Landscaping in Memphis: Tips & Tricks

With lots of sunshine and just the right amount of rain, the weather in Memphis is great for natural landscaping! If you’re wondering how to elevate your outdoor space, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve been in the lawn care business since 1972, so we know a thing or two about yards in Memphis. You don’t need anything fancy to take your landscaping to the next level; here are our tips on some natural landscape ideas:

Your Lawn is Everything

Our lawns are the backbone of our landscaping. You can add whatever you want to your yard, but if your lawn isn’t well kept, you can forget about curb appeal. However, keeping up your lawn isn’t as simple as hopping on the mower once a week without a plan. Here are some lawn mowing guidelines to keep in mind:

• For most of the year, it’s best to keep your grass 2.5-3 inches tall, but keep it a little longer (3-3.5 inches) in the summer. Summers in Memphis are hot, so longer grass insulates the soil and protects it from the heat, reducing water loss.
• With that being said, never cut your grass more than ⅓ of its total height. It can take time to get your grass to the ideal height, so be patient and don’t put too much stress on the blades. 

Mowing the lawn is a great start, but there are other things you can do to keep it healthy. Fertilization, aeration and seeding, and weeding are all more things you can do if you want to take it to the next level. Read on our Lawn Care 101 blog for more details on getting the perfect yard! 

Ornamental Trees: The Basics

One of the best ways to spruce up your landscaping is adding ornamentals to your yard. It’s important to choose trees that are suited for the climate, and you should choose carefully where you plant them. Luckily, there are tons of options for trees that will thrive in your yard here in Memphis. Here are just a few of the ornamental trees great for Tennessee yards, with their size included:

• Eastern Redbud (25-35 ft spread)
• Magnolia (20-40 ft spread)
• Crape Myrtle (6-15 ft spread)
• Dogwood (~20 ft spread)
• Cherry Blossom (15-30 ft spread)

Planting Ornamentals

Now that you’ve picked your tree, where should you plant it? With smaller, ornamental trees you have a little more flexibility since their mature size is still pretty small. Many people plant their ornamentals close to their homes as decoration or by the property lines for privacy. The general rule of thumb is that they should be planted at least ½ of their mature canopy width away from your house, shed, fence, etc. 

Adding Shrubs

Your lawn looks fresh, your trees are bright and blooming—what else can you do to enhance your landscaping? Adding shrubs and hedges are fantastic ways to easily boost your yard’s look. Planting shrubs and bushes follows the same rules as planting trees: plant them at least half the distance of their mature spread from your house. Looking for some ideas on which shrubs to plant? Here are some great options for shrubs and bushes in Memphis: 

• Azalea bushes
• Hydrangeas
• Forsythia bushes
• Burning bush

You can plant your shrubs along the driveway for a grand entrance, around your garden bed as a statement piece, or along the perimeter of your house to brighten up the home. These are just a few options, but with shrubs and bushes, there’s a lot of flexibility on where you can plant them. 

Call Southern Spray! 

After you follow these tips to get started on the basics, you might still want some help to fully reach your landscaping design goals. Check out our Memphis services for professional lawn care, tree and shrub care, and more! Happy with our work? Tell your friends in Memphis about us and both of you can get $20 off your next service. Contact us today!