---
title: "Bio Friendly Gardens — Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers | Houzz"
canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/bio-friendly-gardens-pfvwus-pf~218462869
markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~218462869.md
entity_type: LocalBusiness
business_name: "Bio Friendly Gardens"
category: ["Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers"]
image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/05b3702900d0cc6b_1099-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg
address: "1177 Cragmont Ave., Berkeley, California 94708, United States"
latitude: 37.8918
longitude: -122.2604
phone: "(510) 843-5232"
website: http://www.biofriendlygardens.com
rating: 5
review_count: 2
followers: 120
last_updated: 2026-08-13
---

# Bio Friendly Gardens

Original Houzz profile: [Bio Friendly Gardens](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/bio-friendly-gardens-pfvwus-pf~218462869)

## Professional summary

- **Primary category:** Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers
- **Location:** Berkeley, CA
- **Serves:** Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, El Cerrito, Lafayette, Albany, Orinda, Moraga, Emeryville, Piedmont, North Richmond
- **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (2 reviews)

## About

### Houzz Badges

- 25,000 Ideabook Saves

Bio Friendly Gardens designs and constructs gardens, landscapes, and structures of unique quality and beauty to homes and businesses throughout the San Francisco, Bay Area.
 
History
Bio Friendly Gardens was established in 1995 by Preston Louis Dixon. He owns and operates his business in Berkeley, CA. with his wife Haruna Kubota.
 
Dixon earned degrees in Plant and Soil Science, landscape design, and natural resource management from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1983. He earned a certificate in Landscape Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley in 1994, and Kyoto University of Art & Design in Japan.  He is a trained horticulturist, forester, and entomologist. He also worked and studied as a plant biologist and insect ecologist at UC Berkeley for 12 years in the Center for Biological Control and Department of Plant Biology.
 
Kubota earned a degree in mathematics from Tsuda University in Tokyo, Japan in 1991, and an international business diploma from University of California at Berkeley in 2000. She is the office manager and accountant for Bio Friendly Gardens.

### Services Provided

- Landscape Design
- Garden Design
- Hardscaping
- Landscape Plans
- Patio Design
- Drought Tolerant Landscaping
- Custom Water Features
- Gazebo Design & Construction
- Outdoor Lighting Design
- Organic Gardens
- Pond Construction
- Greenhouse Design & Construction

### Areas Served

- Oakland
- Berkeley
- Alameda
- El Cerrito
- Lafayette
- Albany
- Orinda
- Moraga
- Emeryville
- Piedmont
- North Richmond

### Typical Job Cost

$50,000 - 200,000

## Business Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Business Name | Bio Friendly Gardens |
| Address | 1177 Cragmont Ave., Berkeley, California 94708, United States |
| Phone | (510) 843-5232 |
| Website | http://www.biofriendlygardens.com |
| License Number | C27, 833081 |
| Followers on Houzz | 120 |

## Contact

- **Houzz profile:** [Bio Friendly Gardens](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/bio-friendly-gardens-pfvwus-pf~218462869)
- **Website:** http://www.biofriendlygardens.com
- **Phone:** (510) 843-5232

## Credentials

**Certifications & Awards**
- Member of
- -ASLA   (American Society Landscape Architect)
- -CLCA  (California Landscape Contractors Association)
- -Ecological Landscape Associations
- -Green Roofs For Healthy Cities

## Reviews

**Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 2 reviews**

### All 2 reviews

**★★★★★ — wensnyder, May 2014**

> Bio Friendly Gardens was one of our top competing bids when we were embarking on landscaping our front yard with the addition of a privacy fence that did not just look like a long wall of wood! Looking to compliment our Craftsman style home in the Berkeley Hills,  Lou worked creatively with us to come up with a fence and landscape design that gave us the privacy and security we needed, but with the inviting aesthetics that we were looking for in a front yard entrance. Utilizing unique accents and sustainable woods, he and his crew carefully yet efficiently excavated, landscaped and constructed our new fenced yard that we love. Years have passed since it's installation, and neighborhood walkers constantly stop and compliment us on the beauty of our yard.

