GardenWise

Mark and the GardenWise team designed and installed a completely new garden for us following a major house renovation, which resulted in a smaller garden space with new levels to take into account. Mark really took on board our main requirements for an informal, woodland style garden with easy maintenance and year round interest; his first design was pretty much spot on for our needs. The design favors the simplicity we sought as well as bringing features we would never have thought of like huge white flower pots, which look amazing and generate a lot of conversation, and the firefly tree lights, which create a lovely night-time ambiance, commented on by many of our neighbors! The team who installed the garden worked quickly and professionally, cleaning up everything when they finished. As we enjoy the second full season of the garden, we appreciate how the different plants and parts of the garden have established themselves and bloom one after another as the seasons unfold; all seem well-suited to our garden, with very few deaths in the family! I would also mention that Mark sourced all our garden furniture and we particularly appreciate the comfort of the woven chairs, which are hard-wearing and don't need cushions, thus encouraging us to pop out and sit in the garden at any time! Our thanks to the GardenWise team.

We had the pleasure of working with Mark at Gardenwise for the second time, and I can't express enough how impressed we are with his talent and dedication. Mark and his team took our concrete terrace in the heart of Arlington and transformed it into a serene oasis that exceeded all our expectations. Mark's thoughtful design brought our outdoor space to life with a perfect blend of lush greenery, unique plants, and strategically placed trees. The addition of metal design accents, a water feature, drip irrigation, and landscape lighting gave our terrace an elegant and welcoming atmosphere. What sets Mark apart is his ability to truly understand his clients' vision and then execute it flawlessly. He not only created a beautiful garden for us but also a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Mark's expertise and creativity shine through in every aspect of his work. Working with Mark and his team was a seamless and enjoyable experience. They were professional, attentive, and clearly passionate about what they do. Mark ensured that every detail was considered, making the entire process stress-free. We are thrilled with the result, and we would recommend Mark at Gardenwise to anyone looking to transform their outdoor space. His talent and commitment to his craft are evident in the stunning garden he created for us. We couldn't be happier with the results. Thank you, Mark, for your exceptional work, and we look forward to enjoying our beautiful garden for years to come.

We couldn't be happier with GardenWise. We worked with Mark and his wonderful team in phases over a number of years to design and implement our dream landscaping for all of our outside space. He was patient, creative, thoughtful about sustainability and what native plantings would thrive in our location, and the final product is just so unique and makes me smile every time I look outside. From the variety of trees, plantings, flowers, grasses, and how it all works together, is just magic For example, we have a rock river that looks both beautiful and is functional in addressing water drainage and runoff. We have gorgeous lavender in our front that our whole neighborhood enjoys as they walk by. The balance of texture, color, height, and fullness of the landscaping felt customized to our home, tastes, locale, and footprint, which also was important to us. Finally, his attention to the gorgeous stonework hardscape, wood work with a gazebo (including moving its location!), and lighting was also impeccable. I'm a very tough grader and just have the highest praise with the result.

Mark and his terrific team designed and managed the installation of beautiful stone walls, large stone steps, front and side landscaping, and an irrigation system for us. We’re on a hill so some of the work was necessary to manage drainage. But we also love the way it looks! Mark is very knowledgeable and pays attention to detail. It’s been especially exciting this spring watching the plants unfold as the weather has gotten warmer.

Gardenwise is a highly professional operation and I would love to work with Mark and his team again. I am thrilled with the garden oasis Gardenwise created for my 1920 Arlington bungalow. The project included renovation of an old “garage” into a decorative garden shed with lighting and a porch, a flagstone patio and walk, a vase fountain, a fire pit, furnishings, and of course lots of plants and lighting.

Mark and his team at GardenWise are truly professionals and I love my new back yard and deck. They installed a gorgeous stone patio, rebuilt my small deck, installed irrigation and lighting. Everyone that worked on my project were considerate and preformed beautiful work. I liked that Mark listened to what I wanted and remembered small details. The plants he chose were perfect for the space and created the privacy we needed.

Mark and his team did a wonderful job transforming our yard and almost doubling the size of our living space. He worked with us to design the space to our needs, built it in phases to meet our schedule and has done a great job helping us maintain it over the past few years. The original space as shown below was just not useable and was rarely used. The new space, also shown below, is used during all seasons and Mark even had the vision to convert the garage into a home office/garage. All around, a great team to work with and someone who I have already recommended to family and friends.

GardenWise has done a superb job in reimagining and renovating my outdoor courtyard. They have implemented a complete overhaul to my patio space by illuminating it with a sophisticated lighting scheme, brilliant ornamental plantings, a deluxe built-in grilling station, chic furnishings and a deep-seated conversation area constructed with refined woodwork. Mark White, Jane O’Brien and their team are extremely talented and I have felt comforted working with them throughout the design process. I highly recommend their stellar landscaping and design services.

Mark helped us to fully remodel the small patio in the back of our rowhouse located in the Logan Circle area. We loved his simple modern design and in particular the European trees he suggested we planted. The fountain also turned out beautiful.

