Earth Works of Jacksonville provides comprehensive drainage solutions for Northeast Florida homeowners and businesses to protect your home and property from flooding and other harms associated with prolonged standing water. Earth Works Owners Douglas McGregor and Mark Fechtel have been providing drainage services for over 30 years. We offer customized drainage services and solutions with multiple configuration options discussed in our consultation process tailored to your specific needs.
Typical configurations include: -GRAVITY DRAINAGE WITH DRAIN BOXES for points of collection and hard pipe (PVC or sewer and drain) or an ADS Corrugated Pipe to move water from the problem area to a lower outflow area to provide proper drainage. A transit or automatic level is used to shoot the grades and elevations to ensure that there is proper gravity flow. If there is not adequate fall, a sump pump drainage system can be installed to move the water out of the problem area.
-French drains to catch runoff and provide gravity drainage solutions. French drains can be connected to systems of various configurations and type of pipe.
-Channel drains are appropriate drainage solution for pool decks, outdoor kitchens, hardscaping, and driveways. Connect channel drains to downspouts and route off property with hard pipe to outflow boxes or connect into one of our custom drainage systems.
-Swales and cisterns are examples of options for onsite water retention required in many Northeast Florida counties due to presence of environmentally sensitive ecosystems. We can also provide underground water retention with aqua bloxs or a dry well if the soil is sandy enough. The aqua bloxs could be combined with a pond or pondless water feature.
All of Earth Works drainage solutions meet federal, state, and local regulations designed to protect your property, safety, and the environment. Our drainage systems are guaranteed to work and are warranted for 1 year on parts and labor.
CONTACT US (904)996-0712 to schedule a consultation to create a design plan to accommodate your comprehensive drainage solution needs. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
What company doesn’t want employees that are knowledgeable and passionate about their products and services? We salute our knowledgeable and passionate employees educating the public every day about our products and services. We also celebrate and recognize outstanding performance at our monthly employee meetings and support our employee’s professional development.
Our marketing department consists of Terri McGregor, Kevanie Counts, and John Hawley. They together produce and distribute Earth Works media content. Employees from all our divisions are the familiar faces and voices for their departments in that content. What you see on camera is what you get when you visit the garden center or when they roll up to complete an assignment at your property.
Earth Works phone message is the voice of Christina Lowe, a professional deejay who spends her days sharing her love of plants with garden center clientele.
Matthew Barlow speaks masterfully about all-things-plants along with Rhonda King representing the garden center.
With an unquenchable passion for their craft, Michael Quatromoni, Jason & Sean Duffney cover our water feature construction projects.
Chad Lakin provides lawn tips on camera and blogs supported by Mark Fechtel who likewise speaks for all aspects of company operations with Doug McGregor.
Mike Oaks as hardscaping foreman, discusses paver patios, retaining walls, driveways, and outdoor kitchen construction.
Every member of the design team makes it on camera, most frequently being John Cacchione and Patti Sanders, to discuss showcase projects they design and implement.
You can watch all the Earth Works landscape foremen discussing what they encounter implementing those landscape and landscape lighting designs. They include Chris Cooprider, Nick Scott, David Arthur, Tim Gipson, and Glenn Stanza.
On any given day, a camera is in their face without warning for the purpose of employees educating the public about plants, landscaping, landscape lighting, hardscaping, water gardens, drainage, and lawn care. In doing so, our audience gets to know more about our products and services and the individuals that make up the Earth Works family that serve you here in Northeast Florida.
We don’t have staff on camera to strictly focus on saying nice things about the company. Instead, they are encouraged to share their knowledge and expertise as employees educating the public about our brand as part of their everyday experience. In turn, our audience gets information directly from who they would be speaking with if they become Earth Works clients. Via this process, our staff members sharpen their verbal skills while being shown trust and recognition by Earth Works, which serves as further professional development.
