Since childhood, Karen has had a passion for designing outdoor spaces. This passion has blossomed into her lifelong pursuit of making spaces as functional and beautiful as possible. Immediately after graduating Karen went to work at the San Luis Obispo County Planning Department. After she earned her California Landscape Architect License she started Karen Aitken and Associates as a young 24-year-old.
Since then Karen Aitken and Associates has grown to a full service firm with a team of a dozen and is one of the premier landscape architecture firms in central and northern California. In Karen's nearly 40 years of running her own practice, she has crafted outdoor spaces for projects of all scales.
Since then Karen Aitken and Associates has grown to a full service firm with a team of a dozen and is one of the premier landscape architecture firms in central and northern California. In Karen's nearly 40 years of running her own practice, she has crafted outdoor spaces for projects of all scales.
Services
Since graduating from Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo, with a degree in landscape architecture, Karen has been developing her award-winning practice for over 35 years, working on a variety of landmark projects including Gilroy Gardens, the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, and numerous high-profile residential landscapes.
Karen Aitken and Associates is a professional consulting firm that specializes in full-scope landscape architectural services for large-scale commercial and residential projects. The firm also provides assistance in master planning and landscape construction. We have designed a wide range of project work, from garden retreats to world-famous theme parks, gardens to golf courses, villas to luxurious resorts.
Karen Aitken and Associates are very excited to be introducing an in-house contracting service under the new Gardens for the Valley brand! We believe that landscaping isn't just planting trees or flowers, but designing a space that necessitates an experience akin to melding back into nature; a return to the roots.
If you have any general questions or comments, please email us at hello@kaa.design. To immediately talk to an associate use our Intercom tool in the bottom right of the screen. If you are an architect, designer, or contractor who would like to work with us email our project manager at pam@kaa.design.
Reviews (2)
Jing Chen
Nov 28, 2021
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I am not sure about their service provided before pandemic, and it seems all reviews are before 2020. In our case, we started our design in June'20, the landscape designer never showed up in person, she used google map to design the whole project and we only had one zoom meeting, despite we explained that our yard has some slope and it is hard to explain from map picture. We understood everything is unknown and it is good to be cautious at the beginning of pandemic, but even after everyone are vaccinated, no follow up at all. I don't recommend this landscape design service.
James Rockwell
Sep 22, 2019
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TRUE professionals. We had worked with a lot of other "professionals" on our remodel project. By far, both my wife and I appreciated the communication and quality of work from Karen and her team the best.
You could really see how much experience Karen has from her drawings and ability to meet the family's needs. How she combined all the family elements with sharp "contemporary" features my wife wanted is beyond me, but we love how it all came together. A pleasure for the whole family to step outside and see it.
Huge thanks to Karen and her team. Excited to work on the next one soon!
You could really see how much experience Karen has from her drawings and ability to meet the family's needs. How she combined all the family elements with sharp "contemporary" features my wife wanted is beyond me, but we love how it all came together. A pleasure for the whole family to step outside and see it.
Huge thanks to Karen and her team. Excited to work on the next one soon!
