Personal Statement

C. Colston (Cole) Burrell is a designer, award winning author, photographer, naturalist and educator. Mr. Burrell has devoted a lifetime to studying native plants in the wild and in gardens, which lead to undergraduate degrees in Botany and Horticulture. He has an M.S. in Horticulture from University of Maryland and a MLA from the University of Minnesota. His academic interests focus on the origins of vernacular design traditions and avenues for ecological innovation within urban and suburban neighborhoods. He believes that good design emerges from a strong sense of place, and as a result, evokes powerful emotions. He also feels that through meaningful design, plants have the power to alter people’s lives. Mr. Burrell teaches Natural Systems and Plant Ecology as well as Planted Form and Function and Urban Planting Systems & Cultivated Plants as a Lecturer, a position he has held for 10 years. He has taught University and Continuing Education courses for over 30 years. He taught Planted Form and first year studio Ecological Informants of Design at University of Minnesota, and began teaching Landscape Plants as an undergraduate at Virginia Tech. He is principal of Native Landscape Design and Restoration, which specializes in blending nature and culture through artistic design. Projects include prairie and wetland restorations in parks and on corporate campuses, as well as numerous residential gardens of all sizes Mr. Burrell’s articles and photographs appear regularly in Landscape Architecture, Horticulture, Fine Gardening and American Gardener. Mr. Burrell is author of twelve books devoted to plants and ecologically-based home landscape design. Published works include Intimate Gardens, Hellebores: A Comprehensive Guide, which won the 2007 AHS Book Award, Perennial Combinations and A Gardener’s Encyclopedia of Wildflowers, which won the 1997 AHS Book Award. Mr. Burrell lectures internationally on topics of design, ecology and plants. When not gardening, Mr. Burrell travels in search of great gardens and sublime landscapes. In 2008, he was presented with The Award of Distinction from The Association of Professional Landscape designers.