Lamphear’s Lawn Service can transform your landscaping without a total re-do

By Ken McEntee

Spring is the season of renewal and rejuvenation.

One ideal place to begin rejuvenating is your overgrown, unsightly, winter-beaten landscape, suggests Kory Lamphear, owner of Lamphear’s Lawn Service.

“Our spring spruce-up is one of our most popular services,” Kory reveals.

“As the weather breaks, people begin to go outside and look around their yards. Oftentimes they don’t like what they see and they might stress out about having to tear everything out and start over. But in many cases, all they really need is a landscaping facelift.”

Lamphear’s experts are eager to assess your plant beds and other landscape features and create a fresh new look that you can enjoy all summer long.

“We’ll give advice on what plants can be saved, what should be ripped out and replaced, and what just needs to be trimmed back a little,” Kory says. “People are surprised by what a major improvement a little dress-up can make.”

In preparation for a beautiful spring and summer, Kory offers five steps you might consider when planning your perfect yard.

1. Identify and replace unhealthy and overgrown plant materials.
Overgrown and unhealthy plants can ruin the appearance of your landscape, Kory says. Especially when you’re landscaping within two to three feet of your house.

“When plants are growing onto your house and into your gutters, it’s probably time to replace it all for practical as well as aesthetic reasons,” he suggests. “You may notice signs of decay and disease in some of your plants and trees.”

Simply replacing a few shrubs or trimming down a few overgrown plants can often make a significant difference between an eyesore and a well-managed landscape that makes you proud.

Using special 3D computer software, Lamphear’s can show you a picture of what your newly landscaped home will look like before you make any decisions, Kory says.

2. Prune plants and trees to create a uniform, manicured look.
“People are often amazed when they see the difference some simple trimming can make to their landscape,” Kory says.

“Proper pruning is healthy for plants and will make some plants produce more flowers. But you have to be careful. Pruning some plants incorrectly could prevent them from flowering at all.”

Lamphear’s boasts a team of plant experts who have perfected the art of proper trimming.

“We don’t send just anybody out to prune your plants,” Kory promises. “We have more than 30 employees, but only three or four of them prune shrubs and trees. Pruning is an art form that requires a lot of knowledge. You have to know what to trim, how to trim, when to trim—and when not to trim.”

3. Machine deep edge all beds.
“Edging is a trademark for us,” Kory says. “We run it as deep as we can, taking soil conditions into account. It makes such a huge difference in the appearance of the bed that we won’t spread mulch without deep edging first.”

Machine deep edging leaves a clean, straight cut, compared to a jagged cut that results when edging is done with a shovel.

“Once we deep edge in the spring, it’s easy to maintain through the rest of the year,” Kory suggests.

4. Mulch.
Lamphear’s only spreads high-quality, triple-shredded mulch, Kory says.

“We use natural or color-enhanced mulch that is safe for the environment, pets and children,” he says. “We send out a five-man crew that applies the mulch manually and efficiently.”

5. Accent with decorative stone.
“After you get your plants and beds looking great, the next step is to accent your landscape using natural stone,” Kory says.

“We have some magnificent sandstone and rocks that range in size from basketball size to boulders so big we need machines to move them around.”

Decorative walls and retaining walls, he says, can add a whole new dimension to your landscape and add value to your home.

Don’t forget your lawn.
Spring—particularly March and early April—is also the most important time to prepare your lawn for a green and gorgeous summer, Kory advises.

“To guarantee that crabgrass and weeds don’t become a problem, you should get your pre-emergent down as early as possible,” he says.

“By starting early, you can ensure a beautiful lawn, and also save some money. We offer a 15 percent discount for customers who sign up for our exclusive seven-step fertilization program by the end of March. The program includes spring, summer and fall treatments, grub prevention and fall aeration.”

You can get started on your perfect yard by calling Lamphear’s Lawn Service, at 330-725-2102. You also can get more information by visiting LamphearLawn.com.