Profile
Designing landscapes that are site specific and deepen your relationship with the natural world, while utilizing an open creative process and design system. Our work is the intersection of native plant palettes and modern built environments for people to gather.

Geography
Based in San Francisco Bay Area and working with clients along the West Coast and across the planet.

Project Inquiry

Late fall in El Cerrito

Specialities
Spatial Planning
Schematic Design
Hardscaping
Construction
Planting Palettes
Outdoor Lighting
Furniture Selection
Exterior Finishings
Material Specifications
Water Conservation
Irrigation Plans
Sourcing and Procurement
Project Management
Styling and Curation
Art Direction
Exhibitions
Special Projects
Wayfinding
Rendering Visualization
Permitting

Growing Conditions Newsletter
A newsletter about designing outdoor spaces for living. Spanning beyond the ecological realm, it serves as a resource center that gathers the functional objects, outdoor furniture, and architectural features that give form to gardens. Published alongside personal reflections on running a landscape design studio in California and digging into the various fields of research, tools, and systems.

Subscribe on Substack

Vehicle gates

Full-Service Bespoke

1-4 year engagements
Renovations and new builds
Residential and commercial
Start to finish with project management
2-12 month construction phase
1k square feet up to 5 acres
Deep client collaboration
Starting construction budgets of $75k

Exploration Track

1-month long design sprint
Ideal for first time homeowners
Flexible commitments
Option to morph into full-service project
Low risk, high value
Concept development, spatial plan options, investment outline, and visual directions
Flat design fee at $10k

Project Audit

Site discovery, project scope, opportunities/risks analysis, and phasing plan deliverables
Budget reality check
Pre-purchase property due diligence
Guidance for DIY-ers
Landscape perspectives for other trades
Video call or site-visit depending on geography
Offered at $2k

The path home

Collections
Cooking Housing
Fitness Dining
Edibles Warmth
Playing Pets
Climate Swim

Blooming

01
Programming
Learn from the space that surrounds you in your existing site conditions to gain a deep understanding of the unique vision and desired outcomes.

02
Schematic
Explore multiple conceptual directions to establish guiding themes for the landscape that inform and set the tone for the story moving forward.

03
Development
Layer planting and material palettes together with selections that align with the project goals and meets the needs of the local ecosystem.

04
Documentation
Communicate the design intent thoughtfully through a set of organized plans to guide the installation of the future outdoor space.

Hillside solutions with buckwheats

Sourcing and Procurement
Seamless project delivery with our network of suppliers for plant material, lighting fixtures, and outdoor furniture. Ensuring the original design intent is brought to life.

Implementation and Build
Partnering with landscape contractors, we stay involved through the installation with multiple site visits during the project lifecycle. Often engaging with arborists, electricians, permitting specialists, and plumbers.

Garden Care
You can never really finish a garden. On-going maintenance services through our community of gardeners. For those who would like to care for their garden themselves, we are happy to provide guidance and resources.

Yuccas, Buckwheats, Lemonade Berries

Sidewalk strips

Research and Interests
Natural Playscapes, Home Electrification, Moments of Stillness, Birds, Carbon Capture, ADU Integrations, Multi-Family Developments, Portals and Gateways, Garden Sculptures, Minimalism, Ecological Restoration, Hiking Trips, Wind Chimes, and Intentional Spaces

Standard Features

In-Lite Disc Wall Fixture

Low-Voltage lighting designed in the Netherlands

Staffa, Ferm Living

Outdoor furniture from select brands

Rivian wall charger

EV charging stations

Water Right 50’ hose

No BPA recycled plastic garden hoses

Quercus kelloggii

California native trees for present and future

Rachio Controller

Irrigation systems for smart homes with weather intelligence

Aquor Water System

Leak and corrosion resistant, plug and play hose spigots

Heath Ceramics numbers

Accessories for home exteriors

Design System
Growing series of starting point for landscape design projects. Including a catalog of all potential elements and features you might include in a residential landscape, plus collection of brands and specific products that work well in harmony.

New tree delivery

Tile install week

Sustainability Practices
This practice of gardening intends to create a more equitable world that honors and provides sustainable ecosystems.

Lawn Replacement
Composting Setups
Hand Watering
Permeable Surfaces
Recycled Products
Rainwater Capture
Natural Materials
Habitat Development
Energy Saving Shading
Greywater Systems
Without Artificial Turf
Carbon Capture Concrete
Insect Friendly Lighting

Commercial Projects
Partnering with like-minded firms to explore outdoor spaces that bring their vision to life. Focused on restaurant groups, multifamily residential, property developers, and mid-stage startups.

Trade Partners
Collaborating with architects and interior designers. From holistic large scale projects and smaller scopes where landscape perspectives are needed.

Job Opportunities
Always keeping our eyes open for lovely people to work with. Not actively hiring but feel free to reach out and share work samples and your interests. Ideal team members bring design talent plus project management experience.

Goodnight

Common Questions

Are you available to start now? → Yes. We can move quick. The trees grow bit slower.

How much do projects cost? → Our full-scale projects range from $75k to $5m. We believe in financial transparency and open conversations.

Where do you work? → Anywhere. We’re based in the San Francisco Bay Area but can tackle projects across the country and planet.

How about commercial projects? → Yep. Anything spatial and outside we work with, beyond residential.

What’s the catch with all of this? → Nothing. We’ll design a garden together and you’ll spend the rest of your life enjoying the natural world.

Is climate change real? → Yes.

Lily Bodnar
Founder, Principal Designer
Plantkind is being grown by Lily Bodnar, a queer gardener and artist, with previous experience at design-build firms, native plant nurseries, national design organizations, branding studios, and venture-backed education technology startups.

Native garden tour day

Organizations
Member of AIA SF (American Institute of Architects)
California Native Plant Society.

Background
The design practice began in Oakland, California almost ten years ago in the spring season.