San Francisco’s Artisans Landscape is a full-service landscaping company that installs and builds gardens, decks, fences, patios, retaining walls, green roofs, hot tubs, and more. It can also install irrigation systems and lighting features, and owner/president Elliot Goliger uses his skills as a certified arborist to offer tree pruning and maintenance services. “We don’t just do construction,” he says. “We design and build, so we take care of everything.”

Mr. Goliger says his years of experience bring valuable knowledge to his clients’ projects. “I design using AutoCAD, and I’ve been involved with a broad spectrum of projects, including masonry and carpentry.” As a general contractor, Artisans Landscape can handle variables such as basic plumbing, general repair work and low-voltage lighting installation. “We have a lot of different capabilities, and we’re dedicated to our work.”

Artisans Landscape considers clients an integral part of the design process. “Most of the work I do is developed with my clients,” confirms Mr. Goliger. “We have portfolios with many award-winning examples of our work, and that helps illustrate our philosophy to customers. A great design goes a long way toward a positive result.”

Mr. Goliger believes beautifying a landscape should go hand-in-hand with respecting the environment. “We do organic gardening, so we don’t use chemical fertilizers or pesticides. We’re a Green company, and we try to do business in an environmentally-responsible manner.”

Enhancing the appearance of your yard can be achieved through simple steps. “Make sure you mulch and use plants that choke out weeds,” says Elliot Goliger, owner of Artisans Landscape in San Francisco. “Also, use plants that grow well and thrive in their particular environment. Know your microclimate and plan accordingly.” Here are some more tips for simple maintenance:

Think about color. Choose some brightly colored perennials that will return year after year, and plant different colored flowering bushes and trees.

Add depth. When planting flowerbeds, choose taller varieties for the back, shorter varieties for the front and medium levels in between. You can also plant a circular area by putting the tallest plants in the middle and working your way out.

Add privacy and function. If you have neighbors close by, you can use evergreens and trees to create privacy and block views of other houses or unsightly areas. Evergreens also make excellent wind barriers. If you want a shaded area or overhead canopy, planting a large tree is ideal.

If you plan to hire a landscaping contractor to take on an outdoor project, start with a good design and make sure the company you’re considering has expertise in providing custom work. “You need a clear plan and proposal,” says Mr. Goliger. “If things are unclear at the start, it’s going to be a problem in the future.”

Clients should be wary of landscapers who quote very low prices. “If the price is extremely low, it’s probably not going to be what you’re expecting,” cautions Mr. Goliger. “It takes time to do a thorough, complete job and offer good service. When you get a great design that you’re happy with, it’ll offer more value than something that needs to be changed in five years.”

Q: Do you give a detailed explanation of what you plan to do before each job?

A: Absolutely. We try to keep things as clear as possible so clients understand exactly what they’re paying for.

Q: Are you licensed and insured?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you do offer tree-pruning services?

A: Yes. Our owner and president has been a certified arborist for 15 years.

Q: How many jobs do you typically handle at once?

A: Usually two or three, in addition to the ongoing care and maintenance of established customers’ landscapes.

Q: Do you do lighting improvements?

A: Yes. We can handle all sorts of lighting improvements using LED bulbs. We can use your existing wiring to put in new LED fixtures, which saves electricity and gives you more fixtures for the same amount of transformer capability.