Meet EVO by Coastal Source, the ultimate solution for landscape and architectural lighting. Engineered for integrators, EVO’s patented LED module is housed in solid brass for unmatched durability—even in the harshest environments—and backed by a lifetime warranty. Available in multiple finishes, EVO delivers up to 560 lumens, multiple beam angles, and effortless Plug+Play™ connectivity, transforming outdoor spaces with style and reliability. Learn more at CoastalSource.com/EVO. Illuminate.
Available through authorized dealers and contractors. CoastalSource.com | 800.719.1996
inspirational works
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From the Publisher
How Vision Takes Root: Lessons From a Changing Season
News Clippings
News on one of Kentucky’s first certified B Corps, a new guide for today’s landscape professional, Soake Pools and Harbor Saunas synergize, urture’s Vermont flagship store, and The Landscape Rodeo
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Steel in the Landscape
Column: Angelica & Matt Norton Open Envelope Studio
Project: Restoring Beauty With Backbone Building Quality That Lasts in El Paso
Project: Crafting Timeless Curb Appeal An Outerspace Creations Transformation
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Synkd Live 2026
Let’s build the future of our industry—Together. Bring your expertise. Bring your questions. Bring an open mind. Join us in New Orleans.
JAN. 28-30, 2026
NEW ORLEANS, LA
Bring your expertise. Bring your questions. Bring an open mind.
For latest content, to view digital issues & to find out about upcoming events, visit www.synkd.io Follow us on these social media platforms:
COVER STORY
FROM HEAT TRAP TO HOT SPOT
Shade structures turn a dead zone into a desert oasis.
Cover photo: Gensler–Ryan Gobuty
GROUNDBREAKER
DUANE DRAUGHON
Company Profile
Tierra Viva Landscapes: A Living Brand Rooted in Integrity 38 40 The Landscape Designer’s Perspective Handling Challenges With Confidence, Part 1
How Plants—and People— Shape Extraordinary Gardens Where Artistry and Ecology Meet to Create Living Works of Art
A leader changing the landscape design Industry. 28 44 45 46 48 50 Using AI Column: Kelly Dowell onlawn
SYNKD is published four times a year and distributed to 15,000 qualified members of the green industry.
Postmaster: Send address changes to 323 Polk St., Lafayette, LA 70501. SYNKD verifies information as much as possible. The views expressed by editorial contributors and the products advertised herein are not necessarily endorsements of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden. 40
Contact Angelique Robb at angelique@synkd.io for more information on how you and your company can be featured in upcoming issues.
HOW VISION TAKES ROOT
Lessons From a Changing Season
Angelique Robb, SYNKD Founder & CEO
As the leaves begin to turn, fall reminds us that change isn’t just seasonal—it’s necessary. In this issue of SYNKD, we explore how the landscape industry is evolving, and what it takes to stay ahead while staying grounded.
We start by tackling technology, a topic that’s no longer optional, but essential. From AI-assisted tools to robotics to materials that work harder and last longer, technology is shaping how we design, build, and maintain. But adopting it doesn’t have to mean abandoning what works. This issue breaks down what’s worth integrating—and how to do it in ways that add value, not complexity.
We also showcase three standout projects that prove great outdoor spaces are equal parts art and engineering. Two high-end residential landscapes highlight layered design with detailed craftsmanship. Think intricate retaining walls, custom lighting, and natural stonework that blends function with elegance. A third public space project centers on a quieter design challenge: building with shade. It’s a smart, subtle lesson in comfort, usability, and community-first thinking.
We’re also excited to feature Duane Draughon, an industry leader known for his bold, creative design work across the country. Draughon’s approach doesn’t just follow trends—it sets them. His story is a reminder that innovation in landscape design is as much about vision as it is about skill.
Speaking of bold decisions, don’t miss the profile on Tierra Viva, a new full-service company in Dallas, TX. When the new owner had just 72 hours to decide whether to take over the struggling business, it wasn’t just a leap of faith—it was a team effort. His journey is relatable for anyone who’s ever taken a risk in this industry.
And, finally, this issue launches a new three-part series by Mardi Dover, written for landscape studio owners navigating growth, leadership, and the business of creativity. Her insights will resonate with anyone looking to build a strong, sustainable practice in today’s fast-changing market.
And one last thing... Good content doesn’t grow on trees—but your support helps it bloom. Love what we do? Help keep the ideas flowing (and the caffeine brewing). Become a paid subscriber and keep the creativity alive—plus, get extra goodies along the way. — FROM THE PUBLISHER
-Angelique
• Versa Wall XT keeps a lush full look throughout the season.
• Versa Wall XT keeps a lush full look throughout the season.
• Easy to design, install, and maintain, living green walls for landscapers to add to their range of services
• Easy to design, install, and maintain, living green walls for landscapers to add to their range of services
• GSky green walls mount to a variety of surfaces, inside or outside, with an irrigation system or integrate with the landscape irrigation.
• GSky green walls mount to a variety of surfaces, inside or outside, with an irrigation system or integrate with the landscape irrigation.
• Interchangeable with ease— one gallon potted plants can be changed out as the seasons change or as the client desires.
• Interchangeable with ease— one gallon potted plants can be changed out as the seasons change or as the client desires.
VERSA WALL XT
Certified for Good: Klausing Group Becomes a B Corp
For more than 25 years, Klausing Group has built landscapes that don’t just look good, but do good—paying every team member a living wage, offering full benefits, and giving back 10% of profits to the community. Now, they’ve taken it a step further by becoming one of Kentucky’s first Certified B corporations and a public benefit corporation, recognized for meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
For founder Roscoe Klausing, the certification isn’t a new direction, but a milestone: “It’s like having an independent referee say, ‘Yep, you’re doing it right,’” he says. From supporting biodiversity and stormwater management to reinvesting in nonprofits, the company is committed to continuous improvement and using business as a force for good.
As Klausing puts it: “Business success and stakeholder wellbeing aren’t just compatible—they’re interdependent.” n
A Must-Have Guide for Today’s Landscape Professionals
An essential resource for anyone in the landscape industry—from aspiring landscape architects and students to hands-on designers, contractors, and property managers—the Landscape Construction for Urban Landscape Sustainability is a comprehensive textbook.
As technology, materials, and environmental considerations shift, so must our approach to building and maintaining landscapes. This book provides clear methods to achieve highquality, sustainable results—whether you’re managing a team, overseeing a project, or evaluating craftsmanship. You’ll learn how to reduce heat island effects, increase shade in urban spaces, and integrate plantings that promote long-term environmental health.
Whether you’re educating future pros or raising the bar on your current projects, this reference bridges knowledge gaps and inspires excellence in every phase of landscape construction. n
Photos: Klausing Grup
Where Landscaping Meets Competition
The Landscape Rodeo is set for January 23-24, 2026, and will showcase the skill, precision, and passion of the green industry. With 20+ competitive events featuring mowers, skid steers, excavators, and small equipment challenges, the rodeo highlights both craftsmanship and community.
More than just a competition, it’s a chance for professionals, students, and sponsors to connect, network, and grow the future of landscaping together. Join us at Ancient City Farmstead in St. Augustine, FL.
For more information, check out www.thelandscaperodeo.com. n
The Future of Outdoor Wellness
As wellness continues to reshape how we live and design our outdoor spaces, a new partnership is setting the tone for 2026. Soake Pools, the pioneers of year-round precast plunge pools, have joined forces with Harbor Saunas, the design-forward studio crafting prefabricated outdoor saunas. Together, they’re delivering a seamless, high-end contrast therapy experience—hot to cold, stress to calm—all in the comfort of your backyard.
Rooted in Scandinavian wellness rituals and driven by a demand for healthier lifestyles, this collaboration elevates more than aesthetics—it redefines how we unwind. Both brands share a common ethos: durable, beautiful, low-hassle design with deeply personal impact. Whether you’re a contractor looking to streamline installs or a homeowner designing your sanctuary, this duo offers customizable solutions that are both stunning and smart.
From backyard sanctuaries to boutique resorts embracing wellness tourism, the Soake × Harbor synergy responds to a growing trend: people are choosing spaces that support their health, connection, and intentional living. And with wellness becoming a lifestyle, not just a luxury, this partnership isn’t a trend—it’s a movement.
Welcome to the next chapter in outdoor living. n
Urture Opens Flagship Store in Manchester
This July, lifestyle and apparel brand urture™ celebrated the opening of its flagship brickand-mortar store in downtown Manchester Center, VT. Founded by Zech Strauser, urture™ blends nature, urban grit, and hard work into a brand with a mission: to raise $1 million for the trades.