Mark redesigned our small backyard and front yard with the goal of utilizing the space better. The result is that our backyard now looks much bigger, yet at the same time more cozy, with a water feature that catches your eye as soon as you enter our house. We have ample space for a hammock under a vine-laden pergola, a sitting area in front of the fountain, a dining area, and an outdoor kitchen. He had to contend with a county-ordained planter box that was awkwardly placed, but the kitchen hides it well. We also ripped up part of our long driveway and installed a side yard, so I would have a better view out my side window. In the front, we eliminated the grass and went with all ground cover, which means no more mowing! Mark's design ideas were more than we could have imagined ourselves when we started the project and we pretty much went with all of his proposals. Now we are just waiting for the plants to grow into their space and to get new furniture!

GardenWise has done a terrific job on our roof top garden in Washington DC. From a fabulous design, perfect realization and convenient ongoing maintenance, modernization and upkeep. Its a challenge to have a great deck in the city but GardenWise makes it seem easy. If you are planning a new deck or revitalizing an existing one, I'd strongly recommend that you give Mark a call.

We hired Gardenwise to landscape our entire yard after we rebuilt our house. When we first met, we told Mark we wanted an outdoor living space that included the following: built-in bar with grill, spacious space for hosting family/friends, and a separate space where we could watch TV and/or smoke cigars. Additionally, we wanted to enhance our front yard curb appeal. After we had the initial meeting with Mark he worked with his team to come up a beautiful and creative landscape design. He did a good job taking our initial ideas and turning them into reality. His attention to detail is truly remarkable and we always felt like Mark was treating our yard like it was his own. We also were very happy with his team of people who were courteous and professional at all times. Mark isnt the cheapest guy to handle your landscaping, but we feel like he is the best. We would recommend him to anyone looking for interesting design and high quality.

Last Spring when I was seeking a garden makeover to complement our recent house renovation, I asked my contractors for the renovation who they most liked in the area. Mark White and GardenWise came highly recommended, and now I can do the same. From initial concept to completion, it has been a pleasure to work with the professionals at GardenWise. Ours was a major project, and Mark cleverly worked the design around the renovated exterior spaces, and he suggested, then implemented, significant changes as well. We have a upgraded and refreshed garden that really works as a three season living area in the back and a lovely and sophisticated face of the house in front. Thanks, Mark, and thanks to your staff and all your subcontractors. I love my yard!

GardenWise replaced a failing retaining wall for us which required removing and replacing existing plantings, designing a new outdoor staircase, and designing new plantings for the area below the new wall. It was a very complicated process both to plan and execute this project. The work went very well and even finished before schedule. Mark White saved boulders that would otherwise have had to be removed and used them creatively in the new landscaping and to create the new stairs from our patio to the street. We are very happy with the end result.

My interior design company has collaborated with Gardenwise on several projects and it's always been a great experience. Mark is wonderful to work with, he listens to what the client is interested in and makes hardscape and landscaping recommendations that combine the client's desires with his deep and comprehensive knowledge of all the aspects of his craft. The outcome is always a fun collaboration and a gorgeous exterior that continually looks incredible as the years go by.

Nearing completion of a major renovation project, it was important for us to find a Landscape Architect that could extend our design style to an outdoor living space. Mark and his Team at GardenWise exceeded all expectations with artistic creativity, attention to details, and a service approach that made us feel like part of his family. Landscaping highlights architecture, but in our case it became the highlight. We recommend Mark for inspiration, collaboration and, ultimately, design excellence. Mike and Keri

Mark is thoughtful and professional. He has a keen design aesthetic and a responsive office team. I would work with him again on future projects.

We contracted with Garden Wise to provide comprehensive landscaping designs and then to build a front walkway, back stone patio, install lights, and do some minor planting. Mark put together some really great designs for us. However, when we moved to execution of the project we were very disappointed. It seems like Mark sub-contracts most of the work (at least the stone and electrical). There is zero quality control. It took two passes to get the stonework right and it was always us inspecting the work and pushing Garden Wise to come fix it. The same issue arose with the electrical. We have gone through two years of renovations with lots of contractors and this one was the most disappointing. There was also issues with over billing where they charged for the install of sod that never happened. After Mark attempted to provide a math lesson on square feet vs linear feet, he finally "checked with his foreman" to determine that they did in fact not install 80 square feet of grass that we had been charged for. They eventually refunded us.

We hired Gardenwise to do a major redesign of a small but complex garden project for us. The design work was quite thoughtful and creative in terms of hardscape, materials, site organization and special features. The subcontractors they used, especially the masons, were extremely capable in all aspects of their work and took pride in making sure the end product reflected the high expectations we had. Any concerns we had were addressed and taken care of during the process. The office team at Gardenwise placed most of their energy in being strong landscape designers and less energy in being attentive communicators but were still able to bring this project to a successful conclusion.

Gardenwise provided excellent service from our first meeting for an estimate to the final installation of plants and lighting. We had a wall rebuilt, walkway rebricked, electrical components added as well as a new design and installation of plants and shrubs. Mark White, the project designer and owner of the company talked through various options for our project and oversaw the completion of each stage of our project. We continue to receive very positive comments from neighbors about our project. We highly recommend their services.

