February Greens Keeper Commercial Landscaping New Customer Incentives

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?

For all new customers (now through the end of February 2016) will be providing free fertilization for the next year. Yes, Free Fertilizer for your first full year. Take this opportunity to compare what you are spending now and what you could save by using Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance.

Now would also be a good time to mention we don't charge anything for the installation of winter lawns. This means you do not pay anything for scalping and removal of summer lawn, sprinkler tune up, and top dressing where needed. And the seed is provided at the market price. We also offer a full range of tree trimming options for our customers including emergency storm damage clean up and tree removal. Lawn fertilizer is done quarterly normally for the price of fertilizer only.

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 Parks: Hyde Park

Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in London, and one of the Royal Parks of London. The Park is the largest of four parks which form a chain from the entrance of Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, via Hyde Park Corner and Green Park (19 hectares), past the main entrance to Buckingham Palace and then on through Saint James's Park (23 hectares) to Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall. The park is divided in two by the Serpentine and the Long Water.

The park is contiguous with Kensington Gardens; although often still assumed to be part of Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens has been technically separate since 1728, when Queen Caroline made a division between the two. Hyde Park covers 142 hectares (350 acres)[2] and Kensington Gardens covers 111 hectares (275 acres), giving an overall area of 253 hectares (625 acres), making the combined area larger than the Principality of Monaco (196 hectares or 480 acres), though smaller than the Bois de Boulogne in Paris (845 hectares, or 2090 acres), New York City's Central Park (341 hectares or 840 acres), and Dublin's Phoenix Park (707 hectares, or 1,750 acres). To the southeast, outside the park, is Hyde Park Corner. Although, during daylight, the two parks merge seamlessly into each other, Kensington Gardens closes at dusk but Hyde Park remains open throughout the year from 5 a.m. until midnight.

The park was the site of the Great Exhibition of 1851, for which the Crystal Palace was designed by Joseph Paxton. The park has become a traditional location for mass demonstrations. The Chartists, the Reform League, the Suffragettes, and the Stop the War Coalition have all held protests in the park. Many protesters on the Liberty and Livelihood March in 2002 started their march from Hyde Park. On 20 July 1982 in the Hyde Park and Regents Park bombings, two bombs linked to the Provisional Irish Republican Army caused the death of eight members of the Household Cavalry and the Royal Green Jackets and seven horses.

Hyde Park was created in 1536 by Henry VIll for hunting. He acquired the manor of Hyde from the canons of Westminster Abbey, who had held it since before the Norman Conquest; it was enclosed as a deer park and remained a private hunting ground until James I permitted limited access to gentlefolk, appointing a ranger to take charge. Charles I created the Ring (north of the present Serpentine boathouses), and in 1637 he opened the park to the general public.

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: Ocotillo

The ocotillo cactus, scienetific name, Fouquieria splendens, but also referred to as coachwhip, candlewood, slimwood, desert coral, Jacob's staff, Jacob cactus, and vine cactus) is a plant indigenous to the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Desert in the Southwestern United States (southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas), and northern Mexico (as far south as Hidalgo and Guerrero).

Ocotillo is not a true cactus. For much of the year, the plant appears to be an arrangement of large spiny dead sticks, although closer examination reveals that the stems are partly green. With rainfall, the plant quickly becomes lush with small, ovate leaves, which may remain for weeks or even months.

Individual stems may reach a diameter of 15 ft at the base, and the plant may grow to a height of 33 ft. The plant branches very heavily at its base, but above that, the branches are pole-like and rarely divide further, and specimens in cultivation may not exhibit any secondary branches. The leaf stalks harden into blunt spines, and new leaves sprout from the base of the spine.

The bright crimson flowers appear especially after rainfall in spring, summer, and occasionally fall. Flowers are clustered indeterminately at the tips of each mature stem. Individual flowers are mildly zygomorphic and are pollinated by hummingbirds and native carpenter bees.

Planting ocotillo can be done year-around with care. Ideal plants have been grown from stem cuttings and from seed. Transplanting large bare-root plants has marginal success. They should be planted to the original growing depth and, as with cacti, in their original directional orientation: the original south side of the plant, which has become more heat- and sunlight-resistant, should again face the brighter, hotter southern direction. If their direction is not marked, success is again limited.

