Erica Thomas | The Parke Company

Benefits of Rain Gardens and How Parke Can Help

March 7, 2024July 12, 2016 by Erica Thomas

Benefits of Rain Garden If you haven’t already heard, new storm water regulations have been implemented for areas all around Middle Tennessee. These areas include Metro, Belle Meade, Forest Hills, Oak Hill and many other areas in the middle Tennessee area. Though the regulations are extensive, it is a great opportunity to spice up your landscape and irrigation system. These regulations are requirements for some developments, but you can update or install new rain water systems to not only enhance the look of your property but to also promote clean water and a healthy ecosystem.

And while there are many options available for these guidelines, one of the most popular choices is rain gardens. These beautiful little flower gardens can do wonders for the nearby watersheds and creeks. These gardens collect water runoff during storms and then filter it. The goal of these rain gardens is to slow the rain water down during a severe storm and give it time to sink in the ground and filter through.

Benefits of Rain Gardens

Providing clean water system
Alleviating flooding during a storm
Promoting the local ecosystem
Refilling local watersheds and creeks
Having an eye-catching flower bed in your property for your and your family to enjoy

Soil Specifics

Rain gardens are typically 8 to 10 inches deep. The resemble bowls with flat bottoms, and are essentially scooped out flower beds. Sound complicated? Don’t worry! The Parke Company has you covered. Our team of landscape experts can design and construct your rain garden so you don’t have to. Once the bed is filled, a percolation test will be completed to determine the absorption rate of the soil. If the speed of the soil absorption isn’t quite right, our landscape experts can amend the soil for you until it is. Once the soil is right, our team will plant the garden with your choice of native perennials for you to enjoy all season long.

These gardens are easy to maintain and are a great way to keep in regulation of these new rules. Parke’s landscape team can assist in building a rain flower garden on your property that fits your needs and your taste. If you are not interested a rain garden, there are many other types of storm water systems that can help maintain the storm water regulations.

From rain gardens to irrigation systems to removing a tree, our team of tree and landscape professionals can help deliver exactly what you and your landscape needs. Interested in learning more about rain gardens and other water systems for your newly regulated property? Contact our landscape crew today. We also have tree services such as tree removal, crown thinning and health care analysis for any necessary tree work you might need. Contact one of our arborists for more information!

How the Parke Company Can Help After a Storm with Tree Services

March 7, 2024June 29, 2016 by Erica Thomas

Tree Services after Storm It’s only the first week of official summer, but Nashville has been experiencing extreme summer heat and severe weather for many weeks already. Music City has already had its fair share of hail, wind, rain and the damaging aftermath. Summer storms are a normal weather pattern in the Middle Tennessee area, but that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone is prepared.

Fortunately, our team of arborists and our landscape crew can help make sure your property is prepared and clean up the mess any storm might leave behind. We work hard to ensure our clients have the best preventative care taken for their trees and other areas of their landscape. And though we do our best to avoid dangerous, urgent situations like a fallen branch or entire tree, sometimes Mother Nature doesn’t care.

If you need assistance after a storm for your trees or landscape, here are some landscape and tree services that might help take care of the problem.

The Parke Company’s Landscape Services After a Storm

Landscape Damage and Clean-up

Landscape clean-up can be an overwhelming project, especially if the damage is exponential and the landscape is vast. Our team of landscape experts can help clear the damage including fallen branches, leaves and other clean-up measures. Don’t forget that our landscape team can also help you with that summer landscape and/or irrigation system you still haven’t gotten to yet. It might be June, but it’s not too late to get started!

Tree Obstruction Removal

This is where our emergency tree crew comes in. Our certified and professionally trained arborists can efficiently and safely remove trees from roadways, driveways and structures such as your house or car. It could be something as simple as a large branch from a tree that broke off in the middle of the severe storm and now is blocking your driveway, or perhaps an entire tree fell in the roadway. Whatever the case, our arborist team is here to help.

Tree Check-ups

This is a service our arborists highly recommend before and after a storm. Get regular check-ups for your trees to ensure they are sound and steady. If the tree is damaged, diseased or simply needs a few branches trimmed for crown thinning, our team will be able to assist you. If your tree was damaged during a recent storm, having an arborist come out to assess the damage and see if any of your other trees are susceptible to damage during any future storms.

Lightning Damage and Preventative Measures

Did you know that your trees can be struck by lightning and you might not even know it? The signs and symptoms of lightning damage can take days or weeks to appear. Either way, if you notice that your trees have been struck by lightning or they are suddenly losing their leaves and it appears they might be dying, call Parke. Our team can analyze the problem and give you a treatment plan. Our crew can also install lightning protective devices. These devices are great for older and historic trees that are considered some of Tennessee’s landmarks.

Summer storms are unpredictable and erratic. It’s important to stay prepared and have our emergency service phone number handy when damage crops up. Don’t let the damage from a quick summer storm stress you out more than it needs to. Our landscape and tree service team has you covered. Contact our emergency tree or landscape team for more information or to discuss your needs for landscape and tree services.

How Your Landscape Affects Your Pool

March 7, 2024June 16, 2016 by Erica Thomas

Pool We are stating the obvious here but it is hot outside, Nashvillians! If you didn’t spend last week at CMA Fest or at Bonnaroo, you likely spent your free time poolside. And we don’t blame you!

For those of you who have a pool in your own backyard, there’s nothing better than taking a dip after a long, sweltering day. But did you know that your landscape and trees have a large effect on both the enjoyment and safety of your pool?

The Parke Company’s landscape team can break it down for you, but there are many aspects to trees and landscape affecting your time outside sunbathing and wading in the cool water.

