I am not looking for lawn care like mowing, but more for landscaping help. We have been living here for about 18 years and I can tell you that over the years, I have gotten tired of trying to do my own landscaping. It does not look professional! >:( No matter how much help the big box stores gave (or advice, which sucked sometimes) it still looks unfinished. Plus I had to get rid of some shrubs because they began to look all tattered and torn. Time for some professional help!
I saw an advert for Tobar & Sons in Value News, and also read two positive comments online. Has anyone used them? If not, who have you used? I will start with my very small front yard especially the one side where my #$%@#$ neighbour's tree is (yes, that is still an issue...sigh), because we don't get much sun there.
Recommendations? Advice?
Please help a fellow Tulsan ;D
Dave Collins is a top notch lanscape designer. Are you wanting someone to simply design it or do you want full turn-key from design to implimentation?
Design and implement. But this is not like a huge job so I don't know if a top notch company would care to take it on.
Here is another company. Anyone used them? They're coming to see what I want and give a quote.
http://www.tulsatreeandlandscape.com/portfolio.html
Check out Lenard's Great Outdoors.
http://www.lenardsgreatoutdoors.com/
http://www.lenardsgreatoutdoors.com/shows%20exhibits.html
Whats your budget.....
I am not even sure how one comes up with a budget for landscaping. I want to do small areas in the front and not over extend myself since I have so much to update and fix up.
I need to read and figure out what plants work best for this area and how much I want done.
One area I want a lot of work on is moving those blasted roots from the neighbour's tree! UGH
Call the "Landscape Busters"! :D
Quote from: sauerkraut on September 15, 2010, 08:49:32 AM
Call the "Landscape Busters"! :D
(http://www.icanhasmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/doublefacepalm21-550x439.jpg)
Hoss, ease me up with the face palm >:(
How about if I call a few landscape folks out, let them give me some ideas and quote, and then I scale down from there? I seriously have no idea how these people charge for doing that type of work.
I think that's a plan! They can give me two or three options with prices and I will pick the one I can afford.
Quote from: HoneySuckle on September 15, 2010, 10:39:24 AM
Hoss, ease me up with the face palm >:(
How about if I call a few landscape folks out, let them give me some ideas and quote, and then I scale down from there? I seriously have no idea how these people charge for doing that type of work.
I think that's a plan! They can give me two or three options with prices and I will pick the one I can afford.
Wasn't directed at you HS; directed at boiled cabbage and a horrible correlation to a decent movie.
Guess it's better than a triple face palm, huh? Anyhoo the land scaping season is starting to wind down so prices may be coming down. Yeah it's a ruff thing to budget for. :-X
Okay Hoss, you're forgiven. I didn't see who it was directed at ;D
Because my shrubs on one side of the house died, I got it in my head to call someone to beautify that part of the yard, but now I am wondering what the heck they will plant there that won't die during winter?
Main things I want though are to get rid of the roots that are taking over the very small front yard I have now. If only there was a Voodoo dance or song that would cause her tree to shrivel up and die...oh the thought. It won't happen though :D
There is soil erosion as well. Hmmm...should I call Tulsa Tech and ask them if their students would like to practice on my yard? :D
The Master Gardener's program through the OSU extension might be able to help/advise. The people there are more than willing to help. Would recommend talking to several there, since everyone's got an opinion. Oklahoma Gardening show on PBS may also give some help over time.
Quote from: unreliablesource on September 10, 2010, 10:22:44 PM
Check out Lenard's Great Outdoors.
http://www.lenardsgreatoutdoors.com/
http://www.lenardsgreatoutdoors.com/shows%20exhibits.html
The company I work for uses Lenards. I would not advise using them for anything other than mowing.
There was a commercial on KRMG the other day about a landscaping program at TU (I think) that featured plants that do well in this part of Oklahoma.
Does anyone know anything about the program? It sounded interesting.
Quote from: HoneySuckle on September 15, 2010, 06:17:59 PM
Okay Hoss, you're forgiven. I didn't see who it was directed at ;D
Because my shrubs on one side of the house died, I got it in my head to call someone to beautify that part of the yard, but now I am wondering what the heck they will plant there that won't die during winter?
Main things I want though are to get rid of the roots that are taking over the very small front yard I have now. If only there was a Voodoo dance or song that would cause her tree to shrivel up and die...oh the thought. It won't happen though :D
There is soil erosion as well. Hmmm...should I call Tulsa Tech and ask them if their students would like to practice on my yard? :D
What were the shrubs you lost? If they were azaleas, they are somewhat fussy about the soil conditions and it may not have been a freeze which killed them either that or too much shade. In fact most shrubs I'm familiar with are pretty much evergreen here in the Tulsa area.
Also, which side? If west, then you will always have problems with anything near the house (closer than about 6 - 10 feet) just because of the heat of the day through summer. Very hard on plants.
