#tree and turf health

[brianwilder]

Understanding Pests and Fungus: Insights from Wellington Garden Club’s Talk on Tree and Turf Health

The Wellington Garden Club (WGC) is set to host an insightful meeting on September 9, 2024, at the Wellington Community Center. The event will feature a presentation by Mike Sands, a certified horticulturist and Master Naturalist with extensive experience in horticulture. This session promises to shed light on the crucial topics of pests and fungus that commonly affect trees and turfs.

Expert Speaker: Mike Sands

Mike Sands is a highly respected figure in the field of horticulture, bringing over two decades of expertise to his role. Currently serving as the head horticulturalist and spray technician for the Village of Wellington, Mike holds multiple state licenses in various categories, including ornamental and turf, right-of-way, aquatic, and natural area management. His deep knowledge and practical experience make him an invaluable resource for understanding and managing garden health.

Focus of the Presentation

Mike’s presentation will cover the following key areas:

Mike Sands’ Background

In addition to his role with the Village of Wellington, Mike is affiliated with Tangled Roots Orchid Nursery in Loxahatchee, where he specializes in bifoliate Cattleyas—orchids that are often misunderstood. The nursery is known for its innovative use of 3D-printed biodegradable pots and a newly developed line of fertilizers. Mike’s broad expertise also includes his past read more

[grassrootsdouglasvillearea]

Transform Your Lawn with Newman’s Lawn Care Service Professionals

A lush, green lawn can completely transform the look and feel of your home. If your yard is suffering from bare spots, weeds, or thinning grass, GrassRoots Turf is here to help. As the trusted lawn care company in Newman, Georgia, we offer professional lawn care services tailored to your yard’s unique needs. Let us take your lawn from bare to beautiful with our proven expertise and top-notch solutions.

Why Every Newman Yard Deserves a Beautiful Transformation

How Professional Lawn Care Turns Bare Lawns into Masterpieces

Your lawn is the first thing people notice about your home. A vibrant, healthy yard not only boosts your curb appeal but also creates an inviting space for family and friends. GrassRoots Turf’s full-service lawn care combines advanced techniques and local expertise to transform any yard into a lush, green masterpiece.

Step 1: Assessing Your Lawn’s Condition

Diagnosing Bare Spots and Identifying Weed Problems

Bare spots and weeds are common problems for Newman homeowners, but they’re no match for GrassRoots Turf’s lawn care weed control services. Our experts diagnose the underlying causes of these issues and create a targeted plan to address them effectively.

Testing Soil Health to Plan for Long-Term Success

Healthy soil is the foundation of a beautiful lawn. GrassRoots Turf’s lawn care program includes comprehensive soil testing to identify nutrient deficiencies and pH imbalances. This ensures your yard gets the customized care it needs for long-term growth and resilience.

Step 2: Implementing a Custom Plan

Aeration and Overseeding to Promote Thick Growth

Compacted soil and thinning grass are no match for our aeration and overseeding services. GrassRoots Turf revitalizes your yard by improving soil structure and filling in bare patches, creating a thicker, healthier lawn.

Fertilization Schedules Designed for Newman’s Climate

Our fertilization schedules are tailored specifically for Newman’s climate, delivering essential nutrients at the right times of the year. This ensures your grass grows strong and vibrant in every season.

Weed Control Treatments That Ensure Long-Lasting Results

GrassRoots Turf’s professional lawn care services include targeted weed control treatments that eliminate invasive plants and prevent their return. With our expertise, your yard will stay weed-free and beautiful year-round.

Step 3: Maintaining the Beauty

Seasonal Care Plans to Keep Your Lawn Gorgeous Year-Round

GrassRoots Turf offers seasonal care plans designed to adapt to Newman’s unique climate. From spring growth to fall cleanup, our full-service lawn care ensures your yard remains stunning in every season.

Simple Homeowner Tips for Prolonging Professional Results

While our lawn maintenance service takes care of the hard work, a few simple homeowner tips—like proper watering and mowing—can help prolong the results. GrassRoots Turf provides guidance to ensure your lawn stays beautiful between visits.

Transform Your Bare Lawn Today: Book an Appointment with Newman’s Pros

Don’t wait to enjoy the yard of your dreams. Contact GrassRoots Turf, the best lawn care service in Newman, to schedule your free lawn assessment.

Take the First Step Toward a Beautiful Yard

Let GrassRoots Turf create a customized lawn care program that turns your yard into a vibrant, green oasis. With our expertise in local lawn care services, achieving a beautiful lawn has never been easier. Call us today!

From Bare to Beautiful: Transform Your Lawn with Newman’s Professionals

Introduction

Why Every Newman Yard Deserves a Beautiful Transformation

How Professional Lawn Care Turns Bare Lawns into Masterpieces

Step 1: Assessing Your Lawn’s Condition

Diagnosing Bare Spots and Identifying Weed Problems

Testing Soil Health to Plan for Long-Term Success

Step 2: Implementing a Custom Plan

Aeration and Overseeding to Promote Thick Growth

Fertilization Schedules Designed for Newman’s Climate

Weed Control Treatments That Ensure Long-Lasting Results

Step 3: Maintaining the Beauty

Seasonal Care Plans to Keep Your Lawn Gorgeous Year-Round

Simple Homeowner Tips for Prolonging Professional Results

Call to Action

Transform Your Bare Lawn Today: Book an Appointment with Newman’s Pros

Take the First Step Toward a Beautiful Yard

Lawn Care & Weed Control for Residents of Newnan

833-66-GRASS

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[reasonsforhope]

"A recent World Meteorological Organization report called heat waves the “deadliest meteorological hazard” from 2015 to 2019, affecting people living on all continents, and setting new national heat records in many regions.

‍Canada’s top weather event in 2021 was British Columbia’s record-breaking heat, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada. The temperature in Lytton, B.C., hit 49.6 C on June 29. The following day a wildfire destroyed 90 per cent of the town, killing two people and displacing 1,200 others.

Heat waves also exacerbate existing health issues, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease. They’re associated with increased hospital admissions, psychological stress and aggressive behavior, as well as excess mortality.

During heat waves, the highest temperatures are often found in urbanized areas. Urbanization is almost always associated with an increase in paved, impervious areas, and often a decrease in greenery. Concrete and asphalt roads, and other built materials readily absorb, store and release heat, raising city temperatures, a phenomenon called the urban heat island.

Many studies have shown that urban forests can reduce the urban heat island, and many policies focus their attention on large green spaces.

Small green spaces, such as yards, rooftops and small parcels of undeveloped land, can make impressive contributions to lowering urban heat, but they are often overlooked when developing strategies for urban cooling.

The effect of small green spaces

Cities rarely have the opportunity to add large green spaces to help counter the effects of heatwaves. Smaller vegetated spaces, however, can still meaningfully decrease local land temperatures.

Small green spaces, such as yards, rooftops and small parcels of undeveloped land, can make impressive contributions to lowering urban heat, but they are often overlooked when developing strategies for urban cooling.

A recent study in Adelaide, Australia, found that tree canopy cover and, to a lesser extent, grass cover decreased local daytime surface temperatures by up to 6 C during extreme summer heat conditions. Further inland, suburban yards and gardens can decrease local surface temperatures up to 5 C.

At a quite small scale, on the order of tens of square metres, trees reduced daytime surface temperatures twice as much as grass cover. But grass and other small, low-lying plants, grow relatively quickly, compared to trees.

Cities should adopt short-term and long-term strategies to respond to extreme heat, including the replacement of paved and impervious surfaces with grasses and turf, and increasing tree plantings to boost canopy coverage.

Amplifying the cooling effect

Furthermore, when managing small green spaces, city planners and foresters can select tree species based on their ability to cool the environment. Green spaces with a high diversity of tree species have a greater cooling effect in spring, summer and fall. They also have a larger maximum drop in temperature in the summer, compared to spaces that are less diverse.

For example, tree canopies with large leaves and high transpiration rates — the evaporation of water from plants occurring at the leaves — could provide more cooling.

Planting a variety of species, of different heights, can have a larger cooling effect than tall trees alone.

The structure of green space may also influence its cooling efficiency. In summer, a plant community with multiple layers of trees, shrubs and herbs can further decrease air temperature by 1 C on a sunny day and 0.5 C on a cloudy day, compared with an area only dominated by tall trees...

But overall, trees usually have a stronger effect on cooling than grass. Planting trees in groups, not individually or in lines, is recommended for regulating the microclimate (local climate conditions near the Earth’s surface).

Small green spaces can offer a lot of summer cooling in cities. And cities can learn to manage the configuration of small green spaces better to get more cooling benefits and minimize the trade-offs."

-via GoodGoodGood, July 4, 2024

[ogdegenerate]

Fuck it I cant sleep so here ya go

Werewolf x BAMF Human thingy prt1(?)

This will be very gay cuz fuck hetaronortivity and long cuz i’m a complex fucker

You are deceptively strong and durable on a supernatural level.

And by on all means you shouldn’t be, as far as you know you’re 100% human, it was just very easy to get strong to you.

You live alone in a cottage in the woods, traveling to a nearby town (which would take hours by vehicle but only a few minutes for you on foot) for groceries or any other supplies isn’t really an issue, you just enjoy the solitude.

While hunting for dinner, you find a black wolf who’s unconscious and heavily wounded. Maybe poachers nearby lost their score? They better pick a god and pray that they don’t run into you.

Because of your bleeding heart and to fuck over the dickwards who wanted to skin the pup, you decided to bring the wolf back home and nurse them back to health

In hindsight, the biggest red flag was that this certain wolf was bigger and heavier than the average lupine, then again it’s nothing you cant handle and there’s not much of a point to body shame a wild animal.

You bring the suspiciously-bigger-than-normal-wolf back to your humble cabin and nurse them back to health with the power of a first-aid kit and your know-how of animals.

The night goes by and you awoken to your fridge being ran through, the door wide open, and the wolf-who-was-way-too-big-to-be-a-normal-wolf no where to be seen.

