May 2012 Newsletter

FormLA Newsletter

VALUED CUSTOMERS & FRIENDS+

We love garden tour season and the chance to share the people and spaces we love with garden enthusiasts. We also see tours as a profound opportunity to inspire appreciation for a sustainable outdoor aesthetic.

If you, like the Los Angeles Times, see the tours as aspirational rather than inspirational, this newsletter was designed for you! Steal the look our Adalusian Garden at the 2012 Pasadena Showcase House, learn from native gardening experts with Urban Dirt, and discover how to attract your favorite butterflies to your space.

Here is the know-how that can transform aspiration into inspiration and a beautiful staycation in your own back (or front!) yard.

Sincerely,
Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi

LATEST NEWS+

Steal This Look!
Garden Portfolio: The LA Times praised the 2012 Pasadena Showcase House of Design for “ideas that could translate into the real world.” Need help seeing how the 3500 square foot Andalusian Garden FormLA created for the 5 acre La Canada estate can be applied to your outdoor living space? Listen to Cassy’s interview with Cindy Dole and Eric Stromer of HomeWizards while taking a tip-and-tour guide to recreating the look. Steal This Look!
Learn Native Garden Strategies with Urban Dirt
Garden Tours: See breathtaking LA gardens and get great tips from Urban Dirt, native gardening experts, homeowners and designers too! Urban Dirt’s David Walrod worked fast to visit and video 6 of the 37 gardens on this year’s Theodore Payne Garden Tour – the result is inspiring and informative. Take the Tour
Draw Butterflies with These 9 Flowers
Tips: With spring blooms come the birds, bees and butterflies. If you want to entice a visit from some fluttering friends, consider filling your garden with these 9 California native flowers. Bring on the Butterflies!
Win Dwell on Design Tickets!
The first 3 readers to correctly the California native tree most likely to be seen in parkways will win 2 tickets to Dwell on Design!
Enter to Win

WHAT TO EXPECT+

Arizona wildfires are a wake-up call, even as we remain wrapped in May gray. Watch for FormLA teams preparing LA gardens for a hot, dry summer. Please fax your fire inspection notice to us (818-353-6837), and we’ll take care of the rest. We:

Protect homes from fires:

  • Maintain proper spacing among plants
  • Raise low branches on shrubs to keep foliage off of the ground
  • Remove all dead material and weed growth
  • Open shrubbery and reduce flammable material with structural pruning
  • Clear material away from roof lines and eaves
  • Follow fire code restrictions within 200′ of structures

Protect you from pests, including “Tier 2” water prices.

  • Eliminating any sitting water to avoid mosquito breeding
  • Eliminate run-off and overspray, inspect common sprinklers for leaks and ensure drip irrigation provides proper coverage
  • Manage timers for optimal watering on minimal days
  • Mulching to maintain soil moisture and prevent weed growth
  • Water by hand where necessary

Bolstering garden beauty and productivity:

  • Deadheading to encourage more blooms
  • Replenishing vegetable and herb gardens
  • Evaluating Oak tree pruning needs for July and August
  • Chasing gophers and smiling at butterflies!

 

LATEST NEWS+

Steal This Look!
Learn Native Garden Strategies with Urban Dirt
Draw Butterflies with These 9 Flowers
Win Dwell on Design Tickets!

UPCOMING EVENTS+

Dwell on Design

WHAT TO EXPECT+

Protect homes from fires
Protect you from pests, including “Tier 2” water prices
Bolstering garden beauty and productivity

TEAM UPDATE+

Good Food Day LA

UPCOMING EVENTS+

Save the Dates
Request FormLA Speakers

June 22-24: : Dwell on Design. See an outdoor modern design wonderland built by FormLA Landscaping!

TEAM UPDATE+

Cassy Aoyagi provided tips in sustainable landscaping for Studio City homeowners at Good Food Day LA sponsored by Village Gardeners, Mayor Villaraigosa and the City of LA See Slideshow

Gardening enthusiasts joined FormLA Landscaping Team and La Canada Valley Beautiful for the drought tolerant plant maintenance workshop and community volunteer day at the La Canada Gardens of the World Demonstration Gardens. Thank you for joining us!!! Watch for our next free maintenance workshop this fall.

The FormLA team conducted an in-depth team training on Wooly Pocket greenwall maintenance at the Marvimon event center in downtown Los Angeles.

About FormLA Landscaping+

FormLA® Landscaping designs, builds and maintains custom sustainable landscapes that beautifully complement the distinct and varied architecture of Los Angeles County. See our expanding Portfolio.

CONTACT FORMLA+

Cassy and Kirk Aoyagi, Principals: Cassy@formlainc.com

Mark Britten, Production Manager: Mark@formlainc.com

John Avakian, Bookkeeping: John@formlainc.com

Cara Barnard, Horticultural Care Technician: Cara@formlainc.com

USGBC FormLA on Facebook

 

info@formlainc.com • PO Box 441 Tujunga, CA 91043
phone 818.353.7030 • 310.979.9002 • fax 818.353.6837 • www.formlainc.com
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