While this was a great experience, I longed to have "something to show" for my efforts besides written plans and documents. I came to landscape architecture out of a desire to combine my background in environmental sciences and ecology with my interest in art, gardening and creative, hands on work.   I returned to school in 1987, and began a three-year master's program in landscape architecture at the University of Massachusetts School of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning.

In 1990 after graduating, I formed Sarah Shepard Landscape Design. My interest in designing highly detailed, smaller-scale landscapes led me to focus on residential design.   I began my journey, learning what plants grow well here, getting to know the landscape contractors and nurseries, discovering local building materials, all the while drawing inspiration from the natural landscapes of the Berkshires and southern Vermont.

Today my company remains a one-woman operation. The Luddite in me has steered away from computer aided design, and all my plans are drawn by hand and hand-rendered in colored pencil. I have had the pleasure of seeing hundreds of my designs built over the past years.  

My style continues to be heavily influenced by the local ecology and plant communities, an interest in native species and the idea that landscapes are to be experienced by more than just the eyes.   I create outdoor spaces for people to relax, play, entertain, retreat and explore.   Experience has taught me that making good plant choices, proper site preparation and installation and careful consideration of my client's needs and desires will yield a landscape that will thrive, improve with age and be enjoyed for many years.