Edible Landscape Design

If you’d like to grow more of your own food, but are not sure where to start…

If you’re happy to DIY, but would find it helpful to have a comprehensive design to work off of…

…I can work with you! I develop landscape designs at any scale, drawing on the principles of permaculture and regenerative design.

I’m a certified Permaculture Designer and Teacher and a certified Ecological Landscaper, with several years of design and landscaping experience.

What’s ecological landscape design?

An ecological landscape design is not just about making your yard pretty. It takes a holistic view of the site and looks at how everything — the sunlight, the soil, the water, the plant and human life — work together and then seeks to maximize the beneficial, mutually supportive relationships. Among some of the benefits of an ecological landscape design are:

• Improved water management: managing both excess rain and drought
• Building healthy soil and increase soil fertility
• Balancing natural systems
• Attracting and feeding pollinators and other beneficial insects
• Producing more food close to where you live
• Reducing your energy usage
• Sequestering more carbon in your soil
• Creating a beautiful landscape that reflects who you are and allows you to connect more deeply with where you live

Design Portfolio

Revere Homestead Design

Bluegrass Cottage Design

Kittelstrom Residential Design

Meditation Center Landscape Design

Carbon Farm Plan for a Fiber Farm

Calder Creek Restoration Plan

What makes Grounded Life Design unique?

Grounded Life Design is not just about designing landscapes — it’s about designing life (your life!) on land. The primary goal of my design work is not to create an attractive landscape, it’s to help you connect more deeply with the place you call home.

My design process takes into consideration not only the properties of the land, but also the people living on the land. Whatever garden or landscape you have has to take into account your life situation, your particular goals and challenges, your desired lifestyle — not to mention the kinds of foods you like to eat!

All projects start with a free phone or email consultation. We will talk about your project and see if we are a good fit. If yes, I will propose a way to move forward that fits your goals and budget.

Connect for free consultation

Option 1: Edible Garden Coaching

This option is for you if you’re dreaming of growing some of your own food, but are not sure how to get started — or if you’re already a home gardener, but would like to take your garden to the next level.

The Process:

• Pre-visit online questionnaire
• 2-3 hour visit
• A written follow-up with recommendations and resources

What you get:
• Basic sketch-like site map, drawn to scale, indicating the main ideas and solutions to meet your specific goals
• List of recommendations and resources

Option 2: Edible Landscape Design

If you want a comprehensive, ecologically intelligent, edible landscape design for your residential property, this option is for you. We start with a thorough site analysis and goals assessment, and then develop a design that accommodates your specific goals, site challenges, and lifestyle.

The Process:
• Pre-visit online questionnaire
• 2-3 hour initial site visit and conversation
• Full site assessment, goals summary, and vision statement
• I develop the design
• A follow-up conversation (phone or in person) on the design concept

What you get:
• A full, colored concept map drawn to scale with the basic layout of what goes where (not a detailed planting plan)
• A written report (10-15 pages) summarizing the goals and site assessment, vision, the elements of the suggested design and how they help you reach your stated goals.