We hired Planted Earth to redo our backyard and driveway. Prior to hiring them, we interviewed 2…read moreother landscape designers and Michael was the only one who had a vision for our yard. We had also seen Michael's work at a neighboring house. The scope of the project included a new driveway, drainage, deck, patio, fence, and project managing the installation of a prefab shed/office. The design phase was smooth and we had a good idea of what the end result should be. Michael and Ann presented multiple ideas and options with different price points. They also took our concerns into account when we weren't sure of certain design aspects. The build phase was less clear. We didn't always know what was being worked on for a given week or how long it would take. We had weekly sync ups to address concerns and ask questions but time estimates weren't their strong suit. We also had issues with Planted Earth's billing/accounting where they would accidentally double charge or not see a previously paid invoice. These issues were always corrected with an email but it was extra work on my part to double check things. Generally, Michael is reasonable and worked with us on invoicing issues. During this time we had a permitting issue that wasn't Planted Earth's fault. The city of Oakland was understaffed and generally incompetent. Michael and Ann gave us updates on our permits and personally visited the permitting office to move things along. In the end it sounded like Michael finally convinced the clerk to take 5mins to do their job. I'm not sure another designer would have been as persistent. Overall, we are happy with our yard and glad it's finally done.

My family and I feel as if we've been through a traumatic experience with Michael McFadden -…read moreowner/operator of Planted Earth Inc. My hope is that you watch out for the red flags that I ignored and that this review helps one family to think twice before working with Mick. We hired Mick to replace our driveway, pour a new back patio with tile and install a steel pergola over the patio. Mick's bid came in very high and he assured me that he likes to be "up front" so that there are no surprises. I thought I was getting quality and for some reason I originally trusted Mick to deliver. I made a huge mistake. For us, he appeared arrogant, threatening, disorganized and amateurish. If you only need a few rocks moved around, it could work. After the second installation of the back patio tile (first one needed to be ripped up) and the failed sealing of the driveway and the misaligned posts on our new pergola (see photo), I ended our expectation that Mick would ever finish the job.

We have a very small lot with no back yard. We wanted to replace the grass with a drought-tolerant,…read moreunifying design. I'm amazed at Chris Garcia's vision. He designed a low-water, minimal-maintenance plan that incorporates 200+ (mostly) native plants; invites bees, birds and butterflies; ties together the front and side yards; and provides a sense of privacy. It took a while to get an actual plan -- currently they are 18 months out -- but the wait was SO worth it. Chris' communication was excellent. He also brought in a subcontractor to build the fences, gates, and a back porch to meet my requirements for two sets of steps. Once we had a date, the work was done quickly and efficiently, and designer Shanna Mahan joined the team, too. Of course we experienced glitches. Wood costs spiked, necessitating substitutes. I'm so impressed that 4D addressed everything promptly. We also have a 30-day replacement guarantee for all plantings. Hats off to the 4D crew: Chris, Shanna, Alfredo, Primo, Chepe and Andreas, and master carpenter Sebastian Francese & Newton!

We are so happy we found Four Dimensions Landscape Company and that they were willing to take on…read moreour very steep and challenging hillside project. Shout out to Chris Garcia who worked closely with us through every step in the process - an extremely knowledgeable, professional, reliable, and considerate project manager. The three-man crew was great and remained positive throughout the difficult steep hill work. We wanted all native plantings, especially those that would attract birds. Four Dimensions fully knows our native plants and bird-friendly ones as well, and delivered big time and within our budget. We are very grateful for 4D! Highest possible recommendation.

Contacted them. Response was assuming and dismissive stating they only work on projects that will…read morecost between $80k to $300k. I've got close to a mill but I'm not going to spend most of it on outdoor landscape design and install. Main guy only apparently has a permaculture certificate per the website. Plenty of other landscape companies who went through the full AA coursework from Merritt + similar experience + a better attitude.

We love Oscito. Our new landscaped hill project was as painfree as they get and we can't wait for…read moreour awesome "plant palette" to grow in! Thanks Ben, Francisco, Luiz, Michelle and everyone else that worked so hard on our project.

