Beauty and the Feast
creating beautiful outdoor spaces with an emphasis on native and edible plants
I grew up close to the San Gabriel mountains, in Southern California, and spent much of my childhood exploring the streams and mountains around my home. This instilled in me a great love and respect for our wild California landscapes. I have always created art, and attended Bennington College, where I received my BA in Sculpture and Painting,
When my daughter was young, I began studying Permaculture and Landscape Design at Merritt College, in Oakland. I was driven by my desire to have a positive impact on the environment.
We are blessed with an exceptional climate in the Bay Area. There is an amazing variety of Native California plants to choose from, which have evolved to flourish in our native soils, and in the many micro-climates around the Bay Area. Using Native plants is also the best way to support local wildlife, from bees and birds to the microbes and mycelium of the soil.
We have all become more aware of how our choices impact the earth, globally and locally. A key element to Permaculture is producing food and habitat for We human residents. There are many ways we can ease our individual impact on the earth, and also improve our health and overall well-being. I believe there is a special connection and nourishment in what we grow close to where we live. When we see and smell the plants, and the soils that they grow, it completes the circle of food and life.
We can grow food and herbs, medicinal and culinary, year round. I enjoy working with my clients, sharing my knowledge of gardening, and my love of the earth. Growing food, and building soil, by composting at home, are some ways to give back to the earth, that gives so plentifully to all of us.
Miri Malmquist
Bachelor of Arts from Bennington College
Certification of Proficiency from Merritt College in Landscape Design and Construction
Certified Bay-Friendly Qualified Landscape Maintenance Professional