About Kat

Kat Weiss, owner of Kat Weiss Landscape Design, has been a registered Landscape Architect since 2001. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1993 but yearned to find a professional avenue that would better combine her interests in the landscape, art, design, and science. She found the study of Landscape Architecture to be perfect and received her Masters in Landscape Architecture from UMass in 1999.

Boston is one of the richest cities in which to study and practice landscape architecture, and Kat took advantage of opportunities to work on the design of college campuses, downtown redevelopment, greenways, residential design, and memorials. She found residential design to be immediately gratifying and pursued work in that area when she moved back to California, where she finds it deeply fulfilling to help homeowners make their dreams for their gardens become realities.

When she returned to her hometown of Livermore, she realized the native plant communities that had interested her growing up in the area were nearly forgotten in residential design. She vowed to introduce clients to the many wonderful plants they had been noticing on their hikes and travels. She created Kat Weiss Landscape Design in 2004 and has been assisting hundreds of clients to create their own little corners of beauty. Some have been inspired by the gardens showcased on the annual Bringing Back the Natives Tour, and others from hearing Kat speak at workshops and garden talks for The Ruth Bancroft Garden.

Kat believes a landscape should be enjoyed while being sensitive to our dry summer climate as well as the choice of materials used on the site. She advocates recycling materials and stepping lightly on the land. Drought tolerance and a lower maintenance schedule are also part of a larger philosophy to celebrate the local climate and find a sense of place. Bring some whimsy to your garden!