"Now and then in our lives we're fortunate enough to encounter a true artist, someone with remarkable passion and talent for the work that they do. Tristan Heberlein of Solstice Landscape Design is one such person. His vision is exquisite. His execution is meticulous. He turns his clients' desires into works of art. I hired Solstice to turn my plain and scruffy back yard into something beautiful. I had a few specific ideas I wanted to execute, but the rest I left to Tristan. He came up with a design that exceeded my expectations, even just on paper. I didn't bother getting other quotes or designs. Tristan communicated very clearly and actively about how the process would go. He managed my expectations carefully and was flexible about accommodating the special needs created by my driveway and my dogs. His team was cautious and courteous, a pleasure to have working on my property. The work was finished sooner than expected. And oh my word, the results! It's even more beautiful than I imagined from the sketches. The patio stones are exquisitely laid and perfectly balanced. The plants, of course, are small right now but already show a hint of the glory they'll become. I'm thrilled and grateful for the transformation."
-Letha Dunn, Kenmore
"Wow …this one goes to 11! I wish I could give 11 stars!! After the addition of a patio and pizza oven to our backyard, we realized our landscaping was in serious need of an upgrade. After much internet searching, we chose Tristan based on his rave Yelp review and pictures of his completed projects. We really did not know what we wanted; we just had a vision in mind, likely influenced by too much HGTV.
We started with an extensive questionnaire that covered aspects of the proposed project which we had not even considered. Did we want to attract birds or butterflies? Did we want any edible plants? Did we want to incorporate any spiritual or philosophical ideals? I believe it is the depth of the questionnaire that allowed Tristan to create a plan that uniquely suited to what we wanted.
His attention to detail and our specific design requirements are what made the final outcome so amazing. His mastery of design was evident in his ability to take our random ideas and mesh them together to create the manicured, yet whimsical look we knew we wanted, but did not know how to achieve.
Once work commenced, it just got better from there. Tristan was extremely receptive to my input, (i.e. multiple changes) as the design implementation progressed. In fact, as the plan unfolded, he took it upon himself to make changes to improve the appearance and quality of the outcome. His skills extend far beyond plan design and plant installation. He built and installed a trellis. He installed outdoor lighting, pavers and a 6’ Bigfoot statue. And assembled a fairly complicated outdoor fountain.
Upon completion, he took the time to educate us on the on-going health of our new landscape and provide suggestions for the maintenance of our new backyard.
If you are looking for someone to transform your yard into a magical sanctuary for you and your family, Tristan can make that happen for you. I have no doubt you will be as thrilled as we are with the outcome. He is a true artist, and besides that, just a really nice guy. We cannot wait for next summer to enjoy our new backyard with our family and friends. Like his website says, this is truly 'landscape alchemy!' Thank you, Tristan!"
-Nancy Tytler, Bellevue
"My husband and I had a great experience with Tristan and Solstice Landscape Design. He provided detailed designs of both our front and back yards, assisted us with solving a decades old problem we had with drainage issues in our back yard doing so by adding a great design feature to channel and hold the water using a dry pond. Overall I would highly recommend Tristan as a landscape designer and installer. Great to work with and very responsive to questions and change requests."
-Teri Levi, Kenmore
"I highly recommend Solstice Landscape Design. Tristan created a beautiful design for our yard. We wanted to DIY the work ourselves, and he was very patient with us on how slow we were getting things done, and very helpful and knowledgeable when we had questions or concerns."
-Trulee Laurmann, Lake Forest Park
"Tristan is fantastic to work with - I give him the highest possible recommendation. He redesigned a small-Seattle backyard that looked like a cement parking lot. He delivered a gorgeous backyard redesign including trex decking, an imperial slate flagstone patio, all new landscaping, fence, water feature, pathways, lighting, irrigation, etc. He also recommended the contractor and followed up to make sure the project was executed as intended to our satisfaction. He's extremely talented and a wonderful human to work with. You are lucky to work with him - if you can get him!"
-Lisa Youel, Laurelhurst Neighborhood, Seattle
"Once upon a time, in a little Snohomish suburb not so far away, a husband and wife despised their front and back yards…with a passion. I can’t even begin to count how many times they would pull into their driveway and think, “Oh my gosh…this is just so NOT us! Ugh. We need some major help with this landscaping. Where do we even start?? Should we do this ourselves? Should we hire someone??” Just thinking about the whole thing made their heads hurt, their wallets cringe and their hearts sink. That is…until they met Tristan...the owner of Solstice Landscaping!
We were very much in search of a landscape designer who not only could capture the look of what we wanted for our front and back yards, but also the spirit, energy and flow as well. We wanted to make sure that from start to finish, the project would be as seamless as possible and capture all of what we wanted. Tristan of Solstice Landscape Design delivered…and delivered beyond our expectations. We couldn’t be happier with how both our yards turned out…everything we had hoped for and more.
Tristan is in demand…and for good reason. He is an expert...a creative, unique, knowledgeable & artistic landscape designer. You will probably have to wait for his services (as we did) …but, let me tell you….it is definitely WORTH THE WAIT! He will listen, discuss, and produce a design for you that is exactly what you envision and more.
To start, we completed a detailed questionnaire for him to ascertain exactly what we wanted and he got back to us within a reasonable time-frame. He spent hours with us going over plants, grasses, flowers, trees, hardscapes, landscapes and water features! Tristan and his amazing, artistic team (Marisa & Seth) installed the most beautiful landscaping and backyard water feature we could have ever hoped for. They transformed both our front and back yards into a beautiful, peaceful, relaxing oasis flowing with life, spirit & positive energy…and both look absolutely fabulous. We get constant compliments!
We could tell instantaneously Tristan is a knowledgeable professional who puts his heart and soul into his work…and it shows. He is thorough, detail-orientated, creative and bent over backwards to give us what we envisioned for our yards. He is easily accessible and returned our calls/texts super quickly…most often the same day! Even with how busy he is, Tristan always seemed to have time to talk, answer questions and most importantly, listen.
We can’t recommend Tristan with Solstice Landscape Design enough. There are not enough stars to give him and his creative, artistic work. He is truly an artist and created a masterpiece in both our yards. We couldn’t be happier with his work. Thank you so much, Tristan! Now, when we pull into our driveway, we ask ourselves why we didn’t hire Solstice Landscape Design earlier!"
