With a foundation of over twenty-five years in the landscaping industry, we specialize in residential landscape design and build services throughout the Portland area. Our portfolio includes more than one thousand completed projects and is supported by numerous five-star client reviews. We manage every stage of the process, providing hands-on guidance from initial consultation through final completion.
Our services encompass landscape design, garden installation, patios, walkways, walls, pergolas, irrigation systems, low-voltage lighting, and custom water features. Japanese garden principles, traditional stone craftsmanship, and sustainable construction practices inform our approach. Our experienced team works collaboratively to ensure every detail is executed with care. The result is a cohesive, enduring landscape designed to provide enjoyment for decades.
Our services encompass landscape design, garden installation, patios, walkways, walls, pergolas, irrigation systems, low-voltage lighting, and custom water features. Japanese garden principles, traditional stone craftsmanship, and sustainable construction practices inform our approach. Our experienced team works collaboratively to ensure every detail is executed with care. The result is a cohesive, enduring landscape designed to provide enjoyment for decades.
Served areas
- Portland, OREmpty heading, Lake Oswego, OREmpty heading, Dunthorpe, OR, Clackamas, OR, Beaverton, OR, Gresham, OR, Hillsboro, OR, Damascus, OR, Gladstone, OR, King City, OR, Milwaukie, OR, Oregon City, OR, Sherwood, OR, Tigard, OR, Tualatin, OR, West Linn, OR, Wilsonville, OR, Happy Valley, OR, Vancouver, WA, Ridgefield, WAEmpty heading, Camas, WA
Details
- Year established: 1999
Highlights and features
- Custom landscape design and full-service garden installation experts
- Japanese-inspired gardens, modern landscapes, and serene water features
- Over 25 years landscaping experience throughout Portland metro area
- Koi ponds, stone patios, lighting, and irrigation systems
- Designer-led process from first concept through final walkthrough
- Highly experienced team with decades of collaborative craftsmanship
Payment methods
- Cash
- Debit cards
- Credit cards
Services
We approach landscape design as a collaborative planning process. The first step is a consultation where we evaluate your property and discuss your vision. Our method is clear and structured. This allows both sides to confirm alignment before moving into design. 
Custom water features are our specialty, supported by years of dedicated experience. We design and construct ponds, streams, and decorative water elements with attention to detail and proven construction practices. Our services emphasize durability, efficient systems, and designs that integrate seamlessly into their surroundings. 
Low voltage landscape lighting is one of our core services, and it reflects our commitment to quality and restraint. We design systems that highlight focal points without over-lighting the space. Durable fixtures and efficient LEDs ensure long service life and low operating costs. Our team also maintains and repairs existing lighting systems when needed. 
We offer comprehensive landscape design and build services with one team guiding the project from beginning to end. As licensed contractors, we take responsibility for both design intent and construction quality. This process results in cohesive outdoor spaces that are visually compelling, carefully built, and designed to endure. 
Our team creates irrigation systems that balance performance, efficiency, and long-term reliability. Using modern components and smart technology, we ensure accurate water delivery throughout your landscape. Every system is professionally designed, carefully installed with hand digging when appropriate, meticulously cleaned up, and maintained with ongoing service to ensure lasting results. 
We provide professionally designed paver hardscapes that enhance outdoor living areas through structure and style. Interlocking pavers allow for adaptable layouts and long-term performance. Our experienced crew leaders and craftsmen work collaboratively to ensure each installation meets high construction standards. 
We design and construct stone features intended to endure for generations. Stone patios, walls, and structures provide strength, stability, and lasting beauty. Skilled masonry ensures each element performs as well as it looks. While the cost is considerable, the longevity and refinement of stone make it worthwhile. People
Ben Bowen
Ben, our landscape designer, is usually your first contact with Ross NW Watergardens. He will meet you for an initial consultation, work up any proposal needed, and remains your primary contact through the whole design and installation process.
Ben is a third generation landscaper and has been working in the family business since 2003.
Ben is a third generation landscaper and has been working in the family business since 2003.
Reviews (14)
Bert Boyer
Jan 20, 2026
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Ben met with us and provided a very competitive pricing estimate for our project. In fact, it was 4 times less than one other Portland landscape design firm! We could not be more pleased with the quality of the lighting (lifetime warranty) and the outstanding service.
Elliot did a phenomenal job installing path and garden lighting at our house. He was very meticulous with installation details and communicated well with us to design path lighting exactly as requested.
Please give them a chance to bid on your next project. You will not be disappointed!
Elliot did a phenomenal job installing path and garden lighting at our house. He was very meticulous with installation details and communicated well with us to design path lighting exactly as requested.
Please give them a chance to bid on your next project. You will not be disappointed!
Naisa Gordon
Sep 18, 2025
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We hired Ross NW Watergardens to do a complete overhaul of our front yard. It was a dry and barren eyesore. Ben came in, took some pictures, and got back to us with a proposal super quickly. Once work started , it was super quick, just 3 days (granted its a small yard). There were around 50-ish plants, a large amount of river rocks to make a dry pond, fresh bark dust, and they installed a drip irrigation system. The crew was super polite and friendly. Ben was very communicative and understanding of us having to work around the holiday weekend for our money to get moved around. It was a great experience and we are so happy with our yard.
Anna A.
Jul 19, 2025
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Ben did an amazing job helping us with our garden project. He really took the time to understand what we wanted, gave great advice, and handled everything with so much care and attention to detail. Even after planting, he followed up and helped us adjust things when needed. The garden looks beautiful now, and were so grateful for his help. Highly recommend working with him and his team!
Colin Cochran
Jan 01, 2025
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Mihal F.