You fear that the poachers mightve somehow found where you live and captured the wolf, but there’s no signs of a struggle anywhere.

This leads you to deduce that the fuckmothering wolf you decided to bring to your house and deemed safe to sleep under the same roof in WASN’T your run of the mill wolf and never was.

Atleast the fucker could leave a thank you note or something.

Few days go by where you have to go deeper into the woods due to the sudden raid of your consumables. You were chasing down a moose because why not? It’s been a week and it looked at you funny.

You only manage to loose sight of it for a few seconds before you come to see that your bounty got slain by a pair of huge brown wolfmen. One of them even spots you and gives you a snide grin.

Try as you back away, you bump into something hard (STOP IT) and fuzzy, and to your distain it was a gray werewolf -being accompanied by its blonde friend- blocking your path.

Ambushed and surrounded by a quartet of lycans, the one that smiled at you graciously informed you that you’re currently hunting within their turf. You apologized like the good man mother raised you to be and made it clear that you will make sure not to make the same mistake again as you try to move away from the wolves who towered over you by a foot or two.

The gray wolf clarified that a simple apology isn’t going to cut it and that they would be willing to forgive and forget if you “have some fun with them”

A small part of you is quite curious and maybe a bit excited of the “invitation”, but you ultimately give your answer by unrooting an entire tree with your bare hands.

Cue little red riding good by cupcakke as you chase down the small pack while carrying an entire tree over your head.

You don’t see those werewolves again for a while and you’re free to get some meat (SHUT UP) without any interruptions for about a week

Until one quiet night of stargazing, the same werewolves you terrorized way back when came back with some friends.

Geez guys atleast fight your own battles.

Good thing you got your trusty shotgun because if you’re going to taking on 14 or more werewolves, you’re not going down without a fight.

The blonde one you remember seeing pointed at you and shouted at something behind them about an intruder who threatened then

Ok they’re not wrong but it was all in self defense

The werewolves part way for whoever blondie was talking to, and you can’t believe to see the consequences of your own ignorance.

The ALPHA wolf (as the yellow one described him) is bigger and bulkier than the rest of the company. But this isn’t any random alpha werewolf. This werewolf was covered in black fur. Fucker still even has the bandages around his beefy arms.

As the alpha walks towards you, you decided to meet him there halfway, yelling at the wolf on how rude of a guest he was and that none of this would even be happening if he didn’t steal his meats.

As the wolf opens it maw, you cut them off that leaving them alive doesn’t count for shit and nobody here is entitled to anything of yours just because you’re big and scary and weirdly handsome

Before you can say another thing, the wolf discards something off their back and drops it in front of you, the huge and meaty thud breaking your train of thought.

You behold the object infront of you and see it’s a giant willdboar. Somehow even bigger than the moose from before.

In shock, you look back up to the black wolf who’s now kneeling down at eye level to you. His red eyes, unmistakably wolf like, still has a strange humanity to them. And yet they magically sparkle like jewels under the moonlight.

“Thank you for saving my life, I do hope this will make up for all of the trouble you went through”

His voice was deep, gruff, and manly and still so soft and calm. There was no hint of anger or malice in his voice compared to the others, actually, maybe there even was hint of guilt as well?

The black wolf stood back up to their full 8 foot majesty, adding on that he will personally talk to the lycans who made an attempt on your body personally and make sure that they wont bother you again.

The alpha began to walk away, but your voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Don’t be a stranger!”

The big black wolf turned to you with his ruby eyes wide at you, he looked surprised, confused even, it’s clear that he wasn’t expecting this to even happen and neither were you.

The alpha’s maw opened, but no words came out, not even a sound. All he could do was look to the side and give a nod.

As the werewolf walked away with his pact following suit, you couldn’t help but notice as his black tail sway side to side, dare you say it was… wagging?

No, it cant be. You must be very tired. It has been a long week

[wistfulforstars]

For What It's Worth - Part 7

Rex x Reader

Apologies for the long break! Life has been kicking my ass lately! Enjoy me putting Rex through another high-stakes situation!

Summary: Rex preps for the pro-clone rally, you would like him to stop treating you like an invalid already, the big day arrives, and all hell breaks loose

Warnings: Minors begone, The *plot* continues (I'm almost done teasing y'all, I promise), reader is afab, general violence, mobs gonna mob, I play fast and loose with CG protocol, Rex doesn't deserve this stress, mentions of sex, some attempts at sex were made, but Rex's will is made of steel, cliffhanger-y and I apologize, I didn't mean for the plot to plot this much

Tag List: @bambiswriting @jessyhazy @baddest-batchers @bimboshaggy @heylookitworked @eclec-tech @burningnerdchild @liopleurodean @littlemissbshine

If anyone would like to be added to the tag list, please comment below or message/ask directly.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

Rex was absolutely exhausted.

Fox wasn’t lying when he said the guard was understaffed. Every day the protest grew closer, and with that came new complications. Complications he usually didn’t have to deal with on the battlefield. 

Like civilians. Not insurgents. Not hostages. Not rebels against the separatists. Real and true civilians with not a drop of combat in their blood (not that they wanted it). And there were so many. The population of Coruscant was out of control, and he made a promise to himself to never, ever settle here. He needed sky. And trees. And occasional, honest silence. Not even his men could conjure such a racket. 

But coordinating route plans through the city, placement of troopers, and escorts for persons of importance weren’t his only concerns. Rex hadn’t been sleeping well. And it was all your fault.

Still not cleared to work by a professional, but almost entirely back to feeling like your former self, you laid around your apartment all day, every day bored. Bored and, well… impassioned.

And you weren’t keeping it to yourself. 

Rex could handle the thorough, suggestive kisses, no matter how hard the thought of your soft lips made him. He could deal with the increasingly short and revealing clothes - it’s hot in here, you’d said - even if he got the ungentlemanly urge to rip them off. He could even stay strong against the way you’d clamber into his lap and grind onto his cock while you watched your nightly shows. He would end every evening achingly erect, too stimulated to sleep, and kicking himself. 

His honor and concern for your health couldn’t be compromised, but the desire to give you exactly what you wanted, what you needed, was all-consuming. Rex wanted to provide for you in every way, and being unable to was eating him up inside. You deserved to be catered and attended  to. Adored. Worshiped. 

You deserved to be fucked. In whatever way you craved. In whatever way you would have him.

And by the force, if he didn’t deserve to get some sleep. It wasn’t just the temptation of you, yearning, delectable you keeping him up at night. He wasn’t sure if it was because of your attack or a result of planning for every eventuality with Fox, but Rex was feeling paranoid. Every morning, on duty, even in the evening with you in his lap, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end. It was like he was back in the field, sleeping in the open, full kit on and one hand curled around his blaster. No matter the trooper on watch or his knowledge of the enemy’s location, it was always impossible to relax. Because of the constant, insistent feeling he was being watched. 

That’s how he’d felt for five days now. Seen. Observed. Under fucking surveillance. 

He admitted it might have been all the cameras and protocols used by the CG. But Rex had been raised by military bases, had been born breathing the air of structure and order. And not once had he ever felt this creeping awareness on his home turf. 

He’d certainly never felt it on yours. And that was the part that really worried him. He’d learned to trust his gut a long time ago, and the fact that all of his alarm bells were going off while you were safe in his arms…while you slept, recovering from an assault on your body and mind…

He wanted to go home. He wanted to see with his own eyes and feel with his naked, ungloved hands that you were alright. 

Instead, he was sitting through another adjustment to the current crowd control plan for the pro-clone rally, and the anti-protest that was sure to follow. 

“Civilians are likely going to cluster in this sector,” Fox repeated for maybe a third time, gesturing to the holomap. “It’s a clear shot from a lot of domiciles and hot spots. Caf shops and casual shopping. Most of them won’t be protesters. They’ll be rubber-necks just looking to say they were there. There’s a clear sight path to the podium. I want as many troopers there as we can spare, ready to get people out if everything goes to complete shit. Thorn, you and your assignees are to hold the lines between the protesters, anti-protesters, and civilians. You boys are the grid by which we operate. If someone gets violent, you pack ‘em up and return to your post as quickly and cleanly as possible. They go to the drunk tanks to cool down.”

Rex nodded along. He’d had the plan memorized since the first briefing. He just wasn’t used to this level of prep time. Usually, he’d follow a certain Jedi’s first thought and just, well, make it work.  

Fox continued, “Hound, your unit is patrolling the perimeter of the event with the massifs. Do not appear in force. Spread out. Keep the massifs calm. Make no moves unless you hear from either myself or the other commanders.” Hound’s “yes sir” was almost entirely lost, because Fox, clearly exhausted by this point, kept going without pause.

“Thire, you’re to take your unit into the two buildings on either side of the protest site. Keep an eye out. We have very public, very divisive figures in attendance and the last thing I need on my hands is a downed senator. If you see signs of a sniper, if you see a hostile assailant rushing the stage, you sound the alarm and take the shot if you can manage it.” 

Rex then felt his brother’s attention on him, and sat up straighter. Fox’s visor met his own, and he inclined his head, “Captain Rex will be commanding the line between the podium and the crowd while I act as escort to the VIPs. That means that most of my rally unit will be assigned to a different commanding officer while I take a smaller squad to escort public figures to, through, and from the event. It also means that I will be absent for portions of the day, dealing with the struggles of our dear politicians. If any of you, any of you at all have a problem with taking orders from a decorated, battle-hardened commander who just happens not to be of CG origin, too fucking bad. You will follow Rex’s orders as if they come directly from me, understood?”

“Sir, yes sir!” rang through the hall. 

“Damn straight,” Fox growled. “One more thing. Captain Rex will be more noticeable than you lot. He’s a well-known poster boy for the war, thanks to Jedi Master Skywalker, and his armor is bound to attract attention. I’ve requested his help at great sacrifice to his General and the 501st. I’d like to return him in one piece. That means look out for him, Thire, your unit in particular. The anti-protesters will be gunning for a figure like him standing out in the open.”

