August 26, 2024 • 22 mins
Janey welcomes Lauren Pratt on this episode for a conversation about the differences between native and invasive plants. Lauren is a lifetime gardener and the founding principal designer of Pratt Landscape Design. Put simply by Lauren, there are native plants that are great for where you are, but there are also non-native plants that are also great for where you are! A sometimes controversial topic in the gardening world, join them to dive deeper into this topic.
Lauren has over 20 years of design experience and went to school for interior design. She fell into the world of landscape design after being hired as a design assistant for a landscape architect at a local civil engineering firm and never looked back! Pratt Landscape Design is located in the Central Valley and focuses on sustainable, waterwise planting and design. Landscape is truly her passion and that shows in this fun conversation!
To check out more from Lauren.
Lauren’s Podcast, Plant with Lauren Pratt (apple)
Lauren’s Podcast, Plant with Lauren Pratt (spotify)
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Dig, Plant, Water, Repeat is produced in association with Caloroga Shark Media. Hear other shows from Caloroga Shark along with subscription info and Merch with free shipping here!
Lauren has over 20 years of design experience and went to school for interior design. She fell into the world of landscape design after being hired as a design assistant for a landscape architect at a local civil engineering firm and never looked back! Pratt Landscape Design is located in the Central Valley and focuses on sustainable, waterwise planting and design. Landscape is truly her passion and that shows in this fun conversation!
To check out more from Lauren.
Lauren’s Podcast, Plant with Lauren Pratt (apple)
Lauren’s Podcast, Plant with Lauren Pratt (spotify)
Love what you’re hearing?
Make sure to check out more from Janey:
Store
YouTube
Dig, Plant, Water, Repeat is produced in association with Caloroga Shark Media. Hear other shows from Caloroga Shark along with subscription info and Merch with free shipping here!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:22):
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Speaker 2 (00:36):
Callarogashawk Media.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Hi everyone, Janie here, welcome back to my garden and
welcome back to the Dig Plant, Water Repeat podcast. I
have a special guest on today. Hi Lauren. Hello, I
have Lauren Pratt. She is a landscape designer out of
the Central Valley of California, which is I'm more north
of the Central Valley and you're more mid Would you
(01:12):
call Fresno South Central which is now.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I think Bakersfield would be considered. We're right in the
armpit and I'm mac.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
In the middle. So, so, Lauren, your climate is really
similar to mine. It's hot and it's dry, right, yes, yeah,
So I have been watching Lauren on Instagram for I mean,
we were just talking to her saying we're friends. Right,
We're like because we've been watching each other on social
media and it's like, what, we're totally friends. We've talked before, No,
(01:43):
this is our first time.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Yeah, it's kind of crazy, it is.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
It is.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So Lauren, tell me just give me your background. I
know you're a firewife, I know you have three amazing kids.
How how did you get into gardening? How did you
get into landscape? Doesig? Oh, by the way, you're the
owner of a fabulous landscape design company. Tell me about
that too.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well, thank you. So I've gardened my whole life. My
mom as we always had a garden. My dad is
from Idaho, my mom's from Georgia, and so we just
had a backyard garden my whole life. So that was
always kind of just the experimental fun, you know, learning
how to feed yourself and your family. The self reliant
part of that was always in my life. And yeah,
(02:28):
as I got older and we got married and had
young kids, we ended up in Utah, and going from
southern California to Utah and trying to grow things was
a journey.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
I realized what I.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Could and what I couldn't do anymore. And my growing
season trunk very significantly. So I mean I grew things
that I had never done, like rhubarb. I had a
plant that I was like, Okay, now what do I
do with it? But that stuff is the heartiest of hardy.
It's like a zucchini. Like really, we had a room
barb in a rock pile and I joked because I
(03:02):
tried to kill it multiple times, and just like the
zucchini in the rock pile, it's kept coming.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Back, just coming. It's like, come on, you want you
want to eat it?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Right?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
But I kind of I learned how to overwinter greens.
We had like Swiss charred and kale before that was
a thing, you know. So I would just cut everything
down once it got will tea and frosted, and then
in the springtime, after the snow melted, it would come back.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
And I was like, this is crazy. People are telling
me I can't do this, and I'm doing it.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
And you're doing it. Yeah, that's a California mindset for you.
