Custom planting design, artificial turf, xeriscape, native plants, and ground covers installed with an eye for detail and built around your space, your lifestyle, and your budget. No paid design concept required.
Most landscaping companies ask you to pay for a design concept before any work begins. J’s Landscaping doesn’t. Our consultants bring years of expertise in what works and what looks great in the Pacific Northwest, and they design with an eye for detail as they install.
We serve both sides of the Columbia River—Clark County, WA and the Portland-metro Oregon side including North Portland, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tualatin. J’s holds both a Washington contractor license (#JCSUSCL919DT) and an Oregon Landscape Contractors Board license (OLCB #8806). Every design project is managed by a dedicated coordinator from consultation through installation and final walkthrough.
01 PLANTING DESIGN
A well-planted landscape is the most personal outdoor space you can create, and the one that changes most noticeably with the seasons. At J's Landscaping, we start every planting project with a listening session. We want to know what you love, what you've tried that didn't work, what your neighbors have that you admire, and what you want to walk out to every morning. That context drives every plant selection we make.
We work across the full plant palette—flowering perennials, ornamental grasses, flowering shrubs, seasonal annuals, evergreen structure plants, and climbing vines. We plan for year-round interest, not just a spring flush, and we design with the scale of your space in mind so nothing outgrows its home in three years. Every planting installation includes proper soil preparation, amendment, and mulching to give your plants the best start possible in Clark County's clay-heavy native soil.
02 LAWN & TURF INSTALLATION
A lawn is often the centerpiece of a residential landscape and getting it right from the start saves years of frustrating repair work. In the Pacific Northwest, grass establishment timing matters enormously: fall seeding takes advantage of natural rainfall and cooler temperatures, while spring sodding requires more supplemental irrigation to get established. We advise on timing and species selection based on your specific sun exposure, soil type, and
how the lawn will be used.
Artificial turf has become a genuinely compelling option for many Clark County and Portland-metro homeowners, particularly for dog runs, side yards that receive too much shade for natural grass, high traffic play areas, and homeowners who want to eliminate lawn maintenance entirely. Modern turf products look and feel dramatically better than the options available even five years ago. We install turf that drains properly, holds its color through hot summers, and comes with manufacturer warranties. We'll give you an honest comparison of both options so you can make the right choice for your property.
03 WATER-SMART DESIGN
Xeriscaping is often mischaracterized as a yard full of rocks and succulents. Done well in the Pacific Northwest, it's something entirely different, a lush, layered landscape that requires minimal irrigation because every plant was chosen to thrive on natural Pacific Northwest rainfall patterns. Vancouver's wet winters and dry summers create a specific set of conditions that xeriscape design is uniquely suited for.
We design xeriscape yards that look intentional and beautiful, not sparse. The approach starts with eliminating water-hungry turf in areas where it's purely functional, replacing it with drought-tolerant ground covers, ornamental grasses, and deep-rooted shrubs that build water reserves during the wet season and draw on them through summer. Mulching is a critical component, a 3-inch layer of quality bark mulch over properly amended soil can cut water loss by 50–70%. The result is a yard that looks great in July without running a sprinkler every other day.
04 ECOLOGICAL DESIGN
Pacific Northwest native plants have spent thousands of years adapting to our specific rainfall, soil, and temperature cycles. Once established, typically after one to two growing seasons, they require dramatically less water, fertilizer, and intervention than nonnative ornamentals. They also support the local food web: native flowering plants feed the pollinators that keep neighboring gardens productive, and native berry-producing shrubs support songbirds, hummingbirds, and wildlife year-round.
We design native plant gardens that are genuinely attractive, not just ecologically responsible. Pacific Northwest natives like red flowering currant, Oregon grape, sword fern, camas, and vine maple offer real seasonal beauty alongside their ecological value. We can design a fully native landscape, incorporate native species into an existing design as accent plants, or create a dedicated wildlife garden with habitat features like brush piles and water sources. We serve Clark County, WA and the Portland metro—both of which have strong native plant communities and local nursery resources we know well.
05 GROUND COVER & FINISH
Ground covers are the finish work of a landscape, they suppress weeds, retain soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, and give the whole design a polished, intentional appearance. In the Pacific Northwest, the choice between organic mulch (barkdust, wood chips, compost mulch) and inorganic ground covers (river rock, decomposed granite, crushed basalt) has real functional implications beyond aesthetics.
