A New Way to Introduce a Hidden Career

Parks. Schools. Playgrounds. Streets. Neighborhoods. These places don’t just happen, they are designed, yet most children have never heard of landscape architecture or imagined themselves in that role. L is for Landscape Architect ​ introduces young readers to the career that shapes the world around them in a way that is visual, approachable, and grounded in real places.

Not Your Average career Book

This book begins by helping readers understand what landscape architects do and how outdoor spaces are designed, then opens into an A–Z exploration of real-world places that expands how children see the environments around them. As it unfolds, readers connect what they see every day to the people and thinking behind it, while also discovering that their own interests, whether in art, nature, building, or problem-solving, can grow into something that shapes the world around them.

Each letter offers a glimpse into the many ways landscape architects shape the world around us.

​A — Amphitheater
Shows how land can be shaped to create outdoor spaces for performances, learning, and community gatherings.

​B — Bioswale
Shows how landscapes can help manage and clean rainwater.

C — Campus Design
Shows how buildings, pathways, and outdoor spaces are planned to work together as one connected place.

D — Defensible Space
Shows how landscapes can help protect people and communities from wildfires.

E — Earth Art
Shows how natural materials and landscapes can become works of art.

F — Forest Conservation
Shows how forests are protected and restored to support people, wildlife, and healthy ecosystems.

G — Greenway
Shows how connected trails and green spaces link neighborhoods, nature, and recreation.

​​​H — Historic Preservation
Shows how important places from the past can be protected and cared for over time.

​I — Inclusive Design
Shows how outdoor spaces can be designed so people of different ages and abilities can enjoy them together.

​J — Jungle Gym
Shows how play spaces are designed to support movement, imagination, and exploration.

K — Knot Garden
Shows how plants can be arranged into living patterns and artistic garden spaces.

L — Landscape Architect
Shows how people with different interests and talents work together to shape the world around us.

M — Memorial
Shows how landscapes can honor important people, events, and shared memories.

N — Neighborhood
Shows how communities are planned with homes, parks, streets, and shared outdoor spaces.

​​O — Outdoor Rooms
Shows how landscapes can be organized into separate spaces for gathering, relaxing, and play.

P — Park
Shows how parks are designed for recreation, nature, learning, and community life.​

​Q — Quadrant
Shows how land can be divided into sections to study patterns and understand larger systems.

​R — Roofscape
Shows how rooftops can become planted spaces that support people and the environment.

S — Streetscape
Shows how sidewalks, trees, bike lanes, and public spaces help communities move safely and stay connected.

T — Terrain Course
Shows how land can be shaped into hills, slopes, and curves for movement, play, and challenge.

U — Urban Plaza
Shows how public gathering spaces in cities are designed for movement, rest, and community events.

V — Visualization
Shows how ideas are turned into images to help people see a design before it is built.

W — Wetland Restoration
Shows how damaged wetlands can be restored to support wildlife, clean water, and protect communities.

X — Xeriscape
Shows how landscapes can be designed to use less water.

Y — Yard
Shows how outdoor spaces at home can support play, relaxation, and everyday connections to nature.

Z — Zoo
Shows how zoo habitats are designed to protect animals, recreate natural environments, and help people learn about wildlife and conservation.

​Across the Country. Built Through Professional Collaboration.

This book features real projects from across the United States, developed in collaboration with landscape architecture professionals, firms, and organizations across the country. Together, these contributions ensure the book reflects real work, real places, and the full range of the profession, showing children that landscape architecture is happening everywhere, in ways they may not have noticed before. As the book develops, additional firms and projects continue to be added, expanding the network behind it.

The Bigger Vision

This project is designed to grow beyond a book by placing it in schools and libraries where students may not otherwise be introduced to landscape architecture. By expanding access, it becomes a shared resource that builds awareness, sparks curiosity, and helps children see, understand, and connect with the environments around them. Through partnerships with educators, professionals, and supporters, the project will continue to grow, expanding distribution and reaching more communities.

Who is This Book Is For

Ages 9 and up, this book is particularly designed for upper elementary and middle school students. It is also a resource for educators, families, and professionals interested in early career awareness.

Why introduce careers at an early age?

Early exposure helps children connect what they learn in school to the real world. It builds vocabulary, expands awareness, and helps them begin to imagine possibilities they may not have known existed.

When will the book be available?

​The book will be ready for distribution Early 2027. 

How can I support the book?

There are several ways to support this project as it continues to develop:
You can join the mailing list to stay connected, follow along as new previews are released, and be the first to know when the book becomes available. Sign up with the link above.

You can also share this project with others, especially educators, families, and professionals who believe in expanding early career awareness.

As the project grows, there will be additional opportunities to support getting books into schools and libraries and helping expand its reach to more communities. Contact us at [email protected]