Reviews
Based on 33 reviews
Based on 8 reviews
Sara Quagliaroli
22:44 05 Apr 24
Jim came out to our home for a consultation regarding the trees on our wooded property. He spent almost two hours with my husband and I and we did a full walk-a-bout of the space. He told us about the tree species on the land, perspectives on the health of the trees, and conditions to consider when and if we decide to do tree maintenance and removal. There was no pressure at all to sign on for the next stage of service, but he gave us an approximate estimate on the work we thought we might be interested in having him do (and what he thought we might pay if we moved forward with removing a larger tree that would necessitate us needing to do work with a company that had a Big Truck). The price of the experience was very reasonable, given the time he spent with us and all we learned. I'll look forward to working with Jim again soon!
Rebecca Holmes-Farley
20:37 05 Apr 22
From the start to the conclusion of our tree and ornamental shrub project with Hilltown Tree and Garden we were extremely pleased. We met with Jim, the principal, and within minutes of beginning to talk with him we sensed that we would be in good hands. He spent well over an hour walking the property with us, demonstrating his deep knowledge of trees and detailing the sorts of things he would recommend we do to preserve and enhance the care of our new property. He provided a detailed written estimate (it was not inexpensive) and went carefully through each item with us. Each and every person who worked on our property (and it was a big job that spanned several weeks) was cordial, quiet, careful and considerate in addition to being genuinely friendly. Jim was in touch frequently and came out and walked the property with us when we requested it, and at certain other points during the process so that we always knew the state of things. It was a pleasure to have his crew on the property. So much so, that we hope to use them for our ongoing landscape needs. Highly recommended.
Stephen Pierce
22:23 20 Sep 21
We have worked with Jim and Hilltown Tree & Garden several times over the last four years. Jim is an expert in his field, combining the science of tree care with considerations of natural aesthetics. We've entrusted him with projects that span the cabling of century-old trees, periodic tree care and trimming, and removal of invasive vines. His crew is excellent: they are knowledgeable, hardworking, and friendly. When they arrived on a recent morning and our car wouldn't start, they pitched in to help us get things moving again--truly above and beyond. Highly recommended!
Gerry Weiss
04:43 15 Sep 21
Jim was very generous with his time, visiting my yard and discussing the options for the work that needed to be done. The work was done with care and clearly with expertise. Will definitely use them again.
C G.
04:36 04 May 21
I moved into a new house and needed trees and bushes for privacy. I chose Hilltown T&G because I wanted to retain the natural look of the property. Jim...
Brian Scully
20:21 26 Jan 21
We had a dead tree that was a hazard to our home and we needed a good certified arborist first to examine the tree and help us with the permit with our town. Jim McSweeney is that certified arborist and his company removed the tree that put our home in danger very skillfully and professionally. They were like surgeons going in and being very careful to not harm other trees and also adhere to all of our town's rules on tree removals. They also helped us with two fallen trees that had been uprooted in the November winds, leaving giant holes in the ground when the root pod lifted out. They were able to cut the fallen trunk in precisely the right spot that let gravity right the tree and tip right back into it's natural hole, preserving the environment and making the ground safe for us to walk in. You will not meet anyone more professional and knowledgeable on trees and garden things than Jim McSweeney of Hilltown Tree ad Garden. They have my 100% endorsement and my highest recommendation for the quality of their work and for their friendly manner in how they do business.
Barbara Partee
17:02 30 Jun 20
Jim McSweeney has been my tree and garden professional since 2008 for my home in Amherst, and he has been wonderful. I have needed him mainly for tree work -- care of existing trees (including some very big old ones) and putting in quite a few new ones, and shrubs. He has been very responsive to emergencies like the damage from our freak October blizzard a few years ago. And one great thing for me: I've been living in Russia half the year all this time, yet never out of touch, since he's so internet-savvy. After one storm while I was in Moscow, a lodger sent me a photo of some major damage to a maple, I sent the photo to Jim, and he went and took care of it, keeping me informed about the process. He knows so much, and he's such an interesting person! We share stories about fauna and flora from our travels, especially about mushrooms -- I'm so glad to know him!*** Update June 2020: By now I've been working with Jim McSweeney and his team for 12 years,, and they've done all kinds of work with my trees and landscaping, and I've always been more than 100% happy with him and all of his crew. I feel so lucky to have found him. He gives excellent advice, and when he's baffled by something, he's not afraid to say so. He's always willing to spread out his work over multiple years to help my budget, and also to recommend other excellent people for my outdoor needs, like a driveway restorer who he recommended for the extra challenges my driveway presents. This month he and his team took out about a dozen dying spruces and two maples that had become dangerously weakened in their old age. Chipped a great deal of the wood into mulch for me, also did some pruning and put in 4 new rose bushes. Did all the work wonderfully and left the place totally spic and span. Both Jim and his team are always happy to answer all my questions, whether serious ones or just curiosity.And the big plantings of new bushes and ground cover that he did several years ago, on the side where the spruces have been dying, are looking wonderful and healthy - he gives us excellent instructions on how to care for them, and checks up on them at least every year. He really cares. (And he also treats his crew really well, with good living wage, health insurance, etc -- which is undoubtedly why he has such a great crew.)
