All reviews for Ginkgo Leaf Studio LLC

Highly skilled designers at Ginko Leaf Studio exceeding our expectations! Functional yet aesthetically pleasing design and beautifully curated plant selection. Meticulous attention to detail creating an inviting outdoor living space.

Ginkgo Leaf Studio was the second design firm I used for my landscaping. The first just didn't grasp what I wanted, whereas, Jim knew immediately the vision I was going for. To say Ginkgo Leaf Studio met expectations is a huge understatement -- Jim took my initial musings and went far beyond anything I could have dreamed up. My landscape has been showcased in two national landscape design magazines. Not only were Jim and Co. able to render an amazing vision for my yard, they were intimately involved with project management during installation. That was an invaluable part of the process and I'm glad I opted to have GLS oversee installation. It is not simply a job to them, it is a passion and no detail is too small. If you are seeking something special for your landscaping, GLS is an ideal choice. There is serviceable design out there ... and then there is brilliant design. Ginkgo Leaf Studio embodies the latter; they bring true artistry to their work. Highly recommended.

Working with Jim and his team was a true pleasure from start to finish! We went to Ginkgo looking for a complete overhaul of our existing landscaping in which we liked certain things and still wanted to keep, but we also had some areas that needed some serious attention and redesign. They came in and did a complete inventory of all the existing plants, trees, and shrubs and then came up with a completely refreshed plan which was a great mix of existing and new plantings to make our property even more beautiful. When plans were delivered, we also received booklets of all the plants they intended to plant with full color photographs which made it easier to envision before the plantings began. The design was gorgeous and incorporated so much more variety than we currently had as well as adding in more native plantings that should thrive in our area. The overall design takes in colors, textures, and blooming times. Jim and Hannah were onsite to be sure the plantings were in exactly the correct locations before the final planting occurred. We also had a follow up meeting with Jim to go over proper care and maintenance of the new plantings for the future. We are very excited to see how the plants and design will mature in the next 1-2 years. I can't speak more highly of Jim and his team for their professionalism, talent and knowledge.

Jim and his team exceeded all of our expectations. Our yard went from having an old in ground pool to a beautifully decorated yard, and even won a Houzz award for the design.

The design that Ginkgo Leaf Studio put together for us transformed our yard into an amazing space. They are highly knowledgeable and skilled designers and are a pleasure to work with. Very professional. We would very highly recommend them!

My experience with Ginkgo Leaf was superb. Jim considers the dwelling and the land and creates a uniquely beautiful, bespoke design. He takes the clients wishes into account and provides you with something better than you originally envisioned. They also have the experience, resources, and network to make sure the work gets completed to a high level.

Ginkgo Leaf Studio is an amazing Landscape Design company to work with. They do unique projects from the very simple & small to the complex & larger scale with anything in between. Just like our Residential Design firm at Fein Design, working with a boutique design firm allows you to get intimate with the client's goals so the best outcome can be accomplished. Looking forward to working together for more Fein projects in the future!

A landscape design by Ginkgo Leaf Studio is one of the best investments in your home you can make. My husband and I were searching for a mid century modern landscape specialist when we purchased our dream home that had a neglected excuse for a garden/patio/backyard. Jim and the team traveled to us in Illinois, listened to all of our desires (colors, plant selection, budget) and created a design that we are obsessed with. It is everything we hoped for in a landscape design, but never could have come up with on our own. The amount of compliments we receive on our gardens makes us really proud. Stunning work, seriously, you cannot go wrong with choosing Ginkgo Leaf Studio.

We've worked with Ginkgo leaf on many projects and are starting another! Jim is amazing, thorough, thoughtful, timely, knowledgeable & a pleasure to be around. We're so grateful that we stumbled upon his business all those years ago! He redid our first try with our first landscape architect and has transformed our property into something we're proud of & we love just being home and entertaining in our space

My wife and I were one of Jim’s first clients when we moved into our new home in 2007. He did an excellent job with listening to what type of landscaping we wanted and recommended a great plan with outstanding plants, bushes and tree choices. A lot of his plants are still flourishing and looking great today!! I would highly recommend Ginko Leaf Studio!!

After following Jim’s design evolution for over a decade - it was finally time to call on him for our home’s design. Our project took place in September 2025. Jim’s sophisticated and unique modern/Asian-inspired design perfectly complements our 1963 mid-century home. He listened to our needs and beautifully incorporated them into the design. He visualized our space in a way that we could not. He was a hands-on and responsive general contractor - coordinating the many schedules of his high-quality subcontractors. His thoughtful use of beautiful - yet low-maintenance plants will keep these gardeners aging in place for many years. We could not be more pleased or grateful for our beautiful backyard.

