Landscaping – American Landscape

August Landscaping Tips: Helping Your Landscape Bounce Back

August 4, 2026/in Landscaping/by Mary Monday

If this summer has left you wondering what’s going on with your yard, you’re not alone. The growing season we’ve experienced in Southeast Wisconsin has thrown us a few curveballs. Spring brought plenty of rain, making it difficult to get into gardens and delaying some landscape projects. Then July flipped the script with stretches of hot, dry weather that caused lawns to brown and plants to show signs of stress much earlier than usual.

The recent stretch of cooler temperatures has been a welcome change. Many landscapes are already starting to recover, and August is a great time to give them a little extra attention before we head into fall.

Don’t Panic Over Brown Grass

One of the most common questions we’ve been hearing is, “Is my lawn dead?”

Fortunately, in most cases, the answer is no.

Most Wisconsin lawns are made up of cool-season grasses that naturally go dormant during periods of heat and drought. While the grass turns brown to conserve moisture, the roots are often still healthy. As temperatures cool and rainfall returns, many lawns will gradually green up again.

Now isn’t the time to overcorrect. Continue mowing at a higher height, water deeply when conditions are dry, and let your lawn recover at its own pace.

Give Trees and Shrubs a Checkup

Lawns usually show drought stress first, but trees and shrubs can continue feeling the effects long after the weather changes.

Take a walk around your property and look for branches that are broken, rubbing together, or no longer producing healthy growth. Newly planted trees and shrubs deserve a little extra attention since their root systems are still getting established.

Deep watering every several days is much more effective than frequent, shallow watering. A fresh layer of mulch can also help retain soil moisture while protecting roots from temperature swings.

Freshen Up Landscape Beds

After months of rapid spring growth followed by summer heat, landscape beds often need a little cleanup.

Pull weeds before they have a chance to spread seeds, remove spent annuals or perennials that have finished blooming, and touch up mulch where it’s thinned out over the season. These simple tasks instantly improve the appearance of your landscape while helping plants stay healthier through the rest of the summer.

It’s Not Too Early to Think About Fall

Some of the best landscape projects begin with a conversation in August.

If you’ve been thinking about adding a patio, replacing overgrown plantings, improving drainage, or creating a new outdoor living space, now is an excellent time to start planning. Fall provides ideal conditions for many landscape installations, and getting on the schedule early gives you the best opportunity to complete projects before winter arrives.

Schedule Time with a Landscape Designer

A Little Care Now Goes a Long Way

Every growing season is different, and this one has certainly kept homeowners on their toes.

Fortunately, landscapes are remarkably resilient. With a little patience and the right care, most lawns, trees, and planting beds will recover nicely as we move into late summer and fall.

If you’re unsure what your landscape needs after this unusual season, we’re always happy to help. Whether it’s a quick evaluation, proactive pruning, or planning your next outdoor project, our team is here to help you keep your landscape healthy and looking its best.

Mid-May Landscaping Tips for Southeast Wisconsin

May 21, 2026/in Landscaping/by Mary Monday

It has been a wet one! After a spring that has kept many of us off our lawns and out of our garden beds longer than usual, mid-May is finally the time to get moving. Here is what to focus on right now in Southeast Wisconsin.

Flowers

We are past the average last frost date, so tender annuals can go in the ground. Just watch the overnight forecast — a late cold snap is not out of the question in our area. If your spring bulb foliage has yellowed, go ahead and remove it. Deadhead spent blooms to keep things tidy and encourage continued flowering. For butterfly bush, Russian sage, and caryopteris, prune back to where you see new growth emerging. Edge your beds with a sharp spade to define things now that the ground has had a chance to firm up from all that rain.

Lawn

With all the moisture we have had, we anticipate insect and disease activity to be high this season. May and June are ideal times to apply a grub preventative. We treat for pests as part of our HortiCare program. Learn more here:

Learn More About HortiCare

Keep your mower blade set around 3 inches and never take off more than a third of the grass height at once — this is especially important right now since wet conditions already stress turf. This is also a good window to patch any bare or damaged areas; just keep newly seeded spots consistently moist as they establish.

Trees and Shrubs

Mid-May Landscaping Tips - prune spring shrubs

Once your forsythia, lilacs, viburnum, or weigela have finished blooming, it’s time to prune — do not wait. These shrubs set next year’s flower buds during the growing season, so pruning later means fewer blooms next spring. For birch, viburnum, and other borer-prone trees, now is the time to apply a systemic insecticide once they finish blooming.

The wet spring has also created favorable conditions for future fungal issues and certain pest populations, so keep a close eye on your plants. Catching a problem early is far easier — and less costly — than addressing it once it has taken hold.

