You’re originally from a farming family – are we right in saying landscaping, horticulture is something you more or less fell into?
I’d been working on cattle stations in the Northern Territory and at the end of my second year I ran into Julia, my now wife, at a party in Armidale, NSW. A relationship developed and to pursue things I needed to relocate to Sydney. Julia organised some labouring for an eastern suburbs landscape company, and I reluctantly moved. As it turned out, I really liked the work – it combined my appreciation for the outdoors with the satisfaction of physical work.

You soon set up a business and went out on your own?
I started working in Sydney in 1991 and the company I was working for ran out of work during the recession. I was made redundant, so I started a small contracting business doing lawn and garden care whilst studding horticulture at TAFE. It was hard at the time, however looking back, it was a valuable lesson in understanding the value of having a go and taking calculated risks.

So was there a fairly immediate attraction to horticulture and landscaping as such?
Not initially – my passion for my craft has developed over many years. In the first three to four years of my contracting business work was incredibly hard to come by. I used to develop work by cold calling every builder’s site around the eastern suburbs. Eventually this grass roots approach paid off. I had a mantra that if I could get one referral from each job completed the work flow would be consistent. I’m a neat person and very methodical. I think my approach in the early days was very refreshing for many of the builders and clients I worked for.

Were there those you leant on or learnt from in the early days?
I worked very closely with a landscape designer named Marcia Hosking. We formed a symbiotic relationship where she would design the garden and supply the plants while I handled all the physical labour. Marcia was an excellent designer and I absorbed a great deal from her on the creative side of the work. After about seven years I told her that I was ready to venture out on my own.

How did you come to be the garden editor at Belle Magazine?
After about ten years of focusing primarily on residential projects we had built a solid portfolio. I recognised that editorial coverage could be a great way to promote our work so I approached [Belle] editor at the time, Eric Matthews, with some of our completed projects. A day later he called and asked if I wanted to be the garden editor. I thought, ‘why not?’ It was a dream job. They published some of my work as well as projects from others, but the exposure I gained through Belle, especially during the peak of magazine influence, was incredible.

You’ve a distinct style with your designs and for a long time it straddled a tropical and lush bent – but looking at more recent works, is it fair to say you’ve engaged a more natural and native approach? 
Yes, most of my work leans toward a more natural aesthetic. For example, this garden at Dangar Barin Smith and Robert Plumb’s new Sydney office is entirely native. These days I aim to work with clients who align with my vision and approach to design, which has become easier as I’ve gained more experience. It’s a win-win because clients still get the garden style that our brand is known for, while I have the opportunity to explore a slightly different direction – creating spaces that are more sustainable, natural, wild and less meticulously curated.

Have more clients become open to natives in the past five to ten years?
Native plants can be challenging to cultivate – they require a lot more effort which can scare people off. However, a garden doesn’t have to be entirely native. While I aim to make my gardens predominantly native, I do incorporate a mix of other plants. Ultimately, what I’m striving for is to create a more natural, organic look.

As a national business – well , what you do here can’t simply be replicated say in Perth, so I imagine there to be ongoing learnings?
Absolutely – we work all over Australia and it often requires me to retrain in horticulture, which I see as a good challenge. When I arrive in a new area like Perth I start from scratch. I’ll drive around, take notes and photos, call local nurseries, ask questions and immerse myself in learning. I really enjoy that part of the process.

You touched on it earlier – but it must be interesting to witness and be part of this revolution and evolution in landscaping. This was once an afterthought at best – nit anymore, you and the team here, you’re a central selling point to a property. 
Certainly, there wasn’t much of an industry back then. The approach was simple: build a house, toss down some pine bark mulch, and put in a few trees and plants. To be honest, I don’t really think of myself as a designer. I consider myself more of a hard worker, a problem solver, and someone who’s practical—and that comes from my farm background.

Well, as designer, which you are – are you still someone who prefers a manual approach to sketching or is it now all digital?
Always pen and paper. I do everything by hand as I’m not a fan of computers – I’ve never really taken the time to learn how to use them. These days, with the experienced team we’ve built, I act as the creative lead. I’ll sit down, sketch out my ideas, and discuss the overall vision. We have a database of more than 10,000 professional shots from completed projects that I often reference. After that, I’ll hand the development of the concept to my associate in charge. I am a big believer in mentoring my team and encouraging them to form their own ideas. It’s the only way you can empower people and grow your business.