While companies expect employees to perform their jobs well, most don’t make them the company’s voice. It works for us in various ways, such as seen when staff is informed by new clients that they feel like they already know them from having watched them in video content on www.earthworksjax.com. “A study in 2019 found that majority of professionals (70%) did consider their jobs a reflection of their identity, with 87% saying they’d want to work somewhere where they feel like they’re a part of something and “part of a family,” according to Human Resources Director (HRD). “Sadly, only half of professionals said they actually knew what their company stood for or represented.”
Our core values at Earth Works are integrity, teamwork, excellence, and fun. Besides being a business operating here in Northeast Florida for over thirty years, we are family and welcome like-minded people interested in growing with us. And thank you to our loyal followers for watching and sharing our content!
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, pond, and landscaping needs contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online and at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Hilliard, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
This new paver driveway improves curb appeal, value, and satisfaction for this Jacksonville Beach homeowner. “John (Cacchione) came up with a wonderful plan,” said Homeowner Faith Stone. “And I met with him and reviewed the plan and said this is it.” The plan included tearing out and removing the existing concrete driveway and replacement with Tremron glacier colored 12” x 24” pavers in the Park Plaza style and landscaping. “It has transformed our house,” said Stone.
Pavers are attractive, safe, and considering permeability, they are better for the environment than poured concrete which has a shorter average lifespan before cracking. “I see that a lot, with new homes, some of the older buildings, even some of the new projects with concrete driveways are cracked with trees by them, with heavy machinery on them, with water from the roof eroding underneath them,” said John Cacchione, Earth Works landscape designer. “The pavers are a good replacement.”
Cracked and uneven concrete driveways leave bad first impressions as they are an eyesore, tripping, and driving hazard. “Beyond the installation, a paver driveway is a better investment because it lasts longer and adds curb appeal to your home,” says Home Advisor. “The average paver driveway lasts between 30 and 50 years. Pavers are up to four times stronger than poured concrete, meaning they can support four times as much weight. Slabs tend to crack over time, while pavers can come loose individually.”
Tremron Glacier, Park Plaza style pavers are available in 2 3/8” and 4” thick options. Other Park Plaza paver size options include 8”x8”, 8”x12”, 12”x12”, 16”x16”, and 24”x24”. “So we’ve got the four-inch-thick paver, and we’ve got a six-inch base of Krush Krete underneath all of that,” said Cacchione. “That was unique to this job, and we’ve got a cool border here too where we normally do a single border here we did a little double border. It gives you just a nice imprint of that contrasting color.”
Raised edging and borders are options for driveways with practical benefits, including less grass intrusion onto the pavers. It keeps vehicles on the driveway rather than in the landscape. Flat edging and borders provide aesthetic value with endless design possibilities. “Versus just a single band (border), you can do the double band,” said Cacchione. “You can do a triple band. I like to do the little sandwich band, I call it. So you take two 6”x9” pavers, and you sandwich another little thin paver between them. It’s a really pretty look. So dressing up your borders like that is really a nice way to dress up a driveway. You can do that on existing concrete driveways too. It doesn’t have to just be pavers. You could come in with a paver border, a paver apron, and then some paver bands that we cut into the concrete to enhance what you already have. You don’t have to tear out everything.”
We recommend widening sidewalks to front doors when replacing driveways as builders commonly construct them 36” wide, which isn’t pedestrian-friendly for two people walking together to a porch or front door. We enhanced the entrance, so it’s really big now,” said Cacchione. “It gives you that sense of welcomeness to the front door.”
With age and use, driveways require maintenance and eventual replacement that reflects on home value. “The National Association of Realtors surveyed homeowners, landscape professionals, and Realtors to evaluate how certain outdoor remodels contributed to resale,” according to Homelight.com. “Upgraded hardscape and landscape design both placed in the top four projects that buyers find appealing and that Realtors agree can add resale value.”
High and low gloss sealers are available for your new driveway, along with rust remover, rubber, paint, and tar removing cleaners. “The glossy sealer will give you that wet look all the time,” said Cacchione. “You do have to reapply that every 3-5 years based on your wear and tear. So the sealer will lock that look in place, or we can do a matt finish, which will give you not the glossy finish, but the finish when it is dry. I do recommend the sealer. I do recommend you reapply it. It’s going to be a lot easier to clean your surfaces off if you’ve got that coat of sealer on the paver.”
