Adding custom hardscaping to your home, such as a custom paver patio, adds curb appeal, offers good ROI, and adds valuable outdoor living space. When you build an attractive and durable patio, it makes it easier to take advantage of the outdoor space. Choosing where to build your patio and what features to incorporate is just as important as choosing the materials to build it with.

Pavers are a great choice when building a custom patio. They are highly durable and low-maintenance material and offer myriad possibilities in terms of creativity. If you are in Orlando, The Villages, Clermont, and the surrounding central Florida areas, here are some reasons why your home or business needs a custom paver patio.

Paver Patios Are Extremely Durable & Slip-Resistant

When compared to other patio materials, pavers are near the top of the durability scale. Pavers are sturdy and stable, can stand up to the wear and tear of weather without needing protection, and won’t succumb to heavy levels of foot traffic. Unlike many other materials, pavers don’t deteriorate and are incredibly strong and long-lasting.

A key benefit to pavers over other materials is their ability to expand and contract with varying weather and humidity levels. This is very important in our area of Florida, where we can reach unimaginable levels of humidity. Pavers are also slip-resistant, making them easier and safer to walk on when they get wet. If you have a pool or...

Royal Landscape Grows and Sells Foliage With a Personal Touch

Imagine going to work every day in beautiful surroundings with customers, colleagues and clients who are just like family. That’s what Connie Emmerson says she has the privilege to do each day. And, you’re invited to come visit her outdoor oasis.

Connie is president of Royal Landscape Nursery, a 6-acre, outdoor garden facility owned and operated by the Emmerson family. It is Central Florida’s largest outdoor plant and patio landscape showcase and located at 2204 Hempel Ave. in Gotha. Royal Landscape sells both wholesale and retail-priced foliage at 20 to 30 percent less than the nurseries at big chain stores. The company also delivers plants, trees, sod, mulch and pavers directly to customers in town or across the country.

Connie runs the business office while her husband, Steve, is “the creative one.” Steve Emmerson handles commercial products and installations for large properties, including new housing developments and apartment homeowner associations. Daughter Mia graduated from college in North Carolina and returned home two years ago to join the enterprise. According to Connie, Mia “upped the business” and supervises commercial maintenance. It is uncertain whether college student and younger daughter Sophie will follow her sister, but ever since she was able to reach the counter, Sophie has helped out in the office. The entire family is very hands-on.

Not only do we supply plants for your residential projects, but we are also accredited for supplying plant material to the Film industry for T.V. show and for motion picture sets.

Here are some pics from the latest set!

It was an amazing trip from start to finish.  EWING flew us from Orlando to Birmingham Alabama where we were treated to luxury accommodations at the Hyatt and catered to with outstanding food and drink for the entire weekend. We spent Saturday and Sunday at the Talladega raceway in the Ewing suite and had VIP Pit passes to go onto the track prior to Sundays big event. Although all these things were fun, the best part of the trip was the amount of Southern Hospitality given to us by the wonderful EWING/Hunter Representatives.

Zika virus spreads to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. a/bopictus). Zika can also be passed through sex from a person who has Zika to his or her sex partners and it can be spread from a pregnant woman to her fetus. People can protect themselves from mosquito bites and getting Zika through sex. These PDF’s explain who’s most affected and why, symptoms and treatment, and how to protect against Zika.

Understanding Zika

Stop Mosquitos Near Your Home

Mosquito Life Cycle

Best Mosquito Repellants

Water

Topiaries require daily watering in Spring, Summer and Fall months in Florida, and a minimum of 3-4 times per week in the Winter months. Improper watering will result in browning of leaves and die-back of branches. We encourage customers to re-pot topiaries into larger containers, using moisture control soil mixtures, in order to reduce potential damage from lack of water.

Sun

Topiaries are for outdoor use only, preferring full to partial sun, and requiring a minimum of 4-5 hours of direct sunlight each day. Plants will defoliate if brought inside or planted in the shade

Temperatures

Eugenia topiaries are recommended for Zones 9-11.
As a general rule, topiaries should be sheltered or covered when temperatures are expected to drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit

Fertilization

Fertilize at least three to four times a year with a complete formula, e.g. 13-13-13 or 18-6-8. Keep in mind that different fertilizers may be more soluble, or “hotter” than others, potentially damaging roots. Always test new fertilizers by initially applying lower rates in order to determine the plant’s tolerance to the brand of fertilizer used.

Spacing

Please ensure proper spacing for the plant in the landscape. Proper spacing should allow for sufficient light and air flow around plants. Leaves should not touch other plants or objects. Improper spacing may cause disease and leaf drop either due to insufficient light or due to leaves remaining...

Creating a groundskeeping plan that is in line with the resort’s budget and enhanc- es the beauty of the property is a daunting task. What are some factors boards need to consider?

For a small property with little green space, maintaining the grounds
with an on-site resort staff can make sense, as is the case with Schooner II Beach and Racquet Club in Myrtle Beach. Will Potter, Regional Vice President of SPM Resorts, explains, “The board made the decision
to have resort staff manage the landscaping because the amount of space is manageable, and it is more cost effective to maintain it on a daily basis than it would be to spend the money with a landscaping company.”

However, for properties with larger common areas, opting to outsource is often more cost effective. Setting up a
quality, in-house groundskeeping operation from scratch is expensive. Storing equipment, from rakes and shovels to mowers, trimmers and blowers requires a lot of space, and creating safe storage for combustibles is important. Professional landscaping companies invest in the equipment, employees, and storage neces- sary to manage resorts’ grounds.

Jeff Lessey, Regional Vice President of SPM Resorts, quips, “For a medium or large property, your household ride-on lawn mower and weed eater just won’t cut it.” He continues, “Anyone can push a lawn mower, but will they know what to do with the bald patch that shows up in the middle of the courtyard,...

Connie Emmerson, President/Owner

Connie Emmerson is the president/owner of Royal Landscape Nursery, a beautiful landscape nursery owned and operated by the Emmerson family. The business is open to the public ( retail and wholesale). Items available for delivery include shrubs, trees, sod and much more. At Royal Landscape Nursery, personal attention is given to all customers, and landscape advice is offered for free.

Operating hours

Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday: 8 a.m-3 p.m.

Turfgrass in the South may be harder to comeby in the spring and summer of 2015. Renouned professor and extension specialist Dr. Grady Miller of North Carolina State University attributes reduced acreages during the economic downturn and increasing construction demand as likely explanations of the 2015 shortfall in acres. Expect for prices to be higher this year and you should plan your budgeting and pricing accordingly.