Read Our Recent News

Something We’re Worried About

It’s been a rough year, folks. Especially if you’re a tree. We’ve had pretty severe heat and long stretches with no rain, which is hard on trees. Add to that torrential end-of-summer rains, and some of your trees might be ready to topple over at the slightest push.

Missing Mom

Hey, Fred, My mother has been gone now for many years, but I still miss her terribly. Nothing reminds me more of her than kneeling in a patch of dirt—in chilly air—and burying bulbs, something we did together.

The Right Dress, Suit, and Shoes

Choosing service providers can be overwhelming, especially when you don’t quite know what you’re looking for. Shopping vendors is kind of like hunting down the perfect outfit for your high school reunion—a little nerve-racking, but you’re confident you’ll know it when you see it.

Jealous of My Neighbor

Hey, Fred, I have this weird competitive thing where I always want my yard to look better than my next door neighbor’s (I’ll call him Jim). It never does…. What should I plant so I can finally win?

Unhappy Landscapes—We’ve Seen It All

If you think you’re dealing with a unique landscaping issue and wondering how to resolve it, we’ve probably seen it.

In this issue, I’ve compiled a few success stories to offer you insights about some of the landscaping challenges you might be dealing with.

Feeling Guilty About My Yard

THE PROBLEM: Hey Fred, I can’t believe I’m experiencing anxiety over this, but I’m in a losing battle, trying to keep my grass and flower beds from drying up. I feel guilty for watering when we’ve had no rain, but I can’t stand to see all the stuff I’ve planted wilting. 

Who Will Take Care of You?

In the near future, you will most likely be assessing your landscaping needs for 2025 and trying to figure out who is going to take care of you. If you are a client of ours, we’d love to get together with you to make sure we’ve got everything covered.

FredTalks – Backyard Secrets

Hey Fred, I feel like I’m an unwelcome guest in my own back yard. My wife, my kids, myself—none of us spends any time out there because of ticks and mosquitos. And the gnats drive us crazy!… I keep hearing Organic stuff doesn’t work as well. What do you think?

Push This Tiny Lever for Surprising Outcomes

As a property manager, you have pretty big fish to fry. You need to maintain the property, respond to urgent calls, and make sure your buildings stay full, leased, rented, occupied—whatever you refer to it by! May I recommend some seasonal plantings to help you with this?

We Hardly Ever Talk About This

For today’s newsletter, we organized all the ways we go above and beyond and put them in an easy-to-read checklist for you.

FredTalks – Gardening and Perfectionism

Hey Fred, Sometimes I feel an uncomfortable anxiety about the short time I’m actually able to enjoy my garden. I work like crazy for months just to get a few peak weeks in the spring. My yard looks AMAZING right about now, but I can hardly sit down, relax, and take it all in because I know everything’s going to die back soon. Help!

FredTalks – As Unpleasant as It Sounds

Hey Fred, Last year I went a little wild with mulch. I love the way it looks in my gardens. But now that mulch has gone way up in price, I need to back off. How little mulch can I get away with and still reap the benefits?

An Ugly Topic No One Likes – Except Gracie

Think about your worst nightmare. You know, the one with all the creepy crawlies in it? OUR worst nightmare is when harmful insects and other pests invade our client landscapes.

FredTalks – A Guy Named Jack

Hey Fred, My wife hates when I say this, but isn’t there an old wives tale about when the last frost will be? Suggestions on when to plant?

Reflections, Amber’s Story, and a Ho Hum Buster

As a team, we share a longterm vision and are inspired by the leadership here at EE. Fred has instilled in all of us a sense of purpose for everything we do. We care a lot about our colleagues, and we feel that way about our clients, too.

The Hero Nobody Wants to Talk About

If you’re ready to ‘level-up’ your landscaping, it’s time to talk about a Master Plan. Or maybe you’ve inherited a new property, and you’re starting from scratch. Either way, a large-scale landscaping renovation can feel daunting (and expensive!), which is why we always start with a Master Plan.

Kyle’s Move, A Penny Saved, and Thick Onion Skins

The holidays are upon us, and we’d like to take this moment to say how much we appreciate you. Whether you’re a client, or thinking about becoming one, we’re happy to have you as part of the family here at Environmental Enhancements.

A Favor, Tenants Who Love You, and Going Native

Thanks to the latest technologies in sprinkler systems, many community managers are opting for smart controllers so they can manage their sprinkler systems remotely, set parameters to match weather patterns, and trouble shoot even before problems occur.

Budget Season Scaries

Tis the season for teeth-gritting, knuckle-biting, and crystal ball planning. Halloween? Nope. Budget season. Somehow, before the end of the year, you need to make decisions about who your 2024 service providers will be. Easy enough if you’re happy with who you’ve got, but what if you need to make a change?