This Jacksonville Beach client trusts Earth Works for various services that started with a visit to the garden center where she purchased plants and met Cacchione. That friendly business relationship blossomed into providing landscape design plans and a beautiful driveway that met and hopefully continue to exceed her expectations.
Just as this driveway improves curb appeal, value, and satisfaction count on Earth Works of Jacksonville with all your landscaping, hardscaping, drainage, water gardening, and lawn care needs. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Happy Gardening!
As a key feature of the pool landscaping design process, Earth Works recommends budgeting 10% of your pool construction costs to landscaping. Pool landscaping is often an afterthought not considered until the pool contract is signed, under construction, or completed. A beautiful pool landscape design is the finishing touch on a real estate upgrade. HOA’s often require landscaping plans as part of their pool review approval process. Clients can prepare their pool landscape design simultaneously with the pool design or take a phased approach handling aspects of the landscape project, such as drainage and grading for the landscape prior to completion of the pool installation. Phasing in the overall landscape design can save money completing parts of the project immediately after the pool shell, deck, and plumbing are complete.
Earth Works landscape designers consult with each client at their property, listening and asking questions, taking photos, and providing from that meeting landscape design drawing. Aspects of the landscape design include drainage, irrigation, landscape tear-out, and installation of trees, shrubs, flower beds, sod, landscape lighting, and water features. Handling all aspects of these essential elements of the landscape design with one company rather than half a dozen reduces the client’s potential frustration from dealing with too many companies simultaneously working on their property. It saves clients money by developing the pool and landscape plan simultaneously. Avoid duplicitous labor and material expenses by timing drainage, irrigation, and grading between pool contractor and landscape designer.
The pool landscape design development requires that the designer receive a copy of the clients’ property survey, site plan, and pool construction plan. Additionally, the designer needs to know the location of new and existing lines for electric, gas, irrigation, plumbing, and sound system.
Process considerations include: -Irrigation capping and replacing associated pipes and hardware is recommended as existing lines could be broken after the pool is excavated and installed. -Drainage work can begin once the pool shell is installed and plumbing lines are buried before any landscaping. Drainage planning is critical prior to a new pool being installed as there is less lot surface area to absorb water and, if done poorly, can result in the house, pool, and property flooding. Consider connecting downspouts from roof to drainage to flow away from house and pool deck.
-Grading for irrigation and new landscape design can begin after drainage work is complete. -Tear-out and removal of old landscaping and installation of new landscaping are completed after pool construction is complete and their equipment is removed.
Earth Works of Jacksonville design process typically requires 2-6 weeks depending on the complexity of the project and time of year. Earth Works provides pool landscaping separately from the pool contracting process although we have strong working relationships with pool builders throughout Northeast Florida including Pratt Guys. For more about the Earth Works design consultation process, view the following video highlighting each step in the journey.
Building An Asian themed Koi Pond Poolside in Jacksonville
Water Feature Completes Backyard Poolside Oasis!
Water Garden Construction, Landscaping, And Drainage
Plus, remember that for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Happy Gardening!
Earth Works of Jacksonville as a member of the Interconnecting Concrete Paver Institute (ICPI) provides professional hardscaping services and information on paver care and maintenance. See examples of our completed paver projects in our photo gallery and youtube channel. We answer commonly asked questions below.
What should I expect during my paver project?
–Paver Dust: Make sure all furniture and valuables are covered and protected.
–Loud Noise: This is due to the paver saw.
-If you are doing a paver driveway expect to not be able to park in your driveway for a certain amount of days; determined by the size of the project.
If you have additional questions during your project, please ask the foreman who will be at your job daily.
