Bartlett Tree Experts

I have a one-​acre lot with a number of trees, mostly clustered in and around the front yard. I’m sure that before they reached their mature height they were perfectly spaced, but now (as the second owner of the house) I find them blocking sunlight to the flower beds and lawn below and obscuring the view to my home. I called three companies to walk the property with me and prepare quotes. One never responded to my online inquiry or phone call; one finally put me in touch with the proper person by forwarding my call to his voice mail after 3 separate calls; and Bartlett promptly set up an appointment that fit in with my schedule. Brian from the Baltimore office came out to take a look around.
In the way of history, several years ago I contracted with a company specifically to thin crowns by 20−30% and to raise the canopy to increase sunlight. The company came recommended by a friend whom I thought understood some of the basics of gardening. As it turns out, a bunch a guys arrived in a couple of pickups and a shredder machine; many were clearly overweight, older, and out of shape. I specifically directed them not to simply top off trees, but to prune them appropriately, and went inside to work. When I came out, I was not pleased. Some trees had been topped off; none were properly thinned, and needless to say I learned my lesson about using «tree care specialists» who were not certified Arborists.
Back to Barlett. I explained my objectives and concerns to Brian who listened carefully, then described his plan which included the removal of a tree that was close to the house; I hadn’t considered that possibility. He also identified a few issues with some of my plants and recommended a treatment (e.g., a holly that was infested with mites under the surface of the branches). He has a very well-​rounded understanding of all things plants. I appreciated his advice and took it (and the holly is really flourishing now!) Brian’s plan did not include up-​selling or talking me into things that were not needed. His plan was focused on the objectives I had described. He pointed out some issues with other trees that I had not noticed; in most cases recommending a wait-​and-​see approach before doing anything like spraying, and in one case recommending that broken branches due to a storm be removed from a large fir tree in the side yard. I felt like I was getting a very comprehensive assessment.
The Bartlett team arrived on time, and the 5 man crew were dressed appropriately (company tee-​shirts, heavy canvas pants, boots) which was not my experience in the earlier situation described above. They were polite and the entire operation appeared to be a well-​oiled machine — taking down two trees, thinning crowns and raising canopies on 6 other mature trees including a mature pin oak, and grinding one stump. There was no goofing off and the team finished in one day. They were polite and very hard-​working climbing to the tops of trees and not taking short-​cuts. They seemed to use their safety equipment very well (climbing rigs, hearing protection, hard hats and so forth.) They carefully cleaned up all debris and removed it. I’d also like to point out that their equipment has treads which really helps to minimize damage to lawns since their weight is more fully distributed. They had a grinder, a machine to carry branches in a large bunch, and one other which I can’t seem to recall at the moment. Can I tell that equipment traversed my yard? Yes, of course I can. But it will bounce back in a day or two and in fact looked very good this morning, less than 24 hours after the work was completed.
I’ll use Bartlett in the future, as I have another area behind my house that needs attention. But, since my daughter is getting married early next year, I thought I’d save some cash and defer that work for now. Get your quotes from other companies, but be sure to include this company in your decision. They may not the least expensive, but they offer a great value in my opinion.

Five is not enough stars! Super professional and skilled, and truly a pleasure to do business with. These are not just guys with chainsaws… they are true experts who know their stuff and genuinely love trees. We had an overgrown and mal-​formed pear tree in danger of falling on our house. They listened carefully to our concerns and created a plan that focused not only on protecting the house but on saving the tree and making sure it grows properly in the future. They showed up with a cherry-​picker and a wood-​shredder, made hanging precariously from a tree with a chainsaw look easy, cleaned up everything thoroughly after they were done, and even honored our request to keep some of the wood, stacking it neatly into split-​able sizes. And they did it all with a smile. A million thanks to Marty (our original assessor) and to Victor and the two other guys whose names I wish I had gotten (the team that did the work.) They were all top notch. Thank you! Thank you!