Eric and Neva Goodrich, City of Snohomish, WA
"My wife and I used Tristan's services to plan the landscape design and purchase and placement of plants for our backyard. Our backyard was in need of some updates as the patio had a large setting crack, the flower beds had become overgrown and we had some areas of the yard that seemed to have some drainage problems. We looked for a Landscape Architect and found Tristan. He sent us a questionnaire that my wife and I took less than two hours to work through. It really helped us to know what we wanted and what we didn't want. Then we had Tristan over for a meeting. Sometime in the following week Tristan came over and spent much of a day in our backyard creating a landscape architecture drawing. We then met with him after he had completed the drawing and he discussed his thoughts, the drawing, plant selection and lighting. We really loved his use of native plants and he even put in a water feature that we would not have thought about on our own. I used the drawings and did much of the work myself with some help from friends and a contractor to pour the patio. We had Tristan back to select purchase the plants and place them for us. We are very happy with the results and will likely to try and get his help when we start working on the front yard. :)"
- Brian McConnel, Bellevue
"Tristan and his crew put in path lights for me. He was able to squeeze it in between larger landscaping projects. I have a stone path that wraps around the house and need it well-lit for guests. Tristan also suggested lighting a few trees, which I had not planned on doing, but I am so glad he made the suggestion. They provide indirect light that also helps light the path and the yard. It is so beautiful! My neighbors love it. My worries about a poorly lit path are gone. The lighting glows, creates a warm welcome space, and is not overdone. I didn’t realize how lovely it would be. Tristan and his crew are lovely people, he is an artist, very intuitive, listens, and is simply great. I highly recommend them and plan to use them in the future for additional lighting and landscape projects."
Patty Shelledy, Meadowbrook Neighborhood, Seattle
"We hired Solstice Landscape Design to design and install a paved walkway around the side of our house with landscaping. Tristan carefully listened to us and came back with a design that far exceeded all our expectations. The paver walkway was simple but thoughtfully designed to beautifully curve around our home and tie seamlessly into our existing paver patio. The landscaping was simple, colorful, and all native to the PNW. Tristan is an artist and a pleasure to work with."
-Chantel Wetzel, Greenwood Neighborhood, Seattle
"We couldn't be happier about our experience working with Tristan and highly recommend him for help with landscape design. Our project was a complete overhaul of the backyard space so that it would be more functional (area for kids to play, adults to entertain, etc.), incorporate edible plants/trees, native plants, and garden space - all while being relatively low maintenance for our busy household. Tristan's advice is deeply rooted in experience and design knowledge while his approach was balanced to incorporate our thoughts and vision. We greatly appreciated that he could both hear our requirements and also make his own recommendations that incorporated a deeper professional understanding - true partnership! We were then easily able to take his final design and plant list out for bids. I mostly appreciated that Tristan has stayed in touch to make sure that we're still happy with the design as we've moved into the build stage. Don't hesitate!! He is the one you've been waiting to work with for your PNW landscape design."
-Stacy Shimmin, Bellevue
"Solstice Landscape Design just finished up a complete backyard remodel for us and we couldn't be happier. This was our first major project with our new home and the owner, Tristan, made it so easy! He was thorough and detail oriented when walking us through the entire process, leaving no questions unanswered. Tristan not only is an amazing artist that will draw a beautiful design, but his attention to detail and open/honest communication during the installation is a breath of fresh air. The same can be said for his team of laborers, they were all diligent to ensure the yard looked exactly the way it was designed, without cutting any corners! We are so happy we selected Solstice Landscape Design for both the design and installation of our backyard remodel, we can't recommend them enough!"
-Pat Hoven, Crown Hill Neighborhood, Seattle
"Tristan did a phenomenal job designing our landscape! His process is focused on your needs and wants. For our initial consult, he sent us a thorough questionnaire that got us thinking about what we wanted from our landscape. A few days later, he showed up and spent a substantial amount of time walking through our yard with us. What impressed me was he had printed, highlighted, and made references to the questionnaire we had filled out. The final design was impressive, and exactly what we were looking for. As DIYers, we're excited to have a framework and overall concept to follow as we gradually install the landscape over the next few years. Thanks again, Tristan!"
-Brice Thompson, South Seattle
"We had Tristan out to do our landscape design and fell in love with what he drew. He was very considerate, taking into account not only the people who currently live in the house but also the pets - and even unborn children! He helped me see what my yard could become.
When I first emailed Tristan three years ago, I described the style of our landscaping as "a witch who had given up." Having just purchased our first home, we were eager to fix it up. The yard was overgrown, mossy, crumbling, and dead. It contained home poured water features and a pond lined in trash bags. I hated everything about it.
Over the course of three years, he dealt with us getting quotes from other people. Being upset with the quotes other people gave us. Giving us a quote himself. Us agreeing. Then, us pushing it back a year. And finally, wanting to do the back yard one year and the front yard the next.
My point is - we weren't easy to work with. We had emergencies, a new child, unexpected expenses - all sorts of stuff.
After much waiting and anticipation, my yard was finished a few weeks ago. During the last year, I went in the backyard... maybe three times. Now, I come home every single day excited to spend time in my yard.
The grass is still growing in and the plants are still adjusting, but it's awesome. I finally have the back yard I've always wanted.
I'm looking forward to next summer when we finally tackle the front yard."
-Heather Nolis, Capitol Hill, Seattle
"Worth the wait! I was initially interested in working with Tristan because of the number of sloped yards in his portfolio and the beautiful way he used native plants to bolster those slopes. Tristan is a busy guy, so we had a to wait a little while to have a consultation appointment with him. However, he is an incredibly creative and detail-oriented designer who created a plan for our outdoor space that blew our minds, and it is definitely worth waiting for him to be available. First, he listened carefully to all our needs and wishes for our outdoor space. He was very good about coming up with a range of suggestions that would accommodate different budgets, since at the time we weren't certain how much we wanted to invest in our landscape. He was excellent about trying to manage our expectations so we understood what we could and could not do within certain budget constraints. After the initial meeting, he spent a great deal of time reviewing our city's ordinances to make sure his design would not require permitting, especially give the fact that we live on a very steeply sloped lot. Finally, Tristan presented an amazing vision for our yard that we were able to adapt as necessary to fit our budget. Additionally, Tristan introduced us to a fantastic landscaping company and brought them out to make a bid on the project so we would have an idea of what the final costs would be. Now that all the work is done, we are so pleased with our landscape and love having it as an extension of our living space rather than just a place to put the dog out!"
