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On behalf of the Scapes Family, welcome to our Spring issue
of The Scapes Outsider. Enjoy...
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Water Smart Practices |
Sorry for the long pause in between newsletters this time. We
have been busy dealing with the record breaking water
distribution problems and the effects of it on our industry (you
notice I did not say the "D" word). Thankfully this week the 'Guvner'
and his team have eased up on the watering restrictions for our
industry (see article below for more details) and for gardeners
in general. I did hear, coincidentally that Anheuser - Busch's
water use has increased in proportion with the negative impact
on the green industry. In all seriousness, this has been quite
a time for all of us in the green industry and while we have
suffered from the water restrictions, it has reminded us all of
our responsibility to protect and conserve our precious natural
resources.
Today, as we look toward another spring season, I want to
introduce the term Smart Water and Smart
Water Practices to our clients. No, Smart Water
is not the water that escaped the corps 22 billion gallon
accidental release from Lanier or the water that actually made
it to homes in the city of Atlanta's drip lines (although in
these circumstances it could be considered lucky water).
On the contrary, Smart Water is the water that is
utilized by landscape professionals and prudent gardeners to
insure happy and healthy gardens and outdoor living areas. Smart
Water by definition comes in small amounts, is finely
directed where needed and is not wasted running down the street
or into gutters unnecessarily. It doesn't run when it is raining
or when the sun is bearing down in the middle of the day. Smart
Water is water that has been managed to gain the maximum benefit
with minimal waste.
At Scapes, we join with MALTA in adopting and focusing on
utilizing Smart Water Practices to insure that we are
being good stewards of our resource while continuing to beautify
our environment and promote the green industry. Some components
for our Smart Water Practices include:
- Designing with plants and grasses that are adapted to this
climate zone and positioning them in the proper exposure and
environment.
- Amending soils to allow for proper drainage and water retention
- Designing and retrofitting irrigation systems with low head
emitters, drip zones and modern clocks to prevent unnecessary
waste.
- Looking at ways to capture excess water and rainwater.
- Consulting with our clients to teach them to be aware of
watering requirements of certain plants and grasses and proper
use of irrigation systems.
The great thing is that even with the water distribution
problems, Scapes has been busy all winter designing and building
some incredible outdoor living spaces. With the housing market
in the shape it is in, we are seeing more and more people
investing in their current home and in the outdoor lifestyle
that we all love.
I'll see you soon in my favorite room - Outside.
Take care,
Ken Thomas
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Designed To Sell by Eric King |
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 Beautiful
landscaping does more than just make a home look great, it can
help it sell too! In today's tight housing
market it takes more then a great price to close the deal, it
takes a winning combination of a beautifully staged interior and
exterior. Staging refers to the process of
making a home look its best through furnishing and overall
presentation and a fantastic landscape staged to look its best may
be the first thing that grabs a homebuyer's attention.
Wes Vawter, a realtor with Sotheby's International Realty noted
that many homebuyers use the internet to pre-select homes to visit
and if the house does not have great 'curb appeal' they might skip
to the next home on the list. Vawter offers
homeowners staging advice to help sellers improve their odds but
they do not always take his advice. In one
instance Vawter recommended the homeowner make some minor
improvements to the front yard landscaping but the owner chose not
to. The end result was a home in Brookhaven
that was listed without a front yard photo; the only outside photo
worth showcasing was from the back yard.
If your home is currently being listed or you are preparing to put
it on the market consider these tips to improve your odds for a
sale:
1)
Prune or
remove overgrown shrubbery that conceals windows and doors
2)
Spread pine
straw or wood chips in bare spots
3)
Punch up the
front door area with seasonal color or container plantings
4)
Simplify bed
lines with simple, sweeping curves
The home is the star and landscaping done right should make it
shine. For more information on selling your
home contact
Wes Vawter.
If you have a new home and want to make the landscaping even more
amazing contact
Eric King,
RLA with Scapes. |
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Before & After |
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"Scapes delivered beyond my expectations and have NEVER
failed to stand behind their work and plantings."
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Drought Update |
Governor Perdue
Announces Limited Relaxation of Watering Restrictions
UPDATED 3/11/2008
Governor Perdue, by EDP order, has revised the Level 4 Outdoor
Watering Restrictions.
--Existing and newly established landscapes may be watered on
a limited basis under the new restrictions.
--To water newly installed landscapes under the new rules, the
Outdoor Water Use Registration Program* must be completed.
This will be available March 15 at
www.urbanagcouncil.com
at county Cooperative Extension Service offices and in many
retail garden centers
--Additional local restrictions may apply**
Per
EPD (Georgia) Order:
--Hand watering will be allowed for 25 minutes per day on an
odd-even schedule between midnight and 10:00 a.m. Hand
watering is defined as one person with one garden hose with a
spray nozzle that shuts off when it is released.
--Odd numbered addresses can water on Tuesday, Thursday and
Sunday. Even numbered addresses can water Monday, Wednesday
and Saturday.
--If the water user participates in the Outdoor Water Use
Registration Program*, the individual can water newly
installed landscapes, up to three days a week from midnight to
10:00 a.m. for a period of 10 weeks based on the odd-even
schedule.
---Commercial Exemptions are still in place, under state law.
