The Whiskey Porch

My husband and I met with Miriam to discuss our whole home remodeling project. We are so glad that we did! Miriam exceeded our expectations. She was professional, creative and we will certainly be utilizing her services again when it is time to tackle our exterior landscaping project. Miriam developed an entire floor plan, lighting plan, and demolition schedule for us. Her creativity really showed as the ideas she came up with were some that my husband and I had not even considered! Miriam recommended several contractors that she has worked with personally. The peace of mind that gave me cannot be beat! We are thrilled for the work to begin on our forever home!

When I bought an historic bungalow in Prescott a year ago, I had no idea of how to convert the large weedy lot into a beautiful, useable yard for my two corgis and me. Solution found! A call to The Whiskey Porch, a landscape design service, put me in touch with Miriam Carlson-Maier We connected immediately! Miriam and I spoke at length about what I wanted: a deck, a garage or carport, a shaded sitting area and a place for the dogs to run. She then came up with sketches which were refined to match my budget. For example, a wraparound deck connecting the front porch to the new backyard was eliminated. We opted instead for a spacious redwood deck, encircling a massive juniper tree and enhancing the style of the house. One of Miriam’s proficiencies, which I greatly appreciate, is staying on top of costs by keeping track of contractor’s estimates and actual bills. I discovered she has not only an artist’s eye but the very practical set of skills to transform a yard from unknown mounds of buried rubble to a very distinctive space with paths, plantings and seating areas. Sketches became a detailed plan of tree and plant placement, a kitchen patio, paths and lighting. Miriam functioned as a general contractor. She helped me select builders, electricians and landscapers as well as specialty trades in order to make our plan come to life. She oversaw each aspect of the project and did her best to keep all on schedule. Projects like this always hold surprises but it seemed like Miriam was never stumped for a way to get around them. Gas lines are not always where you might expect, (she worked with the heavy machinery operator to avoid a disruption), enormous piles of concrete from decades past needed to be removed or incorporated into the terracing. Besides building knowledge, Miriam is an accomplished master gardener. Her plant suggestions are unique, hardy and suited to our area. It is extraordinary how her selections flow together throughout the project. All was thoughtful: the Deodar cedar was carefully placed to screen nearby houses as well as to plan for its eventual growth. One more important note was her color advice. My new storage shed would have been ho-hum without Miriam’s ability with color – finding a paint shade that enhances without dominating the rest of the yard. This same sense of color is apparent in the plants and shrubs. One example is the burst of blue in the hardy plumbago, beautifying the planter wall. If you are considering updating your surroundings, do not hesitate to choose Miriam and The Whiskey Porch. She is a consummate professional and a pleasure to work with!

Miriam was a pleasure to work with during our design process. She was very professional and was able to create a clean and detailed plan for our project. Miriam was also great at communicating with us and ensured that our plan was created in a timely manner while meeting all our expectations. Will definitely be using her services again!

I may be biased because Miriam is my friend, but I've watched her over the years as she's finessed her brand and built up her business, and it is an impressive thing to see! She has both KNACK and KNOWLEDGE of all things home- and garden-related; knack in that she has a natural flair and eye for beauty and balance, and knowledge in that she has taken the time and steps to become educated about everything from plants to photography, hardscape to home remodeling, color to contractors, demo to design. I've benefitted from her abundant knowledge in landscaping and home projects and can say from experience that she is an articulate, detail-oriented professional who really listens to you then works tirelessly to make your project or dream home a reality. Take advantage of her free meet-n-greet to discuss your vision--you'll be so glad you did!

Miriam is a highly experienced and creative talent. She has great listening and communication skills. I highly recommend her for any garden design project.