Rock Paper Scissors Landscape Design Build

We loved working with Barry and her team. She created a great design/layout and was fast and easy to work with throughout the whole process. We love the end result and are super happy every time we're in our garden.

Rock Paper Scissors was absolutely phenomenal to work with. Everything from the design process, the aesthetic, the craftsmanship, and the professionalism exceeded all expectations. Our project was quite sizable and we relied on RPS for everything, including multiple design iterations, permiting, demolition, building (deck, patio, grill, tables, paths, garden, hot tub, shower), planting, lighting, and more. Oh, and a fair amount of marriage counseling for us too :-) Could not recommend them highly enough.

Barry and her team are nothing short of amazing!!! Our backyard was a nightmare before Barry worked her magic and did a complete renovation. From the start it felt like a partnership. She listened, she advised, she created. I simply could not have imagined how magical it would have all turned out. Great communication, project was on time and very importantly on budget. Was so pleased I recommended her to another friend, who was just as pleased with the way the partnership worked and their backyard renovation.

We’ve worked with Barry Sacher since 2013 on five garden design projects large and small. We started with a large remodel of our back yard and moved around the house for a redesign of our side yard/vegetable garden; and then to the front yard to rebuild a much more functional and attractive front entry, including lighting, fence and front bank planting. In between, Barry designed a dog-friendly but less thirsty lawn replacement; added a water feature adored by the birds and bees; replaced a rotting deck and trellis with a stone patio and added non-intrusive structure for a shade sail. Barry is a masterful and creative designer. All of her additions to our yard over the years are very cohesive. And, there is always something in her designs that are uniquely fun. Parking is a premium on our narrow street, but Barry created a gorgeous curving fence that carved out two additional street side parking (where there had been none). It is not just another straight, boring privacy fence. Barry’s planting plans are the icing on the hardscaping ‘cake’. Water thrifty (and in some cases; deer unfriendly) plants flourish with spectacular results. They are loved by birds, bees and the humans too. The Rock Paper Scissors construction crews are expert craftsmen and the finished products are always high quality. All of the projects that we worked with Rock Paper Scissors on started and ended as promised with no budget surprises along the way. We highly recommend Barry Sacher and her Rock Paper Scissors team for your amazing garden renovation, be it tiny or large.

By all measures, Barry is amazing to work with. Rock Paper Scissors tackled both our back and front yards. The area is small, but it did involve ripping everything out, making big changes in a small space. Other landscaping companies weren't interested in our project because the area was small, and we had the additional challenge of making a small backyard kid friendly. More than one just told us to "put in some fake turf". But not Barry! Together we came up with a beautiful design for a yard, and she brought some ideas to the table that we hadn't thought of that ended up being amazing. A year later we are still enjoying our beautiful redwood deck, stone patio, and yes, a little bit of fake grass for the kids. She added fairy lights under the deck and a sliding chalkboard door so the kids could have a hideout. And while we likely didn't need as much planting done as other clients, Barry was able to make some beautiful planters full of succulents for our fence and around walkways, and she landscaped the front yard perfectly to scale for its small size. Barry was even able to reuse some elements from our old yard, such as pavers and steel planters. Not only is the finished project beautiful and functional, the whole process of working with Rock Paper Scissors was a pleasure. Barry is very responsive; her estimates of cost and timeline were accurate--no surprise delays or extra costs. We also appreciated that she has her own landscaping team, which without a doubt made everything go more smoothly than subcontracting every step of the way. Our project was delayed because of the pandemic, but once we got started everything went smoothly and according to schedule. When it was all completed Barry gave us detailed information about how to care for our new yard. We would hire Barry again in a heartbeat!

Barry and her fantastic team took our sad backyard garden and preserving lovely old trees and bushes buried in the mess it had become, brought them back to life while designing a magical space with carefully considered plants, flowers and lighting. Beautiful, timeless design - and a terrific team.

Never in a million years did I think that my property (MidMod Mellow) would ever look as gorgeous as it does. Barry re-envisioned every inch of my front, back, and side yards and created function and beauty everywhere you look. I have had so many calls, texts and letters complimenting Barry's design and asking for her contact information. Barry is a gifted landscape designer and her RPS team were a dream to work with. Not only did the design and installation go off without a hitch - it was on time and under budget. Her installation team are professional, hard working and reliable. Barry raises the bar on what to expect from a contractor and I would hire her again in a heartbeat!

