top of page
Elder Creek Design Studios
Landscape Architecture
The Sandbox



Exploring the thoughtwork that drives quality design
for our clients | for the profession


Oaks over Bays
An upland tree strategy for Northern California Why and when to choose Oaks over Bays When managing the long-term health of rural properties, we often need to remove trees. While each situation has its own unique circumstances, as a general rule, we choose Oaks over Bays in most upland situations. Bay trees are hosts to Sudden Oak Death, with clear data showing higher Sudden Oak Death infection rates based on proximity to Bays. In most cases, this tends to be an easy decisio
rick9162
Apr 122 min read


Should We Claim Existing Carbon Assets as our Own?
What is the moral and practical stance on claiming existing sequestration assets when developing a new project? This is a hotly debated...
rick9162
Jun 23, 20233 min read


3 Critical Stages in the Growth of Your Gardens
What can i expect once my contractor finishes installing our gardens? The day your landscape is finished, the plantings will look more...
rick9162
Jun 23, 20232 min read


You finally finished the install! What to expect next.
Congratulations! You finally wrapped up the journey of construction. It can feel long and arduous for some of our clients and exciting...
rick9162
Jun 3, 20232 min read


Succulents and Sagebrush, The Future of Sonoma County landscapes?
At last fall's ASLA Conference in San Francisco, I was lucky enough to share a table with a grad student committed to carbon solutions...
rick9162
May 12, 20232 min read


Can i really have a carbon negative landscape? and a pool? and concrete patios, and everything else.
Probably Not at least not in any reasonable timeline. The truth of the matter is that many of our lifestyle choices and many of the...
rick9162
May 12, 20233 min read
bottom of page