We hired Harkness Gardens to replace some rotten wood in our backyard. While their quote wasn't the…read morelowest, we appreciated Paul's transparency around labor and materials, and ultimately felt good moving forward. The good: the crew worked quickly, were friendly and flexible (even as the job doubled in size once more boards were identified as rotten), and they did a good job with the installation overall. They even fixed some outdoor lights in the process--great job where it matters most. Unfortunately, a few issues cropped up after they left: nails, wood chips, and trash were scattered around the property; our bougainvillea was scraped and broken in a few places from where the workers hit in in carrying supplies in/out; a board adjacent to the new installation was cracked; and they left behind excess oversized wooden planks and rebar too big for our trash bins. None of this was major--but it did require extra time and effort on our end. The bigger issue was how Paul handled it. When we finally got on the phone post-job (after a week of delays, since we had been traveling -- admittedly, we could have done a better job communicating our concerns right away), Paul was defensive from the outset. Rather than simply acknowledging the concerns or offering a small fix--like a quick cleanup, an apology, or a nominal discount--he lectured me about how contractors don't have recourse if clients don't pay and implied the problems were our fault for not requesting extra TLC up front. To be clear: we paid in full, didn't ask for anything unreasonable, and would've been pretty happy just to feel heard. Instead, we got a condescending response and a begrudging $100 offer (which we declined). So: strong install work and fair pricing, but very little attention to detail or customer satisfaction after the fact. If you hire Harkness Gardens, make sure to be extremely explicit up front about cleanup, debris removal, and basic care for plants or surrounding structures--because otherwise, it may not be included. Otherwise, the quality of their work and install was great.

I cannot recommend Harkness Gardens (Paul Harkness) more highly if you have any landscaping or…read moregarden needs. We engaged Paul and his crew to bring to life our Yardzen landscape design plans and he knocked it out of the park! My wife and I wanted to make changes at pretty much every step of the process, and Paul and his team were super accommodating and helped us figure out what would work best in our space. They did all the construction work, fences, irrigation, plant selection and planting, and electrical installation. Even after the work was completed, we still keep in touch with Paul to provide guidance for the maintenance and upkeep of our yard and the plants. Paul and his team are the absolute best and I cannot imagine having had a better experience with another contractor. His pricing is also very competitive and transparent.

Matt is awesome! After trying in vain for a couple of days to find an arborist who could clarify…read morethe condition of an oak tree (without leading with a sales pitch), I reached Matt at what was probably his dinner hour. He picked up the phone, and within minutes had not only asked all the right questions, but fully explained the issue and all of my options. Now I know who I'll be calling as my go-to for tree issues.

I have worked with Matt Horn of Matt Horn Landscaping and Tree Care on numerous projects over the…read moreyears, and the experience has always been very positive. I like that he can handle everything from complex tree work( he is a certified arborist ) to carpentry and irrigation systems( he is also a licensed landscape contractor ). He is extremely responsive and has handled various emergencies very professionally. His crew is knowledgable, creative, and friendly. His cell number is (510) 589-2979, his website is www.matthornlandscaping.com

I can't say enough good things about Nathan and his crew. They came in to fix some the work of a…read moreprevious landscaper that my wife and I were disappointed with. Nathan worked with us to find easy and beautiful fixes which were completed on time and at budget. My wife and I wish we'd hired Green Gallery from the beginning, but are glad, at the least, that we got to this crew eventually.

Green Gallery is an experienced, high quality landscaping business. It's owner, Nathan Parsley is…read morenot only extremely knowledgeable, but personable as well. He makes us feel like family. We started working with Nathan in 2012. Green Gallery has done both large-scale soft scape and hard scape as well as maintenance (e.g. winterizing) for our garden. We are always well satisfied with the work, and the attention we receive. We highly recommend Green Gallery for any landscaping or garden maintenance you need.

We hired Wildwood Landscapes to completely redesign our front and back yards, and we couldn't be…read morehappier with the results. From the initial design consultation to the final walk-through, everything was handled professionally and with great care. Elliot was fantastic to work with. He truly listened to our ideas and incorporated them seamlessly into a plan that was even better than we had envisioned. The entire team from design to construction was skilled, friendly, and respectful of our property. We especially want to call out Gabe for his exceptional craftsmanship. He and another gentleman built a couple retaining walls in our front yard that are absolutely incredible. We have met several neighbors because they want to stop and talk about the wall.

Wildwood redesigned our front and back yards. They let us be as involved as we wanted to be:…read morewhatever we wanted to really get into detail on was great, and whatever we wanted to be hands-off on, they'd just handle for us. The plant selections were great, all the hardscaping was really cleanly done, great materials used all around, and overall the design was fantastic. We've worked with a number of people over the years, and no team has been as high quality, communicative, and proactive as Wildwood. The whole experience was fun and low stress and the result is beautiful and functional.

I have had 3 projects in my yard executed by RSC landscape. Each project was executed very…read moreprofessionally. The design advice and then execution of each project was excellent. Consulting with the staff on the best way to execute each project was very helpful and I am really satisfied with each end result. I highly recommend this team for any landscaping/yard design project.

Everyone who works at RSC is knowledgeable, kind, and hard-working. They will give you advice if…read moreyou want it, but they won't pressure you, and if you change your mind about something they can accommodate. And my family now has a gorgeous yard (they photos do not do it justice).