Community honored for five years of beautiful landscapes

By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

The spring planting season is upon us. And Oak Crest, an Erickson community just north of Baltimore, is ready.

In 2006, Oak Crest’s landscaping staff planted more than 4,000 annuals, a bog garden, and a number of dwarf conifer and perennial beds. Through careful planning and the use of specific winter-interest plants, the grounds department provided the community with continuous color throughout the year. They gave Oak Crest residents a good reason to stroll the grounds.

Coveted Heritage Award
Now they are being honored for it and for years of hard work. Oak Crest has received the Landscape Contractors Association’s long-term Heritage Award.

The regional award considers every major landscaping project in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C., and is presented each year to the most outstanding landscaping projects that have been maintained for more than five years.

Pride in the details
The award wasn’t won overnight. It took the grounds staff plenty of planning and hard work to accomplish the feat. Under the supervision of Brian Dorsey, Oak Crest grounds supervisor, his crew partnered with TruGreen LandCare to maintain the lush setting on campus.

From trees that line the roadway, to the beautiful displays of perennial and annual plantings, to the reforestation areas, the staff used their broad range of plant knowledge to produce a beautiful atmosphere for Oak Crest community members.

“Everyone played a part,” Dorsey says. “It took a lot of research and planning, but it was the little things, too. You can have the most beautifully landscaped grounds, but a single piece of trash can ruin it. We take pride in the little details. This is a team award and one that we’re proud to share with the whole community.”