I was a real estate appraiser in my past life and had the privilege of seeing the inside of so many beautiful and well-appointed homes.  Then I’d step outside and think “what the heck happened here?”  Did they not know the house came with a yard?  Did they think the backyard was only for weeds and the dog?  Yikes.  

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But what could I do?  Well, I'll tell you what . . . walk away from a perfectly good career and start something from scratch I had never tried before, that's what.  I retired my appraisal license, sold my interest in the business, and opened a retail store filled with patio and garden accessories and treasures to enrich, delight, and enchant. Because I was mostly about the sparkle and the glam. (though if you saw my passport photo you would disagree - cringe)

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On occasion I was invited to a customer’s home to help decorate and stage their outdoor space, which often turned into a landscape design consultation.  I’d wonder why they were asking me . . . I don’t design landscapes, I accessorize.  I’d toss out a few ideas, but didn’t take it any further.

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Well, in 2017, just 13 short years later, I enrolled in the Landscape Design program at American River College in Sacramento, California. It seems my new calling was dirt and bugs.

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My first commission was for my parents.  Naturally.  If I was selling encyclopedias or Girl Scout cookies, that’s where I would have started, so why not a $30,000 landscape from a design student with no experience?  Good-natured and with a sense of humor, they were intrigued by the design, and actually started building it.  In an effort to NOT spend $30,000, my stepmom did all of the work, the hard work.  I think dad hired people to do the easy stuff.  I have a couple of photos of her with a glass of wine next to her tools.  In one photo he left the bottle.  Smart man.

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This career choice allows me to bring beauty into peoples lives.  I would love to show you your landscape's potential and how to love what may be the most scary place there is . . . your own yard.