WILD ORCHID NATIVE GARDENS & TREE CARE

They talked us out of amending the soil, saying it would destroy too much of the natural organisms, earth worms, etc., and instead simply put down butcher paper on top of existing soil. They assured us it that it would suffice, and that amending soil is generally unnecessary. They installed a lot of unhealthy plants which we have, over the years, had to replace almost everything. What didn't need replacing has completely been eaten by rabbits when again we were assured that the plants weren't attractive to rabbits. They also did not take into account sun lines and fence shadows which also impede growth of certain of the recommended plants. Where there was new soil brought in, the plants have generally done quite well. However, wherever they simply put down butcher paper, we've never been able to grow anything very well and now, this summer, we are finally surrendering to the reality that we will have to just pull up all of the gardens they installed and FINALLY DO IT CORRECTLY, amending the soil and preparing things as should have been done the first time around. I've heard over, and over, and over, and over again that you must amend the soil before installing gardens. Why did I ever let Wild Orchid talk me into going a simpler, "more natural" direction?!? Yipes.

WILD ORCHARD HAS TAKEN CARE OF MY TREES FOR 17 YEARS. TOBIAS WATERS IS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR WHO DOES ALL HIS OWN WORK. OTHER ABERIST PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE HAD OCCASION TO CONSULT HERE EXCLAIM THEIR ADMIRATION FOR TABIAS'S SKILLFUL PRUNING OF MY 2 DISEASED 100 YEAR OLD GREAT SPRUCE TREES, PROLONGING THEIR LIFE. AND SAVING THEIR SHOWPLACE LANDSCAPING THAT IS CENTRAL TO THE ARCHITECTURAL INTEGRITY OF THIS HOUSE. TOBIAS IS A MAN OF GREAT INTEGRITY AND GREAT LOVE FOR THE GREEN GROWING THINGS THAT HE SKILLFULLY TENDS.

POOR, THEY WAITED 2 WEEKS TO RETURN MY CALL. BY THEN I HAD GONE WITH DEHN'S LANDSCAPING.

THEY SEEMED LIKE THEY WOULD DO A GOOD JOB, AND THEIR PRICING WAS REASONABLE, BUT I FOUND SOMEONE THAT WAS AVAILABLE A LITTLE SOONER.

KELLY WAS VERY NICE, AND HELPFUL. SHE CAME OUT AND GAVE US AN ESTIMATE FOR DOING OUR PATIO AND SIDE YARD. WE WANTED AN ESTIMATE FOR TERRACING THE FRONT YARD, BUT UNLIKE THE OTHERS WE TALKED TO, SHE WANTED $160 FOR THE DRAWING UP OF PLANS BEFORE SHE COULD GIVE US AN ESTIMATE OF THE PROJECT. THAT PRETTY MUCH TOOK HER OUT OF THE RUNNING, THOUGH SHE DID GIVE US AN ADDRESS OF A SIMILAR PROJECT AND ITS PRICE. THE PRICES SHE DID GIVE US FOR THE PATIO PROJECT WERE GOOD, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WENT WITH SOMEONE WHO SPENT MORE TIME WITH US ON SPECIFIC CHOICES AND OPTIONS. WE WILL CONSIDER THEM FOR OTHER PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.

KELLY WAS VERY NICE, AND HELPFUL. SHE CAME OUT AND GAVE US AN ESTIMATE FOR DOING OUR PATIO AND SIDE YARD. WE WANTED AN ESTIMATE FOR TERRACING THE FRONT YARD, BUT UNLIKE THE OTHERS WE TALKED TO, SHE WANTED $160 FOR THE DRAWING UP OF PLANS BEFORE SHE COULD GIVE US AN ESTIMATE OF THE PROJECT. THAT PRETTY MUCH TOOK HER OUT OF THE RUNNING, THOUGH SHE DID GIVE US AN ADDRESS OF A SIMILAR PROJECT AND ITS PRICE. THE PRICES SHE DID GIVE US FOR THE PATIO PROJECT WERE GOOD, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WENT WITH SOMEONE WHO SPENT MORE TIME WITH US ON SPECIFIC CHOICES AND OPTIONS. WE WILL CONSIDER THEM FOR OTHER PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.

WE CALLED BASED ON A RECOMMENDATION AND WHEN WE SEARCHED THE LIST WE WERE REASSURED THAT THEY LISTED ENTIRE METRO AREA AS SERVED BY THEM. HOWEVER, THEY CALLED THE DAY BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT TO SAY THEY HAD DECIDED THAT THE ST. PAUL/MENDOTA HEIGHTS AREA WAS TOO FAR AWAY AND THEY WERE GOING TO FOCUS ON WORK CLOSER TO HOME. I SEE THEY ARE STILL LISTED AS SERVING ENTIRE AREA SO WONDER IF THEY HAVEN'T THOUGHT TO CHANGE IT OR IF OUR JOB WASN'T WHAT THEY WANTED AND THEY WEREN'T FORTHRIGHT ABOUT IT.

