Creative Commons photo via Wikipedia.

1. If someone asks you for a plant recommendation, you’ll offer the plant’s Latin name rather than its common name: “What you want is an Echinocactus Grusonii, also known as golden barrel cactus.”

2. When you and your colleagues walk along the street or plaza during lunch time, the conversation will inevitably steer toward discussion about the paving materials and score lines under your feet.

3. Whichever city you travel to, you’ll search for the best landscape projects first. If you’re in NYC, you’re off to Central Park. In Chicago? You’ll head toward Millennium Park. In Seattle, it is Gas Works Park. But anywhere in Copenhagen is worth investigating!

4. Wherever you are, you’re scanning the landscape elements everywhere and taking mental notes of details most people skip over:
“Have you checked out that famous bar there?”
“Oh, I did! It is fantastic! They did a really nice job on that courtyard design, great furnishings, and plant choices!”
“Wait, what? There’s a courtyard?”

5. You are known for taking seemingly random photos, but only your colleagues know you’re snapping reference images for a current or future projects, or perhaps for a rendered model.

6. You’re impressed when someone mentions the name, “Olmsted”.

Photo via brianmaldad

7. You have a collection of endless shades of green markers. And, yes, THEY ARE REALLY DIFFERENT COLORS!

8. The word “grading” has a completely different meaning to you than most people. And it does not involve a report card.

9. You’re apt to exclaim, “The plants are happy!” after every rain.

10. To a landscape architect, this is what transparent looks like: