Dedicated to responsible and sustainable landscape practices, Joan approaches landscape design with an artist’s sensibility and scope. She embraces the landscape with her love of color and form, uniting beauty and function. Working closely with her clients to actualize their vision, Joan creates aesthetic architectural and natural environments in Southern California and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Eco Conscious or eco friendly landscape design involves using plants, irrigation methods, and hardscape materials that preserve natural resources and reduce water usage and costs.

Sustainable practices can be applied to a variety of landscape garden styles and architecture.

In practicing sustainable landscape design, plants are selected for the microclimate. Using drought tolerant plants, also known as water wise plants that have low to moderate water requirements, helps to conserve water. Plants can be native or exotic – many varieties are coming from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Mexico.

Efficient irrigation methods and permeable materials such as decomposed granite, tumbled recycled glass, pebbles, pavers, brick, or stone set in sand, minimizes water run-off. Using LEED certified composite material and sustainably harvested timber in the design of fences, gates, decks, and pergolas, natural resources are preserved.