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Three Things You Need to Know About Parke’s Snow Removal Services

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

It’s getting cold outside in Nashville and soon there will be flurries and even snow! But did you know that Parke’s services don’t end once the snow moves in? That’s right! Our arborists and landscapers work hard all year long, including the winter. So as the warmer weather moves out of the Middle Tennessee area and the cold air settles in, remember us for your winter landscape needs like emergency tree care services and snow removal. With the holidays rapidly approaching and the daylight hours getting shorter, one of the last things you need to worry about is shoveling snow. Luckily, that’s where we come in. We can complete the chore for you so you can be on your way doing what’s important — spending time with your family and friends.

So what should you know about our snow removal services before you call? Here are a few things to consider:

What to Expect from The Parke Company’s Snow Removal

No hassle

The biggest thing to consider for our snow removal services is how easy it is. There’s really no reason why you should not take advantage of this landscape service. We not only remove the snow from your driveways and sidewalks, but also salt them to keep them safe and walkable. All you need to do is give us a call and we can do the rest. We know you have places to be so let us get to work and you’ll have snow and ice removed in no time.

Great gift idea for elderly

Still looking for the right gift for your grandparents? Call us today to discuss the options of buying snow removal services for them! It’s a great gift option for those who can’t get out and work on their landscape, especially in the winter. This is also a great idea for those who might be more susceptible to falls and shouldn’t be removing snow or salting sidewalks. Give our landscape crew a call today to discuss the options. You’ll definitely win the award for most creative and useful gift of the year.

Book Now

Most people wait until they need the services before they give us a call. However we recommend calling us now to book any snow removal services you might need during the winter months. Calling now ensures that you receive priority for when you need the services. In addition, you receive preferential treatment for emergency tree care services should you need it during a severe winter storm. Though we never anticipate (or want) winter storms, they are still common in the Middle Tennessee area so it’s important to be prepared.

So whether you are too busy or need a gift for someone who can’t shovel snow themselves, consider our snow removal services. And while you’re chatting with us, discuss all the other services our arborists and landscape professionals offer. From tree care, emergency services and all the other landscape services, we have a variety available to suit your needs. And just because it’s getting colder doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be planning for the spring months nor does it mean you might not need our winter services soon. Time flies, Nashvillians, so be prepared! Contact an arborist today for more information.

Writer of this blog – Gdweblab

An Interview with Parke Browne

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

At the Parke Company, we have a passion for trees. We believe that trees enrich people’s lives in many important ways. This belief is strongly instilled through the visionary, and inspirational leader of our company, Mr. Parke Brown. In a recent interview, Mr. Brown took some time to discuss the amazing power of trees and the beautiful role they play in an individual or a family’s life.

“People attach great meaning to planting a tree and watching it grow,” says Parke Browne, city arborist for the town of Forest Hills and owner of the Parke Company. “You become part of it. It means something when it starts to grow. Trees become part of the family.” This personal connection to the care and nurture of trees is a foundational belief for Mr. Parke and informs every approach the Parke Company brings to its many tree services.

“They provide a reminder of the past and a look ahead to the future. They add honor and dignity to our lives.” This approach seems to guide Mr. Brown’s passion for his work and causes him to strive to offer the best to his family and the clients that he serves. Being a certified member of ISA (International Society of Arboriculture), he brings not only a personal passion to his work but a highly skilled and expertly trained touch.

Not only do trees provide an emotional and personal connection to a landscape but Mr. Parke points out that they also “give structure to your property and become a part of your home, bringing aesthetic as well as monetary value”. Adding trees to your landscape can be an investment that pays off for a lifetime.

It seems like the personal connection is the motivating factor for Mr. Brown though. “Sometimes new home owners will begin a ‘family’ of trees in the yard, just like starting a family of children,” he says. Mr. Brown talks about a family that gave names to the trees they had planted. “They were always calling the trees by name when they talked about them. ‘Jenny looks like she has some new growth coming out. Johnny is a little droopy; maybe he needs water,’” Mr. Brown recalls amusingly. This is the kind of passion that Parke Brown can identify with.

“Trees reflect the circle of life and remind us that time moves very quickly in hindsight. They stand as an inheritance, letting you leave something behind that outlives you and continues to provide beauty.” Mr. Brown sees great wisdom in trees and is passionate about learning the lessons they provide. “Trees teach us about people,” he said. “A tree doesn’t have to be the biggest or strongest or have the largest leaf. All have their own value and contributions.”

Maybe it’s time to care for those trees in your landscape, or perhaps you would like to add something new to mark a special life event. At Parke, we understand the importance that your landscape can have. Contact us to start making your dreams into a reality.

Cool in the Shade: Plants That Do Well With Little Sunshine

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

One of the most difficult things about growing plants and flowers is that they have specific requirements when it comes to the sun. Lack of sun is not usually a problem in Tennessee, where the sun is out on a regular basis, but maybe you don’t have a garden that is in direct sunlight, or maybe you live in an apartment that faces the opposite direction as the sun. A yard with a lot of trees will also cut down on the sunshine that makes its way to the plants, limiting your options in terms of landscape design. Luckily, we here at the Parke Company are specialists when it comes to designing landscapes, and a lack of sunlight is not going to stop us.

Plants that Thrive with Less Sunlight

Shady Plants

The easiest option is to plant flowers and bushes that do well in the shade. There are a lot of them available here in the Middle Tennessee area, and many of them add a dash of color to an otherwise dark area. In particular, something like coleus, a leafy annual that has a nice deep purple color surrounded by a light green tone, would do very well in these kinds of conditions, as would many types of ferns. Another popular idea is to plant certain types of bushes, such as the Ohio Buckeye, under trees, since the plants do not need a lot of sunlight and create a nice layered look against the taller trees. For those dwelling in apartments, bushes and smaller trees obviously are not really a feasible idea, so you probably want to look into growing something smaller, such as spearmint, catnip, or parsley.

