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In many POAs and HOAs, decision makers must balance the unique needs of their communities with time and budget constraints. Partnering with an expert is a worthwhile investment with a huge reward, and is a cost-effective investment that saves time and money while accomplishing your landscaping goals.

Overall, a good landscape specialist will:

1. Provide a thorough assessment in the beginning and ongoing support

2. Offer Ideas and solutions for your landscape challenges

3. Conduct routine audits to make sure your landscape is thriving and meets your goals

4. Discuss your budget and provide services and products that meet that budget

5. Offer suggestions for enhancements

6. Provide you with a 3-5 year plan

One of the first things your new landscape specialist will do is assess your property, alongside your needs and goals. They will then suggest a variety of cost-effective landscaping options, individually suited for you. They might propose anything from new plants to different or upgraded irrigation systems – all designed to keep costs down while maintaining visual appeal. Together, you can choose the option that best fits your budget, tastes, and any other guidelines. You also might work together on a budget before doing anything else. An expert will be able to work within your budget and suggest different ways to get the most for your money.

A good landscaper is not just there at the beginning of a new project – they will carry out regular assessments moving forward, checking on the progress of work and adjusting plans to meet your desired results. They will carry out routine audits, making sure everything remains within your budget, or making budget adjustments as needed. They may suggest enhancements to your custom plan at some point along the way, and work to include these changes in your original budget.

Investing in a landscaping partnership will pay off again and again long down the road. An expert can propose a 3 – 5 year capital plan for any POA or HOA at the onset of your work together. They will implement the proper instruments to get started, and then work continuously to make sure your individual goals are being met. A good landscape partner can streamline this process for you by implementing a plan that maximizes beauty and minimizes common pitfalls, saving you untold sums of money in the long run.

With their expertise by your side, you can be confident knowing that your neighborhood landscaping budget and beauty are in good hands.

Here are some of the unbeatable perks you should expect:

1. Innovative Landscaping Technologies

Have you ever tried to maneuver a mower on a steep hill? Some lawns are trickier to mow and edge than others. The best landscapers for commercial work don’t just rely on traditional mowers and equipment. Instead, they utilize the latest technology to get the job done right. Now trending in landscape maintenance are robotic mowers that streamline the process and ensure precise, picture-perfect results.

Worried about water costs? Smart irrigation systems, like Weathermatic©, track every ounce of water. You’ll enjoy green grass without overpaying for water!

2. Trusted Horticulturists on Staff

Which plants will thrive best on your commercial property? Only a skilled horticulturist has the training to answer this question with confidence. A reputable landscaping company should have a horticulturist on staff. They will handle fertilization, weed control, and disease prevention to keep your plants healthy.

3. Emergency Storm Recovery Services

Mother Nature is unpredictable. A sudden storm can tear apart your once pristine landscaping in a matter of minutes. It’s wise to first focus on clearing the road from fallen trees and debris. This ensures residents, just like you, can return back to their properties as quick as possible. After recover, getting with the right landscaper for quotes on bringing your property back to normal is key.  

The Greenery, Inc. has the tools and services necessary to keep your property healthy, thriving, and beautiful all year long. Plus, we can provide a long-term plan for essential capital improvements. Get in touch with our experts to discover why we are the right landscaper for your commercial property needs.

Landscape services for a Homeowners Association, or HOA, can be costly and labor-intensive. Most HOAs want the entire neighborhood to look amazing: to achieve those results while maintaining a budget, prioritize 4 key elements in your landscape plan to get the most for your investment of time and money.

Identify Key Areas

With summer almost here, prioritizing areas of focus is critical to achieve a great look that most HOAs want.

Add some “wow” to the community entrance(s). The front entrance defines the level of quality that will be maintained throughout the community. A strong seasonal color display will provide impact and visual interest for residents and guests alike. Fresh mulch or pine straw should be used throughout the year to keep this area looking crisp.

Another area of focus is the community or amenity center. The landscaping should be inviting, welcoming people to the common space for activities, meetings, and relaxation, making it a place where the community residents want to gather and share the experience of being neighbors.

