EXOTICUS BOTANICUS DESIGN

David Sweeny is an overpriced cont. He charges way too much money. In my case, he tried to get me for $15,000 for would cost about $4000. Make a long story short - he made me wait about 6 weeks before he finally got to it and then tried two last minute illegal change orders to try and get more moey despite charging me $5000 upfront for a $7000 job. He said it was for irrigation supplies, weed blockers, gopher blocks, the lavendar and roses. I supplied cinderblocks and concrete and found out his main worker charged David only $900 which I have in a written signed declaration. So David spent about $1300 on materials, never lived up to even 50 percent of his contract and started harassing me for a week for $2000 more despite knowing and admitting in writing he has no completed the project. Then, within a week, plants started wilting. And gophers have eat two roots leaving the plants dead. The climbing roses are all dying and wilting. I offered to compromise if his nursery info was turned over and receipts so they can replace all the dead plants. He offered to pay me back $1000 of the $5000 and said he would stop bad mouthing me around the neighborhood. He actually had the nerve to criminally trespass on my property, not to try and help fix the irrigation, but to tell workers that they should not work for me because I did not pay him the $2000. He then emailed me saying he was being nice by letting me use his workers. I told him they were freelancers. He continued to threaten to yank them from the property. I then told him he was doing something that could get him sued. He spoke to his lawyer and now wants me to release him despite the fact that all of his work is garbage. I read some of his reviews at his request and I am shocked that someone would pay him $58000. But it was not a surprise that even that client complained about his pricing and how his planting had bad consequences. David is sitting with $5000 in his pocket which means he is profiting from my problem by at least $3600 and meanwhile "His workers" who worked 3x as long, made $900. Also, his workers cigarettes are actually in the flower bed. David does not supervise. When you confront him, he blames you and says how he did not charge a supervisor fee He seemed upset that he could not wrangle $20,000 more out of my pocket. He then threatened to call in favors from his lawyers. Well now he can cry to them about this review. And here is a word to David and his lawyers, Hugo signed a declaration signing to this. I have absolutely every right to contact the CSLB and file a complaint about his change order attempts by text message, trying to avoid a written contract by CSLB standards, and he was to install irrigation to protect my investment and never did . I have to handwater everyday only to watch the poor plants die. He was so cheap he did not add enough mulch even.

Quite honesty, this was the best, easiest and most successful contracting relationship we've had in the 25 years that we've owned our home. David and his team are professional, talented, hard working, honest and totally committed to customer satisfaction. David discussed our vision for having a simple, clean and peaceful space, leveraging our existing collection of succulents and adding some new taller materials to help hide a large house directly behind ours. David was collaborative and very easy to work with. Together, we crafted a very successful project and a new back yard that makes me smile every time I go out in it. THANK YOU David and the team at Exoticus Botanicus for helping us transform our space and upgrade our lives! And since we've been working from home, the timing of this investment was perfect!!

David Sweeney, owner, has worked for us for years. He is reliable, helpful, and friendly. He takes wonderful care of our yard on a weekly basis. At certain times, he does planting and trimming of plants and trees. I happily recommend him.

David & Angel are reliable and their service is excellent. We work closely with David on budget and scope questions and they always come through for us.

After numerous failed attempts with other landscapers, we finally hired David, whose instinctual good taste solved all of our problems with our back lawn, patio and front yard. He and his helper Angel have maintained the property scrupulously and we always appreciate his can-do attitude and good humor. David is relatively expensive but delivers value and we are lucky to have him.

David and his crew of Exoticus Botanicus perform a regular gardening service on my property as well as various special landscaping and design projects. The property is sizeable and complicated - multiple sprinkler stations, different plant types and lawns that all need to work together nicely. David handles all this beautifully. He is reliable, punctual, and attentive to detail - seeing problems (wasp nests, root overgrowth, etc. - there is always something) or imperfections before I do. He also has intimate knowledge of plants and creates superb designs while optimizing costs. With David's help there is a nice sense of security that the garden/yard and the property as a whole are in good hands under a watchful eye of somebody who cares. A pleasure to work with!

