SHD Landscape Architecture | www.shd-la.com
Can you trace your interest in landscape architecture and design back to a particular influence?
Living aboard a sailboat as a child drove me toward terra firma, a yearning for dry land. My mother loved to garden and my father loved to hike and camp which had a profound influence. This marriage eventually led me to Landscape Architecture and the foolish notion that I could create a space as unintentional as nature, which has since been at the heart of my design. I know I’ll never achieve this, but I keep trying.
You have experience designing public, commercial and custom residential projects. Does one area of design inform the other?
The real joy of design comes from watching people and animals enjoy a space I created. Public work provides that while custom residential work yields wonderful personal interactions and unlimited freedom in design.
How does your strong connection to this region and to nature impact your work?
The most pristine and perfect spaces I’ve ever witnessed are deep in the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. I cannot understand how something so beautiful could exist. Every flower, every needle, every pool of water so perfectly, randomly and unintentionally placed. Everything perfectly balanced.
You have knowledge of horticulture, emerging technologies for sustainable and low-impact development, critical areas design and permitting, current stormwater practices and landscape construction. Share how this influences your designs.
We take our cues from nature, whether that be a natural or built environment. After all, the built environment we live in was perfectly natural not that long ago. All of our specialties are in recognition of this and their tools utilized to maintain some balance.
How do you like to work with your design clients?
I really enjoy sharing our profession, what we do and the collaborative process. Our initial conversations are important as they point us in the right direction for design. Understanding genre is one thing, but distilling the feeling of the space we are trying to create is everything. We don’t have a particular style or lane; we just listen and make client dreams come true.
What is your problem-solving process like with homeowners who have a landscape that doesn’t serve their needs?
Identifying what someone doesn’t like is just as important as discovering what they love. We have in-depth conversations and provide a collage of inspirational garden images to both rule out and get us on the same page aesthetically.
You’ve built up a notable body of residential work. What are some major takeaways from designing landscapes?
Designing landscapes in the Pacific Northwest is wonderfully complex. It is a stroke of luck to be surrounded by environmentally sensitive areas, varied topography and such natural beauty. We are spoiled by the shared landscape and the interesting gardens that are informed by the complexity of site conditions, aligning perfectly with our philosophy of taking our cues from nature. This diversity allows us to keep doing something different and unique, keeping us on our toes.
Describe your design style or philosophy.
We are practiced in many different genres or design styles. Our philosophy is to listen to our client, understand the site and design accordingly.
Best materials to splurge on?
Gardens evolve, so good bones are most important. Proper site preparation makes for a beautiful garden, forever.
