“Perfection” in a garden is not an endpoint. It is a process that involves making little improvements and enhancements to support its natural growth. It is a process of giving the garden what it needs at the right times in the season–then getting out of the way and letting it do what it does naturally: change.
A Garden is Never “Done”
Your landscape is constantly changing: Plants fill out and mature, seasons pass one to the next, and your sense of style evolves–as it should.
As your landscape changes so should the way you care for it.
Your landscaping represents a significant emotional investment. It deserves the time and attention to reach its full potential. The key is hiring a landscape firm with the expertise to recommend the appropriate enhancements and upgrades that will keep your landscape at peak potential over time.
Change — Going with the Flow
What is absolutely perfect when you first plant it can become less so in a few years. Sometimes it’s because the location of the plant no longer meets its needs. It may have become shadier because neighboring plants filled out. Or perhaps soil conditions no longer provide an optimal environment.
Sometimes plants simply fail to thrive. In that case, the solution might be to move a plant to a more hospitable area of the garden and replace it with one better suited to the conditions in its former location. Because a landscape is a living entity that’s always in a state a flux, it’s essential to have a knowledgeable expert to keep you informed of what is happening in your gardens and to make you aware of the best options for maintaining it going forward.
Just as the conditions in our landscape evolve over time, so do our preferences. The more your landscape company takes an interest in your likes and dislikes, the more they’ll be able to open new doors to improvement. And as your relationship grows and trust builds, the more value they’ll offer when it comes to matching your style.
Updating a Mature Landscape
Mature landscapes, even ones that are doing well, require attention. You could think of your landscape as a child. In just a few years, it has grown and has different needs. So the way you care for it will adjust to these changes.
A specialty landscape maintenance company will invest the necessary time and attention your maturing landscape needs to keep it beautiful as it grows and changes. They’ll shift their focus from primarily watering, weeding, and fertilizing, which are essential in the early stage of your landscape, and focus more on pruning and pest control in the later years.
For example, let’s say you have a tree on your property that looks good from a distance, but after five years, it’s actually a little overgrown. It might offer great shade, but if it’s too bulky, it could cause problems for any plants underneath. And from an aesthetic perspective, it doesn’t look great up close.
An expert would see how the crown could be thinned out to let in more light and to make it absolutely spectacular to look at. With sensitive pruning—removing branches that don’t serve a purpose—a landscape firm can take your nice-looking, mature tree and turn it into something stunning.
Consider This: All the great gardens of the world (e.g. Longwood in Philadelphia and Butchart Gardens in British Columbia) were designed and installed by the best of the best. But that wasn’t the end. They are still cared for every day by full-time landscaping crews who can replace old plants, remove debris and dead materials,
and make changes as the years pass. Your garden deserves the same attention.
Proactive and Detailed Garden Care is Essential to a Beautiful Landscape
There is always room for improvement in your landscaping, and it’s essential that you hire a landscaping firm that knows you and your garden well enough to make the necessary adjustments. They should be proactive and candid with you about what to expect from your landscape over time and what they can do to keep it looking its best.
The truth is that investing in enhancements, modifications, and upgrades is just a natural part of the process of tending your landscape.
Are you wondering how to bring out the fullest expression in your landscape and gardens? Our eBook: Choosing the Right Kind of Landscape Maintenance Firm, is full of valuable information to help you understand the fundamental differences between landscape maintenance companies.