STUDIO
Thoughtful landscapes, rooted in experience.
Roots & Shoots is a residential landscape design studio based in Colorado Springs, serving clients throughout the Front Range and remotely beyond Colorado.
I’m Sherry MacWilliam, PLA, a Colorado-licensed Landscape Architect with a B.S. in Landscape Horticulture and Design from Colorado State University and two decades of experience in the landscape industry.
My path into landscape architecture began quite literally from the ground up.
BEYOND THE STUDIO
Life outside is part of the work.
Outside the studio, I’m happiest outside — hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, snowboarding, birding, or simply moving slowly enough to notice the plants along the trail.
Time in the mountains has always been a way for me to reset, reconnect, and feel grounded. There is something about being outside that calms the mind and brings me back to what matters.
That personal connection to the natural world shapes how I design and fuels my desire to create landscapes that encourage people to step outside more often — even if “outside” is simply their own backyard.
I started my career maintaining parks and in the field installing residential landscapes. From there, I moved into professional gardening, where I developed a deeper understanding of plants, maintenance, seasonality and how landscapes evolve over time.
I later spent years in residential design-build, guiding projects from the first client conversation through design, estimating, construction and completion before expanding into professional landscape architecture and larger commercial work.
That experience shapes the way I design today.
FROM THE FIELD TO THE STUDIO
Sherry MacWilliam, PLA
Colorado-Licensed Landscape Architect
B.S. Landscape Horticulture & Design, Colorado State University
Colorado Master Gardener Training
CREDENTIALS
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
I believe a successful landscape should be beautiful, but it should also be practical, buildable and deeply connected to the people who live there. Every project begins with understanding how a client wants to use the space — whether that means gathering with friends, creating room for children to play, establishing a quiet garden retreat or simply making the outdoors feel like a natural extension of home.
Plants are a constant thread in my work. I’m interested in landscapes that feel alive and layered — spaces where planting, materials, circulation and architecture work together rather than feeling like separate pieces. My horticultural background allows me to think not only about how a landscape looks when it is installed, but how it will mature, change and become more beautiful over time.
My design approach is rooted in the natural world and balances form and function, creativity and practicality, structure and softness. I’m drawn to clean, intentional spaces that still feel warm, natural and inviting.
Whether I’m designing an intimate garden, a complete residential landscape or a long-term master plan, the goal is the same:
To create landscapes that invite a deeper connection to the outdoors.