On Trend: The Art of Xeriscaping

Spring is in the air and our landscapes are beginning to change. In California's current drought and water shortage it is important to re-imagine the way we view our landscapes.

 

Landesign sees the new water restrictions and measures as a challenge that we are ready to help you handle. Read on to learn more about how we can help you re-imagine your lawn and landscape with the art of Xeriscaping!

Governor Jerry Brown has directed the state to cut water usage by 25%. A series of water reduction practices including replacing 500 million acres of lawn with drought tolerant landscaping, plans to save 1.5 million acres of water. 

Re-imagining your lawn spaces can be a daunting task but Landesign is ready to help with the trend of xeriscaping. Xeriscaping is the principle of climate appropriate plant selection, superior design, extensive mulching, minimal turf, and efficient irrigation. Replacement of traditional lawn with ground cover and low bunching grasses is a key element of this design.

 All these contributions set the stage for conserving our local water source and providing a beautiful habitat for our enjoyment and wildlife. 

Let us help you by providing a custom plant palette and creative solutions to limit water use while not hindering your properties aesthetic appeal.

Consider rock beds, boulders, and boldly structured plants as surprising elements to diversify your space. We can help make your ideas happen, start here! 

Rain Gardens: A Creative Solution to Exterior Drainage

   In this rainy season it is best to take notes of where your exterior drainage could be improved to protect your property from damage. Poor drainage can cause a number of problems that will affect your property value, safety, community water source, and landscape longevity. At Landesign we have you covered when it comes to providing creative and smart solutions to protect your property. Rain Gardens are a beautiful and environmentally friendly solution to helping you control your storm water runoff. Please contact us to help you get ready for the next winter storm, here!

Main Indicators of Drainage Problems

1. Excess water around your buildings.

2. Planting beds with standing water and drowned plants.

3. Watery driveways and walk ways with pooling areas.

Storm Water Pollution

As our cities grow our impervious surfaces increase. This results in a large amount of storm water runoff going directly into our sewers and in our waterways without filtration. This storm waters journey leads to a collection of pollutants such as heavy metals and oils which can harm your local water quality and surrounding habitats. The best way to decrease storm water pollution while providing a more aesthetic appeal to your landscape is through rain gardens.

Rain Gardens

A rain garden is a thoughtfully designed shallow depression that is planted with appropriate plants and flowers designated for your sites conditions. A rain garden is designed to collect and absorb water that runs off your impervious surfaces or structures and allows it to seep naturally into the ground. The plants play a huge role in helping filter pollutants out of the storm water and allow a high standard of water quality to enter your local water source. 

Benefits of Rain Gardens

1. Recharges local groundwater

2. Reduces Mosquito Breeding

3. Creates a natural habitat for local wildlife

4. Reduces flood potential

5. Protects local rivers and streams

6. Provides 30% more permeability than lawns

What Landesign can do for you!

If you are interested in having an analysis of your exterior drainage and proposed solutions, please contact us here! Please contact us to discuss more about our rain garden solutions and how Landesign can custom design and install a beautiful solution to your drainage needs!

Preparing Your Trees for the New Year

Happy New Year from Landesign!                                       

 Winter is upon us and so is the new year! Now is the time to take the necessary steps
 to prepare your trees. Landesign can help, call us to request a tree inspection here!

1. Pruning- Winter is the best time to prune. During the winter months, plant
material enters a state of dormancy where it can tolerate removal of dead
branches more. Pruning is always more effective when done pro-actively
versus re-actively.

2. Mulching - Applying 2 to 4 inches of mulch just before winter helps
regulate soil temperature. Young tree roots have a tendency to heave up out
of the ground with continual freeze-thaw cycles. Organic mulch also helps
conserve soil moisture, prevents weeds, and keeps the organic matter in the
soil.

3. Inspecting - Take a look at the roots especially near the tree base for
decay. Signs of cracking, swelling, and bark coming off signal a tree that may
need to be removed. Insects infestation is also a sign of a failing tree.

