Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Toftegaard.
Hi Sara, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started my journey in garden design during the pandemic, when the world slowed down and I found solace in nature. i looked around my neighborhood, and saw a need for utilizing one’s own yard for peace of mind and balance. With over 13 years of graphic design experience under my belt, I wanted to explore how I could apply my creative skills to something more connected to the earth and personal well-being. Just before the pandemic, I had designed my own permaculture yard and turned it into a tour and workshop space for my neighborhood in Historic Kenwood in St. Pete.
Thereafter, when Covid hit, I kept looking out my window at my garden and with my entreprenuer-like personality I dreamed up a perfect intersection of my knowledge on plants and design and started Exterior Home & Garden Design by Toftegaard Design. During that time, I began designing sustainable, outdoor spaces that not only reflected my passion for wellness but also supported the environment. What began as a personal project evolved into my business, where I now create beautiful, holistic garden designs that transform spaces into pollinator havens and sacred oasis’s. Combining design thinking, strategy, and my commitment to sustainability, I craft outdoor environments that nourish the mind, body, and spirit while giving back to nature.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Some struggles in my business stem from the summer season. Summers, especially this year, tend to be slow because my work is quite niche—I focus solely on design and project managing installations. I’ve been considering offering additional services to locals who stay through the summer or finding creative ways to collaborate with realtors for sellers and homebuyers to bridge the gap during slow seasons. Services such as flower pot installs and management, and preparing the outdoors for selling are a couple that I have added on since going through the summer struggle. Building relationships in the community and increasing brand awareness is also a key challenge that requires continuous effort.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Toftegaard Design?
Toftegaard Design is a niche business and industry. I am not a landscaper or a landscape designer. I am not a landscape architect either. I am a garden designer. Garden designers create unique and personal spaces for the client. They are generally small spaces whereas landscapes means a broad and wide area. These gardens are for interacting with, noticing the bees, ants, dragonflies, butterflies, caterpillars, etc., observing the growth of new branches and blooms, practicing mindfulness and presence in the outdoors. It’s a magical space that separates your home from the hustle and bustle of society. It’s a reminder that nature is important. When humans start to practice mindfulness and awareness within themselves, then they understand that the world around us is important too. So, the ideas and design services I offer are always thoughtful with the approach of sustainability and wellness first.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
In my garden design business, my parents have been my biggest supporters. My mom, in particular, has deeply influenced my approach to environmental awareness. Watching her adopt eco-friendly habits, like reducing plastic use and bringing reusable bags over the years, has shaped how I communicate with her generation about sustainability. My dad, an entrepreneur himself, has been a constant source of encouragement, pushing me to stay committed to my business goals. Additionally, my great-aunt in Denmark, who has her own enchanting garden, always sends kind and supportive responses to my monthly newsletters, which keeps me motivated.
Pricing:
- $125 for a 1 hour, in-person consultation (in St Pete)
- DIY Plans – Contact for Pricing
- Full Transformation – Contact for Pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.toftegaarddesign.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onapositivnote/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Onapositivnote/
Image Credits
Jasmina Janjic of Sun to Soul Photography (Personal photo) Sara Toftegaard of Toftegaard Design photographed all the additional photos
