Bethesda Garden Design llc

We greatly enjoyed working with Debbie and Andrea on our front and back yard project. They expertly dealt with some challenging terrain, heavy shade conditions, and drainage issues; we're thrilled with the results! They were willing to work with us on creative ideas, and helped maximize our overall impact through creative planting materials, vision for a rear patio area, and the addition of a firepit zone. The end result radically changed our yard into a true destination, and we're thrilled for the new outdoor spaces. Highly recommend!

We had a wonderful experience with Bethesda Garden Design. Our previous experience with a designer did not work out due to poor communication. Working with Andrea and Debbie was completely different. They listened carefully and explored what we liked and disliked, and very quickly they “got it.”. They made terrific suggestions and were open to hearing our suggestions. Through a collaborative process we arrived at an agreed upon design. The budgetary issues were dealt with in an open and forthright manner. Last minute concerns were addressed kindly and promptly. The installation was smooth and on- time. And the result is BEAUTIFUL. Every time I walk outside and look at the garden, I am pleased by its beauty and serenity. I whole-heartedly recommend Bethesda Garden Design.

had an absolutely fantastic experience with Bethesda Garden Design LLC! From the initial consultation to the final reveal, working with Debbie and Andrea was a dream. Their creativity and attention to detail transformed my outdoor space into a stunning, low-maintenance oasis that perfectly suits my lifestyle. They listened to my vision, offered brilliant ideas on plants, layout, and features, and executed everything with professionalism and enthusiasm. The before and after photos speak for themselves! If you're looking to elevate your garden without the hassle, these ladies are the best—highly recommend! 5 stars all the way!

I love a good before and after of amazing landscaping. And as anyone who has ever completed a major project knows, an excellent design team and design plan is imperative. This is why we used Bethesda Garden Design to design our front yard project. Not only did Debbie and Andrea listen carefully to our ideas and requirements (like being able to easily maintain and giving us privacy from the street), they brought a vision to life that complimented the style of our house. They also helped us find a driveway paving company and worked seamlessly with them to ensure our project blended. Lastly, their communication was top notch. I received updates regularly and knew when the crew was coming or if they were waiting on cement pouring. We have had so many of our neighbors stop by and compliment a completely transformed front yard and the best part is that it was such a good experience with great designers.

Debbie and Andrea were an absolute dream to work with. They transformed my small DC property into a thoughtfully designed, functional space that exceeded all my expectations. With limited square footage, I never imagined I could have both a yard for my two-year-old to play in and a spacious deck for entertaining—but they made it happen. Their creativity, expertise, and ability to maximize every inch of space resulted in a design that feels both beautiful and practical. From start to finish, they were attentive, responsive, and committed to bringing my vision to life. They listened to every idea and concern, offering expert guidance while ensuring my priorities were met. Their dedication to quality and attention to detail were evident at every stage, and they were there every step of the way to make sure everything was executed flawlessly. I truly couldn’t have done this without them, and I would recommend them a million times over to anyone looking for top-notch landscape design. (Pictures added to show the amazing work done to include: front steps and walkways, all new beds and plants, new sod, fence, regrading backyard, deck, and back stairs)

Debbie and Andrea were fantastic to work with and are very happy with the results of our project. They are a friendly and approachable team, clearly skilled at what they do. They listened carefully to our needs and crafted a design that balanced cost-effectiveness, functionality, and aesthetics. We will definitely be contacting them for future projects!

I cannot recommend Debbie and Andrea more highly. We inherited a yard that was an afterthought to previous owners - after meeting with Debbie and Andrea, they prepared a conceptual plan that completely transformed the space. In addition to their vision, we really appreciated their flexibility by incorporating some minor design changes along the way. With their help, we now have a backyard we can enjoy proudly!

We were so glad we chose the Bethesda Garden Design team to help us with an overhaul of our home’s landscaping. We knew from our first meeting that we were in good hands with Debbie and Andrea, who were extremely professional and an overall pleasure to work with! Would absolutely recommend this team to anyone with landscape design needs.

