Creating a Japanese backyard garden for our Atlanta home has been an ongoing Do It Yourself project for several years. My wife and I read books, magazines and travel for inspiration. Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Illinois is one of our favorite Japanese gardens.

The stone walls for our garden were beyond our Do It Yourself skills so we interviewed several stone artisans. We didn't make the decision lightly since the hardscape would define the feel and beauty of our garden.

After meeting Mario Da Silva with European Stone, it was clear to us that he was a person who could be trusted with our project. He had an artist's vision and a passion for his work.

Mario was a delight because he treated our garden as if it was his own. He carefully selected our stones and added his artist's touch. He didn't just rush through our project but spent time sharing our enthusiasm for Japanese gardens.

Our Japanese garden will take us years to complete. In the meantime, we are enjoying the process of adding trees, plants and Japanese accents to our landscape.

We didn't know Mario before we interviewed him for our garden project. Through this project we not only built beautiful stone walls but a friendship.

Elsie and John Richards
Atlanta, Georgia