Gardens C/O Elliott

Serves Arlington, VA

35244

Hired 29 times

7 employees

15 years in business

$48/hour

4.9

This pro accepts payments via Check and Credit card.

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Credentials

Background Check

Elliott Hays
Completed on 2/9/2021

Introduction

I have 20 years experience with gardening and plants. I am a native Washingtonian, and all of my employees love and live in DC and enjoy making it look the best it can be. Some of my best customers are people who know and love their gardens and outside space. They want a person who appreciates it as much as they do and will treat it with the same love and attention that they themselves have invested into it. They want someone who will listen to them and understand what they want from their garden and will work to deliver that result. I know plants and seek to select them and/or tend them with the intention to extract the best performance they can provide. My first priority is to provide the best quality work, as efficiently as it can be done and to ensure that what my customers ultimately enjoy is bar none the best thing they could have gotten.

Q&A

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?

my rates reflect my experience and diligence. I charge time and materials at an hourly rate of $45 per person per hour with a minimum of 1 hour. Plant material pricing is based on market rates and therefor changes based on the prices it is available for at any given time. We also charge other miscellaneous charges as they are pertinent to the work, such as delivery and hauling fees which vary depending on what and how much is to brought or taken away.

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

To plan new work with a client it is essential to make arrangements to meet with the customer to see the job to be done and speak with the customer regarding the exact scope and vision of the work desired. After which I can provide an estimate. If the work is more complex, for example the design and planning for a new garden, the process is a little more involved. After determining what a customer wishes to have done, I will provide a plant list consisting of plants I think will thrive in the site. Once I have a clear idea of what the customer likes as far as plant material, I will create a garden design. When the customer approves a design scheme I can then provide an estimate for the project.

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

Everything I know, I gained through practice, experience, failure and success. My gardening style has developed from my own personal philosophies and what is best for the earth and best for people.

How did you get started doing this type of work?

Prior to founding my own business I worked as a garden manager for Gregor's Gardens, a high end gardening firm working mostly in Georgetown and Chevy Chase, where I learned everything about fine gardening. Later on I found myself gardening in my parents' garden in Mt Pleasant Washington in the late 2000s as a way to stay busy during a time that I was studying to certify as an IT specialist. As my parents' garden began to bloom and thrive their neighbors began to take notice and enquired if I could tend their gardens too. As time proceeded more people took notice of my work or recommended me to their friends and my client list grew and grew. About 3 years later I left my full time job as an IT technician with the FDA and determined to do gardening as a career.

What types of customers have you worked with?

I've worked with home owners of all types. from avid know-it-all gardeners to brand new home-owners without any idea of where to begin.

Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?

I recently built a two tier, 30ft, curved stacked retaining wall after a customer's hillside collapsed due to oversaturation. each tier was 3 feet tall above the ground line. It took me about 2 months to complete as I had to balance that large project with all of my regular scheduled work during the Autumn peak leaf fall. It was extremely satisfying to do and complete, however it was very intensive.

What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?

It is important to have a general understanding of how you use your outside space and how you would like to use your outside space; how it affects you and what it means to you. From this baseline understanding all your decisions can flow and your outside space will eventually take the perfect shape for you even if you don't have an exact blueprint or plan from the start.