Jean-marc and his team were by the most professional and interested of the 9 contractors we interviewed over a 4 month period. They provide a refreshing design with a full and clear quote including diagrams of the work to be done and were also the lowest cost of all 9. The work team was flexible when minor changes were requested. They also identified (once the work began) that additional work was needed which couldn't have been known ahead of time, the additional cost was minor. The project was completed reasonably fast, though they were delayed starting and left little impact on the rest of the yard. We're very happy with the work now that summer is approaching and we can enjoy it. I would be happy to recommend Genus Loci to anyone looking to have fairly high-end work done at a reasonable price and still expect good customer service.

We've had so many issues with our landscaping before we found Genus Loci. They came up with an excellent design to correct our pre-existing problems and the end result was a beautiful area for us to enjoy & to entertain with ease. They completely transformed our pool area beyond our expectations. From our initial contact with Jean-Marc, we could tell we were finally on the right track with our landscaping decisions. He took the time to show us other projects they've completed and you could tell he was genuinely interested in helping us. Simon, Peter, Howie and the rest of the crew involved in our project were also always working with care & their expertise showed through in the quality of their work. Our kids love the waterfall/grotto overflowing into the pool and we love our outdoor kitchen with pizza oven. They also constructed a gorgeous fire pit with a built in seating area that is just perfect for sitting around after a long day. In our Front yard, we can now walk to our front door on the beautifully constructed Flagstone walkway. I was terrible with knowing what type of plantings to use to fill up our area, but they helped helped us choose and they very well informed us on the right type of plantings would flourish in our area. I feel we finally now have a place we can enjoy. Any issues that came up with this extensive project were quickly brought to our attention and dealt with in a professional manner. I would highly recommend Genus Loci & would not hesitate for a second to use them again in the future. Thank you all so much for the hard work and the beautiful grounds you gave us.

I wanted to express our deepest gratitude for the personal care your company and yourself have taken during the projects here at Horse Spirit Connections. We can definitely see and feel how you embody 'the Spirit of the Land' which encompassed not only the land but all the horses as well. We are especially thrilled by the your team and how they embraced building the Kiva. Thank you so much for joining us in this adventure. Your creativity and originality of thought combined with your experience has provided us with a very powerful place to do ceremony. Thank you again. Words cannot express our heartfelt appreciation. Wendy and Andre

Company Response:

Thanks very much Wendy, it was a pleasure working with you and Andre on this decidedly unique project. We don't get requests to build a kiva every day, so it was a really nice change of pace for us. Really happy the project turned out so well, and look forward to seeing the finished project with a green roof. Jean-Marc

Genus Loci was creative, timely and truly cared about their work and satisfaction to the customer. The listened and offered suggestions with lots of options and different price points. I was thrilled with the results, and also had lots of compliments from all the neighbors as well!. Would use Genus Loci again for future work, and would recommend as well with confidence.

Company Response:

Thank you so much for the great review Lilie! We are so pleased you are happy with the final product. The decision to go with natural stone was definitely the right one, it looks great! Simon and Jean-Marc

We have a small backyard off a greenbelt. The lawn was becoming a lot of work with all the weeds, and our patio was too small for entertaining. We decided we wanted to get rid of the lawn and make a patio area with gardens in and surrounding it. We also wanted a water feature to add a sense of being up north. We had a back entry that was very small and easy to trip as you enter through the patio doors. We wanted this area raised to be flush with the door, and then steps down to the patio. Everything we asked for was designed for our needs, but went beyond our expectations. I never thought one of my favorite parts of the project would be the entrance way. It's beautiful, and functional. Everyone who worked on the project, worked with us. If we wanted some changes as the work was in progress...no problem. Everyone seemed as interested in our project as we were, from John-Marc, Peter and Simon, to the crew that was always there when they said they would be, and who worked hard to have the garden finished on time. We had neighbors comment on how hard they saw the crew working. Having a linked house, most materials had to be brought through the garage. Would we recommend you folks to others. Absolutely! And if we win the lottery we'll be looking for you to design our new property! Thanks again for all your hard work and beautiful results. Sharon & Stewart

Company Response:

Thank you very much for the great review Sharon and Stewart. It was a pleasure to work with both of you and we're extremely happy the result exceeded your expectations. And good luck with the lottery! We'll be keeping our fingers crossed. Simon and Jean-Marc

We are absolutely thrilled with the work and loved the creativity by Jean-Marc and his crew. The stone outcrop landscape was completed in a timely and professional manner. We were given a beautiful "canadian shield" in the midst of downtown living.