Like no, no, no, I could do it. I could
totally do it.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Totally. No.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
It did serve me pretty well, so we had fun,
we got we grew some carrots and potatoes and did
all that.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
And I remember when my kids were very little.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I had a group of girls over and my son
was out in the garden and he pulled a beat
out of the ground and he was like, well, look,
and I was like, oh.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
It's not already.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
But one of the girls in the group was like,
wait a minute. Beans grow in the ground.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
And I was like, oh, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Oh, we're starting there, are we.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
I'm like, yeah, beans, carrots, potatoes, like these.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Are root vegetables. And this is telely girl.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
So wow, that is cute.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
It's super cute. And I totally get that feeling when
your kid is like, hey, mom, could I picked.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Beat?
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (04:32):
So you guys moved back to Fresno, right, what brought
you back to Fresno.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
My husband was trying to become a firefighter and we
were both from here. We were both from California. We
had been trying to get back and it was just
a very long journey trying to get hired. We applied
all over the state. He got thirty five no's before
said yes Jesus.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
So it was extreme. I mean, when you talk about.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Trials and patients and person it's like we've done all
that multiple times, but he's absolutely in love with his
job and it was all totally worth it. And once
he got hired, then I knew that I needed to
go back to work.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
I had always wanted to.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
The kids were all in school, my youngest had started preschool,
and so I started looking for jobs and I just
ended up landing because I was trained in interior design.
So I did a two year certificate program in interior
design at UC Riverside.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Oh funny, you were an interior designer.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Was an interior designer. My life has like gardening and
plants are kind.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Of like the hobby part, but the design part is
like my life and my career.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
So yeah, people are like, you don't look like a gardener,
and I'm like, yeah, I know, okay.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, if you watch her on Instagram, you have like
this is awkward, I know, but you have the cutest
outfits on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I love looking at what you're wearing.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
I'm like, oh, she looks so cute out there in
her garden, and I get it. Yeah, I get the
interior designer aspect.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Yeah, yes, and the fashion like that, Like I love
fashion and clothes and that has kind of all just
kind of blossomed out of this career.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
But I will show up.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
To like gardening events here in town and people are like,
she's not a gardener, Like what.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
What are you doing here? And I'm like, look, I
kind of am, but.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
This girl, yeah exactly.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
And so I walk in and everybody's like, huh.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
So what so how did you go from interior design
to I mean xterior design landscape design?
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:35):
How did that connection happen?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
I had the background in interiors, and I had worked
in commercial interiors in southern California. I worked for a
couple of home builders, and then I worked for an
actual commercial interior designer. So we did bank, schools, hospitals,
all that kind of stuff, which was super easy, like
setting up in front of a boardroom and saying do
you like blue or brown?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Here you go, here's your choices.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
But because of my cad I when I was looking
for a job, I got hired at a civil engineer
firm here in Presno and they were like, well, we
need cad drafters all the time, So if you're willing,
you know, we'll be flexible with your schedule because that was.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
The other thing. I was a mom.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I need to be available for pickups, and I wasn't
quite full time.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
I was kind of jumping into a part time position.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
And I showed up the first day and I was like, okay,
so what am I doing? And they're like, well, we
made you the assistant to the landscape architect.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
And I was like, what is a landscape architect?
Speaker 1 (07:35):
You're a kid. Literally, I did not expect that. Okay,
hold on, back up, Explain to people quickly what CAD is.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Oh, it is cattle.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
CAD is a computer drafting program, and so that's what
I use for all of my plans. That's what I
used to draw plans for interiors, and now that is
what I used to draw plans for my exterior project.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
So it's like like on the computer and making a
map of whatever your design is, which is a fabulous skill.
I wish I wish I knew how to do that
like it is, and.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
It is especially for somebody that can't draw.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
I think that's the most shocking thing that people when
they get to know me, they don't know that I
can't draw. To save my life, I have like an
immense artistic ability that's always been stuck in my head,
and CAD has been the only way for me.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
To get that out.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I can't so interesting.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
I don't have a hand to brain connection, and I've
had I had a really awful experience with the landscape
architect that I really admired, and we were all sitting
at a table and he had no idea who I
was or what my background was, but he started in
on this lecture about how you know, nobody could be
any good at what we do without drawing, like the
sketch is the beginning of the plan and you are
(08:48):
talentless without that, you know, hand drawing.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Capability and ability. And I was just like, okay, well
over here.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
But that's also like old school thought, like you know,
it's like you have to read a book on you know,
on paper, you have to draw pen to paper. But
like these days and you know, you have kids, like
everything's on the computer now everything, So yeah, you can't
feel too.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Bad, no, And it is.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
It has been the biggest blessing for me, and it
has just opened all of the doors. And my journey
has wound and gone up and down the hills and
all around the countryside. And I still am like, how
did I get here? But yeah, that's that first.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Job with That's amazing. That's so it's always so interesting
to hear how people got into you know, into gardening
unto landscape design. So now tell me, because you do
a lot of residential, you're like a boutique firm, right,
is that how you describe it.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Yeah, we're just smaller, more on the high end side.
