Landscape Design West, LLC

We were so fortunate to find Shelly for our new build landscape design. Her design fit beautifully into the natural surroundings. Her process was clear and organized. Plant placement day was so much fun. She brings a great understanding of desert plants. It was like breath of fresh air working with her.

We wanted a natural screening between our house and a new build one level above us. Shelly designed 4 different heights of angled walls topped with a variety of desert plants including saguaros and hops brushes. Construction of walls and landscaping will take 4-6 weeks and begin early to mid May 2025. We are looking forward to seeing the finished project and think it will solve our problem and look beautiful! Shelly is professional and a pleasure to work with.

We hired Shelly to redesign our yard after we lost a large tree, and in addition to losing all the shade, we realized that over the years, the roots of the tree had invaded the outdoor patio and walkways, making it treacherous to walk. She was very generous with her time and gathered information very patiently about our particular plant preferences and the need for accessibility for anyone with a mobility problem, and the need for some shade. She came up with a truly artistic vision for the yard that we would never have dreamed up, and guided us to the most responsive and pleasant contractors to get it implemented. The whole experience has been first rate and surpassed our expectations by miles. Thank you Shelly!

Shelley was great to work with! She did a great job of taking our ideas and making them into a reality, walking us through the whole process and helping us along the way. Highly recommend!

We can’t say enough about what an amazing experience it was to work with Shelly. We had a vague idea about what we wanted, and she worked with us to make a design that was exactly what we were looking for. From plant expertise to a pool design that fit our space perfectly, Shelly’s knowledge and experience was instrumental in aiding to make our ideal yard a reality. She had no problem meeting with us every time we had a new idea to tweak our design a little bit. There was constant collaboration until we had a design that was absolutely breathtaking! Do yourself a favor, and bring Shelly on board to help you with your landscape design. You will not regret it!

We have had two backyard landscapes redesigned by Shelly and we’re extremely happy with the results. Her knowledge of desert plants is extensive and the process from start to finish seamless.

We loved working with Shelly. Not only is she extremely knowledgeable and creative, but she is also a delightful person to work with. Five years ago, she transformed our embarrassingly boring and unsightly front and back yards into showstopper gardens with so much variety, color and interesting details. Two years ago, we added an exquisite and unique succulent cactus garden designed by Shelly. Over the years the gardens have continued to mature and become increasingly lush and beautiful. I cannot praise Shelly enough and am always confident in recommending her to others.

Shelly Abbott did a fantastic job not only in her diverse plant list, which was exactly what we all wanted, but also her excellent communication skills with our committee and most importantly our Homeowner group. She worked skillfully explaining the site and the soft transition from our existing plan to our desert, water saving plants without sacrificing the mature palms and olives. Her work didn't end with the signing of the contract. She made herself available every step of the way to the final placement of each plant. Shelly made sure she had involved all our members and met singularly with some until they were comfortable with the project and our objectives. Many of our homeowners have since used her for their private residential designs with the same consistant results. She is a perfectionist and we appreciated all the hours she dedicated to our planning. The end result speaks for itself!

Shelly Ann at Landscape Design West, LLC is a consummate professional. She took time is consider our wants and needs and made recommendations based on our budget. The result was a beautiful job that transformed the entire look of the front of our home. Prior to work commencing she presented a color coded landscape plan which we reviewed and modified to meet our expectations. I would highly recommend her for any size job.

Shelly Ann (Sensitive Information Hidden) of Landscape Design West, LLC collaborated with me on implementing a beautiful Mediterranean themed enclosed courtyard with trellised covered vines with a handcrafted fountain as the centerpiece. My front yard is low maintenance desert themed with beautiful blooming plants attracting birds, bees and butterflies with my existing saguaros. My back garden has an existing pool Shelly complimented with trellises supporting Jasmine and Lady Banksia roses to disguise the block walls. She added trailing culinary rosemary, San Antonio Roses, beautiful artificial turf with canyon boulders strewn about in the turf under an existing olive tree creating a park like feel. There is more to describe, I could go on and on!

Shelly was a pleasure to work with on our landscape project! Her vision and knowledge combined to create the most beautiful redesign of our 1970’s home driveway and front yard. We receive so many compliments from neighbors and look forward to working with Shelly again on a backyard makeover and expansion! 100% recommend!

The project that Shelly designed for my property turned out beautifully! Of course, she had expert knowledge of all the plants in the region and how they would complement my yard and my desires for the function of the yard. She also did a wonderful job designing a hardscape for my backyard as well as in recommending contractors who could fit within my budget to accomplish the project. She also took the time to do a walk through several months after the project completed in order to make sure it had turned out to her and to my liking.

Shelly has done a few landscape designs for me over the past several years. She is an incredibly talented woman! Her design ability combined with her extensive knowledge about each plant's needs has provided beautiful and functional gardens for our family. Desert gardening can be very challenging and Shelly gets it right every time!!!

Our backyard was designed and installed in winter of 2021 and this year we have had an amazing amount of hummingbirds visit the Penstemon that have reseeded. It's a joy to go out in the morning and early evenings and look at the development of all of the native trees and plantings. In 2023 the front yard design by Shelly was installed and again, we are enjoying a full year's worth of wonderful native plantings. We get many compliments from friends and our neighbors. We highly recommend Shelly for her wonderful sense of good southwest desert design.

