My review of Brian Ott and Zenscape is LONG OVERDUE. The short version: Brian is simply wonderful--kind, patient, thoughtful, creative, honest, and hardworking. From the beginning, Brian listened carefully to our goals and transformed our ideas into a beautiful vision of serenity. He hand-drew his design, explained his ideas, and brought everything to life with a respectful, prompt, and clean crew. He transformed our backyard into a true Zenscape, exactly what we hoped for, and created gorgeous front and back gardens complete with irrigation and lighting. We have now worked with Brian and his team for five years, and what stands out most is that the relationship didn't end when the project did. He continues to respond to our calls and messages, offer advice, and help us care for and preserve his work. During a recent construction project, he even coordinated with our contractor and plumber to protect the garden and ensure the irrigation was properly connected. Our front garden now features beautiful plants, rocks, stones, and a Maple tree Brian planted and helped preserve during construction. The backyard has become a true sanctuary, with fire and water features, a birdbath, Japanese lantern, lighting, and a lemon tree--a perfectly balanced retreat for birds, butterflies, and humans alike. Brian and Noe are now helping us refresh a few overgrown areas (our fault!), and we couldn't be happier with their quality, patience, and follow-through. Brian didn't just transform our yard--he transformed our quality of life. Everyone stops to admire the front of our house, and it brings us so much joy. We are incredibly grateful. Thank you, Zenscape! read more

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Top marks. Professional, friendly, and high quality work. Job completed much faster than anticipated. My new zenscape is totally boss. Would Zenscape again. read more

Zenscape - You love micromulch - Landscaping Near Me

Brian was super responsive to my email, asking if they could repair a water feature. He offered advice to try which worked right away. So, I didn't need to pay for repair; I am aware others would have charged a consultation fee to examine the water fountain and then to find out it was such a simple fix would have been disappointing. I will happily hire them in the future when I do my next landscaping re-haul. Thank you, Brian! read more

We had a fantastic experience with Brian and his wonderful team. We're so happy with the final result of our yard renovation, which was a total redo with a new fence, new pavers and landscaping plus adding a spa area. Brian handled our project with professionalism and flexibility and he's just a super nice person. I trust his aesthetics taste but he was also very amenable to our feedback. We had a difficult neighbor situation and we appreciate that Brian handled it with gentle care. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Zenscape! read more

Tom did an awesome job fixing our terrible outdoor lighting. The difference is amazing. Great price and great service! Highly reccomend Tom for any outdoor lighting needs. read more

Brian and Noe did a masterful job on both our front and back yards! The end product was more beautiful and more serene than we ever could have imagined. We've gone from never using our backyard to using it daily. Our front yard was an eye sore and now it brightens up the entire block - we especially love the gorgeous paver walkway they built which brings us joy each time we use it. Brian's pricing is slightly higher than others we had contacted but it was well worth it! We had read many reviews about Brian's "organic" process and though we were a little skeptical, we got the sense that he was very experienced and a true craftsman and decided to go with him, and we're so glad we did. He has a great sense for how to design a space, balancing form and function. His experience also allows him to bring a calm and a confidence in his ideas, which he used to skillfully guide the process. There were a couple times where we had wanted to interject a point of view that would have resulted in a less nice end product, and Brian was great at hearing us out, but also gently guiding us in a better direction. Finally, here are a few of the things we really appreciated: - The ability to weigh in some design choices (e.g. pavers, turf, etc), but those choices being limited so that we were choosing between better and best - The flexibility that the "organic" process allows for (we went back and forth on the backyard water feature and in the end decided to go with it + we added add'l lighting that wasn't in the original proposal) - The speed with which he and Noe completed the work - the whole thing was done in 6 weeks - The handover walk through and accompanying plant map and instructions, which gave us some pride of ownership - Brian's responsiveness to our follow up questions after the job was completed read more

Would give 6 stars if it was possible. Brian was incredibly knowledgeable and tailored the project 100% to my requests. The value in what you get vs. what you pay for is remarkable. Brian's eye for design, ability to come up with creative/ beautiful aesthetics is simply awesome. I had an idea of what I wanted done with the front yard of my home and he took it to the next level. Also, wanna leave positive feedback for his support staff member Noe who was extremely helpful/hardworking. Next time around I need a landscape designer or a friend asks for a recommendation; Zenscape is the only call I'll be making. Cheers! read more