John Rounds
16:13 10 May 19
very pleased with the thoughtful advice, careful listening, prompt and quality work. Recommend highly
Christine Clark
14:45 30 Mar 19
I was very excited to work with Jim -unfortunately he was a no call, no show for our consultation. My time is valuable, I was extremely disappointed, feel a bit disrespected, and will be taking my business elsewhere.
Kenny Lauzier
19:16 29 Nov 18
Jim and team have been extremely helpful with us over at Amherst College in evaluating and helping to redesign newly planted areas to help make out landscape make sense. He was extremely informative, accommodating, and easy to work with.
Krishna Gifford
20:32 03 Sep 18
My husband and I are 1 year into a multi year project with Jim and his team. We couldn't be happier with the quality of the work or with Jim's knowledge and experience in what materials and plants will best meet our needs and work well in the Hilltown environment.
Jan Hawkins
18:00 26 Jul 18
Jim and his team brought their expertise to our stand of pine trees. They removed all dead limbs (high up) and cleared all non-native species undergrowth. We are so pleased with the result and appreciate the professional care they gave to each and every tree!
Ben M.
01:55 22 May 18
We've had a relationship with Jim and team for over five years. Honest, reliable, and knowledgeable. We trust Jim to take care of our property like it is...
Jan Davis
18:07 19 Dec 17
We called Jim to look at 4 huge, tall apple trees (that he determined were over 100 years old). They hadn't been pruned or looked after for many years, but were still bearing fruit. Jim made several recommendations and worked with us on a plan for trimming and cabling them. He and his crew worked in the cold this past week to do the pruning and cabling for two of them. We'll work on the others next year. We're so pleased that these trees will be healthier and hope they have many more majestic years. Could not be happier with his professional approach and the work his crew did.
Eldertree
03:57 16 Nov 17
I have worked with and for Hill town Tree and Garden - and I've recommended them to my own clients who have always been very happy. They charge more than other companies and they are worth every dime. Jim the owner is an expert and is full of integrity and fairness. I will continue to send my clientele to them. They make my business look good every time..
Stephen Shipps
13:34 17 Oct 17
Jim and his Hilltown team removed one small tree, cut back another large one so that branches no longer overhung the house, chipped it all. They were more professional, in every way, that we could have hoped for. In this day and age, that level of competence and responsibility is rare, and much appreciated.
Rick L
15:29 06 Sep 17
I had Jim come out to check on the health of my trees and give me some advice on taking care of them. He returned my first message through the website right away, and we were able to talk shortly after that. Jim gave me some excellent, professional advice on how to improve the conditions around my trees, as well as my landscape in general. I felt comfortable with his knowledge and experience, and he was able to explain what I didn't immediately understand very well. I would definitely recommend Hilltown Tree and Garden to help with any outdoor issues.
Jens M.
09:50 21 Jul 17
These guys didn't do any WORK for me, but what they did do was give me an honest opinion, and plenty of add-on information.I had some arborvitae with some...
Robert Ferguson
15:20 07 Jul 17
The crew at Hilltown Tree and Garden were expert, quiet, efficient, and friendly! They really care about trees and the landscape, and about preserving both for future generations.
L L
22:50 02 Jul 17
I had a hive swarm the other day- chose to land high up in a frail pine tree- not accessible to any ladder. I called several people to see if they thought it might be possible to recover this swarm. Jim came over a half hour after I called and with incredible skill was able to access the branch, cut it, and lower the swarm back into the box. Thanks to his kindness and ingenuity I have a great hive of bees back and settled.
Rick K.
11:01 27 Jun 17
Drone rescue! Who else would you call but an arborist? Jim did a great job retrieving our drone that crashed into a white pine 83 feet above the ground.
