Hampton Commons Condominium Association

Greetings! The Hampton Commons Architecture and Landscaping Committee continues its tradition of helping New Jersey earn its nickname, "The Garden State".

Due to careful planning, A&L has made giant leaps and bounds in beautifying the surroundings. The results were dramatic. This year we are striving to continue our efforts in making Hampton Commons a prime and highly desirable location to live.

Last year we saw many residents take pride in ownership by planting numerous perennials and annuals in their front planting beds. The fruits of their labors were stunning! Work as outstanding as last year (we certainly hope) will continue; we also want to see more of the same from others.

Nature offers many choices for plantings that are drought and heat tolerant. Your local greenhouse or grower should be able to provide you with tips and suggestions. A&L also recommends the following:

• Ornamental grasses such as ribbon grass, maiden grass and zebra grass need very little water once established. They give the garden added texture and height. The key is to water well just after planting (use a watering bucket at the base of the plant, where the roots have easiest access to the water). The grasses are all perennials and can be divided after a couple of years' growth, making for less-expensive investments in future plantings. The best feature is that deer HATE all of these grasses.
• Succulents such as sedum, ornamental cactus and "hens and chicks" are great choices. Again, once established these varieties can tolerate oppressive heat and very dry conditions. The sedum and many cacti also have very showy flowers (sedum in late summer/fall; cacti in late spring/summer). The hens and chicks are ideal for filling cracks and crevices between rocks. These plants are also perennials and can be divided after a couple of years.
• Flowers - Annuals include begonias, geraniums, marigold and many more. Snapdragons, an old favorite, is very drought tolerant but somewhat sensitive to heat. They perform exceedingly well in spring and late summer but shrink in the hottest days of summer. Perennials that are drought and heat tolerant are astilbe, bleeding hearts, andromeda, witch hazel - the list goes on and on. Except for the marigolds and geraniums, all of these offerings are pretty much animal resistant - but in a "food emergency" for the local fauna, nothing is off-limits.

Anyone who wants to start a perennial garden but doesn't know how can contact the management company. An A&L representative will be happy to provide advice on how to get started.

Next on the agenda is the landscaping service contracted by Hampton Commons to mow the grass, trim the trees and shrubs, etc. All in all, they did an admirable job. This year, in order for their good work to continue, A&L asks that all residents do the following:

• Red flags are available at the clubhouse. A red flag in a planting bed (front) will signify to the landscaping service that NO maintenance is to be done. No weeding, no planting, no mulching. The only exception to this is shrubs, which will be trimmed to an Association-regulated height of 4 feet.
• A&L asks that anyone with "special instructions" on how the shrubs in back of the units are to be trimmed to please contact the management company. The landscaping service will get to the shrub trimming as able but no promises can be made that any given section will be trimmed at any given time. We ask for your patience and cooperation.
• The suggested landscaping schedule for Hampton Commons is attached at the end of this Update. Please keep it in a convenient location for easy reference.

Last year, A&L spent literally hundreds of dollars planting shrubs in the hopes that residents would water them in the event of a lack of rainfall. In fact, many residents DID promise to water. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the plantings died from a lack of water. This year, replacing dead shrubs will be done on a "most needed" basis. If you specifically request that a shrub be replaced, we expect that you will take care of it until it has had a chance to establish itself in its new surroundings. It is unreasonable to expect the landscaping service or A&L to water every new shrub that we plant. We have neither the facilities nor the manpower to take on that task and deeply appreciate the assistance. We are very grateful to those who did take care of new plantings by A&L last year; we tip our gardener's hats to you!

In times of drought emergency, we also must think of the trees and shrubs that are already planted around the units and in the cul-de-sacs. Please take a few minutes and water the plants if no rain has fallen for more that a couple of days. This will keep existing plants and trees alive and cut down on future costs to replace very expensive foliage. An example - last year the total cost for watering the wingwalls was $3.86. Water is not that expensive and when watering is done correctly, there is no waste.

Another kind gesture from residents is to "adopt a cul-de-sac". Plant some perennials, shrubs and/or grasses around the cul-de-sac (or common area) nearest to where you live. Get together with your neighbors. A&L will spring for the cost of mulch. This has already been done successfully on Peregrine Point. Try it!

Lastly, there has been an unusual outbreak of people walking their dogs and not picking up after them. We must remind you that this is a direct violation of Association bylaws and is subject to fines of up to $100 for each offense. A&L is beginning a serious crackdown on these offenders, or as our Webmaster so cleverly puts it, "poopitrators." Leaving droppings anywhere is a serious health hazard. When the landscaping service cuts the grass and someone hasn't picked up, well, we are sure you all get the very messy picture. This kind of behavior will no longer be tolerated. Failure to comply might result in consideration of pet restrictions within Hampton Commons. There is already a restriction of 2 pets per unit (page 2, #5 of "Rules and Regulations") but again, many residents ignore such rules. Look for drastic measures in the event of non-compliance. Please - don't be afraid to report someone who is breaking these rules. It's YOUR property value that you're protecting!

