GreenHeart, LLC

Cathy was and continues to be not only a pleasure to work with, but someone whom I trust implicitly to deliver an outstanding project. We did a complete overhaul of our front and back yards upon completing a home addition. It was no small challenge, despite the small plot, given that we were completely transforming a traditional brick colonial into a modern, Scandinavi-Zen oasis. From day one, Cathy has been professional, attentive, timely, communicative, confident and outstanding at finding just the right balance between listening to our needs and translating them through her vision into reality beyond what we imagined. Her pricing is more than fair, and she works in perfect harmony with the trades - it’s obvious that they enjoy working with her, too. Thanks to Cathy’s design skills, installation experience, and ability to blend the urban and rural, modern and traditional, we have been enjoying our outdoor living areas on a daily basis. It feels like we’ve doubled our living space. We would gladly work with Cathy again and recommend her highly for your project.

Cathy Carr designed and supervised installation of new hardscaping (an enlarged front stoop, walkways) and landscaping for our entire yard (around 1500 front, sides, and back), and dealt with runoff issues inevitable on a sloping street. She and Great American Landscaping did a wonderful job - transforming a humdrum yard to a garden people stop to ask about and admire, and that gives us an enormous amount of pleasure. At her suggestion, we we enrolled in a county “Rainscapes” program, and established a “conservation garden” in which native species of plant attract wildlife and are arranged to absorb as much runoff as possible, with berms and drains to capture water that ponds there. Our initial ideas were vague. Cathy walked us through major choices, and we left many decisions to her, almost all of which worked well. Something is blooming from early spring until late fall, and foliage colors continue to change through early winter. As it grows and fills out, it will get even better, but already we love to sit and watch the butterflies and hummingbirds. Our front stoop has become a lovely slate porch on which to sit and watch the world go by, and we now have a small patio in the back. Cathy is also a delightful person to work with - creative and fun, and patient in answering my endless emailed questions. I recommend her enthusiastically.

Cathy did an amazing job designing and overseeing every aspect of our new pavilion, patio and surrounding garden. Her attention to detail, experience working with the contractors and materials meant that they project moved smoothly and was installed on schedule. Cathy cleverly used some of our our existing plant and hardscape material after the project was completed to add on to our existing garden, and did so seamlessly! We loved working with Cathy - she was a true professional and a pleasure to work with!

We are very pleased with Cathy and the work she did for us. I would recommend her highly to anyone looking to reimagine/refresh their landscaping. After an initial meet she designed a plan taking into account our various requests (including squirrel proof plants, color throughout the year, and raised beds to grow vegetables). Cathy was creative and able to solve long standing issues for which we had not found a solution. Cathy recommended and coordinated the various contractors (carpenter, landscaping company, lighting/irrigation, etc.) all of whom did exceptional work and whom we’ve since recommended to our friends. Cathy made the process as easy for us as possible. She followed up with contractors as needed and consulted with us as the transformation of the yard progressed. We were lucky and pleased to have found someone as creative and organized as Cathy. We highly recommend her.

GreenHeart is an award-winning landscape company and it was clear from our first meeting, why. Cathy Carr is creative, professional and meticulous to every detail. We highly recommend her.

Cathy deserves our highest recommendations. She is simultaneously artistic with beautiful vision and detail oriented/organized. She turned our junkyard driveway in Petworth in Washington, DC into a lovely patio where we can relax and grill and also with space to park our car! She came over to evaluate our space and spent over an hour with us discussing her previous work, her vision and getting to know us so she could create something we liked. We were so impressed by her that we immediately signed a contract and she really delivered. When she gave us the proposal it was clear she remembered small details from our very first conversation and wanted to give us the best finished product while also being mindful of the budget. It was clear she really cared. She was also realistic about timing and made sure the contractors finished our project exactly when she said she would. She went above and beyond for us. Finally, she is also just a really kind person.

Our front & back steps and the retaining wall at the end of the driveway were long overdue for repair and Cathy came up with an elegant plan that involved new hardscaping and landscaping that has transformed the overall look of our house. She was a joy to work with, and was meticulous in creating and presenting sketches, technical plans, and budget projections. This is not a quick fix, but a thoughtful solution with long-term use in mind. She arranged for 4 contractors, each with specialties in hardscaping/landscaping, railings, fencing, & lighting and each was prompt, skilled, and met schedules and contract amounts. Our neighbors have complimented the new look as well, and we're happy to recommend GreenHeart!

