Backyard Bounty

Fabulous! Superb concept, design, plant selection, and installation. Pricey but worth it.

Edamarie was very knowledgeable and professional in her advice regarding the correction of these problems. She incorporated much of the correctly done work by that company in her planning. She also maintained the “natural feel” we had established in the previous landscaping work. Backyard Bounty’s Stonemason was also extremely professional and helpful in giving us advice. The quality of his team’s work and of his craftsmanship were extremely high. In addition, Edamarie worked with us in using environmentally sound erosion control solutions on a steep slope beside our driveway in addition to the steep Backyard beds with the same issues. These included firstly the use of various native plants and natural rocks in the beds. Then secondly, the construction of a large and long, beautiful natural stone retaining wall, which gently graduated downwards in height to match the the height of the bank behind it and the slope of the driveway. We were so pleased with the results, that we asked Backyard Bounty to return in 2014 in order to construct two further natural stone walls, re-construct parts of a dry rock wall and to create a long, meandering river stone swale leading all the way down one side of our home from the slope in our back yard, to a dry well (invisible to the eye), in the front yard. This not only solved drainage problems but was aesthetically beautiful. This work was all kept within our budget and made even more cost-effective by BB preserving the best of the previous company’s work and re-utilizing the materials from the work that had to be re-designed.

Piece of cake!

Backyard Bounty was great to work with, and very responsive to questions or requests. They made sure we were informed throughout the process, and followed up to make sure everything was working well. They use native plantings and quality natural products. They also helped us to coordinate a Rainscape program refund from Montgomery County ($2500).

Edamarie is great. She came up with a wonderful design and reworked it multiple times tl we were satisfied. She really listens to her customer's desires rather than imposing her own will. She has great taste. The project transformed our yard and solved of our drainage problem. Her crew worked hard and quickly. Since project completion, she has visited to check on the yard to see how it's going. We've used other landscape designers before and Edmamarie is in a class by herself. We plan on using her again for more work next year.

I was happy with Backyard Bounty and am considering hiring them again for a larger long-term garden plan. Aesthetically, the results are wonderful (Eda Marie has a great eye and extensive knowledge), but more importantly in this case they were able to address my water issues. The time between my first call and estimate was short, their timeline was accurate, workers courteous, and I appreciated how they went over the scope-of-work with me both before starting and upon completion.

An informal beautiful woodland garden with a lot of unusual and native plants, shrubs, trees and hardscape patios and steps. An expensive investment but well worth it!

The company and its crews have been a pleasure to work with, replacements are provided if the plants don't make it the first season, and revisions and adjustments are welcomed as the plants mature. I spend as much time as I can outside admiring their handiwork.

Edamarie and her team did a fabulous job! Her stonemason is a master craftsman, and all of her team are knowledgeable, efficient, and hard working -- taking care and pride in their work. And, to a person, Edamarie and her staff have been a pleasure to work with. Now, six months after Phase 2, we are enjoying the lovely, lush results! Most of the plants have thrived--and Backyard Bounty has been quick to replace the few plants that did not. Check out our photos.

A large project, involving the removal of front yard sod (approximately 4500 sq feet). Edamarie Mattei , owner of Backyard Bounty was retained to install a native, drought tolerant meadow garden, a rain garden and to assist with navigating the requirements of Montgomery County's Rainscape rebate program. I worked with Edamarie and her colleague Alison Jones for several months on the design for this complex garden installation. During this process we discussed the design options, met in person and exchanged many e-mails, to achieve the most optimum, detailed plan for the property. During each phase of the design process, Edamarie paid careful attention to our property requirements (which included water run-off issues, and a slope) as well as our aesthetic requests. E-mails were answered timely and questions were answered with detailed explanations from both a design as well as the botanical perspective to make sure the material which was installed would be appropriate for the growing conditions. Special attention was paid to my requests for plants of a certain color and growing habit. My concerns about the walkability and safety of hardscape steppers was taken very seriously and were discussed at length (pictures also provided by Backyard Bounty) to make sure I would be happy with the selection. The final plan was exceptional. The plan was reviewed by a Montgomery Rainscapes representative. When questions and some perc issues arose, Edamarie did an excellent job communicating with the Rainscapes program, answering the questions and assisting me through some perc test problems to ensure I would be eligible for the maximum rebate. At the end of the project, after the final inspection, I received the full $2500.00 rebate as a result of her guidance. The day of plant delivery/installation, the Backyard Bounty team and I inspected every plant (approximately 600 plants) and each was in excellent condition. The Backyard Bounty installation team was top-notch, knowledgeable and careful in their work. They worked long hours every day to make sure the installation went as smoothly as possible. Edamarie was present at the site for parts of everyday during the installation to address the inevitable changes that come along with projects of this size. When she was not there, a team supervisor or team lead was present to make sure the plan was followed and implemented correctly. At the end of the installation Edamarie reviewed the plan with me. We went over the changes made during the installation. There was also a walk through to ensure I had a good understanding of the plant names. Unforseen items found along the way, which are part of every project , were addressed creatively and efficiently. Communication throughout the project installation was excellent. Edamarie kept me aware of what was to be happening at the beginning of each day of the installation so expectations were accurately met. The garden is now beautiful and flourishing. I have requested assistance from Backyard Bounty with certain maintenance work. Edamarie is very flexible in helping to identify what work can be done at the moment and what may be deferred to save on financial and material resources. I look forward to working with Backyard Bounty again on future projects.

