What Is the Difference Between Lawn Care and Landscaping?

Looking to have your lawn mowed? Maybe want some new bushes and decorative trees installed? But who do you call for these services? Unless you are familiar with the industry, it’s easy to get confused. Lawn care and landscaping are two distinct yet closely related fields that both involve working with elements within your yard. In this article, we will take a closer look at the differences between lawn care and landscaping, including the tasks and services involved in each and how they can complement one another to create a beautiful yard and a healthy lawn.

What’s the Difference Between Lawn Care and Landscaping?

While there is some overlap, there are a number of differences between lawn care and landscaping. Lawn care refers to the upkeep and maintenance of a lawn, including mowing, fertilizing, and watering. Landscaping refers to the design and installation of plants or other elements in your yard. Lawn services focus on creating a beautiful and healthy lawn, whereas landscapers

What Does a Lawn Care Professional Do?

Lawn care professionals maintain the health and appearance of lawns. This typically includes mowing, fertilizing, and even watering the lawn. They may also provide additional services such as lawn aeration and dethatching. Some lawn care professionals may also trim bushes, scrubs, and trees or take care of other outdoor spaces.

Common lawn care services include:

• Lawn mowing
• Lawn edging
• Weed control
• Lawn fertilization
• Pest control
• Trimming bushes and shrubs
• Pruning trees
• Lawn aeration
• Lawn dethatching
• Reseeding a lawn
• Mulching existing beds
• Leaf removal and yard cleanup
• Grass and plant watering

While some lawn care professionals may also offer landscaping services, it is uncommon. Lawn care professionals typically focus on maintaining the health and appearance of a lawn, while landscaping involves a broader range of design and installation tasks. Some lawn services will also offer snow removal during the winter months.

What Does a Landscaper Do?

A landscaper is responsible for designing and maintaining outdoor living spaces, including plant beds, lawns, gardens, and other areas around a property. This can include tasks such as:

• Decorative yard or landscape design
• Plant bed installation
• Adding trees, shrubs, and bushes
• Seasonal yard maintenance
• Leaf removal and yard cleanup
• Mulching
• Lawn aeration
• Lawn dethatching
• Laying sod
• Reseeding a lawn
• Lawn irrigation installation
• Hardscape installation
• Water feature installation

Many landscapers also provide regular lawn care services. However, most require more than just regular lawn mowing services. For example, they may also require additional services like bush and shrub maintenance, tree pruning, and regular reseeding or fertilizing schedules.

When Should You Call a Lawn Care Company?

You should call a lawn care company for any service involving your grass. There are a few situations when it would be appropriate to call a lawn care professional:

• If you want to establish a regular schedule for lawn maintenance, such as mowing, fertilizing, and watering. A professional can provide these services on a regular basis to ensure that your lawn stays healthy and looks its best.
• If you notice any problems with your lawn, such as brown patches, overgrowth, or pests. A professional can diagnose and treat these issues to help restore the health of your lawn.
• If you want to prepare your lawn for a special event or season, such as a wedding or the start of summer. A lawn care business can help you get your lawn in top condition for your event or season.
• If you don’t have time or the knowledge to maintain your lawn. Professionals can take care of the necessary tasks and create a beautiful lawn with almost no effort on your part.
• If you want to improve the appearance of your lawn for aesthetic reasons. A professional can advise you on how to achieve the look you desire for your lawn.

With regular maintenance, a professional lawn care service will keep your lawn healthy and attractive while saving you time and hassle. Although some companies will offer other services, most are limited to maintaining your yard.

When Should You Call a Landscaping Company?

You should call a landscaping company when you are looking to make a decorative change to your yard or for any service beyond just grass maintenance. Here are some reasons why you would want to call a landscaping company:

1. If you are planning to install a new garden, bed, or yard feature. A landscaping company can help you design and plan the layout, select the right plants and materials, and install the new space.
2. If you want to make changes or improvements to an existing garden, bed, or yard feature. A landscaping company can help you plan and execute changes such as adding new plants, building hardscaping features like patios or walkways, or installing an irrigation system.
3. If you want to enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of your property. A landscaping company can help you create a beautiful and cohesive outdoor design that complements your home and enhances curb appeal.
4. If you want to improve the functionality of your yard. A landscaping company can help you design and install yard features that are both beautiful and functional, such as a vegetable garden or a fire pit area.
5. If you want to create a low-maintenance garden. A landscaping professional can advise you on how to create a garden that requires minimal maintenance, such as choosing low-maintenance plants or building a drip irrigation system.

A landscaping company can help you create a beautiful and functional outdoor space that complements your home and enhances your property’s overall aesthetic appeal and functionality. Some may also offer grass-cutting or other lawn maintenance services, but it isn’t guaranteed.