Landscape designing is a unique career path that requires both artistic and technical skills. Each project gives designers the ability to flex creative muscles while challenging technical skills to create a well-engineered, functional, forward-thinking space. They need to juggle and understand the relationships between environmental systems, human nature, and horticultural knowledge. To put it simply, there’s a lot to think about!
Whether you know someone who considers themselves a DIY landscape designer or someone who’s been in the business for a while, this is an industry where there’s always something new to learn. With that in mind, here are some great gift ideas for the landscape designer in your life.
Best Gifts for Landscape Designers
Designers are both creative and practical, which means it might be tricky to find that perfect gift with just the right balance. As this industry has many layers, it can feel overwhelming to choose a perfect gift. That’s why we put together a list of gifts that our own landscape designers would be happy to receive.
Art Supplies
If you’re a serious designer, you’ll crave high-end art supplies that are good quality and meant to last. No matter what stage you’re at in your landscape designer career, art supplies will always be a gift that’s both thoughtful and practical. Top-quality markers, pencils, pens, sketchbooks, and trace paper will all be appreciated. Even though many design programs are now computer-generated, it’s always nice to go back to pen and paper!
Must-Have Books
Books are always a great source of information, and many would be suitable gifts for landscape designers. A couple that stood out to us are:
Landscape Graphics by Grant W. Reid: An excellent and informative gift perfect for someone looking for initial exposure to landscape design. Reid provides a practical reference for drafting landscapes by hand, starting small with the basics and working up to more complex drawings.
The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces by William H. Whyte: An interesting read that would work well as a gift for a beginner landscape designer or a professional. Based on behavioral analysis, this book is an overview of how people use outdoor spaces and how they’re affected by different elemental factors. It provides a fascinating psychological perspective that’s useful when planning a design.
Design Software Subscription
Designs may start as ideas hand-drawn on a piece of paper, but for the final draft, different kinds of software are used to produce the design ready to be viewed by a client. For this reason, a thoughtful gift for a hopeful landscape designer would be a subscription to design software. Examples of software are:
AutoCAD: A design and drafting software used in the industry by architects, graphic designers, city planners, and many other professionals.
SketchUp: A 3D modeling computer program used by architects, landscape architects, engineers, and others to bring their designs to life.
Gift Certificates
Give the gift of a personalized learning experience with a gift certificate for a consultation with a professional landscape designer. Gift certificates are a great opportunity for someone just starting out to pick the brain of an industry professional and have them provide feedback on some designs they’ve made. After all, even if you’ve been in the game for a while, it never hurts to have a second set of eyes go over your designs!
For more personalized gift ideas for landscape designers, stop into Meyer Landscape & Design. Our team has decades of combined industry knowledge and enjoys any opportunity to help inspire the next generation of landscape designers.
