Direction
Alexandra Renoir
Principal Designer
— APLD Certified
Signature installation
Rancho Santa Fe
Reflecting Garden
Two acres of formal parterre, a hand-laid Connecticut bluestone terrace, and a 60-foot reflecting pool that mirrors the Cleveland sage hedge at dusk. Twenty-two months from first sketch to final planting—and the rose garden is just beginning its second bloom cycle.
- Site
- 2.1 acres · Rancho Santa Fe
- Disciplines
- Masterplan, hardscape, water, lighting
- Completed
- Spring 2024
- Stewardship
- Estate plan, weekly visits
Studio expertise
Our
services
From first sketch to seasonal stewardship — we manage every detail of your outdoor legacy.
01
Bespoke Garden Design
CAD-rendered masterplans tailored to your architecture and lifestyle.
02
Hardscape Fabrication
Hand-laid stone, custom pergolas, fire features, and water elements.
03
Luxury Planting Design
Curated specimen trees, topiaries, and seasonal color rotations.
04
Outdoor Living Spaces
Fully furnished kitchen, lounge, and entertainment areas.
05
Lighting Architecture
Low-voltage art lighting that showcases your garden after dark.
06
White-Glove Maintenance
Dedicated crew visits, detailed care logs, and seasonal refreshes.
Selected work
Portfolio
2023 — 2024
2023
Casa Cielo — Rancho Santa Fe
2.4-acre formal garden, reflecting pool, rose parterre, bespoke water feature
Project investment: $420,000
2024
Villa del Mar — La Jolla Shores
Blufftop infinity terrace, sculptural agave garden, specimen olive grove
Project investment: $285,000
2023
The Whitmore Estate — Del Mar
French parterre, boxwood allées, croquet lawn, custom pergola dining
Project investment: $340,000
Studio process
Seven
movements
Every commission moves through a deliberate sequence—from the first walk of your land to the season we hand it over and beyond. A typical estate occupies the studio for fourteen to twenty-two months. Some longer.
- I
The Walk
A half-day on your land. We sketch grade, sun arcs, sight lines, and the trees that must stay.
- II
The Brief
A written manifesto of the garden you want—and the one your land is asking for. Often these are different.
- III
Conceptual Plan
Hand-rendered masterplan in watercolor and pencil. Presented in our La Jolla studio over an unhurried morning.
- IV
Construction Documents
CAD, grading, irrigation, lighting, planting palettes. Drawings precise enough that the masonry contractor never has to call.
- V
Build
Our own crews, our own equipment yard. Single point of accountability through inspection.
- VI
Planting & Lighting
Specimen trees first, sourced from California growers. Lighting calibrated by hand after dark on three consecutive evenings.
- VII
Stewardship
Weekly white-glove care. Care logs, a named horticulturist, and an annual walk to keep the design intentional.
Client words
"Meridian transformed our property into something we never thought possible. Every detail was considered, every plant chosen with intention."
Catherine R. — Rancho Santa Fe
"The team understood our vision before we could articulate it. Working with them was effortless and the result is extraordinary."
James & Priya W. — La Jolla
Credentials
Certified excellence
Every project is led by licensed designers with deep expertise in horticulture, construction, and estate stewardship.
APLD Certified DesignerCLCA MemberLEED AccreditedCalifornia C-27 Licensed
Masthead
The Studio
Issue 17
Craft
James Whitfield
Master Craftsman
Horticulture
Natalie Park
Horticulturist
— Certified Horticulturist
Operations
Diego Varela
Project Manager
Together the studio has thirty-eight years of practice. We accept four to six new commissions per calendar year.
Begin
Start the
conversation
We accept a limited number of new projects each season. We would love to hear about yours.
(858) 555-0202 · studio@meridiandesignbuild.com