Blade Runners: The BEST Choice for your Landscape Project

Landscape installation projects are expensive and require a good deal of thought. As a property owner you want to make the BEST choice possible.  This choice should include short-term considerations (design, plant selections and budget) and long-term solutions (longevity of plants and hardscapes and easy maintenance).

Not all contractors are equal!  We hope you choose Blade Runners because of our balance of quality, performance and price.  Blade Runners has a proven track record with excellence in landscape installation and maintenance.

Some points you should consider when comparing proposals are listed below:

1)     Pay very close attention to items such as plant size, quality, the dimensions of the planted area, and the amount of materials being used.  Often a low price has hidden costs attached to it– or inadequate plant materials for long-term success. Make sure the wall is the same size, or the number of tiers in a graduated bed are the same.

2)    Standards: Make sure that the chosen contractor knows the proper planting and installation standards.   Not all contractors have a training program as comprehensive as Blade Runners.

 How big should the hole be for a shrub or tree? 

 3)   References:  Does your contractor have a quality reputation?  Check the references for your contractors.

4)   Do they water after installation? Do they provide ongoing watering?   Water is the essence of life!  Proper watering is essential between having “not quite dead” plants and healthy, lush green plants.  Many contractors offer a 1-year warranty, which should be a minimal contract standard.  It is important that your contractor follows proper watering techniques and that, when needed, plant replacements are done easily without a hassle.

 5)   What maintenance is required and how will this be achieved?  The best landscape bed is only as good as it can be preserved and look good.

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Some quotes from our clients talking about the poor work by other contractors are here as well:

• “The crew left the pavement dirty each day as the work was being done.  We were used to Blade Runners cleaning up each day.”
• “Some of the plants died and we could not get the contractor to come back and replace them. When we used Blade Runners, they informed us of the dead plants and replaced them under their warranty.”
• “ The contractor would not provide any watering service for the project. Blade Runners provided watering services that kept the plants healthy.

We hope that Blade Runners will be your selected landscape professional.

Please give us the opportunity to review competing proposals to adjust and perhaps match the prices.  In some cases we can uncover important errors with the plant material and design approach.  Together we will come up with the best solutions to your landscape needs.

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Erosion Control

~Case Study~

Hunters Green Cluster

“The combination of Rocks, Plants, and Design turned an eyesore into an attractive area!” 

 Problem  Betsy Hill, Hunters Green Cluster board member, spearheaded the initial project,”…we were looking to do an erosion project behind [the community].  It’s a shady area with no topsoil left, exposed roots, utilities; it’s complicated and the planting would be a big part of making the long term erosion control work.”  Hunters Green Cluster’s rear common area suffered from erosion causing back yard properties to flood, walkways constantly washing out and existing culverts unable to function effectively due to the collection of silt and runoff debris.  The cause is common;  overgrown tree canopy, either by neglect or a desire to keep shaded areas.  Without proper canopy pruning, there is an eventual loss of turf area and exposed top soil erodes and causes various erosion problems, such as flooding.   Proposal  Account Manager, Terry Turner, provided a thorough assessment of the areas affected by the erosion and found many areas of concern.  He proposed a drainage swale design utilizing River Jack stone for the swale, replace and repair existing clean-outs and create a river jack stone buffer around the existing drainage culverts.  The proposal included the necessary turf renovation and ground cover installation. The proposal was then given to the Reston Association for review.

Solution Create drainage swales throughout rear common area. Reparations of the existing drainage culverts and clean-outs, turf restoration where turf grass is feasible, and the establishment of ground cover beds under the existing shade trees would be essential to eradicate these erosion issues.  The design included the use of woodchips and perennial ground cover to be installed as a landscape buffer to further protect the topsoil from washing into the new drainage swale.

Accolades  “The board at Hunters Green Cluster hired your company to correct an erosion problem behind my home. The landscaping crew finished the project last week and I am writing to tell you how pleased I am with the results. The combination of Rocks, Plants, and design turned an eyesore into an attractive area.” resident, Virginia Banks.  Board member, Betsy Hill, expressed her comments about the drainage swales, “Terry, this project is great!!!!”   “The work is exemplary …. the swale is beautiful…amazing!!!!”, stated long-time supporter and board member, Katherine Hunter. 

Erosion Control

~Case Study~

Bentana Park

“Many thanks to Blade Runners for beautifying our community!”

Problem  “Turf , drainage and erosion problems have been areas of contention for 10 years at Bentana Park.  Many different solutions had been tried and proved unsuccessful”  stated Property Manager, Diana Fritz.  “When I requested a bid from Blade Runners last year to replace ‘XYZ’ contractor, I knew that I was getting a company that would stand behind their work and would give us the best service available.  I have worked with Terry Turner, Blade Runners Branch Manager, on several other communities and he has always been exceptional to work with.  He has given me wonderful service at other properties and I knew he would do the same at Bentana Park.”   

Proposal  Terry Turner provided a thorough assessment of the areas of erosion and found many homes were affected and there was flooding involved.  This was of major concern.  He proposed a drainage swale consisting of River Jack stone, replacing and repairing clean-outs and installing a river jack buffer around the existing drainage culverts.  Woodchips and perennial ground cover will be installed as a landscape buffer to further protect the topsoil from washing into the drainage swale. The proposal was then given to the Reston Association for review.  According to Diana Fritz, Property Manager, “Another contractor also installed drain swales that were extremely costly, but unfortunately, Reston Association came back and told them they were not to code and needed to be ripped out.  When Reston Association finally approved Blade Runners approach and the work was complete everyone, including Reston Association was delighted with the final product.”

 Solution  Creat Dry River Swale through rear common area.  A Dry Swale serves as a permanent, erosion-resistant layer, made of stones.  It is intended to protect soil from erosion in areas of concentrated runoff.  Groundcover beds to be established around and under existing shade trees.  Wood chips and ground cover perennials installed as a landscape buffer. Ground cover vegetation provides   erosion control, storm water detention, biofiltration, and aesthetic values.

 Accolades  Longtime resident and board member, Kathy Ray , “I have lived in Bentana Park for 20+ years and during this time, there has been numerous attempts to handle the erosion issues behind some of the units with our community.  Within the first few months of working with Blade Runners, these areas were turned into livable, beautiful areas.  Blade Runners provided the expertise to design and a dedicated team to perform quality workmanship.  They have proven to be dependable, dedicated and provided excellent customer service.  Not only has the erosion issues been controlled, it has given the homeowners a place to finally be able to sit and enjoy the scenery.  Many thanks to Blade Runners for beautifying our community!”