June 15, 2026 | Mark Luis Foster
I live in an HOA that needs constant landscaping attention. We back up into a hilly wooded area, with walking paths and foot bridges, a fair share of deer and more rabbits than I can count. We have nicely manicured landscape beds and gorgeous mature trees; but the work that goes into keeping the place up seems never-ending.
We recently undertook a large project that cleared 25 years’ worth of lilac hedge that was looking more like a scene from Jurassic Park than a landscape amenity in an HOA. It was getting overtaken by inferior species and invasive weeds, buckthorn, wild trees and even some rhubarb. We had it cleared and we started over. Not a small or inexpensive task when you consider what goes into something like that. The area is 100 yards long and has been replanted with juniper clusters and Korean lilacs, all fed by a drip irrigation line. We found a guy who did the whole project, nearly by himself. Frankly I think he too is glad it’s over.
Our landscaping sponsor, Gonzo Bros, is presenting about Landscaping projects in July chapter locations. To get that party started, we wanted to get a handle on landscaping projects from our HOALN members. Our latest Pop-Up survey is available and if you have commissioned a landscaping project on your HOA property, we’d like to hear from you.
It’s a simple survey but we find that it often helps us compare the results to other national trends, or even to trends that are shared by our presenters who know a thing or two about the subject.
Take a moment to fill it out — and we’ll reveal the answers during the July chapter meetings.