-Courtney Shuey, Shoreline
"Tristan is a knowledgable person and is passionate about his work. Good with the details and the sketches are great. It gives you a visual of what the finish product will be. He's a great person to work with, makes sure you complete understand what you are getting and has ideas for other options to make sure you getting what like within your budget. He cares about his customers and their happiness, and works to complete the job to his and his customer's expectations. I get lots of complements and I have referred him to a couple of neighbors who are looking too update their yards too."
-Willie Lee, Kenmore
"Tristan did a great job at taking in our complicated and sometimes conflicting requests, and creating a surprisingly beautiful and exciting design that met both of our needs. When our yard plan changed midway and got more expensive for practical reasons, he volunteered extra time to walk us through the steps of how to DIY certain aspects of the project ourselves so we could afford to uphold most of our/his vision. He's a talented designer and a really great person to work with."
-Jacqui Gilroy, Fremont Neighborhood, Seattle
"Tristan is a wonderful landscape designer and an excellent person. He listened to our often conflicting requests for our backyard and created a plan that addressed everything. It was striking to me that he recalled all of our requests months after our initial meeting and commented on each request as he explained the final design. He let us know how he was accomplishing each of our requirements and was clear and honest about anything that wasn't possible in the way we initially requested, and he gave us alternate solutions in those cases.
He was also instrumental in helping sort out an issue with the contractor who did the carpentry and stonework. Without going into the entire saga, the contractor made a mistake and initially refused to correct it. Tristan volunteered his own time and energy to rework the design in a way that would correct the mistake and then negotiated with the contractor until he came around and made the appropriate corrections.
Tristan is a fundamentally good person. He is passionate about his work, cares about his customers and their happiness, and works to complete the job to his and his customer's expectations. Due to his efforts, we now have a beautiful, bountiful and accessible backyard that our entire family can enjoy. I recommend him without hesitation."
-Melissa LaFranchise, Genessee Neighborhood, Seattle
"Tristan was the perfect person to help us design and transform our front yard. He is very intuitive and was able to take our input and create a space that surpassed our vision and expectations. Whenever we come home now there is a sense of welcome, open energy but he also incorporated the perfect balance of privacy. The space now is so visually inviting and the design has a mystical quality to it. Every time we leave the house, we notice something new. It is a very peaceful way of coming and going! We really appreciated Tristan's attention to detail. He is very thoughtful about his choice of plantings which were in line with our spiritual values in regards to the earth, the bird life and the environment. The fence is amazing, enfolding the wonder of the garden. We also love how much diversity is in the design and even though it is a small space he somehow gave it a feeling of spaciousness. In terms of the practical aspects of the job we also greatly appreciated the quality of work and the consciousness and consideration of his co-workers, Jeff and Jordan. Overall it was a very pleasant and really non-obtrusive process. We would highly recommend Tristan and look forward to working with him on another project soon."
-Marilyn Aron, North Beach Neighborhood, Seattle
"Daddy woof, arff, ***pant, pant*** yip, yip, squirrel!!!"
- Nadia (Tristan's Dog), Olympic Hills Neighborhood, Seattle
"I had Tristan draw plans for a total makeover of our back yard. We completed a very detailed questionnaire to help him figure out exactly what we were looking for. We met for an initial consultation and agreed to have a scale drawing and plan done. He drew us a very detailed plan that took into account all of our preferences and was much more creative than I would have come up with. I had specified that I wanted to do the work myself, so Tristan provided detailed information about vendors for materials, plant types, etc. All of his recommendations were spot-on. Over the course of several months I installed two paver patios and a lot of plants. Our backyard that was essentially unusable is now our favorite place to spend time. Tristan was very professional, listened carefully to what we wanted, and his fees were quite reasonable. I have recommended him to a number of friends and will use him again for my next project."
-Travis Nelson, Lake City Neighborhood, Seattle
"We had a wonderful experience with Tristan of Solstice Landscape Design and highly recommend him. We found him to be creative and have a highly refined vision and we feel that he was able to deeply understand and channel us in the design he created. It doesn't feel like a generic design, but something that is very specific to our property, our family and our budget (we can't wait to get it all installed!).
We spoke with many landscape designers before deciding to go with Tristan, and the main reason we selected Tristan was his no-frills process. He knows the steps he needs to take to get the design done quickly. After a long interior remodel, we didn't have the stamina for a drawn-out process on the landscape design and Tristan got it done fast. We didn't need bells and whistles (e.g. full color renderings), we just needed a plan from which to work, and that's what Tristan delivered.
We found Tristan to be extremely knowledgeable about plants. We had our consult and design session in the winter, when essentially no plants had leaves, and he identified each existing plant correctly. That gave me a lot of confidence in his knowledge-base.
Also, he's just a really nice guy: very easy to work with and a very good listener. It was clear from the first interactions that he was keen on understanding us and truly wanted to respond to our desires, and what he delivered is beautiful and pushes the landscape design in directions we hadn't even considered and totally love.
Finally, I love supporting a small business. None of his fees go to agency costs such as maintaining a fancy office or throwing big parties, and personally I love supporting people with the guts to work independently."
-Arna Stoll, Wallingford Neighborhood, Seattle
"Tristan was awesome to work with and is a true pro. After seeing everything that went into our project, we are SO glad we hired a pro! Our backyard and front yard project just completed, and we couldn't be happier. We loved the plan for the project that Tristan drew up. He was very proactive and communicative throughout the entire project. He worked around our schedule, was very respectful with our space, flagged any issues that came up. When we discovered an issue with some posts in the backyard, he walked us through his concerns and our options and then gave a recommendation. And now that the project is complete, everything looks amazing! It was exactly what we were looking for and have already recommended Tristan to others."
-Charles Hageman, Ballard Neighborhood, Seattle
"Tristan's deliberate and experienced approach helped us figure out and articulate what we wanted in our front and back of house. The extensive questionnaire gave all of us something to refer back to and help facilitate clear communication. We were very happy to have Tristan do the work after presenting and revising his designs to meet our desires and budget. Of course "life happened" in this project and there were delays and unanticipated turns of events. However, at every step of the way, Tristan was professional, and always kept us in the loop regarding what was going on and what to expect. Even more important, he then followed-through on what he said he would do. He was fine with us doing some parts of the project. The fall/winter weather does not stop this guy from working hard and demonstrating a very impressive work ethic. Yes there was the usual paperwork and contracts but his handshake sealing our deal meant a whole lot more to me than the paperwork. Tristan does very quality work from start to finish!"
