Drought Tolerant Landscaping Services in Marshall, VA

“I have used Yard Sharks for mulching, tree cutting and 13 large stump removals. They were punctual and accomplished the job quicker than I anticipated. I will definitely use them again.”

“The crew came out and did a great job pulling out and replanting the foundation planting at my home. The pulled out 7 old azaleas and 3 newer ones, The 3 they replanted in another area for me. The new planting was done quickly and all the material appears to be doing great. The Paperbark Maple is of excellent quality and well shaped. The crew was courteous and polite. The nandinas and hydrangeas used in the new planting were of excellent quality and size. This was not contractor grade material, true nursery stock quality.”

“I have worked with Ed Ball and Exquisite Exteriors for over five years on several projects and their knowledge, experience, attitude, and ability to work well with sub contractors and homeowners is outstanding. Ed Ball and his staff are always professional and courteous of others and his integrity is first class. Ian Williams President/CEO Encore Custom Audio Video, LLC”

“We have used Landscape Concepts continuously since 2012 for landscape services, mowing and routine maintenance and clean up. They are really good at minimizing any disturbance of surrounding plants when they are working. They keep our property looking as good as it can be. Their crews are excellent: thorough, efficient, respectful and responsive. Their clean up after working is always really great. They have planted, transplanted, and removed trees, bushes and other plantings at my exact direction (I'm very hands-on). While the cost to guarantee their plantings is high (60% of the cost of the plant material) it is the industry standard and Dale honors his guarantee with no-cost replacement. They do excellent hard-scaping (stone walls, brick and paver patios, etc). They are usually pretty prompt, but some seasons are pretty busy, so give yourself some lead time if you have a hard deadline. Dale is very knowledgeable, responsive, accessible and easy to coordinate with. I find a lack of continuity with landscape architects on staff, so it is helpful for you to have an idea of what you like or want when it comes to designing a space. I always keep a project plan with detailed notes and make progress updates. Credit card payment is not accepted.”

“Don is a creative landscape architect that my wife and I have found to be resourceful and diligent in planning our backyard pool, patio, hot tub, deck and golf green. He spent time with us upfront to understand our needs and although the plan grew in scope as we became more aware of what our backyard could become, we are very happy with the result! ”

“I had a great experience with bacqyard. I had a million ideas for my small backyard but just couldn’t decide. Working with a designer helped me create a space in my home that I absolutely love. Jonathan was great; we had a video call that allowed me to express what I was looking for in my design. He responded quickly when I made several design changes. I also loved that when it came to matching me with a contractor, they did a fantastic job of helping me find a good contractor in my area. I find I would definitely use bacqyard again! I have already recommended them to several friends. We are breaking ground in a few weeks and I am soooo excited!! Thank you, thank you!!”

“Clear Blue Landscapes provided a landscape design around my pool, as well as a hardscape design for a fire pit and walkway. The current landscaping around my pool was overgrown and they provided a new design that we were delighted with after installation. The new plants and shrubs give us a a great deal of visual interest as well as seasonal interest almost all year long. In addition, they designed us a stack-stoned fire pit, stone walkway, and stacked-stone bench for sitting. The hardscaping design is very funcational, and has provided us with hours of relaxation around the fire pit. We found Clear Blue Landscapes very professional to work with. We were kept informed through every stage, and were provided excellent advise and design work. We would highly recommend them!”

“Dave is now working on a second project for us after a terrific job on his first project. He first designed a patio that extends out from our deck. By doing this he opened up our entertaining area tremendously while providing a new view of a small pond we have had for ages but only enjoyed from the screened in porch. He also redesigned our front walk, doubling the width, adding a sitting area and really finishing off a front that was bland to start. It has provided a more formalized look but still warm and welcoming. Next up, an outdoor Kitchen. We are excited to work with Dave again.”

“We just finished our first project with Geoscape, but we knew well before it was finished that we would be happy with the end result. Not only do we highly recommend Geoscape, we are starting our second project and will begin working plans for a third and fourth over the next few months. By giving us questions to consider and showing us visually how they have handled other problematic areas along with their innovative ideas, Ken quickly grasped what we were trying to achieve but did not know how to describe ourselves. Geoscape delivered high value by advising us how to use our resources for high gain. They helped us understand where to make trade-offs to get the optimal result and stay within budget. He presented multiple options within our price range and thoroughly pointed out the pros and cons of each. The detailed explanations enabled us to make the right decisions all along the way. The other aspect of value was their willingness to work with what we had when practical vs. starting completely anew without compromising the outcome desired. The project management aspect was professional and dependable. They kept us informed about when people would and wouldn’t be onsite and what to expect as the work progressed. Ken walked us through major stages to explain what was done and why. In addition to Ken’s personal attention, there was always someone onsite that could answer any questions that we had. Although more creative solutions were offered, it never felt like pressure to upsell but rather help us visual the capabilities. Along with this, he pointed out how the current project might affect future projects to ensure we made informed decisions. We look forward to our next projects with Geoscape. Craig and Kandi Molyneaux”

“In 2010, my wife and I purchased a beautiful 68 acre farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The farmhouse, originally built in 1817, and then expanded in 1867, was in fairly original condition, and optimally located in the center of the property. It's most significant problem, however, was water. Rain water would shed off the nearby ridge, and pool in front of the house, and then ultimately leak through the hand dug cellar walls and cracks in the cement floor. The sump pump in the basement would run for weeks after a single heavy rain. Our little Garden of Eden was becoming a swamp. Consequently, we looked to Joe Duggan of J. Duggan & Associates to help structurally, and permanently, solve our water problem. This was our first time working with a landscape architect. Joe recommended and coordinated the hiring of several key professionals to assist with the design of the project, namely a topographer/surveyor and an arborist. The topographer mapped the elevations around the farm house and associated ridge, and determined the various sources of the water pooling in front of the house. The arborist identified which of the seven 150 year old trees that closely ringed the house were still healthy, and which were in failing condition. With this data, Joe created several drafts of various front patio and stone retaining wall configurations that primarily solved our water problem, but also took advantage of the fabulous views from our front porch. The project plan we ultimately settled on was both simple and elegant, and in perfect keeping with the age of the house and surrounding farm land. The stone patio and stone retaining wall were built on reinforced concrete that had a series of drains embedded within the structure that successfully discharged water away from the house. Having stated that though, the drains are cleverly concealed within the patio and surrounding grounds. The patio is perfect for entertaining while it performs its utilitarian task of keeping water out of the house. As we were new to the area, Joe also identified a stone mason/general contractor who actually built the patio and retaining walls according to his specifications. During construction, it seemed to us that one set of stone piers looked like they were going to be too high. Joe immediately came out, sat in the front porch chairs that we were sitting in, and agreed that the offending piers could be shortened. In the end, we have been exceptionally pleased with the work and care that Joe put into this project. The front porch/stone patio/stone retaining walls are beautiful, and in keeping with the spirit of our house and farm.”