About Us

Jen Mann, Landscape Design

Integrating art with science and the environment is something I’ve always loved to do.  Textures of stone, steel, and wood can provide a backdrop so complimentary to plants in a design that I find the process both challenging yet so rewarding when it all comes together.  And that is, essentially, how I look at landscape design.  My style is my clients’ style and I approach each project with an open mind, ready to create and ultimately to give the gift of a beautiful garden.

My studies in art and ecology began at Northern Arizona University and in 1990 I continued my education in these fields at Western State College in Gunnison, CO.  I received my degree in Environmental Ecology and Botany from WSC in 1995.  In 2008, I graduated from the Anna Gresham School of Landscape Design after completing this comprehensive three-year course in design and CAD.  I now work in Vectorworks, a super intense design software allowing one to work in 2D and 3D simultaneously.  Grassroots Landscape Design has been growing in the Telluride region since 2003.

My husband Tom, and our two girls are my most favorite distractions and together we love to rock climb, bike ride, swim, and just simply play in the outdoors.  On my own, I am an avid trail runner, knitter, reader, and learner of all things landscape design.

TOM MANN, masonry in Telluride

Tom Mann, Masonry

Beginning at the age of fifteen, job sites were my classroom and everything I’ve learned since has been hands-on.  I first spent several years working as a carpenter and eventually transitioned to stone masonry.  At that time, my father had been working in the Telluride region running his company, Stonehenge Masonry.  My career in masonry began here, working alongside this amazing talent and absorbing all there was to learn about the trade. From sandstone to granite to limestone….we did it all.  Now, almost 30 years later I find I am still most at home working with stone.

When I’m not with my family skiing or rock climbing or going to music festivals, I am either carefully navigating high mountain trails on my motorcycle or in my music studio creating rhythms and songs on my bass and keyboard.

“We used Grassroots Landscape Design to design an outdoor patio and landscape for our vacation home. We were extremely impressed with the workmanship that Tom did on our patio design. It is not only beautiful, but solidly built, and we get many compliments on it.

Not being from the area, we had little knowledge of Colorado plants. Jen was highly knowledgeable about native plants. We wanted low maintenance perennials since we do not live there full time. Jen incorporated ongoing color and functionality and we are very pleased with the result.”

Lynn and Whit Davis, Dallas, Texas