PHILADELPHIA GARDEN INC
Services we offer
DESIGN, INSTALL & MAINTENANCE.
Reviews
4.915 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 93% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 7% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% |
Showing 1-15 of 15 reviews
Katharine M.
Jul 2014
unknown
Stephen K.
Nov 2011
Toni Ann charged me $1,350 to do a one page plan of my space indicating where she would put various plantings. There was no color sketch, just a plot plan.
The job came to a stop when she told me that just to put flagstone on sand in my tiny area would cost $20,000. This did not include the fencing, electrical work, stucco, nor the plants themselves.
Since I had another bid to take up the existing hardscape and replace it with old bricks laid in a fairly complex pattern in cement for $6,600, I did not see the purpose in continuing to work with Toni Ann.
The space I was asking for a design for is about 13' x 10', and it is joined by a little alley, about 5' x 20'.
Unfortunately, she never asked what my budget was, nor gave me any indication the project would likely cost upwards of $30,000 (or more?), so I was billed for her design time: $250 for an initial consultation plus 11 more hours of effort. I don't consider this money well spent.
In the future, I think Toni Ann's customers would benefit from a frank appraisal of likely cost at the very first meeting. Isn't that the main purpose of an initial consultation? That way, for $250, you get the clear idea you can't afford to work with her.
The job came to a stop when she told me that just to put flagstone on sand in my tiny area would cost $20,000. This did not include the fencing, electrical work, stucco, nor the plants themselves.
Since I had another bid to take up the existing hardscape and replace it with old bricks laid in a fairly complex pattern in cement for $6,600, I did not see the purpose in continuing to work with Toni Ann.
The space I was asking for a design for is about 13' x 10', and it is joined by a little alley, about 5' x 20'.
Unfortunately, she never asked what my budget was, nor gave me any indication the project would likely cost upwards of $30,000 (or more?), so I was billed for her design time: $250 for an initial consultation plus 11 more hours of effort. I don't consider this money well spent.
In the future, I think Toni Ann's customers would benefit from a frank appraisal of likely cost at the very first meeting. Isn't that the main purpose of an initial consultation? That way, for $250, you get the clear idea you can't afford to work with her.
Response from PHILADELPHIA GARDEN INC
"I met with the member October 12th. He was aware of my initial consultation fee of $250 and was in agreement to pay that fee. I sent a proposed budget to him via email on October 13th - to which he replied to so I know he received that budget. He needed the job done by Thanksgiving. I quickly a design for him - completed with estimates from 3 contractors within a week. These contractors were willing to shift their commitments in order to complete this garden by the proposed deadline. I met with the client 2 more times at 2 hours each meeting. The pricing of hardscaping for $20,000 included a retaining wall, excavating 4 tree stumps by hand (access to the alley was narrow and limited) and excavating soil down 8 inches in order to lay down crushings and foundations for the paving job. City of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania requires pavers are installed that way. Also, the price included excavating areas against foundations for planting shrubs and vines - all by hand since removing soil from the bases of foundations is very difficult and should be carefully done. I stand behind my work and the work of my contractors and we do not cut corners. You can see from my website various beautiful gardens that are flawless in their installations. Thank you for this opportunity to reply to this comment."
Margaret B.
Jun 2011
She is my regular gardener. She plants in my garden and maintains it. I use her all the time. I pay her yearly. She's a wonderful planter. She has made my garden look absolutely beautiful. She is terrific. I will continue to use her and would highly recommend her.
Kristin T.
May 2011
I haven’t got the bill yet. There’s no agreement that we have with them, so they just bill me later. They do good work and it was great. They noticed that there was a bird’s nest in one of our bushes and they kept it the way it was. They did not trim it, so that the bird would have its nest. Their punctuality and responsiveness was great. They always email back and forth for anything. I would use their services again in the future.
Regina S.
Apr 2011
I had a good interaction with her. She was efficient and professional. I would definitely recommend her to others.
Margaret B.
May 2010
Work was done with dispatch and real intelligence. Would and will hire again and recommend unreservedly.
ALYSSA M.
May 2010
Toni Ann came out to do a consult for my back yard. She has a wonderful style and vision and really knows her stuff. She will inspire you.