Why should I use polymeric sand? This product is a fine sane combined with additives, usually silica, that when mixed with water, form a binding agent. These binders lock the sand particles together, which helps lock all the pavers together. A heavy rain will not wash all the sand out like regular sand. It also deters weed growth and ants. Plain sand is a much more inviting home for weeds and ant pests.
Why should my pavers be sealed? Sealing your pavers will slow down fading and provide a measure of protection from some stains. Before sealing, pavers must be clean and dry. It is recommended that you wait at least 45-60 days after installation before sealing. Once sealed, you will need to reseal approximately every three to five years.
How do I clean my pavers? Applying bleach to a paver job is not recommended. Common dish soap can be used in conjunction with a light pressure wash.
Why do my pavers have a chalky, white surface residue? This is called efflorescence which is a natural process occurring with almost all concrete and masonry products. Pavers exhibiting signs of efflorescence are NOT defective and not covered under warranty.
Efflorescence is created when the calcium oxide naturally found in the cement mixes with water to form calcium hydroxide, it leaches to the surface of the paver where it comes in contact with the carbon dioxide in the air and forms calcium carbonate which forms the white, chalky residue referred to as efflorescence. Eventually, efflorescence will disappear on its own. If you wish to fasten the process then use an Efflorescence Cleaner such as Foundation Armor found at Home Depot.
How do I remove oil stains and tire marks?
-Use paint and rubber remover to remove tire marks from pavers.
-Use professional grade oil and grease cleaner to remove oil and grease stains from pavers such as Pull It Out Concrete Stain Remover found at Home Depot.
-Sealing your pavers will help prevent oil stains and tire marks and make them easier to remove in the future.
Can I use Muriatic Acid on my pavers? No, muriatic acid will damage the surface of the pavers and cause pitting to appear.
Will my pavers fade over time? Over time all pavers will begin to fade if left unsealed. Sealing your pavers with a paver sealer after the natural process of efflorescence is complete will provide a barrier of protection against UV rays and harsh climate.
Plus, remember that for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online and at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
The warmest months of the year are times you expect to enjoy your pond and water garden the most, but anxiety arrives if your fish are suffering as a result of a poorly designed & equipped, dirty, overstocked pond that all contribute to low dissolved oxygen. There you are trying to enjoy some time pondside as that Summer warmth cooks the O2 out when the fish need it most. Supplemental aeration helps during these times of Summer by raising the dissolved oxygen levels. “Fish require a certain amount of oxygen in the water – at least 5 parts per million,” according to the University of Florida. “Any lower than that, and they begin to have trouble; when dissolved oxygen levels fall below 2 ppm, an immediate fish kill will occur.”
As Certified Aquascape Contractors, Earth Works of Jacksonville designs and builds healthy, low-maintenance ecosystem ponds and provides annual clean-out services to reduce the potential negative impacts of sludge and debris buildup and their consequential aerobic bacterial breakdown. Ecosystem imbalances can occur along with low DO when pond cleaning is not done as needed, in instances of excessive fish stocking, and where there is excessive algae growth. In addition, sludge and debris buildup is broken down by oxygen-dependent bacteria that further reduces the limited O2 supply available to fish. Small amounts of algae are a normal part of a healthy pond ecosystem. However, excessive nutrient buildup from debris and fish waste can result in algae blooms in your pond, with consequences similar to what’s observed in nature. “Trace minerals or nutrients needed by the algae are occasionally used up, causing some or even all, of the bloom to die back temporarily,” according to Freshwater Aquaculture, at US Department of Agriculture. “The resulting bacterial decomposition and loss of normal oxygen production can lead to oxygen depletions and fish kills.” Fish kills aren’t uncommon with ponders who forget and leave the hose filling the pond and many whose koi outgrew the pond and filtration system without getting it updated in time.
You want the best for your fish and you know when your wet pets are happy or not. “A habitually low oxygen level can be linked to slow fish growth and persistent fish sickness, and it may contribute to repetitive parasite outbreaks,” wrote Ellen Kloubec for Pond Trade magazine. “Continued exposure to low DO is also considered a precursor to bacterial infections in fish. Even short periods of oxygen deprivation can have damaging effects.”