We're trying to help the di wires. But at the
end of the day, like being a business is so hard,
and I am not profitable without getting paid, So I
feel that I'm doing everything for free and I'm just
like struggling to make it and now I have several
(10:10):
people that help me and I have to pay them.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
And that's the hard reality.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I mean, that's the reality of it. So what what
would you say the most important thing is that you
focus on when you work with your clients, Like, what
what's number one that you focus on?
Speaker 4 (10:26):
I always make sure that I am representing them.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
I never want anybody that's working with me to feel
like I am trying to get my way or that
I want the yard to look a certain way I
want it to look. It's going to be my style,
but I'm also trying to meld. Usually a couple, usually
there's two people involved, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Usually it's a.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Couple and we're trying to mediate and there's therapy involved
with like two drastic different opinions. But I always want
them represent it in their yard because it's their space.
My ultimate goal always is to make you fall in
love with your outdoor space.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
I love that it's not Laurens space, it's their space. Yeah,
I love that. I love that well, Lauren. We have
to take a quick break to hear from our sponsor.
But when we come back, I have been wanting to
talk to you. You did a real on Instagram about
natives versus invasive invasives. Would you be willing to talk
about that a little bit? I know it's a testy subject.
(11:29):
Let's hear. Let's hear a message from our sponsor. Will
be right back. Hi everyone, Janie here, Welcome back to
the Dig Plant, Water Repeat podcast. I have Lauren Pratt,
landscape designer from Pratt Landscape Design on today. She is
telling us how she got started in interior design and
(11:52):
then that came to landscape design and now I want Lauren,
I wanted to ask you because I felt like you
had a really, really good take on this, and you
explained it really well on your social media, the difference
between natives verse invasives, and like I said, I know
this is a hot topic. I know people get very
passionate about this, but tell us what you were saying, Like,
(12:15):
you know, I think you explained it perfectly.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Can you can you do it?
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Tell us?
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Yeah, I just have the background and the knowledge now
over the last several years. It was something that I
was so afraid to talk about in the beginning because
I just didn't want to get blasted by.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
People and I didn't feel like I.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Could defend myself properly, I guess, but I just always
err on the side of caution with people like these
native plants are all well, all plants are native somewhere, right.
That was one of the things that I said. The
plant is not the enemy like the plant is. It's
(12:53):
just it's survival of the fittest. I mean, at the
very big scientific level, any plant is just going to
try and further its species and survive.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
And the problem happens when we bring things into.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Environments that they shouldn't be in, and most of the
time that's a human problem, not a nature problem.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Right.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
So there are native plants that are great for where
you are, and there are non native plants that are
also great for you where you are. And so that's
where that right plant, right place quote comes in for
US gardeners and designers is finding something that is going
(13:35):
to grow in the conditions and do well, but not
take over.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Because there are native plants.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
That are considered invasive in California that aren't invasive elsewhere
in the country, and there are invasive plants elsewhere.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
That are totally fine here.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
And so it's kind of this it's confusing, and there's
there's a reason why people get so rac about it.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
It's because it is kind of a tough topic.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Yeah, and it is important, it is important to not
bring invasives in, you know, and all that kind of stuff.
But I think you just said it really well that
there's a right plant for a right place, and what
can be invasive somewhere might not be invasive in another place,
you know. I mean, you just you explained it so well,
(14:20):
and I feel like that so many people get bullied
when they plant certain things. But there's a right plant
for the right place.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
You know right well, and even with the best intentions.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
This is another thing that I've I've learned over the
years is we've used native plants native to my specific
zone and area and total Central Valley appropriate that have
become invasive. Yeah, so then it's like what do you
do with that? Like there's just it's it's such a
(14:49):
fine line. I mean, I worked on a giant community
development here in Fresno, and we used a ton of
native deer grass really regions, and I sat down at
a meeting with somebody that was in the water district
and they were talking about how whoever designed that place
(15:12):
had like ruined the storm water and they had such
a problem with that invasive native grass. And I'm like,
you're calling the native grass invasive person. And my brain
was just like, oh, that was us, Like I was
part of that team. And she was talking about how
like they just have it growing up in all of
their ponding basins. It went through all the seeds, have
(15:33):
gone through the storm drains and their pawning basins are
full of it and they're having to go out and
eradicate this native grass. I'm like, oh, this is a conundrum,
Like this is like my brain melted in that.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
I was like, what's best?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
What's at that point? Like, what what do you do?
