Bio Friendly Gardens is a landscape architecture and garden design group serving the San Francisco Bay Area. From concept to completion, we blend art, architecture, stone, wood and water to provide balance, beauty and superior craftsmanship to each new landscape environment. Since 1995, our focus has been the creation of outdoor living environments that rely on ecological and sustainable design principles. We provide the finest in creative landscape design and construction services in a variety of styles to meet each individual's landscape needs.
Services
Bio Friendly Gardens designs and constructs gardens, landscapes, and structures of unique quality and beauty to homes and businesses throughout the San Francisco, Bay Area. Dixon earned degrees in Plant and Soil Science, landscape design, and natural resource management from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1983.
We design most of the gardens we install, but we also work with several local architects and designers to build from their designs. Our first step is the Design Assessment held at your home. The landscape designer meets with you for about 1 hour for a productive discussion about your property. As trained professionals we are quickly able to assess your property and brainstorm new options with you.
Reviews (10)
Alisha G.
Aug 09, 2019
Lou Dixon and his crew are outstanding. We hired them last year to overhaul our large front and back yards. Lou took the time to walk through with us and discuss things carefully. He balanced our own ideas with his long experience and expertise and put forth a proposal that was excellent. The team worked hard and Lou worked right alongside them - with great attention to detail.
Many aspects of the work were challenging, but they were up for the task: new deck for a hottub, leveling the back yard, creating a raised garden and new fence/ entry way in the front and so on. The final work was better than could be imagined. They delivered on time and on budget. We are incredibly happy and receiving compliments from passers by all the time. I highly recommend considering Bio Friendly Gardens for landscaping.
Many aspects of the work were challenging, but they were up for the task: new deck for a hottub, leveling the back yard, creating a raised garden and new fence/ entry way in the front and so on. The final work was better than could be imagined. They delivered on time and on budget. We are incredibly happy and receiving compliments from passers by all the time. I highly recommend considering Bio Friendly Gardens for landscaping.
B. L.
Jun 22, 2017
I called Bio Friendly Gardens in November for an estimate to put in retaining walls in our lower backyard which has a steep slope. We had Bio Friendly Gardens landscape our front and upper backyard 2 years ago and we're extremely happy with the results so we wanted them to landscape our lower backyard. Lou came out, looked over the area, and discussed the plans of what we wanted. 6 months later our project was started (he is quite busy because he does such good work). Lou was on the job site everyday supervising the project and making sure everything was done correctly.
His crew were very hard working, even in the 100 degree heat wave we had. After 6 weeks, we now have a beautiful backyard that exceeded our expectations. We would recommend him without reservations.
His crew were very hard working, even in the 100 degree heat wave we had. After 6 weeks, we now have a beautiful backyard that exceeded our expectations. We would recommend him without reservations.
Betsy G.
Feb 02, 2016
Lou Dixon is a magician. He knows design, he knows plants and planting, and he knows budgets. Just over three years ago Lou and his crew transformed our corner lot into a meadow oasis. He used branches pruned from our cedar tree for railings and an arch over the gate which is also clad with copper panels scavenged from recycled sofar panels! He produced huge rounds of wood cut from a trunk he had stored for steps coming down to the gate.
He installed several large boulders and his positioning of them is spot on. Now, all this time later, work we did to add a light caused other lights to stop working and Lou came back on a cold, damp, and darkening evening and fixed the problem for us. I can't recommend him highly enough. His work is beautiful and well thought out and it lasts.
He installed several large boulders and his positioning of them is spot on. Now, all this time later, work we did to add a light caused other lights to stop working and Lou came back on a cold, damp, and darkening evening and fixed the problem for us. I can't recommend him highly enough. His work is beautiful and well thought out and it lasts.
Am M.
Aug 07, 2015
Lou and his crew just finished building us the deck of our dreams. Clean, modern aesthetic - sunken hot tub, fire pit, kids' play area - and lovely well-integrated design created with thoughtful care and a deep understanding of the complexities of building on and in the Berkeley Hills. Lou is clearly an artist - respectful of space and a thinker of how his clients will use the space he is creating. But, Lou is also very practical - keeping things within an agreed-upon budget, offering creative solutions to complex problems, demonstrating a deep know-how on all elements of construction from the ground up.
He communicated with us each step of the way, and finished the project on time - with amazing efficiency. He and his hard-working team were kind, clean, and incredibly capable. We are thrilled with his work, and recommend him without reservation.
He communicated with us each step of the way, and finished the project on time - with amazing efficiency. He and his hard-working team were kind, clean, and incredibly capable. We are thrilled with his work, and recommend him without reservation.
Diparshi M.
Nov 29, 2014
We hired Bio Friendly Gardens because we wanted a Japanese theme design for our front and backyard. Lou's design proposal was exactly what we wanted. He has a great eye for detail in creating the dry creek with beautiful surrounding plants/trees in the front and an azumaya, planter boxes, and the artificial grass for our backyard. He is great at communicating via email, text and phone calls to answer all my questions and requests.
His crew is very hard working, professional and makes sure my yard is cleaned of debris at the end of each day. We love the garden and have enjoyed spending more time outside, even in the cold weather. We would definitely hire him again for any future projects.
