English Country Gardens
About us
English Country Gardens is a Landscape Construction and Planting Company and Bulk Materials Retail garden Center serving Northern Virginia since 1985. We offer Landscape Consultations/Designs and Estimates at your home. We install, patios, walks, walls, pergolas, fireplaces, fire pits, water features and planted beds. Our primary goal in every project is to create not just a landscape, but a garden--a special place for you and your family that has all your favorite elements, for all seasons and for years to come.
Business highlights
Emergency services offered
40 years of experience
Services we offer
Compost, Designs and Proposals. installation & construction of patios, GARDEN CENTER - Bulk Mulch, Gravels and stone., LANDSCAPING- Consultations, Topsoil, decks and planting beds, fences, fire pits, fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, walks, walls, water features
Amenities
Emergency Services
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
Reviews
4.738 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 76% | ||
| 18% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 5% | ||
| 0% |
Showing 1-25 of 38 reviews
S A.
Apr 2017
It's the best one in the neighborhood. Pete and his workers were outstanding. I can't say enough great things about this service and business. I definitely would hire them again and recommend them to everyone. Well done!
Jennifer S.
Jan 2016
unknown
NOELLE C.
May 2015
unknown
Thomas F.
Apr 2015
I've been purchasing from English Country Gardens since it opened and I have never been disappointed. They are easy to work with and reliable.
Brandon L.
Jan 2015
They were stable and reliable. I would use them again.
Andrew L.
Dec 2014
Our experience with them went very well. They were great. She came out and took a photo and gave me an estimate. Her design turned out really well.
Donna J.
Dec 2014
Great. Two other bidders did not bother to submit an estimate, and an additional bidder came in with an estimate greater than our budget. I'll note here that the sidewalk is quite long, wide enough for a walker, and curves around the house. The stone is beautiful. English Country Gardens will be doing additional work on our yard in the spring, and more as budgetary constraints allow. We paid the electrician separately for the installation of the lighting since it had to been done at a later date; this due to our personally selecting and ordering lighting from a separate company with unfortunate delays in receiving unbroken lamps.
Charles C.
Oct 2014
Performance was excellent. Based on several bids, price was reasonable. Jose and his team did a terrific job. Very professional and on-time. Reseeded area around the sidewalk and porch when work completed.. Would definitely employ ECG again.
Julie A.
Aug 2014
We had some trees die and it took him a long, long, long time. It was months. It was covered by the guarantee and I don't think he was in a hurry to get out here because there wasn't any cash involved. It is complete now. He had given us a flat rate for the job. He is very creative and has a wonderful eye for what needs to be done. We are very pleased with the final results. However, it really took way too long to replace a couple of trees that died last winter. They were just replaced a few weeks ago. He said there were some issues with getting those trees. We said to get us something else. We were going to go with Magnolias and then they brought the original type of trees. That was fine but they should have told us. Their communication wasn't very good. My husband called them twice a week. I really love the finished product. We had some issues with them saying they would be here and then not showing up. When they did what they did, it was great.
Response from English Country Gardens
"The trees in question were large Deodar Cedars which we did not realize when we installed them, but they are not the most readily available trees. We searched all of our growers and local suppliers last Fall but couldn't find the size we needed to replace the originals and informed the Homeowners of such. We again started looking this Spring with no luck and then started talking about other options. We decided on magnolias for the two dead trees but then in the meantime found 3 nice Deodar Cedars. I agree, we should have told the homeowner that was the plan but we actually replaced all 3 of the trees even though only 2 were dead because we thought we owed the homeowner that due to the delay in replacing them and we wanted them to match. The delay had nothing to do with no money involved, if that was the case we would have only replaced the 2 dead trees, not all 3."
Lisa A.
Jul 2014
Mr. Field arrived at this address and gave a quick and accurate site survey. A contract was drawn the same day indicating that work would commence on or about mid June. Due to quite a bit of rain before mid June the crew still arrived in a timely manor. Their work was meticulous and it was easy to tell that they have a lot of experience in landscaping. I was amazed at the time that was taken and the precision used to build the retaining wall as well as facing the existing stoop.
I have been dealing with ECG for years, even when it was owned by Southern States, and I recently heard that they did high quality landscaping. I generally get estimates from two or three vendors for a given project, but in this case I went with ECG because of their reputation, I'm glad I did. I cannot speak as to whether or not they are too expensive, as I have noted that comment made by other reviewers. To me it was worth the price I paid because of the quality of craftsmanship and the pride taken in their work.
William S.
Jun 2014
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Bill F.
May 2014
Peter Field met with us in April to plan a back yard makeover to include improved garden beds and the addition of a fieldstone patio with retaining wall. He drew up plans and we discussed particulars regarding plantings and stonework. We set a date and the ECG crew worked with precision and pride in their product. During the two weeks this project took, they were punctual and exacting in carrying out Peter Field's design. We are thrilled with the end result.
Bob G.
May 2014
Chose this firm based on the reputation of the owner. Overall project design was good but it fell short in execution.
