The last 20+ years of my career was spent working in the nursery industry.  From this experience, I have come to understand and appreciate the fact that successful landscapes start with quality nursery material.  Improperly grown or harvested trees will struggle to become established and will fail to perform in the landscape.  More than ever, buyers are looking to purchase quality trees and plants for their projects.  My experience in this segment of the industry can help you:

1. Develop pest management and fertility programs
2. Diagnose and manage disease issues
3. Develop proper cultural practices (Pruning, weed management, irrigation, etc.)
4. Provide training to new or current employees on fertilization, diseases, irrigation, etc..)

Let me use my knowledge and expertise to make your business more profitable.

During my time working in the nursery industry, I was frequently called upon to help contractors who had installed trees that were failing after planting.  This establishment period is critical to the future health of trees and plants.  Failures during this period are often a result of improper irrigation (either too much or not enough), poor site conditions (poor drainage, low nutrient holding capacity, etc.), poor planting techniques (left out of ground too long, planted at improper height, etc.) or poor fertility.   Sometimes the cause is related to how the material was handled at the nursery – often related to harvesting and loading practices or the general health and quality prior to installation.

We can offer services at the start of your project such as sourcing quality plant material or inspecting plant material at the nursery.  If you have already installed the plants or trees and need help with trees or plants that are struggling, we can inspect the job site to determine the cause and recommend corrective measures.  Calling upon our expertise early on will prevent costly replacements.

As consumers, we are constantly at the receiving end of a sales pitch.  As consultants, the only thing we provide is expert advice.  We are on your side and work solely for you.  As a purchaser of landscape products and services, you likely have little knowledge of what it is you are paying for.  The phrase is often used “All healthy plants are green, but not all green plants are healthy”.  Often trees and plants look good when they are installed but decline after weeks, months, or years.  This decline can happen for many reasons.  We can be your advocate during a new landscape installation or renovation or diagnose problems you are having with your current landscape.  Here is a list of services we can provide for homeowners:

1. Homeowner’s advocate – if you are considering a landscape project, let me review your proposals or oversee selection and installation of your plants, trees, and turf.  “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
2. Diagnosis of disease and nutrient deficiencies – “What is wrong with my tree?” We can provide you with answers and recommend treatment options.
3. Maintenance contract review – Are you spending money for services you don’t need or not being offered services you do need?
4. Landscape Audit – We will walk through your landscape and provide you with a thorough review and report of our findings along with recommendations for plant and tree health care.
5. Recommendations for tree and plant care particularly pruning of trees to maintain proper form, clearance, and structure.

As managers of landscapes in larger communities, you are faced with the task of maintaining the beauty of the communities’ landscapes while trying to control costs.  Safety and functionality are also important.  As consultants we can help you navigate the process and anticipate problems before they arise – saving the community money by fixing the problem early on.  Many of the problems communities are forced to deal with are related to overplanting by the developer in order to make homes appealing to buyers.  As these landscapes mature, there often isn’t enough space for everything to grow and flourish.  In addition, many of the plants used initially involve higher maintenance costs.  As trees mature, issues with safety often arise.  Trees planted near sidewalks and driveways often create damage by lifting concrete slabs or pavers.  Improperly pruned trees also can create hazards or issues with vertical clearance for traffic.  Here are some of the ways we can help:

1. Review current maintenance programs to make sure you are spending your landscaping and maintenance budgets wisely.
2. Address plant health issues due to improper fertilization or maintenance practices
3. Provide tree inspections for safety and specifications for pruning to develop proper structure and adequate clearance.
4. Develop a list of trees and plants to be used as replacements for those that require too much maintenance or get too large for the planting area
5. Develop management strategies for diseases as they arise

Hiring us will improve the health, safety, and beauty of your landscapes and save you money!

The goal of any landscape design is to create a landscape which is both beautiful, sustainable, and enduring.  Providing an environment suitable to plants and trees is crucial to meeting this goal.   Often, trees and plants are put in places not suitable for their needs.  This can be due to unsuitable soil and water conditions, not enough space to reach maturity,  or improper sunlight (too much or not enough).  We can provide expertise before, during, or after installation to ensure a successful outcome that your client will be happy with.  Our services include:

1. Assessing the site conditions (soil, drainage, microclimate) to determine suitability of trees and plants
2. Assessing existing trees on site for health and developing plans for preservation
3. Sourcing quality plant material and inspection / tagging at the nursery
4. Helping to write tree and plant specifications to ensure quality plant material is purchased and installed

5. Helping to choose appropriate trees and plants for site conditions