We are happy to help with all your landscaping needs, from regular lawn maintenance to hardscape projects, our team of experts can help you have an outdoor space that will be the envy of your neighbors! Get in touch today!

Replacing Overgrown Shrubs: 5 Steps to Update Your Yard

April 16, 2026/in Landscape Design, Landscaping/by Mary Monday

It usually starts gradually.

A shrub sits neatly below the window, then creeps higher each year. Branches push outward, softening the edges of the bed. Over time, what once felt balanced begins to feel crowded and overgrown.

Drive through a few neighborhoods in Brookfield, Elm Grove or Pewaukee, and you’ll see it everywhere. Foundation plantings that were installed years ago continue to grow well beyond their intended size.

Windows become partially covered. Architectural details fade behind dense growth. Entryways feel tighter, and the front of the home starts to look more crowded than welcoming.

Nothing is necessarily wrong. This is simply how plants grow.

Replacing overgrown shrubs is often less about fixing a problem and more about restoring balance.

What Should You Do When Foundation Shrubs Get Too Big?

When shrubs outgrow their space, trimming can help in the short term, but it doesn’t change how those plants will continue to grow over time.

Instead, it often makes more sense to step back and rethink the layout of the landscape bed as a whole. This may mean removing oversized plants, adjusting spacing, and choosing varieties that fit the scale of the home at maturity, not just when they’re first planted.

The goal is to create a foundation planting that improves curb appeal, grows into its space, remains proportionate to the home, and remains manageable over time.

5 Steps to Restore Balance to Overgrown Shrubs

Restoring balance starts with stepping back and looking at the layout as a whole. From there, it becomes easier to rework the planting so everything fits the home a little more naturally.

1. Clear the Slate First

Start by removing shrubs that have outgrown their space or no longer fit the layout. It opens everything up and makes it easier to see what you’re working with.

From there, remove any remaining roots, add soil where needed to level the bed, and redefine the edges. With everything pulled back, it becomes much easier to rethink spacing, scale, and how the planting should come together moving forward.

2. Choose Shorter Shrubs for Better Window Views

Not every shrub belongs in every location. What works in a larger bed or open area can quickly feel out of place when planted close to the house.

In most cases, this means keeping shrubs below the window line and choosing varieties that won’t outgrow the space. Focus on how each shrub will spread and fill in over time, not how it looks when it’s first installed.

3. Use Height Strategically

Once the main shrubs are in place, height can be used more intentionally to add structure without overwhelming the home.

A few slightly taller shrubs can be positioned at corners or between windows to create definition. This keeps the planting from feeling flat while avoiding a continuous wall of greenery across the front of the house.

Height can also come from other plantings. Ornamental grasses, perennials, or small accent trees can add variation and draw the eye without taking over the space.

When height is used selectively, it adds interest without overwhelming the home’s architecture.

4. Follow a Simple Layering Formula

A layered planting helps everything feel more organized and easier to maintain over time.

Start with lower shrubs near the front edge of the bed to define the border. Behind that, use mid-sized shrubs to create a consistent base. Then add a few taller accents to bring in height and structure without overwhelming the space.

For Wisconsin landscapes, choosing plants well-suited to the climate makes a noticeable difference. Boxwood and spirea are commonly used for structure, while hydrangea can add seasonal interest without taking over the space. Native options like ninebark or serviceberry also work well, offering durability and a more natural look.

Keeping the layout simple and repeating plant groupings helps the design feel cohesive instead of overly busy.

5. Plan for the Long Term

The decisions made during planting will shape how the space looks and functions for years to come.

Choose shrubs based on their mature size, not how they look when they’re first installed. A shrub that starts at two feet tall may reach six feet or more, which can quickly crowd windows, walkways, or neighboring plants if it’s placed too close.

Spacing matters just as much. Leaving enough room between shrubs allows them to fill in naturally without constant pruning to keep them separated or in bounds.

It’s also important to think about upkeep. Some shrubs hold their shape with minimal trimming, while others need to be cut back regularly to stay in scale with the home.

Planning ahead reduces the need for ongoing adjustments and helps keep the planting consistent as it grows.

Address Overgrown Shrubs with American Landscape

Updating overgrown shrubs is about more than removing what’s there. It’s an opportunity to rethink how your foundation planting fits your home today and how it will grow over time.

Working with an experienced team helps ensure the layout, plant selection, and spacing all support a balanced, long-term result.

American Landscape provides thoughtful design, proper installation, professional maintenance, and guidance based on plant choices that align with Wisconsin’s climate and native landscape.

