Dr. Heka Ylanko, BSc, MSc, MD, CCFP: "Last summer I contacted KT Landscape Design in a bit of a panic. An important family function required that our much neglected back yard be presentable. Kari came promptly and was not fazed by the challenge of shady northern exposure and existing meandering flagstone path, rocks, waterfall and some mature trees. As we did not have the luxury of time I allowed him to come up with his plan and suggestions without burdening and confusing him with my uneducated suggestions. The very next day he presented his plans and it was as if he had read my mind! He then proceeded to help me choose the plants and required supplies at the nursery and also provided help with the planting. Disaster was averted. We were all extremely satisfied with his knowledge, expertise, professionalism and willingness to help. I will be using KT Landscape Design again for other projects. I wholeheartedly recommend Kari to anyone in need of expert help with their projects. Two not-so-green thumbs up!" (on www.homestars.com)
Chris F: "My backyard was in desperate need of a refresh. I reached out to Kari at KT Landscape Design and he was of great assistance! Kari helped me plan and design my entire backyard including fence, deck, pergola, stonework, retaining wall and landscaping plants. He has an excellent knowledge of plants and gave me great suggestions. I appreciated his open and honest communication and he is very professional. He worked with me, going back and forth on every detail of my plan, in addition to consulting with the contractor who built the deck/fence. When working on the technical drawings, Kari was meticulous and precise, ensuring all measurements were accurate, adhering to my property survey. He also took into consideration the elevation and grade of my backyard. He provided me with a master plan for the site as well as a conceptual video. I recommend Kari and his services." (on www.homestars.com)
Denise Bryan: "I had an idea of what I wanted done to my front yard and Kari was able to bring those ideas to life. It is only a small front garden but he was able to make suggestions as to what needed to be done with the steps and the pathway which was exactly what I had envisioned but was not sure if it could be done. I did not agree with some of the plant suggestions, but Kari had no problem making changes to his design. Very knowledgeable and professional." (on www.homestars.com)
Sophie: "We are very happy with the friendly and professional work. We would definitely recommend KT Landscape design." (on www.homestars.com)
Christopher Diaz: "My front yard and the boulevard needed some serous work - meaning no curb appeal. Although I had a garden, I needed the help of a trained professional to help me lay out the garden in a way that makes it easy to maintain, functional and beautiful to look at. Kari worked with me on a design that is complimentary to the house and the neighborhood. I told him I would like to do the job myself so he provided a plan I can certainly do in stages due to budget and time constraints." (on www.homestars.com)
Dr. Merrill Swain, Professor Emerita: "Kari Tolppanen is the owner of KT Landscape Design. Kari is Finnish, and so I already knew he would be good at his chosen profession. He (re-) designed my garden which, quite frankly, needed a complete overhaul. I knew some of what was wrong with my garden, but Kari was able to pinpoint the issues that needed attention – more coherence, more clumping together of similar types of plants, more height differentiation, more colour. He also suggested removing much loved (but old and ugly) shrubs, replacing them with varieties of hardy rhododendrons and other stunning shrubs, plus a number of different perennials that will provide colour from spring through fall (e.g. Endless Summer Hydrangeas; Elivis Lives Hostas; and Endless Love Salvias). He left space near my sitting area in the garden for annuals so that every year I can pick and choose a different new set of delightful flowers. In order to accomplish this, Kari first meticulously measured my existing garden and the distance between plants, and on the basis of this presented me with a draft design. We spent hours discussing the design which he modified according to my wishes (perhaps not always his wishes!), and returned with the most stunningly, carefully, drawn design I have ever seen. The design was the work of a superb landscaper designer and a perfectionist combined. Kari then found a contractor to do the work for me, and I am eagerly awaiting the time when all the plants are in place, and my garden will be a restful place of beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers." (on www.homestars.com)