SELECT GARDENS

Don provided us not only with professional advice on how to solve several problems with our backyard, he also helped us save money! Don's expertise as a landscape architect, his encyclopedic knowledge (he stays up on everything from Colorado soils to plant varieties to insects and even how allergies really work), and his ability to translate a scientific understanding of what truly saves water and still looks good, all proved indispensable. We wanted some grass (for our 8 year old and goofy standard Poodle) and yet needed something low-maintenance that didn't require too much water. As Don says, he can make bluegrass xeric! We found this to be true, as his method of creating a holding area for water below grass with longer roots means that the mixture he uses (with fescue and rye) looks great, but just doesn't need our nifty sprinkler heads popping up as much as we expected; our water bill simply hasn't gone up as we moved from a dust bowl to a beautiful back yard with a "pond" of grass and plants in back that look good year round. Don helped us save money by advising us on how to add our own labor where we wanted to get involved, though his crew, a loyal team of guys who have worked with him for many years, had us scratching our heads wondering how they could do some of the same things so much faster (and thus still not costing us as much as we thought). He treats his employees with respect and they obviously take turns between the relatively artistic and more menial parts of landscaping. Don gets his hands dirty too, and certainly seems to enjoy his work. Don't think you cannot afford a true artist, or that hiring a landscape architect means bringing in someone who will take over your outdoor space. Don listens, and he can meanwhile provide you with a running tally of what things will really cost--with no surprises at the completion of the job. Since the first time he worked for us, I have helped my extended family start a general contracting company, and I quickly found how truly rare it is to work with someone who returns calls, shows up when he says he will, and finishes excellent work on budget and on time. Even the best of the subs we hire cannot compare with Don's professionalism, and I only wish our contracts of late included outdoor areas! If you're thinking of improving your landscaping, you can't do better than to hire this guy.