I worked closely with Mark White at GardenWise to design and install new hardscape and landscape for both my front and backyard. Mark provided excellent consultation and designs for the work that was ultimately installed. He provided very knowledgeable guidance on the plantings to select, the materials and design for the deck that was built, suggestions on lights to install, and always had options available if something needed to be changed. My front and backyard are exactly what I expected and was hoping for - extremely pleased with the work that was done.

I live in a town house in Arlington, My back yard is small and was just a jungle, GardenWise designed a beautiful slate and brick patio with a wall seating areas with landscaping and a water fountain feature with an irrigation system. They also designed the small front area and installed an irrigation system. The work included removing several large trees and shrubbery from the back yard as well as doing the masonry work and the landscape planting. The work was done on time and the workmen were pleasant and efficient. We were very pleased. We are proud of our back patio now.

We live in a traditional rowhouse in Washington DC. GardenWise transformed our backyard into a multilevel living space. The area started as nothing more than an unattractive concrete parking spot. GardenWise completely transformed it, making it two levels. The top is the primary living area with stone patio and built-in grill. The bottom remains functional as a parking space, but also seemlessly transforms into additional entertaining space. GardenWise created a beautiful Tuscan-themed space, with stonework, columns and trellis. We cannot say enough good things about GardenWise. They were absolutely fantastic to work with and created a space that completely exceded our expections. They were far more creative and much less expensive than the other vendors that we interviewed. They were also incredibly efficient and responsive. We highly recommend them and continue to use them every opportunity that we have.

We hired GardenWise to install plantings in our side yard to hide a new generator, replace our flagstone patio in the backyard with one that had a smaller footprint, and install new plantings around the patio. We love Mark's design, and his team did an excellent job with the patio and installation. Two things that makes Mark standout are his responsiveness and his flexibility. This project was not a huge one for GardenWise, but they worked around the constant rescheduling by Washington Gas, helped protect our existing plantings from damage by their subcontractors, and produced a backyard space that we have enjoyed every night since it was completed (on time by the way).

I recommend Gardenwise without any hesitation. I had a vision of redoing my compact back space in the historic area of Capitol Hill and J. Mark White turned it into reality. I stipulated I wanted a garden space with a pergola and a fireplace and a new carport that would include an outdoor Kitchen space -- and then wallah! I now have a back yard for entertaining guests with everything needed and then some. The project was completed (for the most part) on-time and well over budget (but because I wanted the highest quality of products and added many more ad-ons along the way)! Thanks Mark and team for a high quality luxury job well done!

Gardenwise brought our home, built on the eve of World War II, into the 21st century. Appearance. Accessibility. Use of space. Easy care. Eco-sensitivities. All are addressed in the design and work of the craftsmen who worked with us. In the lead up to the project and as it proceeded, Mark listened to our thoughts. And as we asked, he challenged us to think more practically at times, and more aesthetically at others. The net result is far better than we ourselves could have even described. The tradesmen paid attention to every detail as they followed the plans. When there was a question, we were able to consult and get the answers we wanted. Everything has come together not only in keeping with our expectations, but better. Few contracting jobs have been more positive in very sense than this! We love the results.

Mark White/GardenWise completed an extensive front/back landscaping plan which we are in the process of implementing. Mark did an excellent job in redesigning our front entryway and creating a unique entertaining space in the back. We installed an arts and crafts fence, added a water feature, and created a grill area. The work quality was excellent from the stone masons to the fence carpentry to the installation of the plantings. We would highly recommend GardenWise.

I hired Mark White and his firm to completely landscape the yard for our Arts & Crafts bungalow. We had some ideas of what we wanted but Mark took those and developed a plan significantly beyond our input. It was creative and wonderful -- and perennials bloom every season. He put in walls, walkways, raised beds, stone stairs and wonderful and healthy trees and plants. I use him at least twice a year on an ongoing basis to maintain, and improve the landscape. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

My husband and I used GardenWise, Inc. to build a patio in our backyard. J. Mark White created an “out of the box” design that included a raised terrace with a built-in kitchen and fire pit. The design emulated the contemporary feel that we were looking for. Mark and his team delivered the highest quality of service and workmanship. Mark was very involved in every step of the process and was instrumental in offering suggestions regarding the materials to be used for the lighting, cabinetry and fire pit. We are so pleased with our “backyard escape” and owe it all to GardenWise, Inc.

I so enjoyed working with each member of the team at GardenWise, throughout our project -- good listeners, professional, kind, and responsive, not to mention talented and creative designers with excellent problem-solving approach, and terrific craftsmen. Estimates and budgets were accurate. The attention to detail and commitment to quality were superb - - even re-doing something I had said we "could live with" but they could not! That really, really impressed me. The project included a new driveway, lots of stone wall work, a new patio, water feature, and several new and renovated planting beds. I am eager to see how the plants 'return" in the coming summer and how they mature to fulfill the envisioned design.