There were a couple of snickers amongst some of Rex’s more well-known acquaintances, but by and large the sea of red and white helmets regarded him with a mixture of reverence and, dare he say it, protectiveness. He felt like a very well cared for massif. 

Fox dismissed the boys and sat down at the command table, taking off his helmet and rubbing his eyes. Somehow, the circles under them had gotten darker, “Sorry Rex, didn’t mean to make you sound like a damsel in distress.”

“You didn’t,” he chuckled. “I appreciate the manpower and the potential cover fire. You may have given them an overinflated view of my military record, though.”

“Please,” Fox rolled his eyes. “How many times have you been medalled?”

“Five out of seven times it was instigated by Amidala,” Rex snorted. “She gives me all the medals Skywalker isn’t allowed to accept.”

His brother let out a weak, but very genuine chuckle, then sobered up, staring glass-eyed down at the table, “This needs to be over.”

“Yeah,” Rex shook his head. “I’ve…had a bad feeling for most of the week. Like something’s wrong and I just don’t know what.”

Fox nodded, “Something is going to go wrong at the rally. I feel it. But there’s no way to prepare for every eventuality. All I can do is hope not too many people get hurt.”

Rex scanned his brother up and down, the tired eyes, the slumped shoulders, the gray streak in his hair, “You need a vacation.”

That prompted a single, hollow laugh in the back of Fox’s throat, “Sure, I’ll just submit my PTO request to the emperor. Shed the armor, turn off my comms. How’s Naboo this time of year?”

“I’ll have a word with Ularen’s secretary, she can join you.”

Fox sat up stick-straight, “That’s not funny, Rex.”

He shrugged, “I’m not laughing.”

“That’s…I can’t,” Fox shook his head, eyes wide and sad. “She’s not, we’re not-”

“How about this,” Rex leaned forward on his knees. “I promise, when I get back to the Resolute, I’ll get her to comm you.”

But his brother glared back at him, “She won’t do it. She’s…we’re not on the best of terms.”

“All the more reason,” Rex insisted. “She’s on a warship, Fox. You will never forgive yourself if she gets hurt and you didn’t get the chance to tell her whatever you need to tell her. Trust me.”

Fox looked away and stiffly put his helmet back on, coming back to his persona diligent control, “You’re a meddlesome idiot, brother.”

“Look who’s talking.”

*********************************

Your fingers were stroking his cock again. 

“Ah, cyare,” Rex mumbled into your hairline, blinking in the flare of morning light. He reached down and removed your hand from his shorts. “None of that.”

You groaned, leaned forward, and scraped your teeth on his bare chest, “C’mon, Rex. You know I’m well enough.” 

“Not till another, not-motivated-by-sex medic says so,” he gathered you up, pressing sweet kisses to your face, which was looking brighter and healthier by the day. “You’ve got your check-up tomorrow. Not too long now.”

“How do you have this much self-control?” you whined.

“A man can do anything with the right motivation,” he grinned down at you. Stars, you were beautiful. “I’m excited too.”

“Hmm, yeah?”

“Yeah,” he trailed his nose across your cheek, blowing warm air down to your ear. Your breath hitched. “Nothing I want to do more than sink into you, feel you wrapped around me again…except, maybe, lap at your pretty clit until you spill down my chin.”

You let out a tiny high pitched mewl, ��That’s not fair, Rex. I’m so horny it hurts, and you’re leaving soon.”

Just like clockwork, his vambrace began beeping from across the room. 

Rex kissed your nose, “You haven’t exactly been making this easy on me either, cyarika.” He reached down to grab at your hips. “The kissing and the stroking and the grinding. But I’ve been very nice, I know how hard this is for both of us. Just be good for me a bit longer, and I’ll give you everything you want.”

You sighed, properly chastised, “Okay. But maybe I could still come to the rally-”

“Not even if you held a blaster to my head,” Rex interrupted firmly. “We’ve talked about this.”

He got up to go and check the message on his vambrace while you huffed, “I don’t like the idea of you out there, dangled like bait for the worst of the anti-clone movement.”

“Fox and I both agreed that it would be best to keep the protesters focused on a trooper instead of the politicians.” Speaking of his brother, Fox was calling him in for the final briefing before they moved out this afternoon. 

“But if I just waited at a caf shop a few blocks away-”

“I’d be out of my mind with worry the entire time,” he started pulling on his armor. “And I wouldn’t be able to do my job.”

You went quiet, which was surprising. The both of you had gone over this repeatedly last night. Rex could understand your anxiety, but he had his skills, he had his plastoid, and he had an entire branch of the GAR convinced that he needed to be protected at all costs. He suspected Fox felt guilty about using him for this, and was hyping up the troopers about his record, his legion, and maybe even the fact that he had someone to come home to. 

He chanced a glance back at you, and felt his heart seize. You were teary, jaw clenched and staring out the window. 

“Hey,” he strode over, breastplate hanging off him loosely. “Hey now, cyare.”

You threw your arms around him, pressing your body against the ridges of his armor, “Be careful, Rex. Please”

He held you, swaying slightly to the rhythm pounding in his chest, “I will, I promise. Give me ten hours. I’ll be home before you know it.”

“I’ll be watching you on the net,” you sniffed.

“I’ll wave if I see a camera.”

*********************************

That’s how he left you, curled up back under the covers and promising you’d take it easy. You were asleep again almost immediately. 

The briefing was quick, and loading into the transports went by even faster. Fox wanted everyone in position before the first of the protesters gathered. 

The troopers spread through the open space like they’d done it a thousand times. Rex only had to mind his own placement at the north corner of the stage and admire their precision. Fox had trained them well. 

Protesters with homemade accessories (like buttons), colorful signs, and makeshift masks to look like GAR helmets started filtering in. Most of them looked like the pro-clone crowd. 

An hour later, some anti-protesters arrived. The grounds became considerably louder, the air charged with electricity. Rex ordered a screaming man who approached the stage to be taken to the drunk tanks. 

News crews pulled their speeders up, unloading all of their expensive equipment. They looked considerably calmer than Rex felt. 

The space filled up faster than he could have anticipated. Every time he scanned the area, the burgeoning pile of bodies seemed to have multiplied. But the lines of troopers were holding well. 

Another hour passed before the speakers arrived. Fox sent a ping to each commanding officer, and a moment later Bail Organa, Padme Amidala, several representatives, a net star, a reclusive philanthropist, and - Rex’s eyebrows raised - Shor Ryesim filled onto the stage. He guessed Shor wasn’t lying when he said he was the organizer of the event.

Organa’s speech opened the rally. It was well-written, level, and reassuring. Rex never understood what special quality made someone a good public speaker, but he was sure he didn’t possess it. Bail apparently had it in spades. Even the anti-clone folks calmed down a little. 

The speakers began to blend together as Rex continued to scan the crowd. The representatives were supportive, if a little dull. He couldn’t blame them, how hard must it be to follow Organa? The net star came off vapid and brief, but at least he was using his position for something meaningful. The philanthropist looked almost embarrassed to be present. And Amidala…well, she was Amidala. Direct and spirited, passionate and definitive. She kept turning in his direction throughout the speech, and Rex fought the urge to give her the recognition she deserved. As far as the public knew, he was not familiar with her in the slightest. 

The crowd began to pick up on her energy. Loud clashes of voices rose up. Rex caught a few troopers keeping brawlers apart. The anti-crowd began hurling insults and, in one case, a rock in her direction. It missed by a hair.

“Don’t bother with the drunk tank for that one!” Rex commanded. Amidala and the other politicians were ushered off the stage. And of course this was all streamed across the net. Skywalker was going to kill him.

“Are they calling it?” He commed Fox. “The crowd is rising.” And he wasn’t exaggerating. The pros were clamoring for the anti’s arrest. Insults and accusations flew.

“Hold on,” came his brother’s answer. “No, the organizer wants to give his speech, finish up with what they came to do. I’m taking the others out of here.”

Rex felt a stab of annoyance. Fucking Shor…

“Hold steady, boys,” he said to his troopers. “We’ve got one more speaker, then they’re gonna send ‘em home.”

Ryesim took to the podium with very little ceremony. He shouted into the mics, trying to maintain the attention of his audience. 

“Friends! Friends!” he called. “If you’ll lend me just a bit of your patience! Remember, this event is for changing minds, not causing violence!”

Rex rolled his eyes and ordered two more brawlers led away. 

“However, we must be willing to fight to defend what is good and just!”

What the fuck is he doing? Rex called for his troopers to be on high alert. Shor was apparently abandoning the idea of de-escalation.

“Enough violence has been committed in the name of slowing progress!” Shor yelled, smacking the top of the podium. “We are here to demand the full rights of clones be recognized! We, as full citizens of this great Republic, have a responsibility to understand the plight of those less fortunate than us! To put ourselves in the way of those who would harm our clone compatriots, who are no less valuable, no less deserving than we are. Citizens of Coruscant, we are under threat! A war has started, much like the one clones heroically pursue across the galaxy! Too many clone supporters have been met with barbarity on the streets where they walk every day!”

The screen behind the podium alighted, showing the image of a young man, nose clearly broken, with glass sticking out of his cheek. 

“Take Kiran Serril!” Shor shouted, spit flying from his mouth. “Brutalized in his own home for a sticker on his door supporting clone citizenship!”

The mob screamed in unison. The lines of troopers between pro and anti groups were starting to break down. 

“Fox,” Rex growled. “We need to end this. Now.”

Fox’s response came immediately, “Copy. I’ll comm the others. I’ve just put the VIPs in their transports. I’m on my way back.”

Shor was still screaming, riling the throng up with yet another disturbing image, “Ellebet Diranae is an elderly retiree, but that did not stop thugs from following her home and giving her a concussion for daring to read a pro-clone pamphlet in her local caf joint!”

All Rex could see were angry faces, brutal intent. He was done waiting.

“Form a wall boys!” he yelled, and his troopers started pushing the protesters back from the stage without hesitation. The ones keeping the two factions apart began getting serious, and the line down the middle reformed. “Blasters at stun only! Order them to disperse! Hound, get in here now, start getting those on the fringes to go home! Leave the massifs in the transports, they’ll just incite panic!”

