by Jennifer Lassen, CAD Technician/Project Coordinator

The female caller was talking so fast that I could barely make out what she was saying. She had never hired a professional landscape design company before, and in her excitement, words tumbled out like marbles from a vase: 

“… everything has to be blue … not a tree but not a shrub either … I’m thinking a succulent pond … what about a privacy wall created out of annuals … could you possibly bring in butterflies ...?”

OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but as ArtisTree’s project coordinator for landscape design projects, I have the pleasure of hearing all kinds of unique requests, and thanks to our talented design team, we exceed expectations time and again.  But scheduling is also a critical factor affecting the successful completion of your design project. If you’re a homeowner contemplating a small job or full-scale renovation, keep in mind the myriad minutia and milestones that must be met to bring your vision to life, including:

• Converting your exterior site plan to a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing; 

• Designing your landscape and presenting for approval;

• Ordering project materials, including plants, dirt, sod, water features, hardscapes and lighting;

• Preparing detailed plans for installation teams;

• Calling in “locates” of all utilities so wires aren’t cut;

• Rescheduling for rain delays;

• Coordinating who will be on your site during installation (this includes your dog and pet iguanas);

• More rescheduling for rain delays;

• Providing you with plenty of post-installation maintenance guidance.

There’s not a job that goes through where incidentals don’t turn out to be key drivers, so no matter which landscape company you decide to hire, be sure to ask about design AND scheduling capabilities. I’d elaborate more, but it’s raining and you know what that means!

 by Mike Casper, ArtisTree Irrigation Manager

 As ArtisTree's Irrigation Service Supervisor,  Leonel Gomez responds to every tough challenge with four words that have become his trademark:  "Let me try something.”

Take the hot summer morning when Leonel and ArtisTree’s irrigation crew were out in a small Sarasota community. The well pump was down, and the homeowner association president was clearly agitated, fearing that his neighborhood would be on the hook for a $3,000 replacement cost.

ArtisTree's crew peered down inside the six-inch-wide pipe. Sure enough, no water, but the pipe was vibrating. That was good; at least the motor was running. But a quick diagnosis revealed that the wires had twisted around the pipe and had become pinched. The men pulled the wires up. No motor, no pump. Both had dropped 80 feet down.

Most landscape maintenance companies would throw in the towel and quote a replacement cost. But Leonel stood up, wiped the sweat off his brow and said, "Let me try something.”

He then fashioned a nearly 80-foot-long rod of half-inch pipe and used duct tape to attach soil staples that would act as hooks to dislodge the pump and motor.

Eight hours later, after twisting and turning Leonel’s invention (and two near successes where they almost had the motor and pump pulled to the top before it dropped), the ArtisTree crew finally accomplished what it set out to do: lift the 200-pound assembly up through 80 feet of six-inch pipe in the dead heat of the summer -- a nearly impossible feat.

The HOA president was so delighted that he kissed a crew member standing nearby and then turned to Leonel to kiss him as well. Leonel took three steps back before the kiss ever landed. Still, he was glad to have helped saved the community a significant amount of money.  For  another day, he went home tired but happy to have a job that let him flex his skills, support his family -- and make a difference in someone else’s life. 

Leonel Gomez, ArtisTree Irrigation Service Supervisor

 by Clinton Lak, Landscape Designer, BSLA

A Casey Key homeowner asked ArtisTree to create a functional, sustainable, no-turf landscape design that would work on three different levels: It had to be aesthetically pleasing, minimally impactful and congruent with the home's architecture and coastal environment. It also had to accomodate her family's lifestyle, which included frequent entertaining and just kicking back. Since our client had mused on artwork viewed in the museums of Paris, one of the elements we decided to create for her was a living masterpiece -- a one-of-a-kind living wall (vertical garden) outside the master bathroom window consisting of artfully placed, drought-resistant succulents. Their tapestry of colors and textures reflected in the master-bath mirror for a truly stunning visual effect.

Living walls have become a popular art form for many homeowners throughout Florida due to their low maintenance, intense beauty, lack of heavy water usage and air-purification benefits.  Like a green roof, they capture rainwater to minimize the use of water resources.  Most green wall panels feature eco-friendly containers filled with growing medium, often installed at a slant to support the selected plants.  Occasional pruning and dead-wooding are necessary to maintain the propoer shape and color of a green wall.  ArtisTree's design experts are experienced in sustainable landscaping practices and can assist you with creating your own vertical-garden masterpiece. 

by John Lay, General Manager, Landscape Design

A great landscape design should be a personal experience that excites your senses in unexpected ways. So think outside the bag of mulch and decide on a design that makes you instantly feel good every time you step outside. Wish your landscape looked more like the tropical destinations you visit every year? Miss your northern digs and yearn for evergreens? These are important considerations, and if your landscape designer dismisses them at your initial consultation, find another.

Then insist on the right plant at the right place. Behind every color and style preference -- and literally under every leaf -- is science whispering in our ears. For instance:

- If a plant or tree is placed in the wrong location in relation to the sun, the resulting stress can cause all kinds of problems leading to pests, disease and death.

- Poor choices in growth characteristics can also be a problem. If you've requested a low-maintenance landscape, and fast-growing shrubs are installed, be ready to deal with unpleasant labor and cost issues.

- Soil conditions, drought tolerance, Florida native and fertility requirements are also crucial factors to consider when selecting trees and plants for your yard.

So get creative. Pick your landscape designer carefully. Most of all, talk art AND science.

 by Mike Casper, Irrigation Manager

I remember a non-ArtisTree client telling me how he locked his timer box before leaving on a three-week summer vacation. He left the key with a neighbor, but it didn’t matter because the battery decided to die right after he left. He returned to a brown lawn that eventually had to be re-sodded.

"My neighbor felt terrible about it and whispered that sprinkler systems always intimidated her,” he said, wondering why she didn’t tell him that special little fact when she accepted his key.

There’s no reason why any homeowner should feel intimidated by an irrigation system, especially if it’s serviced by a reputable landscape maintenance company. But because we’re asked often, here’s a checklist of what you can personally do to head off irrigation problems:

• Change the battery in your irrigation timer once a year.
• Always have a designated person who has access to your timer if you’re away from home.
• Turn off your system in the rainy season to conserve our precious resources.
• Inspect your meter. If it's turning and the water is off, you may have a leak.
• Consider an upgrade to your system by installing more efficient nozzles.
• Make sure your sprinkler-head guards or “donuts” are each trimmed so irrigation heads can pop up and water effectively.

Follow these six easy steps and you won’t be left high and dry. Take time to familiarize yourself with your irrigation system, and you'll have a beautiful lawn to show for it.

 by Scott Acton, General Manager, Maintenance

An HOA community was frustrated over why sod installed by their previous landscape company wouldn’t grow in a heavily shaded area. They had already replaced it twice. When ArtisTree came on board, they asked us to replace it again. Instead, we explained why a groundcover would be a more suitable and cost-effective alternative.

After the groundcover was installed and later flourished, the HOA’s landscape committee chair thanked us, saying she was glad they had finally found someone who was "an authority" on viable plantings in the area.

We’ve never forgotten that comment, because we've built our company on ethics and education. ArtisTree enjoys sharing our horticultural knowledge with landscape committees, property managers, boards of directors and others involved in making maintenance decisions for their communities. We hold seminars on numerous topics, including how to be more water-wise, planting the right plant in the right place, and implementing standards set by Florida green industries.

We can turn your sod story into a happy ending, too.