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Sweet One – it is SO important, this chemistry thing, this connection to the clients. I would love to be able to get excited about sites and specific design concerns, but I am excited by PEOPLE. Once I am connected to them, THEN I can start addressing the design with gusto! What am I going to say? Yes, you guessed it – Brain Twins!

Denise, you are RIGHT! As an trained actor, I kind of can’t help it – the personal is the avenue I take to get to the design. You are a sharp cookie! (wait – sharp cookie. That is a mixed metaphor, isn’t it? Bad writer! BAD writer!!!)

Robert – never fear, you are NOT alone – and I felt the same way when I saw your post! Whew! I wasn’t being a baby, then, if you were on the same page. THANK YOU!

Hi Jocelyn! I SO admired all of you who could tackle it – I kept thinking about the probing questions that I ask and how I try to see what clients think is funny… and I realized that the biggest piece of the puzzle was missing for me. I hope that Amy takes the ideas that were given to her and comes up with something fantastic!

Oh Pam, adorable they ARE! You know how it is when you pinch yourself for working with lovely people? This was one of those projects – everything about it was great, largely because of THEM. Now I don’t want everyone to think that I get all cuddly with ALL of my clients; these two are a very special case. But some sort of an in-depth relationship is crucial in my mind – the work is better, more satisfying. Yes, it is a luxury to think this way- I’ve certainly done work for people I don’t fall in love with, but still… knowing them is vital! Good for you for spending the time with your flesh and blood clients and strengthening those bonds.XOXO!

Gen – I so agree! Region is key! The only garden I have ever designed in a cold, snowy region was a rooftop container garden – I would have been at a loss ANYWAY on this one! Hahahaha!!!

Alison I wish I would have been there TOO! I can’t BELIEVE someone just flat out told you NO HYDRANGEAS. There are always ways – If you were here in Southern California I would have given you a gorgeous climbing hydrangea! A lovely flowering vine for the shade that is SOOO elegant!
I think you planting your own garden is fantastic – be your OWN expert! That is how I started on my gardening journey – you never know where the garden path is going to lead you… Keep Growing!

I also had retail customers who would try to get me to do a freebie design for them; “I have a 20 x 10 foot space – what should I plant there?” I don’t know. I’m not a designer but I know enough to know I’d have to understand how a person would use that space, how much maintenance they would be willing to do, etc. There’s a good reason designers are paid for their skills.

So, long story short – I completely agree with you.

Ah well. I designed it myself, but placing plants isn’t my forte. I do love growing them, though.

Everyone did an admirable job designing.

I’m with you on this one. I pored over the pictures and thought and thought about how I would design for a mystery client in a far, far away region, on an obviously lovely property that I wasn’t going to get to visit in person, and I just couldn’t do it. Rather than spend more precious time trying to make it work, I bowed out in order to focus on my very real and present clients and properties that I’ve strolled with them.

Knowing my own limitations on this exercise, I’m beyond impressed by those on the Roundtable who made it work, who designed beautiful spaces from afar.