Throughout the year, our grounds team works diligently to make our Corporate campus shine. But if there’s a time to shine brightest, it’s for our annual Shareholders Meeting in May, and the countdown is on.

Blake Ellis, Facilities Maintenance Manager, and the team begin their preparations months in advance. “Because we host so many visitors during this time of the year, it kind of becomes our Super Bowl,” he says. “We put in a lot of extra hours and do our best to make everything look as pristine as we can. We enjoy it.”

Here are our Top 5 Tips to create your own beautiful outdoor space:

1. Seed and mulch. Start by fertilizing your lawn in the spring and fall. During the spring season, seed your yard and mulch landscape beds.

2. Prune. Trimming all bushes and trees twice a year helps them healthily grow back.

3. Mow. It’s best to mow weekly, and at a height of 3 to 3.5 inches.

4. Weed. Get rid of those pesky weeds in both landscaping beds and your lawn. Certain sprays help keep them at bay, or you can try the old-fashioned method of pulling them.

5. Edge. Edging all sidewalks, curbs, and patios helps keep a clean look. Our grounds team also plants new flowers and freshens rock beds for that final touch.

After Shareholders Meeting is over, it’s back to daily campus maintenance for our grounds crew. And then, another countdown begins – days until snow removal.

(But we’re getting ahead of ourselves…)