Our backyard was a clay bound mess. If it rained during the winter, sorrel and other weeds would come out in the spring and it would become a hay field filled with knee high weeds. By the time the warm weather came around, our hardy weeds would wear down to a brown dust on top of packed clay soil. We might have tried parking cars on the hard pack. It was a hot dusty mess. When the rain came, one day of rain could turn the hard pack into a morass of sticky gooey mud which was hard to clean off the feet, and hard to clean off the dog. Our backyard was unusable about 3/4 of the year. Finally, we had a couple of slopes in the backyard that were a challenge to know what to do with...it was not an easy place, full of work. The best thing (among many) is that Steve is knowledgeable about plants, how they respond to the weather, and where they will grow. He is also willing to work with you, listen to you, incorporate your ideas, convictions, wishes and desires for the planning of your landscape. I do believe Steve was tired of seeing our number on his caller ID when we called, but he always got back to us, answered our questions and made adjustments as he went. We were definitely heard in our wishes. LIving Earth Gardens handled our soil construction (where they turned it from clingy, muddy cement to soil that would grow stuff) They cleared brush, the planted trees, fruit trees, and put in a drip system to help us water it all. From start to finish they had the tools and know how. They also put in some stairs to make the slope navigable. You will find the whole staff energetic, positive and conscientious. We are pleased with our yard and the effort that was made to get us there. read more

Living Earth Gardens - Our yard starting out... - Landscaping Near Me - Vallejo, California

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Stephen is truly a master at his craft. We've loved his work and designs so much, we've now done two yards with him! We specifically enjoyed Stephen's approach because it was so "design" minded, compared to other landscaping companies that want you to have your own plan/design in mind- Stephen really takes the time to think through what you want, translate what you're looking for, and put it into a design that really works both aesthetically and functionally. He didn't hesitate to let us know when something we said we wanted, actually didn't match up with our goals - I appreciated the honesty and transparency. read more

Living Earth Gardens - After - Landscaping Near Me - Vallejo, California

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My husband and I are so pleased with the work Steve, at Living Earth Gardens did for us. We started with the general idea to replace a thirsty lawn with drought tolerant plantings, and the result is so much better than we could have imagined. Steve took the time to help us define our needs for both front and backyard spaces, and guided us through the process of choosing plants that met our needs and that we really loved. His final designs for the spaces are inspired. He explained the design and implementation processes thoroughly, and gave us very accurate cost estimates for both phases of work. Once the implementation work began, Steve kept us informed of each new stage as things progressed. There were many moving parts to the project, from sourcing all of the needed plants and materials, to retrofitting our existing irrigation system, to excavating and building a patio. The crew that worked with him was extremely capable and professional, and it shows in the final result. We have a lovely new flagstone patio in the back that really extends the usefulness of the space, and exciting grasses and plantings that make it so inviting, and bring life to the space. The front is equally impressive, and will grow into a flower-filled meadow that will attract birds and butterflies. Great process and great work! We look forward to working with Steve in the future. read more

We recently hired Steve to landscape my mother-in-law's front yard. Steve worked with us to come up with a plan that would be low maintenance for her. We decided on doing a "meadow". He got the work done expeditiously and the yard looks great! Can't wait to see how it looks after the plants grow out a bit more! He provided us with the plans along with information and pictures of the plants he put in so we would know what they would look like before he did the planting! He also was really good about keeping us updated on what was going on, what was next, etc. We look forward to working with Steve on our own Deck and Yard!!! read more

Steve and his crew just finished our yard this week. We had a large lawn removed and replaced with drought tolerant plants on drip. He was patient and professional throughout the process, which began with him helping us design a garden that made our front yard a more efficient, aesthetically pleasing and functional environment. The installation went according to planned and everything was done on time or ahead of schedule. We were not compensated or "freebied" to write this review, just wanted to share our appreciation for great work! Thank you Steve and Living Earth Gardens for a job-well-done! read more

