Green 17 Design

04/19/2026

12/17/2025

Winter invites a different kind of work. Not the quick pace of spring or the abundance of summer, but reflection, assessment, and clear-eyed planning.

It’s the season to walk the garden and study its structure, to contemplate what should change come spring, and to let the landscape evolve naturally.

Winter also asks for humility. A reminder that every garden moves through cycles of growth and rest, and that good design respects those rhythms rather than working against them.

At Green 17, this pause is essential. We simplify, observe, and refine—so the seasons ahead can intensify what matters most.

12/11/2025

Night-blooming euphorbia comes alive when the rest of the garden settles. Its flowers open in the evening, attracting nocturnal pollinators and extending the garden’s activity beyond daylight.

We’re drawn to plants that work this way—resilient, ecologically useful, and responsive to natural rhythms. They help shape landscapes that thrive over a full 24-hour cycle, not just the sunlit hours.

12/01/2025

MATERIAL STUDY | Corten steel is a material we return to often—for its strength, longevity, and the way its surface evolves with time. The rusted patina protects the structure beneath, giving it permanence while allowing it to feel rooted in the landscape.

Here, we shaped the material into a sculptures, gateways, retaining walls, fountains.

Good design should be lasting, intentional, and alive to change—all characteristics embodied by this enduring, metamorphic material.

11/27/2025

On this day of thanks, we’re grateful for the people who make our work possible.

Good design starts with good people—our team, our clients, our collaborators, our vendors, and everyone who brings their craft, insight, and trust to each project.

From all of us at Green 17, thank you for being part of our work and this journey.

11/20/2025

Timing Is Everything

Fall is the season of preparation: Cut back what’s finished. Mulch what needs protection. Plant trees, bulbs, and perennials while the soil is still warm. Clean tools. Check irrigation. Compost generously.

Good gardens start with good timing.

11/19/2025

Samhain—an ancient Celtic festival marking the end of harvest and the start of the darker season—is a useful reminder of how closely human life has always followed the agricultural calendar.

Here in California, that shift is visible across Napa and Sonoma as grapes hit peak ripeness and vineyards move into their final picks. As landscape architects, we work with these cycles directly. Seasonal timing, soil temperature, and regional climate inform what we plant, how a site performs, and how a landscape matures over time.

11/12/2025

As days shorten and the sun sets sooner, the garden doesn’t go dark—it shifts.

Lighting is part of our process from the start. We consider how a space will feel after sundown: how people move through it, where they pause, and how light can guide without overwhelming.

A cluster of lanterns hung from a tree canopy. A fire pit tucked into a sheltered nook. Lights set between concrete joints—warm enough to lead the way, subtle enough to let the landscape remain itself.