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Julie Orr Design

4.7 (50 reviews)
Closed 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

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Services - Julie Orr Design

Irrigation design services

Landscape design

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All landscaping, fence layout and hardscape designed by Julie Orr Design
Jennie I.

We hired Julie Orr Design to design our front and back yard spaces. Julie was friendly, efficient, full of ideas, knowledgeable and so much more. I was amazed how quickly Julie understood what our priorities were and how we wanted to use our outdoor space. She designed a beautiful plan and then worked with us to make changes to make sure it was exactly as we wanted. Working with her was one of the best choices we made! The plans have since been implemented and we enjoy our beautiful outdoor space every day! She has also been so helpful in answering plant questions as they come up as our plants grow and mature.

Earth W.

This is an update to my previous 2-star review. Southbay Landscaping came and sawed off the edge of the stair so that it would fit flush and installed new flat inset lighting. They also scrubbed the iron stains with a masonry cleaner called Zep (one cup of Zep diluted in one gallon of water, scrub with scrub brush for a long time). The stains are much less noticeable now, and Matt of Southbay has told me that the cracking and chipping of the stone should no longer happen now that there is no longer an overhang. I don't know what arrangements, if any, he had with Julie Orr on the cost reimbursement. Here are some photos after the cutting off the stair lip and the scrubbing. The light fixtures are not the same color, but Matt says that he will fix that. My Old Review is Here: Great Artist. Some Technical Problems Leading to Expensive Repairs First, let me say that Julie is a wonderful artist and I really admire her designs. But, we had some unfortunate technical problems that are going to lead to some expensive repairs, and neither Julie nor her general contractor (South Bay Landscaping) appears ready to step forward and make it right. Julie works with South Bay Landscaping. After she completed her design for us, we bid out the project to two contractors. Julie told us that she strongly recommended Matt of South Bay Landscaping, and that if we chose them to build the project she would work with them for free throughout the construction. But, if we chose a different general contractor to build the project, she would not work with them. That was my understanding. Julie's contractor came in at a much lower bid, and Julie's preference for South Bay carried a lot of weight in our decision to hire them. Our project consisted of demolition of our old deck, building a new arbor, installing a large step/platform of stone tiles that spanned about half the length of our house, lighting, sprinklers, and new landscaping among other things. Slightly less than a month after the project was finished, we noticed that ugly brown stained had appeared on the concrete next to the stone tiles. The stone also began chipping at the ends of the step where there was a slight overhanging ledge. We got in contact with both Julie and her contractor about this problem. Julie was prompt in replying, but her contractor South Bay Landscaping took much longer. It was like pulling teeth to get an answer from them. Julie and Matt came to look at the stains. They told us that the chosen stone had leached iron, which had leaked onto the concrete and stained it. Neither the stones nor the concrete had been sealed. We didn't know that the concrete and stones should have been sealed. We didn't know that this particular stone would leach iron. We also didn't know that this particular stone wasn't cut thick enough and had too many internal fractures in its structure to be used as outdoor steps. That's why we hired a landscape architect--to prevent expensive mistakes like this. So, they told us the cause of the staining and fracturing problems. Julie said to talk to Matt about repairs. We wanted Matt to pay for the repairs. Matt said that the problems were Julie's fault. Julie said talk to Matt. So, there we were stuck in the middle with no remedies. Some more months went by and communication with them was like pulling teeth. I finally got fed up and told Matt that I would contact the Better Business Bureau to file a complaint about this problem. He responded promptly and came to meet with me. He offered to saw off the lip of the stairs and to swap out the two lights on the side of the steps with internal lights that would sit flush. He also offered to powerwash the concrete. He said he would only powerwash the concrete once. We would pay for sealing the stones and concrete. Based on my research, concrete is porous and once iron has leached into the concrete, powerwashing won't get it out. Also, cutting off the lip of the stairs would ruin Julie's beautiful design and show ugly lights sitting flush on the side of the steps. Furthermore, the sealing costs thousands of dollars. Given the poor state of our relationship, I'm feeling that hiring them for remediation work would be throwing good money after bad. We're taking our losses and calling it an expensive lesson learned. I've added photos of the stains and the broken stone. Overall, I would say that Julie is a wonderful artist and I love her designs, but the stone leaching and fracturing problem is an expensive one for us.

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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6 years ago

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10 years ago

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15 years ago

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5 years ago

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6 years ago

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10 years ago

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13 years ago

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8 years ago

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17 years ago

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8 years ago

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14 years ago

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12 years ago

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13 years ago

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9 years ago

Loved her process, very creative. Had lots of great ideas and wonderful, modern taste.

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Ask the Community - Julie Orr Design

Review Highlights - Julie Orr Design

We had a positive experience working with Julie and also with Matt Mueller from South Bay Design and Landscaping.

