Welcome to Clark's Landscaping Services

When you decide that it is time to make changes to your landscape surroundings, this page can help guide you through the process of determining your goals, establishing a budget, and choosing the right designer/contractor for you.

The Clark's Approach
How to shop for Landscaping
How to clarify Your Objectives
How to determine Your Project Budget
How to set a Realistic Budget
How to stretch Your Budget
How to choose a Landscape Contractor
How Clark's can Help.

The Clark's Approach

Whether your home is new or old, large or small, you can enhance its appeal with landscaping. The exterior of your home reflects your family's personality and way of life. It provides your family with a place to entertain, play, and relax. Effective landscaping will make your living space more attractive; increase your family's use and enjoyment of the outside environment… and even add to the value of your home for resale.

When it comes to creating effective landscapes, nobody is better at providing homeowners with a total approach to residential landscaping. Our Design/Build/Maintain solution assures that all elements of your landscape harmonize with one another. Unlike many other landscape companies, Clark's is equally adept at planting and site planning. So even as we're formulating the best combination of trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses for your yard, we'll be working on a layout that integrates your outdoor space including everything from pools and decks to driveways and entranceways with your home. We'll also maintain your landscape for years of enjoyment.
Our warranty service includes regular visits to your home - just to make sure that everything is okay and that your are happy with your yard.

We stand behind our work: Since 1959, projects resulting from our unified approach to landscaping have created a lasting impression on homeowners. The same kind of impression you'll make on your friends and neighbors when you choose Clark's.

How do I shop for Landscaping?

Landscaping, properly planned and built, will increase the enjoyment of your home and garden enormously. In fact, MONEY Magazine reports that landscape has a recovery value of 100% to 200%, "if it is well done and harmonizes with nearby foliage."

That makes landscaping a smart investment. Your family can relax and entertain friends in an environment of beauty and leisure with effortlessness maintenance you're certain to appreciate.

Shopping for any large purchase can be an intimidating and frustrating experience. When you make an investment and spend a large sum of money, you don't want to make a mistake. This Web Site will help you understand more about the process of determining your budget as well as the extent and details of your project. After you make these determinations and are ready to move ahead in your landscape project, complete the Clark's Discovery List and mail it to our consultants to get your project growing.

Clarify Your Objectives

Ask yourself these questions-

1. Which style of landscaping do I prefer?
2. What are the practical and functional requirements that I need to meet?
3. Which area of my yard do I want to landscape first?

Some direction that might help-

1. Collect ideas from magazines, books, friends, and neighbors.
2. Think about what you like and don't like about your current landscape.
3. Visit Meijer Gardens and local garden centers to learn more about plants and make note of ones you especially enjoy.
4. Examine your wants and desires in landscape construction. Do you need a deck or patio? Have you considered a water feature, irrigation, retaining wall, or landscape illumination? What other "Hardscape" options have you dreamed about: Patios, Gazebos, Trellises, Play areas… The options are endless.
5. Select a design style that is best suited to you - formal or naturalistic?
6. Make a list of your goals and objectives on the Landscape Discovery List. Try to roughly sketch out your ideas on paper. If you have property survey will be helpful in your sketching efforts. These efforts on your part will help our landscape consultants as they develop a computerized site survey that will give you an accurate visual representation of what your finished landscape will look like.

Determine Your Project Budget

Landscape projects should always be viewed as an investment. The three pieces of determining your project budget are extent, detail, and budget. If you can decide on any two of the three aspects - extent, detail, price - the missing piece will fall into place.

Extent is usually the easiest decision. You probably already know what areas of your yard you would like to have landscaped and what features you would like to have installed.

Detail can be trickier. For example: the choice of walkway material or plant sizes can be driven by your personal taste or by your budget. Research and a knowledgeable landscape consultant can help you clarify your detail ideas.

Budget will be the most difficult aspect to determine. Many people have never had their yard professionally landscaped and are unaware of the costs of such a project. It is critical to make a project budget determination, otherwise the experience can be frustrating for you. Take the time to discuss all the options and determine your project budget before the work begins.

