Gardens of the Carolinas

Right now in the process of being built. So far, excellent. John and Diana are excellent designing and implementing the project. They will make things work as it was their own landscape project. I trust their expertise, dedication, and customer service.

We are doing the project in phases, with the screen porch renovation coming first (last fall). We had a hard deadline on that phase (related to a family wedding) and it was finished on time. The work was high quality and we're very pleased with it. We will begin the second phase of the project this fall--we're happy repeat customers.

We asked Gardens of the Carolinas to come up with a striking and interesting design for our untouched back garden space of approximately half an acre. It was a complicated job involving a lot of site prep work such as moving septic lines and installing a complete drainage system but John took care of all the permits and lined up excellent sub contractors. Diana's design was ambitious including a curved pergola structure about 40 feet long and a natural looking waterfall with stone walls and patio areas and stone stairs going down into the lower garden plus a lot of planting and areas of sod and a great lighting design. The finished result is spectacular and unlike anyone else's back garden. We have had a few minor hiccups along the way such as damage to our driveway, problems with the sod and a few issues with the water flow in the waterfall, but through it all, John was only ever an email away and he responded promptly and effectively whenever we reached out to him. Overall, we are very happy with our experience.

It took 3 weeks for a response back from the owner. Without going into detail, i was unimpressed with the way he does business.

We could not have been more pleased with the finished product. From the very beginning to the end John’s professionalism, expertise and easy personality was very evident. His crew were very hard workers along with being polite and accommodating. All the work was done ahead of schedule and beyond our expectations. We highly recommend John Spivey and look forward to working with him on our next project in the fall.

I have waited several months before doing this review of John and his team at Gardens of the Carolinas to see how the design and implementation worked out. John presented several very good recommendations for our drainage and landscaping situation. His knowledge is outstanding with regard to horticulture and working with native plants. It was refreshing to work with someone that shows up when they say they will and actually does the plan that was agreed upon. We had a drainage / erosion problem that required different methods to control and John provided different alternatives for those areas in order to allow me create the vision I wanted. For the landscaping he was able to reincorporate some of the current plants with the new plan. In doing so he keep in mind the different colors of the flower plants at the different times of year. His schedule is very busy so allow ample time for planning; however, he was up front about the timeframe in which he could do the work. He stands by his work and his subs do too. His pricing is fair and he provides quality workmanship for it. He gives you a result that you will be happy with.

My wife and I recently moved in to our "30 year home" - the backyard was what we immediately fell in love with when home shopping! The home is an older home and we knew we wanted a different outdoor space in order to fully enjoy the yard/outdoor space we loved. We researched Angie's List and identified a few different contractors to contact - after speaking with John (Garden of the Carolinas) we were immediately more excited with both the Garden of the Carolinas process (described later) and with John's charismatic enthusiasm for our potential project. Garden of the Carolina process - we completed a questionnaire describing what we intended for the project and met with Diana (designer) several times to discuss. She did an amazing job of including us in the design process all while educating us on several design considerations. Her "eye" for potential design was very impressive! The final design did an amazing job of incorporating some of the items we discussed (grilling/patio area with bench seats and arbor while also having an area for recreational activities aka basketball goal; low maintenance plants that also added character to the space). In addition to a great plan, John presented a very detailed budget and cost per line item that was INCREDIBLE...my wife and I had a budget we wanted to maintain and the level of detail in the cost estimate allowed us to pick-and-choose what we wanted. In addition, he had detailed recommendations on how to accomplish certain tasks at a lower cost in order for us to fit all we wanted into the project. Install - as other reviewers have mentioned, Garden of the Carolinas is a local small business and are (rightfully) in demand. We scheduled our project a few months in advance. Between agreeing to a project timeline and the project getting started, we were volunteered to host a family Christmas event. Once this was brought to John's attention, he started the project and also completed it prior to this event. Johns was EXTREMELY responsive throughout the process and not only answered questions we had, but also proactively contacted us with the most detailed of questions to ensure we were comfortable with any changes in plans (see below for summary). I can't imagine John's attention to detail or enthusiasm being surpassed by a different contractor - he maintains a standard for quality that we certainly appreciated and will continue to appreciate given the quality of the final product! Last, he left our home in better condition than he found it, being mindful of the natural wear-and-tear that will occur with a project like this. Final product (including changes): Concrete removal that spanned the length of the back of our home (think 1970's concrete that had cracked and become un-level over time), Removal of three large and two smaller trees, Install of Paver Patio (recommended removing pavers originally planned to be installed beneath a small shed due to lack of functionality and decreased project cost), Install of concrete pad for rec/basketball activities (recommended dying the concrete to remain consistent with quality of paver patio), Installed two drainage solutions to ensure proper exit of water, Install of two bench/seat walls around patio, Install of two arbors...lastly, the item my wife and I were both on the fence about was lighting around the patio. John did not pressure us to include lighting in the project but did describe what it would add to our new space...we ultimately decided to incorporate lighting and we are so glad we did! It truly makes the space a completely different space when we enjoy in the evenings...the ambient light and additional "feel" it gives the space was well worth the investment. We have not used any other landscape contractor - but after using Garden of the Carolinas we do not intend on doing so! The quality of work combined with attention-to detail, enthusiasm, and standard for quality would certainly be hard to beat! Thanks John and team!

