Water & Earth Landscape Design

Matt and his team are true professionals that only have your best interests at heart. If you are considering a landscape design team to assist you in planning and completing your dream project, select Water & Earth Landscape Design.

I found Matt, Water and Earth Design on Instagram because his designs were invigorating and intriguing. I met with him but wasn’t ready to commit to a landscaping project. He gave me some great ideas. When I was about to sell a townhouse/condo in Palo Alto, I asked Matt to help me transform my backyard with awkward angles into a more enticing space. Matt did this spectacularly with a curved concrete seating area which optimized the space in a tiny backyard. He designed a deck for dining and seating with storage. His design, executed beautifully by Salas Landscaping, added a 900 sq ft outside room/oasis to my townhouse and increased the value by $100K

Matt and team have an incredible vision when it comes to modern landscape design. As a landscape contractor, it is very important to have great communication with the designer, this makes our team achieve optimal levels of performance and helps us achieve our deadlines.

Matt has been incredibly involved throughout our landscape design process. He provides great insight and has been involved from the initial consultation through to breaking ground on the project thus far, including a few iterations to ensure the design worked for us. He has an excellent design style which has the perfect blend of aesthetics and functionality. Matt has focused on our needs, is very professional and a pleasure to work with throughout the process. I would certainly recommend Matt to anyone looking for a sleek, contemporary, functional backyard who could use support throughout their landscaping project.

Matt is professional, patient, makes time to understand Client needs and comes back with you a plan that works for the house with his creative finesse. It’s been a pleasure to design our backyard with Matt, we look forward to see it turn the design into reality now

Matt has amazing experience and talent for design. He acts as your trusted design advisor and tells you what would work vs. what would not work with solid reasoning. He is focused on your needs as a client rather than selling his services. He takes his time and is thoughtful.

Matt has a fantastic eye for design. All of his projects look amazing, which is why we contacted him for our yard. His process is thorough and professional, and we can’t wait for our project to finish. I would definitely recommend him to anybody looking for a clean, modern refresh for their yard.

Matt Daly and Water & Earth Landscape Design are changing the game in Silicon Valley. Their designs are innovative, forward thinking, and enjoyable to install. As a landscape contractor, I am always looking to gain an edge with clients and learn new facets of the trade to keep us sharp as installers. Matt is very hands on as well during the construction which allows us to see the design become a reality as a team. Creativity is a key element to their designs, specifically with material selections and color usage. I recommend them as an innovator and designer who envisions each design as unique.

Matt was very helpful in coming up with a design that worked with our somewhat limited space in our new home build project. He gave us several options and went through several iterations to make sure the design worked for us.

Matt designed and managed the renovation of our backyard. He was very professional and did well to manage and not over promised on time line. I'm writing this review because we had an on-going electrical issue with one of the outlets that the landscaper installed. I reached out to the Meza Landscaping (the company we hired to carry out Matt's design) to get it fixed but they never replied. Matt the put us in touch with an electrician and fInally got the outlet fixed. He could have very well just left us hanging, but didn't. Very impressed with his sense of responsibility to his clients.

We worked with Matt Daly for the landscape architecture and design as part of the full house remodel of our place in Saratoga. We have had a great experience working with Matt. From the first time we met him, it was obvious that he was someone with a refreshing, unique but adaptable sense of landscape design. He has an incredible amount of energy and is brimming with new ideas. He was incredibly patient with us as we worked thru the design and changed our minds a few times. He makes really good use of tech - his 3-D rendering is super realistic and very helpful to visualize the design. Ours is a slightly unique space with two outdoor patios and a large-ish yard. Matt came up with a great design that cleanly blended the indoor and outdoor areas and seamlessly incorporated design elements such as water features that we wanted. He is also super knowledgable about the plats and trees that will thrive in the local geography. We are in the middle of the landscape construction right now and are looking forward to to completing it shortly. Overall, I have no hesitation in recommending Matt for your landscape architecture and design needs.

