Nicola’s Story: It's Really Rewarding
“It’s really rewarding, because you get to see the actual impact of your work, seeing people using the space or wildlife benefiting from it. It’s quite amazing.”
Nicola has always been drawn to creativity, people, and the outdoors, so when a school careers quiz pointed her towards landscape architecture, it sparked something that’s shaped her career ever since.
Today, Nicola works as an Associate Landscape Architect at Groundwork London, where she designs and delivers community green space projects across the city. From parks and housing estates to school grounds and public spaces, her work helps bring nature closer to communities while improving biodiversity, play opportunities, and climate resilience.
“We work on everything from housing estates to public parks, putting in things like new play spaces, sustainable drainage, planting, biodiversity measures, making places better and safer for people to use.”
Her passion for designing spaces people love and seeing the direct impact of her work has kept Nicola motivated in a sector where creativity meets community.
What are the benefits of working in the Green Space Sector?
For Nicola, it’s the tangible outcomes and community impact that make the job so rewarding.
“It’s really rewarding, you get to see the actual impact of your work. Seeing people using the space, or wildlife benefiting from it, is quite amazing.”
Unlike many design professions, landscape architecture allows her to be both creative and hands-on, splitting time between the office and being out on-site.
“You’re out and about on-site as well as working in the office — that’s such a nice part of the job.”
She loves that no two projects are the same, and every space brings its own unique challenges and opportunities.
What are the challenges?
While the job comes with its fair share of deadlines, budgets, and client expectations, Nicola points out that one of the biggest challenges is simply explaining what she does!
“People don’t know what landscape architects do, there’s a lot of explaining involved!”
Raising awareness of the role and the vital contribution landscape architects make to communities and the environment is something she feels passionate about.
How did you get into this career?
Nicola’s first introduction to landscape architecture came through a careers exercise at school.
“I did a careers advice exercise at school, and it came out with ‘landscape architect.’ I didn’t know what that was at the time, but once I looked into it, I thought, that sounds like me.”
She went on to study at Sheffield University, completed her degree in landscape architecture, and built her career through hard work, creativity, and a lot of hands-on experience.
“It’s a lot of hard work, it’s a lot of graft, and you’ve got to be passionate about it.”
Her career journey shows that sometimes the best paths aren’t the most obvious ones and that it’s worth exploring different options and being open to new opportunities.
What advice would you give to someone looking for a job in the sector?
Nicola believes passion and confidence are key. She encourages anyone interested in green space careers to get involved, build experience, and not be afraid to showcase their work, whether through volunteering, creating a strong portfolio, or simply talking to people in the sector.
“Be passionate and build a good portfolio, even volunteering counts. Employers want to see what you’ve done and hear you talk about your work.”
Being proactive and showing a genuine interest in improving green spaces can go a long way.
What do you love most about your job?
Seeing a space you’ve designed come to life and watching people use and enjoy it is something Nicola never gets tired of.
“It’s amazing when you go back to a site you’ve worked on, and you see people using it and enjoying it, that’s probably the best bit.”
It’s a reminder of the difference well-designed spaces can make to communities and local environments.
What do you love most about nature?
Nicola grew up in the countryside, which gave her a deep appreciation for nature from a young age. Today, that connection drives her commitment to protecting and improving green spaces for others.
“I love being outdoors and just noticing things, wildlife, birds, flowers. It makes me want to protect nature and improve green spaces for everyone.”
In three words, how would you describe working in green space?
Rewarding, Challenging and Gratifying.
Nicola’s story shows how a creative career in green spaces can have a real, lasting impact on communities, the environment, and future generations. Her advice? Get stuck in, stay passionate, and don’t underestimate the power of creating places people love.