Upload
webdept
View
217
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/8/2019 FGC Res Newsletter Fall/Winter 2010
1/6
BRING SUSTAINABILITY TOYOUR LANDSCAPE AND GARDEN
In this issue:
news from the gardeni d e a s f o r G r o w i n g y o u r g a r d e n Fall/Winter 2010
w w w . F o c k e l e G a r d e n C o m p a n y . c o m
continued on page 5continued on page 5
hether its recycling household products, using less water when washing clothes,
or installing energy efficient light bulbs, almost everyone already incorporates some
sustainability measures into his or her everyday life.
So why not take the next step and integrate sustain-ability in your landscape/garden?
A sustainable landscape contributes positively to the
surrounding natural environment, causes no harm to
the site, and requires minimal resource inputs. It has the
capacity to endure, remaining diverse and productive
over time.
We can help make your landscape sustainable,
or more sustainable than it already is. Devel-
oping sustainability is not an all or nothing
proposition. It is a process often implemented
through a series of short term goals. The first
step is to know your site and to learn howall of its elements interact how stormwater
moves across your property, where the sun,
shade and wind are, the quality and charac-
teristics of the soil, the neighborhood and
the surrounding architecture, and the intent
of your landscape.
W
The many
benefits of
Green Roofs
have people
going up on
their roof
tops when adding gardens. A Green
Roof installed on a home or busi-
ness can provide many benefits thatpeople are already looking for such as
lower energy costs, stormwater runoff
control, sound insulation, and rainwa-
ter collection. Many of these benefits
have become more of a priority
for customers.
The Fockele Garden Company co-
owners Julie Evans and Mark Fockele
are certified as Green Roof Profession-
als by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
(GRHC) and can answer inquiries you
might have about this growing trend.
Not every landscape design company
can design, build and maintain roof
gardens. It is an extremely technical
process. As Green Roof Profession-
als, Mark and Julie are certified to
coordinate the different professionals
required by green roof projects such
as engineering, roofing contractors,
designers and horticultural experts.
Green roof infrastructure involves the
use of technologies that incorporate
unique drainage and filtering systems,
waterproofing, special soil and prop-
erly selected plants. The benefits of
green roofs include a reduction in
storm water runoff, better heat and
sound insulation, energy savings, im-
proved air quality and reduction in the
Permeable walkways permit infiltration and mitigate run-off.
Replacing turf areas with plantings.Replacing turf areas with plantings.
BEFORE
A
Going Green onYour Roof Has
Its Advantages
THE FOCKELE GARDEN COMPANY CELEBRATES 20TH YEAR, p.2
HUNTSVILLE BEAUTIFICATION AND PLANET AWARDS, P.3 | RAINWATER COLLECTION
CERTIFICATION, P.4 | SMARTVILLE GARDEN SELECTED FOR SITES INITIATIVE, P.6
8/8/2019 FGC Res Newsletter Fall/Winter 2010
2/6
For 20 years, The Fockele Garden
Company has designed, built and
maintained gardens at first just locally
and now throughout the southeast.
It all began in 1990 with Mark Fockele
and two employees working out of an
office on Green St. and a shed at the old
Chambers Lumber Company property.
Over the past two decades, the company
has grown to 42 employees with clients
in Georgia, South Carolina, North Caro-lina, Alabama and Florida under Mark
and co-owner Julie Evans.
The Fockele Garden Company was
created out of Marks frustration with his
career as an attorney and his enjoyment
of gardening. He felt he needed to find
work he could take more pleasure in.
Having always enjoyed working outside
on projects and in the garden, he moved
in that direction.
When I worked as an attorney, I spent
every spare minute outside working in thegarden, Mark explains. On Saturdays,
I would stand in the driveway waiting for
the first light.
Mark learned about the landscape business
through seminars and studying at home
and used word of mouth to promote his
new business. His first customer was Jane
Eve Wilheit for whom he built a brick
walkway and added some plantings.
Focusing exclusively at first on
residential design and instal-
lation, The Fockele GardenCompany began to grow. It
expanded into commercial
design and installation with its
first significant commercial
project for City Plumbing in
Gainesville in 1995.
In 2000, Julie joined the company
as a designer. Julie and Mark
met while working on different
aspects of
a project
in Atlanta.
Both are
University
of the
South
graduates
but were not classmates. When they met,
Julie owned the landscape company
Ecocentric that worked on ecological
restoration projects.
