Explore every episode of the podcast The Landscaping Podcast
Dive into the complete episode list for The Landscaping Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
Rows per page:
50
1–50 of 222
Title
Pub. Date
Duration
Episode 222 - Brendan Eccleston - Brisbane Landscaping Co
08 Dec 2024
00:47:16
In this episode I speak with Brendan Eccleston from Brisbane Landscaping Co, a design and construction company based in Brisbane.
Brendan had a great variety of experience prior to starting his business, which included owning a franchise for a lawn maintenance business, where he didn't make as much money as he'd have liked, but did learn a lot for his future businesses, one of which included a short lived partnership with a mate.
Brendan also discusses his back injury, and how he's able to take a positive out of a bad situation.
Episode 221 - Andrew Christopher Dunne - The Garden Design Mentor
01 Dec 2024
01:32:35
In this episode I speak with Andrew Christopher Dunne, and garden designer from Ireland who also has a mentorship/course called The Garden Design Mentor, which he created after getting great feedback on the advice he was offering on Instagram.
In this episode he talks about how most people learn by doing, and the importance of putting yourself in your client's shoes, understanding their problems and doing more listening than talking.
I also took away some advice from Andrew, particularly about dressing appropriately for design appointments, and going dressed as a garden designer, not as a landscaper.
In this episode I speak with Daniel O'Callaghan from Nature Build, a landscaping and water feature business based in Bendigo, Victoria.
Daniel started out working in heavy timber construction, so does some beautiful timber work, and he also developed a lot of other skills from working around other skilled tradesmen.
He discovered water features, so headed off to the US to learn from the best, and has honed his craft since.
He talks about his experience of growing his business year on year before realising it wasn't what he wanted.
And he has a great story about how he marketed the first water feature he built.
In this episode I speak with Emma Sage from Sage Journal, an online magazine for the garden industry, sharing stunning projects, education, gardening tips and how to's, recipes and everything else you'd expect to find in a gardening magazine.
Emma is based in Hawkes Bay in New Zealand and originally studied commercial law and marketing and has used her marketing knowledge to build the audience of the magazine.
She makes some great points in this episode, such as the importance of building a great team. She's teamed up with some great writers and photographers and the results show in the work produced.
Episode 218 - Christian Douglas - Christian Douglas Design
10 Nov 2024
00:50:18
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 a book called The Food Forward Garden where he not only shows projects they've designed using these principles, but also gives advice about how everyone can do it.
Episode 217 - Colleen Southwell - The Garden Curator
03 Nov 2024
00:55:44
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 than copying another designer.
Episode 216 - Andrea Proctor - Andrea Proctor Landscapes
27 Oct 2024
01:02:03
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.
In the episode I did with Jim Fogarty, we discussed a Landscape Design course we're both a part of, and in some exciting news, there's a Landscaping Podcast discount code for the course! Use the coupon code: LANDSCAPINGPODCAST when paying in full and you'll save $400! You can head to ulleo.com/landscaping to see the talented people involved in the course, as well as to sign up or see the other courses they offer. You can follow Ulleo on Instagram @ulleo
If you're wanting to sign up to be on the mailing list for The Landscaping School, you can find the link here.
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'll both be attending.
You can find a link to the Garden Event raffle I speak about here, which raises money for kids cancer charity Country Hope
Episode 214 - Andy Murray - Andy Murray Landscape Design
13 Oct 2024
00:48:46
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 early age and he talks about the similarities of how a bad singer can ruin a well written song, compared to a bad landscaper can ruin a well designed garden.
We also discuss the challenges of designing to a clients budget and the best ways to go about that.
In the episode I did with Jim Fogarty, we discussed a Landscape Design course we're both a part of, and in some exciting news, there's a Landscaping Podcast discount code for the course! Use the coupon code: LANDSCAPINGPODCAST when paying in full and you'll save $400! You can head to ulleo.com/landscaping to see the talented people involved in the course, as well as to sign up or see the other courses they offer. You can follow Ulleo on Instagram @ulleo
If you're wanting to sign up to be on the mailing list for The Landscaping School, you can find the link here.
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 Landscapes and Semken Landscaping to the point that she's worked/working for them for a 3 month placement.
I'm looking forward to following along with Elissa on her career in design.
In the episode I did with Jim Fogarty, we discussed a Landscape Design course we're both a part of, and in some exciting news, there's a Landscaping Podcast discount code for the course! Use the coupon code: LANDSCAPINGPODCAST when paying in full and you'll save $400! You can head to ulleo.com/landscaping to see the talented people involved in the course, as well as to sign up or see the other courses they offer. You can follow Ulleo on Instagram @ulleo
If you're wanting to sign up to be on the mailing list for The Landscaping School, you can find the link here.
