When I decided to redo my backyard, I consulted with several contractors. My primary goals were to…read morereplace an aging deck and to cover the yard in pavers reducing the weed potential, which had been an ongoing problem for years. I chose pavers because they have a better track record for longevity than concrete. When I got back the proposals, I appreciated that the one from Forever Green Cali reflected everything I had mentioned in our initial meeting and had the best price. It was clear that attention had been paid during the meeting. Once selected as the contractor, the work began pretty quickly, nailing down details, making selections, identifying the things to stay, etc. The demolition of the existing deck and cleanup of the weeds went fairly quickly. And there were a lot of weeds. The rest of the work of preparing the foundation and sand and then laying the pavers went very quickly as well. Their employees worked very hard and with precision. I had an existing orange tree that was remaining and I really liked the outline that was made around it, including the darker accent pavers. I wanted a tree on the other side of the yard and I had failed to emphasize where I wanted it. When I asked about making a change to pavers already laid out in order to adjust for the tree, Firas was quick to accommodate me, and his employee made the change in no time. This cut out mimics the cut out for the orange tree and really complements it. As a novice at this sort of thing, I appreciated the good suggestions Firas made throughout the process. He and his team were very easy to work with. Part of this process included using their landscape designer to design the planting beds that were around the perimeter. She really took into consideration the kinds of plants I liked and the color scheme that I wanted. After our trip to the nursery, she provided a schematic so that I could anticipate what it would look like and also serve as a guide for the planting of the yard. I absolutely love the result. It is precisely what I wanted. I love the patio that replaced the deck. The edge is trimmed in a darker bullnose paver that makes it visually clear that there is a step down and the lights under the step emphasize this transition. Having broken my arm in the yard five months ago, this is a safety feature that I really appreciate. My backyard is now a much safer place to be which was a primary incentive for this entire project. Did I mention that I love my backyard? It's now a calm and tranquil place to relax. I cannot recommend Forever Green Cali highly enough. If I were to ever have another yard that needed assistance, I would definitely use them again.

Horrible customer service and horrible follow through!…read more Asked for a quote and they came but never heard any follow up from them. Had to email them to tell them after a month we never heard anything back. Then they just emailed with no verbiage of our quote. It felt like they virtually just threw us a piece of paper. Glad they showed thier true colors before we did any business with them. Buyer beware!!

Steve and Awaken Landscapes did an awesome job transforming our very labor-intensive front yard…read moreinto a beautiful xeriscape oasis. We had few ideas on what we wanted, but several ideas about what we did not want. Raquel (Solea Landscapes) listened carefully and designed a beautiful yard, complete with 3D renderings so we could really envision her ideas in our space. They worked with us, even inviting us to shop with them for pots and plants. Steve and Awaken Landscapes did an amazing job in executing her design. Jose and his crew were quick, efficient, and cheerful. They responded positively to our every request, and they kept the job site clean and neat, even with all the mud from February's downpours. Our new front yard is everything I hoped for: beautiful, unique, low on water usage, and easy to maintain. The end result is the talk of the neighborhood. The first night that the accent lights lit up our new yard brought tears to my eyes. Thank you, Steve, Raquel, and all the great folks at Awaken Landscapes.

Steve and his crew were so easy to work with. They were very communicative, on schedule, and on…read morebudget! I highly recommend!

I would not recommend. I followed their instructions and made an appointment over a week ago and…read moretook time off work to meet with them, but nobody showed or even called. We even called to get an update and only got a voicemail with no call back. If they are this unreliable with their consultations, I can only imagine the issues that may arise during the work portion of the job. No thanks!!

Alex and his crew transformed our front, back and side yards this past spring. After reading other…read morereviews and meeting with him (and four other contractors) we chose HF Gardening to help us renovate our green spaces. Alex spent the most time reviewing our vision, giving us helpful ideas and consulting with my husband during the initial meeting versus the other competing vendors. He was knowledgeable about what native plants we could utilize to liven up our space, and what would survive and thrive in which sun spots. He understood our inspiration and worked with the style of our home to create a Mediterranean-inspired haven for our family. After agreeing to his bid, which was the best price (bonus!) we scheduled the work days and the crew was friendly, super hard working and left everything incredibly clean at the end of each day. Alex guided us through the process, explaining what would be done and in what order; when we added work items, he was gracious and patient with our additions. The pictures below show before and after, but they don't capture just how much our family is now enjoying our gorgeous new outdoor space. We love to spend time together in the backyard, and constantly marvel at HF Gardening's lasting craftsmanship and hard work that transformed our back and front yards. We have gotten tons of compliments and recommend them whenever we get the chance. Loved working with Alex and his crew and will 100% hire them in the future!

