Michael D McIver | Landscape Design

I hired Mike after looking at this portfolio. I’m a California transplant to Oregon and wanted to bring some aspects of the California aesthetic to my home that I saw in his work. I had him design the entire yard, including hardscape, lighting, and other elements (screens, etc.) to replace my worn-out 75-year-old landscape. He provided a full design with drawings. I also retained Mike to assist with the project's construction, which was key to a fantastic result. He worked with the contractor to troubleshoot issues (a tricky floating stair layout on a slope for example) and enhance the design by tweaking plant positions to improve contrast with the house and other planting. Some plants needed to be swapped or replaced due to real-world conditions (yes—it’s hot and dry even in Oregon!), color variation, or plant availability. Having him help with the installation made an excellent landscape design even better. Mike was an absolute pleasure to work with, and when I asked for adjustments, he delivered, My neighbors constantly stop me to tell me how much they love the new yard, but most importantly, I love it too!

Mike planned and supervised the installation of a beautiful landscape project for my remodeled home, including the complete front exterior and two decks, The project included irrigation, drip systems for the extensive pots and trellised plants on both decks and lighting and irrigation for the front landscape beds. Additional features are a gate covering trash cans from view, stepping stones and stepable plants, trellised and espaliered vines, large pots displaying beautiful trees and a large varied selection of perennial and annual plants. Mike is very easy to work with, listens well and has wonderful ideas that he Carrie’s through to a professional completion. You will thoroughly enjoy working with on any project.!

We used Mike to design a pool and the surrounding area for our 1920s Spanish home. He went above and beyond what we expected of him. First of all, his designs spoke to my heart's innermost desires. All of the material- hardscape, pool, plants- were exactly what I dreamed it could be but could not express! His eye for detail and overall aesthetics is impeccable. Mike has years of experience with landscaping the big hotels in Las Vegas as well as a wealth of knowledge of horticulture. All of that experience and knowledge, along with his great sense of design and style, has resulted in a backyard space that elicits oohs and ahhs from our friends every time they come over! We are so proud of our outdoor space and it is all thanks to Mike! Even after he was done with our project, I have called upon him to bounce design ideas off of and to trouble shoot! He has never once not answered my call and has talked me off a ledge a time or two. I wish we had another project to work with him on. I miss talking to him about plants and design and Spanish architecture... and poodles. Seriously, this was the best experience I have ever had when it comes to home construction... and after redesigning three homes, I have had a lot of experience with contractors and designers.

We hired Mike for a total backyard redesign and he did a fantastic job. Our home is on a double lot and from 1932 and we wanted something that had patio, flower beds, play scape for our kids and a lawn as well as retaining walls. Our yard turned out better than what we had hoped and looks exactly as he drew the plans. He was a great listener and there were times when my husband and I had different ideas and he made great suggestions that worked for all. Mike brought a lot of knowledge about plant material and how to make one space flow into the next. Our patio was designed to work with a long porch and built in stone raised beds, the results were great. I wish I could include a picture of the space. We are very happy we hired him.

We hired Mike to do tropical landscaping, we couldn't be happier, our house is a tropical oasis now, mike is very knowledgeable about tropical plants and very easy to work with, and he always listens and tries to accommodate your needs.

We wanted to transform our property from a tragic look to one that complimented our Spanish Revival home. Mike had great ideas and vision. He was available to discuss our project. He works with a solid group of professionals that gave our project the very touches and techniques for which we were looking. He is also connected with individuals who provide decorative pottery at great prices. We are very happy with the completed look and people who walk by the property comment on how beautiful the place looks.

We engaged Mike McIver for our extensive landscape/hard scape design after we had admired his work at a neighbor’s home. Mike remained very involved from beginning to end, was very flexible and receptive to our personal input and took into consideration the overall “Spanish theme” of our home by selecting appropriate trees, plants and even searched for large planter pots to fit the style we hoped to achieve. No request was too big or too small for Mike, his response time to questions or concerns was immediate. We would highly recommend Mike for your landscaping/design project. Ray & Catherine Long Beach, Ca.

