Reflecting on Success, Embracing the Future ~ Lara Elizabeth Vyas, President of the APLDWA Chapter
Dear Members of the APLDWA Community,
I am deeply honored to step into the role of APLDWA Chapter President this year. 2025 marks my fifteenth year as Owner and Principal Designer at Natural Greenscapes, LLC, and eleventh year as a member and active volunteer at APLDWA. Looking back, I can confidently attribute my professional success to the mentorship and friendship I have received within our design community. Thank you!
Lara was APLDWA’s Featured Designer in January 2022
Click here to learn more about Lara and her work
Photo: Lara Grauer Photography
As I take on this new responsibility, I am keenly aware of the remarkable legacy left by my predecessors. Their vision and dedication have built a strong foundation that has allowed our community to thrive, and grow tremendously over the last five years to 125 members (up 70%) and 25 sponsors (up 180%). Steering a community as dynamic and talented as ours is both a privilege and a challenge. I am committed to honoring the work of those who came before me, while bringing fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to propel us forward.
Since November 2024, our team of volunteers has been working hard to transition to a new data and payment management system (NeonCRM). This system is customized to streamline our operations, improve data integrity, significantly reduce duplicative volunteer efforts and eliminate redundancies in our processes. The key words here are volunteer efforts—our time is valuable, and we want to honor that. I am confident that this new system will greatly contribute to our growth and success as a professional design community of like-minded people.
I would like to shine a spotlight on Jen Murphy, the uber-volunteer designer behind our new website apldwa.org whose beta-version was released last month, an important step towards providing a more user-friendly, intuitive, and engaging online experience for our visitors. During this soft launch, I would like to invite you to send in photos of your work and testimonials of your experience of being an APLDWA member to contactus@apldwa.org. Do take time to explore the new website and share your feedback. Your insights are invaluable in helping us identify any areas for improvement, and ensuring that we deliver the best possible experience for our audience.
The graphic below represents our Chapter’s Board for 2025, our Administrator and the core group of Committee volunteers, whose diligence, dedication, and incredible efforts have played a vital role in keeping the wheels of our organization turning smoothly. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for everything that all of you do for our chapter.
As I reflect on the dedication and hard work of our volunteers, I realize that their commitment not only enriches our organization but also sets the stage for the innovative and sustainable design practices we embrace. In this spirit of growth and improvement, I’d like to examine the exciting trends currently shaping the landscape design industry.
The Garden Media group’s annual Garden Trends report, Nature’s Renaissance, sees “a shift that fosters community affinity for living in sustainable landscapes and integrating horticulture holistically into our lives” through use of mature plants to give a “lived-in gardens” look, creating living fences and the lovely “British estate core.” Garden Design reports “redefining perfection to embrace less-tidy gardens” and “focus on mental well-being” among 2025’s design trends. Please click on the links above to read the complete reports.
As human-centric design and biophilic design gain traction, we, the landscape designers, become torchbearers by embracing the latest trends to enhance not only the beauty and functionality of outdoor spaces, but also to advocate for sustainability and resilience. Our work serves as a beacon of innovation, inspiring others in the industry to follow suit and make a positive impact on our environment and communities. I cannot think of a better community than APLD to discuss all these trends and ideas with, especially in our POD groups.
Yes, the landscape industry is growing, by leaps and bounds. The fall 2024 issue of Synkd (see snapshot of the article below left) reports a resurgence in horticulture enrollments across the nation. Our local horticulture schools are following this trend. Our WA Chapter membership now has 23 enthusiastic students, 30 emerging professionals and 68 professionals in addition to 1 educator, 2 retired professionals and 16 landscape design enthusiasts.
I want to personally invite each of these ‘new’ and seasoned designers and horticulturists to step up and volunteer and make this membership work for you.
Volunteering is truly a gift that keeps on giving, not just to the recipients but also to the volunteers themselves. Here are some of the benefits that come with rising to the occasion and giving back:
1. Personal Growth: Volunteering pushes you out of your comfort zone, helping you develop new skills and gain valuable experiences. It can boost your confidence, teach you problem-solving abilities, and provide a sense of purpose.
2. Building Connections: Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and build meaningful relationships. It fosters a sense of community and belonging, especially amongst those who are sole business owners, allowing you to connect with peers who share your interests and values.
3. Enhancing Career Prospects: Volunteering can open new doors by providing networking opportunities, referrals for new clients, introductions to partner contractors and can lead to new career paths and professional growth.
4. Expanding Perspectives: Volunteering exposes you to diverse communities and challenges you to see the world from different viewpoints. It broadens your horizons and cultivates empathy and understanding.
Your passion, creativity, and dedication are the heart and soul of our organization. I encourage each of you to stay actively involved, share your insights, and continue to push the boundaries of what design can achieve. If you have specific volunteering opportunities in mind, I can help you brainstorm ways to get involved!
Design is more than just creating visually appealing works—it's about solving problems, enhancing user experience, and bringing ideas to life in ways that can inspire and transform. Our community has always been at the forefront of these endeavors, and I am committed to supporting and advancing our collective mission. As we embark on this journey together, I look forward to meeting and getting to know many of you in the coming months. Working together, we will build an even stronger and more vibrant design community.
See you all at the Jan 15th program – Sponsor Connect: Bridging Design and Innovation at the Bellevue Botanical Garden.