Ocotillo plants prefer well-drained, sandy or gravely loam soil with low to moderate amounts of organic content. Ideal locations are sunny, open, unrestricted and those where surface water does not collect. Transplanted plants require irrigation to become established, but once established, they can survive on 8 inches of rainfall per year.

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

Establish A Commercial Landscape Maintenance Program

What do your customers think about the overall image of your property? What does it convey to the customers, employees or tenants? At the moment someone approaches your property, from the curb to your entrance, they are forming their impression of your business.

What they are seeing or not seeing will enhance or detract from their perception of what it’s like to live, work or do business with you. What does you entrance look like? Is there seasonal color in the form of annuals and perennials? Are the tree branches pruned away from walkways and front doors? Are leaves and debris cleaned up?

Establishing a landscape maintenance program for your property is one of the most important things you can do to keep the curb appeal and overall value of your property at a consistently high level. There are a number of items to keep in mind regarding the maintenance program and the hiring of a landscape maintenance firm to perform the specific duties outlined in your landscape specifications.

How about the common areas? Is the turf weed free? Is the landscape crew just cutting the grass, or does it have a manicured look and even cut? If it’s a residential area with a clubhouse or pool, how is that area maintained? Are grass clippings being picked up inside the pool area or are they being blown into the pool and left on the turf? Are shrubs trimmed and landscape beds well defined? Do all these areas add or detract from the status of your property?

With a well thought out landscape maintenance program in place, you are on your way to making that first impression of your property an experience of quality and professionalism.

Begin by evaluating your specific landscape needs and work from there. It’s important for you, if you are going to get several bids on your property, to establish your own specifications. There are several reasons for this. First of all, you are setting the standard for the type of service you desire. Second, you are establishing that all bids are going to be for the same basic service. Third, it’s much easier when you are looking at the bids during the selection process to evaluate the additional services each company has to offer.

Some of the basic specifications that you should include in your bid package are: the contract time frame, spring and fall clean-up details, areas to be mulched, the number of shrub and tree trimmings you want included, the number of weekly cuttings for the season, fertilization needs and any special areas of concern. The package itself should include the written specifications, a plot map outlining the boundaries of the property, a request for references, and the name of a contact person whom the landscape representative can call with questions regarding the scope of the work. Also include a reasonable deadline for the bid and stick to it. If a company cannot get their bid to you on time, what will happen when they are supposed to be there maintaining the property?

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

Valley of the Sun Grass Type Information

The Phoenix Metro Area is known for beautiful lawns and properties year round. Part of that is lush green grass. Whether it is in front of your business, your home or on a golf course it just may help you know the different types grown here in the Valley of the Sun.

Bluegrass / Rye / Fescue

The majority of northern lawns are a combination of Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass and fescues. Kentucky bluegrass will form the nicest lawn, but it has a very low shade tolerance. Ryegrass can tolerate heavy foot traffic, but does not tolerate extreme cold or drought conditions. Fescues (both tall and fine) are often found in mixes due to their tolerance of shade, foot traffic, cold and drought. When combined correctly, these grasses will form a dense turf that is acceptable for most northern lawns in the U.S.

Feel: soft, with some coarse grass possibly mixed in (tall fescue)
Growth: underground roots called rhizomes
Additional: Note: Most northern lawns are a combination of Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass and fescue(s). For more information, see the details for each individual grass type.

Floratam St. Augustine 

Grass for shady, moderate traffic areas. Floratam St. Augustine grass was released in the early 1970s by the Florida and Texas Agricultural Experiment Stations as a SAD virus and chinchbug resistant turfgrass (hence the name FLORada and TexasAM). Since then, these resistant qualities have weakened and chinchbugs are now a major problem for Floratam.

Floratam requires more than 6 hours of sunlight. It grows vigorously in warm weather, but in north Flordia, it remains dormant for a relatively long period compared with other cultivars.

