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About Us
Skyhorse Station History and Philosophy
 Skyhorse
Station Tree Farm & Landscaping is a family run Women's Business
Enterprise (WBE). We have been in operation since 1987. We are a full
service Residential/Commercial landscape installation, landscape maintenance
and tree farm / nursery. In 2007 our business is celebrating its 20year/
200,000 milestone! We have planted, maintained and transplanted over 200,000
trees!
Our longevity has beaten the odds. Where the majority
of small business' fail after their initial splash few are trained
and equipped to survive the marathon. This has been a challenging endeavor.
We have successfully matured into a more qualified, more proficient and
more competitive leader in the S.E Michigan landscape industry. Skyhorse
has had steady expansion over the years. Weathered the ups and downs of
a few business cycles and we endured and matured into a successful business.
Our mission is to be a premier landscape corporation
dedicated to excellence and positive relationship building that improves
the well being of our employees, customers and business associates while
improving our communities and observing good stewardship of our environment.
Our vision to be an regional industry leader is fueled by an absolute
commitment to personal business ethics and integrity while pursuing new
knowledge and expertise in all endeavors. Our goal is to provide the finest
quality products, services and workmanship, at competitive prices, for
our customers. We are professional landscapers committed to the improvement
of our industry and the environment.
The Skyhorse Station team is comprised of persons
who have a passion and dedication for the landscape industry and include
talented designers, skilled craftsmen, competent sales/estimators, proficient
office staff, qualified specialty sub-contractors and a diverse network
of reliable and reputable suppliers. We take pride in our value engineering
and project management skills that focus all team members on the common
goal of producing diverse and complex landscape projects for our customers.
Our investment in advanced employee training, technology
and specialized equipment provide us with the ability to perform our work
more efficiently and economically compared to our competitors. As part
of our open book / participatory management style all employees participate
in gain sharing. Through various incentive programs our employees are
empowered to implement cost containment and quality control strategies.
These efforts when coupled with a focus on planning, organization and
scheduling help generate even more productivity which is recognized, measured
and rewarded by Skyhorse management. Also our crew have weekly 'tailgate
skill & safety training sessions'. Our dedication on the production
of quality work, valued engineered for the least expenditure creates a
win-win scenario for management, employees and our customers. Skyhorse
has implemented the 4-day flex week. This four day work week has reduced
employee exhaustion, boasted employee moral, reduced turn-over, without
loss of billable hours. Our team's persistent pursuit of excellence
provides the value and quality that our customers demand and expect and
at the affordable prices they want.
 Our warranty policies are some of the finest available.
Rarely are we requested to re-do work or have warranty claims for faulty
work because of this pursuit for excellence and in meeting or exceeding
industry standards and knowing & complying with manufacturer specifications.
We strongly advocate performing our contracted obligations correctly the
first time and on time, while providing our customers with sound risk
management via Skyhorse's strong warranty program and our business
liability/workmens compensation insurance plans.
Skyhorse Station's management recognizes, embraces
and values the trust and loyalty that we earn from our employees, our
business associates and our customers. We understand that these relationships
are the foundation for our continued success and prosperity. When we complete
projects, to the full satisfaction of our customers, then we often are
given referrals from their friends, neighbors and co-workers who are in
need of similar landscape projects.
Skyhorse has crafted a superb referral incentive
program, which in addition to adding value for our customers, provides
them with various rewards such as cash or redeemable coupons with local
retail establishments. As an example, we had one customer who received
eight $75 dine-out certificates over a three month period. The response
by our customers is extremely gratifying. Our primary source of revenue
is generated by word-of-mouth from satisfied customers. For this loyalty
factor we are vastly appreciative. Our goal is to maintain a customer
base that is comprised of 50% referrals, we are able to reduce our advertising
expenditure, which reduces our overhead expenditure. These savings can
then be passed through to our customers in the form of reduced prices
for our services.
Our specific mission is to help our customers protect,
improve and beautify their outdoor surroundings with unique and visually
distinctive outdoor spaces. Our team of artisans and craftsmen can design
and create themes with visual impacts from simple rustic to lavish elegance,
that mirror and/or contrast the architectural elements of your home and
business while reinforcing your individual themes and lifestyle preferences.
Our design often extend exterior themes to achieve the same look outdoor.
