Landscape Designer

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Every plant has its fitness and must be placed in its proper surroundings so as to bring out its full beauty. Therein lies the art of landscaping.

Jens Jensen
Landscape Designer

In A Nutshell

I work with customers to design unique and beautiful outdoor areas for their homes and businesses. 

I estimate costs and create plans that work with the customer’s budget in mind. 

I manage the team of workers that bring my designs and ideas to life.

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Potential Salary Range

$42,000 - 60,000 Annually

Which provinces would this job be in?

Alberta AB
Alberta
British Columbia BC
British Columbia
Manitoba MB
Manitoba
New Brunswick NB
New Brunswick
Newfoundland & Labrador NL
Newfoundland & Labrador
Nova Scotia NS
Nova Scotia
Ontario ON
Ontario
Prince Edward Island PEI
Prince Edward Island
Quebec QC
Quebec
Saskwatchewan SK
Saskwatchewan

My work is split between creating designs in my office and working on the job site. My office time is when I get my creativity flowing. When I’m on the job site, I get the chance to be hands-on in an energetic and busy environment.

Workplace

Indoor / Outdoor

Job Requirements & Duties

  • Create designs to bid for contracts
  • Use AutoCAD and other tools to create a digital mockup
  • Get any permits that are needed to build
  • Help with the actual construction of the landscape
  • Plan the team’s time to make sure the landscape is finished by a set deadline
  • Do final inspections and tours with the customer when the project is finished 

Education & Training

  • A university degree in landscape architecture is required. Many employers also ask for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. 
  • A few schooling options include the Red Seal Horticulture Trade Program and the Canadian Landscape Horticulturist Technician Certification Program.
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Job Outlook

    The outlook for this job is good; experts predict that in the rest of the decade, there will be more jobs available than there are people to fill them.  

Related School Subjects

Ed. Prof. et Tech.
Arts Education
Career Education

What words come to mind when thinking about this career?

Gardening Design Outside Construction Plants

Important Skills

Creativity & Innovation

My customers come to me because they want a beautiful design made from trees, shrubs, rocks, fences, walls, and fountains. I must be very innovative to come up with ways to highlight these things in a creative but also beautiful way.

Money Management

Once I’m told the budget of the project I’m working on, I have to be very clever about working with the money responsibly and not going over that budget.

Planning

Canadian winters limit my working season, so I need to plan every hour of useable time when it’s nice out to get projects done efficiently and effectively. 

Leadership

Once I’ve designed a landscape, I have a team of workers that I manage to do the construction; I make sure I’m clear and motivating with my leadership so that the work is high quality and done quickly.

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The Best Things About This Job Are…

Own Boss
Work Changes Daily
Seasonality
Flexible Work Environment
Creative work