We absolutely love Zenscape who just completed a total renovation of our back and front yards. From the start Brian who runs the company was very responsive to my initial emails, we got a quote quickly and he is approachable and flexible and we really enjoyed working with him. He has an amazing and creative approach and we sat down at the start of the project and visualized the end result together. I have to say the end result absolutely exceeded our expectations and we can't wait to spend more time in our beautiful new garden once the weather improves. The key here is trust, Brian absolutely knows his stuff, is an excellent communicator, and when he says he is going to do something he does. He knows where to source the best plants and materials and has great partnerships with electricians and turf companies to ensure those aspects ran super smoothly. We agreed on an overall look and feel at the start and of course, the budget but also left room for minor changes and updates once work was underway which turned out to be the best approach and we never felt like there were any surprises with Brian or his crew. Our backyard required complete demolition and basically starting over and he also refreshed our deck and stairs down to the garden, laid new pavers and turf, brand new beds, a fire pit area, irrigation, and put in a lovely water feature. His crew are very trustworthy, polite, and absolute craftsmen too, we didn't feel any disruption, and they were able to let us know when noisy work would be happening (we had a concrete pad that needed breaking up before we laid down some nicer looking pavers) so we could adequately forewarn our neighbors and one of our neighbors loved our new fence so much they had Brian replace theirs too. They also cleaned up after themselves and ensured the street outside wasn't left messy. All in all, we had an outstanding experience with Brian and Zenscape and we wouldn't hesitate to work with him again or recommend his services to others. A++++ read more

All we can say is WOW! Brian magically transformed our backyard from a dreary, weed-filled mulch pile to a peaceful oasis that is perfect for entertaining. Our backyard wedding was a huge success this spring because we hired Zenscape. We were admittedly a bit skeptical when Brian drew a quick sketch on a notepad during his first onsite visit. But we are so happy that we decided to hire him and just trust the process. Brian has a true vision that he implements on the ground in real time. He listened carefully to how we wanted to use the space and was incredibly patient with us as we vacillated on some of the design choices. We really appreciated that Brian was onsite much of the time and heavily involved in directing his crew---a welcome relief from other contractors who are nowhere to be found after the contract is signed and leave us to oversee and instruct their teams. We just wish we could hire him for all our remodeling projects! Don't hesitate to hire Brian to transform your space. You will not be disappointed! read more

Brian Ott is amazing at what he does. He has been very busy during the pandemic, but it was absolutely worth the wait to book his incredible team, and I only wish we had done this years ago. Our backyard went from a depressing, weed-filled brickscape (see pictures) to a beautiful, inviting haven where we spend as much time as possible. The photos hardly do it justice. It was worth every penny spent! read more

Zenscape - Before - Landscaping Near Me

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I don't casually write poor reviews without a lot of thought and consideration. In this case, l really felt that l had no choice! I started working with Brian last spring to refresh a backyard deck space. We seemed to have a plan though quite expensive at around $79,000. This was for shoring up and staining the wood fence, replacing the dry-rotted wood deck, repairing and refreshing the concrete retaining wall, installing two new irrigation systems, and adding some new plants. I worked with him to get the price down, but the real problems started when he would either never show up when scheduled, or show up hours later, thus causing me a lot of missed appointments with others, etc. This happened so many times, l lost count. I see that others here have experienced the same problem. When there were issues about the stain color used for the fencing, Brian's attitude was one of exasperation! He often whined about having to go to this supplier, or that supplier, to find what l wanted. Huh? I changed my mind twice about stain colors and it was met with an 'eye-rolling' attitude. If you are going to charge exorbitant prices for your work, then you should expect some customers might want to make changes. His overall job was a bit sloppy with a retaining wall that was dipping right and left, and a deck with multiple colored planks. When l asked him to please repair the retaining wall 'gap' he wanted to charge me another $600. Repair of the retaining wall was clearly in the contract; however, when it came to getting it as it should be, Brian balked and insisted that he never agreed to even work on that side of the retaining wall in the first place. Now l was exasperated! Then the irrigation system started acting up. He promised to come by and look at it only to text me the morning of my appointment to say he wasn't feeling well. ANOTHER missed appointment! I had to call a plumber as it was an emergency. I was stunned when he texted me 30 minutes before the originally scheduled appointment to say he would stop by. Seriously? The plumber had already come and gone at that point. The plumber also discovered that the irrigation system in the backyard was the original old system. This was the last straw for me! It was obvious that he was more interested in working with the design team that l parted ways with for future projects. The same design team that accused him of trashing the bathroom and leaving cans of Raid Ant Spray strewn all over the kitchen. He did none of those things and l came to his defense, but his loyalties were with design team. Finally, he lost the keys to the backyard gate and l had to hire a locksmith to change the locks. Will he call me difficult? Definitely, but only when messed around! Who wouldn't be! As an end note, l am not the first customer to have similar issues with this company, despite Brian's protestations to the contrary. read more