We can’t say enough about Bethesda Garden Design! Debbie and Andrea are incredible landscape designers who brought our dream to life in our urban backyard. They transformed our space into a beautiful zen oasis. Everyone who sees our yard just loves it! Debbie and Andrea are delightful to work with. We still work with them to keep our yard looking great. We give them our highest recommendation!!! They’re the best!

Debbie and Andrea are a joy to work with, and I cannot be more thrilled with my new backyard! Debbie and Andrea helped me to envision my dream backyard that would not only meet my current wishes, but also is a foundation that I can continue to grow on in the years to come. We originally envisioned a more elaborate design for my back yard and front yard, and when the budget came in as more than I wanted to spend now, Debbie and Andrea advised me on how to prioritize my budget to keep the elements that matter most to me today, while helping me envision how I can continue to build on my design in the next couple of years. The best part of working with them is their creative approach. They truly listen, without judgment, and deliver exactly the ideas that will give you what you want while also going beyond what you could envision yourself. I could not be more excited about my new space, and the first day after it was completed I spent my entire day using it right away. Debbie and Andrea project managed for me during the construction, and it was seamless and easy for me. They will be my partner for all of my exterior ideas and needs for years to come. I cannot recommend this team enough.

We used Bethesda Garden Design to reimagine the yard of our “new to us” home. Debbie and Andrea had wonderful ideas on how to modify the space and bring charm and a bit of whimsy. They also helped coordinate a drainage problem with the yard - working with the contractor to ensure it was both functional and beautiful. We love the yard and enjoyed seeing it all come to life this spring. As each new flower came up we were grateful for the time and attention that Debbie and Andrea put into the plant selections. We highly recommend Bethesda Garden Design!

Bethesda Gardens is the absolute best. Debbie and Andrea have such a magical eye. They will think through everything and create a design that's perfect for your home and family. Most of all, they're a joy to work with. They have such a creative, playful demeanor that allows for brainstorming between them and their clients. We truly looked forward to the days they would arrive with their wonderful ideas and kind demeanor. They designed our front yard, back yard, a firepit and reworked an existing patio. Their knowledge of plants and trees and their ability to work them into the existing design is truly an amazing ability. Overall, our experience with them was fabulous and we very highlihgt

We have worked with Debbie and Andrea at Bethesda Garden Design on several large landscape projects at our DC home. Each time, Debbie and Andrea were personally involved in every aspect of each project. They have been excellent at understanding our vision and creating workable, practical, and cost effective designs. They are accessible and are hands-on all the way through installation. Debbie and Andrea's designs have been beautiful and unique and have always captured the essence of what we wanted. We have found BGD easy and fun to work with. Highly recommend.

I've worked with Andrea and Debbie on several projects. They are incredibly talented and creative. But beyond that, they are knowledgeable, professional and responsive. It's a pleasure working with them and I highly recommend this team!

Debbie and Andrea are excellent. They really enhanced the aesthetic on the exterior of our home. They worked with my vision, but brought creative ideas to make it even better than I could have imagined. They are hands on - - they to oversee installation of walkways, stonework and placement of plantings. They follow-up and make sure everything is thriving. I have seen their work on different styles of homes (modern, traditional) and they have nailed it each time. Highly recommend.

Debbie and Andrea transformed my front yard. I highly recommend them and their team. They are creative, easy to work with, hands-on...just all around amazing! Michelle F.

Debbie and Andrea are FABULOUS and did a spectacular job helping us envision an entirely new setting for our house - front, back and sides have been transformed from 'builder standard' to a unique, personal, fantastical garden.

I used Bethesda Garden Design LLC for a large front and back yard re-do and I am beyond happy with the final product. They created an oasis in my front and backyard that I had been envisioning for the past 10 years but didn’t know where to start. While the design and layout were mostly their ideas, they were excellent at listening to some of my ideas and incorporating them. I had a lot of Fun working with them and they were readily available for any questions or concerns. They worked with Pinapple Landscaping and created a yard that I am extremely proud to invite people to. It’s a dream yard.

