People ask what kind of grass I should have? What is the best type of grass? The truth is there is no best grass. Certain grasses are better for specific situations. We are here today on our Bermuda grass. Bermuda grass is the most wear tolerant grass you are going to find. Bermuda is also, one of the most drought-tolerant grasses you are going to find. That’s why you see it on athletic fields and golf courses. You can put a lot of traffic on it, and it bounces back and doesn’t wear out. St Augustine would be the exact opposite. It’s the least wear tolerant. There are benefits to St Augustine, and it’s probably the most common grass we use. It’s been around for years, and we’ve used it for years. In our view, St. Augustine is easier to take care of than Bermuda grass.
You can look at ours and see there are a few weeds in here. The good news is you can kill the weeds in Bermuda grass. With Bermuda grass, we use multiple herbicides to control the weeds, and with St Augustine, we only use a few. So it’s easier for homeowners to take care of Bermuda and a little easier to keep up.
Two other types of grass we use would include zoysia grass, which is somewhat in between Bermuda and St. Augustine. Bermuda is a very fine leafed grass, and St. Augustine is a very coarse grass. Zoysia grass is in between with a medium coarseness to the leaf blades. Zoysia is a nice grass, very thick, with a better feel if you are standing on it. Some people, especially from the north, say St. Augustine feels and looks like crabgrass because it is very broadleaf.
Sod options in Northeast Florida
So a little about zoysia grass is that its good grass, but it does take a lot longer to establish. So if you don’t water it well if you don’t take care of it for that first year, it doesn’t get established, and it takes much longer to recover if you have problems with it. Once it’s established, it’s great grass. It’s a bit more wear tolerant than St Augustine and probably a little more drought tolerant, but not in the beginning. In the beginning, it has to be babied and taken care of to get it going.
Sod Options for Northeast Florida
So those are the three main types of grass that we use. The fourth one we don’t use as much would be Bahia. Bahiagrass is the most drought tolerant. So Bahia grass is the only one we recommend putting down without irrigation. The other three types of grass you definitely want to put irrigation down with it.
All of the grasses have different varieties. With Bahiagrass, you have two varieties. It’s either Argentine or Pensacola. Argentine Bahia is preferred because it doesn’t get the seed heads. However, the Pensacola Bahia will reseed itself because it does put up a seed head. We used to see the Pensacola Bahia on the roadsides. Then many municipalities switched to Bermuda grass. So it has its uses including overseeding in Winter, and Bahia is a little less expensive as well. As far as the cost of the turf, Bahia is going to be your least expensive, then St. Augustine. Zoysia and Bermuda run about the same price and are going to be your more expensive grasses.
There are mowing differences between the grasses. First, St. Augustine grass is going to be cut the highest. It’s going to be mowed at 3-4″ almost the higher, the better. Next is going to be zoysia grass. It can be maintained at 2-3″. And then your Bermuda grass can be maintained at 1-2″. Bahia should be cut higher up around 3-4″ and closer to the cut length of St. Augustine.
The good news is that Earth Works of Jacksonville can help you out with all these grasses. They are all available. We take care of them. So you don’t have to sweat it. We can come out, mow it. We can treat it, take care of bugs, and take care of weeds. That’s what we are here for. We are here to help you make it easy. And we can keep you having a beautiful lawn.
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!
MAY WEATHER IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA May lawn and garden tips starts with recognition that this is the second and final full month of Spring as temperature increases heading to Summer. “Daily high temperatures increase by 5°F, from 82°F to 87°F, rarely falling below 74°F or exceeding 93°F,” according to weatherspark.com. “Daily low temperatures increase by 7°F, from 62°F to 70°F, rarely falling below 53°F or exceeding 74°F.” This is the peak plant production period for many plants before some stifling in the coming Summer months. Average Jacksonville rainfall for May is 2.5 inches, which is slightly lower than April but much less than the approximate 6.5 inches June and July averages.
MAY PLANTINGS IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA
May is prime time for planting pollinator-friendly flowering plants in Northeast Florida. Lantana, milkweed, salvia, begonia, coleus, cuphea, and passion vines are but a few of the long lists that bloom and are ready to plant from your neighborhood garden center. In addition, consider warm-season herbs and vegetables, including basil, okra, peas, rosemary, and sweet potatoes for growing in May. It is wide open season on getting started with container gardening, potted plants, and houseplants. Earth Works garden center, landscape designers, and lawn care are available to assist you in developing a beautiful, healthy, and manageable lawn and garden.
