Garden Design
The Virginica Garden Design process creates the plan for an exquisite landscape. Your landscape is designed to celebrate homeostasis that is enjoyed by all the tender ones, especially you.
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We begin with careful observation and an openness to what the landscape is revealing. These insights are blended with your needs, your hopes for how to use your outdoor space, and the beauty you hold dear to create an oasis for you and yours.
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You enter into the design process with concerns to address, ideas to make into a reality, and a desire to have a beautiful space to enjoy alone and with loved ones. You leave your time with Virginica with the exact blueprint for how to achieve your dream and the option to continue with Viriginca into the build phase.
The Virginica Garden Design Process:
Step 1: The Opening - a garden consultation+ (learn more about The Opening here)
Step 2: Site Survey
Step 3: Concept Plans and feedback
Step 4: Your Deliverables-
~Master Plan~
~Planting Plan~
~Plant List~
~Detailed Drawings and Materials List~
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We are now ready to move on to the Project Management phase and build the dream!
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"Working with Clara has been one of the most rewarding experiences we’ve had as homeowners. When we started, our backyard felt completely lifeless. It wasn’t a space we wanted to spend time in, and honestly, I couldn’t imagine what it could become. Clara saw possibilities that we simply couldn’t.
She designed our landscape around the Rainscapes requirements, selected every plant with incredible care, and created a plan that was both beautiful and realistic for us to build ourselves. She didn’t just hand us drawings and disappear. She came out, got her hands dirty, answered countless questions, and guided us through the entire process. Her generosity, knowledge, and dedication made what felt overwhelming become something we genuinely enjoyed.
One of my favorite parts was The Opening. Before we ever talked about plants or layouts, Clara invited me to slow down, close my eyes, and simply experience the garden. It may sound unusual until you experience it yourself, but it completely changed the way I thought about the space. Instead of seeing a yard to be landscaped, it help me connect with my yard and started seeing it as a living place with its own character and needs. That moment shaped everything that came afterward.
Every time I walk outside, I’m grateful, not just for how beautiful it looks, but for how it feels.
If you’re looking for someone who combines extraordinary design talent with genuine care for both people and the natural world, I can’t recommend Clara highly enough."
-Maria Bethesda, MD
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​Virginica’s Design Process honors:
Your goals and vision for your outdoor space
Your budget
Your desired maintenance schedule
The ecology of your space
The plant life that fills your garden with beauty and joy
Nature’s tendency toward homeostasis
The subtle realms that exist within your space
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The biodiversity needed for all life on Earth to thrive
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Every project, client, and piece of land is unique and therefore every project is highly individualized. Elements that could be part of your garden design:
drainage solutions ~ rain gardens, conservation landscapes and other practices that are eligible for rebate from your municipality ~ vegetable, herb, and fruit gardening ~ pollinator plantings ~ ponds and water features ~ hardscapes of all kinds ~ swimming pools ~ permaculture practices ~ patio space ~ decking ~ seasonal planters and vignettes ~ cut flower gardens ~ composting
Clients Say...
“Clara was an absolute gem to work with and her knowledge of plants and their needs was extremely deep. She listened carefully to what I wanted and seemingly effortlessly moved around plants in my garden to create just what I was looking for. She is smart, efficient and calm. I plan to hire her again soon for another gardening/landscaping project.”
JOANNE, WASHINGTON DC
“I hired Clara to design... the garden in our front yard. What she created was beyond my expectations and dreams! The only info I gave her was a few flowers I liked and a color scheme. She ran with it and picked flowers and plants that complemented each other beautifully, and the result was just amazing. I loved all her choices- great combo of color and texture. I never imagined my little garden can be so beautiful!”
ANGELA, WASHINGTON DC
"Clara has done an amazing job drafting a garden plan for my home and implementing it with beautiful and unique plants. She always is a delight to work with and very knowledgeable and accommodating with any questions or requests I have. My garden is so beautiful now, and I'm so thankful for her hard work!"
TEEL, WASHINGTON DC