We agree with all the other 5-star reviews. We were extremely fortunate to have hired Brian to create a zen garden in our small, sloped San Francisco backyard. He transformed our weedy areas into a "dry creek bed" that leads to a fountain with a zen garden below. The fountain is a self-contained water feature that we have on a timer. The hummers absolutely love it. He also built the steps and put a removable deck in one of our pre-existing garden boxes, so we can choose whether to garden or use it for carona-safe visits. They also put in a drip system that is helping us keep the new landscaping alive. We really enjoyed having them here and had no issues regarding timeline nor expenses. There were no surprises. read more

Zenscape - view of dry creek bed and fountain from zen garden - Landscaping Near Me

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This company is simply unbelievable. I hired them to create a Zen garden at my beach house in Stinson Beach, and what they did is nothing short of incredible. They transformed an empty lot full of weeds into an absolute paradise with a waterfall and fire pit and the most incredible plantings. I've never seen anything like this. Most companies plan everything out on paper and then send someone out to execute, and it turns out quite sterile that way. This company specializes in true artistry that just can't be duplicated on a CAD drawing. I cannot recommend this company more. read more

Brian and his worker David were awesome! They totally worked around our schedule. This was our third attempt at doing something with the backyard. We could have saved a lot of money and time if he had just found him first! We wanted - Asian, a unique water feature, low maintenance, color We got - EVERYTHING! Including a drip emmiter system with hardwired accent lighting. read more

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Brian and his team are artists. They designed a beautiful space for our small front yard under super short notice and worked really quickly. He picked out some gorgeous plants and rocks, and the space is both gorgeous and functional. Thank you for giving us a cozy and serene hangout space! read more

Our garden, created by Zenscape, is nothing less than stunning. It is a beautiful, peaceful oasis right in the middle of a bustling urban area. Everyone who sees it is impressed, especially us on a daily basis. Brian is a creative artist, putting together design, colors, and forms to make a product that is just right. He and his crew were great to work with. I always had the feeling that he wanted to do what we wanted, only with style. On top of that, he is a nice guy and a pleasure to work with. read more

Brian, came in and did a fabulous job on my clients back garden! He worked well creating a space that incorporated my clients wishes and needs, while keeping the space aesthetically pleasing and zen. He and his team are diligent workers and do exceptional work as seen in the beautiful meticulous rock wall he created. I would highly recommend him for any garden space! read more

Brian was an absolute pleasure to work with, as was his assistant Noe. Brian usually has an organic design process from start to finish. We came to him with our own sketch and ideas, and multiple design constraints. He was very gracious, adapted and incorporated our ideas, and added in other features and details we were struggling with or hadn't thought about. We ended up with what we felt was a wonderful collaboration. He was always available to give his aesthetic input but was never pushy and was always open to what we wanted. It was clear that his first priority was to give us a space we enjoyed and that met our needs. He softened our design and added some very Zen elements that have elevated our space to be not only very functional but also relaxing/rejuvenating at the same time. Halfway through the process, when parts of the yard were done and parts were still piled with construction materials, we were already getting more enjoyment out of it than we had from the yard before we started, and our neighbors were already jealous-- if that tells you anything about the quality of the work. It is a joy to spend time and host friends in our new space. We have a yard now with elements that are great for us-- decomposed granite patio with pavers, deck space, water feature fountain, heated bench and fire pit, screening bamboo, raised bed planters for edible gardening, irrigation, mossy boulders, and a variety of beautiful plants that will be the (fairly low) level of maintenance we wanted. We almost skipped having him install lighting and we are so glad we didn't-- it exponentially increases our enjoyment of the space at night and adds a wonderful glow for dining or relaxing by the fire pit. The space is as inviting at night as it is during the day. Functionally we have added an entire room, if not two, to our property. He was communicative and responsive from start to finish. There were no real cost surprises-- one or two small things that needed to be added to the proposal after work was started (for example when it was discovered that we have gophers), but we were made aware up front of what some of the likely additions would be based on what they found when they started work, and those were discussed with us as they came up and OKed by us before Brian moved forward. In addition to the wonderful landscaping work, Brian is just a lovely person to work with. He is calm and personable, we have become friends through the process and he even introduced me to some new teas during our design brainstorming sessions. We had no reservations giving him access to our house while we were at work. We'll miss working with him, and can't recommend Zenscape highly enough! read more

