The designer/director Patrick Lahood

I’ve always been interested in the outdoors whether it be walking around Auckland’s parks or exotic overseas outdoor spaces. Nature makes me happy and feeds my inspiration.

It was after coming back from living in South America in 2005 that I decided to have a complete career change and get into landscaping.

My first job was working with Xanthe White and Phillip Smith at the Ellerslie International Flower Show installing one of the show's centre pieces showcasing New Zealand’s garden history in six different garden movements.This led me to my next job with the Parnell design and build company, Take It Outside, catering for the high-end market in greater Auckland.

Here I had four years experience as part of a small team constructing all facets that go into building a garden. Show gardens at Ellerslie, the Auckland Flower and home shows were an annual fixture where we managed to pick up awards in the Design & Build category.

In 2009 I decided I would go and study for a Diploma in Landscape Design at Auckland’s Unitec. After two years I graduated giving me a greater knowledge of the methods and history of garden design as well as a broader knowledge of plants and what it meant to be a designer.

Since graduating from Unitec, Lahood Landscapes was launched providing a high quality landscape design and build company catering for cliental in the Auckland area.