--- title: "Sunflower Designs LLC — Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/sunflower-designs-llc-pfvwus-pf~436408914 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~436408914.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Sunflower Designs LLC" category: ["Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/44838bbf0126500d_8740-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "7 Barbara Drive, Bristol, Rhode Island 02809, United States" latitude: 41.6825 longitude: -71.2676 phone: "(401) 525-0634" website: http://www.sunflowerld.com rating: 5 review_count: 19 best_of_houzz_awards: 3 followers: 157 last_updated: 2026-10-01 --- # Sunflower Designs LLC Original Houzz profile: [Sunflower Designs LLC](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/sunflower-designs-llc-pfvwus-pf~436408914) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers - **Location:** Bristol, RI - **Serves:** Providence, East Providence, Bristol, Portsmouth, Barrington, Tiverton, Warren, Riverside, Seekonk - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (19 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2017–2021), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - 5 Star Houzzer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves At Sunflower Designs, we believe that landscapes are to be lived in. With that in mind, we strive to create more than just a pretty scene. We work to create spaces and settings that are not only beautiful, but also reflect who we are and how we live. A front yard can provide curb appeal, but should also welcome guests and hint at the personality of those who live beyond the front door. A backyard is a place to be shared with friends and family, and serve as a retreat from the outside world. Our landscapes are the ideal place to experience and enjoy nature, which is why we utilize ecologically responsible design principles. Through the use of the "right plant, right place" concept, appropriate hardscape materials, and sound horticultural practices, we can create landscapes that are functional, easy to maintain, attractive to beneficial insects, birds and butterflies, and not dependent on large amounts of water, fertilizers and pesticides. We work closely with landscape contractors, masons, nurseries, and most importantly, with you. Only by working hand in hand with homeowners can we create a truly custom design. After all, nobody knows how you live better than you. Your budget, your style and your ultimate goals must be the foundation of the design and our experience and vision will guide us to a solution that will hopefully exceed your expectations. It is through such collaboration that we can create functional, ecologically responsible, and beautiful landscapes that are truly lived in. ### Services Provided - Garden Design - Hardscaping - Drought Tolerant Landscaping - Custom Fire Pits - Custom Water Features - 3D Rendering - Drafting - Fence Installation - Masonry ### Areas Served - Providence - East Providence - Bristol - Portsmouth - Barrington - Tiverton - Warren - Riverside - Seekonk ### Typical Job Cost $25,000 - 175,000 ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Sunflower Designs LLC | | Address | 7 Barbara Drive, Bristol, Rhode Island 02809, United States | | Phone | (401) 525-0634 | | Website | http://www.sunflowerld.com | | Followers on Houzz | 157 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/pg/sunflowerdesignslandscapedesign/about/?ref=page\_internal - LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooke-merriam-290636 - Blog — https://www.instagram.com/sunflowerdesignsri/ ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Sunflower Designs LLC](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/sunflower-designs-llc-pfvwus-pf~436408914) - **Website:** http://www.sunflowerld.com - **Phone:** (401) 525-0634 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - 2012 RINLA Professional Excellence Award; Residential Design and Installation RI Certified Horticulturalist - **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2017–2021), for Service. **Affiliations** - [Association of Professional Landscape Designers](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/professionals/schools-and-organizations/association-of-professional-landscape-designers-pfvwus-pf~92795973) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 19 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 5.0 - Communication: 5.0 - Value: 5.0 ### Reviews **★★★★★ — Corinthian Builders, Oct. 2022** > We hired Brooke to design our yard. It was a totally blank slate and she made it into separate areas with style and lovely plantings. She is very communicative as are her subs. Everyone that worked on the project was very courteous and took time to review what they were doing for us. We look forward to many years of enjoyment from this project and know that it increased the value of our home. **Comment from Sunflower Designs LLC:** > Thank you, Sherrie! It was a pleasure working with you and I'm looking forward to seeing the space come to life in the spring! **★★★★★ — Marc Redfield, Oct. 2020** > Highest praise for Sunflower Designs and Natural Green. We had a full landscape makeover facing us--we needed to shunt water away from the house foundations, build a retaining wall, rebuild stairs and walkways, carve out a driveway, and install a lot of new plantings. The first contractor I talked with told me the retaining wall was too much of a project for him--too much engineering. Brooke at Sunflower Designs sketched out plans with us, consulting us at every point, and Arlindo's team at Natural Green made the final plan a reality. This involved, indeed, a lot of pragmatic engineering--getting the slope right so water drained where it should. The end result is beautiful. Brooke knows her plants and has a terrific aesthetic sense. This was a big project and obviously a big financial investment for us, but every expense was accounted for and each portion of the job came in at what seemed to us a very fair price. **Comment from Sunflower Designs LLC:** > Thank you, Marc! It was a pleasure working with you throughout the project. We loved the challenges that your project presented and appreciated that you trusted us to transform your property. **★★★★★ — Deborah Block, Oct. 2018** > We LOVED working with Brooke. She listened to us with