The best way to judge a company that offers landscaping services is to study its finished work: real before and after photos, plants that are still healthy a year or two later, clean hardscape edges, and designs that suit Central Florida's heat, sand, and summer storms. If a company can't show you that, keep looking.
A good portfolio answers the question you're really asking: can they do this at my house? To talk through your project, contact our team or call (407) 595-5818.
How should you read a landscaper's before and after photos?
Look for the same angle, the same house, and a real change. A strong before and after shows bare sand or tired shrubs turning into a planned layout, not just a fresh mow with new mulch on top. If the "before" and "after" could be two different yards, ask.
Pay attention to the details. Are bed lines smooth and consistent? Is the sod tight and evenly green, with no seams showing? Do plants sit at the right spacing for their mature size, or are they crammed in to look full on day one?
Ask where each project is and how long ago it was installed. A portfolio with work you can recognize, like a yard in Lakes of Windermere, is easier to trust than a feed of stock-looking photos with no context.
Browse our portfolio with that lens. Look past the curb appeal and notice the plant choices, the spacing, and how each yard fits its house.
What should a strong landscaping portfolio show?
It should show plant health over time, clean hardscape lines, and design choices that make sense for Central Florida. Fresh installs always look good. The real test is how the yard looks after a full summer of heat, afternoon storms, and sandy soil.
One of our customers wanted to avoid a mistake she'd made before. She had bought shrubs that grew up and blocked the view from her windows. She asked to see yards where plants had filled in, so she'd know what to expect. We showed her examples from past projects so she could picture it.
That's the kind of proof worth asking for. Mature yards show whether a company plans for growth, places sun-loving plants in full sun, and keeps shade plants under the big live oaks you see in older neighborhoods like College Park.
Hardscape tells you a lot, too. Pavers should sit level with tight joints, walkways should drain away from the house, and borders should hold their shape. Wavy edges and sinking pavers in a photo are a warning sign.
How do you tell mow-and-blow crews from real design-build companies?
A design-build company can show you whole projects, from layout to planting to irrigation and hardscape. A mow-and-blow crew can show you neat lawns. Both have their place, but only one can redesign your yard.
Ask to see a pool-area project, a common request around Dr. Phillips, since it shows how a company handles splash zones, drainage, and plants that tolerate reflected heat.
Ask who handles each part of the job. Real design-build work includes the design itself, sod, beds, patios and walkways, trees and palms, mulch, and an irrigation check so new plants get water where they need it.
Ask where the plants come from and how they're installed. We source plants and trees from local growers, hand-pick them, and install them the same day they leave the nursery. For large trees and palms, we use our own trucks and tree-boom loaders.
JLC Outdoors has served Greater Orlando since 1993. You can see the full scope on our landscape design and installation page.
What should you ask about maintenance after install?
Ask who will care for the yard once the crew leaves, and what that care includes. A beautiful install can decline fast without the right watering, pruning, and seasonal attention in its first year.
Good questions include: Who checks the irrigation after planting? How often will beds be weeded and mulched? Who prunes palms and trees, and when? Do you rotate seasonal color? Can the same company handle maintenance, so nothing falls between two vendors?
Listen for specific answers. Vague promises are easy. A clear plan for the first few months after install shows a company that expects to be judged on how the yard looks next year.
A company that installs and maintains its own work has a reason to plan for the long haul. Our Maintenance Division can take over after installation, and our residential landscaping services cover everything from irrigation repair to palm pruning.
Ready to see what's possible for your yard? Browse our past work, then request your free consultation or call JLC Outdoors at (407) 595-5818.