We were each overextended running
our small landscape companies, Mark
said. We felt each would be able to
produce more by working together. We
could divide up aspects of the business
and be more productive.
Julie brought a strong background in
horticulture to The Fockele Garden
Company. She spent nine years at the
Atlanta History Center working with all
aspects of public gardening and
developed specialties in native plants
and historic plants from different eras in
Georgia. She had also worked
for a wholesale perennial
grower and it was through
these experiences that she
developed the idea of
working in the field of
ecological restoration in
residential settings. So she started her
landscape company.
I was always interested in ecological
restoration and in plants, Julie said.
After working at the history centerand in a nursery, I wanted to become
involved in landscaping through
ecological restoration.
Julie became vice president and
co-owner with Mark in 2005.
That same year, Todd Brown was
brought in as general manager as
the company continued to grow,
reaching 18 employees.
Todd, who has been in the landscaping
business since 1985, led the way as The
Fockele Garden Company began puttingan emphasis on its maintenance busi-
ness. The company has grown from one
and one-half maintenance crews to eight
as the volume of maintenance work has
increased 600-700 percent over the last
five years.
In 2006, The Fockele Garden Company
began work with Lanier Village Estates,
its first large scale commercial client,
providing installation and maintenance
work for the 87-acre ACTS Retirement
Community. They also maintain anotherACTS community, Magnolia Trace in
Huntsville, Alabama.
2
Co-owners Mark Fockele and Julie Evans
study plans at a project site.
Left: Mark Fockele founded the
company in 1990. Above: Mark
Fockele and crew work on the
Annes Garden fountain in 2009.
The Fockele Garden
Company Celebrates
20 y e a r s
continued on page 4
8/8/2019 FGC Res Newsletter Fall/Winter 2010
3/6
The Fockele Garden Company installed
a new garden at Magnolia Trace, an
ACTS community in Huntsville, Alabama
in 2009.
That work was recently honored with a
2010 Huntsville Beautification Award.The competition was sponsored by the
Beautification Board of Huntsville and
was open to all commercial and public
properties in the city.
Magnolia Trace Director Donna Olson
has been impressed with the service pro-
vided by The Fockele Garden Company.
On the installation:
I love the design, installation and quality
of the plants and other material, Olson
says. I especially liked the fact that the
designer Mark Fockele was on site as the
installation work was being completed to
ensure that the finished product accurately
represented his design vision.
On the maintenance:
I was very surprised at how fast the crew
was able to improve the condition of the
turf, Olson says. I love the fact that you
have an onsite crew and do not just show
up once a week for service. Your re-
sponse time to questions, proposals and
problems has been terrific. The crew is
very personable, clean cut and presents
an excellent image for the company.
Overall impression:
I am very, very happy with all that you
have done for me since we started here
one year ago, Olson says. You have
provided the best service of any of the
landscape management companies I have
ever worked with.
The Professional Landcare Networks Environmental Improve-
ment Awards Program honored two residential projects designed
and built by The Fockele Garden Company.
The Fockele Garden Company received a Merit Award in the
Environmental category for its work at the Fusaro-Everitt Home
in Atlanta. The home was the victim of stormwater runoff from
a neighbors property that destroyed an established garden. The
company designed a system that slows the runoff, temporarily
stores large volumes
of water on site, promotes infiltration of water into the subsoil,
and captures some of the water in a cistern that can be used for
irrigation and for operating a re-circulating stream.
The Hillside Garden at the Moss home on Lake Lanier in Gaines-
ville earned a Merit Award for Design/Build. The garden is filled
with year-round color, and a naturalistic planting style that fits
into the surrounding woodlands. A series of patios provided
gathering areas in the garden and are connected by
paths and stone steps.
PLANETs Environmental Improvement Awards Program
is designed to honor independent landscape, lawn care
and interior plantscaping professionals who execute
superior projects.
Huntsville Beautification Committee
Honors Magnolia Trace
The Fockele Garden Company Earns Two Residential PLANET Awards
The Magnolia Trace entrance was one of the area
enhanced by The Fockele Garden Company.
Top: Fusaro-Everitt Home project won a Merit Award in Environmental
category. Right: The Hillside Garden at the Moss Home earned a Merit
Award for Design/Build.
s ores arge vo umes p
is
s
8/8/2019 FGC Res Newsletter Fall/Winter 2010
4/64
The Fockele Garden Company has long been committed to rainwater
collection. Whether it is a 10,000-gallon cistern or 55-gallon rain barrel,
many of our projects include rainwater collection systems.
