Linda greenberg’s approach to garden and landscape design is rooted in a childhood spent working alongside her mother, where she developed a deep appreciation for how important gardens are to our lives. As an adult, her homes and gardens were often featured in magazines and a coffee table book, entitled Inspired Outdoor Living. When her teenage son asked her to draw a garden design for one of his yard-mowing clients in their country club neighborhood, she agreed, and the neighbor bought the design. After her son had gone to college, Greenberg wanted to continue designing gardens, so in 1996, she started her own company, Linda Greenberg Landscape & Design.
With more than 30 years of experience designing residential gardens and landscapes in Charleston and Charlotte, North Carolina, Greenberg has established herself as a designer who creates spaces that harmonize with homes and their inhabitants. Homeowners and architects appreciate her expertise because she is so knowledgeable about architecture. “I travel a lot, and I’ve built several homes, so I understand the value of a garden to the home’s architecture,” she says.
For Greenberg, the initial consultation is paramount. “During the first meeting, I’m constantly gathering information,” she explains. “I look at the land you have, the landscape you can borrow from what’s around you, the architecture of the home and the arrival sequence from the driveway to your front door. A garden has to reflect the people who live there and respect the architecture.”
This information gathering extends beyond the garden itself. “The moment I walk in the house, I’m paying attention to the client’s art, their rugs, furniture, draperies, their favorite colors and their style,” she explains. She aims to create a seamless transition between interior and exterior spaces, making the outdoors as welcoming as the home’s interior.
The designer first determines how clients intend to use their outdoor space, whether for entertainment, family activities or quiet contemplation. She then considers other requirements, such as accessibility needs, children and pet accommodations. Using texture, color, form, fragrance, balance and repetition, Greenberg designs gardens that entice people to enjoy the outdoors in all seasons.
Since the pandemic, she has observed increased demand for functional outdoor living spaces and notes an improvement in outdoor furnishing options. “There’s so much to choose from these days; a garden room can truly be an extension of the home,” she says.
In addition to gardens and landscapes, Greenberg enjoys creating specialized environments, including herb gardens, children’s gardens, pollinator-friendly plantings and raised planting beds that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. “Gardens can be a source of entertainment as well as being pretty,” she notes.
Addressing Charleston’s specific gardening challenges, particularly during hot summer months, Greenberg advocates for professional irrigation systems. “Summer months are hard on plants here. You need a professional irrigation system, which also gives you a hands-off lifestyle,” she says. Her company offers “mindful gardening” maintenance services that include trimming, weeding and pruning, recognizing that many clients divide time between multiple homes and prefer gardens that don’t demand immediate attention upon arrival.
Greenberg enhances garden environments with water features that add sound, strategically placed sculptures and thoughtful outdoor lighting. “It shouldn’t look like Disneyland; it should be ambient,” she says about lighting design. “There is a gentleman’s agreement in Downtown Charleston that you should prioritize consideration for your neighbors’ views when thinking about lighting and design.”
When advising new clients, Greenberg stresses the importance of working with an experienced professional. “We encourage what we call mindful gardening; what will it look like in five, 10 or 20 years? So many people put things in that will have to be taken out in a few years,” she says. “I help them understand the costs of what they’re envisioning and then optimize their budget. You wouldn’t build a house without talking to an architect or a custom homebuilder, so engaging a professional landscape designer makes sense if you want your home and garden to feel cohesive.”
Beyond design, Greenberg’s firm handles installation of everything from pergolas and stone patios to water features, outdoor kitchens and landscape lighting. Many clients implement her designs in phases, gradually developing dream landscapes as she helps them “continue to add layers.”
In Charleston, a city renowned for its gardens, Greenberg’s work appears in numerous residential and historical landscapes that complement the city’s architectural heritage, creating spaces that delight both residents and visitors. “The time you can gather in a garden, it’s about as close to heaven as you can get,” she says. *
Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.
