Rue Sherwood Landscape Design, LLC

Rue recently helped us landscape several acres of secluded land adjacent to a large private pond on the North Shore. She listened carefully to our vision and preferences (simplicity, ease of maintenance,etc.) and developed an approach that took all of our thoughts into careful account. We also had a budget we were determined to stick to. The result was superb, on time and within budget. Rue identified appropriate plantings (she knows the local critters very well and steered us away from stuff that would end up as deer munchables) and designed a lay-out that integrated seamlessly into the natural surroundings. She's also been by several times to check on how things were going and growing. She clearly loves her work and is a pleasure to deal with.

Rue is a delight to work with, not least because her ideas reflect an understanding of my goals (she's a good listener!) as well as an understanding of what will actually work in my environment.

Rue was professional, timely and listened deeply to our desire for beauty and need for efficiency . She was present with the subcontractors daily and communicated well before, during and after the project completion. We had Rue complete overgrown tree and bush removal, and replace a dated sidewalk and stonework. I enjoy it every time I walk out my door and seek peace in my yard!!!

We worked with Rue on a complete landscape design and install on a new construction home. The project entailed tiered terrace with New England field stone walls, patios, stone step stairway, parking areas, driveways, planting design and selection, and irrigation. She was responsive and detail oriented. She has a great aesthetic sense and works well with homeowners. In the end, the house and landscape looked like it had always been there and meticulously cared for.

As a landscape contractor who has worked with many landscape designers over the years I can honestly say that the project we did with Rue was an excellent experience. The plans were accurate and she was on site or in contact every day majking sure there were no issues. I would highly recommend that anyone looking for landscape design contact Rue for an initial consultation. John Filias, MCLP Jeffreys Creek Land Contractors, Inc. Essex, Ma

Rue has an artist's eye, a lovely design sense, and combined with an easy going, personal approach, she is extremely easy to work with.

Rue's landscape plans are creative and thoughtful. The contractors she chooses to implement the plan are professional and competent, with Rue on-site to oversee the project.

I am delighted to write a review for Rue Sherwood Landscape and Design. My husband and I built a new house and I asked Rue to help us with the landscaping. Our house is facing the marshes north of Boston on a hill overlooking a field running down to a salt water creek. Rue was most helpful with the overall design and had very good ideas about material that would be appropriate for our area. She was very careful to listen to our ideas but also willing to suggest plantings that might be more suitable for our site. Rue also worked very hard during the placing and planting of the material - doing much of the manual labor herself. I had a very enjoyable spring working with her, checking out plantings at various nurseries and learning a lot by listening to Rue talking to various professional plantsmen. I cannot recommend Rue Sherwood more highly - she did an amazing design for us and helped to get it implemented. The subcontractors she employs are of equal caliber and very pleasant to work with. Our project designed by Rue is a delight and already we can see how it will fill in and become a beautiful landscape over the coming years.

I have a small patio space near Salem common. Rue worked with me to make the most of it. She presented material and design options to stay within the budget. Her work and that of the subcontractors was very good. I am very happy with the result.

Design, construction management, plant acquisition and placement, periodic monitoring. Rue Sherwood is flexible, diligent, creative and very prompt and attentive. What took us 10 years to think about Rue accomplished in two short sessions of no more than two or three months. Part of her strength has strong relationships with conscientious subcontractors who performed the landscaping and wall building work. We are very satisfied with the outcome of both projects. And it helps that Rue is such a delightful person to work with.

After several years of benign neglect, our yard needed a complete overhaul. We knew that we didn’t have the skills to put together a landscape design ourselves. We’re so glad we found Rue. We can’t say enough good things about working with her. She spent a long time talking to us and walking around our yard, getting a sense of the kind of landscaping that would work for us (think VERY LOW maintenance). She could tell we didn’t spend much time in our yard, but encouraged us to think of this project as a chance to create a garden that we would WANT to spend more time in. Her final design incorporated an amazing variety of shrubs, grasses, and flowers that work beautifully together. She made us think not just in terms of colors, but in textures. From May until October, there is always something interesting to look at – blooming flowers, feathery grasses, or shrubs turning color. As part of the project, she designed new front and back walkways and retaining walls, and brought in a wonderful stone mason to put them in. She and everyone who worked for her were incredibly diligent and detail oriented. She worked hard to make sure that everything she planted flourished, that the irrigation system worked seamlessly, and that we were happy with the results. We LOVE our yard, and we do spend much more time in it now. Several of our neighbors have commented on the change in our yard, and some have asked for Rue’s contact information. You couldn’t ask for a nicer person to work with.

Rue is not only a great designer but she also has an eye for the details. A true artist, she is able to bring life to a garden or landscape. Not only that, she is a pleasure to work with throughout the process, from concept to construction. She has a great team of contractors, nurseries and suppliers who can bring together all the elements to make for a successful project.