Jay Sifford Garden Design

Sifford Garden Design worked with us from start to finish. We agreed up front on a budget, and when we were finished everything was slightly under budget. Yeah! He captured the essence of our ideas and goals for the garden in a well written and drawn plan in color. And then installed and built the plan we approved. An excellent experience with Jay Sifford from start to finish! Thank you Jay!

The transformation has been nothing short of magical. Our sloping side yard was beaten down by construction deliveries and equipment. Our neighbor next door removed every tree from his yard leaving us with no privacy and exacerbating the water flowing from his yard into ours. We desperately needed to control the runoff. The best and only solution was to install a dry creek bed. Jay and his team have done a masterful job of beautifully managing a problem area. Each boulder and stone was thoughtfully and artistically placed to create what looks like a natural stream, not a drainage ditch. The guys were a joy to work with and we are looking forward to planting the area for privacy and working with them again.

I specifically was looking for a garden designer, not a landscaper, to “fix my backyard”. I wanted to find someone creative and would pay attention to the details. Jay was the perfect choice. The issues to address included drainage, redefining areas where grass had difficulty growing, and some mature shrubs which really closed off areas near my pergola. Lots of potential but really needed brightening up. I had also wanted to have a fire pit built into the hill near the pergola. All I did was list out my “back yard grievances”, discuss the fire pit idea, and determine my budget. Jay did the rest! He designed a plan and reviewed it in detail, providing photos of all of the plants. Asked for my feedback throughout the entire project. Always kept me up to date on all project phases. When it was complete we had a walkthrough and discussed the care and maintenance of my garden. He was always responsive to my questions and his crew is extremely hard working. He even delivered under budget! He’s a joy to work with and I would hire him again without a second thought!

A beautiful, magical and whimsical design by Jay and his team - we so much appreciate all of their hard work and dedication.

We requested that Jay create a natural, maintenance-free yard and he and his crew did a great job. His idea was to create a sweep of plants that would take eyes to the front door. The yard is very much what we had hoped for in creating great curb appeal for us. We would certainly hire his company again.

I strongly recommend Jay Sifford Design to anyone seeking a landscape designer. He created and implemented an amazing transformation of my outdoor spaces while seeking my input at every step. His knowledge and professionalism was outstanding and he met every deadline set.

Jay and his team have done an amazing job landscaping our property after construction of our home and pool. We knew of his work from friends whose garden we love, and who recommended him to us. He is very collaborative with his clients, but also has a distinct and sophisticated style. The process of honing in on what the clients likes, and what will work with existing design elements and environmental constraints, was a highlight, as Jay really communicates well. He and his team are prompt, thorough, and truly care about their work. We initially hired Jay to do the back garden/pool area, but loved the results so much that we took out nearly all of the front landscaping, reconfigured front beds, and had Jay do our front landscaping as well. He works well with other trades (B and B Pools, Waterworks Irrigation) and is professional and reliable. Though we are still in our first year (installation was completed in Spring 2019), our garden is already looking gorgeous. Each season we love seeing the progression of his thoughtful design choices. Jay and his team have helped us tweak the garden as things settle in (typical of the first year with new construction, especially), and we continue to enjoy working with Jay.

We are more than thrilled with the outcome of our front, side and back gardens. We approached Jay with a vague idea of what we wanted in the back garden, but his vision and final product blew our expectations out of the water. Jay is an artist whose medium is plants. He not only knows plants inside and out, but also has a keen eye for how they will work together and best compliment the space. Our gardens are exactly what we wanted them to be: oases.

Jay and his team were exceptional. Jay's a talented artist; he puts real thought into his designs and is meticulous in his execution. He has an incredibly in-depth knowledge of plant life and thoroughly answered all my questions. The entire process was very smooth and stress-free, and Jay is great about providing frequent and detailed updates along the way. They completely transformed our front and back yards. I'd highly recommend.

I first became aware of Sifford Garden Design through the May 2018 issue of Southern Living. Steve Bender, the "Grumpy Gardener", had written an article about Jay and his garden in Charlotte, NC, and our aesthetics lined up so completely that I knew right away this is who I wanted to help me bring my "Piedmont Zen" garden ideas to life! I called and set up a site visit for the following week, and it was as if I had known Jay forever. He took my basic ideas and wish list and turned them into something much more fully realized and cohesive that I could have ever done on my own. Jay and crew installed the hardscape in the brutal days of July and August, creating stone steps that anchor my house to the landscape and create a visual rhythm with my roof line and front porch pillars. There's also a seating area defined by a gorgeous stacked stone seating wall (kudos to Rob) and wrapped with my coveted dry creek bed which Jay managed to seamlessly transition from dry to wet with a melodious waterfall dropping into a small pond. The crew returned in late November to install the plantings, and Jay's guidance here was spot-on. It's a harmonious mix of conifers and shrubs and grasses, with several of the funky specimen trees that we both love. Final touch was in mid December when lighting was installed - it is magical at night. They also planted a previously boring natural area that had nothing in it but an oak tree and a chaste tree, and turned it into a beautiful natural garden. Jay and his crew are not only hard workers, but they are meticulous, with an attention to detail and customer service that you don't find very often anymore. I have zero complaints, and would recommend Sifford Garden Design without hesitation. Their work is far above average, creating beauty and harmony and magic. Can't wait to begin the next phase!

We had been contemplating contacting a landscape designer for a long time. We were not impressed with what we were seeing locally. Then......We saw Jay's private landscape featured in the May 2018 edition of Southern Living and after researching his scope of work, we knew he was a perfect match for our project. We had a long list of wants/needs and Jay delivered on them. Had there been an endless budget and no HOA constraints, the sky would have been the limit. His team is perfectly wonderful and Rob is the "pro" if you need any rock/patio stonework. Jay re-visited our new landscape a few weeks later and "fine-tuned" it to perfection. We couldn't be happier! A true artist and professional!

Jay is a true artist! The final project exceeded expectations. His crew is hard working and professional. After meeting Jay, My husband told me “let Jay do what he wants and it will be great!” I did and it was. He is also very respectful of budget.