Gilkey's Cherokee Park West on SRQ Cover

The Cherokee Park West project, a collaboration between Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. landscape architecture and Jonathan Parks Architect, was featured on the cover of the November SRQ Magazine. The award-winning project has received national attention, and SRQ editor Lisl Liang and writer Lindsay Downey took notice. The following excerpts are from the feature, entitled "Cherokee Romance."

Nestled among towering oaks and statuesque retreats in Sarasota’s exclusive Cherokee Park neighborhood sits a home reminiscent of a bygone era, where cool breezes float through grandiose windows and indoor and outdoor spaces flow into one. The crisp white, art deco-meets Moroccan-style home extends effortlessly to a series of inventive outdoor rooms where hedges create walls, hardscape mimics tile, tree canopies define the ceiling and textured plants accent a vibrant outdoor décor.

Architect Jonathan Parks designed the home at 1729 Cherokee Drive with influences of the 1920s, a time when open windows and natural light paid homage to architectural clarity and brought a sense of organic nature to the indoors. But what began as a home designed to pay tribute to the legacy of the quiet, family-oriented Cherokee Park neighborhood became one of the most innovative uses of indoor-outdoor spaces in the city, with Parks and landscape architect Michael A. Gilkey, Jr. meshing their visions into one. “The thoughtfulness of going through and really tying the landscape and the architecture together, it’s one of the most collaborative projects we’ve done,” Parks says. The home, which was completed in December 2008 and is listed for a sale price of $2.5 million, won Residential Design and Build magazine’s 2009 Design Excellence Award for Outdoor Living and the Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects’ 2009 Award of Honor.

Whereas a landscape architect might typically come in at the end of a home construction project, Gilkey and Parks talked through design concepts together from day one. “They had to be on the same page philosophically and their hearts and minds really needed to be in tune with each other,” says (owner and developer Jan) Zachariasse. The artists envisioned small courtyards and romantic gardens comprising a series of distinct yet intimate exterior spaces that would spill out from the modular home.

Concrete Countertops, Etc. Expands Studio

The Sarasota-based concrete surface studio Concrete Countertops, Etc. has relocated to Eastern Industrial Park. The larger workspace, located at 1939 Barber Road in Sarasota, can now meet the needs of the company’s thriving business and enhanced fabrication capabilities.

“After over a year in business and a certification in Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete under my belt, I felt the need to expand my workspace,” says Concrete Countertops, Etc. owner Jake Brady. “Now that I can fabricate much larger custom pieces, the word has spread, and I’m busier than I’ve ever been.”

Jake Brady’s training in Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) allows him to use an environmentally friendly substitute for traditional Portland cement. He also applies ultra-fast UV sealants, resulting in 28-day strength in just one day. This combination of technologies creates a 62% reduction in carbon footprint, and the ability to create smooth, seamless pieces of up to 12’ in length. These technologies allow Brady to increase production and create a lighter weight, more durable product. Most recently, Concrete Countertops, Etc. has installed the kitchen surfaces for a newly constructed Mission Valley Estates residence in Nokomis. This Josh Wynne Construction project is receiving Green certification from the Florida Green Building Council, Energy Star, FPL Build Smart and other groups. Concrete Countertops, Etc. has also teamed up with local landscape architecture studio Michael A. Gilkey, Inc., to co-design a new line of custom concrete planters.

ABOUT CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS, ETC.: Established in 2008, Concrete Countertops, Etc. is an innovative concrete design and installation studio in Sarasota, Florida. In step with the very latest in concrete and LEED certification requirements, owner Jake Brady takes pride in his commitment to ecological responsibility and creative and elegant surface technology. Concrete Countertops, Etc. offers a unique technique, sustainable mix design, and philosophy that can satisfy the unique vision of his discerning clientele. The surfaces created by Concrete Countertops, Etc. are beautiful and long lasting, and play a vital role in reducing the burden on our nation’s landfills. For more information, please call Jake Brady at (941) 232-1411, or visit www.concretecountertopsetc.com.

Local Amish Holiday Gift Baskets: Delivered!