His crew is very hard working, professional and makes sure my yard is cleaned of debris at the end of each day. We love the garden and have enjoyed spending more time outside, even in the cold weather. We would definitely hire him again for any future projects.
Wendy S.
May 05, 2014
We hired Lou after considering multiple other bids to redo our front yard and design/build a fence to compliment our Craftsman style home in the Berkeley Hills. Lou listened to what we were hoping for, and worked creatively with us to come up with a fence and landscape design that gave us the privacy and security we needed, but with the inviting aesthetics that we were looking for in a front yard entrance. Utilizing copper accents and sustainable woods, he and his crew carefully yet efficiently excavated, landscaped and constructed our fenced yard that we love. Years have passed since it's installation, and neighborhood walkers constantly stop and compliment us on the beauty of our yard.
Steve E.
Feb 13, 2014
We recently hired Lou to rebuild our front fence and repair and replant our front yard; the results are absolutely fantastic. Lou took time to talk to us and get a sense of what we wanted, both functionally and aesthetically, and gave us a very accurate quote. He and his crew worked efficiently, quickly, and provided great communication throughout the process. Lou has a fantastic eye for design.
Our fence and yard are striking - they are exactly what I was looking for without really even knowing it. We've gotten many compliments from our neighbors. We plan to hire Lou in the future and give him our highest recommendation.
Our fence and yard are striking - they are exactly what I was looking for without really even knowing it. We've gotten many compliments from our neighbors. We plan to hire Lou in the future and give him our highest recommendation.
Phineas F.
Jun 26, 2013
Lou did a great job. When I bought my house, the front yard was essentially a slope of rubble, and now is beautiful. He has a thorough technical knowledge and considerable creative vision. The reviewer who called him irresponsible is, in my opinion, 180 degrees wrong - in my experience, he went way above and beyond the call of duty.
Yoriko K.
Apr 20, 2012
Lou is really one of a kind. He is everything Dawn H. says and more. Lou just finished a beautiful and unique Japanese clay wall fence and shingled gate for our Professorville house in Palo Alto. He is both incredibly organized and creative (a rare combination!) and he has a wonderful philosophy of finding and re-using natural materials. As he was building it, many neighbors stopped to watch and admire - one of the English neighbors loved what he called "wattle and daub".
Our fence was unique in its structure and building technique, but his crew was very talented and able to handle it. We were pleased with his organization and the way they left the worksite (our garden) neat and tidy every night as well as upon completion. Lou also partially re-did our garden and irrigation. They were very thorough in tearing out tough old roots and hauling in lots of new compost. He re-used what he could but brought in lots of new plants too. A much needed renewal! The lighting he put in is beautiful too -
Our fence was unique in its structure and building technique, but his crew was very talented and able to handle it. We were pleased with his organization and the way they left the worksite (our garden) neat and tidy every night as well as upon completion. Lou also partially re-did our garden and irrigation. They were very thorough in tearing out tough old roots and hauling in lots of new compost. He re-used what he could but brought in lots of new plants too. A much needed renewal! The lighting he put in is beautiful too -
Dawn H.
Feb 06, 2012
Lou is amazing.we remodeled our basement last spring and we had piles and piles of dirt and concrete everywhere and no idea what to do with it. Our contractor recommended Bio Friendly Gardens, he told us that they did amazing work and he was right. We met with Lou and gave him our ideas and toured our yard. He really listened and quickly understood our vision for the landscape.
For only a few hundred dollars he did a conceptual drawing and we loved it! We had met with other landscapers who wanted thousands for a detailed plan bud we just didn't feel that was a good use of our money. His design incorporated our ideas but also included a number of his own creative concepts to make our yard a unique and beautiful oasis.
It expanded our living area by making two wonderful patio areas for outdoors living. For our main patio, I had visions of swirling brick and stone and had drawn a very rough design for it. Lou was able to translate this into a beautiful, one of a kind work of art! (http://www.biofriendlygardens.com/shasta2.html) The transformation of our yard was truly unbelievable. Lou and his crew hauled in truckloads of soil, huge boulders and tons of stone and brick.
They were quick, professional, detail oriented, and really cared about giving us the yard that we dreamed of. We highly recommend Bio Friendly Gardens for both their design skills and their ability to execute their highly creative designs!
For only a few hundred dollars he did a conceptual drawing and we loved it! We had met with other landscapers who wanted thousands for a detailed plan bud we just didn't feel that was a good use of our money. His design incorporated our ideas but also included a number of his own creative concepts to make our yard a unique and beautiful oasis.
It expanded our living area by making two wonderful patio areas for outdoors living. For our main patio, I had visions of swirling brick and stone and had drawn a very rough design for it. Lou was able to translate this into a beautiful, one of a kind work of art! (http://www.biofriendlygardens.com/shasta2.html) The transformation of our yard was truly unbelievable. Lou and his crew hauled in truckloads of soil, huge boulders and tons of stone and brick.
They were quick, professional, detail oriented, and really cared about giving us the yard that we dreamed of. We highly recommend Bio Friendly Gardens for both their design skills and their ability to execute their highly creative designs!