Landscape Design West did a complete front and backyard design, including a swimming pool at our new-build Catalina Foothills home. Shelly is highly knowledgeable about horticulture and has a great sense of design and balance. Perhaps even more importantly, her follow-up as the project developed was second to none, making multiple trips out to our site to make sure every plant, boulder, light and irrigation element was properly installed. I would recommend Landscape Design West without any reservation.

We selected Landscape Design West, LLC after interviewing a few others. Shelly presented as very professional, knowledgeable, and personable. She answered all our questions and explained her process. We were and still are very impressed by her. She further displayed her talents with her initial drawings (plans) which were very clear and detailed. She then proceeded to worked with us on designing plant areas, new outer viewing wall behind our pool, and a water feature. Also included was a new patio and new areas around the pool. Shelly is meticulous and very creative. The final plans were incredible with a separate plan showing placement of lights, irrigations, boulders, fencing, and a variety of desert plants and new hardscape. She had detailed legends noted to explain very step of the process and what would be required. Her plans are beautifully done. Shelly is very generous with her time and communicates very step. She stays in contact to assist in anyway she can. We cannot express adequately how please we are with Shelly.

Working with Shelly and Landscape Design West, LLC was a great experience from design to installation. Shelly listened to my vision and then made great plant suggestions to make it happen. We had several meetings to refine the design until it seemed perfect. Shelly made a suggestion for a local company to install the new landscaping, lighting, fence, irrigation and topping. Shelly was onsite during the installation to ensure the plants were put where they were planned. Now nine months later, I am enjoying blossoms, hummingbirds, and butterflies. I could not be happier with how it had turned out. I highly recommend!

I used Shelly to design our landscape and she did an amazing job. I told her what I wanted and she consulted with me to create a comprehensive design. She recommended landscape contractors and swimming pool planners. In the end, I basically have my own private resort. I couldn't be happier with the final product and I've recommended her to several of my neighbors.

Shelly Ann (Sensitive Information Hidden) was the first landscape professional we’d ever worked with and she impressed! She worked well with our out of town schedule and kept us on track. This was an investment in our property and we’re very thankful to have had Shelly by our side. She took a great amount of time educating us as well as creating a beautiful plan for our property. She even took time to meet with us recently to go back over important details.

Shelly and Landscape Design West were recommended to us so we went out and looked as some of the properties she designed. When we met Shelly we immediately found her to be attentive to our needs and desires as well as very communicative and knowledgeable. We have been absentee homeowners throughout our project so we had to put a lot of trust in Shelly. Shelly did not disappoint. Our yard is now an oasis with beautiful lighting and foliage. At night especially the beauty comes alive. Shelly showed expertise in suggesting which plants would prosper in various locations. We feel like we are entering our own magazine cover every time we come down our driveway or enjoy the patios around our house. A job very well done.

Our experience with Landscape Design West, LLC, more specifically Shelly (Sensitive Information Hidden), exceeded our expectations! Shelly was extremely organized and easy to work with. She was very specific about asking us how we’d use our space and which plants were most appealing to us. Shelly even took into consideration our family dog and which plants might be hazardous to her. Shelly worked with us on patio design, lighting, even collaborated with us on purchasing patio furniture and outdoor pots and their placement. Shelly helped with all aspects of our project color of concrete on patios and tile choice for our pool, fire pit design. All aspects of our outdoor project were cohesive and exceeded our expectations! Shelly was available to us thru out the project. Response time was immediate. Shelly’s knowledge and experience were exactly what we needed to make the project come together beautifully!

Shelly did a fantastic job transforming our yard into a paradise. She offered many creative approaches to our project and her depth of knowledge with plants, materials and design really puts her into a class of her own. She is present on the project from design through implementation and I can't recommend her enough.

Shelly is a phenomenally talented and highly professional landscape designer who listens to her clients’ input and works in partnership with them to create amazing works of art. With her extensive knowledge of the environment’s native desert plants and wildlife, Shelly takes a plain palate and designs a project that tickles the senses and welcomes birds and other animals into the sustainable landscape design. She loves what she does and it shows, and we couldn’t have been happier with the way our project turned out. Shelly is a total pleasure to work with.

We worked with Shelly on two projects, a rooftop garden at our home in the Tucson foothills and a triplex in Central Phoenix. In both instances, her take-your-breath-away creativity transformed the properties. Our house in Tucson is on the side of a hill and our living room window looked out on the roof of our garage; a true eyesore. Shelly reconcepted the space into a multi-level rooftop garden sanctuary for us and for the many birds and butterflies that now frequent the property. We are thankful every day for Shelly and her work. Our triplex in Phoenix was on nearly a quarter acre of land, all of which was in Bermuda grass. Water bills were excessive and Shelly's design turned the property into a water-efficient oasis that is pleasing to tenants and owners alike. Shelly is an absolute delight to work with. A bundle of positive energy, she brought dazzling creativity, rock-solid knowledge of Southwest plants, and a joyous sense of humor and fun to the projects. Plus, she is ethical, and responsive. We've worked with other landscape architects, and Shelley surpasses them all in terms of creative output and quality of the working relationship. We couldn't be more satisfied.