More than a retail shop, the new space at 915 Main St. serves as a pop-up-style hub, featuring a curated walk-in store, street-facing media studio with live broadcasts, offices, and the company’s pack-and-ship center. Strauser describes urture™ as “purpose with every purchase,” offering durable gear and clothing designed for hardworking people who live and play outdoors.
Signature products like no-vest visibility shirts™ and greencollar™ workwear celebrate blue-collar pride, while supporting trade schools through initiatives like the Patch Project. “We want people to feel good about working hard and never giving up—that’s the urture way,” Strauser said.
Learn more at urture.com. n
Podcast link:
Photo: Soake Pools
Photo: Urture
Coastal Source Redefines
Outdoor Lighting & Sound
With the debut of the revolutionary EVO outdoor lighting line, Coastal Source delivers an elegant fusion of design, technology, and performance. EVO offers unmatched versatility, seamlessly integrating into landscapes and architectural elements while casting stunning, functional illumination.
Every Coastal Source product is meticulously engineered to endure the harshest environments, providing unmatched durability and reliability. From transformative lighting solutions to immersive sound experiences, Coastal Source enhances outdoor living with innovative designs and precision craftsmanship.
Whether you’re a homeowner looking to create a welcoming retreat or a professional seeking high-quality, dependable systems, Coastal Source combines the expertise with innovation to redefine and enrich every outdoor space.
Learn more at www.coastalsource.com/EVO.
From Heat Trap to Hot Spot
Shade structures turn a dead zone into a desert oasis.
By Olivia Guethling & Trevor Blackann
In the heart of Phoenix’s Central Avenue business corridor, where summer temperatures regularly reach 110 degrees, a bold renovation demonstrates how thoughtful integration of tensile fabric structures can address urban heat and create cool spaces where people want to spend time.
The Challenge: Making Phoenix Livable
Guildworks was invited by the design firm Gensler to collaborate on a solution for their client, Barker Pacific Group, who faced a common urban challenge while revitalizing City Square Plaza. The courtyard linking three office towers had turned into a lifeless space during Phoenix’s sweltering summer months.
The renovation brief called for the creation of a central gathering spot that could withstand Phoenix’s extreme climate, while offering genuine comfort and functionality. The project needed to serve office workers seeking lunch break respite, event organizers requiring flexible programming space, and a broader community looking for quality public areas.
“Our solution involved engineering the masts to function as floating struts. While the structures maintain the appearance of conventional grounded supports for construction and fabrication efficiency, they operate as floating elements from a structural loading perspective,” explains Mar Ricketts, founder of GuildWorks.
“The double-cone configuration provides superior wind load resistance across multiple directional vectors, ensuring compliance with Phoenix’s stringent wind load requirements. Simultaneously, the system delivers extensive, nearly horizontal coverage, optimizing shade distribution across the expansive plaza area, which experiences intense solar exposure during Phoenix’s summer months.”
A Collaborative Design Approach
Gensler, leading the overall renovation, brought GuildWorks into the project team early, ensuring that fabric structure design could be fully integrated with all landscape architecture, infrastructure, and hardscape improvements.
This collaborative approach proved essential. The urban context demanded that any shade structure work harmoniously with
existing architecture, but also create its own distinct identity. The underground parking garage beneath the plaza presented both constraints and opportunities for structural solutions. The extreme climate required engineering and materials that could handle intense heat, UV exposure, and occasional desert windstorms.
New pavers, updated landscaping, and a flexible event stage created the aesthetic context, while the tensile structure provided the environmental control that would make the space genuinely usable year-round.
Engineering for Extremes
Over 7,000 square feet of high-end architectural fabric reaching heights of up to 60 feet makes up the final design—creating effective shade coverage while still maintaining visual lightness.
By utilizing existing building structures for anchorage wherever possible, the installation minimizes plaza-level infrastructure that could interfere with programming and circulation. The few central masts required are strategically positioned and engineered to transfer loads directly to the underground parking garage’s structural beams—a solution requiring precise coordination between multiple engineering disciplines.
Over 7,000 square feet of high-end architectural fabric reaching heights of up to 60 feet makes up the final design.
“A fully built environment like City Square with existing buildings, underground utilities, and strict boundaries is an engineering puzzle to solve,” says Trevor Blackann, engineering supervisor at GuildWorks. “How do we maximize shade coverage, maintain proportionality to the space, and fit everything into what’s already there?”
Fabric selection proved equally critical. In Phoenix’s intense UV environment, material choice directly impacts both performance and longevity. The team selected highperformance architectural fabrics capable of withstanding prolonged exposure and also maintaining their structural and aesthetic properties.
Beyond Shade: Creating Atmosphere
Although heat mitigation was the primary driver, the design team recognized opportunities to create a multi-use urban atmosphere. Built-in LED systems transform the fabric structure after dark, turning the daytime shade into an evening landmark that extends the plaza’s usability well beyond business hours.
This dual functionality reflects a broader shift in how landscape architects approach public space in extreme climates. Rather than simply providing shelter from harsh conditions, successful interventions must create multiple positive reasons for people to choose these spaces over resource-intensive and limiting, climate-controlled indoor alternatives.
Lessons for Desert Cities
Three years after completion, City Square Plaza has become exactly what its developers envisioned: a gathering place serving diverse users throughout the day and into the evening. Office workers regularly use the space for lunch breaks and informal meetings.
“There was extensive coordination in the early design phase between the landscape architects and our team,” says Ricketts. “That early collaboration—landscape development and coordination between our structural support system and their landscape design— to achieve ideally placed landscaping with optimal shade coverage is one of the key lessons from this project.”
City Square Plaza offers several other lessons for landscape architects working in extreme climates:
Integration over addition: Successful shade structures must be conceived as integral architectural elements rather than applied solutions. This requires bringing fabric structure specialists into the design team early and maintaining collaboration throughout all project phases.
Infrastructure as opportunity: Urban constraints like underground parking often present creative opportunities rather than mere obstacles. Understanding how loads can be transferred through existing infra-
City Square Plaza proves that fabric architecture
can be far more than just
emergency shade.
structure opens design possibilities while reducing costs.
Performance and poetry: In extreme climates, environmental performance cannot be separated from aesthetic success. Structures that merely provide shelter will underperform compared to those that create genuine atmosphere and appeal.
Climate-responsive programming: Successful urban spaces in desert cities must acknowledge seasonal and daily rhythms. Design decisions should support extended hours of use and diverse programming needs.
The Future of Desert Urbanism
As cities across the American Southwest continue growing, projects like City Square Plaza point toward more climate-responsive approaches to urban design. The integration of high-performance fabric structures with traditional landscape architecture offers a path forward for creating genuinely habitable public spaces in challenging environments.
The success of this collaboration between Barker, Gensler, and GuildWorks demonstrates that addressing climate challenges need not compromise design ambition. Instead, when environmental performance becomes a design driver rather than a constraint, it often leads to more innovative and compelling solutions.
For landscape architects working in extreme climates, City Square Plaza proves that fabric architecture can be far more than just emergency shade. When properly integrated and carefully detailed, tensile structures become powerful tools for creating the comfortable, appealing public spaces that modern cities desperately need. n
Photos on page 12, bottom of page 13, and bottom of page 14 are courtesy of Gensler–Ryan Gobuty; remaining photos are courtesy of Guildworks.
SYNKD ON AIR
Podcast link:
STEEL IN THE LANDSCAPE
Applications, Installation, and Aesthetic Opportunities for Designers
By Angelica & Matt Norton
Design development is the phase where early concepts evolve from rough massings into buildable solutions. This stage not only responds to client feedback, but also establishes the technical basis for construction. As a design/ build firm, we think it’s important to know what it’s like to work with materials in the field, and steel is one of the most frequently specified elements in our work.
Steel’s industrial character lends itself to urban contexts, reinforcing a masculine, utilitarian aesthetic, but it can also intentionally contrast with the more feminine, natural landscape.
Architecturally, steel is used as supporting structural beams in pergolas, porches, and overhead frames. In the landscape, its applications expand to retaining walls, plant-
ers, and clean divisions between materials as edging, making maintenance easier.
It’s often left unfinished to develop a rusted patina, particularly in arid or desert climates where wet/dry cycles allow weathering steel to stabilize. In contrast, coastal or consistently damp environments accelerate corrosion, making steel less resilient over time.