REMEMBER - HAMPTON COMMONS BELONGS TO ALL OF US!

Suggested Landscaping Maintenance Schedule

(Budget and weather considerations may affect landscaping decisions!)

1. All winter debris, i.e. leaves, branches, grit, and litter shall be removed from lawn areas, planting beds, sidewalks and parking areas. This does not include street sweeping.
2. All landscape beds and tree rings shall be edged to a depth of three (3) inches and treated with a pre-emergent herbicide. All edgings shall be removed from beds and tree rings.
3. All turf areas shall be treated with a pre-emergent herbicide for control of annual weeds.
4. All shrubs, ground cover, and trees shall be fertilized with a 50% organic granular fertilizer as necessary. (Trees limited to 10 inch caliper and twenty feet in height).
5. All turf shall be treated with a liquid selective broadleaf herbicide for the control of broadleaf weeds.
6. Dormant oil shall be applied to trees and shrubs per manufacturers recommendations. (Trees and shrubs limited to 20 ft. in height and 10 inch caliper).
7. All shrubs shall be pruned and shaped as necessary to obtain optimum health and appearance. Overgrown deciduous shrubs such as viburnum, winged euonymous, forsythia, spirea etc. shall be "rejuvenation" pruned. That is, they will be selectively thinned out, lowered, and shaped via hand pruning. Our intention is that the plants will exhibit a natural growth habit - NO SHEARING!
8. All trees shall be pruned and shaped as necessary to obtain optimum health and appearance. All diseased, rubbing, dead or interfering limbs shall be removed. A minimum of three (3) ft. clearance shall be maintained between trees and any light posts, structures, sidewalks, driving or parking areas. (Limited to trees of less than 20 ft. in height and 10-inch caliper).
9. All turf areas shall be fertilized with a 32-4-8 granular slow release fertilizer consisting of 50% organic nutrient.
10. All trees and shrubs under insect pressure shall be treated with a broad spectrum insecticide for the control of chewing and sucking insects. This does not include woodland areas. Trees are to be limited to 10-inch caliper and twenty feet in height.

1. A non-selective herbicide shall be used to control weeds growing in sidewalk edges, curb edges, roadway cracks, stone beds, etc., for the control of grassy and broadleaf weeds.
2. All turf areas shall be mowed and trimmed on a weekly basis or as necessary to maintain a neat and clean appearance. The height of cut shall not be less than 2 inches nor more than 3 inches. All litter shall be removed by the mowing crew. This does not include construction debris.
3. All clippings, when in access, shall be removed from primary turf areas to maintain a neat and clean appearance.
4. All clippings shall be blown off sidewalks, driveways, and roadways after mowing to maintain a neat and clean appearance.
5. All concrete sidewalks shall be edged on a once per month basis.
6. All landscape beds shall be kept weed free using non-selective herbicides in conjunction with mechanical weeding. Weeds larger than four (4) inches shall be removed by hand.

1. All evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees shall be pruned and shaped for optimum appearance. All shrubs shall be pruned and shaped as necessary to obtain optimum health and appearance. Overgrown deciduous shrubs such as viburnum, winged eponymous, forsythia, spirea etc. shall be "rejuvenation" pruned. That is, they will be selectively thinned out, lowered, and shaped via hand pruning. Our goal is that the plants will exhibit a natural growth habit - NO SHEARING!
2. All turf areas shall be treated with a Merit for the control of Japanese beetle grubs.

1. All turf areas shall be fertilized using a 20-8-8 granular slow release fertilizer consisting of 50% organic nutrient.
2. All turf areas shall be treated with a liquid selective herbicide for the control of broadleaf weeds.
3. All landscape beds shall be edged to a depth of three (3) inches. All edgings shall be removed

1. Naturally occurring debris (leaves, branches, etc.), shall be removed from turf, and parking areas.
2. Thin turf areas shall be slice seeded with Dura Turf Athletic Field seed blend from Jonathon Green. This seed mix was recommended by Rutgers University for a non-irrigated property with this soil type. (Limited to less than 100,000 sq. ft.)
3. All turf areas shall be core aerated for the control of thatch buildup, relieve compaction, and to better enhance the results of all chemical applications.
4. Soil samples shall be harvested and sent to Rutgers for evaluation. A copy of the test results will be supplied to Management. All turf areas shall be limed per Ph test results. (Limited to 25 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft.)

1. Again, naturally occurring debris shall be removed from turf, bed, and parking areas.
2. All turf areas shall be fertilized using a 10-20-15 "winter care" granular slow release fertilizer consisting of 50% organic nutrient.