This property backs up to the woods off Jordan Lake, and the owners wanted one crew handling all of it - lawn, beds, and the seasonal swings - instead of juggling three vendors.
The spring rebuild
We started in March with the beds: redefined every edge, pulled two seasons of buildup, and installed 14 yards of double-ground hardwood. New plantings went in where the deer had won - hydrangeas and salvia near the house, coneflowers along the lawn edge where they get full sun. Path lights went back in after the mulch, not before, so nothing got buried.
The weekly program
Mowing runs weekly March through November with alternating stripe patterns so the turf never develops grain. Beds get a walk-through on every visit and a full refresh four times a year.
One honest note
Deer pressure this close to the lake is real. We replant what they take the first season, then switch to what they leave alone - that is why these beds lean hydrangea, salvia, and ornamental grass instead of hostas.
The photos
