Five decades of shaping landscapes that evolve with time, climate, and community. What began as a passionate vision from our founder, Pamela Burton, has grown into a legacy firm recognized for designing immersive, meaningful, and restorative spaces across California and globally. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we reflect on the ideas, places, and people that have defined our journey.
2025 marks a milestone year for Pamela Burton & Company
The Roots of Our Practice
Founded in 1975, Pamela Burton & Company was born from a deep reverence for both art and ecology. Pamela’s undergraduate and graduate studies at UCLA were followed by international travels to Japan that profoundly shaped her perspective, including the conception of her enduring appreciation for the relationship between space, nature, and human experience. That influence remains deeply woven into the firm’s values: designs that are intuitive, quiet, and rooted in their environment.
Pamela believed that landscapes should be felt as much as they are seen. Rather than simply obscuring or decorating a site, her vision was to tell stories through nature—incorporating elements like remnants of an old farmhouse or a native tree grove to recall a site’s history. Her philosophy lives on through our studio culture, which prizes botanical expertise, spatial composition, contextual design, and collaborative creativity.
Looking Forward with Deep Roots
While the world continues to change, our guiding principles remain steady. Our work reflects a careful balance of ecological integrity, human experience, and artistic vision. We continue to champion biodiversity, regenerative practices, and design that honors both history and future potential.
As we look forward to the next chapter, we know that it’s the people who make our work possible. The personality of our practice—its warmth, creativity, curiosity, and humor—comes from the incredible individuals who shape it every day. Our studio thrives on a collaborative spirit, mutual respect, positive action, and the human connections that transform spaces into places.
To our team, clients, collaborators, and community: thank you. We wouldn’t be here without you. Here’s to the next 50 years of inspired design!
Milestones in Motion: A Living Timeline
Over the past 50 years, the Pamela Burton & Company portfolio has spanned a wide-range of projects - from private gardens to large-scale healthcare, municipal and commercial sites. Each project begins with a deep respect for place, borrowing views and drawing from natural surroundings to create spaces that invite movement, contemplation, and connection.
