Lisa N.
04/06/2023 12:00:00 SA
Through word of mouth from residents within my community, after disappointing landscape consults with about 5-6 Landscaping Companies who showed no interest in offering design ideas yet market themselves in magazines etc. heavily, I met with Tarasco Landscaping LLC owner, Isais Tarasco, to discuss a basic concept for both my front and yards for functionality and lower maintenance and repair of a broken irrigation system. What I got from Isais in 2 days were sketches of what would become a living blueprint of the final design with the ability to mold into something that was his design fith my personal touches and small changes, vvery similar to working with a licensed landscape architect without tens of thousands just for the plans.
Gone from the front yard was a flat and rocky ground cover with high maintenance shrubs. Gone from the backyard was a flat partially covered rock and dirt ground cover with no plants but just one unproductive orange tree. Gone was the need to hike across an entire yard of rocks to get from the front yard to the rear unless you went through the house. In came a whole new contoured front yard with all new docks and boulders and brick paver accents and walkway to the back yard. This is in addition to a permanent American Flagpole and drought resistant navies cacti and other agave plants requiring little to no maintenance.
Gone from the backyard was an ugly rocky and dirt covered ground with a fruitless orange tree and short 1 foot planter to trip over with no plants or even rock. In came a continuation of the paver walkway from the front through a new powder coated rod-iron gate with wood like looking tight fitting composite slats and a passage door handle and singe cylinder deadbolt. As l designed into the backyard space was a nice planter wall. A place for my natural gas barbecue. Gorgeous artificial turf and an uncovered sunning patio area for when you are not putting on the new additional putting green or enjoying the look of a much larger planter wall with all types of drought resistant plants. And while all this was done, Isais and his team fixed my irrigation issues and no more flooding.
During the construction phase, Isais and I were always reexamining progress and alternate ideas. This is another thing I liked about Isais. He can be at times somewhat flexible to make redlines to his plan and do something more, less, or different. Isais has a keen eye for detail and the natural aesthetics of southwest landscape and enjoys new challenges and making every job unique as a designer and for his clients. He does not enjoy the cookie cutter method of design.
The only issue I came across where that some of his landscapers really do not have an eye for detail. They do as they are told but expect Isais to step in and have occasional things redone especially if you say something but often times, he will see it and say something to his landscapers before you do. But this is typical within the landscape industry as a whole.
When all is finally done, Isais comes in with low voltage lighting on a timer in the front and an exterior switch in the back to finish things off.
The entire project took about 2 months with some rain delay involved. I now have the landscaping of my dreams which I now look forward to entertaining at. My new lit flagpole flying the American Flag serves and a landmark for neighbors as a center focal point and was and is so important to me as a veteran. And as an added bonus, Isais and his beautiful wife, Eva, who runs the office are now my friends and my go to contractor for anything outdoors. If you are on a super tight budget and try to do everything on the cheap, Isais is probably not for you; he places quality of materials and design first. An example, A single decorative topper block that finishes the top of my garden wall and can be used for sitting, once sold pre-pandemic for just under $3.00, is now almost $14.00 each. I needed 60 of them. Sometimes you have to just accept that budgets need to be flexible when quality and esthetics are most important in today's global economy. Nothing is getting cheaper by waiting.
But the end result had all my neighbors thanking me for raising the value of their property and I had yards I could love, and enjoy.
I am now thinking up one more addition to my front yard to work with what he created, a sitting area. No doubt Isais will be my only call this time.