Organic mulch breaks down over time, feeding the soil and the plants growing in it, ideal for planting beds where you want biological activity and long-term soil improvement. Rock and gravel don't break down, so they're better suited for pathways, xeriscape areas where you don't want organic matter accumulating, and foundation areas where drainage is critical. We source quality materials from regional suppliers and install with proper weed barrier fabric under rock applications to prevent long-term weed problems. Annual or biennial replenishment of bark mulch is one of the highest-ROI landscape maintenance tasks a homeowner can do, and we include recommendations for timing in every installation.
We walk your yard, listen to your goals, and assess your soil, grade, sun exposure, and drainage before recommending a single plant.
A clear, itemized estimate covering plants, materials, and labor. No paid design package required before you see numbers.
Soil prep, irrigation coordination, and PM-overseen planting with adjustments made in real time, not through a revision process.
We walk the finished landscape with you and provide care guidance before we leave your property.
If you are looking for a landscape company to come out and either assist with a new yard or completely transform your exiting yard, I would 100% highly recommend J’s Custom Landscaping for your job. From the consultation we had with Jason Berry to the post completion follow through we ... Read more
Adolfo, Jose and Jesus were the A-Team for my project!!! Nick was great to talk to and understood what I wanted then moved my project up when the “A-Team” were available!!! I am so grateful to hem for doing such a great job and understanding my budget issues! ... Read more
We loved the work that Pedro, Jose and Juan did! They exceeded all expectations and I highly recommend this company. Jay put together a detailed and professional proposal so that you knew exactly what you are getting. Another proposal we got was just numbers scribbled on a ... Read more
This company is above reproach! We're so excited to see our yard this Spring. It already looks so beautiful. The Team Oscar, Filiberto and Oscar too, were kind and worked so very hard every day. They kept us in the loop the entire projects. Can't wait to work with them ... Read more
Nick from J's Custom Landscaping operates with high integrity. Before I explain that, I must share a short backstory. For more than a year, my husband contacted countless (10?) local landscape companies to request bids for landscaping and irrigation. Many of them were referrals from friends, yet everyone we contacted ... Read more
We have enjoyed working with Jay's Custom landscaping. They put in quite a lot of retaining wall and made our sloped lot much more usable. It is a true joy to work with Jason Berry; he is responsive, and both he and Jay worked with us to ensure ... Read more
We just had our backyard redone by J's Landscaping. Before it was just a swampy mess of mushy grass that wouldn't drain, even after wasting our money on installing 2 French drains. Just look at it now! Jay and his team made all the difference. Knowledgeable, courteous, creative, flexible, very reasonable, ... Read more
We have worked with Jay's Custom Landscaping for many years as we have built homes in the area. They are consistently creative, hard-working, and willing to go above and beyond to create spaces that you will enjoy for years. They have dealt with difficult drainage issues, poor soil, steep ... Read more
Chris is absolutely amazing! From the moment he arrived, he was patient, attentive, and truly went above and beyond to address every question I had about my sprinkler system. He took the time to explain what he was doing and why, making sure I understood each step of the process. ... Read more
J's Custom Landscape has been an amazing partner in the process of landscaping our new home and property. Even before our house was completed Jay came out and walked the property with us to discuss the vision of what we wanted to do with it and how he could ... Read more
I honestly couldn't say enough nice things about the work J's Custom Landscaping did and how easy it was to work with Nick. From the start everything was efficient and he was always available to answer my questions and very flexible when it came to dealing with my indecisiveness over ... Read more
Excellent service and results. Rapid installation, pleasant crews, professional team. As a Civil Engineer and satisfied customer I highly recommend Jay and his team.
We had J's Custom Lanscaping out today to take a look at some drainage problems we're having at our new home in Ridgefield. Nick came out and detected a major contractor's mistake that has led to a torrent of water onto our property. His expert observations helped us ... Read more
Jay and his team were amazing. Our neighbors cut all their trees and Jay and his team came, reviewed and had a plan in mind. His team planted a row of 200+ ft of various evergreen fast growing trees and they are great. During the hot summer he provided the ... Read more
Let's create an outdoor space you'll love. Our team is ready to listen to your vision and bring it to life.
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