Montgomery Robbins, Inc.

Our relationship with Montgomery Robbins began with a lengthy initial conversation with their team, who listened carefully and explained an array of ways to approach the work we needed. Everyone we spoke with was professional, warm, and enormously helpful. We went on to work closely with the broader team throughout the project. They were exceptional. We had lengthy discussions exploring every aspect of what we hoped to create. Again, they really listened to our needs and what we wanted, and were extremely helpful with endless proposals about how to realize our vision. And in areas where we really didn't have a vision, they helped us create one. They were always accessible at every step of the process. Crucially they introduced us to an array of contractors, horticulturalists, pool designers, and garden specialists who embodied the same professionalism and creativity and warm accessibility. With Montgomery Robbins we engaged a full network of superbly gifted professionals. We could not have been happier with every aspect of the collaboration. I can't stress enough how their balance of creativity, professional knowledge, and kindness made the entire process actually joyous. We can recommend them without reservation, and would be happy to elaborate on any aspect of their lovely work. Carolyn Blum and Harry Chotiner

Friends referred us to Montgomery Robbins years ago, and we are so happy that they did. Because we enjoyed working with them, we decided to hire them again for another project. The whole team communicates well - they email or text in a timely fashion and always follow through. During our meetings, they really listened to us as we discussed our vision for our yard, without pressuring us to do more than we were comfortable with for our budget. We appreciated that they presented us with many different ideas of how our yard could look (various materials, uses of the space, etc.), always keeping in mind what "style" or "feel" we wanted. Ultimately, it was a fun process because we enjoy collaborating with people who have a sense of humor!

We are delighted to share our experience with Montgomery Robbins. Let me just say that our experience working with the team has been extraordinary – in our opinion, one should look no further. We found them through a trusted contractor who said they are her go-to landscape architects. Now we know why. Their remote design process was outstanding, the entire staff has been wonderful to work with, and it has been comforting to have them keeping tabs on and guiding the landscapers throughout our entire outdoor redo. They are now, without question, our choice for any future projects.

About 15 years ago, one of my clients asked for a landscaping referral. After decades in high-end residential construction, I’ll admit I’d never been overly impressed with the options out there. Fast forward to today—Montgomery Robbins sits firmly at the top of my list. They’ve absolutely earned that spot. Their approach aligns perfectly with ours: quality work, personalized care, and genuine professionalism, all backed by decades of hands-on experience. We have complete confidence in their ability to deliver exceptional landscape plans. If you’re building or remodeling your home, definitely put them on your list to interview. Take a look at their website and chat with them—it won’t take long to see why they stand out. Five stars

Montgomery Robbins’ virtual design process was a highlight for us—efficient for our lifestyle and always personable and warm. They’re passionate about what they do, and it shows in the quality. As returning clients, we’ve again experienced their professionalism and attention to detail. The design process is thorough, expectations are clear from the start, and the plans were ready to hand off to a contractor without any questions. Plus, they referred us to a wonderful contractor. I don’t usually write reviews, but Montgomery Robbins truly deserves it. Everyone who comes to our yard comments on how beautiful and peaceful it is—and that’s exactly what I wanted for my wife (and myself).

My friend and I hired different companies to design our yards, and it was very validating when I showed her our plans from Montgomery Robbins. She said, “Oh, I definitely see the difference in your design quality.” It was comforting to know we got what we paid for—and more importantly, the design is EXACTLY what we wanted! Montgomery Robbins tiptoed us through the process and made it easy. They were always accommodating and genuinely great people to work with (this really matters to me). They also guided us on construction costs during the design phase, which was tough to hear at first, but it gave us the benefit of a design-build firm without the obligation. We could see the costs up front, decide what we were comfortable spending, and then they created a gorgeous design within that framework. I can’t imagine how disheartened we would have felt if we’d gone through the design only to be told we couldn’t afford it. Our neighbors raved about Montgomery Robbins, and now we’re raving too.

We wanted to take a moment to express our sincere appreciation for all the hard work and dedication Montgomery Robbins put into our project this year. They have been invaluable in helping us navigate the challenges we faced. Given our home sits on a steep slope, this project needed highly skilled professionals. It gave us comfort having their team by our side all the way from designing to the completion of the build. Thank you for being our go-to people. We couldn't have done it without you!

I have been an event planner for over 30 years with a reputation for providing an unparalleled experience; So, when I asked friends who to hire for my backyard, they knew the standard of excellence I would be looking for. Without hesitation, I was told if I want the best, hire Montgomery Robbins, Inc. The only downside for me was their waiting list, but it was worth the wait. My space turned out beautifully and suits my needs perfectly (the combo I was looking for). Now I can confidently share their name with MY friends and colleagues. Great choice.

We wanted an exceptional backyard that the entire family would enjoy. We got it and more!! We enjoy hosting dinners, listening to our grandchildren play basketball, competing on the putting green, seeing everyone splash around in the pool, and relaxing in the spa. This is what we worked hard for. We had a TERRIBLE experience with our vacation home remodel and wished we knew them earlier. Thanks to the fine people at Montgomery Robbins we are loving our retirement more than we ever thought we would.

We learned about Montgomery Robbins through local real estate market watches in our area and have always been impressed. There are more realtors featuring this landscape architect company who have previously hired them to design their home landscapes. Wow! We are currently in the middle of our landscape design process with the Montgomery Robbins group. We are very appreciative that they have been patient with us regarding our preferred concept design and are super helpful to address our concerns every time we have any questions. We can't wait to finish designing our outdoor lifestyle & living room with them!

We bought our home for the yard & view when our kids were little. Fast forward to college bound kids. We decided to remodel the yard; needless to say, we had been envisioning what we wanted for years. The remodel turned out incredible (new paving, pavilion, fire feature, pool remodel, hillside terracing, grill area, and more). Now we are outside all the time! We were referred to J. Montgomery Designs by a friend and also saw them on Houzz. They are a great team to collaborate with and gave super contractor referrals. We will certainly be referring them to our friends!

My husband and I decided to build a new home on our daughters large piece of land, never realizing the work involved..As we started our journey we were introduced to the wonderful family and team at J Montgomery Designs! Words can’t express what a pleasure it was to have them by our side, they were there beside us every step of the way, Each and every person we worked with became part of our family!!Our home is done and beautiful and the joy it brings us is a true blessing. This company and it’s people make building a home a delight! Thank again for going above and beyond to make our dream come true!

This whole thing started because we needed to redo our pool (JUST our pool-- or so we thought). Then we realized the BBQ looked outdated. Then a putting green sounded fun. You guessed it, we ended up doing everything front and back; and I am so glad we did! I’m recently retired and wanted a well-planned space for our grown kids and grandkids to gather. We wanted to be the entertainment hub for family time. We hired JMD for all three of their services: concept plan, construction documentations and design oversight. I’ve done enough home projects to know that it’s like herding cats, and it’s smart to have someone who has my best interest at heart. To me its insurance hiring an experienced team who knows where those construction gremlins live. JMD services are premium for sure, but I value my time and found the whole package to be well worth the investment. Mainly, the final result exceeds our expectations. I’ll hire them again.