-Herb Bergamini, Wallingford Neighborhood, Seattle
"A friend of mine used Solstice to do a large landscape job and recommended that we contact Tristan for our smaller yard project. We have a small backyard and desperately needed some landscape design - Tristan spent a ton of time thinking about our yard and our needs, taking into account our super vague likes/dislikes, and came up with a wonderful design. When Tristan was finished our yard looked like a new place, so put together and beautiful. Tristan really loves what he does and it translates directly into his work. His knowledge of plants is unreal and I would highly recommend him to anyone. On top of it all, he's also extremely professional, always communicative and on time!"
-Leslie Short, Magnolia Neighborhood, Seattle
"My husband and I couldn't be more pleased about our experience working with Tristan. He did a full plan for both our front and back yards and then did the installation in the back...we're holding off on the front until we have a better idea of how the city's new storm drainage plans will impact us. I've worked with a lot of contractors in the past and this experience by far exceeded my expectations. Tristan was thorough, responsive and timely throughout the process and is a fantastic communicator which is extremely rare in this business. Couldn't be happier about our experience and the final result!"
-Maiken Blanchette, Victory Heights Neighborhood, Seattle
"Bok, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, booooock, cluck, boooock."
-Missy (Tristan's chicken), Olympic Hills Neighborhood, Seattle
"My husband and I were looking for a landscape design for our backyard that included a new patio and more privacy. We are DIY kind of people, but not good at planning a cohesive, attractive design. After extensive research of local designers, we decided that Tristan would be a great choice for us, if he would be willing to travel outside of his typical work area. Fortunately for us, he was willing to travel, I think because it was a design only job, and because our philosophies are similar. He condensed the process down to one day. He came out, listened and looked at my 10,000 ideas, and walked around the yard with us. Then we left him alone to do his work outside. About 2 hours later he brought in his design to show us and it was gorgeous! We really couldn't believe how lovely this rendering was, just a pencil sketch. The design uses so many of my favorite inspirations. We had a few questions, but wanted no changes. Everyone I have showed it to has remarked on the beauty of the design, and how amazing it will look when done. We can't wait to get started!"
-Lia Suprenaut, Burien
"My husband and I chose Solstice Landscape Design to work with us on building the landscape design of our 1 acre property. It was a great decision. We highly recommend him. Working with Tristan has been a pleasure. He is professional, thorough and his attention to detail is obvious in all our interactions with him. When we received our finished landscape design plans from Tristan it was spectacular. He had clearly listened to our thoughts and needs. The final plan is beautiful, creative and will give us a landscape with all the aspects we were hoping for.
We are looking forward to working with Tristan as we begin implementing the design he created for us! Thank you Tristan!"
-Nancy Beherens, Bothell
"I came to Tristan with a big empty space and a pretty uncommon set of requirements. I am most thankful that he was able to combine all of those in to a stunning and expressive design that absolutely got me what I was looking for. I had a smallish budget but I was willing to do the grunt work, Tristan made an easy to follow guide for me. What resulted was almost 2000 square feet of a Hardy and drought tolerant garden that has the whole neighborhood talking. Thanks Tristan!"
-Alex Rainey, Brier
"So Pleased! Beyond Expectations! Tristan is the professional landscape designer you are searching for! He took time, understood us and delivered a design that fully met our needs. He also worked with the contractor to make sure that what was built was what he had envisioned. We would work with him again without hesitation."
-Chris Backous, Wedgewood Neighborhood, Seattle
"If you’re interested in working with a Landscape Designer who is responsive, artistic, accurately communicates schedule and budget, and adheres to same, I encourage you to consider Solstice Landscape Design. Tristan is a personable professional who listens, who asks questions, and who can translate a vision, however hazy, into a beautiful well-thought design."
-Susan Qualey, Duvall
"What can I say other than Tristan is fantastic. He listened to everything my husband and I wanted and then injected it with his own artful style and eco-sensibilities. Prior to Solstice, my yard was an overgrown study in invasive species. And after? It's real sancutuary, not just for my husband and I, but for the birds and bees that linger in it as well. It's a garden that delights all year long and where every plant looks as though it is just mean to be. I love my yard!"
-Lauren Meyer, West Seattle
"My wife and I recently had Tristan plan the landscaping for our first house, and it has been an incredible experience. Tristan has an amazing breadth of knowledge about all things landscaping, and a great eye for design. On top of that, he is extremely professional and a great communicator. He has the ability to perfectly blend your landscaping needs with his incredible vision. We just finished our first round of landscaping, and will be enjoying our brand new deck this weekend with friends. Thanks, Tristan!"
-Matt McCauley, Ballard Neighborhood, Seattle
"Tristan recently designed and installed a perfect, beautiful back yard for us. We have a small townhouse yard, and Tristan was able to help us take a variety of vague ideas and shape it into something that is both functional and relaxing. He brought a high level of professionalism to all aspects of the process, from initial design to final steps, and made everything so easy for us! I'll definitely be recommending him to friends and neighbors in the future."
-Stephanie Butorac, Greenwood Neighborhood, Seattle
"I couldn't be more pleased with Tristan's knowledge and responsiveness. The city asked us to have all of our trees documented on the site plan for our coming renovation -- a strange request as we're not doing any work outside of the existing footprint. Tristan was kind enough to read the city's request and set up time to swing by the house to put the required documentation together. He was also kind enough to charge us a VERY reasonable amount for the work. I'd recommend him in a heartbeat for similar work."
-Jed Esposito, Pinehurst Neighborhood, Seattle
"I have had the opportunity to see Solstice Landscape Design completed projects on couple dozen or so occasions over the years. As a deck and fence builder I often get calls from customers who have had Tristan complete some of the most beautiful landscape designs around seattle. We can usually tell if Solstice completed the landscaping for our various clients because the work is 2nd to none! We have seen thousands of landscapes projects around Seattle over the last 20+ years but none of them compare to the quality and care in the design process like you will find with Tristan at Solstice. After many years of experiences in the industry, I am highly impressed that we still have a few quality designers who take pride in the work they complete. When I buy my next home I hope to meet Tristan in person after all these years seeing the results of the work they do; and I will be hiring Solstice to do our landscaping design after my next home purchase. I highly recommend you do the same!"
