High Winds and Rain In A Few Phoenix Metro Areas Bring Damage

Yesterday had some of our scary weather. Some folks didn't get a drop and others had 60 mile per hour winds. Are you in one of the areas with damage to the Phoenix Metro area as well as other parts of the state? If you are in the Valley of the Sun and need help cleaning up after this latest weather event we want you to know we are here to help.

We hope you and your family are all OK. The high winds and hail have caused property damage and reduced trees, out buildings and landscaping to rubble.

Storm Damage Cleanup

If you are looking for help in your cleanup efforts give Greens Keeper a call at 623-848-8277

You want to get your property damage corrected as soon as possible.  This goes well beyond just the aesthetics of how the property looks.  You want to make sure your property is safe.  You want to make sure that debris doesn’t cause even more damage and flooding on and beyond your property.

We offer more than just the look of the landscape of properties.  We offer clean-up and haul-away services that can get the storm damage restoration underway as soon as possible.

Our crews will arrive on site and begin working to minimize your properties' damage.

We have more than fifteen years of experience in helping business owners recover from unexpected events, storm and water damage.

We will work directly for you or with your insurance company, you decide.

While removal of fallen trees is many times the most visible part of storm damage, there are others. Water run-off can be damaging as well.

Our process involves immediate assessment of your property to identify hazardous areas and help minimize additional damage that the erosion or blockages can cause to landscaping. Controlling run-off and erosion can also be mandated by local regulations.

This means that if you have things we think could be a liability on your property related to the landscape, we will communicate with you.

We meet or exceed the highest insurance standards, with $2,000,000 business liability, $1,000,000 commercial auto, and $1,000,000 workman's comp. And we can list you (the customer) as additional insured at no extra charge.

Rather than having to worry about the landscaping on your commercial property you can let Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance do all the work for you and take the burden off your shoulders all together.  Give us a call at 623-848-8277 and let’s talk about it.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

The Best and Famous Halloween Mazes

In keeping with the scary season here are the Top Halloween mazes from around the world.

Penn & Teller New Las Vegas -- The eccentric magicians have accidentally nuked Sin City, leaving the desert gambling oasis covered in radioactivity. The comedic 3D maze at Universal Studios Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights in Florida takes visitors on a day-glow journey through Las Vegas after one of the duo's illusions goes horribly wrong.

Graves Academy -- The Haunted Halloween maze at Hong Kong Disneyland takes visitors inside a once-prestigious private school where students are taught a terrifying curriculum and bred for evil. Headmaster Alistair Graves, a dark arts master and strict disciplinarian, has turned the decaying academy into a portal for unbridled evil.

Alice Cooper Goes to Hell / Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare -- The Alice Cooper mazes at Universal Studios in Hollywood and Orlando draw on elements from the shock rocker's theatrical concerts with a soundtrack culled from his concept albums. The Halloween Horror Nights mazes feature themes of unending darkness, eternal torment and unimaginable horrors inspired by the song lyrics.

The Passing -- Thorpe Park in the United Kingdom introduced the new up-charge maze at this year's Fright Nights. With a suffocating burlap sack over their head, each person is sentenced to death and must blindly make their way through the claustrophobic maze to their own burial.

Alone -- Busch Gardens Tampa in Florida introduced the "solitary scare experience" in 2010 at Howl-O-Scream with the up-charge Alone maze that takes up to four people through the attraction at a time. The back-story involves an obsessive hoarder named Alexander Daedalus and his impressive collection of oddities. But whatever you do, don't touch anything. During the tour, the scare actors call you by name and purposely split up your party. 

Ghostly Legends -- Ocean Park asked visitors to vote on the most haunted places in Hong Kong and turned the survey results into a maze at Halloween Bash. A possessed and demented disc jockey serves as the guide through 10 Hong Kong haunts populated by supernatural beings like an eight-headed girl, an ice crystal monster and a woman covered in butterflies. 

Take Away -- Prepare to have your appetite spoiled at Europa Park's Horror Nights during the grand opening of a Chinese fast food restaurant (known as "take away" in Germany). The Take Away maze at the German theme park sends visitors on a behind-the-scenes tour of the disgusting kitchen where a cleaver-wielding cook prepares caged cats as the main course.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Plant Of The Week: Peyote

Lophophora williamsii or peyote is a small, spineless cactus with psychoactive alkaloids, particularly mescaline. The English common name peyote comes from the like-spelled Spanish name, which in turn comes from the Nahuatl name peyōtl said to be derived from a root meaning "glisten" or "glistening". Native North Americans are likely to have used peyote, often for spiritual purposes, for at least 5,500 years.

