San Diego's Green Tree Arborist

My initial contact with Gary was very professional and prompt. I called to receive an estimate and he was able to give me one the day I called. His prices were very reasonable and after reading his biography I was sold. I needed a 50 ft. tree removed and wanted to be sure I hired someone who could complete the job without hesitation. Gary and his crew removed one 50ft. tree and 3 dead trees, in addition to trimming many other trees in our yard. They promptly cleaned up and were finished in under 3 hours! Gary's attention to detail, customer service and expert knowledge are unmatched. My husband and I are very pleased with the work he did and will use him for any other needs we have in the future. Thanks Gary!!!

Stepheni & Joel

I have worked with many different arborists, landscape contractors, and landscape architects over the last 30 years, and find Gary to be very special. His intelligence, vision, experience, and passion for trees, gardens, and the natural world is both very informative and inspirational. Gary responded immediately to my inquiry and did an excellent job in shaping, pruning, and fertilizing my trees. He is the only person who immediately identified the architectural purpose of our house and gardens without any direction from the homeowner. Gary is fun to work with because he not only does exactly what he says he is going to do, but also shares a wealth of knowedge from his background of music, art, philosophy, architecture, and cultural experiences. Working with Gary is not like working with a typical contractor, but instead a learning experience with a wonderful and passionate teacher.

I am writing in praise of Gary Walker’s Magical Gardening:

I needed Gary’s expertise again – urgently, and immediately. I know his work, his vision, imagination, creativity since, years ago, he and his crew catered to my old palm trees. The result was most impressive. They had saved one of my palms from the electric wires overhead by bending it carefully out of harms way so that it did not have to be removed! As a tree lover, I felt tremendously relieved.

At that time, Gary had introduced me to his own garden sanctuary. Thus I knew that only he would be able to tame my jungle and create a garden. I showed him my huge corral trees, the California oaks, which started growing from seeds 20 years ago, the palms of which one is a Canary Phoenix Date Palm. Those were taking all the light, were not given shade but darkness. Everything had been overgrowing and suffocating each other including me.

It is strange and wonderful, that, although Gary and I had not met in years, there was immediate understanding and agreement when we discussed Escondido’s summers, its heat, my need for shade and for light. I could completely trust his judgment knowing, there would not be cut one branch too many, that I would have a dome of green expanding over my patios and house and would still be able to HAVE and enjoy those trees of which I am so proud and fond of. When Gary and his assistant had finished their task - there was light, airiness, space, and sun was filtering through high branches all day long from all directions of the sky. The wind created dancing shadows. My garden had become alive again. It seemed all trees and plants below them were smiling.

And I, I walk through my garden in total amazement and am smiling – for days, even at night, when I see stars again through the high branches, or those new roses with their pale pink glow. I experience a new way of seeing. There is not only much more light but also more space – the eye is drawn deep into parts that had been totally hidden! Gary has realized a paradise. Yes, the ‘raw material’ was there. But he ‘composed’ it differently, he directed the light, he created the shadows, he brought it to the foreground. He, in other words, painted a garden for me. He placed colors, form, and scent. Gary is an artist. Only an artist can accomplish such transformation, such enhancement.
I am more than happy - I thank you, Gary, beyond words.

Gary and his accomplished crew including a fabulous climber just finished a difficult tree "pruning" for us including a 70 foot eucalyptus tree. Unbelieveable change to the trees. He is passionate about his skills and about the trees which are much more than just trees to him.
I now realize that proper care of trees is an art not a necessity. They give us much more than we give them. I wish people cared more passionately about the beauty in their own back yard.
Gary's work is not only technically good, it is true art and true to nature which he so loves. Trees ask nothing from you and give peace and serenity. I know in someway my trees are thanking me and inviting me into their world, a world made better than them and by Gary.
Gratefully, Bill Johnson

Imagine my surprise when my ten year acquaintance with the prominent Green Tree Arborist, Gary Walker, hired once again to trim a myriad of overgrown shrubs and trees turned out to be a world travelor and fantastic musician. I listened to his music CD, Nurture Your Nature and then watched his two music videos on Youtube by typing in, garywalkeronline, and was blown away! I e-mailed my children to watch them too. Perhaps I will buy a CD for my l9 year old grandson who likes Jimi Hendrix, and should like Gary's style.

We needed new trees planted and Gary provided ideas, the trees and the planting. The trees are gorgeous and we enjoy the new improved look of the garden. We have appreciated Gary's knowledge and love for trees, his promptness of execution once a decision had been reached.