We worked with Steve to convert the +/-1,000 square foot lawn in our front yard to something less water intensive. From the design phase through the installation, Steve was pleasant to work with and highly professional. He was very good at talking us through the nuances of what might work and what would not, all while helping us incorporate all the features we desired. His crew was very professional, kept the work site clean and tidy through the entire process, and got everything done sooner than expected (despite the rain during the install period). When everything was complete, we couldn't have been more pleased with the results. Once we are ready to work on the backyard, we are certainly going to give Steve a call to work with us on that more intensive project! read more

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed working with Steve as he transformed our front yard from lawn to a beautiful drought-resistant landscape. Steve is a great communicator as he walked us through the process step by step -- really making us think about our preferences towards plants, walkways, boulders, ground cover and so on. We couldn't be more pleased with the end result and highly recommend his services!! read more

Renovating a yard can be a daunting task: picking plants, creating a palate (of color, of plant type, of seasonal variety, of aesthetic, of hues and textures...), say nothing of the physical task of bringing the vision into reality. Stephen's aid was critical and professionally provided in the realization of our backyard project. I would strongly recommend his services to anyone looking to create, renovate or reinvent their landscape. read more

Quick to respond and referred me to another company that can help me get my work done! Thanks.

Had Stephen replace a tree and replant another. He responded quick got it done for a very fair price. He recommended his man Manuel for a weed whack backyard spring cut and trim. Manuel did a fantastic job trimming and cleaning my backyard after the spring weed over growth. Now I just have to go out once in while and pull a few weeds instead busting my but. I was very pleased. read more

I'm sure that there are many "licensed" gardeners out there but what caught our attention was Stephen Barry's educational background. Steve has been a Licensed Landscape Contractor since 2007 and has over 50 college units in the field of horticulture. He specializes in planting drought tolerant California Native Plants for yards/landscapes, which is exactly what we wanted. In fact, he does NOT install lawns. Steve's very knowledgeable and never tried to fast talk his way out of a difficult question. If he didn't have an answer at that very moment (which was rare) he would instead research it then give his answer on a later day. "It's a process" as he likes to say and it takes three visits to complete a design. He aims to please but will not hesitate to tell you if your idea for something might not be the correct choice and of course he'll tell you why not. However, if your idea is a good one he'll include it if he feels that it'll work with the rest of the design. He's very flexible during the design process. His crew also are very capable at what they do and take direction well from Steve, which resulted in a beautiful front and back yards for us. My wife and I are sensible people and if you are too then you'll appreciate Steve, his work and his crew. It was a pleasure to work with him and his crew during the entire process: Consultation, Design, Preparation, Installation and Finalization. We had many ideas and Steve had good suggestions also but the financial reality is that we couldn't implement every idea due to cost. We had a budget and he was mindful of it. It worked out well in the end. He's a professional and hiring him was money well spent. We love our home even more so now. My wife and I strongly suggest that you also visit his web site (Living Earth Gardens) for more detailed information about Steve and his business. read more

Stephen has been terrific working with me. He's come out a couple times for measurements, and plant recommendations and has helped me work out a long term plan for my messy front yard. He's very knowledgable, and also gets it that not everyone can lay down 20 grand at once for their landscaping. Very willing to work with me over time to accomplish what I want for my landscape work. Good guy. read more

We had an excellent experience working with Steve, who designed and planted a beautiful garden for our front yard in Vallejo. Steve was super deliberate and creative about both the functional aspects of the yard (e.g., how would we tend to traverse the yard? Where did we want openness vs. privacy? How would our child interact with the yard?) and the aesthetics. He was very clear and transparent when it came to budgeting and planning the project. He was also flexible and willing to work with us when we wanted to take on some of the prep and finishing work for the garden ourselves. I am happy to report that now, about three months after planting, the yard is full of drought tolerant plants that are thriving and attracting pollinators. I would wholeheartedly recommend Living Earth Gardens to anyone interested in creating a truly special garden. Plus, for the price of designing and installing the garden, I feel like this experience was an excellent value. read more

