Services

Our services include:

• Our specialty is existing yard renovation
• Re-grading of existing yards to correct drainage problems
• Re-Leveling of existing sidewalks, patios and paving stone driveways
• Complete New Home landscape installation from start to finish.
• Landscape Consulting starting @ $250.00 plus GST
• Free Estimates
• Insurance Claim Estimates starting @ $250.00 plus GST
• Skid Steer and Dump Truck rental (with operator) on an hourly basis

We install the following:

Sod & Soil

We use a good quality 4 way mix soil supplied by Anseeuw Bros. www.anseeusbros.com. We order enough soil to cover the area 4” thick then we compact and rake it level. Soil is ordered by the cubic yard. Keep in mind that all soil contains weed seeds. It if is used in gardens or flower beds, you can expect growth after a couple of waterings. It is not a problem under sod as the sunlight does not get through to encourage growth.

The sod is the finest quality peat sod grown in Manitoba. Hildebrand Sod Farm www.hildebrandsod.ca has provided us with a great product for over 25 years. Sod is always ordered fresh off the field and installed as soon as possible once delivered. Sod is ordered by the square yard and extra is often ordered to allow for waste. Customers are urged to have hoses and sprinklers available for us so we can start watering as we install. If the weather is hot, this is very critical. Make sure the water is turned on at your outside tap. For people doing their own landscaping, this is the risky part, as sod only keeps for a couple of days. Should rainy conditions prevent installation, there is a risk of the sod spoiling.

Trees and Shrubs

We supply and install premium quality plants which we purchase from Lacoste Garden Centre www.lacostegardencentre.com. We find the quality is excellent and the price is reasonable. Our price to the customer includes the plant itself, labour to install, soil for planting, and a 1 year warranty on the plant and the labour for planting. For some larger planting quantities we will often meet our customer at Lacoste Garden Centre to help with picking out the plants. For the bigger more expensive plants, we prefer this method.

Customers can purchase their plants elsewhere if they wish and we will only charge the labour for the planting. The warranty for the plant would then come from where they were purchased.

A source of water is essential when we arrive to keep the plants form drying out before and after planting. Care instructions are provided when the job is complete.

New Flower and Shrub Beds

This aspect of landscaping is something in which everyone can participate. Using a garden hose or marking paint you can be creative laying out your own bed designs. Keep in mind that sunny locations will provide for the most variety of colourful plants when choosing plants to install into the bed. A nearby water source is also important as a sunny location requires more water.

If the bed is mainly to be planted with shrubs, only the top 4" of grass needs to be removed and planting pits can be dug for each individual plant. If annuals or perennials are being planted, digging 12" to 16" in the entire area is more advisable for easier planting.

If the bed is to be filled with shrubs, consider a ground cover such as wood mulch or a decorative stone with a landscape fabric underneath to reduce watering and weeding. A good quality edging will help prevent grass and weeds from regrowing in the bed area.

Lawn Edging

The most commonly used edging is a good quality commercial grade heavy plastic lawn edging available in 20 ft. lengths. When installed properly it will stay in the ground for years without needing repair. Only a 1” round edge remains above ground and is a good guide for the lawnmower. The I-Con Edger is another common edging and is made of concrete. This is a much more expensive option but definitely adds a nicer visual effect.

Natural Local Woodmulch

All mulch ground covers have three purposes;decoration, moisture retention and temporary weed control. The most affordable is a natural woodmulch which is produced by pruning or tree removal companies. Large branches are put through a chipper and can then be recycled by using the chips as a mulch. This product will last 4 to 5 years before needing topping up. We do not always recommend using a weed barrier underneath as the mulch compacts well and provides a weed barrier that way. At least a 4 “ thick layer is installed initially. As this mulch will decay and break down to a humus material this can be beneficial to the plants.

Landscape Fabric (also known as weed barrier)

This product has several functions. Its primary use is to retain moisture, especially around newly planted trees and shrubs. Secondly, it can help control weeds for a couple of years while new plants are getting established. Remember that dust and weed seeds will blow into the beds and eventually weed growth will occur. Finally, it helps when a mulch has to be removed and replaced because of soil and weed contamination. Labour costs for removal can amount to more than the cost of initially installing the landscape fabric.

Red, gold, black and dark brown enviro mulch

This product is dyed in different colours and prevents the wood from decay, thus can last much longer than natural wood mulch. As it does not compact as well as the natural wood mulch we do recommend a weed barrier be used. The different colour choices definitely make this enviro mulch worth the additional cost.

All sizes and colours of decorative stone

Stone is a more permanent product, but does not mean it does not need to be replaced once in a while. Like all stones and mulches, it too will collect dust, dirt and weed seeds. Stone is more expensive for the product and the labour to install it. Cleaning stone would cost as much as replacing it, keeping in mind this is very labour intensive. Landscape fabric or weed barrier is always used under stone but is not a permanent answer to weed control. There is no permanent solution.

Stone retaining walls and planters

The most common stone used for planters or retaining walls are Stack Stone or Roman Stack Stone made by Barkman Concrete www.barkmanconcrete.com. These products are installed a lot more affordably than most people think. What a beautiful addition to any landscape!

Pressure treated wood retaining walls and planters

The most commonly used timber is the Cedartone 4” x 4” x 8 ft. long size. Planters for gardens or small retaining walls are very affordable using wood instead of stone, usually lasting around 20 years.

 

Corrugated metal window wells

This product is only used around basement windows when the ground level is required to be raised above the window for drainage purposes.

 

New sidewalk blocks and paving stone

The most common blocks we install are of the Lexington and Brookside Collection made by Barkman Concrete www.barkmanconcrete.com. The two sizes available are 16” x 16” or 16” x 24”. These two sizes allow us to do patterns in a walk or a patio. The cost of this is considerably less than paving stone. Good colour selections make for some great walks or patios!

Landscape boulders

These are mainly used as a decorative addition to the landscape and to add character and definition. They are often used in decorative creek beds. They range in size from 12” to 36”. Usually the size of the stone and the size of the order determines the cost of each stone. Delivery and installation can cost extra unless we are doing other work at your home. Customers are welcome to meet us at an arranged time to pick out the boulders they like.

Gravel driveways

This is often a more affordable solution to concrete. Excavation depths should be 12” to 18” for most vehicle use. Only 4” is required for a walking path.