Our yard rehabilitation was better than we ever expected. BGD heard our needs and wants, and transformed them into a workable and beautiful yard design. Then they oversaw the needed landscaping to make the design a reality. Extremely pleased with the results.

We really enjoyed working with Debbie and Andrea on a re-design of our small backyard. They came to our first meeting with a very clear vision of what made sense for the space and how we wanted to use it. They worked with us closely to adapt that vision to something that everyone was on board with, handled all of the interaction with the contractor, and were on site during the installation to ensure things ran smoothly. They responded promptly when one issue arose during the installation, kept costs down and didn't charge us for unnecessary design work, and came back after the installation to do a pruning tutorial to make sure our shrubs would grow into the shape we wanted. We would recommend them to friends and neighbors who are considering a landscape design project.

I was very happy to work with Debbie and Andrea, and I will definitely be working more with them in the future. I was a bit stuck with needing an overall landscape plan for my property that could be phased in over time. I wasn't sure where to start and only knew I couldn't afford to redo it all at once. Debbie and Andrea were able to work with me to develop a plan, and I love that I'm able to digest it and implement it at my own pace.

Can't say enough good things about working with Debbie and Andrea! We are still in the beginning stages of our Garden project, but we have really enjoyed working with them so far. As soon as we met, we felt an instant connection to them. Their love and knowledge of gardening and nature was apparent right away. During our initial meeting, we told them what we were looking for and went on a tour of our space. When we had our presentation of the design concept, we were so excited to see what they had and loved what they brought back to us! Not only did they listen to our wants and needs, but came back with ideas and a design that what we wanted but also used their expertise and knowledge to come up with fantastic and inventive ideas for the space that we would never have thought of. We cannot wait to start the project with them and have our space transformed!

We recently filled in our dilapidated 30-year-old in-ground swimming pool and hired Bethesda Garden Design (BGD) to re-landscape our entire backyard. Debbie and Andrea produced a creative design in keeping with the character of our house within a few weeks and recommended a local landscape company to handle the project. After checking the company’s references, we hired the company to handle the project and Debbie and Andrea to manage it. We were very happy with our decision. Debbie and Andrea managed the entire project, ensured that the landscape was installed according to plan, and provided outstanding oversight and quality control. They explained what they were doing every step of the way and were very responsive to our questions and requests. The project was a huge success! We now have three beautiful patios, two large gardens, stunning stone paths, hundreds of plantings, and a beautiful pea gravel path leading to our stone fireplace. We highly recommend BGD!

Debbie and Andrea did a fantastic job with our garden. They developed our garden design, purchased all of our plants, and (as requested) supervised the planting by a separate crew that we hired. They started with an incredibly tough space and created a beautiful front and back yard that was affordable and very much reflected what we wanted. They are easy to work with, open to feedback, highly responsive, and complement each other well. They went above and beyond to work with our budget, an ever-changing timeline, and a garden that had more challenges than we anticipated. We’ve already gotten many compliments on our garden—even in winter! We would not hesitate to recommend them!

Andrea and Debbie are an amazing team: extremely knowledgeable, great at listening to their clients, and very clearly have a "vision" for the finished project. In addition, they are just fun to work with! We are so looking forward to seeing our finished product leap from paper to our backyard!

Very excited to wrap up my Tenleytown landscape project with Debbie and Andrea. Well...not really. In fact, I hate to end such a productive and satisfying experience. What I learned: Think large scale in small spaces; stick to a few reliable and interesting plants; use what you have; envision "swaths" and "layers" and "hints" of color and texture; paint your fence dark; "see" your design from your kitchen window; light up the night with low-voltage fixtures. There's more: Expect both Deb and Andrea to show up early (and stay) to direct Ben and his strong, skilled, crew of nice guys. Delight in their adorable repartee (it's like getting two designers for the price of one). Ask them about watering and window boxes and their sources. Express your preferences - b/c they will listen. Ask them to slow down and repeat - b/c they will. And finally, trust them to do what they do so well: design with creativity, restraint, and utter delight. They transformed my sunless, rooty yard into the prettiest house on the block. Thank you! I can hardly wait till spring.

