Starting a landscape project is one of those moments that’s both exciting and full of questions. You can see what it could become, even if the details aren’t quite lined up yet. That early phase — when you’re asking,  What if we did it like this? — is where a project moves from idea to gameplan.  When it’s right, you feel the click. 

I’m especially drawn to projects where the homeowners have shopped around enough to know there are lots of outdoor living options, but they also know they can’t say yes to everything.  They want an experienced partner to help organize the whole project.

What I help clients do

• Untangle and align layout, circulation, and space planning across the entire property
• Confidently make decisions in the right order — before construction locks them in
• Shape design ideas into clear plans and install-ready documents for costing
• Guide long-term vision — whether that means phasing, simplifying, or going all in

What working together feels like

• Clear direction without pressure
• A sounding board to reality-check ideas and see options together
• Calm decision-making during complex moments
• A shared understanding before installers get involved
• Fewer surprises once construction begins

About Cyn

• Designer and Owner of YesPlease.GARDEN
• Based in the Diablo / Tri-Valley area
• More than two decades living and working locally
• Over 200 landscape designs and 60 local installations
• Founding member, California Native Plant Professionals
• Ongoing involvement with Bringing Back the Natives

Experience I bring to projects

• Local real estate perspective — long-term value and livability
• Interior design training — proportion, flow, and how spaces are used
• Hands-on experience designing and installing for a paver company — how projects are priced and built in practice

Rooted locally

• I live and work here — local conditions and concerns matter 
• My garden – a native habitat – keeps me grounded
• This work brings me long-term relationships, shared projects, and connection to the community