As the firm’s Horticulturalist and Field Operations Specialist, Patrick brings in more than 30 years of experience in horticulture and landscape construction. In his role, he draws on this expertise and helps to oversee the installation of the firm’s landscape designs.
Patrick began his career as a Nursery Associate at his family’s nursery in South Africa, which specialized in rare and exotic palms as well as indigenous cycads. He first came to Miami in 1999 to work at Redland Nursery, and by 2001 he was working under Stan Matthews of Plant Creations. It was there that he connected with RJI’s own Dave Schroeder, with whom Patrick developed a close working relationship across numerous Raymond Jungles, Inc. projects from 2001 to 2004. During this time, Patrick was also studying Landscape Technology at Miami-Dade College and was selected to participate in the Career Discovery Program at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.
Patrick’s career later took him to California, where he held a variety of roles primarily in landscape construction. Notably, he was instrumental in bidding, coordinating, and running a substantial part of the landscape operations of the Transbay Transit Center Roof Park in San Francisco.
Patrick is particularly passionate about plants and wildlife, an appreciation shaped by growing up in
in South Africa and experiencing their esoteric nature firsthand. Patrick played rugby well into his 30s and now channels that passion into spectating, as he and his family support the Springboks from afar. He enjoys spending time with his family, especially camping in Northern California. Patrick also has two young daughters who have both been named after incredible trees: Aracaria and Adansonia.
