Friday, July 17, 2009

In my dreams, I am a landscape architect...

By day, I help a team of people involved with students on my caseload solve all kinds of problems. What colleges might be appropriate for my daughter? How can I get my son to care about chemistry? This student has been skipping my English class. Can you give me some community resources to help support this student?

But by night, in my dreams, I help people solve problems of another sort. My yard is shady, what plants would work? My house sits on the edge of a hill, what kind of landscaping is possible? I want to build a naturalistic water feature, can you help? In my dreams, on my head is a khaki canvas hat and I often wear the "Plant Whisperer" shirt my sister bought me for my birthday. It usually gets a laugh from my clients. In my dreams, I know the answers to my clients' problems. I look around and observe the amount of sun at the site. I ask what color combinations he likes. I ask if fragrance is important. I measure the area with my 200 feet measuring tape and take notes. I survey the landscape and consider erosion, seasonal changes, and call my contacts in local conservation offices about the water table or any possible flooding issues. I bring some samples of stone. It takes me about 4 days to excitedly draw up plans I know my clients will be thrilled with. I call in the team to put the plan into action. But I'm not the boss who walks around in heels telling people what to do, oh no. I have my leather work gloves flapping in my back pocket, I got the sunscreen on, and I'm down and dirty with my team. When the job is done, the water feature is amazingly creative - an enigma in that it's peaceful, yet energizing. The hill is breathtaking. My client never thought it would be possible enjoy a garden ON the steep hill! Everyone is happy and the world is that much more beautiful. I'm one good freakin' landscape architect. Geez, I can't believe I actually get paid for this!

2 comments:

  1. Do it Wendy! You have my vote.

    I took the plunge 12 years ago and never looked back.
    And I get paid to do this?

    Shirley Bovshow

    ReplyDelete
  2. Shirley, how embarassing that you would read this! ha ha ha!!!

    Do you still stop and think "I get paid to do this?" or does it become a job after so many years?

    ReplyDelete

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