Landscape architect Lucinda Bray shares her passion for her field.
Lucinda Bray, landscape architect and LEED Accredited Professional, grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. “I’ve always been outdoorsy and very into plants and playing in the dirt,” she says. After majoring in landscape architecture and landscape construction and graduating from Penn State University in 2005, she was recruited to come to Atlanta. She started her company, Floralis Design, in 2012, naming it after Eduardo Catalano’s Buenos Aires sculpture, Floralis Generica.
It’s a position she finds endlessly fulfilling. “The work is artful, and I get a little architecture and technical components, but then I also get the creative side through the design,” she says. “I love being able to bring it all together.” Here, Bray shares more about her process.
What does a landscape architect do?
The majority of our job is structural components. For example, maybe for a new construction home, someone’s hired an architect for the home itself, but they have us do everything outside such as the placement of the house, the elevation, the retaining walls, the driveway, the pool and all the outdoor spaces. Then there are the fine details like containers, hedges and gardens that are like jewelry for the home.
One of my favorite parts is the construction process. Once we have it on paper and get it out of the ground, I love the site visits, the layout, making tweaks and adjustments, and working with tradesmen. There’s joy for me because I love collaborating with our contractors. I get to build fantastic things with my friends.
Landscape architecture does require a lot of schooling. You get a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture and then have to work under a certified landscape architect for 18 or 24 months or so, and then sit a series of exams.
Are there any special considerations for working in the Atlanta area?
The number one thing that makes or breaks a successful landscape design is drainage. The way water moves through Atlanta, the storms we get and our unique topography all contribute. Different parts of the city have their own issues and micro-climates. And yes, Georgia red clay plays into that because it doesn’t shed water quickly. We have to keep the deer in mind, too, since they love to eat all the plants we use, like hydrangeas.
Does landscape architecture include pool design?
We do everything outside the home, including pool design. We do the pool, retaining walls, steps, terraces and the surrounding landscape. Then we hand it off to a pool company that does the installation of the pool. We’re there for the entire project to manage it, answer questions and do things like select finishes. We have to think about how it all ties together with the architecture of the house.
Where do you get the inspiration for your designs?
We try to follow the architecture of the home as much as we can. Landscapes should be a reflection of the home, giving you cues to what the outside should be so everything feels cohesive, and the architectural spaces transition into the landscape. It’s also about client preferences. A lot of our projects tend to lean to a very clean palette, whether it’s greens or greens and whites. We play with a lot of texture. There might not be a lot of color, maybe some pops of blue or pale pink, but it’s very streamlined and low maintenance.
FLORALIS GARDEN DESIGN
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PHOTO: Erik Meadows
