Urban Landscaping
Garden Design - Consult - Install - Maintain - Contain - Care
Before and After (click for larger pictures)
Before and After (click for larger pictures)
Though bamboo is our specialty we do all aspects of gardening. From lawns to flower beds. Trees and fences too! Contractor's License no. BAMBOG*951DG
Services Provided:
Bamboo Gardener will design to clients' needs and site requirements. Depending on your requests for levels of consultations, Bamboo Gardener could consult on a project you will be performing yourself, work with you side by side, or perform all tasks to meet your needs. On most projects Bamboo Gardener can provide a firm bid contract with site plan drawing and specific job details with related detailed costs. No matter what the job, Bamboo Gardener will complete the project with utmost care and time considerations. The services covered below mainly cover bamboo, but the techniques of quality and attention to detail pertain to all services.
When planning a installation of bamboo plants and rhizome barriers or just remodeling your yard an on site consultation will save you time and money. A well planned and designed landscaping project with your personal input is well spent time. Planning on paper is less expensive then the physical moving of soil and plants to the right location later on. The proper site and appropriate plant selection for each unique microclimate within your garden insures years of satisfaction in the design.
With an on site consultation you will get one on one help planning your new addition to your landscape or just sprucing up an old garden. During the on-site consultation, ideas will be exchanged and new ideas can be expressed. Measurements taken, plant selection made and a rough site map will be drawn. Within 10-14 days a Firm Bid, site map and installation agreement will be mailed to you for your approval.
Consultations for those out of my area can be done also via E-mail, phone and the U.S. Mail.
Be sure to contact me first before sending extensive information on your project for a price quote for service fees.
Correct professional installation of bamboo plants, rhizome barriers and other desired plant material. Of the utmost importance is proper site preparation and the amending of the garden soil. This first step insures a healthy environment for vigorous root growth. A healthy plant is more disease resistant and pest resistant.
A one time visit or continued care of your garden.
Bamboo Maintenance may require the cleaning up of existing planting by thinning out old, dead, weak and storm damaged canes. Removing stumps and dead or unwanted branches. The proper maintenance of all other plant material and the landscape in general is done in accordance to the seasons and the needs of each situation.
Installation of rhizome barriers before planting your bamboo or to help in the control previously planted overgrown out of bounds rhizomes. This procedure may require root pruning and removal of rhizomes spreading beyond the wanted growing area or cutting off rhizomes that have gone over the top of the rhizome barrier and their removal. These two procedures should be done in the Fall and checked in the Spring.
Always remember that no matter what barrier system is installed, the bamboo will keep growing and will seek a way out. The bamboo planting needs to be maintained on a regular basis to in any way try and keep it contained. Even the best man made barriers will have a life span as they are made by humans. And the powers that created Earth will find a way to overwhelm man made devices.
BAMBOO GARDENER is a sole proprietorship business owned and operated by James P. Clever. In operation since 1989. Involved with bamboo since 1986. Past President and the original permit holder for the Quarantine Greenhouse for The Pacific Northwest Chapter of the American Bamboo Society. Past Board of Director of the American Bamboo Society. James is an avid photographer and traveler visiting many private and public gardens on the West Coast, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Hawaii and Louisiana. His practical and studied experience with bamboo, along with a large slide portfolio has made his talks and presentations a valuable asset to any garden group event.
Please make timely inquires for availability for speaking engagements.
As this is a business that prides itself in doing a 1st Class professional job for each and every one of "Bamboo Gardener's" clients in a complete, efficient manner. "Bamboo Gardener" does not cut corners, use inferior products, tear apart job sites and leave clients with a mess for months. The jobs are done in a timely manner and the repeat clients and referrals speak for themselves. "Bamboo Gardener" does not do "Free Estimates" as a "Free Estimate" is worth what one pays for it. "It is worth Nothing". Free estimates enables unethical landscapers to add costs later and state "That it was an estimate, and not a firm price". A landscaper will have to cut corners in ways to enable them to offer lower prices. If a landscaper gives out free estimates then those that get it for free and then do not hire the landscaper puts the future paying client of this landscaper in for a higher bill to cover these give away tactics. "Bamboo Gardener" charges for the time you receive and does not pass it on to others. This is a fair, ethical and a correct way to treat people. What a refreshing way to do business!
Each job pricing is determined by the pre estimated time predicted to do all the work required to do the job tasks and all the projects needs. The supplies and job site location vary so their needs will have to be well thought out to be priced properly for the bid.
Pricing can be quoted on either a “Firm Bid Contract” or an “Estimate Bid Contract”.
The “Firm Bid Contract” will list the “Firm” final price cost to you for the project. Thus it will not go up or down in your “Final Cost” even if the job takes more time estimated to accomplish the job requirements that are laid out in the contract or less time. Thus if the job was thought to take 10 hours to complete and it ends up taking 20 hours you pay the contracted amount price, no more. If the job takes less time you still pay only the contracted price. Many times the price comes in right close to pre estimated time thought to be needed to complete. Other times it does not. Bamboo Gardener is not Superman. So X-Ray vision can not be used to see what is buried underground. Digging holes and trenches are always a discovery of what someone else buried years before. Scrap pipes, concrete, garbage of all sorts, and natural effects like glacier boulders and tree roots.
The “Estimated Bid Contract” will mention estimated prices that in the beginning gives both “Bamboo Gardener” and the client a starting point to be used as a guide to get the project going down the right road. In the end actual time required for this jobs needs on and off site, actual supplies materials costs, dump fees and truck fees for hauling away and delivery will determine this projects final cost.
When choosing one of these two “contracted” options the client and “Bamboo Gardener” will find a way that fits everyone's needs.
Before, during or after the written job requirements are put in motion new job requests are sometimes brought into the picture. In these cases any new work should be put into writing by the client and then by “Bamboo Gardener” to add these costs to the previous “contracted” amount.
By doing these needed steps, all is in writing, the client knows exactly what will be done and the costs. And “Bamboo Gardener” will do exactly what is needed to complete the project in a timely manner.
Be sure when ever you hire a worker to do any work for you to ask for their "Contractors" number. By doing this a client can contact your states Department of Labor and Industries to look up the information about this business. You will find out if they are licensed (And current on the needed licenses), Bonded and Insured (So that you and they are covered from any possible future claims do to possible problems caused by poor work or accidents). And find out if any past claims are made against this business. If this business person does not have a "Contractors" number or this number does not check out then you could be 100% liable for this persons accidents at your property. That is another way unethical businesses cut corners on costs. By Not having the proper "Bonding, Licensing and Insurance" Buyer Beware!
For further information and questions please contact:
E-mail Bamboo Gardener at james@bamboogardener.com
Mailing address is:
Bamboo GardenerTelephone: 206-371-1072
P.O. Box 17949
Seattle, WA 98127
