Collaboration is a guiding principle in every aspect of our business. First and foremost, we approach each project as a collaborative partnership with the client. Our role in these partnerships varies. For clients who already know what they want, we provide the expert advice and field support necessary to turn their vision into reality. With other clients, we’re part muse, part mentor, inspiring their creativity and helping them see new possibilities, then guiding them through every step of transforming a landscape. Even if clients prefer to leave all creative decisions and fieldwork to LAS, we collaborate by learning about their personal tastes and values so as to incorporate them in our work.

“Collaborative” also describes our relationships with outside suppliers. LAS respects the expertise and added value our network of subcontractors can bring to certain projects — when appropriate, we invite these trusted partners to work with us, not “for” us. This collaborative attitude, and the quality of our long-term professional relationships, help us to avoid the miscommunications and conflicts that plague other firms and subcontractors.

We also believe landscape designers should collaborate — not compete — with the inherent beauty of Nature. When possible, we work with a property’s existing contours and natural features, and use plants native to (or very compatible with) a given region. Some firms portray attractive landscapes and healthy ecosystems as mutually exclusive, but we believe the two work hand-in-hand. Various complementary plantings, for example, add visual appeal while also promoting soil health and controlling pests; a few well-placed trees and boulders can simultaneously create a charming “outdoor room,” address drainage issues, and support wildlife. Good landscaping techniques — such as pruning by hand rather than shearing — offer better visual results as well as being healthier for the plant and the environment.