Welcome to our July edition. I trust that the summer has gone well for all. The backyard that we are featuring for this month is somewhat unique. We have “destroyed” many patios, yards and walls, but have only destroyed built in pool waterfalls a few times. This was one of those times. Tear- ing out a waterfall that a pool com- pany has installed is no easy task. We had to drain the pool and build scaffolding within the pool so we could work at the height of the waterfall. We also needed to build a wood retaining wall to keep the boulders from rolling into the pool once loosened, which would have been a disaster. Once loosened with a jack hammer, we needed a shelf strong enough so the boul- ders could be rolled over to the pool deck and from there could be taken away with our tractor. It was quite a process and that was just part of it.
We also removed a large expanse of patio as well as the unwanted plants. During this phase of the job, my nerves were on high alert, and I noticed a few more gray hairs. I was ever so grateful for liabil- ity and workers compensation insurance just in case there was an accident. I started to breathe again once we got through this phase. The rest was still challenging but the other phases did not have the liability concern like this phase. When looking at the before picture, you can see that the boulders were not small. They had size to them. This is probably the only job where the tear out phase was thirty to thirty five percent of the landscape cost. Normally this phase never exceeds eight to fifteen percent at the most.
At this point you may be asking why we were doing this. This is the same question I asked when I first met them. Rob and Jen- na were great clients and are now great friends. We landscaped their front yard, installing a paver patio and block wall as well, to create an overall curb appeal that was both colorful and invit- ing. With all the detail work of both yards, I jokingly said that by the time this job was over, we would become family and spend Thanksgiving together, which was coming soon. The motive for all this work was for a new look. Coming from the bay area, the traditional look did not work for them. Jenna often said she wanted something much more contemporary and trendier with clean lines. I asked them why they didn’t just buy a house with the yard they wanted? They had shopped for three years and could not find the right combination, so when this house came up for sale, they bought it and just expected to redo the yard. So that gives you some background.
There were many phases to the back landscape. In the front we did all the work in-house, but in the back we used all my con- tacts. My pool contractor was needed to re-plaster and retile the pool including adding new entrance steps. My patio cover referral had to install a patio cover which was more up to date and included fans and lights. At the time they had the enclosed greenhouse look. The last referral was my concrete friend. They were looking for a finish that was more contemporary than the very dated aggregate look. It took effort and communication to coordinate everyone’s workload with where we were in the job. That was my job – making sure that we would not be in each other’s way. So, between us all it was about a two-and-a-half- month project, which was not bad for all that had to be done. We started in early September and completed it just in time for Thanksgiving. As you can tell we left all the trees.
Jenna was super helpful; in that she was willing to chase sam- ples down for me. We would discuss the tile or stone veneer for the waterfall, and I would tell her where to go. She would come back with samples, and she would find her own. We would also discuss the pros and cons between, stucco, cultured stone and stone veneer for the wall, and then she would go to my vendors and get samples. Once the samples were here, we would again discuss the best fit for the yard while considering the final “feel” we were going for. During this time, her willingness to help was much appreciated. She remarked that after it was all over, she would now need to get another job because the yard remodel had been her job. Aside from landscape, we also installed an outdoor kitchen. A referral helped with setting up the compo- nents to the kitchen, and we did all the finish work.
There’s so much more to say, but I want to limit my words so that the before and mid pictures can be large enough for you to appreciate the changes that were made. We will continue next month with more detail.
Gardeners – you should now be harvesting from the garden. In the early morning, and periodically, spray the leaves clean from
BEFORE
dust to keep the spidermites off the vegetables that attract them. Squash and cucumber tend to be a few of those. You should also fertilize half dose every month and remember to control your water. Over watering only makes the vegetables grow, but not flower. They need a good soaking and then a drying out period to encourage the bloom. One or two days dry out period is helpful and of course it’s dependent upon the weather. Until next time – Good Gardening
Welcome to our Summer Issue. Thank you for all the calls over our July edition. This article will be a continuation of that. All yards and landscapes are unique. The yard configuration is unique, the clients have different needs, the direction of the sun varies, and a little. variance with sunlight can make a big difference in plant selection. All these variables make for a unique outcome. However, all landscapes should have one thing in common; they should be colorful, creative and inviting. The difference in outcomes has to do with the size and shape of the yard as well as the end goal. For Rob and Jenna, who enjoy enter- taining, they needed space to walk around, yet Jenna knew that the landscape played a critical role in making the backyard inviting.
It was a balancing act between the plants and hardscape, and the changes were numerous. Changes included a new patio, a wall with wall planters, a sheer descent waterfall (see picture), a color bed planter, an outdoor kitchen with a paver patio, a new patio cover and of course new landscape. I compare this landscape to a Porsche – small, but very detailed, as opposed to our last landscape we showed which was spacious allowing us to create a stone tread walkway, an outdoor sitting area, a wall that pushed back the slope and pavers to increase driveway space. Even with all of this, we still had plenty of room for a nice lawn and landscape. In this article I would like to spend some time reviewing the challenges. If you have not read July’s article, I would encourage you to do so. If you no longer have the article, it can be viewed on my website under publications.
