Hortus Oasis

Kristin Pategas, with Hortus Oasis, did the landscape design for my house, both the front and back yards. It was a pleasure to work with her on the design and tap into her knowledge and experience with local plants that would thrive in the various conditions around my property. I wanted the front to look good, with hardy plants that can withstand the harsh western exposure, and the backyard to look and feel relaxed with something blooming all year round. She listened, and the design has exactly those qualities. The project included hardscape design using pavers and a full landscape plan with plant selection and installation specifications. She also provided a list of recommended landscape contractors and an inspection prior to final acceptance, to ensure the project was well done. I wish I had commissioned her to do the irrigation design and project management as well. I recommend to anyone considering a landscape project to include those services, you will need them! I found her in this web site and contacted her based the reviews I read. Now, I am happy to add my own favorable review to the list. She did a great job; the house looks amazing. All my neighbors pass by and comment how the house has been transformed from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan!

Navigating the unique challenges of Florida's landscape demands a special touch, and that's why I wholeheartedly endorse Hortus Oasis for an unparalleled yard transformation. Beyond the accolades of their botanical and design acumen, Kristin and Stephen infuse their creations with a soul-stirring quality that simply must be experienced to be understood. Stepping into one of their residential gardens feels like entering a realm of enchantment. As a garden enthusiast, I've explored many northeastern and quite a few of Florida's renowned green spaces, yet none have captured my heart quite like a Hortus Oasis garden. Each visit is a revelation, a testament to the couple's artistic finesse and their intuitive understanding of color, texture, and form. Drawing from my background in Fine Arts, Interior Design, and professional photography, I can attest to the masterful composition that characterizes every corner of their garden. It's as if each plant, each stone, has been meticulously placed to harmonize with the surrounding architecture, creating a seamless integration that feels utterly natural. In Kristin and Stephen, I see not just skilled artisans, but custodians of a timeless tradition. Like the greats who preceded them, their tranquil gardens have the power to touch lives and inspire joy for years to come. For anyone seeking a transformative garden experience, I can't recommend them highly enough.

It was great to work with them and we love the finished product! We had a small yard space to work with in Baldwin Park with. Its now very functional and an attractive space. Well worth the investment and appreciate the talent they brought to the project!

Kristin and team were hands on and very communicative during the process and on top of everything as it pertains to landscaping, driveway and treatments. Love the finished product.

Superb team effort by Kristen & Stephen to develop and implement a plan for my front, side and back yards. Terrain and geography posed multiple challenges - this was not an easy project. Sloping lot, poor drainage, intense summer sun, privacy requirements, and specific plant requests from me all worked to make this a challenge for even the most gifted landscape architect. Stephen managed to carefully evaluate the surroundings & find materials that could bridge all the challenges this lot presented. But without Kristen's organization, detail, and direction this developed plan would have been difficult for me to implement alone. She organized and orchestrated the bidding process and conveyed all details clearly to me and all vendors. The seamless process between design and implementation gave me the most qualified, experienced, and reliable landscapers who fulfilled the plan. Well worth the investment.

After downsizing to a townhome in January (2023) we knew our ‘postage-stamp’ courtyard needed a refresh. While the area featured plants, grass and a sweet little shade tree, it was basically a pleasant thoroughfare from our garage to the back door. There was no seating area, the pavers were worn, and plants were randomly placed. Kristin listened to our ideas, provided us a questionnaire to learn about our style, favorite plants, maintenance preferences, and what uses we needed from our yard. She presented an innovative plan with great detail for us to present to our HOA and, to make things even easier, she provided an excellent list of contractors. Kristin is a very knowledgeable professional—punctual, reliable and relatable. We are over the moon with the outcome and will have photos when our pergola is added. Thanks Hortus Oasis!

Hortus Oasis was wonderful to work with creating a master plan our landscape. Our request to them was for a whole-lot, period-appropriate landscape design for an historic home in a densely settled neighborhood. The design needed to address privacy, pets, and outdoor living, as well as pedestrian and vehicular circulation. The design also needed to be phase-able to accommodate the building schedule and finances. We couldn't be happier with the resulting design. There are no photos yet, because their design is just beginning to be implemented. (The date of completion is related to the design work only) Further, we were new to the Winter Park area, and Hortus Oasis was very helpful connecting us with trustworthy contractors, helping us communicate with those contractors, and inspecting work on our behalf.

Kristin did a wonderful job with our back yard landscape re-design. It’s easy to maintain and we have bees back in our vegetable garden thanks to her plant selections. Her drawings were accurate and easy for my landscape contractor to follow. She provided several copies of the plans and everything was done in a timely manner and within our budget. She is my go-to landscape architect for future projects.

When I decided to give up a longtime family property and downsize to a new home, I wanted to find the best landscape designers in the business to create a lovely oasis in this beautiful old neighborhood. All recommendations were for Hortus Oasis, and they have created a truly creative and unique design. The installation will soon be underway and I am so excited to see this detailed and imaginative work come into being!

We are so excited to begin our garden project! Kristin listened to all of our ideas and desires for our dream garden. She was patient and very plant-savy, explaining which plants would survive and thrive in the Central Florida climate. Then she created the plan for the garden of our dreams with a complete design for our new-construction home including a list of landscape/hardscape contractors she felt would be best suited for our project. We will post again once it is completed. We highly recommend Hortus Oasis for your garden design projects.

We hired Hortus Oasis to create a landscape/hard scape design plan for our property this year. They were detailed, meticulous and really took the time to create something personalized to our space. I love Savanna gardens and the low country, so she created a plan that not only gives the look of Savanna, but the feel of the surrounding area. It was touching just how customized and thoughtful she was in design. I 100% recommend their company and would use them again!

Highly recommended, no reservations. This husband and wife team brought a depth of knowledge and professionalism to my half-formed ideas and translated that into a well-documented design plan. Stephen Pategas was our main contact when discussing design, but we worked with Kristin Pategas also - both were hands-on during site visits. Pleasant, professional, and thorough. They anticipated details I would never have considered - like the calculation of the percentage of permeable surface, which is regulated in my area. We are working now with various contractors through the bidding process and can share that more than one contractor has been delighted at the level of detail in our design - these conversations are very productive and straightforward. I am confident that when we reach the permit stage, it will go equally well. Our project is a 10,000-square-foot residential lot that had been minimally maintained in the past 10 years by the previous snowbird homeowners. My wish list was long. We worked through the Hortus Oasis process which has three iterations of the plan, and with each draft, more detail is added. We had the option to edit in changes or refinements as we saw it come together on paper. I expect we will avoid expensive mistakes and rework with this customized plan. Some of the add-on information has been very helpful to us also, with a two-page list of plants for our central Florida area. This is on top of the list of perennials planned in the garden design; I expect it is meant to be used as a guide for selecting reliable bedding plants. Much of the advice on when to grow plants from seed is not appropriate for our 9b region, and even the Florida extension office publications did not offer as clear direction on how to adapt to Southern growing seasons as this list has done for me.