a few Frequently Asked Questions

If you would like to schedule a design consultation, please don't hesitate to contact us today. Our designers will gather a few details about your property and answer any questions you may have regarding our services and workflows. If it feels like a good match, we'll then schedule an on-site consultation to walk through your property and  discuss the project goals.

Introductory Call & On-site Meeting
We like to begin each project with an introductory phone call with one of our designers, followed by an on-site meeting. The introductory call is a great opportunity to address any general questions and explain our design and installation services, project workflows, and budget considerations.

The on-site meeting gives us a better sense of the property conditions and the opportunity to present our design portfolio and, of course, answer any additional questions you may have. If the project is determined a good fit we will then provide an engagement contract and retainer request.

Launch Meeting
Upon receipt of the contract and retainer, we then meet again, at your property, to dig a bit deeper into the design preferences and options, project goals, and establish a project timeline.

Design Review
The next step in the design process is the presentation of the design concept which includes a full-color plan accompanied by photo references, sketches, sample materials, as well as an estimated breakdown of project costs. Based on your feedback we then refine the design as needed, typically addressing stylistic choices, plant materials, and budget considerations.

Design Approval
Upon final approval of the project design, we then provide a formal installation proposal and contract, and determine the timing of the installation phase.

If you would like to learn more about our design process and see a few of our recent designs, please don't hesitate to contact us.

There are many factors that can impact the design timeline including property size, project scope, and plant preferences. That said, we find that our designs usually require 6-8 weeks from start to finish, with review cycles and scope changes being the largest variable.

Our landscape designers are hard at work throughout the year and are available for consultations even in the New England winters. There's certainly no wrong time to begin the design process, though please keep in mind that as one of Boston's premiere landscaping companies, things can get quite busy, especially during the spring and early summer months. For that reason, we encourage you to start the design process as early as possible.

Our installation window typically begins in early April and concludes in December. As you can appreciate, Mother Nature is difficult to predict, but our philosophy is to be on-site whenever the ground is workable.

a Blade of Grass does not separate our design and installation services as individual offerings. Instead, we commit our teams to providing unparalleled attention throughout the entire project, from concept to completion.

We've tackled a wide range of project sizes, from simple foundation plantings to full property transformations exceeding $500,000. That said, the majority of our projects fall within the $50,000-$150,000 price range, and many are installed in a phased approach over several years. 

Upon your approval of the design and budget, we will provide a fixed bid proposal and contract. At this time we request a 10% deposit in order confirm the installation schedule for your project.

a Blade of Grass offers a wide variety of year-round maintenance services, specifically tailored to your property and budget. Our maintenance services include (but are not limited to):

• fine gardening including perennial care, pruning, and garden maintenance
• container and bed annuals
• planting of trees, shrubs, gardens
• interior and exterior holiday decorating

• mulching
• spring bulb displays
• fall and spring cleaning
• irrigation and water management
• landscape lighting

Our crews are dedicated landscape professionals and fine gardeners, many of whom have been with a Blade of Grass for over 5 years. We have an aggressive training program that includes weekly classes and seasonal workshops, focused on horticulture, safety, and the latest industry standards.

We pair each client with a dedicated maintenance account manager that serves as a single point of contact. With extensive experience in all aspects of property maintenance, our account managers oversee all work, coordinate scheduling and execution, and clearly communicate with both the team and client. Our account managers carry a variety of qualifications including Massachusetts Certified Landscape Professional, Massachusetts Certified Horticulturist, Massachusetts Certified Arborist, and NOFA Accredited Organic Landscape Professional.

Maintenance visits are billed on a time and materials basis, though mowing and plowing (available in select towns) are billed at a flat rate. We ask for a deposit to initiate maintenance services which are invoiced monthly thereafter. The overall monthly or yearly charges are dependent on the size and requirements of the property.

a Blade of Grass does not require a signed contract for maintenance services. We work closely with each client to tailor a maintenance plan and budget that ensures satisfaction and proceed upon approval of that plan with a deposit for initial work.

We offer lawn mowing services in a limited area including Wayland, Weston, Wellesley, and nearby towns. Please contact us to inquire about lawn mowing in your area.

We offer snow removal services, including plowing, shoveling, and salting, in a limited area including Wayland, Weston, Wellesley, and nearby towns. Please contact us to inquire about snow removal services in your area.

We offer irrigation installation and maintenece services throughout the Greater Boston area. Our system installations are geared towards water conservation and efficient watering. Our service programs include startups, shutdowns and regular monitoring of the system.

We service irrigation systems of all shapes and sizes. For existing systems we send a qualified technician to your home to assess the state of the system. We then make recommendations for repairs or upgrades as needed, and suggest a service program.

We consider water management and irrigation monitoring services to be an essential piece of any irrigation plan. We will create and maintain a watering schedule specific to your property and also make suggestions on ways to enhance your system to be more water efficient.

We install customized low voltage outdoor lighting systems using LED fixtures and offer several control options. Popular lighting options include path lighting, down and up lighting, and customized outdoor scenes for entertaining. 

We offer a variety of lighting services including both one-time repairs and more comprehensive maintenance programs. If you're interested in upgrading an existing lighting system, our lighting technicians can recommend products and materials including LED technology and other modern lighting solutions.

a Blade of Grass accepts check and bank transfer payments. We do not accept credit cards. 

We offer free consultations for our design, maintenance, and irrigation services. We do require a quick introductory phone call prior to a consultation, to address any general questions and better understand your property and project requirements.

Generally speaking, our design, installation, and maintenance services do require a deposit prior to initiating the project. Please contact us for details regarding the timing and amount for each service.

a Blade of Grass designs, installs, and maintains properties throughout the Boston and Metro West areas, including the cities and towns noted below. If your area is not listed, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Auburndale
Bedford
Belmont
Boston
Brookline
Cambridge
Chestnut Hill
Concord
Dedham
Dover

Duxbury
Lexington
Lincoln
Medfield
Milton
Natick
Needham
Newton
Newton Centre
Newtonville

Sherborn
Southborough
Sudbury
Waban
Wayland
Wellesley
West Newton
Weston
Westwood
Winchester

A copy of our Certificate of Insurance, showing liability and workers compensation limits, is available upon request. Our Home Improvement Contractor’s license (#166159) can be viewed here.

If you would like to see examples of our work, please visit our featured properties, transformations, and solutions pages. Or contact us and we would be happy to bring our portfolio of recent projects and sample designs to you.

We're always looking for talented (and fun) people to make our team even more amazing. If you're an experienced account or project manager, fine gardener, mason, crew leader, irrigation technician, or just looking for a career in landscape design, check out our careers page for all the details..