Discover how Columbus native Susan Weber designs sustainable, nature-inspired landscapes that connect people, plants, and place in Central Ohio.
- Explore Simply Living Business Member Integrity Sustainable Planning and Design, a Columbus-based landscape design firm mindful of sustainability and native plants.
- Learn how Susan Weber creates natural play spaces and thriving outdoor environments inspired by Ohio’s native ecology.
- Find out why Fall is the best time to plant in Ohio and how native landscapes support community health and resilience.
Photo courtesy of Susan Weber.
Meet Susan Weber
For landscape designer Susan Weber, creating beautiful, sustainable landscapes isn’t just a profession. It’s a calling nurtured by her childhood experiences, family, nature, and a deep appreciation for thoughtful design. As the founder of Integrity Sustainable Planning and Design, Susan combines her background in architecture, horticulture, and environmental awareness to create outdoor spaces that inspire.
“I was raised in Upper Arlington in a home designed by my father, who was a local architect,” Susan recalls. “We always had a huge vegetable garden that my mother tended. She grew up on her grandparents’ farm in northern Ohio and was a wonderful gardener and scratch cook.”
Those early experiences shaped Susan’s understanding of how design and connection to the land can enrich and enhance daily life. “Living in beautiful, carefully designed indoor and outdoor spaces—and growing and cooking with fresh ingredients—definitely inspired me to pursue a career in sustainable landscape design,” she says.
Designing with Nature in Mind
Susan’s approach to design goes far beyond selecting plants for color or texture. Her process has evolved through years of hands-on experience, including understanding that developed while rescuing native plants from construction sites.
“I gained a whole new awareness about designing with plants when I began to salvage native plants,” she explains. “Seeing how they lived together in communities changed my process completely. Now I evaluate the conditions of a site first, and then determine the ‘palette’ of plants that will thrive there. It’s a very different process indeed.”
Her passion for native plants shines through in every project. One of her personal favorites is Gro-Low Sumac (Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’), a versatile and underused native shrub. “I love Gro-Low Sumac (Rhus aromatica ‘Gro-Low’), a cultivar of our native fragant sumac, Rhus aromatica. Spreading to about 6’ in diameter and reaching about 2’ in height, its leaves and twigs have a spicy fragrance. Small yellow spring flowers, red fall berries and beautiful fall color make this a four-season plant. It tolerates a wide variety of cultural conditions,” Susan shares, “including dry and moist soil and both sunny and shady conditions.”
Why Fall is the Perfect Time to Plant
According to Susan, Fall offers the ideal conditions for planting in central Ohio. “It’s a great time to plant trees and shrubs,” she notes. “You can often take advantage of sale prices, and you don’t have to water them through the hot summer months!”
Nurturing Natural Play
One of Susan’s greatest joys is designing natural outdoor learning environments for children. “I was extremely fortunate to have parents who encouraged us to play outside,” she says. “We explored the Scioto River, went creeking, rode our bikes for miles, played in the rain, and dug up plants from the woods.”
She brings that same spirit of adventure and discovery to the schoolyards she helps transform. “Many children today don’t have access to that kind of multi-sensory outdoor play,” Susan explains. “That’s why I love creating natural play spaces that are more fun, engaging, and full of possibilities.”
Unlike traditional playgrounds filled with metal and plastic, Susan’s designs emphasize connection and creativity. “Natural outdoor learning environments are lushly planted and often feature edible gardens, native stone, water, gravel, and tree stumps,” she describes. “They create a richer experience that engages all the senses.”
Growing in the Community
Susan’s current projects reflect her deepening connection to Ohio’s landscapes and her family’s agricultural heritage. “I’m really enjoying working on projects in rural and semi-rural areas—it must be pulling from my agricultural DNA!” she laughs. “Community farming in Delaware County has been especially rewarding, and I love working with residential and corporate clients who are re-envisioning land that was previously conventionally farmed.” Susan’s commitment to ecological integrity, community, and thoughtful design remains at the heart of her work.
Connect with Susan
To learn more about Integrity Sustainable Planning and Design, visit www.integritysustainableplanning.com or find them on Facebook. Susan can also be reached directly at 614-402-1188 or via email.
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