HAMISH FIRTH

ODS talks to Hamish Firth from Outdoor Aspect, winner of the 2011 Landscape Queensland Category Award – Residential 3.

Can you tell us a bit about your background – education, employment etc?

I was brought up on one of the first turf farms on the central coast of New South Wales which became my first initiation to the landscaping industry. I went on to complete a Diploma in business and then travelled overseas. Once I returned home I worked with my parents to develop another turf farm here in Queensland. As the business evolved we began landscaping and I moved on to tackle the Brisbane market. I took on anything and everything and did as much research as possible to get my clients the best possible results. Now I am proud that Outdoor Aspect Landscaping and Design is capable of taking on anything.

How did you get into the landscape industry?

It was the natural progression from the turf industry and it was a way we could value-add for our clients.

Can you tell us about your winning entry in last year’s Landscape QLD Construction Excellence Awards?

Outdoor Aspect Landscaping takes a lot of pride in getting the best results for each client. Every job is so different and this is why it is so challenging. Winning last year’s award was great not only for my business but also for my staff. They get so much motivation being a part of an award-winning business; we have a great team.

Can you tell us a bit about Outdoor Aspect Landscaping & Design and what recent projects the company has completed?

Outdoor Aspect Landscaping and Design started as a small home-based family business growing to two teams working all over Brisbane. We have just completed our biggest residential job. We began the process with getting a detailed client brief, we then did a detailed landscape design and then followed through with the job, building a tennis court with major retaining issues, a dual purpose swimming pool which doubled as a water feature for the entertaining area of the house and a major entry statement to the front of the house to draw you into the landscape.

The most important thing is to listen to the client’s brief for what they want to achieve. It is then up to us to create that ‘wow’ factor and seeing it from a practical aspect for everyday use. Every job is tailor-made not only for the design but also in educating clients with different materials available. Keeping clients up to date throughout the entire process is very important.

What does the company have planned/coming up?

We are about to start another major river front property which will be a very challenging project. We are constantly working on improving our systems to maintain our service to our clients, and we are also working on up-skilling our staff to ensure we are always up to date with the best working methods.

How did winning the Category Award for Residential 3 help your business?

It certainly helps our company’s creditability and it’s great for our website. It also improves our staff morale.

www.outdooraspect.com.au

Entries are now open for the 2012 Landscape QLD Construction Excellence Awards. With over 18 categories, the awards are open to all Landscape QLD members. Entry forms can be downloaded from: http://www.vision6.com.au/ct/30380/17h1w/1704473/ee1b9nf5z.pdf

For more information visit: www.landscapequeensland.com.au