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SPRINGTIME in Kansas City is COMING!
We have had a crazy winter! Most people I have talked to lately have said they are ready for winter to be over and for spring to arrive. The seemingly constant barrage of winter storms and up and down temperatures have worn on people’s nerves. However, the weather has been particularly good for our lawn and landscapes! Above average temperatures and precipitation means that both our lawns and landscapes will be in their best condition when spring arrives. We always get antsy this time of year, but remember, we can really expect our lawn and landscapes to start their spring flush in mid-April and then go into hyper drive until May when things will finally start to seem fully GREEN.
There are plenty of things you can plan on doing to your landscape right now to get it ready for spring and looking its best all year.
1. Make a Plan — One of the biggest mistakes people make in relation to their landscapes is failing to plan. Give some thought to what you would want in your landscape. I suggest that customers think about their home as if it were a vacation home. What would you want your outdoor living space to include in your dream vacation home? Now, let’s include that in a plan for your current landscape. This plan can be done in stages according to budget and time. However, by having it in a plan, it allows us to be deliberate about making your outdoor living space ideal for you.
2. Landscape to your location — As much as you might love impatiens, they will not thrive if exposed to full afternoon sun the same way your favorite hybrid tea roses will never look their best if placed in the shade. Ask me or do some research or before planting plants with which you are not familiar. Planted in their ideal location, plants will be much less work to maintain and stay more beautiful and vigorous.
3. Mulch — It is imperative that all landscape areas be well mulched. Proper mulching around your plants enriches the soil and helps maintain even and consistent moisture. It also beautifies the areas around the plants and makes the plants stand out. There are several options available for mulching that are sure to meet your needs.
4. Use Lighting — You value your landscape, why not make it visible when you are home to see it? Landscape lighting can add dramatic appeal to your already beautiful landscape and make it visible all night long.
5. Maintain your Lawn — Your lawn is like the frame of a great painting. If your lawn is not in top shape then it will make your entire landscape and home look less than appealing.
For more landscaping tips or to discuss your specific landscape needs, give me a call. I’m happy to meet with you and find the perfect landscaping solution.
SPRING LAWN TIPS
· Clean up all debris from the lawn such as leaves, sticks or litter.
· If you did not aerate in the fall, this is a good time to do so.
· Spot seed any bare areas that were not seeded in the fall.
· DO NOT water unless we go a week or more with out rain. By holding off on the water, you will be encouraging deeper rooted grass that will be better prepared for summer droughts.
SPRING LANDSCAPE TIPS
· Don’t clean out the beds too early. Debris like leaves and old plant tops protect delicate crowns during early spring freezes. Typically, wait until at least late April.
· Early spring is the best time to prune most shrubs, but hold off pruning spring flowering shrubs like lilac or forsythia until after they have bloomed.
· Apply pre-emergent to beds as soon as you get them cleaned out to prevent new weeds from growing. (A favorite service of our customers.)
· Apply an organic fertilizer such as Milorganite around all shrubs and plants to give good slow-release spring feeding!
THANK YOU
Thanks to you, our company keeps growing and is able to help more and more Kansas Citians beautify and maintain their outdoor spaces.
The number one way that new customers discover Hamons Custom landscaping is through excited referrals by customers just like you. I am truly appreciative of the trust and confidence that those referrals convey.
If you know a coworker, neighbor, a friend or a relative who may be considering any of the services we offer—it would be the highest compliment for you to refer them to us. I’ll make sure they receive the extra special care and attention that I strive to provide all of our customers. In addition, if there are any services that I can provide you in relation to maintaining or beautifying your outdoor spaces, please make sure you contact me. I always prefer to grow my company from within by maximizing the services provided to existing customers.
SWEETBAY MAGNOLIA
I have never quite figured out Kansas City’s tree choices. We seem to think the only trees we are allowed to plant are oaks, maples and elms. We believe that all the beautiful flowering trees are only available to our lucky neighbors to the south.
Thankfully, there are some flowering trees that grow well in Kansas City. One of them is the Sweetbay Magnolia. In Kansas City, this tree naturally grows as a 15—20 foot multi-stemmed tree. It features delicate creamy flowers with a fragrance that can be smelled several houses away. In late summer, when the flowers are gone, bright red fruit begins to develop and decorate the plant through the early winter. The small oblong leaves hang on through the winter making this tree semi-evergreen. Sweetbay are best grown in medium wet, slightly acidic soil. They can tolerate a wide spectrum of light between partly shady and full sun with ideal conditions happening in the middle of those two.
Sweetbay has become one of my favorite trees. If you would like to see what it looks like, I suggest you head out to your favorite nursery and take a look or give me a call and I can direct you to some very nice landscapes which feature some beautiful specimens.
NIGHTSCAPING
Using Nightscaping outdoor lighting, we can illuminate your walks, drives, entrances, gardens, trees, patio areas and more. With Nightscaping you have the freedom to emphasize the features of your property that you find most attractive. Every installation is custom designed with the individual homeowner in mind.
· Nightscaping your home will extend the usable hours of your property so you don’t have to curtail your outdoor activities when night falls.
· Nightscaping allows you to accentuate the features of your lawn and architecture that you find most attractive.
· Nightscaping gently adorns your house, yard and garden areas with soft light that creates a warm, pleasant, relaxing atmosphere that you, your family and friends will enjoy all evening long.
· Nightscaping discourages prowlers and illuminates your driveways, walks and entrances for added safety.
Nightscaping operates on safe 12-volt power and features top quality, durable fixtures engineered specifically for outdoor use. A custom designed Nightscaping system will do for you at night what your landscaping does during the day — make your home a more attractive and enjoyable place.
The difference between Nightscaping and what you see many of your neighbors doing in their lawns comes down to having great designs and using the highest quality materials.
The design is important—you should never see the source of the light, but rather the effect. The light is there to enhance the look of the existing home and landscape and should not draw attention to itself. Using a combination of down lighting, niche lighting and moon lighting, your landscape will be elegantly highlighted. Design, when accompanied by beautiful and high quality fixtures, ensure that you get not only a jaw dropping effect, but one that will last for years. All of the fixtures and transformers I install come with a LIFETIME WARRANTY. If they break, ever, I will replace them. You will not get that kind of guarantee using lesser quality products available at big box stores. In addition, the transformers I use are top quality solid stainless steel fixtures from the top manufacturers in the industry.
Since this is a new service and I am very excited about enhancing some of the beautiful landscapes I already work with regularly, I am offering a 33% discount off the regular price of installation to all current customers that sign up for a landscape lighting installation by June. This will allow me to ensure that you are able to enjoy the benefits of a top-quality landscape lighting system right away.
A NOTE FROM JEFF
As many of you know, landscaping is only one facet of my very rich life. I am also a teacher, working hard to educate and enhance the lives of third graders at Oak Park—Carpenter Elementary in Overland Park. This is my first year teaching third grade after teaching first grade at Broken Arrow Elementary for 10 years. The change has been exciting and I am loving the challenges that come with learning the intricacies of a whole new grade level. Teaching third graders is not all that different than teaching first graders, they are just a little bit taller and the chairs in the room fit me better.
This has also been an exciting time for my family. My daughter, now 2 1/2 years old, has been enjoying the adventures my wife and she embark on daily. Whether it’s playing with small animal figures, making a slide out of the bed mattress, or just a trip to the store—with a toddler it is always an exciting adventure. My daughter Elise has loved all of the snow this winter and we make regular trips outside together to run around in the snow —— eating it as we go!
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