Amber’s Story

We spend a lot of time making sure our practices align with our core values, so we love when a client ‘gets’ what we’re trying to do. Read property manager Amber Truxell‘s story about her experience working with us!

Sprinkler Systems: The Next Best Thing to Rain

Thanks to the latest technologies in sprinkler systems, many community managers are opting for smart controllers so they can manage their sprinkler systems remotely, set parameters to match weather patterns, and trouble shoot even before problems occur.

This Fun Fact About Trees Might Surprise You

The Hidden Life of Trees is all the stuff that goes on underground—a lot more than we see from where we live.

Guess Which One is Not Like the Other

If you’re responsible for choosing a landscape provider, you have a lot to think about. It can be pretty stressful, wading through all your options and choosing a company that will do the best job for you.

A Different Kind of Beauty Contest

What’s the number one, bar none, uber best way to have the best-looking gardens and grounds on the block? As with any living organism, an environment that promotes natural resiliency, optimal growth, and disease resistance will make your landscapes look a thousand times better.

Community Managers, Make Your Residents Love You!

Read Fred Peratt’s newest article, published on Qurum-Digital.com.

Remember When YOU Used to Do This?

Let’s talk about water! Since you’re the one who’s responsible for protecting your landscaping investment during the hot and dry months of summer, now is the time to make sure you have your services lined up.

One More Thing to Worry About [Sorry About This]

Not meaning to alarm you, but we’re seeing an unusual uptick in unwelcome critters this year. When we don’t get snow, we’re usually in for more invasive species that don’t get killed by winter freeze.

‘Found’ Money

Strange weather year, isn’t it? Unless you’re a kid, you’re probably loving the break we’re getting from Old Man Winter. At EE, we’re all geared up for the snow season, but clearly, it’s been much ado about nothing

What’s Green, Smart, and Growing in Popularity? [Hint: Not the Geico Gecko]

Even if you’ve never seen one, you may have been hearing about the concept lately. We’re finding that more of our clients are inquiring about—and installing—green roofs on their buildings.

Tooting Our Own Horn, A Heartwarming Story, and Year at a Glance

To all our clients, we are grateful for you. And for those of you we haven’t yet had the pleasure of serving, give us a chance! Every once in a while we like to toot our own horn, so here goes.

A Critical Winter Message [Especially for Older Properties]

We’ve noticed that rejuvenation pruning and deep root fertilization are often omitted from landscape maintenance RFPs. I mean, do you REALLY need to pay someone to do that? How important is it?

The short answer is ‘very.’

The Big Picture, Your Story, and A Movie

If you’re ready to ‘level-up’ your landscaping, it’s time to talk about a Master Plan. Or maybe you’ve inherited a new property, and you’re starting from scratch. Either way, a large-scale landscaping renovation can feel daunting (and expensive!), which is why we always start with a Master Plan.

Look Ma! No Gas!

One of our ongoing goals has been to stay on the front-end of ‘going green.’ Over the course of this year, we’ve purchased a fleet of battery-operated lawnmowers and a variety of battery-operated small-engine tools.

Beautiful Shots, Proposal Strategies, and Happy Plants

Caring, Moving Day, and Dirt

Just as a steady diet of fast foods jeopardizes an individual’s health, synthetic fertilizers can make your soil sick. Soils are made up mostly of minerals, with space for air and water. How you care for and feed your soil affects soil structure, plant performance, and resident microbes.

Environmental Enhancements Wins 2022 Commuter Connections Employer Recognition Award

Environmental Enhancements is proud to announce that it has received a 2022 Employer Recognition Award. 

A Problem in Northern VA That’s Getting Much Worse

As we all know, Northern Virginia is developing at a brisk pace, to the point where there’s hardly room to squeeze anything else in. Because of tear-downs and new construction, people are experiencing increasing issues with too much water running through their properties.

Subtle Cues, Hidden Flaws, and Jane’s Story

Landscaping has a strong impact on tenants, customers, and guests. Without proper maintenance and updating, properties begin to look—and feel—tired. 

Sustainable Landscaping: What It Is and What It Means to Your Community

Sustainable landscapes are designed to fit seamlessly into the environment, regenerate with minimal maintenance, and be part of the overall health of a community.

Commercial Irrigation: Make Things Less Stressful for Yourself

Watering a property can be tricky. When it rains a lot, it’s hard to know when to resume watering after the rain stops. And of course, we’ve had plenty of drought months, too.

Commercial Outdoor Lighting, a Low Cost, High Impact Investment

While a minimum amount of outdoor lighting is a necessity so nobody falls in a pool, wild animals stay away, and intruders are deterred, lights can be one of the most cost-effective ways to create an entirely new look for your building, common areas, or home.