"Elizabeth" wrote in message arthlink.net...
Hi,

After reading the whole thread here, I wanted to share my sympathy about
what happened. We have had some various things done to our property that add
up to probably the most money we've spent on anything, besides our cars and
house. We've had relatively good luck, but I usually get pretty anxious when
a lot of money is involved. After having had stone retaining walls, large
trees, a fence, deck, patio, sidewalk, and arbor put in over the past 4
years, and not really being able to wholeheartedly recommend any of the
people who did any of them (although overall I am pretty much satisfied with
the work), here are my 2 cents:

-- Get at least three estimates. This means you probably have to call 6-8
companies because a lot of them don't bother to show up.
-- Whenever possible, get a recommendation from someone you know who has
used them.
-- Do a lot of research about what you want and have magazine photos and/or
drawings ready when you get your estimates. If you sense that the company
can't or won't do it, do not pick them.
-- Ask them how they would do your project and wait for them to explain the
whole thing. Sometimes you can sniff out people who don't know what they are
doing that way, even if you don't know how to do it yourself.
-- Do not act casually about your project. Act as if it is really important.
People respond more attentively to a picky customer than a casual one. I
learned this from my picky neighbor.
-- Ask to see photos of their work or get addresses of references to visit.
-- Ask if they guarantee to finish the work by a certain date. Some jobs
seem to go on forever.
-- Get the estimate in writing and ask for a satisfaction guarantee.
-- For large projects, the company should obtain utility marking and permits
for you.
-- Do not hand over the final payment until you are completely satisfied. As
soon as you do, you may not hear from them again. Most people want a deposit
for materials, but you should hold back most of the money until the very
end. If they say they need it, just tell them you'll have it ready when they
come back to finish the last things you want done/fixed.

This all may sound cynical, but it's reality. Anyone have more to add?

Thanks for your suggestions Elizibeth. I did ask for refrences and
photos but did not have the time to follow up since my wife was due
with our first child. I know better now. The way to look at this is
he atleast showed up and planted the trees and bushes albeit poorly.
It was a $4000 lesson in haste is waste.
For your reference the name of the company is Gardenworks and the
owner is
Evan Blewett.

Thanks for your support.


"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
Hi!! Can anybody suggest a good landscape designer in the trianlge
area. I hired one from Apex recently and he ripped me off (paid close
to $4000). He was very knowledgeable with the plants native to this
area and promised low maintenance landscape so I hired him. He did a
very poor job. All the beds that he supposedly sprayed with weed
killer are sprouting already (the beds were planted on Apr 19,2003).
I would appreciate your help.

Thanks

All right, folks, let's calm down now, okay? (And yes, I do realize the
irony of my being the one to say that!)

First of all, RP, weeds are a fact of life -- they can & will happen, so
that alone isn't enough reason to feel you've been ripped off.

Second (shoulda been first, I guess) -- did you make any attempt to
resolve this with the original landscaper?

Third, your mention of spending $4000 may have put some people off, as I'll
bet there are many newsgroup members who will never in their entire
gardening careers spend that much money.

Fourth, as for the Kleim's Gardenia, it may like some sun -- I'm not
entirely certain, as nearly all the references I found were for gardenias
growing in pots, so they may indeed need iron, but it's due to the tap water
they get.

Finally -- and I say this with all due respect, and a bit of [sorta]
personal experience -- it might be better if you don't take on such
complicated projects when you folks are "expecting" any minute! I don't
know why it is that pregnant women get a "bad rap" for hormonal behavior,
when I've seen so many men do inexplicable things while awaiting the birth
of a child. Fortunately, I no garden to speak of in 1970 when my son was
born, so there was nothing for hubby to do to the garden. My mother,
however, was not so lucky -- in 1957 my father unilaterally decided to "do
her a favor" by replanting some 8' holly trees that he thought my mother
(who majored in horticulture at Penn State) had planted too far from the
house! (Boy, was he lucky that those hollies survived!)

Anne Lurie
NE Raleigh

I'm afraid some of these issues you don't have much to stand on.

Staking trees is not generally recommended, but there are exceptions. You
did not say what kind or size trees were planted. If you wanted them staked
or you thought that important, you should have specified that to begin with.

Yellowing of gardenias is very common and caused by many many factors.
Applying ironite is just a bandaid and will do nothing for the real problem.

I don't know about overpayment. $4000 does not seem unreasonable for a
residential job. I've done 1/2 acre jobs that ran over $100,000.00.

I believe there is 2 sides to this story and to be fair to your landscaper,
you should probably offer more details. You obviously don't mind trashing
his reputation. I don't know why you should feel "stupid" for overpaying.
I see people every day overpaying for many different things. Most seem
proud of it.