MAY PRUNING IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA Our May pruning tips for Northeast, Florida start with the recognition that April and May are times when most of your trees and shrubs are putting out new growth. Consider replacing the deciduous trees and shrubs that don’t appear to be coming back from the Winter cold, disease, or parasites. If plants including crape myrtles, hibiscus, and roses aren’t showing signs of budding with new growth on bare branches, prune back judiciously, looking for live wood before removal and replacement. Prune your Spring flowering plants and hedge plants such as azaleas and oleander back shortly after blooms subside to allow maximum growth ahead of their next bloom cycle on new growth. Plants with dead growth that are damaged, diseased can cut out at any time.
MAY FERTILIZATION & SOIL AMENDMENTS IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA May lawn and garden tips emphasizes fertilization schedules that vary greatly among ornamental plants, fruits, and vegetables. Fertilization needs depend on the soil fertility for starters and the nutrient requirements of the specific plants. Native plants are adapted to local soil conditions and need less fertilization than plants categorized as moderate to heavy feeders. A benefit to consults with a landscape designer is their horticultural knowledge in assisting you to devise a plan that takes plant care and fertilization into consideration. Heavy feeders such as Bird of Paradise can benefit from biweekly fertilization during their growing season. In contrast, Florida native plants require very little fertilization, although mulch and composted soil amendments will more closely mimic their native soil constituents than not. “Of the 17 elements essential for plant growth, eight are micronutrients: boron (B), chlorine (CI), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni),” according to Ohio State University. “Micronutrients are essential plant nutrients that are found in trace amounts in tissue, but play an imperative role in plant growth and development. Without these nutrients, plant nutrition would be compromised leading to potential declines in plant productivity.” In addition, foliar fertilization helps deliver micronutrients otherwise unavailable by broadcast methods of slow-release fertilizers in high pH soils. Thus, it’s also important to know your soil pH, a free test with recommendations for amendments where necessary by the University of Florida is encouraged. For more information, read “Soil Testing in Northeast Florida.”
MAY LAWN CARE IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA If suffering from soil compaction, consider doing core aeration and top dressing with soil amendments that will facilitate the bio availability of micro-nutrients and provide better water retention ahead of extreme Summer conditions. “Keep your St. Augustine between two to four inches in height,” according to Sod Solutions. “These heights slightly vary for different brand names of St. Augustine. For example, Palmetto should be maintained at a height of 1.5–2.5 inches whereas CitraBlue should be kept at a height of 2.5–3.5 inches during the spring.” Although St. Augustine grass is the most common turf in Florida there are numerous other varieties that do best if not scalped too short. Keep your mower blades sharp and water adequately.
MAY LAWN & GARDEN PEST CONTROL IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA
As part of May lawn and garden tips be on the lookout for any signs of weeds, insects, mold, and fungus in the lawn and garden. Good weather for the lawn and garden is likewise suitable for insects and other pests. Chinch bugs, sod webworms, grubs, and mole crickets are a few that begin successive life cycles in untreated lawn turf in Spring ahead of Summer rains. Meanwhile, many other pests will feast on the roots, stems, leaves, and fruit of ornamental plants, citrus, and vegetables in the garden. Aphids, lace bugs, mealybugs, nematodes, scale, and whiteflies are a few of the common pests that can devastate the garden. Know that the insects, both beneficial and otherwise, outnumber us. “In the world, some 900 thousand different kinds of living insects are known,” according to the Smithsonian. “Most authorities agree that there are more insect species that have not been described (named by science) than there are insect species that have been previously named. Conservative estimates suggest that this figure is 2 million, but estimates extend to 30 million. “ A healthy lawn and garden are best not left to chance but better managed with a proactive insect management plan. Address the potential threats in advance of infestations and be vigilant in inspecting the landscape for signs of new arrivals. May is too late for best results with pre-emergent herbicides as soil temperatures are above 55F, at which point seeds began bursting onto the scene. However, pre-emergents can continue to be a useful though less practical part of your insect management plan. May is prime time for post-emergent herbicide applications on the weed seedlings, vegetative & flower stages when average temperatures are between 65F and 85F. Biologic controls such as the bacteria bacillus thuringiensis are an organic resource for pest control. In addition, good cultural practices are a good starting point for nurturing healthy populations of beneficial insects that lower pest levels in an ecologically friendly manner. The healthier the plant with proper nutrition and planted in the proper location for its needs, the less susceptible the plant will be to pests and subsequent decline. A few examples include June-drop in Florida citrus beginning in May. Don’t worry so much about the flower drop that won’t hold fruit as the more significant the flowering, the lower the percentage of flowers producing fruit to harvest. Stress from insufficient water and nutrients and other environmental conditions, including pests, can increase the adverse impact of June-drop. There is a myriad of interactions between plants and insects in the landscape, with most being benign while others can cause great harm. For example, the bronzing of leaves on recently bloomed-out azaleas results from lace bugs that can cause tremendous damage if not controlled with biological controls such as green lacewings, lady beetles, or insecticides.
