With over 16 years of practical experience with field installation of custom landscape designs, a Professional Certificate in Landscape Architecture from UCLA, a C-27 Landscape Contractors license, and a team of specialty artisans, Merrill and her team have the knowledge to transform thoughts into sketches, drawings, and mock-ups before transforming them into beautiful outdoor places.
Merrill's portfolio includes award-winning high-end residential and celebrated commercial landscape projects. A California Native who travels at every opportunity, her concepts are inspired by the successes and comforts of historic gardens. Her custom designs improve on the traditional by modifying the style, layout, and/or materials so they are more appropriate for contemporary situations.
Her experience in design-build companies, as a project manager and collaborating with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the source of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building standards have given her the technical understanding to execute state of the art lighting, hardscape and planting elements from pools to pergolas. She has experience working with local fire codes, irrigation budgets, protected trees, agriculture, and is skilled in integrated pest management techniques and arboriculture.
If you want a professional to work with your tree pruning or your maintenance company, or to recommend ways to make your property more energy efficient, environmentally friendly and otherwise sustainable, Merrill can help you with that too. Her goal is to learn all about your dreams, then work together to translate your landscape vision into reality!
Nature has ingenious solutions. The industrious honey bee and the stationary flower; one is anchored and needs help distributing pollen. The other is diligently building a hive, and requires nourishment. Together, they have a relationship that is mutually beneficial. The honeybee gathers pollen for themselves, their community, and the next generation. The flower, in turn, benefits from the bee as it’s pollen is carried on slender legs to the neighboring flower; enabling the birth of the next generation of plants. In both a literal and an abstract way, the natural world provides many sources of design inspiration. The dynamic natural system described above is one of many examples of how nature inspires the Design By Nature Landscape Studio. As you work with Merrill Kruger, you will see this theme arise again and again, in both designs and installation techniques. The final product will be customized to your lifestyle, your dreams, and budget.
Design By Nature Inc.