The Big One: Everything’s bigger in Texas
Company: LandCare
Location: Grapevine, Texas
The Gaylord Texan is an 1,814-room resort and convention center near Dallas. The facility has a 10-acre water park and a replica of San Antonio’s River Walk. LandCare, which has crews on-site seven days a week watering plants, picking up trash and more, also maintains the Gaylord Palms in Florida. It started working on the Texan because of the good relationship the company built.
Three years ago, LandCare switched to Echo, Stihl and Greenworks battery-powered equipment to maintain the property around the building, especially before 9:30 a.m. Paul Oyler, account manager with LandCare, says crews were always working under a time constraint, and these machines are quieter.
“Being a high-profile resort, you’re always on stage,” he says. “Excessive noise can ruin the guest experience.”
LandCare uses plant growth regulators such as Trimtect from Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements to reduce maintenance. “We want to stay in the background,” Oyler says. “PGRs allow us to keep the shrubs clean and neat for a longer period without spending all of our time pruning.”
The Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center is the 2023 location for the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ (NALP) annual meeting. This project earned LandCare a 2019 Gold Award from NALP’s Awards of Excellence program.
Photo: Landcare
The Gaylord Texan is a sprawling resort set on Grapevine Lake near Dallas. It features an atrium with five acres of gardens, a resort and a convention center.
Photo: Landcare
LandCare maintains the resort, which features a 25,000-square-foot spa, indoor and outdoor pools and a 10-acre seasonal water park.
Photo: Landcare
Flowering shrubs and trees line the lazy river. LandCare uses plant growth regulators to help slow growth and reduce pruning.
Photo: Landcare
Narrow strips of grass and small shrubs separate the cabanas at the waterpark.
Photo: Landcare
Annuals and shrubs at the resort’s entrance surround a horse statue.
Photo: Landcare
Vibrant flower beds welcome guests as they arrive. Crews use battery-powered equipment to service areas near guest rooms.
Photo: Landcare
LandCare replaced arbor mulch with creek stone and installed low-maintenance plant material to reduce water waste around the property.
Photo: Landcare
Feathergrass spills over the rustic planters.
Photo: Landcare
The resort’s four restaurants offer naturally shaded seating for guests.
Photo: Landcare
Decorative grapevines serve as a tribute to Texas Wine Country.
Photo: Landcare
When LandCare started maintaining the property, crews noticed a mainline break in the resort’s irrigation system. The company also addressed water pressure issues by relocating the line and moving it to an area with less foot traffic.
Photo: Landcare
The expansive property features paths that lead to nooks where guests can escape and connect with nature.
Photo: Landcare
LandCare crews maintain color changes for flower beds, such as the largest one at the property’s entrance.
About the Author: Christina Herrick
Christina Herrick is the editor of Landscape Management magazine. Known for her immersive approach to travel from coast to coast in her previous stint as senior editor of American Fruit Grower Magazine, she uses social media (Twitter/Instagram @EditorHerrick) to share her experiences on the road with her audience. Herrick has a degree in journalism from Ohio Northern University. She can be reached at cherrick@northcoastmedia.net.Subscribe to Landscape Management
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