Baine

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
I was trying to avoid mentioning all the mistakes he made since it
makes me look
rather stupid since I overpaid. Well here it goes,
Apart from the weed problem, he planted 5 trees which he did not stake
to the ground so now they are swaying all over the place and am afraid
will break if we have forceful winds. He planted Kleim's gardenia in
the front (facing East) which gets full sun for atleast 6 hours and
two of the plants are already yellowing. I used Ironite since I read
some thing about Gardenia's needing a lot of iron. Well in any case
that seems to be working so far but am not sure if it will hold up.
I expected a lot more for $4000. Regarding mulch, he used the
cheapest pine straw mulch you can ever get. There was more pine
cones, leaves, twigs than pine needles. My yard looks like a big dump
with green buses sticking out of them.
I will call Garden Creations. Thanks for your suggestions Penny.

RP

"Penny Morgan" wrote in message
. com...
Did he do a bad job in design or are you upset about the weeds? If it's
design related, you can contact Garden Creations (Kendra Douros) at
819-8814. She is a landscape designer who does consultation, drawings,
installation, etc.

As far as the weeds are concerned, I have to say that spraying weeds to
kill
them doesn't necessarily guarantee that you won't get lots more. We
have
the perfect conditions for weeds to come in groves right now .......warm
weather and lots of wet weather. My yard is sprouting everywhere right
now
even after spraying and pulling all in March. You will have to spray
again.
Did he mulch the areas very well?

Spring is the time for new growth on everything .....trees, flowers, and
lots of weeds.

Penny
"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
Hi!! Can anybody suggest a good landscape designer in the trianlge
area. I hired one from Apex recently and he ripped me off (paid close
to $4000). He was very knowledgeable with the plants native to this
area and promised low maintenance landscape so I hired him. He did a
very poor job. All the beds that he supposedly sprayed with weed
killer are sprouting already (the beds were planted on Apr 19,2003).
I would appreciate your help.

Thanks

"Anne Lurie" wrote in message .com...
All right, folks, let's calm down now, okay? (And yes, I do realize the
irony of my being the one to say that!)

First of all, RP, weeds are a fact of life -- they can & will happen, so
that alone isn't enough reason to feel you've been ripped off.

Second (shoulda been first, I guess) -- did you make any attempt to
resolve this with the original landscaper?

Third, your mention of spending $4000 may have put some people off, as I'll
bet there are many newsgroup members who will never in their entire
gardening careers spend that much money.

Fourth, as for the Kleim's Gardenia, it may like some sun -- I'm not
entirely certain, as nearly all the references I found were for gardenias
growing in pots, so they may indeed need iron, but it's due to the tap water
they get.

Finally -- and I say this with all due respect, and a bit of [sorta]
personal experience -- it might be better if you don't take on such
complicated projects when you folks are "expecting" any minute! I don't
know why it is that pregnant women get a "bad rap" for hormonal behavior,
when I've seen so many men do inexplicable things while awaiting the birth
of a child. Fortunately, I no garden to speak of in 1970 when my son was
born, so there was nothing for hubby to do to the garden. My mother,
however, was not so lucky -- in 1957 my father unilaterally decided to "do
her a favor" by replanting some 8' holly trees that he thought my mother
(who majored in horticulture at Penn State) had planted too far from the
house! (Boy, was he lucky that those hollies survived!)

Anne Lurie
NE Raleigh

Anne

Is there any chance that my Kleim's gardenia will survive in its
present location in ground ? Do you know of anybody who has planted
them in ground in the area? I appreciate your input.
RP

"Baine Carruthers" wrote in message ...
Bain,

When I get some time today I will give you all the details. You being
a landscaper yourself can tell me if I am wrong in being upset.

Thanks
RP

I'm afraid some of these issues you don't have much to stand on.

Staking trees is not generally recommended, but there are exceptions. You
did not say what kind or size trees were planted. If you wanted them staked
or you thought that important, you should have specified that to begin with.

Yellowing of gardenias is very common and caused by many many factors.
Applying ironite is just a bandaid and will do nothing for the real problem.

I don't know about overpayment. $4000 does not seem unreasonable for a
residential job. I've done 1/2 acre jobs that ran over $100,000.00.

I believe there is 2 sides to this story and to be fair to your landscaper,
you should probably offer more details. You obviously don't mind trashing
his reputation. I don't know why you should feel "stupid" for overpaying.
I see people every day overpaying for many different things. Most seem
proud of it.

