Suggestions for a terrific landscaping project
 

I am in the process of getting estimates for landscaping my home. The scope is large including the front of the house, around the pool area and the rear of the home. I want walls built and stone in the beds (not mulch or bark). I have two estimates but because the project is substantial I would like some recommendations from others who have had positive experiences and share the details with me.

I used Brandon's Landscaping and he did a fabulous job and he was very reasonable. I don't have his contact number as I am back in Michigan for another week but he advertises in The Sun Times

Here is my view on landscaping and beautiful landscaping here in The Villages.

Some of the best wall builders aren't great plant people. They may build a level and perfect wall and take out all of your plants and sell them to someone else and try to sell you new ones. A lot of selective expertise goes on with these kids who come here and put themselves in business after laying brick somewhere else.

The principles of good landscape design are the same as good interior design. The placing of like objects in threes or fives. The use of the pyramid. Repetition of color and design. Not crowding or making things too sparse. The contrast of one color against the other.

So many people here allow landscapers to carry away a lot of good plants that are hardy and can be used. The landscaper gets to sell you new ones and that is about all I can say about that. They are in business to make money.

I HATE over landscaping, but I also HATE underlandscaping. So many people have all of the bushes removed and put up a wall and put gravel in and then put some new plants in and call it a day. Many look very neat...and too stark.

So many people do NOT want ever to have bushes that need trimming and some people adore plants that don't winter well. Everything grows so well here that a nice landscape that comes with a home can become a tropical jungle in three years without prudent pruning.

That's all I know. Betcha that you are close or over thirty grand on the estimate. I understand your desire to get it right.

Hi gomsiepop,

I understand what you mean. And, since you asked, I will tell you what I would do.

(But before I start in with my advice, please don't miss graciegirl's comments in post 3. She makes some good points about landscaping in TV and design in general.)

Now, for advice from me. . .

If I were you, with such a large project, I would begin with just one part of the yard. Maybe the backyard. See if the landscaper you are liking best will take on that job first. See how it goes. And if the chosen one turns up his nose at a smaller job, well, in my opinion, that would speak volumes.

I am not talking about asking them to plant a bush or two. I understand why the companies don't want to take that on. What I mean is an area of significance, just not the whole enchilada -- yet. I am talking about a 4-digit contract but not a 5- digit contract -- to start with.

Make sure your contract is specific. Even with a smaller job. Ask about things like the effect on the irrigation system. Will things need to be capped or moved?

Another thing I would find out before having someone do the work is whether the company carries the proper insurance and do their employees work for them directly.

If you decide to approach things this way, but find that you feel pressured to give in to all of it, that also sounds like a loud and clear warning sign to me.

If you start smaller and end up choosing another landscaper for Part II, continuation of design should not be an issue. (I am basing this comment on the limited fact that we recently had a smaller job done on our preowned home and the landscape rocks they brought in to refresh the beds matched perfectly.)

Also, I suggest attending at least one of those meetings presented by the extension agent. (I hope somebody reading this can be more specific about the where and when of those meetings. I do not have that info with me right now.)

Good luck.

Baby-Stepping Laurie

If you are doing a large project ,look for a Landscape Architect. They will, with your ideas ,draw you a complete plan for your property. They know what plants will work , and where to place them.

We recently had work done by Village Palms, which also included the rock wall borders. We were very happy with the results. I had ideas from other yards and plants I liked. They came out to the house to go over our wants and then we met them back at their office to view the concepts. I had also taken a few plant classes last summer and really liked their staff. Plus they stand behind their work.

I just had my whole front yard and interior yard landscaped by All American Kwick Kerb (352-266-4539) and couldn't be happier. I absolutely love the finished project and loved working with them. Jim and Troy were inspiring and fun to design with, their passion infectious. Kim who is the plant design part of this team and very knowledgeable came in and made sure it was the best it could be tweaking it here and there.

They used and moved as many plants from the back to the front and visa versa, including a small tree, always keeping both my budget and the best overall effect in mind.

