Why both floral and garden design?

My vision is to connect the work of native gardening and ecosystem protection with the artistry of floral design, and to unlock the promise of locally grown and native species for elevated editorial and event florals.

Hello! I’m Julie Shapiro, a multidisciplinary designer with roots in the northeast US, currently based in Baltimore MD.

As a licensed landscape architect and certified arborist with a background in sustainable farming and urban design, I’ve found my way to floral design  from a lifelong love of plant biology and ecology, coupled with the constant pursuit of beauty in everyday life and environments. 

Garden design and floral design are natural partners. Sometimes I think of garden design as ‘flower arranging’ across a longer time horizon, while the floral work I love most evokes natural growth habits and the immersive atmosphere of a living garden. In both areas I strive to set a mood with space, color, texture, and time.

My goal in design (of landscapes, gardens, events, and floral arrangements) is to find and celebrate the ordinary beauty that surrounds us—in native landscapes, urban lots, and everything in-between. Making ephemeral art with local flowers and native plants is, for me, a way to honor the natural and human communities around me.

I create drama, narrative, and immersive experiences through the thoughtful sequencing of spaces (both permanent and temporary), while my imaginative “magical-naturalism” style celebrates and emphasizes the diverse colors, and textures, and “personalities” of plants. 

Every floral design and garden I create is grounded in place and community, and my ability to work across scales—from broad site planning to selecting individual plant combinations and materials—ensures a cohesive, richly layered experience that feels poetic, intentional, and alive.