On some level, everybody longs to have a place of beauty and meaning in their lives.
ulie Moir Messervy is a firm believer that we all need a little bit of nature in our lives, whether it is a private garden in our backyard or an inspiring public space. With her small landscape architecture and design firm, Julie Moir Messervy Design Studio, Messervy has been helping to bring those spaces to people’s homes and cities for the last 40 years. From a little village in rural Vermont, Messervy and her dedicated team take on projects ranging from small residential landscapes to large-scale designs for city parks and museums.
In her 20s, Messervy traveled to Japan and learn about garden design from a master. Realizing how fortunate she was, upon her return she wanted to share her new knowledge with others. This desire to give back is the very foundation of her business; Messervy has also written eight books and developed an app, all with the goal of getting people to go outside and enjoy nature. “We all need beautiful nature in our lives, and that’s what we get to create here,” says Messervy.
As a female small-business owner, Messervy has a keen understanding of the struggle to balance work and life, especially as a mother. She employs four women in her Vermont studio and is happy to give them a flexible work environment so they can be there for their children when needed. “Work-life balance is very important,” says Messervy. “ I learned that from being a mom and working off my dining room table when my kids were little.”
Messervy also recognizes the importance of adapting with and taking advantage of advances in technology, and is excited about the potential for her app to reach a broader audience. “We’re able to take our local knowledge and give it to anyone in the world now.” Furthermore, she hopes to encourage more people to get off the Internet and go outside.
“The Internet is so endlessly fascinating that we all are just drawn into it, but we’re not drawn outside enough into our own backyards. How can I help?”