From the very first sign of snowdrops, we’ve got spring fever.
Sure, a surprise storm can blanket our budding landscape in an instant, but March makes us forward thinkers, planning the lushness to come no matter how many last hurrahs Jack Frost throws our way.
Even if it’s too early to plant out flats of pansies, there are plenty of tasks to get your garden groove on. Dan Bender of Erb Brothers Landscaping (www.erbbrothers.com) in Lititz says now’s the time “to do a walkabout” around your property, assessing winter damage and envisioning the possibilities for freshening up your landscape.
“Do a pre-spring inspection, looking for winter damage,” he advises. “With that Halloween snow and the type of winter we’ve had with severe temperature fluctuations, that can cause a whole set of problems.”
There are tasks you can tackle yourself: Pruning ragged edges from winter broken branches, raking debris from your lawn and flower beds to add to your compost pile, cutting back grasses and the stalks and seedheads of other perennials, and getting a
soil test so you’ll know what nutrients you’ll need to apply. As for your hardscape, you may find your pavers have heaved and need to be releveled and reset.
Bender says homeowners can make a significant impact simply by sprucing up their properties with edging, mulching and annuals.
“The key this time of year is that there is a level of patience required by the homeowner,” he says. Everybody wants to get out the first few days that it is 60 degrees, and that might be in March or April when it’s still too early to do much planting. We can still get snow then, so it’s a little premature.”
What can be done, in addition to general clean-up, is planning. Get a soil test so you’re ready for lawn care. Prep a new planting bed by putting down layers of cardboard and mulch. Start a compost pile if you don’t already have one.
And then when there’s heavy lifting involved— whether cutting trees, installing hardscape, or envisioning new designs—there’s time to call in the professionals.
“We get called in when there’s new construction, when someone’s just moved into a house that needs an overhaul, or even for an existing house that needs to be refreshed with a makeover,” says Bender. “We focus on design concerns, with most of our calls focused on outdoor living areas as people start to think about summer picnics, graduation parties and celebrating weddings.”
Bender says that now is the ideal time to work with a landscaper. “The earlier you contact them, the better. Planning in March and April is key to getting the plant materials you want; otherwise, the nurseries may be out of them.”
Angie Vidic of Vidic Landscape Design and Construction (www.vidiclandscape.com) in Mechanicsburg agrees, saying that “spring is a good time to assess your outdoor living areas and work on plans for that summer hardscape or landscape project your family has been looking forward to enjoying.” Projects she recommends homeowners consider: “A new pergola for shade and style. A fire pit or fireplace for relaxing and roasting marshmallows. A sitting wall by the patio for extra seating and sense of enclosure. New island landscape beds for a focal point. A fountain or waterfall for the relaxing sound of moving water.”
Vidic recommends assessing your landscape, looking at what shines and what is merely background. She notes that often mature foundation shrubs can really date a house. “If they’re covering up your windows, it’s time to do some renovation by replacing with a more appropriately sized plant that will not grow above the base of the window,” she says.
Now, before plants have leafed out, it’s a good opportunity to assess the structure and form of your garden and note what offers fourseason interest.
“If you have mostly evergreen plants that stay green all year, think about changing some out for an ever-changing landscape,” says Vidic. “Deciduous plants that will lose their leaves in winter can provide fragrant blooming flowers and beautiful color in fall; some even have red or yellow stems.”
A Well-Planned Approach
When adding color in the form of flowering plants, Vidic suggests planting in groups of five or more of the same variety for greater impact. When choosing perennials, “make sure you pick several varieties that
will bloom at different times of the year.”
As far as annuals, Vidic recommends adding cool season plants “such as pansies or primrose for a pop of color either in pots or changeout zones within your landscaping. They will provide color in the landscape until the heat-tolerant annuals of summer are planted.” Vidic also recommends thinking about sculptural elements.
“If your house has a stone exterior, you can add a few strategically placed boulders in the landscape to really complement the house,” she says. “Adding a fountain, whether it is sculptural or natural stone, near your front entrance really adds that ‘wow’ factor when guests arrive at the front door.”
And she suggests taking a hard look at your home from the street perspective, just like a potential home buyer would.
“If you have a boring, no-curve concrete walk, think about redesigning with elegant pavers and a more natural flow. That really adds to the curb appeal of your home, while also adding to the value,” she says.
“Maybe just a new coat of paint in a different color will liven up the front door and complement the new plantings that you are adding.”
