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Severe Weather and How it Affects Your Trees and Landscape

September 30, 2026September 15, 2020 by The Parke Company

Fallen tree on a power line in Nashville

“April showers bring May flowers.” And as the saying goes, it’s already been a wild April full of severe storms and crazy weather. That’s Nashville for you. And since it’s that time of year, all kinds of severe weather can play a part in damaging your trees and landscape.

We are always telling clients to be mindful of their trees and landscape for any possible damage during severe weather and what needs to happen when a storm approaches, especially this time of year. Yes, trees and landscape are resilient, but tree care and other preventive measures should always be taken to avoid it, along with avoiding a major headache and unnecessary cost.

However, Mother Nature doesn’t usually give us a damage report until after she’s blown through Music City. So the best thing you can do for your trees and landscape is be prepared when storms come.

Below are three different types of severe weather Nashville can experience this season and some measures for each instance:

How Severe Weather Impacts Landscape

Lightning

Trees that are isolated or located on high terrain are even more susceptible to strikes. While we recommend protecting all trees, older and historic trees should have priority. Install protective devices for these more susceptible trees to keep lightning away and decrease the likelihood of damage. This is especially important if trees are near your home or business. Just remember, the lightning devices are complicated and should not be installed without the help of one of Parke’s certified arborists.

Tornado

If your tree is not strong enough, it may not hold up to strong winds, let alone a tornado. Have our arborists come out and check the stability of the tree in question. If you have your landscape already cultivated and ready for the season, take precautions for this as well. Bring in potted plants or other plants that can be easily transplanted. When the storm is over, clean up and assess the damage. If strong winds or a tornado did enough damage, it might be best to call our team at Parke. They’ll be able to address all your issues quickly and efficiently.

Flash flood

Floods, especially in Nashville, are nothing to joke about. We learned that during the Nashville flood in 2010. Similar to the tornados and lightning, try to be as prepared as possible in the case of flooding. Bring in potted plants or other vulnerable plants that might not make it through the storm. Contact Parke for your irrigation systems as well.

Mother Nature can be fickle. If any of these scary and unpredictable weather issues come through without much warning, do the best you can. After the storms are over, the Parke Company can come out and assess any damage and how to treat it. This might include a tree struck by lightning, a damaged irrigation system or flooded landscape and flower beds. If the damage is an emergency, you can contact our emergency team for immediate assistance. The arborist’s emergency services include downed trees over power lines, roadways or homes.

Whether it’s preemptive, an emergency service or damage repair, our arborists at the Parke Company are readily available to discuss tree care options. Need landscape or lawn services? The Parke Company is available for that too! Call today.

Earth Day Activities You Can Do All Year Long with the Help of Parke

September 30, 2026September 15, 2020 by The Parke Company

We hope you had a great Earth Day celebrating our earth and bringing awareness to our community about preserving our beautiful planet! And even though it was last week, Earth Day should not be celebrated one day a year, but all year long! Nashville is a great city that is constantly encouraging mindful, eco-friendly activities. So take advantage. If it’s an event or just a simple, everyday act, celebrating Earth Day every day will have a long-lasting effect on our community.

How to Celebrate the Earth All Year

Learn how to care for your existing landscape

If you’re not a professional arborist or landscape expert, that’s more than okay. The Parke Company can help you get started. Consider starting small. Pick out a few plants that don’t require a lot of care and plant them in pots or flower beds. If you already know how to garden, consider learning how to make your lawn flourish. Research irrigation systems and what grass is best for our climate (Parke can help with this too). Understanding the plants, grass and flowers that flourish in Nashville will not only enrich your knowledge of the planet but also make your landscape look spectacular.

Study your trees

If your lawn is full of trees you’ve never cared for, there’s no better time like the present. Our arborists can come out and do a full tree care analysis to determine its health, possible problems and treatments. In addition, learning what kinds of trees you have in your lawn, how to identity leaves, and the age of your trees will all be beneficial knowledge. (You might even have a historical tree on your hands and not even know it!)

Cook an Earth Day-themed meal

This is something you could do every day if you set your mind to it. Use locally grown produce and meats to prepare the meals. Pull produce from your own garden if you have it. From fresh herbs to tomatoes to strawberries, your landscape can have all kinds of great produce to use for every meal. In addition to locally grown products, make sure your meal is healthy and has little impact on your environment. This will truly embody Earth Day in every sense.

Welcome animals to your neighborhood

This is a great way to encourage the local ecosystem! Put bird or hummingbird feeders in the trees. Leave out sources of water for animals, such as bird baths. Leave squirrels, snakes, lizards and seemingly bad creatures alone. These creatures can actually improve your landscape and the trees around them. Just be cautious of invasive insects or plants; these are creatures you don’t want to leave alone. Call an arborist at Parke for immediate tree care if you see issues arise.

Don’t let Earth Day be just one day! Celebrate it year-round. Our arborists and landscape team are always coming up with ways to be more aware of eco-friendly solutions when it comes to our services. So just by hiring us to care of your landscape, you’re doing something great for the environment. But if you want to go a step further, there are all kinds of things you can to celebrate Earth Day, even more than the list above. Be creative and come up with your own Earth Day activity. If you need tree care, irrigation or landscape services, schedule them today to get your (late) Earth Day started off right. Happy Earth Day, everyone!

Three Parke Services for Your Playground This Summer

September 30, 2026September 15, 2020 by The Parke Company

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!

Three Reasons Why You Should Work for the Parke Company

September 30, 2026September 15, 2020 by The Parke Company

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!

How Your Landscape Affects Your Pool

September 30, 2026September 15, 2020 by The Parke Company

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.