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Thursday, May 22, 2008

Landscape Design Resources

We are contemplating an overhaul of the ReNewShaw headquarters' backyard and are interested in engaging a landscape designer to help translate our ideas into a workable plan. Does anyone have a good recommendation for reasonably priced landscape designer, preferably one who can oversee the project from design to completion?

Like many row home backyards, ours is multi-functional: it's a place to park, it's an entertaining space, it's an outdoor kitchen, it's a vegetable garden, it's a place for our dog, and it's a green urban escape. It serves all of its functions decently right now, but could use some upgrades and a professional touch. We want a modern, clean, cohesive look that's currently lacking. We want foundational plants and perennials that provide greenery and (some) color year round. We want a better parking surface that can double as a patio. And currently, we want a landscape designer who can deliver all of the above without breaking the bank.

I've been contemplating adding some more content to the blog about home improvement, design and garden stuff, so I'll likely document this process.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I recommend Joao Luiz. He's worked with quite a few of us in Shaw.
dinosky3d at aol

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately I don't have recs on designers - though do know there are a couple of pro's that live on Q St. b/n 6th and 7th. Hope you share some before and after pics of your transformation. Good luck.

Anonymous said...

unrelated to this post, but i couldn't locate an email address for you.

i thought i'd mention to you that 5th street hardware at cityvista has begun work inside the space, and is aiming to open by the end of june!

Mr. Q said...

ShawRez - Please do post about who you find and any recommendations you might have...we'd like to do something similar to our backyard and would be interested in hearing about your experience...

si said...

i just bricked over my whole ugly backyard with historic brick (cause i hate grass). since i love plants, i'm amassing a pot colony which is functional in its movability. we hauled all of the bricks ourselves sourced from community forklift, craigslist...the landscaper who did the work was sweet, fast & cheap. dont know what hes like for designing tho. email me for the info - niello8@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Not sure at all if he'd do this, but our greenroof designer, Criston, is amazing. Again, he mainly does greenroofs, but he and his partner Sara have backgrounds in landscape design and horticulture and are very creative. You can reach him through his website, greenroofcanopy.com. Id shoot him an email asking him if he'd do some design work (I think he would).

Anonymous said...

I went through a similar process to find a good, creative but affordable landscape architect to work with me on my front yard @ 6th & P Streets. I'm working with Deana Poss, www.deanaposs.com, who did a very thoughtful and inexpensive design, incorporated the many visual and functional requests I made for the tiny space, and thus far has done an excellent job managing the project. She's an experienced ASLA member who's worked with DC preservation groups and on much larger commercial and residential projects but is just now starting up her business on her own in DC. You can email her with your ideas and set up a meeting to talk about them. Or, if you want, I can keep you posted on my project.