Choose Plants and Shrubs Carefully

To cut down on plant and shrub turnover, it’s essential to choose the right plantings from the very start. A professional landscape company like The Greenery, Inc. will design, install, and maintain a healthy landscape suitable for your regional climate that will complement the space where they are located – making your community inviting and attractive. 

Cut Down on Water Use

Save money by saving water.  A big expense for every HOA is irrigation of landscaped areas. Cutting down on water use can include installing native, drought-resistant elements and upgrading your current irrigation system to one that’s more efficient.  The Greenery, Inc. uses the latest technology in their irrigation systems and partners with Weathermatics to offer sophisticated irrigation systems for maximum water conservancy.

Choose the Right Landscape Company

Partnering with the right landscaping company can make all the difference when it comes to your HOA landscaping. A company with experience in community common areas, native plants, and proper lawn and landscape maintenance can improve the look of your landscaped areas while saving you money Focusing on these four elements will create a landscape plan for your HOA that will attract residents and respect your budget. It’s time for your HOA to consider a better landscape company. Contact The Greenery, Inc. today to find out how we can help you make smart decisions for your HOA landscaping.

 

To prune or not to prune – unfortunately that is not the only question. How much, how little, when and exactly how? These are also important things to consider before you pull those clippers out and start hacking away like Edward Scissorhands. The best thing to do is consultant a professional…and that’s where we come in.

Our trained professionals at The Greenery will first take inventory of the shrubs, plants or trees around the property to decide which pruning route to take. Before any pruning takes place, our specialists will consider the reason the plant needs pruning and what the final goal will be. Also, timing is essential. That’s why its always advantageous to consult a professional before you prune because once the pruning takes place – there isn’t an “undo” button.

CORRECTIVE PRUNING

Corrective pruning helps to control the direction and thickness of a plant, tree or shrub. It’s important to start pruning while plants are young to maintain their natural form and avoid the need for drastic corrective pruning later. Corrective pruning can be an essential way to keep many species of trees, plants and shrubs healthy year round.

One example of corrective pruning is thinning a tree or large shrub to allow light to penetrate the plant more effectively. This will result in a healthier plant and more flowers the following season. If you can’t see the sunlight through the leaves of your tree – that may mean it needs some corrective pruning.

Through the removal of dead or damaged limbs, corrective pruning can allow for trees to continue growing efficiently. Our goal is to improve the structural integrity of the tree leading to a longer, healthier lifespan.

RENEWAL PRUNING

If your property is being swallowed up by overgrown shrubs or you look out the windows of the buildings and only see the ‘back’ of shrubs? Then it sounds like you are in need of ‘renewal or rejuvenation pruning.’

Oftentimes, without proper landscape care, pruning can be overlooked for several years. This can cause some trees and shrubs to become overgrown, weak or even unsafe. When this happens, more drastic pruning is necessary to restore the plant’s health.

Renewal pruning can be done to promote better health, enhance the lifespan, and improve the fruiting and flowering of the plant. However, not all plants will benefit from such drastic pruning. Also the condition of the shrub will affect how it responds. Our trained professionals will identify whether a plant will survive and benefit from renewal pruning before ever making one cut.

To rejuvenate an overgrown shrub, we will generally prune it back to 12” to 24” – depending on the type of shrub. Most shrubs will begin to flush out along the exposed trunks within 6 weeks. And by mid summer, you won’t even remember those exposed ugly branches.

Renewal pruning is time consuming and can generate a lot of debris, however, it is a cost-efficient way to get the look of ‘new’ shrubs on your property. If the plants around your buildings, parks or walkways have become overgrown, renewal pruning is a great solution!

As part of our maintenance program, The Greenery’s trained professionals will examine plants, trees and shrubs on your property each year to determine whether they need pruning. And since almost every plant has a different growth habit – we know the specific method of pruning that will benefit each individual plant.

Don’t wait until it’s too late or your shrubs have been butchered! To confidently answer the why? how? and when? of pruning the plants, trees and shrubs on your property – give us a call today. We would be happy to help with the corrective or rejuvenation of your landscape to make it look more appealing to your customers and patrons!