The initial challenge was removing the waterfall. As discussed in the first edition, jack hammering boulders of this size is no easy task. We also had to be careful that we did not lose control of them, or they would roll off our platform and crack the plaster. Thankful- ly, this most stressful aspect of the job went off without a hitch. This whole tear out phase included not only the waterfall, but breaking up the aggregate patio, which was itself work. Fortunately, we have a small tractor that we can attach a jack hammer to and crack the concrete which saves the men’s backs. Once the concrete is cracked, we load the pieces into the bucket of the tractor and haul them out, taking them to a concrete recycling yard. This is great because nothing goes to the landfill. This is also true of our green waste, it comes back to us in the form of soil (I never talk about this, but we practice green habits when we have the vendors that provide the service). The next task was met with mixed emotions. Rob and Jenna had a spa (see before photo) and its positioning was right in the way of traffic.
Since space was at a premium, the spa had to go. After draining it, we cracked it and back filled it with road base. It felt weird destroying a perfectly good spa. It was now time to have the pool contractor come in. The pool needed updating because the tile was old and worn, the steps were inadequate, and the plaster needed updated with pebble sheen. The tile and pebble sheen portion were executed without any issue however, the steps were not. The contractor, who was a sub of my referral, sent out his men without any instructions, and since I see our jobs on every other day basis, I scheduled myself to be there when the steps would be done. When I arrived, the steps were almost complete, but completely wrong. The pool has a sundeck where you can put a lounge chair with an umbrella and be in the pool, and they had formed the steps coming off this. As soon as I saw that, I had them destroy the steps before the mortar set up. Fortunately, the mortar was still fresh, so it was not hard to do. I had them re- build the steps coming down along the side of the sundeck and I told my foreman to watch over the referrals making sure they were completing the tasks according to how I explained it to him. The rest of the parts that the referrals played went well.
It is always interesting to hear from the client their experience of working with us. Jenna made several insightful comments. She said that she never felt “unsafe.” On the contrary, she felt complete- ly safe with us, and even when other referrals came in, she felt as if she was being guarded by us. That was a great compliment. An- other comment that Jenna made was since this was the first change ever made to the original landscaping, she really appreciated our phase approach. It gave her time to process each change and then see the next phase in light of what had been completed. To me, the phase approach makes sense. One change builds upon another. However, not all landscapers take this approach. Since 98% percent of our work is completed with my employees, we can do this. Other landscape companies use subs routinely, and they each start the part of the job that pertains to them, so in essence you could have a kitchen project, a wall and paver project, drainage, sprinklers and plants all going on at the same time, and then hope that when it all comes together, it is what you wanted. By working this way there is time to digest, plan, talk and make changes which inevitably occur. As the owner of Executive Care, I want this process of creating a new outdoor environment to be enjoyable. I know it can be stress- ful, and landscapes are not cheap, so as much as we can we want to take the stress out of it, and make the experience pleasurable. Jenna’s full comments of our work can be read on Yelp. They are great comments, but I also have some negative ones as well. However, these people were never my clients. They wanted me to see them, but I was either unable to fit my schedule into theirs, or I did not feel comfortable working with them, which is something that is at my discretion.
Gardeners, we are midpoint with our gardens, insects tend to start coming in at this time. Be vigilant to look for them and use organic sprays or pick off loopers such as tomato worms by hand. Until next time—Good Gardening.
Bienvenidos! Welcome to our September article, the second article in dealing with problems unique to corner homes. Roy and Tangie are repeat clients of ours and their home is in Fair Oaks. Roy and Tangie love their home and its location in general, however, being a corner home has some inherent challenges. Not only do they share the same concern as last month’s clients, but they see every car’s headlights as they turn down their street. They are also on the path of children going to and from school. Kids, being kids, will cut across the front yard rather than use the sidewalk.
Aside from these “corner lot” problems, the original landscape was old and in need of a face lift. The combination of these needs made it a good time to redo the front yard (our before picture shows the lawn already removed). Our client’s landscape before was largely the traditional landscape, being mostly lawn. There is a corner island (see before picture) that several years ago had an Olive tree, which has since died. The other trees in the front yard, especially the one in the lawn had matured and now was shading out the lawn. Not only is too much shade detrimental to the lawn, but the roots of the tree competing for water stress- es it out. Although Roy liked lawn, the tree provided shade so he conceded that less lawn might be the wiser decision, and both Roy and Tangie were okay with using synthetic turf. The goal was to reduce the maintenance by keeping the mowing just to the back. Tangie was excited because with less space being allo- cated to the “lawn”, she would get to enjoy more plants and flow- ers along with the butterflies and hummingbirds they attract. Their son is young, and this would be a good way to support his interest in nature.