Peyote is native to Mexico and south-western Texas. It is found primarily in the Chihuahuan desert and in the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosi among scrub, especially where there is limestone.

Known for its psychoactive properties when ingested, peyote is used worldwide as an entheogen and supplement to various transcendence practices, including meditation, psychonautics, and psychedelic psychotherapy. Peyote has a long history of ritualistic and medicinal use by indigenous Americans. It flowers from March through May, and sometimes as late as September. The flowers are pink, with thigmotactic anthers (like Opuntia).

The various species of the genus Lophophora grow low to the ground and they often form groups with numerous, crowded shoots. The blue-green, yellow-green or sometimes reddish green shoots are mostly flattened spheres with sunken shoot tips. They can reach heights of from 0.8 to 2.8 inches and diameters of 1.6 to 4.7 inches. There are often significant, vertical ribs consisting of low and rounded or hump-like bumps. From the cusp areoles arises a tuft of soft, yellowish or whitish woolly hairs. Spines are absent. Flowers are pink or white to slightly yellowish, sometimes reddish. They open during the day, are from 1 to 1 and a half inches long, and reach a diameter from ½ to 1 inch. Lophophora williamsii seedling at roughly 1 1/2 months of age.

The cactus produces flowers sporadically; these are followed by small edible pink fruit. The club-shaped to elongated, fleshy fruits are bare and more or less rosy colored. At maturity, they are brownish-white and dry. The fruits do not burst open on their own and they are between ½ to 1 inch long. They contain black, pear-shaped seeds. The seeds require hot and humid conditions to germinate. Peyote contains a large spectrum of phenethylamine alkaloids. The principal one is mescaline. The mescaline content of Lophophora williamsii is about 0.4% fresh (undried) and 3-6% dried. Peyote is extremely slow growing. Cultivated specimens grow considerably faster, sometimes taking less than three years to go from seedling to mature flowering adult. More rapid growth can be achieved by grafting peyote onto mature San Pedro root stock.

The top of the cactus that grows above ground, also referred to as the crown, consists of disc-shaped buttons that are cut above the roots and sometimes dried. When done properly, the top of the root will form a callus and the root will not rot.[10] When poor harvesting techniques are used, however, the entire plant dies. Currently in South Texas, peyote grows naturally but has been over-harvested, to the point that the state has listed it as an endangered species.[citation needed] The buttons are generally chewed, or boiled in water to produce a psychoactive tea. Peyote is extremely bitter and most people are nauseated before they feel the onset of the psychoactive effects.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Weed Management Before Plant New Grass

We all hate weeds.  They are unsightly and steal resources from real plants. Did you know it is best to get rid of them before rather than after you plant a new lawn?

Weed Management Before Planting

An integrated approach, utilizing several methods, is the most economical and effective means of controlling weeds. Develop your weed management plan for landscapes before you plant by following these five basic steps:

Site assessment. Before soil preparation and when the weeds are visible, evaluate the soil, mulch, and slope of the site so problems can be corrected or future problems anticipated before planting. 

Site characteristics to look for include drainage, soil compaction, shading, and water infiltration rate. Identify the weed species in the area, with particular focus on perennial weeds. The best time to look for winter annual weeds is mid- to late winter; perennials and summer annuals are easiest to identify in mid- to late summer.

Site preparation. The most often overlooked aspect of a landscape maintenance program is site preparation. Control existing weeds, especially perennials, before any grading and development are started. Glyphosate (Roundup, etc.) can be used to kill existing annual and perennial weeds. Pre-plant treatment with fumigants (available to licensed pesticide applicators only) or soil solarization can be used if time allows; however, 6 weeks are required for solarization and it is most effective when done during the time of highest sun radiation, from June to August in the Phoenix Metro area. Annual weeds can be reduced by irrigating the area after final grading, allowing the weeds to emerge. While the weeds are still small, a shallow cultivation (less than 1 inch), scraping the weeds off the soil, or spraying with a post-emergent non-selective herbicide and then repeating this process of irrigation, emergence, and removal 2 or 3 times will greatly reduce annual weed competition and population.

Define the type of planting. There are more weed control options if the planting consists entirely of woody plants as opposed to herbaceous annuals or perennial plants, or a mixture of all three. If there is opportunity to do so, consider using mowing strips, planter beds, and borders to reduce weed encroachment and delineate planting types. Choosing drip irrigation and microsprinklers over conventional or flood sprinkler heads will also help in reducing weeds since the water is placed at or near your plants. 

Don't introduce weeds. Weeds are sometimes introduced in the soil brought to the landscape site either when amending the soil or in the potting mix of transplants.