We recently did a complete outdoor renovation and I have to say working with Ms. Abbott from Landscape Design West was the most enjoyable part of our entire project. Right from the beginning she listened to our needs and was able to design our project even better than we could have imagined. She was professional, very easy to work with, and has incredible vision. We ‘loved’ our newly landscaped front yard when it was finished…. Now we are blown away with how everything has filled in. I honestly never imagined we could love the landscaping more, but each week/month brings more beauty to enjoy. The layering effect and varying bloom times of the different plants Ms. Abbott chose always gives you something beautiful to look at when at the front of our home. We went from the worst home to one of the top homes in our neighborhood and this is all because of Ms. Abbott’s talent and vision. We also can not say enough good things about the wonderful, knowledgeable team of landscapers who work to bring Ms. Abbott’s plans to fruition. Ms. Abbott, and her team, have been amazing to work with! We will most definitely hire Landscape Design West for all of our landscaping needs.

Shelly is incredible. She is very detail oriented and exceptionally creative. She helped us see our space in a way that we never could have imagined. She is an expert at creating a series of spaces that flow together seamlessly, with plant selections and lighting that craft the mood intended for each. Expect first-in-class service from Shelly. You won’t be disappointed!

It was a pleasure and rewarding experience to work with landscape architect Shelly Abbott on revising our foothills desert front yard and entry patio. Shelly listened to our concerns and had a great eye for potential layout and creative use of plants and lighting. We had very constructive meetings during our design planning time. Shelly also recommended a landscape contractor who she worked closely with in executing her plans. She came on site during construction to oversee placement of plants and help with ideas we needed in our patio area. Shelly was very professional and fun to work with. We are so happy with the results. Sue and Dennis Mulligan

Shelly is amazing! She designed exactly the garden space we were looking for -- she helped us bring our vision into reality!. She showed us samples of plants and layouts, listened to what we liked and didn't like, and then designed a perfect garden oasis. She was also hands on even after she delivered the design plans. She came back to supervise the exact placement of the plants per her design, she helped buy pots, she designed the lighting plot and oversaw placement of the lights. She was just a joy to work with!

Shelley's design converted our yard into a visually stunning, water-efficient landscape that attracts hummingbirds, golden finches, butterflies and many other natives. It's been 10 years since we implemented her design, and every day we get pleasure from the combination of colors, textures, hardscape and landscape plantings. In addition, she is a pleasure to work with. She listens to what you want from your yard and then collaborates with you to see that you get what you dreamed of. Her years of experience allow her to oversee the landscape installation and make sure everything gets done right.

We were new to Tucson and certainly new to the desert southwest, but we had just purchased a house that was in dire need of some fresh landscaping. Combing the Internet we found Shellie Abbott. We found Shellie to be personable, smart, and she had some wonderfully creative ideas for la escaping our back and front yards. One idea was to remove part of the back wall and replace with rebar bent to look like ocotillo. This opened up the backyard to the wonderful desert view beyond the wall. All who visit comment on it. Any potential design also had to pass our local HOA rules regarding native plants. Shellie, with her two degrees from University of Arizona, knows the desert and it’s flora. She also answered dour request to include plants that would attract native birds, bees and insects. She listened and provides excellent feedback. She has given us an optimum desert landscape experience.

Shelly Abbott with Landscape West was the only one who offered a solution for rodent holes. She explained the details of what to do and how to remedy the situation. Not even my pest control had an answer. Thanks for being there when I needed you Shelly! She not only landscaped my beautiful yard but knew how to respond to desert dwellers, too!

It was so great working with Shelly and Landscape Design West. She brought so much creativity and interest to my yard. Shelly was great at listening to what I liked and turning it into something beautiful. Thank you so much - I love my front and back yards!

Shelly is very talented and shared her knowledge with us as we developed the landscape design. We are pleased to have year around blossoms and color. We have a beautiful finished product to enjoy for years to come.

We recently completed the construction of our home and needed a full landscape plan to best incorporate the surrounding Sonoran Desert. Landscape Design West (Shelly Abbott) listened to what we wanted and exceeded our expectations. Shelly has a vast knowledge of plants and trees and how to put them together to get a beautiful outcome. We were extremely impressed that she returned to our home to oversee the landscapers during the installation to make sure everything was placed where needed and visually pleasing. To sum up our experience in 1 word…SPECTACULAR!! We highly recommend Landscape Design West.

Shelly gave us a very creative and beautiful design that far exceeded our expectations. She is very personable and easy to work with. She began by asking our preferences for design and types of plants, and then modified the plan in stages as she addressed our concerns (and even our occasional changes of mind!) Shelly was very involved throughout the process, helping with the plant placement, and even coming after the project was finished. Her assistance on planting day was invaluable. We are so thrilled with the finished product! We highly recommend her landscape design services!

I’m so glad we had Shelly design this garden for us to enjoy watching all the hummingbirds and butterflies. Lots of color and is a beautiful and relaxing area for us! Thank you!

Shelly was amazing! Her design work is outstanding and she took the time to make sure it was exactly what we were looking for. She stayed closely involved in the work to ensure the end result exceeded expectations. We love our backyard and patio and would thoroughly recommend Landscape Design West!

Shelly listened carefully to what we needed in our project and produced the perfect plan with great additional suggestions along the way. Her knowledge of the plants in our area was exceptional and this is exactly what we wanted. She was also able to direct us to a great contractor to complete the project and provided wonderful follow up. We especially liked her care and attention to the exact placement of the plants in the yard at the time of planting.