Perennial Ryegrass

(Lolium perenne) Perennial Ryegrass is a competitive, cool season grass that is well adapted to moderate temperature. Perrennial Ryegrass is known for its rapid germination and establishment, tolerance to traffic, resistance to insects and stress. Because of this, it is often mixed with Kentucky bluegrass for use in lawns for homes, schools and parks. This turfgrass can be found in lawns throughout North America, although it is less common in Florida, Texas and other southern parts of the United States.

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

Consider Your Clientele For Commercial Landscaping Ideas

Although good landscaping is important for homeowners, it can mean the difference between success and failure when it comes to your business. A beautifully landscaped business will encourage potential customers to stop by for a visit, but a poor landscaping job could send those same potential customers to drive on by.

It is also a good idea for business owners to build green technology into their landscape designs. For instance, business owners can use native plants in their landscape designs, incorporate drought resistant varieties of trees and shrubs and use landscape elements that will reduce soil erosion. These designs are good for the environment - and good for business as well.

One mistake many business owners make is designing a magnificent landscape without considering the cost of ongoing maintenance. No matter how beautiful or well designed your business' landscape might be, the grass will need to be mowed, the flowers will need to be watered and the trees will need to be pruned. It is imperative for business owners to factor in not only the cost of the initial landscaping job, but the monthly cost of maintenance as well.

One way for business owners to reduce the maintenance costs of their landscapes is to complement traditional design elements like trees, shrubs and flowers with rocks, boulders and other hardscaping elements. These elements can be stunning, but they are also low maintenance. By incorporating them into the overall landscape design, business owners can cut maintenance costs without sacrificing a beautiful and enticing exterior.

Before getting started, it is important to understand the nature of your business and your clientele. The landscaping choices you make should be tailored to meet the needs, and the expectations, of your customers. For instance, the landscaping choices made by a discount retailer would be quite different than those for a high-end luxury clothing store. A high-end retailer would want to invest in the most beautiful landscape elements, including magnificent flowering trees and shrubs, to entice and please wealthy customers.

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

Outstanding Landscape Architecture Projects

Every year, the world becomes home to new, innovative projects in landscape architecture. And every year, the designers behind these projects eagerly await recognition for their hard work. Looking at new technology, public attitudes toward the space, and awards received, the following are some that stand out.

Sherbourne Common, Toronto, Ontario — Phillips Farevaag Smalleberg

As a winner of the 2013 ASLA Honor Award for Design, this space has been around for more than a year. However, it continued to make headlines throughout 2014. Sherbourne Common, a formerly neglected brownfield site on Toronto’s waterfront, combines a storm water treatment facility with landscape, architecture, engineering, and public art to provide an outdoor living room for the new residents of the East Bayfront community.

The Park at Lakeshore East: Chicago, IL – The Office of James Burnett

Nicknamed the “village in the heart of the city,” by local developers, this is a park that was built for the people of Chicago and has attributes to attract people from all walks of life. The space lies at the center of a redevelopment that will include residential, commercial and retail space, as well as, an elementary school. It aims to fill the needs of all these different spaces, and it does this while also becoming a centerpiece in the world famous Chicago park system, and a rival for the historic Millennium Park.

Low Maintenance Eco-Campus: Vanke Research Center, Shenzhen, China – Z + T Studio, Landscape Architecture

In a country known for its growing urbanization, the design team for this project wanted to show that sustainability and low maintenance were still possibilities in the urban landscape. Three issues were addressed in the design to achieve sustainability: Storm water management, low-maintenance construction, and planting material all combine here to create an educational and experimental space that is being used to address the numerous environmental concerns of the nation.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Campus, Seattle, WA – Gustafson Guthrie Nichol

As the recipient of the 2014 ASLA Award of Excellence, this project took a contaminated 12-acre parking lot in the heart of Seattle and transformed it into an ecologically and socially sustainable site where employees can interact while also regenerating the surrounding community. This project falls under the foundation’s principles of having a global mission with local roots and to “help all people lead healthy, productive lives.”

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: Heirloom Roses

A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species and thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be erect shrubs, climbing or trailing with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers vary in size and shape and are usually large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows and reds. Most species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and often are fragrant. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach seven meters in height. Different species hybridize easily, and this has been used in the development of the wide range of garden roses.

