Gardens of the Carolinas

Our backyard had a large uphill slope, rendering most of it unusable. Additionally, there were drainage problems and a lack of privacy. All of these prevented us from enjoying our yard. Gardens of the Carolinas was the most responsive when we initiated initial inquiries, which continued throughout our project. John and his team were fantastic to work with for our backyard project. The team listened to our concerns and provided an extensive long-term vision for rectifying them and making them an area we’d enjoy moving forward. Based on our immediate needs, we decided to take a phased approach by adding a timber retention wall, a stone wall with lighting, and privacy trees. They also tapped into our existing drainage solution and made it more efficient. I view this as providing us with a canvas for future projects. We are very pleased with their work and will be a repeat customer for future phases of their initial plan. To summarize our experience with Gardens of the Carolinas: Patience: We made multiple edits to find a solution within budget. John and the team always understood and respected our concerns, ensuring we were comfortable with the decisions. Thoroughness: I was provided multiple options and pros/cons for every question. This reiterated their experience and gave me confidence that we were making a sound investment. Seamless: their team handled everything for us, including permitting, assistance with HOA, and more, in addition to the work completed. Professionalism: The crew performing the work respected concerns around noise and ensured a clean and tidy work environment. When the project was completed, they ensured the streets, sidewalks, and backyard were all in a great place, demonstrating their unwavering dedication to customer service.

Highly recommend! John and the GoC team created a new landscape for us beyond expectation. We had removed multiple large trees removed after 20+years of broken tree limbs falling on our roof. We had an old shed that was in need of repair as well as a fence. Our driveway needed replacing as well! We needed a team who could manage all the projects with a unified vision, and GoC exceeded this! We love our new sunny back yard and especially the lighting for pathways which we never considered but are so glad we have. Very very helpful to have the design and installation experience to depend on. All subcontractors were professional as well. Great work and will definitely use their services again!

I'm happy to share my positive experience with Gardens of the Carolinas, who recently completed landscaping work on my property. The team, led by John, exhibited professionalism and expertise at every step. Their thorough understanding of my needs, site challenges, and budget was evident in their well-considered options, complete with pros and cons. They efficiently addressed drainage issues by reconfiguring downspouts and adding a solid corrugated line and drainage trench, significantly improving performance, especially during heavy rain. The berm work was executed meticulously, considering contours and materials. Thoughtful plant selection and pruning transformed the property, with selective weed tree and shrub removal further enhancing its appearance. Their attention to detail extended to ground cover installation, metal edging, mulching, and natural fieldstone addition. Under John's leadership, the project was completed on time and within budget. Kudos to John's team for their exceptional work and collaborative approach, making the process seamless. I recommend Gardens of the Carolinas for top-notch landscaping services and would use them again in the future.

Hired GotC to essentially redo our entire backyard. They came through a listened to my vision for what I was thinking and was able to accomplish everything while also bringing in some nice ideas that I had never considered. They were extremely thoughtful with every detail and the whole thing was executed very quickly. I would highly recommend them for projects.

It went great. The team completely transformed our mud pit into an oasis. Very responsive and so much attention paid to detail. Would highly recommend them and already have.

I used Gardens of the Carolinas to completely re-landscape my front yard. I needed to replace my driveway, so I decided it was a good time to do new landscaping. In my opinion, you will not find a better company than “Gardens of the Carolinas” to do a landscaping project. John and his crew are the best! Always on time with attention to details I would have never thought of. They first regraded my lot to achieve better drainage and installed a catch basin to direct water to drain pipes they installed. Next came the new driveway and a curving walkway to my front porch. They also redid the brick steps to my front porch making them wider and reducing the rise to accommodate aging-in-place, which was a secondary goal. New porch railings were also built. They also transplanted some existing azaleas to another location in the yard and installed many new perennials. New sod was also installed. All of this along with many other smaller tasks (cleaning up some beds, unclogging an existing drainage pipe, building a side retaining wall, etc. ) made for a great experience. John is a great communicator. He will talk you through concerns you might have and is extremely knowledgeable on anything involving landscaping and horticulture. His entire crew is extremely professional and take a lot of pride in their work. So glad to have worked with them!

