---
title: "Ami Saunders, MLA — Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers | Houzz"
canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/ami-saunders-mla-pfvwus-pf~2080465649
markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~2080465649.md
entity_type: LocalBusiness
business_name: "Ami Saunders, MLA"
category: ["Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers"]
image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/02b3cc620caf8b5b_2891-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg
address: "201 S. Delaware St. #A-307, San Mateo, California 94401, United States"
latitude: 37.5735
longitude: -122.3225
phone: "(415) 251-5128"
website: http://amisaunders.houzz.com
rating: 5
review_count: 5
best_of_houzz_awards: 3
followers: 230
last_updated: 2026-08-17
---

# Ami Saunders, MLA

Original Houzz profile: [Ami Saunders, MLA](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/ami-saunders-mla-pfvwus-pf~2080465649)

## Professional summary

- **Primary category:** Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers
- **Location:** San Mateo, CA
- **Serves:** San Francisco, San Mateo, Daly City, San Leandro, Redwood City, Palo Alto, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Pacifica, Menlo Park, Foster City, Burlingame, San Carlos, East Palo Alto, Belmont, Millbrae, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Atherton, El Granada, Woodside, Brisbane, Emerald Lake Hills, Broadmoor, Highlands-Baywood Park, West Menlo Park, Colma
- **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (5 reviews)
- **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2012–2014), for Design, Service.

## About

### Houzz Badges

- Houzz Influencer
- Recommended on Houzz
- 100,000 Ideabook Saves

Ami Saunders, MLA is a landscape designer specializing in residential design throughout the San Francisco Bay area.  Her Gold Medal winning gardens were seen at the 2011 and 2012 San Francisco Flower and Garden Show.  Designing professionally since 1998, she has designed hundreds of Bay Area residential gardens.  Ami holds a Masters Degree of Landscape Architecture, is a Bay-Friendly Qualified Landscape Professional, and completed the Master Gardener program of the US Department of Agriculture.  Ami is available by appointment for landscape design, landscape materials and plants acquisition and consultation.

### Services Provided

- Landscape Design
- Garden Design
- Drought Tolerant Landscaping
- Site Planning
- Swimming Pool Design
- Drafting

### Areas Served

- San Francisco
- San Mateo
- Daly City
- San Leandro
- Redwood City
- Palo Alto
- South San Francisco
- San Bruno
- Pacifica
- Menlo Park
- Foster City
- Burlingame
- San Carlos
- East Palo Alto
- Belmont
- Millbrae
- Half Moon Bay
- Hillsborough
- Atherton
- El Granada
- Woodside
- Brisbane
- Emerald Lake Hills
- Broadmoor
- Highlands-Baywood Park
- West Menlo Park
- Colma

## Business Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Business Name | Ami Saunders, MLA |
| Address | 201 S. Delaware St. \#A-307, San Mateo, California 94401, United States |
| Phone | (415) 251-5128 |
| Website | http://amisaunders.houzz.com |
| Followers on Houzz | 230 |

**Social profiles:**
- Facebook — http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ami-Saunders-MLA/140470229375394
- X (Twitter) — https://twitter.com/saundersdesigns
- LinkedIn — http://www.linkedin.com/in/amisaunders

## Contact

- **Houzz profile:** [Ami Saunders, MLA](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/ami-saunders-mla-pfvwus-pf~2080465649)
- **Website:** http://amisaunders.houzz.com
- **Phone:** (415) 251-5128

## Credentials

**Certifications & Awards**
- 2012 Gold Medal, San Francisco Flower & Garden Show2011 Gold Medal, San Francisco Flower & Garden Show2009 Bay-Friendly Landscape Professional

- **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2012–2014), for Design, Service.

## Reviews

**Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 5 reviews**

### All 5 reviews

**★★★★★ — enzosharks, Sept. 2013**

> We worked with Ami about four years ago on a design and were very happy, so we contacted her again to do the landscape design for our backyard, including a large pond and water feature. Again, Ami did an excellent job.
> She listened to our inputs and combined these with her great taste and creative ideas to come up with a design we love! She has a great understanding of the construction side of the process, including a deep knowledge of plants and hard-scape materials. The contacts she provided for other professionals have been very helpful.
> We're looking forward to working with Ami through the completion of the project.

**★★★★★ — edriley, Oct. 2010**

> Absolutely fantastic.  Was very responsive to what I wanted to accomplish and made great suggestions.  The project planning and execution was flawless.

**★★★★★ — Elaine Petron, Oct. 2010**

> We were very impressed with Ami's landscape knowledge as well as her unique design ideas.  We are very pleased with the landscape plan she produced for our home.