Shelley's design skills are over the moon. We contracted Shelley to help our backyard come alive. She knew exactly what to do. I"m not a gardener, so she placed many different cactus, trees and flowers all over the backyard. She had a watering system put in so the garden would grow on its own. I love going out in the backyard now. The lights at night, shining on our plants bring smiles of gratitude to my face. Thank you, Shelley. You are amazing!! Holly and Rick Sack

We worked with Shelly on two projects, our home in the Tucson foothills and a triplex in Central Phoenix. In both instances, her take-your-breath-away creativity transformed the properties. Our house in Tucson is on the side of a hill and our living room window looked out on the roof of our garage; a true eyesore. Shelly reconcepted the space into a multi-level sanctuary for us and for the many birds and butterflies that now frequent the property. We are thankful every day for Shelly and her work. Our triplex in Phoenix was on nearly a quarter acre of land, all of which was in Bermuda grass. Water bills were excessive and Shelly's design turned the property into a water-efficient oasis that is pleasing to tenants and owners alike. Shelly is an absolute delight to work with. A bundle of positive energy, she brought dazzling creativity, rock-solid knowledge of Southwest plants, and a joyous sense of humor and fun to the projects. Plus, she is ethical, and responsive. We've worked with other landscape architects, and Shelley surpasses them all in terms of creative output and quality of the working relationship. We couldn't be more satisfied.

I used Shelly to design our landscape and she did an amazing job. I told her what I wanted and she consulted with me to create a comprehensive design. She recommended landscape contractors and swimming pool planners. In the end, I basically have my own private resort. I couldn't be happier with the final product and I've recommended her to several of my neighbors.

Shelly designed a landscape plan for our house in Sun City Oro Valley that was completed a couple months ago. Our lot was a flat assortment of river rock with some trees and scattered plants. Shelly designed a contoured scape with boulders and various plants and cacti - in the front and rear of the house - that we selected from her portfolio of photos and descriptions. The plants have been unveiled to us the last couple months as they have grown and the spring flowering has begun. The selections and placement of plants and the grouping of colors together are masterful; the lighting design has created a different beautiful world at night; and we just couldn't be more pleased! I'm a retired homebuilder and have dealt with many designers and subcontractors over the years, the professionalism and attention to detail that Shelly gave to our job was outstanding!

Shelly, I want to let you know how grateful I am for all your thought, planning and creative design. I feel fortunate you took such care for our yard design with an artful touch and sensitivity for the natural beauty of the plants. I can imagine how each year the yard matures it will have more and more beauty, character and natural environment to enjoy. I am excited and thankful for you work.

Having worked previously with other landscape designers and architects, my husband and I could not be more pleased with the landscape design that Shelly Abbott created for us. We found her to be extremely knowledgeable and concerned about the smallest details. Shelly knows the desert and her respect for the environment is obvious. She has brought our outdoor space to life with all kinds of color and plants that do well in the desert. What has really set her apart is her interest in following up with us and making sure that we are happy with our landscape. As far as we are concerned, there is only one person to use for landscape design-Shelly Abbott. We are 100% pleased with her work and recommend her without reservation. There are very few people we can say that about-competence, availability, and affability are not all that common but Shelly displays them in spades.

Working with Shelley Abbott was a superb experience from start to finish. My sandlot of a backyard has been transformed into a colorful desert landscape. As a 4th generation Tucsonian she knows how to create a peaceful and beautiful setting utilizing the best of what the desert and it's special light has to offer. Fantastic rapport with the landscaping crew.

We removed our pool in order to put in a whole-house water harvesting system, so our backyard needed a total re-do. We are so happy we chose Shelly Abbott as our landscape designer! She understood our need to plant cacti and succulents for low-water usage, and listened to all of our specific design requests. The result is stunning! We also loved the landscape contractor she recommended, who implemented her design to perfection. We highly recommend her!

I just wanted to compliment Shelley at Landscape Design West. My friend bought a house in Tucson and I thought I would help her find a landscape architect. I looked at so many companies and read the reviews and finally decided to recommend this company. Long story short my friend could not be happier with the design and the work that was just completed. I am visiting next week from Colorado and can’t wait to see the renovations.

We strongly recommend Shelly as a landscape designer with excellent design skills, knowledge of the region and wonderful customer focus. She really listened to how we wanted to transform our property and helped us shape a plan that fit our vision as well as our property and lifestyle. She brought so many good ideas to the table and partnered with us every step of the way for landscape and hardscape. We are just finishing now and loving the result. Thank you Shelly. I had so much fun I want to find another project to work on together!

We are enthusiastic Shelly Ann Abbott fans. In 2014 she transformed our blah front yard into a showstopper, so she is very skilled and knowledgeable about desert landscape design. Her design included irrigation, lighting, water features, basins, mounds, and boulders in addition to plant selection and placement. She has just recently helped us do our backyard and again, we are quite happy. She is a delight to work with. She is very personable and will talk with you about your preferences and how you’ll hope to use the new landscape—and then go to work. One thing we appreciate about her is her interest in native plants that are drought tolerant and cold hardy. No inappropriate species that are doomed to failure. Saying that, I’ll also add that she designs for color, interest, and attracting birds and butterflies, which we love. A second big point is that she is a real bargain. Her hourly rate amounts to peanuts when you consider the time she’ll invest as the work is happening and afterwards—things she doesn’t talk up. She doesn’t simply draw plans, hand them to you, and disappear. She was here to lay out our courtyard-wall footprint with the mason as well as establishing borders for the walkways and planting areas. She also was here to direct the landscaping company where to place boulders—even to which particular ones went where. Nothing hit or miss about it. Another thing she doesn’t mention is that she will return months and years later to see how things are doing and what may need tweaking. She has also been a dear about texting or emailing to remind us to adjust our watering schedule as we enter or exit hot weather. And she doesn’t charge for any of these unrevealed services. Shelly loves what she does and is very good at it. She has many, many contacts in the plant nursery, landscaping, masonry, and fountain realm that make her quite effective. Add her accessibility and affability into the mix and I can’t imagine a better investment in your yard/home than a Shelly Ann Abbott design. If all the above seems uncommonly effusive it’s simply a result of working with her and benefiting from her skill. We are not related, did not know her prior to hiring her initially, and have no financial incentive to encourage anyone to enter a contract with her, just the pleasure of sharing outstanding work. Merle & Paula McPheeters

