I turn vision into reality.

Beth LaDove

For as long as I can remember, I've been a plant person. Obsessed with the rhythms and interconnections of the natural world, I've been creating gardens and landscape designs that balance the inherent character of the land with the human need for outdoor sanctuary for more than 25 years. A successful project makes both the space itself and the people who use it feel more grounded and inspired.

For me, gardens are about sensations, emotions, moments, and the memories those moments create. A feeling of place, a fullness of being. Originally trained as a filmmaker and creative director, I strive to bring atmosphere, movement, and the play of light to the spaces I create. A well-designed garden is so much more than just a snapshot on Instagram. It's a place where buds blossom and drop, where meals are shared, and birds sing in the trees–a deliberate unfolding of the present, a living record of the past, a portal to future rebirth and renewal.

On every project, I respond to each site with the goal of discovering and celebrating its true character, and reflecting that in place-driven, ecologically sensitive planting design. The essence of my work is in the subtle details—from leafy shadows on a wall to a romantic fragrance on a summer night—creating moods and contexts that are felt as much as they're seen.

Equally important to honoring a site's singular character is understanding the values and aspirations of the people who live there. What moves you? What restores you? What inspires you to grow? Out of such collaborative inquiry we create soulful, one-of-a-kind environments. The goal is that every garden my team and I complete feels so “right” it seems as if it has always been that way.

I work with like-minded clients in Mediterranean climates around the world on projects ranging from small residential terrace gardens and courtyards to large rural estates. Other areas of particular interest include educational and community-oriented gardens.

Along with my garden design practice, I'm also a published writer, university lecturer, and Master Gardener. In 2020, I co-founded Ground, a California home and garden store and event space that serves the communities of Tiburon and Belvedere.