4. Bracing for ice - Our upright evergreens are the most susceptible to ice
and becoming brittle. Proper pruning of weak branches is the best defense.

5. Fertilizing - With fertilizer application, timing is everything. If applied to
early, trees may start to use it too soon. November and December are the
best months to be most effective in spring.

Give us a call for any of your seasonal landscape needs at (707) 578-2657

                                                                                                                                                      

Landesigns Latest: Williams-Sonoma

Bringing to Life A Historic Icon                                                                                                     

    The original Williams-Sonoma located on Broadway Avenue in Sonoma has undergone a marvelous renovation with the help of Landesign and Oakstone Construction. Landesign completed the irrigation, planting, and decomposed granite installation along Broadway Avenue and in the courtyard. The courtyard houses thoughtfully designed out door rooms and edible gardens.
    

     Herbs planted will be used in the cooking school and cafe, which will provide one of a kind cooking classes from prestigious chefs. The entire design was consciously developed in order to pay homage to its founder and reference its humble start in the cookware industry. Landesign was fortunate enough to be apart of it and bring a great icon back to life!

  

  Jeff George Landscape Architecture and Consulting completed the site design and Oakstone Construction was the general contractor for the project. Now open, Williams-Sonoma is worth the stop to see where this local company got its roots and to enjoy the creative culinary world. 

                                                                                                                                                       

Annual Color Rotation - Spotlight JDSU Campus

It's that time of year again! Summer annuals begin to fade as the weather turns colder. Time to swap out your annual beds for winter flowers that can survive the colder weather. A variety of winter annuals are available, and Landesign can help select the best color and variety for your property. See below for a stunning example of how selecting weather appropriate annuals can create a beautiful focal point.

Spotlight: JDSU Campus

This summer we started maintaining the JDSU campus in Santa Rosa. When we started, the campus centerpiece had winter annuals overgrown and dying due to summer heat . We planted Begonias and Salvia to create an eye catching patriotic arrangement and their color lasted all summer.

Before

After

Our 25th Year Celebration and Congratulations Carlos Tellez!

In the spirit of celebration, we would like to recognize our first employee here at Landesign, Carlos Tellez. Over the last 25 year s, he has been an exemplary employee. Originally from Michoacan, Tlalpujahua, Carlos moved to the United States in 1984 as a grape harvester. John met Carlos at a local winery and hired him on to the team. His first position was as a laborer for our maintenance clientele. As our business grew, he became a construction foreman in 1991 and has led successful projects since. Carlos recently led the landscape and irrigation installation at Oakmont of Folsom.   In his free time, Carlos enjoy spending time with his wife and four children and playing volleyball and soccer. Thank you for your helping hand for Landesign's growth and success!

25th Anniversary Celebration                                                      Last month, we gathered the entire company and their families together for an anniversary celebration at Doyle Park in Santa Rosa. Everyone had a blast playing volleyball and enjoying lunch together from Lola's Market. The kids especially loved the pinata, jumpy house, and amusing clown. It was a wonderful way to thank our employees for their hard work and dedication for the last 25 years. We look forward to the many more successful years in business ahead.

Lunch catered by Lola's Market

Celebrating 25 Years

Landesign Construction & Maintenance, Inc. is proud to announce that we mark a significant achievement within our industry with the celebration of our 25th anniversary this year.

We are really proud of reaching this milestone, and we hear all of the time that people see our fleet of 25 trucks everywhere now. Several years ago we set out to develop a new kind of landscaping company, which is based on the highest level of professionalism in our industry.

As we mark the silver anniversary of those first miles, we wanted to express our appreciation and our gratitude to all our employees and customers. Our goal has never been to be the biggest landscape company but to be the BEST landscape company.

Today, our business serves Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties. Our 85 Plus employees include an award winning landscape construction department as well as an award winning landscape maintenance department. Recently, we hired a junior estimator/landscape designer to assist us with our Enhancement Department.

We truly value the relationship that we have built with our employees, our customers and vendors and other partners during the past 25 years.

Sincerely,  

John and Denise Fitzgerald

Landesign C&M, Founders