Diana Stratton Design Team

Diana Stratton's Team

Diana Diana Stratton
Landscape Designer

Diana Stratton started working in local landscaping over 25 years ago when she worked in her family's nursery in Santa Rosa. This experience coupled with inspiration from the gardens of Europe's wine growing regions, has created "understated elegance" as her design vision. With reference to Europe's wine producing areas, Diana finds Sonoma County has many similarities in both climate and topography; she completes this association by combining the look of ancient stone structures, pergolas, stone walls, moss covered brick - with cascading old roses, ornamental grasses and unusual perennials used for leaf texture and color. She accents her designs with antique urns, pottery, stone fountains and simple garden furniture made of willow, wood, iron or perhaps a hand cut stone bench. Diana's aim is to give a new garden the appearance of a long established and mature garden.

Diana was published in Smith and Hawken's 1998 "Secret Garden" calendar for a Healdsburg garden. Smith and Hawken considered thousands of photos of European and United States gardens and selected Diana's Fitch Mountain Site. She says, "I am honored to be representing Sonoma County." Another of Diana's Sonoma County gardens - one located in the Dry Creek Valley area was featured in the November, 1998 issue of Kitchen Garden magazine.

Side Gate Brian Columbia
Planning and Landscape Design

Brian has assisted Diana Stratton with design projects since 1996. His background and creative talents lend a vital role in all phases of the design process. His design treatment for incorporating natural elements of structure and plantings result in timeless serine designs that can complement modern, rustic and Asian inspired residences. His vast knowledge of plants provides a creative, and aesthetic design approach to such challenging planting plans in deer and drought tolerance areas.Brian received his Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from California State Poltecnic University in 1965. For the next 10 years, Brian went on to provide landscape planning and design services for various San Francisco Landscape firms. Projects included commercial, single and multi-residential projects, parks, highway and roadside planning projects throughout the bay area. In 1976 Brian purchased and ran Mark West nursery in Sonoma County until 1993. The nursery allowed him to broaden his knowledge of unique and unusual plant material working with wholesale and specialty nurseries throughout California. This knowledge helped him discern a creative and practical approach of plant use in Sonoma County.

Brian continues to assist Diana to create unique, original landscape Designs for her discerning clients and growing business.