Our experience with Justin's Professional Landscaping was very disappointing. We encountered…read moreserious workmanship and installation issues that could not be resolved directly with the contractor. We contracted for landscaping work, a redwood pergola, patio cover and a cement patio for just under 30k. We ended up having to file a complaint with the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB), and after an independent inspection and mandatory arbitration, we were awarded $18,140 for the cost of repairs. The contractor ultimately paid the award in full to avoid loosing their Contractor's License and possibly their bond. Unfortunately, the arbitration process took almost a year and required significant time and effort. We would never use this contractor again but if you do, we would highly recommend that you perform thorough due diligence, make sure the contract spells everything out in detail to include specific dimensions, types of materials, etc., keep detailed records throughout the project and if any issues arise do not make any additional payments until all identified issues are resolved.

TLDR; My project suffered from poor planning, inadequate oversight, and unacceptable workmanship. I…read morewould advise others -- especially first-time homeowners -- to proceed with caution and consider other contractors. It took me over a year to emotionally recover from the trauma of working with this business as a first major renovation project. --- Long story below As a first major home improvement project (front yard and driveway remodel), I hired a separate professional designer, had 3D renderings made, selected materials in advance, and clearly communicated the desired aesthetic and expected quality to all bidding contractors. Justin's Professional Landscaping had strong early reviews and was responsive at first. I agreed to a contract requiring over 25% upfront payment (which I now regret). Key issues I experienced: - Repeated requests for payment before corresponding work was completed - An uncomfortable incident where the foreman (Justin's father) came to my home on an off-day claiming he hadn't been paid, despite my having already paid Justin. - Poor daily cleanup, resulting in my HOA issuing a notice - Minimal on-site supervision by Justin - Workmanship issues (photos available), including: A unleveled wall that started leaning forward shortly after installation, uneven capstones and a section creating a tripping hazard, poorly graded and uneven pavers, joint sand not installed promptly, and walkway that was not correctly aligned with my front door. By the time these issues surfaced, I had paid about 90% of the project cost, yet the work was incomplete and did not meet reasonable expectations. A revised scope was attempted for the wall only (against my better judgment), but supervision and execution problems continued. After observing additional mistakes, poor practices and lack of control over the crew, I terminated the contract.

Living Element Landscape did an outstanding job. Carlos was great with keeping us updated and…read morewasn't constant contact. The Project Manager Luis ran a great crew and everyone did a great job. I'd recommend them to anyone and would use them again.

10/10 experience with Living Elements! :) Our backyard was essentially a pile of dirt with a…read moregradient slope towards the fence. Matt, Carlos and their entire team helped transform our backyard and side-yard into a functional backyard that exceeded our expectations! We love the concrete to grass ratio, freestanding wall since it helps break up the gradient, and the concrete pathway around the house. They were not only efficient and knowledgeable, but also willing to work with our budget and super easy to communicate with! We highly recommend

Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscape was an excellent choice for our backyard landscaping needs…read more Patrick Danyo, the project design specialist, was friendly, professional, and extremely knowledgeable. He helped us select the perfect combination of stone, pavers, colors, and plants to create a beautiful and inviting backyard. The entire crew was courteous, efficient, and respectful of our property. They did an excellent job and left our backyard clean and looking beautiful. We are extremely happy with the results and would highly recommend Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscape to anyone looking for quality landscaping work!

My wife and I recently purchased a home and the backyard needed some renovations. We contracted…read morewith Black Diamond Landscpape mostly based on their Instagram presence highlighting backyard transformations. When we reached out, they were responsive and had someone come out within a few days to take measurement, speak with us, and created a 2D design. The design looked good, but the pricing was more than what we expected for the job. We nonetheless went with them, again, based on their social media advertisements. The job did not turn out as we expected. The crew tore up the yard, left trash behind, and left the job incomplete. We had to ask the crew to come back to finish what they started, fix things, and clean up the mess they made, which they did. As the job has now been "completed" for a few weeks, we are noticing things that need to be corrected/fixed. When we requested that these things be corrected, Black Diamond Landscape stopped responding. My wife and I are now left to fix what was supposed to be our backyard transformation.