Baine

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
I was trying to avoid mentioning all the mistakes he made since it
makes me look
rather stupid since I overpaid. Well here it goes,
Apart from the weed problem, he planted 5 trees which he did not stake
to the ground so now they are swaying all over the place and am afraid
will break if we have forceful winds. He planted Kleim's gardenia in
the front (facing East) which gets full sun for atleast 6 hours and
two of the plants are already yellowing. I used Ironite since I read
some thing about Gardenia's needing a lot of iron. Well in any case
that seems to be working so far but am not sure if it will hold up.
I expected a lot more for $4000. Regarding mulch, he used the
cheapest pine straw mulch you can ever get. There was more pine
cones, leaves, twigs than pine needles. My yard looks like a big dump
with green buses sticking out of them.
I will call Garden Creations. Thanks for your suggestions Penny.

RP

"Penny Morgan" wrote in message
. com...
Did he do a bad job in design or are you upset about the weeds? If it's
design related, you can contact Garden Creations (Kendra Douros) at
819-8814. She is a landscape designer who does consultation, drawings,
installation, etc.

As far as the weeds are concerned, I have to say that spraying weeds to
kill
them doesn't necessarily guarantee that you won't get lots more. We
have
the perfect conditions for weeds to come in groves right now .......warm
weather and lots of wet weather. My yard is sprouting everywhere right
now
even after spraying and pulling all in March. You will have to spray
again.
Did he mulch the areas very well?

Spring is the time for new growth on everything .....trees, flowers, and
lots of weeds.

Penny
"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
Hi!! Can anybody suggest a good landscape designer in the trianlge
area. I hired one from Apex recently and he ripped me off (paid close
to $4000). He was very knowledgeable with the plants native to this
area and promised low maintenance landscape so I hired him. He did a
very poor job. All the beds that he supposedly sprayed with weed
killer are sprouting already (the beds were planted on Apr 19,2003).
I would appreciate your help.

Thanks

In article , blorefan wrote:
"Baine Carruthers" wrote in message ...
Bain,

When I get some time today I will give you all the details. You being
a landscaper yourself can tell me if I am wrong in being upset.

Thanks
RP

Baine makes some good points. The person we are getting to just draw up
plans is billing at over $40 per hour. I almost had a heart attack when
I first heard this, but really that is not a bad rate after I thought
about it and after talking with the person(I hope).
I was up front that I only
wanted plans and there would be no implementation needed of them since
they provide that too. When they do a turn key job then you never
really know where all the true costs are. From my experience though I
have always figured the labor costs are 1 to 3 times the materials cost.

I'm afraid some of these issues you don't have much to stand on.

Staking trees is not generally recommended, but there are exceptions. You
did not say what kind or size trees were planted. If you wanted them staked
or you thought that important, you should have specified that to begin with.

Yellowing of gardenias is very common and caused by many many factors.
Applying ironite is just a bandaid and will do nothing for the real problem.

I don't know about overpayment. $4000 does not seem unreasonable for a
residential job. I've done 1/2 acre jobs that ran over $100,000.00.

I believe there is 2 sides to this story and to be fair to your landscaper,
you should probably offer more details. You obviously don't mind trashing
his reputation. I don't know why you should feel "stupid" for overpaying.
I see people every day overpaying for many different things. Most seem
proud of it.

Baine

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
I was trying to avoid mentioning all the mistakes he made since it
makes me look
rather stupid since I overpaid. Well here it goes,
Apart from the weed problem, he planted 5 trees which he did not stake
to the ground so now they are swaying all over the place and am afraid
will break if we have forceful winds. He planted Kleim's gardenia in
the front (facing East) which gets full sun for atleast 6 hours and
two of the plants are already yellowing. I used Ironite since I read
some thing about Gardenia's needing a lot of iron. Well in any case
that seems to be working so far but am not sure if it will hold up.
I expected a lot more for $4000. Regarding mulch, he used the
cheapest pine straw mulch you can ever get. There was more pine
cones, leaves, twigs than pine needles. My yard looks like a big dump
with green buses sticking out of them.
I will call Garden Creations. Thanks for your suggestions Penny.

RP

"Penny Morgan" wrote in message
. com...
Did he do a bad job in design or are you upset about the weeds? If it's
design related, you can contact Garden Creations (Kendra Douros) at
819-8814. She is a landscape designer who does consultation, drawings,
installation, etc.

As far as the weeds are concerned, I have to say that spraying weeds to
kill
them doesn't necessarily guarantee that you won't get lots more. We
have
the perfect conditions for weeds to come in groves right now .......warm
weather and lots of wet weather. My yard is sprouting everywhere right
now
even after spraying and pulling all in March. You will have to spray
again.
Did he mulch the areas very well?