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I loved Zenscapes design I saw in another neighborhood. However, I made an appt with Brian and he was a no show. He apologized and did not show a second time. When I tried to reach him again, he did not return my calls. I was so disappointed I blocked out the time to meet with him. It was just plain rude and unprofessional. read more

Brian Ott finished my patio garden in the back of my NOPA condo in December and he definitely exceeded my expectations. Brian brings an artists creativity, broad knowledge of plants and garden landscaping, and a business like efficiency to getting things done on time and on budget. I highly recommend working with Brian and his team to create an amazing space for your backyard too. - Alex read more

Zenscape - Landscaping Near Me

I called Brian as I was impressed with his work (at least from the reviews). I wanted to re-do my backyard (installing pavers, cleaning up mulch, fixing a retaining wall, plant some flowers). He came to look at the job and was honest that he didn't have a lot of bandwidth to commute to Oakland but said he would do it for a $30k minimum. Umm, what? I ended up doing the same thing my self with a little research and some hired sources for well under $10k. read more

Brian, Thanks for doing such a great job with my side yard patio up in the hills of Oakland. The flagstone looks so incredible in the morning time. Your crew was always on time and cleaned up after each day. I will tell everyone about your services! Cash F. read more

Brian and his team are a pleasure to work with and their results are great! Professional, insightful, and efficient, they get their job done beautifully and with respect for the environment. Through a number of key decisions - drought resistant plants, an efficient low pressure drip system, a porous patio that doesn't connect to drainage, reusing existing materials and even some plants, we were able to completely redo our backyard exactly the way we wanted it and keep our go forward maintenance and water bills as low as possible. We're completely satisfied with the finished product and the experience we had working with Brian and Dryscape. Highest recommendation! read more

Brian canceled our first meeting 2 hours before. He was then able to come the next day, told me he did not do projects below $30K, charged me $150 for a consult and promised to get back to me with ideas. 2 weeks later, he said he had not had any idea and would refund the charge. At least he was honest, but the whole process was just a waste of time. read more

"You want a Zen garden designed and installed on a third floor roof deck overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge? Sure." Brian Ott and his team at Zenscape did an extraordinary job bringing my dream to life. From the concept stage through installation and finish work, they brought a sense of creativity, dedication, professionalism and attention to detail to the work. And that included hauling all the plants, rocks, water feature, wood, soil and mulch three flights up a spiral staircase. An amazing job by an amazing team. read more

We were looking for a major overhaul of our back yard and when the time came to select a contractor, we interviewed several candidates. Zenscape was the only one that did not come with a personal recommendation, but the reviews on Yelp were so good that we wanted to see what all the fuss was about. We met with several high-profile and reputable companies, but after a few meetings, it became clear that Brian was the one we wanted to work with. He had a clear and compelling vision for what the backyard could become, but more so than the other candidates, he seemed flexible in terms of accommodating our desires and needs. Although Brian's process is a little different than what we are used to working with, we actually enjoyed and would highly recommend it. Instead of a traditional approach where the architect creates a detailed design plan and the workers come in and implement that plan, Brian used a much more iterative approach -- He did create a conceptual plan that roughly showed proportions and where major design elements would be. We found this was more than enough to understand and appreciate his vision. During the actual construction, things were extremely fluid and we were able to make changes based on how things actually looked in person rather than on paper. Brian's work ethic, attention to detail, and integrity also far exceeded our expectations. My wife is extremely picky when it comes to construction details - this is probably the first time that we met a contractor who was actually pickier than us! Brian wanted to create the perfect backyard experience for us and spared no time or expense in making this so. For example, he made one of his workers remove the concrete footings for a bench not once, but twice because he didn't like the location in relationship to the overall site once he saw it in place. Another example was when he put in a large Japanese maple. He must have had his poor worker move it to 10 different locations, moving it a few inches and rotating it a few degrees so he could make sure it was just right! Brian also spent a lot of time making sure that the new backyard was not just going to have a pretty face. It turns out that the "soil" in our yard was mostly clay, which is why we were having so many drainage problems. Brian's team replaced most of the clay with good soil and put in extra drainage pipes to ensure that there would be no future problems. It goes without saying that we highly, highly recommend Brian and his Zenscapes team for your next landscape project. You'll be fortunate to have him on your team. read more

