Currently viewing the category: "Beautification"

Join us in Beautifying our Community!

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planting flowers

planting flowersBecome part of an incredible volunteer team effort planting in Montgomery’s medians and parks. On Saturday, May 19, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., the Beautification and Tree Commission invites individuals, families and organizations to help plant 20,000- plus flowers.

Volunteers will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the City Hall parking lot for registration, supplies and flower bed assignments. A limited number of gloves and trowels will be available. Volunteers are encouraged to wear comfortable gardening attire and bring along a shovel. For information or to sign up, contact DeAnna Gross, at 792-8329 or dgross@ci.montgomery.oh.us.

 

Beautification winners exemplify our community

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Beautification Winner

Members of the Beautification & Tree Commission have selected the 2011 Beautification Award winners.  Nominated properties were judged on their attractive and well maintained landscape as well as the overall appearance of the property.

In addition to the Commission members, the following residents shared their time to participate in the first round of judging:  Lynda Roesch, Phil & Karen Schwartz, Kaye Gaffney, Nancy Cottrell, Ralphine Gentzler, Pat Stratman, and Martha Seaman.

Award recipients will be recognized at the September 21, City Council Work Session, scheduled for 7 p.m. in City Hall.  The winners receive an engraved landscape rock, a certificate of appreciation to acknowledge their beautifying efforts, an 8” x 10” photograph of their property, and an award yard sign.

For the first time this year, community members who nominated the winning entries will also be recognized at the September 21, City Council Works Session and will receive a Knockout Rose plant to thank them for their contribution to the Beautification Awards process.

 

Fall Plant Swap scheduled for Sep. 24

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Fall Plant Swap

Fall Plant SwapMembers of the Beautification & Tree Commission will host its 13th annual Fall Plant Swap on Saturday, September 24, from 9-11 a.m. in the City Hall parking lot.  The free event provides an excellent opportunity for community members to share their divided perennials while selecting new garden varieties.

There will be a display board available for posting photos of your gardening successes that include plant varieties obtained at previous Plant Swaps.

The commission recommends that perennials be labeled with the plant name and its sun or shade preference for the display tables.  Participants should also bring their own bags or containers for transporting their “swapped” selections.  For more information, call 792-8319.

Just Mow It, No Bagging Required!

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Just mow it campaign logo

Just mow it campaign logoTired of bagging your grass clippings? Then the Just Mow It! program is for you. Just Mow It! is the simple practice of leaving your grass clippings on the lawn.

It’s easy, fast, and good for your lawn.

Steps to Just Mow It

  1. Proper Mowing Height - The appropriate mowing height for lawns in Ohio is 3″.  Raise the cutting height slightly in the summer.
  2. Mowing Frequency -Never remove more than one-third of the leaf surface at any one time. Removing more than one-third weakens the grass plant, reduces or stops growth, and leaves significant clippings on the lawn surface. If the mowing height is 3″, the grass should not grow more than 4″ before it is mowed. In real terms, this means a lawn should ideally be mowed 2 times per week in spring (April–May) and 2 times per week in the fall (September–October), when the grass is growing actively.
  3. Mow Lawns When Dry -Lawns should be mowed when dry so clippings won’t clump together on the lawn surface. Obviously, there will be times when rain makes it impossible to mow frequently. You can still leave clippings on the lawn if the clumps of grass are spread out evenly to allow them to readily decompose.
  4. Any Lawn Mower Can Be Used - While mulching mowers cut grass clippings into smaller pieces, you can still use non-mulching mowers. It is recommended to have your mower blade professionally sharpened annually. (Most tool rental stores can provide this service.)
  5. Never sweep grass clippings into the road or storm drain. – Clippings (like all plant material) contain nutrients that can cause algal blooms if they get into rivers and lakes.

Still not convinced? 

Benefits of Just Mow It!

  • Reduces work so you don’t have to bag or rake and dispose of your grass clippings.
  • Reduces waste going to landfills.
  • Feeds your lawn. Grass clippings contain nutrients that can generate up to ONE THIRD of your lawn’s total fertilizer needs, so you have the potential to reduce fertilizer costs.

In addition to releasing nutrients to the soil, decomposing grass clippings may substantially enhance soil microbe activity.

Leaving grass clippings on the lawn DOES NOT CREATE THATCH. 

Thatch is a tightly intermingled layer of living and dead stems, leaves and grass roots that develops between the green grass and the soil surface. Grass clippings are 75 to 85 percent water and decompose rapidly. Thatch is formed from grass parts more resistant to decomposition like roots, stems, etc.