-Ryan Riggens, Riggens Construction (Shoreline)
"We turned to Tristan to develop 2 design drawings for a proposed sidewalk along our property, finding ways to preserve old trees from the City's initial design. He provided us with clear designs that were effective in working with the City to alter their designs to get both the sidewalk they want and keep the trees and berries along our property. We highly recommend Tristan for landscape design that is professional and sensitive to the site."
-Marty Curry, Meadowbrook Neighborhood, Seattle
"We called Tristan to help us figure out what to do with our much neglected backyard and instantly took a liking to his easy going manner, vast knowledge of plants and obvious love for what he does. We hired him to draw up a design for the yard. During the planning process, he made an extra
effort to make sure he understood what our objectives were and spent a lot of time walking around the yard to understand the soil and basic lay of the land. The design he came up with was
beautiful but we decided to proceed with a house remodel project first. A year and a half later we called Tristan again and, after a few tweaks to the original plan, he picked up right where he
left off. After what turned out to be a hellish house remodel project, it was extremely refreshing for us to be able to work with someone as professional, conscientious and hard working as Tristan. There were no surprise “add-ons” or “didn’t see that coming” and we paid what we expected to pay. He worked right alongside his crew, Kacie & Tom, every day and made sure every sprinkler, trellis, paver, wall block, light, rock, bench, tree, flower and shrub was placed perfectly before putting anything into the ground. His communication throughout the project was great and, after each phase, he made sure we were happy with the progress before he moved on. Now, when someone visits our house and walks out onto the back deck the first thing that comes out of their mouth is “Wow, this is gorgeous!” Simply said, Tristan and his crew work hard, take pride in their work and take pride in a job well done. They did a beautiful job and we wish we would have known about them 4 houses ago.
-Scott and Rebecca Harrington, Mercer Island
"Solstice Landscape Design developed a design and performed the installation for a complete makeover of the landscaping around our building. The work included an overall design, a screening fence, patio, paths, new soils, planters, and planted areas, and lawn. The outcome is great - lots of compliments!
We were very happy with the process, price and results. Tristan, the owner, is a very good communicator. The design process was iterative - with Tristan listening to what we wanted to accomplish; he asked many, many questions and spent time at the site inspecting the current soils conditions, views, and general layout . He developed different ideas to meet our goals. After settling on a design, Tristan developed a cost proposal and worked with us to fine tune the costs to meet our budget. Schedule - we were having other work done that the landscaping had to schedule around. Again, Tristan was very accommodating and made it all work. While installing the work, several unforeseen things occurred, Tristan communicated quickly and gave us choices.
There were several very small change orders that we asked him to do, these were very modestly priced. I recollect the job was completed almost on the exact day that had been scheduled several months prior! The end result is a fabulous, complete makeover of the property that really changes the character of the whole property."
-Martha Schoenthal, Bitterlake Neighborhood, Seattle
"Tristan did a wonderful job at a fair price. The yard was very challenging due to drainage issues but
it looks beautiful now. We will be hiring Tristan to complete the landscaping as the weather warms up
and there are more plants in the nurseries."
-Erik Hendrikson and Joan Ward, Edmonds
"We remodeled the backyard, rebuilding a retaining wall beautifully, making a previous driveway a sanctuary of a place. He was lovely and absolutely understood what we were going for. He listened, developed, and created a beautiful space for us. We are eager to use him again. Tristan's stone work was an art form, as is his knowlege of native plants and what would create the look at what time of the year that you are going for. He was mindful of existing structures that we wanted to keep, which was sometimes difficult. He was conscientious and careful, always asking our thoughts instead of guessing in gray areas.We were always impressed at his vast array of knowlege of many trades. He was a respectful, enjoyable person to have around as well; someone you would want to share a beer with after transforming your space into a beautiful area. We would (and have) recommend him without a single reservation.
-Brandea Paulk, Greenwood Neighborhood, Seattle
"From start to finish, Tristan and his crew from Solstice were a pleasure to work with. They were all very professional, hard workers. The weather was very soggy, but those guys were out there anyway. From the first meeting to the sign off, we were really impressed with this company. We highly recommend Solstice Landscape Design."
-Victoria Bishop, Shoreline
"Tristan designed my backyard, And then gave the very detailed plans, with color pictures of all suggested plantings to me to finish in my own time. Wonderful guy, with a great sense of design. LISTENED to me, to what I wanted, and then returned when he said he would with the completed plan. He included every single item I asked that he include.
-Sher Storey, Edmonds
"Tristan and team were both responsive and professional. We were very pleased with the process from beginning to end. Tristan listened carefully to our requests and concerns and quickly created a plan that fit well with our needs. He was also quick to respond to our questions or make recommendations as needed. All in all, this was a very good experience with a super team. Our backyard area was awash in nasty ivy, weeds, ancient and unattended roses, blackberries and about 100 old tires that someone used to shore up a slope. None of this seemed to phase Solstice, and the result is a graceful, easy to care for, and beautiful back yard area. We may call them again when it is time to redo the front yard."
-Dave Haas and Diana Harker, Shoreline
"Everything went great - the design had me wondering but only because I just couldn't picture it in my drab and overgrown yard. Tristan's plan didn't seem to be what I had imagined. Boy was I wrong ... my garden is beautiful. It's everything I didn't know I wanted."
-Joanne Beaurain, Shoreline
"Last fall Tristan helped me rework two patches of ground flanking my back porch by removing a nettlesome holly bush and replacing with two hydrangeas repurposed from my front porch pots and adding grasses. The result is stunning, I couldn't be more pleased. And the hydrangeas are now sprouting new growth! Working with Tristan was wonderful. He's attentive and respectful of your ideas and is knowledgeable enough to flesh out even the scantest of notions you might have. He's fun and personable. Can't wait to do more work on my backyard."
-Robyne Curry, Ravenna Neighborhood, Seattle
"I chose Tristan and Solstice based on his design methodology described on his site. We discussed a design that is respectful of the house's history as an older Seattle home, but forward-thinking in a more spiritual, modern design. I'm pleased to say that he took my ideas and incorporated his own, and I'm very happy with the result."