It can seem like a cruel joke that your koi and goldfish are least active in Winter when they have the most available dissolved oxygen and are the most active when there is the least amount of DO available. So what are some of the solutions if you are experiencing problems with your pond system or want to be proactive in addressing potential threats before they arise? “Turning over the water is the best way to increase oxygen in your pond,” according to Practical Fishkeeping. “Waterfalls are another excellent way of bringing needed movement and gas exchange. As the thin film of water runs down the slope, it absorbs oxygen which then transfers to the pond below. An air pump will also aerate a pond, although many people believe that the bubbles themselves provide the oxygen content. This is not the case, as the increased surface area and water movement do the work.”
To supplement your pond and water garden dissolved oxygen fish requirements Earth Works Garden Center has available several models of Aquascape Pond Aeration kits that increase water circulation and oxygen levels. Unlike small aquarium-style air stones, these aerators provide greater output with large diffuser discs. “Oxygen is transferred as the bubbles rise through the water column,” according to Craig Tucker, Mississippi State University, published by the Southern Regional Agricultural Center and the Texas Aquaculture Extension Service. “Diffusers for large-scale aeration are usually discs, plates, or tubes constructed of glass-bonded silica, ceramic, porous plastic, or flexible perforated membranes. Diffusers are customarily arranged in a grid pattern over the bottom of the pond, with the number of individual diffusers determined by the oxygen transfer rate of the diffuser and the oxygen consumption rate in the water. Oxygen transfer increases with smaller bubble size, deeper bubble release point, and higher oxygen content in the bubbles.”
Although you cannot count on your fish telling you when they are suffering from low dissolved oxygen signs can include lethargy and them hanging out at the surface doing what’s called “piping” the fish version of gasping for breath. Keep your wet pets properly oxygenated for their health and your sanity when you see them suffering.
If you want a bigger pond for your growing wet pets or you need to get on our schedule for seasonal pond cleanouts contact the Earth Works Landscape Department at 904-996-0712! Earth Works designers and staff at the garden center are ready to assist you and we encourage strolls of the garden center ponds, water features, and wet pets!
Plus, remember that for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online and at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Happy Gardening!
Having professionals seal your pavers provides peace of mind that your investment is beautiful and adequately protected for years to come.
Benefits of sealing pavers include: BEAUTIFIES paver surface revealing increased color and texture. PROTECTS against stains, weathering, and wear. PREVENTS sand loss and deters plants and insects between joints. ADDS value to your investment.
Sealing your pavers requires additional budgeted expense for labor and materials over and above the paver installation cost and cannot be done immediately after installation. “It is not necessary to seal the pavers,” according to Tremron. “Sealing does however retard fading the color of the pavers and provides a measure of protection from some stains. “Before sealing, pavers must be clean and dry. It is recommended that you wait at least 30-60 days after installation before sealing. Once sealed, you will need to reseal approximately every three to five years.”
Earth Works of Jacksonville is a member of the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI), a trade association that sets industry standards for design professionals and contractors. “Like any construction project, the quality of the finished product is highly dependent on the quality of the contractor doing the work,” according to ICPI. “You are investing in long-lasting interlocking concrete pavement. ICPI Certified Installers: • Have installed a minimum of 10,000 square feet of pavers • Attended a 2-day intensive training course on industry best practices for installation of interlocking concrete pavers • Passed a written certification exam • Complete continuing education requirements to stay on top of industry best practices.”
“Some of the patios we come across are pretty dirty,” said Tim Gibson, Earth Works foreman. “A lot of them have mildew and mold, which all comes out of course, and after the sealant goes down, it prevents it, but it does not eliminate the possibility of it coming back. The sealant protects the paver and helps stop ants and plants, but it doesn’t prevent them unless polymeric sanded. The reason we seal is to protect the paver from stains such as rust stains and vegetation stains. Plus, it enhances the color of the paver as well.” Steps for sealing your pavers include: -Pressure washing. -Rinse off to remove residue. -Dry and resand between pavers. -Seal and allow to dry before walking on.
