Confidence Landscaping, Inc. is a full-service design/build landscaping firm that serves residential clients in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. The company offers comprehensive project management by maintaining a staff of landscape architects and designers, certified irrigation designers, and certified landscape installation and maintenance technicians. It uses powerful CAD software and hand drawings to create landscape designs that combine clients’ visions with their properties’ natural attributes.
Established in 1980, the company employs more than 25 professional staff members and has a fleet of service vehicles that are outfitted with state-of-the-art landscaping equipment. Owner Jeff Sheehan says his company’s primary goal is to provide its clients with the finest materials and installations that exceed industry standards.
Confidence Landscaping is also known for advocating water conservation and creating sustainable gardens—the California Landscape Contractors Association has honored the company with its Xeriscape award (for water conservation) on 23 occasions and the Sustainable Landscape Special award twice. “Those awards are evidence of our commitment to our clients,” says Mr. Sheehan.
“Our primary job is to make our customers happy. We design, build and maintain landscapes for their benefit, so we measure our success by their satisfaction. We’re active listeners, and that allows us to take a creative approach to solving landscape issues. We work hand-in-hand with our customers to achieve their goals.”
Before undertaking a landscaping project, it’s important to understand the basics of California water conservation.
Make sure the contracting firm you hire has the credentials and experience to achieve maximum conservation goals and install the most technically advanced irrigation systems available.
To conserve water and keep your landscape healthy at the same time, follow these simple watering techniques:
Know when to water.
Water early in the morning when temperatures are cooler. To minimize evaporation, don’t water on windy days. Also, most established gardens don’t need water more than twice a week.
Care for your grass.
Aerate your lawn and maintain proper soil pH levels. Keep weeds and insects under control—sparse, weed-infested turf sequesters less carbon dioxide and releases less oxygen. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light and water.
Plant thoughtfully.
The next time you install a flower or shrub, choose a low water-use plant for year-round enjoyment. Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save thousands of gallons of water each year.
Add water-saving tools.
Install a drip irrigation system around your trees and shrubs to water more efficiently. Consider installing rain catchment systems to retain rainwater for later use in the garden.
Confidence Landscaping, Inc. is a full-service landscaping company that utilizes the talents of both in-house and at-large landscape architects and designers, which allows it to offer comprehensive project management services to its clients. "We take great pride in developing a unique approach to every project," says owner Jeffrey Sheehan. "We use the best CAD (computer assisted design) software available, and in some cases, we'll do old-school pencil to paper designs as well. We encourage our clients to participate throughout the process and communicate their desires."
Confidence Landscaping's staff members attend regular industry training seminars and classes so they can stay updated on industry technological advancements. "We're on the cutting edge in terms of equipment, materials and environmentally-friendly horticultural practices," says Mr. Sheehan. Once the company finishes a project, it provides two months of free maintenance services that include fertilization, pruning, trimming and fine gardening. After the two months are up, it either turns control over to the homeowner or provides ongoing maintenance services for a practical monthly fee.
Each of Confidence Landscaping's projects receives the focused services of a project manager to ensure everything is working to their satisfaction. Depending on the size of the project, a foreman is also on the jobsite every day to supervise the crew. Mr. Sheehan says this detailed approach to project management sets the company apart in the minds of its clients. "We don't walk away from our customers; we want to engage them for the long-term." With this in mind, the project manager will call the customer every few months during the one-year warranty period and set up a garden walkthrough to answer any questions the customer might have and take action on anything that appears abnormal.
While Confidence Landscaping has won numerous awards for its landscape designs and installations, it also provides expert consultation services for subjects such as water conservation and sustainable landscape practices, allowing it to handle a wide range of projects for residential clients and businesses alike. "We've had manufacturers come to us to review new products, and we tell them what works best based on our experiences," says Mr. Sheehan.