MARLA I.
Apr 2010
Toni Ann was amazing. She is very professional and very creative, which is an unusual combination. I love her work. She was always responsive.
Kristin T.
Apr 2010
The transformation of the space was astounding. We went from a back lot that was filled with dirt and garbage into a tranquil garden space with 15 foot tall bamboo groves (planted inside barriers to stop invasive spreading), delicate Japanese maples, and lambs-ear bushes that teem with foliage all year round. She also worked with an architect and our contractors to install hulking cedar beams with bamboo rods lashed on top over a patio area. Throughout the process, Toni Ann was professional and organized. I don't know a thing about plants, but I did know I wanted it to be really easy to keep it up, and not too prissy. This is exactly what she delivered, which is especially impressive given the conditions we were working under in South Philly. Toni Ann continues to provide minimal maintenance to this garden, and has been consulting with us on other garden needs at another property.
Janis G.
Mar 2010
Their plantings are exceedingly creative and greatly enhance our condo environment. Their maintenance is responsible and their staff courteous and efficient.
Amy M.
Aug 2009
Toni Ann and her crew were extremely professional and did a beautiful job. Toni Ann "got" what we wanted right away and steered us away from some more expensive options in order to save us money. She is straightforward and extremely competent. Her subcontractors are the same. I highly recommend her company.
Karen P.
Nov 2008
My backyard was a mess, it had never been paved and was overgrown with weeds and mud. I hired Toni Ann Flanagan to both design and implement a Japanese Garden in a small Art Museum area row house backyard. Toni Ann is extremely experienced and works with her own contractor Dave Bonza. I had researched Japanese Gardens on the web and through books and had my own ideas of what I wanted. It took quite a while for both of us to agree on a design but she had many good ideas both aesthetically and pragmatically that added tremendously to achieving my goals. I started with a budget of $20,000 and although she tried to keep within it, ultimately to get the garden design I wanted, I went over budget by about $7000. She is very busy and the job was delayed for about a month but once it was started it was finished in a reasonable time. I could not be more pleased with the outcome, it is lovely to sit outside under the pergola, the plant beddings are very well designed and her choices of plantings fit in well with a Japanese Garden. She knew of where to order garden accents and get really nice stone tiles that were pretty unique. The backyard looks lovely even as Winter approaches, which is nice since I want to eventually have a picture window in the back of the house overlooking the garden. I intend to use her for more plantings in the Spring. And finally my husband said it was well worth the money spent even though we went over budget.
Charles C.
Mar 2008
The whole experience went really well. She's a great designer with great ideas. Her contractors were on time and within budget. We really enjoyed her professionalism and experience.
HANNAH D.
Jul 2007
She got to my request very quickly considering the time of year that I called. I really enjoyed the website that they have and their philosophies. They were very creative and outgoing however I did notice that the rates had went up a bit from the previous reports that I had seen on the list.
Response from PHILADELPHIA GARDEN INC
"I CHANGED MY PRICES IN THE BEGINNING OF 2007. THEY ARE NOW $200/INITIAL CONSULTATION. THERE IS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I WAS LISTED BEFORE MY PRICE CHANGE. SORRY."
JANET D.
Nov 2006
It was great, and I have recommended the consultation to several friends. I thought that I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, but the ideas and expertise that Toni Ann provided were beyond what I would have thought of on my own. I learned a lot about design that day and how to put extra touches on the project that I would have never thought of, but that will make it so much better! I took 3 pages of notes! We have decided to do the work ourselves for 2 reasons, to save money and to have the satisfaction of doing it. The only part we are having done professionally is the fence by a co. she recommended. It was worth the $100!
Licensing
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FAQ
PHILADELPHIA GARDEN INC is currently rated 4.9 overall out of 5.
No, PHILADELPHIA GARDEN INC does not offer free project estimates.
No, PHILADELPHIA GARDEN INC does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, PHILADELPHIA GARDEN INC does not offer a senior discount.
No, PHILADELPHIA GARDEN INC does not offer emergency services.
No, PHILADELPHIA GARDEN INC does not offer warranties.