Speaker 3 (15:56):
That?
Speaker 1 (15:56):
What do you? What do you do?
Speaker 3 (15:58):
And it's like we've had the same problem with the
Mexican feather grass that nicella.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Yeah yeah, Now, like we thought we were doing the
right thing. It's totally invasive here.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Yeah. Yeah. Do you are you familiar with native ours?
Do you work with native ours? Ever?
Speaker 4 (16:13):
No?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
So, I mean, as far as I know, I'm not
an expert it, but native ours are a like a
variety of natives that can make them not as invasive
or make them be able to handle different environments. And
so I think that that's where things are going, is
that native ours is what we need to be focusing on, you.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Know, right, native cultivars, Yes, exactly. I've never heard them
put together. That's so funny.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I feel like it's kind of
a new concept, but it basically solves the issue of
like whatever that grass was, making it more sterile or
you know, something like that, you know what I mean.
So interesting, So being confused, like, you know, I feel
like sometimes I get completely confused when choosing the right plan.
What would your advice be to someone a homeowner who's
(17:03):
trying to do the right thing. Do you choose a native,
do you choose a non native, do you choose a
native art? What would your advice be?
Speaker 3 (17:11):
I would say the native of ours are going to
be your best bet for sure, because one of the
biggest problems that I've always had with natives is that
self seeding process.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Like they are bread.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
They're not bread, they're not hybridized, they're not cultivated, and
so they're going to do what they naturally do, which
is spread. And when you're bringing in those native plants
to a neighborhood, your neighbors probably don't want those native
plants in their yard. And you have to be cognisant
of your people around too, Like, we don't live out
(17:44):
in the country on a farm where we can do
whatever we want anymore. And I understand, like I wholeheartedly
support and understand the natives and doing our best for
the pollinator, the pollinator population and the ecology and all
of that. But at the same time, there is a
balance of we all live in neighborhoods.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Yeah, I know, it's something you got to think about.
Yeahs are just natural.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
They're going to do what they were made to do,
and so I think we're getting there. That's one question
that I always get from people is like, well, why
aren't we using more natives? And it's like, well, it's
not that simple because they're not really available either.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Like it's such a new.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
It's a new science, it's a new concept, and we're
doing the best we can. And I think, just like
with those grasses, it's trial and error so often, and
we are we have the best of intentions, but then
we just have to keep learning and growing.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Yeah, good time, Lauren. Now I love that. I love
your take on it, and I love like, I love
that you're not vilifying anybody, do you know what I mean,
Like we're all trying to learn. Yeah. I think that
that's the most important thing is that, like there should
be no shame on you and gardening. It's gardening, you guys,
(19:01):
come on, and we're all learning, and it's just a
matter of like, let's help each other learn, let's bring
each other up. And so I just really love your
approach with all of this stuff is just gently trying
to educate people.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
So thanks, it's time and experience.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
I think in the beginning, everybody gets really defensive because
they think that they're right and they think that they
know everything.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
And as you start to do it more and more
you're like, oh, we don't really know anything.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Yes, I've noticed that the more I learned, the more
I'm like, yeah, I know nothing. I know nothing about gardening. Well, Lauren,
this has been great. How can we find you? I
mean I'm obsessed with you on Instagram? You're obviously on Instagram.
(19:47):
Do you do consultations in your area?
Speaker 4 (19:50):
I do for sure. Yeah, I have.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
My website is prat Landscape Design dot com. We are
on TikTok Instagram. You can send us an email at
info at prattld dot com.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I'll link in the description below.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
Yeah, all the links are in my bio. You can
put a new new client inquiry in. But we've got
some fun things coming up.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
I'm definitely trying this year to add in some more
products and features for the DIY clients. So you have
a couple of fun like style guides and free things
coming out soon.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
So yeah, I think I saw some of your sneak
peeks on Instagram and I was like, well, that's a
great idea. I can like, what didn't you have like
a Grandma Core or something or oh gosh.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
So I started coining the phrase grandma garden, and then
I realized that people were getting kind of offended. They
were like, you're calling me a grandma, and I'm like, no,
it's it's totally a term of endearment, Like who doesn't
love their grandma?
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Yeah, it's just well, there's Grandma Core interior design right now.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Yeah, that grand millennial cottage. Grandma Core. That's all it is.
