[Laura Duplain]

I noticed that Florida’s chapter of ALSA offers a study guide for $15 for Section F. I was wondering if anyone has purchased this and whether it was worth it? https://flasla.site-ym.com/store/ViewProduct.aspx?id=2365260 Also I was wondering if anyone found any books or resources that were helpful?

[Laura Duplain]

While working on Florida DOT projects, we were specifying Tree Frog http://www.arborguy.com/ on a few projects and they seemed to work out well.  As previously mentioned a bit on the pricey side in comparison to traditional tree staking, but aesthetically pleasing.  We primarily staked 15 gal to 65 gal oaks/crapes/etc. and sabal palms up to  24′ CT.  (Any sabals larger we staked traditionally)

[Laura Duplain]

What did you think of the webinar? 

 

Laura

[Laura Duplain]

great description of each LA tier!

I like your dad’s saying “if you can’t get it done in work hours, you don’t belong here”   it’s a matter of managing your time effectively and knowing when to delegate work, of course there are exceptions to every rule.

[Laura Duplain]

btw out of those 100 students I refered to; approx. 30% of those students I started with graduated in that profession with me four years later.

as Robert pointed out…  It’s not for the faint of heart and you need to be flexible and willing to learn and adapt. 

It’s one of those professions most people never heard of except through HGTV (BLAH!) and don’t really have a clue what we do.  What most people think of the profession would be classified as build/design with designing/installing small projects/individual residencies with a maintenance crew built in; in addition to bidding for landscape construction projects at various scales designed by larger LA firms .  I interned at one for a year and it wasn’t bad I got to work as part of a construction crew installing landscape and hardscape in addition to designing; however, your salary is based on commission.

[Laura Duplain]

I was actually going to school to be an architect and didn’t get into the program, my school advisor said there was an opening in the Landscape Architecture class so I took the opportunity and found myself with a 100 other rejected architecture students and 3 students who truely wanted to be a landscape architect.

Overall I enjoy what I do; however, it is not all pretty pictures, coloring, and designing parks like others have said.  A bulk of the jobs I work on are through the state (roadway beautifications), municipalities, commercial, and residential development.  Most of your time will be spent in preparing construction documents, getting approval of your plans through the local municipalities/clients, permits, rezoning and depending on the scale of the project/budgets/phasing, and that project is most likely be at your side off and on from 1 year to 10 years. 

You’ll be spend most of your time in the office rather than out in the field and a lot of your designs will be cut and dry because the client doesn’t want anything exceptional or they just need a landscape design to meet code. 

Some of your projects will never be built.  Your job security rides the tide of the economy depending on how diversified the firm’s projects.  I was laid off 4 years ago and just got my job back 6 months ago due to the economy and in that time many firms have shut their doors (obviously no job is 100% secure).

I suggest job shadowing a professional LA, take some beginning landscape classes just to get a fill for what it’s about, talk to LA students who are currently interning to get their perspective what reality vs what they expected.

In college, Landscape architecture studio classes are design to weed out those who aren’t really interested just like any other major.  So I say give it a whirl and if the shoe doesn’t fit at least you know and can pursue another degree that will fit without feeling regret

[Laura Duplain]

thanks for sharing, this site is great!

[Laura Duplain]

Thanks Lisa, I’m definately going to have to give that a try;
I look forward to seeing your tutorials; there’s still so much about photoshop I need to learn 🙂

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