Ted and Jose just wrapped up a summer cleanup in my yard this week and I have to give them top marks across the board for their work and their whole approach throughout. Ted is clearly someone who loves everything about putting together a great yard. When they came out for the first time last week to scope the job and write a rough estimate, we walked the whole yard. Everywhere we looked, he knew all the plants, knew how they would be working together, and how they affected the overall presentation of the yard, from beauty to maintenance to having the right things in the right spots. I didn't actually ask them this time to design any beds or plant anything or anything that ambitious, but I got the sense that they'd be a good option for that kind of work. In talking to Ted more, it turns out that they do some carpentry hardscaping as well--i.e., fences and decks. No doubt other things in addition. These guys are kinda low-key about it, but they really do offer a lot of different services. What I needed this summer--and what I'll always need, way more than I'll ever need design ideas or planting help--was cleanup. Weeding, mowing, cleaning, clearing. I have blackberries and ivy coming through the fence along the entire length of a shared property line with my sweet older neighbors. It's a couple hundred feet of weed warfare, to say the least. And I don't fight back very hard there, or anywhere else in my yard that the weeds are invading. So, by the time summer warms up and that northwest dampness turns from chilling to fertile, my yard is usually looking pretty sub-tropical, especially for being in such a temperate region. This year was no exception. I think i had more weed flowers than specimen flowers, though I sure didn't count. And to go with a clematis that died a year or two ago, I lost a really cool Rose of Sharon this winter. So there was some cutting and hauling for the guys to get after as well. Arboristo's prices are more than fair. My final invoice feels like a solid trade-off for the hours of work I didn't have to do out there. Between the two of them (and one other helper), they put in about 20 hours, and, man, they fly through the work. It probably would have taken me 30 or more working by myself, and that probably translates to two whole weekends completely shot. They also ran and got gas for me, and naturally hauled away everything at the end to the dump. Nothing at all left in my compost heap. Given how much biomass was proliferating on my wee acreage, this is probably the best thing for me. Just to clarify on the logistical side, they tend to show up in the morning to write a bid, and can sometimes start work that day. They email you a pdf invoice after each days' work, and then tally them for the total you pay. They take cash and checks, but no plastic. That helps keep my cost down, ultimately, so I am cool with that. Hiring help for the yard feels in some ways like the peak of lazy decadence on my part. But it's so worth it, seeing the yard go from a jungle wasteland to the welcoming, home-like setting that it really is. The past owners laid an incredible foundation for the yard to look great for years, and I just have to keep steering with minor additions and subtractions here and there. I still have 10 pages of hand-drawn maps I charted out for future embellishments, and now I feel like the ship is righted again and I am on course to keep things moving in the right direction. No doubt in my mind I will have these guys back for touch-ups and future clean-ups. They're great. read more

Ted gave us a very reasonable estimate to have our front holly trees pruned as well as a large holly tree to be removed. We also wanted some arborvitae planted along our fence. My main concerns were to open up the yard as well as preserve our privacy. Ted took great care to educate us during the consultation, and also was concerned about preserving quality plantings (including a Madrona tree he found which we had no idea existed)! Ted communicated well and made sure we were always on the same page. During the pruning/removal & planting service he checked in with me a couple of times to assure our yard goals were being accomplished to satisfaction. He found some creative ways to shape our existing plantings to maximize privacy, such as shaping our Madrona tree (they can be trained). Ted and his team did a great job and cleaned up beautifully after the job was done. He knows his stuff! Really love and appreciate his no-nonsense approach. Our yard is looking more tidy and open; we love what we get to see out the windows nowadays! I'll be a returning client and will be sure to pass on the recommendation to others. read more

