SAGE ECOLOGICAL LANDSCAPES

"We are very proud of our designs and landscape projects, and our client’s dissatisfaction affects us deeply. However we believe that our efforts were above and beyond what anyone would have expected. We did more than what our client said she wanted -- we made sure everything was done right. Our integrity is at stake and we take this complaint very seriously. We provide a complete design process so we can show our clients exactly what they want. For our client, we walked through our nursery, reviewed both the conceptual and final design plans that included a planting layout, and describe both plant and hardscape materials which she approved. • We collaborated with our client who personally selected the materials to make sure that the design had all the right elements and materials that she desired. • After giving her time to review the conceptual feedback plans, we incorporated any changes she had at that point and created a final set drawings along with a contact for the construction. • Our design team created a beautiful landscape for our client’s home to how she requested it, using 21 different species of trees, shrubs, perennials, succulents and groundcover. We created rhythm and continuity through the use of repetition -- an effective design principle that leads the eye through the garden experience to points of interest. • After we installed the landscape, our client changed her mind and commented that she desired more of a collector’s garden of sorted and individual plants. If we had this desire during the conceptual feedback phase of the project, we would have happily accommodated this planting plan to build an assorted landscape for her. We thank our client for sharing about our highly skilled construction crew that built her garden. They are well trained and very professional, especially with custom residential projects. Quality custom work is worth the investment. • We agree that unfavorable weather that can slow down any exterior landscape project. We did know and acknowledge that the freshly applied concrete sealer created a slippery surface after the rains. We let our client know that it would wear down over time, but to be sensitive and responsive to not waiting, we stripped and resealed the concrete with a more gritty sealer. • We disagree, however, that the color of the concrete was different that what was selected. We explained that concrete the staining process has a chemical reaction that can give mild difference in color, and that it’s as close of a match to an example from another site as possible. Although we had re-created the best replication to the sample, there were no off colors otherwise. • Our client mentioned that she replaced plants because she was not satisfied with her own choices and, although we believe that she has a great design, we appreciate that it’s her prerogative to make as many changes as she would like. We hope that our clients enjoy their landscapes as much as possible, and that is why we include them in the whole process: initial conceptual ideas, garden walkthroughs, material selection, final plant layout, built details and construction. We love that our approach includes the client’s design ideas, and this involvement from the client helps us stay on budget, on time, and gives them truly what they want. We use all our design review meetings and feedback checkpoint to help create an amazing landscape that both professionals and homeowners feel great about. We’re always open to constructive criticism and truly want to know what we can do to better the situation."