Michael’s knowledge and attention to detail made him an ideal partner in getting our landscape plan readied for the normally dreadful permit and approval process. He listened to our vision and was easygoing about guidance and practicality. Looking forward to finishing the really fun part — execution!

Mike and his team were such a pleasure to work with! Reliable, beautiful work with an exceptional eye for detail! From start to finish, I never had to worry about a thing. Everything was done properly and in a timely manner. Wonderful!

Michael produced a beautiful plan and the concrete and stonework was executed to our liking. HOWEVER, his landscaper began a second job unbeknownst to Mike and bailed out on our job. The crew that he sent were complete amateurs with no experience. They laid DG without weed cloth and we had to have plants removed to start over. Sprinkler system had several issues. Michael told us we were being vandalized. He placed a VERY large planter over the clean out drain in our backyard garden with a transplanted palm that is quite heavy. My husband was concerned that the pot would sink. Michael insisted it would not. Well it has since sunk over a foot. We will have to remove the plant and the pot. We’ve had to call him back so many times that he basically ignores our calls now. This was not our expectations after spending close to $50k for front and back yards. If you hire Michael for his design you won’t be disappointed. But I recommend you find your own landscape installer. Very disappointed.

We had Mike design and install the landscaping for our front yard. Mike was easy to communicate with, and he was very responsive. As part of the design process, we met with Mike to discuss roughly what we were looking for. He was able to incorporate our ideas, but also provided his guidance and expertise where appropriate. Once the work began, he was on site every day to ensure the work was progressing according to plan and completed on time. We have worked with other landscape designers in the past and never received Mike’s level of service and quality of work — all while paying more! We would definitely recommend Mike and will likely call on his services again when it is time to work on our backyard.

I have worked with Mike on three different houses and, honestly, he is the only landscape designer I would want to work with! He has transformed my ideas of how I wanted to feel into living outdoor spaces that are beyond my imagination. He transformed my current yard into a fantastic English garden that feels like it has been here since the House was built in 1925. It’s magical. He also created my parents California Spanish inspired garden to go with their 1920’s Spanish house, and it is a neighborhood highlight. I just cannot recommend him enough.

Mike McIver was terrific to work with---from beginning to end. We contracted with Mike to give our front yard and patio at totally new look--after we saw the beautiful job he did not the house next door. Starting from a yard full of dirt --except for two olive trees, Mike worked with us painstakingly as we figured out what the look should be. His patience and his design expertise were so necessary throughout the process. The end result----a fresh new look with dozens of flowering plants and succulents that perfectly compliment the house new hard scape for the walk and patio. Beautifully executed!

Mike transformed our yard. He turned a barren courtyard with cement retaining walls into 1,000 square feet of gorgeous additional living space. It is stunning but lowkey and fits perfectly against the forested hillside behind our house. In the front, the foundation plantings are equally lovely. They fit the house and its setting to a T. Because Mike practices in SoCal and Portland, I feel like he brings the freshest of eyes to our Pacific Northwest climate and he is visibly enthusiastic about what it has to offer. He listens carefully, asks lots of questions, and is very responsive in the planning/revision stages, and is hands-on in the execution. He'll fine-tune until everything is just right--not just from his own meticulous professional standpoint, but from yours. The process was enjoyable from start to finish and we are looking forward to Phase 2!

Mike McIver recently finished a major project of our new home in Corona Del Mar. He completely redesigned the original front and backyard landscape put in by the builder of our home. I would grade Mike a perfect “10” in every single aspect of our project! Even our builder was stunned by the transformation! He is the best in the business!

This is the second project Michael has completed at our home. Approximately five years ago he did our backyard and this year he completed the front yard. To say that we have been very happy with Michael's work would be an understatement. Michael listened to our ideas and delivered results that exceeded expectation. Every aspect of the job went as planned and was executed by professional craftsmen. I am detail oriented. The overall design, hardscape material selection, plant specimen selection and installation was completed expertly and at a price I anticipated spending. Five stars!