I loved the way they worked together, very professional and frankly happy to be here and with each other. Always left the place in good shape at the end of each day and took the time to say hello to my neighbors who stopped to admired the progress, which was nice given that I live in a Villa and took up a bit of the street in the process.

I went with bark to save money but they do stone. They kept me informed all along and answered all my questions. They raised sprinklers etc. and installed drip lines where needed to keep my palms happy.

Now I stand out there smiling and taking all the compliments, and there are a lot, but I have to give total credit to them. I never could have come up with this on my own and it is so much better then evan what I pictured the finished result would be. Oh and they were so much less then other quotes I had gotten.

Frankly this was such a good experience that I miss having them about. Give them a call, you won't be sorry.

Sent you a PM
 

Sent you a lengthy PM.... Good luck

We also used Village Palms on 466 over near Rolling Acres. We were looking for someone who had an established business and a nursery type business location. They come out and listen to what you want, add suggestions, go back and lay out a plan and then you go to their location and see it on a large TV screen and you can make changes and see it as it is done on the TV until you get the exact look you want. Wonderful company to work with. They made an amazing transformation to our side yard (corner lot) that was different from many of our neighbors and used some shrubs from other parts of the yard which kept the price down. We're calling them again soon to do the front and back.

Me, too, for Village Palms
 

Village Palms gets my recommendation.

Here’s the rest of the story for those of you who are thinking about having landscaping done. (If this interests you, maybe look back at Post #4 in this thread. I wrote that post while my project was underway. Now, it is finished so I can give you this report.)

Derrick, at Village Palms, was the designer. He listened to what I said about the effect I wanted to achieve. I got what I wanted. Derrick is highly knowledgeable and professional.

We have a pre-owned home that already had an upgrade to the landscaping. But I wanted to retouch a part of the backyard. It was a relatively small job, but Derrick gave attention to detail and treated the job as being just as important as a really big job.

That is when I knew, for sure, I had found my landscaping company.

Once I had the first part of the job done so nicely, I decided to have them do a patio.

The patio is natural stone, quarried in Tennessee. For this part of the job, Derrick sent the paver crew. (Jon, Steve, Rob, Brandon, and Eric.)

The installation of flagstone -- if done right -- is where engineering and artistry meet. Jon studied the lay of the land, made sure the drainage was right, redirected our downspouts, and made sure the irrigation system was working properly to hit the landscaping that remained after the turf was removed and the ground prepared for the stone.

Then came the art-part. It was fun to see Steve's artist's-eye at work, and the rest of the crew, too, as they chose the stones individually for their color, shape, and striation. We now have a mosaic of beautiful sedimentary stone, perfectly installed in our backyard. The Village Palms paver crew works together like they are choreographed.

Village Palms is located at 740 CR 466, east of Morse, a relatively short distance from The Villages. On the right side. There you can see walkways, etc., of every kind of paver they use, including flagstone like ours. Their nursery is open to the public. Their plants are nice.

Their phone number is 352-753-4772. I recommend asking for Derrick. If he is not in, he will call you back. He is good about that. And once you are into the job, texting works great, too. Derrick stays in communication.

If we had stars, I would give Village Palms 5 out of 5 stars. (And I do not play fast and loose with my stars.)

I found Village Palms by reading recommendations on TOTV. There are a lot of them here. Those posts were very helpful to me, as I was a stranger in a strange land. So I wanted to pass along my experience. I hope that your own can be just as outstanding.

If you want to read other posts about Village Palms, go to the search line and type in “Village Palms” – using quotation marks will give you a better chance of hits. (Don’t forget -- no s on Village)

Good luck with whoever you choose.

Now, I am going to go outside in the sunshine and stare at those eons-old, beautiful stones. Geology is the only science I ever truly loved.

Sedimentary Laurie

Sounds beautiful. Please share a picture.

LA
 

If it's a large project, I would recommend using a Landscape Architect. Will cost some $$$$, but they can help evaluate bids and even over see the project if you want them to.

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Everything that Pointer said about All American Kwick Kerb, I would have to agree with, the entire crew was so polite and knowledgeable and they did a great job. My wife and I love how they transformed our front, side and back of the house.