From luxurious townhomes to single-family units, Lockwood Glen is a beacon of elegance in Franklin, Tennessee, about 20 miles south of Nashville. This property connects residents with the outdoors while providing resort-style amenities.
Since 2019, Milosi, based in Hendersonville, Tennessee, has played a vital part in serving this community with lawn and landscape services, leading them to win a 2023 Silver Award of Excellence.
Kevin Koehler, a business developer at Milosi, shares the meaning of the award.
“This recognition from the NALP is a significant honor that underscores the quality and innovation of a project,” he says. “It reflects our commitment to excellence in landscape design and implementation and our ability to meet and exceed high standards of craftsmanship, creativity, and functionality. The award reinforces our reputation as leaders in the landscape industry.”
In December of 2022, a flash freeze hit the Nashville area, causing extensive damage to shrubs and evergreens.
“A couple days before Christmas, the temperature dropped below 0°F in Nashville for the first time since 1996, bringing windchills of -20°F in some areas,” Koehler says. “The initial 50+ degree drop in temperature in less than 30 minutes led to most of the plant damage. To make this more challenging, some of this damage was not clear until 12 to 24 months after the flash freeze.”
Frostburn was a common symptom on tender evergreens, while plants that weren’t fully dormant had wilting and brittle branches. Many trees also had cracked bark from the sudden drop in temperatures.
With the damage unfolding, Milosi began assessing the next steps.
“For woody plants with severe structural damage, removal was often the best option,” Koehler says. “For plants with minor damage, we opted to prune out the dead growth to encourage new, healthy growth in the spring. We wanted to balance the needs of each plant and maintain aesthetic appeal for the future.”
They also focused on the growth habits of each plant to determine how long recovery would take. And for lesser-known species, they consulted with horticulturists from the University of Tennessee to decide the best course of action.
A strong turf program is needed as the community grows, especially when the developers remove topsoil to build new homes.
“We conduct soil samples in struggling areas, helping us maintain the proper pH,” Koehler says. “This testing helps us make the right changes to let air, water, and the supplemental fertilizers move through the soil with the highest efficacy.”
Nashville is also in the transition zone for turf, adding the need to balance cool and warm season grasses.
“The pros and cons of each grass are the opposite for each one,” Koehler adds. “It’s a constant battle of education of best practices, customer preferences, and managing multiple programs to address each form of turf.”
Lockwood Glen is on a 6-step turf application program that includes multiple rounds of herbicides and fertilizer in spring and summer, followed by aeration and overseeding in fall.
From the start, irrigation was a concern on this property.
“The irrigation system was installed improperly by another vendor, so we’ve made several improvements to enhance its functionality and efficiency,” Koehler says.
One issue was dry spots around the property, so Milosi reconfigured the system and moved irrigation heads to provide a uniform supply of water. Another step was changing the water pressure to make sure each area received the right amount of water.
The poor installation led to many leaks and outdated components in the system, so the team examined the whole system and replaced several valves, pipes, and sprinkler heads. These changes also led to new technology, like smart controllers that control the watering schedule based on weather conditions. Milosi added more sensors to track the system’s performance and a routine maintenance schedule to catch future issues.
Starting in March, a five-person crew visits Lockwood Glen each week, but those exact times vary in summer, especially during stretches of hot and dry weather. While mowing and weeds are a main priority, seasonal displays adorn the property’s common areas, with a focus on heat-tolerant species, like begonias and angelonia. In the fall, many of those plants are replaced with snapdragons, dianthus, and other cool-season plants.
Despite the challenges, Koehler sees many rewards with this project.
“We get a lot of positive feedback from the community, and seeing the landscape transform is fulfilling,” he says.“Being able to navigate the various challenges and work as a team fosters a strong sense of camaraderie and adds to the satisfaction of the project.”
Interested in participating in the Awards of Excellence? Be sure to enter your projects when entries open in early 2025.
