Our Services
The vast majority of typical landscapes suffer from a glaring problem: they don’t have enough plants. Many are dominated by lawns or sparsely planted beds that lack structure, diversity, and long-term function. Our design and management strategies remedy this deficiency by creating dense, layered, vibrant assemblages of plants. Inspired directly by the lush, diverse plant communities of the Southern Appalachians, we seek to convey the timeless spirit of these mountains in our landscapes.
Our Approach
We strongly advocate for the use of native plants in residential landscapes. One of the primary reasons for the extraordinary beauty of the High Country is its diverse and charismatic native plant species. Our goal is to help connect your landscape to the surrounding natural beauty of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.
We specialize in blurring the boundary between cultivated gardens and wild natural landscapes. Our work is informed by extensive field observation of native plant communities combined with years of hands-on experience integrating these plants into residential settings. North Carolina is home to almost 4,000 native plant species and thus provides a rich palette of plants for a wide range of sites and conditions.
Native plants contribute beauty while reinforcing a strong sense of place that reflects the character of a region. By planting native species, homeowners can help sustain populations of birds, insects and other wildlife that depend on these plants for food and habitat. Residential gardens can serve as important corridors between natural areas, linking fragmented habitats and supporting wildlife movement and reproduction.
Resilient, Low-Input Landscapes
We design landscapes that function more like plant communities than decorative plantings. By planting densely and thoughtfully, we reduce exposed soil and create conditions where plants support one another as they grow and mature. As plantings fill in, the need for repeated mulching and intensive intervention decreases over time.
Our approach results in landscapes that require fewer inputs such as frequent watering, weeding, and replanting. There is no such thing as a no-maintenance landscape. Instead, we design landscapes that require less traditional maintenance while continuing to change and develop over time.
We partner with natural processes rather than fighting them. These landscapes do not eliminate care, but they do shift it toward informed observation and knowledgeable management. The result is a landscape that is continually growing and evolving.
Deer-Resistant Design
In the High Country, extensive residential and commercial development has led to overpopulated herds of deer that have dramatically reduced native plant populations in many areas. Deer, like all wildlife, have evolved to recognize native plant species as food. Years of experience in Boone, Blowing Rock and the surrounding areas has led us to seek out those plant species that are less favored by deer.
We specialize in designing beautiful, deer-resistant landscapes composed of both native and non-native plants. Through thoughtful plant selection, layering, and composition, we create robust landscapes that continue to thrive even under heavy browsing pressure. If you’ve got a deer problem, we can help.
Invasive Species Management
Invasive plant species have contributed significantly to the decline of native plant communities throughout the High Country. Fortunately, the removal of invasive species is often followed by repopulation by native plant species and the accompanying wildlife.
We have extensive experience managing invasive species in residential landscapes. By utilizing management techniques informed by restoration ecology and wildlife habitat conservation, we work to help landscapes regain their natural diversity and beauty.
Consultation
Do you desire a beautiful, functional landscape but are not sure where to start? Maybe you already have ideas but need help refining them. Perhaps you simply want to better understand the plants that are already growing on your land.
Schedule an on-site consultation with us, and we will help you interpret your site, identify opportunities, and develop a clear path forward.
Design
Do you have a space that you would like to be more visually engaging while also providing meaningful benefits to people and wildlife? Would you like to bring more life and vibrancy to an existing landscape?
Our design services include native plant and pollinator gardens, plantings for erosion control, meadow and woodland gardens, lawn conversions, and deer-resistant landscapes. Each design is grounded in realistic site assessment and developed in collaboration with the people who live there.
Contact us to begin working on a plan that brings your landscape to life.
Installation
We focus on plant-forward landscape installations that emphasize thoughtful design and long-term success. Our installations are executed with close attention to soil, plant health, and spatial composition. We do not offer large-scale hardscaping or land-moving services.
Landscape Management
Maintenance implies stasis, but we view landscapes as living, dynamic systems. Our approach to landscape management combines horticultural knowledge and ongoing observation.
Our services include container gardens, pruning, mulching, invasive species management, and adaptive care strategies that respond to seasonal change and plant development. The goal is not to hold a landscape in place, but to guide it as it grows and evolves.