Saying we’re a busy family is an understatement! I have learned from multiple construction experiences that the more refined and detailed the plans are from the outset, the more time and money are saved on the project. Waiting until you are deep into a project to then go select your finishing materials in a rush under a deadline is stressful, inefficient, and wasteful. “Yeah right ~ we will just STOP our lives because the contractor didn’t think ahead, and instead last minute asks us to dash out (can you tell this is irritating to me)”. In my opinion paying for high level thorough plans (while pricey) is the best way we have found to create time efficiency, minimize cost overruns, wasted down time, and greatly reduce construction stress. We have hired J. Montgomery Designs for multiple homes over the last 15 years. They are the best. I was shocked that other professionals would even suggest that we get bids based on only a concept plan. The fact that construction documents aren’t standard practice is surprising. J. Montgomery is full service and has become our one stop shop for our residences-past, present, and future. They work anywhere and offer remote meetings which fits our lifestyle. They design the concept plan, detail all the specifications, and then assist us through the entire construction process. It is such a relief to have trustworthy advocates looking out for our best interests.

This project changed our lives. Our yard is now a perfect place to stroll and meditate, to wander and plan our business day (we own our own business and finding a quiet and beautiful area to think and be creative is special). We have a waterfall, Koi pond, ping pong/corn hole areas, benches scattered throughout, a hot tub, and beautiful plants/trees. This spring has been magical as I find new plants flowering daily! The Montgomery team seamlessly worked with us throughout the project: the planning, the execution, the changes we suddenly wanted, the final tweaking. We are pleased that we did this for ourselves and glad we hired the right team to take care of us. The Montgomery team is an awesome creative team that listens; I recommend them with no hesitation. Your finished yard will be beyond your expectations and dreams.

I’m a plant lover! I know what I like, and what I don’t like. I appreciated J. Montgomery Designs efforts wanting to get the planting plan just right for my specific taste. Yes it took time, and a couple of iteration, but they were willing to listen to me about what was not working. I appreciated the open easy dialog received from their team. Very professional to work with and highly recommend!

It is hard to put into words what John, Cynthia, Teresa, and the entire team at J. Montgomery means to me. After having remodeled six homes, one of which ended up in a 3-year lawsuit with the builder, I can confidently say that I know how to spot competence and integrity. I initially reached out to J. Montgomery Designs because I was very obsessed with John's stunningly beautiful portfolio and work product. He has a keen eye, top-notch spacial planning skills, and immense knowledge on all things backyard (hardscape, pavilions, ADUs, drainage, sunlight, and ALL the little green stuff your heart can imagine). But honestly, none of that would have mattered to me if he and his team were not honest and good people. I have been in this industry far too long to choose talent over character. LUCKILY I DON'T HAVE TO!!! John, Cynthia, and Teresa are not just amazing people with great hearts, they have become actual friends throughout the three-year process in which I keep adding and changing things! (They met all their timelines 100%; I met zero of mine). They are trustworthy, patient, calming, organized, great communicators, fun, and SO SO CREATIVE!! Seriously, they think of things you never will. I don't care how many inspiration photos you download. They will come up with something new to blow your mind. I'm sure there is a word limit here at some point, so let me just say that J. Montgomery Designs, as a business, is a rare commodity. They have healed me of all my bad experiences and restored my faith in this industry.

Submitted by Tom and Gale We decided to do a major landscaping project of our front and back yards including updating our pool, changing the hardscape, adding an outdoor kitchen and a trellis to create more outdoor living space. After interviewing several companies we decided to hire John Montgomery Designs to create our dream. Initial meetings were done virtually so that the company would get to know us and what we were looking for in our design. They had many great suggestions but always looked to incorporate our desires so that the plan was unique to us. the plans were redone several times to accommodate changes by us as well as their suggestions. They also used a virtual reality tool so we could envision the final product--that was exciting! We are so pleased with the final product. We are using our backyard more than ever for entertaining, family get togethers and just the 2 of us as we are retired. The yard is so functional and absolutely beautiful. John Montgomery Designs is a team concept with different talented people coming together with the client to create your dream. They were very professional and easy to work with and very responsive when we contacted them. Weekly onsite meetings also helped the whole project stay on track and kept us in the loop as to where the project stood. We would highly recommend John Montgomery Designs as an excellent company that creates beautiful outdoor spaces that will make you say, "I love my yard!".

Our yard went from being cramped and awkwardly laid out to spacious and welcoming with the reimagining of JW Montgomery Designs. We could have never figured it out on our own and it has become one of our favorite hangout spaces. We liked it so much we recommended them to our friends who also hired them. We can’t wait to see what they did for them!

We were stuck in a rut with our yard, and did not know what to do. We had a couple of key issues that needed to be fixed. We were pleasantly surprised that the design was 99% right from the very beginning; plus it fixed all of our previous problems. Clearly their process works! John and Cynthia were a pleasure to work with from start to finish during the conceptual design phase. They were both very responsive, receptive, fun, and intuitive in interpreting our wants/needs. Our finished landscape design plan definitely exceeded our expectations. We have not yet executed on the design plan but very much look forward to the time we do, and are confident the backyard will look spectacular and function flawlessly when completed. We would highly recommend J Montgomery Designs to anyone!

John came to us with great recommendation 5 years ago when we needed to hire a landscape architect for our new home. He is a great listener, always available for questions and is flexible in his approach of landscaping. He is always genuine and is respectful of the need, taste and budget constraint of his clients. He turned our landscape dream into reality. Our backyard was inspired by a trip to the Alhambra in south of Spain, and John turned our vision into reality. Throughout the last 5 years, our front and backyards received many praises from our neighbors. Much of the credit goes to John and his team. Without their dedication, our garden will not be the paradise of today.

We interviewed them years ago, but the timing wasn’t right for us. Their remote design process is very interactive. I was surprised at how effective and handy the Zoom meetings were. I have to say, they have it down pat! Also, everyone on the team was really easy to work with - nice people. The final design is beautiful (of course). Strongly Recommend J. Montgomery Designs

We were referred to them for our good friends, which is always nice. Funny story...we went through 98% of the design process and then decided to move! They were gracious and sincerely happy for us and we have hired them again for our new home and would recommend them to anyone. Oh-- our friends who suggested them, have since moved as well and have hired them for their new home. What can I say, one sticks with a sure bet -- 5 stars!

My family worked with Montgomery Designs after purchasing a home in Lafayette with a yard of about one acre. Moving from the inner East Bay, we'd never before had to manage a yard of that size and need help figuring out what to do with a lush but overgrown yard. Working with Cynthia and John helped us to figure out a comprehensive strategy. After commissioning a land survey, John worked up a wonderful design that helped us to understand our new property, to get a clear sense for what the costs of various improvements would be, and to differentiate more urgent from less urgent tasks. While we ended up prioritizing interior renovations (i.e. a new kitchen) over exterior renewal, Montgomery Designs has given us a terrific longer-term blueprint for the renovation of our new yard. Learning from Cynthia and John about the varieties of contractors with whom we might work has also been enormously useful: we learned a lot about the costs of different kinds of solutions and have, as a result, been able to make much wiser decisions than we would otherwise have made about how to spend limited funds. If money were no constraint, being able to realize the vision that John developed over a 6-12 month timeframe would have been an exciting and transformative prospect. But working with John and Cynthia to devise a longer-term, budget-constrained strategy for the yard has been just as useful and exercise—and every bit as valuable a use of our time and funds. We'd highly recommend the Montgomerys to all kinds of prospective clients: whether finances are a constraint or not, their deep insight, knowledge, and empathy will be an immensely helpful source of strategic guidance for all exterior projects.

