news from the garden

Ideas for Growing your Garden Summer 2017

ADDING WATER TO YOUR GARDEN CAN ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES,

BEES AND OTHER WILDLIFE
Anyone with a sprinkler system in their garden has probably
seen birds taking advantage of the spray for bathing and
preening. Where do they find water on the other six days
of the week, between irrigation cycles? What about other
garden wildlife visitors: butterflies, bees, dragonflies, lizards
and many other charismatic mini-fauna?
Many bird and butterfly gardens are loaded with flowers,
shrubs, and berries to provide nectar, pollen, seeds and
berries, as well as safe hiding and nesting places. An often-
missing element in this type of garden is a water source.
Birds, bees, butterflies, dragonflies all need a regular source
of water, with safe places to land and drink such as damp
moss and stones. Honeybees need to collect water to keep
the hive cool in hot weather. Damp moss is popular with
bees. Butterflies need a damp patch of river gravel or mud to
collect minerals for their life cycle. Birds need a larger place
to splash and bathe, and they are especially attracted by
misting, spraying, or small splashing water elements.
Here at Fockele Garden Company, we are creating gardens
to attract wildlife visitors, and our clients are fully enjoying the
added activity in their garden.
I sat in the garden this morning everything seems to love
it, says Robbie McCormac about her bird fountain. The
birds, chipmunks and dragonflies like the water. There was a
At Elachee, the boulders have natural crevices that
little chickadee clinging to the side of the large stone, waiting
hold water and attract the honeybees.
his turn for a bath. A goldfinch was colorful. The best was a
hummingbird, a yellow sulfur butterfly and a gulf fritillary
all on the Anisacanthus at the same time. I LOVE that plant!
We should have planted morewe should have designed In this issue:
this water garden years ago.
Adding Water to Your Garden p.2
A water source for such creatures can fit into the garden as
an attractive center piece or as a modest addition to an
Curious Garden at Atlanta Botanical Garden p.3
already established pollinator garden. A consistent water Monitor Your Irrigation System p.3
source will increase the number and variety of wildlife visitors
Smartville Garden Earns Top Award p.4
to your garden. continued on p.2
Employee News p.4

w w w. F o c k e l e G a r d e n C o m pa n y. c o m
continued from p.1

Elachee Nature Center included a

misting system in their honeybee
garden. A series of natural boulders
were installed along with small plants
and moss. The boulders have natural
crevices and little basins that hold water
in the rain. The boulders are misted
regularly during the growing season,
with just enough water to wet the moss
and fill the tiny niches in the stone.
Honeybees as well as many
other species use this as a regular
water source. Top: In Lanier Village Estates Monarch Garden, a regular misting of
Robbie McCormacs garden features the pockets of river mud and sand allow butterflies to land and collect minerals.
same idea of regularly misted boulders Bottom: The McCormac garden has a recirculating fountain that provides
arranged around a center boulder that is the water for attracting wildlife.
a recirculating fountain. It has a natural
deep indentation that serves as a small
pool. The water recirculates by seeping and collect minerals. During the heat of summer, this small area will
over the side into a hidden reservoir. be misted three to four times a day for a few minutes, just to wet
everything down.
At Lanier Village Estates, we added
boulders with natural indentations to There are many ways from complex to very simple to enrich the
the propertys existing Monarch garden. beauty of your garden by adding water sources to attract and nourish
A regular misting of pockets of river wildlife. Our experts at Fockele are happy to help you explore the
mud and sand allow butterflies to land possibilities, and add a whole new level of enjoyment to your garden.
 FGC CREW HELPS INSTALL CURIOUS GARDEN AT
ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDEN
We recently completed a fun project at the Atlanta Botanical We also painted gourds a red color and our crew installed
Garden. We installed ABGs new Curious Garden, an exhibit them in a stormwater channel.
that includes pastel painted trees, a serene white garden,
The Curious Garden features 11 site-specific installations
and other creations that encourage discovering the garden
created to highlight the Gardens plant collections and plant
with fresh eyes. Artist Adam Schwerner is the creator of The
conservation work by prompting visitors to make discoveries,
Curious Garden, and director of horticulture at Disneyland.
ask questions and engage in conversations. Man-made and
Our contribution: The Fockele Garden crew cut the maple altered natural materials are used to direct the eye to focus
trees from a north Hall commercial grove in the winter and on the simple beauty of nature.
early spring before they leafed out, and then painted the
The exhibit runs through Oct. 29.
trees in the colors specified by Schwerner.

Fockele Garden crew painting the maple

trees for the Curious Garden exhibit.
Our crew placing the red gourds in the stormwater chanel.

MONITOR YOUR IRRIGATION

MAINTENANCE TIP

SYSTEM REGULARLY
Regular monitoring of an irrigation system is crucial to both
establishing new plantings and maintaining the plantings
over the long term. It is also important to regularly check
an irrigation system for leaks, overspray, broken heads, and
clogged valves.

Landscape industry professionals know that more plants are

killed by overwatering than underwatering. Just because you
can water does not mean you should.

Have your irrigation system checked for leaks,

overspray, broken heads and clogged valves.
Smartville Garden
Earns Georgia
Urban Ag Councils
Top Award
Smartville Garden at Enota Multiple
Intelligence Academy won the Judges
Choice Award and a Grand Award at Georgia
Landscape Awards (GALA), presented by the
Georgia Urban Ag Council (UAC).
Only Grand Award winning projects can be
considered for the Judges Choice Award.
Smartville earned the Grand Award in the
Design/Build/Installation: Commercial category.
The Judges Choice is a very exclusive award,
says Mary Kay Woodworth, Georgia Urban Ag
Council Executive Director. Only projects
that enter a Grand Award are considered for
Judges Choice and Smartville Garden was
immediately and unanimously selected.

JASON SPARKS NAMED OPERATIONS MANAGER

The Fockele Garden Company has promoted Jason Sparks to
Operations Manager.
In his new position, Sparks will supervise all aspects of operations
at Fockele including both installation and maintenance departments.
He will oversee recruiting, hiring and training of staff for all field
positions, as well as supervise the companys safety training program
and maintain safety standards.
Sparks joined Fockele in 2014 as Installation Manager. He has 15
years of experience in project management for residential and
commercial properties and golf courses. He also has a strong
background in irrigation system installation, including stormwater
management, and landscape lighting. Sparks is a graduate of North
Georgia Technical College with a degree in Turfgrass Management
and is licensed by the state in commercial pesticide application.

Owners : Mark Fockele and Julie Evans

Year Founded : 1990 | Employees : 42
Business Breakdown : 60% design/build, 40% maintenance
Customer Breakdown : Mix of residential and commercial

P.O. Box 671 | Gainesville, GA 30503 | p: 770.532.7117 | f: 770.532.7245 | www.FockeleGardenCompany.com