Chris Armstrong, Meadowbrook Neighborhood, Seattle
"I had a great experience with Solstice Landscape Design. Tristan, the owner, is a mind-reader - whatever I wanted or was thinking of having, it was included in my design plan. He not only reviewed my response to his questionnaire (which is really thorough) closely and listened to my every request/desire, he also helped me walked through my idea when I wasn't even sure what I wanted. He offered great ideas, and gave thoughtful feedbacks which I truly appreciate. No matter how late my email was sent, I would receive a feedback from him in the morning!
Tristan works hourly but when I went to him for advice on the color of our exterior paint, he was more than happy to help, for free. And he checked in with me from time to time even after our design was complete.
We didn't have a contractor so Tristan recommended his preferred contractor, Don. Don is such a warm person, and so easy to work with. He is flexible, resourceful and very experienced in his field. They helped make my dream into a reality. Before I had a yard, now I have a beautiful garden."
Jill Ni, Lake City Neighborhood, Seattle
"Wow, as a new homeowner, Tristan was the right guy to go to to overhaul our landscaping. It started with an awesome survey that my wife an I filled out so that Tristan could get a feeling for what we like. Then we paid Tristan to draw up a design, which was a WORK OF ART. Full color, computer rendered, printed large as well as delivered electronically so that we could brag on Facebook. We liked everything so much that we barely changed anything on the design. We decided to work in phases since we couldn't afford everything at once, and started with the hardscaping. I wanted really large slate pavers, and Tristan really delivered here. In fact, we paid for smaller pavers and he threw in some enormous table sized pavers that blew my mind. The quality level was incredible with the curving retaining wall and the carefully laid pavers. Tristan doesn't cut corners, which is what I wanted. You pay for quality and its worth it. After we completed the first phase, Tristan consulted for free on how to get mulch blown in without using him as a middle man. Integrity and professionalism are top notch here."
-Philip Edry, Seward Park, Seattle
"Tristan and crew were wonderful to work with. Patient, insightful, creative, hard working, punctual, and delivered excellent value. we quickly came to trust their design and judgement.
Originally we had some sticker shock when we began to price out the work we wanted done. We didn't know our dreams were bigger than our wallets. Someone else might have taken advantage of our ignorance, but Tristan helped us understand a realistic range of what each element might cost, and re-scope to our budget. He was especially good at helping us prioritize our options and choose trade offs that aligned with our values. We expect to live here a long time, so we chose to invest in soil augmentation and the long term health of the landscape. We opted to "do it right" instead of choosing work that might look better in the short term.
During Solstice Design's installation, a rainstorm revealed issues with runoff and drainage which Tristan noticed and brought to our attention. Some problems were outside the scope of his work, and he easily detailed actions we needed to have completed by other providers. He also adjusted his design on the fly to manage runoff with swales, so that our soil would be able to absorb the excess water over time. He proposed this solution along with a revised budget and schedule that very day, which we gladly accepted. The revised work was completed on time and within budget, and has handled this winter's storms quite well.
On the whole, we are very grateful we chose to work with Solstice Design, and feel this was money well spent. We would recommend them to any Seattle-area resident interested in artistic and/or sustainable landscape design, with a medium to large project in mind."
-Tim Biegel, West Seattle
"End to end the project was very smooth and surpassed expectations. This was only phase 1 of our backyard remodel and just signed the contract for phase 2. We started with our overall design for our dream backyard which consists of 5 phases total. Designing and planning was interactive and helped us work through exactly what it will take to complete the overall project. The level of detail in proposals covered every aspect and step of the project with a big focus on making sure that the work would last for many years - this includes removing a lot of dirt, bringing in gravel and finish materials. The Solstice team also went over the top. They were punctual, hard working, friendly, clean and took extra care not to damage areas they were not working on (aka the neighbors lawn they were moving material next to). Little finishes like river rock by the draining system, details on the fence and making sure every piece of the paver stairs fit nice and tight are a big return on our investment. This is a high dollar investment, but the materials and way they are installed are high quality and will last for many many years."
-Phil Burtcher, Seattle
"We are extremely pleased with the results of our landscape project, and we have received lots of compliments from our neighbors as our new space is very attractive and very visible to passers-by. We are happy to have eliminated the drainage issues and are enjoying the benefits of a patio space and driveway. Tristen really listened to our ideas and desires and designed a comprehensive plan that addressed all of our highest priority areas within our planned budget. He and his team were very professional and very good at communicating details about schedule so we were well informed throughout the project. Tristen also checked with us along the way to make sure we were satisfied with the progress and the results. He even re-accomplished one section of the driveway to better fit our car. He is extremely easy to work with and his work was of very high quality. We were quite happy with the ease of the whole process and with the beautiful end result! Thanks Solstice Landscape Design!"
-Sheila and Brian Kirkwood, Laurelhurst Neighborhood, Seattle
"Tristan came out to our new home site. He met with my wife and I two times on site to go over design and planning. Tristan was able to utilize our "wants" and incorporate our example pictures into the master plan. He produced a master landscape plan that was beyond our expectations. We were very pleased with his service, professionalism, courtesy, enthusiasm and price (very reasonable). Thank you Solstice Landscape Design!"
-Craig Kagetsu, Bellevue
"Excellent, awesome, great work, attention to detail, punctual, dignified, artistic, passionate, extraordinary work."
-Jason Kanter, Bellevue
"Excellent. His design was just what we needed and wanted. Tristan was extremely thorough, attentive, and talented. He first asked us to fill out a survey to determine what we liked and didn't like. And when he came out to the house to work on the design he remembered everything and was a great listener to include everything we mentioned once he briefed us. His service throughout the project was outstanding. Quick to respond and address any questions or concerns we had. His team did outstanding work, the project seems fairly big but they worked quickly and the backyard now looks awesome. I would definitely recommend Solstice to anyone who needed landscape design and work. My fear is how spoiled we've become from all the great service. The price seemed a little high in comparison but worth every penny."
-Sean Gallagher, Maple Leaf, Seattle
"After contacting Tristan he responded quickly sending us a detailed questionnaire before his visit. On the day of his visit he took his time LISTENING to what we wanted as we weren't clear ourselves, then he was able to draw up a design suggesting different plans suitable for us and took TIME to show us pictures from his design. We needed to have something on paper to solidify our ideas and this is exactly what Tristan did. Very easy to work with."
-Alan and Patricia Alexander, Redmond
"Solstice did work for us 2 separate times, which included some major landscaping projects. This included a parking strip for us as well some concrete paving stones. They will actually be coming out for a 3rd time fairly soon. Everything went just fine! They are very capable of doing this type of work."
