​Shane and Amberly Elmore of 15001 Avening Place (Longtown Section) are the Collington Holiday House Festive Award Winners for 2021.  The Elmores have lived in Collington for over five years. The process for decorating their house begins on Thanksgiving Day every year and includes the addition of more lights and inflatables. 
The Elmores take full advantage of the corner lot the house sits on and decorate with a mixture of multi-color lights that encompass three sides including the fence that outlines the back yard, each window, as well as the shrubs and along the driveway.  This house glows from blocks away.  As you walk up their driveway, you are greeted by Frosty the snowman.  You definitely want to take the time to stop by 

​Mike and Shannon Hayes of 8924 Lavenham Loop (Lavenham Section) are the Collington Holiday House Classic Award Winners for 2021.  They have lived in Collington for over three years.  The Hayes children contributed a major portion of the time spent to decorate their house.
The first thing you notice as you drive down the road are the three deer that light up the front lawn.  They have big red bows around their necks.   The shrubs are beautifully decorated with white lights, with all the windows having wreaths with snowflakes on them. The eight-piece manger on the front lawn gives a feeling of calmness and peace.  This house has three spotlights that accentuate the total picture.  This is truly a simple, but elegant and classic house.  Take the time to visit and let your mind appreciate the peacefulness…

The Collington Grounds Committee “Yard of the Month” award, for the month of October, has been presented to Caitlyn Sexton of 14200 Ashmill Drive.

Caitlyn certainly knocked the committees “Fall Décor” theme out of the park. Caitlyn has lived in Collington for 3 years and her love of community and her neighbors is obvious while talking with her about activities she is involved within the Ashmill section.  As posted the end of September, the committee judged porch and yard décor with a FALL theme this month. The pictures speak for themselves with beautiful groupings that include mums, different size and color pumpkins, colorful pillows, vintage stepstools, rustic signs, scarecrows, hay bales, and an elegant fall door wreath.

Caitlyn will have the “Yard of the Month” sign in her front yard till the end of November and received a $25 Lowes gift card.

We encourage residents to take a stroll or drive around the community and view the festive decor, the Holiday Season is upon us! You will definitely be inspired!

We have a long list of honorable mentions this month: 14525 Tealby Drive, 14619 Collington Court, 11107 Collington Drive, 10507 Pembrookdock Place, 10042 Paddockwood Terrace, 9818 Bayford Drive, 9807 Bayford Drive, 14001 Ashmill Drive, 9837 Bafferton Road, 14813 Lavenham Lane.
There will NOT be a YOTM award for November, but we present TWO awards for Holiday decorations in December.

The Classic Holiday House award is for elegant/traditional/classic decorations. Our Festive Holiday House award is for whimsical/funny/any thing goes décor. These awards will be chosen the middle of December. We generally review houses twice for these awards: at night and during the day.

The Collington Grounds Committee “Yard of the Month” award, for the month of September, has been presented to Barbara and Fred Gray of 9842 Bafferton Road.

Barbara and Fred received this award two years ago as well. Not only are they making a statement in Collington with their green thumb, but friends from former communities still call and tell them how much they miss seeing their beautiful flowers. The Grays have lived in Collington for five years.
Included in this simple but elegant front yard are: light and dark pink vinca, white and pink begonias, abelia (which blooms yellow) Japanese holly, soft touch miniature cedar, a cherry tree which blooms pink in the spring and arborvitae.

Fred and Barbara do their own pruning. A very smart tip that Fred shared was to make sure to toss fertilizer in the hole just before planting your annuals. He uses a mixture of soil and fertilizer that can be purchased at our local home improvement store. And it goes without saying, Bloom Booster and Miracle Grow are a usual in just about all of our award winners’ yards! It truly will keep your blooms vibrant all season.
Barbara and Fred will have the “Yard of the Month” sign in their front yard till the end of October and received a $25. Lowes gift card.

Honorable mentions for September are: 13930 Collington Mews, 14406 Parracombe, and 14112 Hockliffe Lane.
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YOTM is chosen during the last week of May, June, July, August, September, and October (fall porch and yard décor). The criteria for picking are based on the front yard only. The committee looks for 1.) Overall turf health/nice balance of green, and well-manicured grass, 2.) Shrub maintenance and grooming (trimmed shrubs), 3.) Color/flowers being used to enhance the overall curb appeal. Once a resident receives the award, they are not eligible again for two years.  YOTM for December is a Holiday Award and has its own criteria for Classic and Festive décor, both are chosen in December.

The Collington Grounds Committee “Yard of the Month” award, for the month of August, has been presented to Richard and Vicki Gentile of 14549 Parracombe Lane.

Richard and Vicki also received this award in September of 2018. Their easy and simple green thumb techniques obviously are still working!! The Gentiles have lived in Collington for 8 years. While their front yard thumb print is small, the well-trimmed shrubs and flower choices will catch your eye right away.
The driveway post light welcomes friends with beautiful red and white hibiscus. The Holy bushes, that line the walkway to the front door, make a lush green back drop for the pink and white alternating begonias. Richard and Vicki’s gardening tips include: fertilizing with 10-10-10 as a base about 3 times a year and watering three times a week for at least 20 minutes in each zone. Vicki keeps the begonia blooms bright and fresh with Miracle Grow and Blossom Booster (alternating these each month). The New Genia inpatients, that are filling the large pots flanking the front porch, get the same treatments.
Richard and Vicki will have the “Yard of the Month” sign in their front yard till the end of September and received a $25. Lowes gift card.