In Austin, rusted carbon steel is typically the material of choice for residential projects, while true Corten steel is more common in commercial or legacy projects where budgets allow and longevity is the priority. Untreated carbon steel will last approximately 10-20 years, while Corten can last several decades longer.
Aesthetically, steel feels sleek and restrained. When executed well—plumb, level,
What Is Corten?
The term Corten is often (and incorrectly) used as a generic descriptor for all outdoor steel. Like Kleenex or Xerox, Corten is a trademarked brand name for a specific formulation of a type of steel, and the name is a portmanteau of corrosion resistance and tensile strength.
and true—it reads as a sharp edge against the softness and irregularity of planting masses. Its smooth surface emphasizes the tactile qualities of wood grain and other natural finishes, and its strength allows for longer spans and smaller structural members, creating lighter forms with stronger joints. It is also relatively low maintenance.
That said, it is more expensive than many alternatives, both in material cost and in the specialized labor required to cut, weld, and assemble it. Its weight and heat retention add challenges when working with it. And if not braced or framed, flaws are easy to spot along the length of a retaining wall.
Steel is strong, durable, and looks clean, but it takes thoughtful design and skilled installation. When done well, steel creates a lasting, functional, and visually striking element in the landscape.
Up Next: Looking ahead, we’ll explore wood as a design element.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Angelica Norton, ASLA
Owner of Open Envelope Studio LLC angelica@openenvelopestudio.com www.oes.design
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Restoring Beauty With Backbone
Building Quality That Lasts in El Paso
In the heart of El Paso, TX, just outside the city’s historic district, a crumbling backyard oasis faced a second chance— thanks to George Ocampo, Pete Lugo, and the team at GO Designs. What started as a complex renovation of a failed poolscape became a masterclass in resilience, thoughtful engineering, and craftsmanship built to endure.
“They were in dire straits when I met them,” Ocampo recalls of his first meeting with the homeowners. “The pool was cracking, the retaining walls were failing, and the house itself had already started to pull away. But I knew we could fix it—and not just patch it. We could make it better than ever.”
A Landscape in Crisis
The original installation—a 15-year-old pool with a negative edge design—had been leaking for over five years. Structural cracks ran through the pool and surrounding hard-
By Angelique Robb, SYNKD Founder & CEO
scaping. The negative edge had collapsed. Worse still, poor drainage and improperly installed decking had caused serious erosion, compromising the home’s foundation.
The solution would require more than surface-level fixes. GO Designs approached the project as a full restoration—not just of appearance, but of integrity. Working closely with structural engineers, Ocampo and his team took the hard road: cutting away compromised walls, repouring structural concrete, and reinforcing the entire site from the ground up.
“Originally I thought we could support the pool with piers,” Ocampo explains, “but the engineers disagreed. So, we cut the pool—literally in half—and put it back together, better and stronger.”
Design With Endurance in Mind
This project wasn’t just about rebuilding—it was about reimagining. GO Designs created
a whole new way to access and stabilize the sloped terrain, combining innovative design with durable materials chosen not only for their beauty, but also for their ability to withstand El Paso’s harsh desert conditions.
Tumbled travertine was used for texture and slip-resistance, complemented by rock salt concrete to balance visual appeal and budget. For retaining walls and veneers, the team leaned into the local vernacular, using rip rock—a humble regional material typically overlooked for high-end residential work.
“We make it look good,” Lugo says. “Rip rock is everywhere in El Paso, but we’ve learned how to work it, shape it, and lay it with the same level of artistry as higherend stone.”
Moss Rock boulders from Oklahoma and Arkansas added weight, texture, and character—while cleverly doubling as erosion control and natural dry riverbeds.
Top: An inviting pathway of stone and light leads you through this multi-level desert retreat overlooking Billy Roger’s Arroyo Park, where modern elegance meets natural beauty.
Bottom: A resort-inspired pool and spa oasis designed for ultimate relaxation— complete with sun-drenched lounge spaces and timeless stone finishes.
DURING
We put our heart into it. We don’t walk away from a job until the client is smiling —and until we know we’ve delivered something that will stand the test of time.
AFTER
Desert elegance meets modern leisure in this El Paso backyard renovation by GO Designs. Tiered stone walls, natural boulders, and lush desert plants frame a serene pool retreat where rustic textures blend seamlessly with resort-style comfort.
Form Meets Function
The entire design is an elegant example of beauty born from function. Arched planters were used not just for aesthetics, but because curved walls provide greater structural strength than straight ones. Drainage systems were buried and extended well beyond the property to avoid future erosion. Every planter, terrace, and wall was shaped with purpose—and with time in mind.
“The landscaping is the jewelry,” says Ocampo. “But the bones underneath are what will keep this place standing for the next 50 years at least.”
Built in Phases, Not Compromises
With a project timeline spanning several years, GO Designs broke the work into manageable phases to accommodate the client’s budget—without ever compromising quality.
“We’re not in an affluent market,” Ocampo explains. “So, we do master planning and phase execution. That way, clients don’t have to sacrifice the integrity of the build. We always say—if you’re going to do it, do it to last.”
A Personal Investment in Quality
Ocampo’s connection to his work is deeply personal. Every boulder set, every planter shaped, every line drawn in 3D design software reflects not just technical precision, but pride.
“It’s theirs, but it’s ours too,” he says. “We put our heart into it. We don’t walk away from a job until the client is smiling—and until we know we’ve delivered something that will stand the test of time.”
The Result: Legacy Over Luxury
The final product is a refined, cohesive out-door environment that blends seamlessly into the mountainside. It’s a project born from failure—and transformed into something stronger, more intentional, and timeless.
In a world of quick fixes and fleeting trends, GO Designs offers something different: quality built to endure.
“When people choose us, we don’t take that lightly,” Ocampo says. “It’s their money, their home. They deserve to get what they paid for—and more.” n
All photos are courtesy of GO Designs.
FOR MORE INFO
George & Lori Ocampo / Pete Lugo
GO Designs | El Paso, TX george@godesigns.com | www.godesigns.com
ENEST BOOTCAMP HARDSCAPEEXPO
GO Designs lights the way in El Paso with a hillside transformation that glows after dark. Rustic rock salt concrete steps, framed by tiered stone walls, come alive with warm embedded lights, turning functional pathways into a striking desert showcase.
AN OUTERSPACE CREATIONS TRANSFORMATION
By Angelique Robb, SYNKD Founder & CEO
Crafting Timeless Curb Appeal
When Stephen Schultz of Outerspace Creations first stepped onto the property, he was greeted by an all-toocommon sight: outdated pavers, overgrown shrubs, and retaining walls that were slowly failing. The home, built in 2006, had been given little attention in the years since. What the owners envisioned was not just a facelift, but a transformation—something timeless, cohesive, and expressive of their love for thoughtful design.
What followed was a two-month, $220,000 project that not only redefined the front entry, but also exemplified Schultz’s design philosophy: balancing structure with natural beauty, while ensuring that every material, plant, and light fixture worked in harmony.
From Hodgepodge to Cohesion
The original landscape was a patchwork of mismatched elements. Colonial pavers on the front stoop had never been sealed and had begun to deteriorate. Retaining walls made from natural
limestone boulders were uneven, improperly backfilled, and slowly washing away with rain. Ground squirrels and chipmunks had taken up residence in the gaps.
The homeowners initially hadn’t planned to replace the walls. But Schultz recognized the urgency. “They were going to fail eventually,” he explains. Rather than patching the problem, he saw an opportunity to create something extraordinary.
Inspiration From Frank Lloyd Wright
When the homeowner mentioned she admired Frank Lloyd Wright, Schultz’s mind immediately turned to Fallingwater, the architect’s masterpiece where strong stonework and nature intertwine. That reference became the guiding inspiration.
Schultz selected Rosetta Kodah walling in a crisp limestone tone—structural, yet elegant. The choice wasn’t only aesthetic. The Rosetta system offered clean geometry, strength, and ease of installation compared to natural stone. Its texture echoed the home’s existing stone veneer, while providing contrast against the greenery of the hillside.
“This wall wasn’t just a functional fix,” Schultz notes. “It became the feature— the grand entrance they didn’t know they needed.”
The Art of Material Pairing
For the walkways, Schultz turned to Broadmour pavers from Rochester Concrete Products, a brand he has trusted since 2005. To finish the edges, he chose Unilock coping with a rounded bullnose profile in a soft limestone color, tying the walls and stoop together.
