Landscape architecture has been recognized as a distinct profession only in the early 20th century. However this field has number of famous landscape architects within this short period. American society of landscape architects provides the list of some of the famous landscape architects in U.S and Canada.
Dr. Jacob Bigelow was the first landscape designer in United States who proposed different types of uses for graveyard. Thomas D. Church was one of the best landscape architects who had done more than 4000 projects. He was the creator of California garden which was designed to suit the Mediterranean climate and this garden requires low maintenance and high longevity for the native plants. He designed more than 2000 home gardens in California. He also designed public gardens of University of California.
Horace W.S Cleveland is yet another famous landscape architect who suggested some basic changes in the sanitation, park system, town residences etc in major cities of America. Charles Eliot made distinctive achievements in the landscape architecture which include Metropolitan Park and open space systems in Boston. Beatrix Jones Farrand was one among the founders of American Society of landscape architecture and she is famous for her work on Yale University quadrangles.
Fletcher Steele is one of the famous landscape architects who had designed number of suburban residential gardens. In the past decades, lawn area in every American home was ubiquitous. Fletcher Steele was against this pattern and he supported the need of privacy in the lawn area. NaumKeag in Massachusetts is one of his famous landscapes. He had promoted variety of garden types and he suggested some ways to use garden as an outdoor living space. He supported the need of functional elements in a garden like vegetable garden, fruit garden etc.
Most of the people consider Fredrick Law Olmsted as the founder of landscape architecture. But he considered himself as an environmental planner. He had designed many city parks including the famous Central park in New York City. He had also designed number of parks in Boston city.
Andrew Jackson Downing is yet another one of famous landscape architects who is also considered as the founder of landscape gardening. He had focused his design plans more for gardens only. He had designed gardens in numerous middle class homes in America. Since he was basically a nurseryman, he had the ability to judge the plant types suitable for variety of soil and land. He provides help to grow native plants in home gardens.
Thomas Jefferson was not only a landscape designer but he was also a politician. He designed so many estates for his friends. He devoted his efforts in designing gardens. He was proud to be called as a gardener.
Hideo Sasaki provided dedicated work for the creation of landscape architecture. He insisted that landscape architecture can be a part of architecture, civil engineering and planning. He provided various improvements in the landscape designs. His great achievements include urban design improvements in Pennsylvania.
Apart from the above mentioned landscape architects, there are number of famous architects who dedicate their efforts in order to upgrade this field.