Wisdom teaches that our natural environment is interconnected and that its splendor is dependent upon maintaining this relationship. Up and down the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the observer searching for the grandeur of nature need look no further than right here in El Dorado County, where the firm foundation of granite supports tall conifers and spreading oaks; where grassy meadows and rolling hills swell with the music of pollinators foraging among wildflowers and perennials; where forest shrubbery offers a dynamic habitat for all manner of butterflies, humming birds and songbirds as they follow their seasonal patterns.
Mother Nature has been perfecting her technique for a very long time, and our locale, with its unparalleled beauty, is her masterpiece. It’s what draws us to live here in the midst of nature’s glory.
The discerning resident desires to live in harmony with the land to preserve the natural environment that supports the delicate ecosystem within which we and other living creatures live. Just as medicine is awakening to the benefits of treating the body as an integrated unit, so a holistic approach to creating the substance of our physical surroundings underscores the reality that we are intrinsically linked to the rest of creation and share in its destiny.
This concept is the bedrock of our approach to every project we undertake. Listening to, and working in conjunction with the homeowner’s wishes, we seek to create a singular vision for the site that embraces nature’s unspoiled model, blending as closely as possible the landscape plan with the countenance of the area as well as the architecture of the home. Our four-pronged approach includes the following:
Soil. For ages, the terra firma beneath our feet has imparted life-giving nutrients to various types of vegetation based on the geography and topography of the area. Proper soil structure, microbiology and organic food sources provide a nutrient-rich environment that is essential to develop a deep, broad root structure and greater water retention, resulting in healthy plants. Paying attention to the soil in your planting beds ensures vigorous trees and shrubs that you and your family will enjoy for generations.
Natural Habitat Gardens. Have you ever witnessed the delight in a child’s eyes as she peers at a hummer poised on a flower, or a covey of quail crossing the yard? A natural habitat garden takes into consideration the features native to your property (vegetation, light, soil type, etc.) to produce an ecosystem that provides basic year-round survival needs for many species of wildlife, both winged and footed. Using native plants and other indigenous materials such as stone and bark in pathways lend to the aura of oneness with nature as opposed to being a trespasser or intruder.
Special Features. Many of our projects include some sort of stonework or water feature. Ponds and circulating brooks provide drinking water to all forms of fauna while offering places to perch and bathe. Birds especially are drawn to moving water, and the sound of a waterfall is irresistible to them. Dotting the perimeter of the water feature with flowering flora and plants that bear edible fruit provides further incentive to winged visitors, especially those that don’t eat seeds. Stonework such as retaining walls or pond borders harkens to our pioneer beginnings, when our ancestors moved native rocks to form boundaries for gardens and livestock while enhancing their land. Made using river rock and other local materials, this masonry can be fashioned to look as authentic and lasting as time itself.
Handcrafted Quality. When you hire Verne Pershing, The Art of Gardening, you are hiring an artisan endowed with vision and a poetic touch as well as high-level skills to construct your unique dream landscape. Many companies advertise that they can lay stone, plant trees or build a courtyard. But it is a rare master craftsman who can conceive and compose a unified panorama that encompasses and improves every aspect of your estate, be it modest or majestic. Verne and his crew will not only build your ideas, they will create a legacy for you to enjoy and then pass down to your children and grandchildren.
