We had a great experience with Columbine. We'd just survived an extensive interior renovation and wanted the front yard to measure up. And, prior to this, the exterior had been a pile of construction debris for several months, then an overgrown weed and garbage patch that, over time, was getting closer and closer to "Sanford and Son" territory. A friend of ours sketched some landscape plans for us - now we just needed someone to execute - and Jenny and her team were just what we needed. She was professional, responsive, and easy to work with, and she worked closely with us to wrestle the scope of our plans down to something that we could afford. And the results speak for themselves: every time I'm out in the front working in the garden, I get a compliment from a passing stranger. And when we tried to replicate their work in our backyard, the results were, um, lackluster. In the front, everything that Jenny planted is thriving. In the back, what I planted is clinging desperately to life. Lesson learned - leave it to the professionals! Highly recommended! read more

Columbine Landscaping - The initial work - Landscape Architects or Designers Near Me - Oakland, California

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Start to finish we enjoyed the process with Jenny and her crew. She was responsive by phone and text, really heard our interests out, and brought a lot of transparency to the design / construction process. Her crew was professional, the process was on time, and when issues arose in construction, she was quick to remedy them. I can't offer a before photo here, but the front yard was mostly a disaster before Columbine's work. read more

Columbine Landscaping - Plants and mulch and flagstone. - Landscape Architects or Designers Near Me - Oakland, California

Don't look any further, hire Columbine. We have a small yard that was overgrown with weeds and bushes that we wanted to transform into a child-friendly, good-looking, usable space. The work that Jenny and her crew did superseded our expectations. It's absolutely beautiful. Plus, Jenny worked with our budget, helped reduce costs here and there, talked about options, came up with fantastic ideas (adding a dog-run to the side of the house, using precious Berkeley real estate we were overlooking), and the crew was always on time and worked hard. We now have an amazing space to enjoy all summer, and beyond. For any future projects, we'll be hiring Jenny again. read more

Columbine Landscaping - Little Berkeley Oasis - Landscape Architects or Designers Near Me - Oakland, California

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We just moved into a new house (our first). The only thing the previous owners spent money on was landscaping and a drip irrigation/sprinkler system. For the first few months, I pretended like the yard wasn't there, choosing instead to focus my energies on the interior of the house. Occasionally I'd take my pair of giant clippers and whack an innocent plant to shreds in the hope that I was helping it come back stronger. Big mistake on that poor little Japanese maple. Then things started drooping, and dying, and wilting, and finally I realized that I needed professional help: someone to tell me what everything was, how the sprinklers worked, whether I could plant a vegetable garden in our clay soil, and how the heck you're supposed to prune things properly. So I called Columbine based on the Yelp reviews alone. Jenny was great; she came out to our place a few days later and proceeded to walk me through every leaf, branch, flower, fruit, dirt pile (gophers, unfortunately), sprinkler, and tree in our yard for an hour and a half. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of plants. I then drew her a crude pencil sketch of a plant I liked and she told me the name of that too. Amazing! What was especially great is that they're available for short consultations. You don't have to sign up for the whole shebang of having them design and landscape and maintain your yard. You can just get the benefit of their vast wisdom and then try to implement some of the ideas yourself if you're broke first-time homeowners like us. I only wish we could afford them on a regular basis. My aching back would be happy about that. Someday... Anyway, I'm very excited now that I know I have a pineapple guava in the front yard, and that our back yard will support citrus and tomatoes. I even know how to keep the hungry deer at bay, and how to prune things without causing them to beg for forgiveness. Thanks Jenny! read more

Jenny and Columbine landscaping reconstructed a front gate for me this year, the latest of many projects big and small they have handled for me at our hillside Rockridge home. Quality of work and communication was once again top notch. read more

They fixed my leaking irrigation system with ease and expertise, and just in time for the drought water rationing! They also provide excellent work on larger landscaping and stonework projects. To find out more, go to: http://www.columbinelandscaping.com read more

Columbine Landscaping - one happy customer! - Landscape Architects or Designers Near Me - Oakland, California

The view from my front window is always pleasing year round and I still get a kick from watching people stop by the stone wall and point out this or that feature in my yard. Thanks to Jenny we have the most interesting front garden on the block. The project came in on time and under budget. That's as good as it gets! read more

Columbine Landscaping - This is a columbine in bloom - Landscape Architects or Designers Near Me - Oakland, California

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After a complete interior remodel of our townhouse I ran out of enthusiasm for tackling the patio, until the bleak aspect became too much. We now have a beautiful slate patio that extends our living space outdoors. Jenny was easy to deal with and professional. She inventoried my sad collection of existing plants and pots and figured out which could be saved. She figured out a solution to my digging dog problem that had stymied me. read more