We reached out to John Spivey at Gardens of the Carolinas back in January of 2022 with the vague idea that our back yard was a disappointing place that we didn’t really like to spending time in. We had recently had an enclosed three-season room installed which meant we were now spending time out there looking at a yard composed mostly of clay and weeds. We also had some serious drainage issues that meant several huge puddles persisting after a good rain and causing the dogs to get muddy. John’s landscape architect created a few different plans for us and then we picked our favorite and went through a few iterations to arrive at our final plan. Work began in mid-June and wrapped up in mid-July and we could not be happier with the result. The drainage problems are gone and we love spending time out in the back yard –even in the summer. Work included regrading the entire yard; installing a large paver patio with perimeter seating walls and step; two small deck areas; awesome plantings; new Bermuda sod; and landscape lighting that looks amazing and will far outlast the plastic Malibu lights I installed years ago. We can’t wait until Fall when we can get the fire pit going. I’ve included some before and after photos of the yard (the porch was built by a different company a year earlier)

Gardens of the Carolina has done extensive work at our home. They sodded our large front lawn and a portion of the back. They installed a stunning patio with a pair of seat walls with recessed lighting. John and Sam (Samantha) listen carefully to your ideas and then offer theirs. Often, both are combined for the finished product. Their crew are some of the hardest workers I’ve seen. Each knows his job well and it’s fascinating to watch them put it all together. I can’t praise the finished profuct enough. Our patio is unique and rock solid. The landscaping provides beautiful accents to complement their work.

We had an extensive project to install lighting in the front of our home, around our entire back patio, and down walkways. The Gardens of the Carolinas put together a seamless plan of multiple stages (mapping out lighting options, choosing lighting fixtures, installing and implementing the plan). They gave realistic expectations on pricing and time. The project was performed flawlessly. We did not have one problem that needed to be resolved and we are overjoyed with the outcome. John and Samantha were wonderful to work with and we adored all the subcontractors they work with. We can't wait for our next project!!!

Phase one of our ongoing landscaping of our back yard and installation of a water feature was excellent! We loved working with John, Samantha, Samuel and the whole crew! Gardens of the Carolinas staff were all very professional and the quality of the work was top notch! They were always very responsive and I never lacked for communication during the project. I have to commend their workmen especially for their daily cleanup of the work site - leaving things neat even when they were due back the following morning. Not every contractor I have worked with showed such pride and conscientiousness, and this was very much appreciated. My wife and I are loving our back yard and looking forward to doing more landscaping over the coming years! I'd gladly hire them again, and recommend them without hesitation! Here are two timelapse videos of the work done: [*** Link removed ***] [*** Link removed ***]

High quality designs, high quality people, and very high quality work. We will definitely continue to work with them and would highly recommend!

The team at Gardens of the Carolinas has been excellent every step of the way. They sent out a landscape designer to meet with us, take a look at our yard, listen to what we wanted, and give ideas on things we hadn't thought of. They then put together a yard design that incorporated everything, including our budget. When the workers came out to implement the plan they were very professional and efficient. I was amazed at how quickly they transformed our yard into what had been designed. It looks even better than I imagined! I already have plans for the next project I want them to work on for me. I highly recommend Gardens of the Carolinas.

EXCELLENT! I spoke with John about a project that I needed done. The project was too small for the scope of work that this company does however John sent me information on who I should reach out to in order to complete my project. He stated that he did not think that it would be worth the money to pay for the repair with his company. I thought that this was outstanding! A stranger was concerned about overcharging me. That within itself is an awesome thing. I would recommend this company.

Design was very helpful for project and future installations. All of the Gardens of the Carolinas team is very knowledgeable.

The team did a great job of preparing the back yard including grading, removing roots, addressing drainage issues, installing pavers and of course preparing the soil and laying the sod and mulch. The team got me into the schedule when they said they would and completed the job quickly. John and Sam were great to work with throughout the project! I definitely recommend them. The backyard now looks great.

We had a wonderful experience with Garden of the Carolinas. We wanted a complete overhaul of our backyard with pool, patio, walkways, pavilion, decking, fencing, privacy, plantings, lighting, etc. We very much enjoyed the design process with Diana and could not be happier with the plan she came up with. John and his team were always quick to respond throughout the design and construction process, very willing to make adjustments (increased patio, added plantings in buffer, side yard and front yard, re-worked drainage swale outside fence, etc.) and brought the plan to life in a well-executed and timely fashion. The crew was professional, hardworking and took great care accessing the site through the common area of our subdivision. We are very happy with how everything came together and look forward to enjoying our beautiful new space! I highly recommend Gardens of the Carolinas and will use them again for my future landscaping needs.