I requested service on Monday, February 29th. Here it is the 4th and no one has responded. The job was kind of urgent. I waited for a response and lost the opportunity to find someone attentive to there business! read more

Brian is an artist who is committed to creating a sacred garden space for you to find peace in and entertain in! He turned our mess of a backyard into a gorgeous oasis. I meditate and have meals in the space, and we added a hot tub and have held many wonderful parties in our backyard. Brian will listen to your vision and add his passion to its execution. He is knowledgeable about plants and uses materials that create a very zen feeling. He also has a sweet presence that makes it a pleasure to work with him! read more

After talking with several different landscapers our TIC decided to go with Brian from Zenscape. Brian and his crew completely transformed our backyard into a functional and beautiful space. It was done very quickly and for a great price. The best part of the experience was Brian himself. He is a great guy, easy to communicate with and sincere. He is very creative and has a lot of passion for his work. I am very happy with the end result. read more

Zenscape transformed the 'ugliest back yard in the world' to an oasis that draws us outside for hours every day. We have retired in my husband's childhood home, built in 1940, in the Outer Richmond. We've done a lot of work on the inside but the back yard remained a long, flat, sandy expanse. Recently we resolved to work on it, interviewed 4 landscape contractors, and thankfully choose Brian. He agreed with my idea of a slate patio and a meandering path leading to a smaller patio in the back. His talented stone worker, Louis, took irregular slate slabs, laid them out like a jigsaw puzzle, and then began the tedious cutting process and laid out not only the patios and winding path, but an additional spot for a slate bench (which he made), for my bird- watching, as well as a place for my husband's herb garden. Then Brian and his plant 'maestro' Noe went to work. They laid 4 huge, rolling, raised beds containing a myriad of trees, bushes, flowering pants, and succulents laced among interesting rocks and stones. Noe is an artist who places each plant and stone with the greatest care. Brian has a true genius for his designs as well as his ability to follow through to 'make it happen' and to incorporate his client's needs. All 3 of them are hard workers who are truly invested in making you the most lovely space possible. The real test was to show the results to our son, who lived in the house for a while, and my sister-in-law, who grew up in the house. They were truly in awe of the transformation, and found it almost impossible to believe that this was the same yard. The phrase, 'work of art' was spoken many times. My husband and I whole-heartedly recommend Brian, Noe, and Lous, the Zenscape crew. Not only is our yard beautiful, but the plants are guaranteed for 2 years, the price for it was competitive, and the work completed as quickly as weather and the holidays allowed. You just cannot do any better! read more

It was a delight working with Brian and Noe, his skillful and gentle assistant. Brian is an artist as a landscape designer. He is friendly, warm, communicative, receptive to feedback, meticulous and thoughtful. He quickly understood the wish to transform my patio into a meditative garden sanctuary, visually accessible from the home's main living area and master bedroom while maintaining its potential as a social entertainment space. Brian's creative vision was a wonderful process to experience as the garden project developed and came into completion. The drought-resistant plants, trees (including a gorgeous Japanese maple), rocks, stones, slate bench, basalt water feature, basalt columns, meandering paths and lighting were all carefully selected and placed throughout the garden. Expertly cut slate slabs replaced the old brick, irrigation was upgraded, old gazebo and garden shed demolished. Brian was readily accessible for questions during and after project completion. He is generous and gracious and it's easy to befriend him. My new garden is beautiful and the joy it provides, invaluable. I am happy to fully recommend Brian's Zenscape work. It will amaze you! read more

Brian and his team at Dryscape did an excellent job for us. Brian is very knowledgeable, easy to work with, and brings a lot of design experience to the project. They found leaks in our irrigation, reworking the whole system in a way that makes more sense and saves water. When we told Brian we were interested in a started food garden he build us a planter and helped us choose herbs and veggies we would enjoy and could manage. Our project expanded beyond the original scope once we realized how much we could transform our outdoor living space. Great value, great results, and great service. 5 stars, no question. read more