Encourage rapid establishment of desired plants. Use the best management practices to get the plants established as quickly as possible so that they become competitive with weeds and more tolerant of herbicides applied to the site. Hand-weeding and keeping weeds from producing seeds in the landscape will greatly reduce overall weed populations.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

When Should You Dethatch Your Lawn Areas

The folks over at Scotts lawn care products have great information on the subject of lawn care and we wanted to pass some of that on to you. Over time, little bits and pieces of grass die and gather just above the soil. This is called thatch. A little bit of thatch can be beneficial. It's organic material that is broken down by microbes in the soil. 

But sometimes, thatch builds up too fast for natural processes to break it down. It forms a barrier, keeping moisture and air from going where your grass needs it. A half-inch or more of thatch can weaken your lawn. You have 2 ways to remove it: dethatching and aerating.

How to Dethatch

If you have a small patch of lawn and don't mind a little exercise, you can use a convex rake. As you pull it through the grass, it lifts up and moves the thatch. Chances are, you'd prefer a power rake, which can be rented at some hardware stores or equipment rental centers. It combs your grass and kicks out a large amount of debris, which you'll have to rake off afterwards. If you live in a warm climate, be sure to ask if the machine you're renting is suitable for your type of grass.

When to Dethatch

For cool-season grasses, the best time to dethatch is late summer or early fall. For the Phoenix Metro area that means now is the right time to dethatch. That's when your grass is growing most vigorously. For warm-season grasses, dethatch in late spring or after the second mowing. Before dethatching, mow a little shorter than normal. Also, you'll achieve better results if you do it after a light rain or watering.

Aerating

Aerating, coring, and aerifying are different terms you might hear for the same procedure. An aerator pulls plugs out of your soil. This helps loosen compacted soil and allows air and water to reach the roots. Aerating is considered a better way to dethatch your lawn since it puts less stress on it.

When to Aerate

As with dethatching, you want to aerate when your grass is at its peak growing season - late summer or early fall for cool-season grasses, or late spring for warm-season grasses.
How Often Should You Aerate?

If you have high-traffic areas and heavy thatch, you might want to aerate every year or 2. If your lawn looks great, you can cut back to every 3-5 years.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Your Property Needs Commercial Landscape Care!

Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC. is a service oriented family owned business specializing in commercial landscape maintenance.

Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance has been maintaining commercial properties in the Valley of the Sun (the Phoenix Metro Area) to the highest level. We have many years of experience here in the valley caring for plants in the southwest climate and in commercial property landscapes.

We are a reliable source for all of your property maintenance needs. We employ a well educated, trained and experienced staff who can attend to all of your needs in a knowledgeable and professional manner.

Our services include all facets of Property Management. We cover property maintenance to customized lawn treatment programs, tree & shrub diagnostics and care, annual color programs, enhancements, Irrigation System management, We can help with your Holiday and Event Decorating. Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance has a full time staff to fulfill any and all of your needs 12 months a year!

We are certified, licensed and insured to meet all local requirements and regulations. Contact our award winning company to schedule a consultation today.

We can design and develop a custom program for your specific budget and property needs. You can be on your way to increasing your property’s appearance and value with our guidance and expertise.

Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC, features first class customer service, providing unmatched value, superior products, extensive local experience and unquestionable reliability.

All of our vehicles are clearly marked and all of our employees are in uniform for easy identification. Many of the small unexpected things that other companies charge for, are included in our everyday service.

Or you can let Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance do all the work for you and take the burden off your shoulders all together.  Give us a call at 623-848-8277 and let’s talk about it.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Famous Gardens: Garden of Cosmic Speculation

Open to the public only one day a year, the Garden of Cosmic Speculation, a 30 acre sculpture garden, takes science and maths as its inspiration. Quite simply, there isn't another garden like it in the world. The garden was set up by Charles Jencks, together with his late wife Maggie Keswick and is located at Portrack House near Dumfries, in South West Scotland. 

It was set up in 1989 without the usual ideas people have when they create a garden. Horticultural displays very much take second place in this garden. Instead, it is designed with ideas in mind - and to provoke thought (or at least speculation) about the very nature of things.

The garden is inspired by science and mathematics, with sculptures and landscaping on these themes, such as Black Holes and Fractals. The garden is not abundant with plants, but sets mathematical formulae and scientific phenomena in a setting which elegantly combines natural features and artificial symmetry and curves. It is probably unique among gardens, drawing comparisons with a similarly abstract garden in Scotland, Little Sparta.
Access

The garden is private but usually opens on one day each year through Scotland's Gardens Scheme and raises money for Maggie's Centres, a cancer care charity named for Maggie Keswick Jencks.

