One of the key problems is that most people are just not familiar with the term ‘landscape architecture’, so are confused about the name of the discipline. This can lead people to assume it is a fancy term for gardeners or landscapers. Unfortunately this isn’t just the public but also government legislators and professionals in adjacent industries. This adds to another common misunderstanding that Landscape Architects are all plant experts like horticulturalists, perhaps due to the profession being very diverse, with a broad range of skillsets, creating confusion. And, in general, the profession is just not well known compared to other design fields such as architecture.
This lack of awareness of the profession has several negative consequences. A current problem is that across the profession there is a major workforce issue, especially in the UK. This could be put down to a lack of young people growing up saying they want to be a landscape architect that other careers have. Declining enrolments in landscape architecture courses prove this, with many people only learning about the career when already in higher education or switching to it from another career. So, whilst job numbers in other industries at the forefront of fighting climate change rise this has not been seen in the overall landscape industry. Consequently, landscape often has a low profile so can struggle for resources against other more recognized disciplines leading to potential lost income. Not only this but the landscape itself suffers with landscape architects being brought into the design process to late leading to projects that are less likely to be sustainable, aesthetically appealing, and usable.
How can we change this?
To stop the problem of landscape architecture being misunderstood there is one key thing that needs to happen to prevent the negative consequences. This is simply to increase the public awareness and visibility of the profession. The Frameworks Institute report that “once people understand the value of the profession, they are much more likely to consider it as a career option, and project funders and local decision-makers are more likely to consult with landscape architects”. For more prospective undergraduate to consider it as an option there needs to be greater promotion of the career from a young age. Many of the professional institutions have tried this over the years by attending career days and making careers advisors aware of the profession. Public campaigns such as the Landscape Institute’s ‘#Chooselandscape’, have also had some success. Greater effort could also be made to better utilize social media platforms which would be able to gain attention from a wide audience, especially young people.
Whilst these are just a few ways to improve the public awareness and understanding of Landscape Architecture, they would mean more people choosing the profession as a career, more investment in the industry and better designed projects. However, to achieve this national professional institutes need to lead the way in promoting the industry alongside professionals and educational institutions to make the biggest impact possible.
References
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Conklin, L., Gibbons, C., L’Hôte, E. & Volmert, A. (2021) Putting People at the Center: Reframing Landscape Architecture for Maximum Impact: A FrameWorks Strategic Brief. Washington, DC: FrameWorks Institute. Available at: https://www.asla.org/uploadedFiles/CMS/Practice/Frameworks/Report.pdf (Accessed: 9 November 2025).
edla (2025) In response to the skills shortage report, we ask, does LI need a rebrand?. Available at: https://edla.co.uk/in-response-to-the-skills-shortage-report-we-ask-does-li-need-a-rebrand/#:~:text=We%20know%20that%20too%20many,the%20short%20and%20long%20term.(Accessed: 17 November 2025).
FrameWorks Institute. (2019) What is Landscape Architecture? Mapping the Gaps Between Expert and Public Understandings of Landscape Architecture. FrameWorks Institute. Available at: https://www.frameworksinstitute.org/app/uploads/2020/06/FRAJ7032-Landscape-Architecture-Map-the-Gaps-190719-1.pdf (Accessed: 17 November 2025).
Gibson, S. (2023) Why have I never heard of a landscape architect? Mood Landscape. Available at: https://moodlandscape.co.uk/why-have-i-never-heard-of-a-landscape-architect/ (Accessed: 17 November 2025).
Gkoltsiou, A. and Forczek-Brataniec, U. (2024) “The Role of Landscape Architecture Profession Recognition in the Context of Facing Contemporary Challenges,” Sustainability, 16(13), p. 5362. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135362.
Holmes, D. (2023) ‘Review of 2023 landscape architecture trends’, World Landscape Architecture. 20 December. Available at: https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/review-of-2023-landscape-architecture-trends/?v=7885444af42e (Accessed: 17 November 2025).
Holmes, D. (2025) ‘What is Landscape Architecture?’, World Landscape Architecture. Available at: https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/what-is-landscape-architecture/?v=7885444af42e (Accessed: 9 November 2025).
IFLA Europe. (no date) About Landscape Architecture Profession. Available at: https://iflaeurope.eu/index.php/site/general/landscape-architecture-profession (Accessed: 9 November 2025).
Landscape Institute. (2023) Joint Board & Council Strategy Session – 22 November 2023. London: Landscape Institute. Available at: https://www.landscapeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Strategy-Session-22Nov2023-pack.pdf (Accessed: 17 November 2025).