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!
Large masses of colorful bracts surround three petite flowers of Bougainvillea, which grows well in Northeast Florida despite our rainfall. These Brazilian coastal natives do best in direct sunlight with numerous blooming cycles per year in sunny, dry conditions. They are available in bush, tree, and vine form. Growing Bougainvillea in Northeast Florida can be easy if planted in the right spot and protected from frost and freezing temperatures and soggy conditions as they don’t like wet feet.
“Bouganvillea is a fantastic plant if you have the right spot for it,” said Matthew Barlow, Earth Works garden center manager. “ The right spot is that place in the garden that’s hot, that’s sandy, that’s dry, get’s sun all day where nothing else wants to grow. That’s where the bougainvillea wants to be. It is a perfect solution for that place in the garden where it can be very difficult to grow other things especially if it’s getting blasted with the afternoon death rays come June, July, August, September, and sometimes October. Do not put these in a place that’s low-lying, shady, or stays wet for long periods of time. High, dry, hot, sunny, is what the bougainvillea loves.”
Growing Bougainvillea in Northeast Florida with unpredictable low temperatures can be tricky, with some years having few touches of frost and other years having numerous hard freezes. Jacksonville is designated at the lower end of zone 8(8b) and the upper region of 9 (9a). “They (bougainvillea) are a hardy perennial here, although if we have hard frosts, hard freezes they can be knocked back considerably,” said Barlow. “I have seen bougainvilleas come back from some very cold temperatures. After the first Winter or two, the maintenance on them in the Winter is much less. In the first season or two, you might want to cover and protect them, for the first couple of years to make sure their roots become established. Once the roots become established, they will bounce back very quickly in the Spring once the temperatures perk back up.”
“The best time to prune bougainvillea is in late winter or early spring after it flowers, or at the start of the rainy season,” according to the University of Florida. “If you wait until late summer or early fall, your plant may produce fewer flowers during the following winter.” There are numerous varieties of bougainvillea on the market that bloom best at different times of the year. Follow the grower’s recommendation for your specific variety.
“Also feeding is very important with the bougainvilleas,” said Barlow. “You want to keep them on a regular feeding schedule. For those of you who don’t like to use a water-soluble liquid fertilizer, which I recommend even a slow-release quarterly feed will encourage the blooming.” Avoid over-fertilization which can encourage too much foliage at the expense of blooms. And if kept in pots they like to be pot-bound to bloom best.
Bougainvillea is both salt and drought-tolerant, making them a hardy choice for southern coastal landscapes. Visit Earth Works garden center for a wide assortment of bougainvillea, soil amendments, and fertilizers. And talk to Matthew about any concerns you have about growing bougainvillea in your landscape. Plus, consider scheduling a design consultation to include bougainvillea and the many other plant choices we can make available for your landscape.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden 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. 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.
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.
We believe Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to share some ways we can all contribute to our remarkable planet’s continued health and beauty. Here is a list of easy things you can do at home and in your garden to celebrate.
1. Plant a tree – Trees remove carbon dioxide from the air, store carbon in the trees and soil, and release oxygen into the atmosphere—all essential factors in the fight to stop climate change.
2. Create a Pollinator Garden – They support and maintain pollinators by supplying food in the form of pollen and nectar to ensure that these crucial animals stay in the area to keep pollinating our crops for continued fruit and vegetable production.
3. Call a Beekeeper vs. an Exterminator – Bees are a critical part of food production worldwide, and their dwindling numbers should concern us all. Help save our struggling bees by allowing a beekeeper to capture the swarm alive.
4. Landscape with Native & Florida Friendly Plants – Plants whose needs meet your local climate will naturally grow better, requiring less additional water, fertilization, and pest control. All positives for the health of our local waterways.
5. Use Organic Fertilizers– Not only are they safe for the environment, your family, and your pets, they can enhance the soil. Plus, synthetic fertilizers require a significant amount of fossil fuels to produce. And their frequent runoff into our river is the cause of those harmful algae blooms.
6. Build a Water Garden –When done correctly, ponds provide shelter and water to native wildlife and support for native plants. Also, by reducing your lawn area, you will conserve water and reduce the use of fertilizers.
7. Consider Solar Panels – Solar power systems derive clean, pure energy from the sun. Installing solar panels on your home helps combat greenhouse gas emissions and reduces our collective dependence on fossil fuels.
8. Shop Local – The planet is perhaps the biggest beneficiary of consumers supporting locally owned small businesses. Shopping local reduces fossil fuel use by the suppliers and the shoppers, ultimately reducing your carbon footprint.
For more Earth Day tips on eco-friendly lawn and gardening practices in Northeast Florida stop into Earth Works garden center, contact us 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.