Columbine replaced a small retaining wall in my backyard. I had some rather high bids from other companies, but Jenny suggested using wood instead of stone, and gave me a bid that was within my price range. She responded to my initial call quickly, and was very friendly and personable, with a forthright manner which I liked. She said they could start almost immediately, as it was a small job, and could be completed in less that a week. The crew showed up on time and finished very quickly. The work is not visually exciting, but then neither is my backyard, and it is solid and sturdy. They also put in a wooden handrail by the existing stairs--once again, not fancy, but works fine and suits me. About a square yard of sloppy brick paving was also replaced, and I am very happy with that--looks a thousand times better! So does everything--the old retaining wall was made by a previous owner out of piled-up pieces of broken concrete and was pretty ugly--my main motivation for replacement. My goal was to get all the broken concrete out of my yard--it was apparently his favorite building material, and he had used it under a poured concrete patio as well. I had thought the broken concrete pieces under the patio were to be removed and replaced with poured concrete, or at least hidden by it, but in fact they were simply cemented into place, still showing--oh, well, I can always plant a bush there, after I get up the spilled concrete in front of the patched area. I had also asked that a small stretch of broken concrete around a garden area be replaced with poured concrete to match the poured wall it connected to--we are talking about between 6 and 8 inches high, and maybe three feet long. When I went to look at the finished job, this had not been done, and there was a small trench at the base of the new retaining wall, a few inches deep. I had also asked that all the rubble be removed, as well as some extra old bricks that were in the yard, and was assured that could be done. It was still there. When I asked Jenny to finish this up, she said, sure, they had run out of soil from my yard, but were excavating elsewhere and could bring some soil from there to fill the little trench. She also said she would send someone to finish the little wall around the garden area, which she did. But when he was done, the rubble was still in the yard, and the new concrete was stuck against the broken pieces at the back. I called Jenny again, and she came over and unstuck the pieces before the concrete set. I said once again that I wanted the rubble and bricks removed, and she put them into containers to be picked up at the end of the day. She never brought any soil from elsewhere, and said they could smooth out the edge of the trench with a pickax. This was partially done, but there is still a small area at one end that is not filled in. She removed almost all the rubble, but said she could not deal with three large pieces a bit smaller than concrete construction blocks--the largest measures 20" x 14" x 10"--and said I would have to find someone else to move them. I also just discovered two more large pieces of concrete rubble, stuck behind a tree. So I called EcoHaul, who said they could remove them for their base price of $125. I also purchased about 5 cubic feet of topsoil for $20, which will probably be enough to fill the small trench. I am concerned about the trench, as I have a degree of physical disability, and am worried about turned or broken ankles. This is also going to make it physically difficult for me to dump the topsoil into the trench--a simple enough job when all your body parts work correctly. Mine don't, but I'm pretty sure I can probably manage it without hurting myself. There are several concrete building blocks left over from the old retaining wall, the classic rectangular ones with two square holes, which Jenny said they would use to patch some holes along the fence. Instead, they used more pieces of concrete rubble. The point of the exercise was to get rid of the concrete rubble. There are also tiny bits of concrete all over the yard. I will have to go around with a bucket and pick them up one by one. This will not be fun, as it is difficult for me to bend over, and I cannot kneel. So three stars for the quality of the work, which is fine, but missing two for the fact that not everything I requested was done, even after it was pointed out several times. I suspect there are bigger jobs going on at the moment, and mine was very small, and so got minimal attention. I might employ Columbine again, but only if I have a job big enough to be a priority. read more

I had an awful experience with Columbine landscaping. They were incredibly overpriced and unclear in what you were paying for.

I hired Columbine Landscaping to replace our backyard grass with drought friendly turf and to stain our concrete patio. Jenny was very quick to respond to my request for a bid and was very responsive throughout the process. She projects confidence and clearly is very knowledgeable. She even provided us with great advice about small things we could do to improve our front yard and help our vegetable garden on our own. The end result is beautiful and completed in a timely fashion. Highly recommend! read more

I've hired Columbine Landscaping twice now. The first time was about 12 years ago, the second time just this past summer. Both were great experiences. Jenny, Gary and their crew are a pleasure to work with. The flagstone patio they installed this summer looks great and has transformed our backyard. They did a great job of repairing and shoring-up some concrete stairs that were in danger of collapsing (through no fault of theirs) and didn't charge me extra. They also did several other minor concrete repairs adjacent to the patio at no extra cost. Very much appreciated. Jenny is very generous with her time in choosing plants and making suggestions for their care. I recommend Columbine very highly. read more

