Zara Wirkus
Associate III

A Minnesota native with Wisconsin roots, Zara has been working in the green industry since she was 18. Her first gig involved taking care of garden estates as part of a high-end garden maintenance crew that led her to work as a designer at a landscape design-build company. Her dream to live in a big city, passion for art and horticulture, and encouragement from her dad (who taught her a landscaping class in high school) were the three main ingredients that ultimately landed her in Chicago at Hoerr Schaudt. As a designer with our Continued Landscape Management group, Zara thrives when working hands-on with plants, especially perennials—her favorite.

When she’s not gardening, you’ll find Zara singing karaoke (one of her self-proclaimed hidden talents), dancing, or doing something active outdoors. A travel enthusiast, she’s likely to tell you about her latest adventure. One of her all-time favorite trips was visiting New Zealand, where she spent a few weeks traveling around the North Island and working on a citrus farm in Gisborne.