Contact American Landscape today to schedule a consultation.

Reviving Your Landscape in Spring: How to Refresh Landscape Beds

March 16, 2026/in Landscaping, Company News/by Mary Monday

It’s early spring and the snow is melting here in Southeastern Wisconsin, which has a way of revealing everything winter covered up. As the snow melts and the ground begins to thaw, landscapes often look very different from how they did in the fall. Edges soften, mulch shifts, and perennials may be flattened by snow.

It can feel overwhelming to see what waits for you outside! Maybe your summer home in Lake Country didn’t get a fall clean-up due to early snow and you just don’t have time to get there. Or, the Wauwatosa bungalow you bought last fall surrounded by gardens needs an experienced touch. Maybe your new job has your travelling constantly and your neighbors in Elm Grove won’t like you much if your landscape falls into disrepair.

This time of year often highlights areas of the landscape that could benefit from attention. Sometimes that means refreshing existing beds; other times it becomes an opportunity to plan larger landscape improvements.

Either way, spring is the ideal time to evaluate your outdoor spaces. Restoring structure, cleaning up winter damage, and making thoughtful adjustments now helps set the stage for healthy growth and a beautiful landscape throughout the season.

Early Spring Landscape Tasks Before the Ground Fully Thaws

Some of the most important landscape maintenance happens before plants even begin actively growing. Taking care of these early tasks can set your landscape up for a much smoother season.

Prune Deciduous Shrubs

Many shrubs benefit from pruning before they leaf out. Dormant or corrective pruning helps maintain strong plant structure and can reduce the amount of trimming needed later in the summer.

However, spring-blooming shrubs such as forsythia and lilacs should be pruned after they finish blooming so you don’t remove the flower buds.

Cut Back Perennials

By early spring, many perennials are showing the effects of winter weather. Snow can flatten stems, and birds often finish feeding on remaining seed heads.

If plants were not cut back in the fall, early spring is an ideal time to remove old growth so new shoots can emerge cleanly.

Spring PREPARING YOUR LANDSCAPE FOR A FLOURISHING SEASON

Rake or Clear Landscape Beds

Whether you rake beds clean or leave some natural debris depends on your goals.

Homeowners who prefer a tidy appearance may want to remove leaves and leftover plant material. Others may choose to leave some debris in place to support pollinators and beneficial insects, which often use leaf litter for shelter and nesting.

As organic material breaks down, it can also contribute nutrients and microbial life that support soil health.

Apply a Balanced Fertilizer

Applying a balanced slow-release fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 blend, around plantings can help give plants a strong start as spring rains begin to warm the soil. These nutrients help support early growth and encourage healthy development throughout the season.

Assess Winter Damage

Winter conditions and wildlife can leave their mark on the landscape. Rabbits may chew shrubs, and voles may tunnel beneath snow cover.

Early spring is a good time to walk the property and assess what may need attention so you can plan solutions before growth begins in earnest.

Refreshing Landscape Beds After the Ground Thaws

Once the soil begins warming and plants start to emerge, it becomes easier to evaluate the condition of your landscape beds and make improvements. A step-by-step approach helps restore structure while supporting plant health.

Step 1: Clear and Reset the Foundation

Before reshaping or replanting anything, start with a clean surface as part of a thorough spring landscape clean-up. Winter leaves behind more than debris. Snow weight, shifting mulch, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles can flatten perennials and compact soil. Clearing everything back allows you to see the bed’s true condition.

This step is not about redesigning yet. It is about removing distractions so you can assess what should stay and what needs adjustment.

This typically includes:

Clearing leaves and sticks
Cutting back remaining perennial growth
Pulling early weeds
Removing plants that didn’t survive the winter

With the bed cleaned up, it becomes easier to assess spacing, layout, and areas that may need improvement.

Step 2: Redefine Landscape Bed Edges

BeforeAfter

Re-establishing the shape of the bed often results in the most noticeable improvement in the shortest amount of time, especially when you sharpen landscape bed edging and bed layout so the border between lawn and planting areas is clear.

Clean lines immediately make the space feel maintained and intentional.

Focus on:

Cutting clean, consistent edges along the perimeter
Removing turf that has grown into the bed
Widening narrow sections if plants feel crowded
Smoothing uneven curves for a balanced appearance

Step 3: Evaluate What Survived the Winter

As plants begin budding and perennials emerge, it becomes easier to determine what made it through the winter.

Keep in mind that not all plants emerge at the same time. However, you can usually identify dead branches or plants that failed to return.

