Diana holds a master’s of science degree in plant science, and certifications in horticulture and ecological landscaping. Her research into cultivating science-informed fire resilient gardens and management strategies has influenced people to adopt similar approaches.
Rehydrating Los Angeles, Reducing Fire Risk One Garden at A Time
Diana Nicole is an ecological horticulture professional and natural garden designer. She lives in the Hollywood Hills, writing, speaking, and designing the occasional residential garden in the high fire severity zone. She is dedicated to bringing beauty, biodiversity, and practical science-backed fire resistant gardens to the City of Los Angeles.
Diana works as an expert for CEQA attorneys, is Vice President for the Los Angeles Audubon Society and Director at Large for Sunshine Hill Residents Association, a non-profit she founded to save neighborhood oak woodlands from destructive projects. Diana is also a contributor to CityWatchLA — LA’s opinion, news and information website. Prior to this, Diana was the horticulture manager for Studio City Beautification Association, where she managed community pocket parks, medians, and parkways organically and with an eye towards urban biodiversity. Her pocket park on Laurel Canyon was on the Theodore Payne Foundation Garden tour for several years. Diana spent over two decades managing and caring for some 20,000 acres of private and public landscapes including property owned by The Walt Disney Company.
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A modern science approach
It’s essential that homeowners in the high fire severity zones get a scientific-backed garden design, rather than do things the typical way.
In California’s fire-prone landscapes, we’ve been told to fear vegetation. But rigorous science and real-world experience tell a different story. The landmark Escobedo Study—alongside lived expertise from ecological horticulturist’s like Diana Nicole—demonstrates that it’s not vegetation itself that threatens homes, but the wrong kind of vegetation and poor maintenance.