Sep 24, 2018 |
To continue off our “Meet the Team” segment, we would like to introduce a new-ish member of our team: Coner Boaen. Coner started out as our Service Technician, but is currently running his own crew as a Project Manager for our construction team. He hit the ground running and is doing an awesome job with our clients – thanks for all you do, Coner! See what he said when we asked him some questions about himself and the job:
How long have you been working at Madrone? 5 Months!
What is your favorite thing about working at Madrone? Having the freedom to be a Landscaper!
What is your favorite project that you’ve worked on and why? Paso Robles Residence – Got Daniel out of his flip flops and into some boots and helped me get a rock wall started!
What is your favorite, or least favorite, plant and why? Favorite, that’s hard. I am really liking the Silk Trees right now! Least favorite, anything with thorns like agave or barberry.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and who would you bring? I have the aloha spirit in my heart. All I need is my girls and a white sandy beach in Hawaii!
Jul 1, 2018 |
Who knew stewardship felt so good?
No matter where you live, you make an impact. For communities to function well over time, conscious efforts must be made by many to contribute to the positive impact toward the development of that community, or else who will? That is stewardship. We recognize this at Madrone Landscapes, and try to do our part. http://madronelandscapes.com/about-us/stewardship/.
One recent effort that Madrone participated in was the design and installation of a low-impact landscape at El Camino Homeless Organization(ECHO). ECHO is a non-profit organization with a 50-bed transitional shelter helping families and individuals find permanent housing within three months of entering the facility. The organization is located on the Central Coast of California serving North San Luis Obispo County, and you can read more about their efforts here.
Working with ECHO’s Board of Directors, Madrone came together with community volunteers and students from California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. The Madrone team and volunteers installed shade trees, screening, and a drought tolerant, native plant pallet. A quarter acre of fruit trees including apples, peaches, plums and figs were planted and a raised vegetable garden was also installed to make the most of what the facility has to offer.
Over two weekends of fun and hard work, Madrone’s general manager, Daniel Mazawa, led the charge with the help of Cal Poly professor Christie O’Hara and Rainscape manager, Victor Rocha, as 60 volunteers transformed the space into an aesthetically pleasing and functional landscape. Prior to the planting and mulching, Madrone’s build team graded the area, installed the irrigation and assembled all the needed materials. Local businesses donated irrigation parts, soil amendments and mulches. A little bit of conscious stewardship can make a big difference, and the benefits of this project will “ECHO” for years to come. The smiles say it all!
Jun 5, 2018 |
To kick off our new “Meet the Team” segment, we are highlighting the dynamic duo Megan Savage and Ian Parker from the Design Crew! Ian Parker is the Sales Manager at Madrone, and has more than 10 years of field installation and design experience. Megan is one of Madrone’s Landscape Designers, and has years of technical and design experience behind her. Together, they cover the whole spectrum of the design experience, designing for San Luis Obispo county and North Santa Barbara county. Here is what they told us when we asked about working together as the core design crew:
How long have you worked at Madrone? How long have you worked with each other? 
Meg: I started working at Madrone about 2 weeks after I graduated from Cal Poly, and I have been here for just over a year now. I started working with Ian when he switched from the construction side to the design side of the office.
Ian: I’ve been at Madrone for close to 6 years now – mostly as a Project Manager with our Construction Department, and now as a Designer and Sales Rep. I’ve been working alongside Megan for the past year.
What is unique about the working relationship with each other?
M: We have similar personalities but different skills. We are constantly encouraging each other and bouncing ideas and questions off one another which makes our office a fun, productive space. We both have a unique approach to our designs. My skillset lies more in the graphic details and technical drafting, whereas Ian has great design skills plus a vast knowledge of building and installation techniques. Between the two of us, I feel like we can design anything and find a way to install it in the landscape.
I: Megan and I work together well because we have a real complimentary skill set, and I think we’re both driven by our passion for creating beautiful spaces and making clients smile. She’s a great designer, and amazing with the technical stuff, and I’ve built enough landscapes to know what will work well and how to bring concepts to life. Together i think we cover the whole spectrum of design experience.
How many projects have you collaborated on?
M: All of them since Ian started in this office. I can’t think of one that we haven’t had one another take a second look at for some aspect of the design!
I: We collaborate on every design. We’re always asking for a second opinion on layout or discussing plant choices or building techniques. I know I can be my own worst critic at times, so having someone to approve my ideas and offer encouragement is awesome.
Which two projects were most successful?
M: I feel like every design we have done is successful in its own way. Some are feats of technical detailing, some are just incredibly laid out with gorgeous plant palettes, and some simply made our client smile and go outside more – in my book, all of these traits (and more) could be considered successful.
I: I think all of our projects have been successful, and we have quite a few projects that we’ve collaborated on scheduled for construction this coming summer and fall. I’ve had a lot of fun working with her to build 3-D models of some of our more involved designs. It’s amazing how much seeing a 3-D model can do for a client’s confidence – I mean, this stuff just wasn’t available when I was in design school.
What do you most appreciate about working with each other?
M: Ian’s support and mentorship. I had no construction experience when I started here and I feel like I am constantly learning from his skillset every time we look at a new project. If I hit walls with design ideas or have a lacking creative moment he always helps me find a way to see my site differently so I can work through it.
I: I really appreciate Megan’s energy and passion for her clients and their projects. She really wants to help them make their home a place that they love, and it shows in all of her designs and interactions with clients. Side Note: She also has this strange power that allows her to stare at my computer and make it behave when it’s acting up… short of buying a new computer, I don’t know what I’d do without that!
May 19, 2016 |
Proud to be part of the design team at Brecon Estate Winery, winner of the AIA SF Merit Award.
View Award
Mar 30, 2016 |
Annual Survey and Analysis of Community of Over 35 Million Monthly Users Reveals the Top-Rated Home Remodeling Professionals and Most Popular Home Designs. Houzz Inc., the leading platform for home renovation and design, today announced the community’s picks for Best Of Houzz 2016 in North America, a homeowner-to-homeowner guide to the top home builders, architects, interior designers, landscape pros and other residential remodeling professionals on Houzz from cabinetry or roofing pros to painters.
“Anyone building, remodeling or decorating looks to Houzz for the most talented, competent and service-oriented professionals,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “We’re delighted to join our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts in recognizing our “Best Of Houzz” professionals around the world.”
The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 35 million monthly users on Houzz. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of recent client reviews. Architecture and interior design photographers whose images were most popular are recognized with the Photography award.
Madrone Landscapes placed Best of Houzz 2016 for Design and Best of Houzz 2016 for Service. Check out http://www.houzz.com/pro/madronelandscapes/madrone-landscapes
