Shireen Zia, founder of EcoGardens Landscape Design and subject of PL USA’s August issue “Let’s Hear it From…” feature, collects inspiration from all around her. Attending conferences and traveling to different climates has had a huge impact on her work, but some of her earliest inspiration has come from her heritage.

Growing up in Pakistan, Shireen was deeply influenced by her mother’s love of gardening.

“Lahore is the central part of Pakistan, and it’s surrounded by agriculture. When I was growing up, I saw how my mom used to garden with my dad,” she says.

When Shireen’s mother passed away, gardening became the place where she could go to connect with her.

To read more on Shireen’s design influences and how she transformed her passion into a career, check out her feature interview in the latest issue of Pro Landscaper USA.