We can create functional and interesting landscapes that provide relaxation,
enjoyment, prestige and entertainment. Your needs are foremost in our
minds and we take great pride in providing the value and prompt personalized
services that you would expect from a premier contractor. Skyhorse Station
fills the niche that exists between the mass merchandiser to the do-it-yourselfer's
who are unable to provide creativity of design and install unique landscapes
that customers can't find anywhere. When quality counts.
We achieve your vision by providing unique designs
that offer a variety of choices in color, texture, shape and size in both
plant material, natural stone & pavers products for walkways, patios
and terraced retaining wall systems. We can remodel outdated or alter
overgrown outdoor spaces and/or create totally new landscaping for new
construction. Our creations not only take into consideration your vision
but also consider specific site and micro climate conditions. We can provide
landscapes that provide a timeless impression that has features that can
be enjoyed and /or used in every season, year after year. We use the latest
in digital photo imagery as a comprehensive technical tool for landscape
design. This way we can offer stunning before and after photo renditions
of your building's full landscape. We feel this helps your visualize
the landscaping design and provides a much better visual presentation
of the proposed project compared to traditional architectural drawings.
Skyhorse Station is a pioneer and one of the first
in the construction trades to utilize innovative website technology for
an on-line landscape estimator. This value engineered creation allows
our prospective customers to start a free personalized bid/proposal process.
By utilizing this technology we are able to help our prospective customers
tighten their focus on their landscape dreams/plans. Contact us 24/7 and at your leisure and in the
comfort of your home or business office you can access and answer "thought
provoking questions" presented in our site analysis and customer
preference questionnaire. After completion just click the send button
and our office computer system will receive your answers. Our team will
immediately begin to analyze and review your answers on the questionnaire.
This process saves and reduces the time that would normally be spent with
aggressive salesman. During follow-up site visits our sales consultants
saves and reduces time gathering data. So everyone saves time! Our sales
consultants are trained to be problem solvers that seek solutions for
your needs and are not pushy commodity salesman.
While you are at our website visit our comprehensive
Plant Catalog to view color images and descriptions for hundreds
of trees, shrubs and perennials. Feel free to use our website as a valuable
educational source covering diverse landscape topics and we also have
direct links to a wide array of topics provided by others in the green
industry.
In the near future you may wish to subscribe to
our newsletter which will be provided as a free educational tool. We will
provide more in-depth education on landscape problems/solutions, and coverage
of current landscape trends and environmental issues.
We realize that your home or business may be one
of the largest investments you will ever make. The development of the
exterior landscape in a substantial portion of this investment. An MSU
study indicated the three landscape factors with the greatest impact on
increased home value are plant size, diversity and complexity of landscape
design. A general rule of thumb is also to allocate at least 10% of a
normal building's value into exterior development. Properly designed,
installed, and maintained landscapes can provide 100 to 200% return on
investment, while increasing overall property value by as much as 15%
to 18%. (as a general rule is if you invest $100 you get at least $100-$200
back in increased value of your home.) Landscape tree and shrubs are also
one of the few investments that actually increase in value as they mature.
It is an investment that not only provides enjoyment and entertainment
but it can reduce vacancy rate for commercial buildings while creating
curb appeal that benefits the sales of both homes and business. A good
looking landscape really increase a building's marketability and
aids in quicker sales during a sluggish market and helps sellers get full
asking price. Landscaping really can add value and pay for itself and
not just in dollars.
Our slogan is 'from concept to completion....with
competence, integrity and a smile'. The Skyhorse team offers a wide
range of services. We can provide finish grade; drainage systems; topsoil
&; sod/hydro or slit seeding; mulched annual, perennial and shrubs
bed formation; irrigation (turf and drip); walkways and patio from woodchip,
decorative stone, flagstone, stamped concrete and brick pavers; boulder,ledge
rock, timber or decorative segmental block retaining wall systems; and
extensive tree selection and planting; outdoor lighting; water features;
pergolas, trellis and firepits.
We have plant fertilization, protection and care
programs for turf, tree and shrubs. These maintenance programs are largely
based on the latest integrated pest management techniques. We feel that
maintenance is never as expensive as the cost of removing and replacing
failed plants. Our plantsman are trained to identify and correct deficiencies,
and stress occurring in climate zone 5 and especially in an urban soil
environment, that is often adverse and harsh.