We have a small and oddly shaped backyard with little consistency in space. We had a lot of trouble finding somone to design it. Most of the designers gave us simple ideas and said they could not do much with it or they were not willing to design such a small backyard. To be honest it was a challenge. We found Matt through the Houzz App and couldn't be happier. When we met Matt we told him we wanted something modern and to be wowed with the space. He was up for the challenge and gave us just that. Not only did he provide us with great design but was extremely helpful with exact details such as plants, lighting and materials to be used. He was also extremely helpful when the design went into construction. He provided helpful feedback before it began and also visited a couple of times during the contruction process to make sure everything was going according to the plan we had envisioned. Overall we are extremely happy with Matt as our designer and would definitely recommend him.

Was great working with Matt on a design for our backyard that included - new pool with water feature, bbq, patio, dining area, pergola, and outdoor shower. We loved the ideas he came back with and it was easy to work with him on making adjustments and changes. Loved all the ideas he presented and materials that he helped pick. He also helped make connections with contractors that he had worked with, which has been helpful to get the project started. He has been very responsive throughout the process and we can't wait to see our project built.

We highly recommend Matt for landscape design. He is a thoughtful and talented designer. Was very good at listening to and implemented just what we were looking for. We gave him a blank canvas along with some general idea of our style and he created a beautiful space exceeding all expectations. He’s a responsive, good communicator and makes himself available for questions. We can’t wait to turn his design into a reality, and we know he’ll be there along the way to help it get there.

Matt Daly has a wonderful eye for space. He took what was an awful rectangle of impossible-to-keep-green lawn space and a side yard that was actually on the outside of the perimeter fence (unusable) and created a beautiful outdoor living area. We now have three distinct areas to use for almost any type of outdoor entertaining. There’s a dining area, space for lounging around a fire with a glass of wine and a secluded place to sit and enjoy the flowers or have a quiet conversation. We are thrilled with the transformation! Matt also seems to have a strong understanding of building materials and garden elements. While we did not consult with him on some of these decisions, he was always available for suggestions and advice as we completed the build. Matt was always very responsive during the design and build process. This is invaluable and made for a very smooth process. Our design was completed in a few weeks and the build was miraculously completed in less than 4 weeks! This was a huge $100K+ project and we are more than thrilled with the outcome. It’s completely changed how we feel about our home!

I found Matt via his Yelp reviews. I was not sure if this would be a good source but I could not be happier. He was incredibly responsive from the moment I called to today (project to begin implementation). He listened to my wishes for a very large project and did not miss a detail. I really like his iterative process to ensure he's designing the project you envision. He has been very flexible about meeting times as I work in tech and have a busy schedule. He is not afraid to tell you if you budget expectations are not realistic or if there are downsides to ideas you may have. He'll provide you his input and let you decide. He's been a real pleasure with which to work and I'd recommend to anyone.

We wanted to update our Sunnyvale Eichler after raising our four boys. Our home needed a new front yard, driveway and courtyard. Matt was easy to work with, creative, and flexible. We appreciated his willingness to keep tweaking his designs as we were not really sure what we wanted to do. I am impressed that he not only is a talented designer, but he’s also a full-service project manager- willing to help us find contractors and oversee the project to the end. We can’t wait to see his vision implemented - transforming our outdated yard/courtyard into a beautiful mid-century modern space that showcases the Eichler architecture and appeal.

We thought we knew exactly what we wanted for our Eichler front yard, but we were having trouble with actual drawings. We have no experience as to how to handle the slope of our yard, and what the scale our steps should be, so we called Matt of Water and Earth and he came to our rescue! He is a great communicator, efficient, friendly and professional. Matt was able to translate our vision and adjust for the things we didn't know how to handle. And as a cherry on top, Matt added some of his ideas to the design and brought it to the next level! He showed us the design in a 3D model so we could truly see how his ideas would look, which is really helpful! Eichler homes are Mid-Century Modern post and beam houses with tons of windows. "Normal" landscaping just doesn't work. Materials that are popular may not be the right fit for an Eicher. We need clean lines, creativity and a connection to nature and Matt sure helped us with all of the above. We are starting the work now and I will share photos when the project is complete. THANK YOU MATT!