Leah Hirshberg
13:43 04 May 17
Hilltown Tree and Garden is the best! They just completed our large perennial garden and we couldn't be more thrilled with it. Jim had so many fabulous and creative ideas about how to transform our front yard and entryway area into something inviting and beautiful. Even though things still need to grow in, the transformation has been incredible and we've already had tons of people in the neighborhood complimenting the garden and asking us who installed it. This garden really is special - not your typical landscaping job.For me, the best part of working with Jim was being able to entirely put my trust in him with the decisions around the garden. It's immediately apparent from working with Jim how incredibly knowledgeable and thoughtful he is in his work. Jim discussed different plants with us and got a feel for what we liked and didn't like, and after that we gave him free reign to run with it and do his thing, which is exactly what I wanted to do but wouldn't have felt comfortable doing with any other landscaper. The final product has exceeded my expectations, which were quite high to begin with.Jim's prices are not low, but we feel that the final product was absolutely worth the price. We did less work than we could have been able to do with another company in order to stay within our budget, but the quality of what was completed was so good that there's no question that we made the right decision.
Charles Tarlton
21:28 06 Oct 15
We knew pretty much what we wanted, and Jim came to look at the yard and give us an estimate. He was prompt, and fair, and talked to us about a little extra work, which was really needed, too. He came to work very soon after we spoke. They took care of a lot of little items that were not included in the estimate, but which they noticed as they work. they hauled away all the branches and leaves. The trees look gorgeous. The garden looks brighter and cared for. I would recommend them without hesitation.
Warren Waldbrand
02:12 02 Sep 15
We have hired Hilltown Tree and Garden twice to work on the trees at our home in Worthington, MA. We lost one maple during a hurricane about eight years ago. That storm's winds dealt that tree a mortal blow, so we hired a local firm (not Hilltown) to bring it down. That was an imperfect experience. We resolved not to lose any more of the majestic maples that form a row where our property meets the town road, and we decided to do what we could to save the rest, but with a different firm this time.Jim worked with us to determine which trees we should focus on, where the weak points were on each tree, and what should be pruned, what should be thinned, and what should be cabled. He explained everything to us patiently and carefully, and together we developed a plan.His team of experts worked hard and steadily to do the work. When questions arose, Jim talked with us before making irreversible cuts. His crew was comprised of skilled arborists who worked well together.Jim listened carefully to what was important to us, helped us to figure out what work to have done given the money we had available, and showed us what we could do ourselves, and how to do it. The crew trimmed here, cabled the must vulnerable boughs there, and worked with grace and skill. We were extremely satisfied with both the process and the results. My wife was particularly taken with the graceful pruning of a red maple.Last week, our insurance company told us we had to correct what it saw as a risk: branches overhanging our garage. Two ash trees had to be felled, and branches had to be trimmed. We were in a rush to get situation corrected, and Jim squeezed us in. The Hilltown team worked quickly, skillfully, and in a coordinated fashion to get the work done. There was no damage to the garage, the work cost less than we were prepared to pay, and Hilltown left the tree trunks in log-sized pieces, ready to be split.Next time we need a tree trimmed, strengthened, or removed, I'm calling these guys back.
Amy E Martin
17:45 18 Jul 14
We had an absolutely stellar experience working with Jim McSweeney on redesigning and planting the property around our home. As a horticulturalist and arborist, Jim is incredibly knowledgeable but this knowledge is matched by an impeccable design sense. He helped us rethink the look of our property, in particular redoing the main path (and beds around it) that lead to our home. He struck the perfect balance between making wonderful suggestions that we wouldn't have thought of and listening to our preferences and ideas. It was a true collaboration. Throughout the process, Jim communicated with us frequently by email and phone to make sure that everything was done just right, and he and his crew worked efficiently, pleasantly, and professionally. (All of the guys who work for him are so friendly and kind, even with our children who were very curious about how things were progressing.) The project ran smoothly and was finished quickly. Overall, we are thrilled with every single aspect of our experience, and we now have gorgeous gardens around our home. I cannot recommend Hilltown Tree and Garden and Jim McSweeney highly enough.
Celia Oyler
02:14 28 Feb 14
Jim is a sheer pleasure to work with....he came to our place, walked around many times with us listening carefully to what we wanted to accomplish. He never grew impatient with us as we tried to balance our dreams and our budget....he was clear and did exactly what he said he would do and even comes back when he's in the neighborhood to check up on the trees he planted. We now have an amazing fieldstone patio that is a work of art. Also, all the people that work with Jim are lovely, interesting people....They are truly landscape artists who take exquisite care with all they do. I can't recommend Hilltown Tree and Garden highly enough....They are not cheap, but are worth every penny.