Debbie and Andrea were absolutely terrific in helping us fix our front and backyard challenges with hardscaping and landscaping. Their project management was excellent and they were also very flexible with our tweaks. The changes are gorgeous, and we have been using our backyard more this summer than in the past 10 years combined. We couldn't be happier.

We had such a great experience with Bethesda Garden Design. We have a small outdoor lawn space and two decks that were in desperate need of help. We met with Bethesda Garden Design who came up with a truly perfect design plan, and within our budget. When our planters were delayed, they came out early to plant what they could and returned again (an extra trip) to complete the job. They also gave us great tips on how to keep everything blooming and alive through the summer months. I would recommend them a dozen times over. Thank you!!!

It was a pleasure working with Debbie on our project! Her creativity and knowledge resulted in a beautiful urban garden space for us, with a stone patio and sitting wall, pathways, and beautiful plantings front and back. Debbie coordinated various contractors on our behalf. She was particularly good at listening to us and understanding what we wanted to achieve. I would highly recommend her.

Working with Debbie and Andrea was great. They were very responsive, had amazing ideas, took feedback well, and found a contractor who did excellent work at a great value. The listened carefully to how our family would like to use our small yard, and how much maintenance we were willing to do. We now have a beautiful small yard with a sculptural retaining wall, a gravel path and terraces, a grassy area, a pollinator garden, and tons of beautiful plantings! If you have your own ideas, and are interested in a collaborative process with plant and design experts, I would highly recommend this woman-owned business.

Debbie was great to work with! She was patient with our needs and was careful in designing a backyard that included a hot tub that was customized to fit within a new deck. She was great at selecting the perfect landscaping to provide privacy for our hot tub and deck, and helped design the deck to maximize the space of our small backyard. She also did an excellent job selecting and designing the front yard to make sure it added, rather than taking away from the curb appeal of the home. She is easy to work with and helped us in selecting the right contractors to implement her design! Highly recommend going with her for any landscaping design needs!

The ladies at Bethesda Garden Design are a delight to work with. The process was very straightforward; I gave them our budget, some inspiration photos and they were off and running with dozens of improvements and ideas to elevate. After living with an unappealing front yard for the first year after buying, we were desperate for some curb appeal. Because my husband and I don’t really have time or the know-how to maintain even a lawn, we needed a drastic vision. What we ended up with is a California-cool, mid century mod, uber low maintenance dream. Full replacement of the lawn with disease and drought resistant liriope and other grasses, custom wide slab pavers to replace the dingy walkway, a horizontal cedar fence wrapping half the house and three beautiful single stem birch. The only thing we’re bummed about is, we don’t have any more projects to bring their way for our small home! Highly recommend.

We are thrilled with our beautiful gardens – front, back and side yards – designed and completed by Bethesda Garden Design. Debbie and Andrea converted our awkward corner lot into a restful-yet-exotic visual feast with swaying grasses, fragrant sage, flowering laurels, hearty hydrangea, strategically planted river birch and a host of flowering plants. They designed a small, hardscape patio for our grill and hid our recycle bin behind a stand of Karl Foerster grass. Simple and beautiful. Debbie and Andrea gave a great deal of thought to keeping the gardens interesting in all seasons with variety in color, texture and height of plants, and to our demand that they be easy to care for because we hate weeding. Our expectations were far exceeded by Debbie and Andrea’s multi-dimensional artistic skill, attention to detail, adherence to commitments and deadlines, quality and quantity of work, and care in shepherding the project to completion. We are beyond thrilled by the finished garden and that all the plantings continue to thrive. The price tag was very reasonable for the effort Debbie and Andrea put into the project and the joy we get out of it. We recommend them and Bethesda Garden Design enthusiastically and without reservation.

