As Selling Houses Australia’s landscaping genius, Charlie Albone knows a thing or two about transforming an exterior to create real wow factor. But what inspires this green thumb to get creative when the cameras stop rolling? I found out when I put Charlie through my regular interview segment, The Creative 10.
1. When are you at your most creative?
“First thing in the morning is when I do my best work (probably due to a massive caffeine hit) but also as I live outside of Sydney I spend a bit of time thinking in the car”.
2. Who is the most creative person you know?
“I have interviewed a designer called Diarmuid Gavin a couple of times he is insanely creative and really thinks outside the box”.
3. What’s your most creative destination?
“The plant nurseries of Europe are insane and my favourite is ‘Solitar’. The plants you can buy over there are of the highest quality and fully mature, it really gets the creative juices flowing”.
4. What’s your best creation or creative moment to date?
“I’m currently designing a garden for the Chelsea Flower Show and it’s a combination of design and emotion – it’s an interesting, all-consuming project”.
5. What’s your fave creative read?
“I love all garden design books; the best part about landscape design is everybody likes different things and I love exploring all the possible options”. 
6. What music makes you feel creative?
“I can’t have any music on when I doing landscape design as I find it interferes with my thought process. Remember men can only do one thing at a time!”.
7. What’s your one creative must-have at home or the office?
“If the desire to create something individual and personal isn’t there then the design process comes to a halt so I have to have a connection with my clients”.
8. What creative item are you lusting over at the moment?
“I really want a Gypsy caravan for my property so I can head out there and sketch concepts for gardens…. I just cant find one in Oz”.
9. What inspires you to get Creative?
“Clients that want an individual space to enjoy and go back to time and time again. At the other end of the spectrum if a client says ‘I want low maintenance’ (which a lot of them do) I find it hard to get motivated”.
10. What’s one creative endeavor you’d like to try or pursue?
“The Chelsea Flower Show is the pinnacle of landscape design and if I can get a design (that I’m working on) accepted I’ll be able to tick the number one creative endeavor of my bucket list”.
Want more SHA interviews? Click here to read my interview with Andrew Winter and click here to read my interview with Shaynna Blaze.
Photos in this post are courtesy of lifestyle.com.au
Oh Charlie, cute and smart, such a dangerous combination! I love SHA its the best show for ideas and inspiration, and Charlie’s outdoor zones always make a huge impact on the sales too.
I agree Michelle (on all counts haha). And yes, the kerb appeal is everything so Charlie certainly knows how to make an impact!