Installation came with challenges. The coping material was brittle, prone to chipping if not handled with extreme care. Schultz and his crew had to tear out and reinstall sections—twice. “It was a learning curve,” he admits, “but worth it. The finish defines the edge beautifully.”
Texture repetition was also crucial. Schultz incorporated Tungsten Ledgestone veneer on the stoop, echoing the tones of the boulders strategically placed throughout the site. This design consistency, he argues,
Before and after views of the front entry reveal the previous improper paver installation used for coping. The renovation aimed to find materials that closely matched the existing natural stone veneer at the entry, while incorporating charcoal accents such as granite boulders paired with Tungsten Ledgestone Veneer under the front step and a dark charcoal border along the walkway to complement the home’s charcoal trim. Smooth pavers were chosen to reduce visual clutter and create a cleaner look.
Lighting isn’t an afterthought— it’s an essential layer of design.
is often overlooked by contractors eager for quick jobs. “Continuity is what makes a landscape feel intentional, not piecemeal,” he emphasizes.
Planting With Purpose
Though hardscaping dominated the project, Schultz’s horticultural background guided his planting strategy. He layered in Parkland Pillar birch trees for four-season interest, their peeling white bark brightening the
winter landscape. Globe-shaped boxwoods added structure while deterring deer, and a Gladiator crabapple introduced seasonal bloom and texture.
Grasses like prairie dropseed, Karl Foerster feather reed grass, and switchgrass softened the stonework, while also providing drought tolerance and resilience. Schultz deliberately avoided high-maintenance or fragile varieties. “I’ve replaced enough dead plants over 15 years to know what thrives here,” he says with a smile.
Lighting brought the design alive at night. Uplighting on the crabapple highlighted its winter branches, while in-light, core-drilled fixtures illuminated the pavers. For Schultz, lighting wasn’t an afterthought but an essential layer of design.
Managing the Build
Executing such a complex project required collaboration. Schultz partnered with Retaining Wall Specialists to handle the structural wall construction and Johnson Landscaping for the walkway, plantings, and lighting. His role was design lead and project manager, ensuring every element aligned with the vision.
The work unfolded over two months, with one hiccup: The stone veneer installation on the stoop had to wait until the following spring. In the meantime, Schultz maintained communication with the homeowners and
personally oversaw adjustments like finetuning the water feature to prevent splash-off.
Even after completion, Schultz returned regularly to check on plant health, irrigation, and lighting. During a brutal 104-degree heat wave, while the clients were traveling, he watered the new plantings twice a day to protect them from stress. “It was nerve-wracking,” he admits, but his diligence paid off—everything rebounded the next season.
A Philosophy of Craft
For Schultz, projects like this are more than transactions. He rejects the “in-and-out” mentality of many contractors chasing quick turnover in a short seven-month working season. Instead, he invests deeply in each design, taking the time to study the house, the site, and the client’s lifestyle.
“It’s about creating an experience, not just solving a problem,” he explains. Charging design fees allows him to work with clients who are equally invested, seeking transformation rather than cost-cutting. His use of Uvision 3D Landscape Creator software enables clients to visualize options, compare materials, and feel confident in their decisions.
This dedication stems in part from the mentorship of his former instructor, Pete Bemis, who encouraged him early in his career and even referred him to his first Uvision design project during the pandemic. Schultz remains grateful. “Whenever I see a house like this, my mind goes crazy with ideas. I’m thankful for the clients who trust me to bring those visions to life,” he says.
Elevating the Industry
Beyond the beauty of this single home, Schultz sees projects like this as a way to raise the bar for the landscaping and hardscaping industry. By combining structural expertise, artistic vision, and client collaboration, he demonstrates what’s possible when design isn’t an afterthought, but the driving force.
The result is a home that not only looks stunning but feels timeless—where every stone, plant, and light fixture works together in harmony. For the homeowners, it’s a transformation they hadn’t fully imagined but now can’t imagine living without.
For Schultz, it’s another step toward building not just landscapes, but legacies. n
All photos are courtesy of Outerspace Creations. By combining structural expertise, artistic vision, and collaboration, we raise the bar
privacy panels for fences, walls, and outdoor living spaces • Durable Construction – CNC-machined exterior-grade material with Sherwin-Williams industrial finish
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JAN. 28-30, 2026
NEW ORLEANS, LA
At SYNKD Live 2026, we’re gathering the full spectrum of the landscape industry, including arborists, designers, contractors, architects, builders, maintenance professionals, and more, to synchronize.
Our mission? To unite landscape professionals across architecture, construction, horticulture, and maintenance to accelerate progress, spark innovation, and shape a more sustainable planet—one smart solution at a time.
Join us in New Orleans, Louisiana, January 28–30, for three dynamic days of connection, education, and celebration— with topics that matter across specialties:
• Differentiating your services to drive profitability
• Biophilic design to soften spaces
• Water management with a holistic lens
• Permeable hardscapes, electrification strategies, and much more.
LET’S BUILD THE FUTURE OF OUR INDUSTRY— TOGETHER .
Bring
SYNKD Live is more than a conference. It’s a community in action. Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store:
JANUARY 28
• Optional Business Tour of Mullin Landscape Associates –See excellence in action at one of the region’s top firms.
• Opening Night Reception – All attendees are welcome for an evening of live music, local flavor, and vibrant conversation in the heart of New Orleans.
JANUARY 29
• Sessions & Panels All Day – Hear from leaders who’ve scaled from $0 to $5 million, mastered rooftop design, or are redefining how trees and hardscapes coexist.
• Optional VIP Dinner – Intimate, elevated, and invitation-only. The ultimate chance to connect with speakers, partners, and fellow leaders.
JANUARY 30
• Sessions & Panels All Morning – Hear from leaders who share their failures and how they have opened opportunities, embracing biophilic systems, and profitable enhancements.
• Community Work Afternoon – Roll up your sleeves and give back. Help improve a local green space alongside your industry peers.
• Mardi Gras Parade – Stay in town and experience one of New Orleans’ most iconic cultural traditions. Because connection doesn’t stop when the sessions do.
your expertise. Bring your questions. Bring an open mind.
From residential to commercial, pool to plant palette, every voice is vital to the conversation. Let’s raise the bar—and enjoy the ride. Register today and be part of the movement.
Space is limited to 250 attendees, so book now!
GROUNDBREAKER
Redefining Outdoor Living
When most people think of outdoor spaces in America, they picture a deck, a patch of lawn, or maybe a simple paver patio. But to Duane Draughon, founder of VizX Design Studio, that definition barely scratches the surface of what outdoor living can—and should—be. His philosophy, his design process, and even his frustrations with the industry reveal a leader determined not just to create beautiful spaces, but to transform how an entire profession values itself.
n By Angelique Robb, SYNKD Founder & CEO
An
Accidental Start That Became a Calling
Draughon didn’t set out to be a landscape designer. In fact, he stumbled into drafting back in high school, lured more by the chance to hang out near the library where “all the girls walked by” than by any deep desire to design. What started as a teenage distraction
Duane Draughon
eventually planted a seed: a comfort with architectural drawing that would resurface years later when a friend challenged him to prove he could sketch a patio.
From there, his career evolved organically. Early projects were modest—paver patios and small landscape jobs—but Draughon was restless. He immersed himself in global design research, studying European
outdoor living concepts and architecture far beyond the American default of flat concrete slabs. The result was an awakening. True outdoor living is not about disconnected patios and flower beds, it’s about creating fully integrated extensions of the home.
Defining Outdoor Living
For Draughon, outdoor living is built around three central elements: cooking, dining, and lounging. These aren’t arbitrary labels, but carefully planned zones that mirror the functions of a home’s interior. A well-designed outdoor space should feel as seamless and intentional as a kitchen remodel or a finished basement.
That’s where much of the industry, in his view, falls short. Too often, contractors sell square footage instead of design. They offer massive patios with little thought to how furniture fits, how spaces flow, or whether anyone will actually use them. Draughon’s approach flips the script: His designs start with people, their lifestyle, and their furniture, not just materials.
He’s known to shrink clients’ expectations in order to elevate results. Where another contractor might lay down 1,000 square feet of pavers, Draughon often designs half that size—yet creates spaces twice as functional and infinitely more inviting.
