Choosing a Landscape Contractor

Choosing a professional landscape contractor is sometimes a daunting task. There are several things to consider before you make that decision. Be sure you share your reasons for making a change and what you would like to see changed. This will ensure these issues do not continue. It’s important to do some research as most landscape contractors have websites that will tell you about the company and what sets them apart. Landscaping is one of the first things you see when you visit a property and it takes a lot of dedicated work to make sure it looks its best. Read more »

Aeration and Overseeding

It’s that time of year again when we need to get out to aerate your lawn. There are many benefits to performing this service. Your soil can become compacted over time, and the harder your soil becomes, the tougher it is for water to get through the soil, stunting grass growth.  Aerating your lawn breaks up the compacted soil, allowing water, air, nutrients, and fertilizer to easily reach the roots and promote deeper, stronger root growth. We utilize a roller-type core aeration machine with coring tines of ¾” diameter, and try to reach a depth of 1-2”. The holes made by aerating give the new grass seeds an easier place to germinate. Whether you have a fescue or bermudagrass lawn, aerating is beneficial.   Read more »

Planter Installations to Enhance Entrances/High Visibility Areas

The immediate way to provide an eye-catching color is to install planters with annual flowers at the entrance to a property. Whether it’s an office, apartment building, institutional property, or a residential site, visitors and tenants will certainly notice the attractive color.  Read more »

The Relationship Between Effective Landscape Management and Your Brand

In the words of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
Have you ever wondered what people are saying about your company when you aren’t around? Have you considered all possible avenues to make the best first impression possible? Chances are there is one thing you haven’t thought too deeply about when considering your brand: landscape management.

I’m sure you’re wondering what landscaping has to do with your brand, right? A brand is really nothing more than a combined set of individual perceptions or opinions – the big picture. There are many small components to building a brand, such as logo design, color schemes, a website, social media presence, and physical environment. When you combine multiple successful factors, in theory, you should achieve a successful brand.

Here’s the thing about effective landscaping: it can positively affect or enhance almost every single branding component. If you have quality landscaping at your company’s physical locations, you are already set up for success. Effective landscaping can be used to direct the eye to strategic signage or logo placements. Colorscaping can be utilized to maintain a sense of brand color consistency across a physical campus. Picturesque landscaping can be used in photographs as content for a website or social media pages.

Landscaping alone can be what sets your brand apart from the competition. Commercial retail sites, office buildings, and multi-family housing brands all have one goal in common: to lease available space. When a potential customer goes to visit various sites in search of a lease, a multitude of variables is at play.

Picture this: two properties are identical in square footage, regional location, lease term, and price. One of those properties is well-manicured with green turf, crisp edges, and pops of color. The other property doesn’t look bad, but it certainly doesn’t have the same visual appeal and attention to detail as the first. Considering all other aspects are identical, at which property would you choose to sign a lease?

A common pitfall is an assumption that a low price means the best deal. The problem with that assumption is this: price does not always equal value. Rather than asking yourself how much you’re paying for quality landscaping, ask yourself what you’re getting for what you’re paying.

When initially designing your visual branding, you probably weren’t searching for the cheapest graphic designer you could find. More likely, you spent time researching and choosing a qualified designer who could deliver an exceptional product. The same should apply to the visual appeal of your company’s landscaping.
When deciding on a landscape management provider, you want to ensure you’re hiring a qualified company that can assist you in achieving a professional appearance. Chapel Valley will provide you with a lively, unique landscaping experience.

For questions or more information about professional landscape management, please visit www.chapelvalley.com.

Joining the landscape industry has been a new learning experience and after 3 years I’m still learning. Coming from a corporate IT background I never knew what went into working for a landscaping company.

While all properties are different, they all are looking to accomplish the same goal. Each property’s requirements vary based on its region. Whether you are looking at a high-rise in DC with a green roof and planters on the ground level, a gated HOA in McLean, or a new developing apartment community in Richmond, they are all looking to accomplish the same goal, curb appeal! While working on apartment communities in DC you will see many greens. In Herndon, you don’t see that very often but you do see more outdoor spaces, for example, dog parks and trails. I have learned that we need to be able to hear all of our customer’s needs and take into consideration the location. 

Coming from a corporate background new to the landscape industry I have learned that It’s a team effort from beginning to end. When it comes to preparing a proposal for a customer many parts go into the planning that I was not aware of. Starting with the initial meeting with the customer to internally estimating the property, the team physically estimating the property to finally presenting to the customer. Everyone in the team plays a big role in presenting each proposal specifically designed for each of our customers.

In my first year, I didn’t understand why there was so much conversation around snow removal. Coming from a completely different industry I would have never imagined the role that snow plays in the landscape industry. After sitting in on an operations meeting I understand all the planning that goes into a snow event. Assigning crew members and vehicles to each customer’s specific snow requirements takes a lot of preparation. Also the continued treatment of the properties throughout and after a storm. Snow is a big part of the landscape industry in Northern Virginia during the winter months. 

These are only a few of the many things I have learned while working at Chapel Valley.