It was time for Kelly and I to do our backyard landscape and since we know nothing of landscaping,…read moreI was in need of a designer, consultant , and installer. Finding all of these different types of people and getting them together to understand a clients specific landscape needs while at the same time meeting a schedule and budget can be very difficult and frustrating. My wife and I were at that point until we found Chris Corbett on the internet. Chris was able to meet all of our landscape needs. Since he is formally educated in landscape design, he was able to sit down with us and develop a landscape scheme in a very short time and provide us with drawings. Since Chris is a long time local resident of Davis, he was able to give us great consultation on the types of plants and trees that are indigenous to the area and would thrive in our yard. However, the best part about his business plan is that he personally does the installation of all of the landscape. This allowed me a piece of mind that all of my wishes and desires were going to be met, because no matter how well a set of drawings are presented , there are many aspects of what a client wants that cannot be conveyed on paper. That is established during the constant communication and verbal agreements. Since Chris is a part of every step of the process, none of that continuity between client and installer is lost. Chris met every expectation with regards to schedule and budget. He and his team were always professional and on time at every step of the way. His pricing of the project was exceptionally accurate so there were no surprises at any time during the project. He thoroughly understood our budget constraints and kept that in mind during the drawing process, material selection, and final installation to provide us with a beautiful finished product without breaking the bank. Chris has an extraordinary work ethic and his end goal is to make the client happy. I would highly recommend Chris for any type of landscape project large or small, and to go to anyone else would just be making it harder on yourself. Randy & Kelly Clark

while my intentions were to do something stylish with my landscaping project (a living fence), i…read morewas about to make some amateur mistakes. then i met chris corbett, and he presented several approaches to my project that i never even considered. his consulting made a huge difference for my home and our neighborhood. chris is fantastic. i highly recommend him and his group!

Carol came to our house twice to go over our landscaping ideas and drew out a large plan for our…read morebackyard and had it all drawn on her laptop as well. We were very impressed and it was very well and professionally done. She was very nice and friendly and listened to our ideas as well and integrated our ideas into her design, so she actually listened to what we desired into our backyard design. Highly recommend!

Very impressive dealing with Carol on plans for landscaping of my backyard. It is so sad that she…read morehas passed away.

Mike at Stuteville Landscaping truly went above and beyond. We were in the early stages of looking…read morefor a landscaper and had a lot of questions, and he took the time to walk us through everything during a weekend phone call. He was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and easy to talk to. What really stood out was how generous he was with his time--he never made us feel rushed and answered every question thoroughly. That level of service and care is hard to find, and we were honestly amazed. Highly recommend reaching out to him.

From the first call to the finished project, Mike and Eric with their team provided an exceptional…read moreexperience. We hired them to replace an old, failing wooden retaining wall with a new cinderblock one and we couldn't be happier with the results. I spoke to Mike first and he was very helpful and informative and patiently answered all my questions. He and his team kept this responsiveness and quality experience throughout the whole project. This company is also very honest. They accidentally underquoted me for the project, but they honored their original price without hesitation. They also demonstrated flexibility by working with me on scheduling and adapting to our needs. I had a question about our sprinkler system after they finished and they got back to me with an answer right away. Not only do I think the new retaining wall looks fantastic, but even my gardener, who sees a lot of this type of work, was impressed. He commented that he could tell Stuteville Landscaping took their time, didn't skip any steps, and performed high-quality work. If you're looking for a reliable, honest, and skilled landscaping company, look no further than Stuteville Landscaping. They exceeded our expectations in every way, and we highly recommend them!

Totally impressed with this company. They are great designers who care about creating a beautiful…read moreenvironment while respecting the ecology of our area. Our new backyard has CA natives and plants that are drought tolerant, edible, and medicinal. Our new lawn is also drought tolerant and everything has submerged soaker hoses rather than raised sprinkler heads. They built beautiful raised planter beds and a trellis for blackberries. Beyond that, they are the hardest working crew I've ever met, and just plain good people. They go above and beyond.

From the owner: Natural Drainage, Greywater Systems, Rainwater Catchment Systems, Drought-tolerant Plantings,…read moreCalifornia Native Plants, Edible Gardens, Permeable Hardscapes, Low Maintenance Landscapes Please note we are NOT a Mow and Blow Maintenance Company