I had an excellent experience with Cathy. She made an attractive plan for the problem areas in my front and back yard with a focus on sustainable ,zone-hardy plants that will be easy to care for. She is a good communicator and very easy to work with.

We contracted with Cathy Carr to design and execute a landscape plan for the front and rear areas of our townhome, including an irrigation system and driveway replacement. She first interviewed us and walked through our home with us to get a sense of our style and preferences. She later presented a detailed professional rendering of her design plan, complete with an attachment of photographs of each of the plants chosen and a description of their appearance in each season. We were impressed and grateful for how receptive and collegial Cathy was as to our input and ideas. She brought me along to choose certain elements and was flexible in making changes to the original design. We really felt that she “heard” us. We were pleased with the subcontractors Cathy chose to do the work. They were professional, efficient and left all areas clean. Cathy was present or quickly reachable during all the work. The front area was done in the fall. It’s lovely already, and we’re excited to watch as it unfolds in the spring and beyond. We look forward to completing our back patio area with Cathy in the spring.

Cathy Carr at Greenheart Design was absolutely wonderful to work with. She helped my husband and I transform our vision for a more inviting front entrance with better connectivity to the whole yard into a reality. She consulted with our architect to tweak the conceptual drawing into the final project, assisted us in finding a great contractor for implementation, provided a landscape plan that enhanced the architectural elements, and gave us project management assistance throughout the implementation of her plan. We love the result and will enjoy our yard and all that it offers as a result of her vision and expertise. We highly recommend Cathy and Greenheart Designs.

Cathy is an absolute joy to work with. She is extremely knowledgeable but subtle in her approach. She listens carefully so her design is tailored. I love my new garden!

Greenheart was the best decision I made in designing my yard. The meticulous attention to detail and design was incredible. Cathy helped facilitate everything from getting ideas and concepts from me; walking through a large nursery with me to grasp fully my likes and dislikes; the drawing of the plan and redrawing updates; the ordering of plants and specific bulbs and specific placement. Cathy was always available for any questions whether small or large and has a gift as a great listener. Cathy was hands on, extremely professional, and was on site to manage all the facets of the project, from all the placement, to the planting, making sure every detail was perfect. Cathy was also incredible in facilitating the crew through the 6 day planting process, keeping smiles and laughter coming from the Team the entire time. A great experience all around. I wish I had another yard to complete just to work with Gardengate again.

We had the pleasure of working with Cathy this spring; we have a large lot and a realtively small budget, not a combo that many designers are happy to work with, but Cathy was willing to work with us to come up with a plan that we could install in phases over several years. She identified and came up with a plan to address a major drainage issue that had been causing aesthetic issues in our yard for years, as well as designing gardens to surround our existing deck. She also came up with a wonderful plan for a large area of weedy, thorny woods that had been unusable for over 30 years. Now, instead of pricker bushes and poison ivy, we have meandering pathways and a beautiful stone patio that is perfect for entertaining or just relaxing before and after work. Cathy put us in touch with a fantastic crew of men to execute the work, and we plan to use them to continue the plan in future years. Cathy was responsive, professional, friendly, thorough, and fair in all of her dealings with us. I highly recommend her for any of your garden and landscape design needs.

We spent several years interviewing certified garden designers, landscape architects and landscape design-build firms who bundled everything before finally finding Cathy. She offered exactly what we wanted and had hired for our home in Silicon Valley: the experience to handle our complex project, reasonable pricing for design services, optional pricing for project management services, and access to reasonably priced, experienced contractors. She was delightful to work with having knowledge of horticulture, hardscape and - very important for us - drainage and storm water management. We have a sloped lot with a huge driveway that wraps around the house. Being new to VA, we had no idea what 45 inches of rain did to a backyard coming down a driveway like ours. Our underground drains had all failed as well. 1960’s terra-cotta. Thanks seller! We had companies refuse to work on the project they were so afraid of the drainage. Or quote $10,000 just for drainage drawings. Cathy was fearless! And reasonable in all things. She also has really good taste in our opinion. The project was a big investment for us and so far so good. Her follow up has been excellent. She has made sure the inevitable little things have been taken care of. The contractors she recommended were excellent. They showed up. Cleaned up. Followed up. Their work seems excellent. My tree guys know them and say they’re great. We think Cathy is a great person. My husband is a finance guy who worries about the cost of everything. I’m obsessed with design, materials, plants and...is everything right?!?! Cathy kept both of us happy. That’s saying something!