Tulsa Community College has a horticultural program, too.
OSU Extension (Master Gardener's on 15th street at fairgrounds.)
It's the west side of the house, and they were not Azaleas but some kind of holly with leaves that looked as if they had a thorn and small berries.
Bufordi holly.
Those died?? Whew! That is one tough shrub! Did you put too much water on them? They don't need much - soil should not stay moist around them all the time.
West side is very tough in Oklahoma, especially if there is no shade in late afternoon. Whatever, move it a little further from house. Maybe a lattice structure to break up the afternoon sun?
Yes, it's a very tough plant and had it for years. Probably more than 12! I believe it had something to do with the window install. They had to go through that to install the window downstairs, and also used some kind of foam stuff and other "chemically" related stuff to seal windows. It was shortly after we saw the shrubs dying. Then I figured it was best to uproot (no easy task!) and be done with the whole thing.
Still waiting for a landscaping company that sounds legit. Ever heard of Horizon landscape? They were recommended to me by a tree company but I haven't heard back from the them yet.
They could have compacted the soil around the plants enough to hurt them, too.
Dirt is very complex stuff. (Broken record moment; check with OSU extension for tons of great information!)
I called OU extension, so no more broken record. The problem is that the work to remove all those dreadful roots from tree next door, work on the erosion, find a way to reroute the water from downspouts and of course, come up with something that's better than what I had. Anyway, I have been interviewing landscape people and getting lots of ideas.
I wanted to add that the landscape company I linked earlier in this thread told me that planting any type of grass in the area where we have soil erosion, and barely any sun thanks to my neighbour's tree, would not grow and will cost me more in water, time and patience to even attempt it so they recommended that I go for a rock garden with plants that grow well in this area.
I don't have any experience with rock type gardens, but it sure beats what I have now.
Quote from: HoneySuckle on October 12, 2010, 10:48:41 PM
I don't have any experience with rock type gardens, but it sure beats what I have now.
Rocks grow slowly so start with a good supply of what you want.
Couple things about shade. How big is the area? Just a 3 foot strip along the house or is it a 30 foot wide band?
Is it a walk way?
There are some great ground covers that would fill the shady area, but most are not very rugged to foot traffic. If a path is needed, maybe use some big walk stones or concrete walk pads to make the path and then let the ground cover grow between them.
If it isn't totally dark cover, you might - maybe - be able to get some zoysia to grow. It needs sun, but can stand quite a bit more shade than Bermuda grass.
English Ivy would probably work - sorry, just kidding - it is pretty intrusive so you probably don't want that. (It probably would work, though.)
Gosh, I haven't actually measured the area, but it is really not anywhere near a path, just a the one side of the house on the front. Will try to measure this weekend and/or take a pic so you can see what I am talking about.
There is a part down toward the corner of the fence where that silly tree has totally covered it so nada grows there really, not even weeds. I will try English Ivy though in the hope that it will eventually go toward the tree ;D Even the landscaping guy said that it was an ugly tree, is native to the area, and is actually like five in one spot, with one of them like a siamese twin. Seriously, it's fugly.
Anyway, I hope to get three quotes, but since this is not a big job, I don't see them trying to give me a drawing of some sort to visualise what they are talking about.
Don't jump into English Ivy just yet...let me see if can get a better one for you. English Ivy is extremely intrusive - I was just kidding about it - and I would hate to see you have to deal with it three or four years from now.
Problem is that just about any good ground cover is going to try to take over the world.
Could try for a "shade garden".
False spirea maybe.
Wild ginger? Needs water.
Stay away from Shamrocks! (wood sorrel)
Check with extension about how intrusive.
My husband said the area is no bigger than about 100 sq ft.
Got my first "real" quote today :o Good Lord.
The area is NOT all that big! $3,285.00 + for a tiny area on the right side of the driveway $765!
The tiny area he says can have 2 5' Crape Myrtle, 9 (1) gallon daylilly, 2 flats pansy flowers, 15' steel edge and 4 bags cedar mulch. Seriously, I don't see how that is 15', but okay. And 4 bags cedar mulch???????
The other area that is about 100 sq ft.
3 (5') oakleaf holly
3 (3) gallon hydrangea
7 (3) gal compact nandina?
1 3' dwarf alberta spruce
10 (1) gal hasta
40 ft steel edge
bed prep.
15 bags cedar mulch
7 flats pansy flowers
Am still in shock! :o
I really don't see how all of these plants will fit the area, but he has chosen plants that will do well in shade and are best for Oklahoma!!!
Who did you call?
I can't really say that's asinine. I'm assuming this is a reputable designer/contractor. You are paying for their design skill and knowledge of what will work in given lighting and space.
I called Horizon Landscape based on a recomendation by the tree company I used.
Wright Tree co.