The name rose comes from French, itself from Latin rosa, which was perhaps borrowed from Oscan, from Greek ρόδον rhódon (Aeolic βρόδον wródon), itself borrowed from Old Persian wrd- (wurdi), related to Avestan varəδa, Sogdian ward, Parthian wâr.

Just what is an ‘Heirloom Rose’? When referring strictly to ‘roses’ an heirloom roses are also known as “antique” or “old garden” roses, which include those that existed before 1867. Why that particular date you ask? “La France” the first hybrid tea rose, was discovered growing in a garden patch and introduced in 1867 which marked the start of a new era. All classes of roses in existence before that time were deemed ‘old garden roses’ or ‘heirlooms’. Hence new classes were called modern roses. The actual heirloom varieties are hard to pinpoint and fall into several categories; Albas, Centifolias, Damasks, Gallicas and Moss roses. These antique varieties are as simple to grow as the modern roses we find today. Admired for their fragrance and large beautiful blooms every garden should have a few.

The flowers of most species have five petals, with the exception of Rosa sericea, which usually has only four. Each petal is divided into two distinct lobes and is usually white or pink, though in a few species yellow or red. Beneath the petals are five sepals (or in the case of some Rosa sericea, four). These may be long enough to be visible when viewed from above and appear as green points alternating with the rounded petals. There are multiple superior ovaries that develop into achenes. Roses are insect-pollinated in nature.

The aggregate fruit of the rose is a berry-like structure called a rose hip. Many of the domestic cultivars do not produce hips, as the flowers are so tightly petalled that they do not provide access for pollination. The hips of most species are red, but a few (e.g. Rosa pimpinellifolia) have dark purple to black hips. Each hip comprises an outer fleshy layer, the hypanthium, which contains 5–160 "seeds" (technically dry single-seeded fruits called achenes) embedded in a matrix of fine, but stiff, hairs. Rose hips of some species, especially the dog rose (Rosa canina) and rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa), are very rich in vitamin C, among the richest sources of any plant. The hips are eaten by fruit-eating birds such as thrushes and waxwings, which then disperse the seeds in their droppings. Some birds, particularly finches, also eat the seeds.

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

Having Weeds For Lunch Today?

So your lunch is coming up and you want something fresh and green.  Does that always mean a trip to the grocery store? Or can you have a garden of edible weeds?

If you think everything in your yard that isn't grass must be a nuisance, you're missing out on a free lunch. Those pesky weeds are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and protein, sometimes even more nutritious than what you'll find at the grocery store. Here are some suggestions for finding free munchies in your backyard. Just remember to identify them with a credible source if you're not plant-savvy. There's even an app for that! Download the Wild Edibles app to your smart phone created by Steve Brill, a botanist who gives edible-plant tours of New York City's Central Park, and get foraging!

Dandelion

Dandelions are perhaps the most familiar lawn weed of them all, may also be the weed that's most known to be edible. In fact, the reason it exists in the U.S. is that European settlers introduced it as a salad green. You can buy dandelion greens at some specialty food markets, but odds are, there are some growing, for free, a whole lot closer to you. They have a slightly bitter taste when they mature, so harvest the tender leaves that appear in early spring and in late fall, when they're sweetest. The flowers are edible too and have a mildly bittersweet flavor. And eat them up! Dandelions have more beta-carotene than carrots.

Kudzu
Kudzu, the weed, can actually be eaten. This highly invasive weed covers over 7 million acres of the Southern U.S., giving you an unending supply with which to experiment in the kitchen. Southerners have found dozens of ways to eat kudzu, including making jams and jellies to pickling the weed's flowers. Steam or boil the roots until they're tender and add soy sauce or miso, as is done in Asian cooking, or brew a kudzu tea by chopping up a cup of leaves and boiling them for about 30 minutes to treat allergies, colds, fevers and indigestion.

Red Clover

Red clover has been used for ages as a folk remedy for cancer. It contains the phytoestrogen genistein, which, although controversial, has been found to have a protective effect against colon and prostate cancers. However, because there's some evidence that phytoestrogens can have the opposite effect on breast cancer, go easy on the red clover. But if you have some growing in your yard, an occasional meal of red clover flowers sprinkled over rice or cooked in soy sauce is a good way to clean up your yard. In addition to being potential cancer-fighters, clover flowers are high in protein. You can also eat white clover, but it's not as nutritious or flavorful as red.