We choose Ginkgo Leaf Studio because of their professionalism, top notch Mid Century Modern expertise and years of experience. Ginkgo Leaf Studio created a landscaping design for our 1960 Midcentury Modern (MCM) home in western Michigan that exceeded our expectation. It was easy to work with Ginkgo Leaf Studio because; they listened to our desires and concerns, were quick to answer any questions, created a flawless design that enhanced the MCM architecture, used plants and trees that would flourish in our climate and that would provide color throughout the seasons, all while working remotely. We hired local concrete and landscape contractors to work from Gingko Leaf Studio’s detailed scaled drawings. We are thrilled with the results and have had many passersby admiring the beauty of our MCM home and landscape. Thank you Ginkgo Leaf Studio.

Recently we completed a backyard project designed and led by Ginkgo Leaf Studio. We had found their company online and their design portfolio really excited us. Jim and his team were a pleasure to work with from the beginning. Each visit he spent a considerable amount of time answering questions and giving us honest recommendations to make our back yard look great. Jim proposed a design we had not even considered for a large retaining wall that was unique and in the end we absolutely loved it. He also provided us several beautiful schematics that allowed us to see the proposed end result in great detail. The contractors he worked with who did the build of the project were efficient, incredibly hard working and professional. When an unknown came up, Jim was readily available and helped us to work with the contractors to find the best solution. Overall we were incredibly happy with our whole experience with Ginkgo Leaf and everyone we worked with through Jim, and already are considering our next project with them. Would highly recommend choosing them for your next project if you want something truly personalized to you. Thank you Ginkgo Leaf Studio!

Jim worked with us to landscape our yard during the install of a swimming pool. The results exceeded our expectations. His design and choice of plants fit perfectly in the new outdoor space. Jim’s attention to detail and talent for design are exceptional. He recommended hiring Stone Oak Landscaping, we were very pleased with the quality of the work. The plants are thriving! Everything went smoothly and communication during the project was outstanding.
We highly recommend Jim and his team for any landscaping project.

Over the years, we had half a dozen or more landscape professionals walk through our backyard. Each time, we explained what we wanted, and each returned with a drawing that reflected our requests. Yet we were never moved to take action—perhaps because, while the designs met our specifications, they simply weren’t inspiring.

Friends eventually referred us to Jim Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio in Cedarburg. After initially hesitating over the cost of a comprehensive backyard plan, we decided to move forward, realizing we had likely already spent as much (or more) money trying to do things ourselves or working with other companies that never fully delivered.

Jim met us in our overgrown, wooded backyard and listened carefully as we described our vision: preserving the best parts of our woodland and creating a pergola off the back of the house—over the twelve-foot patio doors—to extend our living space. A few weeks later, he returned with a plan that placed the pergola off to the side. I was not happy at first. Jim calmly explained his reasoning: the alternative placement would allow more natural light into our family room, make the fire pit the focal point, and eliminate the awkward experience of walking out of the house and around a dining table (possibly full of dirty dishes) to reach the yard.

Beyond the hardscaping, the plan included plantings that beautifully and thoughtfully integrated into our woodland setting. Every other designer had simply given us what we asked for—but it never felt right. Jim had the confidence, vision, and talent to not simply mirror what we thought we wanted. For the first time, we had a hardscaping and landscaping plan—and a detailed plant portfolio—that truly moved us to action.

The project was bid out, and we selected Jay Stilb of Endless Summer Landscaping, also in Cedarburg. Given our trust in Jim, we hired him to manage the entire project so his expertise could guide the work from beginning to end. This was not a straightforward plan: it included a Lannon stone patio with dining and fire pit areas, a water feature with a dry creek, lighting, and well over 100 plantings.

Jay and his team were professional, thoughtful, and a pleasure to work with. His attention to detail was exceptional. He intentionally selected one signature rock because it had a divot that collects water and placed it near a bird feeder. In the midst of heavy equipment and construction chaos, Jay also took special care to protect a small bush given to me in memory of my father—something that meant more to me than he could have known.

The final phase was planting. Jim and his associate, Hannah, meticulously mapped out every plant according to the plan, viewing the space from multiple angles to ensure not just technical accuracy, but beauty and livability—privacy, nature, art, and spaces that invite birds and daily enjoyment.

Both Jim and Jay were:
-Excellent listeners and communicators
-Exceptionally attentive to detail, so we never had to worry or wonder
-Detail-oriented yet flexible and adaptive in the moment
-Artful in every aspect of execution
-Patient, meeting us where we were—and at times gently and appropriately coaxing us forward
-Truly collaborative, leading to thoughtful enhancements to the original design

Together, their collaboration—blending art and science—has transformed our backyard into what many of our friends now call a sanctuary.

Landscape imagining & design with a collaborative approach.