Landscape Professional Practice

Book excerpt: Graduate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Chartered Landscape Architect, MBA and Barrister, Gordon Rowland Fraser draws upon 30 years of project management, professional practice and teaching experience to provide an uncomplicated and intuitive guide to the business aspects of the landscape profession. An indispensable reference for seasoned professionals, the book will enable the student or novice practitioner to turn their drawing board inspiration into reality without being overwhelmed or afraid of overseeing the implementation of their proposals. Guided by the Landscape Institute’s 2013 Pathway to Chartership syllabus, this structured, step-by-step, narrative guide sets out the documentation commonly used within the landscape profession and makes accessible a logical and sequential understanding of contractual relationships; procurement strategies; processes of preparing client estimates and obtaining competitive quotations; of preparing contract documentation and administering formal contracts; general concepts of law as they relate to land management and the landscape profession; of business administration, market appraisal and positioning; and of the landscape consultant’s appointment. As an understanding of professional practice is intrinsic to all Landscape Institute accredited courses, this is an essential text for every landscape architecture student during their education and their subsequent journey into professional practice. Those undertaking Garden Design Diplomas will similarly find the book invaluable as they venture into the world of creativity and commerce, while the seasoned practitioner will find it a comprehensive point of reference to add to their bookshelf.