Processing their concerns and wants, as well as considering the sun patterns throughout the day, the design that worked best for them was to have a shade landscape by the front door, and a sun landscape out front. We would design the mounds, boulders and plants around the synthetic turf and for added protection, we would put our largest boulders at the corner, just in case. The transition point between sun and shade was a twelve-foot area between the tree and the dry stream bed that had similar hours of sun and shade. So, the challenge of this yard, aside from the other design concerns, was the plant selections. There was going to be plants from each light zone, and at the meeting point I would need to use plants that pre- ferred shade but could also take late afternoon sun (not easy). Also, in this same area I needed plants that preferred sun but could take extended hours of shade. The goal was to interweave these plants among the other plants of their preferred light zone. I wanted there to be a natural “soft” transition between the two extremes. A similar scenario to this is the tidal zone we have along our rocky shores.
Now that you understand the challenges from a landscaper’s eye, let’s discuss the solutions. Many men seem to like lawn, so deciding to go with artificial turf can be a quantum leap, both in thought and at times cost. The thought was tough for Gary (last month’s client) because he was more of a naturalist. Roy, however, was more concerned about the look, he didn’t want it to look fake. Both men were okay with the cost, which was nice. Good quality artificial turf can be pricey, and the cost has as much to do with its design. If the artificial turf can be put down as it comes, or if it needs to be patched, the cost will be affected. Synthetic turf, as explained last month comes in fifteen-foot widths. The width here at the widest point was 22 feet, and the length was twenty-five. A somewhat kidney shape is what best fit the yard, which meant we had to order extra synthetic turf and patch it to get our total width. One downside to synthetic turf is waste because of its limited size availability. Unfortunately, we get unusable pieces. We obviously want to minimize this, however anything other than a rectangular shape no wider than fifteen feet will have waste, it’s unavoidable. For blocking the headlights of incoming vehicles, we created higher than normal mounds around the synthetic turf. We coupled this with larger boulders, and fortunately the home sat low making bushes that matured three to four feet sufficient to accomplish the goal of blocking the headlights.
The kids can still try to cut through this landscape, however there is no longer a clear path to follow. It is my theory that be- tween the added mounds, boulders, plants and a dry stream bed that it is not worth the effort. We’ll see if my theory proves true. The stream bed was optional, but as we saw the design forming, we all agreed that the extra “busy” it gave to the landscape was nice. It became the divide between full sun and partial sun. Dry stream beds are not for every client, and there is a point where too many features become too much, however this depends on the client’s preference and what plants are selected. Fortunate- ly, shade plants with their different shades of green and wider leaves are calming, and these were planted close to the house and the really colorful and creative part, which for some could be interpreted as busy, was out front. It turned out to be a nice combination of plants and design that I was really happy with.
More importantly, Roy and Tangie were pleased. They let me know that many neighbors came by to compliment them on their yard. If I may toot our horn (the men and I), we get those compliments on every job, which is a great feeling. Next month I will be featuring both homes, August and September issues. I will be doing an article on the importance of night lighting- both from a safety concern as well as from an aesthetic point of view. Lastly, gardeners it is time to remove our summer vegeta- bles and prep the soil by tilling in a heavy dose of organic fertilizer. Water it well, and let it sit for a couple weeks before starting with fall and winter crops. Until next time — Good Gardening.
Welcome to our October issue. I cannot tell you what a difference night lighting makes to the completion of a landscape. It takes it from super cool to excelente! (excellent in English) It adds a whole different mood, a certain romance, and gives one a relatable feeling. I have had night lights forever in my yard and when I step outside into the evening, I still get the same feeling I got 15 years ago. When night lights are done correct- ly, they are beautiful, and if you are into entertaining, night lights are a must. They can be costly if the budget is tight, but you can buy them inex- pensively. So, let’s talk lights.
There are three basic types of materials that light fixtures are made from and in general there are two types of lights, spotlights and path lights. There is plastic, which obviously is the least expensive and the first to burn out. Their overall appearance is really lacking, but they do produce light. You will need to use more to get the same effect as other lights, and you will want to upgrade in three to five years. There are also aluminum lights. They look much nicer than plastic. However, the color is powder coated to the aluminum, and after about three years they fade, which makes them look old. Aluminum lighting hardware is far superior to the plastic light hardware. The only downside is they are only about $20 to $30 dollars less expensive than the top of the line lighting. In my opinion, brass lighting is the top of the line. The Brass looks high end and it is affordable ($92 – $ 115 depending upon the fixture). These are the ones we prefer to use.
There are other lights made from titanium and they are used more for a modern look. Titanium lighting is pricey, ranging between $150- $200 per light. If the look of dark brass is not a concern then there are fixtures that have a modern look to them, so there is a potential for savings. The brass lighting will patina as all natural metal does in the sun. The cost for spotlights in particular is determined by the distance that the light needs to travel. If twenty feet is the distance, then most average spotlights fit that.
