Today we’d like to introduce you to Jill Volat.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My dad got me into gardening when I was a kid. His favorite hobby was growing flowers and a vegetables on the weekends. I think he liked having his hands in the soil and feeling the sun on his back. He was a busy guy, so if I wanted to spend time with him, it would have to be in the garden. I have him to thank for my love of plants and nature. We are both from LA (born and raised) and both have green thumbs. He’ll be 80 this year and still enjoys watering his roses.
After studying Art History at UCSB (a major that many landscape designers a drawn to), I took landscape architecture classes at UCLA and also got certified in Victory Gardening from the UC Master Gardener Program. My business originally started out doing ornamental landscape design, then about eight years ago, it seemed like everyone in this city wanted a vegetable garden. It was a natural progression to grow food for my clients and I became known in Los Angeles as one of the go-to people to design high-end chef’s gardens and urban farms at residences, restaurants and hotels.
My background in art and design, and knowledge of horticulture, give me the ability to execute gardens that are extremely healthy and thoughtfully designed. For me, it has to be both. Besides loving gardens and plants, I’m really a people person, so I love working my clients and have been with many of them for years, re-planting seasonally and taking on new projects.
Today, I have a balance of designing organic urban farms and more traditional landscapes. My favorite projects are the ones that combine both.
Has it been a smooth road?
I think that with any business there are always learning curves. Since I am very hands on, and all my designs have my name on them. I have a hand on every aspect of the process, from the initial client walkthrough to creating a design that unique for that site and to that client to sourcing only the best quality plant materials. It is very inefficient, but I do like to pick out each plant at the grower or nursery. This can’t always be the case, but whenever possible, I’m out there in the field sorting through ten or twenty specimens, looking for the one with the best stem structure and leaf coverage. So I suppose my struggle is finding enough time in the day to give each job the personal attention that I’m known for.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Farmista – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Farmista is a custom, high-end landscape design company. We design and install organic urban farms, native flower gardens and more traditional landscapes with grass, trees and shrubs, always keeping an eye out for sustainability and longevity. We do residential, hospitality and commercial projects. I am really proud of the clients I have because they are the elite in their own fields, so I know they expect the same for me. I give a lot of personal attention to each project, and I’m proud of my work ethic and attention to detail.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles and so was my dad and my son. We are three generations of Angelenos. I really enjoy the diversity and progressive interest in the environment here. My clients are already savvy to composting, recycling, conserving water and even more obscure things like companion planting. My only beef with LA is the crazy traffic. I sometimes go to six job sites in a day which can be rough since there is never a good time to be in LA traffic!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TheFarmista.com
- Phone: (310) 795-6597
- Email: jill.volat@gmail.com
- Instagram: @the.farmista
- Yelp: Farmista
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