Leader’s Message
As fall arrives across Sonoma, Marin, and Napa counties, thank you for trusting us with your property. This season matters even more than usual: forecasters expect a strong El Niño, which could bring a wetter-than-normal winter to the North Bay. For commercial properties, that means added safety risks and costly repairs that are easier to prevent than to fix. The steps you take now protect your people and your property, and they set your landscape up to look its best in spring.
Fall Landscape Checklist:
- Refresh seasonal flowers to keep entrances colorful and inviting, and to make a strong first impression on tenants, customers, and visitors
- Prune trees and shrubs for safety and healthy growth. With storm season ahead, weak or overgrown branches are more likely to fall onto walkways, parking areas, and buildings.
- Dethatch and aerate lawns to improve air, water, and nutrient uptake
- Overseed and fertilize lawns to fill bare or thin spots, crowd out weeds, and establish healthier grass before winter
- Explore turf conversions for underused or hard-to-maintain lawn areas. Replacing turf with drought-tolerant plantings or groundcovers can cut water use and maintenance costs.
- Install or repair drainage solutions before the rainy season. Proper drainage helps prevent pooling in parking lots, walkways, and building perimeters, and it reduces slip hazards and erosion on slopes and low-lying areas.
- Add mulch to protect plants and conserve soil moisture. It also helps limit erosion and runoff during heavy rain.
- Plant bulbs now to enjoy spring blooms later
Our local crews are ready to help! Reach out today to schedule your fall services and any seasonal budget needs before the calendar fills up and the rain arrives.
Thank you for being part of our community. We wish you and your tenants, customers, and teams a beautiful, safe, and colorful fall.
Sincerely,
JJ Fitzgerald
Chief Operating Officer
Property Spotlight: Montgomery Village Shopping Center’s Magowan Crosswalk Refresh
What was once a standard crosswalk at Montgomery Village Shopping Center is now a landscaped entry with 60-inch box Arbutus trees, new lighting, and layered plantings.
The original plan called for 48-inch box trees, but the space could support larger ones, so we went up to 72-inch. Getting trees that size in place took a crane, and the site’s heavy clay soil meant we also needed a specialized drainage system with pumps to move water out during heavy rain.
Our construction team handled the irrigation, lighting, planting, and rockwork, and we’re very happy our clients are happy with how well it all came together. Thank you to Precision Builders Corp and WS Development for the opportunity!
Projects that look simple on paper often turn out to be anything but. This one is a great example of how careful planning, teamwork, and technical know-how can deliver a result that lasts. To view our Construction Services, click here!
Team Spotlight: Welcome, Ashley Cochran!
We’re excited to welcome Ashley Cochran to the Landesign team as our new Business Development Manager for Sonoma and Marin.
Ashley brings more than 20 years of landscape industry experience and a passion for getting out into the community, building relationships, and finding new ways for Landesign to support our customers and partners. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas for your property or have questions about our services, she’d love to hear from you.
Outside of work, Ashley is a busy mom of three who loves staying active, spending time outdoors, and enjoying time with friends and family. She’s always up for an adventure, especially if it includes discovering a great little bakery along the way. Bakery recommendations are welcome!
Please join us in welcoming Ashley to the team! If you have a property in Marin or Sonoma county that needs service, reach out to Ashley at [email protected] or (707) 608-3814.
Transforming Outdoor Spaces, One Project at a Time
Ready to see some landscaping magic?
From lush green lawns to stunning hardscapes, our featured projects showcase the beauty and functionality we bring to outdoor spaces. Take a look at our portfolio and find inspiration for your own landscape paradise!
We hope that you’ve enjoyed this month’s newsletter! Please let us know if there is anything you’d like to see in future newsletters by replying to this email or contacting us here – we look forward to hearing from you!
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COO
John “JJ” Fitzgerald is the Chief Operating Officer of Landesign Construction & Maintenance, a leading commercial landscaping firm in Northern California. Raised in the family business, he has spent over a decade applying his expertise in business management and analytics to foster innovation within the company. A graduate of Cal Poly–San Luis Obispo, his writing focuses on the intersection of modern business strategy and traditional craftsmanship, particularly how sustainable technology can reshape the future of legacy industries. He lives in the Bay Area with his family.