We absolutely LOVE our new back yard and have John and his crew to thank for that. Garden's of the Carolina's is a small company and the downside of that is you'll have to wait to get your project done as they can only work a few jobs at a time. The upside (which makes it worth the wait) is that John's crew has been with him for years and they are excellent. The crew is great - they are all very friendly and knowledgeable and incredibly hard working. The contractors and vendors that John brings in are only the best which means you have high quality service and products for every aspect of the job. Although John's company did not install the pool, John recommended some pool companies to us, and then worked with the pool company on the timing and installation. John consulted with them each step of the way to ensure the pool layout worked with our overall design and was instrumental in getting the waterfall just the way we liked it. We had a large slope at the back of our yard which we decided to raise up giving us more land to work with. This meant the installation of a large retaining wall along the back of the property. John worked with a company that inspected and certified the wall at every step. The inspectors would not sign off until they were satisfied that the soil and wall met exacting standards and means we have a retaining wall that isn't going anywhere - ever! As the project went along John made some adjustments to the plan (after discussions with us) to make sure the overall plan flowed well with the constraints of the property. John came up with great ideas to make things work together from every angle and view point. My husband is very detail oriented - he notices everything and expects each aspect of the job to be done exactly as determined. John made sure to get it all done to his satisfaction. We knew we wanted lighting for the backyard so we could enjoy the fireplace and pool even at night but were surprised by the cost of the lighting. We met with the lighting supplier and after seeing the difference in the quality of the lights and warranties we decided to go ahead with the lighting plan. One of my favorite things about the whole project is to be outside as it gets dark and the lights come on. It's simply beautiful! It makes a big difference and is so worth it. As we sit out by the pool or in the dining area we are surrounded by the beautiful trees and flowers John selected (personally) which pulls all of the hardscape work together. The variety is beautiful and makes sure that whatever the season we have something colorful to see. Our friends and neighbors love coming over and and hanging out in our back yard. We love to entertain and we are enjoying every minute of our new oasis. Garden's of the Carolina's is a great company. We plan to hire them again when we are ready to transform our front yard. John's vision and his in-depth knowledge of every little thing that goes in to your job makes all the difference. He thinks of everything and then some to make sure you get what you want and more.

Although our landscape/hardscape project is not quite finished, we felt some progress to date information could help others. We plan to do another feedback, with a few pictures, when completed. When you, family, and friends plan to really enjoy the quality and beauty that are the result of your project, it is important to find the right person and company to make it happen. Gardens of the Carolinas handled it all for us from design to landscaping, stonework, and carpentry just to name a few. Because they have a strong business, if you are serious about a quality project, you might want to contact them sooner, rather than later, to get the timing of your project on their schedule. We contacted John Spivey, President, of Gardens of the Carolinas several months ago. We met with his designer and were very pleased with the design work that was done. The designer listened to our needs and vision for the project and had a lot of great ideas. She created a wonderful plan that was even better than we had imagined. When we decided to go ahead with the whole project, there was a comprehensive list of components and services (electric, gas, water, tree removal, etc.) with cost. This was very helpful , especially if you do not like negative surprises. We made modifications to the plan in a few areas and got on their schedule. What was very helpful at this point was the dialog with John talking through the pros and cons of options. This is the true value of an expert and a team who learn what you want and need and have the experience and skill to get it done in a quality manner. The other great aspect of this process, is that we learned about options that hadn't occurred to us, even after a lot of research. The work has been progressing for a few weeks ( with a little more to go) and we are very impressed with the attention to detail (shape of the main and fire pit patios, the beautiful stone work, custom cedar porch skirting, the right flow and balance for stairs and seating walls, just to name a few). We look forward to all the special lighting to highlight a few features and make our friends and family feel right at home. We will provide our final comments and a couple of pictures in a few weeks. We are very happy that we found Gardens of the Carolinas on Angie's List. UPDATE: 2-18-16 The final update is in pictures; our patio project was a wonderful experience and the result was better than we could have imagined. Gardens of the Carolinas did a wonderful job!!

