We first met TJ when we lost a cherished ornamental tree in the freak snow storm of October, 2011. An arborist friend recommended TJ and his father, Bob, who had an idea for a replacement from The Farm in Closter. The mature Japanese Maple they transplanted in a couple of months later was just the start of a total landscape makeover for us. TJ noticed that other specimen trees in our front yard were too close to the house or not in the right balance, problems we had always thought we would have to live with. He moved the trees to new locations where they look more pleasing, and will grow now forever without hitting our house or sending their roots upending pathways. He also created a soothing rock garden that solved problems of shady areas where only weeds had grown before. But the real masterpiece was his redo of our backyard this past spring. For years we lived with a poorly drained, muddy slope, part of the great East Hill formation that unfortunately leaves some homeowners in these parts with a hard-to-use section of property. We showed it to TJ to see if it could be rescued. He spent some time thinking it over, and finally visualized it in ways we had never been able to imagine. He devised a main central terrace, bounded by higher and lower sections to even out the hill. He created aesthetically pleasing rock retaining walls covered with new ferns and other shade plants, and transplanted our better, mature shrubs for perfect accents amidst the boulders. He found old bluestones to match and expand our existing small patio. With his Bobcat backhoe, he sculpted the earth into what has become essentially a new room added to our house. After 25 years in our home, we finally have a large patio where we can sit out under our chestnut tree and enjoy a family gathering around a big table, surrounded by beautiful plantings and stonework that glows in the sunset. The visual effect is a space that envelops us in nature. The new yard has great visual interest, and many clever spots for birds, chipmunks and unusual plants. The level area is larger than we had thought we could ever have, with room for children to play, chairs to be set out for sunbathing, or a party tent to rise. Not least to mention, TJ did the work quickly, presented clear budgets each step of the way, and brought a polite, hardworking crew with him to get the job done efficiently and without disrupting our household routines. Thank you!
– David and Audrey