However, if we need to light up a large tree, such as a Redwood tree or mature Oak then a larger size spotlight will be needed. It will cost slightly less than $150. To me lighting is worth the investment because it brings such a huge change to the yard, and the upside is it doesn’t have to be done at the time of the landscape installation. We can always prewire and install the lights later.
Once we decide on the type of lights we are going to use, we then have to decide what we want to light up. Spotlights are often called “up lights” due to the fact that they light upward. Aside from trees, they can be used to light up block walls by “splashing or di- recting” the light sideways so it travels across the face of the wall. This method saves money. We can also use wall lights which I really like, but you will need to use more to get the same effect. Anoth- er similar lighting fashion is lighting up a stream bed by shooting the light up through it. We must be careful to not direct the light into people’s eyes that may be walking by or into the neigh- bor’s home. Path lights are the opposite of spotlights.
Path lights do what the name implies, they light up the path. The path can be the sidewalk leading to the front door, or a flagstone pathway lead- ing into the landscape or around the house. I sometimes use them around boulders in the landscape or alongside a dry stream bed. It’s a very nice look. It takes about three to four path lights to light up a stream bed compared to one spotlight, but I prefer this look be- cause the light is more controlled. It gives you the freedom to create little scenes with the light as opposed to taking a shotgun approach with a spotlight and lighting up everything. Doing some form of lighting for the stream bed is way better than doing nothing at all. Remember with lighting, darkness is your friend. You have to have the darkness for the contrast so what you are lighting pops.
So, once we have decided what to light and what type to use, the next step is the set up. The setup is harder to explain and a video clip would do a better job of explaining so you could see step by step. I will however give you some tips. Spend money on wire nuts, and do not buy cheap ones. The greatest failure point for lights is the wire nuts. Moisture gets into the wire nut and shorts out the light. That is why I do not like the plastic lights. Their connection points are not moisture proof. When one light bulb goes out do not wait too long to replace it. We are now using LED, as op- posed to old school halogen, and the LED bulb does not require a lot of watts. So as light bulbs burn out, the wattage increases in the line and a heating up effect of the other bulbs begins to occur. Before long they all start burning out because of overload. Also, most jobs can be completed with 12-2-gauge wire. The days of using 10-2 are mostly gone unless you are going quite a distance. With LED lighting, the “daisy chain” method or one light after another as opposed to the “T” method that we used to use with halogen is acceptable. A transformer of 150 watts now is also acceptable as opposed to the 300 watts we used to buy. Most come with a photocell built in, which you will want. The lights go on by themselves as evening comes, and you only need to program when they turn off. The whole field has changed with the advent of LED lighting. Finally, always chose a warm white LED bulb as opposed to cool, it works better in the landscape colors.
Next month will be our final article on landscape and if there is a topic you would like me to cover, just let me know. My email is arthur@executivecareinc.com. In December I write the hardest article for me because it is somewhat personal and deals with us as people. I have been very blessed to meet so many of you this year. We are doing three landscape jobs at any given time and the aver- age time is 2 to 3 weeks per job, so I have the privilege to talk and get to know quite a number of clients.
Gardeners – you should have or be close to planting your winter garden. The winter garden is my favorite. We plant spinach, lettuce, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and even carrots. Carrots are usually planted early spring. These are what we can grow in the cooler months. Add a cold frame and they turn out even that much better. Until Next Time—Good Gardening.
Welcome to our November edition. The year is going quickly, and I hope it is going well for you. I know we are enjoying a good year because of our patient and overall good-natured clients that we have.
– Thank you.
Fall is my favorite time of year. I love seeing the trees change colors and the cooler temperatures are such a wonderful reprieve from the hotter weather. Each year at this time I enjoy doing an article with fall color in view. We are fortunate that we have so many trees in the region that color up with the cold. Therefore, picking a landscape with fall color to talk about is not hard. Let’s first talk briefly about what makes the leaves turn color. The process is fascinating. Several years ago, I wrote a detailed article on this. However, we do not have the space to go into such detail and still discuss the landscape at hand. Therefore, this will be a general overview.
The tree is made up of many chemicals, each having their job to perform. The most important molecule is obviously H2O, or water. Without water nothing exists. Beyond water there are chemicals that are in charge of tissue production, such as the cytokinins and auxins and then the chemicals that are in charge of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a complex process of harnessing energy from sunlight and turning it into energy for growth. The chemical compound responsible for this conversion is carbon dioxide, which is a waste product from all breathing creatures. The photosynthesis process uses CO2 (carbon dioxide) in a six-step process that is very detailed. In the beginning steps, CO2 and H2O enter the leaf hitting the pigment of the thylakoid splitting the 02 from the H20. From there, more changes occur but ultimately oxygen is produced along with carbohydrates. This new oxygen is released into the atmosphere, which provides the air we breathe. The carbohydrates (sugars) are used for the plant’s growth.