Shows a lot of pride in his work and could not recommend any colleagues for me.

They are the kind of company you would call when you wanted to get something done right the first time and have it done in a quality manner. For example, he knew that as soon as you start laying drainage pipes, you automatically limit your options to do other things in your yard, which is why it is always a good idea to have an overall plan so that you don't inadvertently forgo options later because you didn't think through all the things you wanted to do at the start. He was really bright and really good at thinking through options for solving problems, but also ensuring that your overall goals (e.g., landscape ideas, creating a quiet serene environment, creating privacy) were met. Even thought I didn't decide to choose John's company for this job (I already had an overall landscaping plan, I need to get this problem fixed fast, and I didn't want to spend a lot of money), I would definitely recommend John and his company for any landscape design project.

It is hard to describe the challenging conditions the Gardens crew encountered. They began in February 2015 during record cold temperatures. They moved tons (literally) of clay to the front yard to level off an area of future development. Materials were delivered in a timely fashion and debris was removed quickly. There were several subcontractors involved but all was coordinated by John Spivey, the President, relieving me of the need for any such expertise. His knowledge and experience was valued throughout the process as it continues months after the process. He remains accessible and interested in the developing project. Generally, all the decisions had been made in the planning phase. This is the main benefit of utilizing a design/build contractor. Pricing was consistent with the original estimates although I added some additional things as I saw the work unfold. There was some damage to the neighbors fence in the tree removal stage but that was replaced with all new materials at no expense to me. The crew was highly organized, motivated and hard working. Several times, decisions were presented to me for my preference and they tailored all the little things to my liking. Due to the time of year I had to break my project into two phases. The back is all done but for the continuing plantings I will do over years. The front yard will be completed with lawn, tree additions and a new sidewalk as the weather cools and those plantings are appropriate. We will be scheduling a second design phase shortly for work to begin in a few months. I look forward to the experience.

Left phone message outling what I was interested in but never heard from them.

John Spivey reviewed all work with me prior to beginning. His crew came early and are very efficient and professional. All work to the mulch (now river rock) beds was done prior to the stones being delivered. That work was followed by the river rock being delivered and spread in the beds, as well as the paver stones being installed. I must admit I was very picky about the placement of the paver stones, and John and his stone guy Mike were more than accomodating in getting everything exactly how I wanted them. Gardens of the Carolinas did a fantastic job for me with the patio installation last fall, and I am extremely comfortable working with John Spivey - that's why we decided to continue the patio work with Gardens of the Carolina again this time. I consulted John about some additional work on my front porch that my wife would like to have in 2016 - we have decided to work with Gardens of the Carolinas for that project as well.

very lengthly inital call - owner gave more of his "speil" than ask me what I was looking for.

I think it was part of a big deal. I had no issues with them. They did a really good job. Quality was excellent.

I ended up installing a fescue lawn on my own and did not divert the water from the foundation. We have moved recently from the property. I would use this service again and may at our new location. Just moved about 5 weeks ago.

The job was done quickly and still looks great almost 2 years later.

I gave Johm a lot of discretion to select the right pavers and shape of the walkway to make it fit nicely with the existing elements. He came out and gave me his thoughts, took time with me to talk it through, and incorporated my likes and dislikes into the final outcome. When they came out to do the work, they were quick, cleaned up everything, and left me with a new beautiful walkway in what was previously a muddy, ugly, uneven mess.

Initial work went well and timely due to a cancellation of another job so that work on my yard could be started right away. The problem I've had since is the owner assured me he would come back if I wanted some filler added to the drains so that rain water would better drain to the creek near our property. There is too much retention of rain water due to low elevation which promotes odor and critters in the drains. I've emailed several times asking for the filler in the drains to be added with assurance from the owner that he would send someone by my home to add the filler. It never happens. I am not happy with the constant standing water in the drains. Do not know how to get someone out for what I'm told will take little time. I paid for quality work and feel it's not quite finished. Last email contact was last summer. Work was done two years prior. So I've emailed several times with assurance to fix the drains, but it has not happened.