Landscaping with Florida native plants is economical and benefits our Northeast, Florida ecosystems requiring less water, fertilizers, and pesticides to sustain than non-native plants. “They are acclimated to everything that Northeast Florida can hand them the cold, the heat, the extreme drought that we can have from time to time, but also the deluge of rain we get a couple of months of thunderstorms back to back to back,” said Matt Barlow, Earth Works garden center manager. “And they are also pest and disease resistant because they evolved right here.” Native plants are also important to the ecosystem as a source of food, shelter, and habitat for native wildlife including amphibians, birds, insects, mammals, reptiles and non-native migratory species.
Native plants host beneficial insects, pollinators, and decomposers that form a healthy natural ecosystem. For example, there are 24 oak tree varieties native to Florida, which support over 500 species of moths and butterflies. According to the National Wildlife Federation nearly 100% of songbirds depend on these insects as a key food source. Remove the native plants and the insect and dependent animal species populations crash. “More than 100 species of vertebrate animals are known to consume acorns in the US, including mammals such as white-tailed deer, gray squirrels, fox squirrels, flying squirrels, mice, voles, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, gray foxes, red foxes, and wild hogs,” according to the University of Florida. “Birds that feed on acorns include wild turkey, bobwhite quail, wood ducks, mallards, woodpeckers, crows, and jays.”
Outside of their natural environment non-native species have fewer natural predators resulting in invasiveness crowding out native species without providing a similar degree of benefits to the ecosystem. A few non-native invasive plants you may be familiar with include camphor trees, Japanese honeysuckle, kudzu, melaleuca, mimosa, sword fern, torpedo grass, and water hyacinth.
Earth Works carries a variety of Florida native plants including Walters Viburnum. “It’s a great slow-growing shrub that you can use as individual plants, as focal points, but also as a hedge row,” said Barlow. “They do grow thick and dense and are evergreen. They bloom white in the Spring. Once we come out of Winter and the temperature starts to warm up the flowers pop. They do hold their buds sometimes for a very long period of time. Their buds when they are closed are kind of a rosy color, which gives the shrub in Wintertime going into Spring this really nice look and then they pop open and their covered with tiny white flowers. These are a very easy addition to your garden.”
Walters Viburnum “These are a very easy addition to your garden.”
The Florida Native Plant Society lists 663 native plants in its database. However, most Florida native plants are not commercially available for purchase. Where native plants are grown commercially it is typically by small independent growers who cannot keep up with the commercial demand for the natives they grow. Propagating native plants to nurture commercially favorable ornamental characteristics results in what is called cultivars. “Many native plant experts and enthusiasts do not consider man-made cultivars as being native, although it might be argued that selections or hybrids could have occurred under natural conditions,” according to the University of Florida. “When purchasing native plants, ask for a plant by its scientific name. Also ask about the origin of the plant. Plants that were derived from seed or plants of natural populations in other parts of the country might not perform well in Florida.”
Zamia integrifolia the Coontie palm is another popular commercially available Florida native plant. “It’s called the Coontie palm, but it’s not an actual palm,” said Barlow. “It’s actually a cycad. It gives you a palm or tropical look without actually being a palm. They’re more of a small loose, but densely compacted shrub. Loose in the fact that they are not branched like other types of shrubs. There is a lot more separation and distance where all the stems come from the base rather than a branching type plant like a traditional shrub. They don’t require any pruning. So those of you who are looking for a low maintenance plant the coontie is a great addition. Also, the coontie is versatile. It can grow in the sun, part sun, and into almost some completely shaded conditions. It’s very versatile and easy to grow.”
Coontie palm. “They don’t require any pruning. So those of you who are looking for a low maintenance plant the coontie is a great addition.”
Florida native plants occur in diverse biomes including marshes and swamps, prairies, hammocks, sandhills, scrub forests, upland forests, and more resulting in the need to match your choice of natives to your conditions. It’s also important to understand the significance of your area’s plant communities. For Duval County alone the plant communities include; Beach Dunes, Hydric Hammocks, Mangrove Swamps, Maritime Forests, Pine Flatwoods, Saltwater Marshes, Sandhills, and Wetland Swamp Forests. Native plants adapt in these areas in relation to one another in ways that we continue striving to understand.
Salt tolerant native seagrapes are better suited for the coastal landscape than Florida’s state wildflower the Coreopsis found in fields and along roadsides across North Florida. Landscaping for Florida native plants requires considering the various categories of natives available including flowers, grasses, ground covers, palms, shrubs, trees, and vines. Search these categories at www.floridayards.org. Likewise, a variety of Florida native palms including the Florida State Tree, the Sabal Palm, and palmettos are available at Earth Works and seasonal varieties of other natives like anise.
