Southern Love Landscaping & Design vs ABC Home & Commercial Services: which fits your landscape design project?
Both businesses score well and pull strong, current reviews, so this isn't a quality gap so much as a specialization gap. Southern Love reads as a design-first outfit built around a small named crew, while ABC is a larger multi-service company where landscaping is one of several licensed trades. For a project centered specifically on Landscape Design & Installation, that difference in focus matters more than the composite score. See our methodology for how these scores are built.
Verdict
Fit depends on how technical the installation is. If the job is primarily creative, design plants, sod, hardscape features, Southern Love's reviews point to a team built specifically for that conversation. If the design has to coordinate with irrigation licensing or tree work, ABC's certified staff and broader service bench cover more ground under one roof. Both are rated highly enough that either is a safe pick; the choice comes down to whether you want a design specialist or a design-capable generalist.
Which should you pick?
Pick Southern Love Landscaping & Design if
- You want a crew whose reviews specifically praise design judgment and honest plant/drainage guidance over upselling
- Your project bundles design with related build work like decks, patios, or native plant installs
- You prefer a smaller team with visible owner involvement checking the finished site
Pick ABC Home & Commercial Services if
- Your landscape design needs licensed irrigation work or arborist-level tree assessment built in
- You want a company with a longer, larger review record (852 reviews) backing up consistency
- You're likely to need other services later (lawn treatment, tree removal) from the same provider
The differences that matter
- Design-first vs multi-trade company. Southern Love's reviews center on design insight and plant knowledge from named staff like Nikkolas and Harrison, while ABC's praise spans lawn treatment, tree removal, and irrigation alongside landscaping.
- Scale and consistency of proof. ABC's 4.9 rating comes from 852 reviews versus Southern Love's 5.0 from 280, so ABC has a larger track record but Southern Love's is slightly higher and more concentrated on design work.
- Credentials for technical installs. ABC brings Licensed Irrigation Providers and ISA Certified Arborists on staff, useful if a design involves tree preservation or complex irrigation, while Southern Love's edge is in-house handling of multiple trades like decks and patios tied directly to the design.
- Communication style. ABC's crews text before arrival and are praised for punctuality across recurring service, while Southern Love's reviewers highlight the owner's personal follow-up and willingness to explain watering and drainage rather than upsell.
Side by side
- Google rating
- Southern Love Landscaping & Design: 5 (289 reviews)
- ABC Home & Commercial Services: 4.9 (881 reviews)
- Services
- Southern Love Landscaping & Design: irrigation sprinkler, lawn care maintenance, tree service, landscape design install
- ABC Home & Commercial Services: irrigation sprinkler, tree service, hardscape masonry, landscape design install
- Best for
- Southern Love Landscaping & Design: A design-driven project (native plant beds, sod, decks, patios) where you want one crew owning the whole look
- ABC Home & Commercial Services: A design project that also needs irrigation licensing, arborist input, or ongoing multi-service upkeep
- Team feel
- Southern Love Landscaping & Design: Small, named design team with owner oversight on quality checks
- ABC Home & Commercial Services: Larger roster of named techs across specialties, standardized communication (text alerts)
- Verification
- Southern Love Landscaping & Design: Google-verified
- ABC Home & Commercial Services: Google-verified
- Composite score
- Southern Love Landscaping & Design: 94
- ABC Home & Commercial Services: 89
What reviewers say
Southern Love Landscaping & Design
Customers who write reviews keep coming back to the same points: staff explain options clearly and the work looks good afterward. Several reviewers name a specific project lead, and many say they would hire again. No review in the sample is negative.
Reviewers praise the design phase most. They mention honest suggestions, plant picks for Texas conditions, and crews who show up on time and leave the site clean. Projects mentioned include patios, pavers, retaining walls, turf, privacy shrubs, and sprinkler repairs.
ABC Home & Commercial Services
Reviewers see a steady pattern of on-time, polite crews who explain their work and clean up afterward. Many say the same crews keep coming back, and several have signed up for ongoing lawn programs.
Named technicians get the most praise, from tree trimming to irrigation fixes and compost spreading. A few reviews mention a damaged valve during a sprinkler repair. Most reviewers describe the service as thorough and worth recommending.
Need help choosing?
Tell us about your project and compare quotes from suitable landscaper in Central Texas.
Requests you submit through our quote and contact forms may be passed to one or more partner providers who can carry out the work, and we may receive a fee for these referrals. Referral fees play no part in our rankings or scores, which are based on our independent, published scoring method.
Common questions
- Which business is better rated for landscape design specifically?
- Southern Love Landscaping & Design has the higher google_rating (5.0 vs 4.9) and its review summary focuses more narrowly on design insight and plant knowledge, while ABC's reviews cover design plus several other trades.
- Does ABC Home & Commercial Services have relevant certifications for landscaping?
- Yes, ABC lists Licensed Irrigation Providers and ISA Certified Arborists on staff, which matters for installs involving irrigation systems or tree preservation.
- Is one business more established than the other?
- ABC has a much larger review volume (852 vs 280), suggesting a bigger operation and longer track record, though both show high recency and completeness scores.