Wow is not quite the word; it's fabulous! The garden you designed and installed is beautiful. It's Amazing how everything has filled in, plus the colors, the layers and depth; just awesome. You are the master.

I contacted Gary pretty much out of the blue after seeing his wonderful garden online. He very graciously opened his garden and home to the Sketchcrawl group. About 20 of us showed up to draw and paint his magical garden. It took about 20 minutes just to decide on the right place to stop and paint because everywhere you looked there was a picture waiting to be painted. The colors and arrangement of plants, trees, flowers and ornamentation was intoxicating. Gary joined us for our sketchbook pass-around at lunch and the whole group enjoyed his enthusiasm for art and nature. If you want a one-of-a-kind, breathtaking garden, he’s the man.

Gary has been caring for my trees for quite a few years. I have a tendency to over plant and Gary has always been able to make everything work. He is knowledgable and provides reliable service. Thanks for all yor expertise Gary.

I called Gary Walker and he made arrangements to meet with me that day at our condominium community. He showed up on time with enthusiasm. He was well mannered and casually dressed. He immediately establsihed a rapport with me. We talked about similar interests I discovered from his web site. Within a short amount of time, he surveyed the grounds, explained the project, and how he'd accomplish it in a safe, environmentally friendly manner. He discussed his credentials and marketed his services confidence. Afterwards, he made a follow up call to see if I had any questions. He was understanding and respectful of the fact that I needed to compare his bid with other services. When I called to check on his availability, he got to the job within a couple of days. Within half a day, his team had cut down four trees, cleaned the area, and hauled away some of the wood. He left some of the wood for people to burn. The community looked neat and clean. After the job, Gary was available to answer other questions. Gary returns phone calls right away. I am very pleased with the ease of this process, and the timely manner in which he completed the job. It's obvious by his words and actions that he genuinely cares about providing a quality service. I will recommend his services to anyone. The cost of the project was reasonalbe and comparable to other tree services. The most important factor in choosing his company was knowing he has the expertise and interest in meeting the client's needs and expectations. He's a great guy to know if you need tree services.

We feel very fortunate to have had Gary visit the Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Los Angeles, not only as an expert arborist consulting but he also actually did some tree work himself.(wow) Gary is not only a gifted arborist but he truly cares about the health and vitality of trees. I feel that thanks to Gary my knowledge of proper tree pruning and tree structure is at another level. I would recomend Gary and his work wholeheartedly.

My husband and I are thrilled with the work of Gary and his team. We had some very mature and challenging trees that needed a professional's touch. Our goal was to keep our trees and neighbors happy, Gary helped us reach that compromise in an artful way. We previoulsy used a different arborist and struggled to get timely responses and follow through on the job. Gary personally responded to our calls and was involved in managing our trees. We are very happy and will use him again...our neighbors have already recruited him after seeing his work on our property!

"I love my new garden and I am very happy". That is what I said to Gary Walker after he completed the landscape project in my back yard. His ideas were creative and imaginative. The Xanadu Philodendron next to the fishpond and under the bamboo is lovely, the side walkway and planting are attractive and will screen the neighbors, but my favorite spot is the variegated ginger. Looking at it in the dappled sun is a delight. Gary even wrote me a thank you note. Thank you Gary.
Ellen
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It is with great pleasure that my husband and I recommend Gary Walker to do landscaping and garden design. He is a very talented 'Master Gardener.' It was such a pleasant experience working with him. The results in our yard are extraordinary. He has done two projects for us.

The landscaping turned out to be one of the more challenging aspects of rebuilding our home after the 2007 Witch Fire. I plucked Gary's name from the internet one day (Thanks Yahoo!). One tree had been left on our lot, but was uprooted and falling over. Gary took it down for me on a wet rainy day. No way I was going to get out my chain saw in the rain! (if I still had one, that is).

Gary's professionalism, passion, and knowledge are a perfect trifecta. He stood out head-and-shoulders above the other landscapers bidding on our job. He did a great job building a beautiful, low water use, yet functional, comfortable yard for us, and was constantly thinking in terms of spreading color across the seasons as different plants bloom. He is also big on artistic presentation: groups of 3 or 5, symmetry, "borrowed yard", interior corner... these are just some of the concepts Gary employed, to wonderful effect.

Two more descriptors for Gary: Artistic vision, and Value.