So happy with how our landscape project turned out! My husband and I worked with Shelly to update our backyard patio/pool area and driveway. She completely transformed both spaces and we could not be happier. She had so many unique ideas for the layout that we would have never thought of and is incredibly knowledgeable about desert plants (which as first time home owners who recently moved from New England, we knew nothing about). She was always available to answer questions and frequently checked in to see how progress was going, even after her "part" was done. Thank you Shelly! You are a rock star.

We highly recommend Landscape Design West! Shelly Ann Abbott is an extremely knowledgeable and passionate designer. By taking the time to get to know us, she created a landscape that reflects our needs and personalities. She communicated with us and guided us every step of the way. We absolutely love our landscape now!

Our landscape is looking gorgeous! We are getting new blooms daily. It is soooo exciting. We love love love it. It is wonderful to wake up every morning to our beautiful gardens! I will never be able to thank you enough for your beautiful design, all your help and being an amazing person with whom to work.

So happy we worked with Shelly. We are thrilled with how the plan worked out in our yard. Shelly listened to what we wanted and created an outdoor room that we enjoy every day. Her selection of plants, lighting and hardscape are perfect for our home. Shelly has a vast knowledge of desert plants and knows what works in the various climtates of Tucson. Thank you so much for your vision!

My wife and I purchased a lovely home in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains just outside of Tucson in the spring of 2015. While the house and the property were exceptional, the landscaping was not. Last year we decided to do a complete makeover of the landscaping. We're natives of Virginia where I have been a multi-family housing developer for the past 35 years. I have extensive experience working with landscape architects and designers to plan and execute plans for large communities. However, at the time of the purchase of our new home I had little knowledge of and no experience with desert plant materials. To remake the landscaping of our new home, I needed someone who knew the plants of the Sonoran desert and xeriscaping and had a proven track record. After an extensive search and after having looked at her work in the field, we felt that Shelly Abbott with Landscape Design West was best qualified to do a complete makeover of the open space around our home. If you haven't seen her online portfolio, please, do. I've worked with a lot of landscape designers through the years. None have been more accommodating, more creative and more exacting in their standards than Shelly. We felt that she listened carefully to our ideas and visions for our property and fully incorporated them into her design. Her knowledge of local plant material is encyclopedic! Shelly knew not only what grows well in our particular location but, also, at our altitude and solar orientation. The final design was better than we ever imagined and Shelly is a dream to work with! We, also, contracted Shelly to put our plan out to bid and to provide construction management oversight. She's an artist and a perfectionist! That makes all the difference. We felt that she looked after our interests 100% during the construction process. We're only in Tucson for five winter months but we can't wait to see how the landscape has matured. We're especially excited about the wildflower meadow that she and the landscaper meticulously sowed by hand themselves. I strongly recommend Shelly Abbott and her company, Landscape Design West for any landscape design you may be considering. The process was fun and Shelly is amazing!

We bought our house despite its having zero curb appeal. It had an extremely generic (read “boring”) front yard featuring a circular driveway, the predictable two palm trees, and lots of gravel. A Tucson cliche with nothing interesting or eye catching. Yawn. When we decided the time had finally come to re-do it, we visited many landscape architects’ websites but one stood out above them all—that of Shelly Ann Abbott of Landscape Design West. During her initial visit we were impressed with her enthusiasm, expertise, and vision. She was extremely knowledgeable about native plants and how to create interesting and natural-looking landscapes while meeting our specific hopes and dreams and the demands of the site. We wanted to add a courtyard and she proposed a design that never would have occurred to us but which is lovely and inviting. It also has a unique water feature unlike anything we’ve seen elsewhere that generates lots of positive comments and draws birds throughout the day while the plantings attract butterflies, much to our delight. The lighting design she developed is also a marvel. Not only does it create a magical look at night, it also effectively guides visitors into the courtyard and up to the front door. We now have a front yard that is beautiful and which makes us ooh and ah when we come and go. People in the neighborhood have been extremely complimentary of the results and volunteered many positive comments. Shelly has been great to work with. She is a friendly, outgoing person who is upbeat, positive, and full of helpful ideas. She is extremely giving of her time, and she worked closely with the landscaping crew who installed her plans. She was here when boulders were being placed, basins and swales were created, and visited several times to guide the masonry crew who installed the courtyard wall and extensive paving that was put in. More than a year after completion she will still come by to see what things might need rethinking and tweaking and respond to questions we might have. You get much more than a plan on paper when you hire her. Landscaping the yard is a wonderful investment in a home. We enthusiastically recommend Shelly Ann Abbott because she is so affable, has extreme levels of skill and knowledge, gives great customer service, and genuinely cares about customer satisfaction and the end result. We get daily pleasure from her vision and have not only raised our own property value, but the property values of our neighbors as well. It’s no wonder she is an award-winning landscape architect!

