About Carpe Diem
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. In 2008 she created a courtyard show garden for Lancaster’s One Planet Festival. Her most recent completed project has been 4 play gardens for the Ridge Community Primary School. The most recent design completion was for athe RSPB Leighton Moss although the garden has not been constucted yet. 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 and horticultural therapy.
Jennifer 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 andis a trustee of the Permaculture Association of Great Britain.
Jennifer has been in business since 1995. In 2006-07 she developed two business start-ups for Lancaster City Council’s Local Strategic Partnership. The first, Alien Energy Solutions, is a 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 Lancaster City Council’s Sustainability Partnership, 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 well as managing her many responsibilities, Jennifer enjoys long-distance cycle trekking. She is happiest outdoors, working as a garden designer, planting and creating the gardens she has designed.