There are small local companies that afford us the opportunity to buy Florida Native plant seeds and advocates of planting natives share them through local and national seed exchange programs and on social media. Visit our Seed Saving & Exchange blog that contains extensive information about these activities and information about groups like the 13,000 member Seed Savers Exchange.
For more information on landscaping with Florida native plants in Northeast Florida stop into Earth Works garden center and speak with Barlow, another garden guide, or schedule a consultation with one of our landscape designers to help you with your Florida-friendly landscape.
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.
Why should I do Soil Testing in Northeast Florida? Soil is a mixture of mostly minerals, organic matter, water, and air. Plants require specific nutrients to thrive. Identifying the soil’s specific composition helps in identifying soil deficiencies and necessary remedies that can aid in avoiding over-fertilization that can result in stormwater run off pollution. Soil testing will also measure pH levels that if too low for instance can cause minerals in the soil not to be available to some plants. Plant varieties prefer varied pH levels and amounts of specific nutrients. Azaleas prefer pH levels below 5.5 whereas pink hydrangeas prefer pH above 6. A soil analysis will provide you with knowledge of your soil composition and help you make decisions that can improve the soil for your lawn and garden.
The golden rule of gardening says, “If you treat your soil well, it will treat your plants well,” according to the United States Department of Agriculture. “Successful gardening depends on good soil. One of the best ways to improve soil fertility is to add organic matter. It helps soil hold important plant nutrients. By adding organic matter to sandy soil, you improve the ability of the soil to retain water. In a clay soil, humus will loosen the soil to make it more crumbly. You can increase the organic matter in your garden by adding compost or applying mulch.”
When should I test my soil? Soil testing in Northeast Florida can be done anytime of year whereas in northern states it should be done in warm months when the soil is not frozen. By having your soil testing done ahead of the growing season you are better prepared to treat with soil amendments if needed. For example, calcitic lime used to increase pH requires 2-3 months to work completely into the soil. Soil sampling can be done anytime and is often done to identify the cause of problems in the landscape such as plants that aren’t growing properly or dying.
Where can I get my soil analyzed? The University of Florida Extension Office in Duval County provides free soil pH analysis that takes typically 7-10 business days to get results. Samples should be dry which is best provided to them in paper bag whereas plastic holds moisture. Samples should be gathered from a few different areas of the landscape and dropped off in person at the extension office. Contact the University of Florida Extension Office in Duval County for more information at (904)255-7450.
Additionally, there are digital and reagent soil test kits available for purchase online from a variety of sources. The Luster Leaf 1880 Rapitest Electronic 4-Way Soil Analyzer is one inexpensive option that’s widely available. More accurate and sophisticated electronic test kits are available for hundreds, even thousands of dollars.
Many of the inexpensive digital and reagent soil test kits although providing a degree of accuracy also provide vague and inaccurate data as a Garden Fundamentals video points out in a comparison of a Rapitest reagent test kit against a laboratory analysis of the same soil sample.
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.
Sanctuary on 8th Street Fall Gardening Collaboration with the Man in Overalls
Jason Duffney, Matt Barlow, & Doug McGregor prepare the irrigation and soil for a Fall season garden with the children at The Sanctuary on 8th Street and collaborate with Nathan, Man in Overalls for building new boxes and more opportunities for the community.
Arbor Day with the Sanctuary on 8th Street 2021
On Arbor Day Earth Works delivered a check for $2000 from proceeds collected from 25% of gift card sales over the 2020 holiday season.
Rick Cartlidge, executive director of the Sanctuary on 8th Street Educational Charity in the historic area of Downtown Jacksonville, Florida discusses their relationship with Earth Works, their mission helping children and how you can help.
Sanctuary on 8th Street Volunteer Day with Earth Works
Earth Work of Jacksonville workday for area volunteers who came out and improved the curb appeal and did general lawn and landscaping work at the Sanctuary on 8th Street in Jacksonville’s Springfield Community. Jason & Sean Duffney along with Mark & Patricia Fechtal and Timbo were joined by a dozen U.S. Navy personnel. Thank you to everyone who participated for your service to the Sanctuary and community. Event: Earth Works Volunteer Work Day Date: Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 Location: Sanctuary on 8th Street 120 E. 8th Street, Jacksonville, Florida.
Sanctuary on 8th Street Community Garden Jason & Matt return to the Sanctuary on 8th Street community garden to work with children teaching them how to plant and care for a garden. Plus, they announce our upcoming Volunteer Work Day where everyone can join us to give the landscape at the front entrance more curb appeal. Meet us at the Sanctuary Saturday morning December 5, 2020 and help for as long as you wish!
