We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mariah Bakke a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mariah, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

The mission of Viva Landscapes is to bring green spaces to people. So often in our world we forget to relax and enjoy nature. Whether it is enjoying it in your own backyard, soaking in a sunset on the beach or going for a hike and breathing in the fresh air. Being a Landscape Architect is more than drawing a plan for projects, it is connecting people to the great outdoors and educating them on the importance along the way.

Mariah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Growing up in the country in Iowa we were always outside enjoying nature. We were constantly doing projects around the acreage including planting trees, harvesting apples and growing a vegetable garden. I loved the outdoors but growing up I had no idea what Landscape Architecture was as a profession.

I went to Iowa State University in 2010 wanting to be an Architect. Upon joining the College of Design I learned there was a Landscape Architecture profession. The more I learned about the profession the more I fell in love. I joined the program my sophomore year and dove head first learning as much as I could about what was possible in the world of Landscape Architecture.

By my fourth year I discovered tropical landscape design. I found a Landscape Architect named Roberto Burle Marx based out of Brazil and fell in love with the world of tropical plants. I always loved traveling to Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico but didn’t think this world was something that I could jump into.

Upon graduation in 2015 I packed up my Jeep Cherokee and headed south to Fort Myers, Florida. Here I began my journey of specializing in tropical and native plant designs. I began working on Sanibel and Captiva island and I fell in love with the islands and the people. I designed homes, restaurants, resorts and small parks. Not only did we do planting designs but we also designed pools, patios, planters, driveways and really anything that is outside the home. Some properties we added butterfly gardens, zen gardens and wetland garden to spark interest in walking around the small estates.

In 2020, I opened up my own Landscape Architecture Firm, Viva Landscapes. We specialize in high end residential design all over Southwest Florida. We have projects from South Naples to Captiva. We also take on client worldwide from Mexico, California, Colorado and the Midwest.

Our goal is to bring beautiful usable green spaces into our client’s lives. Whether that is a butterfly garden or whether that is their own mini botanical garden. We aim to make our clients vision a reality.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing Viva Landscapes’ clientele has been through referrals from satisfied customers. Word-of-mouth recommendations from happy clients have proven to be a powerful tool in expanding our customer base. When clients are pleased with the results of their landscape designs and the services provided by Viva Landscapes, they are likely to share their positive experiences with friends, family, and acquaintances.

It’s all about happy customers singing our praises and referring us to anyone who will listen. When people see the amazing work we do and hear how satisfied our clients are, they trust that we can work magic on their own outdoor spaces too.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Viva Landscapes has really built up its reputation in the market, and we owe it to a few key things. First, we’ve had the privilege of working with an incredibly reputable company for a five years, and we’ve never let go of that partnership. It’s helped us establish ourselves as a trusted and reliable player in the industry.

But you know what really helped? Getting out there and mingling with the locals! We’ve been to so many local events, meeting all sorts of amazing people. We’ve met city council members, chamber of commerce folks, county commissioners, and even some mayors of nearby towns. It’s been such a rewarding experience connecting with them and showing them what Viva Landscapes is capable of in our community.

By making all these personal connections and being active in the community, we’ve shown people that we’re not just some faceless business. We genuinely care about the places we serve and the people who live there.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.vivalandscapes.com
• Instagram: @vivalandscapes

Image Credits
SUGARSHACK, OMAR CRUZ, MICHAEL STAVARIDIS, TINA SARGEANT