Local business · Needham, MALocal business · 78 Fremont St, Needham, MA 02494, USA
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Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from The Narrow Lane. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$50 – $70
Typical landscaping service around $60
Ron Goode started The Narrow Lane in 2009, and what the company actually sells is a designer who arrives with a sketch pad plus a crew who can pour the patio, run the irrigation and set the fence without you hiring anyone else. That single-contract range is what customers keep writing about. A May 2024 homeowner had an uneven crabgrass yard behind a broken fence and a forty-year-old driveway; what came back was a levelled backyard, a paved patio with a pergola, new fencing, electrical work, irrigation, a repaved driveway and a refreshed porch. A January 2024 client chose them over larger firms precisely so they would not have to contract with multiple parties, then had old retaining walls and tree stumps torn out, two patios built and a customised fence installed. In December 2025 another had a patio, seating area and soaking pool taken from design through permits to installation. Names come up over and over — Jeremy, Alison, Nicole, Brendan — which tells you the design side is staffed rather than the owner moonlighting. So does the follow-through: a May 2026 customer says Ron returned for a final walk-through and sent the crew back over irrigation, and a November 2025 customer had a faulty retaining wall left by a previous landscaper replaced on time. The ratings hold across platforms — 4.9 from 88 on Google, 4.8 from 126 on Angi, A+ and accredited at BBB — and the Massachusetts home improvement contractor registration is active in the company's name. Scheduling is the fault line. In 2023 a homeowner with a small front lawn reached out in June or July, was told five jobs were ahead of theirs, and had nothing planted until mid-October, with the photos they had supplied ignored. And the newest account, from June 2026, is a one-star: that customer paid a substantial fee for a front-yard design under a contract that did not require them to use the company for installation and promised revisions on their feedback, and says they would not do business with them again. Right for a whole-yard design-and-build where you want one contract covering stone, planting, drainage and lighting. Before paying a design fee, get the revision rounds and deliverables written down, and ask for a start date in writing rather than a place in the queue.
“The team transformed our backyard into a stunning oasis with beautiful hardscapes and thoughtful plant selections. Their attention to detail and creativity exceeded our expectations!”
“Founded by Ron Goode in 2009, The Narrow Lane Company not only designs and creates beautiful outdoor spaces, but represents a community dedicated to fostering a better quality of life.”
“Ron was very responsive over email and was available to do fall cleanup within the week’s end at a very reasonable price.”
Despite the many positive reviews, my experience with this company was disappointing, and I would not do business with them again. We hired one of their landscape designers to create a redesign for our front yard and paid a substantial fee for the design. Our contract specifically stated that we were not required to hire the company to perform the installation work and that the designer would revise the design based on our feedback. The designer visited the property, evaluated the site, and later scheduled a Zoom meeting to present the design. During that meeting, the company owner joined the call. After the designer finished presenting the plan, I mentioned that I would like to move the location of one of the plants. Before the designer could respond, the owner interrupted me and stated that the design phase was complete and that I would need to hire the company to perform the installation if I wanted any changes made. The interaction was unexpected and inconsistent with my understanding of the contract. The designer appeared uncomfortable, and I found the owner's tone rude, unfriendly, and intimidating. What should have been a collaborative discussion about minor revisions became an unpleasant experience.
We recently worked with the Narrow Lane to help us design our backyard. Ron was communicative, collaborative, and so amazing to work with! We gave him an idea of what we were looking for and he helped us visualize how they could help us and offered great ideas and solutions that we didn’t even think of. Work was prompt and quick to finish- the crew were excellent! After construction was complete Ron came out for a final walk through and had the crew come back out to fix some irrigation issues. I would highly recommend the Narrow Lane, and look forward to future projects with them.
Long time clients of Franklin and his team! Always timely, responsive and excellent work. Cannot recommend enough
Julianna Razryadov and The Narrow Lane were a pleasure to work with. They created a design for our property that we know we will enjoy for many years. They were totally professional in all ways.
The Narrow Lane recently helped us add some patio space, seating area, and a soake pool to our house in Newton. We worked with Jeremy who was very responsive and helpful throughout the process. The Narrow Lane guided us through design, permits and installation. They were really full service throughout the whole process. The end result was really beautiful and a newly functional space in our lawn. Once construction was able to start the crew was fast, efficient, and courteous. Would highly recommend Jeremy and The Narrow Lane to anyone looking to do landscaping or other outdoor improvements.
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Re-analyzed rating 4.2 → 4.3
Added 1 new comment, added 67 new photos, established rating 4.2