It's so one of ourselves, guys. It's called romantic Grandma.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
It's too funny because my husband and I we were
just at the garden center earlier this morning and I
was pointing out a plant and he was like, my
grandma had that in her garden. Not exactly what your yeah,
exactly to cart. Well, that is great, Lauren. I will
put all your links in the description down below. Thank
you so much keep giving us this wonderful information on
(21:24):
your Instagram. I love watching you, and thank you so
much for being on here. I hope you all enjoyed
this and I hope you all have a chance to
get in your garden today. Thank you so much to
my podcast sponsor, Proven Winners Visit your local garden center
today and look for the white containers featuring the Proven
(21:47):
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Plant Water Repeat is produced in association with Calaroga Shark Media.
It was written and hosted by me Janie Santos, with
(22:07):
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Executive producers are Mark Francis, John McDermott and Janie Santos.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Callarogashark Media
Support for this podcast comes from Proven Winners, the plant
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(00:22):
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Speaker 2 (00:36):
Callarogashawk Media.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Hi everyone, Janie here, welcome back to my garden and
welcome back to the Dig Plant, Water Repeat podcast. I
have a special guest on today. Hi Lauren. Hello, I
have Lauren Pratt. She is a landscape designer out of
the Central Valley of California, which is I'm more north
of the Central Valley and you're more mid Would you
(01:12):
call Fresno South Central which is now.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I think Bakersfield would be considered. We're right in the
armpit and I'm mac.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
In the middle. So, so, Lauren, your climate is really
similar to mine. It's hot and it's dry, right, yes, yeah,
So I have been watching Lauren on Instagram for I mean,
we were just talking to her saying we're friends. Right,
We're like because we've been watching each other on social
media and it's like, what, we're totally friends. We've talked before, No,
(01:43):
this is our first time.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Yeah, it's kind of crazy, it is.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
It is.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So Lauren, tell me just give me your background. I
know you're a firewife, I know you have three amazing kids.
How how did you get into gardening? How did you
get into landscape? Doesig? Oh, by the way, you're the
owner of a fabulous landscape design company. Tell me about
that too.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Well, thank you. So I've gardened my whole life. My
mom as we always had a garden. My dad is
from Idaho, my mom's from Georgia, and so we just
had a backyard garden my whole life. So that was
always kind of just the experimental fun, you know, learning
how to feed yourself and your family. The self reliant
part of that was always in my life. And yeah,
(02:28):
as I got older and we got married and had
young kids, we ended up in Utah, and going from
southern California to Utah and trying to grow things was
a journey.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
I realized what I.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Could and what I couldn't do anymore. And my growing
season trunk very significantly. So I mean I grew things
that I had never done, like rhubarb. I had a
plant that I was like, Okay, now what do I
do with it? But that stuff is the heartiest of hardy.
It's like a zucchini. Like really, we had a room
barb in a rock pile and I joked because I
(03:02):
tried to kill it multiple times, and just like the
zucchini in the rock pile, it's kept coming.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Back, just coming. It's like, come on, you want you
want to eat it?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Right?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
But I kind of I learned how to overwinter greens.
We had like Swiss charred and kale before that was
a thing, you know. So I would just cut everything
down once it got will tea and frosted, and then
in the springtime, after the snow melted, it would come back.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
And I was like, this is crazy. People are telling
me I can't do this, and I'm doing it.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
And you're doing it. Yeah, that's a California mindset for you.
Like no, no, no, I could do it. I could
totally do it.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Totally. No.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
It did serve me pretty well, so we had fun,
we got we grew some carrots and potatoes and did
all that.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
And I remember when my kids were very little.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
I had a group of girls over and my son
was out in the garden and he pulled a beat
out of the ground and he was like, well, look,
and I was like, oh.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
It's not already.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
But one of the girls in the group was like,
wait a minute. Beans grow in the ground.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
And I was like, oh, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Oh, we're starting there, are we.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
I'm like, yeah, beans, carrots, potatoes, like these.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Are root vegetables. And this is telely girl.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
So wow, that is cute.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
It's super cute. And I totally get that feeling when
your kid is like, hey, mom, could I picked.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Beat?
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (04:32):
So you guys moved back to Fresno, right, what brought
you back to Fresno.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
My husband was trying to become a firefighter and we
were both from here. We were both from California. We
had been trying to get back and it was just
a very long journey trying to get hired. We applied
all over the state. He got thirty five no's before
said yes Jesus.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
So it was extreme. I mean, when you talk about.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Trials and patients and person it's like we've done all
that multiple times, but he's absolutely in love with his
job and it was all totally worth it. And once
he got hired, then I knew that I needed to
go back to work.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
I had always wanted to.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
The kids were all in school, my youngest had started preschool,
and so I started looking for jobs and I just
ended up landing because I was trained in interior design.
