We’ve Been Busy
Silicon Valley Open Studios at our Workshop
Sat 5/20/23 and Sun 5/21/23
We are thrilled to recap the highly successful workshop event at Bay Maples, organized by Silicon Valley Visual Arts, a prominent arts organization in the SF Bay Area. The event successfully brought together a vibrant community of artists and art enthusiasts from the San Francisco Bay area.
Attendees had the unique opportunity to explore our wood-working and welding shop, immersing themselves in the craftsmanship and artistry behind our beautiful custom furniture creations. Additionally, the workshop included a fascinating tour of our sawmill operation, where locally salvaged logs are transformed into stunning pieces of furniture.
This event perfectly aligned with our commitment to sustainability and showcasing the beauty of reclaimed materials. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Silicon Valley Visual Arts for their dedication to supporting the arts community and providing cool events like this.
Water Conservation Champion
Alan Hackler, Bay Maples Wild California Gardens
Alan Hackler of Bay Maples Wild California Gardens advocates and uses greywater and rainwater to irrigate his landscaping designs as well as native plants garden concepts to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This recognition is a testament to outstanding efforts in aligning with the goals of Climate Smart San José and contributing to a more sustainable city in 2022.
Bay Maples’ commitment to sustainable practices and eco-friendly designs has had a significant impact on reducing its carbon footprint and promoting a more sustainable lifestyle. Our innovative approach to conserving water resources has made Bay Maples a leading example of sustainability practices in the San José community.
Complete Home Project
We’ve outlined our services and complied photos and videos from a sustainable landscape project we completed in the College Park/Rose Garden neighborhood. Hope you enjoy!
We Love Getting Notes From Customers
“Thank you Alan! We appreciate all you and your team do for us and our beautiful yard :)” Emily G. Willow Glen, San Jose, Aug 2020.
Neighbors with Sustainable Development Goals
In this video we showcase a fun project that features neighboring homes with similar sustainable development goals. See the before and after, and hear about the steps we took to achieve the homeowner’s goals.
A Palo Alto Weekly Feature Spring 2020
An award-winning design that goes with the flow. Bay Maples helped update a bathroom that offers sustainability in more ways that one – and a beautiful tranquil new space. Read the entire article here.
Complete Sustainable Landscape Makeover
Watch Alan Hacker walk through a complete Before and After project on a home in the Rose Garden Neighborhood in San Jose California.
Polished Concrete Walkways
Finding creative ways to reuse material is one thing that makes Bay Maples different. In this specific project, Bay Maples demolished the driveway (eventually replaced with permeable pavers) and reused the concrete as a path throughout the yard and curbside areas.
The Landscape of Opportunity
When the Northern California Public Media contacted us regarding a news segment dedicated to eco-friendly gardens that would feature Bay Maples and the rebate programs Valley Water is offering to Santa Clara County residents, we were very excited and couldn’t wait to Help out. Hope you enjoy the video!
Sustainable Backyard Makeover
This project had everything from flagstone walkways and a sweet fire pit to Corten Steel raised beds and a killer water feature. As expected we also planted drought-tolerant native plants, created swales for rainwater and built a bench from salvaged wood. We had a blast designing and creating this backyard makeover. Hope you enjoy the video tour!
Handwritten Thank You Letter
We love our customers and we especially love it when our customers love us back with handwritten letters and tasty beer. Heres a letter from a happy customer we had to share. ’The yard looks great! We love how the swale and all the planets and beds turned out. Looking forward to seeing it all grow and fill in. Keep in touch!’…..Thank you for the awesome note and delicious brew.
New Equipment Celebration
2-years ago our owner Alan Hackler broke his leg in 5 places, had 2 metal plates and 8 pins installed to help him heal. It was a huge stress on the company and our customers. But this month we’re happy to announce that Bay Maples is stronger than ever and because of this awesomeness, we bough a new trailer to celebrate these good times!
Espalier Fruit Tree Pruning Tips
Enjoy this informative video of Alan giving tips, tricks and explaining how to trim and prune an espalier fruit tree.
New Restaurant Project: LeYou Ethiopian
We’re super happy to announce that we’ve successfully renovated a new San Jose restaurant in our Bay Maples style. LeYou Ethiopian is located at 1100 North First Street (between Younger and Burton) in San Jose and the design features several large natural wood fixtures, used, upcycled and reclaimed materials and a cool large wooden sink. Besides their really cool modern relaxed atmosphere, their food is absolutely fantastic!
Good News: Rainwater & Greywater Rebates in SCC
When 2019 began, we received good news about two new rebate programs for Rainwater collection and Greywater systems in Santa Clara County. What we loved most about one of these programs, was that it was specifically for veterans, senior citizens, disabled and low-income residents allowing this type of water conservation to be exposed to as many people as possible. Knowledge is power and when the County is offering rebates, home owners should take advantage.
Greywater Legends
One great part about helping our planet save and use water is having people like Art Ludwig around to spread the word. Art Ludwig is a greywater legend and we’re proud to call him a partner in this World of Water. Art’s book ‘Create an Oasis with Greywater’ is awesome and his humble yet fun personality is infectious.
Sustainable Greywater Events in San Jose
Meet and talk with Alan Hackler about the tools, concepts and fundamentals of greywater systems. Ask questions and get some hands-on experience. Subscribe below to receive invites for upcoming events.
Localizing California Waters 2018
Each year thought-leaders in the water industry gather in northern Yosemite, to discuss everything about water at the annual Localizing California Waters conference. Bay Maples is proud to participate with this event every year and will continue to educate people about how extremely valuable water is for everything living, and that we should be doing more to conserve and preserve this natural resource.
