CPD Talk, Debbie Carroll LANDSCAPE SHOW

Step Change organisation 

Debbie Carroll

At the NEC Landscape Show Debbie Carroll did a seminar on her current research into the profession. She is a garden designer who has a focus on care homes. 

This unintentional research project began when she was called in to re-design a garden that she had designed a few years ago, the garden she did was also a re-make of a previous garden. She then questioned "is it the garden or health care culture?" Thus began her research.

Her research has fulfilled a gap within the industry, educating designers into how we may have an input to healthcare culture encompassed in her book and poster guide.

"We designed and carried out a research project into what makes gardens effective and more actively used for those living with dementia in a care setting. This has been a thought-provoking and challenging project, causing us to reflect deeply on our own practices and those in our design sector. We have published a summary of our findings and have created a diagnostic tool for use with care homes who want to develop their outdoor spaces."- Carroll 

Therefore the difficult conversations with healthcare staff  in approaching care homes such as "why do these service users NOT have access to this safe garden" can occur due to her research.

I believe her research has begun to bridge a gap between designers and healthcare professionals.

Brick identification

 

Promotional design work

I created a map to post on Instagram as part of promotional work for 'carees studio' where I work. Upon consumer feedback this is the before and after. The focus was clarity and communication with simple yet bold colours to catch people's eye. 

BEFORE

 

AFTER 

Chaumont part 1

 COLLABORATION 

The potential you have through collaboration is infinite. Ideas bouncing off each other like a spring board. It is a creative process that connects individuals and is very inspiring. Not only do you learn, but your grow as a person having to put your own design ego to the side.

 Learning other people's processes and approach to design really helps you to cater your own communication. Through this I learned my strength in quick visuals to aid my verbal communication along side my weakness with a struggle to understand others ideas WITHOUT visual aid from their side. I must keep my mind as open as possible. 

GROUP WORK

MY SIMPLE AIDING VISUALS

LAURENS VISUAL

IMOGENS VISUAL

Carbon footprint

 Realising my own impact on the environment; I believed by re-using scrap paper, recycling almost everything I buy, being a vegetarian 90% of the time and travelling on foot 95% of the time was enough for me to not worry about my own effect on the environment. 

I was wrong. Blinded by my own arrogance. I could be doing so much more such as:

* time limiting my showers

* recycle technology/ send it somewhere who will such as weeecharity 

* buy lose food where feasible 

* use the internet less

These are just basics in day-day life. It is also an ethical duty of my own to educate myself in how to reduce my carbon footprint within my career, such as asking myself; which materials are more efficient and low in CO2?