** Please contact your local water provider
(county/city/municipality) to determine local restrictions, as
they may differ from State restrictions.
You may also visit the
MALTA (Metro Atlanta Landscape & Turf Association) up to date
information for your area.
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Scapes Neighborhood
Makeover Show |
Scapes is offering to share our design
expertise with your H.O.A, garden club or other community
organization to lead an interactive design charrette that will
improve the curb appeal on the homes in your area. In advance,
your organization will pick 3 homes for the makeover taking
digital pictures of each home. Then during the presentation our
design professional will show how to redesign the landscape to
make each home look it's best! Availability is limited so
contact Scapes today to qualify for the Scapes Neighborhood
Makeover Show. Contact us
for more info.
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Be Amazed |
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Ask the Expert
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Q:
What are some of the elements that
make up a great space?
A:
A great outdoor room has many of the same elements as an indoor
room: beautiful floor in stone or wood, comfortable seating and
furniture, walls and a ceiling. These elements combine to make the
space feel natural and balanced. When designing a great space we
consider the homeowner's needs and site conditions to create a
space that flows seamlessly from the inside out.
Have a question for The Expert?
Click here
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Enter to
win a set of Adirondack chairs. Sponsored by Scapes and Atlanta
Homes & Lifestyles. |
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News & Events |
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"Room For Imagination" Designed by Jim Lesti & Tyler York of
Scapes
Not only did the architects of Scapes design this award winning
garden, we were also a featured presenter at the 2008
Southeastern Flower Show.
Eric King,
RLA gave a presentation entitled The Purpose Driven Landscape
to a lively crowd of avid horticulturists and garden
enthusiasts. Our garden won the following awards:
William L. Pike Trophy
- The garden that captures the essence of a southeastern backyard
landscape; integrating a harmonious blend of living and garden
spaces and utilizing good horticultural and design principles.
Gardens For Peace Trophy
- The garden that best represents the design principles of
harmony, balance and unity.
SFS Trophy of Merit Trophy
- A garden of special merit. |
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DIFFA Fundraiser:
 Eric
King and Scapes supported a good cause by working with
well-known Interior Designer
Tish Mills
and Ernest Gaspard and Associates showroom to create at display
at the 2007 Fundraiser for
DIFFA.
DIFFA, the Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids, hosts the
annual fundraiser called Dining by Design which is " A feast for
the eyes, body and heart, featuring the 50 most outrageous table
environments ever created. Scapes provided the cut stone for the
floor with real grass between the cracks. It was a big hit.
High Arts Day:
Scapes was a sponsor of the High Museum of Art fundraiser in
October called High Arts Day. High Arts Day is an annual event
focused on women and coordinated by Art Partners to raise money
for the High Museum of Art. This year the event started off
with a coffee reception and private shopping at Bloomingdales
followed by a tour of two beautiful Atlanta homes. The
festivities continued at the High with a catered luncheon, a
fashion show by Bloomingdale and an exciting silent auction.
The day ended with tour of the Museum's breath-taking
exhibitions, the Louvre and the Ancient World and
Inspiring Impressionism.
Classroom
Garden at First Montessori School of Atlanta:
Eric King and Scapes partnered with
First Montessori
School of Atlanta to design and install a classroom
garden. The project started with a fieldtrip to the Scapes
Production facility where the children learned more about the
business of landscaping and got to choose materials for their
future garden. Then, with materials donated by Scapes, Eric King
worked with parents, teachers and children to create the new
garden. The end result: A muddy space outside the classroom was
transformed into an outdoor classroom complete with paths, a
table, dry creek bed, flowering plants and vegetable garden.
Jars of Clay Outreach
Scapes provided materials for a full day's work of landscaping
for the
Jars of Clay
Outreach Program which provides emergency shelter and
day care for children in the Mechanicsville community.
Upcoming Events
Evening at Emory - Personal Enrichment and Lifestyle
Prepare yourself for a real makeover! Here is an opportunity
with recognized expert Eric King to dive into a landscape
makeover project to create an appealing look that will
undoubtedly bring buyers to your door. In this
mini-workshop, learn about the rich dynamic of colors and
how to employ color themes to create a charming ambiance.
Discover various gardening styles that will add vibrancy to
your finished landscape. This is an experience that will
inevitably leave you with valuable keys and direction in
designing to sell or even to spice up a new house. To begin,
take pictures approaching, in front of, and driving away
from the house. For each part, take a set of 3 pictures from
different angles. Focus on taking the sets as if you are a
prospective buyer. Bring these to class on a CD (JPEG
format, 2 megs minimum each) and a hardcopy of the pictures
-- and get ready to transform your yard!
Instructor:
Eric King,
RLA and Melanie Serra, IRIS member, Certified Industry
Staging Specialist; President of The Home Stager's Guild,
HSG.
Register now
NEW! The Purpose Driven Landscape
5 Mondays:
6:00 - 9:00
AND
1 Saturday:
9:00 - 12:00 $425
Instructor:
Eric King
Every element of great garden design should serve a purpose
by resolving a specific issue or question. Learn how to
design beautiful and functional landscapes with Eric King,
RLA for Scapes. The class will cover how to analyze existing
site conditions, how to design a new landscape that fits the
site and how to put it all down on paper.
More
info.
Your opinion counts!
Send us an email
and let us know how we can improve.
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