Whether you already have a detailed design in mind, or you would prefer that I create your unique landscape from my own aesthetic and experience, the finished product will be a living extension of your home. My designs add beauty, fragrance, color, and delightful wildlife such as hummingbirds and butterflies into your garden. Your quiet personal refuge becomes nature's sanctuary.
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We assist you in choosing showy & unique plants with all year interest within garden themes that are uniquely your own. Many garden styles & themes are offered, including personalized mixtures of several styles: Woodland, Tropical, or Mediterranean. Native, Coastal, or Desert. Tuscan, English, or Water Gardens.
Nature has experience in creating stable ecologies that are beautiful, balanced and self regulating. Traditionally, western gardening has been a means of controlling, manipulating, and repelling the natural world. Today we still continue this pattern in our gardens and landscapes, yet we flock to our parks and remaining wilderness in ever increasing numbers to seek the natural harmony we sense is no longer present in our everyday lives.
Whether you already have a detailed garden design in mind or want me to create your landscape from my own experience, the finished product will be a living extension of your home and a gentle lure that brings you outside to enjoy the garden landscape we have built. Most never show up in your local garden supply nursery.
Reviews (9)
Amy F.
Mar 03, 2021
Porcia S.
Jul 18, 2019
There are landscape companies and there are LANDSCAPE COMPANIES who are more like artists! We've enjoyed working with Johan, the Avant Gardner and his crew and recommend them, especially if you are looking for an atypical and unusual landscaping designer. Johan helped us with both the front and backyard. The bigger magic happened in the backyard.
Our backyard was ok until the drought a couple of years ago. We decided to remove the wasted lawn (brown was not the new green.) As active working professionals empty-nesters, we wanted yards that were low maintenance and drought tolerant. Typical xeriscaping didn't seem to match our aesthetics preferences. That's when we met Johan who helped to transform our yards into a dream refuge we enjoy daily. Johan takes his projects seriously, through a meticulous artistic lens.
He was able to turn my husband's (commercial interior architect) and my creative vision to actual outcomes. He recommended and installed beautiful and practical plants, ground covers, and flowers appropriate for our yards. We brought him back to soften a shocking change to our backyard view when our neighbors cut down all their amazing redwood trees unexpectedly. Johan recommended and install new trees and shrubs to create a different type of privacy screening and soften the expansive views of neighboring houses, albeit nothing could match the void of the redwood beauties.
We added the Tibetan prayer flags to send good energy to all. It was fun to watch Johan work his landscape magic. A couple of times at the start of our project, I witnessed him spend nearly an hour standing and walking around the backyard to observe the way light streams and other details. It's obvious he truly cares about creating the yards his clients are looking for.
The only caveat in working with Johan is he has a small crew. Depending on his client load, it might take a while longer for your landscape project's completion and for him to respond to your communication. He does provide a one-year warranty on plants. We've had several replacements.
Our backyard was ok until the drought a couple of years ago. We decided to remove the wasted lawn (brown was not the new green.) As active working professionals empty-nesters, we wanted yards that were low maintenance and drought tolerant. Typical xeriscaping didn't seem to match our aesthetics preferences. That's when we met Johan who helped to transform our yards into a dream refuge we enjoy daily. Johan takes his projects seriously, through a meticulous artistic lens.
He was able to turn my husband's (commercial interior architect) and my creative vision to actual outcomes. He recommended and installed beautiful and practical plants, ground covers, and flowers appropriate for our yards. We brought him back to soften a shocking change to our backyard view when our neighbors cut down all their amazing redwood trees unexpectedly. Johan recommended and install new trees and shrubs to create a different type of privacy screening and soften the expansive views of neighboring houses, albeit nothing could match the void of the redwood beauties.
We added the Tibetan prayer flags to send good energy to all. It was fun to watch Johan work his landscape magic. A couple of times at the start of our project, I witnessed him spend nearly an hour standing and walking around the backyard to observe the way light streams and other details. It's obvious he truly cares about creating the yards his clients are looking for.
The only caveat in working with Johan is he has a small crew. Depending on his client load, it might take a while longer for your landscape project's completion and for him to respond to your communication. He does provide a one-year warranty on plants. We've had several replacements.
Demetria C.
Nov 06, 2018
Recently I had the pleasure of working with Johan. I needed a garden consultant to help stage my front and backyards in preparation for my home going on sale. I did not want the typical generic staging look. Johan delivered by bringing in beautiful colorful plants and positioning them in a unique way. He also incorporated my existing large rocks into the design. Prospective buyers fell in love with the yards. He is creative, thinks out of the box and is very kind and easy to work with. I'm looking forward to working with Johan again.
Mark A.
Oct 17, 2018
Janice B.
Oct 08, 2016
Johan did a fabulous job on our garden. He worked within our budget and came up with a beautiful plan. He if very knowledgeable and passionate about plants and landscaping. He has been very responsive to all our requests and email -- even when on vacation in Europe. We are quite pleased with his services and his design.
Angelee S.
Jul 01, 2016
Johan just completed a front yard landscape job for us and it was a bare canvas full of weeds to begin with. Now it looks amazing! Johan does know his plants very well, as previous reviewers have noted. He also understood what I was looking for and transformed it into something I could afford to do. I wanted very different plants not commonly seen in landscapes and he was able to design something to incorporate this wish.
He also was able to suggest more economical alternatives for some ideas and projects I had in mind, and many of them panned out. Our yard is the envy of the neighborhood! Thank you Avant Gardener!
He also was able to suggest more economical alternatives for some ideas and projects I had in mind, and many of them panned out. Our yard is the envy of the neighborhood! Thank you Avant Gardener!
Bb M.
Apr 03, 2016
Johan Kahlstrom, the Avant Gardener, has this "magic touch" that transformed our hopeless, little garden into a charming oasis. We now share this place with hummingbirds that are lured by beautifully colorful plants Johan recommended. A little over six months ago I thought our small backyard was beyond repair until we met with the Avant Gardener. Johan saved our existing plants and blended them artfully with various new ones that he recommended.
He also made lots of ingenious suggestions (adding drought tolerant plants) and voila - a totally new, wonderful garden emerged right in front of our eyes. Thanks to his vision and hard work we can now see beautiful flowers out of the windows, pick our own organic herbs for home cooking and finally enjoy our outdoor living. Johan has helped to add new value to our life style (and without breaking the bank, too). Many thanks, Johan!
He also made lots of ingenious suggestions (adding drought tolerant plants) and voila - a totally new, wonderful garden emerged right in front of our eyes. Thanks to his vision and hard work we can now see beautiful flowers out of the windows, pick our own organic herbs for home cooking and finally enjoy our outdoor living. Johan has helped to add new value to our life style (and without breaking the bank, too). Many thanks, Johan!
Chris M.
Dec 15, 2012
Johan designed, planted and maintains my little garden in the Mission. Prior to Johan I had a 10 x 3 strip of "outdoor" space. Basically a sad, weedy place. He transformed into a sculpted jungle. Warm, cozy, and a real retreat from the city. I love it. I will be working with him on another upcoming project, a small kitchen garden. Can't wait to get it started.
Erica B.
Feb 27, 2011
Johan is truly the 'constant gardener'. He is very knowledgeable about any and everything landscape and truly has a passion for what he does. He puts 100% into everything he does and on top of this, he is very kind and approachable. I would recommend him to anyone looking for gardening/landscape design in the Berkeley/Oakland area.
