PLACE is a garden design and horticultural consulting studio. We’re rooted in Richmond, VA and work on projects worldwide.

PLACE was founded by Melissa Batchelor Warnke aka Mel, a hardworking plantswoman with fine gardening, boutique nursery, urban farming, and greenhouse experience.

Mel belongs to the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD), the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association (VNLA), and the Metropolitan Business League. She graduated from UC Berkeley and UVa. Learn more about Mel here.

PLACE is a small team of experienced horticulturists. Our planting design practice combines ecological principles and artistic vision to create landscapes that fit the world and expand our understanding of it. This work continues through garden education and consulting, alongside the ongoing care of landscapes we design and bring to life.