What Will Be Their Experience? Designing for People, Not Just Plants

Most people think landscape design is about plants.

They’re not wrong, exactly. Plants matter. We think carefully about which ones will bloom, which ones will thrive, which ones can survive a Colorado summer without throwing in the towel.

But that’s not really what we’re doing here at The Happy Gardener.

What we’re actually designing for is people.

We Ask a Different Question

Before a single shrub goes into the ground, we ask: What will be their experience?

When someone pulls into the neighborhood after a long day—will they feel proud of what they see?

When a kid rides by on their scooter—will they stop and look at the flowers?

When someone walks their dog down the sidewalk—will they pause, just for a moment, to notice the soft movement of ornamental grasses in the wind?

That’s the real work. Not just what grows—but what grows on you.

Designing with Emotion in Mind

Most landscapes are designed to check boxes.

✔ Curb appeal

✔ Low maintenance

✔ HOA-compliant

✔ Done

But that’s not enough for us.

We want your outdoor space to make you feel something.

Maybe it’s relief when the first green shoots push through in early spring.Maybe it’s delight when your peonies bloom for the first time in year three.Maybe it’s connection—when your neighbors stop to ask what kind of tree that is, and you get to say, “Let me tell you about the Royal Raindrops Crabapple.”

When we design, we’re thinking about you. Your family. Your routines. What it means to feel at home in a place that reflects care, intention, and joy.

Nature Isn’t Random—It’s Intentional

There’s a myth that nature is wild and random. But if you look closely, you’ll see it’s anything but.

Grasses grow where they belong. Flowers lean toward the sun. Trees space themselves according to wind and water and need.

So when we design your landscape, we’re not trying to “tame” nature—we’re co-creating with it. And that means placing things not just for visual balance, but for human experience.

• A bench under dappled shade, because you like to sit with your morning coffee.

• A burst of color at the entrance, because your kids notice flowers first.

• A quiet corner with soft grasses, because we all need somewhere to breathe.

A Garden Is a Relationship

It’s easy to forget that a garden isn’t a transaction. It’s a relationship.

Between you and the plants. Between you and your neighbors. Between the seasons and your senses.

That’s what we’re building at The Happy Gardener—not just beautiful yards, but living, breathing experiences that invite you in and offer you something back.

So yes, we design with plants. But we do it for people.

Because that’s who it’s really for.