Summary:
Landscape maintenance - 2/5
Irrigation maintenance - 2/5
Landscape construction - 5/5
Retaining wall construction - 5/5
Drainage work - 4/5
Over the four years I've worked with Metro Greenscape, I've engaged them in two large scale projects amounting to a seven figure investment at my home and one commercial retaining wall project into the twenty or thirty thousand range. Maintenance has been my chief concern, as well as generally being proactive around things covered or not while onsite.
The residential projects included substantial and sophisticated rock and column work on surfaces related to my home, complicated natural appearing pond systems, expansive multi-acre landscaping, irrigation, natural-appearing pool construction following the theme of the ponds on site, as well as ongoing maintenance. Our relationship now extends 4 years.
I can't say things were or are perfect, they weren't, aren't and seldom are. We do have ongoing construction related issues that we know will be solved, and ongoing irrigation problems that are causing some issues with our landscaping.
On the work, the quality of the pond and water fall construction, stone work, and pool are exceptional - these stand out as crown jewels of our property and the work that Metro Greenscape performed. I conveyed basic design concepts and providing crude drawings of what I wanted to accomplish and they built it. My guidance on stonework on our home was followed exactly and the results are truly exceptional at any price. The feeling of our property is resort like and attracts such comments from guests around the world. I have yet to see a hotel property that I like better! I don't believe any other group could have achieved these end results. We've constructed an area that could be mistaken for a mountain home in Colorado or anywhere in the mountains, but are in the foothills of North Carolina conveniently located near Charlotte. The build involved dozens of truckloads (full 53' trailer loads) of stone brought in from the Virginia mountains to give us the appearance we were looking for.
On the landscaping, I've certainly seen a bit of the concerns outlined here. Plants and trees that died, maybe they could have been planted and maintained better. Generally speaking after a concern is cited, these items are replaced and in a prompt manner. I do have to cite the problem myself to have these issues resolved.
On the maintenance side, I have to reduce the number of stars given heavily on the overall review, we spend tens of thousands per year per, and have for many years now. I had noticed, and did continue to notice until recent months, that maintenance was improving. Unfortunately it has declined, and I have to comment on concerns around turf care - I have dead patches all over the turf on our property. Much of this started with a switch to a third party for overseeing and fertilization in years past and has not been remedied. Replacement sod is placed in and then dies again in the same areas.. Other areas where no comment or action is taken include irrigation that is wildly miss-performing and appearance problems also where no comment or action is taken. Many of my concerns are unlikely to affect the average maintenance customer, though I suspect the turf concerns are a problem that would affect everyone.
For retaining walls, I have a commercial building that had an adjoining property behind it with a deep slope. This caused drainage and appearance issues. We wanted to solve the water flow and appearance issues, but also make it useable for team members to sit out-side and hang out during lunch breaks or otherwise. The area behind the building was built up substantially and a paver walk way installed, drainage installed, and a nice wall that retained simple to maintain plants installed. The build up resulted in water leakage into the facility, which was promptly addressed by removing the build up, applying sealer to the wall of the building, and adding additional drainage. This was done very promptly. Years later it still looks good, the low-maintenance plants are covering most of the wall, and no maintenance is necessary. The drainage works extremely well in the end. The wall is approximately 5ft tall by 60ft wide, and the surface buildup underneath approximately 2ft.