Ashley’s Food Delivery, Sarasota’s only multi-restaurant delivery service, has teamed up with local Amish restaurant Troyer’s Dutch Heritage to offer locally made gift baskets available for delivery this holiday season. Ideal for personal and corporate gift giving, these food-filled baskets reflect the traditional heritage and old-fashioned charm of Sarasota’s local Amish community.
“Troyer’s gift baskets offer true local flavor with homemade baked goods and home-style delicacies produced right here in Sarasota, making a truly unique gift,” says Liz Sniegocki, co-owner of Ashley’s Food Delivery. “With delivery available to homes and offices throughout the area, they are also a convenient gift option, perfect for clients, friends and family. Plus, gift givers have the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting our local economy with their purchases.”

The Troyer’s Heritage Basket features 100 percent locally made treats from the Troyer’s Dutch Heritage bakery and restaurant, as well as a copy of the newly-published Heritage Favorites cookbook, a collection of family recipes from Troyer’s employees. Included is a small homemade pie, home-style fudge, fresh granola, apple butter, jam, old-fashioned candies and more.
Also available for delivery are the Troyer’s Brunch Basket (filled with home-style goodies including homemade sweet bread & cookies, coffee, tea, two ceramic Troyer’s mugs, jelly, fruit mix, homemade peanut butter, candy and more) and the Troyer’s Party Basket (a sampling of Amish delights including a summer sausage, a cheese round, pretzels & crackers and Amish dressings & dips).In addition to Troyer’s gift baskets, Ashley’s is also delivering a variety of baskets and sweet gift items from Peterbrooke Chocolatier. The Chocolate Lover’s Holiday Basket is a sweet tooth’s dream, filled with Peterbrooke’s signature chocolate covered popcorn, handmade assortments and hand-dipped specialties.
Ashley’s Food Delivery makes seasonal gift giving easy and convenient with a complete Gift Basket Delivery Menu available at www.ashleysfood.com. Order online, or call 953-FOOD and let a customer service representative help you select the perfect gifts for friends and family, colleagues and clients. Delivery is available everyday; 72 hour notice is requested. Featured holiday gift baskets (mentioned here) are $55.00, including delivery; or a variety of delectable gift selections are available to fit your budget. Complimentary gift cards can be included with all gifts, upon request.

About Ashley’s Food Delivery: The area’s only multi-restaurant delivery service, Ashley’s Food Delivery partners with over 35 restaurants in Sarasota and Bradenton to deliver everything from home-cooked, comfort food to elegant, gourmet dining. Ashley’s Food offers residential & corporate meal delivery, drop-off catering services and gift basket delivery. The service is open for lunch delivery Monday through Friday (Sarasota only) and dinner delivery every day. For more information, call 953-FOOD or visit www.AshleysFood.com.

Maternal Health Weekend: Events Summary

Last weekend, Sarasota was host to several events aimed at improving maternal health care here at home and throughout the country. Headlining the weekend was Sunday afternoon's panel discussion Maternal Health Care in the 21st Century: Sarasota and Beyond. Present for this and all other events was the world's leading midwife, Ina May Gaskin.

Ms. Gaskin began her visit to Sarasota with a Clinical Conference for the medical staff of Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) on Friday, October 30. Her presentation was entitled "Combining the Best of Modern Obstetrics with Respect for Nature and Traditional Midwifery Approaches." Her objectives were threefold: to explore the knowledge base and skills common to traditional midwifery; to understand the need for both modern obstetrics and (authentic) midwifery; and to build positive relationships between the two professions (especially with regard to home birth midwives). Present at the conference were SMH Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Dr. Washington Hill; Sarasota County Health Department OB/GYN Dr. John Abu; Licensed Midwives Christina Holmes and Alina Vogelhut; and several members of the hospital staff and the community, including childbirth educators, nurses and retired physicians. The presentation will be available via podcast on the SMH Continuing Education website.

Friday afternoon found Ina May Gaskin touring both of Sarasota's freestanding birth centers (Birthways Family Birth Center and Rosemary Birthing Home), and having lunch with Sonia Pressman Fuentes, the co-founder of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Two of the most influential women in recent American history, the pair discussed the shift in birth culture in the last half century, the difference between American governmental structure and that of most European countries with better maternal outcomes, and the role of the feminist movement in changing the American perception of birth.

