Church groundskeepers are responsible for maintaining the exterior property surrounding the church. Also known as grounds maintenance workers, their duties involve planting trees and flowers, weeding, mowing the lawn, and caring for the plants. This is crucial work, even though it happens outside the sanctuary. Creating a beautiful, well-maintained space to greet churchgoers as they come to worship is key to a full spiritual experience. Although many churches have limited budgets, their groundskeepers can maintain beautiful, safe outdoor spaces with these tips.
1. Invest in good equipment.
Prioritize your essential equipment needs and invest in quality products from reputable companies with good warranty programs. You may spend more initially, but mowers, trimmers, and other equipment from reputable suppliers are less likely to break down. Read online reviews before choosing a manufacturer to ensure you get the most reliable equipment possible.
2. Get trees trimmed professionally.
If you live in or around Brisbane, you know that a church surrounded by beautiful Brisbane tree limbs is a stunning sight to behold, but those trees need to be cared for. Trimming trees can be expensive and dangerous, but dead or dangerous limbs must be removed regularly by an arborist if you want to avoid an emergency tree removal or, worse, some kind of disaster. Limbs from trees near your church building can scrape against the roof and siding, causing structural damage. Dead trees and limbs can also fall and injure people in the area or destroy property.
Professional tree trimmers and arborists know how to remove limbs and trees safely and efficiently. Google “Brisbane tree lopping” to find an affordable, reputable tree removal service in your area. Professional tree trimmers should list the type of equipment they use, such as tree loppers, and verify their depth of experience with tree removal and tree lopping. Review their qualifications and make sure they have insurance before they begin with the tree removal or trimming. Professional tree trimmers can also trim hedges and remove stumps, as well as provide any other tree service you may need.
3. Water at night.
Water plants at night to maximize the benefits of watering. Some locations have summer watering restrictions you must follow. The hot sun can cause water to evaporate, and your efforts will have minimal benefit for the plants. Watering your lawn and plants at night will reduce the evaporation rate from the heat and give the water time to soak into the earth, which will help your plants thrive during the hot summer months.
4. Inspect wedding photos.
One way churches generate funds is by hosting weddings. Ask the ministers to request that couples send a wedding photo taken on the church grounds. This can help you identify popular photo locations on the property. Focus on planting flowers and trees that provide a beautiful backdrop for wedding parties. You can also study wedding photos in bridal magazines to get ideas for how to develop your grounds. Adding a pergola, gazebo, or arbor may attract couples and their photographers to your church because of the beautiful grounds.
5. Match the church decor to the grounds.
Consider your church’s decor and plant flowers that complement interior features. If you plant flowers that match the color of the church candles your minister uses, you will be able to make matching floral arrangements for services and special events. This can save your church money because they will not need to purchase floral displays from an outside source, and it also ensures your church will be ready to host events on short notice. Conversely, if you have some flowers to trees that you love like lavender, you can buy purple church chairs, order lavender scented votive candles with a votive glass, devotional candles, oil candles, or any other features of your interior that match the florals that will be shining through your windows. The flowers, trees beautiful candles together will make for a striking effect.
6. Post appropriate signs.
There may be areas you’d like visitors to avoid when they’re walking on the grounds. You can preserve your flower gardens and protect areas where you’ve just planted grass seed by posting signs asking people to stay on the path. You may also want to post signs about the trees and flowers featured on the grounds. If your church grounds are extensive, you can post signs asking people to keep their dogs on a leash and pick up after their pet. You can also post signs pointing to restroom facilities.
7. Plan for special events.
It’s common for churches to host weddings and funerals, but there are many other special activities you may need to plan for each year. Review your church’s annual activity planner and prepare for carnivals, youth group activities, sports events, and other events your church hosts. You may need to ensure grass seed is planted in advance to avoid hosting activities on dirt or having people disturb the seed you’ve planted. You may want to add some features to the grounds, such as benches.
8. Expect visitors.
Beautifully maintained church grounds attract church members, residents, and photographers. Some people enjoy photographing churches and consider it a hobby. Prepare for visitors by ensuring trash bins are in place and easy to access. Make sure they’re emptied regularly. You may also want to consider how accessible your grounds are. If there is a cemetery with visible headstones on your church grounds, you may receive elderly visitors with mobility issues. You can accommodate their needs by ensuring wide paved paths lead from the parking lot to the cemetery and throughout the church property.
