Residential landscape design, featuring stucco seat walls, built-in hot tub, and slate with a low-water landscape of cobble and drought-tolerant shrubs and perennials. Photo: Patrick Crist
PlanIt Forward provides full but flexible landscape design and advising services for those desiring a custom, professionally designed landscape or to simply solve a problem with one part of your property. Patrick Crist has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Landscape Architecture from two of the most esteemed academic programs (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and University of Pennsylvania). He practiced as a registered Landscape Architect in the San Francisco Bay region for several years in one of the largest design-build firms, operated a landscape architecture firm in Idaho, and practiced as a landscape designer in New Mexico and now in Colorado. But, he also built his own ambitious landscapes and knows how things really work in the ground, not just on paper. We provide full but flexible landscape design services so you can choose the level of service ranging from simple hourly consulting all the way through a complete package to see your project through to completion, including:
Free initial consultation to understand your needs and vision
Site analysis and conceptual design that identifies site issues (like drainage, privacy, soils) and opportunities and guidance for the design process
Preliminary design and options showing all features and locations and nature of plantings
Construction drawings that include dimensioned layout and construction specifications for:
Hardscape including decks, patios, paths, entryways, and driveways
Structures such as walls, arbors and pergolas, outdoor kitchens, hot tubs, pools and other water features.
Grading and drainage plans
Planting and irrigation plans and specifications that accommodates four-season interest, low water use and maintenance
Lighting (hardwired and solar)
Construction implementation services including: obtain competitive bids and make recommendations, construction schedule to coordinate sequential or phased installation of features, construction inspection to ensure work is installed per plan and specifications (see also DIY services below).
Or you can opt for simple hourly consulting to give you ideas to address problem areas, identify issues, and provide solutions such as irrigation diagnosis.
Learn more about the benefits of working with an independent landscape designer. Dr. Crist also enjoys working with DIYers as he has taught courses in landscape design and construction for homeowners. Learn more about our special services for DIYers. Services are currently limited to the area from Fort Collins to Denver Colorado.
Contact us for a free, no obligation consultation. After scoping your needs, you will receive a detailed proposal of costs for each desired phase of work. No phase will proceed until you are satisfied (e.g., preliminary design and final design).
Design Portfolio
Scroll through this sample of design projects. PlanIt Forward does not have a set “style” so every project is completely customized to our clients’ needs, taste, and budget. Let’s start with my own home in Anthem Colorado:
Crist Residence, Broomfield Colorado. A floor level deck off the main living space steps down through a wisteria arbor to the flagstone patio. The seatwall is faced with the same stone as the house and capped with flagstone; it accommodates up to 20 people seated but in a compact space. A terra cotta chimnea is used frequently to warm the evenings and make smores.
Crist residence, Broomfield Colorado. This is a view of “the North Garden” from the patio. This area was problematic because of the northern exposure and poor soil conditions. It is now has a verdant and peaceful meadow look with a stone terrace and lush ground covers. Our dogs Kipper and Yogi and their neighbor friend Daisy love to romp through this garden.
This view from the patio shows off the lawn, a low gravity stone wall framing rich and layered plantings, and a stone accent bench on a flagstone pad softened with creeping thyme.The lawn was strategically designed to accommodate volleyball while maintaining a freeform shape. A low fieldstone wall supports the sloping back color bed, layered with screening shrubs and perennials for four-season interest.
Wide, angled steps lead from the main deck down to the garden. Colorful pots on automatic drip irrigation add color without a lot of hassle.
Flagstone on gravel breeze path connects the deck with the vegetable garden in the side yard and is separated from the lawn with a planting island accented with tall aspens, pine, currant, and vinca.
Before (left) and after (right) of owner-built hot tub project replacing a unused gravel patio and unused part of the back yard. Photo below shows Arizona sandstone patio set on top of the old gravel and a mortarless stone seatwall and new plantings.
The South Side yard is home to the raised vegetable garden with two generous beds. Low maintenance gravel and block walls look nice and are functional.
Now let’s explore some other work, recent and from throughout my design career.
Residence in Vista Highlands (Broomfield) Colorado. This new home and bare lot is completed with an expansive entertaining deck, large pergola to provide shade, artificial turf area leveled through use of beautiful hand-set moss rock retaining walls, a flagstone firepit, and low maintenance plantings. The owner used our services to get competitive bids, secure a general contractor for the main construction, then he did a DIY project to finish the pergola and planting.
Conceptual design for Parkside Community Center for the Anthem Highlands Community, Broomfield Colorado. Design addresses recent severe flooding problems, connectivity, and revitalized landscaping.
Residence in Anthem Ranch, Broomfield Colorado. This project (and the selected option below) is a renovation of an existing landscape. It expands the current deck, adds stone patio areas, a new pathway along the side of the house, and strategic new plantings.
A dramatic option with symmetrical, angular deck with stairs down to lower levels. A semi-circular stone patio with glass firepit and bench framed with raised planters overlooks the renovated landscaping.
Organic garden for Peak to Peak School, Lafayette, Colorado. A pro bono project for my kids’ school; this garden contains 9 raised beds in a dramatic pattern, fruit tree terrace for outdoor classroom teaching, a grape pergola to shade instructors, “the field” for large plantings, a predator and pollinator preserve hedgerow, and storage shed.