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 have in common is that we're both part of a new Landscape and Garden Design course run by Ulleo, along with some of the best designers in the country! I talk briefly about the course in the intro of the episode, and again with Jim around the 30+ minute mark.
In some exciting news, there's a Landscaping Podcast discount code for the course! Use the coupon code: LANDSCAPINGPODCAST when paying in full and you'll save $400! You can head to ulleo.com/landscaping to see the talented people involved in the course, as well as to sign up or see the other courses they offer. You can follow Ulleo on Instagram @ulleo
Episode 211 - Josh Norman - Josh Norman Landscapes
22 Sep 2024
00:48:13
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 for his business, by being proactive and contacting designers to get work, and then building on those relationships from there.
Episode 210 - Jack Bath - Former InStyle Gardens owner and currently at Landscape Solutions
15 Sep 2024
00:54:38
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 time you make money on a project, is when you quote it.
If you're wanting to sign up to be on the mailing list for The Landscaping School, you can find the link here.
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 of the major supporters for our 2023 MIFGS garden and it was exciting to hear that he's teaming up with another designer for next year, and he spoke about how beneficial it is having this much notice, so he can grow things on and have options.
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 leaving.
He also has a great localised business model which he shares as well.
Episode 206 - Mia Bueskens - Terravita Horticulture
18 Aug 2024
00:41:05
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 message about the importance of charging professionally for a professional service.
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 between landscapers and designers, and Gareth also explains why saying No can be one of the hardest things to master in landscaping.
Episode 204 - Ashley O'Sullivan - InDepth Landscape Construction
04 Aug 2024
00:38:05
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.
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 this years MIFGS, so we discuss the origin and story behind that, as well as how amazing the plants were and the challenges of obtaining such a variety of indigenous stock in retail nurseries.
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 Melbourne Zoo, and I found it absolutely fascinating hearing about the amount of horticultural work involved in keeping the zoo running.
Episode 200 - Grahame Rowe - Better Homes and Gardens
07 Jul 2024
01:57:28
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 laughs to be had from this chat with Grahame.
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 is setting himself a challenge of posting on Instagram every day in July, starting on the day this episode is released!
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 for granted, but maximising the potential in these opportunities. He's made great contacts while travelling and will be heading back over to London to work for Kate Gould in the coming months, Visa pending.
I'll be looking forward to following Ash on his gardening journey around the world and learning plenty from him along the way.
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 Instagram page.
Episode 196 - Luke Smith - Australian Lawn and Garden Podcast
09 Jun 2024
00:48:25
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 his tour in Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on July 2 Melbourne on July 9 Canberra on July 13 Sydney on July 16 or 17 Hunter Valley on July 27 Brisbane on a date to be confirmed but in August.
Episode 195 - Patrick Handley - Waterscapes Australia
02 Jun 2024
00:56:58
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 about, I didn't even get to asking Patrick about these two experiences!
Episode 194 - Ross Uebergang - Ross Uebergang Landscape
26 May 2024
00:56:04
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 to that.
You can follow Ross on Instagram @ross_uebergang_landscape , although he's not all that active on there!
If you're wanting to sign up to be on the mailing list for The Landscaping School, you can find the link here.
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 recently helping Peter Donegan build his 2024 MIFGS garden, so we discussed what that experience was like, and Ben also talks about the benefits of working for successful people and how much can be learnt from them, regardless of what industry they're in.
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.
Episode 191 - Daniel Fuller - Plants Grow Here Podcast
05 May 2024
00:54:24
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 he also talks about the importance and benefits of getting out of your comfort zone and going to industry events to network, and how it gets easier each time.
Episode 190 - Dougie Elliot - Rock Solid Health / Stone and Landscaping
28 Apr 2024
00:46:59
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 Covid.
His holistic health views are quite eye opening for uneducated folks like myself, and while not everyone will agree with everything he says, one thing that can't be argued is that poor diet is the common denominator to many health issues, both mental and physical. And if there is something he says that you don't agree with, I'd encourage you to listen to the whole episode, as he has some great points to make and great bits of advice.
In this episode I speak with Tammy Huynh from Leaf An Impression. Tammy is a Horticulturist, Writer and also a presenter on Gardening Australia.
She started studying Horticultural Science at Sydney Uni before getting a role working on the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine team.
She was awarded Horticulturist of the year in 2021 by the Australian Institute of Horticulture, and also appeared on an episode of Gardening Australia creating a terrarium and kokedama before eventually being offered a presenting role.
In this episode I speak with Rob Waddell from Waddell Design, a landscape design and construction company based in Melbourne, Geelong and Byron Bay.
This episode also sees the reintroduction of the old intro music for one episode only, as specially requested by Rob!
