We worked with Mark Garff on the landscape design for our 1910 house in the Ballard neighborhood of…read moreSeattle. The house has undergone an extensive remodel and this year it was time to finish the outside! Mark listened to our needs and ideas and came up with a thoughtful design that took into account not only our must-haves but also how the landscaping would evolve and mature over the years and in different seasons. If a certain plant was unavailable at the time of installation, Mark was quick to provide us with several alternative options that didn't slow down the install job. For a long time we thought that the landscape design was something we could figure out on our own, but after going through the process we realized how valuable it was to work with Mark and how we will probably actually save money now that we no longer have to go with the "trial and error" planting method!

We would not recommend SCJ. We recently engaged SCJ to redesign our entire backyard. Their reviews…read moreonline were all positive and our first meetings were great. We really liked them and felt a genuine connection. But over the course of the project we consistently felt let down. From the first design presentation, where they showed only two (very similar) designs and were well-over our highest-end budget (without other lower-priced options), there were many times we were left just shaking our heads. In the end, the designs themselves were adequate, but consistently we found it very hard to visualize what exactly the finished product would look like and never felt fully confident in what things would ultimately look like. Overages appeared frequently in the build out phase as they did not spec for retaining walls and other incidentals you would have expected to be identified in the planning phases. The only thing that seemed to be very clear and precise were the invoices, which came promptly. We were surprised to see charges for driving to our house and almost any discussion we had. It felt very lawyerly and we felt very nickel and dimed. We wanted to love this process, but the entire design phase and working with SCJ left a bitter taste in our mouths and has put a damper on our excitement for our new, incredibly expensive backyard. With all of that said, we realize that all projects are different and you might have a totally different experience. Have fun!

We are VERY pleased with the work that the Arya Team did for us. They transformed the front yard…read moreby installing artificial turf and a planter around the tree. They demonstrated their attention to detail and pride of workmanship. We shopped around, and they offered the best price without sacrificing on quality.

The crew at Arya did an amazing job with our backyard. They were professional, friendly and able to…read morecomplete our project by the deadline we set (actually they completed it a day early). They were also very accommodating to changes we requested as the project progressed. Highly recommend!

Working with Truescape has been a wonderful process! I came to them with a driveway job nobody else…read morewould take. Initially I only wanted to help with permitting. Joe assured me that they could get it done and they absolutely did! Once we started working on the permit it became clear how much effort they put forth to do the right thing. I was consulted on any design decisions and really brought along in the process. The city may not have been very fast but I always felt like Da and Joe had my back. After permitting I was so impressed with their work that I actually decided to use them to put in the driveway. Once again I felt like we were always on the same page and they really cared. The concrete strike happened which really put a hitch in things but Joe and Matt did everything they could to keep me informed and moving things forward. Once the work started I couldn't have been more impressed with the quality they did. I've worked with other contractors and this process was soooo easy. One of the most impressive things happened at the end when the concrete contractors we had originally planned to use backed out and Joe stepped in to find new ones and it happened on the same timeline without a hiccup. I couldn't recommend Truescape more to anyone.

TLDR: You get what you pay for, and True Scape Design is worth every penny. 10/10 would recommend…read more Our backyard was such an eyesore that I literally spent 3 years pretending it did not exist. My husband and I spent nearly 18 months heavily researching and planning what we wanted. We had no less than 10 companies come survey our property & give us quotes. When we met Joseph with True Scape Design, he blew the competition out of the water. Before I get to the scope and quality of work, I have some words about Joseph. He is knowledgeable, kindhearted, trustworthy, communicative, flexible, and organized. He is a model professional. After talking with so many other companies & vendors, we were able to sniff out the BS'ers and Joseph is certainly not one of them. We trusted him completely - both with the biggest project on our property to-date and with making sound financial decisions as the project progressed. Here's a rough list of what we had done: - Total demolition and bulldozing of fence, uneven terrain, decking, stone steps, rocks galore, and a hideous pond - Install of irrigation - Install of multiple retaining walls. When you know what a good retaining wall is supposed to look like, you'll never be able to un-see the atrocities everywhere else - Install of stair steps (both a short staircase and step up in another part of the yard) - Install hot tub pavers - Install of paver patio (several hundred square feet). These guys were literally on their hands and knees laying pavers and sprinkling sand. If it wasn't *absolutely* perfect, they redid it. - Leveled our shed - Full plant relocation and removal & planting all new plants and trees. I made them change things up a couple times and they were so awesome about it. - Install of sod - Subcontracting for electrical & tree removal We were hands-on designers for the hardscapes and the plants. The True Scape Design team was patient with our ideas and changes of heart as things moved along. There were several times when True Scape identified modifications & additions to our design plan that we couldn't have foreseen. This is key when executing a design! Sometimes things don't work out the way you pictured, and they were so clever in how they blended "the plan" with the real-life execution. The True Scape Design team all worked so hard. They were timely. They weren't imposing on our neighbors or common thoroughfares. They kept a tidy work space. They worked rain, shine, or snow. They truly made our backyard the most beautiful thing my eyes have ever beheld :). Hire them. You won't regret it.