A Process Rooted in People
Every VizX client begins with an eight-section questionnaire. It covers lifestyle, family structure, even the names of their dogs. Then comes a deep evaluation of their home,
A signature VizX design kitchen with fitted metal cabinetry, Unilock Rivercrest stone walls, and a custom fire feature, all seamlessly framing the pond view in perfect balance.
their habits, and their aspirations. Draughon insists that an outdoor living space should reflect not just the architecture of the house, but the rhythms of the people who live there. That people-first mindset also extends to how he sees the industry. “We’ve let manufacturers control the business,” he explains. Paver and wall suppliers may make excellent products, but too often they dictate design trends, pushing contractors toward volume sales rather than thoughtful integration. Draughon resists that pressure, mixing materials—concrete, metal, wood—into projects that honor context, lifestyle, and architecture.
We’ve let manufacturers control our business. That has to stop .
Beyond Patios: Projects That Inspire
Draughon’s work spans the U.S., from luxury suburban estates to high-rise penthouses. One striking example is a 1,800-square-foot Chicago rooftop where his renderings, featuring a negative-edge pool that appeared to spill into the skyline, were so compelling that they helped a stuck $4.6 million condo finally sell.
On the other end of the spectrum, he’s just as passionate about educating middle-market homeowners in his own neighborhood, pointing out why poorly designed firepits or oversized patios waste potential. Whether it’s a $75,000 backyard upgrade or an $800,000 full-property transformation, his mantra is the same: Every element must have purpose, and every space must flow.
Business Evolution: From Designer to Industry Leader
Like many in the industry, Draughon learned the hard way that passion for design isn’t enough. Large-scale projects require extensive coordination with architects, builders, and municipalities. Permits can take months. Misaligned budgets can derail work. To adapt, he shifted his business model from flat-profit contracting to a structure that includes hourly billing, general conditions, and ongoing project management fees.
This evolution reflects his larger identity shift—from “outdoor living designer” to business owner who happens to design outdoor living spaces. It’s a crucial distinction for practice leaders everywhere. Draughon wants others in the industry to stop undervaluing
One of VizX’s signature design principles: every outdoor space is created to mirror the architecture of the home, ensuring seamless flow inside and out.
their time, their process, and the immense coordination required to bring a complex outdoor environment to life.
“I love what I do. I don’t know if I love the industry.”
Challenging the Industry Itself
Despite his success, Draughon admits to feeling disillusioned with the industry at times. “I love what I do. I don’t know if I love the industry,” he confesses. His frustration isn’t unwarranted. Outdoor living isn’t even recognized as its own category in government industry codes, leaving it fragmented across architecture, construction, horticulture, and real estate.
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The lack of recognition has practical consequences. Outdoor living spaces rarely appear as valued features in MLS real estate listings. Yet, Draughon envisions a future where they do—where a home’s backyard kitchen, lounge, or firepit is photographed and marketed with the same pride as its interior.
Until then, he sees education as the way forward. Homeowners must be taught to value design before construction. Contractors must learn that beautiful craftsmanship isn’t enough if it ignores function. And manufacturers must take a step back, serving as partners rather than gatekeepers.
Living the Lifestyle He Designs
What makes Draughon different is that he doesn’t just design outdoor living—he lives it. Every day after work, he unwinds outside, often until midnight. He networks in cigar lounges, sketches improvements for local bars, and constantly looks for opportunities to bring people together in outdoor spaces. That personal commitment, he argues, is what gives him an edge. Designers who don’t live outdoors themselves, he says, struggle to create spaces that truly capture its essence.
An Inspiration for Practice Leaders
For other landscape design practice leaders, Draughon’s story offers both caution and inspiration. It’s a reminder that success requires more than technical skill, it demands curiosity, resilience, and a willingness to
Duane’s Design Principles
Start with furniture. Shape spaces around how people will sit, eat, and gather.
Think like an architect. Outdoor projects should mimic the trim level and flow of the home.
Reject “cookie-cutter” patios. Every space deserves intentional zoning.
Design before construction. A contractor-first approach undermines long-term value.
challenge industry norms. It’s proof that a business model must evolve beyond projects and profits to account for design value, client education, and strategic collaboration.
Above all, it’s a call to elevate outdoor living from “backyard extras” to essential, integrated parts of the home. Draughon isn’t shy about his ambition. Before he’s done, he wants outdoor living to be a checkbox on every MLS listing in America.
And if his journey so far proves anything, it’s that a mix of persistence, vision, and refusal to conform just might get him there. n
Duane Draughon
Founder VizX Design Studio
Lisle, IL
duaned@vizxdesign.com www.vizxdesign.com
All photos are courtesy of VizX Design Studio.
ADVICE FROM THE PROS
—ON TECHNOLOGY AND BETTER PRACTICES—
Marie Ambusk
CEO & Founder at TreesROI™, Urban Tree Steward Advocate and Researcher Hinesburg, VT
My tech startup is one of those aiming to adopt a new, improved, and innovative approach to growing Urban Trees to maturity—the trees where we live. Change is difficult. We accept the challenge, but we cannot do this alone!
It’s one thing to develop a concept into a new tool for noninvasive inspection and grading of tree root quality; it’s another to find industry partners to help us implement the innovation. It’s not just about learning who cares, it’s about finding the right partners to help us.
Greyson Walldorff
Founder & CEO of Lawn Capital and President of Grey Development Atlanta, GA
The barrier to entry in our industry is only getting higher, and that means business owners have to move quickly when it comes to adopting new practices or technology. In five years, it will be far more capital intensive to start or to catch up, so waiting is the real risk.
If something makes sense for your business, you have to act on it. The biggest companies in the world allocate a portion of their budget to research and development because they know innovation drives longterm success. If you don’t treat your business that way, you’re going to fall behind. There’s a much larger cost in not trying new things than in experimenting and learning.
Our industry can feel like a train that never stops—you can’t just pause operations to rethink everything—but you can discipline yourself to adopt what makes sense along the way. For me, that meant investing in electric equipment and vehicles. It was a logical step forward, a ‘no-brainer’ for the direction we’re headed.
The reality is that many people in landscaping are risk-averse, but my advice is simple: Don’t let fear stop you. If an opportunity feels right and aligns with your long-term goals, do it. Hesitation is often more dangerous than taking the leap.
CEO of Automated Outdoor Solutions, Vice President of Langton Nursery and Landscape Supply, and President of Langton Group Woodstock, IL
It’s not just about adopting the latest tools, it’s about ensuring your team adopts them too. Whether you’re integrating software platforms or deploying robotic mowers, change only works if it’s fully supported by new workflows and ongoing accountability.
Without adjusting operational expectations, teams will naturally default to ‘the old way’—not because they resist innovation, but because familiarity feels easier. And that means your investment quickly shifts from being a strategic asset to just another expense.
As entrepreneurs, we’re often wired to think five steps ahead. But our teams don’t always share that future-focused mindset. Our responsibility as leaders is to bridge that gap—not just by rolling out new initiatives, but by guiding our people through the process, tracking implementation, and celebrating adoption. That’s how tools become transformation.
Principal at Steve Garland Landscapes Sydney, Australia Steve Garland
Even if logic dictates the need, it is a challenge for solo professionals and small businesses to find the time to commit to unpaid learning curves and the inevitable trial and error of implementation. My only advice is to find some way to get paid to learn to compensate, at least in part, for the shorter-term impact of the changes. Random example: Take on some casual work in AI to at least have some return while you earn. Much easier in corporate environments.
CrewPlanner is job planning software for landscaping crews.
Whiteboards work—until you grow. Some crews finish early. Others fall behind. Time gets lost. So does margin.
CrewPlanner turns property data into smart, crew-specific plans. So every team knows: ✅ What to do ✅ Where to go ✅ How long it takes
Joe Langton
COMPANY PROFILE
Tierra Viva Landscapes: A Living Brand Rooted in Integrity
n By Angelique Robb, SYNKD Founder & CEO
In a landscape industry that’s evolving faster than ever, one Dallas, Texas-based entrepreneur is proving that integrity, precision, and horticultural passion can still form the roots of something extraordinary. Enter Tierra Viva Landscapes, launched in October 2024 by Federico (Fred) Trejo, a long-time industry professional whose journey is as rich and layered as the landscapes he now curates.
A Business Born in 72 Hours
Tierra Viva didn’t come into the world with years of planning or a flashy rollout. Instead, it was born out of necessity—and a bold leap of faith.
Trejo was working as the general manager for a landscape company recently acquired by a private investment group. Unbeknownst to him, plans were unraveling behind the scenes. One Wednesday afternoon, he received news that the business would shut down in 72 hours.
