Reality Check.
I started as a GreenKeeper at Wisley Golf Course before setting up my own Gardening business in 2003. It is now 11 years since I qualified with a Diploma in Garden Design and I can honestly say that it has been a struggle to earn enough income from design alone to pay my mortgage and support my family. I was full of hope - as were my fellow graduates - planning show gardens and volunteering at Chelsea, spending hours on drawings and visuals, developing a website and portfolio etc. I had already paid over £5000.00 tuition fees for my course at Merritt Wood, plus lost earnings of nearly £10,000 for the working time it took up. Then there was a decision to be made on Cad, Vectorworks, Sketchup etc. I was ok with tech but didn't have enough time or money to devote to it. Vectorworks software was several thousand pounds, the training probably several thousand more and it seemed to me that there were people who were way ahead of me with this. So, I decided to try and continue with drawing and rendering by hand. I used a program called Concepts on my iPad, which helped with visuals. However, this all took too long. I was spending hours trying to make my work look the way I wanted it to, but I wasn't earning enough for this. I never charged to visit clients who contacted me with an interest in Garden Design and often this was wasted time. The clients didn't really understand the design process, wanted to get free advice and weren't much interested in paying for anything - what a surprise!
It would have been good to have an organisation to provide support for designers. The reality, for me, of the SGD is that it is an exclusive club that doesn't support garden designers in any practical way. To become a member, I would need to submit drawings, planting plans, concept plans, laying out drawings, construction drawings etc and pay to go through the process. As far as I’m concerned, the cost of this makes membership prohibitive. (Work is meant to be something that you EARN from?) Still, I suppose I could be a pre-registered member and get to enter shows... hmm - doesn't really do much for me.
Recently, I looked at my website, considered my position and came to the conclusion that the only way to get ahead was to – bite the bullet – and buy the software and get trained to use it. I spoke to my Wife, and we looked at ways of releasing money saved for other things. Then I spoke to a tutor in Vectorworks and Sketchup etc – trying to decide the best way forward. The designer had a really good diploma in garden design, excellent experience and a really fantastic looking website. They were obviously an expert in Vectorworks and Sketchup. They had everything in place but even so – earning a living from garden design was still a stretch.
It seemed from them that the only people that tended to do well in their garden design practice were those who already knew rich clients.
Finally, a reality check. To earn a living from garden design you need wealthy clients and the best way of getting them was – to be in the club – and I wasn’t.
I really enjoy design. For me, the really interesting thing is – What to design? What makes the garden work in a way that really enhances the life of the people living there. Expensive Luciano Giubbilei hard landscaping looks great but this is not for everyone!
So, I’m going to change my approach. The old adage – Say what you do – Do what you say!
I am changing my Website from Matthew Thomas Garden Design to Matthew Thomas Garden Services and I’m not going to spend any more time and money on training or joining organisations like the SGD. I have over 20 years of experience in most aspects of gardening and landscaping, including design. I have earnt a living through maintenance, hard landscaping, fencing, planting, irrigation, lighting etc and a bit through design. That’s the reality for me and that’s what I’ll continue with.
Cheers Matthew Thomas.
Comments