Sanctuary on 8th Street Educational CharityCommunity Garden Jason Duffney & Matthew Barlow spend the afternoon teaching children how to tend the vegetable garden at the Sanctuary on 8th Street in the Springfield area of downtown Jacksonville, Florida. Thank you for the help from kindergarten through 2nd grade students who participated including Nehemiah, Kyree, Noah, Micah, & Kendall. Special thanks to Coach Henry & Ford and Assistant Director Jaime!
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. 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.
In-depth information into this recreational swim pond construction by Earth Works, Aquascape Inc., and contractors from around the country. This event took place in St. Augustine, Florida as part of an annual Winter Seminar coordinated by Aquascape Inc for the purpose of advanced training for Certified Aquascape Contractors.
Read Jason Duffney’s article on this recreational swim pond construction in the May/June 2021 issue of Pond Trade Magazine.
Brueggen Swim Pond 1 Year Anniversary of Installation
Jason Duffney met with Jenn and John Brueggen to get their thoughts after one year of their swim pond installation that was the featured build of the contractors in attendance at the 2021 Aquascape Inc. Winter Retreat.
St. Augustine Alligator Farm Aquascape Recreation Swim Pond Construction Part 1 Behind the Scenes at the start of Earth Works of Jacksonville collaboration with Aquascape Inc. in the Aquascape Recreational Swim Pond for a Eastern Collard Lizard – Advanced CAC Build at the home of the St Augustine Alligator Farm Director John & his wife Biologist Jenn Brueggen’s home. John Brueggen discusses what they are hoping for and Earth Works team members Jason Duffney & Sean Duffney along with Michael Quatromoni discuss this event that will involve 100 Certified Aquascape Contractors participating here & at the Aquascape Pond and Fountainscape Build at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park with onsite participation & education with Greg Wittstock, The Pond Guy & Ed Beaulieu.
Aquascape Recreational Swim Pond Construction for a Eastern Collared Lizard Part 2 Ed Beaulieu, the Pond Professor, Jason Duffney, and Michael Quatromoni discuss progress and setbacks ahead of being joined by 100 Certified Aquascape Contractors participating here & at the Aquascape Pond and Fountainscape Build at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. Behind the Scenes at Day 2 of Earth Works of Jacksonville collaboration with Aquascape Inc. in the Aquascape Recreation Pond for a Eastern Collard Lizard – Advanced CAC Build at the home of the St Augustine Alligator Farm Director John & his wife Biologist Jenn Brueggen’s home.
Sneak Peek Teaser into Part 3 of the Recreational Swim Pond Construction Sneak peek into Part 3 in the video series about the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park Director John Brueggen’s swim pond build by Aquascape and Earth Works. This is serious business folks!
St. Augustine Alligator Farm Aquascape Recreational Swim Pond Construction Part 3 Jason Duffney, Ed Beaulieu, and Chris Hansen are back for the third update on the swim pond install at John & Jen Brueggen’s home in Elkton, Florida near the St. Augustine Alligator Zoological Park where they will also be conducting an Aquascape contractor seminar Wednesday, February 3rd – Friday, February 5th, 2021.
St Augustine Alligator Farm Sneak Peek Part 1 Jason Duffney takes us behind the scenes with Director John Brueggen, and Aquascape Inc’s Pond Professor Ed Beaulieu, and Chris Hansen at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park prior to the Aquascape Inc pond construction and Certified Aquascape Contractors 2021 Winter Retreat. Part 1.
St Augustine Alligator Farm Sneak Peak Part 2 St Augustine Alligator Farm Director John Brueggen provides a behind the scenes sneak peek to Earth Works Jason Duffney and Aquascape Inc’s Pond Professor Ed Beaulieu, Chris Hansen and Travis prior to the new pond construction and the Certified Aquascape Contractors training sessions and Winter Retreat. Part 2.
St Augustine Alligator Farm Sneak Peek FINAL Part 3 Final Behind the Scenes Sneak Peek at the St Augustine Alligator Farm. Tune in to interesting stories from around the world along with specifics on requirements for healthy wildlife habitats and maintaining exotic species with Zoo Director John Brueggen and Ed Beaulieu as we prepare for the Aquascape Winter Retreat and build Feb 3-6, 2021.
Welcome Team Aquascape to the St Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park Jason Duffney, owner Earth Works of Jacksonville welcomes Team Aquascape to the St Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park event and Winter Retreat! Wednesday, February 3-5, 2021!
St. Augustine Recreational Swim Pond Reveal Wrapping up collaboration with Aquascape Inc. for the Aquascape Recreation Pond Build at the home of the St Augustine Alligator Farm Director John Brueggen & his wife Biologist Jenn Brueggen’s home. John Brueggen discusses what they are hoping for and Jason Duffney and Greg Wittstock discuss the outcome of this recreational pond.
