Seana Cullinan

Headshot of Seana Cullinan
2012
Landscape designer, owner of Larkspur Design
Portland, ME

What were you doing before you applied to the Conway School?

I was running a landscaping business in NH. 

What brought you to Conway? 

I wanted to know how to make professional drawings. I also wanted to learn more about ecology and how to create landscapes that would make a positive impact on local ecosystems. 

How did you first learn about Conway? 

Dave Evans, an alumnus who is an old family friend. 

Imagine we just met, and recognized we had common interests. How would you describe Conway to me? 

  • A unique & intense program 
  • It’s impossible to know what you’re getting into until you’re there! 
  • It is a program that is good for generalists- the school provides a good foundation for discovering what you want to hone in on. 
  • It’s a large picture program. It encompasses so much more than landscape planning and design. 

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in the field? 

  • Get some hands-on experience- work for a nursery or a landscaping crew. Working in the field will make you a much better designer. 
  • Learn all about plants and learn about the plants that grow in your ecoregion. 
  • Take advantage of webinars & symposiums. My team has taken webinars with the following teachers/organizations: NDAL, Ecological Landscape Association, Wild Ones, Monarch Gardens, HomeGrown National Park, & Native Plant Trust. 
  • Connect with like-minded designers- create a community if one does not exist in your area. 
  • Learn Autocad 

What are you doing right now, and what do you love about it? 

I run a small landscape design firm. We are a team of 4, including myself. We work primarily on residential designs but recently worked on a larger ecological restoration project. I love bringing native plants back into developed landscapes. I enjoy hearing from clients when they discover first hand how native plants attract and support wildlife. 

List one or more books that you find influential in the field of ecological design and/or Planning. 

Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy Planting in a Post Wild World By Thomas Rainer and Claudia West Lawns Into Meadows by Owen Wormser A New Garden Ethic by Benjamin Vogt Braiding SweetGrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer The Humane Gardener by Nancy Lawson All books published by Wild Seed Project 

What book changed your life? 

Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy

 What is your favorite tool? E.g., a type of gardening tool, digital tool, etc. 

We are currently using Wacom Cintiq tablets to make our drawings and have been very happy with them. 

How do you think ecological design and planning can help make positive change?

Ecological design is a powerful & effective way to inspire and empower humans to connect with nature and to mitigate some of the harm that has been caused. 

Which aspects of your Conway education do you use in your current work? 

Clean & clear drawings Effective presentation to clients Expedited initial site visits (gathering information) Site analysis Designing through an ecological lens 

Which aspects do you use to address urgent challenges related to climate change, environmental justice, etc.? 

We aim to:

  • Slow, filter, and disperse rain water 
  • Provide food and habitat for birds, pollinators, and other species 
  • Capture carbon 
  • Provide shade, food, and beauty for humans 

What blogs or podcasts do you recommend? Particular posts or episodes? 

What should we have asked you in this form that we haven’t? Is there anything else you would like to share?

 Learning about the indigenous people of an ecoregion is just as important as learning about the plants that are native to that region.