So I did a two year certificate program in interior
design at UC Riverside.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Oh funny, you were an interior designer.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Was an interior designer. My life has like gardening and
plants are kind.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Of like the hobby part, but the design part is
like my life and my career.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
So yeah, people are like, you don't look like a gardener,
and I'm like, yeah, I know, okay.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, if you watch her on Instagram, you have like
this is awkward, I know, but you have the cutest
outfits on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
I love looking at what you're wearing.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
I'm like, oh, she looks so cute out there in
her garden, and I get it. Yeah, I get the
interior designer aspect.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Yeah, yes, and the fashion like that, Like I love
fashion and clothes and that has kind of all just
kind of blossomed out of this career.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
But I will show up.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
To like gardening events here in town and people are like,
she's not a gardener, Like what.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
What are you doing here? And I'm like, look, I
kind of am, but.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
This girl, yeah exactly.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
And so I walk in and everybody's like, huh.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
So what so how did you go from interior design
to I mean xterior design landscape design?
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:35):
How did that connection happen?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
I had the background in interiors, and I had worked
in commercial interiors in southern California. I worked for a
couple of home builders, and then I worked for an
actual commercial interior designer. So we did bank, schools, hospitals,
all that kind of stuff, which was super easy, like
setting up in front of a boardroom and saying do
you like blue or brown?
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Here you go, here's your choices.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
But because of my cad I when I was looking
for a job, I got hired at a civil engineer
firm here in Presno and they were like, well, we
need cad drafters all the time, So if you're willing,
you know, we'll be flexible with your schedule because that was.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
The other thing. I was a mom.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I need to be available for pickups, and I wasn't
quite full time.
Speaker 4 (07:19):
I was kind of jumping into a part time position.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
And I showed up the first day and I was like, okay,
so what am I doing? And they're like, well, we
made you the assistant to the landscape architect.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
And I was like, what is a landscape architect?
Speaker 1 (07:35):
You're a kid. Literally, I did not expect that. Okay,
hold on, back up, Explain to people quickly what CAD is.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
Oh, it is cattle.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
CAD is a computer drafting program, and so that's what
I use for all of my plans. That's what I
used to draw plans for interiors, and now that is
what I used to draw plans for my exterior project.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
So it's like like on the computer and making a
map of whatever your design is, which is a fabulous skill.
I wish I wish I knew how to do that
like it is, and.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
It is especially for somebody that can't draw.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
I think that's the most shocking thing that people when
they get to know me, they don't know that I
can't draw. To save my life, I have like an
immense artistic ability that's always been stuck in my head,
and CAD has been the only way for me.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
To get that out.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
I can't so interesting.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
I don't have a hand to brain connection, and I've
had I had a really awful experience with the landscape
architect that I really admired, and we were all sitting
at a table and he had no idea who I
was or what my background was, but he started in
on this lecture about how you know, nobody could be
any good at what we do without drawing, like the
sketch is the beginning of the plan and you are
(08:48):
talentless without that, you know, hand drawing.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Capability and ability. And I was just like, okay, well
over here.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
But that's also like old school thought, like you know,
it's like you have to read a book on you know,
on paper, you have to draw pen to paper. But
like these days and you know, you have kids, like
everything's on the computer now everything, So yeah, you can't
feel too.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Bad, no, And it is.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
It has been the biggest blessing for me, and it
has just opened all of the doors. And my journey
has wound and gone up and down the hills and
all around the countryside. And I still am like, how
did I get here? But yeah, that's that first.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Job with That's amazing. That's so it's always so interesting
to hear how people got into you know, into gardening
unto landscape design. So now tell me, because you do
a lot of residential, you're like a boutique firm, right,
is that how you describe it.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Yeah, we're just smaller, more on the high end side.
We're trying to help the di wires. But at the
end of the day, like being a business is so hard,
and I am not profitable without getting paid, So I
feel that I'm doing everything for free and I'm just
like struggling to make it and now I have several
(10:10):
people that help me and I have to pay them.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
And that's the hard reality.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I mean, that's the reality of it. So what what
would you say the most important thing is that you
focus on when you work with your clients, Like, what
what's number one that you focus on?
Speaker 4 (10:26):
I always make sure that I am representing them.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
I never want anybody that's working with me to feel
like I am trying to get my way or that
I want the yard to look a certain way I
want it to look. It's going to be my style,
but I'm also trying to meld. Usually a couple, usually
there's two people involved, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Usually it's a.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Couple and we're trying to mediate and there's therapy involved
with like two drastic different opinions. But I always want
them represent it in their yard because it's their space.