Spring is the time for new growth on everything .....trees, flowers, and
lots of weeds.

Penny
"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
Hi!! Can anybody suggest a good landscape designer in the trianlge
area. I hired one from Apex recently and he ripped me off (paid close
to $4000). He was very knowledgeable with the plants native to this
area and promised low maintenance landscape so I hired him. He did a
very poor job. All the beds that he supposedly sprayed with weed
killer are sprouting already (the beds were planted on Apr 19,2003).
I would appreciate your help.

Thanks


--
Wes Dukes (wdukesNOatSPAMpoboxdotcom)

Wow, I'll say Evan blew it! Hope you, wife, and baby are healthy and growing
(as well as the plants)!

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
"Elizabeth" wrote in message
arthlink.net...
Hi,

After reading the whole thread here, I wanted to share my sympathy about
what happened. We have had some various things done to our property that
add
up to probably the most money we've spent on anything, besides our cars
and
house. We've had relatively good luck, but I usually get pretty anxious
when
a lot of money is involved. After having had stone retaining walls,
large
trees, a fence, deck, patio, sidewalk, and arbor put in over the past 4
years, and not really being able to wholeheartedly recommend any of the
people who did any of them (although overall I am pretty much satisfied
with
the work), here are my 2 cents:

-- Get at least three estimates. This means you probably have to call
6-8
companies because a lot of them don't bother to show up.
-- Whenever possible, get a recommendation from someone you know who has
used them.
-- Do a lot of research about what you want and have magazine photos
and/or
drawings ready when you get your estimates. If you sense that the
company
can't or won't do it, do not pick them.
-- Ask them how they would do your project and wait for them to explain
the
whole thing. Sometimes you can sniff out people who don't know what they
are
doing that way, even if you don't know how to do it yourself.
-- Do not act casually about your project. Act as if it is really
important.
People respond more attentively to a picky customer than a casual one. I
learned this from my picky neighbor.
-- Ask to see photos of their work or get addresses of references to
visit.
-- Ask if they guarantee to finish the work by a certain date. Some jobs
seem to go on forever.
-- Get the estimate in writing and ask for a satisfaction guarantee.
-- For large projects, the company should obtain utility marking and
permits
for you.
-- Do not hand over the final payment until you are completely
satisfied. As
soon as you do, you may not hear from them again. Most people want a
deposit
for materials, but you should hold back most of the money until the very
end. If they say they need it, just tell them you'll have it ready when
they
come back to finish the last things you want done/fixed.

This all may sound cynical, but it's reality. Anyone have more to add?

Thanks for your suggestions Elizibeth. I did ask for refrences and
photos but did not have the time to follow up since my wife was due
with our first child. I know better now. The way to look at this is
he atleast showed up and planted the trees and bushes albeit poorly.
It was a $4000 lesson in haste is waste.
For your reference the name of the company is Gardenworks and the
owner is
Evan Blewett.

Thanks for your support.


"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
Hi!! Can anybody suggest a good landscape designer in the trianlge
area. I hired one from Apex recently and he ripped me off (paid close
to $4000). He was very knowledgeable with the plants native to this
area and promised low maintenance landscape so I hired him. He did a
very poor job. All the beds that he supposedly sprayed with weed
killer are sprouting already (the beds were planted on Apr 19,2003).
I would appreciate your help.

Thanks

(blorefan) wrote in message . com...
"Baine Carruthers" wrote in message ...
Bain,

Here are the details I promised to share with this group,

Tree/Shrub Name Quantity Price Size
Thundercloud plum trees 2 $190 6 gallon
Chindo Viburnum 11 $198 3 gallon
Wax Myrtle 5 $90 3 gallon
Cleyara 3 $54 3 gallon
Viburnum Tinus 4 $72 2 gallon
Kleims Gardenia 8 $144 2 gallon
Amur Maple (tree) 1 $65 3 feet tall
Cleveland select pear 2 $210 6 gallon
Miscanthus Gracillimus(grass)5 $90 3 gallon
Crepe myrtle 1 $75 3 feet tall
Dolchica spirea 5 $90 3 gallon
Soil,mulch $900
Total for material $2178
Labor $1772
Total cost $3950

He did not remove existing grass to prepare the bed all he did was
cover it with dirty mulch.The grass has begun to sprout thru the mulch
already. I think for $1772 in labor I should atleast have 1 months
respite from weeds and grass. His total labor time was 4hrs and 25min
so I paid him $275/hr. Do you think that is a fair amount considering
there was absolutely no hardscape work done? I don't mean to trash
his reputation but would like to know if this was fair. I will be
calling him tomorrow and then will be talking to BBB since the
Gardenia's are not doing well and the Cleyeras are begining to droop.
I would appreciate your input.