Depiction In Music
The garden is the subject of an orchestral composition by American composer, Michael Gandolfi, which he composed for a joint commission from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Music Center. The piece was subsequently recorded by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robert Spano, and nominated for "Best Contemporary Classical Composition" at the 2009 Grammy Awards.

Literary References
Louise Penny uses The Garden of Cosmic Speculation as an important plot device in her recent Gamache mystery, 'The Long Way Home' (St. Martin Press, 2014).

Cameron Jace makes creative use of The Garden of Cosmic Speculation in his fictional novel titled 'Circus', which is the third installment of his 'Insanity' series. In the book, Jace uses many true facts when referring to 'public' knowledge of the garden (per character conversation), but changed the name of the designer to better fit into the story's plot line.

Rather than having to worry about the landscaping on your commercial property you can let Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance do all the work for you and take the burden off your shoulders all together.  Give us a call at 623-848-8277 and let’s talk about it.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Plant of the Week - Velvet Mesquite

Prosopis velutina, commonly known as velvet mesquite, is a small to medium-sized perennial tree. It is a legume adapted to a dry, desert climate. Though considered to be a noxious weed in states outside its natural range, it plays a vital role in the ecology of the Sonoran Desert.

Velvet mesquite is native to the Sonoran, Mojave, and Chihuahuan Deserts. It grows at elevations below 4,000 to 5,000 feet in desert grasslands and near washes. The main distribution is in central and southern Arizona and in adjacent Sonora, Mexico. Near waterways, mesquites can form deciduous woodlands called bosques.

Description

Velvet mesquite can grow to 30–50 feet tall or more. It grows larger in areas with ample water, smaller in open, dry grasslands. The youngest branches may be green and photosynthetic. Young bark is reddish-brown and smooth. As it matures, it becomes a dark, dusty gray or brown and takes on a shredded texture. Yellow thorns up to one inch long appear on the young branches. The leaves are about 3-6 inches long, fine, and bipinnately compound. They fold closed at night.

The taproot sinks deep into the earth, far deeper than the height of the tree, taking advantage of water sources inaccessible to most plants. Roots extend to about 50 feet, but depths as much as 175 feet have been recorded.

The mesquite is deciduous, losing its leaves in winter, and leafs out again in the spring when all danger of frost is past. Because of its deep root system, it keeps its leaves in the dry months of summer in all but the most severe drought years. The flowers are yellow and form in the spring (after the leaves) in dense cylindrical clusters (catkins) roughly 4 inches long. Long seedpods (legumes) form from the flowers. 

They are bright green and look somewhat like pea pods when young. Mature, dry pods are hard and contain several hard, dry, brown seeds. The seeds need to be scarified before they can germinate. This scarification typically takes place in the digestive tracts of animals, which eat the seeds and then disperse them widely, as the seed takes days to pass through the animal.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

More Storm Damage Around The Valley Of The Sun

Well two days in a row we get weather that brings damage to the Phoenix Metro area as well as the state. If you need help cleaning up after this latest weather event we want you to know we are here to help.

We hope you and your family are all OK. The high winds and hail have caused property damage and reduced trees, out buildings and landscaping to rubble.

Storm Damage Cleanup

If you are looking for help in your cleanup efforts give Greens Keeper a call at 623-848-8277

You want to get your property damage corrected as soon as possible.  This goes well beyond just the aesthetics of how the property looks.  You want to make sure your property is safe.  You want to make sure that debris doesn’t cause even more damage and flooding on and beyond your property.

We offer more than just the look of the landscape of properties.  We offer clean-up and haul-away services that can get the storm damage restoration underway as soon as possible.

Our crews will arrive on site and begin working to minimize your properties' damage.

We have more than fifteen years of experience in helping business owners recover from unexpected events, storm and water damage.

We will work directly for you or with your insurance company, you decide.

While removal of fallen trees is many times the most visible part of storm damage, there are others. Water run-off can be damaging as well.

Our process involves immediate assessment of your property to identify hazardous areas and help minimize additional damage that the erosion or blockages can cause to landscaping. Controlling run-off and erosion can also be mandated by local regulations.

This means that if you have things we think could be a liability on your property related to the landscape, we will communicate with you.

We meet or exceed the highest insurance standards, with $2,000,000 business liability, $1,000,000 commercial auto, and $1,000,000 workman's comp. And we can list you (the customer) as additional insured at no extra charge.

Rather than having to worry about the landscaping on your commercial property you can let Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance do all the work for you and take the burden off your shoulders all together.  Give us a call at 623-848-8277 and let’s talk about it.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

After Yesterday Do You Need Help With Storm Damage Cleanup?