Friday Sept 7th 7p-11p
SoFA District, Downtown SJ
Freshly Branded Gifts – Free Event – All Ages
Bay Maples Booth @ ArtWalkSJ
Acterra Award Acceptance Speech 2017
We’re so honored to receive the 2017 Award for Sustainability from Acterra. Here’s a video from Acterra of the Bay Maples team accepting the award and Alan sharing his story and thoughts about winning this award. Enjoy!
Acterra Business Award for Sustainability
Acterra checked in with us to see some of our sustainable landscaping projects and learn a little more about us.
Enjoy an Edible Garden
One of the great pleasures of gardening is being able to enjoy some of the fruits of your labors — literally. But if you’re not sure how to design a garden that provides bounty as well as beauty…
Rainwater Collection Systems and Irrigation
Our new video explains how we helped a customer eliminate flooding in the front yard while designing a sustainable garden the family could enjoy year round without much maintenance.
Content Magazine Interview Winter 2017 Issue
“I started from nothing,” Hacker says. “When I began, I didn’t have a truck. I only had a few tools. I did a lot of my first gardens on a bike.” Hackler’s first big break came in 2009 when California change the law to simplify the permitting process for gray water irrigation (Systems that collect water from the washing machines, showers and bathroom sinks).
2017 Award for Sustainability
Acterra is a San Francisco Bay Area 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Palo Alto that brings people together to create local solutions for a healthy planet. Since 1990, Acterra has been celebrating sustainable business practices in the San Francisco Bay Area through our Business Environmental Awards Program….and this year Bay Maples won!
Beautiful Drought-Tolerant Gardens
When some people think of drought-tolerant gardens, they imagine a barren scape of rocks and cactus. But that’s a huge misconception. “You can make……. READ MORE
KKUP 91.5 FM Radio Show
Alan was a guest on KKUP 91.5fm and spoke in depth about GREYWATER and AQUAPONICS. Click the links below to listen online. Both radio shows begin with some music but its not long until the conversations and questions about Greywater and Aquaponics begin. Enjoy!
2016 Silicon Valley Water Conservation Award
Bay Maples was awarded the 2016 Silicon Valley Water Conservation Award for local business. Past winners include Google, Facebook and Adobe. Thank you to all our clients and supporters who helped make this possible.
Harmony in the Garden – April 30, 2016
Bay Maples helped with a Sunset Magazine’s new Western Garden Collection.
“I was just sittin’ here enjoyin’ the company. Plants got a lot to say, if you take the time to listen.”
– Eeyore
KQED Science ’Water Deeply’ April 6, 2016
Wastewater Becomes a Resource in Silicon Valley – Hackler’s team installed 16 graywater systems and five rainwater catchment systems in homes in 2015 and held numerous workshops to teach the principles to others.
“…do something. Pay your rent for the privilege of living on this beautiful, blue-green, living Earth.”
– Dave Forman
Water Deeply – March 1, 2016
“We’re doing three different gray-water projects at different houses at the same time, right now. It’s gotten considerably more popular. Before I used to encourage clients to do it, now I’ve got people calling constantly wanting to do it.”
– Alan Hackler
“…do something. Pay your rent for the privilege of living on this beautiful, blue-green, living Earth.”
– Dave Forman
KQED Science ‘Drought Watch’ June 23, 2015
San Francisco Requires Water Recycling – Alan Hackler says “It’s funny that we will pay money to get rid of our greywater, or our wastewater, and then pay more money to bring new water in. Versus, eliminate that, the water that comes in, just use it on site and reuse it on site.”
SanJoseInside.com – June 4, 2015
“I think in the next couple of years, we’re going to see a shift in how our communities look. More native plants, less and less turf.”
– Alan Hackler
“The battle we have fought, and are still fighting, for the forests is a part of the eternal conflict between right and wrong.”
– John Muir
Mercury News – July 24th, 2013
“It’s important to me to develop gardens that are fun and safe for the people using them.”
– Alan Hackler
“It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment”
– Ansel Adams
Happy Customers
Alan, Devon, and the Bay Maples team did a great job converting our thirsty front lawn to a lovely, visually interesting, drought tolerant garden; with irrigation, wiring for LV lighting, and rainwater management. I found them accommodating and pleasant to work with, and would definitely hire them again.
“The guys at Bay Maples are amazingly creative, professional and fun to work with. Unlike every contractor I have worked with in the past, when they say they’ll start working at 8am, they do and they put in more than a full day of work. I can’t say enough about them. They are awesome!”
“We moved into a house that had been neglected for close to 30 years. The backyard had a broken down rabbit hutch, some very diseased cactus, a few privets, a lot of crabgrass. Alan and crew removed all this garbage and replaced it with California native plants. It’s a beautiful wonderland, a sanctuary where once was a garbage pit. Bay Maples helped guide us through the sprinkler-removal rebate program. Five stars!”
Published on May 2, 2015
Silicon Valley Technology, Art, Green & Sustainability (SVTAGS) talk show with host and Executive Producer Heather Durham. Episode guest is Alan Hackler, founder of Bay Maples, a Bay Area landscaping company whose objective with each project is to build the most unique and innovative landscape possible using the most environmentally appropriate methods. Alan talks about his various techniques with reclaimed materials during the show. He studied at San Jose State University, he worked with Alrie Middlebook at one point and he is amazing at using resource to create gardens that look like they are something of another worldly place. Alan also has his own California Native Plant Nursery. When you want to make your yard in a low watering situation, for a lower water bill every month, he is a local guy that can help.