Testimonial Tuesday

We were so flattered to receive this glowing recommendation from a recent client of ours!  We wanted to share with you this week as well as some before and after pictures of the most recent project.

"When our family decided that we wanted an extreme change in our yard and patio area, we had no idea where to start. We made several phone calls and obtained a few estimates. Robert Watson, from Preferred Landscape and Lighting, came to our rescue. He came to our home and mapped out our entire lot. He came back with a plan that was above and beyond what we could ever imagine! He explained that the work could be completed in phases, but we opted to go all out due to the fact that the plan was beautiful! The work was completed in a very timely manner and that included a weather delay!

Each phase of the transformation was completed by professionals and Robert checked on progress often. We were able to call, text, or even have Robert come by our house for any concerns we had. Robert came on the day that all plants were to be installed and changed anything that he thought just wasn't right before they were planted into the ground. If any problems were encountered, Robert fixed them right away.

We LOVED our new yard and patio transformation that when we moved we decided to use him again on our new house and property! We are certain that Robert's design helped our home to sell in less than one week on the market! We had the BEST looking yard in our neighborhood, by far! If you are in the market for landscaping, I highly recommend Robert Watson!"  ~ Heather B.

Tree Care

Are your trees looking a little stressed this summer?  The drought conditions that San Antonio continues to have year after year can take a severe toll on your trees.   If you are thinking of calling in a professional for some assistance, please be sure to use a certified arborist.

Certified Arborists are tree care specialists dedicated to excellence in the field of Arboriculture.  They are highly qualified in the care of your valuable trees and shrubs with knowledge of the most up-to-date advances and proven age-old techniques.
They are educated and trained in:
• Diagnosis and treatment of your tree and shrub related problems.
• Proper pruning and management techniques for your valuable trees and shrubs.
• Understanding tree biology.
• Identifying and selecting the appropriate trees and shrubs for your landscape.
• Understanding the delicate soil and water relationships which affect tree and shrub health.
• Nutrition requirements and fertilization techniques to keep your trees and shrubs in peak form.
• Recognizing certain tree hazards and construction damage.

 Preferred Tree Care has a full-time certified arborist who would be happy to help you with any tree care needs.

Hurry - Deadline quickly approaching for $100 coupon!

We wanted to remind everybody about the WaterSaver $100 coupon that is available until July 31st.   Apply for a $100 coupon by July 31 to swap out a swath of your lawn for a drought-hardy, colorful garden bed.

The WaterSaver Landscape Coupon pilot program encourages SAWS residential water customers to transform portions of their traditional lawns by removing grass and creating garden beds made up of hardy, drought-tolerant plants.  SAWS has simplified water-wise landscaping by using a plant-by-numbers approach. Qualified SAWS water customers will receive a $100 coupon toward the purchase of a pre-planned, garden bed package at participating retailers. There are two plant package options: full sun and partial shade. Each package includes 15 drought-tolerant plants, 1 cubic yard of mulch, a garden bed plan and a plant care guide. The coupon covers a portion of the plant package cost.

For more information or the application, see SAWS website at http://www.saws.org/conservation/outdoor/coupon/

Commercial Spotlight: Valero

We have had the honor of working with Valero on their landscaping for several years now.  We have designed and installed many different areas of the Valero main campus.  In addition, we also do the maintenance of the landscaping on their main campus.

Lawn Mowing Tips for San Antonio Lawns

I loved a recent article from the SAWS Water Saver newsletter that offered tips on how often and how high you should mow your lawn.  The following is an excerpt of the newsletter written by Mark A. Peterson and the full article can be viewed at http://www.saws.org/conservation/newsletter/enews/issue.cfm?id=282

Mow High, Mow Often

"Of all the suggestions and recommendations you may hear, there are two key factors that will help make your lawn more drought-tolerant: mowing height and mowing frequency.

Although a variety of mowing heights are recommended for each turf species, our rule is always to mow at the high end of the range. In general, the higher the mowing height, the deeper the roots; and the deeper the root system, the more drought-tolerant the turf becomes.

The best adapted turf grass species for our area include:

•  Bermuda — Unless you're mowing a putting green or sports field, we suggest mowing it at 2 inches.

•  Buffalo and all native grasses — Mowing twice a year is sufficient for native grasses; set the mower at the highest setting.

•  St. Augustine — Maintain the mower level at 3 inches

•   Zoysia — A mowing height of 2 1/2 inches is ideal.

Just as important as how high you mow is how often. Turf responds favorably to frequent mowing. The general rule is to never cut more than 1/3 of the total blade. This roughly translates to a once-a-week mowing schedule."

RAIN!

Don't forget to turn off your sprinklers for the next few days.  The rain we got the last few days should be enough for established grass and landscaping!

Preferred Landscape awarded the San Antonio Business Journal's Fast Track award three years in a row!

Preferred Landscape and Lighting was awarded the Fast Track business award for the third year in a row!  The Fast Track is awarded by San Antonio Business Journal recognizing the fasting growing companies in San Antonio.  Congratulations to our hard working employees for making this possible.

Time for an Irrigation Checkup?

 

Now that the summer is in full swing, have you done an irrigation inspection around your landscape?  It is a good time to walk around your yard and see if all your plants and grass are getting the water they need. If you can, walk around shortly after the irrigation system runs so you can actually see the wet areas.

Why is this necessary?  Unfortunately, it is very easy to knock off a sprinkler head when doing yard work.  Also, as plants grow, they may block others from the water spray. Your system may need a timing adjustment if you see any extra water running from the beds.  You should also look for any heads that may be leaking water after the sprinkler system is complete.

Hopefully your system does not require any fine tuning but if you do need help getting your system back to working order, please give us a call for an irrigation service call.

 

Customer Spotlight

Today we are going to share with you a residential landscape design where the customer wanted to redo her front landscape beds.  As you can see, the design kept her beautiful sago palms but removed the tired hedge and added plants that work better with the house.  This small update made a huge impact on this home's curb appeal.

Christmas in July

The holiday season is just a few months away and it's not too soon to start planning ahead!  Preferred offers a variety of Holiday decor sales, design, installation and consultation services.  We offer architectural lighting for commercial, public and residential spaces using cutting edge technology and energy efficient products.  We offer commercial installation services of different scales.  We are recognized locally and nationally as an industry leader and are currently working with retail centers, corporate offices and municipalities throughout Texas.

Enjoy your long weekend!

We hope you are getting ready to celebrate a long weekend with pool parties, BBQ, fireworks and parades.  Be safe and have fun! 

 

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." ~Elmer Davis

Time to Spruce Up!

Now is a great time to spruce up your landscaping with pots or hanging baskets to get ready for guests over the upcoming long 4th of July weekend.

How about showing your patriotism with a red, white and blue color scheme?  You often see these colors displayed with annuals in pots and hanging baskets but you could even do it in a landscape bed.

    The following are a few plants that could work in each color.

Red - salvia, geranium, verbena, poppies, zinnia, begonias, mums, snapdragons and celosia.
White - geranium, alyssum, shasta daisy, salvia, mums snapdragons, verbena and zinnias.
Blue - ageratum, blue bells, lobelia, verbena and salvia.

We have mainly listed annuals that are sun loving plants but please check the plant labels for specific care of the plants you choose.  Also, consider the size of each plant so you can layer your pot, basket or bed with tall, medium and small plants.  Last but not least, you can help your flowers have the best blooms by routinely deadheading the spent blooms.