Regards,
RP


I'm afraid some of these issues you don't have much to stand on.

Staking trees is not generally recommended, but there are exceptions. You
did not say what kind or size trees were planted. If you wanted them staked
or you thought that important, you should have specified that to begin with.

Yellowing of gardenias is very common and caused by many many factors.
Applying ironite is just a bandaid and will do nothing for the real problem.

I don't know about overpayment. $4000 does not seem unreasonable for a
residential job. I've done 1/2 acre jobs that ran over $100,000.00.

I believe there is 2 sides to this story and to be fair to your landscaper,
you should probably offer more details. You obviously don't mind trashing
his reputation. I don't know why you should feel "stupid" for overpaying.
I see people every day overpaying for many different things. Most seem
proud of it.

Baine

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
I was trying to avoid mentioning all the mistakes he made since it
makes me look
rather stupid since I overpaid. Well here it goes,
Apart from the weed problem, he planted 5 trees which he did not stake
to the ground so now they are swaying all over the place and am afraid
will break if we have forceful winds. He planted Kleim's gardenia in
the front (facing East) which gets full sun for atleast 6 hours and
two of the plants are already yellowing. I used Ironite since I read
some thing about Gardenia's needing a lot of iron. Well in any case
that seems to be working so far but am not sure if it will hold up.
I expected a lot more for $4000. Regarding mulch, he used the
cheapest pine straw mulch you can ever get. There was more pine
cones, leaves, twigs than pine needles. My yard looks like a big dump
with green buses sticking out of them.
I will call Garden Creations. Thanks for your suggestions Penny.

RP

"Penny Morgan" wrote in message
. com...
Did he do a bad job in design or are you upset about the weeds? If it's
design related, you can contact Garden Creations (Kendra Douros) at
819-8814. She is a landscape designer who does consultation, drawings,
installation, etc.

As far as the weeds are concerned, I have to say that spraying weeds to
kill
them doesn't necessarily guarantee that you won't get lots more. We
have
the perfect conditions for weeds to come in groves right now .......warm
weather and lots of wet weather. My yard is sprouting everywhere right
now
even after spraying and pulling all in March. You will have to spray
again.
Did he mulch the areas very well?

Spring is the time for new growth on everything .....trees, flowers, and
lots of weeds.

Penny
"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
Hi!! Can anybody suggest a good landscape designer in the trianlge
area. I hired one from Apex recently and he ripped me off (paid close
to $4000). He was very knowledgeable with the plants native to this
area and promised low maintenance landscape so I hired him. He did a
very poor job. All the beds that he supposedly sprayed with weed
killer are sprouting already (the beds were planted on Apr 19,2003).
I would appreciate your help.

Thanks

What kind of warranty did you get or did you ask for? Did you have any kind
of contract that spelled out the terms and conditions?

--
Baine

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
(blorefan) wrote in message
. com...
"Baine Carruthers" wrote in message
...
Bain,

Here are the details I promised to share with this group,

Tree/Shrub Name Quantity Price Size
Thundercloud plum trees 2 $190 6 gallon
Chindo Viburnum 11 $198 3 gallon
Wax Myrtle 5 $90 3 gallon
Cleyara 3 $54 3 gallon
Viburnum Tinus 4 $72 2 gallon
Kleims Gardenia 8 $144 2 gallon
Amur Maple (tree) 1 $65 3 feet tall
Cleveland select pear 2 $210 6 gallon
Miscanthus Gracillimus(grass)5 $90 3 gallon
Crepe myrtle 1 $75 3 feet tall
Dolchica spirea 5 $90 3 gallon
Soil,mulch $900
Total for material $2178
Labor $1772
Total cost $3950

He did not remove existing grass to prepare the bed all he did was
cover it with dirty mulch.The grass has begun to sprout thru the mulch
already. I think for $1772 in labor I should atleast have 1 months
respite from weeds and grass. His total labor time was 4hrs and 25min
so I paid him $275/hr. Do you think that is a fair amount considering
there was absolutely no hardscape work done? I don't mean to trash
his reputation but would like to know if this was fair. I will be
calling him tomorrow and then will be talking to BBB since the
Gardenia's are not doing well and the Cleyeras are begining to droop.
I would appreciate your input.

Regards,
RP


I'm afraid some of these issues you don't have much to stand on.

Staking trees is not generally recommended, but there are exceptions.
You
did not say what kind or size trees were planted. If you wanted them
staked
or you thought that important, you should have specified that to begin
with.

