Barbara Balman Landscape Design

Barbara Balman has been designing and building gardens for over 20 years. At the core of her work is the ability to design outdoor rooms that complement the surrounding architecture and environment, rather than gardens with no true relationship to the home. “There should be a seamless flow from the home to the garden.” Barbara Balman, a Washington resident for more than 25 years, was born and raised in Switzerland. Her work is greatly influenced by that European background. Barbara’s interest in landscape architecture was sparked by her grandfather, who was an architect in Zurich, as well as her great-great-great-great grandfather, who wrote the first plant guide for Switzerland in 1840, Botanica Helvetica. Both her mother and grandmother designed and maintained beautiful gardens. Her commitment to environmentally friendly garden practices led to a masters degree in Sustainable Design at George Washington University in Washington DC. She is currently helping local schools realize the dream of gardening. She has been featured in the Washington Post, the Washingtonian Magazine and the Home and Garden Channel’s Curb Appeal. She has written articles for Washington Gardener Magazine and her work has been exhibited at National Cathedral’s Flower Mart and the Georgetown Garden Tour.