I called Gary after other "arborists" tried to help my trees. Both had burn from salt spray and one had be hit by a car and was severly distressed. He knew instantly what to do - deep fertilization and a trimming to reduce stress. The trees perked up and even the one that was damaged got new growth. Unfortunately, the heat spell we had while we were traveling put too much stress on the damaged tree and it didn't survive.

Gary made several suggestions for a tree more appropriate to the coastal area. We chose a bottle brush and he took out the old tree, planted the bottle brush, and took care of my other trees (fertilize and trim) - all while we were traveling so we came home to a healthy front yard.

During this whole process which took about a year (for the damaged tree to die - we got another year out of it), Gary was responsive and helpful. I would highly recommend Gary for any tree work and garden design.

Pat

I'm a San Diegan but I'm from the midwest , so I love trees. That's why I sought the services of an arborist when I had to cut back a too large 35 yr old tree that had been the CENTERPIECE (and curb appeal) of my front yard for 35 yrs. I didn't want just a "tree trimming service". i wanted someone who knew and loved trees. I contacted Gary - not knowing, at the time, his extensive background - nor that he had been recognized in "Home and Garden" and other such publications. (If I'd known that, I probably would have thought he'd have no time for my tree and would not have contacted him!)

Gary was able to identify this tree immediately. (Local nurseries could not.) He told me what needed to be done. He assured me this tree would send out new growth within months. The next week my tree was trimmed! And . . . . it had been fertilized. And . . . . ALL the twigs, branches, leaves, etc had been completely cleaned up. And . . . . I had received instructions from Gary as to how to care for it in the months to come.

Two months later, this tree began the process of sending out new growth. (Even sooner than predicted. ) It's now only 6 mos later, so my locust tree isn't yet ready to send "before and after" picutures. But it's well on it's way. If you need someone who knows trees, call Gary.

I have two monster Ficus trees that I was considering for removal because they had gotten so big that I was afraid they were permanently out of control. Gary convinced me that all they needed was some restructuring and kept me from removing two beautiful trees. He took out major lateral branches and one entire trunk and now I have these beautiful trees under control.

I recommend Gary to everyone with Landscape and Tree issues. He has a great combination of practical knowledge and a creative eye. Also his prices are very competitive.

I have a HUGE Chinese Elm in my backyard which is close to some power lines, so the tree is of concern to the idiots at SDG&E. The unskilled labor they use to hack trees (begins with ass and ends with plund), has done the hot knife through butter routine on the limbs near the line time and time again, and left us with a jagged, mishapen mess of a tree. Enter Gary Walker and GREEN TREE WORLD. Gary came out, spent nearly two hours with us, gave us a detailed explanation of what was done, how he could help the situation, what it would cost, what work would be done and what the outcome would be.

Well, I am looking out the window at a whole different vista today, thanks to Gary. The Chinese Elm has a new crown and has been re-shaped. He also attended to our Pitosporum and Hollywood Juniper, they look like new trees. He trimmed two Crape Myrtle's we have and did a deep-root fertilization on all trees, for free.

If you need a certified arborist...a guy who cares about your trees...cares about the job he promises to do...will be on site throughout the job and gets his hands dirty along with his trained staff...DOES NOT GO TO HOME DEPOT TO PICK-UP HIS STAFF...and will treat your trees with the proper care they deserve...USE GARY WALKER AND GREEN TREE WORLD!

We have used Gary Walkers service several times and in each case we can recommend his service without question. We first used his service for tree trimming. They looked so good! Later, we needed help with our half acre of native vegetation. We consulted with Gary and he worked extremely hard on the project turning a wild mess into a soft looking landscape. All of the reduced vegetation survived the dry fall and are holding up our slopes and embankments through the heavy rains. Gary has an excellent sense of what should be done to any plant in any environment. Now we are meeting with Gary to address the water shortage so that we can get a plan going to convert spaces to xeriscape. A very professional service.

Number 1 Arborist!!

Gary was very professional and prompt. He took the time and as very specific about solutions to our concerns. Was impressively knowledgeable about trees, shrubs, flowers, soil, insects, landscape design, etc. Gary offered a lot of helpful advice and tips. We consider ourselves well read in Southern California gardening but Gary pointed out things that you do not learn in books. Things that one learns only after years of experience. Highly recommended.