John and team are one of the best in the San Francisco Bay Area. We recommend them to everyone who asks. In fact, since completing our project and home two months ago, over a 100 people walking by the house have asked for the names of our designers and contractors hoping to replicate our beautiful home and landscape. J. Montgomery designs and plans are exceptional. Every detail you can imagine has been thought through. We have a 9,200 sq ft lot and their design turned our front and backyards into an amazing retreat. Everyone who visits says they haven't seen a backyard and front yard like ours. My landscaper (who implemented John's plans), said in 30 years of doing homes throughout Atherton, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto, this was by far the most amazing work he's done for a lot of our size. Our general contractor who built our home (who has built some of the most amazing properties in the Bay Area peninsula) said our landscape is the best in a 20 mile radius. If you go with J. Montgomery Designs you will have to wait your turn in line to get their services, but the wait is worth it. The team's knowledge of trees, plant species, colors, materials, and space planning is exceptional. We didn't believe we could accomplish the seating, serenity, and vibe that was achieved with our landscape, but the team at J. Montgomery nailed it. Their use of stones, metals, woods, negative space, water fountains, pathways, and tons of detail and subtle choices transformed our land into a spectacular haven. Work with J. Montgomery and implement their designs perfectly and you'll understand what we're talking about.

I was sitting in my kitchen after a long day, sharing in a glass of wine with my wife, looking on my backyard and it hit me - holy cow - our backyard is just beautiful. I then started thinking on John and Cynthia. It was a bit shy of 10 years ago we hired J. Montgomery to fulfill our dream of a beautiful, thoughtful and very specific landscape for our home here in Livermore. We all poured our hearts into this and it has not failed a day since. In fact, it just gets better and better as it matures and evolves around us. I reached out to them to touch bases and provide another thank you for everything they have given us. So I thought how appropriate it would be to leave a review. This one would not be shortly after the project was complete - one which is written with "honeymoon" eyes - but one with 10 years of love and appreciation behind it. John knows what he's doing. His team executes perfectly. If we had to do it all over again we would in a moment with no one else.

I was skeptical about designing remotely. It didn’t seem possible to create a design that both my wife and I would love and felt was personal to our property. We made the right choice! I completely underestimated their efficiency & effectiveness. Their systems & communication are impressive: video journaling our property, detailed site specifications, door & window locations, etc. Everything worked seamlessly and now that the design process is complete, I can’t think of anything they missed. In fact, given we are very busy with work and family, their design process made it easy for us. Glad we ended up going with this firm.

We found the Montgomery team on Houzz and were pleasantly surprised with their personalized, virtual process. We never felt "on the clock". They gave us all the time and attention we needed. Also, nothing got lost in translation. The final design and cost estimates were consistent with what we discussed. Our yard has a challenging steep slope. Because they did not see the property in person, at times we had to make adjustments based on the terrain as they were only using photos and an elevation survey. They also surprised us with some excellent design concepts we could not have imagined on our own. We found them to be extremely thorough, including with their contractor recommendation. They happily helped us find a contractor who suited our needs perfectly. We decided not to hire them for their construction document service (which was fine with them and with our contractor). Overall, we found them to be very responsive, friendly, creative and easy to work with: We would highly recommend them.

Dear J. Montgomery Team, It’s been almost 4 years and the landscape project is all finished!! We can’t thank you enough for such a beautiful design! We really loved your contractor recommendations too. They have been invaluable. Life has changed suddenly for us and we are relocating but we’re quite sure the landscape is going to be the biggest selling point!! Thank you for everything!

We went back and forth on whether we should invest in a master landscape plan and now that we have worked with J Montgomery, we are so glad we did! We heard about their great reputation from friends and they delivered. Each team member was so great to work with and now we are able to phase out what we want to do as budget allows. Professionalism and excellent customer service are the two things that stand out in our experience. We are so happy we chose J Montgomery!

We used J. Montgomery Designs to help us with our backyard a couple years ago. The design is beautiful and exactly what we had hoped for - classy and beautiful. And we have been glad that we have the extra outdoor space and functionality during COVID. Lots of outdoor/firepit time has been enjoyed.

Simply put, fantastic to work with. Their team took time to understand our project, design aesthetic, budget and walked us through the process concisely and professionally. The design they came up with was stunning. Presented to us without ego or bias and open to our genuine feedback because they care so deeply about delivering on what would make us the happiest. I would highly recommend using their services and we have more projects down the line where we will be! To the whole J Montgomery team - THANK YOU!

Working with the team at JMLA has been an absolutely delightful and inspiring process! What a crew of positive, responsive and professional people. They listened to our wish list - and delivered - on plans for a functional and beautiful remodel of our yard that provides us with a serene place for our family and friends to gather. As we live out of state, their flexibility in "meeting" with us virtually - even pre-Covid - was very much appreciated. The estimates and cost structures they provided were clear and - very importantly - accurate. And their management of the actual construction freed us from the usual stress of a remodel, and left us with the pure enjoyment of seeing our yard transform. We would highly recommend this firm for their professionalism, talent, and also because they actually made a remodel fun!

We found J. Montgomery Designs online and worked with them to complete a Conceptual Plan for our backyard. We found the entire process to be easy and fun, which was a nice surprise since we did everything virtually. Our virtual design meetings were effective and actually turned out to be quite convenient. Additionally, the revision process was also easy and we appreciated that we weren't charged to make the design the way we wanted it. We did not receive any pressure to move forward with additional services, and instead, the team provided us with vetted contractor recommendations. Overall, we are incredibly happy with the end result and are SO excited to bring our plan to life. If you are considering working with J. Montgomery Designs, do it! You will be met with a genuine, talented team and walk away with a plan for your dream outdoor space!

We began our project with J Montgomery Designs before COVID hit and really appreciate their insight, ideas and professionalism. The process of moving from live, in-person meetings to remote meetings has been seamless! We've been extremely happy overall and thankful this firm is so tech-savvy and makes things easy to do remotely. Virtual design discussions were actually quite an effective and easy method to review our documents and go over changes. The project did not slow down one bit and are more excited than ever to get it built!

I knew I worked with the right company when I hired them 13 years ago (way back in 2007). Today over a decade later, I emailed them with a question. Literally within 24 hours, they responded to my question PLUS provided me with extra information. This is how this company roles-- Over & Above customer service-- such class! I have so much admiration for all of them. To report our project still looks wonderful i I think because the design was quality and timeless. I highly recommend them. I certainly got what I paid for.

J. Montgomery's team has helped us completely transform our backyard into a contemporary outdoor living and entertainment space. Their master design captured our desire for a modern materials like bluestone, ipe and corten steel retaining walls with an execution that balances with our 70s ranch house (which is not modern!) The team is friendly, and approachable. We've been working with them in a phased approach since 2012 on our backyard. We are still working with them today on an ipe deck and hot tub. We also appreciate their ability to work directly with our landscape contractor (Riedel Precision Landscape). They've been extremely accommodating, assisting with tweaks to the plants address issues that have come up during construction. I would not hesitate to recommend J. Montgomery to work on your project too.

