Origins

Lisa's STORY

I grew up on a traditional family farm in eastern Iowa, about twenty minutes from the setting of the famous painting "American Gothic." My family came from a long line of farmers who placed a high value on self-sufficiency and hard work. I spent my childhood planting, weeding, nurturing, harvesting, cooking, and preserving all the bounty my mother and I grew in our large garden. My family raised crops and animals, did our own butchering, made our own sausage, and rendered our own lard. Very Little House on the Prairie, but set in a 1970's split foyer.

I always loved kids and teaching. After leaving the farm, I earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in English Literature at the University of Northern Iowa, known for its education programs. I taught for over 15 years at all levels, including college, and in 1998, I took a teaching position in Southern California, where I've lived now for over 10 years.

At first the plants here were a magical wonderland, what with their year-round vibrancy, quite a world apart from the winter dormancy of the Midwest. Then after actually becoming a homeowner and facing the regular upkeep that some of these plants required, my view began to change.

As President of my HOA, I had to find a more affordable, water-wise landscape, and after extensive research, it seemed logical to utilize plants more native to this area. Designing with native plants was a relatively new concept at the time, and there were few established landscape designers, but I did take a chance on a couple of young designers. Some parts of the design were a great success, others not so much. But this was a blessing—since I had taken care of these plants from the start, I felt confident enough to start designing myself. I've never looked back.