I was faced with a badly neglected and overgrown front and side yard at my corner lot home. I was attracted to Living Earth Gardens and Steve Berry by his philosophy as expressed on his home page and philosophy statement, and impressed by the excellent Yelp reviews by prior clients. My goals were to have a corner lot landscape which would be beautiful, easy to maintain, be increasingly drought tolerant as it matured, and made use of native shrubs, trees and meadow grasses as much as possible. Steve came up with a great plan which incorporated all of these goals. He executed this plan flawlessly, giving me a yard to be proud of. It looks great now, and I can't wait to see it looking better and better as it matures. read more

Stephen is an artist. He is extremely knowledgeable about native CA plants along w/ what will thrive during droughts. You can count on a lot of time being spent to make sure what you see in your head is what you'll see in your yard. He will provide sketches and he's always up for tweaking an idea to make it work. Stephen takes his time visiting the site and looking at it from all angles. He is beyond creative. Stephen is will work closely w/you regarding budget and time constraints. Bottom line is he wants your yard to make you happy every time you look at it. And I am. Living Earth Gardens was such a find. I look forward to working with Stephen again on other projects. I highly recommend his services. read more

We moved to California from New England, and bought a house with a concrete "helipad" for a backyard. We never went outside 'cause it was too ugly! Not knowing anything about landscaping in this climate, we looked for someone who would take our fuzzy ideas about what we'd like, and turn them into a garden. Steve came to the rescue! From our very first meeting, he understood where we were going, and was willing to stick with us through several design changes. Even when we had no idea what we really wanted, he steered us in the direction of what would work. He and his crew did a fabulous job. They brought the project in on time and on budget. We now spend every minute we can in our gorgeous garden. Our guests are astounded that it is the same ugly space we used to apologize for! read more

Steve is great to work with. He is flexible, knowledgeable, optimistic, communicative, zen like, accommodating, patience, and just a very nice man to work with! I had been in my current home for about year when I called Steve. What I learned quickly is that he can be anything from a consultant to landscape installer and maintaince crew. There was never any pressure from him to do any of the work; he provided information regarding his services. He asked many questions regarding the goals of the landscape. He gave me many things to consider that I had not thought of before consulting with him. I ended up hiring him to create the design and installing the landscape. It was a process! With the drought I wanted the lawn out and a yard that did not require much water. The end product is beautiful. He installed a landscape that is peaceful, low low low maintenance, and also left room for me to add things later if I wanted. I highly recommend him for anything from garden ideas to installing your landscape! read more

Extremely friendly and efficient. Worked very hard to help us see our vision for the yard come to life, but also kept our expectations grounded in the practical. Our yard is very tricky since it is sloped and a corner lot, but it looks great and is just what we were looking for. My favorite aspect of this business is that Stephen guarantees the plants for 3 months after planting and will still be available to help with any questions or problems after the install. It's nice to know that he will still be available even after he's done since the it is such a big investment in our home. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a landscape architect. read more

If you are looking for a landscape designer and a expert on plants, I highly recommennd that you give Steve Berry a call. After living in my home for 20 years, my front yard needed a makeover. During my design consultation, I had ask Steve that we just wanted a front yard with more colorful plants and that the new plants would be low maintainance. Since Steve is so knowledgable on plants, it made the design and install process go real smooth. Steve had then retro fitted the irrigation system and completed the install of my plants in just two days. I now look forward to pulling up to my driveway and admire my front yard before I enter my home. Can't wait for Steve to do our backyard. read more

We have used Stephen two times now, once for our home in Vallejo and once for our home in San Rafael. Both times he spent the time needed with us to figure out what we REALLY wanted and could afford and got it done BEAUTIFULLY. He has a great balance of teaching/telling and listening, he is reasonable, patient, friendly and totally responsible/on time/on budget. He is really great and can't recommend him enough. We will always use Stephen for all our landscaping needs! read more

I had the great fortune of finding Stephen Berry Of Living Earth Gardens through an ad in my local paper. My husband and I replaced our lawn with a lower-water alternative. Not only was the process practical and "green" but the process also turned out to be fun and creative. Stephen was professional, responsive, patient and communicative throughout the design process. He's a good listener and a plant expert, from my perspective. Most importantly, he has visionary garden design ideas and the completed design plan is a work of art. Check out his website--you'll be impressed. Lastly, since my work can be intense, the fun that Stephen brings to the design process turned out to provide needed balance in my life. This was an unexpected bonus! I encourage you to consult with Stephen if you're considering a new garden design and installation project. You'll be glad you did. read more

