Yelpers, An update of my customer experience with PTG. I spoke with the owner ( Greg) after the past incident and we mended our relationship. The owner was very understanding of my frustration and I realized most of the issues were City planner related. Some of the issues were lack of communication on all parties but when you are working with the CIty, it is never easy. I'm revising this review from one to five! This review was not requested by the owner. Greg the owner is a great guy. I needed some cleaning work and asked Greg to provide a quote. Upon finishing the new project Greg decided he cannot charge as a sincere token of past misunderstanding. Great customer service and why I will always remember Greg's honesty and sincerity! read more

We worked with Past the Gate to redo our entire backyard. Pros: - They provide high quality work, including design, customizing the space for your needs, selection of plants, and execution. - Clay is a gem, he knows his plants and incorporates feedback well. - Luis and his crew work extremely quickly and did the bulk of the work in just a few days, minimizing noise and cleaning up afterwards. We're grateful for their hard work. - PTG's package comes with a warranty agreement to replace plants that have failed to take within the first few months. They honored this when a number of plants did not survive installation. Cons: - Communication is often lacking. We regularly had to initiate contact to get updates or request fixes. This happened on a small scale (I asked 3 different people for more than a month to extend our passionfruit vine's supporting wires before it was finally done) as well as on a big scale (see the kurapia saga below.) - We had an unexpected delay so our yard, which initially should have been finished around Nov 2023, was stuck at 90% done for nearly a year, and only properly finished in Oct 2024. Part of our plan included installation of kurapia, a drought-resistant grass alternative. Initially, that was supposed to happen in fall 2023. The grass was not available until spring 2024. The delay was not entirely Past the Gate's fault -- the supplier didn't have it available due to rain. However, PTG was not great about communicating with us and we had to repeatedly ask for status updates; they also kept giving us different dates that led us to expect the kurapia would come "in a few weeks" for months on end. When the kurapia was finally available, PTG crew installed it but failed to check that the irrigation system was properly set up, so the groundcover that we had waited half a year for died in 2 days. When we caught the problem, Greg, the owner, never apologized or acknowledged that PTG had a role to play. He said that the kurapia would grow back if we gave it some time. It did not. PTG did replace the kurapia eventually, but we had to wait again for many more weeks. When they did obtain replacements, they did not order enough. We called to ask when the remaining kurapia would arrive, and the service department was surprised to hear that the job wasn't finished and that they'd need to order more. It wasn't until Sept 2024 that the final piece of kurapia was put in, and our yard is finally finished 1.5 years after we initially made contact and about 1 year after demo. - I repeatedly asked about care for an ailing lemon tree and again never got confirmation that they were treating it, even though every person I talked to said that the maintenance crew would take care of it "next time." - After the yard was finished, PTG abruptly removed us from their gardening maintenance route. Tl;dr: PTG does high quality work, but be prepared to be a very active and involved manager of the project. read more

The business over-promised and severely under-performed. I hired them for regular maintenance job and they failed to do the following: (even after 3 visits): 1- dead flowers were not clipped, 2- dead plants and leaves were not pulled out, 3- there has been absolutely no weeding , 4- no blowing and cleaning. All above mentioned items were specifically confirmed by the business that will be done as part of their maintenance service. Margaret, the accounts manager is absolutely wonderful and she really cares about the clients. She is the only thing that is positive about this business. After reading other reviews, I want to add that I had the same problem as others have stated. Many inconsistencies and excuses and delays. read more

Past the Gate did a major design in our backyard. Greg's crew is very friendly. Sadly, they're follow thru is awful. I've been waiting a YEAR for them to come seal out BBQ countertop, that the sealed incorrectly. Was told they had other things to tend to then they'd get to us... that was the end of summer, last year! Try to contact, no reply. Also we used the landscaping service, as we thought that would be the smart since they installed. Horrible. Inconsistent. All we heard were excuses, yet they still charged the same $500 a month! In closing, they'll install great, but once they get money out of you, they don't care about honoring their work, or their word. Move on! read more

