Praise for Avant Garden

“We built a new home in the redwoods and decided to have a yard with native vegetation that was 100% indigenous to the locale. We hired Avant Garden to design the landscaping. Galen’s professional knowledge was at the very highest level, and his ability to work with us was impeccable. But most importantly, his design, creativity and aesthetic eye for a natural landscape were breathtaking, and we are moved by its beauty and concept daily.”

“We believe we have found the best garden designer in Marin!
My wife and I have used Galen several times to redo the front and back gardens of our Mill Valley home, over nearly a 20 year period. We have always loved the results. He is extremely knowledgeable and imaginative with plants, trees and artistic with their layout.
Another landscape designer whom I met recently confided that Galen is the one competitor to whom she would feel comfortable referring her own clients.”

“I met Galen while shopping at a local garden center. He overheard me asking one of the store employees about a specific variety of agapanthus. When the sales staff couldn’t answer the question, Galen kindly spoke up. I was so impressed with his plant knowledge, friendly demeanor, and willingness to help that I grabbed his business card and set up a meeting straight away.

I have worked with Galen over the years on two very different properties. In Mill Valley, Galen has recommended suitable plants for a steep hillside always given consideration to the architecture of the land, the suitability of the soil/sun/shade issues, as well as my aesthetic choices. In Sonoma, Galen has drawn picture layouts for plantings that have been deer resistant, heat and frost tolerant, and again pleasing to view, including beautiful fruit trees. Besides the plants, Galen designed a hot tub installation that blended in with its surroundings and didn’t take away from the beautiful, natural views.

While Galen can tackle any size project whether it’s commercial or residential, installing a pizza oven in an outdoor kitchen or just recommending replacement plants to fill void areas, he is always very professional delivering whatever is requested in timely manner. And lastly, Galen has a wonderful reputation with many of the plant and garden centers in Marin and Sonoma counties and can recommend excellent craftsmen to complete the jobs as well. I wouldn’t hesitate to call Galen to look at your project! He’ll do an amazing job.”

“From our first contact Galen was a delight to work with. He listened well, amplified my ideas into a wonderfully workable design for a garden courtyard in San Francisco and oversaw the installation. Could not have been more pleased with Galen’s expertise and workable manner.”

“It was great working with Galen of Avant Garden, and his team did a fantastic job using the Handmade Fireclay Tile. I worked with the homeowners on the design of the backyard’s tiled areas. Galen was clear and concise with what information he needed and made placing the order easy breezy with is quantities. Once the tile was onsite, his team was patient while Fireclay Tile sorted out the final details and product. The installations look amazing, especially the corners that they mitered! I would/will recommend anyone in the area to use Avant Garden for their landscaping projects!”

“I have used Avant Garden on several projects and I am very pleased with the results. Galen is both a horticulturist and an artist. His vision is full scope: practical and beautiful. I recommend him without reservation.”

“The garden possibilities were what drew me to purchase this 1945 vintage cottage. I wanted a space in which I could be renewed, refreshed, inspired. Galen understood my wishes and designed an informal garden that matched my expectations exactly. He is intuitive yet grounded in a great knowledge of his craft. He designed and supervised the installation of plantings that surround a sitting area, a raised vegetable garden, grilling and eating areas. Not to mention plants that attract butterflies, humming birds and bees, creating an environment that is dynamic and beautiful.

Galen always was on time and responsive - a pleasure to work with. He has lived in and loved this area for years. He has excellent resources for all aspects of landscaping and maintenance and I know, now that the project is finished, that Galen will always be there for any future garden needs.”

“Galen was recommended by Tom, from West End Nursery, so we knew he would be good. The design, work and completed garden exceeded our expectations. The crew Galen uses, headed by Ruben, were a delight to have here. They were always prompt, polite, efficient and a pleasure to deal with. It is with pleasure that we highly recommend Avant Garden.”

“We moved to Marin three years ago into a wonderful house which had overgrown and unattended landscaping. We interviewed several architects to get their views and ideas of the possibilities of our property. We selected Galen because he was the only person we spoke with who appreciated our situation, understood our desires, and was able to see the possibilities through the current mess.

Working with Galen, which could not be easier, we were able to divide the project and complete it in sections including a reworked patio with fire table and kitchen, a lovely nearby custom pizza oven with separate seating area, a relocated spa with privacy and easy access, a wonderful citrus garden, and a wonderful succulent garden area. We recently completed our project with the addition of raised-bed gardens and a great bocce court.

The bottom line is that everyone who visits our home comments on the landscaping design and the quality of workmanship. We unequivocally recommend Galen for the quality of his work and for the ease of doing business.”

“Galen/Avant Garden is a very knowledgeable professional who has many years of experience with landscaping design, plants types and construction issues associated with garden design. He is available and helpful and you will not be disappointed.”

“We had a huge 1/2 year project with Galen and his excellent crew. Galen was local to our area (Fairfax/San Anselmo) which was a big plus. He was on-site quite often and was quite pleasant to work with. He is very knowledgeable and friendly and listened very well to our requests. His quotes were very in-line with the actual work that was done. He had done a wonderful job on a neighbors property, which was how we first came to hear about him. I can’t say enough about his work and the work of Ruben and his large and very hard-working crew.

Great job and thanks!”

“Galen helped transform our yard from a barely usable concrete jungle to a functional, wonderful space for our family to enjoy. He has a great knack for listening to a ton of “wants” and picking out what works best for a space. We enjoyed working with Galen very much and would highly recommend him!”

“I am a plumber, and I found Gaylen twelve years ago, when I admired the landscaping in front of a customer’s house, and asked who did the design and planting - the customer gave me Galen’s number and my wife and I used him to landscape our entire property. Galen was a pleasure to work with and did an amazing job of picking and placing plants, and helping us find a paving company to do our driveway and patio. We just took out three invasive trees, and have hired Galen to design and replant several large areas of our garden. The first stage is done, and is spectacular. And once again, Galen was terrific to deal with, and created a gorgeous area. We give him our highest recommendation.”

“I have been working with Avant Garden at my current residence for over 12 years and prior to that at a former home. The landscape design work has included planting a, stone work, irrigation, outdoor lighting and kitchen and creation of a tree fort. All work has been creative and suited to the landscape, of the highest quality, thorough and completed in a timely manner. The people employed are pleasant, honest and clean up entirely at the end of the day. If a problem occurs, they return quickly to make a repair. I would highly recommend their work.”

“I’ve worked with Galen several times while preparing a house for sale. He was fantastic! He’s super responsive, has a great eye for what works where and finished all the projects under tight timelines. I can not recommend him enough.”

“I was extremely happy and impressed with Avant Garde. I found them to be excellent workers who were very respectful, knowledgable, and sensitive to me and my surroundings. They paid unusual attention to detail and never left at the end of the day without making sure that my needs were met and that the grounds were tidied and cleaned.
The designer is very knowledgable and creative and easy to work with. The work was accomplished quite quickly and I would not hesitate to give them my highest recommendation. This company is indeed a pleasure and a delight to work with!”

“Galen is amazing! I have worked with him on three different houses I have owned and every design we have implemented has turned out beautifully. Galen is incredibly talented with the eye of an artist and the skill of a true landscape architect. He listens carefully to what you want and then comes up with the most beautiful design you can imagine. He relationships with some of the best landscapers out there and sees to every detail of your project. I will be working with him again in the near future and highly recommend him for your next job”