Now this process holds true all year long except during the fall season. As the weather cools, the tree reacts to the change of temperature and to the longer nights. It starts transferring the H2O (which would freeze if it remained in the leaf) into the roots, leaving the cytokinins, thylakoids, and auxins in the leaf. This higher concentration of chemicals responds to the cooler temperatures by turning color, each variety according to its design. Without H20 diluting the chemicals, the colors are rich and vibrant. The Birch and Poplar trees become a beautiful yellow with their white to slightly grayish bark. The Red Leaf Maples turn a brilliant range of reds, especially in the early morning or afternoon sun, they look like torches. There are also the purple leaves of the Talo and Ash trees to behold. Japanese Maples and Chinese Pistachio trees display a range of colors from oranges to yellows to reds. It’s a beautiful time that unfortunately is over almost as soon as it starts. We have about a month of this beautiful exchange of colors, so please make it a point to enjoy it.
Now for our article. The landscape we are featuring has my favorite tree, Acer Rubrum Autumn Glory one of the Red Leaf Maple varieties. It is a beautiful shade tree that is striking during this season. Our client Nancy, who lives within a Homeowners Association (H.O.A.), endured a two month wait from the time she requested our service to the time we showed up. The H.O.A process frequently adds an additional two to four weeks to any job, dependent upon how often they meet. Nancy owns the biggest lot in the H.O.A. and wanted to remove her lawn completely. She could not envision a plant-only landscape. I shared my vision with her, because I just knew that her yard could be beautiful– even with only plants.
We discussed several things including a dry stream bed, mounding and boulders. There are clients that prefer to forgo a dry stream bed, but the mounds and boulders are design features we use in all our jobs. The most important point I can make with this landscape is that it does not include many of the elements we often use in our normal work. It has no walls, no pavers, no fountain, no flagstone walkways, no patios and no lights. Due to its simplicity, this project qualifies as our basic package, except it is anything but basic! The proper choice and combination of these three elements; mounds, boulders and the correct plants is enough to make any yard beautiful. As promised, this landscape is inviting, colorful, low maintenance, and Nancy loves it! There is no other landscape like hers in her rather large H.O.A., yet it is our “basic package”. I cannot wait for it to mature and really grow into itself.
As we approach the winter months, I always get asked if we continue to landscape. My house payment is due each month, so absolutely! Okay, now for a serious answer. Our winters can be tough on certain varieties, especially considering that they are in plastic containers that offer no insulation. The very act of landscaping, or planting those same cold-sensitive plants from plastic pots into the warmer ground, cares for them best. So landscaping is wise during this season. Once plants are moved into the soil, and mulch is added on top, you have a much more plant-friendly environment. It is still wise to add a frost blanket to protect the foliage of the more sensitive plants, but the overall protection of the plant will be much better (like wearing a warm jacket verses a wind breaker).
Another advantage to planting during this time is that the roots of evergreen plants continue to grow. Plants such as Camellias start to bloom at this time followed by Azaleas (and many other varieties). Finally, gardeners, I highly encourage you to have your cold frames ready. Anytime in November our temperatures can drop. We need to protect our leafy vegetables.
Personal note: I would really appreciate it if you would read my up- coming December article. It is personal and the intent of it is to provide encouragement for life challenges, which is something we all have in common. Happy Thanksgiving. May you be blessed with a grateful heart now and all year long. – Arthur
Welcome to February’s edition. How quickly time contin- ues to move us forward. I wish it would just slow down and allow us to appreciate what is happening around us. That is something that time will not do; it is something we must do. A conscious awareness that the people, the good and bad events of life, will not always be – because life changes. That’s how I view my clients, my job and landscaping. We have one shot to really make something beautiful for our clients. Typically, we will not be back unless we do another aspect of the yard or come back for bi-yearly maintenance.
The featured landscape was a front yard and backyard job. For this article, we will discuss the backyard. I am going to limit my words so the pictures tell the story, however, there needs to be some guidance. The first image is pre-landscape, the second is during (down to the dirt), the third is completion, and the fourth is current, six years after completion. Hopefully, you can follow it. Each angle has the pool in it to help orient you to where you are in the yard. My favorite one is the third picture which allows a panoramic view from the flagstone patio to the house, although it lacks growth and detail. The fourth picture brings that in, showing a split dry riverbed and mature plants.
The whole design theme was to create something very different and fresh. The prior landscape was just a normal, boring landscape, but we do not do normal or boring. My only regret is the current red leaf Japanese Maple is not the one we planted; ours was replaced. Look at the third picture and note that our Japanese Maple is full, branches down low. Then in the fourth picture you can barely see it, it’s a skinny bean pole Maple. You cannot do that for something that is supposed to be the showpiece of your landscape. We provided the perfect backdrop for the maple to develop in, and now thisbean pole? Disappointing.