Yesterday evening the Phoenix Metro area was slammed by a serious monsoon storm.  Many have suffered hail and storm damage. They are reporting 42,000 without power following the storm. We hope you and your family are all OK. The high winds have caused property damage and reduced trees and landscaping to rubble.

If you are looking for help in your clean up efforts give Greens Keeper a call at 623-848-8277

You want to get your property damage corrected as soon as possible.  This goes well beyond just the aesthetics of how the property looks.  You want to make sure your property is safe.  You want to make sure that debris doesn’t cause even more damage and flooding on and beyond your property.

We offer more than just the look of the landscape of properties.  We offer clean-up and haul-away services that can get the storm damage restoration underway as soon as possible.

Our crews will arrive on site and begin working to minimize your properties' damage.

We have more than fifteen years of experience in helping business owners recover from unexpected events, storm and water damage.

We will work directly for you or with your insurance company, you decide.

While removal of fallen trees is many times the most visible part of storm damage, there are others. Water run-off can be damaging as well.

Our process involves Immediate assessment of your property to identify hazardous areas and help minimize additional damage that the erosion or blockages can cause to landscaping. Controlling run-off and erosion can also be mandated by local regulations.

This means that if you have things we think could be a liability on your property related to the landscape, we will communicate with you.

Following our next valley storm think of Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance for your repairs and property restoration.  Give us a call at 623-848-8277 to see how we can help you.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

We Want Your Commercial Landscape Business

We want to make sure you know that we are welcoming new customers.  Do you have a commercial property that you would like to see if we can add to our regularly scheduled landscape maintenance?

We would like the opportunity to bid for your business. Let us know if you would a new competitive offer for your property maintenance please give us a call and let us show you all the ways we can help you save.

We are a service oriented family owned business specializing in commercial landscape maintenance, providing high quality care based on open communication, and the highest quality service.

We offer a full range of options for our customers by tailoring a maintenance program to the specific individual needs of each property, and budget. We will strive to keep your landscape safe and beautiful, while at the same time keeping your costs as low as possible.

We meet or exceed the highest insurance standards, with $2000000 business liability, $1000000 commercial auto, and $1000000 workman's comp. We list all our customers as additional insured at no extra charge upon request.

Our vehicles are clearly marked and our employees are in uniform for easy identification. All our employees are verified through the I-9 verification system and have successfully passed background checks.

Keep in mind that Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance can Help!  Please contact us at; Sales: 623-848-8277 We serve businesses like yours throughout the entire Phoenix Metro Area.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Famous Landscape Architecture Park Güell

The Park Güell is a public park system composed of gardens and architectonic elements located on Carmel Hill, in Barcelona, Spain. Carmel Hill belongs to the mountain range of Collserola — the Parc del Carmel is located on the northern face. Park Güell is located in La Salut, a neighborhood in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. With urbanization in mind, Eusebi Güell assigned the design of the park to Antoni Gaudí, a renowned architect and the face of Catalan modernism. The park was built between 1900 and 1914 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site under “Works of Antoni Gaudí”.

Park Güell is the reflection of Gaudí’s artistic plenitude, which belongs to his naturalist phase (first decade of the 20th century). During this period, the architect perfected his personal style through inspiration from organic shapes. He put into practice a series of new structural solutions rooted in the analysis of geometry. To that, the Catalan artist adds creative liberty and an imaginative, ornamental creation. Starting from a sort of baroquism, his works acquire a structural richness of forms and volumes, free of the rational rigidity or any sort of classic premisses. In the design of Park Güell, Gaudí unleashed all his architectonic genius and put to practice much of his innovative structural solutions that would become the symbol of his organic style and that would culminate in the creation of the Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family.

Güell and Gaudí conceived this park, situated within a natural park. They imagined an organized grouping of high-quality homes, decked out with all the latest technological advancements to ensure maximum comfort, finished off with an artistic touch. They also envisioned a community strongly influenced by symbolism, since, in the common elements of the park, they were trying to synthesize many of the political and religious ideals shared by patron and architect: therefore there are noticeable concepts originating from political Catalanism - especially in the entrance stairway where the Catalonian countries are represented - and from Catholicism - the Monumento al Calvario, originally designed to be a chapel. The mythological elements are so important: apparently Güell and Gaudí's conception of the park was also inspired by the Temple of Apollo of Delphi.