Matt is a true professional and a talented designer. His creative ideas and plans were more than expected. His 3D presentation was very helpful in the decision making process for our project. Matt also was on site regularly to ensure that his vision was executed as discussed. We were impressed with every step of the process. Thank you!

We were looking for a landscape/exterior designer for our newly remodeled Eichler home in Palo Alto. We found Water & Earth Landscape Design through Yelp. Through browsing the portfolios and philosophy on their website, and yelp reviews, I immediately felt connections. I contacted and Matt responded very quickly to my request. I really enjoyed working with Matt: 1. He is always super responsive (through email or phone) 2. I like his modern and simple design philosophy for Eichler home. He can always give us a lot of options to support our exploratory ideas, and he also help us make decisions when he sees us struggle with too many options. Instead of me and my husband debating over some details, at the end we both trust Matt for decision making. :) 3. Matt is also super knowledgeable with plants, materials, and costs. He is very cautious with staying within budget when designing. He has his own construction partner and can provide overall costs on the design plan, but no matter who we engage with, Matt will still provide consultation until the project is finally completed. Thank you very much Matt, for your consultation and design. And thanks for staying patient with us.

We contacted Matt in September to design our Eichler atrium. We expressed interest in having artificial turf, a stone path, a water feature, tall plants in the garden beds, lights, and a vertical succulent garden. We told Matt our budget was $20k & he scoffed, saying he could do it for "way less". He expressed great interest in the vertical succulent box idea, & we discussed using succulents & cacti that bloom orange to match our trim. Our only stipulation was that we needed this project done before Dec 22nd & he assured us that was no problem. Over the next seven weeks we were pulling teeth to get updates from Matt. He would rarely reply to our texts or e-mails & we would constantly contact him for updates. Sometimes we would receive something the next day, sometimes we wouldn't. It was often a rushed design that contained only a fraction of the features we asked for. We eventually created a design of our own that listed all the features we originally asked for including tall foliage & trees, light fixtures, & the vertical succulent boxes. Oct 23rd came & went with no completed design. Matt had difficulties with the size & location of the stepping stone path. We had to edit his design multiple times to show him where to place the path to properly connect the doors in the atrium. He tried to tell us the remodel would have to be done after the holidays, & we reminded him that not only did he tell us it would be no problem to have it done before Dec 22nd, but we had been very responsive during the entire process. He told us he doesn't make promises he can't keep, and explained that it's actually Meza Landscaping that was behind schedule. We tried to schedule a date for Matt to come discuss materials & again he was less than responsive. Our patience was worn thin at this point, but the real nail in the coffin was when he did show up with samples & told us why he was so unresponsive over the last seven weeks: he had a big, important client that was taking up all his time. Our atrium is the centerpiece of our home, & this project was very important to us. Matt made it very clear that we were not important clients. We received a spreadsheet from Matt with the estimated cost of our atrium remodel: $19,227. He told us he forgot to add the lighting in, which would cost us another $1,600. There was a lot of discussion over how we ended up over budget when he said it would be "much less". He denied saying it, then claimed he said it w/o seeing the atrium (he was standing in the atrium when he said it.) We questioned why he would comment on budget without seeing a space. He claimed we only told him we wanted artificial turf installed, which is a lie. He told us we should either remove the path or remove the garden beds, (completely defeats the purpose of the space.) He also told us "Sorry I don't have a bunch of money saving scenarios but this is the only project in the area I have priced (or done) under $50k." On Nov 19th Matt texts and says "Oh man. We should make a succulent wall. Do you want an entire wall to be succulents?" I mention that we had already discussed this and Matt stops answering, realizing we have discussed it multiple times & he has not added it to the budget. He later estimates the succulent boxes to cost at least an extra $1,800. We discuss what plants will go in the atrium. We repeat AGAIN that we want tall plants. When the project is finished, we end up with short plants, like (succulents, blue fescue.) When we discuss the short plants with Matt he says we approved of the short plants, despite all our e-mails and our 2D design mentioning tall plants numerous times. He tried to charge us $400 for an irrigation timer we already have-- this took a couple days to remedy due to his lack of replies and forgetfulness. The fountain was placed too close to the outlet, making it near impossible to plug anything else in. No thought was given regarding the length of a normal human stride when it came to the sizing and spacing of the stepping stone path: you can either place one foot on each stone and leap from stone to stone, or do an awkward, half-step shuffle on each square. We have no lights. No succulent boxes. He never came back to see the finished project or "add it to his portfolio". We would not recommend or work with Matt again. We are very disappointed.

