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About Us

A well thought out landscape design is essential to a properly installed garden and outdoor space. Regardless of the size or complexity of the project, Living Outdoors excels at working with the existing landscape to incorporate your garden wish list, while paying close attention to detail, quality, and consistently exceeding client expectations. At Living Outdoors Landscapes we know what it takes to create a thriving garden post-installation. Whether you need help with irrigation trouble shooting, amendment recommendations, pest diagnosis or proper pruning practices, we are here to help!

Elizabeth Poston

Few people grow up knowing exactly what they want do, but I was always sure that my life and career would be spent in the garden. One of my most vivid memories as a child was cutting out pictures of flowers from the Burpee Seed Catalog and drooling over the bare root plants I wanted to purchase with my allowance. Planting bulbs throughout my garden was my favorite activity, forgetting where I had placed them and being surprised months later by their appearance. I’d go out in the rain with an umbrella and count the tips of tulips and paper whites making their way out of the soil. I felt like it was my very own contribution to my surroundings, and gave me my first feelings of peace and satisfaction that can only be found in the garden.

My passion for plants steered me directly into Cal Poly’s Horticulture program, where I soon became attracted to the design aspect of the landscape industry. It was in design that I could express my artistic creativity while using plants as my subjects.

Cal Poly was also the place where I first laid eyes on the quiet yet cute guy who seemed to have just as much of a passion for the horticultural industry and was really fun to hang out with. Little did I know that I would one day make that guy my partner in every sense of the word.

As college ended we found our way to Monterey and then Marin where I serviced the greater Bay Area with Landscape Design and Management services for a few years until the Great Recession.

In 2010 we relocated to Nevada County, and I made the leap into small business ownership with the launching of Living Outdoors Landscape Design. The name of my company reflects the value I find in creating a personal living space that is tailored to an individual while enhancing the natural environment. As of 2015, Dan officially joined the business as my partner and we changed our name to “Living Outdoors Landscapes”. We are so excited about servicing the greater Nevada County area with our expertise in the horticultural field and helping to get people “Living Outdoors”

Education

Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Horticultural Science, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 2006

Experience/Credentials

Retail nursery experience
Professional landscape designer since 2006
Over 20 years of gardening in California
Student Member of the month, CLCA SLO Chapter, 2004
ALCA/PLANET Student Career Days Competition, 2004, 2005
American Society for Horticultural Sciences (ASHS) Student Competition, 2004

Memberships

Nevada County Contractor’s Association, Professional Member
Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce
Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD)
California Landscape Contractors Association, SLO Chapter 2003 – 2006

Dan Poston

I began my landscaping career in the family garden… raking, mowing, weeding, and any other yard related tasks commonly referred to as “chores”.  While my story is far from unique, what was truly different was that I genuinely enjoyed these duties that others simply endured, and found I had a strong yet undefined connection with plants.  My time working side by side with my mother to create a beautiful home environment is one of the most cherished memories in my upbringing.

Once high school came to an end, I enrolled in CSU Chico.  During my time there grades were never an issue, but direction certainly was.  Every young student is given the advice to “do what you love”, and once the inevitable demand of committing to a career path came about, I knew I was not doing what I was meant to do.

I decided to take a brief respite from school, and returned to Nevada County where I began landscaping as a way to make rent.  It quickly became apparent to me that this is what I loved, and immediately enrolled in horticulture classes at Sierra College to strengthen my knowledge.  I soon achieved an Associate’s Degree in Ornamental Horticulture, and was encouraged by Sierra College staff to further my education at Cal Poly’s famed Horticulture program.

It was at Cal Poly that I made two of my greatest accomplishments… a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Horticulture, and I convinced a beautiful fellow student (Elizabeth of course) to join me in life’s adventure.

After graduation, we spent years in Monterey and Marin County while working for various landscape companies and golf courses.  As amazing as those places where, I never could quite get past my desire for Nevada County, and began the task of convincing Elizabeth to move back to my home town.

Fortunately for me, Elizabeth needed little convincing after years of visits to this truly magical corner of California.  We officially relocated in 2010, and began Living Outdoors Landscapes.  Working together, Elizabeth and I are committed to bringing our expertise and passion for landscaping to the residents and neighbors of Nevada County, the Bay Area and on up towards Chico.

Landscape Contractor

CSLB #999995

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