My love of the outdoors began early in my life with camping, hiking, and growing fresh food with my family. As a kid, I loved to plant giant buckeye seeds and watch them grow. I spent countless hours with my sisters playing and learning outdoors, or climbing into the branches of oak and bay trees, and one favorite sycamore.
I studied horticulture at San Francisco City College and was an intern in the native California section of the San Francisco Botanical Garden. I began my own business in 2000 and learned practical applications as a maintenance gardener. After earning my certification as an arborist, I worked on tree surveys, assessments, valuation, and as a project manager with other consulting arborists.
In addition to my work with trees, I have extensive training in design. This design experience began informally with a creative family, and formally at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising for Interior Design in 1984. My landscape designs incorporate my life-long experience, my practical knowledge and education, and my love of the natural world. My specialty is not necessarily my “signature” design, but my ability to assess the desires of my clients, and transfer that to a landscape that enhances and supports their lives.
Environmental issues are paramount to me, so my designs incorporate many native California and drought-resistant plants that also increase natural resources for wildlife. My enthusiasm for food gardening leads me to include an array of edibles to fit the client’s needs.
Garden Management is often the final step in a successful design project. I am truly invested in the success of my client’s gardens and am available to coordinate the long-term care with other landscape professionals. Specialty pruning of feature and fruit trees is part of my expertise.