FAQ
What services do you offer?
Living Systems Studio is a Los Angeles-based landscape design studio offering end-to-end garden design and installation throughout Los Angeles County, specializing in California native gardens, drought-tolerant landscapes, edible and kitchen gardens, pollinator gardens, therapeutic and sensory gardens, fire-resistant firescaping, and restored native habitats.
We also design and install hardscape elements like pergolas, outdoor kitchens and dining areas, water features, and swim spas to create complete outdoor living spaces for Los Angeles homeowners.
Beyond design and build, we offer ongoing garden care and maintenance services to keep your Los Angeles garden thriving season after season. Explore our services or get in touch to tell us about your project.
How does the design and build process work?
At Living Systems Studio, our Los Angeles garden design and build process begins with a consultation where we get to know you, your outdoor space, and your vision — whether that's a drought-tolerant California native garden, an edible kitchen garden, or a full outdoor living space.
From there, we develop a custom design tailored to your site's microclimate, soil conditions, and aesthetic, complete with a detailed plant palette and layout plan.
Once the design is approved, we manage the installation from start to finish, coordinating any contractors and sourcing plants and materials that align with our commitment to ecological responsibility and Southern California's unique growing conditions.
After installation, we offer ongoing care and maintenance services to ensure your Los Angeles garden establishes well and continues to thrive season after season. Get in touch to start the conversation about your project.
Do you provide maintenance services after garden installation?
Yes — Living Systems Studio offers ongoing garden care and maintenance services throughout Los Angeles County to keep your garden healthy, beautiful, and ecologically thriving long after installation is complete. Our maintenance services are tailored to the specific needs of your garden, whether that's a California native landscape, a drought-tolerant garden, an edible kitchen garden, or a pollinator habitat, ensuring each plant community gets the seasonal care it needs to establish and flourish in Southern California's climate.
Founded by certified UC Master Gardener and California Native Plant Landscaper Meg Glasser, Living Systems Studio brings the same depth of horticultural knowledge to garden care as we do to design and installation. Learn more about our care and maintenance services or get in touch to discuss an ongoing maintenance plan for your Los Angeles garden.
How can I contact you?
You can reach us anytime via our contact page or by emailing hello@livingsystems.studio. We aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day.
Do you offer edible garden design services in the Los Angeles area?
Yes — edible gardens are one of our specialties at Living Systems Studio, from kitchen gardens and raised beds to tea and medicinal herb gardens. Working from our base in Los Angeles, we serve clients throughout LA County, designing productive spaces that fit your household's needs, aesthetic, and the rhythms of Southern California's growing seasons.
Our founder, Meg Glasser, is a certified UC Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver, bringing both horticultural depth and a genuine love of growing food to every project. We take the time to understand how you and your family want to use the space — whether that's harvesting salad greens year-round, growing a cutting garden, or creating an outdoor kitchen garden — and design something as beautiful as it is productive. Get in touch to share your vision.
Do you specialize in building landscapes with California native plants?
Yes — California native plants are at the heart of much of what we do at Living Systems Studio, and our founder, Meg Glasser, is a certified California Native Plant Landscaper through the Theodore Payne Foundation.
We specialize in weaving natives like salvias, buckwheats, toyon, and ceanothus into designs that are beautiful, water-wise, and ecologically alive — attracting native pollinators, supporting local wildlife, and restoring a sense of place to your outdoor space. Every garden we design works with Southern California's unique climate rather than against it, which means less water, less maintenance, and a landscape that genuinely belongs here. Get in touch to start designing your native garden.
What are the benefits of hiring a California native plant expert for your garden design in Los Angeles?
A native plant expert brings deep knowledge of which species thrive in your specific microclimate — whether you're near the coast, in the foothills, or dealing with an urban heat island — and how to combine them into a garden that's resilient from day one.
Because California natives evolved in our Mediterranean climate, a well-designed native garden requires significantly less water and maintenance than conventional landscaping, saving you money while supporting local pollinators and wildlife.
At Living Systems Studio, founder Meg Glasser's certification as a California Native Plant Landscaper through the Theodore Payne Foundation means every plant we select has a purpose — ecological, aesthetic, and practical. Get in touch to see what a native garden could look like for your space.
Where do you offer your landscape design services?
Living Systems Studio is based in Los Angeles and serves clients throughout Los Angeles County, including Santa Monica, Pasadena, Altadena, Burbank, Glendale, Long Beach, Culver City, Silver Lake, Echo Park, West Hollywood, Koreatown, Inglewood, El Sereno, Torrance, El Monte, and the San Fernando Valley communities of Sherman Oaks, Studio City, and Encino.
We work with private homeowners, schools, and community organizations to design and install gardens that are beautifully suited to Southern California's climate and ecology. Get in touch to find out how we can transform your outdoor space.
What are your rates?
At Living Systems Studio, our garden design and installation pricing reflects our commitment to living wages, sustainable practices, and high-quality craftsmanship, while remaining competitive for Los Angeles homeowners, schools, and community organizations. Because every outdoor space in Los Angeles is unique — varying in size and scope — we provide custom quotes tailored to your specific project, whether that's a California native garden, a drought-tolerant landscape, an edible kitchen garden, or a full outdoor living space with hardscape. Get in touch to request a custom quote for your Los Angeles garden project.
How do I choose a landscape designer experienced in drought-tolerant gardens in Los Angeles?
Look for a designer with deep knowledge of California native plants — salvias, buckwheats, manzanita, and others that evolved in our Mediterranean climate and thrive with little to no supplemental water once established. Since Los Angeles has significant microclimatic variety across the coast, foothills, and inland valleys, experience in your specific neighborhood matters.
The best designers approach drought tolerance ecologically, considering soil health, pollinators, and plant communities — not just aesthetics — and will provide a clear plant list, care guidance, and an irrigation plan tailored to your conditions.
At Living Systems Studio, founder Meg Glasser holds certifications as a California Native Plant Landscaper and UC Master Gardener, and every garden we design works with Southern California's climate rather than against it.