I can't comment on the work that Past the Gate performs but I can say that I don't think I would hire them based on the following. Their crew was working close to my house and I asked if someone could come over and give me an estimate for a project I had in mind. Greg did come over and he promised to send me an estimate in two days. The estimate never came so I emailed him twice asking about my estimate. No response not even a response saying sorry not interested. I recently received a sincere apology from Past the Gate and I now understand why they couldn't get back to me. Emily from Past the Gate explained why they didn't get back to me and I have no reason to think it was done because they didn't care. So please disregard my previous comments, i'm now pretty sure this is a very reliable company. read more

Our recent experience with Past The Gate was pretty wonderful. I reached out to 3 of the "top rated" landscapers in the bay area. After a week not one of them had gotten back to me, and never have. Past The Gate was next on my list and they responded within 24 hours. We met with Greg and described what we were thinking for our complete redesign of our front yard. Within a week or two he returned with a plan that made us feel as if his designers read my mind. It was so nice to be understood... and improved upon! Our front landscape was completed a little ahead of schedule. We absolutely love it. It transformed our front yard from a slight embarrassment, to a beautiful showcase. After planting they returned many times to test the soil and adjust the watering. After a 3 month period they came back out, replaced all plants that either didn't make it or were being eaten by critters, and there were plenty. That is all included in the initial cost. We feel really taken care of and that we mattered to the company as a whole. I wholeheartedly recommend them! read more

From the start Greg and Clay were complete professionals. They have seen it all and their easy going personalities made it fun creating and executing our dream backyard. They made recommendations on what would work best based off our initial design ideas. The daily crew was also amazing! They were prompt, efficient and extremely knowledgable. We couldn't be happier with how everything turned out and would recommend using Past the Gate again. read more

Greg came out on 8/13 for an onsite assessment. I waited 2 weeks for follow-up and initiated an email 9/7 for follow-up on next steps. I was emailed today 9/10 that they cannot meet my budget guidelines and not taking the job. We never discussed my budget so I'm confused. If the job was too small or there was no interest - I would have wished for more of a transparent and honest answer, as well as a quicker turnaround time so I can find someone else as I waited for their response. Disappointed. read more

I had Greg redo my backyard. We were very happy with the design and quality of the work, we really love the backyard and enjoy it everytime we go back there. It's really quite amazing! I gave them 2 stars because I disappointed in the challenge of communication, Greg was hard to get ahold of, sometimes wouldn't call back at all or would lose emails. At the end of the project, the lawn wasn't properly getting watered and was dying in places, and there was a crack that developed in the PVC just after they finished. I tried to get Greg to come back and fix this for over 2 months, after repeated emails and confirmation he'd come, I'd hear nothing, and no one would show up after he'd tell me to leave the gate open. Each time I emailed he confirmed he'd make sure it was addressed, each time it was forgotten. After awhile I just gave up and hired someone else. This was pretty frustrating. I don't think Greg did this intentionally, my only guess is he's very busy with all the projects he is working on and that ends up impacting the quality of his service. In the end, I can confidently say that if you hire Past The Gate, you'll have a beautiful yard, no doubt there. But don't expect him to finish the job, ALL of it, or address all of your requests. We're planning the front yard now, and we'll select another company. Doing what you say is important to me, and I shouldn't have to hound you to finish the job. **Update, our lawn is dying due to how he setup the sprinklers, we're forced to find alternative help to address this. read more

We were exceptionally pleased with Greg Wrenn's artistic design and his teams professional and meticulous work. Greg listened to and met our needs and yet added his wonderful ideas and artistic vision to our project. We had an old heirloom fountain he had refurbished with a tinted color to match a new bowl and added lights to the water - it is truly spectacular! We also added a stone bench and fireplace and his Foreman's masonry work was exceptional. His crew was here early every day and worked harder than any other construction crew I have seen. There was never a corner cut on the quality of their work. We absolutely love our new yard and enjoy spending time in it with our family or while entertaining! read more

