The first factor to consider when planning for superior Seasonal Color is how many change outs does a client have in their contract. Do they have two, three or four change-outs scheduled? This determines what plant material we use. For two change outs, most of the time, LMC’s Color teams install a cottage garden for the Summer because it’s very durable. We also like to install a cottage garden for the Winter, because cottage gardens last a long time. Using a variety of colors, all the colors of the rainbow, all different styles of blooms makes it look like a painting of sorts and is just gorgeous. When the contract includes three Seasonal Color change outs, we can either have a Spring change out as well as a Summer and Winter. Or, we can have a Summer, Fall and Winter change. For the Spring change out, petunias are an excellent choice. They give you lots of good color. If the client instead opts for a Fall change out, we like to use marigolds because of the great Fall hues they provide. One of the benefits of a Fall change out is if some of the summer installations are stressed by our heat, rain or lack thereof we can refresh the beds in September. Summer change-outs are a bit challenging due to our weather. Pentas, Profusion Zinnias and Vincas are the best choices. Winter change-outs are usually a layer of Violas, Pansies and Snapdragons. Winter has the most options for the varieties of Seasonal Color and big selection of colors for each of the varieties. Finally, for commercial properties with four seasonal color change outs, we schedule Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter changes, which is wonderful. This allows the commercial properties focal points to always be at their best
We work with our clients to select the best types of flowers for their beds. Our Seasonal Color Consultant has over thirty-five years of experience working with Seasonal Color and is an expert in selecting the right material and color combinations for each property.
Our Seasonal Color program begins by removing the old Color. Our Color teams then amend the soil by adding our own little concoction of fertilizers. Then, we put out an herbicide and add mulch. After that, we plant through the mulch into the prepared bed, spacing the flowers on either on eight-inch centers or ten-inch centers in a triangle pattern, depending on the maintenance contract. Each Seasonal Color bed is hand-watered in to give them a good start in the newly planted bed. Our crews spray with a liquid fertilizer to help the buds pop open. The Color crews are on a schedule to do maintenance on the Color also. They deadhead the old blooms, weed the beds and look for insects. In addition, liquid fertilizer is applied monthly to promote blooms.
Using the right types of Seasonal Color on our commercial properties and the right palette of colors makes the beds bright and showy. LMC is proud of installing these visually stunning focal points to the commercial landscape properties we management and of all the care that goes into the Color program.
