natural designs

While focusing on naturalistic watershapes and finely crafted garden spaces, northern California’s Rick Driemeyer has developed an unusual specialty in creating environments that are safe and nurturing for a variety of animal species. This wrinkle, he says, allows him to explore his passion for nature, but it also informs his plant choices, determines the configurations of his watershapes and necessitates unusually close interaction with clients.

Safe Havens

It’s one of the unavoidable results of living in urban or suburban areas: People who dwell in mostly built environments feel cut off from nature. This, of course, is one of the reasons why ponds and streams have become so popular among so many homeowners. Adding spice to the sauce, I’ve found in recent years that this desire for naturalistic watershapes and elaborate gardens has also been attended by a desire on the parts of many of my clients to attract various forms of wildlife to participate in the setting. And it’s not just about fish in their ponds: With increasing frequency, my clients are also asking me to design and build spaces that will comfortably host a variety of creatures, including