Every year journalists in the industry forecast what is new for the next year. What I saw when digging around (no pun intended) were subtle offshoots of similar themes over the past few years. This post tries to make sense of what experts are forecasting and why homeowners and property managers should be interested. Trends […]
I heard a report this week on KQED about the drought outlook going forward into spring, 2016. The good news is Northern California had a lot of rain. Bay area residents can attest to the high winds, torrential rains and ensuing tree falls; power outages typical of heavy winter weather. Many of us were sighing […]
Their Place in Nature Weeds are not all bad. They provide some benefits (listed below). The definition for weeds is “a plant out of place”. But considering most people welcome weeds as much as they do taxes, this definition seems more fitting: “plants whose undesirable qualities outweigh their good points.” (Taken from Penn State’s website) […]
We have not seen the last of El Niño. Episodes of heavy rain and winds will likely continue over the next few months. If your landscape on a slope, there are some actions you can take now to prevent the damaging effects of erosion. Short Term Actions (Your can do […]
San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Alliance is an important organization whose mission is to grow and maintain the Yerba Buena neighborhood. Every year the Alliance holds a gala to raise much needed funds to support their numerous community programs. A tradition of the gala is to present the “unsung hero” award. This year’s award went to […]
Tuesday, August 12th Both utilities met and unanimously approved mandatory restrictions for outdoor water use. EBMUD restrictions include: using potable water for decorative ponds or fountains, washing cars or boats is prohibited unless the hose has a shutoff nozzle. Washing sidewalks or driveways, irrigating lawns or gardens with potable water more than two days per […]
The California State Water Resources Control Board is submitting a proposal to Sacramento Tuesday, July 15th, designed to impose strict penalties to residents who overuse water. It would require local officials to monitor usage and levy fines up to $500. Chairwoman Felicia Marcus says “we are trying to ring a bell and get people’s attention. […]
The increase was approved in 2013 but it is now in effect. The 9.5% increase is the second highest increase in two years. EBMUD (East Bay Municipal Utility District) says the reason for the increase is for pipe and equipment maintenance that has been deferred since 2008. Many of the districts pipes are more than […]
We are especially proud of our construction division this year. Gardeners’ Guild received three awards for a construction project in Mill Valley. National, State and Regional landscape trade organizations have recognized our exceptional work! The National Recognition was first place. The property is situated on a steep slope overlooking the Mt Tam. The homeowners wanted […]
The Village at Corte Madera is taking steps toward more sustainable practices in their landscaping! We recently performed some landscape renovation work to planter beds on the east and west sides (against the buildings) of the shopping center. Drought resistant plantings including Ornamental grass (Fescue), Limonium, Phormium (New Zealand Flax), Cistus (Rock Rose) and Alstroemeria […]
Do you drive into San Francisco regularly through Marin? I do – often enough to watch the progress of the Doyle Drive project. Initially it annoyed me. The traffic and the construction mess. Now I’m in awe of the magnitude of the tunnel, new road and the engineering genius it took to make this happen. […]
A group of dedicated Richmond residents are working hard to beautify their community park called the Solano Playlot. Located at the corner of 38th and Solano Avenue, the park has been successful in getting the support of the city for improvements. Gardeners’ Guild got involved earlier this year when we volunteered to develop a plan […]
For those of you who have lawns, you know they are time consuming to care for in terms of water, fertilization and weed abatement. Does the grass feel spongy under your feet? Do you notice it has brown patches? The brown patches can be an irrigation problem, pest or a cultural issue. Or – it […]
New State of California legislation will affect a large number of building owners. Assembly bills 1103 and 541 adopted by the California Energy Commission December 2012 will begin phasing in this July for nonresidential buildings. It requires owners of nonresidential buildings to disclose energy consumption through the Energy Star Portfolio Manager software as part of […]
Gardeners’ Guild’s January newsletter I wrote about the California Delta Project – known as the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP). Since it effects a large portion of the state and has to do with water I was curious about the why, how and how much. About the project – Governor is proposing that […]
Below are photos of our sheet mulching project on Carlson Blvd, Richmond Annex! Located between San Pablo Avenue/El Cerrito to the east, Carlson Boulevard is the main thoroughfare through what is referred to as the the annex, connecting downtown Richmond with downtown El Cerrito. Some sheet […]
Richmond Annex is a neighborhood in southeast Richmond. It is mostly residential and located between San Pablo Avenue/El Cerrito to the east. Carlson Boulevard is the main thoroughfare through the annex, connecting downtown Richmond with downtown El Cerrito. This corridor is experiencing a rebirth and Gardeners’ Guild won the bid to install the landscape into […]
Upon being told that the Cherry trees were in bloom at UC Berkeley, I made sure to head over there the very next day and take pictures. What Cherry trees? And, where? They are located at the Westgate entrance at UC Berkeley. Gardeners’ Guild planted them – thirty-five of them! It is a project to […]
This is Phase 1 of a complete landscape renovation project in Emeryville, for a condominium association. It is being done in conjunction with a building renovation This phase includes an irrigation upgrade, excavating all the soil in planter beds, new shrubs, trees and ground cover. It is scheduled for completion around the end of February […]
This was an article written by one of our managers and was recently printed in an industry trade journal. It speaks volumes about our company’s irrigation know-how. By Paul Thunstrom As an irrigation technician, you will be viewed by your clients and colleagues as a technically advanced problem solver. You will be expected to […]
Recently I drove along with our President and Director of Business Development to one of our current landscape installation projects in the East Bay. It’s the West Gate Cherry Tree Project in Berkeley. In fact, it is right outside of the west entrance to UC Berkeley. The purpose of the project is to recognize the […]
An irrigation audit – essentially – is an evaluation of an irrigation system’s performance. The results provide a road map on how to improve irrigation performance. It takes a trained professional, knowledgeable in irrigation and the audit process, to develop an effective irrigation audit. There are three steps in developing an irrigation system […]
On Saturday, September 30th, the Gardeners’ Guild employees celebrated its 40th anniversary together at the Miller-Knox Regional Park in Point Richmond. It was a fun-filled day – delicious food like barbeque chicken and beef; face painting, cash prizes and featuring a sturdy piñata. It took several tries before one – very strong boy – […]
Why is it that many of us say we feel better when we are around nature? One reason is that plants actually make us feel better; less stressed, more productive and healthier. If you look at some of the interior plant displays in commercial buildings in San Francisco or the East Bay you can’t help […]
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