At Home With…Landscape Designer Carson Arthur
You have seen him at home shows and on TV as a gardening expert on CityLine but, how well do you know Carson Arthur. We decided to sit down with the landscape designer and find out where he likes to sit back and relax and where we should spend on our renovations.
Did you always know you wanted to be a landscape designer?
Like most young adults, I had convinced myself of what job was right for me based on the prestige and the pay cheque. I thought Marketing and PR was my perfect avenue until I started working in the office. At that point, I realized that a desk job wasn’t for me. Thankfully through some divine intervention, I found my way into a landscape design program that started me on the path I journey today.
Where/what was the first place you moved in to that you called home?
My first real home was a farm in rural Ontario. It had everything I wanted including space! I had gardens, chickens and even goats. It was paradise, but as my first home, I hadn’t come to terms with how isolating living in the country can be. After a few years, I gave it up to make back to an urban setting. Who knew that 20 years later I’d be back in the country setting!
How would you describe your décor?
I work with natural elements to create harmony and balance between a homeowner’s needs and the world around them. Very rarely will you find plastic elements in my designs. Instead, I like to use metals, woods and stone to create a sense of space and permanence in my landscape designs.
What is the one spot in your home you go to unwind?
I’m all about my vegetable garden. With more than 25 raised beds, I can grow and putter to my hearts content! This garden does more than feed my family, it feeds my soul. My partner knows to look for me in the garden after a long week.
What is your favourite flower/greenery?
Why choose just one? Right now I’m obsessed with heirloom vegetables. I am excited by new flavours, seed saving and plants that have gotten lost due to mass production and our ideas of what a tomato should look like.