Finally, the hardscape. You know a property is dated when you see exposed aggregate for the hardscape. In the second picture, you see orange marker paint – I used that to re-design the hardscape for my concrete friend who’s viewed. We picked a stamp pattern and color not often used. I have not seen this pattern but would like to use it when the job requires demo-ing out existing con- crete. My reason for showing you this job is, as with other jobs, that beauty and usability can both be created, and it’s important. The backyard is where we entertain, enjoy our family, and relax. It is important to find a landscaper that shares and adds value to your vision, even if you must wait. Paying a little more for this assurance is well worth it. Sales and deals and lowest bids only mean shortcuts for an investment that will cost you more in the long run if not done correctly, and it will more than pay for itself over the years with enjoyment and use if correctly done. So, as we start the season please keep this advice in mind.
Christmas is the only time I switch my writing focus from landscaping to more of a personal note. The silent struggle of who we are and what we do to gain significance is not spoken of in our culture. If we talk about it, we talk to a counselor, a pastor or a close friend. Developing a positive identity (not an ego) is something we all wrestle with. Maturity helps with this as well as the experiences we go through, however problems in life can com- pound this journey. We all have our own journey, and in sharing mine my hope is that I can help you with yours.
I appreciate that faith is a personal journey and mine is no exception. I am going to be very honest about my life and how through faith I found my identity and significance.
My journey started with tragedy at the age of eight. It is from this tragedy that I mark my life. I felt like a forest that had been ravaged by fire, taking lives and destroying property. However, as in nature, it eventually rains and in time new life emerges. That’s my life in a nutshell. I come from a family of 3 boys. One day we were playing around an abandoned home which, unbeknownst to us, had a well. I stepped on the lid of the well, which was unsecured, and the lid gave way under my weight. Fortunately, I caught myself. My two brothers were with me. Rick was seven and Bobby was five. Before I continued the climb, I warned Rick not to step on the lid and I told Bobby to go home because it was too dangerous for him. Bobby didn’t go home.
That night at dinner time, we always ate as a family, but Bobby wasn’t there. It never occurred to my 8-year-old mind until then that Bobby had followed us, stepped on the lid, and fallen in. The firemen came to drain the well and confirmed to my parents that my brother had drowned. By then it had been 3 hours, and my little brother was in heaven. The hours that followed were so horrendous that I could not even process it. We were all in absolute shock. I had never heard my parents nor my grandparents (we were living with them) cry as they did. I can’t recall what Rick and I did, probably just went to our bedroom and eventually fell asleep. The only thing that I can recall is my mom blaming me for Bobby’s death. It took a while for the gravity of that accusation to hit me and when it did, I didn’t know how to deal with it. As I got older, I understood that her statement was said in absolute grief, but because of that statement I feel as though I have attended hundreds of funerals, and the sense of death has never really left me. Through school and sports, I could block it out, until something triggered it. We would drive by a cemetery, or I would see a hearse or an ambulance, and the heavy guilt would come rushing in. I could not control It. It literally stopped me, and I needed to be alone. My mom would take us to “see Bobby” at his grave, which strangely helped. After the crying, we would always pray and thank God that Bobby was with Him. My mom prayed because dad never came, at least not with us. In my mind the same thought would reoccur, “if only I had checked to see if he obeyed me, none of this pain would have happened.” Heaven was my only consolation that Bobby was not dead, that he was waiting for us and having a great time while waiting. Had it not been for that truth, I’m not sure how I would have dealt with the guilt. It became my anchor of hope.
As I matured, I excelled in school, won many awards for scholastic achievements, even became Student Body President of my High School. I was voted “Teachers Choice” three out of four years and “Most Likely to Succeed” for all four years. Yet with all this, the guilt that I lived with made any joy short lived. The guilt was like a can- cer that ate away at all the good things that came my way because of my achievements. Much of my early adult life was like this and becoming a dad of two girls was bittersweet. The thought of some- thing similar happening to them made me hypervigilant; always looking for the “camouflaged wells” that they could fall into. I be- came a Christian as a teenager, so by the time we had the girls I had some knowledge of the scriptures. I heard the teaching of forgive- ness many times but could never get free of the guilt. I knew I was born again. I knew God had forgiven me and that He did not hold me responsible for Bobby’s death, but I could not forgive myself. I didn’t know how. I sensed His presence with me, which was a huge comfort, but this incident was so deep inside of me I wasn’t sure if even God could reach it. Lisa and I got married young and were too young to have the responsibility of being parents. Our insecurities got the better of us, so we argued a lot. In the back of my mind, I questioned whether I could do this. Could I raise these two girls, be a husband, and work my way up the ladder all the while dealing with bosses that acted like ex-drill sergeants? The guilt inside me made everything so much more difficult. There was no rest, and no escape, everywhere I turned there was tension, stress, and problems demanding my attention. The promise of God’s peace eluded me. This went on for several very long years. On one of the more difficult days I recalled an experience I had at church camp. I remember going off into the woods with just me and my Bible. As I read, God’s presence met me. I recalled the joy and the sense of wholeness, as in coming home to a place where I belonged. I decided to return to the reading of the scriptures, and He met me again. My time with God became my only retreat where I found peace, strength, encouragement, and a hope for a better future. I stayed steadfast to this time Him, even reading in freezing temperatures as I ate my lunch outside. For that half hour, my Bible, my blanket and His presence were all I focused on. It was like He stopped His day just to be with me. Weekends, I spent an hour, getting up before the family. It was the one joy that I could count on. I began to change as His presence grew within me.
