Featured Landscape Designer >> Featured Landscape Designer Archives>> Winter '09: Darla McGary
 

Darla McGary is a past President of the Oregon Chapter of APLD.

She is currently a residential landscape designer for Dennis' Seven Dees Landscaping and Garden Center, a Portland area business that has been serving the public for over 50 years.

“A house feels isolated from the nature around it, unless its floors are interweaved directly with the earth that is around the house.” --Christopher Alexander

Darla's Bio:  
My first attempt at landscape design and installation was when I was 9 years old at my family’s farm in Eastern Oregon. Outside my parent’s dining room window were two ugly, over grown junipers. I persuaded my Dad to remove the junipers and allow me to do some plantings and install a small rock garden. Each summer up to high school I continued to create small landscape projects and install them.

While I periodically dabbled in landscape design following high school, I changed direction and received my degree in finance and economics from the University of Oregon ultimately leading me to a career in finance at Intel Corporation. Having international aspects to my job enabled me to travel to Europe and Asia. This experience not only exposed me to cultural and environmental diversity but also enabled me to visit different gardens both public and private. While the travel was enriching and expanded my knowledge, it also fueled my desire for a change from the corporate life.

Consequently, I took the plunge and went back to college and obtained both an associates degree in landscape technology and a degree in landscape design. While attending college, I began an internship with the award winning design/build landscape company Dennis’ 7 Dees Landscaping and Garden Centers who have served the Portland Metro area for over 50 years. I have been a residential landscape designer here for over 6 years, designing and managing the installation of my designs. While in college, I also joined APLD, serving as a board member for five years and as President. I currently serve on an advisory board for Portland Community Colleges Landscape Technology Department.

As a residential landscape designer, I have designed and installed projects ranging from a few thousand dollars to projects over $175,000. One fundamental truth is consistent in all these projects; there is no substitute for a good landscape design and as a result a good professional landscape designer.

As a professional landscape designer, I know a good design does not result in a beautiful flagstone patio going unused by the homeowner nor is it the stringing together of decks, patios, flower beds and plants in a beautiful arrangement of circles and squares on a piece of paper.

I know a good design provides a place for people to hang out, comfortably, for hours at a time. I know a good design results in a connection to nature be it visually or physically. I know a good design connects the house to the surrounding environment and creates a place called home.

You may contact Darla at 503-777-7777 or by email at darlam@dennis7dees.com

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