Nick totally transformed by backyard into an oasis! He was the perfect person for the job because he was able to both design and implement an incredible plan in my backyard. Nick listened closely to what I was dreaming and then found all the perfect plants to make the dream come true. What was once a grassy plot filled with potential is now a gorgeous, edible landscape with tropical feel. I really appreciate how Nick understood my budget, values, and needs and worked to create the best possible outcome. He repurposed nearly every brick and stone he found in my yard, created a watering system, and redirected my gutters and created a rain garden. He has a gift of vision, and the rare ability to put that vision into action. I just love finding Nick in my backyard, communing with the plants he loves so much. It is a joy to learn from him. read more

We just loved working with Nick and his crew. We got so much more than expert landscaping, we also learned so much about the plants that are now part of our lives. Nick continues to be such a resource for us. Can't recommend Earth Ecology enough! read more

Earth Ecology - a stone path in front of a red house - Landscaping Near Me

Highest praise possible and so much gratitude to Earth Ecology for the amazingness that has become our yard. I was fortunate enough to see some of their handiwork at an event held in the yard of someone who had previously discovered them. Hearing about what that space had looked like before and seeing the magical landscape that had been created there, I knew my wife and I needed to meet Nick Lake. Since then, he and his fantastic team have completely transformed our outside space into the most beautiful part of our home. Nick is an absolute treasure trove of inspiration and information. From the moment we first met with him, we knew we wanted to proceed as soon as possible. We didn't have pressing issues that made landscaping work an "emergency" (e.g., no water problems directly related to the yard), so an outside project easily could have waited. We also did not have a high level of horticultural knowledge, nor did we even know exactly what we wanted when we first started talking to Nick. We knew our yard had "potential", i.e. it was a smallish but not tiny, pretty drab space that wasn't particularly functional and wasn't much to look it. It was our conversation with Nick and his vision for the yard that made us want to move forward at that time and turn it into something great. Since then, with a combination of "demo" work, mulching, softscaping and hardscaping, every aspect of our yard has become a thing of beauty that we see and enjoy every single day. Throughout the process, Nick and his team have worked closely with us on every decision and every detail. Nick plays an integral role in all parts of the process and communication with him and his team has always been easy, fun, rewarding, and thorough. There have never been any surprises in terms of cost or how something was done. As a result, everything is exactly what was discussed and we could not be any happier with it. Nick certainly deserves the lion's share of the credit as the owner of the business, the mastermind behind the work, and a hands-on contributor to the implementation. That said, huge shout out for his entire crew and honorary mention for Tulsi, the smart and adorable dog that might make some appearances if Tashana is working and you give the green light. Every member of the team brings something important to the job, always including hard work but also creativity and individual areas of interest and expertise. The result is frequent flashes of brilliance and pleasant surprises throughout all phases of a project. It isn't a great time of year for pictures as I'm writing this (I'll add more in the spring) but below is a stone bench that took form during one day's work. This was not even part of the original plan, just an off-the-cuff idea (thanks to Kyle, Tommy, Daniel and Tashana if memory serves) to which we could have said "no thanks" if we were that foolish. Even once there are more pictures to add, they can only do so much. Nick knows he is always welcome to swing by and show off the beauty, which keeps getting better with every growth season. Whether we are sitting in the yard, walking through it to get to or from the house, or just staring at it through a window, we count ourselves lucky that this is actually part of our home. I cannot recommend Earth Ecology strongly enough. With Nick and his crew, you will get everything that you wanted and a lot more. As happened for us, you will get done with each step and be so happy that you decided to go for it, and occasionally scratch your head wondering if there is anything else you can do out there. Thanks, Earth Ecology :-) read more

Earth Ecology - a stone bench in a garden - Landscaping Near Me

Nick Lake and his team are absolutely brilliant. I whole heartedly agree with the other five star reviews I've read and feel like I've had the exact same experience. I had a vague vision of wanting to create a backyard habitat with rain gardens, native plants, and edibles for my baby to grow up around, with a fairy garden vibe. When I brought Nick in for a walk through to get some ideas, I knew right away I wanted him to complete the project. He and his team were full of awesome ideas and had a great attitude, and somehow managed to manifest the vision I had in my mind even though I didn't have a clear idea of what that was. I love their focus on sustainability. The only new product used in the project was our trellis arch. All of the logs stumps and stones were up cycled, and the mulch was chip dropped. Nicks choice of plants were fantastic, and were so excited to watch everything grow and mature as our baby does. Talking to Nick and his team throughout the project was so fun and educational, and I only wish I'd had more opportunity to do so. They were generous with their time and knowledge, and efficient in their work. Great communication, timeliness, follow through, and courtesy. I was particularly happy to know that I was supporting a company and group of people who are so dedicated to creating more biodiverse and habitable spaces in every project they undertake. I cannot recommend Earth Ecology highly enough and will definitely be using them when we turn to our front yard! read more

