Thirty Years in the Making

No, it did not take us thirty years to create this new landscape. Nor did it take thirty years for our client to get around to changing their landscape. The catalyst for this landscape conversion was to celebrate our client's thirty year wedding anniversary, and Allentuck Landscaping Co. was very honored to play a part in the celebration.

Our client wanted to create a more contemporary look to their home including more attractive curb appeal, a safer and more accessible front entrance, a terrace to enjoy with family and friends, and a garden path to connect the front and rear of the property.

To accomplish this, a cedar wood deck landing was added to the front entry area and the existing flagstone walkway was re-set properly. The plantings in the front yard, a combination of Deutzia, Japanese Forest Grass and Sarcococca, added to making the front of the home a welcome site after a long day at work.

A large flagstone terrace was added to the rear of the house with areas set aside for enjoying a fire pit, sitting in lounge chairs, and enjoying a cozy dinner. Pressure treated timbers were used to retain the slope and flat stone boulder steps were installed linking the front gardens to the rear gardens. To compliment this great new area, a stunning Natchez Crape Myrtle was installed along with Japanese Plum Yews, Camellias and Sargent Junipers.

The best part? Allentuck Landscaping Co. completed the project by the deadline, a week before the client's anniversary party! And the client's reaction: "We love it!"

Gardens Are For Enjoying!

Allentuck Landscape Co.'s Top Ten Ways to Enjoy Your Garden

• Holding a barbeque with friends and family
• Sitting on the patio with a cup of tea in the evening
• Playing catch with the kids
• Relaxing in a hammock with a chilled beverage
• Planting flowers and watching them bloom
• Growing a garden and enjoying its fresh vegetables
• Building a snowman after the first snowfall
• Helping the kids build a fort
• Roasting marshmallows and s'mores over your fire pit
• Sitting on the deck and enjoying the view!

Arlington National Cemetery

An Opportunity to Pay Back

Yesterday, nine members of the Allentuck Landscaping Co. team once again had the opportunity to take part in Planet's Renewal and Remembrance at Arlington National Cemetery. This is the fourth year that we have participated in a day that brings together over 400 of our landscape colleagues from around the country to honor our fallen American heroes and to make their final resting place all the more beautiful. In all, over $300,000 worth of materials and labor were donated on this one special day.

I hope you will grant me the liberty to share with you my personal account of the day.

My task this year was to organize and oversee all three of the landscape projects being completed. I arrived at Arlington before sunrise in order to get an early start before the "army" of landscapers got there. Knowing that I also had a unique opportunity, I quietly walked up to the Tomb of the Unknowns. As the sun came up over the city, the lone sentry made eye contact with me but never wavered from his duties. I was in awe of his dedication. The sunrise was amazing and I knew that the day would be even more so.

After an inspiring opening ceremony, work got underway. In addition to the three landscape projects, other work included aerating and liming of turf, tree pruning and lightning protection, and irrigation installation. Crews were moving at a fantastic pace as I made my rounds.

One of our projects involved 50 children planting perennials. We had a lot of press gathered around this area for photo opportunities including NBC, CNN, P. Alan Smith from HGTV, and an old friend, Bob Madigan from WTOP. I was thankful that the media was covering our efforts.

Around late morning I stopped to check on "Team Allentuck" to see if they needed anything. As I got out of my car, I saw that a ceremony was taking place in the adjacent Section 61, which is where soldier from Iraq and Afghanistan are laid to rest. I felt frozen, watching the flag being solemnly folded and handed to the soldier's family. It was then that I noticed that the sound of shovels behind me had quieted. I turned and saw every member of our team had stop working to respectfully take in the scene. As the family left, I fully realized that they could not appreciate the work we were doing today, but I hoped that when they returned some time later to visit their hero, the work were doing would help to bring them peace. This is what Renewal and Remembrance is all about.

The day had been a spectacular success. I made my way down the hill to head home but stopped at the gate one last time to take a look around. I have been to Arlington many times over the last few weeks and years, and I always get choked up when it is time to leave. I hope I always do.

Bruce Allentuck


P.S. Here is a link to a story that appeared NBC Nightly News about Renewal and Remembrance. I hope you enjoy it.

http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=67ugh6cab.0.0.55wm7kcab.0&ts=S0413&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.msnbc.msn.com%2Fid%2F3032619%2Fvp%2F31897155%2331897155&id=preview

Fisher House Gets A New Look

It rained. It hailed. There were wild temperature swings. But that wasn’t enough to stop the Allentuck Landscaping crew from their mission; give Fisher House at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland a new look.

Fisher House provides a home away from home to to injured soldiers and their families while they are receiving treatment at the center. Their vital mission is to provide families a peaceful place to heal together. To find out more about Fisher House, go to http://www.fisherhouse.org/ or view a great video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMsuzqmzrq0.

Allentuck Landscaping Co. gutted the existing landscape and installed over 60 shrubs, 415 perennials and ground covers, and 10 tons of stone. The five crews on site were each assigned areas of responsibility; David Chavez’s crew applied their artistic touch to building a 48’ foot long stone wall in front of Building A, Hector Solano’s crew planted the front of Building B, and Melvin Castillo’s crew took the task of making the central park look amazing.

In just over eight hours, the landscape around Fisher House had morphed into a beautiful and tranquil setting that we hope our recovering soldiers and their families can relax in and enjoy. The day was capped off with a visit from the base commander, Admiral Nathan, and the presentation of a commemorative coin and Naval Medical Center hats for everyone.

Thank you to our suppliers who donated their materials and made the day possible; Season’s Nursery, Country Springs Wholesale Nursery, Ernest Maier Block Co., Liberty Gas and John Deere Landscapes. A very special thank-you to Fisher House for allowing Allentuck Landscaping Co. the opportunity to help America’s heroes.

Bruce Allentuck Leads Design Charette at Dufief Elementary

Earlier this month, a group of over twenty parents and teachers, as well as about the same number of energized elementary school students, gathered for pizza and to design a new garden at Dufief Elementary School in North Potomac, Maryland. It was my pleassure to lead them through this exercise.

Some of the parameters for the new garden were:

• accessible to special needs students
• attract butterflies and bees
• spring color
• something for all of the senses

We broke into four teams. Each team worked very hard to put their ideas on paper and then presented their designs to the whole group. In the end, the best ideas from each team were collected and put into the master plan.

This was a great evening and showed how a community can create wonderful spaces for itself. Thnak you Dufief for including me.

Here are the results!

Eddie George Is An L.A.!

Who knew that Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George was a Landscape Architect?!

Check out the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6VAIuVVL3k

Allentuck Landscaping Co. Lends A Hand

For the second year in a row, Allentuck Landscaping Co. has had the opportunity to spruce up a Jubilee group home for mentally challenged residents in Rockville, Maryland.

Jubilee Association of Maryland (http://www.jubileemd.org/) is a not for profit organization that exists to provide support for adults with developmental disabilities to live in and enrich their community while fulfilling their personal, family and spiritual needs.

This year, Foreman Melvin Castillo and Crew Members Leonel Pineda and Jose Castillo pruned, cleaned out the beds and layed mulch in the gardens surrounding the home.