Beautifully! I don’t have much of a creative streak for these things but David had an amazing vision for my yard and I could not be more delighted with it

The end result of our work with Exoticus Botanicus has been great. Our backyard is beautiful and much more functional. The contractor had great design ideas. Getting to the end of this project was painful and took much longer than estimated. I found numerous problems which had to be fixed - I think the contractor should have found these problems. In one instance, concrete was poorly poured and looked bad. I immediately raised this issue with the contractor but it was only after weeks of discussion that this was fixed. Our backyard was over-planted, which meant it looked good when the company left but has since become overgrown - this has resulted in later problems and unnecessary expense. The contractor recommended placing rocks as a foundation for our fountain - I asked if we should have a concrete foundation but was assured the rocks should suffice. The fountain has not stayed level and I often have to re-level it - I will eventually get it fixed (the problem is that when not leveled, the fountain quickly loses water). The worst part of this experience relates to the flagstones. We told the contractor that we wanted the flagstone pieces for our patio to be large. The subcontractor cut the stones small. We kept telling the contractor and even the subcontractor what we wanted but still the stones were cut smaller than we desired. It was only with considerable effort, redoing some of the work and extra expense that we got what we wanted. The entire project was spaced out over a long period and the job took 2 months longer than originally estimated. There were periods when no work was occurring. The contractor's own people (vs. subcontractors) only came on the weekend. Other positives: Our sliding doors did not slide easily (fairly jammed) after the works was done - it seemed dust from the stone cutting fouled the rolling mechanisms. The contractor offered to take care of this problem. This company did a fairly good job cleaning up after themselves. Overall, I love our backyard remodel and it has improved our quality of home-life. The whole process should have been much easier.

David was very receptive to incorporating limitations of the existing landscape and converting the space to a drought tolerant and creative yard. He created a most inviting environment to welcome people onto the property, including thoughtful use of borders along the driveway. He listened well, incorporating the basic ideas desired and then used his expertise to create a stunning landscape.

I cannot say enough great things about David Sweeney, the designer and owner of Exoticus Botanicus. Before I met David, I had gone through 3 landscape companies in 4 years, and David has now been with me for about 20 years. Last year I moved out of state and now rent my Los Angeles home, but David still maintains the landscaping because I don't trust anyone else, and we put too much into it for it not to be maintained by him. Not only does David have an amazing sense of design (I even solicited his opinion on non-garden related home improvements), but he really cares about making everything beautiful as much as I do (and I am REALLY picky), which is a rare quality. Also, it is hard to find a company that does his level of design work that also does the ongoing maintenance. Having installed the landscaping gives him an added level of personal attention. I could call him to talk about a particular plant in the garden and he would know exactly what I was talking about and have already noticed whatever point I wanted to make about it. The best testimonial to David's amazing talent is that when I used to sit on my front porch pretty much everyone who walked by said we had the most beautiful garden they had seen. People also came by to take pictures! And, David doesn't just know how to select plants. After a few years of working with him, I decided to redo my backyard, which had mostly just been lawn and planting areas with no interesting hardscape or place to sit. David did an amazing job designing the shape of the patio area and steps, selecting the flagsone, designing the most tasteful kennel/run for my dog that had to be in the backyard (we called it the Taj MaKennel) and a great fountain. He even selected the patio furniture! A few years later we completely resdesigned the front yard with a river rock wall (it is a Craftsman home), fountain, specially designed planter for our porch and lots of succulents/drought tolerant plants. Recently, we removed the front lawn and put in drought tolerant Dymondia.

David attended to every detail. I could count on him to make it happen, make changes when necessary, and he always followed up with the list seeing the project through to the very end. And very pleasant to work with the whole time.

We worked with David over the course of 4 months to rehabilitate our backyard after a construction project left it muddy and not an optimal space for relaxation or play. His team installed a pergola to match an existing one, patched a large muddy area with new brick, installed new lighting, custom built a fire pit and David worked with me closely to source a large new fountain (that he installed), many large containers and many plants to create a relaxing oasis. He is professional and easy to be around. He is very knowledgeable about plants and had great suggestions.

