Gardens of the Carolinas

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.

I've had multiple projects with John Spivey and the Gardens of the Carolinas team. They continue to perform with the utmost professionalism , subject matter expertise, punctuality, and quality. His team/crew is amazing. They take pride in the quality of the work and it shows in the results. Trust the process ! You will get more than plants, bushes , mulch and beautiful pavers. He wants to know the what and why behind your choices to help you create a result that touches your heart and fuels your soul. John has a way of translating the request into more than landscaping and gardens. He and his team have created spaces that fill me with emotion by their beauty and thoughtfulness of how my family and I will enjoy them over the years. I shared a story about wanting to honor my mother and grandmother who I lost years ago. They have incorporated the most beautiful and serene garden that makes me smile and takes me back to the time I shared with them. That matters to me. I can't Thank them enough for the joy, serenity, laughter and the memories that I've had with my family and friends in the beautiful spaces they've created. John has also aligned me with arborists and an irrigation specialist to ensure my investment has the appropriate care. I trust John and his team and have always been treated with the utmost respect and integrity. You can't go wrong with this choice ! You will be thrilled with the results.

We have worked with John, owner of Gardens of the Carolinas, for over 5 years. We found John to be very knowledgeable, patient, very easy to talk to, very accessible, and with a desire to please. This is also reflected in the high quality of his work. We have received many compliments from our neighbors. We have enjoyed working with John, as recently as February 2020, and this is why we have continued to work with Gardens of the Carolinas for additional work. We highly recommend Gardens of the Carolinas.

This was a promising company to handle the full scope of our work: deck repairs and erosion & drainage issues on one side of our yard. Paying for a landscape design was an investment we did not take lightly but we felt confident that their selling point “we credit percentages of the design fees back as we are contracted to do the work (15% for cost of plantings, 10% for cost of in-house labor, 5% for cost of subcontractors) justified it and would be most beneficial to adequately handle our erosion and runoff issues. We initiated contact with them the very end of March & heard back from them very promptly, on April 1st with a phone call and an email. They asked for a list of likes & dislikes and needs vs. wants. Our priority was to handle issues with water runoff and erosion so we could put a fence in for our dog while keeping our space outside the fence nurturing and accessible to wildlife and in compliance with easement restrictions. Secondarily (depending on viability of costs for all this) was to make the space visually appealing with nice plantings, etc... Though we didn’t know what this sort of work would cost, we communicated a budget of $20,000 to Diana, the designer, before she began her design work. The design took almost three months to receive. John came out to go over it at the end of June. We were impressed with how extensive the design was – there were so many sheets of paper and it appeared like it was a comprehensive, expertly done plan worth the wait. It included an invoice of $3,240 for John and Diana’s time making the landscape plan and we paid it in good faith. However, when we were able to sit down and go over the actual plan separate from the extravagance of the presentation and selling spiel with John, we promptly realized our error. We emailed John the next day with some questions. That was June 29th. From there we had a few rounds of emails and two months later, we still did not have clarity or complete pricing for their proposed work. By September 21st, there was a revised design and some more pricing, but it was still incomplete. At that point, we hit our limit and have not been back in touch with them. Nor have we heard from them (now four months from last contact). So what was so wrong with their plan?? There was no subtotal. We didn’t know what everything would cost and their plan included a fence that impeded the easement and blocked the deer path (remember our priority list at the beginning of this?). The missing prices in the estimate were the foundation of the work to be done: - Grading & drainage plans (they would “know more once they began working on it”) - Piping - Deck repairs - Foundation drains - Retaining walls - Tree removal That said, when I added up the line items they did price out it was over $52,000. Pricing for plants alone was $16,948. And the rest of the work that needed to be done in the bullet points above, y’all know that is the expensive stuff. How would we ever realize the design fee rebate that was their selling feature and incentive? We wouldn’t and what a shame. And how embarrassing we paid for a whole lot of nothing. If you have an unlimited budget and a house that can handle a six-figure landscape design, give these folks a call, they apparently do beautiful work. Otherwise, learn from our naïve, good-faith foolishness and give your hard-earned money to another company.