These same values carry over to my design firm as well.  We are grounded in the desire to create projects that improve with age.  We have developed particular expertise in the design of our green projects to avoid common mistakes others make:

• Design which underestimates frost damage impacts
• Choosing correct soil type/volume for long term plant health 
• Design  for the inevitable poor maintenance
• Underestimating hot sun & irrigation interruptions
• Inaccessible drainage which cant be visually verified
• Irrigation not designed to fail
• Poorly resolved planter waterproofing

We celebrate finished firm projects that will age gracefully while adding value for our client and the community.  It’s a temporal world, but good thoughful design lasts.

Whitney Summerford / Associate

Hard working with an eye for detail, Whitney brings a high level of energy to each project.  Her love for design comes through in her creative and innovative ideas and solutions.  Her talent and experience in producing graphic rendering helps bring those ideas vibrantly to life.  Balancing her artful side with a sharp mind and pragmatic character insures that her fresh ideas meet our clients programmatic, budgetary, and marketing needs.

Whitney graduated from the University of Florida with her Bachelors of Landscape Architecture and has been practicing in the profession since 2005.  A born adventurer, she has immersed herself in the Northwest looking for outdoor adventures, rain or shine.  Her competitive side is fulfilled by a plethora of outdoor sporting activities which she routinely engages in.

Heidi Hughes / Landscape Designer & Office Assistant

With her adaptive and diligent character, Heidi has established herself as an integral part of our team.  By taking each new challenge head on, she has quickly gained valuable experience in multiple areas of the profession.  Exhibiting confidence, intelligence and huge raw talent, Heidi impresses all those around her which foretells of great things to come.  Heidi also supports the team in an administrative role which reinforces her flexible and positive nature.

 Heidi graduated with her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Washington State University.  She has been practicing in the profession since 2009.  As a Washington native, she cherishes her summers on the waters of Puget Sound and her winters on the slopes of the Cascade mountains.  Heidi is also a member of the Junior League of Seattle.

Penguins by Margaret Clapp

Our design office is brimming with art, collections of found objects, and the richness of life. Over the past 27 years, I have searched for and acquired a wonderful range of art which literally covers our firm’s walls. Sources for our art include travel, auctions, garage sales, antique stores, gifts from friends and family and in-house created works. Each piece adds design energy and richness to the workday experience, and connects to the greater world of design and life.

Sometimes people are overwhelmed when they walk into our design firm. Its rare to see walls literally covered with art outside of museums and galleries. Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned my collections (future post). I have seen many smiles as clients and friends poke around and discover our finds.

As an informal collector, I have only one criteria when it comes to collecting art; does it make my heart leap? Art to me is first appreciated viscerally and later cerebrally. Its likely why I collect. There is that feeling that you get when you chance on a piece that makes you catch your breath…