I've had the worst luck w/landscaping services so was leary to be on the hunt for some help with our overgrown yard. Recovering from 1 broken ankle, then to sprain the other and the hubster finding out he suffers from asthma, our yard had paid the ultimate price. I was given some referrals and left messages however when no one called back, I took a look at the services listed on Yelp. I called Arboristo and Ted, the owner called me back immediately! Not only that, he was going out of town the very next day but still made an appointment for he and Jose to meet with us that night so we could get our yard done that weekend as we were hoping to be ready for a big event the following Tuesday. After all the flakes I have experienced, I took a deep gulp and awaited Jose's arrival on Saturday. Part of me expected him to never show up. Relief washed over me when he arrived that morning. It was HOT, 90+ degrees and that sweet man worked his butt off all day until past 7 pm! He was thorough and had quite the mess to clean up, a daunting job for most but he tackled it all bit by bit and I'm still amazed by all he accomplished in one day! Ted called me when he returned on Sunday and both he and Jose returned on Monday to finish the last of what was left and did a fabulous job clearning out our ivy and the blackberry bramble large enough to host Brer Rabbit and his entire gang! I honestly feel as though I've won the landscape lottery here folks. The price was reasonable, and they worked very hard, striving the entire time to ensure they accomplished everything we wanted. I will continue having them come for clean up on a regular basis and will also have them help with some planting projects. Do note that leaving out bottles of water in an icy cooler on a hot day is a very nice gesture and helps these guys who work so hard for you. Remember that they don't have access to comforts while working outside in your yard and really appreciate your thinking of them. read more

By far the best bang for the buck I've tried! Ted and his crew are amazing! Don't waste your time (and money) on anyone else. Professional, thorough, responsive, and any other good quality you can think of (including reasonably priced). Five enthusiastic stars! read more

Ted & Stan did an excellent job cleaning up our yard with very short notice while we were moving out of our house. Ted even went over and beyond by doing extra dump runs for us when we were running short on time. He was friendly, professional, very reasonably priced, and did great work. read more

Just a quick update: I have continued to use Arboristo for help with my enormous yard for over six years. And they are still terrific. Hard working, honest, and skilled. read more

This company left me hanging. Didn't do much and came banging on my door for $100. Seemed like they wanted a bigger job so they got their money and didn't show up again to do as I had hired them to do. I now have a great guy who only charges $35 to do what I was charged 3 times as much and he shows up like clockwork. read more

Arboristo Landscaping is great! Ted, the owner, came out and gave us a free bid on a significant cleanup of overgrowth in our yard. The team that he sent out to clean was very professional and finished the job quickly, and did excellent work. We now have Arboristo come out every 2 weeks for mowing and general yard maintenance, and in the spring we will be using them to create a new flagstone pathway, and put a gate into our backyard. read more

Three cheers for owner Ted! We are moving fast to clean up a rental house and list it for sale. Ted took my call right away, personally visited the property and provided a bid for the project all within 12 hours. Looking forward to working with Ted and Arboristo Landscaping Services. read more

I am very pleased with the work Ted and Arboristo did on our un-landscaped front yard. Ted met with me, discussed our needs and wants, observed the different conditions in our yard, and came up with a landscaping plan that sounded beautiful and was also tailored to how much gardening and upkeep we wanted to do. Moreover, the landscaping plan was reasonably priced. Ted and his crew worked quickly and efficiently and we love the finished product. It is now 6 months after Ted completed the landscaping and everything is alive, thriving, and still looks great. In fact, our maple tree that he moved to a different location in our yard is doing much better than it ever was before. read more

Ted and Jose and the Arboristo team are without a doubt the BEST. I don't say this lightly; I am tough to please! I have lived in my home for 20 years now and have a number of different landscapers, yard workers and the like in and out doing work on my garden projects and I am SO happy that I have Ted now. We worked on several projects last year on my property, and I have them back this spring and summer for a retaining wall/flagstone patio project. What impressed me the most was how absolutely delightful they ALL are - they don't mind when I roll up my sleeves and grab a shovel to help. Ted is quite simply the most pleasant person you will ever meet - he is patient (I have changed my mind on a number of project ideas!), is SUPER reliable and very affordable. It is such a joy when the crew shows up at my house. I swear I do not know how they whiz through the digging, stone hauling, planting, etc so fast and good naturedly. (I wish I could have them all to myself, but I know you all have yard projects too.) Don't even think twice about calling Ted and his crew - I wish I had found them years ago.... read more