Kingsbury Garden Designs

I absolutely loved working with Dorrit. Dorrit is the consulate professional. Dorrit has great creative ideas, is very patient as well as a good listener. Our project was implemented on time. My biggest concern for landscaping our backyard was this huge privet that had been planted by the previous owners. A privet is really a shrub, but ours turned into a gigantic tree. I was so apprehensive to take the privet down. I thought it added character, even though it was extremely messy and stained the back patio. Dorrit persuaded me to remove the privet . I was so nervous as aesthetics are so important to me. Our garden was transformed and magical, thanks to Dorrit. We planted gorgeous mature thuja and hornbeam trees as part of the plan. Dorrit was able to procure really mature trees and high quality plants. The privet was not even missed. Our patio area was expanded as well as adding beautiful roses and hydrangeas. Everyone who walks into our back patio area says it reminds them of Europe. Every time I walk into the garden or view the garden from my French doors I smile. It brings me so much happiness. I can't thank Dorrit enough for her design and creativity in creating a magical space.

I had the pleasure of working with Dorrit on transforming my yard in December of 2023, and I couldn’t be happier with the end result. Her sensitivity to my preferences was evident throughout the entire process. She was able to design the landscape in a way that fully integrated my vision, while contributing new ideas and suggestions. The result was a beautifully executed yard. One standout aspect of Dorrit's service was the high quality of plants she had access to. I highly recommend Dorrit!

Dorrit Kingsbury is a one-of-a-kind in her field and I highly recommend her. We have worked with Dorrit on multiple projects, the most recent of which was removing our expansive lawn (I was loath to do this!) and redoing our front garden with a less water-intensive design. With this project being driven primarily by a concern for water conservation and me coming to it somewhat reluctantly, Dorrit really had her work cut out for her! Now, about a year after the new garden was installed I am so happy driving up to my home each day to rediscover Dorrit's uniquely modern and yet timeless design... our garden literally looks like it should grace the cover of a magazine. Beyond Dorrit's design vision, she is adept at sticking to budget, offering lots of options, and continuing to work with me to best maintain the garden.

Dorrit did an extensive and challenging project for us. We wanted to unify two back yards at different ground levels. Her suggestions were so smart. She designed the look of our new unified back yard, created two front yards that complimented each other beautifully, and helped us unify the looks of the two two homes. The results were absolutely outstanding. Dorrit is very creative, has high standards of quality and she is willing to go far and beyond to make her clients happy. I fully recommend her.

Dorrit came highly recommended from a couple sources and we are so happy she was available to help us with our project. She designed three different areas of our yard-the front, side and back yard. She tuned in to our wants and needs and came up with a gorgeous plan. We love Dorrit's aesthetic and the way she layers plants. The transformation is pretty amazing! The people she recommended for hardscape and planting were great to work with as well. Everything came together and we absolutely love it. We would definitely work with her again.

I came across Dorrit's work 8 years ago and finally had the opportunity to work with her. We hired her for a complete landscape redesign (front and back) in Palo Alto, with some hardscape, lighting elements. Dorrit listened and delivered on all of our priorities, a quality we found rare among the various subcontractors we've worked with. When we asked for something she thought wouldn't work, she collaborated with us to find a better solution. As clients with a strong aesthetic but no knowledge of plant material or landscape design, Dorrit really added value as both a great collaborator and a source of terrific ideas. Ultimately, she required little to no micromanaging and we found her standards to be high. It was a pleasure to work with Dorrit and we would do it over and over again. The landscape she designed was also selected for the local garden tour, so that tells you the finished product really shines, in addition to being a perfectly designed space for our family.

Dorrit developed a gorgeous garden for our house in Menlo Park. It is colorful, inviting, and warm. She has extremely high standards, and really listened to what we needed and wanted. We are grateful to her for her help, advice, and beautiful design work.

We've worked on countless projects with Dorrit for many years as a supplier and consultant. Her quality of work and attention to detail has been exceptional. She's a very talented professional who exhibits a refined understanding of design and project management.

I would highly recommend Dorrit Kingsbury of Kingsbury Garden Designs. Her vision and creativity to develop a unique and fully integrated design is unsurpassed by any landscape designer that I have ever worked with. My garden looks amazing! Dorrit frequently stopped by to make sure that every aspect of the installation was flawless. Her attention to detail and consistent follow through was impressive. She always put the client first and was proactive to make sure that "everything was just right" at every step. Dorrit also came up with a plan to reuse my current plants and reincorporate them where possible without compromising the overall design. She was extremely fair and professional in her approach. I can not say enough about my exceptionally positive experience in working with Dorrit. I would highly recommend her for any scale project. Her vision, attention to detail and complete commitment to ensuring the best possible outcome is truly remarkable.

We have worked with Dorrit over a number of years to design and install a complete renovation of our landscape. We couldn’t think of a better a better person to work with. Hire her if you can, you’d be fortunate to have her!

We highly recommend Dorrit Kingsbury of Kingsbury Garden Designs. We engaged Dorrit after she was referred to us by a friend whose garden had wowed us. We were interested in a long-term project that involved saving and maintaining plants during a large remodel of our home, designing and implementing both hardscaping and landscaping in our front garden and redesigning our existing back garden to better compliment the modern architecture of our new home. Dorrit jumped right in and came up with a plan for moving our current plants to locations where they could survive the remodel (which they did!). When it came time to design the front garden, Dorrit met with us to discuss our vision and our goals. She listened well and understood exactly the look we wanted. Included as part of the design process was a detailed budget that allowed us to understand the exact scope of expenses related to our preferred design. We loved Dorrit's initial design plan and, with very few modifications, we turned to implementation in our front garden of both hardscaping elements- a front landing and front walk, architectural elements- two concrete benches and three concrete columns, as well as an extremely well thought out landscaping plan that beautifully complemented the architecture of our new home. We gave Dorrit a real challenge in modifying our existing back garden, including a large patio and other hardscaping, with the hopes we could use many of the plants we already had. Dorrit was able to reimagine a garden I had come to find very messy and overgrown into a clean, thoughtful and smart design that salvaged much of what we already had and provided a cohesiveness to the design of our home that I feared was out of reach. In addition to the accomplished aesthetic of what Dorrit has achieved, one of the most important and most appreciated aspects of working with her is her dedication to following through on the vision of the design plans. Dorrit frequently came by the house to oversee every aspect of the installation, monitoring her subs and really owning the final outcome. It took so much pressure off of us as homeowners to know that she would ensure that the reality exactly matched the design. Her attention to detail and her dedication to client satisfaction cannot be overstated. We are thrilled with the result and would eagerly recommend her work!

I absolutely love my garden thanks to the help of Dorrit's sounds advice and exceptional creativity. I first came to see her work during the Gamble Garden Spring Tour several years ago and wanted that lush and traditional look for my own yard. The bit of increased privacy I was craving for our small front yard is now there and I look out my office window at a stunningly beautiful garden. I can't wait for next spring and summer to arrive when I will be rewarded with more growth, blooms, and beauty!