I began to excel again, yet there were a few times the girls had near death experiences that set me back. Jessica (my youngest) almost drowned and I lost it, scolding 8-year-old Amber for not watching her better. Lisa had to come and settle me down, and later I needed to ask Amber for forgiveness. As I continued in His Word -the Bible, I continued to get stronger and could better deal with work stress and life in general. I left the corporate world and started my own landscape maintenance company. I would call on apartment complexes large and small. It seemed that every one of them had a female manager. I needed to give them a bid and then after getting the con- tract, I reported to them. Flirtation became expected, so I learned how to navigate without being insulting. I was friendly but kept the conversation professional. I felt like Joseph, and these women were like Potiphar’s wife (a story in the Bible). Aside from that, the stress of running a business was overwhelming. Yet even that was slowly being conquered by knowing and believing God’s promises. Regard- less of the chaos of the day, my lunch time was when I got recharged and took a break from the daily fight. Our marriage got better as Lisa realized that running a business was a team effort, I needed her help. Finally, as I got closer to 40 yrs. of age, I became strong enough to face the two biggest monsters in my life – fear of not getting jobs (at this point we were mostly a landscape company) and the inability to forgive myself. I told the Lord that I was fed up with doubting Him and allowing fear to control me, that I was going to put my trust Him period. Proverbs 3:4-5 became my stake in the ground, and the armor I wore when fear came calling. Ephesians 2:4&5 became my ticket to forgiveness. I was able to go back in my mind remembering that confused, fear-filled little boy and I forgave him. He did nothing wrong; he was just being an adventuresome little boy with no con- cept of danger, especially death. Death had never been part of his world, so he had no reference to it.
Ephesians 2:4&5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places. I believed it, and for the first time I felt whole. The heavy bur- den that I had carried for so many years was gone. I could breathe. It was an incredible feeling. God finally went deep enough inside me that His Grace reached the hidden fears of insecurity and unforgivable shame. I came home that day feeling like Superman. I was bullet proof. The internal battles were now finally conquered. From now on the battles were going to be coming from the outside, and I was ready for them… People will say “Oh I know that God loves me,” but their life does not show His love. They are easily offended, lack grace and kindness, especially in the rough spots of life. Anybody can be nice when life is going their way. However, in the hard times, how are we? Are we hard to get along with, do we blame others for our problems, do we have a temper; or do we demonstrate joy and peace and give grace to others when they fall short? Also, God’s love doesn’t prevent hard times from coming; not at all. However, His love gives us the hope, confidence and strength to go through the hard times (Psalm 23). Stress, pain, and heartache are sure to come, but He’s there. Much like crutches help us when we break a leg. A broken heart still hurts, but because of His love, there is healing. How would we ever know the love of God if our struggles didn’t force us to Him? Left to our own, we would indulge ourselves. That is just the reality of who we are. Struggles prove that indulgences are not the answer, and getting what we want does not prevent hardship, or really make us truly happy. True life is much deeper than that. We need a God that can forgive, heal, grant wisdom and give us comfort, especially in difficult times. It’s the hardships that cause us to discover Him. They are necessary to tear our hearts away from this materialistic and superficial world and discover God’s world. There’s a great saying that goes, “a great relationship is made up of two great forgivers.” This is true on a human level, but it is true on a heavenly level as well. I can forgive because I have been forgiven. Because of the clean slate that has been offered to me, by the only One that has an absolute right to condemn me, who am I to not forgive others? My hope for us all is that we take our pain, fears, Insecurities to the God who Is big enough to deal with them. He is your biggest Fan, your closest Friend and gives the best hugs ever!
I trust everyone had a nice holiday. Christmas and Thanksgiving are two of the few holidays that families make the effort to get together. It truly can be a special time. We will not be attending
the Cal Expo Home and Garden Show this year and the main down- side is I really enjoy talking to you! However, I look forward to meeting many of you via our appointments. Our business comes from you via the magazine, not so much the show. So, as much as w will miss that we are already getting busy, so if you are thinking of landscaping please make an appointment soon. We have a self-registering website and it will take you to the days available (Janu- ary is full). For those of you who took the time to call or email me regard- ing the Christmas article, thank you.