We ran across Zenscape through Yelp! and fell in love with the portfolio posted at www.zenscape.com. This was the style we were searching for....something tranquil and zen with a modern twist. Our original front and side yards were boring and stale, and the backyard was an unusable slate of cement and pebbles. The main guy of Zenscape is Brian Ott. Super down to earth, friendly, and honest. He brought a book full of his other projects, many of which were not on his website, and we were convinced that we had to hire him. Beyond just redoing the yard, Zenscape installed a new cedar fence, small deck with his signature curve, an elevated veggie garden and a small putting green (he outsourced this). Brian had free reign for his design; the only thing I requested was a few large boulders and some bamboo. It wasn't like on HGTV where the homeowners are given a detailed diagram of exactly what the yard was going to look like. It was more blind faith that you entrusted in him - we knew we liked his style of work and let him run with it. I have to admit, it was a little nerve-racking not having the exact plans, but Brian is an artist and very passionate about his craft. He moved around fully planted trees and big rocks several times until he got it to his taste. We wholeheartedly recommend Zenscape. We paid another landscaper around $10k the first time we did our yard as we thought we could handle the main design and pick out the plants....what a disaster and complete waste of money (especially since most of it has now been gutted). Zenscape is multiple of this but you get what you pay for. All the new plants and veggies (except the ones that we personally planted, go figure) are thriving. They installed more rocks/boulders than what I would have thought, the black bamboo was taller than expected, and most importantly, we love our yard! read more

Brian is amazing! In the last two months, he's transformed our blah backyard into gorgeous Zen retreat - from our cool, curvy ipe deck to our amazing slate walkway and stone water feature. We're so thrilled with what he's created for us! He is a true visionary with an amazing eye for design. read more

Working with Brian and Dryscape was great! They helped with every aspect of our backyard landscaping project, including deck design and build, slate patio design and installation, consultation around drought tolerant plants and presentation of irrigation and drainage solutions. The combination of all these elements resulted in a beautiful backyard that manages water consumption and management well. This is important to us to address all these elements and not just the design aspect. read more

Three cheers for Dryscape--Brian and his crew changed the way we interact with and enjoy our home. I met with five landscapers before I found Brian. We were looking to transform our sloped, rock covered yard into a space where we could tell our children to "go play outside" - and they would. No more balls rolling down into the diseased trees at the end of the property. No more failed jump roping because the rocks kept snagging the line. And we wanted to sit outside with them with our books and be surrounded by pretty things that wouldn't die when we would (inevitably) forget to water them. Enter Brian. He painted me a picture of what our yard could be like, reflecting my needs exactly--he's a great listener and translator even for a muddled visionary like me. My husband balked when Brian suggested artificial grass, but then Brian invited me to see what he'd done at another location, and I did some research online, and I was hooked. Considering current drought conditions, it now seems like the only way to go, and after taking a nap on the new lawn last weekend, I'm so incredibly thrilled we made that choice. Pure heaven. Dryscape and Brian build retaining walls, removed the diseased trees, landscaped with drought resistant plants that are maintained 90% via battery powered irrigation, supervised the grass installation, and went above and beyond to make the space feel gorgeous and livable even on our limited budget.. We even went on a short vacation while his crew was working, and they treated the house with complete respect. It should be noted that the only way in and out of our yard is through our house, and when we came home, I could not believe how many pounds of soil must have come through the space, not to mention the removal of two big trees. They kept is incredibly clean. Brian also found a way to work with the existing (3) plants in the garden that hadn't died, and preserve them, integrating them beautifully into the design. Plus, he used the rocks from the old garden to make a nice lower patio a lovely place holder until we decide how to approach possible hardscaping. Prior to signing a contract with Brian, I spoke with two other SF families who had worked with Dryscape before, and both were pleased with Brian's work. I found our experience totally consistent with theirs, and am beyond grateful that Brian was willing to make our budget work with smart, cost saving suggestions. read more

