crew
DEXTER estate landscapes is located at the North end of the Napa Valley, in beautiful Calistoga. We have been involved on different levels with many fine gardens all over the county, as well as in Sonoma County and the Bay Area. Quality, attention to detail and customer service are the founding principles behind DEXTER estate landscapes, founded in 1985.
Lucky enough to have worked with the best designers and landscape architects in California, the demands for exceptional work, clear communication and great results are our stock in trade. We work closely with our landscape designers and subcontractors to make sure that everyone has the same common goal: to deliver a world-class garden.
dave dexter
Founded the company in 1985, following his strong interest in plants and gardens. With a background in wholesale nursery production and management of a soil products business, he has both a degree in Plant Biology and Environmental Studies & Planning from Sonoma State University.
He and his wife, Allis, a water color artist/teacher, enjoy spending time with their two grandkids, Andon and Myla Raine. Away from work and family you might find him on a fairway or watching a giants game.
diego casas
Born in Mexico City and raised in the Napa Valley. He worked as an Agricultural Irrigation Specialist for five years and graduated with a degree in Spanish from Sonoma State University in 1995.
He has been with DEXTER since May of 2002 and fills an important role as Project Manager.
lucas dexter
A North Bay native, has had a passion for plants and landscaping since he was a young child. His interest grew by helping his father, Dave, and mother, Allis, cultivate their own gardens at home. In his twenties he ventured off to pursue his other passion for technology and has successfully owned and operated an internet company in Silicon Valley.
While always keeping Dexter estate landscapes in his heart, he returned in 2007 with a new skill set and approach. Lucas specializes in team management and has worked his way into a leading position in the company. His grasp of general concept to intricate detail has helped his success in the landscaping industry. Every year, Lucas looks forward to the changing of seasons, especially blooming spring flowers, which mean the San Francisco Giants are back on the field.
vanessa thornton
No company like ours, creating living works of art, should be without someone like Vanessa. Not only is she a graduate of the San Francisco Academy of Art, she has a contagiously positive effect on everyone around her. After 16 years working in the San Francisco design field, she came over to “the Dark Side”, to work in construction. So, she is now applying her account and project management skills to the landscaping industry, and we are thrilled to have her. A native of Sonoma County, her interest in gardening is flourishing.
eddie molina
Came to us by way of the building trade. Long employed by James Nolan Construction, he is known for his good attitude and coordination of the various disciplines and subcontractors on the job. His work ethic is his strong point, and his former clients can vouch for his willingness to please. Eddie is our tree transplanting specialist and moves hundreds of trees every year.
In his spare time you will find him fishing and spending time with his daughter.
laura mcniff
A self-proclaimed plant nerd, Laura fits like a glove here at DEXTER. She came to the area from Trinity county to attend college and fell in love with the North Bay.
With her passion for plants, trees and science she is a welcome asset. In her account manager position she tracks job essentials, working with designers and architects, billing, proposals and plant sourcing. As a graduate of Sonoma State University in Environmental Studies and a minor in Plant Biology, she comes with a solid background. She has experience as a beekeeper and sustainable edible landscape gardener. Happiness to her is her home time with her husband Sean and her sweet young daughter Sloane in Napa.
dave murtagh
Is our East Coast transplant. He has a strong background in landscape construction, including lighting and masonry. Dave has a reputation for having a strong work ethic and is great with customer relations. When we put Dave on an important job, we know it will be done correctly with attention to detail.
Since relocating to the Bay Area in 2009, he has supervised many high end residential installations with renowned architects and builders. General Contractors across the board appreciate Dave's attention to detail, efficiency and cooperation.
matt gnat
A better plantsman would be very hard to find. Matt has a lifetime of experience in the nursery business, starting as a teenager and eventually managing a wholesale nursery while handling every aspect of the business. Fluent in Spanish, an easy going nature and think-on-his-feet smarts serve us well and gives our clients a great site supervisor to build their gardens.
andrew ruggles
Brought in a diversified set of experiences when he joined our team in 2014. A native Sonoma County guy with a degree in Philosophy from Reed college, he continued his education to earn a Masters in Environmental Science. As the head gardener at University of San Francisco he managed the campus gardens while gaining an appreciation of plants and design. Andrew is our restoration specialist and is beloved by our most nature-loving clients.
His love of the great outdoors and our beautiful part of the world allows him to contribute by helping us build special gardens.
robert paul
Since arriving in March 2015, has been able to take advantage of his over 30 years of experience in Landscape Construction and Horticulture. Whether he is using his experienced eye studying plans or installing a transplanted hundred-year-old olive orchard, he still finds his Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies and Plant Geography from UC-Santa Barbara a useful tool for all of his projects. When not exploring gardens near and far, Robert can also be found on the recreational softball field, or maybe at AT&T Park with family and friends.
juan gutierrez
With years of experience working in high end landscape installation in the Bay Area, Juan has thrived in his role running jobs here in Napa and Sonoma Counties. A breadth of knowledge, an easy going temperament and attention to detail makes him a valuable Supervisor and team member. As a crew leader he commands respect from his workforce and is very result oriented. Juan has proven to be one of our very most talented and reliable supervisors.
A hard working family man, Juan is a valued member here at Dexter.
dennis van keuren
We were lucky enough to get Dennis back on board this year. His years of experience in the field building gardens and his degree in Horticulture from Cal Poly, SLO, are great assets to us.
An easy going guy with a wonderful family, we are thrilled to have him on big, important jobs near his home in St. Helena.
gerardo paez
Is our Office Administrator and we appreciate his great energy & eagerness to learn. He graduated from Sonoma State University with a degree in Business Administration and a Management Concentration in 2014.
In his spare time, you can find him jumping out of airplanes, hiking, or playing competitive tennis. He is a valuable addition to our team.