Small-space Transformations with a Big Impact
Mariani Landscape offers a selection of earth-friendly adjustments for any home’s landscape
Small changes can sometimes make a big difference. With homeowners continually looking for ways to make their environmental footprint a little lighter, it’s important to recognize that taking ecologically conscious steps doesn’t mean compromising aesthetics. Mariani Landscape offers a few, uncomplicated upgrades that pay dividends to the homeowner and benefit the environment by saving energy and decreasing consumption.
Smart Irrigation
With the vast majority of a home’s water consumption attributed to landscape maintenance, smart irrigation technologies can enhance any residential system. Smarter controls allow the system to automatically make adjustments that maximize water efficiency and reduce water consumption for the average homeowner as much as 50 percent. Several manufacturers offer smart, weather-based controllers that will prevent wasteful overwatering. By entering a few key specifics like zip code, sun exposure by zone and soil type, certain smart controllers can suspend irrigation during periods of rainfall.
“With our smart irrigation system, actual site rainfall and temperature are measured and then combined with a 10 year historical average of solar radiation, humidity, and wind for the specific zip code entered. The controller then automatically makes customized adjustments preventing both under- and over-watering,” says Chris Dimmick of Rain Bird, a consultant of Mariani Landscape. “As a home’s landscape grows, so can our smart controller which easily expands to 13 different zones that can be programmed to include custom data on the plant varieties, slope, root depth and sprinkler type,” adds Dimmick.
LED Landscape Lighting
Landscape lighting is always an important aspect to consider as it adds depth and dynamic to any designed space. With so many options to choose from, Light Emitting Diode (LED) landscape lighting stands out for many reasons. By incorporating LED fixtures into a lighting design, the homeowner can transform the landscape into a soft ambiance of understated elegance in the evening hours. The average lamp life is 10 years, has a considerably lower heat output that is sensitive to the surrounding foliage, and, when disposed, the bulbs are free of hazardous materials. LED lighting is best known for its energy efficiency providing the average residence a savings of up to 80 percent in energy costs.
Dean MacMorris, vice president of Night Light, Inc., a local landscape lighting partner for Mariani, tries to steer clients toward the benefits of LED. Says MacMorris: “When comparing state-of-the-art LED lighting solutions against traditional lighting systems, LED is the obvious winner for the environment and the pocketbook.”
Organic Turf Fertilizers
Many homeowners are looking for more environmentally conscious ways to make their lawns “greener.” Chris Paisley, Service Programs Manager for Mariani Landscape, offers clients both synthetic and organic turf programs for fertility care. “I am happy to walk a client through the benefits of choosing our organic care program, especially because it is entirely 100 percent natural and organic,” says Paisley. Mariani’s five-step organic turf program utilizes Nature Safe™ fertilizers to enrich the soil first, which increases the soil flora, or microorganisms. In turn, these microorganisms channel nutrients to the plant’s root system. “Organic fertilizers follow a simple philosophy that furthers an already naturally occurring cycle,” adds Paisley.
Organic fertility programs are only one aspect of a comprehensive turf program. “It’s equally important to incorporate a responsible lawn care program that deters broadleaf weeds from infiltrating a property’s turf,” Paisley notes. Mariani Landscape stands committed to responsible lawn care by selectively targeting problem areas within a site as opposed to blanketing an entire lawn with an herbicide spray.
