It's a nice rainy morning on the East Coast; one of those mornings perfect for napping, sleeping in and half dozing. Unfortunately, the landscapers chose this morning to do a complete renovation of the lawns. Not really, but it feels like it. All morning I have been listening to trimmers, lawnmowers and edgers and not the soft sprinkling of the rain. But when it's finished, it will be beautiful. They sure do keep up the landscaping here. But there are pros and cons.
The location of my home looks over a park--another thing to consider--location of your home. Golf courses, for instance, while providing beautiful views, require a lot of upkeep so you may have to put up with sprinkling and fertilizing more often. Along walk pathways also require more upkeep. Generally anywhere that shows off to the public appearance may get more attention from gardeners and a chance of showering you with dust and noise on a regular basis.
The trees on the property can tell you a lot about the community. Are the trees tended to. If not, maybe they don't have much money. Are they cutting down too many mature trees or just enough to keep the property safe. What is the philosophy of the landscaping department. Are they considerate of the property owner who has a gorgeous cherry tree blooming outside their window and would be upset if it were suddenly cut down.
There may be people who would like to see that happen so you can't depend on that tree being there forever. If it's important to you when you are choosing your retirement home, ask the head landscaper about it.
It's interesting about landscaping, there are so many varied opinions. Some people love when the grass is kept low for that nice clean look. Some people want a more natural look. So this is something to consider when you are looking at retirement communities--the kind of appearance and how much upkeep you can tolerate.
I think overall, since my community chose wisely, the landscapers here don't overdo it. They don't spray with toxins that might hurt wildlife or people, they don't stay so busy that they are in your way, they stop their work if you walk by and they are courteous about it. This is the way it should be at a retirement community. The result is harmony.
But please investigate this aspect of the community to make sure there aren't more cons than pros.