Spring and summer are the best time of year to highlight the curb appeal of your commercial property. But is yours ready for the change of seasons? Now is the time to prepare for spring and summer. Here are four that have the biggest impact.

#1: Landscape Maintenance

Is your landscaping looking a little wild? If it’s gotten a bit unkempt over the winter month, some essential spring maintenance can get it back under control and looking great. From your turf and grass to your ornamental shrubs, the pros can have them cleaned up and ready for your customers.

#2: Landscape Enhancements

Adding landscape elements to your commercial property can help it pop in the spring and summer. New shrubs or trees can make a huge difference in the appearance of your building or buildings. They can enhance entrances and walkways and create a welcoming space around your property.

#3: Seasonal Flowers

Nothing brightens things up like seasonal flowers. Adding annuals to the beds around your trees and shrubs, your signage, entrances, and courtyards will have a big impact.

#4: Improved Irrigation

All of the landscaping enhancements in the world won’t improve your commercial property’s appearance if you don’t have proper irrigation. Your grass, trees, shrubs, and flowers will wilt and turn brown without the right about of water. An irrigation inspection and potential upgrades can keep everything irrigated properly.

Is your commercial property ready for spring and summer? The team at The Greenery, Inc. can help. Contact them today to get your landscaping in tip-top shape.

Several years ago, the Greenery started investigating robotic mowers to supplement our regular mowing operations. There have been significant improvements in robotics technology recently which really makes them a great alternative to routine weekly mowing with the traditional human touch for certain applications. We incorporate them into our routine service wherever it will improve the quality of our service.

We tested many different robotic mowers before we chose the Husqvarna automower series. Their company’s technology was far ahead of the competition, and our technicians can easily set schedules and other controls from a phone app. Each mower has multiple safety features to keep your property as safe as possible, including on-board lasers used to avoid people, pets, and obstacles.  

There are at least 4 ways that The Greenery’s robotic mowers will improve your property as well as your life.

1. Better Quality / Better Looking Turf for Your Property

Robotic mowers work best when programmed to trim a few times per week. They cut just a small amount of grass each time they mow; like giving the turf a touch-up haircut. The tiny clippings fall back into the dirt and provide additional nutrients to the soil. The frequent trimming helps stimulate the turf’s root system which develops a healthier, lush lawn.

2. Quiet and Unobtrusive Operations

Robotic mowers are battery-powered, so they are extremely quiet. In fact, your air conditioner makes more noise than a robotic mower. We often use them near a community’s amenity center where folks are playing tennis or pickle ball and relaxing by the pool. No more noise pollution or workers distracting you from your activities.

3. Less Impact On Your Life

One of the nicer features of our Automowers are the laser light guidance, allowing them to work quietly even in the middle of the night when they will have less impact on your activities. In fact, one of our clients has a softball field that is in use from sun-up to sun-down, and they could not stop the activities for our regular crew to mow during daylight hours. We programmed automowers to come out in the middle of the night and cut the grass on the field. Now, there is no down time and the field always looks sharp. Win Win!

4. Automowers Work Rain or Shine

So often with rainy weather, schedules must be adjusted so that our crews can come back and mow another day – typically on sunny days when you want to enjoy your lawn and garden. Our automowers function even in the rain. But we can also reschedule them with just a few clicks in the app, and they will wait for the next dry opportunity to trim your lawn.

When you search the web for “lawn services near me,” be sure to look for commercial lawn care services that are forward-thinking and embracing new, innovative technologies and safety features. The Greenery has pioneered the use of robotic mowers in Hilton Head, Beaufort, Bluffton, Savannah, and our landscaping companies In South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. We have also invested in other great technologies like quieter battery-operated equipment, water-saving irrigation controllers, plant growth regulators, and more. All these innovations have great benefits to our clients and help us enhance people’s lives through beautiful landscaping.

Is your commercial property looking a little drab these days? It’s a new year, and it might be time for some new ways to refresh and rejuvenate its curb appeal. Take a look at the three best bets to bring new life to the outdoor space.

