Landscaping & Pruning

Why Seattle landscaping needs more upkeep than people expect

Our mild, wet climate is fantastic for growth, which is exactly the problem. Laurel, photinia, and arborvitae hedges common in Seattle yards can put on two to three feet of new growth in a single season, and a hedge left untouched for even one year can go from a tidy privacy screen to something pushing into a walkway or blocking a window. Rhododendrons, azaleas, and other PNW landscaping staples grow more slowly but still need shaping to stay full and healthy rather than leggy and bare at the base.

Ornamental trees, dogwoods, Japanese maples, and smaller flowering varieties common in front yards across Ballard, Wallingford, and the Eastside also need regular attention: removing crossing or damaged branches, thinning crowded canopies so light and air reach the interior, and keeping branches clear of rooflines, gutters, and walkways. Left alone, these trees become misshapen, more prone to storm damage, and can end up dropping limbs onto a driveway or roof during one of our windier winter storms.

Timing pruning around our specific growing season

Most deciduous shrubs and evergreen hedges in this region are best pruned during the dormant season, roughly late fall through late winter, when cutting back growth won't stress the plant and shapes hold cleanly through spring green-up. Spring-flowering shrubs like rhododendrons and azaleas are the exception: they're pruned right after they finish blooming, not during winter dormancy, or you risk cutting off next year's flower buds. Fast-growing hedges like laurel and photinia typically need a second, lighter shaping in mid-summer to stay in bounds through the rest of the growing season.

What we handle, and what we hand off

Our crews handle hedge trimming and shaping, shrub pruning, and ornamental tree work on trees that can be safely reached from the ground or a ladder, generally under about 15 feet. For larger tree work involving climbing, rigging, or removal, that falls under certified arborist and tree service licensing requirements, and we'll always tell you honestly when a job needs that specialized crew rather than trying to stretch our scope. We're happy to coordinate that referral so you're not left figuring out who to call next.

What's included

• Hedge trimming and shaping for laurel, boxwood, arborvitae, photinia, and similar varieties
• Shrub pruning and shape maintenance, timed around each plant's bloom cycle
• Ornamental tree pruning: dead-wooding, crown thinning, and clearance cuts
• Debris haul-away included, nothing left piled in the yard
• Honest referral to a certified arborist for larger tree work outside our scope