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14 | THE COLONY NEWS | JANUARY 2023 | We have been asked, especially by newcomers, when various greenbelts were renovated, since the Clubhouse was remodeled in 2016. Here's a little bit of history. The first renovation was the Main Gate, completed April 1, 2016, to coincide with the reopening of the remodeled Clubhouse. The second was the Nutmeg Gate, completed in Sept. 2016. These areas were given more plants per square foot than we would usually do, because the Board wanted these areas to look smashing right off the bat. Consequently, we have been removing overgrowth, but it did look lush! The Main Gate and the Nutmeg Gate areas were designed and planted by VanDyke Landscape Architects, who laid out a renovation plan for all The Colony greenbelts. These two gate areas needed paperwork submitted to the city, which the Architects were qualified to do. To continue using the Architects for every greenbelt was going to be expensive, however, and the Board was being very frugal. So, the Landscape Superintendent, his assistant, and the LAC felt that since no further permits were needed from the city, they could carry on doing the rest of the renovations using VDLA's map. In 2016, the first area we attempted was G21, which is the size of a football field, hidden behind Colony Drive and the entrance to Corte Albara and was mostly covered with patchy weeds, dirt, and some grass. Given the small number of plants we were allowed and that this was our first real, hands-on team project, we learned a couple of hard lessons. By repeated work, we finally got it right there by 2018. The next area completed was the Avenida Florita slope, in Sept. 2016. Before this, the slope consisted of grass, and the only other thing you saw were the trunks of the tall palms. Boring. When we first renovated it, some of the plants we thought would work didn't, and there was a complaint that there wasn't enough color. In Feb. 2017, we added different plants, and again in Mar. 2019 we tried for more color. I hope you all agree that this slope is finally now lovely. And interesting! The flat area behind the exit from the Nutmeg gate and the houses on Via Compadres, G34, was next. It had been mostly grass, and the residents did NOT like the idea of removing it! Again, we scoped it out, and in Nov. 2016 planted what we thought would do. In 2017, we were allowed to add more plants. I think anyone going to G34 now would agree it looks nice. Beginning in Nov. 2017, we worked on G2, the area with the decomposed granite path going from Colony Drive to Via Barletta. It had been all grass, and nobody was walking over it when it was wet — or anytime, really. We had to rework this area several times, finally completing it in Aug. 2018. But NOW, people walk it. VanDyke's plan declared two small patches of turf should remain near the top of the hill, and we are still questioning, why there? Another area completed in 2018 was G22/W15, which is behind the Corte Fortuna homes on one side and the Nutmeg wall on the other. The land was mostly weeds, dirt and a little grass, and the residents bordering it had given up on it ever looking good. One of our veteran members, Ed Kamp, suggested this would be a perfect area for another walking path — one a block long and flat. We agreed, and this wonderful, decomposed granite walking path with all the trees and shrubs along it is now one of the most used of the hidden walking paths. I could go on and on, but there are two points I would like to leave with you. One, when we renovate an area, the plants going in are SMALL, and they are placed according to their mature width and height (maturity in five years). Thus, the area looks sparse, with a lot of mulch and few plants. Every gardener knows that smaller, younger plants transplant better than mature ones. And they are cheaper. But in a few years, take another look. Those areas which began so sparse- looking will have filled in. The second point is that the LAC was very involved in turf renovations before 2016. We have stumbled and learned, and we think we've finally gotten the process streamlined. I may have been the Chair or on the Committee since 2016, helping to keep things moving forward, but the foundation had been laid by those amazing Colonists who came before and persevered to make our community thrive. That tradition continues! LANDSCAPE ADVISORY By Jan Foster, 951-698-0170

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