I contacted Greg and three other landscapers to assist me with replacing my fence and helping me achieve a few goals: help raise the level of the patio such that ground water rising in the winter wouldn't cause water and mud to flood the patio (making it unusable), help figure out a way to incorporate screening plants (such as bamboo), and make it something unusual and beautiful -- incorporating color (like a brightly colored fence and lush plants with interest. Oh, and my fence, I wanted a horizontal fence but my HOA required a vertical one in a material and color I wasn't into (so I needed a double-layer fence to meet their requirements and my design aesthetic.) I met with all three landscapers and described what I wanted to do. The others were less then thrilled with my ideas -- but Greg found a way to work in my ideas and refine them in ways I really appreciated. He suggested new things I didn't even think of (with hardscaping) and really made a huge difference. Though he was more expensive then the other landscapers, I chose to work with him because he was flexible, listened well, and understood where I wanted to go. Everything I wanted from the project was achieved! His crew was very professional, did excellent work, and was so neat! They cleaned up every day after themselves, never left any lunch wrappers or cans around (I've had that happen before with other contractors.) The project was completed on-time as well and met the estimate. read more

If you are looking for the Garden of Eden in your back yard, Greg Wrenn will help you create it. Greg is an attentive listener who guides you toward your vision and turns it into a dream. He is a professional with high integrity and will work with you to stay within your budget. He completes the project on time and checks in with the customer on a weekly basis and he is always available for consult by phone. His crew is experienced, reliable and hardworking. The final result will leave you satisfied and confident that you made the right decision to hire Greg. read more

I did a lot of research on landscaping services and based on reviews decided to check out Past the Gate. Loved the whole feel of the website so I called Greg and made an appointment. Greg came out and met with my husband and I and actually "interviewed" us to get a good feel of what we like. For example he asked our favorite vacation spots which was very intuitive (you like water, mountains, dessert, the English country side - he'll work it into your plan), how much work we wanted to do in the yard, what the budget was, etc. He really listened and came back with an amazing landscape design which required very minor tweaking. I do want to warn you, especially those who have never had anything like this done, it is expensive. Given the amount of money we spent I do have a couple of nitpicks. We were not consulted on the plants. Even though I would have likely gone with everything Greg picked out (he knows his stuff), it would have been nice to be involved. I had several rose bushes that I loved and wanted to reuse them in the new plan or give them to friends. Some of them were used but the others disappeared. The last 5% of the project (the punch list stuff, finishing touches) took a while to get through. Out of the entire project I can honestly say there are only four things that I am not thrilled with. Overall, we're extremely pleased. I sit in my backyard with a big smile on my face. Greg is an artist and it's reflected in his work. read more

We found Greg and his team on Yelp. We hired the team for the design and also construction of our backyard which was a large project. We appreciated how Greg and Clay were able and willing to go back to the drawing board and redesign after my husband and I wanted a different concept after their first presentation. They listened to the changes we wanted to make and came back with a design that was innovative. Greg listened to our needs and desires but at the same time provided sound advice and told us when something was not recommended. The entire team is professional and top notch. We started our work in the winter during the rains. The crew took time to cover the entire back yard in tarp to be sure that it wouldn't turn into a muddy mess. They also always clean up the yard and street at the end of very work day so that everything was clean and neat. Their work is solid and we never had to worry about whether something was being done right. We love the results of our backyard! We would not hesitate to work with Greg and their team again. read more

From our first meeting with Greg, through providing us plan options, to presenting a budget, to demolition, to end product, he was first class all the way. He is genuinely interested in your lifestyle to recommend the best landscaping to accommodate your every need. Our backyard is a paradise - a beautiful oasis! We highly recommend him and his team to anyone. The Fernandez Family read more

We hired Greg on the recommendation of our landscape designer to execute the plan for our back garden. The job required a complete change in the "hardscape" and in addition Greg worked with us to design and built a custom milled pergola. His team also installed a high efficiency irrigation system. As for the team they, like Greg, are craftsmen and did a beautiful job. The job was not completed until it was done right and the foreman was always there to keep us informed / answer questions. They handled any changes we threw at them gracefully and we just love the finished product We can definitely recommend them, especially if you are looking for a major overhaul. read more

Past the Gate Landscaping, led by Greg Wrenn and Clay Tully, created a beautiful backyard for our home. From design and demolition to installation, they were able to accomplish everything in the contract on time and on budget. We look forward to many years of enjoyment! Tom A. read more

This was a five star experience all the way. Greg Wrenn is a design genius, and his foreman Luis is an execution genius. Past The Gate took a barren wasteland of a backyard and transformed it into a lovely sanctuary. I'm still in awe of how splendid it looks! The business end of the experience was also top-notch. Greg is responsible, professional, and a man of integrity. We would do business again with Past The Gate in a heartbeat. read more