**★★★★★ — augnaugh, Oct. 2010**

> Ami did a wonderful job of planning, drawing up plans, reviewing them with us and them implementing a great outdoor design for our home that lives on today and reminds us of Ami everytime we are out in our yard! She has also followed up on several occasions to confirm we are still happy.

**★★★★★ — jcm555, Oct. 2010**

> The best choice for a designer. She offers youthful energy, thoughtfulness, really listens to client and delivers. The educational background backs that up. A great choice after considering your other landscape estimates, some people didn’t even want the job and were difficult even to make an apt with.

## Selected projects

- [Californian "English Cottage" Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/californian-english-cottage-garden-pj-vj~258784)
  - Location: San Mateo, CA
  - Photos: 4
  - Description: The owner wanted to reminisce the moors of her childhood of Northern England. This backyard retreat in San Mateo is made up of formal parterres which are divided by a slope enhanced with broad open bluestone steps interplanted in heaths, heathers and lavenders. Four formal garden rooms are the deck, the upper lawn, the brick medallion sun patio, and the formal rose parterre. All gardens are designed to be viewed from the deck above. The garden is low-water, low-maintenance with plants chosen for…
- [GardenMob:  2012 San Francisco Flower & Garden Show](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/gardenmob-2012-san-francisco-flower-and-garden-show-pj-vj~258796)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 4
  - Description: This Gold Medal winning entry into the 2012 San Francisco Flower & Garden Show features mobile garden art, Art that creates the garden. GardenMob, the exhibit title, exemplifies the mobility and ease with which art can define and refine space within the landscape. Commissioned pieces by landscape artists form the garden and are themselves each created out of 100% reclaimed materials, from redwood decking, to wooden pallets, to roof tin, to farmhouse beams. All materials in the art pieces are rec…
- [Stanford Townhome](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/stanford-townhome-pj-vj~258786)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 1
- [Gold Medal Garden 'Reality Rocks!' @ San Francisco Flower & Garden Show 2011](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/gold-medal-garden-reality-rocks-san-francisco-flower-and-garden-show-2011-pj-vj~17363)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 3
- [Garl Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/garl-residence-pj-vj~6050)
  - Location: San Carlos, CA
  - Photos: 1
  - Description: This front yard makeover replaced a lawn with drought-tolerant flowering plants, a stepping stone path, dry stream bed, and rustic dry-stacked fieldstone wall. A new concrete paver driveway blends with the Indian slate front step.
- [Hunt Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/hunt-residence-pj-vj~6045)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 1
- [Belmont Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/belmont-residence-pj-vj~6047)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 2
- [San Carlos Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/san-carlos-residence-pj-vj~6049)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 1
- [Wang Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/wang-residence-pj-vj~6046)
  - Location: Fremont, CA
  - Photos: 1
  - Description: Contemporary/traditional garden with a Japanese style layout and flow.

[See all 9 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/ami-saunders-mla-pfvwus-pf~2080465649)

## Ideabooks

- [Cabin](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/160451192/list/cabin) — 53 ideas
- [Landscapes by Ami Saunders, MLA](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/114331/list/landscapes-by-ami-saunders-mla) — 8 ideas

[See all 2 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/amisaunders)

## Community Q&A

**Q: Ruth Saldanha Torres** *(in Photo Questions)*

empresária

A: Thank you!  Muchas gracias!

**Q: Red leafed tree?** *(in Photo Questions)*

What is the name of the tree that has the red color on the left hand side? I need on!

A: This is a laceleaf Japanese maple.  A good cultivar to try is 'Red Dragon'.

**Q: Monster truck bed** *(in Photo Questions)*

Where do I find it

A: This is a custom pond using the Aquascape system. Contact your local Aquascape pond builder for details.

**Q: Pergola Size** *(in Photo Questions)*

Hi.  Could you please tell me what the dimensions of the pergola is and the size of the beams?  Thanks.

A: Thank you for asking!
It is always a good idea to have the size of the pergola at your home professionally designed and constructed, to keep with your local lmunicipal code requirements, as well as improving your home safely with licensed construction professionals.

**Q: Downdraft stove vent** *(in Photo Questions)*

We would like to know how downdraft range vents compare to over stove hoods in terms of efficiency & noise level?

A: I believe downdraft range vents are usually for indoor applications, and I'm not familiar with indoor kitchen design.  Perhaps a kitchen designer would be a better pro to ask.

**Q: HOW MUCH IS THIS PHOTO OR PAINTING?** *(in Photo Questions)*

CAROLWCOZX@AOL.COMJAPANESE GARDEN - BICKLER 007

A: Fremont, California

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*Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-17.*