Wildfire Readiness – 5-Step Plan for the Bay Area The essentials of what you can do now – including a list of the most fire-prone plants Though it is wet today, the forecast shows temperatures steadily climbing, into the 90’s through next week. In fact, according to Daniel Swain, weatherwest.com, we may be […]
2 Reasons this Urban Multifamily Community Garden is Thriving People are growing their own food in bigger number than ever before. In urban areas this trend is surging, particularly in multifamily communities. These communities include apartments and condominium associations. It enhances the sense of community and increases property values. An NYU study in 2006 (the […]
Primary Landscape Trends for 2019 We notice some landscape trends return year after year. They remain on the list because their popularity is still soaring. Like edible and community gardens. These two are big – and encouraging. More people are embracing plants – indoors and out. Millennials are spending a lot of money on plants. […]
Rose Pruning is Easier Than You Think! Our tips and tools give you all the basics to make it easy. We tell you when and how. Plus advise you on the best tools to make it safe. And, easy. Straight from the experts. Including a video. The Goal of Rose Pruning We call it the […]
How to know when you should replace your plants How do your plants look? Are they attractive, healthy and vigorous? There are a few factors that deterrmine how they look. Your plant’s maturity. Are they in the beginning or end of their lifecycle? Are they planted in the right place? This will determine how […]
Four Essential Actions for Wildfire Preparation Plus the Secret Ingredient to Effective Preparation Wind and warmer weather underlines the threat of wildfire for the rest of October. This month is usually the worst, but if warming conditions prevail, “wildfire risk could rise again before winter rains arrive in earnest,” says Weatherwest.com. Preparing for wildfire is […]
Water saving trends, tools and tips for your SF Bay Area landscape Irrigation technology is becoming more efficient. Our post lists trends and tips you can use to irrigation more efficiently. Smart Irrigation Controller Trends What you need to know about trends in Smart Irrigation Controllers It’s about accessibility! And, cloud storage. Controlling your system […]
Take advantage of these 2018 SF Bay Area Water District Rebates while they last. Water conservation rebates for 8 SF Bay Area districts. Everything you need to know including how much you will save, prerequisites and other details. Plus links to each district. Commercial and residential water district rebates. Most popular are the “cash for […]
California’s New Permanent Water Regulations Explained We explain California’s new permanent water regulations, in plain language. Why it was passed. Its effect on you. Below there is a link to resources that will help you conserve. And, we squish one ridiculous myth flying around the web! Freshly signed into law by Governor Brown, the bills […]
8 Easy Drought Tolerant Plants for Your SF Bay Area Climate. And, how to care for them. These plants are beautiful and tough. They will save water and add color to your garden. One of these 8 plants will work for your SF Bay Area climate. Whether you live in the hottest inland part of […]
Last weekend, Robert Mercado, Manager at Gardeners’ Guild helped the Girl Scouts of Sonoma Valley pick up Christmas trees from 42 residents. The troop also collected $300 in donations. Christmas trees, (shown below) are loaded in Robert’s trailer headed for recycling. Troop #10240 brought much end-of-holiday cheer to residents glad to have one item crossed […]
I’ve updated our post about drainage from March of this year. We talk again about solutions to landscape drainage problems. There is additional detail added including graphics that describe the drainage problems and solutions. One of the solutions described below is a dry creek bed. It was a project of Gardeners’ Guild at Spring Lake […]
San Francisco 2017 Street Tree Ordinance Simplified What the ordinance is Shifts responsibility of street trees from property owner to the City of San Francisco Sidewalks damaged by trees will also the City’s responsibility (see photo below) Measure E on November 2016 ballot. 80% SF voters approved it. Measure E was the result of pressure […]
The photo above is breathtaking reminder of the toll our rainy season has taken on San Francisco Bay Area residents. El Niño surprised us with a ferocious encore performance. Many of our properties, roads and highways are still recovering. Highway 37 is an extreme example of what happens when drainage fails. Five feet of water […]
Below are five plants you can grow in containers this fall and winter. Arugula Delicious peppery taste! Nutritious and good in salads combined with lettuce, mixed in pasta. Fast growing. Container should be at least 8” deep and 6” in diameter per each arugula plant Light Requirements Likes 6 hours of sunlight […]
Indicators for the Northern California rainy season are uncertain. Although we’ve had heavy rain early in the season, and more is predicted in the next week, none of the long range weather modeling has been conclusive. We can only hope for a wet winter. You can bet that there will be high winds, and […]
Whether you own or manage a commercial property, an association or a residence, healthy trees add value to your property and community They can increase a property’s value by 20%. They break the cold winds to lower your heating costs The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air […]
If you are a Property Manager, you are likely knee-deep in budget season Remember that landscaping can increase the value of a house from 5% to 12.7%. On a $400,000 home 5.5% is $22,000; 12.7% adds $50,800.* Conversely, a degraded or disorganized collection of plants detracts from a home or commercial building’s value. Bob Vila says that […]
Firespinner Iceplant “Delosperma” There are a number of resources for firesafe landscaping. This post summarizes some of the best practices, plus links for more information. Tip 1: Create Defensible Space Defensible space is the clearance created between a structure and the grass, shrubs, trees or any natural area that surrounds it. State of California says […]
The Difference Between Landscapers From mom and pop operations to large national companies, there are a million different types of landscapers. Because education and training is not a prerequisite the degree of knowledge and professionalism varies from company to company. A landscape installation is a major investment and the new landscape’s lifespan depends on how […]
Simple Irrigation Fixes That Can Save $$$$ Consider this first: 80% of plant problems are due to over-watering. (Source Sunset Magazine) Gardeners’ Guild saved a residential community client 53% off their water bill by rigorous monitoring of their system and simple repairs. Fixing Irrigation Leaks and Breaks* Capping irrigation in places that didn’t require watering […]
We have not seen the last of El Niño. Episodes of heavy rain and winds will likely continue over the next few months. If your landscape on a slope, there are some actions you can take now to prevent the damaging effects of erosion. Short Term Actions (Your can do […]
Your trees can suffer a lot of damage and can also do serious damage to your home or vehicle. They can also knock out power. Drought stressed trees are more vulnerable to the high winds and heavy rain of an El Niño winter. Limbs can break off and go flying. The bigger the tree, […]
The California State Water Resources Control Board is submitting a proposal to Sacramento Tuesday, July 15th, designed to impose strict penalties to residents who overuse water. It would require local officials to monitor usage and levy fines up to $500. Chairwoman Felicia Marcus says “we are trying to ring a bell and get people’s attention. […]
We are especially proud of our construction division this year. Gardeners’ Guild received three awards for a construction project in Mill Valley. National, State and Regional landscape trade organizations have recognized our exceptional work! The National Recognition was first place. The property is situated on a steep slope overlooking the Mt Tam. The homeowners wanted […]
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