Debbie designed our front yard garden, with total respect for our interests -- very low maintaince, affordable, and a sort of natural elegance. People stop all the time to compliment the garden all the time. We did it in two phases and we are now in the midst of big project (with a pool!) out back.

We are thankful to have found Bethesda Garden Design through Houzz! Others reviews helped us to determine that Debbie & Andrea were the designers that we had been looking for. Our project was a whole yard re-design. We enjoy entertaining and love to travel, but both hobbies can get expensive. We wanted our home to be a space where our family, neighbors and guests would feel like they were on vacation whenever they visited. Bethesda Garden Design did not let us down. We were fearful that we would not be able to complete the entire yard within our budget, but BGD design allowed us to change the curb appeal of our home, create a new backyard oasis complete with a new hardscape patio, a fire pit at the edge of the woods, and in a unique twist, add a vegetable and pollinator garden to boot. Thanks for helping us to bring this project to life!

I was referred to Debbie by two friends who were very happy with her work on their yards. Our project was a large one including hardscape (stone wall and patio) that needed coordination between various teams who worked on the patio, stone wall, and the planting of several trees, shrubs, and smaller shade plants--the entire back yard. Debbie and Andrea met with me several times to discuss my vision and and create the plans for the project. They were knowledgable about all aspects of the job and asked the right questions to move our collaboration along. I enjoyed being able to have so much input! When we ran into a few small problems, which is inevitable in a job like this one, Debbie was responsive and communicated the issues with the teams involved. It was a great experience working with Debbie and Andrea!

Bethesda Garden Design LLC did the flowers for my bridal shower a few weeks ago, and to say that they were beautiful would be an understatement. The floral arrangements were absolutely stunning, and perfect for the occasion. When I asked Bethesda Garden Design for "romantic" and "classy" floral arrangements, I had no idea that the flowers would completely change the entire feel of the room. Bethesda Garden Design is phenomenal to work with, and truly can transform a room through their arrangements. I will undoubtedly continue to use Bethesda Garden Design for any and all events I have in the future, and will recommend all my friends to them in a heartbeat. Thank you for truly making my bridal shower flowers absolutely perfect!!

Debbie Friedman, of Bethesda Garden Design, enhanced our wedding reception by creating exquisite centerpieces made of succulents, flowers, and other natural elements. It was beautiful beyond expectation. Guests have continued to comment about the incredible creations days after the event. Debbie's design skills are exceptional; her remarkable ability to turn her unique vision into a brilliant creation was inspiring. This company was completely committed to making the finale of the wedding truly spectacular. Thank you, Debbie, and thank you Bethesda Garden Design!

Our backyard was in terrible shape - not only with overgrown tree roots, but a direct view to my neighbors pool pipes. A recent porch construction added to the yard mess. The goal of the project was to provide privacy and create a beautiful space. Services included: 2 privacy tree/ Shrub screens, reimaged patio, numerous plantings, stone and slate work and tree removal. The outcome surpassed every expection, from great design, highly profession team, awesome execution and timely completion. The landscaping added so much beauty and value to our property. I am so happy we worked with Debbie and Andrea. A plus!! Highly recommend. High value design talent.

Bethesda Garden Design just installed the most gorgeous, creative, peaceful gardens in 3 large spaces in front of my house. I initially contacted them because I had a huge bare spot where nothing would grow due to roots from big trees and shade. The area is exquisite as are the two other areas we decided to do. It was a pleasure working with Debbie and Andrea----it made the experience truly wonderful. They went well beyond what I had hoped for in terms of the design, reading "me" as to what I wanted and fulfilling my wishes. The work itself got done efficiently and pleasantly. I cannot say enough good things about their work.

