Our History

Honoring a legacy.
Designing what comes next.

Ted Carter Inspired Landscapes is now Carter Design Group, a familiar name from our history and one that reflects our company's next chapter.

Since 2009, it has been our privilege to design, build, and care for landscapes as Ted Carter Inspired Landscapes. But our story goes back more than 45 years, through different names, places, and chapters, all shaped by Ted Carter’s belief in collaboration, craftsmanship, meaningful relationships, and care for the natural world.

That philosophy has guided the way we work from the beginning. From healing the land and practicing environmental stewardship to creating outdoor spaces that feel intentional, personal, and enduring, our work has always been about more than design alone. Just as important as the landscapes we create are the relationships we build with our clients, colleagues, and professional partners.

In 2019, the company entered an important new chapter by becoming employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Since then, our team has continued to grow into the collaborative vision that has long been part of the company’s foundation.

Now, as Carter Design Group, we are returning to a name that is already part of our history while also celebrating a natural leadership transition within the company. Ted Carter will continue to guide our design vision as Creative Director in a part-time capacity, while Harry Portlock steps into the role of President. Harry’s history with the company began at age fifteen, and after serving as Production Manager since 2021, he now carries that experience forward into the company’s next chapter.

While our name and leadership structure are evolving, our core team, craftsmanship, and commitment to our clients remain the same.

Carter Design Group is the next chapter of a story more than four decades in the making.