--- title: "Sycamore Design — Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/sycamore-design-pfvwus-pf~344145261 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~344145261.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Sycamore Design" category: ["Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/8f731bac00072bcf_3179-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "Woodside, California, United States" latitude: 37.4299 longitude: -122.2539 phone: "(650) 380-0084" website: http://sycamore-design.com rating: 5 review_count: 6 best_of_houzz_awards: 2 followers: 94 last_updated: 2026-11-12 --- # Sycamore Design Original Houzz profile: [Sycamore Design](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/sycamore-design-pfvwus-pf~344145261) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers - **Location:** Woodside, CA - **Serves:** Redwood City, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Stanford, Hillsborough, Atherton, Woodside, Emerald Lake Hills, Portola Valley, West Menlo Park - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (6 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 2 awards (2018–2021), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 10,000 Ideabook Saves Sycamore Design is a boutique garden design firm specializing in high-end residential garden designs to enhance outdoor living on the San Francisco Peninsula. Since 2002, owner/designer Nancy Shanahan and her hand-selected contractors and artisans have created one of a kind outdoor sanctuaries for discerning clientele. For project inquiries, send an email to sycamoredesign49@gmail.com or give us a call at 650-851-1849. ### Services Provided - Landscape Design - Garden Design - Hardscaping - Landscape Plans - Patio Design - Site Planning - Drought Tolerant Landscaping - Custom Fire Pits - Pool Landscaping - Custom Water Features - Swimming Pool Design - Organic Gardens - Drafting - Edible Gardens - Rooftop Deck Installation - Green Roofing - Barn Design & Construction - Entertainment areas - Fence Installation - Masonry - Plant plans - Watershed ### Areas Served - Redwood City - Palo Alto - Menlo Park - Stanford - Hillsborough - Atherton - Woodside - Emerald Lake Hills - Portola Valley - West Menlo Park ### Typical Job Cost $80,000 - 2 million My design fees, installation support and plants plus the landscape contractor’s installation labor and materials begin around $80,000.00 for a front or backyard depending on what amenities you plan to include. ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Sycamore Design | | Address | Woodside, California, United States | | Phone | (650) 380-0084 | | Website | http://sycamore-design.com | | Followers on Houzz | 94 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/SycamoreDesign - LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-shanahan-0476b841/ - Blog — www.sycamore-design.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Sycamore Design](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/sycamore-design-pfvwus-pf~344145261) - **Website:** http://sycamore-design.com - **Phone:** (650) 380-0084 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - First Place – Large Residential Installation CLCA Landscape Awards 2011 - Gardens Featured in Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program 2010, 2011, 2017 - **Best of Houzz:** 2 awards (2018–2021), for Design, Service. **Affiliations** - [Association of Professional Landscape Designers](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/professionals/schools-and-organizations/association-of-professional-landscape-designers-pfvwus-pf~92795973) - [California Landscape Contractors Association](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/california-landscape-contractors-association-pfvwus-pf~127371204) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 6 reviews** ### All 6 reviews **★★★★★ — Lauren Yang, Feb. 2017** > Nancy Shanahan has done amazing work in creating a perfect garden for our family. She was able to take our challenging property, one with many slopes and awkward angles, and transform it to a beautiful and tranquil park-like yard. We love her attention to detail in the placement of every plant, rock and light. She focuses not only on aesthetics, but also on function, from managing water run-off in our drought-stricken environment, to taking the changing sunlight and creating different shaded areas throughout the day, to planning how our family will enjoy and use the space for years to come. We are particularly impressed with how she was able to utilize different plant species to create a dynamic garden that constantly surprises us with changes and colors throughout the four seasons. Nancy is a wonderful person to have worked with and we couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of our landscape! **★★★★★ — Marina Sutton, Feb. 2017** > Nancy transformed our landscaping into a space that makes us happy every time we gaze out the window, enjoy our back yard, or walk up our front steps. She listened to us, took us to see other projects to get a sense of what we were looking for and then translated our ideas into a wonderful space. She has a great sense of design and color and pays attention to the details. The quality of our project is outstanding, and it came in on budget. We still count on Nancy to refresh our garden every spring. I highly recommend Nancy and Sycamore Design. **★★★★★ — Susan Insley, Jan. 2017** > Nancy Shanahan is a landscape designer with incredible vision. She saw the raw potential of our property and created outdoor living spaces that are an expansion of our home. She is an encyclopedia of native, drought friendly and deer resistant plants / trees which she artfully incorporates into a relaxing, beautiful setting. As our family has grown and evolved, she has helped us transform these 'rooms' for new uses. Last but not least, she skillfully navigates the requirements of the town and county codes. We highly recommend her! **★★★★★ — Michael Young, Jan. 2017** > As a 27 year Veteran Certified Arborist on the SF Peninsula I highly value my collaborations with like-minded quality colleagues. Sycamore Design is one of my favorites. Their designs are aesthetically desirable and horticulturally intelligent. Their customer service is direct and results driven. All issues are responsibly resolved as they arise. I highly recommend Sycamore Design. **★★★★★ — Mansie and Gary Williams, Jan. 2017** > Nancy Shanahan is a talented