Being a first time homeowner is not easy. From landing the house and finding things to improve over…read moretime, my wife and I knew the backyard would be a very important space for our family, especially our younger kids. When we first moved in, the backyard was all cement, the grass was dead, it had mulch/tanbark everywhere, and the pavers were mismatched. While we had a temporary "fix" by removing the grass and installing turf, we knew we needed to go big. I went through countless hours of research, hesitation, and uncertainty for whatever reason, but I finally settled on a name that, after extensive research, felt like they would be the right fit for us. Enter Black Diamond! Stephanie Driscoll was our project manager and designer and Raul was the head of the crew that took on the job of totally revamping the entire backyard and the side yards. Stephanie was very easy to work with and loved the design that was initially proposed. Instead of trying to essentially price the job with higher quality materials or trying to add more where it wasn't needed, we were able to balance paver amount/variation for the pathways and borders so that it made sense both in design and budget. Needless to say, 4 months on, we are still very happy with how it turned out and how everything was done. We started the consultation/design process and contracting in December 2025 and broke ground in March 2026. Stephanie was patient in waiting for other projects to be completed since I also had to replace a roof, install new gutters, and repaint the whole house. By April 2026, the entire backyard looked as designed and blew my family away! Our friend and family complimented on how well everything was done and what a transformation it was. We actually enjoy the backyard a lot more now and so do our children. The pavers have held up very well thus far and most of all, it's safe for anyone to walk on. No sharp edges on the step-down that was installed, no tripping hazards, and no danger of water sitting and pooling in any one area. The rocks along the pathways complement the pavers and do well to keep costs low in the side yard as no one really hangs out on the sides anyway. Extremely happy with Black Diamond, Stephanie, and Raul! Thank you so much; looking forward to getting the front yard and driveway tackled soon!

We absolutely loved working with Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscape!!! We had an idea of what…read morewe wanted and Kyle Lewis (Project Design Specialist) came up with the design. Before even signing the contract, we were given a 3D model of the planned landscaping, which was very helpful. Once Kyle and the crew started work on our backyard they kept us informed on everything that was happening. Watching them work you can tell how much they love what they do, they made sure that even the smallest details were just right! The whole project is completed on schedule and Kyle is always approachable via text or a phone call if you have any questions or concerns. Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscape has an amazing warranty as well (better than the competitors). We highly recommend Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscape and will definitely use them again for future projects!

4-year-update: All the plants I have purchased from Rana are absolutely THRIVING. Also, I am very…read moregrateful to the Rana staff for their willingness to help me troubleshoot a few of the plants that got initially a slow start. (Turns out a few of the plants needed more sun. I had planted them in what I had *thought* was a sunny spot...but it was East-facing and Carmel gets a lot of fog. Later I transplanted them, at Pedro's suggestion, into the sunniest spot on my property, on a south-facing bank -- and voila. Problem = solved.) Zooming out a little, it's also worth keeping this saying in mind: "First they sleep, then they creep, then they leap." The reality is that drought-resistant CA natives can sometimes be a little more slow on the "leaping" process than common ornamentals because their energy will be going more into root production and establishing a symbiotic relationship with the soil mycorrhizae* during the first couple years. By year 3, all my plants from Rana had truly started LEAP and now they have graduated from drip irrigation and are their own self-sufficient beauties. The plants from Rana are truly top-notch. Go in with some foundational plant knowledge, and prepare to leave very, very, happy. P.S. *mycorrhizae = the fungal network through which most CA natives get much of their water. (It's one of the basics of understanding CA native plant ecology.) Even if you didn't know that, you should at the very least know the plants you want by their specific epithet (i.e. scientific/Latin) Name before attempting to shop wholesale. ________________________________ Dear other Yelp reviewers: Stop complaining about lack of labeling. The labels are indeed there, with at least one white label tag per each section of plants. It's not Rana's fault if you feel overwhelmed or if only know the Common Name of a plant and/or have no idea how to identify it visually. It sounds to me like maybe you shouldn't have been attempting to shop wholesale to begin with. Want to go buy some Toyon? The label at Rana (and just about all wholesale nurseries, for that matter) will read "Heteromeles arbutifolia." Toyon is just the Common Name. In other regions, people might call it California Holly. (One plant usually has several common names.) That is the wholesale nursery only uses the Scientific Name...to avoid ambiguity. So please, to those grumpy Yelp reviewers out there...how about you spend a little more time studying up on your plant knowledge, and a little less time complaining about a nursery who is simply doing things by the industry standard for wholesale?

