JK: What does a typical working day look like for you, as an Art Director?

KF: During my Art Director season, I get to eat breakfast with my family – when I’m gardening, I am off before they wake up. I go for a morning run before I sit down in my kitchen to work. I meet with my fellow copywriter at a hotel lobby or workspace in town, to co-work and drink vast amounts of coffee while doing so. As a freelancer, the frequency of meetings is far less compared to when I was working at an agency, which makes my days a lot more effective.

JK: And as a gardener?

KF: I currently work in a castle garden, four days a week. I start at 7am and finish at 4pm, pretty knackered, longing for a shower and to stretch out on the couch. It’s quite an adjustment to not sit on my ass for the entire work week, but it is also strangely addictive. One day a week I work for other clients, so I can be more flexible depending on the type of task I need to perform. Since I get up so early, I rarely make plans on weekday evenings when I’m gardening.

JK: Do you have “comfort items” that you find you need to have by your side to feel ready to go?

KF: I always carry at least one shade of Hydracolor lip balm, and my headphones. Headphones make for great company if I do physical work that doesn’t require significant thinking. It’s the same for when I work in advertising, but the headphones just for the otherwise boring commute.

JK: What’s your “let’s get to work” drink or meal of choice?

KF: When I garden, I brew a coffee thermos for my drive to work. That serves as breakfast until we have a break at 9am to eat. During desktop-season, I have tea and oatmeal until I can’t stand it anymore.

JK: What do you listen to while you work?

KF: I listen to podcasts (mainly documentaries) if I do monotonous work in the garden. I have never been able to think properly while listening to music; when I do advertising, I have BBC World Service on in the background.

JK: What has your design process gained from your gardening process, and vice versa?

KF: Art Direction is about creating a cohesive visual experience that communicates the desired message, and the creative part of gardening is also about that. A main benefit for me personally is the combination of physical and brain effort. I love the hard work in the garden, but when the season comes to an end, I really long to sit down and let my brain do the walking instead.

JK: Have you found a crossover in clientele?

KF: I have a few clients that I knew from before I took on gardening that I have since done gardening work for. Not the other way around – so far.

JK: What area of the world would you most like to experience gardening in?

KF: I am very interested in drought-resistant planting. I have a summer house in southern Gotland where it is very dry, and my garden must survive long periods without me and without rain. And since we all are experiencing longer periods of warm weather, it is something we must learn more about, whether we like it or not. Mallorca has some fantastic dry gardens I would like to experience.

JK: Which style of landscape design do you find inspiring, currently?

KF: I am into natural-looking designs – something that is elaborately conceived and performed but looks like it has always been there, an elevated part of the environment.

JK: And which type of art design?

KF: To me, art direction is like a funnel, where inspiration from fashion, pop culture, and current trends gets channelled into something that captures the spirit of the times. Art direction is rarely the original source of inspiration; instead, it’s about taking influences and shaping them into a visual experience that is relevant for the task and connected to the moment.

JK: How has the gardening scene changed in Sweden from when it first left an impression on you?

KF: So much has happened. Where I grew up in a suburb outside of Stockholm, the gardens were quite depressing. The lawn was the one thing to meticulously maintain. Today, more homeowners approach their gardens in the same way they do the rest of their house. Whereas they previously hired carpenters and interior designers to beautify the interior, more and more are now also hiring a garden designer and/or a gardener to bring their outdoor space to life as well. There is also an increased interest in creating environments that benefit biodiversity and are not just aesthetically pleasing.

KF: Is there a specific industry you currently find produces the most exciting work, for design?

KF: Production design in films and TV series, such as Dune or Euphoria, can absorb me completely. Where they craft environments where every detail is meticulously designed to support and even carry the narrative. The ability to maintain such a high level of cohesion throughout an entire film or series is both impressive and inspiring. It requires an uncompromising vision, and it must be incredibly rewarding (and exhausting). I know how challenging it can be to maintain a vision throughout the process of a simple advertising campaign.

JK: Is there a third profession that could tempt you…

KF: When I studied gardening a few years ago, I found great fulfillment in acquiring new knowledge. It made me realize that I could probably get into almost any field of study and find it rewarding, as expanding one’s expertise into new areas is very energizing. That said, becoming a chef would likely be my third career choice, as I love food. I would like to deepen my knowledge in sustainable cooking. The culinary profession is also creative, hands-on, and a collaborative environment.