Going Green: from law to leaves!

KLC News • 5 January, 2012

Last year was full of change for Angela Newman as she left her job in the city to seek greener pastures. Graduating in December as KLC Garden Design Student of the Year 2011, we caught up with Angela to learn more about her career change.

"Before becoming a garden designer I worked as a barrister at a leading set of Chambers in London, specialising in public, property and planning law. Leaving my career as a barrister was a big leap, there is no doubt about that. I had a great job but I knew I would not find it fulfilling in the long term and I wanted to pursue a more creative, flexible and practical career that I would feel excited about getting stuck into. So far I have never regretted leaving the Bar and I can't wait to get started as a professional garden designer. There are plenty of skills from my legal training that are helping me as a garden designer, not least an eye for detail which I'm finding really pays off in the design process. Also, as a lawyer I was constantly focused on doing the best for my client and it's exactly the same in garden design, just with a different type of brief!"