Issues and Concerns

Even though these plants do well with the lack of sunlight, there are some other things that you need to look out for. For plants near trees, there could be a bit of a battle for the nutrients in the soil. If left unattended to, the smaller plants will wither and die. An easy way to get around this is to make sure you work in fertilizer and other nutrient-rich additives so that there is enough to go around for everyone. Mulching your leftover grass clippings or leaves is a particularly eco-friendly way to do this. Another concern is water, for the same reasons. Some shade-friendly plants are better suited to dealing with less water, while others are not, so make sure to check into the watering needs of everything you plant.

A lack of sunlight does not mean a lack of green in your world. With a proper amount of care and a nice design, like the kind of work we here at the Parke Company provide, and your yard can still be lively and growing, despite a lack of the usual key ingredient. Even if you live in an apartment, you can still have the life you want, so give us a call today and let us help you achieve your gardening dreams.

Fighting the Invaders: Tips For Dealing With Weeds and Vines

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

It seems like once you have a garden or a landscape that you like, you will spend far more time taking care of it than you will enjoying it. Of course, that’s part of the fun of watching your garden grow and prosper; it’s not as satisfying if you don’t put a certain amount of sweat and blood back into it. One of the most annoying tasks that many come across is the process of removing unwanted plants, such as the invasive vines and weeds that can choke out an otherwise perfectly healthy area in no time flat. There are a variety of herbicides and other harmful chemicals one can use to make this an easier task, but we here at the Parke Company believe in a more natural solution, which is why we have compiled a list of some eco-friendly ways to take care of those pesky plants.

How to Get Rid of Weeds & Vines

Identifying the Enemy

Identifying the problem plants at hand is pretty easy. All you need to do is drive away from Nashville proper and look at the roadside, and you will see entire trees, poles, and more taken over by a particularly invasive and fast-growing plant called Kudzu, also known as “the plant that ate the south.” Another commonly seen invasive plant is the several subsets of the honeysuckle bush, which is not necessarily a bad thing as many people like the smell it produces, but it is not always welcome, and can easily take up valuable resources like sunlight and water. Other plants include the winged burning bush, wintercreeper, and the purple loosestrife. As far as vines go, which are more troublesome considering how quickly they tend to grow, be on the lookout for various types of ivy and creeping charlie.

Taking Action

Once you know what you’re looking for, the problem then becomes what to do about it. Doing something is the first step, as the more you wait the more the problem gets out of hand. It is important to come up with a plan of attack, working from the outside in, and from the top down. Hacking away at the vines and getting to the root of the problem (so to speak) is a great strategy. Do not rip them up right away, as this could damage the roots of any nearby plants. You have to remember that the vines will sprout again soon, but cutting them down to size will have immense benefits for the next phase. For a lot of plants, the answer is to remove the shady coverings as much as possible, which helps them grow, and expose them to the sunlight so they wither and die. Another strategy is to smother the offending plants with a thick liner, although you have to be careful to avoid smothering the good plants, and to work a high-in-nutrient fertilizer into the soil afterwards.

Removing offending vines and weeds is a hard job, one that requires a lot of elbow grease and constant vigilance to make sure they do not return. If they do, you need to be prepared to step in right away or the problem will present itself again. If this seems like a lot of work, you could always give the professionals here at the Parke Company a call and we can help you with your landscaping needs, including maintaining these problematic plants.

Late Bloomers: A Guide to Late Summer Planting

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

No one can question that the world moves quickly. It seems like not that long ago, the area was on the brink of summer, but here we are, with the kids already complaining about back-to-school ads taking over the airways. The point is, if you were thinking about planting new flowers, time is running out if you want to take advantage of what summer has to offer. Some of you might be worried that it’s already too late for that kind of talk, but luckily that is not the case. There remain a lot of options, including several types of vegetables, herbs, and flowers you can plant and enjoy before winter ruins pretty much all chances of having a little green in your life – something the garden professionals here at The Parke Company are firm believers in.

What to Know About Planting in Late Summer

Flowers Forever

It has always seemed that flowers are something to be planted in the early spring, to be appreciated throughout the summer, before failing in the fall as all growing things begin to die. That is not the case however, as there are several types you can plant in the coming weeks that will bloom and you can enjoy late into the year, depending on when the first frost hits. It seems like the world is getting hotter every year, so there is a good chance you can look out your window and still see something lovely, like a chrysanthemum or a peony, growing nicely. Perennials in particular do well under these circumstances, as do some other plants you might not expect: tulips, daffodils, and other typically spring plants can be planted until September to great effect. All it takes is the usual amount of sunshine, water, fertilizer, and love.

Herbs and Veggies

Of course, flowers are not the only things that grow, and in some cases, flowers are actually the most difficult to grow later in the year. Herbs and vegetables, on the other hand, do pretty well late in the year. After all, autumn is the time of the year when most crops are harvested, so it stands to reason they might be able to handle a little frost here and there, not that it’s usually a problem here in Nashville, at least for another couple of months. As far as vegetables go, you can still plant most squashes, cucumbers, beans, broccoli, carrots, and radishes with no problem, if you have the space for it. On the herb side of things, look at planting cilantro, parsley, and basil, as those plants will have the highest chance of success.

It goes without saying that the longer you go without planting these plants, the lower your chances of success become. Do not lose hope! All you need to do is make a plan and stick to it, as soon as possible. If you have questions about what you can grow at this stage in the summer, it might be time to contact one of the professionals here at the Parke Company, as not only will we be able to help you find something still capable of blooming, but also something that looks nice and the best place to plant it.