He was so busy he didn’t hear Shor’s next introduction, didn’t see the transition to another exploitive image. Only when the crowd began falling back did Rex begin to register words again.

“- worst of all, this heroic, kind woman is a medic! She saves lives for a living! She lives in Coruscant, like all of you, not too far from here! I’ve known her since childhood, and they demolished her for the crime of wearing pins on a backpack!”

Rex’s hot, racing blood suddenly turned to ice. Slowly, or maybe it only seemed that way in the chaos, he turned back to look at the new picture on the netscreen.

No.

*********************************

You were having trouble breathing.

Wheezing, you raised a hand to touch your netscreen, running a finger down the little stage made of data and pixels. You hovered over Rex, who had his back turned to the mile-high image behind the podium. He was frantically trying to get the crowd under control. 

Shor was shaking his fist, shouting like a lunatic. You wanted to squash him.

You caught the moment Rex turned and saw the screen behind him, could practically feel the moment he registered what had happened.

Shor had shown your face, battered as all hell. With multiple pictures, plastered on a surface taller than your building. From multiple angles, so the damage couldn’t be ignored. 

Shor had screamed your name to the entire city, the entire planet. With that, someone could find your address. Find your place of work. 

You’d be on the news in a matter of hours. You and those other poor souls Shor undoubtedly didn’t get permission to showcase. You sobbed. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

As you watched, Rex prowled towards the Twi’Lek, who didn’t even notice a murderous clone in his periphery. Fox appeared on the other side of the stage, and rushed to intercept. You weren’t sure he would make it in time. 

Rex ripped the microphone clear off its stand, the podium screeching in protest. That move gave Fox the time he needed to get in between the two and slam Shor to the surface of the podium. He put his other hand on Rex’s wrist, and even though it was hidden behind the rest of his body, you knew Fox was stopping your boyfriend from drawing his blaster. 

A moment while they stood, staring each other down through their visors. Finally, Rex stepped back, and Fox cuffed Shor. With his other hand, the commander looked to be talking into his comms. Your brutalized face disappeared from behind them. 

A moment later, your own netscreen went black.

[traversety]

THE HEART OF CHICANERY: SIX

word count: 2,799

content warnings: mental health shit

CHAPTER INDEX

*****

The house was quieter than a graveyard when the boys came downstairs. “Strange,” Alan mused. “Did everyone leave? I know Dad’s getting the tree from a farm an hour away, but Mom wasn’t going anywhere as far as I’m aware.”  

“Emergency grocery run?”  

“Must be that, unless she’s taking Adrian and Millie present shopping for me. Which is unlikely. It must be an emergency grocery run. Oh well, we still have bread and Nutella.”  

As Alan dove into the cabinets searching for the aforementioned items, Roman glanced out the window. Pale silver clouds coated the skies, casting Alan’s small backyard into shadows.  

A chill slid down Roman’s spine. Something was wrong. Staring through the glass, Roman could feel something out-of-place lingering nearby, like an unwanted ghost crawling out from the grave. But this was his street. His turf. And it was the weekend, so it wasn’t the old haunts of the past coming for him for some unexpected reason. Alan had handled that issue a few months ago.  

His heart sounding out a drumbeat of fear, Roman walked forward. His shaking hands gripped the sill so tightly his fingers protested with pain. A ringing sound filled the silence as his eyes examined the landscape, praying to God that his mind was playing tricks on him.  

And then he saw it. It was hovering in the branches of a stately pine tree, easy to overlook, but it was there. A drone. A Society drone. In his best friend’s backyard.  

Impossible.  

Alan’s voice sounded like a distant echo. “Okay, I found- Roman? Are you good? You look like you’ve been glued to the ground and saw a ghost.”  

The drone’s orange light blinked twice. Then it began to move slowly, extracting itself from the tree while trying not to draw any attention to itself.  

Roman had a sickening feeling he knew what that drone was looking for.  

“Alan,” he said, his pitch rising from a whisper to a shout. “Alan, I need you to get out of here or down on the floor. Leaving would be better.”  

“Roman, please, is everything—”  

“ALAN!” His blood spiked with adrenaline. Roman spun around, grabbed Alan’s sleeve, and lunged forward. They fell to the ground, Roman quickly pinning Alan on the carpet. “Alan, please, I need you to trust me. I know we have a vow of honesty, but I need your trust.”  

Alan was gasping for air. With Roman’s knees digging into his sides, an elbow planted on his chest, and his free hand gripping the front of his pullover, the task was even more difficult. “Roman,” he coughed out, “I will always trust you. Even if you kill me, I will trust you with my dying breath.”  

In an instant, Roman was on his feet, pulling Alan up with a fierce tug. “Then I need you to follow me.” He glanced over his shoulder and saw the drone careening towards the window. “Something’s out there, and I don’t know if it wants you or me.”  

Before Alan could beg an explanation from him, Roman ran for the front door. He spared only a few seconds to throw his jacket back on and thank God he’d chosen slip-on sneakers. Alan was right behind him, hurriedly pulling on a pair of boots and tying the laces with practiced speed.  

Roman threw open the front door. A blast of cold air swept through the opening, carrying the sound of a drone’s motor with it. Without a single word spoken between them, Alan and Roman sprinted into the snow. Alan took the lead as they ran on the ice-slicked sidewalks, easily outdistancing Roman and the Society drone madly trailing in their wake. His ears were flushed from the cold and his breathing was the gasping of an amateur athlete, but Roman couldn’t read Alan’s face and see if he was afraid. If anything, Alan would be more concerned about Roman getting hurt than himself. He understood that it was important none of them got hurt, but standing in the way of any bullets was the last thing Roman needed to happen to his best friend.  

The whirring noise of the drone cut through the cold air, amplified by the silence the snow had brought. The crunch of footsteps and the hiss of hurried breathing provided a rhythm for the haunting atmosphere.  

Roman felt like he’d been trapped in a cage and put on display to be laughed at. Whoever was watching this mad dash was likely amused. A Society member, running in dangerous conditions from a generally safe drone? Comedy, nothing but comedy. And to top it all off, Alan was bound to ask questions: how did Roman know about the drone? How did he know they needed to run? The veil of this Temple was possibly about to be ripped from the top down, and the prospect only gave Roman even more to fear.  

A breeze started pushing on the back of Roman’s sweaty neck. The taste of blood and salt soaked his mouth. The drone must be getting too close. “ALAN, GO FASTER! YOU NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THIS THING!”  

Alan turned around for a half-second. His face burned pink; his hair was frosted with frozen sweat. His chest was heaving from the excursion. “I’m worried about losing you,” he said.  

“Don’t worry about me,” Roman called out between each gasp. “I can handle myself. Please, Alan, worry about yourself for once.”  

Alan skidded to a stop, his fingers deftly curling around a signpost to keep him from slipping and falling. “I don’t want you to hurt or be hurt, Roman. I’ve seen you go through so much. I just want you to be safe, and being hunted like this can’t be helping right now.”  

I’m just trying not to kill or be killed. Fragments of voices. an echo in empty stone hallways. That’s what it felt like, hearing those words in his mind. 

“I know you’d do anything for me, Roman. And I’d do anything for you.” 

You keep your hands off of him. Harm him and watch what happens to your miserable lives. This voice sounded a bestial snarl in a cavern lit by raging fires.  

With a sudden jolt of heartache, Roman realized that, in his nightmare, he must have been referring to Alan there, when he was threatening his pursuers. I know you’d do anything for me, Roman. And I’d do anything for you. An oath, a river of blood, a loss of life or limb—or both. They would kill to keep each other safe. They would take vows of honesty to protect each other. And Roman had been breaking his promises since the day he made them. But like Alan, he wanted to keep everyone safe. Everyone being each other. 

Roman’s gaze met Alan’s eyes, and for a moment they stared at each other, their breaths fogging together like twin cigarette smokes. Then Alan looked up. Roman’s gaze followed, and his heartbeat leaped into his mouth.  

“It caught up with us.”  

Roman had never been so close to a Society drone. Not since his first night. Not since the accident that had led to all the drones staying behind locked doors. It was surprisingly flat and square, about the same thickness (and perhaps two-thirds the size) as the copy of Brian Moore’s Catholics that Alan kept on his nightstand. The color was a rich black, and an orange light glittered from the top of the drone. Two small propellers jutted out on each side and a miniature camera lens on the front reflected the shine of the snow on the ground. It would be perfectly pocket-sized, Roman knew, when it was turned off, easy enough to hide in a small bag. When he first saw a Society drone, he’d been awed by the thing. Now it sent shivers down his spine.  

“I think it’s filming us,” Alan said. “That’s probably why the light is on. I wonder whose toy this is.”  

“This doesn’t look like any toy I’ve seen.”  

“Well, come on, it’s not like it belongs to the CIA! It must belong to somebody we already know.”  

“It could be anyone.”  

“But why would a stranger be interested in us, Roman?” 

“KIDNAPPING?!”  

Alan chuckled. “No one’s kidnapping us. You’d find a matchbook and burn something a week into captivity. You’re too volatile to be a prisoner.”  

At the mention of matches, Roman’s hands began to shake, and his mouth went dry. He knew these symptoms too well.  

But they gave him an excellent idea.  

“Alan, I am going to sound like a lunatic, but I need you to stay right here. I just came up with a terrible idea and I want to see if it works.”  

“DON’T TRIP AND DIE ON YOUR WAY BACK!” Alan screamed as Roman dashed back to his house. “I WILL MAKE YOU REGRET IT IF YOU DO!”  

*****

He stumbled to a halt outside his house, panting. He knew that Alan would’ve hidden what he needed before he showed up, so the only place to get it would be back home.  

The front door was still unlocked.  

Roman hurried through the house, not bothering to shed his coat and shoes. Throwing together a distraction like the one he had in mind needed to be done quickly. He couldn’t just leave Alan stranded out there.  

When he left, his pockets held a few pocket-sized notebooks and a box of matches.  