Here are a few things to consider and how Parke can help:

The Impact of Landscape on Your Pool

Safety

Safety for your trees, along with safety for your pool and its occupants, is important. That’s why it’s necessary to assess the trees around your pool to ensure they’re strong and sturdy for the summer months. This prevents potential hazards like a tree falling in the pool during a summer storm. Our team of arborists can come out to complete a full tree care workup to determine if any trees are potentially dangerous or likely to fall. If your tree does need treatment, our arborists can work with you to execute the best treatment plan in order to keep you safe and your pool from becoming damaged.

Light

Sunbathing is a large part of the pool experience, right? Just be sure to wear your sunscreen! Landscape and tree services such as crown thinning are great ways to allow sunlight to penetrate the pool if you have trees nearby. Canopy raising is another tree service available through the Parke Company that not only allows light but gives higher head clearance to your backyard, which makes it easier to walk under trees without ducking.

Cleanliness

Do you ever get to your pool and notice leaves have fallen in the water overnight? If your pool is surrounded by trees, our crew can trim your trees to keep them from falling in and around the area. This keeps your backyard looking clean and nice all summer long.

Maintenance

If you have a great pool in your backyard, don’t spend your time outside maintaining your landscape. That’s what we’re here for. A professional landscape service will not only free up your time, but it will also make your property look great for your house guests and family all season. Our team of landscape experts know how to mow lawns without getting clippings in the pool. In addition, we can recommend the best plants, shrubs and flowers to install in the surrounding area. Some plants will react differently to being planted beside a swimming pool, and our landscape crew will guide you to the ones that can thrive there.

Get all your trees and landscape services done with the Parke Company. Not only will your property look great but your pool will benefit from it too. Don’t waste time, call us now to get your name in the books. For more information about tree care and landscape services, contact us today.

Three Reasons Why You Should Work for the Parke Company

March 7, 2024May 25, 2016 by Erica Thomas

There are so many great reasons why working for Parke is a wonderful experience; it’s hard to name just a few. From taking care of beautiful landscapes and tree service to working for them as an arborist climbing trees, the benefits are endless. But whatever you choose to do, if you live in the Nashville area, being a part of our team is one of the best career moves arborists and landscape specialists can make. So if you are an arborist (or even someone looking for a career change and have no experience in trees and landscape), look no further than our team at the Parke Company.

Here are just a few reasons to get you started:

A career, not a job
Our employees do not just have jobs, but they have careers. Our arborists have been climbing trees since they were kids, but now do it as a profession. Whether you are already experienced in the field or have only climbed trees in your childhood, we encourage and want them to succeed. We have had arborists working with us for over ten years. This is just an example of how our employees grow professionally within our business and in the landscape and tree service field as a whole.

Teamwork and loyalty
Teamwork is crucial in this job. Whether you are installing an irrigation system or climbing trees for a maintenance service, the job requires good communication, planning and trust in teammates. These factors not only ensure the job is done safely, but also efficiently and well. In addition, our team of arborists look out for one another. Loyalty to each other not only improves the overall quality in our work, but creates a positive experience for clients and employees alike.

Positive work environment
It’s often understood that a main factor for a good career is a positive work environment. Sometimes, it can be a deciding factor in leaving or staying in a job. Parke knows the importance that happiness plays in its employee retention, and the management team at the Parke Company works diligently to ensure a positive work experience. In addition, our team always encourages feedback. It doesn’t matter if it’s positive or negative feedback, as long as our employees are working with us and communicating with us, our company and the services we offer our clients will constantly improve.

If you are interested in working with our team of arborists, or if you’d like more information about landscape positions, contact us today to apply. Open positions include lawn service as well as irrigation and landscape design. If you are not in the market for a new career change, but you are in the market for landscape or tree services, contact our crew for more information today!

Three Parke Services for Your Playground This Summer

March 7, 2024May 11, 2016 by Erica Thomas

Everyone, stay calm: summer is almost here. That means plenty of time outside enjoying the sun and beautiful Nashville landscape. As children begin their summer breaks, be sure backyards and playgrounds are ready for tons of activities. Obviously, you want your children to be safe, sturdy and protected. So don’t wait until it’s too late! Make your landscape and backyard playground as beautiful and safe as possible.

The Parke Company’s Playground Services

Tree Care Analysis

We don’t know about you, but climbing trees was one of our favorite activities growing up. Is your tree safe enough to climb or swing? Do you have old tree houses built on trees but they haven’t been checked all winter long? Climbing trees can be a lot of fun but if the branches are weak it can be very dangerous, especially with the severe weather Nashville has had lately. Have Parke come out to do a full tree care analysis to determine if the tree is safe to climb or to hold swings and tree houses. No one should climb any trees where the branches or trunk appear to be damaged. When in doubt, contact an arborist at Parke to be sure.

Mulching/Chipping

If you’re a planner, you probably already have your flowers beds mulched and ready to go. But did you know our mulching and chipping services be a part of other areas of your landscape? Parke has chipped wood products available for all kinds of landscape needs such as walking trails and playgrounds. Call our team out to lay fresh chips around your swingset or near your trees where you children play. This not only enhances the overall look of your landscape, but it makes for a much safer environment.

Irrigation

What better feeling than lush, green grass beneath your feet? That’s where irrigation comes in. With healthy grass comes a much more beautiful lawn and enjoyable summer. Whether your irrigation system is near or far from where you and your children might play, it’s a great way to keep your grass and landscape looking healthy all summer long.

If you’re ready for summer, make sure your trees and landscape are ready, too. Always make sure your trees are sturdy and safe. In addition, check that all of your landscape has the necessary mulching, chipping and irrigation it needs before summer comes in full force. For more information about our tree care or landscape services, contact one of our arborists or crew members today!