John and Cynthia are two amazing people to work with, both personally and professionally. They truly care for their clients and go above and beyond when working to meet their needs. My husband and I found it surprising how carefully they listen. Things mentioned as a passing comment were even noticed. When the final plan came, we could see how carefully they valued what we had shared. Throughout the design process, our opinions were clearly valued and taken into consideration. Their communication is clear and concise; we were never left in question about any step of the process. In addition, we truly appreciated their honesty and transparency. John, Cynthia, Debbie and their entire team are wonderful people to know and work with!

Originally, we were going to hire a design/build contractor but after meeting with a few, we felt more comfortable with their firm’s focused design approach and procedures. They were responsive to our ideas, detailed in their design presentation and professional to work with. If it is possible to be overly thorough, this team is! We are starting our bid phase now and eager to see our beautiful design come to life! Really enjoyed our experience with them from start to finish!

We have thoroughly enjoyed working with John and his entire team on our backyard plans. We originally contacted John prior to having kids and he developed an amazing plan for us. Once we had kids (and we still hadn't executed on our plans), our needs changed, so we re-engaged John and he tweaked the plans for us accordingly to accommodate our family's needs, including a large patio, pool/spa, outdoor fireplace and large putting green. We've been doing our project in stages over the years and have about 2/3 of it done and we are so happy to have worked with John to help bring our vision to life. And I have to say, even months or years after our plan has been done, John and his team are always available for questions you may have or advice you're seeking. He has amazing ideas, he's a wealth of information, he provides the pricing so you know what you're getting into, and you absolutely trust his advice and solid expertise. We've also worked with other members of his team and everyone is so friendly and eager to help. We love JMD!

We are very happy with the design and the cost estimates they provided were helpful. We are still in sticker shock about what it cost to build in the bay area, but at least they guided us so we knew what to expect when we got actual bids. I also found it helpful to get a design prior to hiring a contractor. I was surprised by the variance in bids (for the exact same project) so felt that in the long run, getting the design first saved us money. We also appreciated the recommendation of several contractors. The one we went with did a quality job and in budget! J Montgomery designs were very responsive and easy to work with.

We are empty nesters now and after living in our Danville home for 28 years; we decided it was about time to completely renovate our front and back yards. Initially we hired someone whose plan for our yard was uninspiring and we were overwhelmed with all he required us to do. It proved to be a big waste of time and money. We decided to hire a landscape architect with an excellent reputation, hoping for a plan that would really excite us this time. We wanted someone we could trust, so we’d have less oversight as our lives are still really busy. Hiring J. Montgomery Designs has proven to be a great decision and it’s been seamless each step of the way. They have helped us make wise choices and they carefully listened to our likes and dislikes while creating a plan for our garden that we couldn’t wait to see implemented. We ended up hiring them for all three of their services: concept design, construction drawings, and assistance during the build. They even helped us find a superb landscaper to implement their design, Riedel Precision Landscaping. Our project is now complete and we absolutely LOVE it! We have only two regrets: we didn’t do it 10 years earlier and we should have hired J. Montgomery Design to begin with and not wasted a year and some hard earned money!

We’ve cut corners before but never were really happy with how things turned out. This time my husband and I decided to do things right and get master plan. We knew about their design reputation but after meeting with them, we liked how they set very clear expectation. From the get go everything was laid out for us: timeline, design process, our potential construction cost, etc. We actually decided to make the landscape design our anniversary gift. It’s gonna take a several years and sweat equity to implement, but it’s exactly what we wanted!

I am always suspicious when I read online reviews. I wonder if they are actually written by “real clients”. Now that we have worked with J. Montgomery Designs, I see why people are willing to write such glowing reviews!! This firm is comprised of authentically nice people who are professional and thorough (my husband and I greatly value a detail-oriented team). Other thing we noticed was their transparency. From the very first meeting they say it straight! We are beginning construction soon and have decided to hire their help during the build phase. We’re so excited! Highly recommend these folks! And yup, I am a real client ;- ) Will give a follow up review after completion.

We hired them for their first service only – the concept plan. It was nice because we never felt pressured to purchase their construction documents. Even though we did not move forward with their other services, they remain responsive to our questions and are very accommodating. Helpful Folks!

I found J. Montgomery designs on Houzz and I'm glad I did. It was surprising to us how much architectural knowledge they have. They assisted us rethinking our garage access and also re-imagining our front porch & home entry. We also had them design our planting and lighting for the front yard. After we got the concepts all laid out (new driveway access, garage entry, front walkway & porch), they referred us to an architect and contractor. Full Service!! I am pleased to give them high ratings.

After interviewing several firms, we hired J. Montgomery Designs for a couple of reasons: 1) the level of detail in their plans far surpasses what I have seen from other designers. 2) Their fee structure was transparent. 3) They have an extremely talented design team. We have finished our design and are now in the bidding process. We are excited to see how the design translates to the finished product!

Both my wife and I are in the medical field and recently had our second child. Needless to say…we are short on time! With our new home, the strategy has been to hire the very best to help us avoid unnecessary hassles. Hiring J. Montgomery Designs has proven to be a wise choice. We ended up hiring them for all three of their services: concept design, construction drawings, and assistance during the build. They assisted us in the HOA approval process, regular follow-ups with our contractor, and were detail oriented, proactive, and professional every step of the way. Our project is finally done and we LOVE it. I can't recommend them highly enough!

We found J. Montgomery when house hunting and were impressed by their work. In fact, we saw two Lafayette houses sell more than $300k over asking (~$2.2M) within the same month. One house was 3,800 sq ft in Happy Valley, the other was 2,400 sq ft in Burton Valley with a backyard designed by J. Montgomery. The beautiful backyard at this smaller house put it into another league and was admired by all at the very crowded open house. Now that we’ve purchased our own house and need a backyard renovation, we are exploring J. Montgomery. Our interactions to date have been very positive and they’ve been helpful in our process. Cynthia and I felt like instant friends. She’s honest, an expert at what she does and understands the business.

Thanks to the guidance of John and his team we just signed contracts for our backyard pergola, fireplace and new patio and will begin our construction soon. We are excited to begin our project and we attribute our confidence in the completion of our project to making the wise choice of hiring J. Montgomery Designs FIRST. Having their plans in hand, made the process of dealing with contractors very smooth. The ability to literally point to an area on the plans and ask specific questions, allowed the contractor to address issues clearly; We actually understand what we were getting. Plus, their detailed construction documents were super helpful to make sure that the bid covered all the things we wanted built. Also their cost estimates during the design process were pretty much spot on which helped me analyze the contractor bids. If you like a clear informative process, we recommend this firm. We are super excited, the end product is going to be amazing for sure!