Saturday morning, October 31, Ina May Gaskin presented the Safe Motherhood Quilt Project at the Selby Public Library. Ms. Gaskin spoke to Sarasota's SNN News Channel 6 before the presentation, saying "In 2007, the World Health Organization reported that there are forty other countries that do better at preventing maternal death than the United States." Three panels of the quilt were shown in the library's Geldbart Auditorium, after having been hung from the atrium balcony during the week prior. These three panels contained 58 squares, each representing a woman who has died of pregnancy or childbirth related causes in America since 1982. Ms. Gaskin argues that simple measures such as a unified federal death certificate and an increase in percentage of hospital autopsies would dramatically improve U.S. maternal outcomes. The presentation was followed by a booksigning benefiting the project, as well as Florida Friends of Midwives (FFOM), a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to promoting and preserving access to midwifery care in Florida. Ms. Gaskin signed copies of her classic Spiritual Midwifery, the gold standard prenatal education book Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, and her newest release, Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding, said by Dr. Christiane Northrup to be "the best thing ever written on the subject."

Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm, Ina May Gaskin met in the Hyatt Regency Sarasota Ballroom with Dr. Washington Hill once more, as well as Sarasota Healthy Start Coalition executive director Jennifer Highland and Representative Keith Fitzgerald, for a panel discussion called Maternal Health Care in the 21st Century: Sarasota and Beyond. The discussion was moderated by Sarasota Vice Mayor Kelly Kirschner, who shared his perspective as a City Commissioner that improved maternal health is a formula of community growth.The panel was a free program which included refreshments and a 28 page Maternal Health Resource Guide, all made possible by the hard work of the sponsoring organizations and the generosity of several business partners. Approximately 250-275 people attended the discussion, including several guests of expertise in the field of maternal health and associated disciplines.
Dr. Washington Hill was the first to speak, pointing to a collaborative model of care as the standard for positive outcomes, and encouraging open communication between the many components of maternal health care and its providers.Ina May Gaskin followed, discussing maternal death, its possible prevention and ways to move toward accurate recordkeeping, and the importance of prenatal health. She illustrated strategies in other countries with much better outcomes than ours, such as the Netherlands, which provides its new pregnant women with paid postpartum care. Jennifer Highland then presented a staggering display of statistics illustrating Sarasota's place in Florida and the rest of the country in categories such as infant death, fetal death, smoking during pregnancy, breastfeeding rates and more. Jennifer suggested that Sarasota County's high cesarean section percentage be closely examined and reversed to improve preterm birth rates and NICU admissions, and that prenatal health be a priority of all parties involved.
Finally, Florida House of Representatives Health and Family Services Policy Council member Rep. Keith Fitzgerald gave the audience a history of health insurance, an overview of health care reform issues, and a call to action. When talking about the frequency of special interest groups' appointments with him and his colleagues, Fitzgerald asked: "Where are you?"

Questions were then taken from audience members, who asked about tort reform, individual OB/GYN's c-section rates, and women's intuition--among many other things.

After the panel discsussion, Florida Friends of Midwives (FFOM) hosted the tribute An Evening with Ina May Gaskin in the Boathouse of the Hyatt Regency Sarasota. Guests received keepsake tickets, signed a book of gratitude for Ms. Gaskin, and viewed a tribute DVD of her work and its manifestation through the midwives and midwife-assisted births here in Sarasota. Net proceeds of approximately $2500 will help FFOM in their strategy to protect Florida's midwives and their laws, and to improve public awareness of the Midwives Model of Care.It was the honor of a lifetime for Kangaroo Promotions to provide event planning services, graphic design coordination, media and community relations and all marketing services for The Safe Motherhood Quilt Project Presentation, Maternal Health Care in the 21st Century: Sarasota and Beyond, and An Evening with Ina May Gaskin.

Urban Reef to Open in Downtown Sarasota

URBAN REEF is proud to announce its grand opening, infusing a fresh vacation atmosphere into the heart of downtown Sarasota. The Reef is cooking up fresh tropical cuisine with an edgy twist, nightly live entertainment and a wide range of special events. URBAN REEF is owned and operated by the two-generation Sarasota family of Larry and Kathy Heinzerling and Eric and Andrea Zito. The grand opening is set for Thursday, November 12th, with a soft opening on Monday, November 2nd.