Driven past the sign for this nursery that it was open with native plants for sale many times and…read moredecided to finally check it out. Actual experience was weird and unfriendly. As another reviewer mentioned, nothing is labelled and the plants are spread out so hard to find. Definitely go knowing what you want and they do have an inventory list online. That being said, the one person who came out to "help" us seemed eager that we leave rather than browse (got the vibe she either didn't want to help us or thought we were going to steal something.) Pretty odd in contrast to the welcoming sign on the road. Don't recommend, there are nicer nurseries in the area with native plants and better customer service. Don't know why they even bother selling to the public.

We had a great experience working with Purchase Green Artificial Grass! Eric was very helpful,…read moreresponsive, and professional throughout the process. He took the time to come out, discuss our options, and provide a detailed estimate. We also appreciated that he was transparent about the warranty coverage on both the labor and the grass. Eric was also very accommodating when it came to working with our budget, which we really appreciated. Communication was easy, and the entire process felt straightforward and stress-free. We're very happy with the experience and are looking forward to enjoying the new front yard. I would definitely recommend Purchase Green Artificial Grass to anyone considering artificial grass or landscaping work!

This was our fifth purchase of artificial grass (I guess we move a lot!), which means we've gone…read morethrough the ups and downs of planning, costs, installations, etc. I think I can say this has been our best experience so far. Why? Mostly because of Eric--his no-nonsense approach, honesty, his ability to listen and ask the right questions, and his invaluable advice. Never in the past has the "salesman" come on the day of installation to make sure everything is set up correctly with no miscommunication. Plus, the crew he uses were a joy to work with: polite, ready to answer any questions, and good advice of their own. Overall? Impressive.

Judy is a joy to work with! She's knowledgable, friendly, flexible, and a caring person…read more She and her crew have done my monthly Fine Gardening for over two years now, and the garden has really bounced back! She's especially skilled at her aesthetic pruning of Japanese Maples. Mine look beautiful, and are very happy. Judy brings the design and horticultural knowledge--that true care of gardens--that are far beyond typical mow and blow. Organic products and green solutions, which I value, are part of the service. Her foreman, Jesus, is great to work with... helpful, positive and very accommodating of the additional pruning, irrigation work and adjustments that a small garden like mine needs. Just give her a call. I'm glad I did!

I am a huge and enthusiastic fan of Judy's Gardens & Design…read more Landscape designer Judy Maier generated and executed for me an aesthetically pleasing, thoughtfully imaginative, and economically practical re-design plan for front, side and rear yard spaces of my Old Palo Alto home. Judy's landscape design--faithful to but not confined by my 80-year-old home's Cape Cod architectural style--delivered an enormous breath of fresh air to the property as well as reducing water consumption needs. Two impressive examples of Judy's magic were her (1) locating and reserving for me a raft of huge hard-to-find camellias and (2) artfully pruning and trimming two sizable flowering trees, contributing to the transformation of the front yard. Her capable crew expertly and expeditiously implemented Judy's designs. I'm using Judy for landscape projects on rental units I own.

Honest, reliable, approachable, and HIGHLY knowledgeable…read more I am so happy to have finally found a truly *integrative* landscaping firm that will create thoughtful design plans AND implement them meticulously. I love that I can rely on them to handle virtually everything my house needs. Chris, the company owner, has been nothing short of remarkable. In addition to holding a horticulture degree from Cal Poly and having run his own nursery, he has a team that can handle everything from hardscaping to irrigation to electrical to biweekly maintenance. What I love about Carmel Point Landscapes is their highly dependable "no job is too big or too small" approach. They are super organized and always return my calls and show up when they say they will. Chris is willing to help me with everything from design plans featuring California natives to stone selection for hardscapes to even weed identification. (His knowledge is truly encyclopedic!) I have found that while other design-and-build firms used to turn their noses up at certain random jobs (e.g. replacing sump pump housing), Chris' team HANDLES EVERYTHING with enthusiasm and precision. And while other companies would sometimes exaggerate their expertise in one specific area, Chris operates with complete transparency. When I wanted to have some very complex landscapes stairs installed (super long rise, flagstone, curved, with terracing and built-in-lighting and needing rebar-enforce concrete base), Chris was open about the fact that his crew hadn't done a stair project quite that specialized before, and he connected me with a top notch mason and on top of that, Chris was willing to coordinate the whole project. Also, for such a highly professional, integrative landscaping firm focused on the Carmel market, I have found the pricing quite reasonable. As they say in engineering, "you can have two of the three: good, fast, or cheap." Carmel Point Landscapes manifests the GOOD and the FAST, in addition to superb communication and just overall great friendly how-can-I-help-you-today vibes. In a nutshell, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

From the owner: Carmel Point Landscapes focuses on custom residential landscape design, installation and…read moremaintenance as well as personal and commercial scale horticultural consultation. With over twenty years of experience Chris and his team have deep knowledge of horticulture and will bring years of practical experience to bear on client projects. For a free landscape design estimate please call (831) 574-9837.