#1: Beef Up the Maintenance

First (and second and third) impressions are critical, and well-maintained landscaping speaks volumes about your commercial property. If your shrubs, trees, and grasses have started to look a little wild, it could be time for some professional maintenance. Everything from proper mowing to ornamental shrub maintenance can have a big impact on what your property looks like to your employees, customers, and clients.

#2: Add Seasonal Elements

You can spruce up your commercial property landscaping with seasonal elements. One of the easiest ways to add a lot of color and a big wow factor is with floral displays. You’ll get a big bang for your buck and create a lush environment to highlight your building.

#3: Improve Your Commercial Property Irrigation

If your landscaping is looking a little brown, it could be that your irrigation system isn’t keeping up. An outdated and inefficient system won’t do your landscaping any favors, and it is probably also adding dollars to your water bills. Professional assessment of your existing system and an estimate for repairs, upgrades, or replacement can help you reduce your water costs while rejuvenating your commercial property.

Don’t let your property’s appearance give a bad impression. Talk to the team at The Greenery, Inc. to find out how to make it look great this year.

MARK E. LETT  | 23 DECEMBER 2020
Hilton Head Monthly, January 2021

THE GREENERY TEAM TAKES PRIDE IN LANDSCAPING THROUGHOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY

Planting trees, mowing grass and sculpting the grounds of homes, businesses and resorts does not fully describe the work of The Greenery, Hilton Head’s largest and most prolific landscaping company.

What the company’s legion of employees really does — from dawn to dusk — is put out a colorful welcome mat for road-weary vacationers and seasonal residents eager for downtime in the Lowcountry.

When chief executive Lee Edwards talks about the company’s role, he imagines a family from Ohio, worn from a long day in a cramped car, feeling revived and relieved when they roll into the lush landscapes of Hilton Head.

“We want them to be happy,” he says. “We are part of the vacation experience.”

A big part.

The Greenery’s handiwork is evident throughout the Lowcountry including Sea Pines, Palmetto Bluff, Sun City, Shipyard and Palmetto Dunes. For more than two decades, The Greenery has handled landscape work for the annual Heritage golf tournament at Harbour Town Golf Links. In Hilton Head, Beaufort and Bluffton, The Greenery has contributed labor, leadership and materials to enhance public projects.

It’s a big business, to be sure. To Edwards, it’s also personal. The company was created nearly a half-century ago by his parents. He grew up in Sea Pines, married a Hilton Head native and is raising three daughters.

“I love having my family here,” he said. “You have a small-town feel while enjoying the amenities of something larger.”

Family, tradition and a commitment to community well-being are essential to The Greenery’s’ corporate culture. Inside the company’s offices on Arrow Road, strategically placed signs declare a double-barreled message:

Our mission: To be the best landscape company in the markets that we serve.

Our purpose: Enhancing people’s lives through beautiful landscaping.

“This is a great community,” said Jim van Dijk, the company’s Regional Manager for Hilton Head. “We want to make our clients happy when they look across their driveway.”

Van Dijk, who joined The Greenery as a college intern 22 years ago, said the company nurtures a training and development environment that “challenges and supports” employees who “’want to do something bigger and better.”

That approach has helped The Greenery grow from a company with six employees at its founding in 1973 to a multi-state powerhouse with branches extending from South Carolina’s Upstate to central and northern Florida. The company is Charleston’s largest landscaper and – in the past year – has bucked an uncertain economy to extend operations serving Daytona, Orlando and Jacksonville.

Growing the business, Edwards said, depends on attracting, retaining and collaborating with a team of motivated employees. A key ingredient for The Greenery has been its employee stock ownership plan, established in 2003 and fully implemented in 2007.

An ESOP enables employees to acquire a financial share of the business. More than 6,000 ESOP plans are up and running, according to the California-based National Center for Employee Ownership.

Edwards said the ESOP strengthens recruiting and retention while building a shared sense of purpose among team members.

