For local landscape architect Bill Esarey, success is found in making ideas reality.

“I try to listen to what the client is telling, like what their goals are,” Esarey, who owns and operates wee landscape architecture, said. “What I try to do is turn their goals into something that’s pretty cool.

“Most of my clients can’t read the plans or blueprints. A lot of the times when we get to the end of the project they are like, ‘Wow, I didn’t expect this.”

That “wow-factor” extends beyond Esarey’s clients.

Esarey’s work has been recognized nationwide. His work in landscape architecture, site planning, placemaking and design have been recognized with 13 American Society of Landscape and Architects awards. Every year, the ASLA accepts project entries, which are scored by a jury.

Esarey’s latest awards from the Kentucky Chapter of the ASLA will be presented March 2 at its annual meeting in Covington.

Esarey will accept awards for two recent projects — the Paris-Bourbon County Library and Warren East High School athletic complex in Bowling Green.

The library project features a native Kentucky modern landscape, according to the entry.

“The new addition to the Carnegie Library is a modern building using local construction materials,” the entry states.

The site features outdoor spaces, native plants, bike parking, easy access for people traveling on foot and more.

“Strong planting design and native planting selections,” the ASLA Jury wrote about the project. “…Integration of cultural landscape iconic details in well thought out. Is a showcase for residential scale sustainable design.”
The athletic complex project is described as “a great place for athletics, spectators and the community,” according to the entry.

“wee landscape renovated an outdated high school athletic complex and created a high-quality competition venuce for football, soccer, track and field, tennis, baseball and softball.”

The jury commented, “Impressive transformation of the facility through strong masterplan. Clear, clean development of the athletic campus balances playing fields with landscape development as an extension of the high school campus. Kudos for revamping and improving whast could have easily been a much less strong outcome.”

Esarey said he has had a great deal of success with equine assignments, but his projects expand beyond horse farms.

“Big estates are also what I work on,” Esarey said. “I just finished a master plan for Tom Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints and the Pelicans. Now I’m just waiting for him to get back to me on when I start.”