Over 30 years ago my husband and I started a landscape business in the Netherlands. To our surprise our business took off like a rocket. People liked our ideas and we loved creating! In order to get a more solid base for all the great ideas we had, I studied Landscape Design at the Leids Onderwijs Institute. We were passionate about everything to do with gardening. We travelled through Europe, visiting famous and not so famous yards to get inspired and had our own trial gardens to test newly introduced perennials. We designed, installed and maintained many yards, until we moved to Alberta in 2005.
Now………..growing conditions are quite different in Alberta than in the Netherlands! I felt I had to start from scratch.
The first few years, I learned about Alberta growing in a wide variety of settings in the green industry. I was fortunate to work with many experts, learning about trees on a tree farm and about hardy fruit at an innovative business that collaborated with the University of Saskatchewan. The last 9 years I worked for Holes Greenhouses, where I encountered every possible question and situation on gardening. It feels like the perfect match, I manage the Outdoor Department, staying on top of the new trends and developments while still doing what I love most: designing new yards. I never stopped learning and I never stopped designing.
Designing yards is my passion, using colors, textures and shapes. What I love most of designing other people’s yard, is that every situation is different with its own challenges and I that it is so personal, every client is unique. I love to work with you to create an outdoor environment that feels like home to you and that you enjoy in all seasons. My experience as a landscaper gives me a solid base to create something that is practical and beautiful. I can help you plan your project and give practical tips about the process and how to be cost effective. Every detail is customized to meet your goals and I take it a step further to create an outdoor space that you might not even thought is possible!
APPOINTMENTS & ENQUIRIES
maria@doubledutchdesign.ca