How Happy are You with Your Lawn Care Services?

A challenge every landscape designer or landscape architect faces after designing and creating the landscape design of a client’s dreams is getting good photos of the finished work. The reason is, the best photos are taken after the new plantings have had time to fill-in and bloom, so photos are typically taken a year or more after installation. So what’s the problem?

It’s About Lawn Care Maintenance and More
The problem is, while most of our clients do understand how important it is to take the long view and think in terms of sustainability, some homeowners don’t. After making a significant investment in creating the landscape design of their dreams, there are clients who hire the least expensive lawn care services they can find. In those cases, when we check back in after a year or more, we are disheartened to see instances where plants have not been well cared for, trees may have been improperly pruned or once beautiful flower beds and container gardens have morphed into something else or disappeared completely. This is not because the plants chosen were difficult to maintain or of poor quality; they simply weren’t maintained properly, if at all. (Plenty of people hire lawn care services that only mow lawns and expect a little watering should take care of the rest.)

With lawn care services, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the most expensive landscaping services are the best, but well-trained, knowledgeable employees and quality materials do not come without expense. I will be the very first to admit that Bonick Landscaping is not among the least expensive firms when it comes to landscaping and lawn care maintenance services, but that’s because out staff is comprised of well-trained experts and we have high service standards. We know that every yard we provide lawn care services to speaks directly to our knowledge, abilities, and standards. Because we are more expensive than the basic mowing/gardening services, much of our business comes from people who are unhappy with their current landscape provider and are ready to make a change for the better.

There are a number of reasons people switch lawn care services, but many times it boils down to poor communication or oversight. We address both of these issues at Bonick Landscaping by having a Garden Manager and an on-site Foreman assigned to each property. The Garden Manager is the liaison between the client and the Foreman. She or he ensures that the client understands what is recommended and needed to maintain the property and that the client’s wishes are accurately executed. The Garden Manager also monitors the property and guides the Foreman on what to do and when to do it. Our Garden Managers are ultimately accountable for the maintenance, health, and beauty of the property as well as for ensuring their client’s happiness.

Here are some things to consider when choosing a lawn care services provider:

Range of Services
Lawn care services can include many tasks, including: mowing and edging; trimming of shrubs or hedges; weed management; fertilizing; insect and disease control (including mosquito control – especially important in Texas); sprinkler system installation, maintenance and repair (many lawn maintenance services do a poor job of keeping watering levels properly adjusted); tree inspection, fertilization, and pruning; mulching, planting or reseeding, planning and installing seasonal color, winterizing tender plants, etc.

Beyond the range of services offered, it is important to know how particular services are approached and whether you have choices or not. For example, at Bonick Landscaping we off three types of mosquito control approaches: natural mosquito control via an 100% organic fogging service, traditional insecticide-based spraying options or the MistAway® Mosquito Control system that automatically sprays a very fine mist of botanical insecticide through a series of discreet misting nozzles installed on your property. (Formulations used are safe for both pets and people). We are also knowledgeable about all types of sprinkler systems, although we increasingly encourage our customers to convert to a smart sprinkler system because it automatically adjusts and provides better care for your lawn, saves resources, saves money on water savings, and allows us to remotely monitor and adjust your settings as needed.

Expertise Level
Does your lawn care service consist of a couple of men, a mower, and a truck or is it an established landscaping service with certified, highly experienced professionals, working for a company that provides oversight and training? The former may be all you want or need, but understand the difference between the expertise and services provided and understand that you get what you pay for.

Reputation
What kind of reputation do the lawn care service providers you’re looking at have? Are they well-regarded within the community? Do the photos on their website reflect what you would like your yard to look like?  Can they provide you with references from clients whose needs meet or exceed your own?

Response to Inquiry
How quickly and professionally do they respond to your initial inquiry for services? This is your first impression of your potential lawn care maintenance company and their response to your initial call should give you an indication of what you might expect moving forward.

These are just a few tips to help direct you to a landscape design and maintenance company that can truly partner with you to maintain and grow the beauty and investment in your yard. For further information you can call us at 972-243-9673 or email us at info@bonicklandscaping.com.

For over 30 years, Bonick Landscaping has served Dallas area clients with the highest standards looking for out-of-the-ordinary luxury landscape design and pools by offering the best in service, workmanship, and plantings. Services include hardscape and landscape design, pool designs, pool construction and installation, lawn care services and garden maintenance (overall estate management), pool maintenance, and more. For discerning clients in Dallas who want to express their own distinctive style through their landscaping, Bonick Landscaping can help you realize your dream. Call us at 972-243-9673 or visit our website at www.bonicklandscaping.com.