Questions:

Call 946-7755 or visit www.HamiltonCountyRecycles.org

Content provided by Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheets: Lawn Care Plans and Mowers and Mowing and reviewed by Pamela J. Sherratt, Sports Turf Specialist, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University. For additional information, visit http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1190.html.

Nominations for Beautification Awards Sought

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2010 beautification winner

Hometown pride starts in the front of every home in Montgomery. To reward residents for their efforts to promote the community’s image by undertaking an improvement project, the Beautification & Tree Commission sponsors the annual Beautification Awards. Nominate a neighbor… or even yourself. New, revised nomination forms are available at City Hall or at the link below. To further encourage nominations, a gardener’s gift will be awarded as an incentive to those whose nominations are selected as a Beautification Award Winner. Nomination categories include Residential, Business/Church, Landscape Niche, Window Box/Container, Heritage District and Most Improved (requires “before” and “after’ photographs). The deadline to submit nominations is June 22.

To be eligible for judging, properties must be in Montgomery, must be visible from the street and must NOT have been a winner in the past three years. For more information or to nominate a worthy homeowner for an award, call Susan Hamm at 792-8314 or complete the online form.   You can also print a downloadable nomination form and submit it via mail or in person to City Hall, 10101 Montgomery Road, Montgomery, OH 45242

Fall Plant Swap Returns

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Members of the Beautification & Tree Commission will host its 12th annual Fall Plant Swap on Saturday, September 25, from 9-11 a.m. in the City Hall parking lot.

The free event provides an excellent opportunity for community members to share their divided perennials while selecting new garden varieties. New event features include a raffle drawing for all participants and a display board for posting photos of your gardening successes that include plant varieties obtained at previous Plant Swaps.

The commission recommends that perennials be labeled with the plant name and its sun or shade preference for the display tables. Participants should also bring their own bags or containers for transporting their “swapped” selections. For information, call 792-8329.

Beautification Award Winners

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Members of the Beautification & Tree Commission have selected the 2010 Beautification Award winners. Nominated properties were judged on their attractive and well maintained landscape as well as the overall appearance of the property.

In addition to the seven Commission members, the following residents shared their time to participate in the first round of judging: Mary Jo Bratburd; Suzan Capozzoli; Sid & Dee Cohen; Kaye Gaffney; Kim McCracken; Lynda Roesch; Phil & Karen Schwartz and Ruth Sies.

Award recipients will be recognized at the September 22, City Council Work Session, scheduled for 7 pm in City Hall. The winners will receive an engraved landscape rock, a certificate of appreciation to acknowledge their beautifying efforts and an 8” x 10” photograph of their property. In addition, an award yard sign recognizes each of the following winning properties that are featured on the City’s website:

Residential

Bill & Jolene Costello
10410 Grand Oaks Lane

Keith & Nancy Cottrell
7400 Baywind Drive

Kaye Gaffney
10545 Crescendo Court

Chip & Chris Harpring
8748 Tiburon Drive

Charles & Margaret Kubicki
11719 Grandstone Lane

Schrantz Family
7710 Campus Lane

Don & Carol Tabb
7924 Mitchell Farm Lane

Wayne & Jill Whaley
7985 Schoolhouse Lane

Heritage District
Freddy & Marty Miles
7893 Cooper Lane

Most Improved
Bob & Karen Ditz
13058 Coopermeadow Lane

Business
Little Red Gift Shop
7925 Remington Road

Landscape Niche
Irene & Ronald Taylor
8757 Tanagerwoods Drive

Window Box/Container
Henry & Sandra Spitz
8802 Castleford Lane

Neuilly Plaisance Plaza adds attractive space to downtown

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With work completed over the last eight months, the Neuilly-Plaisance Plaza now offers an attractive public space at the southwest corner of Montgomery and Cooper Roads, with improved access for visitors to the Heritage District. The seating and tables adjacent to the fountain centerpiece and large water feature make this highly visible area a perfect location to enjoy the sights and sounds of Montgomery’s vibrant Heritage District.  The City of Montgomery and The Corner Pub have signed a lease agreement through November 28 allowing The Corner Pub to “secure” the plaza beginning at 4:30 p.m. daily to comply with regulations established by the Ohio Department of Liquor Control allowing The Corner Pub to serve alcohol in the plaza’s outdoor seating area.  The lease agreement includes provisions that require the plaza to be open for public use at all times throughout the term of the lease.  This provision allows public use and access to the seating, tables and other improvements so long as this public use does not violate The Corner Pub’s license with the Ohio Department of Liquor Control or City of Montgomery ordinances.

Montgomery Plaza in Neuilly-Plaisance, France

Montgomery Plaza in Neuilly-Plaisance, France