Monica Mroz is a licensed landscape architect with over 18 years of award-winning professional experience. Educated at Arizona State University, she received her Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture (BSLA) in 1992. She worked as a Senior Associate for one of San Diego’s best-known and most established landscape architectural firms for 13 years before starting her own business. Her travels and studies throughout Europe and South America, along with her sensitive eye for new elements in the ever-changing world around us, give inspiration to her designs. Monica is known for effortlessly combining a rich planting palette with unique details to create casually elegant landscapes that are beautiful, warm and very livable. Her work is based on timeless, sustainable design and is custom tailored to the needs of each client and project. Monica’s clients love their outdoor living spaces; they spend more time outside in their own gardens entertaining, relaxing, playing, and savoring the open air than they ever did before. The majority of Monica’s work comes directly from referrals by satisfied clients. She has completed over 130 landscapes of varying sizes from small urban retreats to large custom estates.

Monica believes strongly in contribution through both philanthropy and volunteering. She donates five percent of all profits to the following charity organizations: The San Diego Foundation, Water.org and The ALS Association. She contributes her time teaching children about art, landscape architecture and creative-use recycling. Monica lives in her hometown of San Diego, California with her husband and two children.

Professional Services and Business

Monica is directly involved with all phases of work from concept design through construction documents, bidding and onsite observation. She provides each client with the most effective services based on their project’s scope and budget. She is an excellent communicator and takes great care to listen to her clients’ needs, and to interpret them with grace and finesse. Professional services can include:

Concept and Schematic Design

• Site review and analysis
• Meetings and Coordination with Owner and Design Team (Architect, Interior Designer, Contractors and consulting Engineers)
• Design development to create a Preliminary Plan
• Obtaining approvals from Home Owner’s Associations and/or other governing bodies as required.
• Establish Preliminary Construction Budget
• Refine Preliminary Landscape Plan including detailed design of specific site features

Construction Documents

Larger or custom projects often require a complete set of construction drawings. This level of documentation gives the builder the design information needed to bid and construct the work and can include the following plans:

 

• Grading and Drainage
• Hardscape construction; such as walls, decks, steps, gates, BBQs, etc.
• Construction layout and dimensioning
• Water Feature details, including pools, ponds and fountains
• Irrigation with details and specifications
• Planting with details and specifications
• Low voltage landscape lighting with details and specifications

 

Monica uses AutoCAD, Photoshop and hand-drawn sketches to produce drawings.