Plants and I have always been friends. We have a symbiotic relationship. It’s a little uneven, because I think I need them more than they need me, whether that’s in nature, my yard, or my home.

I’ve never been able to feel comfortable in a space where plants aren’t either happy and breathing…or looking in through the windows. In addition to having lots of indoor plants, I’ve always looked for homes with ample outdoor living space for people, art, and a profusion of plants. I’m not a fan of the waste of lawns; for me, it’s all about creating lush outdoor rooms and having a menagerie of leafy things that surprise and delight.

My passions in garden design are foliage color, texture, contrast, and what I call “architectural plants.” I like to group plants into broad massings or “brushstrokes” of contrasting plants and materials with both the surprise of one-off specimens and the structure of repeating elements, especially when those elements show up in different ways in different areas of the garden. Personally, I don’t really care much about blooms and ephemeral color from flowers. I’m more intrigued with perennial plants and a garden that has visual structure and looks good year-round, even when some things seasonally lose their leaves or die back.

Like with many of my other creative ventures, my vision and quality expectations for gardens exceed my ability to build and execute on my own. While I’m great at concepting and design—and have a VERY specific idea of execution (just ask a few past gardeners and contractors)—I need lots of collaboration from skilled partners for hardscaping, infrastructure, planting plans, installation, and maintenance.

Inspirations: Bali, Jardin Etnobotanico de Oaxaca, Versailles, Butchart Gardens, garden centers, weird and wonderful plants.