06/04/2026
It’s been fun checking some of the projects I’ve designed and planted for clients over the last couple years. This first one is in the Des Moines Beaverdale neighborhood as seen from the balcony of the client’s home. We had a fun time designing it around her fabulous birdbath. Swipe to see more.
Des Moines Waterbury neighborhood. Two neighbors collaborated to plant this strip between their driveways. I love the feel of these Taylor Junipers. The scale works so well and they echo the Mediterranean feel of the home shown here.
Downtown Des Moines, 17th Street between Locust and Grand. I designed and planted this naturalistic garden a few years ago. It’s almost fully native and brings so much wildlife into the city. It’s filling in beautifully. This picture shows the Penstemon digitalis. Many other plants are about to bloom.
Des Moines Waterbury neighborhood. This garden includes a matrix layer of Little Bluestem, Prairie Dropseed and Autumn Moor Grass, with many native forbs rising out of it throughout the growing season. The pop of burgundy, which echoes the stone and dark trim on the home, is provided by Little Devil Ninebark. It’s a little hard to see in the photo but a multi stem serviceberry will eventually arch over the path to the front door.
West Des Moines. These clients do a lot of entertaining and their large deck looks over this garden. I especially love the stepping stones that disappear into it.
