Renee Clermont

Owner, Principal Designer

Second Nature Designs

“A beautiful landscape begins with an innovative design” has been my philosophy since I planted my very first professional garden in 2003. I could envision what it was going to look like in a few months; the infused colors, textures and shapes would fill the space in nicely.

Garden Design was very similar to the design principles I had learned from attending the Floral Design Institute in Seattle, Washington to become a floral designer. Principles, that I had been practicing in the 6 years prior to starting my gardening business. The most challenging part of gardening, which I learned very quickly, was that the gardens were ever-changing. They evolved and morphed into an entity that my earlier vision didn’t grasp. Some plants thrived and some well, just didn’t. I spent the next 5 years up to my neck in compost, attending every class and seminar I could find on Gardening. I developed a style of gardening that even if I were to try to mimic one garden to the next, I couldn't. It was all about the space I was in, how it felt and how it played a roll in the rest of the property. My eyes would quickly gaze over to the path leading to the garden, or the mulched area with a few uninspiring shrubs, the undefined lawn area and the potting shed plopped right in the middle of everything with no rhyme or reason. Every single time that would happen on a property, I got the urge to merge all the spaces and create a cohesive design that made all the elements intertwine with purpose.

In 2008, I headed back to school and attained a dual certificate in Landscape Design at the acclaimed Landscape Institute of Harvard University (formally Radcliffe) and The Boston Architectural College. My study focused on Landscape Preservation and History, Horticulture, Design and Construction Management.

Since graduation in 2012, I’ve expanded my business and followed through with the same design intents I did in 2003, but with an eye on the whole picture rather than just a space. A design that truly feels like, Second Nature.



Renee Clermont