Beware of uncredentialed paver installers and sealant applicators. “Some of them, they rove around, and some do excellent jobs, said Coloma Township Highway Commissioner Ruthie Rogers. “And some, they’re here and you never see them again. It’s kind of hit and miss and they move right on.”
Earth Works has been providing professional service in the Northeast Florida area for over thirty years. Related products and services offered by Earth Works of Jacksonville include: -Paver installation, repair, cleaning, sanding, and sealing -Full service design and installation services including landscaping, paver patios, kitchens, pergolas, and ponds. Plus, lawn pest control, fertilization, mowing, and trimming. -Full service garden center and outdoor living design showroom.
Plus, remember that for comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online and at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Happy Gardening!
Earth Works has four display ponds at our garden center demonstrating the available pond options in Northeast Florida. Each of the ponds have signs posted next to them with the specifications for Do-It-Yourselfers and for clients who prefer that Earth Works design and complete their pond installation. “Hardly anybody ever thinks they go too big,” said Jason Duffney, Earth Works co-owner. “It’s usually on the pond size that they started too small and they are always upgrading. I’ve said it a million times that most of our customers build three ponds in their lifetime.” Many area homeowners build their own first pond and then have Earth Works build a more professional upgraded pond in the future. We are here to help in whatever way we can. There are three standard sizes on display at the garden center along with a customizable size that one of our designers can consult with you on creating in whatever size and shape you want.
Tadpole Springs Size: 4ft x 6ft Features: 400 Skimmer, Signature Series 1000 Biofall Filter, & 15×20 Pond Liner Pump size: Aquasurge 3000 Contact for pricing.
Frog Hollow Size: 8ft x 12ft Features: Pond liner, River Jack, Fish Cave, Auto Dosing System, & Signature Skimmer 1000 Pump size: Aquasurge Pro 2000-4000 Contact for pricing.
Dragonfly Pond Size: 11ft x 16ft. Features: 2ft waterfall, 6000 Biofall Filter Pump size: AquaSurge 4000-8000 gph Contact for pricing.
Turtle Bay Pond Size: 20ft x 20ft. Features: 3ft waterfall, 8ft x 8ft Bog, 15ft meandering stream. Pump size: Bog-AquaSurge 3000 gph Waterfall- Tsurumi 9PL 8500 gph Contact for pricing.
Visit the Earth Works Garden Center to see these water feature options, call 904-996-0714 or request to book a design consultation.
Earth Works is Northeast Florida’s Premier Aquascape Certified Contractor with over 30 years experience serving clients and delivering available pond options in Northeast Florida.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online and at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Happy Gardening!
Landscape Designer Patti Sanders presents a showcase landscape design installation at a St. Augustine residence that involved curb appeal, transplantings, adjustments to the landscaping design during the install, and clarification of the terms of the landscape plant warranty. “It is a huge house down here close to the beach,” said Sanders. “So a lot of the plants we chose are salt resistant.” People seek out landscape designers that they trust will assist them in choosing the right plants for the right place in the landscape.
Curb Appeal
The homeowner is a realtor who knows the importance of curb appeal to property value. “It’s all about how your house shows on camera,” said Sanders. “It’s about how your house shows online if you are trying to sell. They’re not selling, but being a realtor, she knows the outside is essential. It adds value to your home as well.” Besides being aesthetically pleasing, all of the plants suggested to the homeowner on the design should be choices that will thrive in the landscape. If plants require special care, the landscape designer must provide that information to the homeowner. As a result, all plant choices consider the appearance, impact in the landscape, and growing conditions.
Adjusting Landscaping Plan And Transplants
“We’ve actually changed the drawing at least twice pretty majorly, but mostly not design-wise, but mainly just plant material that the homeowner wanted to have a little different choice in,…” said Sanders. “Sometimes we have to design on the fly. We want to follow your plan as much as possible. Originally we had proposed that we put some liriope and podocarpus over here (side of the yard facing neighbor), but we got enough of the orange bird of paradise from the backyard and transplanting here. It looks fantastic. So again, plants can change. We are very accommodating and flexible, and we need you guys involved as much as possible because this is another idea that the homeowner had to fill this spot. So it ended up working well.”
