Landscaping Company The Yard Fairy Helps Conserve Water While Beautifying San Diego, Proud to Receive CLCA Achievement Awards in 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Carlsbad, CA
July 13, 2010 -

This summer marks another series of victories for the environmentally-conscious, water-conservation-minded CLCA (California Landscape Contractors Association). The 2010 winners of their Beautification Awards program were announced on June 25, 2010 at the Carmel Ranch Country Club. Among those winners, Diane Downey's landscaping company, The Yard Fairy, has expressed her honor at being able to match the caliber of excellence displayed by her fellow landscape designers and smart irrigation installation experts.

In 2010 The Yard Fairy was honored by the CLCA for their outstanding low water landscaping accomplishments, making this the fourth year in a row that they have been recognized. Out of 81 entries, The Yard Fairy's designs stood out as being exemplary in 2 of the 23 categories: California-Friendly Residential Landscape Maintenance, and Landscape Renovation. For both projects, they were bestowed with Achievement Awards at the CLCA's annual Beautification Awards ceremony.

In the category of California-Friendly Residential Landscape Maintenance, The Yard Fairy's exceptional talent and expertise is displayed at 10792 Heather Ridge Drive in San Diego. For this project, their challenge was to redesign the front and backyard areas, selecting edible plants, and adding raised beds and decorative plantings for a more finished look.

The Yard Fairy expressed concern that, at the start of the project, the client had mentioned their dissatisfaction with the previous landscaping companies they had chosen, as well as their poor choices in plant selections and failure of the existing plants to thrive. Armed with this information, Diane selected accomplished landscape designer Melissa Mora to oversee the development and execution of the plan, and, with ongoing direction and a "wish list" from the client, The Yard Fairy was able to create a design that the client was absolutely thrilled with.

According to owner Diane Downey, "This project built on the existing hardscape of the front and back yards, but improved the planting and the irrigation, while providing a natural stone seat wall and raised vegetable beds in the back yard for the client to develop their green thumb." The Yard Fairy re-designed and installed the front yard, keeping the client's favorite plants, including the olive trees and wisteria vine, but added a revised planting plan that was more consistent with the look of the house and garden.

In addition, the new design incorporated large boulders and a dry streambed in the front yard, and replaced failing ground cover in the backyard walkway with coordinating gravel. Says Diane Downey of the finished product, "This project proved to me that listening to your clients needs and wants, whilst rare, is an incredibly powerful business differentiator. Our clients are thrilled with their new yard and have finally found 'their' landscaping company."

In the second category, Landscape Renovation, Downey's landscaping team came out on top with their revamp of 3530 Sitio Baya in Carlsbad. Their company The Yard Fairy was contracted to redesign the upper section of this 2-tiered property, including the front yard, two side yards and upper back yard.

Starting out as mostly lawn, with some overgrown shrubs and mature trees, the property has since been transformed to a California-friendly landscape that makes use of low water plantings, a highly efficient irrigation system, increased hardscape areas and a layer of organic mulch. Downey's team of magic-makers was again headed up by Melissa Mora for this project, and the result has their clients thrilled at their new, attractive and easy-to-care for yard. Best of all, the client reports that thanks to the smart irrigation features of the new landscape, their water bill has been sliced in half.

Says Diane of her team's recent achievements, "I am just happy to be a part of the growing movement that is San Diego County's water conservation plan. It's critically important to educate homeowners on the value of implementing a low water irrigation system that is both attractive and functional. We teach homeowners about the many creative means of solving their landscaping challenges, including creative use of hardscape material, efficient irrigation systems, and plants that not only look beautiful, but thrive in arid conditions. The dollars that you invest today will not only increase the resell value of your property, but they will also come back to you exponentially in the form of greatly reduced utility bills. And finally - less water wasted today means more water saved for future generations."

For more information on The Yard Fairy's award-winning San Diego landscape designs, visit http://yardfairy.com. To learn about the CLCA (California Landscape Contractors Association) and their annual Beautification Awards, go to http://clcasandiego.org/Awards.htm#sponsors.

Read more landscaping articles | Learn about our services | Learn about do-it-yourself landscaping bed design | Discover garden coaching | Sign up for the Yard Fairy Newsletter

Find The Yard Fairy Online At...

Blogger Delicious Digg Facebook Flickr LinkedIn Reddit RSS Feed

Smug Mug Stumble Upon Technorati Twitter Vimeo YouTube