A garden should feel like it has always belonged—a seamless conversation between land, light, and the rhythms of the seasons. At Adam Woodruff LLC, we design immersive, naturalistic landscapes that unfold with nuance, where every planting feels purposeful yet spontaneous, refined yet deeply alive.
We work with discerning clients who seek more than a garden—they want an experience. Our designs are richly layered, drawing from the surrounding environment to create living compositions that evolve, surprise, and compel. From sculptural meadows that dance in the wind to sophisticated woodland edges that embrace a quiet sense of mystery, each project is site-specific, immersive, and deeply personal. We draw inspiration from the untamed beauty of wild landscapes and the visionaries who have expanded the language of planting design—interpreted through our own distinct perspective.
At the core of our practice is a reverence for plants—their form, texture, and movement. We compose with an artist’s eye, blending native species, ornamental grasses, and perennials in painterly sweeps, ensuring that beauty is never fleeting. Whether it’s a bold seasonal display of lush tropicals or a softly structured matrix that ages with grace, our work is about balance—wild yet intentional, dynamic yet enduring.
We guide every step of the process, from plant selection to layout and installation oversight, collaborating with leading landscape architects where needed to shape a cohesive, timeless vision. The result? Gardens that are not just spaces, but narratives—written in layers of foliage, bloom, and shifting light.
These are landscapes that unfold with time, revealing new beauty in every season. They invite exploration, contemplation, and a quiet sense of wonder—places where nature and design exist in effortless harmony, and where every moment spent within them feels both transient and timeless. We work with a select number of clients each year to create landscapes of enduring beauty and distinction. If you are interested in collaborating, we invite you to start the conversation.
"Adam is a creative young designer, whom I first met in 2009. His work with tropical plants and more recent forays into naturalistic design confirm his talent. Adam is eager to learn about the way we see gardens today. He travels extensively for inspiration- touring gardens around the world, attending professional seminars and engaging with other leading designers." Piet Oudolf
Roy Diblik, Piet Oudolf & Adam Woodruff (2014)
Biography
Adam Woodruff doesn’t just design gardens—he shapes landscapes that breathe, shift, and evolve with time. A restless explorer of plant communities, he moves beyond convention, seeking that fine balance between wildness and intent. With nearly thirty years in the field, Adam’s practice is shaped by observation, experimentation, and an instinctive connection to the natural world.
His story begins in rural Illinois, where an elderly neighbor introduced him to the quiet magic of plants. That early mentorship sparked a lifelong obsession, leading him to study Botany at Eastern Illinois University. There, he roamed prairies, bogs, and forests, gaining a deep understanding of native plant communities and their natural rhythms—lessons that would later define his signature approach.
Not content to stay within familiar landscapes, Adam set out to see the world through a different lens. He traveled across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, visiting legendary gardens, studying ecosystems in the wild, and learning from pioneers like Piet Oudolf, Roy Diblik, and Andy Sturgeon. These experiences shaped a design philosophy that defies traditional boundaries—where the ephemeral meets the enduring, structure dissolves into movement, and each planting is refined through intuition and ongoing observation. Adam’s work is rooted in a belief that gardens should be immersive, resilient, and deeply responsive to their site—balancing ecological function with bold artistic expression.
Adam’s work is as layered as the landscapes that inspire him. One project may explode with the bold textures of tropical foliage, another may hum with the quiet complexity of a meadow woven from perennials and grasses. What ties them together is a deep reverence for place—each garden an intimate response to its environment, a composition in constant motion.
For Adam, a garden is not a fixed idea—it’s a living conversation between land, light, and time, evolving with the seasons, much like his own garden at Redstone Lane. His designs don’t just fill space; they create atmospheres, experiences, and a sense of inevitability, as if they have always belonged—offering a fresh perspective on what contemporary planting design can be. Every project invites you to step inside, to engage with the landscape, and to experience its quiet transformation over time—whether on a private estate, a rural retreat, or a contemporary urban garden.
Adam Woodruff LLC
Gardens & Landscapes
Plant-driven, Experience-focused
Based in Saint Louis, Missouri
Working nationwide, with time spent
in Portsmouth, New Hampshire