About Us
About the Founder
Theodore B. Rutberg, He/They
Teddy Rutberg has always been passionate about food, plants, and caring for the planet. Teddy enjoys studying a broad array of fields having to do with cuisine, agriculture, forestry, land management, and horticulture. They’ve been learning about botany and horticulture and volunteering at community gardens for years. Teddy received a Bachelor of Science degree in ecology and sustainable land management at The Evergreen State College. They also worked with a permaculture landscaping company in Olympia, WA where they learned design and installation skills, and interned with the Grown in Haiti community agroforestry project in 2019. Teddy graduated college in June of 2020, and began their career as a landscape designer and contractor. Teddy has installed numerous of their own designs, as well as the plans of others. Today, Teddy loves helping people plan the gardens of their dreams, and building spectacular landscapes.
Meet Our Team
(He/They)
Project Manager
Teddy makes sure all of our new design/build projects go off without a hitch, and coordinates between our designer, crew, and clients to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. His attention to detail helps our projects wrap up beautifully every time.
(He/Him)
Landscape Designer
An advocate for all creatures big and small, Basil has extensive knowledge on native plants and pollinators. He is working on his degree and is passionate about protecting the plants and animals that were here before us. Basil is also an excellent graphic designer & puts his skills to use making educational stickers about pollinators and habitat restoration.
(He/Him)
Stewardship Technician and Pruning Specialist
Nathan has extensive pruning experience and knowledge, both from taking care of his grandparents sizable property for over a decade, as well as studying pruning at Edmonds Community College. He is passionate about soil health, fruit tree care, and making organic and fermented fertilizers and amendments.
(They/Them)
Designer
Kay has worked with plants in a variety of ways; from maintaining upscale sports clubs and city parks, to restoring habitat in urban forests and managing an environmental education program. Equipped with a passion for native plants and a certificate in Holistic Landscape Design from Bastyr U. as well as an ecoPRO certification from the WSNLA, Kay is here to help create thriving habitat for you and our non-human neighbors.
(He/Him)
Installation Technician
Elias is a nature lover and hiker whose passion for the outdoors has grown into a career of christmas tree farms and nurseries in the PNW, before starting as a landscaper. He’s committed to environmental conservation and making the world a greener place.
(He/Him)
Installation Crew Lead
Rob is a joyful jack-of-all-trades, having dabbled in many lines of work before joining our crew. Rob is a natural leader and is always learning new skills, and rapidly passing them on to the next person.
(He/Him)
Installation Crew
Andrew has been building high-end landscapes throughout the region for the last ten years, mastering many skills and constructing some of the finest gardens in the city. He's brought a ton of experience to the Rutheo Designs team, and is now learning elements of sustainability and native plants in our work together.
(She/They)
Installation Crew
Karina has a close knowledge of native plants throughout our region, as a result of working with the non-profit Dirt Corps and spending lots of time hiking in the woods. Her knowledge helps our installation team make sure our designs get translated properly to the ground.
(He/Him)
Stewardship Coordinator
Russell came to Rutheo Designs from the UW Arboretum, where he was tending the magnolia collection and coordinating restoration efforts in the riparian zones. His vast ecological knowledge and experience in resource management made him a perfect fit for our stewardship coordinator role, where he continues to grow our stewardship and maintenance programs while tending to our gardens.
Healthy Planet, Happy Customers
We take care of our clients every step of the way. Dedication to a high quality of service is core to our values as a company, and as individuals.
