Your Landscape Committee is continuing work to create a more sustainable and resilient landscape in our common areas. The Committee is again working with our crew at Ruppert to "Leave the Leaves". This can look different, in different spaces - mulched in place, blown to natural areas, left whole where they've fallen, etc. Our committee is committed to utilizing this often wasted resource, by using our own fallen leaves to reduce our mulching expenses, improve our soil health, and support our local ecosystem.

With goals to maintain and enhance the natural beauty throughout our community, a number of projects remain underway to improve the health of our existing trees and plantings.

You'll notice again this fall that leaves are left in natural areas and some of our less manicured/maintained garden beds.

The leaves left where they fall, those that are mulched in place, and the mulched leaf drops we'll receive from the Town of Cary after the loose leaf collections, will not have a strong odor, in contrast to the leaf mulch spread by our previous landscape contractor last spring. This is because these leaves this fall will be captured and spread before they begin composting. 

 "Leaves create a natural mulch that helps to suppress weeds while fertilizing the soil as it breaks down. The leaves also serve as a habitat for wildlife including lizards, birds, turtles, frogs, and insects that overwinter in the fallen leaves."

Not only will this action benefit the health of our trees and local wildlife, but it is intended to save residents money by limiting the purchase of commercial pine straw and mulch in future seasons.

Join us as we "Leave the Leaves!" again this year.