Oberacker, who worked for the United States Department of Agriculture and has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture, always had an affinity for landscaping. At the tender age of 12, he already had won his first gardening award. He and Esteghamat have been making the world more beautiful ever since.

All their business is word of mouth, a testament to their creativity and knowledge. “We have never even advertised once,” states Oberacker.

The majority of Eden’s clients are in the Long Beach area, but the two-man crew will travel for the right project. “Although the majority of our clients have been here, we certainly are not limited to Long Beach,” says Esteghamat.

In an industry where there is considerable room for error and client disapproval, Eden has an exemplary track record. Esteghamat excitedly states, “We enjoy a challenge and don’t get too stressed out, thus our clients don’t get stressed out. We face a lot of challenging projects, but are always able to work it out.”

One project that presented a challenge was a house in the old town area Seal Beach. Eden was asked to landscape a side yard that was only 15’ x 60’. The limited space created some obstacles, but in the end, the team was able to come up with a decorative space that included a 12-person, step-down spa and barbecue area.

To set themselves apart from other landscaping companies, Eden offers something that clients have difficulty finding elsewhere: personal attention. “We become friends with our clients,” says Esteghamat. “We treat their house as if it is our own.”

Oberacker chimes in: “We have stayed in touch with almost every single person we have worked with.”

Instead of using a landscaping software program, Esteghamat makes drawings the old-fashioned way—with a drafting table and pencil. But before the design work can begin, the two must first find out what their clients want. “We interview our clients just as much as they interview us,” he says. “We need and want to make sure that we are a good fit for them and that they are a good fit for us. We want to make sure the chemistry is there.”

Landscaping or any type of design in California is now focused on being “green.” Eden strives to make every project environmentally friendly without sacrificing beauty. “We feel very strongly about these things and go out of our way to make it happen,” says Esteghamat. “We use a lot of drought-friendly plants such as Mexican poppies and African daisies. We also use decomposed granite and automatic sprinklers to conserve water.”

One technique that Eden regularly uses is Xeriscaping (pronounced zero-scaping; “xero” is Greek for “dry”). Xeriscape gardens generally require less upkeep and maintenance because they require less irrigation. These gardens often use decomposed granite, river pebbles, and boulders in place of grass. Best of all, colorful agave, cactus, lavender, juniper, sedum, and thyme figure prominently.

Inspiration for these dynamic, textured looks often comes from the duo’s travels around the globe. “We go to places like Asia, Mexico, France, and Spain to get inspiration for our work,” says Oberacker. “We incorporate art from all over the world.”

Esteghamat, who earned bachelor’s degrees in archeology and art history, incorporates indigenous sculptures, stones, and pottery into the overall design.

While both enjoy all the projects that come their way, they certainly have their dream jobs. “Working on an old house and yard and bringing it back to its original glory would be ideal for us,” says Oberacker. “We enjoy bringing things out to the fullest. We also like to operate with some autonomy, but at the same time, have some guidance and direction from the client. Having our clients trust us is very important.”

“One of the biggest mistakes that people make is under-budgeting. People make the mistake of thinking that decorating for the outdoors is cheaper than indoors,” says Esteghamat.

Oberacker and Esteghamat are excited about the future of their company. “People are really paying attention and starting to take notice,” says Oberacker

Visit www.edenlongbeach.com for more information.