On the other hand, many experts have tried to link the park to various symbols because of the complex iconography that Gaudí applied to the urban project. Such references go from political vindication to religious exaltation, passing through mythology, history and philosophy. Specifically, many studies claim to see references to Freemasonry, despite the deep religious beliefs of both Gaudí and Count Güell. These references have not been proven in the historiography of the modern architect. The multiplicity of symbols found in the Park Güell is, as previously mentioned, associated to political and religious signs, with a touch of mystery according to the preferences of that time for enigmas and puzzles.

Rather than having to worry about the landscaping on your commercial property you can let Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance do all the work for you and take the burden off your shoulders all together.  Give us a call at 623-848-8277 and let’s talk about it.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Plant of the Week - Blazing Star

Blazing Star is a striking prairie flower that blooms in the hot, Indiana summer months.

20 years ago, students began collecting pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters to raise money for the Conservancy’s Adopt an Acre program. 

Liatris pycnostachya, known as the prairie blazing star, is a perennial plant that belongs to the aster family. There are thirty species of this particular wildflower in North America, seven of which reside in Indiana - namely rough, northern, plains, cylindrical marsh and the prairie blazing star.

Blazing stars are unique and beautiful wildflowers. They are well-known for their colorful, feathery flower-heads which are densely clustered on stems covered with slender, grass-like leaves. This feather-like look is why the blazing star is commonly known as gayfeather.

Liatris spicata, the dense blazing star or prairie gay feather, is an herbaceous perennial plant native throughout most of eastern North America. Native to moist prairies and sedge meadows.

Liatris spicata var. resinosa is found in the southern part of the species natural range, the variable plants have only 5 or 6 flowers per head and the heads are more widely spaced on the stems, these differences are more pronounced when the plants are found in drier and coastal habitats.
Cultivation

Liatris spicata is a garden flower in many countries around the world, grown for its showy purple flowers (pink or white in some cultivars). The tall spikes of purple flowers appear in July and August. It thrives in full sun in ordinary garden soil and is excellent for attracting birds and butterflies. Under cultivation it is found under many names including; button snakewort, Kansas gay feather, blazing star, Liatris callilepis.

The prairie blazing star blooms during the summer months to early fall, between late July and September. Their erect stands of tall pink to dark lavender spikes are hard to miss. Though found naturally in the small native remnants of our prairie lands, the blazing star does remarkably well in home gardens. Its unusual characteristic of blooming from top to bottom makes the blazing star a good choice in fresh-cut floral arrangements. 

By merely pruning the top dead flowers, fresh flowers are just a snip away.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Arizona Business Property Is Special: Winter and Summer Lawns

Your commercial property can have green grass year round in Phoenix, even though the winter and summer climates are very different.

The best time, in the Phoenix area, to plant the Rye is from early to middle October. Plant too early and the sun can bake the seedlings. Remember, if the weather is still hot the Bermuda is still growing and will compete with the Rye seedlings. Plant too late and germination is slow because the weather isn't warm enough. So, there is a relatively small window of opportunity.

Having year-round green lawns is accomplished by growing Bermuda grass in summer and Rye grass in winter. The low rainfall amounts in the area means that your lawn will consume relatively large amounts of water, an accurate understanding and application of how much water the grass really needs will minimize overall usage.

Bermuda grass is the choice in summer. Bermuda grass can endure the desert's hottest weather as long as it has sufficient water. During winter it is dormant, meaning that it is yellow and appears dead. However, below the surface it is alive and waiting for warmer weather. Bermuda usually starts to slow down and go dormant in September and starts growing again in May. This life cycle makes it so Bermuda does not have to be replanted each year. Therefore, if a winter lawn is desired, it can be planted over the dormant Bermuda. When high afternoon temperatures start to kill the winter lawn, in May, the Bermuda grass takes over again.

Bermuda grass only needs to be planted once, subsequent summers will involve the Bermuda coming out of dormancy. It will come in more fully and rapidly if the Ryegrass is allowed to dry out in early May. Normally two weeks without water is sufficient to kill the ryegrass. After the Ryegrass has turned brown, resume watering to encourage the Bermuda to recover from its dormant time.

October may be a little late to get that great Arizona winter lawn but we can help make it happen for your business property. is the best time to start planning what you want to do with your commercial properties’ lawn.

Rather than having to worry about the landscaping on your commercial property you can let Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance do all the work for you and take the burden off your shoulders all together.  Give us a call at 623-848-8277 and let’s talk about it.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

We Are Looking For New Customers For Commercial Property Landscaping

We want to make sure you know that we are welcoming new customers.  Do you have a commercial property that you would like to see if we can add to our regularly scheduled landscape maintenance?

We would like the opportunity to bid for your business. Let us know if you would a new competitive offer for your property maintenance please give us a call and let us show you all the ways we can help you save.

