The Grass Does’t Have to Be Greener

Realtor.com. April 9, 2019. By Jaime Weibe: A lush green lawn full of vibrant plants and flowers can simultaneously be a source of delight and your worst nightmare: the constant mowing. Watering without getting dirty looks from your drought-conscious neighbors. Weeds—so many weeds. And why do things keep dying?

You can keep pouring money into your outdoor space, or give up and go with a scorched-earth approach. But those aren’t your only options.

5 Affordable Ways to Make Your House More Green

PolicyGenius. April 5th, 2019. By Mia Taylor: Being more conscious of our impact on the environment is becoming increasingly important. With Earth Day on April 22, now may be the time to take small steps to become more environmentally friendly.

Mulch for a Healthy Lawn

LawnStarter. March 20, 2019. By Daniel Ray: The verdict is in from gardeners, environmentalists, and scientists: Don’t bag your grass clippings. Let them mulch your yard. Your lawn and the environment will both be happier for it.

In the not-too-distant past, the standard advice was the opposite.

7 Spring Maintenance Tasks

Realtor.com. March 20, 2019. By Jamie Wiebe: Thank the heavens! After a long, blustery winter filled with weather events you could only imagine in a dystopian sci-fi film (we’ll take your polar vortex, and we’ll raise you a “bombogenesis”), spring has finally sprung.

But before you mix up that Moscow mule and get ready to take your perch on the porch, know this: With warmer—and often rainier—weather comes a host of home maintenance problems.

The Gateway at Willowbrook Grand Opening

KTLA. February 6, 2019. By Danielle Pendleton and Gayle Anderson: Gayle Anderson was live with Thomas Safran & Associates for the official grand opening and public unveiling of The Gateway at Willowbrook. The $44 million, 105-unit affordable living development features twenty-two unit reserved for formerly homeless individuals. The property is beautifully landscaped with an outdoor barbeque area and seating.

Walking Sierra Madre

Mountain View News. February 2, 2019. By Deanne Davis: You guys probably know all about bioswales, but until a few days ago, I had never heard of them. Then I saw pictures of our bioswales at work and was enthralled.

Influential Family-Owned Businesses

LA Business Journal, October 29, 2018: FormLA Landscaping has transformed more than 400 residential and 7 community gardens, replacing nearly 200,000 square feet of thirsty sod with native and sustainable landscapes.

Boost Your Bottom Line

USGBC-LA Blog. November 1, 2018. By Cassy Aoyagi: People are people. Whether deciding where we want to live, work, or shop, we prefer verdant, natural elements. Recent research demonstrates, more and more, that these preferences are more than aesthetic. They guide us toward spaces that support our resilience, health, and wellness. These spaces aren’t just gift wrapping. They are necessary. Lucky for us, they can also be profitable.

Raise Kids in the Sun

Fatherly. October 8, 2018. By Joshua Krisch:  You want your kids to play outside. But as summer gives way to autumn, sunny days are giving way to cloud cover, and the sun is setting earlier and earlier. No state gets year-round sunshine, but there are locations across the United States that boast a significant number of sunny days.