Ecologically grounded, artistically executed design.
At Homegrown Botanical Design, we bring a unique depth of expertise to landscape design. Rooted in technical plant knowledge, years of field experience, and professional training.
Led by Cat, permaculture-trained designer, and Adam, certified arborist, our team approaches every project as an opportunity to build landscapes that thrive and provide for the environment.
Our Process
We start by listening closely. Site surveys that detail the presence and quality of the elements, architectural considerations, cultural impact, and stakeholder’s vision come together to inform design direction.
Next, insight becomes strategy. We develop plant palettes, spatial layouts, and material selections that ensure design decisions support a landscape that matures gracefully over time.
The result is a landscape designed to work in harmony with all the variables that influence it.
Why Homegrown?
Expert-Led
Professional insight from decades of experience and formal training.
Site-Specific
Designs tailored to all of the conditions affecting your site, from soil quality to cultural perspective.
Ecologically Minded
Planting plans focused on sustainability and regional success.
The Team
Cat is a Chicago-born naturalist who grew up watching worms slither in between cracked concrete and helping her dad plant sunflowers in brick containers. That fascination with nature existing alongside people, even in dense urban environments, never left.
It led her to help manage the greenhouse at Chicago’s beloved Gethsemane Garden Center, and eventually to garden wherever she could: building vegetable beds from scrap grow pots, guerrilla-gardening parkways, and picking blackberries for pie at community gardens. With the support of friends and colleagues, those small experiments grew into a deeper commitment to helping people live closer to the natural world.
Cat is certified in Permaculture Landscape Design through Oregon State University, and her work is guided by a belief in resourcefulness, ecological function, and beauty that feels alive rather than over-designed. Whether it’s a small apartment, a front lawn, a ninth-floor terrace, or a few concrete planters, she believes every space holds the potential for a garden that is both beautiful and deeply functional.
Adam developed a taste for dirt and leaves at 5 years old, tagging along with his grandfather to volunteer days doing ecological stewardship through the Illinois Forest Preserve. Much of his childhood involved removing invasive species, collecting native seeds, and clearing brush, all early experiences that shaped his decision to pursue horticulture professionally.
Adam holds a degree in Horticultural Science from Auburn University and went on to spend several years at the UC Davis Arboretum, where he honed his skill in large-scale land stewardship and cultivation. He later moved to Chicago to work as a lead groundskeeper for commercial property management, gaining hands-on experience translating textbook theory into practical solutions.
Seeking to specialize his expertise even further, Adam joined Gethsemane Garden Center’s Tree and Shrub department. Immersed in the endless varieties of woody plants, he obtained a certification from the International Society of Arboriculture. His time at the garden center sharpened both his eye for tree identification and his understanding of the people who choose to take them home.
Ready to get started?
Tell us your vision