Lakewood Ranch Town Hall hosts forum on landscape best practices

How much do you know about the person who mows your lawn or plants your flowers?

Lakewood Ranch and other Manatee County residents learned more about what to expect and how to pick qualified landscapers, Feb. 11, during a workshop held at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall.

Michelle Atkinson, of Manatee County Extension Office, led the event, which featured seven panelists who own or work for landscape companies in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

"We want to teach homeowners the questions they should be asking their landscaper," Atkinson said. 

Every landscape professional is required to have certain certifications, such as Landscape Best Management Practices certificate, and should display a decal inside their vehicle, which is proof they have taken the three-hour course.

Residents also learned about various types of mulch and which might best fit their preference, contingent on homeowners association rules.