12
| SUNRAYS
JANUARY 2013
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
CA NEWS
What is a COP? Someone who
cares about our community;
someone who gives up two hours
twice a month to drive around,
wave at neighbors, and watch for things
that just don’t “fit.”
The presence of a COPs car with the am-
ber light flashing is a good deterrent for
anyone who is here and up to no good.
They know they are being watched, and
that’s all COPs does—watch and report.
As COPs drive slowly—all the better
to see what’s going on—cars will come
up behind and hesitate to pass. A strict
rule when I was learning to drive was to
never pass a police car! Some people treat
a COPs car the same, but it’s fine to pass
us—we are going slow for a reason!
Are we paid to patrol? No! Not because we
are worthless, but because we are price-
less. Now, don’t you wish you were a COP,
too? We’d love to have you!
If you can help COPs by volunteering four
hours a month, driving, office staffing, or
with car maintenance, call the COPs office
at 512-966-1362, Monday through Friday
from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
COPs NewDriver Training will be held on
February 9, March 9 and April 13.
What is a COP?
Submitted by Edna Heard, COPs Secretary
First of all, happy 2013 to all of Sun City
from your landscape staff!
We had a great 2012 with two large
projects that were budgeted to enhance
our 17-year-old landscape at the Social
Center and Texas Drive. We were able to
reduce turf where it was not feasible, ex-
pand beds where needed, add rock where
it made sense, and, of course, shut down
irrigation heads wherever possible. Every
gallon of water saved adds up in the long
run. We have been using a lot of native
plants and trees that come from local
growers. I have learned a lot about cer-
tain plants and want to share with you
the good, the bad, and the ugly. Native
adapted plants are not necessarily good
for our landscapes because, after a while,
the seeds spread and some plants are now
showing up in our drainage easements
and need to be removed. I used to love
the Vitex tree since they are affordable,
fast growing, drought-tolerant and have
a pretty purple flower when in bloom.
During inspections of the native com-
mon areas, I have noticed more and more
Vitex suckers that are as invasive as the
Willow Baccharis. So, the Vitex is off
my favorites list. I have found lots of in-
teresting succulents that will make it
through a hard freeze, and I have used
them in the Social Center parking lot is-
lands. My favorite is the Whale’s Tongue,
which has a growth habit similar to an
artichoke. Long-blooming native plants
can be found in front of the Community
Standards Office. The Engleman daisy
bloomed through November and has a
nice green leaf, but my all-time favorite
is the Mistflower that attracts Monarch
butterflies and keeps blooming until a
hard freeze. You will be seeing lots of
these plants in the coming months, and
I will be visiting the native nurseries to
bring the best of the best to Sun City.
The natives are really friendly once you
get to know them!
My favorite native trees are the Anacacho
Orchid, the Kidneywood, and, of course,
the Texas Mountain Laurel. I have also
taken notice of trees that are being de-
molished by deer as the small trunks are
perfect when they have an itch. Mexican
Buckeyes, Possumhaws and Agaves have
been among the most damaged landscape
items in the common areas and had to
be replaced with other shrubs.
What are our plans for 2013? Del Webb
Boulevard, from Sun City Blvd. to Texas
Drive, will receive a facelift and various
older common areas are on the list for this
year. NewZoysia turf in the Social Center
and Texas Drive is scheduled for spring.
We are anticipating more dead tree re-
movals along the roadways and in the
common areas behind homes; this will
be an ongoing item for us.
Of course, we will continue our weekly
Firewise volunteer work days.
I am looking forward to getting our com-
mon areas spruced up this year!
If you have a great plant that will work
for us, please send me an email.
Yours in landscaping, Catrin
Landscape Projects for 2013
(
and some things I have learned)
Submitted by Catrin Dubois, Landscape Superintendent
WHALE’S TONGUE
ENGLEMAN DAISY
ANACACHO ORCHID
