Thirty-nine years of word of mouth

Our back slope had been sliding onto the lawn for years. Mike and his crew cut it into three fieldstone terraces with steps in the middle. Eleven working days, and it came through the April storms without a single stone moving.

We got three quotes for a 420 sq ft patio. Hollis was not the cheapest but they were the only ones who dug down 8 inches and showed us the base before laying a single paver. Quote was $14,860, final invoice was $14,860.

Beautiful fire pit and seat wall. Start date slipped a week because of rain, which they told us about early. Work itself is excellent and the stone matches our chimney.

Ruth drew a planting plan for our side yard that actually works in shade. One hydrangea didn't make it through the winter and they replaced it in April without us asking.

They came out at 8pm with temporary lights so we could see what ten fixtures would look like before we spent anything. We ended up with eight. Install took a day and a half and you can't see a single wire.

French drain along the side of the house works. No water in the basement since. Took two reminders to get the final invoice and warranty letter, which shouldn't happen with a firm this size.

Third generation of Hollis to look after my yard. Walt did it in the 90s, Dan does it now and his son Sam was on the leaf blower last month. Same week every year, fair price.

Our wall needed to be 5 ft at the tall end. Dan brought in a structural engineer, handled the township permit and the inspection. Price was $21,400 and that's what we paid.

Tom's crew does our spring cleanup every year. Grasses cut back, perennials cleared, a crisp hand-cut edge and 6 yards of mulch. They blow off the driveway before they leave.

We'd pretty much given up planting anything because of the deer. Ruth picked natives they leave alone: bayberry, ninebark, mountain mint. Eighteen months in and the deer walk right past it.