landscape designer extraordinaire. We are so happy with Nancy's designs of our back, side and front yards. She created a serene, textured, beautiful landscape that invites you in, to enjoy and explore. We trusted Nancy and told her what we wanted, big picture, something low maintenance, drought friendly and Mediterranean. The results exceeded our expectations. It's magical. Thank you Nancy! **★★★★★ — Tamar Pichette, Jan. 2017** > Nancy has a keen aesthetic sense. She understands how to harmonise environment with textures and colours that make a landscape come alive. Highly recommend. ## Selected projects - [Atherton Art Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/atherton-art-garden-pj-vj~75083) - Location: Atherton, CA - Photos: 7 - [Los Altos Hills](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/los-altos-hills-pj-vj~2096644) - Location: Los Altos, CA - Photos: 6 - [A Gardener's Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/a-gardener-s-garden-pj-vj~2295921) - Location: Menlo Park, CA - Photos: 4 - [Menlo Park Backyard Dining](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/menlo-park-backyard-dining-pj-vj~75076) - Location: Menlo Park, CA - Photos: 4 - Description: Contractor: Rafael Gomez Landscaping - [Palo Alto Contempoprary Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/palo-alto-contempoprary-garden-pj-vj~75086) - Location: Palo Alto, CA - Photos: 5 - [Woodside Backyard With a View](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/woodside-backyard-with-a-view-pj-vj~75084) - Location: Woodside, CA - Photos: 5 - Description: An elegant hillside landscape that embraces the native oaks, opening up to a meadow that overlooks the pool and patio. - [Portola Valley Front Yard](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/portola-valley-front-yard-pj-vj~75072) - Location: Portola Valley, CA - Photos: 7 - Description: This low-water, drought tolerant front yard incorporates a lush palette of succulents and grasses with colorful blooms and contemporary hardscape materials. - [Palo Alto Watershed](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/palo-alto-watershed-pj-vj~2644548) - Location: Palo Alto, CA - Photos: 10 - [Cypress Corner](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/cypress-corner-pj-vj~2797329) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 13 - [Redwood City Mediterranian](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/redwood-city-mediterranian-pj-vj~2644553) - Location: Redwood City, CA - Photos: 4 - [Asian Fusion](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/asian-fusion-pj-vj~2797436) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - [Custom Stainless Spa](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/custom-stainless-spa-pj-vj~2797435) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 1 - [Menlo Park Empty Nesters](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/menlo-park-empty-nesters-pj-vj~2797431) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 7 - [Woodside Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/woodside-remodel-pj-vj~2797427) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 4 [See all 14 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/sycamore-design-pfvwus-pf~344145261) ## Ideabooks - [Austin](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/117443549/list/austin) — 54 ideas - [Lighting](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/29313689/list/lighting) — 10 ideas - [Austin: Living room](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/117770846/list/austin-living-room) — 26 ideas - [Fire features](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/118197317/list/fire-features) — 1 idea - [Interior ideas](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/23826145/list/interior-ideas) — 3 ideas - [Difficult spaces](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/23826075/list/difficult-spaces) — 6 ideas - [Structures](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/39546481/list/structures) — 4 ideas - [Fire](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/39548384/list/fire) — 14 ideas - [Haderer](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/75871530/list/haderer) — 8 ideas - [Extras](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/23825838/list/extras) — 23 ideas - [water features](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/19786398/list/water-features) — 8 ideas - [Outdoor kitchens](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/80678148/list/outdoor-kitchens) — 8 ideas - [modern farmhouse](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/71012685/list/modern-farmhouse) — 3 ideas - [Furniture](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/29549499/list/furniture) — 7 ideas - [materials/hardscape](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/17163179/list/materials-hardscape) — 20 ideas - [fencing](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/17163029/list/fencing) — 18 ideas [See all 16 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/nancy-shanahan) ## Community Q&A **Q: Hi, what is that purple shrub in the background? you.** *(in Photo Questions)* Looks very beautiful A: Cotinus coggygria (common name-smoke tree) 'Royal purple'. **Q: What a beautiful Abutilon!** *(in Photo Questions)* What variety of abutilon is this? Is it planted in full sun? A: It is a 'Victor Reiter' abutilon. It gets part day sun but I think with sufficient water a full day of sun would be fine. It's a beast when it's happy. Strong upright branching to 6'+, same width. Lovely. **Q: Pineapple Guava or Olive tree?** *(in Photo Questions)* Gorgeous! Love the blu-green tree and wondering which it is. It is evergreen, right? A: They are Swanhill fruitless olives. **Q: Shower fixture** *(in Photo Questions)* Where did you source the shower fixture? A: Maggierateye- the fixture is from Sonoma Forge **Q: Where are all of these wonderful low steel bowls from?** *(in Photo Questions)* I'd love the name of the manufacturer. Thank you! A: Oregon Copper Bowl custom made us this bowl for the fountain. http://www.oregoncopperbowl.com/bowls.html **Q: Would you mind sharing the name of this grass? Thanks!** *(in Photo Questions)* A: I believe it is Carex testacea. I only used 4 grasses in the design: Carex testacea, Pennisetum 'Hameln', Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Karl Forster' and Festuca 'Elijah Blue'. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-11-12.*