My ultimate goal always is to make you fall in
love with your outdoor space.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
I love that it's not Laurens space, it's their space. Yeah,
I love that. I love that well, Lauren. We have
to take a quick break to hear from our sponsor.
But when we come back, I have been wanting to
talk to you. You did a real on Instagram about
natives versus invasive invasives. Would you be willing to talk
about that a little bit? I know it's a testy subject.
(11:29):
Let's hear. Let's hear a message from our sponsor. Will
be right back. Hi everyone, Janie here, Welcome back to
the Dig Plant, Water Repeat podcast. I have Lauren Pratt,
landscape designer from Pratt Landscape Design on today. She is
telling us how she got started in interior design and
(11:52):
then that came to landscape design and now I want Lauren,
I wanted to ask you because I felt like you
had a really, really good take on this, and you
explained it really well on your social media, the difference
between natives verse invasives, and like I said, I know
this is a hot topic. I know people get very
passionate about this, but tell us what you were saying, Like,
(12:15):
you know, I think you explained it perfectly.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Can you can you do it?
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Tell us?
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Yeah, I just have the background and the knowledge now
over the last several years. It was something that I
was so afraid to talk about in the beginning because
I just didn't want to get blasted by.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
People and I didn't feel like I.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Could defend myself properly, I guess, but I just always
err on the side of caution with people like these
native plants are all well, all plants are native somewhere, right.
That was one of the things that I said. The
plant is not the enemy like the plant is. It's
(12:53):
just it's survival of the fittest. I mean, at the
very big scientific level, any plant is just going to
try and further its species and survive.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
And the problem happens when we bring things into.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Environments that they shouldn't be in, and most of the
time that's a human problem, not a nature problem.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Right.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
So there are native plants that are great for where
you are, and there are non native plants that are
also great for you where you are. And so that's
where that right plant, right place quote comes in for
US gardeners and designers is finding something that is going
(13:35):
to grow in the conditions and do well, but not
take over.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Because there are native plants.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
That are considered invasive in California that aren't invasive elsewhere
in the country, and there are invasive plants elsewhere.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
That are totally fine here.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
And so it's kind of this it's confusing, and there's
there's a reason why people get so rac about it.
Speaker 4 (13:56):
It's because it is kind of a tough topic.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Yeah, and it is important, it is important to not
bring invasives in, you know, and all that kind of stuff.
But I think you just said it really well that
there's a right plant for a right place, and what
can be invasive somewhere might not be invasive in another place,
you know. I mean, you just you explained it so well,
(14:20):
and I feel like that so many people get bullied
when they plant certain things. But there's a right plant
for the right place.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
You know right well, and even with the best intentions.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
This is another thing that I've I've learned over the
years is we've used native plants native to my specific
zone and area and total Central Valley appropriate that have
become invasive. Yeah, so then it's like what do you
do with that? Like there's just it's it's such a
(14:49):
fine line. I mean, I worked on a giant community
development here in Fresno, and we used a ton of
native deer grass really regions, and I sat down at
a meeting with somebody that was in the water district
and they were talking about how whoever designed that place
(15:12):
had like ruined the storm water and they had such
a problem with that invasive native grass. And I'm like,
you're calling the native grass invasive person. And my brain
was just like, oh, that was us, Like I was
part of that team. And she was talking about how
like they just have it growing up in all of
their ponding basins. It went through all the seeds, have
(15:33):
gone through the storm drains and their pawning basins are
full of it and they're having to go out and
eradicate this native grass. I'm like, oh, this is a conundrum,
Like this is like my brain melted in that.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
I was like, what's best?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
What's at that point? Like, what what do you do?
Speaker 3 (15:56):
That?
Speaker 1 (15:56):
What do you? What do you do?
Speaker 3 (15:58):
And it's like we've had the same problem with the
Mexican feather grass that nicella.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Yeah yeah, Now, like we thought we were doing the
right thing. It's totally invasive here.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Yeah. Yeah. Do you are you familiar with native ours?
Do you work with native ours? Ever?
Speaker 4 (16:13):
No?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
So, I mean, as far as I know, I'm not
an expert it, but native ours are a like a
variety of natives that can make them not as invasive
or make them be able to handle different environments. And
so I think that that's where things are going, is
that native ours is what we need to be focusing on, you.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Know, right, native cultivars, Yes, exactly. I've never heard them
put together. That's so funny.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Yeah, yeah, I mean I feel like it's kind of
a new concept, but it basically solves the issue of
like whatever that grass was, making it more sterile or
you know, something like that, you know what I mean.
So interesting, So being confused, like, you know, I feel
like sometimes I get completely confused when choosing the right plan.