What a wonderful experience I had working with Cathy! Our backyard was badly in need of a make-over and I was in need of a basic education about plants and landscape design. Not knowing much other than wanting to incorporate the much neglected yard, garden and patio into our outdoor living space (our two-level deck was where we spent all our time), I relied totally on Cathy. She spent a lot of time getting to know me and my family's lifestyle before she put pencil to paper. She collaborated with me on a beautiful and easy to maintain design and was open to any changes I wished to make along the way. Because I wanted this to be a turn-key project, Cathy identified top-notch stone masons, landscapers and lighting designers and was on-site to manage all the moving parts throughout the job. I just sat back and watched the magic unfold! The result is a very beautiful out door living space (on time and below budget!) that I look forward to enjoying all season long. Although the job was finished in November, this Fall's mild weather allowed us to enjoy all the colors of the garden before the first frost. The new plantings will be a feast for the eyes in every season. I can't wait for Spring when I can invite Cathy back to enjoy a glass of wine with me in my new little slice of heaven.

We had a great experience working with Cathy and are very happy with the end result. We hired her to create a plan to overhaul the landscaping and hardscaping on our property. She took into account our preferences, lifestyles and budget to create a beautiful plan. I really appreciated that she was generous with her time walking through the different types of plants, considerations for how to phase the work, etc. After working off her plan to do all the plantings and hardscaping, we finally love the look and feel of the outside of our house. Highly recommend working with her!

Cathy just helped us with the design, contracting and overseeing a complete remake of our back yard in Takoma Park, MD. The yard had belonged to our Great Dane who, in her sweet way, would just lie on or dig up and kill most plants. When we lost her, we set out on a total make-over. Cathy helped us choose a design that would minimize lawn and create more shape and visual interest; selecting shrubs and plants that will thrive in the shade and part-shade conditions of most of the area, while including some raised beds for herbs, veg, and annuals in the most sunny patches. She provides a detailed plan, and a full plant list with photos. We made some changes and she was great at figuring out how to incorporate our vision while steering us away from unrealistic ideas. Cathy also contracted the landscape and fencing companies and oversaw the installation. She has companies she works with regularly and it really shows. They were great and did excellent work -- and incredibly fast! The main landscape crew had three men on site for a week, and they took it down to bare earth, cleared bamboo and built a bamboo barrier between and the property behind us, brought in soil amendment and all the shrubs, and the whole thing nearly done by week's end. It was remarkable. Cathy was there every day to check and consult and make sure we made any design changes together. It was more than worth the cost of her fee to have that eye and questions put to us to make changes before installation as the reality always varies a little from the design when you see things going into place. We also redid our driveway and all fencing. The fencing company built the beds and compost boxes. They were terrific as well. I genuinely have nothing but good things to say about the whole experience. (Except getting the permits which I mostly did myself, and entailed painful negotiations between Takoma Park's arborist and Montgomery County's historic district.) It was not cheap, but our property is truly transformed as the photos show. Totally worth it! And we can't wait to see it with the shrubs grown in. Thank you Cathy!

Eighteen months after completing a home renovation, we were looking for help with landscaping. After seeing photos of GreenHeart projects on Houzz, and reading such positive reviews, I contacted Cathy Carr for a consultation. My husband & I found her to be open, knowledgeable & thoughtful. We enjoyed the sense of collaboration as we talked through ideas, color & textural preferences & our priorities. I liked that Cathy was attentive to how the positioning of plants would provide us with splendid views and privacy from the interior of our home & screened porch. Cathy’s extensive horticultural knowledge was always evident and inspired me to do more research as we explored plant options. We were extremely pleased with the plan Cathy produced. When we started the design process with Cathy, my husband & I thought we might use the landscape plan to guide us in installing the plants ourselves over the next year or two, thinking the cost of professional installation would be prohibitive. It is a measure of the confidence we had in Cathy that instead, we asked her to see what she could do, within the constraints of our budget, to oversee the installation. Cathy obtained a proposal from a trusted firm (Great American Landscapes) for installation of the plants, as well as a gravel driveway and gravel path. She was on-site daily to oversee the installation, including some modifications as the plan took shape. When I saw the enormous amount of heavy work this entailed, working through hard clay soil & moving tons of material to improve the soil & lay the gravel path & driveway, I realized we could never have done this ourselves. We are thrilled with the results. Moreover, neighbors and strangers are constantly stopping to admire our new surroundings; we highly recommend Cathy Carr.

