About Us
Our mission is to create and maintain beautiful landscapes in both residential and commercial spaces which reflect nature, meet our clients’ aesthetic and practical needs, and respect the environment. Mazingira’s design and build philosophy is guided by owner and founder, Hamad’s, farming upbringing on the lush tropical island of Pemba in Tanzania. Growing up exploring the ancient forests he learned about patterns found in the natural world and uses this inspiration, combined with his formal education and professional experience, to create custom, high quality outdoor living spaces and gardens.
Hamad’s passion is to serve clients by translating his knowledge and experience with plants to create sanctuaries in urban surroundings that allow individuals to have a daily opportunity to connect with nature. We see the design, construction, and maintenance processes as a partnership with our clients to help them achieve their dream outdoor spaces that foster relaxation and healing.
As we strive to combine big picture goals with attention to detail, our approach is play with height, depth, texture, and color to bring a dynamic three-dimensional quality to each project. Ultimately, we are guided by the definition of “Mazingira”—the Swahili word for environment encompassing both one’s immediate surroundings and the world as a whole.
Principles
Mazingira has a deep and multi-faceted commitment to bringing sustainability to landscaping. In all of our efforts, from employing emissions-free electric tools and hand tools, Integrated Pest Management, and organic care methods in our fine gardening work to seeking out sustainably sourced materials in our construction work, we aim to minimize our ecological footprint. While we design landscapes of all styles, we specialize in projects that incorporate lawn alternatives/replacements, native and regional appropriate plants, drip irrigation systems, and low-maintenance features.
Equally as important, Mazingira is dedicated to high-quality craftmanship focusing on attention to detail and unparalleled customer service. We have several 5-starred reviews on Yelp, Houzz, and Nextdoor.
Hamad is a licensed landscape contractor in Virginia and California. We utilize resources to ensure we meet industry standards and applicable regulations.
Our story
No one would have recommended founding a business during the 2008 Great Recession, but Mazingira was started by a husband and wife, Hamad and Ruthie, in the midst of this uncertain time. Having grown up as a subsistence farmer, Hamad moved to the United States in 2005, gained practical experience on landscaping crews in the Bay Area, and completed his Environmental Horticulture studies at City College of San Francisco. Soon after, Hamad realized it was the right time to launch his own company.
After telling Ruthie “I can do this myself,” she created a basic Word half sheet flyer that Hamad began to hand out door to door throughout Oakland and Berkeley. Mazingira’s first client was so impressed with Hamad’s work that he told a neighbor who told a friend who told another person and so on. Following sustained success in garden maintenance, Hamad went on to obtain his Landscape Contractor’s license in 2011 so that he could bring his skills in design, drawing, and construction to expand Mazingira’s services to include design and installation of landscapes.
In 2016, with over sixty residential and commercial clients receiving gardening services, five crew members, and eight years in business, Mazingira Gardening Services became Mazingira Landscape and Design. In 2026, Mazingira was expanded to Hampton Roads, Virginia.