Emerging Professional Designers

Laura Damsgaard

Q: What was the moment you realized you had made the transition from student to professional designer (aside from finishing your educational program)? Was there a specific moment when you realized “I am a professional landscape designer”.

A: It was probably the moment I felt confident charging money for my time. While I was studying environmental horticulture, I did a lot of free work for friends, family and neighbors to gain experience—and confidence, really. I took advantage of every educational and hands-on opportunity I could find, and after about two years of work experience, I made the leap of legally filing my business and admitting out loud that I was a landscape designer. It’s been full speed ahead ever since and so much fun.

Q: How has Covid affected the launching of your new career?

A: When everything shut down, we were all really nervous and unsure of what was going to happen. Looking back, I now think one of my fear responses is to get really really busy—because it was during this time that I completely immersed myself in everything horticulture and set my sights on making an official career change. I couldn’t have done it without the amazing support of my family. The four of us created Rootsy together, everything from my then 3-year-old toddler pointing to her favorite logo draft (which is now my logo!) to my teenager helping take photos for the website. And my husband did way more than his fair share to keep the kids fed and the house managed while I sat behind piles of plant books and drafting tools in my makeshift office (a.k.a. our kitchen table). Covid forced all of us to be home together 24/7, which gave me a support network and an opportunity to learn from amazing teachers who were not previously available online. To say it was an intense two years would be an understatement, but Covid presented a unique opportunity for me to nurture the idea of a career change into a reality.

Q: Are there any designers (past or present) that you look up to or who continue to influence your work?

A: There are so many! It totally depends on what aspect of design I’m needing inspiration in on any given day. Today, I’ll give a shout out to some of my favorite local (California) designers who dedicate so much of their time to educating others and who truly live and breathe sustainability in their work: 

  • Studio Petrichor: Shawn, Leigh and Gisela are an absolute joy to follow. Their humor and down-to-earth approach to such critical messaging is inspiring. I would love to work with them on a project someday. 

  • Terra Nova Landscaping: Ken and Jillian have no limits to their imagination and joy in creating ecological landscapes. For example, if you have an extra burlap sack lying around, they can tell you 100 ways to use it in your garden. 

  • Tree of Life Nursery: Mike, Jeff and their team are epic resources when it comes to CA native plants, how to care for them, and using them in design. Experience is the best teacher and they have a lot of it. Lucky for us, they also love sharing what they know.

Q: What excites you the most about the field of landscape design?

A: Can I cheat and say the complexity of the job? It’s impossible to get bored as a landscape designer because every project is unique, and you are constantly challenged to learn more and be creative. You also get to work with so many amazing people. Collaborating with a well-rounded community of contractors, designers, environmentalists, farmers and clients is so enjoyable, especially when I get to connect with those who believe in advocating for the planet and local ecosystems. Residential clients turn to us as landscape designers for inspiration and guidance, so it’s important we empower them to see beauty in simpler solutions and stay clear of harmful trends like artificial turf. It’s motivating to see the ever-increasing group of green industry professionals who are creatively educating communities about ways they can more respectfully and sustainably interact with outdoor spaces. I only wish I had discovered landscape design earlier in my life, but better late than never! The next generation of young professionals should definitely consider careers in landscape architecture, regenerative agriculture, and water conservation because it’s stimulating work and there is so much opportunity in a field you can feel proud of being a part of.

The clients requested a “modern, yet whimsy” front yard to help make their house “pop” from street view. Our design included gravel steps leading to a seating area to address the slope and water runoff toward the house foundation, a playfully offset paver pathway to the front door, and lots of color in the new lower-water landscape using CA native and other Mediterranean climate plants.

The clients wanted to replace their lawn and apply for the city “cash for grass” rebate. We incorporated boulders, berms, a stormwater swale and a variety of CA native plants that usually survive deer taste tests. So far so good!