Alan was going to kill him for this.  

*****

It was a horrible plan, thrown together at the last second and likely to scare Alan to death, but he didn’t have enough time for anything else. Even if he did have more time, he’d need his headset, and there was no way he was letting Alan see him disable a drone with a pair of wireless headphones. He had a lot of anxiety bottling up, anyway. Might as well pop the cork on it before it got even worse. Maybe the guilt from Alan’s disappointment would hurt less. 

When he closed his eyes, he could feel something sharp and burning spreading across his shoulders and down his arms, almost like being stabbed in the back while drowning. His hands were shaking so badly that he had to latch his fingers onto the lining of his jacket pockets. He needed to breathe, needed the taste of smoke on his tongue, needed a searing breeze weaving its way through his hair and across his face. He needed to be free. This blind fear was going to kill him. He needed a light to see past the darkness. Wasn’t that why he started lighting fires? To burn off the pressure of stress, of fear and anxiety?  

The slick cardboard of the matchbox sent a sickening trickle through his blood. How much longer was it going to be? A few minutes? It felt like an eternity, a thousand years spinning away into nothingness in the blink of an eye.  

He would not regret doing this. He could not regret doing this.  

I will not regret doing this. I should not regret doing this.  

I refuse to regret doing this.  

His shoulders started to tense. 

Ahead of him, he saw Alan. He was still holding onto the signpost. The drone was slowly circling him. Not too much longer now. Seconds away. Just seconds before release.  

Alan’s head turned in Roman’s direction. His eyes widened. 

His plan was starting.  

“Roman! You didn’t trip, right?”  

He shook his head. “I’m okay. I’m gonna get that thing away from us. I need you to return to your house and wait for me.”  

Alan smiled and flashed him a quick thumbs-up. It was working. His fingers curled around the box in his pocket as Alan started running towards him.  

As he passed Roman, Alan suddenly stopped and grabbed his sleeve. A frown settled on his face, and dread shot through Roman. He couldn’t have realized that quickly.  

Alan’s voice was thick with panic. “Are you going to do,” he said, “what I think you’re going to do?”  

Roman tried to wrestle out of Alan’s grip, but it was like an iron chain locking him in place, a tether binding him to fear. “You’ve got your hands in your pockets, your eyes are too wide, your shoulders are tight—”  

“I’m doing what needs to be done, Alan. There’s no other way to do this.” He pulled the matches out of his pocket, held them tight, and tried to unzip his coat. He succeeded, tumbling in a blink and sinking into the snow. The cold only increased the need for a fire. Three of the notebooks fell beside him, and he shoved them into his waistband. Too much time had already been lost. He couldn’t waste any more seconds. 

Concern blossomed on Alan’s face. “Roman, you shouldn’t do this—”  

Enough. He needed to let it all go. The bottle was starting to break. 

“GO BEFORE YOU GET HURT!” Roman screamed, his voice ripping at the seams, frayed edges taking the place of neat hemlines. A nauseating brew of anxiety bubbled in his blood. “I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING! PLEASE, ALAN!”  

Before Alan could protest, Roman was on his feet, racing toward the drone, his fingers fumbling for a match. He leaped in the air, grabbed the drone, and fell into that freezing white blanket for the second time in a few minutes. He forced the drone between his knees, then struck the match on his jeans.  

Fire. A small light, but it was enough. A spark in the darkness.  

He broke through the surface. No more drowning. No more fear blinding his eyes. 

Freedom.  

He pulled the notebooks free and held them in his left hand like playing cards. With his right hand, the match drew closer, the flames a moment away.  

And then it happened.  

Fire kissed the paper. Smoke drifted into the air, stinging his eyes and stealing his breath. It tasted acrid and flat; the absence of the anxiety was much more delicious.  

The flames spread quickly, and Roman used his free hand to hold the drone, forcing the camera lens to lock on the burning books.  

“Whoever messes with Alan,” he snarled, “messes with me.”  

His fingers began to sear with sun-bright pain. He simply smiled. His breath came out sharp, fogged with freezing air.  

He began to laugh. Chuckles soon gave way to maniacal screams.  

He felt so much better already. Freedom. Manumission. Floating on the surface of the ocean. Release. It felt wonderful.  

His hands were shaking, burning, hurting, his vision sparkling with a thousand stars, his head emptied, his lungs choking on smoke. Someone was shouting behind him, begging him to please, please stop, but how could he stop when he felt so much lighter— 

In a blink, there was nothing but silence. A curtain pulled over the world.  

Darkness had returned. But his relief was worth the pain.  

*****

When he came to, he wasn’t outside.  

Soft flannel sheets. Weak evening light streaming from the window. The sensation of something cool on his hands. Burn cream.  

His eyes started to focus. This was his bedroom.  

“Oh, thank God you’re awake. I was on my knees for two hours, begging God for you to wake up. All fifteen decades of the Rosary in one sitting, and then some. I know it seems ridiculous, but I was freaking out while you were out, Roman.” A bottle of holy water sparkled gently in the lamplight on Roman’s nightstand. Alan must’ve brought it along in case something serious happened. 

Oh, Alan. “How… how long was I out?”  

“Something along the lines of four hours. You woke up after, like, ten minutes and then immediately fell back asleep. You woke up as we were coming inside and stayed in this groggy state long enough for me to get you into a bed before you fell asleep. Don’t worry about your hands. I pretty much drowned them in burn cream, and you didn’t get hit too much.”  

Roman finally turned his head to his left. Alan wasn’t looking at him. 

“You’re more worried than you’re letting on. Come on, Alan, look at me.”  

Alan turned. His eyes were brimming with tears and fear. “Roman, you had me panicking. I’m not gonna lie. I don’t know what was going on, and I honestly don’t care. But I will care the next time you grab a drone and light something on fire in front of it. I’m holding back the Inquisition right now, but if I see one more drone, I am asking questions, and I will hold you to your promises. Do you understand?” His voice was choking with concern.  

Roman still felt no guilt for what he’d done.  

“Alright. I promise.”  

*****

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

NEXT CHAPTER

*****

ping list: @oligoweee, @ablank-art

[rederiswrites]

Truly, spring is upon me, and I am working this health improvement for everything it's worth.

Four days ago, I managed to finish weeding the front herb beds, making this the first time I can recall that they were actually all caught up on weeding simultaneously. Weeding them is a skilled task, because it takes a trained eye to realize that in the middle of that clump of deadnettle and chickweed you're about to yank out, there is a single stem of French Tarragon that has somehow survived. I have yet, however, to give the last area I weeded a quick cultivation and then spread seeds for dill and cilantro and poppies.

Two days ago, I managed to clear and plant a solid twenty square feet of my kitchen garden (calling this and the field garden "gardens" feels....aspirational, given how much of them is actually just grass and weeds). So now I've got spinach and lettuce that may or may not recover from the wildlife, mustard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, and kohlrabi planted. And then yesterday and today I managed to gather enough grass clippings to mulch it all. Grass clippings aren't an amazing mulch but they're certainly the one I have. The Boy helped rake, and @phantomtheraccoon collected the clippings and mulched the last of the garden, while I weeded the long-neglected space where the goth garden was two years ago and planted in a bunch of Solomon's Seal and Myoga (Japanese Ginger) I got off FB Marketplace.

There's more Solomon's seal yet to plant, but I'm going to put it in the odd shady nook at the front of the house that we call the Sculpture garden (also very much aspirational, as there are no sculptures), along with the lovely mix of ferns, heucheras, and hostas I've been collecting for the spot. All of which also need to be planted. I think that's like...fifteen plants plus a sack of solomon's seal that's been out of the ground bare-root for a week now. And I gotta clear turf to plant them. It's fine; don't worry about it.

Today after the raking and the hauling and the weeding and the planting, Phantom and I went on a whirlwind tour of the beautiful, sun-drenched (ow, the sun) spring countryside and grabbed cardboard boxes from a friend to mulch with, cheap strawberry and lily plants from another FB Marketplace listing, chick feed for the chicks that grow like balloons, and parsley from Walmart. Ahh, Walmart garden center. You suck, but you came through for me on this one thing. You had some really nice parsley.

And now, though it is dinner time if you're sensible, I have to see how much of the family I can rouse so we can prepare a bed for these strawberries, which are at this moment blooming and healthy and sitting, freshly dug today, in a plastic grocery bag on my deck.

All of which entirely ignores prepping ground to plant seeds and onion sets and in a week and a half it's time for peppers and tomatoes and EVERYTHING else to go in. Also the twenty or so trees and shrubs sitting behind the house in pots waiting to be planted out before the heat of summer comes.

Also this sack of sunchokes that is currently sprouting and growing sitting on my kitchen table, which I haven't yet figured out where to plant.

[saltygolemmonster]

How Professional Landscape Design Increases Property Value in Pune

In Pune’s competitive real estate market, every detail counts when it comes to property valuation. While interior design often takes center stage, professional landscape design is a powerful yet frequently overlooked factor that can significantly boost your property’s worth. At Floriyard, a leading provider of Landscape Development Services in Pune, we’ve seen firsthand how strategic outdoor spaces can elevate curb appeal, functionality, and market value.

Whether you're a homeowner looking to sell or a business wanting to enhance your commercial property, investing in expert landscaping delivers measurable returns. In this blog, we’ll explore: ✔ The direct correlation between landscaping and property value ✔ Key design elements that attract buyers and tenants ✔ How Floriyard’s expertise can transform your outdoor space

For businesses, we also offer Indoor and Outdoor Plant Rentals for Workspaces to create healthier, more inviting environments.

The ROI of Professional Landscaping

1. Curb Appeal = Higher First Impressions

Studies show that well-designed landscapes can increase property value by 10–20%. In Pune’s real estate market, homes with mature trees, manicured lawns, and thoughtful hardscaping sell faster and at premium prices.

2. Outdoor Living Spaces Extend Usable Square Footage

Modern buyers and commercial tenants value functional outdoor areas such as: ✔ Entertainment-ready patios (with pergolas or decking) ✔ Sustainable gardens (native plants, rainwater harvesting) ✔ Zen relaxation zones (water features, meditation corners)

These features effectively "expand" your property’s livable space without construction costs.

