Helena Aalto from Toronto

Chaz Morenz and her expert crew from Gardens in the City completely overhauled our front yard in October 2016. When I first approached Chaz, I immediately connected with her practical, straightforward approach and her sense of fun. In the months before the overhaul, Chaz and I talked about plants I like (and don't like), and which were likely to do well on our site. From these discussions, she prepared a design and planting plan with lists and photos of recommended low-maintenance plants. We share the front yard with our semi-detached neighbours, so Chaz also incorporated their wishes into the design. The work for the actual overhaul took a day and a half. Every bit of weed-filled grass was taken out (no more mowing!), a deep layer of new healthy soil was added, and the flagstones and rocks I already had were re-purposed for paths and borders. Chaz had ordered all the shrubs (junipers, hydrangeas, weigalas), perennials (phlox, Japanese anemone, bergenia, nepeta), ornamental grasses and groundcovers, and everything was planted. And even at this early stage our new front garden is lovely, by next spring it will fill in even more, and in the years to come it will keep getting better. A front garden can be a gift for the neighbourhood and well as for the house. Thank you Gardens in the City for such a beautiful gift.

After a week of repeated "blue screen of death" on our main office computer, I found PC Service On Site and read their HomeStars reviews. Chris, a very capable and most personable young man came to our office and tried fix the problem, but ultimately had to take the computer away overnight. But he was back with the computer the next morning as promised, with everything fixed and restored. His explanations were clear, he was well-organized, he phoned a software provider to reinstate a subscription--and through it all he was so friendly and cheerful, adorable actually, that we hated to see him leave!