The Villages at Tower Oaks Landscaping Information

We all want our community to remain beautiful and well kept. Please do your part by maintaining the landscaping on your private property, clean up after your pet, and pick-up litter that blows out from garbage and recycling containers. The Villages at Tower Oaks contracts with Brickman Landscaping for maintenance of our common areas. They will also mow and edge lawns, mulch, and trim shrubs on resident's front and side yards. If owners have any questions about trimming shrubs on their front and side yards, please contact Greg Levandowskiat Brickman at (301) 421.4100 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

As a courtesy, Brickman will also mow resident's backyard grass, if access is available. Other then mowing, residents are responsible for their own backyard landscaping and maintenance. If owners DO NOT want Brickman to enter their backyard to mow, please tie some flagging tape/ribbon to your gate door handle. If gate door handles are broken, stuck, or locked, Brickman will NOT force the doors open and will not be responsible for mowing your lawn.

The company can also be hired at owner's expense, for additional landscaping design and maintenance needs on owner's private property. Contact Greg Levandowskiat Brickman at (301) 421.4100 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  for more information or if you have any landscaping questions (301) 543-2092.

HOA dues also cover snow removal on our public streets. Homeowners are responsible for snow removal from their driveways, sidewalks, and steps.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is the maintenance schedule?

You can view the maintenance schedule by clicking here.

When is mulching done?

Mulching is done once a year. Check the Maintenance Calendar below for details. To prevent the mulch within planting beds from washing away during rains, homeowners should consider growing some type of ground cover (other than grass) to border their planting beds.

Who maintains the area around the storm water drainage pond and Dogwood Park?

These areas are owned and maintained by the City of Rockville. Homeowners with landscape concerns involving these areas should contact the city directly.

What is Brickman's mowing and landscaping maintenance calendar?

The following is their 2008 schedule for mowing, weeding, spraying, and pruning:

What can be done about yellow and bare spots on common area lawns?

The yellowing of grass is caused by pet urine. The official position of the HOA is that "Your pet goes on your property." So while the HOA may choose to suffer this practice of pets and their owners, we hereby responsibly inform everyone that the practice comes with a cost.

As part of our ongoing landscape maintenance program our HOA will commit reserve funds to restoring bare and yellow spots only in the grassy common areas. The grass restoration is done during the fall months during cooler weather and greater rainfall. This restoration effort will include new sod and seeding as the area dictates.

For bare spots that occur in resident's front yard planting strips, owners are encouraged to plant Liriope (Lily Turf) as an alternative to grass. Liriope is an inexpensive plant that also grows well in both sun and shade, doesn't require mowing, and fills in areas nicely.

Does putting new mulch on top of old mulch without turning it over provide areas for termites to breed?

According to Brickman, this is a "fable." The mulch is so heavily processed (ground up multiple times) and then bagged (high temperatures and no oxygen) that it is impossible for any insect to survive. In the case of bulk mulch that is not bagged, a chemical dye is applied that prevents insect survival.

What deer resistant plants are recommended for my private yard?

The University of Maryland provides the following information:

http://www.agnr.umd.edu/CES/Pubs/PDF/FS655.pdf

Are there any recommendations for native/drought-tolerant plants, plants that attract butterflies, and invasive plants to avoid?

Check out the following link for more information:

http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles.htm

What guidelines are there for fence construction?

Refer to Article 11.24 in your HOA By-Laws - Restrictions for information on fences.