I called John and he came over the next day and walked through what I wanted done. We talked a lot about drainage (which was an issue) and he mentioned lots of options. He looked over the design I had and said he loved it. He left and said he would get back to me with a proposal. A few days later I received a proposal which I told him, honestly, was way out of my budget . He didn't blink an eye and just found ways to get what I wanted and stay in my budget. When John talked about the proposal, he spent a lot of time talking about the drainage options and the expense and longevity of each. This made an expensive decision easier to make. John also helped me find someone to cut trees and remove stumps. From the day the first materials arrived until the day John was finished was about a week although the workers were really only here 2 days. (Two really cold days!!) Everything was done with every attention to detail making sure that every rock was placed correctly, all existing plants found new homes, everything was cleaned up, and I ended up feeling very confident in the work. And it looks beautiful... I'm very happy. The work didn't get started until later than we had hoped. I had told John that I wasn't in a hurry so this wasn't an issue for me. John was always easy to reach so I think this could be resolved if someone was in more of a hurry. And seeing it all done right was worth every bit of waiting I did.

John Spivey came by upon our request to evaluate a rather difficult drainage issue and need for a walkway around our home to connect with an existing patio. During his long and deliberate evaluation, John demonstrated his expert and thorough approach to design esthetics, environmental considerations, landscaping, and engineering principles. It is apparent that Gardens of the Carolinas offers a complete solution that can be phased in over the timeline and needs of the homeowner. During our timeline need for the job, John had a rather full schedule and a window that would open no sooner than 2 months out. It was only for that reason that we did not go with GOTC. I'm sure we would not be disappointed had we contracted with John and his crew.

We were extremely pleased with the work Gardens of the Carolinas did. John started with a site visit to talk with us about the Big Deal we purchased for a patio. While he was here, he talked to us about many other options for improvements, including new landscaping, pruning of existing trees and shrubs, new walkways, drainage, moving a shed and many other things. He gave us a clear, itemized estimate listing everything we discussed. He was very clear about what would be included, and also very flexible in letting us choose what to move forward with. Once we gave him the go ahead and got on his calendar, the work itself went incredibly quickly - they completely transformed our yard in one week. John met with us several times over the course of the week to make sure we knew what was happening, and to work with us on selection of plants and trees. Working with a few guidelines from us, he created an amazing landscape design that's far beyond anything we had expected. He also carefully went over with us the location of everything he planted, why he chose what he did and what to expect in terms of future growth and care. Improvements included: - removal of existing clay and soil tainted with construction debris - removal of dead and inappropriate landscape features - regrading of yard to allow for level patio surface - re-sodding of yard - moving existing shed to better location - additions to and improvements in drainage system - installation of ~250' half-round stone patio - installation of fieldstone walkways - siting and planting of 4 trees and 80+ new plants and bushes (as well as several existing plants and trees that were worth keeping) in several different garden areas around the yard, using appropriate soils and mulch - pruning of existing trees - creation of "trash can station" - installation of driveway edging and smoothing of driveway gravel - creation of garden worktable, shelf and faucet tables using existing materials on site - power washing

Can't say enough great things about Gardens of the Carolinas, John Spivey and his team. John came out and listened to my ideas, and then gave me his ideas and expertise that the average consumer wouldn't think of. My wife and I quickly embraced his ideas about having steps installed that open into the patio and how to shape the patio into the yard and around the tree my wife wanted to keep. He suggested the patio shape and where to place the sitting walls that my wife wanted as well. During all discussions, John was extremely thorough, solicited our questions and feedback to make sure we were getting our ideal patio. Once the terms were agreed upon, we kept in contact, and John was extremely accommodating, with my wife and my work schedules. The steps were the first piece to be installed, with the old steps that just went straight off our porch taken out, and replaced with steps that open into the patio and yard. Just fantastic workmanship, that is all I can say. Every time I approach these steps - they look so great with these caps on the rails - that they make me smile. When it came to the patio install, John said it may take him and his crew 2- 3 days. They put plywood all the way down the side of my house to protect my lawn - and managed to save me some $$$ by getting all stones, etc. in through my gate. From what I saw, the grading was getting done and the stone sitting walls were going up at the same time. I was not present to see much of the pavers being installed, but the crew finished in two days - an incredible amount of work - and left my yard just as it was when they got there - and did a fantastic job. I will be contacting John and his team soon to bounce some ideas off him to upgrade our mulched areas in the Spring. We have already given John's card to our neighbors who are looking for someone of his caliber to discuss their ideas about a paver patio in the near future. Other neighbors who have seen our patio are amazed and absolutely love it.

Outstanding. High quality work, remarkable attention to detail, hard working crew, personal attention from owner, overall a phenomenal job done with integrity, craftsmanship, and diligence. John Spivey, owner, is honest, forthright, involved and highly accessible.Could not be happier with the work, outcome, and process!!