Our Process

When we thoughtfully design with native and perennial edible species, we create a landscape that celebrates our ecological and evolutionary heritage while placing our personal values on full display. We restore the relationship of care between the natural and the human, illuminating that this division is ultimately an illusion. The fullness of our humanity -our care, compassion, and creativity – is able to shine as a beacon in the dark, guiding all who may wander on to our piece of this Earth.

We center our design process first and foremost around your values, needs and aesthetic.

Do you want to restore life to your landscape?
Do you really really really want to stop mowing?!
Do you want to feel calm or energized?
Do you love watching birds?
Do storms create ponds in your lawn?
Do you love big plants and cottage gardens or do you prefer a strong sense of order?

We seek to know what makes you feel great. If you FEEL great about your landscape, if you feel confident and inspired, your energy will be contagious.

Next, we need to know about the culture of your neighborhood. Communities are diverse have varying cultural understandings of and acceptance of different landscapes. It is imperative that we consider the needs of our neighbors as part of our own needs and that of the ecosystem. Our neighbors are as much a part of our ecological fabric as our planting and we should treat them with the same respect and care as we would the landscape we are creating. A new build subdivision will, by necessity, allow for a different garden than a country cottage. This is totally ok. We want to push up against the edges of what might be acceptable without making our neighbors resent us!

We then build a palette of appropriate species based on the historic ecosystem, soil type and amount of sun where your property currently resides. Dry shade? No prob! Standing water? No prob!

This information, instructed by your values, needs, aesthetic, and your neighborhood, allows the design to start taking shape.

Sleek and calm with splashes of color, a backyard of fruit and flowers is set against a grounding and serene matrix of sedges.
Lawn no more! The drudgery of mowing shall henceforth be given over to a celebration of life.
Every day you arrive to an elegant and captivating entrance… The scent of pasture rose calls you home.
This front yard near downtown Birmingham features a border of cobble, creating an even greater sense of form and structure Thoughtful design considers the impact our garden will have on our community. We want our neighbors to feel comfortable, observe curiously, and become inspired. If we succeed in these, our garden will grow beyond the confines of our property boundaries.