Columbine Landscaping did a great job updating all of our backyard area! This company is made out of true professionals. Jenny Rieger, the owner, promptly returned all of our calls and emails and kept in touch throughout the project including checking the work in person and doing some of the work herself. Work crews showed up on time, were polite and profesional, and all the work stayed within a previously agreed budget except when we asked for changes. Jenny also has an artistic sense and knows what materials and plants to use for each specific landscaping design need that we had. I could not be happier with her work and recommend Columbine without reservations! read more

Jenny and her crew did a great job for us designing and landscaping our front yard. We found her easy to work with, and when our vision didn't match our budget, she made adjustments to the plans to make it work. After the job finished, she stopped by several times to make sure irrigation was working correctly and to check on the plants. We loved working with Jenny so much that we hired Columbine again to upgrade our back yard. If you're looking for collaboration, commitment and excellent work, go with Columbine. read more

Almost a year ago, Jenny and crew revamped our backyard with a new patio and plantings. They also corrected a faulty drainage system that our GC messed up and could never be bothered to fix. Fast-forward several months and the garden is thriving and we're very pleased with the look and feel of it. Today, Jenny came out (on a holiday no less) when I called to tell her that a water line was leaking. It's nice to find a company that actually stands behind their work, and doesn't forget you as soon as the job is completed. Thanks, Jenny! read more

My husband and I just moved from an apartment in San Francisco to house with a huge backyard in Oakland. Neither my husband nor I had any idea what 99% of the things planted around the house were, or how to take care of them. Jenny came out and walked me through each and every single tree, plant, flower and shrub on the property, giving me information on how to care for everything. The house was empty for 6 months before we moved in, so Jenny's team came in an did a clean up of everything, just in time for our housewarming party. The work that was done was absolutely amazing! The front and back yard were immaculate when they were done. We could not have been happier. I highly recommend Columbine Landscaping! read more

Jenny did our back yard in Oakland and did a great job back in 2004, fast forward and we have moved to Alamo and had a complete remodel of a house to look forward too. We left the front yard till 2 months ago and wanted new look for our house, Jenny came and drew up a plan based on our wants and aesthetic and what could be achieved. We are totally delighted and happy with our new front yard it is deer and bee resistant and with a new path and spotlights our neighbour stated she had turned a sows ear into a silk purse. The crew were friendly and the job was done on time and budget. We look forward to working with Jenny in future. read more

I contacted Jenny to do a landscaping revamp for a property in Montclair Oakland which she said she could work on. She was clearly busy so I accommodated her schedule request and traveled from San Francisco to meet her at her requested time. She didn't show up but I got a voicemail saying her GPS malfunctioned and she didn't have the address written down so she'd be late. After waiting for an hour she was still a no show. After 3 friendly follow up voicemails to reschedule she still never returned my calls. As a busy real estate broker I'm shocked that she would blow off my calls,,, huge loss in potential referrals. My last call was just a request that she's let me know if she was too busy to help us. Two stars because she may be good at what she does based on other reviews, but on the professionalism scale - absolute zero. Very disappointing. read more

We had a sadly disappointing experience with Columbine. Jenny had designed my garden 14 years ago and did a beautiful job. This time I asked for bids on three phases of a total garden redo ( expected cost about $15,000.) She offered me an appointment to come by , seemed to forget it entirely, and came only when called. She promised a bid in three days but took three weeks. Her bid was not detailed,did not cover the items requested and was frighteningly offhand and non professional. Be warned! read more

They came and gave me an estimate for cleanup Their price was very high but I was in a bind. They know that and I think took advantage. Fine, but the work was done poorly, and they had to come back three times because the job was not finished properly. In the end I felt like I got slimed and these folks did not do quality work There are lots of other choices....choose someone else read more

I needed to do a refresh of my back yard landscaping and called several contractors. Columbine was the most reasonably priced and came with the best recommendations. They were very efficient, completing the job in one day, cleaned up when they were finished and were very easy to work with. They laid down three yards of rock, did several plantings, trimmed a couple of trees and extended/tuned the irrigation system. I'm very happy with the results and would definitely use them again! read more

I found Jenny of Columbine Landscaping on Yelp based on all the good reviews! She re-designed the two adjacent front lawns of my neighbor and me to become one whole front garden that looks great. The space now looks bigger. Gone were the messy weeds, brown spots and crab grasses. Instead, we have a nice front yard with rocks and various kinds of beautiful plants. Jenny also converted our sprinkler system into a drip irrigation system, which greatly reduces water wastage. Her crew worked hard and fast. I absolutely loved the end results. Jenny even undertook to keep an eye on the new wonderland she created for me, making sure that the new plants will grow and flourish. How can you top that kind of dedication and work ethics? Don't hesitate to call Jenny because you don't know much about gardening or you are unsure what you want in landscaping. She will take care of everything for you! read more