I hired Bethesda Garden Design to help get my yard pulled together. Debbie and Andrea's creative thought process, know how and flawless execution resulted in a backyard I now can thoroughly enjoy. They developed their own vision which encompassed my love of native plants and worked with my aesthetic for a natural setting. A new fire pit area that includes a log slice patio, oversize steel cauldron, and modern Adirondack chairs is a new family favorite destination. Working in such a collaborative way was helpful to me as I do most of my gardening on my own. Great taste, ability to interpret, and original ideas, makes working with Bethesda Garden Design an unusual treat!

We have installed numerous projects for Andrea and Debbie from Bethesda Garden Design. It’s always great to work with them because of their overall expertise, creative skills and their responsiveness. Their hands-on approach and strong communication skills have helped us develop a strong working relationship over the last 5 years.

I had such a wonderful experience working with Bethesda Garden Design (BGD) that designed and installed my yard. Working with this dynamic duo is a real joy. Debbie and Andrea speak their 'own' landscape language, while my needs remained the subject: Debbie listened intently to my desires and visions and provided options to cultivate and translate those visions into realities. Andrea is a walking encyclopedia on all things fauna and flora. They were acutely aware of the physical space, its natural tendencies, and the inherent challenges. The biggest challenges in my yard are the deep shade; persistent deer running and munching; and existing tree roots. Prior to working with BGD, my husband spent years throwing grass seed at our yard – to no avail. Andrea suggested we ‘embrace the moss.’ It turned our whole attitude around. With Bethesda Garden Design’s imagination and knowhow, we have a woodland paradise! With new and ‘repurposed’ plantings, we now enjoy our yard; a yard that is appropriate for its surroundings. I also admire their environmentally responsible philosophy. While rightfully confident in their creative and technical abilities, Debbie and Andrea share a motto: the client comes first. I can only hope that if you're reading this, you're ready to embark on your own adventurous outdoor planning, with Debbie and Andrea alongside to hold your hand, guide, suggest, and implement, turning your vision into your reality!

The jobs done for me were well thought out and excited. They spent time planning with me, walking the neighborhood for ideas and have continued to check their planting. All in all professional AND lovely to work with. I will continue to use them

Hired Bethesda Garden Design to provide design/landscaping services for a summer home in West Cape May, N.J. Cape May is known for its Victorian architecture and sweet, colorful gardens and flowers. I wanted something that was soft, not formal, that incorporated indigenous plantings as well as grasses, hydrangeas. Cape May is a nature lover's paradise because it's directly on migration route of Monarch butterflies and many birds, so I wanted natural, not overly designed. Also important that it be low maintenance since I do not live there full time, but only come down on weekends and during the summer. BGD listened well to my vision/desires, walked with me around the charming neighborhoods of Cape May to get inspiration and color palettes, and then designed and installed a fabulous front and side garden. I have been out front working in the beds, and strangers walking by have commented on how much they like my flowers and plantings and the whole atmospheric look. Beachy, natural, soft with palette of purples, "blues," with shots of orange cone flowers and tall grasses. Other than weeding out those pesky wild onions, it has proven to be low-maintenance with a lot of payback in pleasure!

The team was professional and helpful from start to finish. I needed new front steps to replace a very steep entry. My problem area became a plus for the house with their guidance.

This women-owned company is responsive, creative, interactive, and great fun to work with. Their prices are reasonable and they have access to excellent subs. They redesigned our Chevy Chase property to create a more active and natural yard, and to make better use of the sun. They are great at integrating and re-purposing existing plantings and can provide consulting advice, design, planning and planting services, and project management, depending on budget and needs. We were really pleased with their suggestion to replace our old, static wood fence with plantings, which has greatly enhanced the beauty and our enjoyment of our yard. We look forward to Spring to work again with Debbie and Andrea and watch the garden bloom.

Debbie Friedman came to our home, listened to our unusual vision for a limited maintenance tropical garden in the DC metro area, researched the plants, provided the design, accommodated our critiques (didn't like certain scents, didn't want prickly leaves), updated design, provided recommendations for contractors, and suggestions for locations to purchase plants to keep costs down. I recommend her highly and would use her again in the future.