3. Energy Efficiency Through Smart Landscaping

Strategic tree planting and green walls can: ✔ Reduce cooling costs by up to 25% (by shading buildings) ✔ Act as windbreaks in winter ✔ Improve air quality—a selling point for health-conscious buyers

Pune-Specific Landscape Value Boosters

1. Climate-Adapted Designs

Pune’s tropical climate demands: ✔ Drought-resistant plants (like agaves and succulents) ✔ Permeable paving (to prevent monsoon waterlogging) ✔ Shade trees (e.g., Neem or Peepal) to combat summer heat

2. Low-Maintenance Luxury

Busy urban professionals prefer designs that are: ✔ Automated irrigation systems ✔ Evergreen shrubs (minimal leaf shedding) ✔ Artificial turf options (for always-green lawns)

3. Security & Privacy Enhancements

Gated communities and offices benefit from: ✔ Thorny perimeter plants (e.g., Bougainvillea) ✔ Tall bamboo screens (natural privacy walls) ✔ Lighting-integrated pathways (safety + aesthetics)

Floriyard’s Expertise: From Concept to Value Creation

Our Landscape Development Services in Pune are tailored to maximize your investment:

✔ Site Analysis – Soil testing, sun mapping, and drainage planning ✔ Custom Design – 2D/3D renderings aligned with your vision ✔ Premium Materials – Locally sourced stone, sustainable wood ✔ Smart Maintenance Plans – Seasonal care to preserve beauty

Featured Project: A Baner residence saw a 22% higher valuation after our team redesigned its backyard with a stone patio, native plant garden, and decorative lighting.

For commercial properties, pair landscaping with our Indoor and Outdoor Plant Rentals for Workspaces to impress clients and employees year-round.

Ready to Elevate Your Property’s Worth?

Invest in landscaping that pays dividends. Floriyard combines creativity, sustainability, and technical precision to deliver spaces that captivate and appreciate.

Address: Bhumkarnagar, warje, Left Bhusari Colony, Bhusari Colony, Kothrud, Pune, Maharashtra 411058 Phone: 74100 47474 Get Direction

[jpd82]

You look like king koopa puta, and I'm about to shoot ya, with a bazooka, straight to your face, and knock the taste, out all your buds, then there's blood, on the carpet and the rug, and then it's curtains, I'm certain, that I'm burnin, down your house, without a doubt, another strike I'm out, so I'm about, to get real mean, make a fuckin scene, with my AR-15, with plenty of ammunition, on a covert mission, but listen, before you start dissin, I ain't the muthafuckin one son, on the wrong side of a gun, punk bitches scatter and run, pealin caps for fun, burn you like the sun, or that hasn't been exposed, slap another hoe, after a rail goes up my nose, change my clothes, so the 5-0 don't know, which way to go, or who to pursue, I thought you knew, don't leave a fuckin clue, for the boys in blue, remember the rule, that no face no case, and no name no blame, cuz the main pains the same, in the game, as it rain, hollow points that I aimed, to gain, even more duckets, but fuck it, I bust it, trust it, and best believe, what you read, money's what I need, so I make em bleed, and bitch please, spread like a disease, proceed, to hit the trees, and down yet another bottle, I'm unstoppable, you're layin in the hospital, blood drippin out your nostril, it's just not possible, to slow or stop me, just can't top me, so they copy, my style, rhythm, and flow, now it's time to go, somewhere over the rainbow, jack a pot of gold, my heart is cold, so I hold, even more dope in my pocket, what you need I got it, sacked up and ready, I got plenty, never empty, and steady on the grind, more paper on my mind, and I find, there's a thin line, between a sinner and a saint, but wait, bring the yellow tape, you can't escape, the fate of your demise, don't try to hide, and I would revise, your weak ass bars, another charge, and conviction, due to my addiction that's a contradiction in the jurisdiction of the penal code, as I load, the clip and the chamber, your life's in danger, and it's a major, hazard to your health, so check yourself, or judged by 12, maybe carried by 6, fuckin tricks, in my mix, when I pull a lick, and hit, you where it hurts, the whole earths my turf, but first I burst, and pop goes the weasel, this substance is like lethal illegal, injections, not to mention, my intention, to either ride or die, say goodbye, to the bad guy, you'll never see another like this, as I sling this crys, and wish, that I miss, my own funeral, that ruined you, in this verbal attack, you bustas are wack, I'm the fuckin mack, I'm back, and that's that.

[jhazrinehartificio]

NU Laguna: Where Futures Are Built

National University Laguna (NU Laguna) is one of the universities that offers quality education to every youth and hands-on experiences that will prepare students for the challenges ahead. Here, we’ll explore the aspects of this institution—and how it proves that this university truly has the “education that works”.

History

NU Laguna opened its first branch outside Metro Manila on November 18, 2019, with the inauguration of NU Laguna and INSPIRE Sports Academy. The university, which opened in September 2018, offers numerous degree programs and the only state-of-the-art sports facility in the south, INSPIRE Sports Academy. The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, unveiling of markers, commemorative tree planting, and a sneak peek of the Philippine national taekwondo team's preparation for ASEAN competitions. President RJ Ermita emphasized the university's goal to bring education to the CALABARZON area.

Facilities

Football Pitch - an artificial turf field designed for football or soccer sports. It is part of Inspire Sports Academy which offers comprehensive sports training for athletes.

Aquatic Center & Tennis Court - it features Alice G. Eduardo Tennis and Aquatic Center, who had contributions to sports development. It has an Olympic-size pool and tennis court which is designed for supporting athletes.

Inspire Dormitel & Cafeteria - a lodging facility which offers comfortable accommodations and has 28 quad-sharing rooms and 32 twin rooms, providing a communal yet cozy atmosphere for athletes, coaches, and guests. The cafeteria serves as a dining facility including the students, athletes, coaches, and guests. It provides a menu focused on healthy, nutritious meals designed to support the dietary needs of students and those engaged in sports training.

High Performance Gym - equipped with high-quality equipment designed for conditioning and skill training, making it suitable for both individual athletes and teams. It includes in-house coaches who provide guidance to athletes, enhancing their training experience.

Learning Resource Center - it provides students with essential academic support, including study spaces and access to technology. It is designed to enhance learning outcomes by fostering a collaborative environment.

Health Services Clinic - offers essential healthcare services, including first aid and general medical care for athletes and students. It ensures the well-being of users during sports activities and academics.

Auditorium & Ampitheater - versatile venues suitable for various events, including seminars, performances, and community gatherings. Equipped with modern audio-visual technology, it facilitates engaging presentations and promotes community interaction among diverse groups.

Multipurpose Court & Hoops Center - it is designed for various sports, including basketball, volleyball, futsal, and badminton. It accommodates training and competitions, making it suitable for both recreational and serious athletes. Meanwhile, the Hoops Center features two full-size FIBA-standard basketball courts and a 3x3 court, making it an excellent facility for training and competitions. This center supports various basketball activities and events, catering to both aspiring and professional athletes.

Lecture & Laboratory Rooms - equipped with modern technology to support diverse academic activities for students. These versatile spaces are ideal for lectures, discussions, and hands-on training across various subjects.

[harrison-abbott]

Polska - Travel Memories

POLAND

I haven’t been there in such a long time but

For some reason I often still think about one

Particular image that reminds of the nation.

The strawberry kiosks on the street corners.

Folks selling fresh strawberries on the ends

Of the roads, and the blood red intensity of

The berries … And, the ironical mix of the

Alcohol shops dotted around the streets, mixed,

Almost door to door, with the pharmacy shops.

So, you would see the neon lights of the alcohol

Stores in one place and then twenty yards down

The street there would be the green neon beam

Of an APTEXA sign. Health and poison aligned.

But there are far many other visions and memorial

Content, too. It’s just that they are swirled up

In a type of dreamland that I rarely want to

Go back to, because I miss this country so much,

And the person that I used to visit there with –

I miss her as horrifically as any mental pain

I can describe in any of my writing. But, I

Suppose that by writing about this country

It can be a type of therapy. And so here goes.

The city I spent the most time in was Lodz.

A huge town with a population of around

700 000 people. And we would head through

The city on the wasp coloured trams that

Dinged and danged with their bells, along

The streets that were often filled with weeds

And under the tall buildings that were often

Left cracked and dilapidated. Sometimes

Because nobody was living in them and

Other times because they were still ruins

From the war. And, on so many walls nearby

That you glanced, there was football graffiti.

Or, other slogans that I didn’t know the

Origin of. Whenever you walked out on the

Street you were aware of high rises in the

Distance. Some folks find them ugly but I’ve

Always found them pretty in an off key way.

Those were hard fat bulky Soviet buildings

Of concrete that yomped up way high in the

Sky and there must’ve been hundreds of

People living in each domino set that you

Looked at: and they were dazed and delirious

In the central European sun. We would

Ride out to the outer parts of the city and

The flats would just go on and on into the

Distance. And whenever we rode on the trams or

On the train it always took thirty minutes to get

Anywhere – the town was that huge. Industrial.

We went to museums of textile works, ex-factories.

There was the sense that this city was one of

Working people, of GDP, of output. And yet it

Was still obliterated by warfare and mass crime,

Even in the late quarter of the 21 century.

We went to the Jewish cemetery, far, far away

From where we were staying. And it remains

One of the largest cemeteries in Europe.

For reasons that I don’t need to explain.

And most of the graveyards were surrounded by

Lofty trees in full bloom. Was a sunny day

When we went there. And the graves weren’t

Proper graves. They were merely little

Placards that stung meekly out of the soil,

And most of them didn’t have names. Just bodies,

Under the earth. Skeletons. … And, my girl

And I went travelling out of Lodz a lot, too,

Between Warsaw and Opole and Krakow.

