Tag Archives: Landscape

Landscape Gardening Apprenticeship – 12 Basics You Should Know About Landscape Gardening Apprentices

We will go into the purpose behind taking up and completing apprenticeship in landscape gardening in this article. We will also detail the requirements for taking up landscaping professionally.


What to expect after completing apprenticeship in landscape gardening?


If you look around, you will find many amateur landscapers that take up small time commercial or residential landscaping projects. They are also professionals in their own capacity, however, are not considered as qualified landscape architects.


One needs to undergo an extensive degree program to specialize in landscaping, and post-completion he/she is considered a certified landscape architect qualified to take up any huge commercial or public project. One can also opt for apprenticeship in landscape gardening to qualify for professional certification.


No Easy Task


Please be aware that finishing an apprenticeship in landscape gardening is no easy affair. The landscape apprentice is always a working landscaper and is usually assigned most dirtiest and difficult tasks involved in landscaping. This is to help the apprentice learn about the art from all the perspectives from start till the end.


It is quite normal for an apprentice to be seen digging holes, lifting heavy equipments, indulging in severe physical labor irrespective of weather conditions and handling all types of chemicals on the field. There is no better way for a landscaper to improve his art than getting down to the nitty-gritty of each manual task. He/she must also be efficient in mathematical calculations and possess good eyesight necessary to operate the landscaping machines.


Details


1. The apprenticeship in landscape gardening covers various terrains to gain in depth experience and knowledge.


2. Apprentices are taught the essential distinguishing factors between the commercial, residential and public landscaping.


3. The apprenticeship also covers interior and exterior garden designing and planning.


4. Apprentices are taught the importance and usage of various landscaping equipments and their appropriate application in specific projects.


5. Apprentices are taught in detail about various soil types.


6. They also learn the science behind the plants and trees growth, texture and sizes.


7. They are also acquainted with different methods of pruning, thinning and the varieties of sods.


8. Apprentices are also taught about the legal, environmental and licensing aspects.


9. Apprentices who are preparing to turn landscape architects are taught about the site analysis and surveys.


10. They are also taught about different landscaping software and their application in drawing effective plans. The same is taught with hand too.


11. Apprentices hone their artistic skills by learning how to present the plants in a landscape in a beautiful way.


12. Different view perspectives are also taught to the apprentices.


The Program


Completing an apprenticeship in landscape gardening is a four-year affair and there are several schools all over the world offering such degree programs. Please know that the qualified landscape architects are considered most professionally able people in their field and work on mega projects like designing public gardens, zoos and theme parks. They are often employed by corporate sector also to handle huge commercial landscaping projects.


In most instances, a professional landscaper would have completed his apprenticeship in landscape gardening. In case you are planning to employ a professional landscaper, you must make sure that he is professionally certified and skilled to deliver the desired results. Considering the extensive training that a professional landscaper receives during his/her apprenticeship, he/she will be worth every penny spent.

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Useful Details About the Top 5 Landscape Contractors and Firms in the US

Landscape contractors are licensed professionals who are trained in performing techniques and designs onto a piece of land. This is whether it is a small or a large scale project. Landscape design comprises mainly of landscape management, landscape planning, landscape detailing, landscape assessment, landscape urbanism and garden design innovations. The skills of a landscape contractor, together with their certifications and experiences, has varying factors that can affect you selection and criteria of who is the best these days.

Landscape contractors are licensed professionals who are trained in performing techniques and designs onto a piece of land. This is whether it is a small or a large scale project. Landscape design comprises mainly of landscape management, landscape planning, landscape detailing, landscape assessment, landscape urbanism and garden design innovations.

People behind these, would be contractors that are also regarded as landscape designers. They are also the ones who convert a simple yard into great outdoor scenery, using renovation and decorative processes. Aside from this, they are also equipped in managing landscape renovations such as:

1. Disposing existing:

• Pests
• Plants, and
• Unused things

2. Building new infrastructure features

3. Installing drainage and irrigation systems

4. Sculpting:

• Themes
• Designs, and
• Walkways

5. Installing:

• Gazebos
• Fences, and
• Patios

6. Assuring the flowering of garden plants.

Hence, landscapers will present and even plot advisable themes but they also follow your chosen design. They can arrange maintenance services and provide follow ups, for future care. Contractors or design firms are also rest assured that their people had undergone training and expertise. This is with regards to landscaping at its best.

Moreover, many firms enjoy the market’s growth, especially in the landscaping industry nowadays. There was an increase both abroad and domestically. With this, top designing firms and contractors in US have reached billions of revenues. Reaping the subsidy, design firms became strong, particularly in the design market of the U.S.

