Freeman Landscape Architecture

At Freeman Landscape Architecture, we believe that every garden tells a unique story about its homeowner. Our storied portfolio showcases a wide range of projects, from luxury island homes to intimate, private gardens. However, despite the diversity of our work, our signature remains the same: good design is clean design, executed in classic layouts that incorporate textured plantings to give outdoor spaces year-round vitality.

Our gardens are known for their flow, connection of land to home, practicality, and functionality. Yet, what truly sets us apart is our fresh approach to garden layout and plant choices. We don't believe in cookie-cutter creations or predictability. Instead, we wield design principles and plant choices with the deft touch of an artist, creating gardens that welcome and entice, perfectly complementing the way you live and celebrating the beauty of the outside world.

Our Philosophy

"Landscape architecture is not brain surgery. It's meant to be fun, " says Paul Freeman, the founder of Freeman Landscape Architecture. As a boutique landscape architecture firm, we are uniquely positioned to bring that sense of fun and creativity to every project we undertake. To ensure that each garden uniquely reflects the homeowner's personality and lifestyle, we conduct thorough interviews with our clients to understand their likes, dislikes, dreams, and realities.

With a strong foundation of sound design experience, vast plant knowledge, and a stellar work history, we deliver premium gardens to our clients. We invite our clients to enjoy the process as much as the end result. As one of our satisfied clients, Ornob & Punam Roy from Charlotte, NC, once said, "Thank you so much for your help and beautiful design and expertise with our home project! Hopefully, we can showcase it to the community soon!"

Meet Our Founder - Paul Freeman, ASLA, PLA

Paul Freeman's lifelong love of plants, gardening, and design led him to pursue a career in landscape architecture. While other high school students were busy being teenagers, Paul was transforming his neighbors' yards by pruning unruly tree silhouettes and overhauling boxy azaleas. His innate sense of how to bring a natural look to a sculpted setting, combined with his experience tending a vegetable garden, inspired him to earn an undergraduate degree from the renowned Penn State University landscape architectural program, which he graduated from in 1992.

He went on to earn his master's degree in the field, completing coursework at the University of Oregon and finishing at Virginia Tech in 1995. After working with Christian Busk in Naples, Florida, Paul moved to Charleston, where he was soon hired at Hoffman Lester Associates and focused on large-scale developments. After a year there, he moved on to become Sheila Wertimer's first full-time employee. Over the next 13 years, he worked by her side as the firm grew to become one of the premier design groups in Charleston, thanks in part to its mastery of downtown gardens fashioned from traditional Southern plants.

There, Paul not only oversaw construction timelines and managed projects but also amassed an encyclopedic knowledge of what plants thrive in the Lowcountry's array of often-temperamental microclimates. In 2010, he partnered with colleague Bill Maneri to form Maneri + Freeman. Subsequently, he established Freeman Landscape Architecture, where he focuses on inspired garden designs utilizing native plants in modern ways while bringing fresh pairings to traditional Southern favorites.

Our Process

Unlike larger firms that often assign jobs to junior associates, Freeman Landscape Architecture principal Paul Freeman personally selects, designs, and manages each project, providing experienced, thoughtful design and critical oversight for clients and contractors. This level of personal attention, backed by decades of experience and a trusted team of affiliate contractors, is the cornerstone of our award-winning work for local and regional clients, many of which provide us with repeat business and frequent referrals.

While the scope and implementation of each project are unique, with over 20 years of experience and hundreds of successful assignments to our credit, we've identified several common steps to ensure a beautiful, functional garden. Through frequent communication and input sessions, clients are intimately involved in each step of our time-tested, four-phase process:

PHASE 1: DISCOVERY - Initial consultation to discuss client needs/desires/budget

• Complimentary proposal based on estimated time/scope
• Obtain client approval to proceed

PHASE 2: DESIGN - Create conceptual design

• Present conceptual design to client
• Refine design based on client feedback

PHASE 3: DOCUMENTATION - Create detailed construction documents

• Submit documents to local authorities for permitting
• Finalize construction documents and prepare for bidding

PHASE 4: IMPLEMENTATION - Bid project to contractors

• Select contractor and negotiate contract
• Oversee construction and ensure design intent is met

By following this process, we ensure that every garden we design not only reflects the homeowner's personality and lifestyle but also provides a beautiful and functional outdoor space that brings joy and relaxation for years to come.