The Big One: Wine country

COMPANY: LandCare
LOCATION: Atlanta

To ensure their maintenance work doesn’t interfere with the on-site vineyard’s growing process, LandCare maintains a constant line of communication with Chateau Elan’s head winemaker, keeping the team informed of maintenance schedules.

Over the last year and a half, LandCare has taken a more hands-on role within the vineyard.

“We assist the winemaker with horticultural needs on the vines,” says Tre’ Hiltzheimer, branch manager at LandCare. “Anything from fertilization, liming, pruning to nonselective herbicides for the runways that run down the middle of the vineyards.”

The winemaker gives LandCare guidance on what the vineyard needs and LandCare executes the strategy for him. LandCare also mows the turf between the vineyard rows. Hiltzheimer says that mowing has been easy because it lines up nicely with a 72-inch mower.

LandCare redesigned the entrance to the 3,500-acre property when it changed ownership in 2017 and has been maintaining the site since 2012. The redesign included a reworking of the front flower bed, the addition of potted flower arrangements and canopy trees.

All in all, Landcare helped redesign the front of the hotel resort, the entrance to the spa on the property and the entrance to the golf clubhouse.

The main entrance to the property is where LandCare focuses the most, making sure the first impression is pleasing to guests, according to Hiltzheimer.

“There’s a lot of turf out there, and the turf does present a French winery type of entryway when you enter from the roadway,” he says. “There’s a large run of well-maintained turf all the way right up to the fountain with the hotel right over to the right.”

The property earned LandCare a silver award from the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Awards of Excellence Program.

(Photo: LandCare)

Flowers installed as a part of LandCare’s redesign of the property in 2017 accent the fountain at the end of the long drive up to Chateau Elan’s front entrance.

(Photo: LandCare)

Chateau Elan’s entrance is a priority for LandCare, setting the tone for the rest of the property.

(Photo: LandCare)

LandCare’s redesign included the addition of outdoor gathering areas, allowing guests to catch prime views of the vineyard. 

(Photo: LandCare)

The long entryway to the property, which runs between the vineyard, is where LandCare spends most of its time.

(Photo: LandCare)

The original design of the front entrance had plenty of green, but LandCare’s redesign added bursts of seasonal color in both flower beds and planters.

Photo: LandCare

The 3,500 acres of Chateau Elan feature a winery, spa, a pair of golf courses, tennis courts and “The Inn,” a four-star hotel.

Photo: LandCare

Part of LandCare’s redesign included adding canopy trees to gathering areas outside the hotel, providing shade to guests.