Fort Lauderdale · Registered Landscape Architecture
For more than four decades our studio has planned, designed and administered landscapes across Broward and Miami-Dade: private estates, commercial sites and institutional campuses. Every project is drawn and sealed by a registered landscape architect, from the first site walk to the final planting.
Our Story
Our firm has provided professional consulting services to a wide variety of clients for over forty years. We focus on building an efficient, results-driven relationship, and on creating a customized plan of action for your project.
South Florida is an unforgiving place to build a landscape. Salt air, limestone soils, hurricane season, water-use restrictions and a permitting process that varies block to block. Designing here well takes local knowledge you only earn over decades, and we have spent ours here.
You work directly with our principal. He walks your site, draws your plans, seals your drawings and stays on the job through construction, so the landscape that gets installed is the landscape that was designed.
James SantiagoPrincipal · Registered Landscape Architect
Our Services
Our clients are our number one priority. Every project is customized to the site, the budget and the way you actually want to live in or operate the property.
Site analysis, master planning and land-use strategy. We read the site first, looking at drainage, soils, sun, setbacks, existing tree canopy and code, then plan the property so the design that follows can actually be built and permitted.
DetailsPlanting plans, hardscape, pool surrounds, water features, outdoor rooms and irrigation, drawn as a complete and coordinated set. Species are selected for South Florida's salt, sun, storms and water restrictions, not for a catalog photo.
DetailsPermitting, bidding, contractor coordination and site observation. We stay on the project through construction, review substitutions and sign off on what is installed, so nothing quietly gets value-engineered out of your garden.
DetailsCapabilities
Do you have a project or idea you would love to bring to life? Since founding the practice we have provided clients with a wide range of consulting services across landscape, irrigation and design. Below is the working list.
Selected Work
Residential estates, commercial sites and institutional grounds, planned, designed and administered from concept through construction.
The Process
No surprises and no hand-offs. Here is exactly what working with the studio looks like.
We walk the property together, looking at drainage, soils, sun and wind exposure, existing canopy, views, setbacks and code. We also talk through how you want to use the space and what the budget needs to be.
You receive a scaled concept plan with the layout, circulation, hardscape and planting zones. We refine it together until the plan is right, before a single construction detail gets drawn.
Sealed planting plans, hardscape layout, grading notes, irrigation design, specifications and plant schedules, all prepared to satisfy your municipality's landscape review and get through permitting.
We help you compare contractor bids on equal terms, answer questions during construction, observe the work on site, and verify that what is installed matches what was specified.
Client Feedback
“They walked our lot before a single line was drawn, and it showed. Four years in, the garden looks better than the day it was planted. Nothing has outgrown its spot.
“Our permit set sailed through landscape review on the first submittal. After two prior rounds of revisions with another firm, that alone paid for the drawings.
“What we valued most was that they stayed on the job. When the contractor wanted to substitute plant material, the studio caught it and held the line on the spec.
Service Area
Based at 612 NE 14th Ave in Fort Lauderdale, we work throughout South Florida, and we know the landscape code, tree ordinances and review process in each municipality below.
Don't see your city? It is very likely still within range, so just ask.
Let's Begin
Send a few details about the site and what you would like it to become. We reply personally, usually within one business day, with an honest read on scope, timeline and what the drawings would cost.