-Arlene and Stephen Cohen, Queen Anne Hill, Seattle
"We bought an older house and had some diseased trees from our front yard. We looked at a couple of landscapers and went with Tristan after he came to our house and we did a walk through with him. We liked his ideas on plants and trees and ideas he had for our yard. We had him draw up a landscape plan for us and were impressed with the quality of work he did."
-Robin Godfrey, Woodinville
"We are very happy with the design Tristan came up with and how it turned out once done. The workers were very prompt and professional and it only took two days for them to finish our job. Super happy and would highly recommend Solstice Design!"
-Brian Halse, Wallingford Neighborhood, Seattle
"I love to garden but some projects are just to big for the casual gardener. I was referred to Solstice Landscape Design by a friend. I contacted Tristan, the owner, and he quickly responded. He met me at my home and listened to my ideas. He clearly explained the process and returned with a landscape design that matched my vision for my new front yard. Solstice removed a large amount of old grass and replaced it with beautiful natural large rocks, native trees and a variety of plants, incorporated beautifully with many of my own plants transplanted from other parts of my yard. Throughout out the project Tristan kept me up to date and provided his excellent professional recommendations. In the end I have a beautiful yard and all was created and completed easily by working with Solstice Landscape Design. I highly recommend their services."
-Andy Epperson, Capitol Hill, Seattle
"We had Tristan of Solstice Landscape Design over to draw a landscaping plan and prepare an estimate in the beginning of April. I immediately liked his approach to the project. Of all the landscape designers we interviewed, Tristan just seemed to really love what he does. He also recognizes the spiritual connection we can have with plants and the earth, which resonates with my values and the relationship I want to have with my surroundings. Anyway, we signed a contract and work began April 27. While we were waiting for work to begin, I studied the landscape plan and asked if we could make some minor changes regarding plant selection. Tristan was super easy to work with and some of my "wish list" plants were available and included in the final product. I am thrilled with how the project turned out. It's beautiful and functional and will become even more amazing as the plants get established and grow a bit. In the 24 hours since the last plant went into the ground, I've gotten compliments from five different people. I expect I'll hear more wonderful things, because it just looks great. I can't say enough nice things about Tristan and I would enthusiastically recommend him to anyone."
-Anna Lesiecki, Ballard, Seattle
"I contacted Tristan at Solstice for a landscape design consultation for the front portion of my home. Prior to coming on-site, we discussed what I was looking for, and I sent him some examples I could find online of some of the features I was looking for. Tristan then inspected my property, and drafted a to-scale drawing of what I could expect from a landscaping remodel. He gave me some addresses to visit, where I could see some of his prior landscaping work, and I liked what I saw when I visited those sites. We settled on terms for the work, and he indicated that, due to a backlog, it may take as much as 5 weeks to get the work done. I wasn't thrilled with the timing, but I felt like his team was right for the work, so I agreed. Within a few days, he called to say that he could likely squeeze in my work in between another job that was wrapping up, and that his team may need a couple weeks to complete the work, but that they'd have it done well before the five-week estimate previously provided. I agreed, and Tristan's folks arrived the following week. Rather than providing piecemeal work on my site, Solstice worked non-stop for 4 days, removing the overgrowth from my front yard, keeping the few plants I wanted to re-use, adding a considerable amount of soil to provide elevation and contour to the lot, planted all of the new plants, and finished the lot with a generous supply of mulch. Tristan then gave me time to inspect the work and make any additional suggestions. The work looked exactly like the drawing. I recommended adding a few stones to the path he had built, and laying down more thyme as ground cover. He assented to both of these improvements without hesitation. He was extremely communicative, and met or exceeded my expectations of professionalism and workmanship at every opportunity."
-Ray Polakovic, Ballard, Seattle
"We hired Tristan, of Solstice Landscape Design to help us put together a landscape design. He was competitively priced with the other two landscape designers we met with. After meeting with the designers, we felt the most comfortable with Tristan and his process, so we went with him. We filled out his detailed questionnaire ahead of time and had a walk through of the property. He must have really used the information provided and actually listened to what we had to say because the design he came up with was spot on with what we were looking for. His process really helped us to figure out what we wanted/needed from our landscape. He provided different options and a wide variety of planting choices, but also gave his recommendations...which was very helpful given that we didn't know much about plants going in. Once the long term landscape design plan was in place, we asked for a quote. The initial quote to do everything in the plan was quite a bit more than we wanted to spend this year. However, Tristan did a fantastic job of breaking it into 5 phases in the initial quote and then adding/removing and moving things between phases to help us get to our target budget. He worked closely with us to figure out what we could do ourselves, what we could push off until next year...basically, how to get the biggest bang for our budget for this year. Overall, Tristan was very responsive and was quick to return calls and emails. He showed up when he said he was going to show up, did what he said he was going to do, and was very responsive to our needs and flexible with our hectic schedule. We would definitely use Tristan again and would (and have) recommended him to others. He was a pleasure to work with."
-Kyle and Kris Swallom, Bothell
"Solstice is a very fine company. The gentleman who runs it is a very responsible guy. He is very smart and easy to deal with. He accepts ideas. He checks things out. He doesn’t get offended when you raise points, and he wants feedback. They are top notch. They do a great job. I would consider using them in the future."
-Stephen and Arlene Cohen, Queen Anne Hill, Seattle
"Tristan was great to work with on our landscape design. Very friendly and accommodating to our changes. Highly recommend."
-Colby Smits, Issaquah
"Tristan gave us a questionnaire to learn what we like (and don't), and how we would use our garden. He followed this up with a meeting and walk-through to get a better sense of what we wanted our landscaping to be like. A week or so later, he presented us with a thorough design, list of plants, and an estimate. Tristan worked well with us to design the project so it almost fit in out desired budget, and then did value engineering to bring it to a number we could both agree on - while still achieving our goals. I'm glad we didn't go with "some guy with a truck", as I do believe that we got what we paid for. Tristan and Scott take great pride in their work, and the garden is beautiful. Even before it was complete, we began receiving compliments from our neighbors and passers-by. The job took less time than Tristan estimated. We were kept informed by daily conversations and emails when needed. Overall - Tristan runs a very professional company, and I recommend Solstice Landscape Design with no reservations. We are happy that we have a beautiful garden of native plants - Tristan is even applying to the state to get us certified as a backyard wildlife sanctuary!