They sent out inexperienced college kids home for the summer to do the work, not professional landscapers. The job was not done correctly-bed shape was uneven and plants were spaced unevenly and they didn't provide the contracted plant size. They ultimately fixed most of the issues after I pointed them out, but the beds still are irregular.
I had also asked for deer resistant plants because there are deer prevalent in the neighborhood. Subsequently found out the what was planted was not at all deer resistant and I spent over $200 on chemicals and devices to keep the deer away after they ate the blooms and leaves off the plants.
They sent out inexperienced college kids home for the summer to do the work, not professional landscapers. The job was not done correctly-bed shape was uneven and plants were spaced unevenly and they didn't provide the contracted plant size. They ultimately fixed most of the issues after I pointed them out, but the beds still are irregular.
I had also asked for deer resistant plants because there are deer prevalent in the neighborhood. Subsequently found out the what was planted was not at all deer resistant and I spent over $200 on chemicals and devices to keep the deer away after they ate the blooms and leaves off the plants.
Response from English Country Gardens
"This job was completed last September and I stopped by twice after the installation to make minor adjustments to ensure that the Owner was happy with the project. It’s odd that this review was posted the day after I had to go to the Owners house to collect a $2,100 balance which was due from last September and for which we had made a number of phone calls, sent numerous past due letters and even certified mail asking for payment, with no response from the Owner at all, not concerning issues with the landscape nor when we might receive payment. I am also perplexed as to why he would spend over $200 on chemicals, for I am assuming the holly since that was the only plant not completely deer resistant, when all he had to do was call us and we would have taken care of that or switched out the plant. As to the contracted price of plants, we didn’t have a large enough holly in stock and so installed a smaller holly and reduced the invoice accordingly. My crews have worked for me on average nine years and some of my foremen have worked for me for almost twenty years.. Peter Field - Owner"
Samuel T.
Apr 2014
Everything went as planned. Sent a crew of three and project was completed on time. We were very pleased with their work and very impressed with how clean they left things day after day, as project took six days to complete.
Diana C.
Apr 2014
Our experience with them was okay. It was adequate. They were pretty prompt. Their price was probably about the average cost.
Paul B.
Apr 2014
An estimate that never came off.
Response from English Country Gardens
"I really apologize for the way you have been treated. Brian has only been with us for a few weeks as a designer and he obviously dropped the ball on your project. I have discussed it with him and reiterated the importance of responding promptly and the consequences if he doesn't. We obviously will refund your design/consult fee. I do offer my services, at no cost, to draw up a design and estimate for you if you wish but I also understand if you are not interested based on your experience with us. I just don't want you thinking that is how we ordinarily operate. We take pride in our customer service as attested to by our Angieslist Super service awards these past two years. Peter Field -Owner"
Henry C.
Mar 2014
The plan itself and the process to develop the plan were extremely good. This was a master plan for the overall property, one that we could install in stages as budget allowed. Peter was thorough, listened closely, and came back several times to refine the proposal. In the end we wound up with what we sought, a very comprehensive, beautiful plan that could be used by anyone to map out installation.
The bidding process to install the first phase of the plan went off the rails a bit. We bid out the plan to 3 providers, all off of Angie's list, including English Country Gardens. We thought they would have had the inside lead given they had developed the plan. The initial 'budgetary' estimates provided during the design phase certainly sounded promising. The final estimate for installation was significantly higher than any other estimate or the initial budgetary bid. When we talked to discuss the size of the difference, there was difficulty in understanding what was or was not included in the initial estimate.
In the end, we wound up with what we hoped, an excellent design plan that could be used by anyone. We had wanted to use the same company that designed to install but got a little concerned with the discrepancy and the confusion. No complaints at all on the plan and design, but as with anything, always good to get several estimates from companies that come recommended.
The bidding process to install the first phase of the plan went off the rails a bit. We bid out the plan to 3 providers, all off of Angie's list, including English Country Gardens. We thought they would have had the inside lead given they had developed the plan. The initial 'budgetary' estimates provided during the design phase certainly sounded promising. The final estimate for installation was significantly higher than any other estimate or the initial budgetary bid. When we talked to discuss the size of the difference, there was difficulty in understanding what was or was not included in the initial estimate.
In the end, we wound up with what we hoped, an excellent design plan that could be used by anyone. We had wanted to use the same company that designed to install but got a little concerned with the discrepancy and the confusion. No complaints at all on the plan and design, but as with anything, always good to get several estimates from companies that come recommended.
Helen T.
Mar 2014
Peter arrived punctually at my home despite battling I-95 traffic up from Prince William County. After his survey of my difficulties and an indepth conversation to thoroughly understand what we were looking for, he made great suggestions and outlined his plan. He followed up with a detailed drawing of his proposal as well as cost information. It was very helpful for both Peter and us to have a good idea of what we were trying to achieve to help him focus on a plan that met out needs/wants.
Workers arrived punctually and over two days dug, installed, and restored the yard so it was set for spring planting. Around March 15 they returned to plant shrubs and seed the yard where they'd installed the drains and established beds.
