2013 April
2013 April Vol. 3, No.4
Focus on...Landscaping & Lawn Care
Keeping the Grass Greener
Florida is known for sunshine, palm trees, and sandy beaches. At first glance,
lawns and lawn care, outside of luxurious golf courses, may seem to be
non-issues for many Floridians. But step away from the beaches and Floridians,
like most Americans, have a love affair with lush green turf.
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Invasive Species
Australian pines are a cause of contention in River Bridge, a planned community
of 1,100 homes in the City of Greenacres in Palm Beach County. Some residents
want these trees removed; others defend them.
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The Irrigation Situation
One of the things that attracts people to a condo or HOA are the beautiful
grounds and lush landscaping that surrounds the property. Because of the
topography of Florida, depending on where a home is located, water could be
plentiful or the area could be drought-stricken. It's almost always necessary
for properties to use irrigation technology to keep their lawns, trees and
shrubs healthy and green.
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The Grand Design
Whether you live in a towering high-rise or a sprawling suburban development,
landscaping not only helps a condo or HOA increase and retain property values,
but has a positive impact on residents themselves—beautiful, functional green spaces and plantings increase pride of ownership,
influence morale, and just generally make a place more pleasant to be in for
owners and visitors alike. And unless there happens to be a master gardener or
landscape architect on a building board or grounds committee, chances are that
the community’s administrators will have to call upon a professional landscape specialist to
help make the most of their building’s potential. “With the real estate where it is, you want to have your property looking good as
you can, just because of the state of the real estate business,” says Brett Ashley, regional sales leader for ValleyCrest Landscape Companies in
West Palm Beach. “Curb appeal is good. Investing in your property’s look is about getting that first impression. You want folks to pull in and
have a sense of arrival. Wow—this looks great,” he says.
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Artful Dodger
The signs “Post No Bills,” “Active Driveway” and “Alternate Side Parking” are all fairly common and relatively self-explanatory in urban settings. Other equally common signs we see in suburban communities throughout the U.S.
related to pets are: “Curb Your Dog,” “Please Clean Up After Your Dog,” or “All Pets Must Be on a Leash.”
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Splish-Splash
Whether indoors or out, few design elements are as dramatic and arresting as a
waterfall, water wall, Koi pond, reflecting pool or statuesque fountain. These
water features add beauty and value to any property or building, whether they
are inside a lobby or common area or outside a gathering area or main entrance.
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The Florida Nursery, Growers abd Landscape Association
The Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) is an integral
part of Florida's $15.2 billion environmental horticulture industry. The
association believes that they represent a vibrant network of professionals who
strive to make Florida's nursery industry successful. As a member of the
association, growers, landscape professionals, brokers, retail garden centers,
allied suppliers and other industry members are given the opportunity to work
together, as one group, to strengthen the future of the nursery and landscape
industry.
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Q&A: Can You Hear Me Now?
Our downstairs neighbor's children always have the TV turned to an extremely loud volume. Our condo building is older and everything can be heard from below. We have tried to resolve the issue peacefully and spoke to them to turn it down, which they always did but it still continues. Our bylaws don't really specify any rules about noise except that it has to be "reasonable" and cannot occur between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. The noise is outside of those hours but it is truly disruptive to us. What can we do? Read More
Q&A: Let's Go to the Videotape
Are there any restrictions or rules in Florida that would permit videotaping of condo board meetings? Is it legal? If taping is permissible, do the parties in the room being taped have to be told of it beforehand? Read More