Company Response:

Thank you very much for the great review. It really does seem your front yard is the talk of the neighbourhood!

I really appreciated the philosophy of the company and their commitment to environmentally sustainable solutions. I was expecting a functional solution and was delighted with the creativity and aesthetic sense that was brought to the project. Jean-Marc worked closely with the government agencies throughout and was very helpful in assisting me with funding applications and accomodating the flow of funds. The construction team was well organized and very efficient. They kept me well informed on the progress, worked long days and came in right on time and budget. All in all a very positive experience.

Significant (front/back/side of a 1/3 acre lot) design & build landscape project just completed with Genus-Loci. We have been delighted with the quality of their work and professionalism of their staff from start to finish. Initial contact/meeting was with Jean-Marc who then got Simon involved in preparing the design plan after meetings with us. The detailed design plans were prepared on time and with regular communication throughout to ensure that the plan reflected all of our needs and wants. We appreciated the many creative suggestions and solutions Simon came up with throughout the process - no question in our minds that he put a lot of time into it. The build part was split in 3 phases (front, back side), with the same foreman (Howie) in charge for all. Howie worked incredibly hard and made sure his crews did too - the work is first rate and end result demonstrates it. Kudos to Genus-Loci for some really great suggestions "on the fly" - we made a bunch of minor changes to the design during the build based on thier suggestions and all have contributed to a great end result. We still have some planting, lighting and other work to be completed in 2012 and will be working with Genus-Loci to complete those items, based on our positive experience with them this year. I can't say enough about happy we are. And our friends and neighbors have also gushed - about the quality of the design and the workmanship. Lastly, re: cost - we price tested various elements of the project and Genus-Loci's pricing was fair. In hindsight, there may be some who would have done the job for less, but I am not sure how the workmanship would have been. On the other hand, there are many landscapers who would have done the same job for much more. There were some unexpected issues that came up during the build that resulted in some cost overruns, but Genus-Loci handled them extremely fairly. All around, no complaints - we would not hesitate to recommend them (and already have to friends and neighbours).

Company Response:

Thank-you both for the great review, we really appreciate all your comments and the referrals. It was a great project to work on and you both were great clients to work for. It was nice to see the project come together smoothly and to have an end result everyone is happy with. Hope you both are enjoying the new pizza oven and outdoor living space during this beautiful fall weather. Look forward to finishing up the remaining work next season. Have a great winter. Simon and Jean-Marc

In under two weeks Genus Loci transformed a very plain garden into a magical oasis. The focal point is a a majestic 25ft x 8ft pond with a waterfall. Each stone was painstakingly placed and there is a rock on which each member of our family can sit. The majority of the shrubs and plants used are native so the maintenance is very low. The Genus Loci team were courteous, professional and hard working. The project was completed on time and on budget.

We researched for quite some time to find the right firm to design and build our natural swimming pond on our farm property. Genus Loci appeared to have the experience, processes and approach we were looking for. The project started on schedule, finished on schedule and stayed within the budget we had established with them at the onset. The Genus Loci team were knowledgable, professional and very hard working. Our family is thrilled with the outcome, and we would certainly use them again and recommend them to anyone thinking of doing a project such as this one.

Company Response:

Thanks very much for your positive comments, and for the opportunity to do this project! This was a logistically challenging project for us, and we were also very pleased with the outcome. We look forward to seeing this natural swimming pool develop and evolve in the coming years as it matures. Happy swimming! Regards, Jean-Marc and Simon