Mentioned in 3 reviews

Read more highlights

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Judy's Gardens & Design - Front yard garden, next phase replace lawn. Sunnyvale, CA

Judy's Gardens & Design

(11 reviews)

Judy is a joy to work with! She's knowledgable, friendly, flexible, and a caring person…read more She and her crew have done my monthly Fine Gardening for over two years now, and the garden has really bounced back! She's especially skilled at her aesthetic pruning of Japanese Maples. Mine look beautiful, and are very happy. Judy brings the design and horticultural knowledge--that true care of gardens--that are far beyond typical mow and blow. Organic products and green solutions, which I value, are part of the service. Her foreman, Jesus, is great to work with... helpful, positive and very accommodating of the additional pruning, irrigation work and adjustments that a small garden like mine needs. Just give her a call. I'm glad I did!

I am a huge and enthusiastic fan of Judy's Gardens & Design…read more Landscape designer Judy Maier generated and executed for me an aesthetically pleasing, thoughtfully imaginative, and economically practical re-design plan for front, side and rear yard spaces of my Old Palo Alto home. Judy's landscape design--faithful to but not confined by my 80-year-old home's Cape Cod architectural style--delivered an enormous breath of fresh air to the property as well as reducing water consumption needs. Two impressive examples of Judy's magic were her (1) locating and reserving for me a raft of huge hard-to-find camellias and (2) artfully pruning and trimming two sizable flowering trees, contributing to the transformation of the front yard. Her capable crew expertly and expeditiously implemented Judy's designs. I'm using Judy for landscape projects on rental units I own.

RB landscaping - Renovated backyard complete with new stone path.

RB landscaping

(182 reviews)

We had a great experience working with RB Landscaping. After shopping around, they were the only…read moreones who said they would be able to complete a curved Saltillo/ Terracotta path. We hashed out the details with Nate over email. Our area was 8.5 feet by 21.5 feet and involved digging out the subgrade, setting concrete and rebar, tiles (including a curved path), and gravel. We set the construction date for February 19th which lasted until February 25th. Jesus, the foreman, was great at communicating the steps required for the build. He would often check in to make sure that we got the end product we desired and was receptive to feedback for the design. With their workmanship guarantee, we have nothing to worry about. Overall, the process was smooth and hassle free. We would be happy to recommend them to others for their landscaping needs.

Got a few bids and there's was the most reasonable and most knowledgeable…read more We had a channel drain installed in front of our garage and they were able to finish the project in 2 days and within 3 weeks of our request. Great turnaround time!! Price was reasonable and they didn't try to force us to spend more than we needed to. Jesus and his team made sure my husband and I were involved in every step of the process. He explained his concerns and what they were going to do to try to fix it. He even came back after the project was done the next day to make sure it was installed correctly and he checked the drainage multiple times with a hose. It has yet to be battle tested by the weather but I'm happy with how it turned out! We are even considering them for another project.

Precision Paving - Small backyard idea. Plank paver, raised concrete & pergola

Precision Paving

(75 reviews)

I am writing this review on behalf of Little Apples Learning Center.  We hired Ricardo and his team…read moreto install turf and make improvements to our playground. From the beginning, Ricardo was very professional, responsive, and easy to communicate with.He was always quick to answer questions and willing to work with us as our needs evolved during the project. Like many construction projects, there were a few hiccups along the way and the timeline ended up being longer than originally planned. Some adjustments and corrections were needed during the process. However, Ricardo remained very responsive and willing to come back, discuss solutions, and work through the issues with us. What I appreciated most was his willingness to brainstorm creative solutions to meet our needs while still being mindful of budget. That flexibility and commitment to making things right made a big difference. In the end, we appreciate Ricardo's professionalism and his efforts to help us create a safer and improved playground space for our students.

I recently hired Precision Paving for a large landscape project involving a new driveway, pavers,…read moreand stucco work. Overall, I am happy with the quality of the service. The Pros: Quality & Design: The final result of the pavers looks great. I really appreciated their suggestion to match the family room stairs to the paver style--it looks much more cohesive now. Expertise: They identified a water drainage issue near my garage side door and provided a proper solution to fix it. Hardworking Crew: The workers were very diligent and worked quickly once they were on-site. Commitment to Deadlines: Even though there were some planning issues, the team actually worked through the weekend to catch up so they didn't delay my other projects. The Cons: Project Planning: The work did not start according to the originally planned timeline. While they made an effort to catch up, the initial scheduling was a bit off. Post-Project Cleanup: After the job was done, some leftover stucco and pavers were left in my front yard. I had to call them back to pick the materials up later. Summary: They are a hardworking team that cares about the final product and customer satisfaction. I would recommend them.

