Maintenance & Gardening for Napa Valley Estates and Wineries
IN-HOUSE GARDEN, IRRIGATION, LIGHTING & PLANT CARE
BEAUTY THAT GROWS, YEAR AFTER YEAR
Maintenance is the heart of the work at Penning. It is the everyday upkeep and seasonal attention a large estate or winery needs to hold its look year after year, all run by one in-house team.
Penning Landscapes has cared for Napa Valley and Sonoma County estates and wineries since 1988, with 17 California Landscape Contractors Association awards and two statewide trophies for maintenance.
WHO IT'S FOR
A thoughtfully designed landscape holds its beauty and value only with consistent, knowledgeable care. Penning provides that care across Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, whether you own a private estate, manage one, or direct the grounds at a winery or hospitality property.
Priorities shift with the setting. A private estate calls for year-round polish across many acres. A winery adds event-ready presentation and the rhythm of a working vineyard. Estate teams and winery directors can find the specifics for their setting on the pages below.
For Estate Managers
Winery Property Directors
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Every property is different, so a Penning maintenance program is built from the services each landscape actually needs.
Garden care and enhancements
Regular mowing, trimming, edging, weeding, and expert pruning keep the everyday garden sharp, with seasonal clean-ups for leaves and debris. Beyond upkeep, the team refreshes and replants beds so the property is ready for entertaining and events, from outdoor kitchens, pergolas, orchards, and secret gardens to the quieter corners.
Irrigation & water resource management
Efficient hydro-zones, modifications to existing systems, year-round maintenance, and on-call repairs keep water going exactly where it should. QWEL-certified water management adds audits, regular meter readings, and monitoring within a seasonal plan that protects the plants and the water bill.
Plant Health & Resilience
Plant Health & Resilience is Penning’s proprietary compost tea and nutrient program, built to feed soil and plants rather than mask problems. Organic applications featuring proprietary ingredients that are safe for children and pets raise a plant’s ability to combat insects, diseases, and drought.
Seasonal planting AND vegetable gardening
Seasonal planting keeps color and structure changing with the year, guided by what truly thrives in each microclimate. Vegetable gardening, led by garden manager Gemme Von Knopka, brings companion planting and soil management and artful edible structures that put fresh produce at the door.
Landscape lighting
Lighting design highlights architectural features, plants, and pathways once the sun drops. Energy-efficient LED fixtures with programmable timers and sensors hold the effect night after night with little upkeep.
Why Estates & Wineries Choose Penning
Penning Landscapes has designed, built, and maintained estate and winery landscapes across Napa Valley since 1988. Lou Penning founded the firm after years working as a gardener in the valley. His son Ben Penning leads it today, second generation, still plant people at heart.
Penning fields more than 50 in-house specialists, horticulturists, irrigation techs, lighting crews, and gardeners, all under one roof. That depth is what lets one firm maintain an entire property to a high standard, instead of stitching together separate vendors who each handle only one piece. The same team that knows your soil also knows your irrigation lines, your lighting, and your plantings.
Accountability sits in one place, the work stays consistent year after year, and the people caring for the landscape are the ones who understand how it was built to grow.
Maintenance & Gardening at a Glance
Penning Landscapes Maintenance & Gardening is an ongoing landscape care program for high-end estates and winery properties across Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley.
| What's Included | Garden care, irrigation and water management, lighting, plant health, seasonal and vegetable gardening |
|---|---|
| Serving | Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley estates and wineries |
| Credentials | 17 CLCA awards over 22 years, including two statewide maintenance trophies. QWEL-certified water management |
| Engagement | Ongoing, single-source. The same in-house team season after season |
| Investment | By proposal |
RECOGNIZED FOR MAINTENANCE WORK
Penning holds 17 California Landscape Contractors Association awards across 22 years. More than three-quarters are for maintenance, including the firm's only two statewide trophies, the 2022 CLCA State Trophy and the 2004 John Redmond Memorial.
2025
Award of Recognition
Large Residential Maintenance: Torres Zinfandel
2024
First Place
Medium Commercial Maintenance: Mayacamas Vineyards
2022
State Trophy
Small Residential Maintenance: Nirenberg Residence
2018
First Place
Unlimited Residential Maintenance: Napa Valley Cottage
2004
First John Redmond Memorial
Best Landscape Maintenance Entry: Stanford Residence
“My heart was always in the maintenance and the plants. I like the finesse.”
— Lou Penning, FounderNo Results Found.
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Related Services
Plant Health & Resilience
Compost tea, organic feeding, and soil care that keep plantings strong season after season.
Irrigation Maintenance
Audits, meter readings, and seasonal adjustments that send water where it is needed and nowhere else.
Landscape Lighting
Fixture upkeep, timer and sensor checks, and adjustments that hold the effect after dark.
Seasonal Planting & Gardening
Rotating color, structure, and edible beds tuned to each microclimate through the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Penning Landscapes maintenance program include?
A maintenance program covers regular garden care, irrigation and water management, lighting upkeep, plant health, and seasonal planting, scoped to what the property needs. Programs are built per property rather than sold as one fixed package. The same in-house team handles every part, so nothing is subcontracted out.
Do you maintain both private estates and winery or hospitality properties?
Yes. Penning maintains high-end private estates and winery or hospitality properties across Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. Estate work focuses on year-round polish across large grounds, while winery and hospitality grounds are kept consistently guest-ready, from the arrival drive to the tasting room surrounds.
How is single-source maintenance different from hiring separate vendors?
With single-source maintenance, one firm designs, builds, and maintains the landscape, so accountability sits in one place. The team already knows the irrigation, lighting, and plantings, because in many cases they installed them. That continuity is what keeps a landscape consistent over many years.
How does Penning handle irrigation and water management?
Penning provides QWEL-certified water management, including system audits, regular meter readings, and seasonal adjustments. The goal is to send water exactly where it is needed and nowhere it is not. This protects plant health and keeps water costs predictable on large properties.
What does a maintenance engagement look like over time?
Most maintenance relationships are ongoing, with the same team caring for a property season after season. Many of Penning’s clients have stayed for years, which lets a landscape mature the way it was intended to. A consultation sets the scope, cadence, and priorities for the property.
How do we get started?
The first step is a consultation at the property to understand its condition, goals, and history. From there Penning proposes a maintenance program scoped to the landscape. You can request a consultation by phone or through the contact form.
Schedule a complimentary site visit
Tell us about the property and what it needs. Penning will walk the grounds, talk through priorities, and propose a maintenance program suited to an estate or a winery landscape.