Quinones Landscaping has done two projects for us: installing a driveway channel drain and drainage…read moresystem for the house and installing a stone walkway that also factored in drainage considerations. We are extremely pleased with the outcomes of both projects! Jose and Jesus are honest, transparent and do quality work. Highly recommended!

I was very pleased with Jose and his team at Quinones Landscaping. The quotes was reasonable, the…read moreworkmanship was expert, and and my patio/front yard project turned out exactly the way I wanted it. Jose was honest, reliable and accommodating. I would recommend them to anyone.

I can't recommend All One Landscape highly enough! From start to finish, the entire experience was…read moreoutstanding. Mike was fantastic to work with--friendly, professional, and always quick to communicate. He kept us informed throughout the project and made the whole process easy and stress-free. His attention to detail left us feeling confident in decisions every step of the way. Their pricing was fair and transparent, and the quality of the work is wonderful. It's clear they take pride in what they do, and the attention to detail really shows. We had a great experience with them and wouldn't hesitate to use them again, highly recommend!

We had our front yard redone with "All one Landscape" and we are really satisfied with the work…read moredone. Steve is really knowledgeable, professional and friendly. His team work hard while caring for the property . They made sure they did not disturb us while they work on the property. They took care of everything in a timely manner. Really satisfied with the work and added great value to our property. Thank you. We highly recommend this company if you need some yard work done.

We would like to give our review for the exceptional service we received from Dan Burnham with…read moreSystem Pavers. They installed a fantastic putting green in our yard a few years ago. We noticed a water leak under the green and contacted the company to see if they would honor their work where apparently a sprinkler head was left uncapped. Dan reached out and sent his team to repair and the putting green looks as good as new and the leak is repaired. After the work was completed Dan reached out to make sure we were happy with the work. System Pavers, represented by Dan is a great and reliable company that stands by their work (even a couple years after installation). I would highly recommend Dan Burnham and System Pavers to anyone looking for a beautiful and challenging putting green or landscaping with an excellent experience. This added a lot of fun to have in our yard for friends and family-time fun.

Just moved into the area and wanted to get the side yard developed. It's a small space but we…read morewanted something besides dirt. Went to Yelp and found system pavers. I set up an appointment and our design consultant was Maria Emmet. She provided a ton of information regarding the company, the type of stones she recommended, information on their artificial turf, and advice on the design. Because of the mild slope, she also mentioned I would need a retaining wall. I was hesitant against this since I thought I'd be losing space (on an already small space). Maria said that I would gain so much additional seating since they would make it a sitting retaining wall. She even provided a drawing of the design she had in mind. After that initial meet, we decided to move forward with them. Dan Burnham was our next contact. Dan came out and provided a quick draw up of the yard in person. He spray painted the dirt and let my wife and I see the design. After waking us through the process, his team came out and got to work. It was only a few days of work but the end result is exactly what we were expecting. Now I have a small side yard to let my dog roll on, a bbq area, and a place to just relax. These guys are top notch. I would definitely recommend these guys.

At the beginning of June, we set up a meeting with Kari at Eco Gal Habitats & Design. We had an…read moreputting green installed in May and we were looking for someone one to design the areas surrounding it, as well as purchase the plants and oversee installation. After Kari showed up and we began talking, it was clear that she really knew what she was talking about. I would classify her more as a master gardener. She even makes her own compost. She is so enthusiastic about what she does, it's contagious. I'd provided her several examples of the type of landscaping we were looking for, and deer resistant was top on the list, but we wanted color and we wanted drought tolerant, as well as lots of color. We're in Pebble Beach, which has a lot of deer. Kari had a break in her schedule and we wanted the work done in time for a family celebration the third week of June, so we started right away. She is incredibly hard working, as are her crews. My husband loves his yard and really enjoyed collaborating with her on the style and the plants. She offered amazing plants that we'd never heard of and the design was being built right before our eyes with extraordinary plants. It was rare that her crews left before 7:00 and were back at 7:00 the next morning. Many times, Kari was here until 7:00, and she was here to personally place the anchor plants and to ensure all plants were put into gopher baskets. She sourced rock so that we could install a home hardening effect next to our home (insurance companies like this), but she recommended doing it in a serpentine manner, so as to give it some interest. She also installed a rock arroyo for drainage, but also tied this rock into the rock we already had in our yard. Her crews also installed new irrigation lines and low voltage lighting in our yard. In short, it is a masterpiece, which will only get better as it becomes mature. Her prices were reasonable and very, very close to her estimate. We ended up adding fencing so we didn't need to worry about the deer ruining our beautiful yard, but she also has a fence company that installed the fence, which ties beautifully into our yard. Payment of her bills involved clicking on a link and inputting a credit card, which we loved. There is not enough we can say about the beautiful yard she has designed for us, lit beautifully at night, and which sparkles with color during the day. We so enjoyed working with her and her crew and wish we had more landscaping we could do with her. We'll leave a few photos so you can get an idea of what she did in our yard. Keep in mind that these plants will mature and fill in. We highly recommend Kari and Eco Girl Habitats & Design. Your yard, the hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies will thank you.