Great. John provided expert advice and vision on the best path for the walkways. The crew worked hard, did a great job with the brickwork and cleaned up afterward. The company is responsive to emails and phone calls and answered all questions before and after the work was completed. I highly recommend.

Garden of the Carolinas did an incredible job. We could not be happier with the transformation of our once overgrown and bug-infested backyard into a beautiful open play space for our children and us. The team was always professional and responsive to our requests from the design stage through construction and helped to turn our vague desires into a tangible, well-executed vision. Increased draining, regrading the original sloped property, adding a striking retaining wall, and removing old flora with the addition of ideal plantings have the entire family excited to spend quality time outside all year. Thank you, Garden of the Carolinas!

I highly recommend Gardens of the Carolinas and will use them again for my future landscaping needs. Communication by John and his team was excellent. John was very responsive throughout the process from initial contact through completion. The plants that were installed were excellent quality. The crew took great care to protect the surrounding area while working which was especially difficult after many days of rain. We are very happy with the finished product.

We had a great experience with Gardens of the Carolinas helping us redesign our front and backyard. We began working with the designer Diana in Feb 2020 to discuss our desires and get her feedback and designs. Gardens of the Carolinas was the only landscaping company that had a great, holistic long-term plan for our yard that reflected our priorities. By late Mar / early Apr, we chose a design and placed a deposit for our first phase of work. With Covid, a wet summer, and high demand, our project broke ground in mid-Nov, but it was worth the wait. Once here, the team was professional and did a great job. They set high bars for themselves and deliver. The work they did included: regrading the front yard, installing steps and a sidewalk, laying sod, adding 14 plants, removing a retaining wall in the backyard, grading the backyard, adding hammock posts, hauling away debris, and installing a drain in our side yard. I really appreciated how we would iterate through ideas each day to end up at the best result, and the team really looks after the best interest of the property owner. John made time to explain different options in detail, adjusted schedules as needed when our project scope expanded, and even covered the bill for a plumbing issue that arose. The best part is that we feel like our home doubled in size because we now have amazing, enjoyable outdoor spaces that used to make us cringe. We couldn't have spent our money better. Thanks for all the hard work and going the extra mile, team!

John and his team planted two trees for us in our back yard. They are lovely, look healthy, and we look forward to enjoying them for many years. The process went smoothly, and, to a person, the entire crew at Gardens of the Carolinas was responsive, efficient, and polite. They will remain our go to folks to our future outdoor needs.

No openings were available but a very nice man named John Spivey spent about 40 minutes talking to me about the research your company does before starting a project, especially paving or anything that water cannot penetrate and affects the flow and quality of ground water. There are laws about that and it is important to check into “ impervious” structures. Someone’s property 3 miles from us did have a very negative affect on a lake in our subdivision. The builders had to hire specialists. So this does happen but this company will research all of this beforehand.

The Gardens team were great to work with. We were looking for a landscape design/build firm that was knowledgable and would also build a plan that fit out needs. We wanted to implement the design in several phases over a couple of seasons so that we could meet our budgeting needs, but could also not stress out our well with watering needs. John and Diana developed an overall plan, with phased bed and planting phases, and we implemented as laid out. We are very pleased with the results, and would highly recommend the Gardens Team. Our design consists of a vast area of foundation beds and plantings that encompass our home. The design also consists of several free-standing beds as well. The implementation team that John employs are all guys on staff and they are all very professional, punctual, and polite. They did a great job installing, planting, and mulching everything. Thanks John and team!

This is our second big undertaking with Gardens of the Carolinas. When we decided to upgrade the front there was no second guessing who we would call first for the consultation-The EXPERTS who changed our back yard 10 years ago. The team is so attentive through the whole process-from the design planning to installation. No detail is left unturned. We can’t wait for the next project!

Work was done over a 3 day period; grading, drainage work, and planting were done by one crew. Masonry was done by another crew. All workers were on time, friendly, efficient, and knowledgable. The business owner communicated with us regularly regarding progress and any concerns we might have. The project was planned well, and the plan was reviewed thoroughly with us before any work began.