Custom Nature Company Profile

eland Maker, of Contra Costa County's Custom Nature, is one of those fortunate few who loves his work, and whose work makes people happy. It is rare to find an occupation and a personality as well matched as they are in Leland. Although born in France to American parents living abroad, Leland has been in California since 1972. In fact, he now lives in a house that his grandparents built in 1964, right here in Pacheco CA; another rarity in this modern age. A creative and dynamic sort, Leland seems to have a touch of the Bohemian in him. These characteristics come together in one of the finest landscapers you'll find anywhere in the Bay Area.

Leland described his approach with Custom Nature as: "One job at a time, and be able to walk away with no worries." He said that using the best materials and taking care to be present and conscientious about every stage of the process make the "no worries" part of his approach pretty easy to maintain. He laughed and added, "I like to sleep well at night!" Custom Nature is always accountable while work is in progress. Leland makes it a priority to be on the job, every day; you will never wonder where your contractor is during your project with Custom Nature. There is one caveat to that stricture: to avoid the inevitable "contractor-fatigue" that property owners seem to suffer from whenever work crews are ever-present, his crews do not generally work on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays.

His introduction to landscaping was somewhat inauspicious, but when the landscaping bug bit him, he never turned back. He described the epiphany he had while grading a slope with a roommate: "I thought to myself, this is really pretty cool," and after that he was hooked. "I feel a Zen element at work sometimes when I am doing earthmoving projects," he added. For the last 15 years, he's had the same field supervisor working alongside him, and the two understand this Zen-like experience to be an element of beautifully finished landscapes. From a fill-in gig with a landscaper, to a landscape artist with a process that's almost reverential, Leland has turned his passion and enthusiasm for the outdoors into a rewarding relationship with Contra Costa County residents and their landscapes. In fact, Custom Nature's clients are a source of pride for Leland, who is pleased to report an extremely high rate of return customers and referrals.

Asked about his favorite projects, or favored plants, Leland waxes philosophic; when pressed, he will admit a distinct fondness for fuchsias and redwood trees. A fuchsia blossom makes up part of Custom Nature's logo. He's also a fan of the drama that a new laid lawn or verdant swath of green grass introduces into a landscape. If you are looking for a creative, reverent, dedicated landscaping contractor, consider Custom Nature. The tranquility of an artist-created environment is waiting for you, and Leland is happy to help you to make it happen.