A local magazine writer in Sarasota emailed me last week to say she had a quick question: “I’m trying to find which are the five most common types of grass planted for landscaping. Which of these five would be great for houses with a few kids (that would end up…
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When Tropical Storm Debby blew through, one Sarasota couple was relieved that their neighborhood didn’t get flooded. But their beautiful Glaucous cassia -- aka scrambled egg tree -- was not so lucky. Within minutes it seemed to faint to the ground, its long brilliant clusters of flowers fanned out like…
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Q: I’ve seen a strange-looking tree on my drives around town -- thorns seem to be growing out of the trunks. Could you tell me more about this tree? I’m new to Southwest Florida and this looks like something I might like to put in my large backyard if it’s…
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Landscape-maintenance RPQs are too often met with fuzzy contract language written by landscape companies that should know better. If you’re a property manager, CAM or HOA board member, look for vague words like these: - “Custom-blended” fertilizer (details, please?) - “Standard-blend” - “Similar to” - “If deemed necessary” (by whose…
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The female caller was talking so fast that I could barely make out what she was saying. She had never hired a professional landscape design company before, and in her excitement, words tumbled out like marbles from a vase: “… everything has to be blue … not a tree but…
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