Landscape Restoration vs. Landscaping — Understanding the Key Differences

At first glance, landscape restoration and traditional landscaping may appear similar — both reshape outdoor spaces. Yet their intentions, methods, and impacts are profoundly different.
At LASD Studio, we design both: crafted landscapes that elevate aesthetics and regenerative systems that heal ecosystems. Understanding the difference helps property owners, developers, and municipalities make informed, future-focused decisions for their land.

Annuals and wildlife and biodiversity in landscape design

Landscape restoration and traditional landscaping may seem similar at first glance, both involving the modification of outdoor spaces. However, they serve distinct purposes and entail different processes. Understanding the key differences between landscape restoration and landscaping can help you choose the right approach for your outdoor project.

Purpose and Vision

Landscaping: Focuses on creating visually appealing, functional spaces — gardens, courtyards, or outdoor living areas that complement architecture.

Landscape Restoration: Landscape restoration, on the other hand, is about returning a site to its natural or historical state. It aims to revive ecosystems, promote biodiversity, and address environmental issues. Restoration projects often involve native plantings, soil improvement, and ecological rejuvenation to repair damaged landscapes or preserve historical sites. it’s about reviving life itself.

Design Philosophy

Landscaping: Guided by creativity and human preference — flexible, expressive, often mixing native and exotic plant palettes.
Landscape Restoration: Guided by ecology and science. The design supports biodiversity, hydrology, and the site’s natural succession processes.

Plant Selection

Landscaping: Prioritizes variety, color, and aesthetic contrast — often using ornamental or non-native species.
Landscape Restoration: Rooted in native species selection, re-establishing local habitats and removing invasive plants to re-balance the ecosystem.

Maintenance and Long-Term Care

Landscaping: Typically requires continuous maintenance — mowing, fertilizing, pruning, and seasonal irrigation.
Landscape Restoration: Aims for self-sustaining balance. Once mature, these systems regulate themselves through natural cycles, soil organisms, and rainfall.

Environmental Impact

Landscaping: Can vary from sustainable to resource-intensive depending on design and materials.
Landscape Restoration: Always restorative — enhancing biodiversity, sequestering carbon, and improving water retention and soil structure.

LASD Studio’s Regenerative Approach

We believe the best landscapes integrate both worlds — the elegance of design and the intelligence of nature.
From urban ecological corridors to private estates, our work seeks harmony: spaces that delight people and empower ecosystems to thrive for decades.

Whether you’re envisioning a refined garden or regenerating a damaged hillside, the right design approach defines the legacy you leave on the land.
At LASD Studio, we create landscapes that endure — where artistry and restoration meet to build the sustainable environments of tomorrow.