Fill ‘Er Up! Recreation Pond Final Details – Part 5
Bring in the reinforcements! The CACs are here for the regional build event to help with the process of finishing up the recreation pond for the Alligator Farm. John also takes me in to show me his Gila monsters and their habitat.
Replicating the Desert for a *GILA MONSTER POND* – Part 4
Bring in the reinforcements! The CACs are here for the regional build event to help with the process of finishing up the recreation pond for the Alligator Farm. John also takes me in to show me his Gila monsters and their habitat.
Answering Your Questions: Concrete or Rubber Liner? – Recreation Pond Part 3
I’m taking some time to answer some of the questions you have had about the recreation pond build. Specifically, the under liner drainage and the architecture of the wall.
Giving Life to a RECREATION POND – Part 2
Today is the day! We break ground in St. Augustine, FL on the recreation pond for the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. I’ll show you how important it is to get these recreation ponds designed and planned the right way!
Alligator Expert Gets a RECREATION POND – Part 1
I am so stoked to be in St. Augustine, Florida to design and build a restorative recreation pond for John Brueggen, director of the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. Today, John gives us a tour of the farm which is such an inspiration.
*POND BUILD* for Florida Alligator Farm (Rec Pond Revealed)
Chris leads Build-a-Pond-Day at the historic Alligator Farm and Zoological Park in St. Augustine, Florida! Newbie attendees knock this 8′ x 11′ pond out in one day. Later, Ed reveals the reptile rec pond from the advanced build!
Wetland Filter for Reptile REC POND – Part 5
Groundwork on the reptile rec pond for our advanced CAC build continues. Today the crew constructs the wetland filter and Ed shares tips for excavation and setting boulders.
Cypress Log Edge for Reptile REC POND – Part 4
Establishing different elevations and grade levels makes all the difference on a flat property like this. Ed and Chris carve in a massive cypress log as a unique edging element for the reptile rec pond.
Groundwater Solutions for Reptile REC POND – Part 3
Ed and Chris implement groundwater solutions and install a 4-inch drain tile so they can create a solid base for their liner. The rocking of the reptile rec pond is now underway!
Intake Bay for Reptile REC POND – Part 2
Ed the Pond Professor arrives at the job site and notices we’ll need to make adjustments to our intake bay. The reptile rec pond comes in at a 30,000 gph requiring 500 gallons of water storage.
Reptile REC POND Design for Collared Lizards – Part 1
Chris joins the Earth Works team down in Florida to collaborate on a recreation pond for eastern collared lizards! The 20′ x 25′ reptile rec pond will utilize a tile drainage system to combat hydrostatic pressure from the groundwater.
Earth Works is proud to have hosted the 2021 Aquascape Winter build with Greg Wittstock, founder of Aquascape for Certified Aquascape Contractors from around the country. Participating CAC’s include:
Chris Pekarek | Poseidon’s Aquatic Designs
Stan Lepkowski | Delaware Water Features
Stan Lepkowski | Delaware Water Features
Greg Gill | Eastern Iowa Landscape
Bob Kerr | Gradex Company LLC
Zak Kladden | Majestic Water Gardens
Thomas Smith | Garden State Koi
Tim Dille | Garden State Koi
Enrique Gomez | Garden State Koi
Jason Borawski | Liberty’s Pavers, Ponds, & Water Features
Armando Amaya | Virginia Water Gardens
Charlie Ross | Virginia Water Gardens
Armando Amaya | Virginia Water Gardens
Crystal Urquizu | Virginia Water Gardens
Don | Virginia Water Gardens
Allan Schule | Sound Shore Pond Inc.