Expert, Efficient and Reliable

We've hired many different arborists over the years and have frequently been perplexed by the disconnect in how well they "sell their services" versus how poorly they deliver on their promises; kind of the same problem with your worse realtors who work hard to get your listing, but then don’t deliver on the more important task of actually selling your house. Thus, when we met with Gary, following our call to him to discuss some annual tree maintenance we required, I was both impressed by his knowledge and understanding, but also skeptical of whether he would deliver on everything he promised. Well, I’m happy to say there is no need to be concerned! He not only returned to do the work within three days, as he promised, but completed the work on schedule and within the agreed-upon price, cleaning up the debris, etc as though no one had ever been there. Even more importantly, the trimming he performed was masterfully natural looking- no different than the best hair cut that both looks great and yet not like you just returned from the hair salon. Finally, the suggestions he made for needed care and maintenance were spot on, for our palms have never looked better. I will certainly call Gary again the next time we need tree service and am happy to give him my highest recommendation to anyone requiring expert, efficient and reliable help with their trees. R. Bartus, Carmel Valley

Five Star Recommendation of Green Tree Arborist 01/26/2009

If you're looking for an outstanding tree service provider, you'll find it with Green Tree Arborist. I read about Gary Walker and his company in a local home and garden magazine, liked what I read, and checked out his website. Impressed with what I saw on that website, I left a message for Gary, asking him to contact me. He did so quickly and made arrangements to come to my home on a weekend, since I am not available during the week. He showed up on time and spent a considerable amount of time with me reviewing my trees and discussing what I wanted done. He listened closely to me and then made numerous great suggestions about what he believed would be best for my trees. Note that I say "suggestions", because he did not try to sell me anything--something I greatly appreciate. He fully explained a system of fertilizing my trees to improve and maintain their health and appearance, beautifully trimmed my trees, and did a nice job of cleaning up and hauling away the debris. He is very knowledgeable about trees and plants and clearly loves working with people to make their property beautiful. Oh, and I should mention that his fees are very reasonable. I highly recommend Green Tree Arborist.

Exceptional Service 01/13/2009

I called Gary to look at a sick tree I have. He returned the call quickly. When I described the problem, he worked his schedule to get out the next day even though we have not worked together before. He explained on the phone how he worked and his pricing structure. Not only did I find his pricing reasonable, it was nice not to have to ask what the cost would be or get a vague answer. Gary arrived on time and spent a good deal of time explaining what was going on and giving me the prognosis. He did this for several other trees I have and took care of several other minor issues I had above and beyond what we had talked about. He gave me advice on how to care for my trees in general and provided recommendations that are easy to implement. He also did something I haven't seen in a long time. He followed up with a thank you card. I enjoyed his enthusiasm about the plants I have in my yard and the possibilities for improvements. He didn't lecture me about the things I should have been doing better which was greatly appreciated.

Billi 01/08/2009

We have a huge oak tree in our backyard and Gary Walker has been taking care of it for us now for several years. A few years ago the tree was not looking very good and I had called Gary to come out and take a look. I was very impressed with his immediate response and his professionalism and knowledge. He spent time with me explaining the best course of action to take to improve the condition of the tree. He trimmed the tree, fertilized and because at the time we were in a drought situation told us to deep water the tree during the months of July and August. The condition of the tree improved and we have continued to call him on a regular basis. He has also taken care of our fruit trees as well as some decorative trees. We just recently had Gary out again to trim the Oak tree as well as our other trees and he did an exceptional job! Again he took the time to explain exactly what he would recommend for each tree. He even went above and beyond what I expected and our trees look beautiful! I would definitely recommend him to everyone!

Another satisfied client 01/07/2009

When I called Gary and left my first message, the call was returned so quickly, I was shocked. This was during the holidays and I fully expected it to be days before I heard back from anyone. He came out right away, looked at my tree and was ready to schedule a time to come out. Gary did a great job and made my tree look very beautiful. He cleaned up, and completed the job just as he said. I am totally satisfied and would recommend Gary to anyone.

Green Tree's owner Gary Walker...
12/23/2008

Green Tree's owner Gary Walker is amazingly knowledgable and passionate about gardens. He helped design a steep slope in our yard with a naturalistic approach and it is breathtaking. He is very hands on and works alongside his crew. It is so nice to work with someone who wants your garden to be as beautiful as you do. He called a month after the work was complete to check on the health of our plants. You will be thrilled with him and his crew once you contract him to do ANY work in your yard.

Happy Trees! 11/23/2008

Gary impressed me with his knowledge and personal touch. We had several trees in bad shape due to poor pruning done before we bought our property. We also had some new trees that had recently been planted and others that had been transplanted. He explained what each of the trees needed and did the trimming himself. He also did deep root fertilization on all the trees and some of my larger plants. They all look much healthier and happier. We will be calling Gary for all our future tree needs.

