Life and careful retirement planning have carried many fortunate retirees to this popular retirement community on the banks of the St. Johns River. The development plans to have about 800 single-family homes inside the luxury gates of this Florida neighborhood, designed to fit 55+ lifestyles. The location is ideal, situated between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, with access to award-winning golf excursions, beaches, and shopping. Yet, everything a homeowner could want is within walking distance or a golf cart ride, including yoga and kayaking. The neighborhood even features a full-time lifestyle director who is popular among residents looking to stay active and engage in social gatherings tailored to individual needs.
Challenges
With so much going on in the community, it’s hard to determine which of the landscape management challenges top the list for our team in this neighborhood. Scheduling is near the top of the list, as this community is highly active. One newsletter noted over a hundred activities available for a single month. Scheduling mowing, trimming, and landscape installations around a constant flow of events is no easy task.
Another challenge not to be overlooked is the careful approach that’s needed when a landscape company begins a maintenance contract on a development where original installations were performed by another provider. There are so many pitfalls and frustrations if the maintenance company doesn’t have a systematic approach to the transition.
“Irrigation inspections should be done on a regular basis.” ~University of Florida
And we can’t overlook the high expectations. This is luxury living on the St. John’s River. Retirees who worked hard to save up for a place like this to live out their golden years deserve the best (not just when the weather is cooperating). It’s one thing to keep a property pristine and produce vibrant flowers for working-age people busy with careers. But when retired residents are free to use the neighborhood’s outdoor amenities every day, they naturally notice every little detail of those green spaces.
Results
Landscaping hurdles come with every property, and Yellowstone Landscape’s teams have experienced all types of challenges over a variety of property types. That experience enabled them to meet the above challenges and exceed client expectations.
- Proactive communication ensures our staff can plan around neighborhood activities.
- Our team leader can receive notifications when an event is rescheduled, helping teams pivot.
- Flexible scheduling helps our crews work around community events, so we can complete landscape tasks before or after an event.
- High visibility areas are constantly monitored, and needs are addressed immediately in case an event would block us from fixing a problem a day later.
- The Yellowstone Landscape account manager does multiple walk-throughs, making sure all landscape elements are correctly installed by the installation company.
- Any irrigation issues, plant material problems, or soil conditions are marked for correction before our maintenance contract starts.
- The transition process was crucial to ensuring the client’s and residents’ expectations were met while our company avoided inherited installation problems.
- “Lunch and Learn” sessions gave residents meaningful insights into Florida landscaping practices that impact their neighborhood.
- These educational connections were particularly well-received by people who had moved from northern states with very different landscapes and climate from Florida’s.
- Plant selection focuses on visual appeal, sustainability, and matching community engagement goals.
- Resident relationships with Yellowstone Landscape are growing stronger through their appreciation of our team’s special attention to community trail maintenance.
- Our crew’s fast response after a recent hurricane also drew accolades from grateful homeowners wanting the property cleaned up quickly.
- Annual displays feature 3,500+ flowers with multiple rotations per year.
- Comprehensive irrigation management covers nearly 400 zones.
Lifestyle Notes
“You can bike for an hour on the long pathways.”
“Over 100 activities available last month.”
“I love the area and landscaping.”
Joyful Retirement
Few people outside the construction industry can believe the work it takes to create a community like this one. The developers and neighborhood leaders who’ve worked tirelessly to make it a reality deserve a round of applause. Retirees who call this place home have spent decades dreaming of the day they can “clock out” for good and relax in a neighborhood with the aesthetics to rival a premier resort.
And Yellowstone Landscape is happy to play our role in the ongoing upkeep of this one-of-a-kind property. Knowing we make retirement life all it should be, with beautiful swaying grasses and lush turf around every turn, is something we can be proud of. And we believe landscaping is one of the noblest professions in the world. Why? Because it provides great pleasure to those who enjoy being outdoors and pride to the teams that shape those spaces.
This case study is special for many reasons. A key reason is that it shows how a good partnership should work. The client appreciates how we used a thorough process to transition from one company's installation to our company’s maintenance contract. They could see we had their best interests in mind over the long term. And we’ve witnessed how much it meant to the client to keep the landscape pristine and curb appeal high for the happy retirees they serve.
If you believe your property should offer the people you serve the very best in outdoor spaces, contact Yellowstone Landscape to discuss your goals.