Bruno Maegerle | Pond Pros
Chris Ostrander | Living Water Landscape Service
Alex Oren | Landvista Aquascapes
William Seeds III | Seeds of Nature Watergardens
Brent Hullinger | The Pond Beyond, LLC
Yogi Davis | Bear Stone & Aquatic Design
John Griffith | Paradise Ponds
Patrick Kirby | AquaReale
Carl Petite | Columbia Water Gardens
Brad Cheney | Nature’s Image Aquatic Design LLC
Micah Miller | Easton Outdoors
Frank Council | Easton Outdoors
Evan Hamner | Easton Outdoors
Rico Rosa Arce | Easton Outdoors
Ethan Hammond | Amen Corner Ponds
Jeremy Vlcek | Vlcek Gardens
Jay McCormick | Aquatic Lifestyles LKC
Zachary Medori | Turpin Design/Build
Max Taylor | Turpin Design/Build
Dave DeGroot | Artisan Water Gardens
Martin V Dimitrov | Atlantic Ponds LLC
Cody Gilstrap | River Rock Water Gardens
Chris Sturdyvin | Chris’ Water Gardens
Mark Carlson | Chris’ Water Gardens
Franco Propato | Frank Propato Landscaping LLC
Greg Falvo | We Build. LLC
Sean Frost | Nature Scapes
Bubba Hogan | Dreamscapes Landscaping
Scott Anderson | Scott Anderson Design
Brad Fontaine | Florida Custom Aquatic Services
Adam Goit | Brookside Landscape and Design
Nate Shirley | Brookside Landscape and Design
Brad Fontaine | Florida Custom Aquatic Services
Trevor Gibson | Florida Custom Aquatic Services
John Underwood | The Pond Beyond
Matt Berry | Nature Scapes
Adam Klingenberg | Florida Custom Aquatic Services
Beth Roth | Triton Waterscapes
Kathy Rosen | Delco Ponds and Waterscapes
Jeff Norman | Great Lakes Pondscapes
Allison Norman | Great Lakes Pondscapes
Gunther| Six Flags Nursery Supply LLC
Stephen Perez | Stephens Landscaping of Clermont
Brandon Grope | PondScape LLC
Amanda Gunther | Six Flags Nursery Supply LLC
Jay Duke | Rivercrest
Greg Gill | Eastern Iowa Landscape
Steve Roth | Triton Waterscapes
Peter Donahue | GreenPete, LLC
Brian Rosen | Delco Ponds and Waterscapes
Aaron Cruz | Garden State Koi
Baldo Bautista | Garden State Koi
Kimberly Kontopodias | Across the Pond Aquascapes LLC
Maggie Hutt | Across the Pond Aquascapes LLC
April Dugan | April Dugan
Melanie Norman | Great Lakes Pondscapes
Brian Norman | Great Lakes Pondscapes
Lisa Ballantine | Ballantine
Ben Clark | Buddy’s Property Services, LLC
Garrett Wurzbach | Aqua Escapes LLC
Aaron Chico | Blue Lotus Waterscapes & Design
Zachary Watson | Site Pros Landscaping, Inc.
John Adams | Modern Design Aquascaping Inc.
Alissa Wells | Site Pros Landscaping, Inc.
Tim Wood | Aquatic Edge
Cameron Perez | Stephens Landscaping of Clermont
Tim Wood | Aquatic Edge
Casey Perez | Stephen’s Landscaping
Gabriel Botto | Island Aquascape Inc
Brad Birch | BBs Aquatic Service LLC
Robert Lofgran | Wasatch Ponds
Andrew Starkey | Aloha Landscaping and Services
Zoran | Zorancreative
Jerome Fischer Alabama Aquascapes
Kyle Brown | Modern Concepts Custom Outdoor Creations
Garth Price | Modern Concepts
Diana Cagle | Aqua Dreamscapes LLC
Pheonix Singleton | Ceto Waterscapes
Joel Lattimer | Lattimer Landscaping Inc
Luke Lattimer | Lattimer Landscaping Inc
William Adams | Lattimer Landscaping Inc
George Ruiz | TAMPA BAY PONDS & ROCKS
Carl Gennaro Jr | EnviroScapes Property Specialist, Inc
DAY ONE: Team Aquascape Winter Retreat 2021 It was a great first-day kickoff at Earth Works of the Team Aquascape Winter Retreat-St Augustine Alligator Farm pond builds. Aquascape, Earth Works, and contractors from around the country had been preparing for months for this week’s activities. The amount of energy and associated expense for all in attendance during these difficult times deserves recognition and praise.
Wednesday night was the kickoff for the event at the Earth Works garden center with meet & greet opportunities and an hour-long Q&A before the group between Greg, Mark Fechtel, and Jason Duffney about the thirty-plus year success story of Earth Works and its role in providing a wide range of outdoor living services including Aquascape water features and its core state of the art technologies that take the stress and strain out of water feature maintenance while providing high performance and client satisfaction.
The Tribe as the Aquascape gaggle of pond diggers is known is welcoming to everyone with Greg setting the tone with an outreached hand for those he’s had relationships with for decades, as well as first-timers to this Team Aquascape event. Over one hundred contractors attended including company owners, foremen, and reps that wear a myriad of other hats covering the wide range of duties achievers take on in building an idea into a successful business.
Greg espoused the benefits of sharing and learning from one another pointing out those members in attendance with five and ten plus years of experience with Aquascape. There are numerous Aquascape artists of the year and Jason Duffney is notably last year’s Aquascape Businessman of the Year. Greg encouraged tribe members to tap the knowledge base of those next to them as it is extensive among the tribe members in attendance.
The network of the Aquascape Tribe will doubtlessly strengthen this week. Aquascape contractors around the country will benefit as these technologies are installed at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park where thousands of guests pass through each year, and Zoo Director John Brueggen shares the success and potential of these applications with his international network of zoological society tribe members.
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. 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.
