Nicole C & Nicole Z

The historic Highland building is fortunate to have Nicole C and Nicole Z stewarding its gardens. With reverence for the vision set forth by Constance and Sina in 1978, they approach the Gardens as an enduring work that evolves with time and holds memory, offering continuity across generations. The Nicoles' art lies in their attention: walking the grounds daily, observing subtle shifts of season and light, and guiding others to connect with the land in order to restore balance and to slow down. For them, gardening is equal parts art and service—an enduring practice that invites people into rhythm with nature.

Their story began more than fifteen years ago in New York, where a friendship eventually blossomed into a business partnership. Together, they design and tend gardens, cultivating spaces that clients can inhabit as sanctuaries and homes. They collaborate to ensure that each garden reflects more than a design style, but a story.

For Nicole C, gardening and parenting both begin with presence. She believes time outdoors restores balance and teaches us to notice the rhythms of light, season, and life itself. Daily walks through the garden become lessons in attention—something she sees as essential to raising grounded, compassionate humans.

Nicole Z views gardens as both anchor and teacher. Having lived in many cities as a child, she learned that planting creates belonging—a lesson she now passes on to her two children. Through the garden, she cultivates empathy and wonder, helping her family participate more meaningfully in life.

Contact Nicole C or Nicole Z for a garden tour—ours or yours.