Jose Benitez, a project manager especially skilled in landscape and hardscape, has been working with Madrone for just over five years now. We’ve enjoyed his mind, work ethic, and skill in our building aspect of design-build landscapes, and his talent and hard-working mindset have been evident since his first time working with us at 18. Though he can’t put a finger on his favorite project yet, his favorite plant to work with is the beautiful Central Coast native Arbutus tree, well-known for its red bark and edible berries. Did you know we share our name with them? They can also be called madrones or madronas. Sycamores, on the other hand, are “nasty” but “necessary” in his opinion—they really are a tricky tree to maintain with their sticky green buds and many secondary trunks. When Jose has free time, he likes road trips, riding his bike, and playing soccer with his daughter!