At this stage:

Prune out dead branches from otherwise healthy plants
Note perennials that did not return
Identify areas where plants may need to be replaced or rearranged

This evaluation helps guide planting decisions later in the season.

Step 4: Reinvigorate Your Soil & Adjust Plantings

If you have un-mulched areas, perennial or other garden beds, spring is a great time to add compost or worm castings to your soil to reinvigorate your beds. Cultivating amendments into the soil around existing plantings, even before you mulch, will increase the organic matter in your soil which will give you healthier plants.

Once the soil is addressed, step back and look at the overall layout. Older landscape beds often feel crowded, not because they lack space, but because too many plants compete for attention. Over time, varieties get added without a clear plan, and the original balance of the bed starts to fade.

Spring is a good opportunity to simplify and restore structure before new growth fills everything in.

At this stage:

Remove overcrowded or underperforming plants
Group similar varieties together for a more cohesive look
Keep taller plants positioned toward the back or center, depending on the layout
Introduce one or two strong structural plants to anchor the space

A simplified plant palette almost always makes landscape beds feel more intentional. Instead of adding more, focus on strengthening what works and creating a clearer visual hierarchy.

Step 5: Finish with Fresh Mulch

Mulching is often the final step in refreshing landscape beds. Applying fresh mulch improves appearance while also helping regulate soil temperature, retain moisture, and suppress weeds.

For best results:

Apply approximately 2–3 inches of mulch
Keep mulch slightly away from plant crowns and stems
Maintain consistent coverage throughout the bed

Mulching earlier in the season is often easier because plants are still small and easier to work around.

Additional Spring Landscape Tasks to Consider

While refreshing landscape beds is often the primary focus, several other tasks can help ensure your entire landscape performs well throughout the year.

Remove Winter Protection

As temperatures warm, remove wraps, burlap, or other winter protection from plants. Once March arrives, the risk of harsh winter winds is usually reduced, and lingering coverings can trap heat and moisture during warm spring days.

Divide Perennials

Spring is a good time to divide perennials that bloom later in the summer. Plants such as daylilies, bee balm, and hosta are easy to identify and move earlier in the season.

Spring-blooming perennials such as peonies and iris should be divided after they finish flowering.

Check Irrigation and Landscape Lighting

Winter snow removal, wildlife activity, or freezing temperatures can damage irrigation lines or landscape lighting. Early spring inspections make repairs easier before plants fill in.

Think About Plant Health

Was there something in the yard that was attacked by insects or disease? Now is the time to think about how to mitigate future damage or if the plant should be removed from your landscape.

Look at the Landscape as a Whole

Stand in the area where you most often view your yard and evaluate the overall layout.

Are there plants overcrowding each other?
Are there open spaces?
Is there something that just doesn’t belong anymore?

Even if garden centers have not yet fully stocked plants, early spring is a great time to begin planning adjustments.

Look up. As trees leaf out look for dead, broken, or branches that may interfere with power lines or structures as they put on their growth this year. Trees can often grow 6”-8” a year or more if there is rainfall at the right time. Correcting a problem early on can prevent a much bigger problem down the line.

Signs Your Landscape Beds Need a Spring Refresh

Many homeowners wonder if their planting beds need a full redesign or just seasonal maintenance. In most cases, a refresh is enough.

Common signs your landscape beds need attention include:

Bed edges blending into the lawn
Mulch that has thinned or shifted after winter
Overcrowded plants competing for space
Dead branches or plants that didn’t survive winter
Beds that look uneven or unstructured

Addressing these issues early in the season helps restore the visual structure of the landscape and supports healthier plant growth.

Refresh Your Landscape with American Landscape

Refreshing your landscape beds each spring helps restore structure, improve plant health, and maintain the overall appearance of your property.

For homeowners across Southeastern Wisconsin, including Menomonee Falls, Brookfield, Elm Grove, and Lake Country, American Landscape provides professional spring cleanups, landscape bed renovations, and planting updates designed for long-term results.

Our experienced team can evaluate your existing landscape, correct structural issues, tackle spring cleanup chores and create a landscape that looks clean, balanced, and ready for the growing season.

Contact American Landscape today to schedule your spring landscape refresh.

Snow and Your Landscape

December 19, 2025/in Landscaping/by American Landscape

Unless you participate in winter sports, you probably dread winter snow—except at Christmas. Your landscape plants, however, look forward to it each year.

Snow plays a vital role in our ecosystem here in Wisconsin. Plants and animals depend on it to survive the winter months and emerge strong and healthy in spring.