Rainwater systems collect rainwater for irrigation use in lieu of municipal
water. Demand for such systems is becoming stronger due to the fact that
municipal water use is becoming more restricted and more expensive.
Traditional practices, such as throwing away rainwater in drain pipes,
culverts, and stormwater systems and gullies is not only inefficient, but
increasingly expensive both economically and socially, Mark Fockele,
President of The Fockele Garden Company, says. Collecting and using
rainwater provides all sorts of advantages: you can use rainwater any
time, without regard to restrictions; once the system is in place, you do
not have to pay for the water you use; and collecting the rainwater re-
duces storm surges in the municipal stormwater system, reducing erosion
and pollution.
Mark is a Rainwater Collection Professional accredited by the American
Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA), a non-profit orga-nization that promotes rainwater catch-
ment systems in the United States. He
has given lectures on the subject for
groups such as the Georgia Perennial
Plant Association, the Alabama chapter
of the American Institute of Architecture,
and individual architectural firms.
Consider collecting rainwater on your property to benefit your garden.
Also that year, The Fockele Garden Company
started working with UHS-Pruitt Corporation, build
ing a garden and water feature for the corporate
office of the healthcare provider. The relationship
with UHS-Pruitt has grown, building gardens at its
skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in North
Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
Building gardens for healthcare campuses has
become a specialty of The Fockele Garden
Company. The company installed a garden at
Northeast Georgia Medical Centers Womensand Childrens Pavilion and Annes Garden at the
new North Tower. It will begin work soon on an
entry garden at the North Tower.
The Fockele Garden Company has grown from
three employees in 1980 to 42 today by develop-
ing a quality that is unique to small landscape
companies. The Fockele Garden Company offers
the complete set of services. Most have to hire
subcontractors for some elements of a project. Th
company designs, builds and maintains commerci
and residential gardens. It provides services such a
irrigation systems, cisterns, custom water features,
and stone work. And The Fockele Garden
Company does it all internally.
With a staff of 42 it is unusual for a company our
size to do so many different landscape functions
in-house, Mark said. We control the work from
beginning to end. This allows us to guarantee the
quality of the project as a whole as well as the
individual components. This gives the customer on
company responsible for everything.
Rainwater Collection Systems Are
Beneficial to You and the Environment
Cisterns come in various sizes and can
be placed below or above ground.
Rainwater collected in them can beused to irrigate your landscape in lieu
of municipal water. Left: Three large
cisterns are placed in the ground to
catch rainwater. Bottom: These above
ground cisterns fit neatly next to the
house and out of sight.
The Fockele Garden Company
celebrates 20 years
continued from page 2
General Manager Todd Brown assists
crew members in placing the Elpida statue in Annes Garden
at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
8/8/2019 FGC Res Newsletter Fall/Winter 2010
5/6
Harvestingrainwaterforre-useHarvestingrainwaterforre-use
urban heat island effect. Other possible
benefits include increased green space,
improved aesthetics, community garden-
ing and habitat restoration.
From garden design to rainwater collec-
tion to drought-tolerant plants and garden
maintenance, Green Roofs require many
areas of expertise.
This is a natural blending of philosoph
and services we already offer for reside
tial and commercial customers, Julie s
Bring Sustainability to Your
Landscape and Garden continued from page 1
Going Green on Your Roof Has Its Advantages continued from page 1
Take an online tour of our work @
fockelegardencompany.com/portfolio.html
If your goal is to make your landscape more sustainable, here
are six areas to consider:
1) Make your water use efficient. Divert stormwater runoff so it
better infiltrates the soil. Store rainwater and use it during dry
spells. Install, or renovate your irrigation system with low flow
drip, using a layout that takes into account each plants water
requirements; use controllers and sensors to time the waterapplication. Mulch your plants. This keeps soil moisture more
constant and soil temperature cooler, which in turn reduces
watering requirements.
2) Maintain or increase the diversity in your landscape. Variety
in plants, birds, reptiles, small animals, insects and microorgan-
isms ensures that there will be natural predators and parasites
for the plant pests. Incorporate plants that are different from
others in the neighborhood; since most plant pests target a
certain species or family of plants, if everyone in the neighbor-
hood plants the same rose, everyone supports a large and
healthy population of the pest that loves that particular rose.
