Sam Crawford
Landscape Design
I’ve always been passionate about plants and gardening. Now I get to share that enthusiasm for a living, and to cultivate the passion in others.
As the Rural Selection Co-ordinator for Open Gardens Victoria I celebrate good garden design. But gardens aren’t made just for show. That’s why I love to work with families and individuals to design landscapes for living.
Sam’s Story
I grew up on a working farm here in the picturesque Macedon Ranges. Life was abundant with crops and beautiful regional gardens. So it was natural for me to develop a love of growing things.
After school I headed further afield to study and work in horticultural agronomy. It was in this industry that I honed my soil skills. I learned a lot about the various impacts on different plants.
Along the way, I enjoyed a stint living and working on a large garden in NSW’s south western Riverina. But no matter how hard I tried to coax them, those cool climate plants I loved just didn’t want to grow in a region where 40 degree temperatures were frequent.
“Seamless gardens linking inside to outside. Connecting your home to people and place, and growing sensory awareness in every season.”
— Sam Crawford
Gardening is a Great Teacher
It was on the NSW property where I began to explore solutions for changing climates and think about fit-for-purpose plants. I developed a greater awareness of how home gardens should align with family needs. I suppose it was my light bulb moment. I began to appreciate that gardens are more than just a pretty face; that they have to function in the specific landscape context and also serve a purpose.
I’ve since moved back to the family-owned property where I grew up. I returned to study, gaining landscape design qualifications at Melbourne University’s Burnley campus. Then I gathered experience working with Kathleen Murphy Landscape Design. A few years later I launched Sam Crawford Landscape Design.
My skills and enthusiasm get a good work out in my own ever evolving garden where I find great joy in growing and experimenting with plants. To do that well I make the most of local soil and climatic knowledge. I also look at texture, scale and proportion, and factor in sustainability and practicality. There’s a lot for good gardeners to balance! That’s why bespoke landscape design is so helpful.