The Greenery fully implemented its ESOP 13 years ago and “we are maturing as an employee-owned company,” Edwards said, emphasizing that participative ownership encourages employees to have a financial stake and an emotional investment in the company.

“Some companies talk about employees as a big cost,” he said. “We see employees as our biggest asset.”

Jerry Ashmore, The Greenery’s director of Workforce Development and Safety, said employee ownership is a valuable selling point when he recruits talent from Colorado to Clemson to Puerto Rico.

Moreover, he said the ESOP inspires employees to be “good to their equipment and good to each other” because they are part owners.

“They don’t waste bales of straw, they don’t let vehicles idle, they look out for one another,” said Ashmore, a 20-year veteran of The Greenery. “If you own something, you take better care of it.”

Another sign in the company’s offices affirms that message:

In this office: We are helpful. We achieve goals. We have fun. We are courteous. We are patient. We are friends. We are successful. Together we are a team. 

PHOTOS BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT 

By Lee Edwards
Chief Executive Officer, President

The following is part my recent interview for an article that was published in the July 2018 edition of a national magazine, Landscape Management, written by Abby Hart. It highlights our employee ownership, which is the driving force behind our ongoing success.

As Berry Edwards approached retirement, he began to look for a way to reward his team, especially those who had remained loyal when times were tough. Establishing The Greenery as an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) helped accomplish this goal.

The company began the process of becoming an ESOP in 2003 and completed it in 2007.

“If people own a part of something or have a stake in it, they’ll do a better job,” Edwards says. “They’ll work harder, they’ll work smarter and they’ll treat it like they own it—they’ll take better care of the equipment, they’ll take better care of their clients.”

The employee-owners are aware of the stock price and have been motivated by seeing the price go up year after year. “It’s gone up every single year, even during the recession. That’s not easy,” Edwards says.

In addition to employee stock ownership, The Greenery matches 401(k) with company stock. For every dollar that employees put in, up to 3 percent of their salaries, they get a dollar of stock. The next 2 percent is matched 50 cents on the dollar.

“We’ve had some phenomenal growth in the last 10 years, and really a lot of it is due to us being an ESOP company,” says Bill Davoli, The Greenery’s COO.

In fact, Davoli says that’s what appealed to him when he came to The Greenery in 2008, from his position as manager for ValleyCrest in Charleston, S.C.

With a background in management companies, landscape company mergers and acquisitions, and owning his own landscape company in Florida, Davoli has seen the industry from all sides.

“The Greenery being an employee-owned ESOP company is probably the best structure for our industry,” he says. “We don’t have a third party or a private equity fund that we need to worry about making certain earnings per quarter, or driving our share price or giving out dividends.”

Davoli says that the ESOP is the company’s No. 1 recruiting tool and notes that the ownership interest makes employees more likely to stay with the company.

“You have to do more than just provide a strong compensation plan to retain good employees,” he says.

Landscape Management magazine, a leading publication in the Green Industry, has ranked The Greenery among the nation’s Top 150 Landscape Companies for 2020. This is the magazine’s 12th annual ranking of companies from across the nation. Landscape Management serves the professional landscape field and is based in Cleveland, Ohio. 

In the July 2020 edition of the magazine, The Greenery was very highly ranked at Number 5 in the entire Southeast and Number 29 in the entire nation.

In the Top 150 Annual report, the magazine also breaks down the annual rankings by the type of professional services performed by each company. For companies across the country who perform turf maintenance, The Greenery ranked highly at number 8. Out of companies that perform commercial landscape management, The Greenery ranked number 17 in the nation.

Collectively, this Top 150 list represents $12 billion in annual revenue in the landscape industry. Landscape Management sought submissions from landscape companies around the nation, based on figures and growth from January through May. 

Of this high ranking, The Greenery CEO, Lee Edwards, says, “We are proud to be ranked so highly among the country’s leaders in the landscape industry. This ranking speaks directly to the quality of service that our employee owners provide each and every customer in all the communities we serve.”

The Greenery started in 1973 on Hilton Head Island, SC, and now serves landscaping clients across South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The company has over 800 employee owners who make the growth and success of the business a reality.