KELLY WAS WILLING TO COME OUT ON A SAT. TO GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE AND CAME UP WITH A DESIGN BASED ON SOME OF MY IDEAS. I LIKED HER DESIGN OUT OF THE THREE ESTIMATES RECEIVED AND THEY SEEMED TO BE IN THE MORE REASONABLE PRICE RANGE. I LIKED THE IDEA THAT THEY USED MORE NATURAL PRODUCTS, SUCH AS THE LIMESTONE PAVERS AND WALL MATERIALS. THE WORK COMPLETED WAS PERFORMED WITH VERY LITTLE DISRUPTION TO THE REST OF THE YARD. I DIDN'T ASK, BUT ASSUMED MY JOB WOULD BE THE ONLY JOB THEY WORKED ON, BUT THEY SEEMED TO WORK HALF A DAY ON MY JOB FOR THE FIRST SEVERAL DAYS. THEY DID COMPLETE THE JOB WITHIN THE TIME FRAME ORIGINALLY GIVEN AND I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THE FINAL RESULTS. THEY APPEAR TO TAKE PRIDE IN DOING A GOOD JOB AND NOT RUSHING IT.

KELLY DESIGNED A GREAT PATIO FOR US AND HER HUSBAND AND HELPER INSTALLED IT EXPERTLY. NO LARGE MACHINES WERE USED SO OUR LAWN WAS SPARED. THE FINISHED PATIO IS BEAUTIFUL AND HAS NOT SUNK OR BUCKLED (I WAITED 2 MONTHS BEFORE DOING THIS REPORT). KELLY KNOW HER PLANTS, EVEN THOUGH WE OPTED TO PUT IN OUT OWN. WE ARE VERY HAPPY AND HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM.

BEAUTIFUL WORK!! HELPFUL AND ACCOMMODATING.

BEAUTIFUL WORK!! HELPFUL AND ACCOMMODATING.

THEY DID A VERY NICE JOB INSTALLING IT, BUT I AM A DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY HAVENT COME BACK OUT TO FIX MY DRAINAGE PROBLEM WITH THE SIDEWALK. IVE CALLED THEM TWICE. ILL BE HAPPY ONCE THEY FIX IT. THEY WERE VERY NICE PEOPLE, I JUST WANT THEM TO COME BACK AND FIX THE JOB.

I WAS THRILLED WITH THIS COMPANY! IT'S A SMALL, FAMILY COMPANY (HUSBAND/WIFE TEAM) AND KELLY AND HER HUSBAND WERE AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH. THE GARDEN THAT THEY DESIGNED IS BEAUTIFUL, AND THE PLANTS ARE ALL NATIVE TO MINNESOTA AND WINTER HARDY. LANDSCAPING IS EXPENSIVE IN GENERAL, AND KELLY HAD LOTS OF IDEAS FOR SAVING COSTS, LIKE USING FEWER PLANTS AND LESS EXPENSIVE EDGING. I WILL HIRE THEM AGAIN WHEN I DO FURTHER WORK IN MY YARD. ONE CAVEAT: SINCE MOST LARGE GARDENING STORES AROUND HERE GUARANTEE PLANTS THROUGH AT LEAST ONE SEASON, I DID NEGOTIATE A SIMILAR GUARANTEE WITH WILD ORCHID.

I WAS THRILLED WITH THIS COMPANY! IT'S A SMALL, FAMILY COMPANY (HUSBAND/WIFE TEAM) AND KELLY AND HER HUSBAND WERE AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH. THE GARDEN THAT THEY DESIGNED IS BEAUTIFUL, AND THE PLANTS ARE ALL NATIVE TO MINNESOTA AND WINTER HARDY. LANDSCAPING IS EXPENSIVE IN GENERAL, AND KELLY HAD LOTS OF IDEAS FOR SAVING COSTS, LIKE USING FEWER PLANTS AND LESS EXPENSIVE EDGING. I WILL HIRE THEM AGAIN WHEN I DO FURTHER WORK IN MY YARD. ONE CAVEAT: SINCE MOST LARGE GARDENING STORES AROUND HERE GUARANTEE PLANTS THROUGH AT LEAST ONE SEASON, I DID NEGOTIATE A SIMILAR GUARANTEE WITH WILD ORCHID.