Spring is a time of renewal, and that is certainly the case with Lakeport’s landscaping. Your Landscape Committee and Board have been busy planting, transplanting, trimming and removing stressed and/or dead trees, and generally sprucing up the entire community.
The first step this year was a “spring cleaning,” carried out by 16 (!) volunteers who turned out for Lakeport’s spring workday. A huge pile of branches and pieces of dead trees (cut by Rich Shelton in January and during the April workday) was collected for Blade Runners to haul away. As a result, the area next to the sidewalk on Sunrise Valley looks much more attractive without the dead branches that had been piled there, and natural areas also look better now that dead trees have been cut down.
Last fall the Board, at the recommendation of the landscape co-chairs, approved planting perennials at the entrance, thereby saving the cost of around $1,200 each year to have annuals planted and watered. To help prepare the entrance for the new landscaping, workday volunteers transplanted shrubs and yuccas from there to fill in gaps near the corner of the dock and grasses to shield the transformer adjacent to 1932 Lakeport Way. In addition, volunteers dug up and washed rocks at the entrance and next to the dock, removed the “No Outlet” sign to make way for new grasses in the median, and sanded and painted the entrance sign.
This past week most of the work for the new landscaping was completed. Meadows Farms raised the stacked rock wall on the west side 6”, removed dirt and mulch that had built up over the past 14 years (which exposed even more of the walls), and reconfigured the metal edging that had been buried by the accumulated soil (along with all the rocks that are now on the surface). They planted six blue star junipers and three muhly grasses and will soon add four confetti abelias (all warrantied for life and also discounted). In addition, the co-chairs and volunteers selected and planted twelve heucheras (Midnight Rose, Glitter, Tiarella Sylvan Lace, and Heucherella Tapestry) plus 10 Marcus salvia. Next week they will install succulents in the planter. If you are interested in identifying the plants, labels will be up for a while. See the Thanks to Volunteers article for residents who helped with these and other efforts.
The entrance wasn’t the only area where new plants were installed. Meadows Farms planted liriope spicata in the narrow bare area between the RA path and the parking spaces next to Triangle Park to mitigate erosion of soil that had washed into the parking area.
New plants need extra watering right after they’re planted, and we’re fortunate to have residents who have volunteered to water them. If you would be willing to do that when there’s something planted near you, please let the landscape chairs know.
Last month, visits were scheduled with arborists to identify trees that need to be removed or trimmed because they pose a potential hazard or are encroaching on a home. The Board will review proposals for this year’s tree work at its April meeting and decide which to do.
Next on the agenda is work on the Kids’ Garden, the circular area at the tip of Triangle Park. Melanie Clement is making “Lakeport Ranger” badges for kids in the neighborhood who are working on this project. Rich Shelton is in the process of building a Little Free Library that will hold children’s books, using a design selected by the Lakeport Rangers, and Don Nagley will fund it in memory of his late wife. A garden box for herbs, to be maintained by the Rangers, will also be included, as will stepping stones, annuals, and an additional large boulder so people can linger and visit. Donations in kind (but not cash, please) are welcome.
Of course, in the midst of new planting, maintenance continues. Blade Runners has done their own spring cleanup, mulching, trimming, pruning, edging, fertilizing, and so forth, and the landscape co-chairs did a walk-around with Blade Runners to discuss areas needing special attention. If you notice something, please email Heidi Warrington (hwarring@aol.com) to let the Landscape Committee know.
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