Pazmany Bros. Landscaping

Pazmany Bros. Landscaping

(85 reviews)

This will be my second review of this company. I just had Pazmany Brothers "refresh" my pavers…read more They started by power washing the area and then filled in with new polymeric sand. After a week or so, I had them seal the pavers on the driveway and my porch. Julian was the one to start and finish this project. He was communicative and kept me up to date on his progress. Always had a smile on his face and displayed a true desire to do a good job. Very pleased with Pazmany Brothers and I'm sure you will be too!

We couldn't be happier with the work done by Pazmany Landscaping. Huge shout out and thank you to…read moreMindy who was our project manager. From the initial consultation to the final walkthrough, their team was professional, creative, and incredibly detail-oriented. They designed and built a beautiful custom patio that completely transformed our backyard into a space we actually use and enjoy every day. The craftsmanship is outstanding, and the finished result feels both high-end and welcoming. A big thank you to Wayne for managing the Patio Project so well from design to completion We also needed to design drainage along with the Pergola project. Wayne and his team came up with a smart, effective solution that helped the project/pergola design and also the entire yard while keeping everything looking clean and seamless. Even after heavy rain, there's no standing water -- it's such a relief. The planting design was another highlight. Mindy helped us select plants that complement the patio perfectly and thrive in our climate. Their creativity and design ideas truly elevated the entire space beyond what we originally imagined. The crew was hardworking, respectful, and kept the job site tidy throughout the process. Communication was clear, timelines were met, and the project stayed on track. If you're in the Bay Area and looking for a landscaping company that combines thoughtful design, quality craftsmanship, and practical solutions, I highly recommend Pazmany Landscaping. Our outdoor space now feels like a true extension of our home!

Southbay Design & Landscaping

Southbay Design & Landscaping

(109 reviews)

North San Jose

Another very happy customer of South Bay Design and Landscaping…read more We had South Bay out to do a full demolition of the existing "landscaping" from when we bought our house and the installation of an entirely new plan from our landscape designer (check out Dawn Engel- she's great!), which included a patio space, a pergola, driveway extensions, hogwire fence, raised planter beds, and a side gate added to our existing fence. These guys do not mess around. Demolition went insanely quickly, and our property was kept neat and tidy the entire time. We never once saw dirt tracked anywhere by the crew, which we can't say the same for any of the other contractors we've worked with (and we're actually quite happy with some of them!), and which becomes even more insane to think about when you consider the nature of landscaping work. Installation went as smoothly as South Bay possibly could have made it. Any time we ran into the occasional hiccup, as happens with all nontrivial projects, Matt, Danny, and Marcus offered thoughtful suggestions and made sure to confirm exactly what we wanted before proceeding. (We had either or both of Matt and Danny on-site most days of our project, and interacted with Marcus via email.) We were delayed a smidge by some heavy rain, but the crew worked through all but the worst of it (talking "if you step in that mud, you're going to lose a boot" type of rain). Partway through the install, we discovered that the previous landscapers had managed to make the L-shaped pathway leading from our driveway to our front door square with nothing- which wasn't easily noticed until we had the planter beds in and hogwire fence line chalked out. (South Bay had laid those out properly square to the driveway and house, as per our plan.) Matt, Danny, and crew were thankfully able to accommodate our request to fix our pathway up by picking up each segment and pushing the out-of-square part over by 4-6 inches; this added about a week of extra time to our project, mostly due to the fact that not all of the pavers could be reused, and that the pavers had actually been discontinued (!). The guys worked around this by sourcing very similar pavers in a different size, and basically cutting and grinding them to match our existing pavers. Post-install, the only way you'd know there are two different pavers in our pathway is if you'd seen it being taken apart and rebuilt. Plants, irrigation, and lighting all went in straightforwardly after the hardscaping work was finished, and Danny gave us a complete walkthrough of all our new outdoor systems. It's been about a week since our project was completed; the plants are all thriving, and we're still ecstatic about our new yards (and so are our neighbors!). In short: we had a fantastic experience working with South Bay Design and Landscaping for our landscaping project. They take pride in doing a quality job, and it shows in everything from demolition to day-to-day jobsite management to the finished project. If you're looking for landscapers, these are your guys. (Special thanks to Matt and Danny for graciously handling my incessant "are you sure you didn't forget about such-and-such little detail?" questions and never once forgetting about any of the details, and also to Sergio for spending basically an entire Saturday morning troubleshooting what ultimately turned out to be a manufacturing issue with our pergola.)

We recently worked with Southbay Landscaping and Design for a backyard upgrade, and they completely…read moretransformed our yard into a beautiful, relaxing oasis that we love spending time in. The team was incredibly reliable, highly communicative, and deeply detail-oriented throughout the entire project. Their craftsmanship is top-tier, and the high-quality work truly speaks for itself. They are so experienced that their partnership and suggestions enhanced the overall product and turned our outdoor space into the perfect peaceful retreat. We could not be happier with the results! Huge thanks to Matt, Danny and the team.

Julie Orr Design - landscapearchitects - Updated May 2026

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