Yellowing of gardenias is very common and caused by many many factors.
Applying ironite is just a bandaid and will do nothing for the real
problem.

I don't know about overpayment. $4000 does not seem unreasonable for
a
residential job. I've done 1/2 acre jobs that ran over $100,000.00.

I believe there is 2 sides to this story and to be fair to your
landscaper,
you should probably offer more details. You obviously don't mind
trashing
his reputation. I don't know why you should feel "stupid" for
overpaying.
I see people every day overpaying for many different things. Most
seem
proud of it.

Baine

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
I was trying to avoid mentioning all the mistakes he made since it
makes me look
rather stupid since I overpaid. Well here it goes,
Apart from the weed problem, he planted 5 trees which he did not
stake
to the ground so now they are swaying all over the place and am
afraid
will break if we have forceful winds. He planted Kleim's gardenia
in
the front (facing East) which gets full sun for atleast 6 hours and
two of the plants are already yellowing. I used Ironite since I read
some thing about Gardenia's needing a lot of iron. Well in any case
that seems to be working so far but am not sure if it will hold up.
I expected a lot more for $4000. Regarding mulch, he used the
cheapest pine straw mulch you can ever get. There was more pine
cones, leaves, twigs than pine needles. My yard looks like a big
dump
with green buses sticking out of them.
I will call Garden Creations. Thanks for your suggestions Penny.

RP

"Penny Morgan" wrote in message
. com...
Did he do a bad job in design or are you upset about the weeds?
If it's
design related, you can contact Garden Creations (Kendra Douros)
at
819-8814. She is a landscape designer who does consultation,
drawings,
installation, etc.

As far as the weeds are concerned, I have to say that spraying
weeds to
kill
them doesn't necessarily guarantee that you won't get lots more.
We
have
the perfect conditions for weeds to come in groves right now
........warm
weather and lots of wet weather. My yard is sprouting everywhere
right
now
even after spraying and pulling all in March. You will have to
spray
again.
Did he mulch the areas very well?

Spring is the time for new growth on everything .....trees,
flowers, and
lots of weeds.

Penny
"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
Hi!! Can anybody suggest a good landscape designer in the
trianlge
area. I hired one from Apex recently and he ripped me off (paid
close
to $4000). He was very knowledgeable with the plants native to
this
area and promised low maintenance landscape so I hired him. He
did a
very poor job. All the beds that he supposedly sprayed with
weed
killer are sprouting already (the beds were planted on Apr
19,2003).
I would appreciate your help.

Thanks

It probably isn't fair to comment on the pricing. Basically you agreed to it
so you must have felt that it was reasonable. I guess you had an
opportunity to negoiate the price and the terms.

I might recant my staking comment, you appear to have purchased liner
material : )

A good designer's or architect's fee would have been in the $400-$600 range.
It would have saved you in the long run.

Interesting numbers and amounts of plant materials. I don't suppose you
have a digital camera to share some photos of the landscape in question?
--
Baine

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
(blorefan) wrote in message
. com...
"Baine Carruthers" wrote in message
...
Bain,

Here are the details I promised to share with this group,

Tree/Shrub Name Quantity Price Size
Thundercloud plum trees 2 $190 6 gallon
Chindo Viburnum 11 $198 3 gallon
Wax Myrtle 5 $90 3 gallon
Cleyara 3 $54 3 gallon
Viburnum Tinus 4 $72 2 gallon
Kleims Gardenia 8 $144 2 gallon
Amur Maple (tree) 1 $65 3 feet tall
Cleveland select pear 2 $210 6 gallon
Miscanthus Gracillimus(grass)5 $90 3 gallon
Crepe myrtle 1 $75 3 feet tall
Dolchica spirea 5 $90 3 gallon
Soil,mulch $900
Total for material $2178
Labor $1772
Total cost $3950

He did not remove existing grass to prepare the bed all he did was
cover it with dirty mulch.The grass has begun to sprout thru the mulch
already. I think for $1772 in labor I should atleast have 1 months
respite from weeds and grass. His total labor time was 4hrs and 25min
so I paid him $275/hr. Do you think that is a fair amount considering
there was absolutely no hardscape work done? I don't mean to trash
his reputation but would like to know if this was fair. I will be
calling him tomorrow and then will be talking to BBB since the
Gardenia's are not doing well and the Cleyeras are begining to droop.
I would appreciate your input.

Regards,
RP


I'm afraid some of these issues you don't have much to stand on.

Staking trees is not generally recommended, but there are exceptions.
You
did not say what kind or size trees were planted. If you wanted them
staked
or you thought that important, you should have specified that to begin
with.