Thus, changes and challenges in the industry such as new client demands, work loads, additional staffs and new design models has been a long standing problem because of the strong market.

According to the 2007 Electronic Edition of the ENR Top 500 Design Firms, they surveyed and published the top firms according to their revenues. The top 5 from the top 100 pure designers are as follows:

Type of Firm 2006 Revenue

1. AECOM TECHNOLOGY CORP. EA $2,831.9

Los Angeles, California

2. THE LOUIS BERGER GROUP EA $865.5

East orange, New Jersey

3. CDI BUSINESS SOLUTIONS EC $630.6

Philadelphia

4. PBS&J EA $546.1

Tampa, Florida

5. MUSTANG ENGINEERING EC $540.0

Houston, Texas

These top 5 rankings were judged according to their award winning plans, strategies, applications and extensive experience. Furthermore, here is the Top 5 for the Best Architectural Firms, which focused on landscaping:

1. FRCH Design Worldwide

Cincinnati, Ohio
Web Address: http://www.frch.com

FRCH Design Worldwide is a design and architectural firm that serves hospitality markets, restaurant, offices, entertainment and retail markets internationally. The firm got this slot in the year 2006. In fact, it is the first place winner of ZweigWhite’s national for the “Best Firms to Work for Award”. Thus, FRCH offers new strategies for architecture designs, promoting customer satisfaction.

2. Little Diversified Architectural Consulting

Headquarters:

• Charlotte, NC
• Dallas, TX
• Irvine, CA
• Detroit, MI
• Orlando, FL
• Washington D.C
• Irvine, CA
• Los Angeles, CA, and
• Research Triangle Park, NC

This firm was formerly Little & Associates Architects. Hence, this firm specializes in:

• Universities and Colleges
• Interiors
• Facilities Management
• Offices
• Civic
• Retail industries, and
• Financial industries

Thus, this company comes in an array of architectural consulting services such as:

• Land Development Services
• Space Management Consulting, and
• Architecture

3. BSB Design

Headquarters:
• Costa Mesa
• Denver
• Atlanta
• Chicago
• Dallas
• Las Vegas
• Sacramento
• Boston
• Jacksonville
• Chicago Loop
• Phoenix
• Tampa
• Orlando, and
• Fresno

BSB was founded in the year 1966. They specialize in architecture for residential areas. Where in, they have even expanded to commercial architecture such as:

• Community land planning
• Hospitality, and
• Resorts

Thus, BSB Designs offers unique design solutions, along with award winning plans. This firm is a veteran for 40 years, having 300 architects, staffs and designers.

4. Sasaki Associates, Inc.

Offices:

• Watertown, MA
• Boston
• San Francisco

Founded by Hideo Sasaki in 1953, Sasaki Associates became a respected international landscape firm. With 270 professionals, interdisciplinary measures are being implemented in their offices.

5. EDSA

Address: Fort Lauderdale

Offices:

• Florida
• California
• China
• Maryland
• Orlando
• Los Angeles, and
• Baltimore

EDSA was established in the year 1960. They actually guarantee an extensive experience in:

• Cultural and campus planning
• Environmental and community planning
• Hotels and resorts
• Ecotourism
• Entertainment and urban design

With over 220 employees, EDSA is a landscape architectural, planning, graphic and urban design specialist. Lastly, it is an internationally renowned firm.

Thus, with the vast number of landscaping firms and contractors, how can one find the best should you decide to build your own area, into an outdoor paradise? Here are the some tips:

• A big ad is not important, what is important is taking time to present and match your own designs to the landscaper. A good contractor actually listens to his clients.
• Visiting stores that offer listings of firms. With this list, you can do some research about the entire company profile and the designer itself.
• Get estimates from the contractor and other prospects as well.
• Don’t rush things. A good contractor lays down the design plot and its features before signing up.
• Seek for a firm that has a superior service and facilitates excellent customer care. They should be able to value their client’s opinions.

There are many excellent landscaping contractors and landscape designers nowadays. A vast progress of the landscaping industry inherits these contractors to upgrade their specialization with other competent companies.

Local landscapers can arrange special maintenance services in lieu with their customer satisfaction rate and performance. This may help in bringing them to become one amongst the top contractors and firms in the U.S. today.

Now that new computer design software is in demand, it has become an added variety of service for one firm to possess. Due to the advent of computer generated landscaping designs, more professionals must be trained and knowledgeable enough to implement this kind of progress.

Prospects in choosing contractors and firms to be on the top list must follow certain researches and surveys to the best of their services.

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