A patchy, sunlit grassy yard with shadows from nearby trees and evergreen branches in the foreground. Houses and a sidewalk are visible in the background.

Like a receding glacier, Winter began to wither and melt, leaving behind a scarred and battered landscape.  Its tenuous grasp was loosening, and its legacy becoming more apparent, but March would surely deliver us unto Spring.

A close-up of pink cherry blossoms and buds on a branch, with reddish-brown leaves and a blurred green background.

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:

A large green lawn mower sits on patchy grass near a tree in a residential yard, with houses and shrubs in the background.

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:

Two men raking dry leaves in a yard on a sunny day. One man holds a rake and stands by a red bin, while the other man rakes leaves into a pile. Leaf blower on ground. Bushes and trees in background.

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.

Close-up of three white crocus flowers with yellow-orange stamens blooming outdoors, with a blurred grassy background and a hint of purple flower behind them.

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.  We proudly serve the communities of Villa Park, Elmhurst, Oakbrook, Oakbrook Terrace, Glen Ellyn, Lombard, Wood Dale, Itasca, and more!

Sweeney’s:  A Plant Based Company

Plant of the Week

 

Close-up of vibrant purple flowers blooming in a garden, with green leaves and a fence blurred in the background under bright sunlight.

Narrow Leaf Blue Star

Clusters of powdery blue, star-shaped flowers bloom in mass in early Spring amongst narrow, feathery foliage.  Prefers full to partial sun, and moist, well-drained soil.  Grows 24-36″ tall and 24-36″ wide.  Foliage turns golden yellow in Fall.  Attracts butterflies and other pollinators.  Deer resistant.

“Oh, Spring is surely coming,
Her couriers fill the air;
Each morn are new arrivals,
Each night her ways prepare;
I scent her fragrant garments,
Her foot is on the stair.”
~John Burroughs

Well wishes,

Kim Sweeney