With inspiration from traditional Floribbean cuisine, Urban Reef has developed a menu with that is unique to Sarasota, bringing the beach into the city with fresh, local seafood. Common ingredients in the URBAN REEF kitchen are bold and modern, featuring stars such as curry, coconut, coffee, pumpkin, cilantro, and ginger. For starters, URBAN REEF offers Caribbean inspired appetizers, featuring:

--Deep Fried Barbados Style Fish Fritters with House Tarter --Massa Corn Slow Braised Pork Tamale Cakes, Chipotle Chocolate Sauce, Sour Cream & Pineapple Pickled Ginger

Featured dishes from the URBAN REEF dinner menu include:

--Crispy Skin-on Snapper, Pineapple Slaw, Coconut Red Curry and Mango Salsa --Pan Seared Grouper, Spinach Lump Crab Stir Fry, Coo Coo Cake and Peppercorn Beurre Blanc --Coffee Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Goombay Smash Yucca Sweet Potatoes and Apple Jus

URBAN REEF offers live entertainment both upstairs and downstairs, including a vast array of talent from local DJ's, singers, bands, and karaoke performers. There are several events planned to round out the holiday season, including special industry nights, block parties and charity functions, including a benefit in early December for Daxton Cole Blanford, a nine month old baby with stomach cancer. All cover charges from the benefit will go directly to the Blanford family. “We love our community,” said co-owner Eric Zito. “We want nothing more than to add to our growing town and for our town to love us right back.”

Join the URBAN REEF family on Thursday, November 12th, for a fabulous grand opening weekend with great entertainment, food and drink specials, and prize giveaways. For more information, please call (941) 365-5181.

ABOUT URBAN REEF: Urban Reef is located at 1888 Main Street, on the corner of Links and Main in the heart of downtown Sarasota. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday for lunch from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, and again for dinner from 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM. The bar is open until 2:00 am Monday through Saturday. Dinner prices range from $15-$24 a dish. For more information, please call (941) 365.5181.

National Parkinson Leader Comes to Sarasota

Dr. Michael Okun, MD, Medical Director for the National Parkinson Foundation, will visit Sarasota this weekend to tour the Neuro Challenge Foundation (NCF) Parkinson Comprehensive Care Center and to meet with NCF leaders. Dr. Okun has taken a special interest in the Sarasota based foundation, where more than 1,300 Parkinson patients annually receive counseling and recommendations on a broad array of treatments designed specifically for Parkinson Diesease. The Care Center is part of an elite group of Parkinson Disease centers, due to its large caseload and its geographic location outside of a university setting.

Dr. Okun will also participate in the first annual Neuro Challenge Foundation Charity Golf Tournament this Saturday at the Heritage Oaks Golf and Country Club. All proceeds from the scramble format tournament will benefit Neuro Challenge Foundation, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people struggling with Parkinson Disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr. Okun will be the guest of Neuro Challenge Foundation Medical Advisor Dr. Dean Sutherland, MD, PhD and will speak to NCF Foundation supporters at a dinner following the golf tournament. Both doctors are at the forefront of Parkinson research and support services. The mission of Sarasota’s Neuro Challenge Foundation is unique and local, yet consistent with the message of the National Parkinson Foundation: to improve the quality of care for people with Parkinson’s disease through research, education and outreach.

Check-in for the tournament is at 11:00 am, followed by a putting contest and driving practice. Golfers have the chance to win cash and prizes on the course including $5,000 on a par 3 hole. The tournament begins at 1:00 pm and will end with a cocktail hour, dinner, raffle and the announcement of prizes, including a 42” flat screen TV, golf clubs, gift certificates and more. Registration for the tournament is $95 per player, and may be reserved by calling Mark Bisgeier at (941) 400-7867 or emailing golf@neurochallenge.org. Tickets for the dinner only are $35. “Bring your friends and enjoy an excellent day of play,” says Bisgeier. “And create some hope along the way.”About The Neuro Challenge Foundation: The Neuro Challenge Foundation is advised by Sarasota physicians Dean P. Sutherland, M.D., Ph.D., Bernard Feinberg, M..D. and Donald Negroski, M.D., and is dedicated to the fight against Parkinson Disease, MS and related neurodegenerative diseases. The Foundation, operated entirely through volunteer time and charitable donations, maintains a Parkinson Comprehensive Care Center in Sarasota, Florida. At the Center, patients and families receive advice on surgical and non-surgical treatments, counseling, health and fitness, home services and more. The Center offers a level of care that rivals major university medical centers. Patients seen at the Parkinson Disease Center have access to the latest information, medications, surgeries, diagnostic tests, rehabilitation services and alternative therapies. As a result, the reputation of the Center has grown by leaps and bounds, extending to the entire state of Florida and beyond.