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

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Do you look at Martin Luther King, Jr, Day as a Federal Holiday that gives you a day off? What events led up to the holiday that is celebrated the third Monday in January?

The idea of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a holiday was promoted by labor unions in contract negotiations. After King's death, U.S. Representative John Conyers (a Democrat from Michigan) and U.S. Senator Edward Brooke (a Republican from Massachusetts) introduced a bill in Congress to make King's birthday a national holiday. The bill first came to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1979. However, it fell five votes short of the number needed for passage. Two of the main arguments mentioned by opponents were that a paid holiday for federal employees would be too expensive, and that a holiday to honor a private citizen would be contrary to longstanding tradition (King had never held public office). Only two other figures have national holidays in the U.S. honoring them: George Washington and Christopher Columbus.

We all know that Martin Luther King worked tirelessly for years on behalf of civil rights. Soon after, the King Center turned to support from the corporate community and the general public. The success of this strategy was cemented when musician Stevie Wonder released the single "Happy Birthday" to popularize the campaign in 1980 and hosted the Rally for Peace Press Conference in 1981. Six million signatures were collected for a petition to Congress to pass the law, termed by a 2006 article in The Nation as "the largest petition in favor of an issue in U.S. history.

Senators Jesse Helms and John Porter East (both North Carolina Republicans) led opposition to the holiday and questioned whether King was important enough to receive such an honor. Helms criticized King's opposition to the Vietnam War and accused him of espousing "action-oriented Marxism". Helms led a filibuster against the bill and on October 3, 1983, submitted a 300-page document to the Senate alleging that King had associations with communists. New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan declared the document a "packet of filth", threw it on the Senate floor and stomped on it.

President Ronald Reagan originally opposed the holiday, citing cost concerns. When asked to comment on Helms' accusations that King was a communist, the president said "We'll know in thirty-five years, won't we?", in reference to the eventual release of FBI surveillance tapes that had previously been sealed. But on November 2, 1983, Reagan signed a bill, proposed by Representative Katie Hall of Indiana, to create a federal holiday honoring Dr. King. The bill had passed the House of Representatives by a count of 338 to 90, a veto-proof margin. The holiday was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986.

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

Who Do You Use For Commercial Property Landscape Maintenance?

We are a service oriented family owned business specializing in commercial landscape maintenance.

While our normal hours of operations are from 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM we offer 24/7 service and Storm Damage Clean-up as needed by our customers.

We keep our overhead low and pass the savings on to our customers. We provide high quality service and pride ourselves on our open communication practices.

Our hourly rate is $26 per hour. Our special project rate, including sprinkler repairs, is $30. We offer convenient payment terms of 2/10 net 30.

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, we include.

If there are minor sprinkler repairs that are needed, most of them are also included (no charge). We accomplish this by providing an allowance for sprinkler heads, drip emitters, shrub heads, and repairs to lateral lines and drip lines. The only sprinkler issues that we would have to charge for would be main line repairs, valves & timers. And we always get these pre approved by our customers.

Unlike other companies we don't mark-up inventory, whenever possible. Another one of our popular services is safety and visibility trimming at no extra charge. 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 and work together to resolve these issues before they cause an accident or damage vehicles or buildings. If there is vegetation blocking the view of signs or safe passage in and out of the parking lot, trees blocking safety lighting, we will keep those items at their smallest manageable size (no charge).

We don't charge anything for the installation of winter lawns. This means you do not pay anything for scalping and removal of summer lawn, sprinkler tune up, and top dressing where needed. And the seed is provided at the market price. We also offer a full range of tree trimming options for our customers including emergency storm damage clean up and tree removal. Lawn fertilizer is done quarterly for the price of fertilizer only.

We will strive to keep your landscape safe, clean and beautiful. At the same time keeping your costs as low 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. And we can list you (the customer) as additional insured at no extra charge.

We can Help!  Please contact us at; Sales: 623-848-8277  We serve the entire Phoenix Metro Area.

