Philosophy
I believe that your physical environment has a profound impact on your mental and spiritual wellbeing. As a landscape designer, my vision is to create a wonderful, personal outdoor living space that will sustain and delight you.
I take my inspiration from the many wonderful gardens I have visited around the country and in Italy, Spain and England and also from the extraordinary variety of plants that thrive in our climate.
When designing a residential landscape, I consider the physical characteristics of the site and the architectural style of the home as well as the client’s needs, preferences and budget. Each garden presents a unique combination of circumstances and spatial problems to be solved, so each project is a new challenge.
“There are no mysterious ‘musts,’ no set rules, no finger of shame pointed at the gardener who doesn’t follow an accepted pattern. Landscaping is not a complex and difficult art to be practiced only by high priests. It is logical, down-to-earth, and aimed at making your plot of ground produce exactly what you want and need from it.
The direction in which to move will be determined by the desires of the people who expect to find happiness in their gardens. Happiness will come by adding as much beauty and by eliminating as many irritations as possible within the limits of the problem. The limits of the problem will be the restrictions and opportunities of the site and the ability of the owner and designer to overcome or make use of them.” ~ Thomas Church, from Gardens Are For People
Sustainability
Sustainability involves careful management of our natural resources. In residential garden design, it also means creating a space that can be maintained well by the owners through the changing seasons and over time. When they’re interested, I’m happy to educate my customers about horticulture and encourage them to become good gardeners and stewards. But it’s most important that they have fun and enjoy their gardens.
I particularly enjoy working with older homes and landscapes and the special challenges of renovation.
Collaboration
My work is supported by talented landscape professionals and craftsmen who assist with hardscaping, lighting, irrigation, arboriculture, plant installation, garden maintenance and more. I am always grateful for their advice and inspiration. Together we strive for garden perfection.