BOBBIE'S GREEN THUMB

Bobbie suggested that, to save money, I can do the measuring of the area(s) that Bobbie will be designing. I will also back up the measurements with digital photography to help Bobbie with the design process. I like the option to be involved with the process of upgrading my landscape.
Once I have the measurements and photos, Bobbie will present a plan. It's winter now, so will need to wait for a while for the weather to subside.
Looking forward to spring, when we can get started again.

I love gardens. The feeling of rest and beauty that can be found in the best of them can approach the spiritual. Throughout the more than twenty years I lived in our home in Lyndhurst (suburb of Cleveland) I imagined a garden—a place to rest the eyes when looking out the window—to observe the change of seasons, and to watch things grow.
A full month by month narrative can be found on the critique posted for H.A.M landscaping. This critique is abbreviated.
Until now I simply have not had the time or money to plan or execute this dream beyond the most rudimentary lawn care. However as I approached my 65th birthday, I decided to get professional input—to design a plan for the whole property, and to build the infrastructure for the reality of a beautiful garden. In August of 2011 I hired Bobbie’s Green Thumb to create the plan. Bobbie’s
work had been written up in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. She is well known in gardening circles, and has won many
awards for her designs.
My first mistake was not seeking an alternative designer, or at least interviewing alternative subcontractors to work with Bobbie’s plan once she had prepared it. I was impressed with Bobbie’s knowledge, manner and reassurance. (Bobbie charges $100/hour—our first meeting cost $300.) The final plan itself cost $2500.
I have told Bobbie that in my opinion her trusted collaborator and colleague has failed at every level of customer service—from poor quality workmanship to poor human interaction skills.
At present I am in the process of hiring another landscaper to reconstruct the ,paths and at least one of the beds. I have paid Bobbie’s final bill in order to ,simplify my own life. Both of the hardscape experts who came by have told me that the patio needs reconstructing. The steps are not level, and the raised bed slopes towards the house.
In conclusion, I would discourage anyone from hiring Bobbie as a contractor, because of her choice of subcontractor. As a landscape designer, and plant expert her services are to be recommended and the beauty of her vision commended. DO NOT HIRE H.A.M landscaping for any job.

Bobbie's Green Thumb planted our entire perennial garden (designed with my input) in the front and side of our new house in 1989. I have enjoyed the garden each day since it was installed. Without BGT I would not have been able to start such an ambitious garden that has given me, my family and my neighbors so much pleasure over the past 22 years. I have hired BGT to help fine tune areas of the garden as time has moved on. Bobbie is always ready with new ideas she has cultivated from her extensive travels and from the leadership roles she has taken in the horticulture community.

Amazing! I've told so many people about this experience. I had won an auction for an hour of landscape consultation and I wasn't too sure what to expect. Bobbie really was fantastic. First, due to all the rain we had this spring, she was great with communication and we eventually got a date that was dry enough for her to come out to the house. She arrived exactly on time and we spent an hour reviewing my yard. I had wanted her ideas on what to do with a front bed that has three pine trees that I'm not fond of. She told me to cut them down and move the bed to the sidewalk and trim up some of the surrounding trees. She then went over all the plants along the house and told me what they were - what I thought was a dogwood is actually a white-flowered magnolia! Another tree that I was planning on taking out turned out to be a hydrangea! I was thrilled to know what I had and how to shape them and prune them. She recommended adding a few spirea, hydrangea, and forsythia to the front. Then we went around to the back yard and she again made great suggestions for a shady and ivy overgrown area. She loved my patio retaining wall that I built so much she took a photo. After her visit, she followed up with an email listing out all the plants we had discussed, providing their names and latin names. I really can't say enough, this was so worth-while and as a gardener really just pointed me in a direction - I am so thankful for it. While I used Bobbie's service through a gift-certificate this experience was so wonderful that I tell anyone who is looking for direction on how to deal with their yards to call her - I really think the consultation rate is worth it. I'm sure Bobbie also provides actual landscaping services of getting plants ordered and in the ground which for those who don't have such a green thumb, she can help.

SHE WAS OVER HER HEAD WITH DESIGNING LANDSCAPING. THE OVERALL LOOK IS TOO BUSY AND REQUIRES CONSTANT MAINTENANCE. I PAID A LOT OF MONEY THINKING THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. THIS IS NOT TRUE. SHE PLANTED PERENNIALS TOO CLOSE TO MY TREE AND THEY DIED.