Origins in Wholesale and Retail Nursery:  Graeme started his career in 1975 with Trewallin Wholesale Nursery in Ararat Victoria, who were specialists in South African and Tropical plants.  He gained further experience with a Rose and Citrus wholesale nursery in Bundaberg Queensland, before moving into the retail sector with Whittens Nursery in Melbourne, Victoria.

Botanical Gardens: In 1976, Graeme traveled overseas to broaden his horticultural experience.  Of particular note, was time spent working at the Botanical Gardens in Dunedin, New Zealand.  This led to further botanical and city gardens experience over a period of years in Victoria and overseas:  Melbourne Botanical Gardens (glasshouse management and propagation); Singapore Botanic Gardens (orchid/glasshouse management); London Kew Gardens (glasshouse internship); and Melbourne Fitzroy Gardens (glasshouse/conservatory management, and special event displays).  Graeme then returned to the retail nursery sector, as the assistant manager for Landscape Inn, a retail nursery in Melbourne.

Indoor Horticulture: In 1982, Graeme established “City Horticulture”, a business that specialized in Indoor Horticultural Environments and gardens in the Melbourne CBD.  Servicing some of the most exclusive hotel, apartment/penthouse, and office complexes in Melbourne,  Graeme soon established a reputation as an expert in the design, establishment, and maintenance of indoor garden environments.  Particularly notable examples of this period included “ Gordon Place” (an exclusive apartment and retail complex situated in Little Bourke Street, Melbourne), and “The Atrium” (a modern office complex with extensive glasshouse and indoor gardens situated in South Melbourne).  “City Horticulture” provided a total indoor horticultural service; from design, to establishment/refurbishment and then on-going maintenance of indoor horticultural environments (including indoor irrigation systems, and pool and spa management).

Large scale landscape design, development, and maintenance:  After five successful years in Melbourne, Graeme again decided to travel overseas to broaden his experience.  So he sold his “City Horticulture” maintenance contracts, and headed off to the booming United States of America to gain major landscape construction experience.  In early 1988, he started with AAA Landscaping in Phoenix, Arizona, a specialist in large scale landscape design, development, and maintenance projects. Graeme gained invaluable experience with AAA, particularly because of the large scale of the projects and contracts they undertook.  Graeme was made a Forman, supervising up to fifteen employees, undertaking construction,  maintenance, and repair services for the company’s client base.

Desert and Arid landscape design and development:  Fifteen months later, Graeme moved to Taos in New Mexico (great skiing), where he re-established his “City Horticulture” business.  Famous for its adobe architecture, Taos is located on a high desert plain that abuts the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico. 

Over the next twelve years, Graeme developed unique design, construction, and maintenance experience in desert and arid environments.  During this time “City Horticulture” was commissioned to design and construct a number of significant outdoor environments in major new residential and commercial developments.  Graeme also developed particular expertise in low-water usage garden techniques; something that has become increasingly valuable over time. Graeme also took an interest in creating ponds and water features.

Ponds, Waterfalls, and Water features:  In 2001, Graeme decided to move to a larger marketplace in California.  After selling his business in Taos, New Mexico. he went to work for Sierra Pacific Designs in West Los Angeles (specialists in ponds and waterfalls) who serviced some of the most exclusive areas in Los Angeles.

Large scale landscape design & development, and water features:  In 2002, Greame left Sierra Pacific Design to establish “Graeme Shanks Landscape Design” in Malibu, California.  Over the next seven years Graeme designed and developed some of the most spectacular outdoor landscapes, ponds, waterfalls, streams, and water features of his career across the Hollywood Hills, Belair, Brentwood, Venice Beach, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Santa Monica, and West Los Angeles areas.  A number of these projects are featured in the portfolio. 

The birth of GKS:  The birth of GKS: In 2009, Graeme decided to return to his family and friends in Australia. He quickly established a new business name, “ GKS”,and established his Design & Development business on the Mornington Peninsula, in Victoria, Australia. Based on his thirty years experience, Graeme developed “GKS” into a premium provider of medium and large scale landscape design and development services to residential and commercial sectors.

2016: Moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

2018 Moved back to TAOS. NEW MEXICO. (my spiritual home).. 

“Based on my local and international experience, GKS aims to provide unique landscape designs with a real difference, that truly enhance the working and living environments of my clients”.