**★★★★★ — pank1011, April 2014**

> Bio Friendly Gardens is an excellent landscaping service to use in the Bay Area.  Lou Dixon is very knowledgeable and is able to give great suggestions and also incorporate any ideas you may have to make a beautifully landscaped yard.  He and his crew are also able to design other aspects of landscaping:  waterfalls, pergolas, tree houses, stone walls, etc.
>
> We used Bio Friendly Gardens to do a large job in 2009; Lou has great design ideas, is easily approachable, and is extremely knowledgeable in native plantings.  The quality of his work is excellent; we liked his work so much that the project kept getting larger and larger. We started wanting a patio with waterfall and hillside landscaping with walking paths and ended with an impressive tree house for our grandchildren and a large pergola with climbing grape vines.
> He and his crew were just here again in Apr, 2014 to help with yearly maintenance and smaller projects that need his expertise.  We highly recommend him for any landscaping project you may have--be it large or small!

## Selected projects

- [Orinda Project](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/orinda-project-pj-vj~423693)
  - Location: Orinda, CA
  - Photos: 26
- [Woodside Project](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/woodside-project-pj-vj~436948)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 20
- [Contemporary / Japanese Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/contemporary-japanese-garden-pj-vj~144429)
  - Location: Livermore, CA
  - Photos: 24
- [Zen Entry way](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/zen-entry-way-pj-vj~423787)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 14
- [Oakland Hill Contemporary Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/oakland-hill-contemporary-garden-pj-vj~177907)
  - Location: Oakland, CA
  - Photos: 8
- [Petaluma Japanese Garden Project](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/petaluma-japanese-garden-project-pj-vj~432531)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 12
- [Tree House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/tree-house-pj-vj~423745)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 7
- [Western Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/western-garden-pj-vj~423850)
  - Location: Oakland, CA
  - Photos: 15
- [Japanese Garden, Spa, Natural Hot Tub](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/japanese-garden-spa-natural-hot-tub-pj-vj~361959)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 19
- [Japanese Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/japanese-garden-pj-vj~386409)
  - Location: Not specified
  - Photos: 13
- [Japanese tea garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/japanese-tea-garden-pj-vj~160510)
  - Location: El Cerrito, CA
  - Photos: 7
- [Japanese Courtyard Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/japanese-courtyard-garden-pj-vj~160425)
  - Location: Castro Valley, CA
  - Photos: 6
- [Japanese Garden](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/japanese-garden-pj-vj~129519)
  - Location: Berkeley, CA
  - Photos: 8

[See all 13 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/landscape-architects-and-landscape-designers/bio-friendly-gardens-pfvwus-pf~218462869)

## Ideabooks

- [Werner](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/31255482/list/werner) — 10 ideas

[See all 1 ideabook](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/biofriendlygardens)

## Community Q&A

**Q: Fence material?** *(in Photo Questions)*

May I ask - what is the material for the fence? Including the vertical "bars"?

A: Hello
The vertical pieces are black bamboo 2 inch diameter.
The horizontal pieces are 2x2 redwood.
bamboo is staggered on both sides of redwood.

**Q: Hanging vine?** *(in Photo Questions)*

What is the hanging vine?

A: Its a weeping Cedrus deodora which are the draping branches of the tree seen on left.

**Q: countertop and stackstone** *(in Photo Questions)*

Hi, I love how well the countertop pairs with the stackstone. what kind of stone was used on this project?

A: The patio is Black basalt, the countertop was special ordered to match, the walls are a veneer of pre-cut 6x18 quartz. Thanks, Lou Dixon Bio Friendly Gardens

**Q: Water feature?** *(in Photo Questions)*

Can anyone tell me where i could buy the water feature? Really pretty!

A: The water feature is a custom water basin or "tskubai", which is found in some traditional tea gardens in Japan.
This is not an over the counter WF.  The bamboo spout is hand carved and cut to fit a tube which carries recirculated water from the holding basin below the gravel.  I do a number of these in the gardens I design.  I am happy to make one for you anytime.   Best, loubfg@comcast.net

**Q: What type of cherryblossom tree is this?** *(in Photo Questions)*

A: The Cherry Blossom tree (Sakura), is Prunus surrulata, Akebono
This is an ornamental cherry tree which is commonly planted for its beautiful spring blossoms that appear in late March or early April in Northern California.
This is a beautiful specimen tree.  I hope this helps..Thanks..Lou Dixon BFG

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*Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-13.*