We can't say enough wonderful things about John Montgomery and his team. We first saw John in our local paper and later in Houzz when going through the interview process. We work in film production and are both very picky about design. Our project is now completed and we are extremely happy. It was very important for us to stay within our budget. J. Montgomery Designs did a great job creating the design while balancing cost. We were given construction pricing and build cost implications so that we could iterate on the design and understand the tradeoffs. They were also very open to our input. When we got contractor bids, their cost estimates were accurate. We wanted further savings and they were able to suggest less expensive contractors. They reassured us the quality would be fine but were also candid there would be lower customer service. We ended up going with a lower priced contractor and are happy we did. We saved a significant amount and the work turned out well. Throughout the process, we greatly valued their expertise and professionalism. We were busy with our first child and other construction projects, and they were always very patient and responsive in answering our questions.

With 20 years of experience working on large building construction projects . I can say that John Montgomery and this team have been fantastic to work with. The design process that John and Cynthia used for our landscaping project is the same professional process that is used on multi-million dollar projects. What is so impressive about John is how well he listens. He took the many ideas my wife and I had and was able to develop a a beautiful design. We could not be happier with our design and are looking forward to start the construction process very soon.

Candidly, I thought they were very expensive but they came highly recommend by my sister-in-law who used them. Still, in my mind pricey!! We wanted to remove our pool and create an entertaining space for ourselves. Nothing fancy, just nice. Yes our design came out beautiful but I would not have expected anything less given their reputation. Again in my mind pricey!! But here is the thing, when we contacted them about revising our design they said, "No charge. We want you to be happy." I was pleasantly surprised. We also asked for a few copies of the plan and they said, "No problem" and hand delivered them to the house that week. I still stand by that they are expensive, but I guess you get what you pay for.

As an experienced Interior Designer, I understand the value of a thoughtfully designed space. Although I had a vision of what I wanted I knew as a mom and business owner I needed to reach out to an expert to help execute a full landscape design. I decided to reach out to several Landscape Architects that have a great reputation. I ended up selecting J. Montgomery Designs because of their clear-cut design process and design talent. I am very happy with how the design turned out, and I’m eager to see it installed. My last comment would be that everyone at this firm is amazing to work with and as a fellow design professional I would recommend J. Montgomery Designs.

LOVE LOVE this company!!! We were in the process of building a custom home and knew that we wanted the same level of detail and customization for the outside as the care that we put into our home itself; therefore, we decided to look for a landscape architecture firm. The first thing we did was check in with our friends with incredible yards and that's how we discovered J. Montgomery Designs. We ended up hiring them for all of their services. My husband and I got very busy and we decided to engaged them for their third service Design Oversight during the build process. Our project is complete now and we LOVE it! It worked well for us to have a firm take us through the entire process. We highly recommend this firm if you have a large project and need a competent firm to assist you through the entire project. And one more thing....It is true, they are really nice people.

We wanted to add a swimming pool to our existing yard. We already had a dining patio, outdoor kitchen and lawn area that worked great for our family. Naturally first we interviewed several pool contractors but quickly figured out that they did not have the artist eye to tie together all of our spaces. When it was all done, we wanted to avoid a pool addition that just looked "plopped in" (if you know what I mean) and instead have the entire yard look cohesive and beautiful. We decided that hiring a design professional was the best way to ensure the outcome we were after. We love the layout for our yard they came up with: pool and transition decking off the back of our house. We feel the investment we made in a design was the key to having the end result we wanted and that Montgomery Design had the artist eye to put everything together beautifully. Great investment and recommend if you are adding a pool.

We hired them years ago to design our yard. John and his team were prompt, professional, knowledgeable and thorough, making sure to ask what was important to us, in order to design a beautiful and functional outdoor space. We LOVE it! People often tell us they have never seen anything like it. Our backyard has transformed into the outdoor living area we have been planning and wanting for so long. Just recently we found our selves in a pickle with the city regarding getting a new permit. If you have ever dealt with any city ordinances, you KNOW what a nuisance it is. We recontacted the team at J. Montgomery Designs for advice and assistance. Ultimately, we decided revising the plans would be the best option. J. Montgomery Designs could not have been easier to deal with. Even though they have a waiting list, given we were existing clients, they took care of us no problem. We appreciate them fitting us in their schedule and helping us move our project forward. Initially when we hired them they mentioned that, "Once you become a client, we will always be here for you..." those were nice words but this week, we actually experienced it. We are impressed. What do ya know. A company that actually does what they say they will do. How unusual!?! BIG 5 Stars for sure :-) Thank you John and your team for helping us transform our backyard. We enjoy it every single day.

Back in 2012 we hired them to Master Plan our front and back yard. We installed phase one of our project and loved it! This year we wanted to revise the design for phase two. Instead of our original idea of a pool, we wanted add a kitchen, bar & shade structure instead. After interviewing several construction firms regarding building our new entertaining area, we realized that it was money well spent to go back to Montgomery to revise the original design. Frankly, we were shocked at how confused we became working directly with contractors and the enormous price variations between what they suggested (sometimes up to a $50,000 difference from one contractor to another). We realized that having specified plans enables us to get competitive apples to apples bids. Even more importantly, we will have confidence that it will be BEAUTIFUL. We are happy returning clients and appreciate that this firm has helped us phase our project over the years. It is nice to know when you are in good hands.

We had recently moved here from out of the country and we did not know anyone to ask for references for redoing our yard. That is where Houzz came in handy. It is a really great resource for finding companies for home projects. We interviewed several landscape professionals and didn't realize that there were so many different types of options available to us. Ultimately we went with J Montgomery because they were personable, understood our style, were honest, and truly made the process easy and enjoyable. We hired them for two of their services: Conceptual Design and Construction Documents and then they referred us to one of their preferred contractors. They held our hands through the entire process. Our yard is absolutely beautiful and we had no idea the design would turn out to be so stunning. J Montgomery has a great talent and we couldn't be happier with the outcome of his design.

We have been wanting to remodel our backyard for a couple years now and was unsuccessful in finding a company. In our search we got flakiness and overpriced bids. We realized we needed someone to go through all of our wants and detail our thoughts and wishes for our backyard and give us a realistic view of the cost. We finally decided to reach out to our neighbors, John and Cynthia Montgomery. We realized they have worked with a couple of our friends as well. The difference their firm provided us was exactly what we were looking for: detailed, clear, professional, and on-time! We hired Montgomery Design for all of their services and we look back and wish we would have started with them from the beginning! The plans have been well worth the money. Paying to have everything spelled out in advance is saving us time and given us piece of mind during our current construction process. Additionally, we have always known them as our lovely neighbors next door, whose daughter babysits our boys. However, now we know them as professionals and understand why they have earned their stellar business reputation. We would highly recommend them!

John, thanks for including Aggretex in your recent Alamo project! Looking forward to working with your team on future projects!

I appreciated being able to call (several years after my design was completed) and get advice on our home remodel and how it impacted our outside. My wife and I were feeling overwhelmed with all the decisions and your advice really made sense which helped us think things through more clearly. It was incredibly helpful to talk out loud and think through our concerns with someone who has experience and is genuinely looking out for our best interests. Thank you for your sage advice.

We highly recommend John Montgomery and his team based on their knowledge, trustworthiness and excellent service. We originally hired a different landscape architect who ignored the project budget we provided and proceeded to complete a beautiful and elaborate landscape plan that was absolutely a non-starter and would have cost significantly more than our budget. We abandoned that plan and turned to John Montgomery for a fresh start. He was everything he promised and we needed. He began by listening to what we wanted and provided great suggestions on how we could proceed to stay within our desired budget. The final plans were creative, provided on time, were thorough and in such detail that we could anticipate and control expenses.

