When was the work done?
The work was done in April, 2015. What was involved?
It was a complete makeover of a very large back garden that had been neglected for about 15 to 20 years. It was in very bad shape. We asked Diarmuid to come in on short notice because the builders were starting on the house and they didn't want to go near the garden it was so bad. The initial plan was to clear it out and get it back at least to the bare soil. The garden is very big, 120-130 yards long and there was so much to take out that it took them 10 days to clear.
The builders had already paved a patio but when the garden was cleared, we saw that the paving that was there might not be sufficient. We asked Diarmuid back to come up with ideas for extending the patio and to landscape the rest of the garden. That involved putting in a new lawn, adding a paving area at the far end of the garden and raised beds.
How did you choose New Seasons Landscaping?
I knew Diarmuid's brother quite well. I knew that Diarmuid had been in the landscaping business a long time so I figured that if he was still doing it after so many years that he must be good. I gave Diarmuid a call, asked him to come in and we discussed the project. He took me to a bunch of his former customers and to see work that he had done first hand.
I had spoken to other landscapers but I was having a hard time getting them to get back to me with solid proposals. It was very frustrating. The prices they were quoting was also way out of line with what Diamuid quoted. It was as if they were quoting for a Rolls Royce!
Had you definite ideas in mind before you talked to Diarmuid O'Sullivan?
I didn't no, in fact the job spec changed once the work began. One thing I definitely didn't want was to have the old, mature shrubs coming back to haunt us in the future. I wanted them cleared out once and for all.
Did Diarmuid introduce new ideas?
He did, yes. Diarmuid came back to us with 3-4 rough designs dealing with ways to extend the patio and other garden features such as raised beds and planting. From those designs, we trimmed it down to a working plan.
How did the project run?
I would have to say that it was the best experience of the whole housing project. When the builders wanted nothing to do with the garden, I turned to Diarmuid and he was able to step in on short notice, literally the next day. The guys that Diarmuid had working with him were polite and thoughtful with regards to the way they went about the job. Diarmuid had said the job would take 6 weeks and they finished slightly before that time. To do so, they worked solidly through rain, frost and anything else that came up. As far as the practicalities, Diarmuid came in on price and the completed job was bang on with what we wanted, in fact it turned out even better. There were no bumps along the way and my wife and I are delighted with the garden, it's been a great source of pleasure.
What was the biggest benefit to you of using New Seasons Landscaping?
The biggest benefit of using Diarmuid was that he thought of things with regards to the bigger picture, not just what was in the plans. For instance, he thought of the garden in relation to the neighbours and aspects of light. Diarmuid would also just pop up out of nowhere with a selection of plants for us to look at and consider. If we liked them great, if not, he took them away. Little things like that made a difference.
What's your favourite part now?
The stonework, it's absolutely superb. One of the guys on Diarmuid's team did it and the attention to detail was fantastic. It's been in 5-6 months now and it still looks as good as the day it was finished.
Would you recommend New Seasons Landscaping to others?
I would yes, definitely.
Any tips for other people?
Find someone that has the time to spend with you and the patience to take your ideas on board and give them proper thought. I also think it's important to have good chemistry between yourself and the person carrying out the project.