Honorable mentions for August are: 11107 Collington Drive, 10543 Pembrooke Dock Place, 9842 Bafferton Lane, 14112 Hockliffe Lane.

YOTM is chosen during the last week of May, June, July, August, September; and October (fall décor). The criteria for picking are based on the front yard only (but we may include photos of side yards just for fun). We look for 1.) Overall turf health/nice balance of green, and well-manicured grass, 2.) Shrub maintenance and grooming (trimmed shrubs), 3.) Color/flowers being used to enhance the overall curb appeal. Once a resident receives the award, they are not eligible again for two years.  

YOTM for December is a Holiday Award and has it own criteria for Classic and Festive décor, both are chosen in December.

To view previous YOTM recipients, and steal their gardening tips and ideas, go to www.collingtonhoa.com/yard-of-the-month.

​COLLINGTON YARD OF THE MONTH – MAY 2021
 
The Collington Grounds Committee “Yard of the Month” award, for the month of May, has been presented to Don and Michelle Hines of 11215 Longtown Drive.
 
Don and Michelle have lived in Collington for 6 years. Don, a military veteran, and his wife Michelle have certainly found what works best in their yard, as it is beautiful throughout the season. Dons’ tips include, watering twice a day, especially with the heat we have already experienced, and feeding perennials and annuals every two weeks.
 
This established yard is very well maintained and groomed from the perennial shrubs down to the grass. Included in the front yard are: evergreen shrubs of different shades, dark pink Drift and Knockout Roses (which bloom first in the season), and Abelia, which are whitish pink in color and bloom after the roses start to fade. A white Crepe Myrtle in the center of the front yard sets the tone highlighting the potted geraniums framing the front porch.  Evergreens and tall grasses highlight other parts of the yard without overcrowding or making the yard to busy. This is a beautiful ‘postage stamp’ on our community.
 
Don and Michelle will have the “Yard of the Month” sign in their yard till the end of June and received a $25. Lowes Gift Card. 
 
Honorable mentions this month (who are still eligible for the award through out the season) include: 10012 Paddockwood Terrace, 14549 Parracombe Lane, 14531 Forest Row Trail, and 15012 Wooferton Drive.
 
As usual the Yard of the Month Award is difficult to choose as it takes quite a bit of time and there are so many beautiful yards throughout Collington. The committee members truly enjoy the opportunity to honor our residents who beautify our community with such incredible yard work. The YOTM is chosen during the last few weeks of May, June, July, August, September, October (fall décor). The criteria for picking are based on the front yard only. We look for 1.) Overall turf health/nice balance of green, and well manicured grass, 2.) Shrub maintance and grooming, 3.) Color/flowers being used to enhance the overall curb appeal. Once a resident receives the award they are not eligible again for two years. YOTM for December is a Holiday Award and has its own criteria for Classic and Festive décor, both chosen in December.
 
To find additional gardening tips, ideas for your own yard, and pictures of past award winning yards, go to collingtonhoa.com, committees/grounds/yard of the month.
 
We know gardening is not everyone’s forte and also that some residents are not able to do the work themselves or do not the time. We also realize that some sections of the community do not have front yards conducive to a lot of landscaping, or planting, in particular those who might have very small front yards. We do absolutely drive down every street in every section. It takes several hours of driving, taking notes, and going back to houses on our ‘stand out list’ to pick a house. We would love to have recommendations if you see a house worthy that you feel meets the criteria, even your own yard!!! Please send your recommendations to kayschiltz3@gmail.com.

As the grounds committee drove through the neighborhood, for two and a half hours the first night, then 45-60 minutes another couple of nights, to pick the Holiday House Festive and Classic awards for 2020, we were amazed at the number of homes decorated! This was the most difficult year ever to choose just ONE house for each award. We thought it would be nice to list Honorable Mentions, but we have a full page of Honorable Mentions for each award! It doesn't matter whether you have a BIG house or a SMALL house, the decorations were outstanding. Some we were sure are visible from space! Frontyards, backyards, side yards, all decked out. Storm troopers, baby yodas, Elfs, Santas, Bears, white lights, multi lights, spot lights, you name it. Moving parts, musical parts, videos, light shows! We had to see some houses during the day and night just to make decisions. Please keep doing what you are doing Collington, FANTASTIC JOB! The winners are not eligible for the next two years so we have kept our lists to check them twice - NEXT YEAR - and year after year! ​

For the Month of September 2020, the Grounds Committee has chosen 8961 Lavenham Loop as the “Yard of the Month”.

Owners Kate and David Beizer have lived in Collington for 2 years and do all their own planting and yard maintenance . The colors are bright and eye catching and very fresh even for the end of September! Kates tip is ‘Miracle Grow’!

The flowers includes dark and light pink vinca, purple asters and golden mums, and red knockout roses with a backdrop of  lush green boxwoods.  On the porch in beautiful red pots (that David picked out) are lime green and burgundy coleus. There is even a bit of welcoming whimsy added with a metal sculpture of a kitty near the front steps, so cute! 

Congratulations to Kate and David. They will have the “Yard of the Month” sign in their yard through this month and have received a $25 gift card from the Grounds Committee.

The next Yard of the Month to be awarded will be in December for Christmas décorations. There will be two awards: Festive and Classic, more info regarding criteria for these awards to come.

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