Quality and the "New Normal"
The popular phrase, “the new normal,” seems to strongly imply that we should lower our expectations about an array of aspects of our work and personal lives. That, given the economic conditions we are living through, one would be foolish to continue to expect the same levels of quality and service we have traditionally expected from our purchases and that business owners would be irresponsible to try to meet old expectations. It would be naïve, and frankly impossible, for anyone to ignore our current business climate, especially in the Southwest. That said, quality is not a fashion and professional service should never be negotiable.
For almost three decades, Arid Zone Trees (AZT) has built a reputation on providing quality desert-adapted trees, professional service and innovation to the landscape design and construction communities. We set these standards for ourselves and they have always served us well.
Quality: We continuously evaluate, scrutinize and rotate inventory on the basis of form, branch structure and caliper size relative to box size. Our pruning and Root Management programs are active and remain fully implemented. Overgrown, root compromised trees have no more place in our inventory than they do in your landscape projects.
Professional Service: If you haven’t already had the opportunity to work with our staff, we hope to have the pleasure to work with you on your next project. Kevin Salamandra brings more than 30 years of experience in horticultural professions having managed his own landscape construction/maintenance company and for the last 25 years overseen operations and production at AZT. Todd Power, with a Masters Degree in Business Agriculture, has an intimate, hands-on knowledge of our inventory having professionally assisted our customers with tree selection for the last 16 years. For the last 8 years, Justin Morrow has ably assisted our customers. Justin is a Desert Botanical Garden, Certified Desert Landscaper and has a certification from the ISA, as a Certified Arborist. After a brief absence, Ed Mulrean, Ph.D.(plant pathology), has rejoined our staff as Director of Marketing and brings with him his academic and practical experience in an array of horticultural and botanical areas. We have always emphasized professional service through our newsletter, Arid Zone Times, and by making our staff available to assist you, in real time, to address your questions and respond to your challenges.
Innovations: Variety ‘AZT’ has been, and remains, the centerpiece of our inventory. From the beginning we recognized that the route to producing high quality, uniform, desert-adapted landscape trees would require vegetative (clonal) propagation. The greatest challenge is to select “Mother” trees that possess the desired physical and horticultural qualities, and bring them into production. That process remains very active and ongoing. AZT continues to introduce new clonal additions to Variety ‘AZT’ including Seedless Hybrid Mesquite, Sweet Acacia, Desert Willow ‘Dora’s Desert Rose’, and Native Mesquite. Also in our production pipeline are 4 new unique Thornless Hybrid Palo Verde selections. For a complete summary of Variety ‘AZT,’ visit our website www.aridzonetrees.com and select the tab “Variety AZT.”
For AZT and our customers the “new normal” remains the old normal. Within a few weeks the weather will cool and it will be a perfect time to come tour AZT, enjoy our garden and see our inventory first hand. To arrange a visit please contact Kevin at 480-987-9094 or Ed at 480-318-9425. We look forward to seeing you.
Ed Mulrean PhD., Editor
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