About the National Parkinson Foundation: The mission of the National Parkinson Foundation is to improve the quality of care for people with Parkinson’s disease through research, education and outreach. Founded in 1957, NPF is a leading national organization with an extensive grassroots network of Centers of Excellence, chapters and support groups in the United States, Canada and internationally. Unique among the national Parkinson’s organizations, NPF is the only organization with a singular focus on improving the quality of care in Parkinson’s disease. Since 1982, NPF has funded more than $150 million in care, research and support services.

About Dr. Michael Okun, MD: Michael S. Okun, MD is Co-director of the Movement Disorders Center located within the McKnight Brain Institute and the University of Florida College of Medicine. Dr. Okun is dedicated to an interdisciplinary care concept, and since his appointment as the National Medical Director for the National Parkinson Foundation in 2006, he has worked with the 64 NPF Centers to help foster the best possible environments for care, research and outreach in Parkinson disease. Dr. Okun has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, and has served as a reviewer for more than 25 major medical journals. He has been invited to speak about Parkinson disease and movement disorders in various regions throughout the world, and he is currently a faculty and founding member for SUPPORT-PD, which aims to bring functional Parkinson and Movement Disorders Surgery to “countries in need” around the globe.

Michael A. Gilkey, Jr. in AIA's 10 x 10

Sarasota Landscape Architect Michael A. Gilkey is excited to join a cast of ten designers as they present "10 x 10: Ten Slides by Ten Designers," and answer the question: What Inspires You?
Each designer will present 10 slides illustrating their inspirational sources. Each slide will be presented for no longer than 30 seconds, creating a fun, fast atmosphere for creative dialogue.

The 10 x 10 event is held quarterly by the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The show will take place at the Art Center of Sarasota this Friday, October 23 at 5:30 pm. Admission is $5 for AIA members and $10 for the public.

Marcy Chapman Featured in Style Magazine

Sarasota water media artist Marcy Chapman was featured in the October issue of Style Magazine, a Herald-Tribune Media Group publication. Writer Su Byron's interview with Marcy follows in its entirety.

Marcy Chapman began painting nearly 30 years ago as the result of a "happy accident," when she enrolled in a watercolor class because a guitar class was canceled. "The second I picked up my paintbrush, I knew I had found my thing," she says. After taking a variety of college art courses and workshops taught by noted artists, the former English teacher blossomed as a visual artist. Chapman went on to create a large body of work in a continually evolving style. She and her husband moved to Sarasota three years ago. "I couldn't be happier," she says. Her work can be seen at www.marcychapman.com.

How do you describe your recent work?
I call it contemporary impressionism or mixed water media presented without the visual interference of glass.

What's the advantage of leaving off the glass?
Clarity. Without the visual barrier of glass, the vivid colors of the painted surface are fully exposed. You can see the transparency and expression of light. You can also avoid those annoying reflections.

What landscapes inspire you the most?
I've always been an avid gardener and observer of nature. The tropical environment in Florida constantly inspires me. Gardens, individual plants and flowers, water scenes and birds all fascinate me and end up in my work.

Other than the natural world, what inspires you?
I'm interested in architectural structures and details: cottages, gates and fountains, especially.

Who are your principal artistic influences?
I love to paint the emotion I feel without being tied to a particular school or influence.

What's your take on Sarasota's visual arts scene?
A strong artistic presence enhances so many facets of this community. It's wonderful, positive and supportive. So many places call themselves an arts community. Sarasota is truly deserving of that name.

