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 person in a green shirt rakes dry leaves into a pile near a large red trash bin in a sunny yard, with bushes and trees in the background. A leaf blower sits on the ground nearby.

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.

A yellow crocus bud grows among green leaves, melting snow, and brown grass, signaling the start of spring.

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!

Plant of the Week

Bright blue flowers with five petals each, featuring white and yellow centers, are in focus. Green leaves and more blue flowers can be seen blurred in the background.

Dwarf Delphinium

Loose sprays of bright blue flowers with white centers bloom amongst mounds of lacy-green foliage April – July.  Prefers sun to partial shade, and moist, well-drained soil.  Grows 8-12″ tall and 8-12″ wide.  Attracts butterflies.

“The first day of Spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.  The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.”

-Henry Van Dyke

Warm wishes,

Kim Sweeney