Yellowing of gardenias is very common and caused by many many factors.
Applying ironite is just a bandaid and will do nothing for the real
problem.

I don't know about overpayment. $4000 does not seem unreasonable for
a
residential job. I've done 1/2 acre jobs that ran over $100,000.00.

I believe there is 2 sides to this story and to be fair to your
landscaper,
you should probably offer more details. You obviously don't mind
trashing
his reputation. I don't know why you should feel "stupid" for
overpaying.
I see people every day overpaying for many different things. Most
seem
proud of it.

Baine

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
I was trying to avoid mentioning all the mistakes he made since it
makes me look
rather stupid since I overpaid. Well here it goes,
Apart from the weed problem, he planted 5 trees which he did not
stake
to the ground so now they are swaying all over the place and am
afraid
will break if we have forceful winds. He planted Kleim's gardenia
in
the front (facing East) which gets full sun for atleast 6 hours and
two of the plants are already yellowing. I used Ironite since I read
some thing about Gardenia's needing a lot of iron. Well in any case
that seems to be working so far but am not sure if it will hold up.
I expected a lot more for $4000. Regarding mulch, he used the
cheapest pine straw mulch you can ever get. There was more pine
cones, leaves, twigs than pine needles. My yard looks like a big
dump
with green buses sticking out of them.
I will call Garden Creations. Thanks for your suggestions Penny.

RP

"Penny Morgan" wrote in message
. com...
Did he do a bad job in design or are you upset about the weeds?
If it's
design related, you can contact Garden Creations (Kendra Douros)
at
819-8814. She is a landscape designer who does consultation,
drawings,
installation, etc.

As far as the weeds are concerned, I have to say that spraying
weeds to
kill
them doesn't necessarily guarantee that you won't get lots more.
We
have
the perfect conditions for weeds to come in groves right now
........warm
weather and lots of wet weather. My yard is sprouting everywhere
right
now
even after spraying and pulling all in March. You will have to
spray
again.
Did he mulch the areas very well?

Spring is the time for new growth on everything .....trees,
flowers, and
lots of weeds.

Penny
"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
Hi!! Can anybody suggest a good landscape designer in the
trianlge
area. I hired one from Apex recently and he ripped me off (paid
close
to $4000). He was very knowledgeable with the plants native to
this
area and promised low maintenance landscape so I hired him. He
did a
very poor job. All the beds that he supposedly sprayed with
weed
killer are sprouting already (the beds were planted on Apr
19,2003).
I would appreciate your help.

Thanks

In article , blorefan wrote:
(blorefan) wrote in message . com...
"Baine Carruthers" wrote in message ...
Bain,

Here are the details I promised to share with this group,

Tree/Shrub Name Quantity Price Size
Thundercloud plum trees 2 $190 6 gallon
Chindo Viburnum 11 $198 3 gallon
Wax Myrtle 5 $90 3 gallon
Cleyara 3 $54 3 gallon
Viburnum Tinus 4 $72 2 gallon
Kleims Gardenia 8 $144 2 gallon
Amur Maple (tree) 1 $65 3 feet tall
Cleveland select pear 2 $210 6 gallon
Miscanthus Gracillimus(grass)5 $90 3 gallon
Crepe myrtle 1 $75 3 feet tall
Dolchica spirea 5 $90 3 gallon
Soil,mulch $900
Total for material $2178
Labor $1772
Total cost $3950

He did not remove existing grass to prepare the bed all he did was
cover it with dirty mulch.The grass has begun to sprout thru the mulch
already. I think for $1772 in labor I should atleast have 1 months

What kind of grass. Sounds like the mulch was not thick enough or the
grass is bermuda or zoysia and not fescue. If fescue came thru the
mulch then it was definitely too much. He probably should have tilled
or used roundup on any grass or weeds and even tilled before putting
down the mulch. Were the plant costs comparable to wholesale or retail.

respite from weeds and grass. His total labor time was 4hrs and 25min
so I paid him $275/hr. Do you think that is a fair amount considering
there was absolutely no hardscape work done? I don't mean to trash
Are you saying only one person was onsite for 4.5 hours? he also has
overhead costs like getting the plants and materials and that labor
cost includes the cost of his equipment. It does sound high, but I just
don't know all the factors.
his reputation but would like to know if this was fair. I will be
calling him tomorrow and then will be talking to BBB since the
Gardenia's are not doing well and the Cleyeras are begining to droop.
I would appreciate your input.

Regards,
RP


I'm afraid some of these issues you don't have much to stand on.

