Q: What credentials should one have to be a landscape designer? In college, I considered studying to be a landscape architect, but I chose accounting instead. After twenty years of income taxes, I’ve realized that my true calling is gardening. However, I don’t have the time or resources to go back to college full-time.

A: My friend Bruce Holliday is a landscape architect who supervises twelve other landscape architects for Pike Design Group. He notes that “Landscape architecture is a five-year course of study. It is a very broad-based study of the many aspects of landscape work, including architecture, engineering, design and horticulture. To be a good landscape designer one needs an intensive study program in horticulture and training in good design basics. I tell a lot of my job applicants to take courses at Gwinnett Tech or North Metro Tech. Many classes are offered at times where most people can take them at their convenience. The University of Georgia has online horticulture courses as well.”