Rather than watch something valuable collapse, Trejo acted. Armed with a deep understanding of the profit and loss, a loyal team, and a client base that trusted him, he tapped into his 401(k), secured trucks over the weekend, and launched Tierra Viva Landscapes by Monday morning. “It was scary,” he says, “but I believed in what we were doing, and I knew we could build something real.”
From Xbox Dreams to a High-End Brand
Trejo’s landscaping roots trace back to Atlanta, where as a teenager he wanted to earn enough money for an Xbox. His father—a perfectionist and punch-out manager for a builder—told him to earn it. So Trejo started mowing lawns for the builder’s properties. That small business grew quickly, even weathering the 2008 recession.
But it wasn’t just a side hustle. “I realized I loved the satisfaction of seeing someone’s reaction when they stepped outside and saw the difference we’d made,” he reflects. That
We’re not just cutting grass, we’re curating living environments .
passion led him to pursue a degree in horticulture. In 2010, his college team won the National Collegiate Landscape Competition, further fueling his desire to blend science with service.
After earning his degree, he entered the corporate landscape world, growing through roles in operations, irrigation, and maintenance—and eventually landing leadership positions in Dallas. Still, he knew ownership was in his future. The unexpected collapse
of his former company simply accelerated the timeline.
A White Glove Standard
Today, Tierra Viva Landscapes caters to highend residential clients with large estates in Dallas. But this isn’t just another “mow, blow, and go” company. Trejo has carved out a niche defined by white glove service and horticultural precision.
“We offer what I call ‘party-perfect’ landscaping,” he explains. “It’s not just maintenance. We dust off outdoor furniture, clean grills, pick vegetables from clients’ gardens, and even rotate potted trees to ensure balanced sunlight.” One such client has a beloved Japanese maple that gets rotated 15 degrees weekly to maintain its symmetry—a level of care rarely seen in the industry.
Another example? A desert willow being slowly trained over three years to reposition itself six inches, without compromising the tree’s structure or health. “We’re not just cutting grass, we’re curating living environments,” he says.
People Over Profit
While many companies chase volume, Trejo takes a more discerning approach. “We’re selective with the clients we bring on. If we dilute the quality just to grow quickly, we’re no longer Tierra Viva,” he explains.
This mindset extends to his team. When the former company closed, every crew member who wanted to stay came with
Examples of Tierra Viva’s party-perfect landscaping in the Dallas area.
him. That trust didn’t happen overnight. It was built through mutual respect and leadership that saw each employee as a human being, not just labor.
“There’s no Tierra Viva without them,” he says. “They’re the soul of this company.”
Relationship First, Transaction Second
Trejo isn’t trying to win clients with flashy ads or SEO tricks. In fact, Tierra Viva’s
Examples of Tierra Viva’s party-perfect landscaping in the Dallas area.
website is intentionally sparse. “It’s there to confirm who we are, not to chase leads. If people know us, they’ll find us,” he says.
Instead, he builds trust through faceto-face walkthroughs—often two hours long—where he educates clients about horticulture, the science behind landscape practices, and what realistic results look like. “It’s not just about what they want now, it’s about the health and vision of the property over the next two years.”
That relationship-focused approach also means he’s unafraid to say “no” when something doesn’t align with his values or capabilities. “We’re not the lowest bid. We’re not for everyone. But we’ll always be transparent, and we’ll never overpromise and underdeliver.”
Landscape as a Living Organism
For Trejo, landscaping is more than a business. It’s a living organism, constantly evolving with seasons, client needs, and environmental conditions. It’s also an equal relationship between professional and client—not a transactional service.
“We’re not inferior just because we work outside,” he says. “This is a STEM career. It
This is a STEM career. It involves science, strategy, and service. And we need to educate the next generation that this industry is full of opportunity and honor.
involves science, strategy, and service. And we need to educate the next generation that this industry is full of opportunity and honor.”
As Tierra Viva grows, so does its impact. Trejo gives back to local schools, supports education initiatives, and remains committed to helping others see landscaping for what it truly is: a career worth pursuing, a service worth valuing, and an art form worth doing right. n
All photos are courtesy of Tierra Viva Landscapes
Founder Tierra Viva Landscapes Dallas, TX fred@tierravivallc.com www.tierravivallc.com
The Landscape Designer’s Perspective
By Mardi Dover, CPLD
“The Landscape Designer’s Perspective” is a three-part series exploring how landscape designers can navigate difficult situations in their practice with professionalism and ease. Each article offers practical strategies to strengthen client relationships, refine business processes, and turn challenges into opportunities for growth.
Dover is a certified professional landscape designer, former North Carolina landscape contractor, and former clinical social worker. She has earned Gold and Bronze awards from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, where she now serves on the national board and as a Certification Review Panel expert.
5 Strategies for Finding the Right Clients Handling Challenges With Confidence
In the landscape design business, success isn’t just about creating beautiful spaces— it’s about working with the clients and projects that are the best fit for your practice. The most rewarding work happens when a client’s needs, whether for attention, experience, style, or other priorities, align seamlessly with what your business delivers—from your expertise and design approach to your overall process.
That’s why you want a clear approach for finding the right clients who trust you, respect your process, and share your vision. When you focus on alignment from the very first interaction, including the way you position your marketing, you avoid mismatches, protect your time and energy, and set every project up for success from the start.
Here are five proven strategies for building a client selection process that truly works.
1
Know Your Ideal Client
Every design practice is unique, which means not every client is right for you. But you can’t identify a poor fit until you’ve clearly defined your ideal client. And that definition goes well beyond budget. It’s about finding someone who values your experience and expertise and aligns with the type of work you want to be known for.
Aim your marketing directly at that client. With strong, clear messaging, you’ll spend less time fielding mismatched inquiries and more time working with clients who value what you offer.
2
Stick to a Consistent Process
Evaluating new clients shouldn’t be left to intuition or handled differently each time.
Establish a consistent process for assessing and onboarding potential clients. From the very first touchpoint, have a system for your initial call, follow-up email, consultation, proposal, and beyond.
When every prospective client goes through the same steps, it’s easier to recognize patterns that signal a good fit—or a red flag. A predictable process also reassures clients that they’re in capable hands, because you’ve done this before and you know exactly how it works.
3
Ask the Right Questions Early
A well-crafted questionnaire is one of the most effective and efficient tools you can use in your business. It quickly reveals whether a prospective client’s goals, needs, budget, and priorities will likely align with your expertise and services.
Start with the obvious questions about location, aesthetics, and vision for the landscape. Then, let your business model guide additional prompts to reveal the client’s personality, expectations, and past experiences. Not only will this help you determine fit, but the information also becomes valuable later when organizing design concepts.
4
Know Your Red Flags
Every designer has stories about projects that became headaches. The key is turning
(Designers, after all, tend to live in the realm of possibility!)
5
Be Ready to Say “No”
Here’s the hardest part and the most empowering: Be willing to walk away. Saying no doesn’t have to burn bridges. A polite response such as, “This project isn’t aligned with my current focus, but I can recommend another professional who may be a better fit,” preserves goodwill and protects your reputation.
Each time you say no to the wrong client,
smoother projects, a healthier business, and a happier you.
And, ultimately, this all translates to better design work. Because when challenges do arise, you’ll be partnered with clients who value your process, trust your expertise, and are ready to collaborate. That’s the foundation of a thriving landscape design practice. n
In the next installment of this series, Dover will explore what it really means to put boundaries into action— and how they serve as the key to thriving client relationships. Stay tuned!
How Plants—and People — Shape Extraordinary Gardens
Where Artistry and Ecology Meet to Create Living Works of Art
By Adam Woodruff
What makes a garden unforgettable? For me, it has always been the plants—their movement, texture, and the quiet way they shape space and stir emotion.
From the earliest days of my career, I knew I wanted plants at the center of my practice. Growing up surrounded by nature, I became attuned to how plants could transform ordinary spaces into something meaningful and alive. That curiosity led me first to study botany, and later to launch my own design practice focused on planting design as an expressive, living art form.
Plants are not static elements to be slotted into empty beds. They’re dynamic par-
ticipants that grow, shift, and evolve with the seasons. Designing with them demands an understanding of their ecological roles, how they behave over time, and how they interact with their neighbors. My goal has always been to craft gardens that feel immersive yet intentional—spaces where structure and spontaneity coexist, and where visitors feel both grounded and inspired.
Early in my career, I focused on bold, high-impact seasonal displays. Tropicals and annuals became central to my designs, bringing vivid color, dramatic foliage, and energy to urban environments. I approached them as living compositions, experimenting with combinations that softened the hard edges
of the cityscape. The results were striking, but over time their impermanence felt like a cycle of replacement rather than evolution. I wanted landscapes that offered not just immediate beauty, but long-term resilience and depth.
