It’s Snowing! Avoid Dangerous Situations with Help from Parke

We’re in the thick of it, folks. Severe and cold weather has hit the Middle Tennessee area in full force. But did you know your trees need some extra love during this time of year too? So while you’re inside cuddled up with a blanket and a cup of tea, be sure your trees and property have been properly cared for during this cold and bitter season. We don’t want another disaster like the tree falling on prospective students. So how can you avoid this? Check with the Parke Company on a few tree and snow removal options available to keep you and your property safe.

Snow Cleanup
This is service is one of Parke’s newest and greatest resources! When snow hits, the landscape team will come to your home or commercial property and take care of your walkways and driveways so they’ll be safe to use. Snow cleanup services include snow removal, deicing and salting high-traffic areas.

Emergency Services

We can’t control the weather nor can we control if a tree falls and blocks driveways or roadways, so that’s why Parke’s emergency services come in handy. The team is always expecting the unexpected and can react in serious situations quickly and efficiently. If you have an emergency situation, such as a fallen tree on your property that is causing damage or a blocking roadway, call the emergency team for immediate assistance.

Tree Care Services

Most of Parke’s services for both tree care and landscape are all done preemptively to avoid any possible damage long-term. These services include tree removal, tree health care checkups or even crown thinning and deadwood removal. These tree services are important to avoid any hazardous situations during severe weather, but they also increase the lifetime of your tree. A win-win for all involved!

The snow is a beautiful part of the winter but it can be treacherous if we do not take the proper precautions when it arrives. Before any more snow falls, be sure your trees are in tip-top shape. When snow blankets over Nashville and the Middle Tennessee area, be sure you’re prepared. Book your snow removal services with the Parke team so when the winter weather hits, you won’t be stuck deicing and salting your driveway yourself! And if the worst-case scenario happens and you have an emergency situation, Parke’s crew of experienced workers will take care of it! These tree care experts will assist in a variety of emergency tree situations both efficiently and safely. For more information about routine snow removal or tree care services, contact the Parke Company today.

Punxsutawney Phil Predicts an Early Spring: Get Your Landscape Services Booked Now!

Groundhog outside in spring

Often thought of as a silly tradition by many, Groundhog’s Day is a fun-filled ceremony that gives people hope for a short winter and much warmer months to come. Luckily, this year, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, which means spring is rapidly approaching. And yes, it still is only the beginning of February, but we can’t help but get excited for the spring months. So what does that mean for your landscape?

It’s important to be prepared, and this is especially true in light of Phil’s predictions. We need to be prepping for spring, and it’s never too early to start.

There are many things Parke’s landscape team can assist you with in order to prepare for the spring weather. This will ensure you have a beautiful property throughout the spring and summer.

Spring Landscaping Services

Landscape cleanup

Have a messy flower garden full of leaves and branches? How is your yard? Are there patches of yellow or dead grass around your property? If so, landscape cleanup is a must. This is especially important after all those cold months when your trees and flowers hibernate. The team will clean up your landscape, which includes weeding, leaf pick-up, and other clean-up issues that might arise. They can also discuss your options for irrigation systems if your lawn needs it for the summer.

Mulching and chipping

You remember all those leaves you picked up during the fall? Now you can use them for mulching! To help those beautiful plants grow and improve the overall look of your landscape, mulching is a key factor. Parke also provides chipping services in addition to mulching. Your chipping materials often come from old trees so that your landscape contains nothing but the best recyclable materials.

Landscape build/design

If you just purchased a home or commercial space, or you just need a change, the landscape team at Parke can assist you in designing and building a beautiful new landscape. This time of year is a great opportunity to start mapping out those plans for a brand new landscape full of plants and trees, making your house look like a home. The sky’s the limit and Parke’s expertise will aid you in the right direction that both suits your taste and your budget.

