The Garden Tutors

I contacted The Garden Tutors after having a bad experience with another landscape company. I had never used a landscape designer before and had misgivings about the process after the previous experience. They arrived on time and discussed my thoughts on the changes I wanted to make. They immediately sat down and sketched out a plan, including recommended plants, discussing each part of the plan in detail. They were very willing to discuss changes and alternatives and I was very pleased with both the design and the implementation. I have strong opinions and am not shy about sharing those opinions and I felt they were very respectful and were able to explain why certain things I wanted would not work (soil, light, etc). Highly recommended.

Carol and Jim came to our house. They talked to us about our style and what we wanted in our front yard. Going drought tolerant so they made sure that is what we got. We did all the work ourselves but having their design to work from made the job so much easier. If you want a yard design I would not hesitate to recommend them.

Carole came to the house and laid out a plan for the backyard. Then she worked with a gardener to put the plan in place. Seven months later I have been very pleased with the results. I hired the gardener who cares for the yard regularly.

Father and daughter came to my house as agreed, listened to my ideas, and made a nice drawing of what it would look like. I was excited with the plan, and they were to send me a cost estimate. I never heard back!!! What’s up with that? If they didn’t want to do the job, they should have told me instead of leaving me waiting and wondering.

Carole Detherage seems like a decent designer, but her contractor management skills are severely lacking. The contractor shows up twice a week only after normal work hours and Saturday’s. Just for the front yard, the project has taken four weeks and it’s not even half done. That and she doesn’t understand municipal ordinances. While working in the yard, the Garden Tutor and its contractor kicked up enough dust to cover the nearly the entire block. There’s a dust and nuisance ordinance in city of Sacramento. Furthermore, the dust is a pollutant in accordance with the State Air Resources Board. When confronted about the dust and pollution, Carole Detherage told me to «just take it because sh*t happens.» So, besides being a polluter and law breaker, The Garden Tudors will crap all over the neighbors because it is too inconsiderate to be bothered to do the right thing. The Garden Tutor is disappointing.

I am having Jim and Carole assist with a casual, reasonable plan for my large back yard. We have just begun the process but it is so obvious that they are both highly knowledgeable and love what they do. They have been to the house twice, provided us with a fabulous plan to work from… will report back when it is all done, but I am very, very pleased with all the services that Jim and Carole provide… you will be too.

Carole and Jim came out to my house and were able to tell me all about my garden and what to plant where and what to do for my sick plants. This is a great service and affordable!