Green Tree Arborist 11/21/2008

Gary did a great job with my palms and in trimming my garden. He advised me to fertilize my citrus and magnolia trees and told me what they needed. His price was fair and he cleaned up well

tree artistry 11/20/2008

Gary Walker is not only serious about his work, but very knowledgable at that. He also listens to his clients to see what is most important to them. I recently talked to Gary about my yard and how important is was to me that when he cut back my trees that they still looked like they were the artwork in my yard. I was not dissapointed. He also was very cautious about working with a very short drop zone. There were a lot of smaller plants under the trees, and they all made it through the process with no trampling or damage. I would reccomend Green Tree Arborist to all the descerning clients out there looking for someone to enhance their garden, with care and an artistic sense of balance.

look no further 09/11/2008

When i first met Gary (owner & master arborist) i had no doubt that he was the man for the job. Just by first impression you know he has a passion for trees that is deep rooted. We have a very, very old Tipuana tree in our front yard that needed immediate and serious restructuring. Gary took the time to educate me on the structure, heath and anatomy of trees so that i was comfortable with the work that needed to be done. Our situation was an emergency and Gary rescheduled himself so he could make our needs an immediate priority. He is clearly very intelligent and i liked that he was the one doing all the cutting and restructuring. Gary is hands on. He was very respectful of the yard and cleaned up well. I am so glad i came across Gary and will use him for future arborist, landscaping design and needs. Look no more, just hire Gary. He's totally worth it!

Gary loves plants and trees ! 7/30/2008

Gary is a detailed person who loves working with trees and plants. He redid our front and back yard about two years ago and has been maintaining them since that time. He didn't insist on pulling everything out and starting over the way other landscapers had suggested. He added to what we already had. He sees plants and landscaping artistically. He did most of the work himself to make sure that his high standards were met. He is reliable and not afraid of hard work. He is willing to work with whatever suggestions we have and we appreciate that.

Great Job! 06/17/2008

Gary did a great job refreshing and replanting the hedge row that buffers my home from the railroad tracks! He responded in a timely manner to my calls, listened to my input, provided excellent recommendations, discussed the job as it progressed, implemented the job quickly and followed up to make sure I was happy. I especially liked the fact that he was knowledgeable and passionate about his work, was at the job full time and did much of the trimming and installation himself. I will definitely recommend him to others and use him for future work.

Nice Job 06/08/2008

Gary Walker has a passion for what he does and it shows in the care he takes in doing his job. We had several trees that needed to be removed to facilitate a re-landscaping of our property as well as others that needed trimming, shaping and lacing. Gary listened to what we were trying to accomplish and gave suggestions as to the possibilities to meet those goals. He and his crew were prompt and did a good job of cleaning up at job's end. I would not hesitate in recommeding Gary and Green Tree Arborist to others.

satisfied customer 06/04/2008

We used the services of Gary Walker, at Green Tree Arborists, and were very pleased. Gary was patient and came by twice to exactly describe how he would trim and shape a very large California Pepper tree. We were especially pleased that Gary actually did the trimming himself, and did not delegate it to an employee. The clean up was excellent and we were most pleased with the whole project.

jean holt 05/22/2008

Besides being prompt and professional and reasonably priced, I was most impressed with Gary Walker's vast knowledge of and passion for trees. My trees had been butchered by a previous landscape service and Green Tree thankfully saved my beautiful specimens from ruin. I will definitely call Mr Walker again for trimming and lacing my trees as well as monthly maintenance for my property.

GOOD 05/18/2008

MY FRIEND USED AND LIKED THEIR SERVICES AT A FAIR PRICE. PROMPT AND FRIENDLY.

I have 4 prized (15 years old) olive trees that looked as if they were all about to die. Gary came out on a Saturday to accommodate my work schedule. He is extremely knowledgeable and put my trees on a fertilizer and watering schedule. All trees are now starting to look healthy. He has called back several times to check up on how things are going. I would highly recommend him. Great service.

After interviewing several tree companies/Arborists, we got an estimate from Gary Walker, the owner of Greentree and because of his enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for trees was so far ahead of anyone else we'd spoken with we engaged his services to artistically lace out several large, prized trees in our yard. We were so impressed with his work and professionalism that we've since recommended him to friends and family. Nice part was that Gary himself was on the job and actually worked alongside his crew. Excellent clean up as well.