We are so pleased with the beautiful gardens designed by Shelly Abbott, landscape architect in the Tucson area, for our newly constructed home. She combined blooming aromatic plants with rocks and a flagstone patio to create a truly unique look. It was specifically designed to attract humming birds and to accommodate our living arrangement. We live in Arizona in the winter months so Shelly used plants that boom early and stay evergreen in the winter so that we have birds and plants year round. Shelly designed and oversaw not only the plantings but the hardscape areas as well. Shelly was always professional and great to deal with.

Shelly Ann Abbott created an extensive handsome redesign of our landscaping that incorporated our personal tastes in plants and structures as well as sensitivity to desert landscaping principles and a lovely sense of aesthetics.

I have worked with Shelly on a number of projects. Her design work and creativity is great and she works well with her clients. As a swimming pool contractor my company has worked under her direction on projects and found her to oversee the building process to assure her design and clients interests are obtained.

Shelly Abbott provided the highest quality in customer service. She developed and presented three landscape designs for us to choose from. She has followed thru with us and has made herself available for follow up questions and to help during the implementation. A true professional.

When I bought a new house back in May, 2013, I was looking for a landscaping architect with horticulture background. I came across her company on houzz.com and saw her great reviews there. I contacted Shelly Abbott in September and she called me back the following day. I found that she was very friendly and professional. When I met her at our first meeting, she was very attentive to what I wanted to accomplish for our backyard. Ms. Abbot asked me numerous questions, trying to understand what I liked and disliked and so on. She really wanted to help me create my dream backyard, which was a wildlife garden for birds and butterfly. According to my specific ideas, Ms Abbott drew a design and recommended a couple of contractors for me to compare for their pricing. I chose a contractor who gave me a great price. During my backyard project, Ms. Abbott came to our backyard and instructed my contractor where to put all plants and boulders. She was very particular about everything. For my rock waterfall, she also chose boulders and instructed my contractor how to stack the boulders up to make my waterfall look natural. Thanks to Ms. Abbott, I have a wonderful backyard and will enjoy it for many years to come. I am very happy with her work and professionalism! I already recommended her to my next neighbor who was impressed with my backyard. UPDATE: It has been 2 years since I hired Sherry for our front and backyard design. My backyard has been a magical place for me to observe birds and butterflies. My backyard is very attractive to both species and this is my dream come true! I have been a birder for a long time and I wanted to create a sanctuary for wildlife. Shelly understood my hope and dream and created this wonderful sanctuary I got to enjoy every day! Her selection of all native plants are great, too. I have flowers blooming every season, even below freezing temperature. Shelly also created a very natural-looking water feature and it became a big hit with birds. Hummingbirds love taking a bath in summer. I felt very lucky to have found and hired Shelly for our backyard landscaping. If you're looking for a landscaping architect, I will highly recommend her. Shelly is very personable,yet very professional. She calls you back promptly if you leave a message for her. She really cares about your concerns. Even after 2 years, Shelly still cares about my backyard. When a water pump for our water feature stopped working, I called her what happened to the pump and she called our landscaping company to come and fix it right way. A couple days later the landscaping company sent someone to replace the dead pump with new one. Shelly is someone who really cares about her future and past clients. Thank you, Shelly, so much for what you have done for me!

Shelly Abbott's design implemented by Sonoran Gardens transformed my property from a dated eyesore to a garden and peripheral areas that I enjoy every time I glance at it. Before this work was done I literally hated my own backyard, now I enjoy the view and each day spend much time in the backyard watching the birds among the new plantings and landscaping.

Shelly Ann Abbott (Landscape Design West, LLC) provided us with a comprehensive landscape design for our property. The design included hardscape, plant palette/layout, and low-voltage lighting plan. She identified problems in our existing yard and developed a new design that provides a wonderful backbone of plantings (which attract hummingbirds and butterflies) and groupings of plants, boulders, and lighting fixtures to create wonderful visual vignettes. Her design took our yard from "okay" to "fabulous"! Shelly is easy to work with, enjoys collaborating with her clients, and brings an impressive array of skills to her projects. She has our highest recommendation.

Shelly Abbott has been designing our projects for since 2008. She is extremely professional, creative, and knowledgeable. Her projects have received numerous awards and accolades from various associations. Her clients trust her and she is always looking for ways to improve their outdoor living areas. It is pleasure to construct her designs and work with Landscape Design West. Sonoran Gardens cannot recommend her enough!

It was such a pleasure working with Shelly Abbott on our landscape plan. She listened intently to what we wanted, added her suggestions & compiled them all into a beautiful plan that has transformed the majority of our one acre lot into something we look at with pride each & every day. Shelly is fun to work with, professional, knows her job & we've become friends in the process. We have recommended Shelly to other neighbors who are equally pleased with the plans she has made for them. We highly recommend Shelly.

I hired Shelly Ann Abbott, the owner, to design a landscape plan for my patio area. She came up with a design that suited my specifications of low-maintenance and low-water use using desert-adapted plants. Shelly supervised the execution of the plan and was very knowledgeable and professional and very easy to work with. I recommend her highly.