Your words were very encouraging; they mean a lot to me (it is the first time I shared my struggles publicly). Each January I like to start the New Year off by reviewing landscape care, hence the title. As a grower in the wholesale business that I come from, my focus was on growing strong roots. If I succeeded in that, the plant would do the rest and grow strong and healthy shoots. I want to discuss the care of the garden, and directly connected to that is your enjoy- ment of it. Although I will be speaking in “big picture” terms, you can find more detailed information by clicking on the tab titled, “Landscape Tips,” on our website (www.executivecareinc.com). It makes no sense to spend money on a landscape and not have some understanding of the garden. Plant care can be broken down into
three general categories: Proper Irrigation, Pruning, and Fertilization. Generally speaking, if we are hitting high marks in these three areas, the plant can fend off the bugs and protect itself.
Proper Irrigation Trees are often the most neglected in the land- scape. We tend to not water the trees deep enough, therefore compromising their health, and causing many other concerns. Surface roots are a result of this causing difficulty in mowing, and concern that the roots will crack a driveway or sidewalks. Aphids, weak growth and yellow leaves are also the result of improper watering. Ultimately, the tree can become top heavy and potentially fall over due to the lack of deep rooting. If you have this problem, it is best to seek the advice of an arborist. Next, check your drip emitters and make sure you have two per plant and at least two gallon per hour for landscapes 3 years or older. For trees, I prefer 3 drip bubblers evenly spaced around the dripline of the tree. An extra measure would be to include tree wells. You can assist the downward flow of water with an 8” long and 4” wide PVC pipe. It must be back filled with gravel and have a drip bubbler inside. This enables the water to soak into the ground as opposed to running off. Lastly, remember to check the emitters and bubblers from time to time. Emitters can get clogged and bubblers need adjusting on occasion. Minimum run times for drip is 35 minutes, 45 minutes for landscapes 4 years and older – 4 to 5 days a week during the growing period. If you sink when you walk on your lawn, it is time to dethatch. Dethatching “beats up the lawn” as it removes the dead lawn matter that interferes with irrigation and fertilization. To find out how deep the thatch is, cut a wedge-shaped piece with the shovel and then lift it leaving the back side intact. Measure the distance from where the soil ends to where the blades of grass emerge. That will give you a good indication of how thoroughly you need to thatch the lawn. More than 3⁄4 inch of thatch starts costing more money in irrigation and fertilizer use. Aeration is also recommended, especially for lawns on slopes. Remember to check your sprinklers for leaks, plugged nozzles or buried heads. If the lawn is on a slope and you are using conventional nozzles you may want to consider the water miser nozzles (MP Rotor nozzles), though I also recommend them for level lawns. See your irrigation stores for more information on this. They minimize run-off and allow the water to soak into the lawn better. The alternative is to water less but use multiple cycles with conventional nozzles.
Pruning Plants: In proper combinations they bring so much beauty to the landscape. Unfortunately, most of the landscapes we do are “re-dos.” They consist of the same eight to ten plants. These plants tend to be aggressive growers, which need frequent pruning. During the next few months these large growers can be pruned up to fifty percent. This will make them more manageable. In hard pruning there is one rule. Never leave the plant without leaves. Prune the top first or the sides, but not both. Let the pruned portion leaf out and then do the other. Trees: Just keep them thinned; with our strong winter winds, the canopy acts like a sail and catches the wind. Evergreen trees such as Magnolias, Japanese Pears and especially African Sumacs are examples of trees that can topple over. Oak trees are by far the worst, leaves or no leaves. Be diligent to keep these under the care of an arborist, especially if they are growing close to your home.
Fertilization Even if you are not pruning, fertilizer should be applied. My preference is an organic fertilizer with mycorrhizae (fungi). These beneficial fungi help the plants with nutrient up- take and drought tolerance. The organic fertilizer feeds the biology in the soil, which in turn feeds the plants. This is nature’s way. Nurseries and some irrigation stores are now carrying organics. Be generous with the fertilizer as if you are heavily salting your food. Once you have broadcasted the fertilizer, scratch it into the ground if possible. I know with mulch and roots this step is not do-able. In either case the rains will help carry the fertilizer and fungi down to the roots. And since this is rain sensitive, do this sooner as opposed to later.
Lastly, some tips for DIY-ers. In landscaping you must consider the final maturity of the plant and what you will add in addition, such as boulders. Initially the plants are small, and the boulders “appear” oversized. The funny thing about boulders is that they do not grow with the landscape. Therefore, if your starter-yard looks more like a rock garden than a landscape, you’re probably doing a decent job. To do an extraordinarily awesome job with no dirt under your nails, you will need to call us. Until next time—happy gardening. 🙂
