Jerry Allison Landscaping, Inc. is a full-service landscaping company that creates custom outdoor living spaces for residential clients in Monterey and San Benito Counties. In addition to designing, installing and maintaining landscapes, the company utilizes a team of in-house masons, electricians, carpenters and irrigation specialists to build structures such as decks, patios, outdoor kitchens and pergolas.
President Jerry Allison says his favorite part of landscaping work is taking outdoor spaces that need help and turning them into something beautiful. "We put a lot of effort into making sure every job is special and perfectly captures the client's vision. Our goal is to create living spaces that represent our customers' personal style and retain their aesthetic value for many years."
Jerry Allison Landscaping emphasizes clear communication throughout every step of its customers' landscaping projects, which Mr. Allison says is important for ensuring their expectations are met. "We provide daily site reviews, hold design meetings every morning and keep our communication avenues flexible. These things allow us to achieve our highest priority: our clients' continued enjoyment and satisfaction with our services."
"We're passionate about making connections with the natural environment, and we share that passion with our clients. We believe that through the creation of beautiful natural habitats, our clients can enjoy a harmonious connection with nature while achieving a greater appreciation for the art found in the natural world."
Install low-water plants in your garden to save water, energy and time.
Gardens that incorporate native, drought-resistant plants have become increasingly popular throughout the Bay Area in recent years, both because of their water saving abilities and their low maintenance requirements. These types of plants fall into four basic categories: native, low-water, drought-resistant and drought-tolerant. To determine which type is best for your particular situation, consider the following information:
Native
“Native plants are the best plants to grow in California because they’ve acclimated to the weather and soil conditions,” explains Jerry Allison, president of Jerry Allison Landscaping, Inc. in Watsonville. “There are some other plants that do well in California, like Mediterranean-style plants from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Chile, but I always suggest using native plants.” Most native plants require little or no irrigation or fertilizer once they’re established, and they tend to be resistant to most pests and plant diseases, which means they rarely require pest control services or disease treatment.
Low-water
Plants that require little water to thrive may not be indigenous to the Bay Area, but they’re often used by landscapers because their low water requirements fit well with our dry summers. Lavender, Echinacea, some types of Salvia, Agastache (also known as Hummingbird Mint), cacti and succulents are popular types of low-water plants. Most only require sporadic watering during the dry summer months. “Water is becoming more and more precious, and how we use it is critical to the longevity of our landscapes,” says Mr. Allison. “The goal is to install plants that still look good even though they get a minimal amount of water. In fact, many California native plants will actually rot if they get too much water in the summer, and those are the plants you should focus on.”
Drought-tolerant
Plants that can thrive with little water are often native plants that have adapted to a region’s drought-like weather conditions. Some examples are Manzanita, Sage, Wisteria, Bougainvillea and Ceantothus. Plants from other desert and low-water areas such as the Mediterranean, Australia and parts of Africa are also popular drought-tolerant choices.
Drought-resistant
These plants are sometimes referred to as chaparral. They naturally grow in areas that have very little water, and they can withstand drier areas and longer droughts than drought-tolerant plants. Many native grasses and shrubs are drought-resistant, and they look just as good during dry summers as they do after frequent rains.
Maintaining customer satisfaction is a crucial aspect of any business, but it's even more important for landscape contractors that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award. For Jerry Allison Landscaping, Inc., the key to achieving and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction is simple: combine personalized service with high-quality landscaping work to produce the best possible results. "We really stress quality in everything we do," says President Jerry Allison. "Our goal is to exceed our customers' expectations, so it feels great when we leave a client's house and they say, ‘This is much better than I expected it to be.'"
Jerry Allison Landscaping has been creating custom outdoor living spaces for residential clients throughout Monterey County since 1974. In addition to offering landscape design, installation and maintenance services, the company utilizes a team of in-house masons, carpenters, irrigation specialists and electricians to build decks, patios, pergolas, outdoor kitchens and other structures.
Unlike landscape contractors that hire inexperienced workers or day laborers in an effort to reduce their operating costs, Jerry Allison Landscaping only employs highly trained industry professionals, some of whom have been with the company for 30 years. "We hire qualified people who really like what they do and are proud of their workmanship," confirms Mr. Allison. "We always get comments from customers who say they're happy having our workers around because they're able to have fun while still doing quality work."
Another distinguishing feature of Jerry Allison Landscaping is its ability to work closely with its clients and design landscape features that meet their specific needs. "We determine how our customers intend to use their yards and then give them reasons to do so," says Mr. Allison. "If a client doesn't have a reason to spend time in their yard, we'll suggest outdoor entertainment like a bocce court. Our job is to come up with ideas that relate to homeowners and collaborate with them to create products they'll love for years."