In a single word Cathy was wonderful! When we contacted her about landscaping our entire yard she talked to us about our vision for the yard and she worked with that. She made an excellent plan and worked with us as our home remodeling project took place. Throughout the process she gave us lots of information about hardscape and landscape choices. She was an excellent liaison between us and the company that installed the hardscaping and landscaping--and they did an excellent job, too! Phase I of our project is now complete and we couldn't be happier. We look forward to continuing to work with Cathy as our yard takes shape.

We have successfully work with Cathy. She has explained us the landscaping process and carefully advised us step by step. She has provided us a comprehensive and very detailed landscaping drawing for our 8,000 square feet garden. We are very pleased of the location of the concrete path, two patios, trees, plants, and so on. Cathy has been very efficient, and she has delivered all the drawing in less than one month. We highly recommend her to anybody to undertake this kind of project.

I engaged Ms Carr of Greenheart Garden Designs to prepare a landscaping design for my backyard and to oversee the execution of the design by a landscaping company that she recommended. The landscaping design addressed serious drainage issues created by the sloped terrain, the replacement of a patio as well as inclusion of flowering plants, shrubs and trees. Ms Carr's garden design was beautiful and practical (I have three dogs). She has both broad and in depth knowledge of design principles and plants, and was immediately responsive to my suggestions and queries. In sum, she did what she said she was going to do on time and within budget! As regards the landscaping company, she closely guided and monitored their work, checking in at least once every day. Ms Carr is a consummate professional - knowledgeable, talented, responsive, and easy to work with. I recommend her without reservations!

We have worked with Cathy on a number of projects and can’t recommend her highly enough. Her experience and talent shine through on every project, and she has an excellent relationship with her clients. Her landscape plans are well-designed and thought through, and the plants she selects always work well with the site’s constraints as well as its strengths. She is a pleasure to work with and we look forward to continuing to partner with her in installing her work.

Cathy did an amazing job guiding us through the whole design process! We had a limited budget, so I was concerned that we wouldn't be able to do much. She took the time to get to know our ideas and was able to incorporate them into her design. Cathy found a way to work within our budget and transform the feel and flow of our backyard. I cannot stress enough how happy we are with the final results and how thankful we are to her and her team.

Cathy Carr completely transformed our garden from a dull, paved area into a multi-functional space which is a delight not only visually but also to use. She is a delight to work with, listens well to her client's needs and delivers the best product for them. Cathy knows what plants are suitable and is great at sourcing unusual specimens. Her visual designs and ideas were easy to follow and we cannot rate her highly enough. A true professional.

I can't say enough positive things about Cathy and the outstanding job she did for me. The quality of her work is exceptional and she is very experienced. From the start she took the time to get to know me so she could match the garden design to my living space, style and personality. The result is a garden I love and will enjoy for many many years. In my opinion, Cathy is perhaps one of the most talented landscape designers in the area.. My job was large and challenging - A McMansion loomed over my backyard and my entire yard had been neglected and needed a major make-over. Cathy designed and managed every aspect of the job which included stonework, large and small trees, many varied plantings, a unique new fence, beautiful subtle lighting, and new sod. One of my favorites that Cathy designed is my new round stone patio that replaced an old deck and the half-moon patio and low stone wall. From our first meeting Cathy took the time to get to know me and make me feel comfortable sharing with her the things I liked and wanted. I was immediately confident in her design knowledge, experience and attention to detail. She really cared that the job was high quality and exactly what I wanted (with her professional advise about what she thought would work in the space). She even took me to local nurseries to show me plantings and trees and discuss further what I liked and wanted for my garden. Once the job started it was so important that Cathy was available and responsive to my questions and concerns. Her hands-on approach made me feel confident that the work was being done correctly and all decisions were being made by Cathy in collaboration with the various crews who specialized in different aspects of the work. They were all outstanding and did quality work. Perhaps best of all is Cathy's love for what she does - this shows in her involvement and thoughtful approach to every aspect of her work. Cathy - thank-you so much for my beautiful new garden!