I asked for just ideas. We were at the stage of acquiring options. He was willing, (not all landscape architects are), and left us with new creative ideas we had not considered before. He took in the space well and drew rough plans for us to contemplate until we make a decision. He was knowledgeable about price, hardscape, plants, and which areas of the garden needed accenting with plants, lights, color and space. He said he had workers to put the ideas into place but we aren't that far along.

We are currently finishing a large house remodel, and my contractor recommended reaching out to landscape designers to get ahead of our second phase. We have about a 9000 square foot lot, and needed our front and backyards' completely redone. I met with a few designers, however when I met Matt after 5 minutes I knew he was the guy I wanted. We walked the property, and I gave him my vision of what we wanted done. This included a frontyard with fieldturf, privacy plants and drought resistant plants. The Backyard included designing a deck with kitchen and pergola, firepit with a water feature, a kids area, plus some other features. Matt listened, and gave some constructive feedback and ideas. He has a process for his clients that includes several drafts before deciding on the Final design with line items that would go back to my contractor. During this process, Matt was responsive and went over the pros and cons of certain items that we wanted. He is passionate about his work, and makes fantastic use of available technology. My wife and I are super excited about our final design, and look forwards to starting on the landscaping once our main remodel finishes. We would highly recommend that you include Matt in any bids for your future projects.

Matt came highly recommended by the pool company we are using to design our pool deck, patio hardscape, and surrounding landscaping. After our initial consultation and preliminary measurements, he returned to shoot more grades and take pictures and show us some initial drawings. We fell in love with the final design! He has been terrific to work with, really listened to what we wanted, and because he is well connected in our community with landscape and hardscape contractors he's been really helpful helping us find just the right people to work with. His scope of knowledge about hardscaping, landscaping and pool design is impressive. We would be happy to recommend him to anyone looking for a designer.

Matt called me back within an hour and came to my house free of charge!!! I requested to be contacted through Houzz to have a patio installed and had specific questions. Matt came over the same day, helped me avoid making a mistake on the installation, gave me design ideas, and forwarded some of his contacts so I could get the patio installed. I would highly recommend him due to his kindness, professionalism, and knowledge Great guy and neighbor!

We understand about about your accident. Glad to see you back in action. Hope you make a full and complete recovery.

We met with Matt Daly several times last fall as we began the design phase of our pool and hardscape project. We provided him with a few pictures and rough sketches that we had drawn to try to give him some of our best thoughts. We collaborated over the next few weeks and he came back with some images on his computer that brought our vision to life. We found Matt easy to communicate with and willing to listen to our ideas but not afraid to bring his own to the table. We have received many compliments on the finished product. Thank you Matt!

We work with Matt to complete much of our design/sales with clients. He is attentive to detail and puts together exactly what the client wants. His innovative ideas really hit home with the customers as each job is special and unique in its own way. Working with Matt has been a great experience and we look forward to many more outdoor projects in the future!

We hired Matt to help design a landscape for the backyard. Matt came out and met with us looked at the yard.He helped us come up with plan that included a pergola, outdoor grill , firepit, plants and stonework . He then went back and put together a detailed drawing of how it would all look. He worked with us as we made minor changes after looking at the first design. We then added a pool to the design. Matt was a pleasure to work with as moved forward with the design. We should be completing work late November and everything looks great.

Matt Daly has provided attractive and innovative swimming pool designs on a timely basis, with comprehensive specifications and budgets to meet the client's desires. Matt develops a friendly yet professional relationship with his clients and he is always responsive to their requests for information and/or guidance.

