At Southwest Landscape Management, creating and maintaining beautiful yards is what they do--period

By Ken McEntee

After a visit to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Morty Seinfeld bluntly assessed the impressionist works of Claude Monet: “Don’t you think he had to be near sighted? I mean nobody would paint like that if they could see.”

Likewise, says Steve Rak, owner of Southwest Landscape Management, a homeowner, viewing his or her winter-ravaged landscape beds for the first time in the spring, may have a hard time visualizing the beauty behind the mess.

“It can be intimidating to think about reviving your yard,” Steve acknowledges. “Fortunately, it’s usually not as bad—or as expensive—as it looks. Viewing your yard through a landscaper’s eye, we can implement surprisingly subtle changes that make your plant beds sparkle throughout the summer. Oftentimes just adding a new plant here or there, ripping out some dead or overgrown matter, and applying a new layer of mulch makes all the difference in the world.”

Although Southwest Landscape Management is trusted to maintain some of the area’s largest commercial properties and upscale home developments, the company also specializes in less complicated jobs that many larger services tend to steer away from.

“Many good landscape companies make their money on building elaborate patios, outdoor kitchens and other big hardscape projects,” Steve explains. “That may be why some of them don’t bother to return your call when you inquire about routine maintenance and transformation projects. One thing that makes us different from many other companies is that landscaping is our primary focus—not a sideline. We don’t even do the high-priced hardscape projects and patio installations. We’re landscaping experts. Period.”

For many homeowners, having a gorgeous yard is more essential than ever.

“More people are working from home and for the first time not loving what they see when they gaze out their window,” Steve observes. “Plus, a lot of people are putting in swimming pools so they can spend more recreational time at home. Colorful flowers enhance the space around the pool, and hedges and bushes like arborvitae can provide a more attractive privacy barrier than an ugly wooden fence does.”

Installing vibrant accent plants like hydrangea, black-eyed Susan, day lilies and purple cone flowers, Steve assures, can make your yard resemble a park—right outside your door.

“We have a palette of spectacular, hardy plants that are ideal for the Northeast Ohio climate,” he says. “Ornamental and flowering trees also can provide a dazzling touch.”

Scheduling a spring cleanup with Southwest Landscape Management is a wise way to begin your yard beautification project, Steve suggests.

“Getting your spring cleanup done right always sets the tone for the year,” he says. “And letting us handle your weekly mowing and maintenance allows you to enjoy your new landscape without having to lift a finger between April and November. Because we’re not doing elaborate building projects, we assign our best landscaping experts to do what they do best.”

Southwest Landscape’s year-round management program for yards of all sizes includes:

• Spring clean-up
• Bed edging
• Mulch application
• Weekly lawn maintenance
• Bed maintenance
• Shrub and tree pruning
• Fertilization
• Fall leaf clean-up

“Beautifying your yard is satisfying, but it’s also a wise investment,” Steve says. “What we do doesn’t cost a ton of money, and homeowners are amazed at how much we can improve their yards with just a few changes.”

It’s simple to get an estimate.

“Just give us a call,” Steve says. “If we can’t answer the phone, we’ll typically get back to you within an hour or two, but always within 24 hours. You don’t even need to be home for us to do a walk around at give you a quote, whether it’s for a one-time project or a weekly service plan.”

Homeowners, commercial property owners and homeowners associations can get a no-cost quote by calling Steve, at 440-748-6000, or by sending an email to steve@sw-landscape.com. Southwest Landscape Management is located at 33593 Royalton Road, in Columbia Station. You can learn more at SW-Landscape.com.