About
My name is Zoe, and I am a Washington-based planting designer passionate about native plants and ecological restoration. Let me help you design your dream landscape!
Design Approach
My planting designs seek to create cohesive ecological communities that can gracefully change and adapt over time. I emphasize many facets of ecological sustainability in my work—biodiversity, climate resilience, water conservation, materials sourcing, soil restoration, and more—while balancing them with the more “human” aspects of sustainability, such as lasting beauty and ease of maintenance.
I approach plant selection with care and attention, building groupings that complement each other in both form and function in order to create versatile spaces that are inviting year-round.
Ask me about...
lawn alternatives | foodscaping | wildlife habitat | rain gardens & sustainable drainage systems | drip irrigation | water-wise landscaping
Background
Growing up in rainy Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I spent my childhood exploring the rich woodlands of the city's accidental urban greenspaces and discovering the insects, birds, plants and fungi that inhabit them.
I graduated cum laude from Smith College in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science & Policy and a minor in Biology. During that time, I studied comparative ecology and conservation in Ecuador, conducted award-winning research on moss biodiversity in old-growth forests, and worked with the Smith College Botanic Garden arborist crew.
Moving back to Pennsylvania, I worked as horticulturist for a 170-acre cemetery, and then west to Utah, where I took on the role of Plant Curator at a public garden specializing in water-wise landscaping. Drawing on this wide range of experiences, I put my skills to use as a freelance garden designer.
In 2023, I relocated to London to study at the London College of Garden Design to learn from some of the world's leading designers at the London College of Garden Design, and graduated from the Planting Design Diploma course with distinction. Now settled in the Seattle area, I am diving back into my practice with a fresh perspective.