I had an appointment with Greg at Past the Gate and had high hopes for working with them on a $20-30K project. We scheduled 2 weeks in advance and I called the morning of to confirm. He claimed he thought it was the week before but could still make it. Then I waited, and waited. Not only did he never show up, but he actually claimed he was at my house when I was standing on the front porch and he clearly was not there. Maybe he got the address wrong? Mistakes happen, but then he said he was "booked solid until next Tuesday", and had already been here, and couldn't come back. Huh? It was a disrespectful waste of my time and bad customer service. There was NO apology. Someone else will be getting our business. His loss. read more

We first saw Greg's work on his site several years ago. We loved the artistry but didn't think he worked in the Bay Area. I called on a whim and was delighted that he did projects here. We met, he produced a spectacular first design for us. We went on to hire his company to design our front and back yards. I have to say that the results far exceeded my expectation. Greg has great artistic vision and his team is very professional, courteous and meticulous. We just love how it turned out. read more

We highly recommend Past the Gate! Greg and his staff are professionals! Throughout the entire process, we felt Past the Gate listened to us, truly cared, respected our thoughts, and created a custom garden for us, not just another backyard landscape project. We also appreciate Greg's willingness to work with our house contractor on basement ground water incursion. From the very beginning with Greg's interview about our lifestyle, to Clay's and Matt's vision and design, to Luis' and crew's craftsmanship and efficiency, our back and side yards have exceeded our every expectation! We are confident in contracting with Past the Gate to maintain our transformed and beautiful garden. read more

Past the Gate transformed a steep unusable portion of our yard into a beautiful terraced area with lovely stonework and planting. Both Greg and Clay were a pleasure to work with. They developed a plan quickly and their excellent crew began working at the prearranged date. They were attentive to our requested changes and the project was completed on time. We've enjoyed many lovely hours in our garden and couldn't be more pleased. read more

Would have made this a no-star review if i could have. I reached out to Pass the Gate via their website. After a couple weeks with no reply I called and left a message, twice. Still never got a reply so I figured they didn't want any more business. They missed out on a large job as we hired someone else to demo, design and install both front and back yards. I had expected they would have had the courtesy to call back and let me know they were too busy. Shame on them... That's why one star here. read more

I feel badly that it has taken me this long to write a review for Greg. He redid our yard last spring ... and he said it would look even better this year ....I didn't believe him but it does. We asked Greg for a dog friendly, kid friendly ...but beautiful yard ..and that is exactly what we have. ...I truly love it. The project was on time and budget and our yard is truly beautiful! read more

We recommend Past the Gate. We have worked with Greg on several occasions. We brought them into the design phase of our new home and are very pleased with the architecture of the hardscape and landscape. They were here from the beginning and continue to work with us. We have basic retaining walls and paths as well as beautiful rock walls, a fountain, vegetable beds and fire pit. We used recommended drought tolerant plants and are fortunate to be using well water as needed. Our goals of low maintenance with great sightlines, natives, natural beauty and enhancing our home's architecture were accomplished with Past the Gate. read more

I don't like to write bad reviews (I'd rather tell you what I like) but these guys were so out-of- the-ordinary bad I feel I have to. Greg is the front man, but it's Matt that does the design. That's the problem. Greg takes you through a whole questionnaire (Favorite vacation? Like to throw parties?) but that info goes nowhere. I was super specific about what I wanted (a gazebo, a path, and less lawn) -- even gave them a rough sketch. The plan that came back was so off-base it was stupid. Plus although their estimate was close to six figures (yikes for a gazebo???) they cheaped out almost every aspect of it -- tin roof gazebo instead of solid wood, crushed granite path instead of pavers, a pile of rocks ("selected boulders") instead of a sculpture or a fountain (which I didn't want anyway). AND they eliminated the entire lawn and replaced it with planting beds so the entire yard becomes unusable. WTF! Greg couldn't explain the design but told me to call Matt, who I never met. When I communicated my concerns via email to Matt I got absolutely no response. Don't waste your time or money with these guys. Just awful!! read more