For Diamond Certified landscaping companies, maintaining clients’ properties is just one component of the larger task of maintaining customer satisfaction. Sampson’s Landscaping, Inc. strives to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction by working closely with each client throughout every step of their landscaping project and clearly explaining all their options. “Our primary goal is to provide our customers with highly professional service that meets all their expectations,” says CEO Aaron Sampson.

Sampson’s Landscaping has been providing residential landscaping services for Marin County residents since 2004, handling everything from lawn maintenance and plant/irrigation system installations to woodwork and masonry. The company’s employees have special training in local microclimates, which enables them to select the right plants and features for each unique location.

Unlike less experienced landscaping companies that hire day laborers in an effort to reduce operating costs, Sampson’s Landscaping maintains a staff comprised solely of certified industry professionals, all of whom are highly trained and knowledgeable about the industry’s latest techniques and products. “We require our workers to have specific certifications, such as rose/fruit tree pruning and specialized installations,” adds Mr. Sampson. “Ongoing industry education is also important to us—we regularly send our technicians to seminars so they can get the latest training and earn new certifications.”

Another distinguishing attribute of Sampson’s Landscaping is its commitment to taking a professional approach in every aspect of its work, from its employees’ appearances to its strict adherence to project schedules. “Most landscaping companies don’t require their workers to wear uniforms, but we feel that’s an important part of a high-quality landscaping approach,” says Mr. Sampson. “We run a tight ship, which ultimately benefits our clients because we’re able to complete their projects on time and on budget.”

Before starting a landscape maintenance project, make sure you understand what type of work is best left to a professional.

Caring for and maintaining trees, flowers and shrubberies takes more expertise than one might assume. Inexperienced homeowners who undertake their own yard maintenance often find that their gardens inexplicably die, when the solution is often as simple as implementing proper irrigation and pruning methods. For an idea of what types of yard and garden maintenance are best left to experienced landscaping professionals, consider the following information:

Irrigation
While keeping the vegetation in your yard well-watered seems like a simple task, even irrigation has its complications. For one thing, plants differ in how much water they need: some need to be watered frequently, while others only require a minimal amount. When it comes to sprinkler or drip irrigation systems, the installation requires much precision. An improperly installed sprinkler system often results in the watering of areas that weren’t meant to be watered, such as a patch of unoccupied soil or the sidewalk. In addition to wasting water, this can encourage the growth of weeds and other adverse vegetation. A landscaping professional will be able to install your irrigation system so it waters your garden efficiently and according to each plant’s individual needs.

Pruning
Pruning is one of the most misunderstood areas of yard maintenance—depending on how it’s performed, it can either improve the health and beauty of a garden or destroy it. Though improper pruning may temporarily make a garden look better, it often negatively affects plants and renders them unable to flower again. Proper pruning techniques require acute knowledge, as different plants require different types of cuts at varying intervals. A common mistake is using gas-powered shearers to trim plants that are supposed to be pruned by hand. A certified landscaping professional will have the expertise to prune your plants according to their individual needs.

Fertilizing
Many homeowners assume an all-purpose fertilizer is literally for all plants, but that’s never the case. When fertilizing your garden, you must consider the specific needs of individual plants. The results of improper fertilizing can be seen when a plant starts flowering at the wrong time of year (known as “associate flowering”) or when a shrub produces flowers at its base instead of its top.

Q: Why are your services more expensive than other landscaping companies?
A: The biggest reason is because we’re fully insured, which means our customers don’t have to worry about being covered by liability insurance in case of an accident. Some people think their homeowner’s insurance will cover landscaping work, but that’s not the case. In addition, we provide top-quality, professional work that far exceeds other landscaping services.

Q: Can you help me figure out what to do with a certain area of my property?
A: Absolutely. Most people have neglected or undeveloped areas on their properties that have never quite come to fruition. In those cases, we’ll come in and design a feature that’ll improve the aesthetic look of the property and tie everything together. This could be anything from trees and plants to masonry pieces like flagstone patios or brick walls.

Q: Do you have a consistent maintenance staff?
A: Yes, we consistently have the same maintenance people working on our customers’ properties, so you can be assured the person who starts your job will be there until it’s finished.

Q: Why do your crew members wear uniforms?
A: It just looks more professional—the uniform has the employee’s name and company name on it, so homeowners can easily identify who’s on their property.

Q: Can you provide references?
A: Of course. Many customers ask to see previous jobs and talk to past clients before they hire us, so we’ll either take them to a job and do a walkthrough or provide them with a list of clients to contact by phone.