Thus, I witnessed much of the dense countryside

Between the cities. And the fields were rich

And lush and they almost didn’t belong to the

Hard urbanity of the towns. There were still

Houses by the farms, but most of it was a series

Of long landscaped fields, flat and dazed in blue

Yellow, and hooker’s green. … And I remember

One time walking with her, and her parents,

And her mother said, “There was a great battle

Here, back in the war. Against the Nazis.”

And, we were literally just walking through

This angelic countryside. It was surreal

To hear her mention the Nazis so casually.

That they had been on this very turf,

70 years earlier, with their Blitzkrieg rage.

Her mother and father spoke only in English

To me; but I tried a few times with Polish,

And they found it funny, because my accent

Was so awful. But, when they were all speaking

In their own tongue, I liked the sound of their

Language and how it crashed and thrashed

With noises I couldn’t understand. It had

A rough, clumsy, dance-like quality to it:

That Slavic thing that I wished I knew how to

Speak. But there was very little chance,

Considering all of their cases, and so on.

Or, maybe I wasn’t smart enough to learn it

Properly. … But in those summers, too, there

Were the football tournaments. And, because

Polska are usually a decent football team,

They were often involved in the competitions.

This was unusual for me, since I come

From Scotland. And so the city squares and

The main streets would be filled with folks

Wearing soccer shirts, and there would be

Huge public TVs; and there was steaming pierogi,

And gaudy piwo [which is always high strength

In Poland, no matter which brand you pick]

And there would be an eruption whenever

There was a goal. Even though it was unlikely

That Poland would win the tournament it

Was still glorious to be involved.

When the games were over we would head

Elsewhere in the city and sit by the thick river and

Dabble at those intense beers. Yeah, I remember

Being in Warsaw by the Vistula and it was

Maybe eight in the evening and still piping

Hot and Poland was still throbbing and pulsing

With hundreds of other folks lacing the steps

By the bankside. The nation had been through

So much mayhem throughout its history,

And yet it was still here: there was a whole

Generation here by the banks of this mammoth

River: and even though I was a foreigner,

I still felt a part of the generation.

No, I wasn’t Slavic: but I loved this nation indeed.

[girlhorse]

i think a lot of dog daycares/kennels, and tbh some shelters and vet offices, fail to consider, on the level of construction, the importance of using material that is both sturdy and easy to clean and easy to replace. Dogs are nasty and also capable of incredible amounts of destruction.

No wood, no brick, nothing with a large surface area (like grates or fences with hard to clean gaps), nothing porous; the facility must have drainage on the floors, must have multiple water sources for sanitation purposes, if play areas are indoors there must be a way to keep water and piss out of the drywall/gaps between wall and floor (caulk is not good enough lmao), must store all food appropriately (using large totes for example) to prevent pests, should invest in artificial turf if outdoors, must use easily sanitized flooring if indoors (personally torn on indoor play areas that have slippery floors bc that can be horrible for a dog's joints and can cause injuries, but it is very cleanable and manageable so i dunno), should absolutely have an industrial grade dishwasher (having ur employee hand wash everything is idiotic and a waste of time and water, and sink water will not get to a high enough temp to kill germs), should have at least one if not multiple washers and dryers, should prevent rodent infestations by managing trees on the property and keeping them several feet from the building as well as making sure there are no gaps or small entryways where rodents may enter, should have an area where sick dogs can be quarantined, should have showers/sanitation stations/eye wash stations for employees in the event that caustic chemicals are used or an employee happens to come in contact with a zoonotic disease, absolutely needs to require all dogs to be vaccinated (NO PUPPIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY VACCINATED! FR!), and needs to have an appropriate waste manangement system in place, poop scoops tbh are so much easier for employees than making them bend over and bag up each individual piles of shit, but they do also need to be washed; this includes removing all fecal matter and food waste from the building every night or as often as possible to prevent flies esp in the summer. So on and so forth.

taking at least some of these measures will absolutely improve employee QOL as well as the health and safety of dogs and employees alike. Ive been in so many filthy facilities that look clean outwardly but are just fucking disgusting and unsafe bc the owners cut corners during construction.

[ofglories]

   carefully, the path he traveled on avoided the watchful gaze of the cycranes, avoiding their line of sight. luocha appeared to keep his gaze up ahead, as if walking with a purpose, but in truth he would linger under the shade of a tree until the coast is clear.

   the only constant is the lingering feeling of a prying gaze.

   that he couldn't escape from, and luocha tried. turning corners and lingering in tiny shops, eyeing at the wares and wasting time while trying another local delicacy; waiting in alleys while the feeling weakened, for it to increase once more; even after a night at one of the finest inns, once he passed through the entrance way, the feeling picked up immediately. a bothersome man, luocha thought, half pensive, half tender, for they shared a long history: if there's one game that the other man managed to win, it's knowing his home turf better than the traveling merchant ever could. however, in regards to their longest game, neither had ever given the other an inch.

   this time, after booking a night at once of the finest inns around the xianzhou luofu, pointedly ignoring the curious gazes he earned due to the coffin at his side, he would leave it at his room and travel the streets, taking in the cool night air. starskiffs were less in number, besides those in a hurry to keep to the the schedule, delivering their goods from one section to the other, the only other sound being the wind as it ruffled his long hair, having found an area that no one else would be walking by accidentally. not too long after he leaned over the balustrade did that familiar feeling pick up — closer than before.

   "...the general is very generous with his time," he said, speaking up on purpose as he turned his gaze over his shoulder, olive green eyes taking in that familiar face. and standing presently in front of him, rather than a hologram, which told luocha how seriously this meeting would be ( a meeting that had been long been waiting to happen, one that luocha would say is not mutual ). "i will say that i don't wish to waste your time since surely with everything going on, you don't have plenty to spare."

"I offer only what is to be expected for so distinguished a guest of the Luofu."

An ordinary guest, of course. Jing Yuan was no fool even if he had yet to decipher any of the secrets of the merchant before him. So it was that he had organized things in secret to allow Luocha easy passage into the Luofu whenever he would arrive. Was it perhaps a gross abuse of his position? Oh, absolutely. Jing Yuan wasn't going to even pretend that it was anything but.

For what else was the use of a role such as Divine General when things were mostly at peace?

This time he had been alerted by the carefully placed spies he had scattered around the ship, his own "little birds" that carried information only for his ears alone. So with the ease of claiming a need for a walk for his health, courtesy of Lady Bailu's advice earlier that week amusingly enough, he had slipped from his post. The route best designed to avoid the gaze of the ever-present cycranes was well known to him at this point. An alley here, a sidestreet there. All carefully chosen and followed with the air that he belonged here.

Because he did belong, didn't he?

Who else in the Luofu was better suited to knowing all these passages than he?

And now here he was, reclining against a wall beneath the shade of a gently flowering tree, smiling at the other man. The sole man remaining on the ship that Jing Yuan could say he had a long history with. One that colored his thoughts with equal amounts of suspicion and tenderness that could only be brought on by knowing another soul for so many years. How many now he couldn't say, but their game was one that stretched back into history now. Chuckling at those familiar olive eyes meeting his golden ones, the general shruggged.

Even with a meeting of no small amount of import, he couldn't help but wish to prod at Luocha's many masks.

To finally get to see the truth of the mysterious merchant from another, unknown world.

"Unfortunately you are correct that I haven't much time to spare. At least on this day, that is. Had I known you were arriving earlier I could have properly set aside some time for a longer conversation today." A dramatic sigh, Jing Yuan shaking his head with an amused little grin. "Alas, all I was able to do on such short notice was to cite the recommendation of a certain little healer lady to get some fresh air for once."

With a snort he pushed away from the wall, gently tapping the corner of Luocha's mouth with the tip of a finger. "Take care when eating our local delicacies, remember? You always manage to leave a bit of sugar on your face each time for such a refined looking man." There was the familiar teasing. Something he couldn't help but do when faced with Luocha each time. "Now, to business I suppose. What brings you here this time, when things are so...difficult aboard the Luofu right now?"

[randum-famdoms]

Leaves are incredibly important! Plus, if you want to take an extra step in supporting your local ecosystem, there are many other ways to do so! Most notably: only planting/growing native plants, not mowing, not using chemicals, not watering, not growing turf, and taking steps to lessen your impact if you do end up taking part in aspects of lawn care culture.

Below is a long rant about the many ways that lawn care is bad and the simple steps you can take to fix it. For a more professional version, I have a list of nine sources at the end. If you don't have time for that, here is my main source: Princeton Essay.

The problems with lawn care culture and the MANY proven ways to mitigate/fix it is my roman Empire. This will be long so I'm adding a cut.

First on the list of ways to help your local ecosystem from your porch/lawn: consider checking what plants are native to your area before you landscape or otherwise grow plants outside. Many popular plants in landscaping aren’t actually native to most areas, some may not even be from your country. Planting native instead not only helps provide native animals and insects with food and shelter; native plants also almost always do better in their natural environment than non-native plants do in that same environment! Even if you’re not planting in the ground, native potted plants are better than non-native ones. This goes for flowers, ferns, ground cover, trees, bushes- honestly, any plant you can think of, native is the way to go. Don’t just assume a plant is native either, even if you see it in non-housing areas such as on the side of highways. Invasive plants are a real thing, and they’re almost never good. Always double check.

If you want even more ways to support your local ecosystem, consider not mowing your lawn! I did a research paper on this a while back, and could go on for several thousand words about it. But the gist of it is this:

Not mowing your lawn means less pollution from gas-powered lawn equipment like mowers and trimmers, it will eventually provide shelter and habitats for local wildlife, and it promotes biodiversity.

Simply mowing less often and not mowing in dry months can attract MUCH more pollinators like butterflies and bees as well as birds and small rodents to your area, even if it’s just turf grass with no landscaping.

If you water your lawn, do not do so if you have used any chemicals recently. It will cause run-off that can poison local water sources and harm wildlife.

Honestly just don’t use chemicals at all, it’s so bad for the environment. Please. If you have a pest problem find alternatives like pest-repellent candles or plants. Many plants have natural anti-spider, mosquito, and other undesirable bugs. Citronella isn’t an outlier, it’s an example.