Columbine Nursery was recommended to me by my local nursery. I contacted them for a quote along with other contractors. We had a big job - both the front and back yard had to be landscaped. We liked Jenny, the owner who met with us. She was competent and a pleasure to work with. She had good ideas; listened carefully to our vision; and planned the yards around it. Her staff are wonderful. They have a strong work ethic and completed each part of the job as promised. We also had a flagstone patio laid and her staff did an outstanding job. I highly recommend Columbine Landscaping. Her husband is her partner and he provides oversight and other aspects of the work itself such as irrigation, lighting, etc. They are on site during the work and always available by phone or Email. read more

So, in an effort to make amends (and get a better Yelp review?), Jenny gave me a very reasonable estimate for my last remaining hardscape project. I decided to, as she said, give Columbine "another chance." Her detail-oriented and hardworking crew ripped out my cracked, uneven front walkway, and installed lovely new pavers and a short retaining wall. They also created a proper planter box around my long-neglected plum tree, and laid matching pavers in front of it. The neighbors are agog. I am super-pleased with the efficient craftsmanship and great-looking results. read more

Columbine did a total re-do of our garden including a new driveway, flagstone path and stairway. They installed irrigation and beautiful drought tolerant and deer resistant plantings. Everything looks great and is growing beautifully. Both Jenny and Gary are easy to work with, they listened to what we wanted and suggested alternatives to tricky problem spots. They are knowledgeable and friendly and their crew is very hard working. They were there exactly when they said they would be and the job was finished on time! read more

A graceful stone stair case, lined with rock retaining walls creating beds ready for spring planting lead down to a smooth flag stone patio where my table and chairs no longer wobble. I am so happy strolling up and down the stairs, imagining the next phase when Jenny and the gang come back to help me. The stone workers were skilled and considerate. The yard was left orderly each day, and Jenny or Gary or both were there nearly every day to supervise. Delightful couple. Awesome crew, and spectacular results. read more

We were extremely pleased with the services that Columbine Landscaping provided us. Our Oakland hills home was looking shabby in front, and our irrigation system was inefficient and basically worthless. I asked Jenny what we could plant that deer would not devour, and that would be easy care, and go with the plants that we wanted to keep. She came up with some great looking plant selections. The friendly crew of Columbine Landscaping then came out and pruned our Japanese Maple, and removed some stumps and overgrown plants to make room for the new landscape. After adding on to on the irrigation, it now has enough pressure to water everything efficiently, so we don't have to grab the hose and compensate anymore. The final effect is a cohesive design that is low maintenance and suits our lifestyle as well as giving us great "curb appeal". I highly recommend this company! read more

We recently worked with Gary and Jenny on replanting our back garden, building a security fence (that had to really look good) and installing decorative rock in a side area. What we liked most about working with them - besides finding out they were a neighborhood business - was their willingness to really listen to our wants and needs and find a solution. We are excited to see the plans fill out this spring and look forward to talking with them again about the front yard. read more

It took 2 weeks before I heard from Jenny. She agreed to look at the yard. The former landscaper had installed a sprinkler system that was always getting knocked down and broken or not watering the plants properly. Jenny came out the next day, made some suggestions. A verbal estimate was given for changing the sprinkler heads, adding another sprinkler valve, yard cleanup, and planting some ground cover. She told me that she would be gone next week, but her crew could start tomorrow. The crew (two men) came out the next day (Fri.), changed the sprinkler heads and pulled weeds. I needed to be present to remind them which sprinkler heads needed to be moved and how to open the timer box that they thought was locked. More than 2 weeks had passed before I heard from Jenny again. She informed me that she came by yesterday, did some work, and wanted to meet with me later in the week. Before the meeting, I went by the property and hardly notice that anything had been done. Only the wires from the existing valve were connected to the new timer. When Jenny showed up with her husband and 2 husky dogs in a pickup truck, Jenny could not remember what estimate she had given me and quoted a much higher rate. I had to remind her what she quoted me and what she had agreed to do. She asked me for a $500.00 deposit that was half the total cost of the estimate. After giving her the check, she told me that her crew would be back tomorrow. After dumping some dirt in the yard and dropping off 3 flats of ground cover, she and her husband left. No one called or showed up the next day. I assumed everything was OK. and didn't go by the house until several days later. The temperature had been in the mid 80's, hotter than normal. I found the ground cover wilted. When I called Jenny, she apologized that it took so long, didn't know that her crew didn't show up, and said she had been busy. I'm disappointed. No written estimates, huge deposit, not communicating with crew, and taking too long to complete the job. I'm finishing the work myself. read more