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David is a pleasure to work with and has great ideas.   David leaves no stone unturned, he thinks of everything at least twice and gives you various options to choose from along the way.   We were given various check points and at times we choose the lower budget route and at times we chose higher budget items.  David is the type of person who can work with the situation. <br /> We now have a great fence, an amazing fountain, and while it's not completely finished, it's going to be a wonderful backyard space to relax in and enjoy this summer! <br />

David Sweeney's  work is top-notch. He is very imaginative, has a great knowledge of California fauna, is always trying new things and thinking of cool things to do.. David and has  his crew have installed fences on three sides of the property; replacing one and installing two for privacy. All look great and ares sturdy. <br /> He  very much keeps an eye on things and is forever suggesting things to try. He is very accessible and quick to respond when there is any kind of problem.We've used him now for two years, and recommend him -- for weekly garden care, but for all sort so projects -- with great  enthusiasm. <br />

Perfectly

.Do be sure to let David know exactly what you want. and your exact price range. In our experience David has kept to his estimates --throwing in a few of the plants in for free if he has gone over-budget. Don'ts -- try to remain flexible. Sometimes a plant you liked at the nursery is not available in the necessary numbers. Let David have some creative room. We feel he is an artist in his own right with plants as his medium. If you do have a problem with what he has done or intends to do, don't be shy -- talk about it. David is easy to reach and very adaptable. He wants his customers to both benefit from his expertise and be happy with the gardens he creates and maintains.

He did not deliver on time.  We were not happy with him at all.   His work was supposed to be done but it was 2 months late.  He did an irrigation system that is still giving us problems and we have put in another $1500 to correct it.  <br /> <br /> We have a small area in the back and part of it gets watered and everything grows at a different because of the water and the lack of water.  We have had someone in to put in more sprinklers and he is adding on to what is already there without moving all the plants.  We did some patch work on that so now the dryer areas are getting more water.  The design that looked great on paper, does not look good in our yard now.  <br /> <br /> It was as if he had won our business and then we were not his priority anymore.   He always had someone else that was more important than we were.  He always had something else to do other than ours.  <br /> <br /> This is what anyone that is going to use his services should know first.  He operates on a fee and then the hard cost of labor and any plants that he puts in there is a 25% markup on the plants.  The more plants that he puts in the more money he makes.  There are so many plants in our yard now, that we can't tell one plant from one another.  <br /> <br /> We wanted the landscaping to be done because we were going to be married in our back yard.  That is the real reason that we hired him to do his work.  He finally put the plants in the day before out wedding.  It took him all that time to do this job that should have taken him a very short time to do.  <br /> We will never use him again for any projects in the future! <br /> <br />  

Most responsive company to this small but important job

THE REASON I WAITED THIS LONG TO SUBMIT THIS REPORT (ONE YEAR) WAS BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE CERTAIN THE PLANTS WOULD LAST AND IF NEEDED, HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY FOLLOW-UP.  THE PLANTS ARE DOING GREAT.  WHEN WE NEEDED HIM FOR ONE SERVICE CALL HE TOOK CARE OF THE ISSUE PROMPTLY AND DID IT RIGHT.  <br /> DAVID IS A BRILLIANT DESIGNER.  STRANGERS STILL APPROACH US YEAR LATER TO TELL US HOW MUCH THEY LIKE THE DESIGN; AND THESE PEOPLE HAD NO IDEA HOW BAD IT LOOKED PRIOR TO HIS DESIGN. <br /> DAVID DID NOT DESIGN THE IRRIGATION, BUT HE INSTALLED SOMEONE ELSE'S (POETIC PLANTING) IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL MANNER. <br /> <br />