Mar 28, 2024
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Theresa Jelderks
Jul 05, 2023
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Josh Rosen
Sep 06, 2021
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Ben and his team were truly amazing to work with. We love that it's a local family business. From the start, the process and communication was straight forward and we appreciated their expertise to bring our backyard vision to life. They went above and beyond and were super flexible due to a few weather hiccups out of anyone's control. We highlight recommend them and will be using them for any future projects. Thanks!
Rory Blanche
Jul 25, 2021
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We cant say enough good things about Ross NW Watergardens! Ben and his team were exactly what we were looking for with our landscaping project. He listened to what we were looking for, provided insights and design ideas that fit within our budget and answered all of our many questions. He also provided thoughtful updates throughout the entire process, which was much appreciated. He has an extremely skilled team thats friendly, works quickly and does quality work. Overall, we are extremely pleased with the end result and look forward to enjoying the beautiful backyard that Ross NW Watergardens created for us!
Diane Lieppman
Dec 02, 2020
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After completing a whole house renovation, we were ready to embark upon a landscape makeover to match our contemporary/Asian themed home. Our mission was to find someone who could design and install landscaping to tie our house and yard together.
After interviewing two other landscape designers, we found our perfect match with Ben Bowen and Ross NW Watergardens. Ben met (and exceeded) our list of desires for our yard, starting with his keen ability to envision what we could not imagine. He quickly saw through the existing, worn-out mish-mash of trees, plants and grass that had been cobbled together over seventy years of planting. After accepting his thorough proposal, which confirmed all that we had discussed, his crew went to work.
Ben did an excellent job of communicating with us from beginning to end. The project came in within budget and was completed in the 3-week timeframe he had promised.
His knowledge of plants, trees, boulders, landscape lighting, irrigation and other landscape details gave us confidence during the undertaking. The quality of all materials used was top notch, including healthy, happy plants, grasses and trees.
Ben was always available when we had questions, and we knew that he had our back should anything go awry. The entire crew at Ross NW Watergardens was knowledgeable, efficient, hard working, and respectful of our space while there.
We would not hesitate to recommend Ben and Ross NW Watergardens to anyone looking for landscape design and/or installation.
After interviewing two other landscape designers, we found our perfect match with Ben Bowen and Ross NW Watergardens. Ben met (and exceeded) our list of desires for our yard, starting with his keen ability to envision what we could not imagine. He quickly saw through the existing, worn-out mish-mash of trees, plants and grass that had been cobbled together over seventy years of planting. After accepting his thorough proposal, which confirmed all that we had discussed, his crew went to work.
Ben did an excellent job of communicating with us from beginning to end. The project came in within budget and was completed in the 3-week timeframe he had promised.
His knowledge of plants, trees, boulders, landscape lighting, irrigation and other landscape details gave us confidence during the undertaking. The quality of all materials used was top notch, including healthy, happy plants, grasses and trees.
Ben was always available when we had questions, and we knew that he had our back should anything go awry. The entire crew at Ross NW Watergardens was knowledgeable, efficient, hard working, and respectful of our space while there.
We would not hesitate to recommend Ben and Ross NW Watergardens to anyone looking for landscape design and/or installation.
Joel Rotert
Jun 04, 2020
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Ben and his team are hands down the best contractors to have worked on our home since we moved in. Our experience includes at least 10 different groups over the last 5 and a half years for a variety of large and small projects.
Why so exceptional? A few key reasons:
* excellent communication at all phases
* top quality work: both design and execution
* reasonable quote & adhered to, if not slightly under
* timely once the project started
* respectful, thoughtful team on site
Our project was modest (small backyard leveling, sodding, simple landscaping and minor hardscaping) but Bens design guidance and his teams skill helped them overdeliver. We couldnt be happier with the end result, it turned out much better than we ever envisioned.
We cant recommend the Ross NW team highly enough!
Why so exceptional? A few key reasons:
* excellent communication at all phases
* top quality work: both design and execution
* reasonable quote & adhered to, if not slightly under
* timely once the project started
* respectful, thoughtful team on site
Our project was modest (small backyard leveling, sodding, simple landscaping and minor hardscaping) but Bens design guidance and his teams skill helped them overdeliver. We couldnt be happier with the end result, it turned out much better than we ever envisioned.
We cant recommend the Ross NW team highly enough!
Patrick G.
Nov 12, 2019
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Ben and his team did an amazing job building a walkway on the side of our house from the driveway to the back. They also installed a french drain system to deal with a drainage issue along the length of our backyard. The work was done quickly and professionally. I have used them in the past, and will use them for future work. Thank you Ben!
Alexander Basek
Dec 11, 2018
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Ben is a master. We are so happy with how our landscaping turned out. He stuck with us over a long renovation, never got flustered by anything going wrong, and, of course, helped plan and install an incredible front and back yard for our house. We could not recommend him highly enough. Worth every penny.
Jennifer Donovan
Aug 28, 2018
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Working with Ben, Joe and crew was the most problem-free, productive, enjoyable job weve ever done with a contractor. And since we moved into a home that had been largely untouched since 1954 we have hired a lot of contractors over the past 5 years. It has been a pleasure and we think our backyard is nothing less than breathtaking.
C. B.
Aug 18, 2017
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Ben and the entire crew were all amazing to work with from the initial consultation through completion of our project. Ben took the time to carefully explain each element of the design proposal to make sure we understood all the necessary details. We encountered a few delays with the crazy winter snowstorms and some unexpected issues (none of which were the fault of Ross NW Watergardens) and Ben and the team went above and beyond to help us resolve them while keeping open communication throughout the project. The end result was better than we could have expected and we are thrilled with how everything turned out!