If you do mow, leave the clippings for the same reason you should leave the leaves.

If you do use lawn care tools like mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers, etc: use manual-operated or electric ones, never gas. While it may seem silly when that is far from the main source of pollution, it is still important. If it’s a low-quality gas powered tool, it can leave traces of gasoline around your lawn which can then cause the local wildlife to get sick.

If you’re in a drought-prone area, xeriscaping is a great option! It’s a type of landscaping that uses only drought resistant plants and ground cover, you can see it often in areas like so-cal and Nevada.

Turf grass is bad! Turf grass is the type of grass used in most golf courses and suburban lawns. The roots are short and it has little to no biodiversity and it requires way too much water and it destroys the health of the soil it's planted in. This can be mitigated by adding more plants around and in the turf, allowing it to grow without mowing or excessive watering, and letting natural pollination and seeds brought in by wind and animals add diversity to the turf and soil.

Turf grass is better than artificial grass in literally every conceivable way! artificial turf gets hot and burns wildlife and humans and pets, it's almost never recyclable, it is incapable of providing food or shelter to wildlife, YOU EVEN NEED TO WATER IT SO IT DOESN'T OVERHEAT OR MELT. It fucking sucks, do not use it.

If you have an HOA that kicks up a fuss, petition for looser regulations around lawns and provide them with evidence for why it’s important.

For more information feel free to dm me because this is my roman empire. I can and will go on a full professional rant with sources cited, an mla-formatted essay longer than most one-shots on ao3, and a powerpoint presentation with graphs and charts at the slightest mention of anything related to lawn care or biodiversity.

In conclusion: stop fucking mowing your lawn :)

I can only have one read more cut, sorry :( but here's my sources!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eartheasy. “Xeriscape - How to Create a Stunning Display That Conserves Water through Creative Landscaping.” Eartheasy Guides & Articles, Eartheasy, 2022, learn.eartheasy.com/guides/xeriscape/

An overview of xeriscaping, its benefits, and ways to incorporate it into your own garden/lawn.

Fairlie, Charlotte. “Reconsider Lawn Maintenance for the Good of the Planet.” Citizen, Press Citizen, 22 Mar. 2019, https://www.press-citizen.com/story/opinion/contributors/writers-group/2019/03/20/reconsider-lawn-maintenance-good-planet/3195901002/

An article going over the negative effects of gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers as well as several alternatives.

Glass Web Projects, LLC. “The Environmental Impact of Lawns and Invasive Species: A Look inside the Movement towards Native Landscapes - Hoosier Environmental Council.” Hoosier Environmental Council - All. Together. Now., Hoosier Environmental Council, 5 Apr. 2024, www.hecweb.org/2024/04/05/the-environmental-impact-of-lawns-and-invasive-species-a-look-inside-the-movement-towards-native-landscapes/

This is an article calling out the dangers of non-native plants and habitat loss, as well as the reasons native plants are important, the problems keeping native gardens from being the norm, and ways to properly spread awareness and incorporate them into your yard.

Harrington, Rebecca. “Grass Takes Up 2% of the Land in the Continental US.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 19 Feb. 2016, https://www.businessinsider.com/americas-biggest-crop-is-grass-2016-2

An article that delves into the prevalence of turf grass, the inordinate amount of water wasted on it, the harmful chemicals it’s treated with, and the amount of money spent on spreading and maintaining it.

Kaplan, Susan, and Rachel Massey. “Artificial Turf Fields: Health and Environmental Concerns.” Green Building Alliance, Green Building Alliance, 6 Jan. 2022, https://gba.org/blog/artificial-turf-fields-health-and-environmental-concerns/

An article talking about the many ways in which artificial turf is dangerous and harmful to both people and the environment.

Learn, Joshua Rapp. “Your Perfect Lawn Is Bad for the Environment. Here's What to Do Instead.” Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 29 May 2021, https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/your-perfect-lawn-is-bad-for-the-environment-heres-what-to-do-instead

A short article giving an overview of the problems with lawn care culture.

Son, Jiahn. “Lawn Maintenance and Climate Change - Psci.” Princeton University, The Trustees of Princeton University, 12 May 2020, https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/5/11/law-maintenance-and-climate-change

A research paper on the problems created by turf grass and lawn care – gasoline carbon emission from lawn care equipment, irrigation issues and water waste, chemicals from herbicide and pesticide and fertilizers, and more, as well as a few ways to mitigate and/or fix these problems. This is my main source.

Talbot, Mary. “More Sustainable (and Beautiful) Alternatives to a Grass Lawn.” Top of Mind, NRDC, 30 Sept. 2016, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/more-sustainable-and-beautiful-alternatives-grass-lawn

A short article going over the problems with irrigation, biodiversity, and mowing created by turf grass lawns, and the ways that the “no-mow movement” can – and have – fixed that.

White, Jason. “Xeriscape Landscaping: A Complete Guide to a Drought Tolerant Yard.” All About Gardening, An Elite CafeMedia Home: DIY, 25 May 2022, https://www.epicgardening.com/xeriscape-landscaping/

More xeriscaping information, short and concise.

[madebymobbs]

Transform Your Outdoor Space with Expert Landscapers in Melbourne

Creating a beautiful and functional outdoor space requires more than just planting a few trees or laying turf. It takes skill, creativity, and a deep understanding of design principles—qualities you’ll find in professional landscapers in Melbourne. Whether you're building a backyard oasis, enhancing your home's street appeal, or upgrading a commercial property, hiring expert landscapers can make all the difference.

Melbourne’s unique climate and diverse architecture offer endless possibilities for landscape design. With the right landscaping team, your outdoor area can be both practical and visually stunning.

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Review past projects to ensure the landscaper’s style aligns with your vision. An experienced team will have diverse work showcasing different types of properties and design approaches.

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Make sure the landscaper is qualified, holds relevant licences, and has public liability insurance. This protects you and ensures high standards.

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A professional landscaper will provide a comprehensive quote that includes timelines, materials, labour, and any maintenance considerations.

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Melbourne’s landscaping scene is dynamic, influenced by architectural trends, climate concerns, and lifestyle shifts. Here are some of the most popular trends:

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Conclusion

Working with professional landscapers in Melbourne is the smartest way to achieve an outdoor space that is both beautiful and functional. From tailored design to expert execution, landscapers bring your vision to life while considering local climate, sustainability, and long-term value.

If you're ready to create a stunning outdoor environment, look no further than Made by Mobbs—a creative landscaping studio that transforms everyday spaces into extraordinary places. With a passion for timeless design and Eco-conscious solutions, Made by Mobbs delivers bespoke landscapes that reflect your personality and enhance your lifestyle.

[jamesvince9898]

Transforming Outdoor Spaces with Precision: Elite Horticulture Services LLC's Expertise in Commercial and Community Landscaping

Introduction:

Creating a well-maintained and visually appealing landscape is vital for commercial properties, condominiums, and homeowners' associations. A professionally designed and consistently cared-for outdoor space not only enhances curb appeal but also increases property value, promotes a welcoming environment, and reflects the care and integrity of property management. At Elite Horticulture Services LLC, we specialize in comprehensive landscaping services, offering top-tier Condo Landscape Maintenance, HOA Landscape Maintenance, and Commercial Landscape Maintenance. Our tailored approach to Condo Landscaping and Commercial Landscaping ensures that each property receives the attention and expertise it deserves, no matter the size or complexity of the project.

The Importance of Professional Landscape Maintenance

A thriving landscape is much more than an aesthetic feature—it represents a commitment to quality and professionalism. Whether managing a retail center, an office complex, a condominium property, or a residential community, professional landscaping plays a significant role in attracting clients, tenants, and homeowners alike.

Elite Horticulture Services LLC brings years of experience, a dedicated team, and a passion for creating and maintaining beautiful, functional landscapes across various commercial and residential property types.

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Condominium properties face unique challenges in landscape maintenance. These residential communities demand consistency, reliability, and attention to detail to ensure a harmonious and visually appealing environment for all residents.

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Our maintenance programs are customized to meet the specific needs of each condo property. We understand that resident satisfaction is directly tied to the look and feel of their community. That’s why our team is trained to work efficiently, safely, and respectfully in shared residential spaces.

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Our team partners directly with HOA boards and property managers to develop:

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For commercial clients, a well-maintained landscape serves as an outward expression of professionalism and brand identity. Whether you're overseeing a retail strip, office campus, industrial facility, or medical complex, our Commercial Landscape Maintenance services deliver both visual appeal and operational efficiency.

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At Elite Horticulture Services LLC, Condo Landscaping is more than upkeep—it’s about crafting outdoor experiences that residents are proud to call home. From vibrant entryways to serene courtyard gardens, we design and install landscapes that reflect the identity and aesthetics of each condominium property.

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Our Commercial Landscaping services combine artistic vision with horticultural science to create exterior spaces that enhance property image and value. A stunning landscape helps businesses draw attention, increase foot traffic, and create memorable first impressions.

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We use the latest horticultural techniques, maintain the highest safety standards, and continually invest in staff training and innovation. Our proactive maintenance model ensures that your landscape remains not only healthy and vibrant but also prepared for seasonal changes, pest threats, and environmental challenges.

Servicing Diverse Property Types with a Unified Approach

We proudly serve a broad client base, from condo communities and gated neighborhoods to retail centers and business parks. While each property is unique, our unified approach emphasizes communication, consistency, and commitment.

Whether you need regular maintenance, a one-time installation, or a full-scale landscape renovation, Elite Horticulture Services LLC offers the professionalism and skill required to get the job done right.

Looking Ahead: Landscaping with Longevity in Mind

As the landscaping industry evolves with new technologies, environmental priorities, and community trends, Elite Horticulture Services LLC continues to lead with innovation. Our forward-thinking approach to Commercial Landscaping, Condo Landscaping, and HOA maintenance ensures that your landscape not only thrives today but continues to add value for years to come.

From drought-tolerant plantings and native species to smart irrigation systems and organic lawn treatments, we stay ahead of the curve so your property always looks its best.