Landscape designer pursues goal of urban aesthetic enhancement
Wambui Ippolito, a renowned horticultural expert and landscape designer, is making waves in the world of gardening and landscape design. Born in Nairobi and raised in the Rift Valley on her family's farm in Uasin Gishu, Ippolito's love for the land was cultivated from a young age.
As a child, Ippolito spent much of her time exploring the outdoors, developing a strong connection with nature. One of the last plants she chose was a bougainvillea, which is still growing at her mother's property. This early encounter with gardening would later shape her career.
Ippolito moved to Washington DC when she was 14 and, after studying international development, her career took an unexpected turn. She found herself working at Martha Stewart's garden in Bedford, New York, honing her skills in landscape design. This was followed by a work placement at David Letterman's estate.
Ippolito's dedication to her craft led her to study at the New York Botanical Garden School of Professional Horticulture. Her unique approach to landscape design, which emphasizes the beauty and functionality of natural elements, soon caught the attention of Veranda magazine, who named her one of '11 revolutionary female landscape designers and architects' in 2021.
Today, Ippolito practices landscape design mostly on the East Coast of the United States, working on large estates in the Westchester area. She is also planning to work with cities and municipalities around the world to beautify them and reforest large tracts of land.
Ippolito's work is celebrated for inspiring ecological awareness and the use of native plants in garden and landscape design. This approach implicitly supports urban reforestation ideals by advocating for plant choices that make ecological sense in their environments, potentially fostering biodiversity and native plant growth in urban settings.
Ippolito's accolades include a Gold Award and Best in Show at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Philadelphia Flower Show. She is in demand on the lecture circuit and as a consultant, helping institutions and museums to develop horticultural programming.
In addition to her professional work, Ippolito is writing a book titled Terra Nova, which will highlight the influence that immigrants' gardens have had on the American landscape. The book is set to be published by Timber Press in 2026.
Currently, Ippolito is also working on the care of her mother's garden in Nairobi. Her mother, an avid gardener, took her on plant-buying trips as a child, instilling in her a love for gardening that has since blossomed into a successful career.
Ippolito's story is a testament to the power of nurturing a love for nature from a young age and the impact one person can have on the world of landscape design and urban reforestation.
- Wambui Ippolito, a reputed horticultural expert and landscape designer, nurtured her passion for gardening as a child in Kenya, exploring the outdoors and discovering plants like the bougainvillea.
- Upon moving to Washington DC, Ippolito's career took an unanticipated turn, landing her at Martha Stewart's garden where she honed her landscape design skills, subsequently working at David Letterman's estate.
- Ippolito's dedication led her to study at the New York Botanical Garden School of Professional Horticulture, and her emphasis on natural elements' beauty and functionality in design caught Veranda magazine's attention, naming her one of the '11 revolutionary female landscape designers and architects' in 2021.
- Today, Ippolito focuses on landscape design along the East Coast, contributing to urban reforestation ideas by advocating for native plant use in her designs, which potentially fosters biodiversity and native plant growth in urban settings.
- Ippolito's achievements include a Gold Award and Best in Show at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's Philadelphia Flower Show, as well as lecturing and consulting roles for institutions and museums.
- In addition to her professional work, Ippolito is penning a book entitled Terra Nova, exploring the impact immigrants' gardens have had on the American landscape, set to be published by Timber Press in 2026.
