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In shear numbers of potential projects, residential is the biggest market. How many parks and nature preserves are built in your community each year? What type of companies are designing them? How much design and construction documentation (volume of work) goes in to a nature preserve compared to other types of land development?
Almost all medium…[Read more]

Also, don’t ignore entry level skills. You can’t go far if you can’t get through the door.

Hi Gareth,
So sorry about your back! I got hit by a car on my bike a few years ago- that is a terrifying experience to say the least. Was it bike versus car in this case? I have been lucky to walk away relatively unscathed from both of my car-on-human battles (minus some heinous bruising in my most recent car encounter in Thailand), but I know how…[Read more]

I would encourage you to pursue the track that leaves you with the most flexibility in the end. Given your interests, I think urban planning or landscape architecture both sound like good options for you, but I think the landscape architecture degree is more flexible. Think about it this way- you can do urban planning with a landscape architecture…[Read more]

Have you checked out Dynascape?  Depending on the scale of project that you work on, it might be a perfect solution.  
Vectorworks is all-in-one solution that is trusted by the top designers in the world – from large studios like Peter Walker to boutique design studios like Jeffrey Gordon Smith.  The product is awesome and is supported by a ver…[Read more]

Depends on what you are trying to get out of the program. I do not have much experience with Landmark but am a user of Land FX and thoroughly enjoy the program and believe it is a huge time saver on the design side of things. The staff there is also very helpful and updates the program based upon the users suggestions and comments which makes its…[Read more]

Are you looking for a few well known Landscape Architectses then you should contact with http://www.allinonelandscaper.com. Few months ago, I contacted with this company.They redesigned my house at very cheap prices.I was fully satisfied with their landscape maintenance services.

If you are using LT, you are basically grading by hand on paper, scanning your design for use as a reference, and then refining your sketched contours while digitizing. If your contract docs are prepared with a 1′ contour interval at 1″ = 20′, prepare your draft at a 5′ interval at 1″ = 50′ to save time and not get hung up on too many details. All…[Read more]

Here is one specific example for a specific circumstance that may inspire you to your own strategies (I also use LT).
I often make a small circle into a block that I name “c” that I use in conjunction with the measure command. If I have a crowned driveway at a steady slope I make a centerline – a polyline. I’ll subtract the existing or proposed…[Read more]

I would recommend a drawing course before learning CAD …. coming from someone who does not draw well by hand. The techniques you’ll learn in drawing are applicable to CAD.
I would highly recommend learning GIS if you are going into landscape architecture even if you don’t use a GIS program ever again. It teaches a different way of thinking and…[Read more]

Hi, Dubai would certainly be an interesting candidate and a great challenge!
Greetings, Alain

wow,thanks for the info 🙂

The exam is like a difficult client that you have to satisfy … the most important skill you can have to be a professional. One more skill set that they are testing for.

Post your portfolio here. I’ll critique.

Hello,
Thank you for the tips. I’m not based in the US so can’t really join in on those but I have been to and do try to get along to me local LI group meetings and events but they’re frequently poorly attended or badly advertised so you don’t know about them typically till 3 weeks after the event. Last years AGM had maybe 20 people there and most…[Read more]

Edward I think you touch on a good point. I have passed all sections and although I feel the test does not always match up to what a LA really does/ or needs to know I think it is there for testing the basics. 
The biggest area I think people are having issues is that they think they just have to study the material. This is a big mistake! You…[Read more]

Nothing personal here to anyone who has failed any section of the test.  Please re-read my first sentence. Again.
There is another side to a fail and that is that either a person’s own preparation or that person’s education did not come close to addressing the basics required for practicing landscape architecture.  Look hard at yourself and how y…[Read more]

Gareth,
I hope you are well. I suggest being involved with a local ASLA chapter where ever you are try asla.org and, see what events are happening. Sometimes you may find the possibility to tour open studios of firms and meet people that way. All the best!

DG is not for driving on, as far as i know. Wonderful for pedestrian traffic, not working for cars. 

We have found that wash out can be a problem even if well compacted. Proper Drainage is important. 
As for 20 years…not without maint.