Staking trees is not generally recommended, but there are exceptions. You
did not say what kind or size trees were planted. If you wanted them staked
or you thought that important, you should have specified that to begin with.

Yellowing of gardenias is very common and caused by many many factors.
Applying ironite is just a bandaid and will do nothing for the real problem.

I don't know about overpayment. $4000 does not seem unreasonable for a
residential job. I've done 1/2 acre jobs that ran over $100,000.00.

I believe there is 2 sides to this story and to be fair to your landscaper,
you should probably offer more details. You obviously don't mind trashing
his reputation. I don't know why you should feel "stupid" for overpaying.
I see people every day overpaying for many different things. Most seem
proud of it.

Baine

"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
I was trying to avoid mentioning all the mistakes he made since it
makes me look
rather stupid since I overpaid. Well here it goes,
Apart from the weed problem, he planted 5 trees which he did not stake
to the ground so now they are swaying all over the place and am afraid
will break if we have forceful winds. He planted Kleim's gardenia in
the front (facing East) which gets full sun for atleast 6 hours and
two of the plants are already yellowing. I used Ironite since I read
some thing about Gardenia's needing a lot of iron. Well in any case
that seems to be working so far but am not sure if it will hold up.
I expected a lot more for $4000. Regarding mulch, he used the
cheapest pine straw mulch you can ever get. There was more pine
cones, leaves, twigs than pine needles. My yard looks like a big dump
with green buses sticking out of them.
I will call Garden Creations. Thanks for your suggestions Penny.

RP

"Penny Morgan" wrote in message
. com...
Did he do a bad job in design or are you upset about the weeds? If it's
design related, you can contact Garden Creations (Kendra Douros) at
819-8814. She is a landscape designer who does consultation, drawings,
installation, etc.

As far as the weeds are concerned, I have to say that spraying weeds to
kill
them doesn't necessarily guarantee that you won't get lots more. We
have
the perfect conditions for weeds to come in groves right now .......warm
weather and lots of wet weather. My yard is sprouting everywhere right
now
even after spraying and pulling all in March. You will have to spray
again.
Did he mulch the areas very well?

Spring is the time for new growth on everything .....trees, flowers, and
lots of weeds.

Penny
"blorefan" wrote in message
om...
Hi!! Can anybody suggest a good landscape designer in the trianlge
area. I hired one from Apex recently and he ripped me off (paid close
to $4000). He was very knowledgeable with the plants native to this
area and promised low maintenance landscape so I hired him. He did a
very poor job. All the beds that he supposedly sprayed with weed
killer are sprouting already (the beds were planted on Apr 19,2003).
I would appreciate your help.

Thanks


--
Wes Dukes (wdukesNOatSPAMpoboxdotcom)

wrote:

In article , blorefan wrote:
(blorefan) wrote in message . com...
"Baine Carruthers" wrote in message ...
Bain,

Here are the details I promised to share with this group,

Tree/Shrub Name Quantity Price Size
Thundercloud plum trees 2 $190 6 gallon
Chindo Viburnum 11 $198 3 gallon
Wax Myrtle 5 $90 3 gallon
Cleyara 3 $54 3 gallon
Viburnum Tinus 4 $72 2 gallon
Kleims Gardenia 8 $144 2 gallon
Amur Maple (tree) 1 $65 3 feet tall
Cleveland select pear 2 $210 6 gallon
Miscanthus Gracillimus(grass)5 $90 3 gallon
Crepe myrtle 1 $75 3 feet tall
Dolchica spirea 5 $90 3 gallon
Soil,mulch $900
Total for material $2178
Labor $1772
Total cost $3950

He did not remove existing grass to prepare the bed all he did was
cover it with dirty mulch.The grass has begun to sprout thru the mulch
already. I think for $1772 in labor I should atleast have 1 months

What kind of grass. Sounds like the mulch was not thick enough or the
grass is bermuda or zoysia and not fescue. If fescue came thru the
mulch then it was definitely too much. He probably should have tilled
or used roundup on any grass or weeds and even tilled before putting
down the mulch.

The area should have been treated to kill the grass several weeks before
planting. This could be done with roundup, black plastic, or other
methods. Tilling live grass will not effectively eliminate it. Once
the grass was dead, the area should have been tilled. Then the planting
and mulch.

Were the plant costs comparable to wholesale or retail.

They sound like retail to me.

Chuck

"Baine Carruthers" wrote in message
...
It probably isn't fair to comment on the pricing. Basically you agreed to
it
so you must have felt that it was reasonable. I guess you had an

Not fair? Why not? Pricing is certainly a fair topic and always will be.
Obviously she was ripped.

Lance