We contacted Michael about a project to re-landscape our entire front yard including the driveway, walk-way, and all plants at the end of 2016, early 2017. It was a small project at around $ 15,000. We were very happy with Michael's attention to detail and professionalism. His design ideas were beautiful and our completed front yard was, and continues to be, spectacular. We had a limited budget and Michael was still able to give us the front yard we were dreaming of.

Several years ago I retained Mike to rework my front and back yards at my Newport Beach home. The first design idea Mike presented totally incorporated our ideas (we like succulents, but didn't want it to look like Tuscon!) It is perfect to this day and we are constantly being complimented the yard's appearance and beauty. Truly outstanding design and service. Mike is a real professional in every way. Last year we chose Mike to completely re-do the landscaping on a commercial building. There were many requirements of the city which were easily incorporated into the design. The final product makes the building "pop" and it is now the best looking property on the block and added value. Thanks Mike! You are the best

It took me more than 3 years to find the right landscape designer for my project. So many Portland designers only do the "Portland Natural" look and we were looking for a formal, mediterranean-inspired hollywood regency (Southern CA) look for our unique street full of mid-century CA architecture. Mike was a pleasure to work with - we had very strong ideas about what we wanted and we flowed together very well. As designers ourselves, we were impressed with what Mike brought to the table. The results are breath-taking and we couldn't be happier. We would highly recommend him for others - and we will be using him again on future projects.

I had a challenging project that was delayed by issues beyond my control. Mike was a trooper and stayed the course and helped us design a yard that we've come to love. He was always timely and professional. He challenged our thinking and he delivered a mid-century style to our yard that we wanted but couldn't articulate. I'd hire Mike in a millisecond again.

Michael McIver has done several landscaping renovation and refresh projects on our home and indoor atrium over several years. He is professional, talented, creative and very knowledgeable about plants and what works in a given area. His last project for us was an update and refresh of all our landscaping as we ready our home for market - it turned out great once again. We receive landscaping compliments from our neighbors and passersby on a regular basis. Working with Mike is always a good experience. He is very personable, listens to your ideas, and is able to work with a budget. We do not give out many referrals but highly recommend Mike to others.

We hired Michael after viewing a project he completed in our neighborhood. Micheal helped us think out of the box and we LOVE our new back yard! Micheal was easy to work with, professional, and developed creative ideas that met our criteria for a colorful, low maintenance, drought tolerant backyard which melded with two large dogs. Micheal was timely in creating design ideas, supplying pictures of proposed plant material for us to review in conjunction with his plans. Micheal organized the purchase of all plant material. He was present during the plant install/ cleanup to insure all went smoothly. He checked in with us to insure the drip system was working and plant material flourishing..even offering to replace a few plants that were not doing well Any questions or concerns we had he addressed cheerfully and professionally . We highly recommend calling Micheal if you have any future landscape design needs!! Were very happy with our new backyard design Carol C Long Beach,CA

Michael listens to his clients and helps keep them focused. He has great ideas and the ability to implement them. Highly recommended

I hired Mike to do a complete landscape design for my home. Front and back yards. He did a fantastic job and referred me to a great person to do the installation. He supervised the selection of all the materials and the whole project went smoothly. Would definitely hire again!

mr. mciver exceeded my expectations on EVERY LEVEL. my yard is stunning. I rarely give praise as I expect those around me to fulfill their obligations, but his work is extraordinary. he is a joy to work with and his knowledge and professionalism were more than appreciated.

