Ceres+ — Our History

Ceres is the Roman goddess of agriculture, fertility, and motherly care. She represents the forces that sustain life: cultivated land, seasonal cycles, nourishment, and the human labor that brings them into balance.

For us, Ceres is a name that honors both nature’s systems and the hands that steward them—reflecting our commitment to thoughtful design, long-term care, and living landscapes that grow richer with time.

Ceres+ was born from decades of building, planting, and caring for landscapes in one of the most demanding environments in the West. After years of seeing how design decisions play out in real soil, real weather, and real time, we recognized the opportunity—and responsibility—to bring that knowledge upstream into the design process.

Ceres+ was founded in 2011—through the joining of Sones Landscape Architecture Group and the landscape architecture division of Land Designs by Ellison. The legacies of Glen Ellison and Scott Sones are carried on today through the thoughtful designs directed by principal Kathy Aalto and the collaborations of our incredible design team.

As the landscape architecture and design studio of Ceres Landcare, Ceres+ is grounded in lived experience. Our designs are informed not only by aesthetics and theory, but by what we know works: how water moves on steep sites, how plants establish at elevation, how materials weather, and how landscapes evolve long after construction crews leave.

Ceres+ operates with a long view. We design landscapes that are expressive yet restrained, responsive to place, and fully aware of what it takes to build and maintain them well. Working in close collaboration with our construction and care teams, we create designs that translate seamlessly from vision to execution—reducing friction, increasing clarity, and honoring the integrity of the original intent.

At its core, Ceres+ exists to close the gap between idea and reality. It is a design practice shaped by stewardship, continuity, and the belief that the most meaningful landscapes are those that grow stronger, richer, and more beautiful over time.