Barry and her team were phenomenal. Barry created several detailed designs with different options for our yard. They were respectful of our budget and helped us repurpose existing rocks and mulch, which saved us a considerable amount in new materials. She was open to our ideas and input and also brought clear expertise, skill, and passion to the work. She and her team completely re-did our backyard-- including clearing it out, leveling, grading, putting in grass, creating a gravel patio, putting in a fence, selecting and planting beautiful plants including fruit trees, putting in irrigation, and even stringing beautiful lights. She and her team were reliable, responsive, and consistent and the final product far exceeded our expectations. Even after the project was completed, Barry has come by on multiple occasions to help us with maintenance and other questions. We highly recommend Rock Paper Scissors to anyone looking to design and create a new outdoor space!

Barry and her team are the absolute best - Rock Paper Scissors completely transformed our backyard. Barry is great to work with, incredibly talented at landscape design and her team can do it all. Our project included demolishing a rotting deck and constructing a new (and much improved!) one, building a bluestone patio with fire pit, installing new plantings, and building a terraced retaining wall. Barry was able to work within our existing footprint and strove to keep what was working to keep costs down. She listened to how we wanted to use our back yard and created a space that was multi-functional and has great flow. She has an amazing aesthetic and she helped us select a gorgeous array of grasses, succulents, and other plantings that fit perfectly with the hardscape she designed. We absolutely love our new space and have recommended Barry and her team to too many friends to count! If you want to see the amazing transformation check out our project on Houzz: Patio of the Week - Easy Flow between casual gathering spaces.

Barry and RPS were the only firm we got recommendations for when we asked neighbors in Piedmont about our project - her team is that good. Everyone told us to wait for them to be available. The planning process with Barry was great - she took our needs for low maintenance and privacy into account while dealing with all the permitting and city requirements. We never had to intervene - even better was the fact that the neighbors signed on as she clearly communicated what we were trying to do. Barry and her team iterated with us as we realized we wanted to make a few changes around water features, sightlines related to doors and windows in our home, and other personal memories/touches. Barry also made suggestions of her own that we thought took subconscious elements into account. She even re-used plants we already had when possible. Her team is shockingly nice - they dealt with little kids on the property, heavy rains, and random questions all the time. They finished on-time and on-budget, even though it meant working on weekends to get things done. Barry was super clear on pricing as we went along, and was extremely detail-oriented. One great example is that she suggested painting retaining walls and fences the same color as our home trim - our neighbors have raved about this and told us it makes a dramatic difference in the home's curb appeal. After finishing, Barry and her team have stopped by during the next three months to make sure the plants are growing as expected and to sharpen the "user manual" we gave to the gardening team to keep things growing. The yards already look good and will just keep improving over the next few years. We have already recommended Barry and Rock Paper Scissors to two other friends and will continue to do so. I can't imagine a better team.

Barry and her crew were fantastic!! She designed and they built beautiful stone pathways, steps and walls for our front and back gardens. They put in plants and trees that fit our taste, our color palette, and opened new horizons for us. Barry is amazing at figuring out her clients' aesthetic, picking out plants, and designing the hardscape to beautifully fit together. She's a pleasure to work with, as is her crew, who worked hard, are masters at their craft, and cleaned up at the end of each work day.

Barry is super talented and great to work with. Our backyard isn't very big, but we knew it had the potential to be a little oasis. Barry helped us transform it into just that. She was great about listening to our vision and providing some much needed guidance - while also taking into consideration our very active dog who likes to tear around the backyard quite a bit. She and her team also ripped out our small, barely usable patio area and created a larger, much cooler looking patio area. And to give you an idea of how devoted Barry is, when I told her I wanted to put a grouping of potted plants in one area of the patio, she even went pot shopping with me! I also hired her to pot them for me because I knew she would do a MUCH better job then I would. When it came time to execute our plan, her team really took their time and did it right. When any issues came up, Barry was quick to address them and always had a solution in mind. We could not be happier with the end result. Now that spring is finally here, we've been able to really enjoy our new outdoor oasis.