Set a Realistic Budget

1. Decide what landscaping is worth to your family and the list the benefits you hope to receive.
2. Gather information from friends and neighbors as to what they spent for comparable services.
3. Decide if your project can be divided into phases. Normally the hardscape is done first, since it will be the structure to your garden. The project can also be broken into different segments of the yard.
4. Determine the part of your yard that needs attention first. Create project elements and set budgets for each - decks, water features, retaining walls, irrigation systems, planting…
5. Decide if you want to tackle any part of the project yourself, such as removing unwanted plants or hardscape features. Doing some of the work yourself could help you stretch your budget and save your valuable dollars for the items you really want to include in the project.
6. Once you have determined your goals for the first phase, ask your consultant for budget ranges of similar projects.

Ideas to Help Stretch your Budget

Once you have determined your goals and budget, you're ready to move ahead to the design phase of your landscape project. For many of us, however, our goals exceed our budget. If this describes you, we suggest a few alternatives.

1. Install your garden in several phases over a period of years. This way the final result will meet your original goal with the payments spread out over time. The total cost may be slightly higher due to inflation and a small amount of efficiency loss, but you won't have to reduce your landscape dreams.
2. Reconsider the hardscape features. Accept a lower-cost walkway material or simplify your scope to save money. Your landscape consultant can help suggest additional ideas in your hardscape features.
3. If you are willing to wait for smaller plants to grow, your savings will grow as well. However, reducing plant size doesn't cut the attributes of the installation. Be aware that the cost of landscape-bed preparation will be the same no matter what the size of the plants. If you cut the plant size in half, you will not save half.
4. Do some of the labor yourself, such as removal of plants and sod.

If your goals still exceed your budget, cut back on the overall extent of your project. Focus on the main intent of your landscape project and cut the extras for now. Hold off on the water features, paving, and lighting for a later day in time. Think hard to be very specific about your goals and realistic about what you are willing to spend. You will be rewarded with an easier process to reach your project goals.

Quality landscaping will transform the negative aspects of your personal environment into positive enhancements. Your home will be surrounded with plants and garden construction features that reflect your personality and tastes. The benefits of a well-planned landscape investment will reward you for years to come with both beauty and pleasure. An added bonus of this investment will be an increase in the overall value of your home by up to 200%. That is more than a remodeled kitchen or bath!

Choosing a Landscape Contractor

1. Form your opinions by looking at the contractor's design and work on similar projects. Just because the company may do a good job at maintaining your current landscape does not mean they are capable of the Landscape design/build concept.
2. Make sure the designer has a vast horticulture knowledge. Many landscapes may look great when they are first installed, but the plants may not grow properly, die, or be overgrown within a few years.
3. What appears on paper as equal work for a vastly different price generally means that you'll discover after the work is done: you get what you pay for. Comparing one price to another is extremely difficult. You must look below the surface to see what you are really getting.
4. If your project is extensive, make sure the contractor you choose has the ability to "put the project together." Look for a professional, business-like company with a good history and a proven track record to perform.
5. Make sure the designer is knowledgeable. Can he or she answer the tough questions? Do they have a thorough knowledge of plant varieties along with grow patterns and requirements? Is the designer capable of creating quality project solutions?
6. Check out the company's track record to see how they deal with any problems that may arise.
7. Find out if the company warrantees their work and plants

Check out your contractor carefully before investing. Making the wrong decision can be very costly. Take your time and make sure your investment will reap dividends through increased beauty, functionality, and property value.

How Clark's Can Help

The professionals at Clark's will bring creativity and imagination along with almost 50 years of practical experience to your landscape project. Our reputation has been built on consistent, quality service before, during, and after a landscaping project has caused Clark's reputation to grow. Your consultant will personally review the work of the crew then install your landscape. Each crew is led by an experienced, educated, trained, and dedicated craftsman who still honors old-fashioned clauses like pride in a job well done and respect for customers. You will miss us when we leave!

These ingredients results in the peace of mind that Clark's sells with every landscape project. That makes Clark's the smart choice to bring your investment to life.