Water Conservation 2014: Smart Solutions For Your Landscape… and Our Community!
Hi, my name is Andrew Markham and I am the founder and owner of Banyan Tree Landscape Construction here in Ashland Oregon. When I founded Bayan Tree 8 years ago I did so with the intention of delivering the highest quality service with the best and most practical solutions to our customers. A company who would do the job right the first time and who would create great work that could last the test of time.
Now years later our jobs still receive similar acclaim from the time they were first created. This has been great for the individuals who we have had the honor to work for but I’ve also realized that a huge part of our community still hasn’t had a chance to get to know Bayan Tree. Thus I thought that it was about time that we began to share that with you.
To begin with I would like to address a growing concern to our community and that is the looming water crisis. Mt. Ashland didn’t even open this year and being a landscape contractor, my first thoughts went to the Talent Irrigation Ditch (TID) come August, then tiered pricing for our water bills, then… then what can we do? In our environmentally-minded community, conservation is popular, but what will our lawns think when our conservation gets directed towards their consumptive water diet? Surely there are proactive steps we can take as a community to protect our precious—and this year clearly limited resource—of the water.
Where to start? How about the most basic place: mulch, mulch, and more mulch. The time has come to apply a nice, thick layer of 2 to 3 inches of bark mulch in your planter beds. Your plants will love you, the waters will thank you, the weeds will bow to your efforts and the neighbors will notice your hard work and (hopefully) follow suit.
Another place to be proactive: that sprinkler that has been watering the driveway the last 2 years, and the drip line that sprays like a “Ole Faithful” every morning. Yes, those too! Let’s tighten up our irrigation system and get the water precisely where it needs to go. And please don’t be the guy whose sprinkler is running on those rainy days in June!
What about the lawn? Yes, our water-consuming lawns may be next. I know you have thought about it and this may be the year to finally turn that lawn into the rock garden and flagstone patio you have dreamed of. Let’s do it on behalf of water conservation—after all, that’s how we are in Ashland, the town where McDonald’s had to close down. Don’t worry, though, there are some fun alternative lawn seed mixtures today that provide a unique look and texture to replace that water- and chemical-guzzler of a putting green you have now!
Okay, enough play. The truth is, the climate is changing, the population is growing, and water is essential to our existence. We must protect, conserve, and cherish it in all aspects of our life. Banyan Tree Landscape Construction, LLC is devoted to caring for our planet and the waters the flow upon it.
Call Us:
Call us for a free estimate and consultation. We’ll help with anything, from installing a Water Smart irrigation controller that adjusts to the daily climate to removing your lawn and replacing it with your dream garden. And we have two of the valley’s finest stone mason to create something truly spectacular in your backyard. As for irrigation, whether you need only basic springtime repairs or a complete overhaul and modernization, we can insure your water gets to its intended target. We are especially proud to be hydro-seeding a drought tolerant “Fleur de Lawn” for our clients. It requires less mowing, less water, and provides various blooms and fragrant aromas throughout the season.