As a custom builder I’ve worked with many landscape design firms on design projects of all sizes for both homes and businesses. With my background I am confident saying John Montgomery Landscape Architects is the most professional, creative and well-run design firm I’ve worked with. They do an awesome job for my clients taking into account the architectural style of the home, the client’s ideas and goals in landscaping, and the design budget. Speaking of budget, John and his team do something unique here: they provide an estimate for installation pricing right from the beginning to ensure a build-able design instead of designing without consideration of the budget, like other firms do. Creating a beautifully landscaped space with John Montgomery Landscape Design is therefore more enjoyable and productive with visibility into all aspects of the project from the start. They are on time, on budget and most importantly create spectacular, one-of-a-kind landscaped spaces. They are the perfect complement to the quality work and care R&J Construction puts into building custom homes. —Jim Wood, President, R&J Construction, Inc.

I'm pleased to write a review for John Montgomery and his team. We did a complete redesign of our front and backyard, involving significant hardscape changes (new driveway, fire pit, BBQ island, pergola, fountain, retaining wall) and soft scape (entirely new lawn, plants front and back). We were immediately thrilled with the hardscape, which signficantly transformed our outdoor living space. Unfortunately we picked a challenging time for new plantings due to the multi-year drought in California. What most impressed me about the JM team is that when I shared my disappointment with how the plants were surviving, they offered to redo the plant design. The new plants are look terrific. They are dedicated to client satisfaction and will do whatever it takes to ensure a beautiful outcome and happy clients. I highly recommend!!

We are very impressed with their professionalism, expertise and client-focused approach. Moreover, you can tell when people really like their jobs and the owners, employees at John Montgomery obviously do. This really stood out for us because, unfortunately, this is not the norm when hiring someone. Overall, we appreciate how helpful they have been to work with.

John and everyone at his company are extremely professional and are very nice to work with. They pay attention to every detail and John has great ideas for designs that will reflect the ideas that you discuss. Our backyard has a slope at the back that runs along the entire fence. We weren't sure how to address this besides an obvious retaining wall. We were reluctant to spend money on design services but we never would of come up with the beautiful plan that John did. Of course he didn't design it with a retaining wall across our entire back fence. He made a beautiful plan that breaks it up and directs your eyes to various focal points. We couldn't be happier!

We originally hired them because of their reputation but we now refer them because they sincerely cared about us and our project. Great company. Nice people who do amazing work.

We are B Walker Ranch a Nonprofit located in the beautiful Suisun Valley. We are a visionary program designed around a working ranch environment for adults with autism. John and Cynthia Montgomery Landscape Architects from Alamo graciously donated their talent to help us formulate this vision on paper. It is a grand 10 acre project with a farmhouse, many outbuildings and a barn event center. John and Cynthia gave timelessly of their talent to support a cause that has reached epidemic proportions only to which our society has begun to understand. Individuals with autism grow up and need what everyone else needs...a place to belong. In this, the Montgomery's placed their effort over the last 18 months to draw out the vision that will one day be the new home of B Walker Ranch. We can't express higher praise for their architectural foresight and talent.

John has a seasoned eye for what looks good and will last. His work shows his experience and knowledge. He listens and communicates well and is easy to work with.

We hired John Montgomery to design our landscape this last year. He has been wonderful to work with. On our first appointment is wife, Cynthia, came, took a tour of our home and yard to get a feel for our style and wrote down all our goals and drama for our landscape. The company really stresses working within your budget. John's design ideas are elegant and tasteful. Just love John Montgomery Landscape company!

We hired Montgomery Landscape to do a full design plan for our backyard. John took the time to discuss our lifestyle, desires, and budget before flawlessly designing the ideal yard in which all areas were optimized. From the selection of plants, to the immaculate detail throughout the entire space, we could not be happier. Our yard went from one that was never occupied to our most favorite part of our house. I am a long time realtor in the area and see the tremendous positive impact that design has on a home's value. John's professional abilities were a perfect fit for us and I have recommended him to many of my friends, co workers, and clients.

We started work with JMLA in February 2016 and we have been more than pleased with all their work. John, his wife Cynthia and their staff have all been wonderful. We are at the completion of conceptual plans and all the technical work including their professionalism, knowledge, presentations (very visual and detailed), quality of work, costs (very budget conscious), scheduling and communication skills are all outstanding. That being said, what I want to really bring to light is their compassion and kindness towards life situations. During the design process, our family was faced with a health issue so progress was slow and we finally had to put the project on hold. They were very patient and understanding with our situation, was very supportive and never pressured us. In fact, Cynthia personally called to emphasize this point.....we really appreciated her thoughtfulness. Sometimes in life, we are all put in a position where we have to trust people we really don't know. We found that we can trust JMLA with the landscape design work and we found they are trustworthy as human beings as well......I highly recommend them.

I had been reading John's landscaping articles in our local monthly Alamo news journal and decided he sounded like the down to earth type of person my husband and I like to do business with. We met with John and later his wife Cynthia as well and decided that yes, we would like to work with them. We've really enjoyed working with John and Cynthia and wound up with a wonderful landscaping plan for our backyard which we are in the process of implementing.

My husband and I worked with John and Cynthia for a Conceptual Design. Our plan is to implement our project in phases. This sounds easier than it is, and we ran into problems when we were trying to do this on our own. John and his team reached out to us to see how they could help us move the project along. They scheduled a call with us to understand exactly what our short term and long term goals are and to better understand our budget. They helped steer us in the right direction and provided a phase one plan that we were able to give to our contractor. We couldn't be more impressed with their meticulousness, their creativity, and their experience in creating phases, knowing it will all come together in the end. We feel completely at ease knowing they are overseeing everything. Thank you John Montgomery!

JMLA provided a conceptual design and construction documents for our backyard remodel project. We chose JMLA because we heard they were the best in the business and they exceeded our expectations. John listens, provides great ideas and is extremely detailed in his plans. Cynthia is realistic and conscious of your budget. The entire staff was pleasant, professional, and responsive. We are pleased with the design, just broke ground on the project, and can't wait to see it finished!

After remodeling our home it quickly became apparent that our yard needed a remodel too. Having recently undergone the design and construction process with our home we knew the value of good plans. We interviewed several landscape architects and although many had great ideas and fantastic references, we knew almost immediately that John Montgomery and his team were the ones for us. During our initial meeting with John's wife, Cynthia, we were informed about the design process and provided with realistic time lines and costs. For us, having a good, solid design plan was critical. A cohesive, well-thought-out plan meant that we had the "foundation" for our yard and had the freedom to complete our entire project at one time or phase it over several stages without the end product resembling a mismatched, hodge podge of half-baked ideas. Once hired, John and his associate, David, met with us to discuss our design ideas and desires. It was clear from our first meeting with John that he was not only incredibly knowledgeable about landscape design and architecture, but passionate about it. He offered up creative solutions and ideas that we had not even considered all the while keeping our budget in mind. We couldn't wait to see what John came up and were delighted with his plans! He absolutely nailed it! We highly recommend John Montgomery Landscape Architects. John and his team are highly professional, organized, detail-oriented, timely and are a joy to work with. The saying, "you get what you pay for" clear applies here. If you want an excellent set of plans that you can hire a contractor to implement or source out yourself, then JMLA is the firm for you. 5 stars all the way around!

