From childhood dream to garden designer: an interview with landscape designer Grit Kaysa

Engel & Völkers Schleswig-Holstein: Dear Ms. Kaysa, nice to learn more about your work. We've already revealed a little about you in the introduction, but now let's ask you again: What inspired you to pursue a career in garden design?

Grit Kaysa: Parallel to my previous career as a management consultant, I had already planned a few gardens in my private life and was often asked about my plans. About ten years ago, I moved from Hamburg to North Friesland and realized that many gardens - especially those of vacation properties - looked a bit unimaginative, often with the argument "Not much grows here with the wind."

Then, when an early death in the family made me very aware of how short a human life is and that we should do the things that fulfill us, I decided to turn my passion into a career and design gardens. I have not regretted this decision for a single day and I am delighted to be able to pursue a profession in which I can combine creativity, specialist knowledge and the tools of my trade from my previous profession.

Engel & Völkers Schleswig-Holstein: Can you give us an insight into your typical work process when designing a garden?

Grit Kaysa: First of all, my approach differs between a new design - typically for a new-build project - and an existing garden that is getting on in years and is calling out for rejuvenation or redesign. For one project, I have a blank sheet of paper in front of me, and for the other, a picture that has already been painted but no longer appeals.

During an initial meeting with the potential client and a site inspection, I always have my design board with me - a detailed questionnaire - as well as digital photos to get to know their wishes for the new garden. Every piece of information is important to me, from material to plant requirements. With existing gardens, the question of what should be retained is important. I have to adapt my style to the customer's wishes. If we are on the same wavelength, then we both enjoy it and the result is a great garden.

With this information and a cadastral plan showing the buildings and existing plants, I then retreat into a creative phase. I usually start by working sketchily on the plan or the photos I've taken beforehand. If I'm not satisfied, I may even start from scratch.

The resulting preliminary design, which I discuss in detail with the customer, contains all the areas, paths and illustrated material and plant suggestions. On request, I can also create realistic photomontages or 3D drawings to visualize the future garden, and once the preliminary design has been approved, I then draw up the true-to-scale implementation plan, including the planting plan and plant lists.

On request, the client will receive a detailed list of services in Excel format for obtaining quotes from gardening companies, and the implementation work is usually carried out by a gardener/landscaper, or sometimes by the client themselves. After consultation, I coordinate the work on request or continue to be the contact person for implementation issues. After about a year, I always offer a check-up appointment to adjust the planting. No two gardens are the same - each has its own microclimate that influences its development.

Engel & Völkers Schleswig-Holstein: What challenges do you often encounter during the planning and implementation of garden projects? Can you describe a particularly challenging project that you have mastered?

Grit Kaysa: Many customers want a "finished" garden, especially if they want to enjoy their retirement after their working life. When planning a new garden, the final sizes of the shrubs, perennials etc. are always taken into account.

Of course, plants of any size can be purchased, including mature giant trees and hedges. Apart from the price, which increases with the size of the plants, it is sometimes counterproductive to plant plants that are too large in areas exposed to the wind. The increasingly frequent long-lasting storms, sometimes accompanied by frost, put so much strain on freshly planted evergreens in particular that some large shrubs do not survive or suffer such severe damage that their aesthetics suffer for years.

In one project, the customer wanted a dense evergreen hedge to be planted as soon as the garden was laid out to protect it from view. This garden was extremely exposed to the wind, so in view of the impending fall storms, I recommended spring planting, which the customer rejected. Two weeks after the fall planting, gale-force winds blew through for days, leaving the normally hardy evergreen yews and olive willows with large bare patches. The customer was very unhappy as a result and asked for a "temporary solution" until the hedge had grown opaque again. Corten steel steles are a very aesthetically pleasing solution, which we then placed in the "second row" in places that were particularly patchy. These steles still stand today as a stylistic element, even though the hedge is now completely dense!

Engel & Völkers Schleswig-Holstein: What trends or developments are you currently observing in the world of garden design?