Plant a variety of sequentially flowering species to providenatural enemies of the target pests with nectar, pollen, and
shelter throughout the growing season. Tolerate some insects,
like low populations of plant-feeding insects and mites; this
ensures that there will be some food available to support the
beneficial predators and parasites.
3) Reduce or eliminate the use of chemicals in your landscape.
Even the most chemical reliant landscape can be altered over
time to be more sustainable. Use organic fertilizer for shrubs,
trees and groundcovers. Build soil health to reduce fertilizer
use. Reduce herbicide use by hand-pulling the most visible
weeds and keeping beds mulched.
4) Make your lawn area smaller. This decreases reliance onchemicals, water, and machines that are both high-main-
tenance and noisy. Use a mulching mower, allowing the
clippings to decompose and build nutritious soil that, in turn,
feeds the grass.
5) Establish shade to cool structures and soil in the summertime,
or to provide a canopy of vegetation to catch rainfall and
distribute it to layers of plants below.
6) Use green materials those that have longevity, and can be
used again, or that minimize a negative impact on the envi-
ronment. Conscientiously use non-renewable resources, and
try to find substitutes that are renewable whenever possible.
Employ permeable walkways and patios since they reduce
stormwater run-off.
At The Fockele Garden Company, our goal is to take steps
toward sustainability in our landscape designs, installations, and
maintenance programs.
We use our horticultural expertise to look at a landscape and
identify ways to apply, and expand, the sustainability check list
outlined above. In our day-to-day business practices we have a
commitment to reduce negative environmental impact, and to
improve our efficiency.
For example, we have developed a program to recycle green
waste, metal, plastic and paper. We re-use our plastic plant con-
tainers large containers become debris and trash buckets, and
we sell or give away the smaller plant containers to be used again.
We buy as many materials in bulk as possible in order to reduce
both packaging waste and product miles. We place an empha-sis on buying from local growers and using native and adapted
plants in our designs. In addition, we use organic fertilizer on
trees, shrubs, groundcovers, annuals and perennials.
Each of these may be small steps, but taken together can add up
to improved ecological conditions as well as a sense of accom-
plishment in developing a mutually beneficial relationship with
our environment.
8/8/2019 FGC Res Newsletter Fall/Winter 2010
6/6
P.O. Box 671 | Gainesville, GA 30503 | p: 770.532.7117 | f: 770.532.7245 | www.FockeleGardenCompany.com
Owners : Mark Fockele and Julie Evans
Year Founded: 1990 | Employees : 42
Business Breakdown: 60% design/build, 40% maintenance
Customer Breakdown : Mix of residential and commercial
Project Designed By The Fockele Garden Company
Owner Will Test Sustainable Landscape Rating System
The Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES)
recently announced the selection of the
Enota Multiple Intelligences Academys
Smartville Garden as one of the first land-
scapes to participate in a new program
testing the nations first rating system for
green landscape design, constructionand maintenance.
The Fockele Garden Company co-owner
Mark Fockele used his expertise in de-
signing water-smart gardens and rainwa-
ter harvesting systems to design and help
install the garden and rainwater harvest-
ing system at Smartville Garden.
The project, which is still under construc-
tion, uses sustainable landscape practices
that The Fockele Garden Company has
been using for a number of years.
Smartville Garden is an outdoor class-room that gives students a hands-on
learning experience about water conser-
vation and about representatives of the
plant kingdom. Smartville Garden joins
more than 150 other projects from 34
states as well as those from Canada, Ice-
land and Spain as part of an international
pilot project program to evaluate the
new SITES rating system for sustainable
landscapes, with and without buildings.
Sustainable landscapes filter and cleanwater, reduce pollution and restore habi-
tats, while providing significant economic
and social benefits to individuals, as well
as the general public.
The design and building
of Smartville Garden
was a collaborative
effort of Enota students,
teachers, parents and
community volunteers.
It contains two under-
ground cisterns that
can collect 3,400
gallons of water and
two above ground
cisterns that can store
2,200 gallons. In
addition, a 550-gallon water tower has
been installed. A pump feeds spigots
that allow hand watering the garden. The
plantings include: dwarf conifers, grasses,
perennials, flowering trees, and bulbs.
Enota Multiple Intelligence Academy use
Smartville Gardens as an outdoor classroomIt was chosen as one of the first landscapes
to participate in a new program testing
the nations first rating system for green
landscape design, construction
and maintenanceand maintenance
BOX671GAINESVILLE,GA30503