Design

As a design+build firm, GROW designs, fabricates and installs all the elements of our landscapes. We bring the same level of craft to each element, whether it is a poured concrete retaining wall, a custom reclaimed redwood bench, or a steel and glass windscreen. The design+build approach builds flexibility into the entire fabrication and installation process.  It allows for client input from the start to the finish of the project, and ensures we will stay on budget and on schedule. Our starting point for every project is sustainability.  We source all of our own materials from a network of local salvage yards, meaning that each project is totally unique, and connected to our area through a history.  Some of the materials we are using in our current projects include:  local old-growth redwood, black walnut slabs, 17′ old-growth douglas fir timbers, exotic hardwoods from reclaimed Japanese railroad ties… Sustainability means that each landscape we design, whether a hanging garden or an organic farm, has low water drip-irrigation and drainage integrated into the design.

We use a vast pallet of plants both drought-tolerant natives and exotics, all chosen for their specific micro-climate.  You can think of our landscapes as systems, complete ecosystems designed to thrive in your location.  The photos on the right are some of the plants we cultivated in our landscapes… We use three dimensional design software that allows us to create clear realistic renderings, which together with our materials library, allows our customers to make informed choices on all the landscape elements and finishes.  Our workshop in Alameda allows us to work with a wide range of materials in creating custom furnishings and landscape elements.  Whether we are milling lumber or trenching for a french-drain, we bring the same level of craftsmanship.