As a licensed landscape contractor, I feel that John Montgomery Landscape Architect provides his client with the utmost service. Beginning with John's evaluation of the site, budgeting for the project, conceptual plans and then construction documents. From the detailed plans they provide, I can estimate and install the homeowners dream landscape without cost overruns or additional fees. Those that work with John Montgomery quickly find out why he is in such demand. He and his office team are a pleasure to work with and stay involved through the construction process, visiting the site as necessary, to assist in the completion of the client's dream. I appreciate the artistic, creative ideas John Montgomery has for his clientele. I feel confident referring our customers to John because I know he will treat them and their ideas with respect and create an outstanding new landscape especially developed for the style of the homeowner. John Riedel Riedel Precision Landscaping Danville, CA

We hired John 16 years ago and have recently sold our house. My husband and I are convinced that his exceptional design for the yard is what sold the house…even our neighbors loved it! We are in our forever home now and have hired his company once again to create something magical for us. Once you know a companies track record, I say stick with the best.

My husband & I recently purchased our first home and quickly realized we were over our heads with our 0.7+ acre lot. Enter John Montgomery and team to save the day. We interviewed several Landscape Architects and found the entire team at John Montgomery Landscape Architects to be not only the best in design but also incredibly professional and reliable. Every call, question and email has been addressed with lightning fast response times. Their entire process is so transparent and comprehensive, I can tell they are the value play - by hiring them we will be saving ourselves time, money and energy throughout the construction process. We've hired John Montgomery to help us with a master plan for our property. We will implement elements of the master plan immediately and other pieces will be added over time.

I have worked with John many times over the years. For my most recent project, I hired him for the Design as well as for Construction Oversight. I am SO glad I did!! John's design was absolutely stunning! During the construction phase, we ran into a difficult situation, and John was immediately there to help, and stayed involved until the matter was resolved. I really appreciate how accessible John is to all of his clients. He clearly understands the construction side of each project due, not only to his knowledge, but also his years of experience. John's designs are impeccable and his experience with the construction phase is invaluable! I HIGHLY recommend John and his team!

John Montgomery and his staff are professional, prompt and so personable! We worked with JMLA on a design plan for a large backyard project, which included a covered pavilion (including a fireplace and cabinetry), a retaining wall, paved deck, new lighting and landscaping. John carefully listened to our wishes and then offered creative ideas while being knowledgeable about all aspects of the project (e.g. city permits, incorporating with existing yard, micro climate and shade paths). One of the features we liked about hiring John Montgomery Landscape Architects was their construction cost analysis during the design process. As it turned out the projected costs were off; however, they stood behind their work and redesigned the entire project at no cost to us. Often times people just say they will guarantee something, but JMLA actually stood behind their words. They created a beautiful project for us and they have personal integrity - that's a combination that can't be beat."

John created a beautiful design for our challenging yard. We gave John a wish list of items we wanted, but thought impossible given our sloped lot. Not only was he able to include everything on our list (pool, pergola, lawn, and bocce ball court), John put these elements together in a way that looked natural and effortless. The entire process was easy and enjoyable thanks to the follow-through from John’s entire team including Cynthia, Teresa and Debbie. I have never worked with a more professional yet approachable group. Thanks to the JM-LA team, our backyard feels like our very own exquisite retreat. We couldn’t be happier and regularly recommend JM-LA to friends and acquaintances.

John and his team are really great to work with. Plans show innovation and design excellence. We love working with the whole team. Our customers are equally blown away by the high level of service they get from John Montgomery Landscape Architects. Every detail is accounted for in the construction documents. they develop budgets for their design customers so they stay within their established budgets for the project. You will love working with them.

John led the design of a complete backyard, including a pool, and re-landscaping the front yard. We were initially concerned about whether it was worth the cost, but the quality of the plans, attention to detail, and creativity the came through in his work was worth it. Once John understands the overall objectives, his detailed process starts with a detailed list of questions seeking to identify your likes and dislikes and other factors that will impact his design plan, including plant selection. One of our primary goals was to create a backyard that our family would enjoy year round and was also individualized for us - that is, we wanted the design and plantings to be unique. John and his team were fantastic partners in exceeding that goal.

We hired John to help us design our backyard. It was a phased project, with multiple constraints including existing hardscape and pool which weren't 'ideally' situated. Initially John helped us refine our vision, this helped us make trade-offs early in the process. Then together we developed various iterations of the plan to fine tune details. Once we had enough detail, John provided us a high level estimate which proved to be accurate and useful. Through out the project John help us find experienced contractors to explore alternatives and do the work. They were all very knowledgable and provided the information we needed to make some difficult decisions. The yard turned out beautifully. It fits our lifestyle and we love it. We couldn't have made it happen without John's guidance, design skills and access to his network of experienced contractors. I would recommend John and his team without any reservation.

John worked with our existing yard and came up with the a great plan to update and revive our backyard. He drew plans for an outdoor pavilion that worked well with our home and the layout of our yard. He reworked the plans many times to make them exactly to our specifications. He also recommended contractors who were knowlegdeable and had good references. He also redesigned the soft scape of our front yard. The new plantings have made a huge inprovement in the curb appeal of the entrance to our home.

John Montgomery designed our front and back yard three years ago. The yard has grown in beautifully and we enjoy the beautiful flowers that bloom year-round. We recently had Kathleen from his team back to freshen up some areas and she did an excellent job. In addition to choosing plants she returned to make sure they were properly placed for installation. The trees and bushes have grown and the plants have fared very well through drought and freeze! John and his staff are very responsive and a pleasure to work with. This was a big job three years ago, but we are so glad we did it since we will enjoy the beauty for years to come. I would highly recommend John Montgomery; he has an artistic eye and is incredibly responsive. We are still satisfied customers three years later!

We purchased our house in 2010 and were not happy about the large amounts of concrete that the pervious owner had put in the back yard. We wanted to turn our back yard in to a lush area for relaxation by our pool. We also wanted to create an area where we could create our own a vegetable garden as well as fruit trees on our front side yard that would supply us with fruit. We hired John Montgomery in 2013 to handle the redesign for our new front and backyard for us. We had our ideas for what we wanted to accomplish but John brought so much to the table it allowed us to go beyond what we wanted to do. In addition to the design we had a pergola that needed to be replaced as it was falling down and John presented us with some fantastic options. We could not be more happy with the work John did for us from the plans to the actual ideas. John spent a lot of time with us making sure we had everything we wanted. He was also conscience of our budget, which some companies do not focus on. John also has relationships with contractors that turned out to be very professional. I want to add that John's idea of moving our irrigation system to a drip system really worked out well. Especially now that we are in major drought his plan cut our previous water bill in half. Most importantly the really positive comments about yard from neighbors and friends is quite nice but best of all we now have the yard we always wanted. We highly recommend John.