We know it might sound a little early to be thinking about spring, but it’s important to be prepared. Nashville weather is fickle and Nashvillians could be thrown into the spring season at any moment. Be sure your landscape and trees are ready to blossom. And just like it could easily be warm tomorrow, late freezes are a real threat in Middle Tennessee. Talk with a Parke representative to discuss the best protocol for protecting your plants from those late freezes. Interested in learning more about Parke’s landscape services (like irrigation, landscape design or mulching)? Contact a team member today and get your name in the books. It’s never too early to think about spring!

Parke Sponsors Cheekwood Exhibit with Steve Tobin: Southern Roots

Drawn tree in Cheekwood

Cheekwood is one of Nashville’s many landmarks filled with nature, art, food, music and southern hospitality. And though Nashville is often mentioned for its delicious food from places like the Pharmacy, Hattie B’s or Noshville, nature is often a great asset to the area. And it’s no wonder that the Parke Company is sponsoring another one of Cheekwood’s long-awaited events. Like last year, the exhibit will be located in Cheekwood’s garden and indoor galleries. But unlike last year, the exhibit will be featuring the work of Steve Tobin. Inspired by the natural form of trees, Tobin’s work will be celebrated in conjunction with National Arbor Day and Nashville Arbor Day. And given the subject matter, it was a no-brainer for the arborists at Parke to sign up.

“Continuing Cheekwood’s mission to showcase world-class art in the gardens, Steve Tobin: Southern Roots will give visitors the opportunity to experience the relationship between art and nature through a new lens,” according to Cheekwod. The large exhibit will also will include one of Tobin’s sculptures in downtown Nashville’s Riverview Gardens at Riverfront Park.

The outdoor exhibition begins on February 20th and will run through September 4th. Outdoor sculptures will cover several different areas of the West Gardens. There will also be an indoor exhibit of Tobin’s work featuring a series never before seen in a gallery. Using wood from fallen trees in Costa Rica, this is a great exhibit for any arborist or tree lover around Nashville. The indoor exhibit will only be showcased until May 24th.

To kick off the exhibit the artist himself will host a lecture at Cheekwood to discuss his exhibit and nature as his artistic influence. The lecture begins at 2:00 p.m. and is free for members or with admission.

The Parke Company always finds ways to stay involved in the Nashville community, and this is just one great way they do. You might remember last year’s exhibit by Charles Brindley the Parke worked with. Come on out and see what Parke’s arborists have been a part of lately. Enjoy the landscape and vast botanical gardens of this Nashville treasure.

Like what you see and want to incorporate it into your own landscape? The Parke Company’s arborists can help you with tree care, landscape and any flowerbed gardens that you might need. They also offer landscape design and building services if the new exhibit inspires you to redesign. Call them today!

Be Prepared: Tips for Emergency Preparedness with the Parke Company

Trees with flooding around them

Severe weather plagues many states all around America, especially here in Tennessee. All types of severe weather can be an issue, but storms are most common this time of year. Tornadoes, thunderstorms and flash floods are all elements that can cause detrimental damage. That’s why it’s important to be informed and properly prepared for any possible severe storm that might enter the Middle Tennessee area. Bad weather patterns can change and arrive unexpectedly.

Of course, there are many great tips to consider and implement in your daily life when it comes to severe storms. From ensuring your trees are sturdy to keeping an emergency kit on hand, there are many ways to be prepared for a storm near your home.

Here are a handful of tips to keep in mind for this severe weather season:

  1. Develop a disaster plan with family. This is a crucial step in avoiding panic and anxiety in an already high-stress situation. Discuss a safety plan with your immediate family members in case you are separated in the event of a storm. Decide on safe meeting spots and plan on asking extended family members/friends where you might stay if you can’t get home. Also, be sure to discuss viable options and safety measures if you or a family member is stranded on a roadway.
  2. Check weather daily. Storms can pop up out of nowhere so it’s important to always have an eye on the storm. If one does approach, check local news (e.g. WSMV and WKRN) for updates.
  3. Check trees for stability. This is a major service that is often overlooked. If your trees do not receive routine tree service care, there’s a real threat of fallen limbs and the collapse of entire trees. Fallen trees can cause major destruction including damage to property as well as roadblocks if they land in the middle of roadways. The Parke Company’s team of arborists can come out and check your trees and landscape to make sure they’re healthy and sturdy.
  4. Prepare an emergency preparedness kit. Keep one in your house and in your car. Having an emergency preparedness kit handy is great in case you’re stranded in areas for an extended period of time due to a storm or a fallen tree in the road. Fill the kit with blankets, water, non-perishable food and other items you might deem necessary.
  5. Keep the Parke Company number and other emergency service numbers handy. Have a list of all your emergency contacts on hand. The Parke Company is an important number to have on that list in case a tree does fall and an arborist is needed. In case you forget, our number is listed at the very top of our site and if pressed on a mobile device will immediately call our company. Be sure to also have other important local numbers in case something goes wrong. Examples include Nashville Electric Service (NES) and Metro Water Services.

The Middle Tennessee area can get a lot of finicky weather so it’s important to stay prepared. The spring is especially true for dramatic changes in temperature. A late freeze can arrive one morning; a severe tornado and thunderstorm watch the next. Your landscape and trees usually take the brunt of this unpredictable season.

If your trees need a health check-up, call the arborists at Parke. If your landscape floods and you need repair work, the landscape crew at Parke can help with that. Parke has a variety of services available at your disposal, so be sure to take advantage. For emergency tree care services, contact Parke immediately for assistance.

The Benefits of Hiring a Professional for Lawn Care and Tree Services

The Parke Company team preparing for a storm

The benefits of do-it-yourself projects are endless. DIY weddings, home renovations and crafts are just a few areas where people can do things themselves in a cost-efficient, customized manner. But there are some things that just shouldn’t be done yourself. Whether it’s because it should be done safely, quickly or skillfully, there are some things that make hiring a professional totally worth it.

Does that same rule apply to tree care and lawn care services? Though a lot of people enjoy cutting their lawns or landscaping, not everyone has the time or the green thumb to do so. And then of course, you have the safety components of tree care and landscape. Certain services (like tree removal and irrigation services) are best done by a professional arborist or lawn care expert.

Here are three great reasons for hiring a professional for your lawn care and trees:

  1. Done in a timely manner. Have you ever started a project and it turned out to be a lot more daunting than you realized? Or perhaps the project ends up taking a lot more time than you anticipated? Rest assured that when you hire professionals like those at the Parke Company, the job will get done in a timely manner with little or no interruption in your daily routine. The arborists and landscape teams understand the importance of timeliness. They make sure each job is done efficiently without causing too much disruption to your trees and landscape.
  2. Done right. There are certain jobs within tree care and lawn care that can be completed by you; mowing a lawn or raking the leaves, for example (though you don’t have to if you don’t want to). But some services can be complicated and require a little expertise. Parke’s certified arborist and lawn care teams have years of training in tree care, irrigation and landscape design. Hiring Parke, you can feel confident that the job is done right the first time.
  3. Done with safety in mind. Safety is a huge factor when it comes to trees and landscape work. If you have a maintenance issue with your trees, contact a certified arborist. An arborist knows how to properly treat the tree without causing damage to the tree. The Parke Company’s arborists are trained with strict safety precautions in mind, so there’s no need to put yourself at risk if the tree needs to be removed or treated. Put your mind at ease and let the professional take care of it.
  4. Done for convenience. Sometimes, it all comes down to convenience. You’re a busy person and the Parke team understands. Don’t let the necessary maintenance of trees and landscape overwhelm you. Call the professionals and they’ll take care of it.

If you own a home or run a commercial space in the Nashville area, chances are you have a landscape and trees to care for. Don’t worry about adding one more project to your list, call the professionals to take care of it for you. The benefits are well worth it. For more information about tree care and landscape services, contact a Parke Company representative today.