Walking On Air

It may be 2019 but there are still plenty of people around who believe women don’t do jobs like garden maintenance and design. Claudia Bowman is proving them wrong

- Angela Young

Think you recognise Claudia Bowman, but not quite sure where from? If you’re an Airtasker fan, that’s probably the answer. Currently the face of the online task-sourcing site thanks to her prolific (and successful) pitches, Claudia now runs her own garden maintenance and design business, McIntosh & Bowman Gardens.

At the beginning of the year, after 20 years working in hospitality, she decided to take her interest and passion for gardening to the next level. Enrolling in a Diploma of Horticulture at TAFE NSW Ryde, she studied part-time so she could also work on her business.

“In the competitive industry of garden maintenance and design,” Claudia explains, “I knew that having an impressive, nationally recognised qualification would provide me with industry credibility and the knowledge to approach projects successfully, as well as instil client confidence.”

HARD AT WORK

Having taken the leap from a passion project — gardening for friends and family — Claudia is now nearly a year into her diploma and working four days a week as a professional gardener.

“My garden designs are varied… satisfying client requests and accommodating their preferences,” she says, adding, “my designs aren’t yet typified by a style, they’re more influenced by the job description.