Vanessa Gardner Nagel, FAPLD, NCIDQ
Vanessa is an APLD Award winning designer, author and speaker. She has designed and installed many notable and beautiful landscapes, but some might argue that her work to advance our profession and support other designers might outweigh what she does in the garden.
She has worked tirelessly to teach and support fellow professionals because she sincerely believes that educating each other is the best way to promote our profession as a whole. She has shared that mission through volunteer service on both on the national and local level.
As well as giving life to landscapes, Vanessa makes words bloom on the page. She is the author of Understanding Garden Design and The Professional Designer’s Guide to Garden Furnishings. Her current writing efforts are focused on a series of children’s books that involve horticulture, ecology, history, cultural ethnicity and geography. She writes about garden design, her garden and gardening through her blog, ‘Garden Chirps.’
Fueled by deep beliefs in the stewardship of our planet, Vanessa walks the talk of sustainability that she preaches to her clients and imparts in her many presentations to professionals and amateur gardeners at garden shows and conferences.
Behind the scenes at APLD, Nagel has written numerous articles for The Designer magazine and served on committees, including the national board of directors and her local chapter.