great care and attention - came up with a fabulous plan and was a wonderful communicator and problem solver during construction and planting. We LOVE our new yard and have enjoyed being outside and using the space in ways we never would have imagined. The plantings are lovely - there's always something in bloom and it's a warm, welcoming and relaxed feel - exactly what we were hoping for. I can't recommend her highly enough. **★★★★★ — cheryl hanson, Oct. 2017** > We love our yard! Brooke transformed it with an amazing design! The property had numerous issues that needed to be addressed. Brooke created a beautiful and peaceful setting. The home was going through extensive renovations. She took into consideration the new front entrance when she designed the bluestone walkway . It is a perfect complement and and looks lovely. > Thank You! **★★★★★ — Pam Chin, Sept. 2017** > Sunflower Designs LLC is our go to for our landscape designs. She has designed plans for two houses that I have lived at and both are flourishing. The budget was accurate and the work was done timely. I can't wait to work with her again. **★★★★★ — johnyoungjohnyoung, Jan. 2017** > Working with Brooke was great, I highly recommend her. She transformed our unruly and awkward backyard into an absolute gem. Both her design and professionalism made this project effortless for us. We had a tight budget and she created a phenomenal design that was in our price range. Thanks again! **★★★★★ — KC Furtado, Dec. 2016** > Sunflower Designs was phenomenal in transforming my backyard to a beautiful oasis. Brooke was attentive to our needs and understood our vision. She was able to bring a tired and boring backyard to a place the whole family could enjoy. She new I was not savvy with plants, so she kept the plantings easy to maintain, yet beautiful to look at. She created a fire pit area, sitting wall, seating area, and two areas for our grill and smoker. She even helped us utilize our hill to build a climbing wall into it and a slide going down it! I would recommend Sunflower Designs for any yard trasnformations, big and small. **Comment from Sunflower Designs LLC:** > Thank you! It was a fun design for me too. I can't wait to see the climbing wall in action! **★★★★★ — jujenkins, Sept. 2016** > My family and I have been trying to fix up our backyard for years. We never had enough time or energy and neither of us have green thumbs. So after a quick search online we found Brookes website. We loved the unpretentious casual vibe she displayed and immediately reached out. She came by and we discussed several different options. We didn't have a huge budget but she would work with us to make our backyard a sanctuary. Indeed it is! My husband went through some medical issues this summer and Brooke was so accommodating in getting everything finished in 48 hours so he could have a place to recover and unwind. Thank you Brooke! She also built us a very cool bocce court which we love! its great fun :) **Comment from Sunflower Designs LLC:** > Thank you Julia! It was such a pleasure working with you both. **★★★★★ — HU-754880, Sept. 2016** > Brooke and her crew took my drab backyard and turned it into a summer oasis. Last spring we took down our above ground pool and asked Brooke/Sunflower Designs for help on what to do with our back yard. We knew we wanted a pergola and a fire pit, the rest was up to Sunflower Designs. Our backyard is perfect we love it.....what a transformation. Brooke was always available day or night (even Sundays) to answer questions or address concerns that we had. **Comment from Sunflower Designs LLC:** > This was such a fun project, and it was so great to see you getting a lot of use out of the new space. Thank you for the review and the photos! **★★★★★ — HU-683834, Sept. 2016** > We needed to have the front of our house addressed having water issues. We reached out to Brooke to have her look at the job. She was very responsive and provided us with a quote and designs based on our needs and requirements; flooding, north facing house which is a challenge finding the right plants with little sun. Brooke worked with us on finding the right design and flowers/plants. Brooke and her team were ontime and on budget with the job. I highly recommend Sunflower Designs. **Comment from Sunflower Designs LLC:** > Thank you! It was a pleasure working with you and I'm so glad you are getting good use of your backyard now! **★★★★★ — Jacquelyn Fournier, Sept. 2016** > I met with Brooke in 2014 to discuss plans to transform our yard. Brooke took some pictures and asked many questions and came back a couple of weeks later with a plan that was beyond our original ideas. She provided detailed plans that totally changed our entry points and pathways from the driveway to our back door and yard. Brooke was able to utilize space that we knew was being wasted, but could not conceive as to how to fold it into any plan. > > She helped us through the choice of contractors and was on site throughout the process. > > Due to cost considerations we had to perform this transformation through 3 specific steps. Brooke worked with the contractor to perform some of the work in step 2 during step 1 because it was just how things had to flow. However, we weren't required to pay for this work (performed in March of 2015) until the end of the year (during phase 2). > > She came back in the spring of 2016 to finish the final stage and we could not be more pleased with the way the work has turned out. Our friends and family, who have been coming to our house for the last 20 years, can't believe the transformation. Neighbors have stopped me in stores to tell me that they can't believe the work that was done. > > Brooke is a consummate professional. > > The project has easily raised the worth of our property beyond the cost of the work. **Comment from Sunflower Designs LLC:** > Thank you Jackie! It was wonderful to work with you and I look forward to seeing the garden continue to evolve. **★★★★★ — mercer58, Aug. 2016** > We have had the pleasure of working with Brooke and team for a couple of years now. Sunflower Designs provides excellence, creativity, collaboration, communication all toward a beautiful, truly beautiful, result. We work with a lot of people/contractors and such and I put Sunflower at the very top because of both the customer experience and ultimate result! **Comment