the best in outdoor living in Southeastern Virginia
Welcome to bluegreenLA, PLC landscape architecture! Our firm advocates for design quality and equity in the beautification, planning, preservation and physical development of Southeastern Virginia, Virginia’s Eastern Shore and surrounding regions. We create elegant and functional landscapes for our clients to experience and enjoy throughout the seasons. Whether it's designing a small residence or a large-scale commercial development, your project is important to us. We're here to help and excited to hear from you!
Chris Hooks
Chris Hooks is a licensed landscape architect in Virginia with more than 20 years of accomplishments in designing, planning and building landscapes and gardens. He is a graduate of West Virginia University and past president of the American Society of Landscape Architects, San Diego Chapter. Chris pulls from a diverse educational and professional background to devise creative and sophisticated design solutions with a keen attention to detail and pragmatic efficiencies. He founded the landscape architecture firm bluegreenLA, PLC which became licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia in March 2021. His practice and design + build landscape firm primarily serves the Southeastern Virginia, Tidewater and Hampton Roads metro areas.
Chris and his husband Gene live with their two dogs, Waylon and Wyatt, in the historic Park View neighborhood adjacent to historic Olde Towne in Portsmouth, Virginia. They were married before family and friends at the Woman's Club of Portsmouth in November of 2025.
My Story
I believe great landscapes have the power to do more than simply beautify a property. They can create a sense of arrival, bring people together, connect us to nature, and become the backdrop for the moments and experiences that make a place feel like home.
My connection to landscape design began at an early age. Growing up in Virginia Beach, I landed my first job at McDonald’s Garden Center when I was just 14 years old. What started as a part-time job quickly became an appreciation for plants, gardens, and the way thoughtful landscapes can transform the way people experience a property. I went on to study Landscape Architecture at West Virginia University, where I also competed as a collegiate swimmer.
After graduation, I began my professional career with a respected design firm in San Diego, California. Working in such a diverse and dynamic region gave me the opportunity to experience nearly every facet of landscape architecture—from intimate residential gardens and restorative landscapes to large residential communities, urban redevelopment, streetscapes, student housing, hospitality, restaurants, beach environments, and event spaces.
That experience shaped the way I approach every project today. I enjoy the process of bringing seemingly independent pieces together—architecture, landscape, grading, drainage, circulation, planting, materials, and outdoor living spaces—to create a cohesive environment that feels both beautiful and purposeful. Whether I'm designing a private garden or working on a complex site, I believe the best landscapes are those that feel natural, intentional, and connected to the people who use them.
After more than twenty years in the profession, I returned home to Hampton Roads with a renewed appreciation for the unique character of our coastal region. Tidewater's climate, soils, waterways, history, and architecture present both challenges and opportunities, and I enjoy finding creative solutions that respond to those conditions rather than fighting against them.
One of the things that distinguishes my approach is my experience beyond the design studio. I have spent a significant portion of my career preparing construction documents and working directly through the building process. I genuinely enjoy being on a job site, working alongside clients and contractors, solving problems as they arise, and seeing a design become a finished landscape. My goal is always to create thoughtful, buildable designs and to help guide a project toward a successful result.
I also believe that being a landscape architect carries a responsibility to contribute to the communities we call home. Throughout my career, I have volunteered my time and professional skills to support projects and organizations that make our communities better. I was honored to serve as the site planner for the inaugural Portsmouth Pride Festival in 2022 and continue to look for opportunities to use landscape architecture in ways that have a meaningful impact beyond the individual project.
I am a Virginia-licensed landscape architect (DPOR No. 0406001831), a former president of the San Diego chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), and a recipient of local and national recognition for my work and contributions to the profession.
Today, through bluegreenLA, PLC, I bring that experience back home to Hampton Roads with a simple goal: to create beautiful, thoughtful landscapes that enrich the lives of the people who experience them.
Whether you're imagining a new garden, transforming your outdoor living spaces, developing a property, or simply trying to figure out where to begin, I'd love to hear about it.
Let's start the conversation.