Jay Sifford Garden Design

I met with several companies before Jay. When I said I wanted a gravel sitting area for our woodsy lot, they all told me we’d be better off with a big concrete patio. Nearly ready to commit to something I wasn’t excited about, I reached out to Jay via Houzz, thinking I probably couldn’t afford his work or that I’d never hear from him. But he responded quickly, and when we met, he understood the vibe we were going for. He landscaped our whole backyard for what a concrete patio would have cost us—and he actually came in under budget. I also appreciated the very detailed invoice he provided when the work was done. The crew was great too; they worked fast and cleaned up after themselves each day. My husband and I couldn't be happier, especially now that everything's starting to bloom.

We were very pleased with every aspect of the design and installation process. Our aim was to add interest to our front yard through the use of color and unique plants. Jay was very flexible and easy to work with. His installation crew was top-notch in everything that they did and they took great pride in executing the project. We highly recommend Jay for both landscape design and installation.

I had a wonderful experience working with Jay. He listened to what I wanted and drew his inspiration from the architecture of the house and the lay of the lot. What transpired from there was magical. The resulting garden is not merely a few well placed shrubs and perennials, but the creation of an enchanting space; the kind of garden one can get lost in, but also a garden that gives a long overdue dignified presence to the house. At present (February) much of the garden is dormant, but there is still plenty of visual interest through evergreens of varying colors and textures. When everything wakes in in the warm weather I look forward to walking through the tapestry as it fills in. The design process was very efficient and the installation moved very quickly. Jay’s crew is hard working, very polite, and respectful. Jay took my quirky requests in stride and inspected the site daily. Now I have a garden that is unique, special, and exactly what I wanted.

It has been very exciting to work with Jay Sifford Garden Design on the landscape for our new construction home. My wife and I had only been living in Charlotte for a couple of years having relocated from California, so we wanted our new home to remind us of our California roots. We wanted to create that same vibe outdoors, using plants that are native to the region. Jay totally got what we were asking for. When we were doing our initial search for a landscape firm it was the pictures on Houzz of Jay’s own yard that stood out. His style isn’t about fussy flowers or a lot of color. Color is used judiciously; his focus is on textures and visuals that work throughout the year. He has such a wonderful design sense that makes you feel more connected to the earth. To say our project was a challenge would be an understatement. From the day we met Jay at our sloped .7acre lot, multiple changes in the positioning of the house, pool and grading of the land occurred not to mention the surprise 5ft high retaining wall that our builder informed us would be required all around the back to contain the hillside. Jay “rolled” with it all like the pro he is. Even the 100-degree heat during installation and the ensuing biblical rain and flooding the day after plant install, that nearly washed away the whole yard, did not deter him and his team. He was there the next day, in the mud, with his guys designing a French drain network that would stop the flooding from occurring ever again. The service he and his crew provided was top notch. There is even a “concierge” assigned to your project, who ensures all is good and that all of your questions are answered. Phase 1 is completed, but our garden is still a work in progress and we look forward to continuing the vision with Jay. You will not be disappointed if you choose Jay for your project. His creativity, knowledge and attention to detail is exactly what you want when you are creating your garden oasis.

We originally spoke to another hardscape company to get pavers and engineering blocks put into our back yard. This work would have cost us an entire budget for 10x10 space. Lucky for us we met Jay who envisioned a much natural back yard setting that could accommodate 16 people with a mixture of easy flowing grasses and as a bonus a water stream and pond. One of our favorite features is a stacked stone wall that was meticulously done by Rob. All of this was still under our original quote by the other hardscape company. Jay has an artistic talent for envisioning the perfect backyard. Many of his workers were young men that really took pride in their work. Ditches and ponds were dug by hand. Rocks moved with carts. They even took time to level out and stamp areas where boulders were placed to ensure the lose ground would not give way. Our family, friends, and neighbors are blown away by the backyard. We live on the lake so we often get boaters that drift by to catch a glance. Looking forward to having Jay do more work for us in the future.

