Meet Our Award-Winning Landscape Designers

How would you describe your landscape design process? Meeting the homeowner and seeing the space in person is an important first step in the design process. By blending the site’s potential with their vision—and adding a few of my own ideas—I aim to bring the landscape to life.

Are there certain styles or aesthetics that inspire your work? I’m inspired by a mix of styles, including Pacific Northwest, Modern, Traditional, Eastern Oregon, and Japanese aesthetics.

Which landscape elements do you most enjoy using in your designs? I love integrating organic hardscapes, vibrant plantings, and container gardens. Together, these elements create year-round interest and harmony in the landscape.

Are there plants you’re particularly drawn to? Hinoki Cypress and Japanese White Pine are evergreen without being boring, while Edgeworthia and Royal Star Magnolia are the first ones to announce that spring is coming!

How do you like to spend your time outside of work? I enjoy gardening, sports, spending time with our pet ducks, playing cards or watching movies, karaoke, and anything outdoors.

How would you describe your landscape design process? I start by listening to clients and understanding how they want to use their space. After a site visit and assessment, I create a customized design that balances their vision with practical factors like climate, maintenance, and budget. I continue to collaborate closely with clients to make sure the final result meets their expectations.

Are there certain styles or aesthetics that inspire your work? I'm drawn to modern, coastal, and naturalistic designs built around native plants and sustainable practices. Living on the coast has taught me to appreciate landscapes that hold up to the elements while complementing their surroundings. I'm also inspired by creative hardscapes—patios, walkways, retaining walls, outdoor living spaces—that add beauty and usability. I stay aware of new trends, but every project reflects the client's vision and the site.

Which landscape elements do you most enjoy using in your designs? I love designing landscapes that are beautiful and functional for coastal climates—plants that thrive in salty air, strong wind, and sandy soil, so they stay healthy with less maintenance. I also enjoy layering in colorful flowering plants and varied textures for year-round interest. But what I love most is creating spaces where families can relax and connect, whether that's a patio, a fire pit, or a garden that pulls people outside.

Are there plants you’re particularly drawn to? Working on the Oregon Coast, I'm particularly drawn to native plants that are adapted to coastal conditions and help support the health and beauty of the coastal landscape.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work? Mostly with family. I met my wife after moving to the coast, and we have two kids together, plus two of my older kids who also work at 7 Dees. Outside of that, I love cooking, baking, and I've recently taken up Jiu Jitsu!

How would you describe your landscape design process? I begin with the intention to increase the property value and client’s happiness. Beauty matters, and a gorgeous landscape increases in value over time while instantly creating pleasure for my clients.

Are there certain styles or aesthetics that inspire your work? As a daughter of an architect, I am inspired by great design and honor the architecture of the home blended with the aesthetics of the homeowner. I share Steve Jobs' philosophy, "Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works".

Which landscape elements do you most enjoy using in your designs? As a sculptor (lost wax, bronze) I enjoy blending architectural elements into the landscape that flow with the surroundings, whether it’s a tree, a path, a swale, or a pergola.

Are there plants you’re particularly drawn to? I select plants I believe will serve my clients best. Personally, as a gardener’s gardener, I select plants that have multiple purposes beyond beauty such as food, cut flowers, shade, pollination, or sculpture. For example, blueberry hedges or espaliered apples that also serve as a fence.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work? When not in my garden and kitchen, you will find me hiking with my dog, riding my bike, in a yoga class, spending time with my family, and in a pool, lake or river—I am a Long-Distance Open Water National Champion and All-American.

How would you describe your landscape design process? The landscape process begins with an in-person meeting to explore the client’s vision and interests, while also sharing my own ideas to inspire new possibilities.

Are there certain styles or aesthetics that inspire your work? My favorite landscape style is the one that fits each client best. I’m not limited to a single approach and can design in many styles to match your needs.

Which landscape elements do you most enjoy using in your designs? I enjoy creating landscape features that are low-maintenance and encourage people to come together and enjoy their outdoor spaces.

Are there plants you’re particularly drawn to? I love incorporating plants that offer year-round interest while meeting key goals such as screening, fragrance, drought tolerance, and visual appeal.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work? Outside of work, I enjoy spending time outdoors—camping, staying active through fitness, and supporting my kid’s sports.

How would you describe your landscape design process? I start by listening to my clients and learning how they want to use their outdoor space. Every property is unique, so I look at the site's opportunities and challenges and create a design that feels natural to the home, fits the client's lifestyle, and works within their budget.