This search led me to the work of designers like Piet Oudolf and Roy Diblik, who taught me to view plantings as dynamic communities rather than static compositions. Their influence shifted my practice toward naturalistic planting design, where plant combinations are chosen not only for aesthetic value, but also for how they interact, support biodiversity, and evolve over time. Observing Oudolf’s private garden in Hummelo, Netherlands, and studying Diblik’s “Know Maintenance” approach showed me that vibrant gardens are rooted in both artistry and ecological insight.
My practice is built on a strong foundation of plant knowledge, but I believe truly memorable gardens come from the combined skills and perspectives of a team. This collaboration underpins everything I do. On every project, I work closely with other professionals to align plant choices with the broader vision for the site. Landscape architects contribute insights about spatial flow, viewsheds, and architectural context, while talented contractors handle complex site work and installations to ensure designs perform as intended. Skilled garden stewards—dedicated horticulturists and maintenance professionals—are the ongoing eyes and hands in the landscape, making nuanced decisions that keep gardens thriving as seasons and years pass.
Collaboration allows me to stay focused on what I love most—designing with plants— while elevating the outcome far beyond what any one person could achieve alone. Managing these collaborations takes clear
Scenes from two private gardens designed by Adam Woodruff— Jones Road, a structured planting nestled in the American Midwest, and Redstone Lane, his former coastal garden in Massachusetts. Both express a naturalistic approach where seasonal rhythm, ecological insight, and strong form converge in immersive, evolving compositions.
communication and well-defined roles, especially to bridge the gap between design intent and on-site realities. Trusted partners ensure quality, reduce risk, and help maintain a strong reputation in this industry.
Client education is equally essential to the success of plant-driven design. Guiding them through the process, helping them understand the long-term vision, care, and investment required ensures that expectations remain realistic and projects thrive over time. Many clients are accustomed to instant-impact landscapes, so part of my role is helping them shift expectations—toward an appreciation for the slow, seasonal choreography of plant communities that evolve over time and reward patient stewardship.
One project where all these principles came together is my former garden, Redstone Lane, in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Partnering with landscape architect Matthew Cunningham, we crafted a framework balancing strong structural elements with naturalistic plantings inspired by wild meadows and woodland edges. It was a garden deeply connected to its coastal surroundings, designed to be resilient through seasonal shifts and to serve as a space for experimentation and learning.
Like so many others, this garden reminded me that planting design goes far beyond drawings and plans—it requires humility and openness to change. No matter how carefully planned, a garden is always a negotiation with nature. Plants surprise us: some flourish, others fade, and sometimes the most successful combinations are discovered by accident. Being willing to observe, adapt, and edit is essential.
This is why I encourage anyone hoping to build a plant-focused practice to cultivate curiosity above all else. Study plants in their native habitats. Visit inspiring gardens. Read, travel, and, most importantly, collaborate. Surround yourself with people whose skills complement your own and who challenge you to see problems from new angles. Whether you’re working on a rooftop garden in the city or a sprawling meadow in the countryside, extraordinary results rarely happen in isolation.
At its best, planting design is a dialogue— between designer and client, plants and place, vision and reality. It’s this exchange, grounded in plants yet amplified by collaboration, that transforms spaces into living works of art. n
All photos are courtesy of Adam Woodruff.
Learn More
For those interested in learning more, I recommend these books that have shaped my practice:
• Planting: A New Perspective by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury
• Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West
• Naturalistic Planting Design: The Essential Guide by Nigel Dunnett
Adam Woodruff
Founder Adam Woodruff LLC
St. Louis, MO
principal@adamwoodruff.com www.adamwoodruff.com
CONNECTS HARDSCAPE TO LANDSCAPE LIKE NO OTHER.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
In the green industry, everyone wears multiple hats. One day you’re handling scheduling, the next you’re fielding customer calls, and somewhere in between, you’re supposed to post on social media. Maybe an admin, a crew leader, or even an outsourced freelancer is helping, but no matter who holds the keyboard, the content should always sound like you.
The challenge is consistency. Without a clear company voice, posts can feel scattered or, worse, fake. As artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and Claude rise in popularity, the risk of generic, cookie-cutter content only grows.
Making AI work for you instead of against you starts with defining your company’s voice.
Why Voice Matters More Than Ever
Your brand voice is your company’s personality. It’s how you present yourself to your audience: professional or casual, goofy or polished, consultative or salesy. A formal brand voice document is the playbook that ensures anyone writing on your behalf sounds consistent.
That document should capture things like:
• A synopsis of your overall personality (e.g., professional but warm, technical but approachable).
• Preferences for style choices: emojis can be welcome or off-limits, hashtags used sparingly or often.
• Even music style: rock and roll, country, classical (your sound on Reels is part of your brand.)
When that document exists, anyone on your team, your outsourced marketer, or yes, even an AI tool, can create content that feels authentically yours.
The AI Trap: Bad Content Is Worse Than No Content
The internet is already flooded with AIgenerated content. And people can tell
USING AI
Determine Your Company Voice and Write Killer Social Media Posts
By Kelly Dowell
when it hasn’t been edited. Dead giveaways include:
• Overuse of the em dash (AI’s favorite punctuation).
• Emoji overload, especially green checkmarks.
• Irrelevant or spammy hashtags.
• Posts that read like a textbook instead of a conversation.
When your audience spots these, trust erodes. Instead of building your reputation, the post reminds people you’re phoning it in. In fact, bad AI is worse than silence.
The Right Process: Humans First, AI Second
The secret is flipping the script. Don’t start with AI. Start with your voice.
In my consulting work, we spend hours onboarding new clients, interviewing leaders, and building a brand voice document. That doc becomes the foundation for all content. Once it’s in place, AI can act as a powerful assistant, but never the driver.
Think of it like this:
• Voice document = guardrails g defines your company’s personality.
• AI = engine g generates ideas and drafts quickly.
• Human edit = quality control g ensures the final product feels real.
ChatGPT vs. Claude: Know Your Tools
Not all AI platforms are created equal. I often use both, but for different reasons.
ChatGPT is fantastic for brainstorming. Need 10 fresh ideas for spring landscaping posts? It’ll give you a list in seconds.
Claude is stronger at writing and humanizing. If you want a draft that sounds warmer and less robotic, Claude often has the edge. Using them together provides the best of both worlds.
Best Practices for AI-Assisted Social Media
If you’re going to use AI in your marketing, keep these guidelines in mind:
• Always edit before posting. Never copy-paste AI output directly.
• Prioritize quality over quantity. One strong, well-crafted post will outperform five weak ones every time.
• Stay authentic. Highlight your people, your projects, your values. AI can help with words, but the stories must be yours.
The Future: Voice Is Your Differentiator
AI isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it will only become more powerful and accessible. But technology can never replace authenticity. Your brand’s voice (the way you communicate values, culture, and personality) is what makes you different. AI can amplify that voice, but only if you’ve taken the time to define it.
In a world of generic, mass-produced content, the companies that win will be the ones that sound unmistakably like themselves. Whether it’s the owner, the admin, the crew leader, or a smart AI tool hitting “post,” the voice will remain the same.
And that consistency is what builds trust, loyalty, and long-term growth. n
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelly Dowell Founder onlawn Kelly@onlawn.io
www.onlawn.io
SEEDS OF WISDOM
Shor t takes * from
I just get super jazzed up when I see a wall that’s planted well and grown over... If you didn’t know there were blocks in there, you would have no idea what it was. It’s an opportunity to grow—to create green space, habitat, urban cooling, runoff filtration—all in the face of a wall. One pallet of our blocks would be a full-semi load of regular concrete blocks. There’s never been a laborer that didn’t prefer lifting a three-pound block over an 80-pound one—it’s lighter, greener, and opens up a whole new way to design.
Mark Woolbright Verdtech www.verdtech.com
*Edited for clarity
InstantHedge is unique in the United States in that we’re using GPS and computer-controlled tractors to accurately plant, prune, root prune, and then harvest an entirely finished hedge so that you can literally install a finished hedge in a day. The secret to the whole production is all the root pruning that goes into harvesting a finished hedge. What we do is the year after we plant, we root prune down the row with about a six-inch-wide trench blade, and then the year after that, progressively wider… until we get to that harvest size.