Cathy and her team were amazing. Our meetings over the planning phase were concise and organized. She listened to our needs and created a plan accordingly to include privacy on a corner lot. She also was very sensitive to using our current plants and adding in interest with new plants. Her crew was sensitive for caring for our perennials and making them work in the new configuration. The hardscape plan is super functional for a small space and the water feature suggestion is spectacular! I truly appreciated her professionalism and attention to details. Wonderful communication and very present on the job.

We needed a major face-lift to our backyard and pool area and the GreenHeart design team transformed our backyard from a functional pool area to something that we truly love. They redesigned the hardscape and landscape to enhance the contemporary design of our house. The project included the demolition and reconstruction of the pool patio, house patio, several large flower beds and a walkway between the two patios. Significant landscaping was also required along with irrigation and lighting. The design solved several challenging construction, drainage and aesthetic issues that had been a problem for years. The detailed plans that were provided to the construction company made the build run on schedule and on budget. We plan to hire them again in the spring to update our entry way and front yard landscaping design.

Our company has installed a number of Cathy’s designs over the last couple years. We have thoroughly enjoyed the experience of helping bring her creative, functional and custom designs to life! GreenHeart seems to always provide the client with exactly what they are looking for – and that is what good design is all about. I could not recommend her any more strongly!

Cathy's garden design for us is functional and wonderful. She created a lovely garden out of a mud field. Cathy has a great eye, loves plants and knows all about them. She magically married my husband's and my ideas, likes and dislikes (which were quite different ;- ) with the necessary practical considerations (deers, need I to say more). Now we both enjoy the greens, colors and smells of our new garden, and spend as much time outside as weather allows. Cathy's solution for a new entrance way has been a huge improvement to our home and makes me smile every time I walk it. And by the way, Cathy is extremely friendly, easy to work with, reliable, and resourceful. We would trust her with any new project.

I can't say enough good things about my recent experience with Cathy! We engaged her design services to make a very large patio around a pool fell more warm, inviting and relaxing. Cathy spent hours and hours at various times of the day studying and measuring and sketching and presented her ideas. In addition to being a very smart and talented professional, she's also very creative and engaging. The end result has far exceeded my expectations, which were very high to start with. If you are looking to engage an expert in creating amazing outdoor experience, I highly recommend her. Tony, Bethesda, MD

Cathy Carr is wonderful to work with. She's talented, knowledgeable, and efficient. She has a thorough understanding of garden design, hardscaping, drainage, site lighting, and functionality and she puts it all together to design great outdoor environments. Cathy listened to our wish list, (wide welcoming steps, porch swing, new driveway, footpaths), and stayed attuned to our choice of materials (natural slate, wood, concrete) to create a beautiful, functional solution. She works closely with her crew, checking installation progress to make sure every detail is done just right. Cathy made smart choices to maximize our budget enough to include a landscape plan for our new side-yard deck and newly fenced backyard that gives us privacy and the inviting landscape texture we now call Home. We love our new yard landscaping, front porch, and walkway!

Cathy Carr has THE BEST TASTE PERIOD! She knows her plants and has the knowledge of aesthetics and how to work with what nature has provided! All her work is TOP NOTCH! HIRE HER you won't be disappointed.

I hired Cathy Carr to solve aesthetic and functional landscaping issues. Our house sits on a hill. A dangerously steep flight of brick steps and path composed of poorly-matched brick provided the only access to the front door. Even when there was room to park (we only have on-street parking) right in front of the steps, there was not enough room to open a car door to exit or enter the car from the bottom step. Cathy and I discussed various solutions. She has a vast knowledge of plants, experienced understanding of design and architecture, and a creative thought-process tuned to her client’s needs. She listened to my ideas and incorporated them into her design, taking into account my style, budget and neighborhood. The design includes a 10 foot x 4 foot space at street level for easy access to the car, new flight of steps, a wider path, landscaping around these new features, grading around the house, and a number of other smaller projects related to cleaning up the yard. Now, the house is inviting--sometimes I go outside just to admire the new landscaping--and no more sliding down the hill or struggling to walk up it! Cathy worked well with her crew, she readily provided me with her contacts for contractors to help me with other house projects, was on time, responsive, communicative, and fun to work with.

