Summer Scoop, June 2022
Have you ever stayed in a hotel that hasn’t been updated in a while? The sheets are clean, the complimentary breakfast is well-stocked, and the front desk employees are courteous. Yet, something feels off. You probably won’t book a room there again, and you might even advise your friends to stay away.
Landscaping has a similar impact on tenants, customers, and guests. Without proper maintenance and updating, properties begin to look—and feel—tired. Even driving into the parking lot, visitors can tell something’s not right. But more importantly, after leaving, they might not be inclined to come back.
First impressions are lasting. As a property manager or HOA Board member, it’s advisable to take an objective measure of how ‘fresh’ your properties’ landscaping is. Schedule an afternoon to walk your properties—preferably on a sunny day—and try to imagine how it would feel to step onto each property for the first time.
Ideally, you will want one of us on your ‘walk-around.’ This service is free for our clients, and we can help you make an accurate assessment. But armed with a few key indicators, there’s a lot you can determine on your own.
6 signs your landscape may need refreshing:
1. Start with the obvious and check for debris, dead plant materials, and winter damage. If your properties haven’t had a good spring clean-up yet, schedule it now.
2. Plantings and lawns develop ‘holes’ over time. Sometimes these holes are hard to see—especially before and during early-growth periods—so be sure and take a top-down view.
3. Mulch is your friend, but it can easily wash away. For a crisp, neat presentation, refresh mulch and consider adding it to additional areas.
4. Ornamental trees often grow tall and scraggly. Plus, nearby offspring can shoot up (almost overnight!), which makes even a well-groomed lawn appear wild. Suckers (extra branches growing at the base and hanging from branches) also look sloppy and need to be removed.
5. Consider changing your plantings with the season rather than relying only on a late spring/early summer show. An experienced landscaping company can make your property shine all year round.
6. Was your landscaping design developed over years? If so, each addition should have been part of a master plan. If you worked with multiple vendors and installed ‘onesies and twosies,’ your property might benefit from a more coordinated effort.
Commercial establishments have a limited number of years before they fall behind the latest trends. But fortunately, you can extend that window by keeping your landscaping healthy, interesting, and vibrant. Breathing new life into your outdoor spaces not only attracts people to your properties, it also saves you money by forestalling a more costly redesign on your buildings.
SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING CORNER
JANE’S STORY
Property managers and HOA Boards have an amazing collective power to change the future of our planet. If that sounds like an exaggeration, watch Jane’s Story and you’ll see what I mean.
At Environmental Enhancements, we measure success by how well our clients are doing, how happy our employees are, and how careful we are about how we impact the planet. We’d love to talk to you about a sustainable landscape solution for your properties.
Cheers,
Mary Follin
Ask About Organic Options!
Environmental Enhancements
www.eelandscaping.com
540.764.4433