Our new backyard is beautiful! Brian was a joy to work with and his crew were very professional at all times. They worked around our scheduling and waited mid-project for several weeks while some stucco work was completed. Brian made contact with our neighbors regarding delivery of materials and made sure that our project had minimal impact on others. Our original backyard consisted of cracked cement and an uninspiring deck. This has been replaced with gorgeous slate slabs offset with drought tolerant landscaping. Brian devised a slate platform on which to rest the BBQ so that it is out of the way but still within easy access to the house. We spend lots of time in the backyard now as it is now a welcoming relaxing space. It feels like we have added another room to the house. read more

This is my first Yelp review, and I am writing it because I want Yelpers to know about the great service that Brian Ott and his Zenscape provided to us this summer when they worked on our San Francisco Bernal Heights backyard. First, Brian's responsiveness. Back in the early summer of 2013, I was contacting various landscapers for our backyard project, some of whom were referrals from friends or professionals. Very few called back. Brian, who was referred to me from a friend, was one of the ones who called back promptly. We scheduled a consultation pretty quickly, and he scheduled our project soon thereafter. During the project itself, Brian communicated options to me whenever they arose, and he quickly called back whenever I had questions or things to talk about. I should note that during one week of the project, I was out of town, and so this communication was key. Second, Brian's landscaping design and installation work. In looking for a landscaping professional, I searched for someone who could come up with ideas despite vague and often unknowledgable input from me, the client. I am far from an expert in this area and don't have much time to do things myself, and I therefore needed someone who could think of ideas that fit my general preferences and style. From my uninspiring mulch-covered backyard, Brian created a very peaceful outdoor family room, with a slate garden, a beautiful moss rock wall that looks like it had been there forever, ipe and slate benches, new foliage including a new Japanese maple as the centerpiece, and, per our choice after Brian's consultation and suggestion, a low-maintenance and artificial grass play area for our daughter. Brian also added a drip irrigation system, lighting to highlight the foliage at night, and timers for both. Brian's work reflected the vision that we had expressed to him, made better by Brian's knowledge of what would look and work best with the existing backyard that we had. And importantly, he gave us a beautiful, low maintenance backyard that we could use for relaxing, entertaining, or playing with our daughter and our dog. Third, Brian's professional and courteous service. In addition to being responsive and communicative, Brian offered great ideas, like having a water feature that we chose not to do, without pushing them or pressuring. I always felt like I was getting the work that I chose to have done. I also felt that Brian went the extra mile in his work. For example, Brian spent more time, effort, and, I think, money on his end (when our contract was already fixed) to get a perfectly-shaped and beautiful Japanese maple tree for our yard. He and his workers Noe and Noe manually carried that tree up our back steps and through a narrow gate to get the tree placed, and that was hard work. I know because I voluntarily helped. Another example is Brian's work on our deck. Brian repainted our deck to compliment our backyard, and although I didn't expect it, he also offered to paint additional decking on the side of the house that was not part of the backyard. I very much appreciated that. Finally, Brian was visibly courteous and respectful to his crew, who I thought he treated as partners in the work effort. Noe and Noe were both great, and I could tell that they respected Brian and enjoyed working for Zenscape. Finally, Brian is a very nice and personable guy, and, similar to what others have posted, I thought he was easy to be around and very pleasant to work with. He was also very honest and trustworthy, which was important to me due to budget issues and the time we were away from home during the project. I would highly recommend Brian and Zenscape to anyone who, like me, wants to have a peaceful and beautiful backyard. I was not one who was looking for a Zen space in my house or anything of that spiritual variety, but I certainly got one, as well as a backyard that I am now very happy with. Thanks, Brian and Zenscape! read more

Brian is amazing. He totally transformed our overgrown backyard into a beautiful garden retreat. He listened to what we wanted (hot tub, colorful plants, a lawn that would survive our dogs running on it) and not only delivered, but completely exceeded our expectations. He stayed on budget and finished on time. He was truly a pleasure to work with! read more

Brian is a rare mix of artistic genius, Zen gardener, and master carpenter. After getting bids and hearing ideas from different landscapers, we chose Brian based on his concept, vision, and price. The finished Zen garden far surpassed my expectations. He and his crew were professional, courteous, and efficient. And at every step of the process I felt included - Brian listens and understands exactly what you are wanting and is able to execute on the vision perfectly. He also knows his stuff - building materials, soils, plants and trees, climate, garden maintenance. After the project wrapped up he helped me learn exactly how to maintain the garden space. I sit out there every day now and meditate.. I enthusiastically recommend Brian and Zenscape! read more