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Nick and his staff removed the grass and installed a raingarden with native plants and fruit trees. Some things I especially appreciated about Earth Ecology - Nick and the whole crew are genuinely nice people and lovely to have around, Nick is very knowledgeable about how to achieve a balanced, natural landscape. We did put in many native plants, but he wasn't rigid about it. He truly listened to what I was trying to achieve in my yard and went way beyond my expectations in many big and little ways. Things I mentioned in passing about specific plants, or features turned up in my yard. I still smile every time I go outside. I have a lovely, pollinator friendly back yard that also is climate resilient and brings in some sentimental California favorites, just for fun. I'm working on phase 2 now. Earth Ecology will be my go to landscape company from here on out. read more

You will not find a more thorough, thoughtful, professional, and courteous landscape designer / landscaper than Earth Ecology! Nick clearly has a huge passion for his work, is indescribably helpful, and has a seemingly endless source of ideas and recommendations for what the CUSTOMER wants!!! Nick REALLY listens, and offers LOTS of options based on what the customer wants. Even before the initial consultation, Nick sends questionnaires asking not only what your landscaping goals and desires are, but holistically, what your values are, how you want your garden to make you feel, and to describe your dream landscape, how you want to move thorough it, etc. This can honestly seem weird and awkward, but what it does is MAKES YOU THINK about things regarding your landscaping you'd probably never considered, and ensures that you know what you want, and gives Nick a starting point to ensure that he delivers on reaching your goals. You would reasonably expect this level of service to cost TONS more than competing firms, yet, shockingly, it does not. Nick's rates are amazingly good. You can't go wrong with Nick and Earth Ecology! read more

Nick and his Earth Ecology crew were great! My wildlife pond is an absolute delight! I had very clear technical ideas for what I wanted to accomplish with the pond and had done lots of research to prepare. Nick was happy to work -with- me to help me achieve my goal rather than being dismissive as some of the landscape professionals I spoke to seemed to be. When he had a good idea, he encouraged me to consider it without being disrespectful or seeming frustrated. The aesthetic choices he made about placement of stone were ideal. The stepping stones as well as the ones in the pond proper feel completely solid and safe to walk on. He even created spots at different depths for someone to sit on when we have hot weather. I've made use of that bonus feature several times. Since I'm an avid gardener, he included zones with space for aquatic plants that I could select on my own. There are lots of nooks and hidey-holes for wildlife to find safety in. I can hardly wait for the baby plants to fill in and for the pond to settle into its role as habitat. End of day clean up was always done well with no fuss. I can wholeheartedly recommend Earth Ecology for a beautiful ecological project! read more

Hired Earth Ecology to design and plant a shade garden in our back yard and they knocked it out of the park! The end result was beyond anything we had imagined. Nick gathered a lot of info through our (uninformed) ideas and suggestions and came up with an amazing garden. Nick pays attention to the small details and it makes a huge difference in the end product. I highly recommend working with this company! read more

We are extremely glad we hired Earth Ecology to transform our residential property into a permaculture edible food forest with carefully selected and planted trees, shrubs, and vines, all growing harmoniously, providing us with beauty and an abundance of food. read more

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Nick has been a life send, for years my 1/4 acre lot has sat as a grass field. When I first bought my house I had ambitions of turning the lot into a permaculture food sanctuary. Nick made that dream a reality. He helped design a plan - through a thoughtful exploration of our hopes, needs and limitations of time/funds. Then he supported me in breaking down the design into manageable projects, allowing me to save money through doing the labor and providing his expertise on design, plant and ecological integration through out. Nick brings an integration of art/design, permaculture knowledge and a deep love for plants into his work. My land now feels like a living ecology for which I will be forever grateful and intend to keep working with Nick for years to bring on going depth and complexity to my food forest. read more

These guys are the best!!! Friendly, knowledgeable and truly care and enjoy the work they do. Gold stars all around. I love my new yard!

Nick has done several landscaping projects for me and I couldn't be more pleased with them. His magical plant-scapes skillfully combine the needs of the environment (soil type, light, water, etc.), long-term maintenance considerations, drainage issues, preferred garden style, and budget. I've recommended Nick, and his work, to everyone I know and those who have availed themselves of his services have been thrilled as well. Also, I live on a street where many people walk and bicycle by, on the way to a local trail, and we get daily compliments on the garden and requests for referrals. It's been so amazing to watch everything growing as Nick has designed and installed different areas of the property over the last year and I look forward to many years of enjoyment to come!!! Thank you so much, Nick!!!! We went from nothing but swaths of barren weedy lawn to gorgeous vibrant lush gardens graced with butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds! read more

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I have been associated with Nick and his ecological approach to landscaping since March 2017. He has completed monthly projects for me on my 2 1/2 acre Homesite and I could not be more satisfied and impressed with his work, especially his focus on Permaculture. I've enjoyed listening to his creative ideas on the particular projects that I have in mind and also enjoyed watching the progress until completion. Nick has great skill at completing a project design with regard to preserving all of the organic matter at hand and using creative ways to repurpose trees and shrubs and ways to use the natural flow of water to benefit the plants. Nick and his entire crew are very professional and easy to work with. I would highly recommend him for any of your landscaping needs. I plan to continue using Nick on many future projects. Catherine Johnson read more