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

BUGA 05 Playground Landscape Architecture

Playgrounds usually consist of pre-fabricated elements, which are A-Z tested and thousand times certified by various organizations; well that is the easiest (but not cheapest) way of doing it. Prof. Schmidt designed a landscape, without typical playground elements just with combining two materials / colors (tartan and grass) and with modification of terrain. Landscape as it is provokes children to play and jump around and up and down.

It is a double layer playground protective surface (shredded tire rubber as base layer and EPDM as top layer) with same modification. We reduced the amount of urethane binder and used longer fiber in the base layer to get it softer than usual, The thickness of the layer is changing as well to create different softness on top and bottom. The material is poured on place on an asphalt base forming the basic layout and slope.
All layers are water permeable.

The edges are created from very flexible bendable steel, usually used in car manufacturing for dumpers of trucks, we just needed to cover the sharp edge on the top by an additional u-shape edge trim.

This playground designed by Rainer Schmidt Landschaftsarchitekten had us gawping in awe. The playful exterior allows children to explore and imagine new worlds, whilst not being inhabited by large structures or dangerous playground equipment.

Interplay between the object and the child makes his total world — play.  He exploits the vitality of his environment and draws upon his imagination to create his world.

The playground was built using Rubber playground tiles which are industry leading fall protection and have a 10 year warranty.

Landscape Architecture: Rainer Schmidt Landschaftsarchitekten
Location: BUGA garden show 2005 / Munich / Germany

Some of the aerial photos of the playground BUGA 05 was taken by Klaus Leidorf.

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: Prickly Pear

Opuntia ficus-indica is a species of cactus that has long been a domesticated crop plant important in agricultural economies throughout arid and semiarid parts of the world. It is thought to possibly be native to Mexico. Some of the common English names for the plant and its fruit are Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus, and prickly pear, although this last name has also been applied to other less common Opuntia species. In Mexican Spanish, the plant is called nopal, while the fruit is called tuna, which are names also used in American English, especially as culinary terms.

Fig opuntia is grown primarily as a fruit crop, but also for the vegetable nopales and other uses. Most culinary references to the "prickly pear" are referring to this species. The name "tuna" is also used for the fruit of this cactus, and for Opuntia in general; according to Alexander von Humboldt, it was a word of Hispaniola native origin taken into the Spanish language around 1500.

Cacti are good crops for dry areas because they efficiently convert water into biomass. O. ficus-indica, as the most widespread of the long-domesticated cactuses, is as economically important as maize and blue agave in Mexico today. Because Opuntia species hybridize easily (much like oaks), the wild origin of O. ficus-indica is likely to have been in Mexico due to the fact that its close genetic relatives are found in central Mexico.

Opuntia ficus-indca is polyploid, hermaphrodite and autogamous. As the Opuntia species grow in semi-arid environments, the main limiting factor in their environment is water. Opuntia spp. have developed a number of adaptations to dry conditions, notably succulence.

The perennial shrub Opuntia ficus-indica can grow up to 10 feet height, with thick, succulent and oblong to spatulate stems called cladodes. It has a water repellent and sun reflecting waxy epidermis and thorns for leaves. Cladodes that are 1–2 years old produce flowers, the fruit’s colors ranging from pale green to deep red.

The plants flower in three distinct colors: white, yellow, and red. The flowers first appear in early May through the early summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and the fruits ripen from August through October. The fruits are typically eaten, minus the thick outer skin, after chilling in a refrigerator for a few hours. They have a taste similar to sweet watermelon. The bright red/purple or white/yellowish flesh contains many tiny hard seeds that are usually swallowed, but should be avoided by those who have problems digesting seeds.

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

Interesting Facts About Weeds

We all talk about the weeds in our ground cover but how about some interesting about them? Did you know that scientists have discovered that earthworms contribute to the spread of giant ragweed by systematically collecting and burying its seeds in their burrows?

How about cows that graze on garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) or other mustard weeds produce milk with a garlic flavor? Similarly, wild garlic (Allium vineale) can “flavor” wheat crops and reduce their market value. It’s NOT the best way to make garlic bread!

Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium) is said to have helped win a battle. Norsemen came ashore planning to surprise sleeping Scottish forces and removed their boots for a quieter assault. A prickly patch of thistle growing between the two armies is said to have saved the day and became the Scottish National Flower.

After a walk, Swiss engineer George de Mestral observed burs from common burdock (Arctium minus) stuck to his wool pants and his dog’s fur. A few years later he patented Velcro, an invention inspired by the weed.

Ancient Egyptians wrapped their dead in the leaves of the giant reed (Arundo donax), now one of the worst riparian weeds in the U.S.

If you decide herbicides are necessary to manage dandelions and other broadleaf weeds that germinate in the fall, you’ll have the best control if you apply them in fall. The period from late September to mid-November is ideal because broadleaf weeds are most susceptible to herbicides at this time. Read and follow all directions on the herbicide label. Apply on a sunny day with moderate temperatures, no wind, ample soil moisture and no rain in the 24-hour forecast. Herbicides containing two or more active ingredients including 2,4-D, MCPP, MCPA, dicamba, or triclopyr will control most broadleaf weeds with one application. Consider spot-spraying the weeds to limit the amount of pesticide you apply. Many “weed and feed” products should be applied in mid- to late-September to receive the full benefit of the fertilizer and the most efficacious weed control.

No, we really don’t get milk from milkweed.

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

Do You Water Your Commercial Property Wisely?

Most of us living in the Phoenix Metro area are familiar with the slogan “Water Wisely.” But what does that mean when we are talking about a commercial property?

The average home bermudagrass 225 square foot lawn uses over 5,000 gallons of water per year. A properly xeriscaped yard, using native plants, can be maintained with little or no supplemental water.

Most folks consider that a lush green lawn makes a property look so much more appealing. That means proper maintenance and the correct amount of watering.

Signs of Underwatering

    Bermudagrass has bluish-grey tint.

    Grass doesn't spring back after being stepped on.

    It is difficult to push a screwdriver into the soil.

    Turf still feels warm in the evening after the sun goes down.

Signs of Overwatering

    Water is consistantly puddled in areas.

    Turf has a musty odor.

    Soil is extremely soft and mushy.

    Algae or mushrooms are present.

When Should You Water?

    Be a night owl.

    Night or early in the morning are the most effective times to water,

    because wind and evaporation are lower.

    High wind speeds distort sprinkler patterns and produce non-uniform irrigation.

But you may  want a lovely lush lawn in the winter, a time when we enjoy being outside? If you're planting a winter lawn, make sure you do so correctly, to keep maintenance and water to a minimum. Many municipal water departments and conservation offices offer classes on watering efficiently and designing water-efficient landscapes. Bermuda-grass lawns go dormant in the fall. Lawns should be established at least one year before overseeding with a cool-season grass. The process is traumatic, even for established lawns. To maintain the health of your Bermuda lawn, refrain from planting a winter lawn every three years. Do not overseed other types of grass lawns. Reduce the frequency of watering and fertilizing your Bermuda lawn to slow its growth and encourage it to go into dormancy quicker.

Watering frequency will depend on the weather and temperature. Water every 3 to 10 days, for about 15 minutes, but only to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. To measure water penetration, after watering, push the shaft of a long screwdriver into the soil to see how deeply it will go. If it goes deeper than 6 inches easily, you're watering too much. The water has flowed beyond the root zone and will not be used by the growing lawn. If it barely penetrates 3 inches, water a little longer so the water can reach the roots.

No matter what you call it, you don’t need to worry about your lawn maintenance. 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

After The Rain Do You Need Help With Storm Damage Cleanup?

All this week the Phoenix Metro area is recovering from this winter storm.  Many have suffered hail and storm damage. We hope you and your family are all OK. The wind and rainfall has caused property damage and reduced some 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

Landscape Artist Roberto Burle Marx

Roberto Burle Marx (August 4, 1909 – June 4, 1994) was a Brazilian landscape architect (as well as a painter, print maker, ecologist, naturalist, artist and musician) whose designs of parks and gardens made him world famous. He is accredited with having introduced modernist landscape architecture to Brazil. He was known as a modern nature artist and a public urban space designer. His work had a great influence on tropical garden design in the 20th century. Water gardens were a popular theme in his work. He was deftly able to transfer traditional artistic expressions such as graphic design, tapestry and folk art into his landscape designs. He also designed fabrics, jewelry and stage sets.

