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Covenant Living of Northbrook, Northbrook, Illinois is a 60 acre retirement community with 11 interconnected multi-tenant buildings, 18 duplexes and 3 quad style residential units. The oldest building was constructed in 1965 and the most recent re-build in 2014. The surrounding campus landscape has evolved to support hundreds of large landscape trees, flowering ornamentals, formal hedges, bountiful perennials all set against expanses of manicured turf. The main entrance features a pond, home to the beloved swans “Fred and Ginger”. Vibrant floral displays welcome residents and guest alike. Showy seasonal color plantings are a signature statement for this large retirement community. Focal areas receive four seasonal color rotations while the most of the campus enjoys a vibrant summer annual rotation. The seasonal plantings present show-stopping vibrancy, depth and scale.
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Building entries receive daily clean-up prior to the arrival of first shift nursing staff ensuring pavement and planting areas are presented cleanly and safely. Building entry decorative beds, shrubs and trees along with dynamic ring road designs allow varying landscape experiences for residents, guests and campus workforce. Periodic fertilizer applications and hand watering keep the mixture of plantings vibrant and full. Large specimen trees are actively maintained through periodic in-house arborist supervised pruning, to reduce conflicts with the building facades and maintain the landscape’s sweeping architectural views. Tree health is closely monitored through arborist-directed plant health care recommendations. IPM utilized on an as needed basis. Landscape is to remain bright and open.
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Wayfaring guidance for visitors is necessary and seasonal color plantings at all critical signage provides a cohesive focal-point pattern throughout the property. Most of these monuments are located in areas that are not irrigated. A two man crew is on site a minimum of 6 days a week to maintain summer annuals and other immediate moisture needs. Several dozen racks of bedding plants and vines combined with additional thriller plants from tropical flora to ornamental grasses make up the summer color rotation. About 60 percent of the summer seasonal color requires hand watering and 40 percent is managed with the automated irrigation system.
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Courtyards can be a beautiful and safe exterior space for those with an impaired ability or memory care needs. Sidewalks that connect and loop should be comfortable, fluid and always free of debris. Canopies and seating areas to rest are a must. Soft plantings with color, texture and fragrance enhance the sensory appeal of these safe space. Plantings must stop prior to the walking surfaces as to not confuse a safe walking path with the unknown possibility of uneven footing. Strict protocols are in place for gate codes and removable locks. All staff know these entries can never be left open for personnel, material or debris passage. Gated courtyards are maintained with a minimal amount of interference and noise. Memory courtyards are beautiful spaces where the primary goal is to keep loved ones safe, while enjoying the link to nature.
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A mix of flowering shrub, evergreen and flowering perennials are maintained to provide framing and separation of specific parking lot areas, supporting individual buildings. Planting is executed with a mix of annual flowers framed with groupings of perennials, shrubs and evergreens to present both spectacular color and size, as well as exciting textures and patterns. Emphasis on multi-layered floral selections keeps the interest high with every view perspective. Irrigation is strictly controlled to respond to changing conditions from spring through fall, and with each seasonal planting change.
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Seasonal change, through this large campus landscape, is met by our management teams with enthusiasm and attention to detail. Seasonal color displays are managed through 3 sizeable rotations along with a minimal winter display. Each seasonal change is an opportunity to provide characteristic vibrancy and intensity of color, to engage the residents. The property facility, administration and marketing team is an integral partner with our management crews to continually improve and inspire each season’s display, to provide new and unique results annually.
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A maximum of 550 residents can call the 11 interconnected multi-tenant buildings, 18 duplexes and 3 quad style residential dwellings home. Each main building entry includes seasonal color to greet residents and guests coordinated for a cohesive, campus wide setting, yet given unique treatments for each building. Occasionally we will find a statue or roaming art display make its way into the landscape then disappear just as quickly. Crew dexterity is a must to manage overall aesthetics of the property given the decorative flare provided by the individual resident. Soil remediation is completed with each color rotation utilizing organic material recycled and stock piled at our corporate facilities. Main entrances are maintained on a daily schedule, including early morning clean-up prior to first shift nursing staff arrival.
