About Me

Irrigation Designer and Consultant

Hi, I'm Lori! In my three decades as a landscape professional (since 1989), I've had the opportunity to help clients save millions of gallons of water from being wasted in the landscape.

I started teaching irrigation in 2008, and since then have given almost 600 talks, workshops, trainings, and classes to thousands of landscape professionals and to the public.

I've also taught irrigation at Monterey Peninsula College with John Kern, and am currently teaching irrigation at Merritt College in the spring semester of 2024. I feel blessed to have these opportunities to send new landscape professionals into the field prepared for a successful career.

I also still work in the trenches now and then

I stopped irrigation contracting back in 2011. But I feel like I need to get my hands dirty now and then to stay in "touch" with what I'm designing and teaching.

Landscape industry certifications and licenses - past and present

Here are the certifications I currently hold:

Certified Irrigation Designer (CID)
Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC)
Certified Landscape Water Manager (CLWM)
Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA)
Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL)
Certified UC Master Gardener Volunteer

And here are the certifications and licenses I previously held:

Licensed C-27 Landscape Contractor
ISA Certified Arborist
Watershed Wise Landscape Professional (WWLP)
CLCA Certified Water Manager
ReScape Qualified Professional (RQP)

Why Take Courses from Me?

Nothing makes me happier than seeing landscape professionals transform themselves into badass irrigators. I love seeing the confidence and the "aha" moments that flow through our educational sessions with our students.

There is a high demand for irrigation experts in the landscape trade. Professionals really want to get it right but struggle with the complexities of efficiently irrigating the landscape. I love helping people expand into their irrigation expertise potential.

Here's What People Are Saying About My Courses

"Lori's instruction is vital to our business. We use her courses as the standard training modules for our team. Her methodology and teaching style are so approachable. I love how she always pauses to spell out acronyms and reminds the class of definitions. It really helps you to not get lost, especially in the more challenging, jargon-heavy areas of study. Plus, she is a warm and generous person, and her passion is really inspiring."

Lara Hermanson, Co-Owner, Landscape Contractor at Farmscape

"Lori is passionate about her work and sharing her knowledge with those who want to learn. She responds quickly to questions, and her materials are easy to understand. This class is appropriate for novices and professional designers. I am so glad I found her course; my understanding of irrigation increased tenfold. I highly recommend this class and her additional resources." (re Drip Design by Checklist)

Sheri Brown Dion, Landscape Architect, Brown Dion Design

"The Drip Design by Checklist course takes you through all the steps required and wraps it up in an easy-to-use checklist. Whether working on-site or in the office designing, Lori Palmquist provides guides on what information is needed, how to turn it into data, and then easily generate layout designs with efficient irrigation schedules. I started applying what I learned the next day on-site. I know my clients will notice a difference as I redesign to more efficient and effective systems."