Under The Sun was referred to us by a close friend and having seen the work that was done for them, I was interested. I had called other companies, but for starters most didn't have the courtesy to call back...or the ones that did, never bothered to show up for the appointment. Sal, the owner, called me back promptly and followed through with an in-person meeting to discuss my project plans. Although the project had to be delayed with the extensive rainfall in the later part of the summer of 2013, the end result was worth the wait. Given the plants are very small at this early stage and have not begun to spread, etc., thus it's hard to grasp a true finished product, I am very pleased with the finished results. I will follow up with an updated review in 2014. Regardless, I was impressed with the quality of workmanship and dedication that Sal and his crew demonstrated whilst on the job. Although Sal was not on-site everyday, his crew as mentioned, worked till the end of each day with precision and dedication. Any mistakes, etc., were covered immediately and handled in a very professional manner. I would highly recommend Under The Sun for your landscaping projects, etc. Regards, Peter A.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $10,000.00
- Company Response
Peter,
Thank you so much for this carefully thought out and positive review.
I am very appreciative and touched by feedback and experiences like this one.
I have to be honest here and recognize that we were completely at fault for creating two annoyances/issues on this job. Again, mistakes that I take full responsibility for.
The important thing is that we were able to remedy the errors, earn back your trust and turn this project into a complete success. But equally important was your ability to forgive our mistakes and be left with only good things to say about us. I am truly impressed by your positive outlook and quality of character. I really appreciate your frankness and clarity in dealing with the issues when they came up. You even provided great suggestions for how to correct the issues.
You were kind with the workers and you went out of your way to take care of them and make them feel at home. We thank you for that.
Again, I really appreciate this review.
In terms of the work itself...
The site was a challenging one. Specifically due to a large Norway maple sucking up the nutrients and moisture out the surrounding soil. This was making it very difficult to maintain a decent lawn. This is a common problem in around Toronto, the city used to plant Norway maples everywhere (among other invasive species) and 50 years later property owners are dealing with the repercussions – lawns and gardens that simply will not flourish. The city has since learned from these mistakes and today plant native and / or less aggressive trees such as red maple – a fantastic alternative that does not devastate the soil.
So as I was saying, the Norway maple has created a very harsh environment (also thanks to allelopathy – it releases toxins into the surrounding soil). Because of this, we had to carefully choose plants that would be most likely to succeed in this shady, dry, acidic environment. Digging out the top inches of old soil and adding new triple mix was a must, even though usually I prefer to work with and improve the soil on hand.
Even still the limitation is that the Norway Maple will remain on site for many years to come and it will continue to suck out moisture from the garden. If you can ensure enough water through the next summer to the plants so that they can get well established, they will have a much better chance of long term success. You can always consider some level of irrigation, be it a sprinkler or an underground installation - to help you with the task if it is too time consuming. Once the plants are established, they will deal well with the adverse conditions – since they have all been selected for their drought tolerance and hardiness.
Other aspects of the job I think turned out beautifully: the armour stone / rock garden perimeter, the charcoal driveway frame to create an accent and the elegant lighting around the perimeter.
Again, it was a pleasure working with you Peter, and do let me know if there is anything we can help you with down the road.
All the best,
Sal.