My wife and I hired Michael D. McIver Landscape Design & Consultation to provide us with landscape design services after a strong recommendation from our general contractor which whom we highly respect. Michael gave us new ideas and suggestions in order to transform our outdoor space from the typical Southern California palm trees and lily’s to a mature setting which would be of olive and cypress trees reminiscent of Italy. The feel and warmth of rich greens and multi-color plants with many elevations along with seasonal flowers is a treat to spend time in the yard. We found Michael extremely professional and easy to work with and got to a point in the job whereas if Michael suggested it - it had to be good! After many compliments from family, friends and neighbors I feel compelled to let all know how appreciative my wife and I are of the work and attention Michael has brought to us. By the way, our home is the "POOLSIDE PARADISE" one.

My husband, John, and I hired Mike to redesign our yard. It meant complete demolition of the existing patios, and the installation of new hardscape and landscape. The result is gorgeous! It feels as though we have added 2,000 square feet to our house because we now have distinct outdoor living spaces that were previously unused. Upon approval of his design, Mike provided subcontractor contacts for the hardscape and landscape work. We were thrilled with his suggested contractors. Mike is very warm and easy to work with. He was very respectful of our desire to incorporate as much of our existing trees and plantings as possible, and oversaw the placement of our furniture and art pieces as final touches. He returned our calls, emails and texts promptly. We especially enjoyed the free flowing ideas and conversation that helped make the project such a success. We recommend Mike highly!

Mike is a creative and innovative designer who knows how to design a yard that takes into consideration a client's request and amplifies it for a final effect that exceeds the original expectations. He is easy to work with and can accommodate any and all aspects of a project from initial design to job oversight to recommending contractors and vendors. Mike's design of our front yard still has people stopping by and taking pictures. Mike is a top-notch professional who is one of the best people we have worked with over a nine-year period remodeling our home.

My wife Cathy and I bought our home in Laguna Beach in Feb. 2009. The exterior of our home consisted of weeds and an old blacktop driveway. We met with Michael and he designed new planting areas, an outdoor pergula area, retaining walls, new driveway and new landscape walking paths. The tropical paradise he designed has blossomed into the talk of our neighborhood! People stop and admire the plantings often, and we have referred Michael to many other homeowners. We enjoy our garden daily and strongly recommend Michael for his talent to weave texture, color and theme altogether to create a very pleasing pallet. Andy Blanton

Michael McIver, landscape designer, was given the following requirements for our new drought tolerant landscape: there must be lots of color with a lush romantic feel, not a dry desert xeriscape. He provided us with detailed landscape layout plans with all plans listed and specifically placed for their most dramatic impact. He worked closely with the landscaper and transformed the front yard and courtyard of our historic 1935 Spanish Revival home with drifts of varied color and textures. Plant groupings bloom in succession, so there are butterflies, hummingbirds and bees out all the time. Mike's use of new concrete pads separated by succulents and thyme replaced the standard front walkway, updating the look and accentuating the architecture and roofline. The double strip concrete driveway planted with greenery down the center pays homage to the history of the house. The variety of drought tolerant plants, not yet a year old, have already have filled in considerably. I only have to go out to pick weeds once a week or so, but they are easy to remove and fewer in number as time passes. The ladies who walk past our home in the mornings frequently comment on the artistry and colors of the new landscape design which complement the house color so well. I recommend Mike McIver for your drought tolerant landscaping design. Mike McIver: (562) 426-7454 mcivermichael@yahoo.com 5263 East Ocean Blvd Long Beach CA 90803

We loved working with Mike! He is easy going, professional, and, above all, talented. We live in a community where homes have minimal outdoor space, but wanted the little bit of outdoor space we have to feel lush and welcoming. You might think that designing for a small yard would be easy, but the truth is that it is significantly more challenging. We spoke with Mike about the type and style of plants that we wanted and he was very skillfully able to come up with a landscape design, including hardscape, that exceeded our expectations. Mike was very hands on during the implementation stage to ensure that the final landscape was consistent with plans, and even made a few minor tweaks as necessary. Now we get compliments on our yard from neighbors (and strangers!) and we feel like we have retreated to our own private oasis at night enjoying wine on the patio. We could not be happier! Thank you, Mike!