: being green [> L. vireo,-ui,-ere: to be green or verdant; to be fresh, vigorous or lively (not withered); to flourish, bloom].
We work independantly or in collaboration with others to build innovative, ecologically minded and wildy beautiful green spaces.
Landscape & Garden Design
Our unique background in civic horticulture has given us a broad spectrum of experience to draw from. We're able to layer practical details and nature-based solutions into beautiful naturalistic designs that are filled with the wow factor.
A love of ecology, means that we strive to include locally sourced materials and look to find creative solutions to resource use in our work, without compromising on sensory experiences or evocative beauty.
We seek successful and thoughtful use of the space, while maintaining accessibility and inclusivity. And are aware of the principals of Horticultural Therapy used in the design of therapeutic green spaces.
Our interests are diverse and as a studio we're open to collaborations with Landscape architects, Architects and Home owners, Municipal and city projects, Community groups and all kinds of Therapeutic spaces.
Planting Design
Planting design is a passion of ours. We build novel ecosystems, using science based systems (including plant sociability, hydrology and soil sciences), forming a healthy balance between ecology and beauty.
Our designs combine diverse plant material that offers seasonal displays of colour and interest, with a nod to history of place and cultural connections to the greater community.
The goal is to meet the needs of all stakeholders, creating dynamic naturalistic plantings that are wildlife friendly and filled emotion. It's time to get reconnected to nature and enjoy our green spaces; flowing along with natural processes rather than trying to control them.
Municipal Consultation
Our studio is adept at working in conjunction with horticultural and city crews in order to reduce inputs and resource use, while maximizing engagement and stakeholder satisfaction.
We're able to utilize our depth of experience and knowledge of the challenges that are specific to urban municipalities. Offering access to practical tools and techniques in a relatable way. We find creative avenues to elevate and improve public space; adding genuine value with the use of available resources.
Having been a part of the systems in place, we can help to facilitate communication and connection between city factions to ease conflict felt by coworkers of all horticultural experience levels.
Our studio loves problem solving, from large open parkland to temporary spaces and pocket parks that require rapid installation with simple materials and techniques.
Maintenance & Educational Tools
We believe that much of the success of landscapes and gardens is due to a deep understanding of the maintenance practices and needs of the space over the long term.
Virens can provide tool kits for crews and maintenance teams, volunteer groups and gardeners of all experience levels.
We're able to produce a wide array of accessible educational materials (signage, booklets, ebooks) for the public and clientele and community groups to explain projects and the core principles behind them. Increasing community engagement and building an understanding of the added value and function that changes bring to public spaces.
Garden Writing
We also offer a variety of freelance horticultural writing services to others, including blogs and articles, promotional materials and ebooks. So, make use of our talents to further your hort-based business, group or individual needs today.
You can view examples of our work on our own Virens Studio, Writing page and more extensively as a part of our Substack community (Garden Culture by Virens).
