Abiding Landscapes

Philosophy Abiding Landscapes is a design firm dedicated to connecting people to the cultural landscapes in which they live, be it through residential, commercial, or civic sectors. Our name, Abiding, signifies a desire to endure without yielding, a belief in the pragmatism and propensity of our designs. We recognize the designed landscape as a complex environment of ecological, social, and cultural systems that reflect the values of a contemporary society. Thus, our interest is to shape the designed landscape in a way where design is influenced, if not dictated, by historical and ecological parameters. Approach Our firm seeks to allow institutions and individuals to connect with cultural design parameters extant or absent. We begin this process by implementing an abbreviated Cultural Landscape Report (CLR), in order to determine what historical processes have occurred on site and which of those would be influential in creating a unique identity for the site. From there, the design palette lends itself to fostering this unique identity, in abrupt or subtle ways, in order to promote a design that exceeds client needs while promoting a solution both cost-effective and environmentally responsible. President Owen McLaughlin is a Connecticut Registered Landscape Architect (#CT-1299) and holds a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture from Clemson University. While there, and after graduating in 2011, Owen worked at the world-famous Biltmore Estate, in Asheville, North Carolina, where he compiled a Master Plan to renovate the Estate's Historic Shrub Garden. Owen also holds a Bachelors Degree in History from the University of Connecticut, where, while studying abroad, he studied Architecture in Florence, Italy at the Palazzo Rucellai. Owen enjoys historic landscapes, designing patios, pools, foundation plantings, specialty gardens, and wildflower meaows. A link to the seed mixes that Owen has designed over the years can be found here: Perennimix.com