Front Yard “So with our plant choices, we kept it pretty simplistic did a lot of color towards the front,” said Sanders. “We’ve made the (flower) bed a little bit smaller. It’s going to look a lot cleaner. And then our plant choices if we look around here (garage side of the house facing the road) we’ve got a little bit of color as well, but we tried to keep it looking clean. The coonties that are up here in these palms are transplants from by the front door. The coonties are a Florida native, and they look more in a natural area here than they did upfront. We did keep the bottlebrush, which is a highlighted plant, really nice and attracts hummingbirds, but added some apostle iris, and we’ve got some roses and liriope. And by the front doors, we’ve added some ixora, some pentas, and she already had some existing blue daze. Now, remember we are very close to the beach. So again, everything has to be salt tolerant. And the ixora is salt tolerant. It is not as cold tolerant, but being here by the beach, it’s a plant we can choose, especially when it’s that close to the front of the building because this (front porch) gets protected.”
Backyard “It was just a bunch of stuff all pushed together,” said Sanders. “We went a little bit more symmetrical and a little bit to block the neighbors. This big bird of paradise here was actually in a corner lying on the ground. It had broken out of its pot. These two guys (birds of paradise) were in pots, and we wanted to put them in the ground. So what we’ve added is some heliconia, false bird of paradise for a tropical look, and lantana, which is another hummingbird and butterfly plant that is bright and colorful.” Behind the pool a new queen palm was installed. “There was one that wasn’t doing so hot,” said Sanders. “So we’ve replaced it.” The fresh, new layout with tropical foliage and vibrant colors sets a new tone for the homeowner from their balcony overlooking the pool and entertaining guests or relaxing poolside.
Sideyard “Down in here, we had a lot of Asiatic jasmines,” said Sanders. “We had originally proposed to cut out a lot of this, but she liked this little area here. So all we did was highlight this big white wall give some interest in the podocarpus and some camellias, which are fantastic plants. Camellias bloom from the Fall through the Winter into the early Spring, and you don’t see many blooming plants that do that. Another area that got added kind of last-minute was this little corner area here where we’ve added some more camellias, the yuletide, which is for Christmas (blooming). It’s a really dark green color (foliage). It has a fantastic little pink bloom, almost red, which kind of goes with the Stromanthe.” The designer does multiple walkarounds the entire property with the client on a multiple-day installation to ensure they are on the same page with the homeowner.
Maintaining Your Landscape Plant Warranty
“One important fact is that we give you guys a six-month plant warranty,” said Sanders. “We can extend that to a year if you go with our maintenance program.” To explore pricing to extend your plant warranty and sign up for the Earth Works lawn maintenance programs get a free instant quote with a visit to the Earth Works Lawn Care page. “With shared responsibility, issues such as disease or infestation can also be hard to pin on one or the other entity,” according to Landscape Architecture Magazine. “If the owner is going to take over maintenance while the plants are under the installing contractor’s warranty, the owner needs to know how to carry out responsible landscape maintenance or hire an entity that does. “
A properly working irrigation system is a requirement within the terms of the Earth Works landscape plant warranty. “That’s key because these brand new plants have to be watered at least once a day for the first 30 days,” said Sanders. “If they don’t get watered properly, we can’t warranty our plants. So whether you decide to go with us for irrigation or someone else, you have to make sure you’re watering is proper.”
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online and at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Proudly serving clients in Northeast Florida including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine. Happy Gardening!
Landscape design as a profession is rooted in formal and informal layouts integrating clients traditional plant and hardscaping choices. “Formal designs are often geometric and symmetrical, with plants and landscape structures specifically shaped and arranged,”according to Hagen Homes. “Informal designs make use of more natural-looking, irregularly-placed plants and structures.” Increasingly, clients want landscape designs that better suit their lifestyle and choices that don’t fit with tradition. While some landscape designers limit customization at Earth Works the clients choices are the basis of their fully customized landscape design.