First, snow is an excellent insulator. Our instinct as humans is to protect new plants from snow, fearing damage because of the cold. In reality, nothing could be better for them. A thick layer of snow shields plants from extreme cold and the wild temperature fluctuations we’ve been experiencing. Soil beneath snow cover does not freeze and thaw as quickly, which helps prevent tender roots from heaving out of the ground. Snow also acts like a blanket, trapping warm air and protecting hibernating amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.

The moisture provided by snow is also beneficial, keeping plants and soil hydrated. Moist soil helps prevent erosion, and when spring arrives, plants rely on ample water to fuel their rapid growth spurt. As snow melts slowly into the ground, it provides a steady source of moisture and gives plants a healthy start to the season. Additional runoff from melting snow benefits animals emerging from hibernation by creating ephemeral streams and pools needed for their life cycles. This moisture also contributes to the composting process, helping break down leaves and other organic matter into nutrients for your soil.

The Downsides of Snow and Your Landscape

Heavy snow can sometimes cause damage to evergreens, especially when it is very wet. We experienced this a few years ago, when conditions were just right to cause significant damage to arborvitae and snap branches on pines and spruce. Fortunately, this was an unusual event. Most plants are flexible and can withstand snowfall, but certain situations in your yard may require human intervention. If a branch appears excessively weighed down, you can gently remove snow with a broom to reduce the load. Sometimes Mother Nature wins, and other times branches will slowly spring back into place.

Salt can also be harmful to plants, particularly along the edges of driveways and landscape beds. Excessive salt can burn turf, accumulate and toxify the soil, or weaken plants. In residential yards, snowmelt and spring rains typically flush salt from the soil, allowing lawns to recover. On commercial properties, where large amounts of salt are applied for safety, long-term damage may occur and require additional effort to correct.

One final disadvantage of snow cover is that it creates a cozy environment for small mammals such as voles and rabbits to burrow beneath and stay warm. As we know, these animals—along with deer—can cause significant damage to landscapes over the winter. While vole damage in lawns is usually easy to repair, deer searching for food and burrowing rodents can wreak havoc in a short period of time. For larger pests like deer and rabbits, consider winterizing plants they are drawn to. For smaller pests such as mice or voles, contacting a pest control specialist is often the best solution.

Fall and Winter Care Tips For New Landscapes

September 16, 2025/in Landscaping/by Mary Monday

A new landscape is an exciting investment—but the first winter is often the biggest test. While we carefully select plants we believe will thrive, young trees, shrubs, and perennials still need a little extra care to make it through the colder months successfully. With some proactive steps, you can protect your investment and set the stage for a strong, healthy spring.

Protecting Young Deciduous Trees

Deer may not always eat young deciduous trees, but they do love rubbing antlers on tender bark in the fall. Damage often begins as early as September. Protect your trees by:

Paper Tree Wrap: Wrap trunks from the ground to the lower branches, then remove in March to avoid trapped moisture or pests.
Plastic Tree Wrap: Choose ventilated options and remove in spring. Avoid DIY black drain tile, which traps heat and can cause frost cracks.
Caging: Build a hardware cloth fence several feet from the trunk and bury the base to block deer and rodents. This also works for shrubs.

Safeguarding Arborvitae

Most arborvitae are irresistible to deer. To protect them:

Deer Sprays: Apply multiple times in fall before freezing temps set in.
Burlap: Wrap trees directly or create a burlap fence with stakes for better airflow and easier spring removal.

Caring for Perennials

You may have heard the old adage, “Sleep, creep and leap,” in regards to perennials. The first year they sleep – all the activity is going on underground where they are developing new root systems. Help them establish by:

Watering during warm, dry fall stretches (only if soil is dry).
Adding 2–3 inches of mulch to stabilize soil temperature.
Deciding whether to cut back in fall or leave stems for winter interest and wildlife habitat.

Protecting Shrubs

Some shrubs are more vulnerable to animal damage. Tips include:

Roses: Modern landscape varieties don’t need covering—just mulch and moisture until freeze.
Rabbit-prone shrubs (burning bush, barberry, serviceberry, etc.): Use sprays or cages for protection.
Junipers: Watch for vole damage; prune out affected branches in spring.
Rhododendrons & Azaleas: Use burlap fencing or anti-desiccant sprays to prevent winter burn.

Winter can be tough on new landscapes, but a little preparation goes a long way. By protecting young trees, safeguarding evergreens, watering and mulching perennials, and guarding vulnerable shrubs, you’ll give your landscape the best chance to thrive. Come spring, you’ll be rewarded with strong, healthy growth that continues to build the outdoor space you envisioned.

Our team can help work with you to ensure your new landscape has the best chance of survival over winter. Get in touch today for assistance.