Rosmarin Landscape Design

Ann has been a godsend in helping us develop a steep Sonoma County hillside behind our house. Our goal was to dig out part of the hillside and put in a 45 foot pool, to build a deck around the pool and to then terrace and plant the remaining hillside behind the pool. The project is not quite complete at this point but all the hardscaping is done and it looks absolutely beautiful! Although Ann is not a landscape architect she was instrumental in designing the deck surrounding the pool, in designing the contours of the retaining walls used in the terracing, in determining the type of stone used as well as in designing the shape and materials used to create a beautiful meandering staircase going up the hillside to the 3 terrace levels. She advised the deck contractor and the stone mason throughout each phase of the building process. We are now about to plant the hillside and Ann has provided some beautiful color sketchs of the terraced hillside and the plants she thinks would work well in our microclimate. She came up with the designs after lengthy discussions with us on our preferences. She has a spectacular eye for color, texture and scent and her designs reflect her desire to create a garden that has year round appeal. Her designs are exquisite and focus heavily on native California plants accented by others from South African, Australia and the Mediterranean region. These blend in perfectly with the oaks and olive trees already on the property as well as with the rolling hills which surround it. There is a smooth and effortless transition going from the planted garden into the surrounding hillside and meadows. Ann is pleasure to work with, is very responsive and is both personal and professional. I couldn’t be happier with the work she’s done for us and recommend her without reservation!

Ann is so wonderful to work with! She has an encyclopedic knowledge of plants and a superb understanding of color and texture (after all, she is a fine painter as well). She started our project by sitting down with me and talking, looking at books and gardens, seeking to know my preferences but also opening my eyes to new possibilities.

We bought a house from flippers. The backyard was essentially a messy blank slate filled with weeds, junk and yards of cheap mulch but with a great view. We wanted to create an outdoor living space that would borrow that view and continue it into our yard but the task was beyond overwhelming and we had no idea where to even start. We created a mood book and began to meet with a number of designers in the area. After meeting with Ann, we knew we had found a partner in design. She came and truly listened to our wants, needs and grasped our design esthetic almost immediately. Given that we had over a quarter of an acre and a relatively tight budget this would be no easy design feat! Ann worked diligently with patience, love and wit to reshape our yard into an oasis for us to enjoy for years to come. Ann was with us all the way from design to overseeing the implementation by our contractor. In fact, Ann also found us a great contractor to implement the design and worked flawlessly with them. Ann is an absolute joy to work with and we shall continue our relationship for years to come!!

Ann Rosmarin helped me convert my large quarter acre 100% sun exposed front yard into a native plant oasis. She skillfully selected Mediterranean, South African and California native plants that create a beautiful flow of flowers and texture and when they're not flowering, the grasses catch your eye. I highly recommend her services, no matter how large or small. She keeps you informed throughout the project, is a delightful, very funny individual whose humor I love and she will work with your budget needs as needed.

My husband and I hired Ann Rosmarin to re-design our front gardens in our century home in Cleveland. At our initial meeting she asked to spend time inside our home because she wanted to know how we would enjoy the gardens from inside the house which was something I had not really appreciated in the past but certainly do now. It has been five years since we worked together and my gardens have continued to look lovelier and healthier each year. Her thoughtful and careful planning ensured that I have something pleasing to enjoy throughout the year. .

Ann is a consummate professional with a keen appreciation of the opportunities presented by a site and its owner's vision. Her designs are elegant, timeless, and also sustainable. She really understands the biome she is working with, the maintenance regime required, and the costs of both installation and sustenance. Ann is a delight to collaborate with. She presents many inspired options, and provides as little or as much direction as you require. Five years have passed since I worked with Ann. I am delighted to report today that my gardens are a daily delight and inspiration, that they have been readily sustainable, and that they are becoming more beautiful each year.

Ann worked with us on our property for several years. It was a century house with 2 acres of lawn and overgrown gardens. Ann laid out a design to rebuild existing gardens and created new planting areas. Ann is very professional and easy to deal with. Key to her success is her ability to listen. I am very meticulous with strong feelings about how I wanted the gardens to look. She worked to incorporate my desired plant material and suggestions into her designs and convincingly steered me in different directions where appropriate which resulted in magnificent gardens beyond my initial expectations. Ann is very knowledgeable about every aspect of her work and has an impressive artistic style which came to life thru color, textures and shape as she executed our plan. She was tireless frequently working along side her installers to achieve a desired look. Work was completed on time and on budget. We became friends overs the years she worked with us. I continue to follow her work on her own California gardens thru FB. She is the best. I recommend her enthusiastically and without hesitation.

In 1996, we hired Rosmarin Landscape Design first to design some English borders--and we ended up having Ann design a series of European gardens around our 1912 Historic house in the following years. Ann has a good eye, and she is really good at thinking around the four seasons, not just the sunny ones. She is really good at incorporating hardscaping and water features as well as plant material. Not only do I love my own gardens that she created, but I am happy to have seen beautiful work in other styles that she designed for others in the Cleveland area.

We had the pleasure of working with Ann on our butterfly garden. Her knowledge of pollinator plants and her ability to create swaths of color in a challenging hillside garden were phenomenal. Our butterfly garden is now a gorgeous meadow visited daily by colorful butterflies! Ann also designed a tropical Thai garden for one of the Botanical Garden's Flower Shows. Her design was simply lovely. Beautiful tropicals were arranged in a very zen-like design around a seating area evoking a calming and very comfortable garden retreat.