We are a service oriented family owned business specializing in commercial landscape maintenance, providing high quality care based on open communication, and the highest quality service.

We offer a full range of options for our customers by tailoring a maintenance program to the specific individual needs of each property, and budget. We will strive to keep your landscape safe and beautiful, while at the same time keeping your costs as low as possible.

We meet or exceed the highest insurance standards, with $2000000 business liability, $1000000 commercial auto, and $1000000 workman's comp. We list all our customers as additional insured at no extra charge upon request.

Our vehicles are clearly marked and our employees are in uniform for easy identification. All our employees are verified through the I-9 verification system and have successfully passed background checks.

Keep in mind that Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance can Help!  Please contact us at; Sales: 623-848-8277 We serve businesses like yours throughout the entire Phoenix Metro Area.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Plant of the Week – The Barrel Cactus

Barrel cactus are various members of the two genera Echinocactus and Ferocactus, found in the deserts of Southwestern North America.

Barrel cactus of some species easily reach over 3.3 feet in height at maturity, and have been known to reach 10 feet in some regions. The ribs are numerous and pronounced, and the spines are long and can range in color from yellow to tan to red, depending on the age of the plant and the species. Flowers appear at the top of the plant only after many years.

Barrel cactus buds typically start to bloom in April with a bright yellow or orange flower. Pink and red varieties also exist but occur less frequently. The flowers only appear on the very top of the plant. As the flowers begin to wilt in early May, they may change color. A late summer desert rainstorm can produce a late bloomer as shown in the photo of the orange flowered variety (it bloomed two days after a rain storm in mid August and then continued to bloom right through the end of September).

One should approach a barrel cactus with extreme caution. A puncture to human skin from one of the spines is considered a 'dirty wound'. If the puncture is deep enough to draw blood, antibiotics may be needed; and could take up to several months for the wound to heal properly. Barrel cactus plants are one of the more dangerous cacti to humans in the desert.

Fruit

As the flowers wilt away, small pineapple-shaped greenish fruit may form. Left untouched, the fruit has been known to last a full calendar year. The fruit can be easily removed but are not usually consumed because they are fairly dry and bitter to the taste.
Native Americans

Native Americans collected the fruit as emergency food during extreme drought conditions.

The Seri people, distinguished three species of barrel cactus: 

Saguaro barrel cactus — Ferocactus cylindraceus
Siml caacöl (big barrel cactus), siml cöquicöt (killer barrel cactus) — Ferocactus emoryi
Siml áa (true barrel cactus) — Ferocactus wislizeni.

Cultivation

Barrel cactus are cultivated by plant nurseries as an ornamental plant. They are considered easy to grow and relatively fast growing. They may produce round offshoots.

Barrel cactus can fall over because they grow based on sun orientation. They usually grow towards the south to prevent surface tissue sunburn, giving the name "compass cactus.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Storm Damage Again In The Phoenix Metro Area

Yesterday, Tuesday some parts of the Phoenix Metro area did receive some pretty heavy rains even if it was for a short time. Storms Tuesday, one of which turned out to be severe, dumped heavy rain and buffeted parts of the Valley with strong winds.

Some areas saw over an inch of rain in less than an hour, resulting in localized flooding in some areas.

Nearly all parts of the Valley of the Sun had rain with some experiencing hail and even a funnel cloud was spotted. With that kind of wind and rain many areas also had storm damage.

Just one more note about weather - a bit north of snow, yes real white stuff snow feel on the mountains around Flagstaff.

If you need help with storm cleanup make a call to Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance at 623-848-8277 and we will help you recover.

If you need debris removal our crews will arrive on site and begin working to minimize your properties' damage. We have more than fifteen years of experience in helping home and business owners recover from unexpected events, storm and water damage. We will work directly for you or with your insurance company, you decide.

While removal of fallen trees is many times the most visible part of storm damage, there are others. Water run-off can be damaging as well. Call 623-848-8277

Our process involves Immediate assessment of your property to identify hazardous areas and help minimize additional damage that the erosion can cause to landscaping. Controlling run-off and erosion can also be mandated by local regulations.

This means that if you have things we think could be a liability on your property related to the landscape, we will communicate with you.

 It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:

Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC

623-848-8277

http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com

greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Artificial Turf Vs Real Grass

One thing that many folks talk about when they praise artificial turf is that it requires no water and no maintenance. While it requires less water than a typical lawn it is not maintenance free.  While you don’t water it so that it can grow and look green it still needs to be cleaned to stay green and beautiful.  It must still have debris removed.