We hired ECO Gal and her team to do a small but complex job, and they were absolutely exceptional…read more Based on my experience, I would recommend them to anyone. Kari is extremely knowledgeable, personable and a great communicator, and the work they performed was outstanding. We will definitely be using them for additional jobs and recommending them to others in our Carmel neighborhood. Some other specific things I appreciated about Kari was that she is very capable, has strong problem-solving skills, accommodating, and she and her team have high standards. They were all very pleasant to work with, they were thorough, and her team cleaned up the work area after the job as well. Great experience overall - 5 Stars no question.

This is the first time I leave a review in yelp and Elemental Design Group is that worth it. We…read morewere expecting a baby in mid-May and looking to get our backyard done in early April. That's a crazily tight timeline especially when all contractors are all busy this summer in the bay area. The result and the process are both fantastic, and my wife and I absolutely love it. We have a very small backyard and we are glad Rhadiante doesn't mind it's a small project and is very helpful all the way until it's done. She met us early April to quickly go over the design and drew it out immediately. When picking contractors, we had a hard time getting a contractor who can deliver in such a short time, so Neil picked up this project. We are really happy to see it done within 2 weeks, with beautiful stone flooring, a nice handcrafted bench, and very fine details everywhere. Neil loves his job and is a really nice person to talk to. Rhadiante is the best, she frequently followed up on the progress and treated us like good friends. She also helped us to save money, listing the cost of every item in details and discussing with us. We have never hired a contractor to do remodeling/landscaping before so don't really know what to expect, but they blew away any possible expectation we could've set. I highly recommend Elemental Design Group and will not think anyone else next time we need to do any landscaping work.

I started working with Elemental Design Group in June 2025 to design and construct a large backyard…read morerenovation including a pool, decking, and landscaping. From the beginning, we established a budget not to exceed $300,000 and a deadline to complete no later than May 2026. Rhadiante Van de Voorde, the owner and lead designer, recommended a local contractor that she had worked with on other projects. The original estimate came in at $253,500. I loved the design, it was estimated under my all in budget, and I was assured the project would be completed by the deadline for a large family gathering. I was thrilled! Unfortunately, there were significant issues with the contractor from the beginning. Poor communication by the contractor required multiple on-site meetings to get the project back on track. The contractor was late for the third meeting and while we waited for him, Rhadiante realized he had dug the hole for the pool (16'x30'x7') in the wrong location. When I told her that was unacceptable and he had to be let go, she left my house in tears, while I dealt with the fallout. I hired another contractor also recommended by Elemental Design Group. But ultimately, the project was not completed until 3 months after the deadline and was significantly over budget. While the design was beautiful, according to every contractor that worked on the project, the plans were incomplete which ultimately led to the cost and schedule over-runs. The lack of detail in the drawings led to the following significant change orders. Rhadiante Van de Voorde, the owner and lead designer, miscalculated the retaining wall needed to adequately address a steep slope adjacent to the pool. The contractor gave me two options: increase the retaining wall from 3' to 7' or add a second retaining wall to terrace the slope. I chose to add the second retaining wall which added $20,000 to the budget. The plans for the deck drainage system was not detailed enough for the contractor to actually build. This led to another $20,000 change order. Additionally, there is a long list of mistakes, work stoppages, and work having to be re-done multiple times due to lack of detailed plans. Some examples include finishing details for the retaining walls, irrigation, fence relocation, and more. Due to significant cost overruns, I also had to reduce the scope of the project, including a 200sf deck with shade structure, which would have served as a seating area, structural/sound barrier and privacy screen. Lastly, while the project has been completed, the contractors, all recommended by Elemental Design Group, have left my property in disarray. In addition to leaving tools, equipment, building materials for me to apparently deal with; they also damaged my driveway, damaged my entry gate, and destroyed a gravel parking pad used by my elderly parents. After eliminating a significant design element (deck and shade structure) and before repairing my property, the current cost is almost $100,000 over budget. The most disheartening part is that Rhadiante has taken zero responsibility. Instead, she has pointed her finger at her own contractors. And of course, her contractors are pointing their fingers back at her. And I am left to reconcile how to complete the project and repair my property when I am approximately $100K over my budget. Pictures are of the debris piles left by the contractors and the torn up gravel drive/parking pad that is so rutted, my parents cannot safely park or walk on it to enter their front door. This project is in Monterey, CA.