Design it Landscapes

Member Profile

Design It Landscapes

https://www.designitlandscapes.co.uk/

About Design It

Design It Landscapes was founded by Dan Ryan in 2009.  Dan’s interest in garden design and a love of nature and the outdoors led him to study at Pershore College where he attained a HND in Horticulture and Garden Design.

Matt Ryan qualified with a FDSc in Arboriculture & Estate Management at Pershore College and has worked in supervisory roles in landscaping, estates and forestry companies throughout the UK. 

Matt joined the business in a Project Management role as it expanded, working alongside Dan and the rest of the team

Since starting the business Dan has built up a team of highly skilled staff and a network of trusted suppliers who work closely with Design It to provide the best possible experience and service for our clients.

 

The Interview

• As a company you have been involved with many award winning show gardens and this year built another Gold medal winning garden at BBC GWL. What do you think they bring to your business?

Being involved with show gardens has enabled us to network and work alongside garden designers on a regular basis on larger and more exciting projects. We have also found that they have helped us stand out amongst our competitors and we a proud to be able to show the standard in which we aim to achieve in such a small timeframe including winning three best construction awards with the most recent one being this year. 

• You are a design and build company, but you work with designers, how important do you feel that collaboration is?

I think the collaboration of designers and landscapers is incredibly important especially in the planning stages of projects to iron out any issues. We have found that as we have a design and build background designers are keen to collaborate with us as we are able to see the project from the designers perspective.

• The industry boomed through covid, how are you finding the new normal post covid?

After the boom of enquiries through covid we have definitely noticed things slow down especially over the last couple of months. I think this has left a lot of business owners finding the smaller projects have dried up but we have found we are having fewer enquiries but they seem to be larger projects.

• You have recently started to train Porcelain Paving Installation at The Task Academy. How are you finding this? Was it always a goal to become a trainer and do you think there is a need for training in the industry?

I really enjoy being involved at The Task Academy although it had never originally occurred to me to be in this side of the industry, however it has been great to develop my own skills by delivering the training along with being able to pass on skills and knowledge to the students. I Feel there is a huge need for training in the industry to both develop the next generation of landscapers and also to enable established business to keep updated with current techniques and best practices.

• What do you think is the biggest challenge facing you as a business over the next 12 months?

I feel for us as a business our biggest challenge will be expanding due the skills shortage within the industry. 

• What, if any as a business is your major goal for the next one to three years?

As mentioned above we are ready to expand again and I would like that to include the design side of the business with an in-house designer as well as designing and building another show garden but as to which show yet I'm not sure.

                                                                                                        

 

There we have it, some great insights into the workings and thoughts of a fantastic, established APL business. 

If you would like to answer some, not too probing questions posed by Phil, 'The APL General Manager' then simply email him at  [email protected] and who knows, you could be next.

Thank you to Dan for taking part. Finally, I look forward to seeing you getting a Gold for something in 2024.