Monkey Grass Woes

We had the sweetest homeowner call us about her troublesome front yard last week. She originally had a nicely manicured yard with a border of monkey grass. But that was years ago. The border had overtaken everything, along with the weeds, and the grass was eating her sidewalk. She just wanted to get rid of the weeds and clean it all up. We took care of it and the yard looks so clean and fresh now.

It all started with this sidewalk. She had a wonderful path straight from the road to the door and it had seen better days. The grass and weeds had encroached so far it was almost impassable. A little TLC brought it back out to its actual size.

As you can see, the monkey grass was a bit of a problem. It was everywhere. She wanted to have it cleaned out to be just a border like it was originally. We pulled out the weeds, took out the unwanted plants, and trimmed up the remaining ones. Fresh mulch topped it off all off.

We couldn’t be happier with this outcome and we love being able to help our customers!

Gardening

We’ve branched out into gardening and we just loved working on this home!

Carol pointed us in the direction she wanted to go and then let us get to work. Some overgrown shrubs were replaced and we filled everything in with bright pops of color. In a couple of weeks, once the flowers have been given a chance to thrive, this house will definitely be eye-catching.

The best part for the homeowner is that these flowers are maintenance-free. For a small monthly fee we take care of them like our own. This includes watering, fertilizing, pruning, deadheading, and replacing flowers that just aren’t thriving.

If you would like to see about brightening up your home and improving your curb appeal, shoot us a text or an email. We would love to bring your vision to life.

cassie@alamowllc.com
205.535.2060

Red geraniums – You can never go wrong with a classic.

Petunias and lipstick pink geraniums – These petunias will grow exponentially and create the most beautiful mix of color at the mailbox.

Such a welcoming entrance!

Aloha Kona Calibrachoa – These bright yellow beauties will mound up and be stunning in front of the dark shrubs.

 

 

Daylight Saving Time

This weekend it happened again.That dreaded time of year. Time to “Spring Forward” and lose an hour of sleep. Well, I know I certainly did. Between trying to trick my body into going to sleep an hour earlier and waking up at what felt like an hour earlier, I’m struggling today.

Most people think DST was started by farmers but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Farmers were actually against it from the very beginning. The time change really messed with their work schedule. They couldn’t harvest hay at the earlier time because it was still wet with dew and they had other activities that couldn’t be performed until temperatures dropped after the sun went down.

DST was started by businessmen around the time of WWI. It was an effort to save energy (coal) that be put toward the war effort.

WWI-era ad promoting Daylight Saving Time

Our family at AlaMow hopes your family uses the extra hour of daylight this summer to get outside after work and school. Play in the yard, plant some flowers, take a walk. We’re paying for it this morning but hopefully we’ll all be able to reap the rewards soon.

Updated Landscaping

Last week we had the pleasure of completely redoing the front landscaping for a wonderful family here in Tuscaloosa. Most of these plants had been in the ground for over 40 years so the tear-out process was more difficult than usual. But we persevered and the results are spectacular! The house looks cleaner, fresher, and up-to-date. Check out the before and after below!

 

This ground cover will eventually spread out and grow together to create a green bed. Not only will this look beautiful but it will cut down on maintenance costs in the future because the homeowners won’t need to re-mulch as often.

 

Another before-and-after shot to show just how overgrown the shrubs were. They covered half the window and the homeowner has actually said their house is much brighter now!

If your curb appeal could use an update, please feel free to contact us. We offer free estimates and would love to work with you!

Time for Tree Trimming

Trees are dormant in Alabama right now so it’s time to get them trimmed! According to The Arbor Day Foundation, trimming now results in the best new growth in the Spring.

So if you want to max out the blooms on your trees this year, give us a call!

The Gift of Time

Valentine’s Day is next week! If you’re like most people and are still scrambling for a gift for your significant other, try something different this year.

Rather than getting another “thing” for your significant other, give the gift of time. Most homeowners have a few things on their honey-do list right now to get their houses ready for Spring. Let us do the yard work on your list and spend the time saved hanging out with your spouse.

We promise your time will be well spent.

Groundhog Day

Today is February 2, also known as Groundhog Day. Tradition states that if Punxsutawney Phil comes out of his little hidey-hole and sees his shadow, we’ll get an early Spring. If not, we get 6 more weeks of Winter.

But a lesser known fact is that this tradition started around the German Christian holiday of Candlemas. Candlemas is the celebration of Jesus’s presentation in the Temple and some cultures don’t remove their Christmas decorations until this day.

The Groundhog came into this in a bit more obscure way. A group of friends in Pennsylvania went searching for a Groundhog on Candlemas back in the early 1800s and the next thing you know, Groundhog Day was born.

The groundhog’s shadow became related to the weather forecast through a poem that says

“For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until May.
For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day,
So far will the sun shine before May.”

Whether or not Phil’s predictions are accurate, I think is just a fun holiday. The Groundhog Club waits all year for this so the least we can do is get excited about it!

Here are some more facts about Groundhog Day. I find it particularly interesting that Phil is about as accurate as a meteorologist. I wonder what James Spann has to say about that.

Hello February!

With the warm winter we’ve had, your lawn might be in need of some attention sooner than you think. Give us a call and let us handle the dirty work!