About
I have been in love with California landscapes since before I can remember. I grew up in a pocket valley in northern California, where my mother would take me on wildflower walks.
As a landscape designer, I now help create landscapes that are inviting and joyful spaces for humans to spend time — and that also support the lives of birds and pollinators in the Bay Area. My approach is practical and experiential: the gardens I design are comfortable living spaces for adults and children, and connect indoor and outdoor life, while also building habitat. Building gardens builds relationships between people and the natural world.
I received my training at Merritt College’s horticulture program, with a focus in landscape design. Before, I spent years working in food and sustainable agriculture. In addition to my interest in California native plants, I focus on edible landscapes (more connection!), drought-tolerant plantings, and succulents.
Why Lion Poppy?
My toddler’s name for Madia elegans (common tarweed) is Lion Poppy. The goal of my design practice is to build gorgeous, playful, homey spaces that welcome both human and more-than-human residents. What better name than one that came from my child’s emerging relationship to the natural world?
