The dense, leaden gray clouds began to separate, like the seams of an old quilt, as patches of blue sky swelled, and the sun glinted upon the ground. It seemed almost symbolic as if Winter’s tenuous grasp was loosening, and March would surely deliver us, eventually, to Spring.

Spring officially arrives March 20th, and Winter will be nothing more than a distant, contemptuous memory. Within mere weeks, Spring will be knocking on our proverbial doors, which ultimately means it’s time to get busy in our yards and gardens. First and foremost, Spring Clean Ups:

Spring Clean Ups position our yards and gardens to exploit the best of Spring’s warmer temperatures and rain fall. Essentially, a clean up allows us to put our best foot forward by:

Raking and cleaning out accumulated leaves and debris.
Pulling dead annuals and cutting back dead perennial stalks and ornamental grasses.
Pruning any dead, diseased, weak or crossing branches, except for Spring-blooming plants, like Forsythia & Lilac. They should not be pruned until after they’ve bloomed.
Edging or re-edging bed edges and tree rings.
Adding mulch to beds and tree rings.
Assessing and addressing lawn issues, like salt damage, snow mold, etc.

The weather will, undoubtedly, swing from one extreme to the other, but make no mistake, Spring is just a stone’s throw away. Reach out to Sweeney’s, and schedule your Spring Clean Up today!  It’s one of the most important first steps you and your landscape can make.

Plant of the Week

Dwarf Bellflower

Fragrant, lavender-blue, cup shaped flowers bloom April – August amongst a low mat of deep green foliage.  Prefers sun to partial shade, and moist, well-drained soil.  Grows 6-8″ tall and -12″ wide.  Deer and rabbit resistant.

“Springtime is the land awakening.  The March winds are the morning yawn.”

-Lewis Grizzard

Warm wishes,

Kim Sweeney