-Leif Jackson, Queen Anne Hill, Seattle
"We’re so glad we chose Solstice. Tristan came up with an aesthetically pleasing, detailed design and he worked closely with us to assure the job was done right. Whenever we had suggestions, questions, or concerns, Tristan was there to make sure we were satisfied. All the work was done in a professional way and the project was completed as scheduled. Another thing we like about Solstice is that they are careful to minimize environmental impacts. We wanted to have both native plants as well as colorful perennials to attract birds. Tristan chose plants that are not only drought-tolerant, but they’re beautiful and they also attract birds. We’ve never had so many birds visit us before and we love it!"
-Judith and Mike Boyce, Bellevue
"Tristan is great to work with. We got his name from another very happy customer of Solstice. He delivered a great landscape design and was open to our direction and feedback. The install went very well and when a couple of curveballs came up, Tristan was very communicative and creative about the solutions. We would absolutely work with him again."
-Vicky and Matt Tamaru, Magnolia, Seattle
"We love our yard! For 10 long years our yard had been weeded over and depressing. I'd tried to make some improvements on my own when I joined the household but the yard was far too large and it was obvious we needed professional help. We turned to Tristan. He was very enthusiastic, very professional. He listened, suggested ideas, worked with our budget and fixed and corrected things we grumbled over with nary a blink. The best part was that he finished on time just as he laid out the schedule! Also, when one of the new trees died he replaced it free of charge. A year later I love looking out to the landscaping from the house and I can let my toddler loose on the grounds without any worry. People compliment our yard all the time and I do not hesitate to recommend Tristan."
-Aki and Dave Carrol, Wedgewood, Seattle
"Better than I could ever imagine! It started out with just preserving the carved eagle I inherited when I bought the house and wanted a little bit of landscaping around it. Tristan talked me through what I would like to see in my yard - low maintenance, drought tolerant landscaping, sustainable. His concepts so fit with what I wanted that I had him do a design for the whole yard! Seeing the layout was very exciting! With dry stream beds from the down spouts and around the eagle. He said that he was going to do some sculpting of the beds but I had no idea of how wonderful it would be - going from a flat lawn to sculpted hills. The plantings are amazing! There are large stones and planting around the eagle that really set it off - and there are two large dished stones that the birds love as bird baths (my indoor only cat really like to watch that). It is all I could have imagined and way, way more. What Tristan and crew can do it just amazing!"
-Judith Stoehr, Ballard Neighborhood, Seattle
"We recently terraced our front yard after ripping out all the ivy. Solstice Landscapes did a lovely job of designing, bringing in just the right rockery to match what we already had and then terraced the front yard. We really liked Tristan's ability to communicate and listen to what we needed. He stayed in contact and was very professional and hard working, so was Scott his assistant! Wonderful Job!"
-Mary-Megan and Robert Linder, Phinney Ridge, Seattle
"Dear Tristan, We are so thrilled with how our yard, patio and stairs look, all thanks to your fabulous and artistic landscape design. Prior to hiring you to redesign our landscaping, people would walk by and say, "oh, such lovely plants, such a lovely lot, such green lawn, but what terrible stairs and landing, and what's going on with that gravel side yard?". Now people come by our house and actually OOOH and AAAH over how beautiful our yard looks. We even have strangers (since this is a walking neighborhood) walk by our house that have to come up to us to comment on the beauty and grace of our landscaping! The crew you had do the stonework were the best I have ever worked with. The team were true artists and were always here on time, worked hard all day and produced amazing results. I have remodeled many homes, inside and out, and never had such a great experience with a contractor as I did with you and your team. As you know, my husband and I had our doubts in the beginning. But you reassured us that we would be happy with the results and we trusted that you were the expert. We are so happy we did, because if we hadn't, we wouldn't have the beautiful landscape that we have now. Thank you so much!!"
-Pam Warren, West Seattle
“I had been looking to redesign my front yard landscaping for awhile and by total chance I came across a Solstice business card. From the first email I exchanged with Tristan all the way through our working together he was total professional! He is extremely knowledgeable in his field and highly talented. If you are looking for sustainable landscape design, Tristan is your man. I truly look forward to working with him again in the future and will recommend him to everyone I can!”
-Morgan Wagner, West Seattle
“Tristan's design was amazing! He carefully listened to my needs and desires and applied them perfectly in the landscape design. The install proved to be even better - he kept me informed during the process, checking in regularly to be sure I was satisfied. I would highly recommend Solstice Landscape Design to anyone looking for a creative, artistic landscape design!”
-Kris Jensen, Kirkland
“I went to Tristan for help with my front yard. I had a steep grassy bank facing the east which was difficult to mow and dried up every summer despite my watering. I was thinking a couple of walls so that I would have a terraced area for flowers. He took into consideration my preference for fragrance and plants that would attract birds and butterflies. He designed new front steps, walls and perennials which go well with my 100-year old classic Seattle home. During the installation, Tristan always called me to discuss any design adjustments and to ask for my approval. I can’t wait for bulbs to come up, for the perennial bushes to grow a bit, and to fill in blank spots with annuals. It is amazing to see how the new look makes the house look so much better! I would highly recommend Solstice Landscape Design for your landscape design project.”
-Carolyn Heberlein, Fremont, Seattle (also, Tristan's mom)
"Tristan and his crew were a pleasure to work with. Tristan had a clear and creative vision for my landscaping project. I was very impressed with his professionalism and would definitely recommend him to anyone."
-Dene Miles, Ballard, Seattle
“Tristan was fun to work with and he got the job done! I hired him to install a garden in front of my condo in Laurelhurst, where a previous garden had been obliterated by the installation of new water pipes. Tristan listened to what I wanted and was able to turn the mess of hard clay into a wonderful gardening space for me.”
-Erica Schiller, Laurelhurst, Seattle
“Tristan has the rare gift of being both exceptionally creative, and realistic at the same time. I like to think of him as a man with his head in the clouds, and his feet on the ground. He is a stand-up human being who is trustworthy, and spirited. I have enjoyed working him on many projects, and I wish him the greatest success as owner of Solstice.” -
Brooke Sullivan, Owner: Back to Nature Design, LLC
"You are great to work with, even in the cold pouring down rain! The design you came up with is very workable and the plants, shrubs, and trees work well for my property. You do a great job!!!!!!!!"
-Bonnie McEachern, Bothell