Verdance Landscape Architecture

California natural was our goal for our flat one-acre property. John designed a beautiful garden for us that is low in water use and high in ‘wow’ factor. It’s more beautiful than we ever imagined. Throughout the process from initial design to contractor selection, to permits, plant placement, and finally post completion follow-up; John, Ran, and Kaitlin have been on top of it all. Any questions or concerns were addressed promptly, even if it was a contractor or permit issue, they found the answer or at least kept us updated if it was out of their control. Their results exceeded our expectations, if we had another yard to do, we’d hire them again in an instant!

We engaged Verdance to turn our "cozy" yard into a peaceful space to enjoy California outdoor living. John and his team came through with great ideas, creativity and perfect execution. We couldn’t be happier with the results. We are enjoying our new garden very much and it has surprisingly grown our interests in flowers and plants. We spend much of our weekends taking in the tranquility of our new yard. Verdance met our ultimate goal for this project and more. Thank you !!

John Black and Verdance were amazing to work with. Not only does John and his team have amazing vision, but they were able to visually translate our thoughts and feelings into designs that were perfect. On top of that, John helped us in taking bids and choosing the right landscaping company for us. Between Verdance and the landscaper, the end result exceeded our expectations! We HIGHLY recommend Verdance and will never use another Landscape Architect. Thank you, Verdance!

John graciously jumped in to help us solve a thorny drainage and walkway problem we had not anticipated with our remodel. His design was elegant and very effective. We have admired his other work around town, the thought he puts into sustainability, and especially how he can get the most out of a small yard. He is a pleasure to work with, a real talent, and we would be delighted to work with him again!

John came by way of a strong recommendation from a noted East Bay landscape design firm. It was clear from our first meeting on, that John was creative, passionate, knowledgeable, and practical in landscape design for native environments. John did an exceptional job in creating a design for my property that incorporated my wide range of desires into a creative yet practical solution. He has truly created the outdoor "room" of my home.

John was a pleasure to work with. His design was inspired and was perfect for the driveway and surrounding areas. We really appreciated his integrity and attention to detail. If an issue arose during the project, John took care of it immediately. We never had to worry. We highly recommend John not only for his flair for design but also for his project management expertise. Daniel and Fe Newell

John was truly exceptional in helping us plan out our backyard. He respected our desires, needs and our budget. We would definitely use John again in the future. I highly recommend him!

John worked with me and the crew from the HGTV show Landscape Smart in the renovation of my yard. From the start John showed his creativity, expertise and willingness to go the extra mile. My wife and I really enjoyed working with John and appreciate the results everytime we look out our windows and into our backyard. The intensity of the filming process put us all under a great deal of pressure but John was always cool and easy going while being decisive and committed to the quality of his work. For anyone thinking of hiring John for landscape design...do it now.

John really listens to his clients and turns their ideas into a vision that is both creative and practical. He helped us convert our outdoor patio into a peaceful and beautiful space - a place we now frequently use and love. He came up with a bamboo arrangement that is gorgeous and blew away our expectations. We love sitting outside but the space was not inviting due to a combination of obvious and intangible reasons - including afternoon glare from the sun. Now we love the space and the bamboo filters the rays just right. Working with John is as good as it gets. He is a great listener and really cares about his clients. He is professional, conscientious, and exudes integrity. He artfully adapts his vision and creativity to the needs of his clients and makes them feel good. My wife and I do not come across people like this very often which is why we took the time to write this review.

If you come across John Black at Verdance Fine Garden Design, please stop looking any further because you have found one of the best landscape designers in the bay area. My backyard was a field of dirt and weeds for many years until John transformed it with a design that turned into an unbelievable beautiful French theme fine garden. His well thought out design exceeded my expectations in many ways. My heart is filled with joy and gratification every time I stroll in my French garden; it only confirms my belief that John is one of the best designers in the landscape field. So what do I like about John at Verdance and his work? He has a genuine personality with integrity; he is trustworthy, he is clever and intelligent but always presenting himself as a humble individual. During the design process, he always bounced off thoughts and ideas for my inputs; this ensured that the designing was going in the right direction. He and his team did all the leg works then narrowed down the options for my final selections on detailed items such as stones, plants, BBQ grill, etc. His design was to the tee, every detail was clearly addressed on the plans or in the emails to the landscape contractor. He designs all styles of gardens but he is clearly conscientious about the California drought issues early on. Although my backyard is semi formal French style, it was planted with a lot of drought tolerant plants. His designs are unique for each project he works on. His keen eyes have created a harmony not only in the scents but the colors in the variety of plants and flowers and furnishings as well. He and his team were meticulous in details, punctual and accessible via phone calls, email and text messaging. Need I say more, I am so elated to write this review for John; I hope everyone out there will find and hire John for your landscaping project. You will not regret of your decision! The process with John at Verdance was easy. A two hours preliminary consultation at my backyard site turned into a signed contract with Verdance within a couple of days later. Next was filling out a list of questionnaires including a budget amount, my desire for the outcome and my long wish list; favorite pictures of plants, flowers and landscape styles were documented. The proposal and contract describing John’s work in phases with the associated fees were delivered in a timely manner. Then John and his team were hard at work on the plans and design. Once a preliminary design is approved by me, John helped bringing in multiple contractors for bidding the landscape project. My backyard was continuously evolved as the landscape contractor installed the design until it’s completed. And Voila, I have enjoyed my French fine garden ever since!

I had the most wonderful experience with John Black and his Verdance Landscape Design team! First off, he is a delightful fellow with a wonderful sense of humor. He's also extraordinarily clever and creative when it comes to design. He transformed my yard into a delightful garden-like "spa", and I entertain out there almost year-round. He started with a pile of weeds, and transformed it into a gorgeous "outdoor room" where I now spend most of my time. He and his team went way above and beyond my original expectations. I still cannot believe I have this beautiful garden that is literally maintenance-free! He took care of every little detail-- and then some. I cannot recommend him and his business more highly. I'd give him 10 stars if that were possible.

I have had the pleasure of installing 2 projects designed by Verdance Landscape Design. John brought me in on both projects to do preliminary cost estimates which blossomed into construction contracts. John was extremely easy to work with as we co-labored to bring the homeowner's vision into reality. We share a passion for landscaping and are both interested in every little detail so that the final product is something we can take personal pride in. Whenever I had a question or was concerned about something he was readily available to help and give his direction and input. I would highly recommend John if you value great, well thought out design and someone who can take your project all the way through completion. I look forward to installing many more of Verdance's Award Winning landscapes in the future.