We support our team members in doing their best work
November 2021. By Kirk Aoyagi: It’s pretty normal for landscaping companies to expect their “crew” members to bring their own tools to the job. This adds a barrier to entry into the profession we see as pointless. Instead, we ensure our teams have all the tools they need. Here’s why.
We want your best work.
When our teams arrive on a job, we want to be sure everyone has what they need to do their best work. That means having the right tool for the job.
It’s more efficient.
When team members have to bring their own tools, they naturally keep track on who is using what and which tool belongs to which team members. It’s so much easier in the garden when you know any tool there is a tool to share.
We need different tools.
Many of our clients have meadows instead of lawns or no lawn at all. Even those with traditional gardens expect their gardens to be installed and maintained in a way that protects the environment. That means we need none of the tools used to apply toxic fertilizers and pesticides, and more rakes, brooms, weed poppers, and pruning sheers.
We use sustainable equipment.
We care about our team members’ health and the that of the environment. Because gas mowers and blowers create enough air pollution to aggravate allergies, asthma and heart disease, we invested in the best electric equipment.
It’s equitable and fair.
We don’t ask our designers to come with their own laptops and desks… why would we ask those who build and grow our designs to come with everything they need? We want every team member to feel equally supported in doing their best work.
This isn’t the end of the story. In addition to providing the tools needed to design, build or maintain a garden, we provide PPE.
IVY ALTERNATIVES THAT SHINE: LESSINGIA (SILVER CARPET) VS. GAZANIA (SUN GOLD)
By Cassy Aoyagi:Looking for a low maintenance way to cover a large swath of ground? Ivy is a popular solution… and a popular habitat for rats and other undesirables. Both Lessingia and Gazania are cleaner, more water wise alternatives to ivy that also have the benefit of blooming. While both are lovely, the California native Silver Carpet outshines even South African Sun Gold. Here’s why.
A dense beautiful ground cover, Silver Carpet (Lessingia) produces beautiful little Aster-like blooms.
Gazania (Sun Gold)
Native to South Africa, a Mediterranean climate with similar cultural hallmarks as California, Sun Gold is a staple ground cover in California and Los Angeles. Common in public areas, water-wise, low-maintenance, and comparably pest-free, Sun Gold provides a strong alternative to ivy in areas not susceptible to erosion. For example, it will spill over walls to soften structures and cover large spaces well. It needs only a simple but generous mow once a year, around February.
Sun Gold does have a few blemishes, including:
Inconsistent Performance. On its own, Sun Gold performs inconsistently and provides a short bloom period. When mixed with other varieties, given extra water, and frequently weeded, a Sun Gold mix will provide a riot of color for a longer period since each species will have slightly different bloom periods and habit.
Slow-Spreading. Sun Gold does not spread quickly or broadly enough to compete with volunteers and weeds. If given the water it really needs, it can easily be overwhelmed by less desirable plants.
Too Thirsty for Inland Use. Gazania will tolerate occasional water in cooler, moister areas along the coast, but it needs ample supplemental water to persist throughout the heat of summer in inland areas. It can become patchy or disappear if not watered enough, leaving the open areas susceptible to weeds and volunteers.
Fussy about Soil. Sun Gold provides no help with erosion control, as its roots are relatively shallow. Also, it is not happy in the clay soil common in many areas of Los Angeles County.
Lessingia (Silver Carpet)
Silver Carpet provides a low water, low maintenance alternative to ivy, Sun Gold and even traditional lawns. Like ivy and Sun Gold, it will spill over walls, beautifully cover large areas, and looks stunning in hanging baskets. Yet, it also:
Protects Slopes. Silver Carpet will protect slopes and provide erosion control in easy access and less sensitive slope areas.
Tolerates All LA Microclimates. Native to extreme climates throughout California, and thriving from Baja to Oregon, Silver Carpet tolerates elevations of nearly 8000 feet. It adapts to both inland and coastal salt conditions. With a small amount of supplemental water inland, Silver Carpet can thrive in full sun.
Spreads Quickly. A little Silver Carpet goes a long way. Each plant has a minimum radius of 8′ so there is no need to over plant. Nor is there a need for patience! Silver Carpet will provide 100 percent coverage in less than a year.
Okay in Clay. It may grow a little more slowly than in other soils, but Lessingia will tolerate pesky, clay soil. Where most plants fail, Silver Carpet will quickly and vibrantly grow.
Blooms Summer-Fall. Silver Carpet looks beautiful year round and dances with happy blooms from summer through fall.
Easy to Maintain. Maintenance is easy too. Once Lessingia fills in, it needs just one “mow-like” cut across the top of the dead blooms in early fall. Take it down to about 2-3″ in September or October, and it will rejuvenate quickly, showing off its shiny silvery foliage for another year.
Ready to rip out your ivy? Be sure to check the variety of Lessingias before you buy. Most native Lessingias are more variable and less reliable than Silver Carpet, and best left out in nature. Silver Carpet, on the other hand, seems made for the garden!
Partner Lessingia with Lilac Verbena, other silvery foliage like Artemisia californica or Zauschnerias to add splashes of complementary color. To see Silver Carpet and its companions in their full glory, visit the California native demonstration garden at La Cañada County Library.
Sustainable Maintenance Protects Your Heart – and Los Angeles
January 2020. By Oscar Ortega: Whether you are caring for an authentic LA-style native garden or a more traditional one, sustainable maintenance practices are good for the heart. Yes, figuratively. It feels great to help save LA! Also literally: Maintaining gardens sustainably supports heart health.
By and large, working in the garden and just being in nature is good for the heart. However, common landscaping practices complicate that. EPA data connects emissions from gas mowers with increased risks for heart attacks and arrhythmia. Use of pesticides at work doubles the risk of heart-health issues, while herbicides are connected to ischemic heart disease. Complicating matters further, homeowners and unlicensed landscapers often unknowingly amplify risks.
We view these risks as entirely unnecessary. Here are 5 ways we protect the hearts of our team members and clients – and make our gardens safer, healthier, more magical place to be:
People-Powered Tools: It’s unusual to see hand-pruners and brooms making their way through LA gardens. We love them! Not only do they keep the air we breathe clean, they lead to better, more beautiful gardens. For example, structural pruning with hand tools will lead to healthier hedges with growth that heads in the right direction. Sweeping can remove dirt and litter unmoved by blowers.
Electric Equipment: Where power is necessary, we’ve opted for electric equipment. We find electric mowers and blowers to be every bit as effective as their gas-powered equivalents, yet they don’t leave us breathing their exhaust. There is a noticeable difference in how we feel at the end of a work day!
Chemical-Free Management: We do not expose our team members to toxic chemical pesticides and insecticides. There is just no good reason to do so. Once a healthy environment is created, patience, beneficial insects, birds and wildlife will often do the work commonly assigned to chemicals.
Muscles & Minds: We also avoid toxic herbicides, as we take the time to distinguish weeds from wildflowers and pull out undesired plants from the root. This builds more than our muscle, it builds our expertise and the respect our clients have for us.
Of course, we know these practices are unusual. It fills our hearts to know that we work for clients who value our health and our contribution to their own.
More Information:
ABC News, CBS News: California Considering a Statewide Ban on Gas-Powered Gardening Equipment
Scientific American: How to Pick a Lawn Mower That’s Easy on Man – And Nature
EPA: National Emissions from Lawn and Garden Equipment
(OEHHA) California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment: Study Finds Long-Term Exposure to Ultrafine Particle Air Pollution Associated with Death from Heart Disease
