H2 Xero Landscape

Jul 2017

If a review could merit 6 stars, H2Xero would get it. I interviewed four firms to xeriscape our front yard. H2Xero based in Westminster, Orange County was the pick. There was an initial consultation fee, but it was reasonable, and applied toward the job if we hired them. Both owner Tina and her designer Jen, who eventually helmed this project, inspected our front and back yard carefully, took tons of notes, and listened, listened, listened! Even more crucially for me, although H2Xero are a landscape design firm, for this job H2Xero was willing to manage the contractor's installation work. That was worth its weight in gold. Finally, Jen's plan and plant choices complied with Long Beach's Lawn2Garden rebate program. It took three months to kill the 1,400 sq. ft. front lawn. Actual installation took just six days -- completely astonishing for such a complex plan. Over 60 feet of decomposed granite pathways curve around two gentle hills. A partly shaded sitting area with bench overlooks a realistic, functional stream bed with a french drain under the garage's rain gutter, which channels rainwater away from the house and back into the landscape, totally smart. 70 feet of curbside strip, planted to be walkable. Another 70 foot strip up the property line toward the house, and two small beds by the front door. A few large boulders scattered on the hills to match the stream bed. Jen drew up the large-scale, professional plans the contractor needs, also acceptable to Long Beach's rebate program. We went over and over her helpful color printout of the chosen water-wise plants palette, highlighting oranges and purples, ornamental grasses and statement aloes. Jen sourced all the plants, patiently emailing back and forth with non-texter me re: plants the nurseries had, and first and second choices. She also incorporated cuttings of succulents I already had, plus an aloe dug out of our back yard, which saved us some money. When the large, colorful boulders arrived, contractor Jose Partida's gardener company's workers helped me pick perfect spots to feature them. From useless, flat patch of grass to delightful ecosystem! The stream bed is so colorful and lovely, the mix of rough and rounded stones so natural that it feels like hiking in the San Gabriels. The well-tamped DG pathways are wheelchair-usable. Shady new seating lets us enjoy our front yard, which we never did before. Best of all is the carefully artistic plant PLACEMENT -- from flower colors to types of foliage -- that catches your eye and pleasantly leads it around and around the whole property. Our yard seems so much bigger than before! Clumps of deer grass, grama grass and amusing "Cousin It" shrubs catch every breeze (our delighted cat thinks the swaying grass was planted just for him). The curves of the granite walkways and meanders of the stream bed are highly graceful, they lead the eye down the street, and just seem to expand the experience of being in this beautiful front yard. The bark mulch has a pleasant, woodsy aroma when watered. Cars actually slow down when they pass our house. I've gotten tons of thumbs-up from neighbors I never knew. My husband parks by the curb after his long commute home, walks the gracefully curved footpath "over the river and through the woods," and arrives at our front porch smiling. That's the best thing. Or maybe it's the gently hilly, magically better views looking out through our master bedroom and bathroom windows. Who knew that ripping out a boring lawn for a drought-tolerant xeriscape could add so much enjoyment to the inside of your home?! I am happy to give H2Xero Landscape my highest recommendation. Ultimate compliment? I paid them MORE than their final invoice. Jen's thorough prep, hard work and above-and-beyond managing of the contractor (not even her job), merited more.