About Us
Growing Food with Clarity and Care.
For many people, gardening feels more complicated than it needs to be.
They want food gardens that are productive, beautiful, and manageable, but often feel unsure where to begin or what will truly work for their space and daily life. Advice is abundant, yet clarity is often missing.
Edible Landscapes Design exists to bring steadiness and perspective to that process.
Our work is rooted in Victoria and across Vancouver Island, where we design, build, and care for biodiverse food gardens. We also support clients beyond our region through thoughtful design, consultation, and ongoing guidance, helping gardens grow well wherever people are willing to work with living systems.
What We Do
We help homeowners and DIY-ers design and grow beautiful, biodiverse food gardens that support both human and ecological health.
Our work integrates trees and flower with fruits and vegetables into landscapes that are drought tolerant, wildlife friendly, and increasingly resilient over time. The goal is not just productivity, but gardens that feel supportive of everyday life and realistic to care for.
“For years I had wanted to replace my lawn with a food garden, but I was feeling overwhelmed. Joshua took my very loosely defined wishes, and asked questions to understand what was really importantly to me. There was a fantastic exchange of exciting ideas, and my front yard is now beyond anything I had imagined. He made everything so easy. At no time was I overwhelmed. I feel so lucky to have found this team.”
Dr. Michelle Lareau, Veterinarian
How We Work
Every landscape and every person is different.
Some people want hands on support from design through installation.
Others enjoy building themselves with guidance.
Many choose something in between.
Our role is to help clarify what makes sense for your goals, skills, timeline, and capacity. We work collaboratively and thoughtfully, keeping things as simple as possible while staying grounded in ecological principles and real world experience.
“Josh is so much more than a landscaper / designer. A very skilled listener & communicator: Josh hears the big ideas and small ideas in what you share, identifies what you value, and brings even the tiniest details into existence. Josh is obviously very mindful about who he adds as team members. They seem to be so much more than co-workers - each with their own unique stories and skills valued and honoured amongst the team. It is absolute magic watching the team work. I have never heard a team work so supportively & positively together.”
A.M., Teacher
Our Perspective
We approach gardens as living systems that change over time.
Food, beauty, and ecology belong together.
Healthy soil supports healthy plants.
Healthy plants support nourishing food.
And nourishing food supports human and environmental wellbeing.
Rather than optimizing for a single outcome, we focus on integration and long term care. Gardens are designed not just to look good at installation, but to mature well and remain realistic to tend as seasons and circumstances shift.
“Thank you for an inspiring journey. You’ve opened up a wonderful range of possibilities.”
Jean Lawrence, President, Victoria Horticultural Society
Land and Place
Edible Landscapes Design works on lands that have been stewarded since time immemorial by Indigenous peoples.
Our home base is on southern Vancouver Island, in what is now called the Greater Victoria region, on the unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən speaking peoples, including the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. Our work also regularly takes place on the territories of the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples and the T’Sou-ke Nation, and at times further north on the territories of the Quw’utsun peoples.
We recognize that the landscapes we design and tend are part of living systems shaped by generations of care, knowledge, and relationship. We approach our work as guests, with responsibility to listen, to learn, and to contribute to the long-term health of the land and the communities it supports.
About the Founder
Joshua Clae Wagler
Founder and Lead Designer
Joshua Clae Wagler is the founder and lead designer of Edible Landscapes Design Ltd. He has been studying and working with living systems for over fifteen years, drawing on a background in Urban Studies, permaculture-informed design, and hands-on landscape work. He established Edible Landscapes Design in 2013 as a way to bring these threads together through practical, grounded food garden design.
His approach is shaped by an early connection to land and food, developed through time spent on his grandparents’ farm and backcountry camping from a young age. These formative experiences fostered a lasting respect for seasonal rhythms, working landscapes, and food as a source of connection, care, and everyday nourishment.
Joshua designs food gardens and edible landscapes as living systems that support both people and land over time. His work emphasizes clarity, realistic care, and long-term resilience rather than quick fixes or ornamental results. Clients often note his ability to listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions, and bring steadiness to what can otherwise feel like an overwhelming process.
Our Team
Edible Landscapes Design is supported by a small, dedicated team that brings care, clarity, and hands-on experience to each project. Each team member plays a distinct role in supporting the flow of design, installation, and long-term garden care, working together to ensure that projects are not only well built, but thoughtfully carried through from start to finish.
Travis Hauser
Designer and Project Manager
Travis leads design development and oversees projects from concept through installation, guiding landscapes from early ideas into grounded, workable reality.
His work sits at the intersection of creative vision and practical execution. With deep hands-on experience in design, installation, and long-term garden care, Travis brings a steady, attentive presence to complex projects, helping them unfold with clarity, craftsmanship, and care.
Travis is especially attuned to how gardens are built and lived in over time. He has a natural ability to translate design intent into clear, workable steps on the
ground, supporting both clients and crew through each phase of the work. His approach reflects patience, problem-solving, and respect for site conditions, timelines, and the people involved.
Catherine Kavelaars
Landscape Technician
Catherine supports installation and maintenance across Edible Landscapes projects, bringing a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and a steady presence in the field.
With a background in landscaping, reforestation, and ecological study, she brings both physical capacity and systems awareness to her work. Her experience in demanding outdoor environments, including time as a crew lead in reforestation, has shaped her ability to work efficiently while maintaining a high standard of quality and care.
Catherine is attentive to how landscapes are built and supported over time, helping ensure each project is completed in a way that feels organized, intentional, and ready to mature well.
Ocian Ward
Operations & Creative Coordinator
Ocian supports the flow of work across Edible Landscapes, helping projects move forward with clarity, coordination, and care.
Her role brings together operations, communication, and creative support. She helps organize the moving parts behind each project, supports client experience from intake through completion, and contributes to how the work is documented and shared through photography, guides, and storytelling.
Ocian brings a thoughtful and attentive presence to the team, with a strong eye for visual detail and how spaces are experienced. She also supports workshops, events, and client interactions, helping create environments that feel welcoming, grounded, and well held.
As she continues to deepen her learning, Ocian is exploring a future path in horticultural therapy, with a growing interest in how gardens can support wellbeing and meaningful connection.
How We Work Together
Edible Landscapes Design works through a small core team, supported by a long-standing network of trusted collaborators and trades. This allows us to remain attentive and hands-on, while also supporting complex, multi-phase projects that may involve excavation, irrigation, carpentry, and other specialized work. Our focus is not on size, but on thoughtful coordination, shared care, and bringing the right people together for each project.
An Invitation
If you are curious about what your garden could become, or if something feels unresolved or uncertain, you are welcome to reach out.
You do not need a plan.
A conversation is enough.