A Landscape Design Journey

When I first began a landscape design journey, there was no studio, no team, and no polished process. Just a desk in the bedroom, a stack of books, and what I’d learned in school, paired with a lot of trial, error, and curiosity.

Some of my earliest projects were small planting plans for friends. Simple layouts. Limited budgets. Real constraints. Those projects became the foundation of this journey, teaching me lessons no textbook ever could. They forced me to pay attention to plant behavior, to spatial scale, and to how landscapes actually perform once the drawings are gone and real life takes over.

Over time, those small opportunities led to bigger ones. Eventually, I found myself working on projects with Kimley-Horn at Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida. In these places, the stakes were higher, the teams were larger, and the responsibility to get it right mattered even more. But the mindset stayed the same: every project, regardless of size, deserves the same level of thought and care.

Master Bedroom Desk

Much of this unfolded quietly at home. For years, my “office” was a desk tucked into the master bedroom. I designed landscapes while my kids played behind me, grew up beside me, and learned, without realizing it, what it looks like to build something slowly and intentionally. That chapter shaped how I think about work, balance, and what actually matters.

One of the most rewarding aspects of this landscape design journey has been mentoring young landscape architects. Watching others develop their voice, confidence, and judgment has been just as meaningful as seeing a finished project come to life. Several people come to mind—CC, VR, AR—but I won’t name names here. Just a reminder that this profession is as much about people as it is about places.

You can read more on this perspective in my “Great Leaders” article… 

Wisdom by Experience

All those years, the modest beginnings, the major public work, the late nights, the home office, the mentorship, shaped how I design today. They taught me patience. They taught me restraint. And they reinforced a belief that good landscapes, like promising careers, are built over time.

That’s the perspective I bring to every residential project now: A landscape design journey informed by where I started, who I’ve worked alongside, and everything I’ve learned in between.