Hi Eric

>> I guess you would say I am a 'large scale' landscape architect ... I only do private gardens when I design a house for a client. Some of the municipalities in this area require registered landscape architects for development permits so I do a fair amount of that type of work as well as commercial site planning and park development. My first 14 years of practice was in the San Francisco bay area and I did lots of private landscape architecture there incorporating outdoor living spaces and swimming pools. <<

I have done gardens up to 4 acres in size but find them very cumbersome when they are so large, it wouldn't be so bad if they let you have free reign but they never do. Never designed a swimming pool other than to put dimensions and a label stating swimming pool, i pretty much avoid water designs as much as possible, ponds i can handle and drainage systems, other than that i don't tempt providence :)>> My work over the last many years focuses more on site development planning (with planting specs included), residential architecture, affordable housing, and some commercial work (currently working on a veterinary clinic, a country butcher shop/restaurant, a residence and some multiple housing). I work in a very rural area (in BC Canada) with scattered small cities so my work is extremely varied ... from some very small projects (like a new front porch) to numerous medium sized ones (hardly ever exceeding a million). <<

I did lots of this type work about 25 years ago when the UK had a building boom and I did the landscaping designs for 'public' areas, i prefer to call it no mans land but i certainly never made anywhere near a million from them - lol.

Done bespoke conservatory, greenhouse, garages, lean-toos and even garden potting sheds etc., but back then it was all pen and paper.

I miss it all, the banter with the workers and the excitement of chasing after design contracts, getting down n dirty, still hate surveying !!>> I appreciate your good design work and attention to detail. <<

Thanks :) Would love to see some of your projects, send me a PM if you have a link you don't mind sharing it or them, don't need files, just pictures will do

All the best Eric

Martin Spencer-Ford