About Us
Carpe Diem is owned and run by Jennifer Lauruol, an enthusiastic garden designer based in Lancashire. She has 30 years’ experience, including gardening for wildlife, habitat conservation, growing medicinal and culinary herbs, designing sensory and therapeutic gardens, and working in a biodynamic market garden.
Jennifer cares passionately about the environment. She is particularly concerned that so many habitats are being lost to urbanisation, leading to the decline of many of our plant and animal species and a reduction in biodiversity. Much of Jennifer’s work as a garden designer focuses on creating and preserving the vital habitats in which wildlife can thrive, enriching biodiversity in our gardens and enhancing the local environment.
Her landscape garden designs have featured in The Guardian, Gardens Illustrated and Permaculture Magazine. The Guardian article can be viewed here or downloaded here.
She has exhibited her work at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire. Her garden design portfolio includes the Jubilee Sensory Garden, Old Colwyn, which won First Prize in the 2005 Best Wildlife Garden in Snowdonia competition, and several therapeutic gardens for hospitals and care home. For a list of current and previous clients, please click here.
In addition to her landscape garden design work for domestic and corporate clients, she has delivered many seminars and conference workshops on designing gardens for wildlife, for Thrive and for Cultivations, two organisations promoting social and therapeutic horticulture.
Jennifer has diverse qualifications as a garden designer. She holds a Certificate/NVQ4 in Management from Lancaster University and trained for a Diploma in Garden Design with the Pickard School of Garden Design in Bristol. She also holds a Certificate in Permaculture Design and is now studying for the Applied Diploma in Permaculture. She also has an MA in Translation Studies from the University of Warwick. Born in California, Jennifer lived in France for 9 years and Germany for two, and speaks French and German fluently. She is now very pleased to make Lancashire her home.
Jennifer has been in business for 11 years. In 2006-07 she developed two business start-ups for Lancaster City Council’s Local Strategic Partnership. The first, Alien Energy Solutions, is a brokerage company installing domestic renewable energy technologies. The second is a charity, LESS UK (Locally Enabling Sustainable Solutions) which provides advice about energy efficiency and low-carbon, sustainable living.
Jennifer is a proactive member of the Energy Forum of Lancaster City Council, where she is working with others to plan for climate change and the effects of Peak Oil and resource depletion. Jennifer is committed to joining with others to devise practical pathways to ensure a swift and equitable transition to low-impact and low-carbon society.
As part of Carpe Diem Gardens’ corporate social responsibility, Jennifer is a Trustee and elected Treasurer of the Lancaster Council for Voluntary Service. Her previous committee work included serving as a Trustee of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, contributing to the Best Value Review of Bristol City Council’s Children’s Services, and serving on Gloucestershire County Council’s Social Services Committee. As well as managing her many responsibilities, Jennifer enjoys cycling and competing in triathlons. She is happiest outdoors, working as a garden designer, planting and creating the gardens she has designed.
Jennifer's work has been mentioned in the Guardian newspaper and can viewed here or downloaded as a pdf file here