We chose Urban Oasis, because of their positive reviews and pics, to renovate our backyard…read more Initially, we did not have a clear picture of the renovation in mind but just a bunch of requirements and inspiration pics. Trevor, the owner, took note of all our considerations and constraints to come up with a design that incorporated all of our asks into a seamless vision. Then, what truly stood out over the course of the project was their professionalism and commitment to getting things right! Trevor was a pleasure to work with. He handled the entire process with composure and integrity, always focusing on delivering a result that felt cohesive and elevated rather than simply checking boxes. He has a very strong team behind him that approaches their work with both skill and professionalism. Even when a couple of times we needed to recalibrate, Trevor approached it with patience and a solutions-oriented mindset. And ultimately we achieved everything within the given time frame and budget. No mean feat! What we ended up with is a beautiful backyard that feels incredibly satisfying to live in and enjoy! It reflects not just strong execution, but a team that takes pride in their work and stands behind it. We recommend Urban Oasis with pleasure and will not hesitate to hire them for all our future projects!

Trevor and his team helped design and build our backyard deck, patio, and landscaping into the…read morebackyard of our dreams! We went into the project with some ideas and they helped us shape those into a plan that gave us the entertaining space we wanted while leaving plenty of room for our kids to play. It was wonderful working with them to make that vision a reality. The crew was friendly, skilled and considerate of us and our neighbors, and they did a fantastic job on the build. A few months after project completion we discovered a very minor issue and Trevor came right out to get it corrected, we really appreciated that they stood by their work. Our backyard went from an unusable space to our favorite place to spend sunny days and we're so happy with the work Urban Oasis did.

We have been dreaming of an outdoor space that was zen like; providing calm and beauty while also…read morebeing low maintenance. With a small yard of weeds and crab grass, Deena walked with us, listened to us, and carefully researched our wish list and needs, all within our budget. She somehow NAILED IT and designed exactly what we envisioned- though it turned out better than we had even expected. We now cherish our yard and garden. The crew was awesome: talented craftspeople that were respectful, responsive and extremely hard working. We are over the moon with the artistic landscaped and hardscape outdoor world Contemporary Homestead created for our home. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

We just bought our first house and inherited some rain gardens that needed some love. I felt out of…read moremy depths and wanted to get things cleaned up before spring planting, so I reached out to Contemporary Homestead. Deena and Garet were wonderful to work with. They were kind, allowed me to learn as they did their work and went above and beyond to make sure we ended up with a yard that we love. Our yard looks intentional now! Their communication made it seamless and enjoyable. In the last week we have already had several people stop and ask about our front yard and compliment it (which feels so nice!). We are excited to have Contemporary Homestead in our contacts and look forward to working with them on future projects.

I feel Ruthie Design was a staggering ripoff. I needed very…read moresmall garden design. First time doing this. I was asked for 3,310.50 to start. I was told it was for the initial design. You will be as gobsmacked as I was when I saw was my $3,310 bought. Hoping I can post the invoice and the "design" -actually just a sketch a fifth grader could have done. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. TOTAL RIPOFF.

They did a complete redesign of my front garden/yard. Very pleased with results that exceeded my…read moreexpectations. Despite spending more I planned for, I am happy to have done so.Very creative and artful even.

I had a great experience with Solstice Landscape Design. Tristan, the owner, is a mind-reader -…read morewhatever I wanted or was thinking of having, it was included in my design plan. He not only reviewed my response to his questionnaire (which is really thorough) closely and listened to my every request/desire, he also helped me walked through my idea when I wasn't even sure what I wanted. He offered great ideas, and gave thoughtful feedbacks which I truly appreciate. No matter how late my email was sent, I would receive a feedback from him in the morning! Tristan works hourly but when I went to him for advice on the color of our exterior paint, he was more than happy to help, for free. And he checked in with me from time to time even after our design was complete. We didnt have a contractor so Tristan recommended his partner, Don. Don is such a warm person, and so easy to work with. He is flexible, resourceful and very experienced in his field. They help make my dream into a reality. Before i had a yard, now I have a beautiful garden.

Writing this review as I sit barefoot in my tranquil new outdoor space. Tristan gave me the…read moremagical little yard of my dreams! He was very thorough and thoughtful when it came to listening to my ideas and turning them into a very peaceful, healing design. He walked me through the process and communicated well. The artistry, visual appeal, execution, and problem solving cannot be beat. Tristan is an absolute gem and a pleasure to work with. Thank you Tristan!