Top 3 Things to Consider When Hiring a Landscaping Company

Although we’re experiencing record cold temperatures here in South Jersey, spring is just around the corner. When the weather outside is this cold it’s the perfect excuse to think about warmer days ahead and start planning upgrades to your home’s landscaping. Since we’ve been in business for over 45 years and have learned a thing or two about successful customer relationships, we wanted to share the three most important things to consider when hiring a landscaping company.

1. Dependability

Is the company dependable? Can you count on them to show up on time and complete the job as promised? These are important questions to ask and can easily be verified by checking references. In addition, you can easily spot a landscaping company with experience that value a customer’s time by being prompt with responses and communicating job status updates regularly.

2. Availability and Scope of Services

All customers and jobs have different needs in both equipment and skill required to complete the job on time and on budget. Be sure to communicate the details of your project during the initial consultation and gain a full understanding of the landscaping company’s ability to meet your needs. Ask to see examples of similar jobs in terms of size and scope to be sure. It is also important to remember, that just like other industries, not all landscaping companies are created equal, so be sure to do your homework prior to signing a contract for services.

3. Satisfaction Guarantee

Does the company stand behind their finished work and offer a satisfaction guarantee?  Prior to signing a contract, be sure to understand the landscaping company’s terms of service and process to ensure you are 100% satisfied with the finished job. Research the company’s job portfolio to ensure you like the general style to ensure there won’t be any surprises. Does the company use plants and flowers you like? Do they use large, fully-grown trees for a more finished look? Are their lawns green and lush in season? Once you settle on a company, be sure to understand the process for how to submit and discuss concerns to allow the company to make it right.

Of course, we’d love it if you’d hire us as your landscaping company. We have the knowledge and experience of over 45 years serving customers just like you in South Jersey.

Give us a call today at 609-861-5050 for a complimentary in-home consultation and estimate. 

Simple Landscaping Ideas: Fire up Your Summer with Fanfare Blaze

With Spring like temperatures starting to finally arrive, we’re already skipping ahead to summer – and its sure to be a hot one.  And, what better way to get ready for summer than sharing simple landscaping ideas.

Simple Landscaping Ideas: Fanfare Blaze Perennial

The grill isn’t going to be the only thing throwing flames this summer with Gaillardia Fanfare Blaze coming on the scene.  This scorching perennial is the first selection from the new Fanfare breeding program.  Gaillardia X grandiflora, more commonly known as blanket flower, is a short lived perennial with many desirable attributes perfect for South Jersey shore landscaping.

Fanfare Blaze has a compact growing habit and sports spectacular orange and yellow blooms.  This perennial is not picky about soil ph but it does like its soil to be well drained.  So, heavy soils with a majority of clay will most likely kill this plant.  Fanfare Blaze is also not a heavy feeder, and in fact, poor soils may encourage heavier blooming.  As an added bonus, Fanfare Blaze blooms all summer long for constant color.  This perennial prefers full sun but is not picky about where it is placed.  A few simple landscaping ideas include planting it in beds, as a border and in containers.  Once this plant is established it is very drought tolerant so excessive watering is not needed – perfect for hot south jersey summers!

Fanfare Blaze is also salt tolerant, deer resistant and rabbit resistant.  It is rated to survive up to USDA hardiness zone five so it is very cold hardy.  Do you enjoy the beauty of a bouquet in the center of a family dinner?  Fanfare blaze is perfect for cut flowers because of the long and hardy flower stems.  In fact, cutting off dead blooms of will encourage heavier and more frequent blooming.

Additional simple landscaping ideas with Fanfare Blaze is that although it is a perennial, it can be treated like an annual and be re-planted every year if you want to keep the compact nature. However, if you like a gift that keeps on giving, this perennial will spread from year to year.  Dividing of the plant is necessary every two years to ensure the health of the plant and surrounding landscaping.  If you want to add a little heat to your landscaping, Don’t forget to request Fanfare Blaze this summer.