Steve is wonderful. I am not a gardener and am fairly clueless about what to do or where to start. I also don't enjoy the process - but love the results! - and needed help with the planning and execution of my ideas, such as they were. I hired Steve for a consultation to see if he could make sense of my vague ideas. More than that, he clarified, offered a design strategy, suggested specific plants and where I might put them and worked within my minuscule budget. Not only that, he followed up by sending me his notes that covered everything we talked about. He gets it all. If you are working with Steve, you are in good hands. Give him a budget and he'll work within it and suggest ways to save money if that's what you need. He is honest and cares about your garden and shows you how to achieve your goals. Fabulous. read more

I called Living Earth Gardens because of the great reviews they got on yelp. I bought my home recently, a bank-owned house that had been woefully neglected. Once I had the inside livable, I turned to the outside. One of the problems with the outside is an outdated sprinkler system that was leaking badly. I also needed advice on how to get the front yard in shape. Stephen came out and spent a good amount of time checking out the sprinkler systems in both the front and back, determining where the issues were, aksed me a lot of questions about what I would like to do in my yards in the future and what was most important to me immediately, and gave me an estimate based on what I decided I could afford to have done at this time. In addition to stopping the leaks in the system and getting the timer to work in the front area, I also decided to have him make a landscaping plan for me based on the kind of bee-friendly plantings I would like to have in my front yard. He came and did the work as promised and did a great job of replacing the timer, working with the system that was in place, separating the front system from the back system so that I could shut off the water going to the back and still have working sprinklers in the front. He worked with me and developed a great landscaping plan, and had some great ideas for my yard, which I can easily do myself once I have gotten all of the old overgrown, and mostly dead, shrubbery removed. Stephen was thoughtful of my budget, listened carefully to what I said I wanted and helped me to outline what was most important to have done at this time.He offered me thoughtful ideas of how I could accomplish what I want to do in the short term within my budget . He did exactly what he said he would do when he gave me his estimate and completed the work in a timely manner. He was completely professional, obviously an expert in his field and had some great ideas. I will be calling on him again when I am ready tackle my next big landscaping project. read more

Our original landscaper drew up a cookie-cutter yard, with a sterile feel. We decided to find someone else who would actually involve us in the design process. My husband found Living Earth Gardens on Yelp, and we were very excited to set up an appointment. Though we didn't know exactly what we wanted, Stephen envisioned a yard that fit our lifestyle, personality, and budget. He met with us several times to go over plant types, colors, and garden flow. Changes and additions were welcomed and accommodated throughout the landscaping process- both on paper and on-site. With a medium-sized yard and concrete already taking up 1/3 the space, Stephen created a magical meadow perfect for our growing family. read more

Steve is amazing, and his crew does great work. We have a large yard on all four sides of the house. It suffered from the extended drought combined with several years of neglect when we were renting it out during our absence. Upon our return this summer, we knew we needed to start from scratch, but we were overwhelmed with the scope and complexity facing us. We researched several landscapers and found Steve fit our philosophy and style the best. We asked him to help us triage what needed to be done, and design a plan to work from at a pace our budget could handle, with the options of doing some of the work on our own. Steve gave us all that and so much more. He was highly skilled at helping us flesh out our vision, providing guidance, ideas, and alternatives. He spent hours talking with us, walking around the yard, measuring and mapping. We were given plans for a drought tolerant, butterfly, bee and hummer friendly garden. We chose to contract with him and his crew to get us started on the plan and they have done a wonderful job. We will have them return next year for phase two. We loved working with Steve and recommend him to anyone. read more

Stephen Berry of Living Earth Gardens is professional, creative, good-natured and GREEN to his roots. We were in the process of prepaing our Montclair home for sale and needed a landscape rennovation. We lost confidence in the landscaper seleted by our realtor and called Stephen at the last minute. He managed to fit us in to his busy schedule. He understood exactly what we were looking for and delivered something that was far beyond what we'd envisioned - in a good way and on budget. Totally professional and trustworthy. read more