Marnie Sconce has a tranquil, serene exterior that has a calming effect on anyone in her orbit. Clearly a woman of great patience, Marnie cut her teeth as a high-school science teacher. It takes a certain kind of person to handle gaggles of teenagers, but Marnie loved it. Today she is a garden design tutor at the Australian Academy of Garden Design!
Although it may seem like a massive career departure, garden design is very much a scientific subject. Marnie grew up pottering in her garden with her pet rabbit and her grandad and found it a relaxing and enriching way to spend her time. When Marnie left school, garden design was not quite on her radar, but she was fascinated with the idea of problem solving and science. Her next move was a bachelor’s degree in science and nutrition from the University of Wollongong and then on to a teaching degree in The University of Western Sydney. Her time as a teacher involved teens and kids with special needs which is probably why she has such a placid and even temperament. Or perhaps, that’s why she became a teacher in the first place? It’s a chicken or egg conundrum but either way, she has an innate talent for education. As her career progressed, life did what life does and took on a new path. Marnie found herself at a crossroads. Having given birth to two children in two years, full time work was simply no longer sustainable. Something was going to have to give.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Eventually the children were in preschool and kindergarten, but Marnie was now knee deep in the build of a brand-new home. What began as an almost overwhelming chapter in her busy life would become the turning point from which she has never looked back.
As the house build was underway, she wanted to hire a garden designer but soon found she was struggling to find someone who would accommodate her needs. Borne out of pure necessity, Marnie found herself and digging deeper and deeper into the world of garden design. She was always a creative person and was always drawn to the science behind soil and the delicate balance of growing plants.
So, she decided to do it herself!
As an educator, Marnie was acutely aware that diving into something unprepared is a recipe for disaster, so she put her student cap back on and began looking around. The Australian Academy of Garden Design is ideal for people who don’t necessarily have the luxury to drop everything else in their lives and commit to full time study. Marnie settled on the home-study option which taught her everything she needed to know at her own pace. It wasn’t long before her studies would blossom into something far greater than designing her own yard. She had a taste for it and decided to set up “Marnie’s Garden Design” business. She started small with word-of-mouth projects and some Facebook groups. This was the happy medium she was looking for and she began building on her portfolio. Then one day an email that Marnie was convinced was just spam, would herald yet another bend on the winding path of life.
The Australian Academy of Garden Design wanted to know if Marnie was interested in becoming a tutor. With her background in education plus her garden design qualification and professional experience, she was exactly the kind of person the academy loves to employ. Marnie said yes!
Learn it from the master.
In the academy, Marnie shares her appreciation for traditional art forms and is on a mission to keep the craft of hand drawing alive. But garden design is a marriage of art and science, and flawless drawing skills are not essential. In Marnie’s experience, she has found some students are a little insecure about their drawing skills so, she will share her both her best and her absolute worst drawings to help them realise that it is simply another skill that they will learn. Some drawings may be more creative or “arty” than others, but ultimately, garden design drawing are a communication method to help the client envision your design plan.
Marnie still potters in her own garden and finds peace and calm in her green spaces. While many talk about the mental and emotional benefits of gardening, Marnie’s Zen demeanor is absolute proof that this is true. She will take photos of flowers and plants and just to spend some “garden time”. It’s her happy place, her de-stress space and it clearly works.
Marnie finds great joy from teaching and learning from likeminded people, always exploring, and sharing her passion. She has seen an influx of students who want to be their own boss and set up their own business and who better to do that than a self-employed garden designer.
The balance of science and art is the very essence of a great outdoor space and anyone who has ever wanted to follow a life path that provides creative harmony, can only be inspired by Marnie Sconce.