Bay Area Landscape Inc. Company Profile

The owner and founder of Bay Area Landscapes, James Crowley grew up in upstate New York. As a young man he "...hopped on a plane and came out to study anthropology at West Valley College and San Jose State."

During school James Crowley started doing landscape maintenance and gardening part time to earn money, and immediately found that the work fascinated him. "I was amazed at all the plants out here in California," he said. "They were colorful, exotic and interesting; it developed into a profession."

A Passion For Landscaping
One of the aspects that separates stellar landscapers from the mediocre is passion. When James started his business, he didn't have a specific vision, but he knew he was doing what he loved. He seemed to possess an innate sense of design. He knew which plants would do well in a particular site and which wouldn't. His natural green thumb created environments where the flora thrived under his guidance and care.

"I developed my design skills on the job," said James. "I learned the correct way to do things by trial and error. I've developed a good sense of design with plants and rocks."

His natural and learned skills have garnered Bay Area Landscape, Inc. many happy customers since he hung his shingle in 1977. Today, depending on the time of year, James Crowley employs anywhere from 8 to 16 workers, all of whom are carefully vetted by him before he allows them to work at a customer's home.

Able to Handle all Aspects of Landscape Design and Building
James' skills have allowed him to become proficient in not only plant procurement and design, but also construction plans, outdoor lighting design and installation, irrigation and drainage, tree installation or removal, grading and water features such as waterfalls and Koi ponds. He and his team at Bay Area Landscape Inc. can also construct arbors and pergolas, trellises and canopies, stone edging and footpaths or installation, and pretty much anything you need to create your dream garden. James is expert at transforming sites where space is limited, believing that a good landscape design is a function of the ingenious use of available resources. Bay Area Landscape works to create a seamless blend from the home to the garden.

Working Within the Client's Means and Vision
"We specialize in offering a quality result based on our clients' needs and at a reasonable cost," said James. "We try to give them the most bang for their buck. I've seen designers draw up great plans that their clients couldn't afford. I love doing on-site design and I make sure it's within my client's means. Ultimately, the client needs to be satisfied; I want them to be happy, so I take the time to learn what they envision and work with them to make it happen."

Bay Area Landscape, Inc. is a certified Rain Bird contractor and has been ranked among the best landscape construction companies in Santa Clara County by the prestigious Santa Clara County Business Journal.

"When we get that look that says, ‘It looks great, thank you!' that's what makes this all worth it," said James Crowley. He understands that not everyone wants grand-scale landscape architecture; that it isn't the space or the budget that makes the difference, but the ability to imagine and work with the precious resources available. "A job well done makes me the happiest," said James. "It comes down to creating the most magic based on what the client wants."

---Jim Brumm
Staff Writer
The Prime Buyer's Report