When prospective home buyers take a drive through your HOA, they have an eagle eye for common areas.
Does it look special? Do they see opportunities for fun and conversation? A contemporary, relaxing space to hang out after work and on weekends?
At Greenscape, Inc., we have contracts with lots of HOAs, sending our crews over regularly to mow, prune, weed, mulch and beautify.
Our client relations managers attend HOA board meetings throughout the year, so they know exactly what the landscaping rules are, what’s allowed and what enhancements will add the most value to each HOA.
What are the best enhancements for HOA common areas?
We’ve got you covered.
Green Gathering Spots
“I’ve seen several new HOAs in the area making the most of the cul-de-sac common areas when they build,” says Brian Holden, a Greenscape client relations manager who has several HOA clients.
Instead of a big expanse of sod, HOAs are installing green “field areas” for kids to play, pergolas and outdoor fireplaces, he says.
“With homeowners having smaller yards, it gives the community a space for a few friends to gather, enjoy company and interact with neighbors,” Holden says. “A few are even putting in community gardens with fire pits and gathering spaces.”
He loves this trend.
“It’s really a way for an HOA to create a sense of community by bringing people together on common spaces,” he says.
Get Playful
If your HOA includes lots of families, a common area playground will go over big.
But don’t just limit it to play equipment for the kids. Make your common area fun for the whole family. Include benches for grownups to gather and chat and tables for a post-play picnic.
Include plenty of trees for cooling shade, shrubs to soften the edges and large pots of tropical plants for a vacation vibe.
A water feature or splash pad will make everybody happy. Who doesn’t love dipping their toes in the water?
But safety is key. Make sure your play equipment is always well maintained, and provide a cushy layer of kid-friendly mulch beneath.
Fun For Fido
Dogs are part of the family, too, and a dedicated area for pooches to play will be a big draw for your dog-loving members.
But if it’s just going to be a muddy mess, don’t bother.
It’s important to do things right, which means tough artificial turf and great drainage.
There are types of artificial turf made specifically for dog runs and dog parks. They drain well and they’re non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry if Samson decides to munch a corner.
There’s proper drainage underneath, so maintenance crews can easily hose it off. No standing water or soggy turf.
Sprinkle on a dry granular chemical with enzymes once a month to eat any bacteria.
Update Your Look
If your HOA common area still sports overgrown junipers and decades-old azaleas, it’s sadly out of date.
Update your look with fresh, modern landscaping features homeowners will love. It’s one of the best enhancements for HOA common areas, instantly creating a place where everybody wants to gather.
Tightly trimmed symmetrical shrubs are out. Casual drifts of elegant grasses waving in the breeze are in.
Native plants are both trendy and smart, offering a great look and saving water. Celebrate North Carolina natives by showy yellow Carolina lupine and pretty periwinkle Eastern blue star.
Bonus: they’ll lure butterflies to your common area.
Flowering annuals will add color and cheer, too, but remember they aren’t meant to last a whole year.
Greenscape crews change them seasonally, so your common area landscaping always looks fresh and appealing.
Get Those Steps In
Let’s face it — we all want to be more healthy and fit. But we also want it to be convenient.
Homeowners who just aren’t up to hitting the gym after a long day at work would love a chance to get their steps in right at home.
Walking trails are great for families, too, who can happily enjoy an easy stroll together after supper or on a Saturday morning after dad’s waffles.
Mulched Lately?
One of the easiest enhancements out there also makes the biggest impact.
We’re talking mulch. We love the stuff.
Adding a fresh layer of rich brown mulch not only adds instant impact, it’s great for the health of your plants. It keeps water in, weeds out and over time it breaks down, adding valuable nutrients to your soil.
You mulched three years ago, you say? Well, that mulch is now thin, faded and shabby.
Give your common area the gift of a fresh batch.
Trust Your HOA Enhancements To Greenscape
At Greenscape, Inc., our team of creative designers will help you envision the custom details to make your HOA beautiful, welcoming and up to date.
Then, our skilled, experienced crews will bring those great ideas to life.
Once your updates are complete, we stick with you, providing expert landscape maintenance to keep your investment in impeccable shape.
We’ve been meeting the full-service landscaping needs of commercial customers in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary areas for more than 35 years.
We offer landscape management and lawn care, design and build services, irrigation, landscape lighting and more.
Call us at 919-552-7742 or fill out our online form to request a free consultation and learn how we can transform your landscape.
We can’t wait to hear from you.