Backyard Bounty helped us with a fairly unique project. We've always wanted a vegetable garden but the best sun in our yard is out front. The prospect of putting a veggie garden in our front yard near the curb was somewhat daunting. However, Backyard Bounty was able to get us a place for veggies that was both functional and beautiful, not to mention protected from the many deer in our neighborhood. It looks fabulous, and I harvest fresh vegetables and herbs daily from the garden fpr use in our family meals.

The service was wonderful! My yard was a scary overgrown mess after a season (ok several!) of neglect. The Backyard Bounty crew knew exactly what to do in a short period of time to get it looking back to normal and back to the place where I could take over as gardener in chief. They crew was polite, professional and detail oriented. Clearly knowledgable and helpful. They arrived on time, worked efficiently and really transformed things. I couldn't have done it without them.

Rie and team did a spectacular job from start to finish, keeping and adjusting the best of what existed and re-imagining (ha! "Rie-imagining") what would thrive and beautify for the near and long term. The BB team dovetailed nicely with my home renovation contractor, allowing me to leave it in their quite creative and capable hands. I still point out to visitors how Rie's stonemason reconfigured my walks, re-purposing (ha! Rie-purposing) the existing cobblestones and even designing new patterns. After the second summer, and a maintenance visit, everything is growing in richly. Throughout the work, the team was incredibly responsive, did the work as planned, explained what they were doing, and were professional to the person. I could not be more pleased or recommend Backyard Bounty more.

Paid for design and it is useless. She said she would give me a revised design at no charge - but I have received nothing. I waited to write the review. The design she gave me after a meeting did not meet ANY of my requirements. I needed LOW, LOW maintenance - I hate to garden. I wanted less work than I have because the few plants I have, must be pruned every year (hate it and am not good at it). I did not want to prune plants. The plants she suggested, at maturity and even before that, would have exceeded the space where she had located them. One would have overrun my small front porch - a problem I already had (and told her about). Plants would also have blocked my front window which I had specifically told he not to do. I need the light. She had so many plants in a small space - I was told that I would have to pull them out as they matured. Then when I asked her the cost this would take to implement she said I had not given her a budget and I misunderstood the process. They would revise it (at a additional cost) and then ...

Like some other reviewers, I initially had an extremely positive experience with Edamarie and her crew. She was responsive, straightforward, professional and had great ideas for how to make a tight space look very attractive. Her price was higher than I expected, but her suggestions seemed really well-thought out and interesting, so I decided to spend the money for the project. I had hoped to have her or her crew walk me through the plantings when they were done and teach me about the plants and how to care for them, but I could not be home the day of the installation, so Edamarie provided me with her standard care guidelines (and I understood that she couldn't set aside special time to come back and discuss the plants in detail). I followed the guidelines, and since one of my requirements was that she select plants that and quot;could survive anythingand quot; and that and quot;would be hard for me to damageand quot;, I figured that was ok anyway -- she said she picked tough, hardy species that could survive without much care besides watering. The disappointment started to set in about 6-8 months after install -- she planted in late fall, so the next spring and summer were the first I really could see the plants growing. I sent pictures of the plants to Edamarie periodically, asking if they were growing as expected (even though they appeared brown or thin). I was generally told they looked normal. Then, in late spring and summer, some of the plants started dying. When the first two died, the company said those plants were not covered by the contract warranty because apparently I hadn't been billed for those two plants when they were installed (which I had not been aware of, but then I started to wonder whether I had received all the plants I was billed for). Then, when it appeared other plants they had installed were dying, I contacted the company again about the warranty for those plants, and received no response despite multiple attempts to contact the company. It became apparent that the company would refuse to replace or even view the status of the failing plants before the 1-year warranty on them expires. My experience has now transitioned from delight to extreme disappointment. The company apparently does beautiful work initially but doesn't stand by its word. I do not plan to use them again.

It was a joy to work with Edamarie. She was enthusiastic and eager to please. She had great ideas and she was true to her vision and her word. For example, at first she rec. a porous hardscape and brought in one of the only specialists in the DC area to personally survey the site. She then consulted with another specialist who deals with a certain kind of pebble rough cement. In the end the decision was reached to go with cement because Edamarie had done her homework and actually figured out that the drainage would be better with cement. She also brought in a tree expert for his opinion as to whether a tree needed to be cut. She obviously has many relationships with colleagues that are a real value add to her services. The plants she chose are exquisite and perfect for a city garden. The beautiful sculptural elements as well as the fountain all create a serene space in the city. (The garden is a small plot behind a rowhouse in the city). The space has now been transformed into a gorgeous, calm and alive space. We are so thrilled with her and her marvelous team and we enjoy that garden everyday that the weather permits! Thank you Backyard Bounty and Edamarie!!!

Edamarie and her staff are very committed, showed up when they said they would, and left our yard looking great. It's been a couple of months since the first treatments, and the lawn is greener and healthier looking despite the cold weather. We're very happy to have found an organic lawn care company and look forward to seeing more results in the spring.

Edamarie is very dedicated to serving her customers and she puts lots of thought and care into her work. She is a pleasure to work with and very thoughtful and knowledgable.

Edamarie Mattei met with me to talk about what I wanted in my garden, and measured the space. She made a drawing of the garden, complete with plant book, different plant options, and pricing. My budget changed before she could begin the work, and she gladly scaled down the design while addressing immediate concerns of water drainage and inadequate gutters. She moved gutters and added plants, while still keeping the budget down. I have a large backyard, and she covered a huge area with plants, bushes, and mulch. It looks beautiful while leaving space to expand the garden in future years. She was professional, on time, and everything was completely cleaned up after the work was done. We were very happy with Backyard Bounty.