Color Up - Flowering trees, overflowing planters and well-tended flower beds create visual interest and a sense that the property is loved

Lift Up - Pruning and thinning of shrubs and ornamentals reveals the home by creating balance between plants and buildings. Keeping foundation shrubs away from windows improves the view too!

Check Up - Examining trees for hazardous limbs can prevent serious injury to people and property. Dead branches, as well as those that are too close to the house or impede sidewalks, should be removed. Feeling safe is often overlooked when considering curb appeal.

Clean Up - Removing dead trees, shrubs, fallen branches and remaining tree stumps improves the appearance of the property and removes nesting grounds for mosquitoes and deer ticks.

Construction Protection - In order to ensure that all the necessary steps are being taken to protect your trees and shrubs during construction, consult your arborist and follow these guidelines.

Step 1: Review and establish objectives.

Step 2: Inventory existing trees and identify those trees, ornamentals and shrubs of high aesthetic or economic value.

Step 3: Review site plan. Schedule a meeting that includes the property owner, a certified arborist, and the site engineer or architect to determine potential impact on existing vegetation. Determine which trees and shrubs can realistically be preserved or which ones can be transplanted.

Step 4: Design and implement a program to improve the health and structure of the trees to be preserved.

Step 5: Establish tree root zones to keep construction activity away from trees and minimize site work impact.

Step 6: Review the moisture management options and soil compaction issues. Implement appropriate remediation or prevention methods.

Step 7: Monitor tree response to treatment and site activity impact. Review results with property owner and other designated personnel.

Step 8: Upon completion, review any additions to or deletions from new landscape and implement a nutrient program to optimize health of new and existing plant material.