He was one of the first people to call for the conservation of Brazil's rainforests. More than 50 plants bear his name. He amassed a substantial collection of plants at his home, including more than 500 philodendrons.

In 1932, Burle Marx designed his first landscape for a private residence by the architects Lucio Costa and Gregori Warchavchik. This project, the Schwartz house was the beginning of a collaboration with Costa which was enriched later by Oscar Niemeyer who designed the Brazilian Pavilion at the New York World's Fair in 1939. Niemeyer also designed the Pampulha complex in 1942 for which Marx designed gardens. His first garden design was completed in 1933. In 1937, Burle Marx gained international recognition and admiration for this abstract design of a roof garden for the Ministry of Education building. The design highlighted elements of tension and drama.

Roberto Burle Marx founded a landscape studio in 1955 and in the same year he founded a landscape company, called Burle Marx & Cia. Ltda. He opened an office in Caracas, Venezuela in 1956 and started working with architects Jose Tabacow and Haruyoshi Ono in 1968. Marx worked on commissions thorough out Brazil, Argentina, in Chile and many other South American countries, France, South Africa, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Additionally his artwork can be found displayed throughout the city of Rio de Janeiro "it is an open-air museum of works displaying his unmistakable style, one wholly his own" (Montero 2001 p. 29). Roberto Burle Marx's 62-year career ended when he died June 4, 1994 two months before his 85th birthday.

He spent time in the Brazilian forests where he was able to study and explore. Burle Marx was one of the first Brazilians to speak out against deforestation. This enabled him to add significantly to the botanical sciences, by discovering new rocks and plants for example. At least 50 plants bear his name. Marx was also involved in efforts to protect and conserve the rain forest from the destructive commercial activities of deforestation for bananas and other crops and clear cutting of timber.

No matter what you call it, you don’t need to worry about your lawn maintenance. 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: Elephant Tree

Elephant tree is a common name for several plants with swollen stems and refers to the following desert plant.

Bursera microphylla, a species in the Burseraceae family native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Bursera microphylla is a North American species of tree in the Frankincense Family in the soapwood order. Bursera microphylla, known by the common name elephant tree in English or 'torote' in Spanish, is a tree in genus Bursera. It grows into a distinctive sculptural form, with a thickened, water-storing or caudiciform trunk. It is found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

Bursera microphylla is generally a small tree with a thickened trunk and relatively small branching structure in comparison to the trunk size; it is semi-succulent and stores water in the conductive and parenchymal tissues of the trunk, lower limbs, and wood. Shreve (1964) classified the plant as a sarcocaulescent tree. The sarcocaulescent habit acts as a buffer against variation in environmental water balance (Turner et al., 1995). The leaves are alternate, without stipules, and are mostly once-pinnate or twice-pinnate but can be unifoliate or trifoliate in some species (Rzedowski and Kruse 1979). Bursera microphylla reaches up to 33 feet in height and its bark is light gray to white, with younger branches having a reddish color. The light foliage is made up of long, straight, flat, legume-like leaves which are composed of paired leaflets. It flowers in rounded yellow buds which open into small, star-shaped, white or cream flowers. The fruit is a drupe containing a yellow stone

This plant is a rare plant in the US in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park region, Sonoran Desert and also found in the Santa Rosa Mountains and also in some parts of the south western part of the Arizona. This plant is typically designed to adapt to desert climate, with a thick trunk that stores water for days. It is small in size and its branches are quite small in comparison to the size of its trunk. It also stores water in its lower limbs and wood, apart from the trunk. 

The foliage of the plant is quite lightly distributed which has flat, long, legume like leaves and exist in paired leaflets. The flowers are born as rounded yellow structures in the bud form and slowly blossom into beautiful small, star shaped white or cream colored flowers. Most of the species of this plant are drought deciduous owing to the warm climatic conditions and has leaves throughout the year, except in drought and extreme cold weather.

No matter what you call it, you don’t need to worry about your lawn maintenance. 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