A native of Sarasota, Florida and a naturalized transplant to Tucson, Arizona, Darbi enjoys the contrast between coastal and desert living and sees marked similarities between underwater plant life and desert plant life. She is convinced that this explains her love affair with the desert. She is fervently passionate about art, design, and sustainable living.
Darbi holds a Masters in Landscape Architecture from The University of Arizona and a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History and Anthropology. She is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Darbi has practiced in the private and public arena of landscape architecture for the past fifteen years. As principle of her own firm (since 2006) and associate designer in the private sector she has experience designing residential, commercial, and institutional projects throughout the southwest. In this capacity, Darbi created modern, elegant, and sustainable designs working with timeless elements such as stone, concrete, glass, metal, and water combined with sculptural plant materials achieving inspiring outdoor spaces with an artistic twist and environmental aesthetic. Additionally, as a Senior Planner for Pima County she reviewed, revised, and accepted countless development projects including subdivisions, commercial development plans, and residential mitigation plans. She presented projects to the Design Review Committee, contributed to the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, and assisted in proposed statute revisions that impact native plants.
Darbi lives with her husband, daughter, son and two one golden retrievers in a tiny bit larger adobe in Tucson, Arizona. She enjoys the desert, being outdoors, her own evolving vegetable garden, writing about landscape architecture and experimenting with photography.