A North Bay landscape cared for by Oak River

About Oak River

Twelve years. Still learning the land.

We're a small crew that has chosen to stay small — because the work we do demands it. Every property is different. Every season is different. That's exactly why we show up.

Licensed & Insured CA Contractor Lic. #1034137 Est. 2012 Sonoma · Marin · Napa

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Our story

Started small. Stayed intentional.

Oak River Landscaping was founded in 2012 by a crew that had spent years watching the same pattern repeat: landscapers who showed up for the install and disappeared before the second season. Properties that looked great in photos and fell apart in real life. Clients who had to chase down their contractor just to get a call back.

We started Oak River because we believed it didn't have to be that way. The North Bay has some of the most distinctive microclimates, soils, and growing conditions in the country. The work here isn't generic — it shouldn't be treated that way.

We've kept our crew deliberately small. We take on new clients carefully. We stay on properties long enough to actually understand them — what works in April, what fails by August, what the drainage does in a wet February. That kind of knowledge doesn't come from a satellite photo. It comes from showing up, year after year.

97%

Client retention, twelve years in. That number matters more to us than any other — it means the people we work for don't leave.

The road here

Twelve years, milestone by milestone.

2012

Oak River founded

Started in Petaluma with two crew members and a single truck. First clients were residential homeowners in Sonoma County.

2015

Expanded into Marin

Word of mouth from existing clients brought us south — and taught us what coastal properties demand.

2018

First Napa estate

Wine country properties raised our standards for hardscape, drainage, and presentation.

2021

Fire-smart planting

Introduced it as a core service — a direct response to what we were seeing on properties throughout the region.

Today

200+ properties

Same commitment to doing it right the first time — and staying on to make sure it stays that way.

What we believe

How we do the work.

These aren't values we printed on a wall. They're the decisions we make on every property, every week — and the reason our clients don't leave.

Small on purpose

We've turned down growth that would have required us to become something we're not. We keep our client list capped so every property gets real attention — not the attention left over after we've overscheduled ourselves.

Know the land first

Every property has its own soil, drainage patterns, and sun exposure. We don't design from a catalog — we walk the property before we recommend anything. What grows in Healdsburg doesn't always grow in Mill Valley. We know the difference.

Straight pricing

You get a written scope and a straight number before we start. No line items that appear later. No surprises at the end of a project. If something changes mid-job, we tell you before we do it — not after.

Answer the phone

This sounds basic. It isn't. You get a real person when you call us. We respond to messages the same day. We show up when we say we will. If there's a problem on your property, you hear about it from us — not from a neighbor.

Credentials

Licensed, insured, and accountable.

CA Contractor's License

Licensed with the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB). License #1034137. Verify at cslb.ca.gov.

Fully Insured

General liability and workers' compensation insurance. Certificate of insurance available on request before any project begins.

A+ Rated

Consistent A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Twelve years of operation with no unresolved complaints on record.

Drought-Tolerant Certified

Certified in California-native and drought-tolerant planting practices. Trained in MWELO-compliant design for water-conscious properties.

Fire-Smart Trained

Trained in CAL FIRE-recommended defensible space and fire-smart plant selection for properties in high-risk zones across the three counties.

Irrigation Certified

Certified through the Irrigation Association for design, installation, and auditing of efficient irrigation systems in residential and commercial settings.

Let's meet

Come see your property with us.

A site visit costs nothing and takes about 30 minutes. We come to you, look at what's actually there, and tell you what we'd do — with no obligation to proceed.

Call (415) 876-8269 Send a message