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Review content:
We recently had our entire property re-landscaped; literally removing all the trees, plants, old concrete patio, driveway, rotting decks- everything. It’s a 1940’s Venice bungalow, it’s old, and it needed some major updating outside. The yards were muddy, dark, unpleasant. Someone tried to make it a ‘cute’ English garden, failed miserably years ago, and then just gave up on it. \r
I interviewed quite a few landscape architects- but it was rather obvious from the start that Russ was right for the job. \r
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Not only is he incredibly knowledgeable (he knows the Latin name of every plant), incredibly skilled at anything from landscaping to concrete to subterranean irrigation, but most importantly he’s got a strong artistic vision for how everything will come together. \r
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This is incredibly important. \r
You may not know it yet, but you’ve got a lot of stupid ideas about your yard. You may think they’re brilliant… but they won’t work for any number of reasons- the plants will die, the water won’d drain properly, the space will actually look smaller… you name it. \r
Russ will tell you ‘No’… and then suggest a brilliant idea that you’d never considered that is actually the thing you wanted in the first place. He’s done this before. He’s got a master plan in his head for how to translate your original idea into something infinitely better. He’ll stick to it. You’ll be incredibly impressed. \r
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He stays on top of everything. He’s fastidiously detail-oriented. Our decks are like fine carpentry. Our concrete is all perfect and beautiful. Russ effectively doubled the size of our house’s living space- our yards are more like outdoor living / dining rooms… with a jacuzzi, custom fire pit and fountain, a built-in sofa that’s nicer than the one inside, artificial grass like a carpet, all manner of exotic plants… Somehow he made our tiny ‘L’ shaped yard twice as big. \r
Our friends have all let us know we now officially have the nicest house of anyone they know. And that’s just looking at the the ‘grounds’. \r
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In addition, he’s an incredibly nice guy. Very attentive. Goes WAY above and beyond what you expect from him. \r
There’s a reason he’s got several houses on the Venice Garden Tour- check out his work. It’s stunning. \r
Realtors are now bothering us, knocking on our door and begging us to sell our suddenly-much-more-valuable house. \r
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You will find a cheaper ‘contractor’ who’ll say yes to all your dumb ideas, then bungle them even worse (I’ve been down this road). You’ll be filled with regret, and always unsatisfied when you look at it every day.\r
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Or you can work with Russ, and be blown away by not only the finished product, but by the experience of working with him. \r
Then go wander around your new yard every day and think, ‘I actually live here.'
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