Aug 25, 2024•46 min•Season 4Ep. 34
In this episode I speak with Mia Bueskens from Terravita Horticulture, a garden maintenance and installation company based in Melbourne and around Daylesford, where Mia grew up. She had a great start to the industry with multiple family members part of the industry, and she talks about how influential some workmates and employers were during her development prior to starting her own business, including where she worked for Lucas House and Garden and Jane Jones Landscapes. Mia also has a great me...
Aug 18, 2024•41 min•Season 4Ep. 33
In this episode I speak with Gareth Wilson from GK Wilson. Gareth is a highly decorated and respected landscaper in the UK and has built at least 30 show gardens, including multiple ones at Chelsea, and has won 11 gold medals as well as best in shows, best in category and best construction. Gareth is also an author, consultant, lecturer and awards judge, among other titles, so despite stepping back form landscaping, he's still just as busy. We talk about the importance of working as a team betwe...
Aug 11, 2024•57 min•Season 4Ep. 32
In this episode I speak with Ashley O'Sullivan from InDepth Landscape Construction, a company based in Canberra. Ash is the operations manager there and has been for 3 months. Prior to moving to InDepth, Ashley originally worked for his father's business for 10 years and then worked in commercial landscaping for 8-9 years, so we talk about the pros and cons to both and how one can help the other. You can follow InDepth on Instagram @indepth_landscape_construction If you're wanting to sign up to ...
Aug 04, 2024•38 min•Season 4Ep. 31
In this episode I speak with Suzannah Kennett Lister from SKL Gardens, a landscape design business based in Melbourne. Suzannah originally started her working life in the Theatre space before studying landscape design when COVID closed down the arts world. Her mother is a successful landscape designer in South Australia, so Suzannah grew up around the industry, and she also works on projects with her mum as well as her Melbourne projects. I worked with Suzannah on the Wurundjeri Biik garden at t...
Jul 28, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 30
In this episode I speak with Sean Dowling from Bayon Gardens, a design and construction company based on the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne. Sean has not only a unique story about the path he took to start in the industry at 27, but also about how he came up with the name Bayon Gardens. He also shares the different way he started the business, with 4-5 employees including zero apprentices to start off with. Sean also shares his story about the Japanese Garden Show build he did with Ross Ueber...
Jul 21, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 29
In this episode I speak with Chloe Foster from Foster Your Garden. Chloe is a horticulturist, writer, educator, designer and host of the 3CR Garden Show. She started in the industry straight out of school, working at PGA nurseries while studying, and talks about the benefits she's experienced from being involved with volunteer work within the industry and how it's benefited her as well. As well as getting a dream role at the Australian Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne, Chloe also worked at the Melb...
Jul 14, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 4Ep. 28
In this episode, the 200th of The Landscaping Podcast, I speak with the first guest and inspiration behind starting the podcast 3+ years ago, Grahame Rowe from Better Homes and Gardens. Grahame talks about the amount of thought and work that goes into a segment on BHG Tv, which blows me away to think about, and he also talks about the 2 year break he had from working in the green industry where he went and worked in Real Estate, and why he did that. There's some great lessons to take away and la...
Jul 07, 2024•1 hr 57 min•Season 4Ep. 27
In this episode I speak with Zac Connell from Evergreen Gardens and Landscape Solutions, a landscape construction company based in Benalla in regional Victoria. Zac had a great start in the industry, starting at a nursery before starting his own business doing garden maintenance and then moving more towards construction and dabbling in design. We talk about the challenges of working in regional areas along with the positives, and Zac shares some of the ways he goes about training his staff. Zac ...
Jun 30, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 26
In this episode I speak with Ash Walker from Ash Walker Gardening. Ash is a horticulturist, plantsman, designer, writer and traveller and we talk plenty about his amazing travels in this episode. Ash was a recipient of the Global Footprints Garden Scholarship which allowed him to travel to England and France in 2022 working at the Chelsea Flower Show for Kate Gould as well as at Monet's Garden in France, among other experiences. Ash is a great example of getting opportunities and not taking them...