Rob speaks about the reasons and challenges behind opening up separate arms of this business in different towns.
He's also designed and built 4 show gardens at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show and talks about those experiences and how it changes from when you start, doing it all by yourself, compared to doing one with multiple employees working on it.
Rob is a true entrepreneur and has also created his own App, which isn't quite complete yet, and is also in the process of setting up his business to be able to be franchised, and he talks about the process of both.
In this episode I speak with Brent Phipps from Byron Bay Ranga, a landscape design, construction and maintenance business located in Byron Bay.
It's an extremely enjoyable chat with Brent, with a great combination of education (Brent has been in business 11 years) and entertainment.
Brent had a great starting point in the industry, work for Mike Cass Creative prior to moving to Byron Bay, and he speaks about how he built relationships within the community which then fed him work when he needed it.
Brent also talks about the value he's found from employing a couple of business mentors/advisors and the need to pay for advice if you're looking to scale your business.
Episode 185 - Andrew Fisher Tomlin - London College Of Garden Design
24 Mar 2024
00:52:58
In this episode I speak with Andrew Fisher Tomlin from The London College Of Garden Design. Andrew was a co-founder of the College and is an extremely enjoyable person to talk to!
He wasn't sure what he wanted to do when he started in the industry, so tried everything, from horticulture, to design, to construction.
Andrew was the chair for selection of gardens to the Chelsea Fower Show and also was involved in judging for about 8 years.
Andrews shares plenty of advice in this chat, including how two gardens he's done which won best in show at their shows, were also the two lowest budgets. So he believes the creativity is improved on with a low budget.
In this special edition episode, I speak with 26 different people involved in the 2024 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. There's designers, builders, students and an organiser.
The chats were held on the Saturday during construction before the show opens on Wednesday the 20th of March
0:00 Intro 0:52 Grahame Rowe - Challenger Garden with Charlie Albone 4:19 Suzannah Kennett Lister - Wurundjeri Biik Garden with Andrew Laidlaw 8:44 Annika Zetterman - New Nordic Notes with Kajsa Bjorne 13:51 Andrew Hopkins - Hopkins Constructions for Landart Landscapes 19:10 Dan Foreman - Jack of all trades 20:56 Liam Riley - ID Landscaping 25:05 Emmaline Bowman - STEM Landscape Architecture 28:14 Nadia Cole - Platylobium 31:26 Matt James - Atlas Concrete and Landscapes 33:50 Phil Withers - PWLD 37:48 Riley Cooper - Gratus Garden 39:53 Shaun Mann - Bays Edge Landscapes Gratus Garden 43:13 Cam Hainsworth - ABCAM Horticulture - Gratus Garden 45:54 Paul Pritchard - Paul Pritchard Landscapes 48:59 Adam Hompas - Adam Hompas Landscapes 51:12 Paul Smith - Paul Alexander Landscape 54:32 Daniel Althaus - Althaus Landscape Designs 57:56 Eugene Klay - Klaycon Landscape Construction 1:00:55 Craig McLachlan - Smart Landscapes 1:03:58 Sam Collie - Esjay Landscapes 1:08:59 Elissa Astorino - Canadian Student 1:11:58 Trent Cornish - IMG 1:17:01 Sarah McLauchlan - Sarah McLauchlan Gardens for Open Gardens Victoria 1:19:03 Peter Donegan - Peter Donegan Garden Design 1:24:53 Ben French - Yards Landscapes 1:27:02 Nicole Semken - Semken Landscapes
Episode 183 - Peter Donegan - MIFGS 2024 Garden Preview
13 Mar 2024
00:55:57
In this episode I speak with Peter Donegan about the story behind his upcoming Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show design.
It's supported by the Defence Force Welfare Association and I loved the story behind it so wanted as many people to hear it as possible.
Doing this episode made me realise it'd be great to hear from as many people as possible from the garden show about their design inspiration, so the next episode of the podcast will be short 5 minute interviews with as many designers/builders as I can get to come on.
In this episode I speak with Chris England from Merrywood Plants.
Merrywood plants is a nursery specialising in espaliered plants and after espaliering was a hobby for Chris for 5-10 years, he then started Merrywood 25 years ago.
Chris mentions how, at two of his early nursery employers, he was taught the importance of knowing how to speak to people, and the importance of good people.
We also talk about how underrated I think espalier plants are and their various uses in a garden setting.
Episode 181 - Keith Edwards - Keith Edwards Landscape Consultant
03 Mar 2024
00:41:43
In this episode I speak with Keith Edwards of Keith Edwards Landscape Consultant. Keith has been in the industry more than 40 years so is a wealth of knowledge, and has a passion for the industry to match.
