The Level Green Landscaping Blog

Expert Industry Advice and Property Enhancement Suggestions.

Dazzling customers, residents, and tenants with twinkling holiday lights is a feel-good part of the holiday season.

But while they smile at the sparkle, property managers know there’s hard work behind it, from timing of installation and take down to budgeting.

What’s most important to commercial property managers when it comes to holiday decorating?

We asked them. Area property managers took our quick survey about outdoor holiday decorating.

The latest shortage related to Covid-19 hits you right in the landscaping — it’s plants. 

A nationwide shortage of trees, shrubs, and perennials has landscaping companies like Level Green scrambling to meet the supply for customers eager to spruce up properties as the country begins to open up after the shutdowns of Covid-19.

“We’re not the only ones facing a plant shortage — everyone’s facing a shortage,” says Bradley Sarno, operations manager at Level Green Landscaping.

Demand for plants is greater than the supply after a year of brisk plant sales to homebound homeowners who decided to boost their landscaping.

“Everybody is home gardening now,” Sarno says. “Everybody’s at home raising chickens, planting vegetable gardens, and installing landscaping around the house. It has definitely increased demand.”

To meet that demand, growers started selling stock last year that they would have saved for this year.

Everybody loves insider info. It’s like you suddenly know a secret few people know.

So, if you’re a tulip fan (who isn’t?) it’s kind of exciting to get a peek at the tulip order that branch manager James Kole placed last year for his Level Green Landscaping customers.

What tulips does a pro order?

Let’s take a look. Then we’ll share some tantalizing tulip tips.

You know you have a daffodil expert in your midst when you find out he planted 10,000 of the cheerful spring flowers on his property.

Let’s hit Doug Delano up for advice now, before it’s bulb planting season again and the Level Green founding partner disappears for the next planting marathon.

What types does he plant? What are the best daffodil bulbs? Any pro planting tips?

He’s got you covered.

Imagine drifts of vibrant yellow daffodils on your property as far as the eye can see, casually blooming as if Mother Nature scattered the bulbs with cheerful abandon.

Except Mother Nature didn’t plant them — your landscaping crews did, using a planting technique called naturalizing that makes it look like the flowers popped up naturally in waves of impressive color.

Intrigued?

Here’s what you need to know to make it happen on your commercial property.

JT Hipp is a certified pesticide applicator, which means he’s trained to safely kill insects.

But he loves bees. 

“Bees are one of the best things for landscaping,” says Hipp, an operations manager at Level Green Landscaping. 

There’s been a lot of buzz lately about the plight of the little guys. 

Climate change, pesticides, and destruction of habitat by development are a few of the factors threatening the bee population. 

They can use our help. It’s only fair, after all they do for our landscaping.

How are native bees beneficial?

Here’s the buzz.

You might be letting your commercial landscape enhancements off too easy. Make them multi-task.

How about great landscaping services that benefit the environment — and your budget?

Commercial property owners and managers are eager for landscaping solutions that do both, says Level Green division manager Paul Wisniewski.

Businesses are especially cost conscious these days, he says.

“We can suggest ways to help them save money in the long run,” Wisniewski says. 

You might be surprised by how many commercial landscape enhancements also help the earth.

Nothing says spring like flowers. They’re a bright, cheerful breath of fresh air after the often gray gloom of winter.

Colorful spring blooms are one of the best gifts a commercial property can give tenants, employees, visitors and shoppers.

And it’s a gift that gives back. These bright, inviting hues of spring will lure clients and tenants to your property, eager for the cheer.

They’re instant curb appeal that make you stand out from your competitors and attract new tenants.

Here’s a look at the best spring flowers for commercial landscaping — and where to plant them.

It’s almost wow season.

After the gray, bleak days of winter, let’s face it — spring flowers make everything better.

Shelley Russell, landscape designer for Level Green Landscaping, shares a few of her favorite spots for soaking up spring’s colorful flower displays, from seas of perky tulips to explosions of fluffy cherry blossoms.

If your property doesn’t have a flowering tree that bursts into spectacular beauty each spring, why not?

Level Green Landscaping designer Shelley Russell has a few beauties to recommend. But don’t let their stunning looks fool you — all her picks are “urban tough,” she says.

“Flowering trees are great for the color, the pop factor,” Russell says. “Curb appeal is especially important for a commercial property. They can really make your property stand out, especially if your buildings are gray and drab.”

Pink? Red? White? Can’t choose?

Plant one of each.