Rejuvenation Pruning Begins Next Week
This week Environmental Enhancements (EE) will begin rejuvenation pruning on Courts 9 through 15. I know some of you view this as the triennial hacking of the plants. Rejuvenation pruning is just as the name implies, a way to maintain shrub health. Removing a shrubs inner branches allow light into the plant that will help stimulate plant growth. This is essential as plants mature. In some cases, plants will be cut back to six to twelve inches. They will survive and be healthier in the long run. The Landscape Committee has advised EE NOT to trim azaleas or forsythia. If you have specific concerns or would like to opt out of pruning, please let the Landscape Committee know ASAP.
You would think that winter would be a quiet month for the Landscape Committee. Not this year. Instead we are moving forward with the King Street rejuvenation. We are focusing on the empty areas behind Courts 2 and 3 and are looking for volunteers to water. If you are in either of those courts, find a water buddy and let us know.
The plants being discussed for this area are all evergreens, including short and broadleaf, and a combination of native and non-native varieties. Adrian Higgins had an interesting article regarding the use of native species that was very thoughtful.
Erosion is another problem the Landscape Committee has been trying to tackle. One example is an area around the single tennis court near the pool. This area has already had expensive drainage work. We are planting a lower cost conservation garden here that we hope will mitigate the issue.
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/water/rainscapes/about.html#conservationlandscape
Here’s hoping for some snow.
Sue Davis, Landscape Committee Co-Chair
Fern Birtwistle Co-Chair, Penny Glass, and Jamie Boone
Fairlington Mews 