“We are out here in the Nocatee area in a new development, said Earth Works Landscape Designer John Cacchione. ‘I just want to show you a unique design that took into consideration bugs, water, Florida friendly plants, low maintenance for the customer, low water consumption for the irrigation system and things like that to consider when you are doing new landscape designs and installs.” A fully customized landscape design is unconventional by taking elements from various traditional designs to provide the client exactly what they want.
Clients share their landscape priorities with the designer, who provides feedback on the possibilities that can work from their knowledge rooted in art, horticulture, and applicable regulations. Whereas many clients wish to conserve water as a cost-saving measure, there are other reasons to do so such as Florida’s fragile ecosystems and water conservation requirements. Reputable landscape designers can explain the applicable land use regulations, including permeability and watering restriction, along with drainage requirements that may include onsite stormwater retention solutions. “Half of all the water taken from the public supply ends up watering private lawns—some 900 million gallons a day,” according to National Geographic. “Of the seven billion gallons of freshwater used daily across Florida’s agriculture, industry, power plants, and public water sectors, most is taken from the Floridan aquifer.”
Xeriscaped designs provide an alternative to highly water-dependent plants and lawns that may include the use of rocks as aesthetic elements that reduce maintenance and the presence of insects. “Anytime you can take these builder ninety-degree angles that every house has and break those up with plants or lines, veins of gravel and with boulders themselves that can change that line, said Cacchione. “You see how this comes together and takes away that really hard ninety-degree angle.” The importance of the artistic eye of the landscape designer cannot be overstated.
Some purists prefer adhering to specific landscape design styles rather than mixing them. “Cacti are far from the only plants appropriate for xeriscaping, according to National Geographic. “Other drought-resistant plants include agave, juniper, and lavender. Many herbs and spices are used in xeriscaping, such as thyme, sage, and oregano. Some plants used for food are drought-resistant, such as black walnuts, Jerusalem artichokes, and sapodilla, a sweet fruit native to Mexico.”
An advantage of strictly native plants is they provide additional ecological benefits to your landscape, and the area ecosystems wherein plants and animals evolved together. Florida-friendly plants include non-natives that don’t have the same ecological benefits as natives. However, strictly native design is rare due mainly to the lack of availability of the volume of native plants required to meet the demand for landscape material in Florida. Native plants are most commonly a component of informal designs that favor a natural un-sculpted landscape.
Though wanting a fully customized landscape design, clients still want a professional design they can be proud of that will flourish long after installation. “…,research shows landscaping goes beyond simply sticking flowers and shrubs in the ground,” said the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors. “According to the study, the biggest factor that buyers look for in home exteriors is a design that is sophisticated. Plant size and maturity comes in second.”
Benefits of onsite landscape design consultation as opposed to strictly online suppliers include an in-person site assessment that considers architecture, elevations, site and soil conditions followed by the designer providing a professional drawing representing workable possibilities. “Back here, I kept it open and natural because of the natural backdrop it had,” said Cacchione. “We framed the screen out to leave the opening of the preserve available. Back here, just tying into the drought tolerance of certain plants and native plants because they are just easy to grow, they will be friendly to you. Like the coonties, the tri-colored sage and the rosemary are just easy plants. You don’t think about using the sages and things in your landscape, but they add a cool texture to it once they grow up. Those get fairly large and add a nice element of color year-round.”
Additional perks that go with a fully customized landscape design with companies that offer installation are cost savings opportunities. “We’re doing a consultation fee that’s reimbursed if you go with us for the job if you spend a certain amount of money,” said Cacchione. “You get a unique job (design) that’s different than what a builder would do. We can repurpose some plants too that builders put in. We’re not going to throw away everything.”
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden and landscaping need contact Earth Works of Jacksonville online and at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