What would your advice be to someone a homeowner who's
(17:03):
trying to do the right thing. Do you choose a native,
do you choose a non native, do you choose a
native art? What would your advice be?
Speaker 3 (17:11):
I would say the native of ours are going to
be your best bet for sure, because one of the
biggest problems that I've always had with natives is that
self seeding process.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
Like they are bread.
Speaker 3 (17:23):
They're not bread, they're not hybridized, they're not cultivated, and
so they're going to do what they naturally do, which
is spread. And when you're bringing in those native plants
to a neighborhood, your neighbors probably don't want those native
plants in their yard. And you have to be cognisant
of your people around too, Like, we don't live out
(17:44):
in the country on a farm where we can do
whatever we want anymore. And I understand, like I wholeheartedly
support and understand the natives and doing our best for
the pollinator, the pollinator population and the ecology and all
of that. But at the same time, there is a
balance of we all live in neighborhoods.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Yeah, I know, it's something you got to think about.
Yeahs are just natural.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
They're going to do what they were made to do,
and so I think we're getting there. That's one question
that I always get from people is like, well, why
aren't we using more natives? And it's like, well, it's
not that simple because they're not really available either.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Like it's such a new.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
It's a new science, it's a new concept, and we're
doing the best we can. And I think, just like
with those grasses, it's trial and error so often, and
we are we have the best of intentions, but then
we just have to keep learning and growing.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Yeah, good time, Lauren. Now I love that. I love
your take on it, and I love like, I love
that you're not vilifying anybody, do you know what I mean,
Like we're all trying to learn. Yeah. I think that
that's the most important thing is that, like there should
be no shame on you and gardening. It's gardening, you guys,
(19:01):
come on, and we're all learning, and it's just a
matter of like, let's help each other learn, let's bring
each other up. And so I just really love your
approach with all of this stuff is just gently trying
to educate people.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
So thanks, it's time and experience.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
I think in the beginning, everybody gets really defensive because
they think that they're right and they think that they
know everything.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
And as you start to do it more and more
you're like, oh, we don't really know anything.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Yes, I've noticed that the more I learned, the more
I'm like, yeah, I know nothing. I know nothing about gardening. Well, Lauren,
this has been great. How can we find you? I
mean I'm obsessed with you on Instagram? You're obviously on Instagram.
(19:47):
Do you do consultations in your area?
Speaker 4 (19:50):
I do for sure. Yeah, I have.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
My website is prat Landscape Design dot com. We are
on TikTok Instagram. You can send us an email at
info at prattld dot com.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I'll link in the description below.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
Yeah, all the links are in my bio. You can
put a new new client inquiry in. But we've got
some fun things coming up.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
I'm definitely trying this year to add in some more
products and features for the DIY clients. So you have
a couple of fun like style guides and free things
coming out soon.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
So yeah, I think I saw some of your sneak
peeks on Instagram and I was like, well, that's a
great idea. I can like, what didn't you have like
a Grandma Core or something or oh gosh.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
So I started coining the phrase grandma garden, and then
I realized that people were getting kind of offended. They
were like, you're calling me a grandma, and I'm like, no,
it's it's totally a term of endearment, Like who doesn't
love their grandma?
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Yeah, it's just well, there's Grandma Core interior design right now.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
Yeah, that grand millennial cottage. Grandma Core. That's all it is.
It's so one of ourselves, guys. It's called romantic Grandma.
I love that.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
It's too funny because my husband and I we were
just at the garden center earlier this morning and I
was pointing out a plant and he was like, my
grandma had that in her garden. Not exactly what your yeah,
exactly to cart. Well, that is great, Lauren. I will
put all your links in the description down below. Thank
you so much keep giving us this wonderful information on
(21:24):
your Instagram. I love watching you, and thank you so
much for being on here. I hope you all enjoyed
this and I hope you all have a chance to
get in your garden today. Thank you so much to
my podcast sponsor, Proven Winners Visit your local garden center
today and look for the white containers featuring the Proven
(21:47):
Winner's logo. There's a reason they're the number one plant
brand that gardeners like me trust the most. Visit Proven
Winners dot com for tips, ideas, and so much more.
Plant Water Repeat is produced in association with Calaroga Shark Media.
It was written and hosted by me Janie Santos, with
(22:07):
marketing and production assistance from Courtney Clark. Please consider subscribing
and watch us on YouTube or follow us on your
favorite podcast app of choice to get alerts on all
new episodes. And hey, if you liked the show, give
us a review and hit those five stars on Apple.
Executive producers are Mark Francis, John McDermott and Janie Santos.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Callarogashark Media
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