Maintenance programs are offering with our plant
installation and could include up to a 5 year warranty. Our fertilization
programs may include a state of the art biostimulant complex that supplies
all the essential major & microstimulants plus mychorrizae. Also we
monitor pest, insect and weed activity with chemical controls only applied
on a as needed basis. We employ cultural and horticultural practices to
aid in the reduced need for chemical control. All chemicals when used
according to label, by our licensed pesticide applicator are safe to humans,
pets and the environment.
We feel the first step in turf, tree and shrub maintenance
begins, when ever possible, in the design process. We like to specify
northern grown genetically superior plant material well suited for climate
zone 5 and for the specific soil /site conditions and micro climate influences
that occur on each specific property. We subscribe to the 3Rs; right plant,
right place, right time. We think there just isn't an excuse for
specifying in non-hardy plant material that will be maintenance intense
with reduced vigor and growth rate. Our research identifies the plant
material with the genetics that exhibit insect/disease resistance, cold
winter and hot summer hardiness, strong limb structure, good leaf/flower
bud set, and other characteristics such as growth rate.
Skyhorse has over 100 acres in production with over
300 species and cultivars. We also have reciprocal agreement, with an
extensive network of other growers that provide superior plants that we
do not grow. We are therefore able to offer a diverse choice in plant
material options that are healthy, hardy and vigorous growers. Our selection
of woody ornamentals is one of the most extensive in Southeast Michigan.
We are constantly evaluating new and exciting plants and expanding our
line of plant materials. We extend an open invitation to visit our growing
fields where you can personally tag your selection for custom digging
by our crews. From our fields to your property the health of your plants
should continue to produce superior results. We provide written plant
health care and watering instructions to help with proper care and we
offer various warranty options from 90 day, 1 year to 5 years with maintenance
agreement. We base much of definition of quality and value on the advanced
training received by associates from various industry and trade associations.
Also Skyhorse subscribes to high Industry Construction and Ethical Standards
set forth by our affiliation with the following: American Nurseryman Association,
Michigan Nursery And Landscape Association, The Michigan Green Industry
Association, The National Irrigation Association, The Interlocking Concrete
Pavement Institute, The Michigan Department Of Agriculture ( for our nursery
stock inspection and licensing & pesticide application license). Our
team has gained a wealth of knowledge and training from our key suppliers;
Bark mulch producers, sod and topsoil producers, natural stone and gravel
quarries etc.
The principals of Skyhorse Station are graduates
of University of Michigan and Ohio State University with advanced training
in the green industry. Skyhorse associates regularly attend workshops
and also receive ongoing training and support from our strategic alliances
forged with leading industry manufactures such as: Unilock & Versiloc
Paver Co, Hunter Irrigation, Vista Outdoor Lighting, Aquascapes Water
Features et.al
Skyhorse associates also receive ongoing advanced
training and educational support from Michigan State, Ohio State, Oregon
State, Syracuse, Georgia Tech et al.
We keep abreast of most recent research in technology
and new products in design, horticultural plant pathology, soils, plant
genetics & identification, pesticides, etc...
 Our strategic alliance, with key industry suppliers
who are integral players has gained us access to high quality, durable
products, favorable pricing, product/warranty support and consistent availability.
We are able to pass through price concessions from supplier to our customers.
This is another example of the value-added concept that we provide to
our customers. Skyhorse also has forged strategic alliance with other
professionals to strengthen our business and fiscal position and performance.
Professionals such as consultants, CPA, banking, insurance and legal experts
round off our team. Also various social/political affiliations and network
groups help widen our exposure to and support for ecological and environmental
issues that concern our planet.
Baby boomers and Generation X want more usable
backyards that are sanctuaries, health resort-like or second home atmosphere
to spend their summer in instead of traveling. They want durable and low
maintenance. They want to spend more time 'living' in their
backyards and less time 'maintaining' them. There is a continual
trend for adults who live hurried, busy lives. Transforming more of their
living, entertaining and play areas to outside green spaces that are becoming
natural extensions of their homes and to do so with an environmentally
consciousness that provide definite life style and planted enhancements.
In summation we strive to work in wise partnership
with nature and our clients to produce landscapes that are in harmony
with the environment wile reflecting individual preferences. When we have
accomplished this - then we all have succeeded.
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