Are there certain styles or aesthetics that inspire your work? I am inspired by the work of Piet Oudolf and Jens Jensen. I love naturalistic landscapes that celebrate the seasons, use climate-appropriate plants, and feel connected to their surroundings. The Pacific Northwest is a constant source of inspiration for my work.

Which landscape elements do you most enjoy using in your designs? I enjoy incorporating natural stone, boulder walls, pathways, outdoor gathering spaces, and layered plantings. I love creating landscapes that invite people outdoors and help them connect with nature.

Are there plants you're particularly drawn to? I'm drawn to hardy, reliable plants with year-round interest—favorites include Amsonia, Distylium, Ivory Halo Redtwig Dogwood, ornamental grasses, herbs, and perennials. I love combining varied textures, forms, and seasonal interest to create natural, resilient landscapes suited to the Pacific Northwest.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work? I love spending time with my children, camping, hiking, and exploring the Pacific Northwest. Being outdoors helps me recharge and often inspires my landscape designs.

How would you describe your landscape design process? Since each design is client-driven, I gather as much information as possible through questions and photos to understand their style and needs, ensuring the space looks how they want and works well for their family.

Are there certain styles or aesthetics that inspire your work? While I design primarily around my clients’ preferences, I’m personally drawn to Traditional Japanese landscapes. They’re challenging to design, but creating a scene that feels peaceful from every angle is incredibly rewarding—and after 40 years, nothing beats hearing clients say it’s exactly what they wanted.

Which landscape elements do you most enjoy using in your designs? Water features and fire pits bring ambiance and extend outdoor enjoyment, while year-round plant interest keeps the landscape dynamic. Boulders add a sense of permanence and grounding to the space.

Are there plants you’re particularly drawn to? Golden Full Moon Maple and Paperbush for their wow factor, Hellebores and Sasanqua Camellias for Winter interest, and many perennials for seasonal color with low maintenance. I also love plants that offer year-round appeal, like Arbutus, Stewartia, Crepe Myrtle, and Oxydendron.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work? I love hiking with my dogs, fishing with my son, and world travel. Other major hobbies include photography, golf, restoring antiques, and building custom motorcycles and cars.

FEATURED BLOG: Designer Tips for Creating Pacific Northwest-Inspired Landscapes

How would you describe your landscape design process? I start by understanding the homeowner’s goals and how they want to use the space, then develop a design that balances function, aesthetics, and budget.

Are there certain styles or aesthetics that inspire your work? I prefer dense, layered garden beds with transitional pathways—lawn or hardscape—that highlight seasonal colors and textures while inviting movement through the landscape.

Which landscape elements do you most enjoy using in your designs? I love creating tucked-away patios or hidden destinations in the yard, giving homeowners a fun way to explore and enjoy their outdoor space.

Are there plants you’re particularly drawn to? I love designing shade gardens with plants like Japanese Maples, Forest Grasses, Hellebores, Astilbes, Heucheras, and Hostas, creating a lush, refreshing landscape.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work? I consider myself a weekend warrior who loves the outdoors, enjoying activities like camping, mountain biking, snowboarding, fishing, and hunting.

How would you describe your landscape design process? My process centers on asking questions and understanding how you live, what inspires you, and what you want your outdoor space to become—then creating a landscape that complements your home and enhances your lifestyle for years to come.

Are there certain styles or aesthetics that inspire your work? I love learning and researching new styles and aesthetics, as every project is unique. I believe good design and attention to detail can elevate materials into something greater than the sum of its parts. Personally, I'm drawn to Wabi-Sabi—an aesthetic that finds beauty in what is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.

Which landscape elements do you most enjoy using in your designs? I love a good challenge and designing something unique to each space, whether that's a fire feature, outdoor kitchen, covered patio, water feature, or simply a planting plan. My goal with every design is to give clients something they hadn't thought of but now can't live without.

Are there plants you're particularly drawn to? I love Mediterranean plant palettes—muted blue-greens, silver-gray foliage, soft lavender, white, and olive tones with texture and movement. Some favorites: blue fescue, Spanish lavender, golden esk hebe, manzanita, ceanothus, rockrose, salvia, catmint, phormium, crape myrtle.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work? Outside of work, I prioritize family, community, and the outdoors—coaching youth sports and exploring parks across the western U.S. with my wife and 6 children.