My husband and I recently engaged David Sweeney (principal of Exoticus Botanicus) to assist us in turning our tiny back yard (a 20 by 20 space sandwiched by stucco’d garage walls) from what we called the ‘prison yard’ into a Mexican-inspired courtyard.  Once we came up with our basic concept (a terracotta patio surrounded by planters), we called two nearby landscaping companies listed on Angie’s List.  David responded promptly to my inquiry and made himself available for a weekend consultation.  During the consultation, he showed us another client’s garden and indicated that he could be available to start our project immediately. The project (scope listed above) was completed in three weeks.  Though the final cost turned out to be higher than initially estimated (i.e., he asked us to cover overages not estimated in the original contract), we are pleased with the outcome.  As with any garden, a few plants failed and the irrigation system required some tweaking, but so far (I’m writing three weeks after completion) David has come back to address these issues and has indicated a willingness to assist and advise in the future.  Perhaps the attached photos can tell the story better than prose, so have a look! <br /> <br /> ADDENDUM, JULY 6:  Since writing the above report, David and we have parted ways on less than ideal terms, so I’ve changed my ‘yes I’d use again,’ to a ‘no.’ In a nutshell, he had come back to inspect an area of sod that failed, said he would return on a given day to replace it, and then came back that day only to restart a debate about whether we should have planted sod there at all (ultimately not doing it, and just walking out).  As I had taken time off from work to be there – and as we were talking about less than $20 in sod, I felt it was petty of him (and unwise as a business person) not to do the work he’d promised/scheduled.  If he didn’t want to replace that section, he could have said so the day he came back to inspect the area.   Though he is a nice guy who works hard, he is not as knowledgeable as he seems to think he is.  As we didn't know much about SoCal gardening/landscaping, we chose to retain a ‘landscaper’ rather than our weekly gardener, as we wanted someone who would know to ask relevant questions and think about critical issues.  Having worked with him, I’d say David is a creative gardener, but certainly not a ‘landscape firm’ (as his voicemail says).  We basically went to the nursery, picked out a portfolio of plants we thought were cool, and David planted them nicely.  In hindsight, we realize that we didn’t get the kind of design work and/or professional advice you might expect from a 'landscape firm.' While I don’t want to steer anyone against working with him, I will say that if you work with David, you should be prepared to do some of your own homework on what kind of water, soil, and light certain plants need and how big things will grow over time.  Also, be sure you either create a portfolio of plants that is compatible or that the irrigation system can help compensate for differing water needs.  It turns out that we have to do a lot of hand watering, as our groundcover (wooley thyme) needs loads of water while the succulents do not, and the irrigation system drowns the succulents while barely wetting the ground cover. Since the initial planting, we have had to move some things around (as some plants that will stay short were planted in the back, and plants that will grow tall were planted in the front).  We have been strongly advised by our weekly gardener and others to remove the Yuccas as soon as possible - as they get really invasive, cannot be ‘held back,’ and are not appropriate for a small space such as ours.  We have also realized that it was not smart having the same items on the sunny and shady sides of the yard, as some plants that need shade are burning in the sun, and bouganvilleas (which need sun) on our shady side are not happy.  Also, we had said that we didn't want anything that flowered (so as not to aggravate allergies or attract bees) and it turns out that our groundcover (wooley thyme) flowers like crazy.  So, once again, just do your homework, or be sure to press David to think about these kinds of things, so that your garden (which, like ours, as you can see, was beautiful on planting day) will thrive and suit your needs over the long run.  Happy gardening!

David is fantastic because he does not just come over and put his stamp on everything. Not only does he have a great sense of landscape design, but he took time to understand our particular sensibilities and tastes and designed a garden to match. He came to our house several times before he began the actual plant selection to make sure that he had a good feel for our property and our sensibilities, and to know positively that we were all on the same page. After meetings at our house, we went to the nursery with David and discussed plants in greater detail. Our garden looks beautiful. It's more beautiful than I even imagined it would be. David has exceeded our expectations and we are so pleased we asked him to be the person to take charge of our new garden. We have asked David to maintain our garden now. His staff is friendly and competent. And David takes a very personal interest in keeping the garden as healthy as can be -- it's his garden, too, in a way. The morning light spread across the garden today and everything just was enchanting. We're looking forward to a beautiful garden every day now. And with David tending it, I'm sure it will stay that way!

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The best testimonial to David's amazing talent is that when I sit on my front porch pretty much everyone who walks by says we have the most beautiful garden they have seen. People also come by to take pictures! Before I met David, I had gone through 3 landscape companies in 4 years, and David has now been with me for about 7 years. Not only does David have an amazing sense of design (I even solicit his opinion on non-garden related home improvements), but he really cares about making everything beautiful as much as I do (and I am REALLY picky), which is a rare quality. He also does my ongoing maintenance and I can call him to talk about a particular plant in the garden and he will know exactly what I am talking about and have already noticed it is is blooming or whatever point I want to make about it.