Jun 23, 2024•43 min•Season 4Ep. 25
In this episode I speak with Cass Hooke from Outback Gardens. Cass is a garden consultant and writer, writing for Graziher magazine. Cass started out in the industry while she was at school working for Robert Boyle before studying in Botany, working in veggie production nurseries and working in conservation for threatened species. Cass is holding a garden event at her property in October 2024 with guest speakers and workshops and a tour of her garden. Details are on a pinned post on her Instagra...
Jun 16, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 24
In this episode I speak with Luke Smith from The Australian Lawn and Garden Podcast about an exciting trip he's about to take where he's travelling around parts of Australia hosting events and live podcasts in various cities. Luke was a guest on episode 144 talking about how he started in the industry, but this episode is more focused on his trip, while also including some business tips as well. He'll be celebrating episode 100 of his podcast in Perth with an event on June 11 and then kicks off ...
Jun 09, 2024•48 min•Season 4Ep. 23
In this episode I speak with Patrick Handley from Waterscapes Australia. Patrick also started Aquascapes Australia, where he began importing the Aquascape Inc products from the US to use on his projects and sell to others, after he first used them while working in Canada. Patrick is the first person to win the Aquascape Artist of the Year outside of North America and also travelled over to the US to help build a pond for Shaq! Unfortunately there were so many other fascinating subjects to talk a...
Jun 02, 2024•57 min•Season 4Ep. 22
In this episode I speak with Ross Uebergang from Ross Uebergang Landscape. Ross is a designer and educator and is a joy to chat to! His episode is the perfect blend of education and entertainment I'm always looking for, and there are a couple of moments where he clicks into teacher mode, in between telling some amazing stories of his time travelling the world. Ross has a great message in the last 5 minutes, so if you don't listen to the whole episode, I encourage you to at the very least listen ...
May 26, 2024•56 min•Season 4Ep. 21
In this episode I speak with Ben French from Yards Landscapes, a landscape design, construction and maintenance business based in Brisbane. Ben started early in the industry, working at a landscape supply yard while still at school, and then trialled different roles within landscaping to work out which ones he liked best. Yards was originally solely design and construction, but maintenance gradually took over and is now the majority of the business. Ben and a few of his team were in Melbourne re...
May 19, 2024•49 min•Season 4Ep. 20
In this episode I speak with fellow podcast Garry Ashton from Aussie Lawnstars. Aside from his podcast which has been running for about 2.5 years, Garry also has a lawn and maintenance business based in Newcastle. In the episode we discuss both business advice as well as some life advice along the way, talking about how Garry learnt the hard way as to what he should be charging for an employee. And we talk about how the way you look at life, is often how you experience it. You can follow Garry o...
May 12, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 19
In this episode I speak with Daniel Fuller from the Plants Grow Here Podcast. Daniel is more than 200 episodes into his podcast and it is a wealth of knowledge for the horticulture world. He has some extremely interesting and knowledgeable guests on, and is also very knowledgeable himself, so it makes for some fascinating conversations, from which I've learnt a lot! Daniel talks about how great it can be when the different arms of the green industry can share their knowledge and experiences, and...
May 05, 2024•54 min•Season 4Ep. 18
In this episode I speak with Dougie Elliot from Rock Solid Stone and Landscaping and also Rock Solid Health. Rock Solid Stone and Landscaping is his stonemasonry and landscaping business, while Rock Solid Health is where he's a holistic health coach. Dougie started out in Castlemaine working for the local council in the botanic gardens, among other areas before working for his dad for 4 years learning stonemasonry, and then moving to Geelong with his wife to start working for himself during Covi...
Apr 28, 2024•47 min•Season 4Ep. 17
In this episode I've done another Q and A episode via questions asked on Instagram, purely because I wasn't organised to have a guest for this week! I answer questions such as: When is The Landscaping Course going to be released? Do you have a clause in your quotes for under ground rock, extra fill etc. Would you buy a mini excavator or mini loader first? What's your current take on the current state of the landscaping/construction industry? If you're wanting to sign up to be on the mailing list...
Apr 21, 2024•29 min•Season 4Ep. 16
