Planting and Garden Design
Softscape

Planting and Garden Design

Overview

Layered, climate-suited gardens that look good all year.

Schedule a Discovery Consultation

Does your yard look great in spring and tired the rest of the year? Great planting is layered: trees for height and shade, shrubs for structure, perennials for color and groundcovers to finish the edges. Done right, your garden looks intentional in every season.

We choose plants that thrive in your conditions, from hot inland summers to clay soil, so your garden matures instead of struggling.

Explore Options

Compare and choose.

Planting works hand in hand with irrigation, planter boxes and uplighting for trees.

Design and Style

Shaped to suit your home.

Mediterranean

Olives, lavender, rosemary and grasses. Fragrant, drought-tolerant and timeless.

Modern minimal

Repetition of a few sculptural plants for a clean, architectural look.

Lush and layered

Dense, varied planting that feels like a private retreat.

Materials and Options

Selected for how you live, and how long it lasts.

  • Specimen and shade trees
  • Privacy screening
  • Perennials, grasses and groundcovers
  • Soil amendment and mulch
Planning Your Project

What to know before you build.

JAC RecommendsPlant for privacy first. A well-placed row of screening plants or trees changes how a backyard feels more than almost any other single decision.
Questions

What homeowners ask us.

Will my plants survive our summers?

We select plants suited to your microclimate and pair them with the right irrigation.

How long until the garden fills in?

Most plantings fill in over a few growing seasons. We can use larger plants where you want an instant result.

Modern backyard with a lawn and stone terraceOutdoor lounge with a fireplace at duskTerrace with lounge chairs at sunsetPatio dining area under string lights in the evening

The Dreamscape Quiz

What's your Dreamscape?

Family yard, host, retreat or easy care? Answer five quick questions and see the features and real East Bay projects built for the way you live.

Take the 1-minute quiz
Begin Your Project

Let’s design the outdoor space you’ve been imagining.

Schedule a Discovery Consultation
or call (510) 255-2013