Landscape Architecture

[atmmachine816]

My neighbor going to school for this and I"m considering doing this, is anybody here one? He says starting salary is 75,000 and there's a growing demand for it and the work involves stuff I enjoy doing. Bad thing is not many schools offer it at all. Just wondering if anybody actually does it.
thanks

 

[Isabella]

Whatever the salary, this is a very interesting job Remember, always do what you love to do. Because even if you make lots of money but the job does not satisfy you, you will be miserable. When you do something that you really love, then job doesn't seem like a job anymore, but rather a pleasure. And when you love your job, you're good at it too.

 

[atmmachine816]

Yes I lilke being outside and helping my dad with the lawn etc. I don't really care about the salary but that's a nice starting one. It's either that another type of architect or a teacher that I want to be.

 

[susitna-flower]

ATM, this is a very good field to go into. Before my husband and I started our General Construction Contracting business, I owned and operated a greenhouse nursery. In that business I was able to do landscaping. It was a natural extension of what I was doing anyway, but not as "professional" as a Landscape Architect. The biggest project I ever took on was a new 20 unit condinemum complex which I landscaped, including all the block walls, planters, rock garden, and rock streambed to handle rain runoff from an upper street to the lower one. If I was 20 and knew what I know now, it would definitely be an area I would explore.
If you really want to get more of an idea, try working the summer either for a landscaper, or one area I would look for would be someone that installs 'Aquascape Ponds'. This is a pond system that can be built in 1-3 days. Sometimes they go for really big projects. The only reason I say this is that there are many facets to Landscape Architecture. One of the most basic however is knowing plants and how they grow. It helps to have an artistic eye. The extension then of a summer job like that is to realise that the BIG BOSS is the Landscape Architect! GO FOR IT!

 

[atmmachine816]

O thanks.

I don't know if I could work with somebody here but I can work with my dad. He does a lot outside, he really like flowers and gardens and all. Over the summer I'm going to Utah for cross country and other places, not sure if they would like that. It sounds really interesting, so I guess you design a yard and make it also? I need to go to some college sites and see the grade requirements to get in, I guess OSU is the only college near me that offers the program and my neighbor went there and saw the campus and said it's really nice. They have a building just for them open 24hrs a day so they have a special key to get in and finish projects whenever

 

[susitna-flower]

A Landscape Architect would work for a firm that contracts for land developers, landscaping new subdivisions, large commercial buildings or private individuals who have big $$$ and want a professional to plan and oversee installation of new landscape. OR you have your own company and do the same thing. It might be a bit hard right out of college to open your own company without a resume of work completed. Before you even go to a college and check out their program, I would research in your area and find a company that either uses a landscape architect, or does that type of business, go by, introduce yourself, and ask lots of questions. Just let them know you are interested in studying it in college and want to find out what they do. Most folks will take the time to help out a young person trying to decide what to do in life.
There are big $$ in it, because most cities and states have development regulations that require a certified Landscape Architect to be in charge of this phase of construction.

It brings back good memories for me to contemplate the workouts you have to go through for X-Country. Many years while my girls were were in it I would not only take them to practice, but just like you were talking about, travel to different camps etc. One which was held in Fairbanks, a summer program for skiers but also benefited running was called " the defeet program." Taught by a former US Olympic ski coach. It had a brutal workout schedule of 8 workouts a week with a 10 -15 mi run on Saturdays, for two months. My one daughter that went on to compete in college did this program two different summers.
Another favorite place to train, and this is made available for our school every other year was a training camp held out on Kodiak Island here in Alaska. It is by invitation only, and you have to have a record of past state championships to be invited. (as a school). This program is only two weeks long just before competition begins, and always included things like sea kayaking. Our school is small, (125 kids) but we have really good coaches, and our girls team has taken state two different years.

Fish in the Frozen North -10F at 8:30 am , sunny and wind

 

[atmmachine816]

Hmm. that's what my mom thought, working for a company. I do believe that I wouldn't have a problem finding a place to work, there are sooooo many companys where I live, though she thinks I just do different jobs during the winter for them, do you know what you did? Might try asking around a bit.

Wow 125 kids, we have eight elementary schools and all of them are much larger than this and are high school is 2600 kids, that makes my school feel huge. That's interesting, the camp we go to is taught by some former olympic runner I think and is in the mountains so the elevation gets you I guess. I didn't go this year since our coach doesn't take freshman though I get to go this year since varsity members go and I'll be a sophmore. I heard from some of the upper classmen they had to run 6miles at 6min. mile pace the first day they got there after the long plane ride without getting used to the elevation :-\. those 10-15mi. runs sound pretty bad, I think that's what our coach is going after this year, having 60-70 total mileage weeks, he really wants a state championship before he retires and thinks he can get it since my year is a really good running year. I sure would love to go to Alaska for a camp, though I don't think we would qualify, no state championships. Sea kayaking, wow that's sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[susitna-flower]

Miles DO translate into good cardio health. It is very stressful on a sophomore. The key is to nap during the day, get lots of sleep at night, and eat a really good diet. Our coach also stresses 100-300 calories within 30 minutes of practice. And of course hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!

There are several really cool trails near Wasilla that the kids love to run. One is Lazy Mountain! They actually have a race on it in the summer every year for the really stout of heart. It goes up this mountain, down the other side, then back. It is SO grueling. Another place they love to go is Hatchers Pass. A pass that is used in summers by hikers, winter by snow machiners. I am going to send you a PM with a site on it that shows my runner daughter. There are lots of pictures on it, but if you go all the way down and on the older pictures, you will see clips of my son last summer on a kayak trip. It was 100 miles in 2 days! The other guy in the clips is son in law.

Runners up here have a full schedule of races every summer from lots of 5 K's to 1/2 marathons and full marathons. There is one called Mt Marathon, held every 4th of July in Seward AK that draws runners from all over the world! You have to sign up over a year in advance, and many times even then you can't get in! Lots of Mountain runners up here. But then we have lots of mountains.