Matt works hard to design and deliver a quality product that meets or even exceeds the customers expectations. I have worked with him on several projects and will continue to because of his dedication to the client. When the time comes, I will have him design my landscape.

We utilized Matt Daly's services to design an outdoor living space for us. Matt was so easy to work with and had a wealth of knowledge regarding options. He listened carefully to our thoughts and ideas and took these into consideration in developing an initial design. He then sat with us, showed us an initial design, he then talked us through our use of the space and various options. We enjoyed the process and Matt's suggestions were excellent. He completed a design that exceeded our expectations and then was there for every step of the way to assure the design was implemented. We love our new outdoor space that is perfect for our backyard and lifestyle.

Very happy with the design plan so far, can't wait to see the rest! Matt has been great to work with, he knows his stuff. I would recommend him.

Working with Matt was great from start to finish. We love our new outdoor oasis. Love the 3D design before we started. Great follow up after the work was completed. Professionals like him are a pleasure to work with,

We hired Matt Daly to completely revamp our small historic district front yard. Our yard had become overgrown and inappropriate for the small space. After talking with us he determined our taste and helped us to come up with a low maintenance (one of our requirements) yard that was perfect for our space. He helped us strip our existing yard (mulch, plants, bushes, shrubs & tree) and replaced it with beautiful pallet of plants, a much smaller and appropriate tree, and a mixture of mulch and decorative stones. He was friendly, always responsive and quickly accomplished the task at hand.

My husband and I helped design our beautiful log home in Mechanicsville. After 2 children, we were finally able and ready to begin the major renovation of our backyard deck, which has gone unused for the past several years, in addition to wanting new landscaping around the perimeter of our home. Given the size of this project, we knew immediately that we were overwhelmed, and would require professional help. We had only a small “wish list” from the start, but otherwise, had a “blank slate.” My husband and I took an immediate liking to Matt. We were first introduced to him at the Richmond Home Show in October 2013. We wanted an immediate appointment, and were given one within a week. Matt was excited to see our home, as he had never had the opportunity to work with a log home project. He was full on enthusiasm from the very start, and that level of enthusiasm has not stopped since! He was cautious to find out first what ideas we already had in mind, and then built around those ideas. My husband and I knew that we wanted the back deck torn down and replaced with some type of stone patio. We wanted a fire pit and a pergola. End of story! We had no vision beyond this! Matt had a vision, and to our relief, immediately came up with ideas that he was eager to share and put to the test! Over the next several weeks, Matt met with us weekly to put his vision into motion. I was taken by the fact that he had taken a week to research log homes out west to study the types of landscaping that would look most aesthetically appealing and work best with our log home, given our state’s soil and weather conditions. It was important to him that he make landscaping decisions that would enhance the look of our log home and bring out its beautiful features. Matt came up with a beautiful design that was within our original budget and met our original “wish list”, plus much more! We were so taken with his plan choices that we continued to expand our original plan, and eventually decided to incorporate a soaker system, outdoor lighting, and the renovation of our front and back porches as well! Matt has remained in charge of our design job from the very beginning. He is a true professional within his field, and we have been able to put our full confidence in him. He has maintained frequent phone and personal contact, and is always accessible when needed. As would be expected with any detailed and costly plan, Matt has wanted us to contact him with any concern or complaint regarding the daily progress, no matter how large or small. We continue to speak with him frequently. There have even been occasions when Matt himself has found some aspect of the job that he is not happy with, and he takes charge to ensure that the job is done to his perfection. In some situations, Matt has put my husband in direct contact with other members of the construction team when it has been necessary to discuss construction details in greater depth. While the weather last winter had caused continuous delays in the design progress, Matt reassured us that our design would be beautiful upon its completion, and it truly was! We are looking forward to the many years of outdoor enjoyment ahead, and know that we have Matt Daly to thank for tha

Very happy with the design plan and felt he listened to what we envisioned. He was able to stay within our budget constraints and still deliver a good plan. He listened to me and gave his opinion while I thought out loud about ideas and how they would or would not fit in with the project. We cannot wait to put the plan into action!