When Sarah Sherman Picking talks about her work, the term “intuitive design” comes to mind. Yet, that phrase alone doesn’t fully capture the depth of her creative process. What’s the right word for blending formal training, empathy, raw materials, the environment, a hunch, and the story behind the client or project to craft something meaningful? Perhaps "design synthesis” fits—an art form in its own right—with “sanctuary” as the outcome of her work.  

With two decades of experience as a licensed landscape architect, Sarah’s portfolio spans residential, commercial, academic, and public spaces. Yet, it’s only in the past year that she has fully stepped into the role of creative lead, hand picking and then shaping projects with her own distinct vision.  

A Virginia Beach native and graduate of Ocean Lakes Math and Science Academy, Sarah initially set her sights on pediatric medicine. But a childhood steeped in gardening with her mother and camping adventures in the outdoors led her down a different path—one that fused science, technology, and art. While in high school, she discovered landscape architecture, changing the course of her studies, and leading her to earn her degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Maryland before returning home to begin her career.  

In 2024, she founded Sunday Landscape Architecture (LA) to bring a broader perspective to her work. Her current projects span private commissions and major public developments in Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Collaborating with WPL, she played a key role in redesigning the Entrance Pavilion, Conservatory, and Parking Garden at Norfolk Botanical Garden, a project now under construction. She is also consulting on the highly anticipated Rudee Loop redesign at the Oceanfront.  

Sarah’s expertise extends to one of Virginia Beach Oceanfront’s most commercially significant projects to date—the Atlantic Park Surf Park. As part of a collaborative cohort of landscape architects working on this massive work, she is one of the experts helping to shape the green spaces of this transformative development, lending her expertise to plant selections, hardscape design, layout, and installation.  

Her design philosophy extends beyond aesthetics. It’s about understanding the relationship between people and place—acknowledging the past, engaging with the present, and envisioning the future. Every project is an opportunity to create a space that fosters connection, comfort, and creativity. "It's a real honor to help people make a space that will ultimately be where memories are made. I always picture scenes from their life, baby showers, rehearsal dinners, time with family, and design through that lens."

Professionally, Sarah also feels inspired to research and incorporate wellness into how she serves clients, how their mindset translates to landscapes, and having outdoor spaces serve wellbeing. "I worked on a project on Knott's Island, where they master planned a wellness campus, and thought about how the landscape can be used to serve people who are experiencing depression or who are neuro-divergent, and how it can contribute to their wellness."

In Fall 2023, Sarah received her first VAASLA award, a milestone in her career. Collaborating with landscape architect Keith Oliver, she helped design Broad Creek Park in Norfolk, earning the Legacy Award. “It was a reminder that I’ve built something meaningful over the years,” she reflects. “It also reaffirmed that the work I do has a lasting impact on clients and communities.”  

For Sarah, landscape architecture is more than design—it’s a craft that weaves nature, functionality, and human experience into something enduring. Each space she creates is a testament to that philosophy: timeless, respectful, thoughtful, deeply rooted in its surroundings, and made to serve its people.