Quote:
Originally Posted by Micktooth
Hi everyone, my family and I moved into our house in Louisville last September. Because of the time of year, we didn't have to do much yard work. Now with Spring here, my wife and I would like to clean up our yard and plant a nice garden. I would like to know any experiences any of you might have had with landscapers in the area. Please, no advertising, just want to know if any of you like who you use. Thanks in advance.
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1. ANYONE who wants to recommend a company to MickTooth, please do so via PRIVATE MESSAGE ONLY. Thank you.
2. Low prices aren't always best. Get several estimates. Ask your neighbors for advice....especially if you like their yards.
3. Be sure to address DRAINAGE issues. Landscapers can do French Drains and the like to steer water away from a house and out to a street or neighborhood watercourse. Even with a good soil report, you want to get water away from your house foundation.
4. Drip irrigation costs more to put in than sprayhead-style lawn sprinklers, but uses about 75% less water, which is not cheap. During periods of water restrictions, the usual ban is on sprinkler systems, but people with drip systems are often allowed to keep using theirs. Drip irrigation is a series of parallel pipes about 18 inches apart that cover the area to be irrigated, looks wild when going in, totally out of view when done and covered with topsoil and grass. No water goes running down street with drip, like it does with my basic sprinkler system.
5. Do NOT put in a fence until the landscaper is done, else they often have to take out part of it to get their bobcats and skid loaders into the yard. See about getting this done in conjunction with the landscaper, a team effort. If you don't need a fence for kids or pets, then don't put one in just because everyone else did, unless it's required by HOA.
6. If you have a HOA, they probably require a drawing for approval, this can take a few weeks to get their okay to proceed.
7. Don't delay, time is flying, it's spring and the season is upon us.
8. My preferences are to AVOID things like Forsythia. They look good for ten days in the spring and then require maintenace later. Get stuff that doesn't grow much...dwarf species. Avoid Maple trees, they have a lousy limb structure, and mature Maples are prone to breaking in high winds or heavy snow/ice loads. Why not go with native Aspens...
9. Do NOT plant stuff on a property line...consider your neighbors, don't plant stuff that grows into their yards.
10. Planning a trampoline for the kids? HOA's often prescribe their location. I've seen wonderful jobs where landscapers dig a pit for the trampoline and you just walk right onto it, a lot safer....and a lot nicer looking to.
11. Look for shrubs that are drought resistant and also not on the yummmy list of your local elk, deer, and pronghorn herds. No sense feeding them at your expense...and get their droppings in your yard to boot.
12. CSU runs an extenstion service that has classes in landscaping. Cost is minimal, look them up on the net. I'm sure they have much literature too, like a list of drought resistant greenery that I mentioned above.
13. The more good topsoil you add, the better. Two inches should be the minimum. My lawn service recommended putting in two, then tilling it in, then two more on top of that. Probably overkill. But ask when you get bids.
That's it for now....gotta make a run to the wine shop....
s/mike
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Good Landscape and Gardening Co in Louisville Area?
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