My back patio area was a concrete slab with a few random plantings from previous owners that was surrounded by lovely Sonoran desert in NW Tucson. Shelly designed the flagstone patio with an interesting and natural shape and plantings that provide year round flowers and survive the critters who share my unfenced space. She was involved in all phases of the project and today I have the most amazing patio I could imagine. No, actually I couldn't imagine it which is why I needed Shelly! Her talents are remarkable. Shelly also gets the best work from her suppliers because they all love her. I highly recommend her!

In 1999 Shelly Abbott developed a comprehensive landscape design for our home in Tucson and supervised the installation of the design. We are very pleased with the result. It has enhanced the appearance of our property and has led to increased increase use of our outdoor areas for recreational purposes. We found Shelly to be very knowledgeable about every aspect of the project, from plant selection, irrigation and lighting systems, masonry installation, etc. She was also very nice to work with, consistently.responding positively to our wants and needs. Richard and Annette Kamm

We utilized Shelly to redo our existing landscape. She quickly understood what we were trying to achieve and developed a very professional plan to meet our needs. She met all deadlines and actively monitored the project to assure compliance with the master plan. As we were from the Midwest, it was very helpful to have a knowledgeable person teaching us about the many special issues involved in selecting and maintaining desert plants and flowers. The project stayed within budget. We now have a design that many folks enjoy as they walk by our house to view the many flowers and other desert plants.

Shelly is a good listener, intuitive designer and always a pleasure to work with. She has completed for us two large projects . One in 2008 and one in 2010. Both grow more beautiful every year. and both are a graceful symphony of design and color, and with very little maintenance. Adaya Patagonia, AZ

Shelley is extremely knowledgeable about the wide range of desert plants and how they would best be placed. She is very professional in her process, always listening to the client and responding appropriately and timely. She has good relations with many vendors and ideas on how to solve "problem areas". She gently draws you away from some of your ideas for the landscape that would actually be disastrous if implemented! She did a whole rehab plan and installation for our property which was rather large in scope and we are delighted with the outcome. We would heartily recommend her services to others.

Shelly Abbott has provided exceptional seminars on gardening to our homeowners association members. The seminars have focused on best plants for our microclimate, proper watering, weed control, native plants, the list goes on. Our community has benefitted as a result, so many are more engaged in gardening. Shelly is also a leader in The Vail Garden Club. In addition, I hired Shelly to improve my garden design and develop a plant list to attract more butterflies, hummingbirds to the garden. I love the results and receive many compliments from folks walking by. E A Smith

We built a new home last year in Vail and hired Shelley to design the landscaping and driveway. Our front entry way is so inviting with an irregular flagstone border and natural desert foliage that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. We have a 1000 square foot interior courtyard replete with a natural boulder water feature, flagstone and wonderful blooming plants. In our backyard, there are several varieties of plants that complement the flagstone hardscape and the pool. Our driveway is beautifully constructed of various shades of patio pavers. Shelley worked closely with us to understand our vision, our budget and our style. She communicated with the builder, the homeowner's association, the pool designer and the landscaping company on our behalf so we did not have the extra stress of trying to coordinate everything. Our goal was to move in to our completed home with the landscaping completed as well; a goal that was met. In fact, the landscaping was done (truly unheard of) before the house! Shelley is both personable and professional.

Shelly was very helpful to work with. She was knowledgable about plantings that would work in the environment and elevation we live in, as well as the theme we wanted (xeriscape). She referred us to and worked well with the fantastic landscaper who did all the hard work very professionally. She was present regularly to oversee the entire project and modify changes as they came up during installation to make the whole process run smoothly with the best possible outcome. We are extremely happy with our backyard sanctuary and amazed everytime we sit out on the patio or just walk past a window. It is almost maintenance free, yet we can still add to and putter in it when/if we like to. Our landscape design has won a couple of awards to add to her resume as well as our pride. I have seen some other local projects designed by Shelly and they are all exceptionally picturesque. Shelly is highly recommended for her experience and talent.

Shelley Abbott created the landscape design for our home on the lake at Sahuarita, Arizona. Shelley was very professional at all times and kept in regular contact with us throughout the project. She listened carefully and designed a garden that incorporated all the features that were important to us: the colors we wanted, with water-wise native plants that are easy to care for. Shelley has an extensive knowledge of native plants and created an absolutely beautiful design for us, incorporating a variety of colors and forms, which we love. Later, after the landscape was planted and we needed to make some modifications, she responded very quickly with suggestions for suitable plants. Shelley is easy to talk to, she took the time to get to know us and what we were looking for in our landscape design, and I have no hesitation recommending her services.

As a new resident of Arizona, we had little experience and background for understanding the requirements and options of desert landscaping. In addition, we have property owner's association compliance requirements for maintaining a natural desert environment. Balancing this with a desire to add some color and variety to an existing property, we researched for a professional, and located Shelly Ann Abbott of Landscape Design West, who came with award winning design experience. She incorporated all of the design parameters of a desert environment for our entire property, as well as a driveway turn around apron that has dramatically enhanced the entry to our home. Shelly also identified an installation team that was a pleasure to work with on the project.