He has a great path to begin in the industry, where he learnt design, but then wanted to understand how a design would all fit together, so worked in grounds maintenance, turf research, landscape construction and irrigation and then went on to work for the Diggers Club before now working for himself once again.
Keith specifies some unique additives for plant health in his designs, so we discuss them, as well as the value of building a network of good, reliable people around you.
Keith is co host of his own podcast, Muddy Boots, and you can follow him on Instagram @ke_landscape_consultant or email him at keithmaxed@outlook.com
In this episode I speak with Simon Rosa from Simon Rosa Landscaping, a landscape design, construction and maintenance business based in Bendigo.
Simon has been running the business for around 20 years so has plenty of experience, starting out as a two man show to now having around 15 employees and working on the best gardens in Bendigo.
In this chat Simon talks about his positive experience during his apprenticeship schooling at Holmsglen. He also talks about the importance of working on your business, not just in it like a lot of landscapers do.
In this episode I speak with Chloe Thomson from Bean There Dug That and also Sprout School.
Chloe is an educator with her course teaching all things gardening with Sprout School, but she also wears many other hats in the horticulture industry from being an MC/speaker, to presenter/producer among other roles.
She has a great story about building good relationships with employers even when leaving.
And her tv presenting and producing experience has given her plenty of tips about the best way to plan and film content, so she shares some tips in this chat which are quite helpful.
Her Autumn intake for Sprout School closes on Feb 20, 2024 and you can use the discount code Joel50 to save $50, but if you miss out because this episode is released two days before then, she might also honour that code for the spring intake.
Episode 178 - Nick Bransgrove - Lawns In Good Nick
11 Feb 2024
00:55:29
In this episode I speak with Nick Bransgrove from Lawns In Good Nick. Nick started his social media account a couple of years ago after renovating his home lawn and realising how much he enjoyed it, and wanted to provide tips to other folks on how they could do the same.
He's since built the instagram page to 100k followers and recently started a YouTube and TikTok account as well.
He's also recently launched a renovation guide to provide more in depth information on how homeowners can achieve a beautiful lawn, with different options available for different levels of commitment.
Bec is another lucky person who knew what industry she wanted to work in from an early age, taking trips to the local nursery before starting work there as soon as she was able to.
She went on to start her own business and talks about the challenges of knowing your worth when charging for landscape design.
Bec is the president of Encouraging Women In Horticulture and also teaches at Chisolm Tafe
Episode 176 - Matt Ferguson - Ferguson Landscape Design
28 Jan 2024
00:35:02
In this episode I speak with Matt Ferguson from Ferguson Landscape and Design, a landscape construction company based in Melbourne.
Matt has only been in business a short time, having started the business in January 2020, but he's doing a lot of things right early. He employed a business coach in the first few months and we talk about the benefits this has brought.
Matt also talks about how he worked for his last employer as a subbie when he started his business, to fill in any gaps he had, which is a great way to start out.
He also talks about getting plenty of work in a new estate where a client praised him on a Facebook group for the estate, and how this lead to many new projects.
In this episode I speak with Stacey Swetnam from Legacy Gardens, a landscape construction company based in Sydney. Stacey currently works at Harrison's Landscaping where she began and completed her apprenticeship and will commit fulltime to Legacy Gardens in the coming years.
I first became aware of Stacey through her podcast "Tradie Lady Talk" where she spoke with women in the construction industry. There's just three episodes so far, but they're a great listen for people in the construction industry.
In this chat Stacey talks about the value of having sub contractors on site and learning from these specialists in their field. And she also talks about ho challenging it as to get started in landscape construction, particularly on a first year apprentice age, but how she did whatever it took, including working three jobs at once, so that she could work in a job she enjoyed.
Episode 174 - Michael McCoy - Michael McCoy Gardens
14 Jan 2024
00:59:13
In this episode I speak with Michael McCoy from Michael McCoy Gardens. Michael is a garden design, writer and was the host of the TV show Dream Gardens. Michael is an extremely enjoyable person to talk to and he's got some amazing stories about how he ended up spending 4.5 months at Great Dixter, as well as the story about how he ended up hosting Dream Gardens.
Michael also talks about the importance of designing a garden to meet the maintenance possibilities of the client it's for.
He also talks about the garden tours he offers in New Zealand.
In this episode, the final for 2023, I speak with Lucy Willcox from Lucy Willcox Garden Design. Lucy is a solo landscape designer based in London and has won several design awards in her time in the industry.
Lucy didn't start out in the industry but realised she had a passion for it, so jumped in and that passion has only increased since!
I first discovered Lucy after seeing her home garden on Instagram and I assumed it was an Australian garden based off the plant selections and hardscaping, but obviously it wasn't, so we discuss Lucy's design inspiration as well.