Grit Kaysa: Not entirely new but still very rare, especially in the north, are natural plantings on sand. Customers usually react with "oh yes, a dune planting!", but that's not what I mean at all. In my own garden, I am successfully testing the first large-scale planting on sand, on the one hand to "grow" plants that are more drought-tolerant and easier to care for, and on the other hand to play with lighter, sometimes gravelly, areas.

First, a layer of sand at least 20 cm thick is placed on the substrate (this can also be a grass cover). The plants, especially perennials and grasses, are then planted directly in the sand and very quickly develop deep roots to reach water. Many of the natural-looking plantings require few nutrients and thrive in the nutrient-poor environment.

I like to combine these areas and plantings with modern shapes and natural stones. If perennials hold their own in my wind-exposed garden by the sea and retain their aesthetic appeal, then I also use them in my clients' gardens.

Engel & Völkers Schleswig-Holstein: What factors should homeowners consider in order to design an energy-efficient garden?

Grit Kaysa: There are several ways to save electricity and water. When planting, I generally advise using species that are as drought-resistant as possible in order to keep resource-intensive watering to a minimum. There are many woody plants and perennials that require almost no additional watering after the growing season if they are planted according to their needs. I always recommend seeking advice from a regional nursery that is familiar with our northern climate if no professional planning is involved. If there is enough space available, I recommend using cisterns sunk into the ground. Using rainwater is the best watering water anyway and saves a lot of resources.

The subject of garden lighting is very important in my planning, as our northern German winters are very dark for long periods. Energy-efficient LED lights are now standard, but there are now also very powerful and aesthetically pleasing solar lights for outdoor use that can be considered.

Engel & Völkers Schleswig-Holstein: A particular concern for you is to design landscapes that also benefit wildlife. Do you have any examples of how you implement this in your work?

Grit Kaysa: With our gardens, we make an important contribution to the protection of endangered species. I regularly give talks on "Living Gardens by the Sea", where I give tips on this topic. First of all: a wildlife-friendly garden doesn't have to look wild and untidy, but can be beautifully and calmly designed.

For example, planting native plants (trees, hedges, shrubs, roses) is essential for the needs of so-called specialist insects, which feed exclusively on one type of plant. The plants themselves are much more robust and therefore easier to care for. There are fantastically beautiful wild roses that delight the eye, feed insects and bring birds through the winter with their wonderful rose hips.

Even better than a great perennial bed with insect-friendly plants is a tree. A field maple, a lime tree or an ornamental apple not only looks great, but is also a land of milk and honey for the smallest inhabitants. Large trees or hedges are very important in our windy region to provide protection and structure in the garden.

In the north, many people are familiar with our frieze walls or dry stone walls, which - when dry (without cement) - are very valuable for wildlife. I like to use them as structural design elements. In addition to the typical boulders, there are various other types and forms of stone, such as sandstone, slate, granite, etc., which can be considered.

Engel & Völkers Schleswig-Holstein: And last but not least: Do you have one or two tips for our readers who want to tackle the garden design project for the first time and don't know exactly where and how to start?

Grit Kaysa: Gather ideas in the form of photos of gardens or plantings that you like and think about what is important to you in your new garden. After all, it should be your paradise, not that of the planning company. The smaller the garden, the more important it is to concentrate on a few themes. Installing a kitchen garden with a greenhouse, flower meadow, shrub and rose bed as well as a barbecue area with pergola on an 800 square meter plot quickly looks too small.

If you want to redesign an old garden, think about what you want to keep. Do you have art objects or beautiful furniture that are important to you - a garden is not just stone and plants!

Engel & Völkers Schleswig-Holsteindear Ms. Kaysa, thank you very much for the interview and good luck for the future!

KaysaGärten - Garden design in the north
Old village street 21
25813 Husum/Schobüll
Phone: +49 (0)4841 9396896
E-Mail: grit.kaysa@kaysagaerten.de
https://www.kaysagaerten.de