I suppose you're right. I had no idea what landscaping from scratch would cost. Maybe we could tweak it a bit to and not have as many plants to start off? I maybe ask them to leave the annual planting to us.
Might have to call that Collins guy after all. Probably should get at least 3 quotes. One company refused to give a drawing so I could see how the design would look. They're being scratched off the list!
Quotes may be free to the potential customer but still cost the vendor time and possibly some materials even if they don't get the job. My wallet is pretty squeaky but I occasionally force myself to accept reality.
Were you happy wtih Wright Tree COmpany? We are getting ready to have to cut down a couple monster trees in our back yard, but we have to have more than dirt back there . . . I'm afraid to get quotes, but must bite the bullet I guess!
Call We B Trees. 446-3473
Tim Nall is excellent.
Quote from: tulsa_fan on October 22, 2010, 09:01:16 AM
Were you happy wtih Wright Tree COmpany? We are getting ready to have to cut down a couple monster trees in our back yard, but we have to have more than dirt back there . . . I'm afraid to get quotes, but must bite the bullet I guess!
They are the only people I would hire, and I am picky and after having been screwed over by contractors.
Ask for Mark Harwick. #645-3163. He will come and give you an estimate. He will do what YOU want and not what they want.
I believe they also do work for Philbrook as well, but that does not mean they are more expensive than others.
I had another landscape company come out today (one that someone here said did a terrible job maintaining at their office?) - Lenard's. Someone else in real life recommended them. Doesn't hurt to get other bids and compare them not only on price but what they are suggesting for the area etc.
The only one that refused to give a drawing of any kind was Tulsa Tree & Landscape. It's his loss.
I want at least 3-4, then I will go over the design and recommendations, tweak a bit here and there and take the plunge.
Next company coming out is AAA Landscaping. I am glad that I didn't use the first guy who came by and said no one plants in Fall. :o
Actually, I'm kind of surprised anyone would leave a drawing or sketch, unless they are making their money primarily with the plantings and the installation labor.
Why not leave it? ???
The one company who refused to do one probably thinks I will take the idea and do it myself, but neither hubby nor I have the time for that type of yardwork.
I will not show the drawings to other companies. They all have to do their own and then I can make suggestions or changes.
Besides, the ones who are leaving them probably have enough work so they're not insecure.
But again, what's the harm in leaving it?
Quote from: HoneySuckle on October 22, 2010, 04:49:40 PM
Why not leave it? ???
The one company who refused to do one probably thinks I will take the idea and do it myself, but neither hubby nor I have the time for that type of yardwork.
I will not show the drawings to other companies. They all have to do their own and then I can make suggestions or changes.
But again, what's the harm in leaving it?
Unfortunately, not everyone has your sense of integrity. That's my guess.
Oh. I guess there are people who would call them out to get ideas? I hadn't even thought of that! But even if we did, we really cannot take this job on.
BUT, this makes me realise though that the first guy probably felt we would take his idea so he did not want to do a drawing but come back a second time to meet with my husband about his plans. And because of this, I have eliminated him from my choice. Because the others were willing to go all out and actually tell me what plants they are going to use, I will be more inclined to hire one of them.
You sure you don't want to go to landscaping school and do it yourself? Might be cheaper....
It may sound like a lot - and it may be - other quotes will tell - but if you get into it yourself, it is likely to seem more like a bargain the further you get.
One of the reasons I can't do it myself is the bad back sydrome. Fell down a flight of stairs about 8 years ago, and that injury comes back to haunt me everytime I try to do some gardening :'( :-\
I am getting another quote tomorrow. This should be the last. I guess since I've never done this before, it sounded like a lot, plus my husband was stunned at the cost as well. But, we can always talk to whomever we choose, and decide which plants we don't want, and what we could use instead to try and bring some of the cost down. I am glad I got a bid to start with, though I am waiting on the guy who came by on Friday. The other one I mentioned earlier who refused to do any kind of drawing or even give a quote is definitely not on my list! I had posted a link to his company on the first page. That attitude alone is enough to tell me he wouldn't be too open to discussing my needs. I did like the guy from Horizon. He seemed honest and open minded. Plus, he gave me a drawing, price and plant description.
I just tore out my hydrangeas because they were looking pretty bad and were overgrown. Like I mentioned in the other thread I'm thinking about planting bamboo clumps in their place, in the raised beds in front of the porch. I was going to do it this week but with bamboo an early freeze could kill it, so I'm going to wait until spring and just leave the beds open all winter. That way I also have more time to come up with more ideas for what else I want to plant besides bamboo.
Aren't you afraid of bamboo taking over your yard? ???
I may end up leaving mine open until spring! The last two companies haven't send their proposals yet.
Maybe I should just throw in some temporary chrysanthemums and pansies for now and next year we can really get going on redoing the yard.
I can't believe it's almost November :-\