In preparation for an appealing spring and summer, Lamphear’s offers five steps to consider when planning your dazzling yard

By Ken McEntee

Overgrown, unkempt plants can be among the most profound impediments to your home’s spectacular curb appeal. But cleaning up the unsightly mess may seem like an intimidating task.

Not necessarily so—if you know what you’re doing.

“It isn’t as bad as you might think,” assures Kory Lamphear, owner of Lamphear’s, Medina’s landscaping experts.

“Many people think they’ll need to spend a lot of money to rip everything out and start over,” Kory says.

“But our knowledgeable landscapers know how to weed out the bad from the good and are usually able to salvage a lot more of your existing plants than you might expect. We can add a few more plants and unique focal points and create a spectacular look that’s worthy of your beautiful home. Customers are often shocked by what an improvement a landscape facelift can make.”

Lamphear’s calls that facelift a “spring spruce-up,” and it’s one of the company’s most popular services, Kory reveals.

“It’s one of the best ways to get started on springtime,” he says. “One very popular feature is our 3D design software that can show you how your yard is going to look before we even break out the shovels.”

In preparation for an appealing spring and summer, Kory offers five steps you might consider when planning your dazzling yard.

1. Identify and replace unhealthy and overgrown plant materials.
Overgrown and unhealthy plants can be especially troublesome when they are within two to three feet of your house, Kory cautions.

“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.”

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 60 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.
Kory is a stickler for edging. That’s why he has invested a lot of money into the best deep edging equipment available.

“Edging is a trademark for us,” says Sales Manager Kevin Mick.

“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.”

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. Apply 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 white gray sandstone that we bring in from Michigan and some gorgeous moss-covered top rock from the mountains in Pennsylvania. It ranges anywhere from basketball size to boulders so big that we need machines to move them around.”

Flowering shrubs—like roses that bloom throughout the summer—can make a fabulous complement to natural stone,” Kory suggests.

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

6. Bonus step: Add a fabulous outdoor living area.
Once you have a gorgeous, park-like yard, you need to get out and enjoy it.

Whether you want a small, secluded patio where you and your spouse can unwind with a glass of wine after work, or a colossal space with an outdoor kitchen, spectacular lighting and plenty of room for entertaining large gatherings, Lamphear’s dedicated outdoor living team is eager to design and build it.

Lamphear’s has earned the distinction of being an authorized Unilock contractor.

“Unilock is very particular about its reputation,” Kory says.

“In order to become an authorized installer, we had to go through special training and demonstrate that we meet their strict quality standards and abide by their warranty.”

To get your yard summer ready, Kory suggests that you schedule your appointment with Lamphear’s as soon as possible by calling 330-725-2102. By the end of March they are usually booked past Labor Day. You can get more information by visiting LamphearLawn.com.