We hired John to re-design our backyard. He really listened to what we wanted and came up with the most beautiful plan! It included a BBQ area, vegetable garden and seating areas around the pool. It has been complete for 3 years and we love it even more now that the plants have filled in. He and his team were great about communication and timeline. I can't say enough nice things! Anne

Created an oasis for us. John is simply the best landscape architect in Danville and we loved working with him through his original vision and the many revisions

John did the landscape design for our back yard. While the area had previously been graded, it was basically a clean slate. John was a great listener, and took our rough sketches for a plan and brought them to life with his own ideas and experience. He was very responsive, and any time we had questions he was quick to get back to us. His knowledge of the plants and flowers that can thrive in our yard was valuable, and certainly not something we could do on our own. The contractors that he teed up for us to interview were all excellent, and we were happy with the one we eventually selected. We appreciated having Jon work with us throughout the project to make sure the contractors were executing according to plan. It was good to have a second set of eyes from beginning to end. We recommend John without hesitation.

John is an icon in our community. Honestly, I was hesitant to call him for our landscape project at first, fearing he might be too much---too expensive, too much personality....but he turned out to be exactly who we were looking for: easy to talk to, easy to share ideas with, very thoughtful and talented. He is accessible and is willing to discuss changes and is a proactive problem solver. He was able to work with us within our budget, and addressed every concern we had. I have recommended John to others, and will continue to do so!

John Montgomery designed a new deck and back yard for us. The whole shape of the yard and deck was changed. On our first meeting with John, we knew he understood our ideas and what we wanted. We had been told by others that we could not replace an old redwood deck with stone. John assured us it was possible and it turned out great. We have consulted with John a number of other times since then and will always use him if we need landscape advice or help.

John was our landscape architect for a large project in our backyard. He was one of the best people we have worked with in the business and there have been many. He was very realistic about time frame and budget and stayed true to both. We were on a tight deadline and he did everything necessary on his end to keep the project moving. He visited the site multiple times and was very flexible when it came to making last minute revisions and changes. He has a great vision and the best ideas came from him. We couldn't be more pleased with the results. In addition he is a very kind, easy person to work with. I would highly recommend him and would use him again with no hesitation.

My husband and I hired John to landscape our front and backyard. We were total rookies in this project. We knew what we wanted, or so we thought! John was fabulous. We had to scale down the budget a few times and John never made us feel less than. He dug in and never compromised our vision or the beauty of the project. He provided 5 vendors to meet with and once we made our decision they worked together beautifully. John kept a firm hand in the project and never once let us down. It's been 3 years since completion and he still comes by and provides suggestions and information to maintain the beauty of the yard.

We just completed our fifth project with John. We are extremely satisfied return clients. John is as relaxed and pleasant as he is creative and professional. He is a good listener and is all about helping his clients realize their dreams, not his. In other words, he doesn't overpower or over-direct. Our first project was our front yard in 2002 which involved large trees installed with a crane. This most recent project was a completion of an extended backyard renovation. He also designed front and back yards for our children's homes. We wouldn't call anyone else!

We used John Montgomery when we first moved to our new house, almost 10 years ago. He was so wonderful to work with! We had to completely re-do our backyard, added a pool, outside kitchen, fireplace area, etc. We had no clue where to start, and John listened to our wish list, and was able to come up with a design that we fell in love with, and worked for our growing family. At the time I had a newborn, and my 2 other kids were under 5. Today, my oldest is 15 and the yard still works as perfectly today for his teenage friends to hang out in as it did for my crawling babies, and toddlers on tricycles. The entertaining areas still wow friends when they come over, and the design has withstood the test of time. John and his team really know what plants work well in our area, and with drought restrictions. We have had them back to re-fresh, and recommend, and we know we can always count on them. Super professional, down to earth, and great customer service! You won't be disappointed.

John Montgomery provided me with a detailed landscape and hardscape plan for the renovation of our yard a handful of years ago. The plan was very exact and detailed and encompassed many different aspects including irrigation, plantings, walkways (both stone and dg), outdoor kitchen, pergola, etc. The plan provided the contractor with extreme details with little or nothing left for question. The end result was beautiful and has lasted the test of time.

Complete landscape design for front and back yard of large lot. John Montgomery is first class and so is his staff. Very responsible. Bid this job and John was least expensive and the most qualified! I continue to use them to enhance other areas that I am involved in.

Love working with this man and his team. We spoke with several highly recommended people but John understood our vision after the first meeting and helped elevate it to an even more exciting project. After spending time walking our property and discussing our needs and wants, John worked the design himself. The other companies had one person meet with us and then returned with plans that were created by someone who never visited the site or understood what the was discussed. We never met with the architect, just their 'person'. John is really hands on and has such creative ideas.

From beginning to end, working with John Montgomery was a pleasure. As an architect, I had a strong aesthetic in mind, but did not have the experience with plants to execute my vision alone. John spent a lot of time with me prior to the beginning the design asking dozens of questions ranging from what textures and colors I like to how I hoped to maintain our garden. The final result is just what I envisioned, giving us an interesting and ever-changing seasonal landscape in the colors we love and using a wide variety of water-saving indigenous plants. We would recommend John Montgomery Landscape to everyone, especially those who want to experience their gardens as an extension of their homes.

John Montgomery is hands down one of the best architects that I work with. He is extremely knowledgable due to the years of installation experience he had prior to becoming an architect. John's attention to detail on the plan is second to none, and his ability to communicate with his clients and contractors on-site is an asset to all involved. The staff that he has surrounded himself with also helps keep his machine flowing effortlessly. Anytime we here at Hacienda Pools have the opportunity to bid and work on one of his projects we jump at the opportunity. I feel what contributes to the accuracy of his plan is how throughly his interview process is, I would without hesitation recommend John Montgomery, and I do often.

John was the epitome of professional and integrity from the first day we met. Our landscape project covered nearly 1/2 acre in Livermore. From design, selection and delivery - everything was flawless. Truly mean this. He is candid, everything fiscally is transparent and he is thorough - will not believe how thorough - you will love it. Last but not least, he makes himself accountable - for his decisions and his work. If you would like a personal reference or to see my project please inquire with John.

John Montgomery covered all phases of our landscape project. From design to construction details John was a true professional that truly has a passion for his work! The design process was the most fun and John really hit on our vision. Providing us with the construction details helped us tremendously in the bid process. Our project has been completed for some time, but it just keeps getting better and better! I would highly recommend Johns design services

John Montgomery took a very difficult three dimensional backyard and transformed it into a beautiful and functional living space. We had been strapped with 2200 square foot deck over a relatively shallow lot on a descending hill. The deck was 25 years old and dry rotting. We had a hard time envisioning any kind of replacement. John interviewed us and listened to our list of desires. He also had us fill out a questionaire to get a feel for how much gardening we wanted to do, and what type of plants we desired. He came back with a plan that was incredible and highly desirable. He was easy to work with, and was a master of attention to detail. He helped us find a landscape contractor who was equally dedicated to quality. I can only praise John's work and his whole team that made it work.

I am a Landscape Contractor and have installed many of John's designs. His plans are detailed and easy to follow. He is one of the few Landscape Architects that designs to a budget. The client will know the construction costs prior to receiving my written proposal. I enjoy working with John and his staff. Very professional and talented One of the best custom residential Landscape Architectural firms in the East Bay.