Residence, Atherton California. Do you like modern? Check! This project was all about sleek and stylish but with adjoining outdoor garden rooms to soften things up.
Residence, Menlo Park, California. Pergolas are a garden favorite for framing, sheltering, and shading outdoor rooms. They can be painted or natural, freestanding or attached to the home.
Residence, Redwood City California. Details matter! I love to work with the flexible and durable flagstones cut and natural. This geometric stepping stone walk from the driveway to a garden entrance is softened with groundcover plantings.
Residence, Atherton California. Another path connecting a flagstone framed patio to a guest house. The rigid square stepping stones transition to natural stones with groundcover interplanted.
Preliminary design for residence in Atherton, CA
Custom carpentry details
Residence, San Mateo California. Custom fencing and gateway from the driveway to garden.
Residence, Atherton California. Exquisite carpentry and masonry created this stunning terrace with lattice screens off the dining room.
Residence, Atherton California. An outdoor kitchen. Brick with tile, built in pizza oven, grill, sink, and mini-fridge.
Residence, Palo Alto California. This large lot with an older home was on a busy street. A masonry wall wasn’t permitted to block sound so a “sound fence” was built with stucco-faced wood panels to block the noise and match the homes architecture. A driveway had encircled the home so a new garage and loop drive were built, new garden walkway to the front door, sunken slate patio with hot tub pedestal, English garden plantings, and lawn. See photos below.
Residence, Palo Alto California. Pebbled concrete walk with slate bands framed with flowering cherry trees lead to the front door and garden patio.
Residence, Palo Alto California. Sunken slate patio and slate capped stucco seat/terrace walls match the home’s exterior.
Residence, Palo Alto California. Slate jacuzzi pedestal gives an elevated view out over the sunken patio and English-style gardens under mature oak trees.
Residence, Atherton California. Conceptual plan for a pool and hot tub built into a steep slope (see photo below).
Residence, Atherton California. This dramatic pool setting is on a terrace with raised hot tub/waterfall (above right). A series of retaining walls of various materials notch the pool area into the steep slope. Cool, light colored pool decking steps down to a rich, dark brown brick patio framed with stone and brick-capped seat walls to complete the terrace effect.
Residence, Woodside Californial. Dry stacked stone wall and layered plantings.
Residence, Redwood City California. Conceptual plan for a swimming pool terrace on a steep slope with waterfall/hot tub. Green/black plaster gives a natural look. See photo below.
Residence, Redwood City California. Fieldstone terrace walls and pool/hot tub combination with flagstone, tile, and concrete decking.
Salvaged grape arbor with teak bench overlooking formal rose garden, California.
This next section includes many swimming pools and environs and larger estates.
Residence, Palo Alto California. This stunning pool and hot tub is edged in flagstone with green-black plaster to create a natural pond appearance.
Residence, San Mateo California. This small lot had an ambitious program (see following photographs) with dramatic new Spanish tile entrance, terraces, and covered lap pool with built in hot tub.
See above for description
See above for description
Residence, Woodside California. This large estate includes expansive terrace patios, pool, pergola, lawns, and custom walls to match the English style home. See the following plans and photos.
Residence, Woodside California. Master plan for above estate included large circular front drive with ample parking, access for horse barn, expansive lawn/horse pasture, broad brick terrace and pool terrace with arbor, formal rose garden, and connecting paths. Continue below to see more plans and photos.
Residence, Woodside California. Careful grading and drainage was critical to the success of this project on a large sloping lot.
Residence, Woodside California. This estate had room to display a wide variety of plantings ranging from native, drought tolerant plants around the periphery to formal rose garden and colorful English country garden beds.
Residence, Woodside California. Broad brick-on-sand terraces are framed with stucco and brick capped walls and lovely teak furniture to overlook the horse pasture.
Residence, Woodside California. The pool terrace includes a covered lap pool, adjoining hot tub, and timber arbor draped with wisteria vines.
Residence, Woodside California. Construction detail drawings ensure the custom touch to personalize this estate’s gardens and harmonize it with the home.
Residence, Woodside California. An intimate dining nook by the pool overlooking the horse pasture.
Residence, Woodside California. A simple redwood bridge and path span a small creek through a redwood grove. A custom redwood bench provides a resting point.
Residence, Palo Alto California. An impeccably designed and crafted jacuzzi platform make use of a side nook off the master bedroom.
Residence, San Carlos California. A steep slope between the drive and front door was solved with a series of redwood steps and landings and fieldstone terrace walls for a stunning approach to the home.
Residence, San Carlos California. See description above.
Residence, Atherton California. A dated 1960s yard and pool were renovated with new, colored concrete framed with cut flagstone, paths, new lawn and plantings, a private master patio and path leading to the hot tub.
Residence, Menlo Park California. This large side yard was unused lawn so a naturalistic pool, elevated hot tub/waterfall, decking, and rich plantings were added. See photo below.
Residence, Menlo Park California. Pool with raised hot tub, pebbled concrete and brick trim.
Several more Colorado designs are on the way, stay tuned!