After moving from my home and garden of 20 years, I knew the first thing I wanted to do was create a garden at my new house that would look amazing right away. I found Jay on HOUZZ and liked the look of his other designs. We started talking in September 2020 about what I wanted in my space. Jay took it from there! He came up with a beautiful, detailed design and started work in May. His hard-working crew showed up on time every single day. They never stopped moving, in fact I'm not even sure they took a lunch break. It was 90 plus degrees and brutal work, but they were always willing to talk to me about what they were doing out there, and educate me about the plants. I learned so much from Jay during this process. He introduced me to new flowers and plants and explained why he chose them. They planted over 700 flowers, shrubs and trees and built a stunning outdoor fire pit that is now the focus of the yard. I would highly recommend him and his incredible team. You will not regret inviting them to build the garden of your dreams!

Jay is a true artist. The vision he created for our yard is amazing and his crew’s ability to bring it to life is even more impressive. On top of that, they are all extremely reliable and hardworking. They showed up early, stayed late and cleaned up the job site every day. Their estimates of project costs and timing were spot on and they stuck to their projected schedule. Add all of this to the fact that Jay cares so much about his clients and what he does and there’s no wonder that his business is so successful! Thank you Jay for all you have done to transform our yard into a garden we will enjoy for years to come! -Scott and Maria Wurtzbacher

We hired Sifford Landscaping to overhaul our front yard with a new layout and plant selection. From start to finish, Jay was professional and creative. The design he created is beautiful and unique. He really worked with the space and crafted a piece of art through the layout and use of hardscaping and plants. He was very communicative throughout the process; specifically, when the project was underway, he would share daily updates and was very responsive to my emails and many questions.

Working with Jay Sifford on our garden design was such a delight. I had seen his work at a friend's house and knew instantly that his creative, natural design esthetic was exactly what I envisioned for our home. Jay was responsive, professional, and personable from the first contact. Although his busy client base kept him from starting right away, he was well worth the wait. He gently convinced me the right areas to pay attention on our property, and I'm so glad he did. I was also very impressed with his crew. They worked from sun-up until sundown, paid close attention to detail, and did thoughtful, unexpected touches as they wrapped up (spreading leftover mulch on other beds, restacking some stacked stone that had become loose, making sure the driveway was spotless). This was an investment in the overall esthetic of our home, but the value of Jay's design far exceeds the cost.

I met with three garden designers. We were referred to Jay from a friend and from our initial meeting I knew Jay had the experience and vision to not only execute our project beautifully but also deal with the drainage challenge and other minor issues on our 1 acre lot. We have not been disappointed. I think jay has the somewhat rare ability to wed creative vision and passion with excellent project management. His team is also experienced and skilled. Jay’s design And selection of plants were tailored to our wish list but with and eye for what would thrive in our garden. While we are thrilled to be surrounded by some of our favorite plants Jay surprised us with some unexpected beauties. We are completely satisfied with our finished garden project and plan to use jay again as the need arises and would highly recommend Jay Sifford.

My husband and I built a new home on a lot in a charming small town in NC. When we purchased the property the perimeter of the one acre lot had overgrown shrubbery that had been overtaken with predatory vines. The shape of the lot also created challenges as it was deep and somewhat askew. From the beginning Jay had a vision for how to transform the entire yard into a unique, tiered garden that would encourage guests to want to explore its depths. He was focused on how to blend the landscaping in order to complement the home. He encouraged our input so that the garden would reflect our tastes. Jay communicated well with us in terms of the costs of the project and there were no surprises. He addressed underlying technicalities such as drainage and worked well with the builder. We are asked frequently for the name of our landscape designer and one neighbor has started to refer to our yard as the Garden of Eden. Every view from inside the home invites us outside to experience the magic of the garden. There is no doubt in my mind that Jay has a gift and it was a joy to work with him. He and his team worked tirelessly to implement this design and we are going to feel grateful to them for years to come.

Jay and his team were great. We were very happy with Jay's design ideas. We primarily were interested in Jay to help with water issues. He addressed them and made our backyard beautiful and inviting in the process. His crew worked very hard, demonstrating their expertise in all things landscaping along the way. We certainly would recommend him.