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Each of the 11 multi-tenant buildings have a minimum of 3 entries that present opportunities, as well as challenges. Each entry has a unique, individual character that distinguishes the taste of the tenant(s) that lives closest to the door, yet the campus prefers to have some cohesive landscape presentation maintained for over-all campus character. Doorway seasonal planters are located at all “A” (primary) entrances. The seasonal plant varieties are kept consistent through repeating patterns across the campus. Foundation shrub and perennial plantings are maintained in several layers, carefully pruned on a seasonal basis to present separate levels of landscape color and texture.
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Hundreds of large canopy trees and large evergreen groupings provide an over-all character of maturity and health on the campus grounds. Our in-house tree care division is led by a licensed, certified Arborist, and provides a full array of tree care operations. Canopy pruning and insect and disease plant health care monitoring is performed by our crews. Periodic tree ring improvements with detail edging and mulch cultivation maintains the desired aesthetic appeal. Each residential foundation planting is customized to reflect its occupant(s). No two foundation plantings within the 60 acre campus are alike. Emotions come into play for many residents for decisions pertaining to plant selection and plant health. We customize the management program for hundreds of plantings on this campus.
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Contrasting with the vibrant color saturated common spaces, the private spaces found behind the residential units are visually calming with a greater percentage of shrub, perennial and groundcover plantings. Selective pruning, deadheading, weeding, dividing and transplanting are completed as needed to ensure a cohesive and continual rear border along the perimeter of the property. When budget allows, the entire campus receives a top dressing of mulch totaling over 600 cubic yards.
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Large, open turf areas are maintained weekly, with an emphasis on season specific fertilizer and pest control applications, and critical irrigation management. In a given season 8-10 turf applications are typical depending upon weather and pest conditions. Our in-house irrigation management technicians provide continued servicing for the entire system, throughout the full growing season. Spring season system start-up and adjustments, winter season system shut down. Continual monitoring and scheduling adjustments allow for proper irrigation system function. Landscape plantings are maintained to enhance the overall design, keeping formal hedges consistent throughout, managed with periodic pruning operations and specific fertilizer and pest control regimens. Over 4,000 daffodil bulbs have been inter-planted within daylily groupings the past two seasons adding an early layer of cheerful perennial spring color.
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A constantly flowing natural, inter-connected, drainage waterway cuts through the property, into the pond, through a series of culverts and eventually leads to the West Fork of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Periodic shoreline clean-up work, helps to keep the pond and creek clean. The vast majority of the multi-tenant buildings are not irrigated. Hand watering is utilized for seasonal color and specialty mass plantings.
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The pond, the focal point of the campus. The first impression where residents rest on benches or stroll along the walking paths. Schedules for irrigation use are strictly managed to minimize surface run-off and potential nutrient over-load, and tight control on timing of turf applications. In-house staff handle treatments for weed control and water clarity. A mix of seasonal color plantings combined with perennial landscape elements continue to show a variable layering of color transition throughout the full year. The expectation is constant color for all curb appeal and focal areas on campus.
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Innovative measures were used to protect the perennial plantings in the permanent window boxes. Proper drainage needed to be established. Insulation was added to protect the woody and perennial root systems from winter freeze. The planting medium was carefully blended to handle the moisture and sun exposure. Irrigation was added and continuously monitored to ensure the health and vibrancy of the perennial window boxes.
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A plant “orphanage” garden was elegantly crafted in the heart of campus for plants displaced when new residents prefer a different plant palette for their personal space. This central campus amenity garden is not a working or screened holding garden, but a thriving space of various color, texture and plant types. Residents have donated seedling evergreens, received as Earth Day gifts and pencil thin, are now 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Some plants are nurtured in this garden until they are needed as replacement plants in other common areas or a new resident request can be procured from this holding location. Creative use of recycled plant materials work in concert creating a space for all to enjoy.
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The many challenges and opportunities of this large retirement community are met daily by our management crews, allowing the creativity of color and texture to show their best with a background of green, healthy landscape character. Each foundation section takes on the personality of the resident(s) within the building walls. This creates another layer to our management program as there are no two foundation plantings alike on campus.
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Vibrant color, clean foliage, and a plethora of textures are always on display. Development of protocols and standards of quality were the building blocks for this commercial landscape management program. A 2 man crew is on site 5 days a week with a 4 man mowing crew added every Thursday. A 2 man watering crew is on site a minimum of 6 days a week. With attention to detail, and proper horticultural standards, our operations teams manage the Covenant Living of Northbrook campus as a regionally important landscape environment.