My wife and I purchased an older house and conducted a number of interviews before hiring Shelly Abbott to re-design the landscape. Shelly worked closely with us to create a concept, and then a detailed design, taking advantage of the topography and existing architecture while incorporating our personal preferences. Throughout the process from concept to design to installation to follow-up, she worked enthusiastically to ensure that everything was just right. She demonstrated creativity, a finely developed aesthetic sense, attention to detail, and wide-ranging knowledge of plants. We now enjoy an exotic desert landscape punctuated with flowers and populated by humming birds, shaded by lacy foliage, and oriented around a unique tiled fountain and brickwork patio.

Drew up a Master Plan for a backyard deck and patio design. Worked with me very well in changing and fine tuning the design to my likes. Did not mind when I made suggestions and changes. Was very good at responding to my correspondences. Since I was an out of town client, made herself available to me when I was in town to come by and look at the work, go out and select material, etc. Kept me informed as the project was being worked on via email, text, or phone. Sent pictures, and kept the project on schedule. Worked very well with Sonoran Gardens, the co. that implemented the project. I highly recommend them also. Enjoyed working with Shelley very much. I highly recommend Shelley and Landscape Design West, LLC.

Shelly Abbott provided landscape design for our personal property, including a preliminary design plus several revisions until the design met our requirements. This was a large project including front and back walled paver courtyards, all native plants, lighting, pool, water feature and paver driveway. She exhibited a good working knowledge of plants that can withstand the temperature and moisture fluctuations of the desert as we wanted a low-maintenance landscape that required no drip system. She stayed involved throughout the project to ensure the plans were executed from concept to reality and issues were addressed to our satisfaction. She made numerous site visits to work with us on pool and paver outlines, plant layouts and at appropriate times to inspect progress at critical junctures on the project. Shelly is highly knowledgeable and the consummate professional. I highly recommend her to others who are looking for a landscape architect.

My husband and I moved from Southern California to Tucson, AZ in 2007. I was a pretty good gardener in California but I realized that I needed professional help because everything was totally different in Tucson. We also had purchased a brand new house with no landscaping which was a blank canvas and I had no idea how to get started. I told Shelly my ideas and she came up with a landscaping plan as well as beautiful drawing of your property which included a drip system and lighting. I would highly recommend her! She is a very talented, knowledgeable professional. Barbara Keil

We hired Landscape Design West to create a landscaping plan for our large front yard project. Shelley provided us with a wonderful, desirable plan and the insight on how to get it all done. From the hardscape to the listing of which plant species to put in, we are just thrilled with the plan. We asked for and received several revisions as the project moved forward and we realized that we needed to add in some areas, and Shelley was most willing to help us out.

We used the design services to develop a plan for our yard, which we then implemented incrementally over the next two years. Very knowledgeable about plant biology as well as color, texture and suitability of plant materials depending on your needs. Our goal was to plant a low water xeriscape with some very specif desires to include or exclude various common plants. We came away with exactly what we were looking for, and they saved us from making a couple mistakes. The printed out plan is actually suitable for framing.

Shelly is very professional, creative and clearly listens to the clients needs and wants. She did a great job providing a design that fit into our existing environment & managed to include everything that we desired. Her willingness to work with us on different plant configurations & her knowledge of the different plants being proposed were very much appreciated. Another positive was Shelly's relationship with the landscape company doing the actual work; this resulted in a smooth installation with no problems. We would highly recommend her services to anyone needing landscape design work. It is always a pleasure to work with her.

We are so pleased with our landscape design by Shelly Abbott. After hearing our needs and desires, she came up with the perfect plan for us. Living in a gated community, we needed approval of the HOA. Shelly helped us get that approval by working with the HOA. Not only did she provide the perfect plan for our needs, but she supervised the installation. We highly recommend her for any size project. She will not disappoint.

The end product was beyond my expectations for the outdoor landscaping area. Both black and white and color designs were provided, with clear legend for the types of plants recommended. The layout took into account the existing pavers and columns, and maximized the space available for upgrades. The professionals in this company listened to me and delivered!

I am hiring Shelly Abbott, MLA for the new home I am buying. I am impressed by the number of landscape design awards that she has received. I love Shellys' use of colorful desert plants in these photos! Her imaginative, original designs look like no other work that I have seen. I am impressed that Shelly creates sustainable landscapes for the arid Sonoran Desert and that they also provide food and habitat for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. The reviews of her past clients are outstanding. I am really looking forward to sitting on my new patio and looking out and seeing my very own personalized garden right in front of me!

We had the opportunity of working with Shelly Abbott upon the recommendation of a local landscaping company in Tucson, AZ. We were very pleased to have Shelly's expertise on this project! We purchased a home that had very old trees and overgrown landscaping with an aged irrigation system. We wanted a more natural setting for the Arizona desert and Shelly's xeriscape design was prefect! She allowed us to have hands on input with plant selection and placement. Shelly is very professional and easy to work with and would be an asset to any client.

Working with Shelly Abbott has been a super experience on two fronts. She is excellent at bringing home owners into the design process, capturing and enhancing each person’s desired moods or viewscapes. We had an unrealistically long wish list of cacti and flowering desert plants. Shelly incorporated them all into the final product, yielding different but integrated panoramas for each aspect of the house. Second, she produced a yard that is vibrantly alive every month of the year. A profusion of flowers evolves through the seasons, with new little pleasures popping out all the time. As a result, we have humming birds and butterflies year ‘round, flocks of birds, even a visiting bobcat. Shelly’s landscape makes outdoor living focused around our veranda a true joy.