About
Viola Gardens
Dream. Design. Create. Artscape.
Jessica Viola is founder and owner of Viola Gardens Design, Viola Living Jewels and author of A Hundred Bells: Understanding Patterns in Nature on the Path to Empowerment.
Jessica is one of Southern California’s most sought after landscape designers, having spent the past two decades cultivating a design portfolio based on regenerative, whole-system solutions and artistic vision. Jessica is likewise one of just a few fully licensed, bonded and female landscape contractor's in the state of California. Her in-house design crew is currently fully women led and all team members are certified in Permaculture Design.
Jessica approaches each project as a unique reflection of her client’s dreams and desires in relationship with the needs of the garden, the architecture, and the land.
Her career started in 1999, doing landscape construction and habitat restoration with the native plants of the San Francisco Bay Area. Jessica went on to receive her certification in Earth Architecture from the world-renowned Cal-Earth Institute, and her teacher-training certificate in Permaculture and Environmental Design from Earthflow and the Permaculture Institute in New Mexico. Jessica has taught permaculture at Santa Monica College and Pepperdine University, and hosted workshops throughout Southern California.
Throughout the years she has cultivated a diverse portfolio of regenerative hardscape solutions; creative drought-tolerant and native plant palettes; hillside erosion control techniques; artistic botanic creations; edible garden designs; and a deep knowledge base in organic garden care and maintenance- all within her unique modern aesthetic.
Viola Gardens employs a full range of hardscaping and softscaping techniques that range from poured in place pavers, patios, uniquely designed built-in structures such as fire-pits, water features and retaining walls, pergolas, decks and irrigation systems. With expert knowledge of plant systems and species, we employ a keen focus on the artistic placement and ecological use of wide array of site-appropriate plants in the landscape garden. We also employ natural building and hardscape techniques, using recycled and renewable resources as much as possible to minimize the carbon footprint of our projects. We encourage the use of grey water and drip irrigation systems, as well as solar lighting whenever possible.
Most importantly, we believe that each garden is a unique expression of our clients and the land, and we strive to integrate and reflect the unique personalities of our clients, their dreams and desires, as well as the seamless flow between the needs of the garden and its relationship with both the architecture and the people.
Rather than imposing design solutions, we believe in arriving at solutions that are integrative and holistic. We strive to find a balance between people and the landscapes in which they live, fostering deeper relationships and connections between both mother nature and human nature.
Environmental Stewardship
“Viola Gardens was born out of a passionate and life-long love for nature, beauty and art. Inspired by the possibilities inherent when these elements come together in the garden, there is nothing more sublime, calming and heartening than watching and nurturing life as it grows. Employing the principles of environmental design, I approach each project with the intent of creating a space that uniquely suits the personality and lifestyles of my clients, exists in harmony with the architecture of the space, is ecologically responsible, restorative and functional, and ultimately creates the conditions for unfolding beauty, over and over, in time. In nature, the remedy always grows right next to the poison. By building functional connections in a diverse landscape, I can arrive at design solutions with clients that culminate in abundance and beauty.” – Jessica Viola
As permaculture designers, there are three commitments we make:
To care for the planet
To care for people
To extend all resources and energy towards those first two ends
To create a garden is to create a sanctuary, a place of rest and contemplation, a place of discovery and wild imagining, a place to cultivate relationships, a place to sing, a place to laugh, a place to cry, a place to feel the vesistitude of experience inherent in being alive. In short, a garden is a place to BE.
The wisdom of the garden is in that nothing exists inside a freeze frame - it is a constant and shifting, LIVING, piece of art - a place in space and a single moment in time. Each moment, each thought, each seed, each song creates the conditions for what will grow next. Dream. Dream Big.
All dreams are possible.
Our Team
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Jessica Viola
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Kelcie
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Kian
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Courtney
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Tyler
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Mike