Lockwood deForest III attended the Thacher School in Ojai, California, where he developed a deep love for Californian landscapes and plein air painting. From 1922 until his early death in 1949, deForest practiced landscape architecture in the affluent communities of Santa Barbara county. His practice was largely residential although he worked on several schools and served as a consultant to a number of civic organizations and the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. From 1925 until 1942 he co-edited "The Santa Barbara Gardener" with his wife, Elizabeth Kellam deForest.