For families of deployed military personnel and wounded or disabled veterans handling basic yard maintenance tasks can be a real challenge. To meet that challenge Project EverGreen established the GreenCare for Troops program to provide complimentary lawn and landscape care services to these deserving individuals.

Project EverGreen is celebrating the 10th anniversary of GreenCare for Troops this year and National GreenCare for Troops Awareness Week. Our goal is to raise awareness with military families and veterans about the services available, as well as recruit additional volunteers to provide these valuable services.

Over the history of the program, GreenCare for Troops has served more than 10,000 military families across the country with the tremendous assistance of more than 5,000 lawn and landscape contractor volunteers. The program has delivered an estimated $5 million of in-kind services to military families and veterans since the program’s inception.

GreenCare for Troops Facts & Figures

• 1 – White House Joining Forces Initiative Award
• 10 – The numbers of years GreenCare for Troops has been helping families of deployed military personnel
• 50 – States in which there are registered military families and volunteer contractors
• 2006 – The year GreenCare for Troops was launched
• 5,000 – Number of volunteer contractors that have registered to provide services through GreenCare for Troops
• 10,000 – Number of military families that have registered for GreenCare for Troops since program’s inception
• 150,500 – Estimated number of U.S. military personnel deployed overseas
• 3.6 Million – Number of veterans with a service-related disability needing assistance with day-to-day household and lifestyle assistance services
• $5 million – Estimated value of in-kind services provided to military families and veterans through GCFT since the program’s inception

To help our registered volunteers promote their participation in the program we have created a volunteer promotional tool kit with a customizable press release, infographic, suggested social media posts, talking points, and facts and figures.

To download contact GreenCare for Troops program coordinator Ki Matsko at 888/611-2955

We encourage volunteers to share information about your involvement with GreenCare for Troops with the local media, civic and veterans groups in your community. Put the logo and add the new GreenCare for Troops video to your on your website, post to Facebook, send a Tweet, or send an e-mail to your customers – spread the word anyway you can.

For military families or wounded and disabled or wounded veterans interested in registering for service they can do so online at www.ProjectEverGreen.org

Project EverGreen would also like to recognize The Toro Company for its generous support of the program.
Our final thank you is to the military families and veterans we serve. Thank you for your service and sacrifice to our country, and to protecting freedom at home and around the world.

Landscaping is an art form. It requires planning, knowledge, and hard work. It entails a whole lot more to tree and shrub care than going to the local nursery, picking a couple of plants that look nice, digging some holes, and calling it a job done.

Before you start a landscape project, you need to answer some basic questions that will help you pick the right plant and put it in the right place. Project EverGreen asked the pros at Spring-Green lawn care services, a long-time supporter of PE and advocate for green spaces, for tips on how to design the ideal backyard green space for your family to enjoy.

Starting Your Landscape Plan

First, you need to decide the basic layout and space available for the trees and shrubs you are going to buy. Take a survey of your property and make a drawing of the shape of your property.

Draw in the location of your house, driveway, sidewalks, and any other permanent structures. It is a good idea to try to determine the slope of your property and note any areas of your yard that may be influenced by surrounding structures or plants. An example of this would be the amount of shade coming from a neighbor’s trees.

Sketch some ideas on paper to get an idea where you may want to add new plants, or replace old ones. On the layout, it would be a good idea to pencil in the location of the windows on your house; determine the distance from the window to the ground level; and write it underneath each window sketched. This information will be useful when choosing foundation plants.

Picking Landscape Plants

Second, you need to decide why you are planting what you are planting. Is it going to be a focal point of the entire landscape, or is it going to be used to fill in an open space? Are you purchasing it for its beauty and looks, or will it be functional, such as a border or hedge, or both?

Do some research by looking at landscape guides, garden magazines, or by visiting a local nursery or garden center. It is important to know the ultimate height and/or width of the trees and shrubs you are considering.

One common mistake that many do-it-yourselfers make is putting too many plants in too small of a place. Another common mistake is not considering the height or width of the plant. If the window is 3 feet from the ground and the plant you purchase will grow to 10 feet, there will be a shrub care problem in a very short time.

The same holds true when placing plants next to a door. If the plant will grow to a width of 8 feet and it is planted 2 feet from the front door, then it may soon become difficult to find the door. It can be deceiving when you go to purchase a plant that is only 24-inches wide and try to envision it at its full size. It is important to keep this in mind, or you may be redoing your landscape every 10 years, or so.

Placing Landscape Plants

The third consideration is the placement of the plants in relationship to the growing and maintenance conditions of the planting site and the growing requirements of the plant itself. An example of this is putting shade loving plants in shady yard areas and sun-loving plants in sunny yard areas.

Remember to consider the potential size of the surrounding plants. Finally, consider the aesthetic value and appeal of the plants you are choosing. You need to decide what looks good to you.

You could hire a landscape architect to make many of the decisions for you and offer suggestions for plant selections. Those services will cost extra money, but it may be worth it if you are at your wit’s end deciding which plants to choose.

For more information on Project EverGreen’s programs that promote the economic, social and lifestyle benefits of managed green spaces, visit www.ProjectEverGreen.org

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Celebrating 10 Years Of GreenCare for Troops and National GreenCare for Troops Awareness Week

Designing the Perfect Backyard Greenspace