Cathy Carr did landscape design including new front walk and stoop for 3 sides of our house. She reused existing plants and materials wherever possible. She visited the site often as the work was being done. She spent time talking to us to get an idea of our lifestyle. Even though the back patio just need redoing, she offered suggestions for improvements. She stayed within our budget and finished in the agreed time. She had a good and long standing relationship with the workers. She suggested a drip watering system for the plantings, something we had not considered; it worked very well. We are completely satisfied with the finished project and she has indicated she'll return in the spring to check if everything survived the winter.

Cathy worked with us to design and implement an entirely new landscape to our old property. She was incredibly meticulous and patient, and worked within our budget on our timeline to both deliver the perfect plan, and perfect execution. She has an exceptional eye for detail, and her follow through is the absolute best. You can trust that you are in wonderful hands when you're working with Cathy!

I hired Garden Gate Landscaping and landscape designer Cathy Carr to create a lovely and natural-feeling area that would be a serene transition from my house and porch to a heavily wooded back yard, and to incorporate a drainage solution for periodially heavy storm water runnoff. Cathy understood to my goals and created an oasis filled with lush native perenials, incluing a sandstone patio, that transformed the way my back yard looks and feels. The Garden Gate construction crew was marvelous; they worked quickly and neatly, and were very respectful. Cathy and her team creatively and cost-effectively solved the inevitable challenges that occur in a construction project. The work was performed on schedule and budget with no unhappy surprises. The hardscape materials they used are of high quality, and the plants were all good sized and healthy. I plan to bring Cathy and Garden Gate back to work the same magic on my front yard.

I needed to re-landscape both my front and backyards due to damage from winter storms as well as having oversized shrubs.Cathy worked with my ideas as well as her own to come up with a phased in plan that met my budget requirements.

Cathy helped us beautify our very neglected front yard that we inherited when we bought our house. The job included removal of bushes/small trees, making beds, planting new flowers/bushes, and laying sod. Our experience with her was great. Cathy was the second landscape designer we met with and right away we could tell that not only was she extremely knowledgeable, but she "got us." We were looking for a less manicured look and she picked up on what we wanted right away. Her sketched plan was well thought out, and the yard turned out pretty much exactly as planned. She is very friendly and helpful, and the people she had doing the work were friendly, respectful and very fast. I would highly recommend working with Cathy if you are looking for someone who has a great eye and a friendly disposition.

Cathy saved us so much time! I started with another company, working with the main landscaper, and after months of back and forth, I had become overwhelmed and frustrated at the lack of progress. A neighbor highly recommended Cathy Carr and Garden Gate Landscaping, so I gave them a call. Within a few minutes on the phone with her, I knew she was a better fit for us. She kept our project moving, handled every details with professional grace, and made sure we came in on budget and on time. We are thrilled with the results and I recommend her to all of my friends and clients.

I live in an urban area, in a small town house. My back yard was a postage stamp of crab grass that I had to mow every 10 days. No enjoyment whatsoever. I so appreciate Cathy's knowledge and vision, her careful selection of plants that will both bloom at various times during the year providing me with both color and scent that I can now enjoy. Cathy and her installation crew created a lovely, relaxing space for me. I pull into my driveway so I am welcomed home and now have my own little quiet space within a crowded neighborhood, Along with the beauty of the Maya(tm) stairs and slabs, Manuel and crew put in posts for my made in Mexico Mayan Hammock! I can hardly wait until spring!

I knew of her reputation as a passionate landscape designer by word of mouth, and asked her for some input aimed at resolving a drainage problem. Her response was both highly effective on a problem solving level, and as an added benefit, on an aesthetic level. As the years pass, her design seems to wrap itself around us like loving arms. I recommend her without reservation. Clifford Wheeler