Our Team
Our specialist skill set combines landscape architecture with permaculture design, native ecology and organic horticulture. We offer a range of services from initial site assessment through to built completion.
Carl is supported in the studio by a talented design team. He works with many trusted landscape specialists and has his own experienced in-house team of planting contractors.
Sarah Wilson / Landscape Designer
Sarah has a Landscape Design Diploma and a certificate in Permaculture Design. She came to landscape design through her love of gardening, permaculture, organics and biodiversity….she turned a hobby into a profession! She is passionate about the way in which gardens can lead to a better world via healthier, more connected communities and a more grounded way of being (she is a great advocate for barefoot gardening).
Sarah loves to create gardens with imagination. She is thoughtful and takes time to understand client needs, ideas and aspirations and works closely with Carl to deliver beautiful gardens that reveal their full potential in terms of functionality and design.
When she’s not creating magic in other people’s gardens, you’ll find Sarah experimenting in her own garden or getting crafty with art projects like making jewellery, sewing or knitting. Sarah is a valued team member here at Carl Pickens Landscapes.
Judy Keats / Horticultural Specialist
Judy is a Permaculture
& Regenerative Agriculture practitioner & Educator who has spent the
past 12 years establishing & managing community garden projects such as Triangle
Park Community Garden, Orakei Marae mara, Ruapotuka Marae mara and Kelmarna
Community Farm in Auckland (where she had a lead role implementing operational
systems and expanding farm production for shop sales).
Judy is a key team member particularly with regard to horticultural implementation works, productive landscape plant-outs and tree-care. Along with Carl she has the skills to ensure plants are given the attention and care they need in order to thrive under our often-challenging conditions here in Aotearoa NZ.
Judy also runs the Green Sister Education program which includes teaching organic growing skills for new gardeners, weed ID & management, seed saving, fruit tree pruning / care and a production planning masterclass.
William Batchelar / Landscape Contractor
Will is a dependable, practical and skilled landscape contractor. He is capable on all types of heavy machinery including diggers, loaders and post-hole borers. Simply put there isn’t much Will can’t do and his consistency and cheerful disposition is always appreciated on the job site. Will is also experienced at putting plants in the ground having been involved with multiple large-scale plant-outs at Carl Pickens Landscapes. Be it amenity planting or orchard / food forest projects, Will is an essential part of the planting team.
When Will isn’t busy on the job site he is even busier at home caring for his energetic family of 3 young girls.