Vision Garden Design -

K Dahl

When an originally small project turned into something where we wanted to reimagine our front and back yard, we searched for a landscape designer. After many conversations, we were lucky to meet Robin who helped us transform vague ideas into a beautiful result with harmony, charm and taste. Robin’s easy manner, responsiveness and knowledge made her far and away the best choice. We could not have conceptualized what was possible without Robin’s insight, and the results far exceeded our expectations. We recommend Robin to friends and could not endorse her more highly! You will love working with Robin.

Yuan Weigel

6 years after moving into our current house, we finally decided to update / upgrade the landscaping. We knew we wanted the front yard to be warm yet discourages our 4-legged neighbors from leaving souvenirs. We wanted our backyard to be a place where we can entertain our friends or relax on our own. Not being particularly creative myself, I knew I could not just hire a landscape contractor on my own because I would not be able to provide the directions needed to guide this project. After asking for referrals on NextDoor, perusing Yelp reviews and exchanging emails with potential designers, I chose Vision Design to help lead this project. Why? Robin was responsive, very fair on the price, and we hit it off during the initial meeting which continued throughout the project.

After going through several rounds of design, we settled on something that we felt represented what we were looking for while meting our budget constraints. Our front yard and backyard (scope creep - lol) ended up having elements of lawn, fruit trees, veneers, water feature, pavers - the whole span.

Besides hiring Robin for the design phase, we also hired her to help us with the implementation phase which included getting and reviewing bids with contractors and making sure what they implemented was to the design spec. We ended up going with a landscape contractor that Robin had recommended and we could not be happier. The whole project went extremely smoothly, and when we did have last minute changes, they both worked with us on cost/benefit/timing options. One of the best things about working with Robin and the team she recommended was that they didn’t hesitate to make recommendations and express their opinions. This didn’t mean that I always went with their suggestion, but I always felt like I had all the options available to me and the information they provided enabled me to make the right call.

After the project, Robin came onsite several times to ensure everything is going well, and that we were pleased with the outcome. Her thoughtfulness and follow through is rare in my own experience dealing with vendors.

We have now been in this house for seven years and we never had anyone comment about the look of the house until after the project was completed. We got several unsolicited “Your House is beautiful!” and someone even said our yard was “Talk of the Town”.

Bottom line: Would I recommend Robin - WHOLE HEARTEDLY!

Kate Longcore

We decided to hire a landscape designer because we wanted to do an overhaul of our outdoor space and only had an incomplete idea for what we wanted. After we met with Robin, we were confident that she would be able to translate those fragments into a cohesive plan that would maximize how we use our outdoor space. Robin redesigned our front, side, and back yards in a way that met all of our needs and incorporated a number of elements we never would have thought of on our own. We finished our project just as the wet winter was winding down, and we have been enjoying the space Robin designed ever since!

Throughout every stage of the project, we appreciated Robin’s attention to detail. She was also very responsive and patient with us as we took our time making some decisions. For all of these reasons, we would highly recommend working with Robin!

Fan Cox

Working with Robin on our new garden design was one of the best decisions I’ve made. My husband and I were skeptical about hiring a designer before, but now we understand the value of having a good designer. With Robin’s detailed design plan, we ended up finishing the job way faster and even under budget (can you believe it in Bay Area?). Although design takes time, it actually saves money and time during construction.
We picked Robin because we were impressed by her website. We liked the clarity when she communicated the process. She did not disappoint us. During actual working with her, she continued to be detail oriented, responsive, and accommodating. Robin is super knowledgeable about plants. Robin also designs for the long run - sustainable and easy maintenance. We trusted her advice and were so glad to have her help!

Jason Lee

Robin was wonderful. We are very pleased with the results.

Great design, easy to work with, fair pricing and she has great connections to landscape installers and nurseries.

We procrastinated upgrading our landscaping for too many years. We wanted to do ourselves but never had the time. So I researched several landscape designers and chose Robin. The advantage of going with a landscape designer is we had the ability to get competitive bids for the best price and service. Robin provided us with some recommended installers. The problem with going with a one stop design and install landscaping company is you are not sure you are getting the best price and many of them are not professionally trained designers.

I highly recommend Robin based on the fine work she did for us.

Alice Wang

Review for Robin

Robin is very organized, communicative and patient. We worked on my project design for 6 months. She helped to me through the bidding process and monitored the implementation process. It was important for me to have a professional overseeing the entire project end-to-end. Robin has a wealth of professional contacts and information in the field of landscaping design and installation. They came in handy. During the installation she was responsive to changes and adapted well to new ideas. In addition, Robin is an expert in plants! If you are only thinking about a refresher for your garden instead of a full re-design, she will be fantastic at that too. I highly recommend Robin as an all-round landscaping expert!

Susan Graham

For the last 20 years we have made changes to our front and back yards, here and there, but it was time for a major overhaul, and that meant hiring a professional designer. After searching various online sites and seeing many glowing reviews, we contacted Robin Salsburg. From our first contact, Robin was engaging and open and so easy to work with. She listened, asked questions, and helped us figure out exactly what we wanted. For our front yard, she designed a beautiful low-water garden with a mix of succulents, perennials, and a small low-water lawn alternative. In back, she gave us two new flagstone patios, a new staircase, and a wonderful collection of evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and flowers that have truly transformed how we view and use our backyard. In addition to designing the yards, Robin facilitated the installation of the projects. This was just as invaluable to us as the design itself! She continues to be a wonderful source for any questions we have about plant care and concerns. We highly recommend Robin for anyone looking to re-landscape.

Jo Ann Thomas

We desired a landscape of the quality featured in horticultural magazines but did not have the expertise to create such a design. We interviewed several landscape designers, but they lacked the ability to meet our goals. We then contacted Robin, and we immediately knew that Robin would be able to meet all of our needs.

We have a sizeable front yard and wanted it to look beautiful while being mindful of water consumption. Robin helped us identify the types of low-water plants we liked and created a palette that was very pleasing to us. In addition to the plants, Robin designed all the other parts of our landscape including a new paver driveway and front porch, flagstone walkways, drip irrigation, pathway lighting, and a drought resistant lawn.

The installed landscape has far surpassed our expectations and is more than we ever imagined. Working with Robin was a joy. She is extremely knowledgeable in all areas of landscape design and installation. She has an artistic vision, is articulate, and is extremely detailed orientated. She is sensitive and diplomatic, but can be assertive when needed. She is professional, but most of all, she is fun to work with! We highly recommend her without reservation.