WOW! With Summer Color
By Fred Peratt, Environmental Enhancements, Inc.

Ever go to a neighbor’s home for a pool party or summer cookout and are blown away by the use of summer color in their free standing pots, hanging baskets, and seasonal color beds. Questions fill your head about how they came up with the color combinations, how they selected the proper plants and how cold I ever take care of these plants when I have a “Black Thumb”.

No need to worry as Albert E. Tuttle stated, “A green thumb is nothing more than hard work and the desire to make things grow.” If you approach your seasonal color design and installation with this type of commitment there will not be a single excuse for failure.

A great starting point for achieving success is to begin with a well thought out plan. Look at your landscape to see if the planting locations are full sun or shade, irrigated or non-irrigated, and what is the existing color palette of the home and the surrounding plants. The largest mistake that most individuals will make is to visit the local garden center on a beautiful weekend and purchase plants that you like but no thought has gone into the planning process of whether it fits with your current landscape. Trust me we can all state the obvious by saying “been there and done that”.

If you want great ideas for color combinations take an opportunity to visit the National Arboretum, Brookside Gardens, Longwood Gardens and numerous other venues to get new and exciting ideas. Most of the locations have trial gardens where they test new varieties of summer annuals for national seed companies. It is a great way to see what performs well and what new varieties will be coming out in the future.

Just remember that your vision is always a work in progress and step by step gardens are the easy way to create beauty in your yard.

Previous Blog Posts:

• The Future - Rain Gardens!
• Mulching Do's and Don'ts
• Curing the Winter Garden Blues
• Snow & Ice Care of Masonry
• Bluestone Patio Replaces Outdated Deck

« In The News

Ashburn Family Gives Environmental Enhancements Generous Testimonial

Click here to read the testimonial

Environmental Enhancements, Inc. – Sponsors 5K on the Fairways for the Loudoun County Animal Shelter

Environmental Enhancements, Inc. was one of several sponsors for The Golf Club at Lansdowne’s 5K on the Fairway fundraiser for the Loudoun County Animal Shelter. The result of the Sunday, April 25 5K run/walk raised over $7,000 for the animal shelter, and many donations of food, bedding, toys, and other items used and needed.

     

Environmental Enhancements earns Rustfield HOA Award

The community of Rustfield in the City of Fairfax, was recently awarded the 2009 Community Appearance Award. Environmental Enhancements has been its maintenance provider for several years and it proud to be acknowledged by Rustfield as the primary contributor to Rustfield earning this prestigious Fairfax City award. Below is a letter of appreciation from the Rustifield Landscape Committee Chair to the City of Fairfax.

Environmental Enhancements, Inc. – National Safety Award Recipient

Planet recognizes Green Industry companies for their safety efforts

HERNDON, Va., October 1, 2009 — The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) and program sponsor CNA are proud to announce the award recipients of the 2008 Safety Recognition Awards program for January 1 to December 31, 2008. Entries were submitted by 206 companies, and 425 awards were earned.

Award categories include “No Vehicle Accidents,” “No Injuries or Illnesses,” and “No Days Away From Work.” Contestants who participated in previous programs are also eligible for the “Most Improved” category. The “Overall Safety Achievement Award” honors those companies with thorough, high-performing safety programs that create and maintain safe work environments in the green industry. Companies are eligible for this award if they demonstrate outstanding safety performance in the workplace based on their combined fleet and employee incident rates. A checklist is also used to rate the company’s complete safety program.

Congratulations to these 2008 Safety Recognition Awards Program recipients:

Environmental Enhancements, Inc.
No Vehicle Accidents
No Injuries or Illnesses
No Days Away From Work