New Release: Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding

On October 31st, Ina May Gaskin, the mother of the modern American midwifery movement, will sign her latest release Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding at the Selby Public Library. The signing will take place immediately following Ms. Gaskin’s 11:00 am presentation of The Safe Motherhood Quilt, her project intended to raise awareness about the hidden problem of maternal mortality in the United States. The quilt will be displayed in the library’s atrium from October 26th-31st. Ms. Gaskin’s two earlier books, Spiritual Midwifery and Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, which currently rank first and second on Amazon’s Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology bestseller list, will also be available for purchase and signing. Proceeds from the sale will benefit The Safe Motherhood Quilt Project and Florida Friends of Midwives, a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to promoting and preserving midwifery access in Florida.

Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding is filled with helpful advice, medical facts, and real-life stories to help mothers understand how and why breastfeeding works, and how to use it to more deeply connect with their babies and their own bodies. Whether you’re a mother planning to nurse for the first time or are looking for the latest, most up-to-date expert advice available, you couldn’t hope to find a better guide than Ina May.

Drawing on her decades of experience in caring for pregnant women, mothers, and babies, Ina May Gaskin explores the health and psychological benefits of breastfeeding and gives invaluable practical advice intended to help mothers nurse their babies in the most fulfilling way possible. Answers to virtually every question on breastfeeding can be found in this book, including topics such as:

•the benefits of breastfeeding
•nursing challenges
•pumps and other nursing products
•sleeping arrangements
•nursing and work
•medications
•nursing multiples
•weaning
•sick babies
•nipplephobia, and much more.

Praise for Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding

“Ina May Gaskin is an international treasure. Her new guide to breastfeeding is the best thing ever written on the subject. A must-have for all pregnant women interested in the best start for their babies.” —Christiane Northrup, M.D., Author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause

"This book is all we've come to expect of Ina May Gaskin—warm, wise, solidly based in real experiences, and sensitive to the needs and lives of women in all their complexity. It's the only breastfeeding book you'll need."—Barbara Katz Rothman and Wendy Simonds, authors of Laboring On

“Simply put, midwife Ina May Gaskin is the most important person in maternity care in North America, bar none.”—Marsden Wagner, M.D., M.S., former Director of Women’s and Children’s Health, World Health Organization

“Breastfeeding is one of life’s greatest joys. And there is no better guide to have at your side than the legendary Ina May!”—Harvey Karp, M.D., author of The Happiest Baby on the Block and creator of the DVD

“Ina May Gaskin’s words of wisdom are a gift to all women. Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding is the perfect informative companion to Spiritual Midwifery and Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. All of them hold a treasured place in my library and should, no doubt, be part of yours.”—Ricki Lake, coauthor of Your Best Birth and cocreator of the documentary The Business of Being Born

Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. : Ornamental Outlook

Sarasota landscape architecture studio Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. was the cover story of this month’s Ornamental Outlook magazine, a horticultural trade publication with a wide readership in Florida.

Magazine editor Paul Rusnak visited Sarasota to interview Gilkey in July. He spent several hours with Michael, discussing the landscape design industry and touring several finished projects. The complete interview and photo slideshow are available on www.ornamentaloutlook.com.

An excerpt from the cover story: "According to Gilkey, an award-winning design begins with positive working relationships among the owner, architect, landscape architect, and all other subcontractors and suppliers. 'Because of these relationships and open lines of communication, we see a true collaborative process that benefits the project through expertise and commitment of everyone involved,' Gilkey says. While winning awards is nice, Gilkey says there’s no higher compliment than one from his father. 'Dad still critiques every job I do,” he says. “I got a B+ a couple weeks ago, which is the highest grade I’ve ever gotten from him. So, I’m doing pretty well,' he chuckles."

For more information about Michael A. Gilkey, Inc., please visit www.magilkey.com or call the studio at 941.924.0132.

ABOUT MICHAEL A. GILKEY, INC.: Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. is a landscape architecture studio in Sarasota, Florida, established in 1981. Through a passion for pure design and personal relationships with architects, contractors and homeowners, Gilkey creates expressions of outdoor space that are direct translations of their clients’ visions. For more information, please visit www.magilkey.com or call (941) 924-0132.

ABOUT ORNAMENTAL OUTLOOK: Ornamental Outlook reaches out to Florida nursery and landscape professionals by reporting on the latest news, trends, events, and products making an impact on the Florida marketplace. An experienced and dedicated staff strives to deliver timely and useful information to help sustain success and bolster business. For more information, please visit www.ornamentaloutlook.com or call (407) 539-6552.