Project was extremely well done by a very professional group of folks!
Workers arrived punctually and over two days dug, installed, and restored the yard so it was set for spring planting. Around March 15 they returned to plant shrubs and seed the yard where they'd installed the drains and established beds.
Project was extremely well done by a very professional group of folks!
Don R.
Feb 2014
Excellent service. A little pricey, but very nicely done with lots of complements from the neighbors and passers-by. Responsive service, and meets his commitments. Peter checked progress frequently and he adjusted and corrected as necessary to get the best product.
Sue S.
Feb 2014
I did use this English Country Gardens for some landscaping and it was okay. I used them last year I guess, last year I think it was. For the costing – I not really remember it’s been a while so I guess need to look it up. I use them for something really good then I put it on or write it on Angie’s List. They do what they are supposed to do. I guess they were good but weren’t exceptional. Price is a little high. They were responsive. They were professional. I guess if I needed. I can’t imagine that I haven't use them because I’ve got my landscaping done but I am not so sure if I would consider them again. I am not sure if I would use them or not. I would probably check around for price.
Brandon L.
Nov 2013
We paid to have a landscape designer create detailed plans for our project using software and got a very detailed proposal from another company; we had no concerns with the design or proposal. As a second estimate, we had Peter from English Country Gardens create a plan for essentially no cost. Peter's design was hand drawn, not overly detailed, but detailed enough for us to know what his vision was. His estimate came in 15% less than the other proposal. We went with Peter because of references, cost and the fact that he wasn't overly aggressive in selling his services; it turned out to be the right decision. Peter was very flexible with changing plans as the patio was built per our requests. He added an extra wall at no cost after the patio took shape. The crew suggested the wall and it was a great addition. His crew did not cut any corners, if anything they goldplated, adding extra sod, extra steps, extra wall, ect. The project turned out super, no complaints. We very much appreciate the hard work of his crew and enjoyed working with Peter.
Deborah B.
Nov 2013
See above.
Jerome P.
Sep 2013
This company does great work! The workers were all hard working and honest. The price was at a fair market price but with the quality of design and work done, a great bargain. Project went over the scheduled timeframe but that was due to the weather. Highly recommend!
Gayle H.
May 2013
We are pleased with Peter, owner of English Gardens. He delivers what he promises. He wants to be sure his customers are satisfied with the work done before collecting the rest of payment. We are starting to get compliments from neighbors about our yard which is nice considering how bad it looked last fall.
Update: Unfortunately, 5 months after my review, many of the shrubs planted last Spring have died and our lawn is mostly weeds now. Peter had said someone would come out last Spring to reseed areas where there was no grass, but it was never done, and unfortunately, weeds were able to take control. To Peter's defense, he has said someone will be going around in September, to replace any dead shrubs and to overseed since it did not get done last Spring. I will keep you posted to let you know the final outcome.
UPDATE: In September, Peter's crew came out and replaced all dead bushes and fertilized our lawn as a courtesy for the problems we had with our lawn because of not having enough grass seed planted. He stated they would seed in a few weeks to make up for not reseeding last Spring. In early November, I sent Peter an email letting him know I was not pleased with the seeding, because they failed to seed on the side of our yard. He apologized and personally came out himself two days later and did it himself. As I have said before, Peter does deliver what he promises, and is very apologetic when his crew has not done what they were supposed to do. He has even agreed to give us free fertilizer treatments in the Spring to make up for his crew's negligence. I would use Peter again and I have already referred him to our neighbor who used him recently.
Update: Unfortunately, 5 months after my review, many of the shrubs planted last Spring have died and our lawn is mostly weeds now. Peter had said someone would come out last Spring to reseed areas where there was no grass, but it was never done, and unfortunately, weeds were able to take control. To Peter's defense, he has said someone will be going around in September, to replace any dead shrubs and to overseed since it did not get done last Spring. I will keep you posted to let you know the final outcome.
UPDATE: In September, Peter's crew came out and replaced all dead bushes and fertilized our lawn as a courtesy for the problems we had with our lawn because of not having enough grass seed planted. He stated they would seed in a few weeks to make up for not reseeding last Spring. In early November, I sent Peter an email letting him know I was not pleased with the seeding, because they failed to seed on the side of our yard. He apologized and personally came out himself two days later and did it himself. As I have said before, Peter does deliver what he promises, and is very apologetic when his crew has not done what they were supposed to do. He has even agreed to give us free fertilizer treatments in the Spring to make up for his crew's negligence. I would use Peter again and I have already referred him to our neighbor who used him recently.
William C.
Jan 2013
They were excellent and did a great job. Their customer service is unparalleled; it really blew us away. It was a moderate-sized job. Their work is a good value for what I spent.
Licensing
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FAQ
English Country Gardens is currently rated 4.7 overall out of 5.
English Country Gardens accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard
No, English Country Gardens does not offer free project estimates.
No, English Country Gardens does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, English Country Gardens does not offer a senior discount.
Yes, English Country Gardens offers emergency services.
No, English Country Gardens does not offer warranties.