from Sunflower Designs LLC:** > Thank you! You know that the feeling is mutual. It has been a pleasure working with both of you and watching the landscape take shape. ## Selected projects - [Hidden Gem in Tiverton](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/hidden-gem-in-tiverton-pj-vj~2000855) - Location: Tiverton, RI - Photos: 23 - Description: Major elevation changes from the bottom of this site to the top, required multiple retaining walls and made access tricky. The site had some beautiful stonework already and a gorgeous new "cottage" and pool. My task was to come up with a Master Plan that brought old and new together and made the site accessible, functional and beautiful. We added large engineered block walls to retain the pool area and allow room for a winding driveway and added fieldstone walls, granite steps and bluestone pave… - [City Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/city-garden-pj-vj~1354371) - Location: Providence, RI - Photos: 13 - Description: The clients of this beautiful Queen Anne Victorian called me while they were building a new garage/carriage house which was designed to look like it had always been there. As such, they wanted a landscape that would complement the style of the house and garage, and also look timeless. The construction of the garage led to a completely new landscape, including moving the driveway from the north side of the house to the adjacent street on the east. This allowed for a new grander entrance to the fr… - [Downtown Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/downtown-garden-pj-vj~174526) - Location: Bristol, RI - Photos: 12 - [Colorado Springs Xeriscape Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/colorado-springs-xeriscape-garden-pj-vj~179277) - Location: Colorado Springs, CO - Photos: 13 - Description: This once barren lawn in Colorado Springs was transformed into a beautiful, lush looking paradise through the use of drought tolerant plantings, a rustic flagstone path and patio, and a dry river bed. - [Bristol Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bristol-garden-pj-vj~174481) - Location: Bristol, RI - Photos: 26 - Description: This garden began in 2006 and has evolved since then, with beds expanding, plants changing and features being added. It changes dramatically from season to season and is truly a four season garden with plenty of color and interest throughout the year. - [Pre-school Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pre-school-garden-pj-vj~911624) - Location: Dartmouth, MA - Photos: 17 - [Providence Garden for the Birds](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/providence-garden-for-the-birds-pj-vj~1657202) - Location: Providence, RI - Photos: 15 - Description: The homeowners of this urban lot wanted to attract birds and enhance the beauty of their small yard. They realized that their lawn was a sterile space that was offering no food or shelter for birds. Because the owners never used the lawn, we decided to remove all of the grass and add in a sitting area they would use, and a variety of plants that would provide food (berries and seed heads), nesting material and shelter for wild birds. - [Contemporary Coastal](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/contemporary-coastal-pj-vj~2933074) - Location: Tiverton, RI - Photos: 20 - Description: After a fire destroyed the summer house that had been on this site for many years, the owners decided to rebuild a year round house in a completely new style. The result was a beautiful house that nestled into the existing slope and took full advantage of the views out to the ocean. We designed a Master Landscape plan that included fieldstone retaining walls and a generous bluestone entrance in front, boulder and fieldstone retaining walls and a paver patio in back, a rain garden to capture wate… - [Transformations](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/transformations-pj-vj~2221846) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 14 - [All in the Details](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/all-in-the-details-pj-vj~2221814) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 17 - [New Construction](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/new-construction-pj-vj~2978950) - Location: Dartmouth, MA - Photos: 15 - [Pollinator and Rain Gardens](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pollinator-and-rain-gardens-pj-vj~2962629) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 [See all 12 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/sunflower-designs-llc-pfvwus-pf~436408914) ## Community Q&A **Q: This is wonderful! Can you tell me the name of the Evergreen Tree?** *(in Photo Questions)* I live in Utah so similar climate. Was hoping to minimize the lawn and replace with drought tolerant plants that are also hardy to zone 7. Thank you. A: Hello, thanks for the question! There is not an evergreen tree in this photo. I think perhaps the plant you are referring to is the Tiger Eyes Cutleaf Sumac (Rhus typhina 'Bailtiger'" which is the one behind the pink flower (Centranthus ruber). It is a great shrub that gets beautiful fall color, but it is deciduous. **Q: Trees** *(in Photo Questions)* What kind of trees are these? They have lovely color. A: Thanks for the question. Those are columnar Hornbeam trees (Carpinus betula 'Frans Fontaine'). **Q: Has anyone used these lights in a native fieldstone wall?** *(in Product Questions)* A: We have done these lights in fieldstone walls, where we are using a cap. We would mount these on top of the fieldstone and then put the cap on top. We run a conduit up the middle of the wall to bring the wire up to the top of the wall and have the other end exit at the base of the wall with a 45 degree sweep. **Q: Anyone know the name of these purple flowers?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: That should be fine actually. I should have qualified that statement about soil...That photo is in clay soil in Colorado, but the difference between clay soil there and heavy clay soil in say the northeast is that it doesn't tend to stay wet in Colorado (or San Diego). In addition, San Diego should be no problem because you don't have to deal with snow cover keeping the plant soggy in the winter. give it a shot, it is a great plant!! --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-10-01.*