[Ozzello]

Up till TV crossed South of 44, About 80% of the "re-landscapes" had a 3-5 year lifespan.
Yes, around 80% of the landscape calls, were to "fix" poorly designed/installed RE-landscapes done by "professional" landscapers, 3-5 years ago.
The number 1 answer to "Who did this landscape?":
"I don't remember, but they did my neighbor's place and they were happy."
A quick look over.. and I see another poor sucker with a badly designed landscape.

The #1 problem? What shrubs and ground covers were used, and where they were planted, with the trees running a close 2nd along with stack walls shifting due to poor installation.
(I hear they were super fast though).

Good landscaping should improve with very little maintenance to it's fruition at around 7 years, and remain fairly easy to maintain for another TEN YEARS
+!

If the only landscapes your "designer" can show you are less than 3 years old, beware.
If the only reference you get is a nearby neighbor down the street that know nothing except that they were fast at a good price, beware.
If your reference was a post about how great they are, ask the poster if they got a discount for posting here. Many times the "poster" is actually the LANDSCAPER.. drumming up business.

The bad landscaping designers and installers come in many colors. Big pretty nurseries are NOT money makers, and never were. They are being maintained by all the money they make landscaping.
REMEMBER. good advertising, does not mean a good landscaper.

The fix? Look at a home your potential designer did 7 years ago or more, that is similar to your home. And CONFIRM they did design and install it.

Seen lots of advertising over the years with pictures of landscapes that were done by me, or by the very few GOOD landscapers around here, by "landscapers" who had nothing to take a picture of that THEY did... and many a landscaper standing in front of someone's beautifully landscaped home with a potential customer claiming they did the landscape (and got caught by the owner of the good landscape).

Landscaping is profitable, and TV is "Landscaper's Mecca", when in doubt, get another FREE estimate, till you find the real deal. Saving $1000 bucks on a $7000 job, has cost MANY several $1000s 3-5 years later... over, and over, and over.

REMEMBER, once you get that expensive border, and put in the rock around your plants, your RE-landscape costs just went WAY up.