Brent Markus InstantHedge www.instanthedge.com
What clients are really buying isn’t the pavers, the drain tile, or the polymeric sand… they’re buying the feeling of coming home to their personal sanctuary—a space where they can relax, gather with family, and feel proud of their home. Great photos are just the start. If you’re not pairing them with the right words and strategy, you’re missing the chance to connect—and to sell faster, more clearly, and to the right clients. When you confuse, you lose. But when your images and message are aligned, you’re not just showcasing work—you’re telling a story that resonates, builds trust, and drives results.
Chris Major CM Images www.chrismimages.com
Innovations for Comfort at Home PRODUCTS
1 to 1 PLANS
Walkable Floor Plans
1to1 Plans uses patent-pending technology to display floor plans on a walkable digital floor. The technology allows you to experience your floor plan by physically walking on your design on a 1:1 scale, just as it would be in real life. This step ahead of 2D floor plans and 3D renderings will transform the landscape of construction planning and design. According to an analysis, about 8-14% of the construction costs for a new building are a direct result of changes that occur after the building starts construction. 1to1 Plans offers an innovative solution for real estate developers, design professionals, residential builders, and homeowners. www.1to1plans.com
FLEX MSE
Wall System
FLEX MSE is a sustainable, vegetated wall system designed to outlast its hardscape predecessors, including concrete and steel. Its simple geobag and interlocking plate facing adapts and moves with the land, enduring events that destroy traditional wall systems. And it can be installed in nearly half the time and cost of most other walls—with only 3% of the carbon. With a 120-year+ lifespan and 75-year warranty, your Flex MSE walls will only grow stronger and greener for years to come, providing unmatched ROI. Invest in the future. www.flexmse.com
TESSELLE
Breeze Blocks
Looking to add personality and dimension to your next project? Tesselle’s handcrafted premium cement Breeze Blocks bring both artistry and utility to outdoor and indoor spaces. These versatile blocks—also known as screen or pattern blocks—define areas while allowing airflow, light, and shade, creating dynamic structures that feel open, yet private. With exclusive, copyrighted designs you won’t find anywhere else, Tesselle offers bold patterns and timeless options that elevate landscapes with a modern edge. Perfect for walls, partitions, and decorative accents, they combine durability with style to enhance both residential and commercial projects. Make every build stand out with Tesselle—where craftsmanship and creativity meet.
www.tesselle.com
THERMACELL LIV
Smart Mosquito Control
Elevate your clients’ outdoor experience with the Thermacell LIV system—an EPAregistered, scent-free mosquito repellent solution that blends cutting-edge tech with backyard comfort. Designed for seamless integration, LIV’s smart hub powers up to five repellers, creating a zone of protection that’s both discreet and highly effective. Appcontrolled scheduling, real-time alerts, and zone management make it a go-to for techsavvy homeowners. With flexible installation options and year-round durability, it’s ideal for pros looking to offer long-lasting, maintenance-free protection that clients can set and forget. Whether upgrading luxury patios or expansive pool areas, LIV delivers performance without sprays, smoke, or noise—just more time outdoors, uninterrupted.
www.thermacellpro.com
SYLVOX
Outdoor TVs
Outdoor entertainment is no longer optional—it’s becoming a core amenity in luxury homes, hospitality settings, and high-end commercial projects. Sylvox Outdoor TVs meet that demand with a complete product tiering: from mid-level Deck Pro 2.0/Partial Sun models (1,000 nits) up to flagship Helio QLED Cinema Pro/Full Sun displays (5,000 nits) built for outdoor viewing experiences. Higher brightness ensures clearer viewing under direct sunlight.
What truly differentiates Sylvox is its weather resilience: full-metal enclosures, corrosionresistant finishes, IP55 rating, and operating temperatures down to –22 °F up to +120 °F.
Compared with indoor TVs and other brands, Sylvox Outdoor TVs are purpose-built to resist sun, rain, moisture, dust, and extreme weather.
Integrating Sylvox outdoor TVs into design and construction plans enhances property value and meets the growing demand for luxurious outdoor amenities. With models ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 nits brightness, IP55-rated weatherproofing, and full-metal enclosures, Sylvox ensures durability and optimal performance in various environmental conditions.
www.solarformadesign.com
GALANTER & JONES
Heated Furniture
Galanter & Jones creates a new kind of outdoor comfort—heated furniture that invites you to linger outside, no matter the season. Each sculptural piece is handcrafted from ultra-durable, glass fiber-reinforced concrete and features a built-in, radiant heating system that delivers gentle, sun-warmed warmth at the touch of a dial. Designed for both beauty and performance, our benches, chairs, and lounges offer a seamless blend of modern style and all-weather resilience—perfect for patios, rooftops, gardens, and hospitality spaces. With plug-andplay simplicity, energy efficiency, and a signature sensory experience, Galanter & Jones transforms outdoor living into an everyday luxury. Stay outside, stay warm, and stay comfortable—year-round.
www.galanterandjones.com
A Crystal Ball for Trees
Marie Ambusk envisions a world where trees can grow longer and healthier.
SYNKD’s Innovatively SYNKD award for January 2025 went to Marie Ambusk of TreesROI™, whose decades-long passion project is reshaping how the green industry evaluates tree roots. Her tool INSIGHT™ uses ground-penetrating radar, machine learning, and deep biological knowledge to nondestructively scan container-grown trees. By grading root quality before planting, INSIGHT™ promises healthier, long-lived urban trees—a mission Ambusk sums up simply: “Don’t just plant the tree—grow the tree.”
Ambusk didn’t begin as a horticulture insider. A retired GE Healthcare finance
professional, she became curious after young neighborhood trees mysteriously died. An arborist blamed “root collar disorder,” but offered no solution. “The landscaper told me, ‘Lady, you get what you get,’” Ambusk recalls. That unsatisfying answer spurred her to study tree biology, become a Master Gardener, and lead a volunteer project called TREEage that excavated and corrected stem-girdling roots. Hand-digging roots was exhausting, and Ambusk dreamed of “a crystal ball” to see below the soil—an idea that, 20 years later, became INSIGHT™.
The device places a radar sensor on a racetrack-like ring around a container’s rim, spiraling downward to collect slices of data that algorithms convert into 3D root images. The system then grades root quality, flags defects, and suggests remedies. “We’re not fixing the problem—we’re identifying and quantifying it so growers, landscapers, and municipalities can act before planting,” Ambusk explains. Early intervention saves money, conserves resources, and prevents trees from failing before they deliver ecosystem benefits.
Developing INSIGHT™ hasn’t been straightforward. Failed experiments—like years spent on microwave tomography— taught her persistence. Recent National Science Foundation and Vermont grants, plus a supportive radar partner, helped refine the technology. Ambusk acknowledges there is hesitancy in the industry, as nurseries fear scrutiny of their inventory, but she reframes INSIGHT™ as a value proposition. Higherquality trees command better prices, and culled stock avoids wasted water, labor, and replacement costs.
Ambusk’s experience at SYNKD Live— seeing diverse green industry professionals reaching across silos—inspired her belief that collaboration can elevate standards. “Trees start giving back around 20 years,” she says. “If they die at 20, we’ve gained nothing.”
From a frustrated homeowner to an award-winning innovator, Marie Ambusk embodies how one determined outsider can drive meaningful change. INSIGHT™ isn’t just scanning roots— it’s sowing a future where cities grow healthier, enduring canopies that sustain life and enrich communities. n
FOR MORE INFO
Marie Ambusk CEO & Founder TreesROI™ Hinesburg, VT
Darwin Perennials Day wasn’t just about plants, it was about possibilities. From colorful trial gardens to sneak peeks at 2026 stunners, the day bloomed with ideas. Add in lively panels, some good banter, and a violinist—and it felt less like work and more like a perennial party for plant people.
Cultivate ‘25
Takeuchi TllR3 launch
SYNKD was honored to be on the ground for the official launch of the Takeuchi TL11R3, the latest evolution in compact track loaders. Hosted by regional product manager David Caldwell, the walkaround offered an exclusive first look (and drive!) at this robust machine engineered for the landscape industry’s toughest demands. This new model marks a milestone for Takeuchi, introducing electric-over-hydraulic (EH) controls—a first for the brand—along with a completely redesigned undercarriage tailored for high tractive effort across uneven terrain.
Cultivate ’25 was a blast! Columbus, OH, turned into the green industry’s playground: 650+ exhibitors, endless new plants, and more ideas than you could fit in a greenhouse. We learned, we laughed, we networked (a lot). If plants could talk, they’d say: “See you next year!”
