Gardens by Ruth
Local business · 45 Simpson Ave, Somerville, MA 02144, USA
Their work
29 photosReach out
Call (508) 221-1830Visit websiteSee on GoogleYou reach them directly — we don’t take a cut.
Verified record
- Not rated by the BBB
- 1 review in the last 6 monthsNo negatives
- 6 customer photosOf completed work
Highlights
- Native garden design — recent client cites reasonable quote and thoughtful plant picks
- 5.0 Google rating — 10 ratings, all individual reviews scored positive
- Organic native specialty — consistent across Houzz, LinkedIn, and directory listings
- Thin review volume — roughly a dozen reviews total across all sources
- No estimates or warranties — Angi states neither is offered
- Houzz has no reviews — zero reviews despite an active profile and badge
Gardens by Ruth is a Somerville-based garden design and maintenance operation built around one specialty: organic, edible, and native New England plantings, not turf mowing or hardscape work. Run under the contact name Ruth Roudiez, the business describes its approach as design-through-installation — personalized consultation followed by planting chosen for native and edible species rather than conventional ornamental beds. The Google page backs that up with an unusually consistent story: a 5.0 rating across 10 ratings, and the individual reviews behind that number describe actual garden transformations rather than generic praise. A client this July hired Ruth to convert a weed-choked front yard into a native garden and came away pointing to two specifics — a quote that landed well below competing bids, and plant selections timed for staggered bloom so something is flowering most of the season. The same pattern holds everywhere else the business turns up. Angi separately lists a 5.0 rating, though it rests on just two reviews from 2015 and 2016. Houzz and a LinkedIn company page both independently describe the same organic/native/edible-garden focus and list a service area covering Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Belmont, and Waltham; Houzz also credits the business with its own platform badge, though no one has left a Houzz review yet. Worth asking about before booking: this isn't a high-volume outfit — total reviews across every source stay in the low double digits, and Angi's listing states plainly that there's no free estimate, no warranty, and no eco-friendly accreditation on the work. The address also varies by source (Simpson Ave on Google and Birdeye, Munroe St on Angi's older listing, a plain "Boston, MA" on one directory), all tied to the same phone number — worth a quick confirmation rather than a red flag. This is the right call for someone who wants a garden built around native and edible plants and values design judgment over a quick mow-and-blow crew — not for anyone shopping for volume landscaping or hardscaping. Confirm current pricing and scheduling directly, since the public estimate policy is unclear.
Read the comments
Most recent comments
- 5.0Jul 15, 2026
We started working with Ruth this spring to transform our front yard into a native garden. We have a small front yard that had started getting overrun with weeds. Ruth was incredibly communicative from the start and came in with a very reasonable quote, well below some of the others we received. We had a general idea of what we wanted, but Ruth took those ideas and turned them into something even better than we imagined. She was thoughtful with the plant selection, choosing a variety of native plants with staggered bloom times so we have flowers and different colors throughout the season. It's been amazing watching the garden come to life this summer. We continue to get compliments from neighbors walking by who tell us how much they love what we've done with the front yard. We couldn't be happier with the results and would absolutely recommend Ruth to anyone looking for a thoughtfully designed native garden.
— Ben MorrisView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Apr 6, 2025
What wonderful people! They've taken beautiful care of my front garden, and eliminated all the swallow-wort (not so easy to do).
— Greg LewisView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Apr 1, 2025
Ruth and her team transformed my Gardens over many years. Once rock ledge and weeds, my gardens became a thriving terraced perennial garden on the east side, a shade garden on the north, and an English garden on the South. She cares deeply about the earth she transforms focusing on natural techniques and native plants. I could not recommend her more highly.
— Victoria TaylorView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Mar 27, 2024
We loved Ruth’s work and we loved working with her and her crew. We hired her to put in a garden to fill the L-shaped plot in front and along the side of our corner house. There were a few plants and shrubs left from a previous garden and a small tree to work around. Ruth was knowledgeable, responsive, and a good communicator in the conversations we had about our priorities. She selected a wonderful mix of plants and was instructive about their needs and characteristics. Ruth and her crew worked hard and efficiently to install the garden, and replant a bit when rabbits destroyed a number of plantings as they began to flower. (It was an unusually tough year with rabbits). Ruth and her crew were a pleasure to have around. I’d hire her again and have, to maintain the garden this year.
— Betsy EhrenbergView on Google Reviews ↗ - 5.0Feb 21, 2024
Ruth and her team are great to work with and we are so pleased with the results. I can enthusiastically recommend!
— chris flygareView on Google Reviews ↗
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Update history
Added 10 new comments, added 29 new photos, established rating 4.2
- behind the score: Thin review volume — roughly a dozen reviews total across all sources
What does landscaping cost in Greater Boston?
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Gardens by Ruth. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$50 – $70
Typical landscaping service around $60