This is a normal sales quote, “The initial investment in an artificial lawn is significantly more than a real grass lawn but it is an investment that will pay for itself in future maintenance costs.”

Did you know that the artificial grass has a warranty and after that has expired you need to pay that high cost again to make your lawn look nice and green again?

Safety

Artificial turf installations are now everywhere in the United States, from apartment complexes, high schools to multi-million-dollar athletic complexes. As any parent or player who has been on them can testify, the tiny black rubber crumbs of which the fields are made -- chunks of old tires -- get everywhere. In players' uniforms, in their hair, in their cleats. Do children play on your lawns now?

While no research has linked illnesses to artificial turf. There are many anecdotal stories of related health problems.

In order to make fiscally and environmentally sound decisions regarding the potential purchase and installation of artificial turf in their communities, decision makers must consider all short- and long-term issues and concerns. Artificial turf is being widely promoted as a cost-efficient, environmentally- and user-friendly product that can replace natural grass on sports fields and home lawn areas.

Unfortunately a large number of unsubstantiated claims are being made by promoters of the new-generation artificial turf products (particularly those that incorporate ground rubber as part of their base).

In the Valley of the Sun of heat and sunlight are far different environments that artificial turf is normally exposed to.

Consider that natural green (ground cover) surfaces helps reduce energy consumption where artificial surfaces can increase your energy use.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:

Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC

623-848-8277

http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com

greenskeeperllc@cox.net

Do Something Nice Day

Today is "Do Something Nice Day." It is always celebrated on October 5th. Go ahead, do something nice, anything nice. And, do it to, or for, another individual. It doesn't hurt... we promise. In keeping with the spirit of this day, set a goal to do something nice for someone. Perhaps, you can do this for several people. Then, sit back and watch the results of your positive actions!

Doing something nice for someone almost always evokes a very pleasant response. At the very least, it results in a smile. More likely, that person will do something nice to, or for you. And, best of all, doing something nice just might be contagious.

It makes your neighbors and everyone who lives at, visits or drives by your commercial property smile if you have a beautiful landscape. You could do something nice every day of the year.

It would be ideal if everyone lived their lives doing something nice, or doing nice things, on a daily basis and without thinking about it.  Today serves as a reminder to us all, as it is easy to get caught up with hectic schedules and fast paced lifestyles, to stop for a moment and do something nice.

Do something nice.  The “something” can be “anything” from buying a cup of coffee for someone in line at the coffee shop, giving a compliment to the tired clerk, sending flowers with a card that says “just because,” asking the neighbors over for a barbecue in your backyard or mowing the lawn for someone else.   Use the hashtag #DoSomethingNiceDay to post on social media.

Here Are Some Ideas:

Invite some friends over for a dinner party. Even if you’re not a phenomenal cook or a seasoned entertainer, taking the time and effort to nourish people is a simple kindness.

Volunteer at a local animal shelter. Whether you’re taking stray dogs for a walk or playing with kittens, you’ll enjoy the afternoon as much as Fido and Fluffy.

Informally mentor someone. Take an intern to lunch, your little sister shopping or a younger friend on a hike. You don’t need to show someone a Power Point presentation to influence them, use your time and your attention to learn more about their goals and have a sincere conversation about your personal life experiences and how they can help your junior friends.

National Do Something Nice Day is very similar to National Random Acts of Kindness Day, which is celebrated on February 17.

“Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out” ~ Frank A. Clark

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want lush lawns, desert landscaping or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net                                                                                                                                          

How Is Your Scheduled Landscape Maintenance Company Doing?

We want to make sure you know that we are welcoming new customers.  Do you have a commercial property that you would like to see if we can add to our regularly scheduled landscape maintenance?

We would like the opportunity to bid for your business. Let us know if you would a new and competitive offer for your property maintenance. Please give us a call and let us show you all the ways we can help you save.

We are a service oriented family owned business specializing in commercial landscape maintenance, providing high quality care based on open communication, and the highest quality service.

We offer a full range of options for our customers by tailoring a maintenance program to the specific individual needs of each property, and budget. We will strive to keep your landscape beautiful and safe, while at the same time keeping your costs as affordable as possible.

We meet or exceed the highest insurance standards, with $2,000,000 business liability, $1,000,000 commercial auto, and $1,000,000 workman's comp. We list all our customers as additional insured at no extra charge upon request.

Our vehicles are clearly marked and our employees are in uniform for easy identification. All our employees are verified through the I-9 verification system and have successfully passed background checks.

Keep in mind that Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance can Help!  Please contact us at; Sales: 623-848-8277 We serve businesses like yours throughout the entire Phoenix Metro Area.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277
http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com
greenskeeperllc@cox.net