1. What was the client’s intent for this project?*
Developed by the founder of Domino’s Pizza, Ava Maria is a 4,000-acre secluded, self-sustained town. The municipality has two parks, a church, Catholic university, golf course, water park and 1.7 million square feet of downtown retail space. This community has twice been named a Top 50 Master Planned Community.
By working with Davey, Ava Maria sought to diversify their landscape, emphasize high-quality execution and achieve a cohesive aesthetic.
2. What challenges were presented by existing conditions?*
With Florida’s beautiful, sunny days come the heat, water restrictions and hurricane season. As such, Davey needed to make modifications to help create a low-water …show more content…
There, nestled in the Everglades, lies a little slice of heaven. Bursting with bright flowers, rustling ornamental grasses, and swaying palm trees, families relish the natural beauty. In this close-knit town, the parks, 18-hole golf course, and downtown are always alive with activity as neighbors gather. Residents enjoy the lush, green grass before admiring the lurking alligators in the lagoon-blue bodies of water. While it appears this community is a technicolor paradise, it’s carefully constructed and maintained by an expertly trained crew.
Project Photos and Descriptions:
1. AvaMaria01: At the main entrance, ornamental shrubs are pruned to create a tiered look while annuals are rotated seasonally. Thanks to the curved beds, it appears this sprawling, tropical paradise never ends.
2. AvaMaria02: Here, textured perennials, hedges, shrubs, and trees are thoughtfully pruned to create a luxe, layered look.
3. AvaMaria03: This two-tone, drought-tolerant groundcover perfectly complements the purple queen perennials and structured, emerald-green shrub. Because of its precise pruning, this live oak’s vast, sweeping canopy remains the focal point.
4. AvaMaria04: Despite this park’s extensive foot traffic, the turf remains manicured and plush due to a meticulous mowing, fertilization, and irrigation …show more content…
AvaMaria05: These live oaks provide residents a shady respite from the intense Florida sunshine. They’re regularly pruned to reduce wind resistance, improve storm resiliency, and keep residents safe.
6. AvaMaria06: Paying homage to Ava Maria’s roots, this body of water and flowing ornamental grasses capture the spirit of the Florida Everglades.
7. AvaMaria07: Mixing unique plant textures and various heights brings interest to this all-green space.
8. AvaMaria08: To make the ordinary extraordinary, this median is grounded by splashy New Guinea impatiens, lined with parallel rows of live oaks, and accentuated by cascading palm fronds.
9. AvaMaria09: These palms add a striking shape and statuesque air to the community’s waterpark. To maintain the trees’ health among chlorine, the palms are properly fertilized and never over-pruned.
10. AvaMaria10: The defined lines of the hedges and bordered bocce ball courts contrast the swaying, shapely trees.
11. AvaMaria11: With multiple playgrounds and sports fields, these trees are closely pruned to minimize risk. To reduce the color loss of the turf, trees, and shrubs, the soil is amended with a custom fertilizer.
12. AvaMaria12: Looking like a polished wedding cake, these orderly hedges are stacked, surrounded by lively blooms and topped with a theatrical