Florence Sullivan
12:13 25 Feb 14
Hilltown tree and garden did a beautiful job in transforming our backyard by building in a goshen stone patio and a fieldstone planter. The work was done expertly and we are very pleased with the results. They also planted new trees and bushes and pruned all of our existing trees. Thanks to the pruning job we had our first ever (in eight years of living on our property) a beautiful harvest of bartlett pears. We had no idea the old pear tree would still produce (we have two pear trees, one produced the other did not - now they both do). Jim is extremely knowledgeable and helpful and he has a very professional crew working with him. The most important quality was the knowledge Jim brings about native plants and working to create a backyard hospitable to birds. We really appreciated this. We highly recommend this company.
Susan Baron
18:03 13 Feb 14
When we moved into our house last year, the trees and landscaping had been neglected for many years. Jim and his crew worked tirelessly to get the trees back to beautiful and healthy. It is amazing what a difference it makes. I can't wait to see what they do with the landscaping this spring.
Deborah Maia
18:24 02 Feb 14
Jim McSweeney and his professional team of Hilltown Tree and Garden are worth every penny and more. My wish was for a wildflower meadow, perennial gardens near the house and raised beds to grow a few vegetables. I have been gardening myself many years . . . but being 61 and a cancer survivor, my limits are increasing. So, low maintenance and hardiness are top on my list. It was fun to work on a plan with Jim to make my wish come true. It was evident that he knew the plants that would thrive in this location . . . so, with my vision in mind, he brought it all together. He is clear, direct and concise and very willing to work through any communication snags. When it came time to put the plan into motion, Jim and his team embraced my land . . . that’s what it felt like to me. Everything they planted thrived as well as everything they transplanted. They handled all plants with amazing care and focus. The wildflower meadow was spectacular . . . even in the 1st year. The raised beds were a delight to work in and garlic, kale and collards were among some veggies that graced them. I am one happy customer. And it continues, because Jim and his crew also have maintenance as one of their services. It comes as no surprise that I highly recommend Hilltown Tree and Garden for all your landscape wishes.
Sean Meyer
13:35 01 Feb 14
We have been a client of Hilltown Tree & Garden for the last 5 years. The first day out Jim was able to identify every flower, weed and tree growing on our land. He and his team worked with us to cultivate an incredible perennial garden. The key thing was that he listened carefully to the feedback we gave and adjusted to meet the style of garden we were looking for. With his encyclopedic knowledge and wealth of experience he knows exactly what will and won't grow well in our area. He has also done some heavy duty pruning on some of our major trees - with great results. Lastly, his team is also incredibly friendly and happy to teach us all about maintaining a garden.
Grant Soltes
11:57 31 Jan 14
We hired Hilltown Tree and Garden to help us with the landscaping of our 'new' 100-year-old home. The shrubs were overgrown and mismatched and the gardens were full of weeds. Jim and his team provided us with solutions down to the last flower! Our gardens are now beautiful all four seasons--not easy in Massachusetts!We were particularly grateful that they were able to utilize many of our existing plants; saving us time and money. We look forward to a long relationship with Jim and Hilltown Tree and Garden.
Lynn Valentin
21:16 30 Jan 14
Jim McSweeney at Hilltown Tree and Garden is a magician! He turned my dreary landscape into a feast for the eyes. His design and installation of flowers, shrubs and even herbs transformed my modest Cape into a lush wonderland. I so enjoy sitting outside on my patio and drinking it all in. Thanks Jim!!!
leslie nyman
14:55 28 Jan 14
Jim has transformed my one time poison ivy and Japanese knotweed nightmare into a dream of a walking garden with beautiful hardscape and dozens of new-to-me flowering plants. Even in this winter looking out at it is a complete joy! Jim and his amazing crew are creative, informed and collaborative.
Jane Lohmann
21:46 27 Jan 14
We had a wonderful experience with Jim and crew. Jim taught me a ton about the trees in my yard (and in the adjoining yards!), and built a terrific plan for keeping all of our trees healthy. He also set up a sweet spot for a new tree fort that I plan to build this Spring!
Jacob Ditkovski
10:58 24 Jan 14
These guys are the best. I've had a lot of tree work done by them. They are in a different league of competence. Jim will explain everything in detail and everyone is courteous. Witnessing the expertise with which they climb trees and lower down limbs is kind of awe-inspiring.
DL Truncellito
16:50 22 Jan 14
We turned to Hilltown Tree and Garden to help us solve a landscaping challenge: what to do with the resulting eyesore after removing our above-the-ground pool. Jim designed and installed the most charming patio for that area, perfectly suited to our lifestyle and budget. This "outdoor room" is graced by retaining walls and flower beds, beautifully integrated with our sloping yard. Jim and his crew delivered professional service from start to finish. I give them my strongest recommendation!
